Summer School Book Instructors

ODTÜ METU
PROCEEDING
TOWARDS
PROFICIENCY
Instructor’s Copy
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by
Öğr. Gör. Umman Tümkaya
&
Öğr. Gör. Dr. Başak Ağın
Summer School Materials

Ankara, 2018
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Bringing together all the items in this book and incorporating them into the expected NEPE format
was no easy mission, especially considering the accuracy required in completing it and the pace at
which the set of materials was produced, compiled, and edited. Accomplishing this demanding
task would not have been possible without the help and guidance of several colleagues, whose
meticulous efforts invigorated us even at times of despair.
First and foremost, we would like to express our gratitude to Özlem Atalay, Director of School of
Foreign Languages, for believing in our potential to produce such material bearing utmost
importance. We also thank Aliye Hale Bingöl, Head of Department of Basic English, and all our
colleagues working in the DBE administration for their supportive approach.
We definitely feel indebted to our proofreaders, who continuously provided us with invaluable
feedback and detailed insight during the production process of the materials. We are deeply
grateful to Gökçen Baskan Gülşen, Fatma Gülhan, Steve Riva, and Hilal Sevinç, who put
enormous effort into reading and analyzing in detail such comprehensive work. Their precious and
wise feedback always reached us in a timely manner, making our job much easier to handle and
yielding results with higher precision. We thank them for their support, which was with us from
the beginning to the end. We also owe thanks to Nilay Bekçi Köse, Elif Çiçek Dikmen, Nilüfer
Kale, Ece Selva Küçükoğlu, Çiğdem Özen, Sezi Özentürk Coşkuner, Deniz Özhan, and Füsun
Şahin for contributing to this book with their constructive and insightful feedback at times of need.
Our special thanks go to Cansu Göktan, who not only spent days and nights working with us to
deliver feedback, but also came up with brilliant ideas to improve the quality and feasibility of the
material we produced. We also thank the recording team, Defne Akıncı Midas, Murat Aydın,
Tuğçe Bölükbaşı, Gary Conlan, Yasemin Fırat, Meriç Gülcü, Thomas Madge, Çiğdem Mekik,
Jason Steinberg, İrem Soyuer, and Münire Vecdi Özbilen, for giving voice to the while-listening
section and the lecture parts of the performance tasks by undertaking heavy workload. And finally,
needless to say, we are thankful to all our colleagues in DBE who gave us emotional support by
offering help and appreciating our hard work.
We hope that this set of materials will prove useful for the students preparing for the NEPE and
for our colleagues in guiding students towards success. We wish our students a fruitful summer
school term.
Umman Tümkaya & Başak Ağın
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Listening Comprehension………………………………………………………………………1
Practice I………………………………………………………………………………....2
Practice II………………………………………………………………………….........15
Practice III……………………………………………………………………………....28
Practice IV…………………………………………………………………………........41
Practice V………………………………………………………………………………..55
Practice VI………………………………………………………………………………69
Practice VII………………………………………………………………………….......84
Practice VIII……………………………………………………………………….......102
Practice IX…………………………………………………………………………......118
Practice X………………………………………………………………………………132
Practice XI……………………………………………………………………………..148
Practice XII……………………………………………………………………………164
Careful Reading……………………………………………………………………………….178
Extra Practice for Careful Reading………………………………………………….239
Search Reading………………………………………………………………………………..255
SR1……………………………………………………………………………………..256
SR2……………………………………………………………………………………..262
SR3……………………………………………………………………………………..269
SR4……………………………………………………………………………………..276
SR5……………………………………………………………………………………..283
SR6……………………………………………………………………………………..291
SR7……………………………………………………………………………………..298
SR8……………………………………………………………………………………..306
SR9……………………………………………………………………………………..313
SR10……………………………………………………………………………………320
SR11………………………………………………………………………………..…..327
SR12……………………………………………………………………………………335
Writing Practice……………………………………………………………………………….343
Line Graphs……………………………………………………………………………344
Bar Graphs…………………………………………………………………………….348
Pie Charts……………………………………………………………………………...352
Tables…………………………………………………………………………………..360
Multiple Graphs……………………………………………………………………….365
Diagrams……………………………………………………………………………….369
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Performance Tasks……………………………………………………………………………371
PT1……………………………………………………………………………………..372
PT2……………………………………………………………………………………..376
PT3……………………………………………………………………………………..380
PT4……………………………………………………………………………………..384
PT5……………………………………………………………………………………..388
PT6……………………………………………………………………………………..392
PT7……………………………………………………………………………………..396
PT8……………………………………………………………………………………..400
PT9……………………………………………………………………………………..404
PT10…………………………………………………………………………………....408
PT11………………………………………………………………………………..…..412
PT12………………………………………………………………………………..…..416
PT13.……………………………………………………………………………….…..420
PT14……………………………………………………………………………..……..424
Vocabulary……………………………………………………………………………………..428
Test 1…………………………………………………………………………………...430
Test 2…………………………………………………………………………………...435
Test 3…………………………………………………………………………………...440
Test 4………………………………………………………………………………...…445
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LISTENING COMPREHENSION
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PRACTICE I
BRIEF TALKS
For items 1-5, you will listen to five one-minute talks and a question related to each. As you listen,
mark the alternative that answers the question or completes the statement. Before you listen to
each talk, you will be given 15 seconds to look at the three alternatives.
pre-teach: highlight, shortcoming
This afternoon I watched an episode of Sean’s Show. Sometimes you look back at something after
25 years, and it’s not as good as you remember it. But Sean’s Show is better than I’d remembered.
It was really fun. And so innovative – a new way of doing what he used to do in the 1990s. It had
fun and reality elements mixed together. It’s like saying, “We’re doing a show, but we’re not doing
a show, you know?” Most comedy TV shows in the early ‘90s had people in front of an audience
doing standup, or they were sitcoms. To combine the two within this new show was thoughtful.
And it really connected with young people.
Adapted from https://www.theguardian.com/stage/2017/oct/16/sean-hughes-tributes-jokes-rhona-cameron-mark-steel
1. What is the aim of the speaker?

a) To comment on a show by comparing it with its old version
b) To criticize a show by highlighting its shortcomings
c) To illustrate successful standups and sitcoms
I personally feel that getting to know the culture that is tied to the language that you’re learning
can go a long way towards further igniting your interest in and love for the language. I love to read
about the language and its culture as much as I love studying the language itself, and in studying
culture, I am able to create more ties between myself and the language. While studying Russian,
for example, I’ve found some interesting facts about Russian culture. In Russia, especially once
relationships have been built, long answers to the question “how are you?” are typical. In fact, the
Western equivalent response of “fine, thanks” may even be seen as rude, and Russians may be
upset by it, so when answering the question in conversations with Russians, especially friends, be
sure that you’re prepared to answer in a little more detail than what you may be used to.
Adapted from http://eurolinguiste.com/9-interesting-facts-russian-culture/
2. What is the main point of the talk?

a) Getting familiar with the culture helps relate to the language.
b) Russians find short responses in conversations rude.
c) Learners must have interest in the language to learn it effectively.
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A comet is an object that travels around the sun leaving a bright trail behind. The most commonly
known comet is named after the person who discovered it, Halley. For more than two thousand
years, the return of Halley’s Comet has been observed and recorded on Earth every 76 years. Its
1986 visit, however, was the first time that humans took a close look at its nucleus. One spacecraft
went within a few hundred kilometers of the nucleus. Two Soviet craft, Vega 1 and Vega 2, came
within 10,000 km of the nucleus on March 6th and March 9th; and the European Space Agency’s
Giotto space probe passed within 600 km of Halley’s Comet on March 14th. Pioneer Venus Orbiter
found that the cloud of gases and dust that make up the tail spread over a region that is about
20,000,000 km across, 15 times larger than the sun. Scientists also discovered that the comet was
losing about ten meters of material from its surface during every orbit, suggesting a lifetime of
about only 1,000 orbits, which means in about 100,000 years, it will disappear.
Adapted from Reader at Work II
3. What is the topic of the talk?

a) Halley’s Comet
b) Pioneer Venus Orbiter
c) Vega 1 and Vega 2
pre-teach: entail
Professional dog food tasting is actually a profession, and apparently pays quite well. An entry-
level position in the quality department would typically pay about $30,000 a year, while an
“experienced professional” could draw up to $75,000. But eating dog food for a living? Now that’s
pretty hard to digest! So what exactly does the job entail? Well, as the name suggests, it pretty
much involves tasting dog food to make sure it meets a premium brand’s quality standards. Tasters
regularly open sample tins of each freshly made batch of dog food, and then proceed to smell it,
then eat it. Professional tasters are trained to identify flavors that dogs tend to enjoy or reject.
Although dogs’ palates are different from ours, taste is an important quality to check to ensure
each different ingredient is perfectly balanced in just the right way. A dog-food taster, Wells, said
that he quite likes the food, and he doesn’t really have a problem with the tasting generally,
although there are some pretty gruesome pet foods on the market. He also finds it rewarding
because it helps pets become happier and healthier.
Adapted from http://www.odditycentral.com/foods/professional-dog-food-taster-is-actually-a-real-job.html

a) An uncommon job
b) The quality of dog food
c) Well-paying jobs
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pre-teach: depict, diversity, raise awareness, publicize
A ceremony at the Natural History Museum, London, will reveal the winners of its Wildlife
Photographer of the Year competition on Wednesday. Two overall winning images have been
selected from the winners of each category, depicting the incredible diversity of life on our planet.
They are on show with 99 other images selected by an international panel of judges at the 53rd
exhibition, which opens at the museum on Friday. There are several categories in the competition,
ranging from young artists, earth’s environments, story-telling, single image, to the black and
white category. All the images selected for each category are really powerful, and they all aim to
shock the audience to raise awareness about the environment.
Adapted from https://www.theguardian.com/environment/gallery/2017/oct/17/wildlife-photographer-of-the-year-2017-the-winners
5. What is the purpose of the talk?

a) To publicize the ceremonial opening of a museum located in London
b) To announce the exhibition of the winners of a photography competition
c) To call for applications for a photography competition in London
ANNOUNCEMENT
For items 6 to 8, you will listen to an announcement during the orientation program. As you listen,
mark the alternatives that answer the questions or complete the statements. Before you listen to
the announcement, you will be given 30 seconds to look at the questions and the alternatives.
This is to inform you that the main library on campus is seeking volunteers to work part-time. The
job involves assisting with the circulation desk, stacks maintenance, and collection management
operations. Duties may include checking out and checking in books, journals, reserve books and
other library materials, sorting books for shelving, answering basic informational, directional, or
library policy questions as well as phone calls and e-mails directed to the circulation desk. Other
responsibilities might involve searching the stacks for books that are reported missing and
reporting problems with the computers to the computer center. If you want to learn more about the
job, see the hiring supervisor. The pay is $10/hour, and you’ll work between 5 and 8 Monday to
Friday, which makes 15 hours. And you’ll also work on Saturdays, from 1 to 6 pm. Those who are
interested can either go to the main library or fill in the form on the library’s website for an
interview no later than Tuesday, September 23. After the evaluation of the forms, the students who
qualify will be e-mailed the date and venue of their interviews.
6. Which of the following is not one of the duties of the student assistant?
a. Replying to e-mails at the circulation desk
b. Arranging and maintaining the stacks
c. Solving computer problems
7. How many hours a week will the assistant need to work?
a. 10
b. 15
c. 20
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8. How can the student apply for an interview?
a. By sending a letter of intent via e-mail
b. By filling in an online application form
c. By calling the supervisor at the main library
INSTRUCTION
For items 9 and 10, you will listen to an instructor in the Department of Psychology giving
instructions as to how to conduct an experiment. As you listen, mark the alternatives that answer
the questions or complete the statements. Before you listen to the instructions, you will be given
30 seconds to look at the questions and the alternatives.
With an experiment, you are trying to learn something new about the world, an explanation of
‘why’ something happens. Your experiment must maintain internal and external validity, or the
results will be useless. So you should follow these five stages to ensure validity. After deciding
upon a hypothesis and making predictions, first specify the sample groups. These should be
large enough to give a statistically viable study, but small enough to be practical. Ideally, groups
should be selected at random, from a wide selection of the sample population. This allows
results to be generalized to the population as a whole. In the physical sciences, this is fairly
easy, but the biological and behavioral sciences are often limited by other factors. For example,
medical trials often cannot find random groups. Such research often relies upon volunteers, so
it is difficult to apply any realistic randomization. Secondly, the sample groups should be
divided into a control group and a test group, to reduce the possibility of confounding variables.
This, again, should be random, and the assigning of subjects to groups should be blind or double
blind. This will reduce the chances of experimental error, or bias, when conducting an
experiment. Stage 3 involves determining the time scale and frequency of sampling to fit the
type of experiment. For example, researchers studying the effectiveness of a cure for colds
would take frequent samples, over a period of days. Researchers testing a cure for Parkinson’s
disease, however, would use less frequent tests, over a period of months or years. In Stage 4,
the methods specified during the design phase are performed. And in Stage 5, the raw data from
the results are gathered and analyzed by statistical means. This will allow you to establish if
there is any relationship between the variables, and to accept or reject the null hypothesis.
Adapted from https://explorable.com/conducting-an-experiment
1. Which of the following is true according to the instruction?

a. The sample group is divided into two in the second stage.
b. It’s easier to select groups randomly in biological and behavioral sciences.
c. The larger the sample group is, the more valid the experiment results will be.
2. Why does the instructor mention Parkinson’s disease?
a. To show why it is important to determine the frequency of sampling
b. To explain how researchers can reduce the chances of experimental error or bias
c. To indicate why researchers need to perform different methods to collect data
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CONVERSATION
For items 11-15, you will listen to a conversation. As you listen, mark the alternatives that
answer the questions or complete the statements. Before you listen to the conversation, you will
be given 60 seconds to look at the questions and the alternatives.
pre-teach: conflict, reassure, caution, console
Registrar : Next, please.

Tony : Hi. Chemistry 106, morning lectures, please.
Registrar : Yes. Could I see your student ID card, please?
Tony : Here you are.
Registrar : Thank you. Now... 106 ...what sections would you like?
Tony : Uh, Tuesday and Thursday, Sections One or Two?
Registrar : There’re spaces available in both of those. Section One starts at 8:40, and Two is
from 10:40 to 12:30.
Tony : Well, 8:40 is a little early for me. It’s the same lecturer for both sections, isn’t it?
Registrar : Sorry, you’ll have to check that in your Course Guide.
Tony : Mmm, how many spaces are left in Section Two?
Registrar : It’s a little early for a lot of students. Section One still has about 40 spaces left,
but Two has only 10.
Tony : Oh, no. I want to be in the same section as my roomie, but he won’t register until
ten today, and by then, those may be gone. All right, give me Section One, please.
Registrar : There you are. And what about your lab section?
Tony : I think any Friday section is OK for me.
Registrar : Section 21 is twelve to two o’clock, Section 22 is one to three, Section 23 is two-
thirty to four-thirty, and Section 24 is three-thirty to five-thirty.
Tony : All right then, let me have the one-to-three o’clock one. Section 22?
Registrar : Yes, there you are.
Tony : Thanks. And can I register for IS 100 here, too?
Registrar : Yes. But, um... there’s only one section in that course: Monday-Wednesday-
Friday, from one o’clock to two. You’ve got a conflict with your chemistry lab.
Tony : Oh, no! (sighs)
Registrar : Do you want your laboratory on a different day?
Tony : No. Uh, what were the times on those other lab sections again?
Registrar : Twelve to two, one to three, two-thirty to four-thirty, and three-thirty to five-
thirty.
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Tony : I’ll take two-thirty to four-thirty, then. Could I change this card for that one?
Sorry.
Registrar : Sure, here you go. And here’s your section card for IS 100.
Tony : Thanks very much. Are there plenty of spaces left in 106?
Registrar : They won’t go in an hour. Your friend should have no trouble getting one. Is that
it now?
Tony : That’ll do it, thanks.
Registrar : OK. Please print your name and student number clearly in the blanks on each
card.
Tony : OK. “To-ny...mm...one four three eight nine one...mmm....” There you are.
Registrar : And don’t forget to write these into your class schedule: Chemistry 106, Lecture
Section One, Tuesday and Thursday, 8:40. Laboratory Section 23, Friday, two-
thirty. IS100, Monday-Wednesday-Friday, one to two p.m.
Tony : Thanks very much for your help!
Registrar : Have a nice day. Next, please?
Adapted from http://www.english-
test.net/toefl/listening/A_conversation_between_a_student_and_a_registration_clerk_during_registration_week.html
11. Which best describes the student’s current activity?

a. He is completing his schedule.
b. He is getting guidance from his advisor.
c. He is asking about registration procedures.
12. Why does the student want to take Chemistry Lecture Section 1?
a. Because it is early in the morning.
b. Because the class size of that section will be smaller.
c. Because he’d rather be in the same section as his friend.
13. What is the problem with Laboratory Section 22?
a. It is too late on Friday.
b. It is at the same time as another class.
c. He has a conflict with the lab assistant.
14. Why does the young man say this: “They won’t go in an hour”?
a. To reassure the student
b. To caution the student
c. To console the student
15. For how many sections does the student register?
a. 2
b. 3
c. 4
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DISCUSSION
For items 16-20, you will listen to a group discussion among students. As you listen, match each
student’s name with a task. Some options may be used more than once; some options may not be
used at all. Before you listen to the discussion, you will be given 30 seconds to read the question
and the alternatives.
Paul : Right, so let’s … oo, where is Cindy?

Kate : She wasn’t feeling well, Paul, so she skipped the chemistry class and went home to
rest. We can start, anyway. I can update her when I go home.
Paul : Alright, shall we discuss what we have to do for this project then?
Lin : Yes, it says we have to “Investigate some aspect of the university’s facilities.”
Paul : Yeah, we have to design a questionnaire, don’t we?
Lin : Yes. And also we have to write an essay and do a presentation.
Kate : Is it an essay, Lin? I thought it was a report.
Lin : Let me check. Yes, you’re right, Kate. It’s a report.
Paul : How long does it have to be? 1,000 words, isn’t it?
Lin : Let me see. The report has to be between 1,000 and 1,500 words, and we have to do a
presentation and an investigation as a group. So, have you got any ideas about what
we can investigate?
Kate : I know one of the other groups is looking at the university library and whether it’s
adequate for students’ needs.
Paul : Yes, and one group’s doing the sports center.
Kate : Does it matter if we do the same thing as another group?
Lin : I don’t think so. But I was thinking of investigating transport.
Kate : Transport?
Lin : Yes, we could look at whether people think the bus service is regular enough, and we
could also look at the car parking facilities.
Paul : We could look at the cycling facilities, too. There’s never enough space for all the
bikes in the bike sheds. I’m sure the university could afford to build more with all the
fees we pay.
Kate : OK, I’m happy with that idea. So, how should we go about the investigation then?
Any ideas, Lin?
Lin : Well, we could prepare some questionnaires, and then we can carry out interviews
with people. I can ask the people who travel on buses, and Paul, you can ask cyclists,
and Kate, you do a questionnaire for car drivers.
Kate : But Lin, shouldn’t we write the questions together, rather than individually?
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Lin : Yes, that’s what I meant, we can write the questionnaires together, but each of us can
be responsible for carrying out the questionnaires individually. Does that sound
okay?
Paul : That seems OK, I love cycling myself, too (chuckles), so I can interview them, but
what about Cindy?
Lin : Well, we should get some quantitative data, too. She could count how many people
get on and off the buses at different times of the day, how many bikes there are in the
bike sheds, that sort of thing. How do you feel about that, Kate?
Kate : You know what, as you know I’m not so comfortable talking to strangers, so what
about me getting the quantitative data and Cindy interviewing the car drivers?
Paul : That’s fine with me.
Lin : Well, OK, then, can you also take some photos, Kate? They’ll be useful for the
presentation.
Kate : Sounds great, I will.
Paul : Sounds like we are done. Shall we start thinking about the questions for the
questionnaire now?
Adapted from https://www.examenglish.com/TOEFL/TOEFL_listening_conversation2.htm
Tasks Students
16. getting quantitative data ___a___ a. Kate

17. interviewing people using the bus service ___b___ b. Lin
18. interviewing car drivers ___d___ c. Paul
19. interviewing cyclists ___c___ d. Cindy
20. taking photos ___a___
LECTURES
Lecture 1
For items 21–26, you will listen to a lecture about nonverbal communication. As you listen, mark
the alternatives that answer the questions or complete the statements. Before you listen to the
lecture, you will be given 60 seconds to look at the questions and the alternatives.
pre-teach: explicitly, reinforce
Lecturer: Good morning. Today I’m going to talk about nonverbal communication. Like verbal
communication, nonverbal communication exists in a context, and that context determines to a
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large extent the meanings of any nonverbal behaviors. In dealing with nonverbal body gestures or
movements, a classification offered by Paul Ekman and Wallace V. Friesen seems the most useful.
These researchers distinguish four classes of nonverbal movements based on the origins, functions,
and coding of the behavior: emblems, illustrators, affect displays, and regulators.
Now let’s have a look at the first class of nonverbal movements, which is emblems. Emblems are
nonverbal behaviors that translate words or phrases rather directly. Emblems include, for example,
the nonverbal signs for OK, peace, come here, go away, who me?, be quiet, I’m warning you, I’m
tired, and it’s cold. Emblems are nonverbal substitutes for specific verbal words or phrases. They
are probably learned in essentially the same way as are specific words and phrases. That is, they
are learned without conscious awareness or explicit teaching. Instead, they are learned largely
through imitation. Emblems seem rather natural to us and almost inherently meaningful, but in fact
they are as arbitrary as any word in any language. Consequently, our present culture’s emblems
are not necessarily the same as our culture’s emblems of 300 years ago or the same as the emblems
of other cultures. For example, the OK sign may mean “nothing” or “zero” in France, and “money”
in Japan. But just as the English language is spreading throughout the world, so too is English
nonverbal language. The meaning of the thumb and index finger forming a circle meaning “OK”
is spreading just as fast as, for example, English technical and scientific terms.
Emblems are often used to supplement the verbal message or as a kind of reinforcement. At times,
they are used in place of verbalization, for example, when there is a considerable distance between
the individuals and shouting would be inappropriate, or when we wish to communicate something
behind someone’s back.
The second class of nonverbal movements is called illustrators. Illustrators are nonverbal behaviors
that accompany and literally illustrate the verbal messages. Illustrators make our communications
more vivid and more forceful and help to maintain the attention of the listener. They also help to
clarify and make more intense our verbal messages. In saying, “Let’s go up,” for example, there
will be movements of the head and perhaps hands going in an upward direction. In describing a
circle or a square, you are more than likely going to make circular or square movements with your
hands.
We are aware of illustrators only part of the time; at times, they may have to be brought to our
attention and our awareness. Illustrators seem more natural and less arbitrary than emblems. They
are partly a function of learning and partly innate. Illustrators are more universal; they are more
common throughout the world and throughout time than emblems.
The third one, affect displays, are the movements of the facial area that convey emotional
meaning—the facial expressions that show anger and fear, happiness and surprise, eagerness and
fatigue. They are independent of verbal messages, and they can “give us away” when we try to
hide how we are really feeling, and lead people to say, “You look angry. What’s wrong?” Most of
the time, affect displays are unintentional, as when they give us away. However, they may also be
intentional. At times, we may consciously control our affect displays. We may deliberately want
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to show anger or love or hate or surprise. Or, actors, for example, control their affect displays
when they play a role.
The fourth and the last class of nonverbal movements is regulators. Regulators are nonverbal
behaviors that “regulate,” that is, monitor, maintain, or control, the speaking of another
individual. When we listen to one another, we are not passive; we nod our heads, purse our lips,
adjust our eye focus, and make various paralinguistic sounds, such as “mm-mm” or “tsk.”
Regulators are clearly culture-bound and are not universal.
Regulators, in effect, convey to speakers what we expect or want them to do as they are talking
– “Keep going,” “What else happened?,” “I don’t believe that,” “Speed up,” “Slow down,” and
any number of other directions. Speakers often receive these nonverbal behaviors without being
consciously aware of them. Depending on their degree of sensitivity, they modify their speaking
behavior in line with the directions supplied by the regulators. Regulators would also include
such gross movements as turning one’s head or leaning forward in one’s chair. Well, that’s all
for today. Any questions or comments? ...
Adapted from METU DBE Summer School Materials
21. All of the following are true about emblems except that they _________.
a) are generally not taught explicitly
b) are usually learned through imitation
c) are the same in all cultures
22. Which of the following is not mentioned as one of the purposes for using
emblems?
a) To reinforce what is being said.
b) To express certain emotions.
c) To substitute for specific verbal expressions.
23. Illustrators _________.
a) are always performed consciously
b) serve to intensify our nonverbal messages
c) might differ only slightly across cultures
24. _________ is not mentioned as an emotional meaning that can be conveyed
through affect displays.
a) Fatigue
b) Sadness
c) Eagerness
25. Affect displays _________.
a) are heavily dependent on verbal messages
b) intensify when we try to show our feelings
c) can be consciously controlled by actors
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26. Regulators differ from emblems, illustrators, and affect displays in that they
_______.
a) are not used in place of verbalization
b) are usually unintentional
c) are not performed by speakers
Lecture 2
For items 27–31, you will listen to a lecture about a movement in modern architecture. As you
listen, mark the alternatives that answer the questions or complete the statements. Before you listen
to the lecture, you will be given 60 seconds to look at the questions and the alternatives.
pre-teach: precision, bulky
Professor: You know, one of the most significant movements in modern architecture and design
took place in Germany in the nineteen-twenties and -thirties. It was called the ‘Bauhaus
Movement.’ ‘Bauhaus’ just means ‘Building School,’ and the Bauhaus was an art school, started
in 1919. The Bauhaus program was the first model for our contemporary art schools, as we know
them today. Its program was the first attempt to integrate the artist with the craftsman, and its
philosophy was heavily influenced by William Morris, the great nineteenth-century English
designer. Morris’s theory was that form should follow function, that art should serve the needs of
society, and that art has a social function.
Of course, Modernism in art had already appeared some time before this ‒the great expressionists,
like Vincent van Gogh, Edvard Munch, and Marc Chagall, had been working since the late
nineteenth century. But now, the horrors of World War One, along with the poverty and inflation
that followed it, caused the German art community to turn to what they called the ‘New
Objectivity.’ The Bauhaus design innovations reflected this with imaginative but very practical,
simplified forms, with an emphasis on functionality and efficiency, and with the idea that mass
production and artistic creativeness could work together. They were practical planners for the
modern lifestyle.
The post-War government of the German Weimar Republic permitted a surge, an outpouring, of
radical experimentation in all the arts – but at the same time, Germany was trying hard to remain
economically competitive with Britain and the United States, even though it was suffering
financial hardship and even though it lacked natural resources. The Bauhaus movement recognized
these difficulties and offered solutions to them, and in this way it contributed to both social and
artistic change.
Bauhaus designs were pure and simple. The buildings, the interiors, and the furniture that the
school created could all be built cheaply and efficiently. They emphasized straight edges and slim,
smooth shapes, and a modern, hygienic freshness. In particular, the Bauhaus designers discovered
steel. Steel furniture is cheaper, lighter, cleaner, and less bulky than the traditional stuffed,
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upholstered furniture, and steel has what they called ‘the magic of precision’– it can be used in
precise, definitive forms and measurements. In spite of this emphasis on practical functionality,
many famous, creative designs emerged from the Bauhaus. If we look only at their chairs, four
very original designs were created at the Bauhaus – the Wassily chair, Le Corbusier’s ‘Lounge
Chair Number Four,’ the cantilever chair, and the Barcelona chair ‒ and all four chair designs are
very popular and are found everywhere today.
The ‘Wassily chair’ was designed by a Hungarian designer, Marcel Breuer, who was the director
of the Bauhaus carpentry shop. It’s made of a simple, cubical tubular steel frame, with canvas
straps for the seat and back, and it has been in continuous mass production since the early 1950s.
Breuer said he got the idea for the Wassily chair’s design from the handlebars of his bicycle.
Le Corbusier’s ‘LC4 Lounge Chair’ is probably the most popular and most comfortable lounge
chair ever built. Le Corbusier’s idea was that ‘a chair is a machine for sitting on,’ and this chair,
which is gently curved to fit all the curves of the body, is still a popular design in spas and living
rooms.
The ‘cantilever chair’ was designed by Breuer and Mart Stamm, a Dutch designer. It has no rear
legs, but is supported by the tensile strength of the ‘S’ curve of its steel-tubing frame. This little
chair is still an extremely common design for kitchens and restaurants.
And Mies van der Rohe’s ‘Barcelona chair’ uses leather or cloth straps to suspend its seat cushion
on a folding, ‘X’-shaped tubular steel frame. His design became a symbol of the elegance of avant-
garde living, but it’s so simple that it’s now seen in the luggage racks in almost every hotel room
in the world.
The Bauhaus movement is not really important for its chairs, though. It’s important because it
came along at the right time in history to popularize many key modern concepts of design. Many
outstanding artists of that period lectured at the school – Le Corbusier, Walter Gropius, Mies van
der Rohe, Wassily Kandinsky, Paul Klee, Lazlo Moholy-Nagy, and Piet Mondrian. These great
artists and their students were to lead contemporary design into daily life. Unfortunately, the rise
of Adolph Hitler cut short the Bauhaus’s exciting experiments. It was closed down by the Nazis
after only 14 years of existence, in 1933. Hitler accused it of being a front for Jews, communists,
and ‘UnGerman’ social liberals, so the Bauhaus lecturers and students fled Nazi Germany to the
US, Russia, Israel, and western Europe. They continued to teach far and wide, and in this way,
their ideas on contemporary architecture and design spread even faster throughout the world.
Adapted from http://www.english-test.net/toefl/listening/Which_designer_did_not_work_at_the_Bauhaus.html
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27. William Morris probably did not support the idea that _______.
a) art design should focus on function
b) art needs to express the artist’s feelings
c) art must be supporting the needs of society
28. Which of the following best describes the motto of the Bauhaus design?
a) Imagination could go beyond the limits of simplicity.
b) Art should reflect the horrors of the war and poverty.
c) Practicality and creativity can be brought together.
29. Which of the following is true about the Bauhaus movement?
a) Their designs were mostly bulkier than the traditional ones.
b) They preferred steel in their designs as it brought precision.
c) Weimar Republic provided full economic support for the designers.
30. Which image displays the cantilever chair?
a. b. c.
31. Why did the Bauhaus lecturers and students move to different countries?
a) They were subject to unfair treatment due to political discrimination.
b) They were idealists who aimed to spread their art throughout the world.
c) They were so famous they were asked to open schools in these countries.
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PRACTICE II
BRIEF TALKS
For items 1-5, you will listen to five one-minute talks and a question related to each. As you
listen, mark the alternative that answers the question or completes the statement. Before you
listen to each talk, you will be given 15 seconds to look at the three alternatives.
Is there an ideal amount of time to give an effective presentation? Well, time, actually, does not
really matter. If you’ve ever watched a Ted video, you’ll have seen that some of the
presentations are very short. In fact, some of them are only about three minutes or less. You
may think that a short presentation is easier to create and give than a long one. While a short
presentation can be easy to make if you know what to do, creating and presenting a, let’s say,
five-minute presentation is not without its challenges. You need to convey your message, but
you don’t want to run over your allotted time. Your audience and your hosts will not appreciate
it if you do so. It’s also important to choose the right topics for a five-minute presentation.
Choosing a topic that’s too complex and can’t be easily explained could be confusing to your
audience. Today, I’m going to present a number of quick ideas and helpful tips for preparing
short presentations. We’ll focus on five-minute presentations, but also discuss how to handle
other presentation lengths as well.
Adapted from https://business.tutsplus.com/tutorials/5-minute-presentation--cms-29182
1. What is the speaker going to talk about next?

a) The importance of efficient timing in presentations
b) Topics to choose for persuasive presentations
c) Tips for making different lengths of presentations
Chia seeds have become one of the most popular superfoods in the health community. They’re
easy to digest when prepared properly. Originally grown in Mexico, the seeds were highly
valued for their medicinal properties and nutritional value. Benefits of chia seeds include
promoting healthy skin, reducing signs of aging, supporting the heart and digestive system,
building stronger bones and muscles, and more. However, while it might be tempting to join in
this latest health craze, you may want to find out and learn more about the potential side effects
these mystery seeds might have. As it turns out, chia seeds can sometimes be dangerous to your
health. If they are not prepared properly, these tiny seeds can cause a blockage in your
esophagus, the tube which food passes down from your mouth to your stomach. That is because
chia seeds can absorb 27 times their dry weight in water ‒ expanding in size so much that the
thickened, gel-like mass can block your throat.
Adapted from http://time.com/3524803/chia-seeds-superfood-stuck/
https://draxe.com/chia-seeds-benefits-side-effects/
a) To persuade people of the health benefits of chia seeds
b) To warn against the possible side effects of chia seeds
c) To instruct people how to consume chia seeds
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Ninety five percent of the earth’s water is in the oceans. However, it is salty and useless for plants,
animals, or humans. People can use only fresh water for drinking or for agriculture, and this kind
of water is either on the earth’s surface in lakes and rivers or underground. In other words, fresh
water can come from two sources. Surface water comprises 0.5% of the earth’s water, while
underground water is 4% of the earth’s water. As a result, groundwater is a more important source
for humans because it provides 95% of the available fresh water on the earth. Groundwater is
important not only because of the size of the supply, but also because of its dependability. It is
always available since it does not depend on seasonal precipitation.

a) Why groundwater is significant
b) How people can use ocean water
c) What contributes to surface water
pre-teach: boost, analogous, adhere to
I know that my desire to get into engineering was significantly influenced by my playing with
LEGO as a child and as a teenager. I loved the space sets and recall many, many hours playing
with them. I would build something, play with it, change it, play some more, and change it again.
I was always tinkering with my designs. Always learning and making improvements. I was still
playing with these sets in college, and I still have many of those pieces. It is clear to me that the
combination of rules and structure along with the flexibility to be creative is what engineering is
all about. In a regular LEGO set, bricks only connect in certain ways, and there is a limited set of
parts, but there are so many connection combinations. This is very helpful in the engineering
mindset. Engineers create useful products from combinations of elements, just as they do with the
LEGO bricks and plates. They must also adhere to the laws of physics, which is analogous to the
ways the LEGO elements mate.
Adapted from http://www.engineering.com/DesignSoftware/DesignSoftwareArticles/ArticleID/6815/Why-Playing-with-LEGO-is-so-

Important.aspx
4. What is the main idea of the talk?

a) Playing with constructing toys like LEGO can boost creativity in young children.
b) Skills used while playing with LEGO are similar to those required in engineering.
c) LEGO constructions actually require designing skills and a knowledge of physics.
pre-teach: pros and cons
Although the tendency to study abroad with an ERASMUS program is becoming increasingly
popular, many students feel torn between the decisions to complete their education abroad or to do
it from home, so it might be a good idea to look at the advantages and disadvantages of doing such
a year. Firstly, to make it clear, I absolutely recommend that you do such a program if you get the
chance; it’s an amazing experience. At the same time, however, I don’t want to sugarcoat it and
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sound like a salesman for ERASMUS; after all, it may not be for everyone. So let’s first look at
the benefits of an ERASMUS program for students. It’s a brilliant life experience. You are outside
your comfort zone and support network and have lots of stuff to sort out quickly, sometimes in a
different language. This is a tough, but ultimately rewarding, experience. When you’ve done it,
you feel quite a bit more prepared for adult life. Also, you experience a new culture, which
broadens your horizons. In many of the places you can go, you will develop and improve your
language skills. However, it isn’t all perfect. First of all, when you first arrive, it can feel a bit
overwhelming and lonely. You won’t have your close mates around, or you can’t go and visit a
friend at another university. You will also go through the stages of culture shock. It may take some
time to adapt yourself to the rules, regulations, and traditions of the host country. Another thing is
if you’re in a relationship, you should beware of the dangers for your relationship. Indeed, many
are ended by the distance of a year abroad and lack of opportunities to see each other.
Adapted from http://studentblogs.le.ac.uk/law/2012/05/30/pros-and-cons-of-a-year-abroad/

a) The pros and cons of an ERASMUS program.
b) Potential candidates for an ERASMUS program.
c) The popularity of ERASMUS programs.
ANNOUNCEMENT
For items 6 and 7, you will listen to an announcement in the student union building. As you listen,
the announcement, you will be given 30 seconds to look at the questions and the alternatives.
We wish to inform you that access to television will no longer be available in the student union
building. We have received several complaints from students who wish to use the building to study
while, for example, others are watching a boisterous game, so they find the TV disruptive. In
addition, most students already have televisions in their dorm rooms. We, therefore, find it
excessive to provide a television set in this common building. In the meeting held on Friday, we
discussed the issue and came to the decision that it was no longer necessary to have it in the
building, so Maintenance will remove the building’s current television set by the end of this week,
and on Monday a small bookshelf with reference books will be put in its place for students to use
for their studies.
Adapted from Developing Skills for the TOEFL IBT Intermediate
6. Why will the TV set be removed from the building?

a. Because students cannot agree on what to watch
b. To reduce the cost of repairs and maintenance
c. Because it is distracting and unnecessary
7. When will the TV set be removed from the building?
a. On Friday
b. By the end of the week
c. At the beginning of next week
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INSTRUCTION
For items 8 and 9, you will listen to an instructor in the Department of Agricultural Sciences giving
instructions as to how to prune a tree. As you listen, mark the alternatives that answer the questions
or complete the statements. Before you listen to the instructions, you will be given 30 seconds to
look at the questions and the alternatives.
Pruning means cutting off some of the branches of a tree to make it grow better. Pruning is a
maintenance practice that can be beneficial to trees when properly performed. However, some
knowledge about the growth habit of a tree as well as how and when to prune are essential to avoid
“butchering” its appearance. Now let me tell you how to do it properly. Probably the best time
from the standpoint of the health of a tree is to prune in late winter or early spring, just before new
growth resumes for the summer. Pruning them in fall stimulates new growth, just when the trees
are trying to go dormant during the winter, and this severely weakens the plants. When pruning
trees, always make the cut near to where the branch originates on the trunk or main limb; never
leave a stub. Always remove dead, diseased, or insect-infected branches first, followed by branches
that are rubbing against one another. Also try and remove as many of the branches that are growing
back into the center of the tree as possible. These branches will ultimately cross and rub against
others. Use the three-cut method for removing tree branches over one inch in diameter, to avoid
tearing the bark. By following this method, the weight of the branch is eliminated first before the
final cut close to the trunk or limb is made. Research has shown that the use of pruning paints are
mainly cosmetic and are therefore optional to use.
Adapted from http://msue.anr.msu.edu/news/tips_on_tree_and_shrub_pruning
8. When should the trees be pruned?

a. in late fall or early winter
b. in late summer or early fall
c. in late winter or early spring
9. What kind of branches are not recommended for pruning?
a. branches that are over one inch in diameter
b. branches that are rubbing against one another
c. branches that are growing back into the center of the tree
CONVERSATION
For items 10-15, you will listen to a conversation between a student and a university service
representative. As you listen, mark the alternatives that answer the questions or complete the
statements. Before you listen to the conversation, you will be given 60 seconds to look at the
questions and the alternatives.
pre-teach: transaction
Student: Hi, I want to get a pass for the Intramural Activities Center this semester, please.
Rep: Sure. I need to see your student ID card, please. OK, thank you. Now, which type
of IMA pass would you like to buy?
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Student: Um, I don’t know. How many different kinds of passes are there?
Rep: Well, there’s a basic pass. That allows you to use the basketball and volleyball
courts, all the football fields, the squash courts, the Ping-Pong tables at the Grand
Sports Hall, the rock-climbing center, and the indoor track. An IMA super pass lets
you use all those things, and also the indoor swimming pools, tennis courts, and the
fitness center. Then we have, um, specialized passes for just the swimming pools
and the fitness center.
Student: Man, I didn’t know this was going to be so complicated. Um, so the basic pass
includes basketball, volleyball, football, squash, and, uh, what else?
Rep: The Ping-Pong tables, rock-climbing center, and the indoor track. It costs $50 for
one semester.
Student: And the Super Pass has all those things, plus swimming, tennis, and the fitness
center, right?
Rep: Yes, that’s correct. The super pass is $75 for a semester. It also permits you to use
facilities during the two-week Christmas vacation, if you’re going to be here.
Student: So, the basic pass is $50, and the super pass is, uh, 75, but the super pass gives you
two extra weeks. And um, you mentioned there were also special passes?
Rep: Yes, we have a swim-only pass for $35. This lets you use either one of our two
swimming pools, plus the sauna and whirlpools in the locker room. There’s also a
pass for the fitness center only. It costs $40, and gives you access to all the weight
machines and exercise equipment, as well as the locker-room sauna and whirlpools.
Student: All right, let’s see if I’ve got this straight. The swim pass is $35, and the fitness
center pass is $40. And both of these include access to the whirlpools and saunas in
the locker room?
Rep: Correct. Oh, and one other thing I forgot to mention is that the fitness pass includes
a 15% discount on all of our IMA sports and fitness classes.
Student: What kinds of sports and fitness classes do you have?
Rep: Oh, my! We have several different kinds of classes: Zumba, yoga, aerobics, swim
conditioning, Tae Kwon Do... Here’s a brochure with all the details.
Student: Thanks. So, these classes, there’s an extra fee for them, even if I have a super pass?
Rep: I’m afraid so, because we have to pay the teachers’ salaries and the cost of the
equipment.
Student: OK. Uh, mmm...oh yeah, what about someone who isn’t a university student? Is
there some kind of pass that they could buy?
Rep: No, I’m afraid not. IMA passes are only offered to registered students and faculty.
Guests have to be accompanied by a student or faculty member. They pay $10 each
time they come.
Student: Can students pay the same way, I mean, each time they come?
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Rep: Yes, but if you’re going to come very often, it’s better to buy a pass. The student
price is $5 per visit. If you use the IMA even once a week, you’ll save money buying
a pass.
Student: Well, thanks for all the information. There are so many choices, I can’t make a
decision right now. I’ll think about it, then come back later in the week.
Rep: No problem. We’re open Monday through Thursday from 8 AM to 5 PM, from 8
AM to 8 PM on Friday, and between 2:30 PM and 8:45 PM on the weekends. If you
have any more questions, you can call the phone number on the brochure.
Adapted from http://www.english-test.net/toefl/listening/A_conversation_between_a_student_and_a_university_service_representative.html
10. What does the student go to the Intramural Activities Center?

a. Buy a pass for the IMA Center
b. Play sports at the IMA Center
c. Work part-time at the IMA Center
11. What does the student imply when he says “Man, I didn’t know this was going to
be so complicated”?
a. He cannot understand the information he has just received.
b. He didn’t expect the transaction to take so long.
c. He didn’t know so many documents would be required.
12. Which sports are included in the super pass that are not included in the basic
pass?
a. swimming, tennis, and fitness
b. sauna and whirlpools
c. squash and rock-climbing
13. How many types of IMA passes are available?
a. 2
b. 3
c. 4
14. Which of the following is true according to the conversation?
a. Guests can obtain a pass if they pay the $10 fee regularly.
b. Students with a super pass are also charged for extra fitness classes.
c. If you go to the IMA center just once a week, buying a pass is not logical.
15. When can the student call the IMA Center?
a. At 6 PM on Tuesday
b. At 7 PM on Friday
c. At 2 PM on Saturday
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DISCUSSION
For items 16-20, you will listen to a discussion on how to handle late-coming in the Classroom
Management and Teaching Skills course. As you listen, match each student’s name with a
strategy they suggest. Some options may be used more than once; some options may not be
pre-teach: impede, erode, morale, disruption, deter, adopt, penalize
Mr. Martinez : So, you’ll all be teachers in a few years. Why do you think late coming is
an important issue to be handled? … Yes, Erin?
Erin : Well, it disrupts the flow of the lecture.
Mr. Martinez : That’s right. Jeanie?
Jeanie : Also, it distracts other students.
Mr. Martinez : Exactly. When students come to class late, it can disrupt the flow of a
lecture or discussion, distract other students, impede learning, and generally
erode class morale. Moreover, if left unchecked, lateness can become
chronic and spread throughout the class. So let’s say, you’re already five
minutes into the lesson and a late student walks in. How would you handle
the disruption? Would you stop the class? Would you ignore it? … Yeah,
Erin?
Erin : I’d post a note on the outside of the classroom door saying “You are late;
please do not come in,” so when I closed the door, latecomers would
understand that the lesson has already started. So such students would not
attempt to go in and disrupt my lesson at all.
Iris : Or, the teacher can post a note with a task on the inside of the classroom
door, like singing a verse from a song. (chuckles) Students who arrive late
must do that to gain admittance.
Erin : O-no, Iris, that might be embarrassing for some students.
Iris : If they think it’s embarrassing, they shouldn’t be late then.
Mr. Martinez : Well, it may not be possible to use this method in all grade levels or with
all classrooms. That depends on the classroom atmosphere and dynamics.
Also, it will not deter some bold students who don’t worry at all about being
late. O yeah, Shawn, what do you think?
Shawn : I don’t agree with Erin or Iris. The fact that a student is late does not give
us the right to take their learning opportunity or embarrass them. In my
opinion, students may be late for several reasons, like an accident or illness.
It’s no big deal. The teacher can leave one or two empty chairs by the front
or back door for latecomers. Students who are late are not to walk in front
of the room or to go to their regular seats. They must take one of the “late
seats” by the door. This will prevent latecomers from disturbing the class
already in progress. Plus these students will not miss the learning
opportunity.
21
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Mr. Martinez : You’re right, Shawn; there are a number of possible reasons why students
arrive late. And if teachers find out which causes are at the root of the
problem, they can adopt appropriate responses and strategies.
Understanding the reasons, however, does not require tolerating the
behavior.
Erin : Well, Mr. Martinez, if we want to allow students into the classroom when
they are late, then there should be some sort of punishment because,
otherwise, we will be promoting late-coming somehow.
Mr. Martinez : OK, Erin, what do you suggest?
Erin : At the bell, the teacher can mark anyone that’s not in his or her seat absent.
Students understand that if they come in late, they have been marked absent.
Or three late-comings may equal an “absent.” That will motivate students
to be on time.
Jeanie : Sir?
Mr. Martinez : Yes, Jeanie?
Jeanie : Well, another way to penalize latecomers and handle lateness might be to
give short quizzes at the beginning of class; students who come late will
miss the quizzes and lose the points.
Mr. Martinez : What you suggest may all work well. But you should make sure that you
clearly and explicitly state your policy about lateness in your syllabus and
on the first day of class so that students will know what they will have to
face if they arrive late. Now we are going to read an article by….
Strategies Students
1. giving short quizzes at the beginning of the lesson ___d__
a. Erin
2. making the students do an embarrassing task ___c__
b. Shawn
3. marking the latecomer absent ___a__
c. Iris
4. allowing the latecomer to get seated close to the door ___b__
5. not allowing the latecomer in ___a__ d. Jeanie
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LECTURES
Lecture 1
For items 21–25, you will listen to a lecture about the Japanese bonsai. As you listen, mark the
alternatives that answer the questions or complete the statements. Before you listen to the lecture,
you will be given 60 seconds to look at the questions and the alternatives.
Lecturer: Good afternoon. In today’s lecture, we’ll be looking at bonsai, which is a Japanese word
meaning “tray-planted.” Bonsai refers either to dwarf trees or to the art of training and growing
miniature trees in containers. Bonsai may be either conifers with small needles or plants with small
leaves. Some of them are small flower or small fruit trees. Bonsai can be kept outdoors all year
long.
Now, let’s have a look at the proportions of bonsai trees. The overall artistic effect is of great
significance in growing these trees. Everything must be proportional: the size of the tree, its leaves
or needles, its flowers or fruit, and the container in which it grows. The containers, especially,
must be chosen to harmonize in size, shape, and color with the tree. There are four sizes of bonsai:
miniature, small, medium, and average. Does anyone know where bonsai first originated in?
Student: Japan? … China?
Lecturer: Well, bonsai originated in China more than 1,000 years ago, but it has been pursued
and developed by the Japanese. The oldest mention of the word bonsai comes up in a fourteenth
century poem, but it wasn’t until around three centuries later that people began using it regularly.
Early bonsai can be seen in picture scrolls, though, dating as far back as 1309. In ancient times,
bonsai were usually enjoyed by aristocrats, priests, and other high-ranking people, but from around
the seventeenth century, common people began taking an interest in them, too. After Japan ended
three centuries of isolation in 1868 and opened itself up to Western countries, bonsai came to be
appreciated as objects of art in the Western world as well.
Today, caring for bonsai is no longer just a Japanese pastime. More than 1,200 people from 32
countries attended the World Bonsai Convention that was held in the city of Omiya in 1989. The
convention helped launch the World Bonsai Friendship Federation, which has been a driving force
in popularizing bonsai and raising bonsai-growing skills around the world. The association has
organized international conventions once every four years since the Omiya gathering. So far,
they’ve been held in Florida in the States, Seoul in South Korea, and Munich in Germany.
Let’s look at the shape of bonsai. Bonsai fall into a number of categories according to shape. The
process of raising bonsai is a non-stop one, requiring continuous care. One of the things that need
to be done is to control the kind of shape the trees take. Sometimes you need to bend branches
with wires, or you need to cut them off altogether. You might think that’s cruel, but these steps are
essential for the tree to remain healthy in a pot. However, the most important thing to keep in mind
23
is to allow the tree to express its individuality freely, without forcing it to fit any particular
category, and to help it achieve its most beautiful, balanced form.
To sum up, unlike other works of art, there is no such thing as “finished” bonsai as long as the
trees are still alive and growing; they must continue to be tended to on a daily basis. That’s why
bonsai growing is sometimes called an art without end. So, our time is up. That’s all for now.
Tomorrow, we will talk about an important aspect of Japanese culture, origami.
21. Bonsai _______.

a) do not bear flowers or fruit
b) should be kept indoors in winter
c) have four different sizes
22. Bonsai was introduced to countries other than Japan _______.
a) when the word was mentioned in a poem in the 14th century
b) when high-ranking people in Japan started to enjoy it
c) after Japan stopped being isolated in 1868
23. Where was the first World Bonsai Convention held?
a) Florida
b) Omiya
c) Munich
24. Bonsai are categorized according to their ________.
a) shape
b) length
c) color
25. What must one do while growing bonsai?
a) Make the tree fit a certain category
b) Control the shape the tree takes
c) Avoid bending or cutting off the branches
Lecture 2
For items 26-31, you will listen to a lecture in a fine arts class. As you listen, mark the alternatives
that answer the questions or complete the statements. Before you listen to the lecture, you will be
given 60 seconds to look at the questions and the alternatives.
Professor: We’re now going to spend some time, class, talking about the most revolutionary, the
most prodigious artist in the history of Modern Western art. Do you know who I’m talking about?
24
Of course ‒ it’s Pablo Picasso. He was the artist who invented Cubism, he was the artist who
invented collage, and he was the artist who experimented with more styles and media than probably
any other artist in history, with the possible exception of Leonardo da Vinci. And what I’m passing
out to you now are figures of some of Picasso’s most famous and most revolutionary paintings.
Picasso was born in Spain in 1881, and he died in France in 1973, so his life spanned most of the
development of what we call Modern art. He was a child prodigy. He began studying art very
early, under his father, who was in fact an art teacher, and in 1897, at the age of sixteen, he entered
the Royal Academy of Arts in Madrid. In fact, he passed their entrance examination in a single
day, even though applicants were given a month to do this.
But after only a year there, he felt bored and stifled, and he dropped out. He went back to
Barcelona, where he hung out with the other artists and musicians in the cafes for a while, and then
he visited Paris, where he had a chance to see the works of such radical artists as Seurat, Monet,
Cezanne, Van Gogh, and Toulouse-Lautrec – all of whom were, in their own unique ways, going
beyond the realistic values of Renaissance illusionism. Picasso lived in Paris and Barcelona
alternately for several years, from 1900 to 1904, and then he set up a permanent studio in Paris.
1901 to 1904 is known as Picasso’s ‘Blue Period’, when he was a starving artist and sometimes
had to burn his own drawings to keep warm. All his paintings during this period were done in
sombre shades of blue, and they depicted thin, depressed figures, paupers and homeless people. If
you look at the handout I gave you, you’ll see an example of his Blue Period - ‘The Old Guitarist’,
painted in 1903. Not a very happy looking fellow, is he?
From 1904, then, to 1905, Picasso passed through his ‘Rose Period’, when he began to use warmer,
tenderer colors – pinks and beiges – and his subjects became circus performers and harlequins and
clowns. You can see his most famous painting from this period on the sheet – his ‘Family of
Saltimbanques’, from 1905. You’ll notice, though, that this quiet group of circus performers still
look alienated and uncommunicative, though they are treated more kindly than he treated the old
guitar player.
All of Picasso’s paintings were rather two-dimensional up to this point, but then he began exploring
pictorial volume, and this led to one of his most revolutionary works, ‘Les Demoiselles
d’Avignon’, which he painted in 1917. This is usually considered the first Cubist painting. You
can see how Picasso reduces the ladies’ figures to a series of wide, intersecting planes that are
aligned with the surface of the canvas. In this way, they suggest a dissected, multiple view of the
world. This was a radically new, abstract pictorial language.
In my handout, you’ll also find some other examples of how Picasso’s Cubism developed between
1907 and 1921 ‒ ‘Woman with a Guitar’ is from 1912, for instance, and ‘Three Musicians’, which
is a masterpiece of his later ‘synthetic cubism’ style, was painted in 1921. You can see in the
‘Three Musicians’ how Picasso’s planes have become much broader and more simple, and how
they exploit colour so much more.
25
The invention of Cubism is Picasso’s greatest contribution to art, but he was also interested in
many other arts – in sculpture, ceramics, graphics, printmaking, and even in stage design – and
he experimented imaginatively in all of these areas. Also, as early as 1911, he began to include
newspaper clippings and other realia into some of his paintings, and he thus invented collage.
His first and most famous collage is ‘Still Life with Chair Caning.’ You can see it on your sheet
– you can see that, in addition to the painted lemon and wine glass, it includes some fragments
of literary letters and a piece of oilcloth – and Picasso framed it himself with a length of real
rope.
And of course I should mention ‘Guernica’, the last painting on your handout, which is an
extraordinary landmark of modern art – an infuriated Cubist condemnation of war and the
atrocities of war that is still unmatched today. Picasso painted it in 1937, just after the Spanish
town of Guernica was bombed in an air raid by German planes during the Spanish Civil War.
You can feel the brutality, the pain and suffering, in his images of screaming people and
animals. And you can see how Picasso could turn his art so effectively into political statement.
By 1945, Picasso was well established as one of the great masters of modern art, but he
continued to experiment with styles and techniques throughout his life. We’ll be looking at him
again later in the term, when we examine Cubism, Surrealism, and other modern visual
movements in more detail.
Adapted from http://www.english-test.net/toefl/listening/A_lecture_by_a_professor_of_Fine_Arts.html
26. Why does the lecturer mention Leonardo da Vinci?

a) To show how successful Picasso was
b) To indicate Da Vinci’s influence on Picasso
c) To highlight the differences between the two
27. The lecturer mentions Picasso’s early education and career in order to
_____________.
a) emphasize his brilliance in art
b) underline his father’s influence
c) exemplify his importance in modernism
28. During his ‘Blue Period,’ Picasso _____________.
a) was influenced by Renaissance illusionism
b) employed mostly warm colors and thin paint
c) painted ‘The Old Guitarist’
29. Which of the following is Picasso’s first and most famous collage?
a) Les Demoiselles d’Avignon
b) Woman with a Guitar
c) Still Life with Chair Caning
26
26
30. What is Guernica?
a) A town
b) A battle
c) A period
31. How has the lecturer organized his lecture?
a) By place of residence
b) By thematic representation
c) By periods of development
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PRACTICE III
BRIEF TALKS
Reading comprehension is defined as the level of understanding of a text. This understanding

comes from the interaction between the words that are written and how they trigger knowledge
outside the text. It is generally believed that proficient reading depends on the ability to
recognize words quickly and effortlessly. If word recognition is difficult, readers use too much
of their processing capacity to read individual words. And this interferes with their ability to
comprehend what they read. That is to say, when a person reads a text, he or she is forced to
grasp the meaning of the words he or she encounters. If the great majority of the vocabulary is
alien to the reader, then comprehending the text requires a great deal of knowledge outside the
text.
Adapted from http://www.englishforeveryone.org/Topics/Reading-Comprehension.htm

a) What reading comprehension is and how it functions
b) The processing capacity of individuals when reading a text
c) The types of difficulties that readers may be faced with
It’s not an uncommon scenario: you have the skill set, resume, and collection of internships that
make you perfect for one industry. Then, midway through college, one of your internships or
other experiences makes you step back and say, “Wait ‒ maybe I don’t actually want to do this.”
If you are debating whether or not to change a college major, you may be surprised to learn that
about 50% of college students go through with changing their major at some point in time
during their college careers. With so many different majors to choose from, and demand in
specific fields dramatically on the rise, students can be bombarded by choices when they are 18
and entering college. Many teenagers who enter college cannot decide what they want for
dinner, let alone what they want to do for the rest of their lives. While indecisiveness is very
common early on in any student’s college career, there is a limit to how indecisive you can be.
If you wait for too long to change a college major, then this may cost you both time and money.
So here is your guide to learn the right time to do this.
Adapted from http://www.bestvalueschools.com/faq/when-is-it-too-late-to-change-a-college-major/
2. Which of the following is expected to dominate the rest of the talk?

a) Whether to change a college major
b) When to change a college major
c) How to change a college major
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28
pre-teach: distinctive
Ever since Japanese animation, also known as anime, crossed continents and became popular with
generations of American viewers, there’s been disagreement as to which is superior, the Japanese
or the American version. Well, what’s the difference between the two, really? The easiest answer
is the style: In Japanese animes, the distinctive large eyes with numerous reflective highlights and
detailed color are the main features, along with small noses and mouths, generally denoted by
minimal lines. In contrast, American animation either falls into attempts at comic-book style
“realism” or grossly exaggerated, comical cartoon characters with rounded, highly exaggerated
features. Another thing is Japanese animation will often make use of exaggerated angles,
perspectives, and zooms to intensify the mood of a scene and show actions to extreme effect, but
American animation tends to use straight-on camera shots, less concerned with cinematic angles
and dramatics. The largest difference, though, is in content and audience. In Japan, anime can be
for children or adults, while in America, for the most part, animated cartoons and films are
considered to be for children, and are targeted to that audience. Also, the idea of what’s appropriate
for children and appropriate for adults can differ between the two cultures, and what’s appropriate
for a ten-year-old in Japan may not be considered appropriate for a ten-year-old in America. In the
end, it’s not possible to decide which is better; it’s just a matter of taste and preference.
Adapted from https://www.thoughtco.com/japanese-vs-american-animation-141033

a) To describe the distinctive visual look of Japanese animation against the American one
b) To demonstrate that American animation is more appropriate for children than anime
c) To explain the differences between Japanese and American animation
Many professions require at least a foundational understanding of geometry. Sports, construction,

weaving, sewing, decorating, as well as many others require the use of the concepts learned
through the study of geometry. In many of these professions, the knowledge learned through a
complete understanding of geometric principles has provided not only an increase in safety, but
also an increase in the creation of tools, skill-level enhancement, and aesthetically pleasing
arrangements. In sports, an understanding of angles might allow a baseball player to better catch
or hit a ball farther. In weaving and sewing, aesthetics can of course be increased by using
geometric designs. In fact, almost all professions require some basic understanding of the more
basic principles of geometry. Whether it includes the idea of shapes or, on the more complex end,
the understanding of the process involved in proving a supposition, geometry is a direct or indirect
influence. Part of geometric thinking is the understanding of thinking in a critical manner and
deducing answers from specific facts. In this way, geometry is a life-long skill. It is this type of
thinking that is used to create new inventions or discover solutions to a variety of life’s
problems. In the end, geometry surrounds all of us, making it a safer and more productive place.
Adapted from https://www.universalclass.com/articles/math/geometry/why-is-geometry-important.htm

a) Geometry helps to improve people’s critical-thinking skills.
b) Almost all sports people use geometry to improve their performance.
c) Practically every profession demands some knowledge of geometry.
29
Solar technology isn’t new. Its history spans from the 7th century B.C. to the present. In ancient
Greece, glass vases were filled with water to create a “burning glass,” and as the Greeks got
better at creating lenses, they used focused sunlight to light sacred fires. The most famous of
these solar-powered burning lenses is the system used by Archimedes. Archimedes is said to
have used this system to ignite a fleet of Roman ships. Romans also used a technique similar to
burning lenses, but with a different purpose. Roman bath houses were built with large, south-
facing windows to let the sun’s warmth in. They even established “sun rights” to ensure that a
building had access to the sun. Aside from the ancient Greeks and Romans, some other
civilizations such as the Vikings, the Celts, and the ancient Egyptians also used solar-powered
lenses. Then came the idea of solar furnace, a structure that captures sunlight to produce high
temperatures, usually for industry. The first modern solar furnace was built in Mont Louis, and
the world’s largest solar furnace today is the Odeillo solar furnace, which is located on the
French-Spanish border and has a power of one megawatt. The principles behind today’s modern
solar furnace are no different from the sunrooms and “burning lenses.”
Adapted from http://www.atlasobscura.com/places/worlds-largest-solar-furnace

a. A brief history of solar energy
b. The world’s largest solar furnace
c. The use of solar heat in ancient times
ANNOUNCEMENT
For items 6 and 7, you will listen to an announcement to students at the beginning of the General
Physical Conditioning course. As you listen, mark the alternatives that answer the questions or
complete the statements. Before you listen to the announcement, you will be given 30 seconds
to look at the questions and the alternatives.
Now, I have a few things to say about lost property in the sports center. Found items should be
reported to the reception in the entrance hall of the center. Lost property handed to the reception
can be collected from the lost property office, which is on the ground floor, in room 132, during
our opening hours. Our opening hours are Monday to Friday, 8 am. to 8 pm., weekends 10 am.
to 6 pm. Any valuables are kept until the end of the academic year. Clothing is kept for two
weeks. We will make every attempt to contact you if an item of lost property is handed in. This
is obviously a lot easier if it has your name on it. If you have lost something and think it might
have been handed into reception, you can e-mail us or fill in a lost property form at the
reception, and we will let you know if anything arrives. Should you send an e-mail, remember
to give a detailed description of the item, like its form, size, color, material, etc., and an
indication of when and where it was lost.
Adapted from https://warwick.ac.uk/services/accommodation/reception/faq/
6. Where can you go if you want to report a lost item?

a. To Room 132.
b. To the reception.
c. To the Lost Property Office.
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30
7. If you have lost a necklace, how long will they keep it?
a. For two weeks
b. Until the weekend
c. Until the end of the academic year
INSTRUCTION
For items 8 and 9, you will listen to some guidelines in a library. As you listen, mark the
alternatives that answer the questions or complete the statements. Before you listen to the
instructions, you will be given 30 seconds to look at the questions and the alternatives.
If you wish to use the rare books section of the library, here are some guidelines. First of all,
rare books can only be viewed Sundays through Thursdays from 8:30 to 16:00. Visitors from
outside the university need to make arrangements in advance by contacting the responsible
librarian via email. However, for those who have a library card as a student or as a faculty
member, this step is not necessary. Here is an essential point to remember, though: Access to
rare books is permitted only if the library does not have another later edition of the book or a
digitized version. Please check for other available editions before requesting access to a rare
book. If there are no other available copies than the original rare book, an online request form
must be filled out. The form must include personal information, details of the requested book,
and the day and hour on which you wish to use the material. After your request has been
approved, you may gain access to the book in the restricted section of the library, but you cannot
check it out. Please bear in mind that while near the rare book, you should write only with
pencil, not with a pen, in order to avoid any possible harm to the book. Also, do not forget that
photographs of the book may be taken with a digital camera only. The book may not be scanned
or photocopied. The students who do not follow these guidelines may face disciplinary action.
Adapted from http://in.bgu.ac.il/en/aranne/Pages/Forms-RareBook.aspx
8. If you are not a member of the university, it is possible to view the rare books
_________________.
a. on Fridays between 8:30 and 16:00
b. by emailing the person in charge in the library
c. after getting a student or faculty library card
9. When working with a rare book, you can _________________.

a. take photos of the book with your digital camera
b. scan or copy a limited number of pages from the book
c. take the book to any section provided it remains in the library
CONVERSATION
For items 10-13, you will listen to a conversation between a university student and an employee
in the Student Services Center. As you listen, mark the alternatives that answer the questions
or complete the statements. Before you listen to the conversation, you will be given 60 seconds
to look at the questions and the alternatives.
31
pre-teach: deal, installments
Employee: Yes, how can I help you?

Student: I’d like to buy a campus parking pass for next year.
Employee: Certainly. Did you want a limited or unlimited? And just for the fall quarter, or
for the entire school year?
Student: I was thinking of one for the whole year, but I’m not sure. Does the year include
the summer quarter? ‘Cause I won’t be here then.
Employee: No, summer term is extra. The year includes the fall, the winter, and the spring
quarters. A yearly pass is valid only from the start of the fall term to the end of
the spring term. This year, that’s, uh, let’s see...[rustling paper] September 23rd
to June 16th.
Student: Oh, OK. And you said there were two different kinds? Uh, limited and unlimited?
Employee: Yes. A limited pass lets you park in the Cultural Convention Center Parking Area
and Dormitories Parking Area, and only on days when school is in session.
During holidays and on weekends, you would have to pay the normal parking
rate. With an unlimited pass, you can park in any lot on any day during the school
year, including weekends and holidays. As I said, between September 23rd and
June 16th.
Student: Hmm...how much do they cost?
Employee: A limited pass is $100, and an unlimited is $150.
Student: All right, I’ll buy an unlimited, I guess. What do I have to do?
Employee: First, I’m going to give you a registration form. This gives us information about
your car. Fill it out, and bring it back to me when you’re ready. You can pay in
cash, by check, or by credit card. Then, I’ll give you a sticker to put on the corner
of your windshield. It is obligatory to stick the sticker on that window, so make
sure that the sticker is in place when you park. Otherwise, you will get a ticket.
Student: Oh, but now I’m driving my father’s car, and it may take more than a month till
I get my own. Is that a problem?
Employee: Well, I’m afraid yes. The stickers cannot be transferred to or used by somebody
else because they are given according to the status of that person. If this rule is
violated, the sticker will be canceled, and the person will not be able to get
another one in the future.
Student: I get it. So, um, does this pass guarantee that I’ll get a parking space? I mean, are
there, like, special places set aside in each lot for people with parking passes?
Employee: That’s a good question. Uh, unfortunately, the answer is no. Parking is on a first-
come, first-served basis. If a lot is full, you’ll have to park somewhere else, or
wait until another car leaves.
Student: I see. How much does, um, regular parking cost? Without a pass?
Employee: It’s two dollars an hour, or $10 a day. You’re getting an excellent deal.
32
Student: Thank you. Oh, just one more question. Do you need all the money up front, or
can I make payments?
Employee: I’m afraid I need it all at once. Sorry.
test.net/toefl/listening/A_conversation_between_a_university_student_and_an_employee_in_the_student_services_center.html#TOEFL_Listening
_Comprehension
10. Why does the student visit the Student Services Center?
a. To arrange for a student parking discount.
b. To register his car with campus security.
c. To purchase a parking pass for his vehicle.
11. What does an unlimited parking pass include?
a. Parking on weekdays for the entire calendar year.
b. Parking on school days during the academic year.
c. Parking every day during the academic year.
12. Why does the employee say: “You’re getting an excellent deal”?
a. To advise the student not to pay in installments.
b. To encourage the student to buy the parking pass.
c. To reassure the student of the fairness of the daily parking cost.
13. What will the student probably do next?
a. Buy a pass with his credit card.
b. Complete a registration form.
c. Put a sticker in his car window.
DISCUSSIONS
Discussion 1
For items 14-17, you will listen to a discussion among four students. As you listen, match each
student’s name with the place they are going to eat lunch at. Some options may be used more than
once; some options may not be used at all. Before you listen to the discussion, you will be given
30 seconds to read the question and the alternatives.
Diana : Oh, I’m so glad this class is over. I’m so hungry. Shall we go to the cafeteria,
Charles?
Charles : Yeah. I’m starving, too. Let me check the menu.
David : You don’t need to. I already know what’s on the menu.
Diana : Okay, David, tell us then.
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David : Onion soup, roast chicken, and rice. And salad. Gosh. I hate chicken. And Sally
won’t eat chicken, either. And Diana, haven’t you become a vegan recently? So,
clearly, we’re not going to the cafeteria. Any suggestions? Sally?
Sally : Why don’t we go to the small pizzeria on the second floor?
Diana : We could. If they hadn’t closed it down two days ago.
Sally : Oh, really?
Diana : Yeah. I think they’re going to open a new kebab restaurant instead. How about
the cafe that serves home-made food? You know, the one around the corner.
Charles : Argh. The last time I ate there, I got poisoned Diana. Don’t you remember?
Diana : I’m sorry, Charles, but that wasn’t food poisoning. That was alcohol poisoning!
(all laugh) I love that place. And it’s the only cafe that offers a great vegan menu.
So I’m going there. Are you coming, guys?
Charles : No way! I told you I got poisoned! And plus, I love chicken. I’m going to the
cafeteria.
David : What about us, Sally? Where are we eating?
Sally : Let’s try the new burger place in the shopping mall, shall we?
David : Alright. That suits me fine.
Students Venues
14. Charles ____c____

a. Pizzeria
15. Diana ____b____ b. The corner café
c. Cafeteria
16. David ____d____ d. Burger shop
17. Sally ____d____ e. Kebab restaurant
Discussion 2
For items 18-21, you will listen to a discussion on cyberbullying. As you listen, match each
person’s name with his/her argument. Some options may be used more than once; some options
may not be used at all. Before you listen to the discussion, you will be given 30 seconds to read
the question and the alternatives.
Vincent : Another issue we have to discuss in our meeting today is a growing problem
in our school these days ‒ as you all know ‒ cyberbullying. We’ve been
receiving complaints claiming that we do not do enough to protect students
from cyberbullying. Uhm, Lilian, I think you’ve got something to say, eh?
34
Lilian : Yes, indeed, I do. I understand the complaints, Vincent, but I think schools
have no authority off campus; the domain of school stops after the last bell
rings. Unless Internet activity is being done during school time or in the
classroom as an extracurricular activity, the school has no authority over what
students do outside of school.
Vincent : Yes, and I see that Simon’s raising his hand. You have a different opinion,
Simon?
Simon : Well, yes, I see things rather differently, so I might slightly disagree with
Lilian. Bullying is a very serious issue in schools today, and the rate is very
high ‒ for all types of it. Students are even turning suicidal because of being
cyberbullied, so I think schools definitely need to take part in stopping it,
inside and outside of school. I believe if a student can be penalized for doing
illegal activity outside of school, to the point of being kicked out of school,
then that penalty should also be applied for harassment. Just because it isn’t
strictly affecting the school or being noticed by it, it doesn’t mean it’s less of
an issue than other problems.
Vincent : Well, Simon, I agree that it is the responsibility of schools to intervene, but I
don’t think focusing on how to penalize the students would help solve the
problem. Being an institution to educate people, we should first raise
everyone’s awareness of the issue and try to prevent it.
Simon : How can we do that, Vincent?
Vincent : Well, we can create an awareness campaign for teachers, parents, the
community, students, and the school staff to inform them about the forms that
cyberbullying takes and how they can be prevented. We could educate
students on how to avoid cyberbullying and how to respond to and report
cyberbullies. We can discuss with our students the adverse consequences of
bullying behavior, including school discipline, civil litigation, and criminal
prosecution. We should teach students not to give out any private information
and encourage them to report to an adult any form of cyberbullying that they
witness or experience. And uhm, Tina, what do you think?
Tina : I have to side with Lilian on this. It is not the school’s responsibility if there
is cyberbullying happening outside of school. The school is not in charge of
social media. However, if someone is cyberbullying at school, it becomes the
school’s problem. If it’s happening during school hours, the school can choose
to have control over it. Schools should punish students who cyberbully during
school hours or while at school.
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Teachers Arguments
18. Vincent ___d___ a. Schools are only responsible for cyberbullying during
school hours.
19. Lilian ___a___
b. Schools should be able to punish students who
20. Simon ___b___ cyberbully their friends.
21. Tina ___a___ c. Students who violate the school’s code of conduct by
cyberbullying should do community work.
d. Schools should teach students how to behave if they
are cyberbullied.
LECTURES
Lecture 1
For items 22-26, you will listen to a lecture about a controversial figure in American exploration
into space. As you listen, mark the alternatives that answer the questions or complete the
statements. Before you listen to the lecture, you will be given 60 seconds to look at the questions
pre-teach: alignment
Lecturer: Yes, if everyone’s ready, let’s begin. Well, everyone knows that America put the first
man on the moon. What most don’t realize, however, is that the Saturn V, the launch rocket that
sent Apollo 11 astronauts Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin, and Michael Collins to the moon, was
designed by Germans, in particular the rocket scientist and space architect Wernher Von Braun. In
1975, Von Braun was awarded America’s highest science award, the National Medal of Science.
Many consider Von Braun to be the preeminent rocket scientist of the twentieth century. Others
believe that Von Braun was a war criminal.
Wernher Von Braun was born into an aristocratic family on March 23, 1912 in Wirsitz, Germany,
now present-day Poland. As a boy, Von Braun did not do well in school. Mathematics and physics
gave him particular trouble. Then he read The Rocket into Interplanetary Space by rocket pioneer
Hermann Oberth. It was a turning point. Heavily inspired by Oberth’s book, Von Braun studied in
a highly determined manner and finished at the top of his class. Von Braun, envisioning one day
that man would fly to the moon, went on to receive various technical degrees and became a member
of the German Society for Space Travel, where he worked with Oberth on liquid-fueled rocket
engines. However, the Nationalist Socialist German Workers Party, known as Nazis for short, took
power in 1932 and banned all work on rockets that was not government related. Von Braun, not
wanting to give up his dream of putting man in space, found work with the German army,
designing and testing rockets. By 1934, one of his rockets had flown to a height of 3.5 kilometers.
With the German army on the move, rocket development became a top priority of the German
36
military. As a result, a large rocket facility was built at Peenemünde. There, Von Braun became
the leader of “the rocket team” and was instrumental in developing the V-2, a liquid-propelled, 46-
foot long ballistic missile that could hit London, 500 miles away. The V-2, built by slave labor in
underground factories, represents the birth of the rocket age, a lineage that extends through both
the American and Russian post-war missile and space programs to this day.
In the spring of 1945, with World War Two rapidly drawing to a close, Von Braun surrendered
not only himself, but also 500 of his top scientists to the rapidly advancing American army. By
then, the Americans were well aware of Von Braun. He had already topped America’s black list.
Actually, this black list was a secret list of German scientists and engineers that the Americans
were intent on capturing for the knowledge they possessed. Under a plan called Operation
Paperclip, Von Braun and many of his colleagues were secretly taken to work for the American
government at Fort Bliss, Texas. There, they continued to design and build rockets, and their
association with the Nazi party was secretly removed from their public records. Throughout the
1950s, Von Braun and his Peenemünde team represented the cutting edge of rocket technology.
They built the Jupiter missile, the first missile to carry a nuclear warhead. Soon after, Von Braun
and his team built the Jupiter-C, which carried the first American satellite into Earth orbit, thus
signaling the start of the space race.
In 1955, Von Braun became a naturalized American citizen. Meanwhile, he continued to champion
the idea of building rockets that would explore space. As early as 1952, his plans for space
exploration included space stations and trips to Mars. He even wrote a science-fiction novel
exploring the possibilities. The American government, however, was more interested in containing
the Russian threat than in exploring space. In 1958, the American government formed NASA, the
National Aeronautic and Space Program. Two years later, NASA opened the Marshall Space Flight
Center, and Von Braun was chosen to be the director. Von Braun agreed but on one condition: that
he could develop the Saturn rocket, the launch rocket that would send Apollo 11 to the moon. The
American government took a softer line. And the rest is history. On July 16, 1969, Von Braun’s
boyhood dream of sending a man to the moon was realized when Apollo 11 commander Neil
Armstrong was the first man to walk on the moon.
Despite Von Braun’s achievements, many continue to question his past affiliation with the Nazi
party and to what extent he tolerated slave labor to build Nazi Germany’s rocket program. However
history judges Wernher Von Braun, one thing cannot be denied: He put America on the moon.
Adapted from Practice Tests for TOEFL iBT by Bruce Stirling
22. Who designed Saturn V, the launch rocket that sent Apollo 11 to the moon?
a) Michael Collins
b) Herman Oberth
c) Wernher Von Braun
37
23. What is true according to the lecture?
a) Von Braun was born to a middle-class family in 1945 in Poland.
b) Oberth was a strong influence on Von Braun’s work and career.
c) Oberth became a member of the Nationalist Socialist German Workers Party.
24. Von Braun and his team ______________.
a) led an operation called “Paperclip” in Nazi Germany
b) continued working for the Nazi army after they went to America
c) engineered the first missile to carry a nuclear warhead
25. Which of the following is among Von Braun’s accomplishments?
a) He was one of the founders of NASA.
b) He planned space stations and trips to Mars.
c) He opened the Marshall Space Flight Center.
26. The aim of the lecture in general is _____________.
a) to persuade the audience that Von Braun was a great influence in both science and
politics
b) to exemplify Von Braun’s achievements to support his alignment with the Nazi
army
c) to give information about Von Braun’s life as a provocative figure in science
Lecture 2
For items 27-32, you will listen to a lecture about dancing bees. As you listen, mark the
Professor: You’ve been reading about animal behavior. Today we’ll discuss one of the most
astonishing behaviors in the animal world: dancing bees. Did you know that bees can dance?
Well, neither did scientists, until the 1960s. That’s when a German scientist, named, uh, Karl
von Frisch, noticed something truly remarkable. As he was observing honeybees, he noticed
that some of the bees, which he called scout bees, flew out of the hive to look for food. When
a scout found a site where there was food, it flew back to the beehive and started dancing. This
dance somehow told the other honeybees where the food was, because after the dance, the
bees... uhm, some of the bees flew from the hive straight to the site of the food. Von Frisch
called the bees that collect the food forager bees. He thought the scout bee’s dance told the
forager bees three things – first, the smell of the food it had found; second, which direction to
fly to reach the food; and third, the distance of the food site from the beehive. Von Frisch won
the 1973 Nobel Prize for this discovery, but many scientists were skeptical of his theory. They
didn’t believe it was the dance that led the forager bees to food. Instead, they thought it might
be, oh, the smell of the food on the dancing bee, or maybe that they just followed the scout back
to the food site. Well, very recently, some British scientists have used a new type of radar to
prove that von Frisch’s theory is indeed correct. It is the dance that communicates this
information to other bees.
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The British researchers found that scout bees perform two types of dances. If the food is near
the hive, say, oh, about 50 or 60 meters away, the scout flies in a round pattern, like a circle.
This tells the location, but not the direction, of the food site. If the site is farther away, the scout
does what’s called a waggle dance. It flies in a pattern of ovals and vertical lines. The speed of
the waggle dance tells other bees how far away the food site is. The slower the dance, the farther
away the food. If the scout flies in a vertical line up the side of the beehive, it’s telling the
foragers to fly directly toward the sun. If the scout flies vertically down the hive, it’s saying:
“Fly away from the sun.” Up is toward, down is away. If the scout flies at an angle to the hive,
it’s telling the foragers to fly neither toward nor away from the sun, but in between. The bees
have a special internal mechanism to know which angle they should fly, based on the sun, the
hive, and the food site. They can also measure the distance they fly by recording the motion of
things they see as they fly past.
Now, um, one problem with von Frisch’s theory had been this: It seems to take the forager bees
a long time to reach the food site. That’s why ... err… That’s why scientists thought that perhaps
it wasn’t the waggle dance that led them there. For many years, scientists couldn’t follow the
foragers after they left the hive... because they didn’t have the technology. Just a few years ago,
though, the British scientists solved this problem using a new type of radar. They were able to
attach a, uh, small radio transmitter to forager bees – I don’t know how, but they did. This
enabled them to follow the forager bees’ flight after they left the hive. The radar showed that
foragers, do, in fact, fly straight to the area of the food site. They don’t follow the scout bee
back to the site, because the scout goes into the hive after it finishes dancing. Well then, if the
waggle dance does lead the foragers directly to the food site, why does it take so long for them
to find the actual food? The answer is that the waggle dance leads the foragers only to the
general area of the food. It doesn’t tell them the exact location of the flowers or plants that have
the food. So the foragers have to spend a while flying around the area before they find the exact
location of what they’re looking for.
Adapted from http://www.english-test.net/toefl/listening/Which_aspect_of_bee_behavior_does_the_professor_mainly_discuss.html
27. Which aspect of bee behavior does the professor mainly discuss?
a) Reproduction
b) Organization
c) Communication
28. Why does the professor mention radar?
a) To explain how bees know which way to fly
b) To show how a theory was proved correct
c) To illustrate problems with the waggle dance
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29. According to the professor, what does the waggle dance tell forager bees?
a) The distance of the food site from the hive
b) The exact location of the food at the site
c) How much food they will find at the site
30. Which way should forager bees fly if a scout bee flies up the side of the beehive in
a vertical line?
a) toward the west
b) toward the hive
c) toward the sun
31. The professor says “I don’t know how, but they did” because he wants to imply that
______.
a) the scientists should have been more careful
b) it is difficult to put transmitters on bees
c) it is not a good idea to use radar with bees
32. What can be inferred about how forager bees find food?
a) They rely solely on the information from the waggle dance.
b) They follow the scout bee until they find the food.
c) They use their senses to find the exact location of food.
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PRACTICE IV
BRIEF TALKS
pre-teach: inappropriateness
There’s a rule I like to follow with regard to vacationing, and it is this: Returning after said
vacation, you should feel less exhausted and stressed, not more. Sounds obvious, right? It is.
But you’d be surprised how easy it is to go on holiday and come back worn-out. And one easy,
common way to do so is by assuming that if you want to spend your vacation out in nature,
you’ll have to go camping. Camping has its charms, certainly, but it also often requires some
physical duress. If you’re a Boy Scout, this presents only an exciting physical challenge. But
if you’re an average adult, you’ll probably feel tired and sore, which could dampen your
enjoyment of any other exercise-intensive outdoor activities you’ve got planned, like hiking
or rock climbing. So, if you’re past the invincible age of 17 and don’t spend every weekend
training at high altitudes or if you’re not getting ready for an Iron Man competition, it’s time
to embrace the day hike/hotel combo. It’s not unfair to want to see the extreme glories of Planet
Earth and also want to take a hot shower afterward; it’s not wrong to want to experience the
wild and then eat a dinner you won’t have to protect from bears. So the next time you feel the
urge to leave the limits of the man-made world behind you and venture out into the wild,
remember: It’s possible to take the comforts of the man-made world with you.
Adapted from https://www.gq.com/story/the-only-thing-better-than-camping-is-not-camping

a) To compare the attitudes of teenagers and adults towards camping as a vacation
b) To persuade listeners of the inappropriateness of camping for vacation for adults
c) To inform listeners of the differences between camping and hotel vacations
pre-teach: neglect, negligence
You may have heard the saying, “Tell me what you eat, and I will tell you who you are.”
Sociologists have largely neglected the study of food until recently, because it was seen as just
biological, something we needed to survive, but it is very much social when you think about
what we eat, whom we eat it with, and where we eat it. The surrounding society influences the
development of individual taste, so a person’s eating habits tell us a very great deal not just
about his tastes or everyday routines, but also about his sense of himself, his gender, ethnicity,
social class, and many other things besides. For that reason, food is a source of inquiry for the
cultural sociologist because of its heavily symbolic character. A group’s or a society’s definition
of a particular foodstuff may be radically different from how another group or society defines
it. For example, Americans, Britons, and Australians would never eat horse, but horsemeat is a
familiar ingredient in certain parts of Italy, France, and Belgium, societies that are otherwise
not too culturally distant from the English-speaking world.
Adapted from http://www.sociologyguide.com/socio-short-notes/sociology-of-food.php
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a) The differences in culturally similar societies’ cuisines
b) Sociologists’ negligence of food in their inquiries
c) The importance of food studies in sociology
pre-teach: persist, detrimental, superstitious
Did you know that in some countries, such as Japan and Great Britain, a black cat is considered
good luck? In the United States, though, a black cat crossing your path is considered to be a bad
omen. Our American fear of black cats dates back to our early Puritan roots. In those times, black
cats were associated with witches and the devil. The Puritans took their witch hunts very seriously.
They even burned black cats on Shrove Tuesday, or Fat Tuesday, to rid the house of evil spirits.
Although there are no more witch hunts, the idea of black cats being associated with evil has
persisted as a lingering superstition from a darker time in our history. This is one superstition that
is harmful, as black cats have a harder time getting adopted even though they tend to have very
friendly and loving personalities. Rescue organizations, such as Black Cat Rescue in Boston, are
working to change the image and harmful superstitions surrounding black cats.
Adapted from https://exemplore.com/misc/The-Most-Common-Superstitions-Origin-and-Meanings

a) A black cat is considered good luck in some countries but bad luck in others.
b) Black cats are considered unlucky because of their association with witches.
c) The deep-rooted superstitions about black cats are detrimental to their well-being.
pre-teach: indebted
A lot of modern film scores borrow from classical music. All the great film composers have drawn
inspiration from those sources. John Williams, the composer of the scores for the Star Wars series,
is one such artist. He has been heavily influenced by Strauss and Wagner, along with Gustav Holst,
and especially Holst’s Planets. Holst composed Planets in the early 20th century, with each piece
in the entire suite referring to a planet and its astrological attributions, that is, qualities. The first
section, known as Mars: Bringer of War, for example, is strong and fierce, meant to reflect the
qualities of the Roman god of war, Mars. The famous piece Imperial March, played constantly
throughout Star Wars, heavily borrows from Holst’s Mars: Bringer of War. When one listens to
both pieces one after the other, the similarities in both melody and tune are clearly observable.
Adapted from https://www.hometheaterforum.com/community/threads/john-williams-borrows-heavily-from-gustav-holst.82675/

a) To exemplify how film composers are inspired by those of classical music
b) To argue that Gustav Holst’s Planets is indebted to John Williams’s music
c) To convince the audience that Planets is an unprecedented masterpiece of music
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pre-teach: compete, appealing
Mesotherapy is a form of cosmetic surgery that aims to reduce fat cells as well as cellulite. This
form of therapy thus competes with other methods such as liposuction, lifts, and tucks. Of course
the idea of being able to reduce fat in “spots” and identify specific areas for reduction is one that
is highly appealing to those unhappy with their current body shape. And the method is seemingly
less invasive than a tummy tuck or liposuction. The central idea behind the process is that the
practitioner uses a topical injection into the fat cells located just below the skin at specific locations
around the body. This injection contains a “cocktail” of herbs, minerals, vitamins, and medications.
It is claimed that this cocktail can break down fat cells to the point where the kidneys and bowels
can flush them out of the system. Meanwhile, it is claimed to weaken the connective bands of
tissue that pin the fat down in cellulite.
Adapted from http://www.healthguidance.org/entry/15945/1/Does-Mesotherapy-Work.html

a) How mesotherapy functions to reduce fat and cellulite
b) Why mesotherapy is actually weaker than liposuction
c) Where mesotherapy can be applied in the human body
ANNOUNCEMENT
For items 6-8, you will listen to an announcement at the swimming pool. As you listen, mark the
announcement, you will be given 30 seconds to look at the questions and the alternatives.
Our personnel and students are kindly advised that starting Monday, October 5, the swimming
pool will be closed for three weeks due to the remodeling of the locker rooms and essential
maintenance work to the poolside. It will be in use again as of Monday, October 26. All private
and semi-private swimming lessons as well as Subaqua Sports Club sessions, which started on
September 12, have been canceled until further notice. We thank you for your patience and
apologize for any inconvenience this may cause.
6. What is the main purpose of this announcement?

a. To inform personnel and students about the closure of the pool
b. To inform personnel and students of the Subaqua Sports Club sessions
c. To inform personnel and students that the pool needs maintenance work
7. When will the pool be closed?
a. From September 12 to October 5
b. From September 12 to October 26
c. From October 5 to October 26
8. When will the sessions of the Subaqua Sports Club start again?
a. September 12.
b. October 26.
c. It is not certain.
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INSTRUCTION
For items 9-11, you will listen to a professor who teaches the course Human-Computer
Interaction giving instructions for a team project. As you listen, mark the alternatives that
answer the questions or complete the statements. Before you listen to the instructions, you will
be given 30 seconds to look at the questions and the alternatives.
The team project phase runs five weeks, and the due date is December 10. But until then, you’ll
want to get feedback on your work, so each Sunday, from November 12 to December 3, you’ll
have the opportunity to submit materials you’ve prepared so far for feedback. Between these
dates, each team can submit any material they would like to get feedback on. All teams must
submit at least three project items for feedback. Each missing item will result in a one-letter
grade penalty on your final team project grade. That is to say, submitting three or four items for
feedback will incur no penalty. But if you submit only two items, that will incur a one letter-
grade penalty. And, naturally, submitting only one item will incur a two-letter grade penalty. If
you do not send any items for feedback, well, that’s no good because it will incur a three letter-
grade penalty, which may result in failure. Uhm... when it comes to the submission of the final
projects… Ah, yes. All assignments will be submitted as PDF documents. If your assignment
involves things like videos, working software prototypes, etc., you should provide them
separately. Late work is not accepted without advance agreement, except in cases of medical or
family emergencies. Oh, and a final reminder… You will not be graded on the quality of what
you send in, but the completion of the task is of utmost importance. If, however, the teams show
little or no effort to receive feedback, then, they may not be given any credit at all.
Adapted from http://omscs6750.gatech.edu/fall-2017/team-project-check-ins/
1. When will the teams submit their final project?

a. On November 12
b. On December 3
c. On December 10
2. What will happen if teams submit only one check-in?
a. They will not be penalized.
b. They will face a two-letter grade penalty.
c. They will not get any credit for the project.
3. Which of the following is true according to the instructions?
a. The professor doesn’t accept late submissions under any circumstances.
b. The students can only submit PDF documents to receive feedback.
c. Completion of the project is more important than the quality of work.
CONVERSATION
For items 12-15, you will listen to a conversation between two students at the library. As you
listen, mark the alternatives that answer the questions or complete the statements. Before you
listen to the conversation, you will be given 60 seconds to look at the questions and the
alternatives.
pre-teach: cite
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44
Joan : Excuse me....
Larry : Yes?
Joan : Sorry, but could I bother you for just a minute? I think I left a book in this carrel last
night. Could you just take a look on the shelf for me?
Larry : Sure. What’s the title?
Joan : Uh... “Fundamentals of Bioengineering” or something like that ‒ I forgot the exact
title. (laughs) That’s why I need it! It’s sort of a green paperback.
Larry : Huh. Looks like a couple of other folks’ve left their books in here, too. Why don’t
they put them back where they got them when they’re through, anyway?
Joan : Probably just forgot, like me. It’s easy to forget a book in there after you’ve been
sitting here going through books for three or four hours at night.
Larry : Yeah, I guess. I’ve done that, too. (laughs) How about, um, “Engineering Basics”?
Is this it? It’s not green, though. It’s kind of, uh, turquoise?
Joan : Huh! That’s kind of eerie, isn’t it? That’s really pretty close. No, not mine. Nothing
else there?
Larry : Nope. Just a couple of works on English grammar and linguistics. Want those?
Joan : (laughs) I don’t think so! I probably need one on quoting and referencing in
academic writing, though. My paper on GM is not organized very well.
Larry : GM? General Motors?
Joan : (laughs) No. Gene modification. It’s due next Thursday, and I’m barely half-
finished. And that is why I need that book ‒ to check the page numbers for
referencing ‒ I’m including some quotes out of it.
Larry : Well, sorry I can’t help ‒ it’s just not here. Did you check the stacks?
Joan : Yeah, ‘cause I thought at first I’d put it back. But it’s not where it’s supposed to be,
at least.
Larry : Maybe somebody else’s got it then. Somebody from your class maybe?
Joan : Yeah, maybe. We’ve all got papers due.
Larry : Did you check at the desk? They can tell you if it’s been checked out.
Joan : No, it can’t be checked out. Our prof put it on reserve until the end of the term. Too
many people might need to use it.
Larry : And there’s only one copy? That’s pretty rough.
Joan : Yup, I think so. Or... no ‒ actually, I have no idea. I just presumed there was. I’ll go
check the catalogue!
Larry : Yeah ‒ there might be another one in the Science Reading Room or the Medical
Library. You know the author?
Joan : Uh.... Jamison, or um, Jamiston. Why?
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Larry : Because I can search it for you right now ‒ Google Scholar.
Joan : Huh?
Larry : Yeah, haven’t you heard? University Libraries have linked up with Google’s search
of library holdings all over the world.
Joan : Wow!
Larry : Just a sec. Jamison?....And the title’s something about bioengineering, so keyword
‘bioengineering’... and voila! “Jamison, H.J., Fundamental Concepts of
Bioengineering” ‒ is that it?
Joan : Oh, yes! Great!
Larry : And...lessee... Tennyson University....yes, here we are: Main Library ‒ and Medical
Research Library! They’ve got a copy there, too, it says.
Joan : That is really great! Thanks so much for your help. I’m sorry I took up so much of
your time. I really appreciate this.
Larry : My pleasure.
Joan : I’ve got to go! The Medical Library closes for the weekend on Saturday afternoon.
Larry : Better run, then!
Joan : Thanks again! Bye.
Larry : Good luck!
Adapted from http://www.english-test.net/toefl/listening/A_conversation_between_two_students_at_the_library.html
12. Why does the girl start a conversation?

a. To get advice
b. To ask for help
c. To make a complaint
13. What does she need the book for?
a. To cite a source.
b. To check linguistics.
c. To find relevant quotes.
14. Where could the book be?
a. It might be reserved for the professor.
b. Someone might have checked it out.
c. A classmate might be using it.
15. What will the girl do next?
a. Search on Google Scholar.
b. Check the catalogue.
c. Go to a library.
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DISCUSSIONS
Discussion 1
For items 16-18, you will listen to a discussion among three students. As you listen, match each
student’s name with all the films they would like to watch. Some options may be used more than
Jamie : Hey, Brannah, what are you up to?

Brannah : Not much. I’ve just cleaned my room. And now waiting for Erin to show up.
Jamie : Oh, that’s the man I’m looking for (chuckles). Actually, I was going to invite
you guys over to watch a movie in my dorm.
Erin : Guess who’s back!
Jamie & Hi, Erin.
Brannah :
Jamie : Hey, come on, get ready, and let’s go to my dorm to see this new horror movie
everyone’s talking about. I just downloaded it.
Erin : What’s it called? Mother?
Brannah : (Sighs) Guys, guys. You know I don’t like horror movies. If you really want to
see it together, then I’ll make plans with the girls from the Literature class.
Erin : Oh, come on, Brannah. It’ll be fun.
Brannah : If we watch something else, I’ll go with you.
Jamie : No. It’s gonna be a horror movie!
Brannah : Then, I’m out.
Erin : Oh, come on, guys. Don’t start fighting again. Well, what do you suggest,
Brannah?
Brannah : I don’t know. Any science-fiction or fantasy movie would do. Star Wars,
maybe?
Erin : Ugh. This is the hundredth time you’re seeing that weird stuff, or what?
Brannah : Hey, watch your words. It’s my favorite movie of all time.
Jamie : Yeah, yeah, we know. But you know what? I’m sick of this. You’re always
ruining our plans, Brannah. I hate this Star Wars fandom and (changes his voice
to sound like Darth Vader) “I’m your father” stuff!
Brannah : Oh, really? Then you go and enjoy your stupid scary movies. Don’t you ever
talk to me again!
Erin : Hey, calm down. I have a suggestion. Why don’t we just watch Ayla, the new
Turkish movie? I’ll get a huge pack of popcorn and coke.
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Jamie : Meh. Isn’t that just too historical? Booooring.
Brannah : Okay. This is your last chance, guys. My last suggestion is Beetlejuice. Are you
in or not?
Erin : Brannah. Pfff. We watched it a gazillion times. Together. Jamie already knows
the entire screenplay by heart.
Brannah : Okay, whatever. I’m not doing anything with you. I’ll call the girls.
Jamie : Hey, wait. I just got a text message from Fleur. She says her parents aren’t
home, and she’s inviting all of us to see What Happened to Monday? at her
place. I said I’d be definitely in. What do you guys say? Brannah?
Brannah : Ahh, Fleur. What a brilliant friend! Alright. Let me get my jacket.
Erin : We’ll stop off at the supermarket then.
Students Films
16. Erin ____b, c, e____ a. Star Wars

b. What Happened to Monday?
17. Brannah ____a, b, d____
c. Ayla
18. Jamie ____ b, e _____ d. Beetlejuice
e. Mother
Discussion 2
For items 19-23, you will listen to five students discussing their opinions about friendship in a
counseling session. Please match each student with his or her opinions. Some options may be used
more than once; some options may not be used at all. Before you listen to the discussion, you will
be given 30 seconds to read the question and the alternatives.
pre-teach: outgrow
Counsellor: So, in today’s session, we’ll be talking about friendship. Can we start right
away? Kelly? Could you broadly tell us your view of friendship, please?
Kelly: Yeah, why not? When I was a kid, I made friends for what seemed like
arbitrary reasons. My best friends were the kid who lived down my street and
the boy who sat next to me in class, whose name was next to mine in the
alphabet. When I think about it, it’s strange that we remained friends for so
long. But since I moved away, we’ve inevitably drifted apart. Their lives and
mine are just so different now. It seems like I’ve moved on, but they’re still
doing the same things we did together when we were 17. Going to the same
old bars, playing computer games, you know. That stuff doesn’t interest me
anymore.
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Counsellor: Okay, thanks, Kelly. Now, who wants to continue? Jack?
Jack: Yes, sure. I must say that I’ve been finding it difficult making friends lately.
After we’ve gone through the usual small talk – “Nice day, today isn’t it?,” or
“what did you do at the weekend?” – I can’t think of anything else to say. So,
going out has seemed like a chore, rather than a pleasure of life. That’s why I
wasn’t that bothered about going to my school reunion. But, in the end, I
decided to go, and I’m glad I did. As soon as I met up with my old pal
Barney, we just picked up from where we’d left off. There wasn’t any
thought given to the social graces. Within minutes, we were teasing each
other just the same as we had done ten years before.
Counsellor: Good, I’m glad to hear that. I think you’ve made a lot of good progress, Jack.
How about you, Leslie? You seem a bit quiet?
Leslie: Oh, yes, erm... I think it’s because I’m better at online friendships than real-
life ones. Whenever I meet up with new people, even briefly, I always get
their email address and chat with them online. People say it’s stupid, and
these aren’t real friendships. “A friend is someone you spend time with, face
to face,” they say. I don’t think that’s strictly true, as people have written to
penfriends for decades, and I’m sure most people consider people friends
even if they only see them once in a blue moon. I love going online, reading
people’s posts, and seeing what they’ve been up to. We get into random
conversations and comment on interesting topics. I know that without the
Internet, our friendships would never have withstood the test of time.
Counsellor: Interesting. I think we might need a private session on the reasons why you
prefer that, Leslie. After this session, maybe we should arrange our next
session, right? And, Sam? Would you like to say something?
Sam: Ermm… I actually find this a bit difficult to talk about. I remember reading
when I was a kid in a magazine “Relationships come and go, but a good
friendship can last a lifetime.” At the time, I was skeptical, but over the years,
my friend Hannah helped me out through so many ups and downs of life that
I came to believe it. That’s why, when she broke up with her long-standing
partner after seven years and lost her job at the same time, I welcomed her
into my flat and made sure she was okay. Six months later, she was still there
and wasn’t making any effort to contribute to the bills, no matter how much I
asked. In the end, I had to ask her to leave. It wasn’t pleasant, and we haven’t
been in contact since, sadly.
Counsellor: Oh, that must have been really difficult. I’m sorry to hear that. But we cannot
really know people unless we start sharing a home with them, can we? And I
see Lily hasn’t spoken today. Yes, Lily, do you have anything to share with
us?
Lily: Well, my story isn’t that sad, maybe. But I would like to talk about how
terrible we are at making friends. Much worse than our parents’ generation. I
was at an anniversary dinner party not long ago, where I didn’t really know
anyone except my parents. I was at a table of young people in their late teens
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and early twenties, which I thought was nice. After all, I didn’t want to hang
around with my parents all night. But it soon became apparent that the oldies
were having a far better time than we were. I tried to make conversation, but
everything I said seemed to fall flat. The people at my table all had their
smartphones switched on, and they spent the whole evening texting. They
barely said a word. My parents, on the other hand, had a great time enjoying
the talk with other people, and by the end of the night, they’d been invited to
three more social engagements with people they’d only just met. I came away
with nothing and felt profoundly miserable.
Counsellor: Hmm, another good point to talk about for our next meeting. Why don’t we
have some coffee before we continue our opinion-sharing session?
Adapted from https://www.examenglish.com/FCE/fce_listening3_test2.htm
Students Opinions
19. Kelly __e___ a) Social networking keeps friendships going.
20. Jack __b___ b) There’s no friend like an old friend.
21. Leslie __a___ c) Virtual friends aren’t real friends.
22. Sam __f___ d) The younger generation can’t socialize.
23. Lily __d___ e) I outgrew my old friends.
f) Friendship has limitations.
LECTURES
Lecture 1
For items 24–28, you will listen to a lecture in an American history class. As you listen, mark the
pre-teach: overemphasize, oppress
Professor: Most scholars agree that women have been treated unfairly in United States history
textbooks. Because a woman has never been a, uh, US president or a commander – a major
commander, anyway – in a war, these scholars argue that historians have, um, overlooked or
ignored the contributions women have made to US history. In recent years, though, a new view of
women’s history has emerged. It’s called “women-centered history,” and it’s forcing historians to
re-interpret traditional pictures of key historical events. Now they’re looking at ways women
contributed to history “behind the scenes,” if you will. For instance, though they didn’t fight in
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wars or occupy the political stage, women formed organizations in places such as churches and
clubs, where they discussed ideas and learned skills that would later lead to their emergence in
the historical spotlight. Um, Jane Addams is one good example of this. She founded houses for
poor people in Chicago, and was an original member of the American Civil Liberties Union, or
ACLU. She lobbied government for the rights of workers and women, which paid off in 1920
when women received the right to vote. In 19... uh, 1931, she became the first American woman
to win the Nobel Peace Prize.
Women-centered history starts with the premise that females played an important part in
shaping US history. This perspective is different from past models of studying women in US
history. One of the first models is called the contribution approach, which concedes that men
played the leading historical roles but demonstrates that women were vital “supporting
actresses” at every landmark historical event. While this was certainly true, the contribution
approach has been criticized because it highlights only the bravest and brightest women, and it
also neglects the social role of women in everyday family life. Another [false start] a second
historical model is called the victim approach, which emphasizes how men have oppressed
women throughout history. Um, although obviously true, it tells only part of the story. It also
tends toward emotionalism, overly dramatizing women’s plight. Critics charge that under the
victim approach, the only women who stand out are the unusual ones, such as the famous Salem
“witches” of the seventeenth century. The rest are weak, helpless victims of a male-dominated
world.
Women-centered history tends to balance the contribution and victim approaches. Instead of
asking, “How have women helped men?” or “how have men oppressed women?”, it asks
simply, “What have women done?” Now, in one sense it still gives only a partial picture,
because it examines history from only one perspective, but in another sense it gives a fairer and
more complete portrait of US women’s past than the previous two models. One historian, named
Gerda Lerner, says women-centered history tells how women have survived and contributed in
a male world “on their own terms.” Ms. Lerner claims that women-centered history best
portrays the balance of interaction between women’s oppression and women’s power. I’m not
sure about that, but I do know one thing. It has compelled historians to see certain historical
processes in a new light, such as the, eight ‒ er, nineteenth century Temperance Movement, and
the Prohibition Movement of the twentieth century.
As feminist scholars keep studying the history of US women, more new approaches are likely
to develop. For example, there are still several sub-categories of women’s history to consider,
such as labor history, social status, the history of women in minority cultures, and so on. There
are also class divisions, race divisions, ethnic divisions and religious divisions. Finally, there is
the history of women’s interactions with other women, not just with men.
Adapted from http://www.english-test.net/toefl/listening/A_lecture_from_an_American_History_class.html
51
51
24. What is the main topic of the lecture?
a) Women-centered history
b) The victim approach
c) Historical models
25. Why does the professor mention Jane Addams?
a) To argue against traditional US historical models
b) To correct a misimpression about the Nobel Peace Prize
c) To illustrate an example of female roles in US history
26. According to the professor, what is one problem with the contribution approach?
a) It ignores the most outstanding women.
b) It overemphasizes men’s oppression of women.
c) It does not consider women’s familial social roles.
27. Which of the following describes the victim approach to US History?
a) It asks, “What have women done?”
b) It asks, “How have men oppressed women?”
c) It asks, “How have women suffered from their emotions?”
28. Which of the following might the new approaches deal with?
a) Women’s interaction with other women in minority groups
b) Women’s being dominated by men in science and politics
c) Unusually successful women in the history of economics
Lecture 2
For items 29-34, you will listen to a lecture in a social science class. As you listen, mark the
Prof: Today we’re going to begin with a short quiz. No, no, you don’t need pencil and paper, just
listen. It’s only one question. Ready? OK. What do blogs, Pokemon, tattoos, Cabbage Patch Kids,
pet rocks, and hula hoops have in common? Anybody?
S1: They’re all stupid. [laughter]
S2: I know, Professor Morgan. They’re all fads.
Prof: Correct. Now, here’s another question: How did you know that? In other words, what are
the characteristics of a fad, and what’s the difference between a fad and a trend? These are the
questions we’re going to consider together this afternoon. Well, the main difference, I think,
between a fad and a trend concerns time. A fad is something that seems to appear suddenly. It
quickly becomes enormously popular, and then disappears just as suddenly as it came. A trend
also appears rather suddenly, and it also becomes very popular, but it doesn’t disappear. A trend
52
can have a long-term influence on its particular market. Fads and trends often resemble each other
at first glance, but a fad usually has a definite beginning and end. Um, Pokemon might be a fad,
but the idea of fantasy playing cards for children might be a trend, for example.
Another difference is that fads usually stay within one industry. Trends can cross over into many
industries. The hula hoop, for instance, has been called the greatest fad of all time. Twenty five
million [false start] In the late 1950s, 25 million hula hoops were sold in just four months. But a
year later, sales had virtually stopped. The hula hoop was a toy. It was fun to play with, but that’s
about all. Now consider cell phones. They were designed to be portable telephones, but they
crossed over into the worlds of fashion, wireless communication, and now even photography.
People buy cell phones that match the latest clothes fashions. They use cell phones for wireless
Internet access. They take photos with them. Cell phones have become a trend.
Ahem [clears throat or coughs] Here’s a third difference between fads and trends: how well
industries accept them. Fads are often promoted by smaller companies. They need the quick money
that fads provide. Large companies don’t accept fads right away. They can’t afford to be wrong.
If someone [false start] If a company is known as a trend-setter, and it promotes a fad, its reputation
will be damaged. Large companies buy products in huge numbers. They don’t want unsold
products sitting on their shelves. So they wait to see if a fad becomes a trend. Then they will accept
it in their stores. Now... yes?
S2: How long does a fad have to last before it becomes a trend? I mean, there are all these energy
drinks now. There used to be only a couple, but now there’s like, a hundred. Are they still a fad?
Exercise is a trend, so wouldn’t energy drinks be part of the exercise trend?
Prof: That’s an excellent question! When exactly does a fad become a trend? You know, there are
people who are paid a lot of money to answer that question. If they get it right, companies become
rich and famous. If they get it wrong, companies go bankrupt and careers get ruined. The short
answer is: nobody knows. Distinguishing between fads and trends is an art, not a science. If it were
easy, there would be a lot more rich people in the world. Yes, in the back.
S1: Yeah, um...can’t people get rich from fads, too? You said they sold 25 million hula hoops in
four months. Someone must have made big money off that?
Prof: Yes, they did. Toy companies made, uh, $45 million off of hula hoops by the time the fad
ended. And maybe some of you have heard of pet rocks, in the 1970s? A man bought a rock for a
penny, put it in a gift box and marketed it as a pet. He became an instant millionaire. But the
problem [false start] The trouble with fads is, no one can predict them. This man had no idea that
so many people would buy rocks as pets. He started it as kind of a joke. The Pokemon creators had
no clue their cards would become instantly popular all over the world. That’s the thing. Fads are
mysterious to both their creators and to the public.
Adapted from http://www.english-test.net/toefl/listening/A_lecture_in_social_science_class.html
53
a. How fads become trends
b. The history of fads and trends
c. The difference between fads and trends
30. How does the professor introduce fads?
a. He gives a definition.
b. He tells a personal story.
c. He asks the class a question.
31. According to the professor, what is the main difference between a fad and a trend?
a. The length of time that each one lasts
b. How quickly an industry accepts them
c. How much money is earned from them
32. Why does the professor mention cell phones?
a. To contrast fads and trends in terms of functionality
b. To exemplify the spread of trends into various industries
c. To support that they have been more successful than hula hoops
33. Which of the following is not a characteristic of a fad?
a. It can cross over into different industries.
b. Large companies do not accept it right away.
c. It usually has a short-term influence.
34. Why does the professor say “Yes, in the back.”?
a. He is telling a student there is something on the back of his or her shirt.
b. He is recognizing a student who has raised a hand to ask a question.
c. He wants students in the back of the room to quit talking and listen.
54
PRACTICE V
BRIEF TALKS
pre-teach: mundane
Every day, from social media, we receive addictive feeds of fitness models, exotic travel, and
photo-perfect moments. But these don’t often match with our comparatively dull and unexciting
lives. The discontent caused by that disconnect is enough to bring about mental-health problems,
such as anxiety, depression, sleep deprivation, and body-image issues. That’s what a growing body
of research suggests. Social media is loaded with influential images, from the conceited selfies of
beautiful women on Instagram to healthy-living bloggers posting daily meal recaps. And, needless
to say, it’s easy to fall into a comparison trap between our mundane lives and the lives presented
in those images. I do it, and I always have to remind myself that I am not them. Unrealistic ideals
and visual stereotypes exist. They are real. But so am I. I am unique and completely my own,
which means that one person’s reality cannot and should not be my very own. But imagery has the
power to make us forget this, and that’s where social media can fail us.
Adapted from https://greatist.com/health/social-media-affects-fitness

https://qz.com/988765/instagram-fb-is-the-most-harmful-social-network-for-your-mental-health-but-youtube-goog-has-a-positive-effect-a-new-
report-says/
a) The impact of the imagery in social media on people.
b) The mental disorders people have due to social media.
c) Blogs and images like selfies that affect people negatively.
pre-teach: to be inclined to do sth.
Bullying, as many of you know, can be a tremendously painful experience for a young person.
Although too many adults still see bullying as “just part of being a kid,” it is a serious problem
that leads to many negative effects for its victims, including suicide. In recent years, research all
over the world has drawn attention to the connection between bullying and self-inflicted harm.
Many studies have examined this relationship between bullying and suicidality, or the tendency to
have suicidal thoughts and behaviors. The studies were from the United States and several other
countries, including China, Australia, the UK, and Finland. Overall, it was found that youth
involved in bullying in any capacity – both bullies and victims of bullying – were more likely to
think about and attempt suicide than youth who were not involved in bullying. As this analysis
implies, bullying is bad not only for the victims, but for everyone involved.
Adapted from http://theconversation.com/bullying-and-suicide-whats-the-connection-82353
55
a) Youth involved in bullying are inclined to have suicidal thoughts and behaviors.
b) Despite its serious negative effects, like suicide, many adults still consider bullying normal.
c) Bullying is still a painful problem in many countries such as the US, the UK, and China.
pre-teach: highlight
We are taught from a young age that achieving specific milestones of success will make us happy,
... like by getting good grades, getting into a great college, having a prestigious career, living in
the right house or neighborhood, marrying the right person, etc. The truth is none of these things
have anything to do with happiness. What happens when you reach a big goal of yours? Do you
feel really happy? For how long? I mean, how long do you maintain that elevated feeling of
euphoria after you reach a big goal? For most of us, the answer is “not long.” Perhaps a day, a
week, or even a month or more. What happens, exactly, when that feeling fades? It is not that you
are less pleased to have reached the goal. It is not even that the goal loses some of its meaning. It’s
merely that part of the joy is in achieving something, and once the moment of achievement passes,
we are looking for the next goal, the next achievement. So, what is happiness anyway? It is
actually not at all related to setting goals and achieving them. Nor is it that sense of euphoria; it’s
not pleasure, but something larger, deeper, and more fundamental. In other words, happiness is
less an event and more an ongoing state of mind and a way of focusing on the larger picture, the
journey, the quality of experiences. It is often about defining your values and purpose, and staying
true to them. To increase your level of happiness, you don’t need more “happy moments;” you
need a more positive outlook on all moments.
Adapted from http://www.huffingtonpost.com/laura-huckabeejennings/happiness-and-success_b_3596123.html

a) To explain the relationship between setting goals and success
b) To inform people about the ways to increase their level of happiness
c) To highlight the contribution of success to happiness
Social change is caused by many issues, but none is as clear as the changes brought on by
technological advancement. The scientific revolution of the 19th century introduced many new
technologies that revolutionized people’s lives. Through industry, the mass-production of goods
became possible and advances in farm equipment allowed for an easier harvest, but the changes
brought on by these inventions were not always positive. Cities became overpopulated, and the
family dynamics on the small farms changed drastically. But despite all of these difficulties, the
industrial revolution opened up a whole new world for the advancement of technology and sought
to make life easier and more efficient.
Adapted from “The Effects of the Industrial Revolution of the 19th Century” by Shaundra Paasch
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4. The speaker’s approach towards technological advancement is mainly ___________.
a) Positive
b) Cautious
c) Indifferent
pre-teach: stem from, harassment
Women in gaming culture face more than a little opposition from outspoken male gamers. Clearly,
there is a lack of gender diversity in the production of games, which is a predominantly male
cultural arena. A popular argument around this gender inequality is that games are for boys, and if
we made games for girls, more women would enter the ﬁeld. The numbers, however, do not
support this claim: 45 percent of US game players are women of all ages, and the number floats
around 50 percent for women players in other countries, as well. Yet, women make up only 14
percent of the production side of the industry, with 11 percent working in art and design and the
other 3 percent in programming. The problem, however, does not stem from educational
inequalities, as many people would believe. Actually, women complete academic training in
computer science, art, and design, and they are going on to careers that use these skills in
demanding industries. Women make up 60 percent of workers in graphic design and 20 percent in
computer industries – industries that use the same technologies and programs that are common in
game production. So, there must be another reason why women are low in number in the
production of games. This obviously points to a problem of a male-dominant culture, and not a
problem of education, access, or even interest. And this culture was highlighted in November 2012,
when Luke Crane casually tweeted, “Why are there so few lady game creators?” In response,
hundreds of people who worked in the game industry, primarily women, started the #1reasonwhy
hashtag, through which they classified the serious harassment women are faced with in the
industry.
Adapted from Gaming Representation: Race, Gender, and Sexuality in Video Games by Jennifer Malkowski and Treaandrea M. Russworm

a) Women do not play video games as much as men because they are not interested.
b) Women are not trained well in computer-related areas and graphic design.
c) There are fewer women game producers due to a male-dominant culture.
57
ANNOUNCEMENT
For items 6-8, you will listen to a professor’s announcement on the first day of the Educational
Psychology course. As you listen, mark the alternatives that answer the questions or complete the
statements. Before you listen to the announcement, you will be given 30 seconds to look at the
Now, the evaluation procedure for this course involves three phases. The first one is homework
assignments. There are seven homework assignments, which count for 35% of your grade for this
course. These research papers are required to be written in proper APA format. The papers must
be between three to five double-spaced pages, not including the cover and reference pages, and a
minimum of three references are required. These papers should involve analyses of readings,
comparing and contrasting the views of authors, and a critique of the arguments presented in the
readings. All papers will be submitted to Turnitin.com for review. The second part consists of a
Cooperative Learning Project, that is, CLP. For this project, you will work in groups, write a paper,
and prepare a presentation of about 20 minutes. The CLP is 35% of your grade and is due in week
8. Groups will be formed at the beginning of week 3; that is when you will begin this project. I’ll
give you more information about the requirements and timetable of this project in week 2. Finally,
throughout the semester, you will write responses to Forum prompts. These responses, also called
Forum Posts, will involve analyzing readings, comparing and contrasting the views of authors, and
critiquing arguments presented in the readings or the class. And it will account for 30% of your
grade. The purpose of this component is to expand your learning opportunities by engaging in
academic and thought-provoking conversation with your classmates, so developing conversations
with at least two of your classmates is required as part of your grade for each question. Posts will
be graded for accuracy of interpretation, rigor of argument, and clarity of expression.
Adapted from http://www.apus.edu/z/course-syllabus/EDUC518.pdf
6. Which of the following is false about research papers?

a. They should be between three and five pages.
b. They have to be submitted to Turnitin.com.
c. They don’t need to include a cover page.
7. When will the students be given more information about CLP?
a. in week 2
b. in week 3
c. in week 8
8. Whom will the students interact with in Forum posts?
a. The authors
b. The instructor
c. Their classmates
58
INSTRUCTION
For items 9-12, you will listen to an assistant talking to freshman students in the department of
physics about electrical safety in the lab. As you listen, mark the alternatives that answer the
questions or complete the statements. Before you listen to the instructions, you will be given 30
seconds to look at the questions and the alternatives.
While electricity is in constant use by the researcher, both within and outside the laboratory,
significant physical harm or death may result from its misuse. With direct current, a person can
detect a “tingling” feeling at 1 mA. And the median “let-go” threshold, that is, the current at which
one cannot release the conductor, is 76 mA. For 60 Hertz alternating current, the values are 0.4
mA and 16 mA, respectively. Higher currents produce respiratory inhibition, then ventricular
fibrillation, which is cardiac rhythm disturbance, and ultimately cardiac arrest. So now I’m going
to remind you a few rules of working with electrical equipment to ensure electrical safety in the
lab. First of all, do not use or store highly flammable solvents near electrical equipment. If an
electrical hazard is suspected, the device in question should be turned off immediately. Since
malfunctioning equipment may contain shorts, merely turning off the equipment is not sufficient
to prevent accidents. So, equipment should also be unplugged after turning it off. If the equipment
is wired to a safety switch, the switch should also be turned off. To turn off the safety switch, use
your left hand, turn your face away from the box, and pull the handle down. While doing this, you
should be wearing insulating gloves made of leather, heavy cotton, or rubber.
Adapted from http://www.labmanager.com/lab-health-and-safety/2009/11/electrical-safety-in-the-lab#.Wfw_g1uCyUk
9. What does “let-go” threshold mean?

a. The person detects a tingling feeling.
b. The person can’t release the conductor.
c. The current is between 0.4 mA and 16 mA.
10. What is the first thing to do in the event of an electrical hazard?
a. Unplug the equipment
b. Turn off the equipment
c. Turn off the safety switch
11. To turn off the safety switch, use ____________________.
a. your left hand
b. your right hand
c. both hands
12. Which of the following is not a material used for insulating gloves?
a. leather
b. heavy cotton
c. norfoil
59
CONVERSATION
For items 13-16, you will listen to a conversation between two students in a chemistry lab. As
you listen, mark the alternatives that answer the questions or complete the statements. Before
you listen to the conversation, you will be given 60 seconds to look at the questions and the
alternatives.
pre-teach: impure, renovate
Peter : Huh! This isn’t working.

Marie : What isn’t?
Peter : This reaction. I’m supposed to get hydrogen gas, but I don’t seem to be getting
anything except air.
Marie : How are you supposed to tell?
Peter : Well, hydrogen gas should explode when I hold this burning splint up to the test
tube ‒ but... nothing happens, see?
Marie : Hmm. Very unimpressive. How do you do this experiment, again?
Peter : Well, I put some hydrochloric acid into this test tube here. And then I add a piece
of zinc metal to it. A reaction takes place, and hydrogen gas is produced ‒ it says
‒ which should come out of the glass tubing, over here, and go into this other test
tube. But it doesn’t.
Marie : Nothing happens?
Peter : Well, something happens. The zinc bubbles and bounces around ‒ the acid does
something to it. Some gas must be coming off, I guess, but it isn’t flammable. It
doesn’t burn at all.
Marie : Is there any other way to identify hydrogen?
Peter : Not that I’ve learned. It’s completely colorless and tasteless, I know ‒ it just burns
very dramatically.
Marie : Huh. Well, I dunno. Shall we run through your experiment again together and see
how it goes?
Peter : Sure, if you don’t mind – that would be great! I’m sure I’m doing everything right,
I’ve gone through it twice now, but I still get nothing, zero, nada.
Marie : OK. Lessee.... We need what? Clean test tubes? Two of ‘em? Here we are. And...
a rubber stopper with ten centimeters or so of glass tubing through it...
right...uh...here. That’s it?
Peter : Yep. And a graduated cylinder and the Bunsen burner. And the zinc and the acid.
Marie : All right: let’s do this first – let’s take the zinc and the HCl from different sources
– from, uh, those reagent bottles on that lab table over there. Maybe your bottles
are contaminated or mislabeled or something.
Peter : Oh, good idea. Trust me to use the wrong reagents.
Marie : Just a sec.... here we are... OK, now you run the experiment like you think you
should, and I’ll watch what you do.
60
60
Peter : Well, first I clamp this test tube onto its stand...like this... and put in about five
milliliters of the hydrochloric acid....
Marie : “About” five milliliters?! Isn’t this a scientific laboratory?
Peter : All right, all right. Exactly five milliliters of HCl...like this....
Marie : OK. Mmm... and....
Peter : Then I take a little piece of zinc metal with these tweezers, like this, and…
Marie : Are they all the same size?
Peter : Yeah, they seem to be. It looks like they’re pressed out of some kind of machine
in standard bits.
Marie : And add “one”?
Peter : Yeah, one. Like this. And see? – it starts to bubble!
Marie : Sure does!
Peter : So I slap the stopper into the top of the test tube real quick, like, unh! This....
Marie : Mmm....
Peter : And then, I hold the other test tube under the other end of the glass tubing,
here...like this, and...uh, wait until I think I’ve collected enough hydrogen gas to
ignite, I guess. Is the Bunsen burner going?
Marie : Yes, it’s burning, and you also need a splint, right? Here’s one. Hey! Just a minute
– how the heck are you going to collect any gas like that?!
Peter : Like what?
Marie : Like that ‒ holding the test tube under the mouth of the tubing.
Peter : What? Am I spilling it or something?
Marie : No, no – you’re losing it entirely! Hydrogen is lighter than air, Peter. It’s floating
UP.
Peter : Huh?
Marie : It’s floating up. It’s rising from the tube mouth. It’s not falling into your container.
Hold it above the tube!
Peter : Ack! How stupid! I am so stupid. I’m never gonna pass this course. OK, OK,
now...light that for me, will you?
Marie : Right...here you go.
Peter : And.... POW! Wow, did you see that?
Marie : And we’ve got lift off! And you’ve got hydrogen. Congratulations.
Peter : Yeah. (sighs) Thanks, Marie. Now all I gotta do is write this experiment up.
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61
Marie : No problem. So, what’s your next experiment?
Peter : Uh, something about sodium and water.
Marie : Oh no!

test.net/toefl/listening/A_conversation_between_two_students_in_a_chemistry_class.html#TOEFL_Listening_Comprehension
13. How many chemicals are required for the young man’s experiment?
a. 2
b. 3
c. 4
14. What caused his experiment to fail?
a. Impure materials
b. Faulty equipment
c. Improper technique
15. Why does the woman say, “Isn’t this a scientific laboratory?”
a. She thinks the lab doesn’t have enough scientific equipment.
b. She thinks it is necessary for the man to retry the experiment.
c. She thinks the man should have a more scientific attitude.
16. What will the man probably do next?
a. Report his findings.
b. Redo the experiment.
c. Renovate his equipment.
test tubes a Bunsen a tweezers splints reagent bottles

and rubber burner graduated
stoppers cylinder
62
DISCUSSION
For items 17-21, you will listen to a discussion among faculty members in a department meeting.
As you listen, match each member’s name with their suggestions. As you listen, match each
student’s name with a strategy they suggest. Some options may be used more than once; some
options may not be used at all. Before you listen to the discussion, you will be given 30 seconds
to read the question and the alternatives.
pre-teach: minutes, minute (adj.), endowment, allocate
Prof. Sue Davies : Good morning, welcome to this month’s departmental meeting. Mandy,
would you mind taking the minutes today?
Dr. Mandy Jackson : No problem, Professor. I sure will.
Prof. Sue Davies : Thank you. Today we don’t have much on our agenda. The most
important issue we need to resolve is the allocation of the endowment
that we have been granted. As you know, we’ve been allocated an extra
$45,000 from this year’s budget. We can use it to improve our buildings
or facilities. So what do you think? What should we do with this money?
Yes, Mandy?
Dr. Mandy Jackson : We could change the furniture in the classrooms. The students’ desks are
old and mostly broken, and the boards are so old that they can never get
cleaned. The projectors won’t work when you need them.
Prof. Sue Davies : Well, Mandy, I take your point. But spending all this money on furniture
won’t benefit students much. Maybe we can spare some of it for urgent
repairs… Yes, Nick?
Dr. Nick Sullivan : Professor Davies, as you know, the computer labs in our department are
really outdated, both the software and hardware. I guess they are far
more important for our students’ academic studies than the chairs or
boards in the classroom. There are two labs… How many computers?
Twenty in each, so 40, right? We can replace the old computers, maybe
with new laptops, so that we can save space, too.
Prof. Sue Davies : Well, Professor Nell, you want to say something?
Prof. John Nell : I’m with Nick on that. The labs are on their last legs. The students will
suffer frequent technical problems and fail to do their projects unless we
take action immediately. However, what I disagree with is that we
should get laptops instead. It’s true that they will take up less space, but
they will also be inefficient for our students’ design projects. We should
get the latest high-tech PCs as well as the best monitors. To get the best
detail for very minute work with images, a large high-resolution display
is ideal. So we should purchase a really good monitor, like a monitor
with a 28-32-inch display and a full 4K or Ultra HD display resolution.
63
Prof. Sue Davies : You’re right, Prof. Nell, but our budget won’t allow us to replace all the
computers then. A really good monitor costs at least $1,000.
Dr. Mandy Jackson : Prof. Davies…
Prof. Sue Davies : Yes, Mandy.
Dr. Mandy Jackson : What I’ve seen is that the labs are almost always half empty. If we just
think about the number of our students and the timetables of the different
sections, students do not use the labs at the same time generally. So
instead of buying 20 PCs for each lab, we can get something like 12 or
15. That will also allow more space in the rooms.
Prof. John Nell : Great idea, Mandy.
Prof. Sue Davies : Yeah, definitely. And if that doesn’t meet the demand, we can purchase
more in January, by allocating some money from our annual budget.
Suggestions Faculty members
17. buying high-tech PCs and monitors __b__

a. Prof. Sue Davies
18. buying laptops __d__
b. Prof. John Nell
19. buying more PCs later, should the need arise __a__
c. Dr. Mandy Jackson
20. buying fewer PCs __c__
d. Dr. Nick Sullivan
21. buying new furniture for the classrooms __c__
LECTURES
Lecture 1
For items 22–29, you will listen to a lecture in an American literature class. As you listen, mark
Today we’re gonna look at the life and some of the works of one of America’s finest modern
female poets, Sylvia Plath. At the time of her death in 1963, Sylvia Plath was on the verge of the
critical success and recognition that she had sought for most of her life. Her first novel The Bell
Jar had just been published and the publication of her collection of poems Ariel had just been
agreed.
These poems, which were mostly written during the last year of her life, chronicle the traumatic
developments taking place in her personal life. They were to make for her a reputation as a first
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rate poet. But it wasn’t until 1982, almost twenty years after her death, that her posthumously
published Collected Poems won the Pulitzer Prize for literature. Since this time, the fascination
and intrigue with her work has continued to grow. Very few modern poets have captured the
popular imagination as much as Plath, even to the extent that in 2003 a movie was made about her
life. Her intense relationship with husband and fellow poet Ted Hughes was at the heart of not
only this movie, but also many writings about Sylvia. Unfortunately, though, as it is often the case,
Ted Hughes was much blamed for the death of his wife, and this even led to a slight decrease in
his reputation as a poet. So, to understand the continued growth in interest in Sylvia Plath’s work,
we have to look at the issues which her life and work address. As Susan Bassnett writes in her
book on women writers, Sylvia would never know that she would become such an important figure
in understanding women’s troubles caused by patriarchy. So, Sylvia Plath was a woman writing
about women’s issues before they were recognised as being of any importance.
Sylvia Plath was born at Robinson memorial Hospital in Boston on 27th October 1932. She was
the first born child of Otto and Aurelia Plath, both highly educated academic people. Her father
Otto was a professor of biology at Boston University, but her mother had been subjugated into a
domestic role as housewife despite her level of education. Her father was not too pleased with the
birth of his daughter and demanded that his wife have a son within the next two years. Amazingly
enough his wife gave birth to a son almost exactly two years later. In a way, she obeyed her
husband’s rules. This young boy was an important element in the family life, so he was always a
figure of competition for Sylvia. She felt she had to compete with her brother to win the love of
her father, of course.
The domineering father figure became a common theme that recurred throughout Plath’s writing.
With the birth of her brother, Sylvia had to work much harder to win her father’s attention and
approval. When in 1936 Plath’s father became ill, access to him became even more restricted, and
Plath’s main means of getting attention from her father was by achieving academic success. This
meant that from an early age, she began to equate love with success.
In 1940, Plath’s father died, and this left the family in a very difficult financial situation. They
were forced to move away from the seaside home that Plath had enjoyed so much. They started
their new life in a suburb of Boston, and her mother had to take a part time job to support the
family. In 1950, Plath graduated from Bradford High School and won a scholarship to Smith
College. In the same year, she published a short story entitled “And Summer Will Not Come
Again” and a poem called “Bitter Strawberries.”
Plath’s time at Smith was difficult as she had very high expectations of herself. She wanted to
achieve immaculate grades, but she also wanted to be accepted by her peers, and an important part
of being accepted was being popular and dating lots of boys. This was difficult because as a
scholarship girl, she had only a very small allowance to spend on clothes and going out, and each
year’s continued scholarship was dependent on the level of her grades. In 1953, Plath won a fiction
contest sponsored by Madamouselle magazine and was offered the opportunity to go to New York
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as a guest editor. She relished this opportunity to spend a month working in a professional
publishing environment, but Plath returned from New York feeling exhausted. After hearing news
that her application to a creative writing course had been rejected, she fell into what was to become
one of many depressions.
Adapted from https://www.examenglish.com/TOEFL/toefl_listening.htm
22. The Bell Jar was _____________.

a) one of her last poetry books
b) her first novel
c) a very successful collection of poems
23. Sylvia Plath’s Collected Poems won the Pulitzer Prize _______________.
a) 20 years after it was published
b) in 2003
c) in 1982
24. Sylvia’s husband ________________.
a) made movies
b) died in 2003
c) was also a poet
25. Sylvia’s work ________________.
a) led to debates among female poets
b) aimed at starting a feminist movement
c) was of great interest to women
26. Sylvia’s brother ________________.
a) received less attention than Sylvia
b) was born two years after her
c) was a professor at Boston University
27. What does the lecturer imply when she says, “The domineering father figure became
a common theme that recurred throughout Plath’s writing.”
a) Plath’s writings were dominated by the image of her father.
b) Plath often wrote of her love for her father.
c) Plath’s father often told her what to write about.
28. Sylvia Plath’s time at college was difficult because ________________.
a) she got bad grades
b) boys didn’t like her
c) she was short of money
29. In 1953, Sylvia ________________.
a) left New York to get a job as an editor
b) rejected an offer to teach creative writing
c) worked as a guest editor in New York
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Lecture 2
For items 30–34, you will listen to a lecture in a social sciences class. As you listen, mark the
Professor: We don’t know with certainty who invented the bicycle, or where it was invented, or
when. Ahem (clears throat). We do know that the modern bicycle had several precursors from
different parts of Europe, and that many of its individual components were developed separately
at different periods of time. Some historians claim that the famous artist Leonardo da Vinci is the
true father of the bicycle. In 1490, da Vinci sketched a remarkable facsimile of a modern bicycle,
but his idea was never implemented. Ironically, da Vinci also sketched a modern helicopter
hundreds of years before it was officially “invented.” Hmm. Anyway, about three hundred years
later, a French inventor built something similar to a bicycle, called a running machine. This
contraption was made of wood, and it had two wheels connected by a beam, but no pedals or a,
um, steering mechanism. Riders propelled the machine by straddling the beam and pushing with
their feet along the ground, like a scooter. You can imagine what steering and stopping were like.
In 1817, a German named Karl von Drais improved the running machine by adding a front wheel
that could be easily steered. He called his device a Draisienne, but because that word was hard to
pronounce, it became popularly known as a “hobby horse,” which was the name of a popular
children’s toy at the time. Hobby horses were a popular fad for a while. However, they were still
hard to ped – still hard to propel along the unpaved roads of that day.
Many credit Kirkpatrick Macmillan with the invention of the first modern bicycle in 1839.
Macmillan, a Scottish blacksmith, made a rear-wheel driven machine that people said could reach
high speeds – high being a relative term, of course. The French, however, said, er, took exception
to Macmillan’s claim. To this day, they call Pierre Michaux the “father of the bicycle,” because
Michaux and his son, Ernest, added pedals and cranks in the mid-1860s. They called their
innovation a velocipede, which means “fast foot,” and it sparked a bicycle craze in both Europe
and the US. Um, just like hobby horses, though, the popularity of velocipedes was short-lived.
Turns out velocipedes were heavy, clumsy to mount and steer, and, despite their nickname, slow.
Next, in 1870, a British engineer named James Starley developed a more efficient, all-metal
machine. Starley dubbed it a “penny farthing,” and later it was the first machine to be called a
bicycle – meaning “two wheels.” Penny farthings had a large front wheel and a small back wheel,
along with wire spokes and something new: solid rubber tires, courtesy of another Brit – R.W.
Thompson – who had patented the first type of rubber inner tube in 1845. These tires provided a
smoother ride, because the large front wheel could travel, um, farther with one rotation of the
pedals. Penny farthings had a serious fault, though. The front wheel was cartoonishly large, as high
as 60 inches off the ground, and the rider’s seat sat directly atop the wheel, so when riders fell,
they risked serious injury. It was similar to falling off a horse.
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What to do? Well, engineers experimented with a variety of different designs. One of these
included adding a third wheel, which was the birth of the modern tricycle. British engineers,
including Starley, led the way in this effort. In the mid-1880s, the Starley Rover “safety bicycle”
was introduced. This machine looked like a modern bicycle, with equal-size wheels and a rider’s
seat positioned between them, and uh – above the pedals. It also had a chain drive, gears, and a
new kind of rubber tire that helped absorb shocks from bumpy roads. Although the Rover was
much more steady, er, stable than penny farthings, riders still complained of vibration and road
shock caused by the smaller wheels. So inventors got to work again. They developed springs in
the frame to help absorb road shocks, and as roads became better, the 1890s saw a worldwide
bicycle craze. Bikes were now safe, reliable forms of transportation that could be used for both
work and leisure.
Keeping the basic shape of the Rover, bicycle design kept improving after the turn of the century.
Children’s bikes boomed after World War I, and in the 1970s “ten-speed” bikes became popular,
with adjustable gears for going up and down hills. Later, “mountain bikes,” with wider tires and
up to 30 gears, came into vogue. Today, bicycles are no longer limited to the road. There are
mountain bikes, road bikes, motorized bikes, and electric bikes. Who knows what the future holds?
Maybe bikes will be able to fly.
Adapted from http://www.english-test.net/toefl/listening/A_lecture_from_a_social_sciences_class_2.html

a) The invention of the bicycle
b) The history of the bicycle
c) Modern bicycles
31. How does the professor present the information about bicycles to the class?
a) In chronological order
b) By classifying bicycles
c) According to the regions
32. What does the professor imply about Leonardo da Vinci?
a) He was a great artist.
b) He was mentally ill.
c) He was a visionary inventor.
33. What are “penny farthings”?
a) Wooden bicycles with no pedals
b) Bicycles with pedals and equal-size tires
c) Bicycles with a large front wheel
34. Which of the following types of bicycles is not mentioned in the lecture?
a) Hobby horse
b) Velocipede
c) Quadriped
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PRACTICE VI
BRIEF TALKS
pre-teach: neglect, diagnose
Many people suffer from a mental illness, some more serious than others, at some point in their
lives. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, approximately 26% of Americans aged
18 and older — more than one in four adults — suffer from a diagnosable mental disorder in a
given year. Mental illness can strike at any time, affecting the young or old, rich or poor, educated
or illiterate. The symptoms frequently go ignored and untreated for years until a person’s behavior
becomes notably disturbing to others, or his or her actions result in a personal tragedy. Mental
illness is a disease associated with a chemical imbalance in the brain. Just like high blood pressure
or diabetes, mental illness can be controlled with the right drugs and follow-up care, but I can say
through my own personal experience that trying to get help for a person with mental illness can be
a nightmare. So tonight I am going to try to persuade you that the mentally ill in America are not
getting the help they need. First, I will demonstrate how the current public policies are
ineffective. Second, I will explain how the housing options for the mentally ill are inadequate.
Finally, I will review how laws intended to help the mentally ill are in fact hindering their
rehabilitation.
Adapted from https://docs.google.com/document/d/18tMsOmDS2QR4Kp2TcQICVphBvM3f9LB8r6psvkqNz48/edit
1. Which of the following will be the main point of the talk?

a) The mentally ill are neglected through inappropriate policies and applications.
b) Like physical problems, mental illnesses can be controlled with the right treatment.
c) Mental disorders can be diagnosed early if their symptoms are not ignored.
If you’re ready to go off to college, you may have recognized that you need to plan a budget, but
how? If your family is paying for part or all of your college expenses, start by working with them
to create your budget. Decide from the beginning whether your budget will be set for a month, a
semester, or a school year. The next thing should be to determine your potential categories and
amounts of income. For college students, these typically include: financial aid like
scholarships and student loans, contributions from parents, and income from a part-time
job. Then, list all your expenses, such as tuition and fees, books and supplies, groceries and snacks,
and accommodation. If you’re not sure what your expenses are, track them for a week, a month,
or more. Also, keep in mind that the unexpected is a part of life. Your car may break down or you
may have an unexpected medical expense, so you should have money saved in an emergency fund.
Finally, total your income, total your expenses, and then make sure that your budget balances. You
want to either break even or have some money left over. If your budget doesn’t balance, you’ll
need to reduce your expenses or figure out a way to bring in more income.
Adapted from http://www.cicmoney101.org/Articles/Paying-For-College-How-To-Make-A-Budget.aspx
69
a) To advise college students to reduce their expenses.
b) To instruct college students on how to set a budget.
c) To explain the sources of a college student’s income.
Philosophy begins with personal questions. Quite often, our philosophical awareness begins in
disappointment or tragedy, when we first start wondering whether life is fair or whether we are
really learning anything in school. Sometimes, philosophy begins when we find ourselves forced
to make difficult decisions that will affect the rest of our lives and other people’s lives, too—for
example, whether to attend college or enter a trade or the military, whether to get married, or
whether to have children. Our philosophizing can also begin with a trivial incident: we catch
ourselves lying to a friend, and we start thinking about the importance of morality; we suffer from
or enjoy a momentary illusion or hallucination, and we begin to wonder how it is that we know
anything is real or even that we are not dreaming all the time; we have a quick brush with death,
like a near car wreck, or a sudden dive in an airplane, and we start thinking about the value and
meaning of life. In such moments, philosophy takes hold of us, and we see and think beyond the
details of everyday life.
Adapted from Robert C. Solomon and Kathleen M. Higgins, The Big Questions: A Short Introduction to Philosophy (2010)

a) How philosophy begins on an everyday level
b) How important near-death experiences are in philosophy
c) How making important decisions are related to philosophy
pre-teach: exposed/exposure to
There are various factors that are causing the current decrease in educational standards. Some
people say that overcrowding and lack of discipline are major factors. Others say that too much
importance has been given to subjects like art and drama, while more practical subjects have been
neglected. For many teachers, on the other hand, the problem is not of falling standards but of
rising expectations of parents and employers. According to these teachers, these demands are
growing, and this is causing the problem. Aside from these views, there is one more factor that
contributes to the decline in our education system. Clearly, the constant changes in political
decisions harm educational standards through their effects on every aspect of life, ranging from
the shrinking of the family budget to the content of the media that children are exposed to.

a) The probable reasons behind the fall in today’s educational standards
b) How exposure to bad content in the media affects children’s education
c) Overcrowding as a major source of the decrease in educational standards
70
The Cultural Studies Program brings together an interdisciplinary group of scholars with a
commitment to fostering new ways of analyzing and participating in contemporary cultural
dynamics in our country and around the world. The program covers a wide range of topics and
theoretical approaches, with particular emphasis on literary and cultural theory; gender and
sexuality, transnational mobility and migration; ethnic identities and citizenship; politics of
representation; memory studies and oral history. Career prospects for graduates include many
sectors. For instance, they can work in museums, cultural centers, publishing, tourism and media
industries, advertising, public relations, marketing, or they may take part in government-funded
projects; local government initiatives; as well as EU and other international projects. Graduates
interested in research or academic careers will also be competitive candidates for MA and PhD
programs in the social sciences and humanities, especially in the fields of Anthropology,
Comparative Literature, Sociology, and Communication Studies.
Adapted from http://cult.sabanciuniv.edu/

a) To introduce the cultural studies program at a university
b) To highlight the importance of graduating from the cultural studies program
c) To emphasize the interdisciplinarity of the cultural studies program
ANNOUNCEMENT
For items 6-9, you will listen to an announcement about the PLAB test.. As you listen, mark the
The PLAB test is for doctors who have qualified overseas and wish to practice medicine in the UK
under limited registration. It assesses your ability, as a doctor, to work safely as a senior house
officer in a UK hospital. There are several entry requirements for the PLAB test. You must have a
primary medical qualification accepted by an institution listed in the World Directory of Medical
Schools and must have taken the IELTS academic modules and attained a score of at least 7.5
overall and a minimum of 7.0 for all of the four language skills. The PLAB test consists of two
parts. Part 1 is three hours and contains 200 single-best-answer questions. It can be taken either in
the UK or in Egypt. It is held in Cairo twice a year. The fee for Part 1 is £230. You must apply
online through the General Medical Council website. Part 2 is a 14-station objective structured
clinical exam. Part 2 may be taken in the UK only. The fee for this part is £840. You can sit Part
1 as many times as you like, but you must pass Part 2 within three years of the date you passed
Part 1, and you are allowed a maximum of four attempts. If you do not pass Part 2 within three
years of passing Part 1, or fail at your fourth attempt, you will have to re-sit Part 1 and Part 2. The
results are usually available four weeks after Part 1 and two weeks after Part 2.
Adapted from https://www.britishcouncil.org.eg/en/exam/medical/plab
6. What is necessary to take a PLAB test?

a. a minimum of 7.5 in all four modules of the IELTS test
b. a primary medical qualification that is acceptable overseas
c. experience in an institution listed in the World Directory of Medical Schools
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7. Where can you sit Part 1 of the PLAB test?
a. In Cairo only
b. In the UK only
c. Both in Cairo and the UK
8. What happens if you fail Part 1 four times?
a. You have to pass it in 3 years to sit Part 2.
b. You have to wait for three years to take it again.
c. Nothing. You can take it any time you want.
9. When are the results of Part 2 announced?
a. After two weeks
b. After three weeks
c. After four weeks
INSTRUCTION
For items 10 and 11, you will listen to a teacher at a secondary school giving instructions to
students as to how to use the computer lab. As you listen, mark the alternatives that answer the
pre-teach: norfoil
When we have a lesson in the computer lab, do not bring any food or drink because eating and
drinking is NOT allowed in lab. Come into the lab quietly and go to your assigned computer. You
will be assigned a computer according to the alphabetical class list. And on the way to your
computer, do not touch other keyboards or mice. When you sit down, all four feet of your chair
should be on the floor at all times. Turn on your computer and wait for instructions before you do
anything. Only visit approved Internet sites and only when you have permission to do so. Do not
download anything. Do not move the icons on the desktop. Do not change any system settings
without permission. Do not edit files that do not belong to you. Print only if you have permission!
Only press print once! When I say “Lights out,” it means “Your Attention Please.” Remove your
headphones. Take your hands off the keyboard and mouse. Listen to the teacher, and don’t talk.
When you have a question, ask your immediate neighbors for help before you raise your hand to
ask your teacher. Do not get out of your seat to ask for help. Do not get out of your seat to help
someone else. Help your neighbors if they need help – with your mouth not their mouse! At the
end of the lesson, make sure you leave your workspace as you found it! Exit all of your programs.
Put your headphones on top of the towers. Straighten your keyboard and mouse. Push in your
chair. Collect and throw away any trash on your way out. Take anything you have printed when
you leave.
Adapted from http://www.wmasd.k12.pa.us/LabRules.aspx
10. Which of the following is strictly forbidden in the computer lab?

a. Downloading files
b. Visiting Internet sites
c. Changing system settings
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11. Which of the following is true?
a. Students can ask for help from their friends sitting next to them.
b. Students should turn off their computer upon hearing “Lights out.”
c. Students can print only one page if they get permission from the teacher.
CONVERSATIONS
Conversation 1
For items 12-15, you will listen to a conversation between two students. As you listen, mark the
conversation, you will be given 60 seconds to look at the questions and the alternatives.
Brian : You mentioned at the start of last class that you are a fan of live music. I guess I
don’t have to tell you about the concert at the campus pub on Saturday. It’s
supposed to be the best show of the year.
Summer : I know. I wish I could be there, but I already promised Professor Mayers that I’d
have all of the quizzes graded by Monday. I’m afraid I’m going to be stuck in my
dorm all weekend because I look after three tutorial classes, including yours.
Brian : Why did you offer to do that? Did you forget about the concert, or do you really
need the money?
Summer : Actually, I really need to concentrate on academics this year. If I want to get into
the Education program, I have to prove that I am serious about being a tutorial
leader. It’s not about the money. We don’t get paid much, considering all of the
hours we put in.
Brian : Have you applied at other schools besides this one? I’ve heard it’s really hard to
get into the Education program here, but my cousin got accepted at one in a
different state, and her grades aren’t that good.
Summer : That was my original plan, but Professor Mayers asked me to help her out this year,
and she also promised to write me a reference letter. I didn’t think I could get into
the program here, but now I do. My marks are higher than they have ever been, and
once I’m done with my Master’s, I hope to do my Ph.D.
Brian : Well, I can see that you are really dedicated. You’re going to make an excellent
teacher.
Summer : Professor, you mean.
Brian : Right. Well, I’m sorry you’re going to miss the band.
Summer : Me, too. I can’t help feeling a bit jealous. Sometimes I wish I were still in my first
year of studies.
Brian : Well, I’ll tell you all about it on Monday. Oh, it was very kind of you to spare
your lunch break for me. Thanks for all the homework tips.
Summer : Sure, anytime.
Adapted from https://www.englishclub.com/esl-exams/ets-toefl-practice-listening.htm
73
12. What are the speakers mainly discussing?
a. Their plans for the next academic year
b. Why the woman can’t go to the concert
c. Their favorite band and its live concert
13. What will the woman do on Saturday?
a. Teach a tutorial class.
b. Look for a program.
c. Mark tests.
14. What can be inferred from the conversation?
a. The woman worked in the dorm last weekend.
b. The man and woman take the same courses.
c. The man stayed after class to get help.
15. How does the male student feel about the woman’s weekend plans?
a. He feels sorry for her.
b. He feels worried about her.
c. He is jealous of her.
Conversation 2
For items 16-19, you will listen to a conversation between a professor and a student. As you listen,
the conversation, you will be given 60 seconds to look at the questions and the alternatives.
pre-teach: engaging, exaggerate, execute, polish
Professor : Oh, Jason! Long time, no see. How’ve you been?

Student : I guess it has been a while…amazing how time flies. I’ve been well…you know,
graduation is coming up pretty quickly, but I’ve been enjoying my senior year.
Professor : And how’s your older sister…uh…Amy?
Student : Amy? She’s good. She just got an internship at the Library of Congress…
Professor : (Approving sound)
Student : …but I don’t see her much nowadays… Anyway, I’m kinda coming to you for
some specific advice, if you have a moment.
Professor : Well, my schedule’s wide open. What’s on your mind?
Student : Okay, so I’m helping out Professor Williams in his Intro to English History class,
right?
Professor : Mm-hm. I heard that.
Student : He’s letting me take over the class one day—to teach it. And that’s exciting, but
I’ve never designed a lesson before, and I’m…I’m kind of embarrassed to go talk
to Professor Williams about what I’m planning. He can be a little…intimidating.
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Professor : Ahh… Don’t worry. I remember how nerve-wracking it can be when you first
get up to teach. So what’s the lesson?
Student : Oh, uh, the lesson is gonna be on King Henry VIII. Just like, an introduction, an
overview of his life and influence, y’know?
Professor : Got it.
Student : So far, I outlined all of the ways he impacted England, both in the Renaissance
and today. It’s just…well, it seems boring. Here—you can take a look at my
lesson plan, if you want.
Professor : That’d help. Hmmm. (Flipping pages). Well, I do think you’ve accounted for all
of the major elements of his legacy, but, um…even glancing at the plan, I don’t
see any real focus. It looks more like a list.
Student : A list? I guess so…
Professor : How can I put this… Alright, let me just ask you this: What do you think the
most important part of Henry VIII’s legacy is? I mean, what do you think of his
overall stature as a ruler?
Student : What do you mean?
Professor : I mean…well…um…consider his place in history outside of England for a
moment. Would you agree that, along with the current Queen Elizabeth II and
his own daughter, Elizabeth I, that he’s one of the most famous English rulers
ever?
Student : We don’t learn nearly as much about, um…kings like William III or Stephen of
Blois, or Richard II, even in really in-depth history courses.
Professor : Exactly. Why do you think that is?
Student : A number of reasons...he was married six times, he had two of his wives
beheaded, he was famously fat by the end of his life, and he went from being a
staunch Catholic to… well, defying the Pope and founding his own church.
Henry VIII was…um…kind of larger than life.
Professor : Exactly! You can paint a really engaging picture with that character. You can
deliver the dry facts during the story, but you might want to keep the class’s
attention with a bit of a flourish—with focus on those over-the-top details. Does
that make sense?
Student : I think so, yeah. That’s a great point. Maybe I should try out the lecture with
somebody willing to hear it before I have to actually give it…like, rehearse, so I
can tell the story better.
Professor : I think that’s a great idea.
Adapted from https://s3.amazonaws.com/magoosh.resources/TOEFL_Practice_Questions.pdf
75
16. Why does the student visit the professor?
a. To inform her about recent changes in his and his family’s lives
b. To discuss how to make a potentially dry topic more engaging
c. To complain about the difficulty of an assignment given by another professor
17. What can be inferred about William III, Stephen of Blois, and Richard II?
a. They did not rule England for long enough periods of time to have notable impacts.
b. They are generally disliked by historians and therefore rarely discussed.
c. Many students are less familiar with them than with Henry VIII.
18. Which of the following does the student believe is true of King Henry VIII?
a. He is well known primarily for his colorful personality.
b. The details of his life are often exaggerated in stories.
c. He was a cruel man for executing several of his wives.
19. What will the student probably do before giving the lecture?
a. Discuss his lesson plan with another professor.
b. Research more dramatic details of Henry VIII’s life.
c. Give a practice lecture to polish his storytelling skills.
DISCUSSIONS
Discussion 1
For items 20-25, you will listen to a discussion among three students about a group presentation.
As you listen, match each student’s name with the phase they are going to present. Also, match
the phases with their key points. Each phase is matched with more than one key point. Before you
listen to the discussion, you will be given 30 seconds to read the question and the alternatives.
pre-teach: substitute, surplus
Gwen : Our presentation for marketing class is in a few days. Let’s see what information
we’ve come up with.
Theresa : Okay, Gwen. Our topic for the presentation is the marketing of Kleenex, the
number-one facial tissue brand, early in its history. We’re supposed to show how
the early marketing of Kleenex helped to turn it into such a successful product.
Bobby : There seem to be three clear phases in the early history of Kleenex: first, its use
during World War One; second, its use as a substitute for facecloths during the
1920s; and third, its use as a substitute for handkerchiefs during the 1930s. For
the presentation, how about if I talk about the first phase, the use of Kleenex
during World War One?
Gwen : OK, Bobby, and I’ll talk about the second phase, its use as a substitute for
facecloths. And Theresa, can you talk about the third phase?
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Theresa : The use of Kleenex as a substitute for handkerchiefs? Yeah, fine.
Bobby : Now, don’t forget we’re talking about a marketing class, not a history class.
Gwen : Yes, that’s important to remember. Now, why don’t we review the key points for
each of these phases, with an emphasis on the marketing of the product during
each phase?
Theresa : Sounds like a good idea to me.
Bobby : So, I’ll go first. The first phase of the product was its use during World War I.
Cotton was in short supply during the war, so the Kimberly-Clark company
developed Kleenex for use in bandages and gas masks. During this first phase,
the company didn’t need to worry about marketing the product. Because it was
during a war, there was very high demand for the product.
Gwen : OK, after your part, Bobby, I’ll talk about the second phase. After the war, after
World War I, the company had a huge surplus of Kleenex, and it had to market
the product. During the 1920s, Kimberly-Clark decided to market Kleenex as a
high-end and glamorous substitute for facecloths. It used famous actresses in its
marketing, and women who wanted to be glamorous like the celebrities used
Kleenex in place of facecloths.
Theresa : Now, on to the second phase … oh, sorry, that was the second phase. I’m going
to be discussing the third phase. While Kimberly-Clark was marketing Kleenex
only for use as a facecloth, a number of people began writing in to the company
saying that there was another use for Kleenex besides its use as a facecloth.
Kleenex was even more useful as a replacement for handkerchiefs. In 1930, the
company’s marketing department decided to conduct consumer testing to
determine if the product should be presented as a facecloth or as a handkerchief.
The results of the consumer testing showed that a large majority thought Kleenex
was more useful as a handkerchief than as a facecloth. So they adopted a strategy
to highlight this use while marketing their product.
Adapted from Longman Preparation Course for the TOEFL Test p. 634
20. Gwen _2_ 23. Phase 1 a, d, f, g a. no marketing strategies

b. marketing Kleenex as a substitute for
24. Phase 2 c, e handkerchiefs
21. Theresa _3_ c. marketing Kleenex as a substitute for
25. Phase 3 b, h facecloths
22. Bobby _1_ d. using Kleenex in bandages and gas
masks
e. using famous actresses in marketing
f. high demand for Kleenex
g. a shortage of cotton
h. consumer testing
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Discussion 2
For items 26-30, you will listen to a discussion among five students talking about their first year
at university. As you listen, match each student’s name with a statement. Some options may be
used more than once; some options may not be used at all. Before you listen to the discussion, you
will be given 30 seconds to read the question and the alternatives.
President: Welcome, everyone, to our club. Today’s our first day, so I thought an
introduction would be nice. I’d love to hear what everyone would like to say
about their first year here at university. Let’s begin with you, Lisa.
Lisa: Uhm, okay. I decided to study history – I want to be a lecturer one day. When
you want to do a degree, say in pharmacy, there’s little difference in content
between universities, I think. But history at one university can be very different
from history at another, so I had to do some research about the three colleges
where I might’ve wanted to study. I’d heard good things about Dundee
University, and they all proved correct. I’m from Ireland, and I got to study
Irish history, plus a focus on the European Union. I’ve been so busy, so I’ve
had no time to enjoy student parties, but that’ll come, I’m sure.
President: Yeah, sure (chuckles). We can actually organize a party next week, after the
midterms are over, right? Thanks, Lisa. And how about you, Harry?
Harry: Well, I agree. Though, I’m not a party animal (chuckles). I’d always thought I
wanted to study medicine, but the college I wanted to go to only had twenty
places, and I didn’t get a place. That was disappointing, and I even thought that
I might take a year off, but then I had second thoughts about my choice of
subject and went for nursing instead. I’m now at Sheffield Hallam college,
which is linked to a variety of hospitals and isn’t too far away from home –
though far enough for me to be independent. People who’d gone there told me
it was really good, and the tutors had time for you. Now, I see they were right.
The course is brilliant, and there’s a friendly campus atmosphere.
President: Great, I’m glad to hear that. Thanks, Harry. And… Next? Grayson?
Grayson: Oh, yes, erm... I’m studying for a degree in French at Sussex University. It’s a
part-time course; very few students would want to study part-time for a first
degree, of course. Part-time study is mainly for people like me, who have other
responsibilities – I work in the mornings in a school, and I’m keen to keep it
that way. I’m learning a lot, though it’s been different from what I expected –
I thought it was going to be easier! Unlike me, full-time students live in
accommodation on the campus, and I hear wonderful stories about the great
parties they organize. They say I don’t know what I’m missing, but I don’t
mind, really.
President: Wow. Hard work, huh? But maybe we could see you in one of our evening
tours, if not a weekend party? (chuckles) Thanks for coming here, though,
Grayson. What about you, Deb?
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Deb: Ermm… Well, I study psychology. Psychology was always my choice of
degree subject. I studied it at school and soon realized it was what I wanted to
do at university. My parents tried hard, but failed, to make me change my mind
– they said I was making the wrong choice and that I wouldn’t be able to make
a living. But I love it. I’m interested in social psychology, how people interact
– it’s fascinating, and I know I’ll be able to find work easily. I’m at Coventry
University, living in student accommodation, which is very convenient.
Coventry is really student-oriented, and the teachers are very friendly. And my
brother lives only twenty minutes away, so I see him often.
President: Oh, that’s great. At least, you have some family member to lean on. And thank
you, Deb. And, last but not least, we have Terri.
Terri: Uhm, I’m studying geography at Swansea University, because I love this
subject. I came the first day thinking, what if it turns out that the course isn’t
what I wanted? But it’s amazing, the department is really good, and what’s
more important for me is that it’s been brilliant in other ways – pretty much
every weekend, there’s a chance for students to go out. There’s a group of us
who knew each other from school, and we’re all starting together. I’m still
living at home, but I hope to be able to do some part-time work and rent a small
flat with a couple of friends next year.
President: Well, I wish you the best, too. Thanks. So, now, let me introduce you to our
club briefly…
Adapted from https://virtuaule.com/index.php/fce-listening-practice/test-3/514-fce-listening003-3.html
Students Statements
a) I had to face some criticism when I chose a subject to

26. Lisa __d___
study.
27. Harry __b___
28. Grayson __c___ b) I had to change an earlier decision about my studies.
29. Deb __a___ c) I’m pleased that I’m able to combine studying with a job.
30. Terri __f___ d) I had to be careful when choosing which college to study
at.
e) I had to give up a good job to concentrate on my studies.
f) I’m happy to have an active social life while at college.
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LECTURES
Lecture 1
For items 31–35, you will listen to a lecture about types of societies. As you listen, mark the
Lecturer: Good morning. Today, I’m going to talk about types of societies. But before that, I’d
like to ask you all what a society is.
Student A: Hmm … it is a group of people... and they live together...
Student B: And they have their own rules... and culture.
Lecturer: Yes, in fact, you’re partly right. The term “society” is generally used to refer to a group
of organisms of the same species occupying a defined physical or geographical area. In most
instances, the term is used to refer to human groups who share a common culture. Let me ask you
another question, then. How many different kinds of human societies can you think of?
Student A: There are ... developed and underdeveloped societies...
Student B: Western and eastern...?
Lecturer: Right. The classification I’m talking about has mainly to do with their means of
subsistence, that is, the way societies provide food for themselves. There are actually six types of
human societies. The first, hunting and gathering societies, are those in which all of the dietary
intake of the members of the society is obtained by some combination of hunting, trapping,
collecting shellfish, fishing, and collecting edible plant materials. Secondly, there are horticultural
societies. In these societies, the major portion of the dietary intake of the members is obtained
from crops that are grown on land that has been cleared by the slash-and-burn technique. This
technique involves cultivation with clearing and burning of vegetation and planting in the burnt
fields. The third type is pastoral societies, in which the major portion of the livelihood of members
is derived from the products obtained from herds of domesticated animals, such as sheep, goats,
cows, or pigs. So far, we have focused on hunting and gathering societies, horticultural societies,
and pastoral societies. The fourth type of societies is agrarian societies. Agrarian societies are
societies based upon crops that are produced using the plow technique.
Student B: Um, what is the plow technique?
Lecturer: Well, it’s a technique in which the soil is turned using a tool to plant new seeds, and
with the use of this technique, agrarian societies are able to increase their agricultural productivity.
This relatively high level of productivity provides a situation favorable for the development of
complex systems of social structure and large permanent cities. The fifth type is industrial
societies. Can anyone tell me why they are called industrial societies?
Student A: Err…Are they related to the Industrial Revolution?
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Lecturer: Precisely. Industrial societies began to emerge with the Industrial Revolution, which is
generally agreed to have its origins with the invention of the steam engine by James Watt in or
around 1769 in England. Steam power became the triggering technology for the change from an
agricultural organization to an industrial organization, allowing mass production and reducing the
agricultural work. Industrialism had many social implications as well. For one thing, the pace of
social change became much faster, and societies transformed more in a century than in several
thousand years before. Moreover, industrialism created great social inequalities, first within the
industrial countries of the West; then, between Western and non-western societies.
And finally we’ve got the postindustrial societies, which are characterized by the use of electronic
manipulation and transmission of information. The advent of radio followed by the television,
along with the development and evolution of the computer, are fundamental technological
developments associated with the development of postindustrial societies.
OK. Here’s a question for you, an easy one. Can you tell me what kind of a society we live in right
now?
Student B: Postindustrial, of course.
Lecturer: Exactly. In postindustrial societies, relationships between people are gradually replaced
by a different kind of interaction. Can you tell me? Remember I’ve said such societies are strongly
related to technological developments. So we can talk about ... the relationship between people
and...?
Student A: Technology?
Lecturer: Yes. The relationship between people and machines. And thus the postindustrial society
emphasizes not the production of goods, but of services that depend on both intelligent designers
and intelligent users of technology. Thus, the emphasis is on computer-based technologies that
support an information-based economy. Jobs are more related to information processing than to
industrial production. Well, let’s take a break…
31. Which of the following is not mentioned as a criterion in the definition of a society?
a) Geographical area
b) Same species
c) Physical appearance
32. In ______ societies, animals such as goats and pigs are used as a means of dietary
intake.
a) Hunting and gathering
b) Horticultural
c) Pastoral
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33. Which of the following is a characteristic of agrarian societies?
a) Land is cleared by burning to make area for large cities.
b) Their lifestyle leads to the development of complex systems.
c) The productivity level is often low due to their social structure.
34. Which of the following is true for industrial societies?
a) Watt’s invention acted as the starting point in their establishment.
b) Social inequalities were not observed much in these societies.
c) They increased agricultural work thanks to new developments.
35. In postindustrial societies, economic activity is based on ___________.
a) information and computer technologies
b) interactions between people
c) production of goods
Lecture 2
For items 36–39, you will listen to a lecture about Olympic Games. As you listen, mark the
pre-teach: let alone
Lecturer: The history of the Olympic Games has always been closely related to the city that holds
it. This is because it’s the city, and not the country, that makes the bid to hold the Olympic Games.
Understandably, the competition to hold the Olympics is fierce as it can bring great prestige and
prosperity to the city.
From its rebirth in Athens in 1896 to the present day, the modern Olympic Games have gone
through many changes. Women were not officially admitted to the Olympics until the Stockholm
games of 1912, though they had participated in some events before then. In the ancient games in
Greece, women were not allowed to watch the games, let alone take part.
The Olympic emblem is also a relatively new addition to the game. The first emblem was designed
in 1913, although the five rings weren’t included until the Antwerp games of 1920. The five rings
represent the union of the five continents of the world, and the colors were chosen because at least
one of the five colors exists in every flag of the world’s nations.
The Olympic torch, which had been part of the ancient games, came back into existence as part of
the opening ceremony in the 1928 games in Amsterdam. And the idea of the torch relay, that is,
carrying a lit torch from Greece to the next Olympic venue, was first introduced in the Berlin
games of 1936. This first relay included some 3,000 runners who carried the torch from Greece to
Germany, crossing a total of seven countries. The relay to Sydney was far more complex and
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involved keeping the flame alight both on a specially chartered flight 30,000 feet above the earth
and on a short journey under the water.
The 1990s also saw the massive commercialization of the Olympics. In 1992, during the opening
ceremony of the Barcelona games, Freddie Mercury and Monserrat Cabellé sang an Olympic
anthem that became number one on the top ten hit lists in many countries. The Atlanta games in
1996 had an estimated TV audience of 2.3 billion people a day. However, many claim that the
2000 Olympic Games in Sydney were the most successful ever. Attendances reached record levels,
with the number of spectators at some athletic events often exceeding 100,000. NBC paid 1.2
billion dollars to televise the Olympic Games in Sydney.
It looks like the Olympic games will continue to travel the world for many years to come, hosted
by some of the world’s greatest cities and bringing in their wake both glory and disruption.
36. Which of the following is true about the Olympic Games?

a) The Olympic Games as we know them first started in 1912.
b) The first games in which women could compete were held in Stockholm.
c) In Ancient Greece, women could only watch the Games, but could not play.
37. The Olympic emblem with five rings _____________.
a) was first used in the Antwerp games
b) went through color revision in 1920
c) was thought of and designed in 1913
38. The Olympic torch _____________.
a) came back into existence in the Amsterdam games in 1936
b) was first carried from Greece to Germany by 3,000 runners
c) was kept lit in the sky and the water during the Berlin games
39. More than one billion dollars was paid to televise _____________.
a) Barcelona Games in 1992
b) Atlanta Games in 1996
c) Sydney Games in 2000
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PRACTICE VII
BRIEF TALKS
pre-teach: innate
Is truth innate or is it gained by experience? This question has been discussed by two schools of
philosophy; namely, rationalism and empiricism. Rationalism is a broad designation for a variety
of theories, all of which have in common the confidence that human reason can provide the final
and necessarily true answers to the most basic and essential philosophical questions. Great
rationalists in modern times, such as Descartes, Spinoza, Leibniz, Kant, and Hegel, all believed—
in one way or another ‒ that philosophical reasoning can give us the answers. For them, these
answers are all necessary truths and are to be found within our thinking processes themselves.
They could be inspired by God, built into the structure of our minds, or “born into” our brains as
an innate quality. Truth, in any case, is not subject to human experience. Empiricism, on the other
hand, is a philosophical method that rejects this conception of innate ideas and insists, in the words
of John Locke, that “all knowledge comes from experience.” According to Locke, the human mind
at birth is a “blank tablet,” known in Latin as tabula rasa, on which experience writes the general
principles as well as the details of all our knowledge.
Adapted from Robert C. Solomon and Kathleen M. Higgins, The Big Questions: A Short Introduction to Philosophy (2010)

a) A comparison of rationalism and empiricism
b) The effect of empiricism on rationalism
c) The superiority of rationalism to empiricism
pre-teach: outweigh, employ
In an era when technology has become interwoven with teaching, social media have emerged as a
communication tool for teaching and learning. In online courses and face-to-face classrooms alike,
instructors are using mixed-media tools, such as course-management systems with weblinks, audio
and video materials, and virtual groups. For their part, researchers have identified a need to better
understand how these social-media tools can impact the learning process. A recent study has found
that, in an online learning environment, learners were positively influenced, and their learning
ability improved. However, there is still need to conduct face-to-face education as social media
tools can never be sufficient on their own, but they can only be supporting systems to traditional
classrooms. For today’s instructors, therefore, to be efficient both in the classroom and through
social media may be an important step in creating an impact on learning outcomes.
Adapted from http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/03634523.2015.1014386
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a) The advantages of online learning over face-to-face classes outweigh the disadvantages.
b) There is a direct positive relationship between social media and learning outcomes.
c) Social media and face-to-face education can be employed to support one another.
pre-teach: retain, promote, recall, regardless of, appreciate
Broadly speaking, the first perfumes were used in Mesopotamia and Egypt, and to this day, they
still retain their importance. Perfumes are mixtures of essential oils, aroma compounds, fixatives,
and solvents. When applied to the human body, they will give a great fragrance. Perfume types
reflect the concentration of aromatic compounds in a solvent that is also known as ethanol. The
smell of the perfume merely depends on the percentage of the concentration. A good perfume can
be the finishing touch to your daily routine. When you put on perfume, you might not think twice
about it because it often becomes a habit. However, there are many reasons why people wear
perfume. Some people wear perfume because it boosts their self-esteem when a potential love
interest notices the pleasant scent. Others enjoy wearing perfume because it promotes their
individuality; it sets them apart from everyone else. A few people wear perfume to mask unpleasant
smells. The scent of perfume can also help you recall certain memories or lift your mood. Now,
regardless of the reason why you wear a specific fragrance, understanding how perfume is made
might help you appreciate that pretty little bottle and pleasant fragrance a little more.
Adapted from https://www.perfume.com/article-how-perfume-is-made and http://www.healthguidance.org/entry/11616/1/How-Perfumes-Are-

Made.html
3. The speaker is going to continue the talk with ____________.

a) the reasons for wearing perfume
b) a brief history of perfumes and fragrances
c) the process of making perfume
pre-teach: repulsive
In the 20th century, only the brave would make bold political or social statements in public places
through graffiti. Today, heavy policing has meant fewer tags, but that hasn’t stopped artists’ desires
to make their mark. Luckily, in the 21st century, there are more ways to express yourself than ever,
and augmented reality, or AR, is one of them. Some well-known street artists are already playing
with this technology with their legal murals, and others are finding ways to use it to support social-
justice causes. We’re even seeing this AR art in our museums: In late 2016, a digital sculpture was
placed inside the Bellevue Arts Museum in Washington state, visible only to those wearing the
headset. Soon, we may have virtual graffiti on every surface and art exhibits on every corner,
available to anyone who chooses to search for it, but hidden to those who think it’s visual pollution.
As with many other emerging technologies, the consequences of this blurring of the real and fake
worlds are complicated and unsettled. As AR increases in popularity, it’s coming up against
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established rules and societal expectations: If something only exists in virtual space, but it appears
real to its creator, is it bound to the laws of the actual world? Is graffiti still a crime if it only exists
in the virtual world? Legal systems are yet to get a grip on new technology, and there is cultural
confusion about the role of virtual items located in public places.
Adapted from https://qz.com/1072528/the-next-trend-in-street-art-will-be-graffiti-in-augmented-reality/

a) AR attracts modern art museum visitors.
b) Many people find virtual graffiti repulsive.
c) Our legal systems are not ready for AR art.
pre-teach: webinar
OK, let’s begin since everyone is online now. Welcome to today’s session. I’d like to thank
everyone who managed to register beforehand. As you already know, we limited the number of
participants to seven only. So, well, erm, today, I’m going to talk about mainly two of the problems
of artificial intelligence. The first point is knowledge engineering, which is a core part of AI
research. Machines can often act and react like humans. However, for this to happen, they must
have access to objects, categories, properties and relations between all of them to implement
knowledge engineering. The second problem is related to machine learning. Mathematical analysis
of machine learning algorithms and their performance is a well-defined branch of theoretical
computer science. This also formulates one of the main issues that AI research deals with. So
before I give more detailed information about these two key points, may I ask every participant to
briefly introduce themselves? Then, after I present my ideas, we can ask our administrator to start
the group discussion.
Adapted from https://www.techopedia.com/definition/190/artificial-intelligence-ai
5. The talk is probably a part of __________.

a) A conference session
b) A YouTube video
c) A webinar
ANNOUNCEMENT
For items 6 and 7, you will listen to an announcement at a conference. As you listen, mark the
On behalf of the European Society for Evolutionary Biology, I’m delighted to welcome you all
here to Montpellier, to the Second of the Joint Congresses on Evolutionary Biology. Before you
start enjoying our sessions, I’d like to say a few words on the “super social,” or conference dinner.
It will take place the evening of Wednesday, August 22nd, at the Abbaye de Valmagne, a
spectacular building whose construction started in 1275. The abbey is surrounded by beautiful
86
gardens and vineyards, and dinner participants will be able to taste and drink some of the wines
they produce. You can read more about the abbey and see more pictures by visiting its web site.
The conference dinner will be followed by music and dancing, and buses will run through the
night to bring participants back to Montpellier at regular intervals. Attendance at the conference
dinner is included in the registration fee. However, we regret that places at the dinner are limited
to 150, and these will be allocated on a first come, first served basis. For this reason, you are
advised to register at your earliest opportunity, at the registration desk, where you have received
your name badge, conference materials, and everything else.
Adapted from http://evolutionmontpellier2018.org/home
1. What is the purpose of the announcement?

a. To welcome participants to the conference
b. To inform participants about a social event
c. To give information about the “Abbaye de Valmagne”
2. Which of the following is correct about the conference dinner?

a. Participants will have to pay extra for the dinner.
b. They have to register at the website of the Abbaye de Valmagne.
c. Only 150 participants will be able to attend the dinner.
INSTRUCTION
For items 8-12, you will listen to an extract from a Cleanroom Orientation. A professor is giving
instructions to M.A. and Ph.D. students as to how to use the cleanroom. As you listen, mark the
instructions, you will be given 30 seconds to look at the questions and the alternatives.
In our Cleanroom Orientation, now I’m going to talk about “Cleanroom Users Protocol.”
Researchers require clean rooms because any speck of dust can damage the processes that occur
inside them. That’s why you need to follow certain procedures while using the cleanroom. First
of all, on any day you will enter the cleanroom, you should have a shower in the morning and
not wear cosmetics, hair spray, perfumes, or colognes. There is also a dress code for the
cleanroom. Sleeveless shirts, shorts or skirts, clothing that sheds such as wool, slippers, sandals,
high-heeled or open-toed shoes, and jewelry that can puncture garments or gloves are not
allowed in the cleanroom. Also, users must not smoke within 45 minutes of use of the
cleanroom. This is strictly prohibited because personnel who smoke shed sub-micron sized
particles for well over half an hour after smoking a cigarette. This can be a severe source of
contamination within the cleanroom. Finally, before entering the cleanroom, you need to gown,
that is, wear your cleanroom gear. This is because humans are major sources of both
contaminants and particulates. The contamination of the facility by exposure to human skin,
hair, and street clothes must be minimized to promote a reasonable research environment. So,
remove unnecessary items and place your hat, coat, and any other street garments in your locker.
Swipe into the gown room using your ID card. The door will swing open for you, once your
card has authenticated you. Before entering through the door, be sure to step THREE times on
the sticky mat. In the gown room, gown up in “top-down” fashion.
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87
First, put on the hood and tuck in your hair. Then, put on your coverall and fasten it with the front
zipper. Sit on the bench to put on shoe covers or booties. And finally, put on safety glasses, plastic
gloves, and the paper ‘snood’ over your mouth, covering your nose. And you are ready to go in.
But one thing: From then on until you are in the cleanroom, act as if you are a surgeon; don’t touch
anything. If you need help, an assistant is always there in office B22 to guide you.
Adapted from https://www.unlv.edu/sites/default/files/24/SEB-Cleanroom-Manual.pdf
8. Which of the following should you do on the day you are planning to use the
cleanroom?
a. Have a shower to avoid shedding contaminants and particles
b. Wear cologne or perfume to avoid body odors in the cleanroom
c. Wear sleeveless shirts and slippers to feel comfortable during a long process
9. When must you stop smoking prior to entry to the cleanroom?
a. 30 minutes before
b. 45 minutes before
c. An hour before
10. Why do you need your ID card?
a. To enter the locker room
b. To enter the gown room
c. To enter the cleanroom
11. In which order should you wear your cleanroom gear?
a. hood ‒ coverall ‒ shoe covers or booties ‒ glasses, gloves, and the snood
b. shoe covers or booties ‒ coverall ‒ hood ‒ glasses, gloves, and the snood
c. coverall ‒ hood ‒ glasses, gloves, and the snood ‒ shoe covers or booties
12. Where do you need to go for help with the cleanroom?
a. Office B12
b. Office B20
c. Office B22
CONVERSATIONS
Conversation 1
For items 13-16, you will listen to a conversation between a student and a librarian. As you listen,
Amir : Hi, er, can you help me?

Librarian : Sure, what’s the problem?
Amir : I’ve got to write an essay on electrical distribution and transmission systems, but
I can’t find any suitable books in the engineering section on level three.
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Librarian : Have you used the library search engine?
Amir : You mean where you type the keywords into the computer? Yes, I’ve done
that. A couple of books come up, but they’re not on the shelves, someone’s taken
them out.
Librarian : Well, I can put a reserve on them so that when the person brings them back to
the library, we can put them on one side for you. Do you want to do that?
Amir : Mmm, I don’t know. I suppose so, but ideally, I’d like to get started on my essay
sooner rather than later.
Librarian : Well, there are some other options. Have you used the journal database?
Amir : No, what’s that?
Librarian : Didn’t you go on a library induction tour in the first week of term? They were
running five days a week, morning and afternoon.
Amir : No, I was, er, I was ill that week.
Librarian : Well, we still do two library inductions a week on Wednesdays, and I recommend
you go to one of them. You’ll learn a lot of useful things. You can sign up at the
desk on level two.
Amir : Yes, I probably should do that then.
Librarian : Well, I’ll just quickly show you how you can use the journal database. If you go
onto the library homepage on the computer, and click on databases, here in the
top right hand corner, it takes you to all the e-journals that we have access to here
at the university library. You can use the search engine to find journals that are
related to your keywords. See, if I type in electrical transmission, you get over
5,000 articles.
Amir : Wow.
Librarian : So, that’s a good place to start. Meanwhile, you can always go and talk to your
subject librarian. The person for Electrical Engineering is Mark Taylor. His
office is on level four.
Amir : Will he be there now?
Librarian : Let me see. What’s the time? 12:15. He’ll probably be at lunch, or if not, he’ll be
going at 12:30. You’d be best to wait and come back at two-ish. Then you’ll be
more likely to catch him.
Amir : Okay, thank you.
13. Which of the following has the student already done?

a. Reserved a couple of books
b. Used the library search engine
c. Checked the journal database
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14. On how many days per week are library inductions currently available?
a. 1 day per week
b. 2 days per week
c. 5 days per week
15. What can the student do on level two?
a. Find the engineering books
b. Sign up for a library tour
c. Meet Mark Taylor
16. What time does the librarian recommend the student to return to meet the subject
librarian?
a. At around 12:15
b. At around 12:30
c. At around 14:00
Conversation 2
For items 17-20, you will listen to a conversation between a professor and his assistant. As you
listen, mark the alternatives that answer the questions or complete the statements. Before you listen
to the conversation, you will be given 60 seconds to look at the questions and the alternatives.
Dr. Merlo : Good morning, Henry. Thanks for coming in. How was your vacation?
Mr. Tennan : It was very good, Professor, thanks. A week in the Appalachians is really
therapeutic. Nothing to do but eat, sleep, and listen to nature. A good place to
unwind.
Dr. Merlo : I envy you. I’ve just got too much to get done. So I can’t get away at all now.
I must get this book finished, for one thing ‒my publisher is getting impatient.
I’ve outlined the last two chapters, though, finally, so it won’t take me too much
longer, I hope. Maybe, I’ll be able to go somewhere at Christmas. But, um,
what I wanted to talk to you about is our syllabus for this term, Henry, FLE
322, the History of English course. I know this is short notice, but I’d like to
make a couple of little changes to it.
Mr. Tennan : Uh oh! I know your idea of “little” changes!
Dr. Merlo : (laughs) No, no, I don’t think it’ll be that bad this time. What I’d like to do is,
uh, cut Lectures Two and Three – the ones on Old English and Middle English
– down to half their length and then meld them together into a single lecture.
Then, with that extra 90 minutes, I want to add a lecture at the end on World
Englishes. I think it’s time we dealt with that more thoroughly, don’t you?
Mr. Tennan : Yes, sir, I certainly do. That’s a good idea. So I guess I just need to cut down
the quizzes to match, and add a new one for World Englishes. Do you know
when I’ll be able to see your revised OE and ME notes?
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Dr. Merlo : I’ve already done a good bit of that revision, Henry, and I think I’ll have them
ready for you before Lecture One. That’s April 8th, I think?
Mr. Tennan : Yes, Tuesday the 8th.
Dr. Merlo : I’ve taken the segments on pronunciation out – I think we can lose those easily
enough. Nobody really needs to recite “Beowulf” or the “Canterbury Tales”
any more – no matter how much fun it is.
Mr. Tennan : And that means you probably won’t be discussing spelling and pronunciation
much either?
Dr. Merlo : I suppose not. I just want to be sure to point out clearly the main ways in which
Modern English has developed from its predecessors.
Mr. Tennan : So I can eliminate the phonetics quiz completely, then?
Dr. Merlo : Yes, I think so. I’ll still give them a reading just so they can get a flavor of their
ancestral tongue. But I don’t think it’s necessary to elaborate on phonetics that
much in class. They can get as much of the phonetics as they want out of the
textbook – and it’s rote learning anyway, really.
Mr. Tennan : Now, what about your new lecture, then? Can I get started on any of that?
Dr. Merlo : Yes, that’s where I could really use your help in the next couple of weeks. I
need you to research ‘pidgins and creoles’ for me. I’d like an idea of the number
there are, uh, their distribution, and uh, what linguists are saying about them
these days – are they English dialects? Derivative languages? See if you can
find me some interesting examples and some specific quotes, will you?
Mr. Tennan : Yes, of course. I think I know the kind of thing you’re looking for. My lab is
cancelled today, so I’ll take a look at Internet sources this afternoon. Then
maybe tomorrow I can see what the library has.
Dr. Merlo : Thank you, Henry, I’d appreciate that.
Mr. Tennan : Anything else on the syllabus, Professor?
Dr. Merlo : No, thanks Henry. That’s all for now. Just let me know if you need anything.
And I’ll see you at the faculty meeting tomorrow afternoon.

test.net/toefl/listening/A_conversation_between_a_professor_and_his_assistant.html#TOEFL_Listening_Comprehension
17. Why does the Professor mention the book he’s writing?
a. To emphasize that he needs the assistant’s help
b. To ask the assistant to find a publishing company
c. To explain why he doesn’t have time for a vacation
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18. What is the purpose of this meeting?
a. To review a subject
b. To reschedule a lecture
c. To revise a course
19. Why will the professor give the students a reading?
a. So that they can get familiar with Old English
b. So that they can get ready for the phonetics quiz
c. So that they can write their term paper
20. What will the assistant probably do that afternoon?
a. Go to the library
b. Attend a meeting
c. Surf the Net
DISCUSSIONS
Discussion 1
For items 21-25, you will listen to a discussion among five students. As you listen, match each
student’s name with what they are doing or planning to do. Some options may be used more than
Fiona : Hey, Frank! Oh, hey, Ian, you’re here, too.

Frank & Ian : Hey, Fiona. Good to see you.
Fiona : Same here. What’re you studying, Frank? Working on your presentation?
Frank : No, no. I don’t think I’ll do it until after the midterms. I’m not exactly
studying. Just organizing my notes for Calculus. And Ian’s waiting for
Monica and Philip to arrive, so he’s kind of lazying around. (chuckles)
What’re you doing here?
Fiona : Well, you know, we’re supposed to prepare a presentation for English 211. I
need to do mine perfectly because I’m in trouble with the lecturer. I was
always late for her classes and missed a few quizzes. I badly need a good
grade on this presentation. I was going to ask for some help, if any of you
can. Can you, Frank?
Frank : Well, it’s been ages since I took that class. Even if I helped you, it wouldn’t
be helping matters in the end, would it? (Laughs). Anyway, I thought you
were going to do it with Monica? And... Uhm, Philip? They’ll be here in a
minute. And, uhm.. Ian, weren’t you in the same group?
Ian : Oh, we all were actually. But then, Monica and Philip changed their sections,
so we’re no longer doing the same thing.
92
Frank : Oh, I see.
Ian : Maybe I could help you, Fiona.
Fiona : Yeah, that’ll be great indeed, Ian, thank you.
Monica &
Philip : Hey, guys!
Fiona : Hey there.
Frank & Ian : Hey.
Monica : Ian, if you’re ready, let’s move. Philip and I’d like to see Professor Gallagher
before the play begins. We want to wish him good luck with his new theater
company. And Philip will need to find a parking space, so we shouldn’t be
late.
Ian : Okay, okay, I’m coming! Just let me take my coat.
Philip : Oh, Ian, hurry up. Tonight’s the premiere. The theater building will be too
crowded. We don’t want to miss the professor.
Ian : Just wait, Philip. Oh, Fiona, can I call you tomorrow about the presentation?
You see, we’ve gotta go now. Maybe we could talk about your presentation
over coffee? In the afternoon?
Fiona : Sure, sure, have fun. Let me go to the library to collect some data now. Bye,
everyone. Frank, good luck with Calculus!
Frank : Thanks, Fiona. Bye.
Students Tasks
21. Frank ____b _______ a. Prepare a presentation

b. Organize notes for a class
22. Fiona ____a, e _____
c. Help a friend
23. Ian ____c, f _____ d. See a professor
e. Go to the library
24. Philip ____d, f, g ___
f. Watch a play
25. Monica ____d, f _____ g. Park the car
Discussion 2
For items 26-29, you will listen to a discussion on renewable energy sources. As you listen, match
each person’s name with his/her argument. Some options may be used more than once; some
93
Professor : … So, in today’s class, we are going to discuss renewable energy sources.
Well, you were supposed to read the chapter I assigned you last week. Have
you? (students: yeah) Okay, great, so we can start. But don’t forget, I’m more
interested in your opinions, rather than the summary of the facts in the
chapter. You can use them to support your arguments. Okay, let’s start. Who
would like to? … Yes, Ted.
Ted : Well, first I’d like to say a few things about some arguments against
renewable energy sources. Critics argue that fossil fuels are well-established
entities and can provide energy at lower costs than renewable sources.
Another cause for concern is that jobs within the fossil-fuel industries may
disappear. For example, as of 2017, the oil and gas extraction and coal-
mining industries employ more than 600,000 people in the United States.
Mike : So, Ted, are you saying that we shouldn’t turn to alternative sources for
energy since it will cost a lot of money and people will lose their jobs?
Ted : No, Mike, of course not. I’m just referring to what critics say about the topic.
Now, what I think is, although the initial development costs are high, they
will be much lower in the future. Ermm… lower thanks to rapid industry
growth and technological advances. And actually these costs will go down to
the point that renewable energy sources will be economically competitive
with fossil fuels. Also, I did some quick research on the Internet, and I came
across the Environmental Defense Fund estimates. They say that there were
769,000 jobs in renewable energy in 2015. This shows a job-creation rate
significantly higher than that of the rest of the economy. And it means there
will be new employment opportunities for workers in the oil and gas
extraction or coal-mining industries.
Professor : That’s a good point, Ted, thank you. How about the others? Yes, Sharon?
Sharon : I think all this stuff about energy… renewable sources, er… sustainability…,
it’s not black and white. There are also some drawbacks of the renewable
energy sources. Their positive effects on our lives, on the environment, are
far greater, though. Take wind power. Critics argue that wind turbines ruin
scenic views, disrupt wildlife migration patterns, and cause the deaths of
thousands of pest-eating birds and bats. However, I think the advantages
outweigh the disadvantages. Wind power supplied 191 TWh (terawatt hours)
of electricity in the United States in 2015 ‒ a tenfold increase from a decade
earlier ‒ which accounted for 6 percent of all electricity generated that year.
In addition, the industry provided a new source of economic investment for
rural communities, so it sure has economic benefits, not to mention the
environmental ones.
Professor : Well, thank you, Sharon. Yes, Jack?
Jack : Sharon, you say wind power supplies a great amount of electricity and
provides a new area of investment. I don’t think this is the most important
reason for turning to wind power. It is the fact that it causes the least damage
to the environment that makes it so appealing. Now, look at hydropower,
94
which harnesses the energy produced by the flow of water in large rivers, and
you’ll see it is the leading renewable energy source in the world, which is
claimed to be environmentally friendly and to aid in flood control. However,
I have doubts about it. The hydroelectric dams have serious effects on the
surrounding natural environment. Their construction causes significant
changes in river ecosystems, displaces human settlements, and threatens
native plant and animal species.
Professor : All right. Thanks, Jack. Well, Mike, you look a bit unsettled. What is your
opinion?
Mike : Well, Professor, I agree with Jack up to a point. I’m also a genuine enthusiast
for environmental conservation. However, currently, our planet gets most of
its power from coal, oil, and gas, which we all know are very harmful to the
environment. Burning fossil fuels gives off a lot of carbon dioxide, a
greenhouse gas that contributes to global warming. The amount of
greenhouse-gas emissions has increased dramatically since the Industrial
Revolution, which has had consequences such as raising the average surface
temperature of the Earth, causing the world’s glaciers to melt faster, and
fuelling devastating storms and hurricanes. Even without all these
drawbacks, we have to find alternative sources because fossil fuels will one
day run out; they are finite. So renewable energy is not an option, but a must.
Therefore, what we can do is to choose the lesser of two evils. Obviously,
wind or solar power does far less damage on the environment than coal or oil
or gas.
Professor : Okay, guys, let’s have some coffee, and then we’ll continue with my
questions.
Ideas taken from
http://ic.galegroup.com/ic/ovic/ReferenceDetailsPage/ReferenceDetailsWindow?zid=90528a4ebdc33591aa4a1374e7201896&ac
tion=2&catId=GALE%7C00000000LVYS&documentId=GALE%7CPC3021900146&userGroupName=p1841&jsid=079e19c00
4a3639a0afb00a192a116dc
Students Arguments
1. Ted ___d___ a. Many living things are affected negatively by the

construction of dams.
2. Mike ___c___
b. The disadvantages of wind power are far greater than
3. Sharon ___d___ its advantages.
4. Jack ___a___ c. Renewable energy sources do relatively less harm to
the environment.
d. Using renewable sources will not have an adverse
effect on the economy
95
95
LECTURES
Lecture 1
For items 30–34, you will listen to a lecture in a political science class. As you listen, mark the
pre-teach: entity, utilize, conspicuously
Professor: Now, we’re all familiar, I think, with the United Nations organization, and we’re very
accustomed to a world divided into nations – but many of you may not realize how recent the idea
of the ‘nation-state’ really is. At the beginning, there were smaller units like the Greek city-states
or primitive tribes, and later there were much larger units usually called ‘empires’. The concept of
a political and cultural ‘nation’, as we know it today, didn’t appear until near the end of the 18th
century, that is, 1780s and 1790s, at the time of the French and American revolutions.
Let’s look at a couple of terms first, just to make them clear. Strictly speaking, a ‘nation’ is a
cultural concept – a group of people in a particular area who are usually defined as sharing a
common history, common traditions, the same language or ethnic origin, et cetera. A ‘state’, on
the other hand, is a political concept- it’s a political unit, an administrative unit, a territory
controlled by a government. So, what we’re talking about here, ‘nation-states’, what we often call
‘countries’, are those areas where these two concepts, ‘nation’ and ‘state’, are roughly congruent,
where they coincide in time and space. And this’s the basic structure, the infrastructure of
civilization, of the world we see, today – the basis upon which treaties are signed, on which wars
are fought, and for which people often die.
One historian has said that a nation-state is an ‘imaginary community’, because the citizens of
even the smallest nation-state will never meet all their fellow citizens, or even hear about them –
yet in each citizen’s mind is some image of ‘oneness’, of unity with his fellows. Some think that
this image is the direct result of the development of printing and the popular press – which likewise
expanded in the 18th century – and which, in its language and its audience, has helped define these
national communities.
Well, imagined or not, nation-states are very real to us today. In fact, they seem like the only
natural form for society – in spite of their very recent origins – don’t they? But at the same time,
they seem to be the cause of so much turmoil in our world – wars, nuclear standoffs, ideological
conflicts, conflicts over resources and markets...the list seems endless! So maybe we’d better take
a more careful look at the factors that seem to contribute to the idea of ‘nation-statehood’.
First, geography is an obvious factor. Countries like Japan and New Zealand have very clear
boundaries, and their physical isolation makes these nations very homogeneous. However,
geography is often irrelevant – Ireland and Cyprus are certainly very strongly divided islands. And
many countries, notably African countries, have boundaries that have nothing to do with natural
96
features or ethnicity or anything else. They are simply straight lines drawn in the last century by
former colonial powers.
And then there’s language, which is also used as a rationale for nationhood. The United States and
Germany and France are all large, successful states that’re defined mostly by language. But on one
hand, many international boundaries cut directly across language lines, as with Belgium and The
Netherlands – while on the other hand, countries like South Africa and India include speakers of
many different languages.
And a common ethnicity – that is, a common genetic background and a common cultural heritage
– have certainly helped determine the identity of many nation-states. Nevertheless, many larger
countries, like China, are composed of many ethnicities – while other ethnic groups, like the people
of Circassia, for instance, are conspicuously stateless.
Finally, one more major determinant is religion. Religion has also played a big part in defining
nations – Catholic Ireland. Buddhist Nepal. And of course, Jewish Israel. But again, many states
suffer internal strife, violent conflict, on account of religious differences – Iraq being the most
obvious current example.
So it should be clear to you that none of these factors are foolproof definers of the nation-state. In
fact, they as often complicate the situation. Would it then be reasonable, therefore, if we divided
Iraq, for instance, into three nations, into Sunni and Shi’ite and Kurdish nations? Would that solve
many of their problems?
Probably not. Drawing lines usually just creates new problems. Minorities become smaller
minorities. Surrounding states endure altered confrontations. The fracturing of other states is
encouraged. And re-drawing a state’s boundaries wrongly suggests that conflicts – ethnic and
religious and linguistic conflicts – can be decided by dividing peoples, when the real solution
probably lies in trying to unite them, lies in recognizing individual rights, in devolving power to
the local level, and in a sort of ‘pan-nationalism’ that focuses on maximizing cooperation among
nation-states and in that way minimizing the impact of hard boundaries poorly defined by any
factor. This is what happens so successfully with the European Union, the organization which
we’ll be taking a closer look at now.
Adapted from http://www.english-test.net/toefl/listening/Which_characteristic_of_Ireland_does_the_professor_utilize_in_his_lecture.html
30. The concept of nation emerged ______________.

a) with the rise of the Greek city-states
b) with the development of large empires
c) within the last two decades of the 1700s
97
31. Which characteristic of Ireland does the professor utilize in his lecture?
a) It is part of the UK.
b) It is conspicuously religious.
c) It has a common ethnicity.
32. The lecturer uses the people of Circassia as an example of what?
a) A stateless nation
b) A nationless state
c) State-nationhood
33. What is this lecture mainly about?
a) The differences between nations
b) The history of nationhood
c) The definitions of a nation
34. Judging from his lecture, which idea would the professor probably NOT accept?
a) China should be divided into several countries.
b) Defining nation-states is not an easy task.
c) Nation-states are a recent phenomenon.
Lecture 2
For items 35–38, you will listen to a lecture on the northern lights, also known as the Aurora
Borealis. As you listen, mark the alternatives that answer the questions or complete the statements.
Before you listen to the lecture, you will be given 60 seconds to look at the questions and the
alternatives.
pre-teach: fuel
Lecturer: Good morning. Today I’d like to talk about one of the most amazing phenomena in the
world: the Aurora Borealis, which are also known as the Northern Lights. Aurora Borealis are
dynamic, colorful displays of light that occur continuously along ring-shaped regions around the
north and south geomagnetic poles. These lights are fueled by an electrically charged wind that
blows through the solar system and is pulled close to the earth by magnetic fields around the poles.
In Antarctica, these lights are called the Aurora Australis, or the Southern Lights.
Auroras appear in magnificent colors. Does anyone know what determines their color? [waits a
bit] Well, the color of auroras depends on the type of atoms and molecules struck by the energetic
particles that rain down along Earth’s magnetic field lines in the discharge process. Each
atmospheric gas glows with a specific color. The brightest and the most common colors are yellow
and green, while the rarest is red. Any idea as to where the best place to see auroras is?
Student: Um, near the magnetic poles?
98
Lecturer: Yes, that’s a good guess. The best places to view auroras are near the north and the
south poles. In the northern hemisphere, prime viewing locations include Alaska, Eastern Canada,
Iceland and northern Scandinavia. In the southern hemisphere, the sightings are not common since
the polar region is mostly uninhabited. What about the best viewing time? The best time to see
auroras is around the equinox, that is, March and October. During the summer months, night skies
are not dark enough to view the lights. Unfortunately, nowadays, even small villages have
streetlights and almost all buildings have bright lights. This light pollution makes the observation
of auroras very difficult.
All right, now I’ll be talking about legends, myths and superstitions because such magnificent
events as auroras cannot be without their set of legends, myths, and superstitions explaining their
occurrence, and there have always been several myths and legends surrounding auroras, especially
in the northern hemisphere. For example, according to the Inuit, the Northern Lights are caused by
the souls of dead people playing soccer in the sky with the skull of a walrus. In Siberia, some
people believe that the Northern Lights help women give birth and the child conceived by the
aurora will have a long and happy life. In the folklore of the Eskimos of eastern Greenland, auroras
are the souls of killed newborn babies or babies who were born dead. American Indians believed
these lights to be the avenging souls of their enemies they had killed. Before the phenomenon was
explained scientifically, Americans and Europeans believed that they were the light spreading from
icebergs crashing together.
Whatever the scientific explanation is or whatever myths say, the Aurora Borealis are an
unforgettable experience for the lucky viewers because an active auroral sub-storm is nature’s
most beautiful display of color.
Well, that’s all for now. In our next session, we’ll be having a look at other interesting phenomena.
35. What fuels Aurora Borealis?

a) The solar system
b) An electrically charged wind
c) A magnetic field
36. Which of the following is false about the color of auroras?
a) Green is one of the most commonly sighted colors.
b) Yellow is the least visible color.
c) Red is the most rarely sighted color.
37. Which of the following is true about the sightings of the auroras?
a) In March and October, the night skies are too dark to see them.
b) The summer months are the best time to view them.
c) Today it is difficult to sight them due to light pollution.
99
38. According to an American Indian myth, auroras ___________.
a) were the light caused by iceberg crashes
b) were the souls of babies who lost their lives
c) were the souls of killed enemies
Lecture 3
For items 39–42, you will listen to a talk that takes place in the Q&A session of a conference on
science and emotions. As you listen, mark the alternatives that answer the questions or complete
the statements. Before you listen to the lecture, you will be given 60 seconds to look at the
pre-teach: detect
Researcher 1: Thank you, Dr. Wilson, for this amazing presentation. In fact, your lecture, erm,
your talk was mind-blowing, and you mentioned how there is a direct correlation between science
and emotions – I mean, I never thought that there was a science of attraction or science of anger,
hatred, sadness, or trust. Now, my question is on the love part. Surely, love is one of the strongest
emotions, and that’s usually how we think of it, as an emotion. Love is the topic of many songs,
poems, plays, films, paintings, greetings cards, and t-shirts. As a famous song says, love is all
around us. But, I can see now that there is more to love than emotion. Could you elaborate on this
a little bit more, please?
Dr. Wilson: Sure. Well, just as I mentioned in my speech, the idea of love is very much like the
idea of trust. And there are some scientific rules for people to feel attracted. Let me explain this in
more detail. One of the scientific rules is the ‘similarity principle,’ the idea that we like people
who are similar to ourselves. For example, we choose the eye color that is similar to our own eye
color. Interestingly, it’s also possible for us to choose the eye color that is similar to our opposite
sex parent’s. So, in other words, a woman could choose the eye color that is similar to her father’s,
and a man could choose the eye color similar to his mother’s. That’s one of the subconscious rules
of attraction. Subconscious… I mean, it’s not something you think about when you see someone.
You don’t think, “Ah, he’s got eyes like mine, I think I love him!” This is basically what the
‘similarity principle’ is.
Well, there are some other subconscious rules of attraction. There is the ‘principle of symmetry,’
for example. And what does this mean? If the left hand and right hand side of the face are
symmetrical, if they are like a mirror image, then that makes that person more attractive because
having symmetrical features implies a healthy development. This is one of the subconscious rules
that make us find people attractive. And why is finding someone who looks healthy important?
Because subconsciously we’re looking for a partner who can produce strong and healthy offspring.
I hope I was able to give a satisfactory answer?
Researcher 1: That was enlightening. Thank you.
100
Dr. Wilson: I’m glad to hear that. Thank you. Any other questions or comments?
Researcher 2: Dr. Wilson, I have a contradictory question about the issue of love and science and
attraction. You’ve said we like people who are similar to ourselves. But how about the belief that
opposites attract? Is there any truth to it?
Dr. Wilson: There’s not much truth in it. However, through the action of pheromones, we are
attracted to someone. Well, let me explain what pheromones are here. Pheromones are chemicals
that humans and animals produce. They cannot be smelled, but they are detected by others and can
affect the way people behave. So, through the action of pheromones, we are able to detect people
who have a different immune system. This will be good for any offspring because it means they
will have the benefit of two different immune systems and should grow up stronger and be more
able to fight disease.
Researcher 2: So, there we have it. Love is a powerful emotion, but there is a lot of science behind
it, and much of the attraction we might feel for someone is based on things happening in our
subconscious. That’s what I call romance.
[AUDIENCE GIGGLING]
39. In her presentation, Dr. Wilson has probably talked about all of the following
except ___________.
a) how science explains the ways people build trust
b) the scientific reasons why people may hate each other
c) how to attract the attention of the opposite sex
40. According to the similarity principle, which of the following is not true about
women?
a) Women tend to choose the eye color similar to their fathers’.
b) Women tend to choose the eye color similar to theirs.
c) Women make their choice about their partners consciously.
41. According to the principle of symmetry, people ________________ .
a) tend to choose partners without symmetrical features.
b) tend to choose partners who look healthy.
c) feel better when they make conscious choices.
42. Pheromones are chemicals that ______________ .
a) help to improve the immune system
b) can be detected only by animals
c) help people detect different immune systems
101
PRACTICE VIII
BRIEF TALKS
pre-teach: abuse, neglect
Alcohol and drug counselors, along with other mental-health professionals, face a number of
challenges and special issues when working with people who have suffered abuse or neglect as
children. Like most people, counselors become upset or angry when they hear about children
getting hurt or being abused. Moreover, some counselors may be recovering from substance-abuse
disorders and were themselves abused or neglected as children, and they may find themselves in a
professional situation where they have to confront their own abuse experience and its impact on
their lives. As a consequence, counselors who were abused or who had substance-abusing parents
may experience feelings that interfere with their efforts to work effectively with adult survivors.
In fact, such counselors may find it difficult to relate to clients effectively and to reach a balance
of providing enough ‒ but not too much ‒ support and distance.
Adapted from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK64902/

a) Counselors’ personal experience of abuse or neglect as a child may affect their work.
b) Counselors have to maintain a balance between their own lives and those of their clients.
c) Counselors should not give their clients too much or too little support.
Where do your beliefs and opinions come from? If you are like most people, you probably like to
think that your beliefs are the result of years of experience and objective analysis of the information
you have available. The reality is that we are all susceptible to a tricky problem known as a
“confirmation bias.” The confirmation bias refers to the tendency to selectively search for and
consider information that confirms our beliefs. Confirmation bias occurs as a result of the direct
influence of desire on beliefs. When people would like a certain idea or concept to be true, they
end up believing it to be true. Confirmation bias suggests that we don’t perceive circumstances
objectively. We pick out those bits of data that make us feel good because they confirm our
prejudices. For example, imagine that a person holds a belief that left-handed people are more
creative than right-handed people. Whenever this person encounters a person that is both left-
handed and creative, she places greater importance on this “evidence” that supports what she
already believes. This individual might even seek “proof” that further backs up this belief while
discounting examples that do not support the idea. Confirmation bias can also make anxiety and
depression worse. For example, a person with low self-esteem due to depression is highly sensitive
to being ignored by other people, and he constantly monitors people for signs that they might not
like them. In sum, people are prone to believe what they want to believe.
Adapted from https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/science-choice/201504/what-is-confirmation-bias
102
a) People feeling anxious or depressed have limiting beliefs about themselves.
b) Beliefs are formed as a result of analysis of information and experience.
c) People tend to notice and look for evidence that supports their beliefs.
Eating has been discussed by many thinkers not only as a biological necessity for all organisms,
but also as a cultural activity for humans. Friedrich Nietzsche and Henry David Thoreau, for
instance, viewed consumption as a two-way street, which is an encounter between bodies, human
and nonhuman. A sharp contrast to this is the model of eating offered by Leon Kass in his popular
book The Hungry Soul: Eating and the Perfecting of Our Nature. For Nietzsche and Thoreau, tea,
coffee, vegetables, beer, music, berries, fish, a woodchuck, and the human body all possessed a
kind of vital force. In other words, for them, the interaction between the human body and the food
intake involved a reciprocal process, which indicates a mutual influence. Kass argues, on the other
hand, that the mundane act of eating reveals something about the very order of Creation: it reveals
a natural hierarchy of bodies, with matter on the bottom, organisms in the middle, and humans at
the top.
Adapted from Jane Bennett, Vibrant Matter (2010)

a) To persuade the audience that Kass has a stronger view than Nietzsche and Thoreau
b) To explain eating has a more biological side than its cultural effect on human life
c) To compare and contrast the perspective of Kass with that of Nietzsche and Thoreau
“What is it that divides us from the animals?” is a critical question that still keeps our minds busy,
even in the 21st century. Indeed, quite a lot of people ask this question: “What does it mean to be
human?” To me, since no human has ever been anything but an animal, it seems odd that we should
now find it hard to grasp this concept. Yet, there is no doubt that it confuses people today. I still
have to deal with the query, “What is it that makes us unique?” I often answer this question as
follows: “Yes, we are indeed in many ways fairly unique, but then, there’s a lot of uniqueness
around. Elephants are rather unique, too, aren’t they? And so are termites and porcupines and
wandering albatrosses. In fact, most of us seem to be pretty unique, so why would humans be any
different?”
Adapted from https://www.humansandnature.org/on-being-an-anthrozoon
4. The speaker’s attitude towards the idea that humans are unique is _________________.
a) indifferent
b) sympathetic
c) sarcastic
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pre-teach: acute, resolve, deteriorate
Ludwig van Beethoven, one of the most famous composers of the world, was known to have lost
his hearing, and this is perhaps one of the saddest ironies in the world of music. Around 1801,
Beethoven began to lose his hearing. He started to hear some noises in his ear. This made it difficult
for him to hear speech or participate in conversations. Over time, his hearing loss became acute:
there is a well-attested story that, at the premiere of his Ninth Symphony, he had to be turned round
to see the tumultuous applause of the audience because he was able to hear nothing. In 1802, he
became depressed, and considered committing suicide. He left Vienna for a time for the small
Austrian town of Heiligenstadt, where he wrote the “Heiligenstadt Testament,” in which he
resolved to continue living through his art. That is, he continued composing even as his hearing
deteriorated. However, after a failed attempt in 1811 to perform his own “Emperor Concerto,” he
never performed in public again. There are a variety of theories as to why Beethoven suffered from
hearing loss. Although the main cause of Beethoven’s deafness is still unknown, it has variously
been attributed to syphilis, lead poisoning, typhus, or possibly even his habit of immersing his
head in cold water to stay awake. The oldest explanation, from the autopsy of the time, is that he
had a distended inner ear which developed lesions over time.
Adapted from http://www.beethoven.ws/loss_of_hearing.html

a) Beethoven’s “Heiligenstadt Testament” and “Emperor Concerto”
b) The terrible experience of Beethoven at the premiere of the Ninth Symphony
c) The beginning of and reasons for Beethoven’s hearing loss
ANNOUNCEMENT
For items 6-8, you will listen to a professor’s announcement about a tutorial. As you listen, mark
pre-teach: graduate, undergraduate, postdoctoral, workshop
CESM is a global climate model that provides state-of-the-art computer simulations of the Earth’s
past, present, and future climate states. It is sponsored by the National Science Foundation and the
US Department of Energy. This year’s tutorial will consist of lectures on simulating the climate
system, and practical sessions on running CESM, modifying components, and analyzing data. For
those who are interested, the application process for the CESM Tutorial will open on Thursday,
June 14 and remain open for two months ‒ closing on August 14. Admissions are limited to 80
students. And preference will be given to early career graduate students, though they will aim for
a mix of graduate students, postdocs, early career research scientists, and faculty. You can apply
online at the CESM website. And if you are accepted, you will be informed in early September.
When you apply, you will also have the opportunity to request funding. This funding typically
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covers lodging and ground transportation. They do not have funds to support air travel. Whether
or not you apply for travel funds has no bearing on the selection process.
Adapted from http://www.cesm.ucar.edu/events/tutorials/2017/announcement.html
6. Which of the following will the tutorial include?

a. Lectures
b. Workshops
c. Presentations
7. Who cannot apply for the tutorial?
a. graduate students
b. undergraduate students
c. postdoctoral researchers
8. Which of the following is false about tutorial applications?
a. You can request funding for air travel.
b. You can apply online at the CESM website.
c. You will be notified in September if accepted.
INSTRUCTION
For items 9-12, you will listen to a lab assistant giving instructions to students as to how to dispose
of used equipment in the laboratory. As you listen, mark the alternatives that answer the questions
pre-teach: dispose, discard
… I’ve introduced you to our lab and the equipment. Before you start any of your experiments
here, I want to tell you how to dispose of used equipment in the laboratory. We have four containers
for disposal here. Once an item has been discarded into one of these containers, it must NOT be
retrieved, as the outside of the item is certain to have become contaminated, and the
microorganisms will contaminate you! This rule will be strictly enforced. Now, which items go
into which container? The first container, the step-on can, is for paper towels, cotton, gloves,
tongue depressors, and plastic petri dishes. The items put into this can will be sterilized and
discarded. Microscope slides do not go into this can. And we have a discard pan here, on the second
shelf of the laboratory card. The discard pan is for reusable glassware, such as test tubes, flasks,
beakers, glass Petri plates, etc. Remove all labels from the glass, but do not remove caps or liquid
contents. Items in this pan will be sterilized, washed, and used again. Beware, broken glass doesn’t
go into this pan; it goes into the sharps container. Also, discard slides, cover slips, sticks, swabs,
Pasteur pipettes, needles, I mean, anything sharp, whether contaminated or not, go into the sharps
container. Finally, we have a jar for reusable pipettes. They should be placed tip down into this
jar. They will be sterilized, washed, and re-sterilized.
Adapted from http://www.bio.sdsu.edu/classes/Bio211L/SafetyInstructionsforMicrobiologyLabClasses.pdf
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9. Which of the following should not be put into the step-on can?
a. Gloves
b. Plastic petri dishes
c. Microscope slides
10. What happens to the items put into the discard pan?
a. They will be sterilized and discarded.
b. They will be sterilized, washed, and used again.
c. They will be sterilized, washed, and re-sterilized.
11. Where should you put uncontaminated broken glass?
a. In the step-on can
b. In the discard pan
c. In the sharps container
12. Where and how are reusable pipettes placed?
a. In the discard pan, by removing the labels
b. In the sharps container, by sterilizing
c. In the jar, by putting their tips down
CONVERSATIONS
Conversation 1
For items 13-17, you will listen to a conversation between an assistant lecturer and a student. As
you listen, mark the alternatives that answer the questions or complete the statements. Before you
listen to the conversation, you will be given 60 seconds to look at the questions and the alternatives.
pre-teach: acquaint, ascertain, highlight
Mr. Davies : Yes? Come in.

Aslı : Excuse me, are you Mr. Davies? Dr. Williams’s assistant?
Mr. Davies : Hi. Yes. Can I help you?
Aslı : Yes, please, if you have time. I’m Aslı Sorgun, and I’ve signed up for the
Survey of English Literature 241, Section 4. I just wanted to get clear on the
grading system. I’m still not sure how it works.
Mr. Davies : Hi, Aslı. Sure. It’s pretty straightforward, really. After each lecture, we prepare
a short quiz on that material, and you take it at the beginning of the next lecture
period. It only takes about 10 minutes and it’s pretty simple – if you’ve taken
good notes and studied them a bit beforehand, no worries. There are 15 lectures,
so that’s 15 quizzes.
Aslı : And they’re part of our final grade, right?
Mr. Davies : Right. 1% each, or 15% for all 15 of them.
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Aslı : Each one’s only 1% of my grade? That doesn’t seem like much. Missing one
or two of them wouldn’t make much difference, would it?
Mr. Davies : Not really, no – but the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. They’re not
worth much individually because they’re very short and sweet – just to check
that you’ve been coming to class, really. But students who pass all 15 quizzes
earn a 5%, um, bonus for effort.
Aslı : Don’t our individual quiz scores count?
Mr. Davies : No, sorry. They’re just pass/fail quizzes.
Aslı : So, pass them all, and it’s 20% of my final grade?
Mr. Davies : That’s right.
Aslı : That sounds good.
Mr. Davies : And 60% are your mid-term and final exams.
Aslı : Are they short and sweet, too?
Mr. Davies : (laughs) No, I’m afraid not. They’re not like the quizzes. They’re one and a
half to two hours in length and require a good bit of writing in addition to the
objective questions. The midterm covers the first seven lectures, that is, the
Romantic and Victorian periods, from Wordsworth to Wilde. The final mainly
covers the 20th century and after, from Lecture Eight on.
Aslı : So first-half authors won’t be on the final?
Mr. Davies : That’s not what I said. I said it’s MAINLY on the second half of the course.
Professor Williams will be keeping you, uh, honest with a few questions about
British literature before the First World War, too.
Aslı : I see. And they’re 30-30?
Mr. Davies : Yes, 30% for the mid-term, 30% for the final, and up to 20% for the weekly
quizzes. And then up to 10% each for your essays.
Aslı : Erm....could you tell me something about what is expected with our essays?
There’re two of them, right?
Mr. Davies : Yes. You’re required to write two short critical essays on British authors of
your choice, and we’ll be looking carefully at your writing style and ability as
much as at the content of your essays.
Aslı : Should the first essay be about somebody in the first half’s material, and the
same for the second? Or can I choose any author in the syllabus?
Mr. Davies : Any author you like. The author you choose should have some relevance to
British literature. And if you can demonstrate that relevance clearly in four to
five typewritten pages, then you’ll have a good essay. But I can tell you that
we often like it when a student picks an author out of the mainstream –perhaps
a lesser-known writer that we haven’t been able to include in the lectures. Also,
it would be smart to choose ones that interest you. Papers that reflect some, um,
enthusiasm always turn out better.
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Aslı : Four to five pages for each essay? Ooh.
Mr. Davies : This is a university, uh, Aslı, not a high school. Now, you’ve got almost four
months to write eight to ten pages. You should be able to manage that.
Aslı : You’re right. Thanks for your help, Mr. Davies – I really appreciate it.
Adapted from http://www.english-test.net/toefl/listening/An_assistant_lecturer_talking_to_a_new_student.html
13. What is the purpose of this conversation?

a. To acquaint the student and the assistant lecturer with each other
b. To find out about the British authors that are being taught in a course
c. To ascertain the grading method of the course the student is taking
14. If the student passes all 15 quizzes, how much of her final grade will they
represent?
a. 10%
b. 15%
c. 20%
15. Which of the following is true about the exams?
a. The midterm exam will include the first eight chapters.
b. There will be questions on all chapters in the final exam.
c. The final exam will constitute 60% of the total grade.
16. Which of the following is false about the essays?
a. They should not be handwritten or less than four pages each.
b. Writing style and ability are as important as the content of the essay.
c. The authors should be chosen among the ones in the syllabus.
17. Why does Mr. Davies say “Papers that reflect some enthusiasm always turn out
better”?
a. To encourage her to choose an author she is interested in
b. To point out that unmotivated students fail to write papers
c. To highlight that interesting papers get the chance to be published
Conversation 2
For items 18-21, you will listen to a conversation between a student and an employee in the
accommodations office. As you listen, mark the alternatives that answer the questions or complete
the statements. Before you listen to the conversation, you will be given 60 seconds to look at the
Student : Hello, er... is this the accommodations office?

Officer : Yes, how can I help you?
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Student : Well, I’ve got a bit of a problem. I’m staying in the Godfrey White Dorm, and on
Monday, the warden came and told me that I have to move out this Thursday.
Officer : Really? How long have you been staying in the Godfrey White Dorm?
Student : For the last ten weeks.
Officer : Oh, have you been doing one of the summer courses here then?
Student : Yes, I’ve been doing the Academic Language course since the beginning of July.
Officer : And didn’t you realize that your accommodation was temporary?
Student : No, I thought I would be able to stay there for the whole year. I didn’t read the
small print on the document. The warden went through it with me, and now I see
my mistake.
Officer : Oh, dear. So, you’re looking for somewhere to stay then.
Student : Yes.
Officer : Well, I’m afraid all the places in the dorms are full. I mean, there may be some
students who don’t show up when the term starts, but we won’t know that for the
next couple of weeks. The best thing you can do is look for a private house. You’ll
have to share with three or four other students. Meals aren’t included in the price,
of course, as they are in the university dorms, and you’ll have to contribute to the
electricity bills.
Student : Where can I find out about these houses?
Officer : I’ve got a list here, but it’s not up to date. Rooms are taken up every day, so it’s
hard to know whether a house has a free place or not. I can give you a photocopy
of this list, and you can ring around.
Student : Can I use the phone here?
Officer : I’m afraid not! If we let everyone who asked do that, there’d be someone here all
day!
Student : Do you have a map? It’d be useful to know where these places are.
Officer : Yes, I can give you a map. This one’s got the bus routes on it, too, so you can find
out how easy it is to get from the house to the university.
Student : Great. And what if I can’t find a place before Thursday?
Officer : Well, the Kenton Hostel offers cheap beds. It’s located halfway between here and
the city center. You can get a bed in a shared room there, and you can also buy
cheap meals. But you should phone up and book a bed in advance. It’s very busy
this time of year. I’ll give you the number. Do you need a pen?
Student : No, don’t worry, I’ve got one.
Officer : So, the number’s 482 5903.
Student : 482 5903.
Officer : That’s right. Anything else I can help you with?
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Student : No, that’s everything. Thanks. Bye.
18. When is this conversation taking place?

a. At the end of July
b. Before the term starts
c. At the beginning of the summer school
19. Whose mistake was it that led to the problem?
a. The student’s.
b. The warden’s.
c. The dorm’s.
20. Where is the Kenton Hostel on the map?
University
City
B
C
a. A
b. B
c. C
21. Which of the following does the Kenton Hostel NOT provide?
a. Meals at a reasonable price
b. Ring service to the campus
c. Cheap beds in shared rooms
DISCUSSIONS
Discussion 1
For items 22-25, you will listen to a discussion among five students. As you listen, match each
student’s name with their social-media accounts. As you listen, match each student’s name with a
strategy they suggest. Some options may be used more than once; some options may not be used
at all. Before you listen to the discussion, you will be given 30 seconds to read the question and
the alternatives.
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Penny : Hey, Sheldon, I tried to WhatsApp you last night. But somehow my text wasn’t
delivered. You’ve wasted all your Internet package again? On those silly games?
Sheldon : Yeah. But not the games only, Penny. You know, I upload a lot of videos on my
YouTube channel. That uses up a lot of gigabytes. And the campus wifi wouldn’t
work.
Amy : I really don’t understand why you spend so much time and energy on YouTube.
That’s boring. I don’t even have an account.
Sheldon : Oh, Amy. You’re breaking my heart (pretends to cry, then laughs).
Penny : (chuckles) I couldn’t agree more, Amy. YouTube’s totally meaningless.
Leonard: Oh, come on. What do you know about YouTube? All you do is publish stories on
Instagram and Snapchat, Amy. And Penny is a fan of Instagram, too. With zillions
of followers and stuff.
Amy : Oh, Leonard! I can’t believe you are saying that! Because those stories are
temporary, you idiot! And every time I publish a story, I get a lot of interaction.
What am I? An old lady using Facebook to comment on family pictures? Gosh, I
hate that app. I’ll never use it. And Twitter is kind of nonsense to me. Don’t you
think so, Penny?
Penny : (Laughs) Yeah, I’m on Facebook, too, and I get a lot of comments from my uncles
and my granny all the time. I think I’ll have to restrict them. So I think Instagram
is much better, so I use it more. And to me, Snapchat is a waste of time. But Twitter
is the best.
Leonard: Well, Sheldon and I have never used Facebook or Snapchat, and we’re happy that
way. Just YouTube and Twitter. And that is just to get the news.
Sheldon : Hey, wait. I’m on Instagram, too. Maybe you should add me, girls. I have a lot of
cool photos from around the campus.
Penny : Okay, tell me your username, Sheldon, and I’ll add you.
Students Social-Media Account
22. Sheldon ___ b, c, d ___ a. Facebook

b. Instagram
23. Penny ___ a, b, c ___
c. Twitter
24. Leonard ___ c, d _____ d. YouTube
e. Snapchat
25. Amy ___ b, e _____
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Discussion 2
For items 26-29, you will listen to four students discussing their summer activities. As you listen,
match each student’s name with the type of holiday he or she had, and tick whether or not the
student is happy about it. Some options may be used more than once; some options may not be
Tom: Oh, hey, guys. So nice to see you again!

Brian: Hey, Tom! Great to see you, too. How was your holiday?
Tom: Well, it was supposed to be like one of those endless summer holidays like when
you were a kid, you know? Just walking around, watching some daytime TV,
seeing some old friends, staying in bed till noon… But inevitably, the more I hung
around the place, the more I realized how much I missed the campus.
Alice: Wow, I didn’t know you were so fond of the classes and the professors, Tom!
(laughs)
Tom: Yes, Alice. I didn’t know it, either. But, you know, I was so bored at my parents’
home that I found myself doing productive things. Before I knew it, I was digging
up the garden, or tidying my room. The only time I went out was to go to the
bookshop for something to read. By the end of the week, I was more disappointed
than I had been at the beginning.
Alice: So, I guess you won’t spend your next holiday with your parents, eh?
Tom: So much for that idea! In the future, I’ll make a point of getting away! (Chuckles)
How about you, Alice? What was your holiday like?
Alice: It was great. I first went to my parents’ home for two weeks. And then my best
friend and I decided to take a trip to a nearby town. And we found ourselves a great
place to stay at, from AirBnb, you know, the online home-renting site. Anyway, it
took two hours to get to the town and find the house. And ta-daa! The key was
waiting for us. We didn’t have to deal with anybody. No hanging around in airports,
no checking into hotels, no lugging baggage vast distances, no making a fool of
ourselves in another language. We just rolled up and let ourselves in. It had all the
home comforts, and more importantly, it was clean and tidy! Within three hours of
leaving home we were sitting at a pub by the riverside, beer in hand.
Brian: Oh, I’m so jealous! But my trip was great, too!
Tom: Good to hear that, Brian! Tell us about it. Was it worth all the effort?
Brian: Oh, I’m so glad I did it! I mean, it was hard work, getting up at the crack of dawn
so we could get well on the way before the heat of the afternoon. I don’t think I’ve
ever been so tired in my life! And my feet were killing me by the end of it! But it
was a brilliant way to meet people; not just tourists like me, but also the porters and
the guide. They opened our eyes to the cultural aspects of the trip, so that was an
added bonus. I’m glad I had them carry the tent for me. I’d never have made it
112
otherwise. It was such a brilliant feeling, though, when we finally made it there.
I’ll never forget it. What about you, Sharon? You went to Italy with your parents,
right?
Sharon: Well, yeah. To a small town near Rome, actually.
Brian: Uhm, you don’t sound impressed, do you?
Sharon: Not really. The place didn’t have a lot going for it, I mean it’s not really on the
main tourist trail, so it hasn’t got much in the way of culture. There were some
interesting buildings and some nice bars, but nothing special really. I wouldn’t
have liked to stay there any longer, because we’d run out of things to do by the end
of the second day. But the hotel was clean, the food was nice, I got the chance to
practice my language skills, and pick up some bargains. When I got back here, I
did feel as if I’d been away for longer, so it must be true what they say – a change
is as good as a rest. But now it’s back to the grindstone.
Adapted from https://www.examenglish.com/CAE/cae_listening4.htm
Student Happy Activity

YES NO
26. Alice X __c,d__ a) Went to a small town with parents
27. Tom X __c___ b) Went on a cultural trip
28. Brian X __b___ c) Spent time in parents’ home

d) Went on holiday with best friend
29. Sharon X __a___
LECTURES
Lecture 1
For items 30–34, you will listen to a lecture from a life sciences class. As you listen, mark the
Prof: Raise your hand if you’re right-handed. Yep, that looks typical. Most of us ‒ about ninety
percent ‒ are right-handed. It’s been that way throughout history. In ever...In nearly every culture,
the right has been associated with positive qualities, while the left has been associated with
negative, or even evil, ones. In Latin, left means “sinister.” In ancient Japan, men could reject, er,
refuse, to marry women who were left-handed. Um, in modern China, teachers try to force left-
handed students to learn to write with their right hands. And, as I’m sure all lefties know, everyday
items, like, can openers, uh, scissors, and uh, computer keyboards, are designed for righties. In
short, left-handers have been made to feel “left” out ... [pause]. Get it? (sound of groans).
113
It might seem straightforward to you and I, but scientifically speaking, the basis of handedness is
not well understood. Most scientists define right-handed or left-handed on the basis of a person’s
preferred writing hand. [Coughs] But some scientists claim it should be based on the hand that is,
um, faster and more accurate in performing manual activities, like tightening a screw or, uh, tying
a knot. Still others claim that ability doesn’t matter; in other words, that handedness should denote
only preference. Yes, question?
S1: What about people who are anti, um, ambi, uh...who use both hands?
P: You mean ambidextrous. Actually, most scientists agree that genuine ambidexterity is rare, and
several of them believe it even rates its own special category as a distinct type of handedness. Uh,
the reason for this is that most people can perform several functions relatively equally with either
hand, which causes another scientific faction to argue that there are actually only two types of
handedness ‒ right and non-right. This group advocates measuring handedness on a continuum,
from 100-percent right-handed to 100-percent left-handed. On this scale, we’d say something like,
“I’m 60-percent right-handed,” or “I’m eighty-two-point-five-percent right-handed” ‒ though how
we’d determine who’s more right-handed than another would open a whole new can of worms.
OK, um, yes?
S2: How do people become right-handed or left-handed in the first place? Does it come from your
genes?
P: Mostly, yes. Research shows that handedness is largely genetic. Er, interestingly, though, even
when both parents are left-handed, the odds are no better than 50-50 that their children will be
lefties. Some scientists believe there is a specific gene that determines right-handedness, but the,
uh, trouble is that they can’t pinpoint it. They think this gene also aids the development of speech
and language comprehension. Many researchers believe that handedness is a result of something
called brain lateralization, which is the, uh, concept that each hemisphere of the brain controls
different bodily functions. Researchers have long believed that a person’s dominant hand is on the
side opposite the brain hemisphere that controls their language specialization. So right-handed
people use the left half of their brain for processing language. But brain lateralization, is, um, not
well-documented, and there is evidence that seems to contradict this concept. For instance, while
it’s true that more than 90 percent of right-handed people do process language in their left
hemisphere, recent research shows that about 40 percent of left-handed people also process
language primarily in the left side of their brain. Additionally, only 10 percent of lefties rely
primarily on their right brain to process language.
So, um, what can we make of this? Though genetics clearly plays a vital role in determining
handedness, environment also seems to be a fac [false start] an important factor. A recent
archaeological study compared a group of modern Canadians with 1,000-year-old skeletons from
a British farming community. The Canadians showed right-handed dominance by a nine-to-one
ratio of larger right elbows than left ones. In the ancient skeletons, however, most right and left
elbows were equal. Now, this doesn’t prove that the British farmers were ambidextrous, but
researchers say it does suggest that handedness can be subject to societal influence. So for many,
the best hypothesis at this time is that handedness results from a complex interaction of nature and
nurture, which means it’s based on innate and learned factors together.
Adapted from http://www.english-test.net/toefl/listening/A_lecture_from_a_life_sciences_class.html
114
30. Why does the professor mention Japan and China?
a. In reference to an archaeological study
b. As examples of handedness prejudices
c. To counter a point about handedness genetics
31. What does the professor mean when he says, “... open a whole new can of worms”?
a. Determining the percentage of handedness will cause new problems.
b. It will be more difficult to determine left-handedness using this method.
c. Measuring handedness on a continuum isn’t applicable to the both-handed.
32. According to the professor, what is the problem with the concept of brain
lateralization?
a. It has been disproven by a recent scientific study.
b. It does not seem to apply to determining handedness.
c. The same part of the brain controls all bodily functions.
33. According to the lecture, the archaelogical study _____________.
a. was not conclusive
b. explained the ambidexterous nature of the British
c. showed handedness developed due to social factors
a. Handedness genetics
b. Right-handed dominance
c. The scientific basis of handedness
Lecture 2
For items 35–39, you will listen to a lecture by a professor of animal behavior. As you listen, mark
pre-teach: pattern
Professor: Good morning, class. It’s a beautiful spring day outside, isn’t it? We’ll soon be seeing
the first robin of spring – and so, it’s a perfect day to begin talking about migration. Migration is
the main strategy that animals have for avoiding adverse environments and taking advantage of
rich environments. Of course, there are other strategies, too – hibernation, for example – but far
and away the most common way for animals to escape poor conditions and get to better ones is by
migration – a mass journey from one place to the other.
Now there are all kinds of migrations, but the most familiar one is the sort that our robins will be
experiencing – a seasonal, latitudinal migration. In the fall, the birds fly south, and in the spring
they fly north again. In the southern hemisphere, of course, this works in the opposite direction. In
both hemispheres, migrants move toward the equator when the earth chills and toward the poles
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when it warms. This is the way that species have been able to colonize, to use those subpolar
resources that are seasonally difficult to access, that are unavailable to many living things for
half the year.
Birds are certainly the most conspicuous latitudinal migrants, and they’re also the most
awesome. Most famously, the Arctic Tern, which is a small seabird, migrates from one pole to
the other, all the way from the Arctic subpolar region to the Antarctic subpolar region – and
back again – annually. These birds travel roughly 70,000 kilometers a year!
Another kind of seasonal migration is altitudinal migration, which is where animals move
vertically rather than to a different region of the earth. They go up the mountain in the spring
and down it in the winter. The Dall Sheep of the American Rocky Mountains are good examples
of this. In the spring, they follow the melting snow up to higher elevations, where they can feed
on fresh plant growth and be safer from enemies, and then in the fall, when the snow begins to
cover the mountain tops, they work their way back down to lower areas that are free of snow
and more protected from the elements.
In regions with irregular climate patterns, some animals are nomadic ‒ that is, they just kind of
wander around from one area to another as, for instance, the rains bring fresh plant growth to
these different places. The gnus, antelopes and other grazing animals of east Africa do this,
wandering around the famous Serengeti Plain to where the grass is greenest.
Now most such migrations are undergone in search of food and water, but there are also
reproductive migrations, where the purpose is to find a habitat that is safe and secure for the
young. This accounts for the migration, for instance, of Grey Whales, who leave the food-rich
waters of the north Pacific and travel to the protected waters of the Gulf of California to give
birth.
Some animals, like our Arctic Tern, travel thousands of kilometers a year, and the most amazing
thing is that many of them arrive in very specific places, in almost the same place, year after
year. The Pacific salmon return after four or five years of wandering around the open ocean,
swim up the rivers they originally emerged from, and arrive back at the same little branch of
the same stream that they hatched in. How do animals do that, how do they navigate great
distances so accurately – and with just the right timing?
Well, the answers seem to be multiple. Some migrants just seem to follow coastlines and
mountain ranges and other landmarks ‒ which is what many of the North American songbirds
seem to do, following well-established ‘flyways’ down both coasts and along the Rocky
Mountains, and along the Mississippi River – and they either remember them, or they are
genetically programmed to recognize them, or more likely a bit of both. Other animals use their
other senses to help them get where they’re going. Research has revealed that our salmon are
able to recognize the fine differences in the composition and concentration of the waters flowing
from different sources, so that for the salmon, each little stream has its own unique flavor, and
they can follow that flavor all the way up the river to their birthplace.
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Other migrants have evidently evolved very sophisticated navigation systems that use the sun and
the stars, or use day length or polarized light, or even use the Earth’s magnetic field, as timers and
direction finders. Studies of loggerhead turtles, for instance, have shown that their hatchlings can
sense the strength and direction of this geomagnetic field and use it when they first go to sea to
follow the traditional routes of their parents.
But we still have a lot more to learn about these mechanisms, and about the evolution that has
created these ways of species success in a harsh world. The earliest recorded observations of
animal migration were over three thousand years ago, in the works of Aristotle and Hesiod, but we
have still just begun to fully understand the migratory urge.
Adapted from http://www.english-test.net/toefl/listening/A_university_lecture_by_a_professor_of_Animal_Behaviour.html
35. Why does the professor mention the weather at the beginning of his lecture?
a) To relax the students before his talk
b) To draw the students away from their textbooks
c) To direct the students’ attention to the topic
36. How has the professor organized his presentation of migration?
a) By pattern
b) By species
c) By distance
37. According to the lecture, what is the main difference between altitudinal and
latitudinal migration?
a) The length of the migration
b) The frequency of migration
c) The direction of migration
38. Based on the professor’s remarks, what does “nomadic” mean?
a) Wandering
b) Periodic
c) Regional
39. Which is not included as a method of animal navigation?
a) Sight
b) Smell
c) Taste
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PRACTICE IX
BRIEF TALKS
pre-teach: be accompanied by
Marine Biology, which is secondarily entitled the International Journal on Life in Oceans and
Coastal Waters, publishes original and internationally significant contributions from all fields of
marine biology. Special emphasis is given to articles that promote the understanding of life in the
sea, organism-environment interactions, interactions between organisms, and the functioning of
the marine biosphere. While original research articles are the backbone of Marine Biology, method
articles, reviews, and comments are also welcome, provided that they meet the same originality,
importance, and quality criteria as research articles. Articles of exceptional significance are
published as highlight articles. They are accompanied by an editorial comment, and they are
promoted in social media.
Adapted from https://link.springer.com/journal/227

a) To explain marine biology as a scientific field
b) To introduce a special journal on marine biology
c) To promote the understanding of life in the sea
The precursors of chess originated in India during the Gupta Empire, where its early form in the
6th century was known as chaturaṅga. The word can be translated as “four divisions (of the
military)”: infantry, cavalry, elephantry, and chariotry. These represented the pieces that would
evolve into the modern pawn, knight, bishop, and rook, respectively. Chess was introduced to
Persia from India and became a part of the princely or courtly education of Persian nobility. In
Sassanid Persia, around the year 600, the name became chatrang, which subsequently evolved to
shatranj, and the rules were developed further. Players started calling “Shāh!,” which was the
Persian word for “King!,” when attacking the opponent’s king. They also shouted “Shāh Māt!,”
which meant “the king is helpless” in Persian, when the king was attacked and could not escape
from attack. These exclamations persisted in chess as it traveled to other lands. In English, for
instance, the players say “check mate” when the king is not likely to escape the attack.
Adapted from https://www.chess.com/blog/jim_ostler/history-of-chess12

a) How each piece is used in chess
b) The historical roots of chess
c) The origins of the word “check mate”
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pre-teach: cognitive
The relationship between play and cognitive development is described differently in the two
theories of cognitive development that dominate early childhood education – Piaget’s and
Vygotsky’s. Piaget defined play as assimilation, or the child’s efforts to make environmental
stimuli match his or her own concepts. This theory holds that play is just for pleasure, and while it
allows children to practice things they have previously learned, it does not necessarily result in the
learning of new things. In other words, play reflects what the child has already learned but doesn’t
necessarily teach the child anything new. In contrast, Vygotskian theory states that play actually
facilitates cognitive development. Children not only practice what they already know, but they
also learn new things. Observations of children at play yield examples to support both Piagetian
and Vygotskian theories of play. A child who puts on a raincoat and a firefighter’s hat and rushes
to rescue his teddy bear from the pretend flames in his play house is practicing what he has
previously learned about fire fighters. This supports Piaget’s theory. On the other hand, a child in
the block center who announces to his teacher, “Look! When I put these two square blocks
together, I get a rectangle!” has constructed new knowledge through her play. This supports
Vygotsky’s theory.
Adapted from http://www.earlychildhoodnews.com/earlychildhood/article_view.aspx?ArticleID=240

a) To explain the role of play in children’s cognitive development
b) To compare the role of play in two educational theories
c) To discuss whether play is influential in early education
The conceptualization and production of electronic nose devices have improved since the early
1980s, and this has resulted in the creation of a remarkable new sector of sensor technology. Over
the past few decades, researchers and engineers have created increasingly sophisticated electronic
systems to detect and identify numerous odors, but why do we even need an e-nose? For one,
biological noses can become desensitized after exposure to a smell, adapting to it as a new baseline
of the environment. Therefore, they can be replaced with an objective electronic nose. This may
not only be useful in the development of new products but also for quality control in the
manufacturing environment. Another possible application of the electronic nose is in areas where
humans or dogs are currently used to identify smells. Dogs are commonly used to detect explosives
or contraband agricultural goods in airports. When it comes to artificial noses, there is no ethical
dilemma about exposing them to dangerous situations or toxic substances while detecting
explosives or nerve agents, or checking sewage-plant odors. Finally, e-nose instruments offer
potentially new, non-invasive, cost-effective approaches to clinical disease diagnosis. They can be
used to diagnose most pathological conditions through the chemical analysis of human biological
samples, such as breath, blood, urine, sweat, and skin.
Adapted from https://www.questia.com/magazine/1P3-2645602681/artificial-noses
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a. E-nose devices help to diagnose certain medical conditions.
b. E-nose products have created a new sector in sensor technology.
c. E-nose instruments may be used for diverse tasks.
pre-teach: reluctance, confront, abuse
Why do so many people comply with commands given by an authority figure when they feel
coerced? Social psychologist Stanley Milgram from Yale University had a famous study about
what is called “destructive obedience.” In his study, he researched the effect of authority on
obedience. He recruited subjects to act as teachers and told them that the experiment would
study the effects of punishment on learning ability. Teachers were asked to administer
increasingly severe electric shocks, ranging from 15 to 450 volts, to the “learner” when
questions were answered incorrectly. In reality, the learner did not get any electric shock; the
only electric shocks delivered in the experiment were single 45-volt shock samples given to
each teacher to make them feel it as real. What were the results? Well, some teachers refused
to continue with the shocks early on. This is the type of response Milgram expected as the norm.
But Milgram was shocked to find that these people were in the minority. In fact, 65% of the
teachers were willing to progress to the maximum voltage level. He concluded that people act
against their own better judgment and desires, and obey either out of fear or out of a desire to
appear cooperative. In everyday situations, people obey orders because they want to get
rewards, because they want to avoid the negative consequences of disobeying, and because they
believe an authority is legitimate. Milgram’s classic yet controversial experiment illustrates
people’s reluctance to confront those who abuse power.
Adapted from https://nature.berkeley.edu/ucce50/ag-labor/7article/article35.htm
https://www.simplypsychology.org/milgram.html
http://www.sparknotes.com/psychology/psych101/socialpsychology/section7.rhtml

a. People tend to obey orders from an authority for various reasons.
b. Milgram’s experiment on obedience is famous but controversial.
c. People who refused to obey Milgram’s command were in the minority.
ANNOUNCEMENT
For items 6-8, you will listen to a teacher’s announcement about a field trip. As you listen, mark
pre-teach: exhibit (n.)
Okay, now that we’ve finished the exercise, you can close your books. I have an announcement
before you leave. We have organized a field trip for the second-grade classes. So we will be
going to the Hands-on Children’s Museum in Olympia on Tuesday, February 28. There, you
will be able to see exhibits on art and science. We will leave the school at 8:50 am and arrive
at the museum around 9:30, and head back to the school around 12:30 pm. We will get there
with our own school bus. The cost is still not confirmed because we are waiting for the museum
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to apply a discount, but it should not be more than eight dollars. Now I’ll give you a form to be
signed by your parents. It must be turned in by Friday, February 17. We will not be accepting
late forms, so please make sure you get the permission slip signed and bring it back by then. If
you do not bring the signed form back, you will have to go to the school library while your
classmates are on their field trip.
Adapted from https://www.smore.com/b6vrc-field-trip-announcement?ref=lboard
6. What will the students do on the field trip?

a. Appreciate artistic and scientific displays
b. Have hands-on practice on art and science
c. Do experiments to combine art and science
7. How long will the trip last?
a. all day
b. all morning
c. all afternoon
8. Which of the following is false?
a. The deadline for the submission of forms is February 17.
b. Students are asked to bring $8 with the permission slip.
c. Students without the permission slips will go to the library.
INSTRUCTION
For item 9, you will listen to a professor in the chemistry department giving instructions to
students about the official procedure to follow to use the lab. Listen to the instructions and do
the related task. Before you listen to the instructions, you will be given 30 seconds to look at
the task.
pre-teach: concise
… and now if you wish to use the laboratory, our chemistry lab is accessible to users after
completing some formalities prior to use. At least 15 working days before the start date of your
experiment, you should provide information on the intended manipulations at the laboratory;
you can just give some relevant key-words or a brief description. In addition to this, give
detailed information on the chemicals, equipment, and consumables needed. Please be as
precise as possible in terms of the volumes and specifications required, like “15cl ethanol”
rather than “some ethanol.” Then, you need to fill out the “User Declaration Form for Use of
the Chemistry Lab,” and both doc format and pdf format are OK. This form has to be completed
and signed by one member of the affiliation, that is, the team working together, and then
submitted to the department secretary. Please indicate clearly on the form the period during
which you need the laboratory. Complete information is required before any access to the lab
can be authorized. If you are not called or e-mailed about your application within seven days,
you can contact Dr. Harald Müller, Head of Chemistry & Micro-Imaging Laboratories.
Adapted from http://www.esrf.eu/home/UsersAndScience/support-and-infrastructure/support-labs/ChemMicroLab/instructions-use-
chemistry-lab.html
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9. Tick the items that you have to do in order to be authorized access to the chemistry
lab.
( ) a. Give concise and detailed information about your experiment
( ) b. Give detailed information about the chemicals and their quantities √
( ) c. Fill out a form that is in either doc or pdf format √
( ) d. Specify the dates for your experiment on the form √
( ) e. Make sure all members of the affiliation sign the form
( ) f. Submit the form to the Head of Chemistry and Micro-Imaging Laboratories.
( ) g. Contact Dr. Müller if you don’t get a reply in a week √
CONVERSATION
Conversation 1
For items 10-13, you will listen to a conversation between a student and a university employee.
As you listen, mark the alternatives that answer the questions or complete the statements. Before
alternatives.
Student : Hi, I’m looking for someone who can help me with my identification card.
Employee : I can help you. What’s the problem? Is it not letting you into the buildings
anymore? You know, sometimes if you leave the card close to a magnet, the
card readers can’t read them.
Student : No, actually, I, um, seem to have misplaced my card somewhere. But I’m
almost sure that it’s in my room somewhere. I just don’t have the time to look
for it because I have a laboratory session all afternoon. So I was wondering if I
could have a temporary card or something until I find my own.
Employee : Oh, I’m sorry, but we can’t issue temporary cards. It’s just too risky to have
that many cards circulating around campus. Especially since we use them for so
many things. You use it to get into buildings, to eat at the cafeteria, and so on..
Anyway, we’ll just have to get you a new one.
Student : Oh, but I really don’t want to have to pay for a new one if I know that I haven’t
really lost mine.
Employee : I’m really sorry, but you’ll have to purchase a replacement. The bright side is
that if this is the first time you’ve had to replace your card, it will only cost you
five dollars. After that, it’s ten dollars if you have to replace it again.
Student : See, the thing is, I’ve already lost it twice. So it’s ten bucks. It just kills me.
And I know it’s not lost this time. It has to be somewhere in my room, but my
room is a mess right now, and I don’t have the time to clean it up so that I can
find my card.
Employee : To be honest, you don’t have much of a choice. Once a card is reported
missing, we are required by university policy to deactivate it. Really, it’s just
what we have to do to protect the students.
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Student : OK, I guess I can see that. What information do you need to deactivate it?
Employee : Just your name.
Student : It’s Olivia Bentham.
Employee : Let me just put that in the system here. OK, Ms. Bentham, your old card is now
deactivated. Now, let me just make you a new one, and you can be on your
way.
Student : Thanks. Um, so, it’s ten dollars.
Employee : That’s right. You can either pay in cash, or put it on your student account.
Student : I’ll pay for it now. My parents will freak if they find out I’ve lost it again.
Adapted from Developing Skills for the TOEFL IBT, Intermediate, 2nd ed., Edmunds, P., McKinnon, N., and Zeter, J. 2009.
10. What are the speakers mainly discussing?

a. The high cost of ID cards
b. How to replace a lost ID card
c. How to obtain a temporary ID card
11. Why can’t the student have a temporary ID card?
a. Because it is too expensive.
b. Because it may pose a security risk.
c. Because she has lost her ID too many times.
12. How does the student feel about purchasing a replacement?
a. Relieved
b. Pressured
c. Frustrated
13. What can be inferred about the student?
a. She is an untidy person.
b. She hasn’t lost her card before.
c. Her parents don’t give her much money.
Conversation 2
For items 14-17, you will listen to a conversation between a research professor and a student. As
you listen, mark the alternatives that answer the questions or complete the statements. Before you
listen to the conversation, you will be given 60 seconds to look at the questions and the alternatives.
Jack : I enjoyed your lecture today, Dr. Beech. See you.

Dr. Beech : Goodbye. Oh, Jack?
Jack : Yes, Professor?
Dr. Beech : Have you got a minute?
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Jack : Uh...sure. Have I done something?
Dr. Beech : (laughs) No, Jack. Not at all. You’re doing very well indeed in my class, and, uh,
I’ve noticed that you seem particularly interested in my research....
Jack : Thanks! Yes. It seems like fun to be working with primates. They’re very likable
animals, aren’t they? Very gentle, very smart.
Dr. Beech : Yes, they are, and it’s nice to be able to mix business and pleasure. But they do
take a lot of, well, looking after, to keep them healthy and happy. I’ve got an
assistant, Larry – you know him, I think, the student who brought Maisy and
Daisy into the classroom last month?
Jack : Oh, yes, I know Larry, Larry Easton. He’s getting his Master’s in Zoology, isn’t
he?
Dr. Beech : Yes, that’s right. And he’s graduating in June. So I was wondering if you might
be, be interested in, uh, taking over for him, taking his assistantship. Um, I don’t
know if you want to work, or need work, of course....
Jack : Oh! Uh, yes. Yes! That’s something I would really like to do, yes. Oh. But, uh....
Dr. Beech : But?
Jack : But...well, I guess I should find out a little bit more about it. I mean, the hours,
the, um, time involved, and, and... can I do the work? I don’t really know what it
all involves.
Dr. Beech : Well, now, it may not be as exciting as you think, I’m afraid, Jack. My research
assistant is mostly in charge of maintaining the laboratory animals ‒ preparing
their food, cleaning their quarters, uh, feeding and watering them, of course, and,
uh, just keeping an eye on things, you know ‒ making sure they’re healthy and
comfortable.
Jack : How many primates do you have in the lab?
Dr. Beech : Twelve right now. There are ten bushbabies and two aye-ayes. The aye-aye pair
are in one of the big cages, and the bushbabies are in the other two. One has a
family in it ‒ the mother and father and two babies ‒ and the other group are
unpaired juveniles, including Maisy and Daisy. Oh, and there’s a smaller cage
with Max, the old male I started with.
Jack : Well, gosh, it sounds easy enough, I suppose. I’ve had enough mice, hamsters,
guinea pigs, and rabbits over the years to know how to take care of mammals
pretty well, I think. At least basically. I wanted a capuchin monkey when I was
in high school, but Mother drew the line at that.
Dr. Beech : (laughs) Well, mothers can be that way.
Jack : What do they eat, anyway? Fruit?
Dr. Beech : Yes, fruits, mostly ‒ apples, grapes, pears ‒ and also some vegetables. Lettuce,
uh, carrots... we try different things sometimes. And they get mealworms for
snacks. Part of your job will be to pick up the fruit and vegetables from Campus
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Stores twice a week. And then you chop some of them up every morning. Larry’ll
show you how to do it.
Jack : What kind of hours are we talking about, Professor? And when during the day?
Dr. Beech : Well, student assistantships are limited to 15 hours a week ‒ university
regulations. The animals have to be tended every day, of course, but I’ll be
responsible for weekends and holidays. The main thing is that you’ll have to
come in before classes, in the early morning, say about 7 or 7:30, and, uh, spend
an hour or an hour-and-a-half cleaning the cages ‒ throwing out the old straw and
laying down fresh straw, uh, washing the food bowls and giving them fresh water.
And then preparing their food and giving it to them. It’s a simple routine, really,
when you get used to it.
Jack : OK.
Dr. Beech : And then, I’d like you to be sure to stop by again in the late afternoons, sometime
between, oh, 4 and 7? To check them, check their water, and give them a bit more
fruit and their mealworms. Would you be able to do all that?
Jack : Sure, that sounds fine. My class load’s not so heavy now that I’m in third year.
I’m sure I can arrange my class schedule around that.
Dr. Beech : OK, then, I’ll talk to Larry, and we’ll see when we can get together, the three of
us, and set up some time for you to start learning the routine. And I’ll get the
paperwork rolling tomorrow. You’ll learn about the payment then.
Jack : Thanks very much, Professor. Thank you for thinking of me.
Dr. Beech : And thank you, Jack. I know I’ll be able to rely on you. Taking care of animals
requires a strong sense of responsibility, and I think you’ve got that. Next class,
we’ll set up a meeting time, OK?
Jack : OK. Thanks again! See you.
Dr. Beech : See you, Jack.

test.net/toefl/listening/A_conversation_between_a_research_professor_and_a_student.html#TOEFL_Listening_Comprehension
14. What is the purpose of this conversation?

a. To arrange a maintenance schedule
b. To ensure continued animal research
c. To offer the student an assistantship
15. What can you infer about the student’s attitude towards animals?
a. He really loves looking after all kinds of animals.
b. His mother made him take care of the pets at home.
c. He likes pets in general, except for mice and hamsters.
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16. When will the student have to work in the lab?
a. in the mornings, except on weekends and holidays
b. in the late afternoons, from Monday to Friday
c. in the mornings and afternoons on school days
17. How does the professor characterize the assistantship?
a. Exciting.
b. Well-paid.
c. Responsible.
DISCUSSION
For items 18-21, you will listen to a discussion among four students and a professor. As you listen,
match each student’s name with their presentation parts and roles. As you listen, match each
student’s name with a strategy they suggest. Some options may be used more than once; some
pre-teach: elaborate on stg.
Professor : OK, everyone, good morning to you all. Is everyone here? Paula, Simon,
Georgia, and Yoko... Fine. Where’s David?
Yoko : Yes, professor. Everyone’s here. But uhm... David is not in our group. He
changed his presentation topic.
Professor : OK, Yoko. You’re the team leader. Now, tell me how you have shared the
presentation parts.
Yoko : Well, I’ll start the presentation with some background information. I’ll talk
about the historic development of postmodernism, its origins, and I’ll mention
some of the pioneering figures, like Barthes, Baudrillard, and Derrida.
Professor : Uhm, okay. You’re not mentioning the later generation? Like Bourdieu or
Judith Butler?
Georgia : Actually, I’ll be talking about them, professor.
Professor : Oh, yes, Georgia, can you elaborate on this a bit, please?
Georgia : I’ll focus on how Bourdieu formulates his postmodern thinking. I’ll also
concentrate on his idea that... uhm... that sociologists must always be aware of
their internalized social subjectivities and how these may affect the objectivity
of their research. I’ll also talk about Butler and gender performativity.
Professor : Good point, Georgia. Seems you have done quite a lot of research. Well-done.
Okay, what about the rest? Paula? Simon?
Paula : Well, I’m going to compare postmodernism and modernism, professor. I’ll
present the main points through slides, and then I’ll summarize the key
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contrasting points in an interactive manner. And Simon is going to... Uhm...
What was your part about, Simon?
Simon : Ehm... My part consists of examples from art, architecture, and literature in
both modernism and postmodernism. I will show a lot of pictures.
Professor : Good, good. I see that you’re all set. So, when are you going to give me an
outline?
Yoko : We could do it right away, professor.
Professor : Uhm, okay. So, let’s say Monday by 10:00. Bring me the print-out version of
your outlines.
Students Presentation Parts and Roles

a. Background information
18. Simon _____c_____ b. Team leader
19. Yoko ___a, b, f ___ c. Examples from art, architecture, and
literature
20. Paula _____e______ d. Bourdieu and Butler
21. Georgia _____d______ e. Contrasts between modernism and
postmodernism
f. Barthes, Baudrillard, and Derrida
LECTURES
Lecture 1
For items 22–25, you will listen to part of a lecture in a physical science class. As you listen, mark
The Little Ice Age, or L-I-A for short, was a period of climatic and social upheaval in the northern
hemisphere that brought severe winters and bad, er, unpredictable weather to many parts of the
world, particularly Northern Europe. People [false start] scientists disagree on the LIA’s precise
beginning and ending dates, but unusual weather has been documented from the early 1300s to the
mid-1800s, and it made significant impacts on agriculture, economics, um, health, and, uh, politics,
and produced weather phenomena that have not been experienced since. London’s Thames River
in London froze twice, for example, in 1607 and 1814, and in 1780, the entire New York harbor
became frozen. People could actually walk from Staten Island to Manhattan!
The weather changes began about, oh, 1250, when icepacks in the North Atlantic Ocean and
glaciers in Greenland began spreading south. In 1300, summers in Northern Europe began growing
colder, and in 1315, three years of steady rains led to a European famine. Then, about 1550,
glaciers throughout the world began to grow, er, expand, and in 16 – uh, 1650, the worldwide
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temperature dropped to a record low. This was the first of three times it would do so between then
and 1850, which is generally considered the end of the LIA. What caused these dramatic climate
changes? Scientists aren’t sure. But during the LIA time period, they have noted significantly
decreased sunspot activity and an increased number of volcanic eruptions. Volcanoes emit ash that
blocks sun radiation and can cool subsequent worldwide temperatures for as long as two years. A
good example is the 1815 eruption of a volcano in Indonesia. The following year, 1816, is still
called “the year without a summer.”
OK. So whatever the cause, the cold winters and damp summers seriously hindered agricultural
production in Northern Europe, as one might expect. At the coldest points of the LIA, the growing
season in England was shortened by one to two months. Now, at that time, this had a profound
impact, because growers lacked the...they lacked the versatile seeds we have today, which can
withstand harsher weather. We have some evidence that before the LIA, England rivaled France
for wine production. But the, uh, plummeting temperatures of the 1400s inhibited the growth of
grapes, which eventually wiped out vineyards in the British Isles. During the LIA, farms in the
extreme northern countries, such as, um, Sweden and Norway, remained buried in snow well into
spring, and this affected not only the crops but also the livestock. In France, a failed crop harvest
in 17 – I’m sorry, 1693 – resulted in a famine that killed millions of people. This was the second
famine attributed to the LIA. Economically, the events sparked by the LIA, such as storms, glacier
growth, and famines, destroyed farms and depleted fisheries. This in turn led to decreased tax
revenues. It even affected one of the wealthiest men in the world – the Archbishop of Salzburg.
When glaciers expanded in the Austrian Alps, they buried his gold mines. Ah, poor soul!
So, although the agricultural and economic consequences of the LIA were severe indeed, the most
serious impact was on human health. It completely wiped out one entire Northern European group
during the 1400s – the Greenland Vikings – because they couldn’t grow enough food to survive.
The population of Iceland was halved, perhaps due to disease caused by a volcanic eruption there
in 1783. The suddenly damp summers caused grain to develop a fungus called ergot blight. This
produced a disease, called Saint Anthony’s Fire. This disease caused convulsions, gangrene, and
even death. Um, in addition, general malnutrition during the LIA weakened people’s immune
systems, leaving them vulnerable to a variety of diseases, including the Bubonic Plague, which
killed about 25 million Europeans in the mid-1300s, as well as outbreaks of influenza and, uh,
malaria in England, where the death rate was greater than the birth rate for most of the 1550s.
Can you imagine that? People were dying faster than they were being born, the skies were dark,
food was scarce. It must have seemed like the end of the world. So, it might not be surprising that
those who survived the worsening climate of the LIA became more and more desperate, and began
to demonstrate in a series of public outbursts. Residents of the Scottish highlands raided lowland
cattle, killing King James I in 1436 while the king was hunting at the boundary of the Highland
region. In the bitterly cold winter of 1709, which killed lots of people in France, citizens in many
cities rioted to stop merchants from selling off the precious remaining wheat that they had. Some
historians attribute one of the world’s most famous quotations partially to the effects of the LIA.
In 17 eighty [pause] eight, yeah 1788, northern France suffered a severe winter followed by an
unusually hot summer and a July hailstorm, which all caused a decrease in the grain harvest. This
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led to demonstrations – riots, in fact – the following year due to lack of bread. And it was during
these riots that Queen Marie Antoinette allegedly said, “Let them eat cake,” the words that helped
precipitate the French Revolution.
Well, at any rate, in the mid-1800s, the climate in the Northern Hemisphere began warming again,
and it’s been getting steadily hotter to this day. New evidence suggests that the Little Ice Age,
whatever year it began, ended abruptly, perhaps within as few as 10 years. In its place comes a
new concern: climate changes caused by global warming.
Adapted from http://www.english-test.net/toefl/listening/A_lecture_from_a_physical_science_class.html
22. Why does the lecturer mention New York Harbor?

a. To exemplify the LIA’s impact on global climate
b. To exemplify the LIA’s impact on world politics
c. To exemplify the LIA’s impact on social life
23. According to the professor, what area did the LIA have the greatest impact upon?
a. Agricultural production
b. Economic activities
c. Human health
24. The French people rioted in the early 1700s because ________________.
a. they were suffering from a shortage of wheat
b. they were against Queen Marie Antoinette
c. many of them were dying of the Bubonic Plague
25. What is true about the LIA?
a. It ended gradually.
b. Its exact duration is unknown.
c. It affected the southern hemisphere.
Lecture 2
For items 26–30, you will listen to part of a lecture by a professor of Art. As you listen, mark the
pre-teach: scratch, scrawl

I noticed on my way to class today that someone has spray-painted an image of our school mascot
– you know, a wolverine – with the slogan “Go Wolverines!” on the wall of the Student Union.
Have any of you seen that yet? I guess they’re just expressing their enthusiasm for the football
season. It’s not a very artistic effort, but it is a perfect example of the kind of modern art I want to
talk about today: graffiti.
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Of course, graffiti is not modern at all. The earliest known examples are around 2,000 years old.
When Mount Vesuvius buried the Roman city of Pompeii under lava during its eruption in 79 AD,
it preserved all kinds of graffiti, or wall messages – magic spells, curses, declarations of love,
political slogans, literary quotations, all sorts of messages – just like our modern graffiti. The
Mayans scrawled sayings on their temples in Guatemala. The Vikings scratched their initials on
New Grange Mound in Ireland. And the Vandals carved runes on the Hagia Sophia in
Constantinople. So defacing, or spoiling, public property with graffiti has been a universally
popular pastime since the world’s earliest history.
Actually, we could go a lot further back into prehistory for examples, to the famous cave paintings
of Lascaux, for instance, but these probably don’t fit the definition, since a main characteristic of
graffiti is that it’s drawn or written on someone else’s property without permission, and
consequently with some haste! By definition, graffiti – the singular is “graffito”– is the name for
lettering or images that are illegally scrawled, scratched, sprayed, or painted in any way on
property. Nowadays, there are four general sorts of graffiti: gang graffiti, socio-political graffiti,
expressive or humorous graffiti, and public art.
Gang graffiti appeared after World War Two, when our cities were getting much bigger, and the
social stresses and strains of urban living led to the rise of urban gangs – groups of boys and young
men who lived in different parts of a city, and who marked their territories, or “tagged” them, with
identifying signs and logos painted on boundary walls and buildings to warn other gangs away.
And these days, you can see a lot of political graffiti just by watching the evening news from the
Middle East or other areas of conflict. On the buildings in the background, you can see slogans
calling for “Liberty” or “Free Speech” or “Jihad” or other social changes. In the US, in the late
sixties, “Free Huey” was a widespread urban graffito that called for the release of Huey Newton,
a member of the Black Panthers, which was an African-American revolutionary organization. He’d
been unjustly imprisoned for murder, but he was later released.
You can also find humorous, expressive, generally harmless graffiti in the toilet stalls of any bar
or college campus. “Kilroy was here” – “What, me worry?” – “Make love, not war.” Dozens of
these old chestnuts, along with many new and imaginative comments, adorn our public lavatories
– people just expressing themselves, and often in very funny ways.
All of these kinds of graffiti are very interesting as artifacts of human nature, and ancient graffiti
can tell anthropologists a lot about daily life in earlier times. Mistakes in grammar or spelling can
tell us something about the level of literacy in ancient cultures, and Roman graffiti has also helped
us determine the pronunciation of spoken Latin, for instance. Old graffiti can also help us piece
together history. “Signature Rock,” for example, a national landmark on the Oregon Trail, records
the names and dates of many of the early pioneers that passed along that route into the American
West.
But for me, what is most heartening is how some of the creations of these “writers,” as they are
called, have risen to the level of art, of public art. They have grown beyond the simple “bubble”
lettering and the sometimes crude expressions, and they have made a greater statement about life
and about people and about the world. Although the designs may be more influenced by the need
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for speed in executing them, they are also often distinctive and memorable, and some of their
writers are now recognized, respected muralists. Unfortunately, once he’s given a canvas to work
on and once he’s paid for his effort, the writer no longer qualifies to be called a graffiti “writer” –
he’s now an Artist.
Adapted from http://www.english-test.net/toefl/listening/A_lecture_by_a_professor_of_Art.html#TOEFL_Listening_Comprehension
26. Why does the professor mention the school mascot at the beginning of his talk?
a. To define the word “graffiti”
b. To introduce his topic “graffiti”
c. To warn students against an illegal act
27. Lascaux cave paintings don’t qualify as graffiti because ___________________.
a. they are simple prehistoric illustrations
b. they don’t have characteristic scratches or scrawls
c. they were painted by the cave’s inhabitants.
28. According to the lecture, which probably contributed most to the appearance of
gang graffiti?
a. Urban stress
b. Aerosal spray paint
c. Financial problems
29. Who was Huey Newton?
a. A writer
b. A political activist
c. A gang member
30. How does the lecturer organize the types of graffiti?
a. By function
b. By technique
c. By chronology
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PRACTICE X
BRIEF TALKS
pre-teach: endowed with, release
Quite often in the modern world, young animals are removed from their parents and sent into
captivity. This is largely justified on the basis that these animals do not feel and suffer as we
humans do. But, actually, humans have these emotions because other animals do as well. That is
to say, humans are not the only beings endowed with feelings. Recent research has also proven
this. Brain science, evolutionary biology, and behavioral science now show that elephants,
humans, and many other animals share a near-identical nervous system. Therefore, they are likely
to experience near-identical basic emotions. For example, human and elephant brains may release
the same chemicals that create mood and motivation in us. We are all mammals, and under the
skin we are of the same origin.
Adapted from https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2017/oct/11/elephants-animal-welfare-why-do-we-deny-ignore-feelings-other-species
1. What is the main idea of talk?

a) Animals have similar emotions and brain chemicals to those in humans.
b) Young animals do not feel and suffer as much as adult animals or humans.
c) Emotions that are related to mood and motivation are caused by brain chemicals.
At the turn of the 20th century, literature in the English-speaking world, mainly in Europe and
North America, saw a great change in style and diction. Known as literary modernism, or
modernist literature, this new approach was characterized by a very self-conscious break with
traditional ways of writing, in both poetry and prose fiction. Modernists experimented with literary
form and expression, and were influenced by such thinkers as Sigmund Freud and Karl Marx.
Early modernist writers, especially those writing after World War I, broke away from the traditions
that preceded them. They instead developed unreliable narrators, exposing the irrationality at the
roots of a supposedly rational world. From this developed such innovative literary techniques as
stream-of-consciousness, interior monologue, as well as the use of multiple points-of-view. The
aim was to reflect doubts about the philosophical basis of realism, or, alternatively, an expansion
of our understanding of what was meant by realism.
Adapted from https://en.wikipedia.org/index.php?q=aHR0cHM6Ly9lbi53aWtpcGVkaWEub3JnL3dpa2kvTGl0ZXJhcnlfbW9kZXJuaXNt
2. What is the purpose of the speaker?

a) To convince the audience of the necessity of change in literature
b) To provide exemplary writers from modern literature
c) To inform the audience of a past trend in literature
132
When I say “Harry Potter,” I can see many young people’s eyes are shining like diamonds. But
what are the most important elements that made Harry Potter so wildly able to make everyone
excited? One suggestion is that it is because young people got an escape from the real world to a
fictional one thanks to Harry Potter: From a world filled with school and responsibilities, to one
where they were wizards and witches and could do almost everything. Some others suggest that it
is successful because it appeals to everyone, from all ages. In a way, Harry Potter offers a way of
accomplishing the impossible: The story of a boy who lived under the cupboard, growing up to be
famous and strong and a wonderful person. It is the story of just about any little boy/girl that was
bullied in primary school. But suddenly, during a summer break, that boy/girl discovers that he or
she has a knack for playing football. Each major character, at the beginning, is a nobody, but then
discovers something special about himself or herself. Harry, for example, is a tiny, bespectacled
guy, maltreated by his adoptive uncle and aunt; Ron is the second youngest of seven brothers and
sisters with no particular talent and comes from a poor family. Later, as the story develops,
however, all characters turn out to become unique heroes. This is what attracts so many people to
Harry’s world because it is based on a core element in our most basic fantasies and dreams. After
all, everyone wants to be special because of the human need to be understood and appreciated.
Adapted from https://www.quora.com/What-are-the-most-important-elements-that-made-Harry-Potter-so-wildly-successful

a) To give examples from characters in Harry Potter
b) To discuss the reality of the fantastic world of Harry Potter
c) To analyze the reasons why Harry Potter is so successful
From SIRI to self-driving cars, artificial intelligence is progressing rapidly. While science fiction
often portrays artificial intelligence, or AI, as robots with human-like characteristics, AI can
encompass anything from Google’s search algorithms to autonomous weapons. Most researchers
agree that a super-intelligent AI is unlikely to exhibit human emotions like love or hate. And they
say there is no reason to expect AI to become intentionally good or evil. But when considering
how AI might become a risk, experts think two scenarios most likely. The first scenario is that the
AI is programmed to do something devastating: Autonomous weapons are artificial intelligence
systems that are programmed to kill. In the hands of the wrong person, these weapons could easily
cause mass casualties. The second scenario is based on the idea of failure of human control. The
AI is programmed to do something beneficial, but it develops a destructive method for achieving
its goal: This can happen whenever we fail to fully align the AI’s goals with ours, which is
strikingly difficult. For example, if you ask an obedient intelligent car to take you to the airport as
fast as possible, it might get you there chased by helicopters and covered in vomit, doing not what
you wanted but literally what you asked for.
Adapted from https://futureoflife.org/background/benefits-risks-of-artificial-intelligence/

a) How AI can turn into a threat
b) Whether humans can control AI
c) Whether AI can replace humans
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pre-teach: collaboration
For a long time, heritage has been associated with positive and productive values: the construction
of ideas of community and nation, and even international identities. During the last decade and a
half, however, there has been a growing concern with the legacies of violence, the product of a
hundred years of global, civil, and ethnic wars, genocides, colonialism, and dictatorship. This is a
fast-growing subfield in heritage studies and the deployment of heritage consumption. A variety
of descriptors have been proposed: negative, dissonant, painful, dark, and difficult. In parallel,
archaeologists and heritage practitioners have been paying closer attention to the conflicts that
emerge in cases of apparently peaceful heritage. Yet, our concern will be none of these here. We
will focus on heritage that is directly associated with violence.
Adapted from “Heritage and Violence” by Alfredo González-Ruibal and Martin Hall
5. The speaker’s next point will be related to ____________.

a) peaceful heritages and conflicts arising from them
b) the collaboration of archaeologists and heritage practitioners
c) the direct relationship between heritage and violence
ANNOUNCEMENT
For items 6 and 7, you will listen to a voice message from the academic advisor of the Biomedical
Engineering Society in your group chat. As you listen, mark the alternatives that answer the
questions or complete the statements. Before you listen to the announcement, you will be given 30
I am so sorry, but I have just received an e-mail from the Biology Department. They say that they
have inadvertently forgotten to tell me there will be a departmental meeting at 4 this afternoon,
which will last until 7:30, so just for this week they cannot let us use the seminar room for our
regular weekly meeting. I have phoned the secretary and asked whether they could arrange us
another room, but for now it seems impossible. I have also called the Chemistry Department for
their seminar room, and, unfortunately, they are unable to accommodate us at the last minute.
Sincere apologies, but our meet-up at 5 today is cancelled. See you next Wednesday! Hope it won’t
put you off coming!!
6. When will the Biomedical Engineering Society meet again?

a. At 4 pm that day.
b. At 4 pm next Wednesday.
c. At 5 pm next Wednesday.
7. Where will they meet?
a. In a classroom in the Biology Department.
b. In the seminar room in the Biology Department.
c. In the seminar room in the Chemistry Department.
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INSTRUCTION
For items 8 and 9, you will listen to an assistant in the computer lab giving instructions to a student
about the registration procedure. As you listen, mark the alternatives that answer the questions or
complete the statements. Before you listen to the instructions, you will be given 30 seconds to look
at the questions and the alternatives.
Student : Good morning, sir. I just enrolled in this university, and I was told that I have to
register for courses on the Internet. Can I do it here?
Assistant : Sure. This computer lab is for student use.
Student : Thanks. And one more thing, I just don’t know how to complete this web
registration. Could you help me, please?
Assistant : Well, since you are new here, you don’t have an active USC e-mail account, do
you?
Student : Actually, no. I was given a student ID number and an ID card during the
enrollment process, but no e-mail address.
Assistant : That’s OK. It is not compulsory to have an e-mail to access web registration. Why
don’t you use this computer here, and I’ll tell you how to do it.
Student : Great.
Assistant : Go to the university’s homepage, University of Southern California homepage…
Then, select Registration from the Popular Links menu at the top… In the login
window that appears, enter your USC ID, which is your 10-digit student number.
Enter your PIN. This is initially your date of birth in MMDDYY format. After
your first login, the system will prompt you to choose an eight-character,
alphanumeric password. Then, you should click the Enter button. Now, you are
on the registration page, and let me briefly explain what you are going to do next.
Select the term you wish to access by clicking the appropriate button. Click on the
Academic tab to find the link for the department you would like to browse and
view the courses offered. To register for a course there, click on the Add to
myCourseBin button, then click on the Add This Class button and finally don’t
forget to click Submit at the bottom of the page to finalize your registration.
Student : Thank you.
Adapted from https://arr.usc.edu/services/registration/webregistration.html
8. Which of the following is necessary for web registration?

a. An active USC e-mail account
b. A 10-digit USC student ID number
c. An eight-character, alphanumeric password
9. Which of the following is false for course registration?
a. You can view the courses of a department via its link in the “Academic” tab.
b. You can register for a course by clicking on the “Add this Class” button.
c. You have to complete registration by pressing Submit at the top of the page.
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CONVERSATIONS
Conversation 1
For items 10-13, you will listen to a conversation between a bookstore sales clerk and a student.
alternatives.
pre-teach: crest
Clerk : Can I help you? Are you looking for something in particular?
Student : Yes, well... First I’m looking for the foreign language section.
Clerk : Oh, it’s right down here. Here we are. “Foreign Languages.” What course are you
taking?
Student : Spanish Four Thirty-one.
Clerk : You need the Intermediate Spanish textbook?
Student : No, I still have that from Three Thirty-one. What I’m looking for is the novel we’re
supposed to read: Garcia Marquez’s ‘Cien años de soledad’ – ‘One Hundred Years
of Solitude’.
Clerk : ‘Garcia Marquez,’ ‘Garcia Marquez.’ Hmm. No... Oh, here it is, under ‘Marquez.’
Here you are.
Student : Eighteen dollars? The price is right, but, erm, it’s just the text. There don’t seem to
be any footnotes or any glossary.
Clerk : Ah.
Student : This is the only edition you have?
Clerk : Yes, it is. Sorry.
Student : Hmm. How many copies do you have left? Just those on the shelf?
Clerk : Yes, uh, four ‒ no, five copies.
Student : Jeez, those’ll be gone by Friday for sure. Our class is really full. What’s your
returns policy? Would it be OK if I bought this now, and then returned it if I can
find an annotated edition on the Internet?
Clerk : Yes, certainly. But you’ll need to keep your receipt, of course, and be sure that the
book is not marked up or damaged in any way.
Student : Sure, that’s fair enough.
Clerk : Did you want me to check whether we can find you another edition?
Student : I don’t think I have time. It usually takes so long to get a book through a bookstore.
Clerk : (laughs) Unfortunately, that’s often true.
Student : Thanks anyway. I’ll take this then, and say ‒ you have, uh, sweatshirts, don’t you?
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Clerk : Sweatshirts? Yes, in the ‘School Spirit’ section. Over this way. And down here.
Um. Here you are.
Student : Ah. Yes. Hmm....that’s not much of a school crest.
Clerk : Oh. (laughs) There’s a bigger one on the back, see?
Student : Oh, yeah, of course. I see. Uh, this is a medium. I need a large, and uh...I think...in
green.
Clerk : Medium, medium...here, is this a large? Yes, large. Here you go.
Student : Yeah, that’s good. Say, do you know what our motto means, anyway ‘In Caelum
Ascende’?
Clerk : It is originally a Latin one, meaning “Rise to the heavens” or “Aim high.” It’s been
our school’s motto since it was founded in 1956. And this crest is a shield in
emerald green, with a lion and three birds on it, each of a different kind.
Student : Why is that?
Clerk : Lions and birds together on a green background… As far as I know, the idea was
that, when the school was first established, they wanted to contribute to the
environment, so they planted lots of trees, for a green environment. And a lion
represents power and strength, and the birds are related to height and freedom, I
guess, so if you are determined and if you try hard, you will succeed, and this will
make you an independent person.
Student : Huh. That’s really interesting. I’ll wear it with pride – and hope for some of that
determination! How much is this?
Clerk : $34.95 plus tax.
Student : Fine. Uh, what else do I need now? Mmm.... I guess that’s it, then: the sweatshirt
and the book.
Clerk : And there’s no tax on the book.
Student : Where’s your register?
Clerk : Just take them up to the cashier at the front, please. Over there.
Student : Oh, OK. Thanks a lot for your help.
Clerk : Thank you. Have a nice day.

test.net/toefl/listening/A_conversation_between_a_bookstore_sales_clerk_and_a_student.html#TOEFL_Listening_Comprehension
10. What is the student’s purpose in coming here?

a. To pick up a novel
b. To fulfill a course requirement
c. To try on school wear and get a textbook
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11. Why does the student decline the clerk’s offer to order a book?
a. Because it is more expensive.
b. Because he has to wait too long.
c. Because it is another edition.
12. Which of the following is true according to the conversation?
a. The student asks for a medium-sized sweatshirt.
b. The school’s motto hasn’t changed since 1956.
c. The school crest represents the love for animals.
13. What will the student probably do after this?
a. Search an online bookstore
b. Pay the tax on the book
c. Ask the cashier to find another edition
Conversation 2
For items 14-17, you will listen to a conversation in a professor’s office between a professor and
a student. As you listen, mark the alternatives that answer the questions or complete the statements.
Before you listen to the conversation, you will be given 60 seconds to look at the questions and
the alternatives.
pre-teach: compassionate, stick to
Professor : Good afternoon, Mr. Pennington. You are in my, um, American History 201
class, right? How can I help you today?
Student : It’s about my term paper. I, uh, I know it’s due next Monday, but, um, I was
hoping...I don’t think I can get it done by then. Could I please turn it in by the
end of next week instead? I have a really good excuse.
Professor : Oh, I’m sure you do! [chuckles]. I’ve been teaching for 33 years. Do you know
how many excuses I’ve heard? “My dog ate my paper.” “My roommate had a
party, so I couldn’t concentrate.” “I have seven papers due on the same day!” “I
went home to see my parents, and my car broke down.” My favorite was a student
who told me she “forgot” all about her term paper until the day before it was due.
It’s amazing she remembered to come to class.
Student : [Laughs nervously] I didn’t forget, sir. I’ve been working on the paper, really!
Here, I brought my outline and a rough draft. It’s, um, just that...well, a lot of
things have been going on in my life, and I’m having trouble managing things.
Professor : I see. You know, I assigned that paper four weeks ago, and I’ve been reminding
students about it in each class. So, tell me your story. What’s happening in your
life?
Student : First, about two weeks ago, my roommate found out his mother is real sick. She
has breast cancer. So he’s been really upset, and, uh, I went home with him for a
couple of days to see his mom. That caused me to miss biology lab, and I have a
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huge biology final coming up on Tuesday that I really need to study for this
weekend. Then I got the flu last week, and missed a day of class. I tried to work
on your paper that day, but I really felt horrible...
Professor : OK, I can understand that. I’m glad that you’re, er, helping your roommate
through a tough time. That’s more important than school work. But all this seems
to have happened recently. What about the two weeks after I first assigned the
term paper?
Student : I, uh [sheepishly]...I guess I didn’t use that time very well. I kind of put off getting
started on it.
Professor : [Sighs]. Yes, you did. You know, if I had a dollar for every time I’ve heard a
student say that...
Student : I’m sorry, Professor Dalton. I’ve learned my lesson. If I had spent just a little bit
of time each week on the paper, I could have had it done on time. Now I know
that I need to plan for unexpected things.
Professor : You seem like a bright, conscientious young man, Mr...your first name’s Jack,
isn’t it? When I was a young student, an upperclassman gave me some advice
that I’ve never forgotten. He said, “You’re going to find yourself with a lot of
small gaps during school days ‒ 15 minutes, or half an hour. What you do during
those gaps will make a big difference in how successful you are.”
Student : Wow! That’s great advice.
Professor : Yeah, I thought so. And I still do. So I’ll tell you what. You can turn your paper
in no later than 9 AM, Friday, right here on my office desk. In exchange for this
favor, I want you to pass that advice on to all your friends and dorm mates.
Student : Thank you, Professor Dalton! You bet I will.
Professor : Um, as long as you’re here, let me take a peek at your outline and rough draft.
Do you have any questions about the paper that I can help you with?
Adapted from http://www.english-test.net/toefl/listening/A_conversation_in_a_professors_office_between_a_professor_and_a_student.html
14. Why does the student visit the professor?

a. To request an extension on a deadline
b. To receive advice about time management
c. To explain his absence from history class
15. Which of the following is true about his roommate?
a. He missed the biology class and he has a final next week.
b. He has some health problems in his family to deal with.
c. He had the flu so needs help to catch up with schoolwork.
16. What is the professor’s attitude toward the student?
a. Cynical
b. Indifferent
c. Compassionate
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17. What will the student do?
a. Prepare an outline and a draft.
b. Submit his term paper by Friday.
c. Tell his friends to stick to deadlines.
DISCUSSIONS
Discussion 1
For items 18-21, you will listen to a discussion in a departmental meeting. As you listen, match
each professor with the classes they teach. Some options may be used more than once; some
Heise : OK, so Professor Merchant, you are also teaching Introduction to Literature,
right?
Merchant : Yes, Professor Heise. I’m teaching two sections of it. And there are five
sections to this course, so the two other sections are taught by Professor
Knightley and Professor Estok. And the last one is yours. (chuckles)
Heise : (chuckles) Thanks. So who is teaching Modern Fiction? Professor
Knightley?
Knightley : Yes, I am teaching Modern Fiction. I mean, Section 1. And I think Professor
Estok is teaching Section 2.
Estok : Yes, I am.
Heise : OK, so... Modern Fiction... Knightley and Estok. Great.
Estok : What about Critical Theory? Are you still teaching three sections, Professor
Heise?
Heise : Yes, I am. But you know, the classes are entirely packed. Do you think we
should divide one of the sections and offer smaller groups in each section?
Professor Merchant, would you take the new section of Critical Theory?
Merchant : Oh, I’m afraid that’s impossible. I’m already teaching two sections in
Introduction to Literature. And it’s a first-year course, you know, first years
are always difficult to work with. I am also teaching two sections of
Translation. I don’t think I can take the burden of Critical Theory on top of
all this.
Heise : Fine. What do you think, Professor Estok? Professor Knightley? Would you
like to teach Critical Theory if we offer another section?
Estok : Well, I don’t know about Professor Knightley, but I feel like I can teach it. I
loved Critical Theory when I was a postdoctoral researcher. It’s ages since I
last read a page on it. It could be rejuvenating. Plus, I’m teaching only a
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seminar for the graduate classes. And I have Modern Fiction, just one
section. I think it’ll be great for the students as well, to have smaller
groups with four sections, I mean.
Knightley : Erm... If Professor Estok has already volunteered, then I can escape, right?
(ALL CHUCKLE)
Heise : Alright, Professor Knightley. So what else do you have this semester?
Knightley : I’m teaching one section of Modern Fiction, one section of Contemporary
English Lyrics, and two sections of Victorian Poetry. So I have my hands
full at the moment.
Heise : OK, then, we’ll have one more section for Critical Theory, and it’s yours,
Professor Estok.
Professors Classes
a. Introduction to Literature
1. Heise ____ a, c ____ b. Modern Fiction
2. Merchant ____ a, d ____ c. Critical Theory
d. Translation
3. Estok __ a, b, c, e __ e. Seminar
4. Knightley __ a, b, f, g __ f. Contemporary English Lyrics
g. Victorian Poetry
Discussion 2
pre-teach: conducive
For items 22-26, you will listen to a discussion among five students about computer games.
Please mark whether each student is for or against computer games, and then match students
with their arguments. Some options may be used more than once; some options may not be used
at all. Before you listen to the discussion, you will be given 30 seconds to read the question and
the alternatives.
Professor: Alright, if everyone’s ready, let’s begin our class discussion. Who does the
introduction part? Uhm, let me see my list. Yes, Alex. You’re today’s lucky
person (chuckles). Please introduce the topic and the speakers.
Alex: Sure, professor. Our topic today is computer games. And everyone is going to
present their ideas. Our first speaker is Jeanie, and then, we will all follow by
taking turns.
Professor: Okay, thanks, Alex. Now, Jeanie, will you please present your ideas?
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Jeanie: Yes, professor. Personally, I realize that a lot of these play-for-free games are
designed to make you addictive. You play for free, but once you’ve invested
time and effort into the game, you start paying real money to progress further
into it. With people spending huge sums of money on virtual items, I can see
why governments might want to regulate games like these.
Professor: Good point, Jeanie. Are there any counter-arguments? Yes, Taylor?
Taylor: Oh, yes, professor. I think we need to think a bit about the other side. Uhm,
these gaming companies are businesses, and they need to make money.
Governments should focus on the industry’s business model, rather than the
game content. It’s a balancing act, because the last thing you want to do is stamp
out the creativity of small companies.
Professor: Interesting argument, Taylor. How about you others? Any agreements or
disagreements with Jeanie or Taylor? Yes, Mark?
Mark: Ermm… I actually agree more with Jeanie. I mean, yes, businesses have to make
money, but can’t they find other ways of doing it? Some children just can’t live
without it. They really are hooked. It’s as if you’ve just taken a drug away from
them when you remove their smartphones or tablets. We’ve got to accept the
fact that these machines are having a terrible effect on children’s standards of
literacy. Kids just aren’t interested in reading these days. They feel they only
have to do it to pass tests. So, they just stare at the screen, pushing those buttons.
They don’t have to use their brains or their memory. These gadgets are the
cause of so much underachievement in today’s society.
Professor: A very strong argument, Mark. Thank you. How about others? Linda?
Linda: Well, I’m on the developers’ side, not the children’s or the parents’. The
popularity of computer games has just one downside. And it’s about piracy. One
of the things game developers have to worry about is how to prevent people
from copying the games illegally and distributing them on the Internet. Some
companies have gone to great lengths to make sure that everyone who plays the
game is a legitimate user. For example, you might have to have a permanent
Internet connection to play. This is a problem for some people if their Internet
connection isn’t reliable. So, they prefer to buy pirated versions that don’t have
all these restrictions.
Professor: Hmm, interesting point. Any arguments to support this? Taylor?
Taylor: Yes, professor. I totally agree with Linda. It’s the developers that get harmed by
the gaming industry and its popularity, not the consumers. I also need to make
an addition to what I said earlier. A lot of games are attractive because the virtual
world is fairer than the real world. Your success isn’t determined by your age,
social status, or education. Your peers are loyal, and when you do something
good, you are instantly rewarded, so there’s a real sense of achievement. The
sense of community in the gaming world is actually really strong, and what we
really need to do is bring some of this spirit of working together and
accomplishing tasks into the real world. People should stop criticizing these
games and start thinking about how we can incorporate the positive spirit of
gaming into our real lives.
Professor: Okay, now the two sides are getting even, I guess. What about your ideas, Alex?
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Alex: Well, professor, I’d like to underline another point here, to support my case, I
mean. Uhm… It’s about violence and computer games, you know, people think
kids become more aggressive in real life when they play computer games that
show violence. In fact, there have been a lot of studies into whether gaming
encourages violent behavior, but as far as I know, they haven’t been able to
come up with any conclusive evidence. Juvenile crime in the States is at a thirty-
year low, and there is also some evidence that most antisocial acts are
committed by kids who don’t play computer games. I reckon all this hype about
violent games is a bigger problem than the games themselves. It makes adults
suspicious of their kids, and they often try to blame big social issues on games
rather than eliminating the real cause of youth problems, such as a chaotic home
life and mental instability.
Professor: Alright, we’ll continue our discussion after a short break.
Adapted from https://www.examenglish.com/FCE/fce_listening3.htm
Students For Against Arguments

Computer Computer
Games Games
22. Alex __e__ a) Games should be regulated by the

X
government because of their addictive
feature.
23. Mark __c__ X b) Play-for-free games don’t cause as much
harm as the ones you pay for.
c) Games are responsible for children’s poor
24. Taylor __f__ X literacy and weak performance.
d) Game developers suffer when people play
pirated games.
25. Linda __d__ X e) Games are mistakenly blamed for
children’s violent behavior.
f) Games create an environment that is
26. Jeanie __a__ X
conducive to cooperation.
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LECTURES
Lecture 1
For items 27–30, you will listen to part of a lecture in the College of Fine Arts. As you listen, mark
pre-teach: vanish, peep, converge

Good morning, everyone. Today, I want to start with a look at perspective, visual perspective.
First, we’ll look briefly at the kinds of perspective, and then we’ll look very quickly at its history
in art. Just in case you don’t know what we’re discussing – perspective in art is the way that artists
represent three-dimensional objects on the two dimensions of their canvas.
There are two basic sorts of visual perspective – aerial perspective and linear perspective. Aerial
perspective – now ‘aerial’ just means ‘air’ or ‘atmospheric,’ but aerial perspective is not your view
from an airplane! It is the way that the atmosphere affects how we see things, especially distant
things. I won’t try to go into the laws of physics that are involved here, but it is aerial perspective
that makes a mountain in the distance appear to be a different color, that makes it seem less distinct
than closer objects. These are effects that realistic artists attempt to reproduce carefully, and that
impressionists use to create their own effects. Just think of many of Turner’s landscapes, or
cityscapes like his “Dido Building Carthage,” to get an idea of how the air can affect what we see.
The other perspective, linear perspective, is the way that things seem to get smaller the farther
away they get. A classic example of this is the way we perceive railroad tracks or a line of
telephone poles running away from us. They seem to get smaller and smaller as they recede – until
they vanish in a point on the horizon – and this point is appropriately called ‘the vanishing point.’
This effect happens whenever there are parallel lines, like the two train tracks, or the telephone
poles.
Now, an object or a scene may have more than one vanishing point. A cube with one of its faces
squarely perpendicular to us has a single vanishing point, directly behind it and on the horizon.
But a cube with one of its vertical edges facing us has two vanishing points instead ‒ one for the
right-hand face and one for the left-hand face, and these points are off to the right and left,
respectively, on the horizon, where the parallel lines of the faces seem to converge. And then, if
this same cube is viewed from somewhat above or below, it will have three vanishing points ‒ one
to the right, one to the left, and a third one behind it and below or above the horizon. This is easy
to visualize if you look up at a corner building from its street intersection. You can look down one
street to see the right-hand vanishing point, look down the cross-street to see the left-hand
vanishing point, and then look up along the corner of the building to visualize the third vanishing
point.
These kinds of perspective are easy to see if we view geometrical shapes or manmade structures,
but, of course, natural scenes don’t have any sets of parallel lines, so they have no vanishing points
– but that doesn’t mean that they don’t exhibit perspective.
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The laws of optics were not understood at all in early Western art. Artists recognized the effect, of
course, but they were unable to figure out how to represent it accurately. From the paintings inside
the Egyptian pyramids to the illustrations in medieval Christian churches, nearer people were
simply drawn larger, or drawn lower in the picture, or drawn so as to cover the people farther away.
There was no real understanding of how the physics of perception worked – they never got a grasp
of the idea of the vanishing point.
And then came the Renaissance, the rebirth of learning and the sciences. This was a hotbed of
scientific thought – da Vinci, Galileo, Newton... and Filippo Brunelleschi. Brunelleschi was a
fifteenth-century Florentine architect who conducted several optical experiments and discovered
the rules of perspective. With what he’d learned, he drew a very accurate picture of the San
Giovanni Baptistery in Florence, and then he made a small peep hole in the middle of it. He carried
it into the street and amazed all his acquaintances by having them look through the peep hole from
the back of his picture. First, through the hole, they were made to look at a mirror that reflected
the image into their line of sight. Then, Brunelleschi would quickly withdraw the mirror, and the
viewers would look at the real Baptistery, whose perspective had been replicated perfectly!
Other Italian artists, notably Donatello, began using Brunelleschi’s methods for accurate linear
perspective, and his ideas soon spread throughout Europe. The development of effective aerial
perspective, on the other hand, was introduced by the Flemish and Dutch masters of this same
period, and can be seen at its best in works like Jan van Eyck’s “The Virgin of Chancellor Rolin.”
But that’s another story.
test.net/toefl/listening/A_university_lecture_by_a_professor_in_the_College_of_Fine_Arts.html#TOEFL_Listening_Comprehension
27. Why does the lecturer mention Turner’s painting “Dido Building Carthage”?
a. As an example of linear perspective
b. As an example of aerial perspective
c. As an example of a vanishing point
28. How many vanishing points may an object have?
a. less than three
b. three
c. more than three
29. Before the understanding of the physics of perception, how did artists represent the
linear perspective?
a. They drew people who were nearer larger.
b. They placed people who were nearer at the top of the picture.
c. They painted people who were nearer with bright colors.
30. Why did Brunelleschi ask people to look through a peep hole in his picture?
a. To clarify linear and aerial perspectives in Renaissance art
b. To show how perspective can change from a single viewpoint
c. To compare the perspectives in a real scene and in its illustration
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Lecture 2
For items 31–34, you will listen to part of a lecture by a professor of Physics. As you listen, mark
pre-teach: celestial
My next topic I’m sure will interest all of you – I want to talk to you now about Black Holes.
Simply speaking, a black hole is what’s left after a large star dies. You’re already aware that a star
is an energy producer, a nuclear-fusion reactor – its core is a gigantic nuclear-fusion bomb that’s
trying to explode – but its mass of surrounding gases is so large that its gravity contains the
explosion, and the balance that exists between the gravity and the fusion is what determines the
star’s size.
However, as a star gets older, as it ages, its fuels get used up, and its nuclear reactor slows down.
And then, its gravity gets the upper hand. The star implodes. Gravity pulls inward and compresses
the stellar material into the star’s center. As it’s compressed, the core heats up tremendously, and
then, at some point, a supernova, a great explosion, occurs, and the stellar material and a lot of
radiation are blasted out into space. Only the extremely dense, extremely massive core is left. Its
gravitational field is so strong that nothing can escape it, not even light. So it disappears from view:
it’s black. It’s now a black hole.
Now, the idea of a ‘black hole’– an object with so much gravity that it won’t let light escape – was
first proposed more than two hundred years ago, in 1795, by a French mathematician, Pierre
LaPlace. He used Newton’s gravitational theory to calculate that if an object was compressed small
enough, it would require an escape velocity of almost 300,000 kilometers per second – the speed
of light. More recently, the name of Stephen Hawking, the great British physicist, has become
synonymous with black-hole theory.
A black hole consists of two parts, a ‘singularity’ and an ‘event horizon.’ Its ‘singularity’ is the
point where its gravity is infinitely strong and its mass is infinitely dense, and this point is
theoretically at the center of the black hole’s core. And its ‘event horizon’ is the perimeter around
the core at the distance where its gravity is still strong enough to pull light into itself – at the
distance where escape velocity equals the speed of light, and where nothing can escape its pull.
Both the singularity and the event horizon are intangible, of course, but both of them can be
calculated mathematically. The distance of the event horizon from the core is called the
‘Schwartzchild radius,’ and this radius is equal to “two GM divided by C squared,” where G is
Newton’s gravitational constant, M equals the mass of the core, and C equals the speed of light.
Even though we can’t see them, black holes do exist, and we can prove their existence in three
basic ways. One way is to search for celestial objects that are very small but that have a very large
mass. For example, the astronomical feature called ‘M87’ is only about the size of our solar system,
but it weighs three billion times more than our Sun. So it’s a good bet that M87 is a black hole.
Another way to find a black hole is to search for matter that’s accelerating, because a black hole
accelerates anything that approaches it. As the matter gets sucked in, it speeds up and it heats up,
146
and this superheated matter produces X-rays, which can be detected. The star Cygnus X-1 is a
strong X-ray source, so there’s a good possibility that there’s a black hole in its neighborhood.
And finally, a black hole can be detected using Einstein’s Theory of Relativity, which tells us that
gravity can actually bend, or warp, space. An object with a lot of gravity located between Earth
and a more distant star can bend that star’s light, as a lens or a prism does. This is called the
gravitational lens effect. In 1996, a gravitational lens passed between Earth and MACHO-96-BL5,
and the temporarily brightened image was photographed by both the Hubble Space Telescope and
ground observers.
‘Black holes’ are a bit frightening, but if the idea of a black hole sucking in the rest of the Universe
upsets you, let’s put that into perspective. A black hole doesn’t suck in everything in sight – it only
affects nearby material. If a black hole with the same mass suddenly replaced our Sun, then its
Schwartzchild radius would be only three kilometers, compared to our Sun’s radius of 700,000
kilometers! And since Earth is 150 million kilometers from the Sun, it would be in no danger of
being sucked in. Without the Sun, though, Earth would be very cold and lifeless, I’m afraid!
test.net/toefl/listening/A_university_lecture_by_a_professor_of_Physics.html#TOEFL_Listening_Comprehension
31. The idea of a black hole _________________.

a. was heavily criticized by Pierre LaPlace
b. depended on Newton’s gravitational theory
c. was first proposed by Steven Hawking
32. The ‘singularity’ is different from the ‘event horizon’ in that it _______________.
a. is at the center of the black hole’s core
b. can be calculated mathematically
c. has strong gravitational force
33. The existence of black holes can be proven by searching for ________________.
a. the ‘Schwartzchild radius’
b. celestial objects getting larger
c. objects with increasing speed
34. Why did the professor mention MACHO-96-BL5?
a. To explain the gravitational lens effect
b. To illustrate a black hole that bends space
c. To give an example of the photos taken by the Hubble Telescope
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PRACTICE XI
BRIEF TALKS
pre-teach: stem
Silicon is the second most abundant element in the earth’s crust and is found in significant
quantities in the soil. It seems to benefit certain plants when they are under stress. Silicon has been
found to improve drought tolerance and delay wilting in certain crops when there is not enough
irrigation, or not enough water. It may enhance the plant’s ability to resist metal toxicities, such as
aluminum, copper, iron, and zinc. Also, silicon has been found to help increase stem strength. For
example, research has revealed that when rice and wheat are silicon deficient, their stems weaken
and easily collapse in wind or rain; however, a type of tropical plant called the poinsettia has shown
reduced stem breakage when it was treated with silicon. Finally, silicon has been found to increase
certain plant species’ resistance to fungal pathogen attack. In the case of powdery mildew and
phytophthora, disease attack was delayed in silicon-treated roses, sunflowers, and cucumbers.
Adapted from http://www.pthorticulture.com/en/training-center/role-of-silicon-in-plant-culture/

a) The amount of silicon needed for plant growth
b) The role of silicon in delaying disease attack
c) The possible benefits of silicon for plants
Persuasion is the art of convincing someone to agree with your point of view. According to the
ancient Greek philosopher Aristotle, there are three basic tools of persuasion: ethos, pathos, and
logos. Ethos is a speaker’s way of convincing the audience that he or she is a credible source. An
audience will consider a speaker credible if he or she seems trustworthy, reliable, and sincere.
Pathos is a speaker’s way of connecting with an audience’s emotions. For example, a speaker who
is trying to convince an audience to vote for him or her might say that he or she alone can save the
country from a terrible war. These words are intended to fill the audience with fear, thus making
them want to vote for him or her. Logos is the use of facts, information, statistics, or other evidence
to make your argument more convincing. An audience will be more likely to believe a speaker if
he or she has data to back up his or her claims. For example, a commercial for soap might tell you
that laboratory tests have shown this soap kills all 7,000,000 of the bacteria living on your hands
right now. Overall, ethos, pathos, and logos are most effective when used altogether.
Adapted from http://www.englishforeveryone.org/PDFs/8_Tools_of_Persuasion_Free_Sample.pdf

a) To explain how important connecting with the audience is
b) To support Aristotle’s argument that logos is the most powerful tool
c) To classify tools of persuasion according to Aristotle’s view
148
pre-teach: replenished
Clash Royale is a freemium mobile tower rush video game developed and published by Supercell.
The game combines elements from collectible card games, tower defense, and multiplayer online
battle arena. The game was released globally on March 2, 2016. In Clash Royale, players are
ranked by their level and trophy count. The highest level is thirteen, with players levelling up by
gaining more experience points through donating or upgrading cards. Trophies are won or lost
through multiplayer battles; a player wins a battle by destroying more towers than the opponent,
or by destroying the opponent’s King’s Tower, resulting in an automatic “three-crown” victory.
There are 11 playing arenas in total, with each arena corresponding to a certain trophy count range.
Playable units and spells are represented as cards. Prior to each game, players construct a deck of
eight cards used to attack and defend from their opponent’s units, spells, and towers. At the start
of each game, both players begin with four randomly chosen cards from their deck of eight. Each
card costs a certain amount of elixir to play. Players start the battle with 5 elixir points, and one
elixir point is replenished every 2.8 seconds, with a maximum of 10 elixir points at any one
moment. Once a card is played, a new card is automatically drawn from the player’s eight card
deck. As of September 2017 there are 76 cards in the game, coming in four rarities: Common,
Rare, Epic and Legendary.
Adapted from https://en.0wikipedia.org/index.php?q=aHR0cHM6Ly9lbi53aWtpcGVkaWEub3JnL3dpa2kvQ2xhc2hfUm95YWxl

a) To give information about a specific mobile game
b) To explain the characters and playing arenas in a mobile game
c) To discuss the different levels in a specific mobile game
pre-teach: transform, unintentionally
Sometimes word origins surprise you, and the origin of “egregious” is one that surprised me.
“Egregious” has an interesting origin and an even more interesting history. It comes from a Latin
word whose root means “flock,” as in a flock of birds. Originally, the word meant to stand out
from the flock in a good way; but now, thanks to our ancestors, it means to stand out from the
flock in a bad way. According to the Oxford English Dictionary, the meaning started to switch
because people were using “egregious,” which meant “remarkably good,” ironically. Another
example of this could be the illogical phrase “I could care less.” The phrase originated in Britain
as “I couldn’t care less”. Then, in the 1960s, it began to be used as “I could care less” in the United
States. According to linguistics professor Stephen Pinker, this phrase implies that the speakers are
actually being ironic or sarcastic. Some other linguists have argued that the type of sound at the
end of “couldn’t” is naturally dropped by sloppy or slurring speakers. However, saying “I could
care less” is totally illogical. To say you could care less means you have a bit of caring left, which
is not what the speakers seem to intend. The proper “couldn’t care less” is still the dominant form
in print, but “could care less” has been steadily gaining ground since its appearance in the 1960s.
Adapted from http://www.quickanddirtytips.com/education/grammar/could-care-less-versus-couldnt-care-less and

http://www.quickanddirtytips.com/education/grammar/how-egregious-went-good-bad
149
a) How certain words or phrases may transform over time
b) How the British and the American uses of certain words differ
c) How people can make language mistakes unintentionally
pre-teach: divination
According to many Tarot historians, traditional playing cards were first seen in Europe in 1375.
They were probably brought over from the Islamic societies. These societies used such cards for
centuries before the cards finally arrived in Europe. For some other historians who study Tarot
cards, however, the origin is different. For them, the cards used in Islamic societies were not the
Tarot cards that we know today. What they mean is that there is no evidence to show that Tarot
cards had yet been created back then. And this goes against many claims that ordinary playing
cards evolved from the original Tarot deck. It wasn’t until 1440 that the cards that were most likely
the origin of Tarot cards were first mentioned. In 1781, in France and England, followers of the
occult discovered Tarot cards. They saw the symbolic pictures of the cards as having more meaning
than the simple playing cards. Therefore, they used the cards as a divination tool, and occult writers
wrote about “the Tarot.” After this, the Tarot became a part of occult philosophy.
Adapted from http://science.howstuffworks.com/science-vs-myth/extrasensory-perceptions/tarot-card6.htm

a) Tarot as the source of a card game
b) The European Tarot as a divination tool
c) The polemical history of Tarot cards
ANNOUNCEMENT
For items 6-8, you will listen to an announcement on Campus FM. As you listen, mark the
(music fades…) And I have an announcement now for those looking for a part-time job while
carrying out their studies here at the university. There are, in fact, two new on-campus student job
advertisements, and now I’ll share them with you. The first one is, well, a language tutor. This
family is looking for a tutor to help their six-year-old daughter learn Spanish. It will not be like
helping with homework but starting from the beginning, to introduce the foreign language. The
parents are both academics, so they live in the housing on campus. The pay is negotiable. The
work hours are two hours per week, on Tuesdays and Fridays, after school from 5 to 6. The second
position is a delivery driver for the Thick’n Burger. They especially need someone to work in the
evenings, but the hours are flexible. You will be working at least 15 hours a week, or more if you
want. To get the job, you must be at least 20 years old and have a valid driver’s license. The salary
is $10 per hour. If you are interested in one of these jobs, go to the university’s webpage, click on
150
the announcements tab, and then you will find the contact details. No phone numbers, though. So
e-mail them, attaching a resume, preferably.
6. Which of the following is false about the first position?

a. The language tutor will not need to leave campus.
b. The language tutor will work two hours every week.
c. The language tutor will help with Spanish homework.
7. Which of the following is true about the second position?
a. The delivery driver will have a fixed schedule.
b. The delivery driver will work only 15 hours per week.
c. The delivery driver will earn $150 or more per week.
8. How can students apply for either position?
a. They should send an e-mail with an attachment.
b. They should call the person advertising the position.
c. They should fill in a form on the university’s website.
INSTRUCTION
For items 9 and 10, you will listen to a lab assistant in a chemistry lab giving instructions to
students as to how to carry out an experiment. As you listen, mark the alternatives that answer the
pre-teach: grind (ground V2, V3)
Our aim today in the lab is to prepare a mixture and a compound rising iron filings and sulphur
powder, and then distinguish between these two on the basis of their appearance, that is,
homogeneity and heterogeneity, their behavior towards a magnet, and the effect of heat. We need
two test tubes, a test tube holder, a china dish, two watch-glasses, a glass rod, a pestel and mortar,
a tripod stand, a Bunsen burner, a magnet, 7 grams of iron filings, and 4 grams of sulphur powder.
We will first prepare the mixture. But bear in mind that you should not touch any chemical with
bare hands, and remember to wash your hands properly with soap after the experiment. Now, take
7g of iron filings and 4g of sulphur. Mix them and grind them in a pestle and mortar thoroughly
but gently. Then, transfer the mixture to a watch glass and label it ‘A’. Now, let’s prepare a
compound of iron and sulphur. Transfer half of the mixture ‘A’ into a china dish. Place the china
dish on a tripod stand and heat the mixture strongly with the help of a Bunsen burner. Do not heat
the mixture of iron and sulphur in an ordinary glass tube as the test tube may crack due to strong
heating. Use a china dish to heat the mixture. Stir the constituents continuously with a glass rod,
till a black mass is obtained. Stop heating and let the black mass cool. After it has cooled down,
grind the black mass formed into powder with the help of a pestle and mortar. Transfer the black
powder into a watch glass and label it ‘B’. The black mass thus formed is iron sulphide. Now,
observe the properties of the mixture and compound, and write your lab report which is due Friday.
Adapted from http://www.mydearstudents.com/Exp/Sulphur.pdf
151
9. Which of the following is false according to the instruction?
a. The lab objective is to see the differences between a mixture and a compound.
b. You may have a small accident unless you use a china dish to heat the mixture.
c. You should wash your hands with soap if you touch any chemical with bare
hands.
10. What should you do to produce a black mass from the mixture?
a. Mix and grind it thoroughly but gently
b. Heat it strongly and stir continuously
c. Put it in a glass tube and add iron sulphide
a magnet a china dish a Bunsen watch a pestel and a glass rod

burner glasses mortar
CONVERSATIONS
Conversation 1
For items 11-14, you will listen to a conversation between a professor and a student. As you listen,
pre-teach: vague, contain (a subject)
Professor : Well, hello, Miguel. What are you doing sitting in here all alone?
Miguel : Hi, Dr. Westmore. Oh, I was just looking for a quiet place to study where there’s
no distraction.
Professor : (laughs) Well, you found the perfect spot ‒ my empty classroom. But I guess I’m
a distraction now. I left my folder of notes in here last period. Do you mind if
I...?
Miguel : Oh! No, no – please go ahead, Professor.
Professor : Um. Hmm.... Ah – here it is. OK. I leave you to it.
Miguel : Oh, Professor....
Professor : Yes?
Miguel : Would you have a minute? Could I just ask you about the comment you wrote
on my last essay?
152
Professor : Yes, I have a few minutes now. What did I write on it?
Miguel : Well, here’s the essay ‒ “The Heights of Romanticism” ‒ and you wrote just the
word “vague!” at the top beside my grade....
Professor : Oh, yes. It’s an interesting topic choice, Jason, but I think that maybe you, uh, bit
off more than you could chew. That title covers a lot of very major English poets!
Miguel : Yeah, I guess it does, doesn’t it? Wordsworth, Shelley, Keats, Byron. You know,
I felt that way, too, actually, after I got started with it. But by then I was kind of
trapped.
Professor : Trapped? What do you mean?
Miguel : Well, I had already started research. I’d picked out some key passages from the
Prelude, from Keats’s odes, et cetera. I’d already learned a good bit about their
personal lives – I was, you know, committed.
Professor : Well, now, listen, Jason: one of the key steps in writing an essay is choosing and
defining your topic at the very beginning. If you get a feeling that the theme’s
too broad or too narrow, or uh, too convoluted or too, um, whatever – then cut
your losses right away. Abandon it, and find a fresh theme. That’s rule number
one.
Miguel : Hmm. Yeah, I guess you’re right. (sighs)
Professor : And what happened here is that you were never able to get down to brass tacks,
but only some general, unclear explanations. That’s why I wrote “vague” – that
was my main reaction when I got done reading your paper. You’re assigned
three-page essays in my class, and you chose a subject fit for a book!
Miguel : (laughs) Well, could I ask you, could you give me an example, of how I could’ve
narrowed this down to a manageable size? Should I have just chosen one poet,
do you think? – Say, Lord Byron?
Professor : Yes, that’s a simple solution to the problem here. But with only three pages to
work with, you could afford to narrow it even more – just look at “Don Juan” as
a work, uh, symbolic of the Romantic ideal, you know.
Miguel : And that would be enough?
Professor : Sure, more than enough! The narrower your topic, the more incisive you can be.
You might even come up with an original idea about Byron and the Romantic
Movement!
Miguel : Not likely.
Professor : But see, that’s wrong thinking. These essays are not just rote assignments, Jason,
something you have to crank out in order to pass my course. The point is to train
you to research- “re-search” ‒ “search again” ‒ through our literary history... and
shed new light on it. This is something you should be eager to do!
Miguel : Yes, of course, Professor – and I am, really! But I guess sometimes they do just,
well...turn into assignments. Sometimes I do forget why I’m here.
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Professor : (laughs) Well, you’re not the only one, I can tell you that. Actually, this was one
of the better essays. At least you didn’t wander off topic, or just fill the three
pages with incomprehensible repetitions. Those are the students I really come
down hard on. Look, a “B minus” isn’t so bad, is it?
Miguel : No, I guess not. I like “A”s better, though. (laughs) And that’s what I’m trying
for next time. Our next paper’s on the 19th century, up to World War One, right?
Professor : Yes, that’s right.
Miguel : I’m interested in the Symbolists, and I’ve been reading about Rimbaud ‒ he’s
kind of seminal, isn’t he?
Professor : He certainly is ‒ and in a way Rimbaud is a topic already narrowed down for
you. He has a very small opus – he stopped writing when he was 21 and ran off
to become a trader in Africa.
Miguel : Yes ‒ and I can identify! (laughs)
Professor : (laughs) Oh, no, you don’t! I expect good things from you ‒ starting with your
next essay. Just remember: control your topic, don’t let your topic control you.
You’ve only got three pages, so be clear and concise, dealing with the main
points.
Miguel : OK, I’ll try. Thanks very much for your time, Dr. Westmore. I really appreciate
it.
Professor : My pleasure, Miguel. See you in class.
Miguel : Bye.
Adapted from http://www.english-test.net/toefl/listening/A_conversation_between_a_professor_and_her_student.html
11. Why is the student in the classroom?

a. He is waiting for his class to start.
b. He is waiting for his professor.
c. He wants to study quietly.
12. What is the student’s purpose in initiating this conversation?
a. To improve his writing technique
b. To get his grade raised on his essay
c. To get a topic idea from his professor
13. What will the student try to do with his next essay?
a. Contain his subject
b. Write a shorter essay
c. Research more carefully
14. Why does the student say, “Yes, and I can identify!”?
a. He understands Rimbaud’s work.
b. He also enjoys composing poetry.
c. He is not very interested in writing.
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Conversation 2
For items 15-18, you will listen to a conversation between a university student and a professor in
the professor’s office. As you listen, mark the alternatives that answer the questions or complete
the statements. Before you listen to the conversation, you will be given 60 seconds to look at the
Professor : Good morning, Mr. Rosencrantz. You’re here to discuss your essay? What’s the
problem, is your grade too high? (chuckles)
Student : Uh (nervous laugh) yes, sir. I mean no, my grade’s not too high. It’s, um, I was
just, um, wondering... I got a B minus, and I was, I just wanted to ask why. I
worked really hard on it, and I thought I’d get a, a higher grade.
Professor : I understand. And I know you worked hard on it. I could tell when I read it that
you put a lot of effort into it. Sloth is a problem for some students, but not for
you. Unfortunately, hard work doesn’t always translate into a high mark. But,
remember, a B is a pretty good grade, no?
Student : I know, it is. But I get mostly B-plusses and A’s. So, um...could you please tell
me what’s wrong with it, and how I can … how I can improve for next time.
Professor : Absolutely. Do you have the essay with you? Let me see it (rustling paper).
Well, first of all, it’s creative and well written; er, I mean grammatically, there
aren’t many mistakes. Your thesis sentence is clearly stated, and it’s in the first
paragraph. Good, good. I think your greatest weakness is structure. You need to
make sure that your supporting paragraphs reinforce your thesis.
Student : Yes, I know. I tried to outline it before I wrote, and then, uh, you know, follow
the outline as I wrote it. But it got kind of hard to stick to the outline.
Professor : An outline is an excellent tool. Um, the trouble with outlines sometimes is that
as you write, your ideas change. Something comes to you that you didn’t think
of when you made your outline, or you get busy writing and find you’ve strayed
from the outline structure. So you need to be careful not to follow your outline
too rigidly. It’s only a guide.
Student : Yeah, I found that out in the third paragraph, ‘cause I wanted to add some of the
stuff we learned about the Renaissance. So then I went back and changed the
outline, and uh, it, kind of uh... it was hard to figure out how to include all that.
Professor : That confusion shows in your paper. Remember that each sentence ‒ I mean
paragraph ‒ needs to have a topic sentence, then other sentences that support it.
In your third and fourth paragraphs, this doesn’t seem to be the case. Here, take
a look.
Student : Oh, I see. The topic sentence mentioned changes in art, and then I started writing
about changes in religion and science.
Professor : Yes, it would have been stronger to treat each of these topics with a separate
paragraph. Because you strayed off track in the middle paragraphs, it took some
of the punch away from your conclusion. You want to end with a bang, not a
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whimper. Um, another thing that lowered your mark was your bibliography
section. It doesn’t follow the format on the handout I gave you. Your references
should be in the order they are cited in the essay. Here you list a reference that
appears on page three before you list one that you cited on page two.
Student : Oh, yeah. Sorry about that.
Professor : You don’t need to apologize. Just learn from your mistakes, and do it correctly
next time.
Student : Yes, sir. Thank you for your help.
Professor : I’ll tell you what, Ms. Rosencrantz. I wish more students were like you. You’re
the only one, in a class of 30, that cared enough to meet with me and challenge
your grade. Congratulations! Just because you had the fortitude to do that, I’m
going to change your mark from a B-minus to a B-plus.
Student : Really! Oh, thank you Professor Ammons. Really, you uh, wow! That’s great.
http://www.english-test.net/toefl/listening/A_conversation_between_a_university_student_and_a_professor_in_the_professors_office.html
15. Why does the student come to the professor’s office?

a. To receive help writing a Master’s thesis.
b. To discuss his grade on a class assignment.
c. To ask about how to outline and structure an essay.
16. According to the professor, what is the main weakness of the student’s essay?
a. It lacks a clear thesis statement.
b. It does not include a bibliography.
c. It should have a stronger structure.
17. Why does the professor congratulate the student?
a. Because his essay was well-organized.
b. Because he had the courage to come see him.
c. Because he completed a challenging assignment.
18. Based on the conversation, which statement is true?
a. The essay the student has written deserves a B plus.
b. The student did not outline his paper before writing it.
c. The professor offered to change the student’s grade.
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DISCUSSION
For items 19-24, you will listen to a discussion among the members of an academic board. As
you listen, match each professor with their academic duties / plans. Some options may be used
more than once; some options may not be used at all. Before you listen to the discussion, you
will be given 30 seconds to read the question and the alternatives.
pre-teach: sabbatical leave
Smith : If all the board members are here, I think we can start. Since I have a lot of
departmental duties starting this semester, I’d like to share the responsibilities
with all faculty members. As the head of the department, I’ll be dealing with a
lot of paper work. Uhm... Let me see what we have. Yes. Professor Haraway, this
year I won’t be able to take care of the organization of the juries. Is it possible
that you take over this duty?
Haraway : Sure, Professor Smith. I see that there are three upcoming juries, one for the thesis
defenses of the Master’s students, one for doctoral degree admission exams, and
one for the associate professorship. I will already be taking part in all of them, so
I can be the one organizing them.
Smith : Great news. Now, who’s going to become the Erasmus coordinator. Last
semester it was... uhm... Professor Eriksen, I guess? Right?
Eriksen : Yes, Professor Smith. I think I can arrange that this semester as well. I’m used to
dealing with all the exams and filing documents, as well as contacting the
exchange universities.
Smith : Okay, so let me put this on my agenda. (Spells while writing) Eriksen...
Erasmus... Oh, I almost forgot. This year, we need to organize a convention on
linguistic studies. Professor Aranaya and Professor Oppermann were among the
last conveners, as far as I remember.
Haraway : Yes, but this year, Professor Oppermann is planning to get retired. And she has
just had knee surgery, so I don’t think it’s logical to assign her the convention
duty.
Smith : Oh, yes, yes. I just received her medical report this morning. I think we need to
pay her a visit at the hospital. Uhm, or at home, if she’s been discharged?
Professor Aranaya, have you talked to Professor Oppermann?
Aranaya : Yes, I have. Actually, she didn’t sound very well, but she thanked everyone for
their support. And about the convention, I don’t think I’ll be able to handle that,
either. I will be taking my sabbatical leave at the start of the next semester. I
already have too many classes to teach, both in the undergraduate and the
graduate levels. Some of my students are preparing to defend their dissertations
before I leave. So that’s already more than I can deal with.
Smith : Alright, alright. Maybe Professor Riley can help us with that. What do you say
to that, Professor Riley?
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Riley : Sure, sure. I organized three conferences and a symposium in my previous
institution. I have some experience with these things. But, of course, I might need
to have a meeting with Professor Aranaya for that.
Aranaya : Yeah, sure, why not?
Riley : Perhaps I could also Skype Professor Oppermann when she feels better. And I
think I’ll be in contact with you all the time as you are the departmental head,
Professor Smith.
Smith : Alright, Skype meetings are always arrangeable, you know. And, of course, I will
do my best to support you, Professor Riley. I know conventions are no easy task
to organize. Uhm, alright, everyone, thanks for sharing the work. If everything’s
all set, let’s have a coffee break. After the break, we can talk about student
absenteeism.
Professors Academic duties / plans
19. Smith ____c ____ a. Getting retired

20. Haraway ____f ____ b. Planning to take a sabbatical leave
c. Head of Department
21. Aranaya ____b ____
d. Erasmus Coordinator
22. Eriksen ____d ____ e. Organizing the convention
23. Riley ____e ____ f. Arranging juries
24. Oppermann ____a ____
LECTURES
Lecture 1
For items 25–30, you will listen to a lecture about horses. As you listen, mark the alternatives that
answer the questions or complete the statements. Before you listen to the lecture, you will be given
60 seconds to look at the questions and the alternatives.
pre-teach: plot, disparity, refute
Professor: Several theories compete to explain when, how, and where – check that, why – wild
horses were initially domesticated. Primitive cave art depicts horses as early as 32,000 years ago,
but it’s generally agreed that humans did not domesticate the animals until sometime between
5,000 and, uh, 2,000 BC. Many scholars accept a theory, er, a hypothesis, that domestication
occurred in Ukraine about 4,000 BC. However, recent archaeological evidence indicates that
horses in northern Kazakhstan might have been domesticated as much as 1,600 years earlier than
that by people of the Botai culture. The Botai appeared to depend on horses for transportation,
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food, and tools. But ... [pause] one of the archaeologists who discovered this new evidence has
speculated that horses were domesticated even earlier, probably in Russia or Ukraine, and then
ridden east to Kazakhstan. Thus the plot thickens.
Why is it so hard to pinpoint the definitive time and place of the earliest horse domestication? One,
a major reason is a lack of concrete evidence, such as bits, reins, spurs, and saddles. Anatomically,
modern horses are almost identical to their wild ancestors, which forces researchers to rely on
circumstantial evidence in formulating domestication hypotheses. Whether the use of a bit signals
full domestication or simple captivity, however, is subject to debate. Um, at the Kazakhstan site
mentioned above, part of the case presented for domestication is soil analysis that indicates ancient
remains of horses.
But again, the fact horses may have lived, er, been kept together in a corral does not necessarily
equate with domesticity, because many ancient peoples used horses for meat and, uh, help with
labor, similar to the use of oxen in harvesting today. Recent DNA comparisons between living
horses and horse fossils suggest that domestication cannot be narrowed to a single place or time;
rather, it occurred more or less simultaneously all over the world. Because the DNA analysis
revealed widespread genetic [false start] widespread genetic variances among both modern and
ancient horses – unlike other domesticated animals, like sheep and cattle – it appears that
domesticated horses had multiple wild lineages in many different places.
One prominent theory holds that there were four distinct horse prototypes, which may or may not
have been different species, and that these prototypes were domesticated at differing times and
places as they adapted to various environments. The first of these is the “draft” horse, a small,
thick-skinned Shetland pony ancestor that developed in the cold, wet climes of norther – northwest
– Europe. A second prototype is the Tarpan, from cold and dry north Eurasia. The Tarpan is a
pony-sized, dun-colored creature that preceded today’s Przewalski’s Horse – which is the only
equine that has never been domesticated. The third prototype, which developed in, um, central
Asia, was dubbed “warm-blooded” or “forest horse.” This long-necked, narrow-headed equine
was larger than drafts and Tarpans, and the forefather of heavy horses like the Andalusian.
“Oriental” horses, the fourth subspecies, were slimmer, beautiful, fine-boned animals that adapted
to the dry, hot climate of western Asia, and were probable progenitors of modern Arabian horses.
To a large extent, the domestication of horses depends on one’s definition of the verb domesticate.
(Ahem.) While it is clear from the, uh, archaeological evidence that the earliest role horses played
in human history was as a source of food, and that pictorial and written depictions make it
unequivocally clear that horses had been trained to pull chariots and use in warfare by about 2000
BC, the, uh, process of transition between these two polarities remains murky. One group of
theorists believes that horses cannot be classified as domesticated until there is evidence that they
have bred in captivity. A leading proponent of this viewpoint, researcher Marsha Levine, has
159
hypothesized that horses were domesticated gradually, most likely by humans raising the foals of
adults slaughtered for food. According to Ms. Levine, over time, the hand-raised horses became
pets, and rather than eating them, people learned how to ride them and harness their speed and
strength in order to capture other food sources, such as bison and deer. They also bred these horses
with each other, though the exact date of the first successful domestic mating, like most of the
evidence surrounding horse domestication, remains unclear.
Adapted from http://www.english-test.net/toefl/listening/What_does_DNA_analysis_reveal_about_the_domestication_of_horses.html
25. What is the lecture mainly about?

a) Prototypes of early horses
b) The use of horses in the Botai culture
c) How horse domestication began
26. Why does the professor say this: “Thus, the plot thickens”?
a) To highlight his confusion about his lecture notes.
b) To argue that horses were domesticated in Kazakhstan.
c) To emphasize the disparity of scholarly opinions.
27. According to the professor, why is it difficult to determine the origin of horse
domestication?
a) Archaeological excavations are hard to conduct.
b) There is a lack of concrete evidence.
c) DNA comparisons do not reveal full support to theories.
28. What does DNA analysis reveal about the domestication of horses?
a) Domestication appears to have occurred simultaneously in several places.
b) Domestication can be narrowed down to a specific location and time period.
c) Domestication most probably occurred when horses were first used in warfare.
29. All of the following are mentioned in the lecture as prototypes of modern horses
except ____________.
a) Draft
b) Shetland
c) Tarpan
30. Why does the professor mention researcher Marsha Levine?
a) To illustrate a theory of gradual horse domestication.
b) To refute the findings of DNA comparisons.
c) To explain the development of Oriental horses.
160
Lecture 2
For items 31–35, you will listen to part of a lecture in a Social History class. As you listen, mark
pre-teach: dough, corruption, fluctuation, fermentation

Let’s talk for a while about bread. Yes, you heard me ‒ bread! All over the world, in Europe and
the Americas, and in most of Asia, bread is the “staff of life;” it’s a key food in people’s diets.
Almost everyone eats bread ‒ we eat it as toast for breakfast, as sandwiches for lunch, as
hamburger buns for dinner ‒ or people eat it as croissants or roti, naan or chappati, or under
hundreds of other names in as many different languages. Even in Southeast Asia, where rice is
King, bread is becoming more and more popular these days. And it should, because it’s a very
convenient, healthy, nutritious, and delicious food!
People have been making bread since the Stone Age. It’s at least ten thousand years old. And it’s
certainly a fundamental part of our culture here. It’s a significant part of our diet, and even a
significant part of our psyche. We talk about a worker being a “breadwinner,” someone who “puts
bread on the table,” and our job is our “bread and butter.” We call any rich agricultural area of a
country its “breadbasket.” And, in fact, “bread” and “dough” are both current slang for “money,”
which is another fundamental necessity in our society.
Bread’s been so vital to our lives that it’s also been an important political issue over many centuries
of British history. In very early times, in times of irregular weather and poor agricultural practices,
England often went through periods of failing crops and famine, and our rulers were well aware
that famine created unrest among the people, so they tried to keep the price of bread, the poor
man’s staple food, from fluctuating too much. The earliest recorded law was issued in 1202, during
the reign of King John. This law not only fixed the selling price of bread, but it also specified what
portion of that price was supposed to apply to the cost of ingredients and what portion was
supposed to apply to the baker’s profit. This same law, which was revised in 1266, remained in
effect for the next six hundred years.
Throughout our history, our governments have tried to keep the price of bread low and keep its
quality good, and they have made repeated efforts to prevent dishonesty and corruption in the
baking industry. For instance, there are records from 1298 that show that bakers were given heavy
fines for selling short weights of bread. And in 1327, they discovered a fraud where the public
bakers were pinching quantities of the dough that their customers brought in to have baked.
Punishments were rather severe ‒ they included being dragged through the streets and humiliated,
or just put out of business. In ancient Egypt, the punishment could be even worse ‒ dishonest
bakers often had their ears nailed to their bakery door ‒ but here the restrictions and punishments
were still so draconian that the bakers themselves took steps to ensure that they provoked no claims
against them. They provided honest loaves by creating the “baker’s dozen,” which still means
thirteen objects instead of the normal twelve. By throwing in one extra bun or roll, the baker
insured that the dozen he sold were of sufficient total weight to comply with the regulations.
161
By the late 1800s, industrialization had revolutionized the baking industry, and the opening of the
North American prairies was providing such abundant wheat that white bread ‒ bread from refined
flour ‒ could be produced at a price that even the poorest could afford. Nevertheless, with the
hardships of both World Wars, the government was still very conscientious about protecting
people’s bread. Many regulations were issued during wartime to control consumption and the
ingredients that could be used, and prices were capped.
The latest major advance in bread-making was the development of the Chorleywood Bread Process
in 1961, which kneads the dough rapidly and vigorously, and reduces the fermentation period. This
drastically shortens the time needed to produce a loaf of bread, and it also permits the use of
inferior wheat. The Chorleywood Process is now used in most of the largest bread factories around
the world, which churn out vast quantities of white bread for the masses.
What’s fermentation, you ask? For those of you who don’t know how bread is made, it’s very
simple, really. Bakers take advantage of two basic natural facts. First, they use yeast, which is a
kind of fungus, a plant that eats sugar and then produces alcohol and carbon dioxide as waste
products. Second, finely ground wheat, when it’s mixed with water and kneaded well, becomes
very elastic, because it contains a protein called “gluten.” As the yeast grows and produces carbon
dioxide, the gas inflates the elastic bread dough just like so many tiny balloons, and the alcohol,
which burns away during the baking, leaves behind it an important component in the flavor of
bread.
Out of this very simple, natural process has come a ubiquitous food and a major industry that has
impacted our social history, our culture, our politics, and our whole way of life.
test.net/toefl/listening/A_university_lecture_by_a_professor_of_Social_History_2.html#TOEFL_Listening_Comprehension
31. Why does the lecturer tell us that “bread” and “dough” are slang for “money”?
a. To emphasize the importance of his topic
b. To give examples of modern language
c. To show that money is a basic need
32. Which word describes the government’s approach to the bakery industry?
a. Corruption
b. Regulation
c. Collaboration
33. What is a “baker’s dozen”?
a. A recipe
b. Thirteen
c. A punishment
34. The history of bread was strongly influenced by __________________.
a. food shortages in England
b. King Rice in Southeast Asia
c. fluctuations in the British economy
162
35. Why is the Chorleywood Process useful?
a. It makes bread faster.
b. It makes bread factories possible.
c. It allows better fermentation to take place.
163
PRACTICE XII
BRIEF TALKS
In the history of the United Kingdom, the Victorian era was the period of Queen Victoria’s reign,
from 1837 until her death in 1901. The period is characterized as one of relative peace among the
great powers, increased economic activity, “refined sensibilities,” and national self-confidence for
Great Britain. Ideologically, the Victorian era witnessed resistance to the rationalism that defined
the Georgian period and an increasing turn towards romanticism and mysticism with regard to
religion, social values, and the arts. In international relations, the supremacy of the Royal Navy
helped maintain peace as well as economic, colonial, and industrial consolidation and expansion.
It was in this period that Britain embarked on global imperial expansion, particularly in Asia and
Africa, which made the British Empire the largest empire in history. Domestically, the political
agenda was increasingly liberal, with a number of shifts in the direction of gradual political reform,
industrial reform, and the widening of the voting franchise. The two main political parties during
the era remained the Whigs, which were the Liberals, and the Conservatives, which were led by
such prominent statesmen as Lord Melbourne and Sir Robert Peel.
Adapted from https://en.wikipedia.org/index.php?q=aHR0cHM6Ly9lbi53aWtpcGVkaWEub3JnL3dpa2kvVmljdG9yaWFuX2VyYQ

a) The overall characterization of the Victorian era in Britain
b) The differences between the Georgian and the Victorian periods
c) The Victorian tendency towards romanticism and mysticism
pre-teach: discard
Halloween is a celebration observed in a number of countries on October 31, the eve of the Western
Christian feast of All Hallows’ Day. It is a contraction of All Hallows’ Evening, which is also
known as All Saints’ Eve. It begins the three-day observance of All-hallow-tide, the time dedicated
to remembering the dead, including saints, that is, hallows, martyrs, and all the beloved ones that
passed away. However, the origins of this celebration are somewhat controversial. Some people
believe that it was originally a pagan festivity, while others argue that it was mainly Christian. The
first group thinks that many Halloween traditions originated from ancient Celtic harvest festivals,
particularly the Gaelic festival of Samhain. They say these festivals may have had pagan roots,
and it is a commonly held belief that Samhain itself was Christianized as Halloween by the early
Church. The second group, however, holds onto the idea that Halloween began solely as a Christian
holiday, separate from ancient festivals like Samhain.
Adapted from http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/christianity/holydays/halloween_1.shtml
164
a) Whether the roots of Halloween are pagan or Christian is not certain.
b) Halloween was traditionally celebrated in all pagan countries.
c) Halloween began among early Christians who discarded pagan practices.
The Nash equilibrium, a concept in game theory, is a situation where all players are doing their
best against others. And the mathematical genius John Nash showed that any social problem has
such a point. And now, I’m going to apply this concept to a famous game called the Prisoners’
Dilemma. The prisoners’ dilemma is a very popular example of a two-person game of strategic
interaction, and it’s a common introductory example in many game-theory textbooks. The logic of
the game is simple: The two players in the game have been accused of a crime and have been
placed in separate rooms so that they cannot communicate with one another. Each player is asked
independently whether he is going to confess to the crime or remain silent. Because each of the
two players has two possible options, or strategies, there are four possible outcomes to the game.
If both players confess, they are both sent to jail, but for fewer years; if one player confesses and
the other remains silent, the silent player gets punished severely, while the player who has
confessed gets to go free. If both players remain silent, however, they each get a punishment that
is less severe than if they both confess. So when deciding what to do, they take into account the
other person’s possible action and choose the best strategy to apply. This game clearly shows that
group rationality – what is best for the group, what is best for the society – is not always equal to
what is best for each individual.
Adapted from https://www.thoughtco.com/the-prisoners-dilemma-definition-1147466
https://www.coursera.org/learn/game-theory-introduction/lecture/vlVSY/2-1-nash-equilibrium-and-the-prisoners-dilemma

a) The contributions of Nash equilibrium to society
b) The concept of the Nash equilibrium in game theory
c) An application of the Nash equilibrium
Critic Martin Esslin coined the term “Theater of the Absurd” in his 1962 essay with the same title.
He described these plays based on a broad theme of the Absurd, similar to the way Albert Camus
uses the term in his 1942 essay, which was entitled The Myth of Sisyphus. Absurd Theater in
practice was first popularized by the 1952 Samuel Beckett play Waiting for Godot, followed by
such playwrights as Harold Pinter and Tom Stoppard. In the Theater of Absurd, humans are viewed
as a puppet controlled or menaced by invisible outside forces. That is, the Absurd in these plays
takes the form of humans’ reaction to a meaningless world. Though the term is applied to a wide
range of plays, certain characteristics surface in many of the plays: broad comedy mixed with
horrific or tragic images; characters caught in hopeless situations who are forced to do repetitive
or meaningless actions; dialogue full of clichés, wordplay, and nonsense. Absurdists believed that
living in general and everything one does while living is absurd. And yet, they also believed that
death and the “after life” were equally absurd, if not more. For them, whether people live or not,
all of their actions were pointless and everything would lead to the same end. For Esslin and all
165
Absurd dramatists, therefore, we must accept the human condition as it is, in all its mystery and
absurdity, and to bear it responsibly. We must do this precisely because there are no easy solutions
to the mysteries of existence, as we are ultimately alone in a meaningless world.
Adapted from https://en.0wikipedia.org/index.php?q=aHR0cHM6Ly9lbi53aWtpcGVkaWEub3JnL3dpa2kvVGhlYXRyZV9vZl90aGVfQWJzdXJk

a) The Myth of Sisyphus
b) The Theater of the Absurd
c) The meaninglessness of human life
pre-teach: owe, distortion, distort
Today’s quantum physics owes a lot to the two pieces of a theory as developed by Albert Einstein.
The well-known theory of relativity can be organized under two subcategories: special and general
relativity. In his theory of special relativity, Einstein determined that the laws of physics are the
same for all non-accelerating observers. And he showed that the speed of light within a vacuum is
the same no matter how fast an observer travels. As a result, he found that space and time were
interwoven into a single continuum known as space-time. Events that occur at the same time for
one observer could occur at different times for another. As for the general theory of relativity, the
concept focuses more on the bigger objects in space rather than the subatomic particles. As Einstein
worked out the equations for his general theory of relativity, he realized that massive objects
caused a distortion in space-time. This can be explained like this: Imagine setting a large body in
the center of a trampoline. The body would press down into the fabric, causing it to dimple. A
marble rolled around the edge would spiral inward toward the body, pulled in much the same way
that the gravity of a planet pulls the rocks in space.
Adapted from https://www.space.com/17661-theory-general-relativity.html

a) To explain how space-time is distorted by massive objects
b) To indicate how Einstein worked on space and time separately
c) To give general information about special and general relativity
ANNOUNCEMENT
For items 6 -8, you will listen to a professor’s announcement about an International Essay Contest.
you listen to the announcement, you will be given 30 seconds to look at the questions and the
alternatives.
You know, I’m a senior fellow at the Carnegie Council for Ethics in International Affairs. Now it
is the time for their traditional International Essay Contest. University students from all around the
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world participate in this contest every year. And I thought you might be interested in entering this
contest. So let me give you some information about it. As you know, many of the greatest problems
facing us in the 21st century transcend national borders, from climate change, to refugees, to
terrorism. All involve ethical issues, such as fairness, rights, and responsibilities. So what do you
think is the world’s greatest challenge, and how does it affect your local community and/or the
world? What are the ethical issues involved and how can we work together to overcome this
problem? And the like. You will write an essay on this topic. You should be the only author of
your essay. Co-authorship is not allowed. The word limit is 1500. Language for the essays will be
English only. The due date is March 31. All entries will be checked for plagiarism. And if your
plagiarism is detected, your article will be rejected, and you will be banned from participating in
any future competition as well. The prizes, if you are wondering, are Amazon Gift Certificates for
all three winners: the first will receive a gift certificate of $500, the second $250, and the third
$100. The winners will be notified individually by July.
Adapted from https://www.carnegiecouncil.org/news/announcements/2017-08-07-international-student-teacher-essay-contest-2017-the-worlds-
greatest-ethical-challenge
6. What are the students required to do in their essay for the contest?
a. Describe the major problems of the 21st century that go beyond national borders
b. Analyze and offer solutions to the ethical issues of the world’s greatest challenge
c. Compare how the world’s greatest challenges affect local communities and the world
7. Which of the following is false about the requirements?
a. The essay can be co-authored.
b. The essay should not be more than 1500 words.
c. The essay can be submitted March 31 at the latest.
8. What is the prize for the second place?
a. $100
b. $250
c. A gift certificate
INSTRUCTION
For items 9 and 10, you will listen to an IT Support Specialist giving instructions to an academic
to solve a problem with her computer. As you listen, mark the alternatives that answer the questions
Andy : Hello, IT Department.

Dr. Scott : Hi, is that you, Andy?
Andy : Yeah, speaking.
Dr. Scott : This is Dr. Scott. I just need some technical support again.
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Andy : Sure, Dr. Scott. What’s the problem?
Dr. Scott : My computer is so slow. It takes ages to turn it on or open a file.
Andy : Is your computer on now?
Dr. Scott : Yes, it is.
Andy : First of all, your hard drive that holds the operating system might be full. This
is the C drive. If it is full, the operating system can’t write files quickly, as it
needs to search and allocate space for it. The searching process takes time,
which will result in a slowdown of your system’s performance. Now, the first
thing you should do is to delete any unneeded files such as movies, photos, or
music from your C drive, or you can move them to another hard drive. Use a
program like Visipics to remove any duplicate images. Also, uninstall any
programs you don’t use anymore.
Dr. Scott : Okay.
Andy : Another problem might be too many processes running in the background, as
they require both computing power, as well as the faster, short-term memory
– RAM. Many applications launch automatically when your machine boots up,
and this can stretch out boot time. To eliminate this problem, click on the start
button, in the search field type “msconfig,” and then go to the “Startup” tab.
Now, you don’t want to unmark anything that is a Microsoft process. What
you should look for are names like Google Update, AdobeAAMUpdater, Steam
Client Bootstrapper, Pando Media Booster, and Spotify. Once you’ve made all
your changes, click OK and restart the computer. It should boot up more
quickly and noticeably faster.
Adapted from https://www.pcworld.com/article/2047667/how-to-solve-the-10-most-common-tech-support-problems-yourself.html
1. What should the woman first do to speed up her slow computer?

a. Move the not-frequently-used files to an external hard disk
b. Free up some hard disk space by erasing unimportant material
c. Uninstall programs like Visipics that disrupt the operating system
2. Which of the following is true according to the IT technician’s instructions?

a. None of the Microsoft processes can be unmarked in the Startup tab.
b. The automatic launch of programs like Google Update can’t be disabled.
c. Applications such as Pando Media Booster shouldn’t be downloaded again.
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CONVERSATION
For items 11-14, you will listen to a conversation between a student and her advisor. As you listen,
pre-teach: borderline
Alice : Excuse me, Mrs. Morgan?

Advisor : Oh, hi...uh... Alice, isn’t it? Come in, Alice. I haven’t seen you in quite a while,
have I? How can I help you?
Alice : Well...if you have a few minutes... I need you to help me sort out my credit hours.
It’s kind of an, uh, an emergency.
Advisor : OK, sit down. I’ve got a few minutes right now.
Alice : Thanks very much.
Advisor : So, what’s the problem with your credit hours?
Alice : Well...um...I think I may not have the right ones. The ones I need to graduate, I
mean.
Advisor : What’s your major again? Business Administration?
Alice : Yeah, it’s supposed to be. For Bus Ad, I still need to take Global Economics ‒
EC 412 ‒ and, well, I’ve got room for it in my schedule but, erm...412’s got a
prerequisite, which I, uh, I haven’t taken. EC 312, Econometrics.
Advisor : Oh, that’s just great. How did you manage that, Alice?
Alice : Not paying attention. I didn’t notice until now that I needed 412 to graduate, and
I had no idea it required 312 before. Is there anything I can do now to fix this?
Advisor : Well, I’m not sure. It’s possible that the dean would let you take them
concurrently. It’s been done before, in-extremis.
Alice : Well, that’s what I am: in-extremis. The last term before graduation, and I’m
stuck. Do you think he would, really?
Advisor : It’s possible, if your grades are good enough, and everything else is in order. Are
they? Is it?
Alice : Oh, yeah! My GPA’s three point seven. And I’ve got all the other required
credits, and then some – I’ve actually taken more electives than I needed to.
Advisor : Hmm. Too many electives and missed a prerequisite. Good work, Alice.
Alice : Yeah, pretty dumb, eh?
Advisor : OK, well – they’re both offered this term, I hope?
Alice : Oh, yes. Global Economics is Tuesdays and Thursdays, at three PM, and
Econometrics is the same days, at 11 in the morning. Those would work fine,
except, uh....
Advisor : Except what?
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Alice : Except I’ve already signed up for the second half of my statistics course – Stats
301 – at 11.
Advisor : Is that a required course?
Alice : No, but it’s highly recommended for business majors. And I really need that
math. Math is my weak point, I’m afraid, and I’m going to use a lot of it if I go
into finance, as I want to.
Advisor : Alice, do you know what, um, Econometrics is?
Alice : Sure! Uh... I guess – what? It’s, uh, “measuring economies” – “econo-” plus
“-metrics” – isn’t it?
Advisor : It’s math, Alice. Statistics. It’s a course in the kinds of statistics used in business,
finance, and economics.
Alice : Oh!... Oh... so maybe I don’t need Stats 301, then?
Advisor : That’s right. Bus Ad makes sure you get the necessary math by requiring
Econometrics. But – you’ve taken Statistics 201 already?
Alice : Yes.
Advisor : Hmm. Listen – there may be another solution to this. The dean might accept Stats
201-301 in place of Econometrics.
Alice : Really? That’d be great!
Advisor : He might. Anyway, I’m going to have to call his office about this – about both
possibilities – right away. Let me just see what they say. If you had a choice,
which option would it be?
Alice : Uh... well, unless they really want me to take Econometrics, I think it would be
easier if I completed the second half of my statistics course. I mean, then I’d have
the whole course under my belt. But whatever the dean wants – I’m happy to do
whatever it takes to graduate on time.
Advisor : OK, good. Well, with two options, he may be more open to exempting you from
the prerequisite. Can you bring me a copy of your transcript later today?
Alice : I’ve got one right here, Mrs Morgan. Here you go.
Advisor : Ah. Mmm. Yes. it does look good, Alice – three point seven and a good scattering
of ‘A’s, too! OK. I’ll arrange to see the dean as soon as I can – if not today, then
tomorrow morning, I hope. And we’ll try to get this straightened out for you.
Stop by tomorrow afternoon about three, will you?
Alice : Sure! And thanks. Thank you very much.
Advisor : OK. And don’t worry too much. The dean can be quite flexible in a good cause.
See you tomorrow, then.
Alice : Thanks so much, Mrs Morgan. See you tomorrow afternoon at three.
Adapted from http://www.english-test.net/toefl/listening/A_conversation_between_a_student_and_his_counselor.html
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11. Why does Alice want to see her advisor?
a. To guarantee her graduation
b. To discuss her course requirements
c. To arrange a meeting with the Dean
12. Why does the advisor say, “That’s just great. How did you manage that, Alice?
a. Because she is impressed.
b. Because she is annoyed.
c. Because she is curious.
13. Which of the following can be said about Alice?
a. She is a successful student with an average GPA.
b. She is a borderline student with some A’s.
c. She is a good student with a high GPA.
14. Which courses would Alice rather take this term?
a. Statistics 301 and Global Economics EC 412
b. Econometrics EC 312 and Global Economics EC 412
c. Statistics 201and Statistics 301
DISCUSSION
For items 15-18, you will listen to a discussion among a professor and three research assistants.
As you listen, match each assistant with their current responsibilities in the department. Some
options may be used more than once; some options may not be used at all. Before you listen to the
discussion, you will be given 30 seconds to read the question and the alternatives.
pre-teach: proctor, mentor
Professor : So, Laura, tell me how the lab experiments are going?
Laura : Uhm, professor, I think there has been a mistake. You have not assigned me
the lab duties this semester.
Professor : Oh, really? I’m sorry, Laura. I think I’m confused. My mind is quite busy
these days. So, who is responsible for the lab?
Mike : I am, professor.
Professor : Oh, alright, Mike. Any difficulties?
Mike : Not really. It’s just a bit complicated for the second-year students. You know,
it’s the first time they’re taking lab courses. They sometimes cannot follow the
instructions, but Elaine is helping me with that.
Professor : Good to hear that. It’s only normal to have those difficulties, Mike, so don’t
worry. This is your first time teaching lab courses. Elaine has taught them
several times before. She knows that she should avoid wordiness in her
instructions so that every student will know what they are supposed to do.
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Elaine : Thank you, professor.
Professor : No, no, don’t thank me Elaine. We all know you’ll make a great teacher and a
mentor one day (chuckles). How about proctoring the exams? Elaine? How
many proctoring assignments do you have?
Elaine : I have actually three exams to proctor next week, professor. Biochemistry,
Industrial Chemistry, and Reaction Mechanisms. And you know I’m going to
defend my thesis by the end of this semester. I wonder if it is possible for me
to take two days off after the finals.
Professor : Sure. Just make sure that the head of the department is also informed about
this, okay?
Elaine : Definitely, professor.
Professor : So, what about the other proctoring duties? Laura?
Laura : I’m proctoring the Chemistry 106 exam on Monday.
Professor : Okay, Laura. But, uhm… Is that all? As far as I know, everyone has at least
two exams to proctor. Uhm. Let me see the calendar. Mike is proctoring the
Inorganic Chemistry exam on Tuesday. Uhm, he is also teaching lab courses,
so he has only one. It’s fair enough, I guess. And, who else? Oh, yes, Louise is
proctoring two exams on Wednesday and Thursday, Quantum Chemistry and
Reaction Mechanisms. And, Elaine has three, as we’ve just said. Are you
responsible for anything else, Laura? You know it’s important to be fair to
everyone in the division of labor.
Laura : Oh, yes, professor. I’m actually assisting the Quantum Chemistry and
Analytical Chemistry this semester. So my schedule is really hectic.
Professor : Alright, then.
Assistants Tasks
a. Teach Chemistry 106

15. Laura ___c____
b. Teach lab courses
16. Mike ___b____ c. Assist Quantum Chemistry course
17. Elaine ___e____ d. Mentor second-year students
18. Louise ___e____ e. Proctor Reaction Mechanisms exam
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LECTURES
Lecture 1
For items 19–24, you will listen to a lecture about transgenic crops, or genetically modified crops.
you listen to the lecture, you will be given 60 seconds to look at the questions and the alternatives.
pre-teach: herbicide, respiratory
Lecturer: OK, everyone, let’s remember our earlier session. I’ve talked about gene modification
in animals and humans, and pointed out several controversies related to the issue. Now, in this part
of the lecture, I’ll be talking about transgenic crops. I’ll give you some information about these
crops and the purpose behind producing them. So, let me begin with the definition of a transgenic
crop. In traditional agriculture, all crops have been modified from their original wild state by
domestication, selection, and controlled breeding over long periods of time. However, a transgenic
crop is a plant that contains a gene or genes that have been artificially inserted. The inserted gene
sequence, known as the transgene, may come from another unrelated plant or from a completely
different species. Transgenic corn, for example, which produces its own insecticide, contains a
gene from a bacterium. Actually, what we call genetically modified, or GM, crops are the ones
that contain transgenes.
A commonly asked question is, “why do plant breeders try to assemble a combination of genes in
a crop plant?” Well… we know that they do this to make the crop as useful and productive as
possible. Depending on where and for what purpose the plant is grown, desirable genes may
provide features such as higher yield or improved quality, pest or disease resistance, or tolerance
to heat, cold, and drought. This powerful method enables plant breeders to do what they have
always done; that is, they generate more useful and productive crop varieties containing new
combinations of genes. However, this method expands the possibilities beyond the limitations
imposed by traditional cross-pollination and selection techniques.
Now let’s have a look at the most common problems in agriculture and how they have been solved
by GM crops. Weed control is one of the farmer’s biggest challenges in crop production because
poorly controlled weeds drastically reduce crop yield and quality. Many herbicides, or weed
killers, on the market control only certain types of weeds and are approved for use only on certain
crops at specific growth stages. Residues of some herbicides remain in the soil for a year or more,
so farmers must pay close attention to the herbicide history of a field when planning what to plant
there. Herbicide-tolerant GM crops resolve many of those problems.
Another problem is the nutrition quality of the crop. Millions of people in the world suffer from
Vitamin A deficiency, which leads to vision impairment and increased susceptibility to diarrhea,
respiratory diseases, and measles. Rice is a staple food in many countries, particularly in Asia, but
does not contain Vitamin A. By inserting two genes from the daffodil and one gene from a bacterial
species into rice plants, Swiss researchers have produced rice capable of synthesizing beta-
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carotene, which helps create Vitamin A. This rice variety is now being crossed into adapted
varieties, with field tests possible in a year or two, and it is hoped that it will help to solve the
problem of Vitamin A deficiency.
The third area in which genetically modified crops can be useful is salty soils. Well, salty soils are
another increasing problem in many parts of the world. High salt levels in soil and irrigation water
kill many crop plants, including tomatoes. The development of GM tomatoes offers the possibility
that tomatoes could be grown on land that was previously unavailable for agriculture. Scientists at
the University of California and the University of Toronto have developed a tomato plant that is
able to tolerate high levels of salt and that holds the salt in its leaves, so the fruit will not taste
salty. It will take an estimated three years before salt-tolerant tomatoes are available commercially.
Taste is another issue in today’s crops. As you all know, most vegetables and fruit are rather
tasteless these days. Related to this problem, another area of interest in genetic modification is
delayed ripening. Crops that ripen more slowly can develop improved flavor, compared to
commercial varieties that are picked at the green stage.
GM crops not only solve agricultural problems but also offer some other possibilities in medicine,
such as edible vaccines. These edible vaccines against infectious diseases are produced from food
crops, which help the distribution of vaccination all around the world. For instance, bananas have
received considerable research attention as a vehicle for vaccine delivery. This is because bananas
can easily adapt to tropical environments. Today, scientists have inserted inactivated viruses of
cholera, hepatitis B, and diarrhea into bananas. These transgenic bananas have seriously facilitated
the availability of vaccines in tropical environments.
I guess now you have an idea about genetically modified crops. They have a number of advantages,
but what about the disadvantages and risks? In the next hour, we’ll be talking about these concerns.
Let’s have a break now.
19. The lecturer gives the definition of transgenic crops to ______________.

a) point out the necessity of gene modification in agricultural practices
b) emphasise the difference between a regular crop and a genetically modified crop
c) indicate the similarity of gene modification in animals and humans to that in plants
20. Which of the following is mentioned as one of the purposes of producing GM crops?
a) pest resistance
b) cross-pollination
c) prevention of starvation
21. Many herbicides on the market can be used ____________.
a) once a year
b) only on certain crops
c) in the earlier stages of growth
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22. Why did scientists produce rice capable of synthesizing beta-carotene?
a) To find a cure for respiratory diseases.
b) To solve the problem of Vitamin A deficiency.
c) To cross it with a bacterial species.
23. GM tomatoes have been developed ___________.
a) to make use of unsuitable soil for agriculture
b) to produce fruit that is already salty
c) to increase the commercial success of the fruit
24. The lecturer mentions transgenic bananas ___________.
a) to exemplify how GM crops may cause cholera and diarrhea
b) to indicate how GM crops can adapt to different environments
c) to illustrate how GM crops can be used as vaccines
Lecture 2
For items 25–29, you will listen to a lecture in a science class. As you listen, mark the alternatives
that answer the questions or complete the statements. Before you listen to the lecture, you will be
given 60 seconds to look at the questions and the alternatives.
pre-teach: acknowledge, kernel
Professor: Many people, including scientists, are confused about the distinction between nuts and
seeds. Some dictionaries say a nut is also a seed, others say a nut is a fruit, and still others say a
nut can be both a fruit and a seed. How can an average person tell the difference? Well, in a
nutshell, nuts are seeds, but seeds cannot be nuts. Clear as a bell, right?
Part of the confusion stems from the fact that seeds and nuts are classified differently for botanical
purposes and culinary ones. Botanists – that is, scientists who study plants – define a seed as part
of the, er, a flowering plant or tree that will grow into a new plant or tree if it’s, uh, buried in the
ground and germinated. In this respect it’s similar to a human egg, which becomes an embryo
when fertilized by sperm. Sometimes the plant embryo becomes enclosed in a covering, called an
integument: I-N-T-E-G-U-M-E-N-T. The embryo plus its integument, therefore, constitute a seed.
Um, sunflower seeds are good examples of this. You’ve got to crack open the black outer part, the
integument, to eat the white embryo inside, right? That’s why we call them sunflower seeds, and
not sunflower nuts.
However, it’s possible for an embryo to have no type of integument at all. As these embryos grow,
the tissue surrounding them develops into a fruit. We see this form in many berries, as well as
tomatoes, and in peanuts and beans. So an embryo, or seed, doesn’t need a covering to be called a
fruit. Now, some plants produce a type of fruit called nuts. A nut is a plant fruit containing a single
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seed (with or without integument) that does not attach itself to the ovary, or, uh, the inside wall of
the nut. Nuts have a dry, tough outer shell that doesn’t crack open when the seed becomes mature.
Acorns, chestnuts, and walnuts are good examples of nuts. In the botanical sense, a nut is a seed
because it is a compound ovary; it contains both the seed and the fruit of a plant. Oft [false start]
Usually, a plant’s seed can be separated from its fruit, like when you poke seeds from a
watermelon. But with nuts, the part inside the outer shell contains both the seed and the fruit, and
these can’t be pulled apart.
This inside part of the nut, the part inside the outer shell, is called a kernel. The kernel is definitely
not a nut. It’s a fruit. People often eat the kernel, and when they do this, they say that they are
eating a nut ‒ for example, “I’m eating a pecan,” or “I’m eating a chestnut.” What they should be
saying, technically, is “I’m eating pecan meat,” or “I’m eating a chestnut kernel.” In the same
sense, a peanut typically refers to the entire package of seed-slash-fruit encased in its outer shell,
as well as to the edible inner seed-slash-fruit. So, while a nut is botanically classified as a seed, it
is primarily in this culinary sense that people confuse nuts and seeds.
Because a nut in cuisine is more, uh, loosely defined than a nut in botany, the term “nut” gets
slapped on many seeds that are not true nuts. Almonds, for example, are mistakenly called nuts,
even though they are actually the edible seeds of plants called drupes, as are coconuts and pistachio
nuts. Cashews are another example of nuts that are really seeds, along with Brazil nuts, which are
seeds that come from capsules. In gastronomy, any kernel used in cooking that is found within a
shell may be labeled as a nut. One attribute nuts and seeds have in common is that both are highly
nutritious. Nuts are a great source of energy because they have lots of oil, and are also an excellent
source of protein, fiber, magnesium, and zinc. Additionally, recent [false start] recent studies have
also shown they are beneficial for the blood and heart. Many seeds are packed with vitamin E,
which is touted for its anti-aging properties. Nuts and seeds are good not only for humans, but also
for wildlife, a fact confirmed each fall when animals such as squirrels, chipmunks, and jays can be
seen busily storing nuts to avoid starvation in the coming winter cold.
Adapted from http://www.english-test.net/toefl/listening/A_lecture_from_a_science_class.html
25. What is the lecture mainly about?

a) The history of integuments
b) The distinction between seeds and nuts
c) The botanical definition of a nut
26. According to the professor, how do botanists define a seed?
a) It is the part of a plant that will reproduce itself when germinated.
b) It is any kernel used in cooking that is found within a shell.
c) It is a plant fruit that does not attach itself to the ovary of a nut.
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27. What does the professor mean when he says this: “Clear as a bell, right?”
a) He thinks the explanation is self-evident.
b) He suspects that the scientists are playing a joke.
c) He is acknowledging that the issue is confusing.
28. Why does the professor mention kernels?
a) To compare chestnut seeds with watermelon seeds
b) To highlight the confusion between nuts and seeds
c) To argue against the botanical definition of a nut
29. Why does the lecturer mention almonds?
a) To show that they contain as much oil as coconuts.
b) To indicate their health benefits on the heart and blood.
c) To support the idea that nuts are confused with seeds.
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CAREFUL READING
178
Text 1.
A For Brian Kurth, a six- or seven-day workweek is nothing unusual. In fact, it’s the
routine for him, and he also admits he doesn’t get much sleep. “I’m usually up until
midnight, and back up at 5 a.m., but it’s not work if you love it,” says Kurth. That’s the
same mentality shared by many entrepreneurs who are fervent to grow and build their
small businesses. It makes sense when you consider that these people, by nature, are
hard workers. That’s not a bad personality trait to have, but when unchecked, it can
harm the individual. When that happens, an energetic hard worker with a lot of
enthusiasm and reliability can slowly transform into a burnt-out workaholic. Kurth
learned this lesson the hard way. He broke up with his partner at a point in his career
when he was juggling his new business, writing a book, and trying to maintain a
relationship – all at the same time! “I had to give up something,” he says. “But I’m not
willing to be a workaholic at the expense of being single the rest of my life. I’ve learned
that it’s important to find that balance in life.”
B While the word ‘workaholic’ tends to have a negative connotation due to the health
and social implications associated with it, some entrepreneurs insist that it’s a lifestyle
that works for them. “I absolutely love what I’m doing, and I have no regrets,” says
Scott Badger, the founder and president of KPI Direct.
C Mobile technology makes it much more difficult for workaholics to “unplug.” Badger
responds to client communications day and night. Due to the nature of his business,
which counsels organizations on how to create multi-channel direct marketing
programs, Badger finds he’s unable to switch into “off” mode. The hard work has paid
off, however. Since 2016, Badger says the company has doubled its employees and
tripled its monthly revenue. “With clients across the globe, I’m tempted to do business
at all hours. I always want more,” Badger says. Likewise, jewelry designer Laura
Rhodes illustrates this modern addiction. “I sleep with my smart phone,” says Rhodes,
who started her Studio City in 2012. She says the company had sales of more than
$350,000 last year and is projecting $500,000 for the next year.
D For entrepreneurs like Badger and Rhodes, the thought of leaving their business for
even one week is quite disturbing. “If someone told me I had to take a week off, I’d go
crazy,” Badger says. Rhodes admits she hasn’t taken a week-long vacation since the
inception of her business. In fact, she doesn’t even have a valid passport. “My goal for
2019 is to get a passport for a European vacation, but right now I feel like I can’t leave
the business for too long.”
E Giving up control of duties is a necessity for many workaholics struggling to find a
work and life balance. For Kurth, it’s all about setting rules and sticking to them. He
says his rules are sharply designed. a) ■ Though not as successfully as Kurth, Rhodes
and Badger have also somewhat managed to find a way to work this out. They are, in
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fact, still struggling to find that balance, too. Rhodes made the first move by relocating
her business out of her home and into an office. “I needed to separate my business from
my life,” she says, “but this is just the beginning. I can’t just stop working whenever
it’s necessary.” b) ■ Meanwhile, Badger tries to balance his intense schedule with his
additional roles of husband and father. Though it’s hard, Badger says, he finds ways to
make it work. For instance, to spend more time with his children, Badger is planning
to limit his travel to four days a month. He also created new summer office hours,
closing the door at noon every Friday. “Last year, I picked up my preschool-age boys
and headed to the beach. It was amazing. I would like to do this more often, but I’m
not there, yet.” c) ■
F Psychologists say, “It’s important for all workaholics to have a break. Otherwise, they
may have to see a therapist.” When Badger feels overworked, he escapes for an
afternoon to watch a movie. Rhodes relieves her work-related tensions by exercising
and cooking. Kurth says a change in the environment makes a big difference in his
mental health. At the least for the time being, they seem to have, to one degree or
another, found the balance in their lives.
Adapted from http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/03/31/AR2008033102371_2.html

Flesch Reading Ease 66,8 / IELTS 4-5 / CEFR B1
1. According to paragraph A, when his partner broke up with him, Brian Kurth
____________.
a) had a fervent and furious personality
b) was suffering from incurable insomnia
c) was dealing with a number of tasks
2. The information in paragraphs B and C suggests that although workaholism is

considered unfavorable by many people, ___________.
a) workaholics are reliable and have strong ties with their families
b) there are some others who think it is an acceptable way of life
c) technology provides workaholics with the spare time they need
3. Both Rhodes and Badger think that __________.

a) limiting traveling time abroad is enough to keep a balance
b) being away from work for even one week is impossible
c) they need to get someone to arrange their daily chores
4. Which of the following is mentioned in the text?

a) The unusual retirement plans of some workaholics
b) The company rules that disturb workaholics
c) Some workaholics’ efforts to reduce their workload
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5. The text is mainly about ___________.
a) the need for workaholics to achieve a greater work-life balance
b) the psychological reasons why some people turn into workaholics
c) some problems that workaholics have when they give up hard work
6. Where in paragraph E does the following sentence belong?

“The minute my workaholism affects my family or friends in a negative way, I
draw the line.”
a) a
b) b
c) c
7. According to paragraph F, ____________.

a) workaholics need to get rid of their habit by attending therapy sessions
b) different workaholics have different ways of attaining work-life balance
c) Badger and Rhodes use similar methods for relaxation after tiring hours
Text 2.
A It’s amazing just how many medical myths there are to choose from, but one part of
the body seems to attract more than its fair share, and that’s the brain. One of my
favorite brain myths is the idea that we only use 10% of it. It’s an appealing idea
because it suggests the possibility that we could become so much more intelligent,
successful, or creative, if only we could harness that wasted 90%. This might inspire
us to try harder, but unfortunately that doesn’t mean there’s any truth in it.
B First of all, it’s important to ask the question – 10% of what? If it is 10% of the regions
of the brain to which people are referring, this is the easiest idea to quash. Using a
technique called functional magnetic resonance imaging, neuroscientists can place a
person inside a scanner and see which parts of the brain are activated when they do or
think about something. A simple action like clenching and unclenching your hand or
saying a few words requires activity in far more than a tenth of the brain. Even when
you think you are doing nothing, your brain is doing rather a lot – whether it’s
controlling functions like breathing and heart rate, or recalling the items on your to-do
list.
C Yet, maybe the 10% refers to the number of brain cells. Again this doesn’t work. When
nerve cells are going spare, they either degenerate and die off, or they are colonized by
other areas nearby. We simply don’t let our brain cells hang around idly. They’re too
valuable for that. In fact, our brains are a huge drain on our resources. Keeping brain
tissue alive consumes 20% of the oxygen we breathe, according to cognitive
neuroscientist Sergio Della Sala.
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D It is true that nature can sometimes involve some strange designs, but, following Della
Sala’s argument, to evolve to have a brain ten times the size we needed would seem
very odd, when its large dimensions are so costly to our survival. Human brain is
already too big: three times larger than the brain of our closest living relative, the
chimpanzee. (a) The chimpanzee brain uses less than a third of the energy that the
human brain needs, but the two species have the same metabolic rate. (b) What
makes the human brain ‘so expensive’ is the amount of energy it requires to run
every task. (c) In fact, the human brain requires about 22 times as much energy
to run as the equivalent in muscle tissue. As such, why would we waste so much
energy to feed an organ that uses only its 10% to function?
E Still, many people do cling onto the idea that we only use 10% of our brains. The idea
is so prevalent that when the University College London neuroscientist Sophie Scott
was on a first aid course, the tutor assured the class that head injuries were not very
serious because of the 10% “fact.” He was not only wrong about the 10%, but he was
also wrong about the impact of brain damage. Even a small injury can have huge effects
on a person’s capabilities. The first aid tutor probably wasn’t bargaining on instructing
a professor of neuroscience on the course, but Scott put him right.
F So how can an idea with so little biological or physiological basis have spread this
widely? It is hard to track down an original source. The American psychologist and
philosopher William James mentioned in The Energies of Men in 1908 that we “are
making use of only a small part of our possible mental and physical resources.” He was
optimistic that people could achieve more, but he was not referring to brain volume or
quantity of cells, nor was he giving a specific percentage. The 10% figure was
mentioned in the preface to the 1936 edition of Dale Carnegie’s best-selling book
entitled How to Win Friends and Influence People, and sometimes people say that
Albert Einstein was the source. Although Professor Della Sala has tried hard to find
the quote, the results were not verifying any source. Even those who work at the Albert
Einstein archives can find no record of it, so it seems this might be a myth, too.
G Aside from these, there is one more idea that might account for the misunderstanding.
Nine-tenths of the cells in the brain are so-called glial cells. These are the support cells,
the white matter, which provide physical and nutritional help for the other 10% of cells,
the neurons, which make up the grey matter that does the thinking. Perhaps people
heard that only 10% of the cells do the hard graft and assumed that we could attach our
brain capacity to the glial cells, too. However, these are a different kind of cells entirely.
There is no way that they could suddenly transform themselves into neurons, giving us
extra brain power.
H There is a very rare group of patients whose brain scans reveal something
extraordinary, though. In 1980, a British pediatrician called John Lorber mentioned in
the journal Science that he had patients with hydrocephalus who had hardly any brain
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tissue, yet could function. This doesn’t of course show us that the rest of us could make
extra use of our brains, but that these people have adapted to extraordinary
circumstances.
I It is, of course, true that if we put our minds to it, we can learn new things, and there is
increasing evidence from the studies conducted on neuroplasticity showing that re-
wiring new information into the brain changes its structure. In other words, it is thanks
to its neuroplastic qualities that the brain is capable of re-formulating and adapting
itself with the encoding of new information. However, as scientists would also agree,
this does not mean that we are tapping into a new area of the brain. We simply create
new connections between nerve cells or lose old connections that we no longer need.
J What I find most intriguing about this myth is how disappointed people are when you
tell them it’s not true. Maybe it’s the figure of 10% that is so alluring because it is so
low that it offers massive potential for improvement. We’d all like to be better, and we
can be better if we try. Yet, sadly, finding an unused portion of our brains isn’t the way
it’s going to happen.
Adapted from http://www.bbc.com/future/story/20121112-do-we-only-use-10-of-our-brains
1. The word “harness” in paragraph A is closest in meaning to ______________.

a) capture b) utilize c) detach
2. The word “quash” in paragraph B is closest in meaning to _______________.
a) invalidate b) conceal c) deploy
3. The word “idly” in paragraph C is closest in meaning to _______________.
a) taking one’s time b) doing nothing c) being forgotten
4. Which underlined sentence does not fit in paragraph D?
a) (a)
b) (b)
c) (c)
5. In paragraph E, the author gives the first aid course example in order to show that
______________.
a) Sophie Scott managed to straighten out the misunderstanding caused by the
instructor
b) many people stick to the 10% myth without considering the potential
consequences
c) head injuries inflicting brain damage are actually way more serious than we tend
to think
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6. Paragraph F is mainly about _____________.
a) when William James first brought about the issue of 10% in his book
b) whether it was Carnegie or Einstein who articulated the 10% issue
c) what could have caused the 10% myth to disseminate so commonly
7. It can be understood from paragraph G that _____________.
a) 90% of our brain cells are called the neurons, which form the white matter.
b) neurons are important because they provide help and support for the glial cells.
c) glial cells cannot be converted into neurons so as to increase brain capacity.
8. Paragraph H ______________.
a) indicates an exceptional case
b) challenges paragraphs F and G
c) exemplifies scans of brain tissue
9. According to paragraph I, neuroplasticity ______________.
a) offers ways to unblock the other areas in the brain
b) allows the brain to make new connections
c) helps the brain extend its capacity by learning
10. The word “alluring” in paragraph J is closest in meaning to ______________.
a) tempting b) repulsive c) hideous
Text 3.
A Many of the most expensive commercials ever made are those in which an A-list
celebrity flashes a beautiful smile at the cameras. (1) _B__ Their recent television
advertisement, the most expensive in British history, cost ten million pounds, and it
features, not the rich and famous, but villagers from the mountains of Argentina.
B The advertisement features a game of dominoes. It begins in a darkened room where

several thousand ordinary dominoes are set up on a specially-designed table. Then, the
falling dominoes head out of the room into the streets, causing progressively larger
objects to tumble. Dominoes knock over books, which in turn knock bigger household
objects such as suitcases, tires, pots of paint, oil drums, and even cars. The final piece
in the chain reaction is a huge tower of books. These flutter open to reveal a structure
in the shape of a pint of Guinness.
C The location chosen for the commercial was Iruya, a village high up in the mountains
of north-west Argentina. (2) _C__, which could take up to ten hours. Asked why this
remote destination was chosen for the shoot, the director said that even though it was
the most difficult location they could have picked, it was perfect.
D For one month, the village, population thousand, increased in size by almost thirty
percent. One hundred and forty crew members descended on the village. These
included the world record holders in domino toppling, Weijers Domino productions
from the Netherlands. (3) _E__
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E Creating this film was no easy task. Preparations for filming took well over a month.
Twenty six truckloads of objects were brought in. These were all chosen to suit the
town and fit in with the people’s way of life. (4) _F_ They included 10,000 books, 400
tires, 75 mirrors, 50 fridges, 45 wardrobes, and 6 cars. Setting the objects up took skill
and patience. They needed to be arranged so they would fall over easily, and this
involved balancing them on stones. Some of the sequences had to be reshot 15 times,
and 24 hours of footage was captured. However, the sequence in which six cars fell
over was successfully shot in just one take.
F Filming in this location was not without its difficulties. Firstly, being so isolated, it was
hard to obtain resources at short notice. The second problem was the high altitude.
(5)_A_ It was also hard to work with the villagers who had no experience of film-
making. Finally, setting and resetting the props caused a good deal of frustration.
G These days, when computer-generated imagery (CGI) is all the rage, it was surprising
that so little of the work was done using computer effects. The only sequence that used
computer graphics was the one in which the tower of books fluttered open to reveal a
pint of Guinness. The prop department did construct a small version on site, but most
of the work was done in a studio in London. Even so, this was no simple matter. They
had to ensure that all the books in the tower had a different appearance.
H Director Nicolai Fuglsig said about the project: “Despite all the challenges, the cast
was fantastic, and it was a really amazing experience.” Whether or not the effort put
into the advert pays off is another matter entirely.
Taken from https://www.examenglish.com/FCE/fce_reading2.htm
Flesch Reading Ease 60.4 / IELTS 5-6 / CEFR B2
A. There are five gaps in the text, and below are given six options to complete those
gaps. One gap doesn’t need any sentences, and there is one extra sentence. Choose
from A-F, and write the correct letter in the gap.
A Iruya is situated 3000 meters above sea level and the film crew was not used
to working in such conditions.
B Not so with the famous Irish drink company Guinness.
C Getting there involved driving along 48 kilometers of dirt roads and crossing
twelve rivers.
D The human body has both short-term and long-term adaptations to altitude that
allow it to partially compensate for the lack of oxygen.
E Added to this was the total of one hundred and thirty ‘actors’ who were
recruited from a five neighboring towns.
F No sentence needed
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B. Answer the following question.
1. Which of the following objects tumbles down in the advertisement?

a) tables
b) fridges
c) board games
2. Which of the following is true according to the text?
a) The shooting of some sequences had to be repeated several times.
b) No computer graphics were used in the filming of the advertisement.
c) Many books were brought to the village to form the tower of books.
3. What is the tone of paragraph G?
a) pessimistic
b) approving
c) indifferent
Text 4.
A Charles Darwin said, “It’s not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most
intelligent, but the one most responsive to change.” So you’ve sold your home, quit
your job, shunned your colleagues, and abandoned your friends and family. The end of
the world is close, and you ‘know for a fact’ that you are one of the chosen few who
will be swept up from the ‘great flood’ approaching on 21st December at midnight to
be flown to safety on a far off planet. Then, midnight on 21st December comes around,
and there is no flood. No end of the world. No flying saucer to the rescue. What do you
do? Admit you were wrong? Acknowledge that you gave up your position, money, and
friends for nothing? Tell yourself and others you have been a schmuck? Not on your
life.
B Social psychologist Leon Festinger infiltrated a flying saucer doomsday cult in the late
1950s. The members of this cult had given up everything on the premise that the world
was about to self-destruct, and that they, because of their faith, would be the sole
survivors. In the lead up to the fateful day, the cult shunned publicity and shied away
from journalists. Festinger posed as a cultist and was present when the space ship failed
to show up. He was curious about what would happen. How would the disappointed
cultists react to the failure of their prophecy? Would they be embarrassed and
humiliated? What actually happened amazed him.
C Now, after the non-event, the cultists suddenly wanted publicity. They wanted media
attention and coverage. Why? In this way, they could explain how their faith and
obedience had helped save the planet from the flood. The aliens had spared planet earth
for their sake, and now, their new role was to spread the word and make us all listen.
This fascinated Festinger. He observed that the real driving force behind the cultists’
apparently inexplicable response was the need, not to face the awkward and
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uncomfortable truth and ‘change their minds’, but rather, to ‘make minds comfortable’
‒ to smooth over the unacceptable inconsistencies.
D Festinger coined the term ‘cognitive dissonance’ to describe the uncomfortable tension
we feel when we experience conflicting thoughts or beliefs (cognitions), or engage in
behavior that is apparently opposed to our stated beliefs. What is particularly
interesting is the lengths to which people will go to reduce the inner tension without
accepting that they might, in fact, be wrong. They will accept almost any form of relief,
other than admitting being at fault, or mistaken. Festinger quickly realized that our
intolerance for ‘cognitive dissonance’ could explain many mysteries of human
behavior.
E In a fascinating experiment, Festinger and his colleagues paid some subjects twenty
dollars to tell a specific lie, while they paid another group of subjects only one dollar
to do the same. Those who were paid just one dollar were far more likely to claim, after
the event, that they had actually believed in the lie they were told to tell. Why? Well,
because it’s just so much harder to justify having done something that conflicts with
your own sense of being ‘an honest person’ for a mere pittance. If you get more money,
you can tell yourself: ‘Yeah, I lied, but I got well paid! It was justified,’ but for one
dollar? That’s not a good enough reason to lie, so what you were saying must have
been true in the first place, right?
F Emotional factors influence how we vote for our politicians much more than our careful
and logical appraisal of their policies, according to Drew Westen, a professor of
psychiatry and psychology. This may come as little surprise to you, but what about
when we learn that our favored politician may be dishonest? Do we take the trouble to
really find out what they are supposed to have done, and so possibly have to change
our opinions (and our vote), or do we experience that nasty cognitive dissonance and
seek to keep our minds comfortable at the possible cost of truth?
G Cognitive dissonance is essentially a matter of commitment to the choices one has

made, and the ongoing need to satisfactorily justify that commitment, even in the face
of convincing but conflicting evidence. This is why it can take a long time to leave a
cult or an abusive relationship, or even to stop smoking. Life’s commitments, whether
to a job, a social cause, or a romantic partner, require heavy emotional investment, and
so carry significant emotional risks. If people didn’t keep to their commitments, they
would experience uncomfortable emotional tension. In a way, it makes sense that our
brains should be hard-wired for monitoring and justifying our choices and actions so
as to avoid too much truth breaking in at once and overwhelming us.
H I guess we can’t really develop unless we start to get a grip and have some personal
honesty about what really motivates us. This is part of genuine maturity. If I know I
am being lazy, and can admit it to myself, that at least is a first step to correcting it. If,
however, I tell myself it’s more sensible to wait before vacuuming, then I can go around
with a comfortable self-concept of ‘being sensible,’ while my filthy carpets and
laziness remain unchanged. Cognitive dissonance can actually help me mature, if I can
bring myself, first, to notice it (making it conscious) and second, to be more open to
187
the message it brings me, in spite of the discomfort. As dissonance increases, providing
I do not run away into self-justification, I can get a clearer sense of what has changed,
and what I need to do about it.
And then I can remember what Darwin had to say about who will survive...
Taken from http://ielts-up.com/reading/academic-reading-sample-8.3.html
1. After the spaceship didn’t show up on the fateful day, the members of the flying
saucer doomsday cult ______________.
a) changed their minds about their cult leader due to his inconsistent arguments and
his failure as a prophet
b) felt embarrassed and humiliated because they had believed in such a prophecy and
left everything they had behind
c) unexpectedly wanted media attention to claim that it was their strong beliefs
that saved the planet
2. The main reason why people fight cognitive dissonance is ______________.
a) a need for relief by admitting mistakes
b) a desire to reduce the inner tension
c) a lack of firmly stated beliefs and opinions
3. According to paragraph E, the less money the subjects received to tell a lie,
___________.
a) the more they claimed to believe it
b) the harder they found it to lie
c) the more conflicts they experienced
4. According to paragraph G, we are committed to our choices despite the conflicting
evidence because our commitments ______________.
a) cause us to experience uncomfortable emotional tension
b) require heavy emotional investment
c) are always monitored and justified by our brains
5. According to the text, which of the situations below is not an example of cognitive
dissonance?
a) A man learns that his favored politician is dishonest, but continues to vote for him.
b) A woman doesn’t want to do vacuuming, but convinces herself that if she
doesn’t, her carpet will remain filthy and finally does it.
c) A woman has been dating with her boyfriend for five years. Everyone tells her
that it’s an abusive relationship because he often beats and humiliates her, but she
doesn’t want to leave her romantic partner.
6. In order to become genuinely mature, a person should ______________.
a) employ self-justification for his/her mistakes
b) have enough motivation to overcome laziness
c) be honest with himself/herself
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7. By giving the quote from Charles Darwin at the beginning of the text, the writer
implies that ___________.
a) fighting the discomfort caused by cognitive dissonance is a survival
mechanism developed during evolution
b) those who can adapt themselves to change may not survive if they are not strong
or intelligent enough
c) ignoring cognitive dissonance helps us to develop and therefore makes us more
enduring species
Text 5.
A Slavery is the idea that a human is someone’s property, that he/she can be bought, sold,
and owned, and forced to work without being paid. This concept has been around for
thousands of years, and all major civilizations used slaves at some point. They were
used in many different positions, such as laborers, soldiers, servants, and farmers.
Although the word slavery makes us think of the Transatlantic Slave Trade (from
Africa to the Americas), slavery was not specific to one part of the world. The Romans,
Russians, Aztecs, and Egyptians all kept slaves. The word slave actually comes from
‘slav’ ‒ many Slavic people from Eastern Europe were taken as slaves during conflicts,
or wars. As well as being captured in wars, people could be born as slaves, sold into
slavery, or sold to pay a debt.
B In the past, there were different concepts about human-rights and what was moral or
immoral. It is only in the last 300 years that these ideas have begun to change. Most
people accepted that some types of people were born to be slaves, or that if you won a
war, you could sell your captured enemies. The life of a slave, although difficult, was
not always the end of a person’s life. It was possible for a slave to buy his freedom, for
a slave soldier to become a general, or for a freed slave to become an important member
of society. The Transatlantic Slave Trade ended this possibility.
C Slavery was as common in Africa as in other countries, but in the 15th century, traders
began to export large numbers of slaves to the Middle East. European countries
followed this, exporting Africans to work on plantations in the Caribbean, and North
and South America. A massive number of people were needed, as demand for new
products such as sugar, coffee, and tobacco was very high. In 400 years, an estimated
12 million people were removed from Africa to work as slaves in the Americas or
European colonies.
D Slaves in this system had no opportunity for advancement or release; even if they were
freed, they had few legal rights. In the past, owning slaves in many countries had been
a status symbol, and owners had been usually fair. In this new system, profit was the
most important aspect. As a result, conditions of work and living were also very tough.
Millions died because of mistreatment and difficult working conditions. Some African
slave traders, learning of these conditions, started to oppose the trade.
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E A number of African countries, such as the Congo, made the trade illegal, not for moral
but practical reasons – its population was being reduced greatly by the trade. Yet, it
was moral reasons that forced a greater change. A movement in Britain led by the
Quakers* and the MP William Wilberforce pushed the parliament to abolish slavery.
In 1807, the slave trade was abolished, and in 1833, slavery was abolished in all British
colonies.
F In the USA, on the other hand, there was great argument over slavery. Many industries
in the South were dependent on slaves for production, such as cotton, and if freed, the
number of slaves would be almost 50% of the population in some areas. Unfortunately,
the civil war between the North and South came before political change. Slavery was
an important issue in this conflict, and was abolished (through the 13th amendment to
the Constitution) at the end of the Civil War in 1865.
G In the 19th Century, newer political ideals of freedom and equality were anti-slavery. It
is ironic that the two countries at the time that were associated with freedom and
equality, the USA and France, still permitted slavery. France didn’t abolish slavery
until 1848, and there were still slaves working in the White House in the same year.
The humanitarian ideal, the idea that all people are brothers, was also important. As
this idea was taken from Christianity, Christians, especially those from newer branches,
such as Quakers and Methodists, were at the center of movements all over the world.
Christian missionaries were often funded by anti-slavery groups.
H Dr. David Livingstone was the most famous British missionary in Africa until 1873,
and pushed for the end to the local slave trade. Unfortunately, he believed it could only
be stopped by foreign countries taking control of African states – mass colonialism.
This led to many other problems.
I Legally, Nigeria was the last country to abolish slavery in 1936. However, in many
parts of the world today, millions of people are working as slaves: children fighting in
the army or working for no pay, women moving from their own countries to work in
the sex industry or in people’s houses, or people working for many years to pay back
a small loan. These are all types of modern slavery. Groups such as the United Nations
or Anti-Slavery International are fighting against this problem – but the world must
first accept that there still is a problem.
* Quakers: members of a historically Christian group of religious movements
Adapted from https://learnenglish.britishcouncil.org/en/magazine/slavery

1. Which of the following can be inferred form paragraph A?

a) Slavery was more prevalent in the Roman Empire than in Europe.
b) Slavs did not have good combat skills to protect themselves in wars.
c) More slaves were needed to work as laborers, soldiers, servants, and farmers.
190
2. According to the text, the Transatlantic Slave Trade ___________.
a) was unfair but made it possible for slaves to buy their freedom
b) benefited the soldiers who were being kept as slaves
c) minimized the slaves’ chances of being released
3. According to the text, which of the following is true?
a) The most significant cause of the Civil War in the USA was the slave trade.
b) The main reason why slavery in British colonies was abolished was the decrease in
African populations.
c) Slaves traded to the south of the USA composed an important proportion of the
working population.
4. It is inferred from paragraph G that anti-slavery groups ___________.
a) approved of the movements of Christian missionaries
b) forced the USA and France to abolish slavery in their countries
c) belonged to the new branches of Christianity such as Quakers
5. Why does the writer mention Dr. David Livingstone in paragraph H?
a) To emphasize the impossibility of ending slavery
b) To acknowledge his efforts in combating slavery
c) To highlight his misconception about how to stop slavery
6. Which of the following is not compared in the text?
a) ancient slavery and modern slavery
b) slavery in Britain and in the USA
c) the attitudes of Quakers and Methodists towards slavery
7. The information in the text is organized in ___________.
a) chronological order
b) geographical order
c) sequential order
Text 6.
A Boots has reduced the price of “feminine” razors to bring them in line with men’s. The
chemist chain says it’s just an isolated incident, but campaigners say it is part of a “pink
tax” that discriminates against women. The Pink Tax, so named because of the color
of products directly marketed to girls and women, refers to the price difference for
female-specific products compared with the gender-neutral goods or those marketed to
men.
B Campaigners against what’s been dubbed the “pink tax” are celebrating after Boots
said it would change the price of some of its goods. A Change.org petition has already
gathered more than 43,000 signatures. The issue has been raised in Parliament. Paula
Sherriff, Labor MP for Dewsbury, called a debate on the issue on Tuesday. She wants
the government to commission independent research to quantify the extent of the
problem, arguing that it amounts to women paying thousands of pounds more over the
course of their lives.
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C Stevie Wise, who launched the petition, was driven by a Times investigation which
claimed that women and girls are charged, on average, 37% more for clothes, beauty
products, and toys. The investigation was inspired by research in the US which found
that women’s products are routinely more expensive than men’s. The New York
Department of Consumer Affairs had compared the prices of 800 products with male
and female versions and concluded that, after controlling for quality, women’s versions
were, on average, 7% more expensive than men’s.
D Boots says the two examples highlighted in the Change.org petition are exceptional
cases, but campaigners are not so sure. “This is a very exciting response,” says Wise.
“We are delighted with Boots’ decision, but we now need to get them to look at all of
their products, not just the ones highlighted in the petition. We hope this decision is
just the first of many, and we may broaden our campaign to focus on other retailers as
well.” Wise says that women have been getting in touch with examples of other price
discrepancies from lots of companies and says there seems to be a particular problem
with toys and clothes. Argos has been criticized for identical scooters that cost £5 more
if they were pink rather than blue. Argos said it was an error that had already been
rectified and that it would never indulge in differential pricing.
E Among the examples sent to Wise was Boots selling identical child car seats that cost
more in pink. Another retailer was selling children’s balance bikes which cost more for
a flowery print aimed at girls than a pirate print aimed at boys, but the latter example
already appears to have been tweaked on the retailer’s website, albeit by applying a
£10 discount to the flowery version. With many retailers indulging in complicated
algorithms to calculate price, or frequently changing prices around promotions, it’s
easy for them to argue that what appears to be a gender price gap is in fact an innocent
mistake.
F One of the main things that retailers consider when deciding what to charge is what the
customer is willing to pay, argues Mark Billige, UK managing partner at Simon-
Kucher, a management consultancy that advises companies on things like pricing.
“They have to consider what it costs to make the product and what their competitors
are charging, but in a world where consumers have lots of choices, willingness to pay
becomes very important as people will vote with their wallets if they don’t like the
price of a product. There is something in the fact that women are willing to pay more.
Why, I don’t know, but it will probably have something to do with psychology.”
G When challenged over sexist pricing, both Levi’s and Tesco argued that different
versions of things could have different production costs even if appearing fairly similar.
Prof. Nancy Puccinelli, a consumer psychologist at Oxford University says that her
research suggests that women are actually much more careful shoppers than men, better
able to scrutinize adverts and pricing gimmicks. She wonders if women are perceiving
more value in the more expensive products. “For men, razors are functional, whereas
women may perceive hair removal as more hedonistic, more about self-care, and be
more willing to pay more. But there could also be environmental factors hindering their
choices, like product placement in the store. If products are separated into male and
female sections far away from each other it’s harder to scrutinize prices.” Such a
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situation could either be deliberate or accidental, but the campaigners are not
convinced.
H “It’s just the tip of the iceberg,” says the Fawcett Society’s head of policy, Jemima
Olchawski. “It’s been happening in plain sight and, to me, it shows that bias against
women is ingrained across our society. The worst thing about it is that women are
getting ripped off twice. They are paid less than men and are also charged more for
similar products.” The campaign may lead to further changes, but the perennial advice
to shop around remains the same. “There are quite a few comparison websites you can
use to see if there’s a price difference,” says Sally Francis, senior writer at
moneysavingexpert.com. If, as Tesco claims, there are “additional design and
performance features,” testing the male and female versions at home should settle
whether they are worth it.
I There is an opportunity for some companies, argues Olchawski. “The finding shows
the power of marketing in our lives, how it shapes our perception of what it means to
be a man or a woman. Some companies could choose not to play into this, not to play
into the stereotypes and rip women off, but launch products more in tune with moves
toward gender equality.”
Adapted from http://ielts-up.com/reading/academic-reading-sample-6.3.html

Flesch Reading Ease 53.7 / IELTS 6.5-8 / CEFR C1
Part A. Who in the text puts forward the following arguments? Choose from the
alternatives (A-E), and write the answer in the blank. The alternatives may be chosen
more than once or not at all.
1. Women pay 37% more than men on various products. A) Paula Sherriff
_E_
2. A non-governmental committee should be appointed B) Stevie Wise

to investigate the discrepancies in pricing. _A_
3. The reason why women prefer expensive products is C) Nancy Puccinelli

their belief in those products’ quality. _E_
4. The scope of the campaign against “pink tax” should D) Jemima Olchawski
be expanded to all products and stores. _B_
5. In order to overcome the problem of pink tax, E) Nobody from the above
companies should avoid stereotyping their customers
and marketing products accordingly. _D_
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Part B. Choose the correct alternatives.
1. How does the information in paragraph E relate to that in paragraph D?

a) It challenges the argument by providing counter examples.
b) It supports the information by providing further examples.
c) It provides solutions to the problem described in the examples.
2. According to paragraph F, which of the following is not a consideration for retailers?
a) the manufacturing cost
b) the pricing trend in the market
c) consumer preference for choices
3. Which of the following can be inferred from the text?
a) Without the 43,000 signatures gathered through the petition, the issue wouldn’t have
been raised in Parliament.
b) The fact that female versions of products are more expensive doesn’t mean that
they are of better quality.
c) Male and female products are situated in different sections in a store so that their
prices cannot be compared.
Text 7.
A Collecting ants can be as simple as picking up stray ones and placing them in a glass
jar, or as complicated as completing an exhaustive survey of all species present in an
area and estimating their relative abundances. The exact method used will depend on
the final purpose of the collections. For taxonomy, or classification, long series, from
a single nest, which contain all castes (workers, including majors and minors, and, if
present, queens and males), are desirable to allow the determination of variation within
species. For ecological studies, the most important factor is collecting identifiable
samples of as many of the different species present as possible. Unfortunately, these
methods are not always compatible. The taxonomist sometimes overlooks whole
species in favor of those groups currently under study, while the ecologist often collects
only a limited number of specimens of each species, thus reducing their value for
taxonomic investigations.
B To collect as wide a range of species as possible, several methods must be used. These
include hand collecting, using baits to attract the ants, ground litter sampling, and the
use of pitfall traps. Hand collecting consists of searching for ants everywhere they are
likely to occur. This includes on the ground, under rocks, logs or other objects on the
ground, in rotten wood on the ground or on trees, in vegetation, on tree trunks, and
under bark. When possible, collections should be made from nests or foraging columns
and at least 20 to 25 individuals should be collected. This will ensure that all individuals
are of the same species, and so increase their value for detailed studies. Since some
species are largely nocturnal, collecting should not be confined to daytime. Specimens
are collected using an aspirator (often called a poorer), forceps, a fine, moistened paint
brush, or fingers, if the ants are known not to sting. Individual insects are placed in
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plastic or glass tubes containing 75% to 95% ethanol. Plastic tubes with secure tops are
better than glass because they are lighter, and do not break as easily if mishandled.
C Baits can be used to attract and concentrate foragers. This often increases the number
of individuals collected and attracts species that are otherwise elusive. Sugars and
meats or oils will attract different species, and a range should be utilized. These baits
can be placed either on the ground, or on the trunks of trees or large shrubs. When
placed on the ground, baits should be situated on small paper cards or other flat, light-
colored surfaces, or in test-tubes or vials. This makes it easier to spot ants and to capture
them before they can escape into the surrounding leaf litter.
D Many ants are small and forage primarily in the layer of leaves and other debris on the
ground. Collecting these species by hand can be difficult. One of the most successful
ways to collect them is to gather the leaf litter in which they are foraging and extract
the ants from it. This is most commonly done by placing leaf litter on a screen over a
large funnel, often under some heat. As the leaf litter dries from above, ants move
downward and eventually fall out the bottom and are collected in alcohol placed below
the funnel. This method works especially well in rain forests and marshy areas. A
method of improving the catch when using a funnel is to sift the leaf litter through a
coarse screen before placing it above the funnel. This will concentrate the litter and
remove larger leaves and twigs. It will also allow more litter to be sampled when using
a limited number of funnels.
E The pitfall trap is another commonly used tool for collecting ants. A pitfall trap can be
any small container placed in the ground and filled with a preservative. Ants are
collected when they fall into the trap while foraging. The diameter of the traps can vary
from about 18 mm to 10 cm, and the number used can vary from a few to several
hundred. The size of the traps used is influenced largely by personal preference, while
the number will be determined by the study being undertaken. The preservative used
is usually ethylene glycol or propylene glycol, as alcohol will evaporate quickly, and
the traps will dry out. One advantage of pitfall traps is that they can be used to collect
over a period of time with minimal maintenance and intervention. One disadvantage is
that some species are not collected as they either avoid the traps or do not commonly
encounter them while foraging.
Taken from http://www.qposter.com/2016/08/Academic-IELTS-Reading-Practice-120-Collecting-Ant-Specimens.html

Flesch Reading Ease 53.1/ IELTS 8+/ CEFR C2
1. Which of the following is false according to paragraph A?

a) Taxonomic research involves comparing members of one group of ants.
b) In ecological investigations, range is the key criterion for collecting ants.
c) A single collection of ants can generally be used for both taxonomic and
ecological purposes.
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2. Which of the following is not mentioned regarding hand sampling in paragraph B?
a) place of collection
b) species to collect
c) equipment to use
3. It can be inferred from paragraph B that ___________.
a) Some ant species are more active at night.
b) Not all species are valuable for detailed research.
c) Studies haven’t yet determined which species sting.
Match the following three methods in paragraphs C to E with the statements.

4. Using baits _b_ a) Little time and effort is required.
5. Sampling ground litter _c_ b) It is a good method for species which are hard
6. Using a pitfall trap _a_ to find.
c) It is particularly effective for wet habitats.
7. Which of the following is true according to paragraph E?

a) The purpose of the study will determine how big the traps should be.
b) Non-alcoholic preservatives should be used to fill the containers.
c) A pitfall trap makes it more likely to collect more species.
8. Which of the following can be inferred from the text?
a) Not all ant species are attracted to sweet foods.
b) Litter including large leaves will provide fewer species to sample.
c) Where you put the baits will determine your success in collecting ants.
9. The text uses ___________ to outline ant collecting.
a) description and compare-contrast
b) classification and description
c) classification and advantage-disadvantage
Text 8.
A Chronobiology might sound a little futuristic – like something from a science-fiction

novel, perhaps, – but it’s actually a field of study that concerns one of the oldest
processes that life on this planet has ever known: short-term rhythms of time and their
effect on the flora and the fauna.
B This effect can be observed in many forms. Marine life, for example, is influenced by
tidal patterns. Animals tend to be active or inactive depending on the position of the
sun or the moon. Numerous creatures, humans included, are largely diurnal – that is,
they like to come out during the hours of sunlight. Nocturnal animals, such as bats and
possums, prefer to forage at night. A third group is known as crepusculars: they thrive
in the low-light of dawn and dusk and remain inactive at other hours.
C When it comes to humans, chronobiologists are interested in what is known as the
circadian rhythm. This is the complete cycle our bodies are naturally geared to undergo
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within the passage of a 24-hour day. Aside from sleeping at night and waking during
the day, each cycle involves many other factors, such as changes in blood pressure and
body temperature. Not everyone has an identical circadian rhythm. “Night people,” for
example, often describe how they find it very hard to operate during the morning, but
become alert and focused by evening, while “morning people” wake up, without
difficulty, early each morning and are alert and active during the first part of the day.
This is a benign variation within circadian rhythms, known as a chronotype.
D Scientists have limited abilities to create durable modifications of chronobiological
demands. Recent therapeutic developments for humans, such as artificial light
machines and melatonin administration, can reset our circadian rhythms, for example,
but our bodies can tell the difference, and health suffers when we breach these natural
rhythms for extended periods of time. Plants appear no more malleable in this respect;
studies demonstrate that vegetables grown in season and ripened on the tree are far
higher in essential nutrients than those grown in greenhouses and ripened by laser.
E Knowledge of chronobiological patterns can have many pragmatic implications for our
day-to-day lives. While contemporary living can sometimes appear to subjugate
biology – after all, who needs circadian rhythms when we have caffeine pills, energy
drinks, shift work, and cities that never sleep? – keeping in synch with our body clock
is important.
F The average urban resident, for example, rouses himself at the eye-blearing time of
6:04 a.m., which researchers believe to be far too early. One study found that even
rising at 7:00 a.m. has deleterious effects on health unless exercise is performed for 30
minutes afterward. The optimum moment has been whittled down to 7:22 am.; muscle
aches, headaches, and moodiness were reported to be lowest by participants in the study
who awoke then.
G Once you’re up and ready to go, what then? If you’re trying to shed some extra pounds,
dieticians are adamant: never skip breakfast. This disorients your circadian rhythm and
puts your body in starvation mode. The recommended course of action is to follow an
intense workout with a carbohydrate-rich breakfast; the other way round, and weight-
loss results are not as pronounced.
H Morning is also great for breaking out the vitamins. Although supplement absorption
by the body is not temporal-dependent, naturopath Pam Stone notes that the extra boost
at breakfast helps us get energized for the day ahead. For improved absorption, Stone
suggests pairing supplements with a type of food in which they are soluble and steering
clear of caffeinated beverages. Finally, Stone warns us to take care with storage; high
potency is best for absorption, and warmth and humidity are known to deplete the
potency of a supplement.
I After-dinner espressos are becoming more of a tradition, but to prepare for a good
night’s sleep, we are better off putting the brakes on caffeine consumption as early as
3 pm. With a seven-hour half-life, a cup of coffee containing 90 mg of caffeine taken
at this hour could still leave 45 mg of caffeine in your nervous system at ten o’clock
that evening. It is essential that your body is rid of all traces by the time you are ready
to sleep.
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J Evenings are important for winding down before sleep; however, dietician Geraldine
Georgeou warns that an after-five carbohydrate-fast is more cultural myth than
chronobiological demand. This will deprive your body of vital energy needs.
Overloading your gut could lead to indigestion, though. Our digestive tracts do not shut
down for the night entirely, but their work slows to a crawl as our bodies prepare for
sleep. Consuming a modest snack should be entirely sufficient.
Taken from https://takeielts.britishcouncil.org/prepare-test/practice-tests/reading-practice-test-1-academic/reading-

passage-1
1. In paragraph B, the writer mentions “bats and possums” ______________.

a) to demonstrate the rhythms of time in different flora and fauna
b) to compare the activities of diurnal and nocturnal animals
c) to highlight the effect of sunlight on when animals forage
2. A chronotype ______________.
a) indicates the complete cycle of an individual’s activities and sleep in a 24-hour period
b) explains how the body clock influences a person’s daily cycle of sleep and
activity
c) refers to a person who is more alert and focused during the day rather than the night
3. The word “breach” in paragraph D is closest in meaning to ______________.
a) lose
b) maintain
c) disrupt
4. Which statement is true according to the article?
a) Scientists have been more successful at chronobiological modification in plants than
in humans.
b) Those who get up at 7 may not suffer from some health problems if they do some
exercise right afterwards.
c) Having a carbohydrate-rich breakfast first and then doing an intense workout will
result in weight loss.
5. To improve supplement absorption, it is important to _____________.
a) take the supplement at breakfast early in the morning
b) consume caffeinated drinks along with the supplement
c) choose food that can help dissolve the supplement
6. The writer’s purpose in writing this article is to _____________.
a) suggest healthier ways of eating, sleeping, and exercising
b) describe how modern life has made chronobiology largely irrelevant
c) introduce chronobiology and describe some practical applications
198
Text 9.
A Over ten million years ago, the waters of the Indian Ocean boiled. Massive volcanoes
erupted miles underneath the surface. Huge amounts of lava were forced up. This
violence and force gave birth to a series of islands, today called the Mascarene Islands,
located over 500 miles to the East of Madagascar, off the coast of Africa. These include
the islands of Reunion, Rodrigues, and the most famous of all ‒ Mauritius.
B Mauritius is just 42 miles long and 29 miles wide, and has only been inhabited since
the 17th century, but already has a rich and varied history and is famous for many things.
Early Arabic maps called the island Dina Mashriq (Eastern Island), and the Portuguese
called it the Island of the Swan when they first discovered it in the early 1500s. The
Dutch, who were the first to try to live there, renamed it Mauritius after Prince Maurice
of Nassau, and under French rule from 1715, Ile de France was the name. With British
rule in 1810, the name changed back to Mauritius, and has remained so, even after
independence in 1968. The island is also known as The Star and Key of the Indian
Ocean because of its geographical position, and a local nickname is The Island of
Rainbows and Shooting Stars – as these are commonly seen from Mauritius.
C Historically, Mauritius was an important location on trade routes, and was one of the
first countries in the world to produce postage stamps. The Blue Penny stamp from
1847 is one of the rarest in the world. However, it was (and is) sugar, introduced to the
island in the 1600s, that made the island popular. Mauritius has a perfect climate for
growing sugar cane, and Mauritian sugar is exported throughout the world.
D Today Mauritius is also a famous holiday location for tourists wishing to relax on a
beautiful paradise island. The coral reef surrounding much of it makes it ideal for water
sports, diving, and fishing. Its tropical climate means there are many exotic plants and
flowers to see, such as the orchid or palm tree. Its volcanic origins have also created a
fascinating landscape, with volcanic peaks, craters, colored earths, and waterfalls.
E Music and dance are an important part of the culture and the traditional local dance
(and style of music) is called Sega. This is a very rhythmic joyful dance to the
accompaniment of drums and guitar.
F Because the island was isolated, many plants and animals developed there unlike
anywhere else in the world, the Dodo being the most famous of these. This large,
flightless bird was described by the first Dutch settlers, but by the time they left the
island in 1710, all Dodos were gone. There are many theories for this, as the Dodos
themselves were not good to eat, but most people now think that the animals the sailors
brought with them, such as goats, pigs, and rats, were the cause of this extinction – as
they ate the bird’s eggs on the forest floor.
G Mauritius has been called a rainbow nation because of its huge number of different
ethnic groups. Different nationalities coming from India, China, France, England, and
other African countries to the island over the centuries have brought their own culture,
language, and traditions, and added it to the Mauritian mixture. There are over 80
different religious denominations and more than 20 languages spoken. Unsurprisingly,
199
there are 11 official public holidays; from the Chinese New Year to the Hindu Maha
Shivaratree festival, part of which involves walking to a lake in the crater of an extinct
volcano. One connecting aspect is the welcoming nature of all Mauritians. It is a
famously friendly and hospitable place.
H In the1970s and 80s, the Government encouraged the growth of the clothing industry
in the country, and the economy grew as a result. Now, there is a far greater project
underway, an effort to turn Mauritius from a sugar-island to a cyber-island. A state-of-
the-art ‘cyber-city’ is being built to provide IT, computing and communication
technologies for local and international companies. The cyber-city is based in a 12-
storey high-tech tower with excellent computing resources and internet connections.
When completed, it will also contain more high-tech offices, a large supermarket, and
a housing development. Perhaps in the future, Mauritius will have more ‘online’
tourists than real ones!
Adapted from https://learnenglish.britishcouncil.org/en/magazine/island-mauritius
1. According to paragraphs A and B, ___________.

a) people have been living on Mauritius since 1500s
b) rainbows and shooting stars are common sights on Mauritius
c) Mauritius is more famous than the Mascarene Islands
2. Which of the following was not a name of the island?
a) Dina Mashriq
b) Maurice of Nassau
c) Ile de France
3. Mauritius has become famous for ___________.
a) its convenient location
b) the Blue Penny stamp
c) its sugar production
4. Which of the following is not mentioned in the text?
a) types of sports that can be done on the island
b) current volcanic activity on the island
c) traditional elements of performing arts on the island
5. According to paragraph what might have led to the extinction of the Dodos?
a) The Dodos couldn’t reproduce because of the animals brought to the island.
b) The Dutch settlers overhunted them as the island was completely isolated.
c) The sailors who were trading animals needed to eat them to survive at sea.
6. Paragraph G is mainly about ___________.
a) hospitality of the Mauritius people
b) the holidays celebrated in Mauritius
c) the cultural diversity in Mauritius
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7. Which of the following can be concluded from paragraph H?
a) The Mauritius government has been investing more in technology than in
agriculture recently.
b) The Mauritius government has turned to technological development after the
failure of the clothing industry.
c) The Mauritius government is building the cyber-city to decrease the number of
tourists visiting the island.
Text 10.
A During the first year of a child’s life, parents and carers are concerned with its physical
development; during the second year, they watch the baby’s language development
very carefully. It is interesting just how easily children learn language. Children who
are just three or four years old, who cannot yet tie their shoelaces, are able to speak in
full sentences without any specific language training.
B The current view of child language development is that it is an instinct ‒ something as

natural as eating or sleeping. According to experts in this area, this language instinct is
innate ‒ something each of us is born with. However, this prevailing view has not
always enjoyed widespread acceptance. In the middle of last century, experts of the
time, including a renowned professor at Harvard University in the United States,
regarded child language development as the process of learning through mere
repetition. Language ‘habits’ developed as young children were rewarded for repeating
language correctly and ignored or punished when they used incorrect forms of
language. Over time, a child, according to this theory, would learn language much like
a dog might learn to behave properly through training.
C Yet, even though the modern view holds that language is instinctive, experts like
Assistant Professor Lise Eliot are convinced that the interaction a child has with its
parents and caregivers is crucial to its development. The language of the parents and
caregivers act as models for the developing child. In fact, a baby’s day-to-day
experience is so important that the child will learn to speak in a manner very similar to
the model speakers it hears.
D Given that the models parents provide are so important, it is interesting to consider the
role of “baby talk” in the child’s language development. Baby talk is the language
produced by an adult speaker who is trying to exaggerate certain aspects of the
language to capture the attention of a young baby.
E Dr. Roberta Golinkoff believes that babies benefit from baby talk. Experiments show
that immediately after birth, babies respond more to infant-directed talk than they do
to adult-directed talk. When using baby talk, people exaggerate their facial expressions,
which helps the baby to begin to understand what is being communicated. She also
notes that the exaggerated nature and repetition of baby talk helps infants to learn the
difference between sounds. Since babies have a great deal of information to process,
baby talk helps. Although there is concern that baby talk may persist too long, Dr.
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Golinkoff says that it stops being used as the child gets older, that is, when the child is
better able to communicate with the parents.
F Professor Jusczyk has made a particular study of babies’ ability to recognize sounds,
and says they recognize the sound of their own names as early as four and a half
months. Babies know the meaning of ‘Mummy’ and ‘Daddy’ by about six months,
which is earlier than was previously believed. By about nine months, babies begin
recognizing frequent patterns in language. A baby will listen longer to the sounds that
occur frequently, so it is good to frequently call the infant by its name.
G An experiment at Johns Hopkins University in the USA, in which researchers went to

the homes of 16 nine-month-olds, confirms this view. The researchers arranged their
visits for ten days out of a two-week period. During each visit, the researcher played
an audio tape that included the same three stories. The stories included odd words such
as ‘python’ or ‘hornbill,’ words that were unlikely to be encountered in the babies’
everyday experience. After a couple of weeks during which nothing was done, the
babies were brought to the research lab, where they listened to two recorded lists of
words. The first list included words heard in the story. The second included similar
words, but not the exact ones that were used in the stories. Jusczyk found the babies
listened longer to the words that had appeared in the stories, which indicated that the
babies had extracted individual words from the story. When a control group of 16 nine-
month-olds, who had not heard the stories, listened to the two groups of words, they
showed no preference for either list.
H This does not mean that the babies actually understand the meanings of the words, just
the sound patterns. It supports the idea that people are born to speak, and have the
capacity to learn language from the day they are born. This ability is enhanced if they
are involved in conversation, and, significantly, Dr. Eliot reminds parents that babies
and toddlers need to feel they are communicating. Clearly, sitting in front of the
television is not enough; the baby must be having an interaction with another speaker.
Taken from https://www.ielts-exam.net/docs/reading/IELTS_Reading_General_18.htm

1. Why does the writer mention ‘tying shoelaces’ in paragraph A?

a) To compare the stages of physical and verbal developments of a child
b) To emphasize the importance of support from parents or caregivers
c) To highlight the ease of language learning for younger children
2. From paragraph B, it can be inferred that experts in the 1900s ___________.
a) believed rewards and punishments would help to teach children language
b) worked on an assumption that people possessed an inborn ability to learn language
c) could teach a child to speak more quickly than they could train a dog
202
3. What is the function of paragraph C?
a) It presents arguments against the information in the previous paragraph.
b) It cites some experts’ opinions to support the previous information.
c) It provides a fresh perspective on children’s language development.
4. Which of the following would Dr. Golinkoff agree with?
a) Babies learn to communicate effectively after they have been exposed to adult-
directed talk for some time.
b) Parents may help their children to differentiate sounds by exaggerating and
repeating words.
c) It is difficult for a baby to understand adult talk once it gets familiar with baby talk.
5. Professor Jusczyk has found that babies ___________.
a) can recognize their parents’ names by six months of age
b) respond more to sounds that they are familiar with
c) who listen to stories are better able to recognize sounds
6. What is the main point of paragraph H?
a) Babies recognize sounds earlier than understanding their meanings.
b) Babies acquire a language by making use of different sources.
c) Babies need to engage in conversations with other people.
Text 11.
A It might seem a total wonder that a smoker won’t quit after hearing that puffing away
is a leading cause of death. To analyze why this is so and to find out what can be done
about it, scientists have conducted a survey, and as a result, they have come up with a
host of reasons why humans stick to bad habits. Among the reasons why people
continue their fatal practices are the need for social acceptance, innate human defiance,
and inability to truly understand the nature of risk. Some other reasons that accompany
the list above are an individualistic view of the world and a tendency to rationalize
unhealthy habits, along with a genetic predisposition to addiction.
B “We have found that people aren’t changing their behaviors,” said researcher Cindy
Jardine of the University of Alberta. “But,” she added, “it’s not because they haven’t
gotten the information that these are big risks, but because they tend to live for now
and into the limited future, rather than focusing on the long-term consequences.” The
study conducted by Jardine and her team involved two steps; one in 2007, and the other
in 2017. They surveyed the same 1,200 people in Alberta, Canada, in both years about
what they perceived to be risky behaviors. Funnily, not much changed within a decade
as many of the participants still ranked lifestyle behaviors, such as smoking, drinking,
and sun tanning, as more dangerous than ozone depletion and chemical pollution. Some
other questions also revealed that the addicted people were well aware of the risks of
such behavior. For instance, when asked about drinking and driving, most participants
mentioned that they could hurt themselves or somebody else if they did that. Logic
203
suggests that if people know cigarettes can kill them or drinking and driving could be
lethal, they might quit it. “Yet even with this knowledge,” Jardine said, “people
continue to undertake these lifestyle risks.”
C Jardine suggests several reasons for the contrary findings. For one, when a behavior
like drinking – despite its hazardous effects – is socially accepted or even considered
desirable, people tend to reconcile the fact that it’s bad for them with the idea that
“everybody’s doing it,” so they do it, too. People’s common train of thought behind
such behavior follows the same route. The rationale is social acceptance, as most of the
surveyed people said: “I know this is bad for me but in social circles this makes me
more accepted.” For Jardine, this is a way of rationalizing the bad habit, which they
would like to vindicate anyway – in one way or another. By referring to others who do
the same thing, it’s just easier to justify the act as it helps people to fit in the group they
belong to. Another way to uphold your bad habit is to find misleading examples to
support your case, such as “It hasn’t hurt me yet,” or, “My grandmother smoked all her
life and lived to be 90.” Almost all the participants have responded in the same way to
the questions of whether they would like to quit smoking and of why not.
D By the same token, social and physical environments also play large roles in fueling
poor habits. For example, if you perceive that all of your friends are staying up all
night, baking in the sun every day at the beach, or taking multiple smoke breaks during
work, this will affect whether you also take part in the activities. Following from this,
it can be understood that external factors might glue couch potatoes to the comfort of
their living rooms more than a lack of desire to be healthy. “We tell people they need
to become physically active, but in certain neighborhoods, if you get out and go for a
walk, you could be putting yourself at risk from either traffic that’s not well controlled
or other kinds of things like violence or robberies in your neighborhood,” said Andrea
Gielen of Johns Hopkins University.
E In light of the research, it is clear that guiding people into leading healthy lives is not
that easy. Coming up with successful pro-health campaigns requires more research and
multiple strategies, experts say. As Gielen says, “there’s no single strategy or single
bullet. We’re not going to be able to find a vaccine for healthy behavior.” No matter
how hard the government promotes short TV commercials displaying cancer patients
who have gotten sick due to heavy smoking or obese people who have succeeded in
losing incredible weight by diet control and regular exercise, there will always be
people who are addicted to smoking, overeating, or any other sort of deadly habit. Thus,
it is not possible to disagree with Gielen when she says, “we have to be more creative.
We have to have different kinds of partners and work with many different folks.”
Adapted from http://sfhelp.org/gwc/news/badhabits.htm

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1. Paragraph A supports all of the following ideas except ___________.
a) people find a way of justifying what they do even if they know the lethal
consequences
b) bad habits may be hard to break when people seek a sense of belonging in a social
structure
c) that people are genetically predisposed to commit some deadly practices is a
misconception
2. According to paragraph B, ______________.
a) people’s tendency to quit bad habits increases when they know that they are taking
risks
b) many participants in the survey found sun tanning more harmful than ozone
depletion
c) Jardine and her team carried out a study on two different groups of people
consisting of 1,200 subjects
3. The results of Jardine’s surveys indicate people’s _____________.
a) ignorance of the risks involved
b) concern about the long-term effects
c) desire for social acceptance
4. The topic of paragraph C is _____________.
a) common reasoning of the people who would like to find excuses for their
habit
b) social acceptance as a reason to explain how people rationalize their fatal
addictions
c) responses of the participants to the questions in the survey about cigarette
smoking
5. According to Paragraph D, one of the reasons that lead people to be confined to their
homes is that _______________.
a) they lack the social skills to participate in activities
b) the outside world poses certain potential threats
c) their friends insist that they do the same things
6. The purpose of paragraph E is to _______________.
a) criticize the government’s policy of TV commercials on health
b) propose to seek alternative methods to help people live healthily
c) draw attention to the cases of the cancer patients and obese people
7. Which of the following is discussed in detail in the article?
a) What people should do in order to lead a healthier life
b) People’s genetic inclination to develop risky habits
c) The role of social and external factors in bad habits
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Text 12.
A People trying to give up smoking often use e-cigarettes to help wean themselves off
tobacco. Most experts think they are safer than cigarettes, but a surprising paper was
published recently ‒ it suggests that people who use e-cigarettes are less successful at
giving up smoking than those who don’t. “E-cigarettes WON’T help you quit,”
reported the Daily Mail. “Smokers using vapers are 28% less likely to ditch traditional
cigarettes,” read the paper’s headline. The story was reported on many other websites
around the world, including CBS: “Study: E-cigarettes don’t help smokers quit,” it
said.
B The study causing the fuss was written by researchers at the Center for Tobacco Control
Research and Education at the University of California, and published in one of the
Lancet’s sister journals, Lancet Respiratory Medicine. It is a meta-analysis, which
means the authors reviewed the academic literature already available on the topic. They
sifted out the weaker papers ‒ ones that didn’t have control groups, for example, ‒ and
were left with 20.
C The conclusion? Smokers who use e-cigarettes have a 28% lower chance of quitting
than smokers who don’t use them, according to Prof Stanton Glantz, one of the authors.
While the conclusion is surprising, so is the number of academics who have criticized
the paper. One was Ann McNeill, a professor of tobacco addiction at Kings College
London, whose own research is included in Glantz’s analysis. “This review is not
scientific,” she wrote on the Science Media Centre website, “the information… about
two studies that I co-authored is either inaccurate or misleading… I believe the findings
should therefore be dismissed.” She also expressed her concern at the huge damage
this publication may have, saying many more smokers may continue smoking and die
if they take from this piece of work that all evidence suggests e-cigarettes do not help
you quit smoking, which in fact is not the case. Prof Peter Hajek, director of the
Tobacco Dependence Research Unit at the Wolfson Institute, also called the findings
“grossly misleading.”
D The critics are making three main points. First, the definition of e-cigarettes is a bit
loose. There are many different types ‒ some look like cigarettes, others have tanks for
the vaping liquid, some are disposable and others are multi-use. They all deliver
different doses of nicotine. Many of the papers included in the analysis don’t specify
which type people are using, according to Linda Bauld, a professor of Health Policy at
the University of Stirling. Another point is that the studies vary in the way they measure
how often people use e-cigarettes. “Some only assessed whether a person had ever tried
an e-cigarette, or if they had tried one recently, not whether they were using it regularly
or frequently,” Bauld says.
E Even the paper’s author admits it’s possible that in some of the studies e-cigarettes may
only have been used once, which he says would not be a good predictor of whether
they had affected people’s ability to stop smoking. Another problem is related to the
subjects participating in the studies. You might expect, if you were going to draw
conclusions about how useful e-cigarettes are in helping people quit, to focus on studies
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looking at people who are trying to give up. Prof Robert West, who heads a team at
University College London researching ways to help people stop smoking, says this
analysis mashed together some very different studies, only some of which include
people using e-cigarettes to help them quit.
F “To mix them in with studies where you’ve got people using an e-cigarette and are not
particularly trying to stop smoking is mixing apples and oranges,” he says. Some of the
studies track smokers who use e-cigarettes for other reasons ‒ perhaps because
smoking a cigarette in a bar or an office is illegal, and they want a nicotine hit. “With
the studies where people are using electronic cigarettes specifically in a quit attempt,
the evidence is consistent,” says West, referring to two randomized control trials.
G Both are quite small, and one was funded by the e-cigarette industry. They took two
groups of smokers, and gave one real e-cigarettes, and the other a placebo. The studies
reach a broadly similar conclusion to a large, real-world study called the Smoking
Toolkit run by West. West’s investigation follows people in their daily lives and
assesses how successful various methods of giving up smoking are ‒ this includes
nicotine patches, medicines, and going cold turkey. These studies suggest that people
using e-cigarettes to help them quit are 50% to 100% more successful than those who
use no aids at all.
H In his paper, Glantz acknowledges there are limitations to the research that he analyzed.
He agrees there are problems with the way the use of e-cigarettes is measured and
accepts it’s not clear which devices people are using, but he is sticking by his analysis
because he believes he has taken these factors into account. The editor of Lancet
Respiratory Medicine, Emma Grainger, defends the article, too. She says she does not
see a problem with the paper and that it has been through the normal peer-review
process.
1. Choose the best heading for paragraph A.

a) Smoking in media
b) E-cigarette advertising
c) Shocking news
2. According to paragraph B, the study on e-cigarettes ______________.
a) was conducted by the Center for Tobacco Control Research and Education
b) was based on previous studies with experimental and control groups
c) analyzed 20 studies which were conducted with and without control groups
3. Ann McNeill criticized the research because ______________.
a) the majority of other researches also disagree with this review
b) some information is either incorrect or deceptive
c) the exact scientific definition of e-cigarettes is not provided
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4. Which of the following is not mentioned as a weakness that the study failed to take into
consideration?
a) the frequency of smoking e-cigarettes
b) the reason for smoking e-cigarettes
c) the alternatives used together with e-cigarettes
5. Who would say the following?
The quality of the study had been assessed before it was published to ensure that our
journal publishes good science which is of benefit to the entire scientific community.
a) the Daily Mail
b) Stanton Glantz
c) Emma Grainger
6. What is the tone of the writer in the article?
a) critical
b) derisive
c) sentimental
Text 13.
A No one likes to feel left out, ignored by colleagues at meetings, or not be invited to the
big party that everyone is talking about. Imagine not being part of a joke, or worse still,
if the joke is on you. For most people, living the life of an outsider can have a negative
effect on self-esteem and mood. It can even lead to negative behavior. The pull to
belong is extremely strong. Scientists believe that, in part, there is an evolutionary
explanation for why we have this need to belong.
B In the past, people hunted and cooked together in tribes, and each member of the group
would be assigned a role. As each member had a purpose, it meant that in the event of
the loss of one person, the group as a whole would suffer. For this reason, they had a
vested interest in protecting each other. To our prehistoric ancestors, membership in a
group meant the difference between survival and death. Those who were rejected and
excluded from joining a group had to fend for themselves and struggled to stay alive
alone in the wild. Apart from protection, being part of a group also ensured that genes
could be passed on to future generations. Although it is very different now from the
way our primitive ancestors lived, our brains have not had time to evolve to fit today’s
lifestyles. In this day and age, it is no longer a matter of survival to be affiliated to a
tribe or group, but the evolutionary instinct to find protection still lingers.
C This inherent feeling of security that comes with being part of a group is powerful
enough to make people employ both conscious and unconscious strategies to gain
membership. One obvious way people try to be accepted into a group is self-
presentation, which is the act of portraying yourself in the best possible light. An
individual will attempt to outwardly display the characteristics that are important to the
group’s advancement. (a) At the same time, he or she will conceal any parts of
his/her personality that may be seen as undesirable or not useful to a group. (b)
208
Candidates applying for a job, for example, will promote themselves as motivated,
but are likely to hide the fact that they are disorganized. (c) Having undesired
qualities, such as being disorganized, may affect an employee’s promotion
prospects as well. These conscious tactics that people use are not a surprise to anyone,
but we also use other strategies unknowingly.
D Psychologists Jessica Larkin, Tanya Chartrand, and Robert Arkin suggested that people
often resort to automatic mimicry to gain affiliation into groups, much like our
primitive ancestors used to do. Before humans had the ability to speak, physical
imitation was a method of begging for a place in the group. Now, most people will be
unaware that they are doing it. Larkin and her co-workers decided to test this
hypothesis.
E They took a group of student volunteers and had them play a game called Cyberball, a
ball-tossing arcade game that resembled American football. The volunteers were led to
believe they were all playing against each other, but in actual fact they were not; the
computer was manipulating the game by passing the ball to some volunteers and
excluding others.
F The “accepted” and “rejected” students were then asked if they enjoyed the game and
what they thought of the other players. Participants were then put alone in a room, and
their natural foot movements were filmed. Then, a female entered the room under the
pretense of conducting a fake photo description task. The female deliberately moved
her foot during the task, but not in a way that would be noticeable to the volunteer. It
turned out that the rejected students mimicked the female’s foot movements the most.
This revealed that after exclusion, people will automatically mimic to affiliate with
someone new.
G However, Larkin and her colleagues wanted to go further. They believed that usually,
in the real world, we actually know the people that reject us. How do we behave
towards the group that we know has excluded us? The experiment was repeated with
this question in mind. In the second experiment, only female volunteers played the
Cyberball game, during which they experienced rejection by either men or women.
Then, each volunteer did the fake photo task, but this time with a man and then a
woman. The results clearly indicated that the female students that felt rejected would
unconsciously make more of an effort to mimic members of their own in-group – that
is, other women – rather than men. This deep-wired instinct to mimic was not only
directed towards random people, as initially thought, but targeted to specific groups,
the particular group that did the rejecting in the first place.
H To some, it is inconceivable why people will go to great lengths to be accepted into
one of life’s social groups or clubs, enduring rejection and sometimes humiliation in
order to be accepted. You only have to look at college campuses, which are notorious
for strict initiations inflicted on candidates desperately seeking membership, but it
happens and will continue to happen because the desire to belong is a very powerful
force and a fundamental part of human nature.
Taken from http://mini-ielts.com/1230/reading/the-need-to-belong
209
1. Choose the most suitable heading for paragraph B.
a) Lifestyle transformation from the past to the present
b) The humans’ evolutionary pathway to belonging
c) Tribal membership in prehistoric groups
2. Which underlined sentence does not fit in paragraph C?
a) a
b) b
c) c
3. In the study testing physical imitation for gaining affiliation into groups, _________.
a) female students were excluded by male students in the game
b) all students were given another task after the game
c) only the rejected students were asked for feedback
4. Larkin and her colleagues carried out a second experiment to find out _________.
a) whether, after exclusion, people automatically mimic to affiliate into groups
b) whether people’s manners change towards those who have excluded them
c) whether women and men behave differently when faced with exclusion
5. The tone of the writer in paragraph H can best be described as _________.
a) frustrated
b) skeptical
c) sympathetic
6. It is understood from the text that ___________.
a) being a member of a group is still essential for a person’s survival
b) people break the bond with those that reject them and seek acceptance elsewhere
c) people are not always aware of what they are doing to gain affiliation
7. The writer’s main purpose in writing this article is to ___________.
a) tell the different reasons for group formation throughout time
b) show the unconscious drive behind the need to belong
c) explain what automatic mimicry is by providing examples
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Text 14.
pre-teach: impending
A By the year 2050, nearly 80% of the Earth’s population will have started to live in
urban centers. Applying the most conservative estimates to current demographic
trends, the human population will have increased by about three billion people by then.
An estimated 10 hectares of new land (about 20% larger than Brazil) will be needed to
grow enough food to feed them, if traditional farming methods continue to be applied
as they are practiced today. At present, throughout the world, over 80% of the land that
is suitable for raising crops is in use. Historically, some 15% of that has been laid waste
by poor management practices. What can be done to ensure enough food for the world’s
population to live on?
B The concept of indoor farming is not new, since hothouse production of tomatoes and
other produce has been in vogue for some time. What is new is the urgent need to scale
up this technology to accommodate another three billion people. Many believe an
entirely new approach to indoor farming is required, employing cutting-edge
technologies. One such proposal is for the ‘Vertical Farm.’ The concept is of multi-
story buildings in which food crops are grown in environmentally controlled
conditions. Situated in the heart of urban centers, these farms would drastically reduce
the amount of transportation required to bring food to consumers. Vertical farms would
need to be efficient, cheap to construct, and safe to operate. If successfully
implemented, proponents claim, vertical farms offer the promise of urban renewal,
sustainable production of a safe and varied food supply (through year-round production
of all crops), and the eventual repair of ecosystems that have been sacrificed for
horizontal farming.
C It took humans 10,000 years to learn how to grow most of the crops we now take for
granted. Along the way, we despoiled most of the land we worked, often turning
verdant, natural ecozones into semi-arid deserts. Within that same time frame, we
evolved into an urban species, in which 60% of the human population now lives
vertically in cities. This means that, for the majority, we humans have shelter from the
elements, yet we subject our food-bearing plants to the rigors of the great outdoors and
can do no more than hope for a good weather year. However, more often than not now,
due to a rapidly changing climate, that is not what happens. Massive floods, long
droughts, hurricanes, and severe monsoons take their toll each year, destroying millions
of tons of valuable crops.
D The supporters of vertical farming claim many potential advantages for the system. For
instance, crops would be produced all year round, as they would be kept in artificially
controlled, optimum growing conditions. There would be no weather-related crop
failures due to droughts, floods, or pests. All the food could be grown organically,
eliminating the need for herbicides, pesticides, and fertilizers. The system would
greatly reduce the incidence of many infectious diseases that are acquired at the
agricultural interface. Although the system would consume energy, it would return
energy to the grid via methane generation from composting non-edible parts of plants.
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It would also dramatically reduce fossil fuel use, by cutting out the need for tractors,
ploughs, and shipping. Despite such claims, a major drawback of vertical farming,
however, is that the plants would require artificial light. Without it, those plants nearest
the windows would be exposed to more sunlight and grow more quickly, reducing the
efficiency of the system. Single-story greenhouses have the benefit of natural overhead
light: even so, many still need artificial lighting. A multi-story facility with no natural
overhead light would require far more. Generating enough light could be prohibitively
expensive, unless cheap, renewable energy is available, and this appears to be rather a
future aspiration than a likelihood for the near future.
E One variation on vertical farming that has been developed is to grow plants in stacked
trays that move on rails. Moving the trays allows the plants to get enough sunlight. This
system is already in operation, and works well within a single-story greenhouse with
light reaching it from above. It is not certain, however, that it can be made to work
without that overhead natural light.
F Vertical farming is an attempt to address the undoubted problems that we face in

producing enough food for a growing population. At the moment, though, more needs
to be done to reduce the detrimental impact it would have on the environment,
particularly as regards the use of energy. While it is possible that much of our food will
be grown in skyscrapers in future, most experts currently believe it is far more likely
that we will simply use the space available on urban rooftops.
Taken from https://www.ielts-exam.net/docs/reading/IELTS_Reading_Academic_38.htm

1. Paragraph A mainly ___________.

a) draws attention to an impending problem
b) describes the effects of a recent phenomenon
c) provides statistical information on the issue
2. Which of the following can be inferred from paragraph B?
a) Some food plants cannot be grown through indoor farming.
b) Horizontal farming does not use cutting-edge technology.
c) Vertical farming will enable people to eat watermelon in winter.
3. The word “verdant” in paragraph C is closest in meaning to ___________.
a) green
b) dry
c) empty
4. In paragraph C, the writer argues that people ___________.
a) should not sacrifice large areas in urban centers to grow plants for crops
b) remain unresponsive to the destruction of many crops by natural disasters
c) need to take preventive measures against the changing climate immediately
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5. How is the information in paragraph D related to that in paragraph C?
a) It provides the advantages of the idea presented.
b) It offers a solution to the problem described.
c) It supports the method offered by providing examples.
6. Which of the following is true according to paragraph D?
a) Vertical farms could recycle their crops to produce the energy they need.
b) People may soon find alternative sources to generate light and reduce costs.
c) Fertilizers will still be necessary for certain crops in vertical farms.
7. The writer’s tone in paragraph E is ___________.
a) encouraging
b) concerned
c) objective
8. The most probable development regarding vertical farming is that food will be grown
___________.
a) in skyscrapers
b) on rooftops in cities
c) by using less energy
Text 15.
A Until recently, the thought that there might ever be a cure for ageing seemed
preposterous. Growing older and more decrepit appeared to be an inevitable and
necessary part of being human. Over the last decade, however, scientists have begun
to see ageing differently. Some now believe that the average life-expectancy may soon
be pushed up to 160 years; others think that it may be extended to 200 or 300 years. A
handful even wonder whether we might one day live for a millennium or more.
B Behind this new excitement is the theory that the primary cause of ageing lies in highly
reactive molecules called free radicals, left behind by the oxygen we breathe. Free
radicals react with the molecules in our bodies, damaging DNA, proteins, and other
cell tissues, and are known to be implicated in diseases as diverse as cataracts, cancer,
and Alzheimer’s. The body does its best to protect itself against free radicals by
producing its own chemicals to prevent ageing, such as vitamins D and K, but it is
always fighting a losing battle.
C A year ago, Gordon Lithgow of the University of Manchester discovered a way to help
combat free radicals. Using one of these anti-ageing chemicals, he managed to increase
the lifespan of one species of earthworm by 50%. Despite cautionary words from the
scientists, many welcomed this as the first step towards a drug which would extend
life. Research involving the mutation of genes has also thrown up fascinating results:
after identifying two of the genes that appear to control how long the earthworm lives,
similar genes were found in organisms as various as fruit-flies, mice, and human
beings. When one considers the vast evolutionary distances that separate these species,
213
it suggests that we may have discovered a key to how ageing is regulated throughout
the entire animal kingdom.
D In June last year, a small American company called Eukarion sought permission to
carry out the first trials of an anti-ageing drug, SCS, on human beings. Although it will
initially be used to treat diseases associated with old age, Eukarion said ‘if the effect
of treating diseases of old age is to extend life, everyone’s going to be happy.’
E Some scientists, however, are quick to discourage extravagant speculation. ‘There is

no evidence whatsoever that swallowing any chemical would have an effect on
mammals,’ says Rich Miller of the University of Michigan. ‘And those people who
claim it might need to go out and do some experimenting.’ Some research, moreover,
has produced alarming results. As well as controlling ageing, these genes also partly
control the hormones which regulate growth. The upshot of this is that although the
lives of mutant mice can be extended by up to 80%, they remain smaller than normal.
F Quite apart from these sorts of horrors, the ethical implications of extending human
lifespan are likely to worry many people. Even if the falling birth-rates reported in the
world’s developed nations were to be repeated throughout the world, would this be
sufficient to compensate for massively extended life-expectancy, and would we be
willing to see the demographic balance of our society change out of all recognition?
David Gems, the head of the Centre for Research into Ageing at University College,
London, is enthusiastic about the opportunities opened up by extended life, but even
he observes ‘If people live much longer, the proportion of children would, of course,
be very small. It strikes me that it might feel rather claustrophobic: all those middle-
aged people and very few children or young people.’
G The philosopher John Polkinghorne emphasizes that any discussion of the merits of
life-extending therapies must take into account the quality of the life that is lived: ‘One
would not wish to prolong life beyond the point it had ceased to be creative and
fulfilling and meaningful,’ he says. ‘Presumably, there would have to come a point at
which life ceased to be creative and became just repetition. Clearly, there are only so
many rounds of golf one would want to play.’
H But Polkinghorne, a member of the Human Genetics Commission, also observes that
so far our experience of extended life-expectancy has not resulted in world-weariness.
Throughout the last century, life-expectancy rose consistently, thanks to improved diet,
better hygiene, continuous medical innovation, and the provision of free or subsidized
healthcare. In 1952, the Queen sent out 225 telegrams to people on their 100th birthday;
in 1996, she sent out 5218. ‘Consider also, the lives of our Roman and Anglo-Saxon
ancestors’ he says. By and large, the doubling of human lifespan we have seen since
then has not been a bad thing. Life has not become frustrating and boring. For example,
we now live to see our children’s children, and this is good.’
Taken from https://www.ielts-exam.net/docs/reading/IELTS_Reading_Academic_32.htm

214
1. The word “preposterous” in paragraph A is closest in meaning to ___________.
a) plausible
b) unbelievable
c) controversial
2. Free radicals ___________.
a) are present in two vitamins
b) escape into the atmosphere when we breathe
c) are a partial cause of certain diseases
3. In the experiment in paragraph C, ___________.
a) genes responsible for aging in fruit-flies were identified
b) the results applied only to the species involved
c) the life of a species was extended by half
4. ___________ draws attention to the possible consequences of prolonging life on the age
composition of the population.
a) Rich Miller
b) David Gems
c) John Polkinghorne
5. Which of the following is true according to the text?
a) Using chemicals to extend life may lead to some side effects.
b) The American company Eukarion has been on trial for its drug, SCS.
c) In the last decade of the 20th century, several hundred British people lived to 100.
6. The purpose of the writer in writing this article is to ___________.
a) inform the reader about the latest research into life-expectancy
b) warn readers against the risks of extending human lifespan
c) explain the highlights and challenges of extending lifespan
Text 16.
pre-teach: lineage, mock
A “Rabid vampire bats attack Brazilian children” may sound like something out of the
tabloid Weekly World News, but the headline actually comes from the respected
magazine New Scientist. Even weirder – it’s true.
B Vampire bats have indeed been attacking Brazilian children. In fact, they’ve bitten over
1,300 people since September, and 23 of their victims have died from rabies, a disease
which causes animals and humans to go mad and die. However, beneath the sensational
and bizarre story is more hopeful news about the emerging field of conservation
medicine.
215
C Conservation medicine is a relatively new discipline referring to the convergence of
ecology and health science, both looking at species and ecosystems, along with human,
plant, and animal health. Actually, there’s a natural connection between the two fields
because the health of individual plants, animals, and people is intimately connected to
the health of the ecosystems in which they are embedded.
D What does this have to do with bats? Well, thanks to this new discipline, we can now
understand why these bats have started attacking people by analyzing the motives
behind such strange behavior. Indeed, the reason for the recent increase in vampire bat
attacks in Brazil is deforestation. The Amazon forests are being cleared for industry
and agriculture. With their homes gone, the bats are resting closer to humans, and they
have a new and more plentiful supply of slow moving, warm-blooded prey – cattle
(cows and bulls). This has led to larger colonies in smaller areas, turning the region
into an ideal breeding ground for rabies. As a result of being packed into denser
territories, the bats have become more aggressive, and they no longer fear humans.
E What’s worse, rabies isn’t the only disease recently transferred to humans from bats.
Bats are also a natural reservoir for SARS, the respiratory virus that caused panic in
Toronto and tore through Southeast Asia some years ago. Originally, scientists thought
civet cats were the reservoir for SARS, but they now believe the civets were infected
by bats. Bats often don’t eat all of their meals. Fruit bats, for example, chew fruit to
extract the sugars and then spit out what is left. The remnants are eaten by animals
searching for food on the ground. This is probably how the civet cats were infected in
the first place by the SARS virus carried by the bats.
F Scientists now believe that this is how the Nipah virus was spread through pig farms
in Malaysia in the early 2000s, when farms began displacing forests and bats began
roosting in barns. Authorities in Malaysia had to kill one million pigs and over 100
farm workers died from the virus. More recently, in Bangladesh, the Nipah virus was
spread directly to humans when children picked and sold fruit that had been
contaminated with partially digested bat dinners. Researchers also believe fruit
dropped by bats may have spread the Hendra virus in Australia and the Ebola virus
among primates in Africa.
G Yet, before we get out the pitchforks and torches to hunt down these winged terrors,
consider what ecologist Andrew Dobson wrote in an analysis in the journal Science:
“Assuming we can control these diseases by simply controlling bats is both naive and
short-sighted. Instead, we must recognize that increased spillover-mediated pathogen
transmission from bats to humans may simply reflect an increase in their contact
through anthropogenic modification of the bat’s natural environment.”
H In other words, as humans continue to modify and destroy bat habitat, we will continue
to run into these problems. To solve them, we must focus on conservation and learning
216
more about bat ecology and immunology – about which we currently know very little.
Ultimately, minimizing the conditions that lead to disease outbreak is much more
effective than dealing with the problem after it has already occurred.
I In nature, everything is connected, and while people tend to think that human society
is somehow excluded from nature, like some sort of observer, we are in fact deeply
embedded in the natural world. Because of this, our actions can have profound,
unforeseen, and mysterious repercussions. The new field of conservation medicine can
help unlock those mysteries and help us build a healthier world.
Adapted from http://www.animaladvocates.com/watchdog.pl?md=read;id=6633

1. According to paragraph A, the statement that reads “Rabid vampire bats attack
Brazilian children” _________________.
a) requires a lot of respect from scientific magazines
b) seems unbelievable but scientifically accurate
c) is a weird piece of news published by a tabloid
2. Paragraph B mostly presents _______________.
a) factual information on the topic
b) the writer’s opinions on the topic
c) speculations about the topic
3. How does the information in paragraph D relate to that in paragraph C?
a) It specifies the information by drawing parallels.
b) It challenges the information by mocking the story.
c) It paraphrases the information by rewording it.
4. According to the information in paragraph E, which of the following best
describes the lineage of the SARS infection?
a) the civet cat  the fruit  the bat
b) the fruit  the bat  the civet cat
c) the bat  the fruit  the civet cat
5. Which of the following can be inferred from paragraph F?
a) Bangladeshi children got infected by the Nipah virus after eating contaminated
fruit.
b) If people hadn’t destroyed forests, they might not have been infected by
bats.
c) The Nipah virus caused more deaths and damage than the Hendra or Ebola
viruses.
217
6. According to the article, _____________.
a) there will be more problems caused by bats unless humans continue to modify
their habitat
b) Dobson thinks the best way to control diseases transferred to humans is to
control bats
c) more research needs to be done in the field of bat ecology and immunology
7. It can be inferred from paragraph I that the writer of the article ____________.
a) has an overall holistic approach towards nature
b) believes humans must be excluded from the natural world
c) is critical about the concept of conservation medicine
8. The writer’s purpose in writing this article is to _____________.
a) warn the reader about the diseases transferred to humans from bats
b) inform the reader of the possible benefits of conservation medicine
c) underline the effects of bat attacks on different parts of the world
Text 17.
A Music is music, whether composed by angels or monsters. Alma Mahler was a monster,
no doubt, but she was a very intriguing monster. She outlived her husband Gustav
Mahler, the famous composer, by 50 years, destroying all but one of her letters to him,
and suppressing or falsifying many of the ones he wrote to her because she feared that
she would probably be judged too harshly by future generations. While making a
playlist for her own funeral, she preferred not to include any of Mahler’s musical pieces
– perhaps to take one final revenge on the man with whom she remained married for
years, but whom she actually despised.
B Born Alma Maria Schindler, in 1878, in Vienna, the brilliant and beautiful composer
led a very controversial life and was influenced by several musicians, thinkers, and
artists of her time. The little Alma was introduced to the greatest works of German
literature by her father, who read her Goethe. An older admirer of Alma sent her boxes
filled with European literary classics including Stendhal’s and Ibsen’s books and
writings. She must have been an enchanting dinner guest: her deafness in one ear forced
her to lean into conversations, ensuring maximum attention and intimacy. This is what
made her seemingly genuine and her speech heartfelt. The angelic beauty and candor
Alma appeared to possess, however, were not among her defining qualities.
C Indeed, Alma had a notoriety for her pathological cruelty, narcissism, and especially
for the way she carried herself as if the world had owed her something in return for her
talent and attractiveness. These provocative characteristics were some of the traits her
admirers and enemies alike recognized in Alma, along with her anti-Jewish attitude, all
such traits being also shared by her hero, Richard Wagner, the German composer, who
was also a passionate follower of Nietzsche, like Alma. Given the impact of both
Wagner and Nietzsche on the development of German National Socialism, it was no
surprise that Alma too was filled with hatred towards Jews, which contributed highly
218
to her monstrosity. Siegfried Lipiner, one of Gustav Mahler’s favorite intellectual
adversaries, with whom the young Alma discussed Plato’s famous work Symposium,
might have empathized with her liking for Nietzsche, but he found her “malicious,
unproductive, and arrogant,” while he described her as “lacking in warmth, devoid of
naturalness, sincerity, and good sense.”
D Not everyone was on the same page, though. Her many admirers felt understood,
valued, and were deeply affected and emotionally sustained by her energy and
commitment to them. This was total, until she had had enough, which always happened.
Her marriages – to Gustav Mahler, Walter Gropius, and Franz Werfel – and her many
relationships, including those with Gustav Klimt (who gave her her first kiss, at 17),
her composition teacher Alexander Zemlinsky (her first lover), and painter Oskar
Kokoshka (perhaps the only man she really loved), have made her one of the 20th
century’s most famous women for whom songs were written and composed. In fact,
she is the source of inspiration for Zemlinsky’s Die Seejungfrau, which means “The
Mermaid” in English.
E This hostile muse was a woman who needed to be surrounded by creative genius, so
the young Alma Schindler married Gustav Mahler in 1902 when she was 22, already
pregnant with their first child. He, 19 years her senior, idolized her. She greatly admired
him, the eminent conductor of the Hofoper (Court Opera), but she was never really a
fan of his music, except for the sixth and seventh symphonies and the well-known Das
Lied von der Erde. She was attracted to his enormous energy, dynamism, and childlike
innocence, but it does not seem that she was ever “in love” with him. In one astonishing
and lengthy letter that he penned before their marriage, Mahler wrote to Alma that if
she were ugly, men would not care for her intellect or artistic talent. Perhaps as a
response to Mahler’s belittling opinion of her, speaking near the end of her life to writer
Elias Canetti (who met her when he was involved with her daughter, Anna), Alma did
not speak very highly of Mahler, either. She described Gropius, her second husband,
as “the true Aryan type. The only man who was racially suited to me. All the others
who fell in love with me were little Jews. Like Mahler. I go for both kinds.”
F The obvious quarrelling tone in both Mahler’s letter and Alma’s words on her deathbed
signify what is today known as the Alma Problem, an issue of concern to musicologists,
historians, and biographers who deal with the lives and works of Gustav Mahler and
Alma as his wife. After Mahler’s death, for half a century, Alma was the principal
authority on the mature Mahler’s values, character, and day-to-day behavior, and her
two books quickly became the central source material for Mahler scholars and music-
lovers alike. Unfortunately, as scholarship has investigated the picture she sought to
paint of Mahler and her relationship with him, her accounts have increasingly been
revealed as unreliable, false, and misleading, and evidence of deliberate manipulation
and falsification can no longer be ignored. The fact that these deeply flawed accounts
have nevertheless had a massive influence ‒ leaving their mark upon several
generations of scholars, interpreters, and music-lovers, and becoming a foundation of
the critical and popular literature on Mahler ‒ constitutes the “Alma Problem.”
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G The main reason why Alma was described as a monster and a source of a problem,
therefore, has partly been due to her own cruelty and overconfidence, and partly to
Mahler’s restriction on the way she led her life. Living with Mahler was demoralizing
for a woman who was used to a glamorous social life. Their days were regulated like
clockwork. For 10 months of the year, Alma was expected to fetch her husband from
the Court Opera almost every evening, whether he was conducting or not, whether she
was pregnant or not, and on foot. Then, the Mahlers and their two children would
retreat to Toblach, on the Italian/Austrian border for the summer, where he spent his
time composing. Her own composing, meanwhile, was at Mahler’s insistence,
disregarded. “The role of composer, the worker’s role, falls to me; yours is that of a
loving companion and understanding partner … I’m asking a very great deal – and I
can and may do so because I know what I have to give and will give in exchange.” Not
predictably, Alma gave in to this request. She became his transcriber and offered him
the most meticulous support. However, later on, this evil ban on her composing created
insurmountable problems. “I sit down at the piano, dying to play, but musical notation
no longer means anything to me. My eyes have forgotten how to read it. I have been
firmly taken by the arm and led away from myself. And I long to return to where I
was.” Five weeks after suffering a painful birth to her first child, Alma wrote these
desperate words: “I have been ill for a long time. But for several days and nights, I
have been weaving music in my mind, so loud and persistent ... Gustav lives his life,
and I too must live his life. My child doesn’t need me. In any case, I can’t keep myself
solely busy with that.”
H At the crisis point in the Mahler’s marriage, the three hammer blows, as he called them,
– Alma’s affair with the young architect Walter Gropius, the death of their five-year-
old daughter, and the discovery of his heart defect, – Mahler was advised by the famous
psychiatrist Sigmund Freud to encourage his wife to return to composing. On this piece
of advice, Mahler begged Alma to review her songs, even editing and publishing them
for her, meanwhile criticising himself for his selfishness. Given the maddened state of
his mind when he revised them, no doubt worsened by his silent agreement with the
ongoing affair, it is impossible to imagine what he actually altered. Thus, only 14 of
Alma’s compositions survive today. Although they were never dated, it is often
assumed that they were early songs. After Mahler’s death, as far as we know, Alma did
not return to composing, nor did she discuss any other works she may have written,
despite publishing her songs. She claimed to have lost the will to create anything new,
having been sucked dry from living and working with such a demanding and neurotic
genius.
I Looking into the technicalities of the remaining songs, it is possible to witness that
Alma’s music is in part voluptuous, coquettish, Wagnerian in intensity and harmony,
yet intimate, sensual, charming, and surprising. a) ■ She clearly has the rare gift of
melody, but her harmonic language is formed from the influences of her teacher
Zemlinsky, and of Arnold Schoenberg and Alban Berg, with whom, later on, she also
had affairs. b) ■ Evidently, her pieces are word paintings of what she experienced
throughout her life as the pieces are delicate, sensual, and beautiful. As such, perhaps
Alma’s music is the only real tool for access we can have to her life story. c) ■ She
220
doctored or deliberately falsified letters and her diaries before their publication many
years later, presenting the version of herself she wanted people to see. It is not, of
course, very difficult to understand why she chose not to be represented as the woman
that Mahler imprisoned in his own intellectual world, but rather desired to be perceived
in the way she viewed herself.
Adapted from https://www.theguardian.com/music/2010/dec/02/alma-schindler-problem-gustav-mahler
1. Which statement is true according to paragraph A?

a) Alma did not allow Gustav Mahler’s music to be played in his funeral.
b) Alma and Gustav Mahler were passionately in love with each other.
c) Alma lived much longer than her husband Gustav Mahler did.
2. In paragraph B, what does the writer attribute Alma’s apparent sincerity to?
a) Her knowledge of German literature
b) Her ability to hear with one ear only
c) Her beauty, attentiveness, and honesty
3. How does the information in paragraph D relate to paragraph C?
a) It challenges the information in paragraph C.
b) It exemplifies the information in paragraph C.
c) It confirms the information in paragraph C.
4. Which of the following cannot be concluded from paragraph E?
a) Gustav Mahler’s energetic personality was appealing to Alma.
b) Gustav Mahler found Alma unpleasant and intellectually incapable.
c) Gustav Mahler and Alma Schindler were not of the same origin.
5. The purpose of paragraph F is _______________.
a) To explain what lies beneath the famous “Alma Problem”
b) To show how “Alma Problem” had an insulting effect on Mahler
c) To exemplify various arguments against “Alma Problem”
6. The tone of the author in paragraph G is mostly __________________.
a) pitiful b) scornful c) indifferent
7. From paragraph H, we understand that ___________________.
a) Anna claimed Mahler had a negative impact on her creativity
b) Freud gave Mahler false advice and ruined the couple’s marriage
c) Mahler never tolerated Anna’s relationship with Walter Gropius
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8. Where in paragraph I does the following sentence belong?
Her voice in her diaries and presence in Mahler’s letters are famously – notoriously
– unreliable.
a) c
b) b
c) a
Text 18.
A To detectives, the answers lie at the end of our fingers. Fingerprinting offers an accurate
and infallible means of personal identification. The ability to identify a person from a
mere fingerprint is a powerful tool in the fight against crime. It is the most commonly
used forensic evidence, often outperforming other methods of identification. These
days, older methods of ink fingerprinting, which could take weeks, have given way to
newer and faster techniques like fingerprint laser scanning, but the principles stay the
same. No matter which way you collect fingerprint evidence, every single person’s
print is unique. So, what makes our fingerprints different from our neighbor’s?
B A good place to start is to understand what fingerprints are and how they are created.
A fingerprint is the arrangement of skin ridges and furrows on the tips of the fingers.
This ridged skin develops fully during fetal development, as the skin cells grow in the
mother’s womb. These ridges are arranged into patterns and remain the same
throughout the course of a person’s life. Other visible human characteristics, like
weight and height, change over time, whereas fingerprints do not. The reason why
every fingerprint is unique is that when a baby’s genes combine with environmental
influences, such as temperature, it affects the way the ridges on the skin grow. It makes
the ridges develop at different rates, buckling and bending into patterns. As a result, no
two people end up having the same fingerprints. Even identical twins possess dissimilar
fingerprints.
C It is not easy to map the journey of how the unique quality of the fingerprint came to
be discovered. However, the use of fingerprinting can be traced back to some ancient
civilizations, such as Babylon and China, where thumbprints were pressed onto clay
tablets to confirm business transactions. Whether people at this time actually realized
the full extent of how fingerprints were important for identification purposes is another
matter altogether. One cannot be sure if the act was seen as a means to confirm identity
or a symbolic gesture to bind a contract, where giving your fingerprint was like giving
your word.
D Despite this uncertainty, there are those who made a significant contribution towards
the analysis of fingerprinting. History tells us that a 14th-century Persian doctor made
an early statement that no two fingerprints are alike. (a) ■ Later, in the
seventeenth century, Italian physician Marcello Malpighi studied the distinguishing
shapes of loops and spirals in fingerprints. In his honor, the medical world later named
a layer of skin after him. (b) ■ He took fingerprints from the local people as a form of
signature for contracts, in order to avoid fraud. His fascination with fingerprints
222
propelled him to study them for the next 20 years. He developed the theory that
fingerprints were unique to an individual and did not change at all over a lifetime. In
1880, Henry Faulds suggested that fingerprints could be used to identify convicted
criminals. (c) ■ He wrote to Charles Darwin for advice, and the idea was referred on
to Darwin’s cousin, Sir Francis Galton. Galton eventually published an in-depth study
of fingerprint science in 1892.
E Although the fact that each person has a totally unique fingerprint pattern had been
well documented and accepted for a long time, this knowledge was not exploited for
criminal identification until the early 20th century. In the past, branding, tattooing, and
maiming had been used to mark the criminal for what he was. In some countries,
thieves would have their hands cut off. France branded criminals with the fleur-de-lis
symbol. The Romans tattooed mercenary soldiers to stop them from becoming
deserters.
F For many years, police agencies in the Western world were reluctant to use
fingerprinting, much preferring the popular method of the time, the Bertillon system,
where physical measurements of certain body parts were recorded to identify a
criminal. The turning point was in 1903, when a prisoner by the name of Will West
was admitted into Leavenworth Federal Penitentiary. Amazingly, Will had almost the
same Bertillon measurements as another prisoner residing at the very same prison,
whose name happened to be William West. It was only their fingerprints that could tell
them apart. From that point on, fingerprinting became the standard for criminal
identification.
G Fingerprinting was useful in identifying people with a history of crime and who were
listed on a database. However, in situations where the perpetrator was not on the
database and a crime had no witnesses, the system fell short. Fingerprint chemistry is
a new technology that can work alongside traditional fingerprinting to find more clues
than ever before. From organic compounds left behind on a print, a scientist can tell if
the person is a child, an adult, a mature person, or a smoker, and much more. It seems,
after all these years, fingers continue to point the way.
Taken from http://mini-ielts.com/1232/reading/a-history-of-fingerprinting

1. How does the writer introduce the topic “fingerprinting” in paragraph A?

a) By comparing it with older methods of personal identification
b) By describing various processes of getting fingerprints
c) By highlighting its importance in crime investigation
2. Where in paragraph D does the following sentence belong?

“It was, however, an employee for the East India Company, William Herschel, who
came to see the true potential of fingerprinting.”
a) a
b) b
c) c
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3. Which of the following is mentioned in the text?
a) how fingerprints are formed
b) how doctors studied fingerprints
c) how tattoos change fingerprints
4. Why does the author mention “William West” in the text?
a) to describe the practice of Bertillon measurements for convicts in prison
b) to compare the Bertillon system and fingerprinting in identifying criminals
c) to explain why fingerprinting was accepted as an identification method
5. It can be inferred from the text that _____________.
a) businesspeople in ancient China used fingerprints to confirm their identities
b) tattoos were used in ancient times to deter soldiers from becoming war traitors
c) it is impossible to get information about criminals unless their fingerprints are on the
database
Text 19.
A Culture is a huge factor in determining whether we look someone in the eye or the mouth
to interpret facial expressions, according to a new study. For instance, in Japan, people
tend to look to the eyes for emotional cues, whereas Americans tend to look to the mouth,
says researcher Masaki Yuki, a behavioral scientist at Hokkaido University in Japan.
This could be because “the Japanese, when in the presence of others, try to suppress their
emotions more than Americans do,” Yuki notes. In any case, as Yuki also contends, “the
eyes are more difficult to control than the mouth, so they probably provide better clues
about a person’s emotional state even if he or she is trying to hide it.”
B As a child growing up in Japan, Yuki was fascinated by pictures of American celebrities.

“Their smiles looked strange to me,” Yuki admits. “They opened their mouths too
widely, and raised the corners of their mouths in an exaggerated way.” Japanese people
tend to shy away from overt displays of emotion, and rarely smile or frown with their
mouths, Yuki explains, because the Japanese culture tends to emphasize conformity,
humbleness, and emotional suppression – traits that are thought to promote better
relationships. Thus, when Yuki entered graduate school and began communicating with
American scholars over e-mail, he was often confused by their use of emoticons such as
smiley faces :) and sad faces, or :(. It took him some time before he finally understood
that they were faces. Japanese emoticons tend to emphasize the eyes, such as the happy
face (^_^) and the sad face (;_;). “After seeing the difference between American and
Japanese emoticons, it dawned on me that the faces looked exactly like typical American
and Japanese smiles and frowns,” he said.
224
C Intrigued, Yuki decided to study this phenomenon. First, he and his colleagues asked
groups of American and Japanese students to rate how happy or sad various computer-
generated emoticons seemed to them. As Yuki and his team predicted, the Japanese gave
more weight to the emoticons’ eyes when gauging emotions, whereas Americans gave
more credence to the mouth. For example, the American subjects rated smiling
emoticons with sad-looking eyes as happier than the Japanese subjects did. Then, he and
his colleagues manipulated photographs of real faces to control the degree to which the
eyes and the mouth were happy, sad, or neutral. _____________. The researchers found
that Japanese subjects judged expressions based more on the eyes than the Americans,
who looked to the mouth.
D Interestingly, however, both the Americans and Japanese tended to rate faces with so-
called “happy” eyes as neutral or sad. This could be because the muscles that are flexed
around the eyes in genuine smiles are also quite active in sadness, said James Coan, a
psychologist at the University of Virginia. Coan’s research, following the one conducted
by Yuki and his team, has shown that the expressive muscles around the eyes provide
key clues about a person’s genuine emotions. In this regard, Coan further concluded that
because Japanese people tend to focus on the eyes, “they could be better,” overall, than
Americans “at perceiving people’s true feelings.”
E Although understanding others’ real feelings might be a very useful skill, it could also
have potential detriments, as Yuki points out: “Would you really want to know if your
friend’s, lover’s, or boss’s smile was not genuine? In some contexts, maybe it is better
not to know.”
Taken from https://www.livescience.com/1498-americans-japanese-read-faces-differently.html

1. According to paragraph A, the main difference between the Japanese and the
Americans while interpreting facial expressions is that ______________.
a) the Japanese have difficulty in understanding someone’s true feelings
b) the Japanese reveal their real emotions only when they are with others
c) the Japanese often search for more clues from the eyes than the mouth
2. It can be understood from paragraph B that _____________.
a) Yuki was not exposed to the American use of emoticons until he was a
graduate student
b) Yuki found the American use of emoticons quite unrealistic as they didn’t show
the eyes
c) Yuki studied the similarity between the pictures of American and Japanese
celebrities
225
3. The word “credence” in paragraph C probably means ___________.
a) assistance
b) importance
c) opposition
4. Which of the below fits best into the blank in paragraph C?
a) Again, the results verified what Yuki and his team foresaw.
b) The results were, however, not as they had previously expected.
c) According to the results, Americans looked more to the eyes.
5. In paragraph D, James Coan’s research is mentioned in order to ____________.
a) show contrast with the findings of Yuki and his team’s research
b) provide support for the findings Yuki’s research came up with
c) exemplify the conclusions of the research by Yuki and his team
6. The word “detriments” in paragraph E can be best replaced by ____________.
a) drawbacks
b) regressions
c) ignorances
Text 20.
A Innovation is key to business survival, and companies put substantial resources into
inspiring employees to develop new ideas. There are, nevertheless, people who work
in luxurious, state-of-the-art centers designed to stimulate innovation, but still find that
their environment doesn’t make them feel at all creative. On the other hand, there are
also those who don’t have a budget, or much space, but who innovate successfully.
B For Robert B. Cialdini, Professor of Psychology at Arizona State University, one
reason that companies don’t succeed as often as they should is that innovation starts
with recruitment. Research shows that the fit between an employee’s values and a
company’s values makes a difference to what contribution he or she will make, and
whether two years after starting, he or she is still at the company. Studies at Harvard
Business School show that, although some individuals may be more creative than
others, there is potential in every individual to be creative in the right circumstances.
C One of the most famous photographs in the story of Rock’n’Roll emphasizes Cialdini’s
views. The 1956 picture of singers Elvis Presley, Carl Perkins, Johnny Cash, and Jerry
Lee Lewis jamming at a piano in Sun Studios in Memphis tells a hidden story. Sun’s
“million-dollar quartet” could have been a quintet. Missing from the picture is Roy
Orbison, a greater natural singer than Lewis, Perkins, or Cash. Sam Phillips, who
owned Sun, wanted to revolutionize popular music with songs that fused black and
white music, as well as country and blues. Presley, Cash, Perkins, and Lewis
instinctively understood Phillips’s ambition and believed in it. Orbison wasn’t inspired
by the goal, and only ever achieved one hit with the Sun label.
D “The value fit matters,” says Cialdini, “because innovation is, in part, a process of
change, and under that pressure we, as a species, behave differently; when things
226
change, we are hard-wired to play it safe.” Managers should, therefore, adopt an
approach that appears counterintuitive ‒ they should explain what stands to be lost if
the company fails to seize a particular opportunity. Studies show that we invariably
take more gambles when threatened with a loss than when offered a reward.
E Managing innovation is a delicate art. It’s easy for a company to be pulled in conflicting
directions as the marketing, product development, and finance departments each get
different feedback from different sets of people, and without a system which ensures
collaborative exchanges within the company, it’s also easy for small “pockets of
innovation” to disappear. Innovation is a contact sport. You can’t brief people by just
saying, “We’re going in this direction, and I’m going to take you with me.”
F Cialdini believes that this “follow-the-leader syndrome” is dangerous, not least because
it encourages bosses to go it alone. “It’s been scientifically proven that three people
will be better than one at solving problems even if that one person is the smartest person
in the field,” he says. To prove his point, Cialdini cites an interview with molecular
biologist James Watson. Watson, together with Francis Crick, discovered the structure
of DNA, the genetic information carrier of all living organisms. When asked how they
had cracked the code ahead of an array of highly accomplished rival investigators,
Watson said: “Crick and I had succeeded because we were aware that we weren’t the
most intelligent of the scientists pursuing the answer. The smartest scientist was called
Rosalind Franklin, who was very intelligent, but she rarely sought advice.”
G Teamwork taps into one of the basic drives of human behavior. “The principle of social
proof is so pervasive that we don’t even recognize it,” says Cialdini. “If your project is
being resisted, for example, by a group of veteran employees, ask another old-timer to
speak up for it.” Cialdini is not alone in advocating this strategy. Research shows that
peer power, used horizontally not vertically, is much more powerful than any boss’s
speech. Authority doesn’t have to inhibit innovation, but it often does. The wrong kind
of leadership will lead to what Cialdini calls “captainitis,” the regrettable tendency of
team members to opt out of team responsibilities. He calls it captainitis because, he
says, “crew members of multi-pilot aircraft exhibit a sometimes deadly passivity when
the flight captain makes a clearly wrong-headed decision.” This behavior is not unique
to air travel but can happen in any workplace where the leader is overbearing. At the
other end of the scale is the Memphis design collective of the 1980s, a group of young
designers for whom “the only rule was that there were no rules.” This environment
encouraged a free interchange of ideas, which led to more creativity with form,
function, color, and materials that revolutionized attitudes to furniture design.
H Many theorists believe the ideal boss should lead from behind, taking pride in
collective accomplishment and giving credit where it is due. Cialdini says, “Leaders
should encourage everyone to contribute and simultaneously assure all concerned that
every recommendation is important to making the right decision and will be given full
attention.” The frustrating thing about innovation is that there are many approaches,
but no magic formula. However, a manager who wants to create a truly innovative
culture can make his or her job a lot easier by recognizing these psychological realities.
Adapted from http://mini-ielts.com/416/reading/the-psychology-of-innovation
227
1. According to paragraph A, __________.
a) the innovative strategies developed by employees are a result of the resources put
into designing luxurious work-centers.
b) innovation is crucial while designing the work-space because it supports stimulation
in business life.
c) although companies heavily invest in developing stimulating workplaces, some
employees may still lack innovation.
2. The research at Harvard Business School mentioned in paragraph B __________.
a) verifies the results of Robert B. Cialdini’s research at Arizona State University
b) shows how much contribution an employee can make to his/her company
c) indicates that appropriate conditions can possibly boost creativity in everyone
3. The example of the “million-dollar quartet” underlines the writer’s point about ______.
a) recognizing talent
b) having a shared objective
c) being an effective leader
4. It can be understood from paragraph D that to get the best results, managers
should __________.
a) clarify what is to be missed if a certain opportunity is not taken
b) encourage their employees to innovate by offering some rewards
c) play it safe when there is a higher risk of losing opportunities
5. By referring to James Watson and Francis Crick, the writer wants to highlight that to
achieve success, it is necessary to __________.
a) be conscious of your own limitations
b) be determined to outperform your brighter rivals
c) select intelligent partners for a joint ambition
6. Paragraph G is __________.
a) critical of authority use
b) indifferent to teamwork
c) skeptical of peer power
7. In paragraph H, the writer suggests that it is important for employees to __________.
a) be aware of their company’s goals
b) feel that their contributions are valued
c) understand why certain management decisions are made
228
Text 21.
A Will the robot revolution begin in nursery school? Researchers introduced a state-of-
the-art social robot into a classroom of 18- to 24-month-olds for five months as a way
of studying human-robot interactions. The children not only came to accept the robot,
but treated it as they would a human buddy - hugging it and helping it - a new study
says. “The results imply that current robot technology is surprisingly close to achieving
autonomous bonding and socialization with human toddlers,” said Fumihide Tanaka, a
researcher at the University of California, San Diego.
B The development of robots that interact socially with people has been difficult to
achieve, experts say, partly because such interactions are hard to study. “To my
knowledge, this is the first long-term study of this sort,” said Ronald Arkin, a roboticist
at the Georgia Institute of Technology, who was not involved with the study. “It is
groundbreaking and helps to forward human-robot interaction studies significantly,”
he said.
C The most successful robots so far have been storytellers, but they have only been able
to hold human interest for a limited time. For the new study, researchers introduced a
toddler-size humanoid robot into a classroom at a UCSD childhood education center.
Initially, the researchers wanted to use a 22-inch-tall model, but later they decided to
use another robot of the QRIO series, the 23-inch-tall (58-centimeter-tall) machine
originally developed by Sony. Children of toddler age were chosen because they have
no preconceived notions of robots, said Tanaka, the lead researcher, who also works
for Sony. The researchers sent instructions about every two minutes to the robot to do
things like giggle, dance, sit down, or walk in a certain direction. The 45 sessions were
videotaped, and interactions between toddlers and the robot were later analyzed.
D The results showed that the quality of those interactions improved steadily over 27
sessions. The toddlers began to increasingly interact with the robot and treat it more
like a peer than an object during the first 11 sessions. The level of social activity
increased dramatically when researchers added a new behavior to QRIO’s repertoire:
If a child touched the humanoid on its head, it would make a giggling noise. The
interactions deteriorated quickly over the next 15 sessions, when the robot was
reprogrammed to behave in a more limited, predictable manner. Finally, the human-
robot relations improved in the last three sessions, after the robot had been
reprogrammed to display its full range of behaviors. “Initially the children treated the
robot very differently than the way they treated each other,” Tanaka said. “But by the
end, they treated the robot as a peer rather than a toy.”
E Early in the study some children cried when QRIO fell, but a month into the study, the
toddlers helped QRIO stand up by pushing its back or pulling its hands. “The most
important aspect of interaction was touch,” Tanaka said. “At first, the toddlers would
touch the robot on its face, but later on, they would touch only on its hands and arms,
like they would with other humans.” Another robotlike toy named Robby, which
resembled QRIO but did not move, was used as a control toy in the study. While
hugging of QRIO increased, hugging of Robby decreased throughout the study.
229
Furthermore, when QRIO laid down on the floor as its batteries ran down, a toddler
would put a blanket over his silver-colored “friend” and say “night-night.”
F “Our work suggests that touch integrated on the time-scale of a few minutes is a
surprisingly effective index of social connectedness,” Tanaka says. “Something akin
to this index may be used by the human brain to evaluate its own sense of social well-
being.” He adds that social robots like QRIO could greatly enrich classrooms and assist
teachers in early learning programs. Hiroshi Ishiguro, robotics expert at Osaka
University in Japan, stated that the study revealed the possibilities of small, almost
autonomous humanoid robots for toddlers. “Nowadays, robots can perform a variety
of functions that were thought to be incident to people only, and soon, we’ll have
electronic baby-sitters and peer-robots in every kindergarten,” said Ishiguro, who was
not involved with the study but has collaborated with its authors on other projects.
G Now this study has taken a new direction ‒ the researchers are now developing
autonomous robots for the toddler classroom. “I cannot avoid underlining how great
potential it could have in educational settings, assisting teachers and enriching the
classroom environment,” Tanaka said. However, some scientists don’t share his
opinion.
H Arkin, the Georgia Tech roboticist, said he was not surprised by the affection showed
by the toddlers toward the robot. “Humans have a tremendous propensity to bond with
artifacts with any or all sort, whether it be a car, a doll, or a robot,” he said. But he also
cautioned that researchers don’t yet understand the consequences of increased human-
robot interaction. “Just studying how robots and humans work together can give us
insight into whether this is a good thing or a bad thing for society,” Arkin said. “What
are the consequences of introducing a robot artifact into a cadre of children? How will
that enhance, or potentially interfere with, their social development? It might make life
easier for the teacher, but we really don’t understand the long-term impact of having a
robot as a childhood friend, do we?”

1. According to paragraph D, ______________.

a) the more behaviors QRIO displayed, the more social toddlers became
towards it
b) the more predictable QRIO’s behaviors were, the more interactive toddlers got
c) the more QRIO made a giggling noise, the more toddlers touched it
2. Which idea does the information about Robby support?
a) Robots can assist teachers and enrich the classroom environment.
b) Robots without movement do not attract the attention of children much.
c) Robots are seen as a friend and so taken care of by children.
230
3. It can be inferred from the text that ______________.
a) the children were observed and recorded at school twice a week for five months
b) the researchers preferred the QRIO robot as children were familiar with it
c) the children’s attitudes towards the robot changed throughout the study
4. Which paragraph emphasizes the significance and novelty of the conducted
study?
a) Paragraph A
b) Paragraph B
c) Paragraph G
5. Which of the following would Ronald Arkin agree with?
a) The study that was conducted on toddlers shows the robot’s limitations as a friend.
b) The long-term impact of having a robot as a childhood friend can be negative.
c) People have a natural tendency to bond with objects that resemble humans.
Text 22.
A More than a quarter of the country’s 2.4 million bee colonies have been lost — tens of
billions of bees, according to an estimate from the Apiary Inspectors of America, a
national group that tracks beekeeping. So far, no one has been able to exactly say what
is causing the bees to become disoriented and fail to return to their hives.
____________________. People have blamed genetically modified crops, cellular
phone towers, and high-voltage transmission lines for the disappearances. Or was it a
secret plot by Russia or Osama bin Laden to bring down American agriculture? Or, as
some blogs have asserted, was it the rapture of the bees, in which God recalled them to
heaven? Researchers have heard it all.
B “Some theories are really unbelievable,” say two entomologists, Diana Cox-Foster,
from Pennsylvania State University, and Jeffrey S. Pettis, from the United States
Department of Agriculture, as they are trying to find answers to explain “colony
collapse disorder,” the name given for the disappearing bee syndrome. “Clearly there
is an urgency to solve this,” Dr. Cox-Foster says. “We are trying to move as quickly as
we can.” The most likely suspects are a virus, a fungus, or a pesticide. As there are
other bee colonies collapsing elsewhere in the world, like some countries in Europe, as
well as Guatemala and parts of Brazil, the entire world is struggling for answers.
C More recently, however, genetic testing at Columbia University has revealed the
presence of multiple micro-organisms in bees from hives or colonies that are in decline,
suggesting that something is debilitating their immune system. The researchers have
found, in the affected bees, some fungi that are found in humans whose immune
systems have been suppressed by the Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS)
or by cancer. “That is extremely unusual,” Dr. Cox-Foster says. Meanwhile, samples
231
were sent to an Agriculture Department laboratory in North Carolina this month to
screen for 117 chemicals. Particular suspicion falls on a pesticide that France banned
out of concern that it may have been decimating bee colonies. Concern has also
mounted among public officials. So far, colony collapse disorder has been found in 27
States, according to Bee Alert Technology Inc., a company monitoring the problem. A
recent survey of 13 States by the Apiary Inspectors of America showed that 26 percent
of beekeepers had lost half of their bee colonies between September and March.
D But why are we so worried about the loss of these bee colonies? Well, honeybees are
arguably the insects that are most important to the human food chain. They are the
principal pollinators of hundreds of fruits, vegetables, flowers, and nuts. While
agriculture depends so heavily on bees as pollinators, bee colonies have been
increasingly under stress as more beekeepers have resorted to crisscrossing the country
with 18-wheel trucks full of bees in search of pollination work. These bees may suffer
from a diet that includes artificial supplements, which are in fact mixtures similar to
energy drinks and power bars. In several states, suburban developments have limited
the bees’ natural forage areas. However, so far, the researchers have discounted the
possibility that poor diet alone could be responsible for the widespread losses. They
have also set aside for now the possibility that the cause could be bees feeding from a
commonly used genetically modified crop, known as the BT corn, because the
symptoms typically associated with toxins, such as blood poisoning, are not showing
up in the affected bees. Yet, researchers have emphasized today that feeding
supplements produced from genetically modified crops, such as high-fructose corn
syrup, need to be studied.
E The scientists say that definitive answers for the colony collapses could be months
away. However, recent advances in biology and genetic sequencing are speeding the
search. Computers can decipher information from DNA and match pieces of genetic
code with particular organisms. Luckily, a project to sequence some 11,000 genes of
the honeybee was completed late last year at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston,
giving scientists a huge head start on identifying any unknown pathogens in the bee
tissue. “Otherwise, we would be looking for the needle in the haystack,” Dr. Cox-Foster
says.
F Following these developments, at the University of Illinois, using the knowledge
gained from the sequencing of the bee genome, a research team will try to find which
genes in the collapsing colonies are particularly active, perhaps indicating stress from
exposure to a toxin or pathogen. Working in close collaboration with the Illinois team,
Dr. Chris Mullin, a Pennsylvania State University professor and insect toxicologist, has
recently sent a set of samples to a federal laboratory in Raleigh, which has screened for
117 chemicals. Of greatest interest are the “systemic” chemicals that are able to pass
through a plant’s circulatory system and move to the new leaves or the flowers, where
232
they would come in contact with bees. One group of chemical compounds found during
the screening process is called neonicotinoids. These are commonly used pesticides
employed to treat corn and other seeds against pests. One of the neonicotinoids,
imidacloprid, is commonly used in Europe and the United States to treat seeds, to
protect residential foundations against termites and to help keep golf courses and home
lawns green.
G In the late 1990s, French beekeepers reported large losses of their bees and complained
about the use of imidacloprid, sold under the brand name Gaucho. The chemical, while
not killing the bees outright, was causing them to be disoriented and stay away from
their hives, leading them to die of exposure to the cold, French researchers later found.
The beekeepers labeled the syndrome “mad bee disease.” Thus, the French government
banned the pesticide in 1999 for use on sunflowers, and later for corn, despite protests
by the German chemical giant Bayer, which said its internal research showed the
pesticide was not toxic to bees. (a) The chemical diversity found in nature has
always been a significant source of motivation for drug design and development.
(b) Subsequent studies by independent French researchers have disagreed with
Bayer. (c) To support her case, Alison Chalmers, an eco-toxicologist for Bayer
CropScience, has said at the meeting today that bee colonies had not recovered in
France as beekeepers had expected. “These chemicals are not being used anymore,”
she has said of imidacloprid, “so they certainly were not the only cause.” However,
among the pesticides being tested in the American bee investigation, the neonicotinoids
group “is the number-one suspect,” Dr. Mullin has said. He hopes the complete results
of the toxicology screening will be ready within a month.
Adapted from http://www.nytimes.com/2007/04/24/science/24bees.html

1. Which of the following statements should replace the blank in paragraph A?

a) As with any great mystery, a number of theories have been posed, and many
seem to be more science-fiction than science.
b) Some of the culprits might be genetically modified organisms, the waves
transmitted by cellular phones, and communication technologies that use
broadcast lines and radio waves.
c) Scientists, however, have come up with fully supported theories to explain the
reason behind these disappearances.
2. Dr. Cox-Foster suggests that _____________.
a) genetically modified crops may have caused bees to disappear
b) previous theories about bees are sufficient but not specific enough
c) bees could have disappeared because of a fungus
233
3. The investigations into the collapsing bee colonies _____________.
a) found 117 chemicals in bees’ organisms when they were tested
b) blamed France for using a pesticide causing bees to die
c) may confirm the theories of Dr. Cox-Foster about disappearing bees
4. The word “debilitating” in paragraph C is closest in meaning to ___________.
a) heartening b) weakening c) responding
5. In comparison to paragraph D, the tone in paragraph E is more _____________.
a) discouraging b) hopeful c) indifferent
6. The text mainly discusses ______________.
a) the causes which might have led honeybees to decrease in number over time
b) how harmful and inappropriate it is to rely on honeybees for agriculture
c) the effects that “colony collapse disorder” will have on the future of agriculture
7. Which underlined sentence does not fit in paragraph G?
a) (a)
b) (b)
c) (c)
Text 23.
pre-teach: leaping
A In recent years, we have all been exposed to dire media reports concerning the
impending demise of global coal and oil reserves, but the depletion of another key non-
renewable resource continues without receiving much press at all. Helium – an inert,
odorless, monatomic element known to ordinary people as the substance that makes
balloons float and voices squeak when inhaled – could be gone from this planet within
a generation.
B Helium itself is not rare; there is actually a plentiful supply of it in the cosmos. In fact,
24% of our galaxy’s elemental mass consists of helium, which makes it the second
most abundant element in our universe. Because of its lightness, however, most helium
vanished from our own planet many years ago. Consequently, only a miniscule
proportion – 0.00052%, to be exact – remains in the earth’s atmosphere. Helium is the
by-product of millennia of radioactive decay from the elements thorium and uranium.
The helium that remains on the planet is mostly trapped in subterranean natural-gas
bunkers and is commercially extracted through a method known as fractional
distillation.
C The loss of helium on Earth would affect society greatly. Defying the perception of it
as a novelty substance for parties and gimmicks, the element actually has many vital
applications in society. Probably the most well-known commercial usage is in airships
and blimps (non-flammable helium replaced hydrogen as the popular lifting gas after
234
the Hindenburg catastrophe in 1932, during which an airship burst into flames and
crashed to the ground, killing some passengers and crew), but helium is also
instrumental in deep-sea diving, where it is blended with nitrogen to mitigate the
dangers of inhaling ordinary air under high pressure. Additionally, it is used as a
cleaning agent for rocket engines and as a coolant for superconducting magnets in
hospital MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) scanners.
D The possibility of losing helium forever poses the threat of a real crisis because its
unique qualities are extraordinarily difficult, if not impossible, to duplicate. Helium is
even cheerfully derided as a “loner” element since it does not adhere to other molecules
like its cousin, hydrogen. According to Dr. Lee Sobotka, helium is the “most noble of
gases, meaning it’s very stable and non-reactive for the most part … it has a closed
electronic configuration, a very tightly bound atom. It is this coveting of its own
electrons that prevents combination with other elements.” Another important attribute
is helium’s unique boiling point, which is lower than that for any other element. The
worsening global shortage could render millions of dollars of high-value and life-
saving equipment totally useless. The dwindling supplies have already resulted in the
postponement of research and development projects in physics laboratories and
manufacturing plants around the world. There is an enormous supply and demand
imbalance partly brought about by the expansion of high-tech manufacturing in Asia.
E The source of the problem is the Helium Privatization Act (HPA), an American law
that requires the US National Helium Reserve to liquidate, or sell, its helium assets in
the next five years, regardless of the market price. Although intended to settle the
original cost of the reserve by a US Congress ignorant of its ramifications, this policy
may mean that global helium prices will be so artificially deflated that few can be
bothered recycling the substance or using it cautiously. Deflated values also mean that
natural-gas extractors see no reason to capture helium. Much is lost in the process of
extraction. As Sobotka notes, “the government had the good vision to store helium, and
the question now is: Will the corporations have the vision to capture it when extracting
natural gas, and will consumers have the wisdom to recycle? This takes long-term
vision because present market forces are not sufficient to compel prudent practice.” For
Nobel-prize laureate Robert Richardson, the US government must be prevailed upon
to repeal its privatization policy as the country supplies over 80% of global helium,
mostly from the National Helium Reserve. For Richardson, a 20- to 50-fold increase in
prices would provide incentives to recycle.
F A number of steps need to be taken in order to avert a costly crisis in the coming
decades. Firstly, all existing supplies of helium ought to be conserved and released only
by permit, with medical uses receiving priority over other commercial or recreational
demands. Secondly, conservation should be obligatory and enforced by a regulatory
agency. At the moment, some users, such as hospitals, tend to recycle diligently, while
others, such as NASA, squander massive amounts of helium. Lastly, research into
alternatives to helium must begin in earnest.
Adapted from https://takeielts.britishcouncil.org/prepare-test/free-sample-tests/reading-sample-test-1-academic/reading-
passage-3
Flesch Reading Ease 36,7 / IELTS 8+ / CEFR C2 (simplified)
235
1. In paragraph A, the writer compares “helium” with “coal and oil reserves” to
______________.
a) criticize the media for distorting facts about helium
b) stress that helium is also getting depleted
c) give examples of non-renewable resources
2. Which of the following is true according to paragraph B?
a) Almost one fifth of the elemental mass in our galaxy is composed of helium.
b) Helium is so light that Earth’s gravity is not strong enough to hold on to it.
c) Helium decays due to the natural radioactive process of uranium and thorium.
3. Paragraph C is mainly about ______________.
a) how helium began to be used commercially
b) various uses of helium in society
c) the 1932 Hindenburg catastrophe
4. The word “dwindling” in paragraph D is closest in meaning to ___________.
a) fluctuating
b) leaping
c) shrinking
5. Which of the following does the writer support by referring to Robert Richardson in
the article?
a) The Helium Privatization Act should be strictly enforced in order to recycle
helium.
b) The US government has to work with leading market forces to capture helium.
c) The country’s new policy will fail to encourage people to preserve helium.
6. From paragraph F, we understand that NASA _________.

a) is not so cautious as some other institutions in conserving helium
b) may officially be obliged to regulate the use of helium in the US
c) will carry out research in order to find new non-renewable resources
Text 24.
pre-teach: drain
A Have you ever wanted to scream and run away because you hate your job? Have you
ever called in sick simply because you feel extremely worn-out and depressed? Have
you felt that you get no accomplishment no matter how hard you work? If you say yes
to these questions, you may be suffering from a serious emotional problem. Many
people, especially those who are forced to work under pressure, manifest the same
symptoms, which indicate a condition called “burnout.”
236
B Unlike what many people believe, burnout does not simply mean acting like a spoiled
child. On the contrary, it is “a state of exhaustion or frustration in the individual’s inner
resources that results from work or work relationships that fail to produce the expected
rewards,” as first defined by psychologist Herbert J. Freudenberger. According to
Freudenberger, some individual factors such as gender, age, education, and marital
status may play a role in the person’s experience of burnout. Yet, the most important
causes are often related to workload, control system, and lack of rewards.
C Aside from Freudenberger, other psychologists like Christina Maslach also studied
burnout. Maslach lists the three most important aspects of burnout as emotional
exhaustion, depersonalization, and reduced personal accomplishment. The first one,
emotional exhaustion, means a decrease in individual’s emotional and physical
resources. Individuals experiencing emotional exhaustion feel emotionally fatigued.
The second aspect, depersonalization, refers to the negative and strict attitudes toward
people and being indifferent to the job itself. It shows itself through the individual’s
negative and intolerant responses to service receivers or coworkers. The people who
undergo depersonalization treat people as if they were objects. The third aspect,
reduced personal accomplishment, is the individual’s tendency to evaluate
herself/himself negatively in terms of personal achievement. It presents itself as a
reduced sense of success in the job itself as well as in their personal relations at work.
D The consequences of burnout are numerous. Some of these consequences are decreased
job performance, job dissatisfaction, a tendency to be sick without reason, and
increased injury in occupational accidents. Individuals experiencing burnout are also
more likely to suffer physical problems such as fatigue, sleeplessness, lack of appetite,
and headache. In addition to such physical problems, psychological problems such as
defenselessness and sensitiveness are also seen. These may unfortunately pave the way
for even more severe results as in the case of healthcare employees who suffer different
symptoms of burnout. In fact, several studies have shown that decreased staffing in
hospitals brings about an overload of work and duties. This is a primary trigger for
burnout, and it poses a serious threat to patient safety.
E Two surveys conducted on nurses working in two different private hospitals can be
used as support. One of the studies found that errors in medication and treatments are
perceived by nurses to be a result of the nursing shortage. In the other study, a 67%
increase in medication errors was reported to be due to understaffing. When the number
of nurses on duty is insufficient, the workload on the currently employed nurses was
doubled, or in some cases, tripled. Inevitably, this led to common complaints among
most of the nurses about depersonalization, extreme sensitiveness, and a general
inclination toward loss of attention. As such, in addition to causing harm to the patients,
medication and treatment errors caused moral distress for 73% of the nurses involved
in one hospital, and 61% in the other.
237
F Like nurses, patient services employees are also quite likely to experience burnout due
to their intense interrelationship with patients. The duties of patient services department
are welcoming the patients and patients’ relatives, directing and accompanying them
to the relevant departments, preparing patient reports, receiving the payments, and
executing discharge and funerals when it is necessary. Therefore, the effort given by
these employees bears importance as it directly influences patient satisfaction. In a
questionnaire carried out in 2017 on the employees of patient services in a private
hospital, it was concluded that burnout is an important issue that needs to be prevented
for patient services employees because it puts a lot of important matters at risk.
G All in all, burnout should be taken seriously. Providing periodic consultancy to both
new employees and current employees and offering training opportunities to
employees to maintain harmony might contribute to the prevention of burnout within
organizations. Building healthy communication, listening to employee problems, and
planning certain activities to boost morale and avoid stressful work environment may
increase employee motivation. Increasing employees’ communication skills, especially
in jobs where human interaction levels are high, may also help decrease burnout levels.
Developing reward systems might also influence employees in a positive way, and
providing psychological support to the employees who are in need might also
strengthen employees’ mental health and may render them psychologically strong.
Adapted from http://acibadem.dergisi.org/pdf/pdf_AUD_381.pdf

Flesch Reading Ease 33 / IELTS 4-5 / CEFR B1
1. The word “manifest” in paragraph A is closest in meaning to _____________.

a) demonstrate
b) aggravate
c) observe
2. Choose the best heading for paragraph B.
a) What is Burnout?
b) Symptoms of Burnout
c) Exhaustion in Burnout
3. What is true according to paragraph C?
a) Maslach learned from Freudenberger that burnout can be categorized under three
levels.
b) A person who experiences depersonalization believes that s/he is incapable of
achievement.
c) The emotionally exhausted individual may behave as if s/he’s drained of
feelings.
238
4. How does paragraph F relate to the information in paragraph E?
a) It gives a challenging viewpoint on the information.
b) It exemplifies the information by giving more details.
c) It supports the information with a similar case in point.
5. Paragraphs D and G respectively focus on ____________.
a) Causes / Effects
b) Effects / Solutions
c) Solutions / Causes
EXTRA PRACTICE FOR CAREFUL READING
Text 1.
A When Karl Kim immigrated to the United States from Korea as a teenager ten years
ago, he had a hard time learning English. Now, he speaks it fluently, and recently he
had a unique opportunity to see how the human brain adapts to a second language. Kim
is a graduate student in the lab of Joy Hirsch, a neuroscientist at Memorial Sloan-
Kettering Cancer Center in New York. He and Hirsch have recently found evidence
that children and adults do not use the same parts of their brain when learning a second
language.
B The researchers used an instrument called a functional magnetic resonance imager to

study the brains of two groups of bilingual people. One group consisted of those who
had learned a second language as children. The other consisted of people who, like
Kim, learned their second language later in life. When placed inside the MRI scanner,
which allowed Kim and Hirsch to see which parts of the brain were getting more blood
and were thus more active, people from both groups were asked to think about what
they had done the day before, first in one language and then the other. They were not
allowed to speak out loud, because any movement would disrupt the scanning.
C Kim and Hirsch looked specifically at two language centers in the brain – Broca’s area
in the left frontal part, which is believed to manage speech production, and Wernicke’s
area, in the rear of the brain, thought to process the meaning of language. Both groups
of people, Kim and Hirsch found, used the same part of Wernicke’s area no matter
what language they were speaking. However, their use of Broca’s area differed.
D People who learned a second language as children used the same region in Broca’s area
for both languages. On the other hand, those who learned a second language later in
life made use of a distinct region in Broca’s area for their second language, a region
near the one activated for their native tongue.
239
E How does Hirsch explain this difference? “When language is being hardwired during
development,” says Hirsch, “the brain may intertwine sounds and structures from all
languages into the same area.” However, once the wiring is complete, the management
of a new language, with new sounds and structures, must be taken over by a different
part of the brain.
F A second possibility is simply that language is acquired differently as children than it

is as adults. “If you watch mothers or family members teaching an infant to speak,”
says Hirsch, “it’s very tactile, very auditory, it’s very visual. There are a lot of different
inputs. It’s very different from sitting in a high school class.”
Adapted from DBE Summer School Materials
Flesch Reading Ease: 61,5
1. Kim and Hirsch __________.

a) have discovered that regardless of their age, people have great difficulty while
learning a second language
b) are working towards a master’s degree in neurology at Memorial Sloan-Kettering
Cancer Center
c) have determined that children and adults use different parts of their brains
when learning a second language
2. Kim and Hirsch used two groups of bilinguals, those who learned a second language
at an early age and those who learned one later in life to compare __________.
a) the thought patterns that each group used when speaking
b) the structure of the brains of the two groups of bilinguals
c) their brain activity when thinking in the two languages
3. The researchers discovered that depending on when they learned their second
language, bilinguals differed in the way they __________.
a) managed speech production
b) used Wernicke’s area in their brain
c) processed the meaning of language
4. According to the findings, people who learn a second language at an older age
__________.
a) make use of the same region in Broca’s area for both their first and second
languages
b) use a separate region in Broca’s area for the management of the new
language
c) begin to use their Wernicke’s area to process information in the second language
5. While explaining the difference between the two groups of bilinguals, Hirsch
touches upon all of the following except __________.
a) the way the brain functions while learning a new language
b) the methods families employ to teach young children how to speak
c) the fact that some sounds and structures may be difficult to produce
240
6. The writer’s aim in writing this text is to __________ the reader.
a) inform b) persuade c) entertain
7. The best title for this text would be __________.
a) The Functions of the Brain
b) The Bilingual Brain
c) The Language Learning Process
Text 2.
A PONOI, Russia—I was sitting in the dark cabin of an Aeroflot helicopter 5,000 feet
over the barren tundra, flying 185 miles southeast from Murmansk to the Kola
Peninsula in the north- western corner of Russia. My fellow travelers and I were
crammed together on two benches that ran the length of both sides of the helicopter,
our mountain of baggage on the floor between us. I was here because my new
husband’s greatest joy in life is fishing, particularly salmon fishing, and he would like
to make me a fisherman, too. Thinking that I should try at least once to like it, I had
even attended the Wulff School of Fishing to learn how to use the fishing tackle (the
equipment used for fishing). Half the time, I could get the fishing rod into the water at
a point close to where I wanted it, but not at any great distance. I was still very short
on experience, though, when I journeyed above the Arctic Circle in June 1994 to fish
in what many claim is one of the world’s greatest salmon rivers. I later learned that in
the first six weeks of the 1994 season, more than 4,000 fish were caught and released.
B Many in our group were repeaters, eager to try the river again and again in different
seasons under different conditions. They talked of nothing but salmon, rods, and flies.
We were 18 men and 2 women ‒ myself and an Irish banker who later became the life
of the party. She was already an excellent angler, or fisherman ‒ a point my husband
wanted me to reach. During our six days, she caught two of the largest fish. Most of
the men were over 50 and notably wealthy ‒ fishing in the choice corners of the world
such as the Arctic costs a lot. Not content with fishing only during the day, they would
take advantage of June’s nearly constant daylight and the proximity of what was called
the “main pool” (actually, the only pool in the river accessible on foot) to fish all night,
too.
C Among the team was the Finnish chef, Mika Repo, who cooked imaginatively and well.
Salmon was the only local food, and its use was limited as the camp stuck religiously
to the catch-and-release philosophy; all but enough fish for supper were returned to the
river. There was a different salmon dish nightly, followed by heaping platters of meat,
potatoes, and vegetables, topped off with dessert.
D For the fishermen, the days quickly assumed a pattern. They went out in any weather,
well- insulated with multilayered clothing. The day’s fishing assignments would be
posted at 9 A.M., after an abundant breakfast. Without hesitation, the crowd arose and
gathered their rods and reels, backpacks, sweaters, cameras, and binoculars. A moment
241
later, there were cries of “good luck,” “get a big one today,” and my favorite, “tight
line,” repeated over and over until all had disappeared. I had never thought that I would
get used to going fishing every day and even find it fun.
E Along a 100-mile stretch of river, the camp had 15 fishing locations, all with different
characteristics so that the frustrations ‒ or joys ‒ encountered one day won’t be
repeated the next. Each locale had its own guide with his own approach to the river and
to fishing so that the fishermen could constantly learn new techniques and theories.
Under the poor conditions of our visit, we did not do badly. Among 20 rods, we caught
a total of 757 fish. The top rod caught 66 and the lowest (other than mine) 27. I came
in last with 5, each weighing about 5 pounds.
1. The writer took the fishing trip because ___________.

a) she needed hands-on experience to complete the fishing course
b) fishing in the Arctic Circle was her greatest joy in life
c) her new husband wanted her to share his favorite hobby
2. The tone of the writer in paragraph B is ______________.
a) critical
b) sarcastic
c) observant
3. According to paragraph C, meals served onboard were ___________.
a) inadequate as the fish that was caught was later released
b) rich despite the limited use of salmon and local food
c) supposed to be eaten after holding a religious ceremony
4. Paragraph D mostly describes __________.
a) everyone’s daily routine on the fishing trip
b) the writer’s critique of the others’ fishing craze
c) the words of encouragement used by the anglers
5. Which of the following is correct according to paragraph E?
a) They kept changing locations to avoid repeating the previous day’s
experiences.
b) They had one guide who knew all the different locations and fishing
techniques.
c) Due to the conditions of their trip, they could hardly learn new techniques
and theories.
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Text 3.
A Did you know that graphite and diamond actually have the same chemical
composition? Most people are surprised to learn that both are pure carbon. Although
they are exactly the same in chemical composition, they are entirely different
substances. Diamond has a brilliant sparkling shine while graphite is black and dull.
Graphite is not the best conductor of electricity, but it conducts electricity to some
extent, whereas diamond does not do this at all. They also differ completely in texture.
Diamond is the hardest natural substance on Earth while graphite is one of the softest
minerals. The difference in texture is mainly due to the way the carbon atoms stick to
each other. In graphite, carbon atoms weakly bind with each other. In diamond,
however, they are bound very strongly. This is why diamond is so hard. Finally,
graphite is found everywhere while diamond is very rare.
B Where and how does diamond form? The formation of diamond requires very high
temperatures and pressures. Such high temperatures and pressures can only be found
400 kilometers deep down underground. It is impossible for man to dig so deep below
the surface. Thanks to volcanic eruptions, diamonds are made available to us. That’s
why the most productive diamond mines are those near extinct volcanoes. However,
diamond can also be found in rivers. This diamond is carried by erosion. Such sources
are plentiful in the Congo region.
C What are the main characteristics of diamond? Most diamond crystals are eight-sided,
but sometimes they exist in cubes. Even though diamond is the hardest substance, a
blow of a sharp-edged tool will split it. This property is used when making jewelry. To
give diamond a form, it is cut. There are various cuts for diamonds, which vary in
shape. These shapes have different names such as: the Brilliant, the Marquise, or the
Emerald. Each of these has fifty-eight cut sides.
D What makes some diamonds more valuable than others? The value of the diamond
depends on four things: its color, its clarity, its cut, and its carat. Although there are
diamonds that are yellow, blue, orange pink and green, the most valuable ones are
either colorless or blue. A diamond has to be crystal clear and also be cut carefully to
reflect light. And finally, the larger the diamond, the more valuable it is. That is, the
higher the carat, the more precious the diamond. Carat is a measurement that depends
on the weight of the diamond. The world’s largest diamond, which was found in 1905
in South Africa, is known as the ‘Star of Africa,’ with a weight of 621.35 grams at
3,106.75 carats.
E Natural diamonds are very rare, but scientists have discovered ways to produce
artificial diamonds of every size. To do this, diamond dust and carbon are processed in
high-pressure reaction cells. The reason for producing artificial diamonds is that they
have a variety of uses in the industry. For example, they are placed on tips of drilling
machines that are used to dig in the soil through hard layers of rock. This is important
especially for engineers who drill for petroleum.
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1. The main idea of paragraph A is that ___________.
a) the chemical compositions of diamond and graphite are exactly the same
b) carbon atoms bind very strongly in diamond, while in graphite, they don’t
c) diamond and graphite are different substances with a similar composition
2. Which of the following is not a property of diamond?
a) It is a good conductor.
b) It is a very hard substance.
c) It may have various colors.
3. The diamond that exists in the Congo region ___________.
a) is extracted by a 400-kilometer digging process
b) has been brought there by erosion
c) is obtained from mines
4. Diamonds bear different names such as the “Marquise” according to their ___________.
a) size b) carat c) shape
5. A diamond that doesn’t reflect light ___________.
a) has not been cut carefully
b) lacks fifty-eight cut sides
c) is not as hard as it should be
6. The formation of natural diamond and the production of artificial diamond are similar in
that ___________.
a) they take a very long time
b) they need high pressure
c) they need high temperatures
Text 4.
Sneezing and sniffling? Perhaps the problem isn’t a cold but mould. It’s more dangerous
than you think.
A Deena Karabell had lived in her New York City apartment for 15 years, so when she
fell ill in 1983, she never suspected that her apartment itself could be to blame. Over
the next 15 years, she grew progressively weaker. Finally, in the spring of 1998, she
lost 16 kilos and went into anaphylactic shock three times. She literally lay dying in
her bedroom when a hired nurse noticed a strong smell of mould in the closet.
Suddenly, things became clear. Karabell’s family moved her out immediately. Today
‒ at a safe distance from the mould ‒ she is almost back to normal. “People are amazed
at my recovery,” she says.
B Moulds have been an underrecognized health problem, but the situation is changing.
Health-care professionals now know that moulds can cause allergies, trigger asthma
attacks, and increase susceptibility to colds and flu. Anyone with a genetic inclination
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can become allergic if they’re exposed to high enough levels repeatedly. Last year, Dr.
David Sherris at the Mayo Clinic performed a study on 210 patients with chronic sinus
infections and found that most had allergic fungal sinusitis. “The common medical
opinion was that mould accounted for 6 to 7 percent of all chronic sinusitis,” says
Sherris. “However, we found that it was 93 percent ‒ the exact reverse.”
C More rarely, moulds appear to cause problems like Karabell’s. This young woman was
clearly a victim of what was thought to be an allergy; yet such problems aren’t just
allergies, but reactions to toxins. Certain moulds produce poisons in order to kill fungi
and bacteria. Risks of toxicity increase with the amount of mould ‒ and flooding and
leaks can supply the moisture that moulds need to thrive.
D If you believe you have a mould-related illness, you should immediately consult an
allergist or an environmental-health specialist. If you can see or smell mould in your
house, that’s a good clue. This will at least help the specialist confirm the diagnosis
and proceed accordingly. The best remedy of all is simply to get rid of the mouldy areas
on the wall. The small grey spots on the surface of a damp wall can be removed with
a weak solution of chlorine bleach. Wear rubber gloves, open the windows for
ventilation and throw out the sponge afterwards. A face mask could also be a good
idea. “Dead or alive, mould still contains the proteins that provoke allergies,” says J.
David Miller, a mould specialist at Carleton University in Canada.
E If your home has more extensive water damage, seek professional help. You may need
to fix leaks, replace mouldy walls and improve ventilation. “Beware of humidifiers in
forced-air heating systems. Moulds build up there as nobody thinks that they should be
cleaned regularly,” says Jack Spengler of Harvard University. For people who wish to
get more information on this issue, there are guidelines at several websites on the
Internet.

1. According to paragraph A, when Deena Karabell’s health worsened in 1998,

_______________.
a) her family took her immediately to the hospital

b) the hired nurse noticed how much weaker she grew
c) it was her apartment that was responsible for her illness
2. Which of the following is true according to paragraph B?
a) People can catch a cold or flu more easily if they are exposed to moulds.
b) Asthma attacks in people with flu are mainly caused by exposure to moulds.
c) Moulds generally cause people to develop a genetic tendency to have allergies.
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3. Dr. Sherris’ study at Mayo Clinic revealed that _______________.
a) 6 to 7 percent of the patients with chronic sinus infections had allergic fungal sinusitis
b) a small minority of the 210 patients who had allergic sinusitis developed infections
c) the role of moulds in allergic sinusitis turned out to be much stronger than
expected
4. According to paragraph C, _______________.
a) Karabell’s case was more prevalent among young women with sinusitis than thought
b) fungi and bacteria can produce toxins which might cause mould to form
c) moulds are very likely to spread in environments with high levels of moist
5. According to paragraph D, if one thinks his illness could be related to mould, _____________.
a) s/he should wear rubber gloves and a face mask to avoid direct contact with moulds
b) s/he’s recommended to have the diagnosis confirmed by a specialist
c) the best remedy is to avoid consuming proteins which provoke allergies
6. Paragraph E mostly displays _______________.
a) a cause-effect relationship
b) a problem-solution model
c) a description
Text 5.
A The killer sea waves known as tsunamis are so quiet in their approach from afar and so
seemingly harmless that until recently, their history has been one of surprise attack.
B Out in the middle of the ocean, the distance between tsunami wave crests can be 100
miles and the height of the waves no more than three feet: Mariners can ride one and
suspect nothing. At the shoreline, the first sign is often an ebbing of the waters that
leaves fish stranded and slapping on the bottom. However, this is not a retreat but rather
a gathering of forces. When the great waves finally do strike, they rear up and batter
harbor and coast, inflicting death and damage.
C These seismic sea waves ‒ or tidal waves, as they are sometimes called ‒ bear no
relation to the moon or tides, and the “tsunami,” Japanese for “harbor wave,” relates to
their destination rather than their origin. The causes are various: undersea or coastal
earthquakes, deep ocean avalanches or volcanoes. Whatever the cause, the wave
motion starts with a sudden jolt like a whack from a giant paddle that displaces the
water, and the greater the undersea whack, the greater the tsunami’s devastating power.
246
D In 1883, Krakatoa Volcano in the East Indies erupted, and the entire island collapsed
in 820 feet of water. A tsunami of tremendous force ricocheted around Java and
Sumatra, killing 36,000 people with walls of water that reached 115 feet in height.
E In 1946, a tsunami struck first near Alaska and then, without warning, hit the Hawaiian
Islands, killing 159 people and inflicting millions of dollars of damage. This led to the
creation of the Tsunami Warning System, whose nerve center in Honolulu keeps a
constant watch with the aid of new technology. If the seismic sea waves are confirmed
by the Honolulu center, warnings are transmitted within a few hours to all threatened
Pacific points. While tsunami damage remains unavoidable, lives lost today are more
likely to be in the tens than in the thousands. Tsunamis have been deprived of their
most deadly sting ‒ surprise.
1. The author’s main point in this passage is that _________.

a) seismic sea waves today are better predicted than in the past
b) it is possible to avoid the damage caused by killer sea waves
c) we need better equipment to track the movements of tsunamis
2. According to the passage, seismic sea waves _________.
a) are named “tsunami” for the origin of the wave in the harbor
b) are called tidal waves because of their relation to the moon
c) originate far from the place where they strike
3. In paragraph C, why does the author mention “a giant paddle”?
a) To make a comparison b) To draw a conclusion c) To give a definition
4. According to the passage, which one of the following is NOT among the possible causes
of seismic sea waves?
a) earthquakes near a coastline b) tides c) volcanoes
5. The tone of this article can best be described as _________.
a) informative b) exaggerated c) depressing
6. According to the passage, the Tsunami Warning System was created because of the
_________.
a) availability of new technology
b) occurrence of the 1946 tsunami
c) loss of millions of lives
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Text 6.
A Almost everyone has at least one. Most people have several, but definitions of ‘friend’
vary from person to person. For some, a friend is someone who plays cards with you
every Friday night. For others, a friend is someone who has known you all your life;
someone whose family knows you, too. Others reserve the term for someone who
knows your innermost secrets. What one person defines as a friend, another calls an
acquaintance, and vice versa.
B If definitions of friendship can vary so much within a single culture, imagine the
differences between cultures. However, interestingly, there have been very few cross-
cultural studies on the topic. Writing in 1970, anthropologist Margaret Mead compared
notions of friendship in the United States, France, Germany, and Great Britain. She
says: “For the French, friendship is a one-to-one relationship that demands a keen
awareness of the other person’s intellect, temperament, and particular interests. A
friend is someone who draws out your own best qualities... Your political philosophy
assumes more depth, appreciation of a play becomes sharper, taste in food is
accentuated... enjoyment of a sport is intensified.”
C In contrast to the French, says Mead, friendship in Germany has more to do with
feelings. Young Germans form bonds early and usually incorporate their friends into
their family life. According to Mead, between French friends, who have chosen each
other because their points of view are congenial, lively disagreement and sharpness of
argument are the breath of life. However, for Germans, whose friendships are based on
mutuality of feeling, deep disagreement on any subject that matters to both is regarded
as a tragedy. As a result of their expectations of friendship, young Germans who come
to the United States often have difficulty making friends with Americans, “who view
friendship more tentatively...,” reports Mead. These friendships are “subject to changes
in intensity as people move, change their jobs, marry, or discover new interests.”
D The British follow another pattern. According to Mead, the basis for friendship among
the British is shared activity. Unlike German relationships, British friendships usually
remain outside the family. Mead compares this type of friendship to a dance whose
partners must stay in step with each other. Americans who have made English friends
comment that, even years later, “you can take up just where you left off.” Seeing each
other after a long time, friends are like a couple who begin to dance again when the
orchestra strikes up after a pause.
E Studies of American friendships indicate that, like the French and British, people in the
United States often form friendships around interests although there might be some
disagreements. They have friends who enjoy sports, friends who go shopping with
them, and friends who share a hobby. However, like the Germans, they also form long-
lasting friendships which are based on feelings rather than simply focusing on common
interests. In fact, the variety of relationships that Americans call friendships can
confuse people from other cultures, especially when Americans say things like, “I just
made a new friend yesterday.” However, the term does not seem to confuse Americans,
who know very well the difference between friends and acquaintances. According to a
248
1970 survey in a US magazine, Psychology Today, those who answered the survey
“found it easy to distinguish between close and casual friends and reported they have
more close friends than casual ones.”
F Although different people and cultures emphasize different aspects of friendship, there
is one element which is always present, and that is the element of choice. We may not
be able to select our families, our co-workers, or even the people that ride the bus with
us, but we can pick our friends. As Mead puts it, “A friend is someone who chooses
and is chosen.” It is exactly this freedom of choice, without the legal ties of marriage,
which makes friendship such a special and unique relationship.
1. According to paragraphs A and B, the definition of a friend _______________.

a) has been studied extensively at a cross-cultural level
b) may be perceived differently by each individual
c) is better provided by French people than the British
2. By looking at paragraph B, it can be said that the French _______________.
a) base their friendship on each other’s political philosophies
b) have a good knowledge of their friends’ abilities and interests
c) believe that friendships should be based on feelings
3. Paragraph C mostly displays ______________.
a) a comparison and contrast model
b) an offering of a solution to a problem
c) a cause and effect relationship
4. The English _______________.
a) form bonds not only with their friends but also with their friends’ families
b) believe that friends should bring out the best qualities in each other
c) remain good friends despite not seeing each other very often
5. Paragraphs D and E suggest that Americans believe that _______________.
a) they often tend to have fewer casual friends
b) they can make good friends with Germans
c) disagreements are vital in friendships
6. We can understand from paragraph E that Germans _______________.
a) give more importance to emotions in friendships
b) generally make friends on a temporary basis
c) base their friendships on shared interests and hobbies
7. The main idea in paragraph F is that ___________.
a) people in various cultures view friendship from distinct perspectives
b) marriage is also a form of friendship because it has legal ties between people
c) friendship is a matter of choice, and therefore, it is special in its own way
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Text 7.
A With its past bans on long hair and chewing gum, Singapore has earned a reputation
for unsubtle attempts at social engineering. At first glance, the campaign launched by
Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong in his National Day Rally speech, urging Singaporeans
to “go forth and reproduce,” may seem another Big Brother exercise. The government
plans to spend large sums of tax money so as to persuade Singaporeans to reproduce
more. The campaign has already aroused negative reactions at home as well as abroad.
B In fact, Singapore may be leading the developed world to a more realistic view of the
relationship between economics and demography. The fertility rate, the number of
children born per woman of reproductive age, has declined 35% in Singapore since
1970. The government’s new financial encouragements for paid maternity leave for
third children and state-funded child care centers may be just the beginning.
Eventually, we may see large tax and pension penalties for those who, voluntarily, do
not reproduce. And why not? This is not a question of forcing people to have or ‒ as in
the case of China’s dangerous one-child policy ‒ not to have children. The question is
whether to create a link between costs and benefits for society as a whole. All that
economics is concerned about is making choices among scarce resources. Children are
a short-term cost and a long-term benefit.
C In most of the world over the past century, people have been in abundance. Now, they
are increasingly scarce in most wealthy societies. Despite Asian “family values,” Hong
Kong and Singapore’s fertility rates are among the lowest in the world, similar to
Italy’s, which are at the bottom of the West European fertility league. The average
woman in Singapore has only 1.5 children, compared with the 2.1 needed to achieve a
stable level of population. Taiwan and South Korea, too, are close to the European
norm. Japan already has one of the world’s oldest populations.
D Despite the wonders of technology, there is no escaping that people are ‒ or should be
‒ the most important factor of production. That is even more the case in advanced
societies than in developing ones. However much money we save today, our standard
of living in retirement will primarily be determined by the productivity of our
individual national economies. That is directly related to the availability of the human
factor of production. If you deliberately do not bear ‒ and invest in ‒ offspring, who
will create wealth when you are past working age, you should not expect the same
pension or health care in old age as those who do. Liberal immigration policies could
help change the situation, but most Asian nations would find it difficult, at least
politically, to absorb large numbers from other cultures.
E It seems that pro-population increase policies are now as needed in some countries as
birth control is in others. Yet, self-styled “liberals,” who were once at the forefront of
family-planning campaigns, now suggest that government measures to raise birth rates
are an attack on individual liberty. Later retirement is a partial answer to the problems
of aging populations and increased longevity. Immigration is a partial answer to low
birthrates. However, given their responsibilities for ensuring minimum standards of
health and welfare, and for creating conditions for economic stability, governments do
250
have reason to ensure that there is some link between able-bodied people’s input and
output. The issue is not just one of having children who, one hopes, will take some
responsibility for their parents’ care in old age. The essential point is that governments
should have policies on demography, as they do on education, considering the long-
term needs of their society and nation. Let us hope that Singapore’s petty-minded
approach to chewing gum does not prevent others from seeing the wisdom of this new
campaign to have more children.

1. According to paragraph A, Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong ___________.

a) made a speech suggesting that Singaporeans pay higher taxes
b) is trying to encourage Singaporeans to have more children
c) launched a campaign against the Big Brother exercises in Singapore
2. Paragraph B mainly ___________.
a) supports the new policy introduced by Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong
b) disputes the idea of trying to increase the fertility rates in Singapore
c) criticizes the primary points of the speech given by the prime minister
3. Paragraph C introduces fertility rates from different countries in order to
____________.
a) emphasize the worldwide tendency towards a decline in population
b) show that the average Singaporean woman should have 2.1 children
c) indicate the difference between Asian and European countries
4. In relation to paragraphs B and C, the function of paragraph D is to ___________.
a) shift the focus of the text to the role of advanced technology in economic
development
b) provide support for the argument that economic development depends on
humans
c) draw attention to the liberal immigration policies which can prove useful in
Asian economics
5. Liberal immigration policies ___________.
a) might provide Asian nations with younger generations to increase the
productivity rate
b) would be the wrong choice for Asian nations as large numbers would affect their
cultures
c) have been adopted in Asia to enhance the productivity of individual national
economies
251
6. The writer would most probably agree with the idea that ___________.
a) it is the child’s responsibility rather than the government’s to see to the well-
being of his/her aging parents in their retirement
b) Singapore’s policy regarding birth rates is not an attack on individual
liberties, but a wise solution to the future of the nation
c) imposing family-planning methods to increase or decrease birth rates is
obviously an assault on human rights
7. A petty-minded approach in paragraph E refers to an approach where ___________.
a) great importance is attached to serious issues such as the country’s economic
policies and the society’s moral values
b) unusual life styles and habits which others might disapprove of are most often
tolerated by a country’s government
c) unimportant and small matters cause annoyance and offence, which shows
a limited and often selfish mind
Text 8.
pre-teach: plunge, recession
A Ten years ago, rich countries dominated the world economy, accounting for around
two-thirds of global gross domestic product (GDP). Since then, that share has fallen to
just over half. In another decade, it could be down to 40%. The majority of global
economic output will be produced in the emerging world. The pace of this major
change shows these countries’ success. Thanks to globalization and good policies,
virtually all developing countries are catching up with their richer peers. Between 2002
and 2008, more than 85% of developing economies grew faster than America’s,
compared with less than a third between 1960 and 2000. This “rise of the rest” is a
remarkable achievement, which has brought with it an extraordinary improvement in
living standards for the majority of people on the planet. However, there is another,
less happy explanation for the rapid shift in the global center of economy: the lack of
growth in the big rich economies of America, Western Europe, and Japan.
B The next few years could later be remembered as much for the inactivity of the West
as for the emergence of the rest, for three main reasons. The first is the severe degree
of the recession of 2008-09 and the weakness of the recovery that followed. For the
advanced economies as a whole, the crash that followed the global financial crisis was
by far the deepest since the 1930s. It has left behind an unprecedented level of
unemployed workers and underused factories. Although the economy stopped going
backward in most countries in 2010, the recovery is turning out to be too weak to put
that idle, or unused, capacity back to work quickly.
C The second reason to worry about idleness has to do with slowing supply. The level of
demand for goods and services determines whether economies run above or below their
252
“trend” rate of growth. However, that trend rate itself depends on the supply of workers
and their productivity. Across the rich world, the supply of workers is about to shrink
as the number of retired people rises. In Western Europe, the change will be especially
conspicuous. Over the coming decade, the region’s working-age population, which
until now has been rising slowly, will shrink by some 0.3% a year. In Japan, the pace
of decline will more than double, to around 0.7% a year. America’s situation is far
more favorable, but the growth in its working-age population will be less than a third
of the post-war average in the next 20 years.
D The third reason to worry about the rich world’s stagnation is that the effects of the
financial crisis and the weakness of the recovery could themselves damage economies’
high potential. Long periods of high unemployment tend to reduce the pool of potential
workers rather than increase it. The unemployed lose their skills, and demoralized
workers drop out of the workforce. Optimists point to America’s experience over the
past century as evidence that recessions, even severe ones, need not do permanent
damage. After every crisis, the US economy eventually bounced back. Despite a lack
of demand, America’s productivity grew faster in the 1930s than in any other decade
of the 20th century. Today’s high unemployment may also be preparing the ground for
more efficient production processes. Most other economists, however, think that rich
economies’ capacity has already experienced some damage.
E The longer that demand remains weak, the greater the damage is likely to be. Japan’s
experience over the past 20 years holds a lesson in it, especially for fast-ageing
European economies. The country’s financial disaster in the early 1990s contributed to
a fall in workers’ productivity improvements. Soon afterwards, the working-age
population began to decrease. The result was a persistent combination of weak demand
and shrinking supply. To avoid Japan’s fate, rich countries need to foster growth in two
ways: by supporting both short-term demand and long-term supply. Unfortunately,
today’s policymakers often see these two strategies as alternatives rather than parts of
the whole.
1. It is clear from paragraph A that _____.

a) the contribution of poor countries to global GDP is expected to plunge
b) the GDP of the United States could fall to 40% in the next ten years
c) the share of rich countries in global GDP has been on the decrease
2. According to paragraph B, the recession of 2008-09 was a period that ____.
a) caused production to stop decreasing in many countries
b) resulted in the worst decline in developed economies since the 1930s
c) featured a high unemployment rate that gradually started to fall
253
3. It can be understood from paragraph C that ____.
a) the working population of Europe is expected to rise in the coming decades
b) the supply of workers increases with the rising number of retired people
c) the population increasingly consists of old people in rich countries
4. It is clear from paragraph D that ____.
a) unskilled workers are no longer accepted into the workforce in developed
countries
b) the damage that rich countries have recently suffered is gradually being overcome
c) some economists believe the US will emerge from the latest crisis with a
success
5. Which of the following is true according to paragraph E?
a) Japan’s model of recovery from recession can be fully applied in Western
countries.
b) Promoting short-term demand and long-term supply separately would be a
mistake.
c) A prolonged period of weak demand could lead to a shrinking population of
workers.
254
SEARCH READING
255
Search Reading 1
(Note to the Instructor: Since it is not yet certain whether the students will be made to write a
list of items in a gap, or whether they will be penalized for a missing item in a list, please remind
your students the following: If there is a list of items that students are expected to write in a gap,
they should write them all.)
Fill in the blanks with information extracted from the text. Keep your answer as short as possible.
1. At the Potsdam Conference at the end of World War II, it was decided that Germany, along
with its capital Berlin, would be divided into four zones and separately occupied by the
United States, Great Britain, France, and the Soviet Union.
2. From the late 1950s to the early 1960s, about three million East Germans, who felt
suppressed by the unlivable conditions, were able to leave East Germany thanks to the easy
access to West Berlin.
3. Although the East German government claimed that East Germans welcomed the Wall,
they couldn’t express their true feelings due to the oppression (they suffered) and the
potential consequences (they faced).
4. Between 1961 and 1980, the Berlin Wall was transformed four times, starting out as a
barbed-wire fence with concrete posts. In the final version, the wall’s concrete slabs
reached a height of 12 feet and a width of 4 feet.
5. Checkpoint Charlie attracts moviemakers and authors who are creating work related to this
time period as it was the most famous checkpoint and became an icon of the Cold War
after the construction of the Berlin Wall.
6. With the Shiessbefehl order in 1960, East German soldiers were commanded to shoot
anyone trying to escape through the Todeslinie as well as those who tried to get closer to
eastern side without warning.
7. New exodus points for East Germans were opened after communism started to weaken,
and revolutions against the Soviet Union rose in countries such as Hungary and
Czechoslovakia.
8. Although it preceded by one year the dissolution of the Soviet Union, the reunification of
Germany is thought to be what marked the end of Cold War.
256
THE 28-YEAR HISTORY OF THE BERLIN WALL
Erected in the dead of night on August 13, 1961, the Berlin Wall, known as Berliner Mauer in
German, was a physical division between West Germany and East Germany. Its purpose was to
keep disaffected East Germans from fleeing to the West.
When the Berlin Wall fell on November 9, 1989, its destruction was nearly as instantaneous as its
creation. For 28 years, the Berlin Wall had been a symbol of the Cold War and the Iron
Curtain between Soviet-led Communism and the democracies of the West.
A Divided Germany and Berlin
At the end of World War II, the Allied powers divided conquered Germany into four zones. As
agreed at the Potsdam Conference, each was occupied by either the United States, Great Britain,
France, or the Soviet Union. The same was done with Germany’s capital city, Berlin.
The relationship between the Soviet Union and the other three Allied powers quickly disintegrated.
As a result, the cooperative atmosphere of the occupation of Germany turned competitive and
aggressive. One of the best-known incidents was the Berlin Blockade in June of 1948, during
which the Soviet Union stopped all supplies from reaching West Berlin by land.
Although an eventual reunification of Germany had been intended, the new relationship between
the Allied powers turned Germany into West versus East, and democracy versus Communism.
In 1949, Germany became officially independent when the three zones occupied by the United
States, Great Britain, and France combined to form West Germany (the Federal Republic of
Germany, or FRG).
The zone occupied by the Soviet Union quickly followed by forming East Germany (the German
Democratic Republic, or GDR).
This same division into West and East occurred in Berlin. Since the city of Berlin had been situated
entirely within the Soviet Zone of Occupation, West Berlin became an island of democracy within
Communist East Germany.
The Economic Differences
Within a short period of time after the war, living conditions in West Germany and East Germany
became distinctly different.
With the help and support of its occupying powers, West Germany set up a capitalist democracy.
The economy experienced such rapid growth that it became known as the “economic miracle.”
With hard work, individuals living in West Germany were able to live well, buy gadgets and
appliances, and travel as they wished.
Nearly the opposite was true in East Germany. The Soviet Union had viewed its zone as a spoil of
war. They had stolen factory equipment and other valuable assets from that zone and shipped them
back to the Soviet Union. When East Germany became its own country in 1949, it was under the
direct influence of the Soviet Union, and a Communist society was established. The economy of
East Germany dragged, and individual freedoms were severely restricted.
Mass Emigration from the East
Outside of Berlin, East Germany had become sealed off from the West in 1952. By the late 1950s,
no longer able to stand the repressive living conditions, many people living in East Germany would
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head to West Berlin. Although some of them would be stopped on their way, hundreds of thousands
made it across the border.
Between 1949 and 1961, it is estimated that nearly 2.7 million people fled East Germany. The
government was desperate to stop this mass exodus. The obvious leak was the easy access to West
Berlin.
Once across, these refugees were housed in warehouses and then flown to West Germany. Many
of those who escaped were young, trained professionals. By the early 1960s, East Germany was
rapidly losing both its labor force and its population.
With the support of the Soviet Union, there had been several attempts to simply take over West
Berlin. Although the Soviet Union even threatened the United States with the use of nuclear
weapons over this issue, the United States and other Western countries were committed to
defending West Berlin.
Desperate to keep its citizens, East Germany knew that something needed to be done. Famously,
two months before the Berlin Wall appeared, Walter Ulbricht, Head of the State Council of the
GDR (1960-1973) said, “Niemand hat die Absicht, eine Mauer zu errichten.” These iconic words
mean, “No one intended to build a wall.” After this statement, the emigration of East Germans
only increased. Over those next two months of 1961, nearly 20,000 people fled to the West.
The Berlin Wall Goes Up
Rumors had spread that something might happen to tighten the border of East and West Berlin.
No one was expecting the speed ‒ nor the absoluteness ‒ of the Berlin Wall.
Just past midnight on the night of August 12-13, 1961, trucks with soldiers and construction
workers rumbled through East Berlin. While most Berliners were sleeping, these crews began
tearing up streets that entered into West Berlin. They dug holes to put up concrete posts and strung
barbed wire all across the border between East and West Berlin. Telephone wires between East
and West Berlin were also cut, and railroad lines were blocked.
Berliners were shocked when they woke up that morning. What had once been a very fluid border
was now rigid. No longer could East Berliners cross the border for operas, plays, soccer games, or
any other activity, nor could they commute to West Berlin for well-paying jobs. No longer could
families, friends, and lovers cross the border to meet their loved ones. The wall divided friends,
families and loved ones, causing people on both sides to lose their livelihoods if trapped on the
wrong side. Whichever side of the border one went to sleep on during the night of August 12, he
was stuck on that side for decades.
Over the years, propaganda from the East German government would say that the people of East
Germany welcomed the Wall. In reality, the oppression they suffered and the potential
consequences they faced kept many from speaking out to the contrary.
The Size and Scope of the Berlin Wall
The total length of the Berlin Wall was 91 miles (155 kilometers). It ran not only through the center
of Berlin, but also wrapped around West Berlin, entirely cutting it off from the rest of East
Germany.
The wall itself went through four major transformations during its 28-year history. It started out
as a barbed-wire fence with concrete posts. Just days later, on August 15, it was quickly replaced
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with a sturdier, more permanent structure. This one was made out of concrete blocks and topped
with barbed wire.
The first two versions of the wall were replaced by the third version in 1965. This consisted of a
concrete wall supported by steel girders.
The fourth version of the Berlin Wall, constructed from 1975 to 1980, was the most complicated
and thorough. It consisted of concrete slabs reaching nearly 12 feet high (3.6 meters) and four feet
wide (1.2 meters). It also had a smooth pipe running across the top to prevent people from climbing
over it.
By the time the Berlin Wall fell in 1989, there was a 300-foot No Man’s Land and an additional
inner wall. Soldiers patrolled with dogs and a raked ground showed footprints. The East Germans
also installed anti-vehicle trenches, electric fences, massive light systems, 302 watchtowers, 20
bunkers, and even minefields.
The Checkpoints of the Wall
Most of the border between East and West consisted of layers of preventative measures, with little
more than a handful of official openings along the Berlin Wall. These checkpoints were for the
infrequent use of officials and others with special permission to cross the border.
The most famous of these was Checkpoint Charlie, located on the border between East and West
Berlin at Friedrichstrasse. Checkpoint Charlie was the main access point for Allied personnel and
Westerners to cross the border. Soon after the Berlin Wall was built, Checkpoint Charlie became
an icon of the Cold War. It has frequently been featured in movies and books set during this time
period.
Escape Attempts and the Death Line
The Berlin Wall did prevent the majority of East Germans from emigrating to the West, but it did
not deter everyone. During the history of the Berlin Wall, it is estimated that about 5,000 people
made it safely across.
Some early successful attempts were simple, like throwing a rope over the Berlin Wall and
climbing up. Others were brash, like ramming a truck or bus into the Berlin Wall and making a
run for it. Still, others were suicidal as some people jumped from the upper-story windows of
apartment buildings that bordered the Berlin Wall.
In September 1961, the windows of these buildings were boarded up and the sewers connecting
East and West were shut off. Other buildings were torn down to clear space for what would become
known as the Todeslinie, the “Death Line” or “Death Strip.” This open area allowed a direct line
of fire, so East German soldiers could carry out Shiessbefehl, a 1960 order that demanded shooting
if anyone tried to escape through it. Twenty-nine people were killed within the first year.
As the Berlin Wall became stronger and larger, the escape attempts became more elaborately
planned. Some people dug tunnels from the basements of buildings in East Berlin, under the Berlin
Wall, and into West Berlin. Another group saved scraps of cloth and built a hot air balloon and
flew over the Wall.
Unfortunately, not all escape attempts were successful. Since the East German guards were
allowed to shoot anyone nearing the eastern side without warning, there was always a chance of
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death in any and all escape plots. It is estimated that somewhere between 192 and 239 people
died at the Berlin Wall.
The 50th Victim of the Berlin Wall
One of the most infamous cases of a failed attempt occurred on August 17, 1962. In the early
afternoon, two 18-year-old men ran toward the Wall with the intention of scaling it. The first of
the young men to reach it was successful. The second one, Peter Fechter, was not.
As he was about to scale the Wall, a border guard opened fire. Fechter continued to climb but ran
out of energy just as he reached the top. He then tumbled back onto the East German side. To the
shock of the world, Fechter was just left there. The East German guards did not shoot him again
nor did they go to his aid.
Fechter shouted in agony for nearly an hour. Once he had bled to death, East German guards
carried off his body. He became the 50th person to die at the Berlin Wall and a permanent symbol
of the struggle for freedom.
Dismantling of Communism
The fall of the Berlin Wall happened nearly as suddenly as its rise. There had been signs that the
Communist bloc was weakening, but the East German Communist leaders insisted that East
Germany just needed a moderate change rather than a drastic revolution. East German citizens
succumbing to the lure of the Western city or the rest of democratic Europe did not agree. The
proximity of West Berlin, offering the prosperity and freedom that the East lacked, was a constant
bane to the GDR’s leadership.
Communism began to falter in Poland, Hungary, and Czechoslovakia in 1988 and 1989. As
revolutions against the Soviet Union rose through the 1980s, Russian leader Mikhail Gorbachev
(1985-1991) was attempting to save his country and decided to move away from close
relationships with many of its satellites. Meanwhile, people in the GDR started to demand greater
personal and political freedoms, as well as that of movement, and protesters insisted they be
allowed into the West. Hungary and then Czechoslovakia opened their borders to East Germany,
so new exodus points were opened to East Germans who wanted to flee to the West. Defectors
began to drain from the country, and the Government found it increasingly difficult to refuse the
calls to open legal crossings.
In East Germany, protests against the government were countered by threats of violence from its
leader, Erich Honecker. In October 1989, Honecker was forced to resign after losing support from
Gorbachev. He was replaced by Egon Krenz, who decided that violence was not going to solve the
country’s problems. Krenz also loosened travel restrictions from East Germany.
The Fall of the Berlin Wall
November 9, 1989 is considered to be the date the wall “fell,” but the structure was not completely
taken down that night.
When the border was eventually opened, it was almost by accident. East Berlin’s Communist Party
spokesman, Günter Schabowski, announced that East Germans would “immediately” be allowed
to travel directly to West Germany on November 9 in a broadcast that was seen across the country
at 7 pm.
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When the GDR attempted to backtrack later that evening, calling on citizens to queue at the
migration office the next day, it was too late, and thousands of East Germans, who were in shock,
were already on their way to the barricades.
Were the borders really open? East Germans tentatively approached the border and indeed found
that the border guards were letting people cross.
Very quickly, the Berlin Wall was inundated with people from both sides. Some began chipping
at the Berlin Wall with hammers and chisels. There was an impromptu and massive celebration
along the Berlin Wall, with people hugging, kissing, singing, cheering, and crying.
More than two million people from East Berlin visited West Berlin that weekend to participate in
a celebration that was, one journalist wrote, “the greatest street party in the history of the world.”
People used hammers and picks to knock away chunks of the wall ‒they became known as
“mauerspechte,” or “wall woodpeckers,”‒ while cranes and bulldozers pulled down section after
section. Soon the wall was gone, and Berlin was united for the first time since 1945. “Only today,”
one Berliner spray-painted on a piece of the wall, “is the war really over.”
The Berlin Wall was eventually chipped away into smaller pieces (some the size of a coin and
others in big slabs). The pieces have become collectibles and are stored in both homes and
museums. There is also now a Berlin Wall Memorial on Bernauer Strasse.
Reunification of East and West Germany
After the Berlin Wall came down, talks between East and West German officials, joined by
officials from the United States, Great Britain, France, and the USSR, started, and the two
reunified into a single German state on October 3, 1990. Two months following reunification, all-
German elections took place, and Helmut Kohl became the first chancellor of the reunified
Germany. Although this action came more than a year before the dissolution of the Soviet Union,
for many observers, the reunification of Germany effectively marked the end of the Cold War.
Adapted from https://www.thoughtco.com/the-berlin-wall-28-year-history-
1779495
http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/history/berlin-wall-what-you-need-to-know-about-the-barrier-that-divided-east-and-
west-9847347.html
http://www.history.com/topics/cold-war/berlin-wall
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/east-and-west-germany-reunite-after-45-years
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Search Reading 2
1. The main energy centers that align the spine and are connected to main organs or glands are
called chakras, a word that is derived from a/an old Sanskrit word, meaning wheel or disk.
2. Prana, provided by the chakras, helps people to stay/be vibrant, healthy, and alive.
3. Chakras and a house’s electricity power are similar in that both receive their power from an
outside source. However, while the house receives its electrical power from a central power
source in the city, chakras are recharged for free thanks to (the stream of) cosmic energy in the
atmosphere.
4. People feel stable and safe when their root chakra is balanced; however, if it is blocked, there
may be symptoms such as paranoia, fear, procrastination, and defensiveness.
5. Compulsive or obsessive behaviors are a result of a blocked second chakra. People may also
experience emotional problems and sexual guilt in this case.
6. In order to achieve balance in both the third chakra and the fourth chakra, we need to show
love, but in the former, to the others, while to ourselves in the latter.
7. The chakra that controls such body parts as the neck, thyroid, jaw, mouth, and tongue is the
fifth chakra, Vishuddha.
8. Because many of us have a closed Third Eye, we lack the spiritual experiences and physically
suffer from such problems as headaches or allergies.
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CHAKRAS
What is a chakra?
Throughout our body, we have main energy centers, which are connected to major organs or glands
that govern other body parts. Each of these main energy centers is referred to as a chakra. Chakra
is an old Sanskrit word that literally translates to wheel or disk. In yoga
and traditional South Asian medicine, this term refers to wheels of energy throughout the body.
The chakras align the spine, starting from the base of the spine through to the crown of the head.
To visualize a chakra in the body, you can imagine a swirling wheel of energy where matter and
consciousness meet. This invisible energy, called Prana, is the vital life force, which keeps us
vibrant, healthy, and alive.
Chakras, or whirling energy centers, are very important parts of the energy body. It is said that
there are a hundred chakras in total, which are the key to the operation of our being. Just as the
visible physical body has vital and minor organs, the energy body has major, minor, and mini
chakras. It is believed that we have seven main chakra centers and that each main center is
connected to our being on several different levels: physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual. They
control and energize the major and vital organs of the visible physical body. Each chakra governs
a main organ or gland, which is then connected to other body parts that resonate with the same
frequency. They are just like power stations that supply life energy, or prana, to different organs.
When the power stations malfunction, the corresponding vital organs become sick or diseased
because they do not have enough life energy to operate properly. Not only are they associated with
our physical health, but they each control aspects connected to our emotional, mental, and belief
systems, too.
How do chakras function?
If you are a healthy, balanced person, the seven chakras provide exactly the right amount of energy
to every part of your body, mind, and spirit.
Chakras are like invisible, rechargeable batteries. They are charged and recharged through contact
with the stream of cosmic energy in the atmosphere in much the same way that your home is
connected to a central power source within a city – the only difference is that this cosmic energy
source is free. They regulate the flow of energy throughout the electrical network (meridians) that
runs through the physical body. The body’s electrical system resembles the wiring in a house. It
allows electrical current to be sent to every part, and it is ready for use when needed.
However, if one of the chakras is too open and spinning too quickly, or if it is too closed and
moving slowly, the person’s health will suffer. The main causes of chakra malfunction are stress,
fear, and anxiety. Chakras can become blocked due to suppressed negative emotions and upsets in
life such as loss, conflict, or an accident. When blocks accumulate, a disruption in energy flow to
the chakra will result, and when the body’s “energy system” cannot flow freely, it is likely that
problems will occur. The corresponding organ or system in the body will eventually be affected,
and emotional, mental, and physical diseases will manifest themselves.
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What is energy and why does it affect our chakras?
Sunlight is our main source and provider of light, heat, and energy. It consists of energies in the
form of electromagnetic waves, and part of this electromagnetic energy includes cosmic rays,
gamma rays, x-rays, visible light rays, infrared rays, micro-waves, and short and long waves (radio
waves). We utilize many of these energies in our daily lives; however, we seem not to put much
emphasis on the visible light rays. We refer to them as the visible light rays because, of all the
energies mentioned above, we can visually see light rays. Light consists of the seven color
energies: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet. We can see these seven colors in a
rainbow, drop of rain or dew, and even in a snowflake.
Color and light are inseparable. Each color of the visible light rays has a different wavelength and
vibrational frequency, which affects us differently. Red has the longest wavelength and the slowest
vibrational frequency, which we innately recognize as warm and stimulating, whereas violet has
the shortest wavelength and the fastest frequency which we recognize as a cool and calming
energy. We receive light and color information through our eyes, which then stimulates the retina
and its cells, rods, and cones. These impulses, which travel through the optic nerve to the visual
cortex of the brain via the pituitary gland, trigger other glands and their hormone secretions to
various parts of the body. Many body functions are stimulated or retarded by light and the different
colors of light, and thus affect our chakra system. Light can also enter through our skin and our
breath, or through various colored foods, herbs, vitamins, aromatherapy, minerals, clothing, and
décor. We need light energy for nourishing our brain, our emotions, and our physical body, as well
as our light bodies and especially our chakras.
The Seven Chakras
There are seven main chakras, each of which has specific physical, psychological, emotional,
spiritual, and energetic characteristics. These seven chakras can be first categorized into three
groups: chakras of matter, the connecting chakra, and chakras of spirit.
The first three chakras, starting at the base of the spine, are chakras of matter, and they are more
physical in nature. The fifth to seventh chakras belong to the third group, chakras of spirit. They
are in the upper body and govern mental properties. The fourth chakra is the connection between
matter and spirit. Located at the heart center, the fourth chakra, anahata, is at the middle of the
seven, and unites the lower chakras of matter and the upper chakras of spirit. The fourth is also
spiritual but serves as a bridge between our body, mind, emotions, and spirit.
The First Chakra: Root or Base Chakra (Muladhara)
The official name of this chakra, muladhara, comes from the words Mula, which means root, and
Dhara, which means support. Its color is red. This chakra is located at the very base of the spine,
near the tailbone. It goes up to just below the belly button. Its role is to connect all of our energy
with the Earth, which is called grounding. Since it is associated with the element of earth, it is
mainly related to our basic survival needs, such as food, water, shelter, and air. When this chakra
is balanced, we feel stable, safe, supported, and grounded. Blockage may manifest itself as
paranoia, fear, procrastination, and defensiveness.
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Our root chakra gets a lot of use, so having an overactive one is very common. An overactive root
chakra will shout messages of survival, even when no real threat is there; thus, it will cause
problems like anxiety and uneasiness. Physically, we might have symptoms of digestive problems,
lower back issues, hip pain, ovarian cysts in women or prostate issues in men. Praying or
meditating may help to balance an overactive chakra. Also, volunteering and acts of kindness can
guide overactive energy away from the root chakra into other energy centers in the body.
On the other hand, if our survival needs have generally been taken care of, this chakra may be
underactive. If that is the case, we may experience frequent daydreaming or trouble concentrating.
To energize an underactive first chakra, reconnecting to the earth might help. Gardening,
swimming, or even playing in the leaves can energize our root chakra.
The Second Chakra: Sacral Chakra (Svadhisthana)
The second chakra is the sacral chakra, or svadhisthana, which translates to “the place of the self.”
It is associated with the element of water, and its color is orange. It is located above the pubic
bone, below the navel, and is responsible for our creative expression. At this energetic center,
we experience creativity, sexuality, playfulness, joy, abundance, and a connection to
desire. Through a strong sense of desire, we are able to pursue our passions. When our second
chakra is balanced, we will relish the pleasurable things life has to offer, without overdoing them.
The blockage of the second chakra may manifest itself as emotional problems, compulsive or
obsessive behaviors, and sexual guilt.
The sacral chakra is often overactive when we face things like addiction and gluttony. If we find
ourselves enjoying things that aren’t nourishing for our soul or health, then our sacral chakra is
probably out of balance. Symptoms include addiction, obesity, hormone imbalances, and
restlessness. To balance our second chakra, it is helpful to draw energy away from pleasure by
asking before each action whether it is really healthy or nourishing.
The sacral chakra may be underactive if we have spent a lot of time focusing on very practical
things without enjoying the fruits of our labor. Symptoms of this include depression, impotence,
decreased sex drive, and a lack of passion and creativity. To energize our second chakra, we should
simply enjoy life by creating a piece of art or eating a healthy and enjoyable snack, for example.
The Third Chakra: Solar Plexus (Manipura)
The third chakra is the Solar Plexus, or Manipura, which translates to “lustrous gem.” It is the area
from the navel to the breastbone. It is associated with the element of fire, and its color is yellow.
The third chakra is our source of personal power, motivation, will, and ability to express our
deepest desires. When our third chakra is balanced, we feel a sense of wisdom, decisiveness, and
personal power. Blockage may show up as anger, frustration, lack of direction, or a sense of
victimization.
The Solar Plexus chakra becomes overactive when the power we have over our own lives extends
into the lives of others. When this chakra is too energized, we may feel a need to control and
micromanage, or a lack of compassion or empathy. As a result, we may suffer from digestive issues
or imbalances in our internal organs like the appendix, pancreas, liver, and kidneys. To balance
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our third chakra, we should practice opening up our heart with love and compassion, and meditate
on sending love and kindness from our heart to all those around us.
When our personal power is taken away from us, we may be left with a lack of energy in this
chakra. When this happens, we may feel indecisive, insecure, timid, and needy. To energize
our Solar Plexus, we should think of the things that we are good at and create our own personal
affirmations.
The Fourth Chakra: Heart (Anahata)
Anahata translates to “unhurt.” This chakra is located at the center of the chest and governs our
heart, lungs, and arms. It is associated with the element of air. Its color is green. This chakra is
where our love, compassion, and kindness are empowered. You may think of the arms as a physical
expression of the heart chakra, where we connect to others through handshakes and warm
embraces. When our fourth chakra is balanced, we are able to equally feel love for ourselves and
others. Even when tough things happen, we can still see the compassion and kindness in others.
Blockage can show itself as problems in the immune system, lung, or heart, or take the form of
inhumanity, lack of compassion, or unprincipled behavior.
When the heart chakra becomes overactive, we lose our personal boundaries and start to make
unhealthy choices, all in the name of love. We may find ourselves always putting the needs of
others before our own. Symptoms include a fast heart rate, palpitations, heartburn, and
interpersonal relationship issues.
To balance the fourth chakra, we should focus some love back on ourselves by, for example, taking
a relaxing bath or treating ourselves to a massage.
Many people have an underactive fourth chakra. When the heart chakra is underactive, we feel
that it is hard to get really close to anyone. It is like building a wall around our heart and not letting
anyone in. Physically, we may feel out of touch with our body and suffer from circulation
problems. Energizing the heart chakra may take a lot of work. It first begins by loving ourselves.
We should show appreciation for ourselves, and give ourselves the love that we want others to
give to us. Then, we should spread that compassion to those around us.
The Fifth Chakra: Throat (Vishuddha)
The fifth chakra is the Throat chakra, or Vishuddha, which translates to “very pure.” Its color is
blue or turquoise. This chakra is located at the base of the throat, governing the neck, thyroid, jaw,
mouth, and tongue. It is associated with the element of space or ether. This is our source of verbal
expression and the ability to speak our highest truth. When this chakra is open, we communicate
clearly with authenticity and practice intuitive listening. Speaking with a balanced Throat chakra
will enlighten and inspire those around us. Blockage can show up as creative blocks, dishonesty,
or general problems in communicating our needs to others.
Our fifth chakra becomes overactive when we have spent a lot of time trying to make our voice
heard. We may speak loudly if we feel ignored or invalidated while expressing ourselves, so we
may often be told we have a loud voice. Physically, we may suffer from throat pain, frequent
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infections, cavities, or mouth ulcers due to an overactive fifth chakra. Balancing it is as easy as
thinking before we speak.
Sometimes, we have been ignored and marginalized so much that we react in an opposite way –
we shut down our voices and never speak our truth. If we have an underactive Throat chakra, we
have probably been called shy or quiet. We may find ourselves unable to express our emotions or
struggling for words when we try to speak our truth. Physical symptoms often include digestive
issues, since energy diverted away from the Throat chakra often ends up being “swallowed” or
sent down to the third chakra. To energize our fifth chakra, we should speak our truth, and we
should practice expressing our emotions and truths when we are alone.
The Sixth Chakra: The Third Eye (Ajna)
The Sanskrit name for the third eye chakra is Ajna, which means “command” and “perceiving.”
The Ajna chakra is located between the eyebrows. Its color is indigo. It governs our pituitary gland,
lower brain, eyes, and skull. This chakra is used to question the spiritual nature of our life. It is
associated with our intuition, wisdom, intellect, knowledge, understanding, and imagination. A
balanced third eye is a beautiful thing, and it is really what we are trying to achieve when we start
on a path to spiritual development. An open sixth chakra may experience lucid dreaming or
moments of clairvoyance. We feel guided, able to trust in the process of life, and believe our
presence is an integral part of the fabric of life. Blockage may appear as problems like lack of
foresight, mental rigidity, “selective” memory, and depression.
It is very unlikely your sixth chakra is overactive. Most of us are very in tune with our physical
reality and find it difficult to receive information outside of it. That being said, if one has an
overactive third eye, he or she is likely to spend most of the time engrossed in psychic activities
like tarot card readings, astrology, and paranormal experiences. When our third eye chakra is
overactive, those activities become overwhelming and distract us from living a human experience,
so we should take some time to remind ourselves that we are a creature of the Earth. We can, for
instance, go to the beach and feel the sand between our toes.
Most people have an underactive sixth chakra. We live in a world that often dismisses intuitive
development. Because of this, we close off our third eyes and ignore our own psychic experiences.
Doing so can cause us to feel disconnected from spiritual experiences. We may have physical
problems like headaches or allergies. Energizing our third eye will take some practice. We will
need to devote some time to quiet, solitary meditation.
The Seventh Chakra: Crown (Sahaswara)
The seventh chakra is the Crown, or Sahaswara, which translates to “thousand petaled.” This
chakra is pure consciousness energy. Its color is violet, and it is located at the top of our head. This
is the chakra of enlightenment and spiritual connection to our higher selves, others, and, ultimately,
to the divine. Blockage is seen as psychological problems. Achieving a balanced crown chakra is
the goal of every spiritual warrior, and it is not easy to achieve this goal. It can be thought like the
Buddhist concept of “achieving nirvana.” Once you achieve it, you’re not really human of anymore
– you’ve conquered suffering and death.
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It’s not possible to have an overactive crown chakra. Because it is the seat of universal energy, it
is innately infinite. In other words, you can’t exist in the material world and be overcome with
consciousness energy.
An underactive seventh chakra means you’re human. It feels exactly like being a human. Some
people may be closer to achieving it, while others may be far away. In any case, practicing spiritual
development and balancing your other chakras will bring you closer to experiencing the
consciousness energy in your crown chakra.
Conclusion
The benefit of learning about your own chakra system is for you to understand that when all parts
of you are communicating equally and working in alliance with each other, you will have little or
no energy disorders. Nowadays, we live in a fast world and often forget about our “whole.” We
put too much emphasis on independence and very little on interdependence. Our chakras are
interdependent with each other for harmony and balance. Your mind alone cannot nurture your
whole being, nor can a proper food diet solve all your problems. It is important to understand that
“all of you” has to be understood in order to keep “your house” in order.
Adapted from https://chopra.com/articles/what-is-a-chakra#sm.0001lmj0tostycwxszy1uu0ri8fwk
https://www.zenlama.com/the-7-chakras-a-beginners-guide-to-your-energy-system/
http://www.chakras.info/7-chakras/
http://thechalkboardmag.com/understanding-the-chakras
http://pranichealing.com/faq/what-are-chakras-what-are-their-functions
http://chakraenergy.com/intro.html
https://blog.mindvalley.com/7-chakras/?_ga=2.110353798.2037995721.1515489184-1917215712.1515489184#root
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Search Reading 3
1. The merchant class in England grew richer due to the incredible development in trade and
commerce. This class, which recently turned wealthy, had earlier been ignored by the
writers of the previous generations, and the literature produced by those writers did not
appeal to their tastes and aspirations.
2. The middle-class and upper-class women of the 18th century read novels in their free time
because they could not participate in such “manly” activities as administration, politics,
hunting, or drinking.
3. Due to its validation of capitalistic ideas and viewing humans as beings of economic use,
Daniel Defoe’s novel Robinson Crusoe was blamed by many critics for being an
imperialistic novel.
4. In the second book of Gulliver’s Travels, the main character is a dwarf in the land of giants,
known as Brobdingnag, where the giants represent animality, while Gulliver symbolizes
rationality.
5. In his satirical work Modest Proposal for Preventing the Children of Poor People from
Being a Burden to Their Parents or the Country, Swift attacked England, and in order to
solve the hunger problem of the Irish, he ironically suggested that the Irish should sell their
children to the rich as food.
6. The second epistolary novel of Samuel Richardson, regarded a masterpiece, is entitled

Clarissa Harlowe. The main focus of the plot in this novel is a woman who shows immense
effort to break free from a combined marriage to a man she does not like.
7. Henry Fielding’s first novel, An Apology for the Life of Mrs. Shamela Andrews is critical
of the hypocritical attitudes of the period, and it is written as a reaction to Samuel
Richardson’s Pamela.
8. Laurence Sterne’s novel The Life and Opinions of Tristram Shandy, Gentleman is
considered very unconventional. One reason for this is that it reminds the reader of the
style of the modernist writers. In addition to this, the novel reflects the perception of time
as proposed by Henri Bergson, which was developed in the 20th century.
269
THE FLOURISHING OF THE ENGLISH NOVEL
Introduction
The novel, commonly defined as “a type of fictitious prose narrative of book length, typically
representing character and action with some degree of realism,” began to develop during the 18th
century as a genre. The term novel derives from the Latin ‘novus’ and from the Italian ‘novella.’
It was in opposition to the term ‘romance,’ referring to a chivalric story in verse. It was used to
refer to a prose fiction which was new because it told stories about recent events.
The Reasons for the Development of the Novel Genre
There were many causes which brought about the development of the novel: expansion of the
reading public, growth of a new middle class, the changing status of women in society, and
economic reasons. The English middle-class people could now afford to purchase books, and
women had more time for reading because, after the industrial revolution, they had much more
free time at home: they could buy in shops the products which were handmade in the houses before.
Publishing became a profitable business thanks to the spread of literacy and of reading as a form
of entertainment among the wealthy middle class. The professional writers began to appear. They
did not have rich patrons but earned their living by writing essays and books. This new situation,
together with the creation of the circulating libraries, which lent books in return for a small
subscription fee, increased the numbers of readers. Broadly speaking, however, it is possible to
look at some major developments that led to the flourishment of the novel as a genre. The following
reasons could be thought of as a more detailed summary of what has been presented above.
a) Rise of Middle Class
The literature of the 17th century flourished under the patronage of the upper classes. The 18th
century in the social history of England is characterized by the rise of the middle-class. Because
of tremendous growth in trade and commerce, the England merchant class was becoming wealthy,
and this newly rich class wanted to excel in the field of literature, too. This class was neglected by
the high-born writers, and their tastes and aspirations were left aside by the literature of the earlier
generations. These tastes and aspirations were now expressed by the novelists of the time. The
novel was, in fact, the product of middle-class. With the rise of middle-class, hence, the rise of the
novel was quite natural.
b) Growth of Newspapers and Magazines
In the 18th century, the appearance of newspapers and magazines attracted a large number of
readers from the middle-class. These new readers had little interest in the romances and the
tragedies which had previously interested the upper-class. Thus, a need for a new type of literature
rose; a literature that would express the new ideas of the 18th century, and this new type of literature
was none but novel.
c) Rise of Realism
The 18th-century literature was characterized by the spirit of realism. Romantic features like
enthusiasm, passion, and imagination declined in this period. Reason, intellect, correctness, and
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satirical spirit were the main characteristics of 18th-century literature. The English novel had all
these characteristics.
d) Role of Women
In the 18th-century, women of upper classes and the middle classes could partake in a few activities
of men. They could not engage themselves in administration, politics, hunting, or drinking. Hence,
in their leisure time, they used to read novels.
e) Decline of Drama
The decline of drama also contributed to the rise of the novel in the 18th century. In this century,
drama lost its fame that it had in the Elizabethan Age (1558-1603). It did not remain an influential
literary form. Hence, some other genre had to take its place and its place was filled by the English
novel after 1740. Thus, the decline of drama led to the rise of the English novel.
The Characteristics of the 18th-century Novel
The 18th-century novel was labeled as realistic novel. The characters were real people with
ordinary names and surnames; they were described in their daily routines; the settings were real
geographical places and the contents were taken from real stories. The novelists tried to meet the
needs of their middle-class readers who wanted to read about ordinary people because they enjoyed
seeing themselves as the protagonists of the stories. They were the ones who bought the books,
and consequently, the authors’ point of view was the same as the readers’.
The most important novelists of the time were: Daniel Defoe, Jonathan Swift, Samuel Richardson,
Henry Fielding, and Laurence Sterne. Some of them devoted themselves to writing because, as an
effect of the Test Act of 1673, being Roman Catholics or Dissenters, they were forbidden to hold
any important position in society and chose to become novelists or journalists.
Daniel Defoe is considered the pioneer of the novel, and arguably, the first novelist in English
literature as well as the first journalist. His The Review is considered the first newspaper. He
interpreted the likes and interests of the emerging middle-class and depicted the 18th-century
world. Defoe’s characters were common men and women with whom his middle-class readers
could identify themselves. All the characters of his novel narrate their individual struggles for
survival in a difficult world, from Moll Flanders, a prostitute, thief, and incestuous wife, to
Robinson Crusoe, Colonel Jack, Captain Singleton, and Roxana.
His novel The Life and Strange Surprising Adventures of Robinson Crusoe of York, Mariner is
regarded by many literary scholars as the first English novel. The novel is a true realistic novel. It
is based on the real story of a Scotch sailor, Alexander Selkirk, who had lived alone for four years
on the Isle of Juan Fernandez in the Pacific after a shipwreck. The story is told in the first person
singular in the form of a diary. Robinson Crusoe is the first narrative in which the character is not
a hero, but an average man. Defoe went on with the Puritan ideas that had survived even after the
collapsing of the Puritan Republic of the Commonwealth. Robinson, a shipwrecked merchant who
remained on a desert island for about twenty-eight years, is considered the true puritan man: he
showed industry, colonizing spirit, courage, and initiative, and was seen by the readers as the
personification of their own qualities: practical-minded, resourceful, and religious. He organized
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his life on the island and succeeded through hard labor in surviving in a difficult situation
exploiting all what the place offered. Further, he not only made the native man Friday to accept
him as master but also made him use his language and converted him to Christianity. Many critics
charged this novel with being an imperialistic novel because it contained an affirmation of
capitalism and saw man as an economic animal. Robinson was considered by those critics as the
first capitalist hero in English literature, because he looked at everything in economic terms:
produced more than he needed, kept from the ship a lot of things, expanded his power on the whole
island, and eventually became rich. They pointed out that when Robinson managed to go on board
the ship which had been carried within a reaching distance, he also kept some money which, of
course, was of no use on a desert island.
Jonathan Swift was the greatest satirist of his age. Using irony and satire, he tried to change his
own society and attacked it at all levels. Together with Alexander Pope and others, he established
the Scriblerus Club, an association of witty writers who satirized their contemporaries. People of
his own time failed to see the irony and, sometime, they cried shame. An Anglican priest, Swift
was appointed Dean of St Patrick’s Cathedral in Dublin, where he was later buried. A Latin
epigraph he had composed himself was placed over his tomb: “The body of Jonathan Swift, Doctor
of Sacred Theology, Dean of this Cathedral Church, is buried here where fierce indignation can
no more lacerate his heart…”
Swift is remembered for his Gulliver’s Travels, a novel that, like Robinson Crusoe, is nowadays
regarded as a book for children and as an anticipation of the modern fantasy novel. Actually, the
book was intended to be a bitter satire of his own country. Swift himself wrote to Pope that it “was
intended to vex the world rather than divert it.” The novel satirizes the follies and the vices of
politicians and scholars and is a very serious comment on politics, on learning, and on all mankind.
It shows Swift’s bad opinion on people. He is very intolerant of people in general, and once he
wrote to Pope: “I heartily hate and detest that animal called man.” He maintains that man is not a
reasonable animal, but an animal endowed with reason, which he is not always able to use in the
right way. Gulliver’s Travels tells the various imaginary voyages of Lemuel Gulliver, a surgeon
on a ship, to various strange lands where he meets several man-like creatures. The philosophical
basis of the whole novel lies in the contrast between rationality and animality. In the first book, he
is shipwrecked near Lilliput, where he meets a race of tiny people, only six inches tall, and he is a
giant among them. Rationality is represented by the Lilliputians with their organized society and
their deep knowledge of mathematical science in contrast with Gulliver, described as a big body.
In the second book, the situation is reversed: he is in Brobdingnag, the land of giants, and he is a
dwarf among them. The giants embody animality, while Gulliver embraces rationality. In the third
book, he visits the flying island of Laputa, inhabited by scientists concerned with abstract ideas.
He visits the University of Lagado, where he meets the “projectors,” who work on new scientific
odd plans: take sunbeams out of cucumbers, melt ice into gunpowder, and so on. They are
presented in a decadent way: badly dressed, long hair and beard, very dirty, and even as beggars.
Animality is seen in the scientists while rationality is seen in man. In the last book, he is in the
land of the Houyhnhnms, intelligent horses that can talk. They are perfectly rational and virtuous.
They have man-like slaves, the Yahoos, who are bestial, irrational, and vicious. Gulliver himself
is seen by the Houyhnhnms as a Yahoo. In these various countries, Gulliver explains to the
inhabitants about life in Europe and in particular in England. What Gulliver says is how things
should be, not how they are, and so his words become an ironical attack on what he is describing.
In the first book, he attacks the English Government and the hypocrisies of the party system.
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Catholic Religion is ironically attacked, too. Swift comments the dispute over whether an egg
should be broken, to be eaten, at the big end or at the little end: “all true believers shall break their
eggs at the most convenient end.” In the second book, he attacks the judicial and the political
system in Britain aiming at stressing the hypocrisy and corruption practiced in the Institutions. In
the third book, there is an attack on science and on members of the Royal Society while in the
fourth and last, he attacks man. When he comes home after his rescue, he cannot accept the
humankind any longer. The human beings appear to him like the Yahoos, and he goes to live in a
stable with the company of horses.
Swift was not insensible to the sufferings of the Irish, and he was indignant at their exploitation
by the British Government. The Irish lived on bad conditions. He wrote and published a work in
defense of Ireland, entitled Modest Proposal for Preventing the Children of Poor People from
Being a Burden to Their Parents or the Country. It was a new attack against the English. Using
satire, he explained that the misery of the starving Irish could be easily relieved by selling their
children to the rich as food. There was also another benefit for the Irish: It should have solved the
problem of overpopulation of Ireland, too. It was of course a provocation, but at the times some
foreign readers took it as an actual and serious one, and there was quite a scandal.
Samuel Richardson is considered the inventor of the epistolary novel (letter and diary formatted
novel) and the father of the novel of sentimental analysis. He introduced psychological studies of
the characters, especially women. He started his career as a novelist quite late in his life when
some booksellers asked him to help the uneducated in their correspondence writing a sequence of
letters dealing with everyday subjects. Among these letters were to be included some to instruct
pretty servant-girl to protect their virtue. He liked this idea also because, when he was at school,
he used to be the adviser of girls who wanted to correspond with their sweethearts. He decided to
make a novel from the letters, and wrote Pamela, or Virtue Rewarded. He chose an actual case he
had heard of, in which a virtuous 15-year-old maidservant, who worked in a rich household, had
resisted her master’s advances.
In the novel, the story is told through a series of letters from Pamela Andrews to her parents and
their answers to her. She asked for advice to defend herself from her master, Mr. B., who wanted
to seduce her. Published in November 1740, the novel had an instant success, and it was followed
by a second edition in February 1741, a third in March, and even a fourth in May. As we can see,
Pamela originated from the realistic moral problem for many young girls who worked as maids:
how to resist the advances of their rich masters. Pamela celebrates the middle-class value of
chastity before marriage in opposition to the lasciviousness of the aristocracy. The theme of the
persecuted maiden attracted many readers. The readers divided into “Pamelists,” who were for
Pamela, and “Anti-Pamelists,” who criticized her. Pamelists maintained that she was a poor and
simple girl who tried to keep herself honest and chaste. Anti-Pamelists, instead, maintained that
her behavior was not guided by purity but by utilitarianism: she was a cunning girl, who used her
virtue to climb the social ladder, and she provoked her master to make him marry her. In the 18th
century, many people thought that virginity was not a value for a poor girl to defend and that it
was her duty as a servant to please her master. Not all women considered chastity and honesty
virtues to be defended.
Pamela is considered the first best-seller in English literature. It had a happy ending: Pamela
married Mr. B. This pleased the readers, women above all, which helped its success. Clarissa
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Harlowe, his second epistolary novel, is considered Richardson’s masterpiece. It deals with a
woman who tries hard to escape from a combined marriage to a man she does not like. She finds
refuge at a nobleman’s who seduces and rapes her. Clarissa refuses to marry him and eventually
lives as an outcast condemned by society.
Richardson’s success in his own age is mostly due to the subject matter of his novels, and to the
technique of narration he used. As far as the former, that is the theme of women who defend their
virtues from the advances of a powerful man, it appealed to a vast audience, above all women who
constituted the larger part of the reading public. The other element was the suspense created by
the technique that Richardson used. He himself defined it as “writing to the moment.” This
technique is a bit similar to the one used in modern soap operas: each letter dealing with the present
has got elements whose consequences will happen in the next letter, thus letting the reader wait.
Henry Fielding was the first English novelist to introduce the burlesque element in the novel. He
defined his novels as “comic epic poem in prose.” The mock epic is a parody of the epic because
it treats trivial things as if they had great importance. The protagonist is involved in a series of
apparently dangerous adventures. Fielding was different from Defoe and Richardson. He belonged
to the aristocracy, and unlike them, he did not believe in sexual chastity above all other virtues.
The aristocracy regarded uninhibited sexuality with indulgence and considered other virtues as
courage, generosity, and loyalty above it. His first novel, An Apology for the Life of Mrs. Shamela
Andrews, is to be considered as a reaction against the hypocrisy of the time as well as a reaction
to Richardson’s Pamela. Fielding wanted to ridicule the Puritan view of morality. The “Shamela”
in the title is a pun on the words of “shame” and Pamela. In his second novel, Joseph Andrews, he
wanted at first to parody Richardson’s Pamela, but he put aside this idea and wrote a story based
on the life and adventures of Joseph, Pamela’s brother, and a friend of his. The situation is reversed,
and we have a young man who works at a lady’s service. The lady wants to seduce him after her
husband’s death. Joseph, who is chaste and virtuous, refuses her advances.
Tom Jones, Richardson’s best novel, is a picture of the life of the lower and upper classes of the
18th century society. Fielding depicts human weaknesses with humor and irony, and stresses his
tolerant attitude towards them. Tom is an unheroic character and has all the limits of the ordinary
man. Fielding’s novels are considered picaresque in style, written in imitation of Cervantes.
(Picaresque novels come from Spain and deal with the adventures of a rascal of low social class;
they are usually humorous, full of action, and excitement).
Laurence Sterne, in his own time, was considered an anti-novelist because he did not follow the
canons of the realistic novel. He is the closest novelists to the modern ones of all 18 th-century
novelists. His novel The Life and Opinions of Tristram Shandy, Gentleman was written in
instalments in nine volumes between 1759 and 1767. Also known for its short title, Tristram
Shandy, this novel does not respect the 18th-century canons of the realistic novel. It is
unconventional and very difficult to summarize. For example, it recalls the stream of
consciousness technique of modernist writers such as Joyce and Woolf, who came to presence
much later than Sterne. Moreover, Tristram Shandy has no plot, no time scheme; it is full of the
author’s interventions, digressions, comments, asides, long quotations, unusual devices, and
eccentric typographical characteristics as black pages (to mourn a friend’s death), as well as
marbled pages, white pages, asterisks, arabesques, and a little hand with printed finger to direct
the reader’s attention to a point. When a digression takes places, the author shifts from the main
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theme of the novel to other topics which are not related with what the character is going to do or
say.
Aside from these strange qualities, the novel plays with the concept of time. The time of the story
is interrupted to be resumed at the end of the digression. The temporal dimension is non-existent
and clock time is abandoned for psychological time. The digressions allowed Sterne to tell the
reader about the events of the past, or of the future, in whatever order he pleased. The story is told
in the first person singular by the main character, Tristram Shandy, who remembers particular
events of his past and present life. It starts with a flashback: We meet Tristram in the first volume
as an adult, but his birth happens in the third volume. We may suppose that Sterne was influenced
by John Locke’s theory of the “Association of Ideas.” Tristram himself defined Locke’s Essays as
“a history book…. of what passes in a man’s own mind.” Sterne made a distinction between time
of the clock, that is the chronological time, and time of the mind – an idea which only appeared
philosophically in the 20th century with Henri Bergson. Organizing his plot, Sterne goes backwards
and forwards in time, thus disrupting the chronological order. Thus, it is possible to argue that
Sterne anticipated Bergson’s theory of the time, known as “la Durée,” which was an important
element in 20th-century writing. Bergson thought that each individual lives moments and
experiences that cannot be measured in fixed periods of time since the mind has its own time
different from the conventional one of the external world. Likewise, the same idea appears in
Tristram Shandy, too.
Adapted from https://rosariomariocapalbo.wordpress.com/2014/01/16/the-18th-century-novelde-foe-swift-richardson-fielding-
sterne/
275
Search Reading 4
pre-teach: hamper
Text I.
1. Although some cues that we receive at first sight might prove useful in certain cases, Dr.
Zayas warns us that basing our judgments on these cues all the time may prevent us from
making valuable friendships and connections.
2. According to the findings of the research conducted by Dr. Zayas and her team, the woman
whose photographs were rated by the participants didn’t have any prejudices formed
against the participants before she met them in person. However, she probably noticed the
clues in the way they behave because the first impressions of the participants might have
been reflected in their behavior.
Text II.
3. Cognitive dissonance can be described as the phenomenon that occurs with feelings of
discomfort, when a person’s strong viewpoints come into conflict (with one another). In
order to refrain from those uncomfortable feelings, we try to justify ourselves.
4. The case of the two partners, A and B, is an example of how cognitive dissonance works.
Instead of accepting his/her own judgmental mistake, which would cause damage to his/her
self-esteem, partner A chooses to blame partner B, thinking that B has betrayed him/her
(and is a “bad person”) because this is the easiest way to save himself/herself from
responsibility.
5. The three ways to overcome the difficulties presented by cognitive dissonance and
confirmation bias are humility, good faith, and honesty.
Text III.
6. Understanding confirmation biases is really crucial since they not only influence the way
people collect information, but they also make an impact on how we interpret and recall
information.
7. With his rule-discovery task, Wason proved that people tend to look for supporting
information to verify their pre-formed ideas. However, such prejudice may hamper looking
at situations objectively. It can also cause us to make bad or misguided decisions.
8. Several psychologists made observations related to the subject. Among them, Groopman’s
suggestions are perhaps the most striking because they involve medical doctors and their
hypotheses. To solve the problem, Groopman argues that medical education must comprise
a course in inductive reasoning so as to raise awareness among new doctors towards such
prejudices.
276
Text I.
First Impressions Shape Our Relationships More Than We Realize, Study Says
Introduction
We tend to stick with our snap judgments, according to researchers, and may miss opportunities
to let people show us their true selves. Even though we were taught not to “judge a book by its
cover,” we all do it – especially when meeting someone for the first time. Most of us would like
to believe that we revise those snap judgments later, after we’ve spent some time with the new
person. But according to a new study, we’re less open to changing our minds than we think, and
our initial impressions don’t fade easily from memory.
Helpful Cues
First things first, though: Our tendency to make split-second decisions about people isn’t
inherently bad, says Vivian Zayas, PhD, professor of psychology at Cornell University. It’s human
nature, and an evolutionary defense against those who might be dangerous or just ill-suited for us.
“Humans are very social, so we want to know when we meet someone what that person is really
about,” Zayas explains. “We are wired to do this, and we’ve become experts at gathering a wealth
of information from people’s faces – things like gender and ethnicity, but also more subtle
personality cues as well.” Relying on these initial assumptions can be helpful in some
circumstances, says Zayas, but in others, it can keep us from making valuable friendships and
connections. So she and her colleagues set out to determine just how strong first impressions really
are.
The study
The researchers asked 55 study participants to evaluate whether they’d be friends with four
women, based solely on headshot photographs. (Each woman smiled for one photo and made a
neutral expression for a second.) The participants were also asked if they thought these women
were extroverted, agreeable, emotionally stable, conscientious, and/or open to new experiences.
Between one and six months later, the participants returned for a supposedly unrelated experiment,
and met one of the women whose photos they’d pre-judged. (Only four participants remembered
seeing her before, and they were later factored out of the analysis.) Each participant spent 20
minutes with this woman, during which they played a trivia game and were instructed to get to
know each other as well as possible. After the interaction, the participants were asked the same
questions about the woman’s personality traits – and their responses showed a “strong consistency”
with their previous thoughts, says Zayas. Those who had guessed that the woman was likeable and
had appealing personality traits had generally positive impressions after meeting her. And for those
who had judged the woman negatively, their opinions tended to stick, too.
The findings
“What is remarkable is that despite differences in impressions, participants were interacting with
the same person,” Zayas says. The findings showed that some changes in opinion did occur. But
for the most part, people’s views didn’t waver.
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The woman didn’t know how the participants had rated her photograph, so she didn’t go into the
meetings with any biases of her own. But Zayas says it’s likely that participants’ initial impressions
were reflected in their behavior, and that the woman picked up on those clues.
Those who had liked the woman in the photo tended to interact with her in a friendlier way.
“They’re smiling a little bit more, they’re leaning forward a little bit more. Their nonverbal cues
are warmer,” she said in a press release. “When someone is warmer, when someone is more
engaged, people pick up on this. They respond in a similar manner. And it’s reinforcing: The
participant likes that person more.”
Behavioral confirmation
Zayas notes that this concept, known as behavioral confirmation, shows how first impressions can
become a self-fulfilling prophecy. This isn’t something people plan to do, of course: In a different
but related study, the researchers found that participants overwhelmingly said they would update
their opinions of people in photographs if they had the chance to meet them in person. “And people
really think they would revise,” she said. “But in our study, people show a lot more consistency in
their judgments, and little evidence of revision.”
Participants’ assumptions about different personality traits also supported the concept of a “halo
effect” based on appearance. “We see an attractive person as also socially competent, and assume
their marriages are stable and their kids are better off,” she says. “We go way beyond that initial
judgment and make a number of other positive attributions.”
Zayas admits that the study, published in Social Psychological and Personality Science, only gave
people a short amount of time together. It’s possible that they only engaged in small talk, and
didn’t dig deep enough to truly alter their opinions of each other. Longer, more intimate
interactions could certainly lead to different results, she says. But she also points out that in many
situations, such as job interviews, a few minutes together is all people get.
Is it wrong to stick to first impressions?
The fact that we’re likely to hang onto our first impressions – especially of people who are
unfamiliar to us in some way – isn’t something we should be defensive about, says Zayas. But it
can help to be aware of it when it happens. “There are good, functional reasons for why our brains
do this,” she says. “But there’s a fine line between appreciating this ability and realizing that
sometimes our judgments are incorrect. If we fully embrace them, we might miss a lot of
opportunities to open up and get to know people.” Acknowledging that your first impressions have
the potential to shape your interactions going forward may help you override some of your
subconscious behavior. “Maybe you’re a little less guarded, more engaged, smiling more,” Zayas
says. “Then the person has the opportunity to respond back, and you may be able to break the
cycle.”
Adapted from http://www.health.com/relationships/first-impressions-shape-relationships
278
Text II.
Why do we hold on to first impressions in a relationship?
What is cognitive dissonance?
In their book entitled Mistakes Were Made (But Not By Me), Carol Tavris and Elliot Aronson write
about cognitive dissonance – the phenomenon that arises, with uncomfortable feelings, when two
deeply held internal points of view come into conflict with one another. To avoid such feelings,
we resort to self-justification. The book contains a chapter on cognitive dissonance in marriage,
which holds this process to be the main culprit in the outcome of relationships.
“Misunderstandings, conflicts, personality differences, and even angry quarrels are not the
assassins of love – self-justification is,” the authors remark.
How does cognitive dissonance work?
Let’s say partner A has a problem with partner B’s recklessness with money – as they understand
it. Perhaps one of the things that attracted them originally was what they thought of as B’s
“generosity and spontaneity.” In a relationship, however, the behavior starts to look irresponsible.
How does A resolve the fact that s/he made a misjudgment about B?
One way is for A to accept that s/he made that misjudgment and that the responsibility is partly
his/hers. Another way is for A to carry on maintaining the “positive” dissonance, and convince
himself/herself that B is wonderfully, joyfully open-handed even though the joint account is in the
red again.
But the easiest way, as it avoids damaging his/her self-esteem, is for A to decide B has betrayed
him/her and is a “bad person.” Such retrospective self-justification applies to the whole spectrum
of domestic behavior from housework to childcare. It’s not, “If I hadn’t seen it, I wouldn’t have
believed it,” rather, “If I hadn’t believed it, I wouldn’t have seen it.”
Cognitive dissonance and confirmation bias
What is the “real” situation between a couple? With cognitive dissonance and another related
psychological principle, confirmation bias, operating at all times – both affect any particular
situation and the writing and rewriting of memory – it is difficult to know “the truth”. But often
the price of that truth is the realization that “I was (at least somewhat) wrong” – usually the most
painful way of resolving dissonance, and thus the least palatable.
The longer cognitive dissonance worms its way into memory and our understanding of what has
happened, the more powerful it becomes as a predictive factor for conflict, because then a
relationship becomes more about what a person “is” as opposed to what they “do”. Any behavior
that contradicts that presupposition will be discounted and any evidence that confirms it will be
exaggerated.
If you form an opinion early in your relationship about the other person, and then use every
opportunity to screen out information that runs counter to that opinion, then you have a coherent
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worldview, but possibly an unreliable view of your partner, who – whether they actually improve
or not – is trapped within your prejudices.
How can this be solved?
There is only one solution to this conundrum or rather, three solutions – humility, good faith, and
honesty.
Humility means the ability and courage to say “I may be wrong”, so that every time anything goes
awry you don’t self-justify. Good faith is the default position that your partner means well, and is
trying even though they may be failing. Honesty is the hardest, given all the distorting filters our
mind provides – but it is at least to be held as an ideal, as a hedge against the temptations of self-
justification.
These stances have to be mutual for there to be any chance of success – if one side holds good
faith and the other does not, or if one side is prideful and the other humble, that is a recipe for the
continuation of self-justification on one side and accumulating resentment and frustration on both.
Self-justification, one-sided or mutual, is the course most frequently chosen. Other choices are
possible. To make them constitutes the difference between a happy and an unhappy marriage.
Adapted from https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2017/dec/08/why-do-we-hold-on-to-first-impressions-in-a-relationship
Text III.
What Is a Confirmation Bias?: We Interpret Facts To Confirm Our Beliefs
Introduction
Where do your beliefs and opinions come from? If you are like most people, you probably like to
think that your beliefs are the result of years of experience and objective analysis of the information
you have available. The reality is that all of us are susceptible to a tricky problem known as a
confirmation bias.
While we like to imagine that our beliefs are rational, logical, and objective, the fact is that our
ideas are often based on paying attention to the information that upholds our ideas.
At the same time, we tend to ignore the information that challenges our existing beliefs.
Understanding Confirmation Bias
A confirmation bias is a type of cognitive bias that involves favoring information which confirms
previously existing beliefs or biases.
For example, imagine that a person holds a belief that left-handed people are more creative than
right-handed people. Whenever this person encounters a person that is both left-handed and
creative, they place greater importance on this “evidence” that supports what they already believe.
This individual might even seek “proof” that further backs up this belief while discounting
examples that do not support the idea.
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Confirmation biases impact how people gather information, but they also influence how we
interpret and recall information. For example, people who support or oppose a particular issue will
not only seek information to support it, they will also interpret news stories in a way that upholds
their existing ideas.
They will also remember things in a way that reinforces these attitudes.
Confirmation Biases in Action
Consider the debate over gun control. Sally, for example, is in support of gun control. She seeks
out news stories and opinion pieces that reaffirm the need for limitations on gun ownership. When
she hears stories about shootings in the media, she interprets them in a way that supports her
existing beliefs.
Henry, on the other hand, is adamantly opposed to gun control. He seeks out news sources that are
aligned with his position. When he comes across news stories about shootings, he interprets them
in a way that supports his current point of view.
These two people have very different opinions on the same subject and their interpretations are
based on that. Even if they read the same story, their bias tends to shape the way they perceive it
because it confirms their beliefs.
The Impact of Confirmation Biases: Wason’s Experiments
In the 1960s, cognitive psychologist Peter Cathcart Wason conducted a number of experiments
known as Wason’s rule-discovery task. He demonstrated that people have a tendency to seek
information that confirms their existing beliefs. Unfortunately, this type of bias can prevent us
from looking at situations objectively. It can also influence the decisions we make and can lead to
poor or faulty choices.
During an election season, for example, people tend to seek positive information that paints their
favored candidates in a good light. They will also look for information that casts the opposing
candidate in a negative light.
By not seeking out objective facts, interpreting information in a way that only supports their
existing beliefs, and only remembering details that uphold these beliefs, they often miss important
information.
These details and facts might have otherwise influenced their decision on which candidate to
support.
Observations by Psychologists
In his book, Research in Psychology: Methods and Design, C. James Goodwin gives a great
example of confirmation bias as it applies to extrasensory perception. “Persons believing in
extrasensory perception (ESP) will keep close track of instances when they were ‘thinking about
Mom, and then the phone rang and it was her!’ Yet they ignore the far more numerous times when
(a) they were thinking about Mom and she didn’t call and (b) they weren’t thinking about Mom
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and she did call. They also fail to recognize that if they talk to Mom about every two weeks, their
frequency of ‘thinking about Mom’ will increase near the end of the two-week-interval, thereby
increasing the frequency of a ‘hit.’”
As Catherine A. Sanderson points out in her book, Social Psychology, confirmation bias also helps
form and re-confirm stereotypes we have about people.
“We also ignore information that disputes our expectations. We are more likely to remember (and
repeat) stereotype-consistent information and to forget or ignore stereotype-inconsistent
information, which means that one-way stereotypes are maintained even in the face of
disconfirming evidence. If you learn that your new Canadian friend hates hockey, loves sailing,
and that your new Mexican friend hates spicy foods and loves rap music, you are less likely to
remember this new stereotype-inconsistent information.”
Confirmation bias is not only found in our personal beliefs, it can affect our professional endeavors
as well. In the book, Psychology, Peter O. Gray offers this example of how it may affect a doctor’s
diagnosis: “Groopman (2007) points out that the confirmation bias can couple with the availability
bias in producing misdiagnosis in a doctor’s office. A doctor who had jumped to a particular
hypothesis as to what disease a patient has may then ask questions and look for evidence that tends
to confirm that diagnosis while overlooking evidence that would tend to disconfirm it. Groopman
suggests that medical training should include a course in inductive reasoning that would make new
doctors aware of such biases. Awareness, he thinks, would lead to fewer diagnostic errors. A good
diagnostician will test his or her initial hypothesis by searching for evidence against that
hypothesis.”
Seeing Things from a Different Angle
Unfortunately, we all have confirmation bias. Even if you believe you are very open-minded and
only observe the facts before coming to conclusions, it’s very likely that some bias will shape your
opinion in the end. It is difficult to combat this natural tendency.
Yet, if we know about confirmation bias and accept the fact that it does exist, we can make attempts
to recognize it. That may help us see things from another perspective, though it’s never a guarantee.
Adapted from https://www.verywell.com/what-is-a-confirmation-bias-2795024

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Search Reading 5
1. People’s personal development and their attitudes to life and people may be influenced by
both some historical events, such as the 9/11 incident, and some other natural calamity like
an earthquake.
2. In a relatively stable society, the old receive great respect due to the considerable wisdom
they have collected in their life, while their counterparts in a fast-changing society are
regarded as useless and unnecessary.
3. Whether or not a behavior is deviant is determined by the framework of the culture that this
act is performed in.
4. Some people are disqualified from full social acceptance on the grounds of a particular
characteristic that they have, which distinguishes them from others in society. This
characteristic is called a stigma, and it may be due to the violations of norms of ability and
norms of appearance. Also, involuntary membership in groups may result in being
disgraced. For example, a victim of AIDS or the relative of a criminal may be discredited
in the minds of others, and then defined as deviant.
5. The labeling theory suggests that what people do does not lead to deviance and conformity
as much as other people’s reactions to those actions.
6. People themselves define what a deviant or appropriate behavior is. The social norms,
which define the regular patterns of behavior in a society, are again determined by people
themselves and are integrated in the mechanics of social control.
7. Deviance can function to validate cultural values and norms. We can only form a concept
of virtue or good based on an idea of vice or evil, so similarly, deviance is crucial in
creating and sustaining morality because without crime, it is not possible to have justice.
8. Not all deviant behavior is criticized. In fact, when some deviant behavior draws enough
support, this can trigger social change. Then, the society revises its moral boundaries, and
this deviance starts to be regarded as an acceptable behavior.
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SOCIALIZATION AND THE LIFE COURSE
Life course is a biological process. In this process, there is a personal change from infancy through
old age and death brought about as a result of the interaction between biographical events and
social events. The series of major events, the stages of our lives from birth to death, may be called
life course. Movement through life course is marked by a succession of stages by age.
Analysts have tried to depict the typical stages through which we pass, but they have not been
able to agree on standard division of the life course. As such, life course is a biological process,
which has been divided into four distinct stages: childhood, adolescence, adulthood, and old age.
Life course stages present characteristic problems and transitions that require learning new and
unlearning familiar routines. Through the process of socialization, society tries to prepare its
members for taking up the roles and statuses associated with life course stages.
Each life course stage by age is also affected by other factors like social class, gender, ethnicity,
and human experience.
People’s life experiences also vary depending on when, in the history of society, they were born.
Some specific historical events like terrorist attacks of 9/11, economic prosperity/depression, and
war, or some other natural calamity (an earthquake, epidemic, and flood) may become significant
in the personal development of individuals, as well as their attitudes toward life and other people.
Although childhood has special importance in the socialization process, learning continues
throughout our lives. An overview of the life course reveals that our society organizes human
experience according to age – childhood, adolescence, adulthood, and old age.
Childhood
Childhood usually covers the first 12 years of life: time for learning and carefree play.
Nevertheless, what a child “is” differs from one culture to another. Presently, we defend our idea
of childhood because children are biologically immature, but a look back in time and around the
world shows that the concept of childhood is rooted in culture.
The concept of childhood as such is of recent origin, which appears to be more pronounced in the
developed countries compared with the developing countries. Even in the developed countries,
say a couple of centuries back, children of four or five years were treated like adults and expected
to earn for themselves. A century back, children in the USA, Canada, and Europe had much the
same life as children in poor countries. That is how we come across the issue of child labor, which
is associated with the developing countries.
Children in lower classes have always assumed adult responsibilities sooner than their
counterparts in higher classes. Due to the demands of the circumstances, children in the lower
class start earning earlier. Their childhood finishes too quickly, and maybe their childhood
remains invisible. In childhood, an individual is made to learn the skills needed in adult life.
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Adolescence
Just as industrialization helped create childhood as a distinct stage of life, adolescence emerged
as a buffer between childhood and adulthood. In earlier times, societies did not mark out
adolescence as a distinct period of life. People simply moved from childhood into young
adulthood with no stopover in between.
We generally link adolescence, or teenage years, to emotional and social turmoil, when the youth
try to develop their own individual identities. As they try to carve out an identity distinct from
both the “younger” world being left behind and the “older” world still being out of their range,
adolescents develop a subculture of their own. Again, we attribute teenage turbulence to the
biological changes of puberty. Adolescence is more a phenomenon of industrial societies.
Although these outward patterns are readily visible, we usually fail to realize that adolescence is
a social creation; it is contemporary industrial society, not biological age, that makes these years
a period of turmoil. In these emotional and social spheres, the young people appear to be in conflict
with their parents, establishing some independence and learning specialized skills for adult life.
Adolescence again depends on culture, and accordingly, there could be a smooth or difficult
change from childhood to adolescence.
Adulthood
Adulthood, which begins between the late teens and the early twenties, depending on the social
background, is a time for accomplishment. Adults pursue careers and raise families. These youth
embark on careers and raise families of their own. They reflect on their own achievements ‒ did
the dreams come true?
Early Adulthood: It covers the period from 20 to about 40 years, and during this period,
personalities are formed. They learn to manage the day-to-day responsibilities personally. They
try to make an adjustment with spouse, and bring up their children in their own way. They often
have many conflicting priorities: parents, partner, children, schooling, and work.
Middle Adulthood: It roughly covers the period from 40 to 60 years. During this period,
individuals assess actual achievements in view of their earlier expectations.
Growing older means facing physical decline. During the late middle years (50 to 65 years),
people attempt to evaluate the past and come to terms with what lies ahead. They compare what
they have accomplished with how far they had hoped to get.
During this time of life, many people find themselves caring for their own children and also their
aging parents. Health and mortality also begin to loom large. People feel physical changes in their
bodies, and they may watch their parents become frail and ill, and then die.
Old Age
Old age is the later years of adulthood and the final stage of life itself – begins about the mid-
sixties. The societies attach different meaning to this stage of life. Some societies, such as the
Pakistani society, often give older people control over most of the land and other wealth. Since
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the rate of change in those societies is not very fast, older people amass great wisdom during their
lifetime, which earns them much respect. On the other hand, in industrial societies, the old are
considered to be conservative, unimportant, and obsolete. In a fast-changing society, their
knowledge appears to be irrelevant.
Old age differs in an important way from earlier stages in life course. Growing up typically means
entering new roles and assuming new responsibilities; growing old, by contrast, is the opposite
experience – leaving roles that provided both satisfaction and social identity. Like any life
transition, retirement from employment or even the handing over of the personal business to one’s
heirs, demands learning new, different patterns while at the same time unlearning familiar habits
from the past.
This survey of the life course leads us to two major conclusions. First, although each stage of life
is linked to the biological process of aging, the life course is largely a social construction. For this
reason, people in other societies may experience a stage of life quite differently, or for that matter,
they may not recognize it at all. Second, in any society, the stages of life course present
characteristic problems and transitions that involve learning something new and, in many cases
unlearning familiar routines.
To sum up, societies organize the life course according to age; other forces, such as social class,
ethnicity, and gender, also shape their lives. Thus, the general pattern that has been described
earlier apply somewhat differently to various categories of people.
SOCIAL CONTROL AND DEVIANCE
Every group within society, and even human society itself, depends on norms for its existence.
These very norms make social life possible by making behavior predictable. We can count on
most people most of the time to meet the expectations of others. As a result, there is some kind of
social order in the society.
Social order is a group’s usual and customary social arrangements, on which members depend
and on which they base their lives. Without social order, there is likely to be chaos.
Social Control
Every society or group develops its mechanism for making its members to obey the norms for the
smooth functioning of its life. These are the attempts of society to regulate people’s thoughts and
behavior. This process, formal or informal, is referred to as social control. Hence, social control
is a group’s formal and informal means of enforcing its norms.
Deviance
Sociologists use the term deviance to refer to the violation of norms. How a society defines
deviance and what people decide to do about deviance have to do with the way the society is
organized. It is not the act itself but the reactions to the act that makes something deviant. In other
words, people’s behavior must be viewed from the framework of the culture in which that takes
place. Therefore, it is group’s definition of behavior, not the behavior itself that makes it deviant.
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Perhaps everybody violates the norms of society, but every violation may not be defined as
deviance.
Social creation of deviance and crime is also called social construction of deviance and crime. An
act, which is called deviance by one group in one culture, is considered as praise worthy by another
group in another culture. Similarly, what is deviance at one time may not be considered so at
another time. For example, someone might be called as a terrorist by one group and as a freedom
fighter by another.
Crime
Crime is the violation of norms that are written into law. An act approved in one group may be a
crime punishable by death in another group, which suggests the cultural relativity of crime. Look
at honor killing, homosexuality, polygamy, and cousin marriages; these are all examples of
cultural relativity of crime. Acts of suicide bombers may be considered as positive (acts of
bravery) in one situation and negative in another.
Deviance and crime are not synonymous, but these may overlap. In fact, deviance is much broader
than crime because it can apply to all those acts, which violate the norms of society, which may
be unwritten. The crimes are such acts that violate those norms that are enacted into the laws of
society with special agencies for their enforcement. Deviance, on the other hand, is the violation
of the norms and rules of society. People usually react negatively against such violations.
Stigma
To be considered as deviant, a person may not have to do anything. Sociologist Erving Goffman
used the term stigma to refer to attributes that discredit people. These are the “blemishes” that
discredit a person’s claim to a “normal” identity. Without the choice of a person, these are the
violations of norms of ability (i.e. handicapped due to blindness, deafness, mental disability), and
norms of appearance (facial birthmark, obesity). It can also be involuntary membership in groups
such as relatives of criminals or victims of AIDS. The stigma becomes a person’s master status,
defining him or her as deviant.
A stigma operates as a master status overpowering other aspects of social identity so that a person
is discredited in the minds of others, becoming socially isolated, and may start following a deviant
behavior. In this perspective, as individuals develop a stronger commitment to deviant behavior,
they typically acquire a stigma, a powerfully negative label that greatly changes a person’s self-
concept and social identity.
Juvenile Delinquency
Juvenile delinquency refers to the violation of legal standards by the young. Who is young is again
a relative concept and has social construction. Nevertheless, it is defined under the law of the
country.
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Labeling
Labeling implies giving “bad-name” to individuals. It implies that the labels people are given
affect their own and others’ perceptions of them, thus channeling their behavior either into
deviance or into conformity.
A labeling theory has been developed by Howard Becker, under which there is an assertion that
deviance and conformity result not so much from what people do as from how others respond to
those actions.
Some people are tagged with a negative social label that radically changes a person’s self-concept
and social identity. This very label could act as a ‘master status’ as discussed earlier.
No act is intrinsically deviant; it is the people’s creation. In fact, it is the creation of people in
power, who impose the labels (categories of deviance). The individual accepts the label and acts
accordingly.
Labeling a child as delinquent is actually stigmatizing him as criminal, and resultantly he is likely
to be considered as untrustworthy. Society isolates him, and he gets isolated.
Primary and Secondary Deviation
The action that provokes only slight reaction from others and has little effect on a person’s self-
concept is primary deviance. For example, skipping school or initial act of stealing may be
ignored. However, when people notice someone’s deviance, make something of it, and give a
label on repeated violations, maybe as a reaction, the person repeatedly violates a norm and begins
to take on a deviant identity. This may be called as secondary deviation.
THE SOCIAL FOUNDATIONS OF DEVIANCE
In the sociological perspective, all behavior – deviance as well as conformity – is shaped by

society. Therefore, the society lays the foundation of deviance. The social foundations of deviance
may be looked at from three dimensions:
1. Cultural relativity of deviance
No thought or action is inherently deviant; it becomes deviant only in relation to particular norms.
Sociologists use the term deviance to refer to a violation of norms of culture. One may look at
three basic principles: (1) It is not the action itself, but the reactions to the act that makes
something deviant. In other words, people’s behavior must be viewed from the framework of the
culture in which it takes place. (2) Different groups are likely to have different norms; therefore,
what is deviant to some is not deviant to others. (3) This principle holds within a society as well
as across cultures. Thus, acts perfectly acceptable in one culture – or in one group within a society
– may be considered deviant in another culture, or in another group within the same society.
Sociologists use the term deviance non-judgmentally, to refer to any act to which people respond
negatively. When sociologists use this term, it does not mean that they agree that the act is bad,
just because others judge it negatively. If we have to understand a particular behavior, we must
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understand the meanings people give to that event. Consequently, we must consider deviance
from within a group’s own framework, for it is their meanings that underlie their behavior.
2. Who defines deviance?
People become deviant as others define them that way. If deviance does not lie in the act, but in
the definition of the act, where do these definitions come from? The simple answer is that the
definitions come from people. Maybe through trial and error process, people determine the
appropriate patterns of behavior for the smooth functioning of their society. They themselves
decide what is desirable and what is undesirable for having social order in their society. These
are actually the social norms of the people. These norms are incorporated in the mechanics of
social control. The process may be a little different in a simple and small society than in a complex
and large society having ethnic variations.
3. Both rule making and rule breaking involve social power.
Each society is dominated by a group of elite, powerful people, who make the decisions for
making rules, which become part of the social control system in the society. The powerful group
of people make sure that their interests are protected. The machinery of social control usually
represents the interests of people with social power.
A law amounts a little more than a means by which powerful people protect their interests. For
example, the owners of an unprofitable factory have the legal right to shut down their business,
even if doing so puts thousands of workers out of work. However, if a worker commits an act of
vandalism that closes the same factory for a single day, he is subject to criminal prosecution.
IS DEVIANCE FUNCTIONAL?
When we think of deviance, its flaws are likely to come to mind. Most of us are upset by deviance,
especially crime, and assume that society would be better off without it. Surprisingly, for
Durkheim, there is nothing abnormal about deviance; in fact, it contributes to the functioning of
the society in four ways:
1. Deviance affirms cultural values and norms.
Living demands that we make moral choices. To prevent our culture from dissolving into chaos,
people must show preference for some attitudes and behaviors over others. However, any
conception of virtue rests upon an opposing notion of vice, and just as there can be no good
without evil, there can be no justice without crime. Deviance is indispensable to creating and
sustaining morality.
2. Deviance clarifies moral boundaries and affirms norms.
A group’s ideas about how people should act and think mark its moral boundaries. Deviance
challenges those boundaries. Calling a deviant member to explain, say in effect, “you broke a
valuable rule, and we cannot tolerate that” affirms the group’s norms and clarifies the distinction
between conforming and deviating behavior. To deal with deviants is to assert what it means to
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be a member of the group. For example, there is a line between academic honesty and cheating,
which is made clear by punishing students who cheat.
3. Deviance promotes social unity.
When a group of people react to deviants to affirm the group’s moral boundaries, they develop a
“we” feeling among the group’s members. In saying “you can’t get by with that,” the group
collectively affirms the rightness of its own ways.
4. Deviance promotes social change.
Deviant people push a society’s moral boundaries, pointing out alternatives to the status quo and
encouraging change. Groups always do not agree on what to do with people who push beyond
their acceptable ways of doing things. Some group members even approve the rule-breaking
behavior. Boundary violations that gain enough support become new, acceptable behavior. Thus,
deviance may force a group to rethink and redefine its moral boundaries, helping groups and
whole societies to change their customary ways. Today’s deviance can become tomorrow’s
morality.
Adapted from Introduction to Sociology - SOC 101, Virtual University of Pakistan
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Search Reading 6
1. Embalming is preferred when there is a delay in the disposal of the dead body if, for
example, the body has to be transported to another country, because the journey would
(ordinarily) lead to decomposition.
2. The religious belief that embalming would enable the soul to return to the preserved corpse
was the reason why Egyptians used this technique to mummify and preserve the dead
bodies.
3. The scientist who discovered the embalming product still used as one of the main
chemicals, known as formaldehyde, was August Wilhelm von Hofmann.
4. The chemicals that Ancient Babylonians and Greeks used to bless the dead body during
the embalming process were unguents, perfumes, and spices.
5. The latest embalming technique allows for an easy removal of fluid from the body due to
the absorption and solidification characteristics of the sorbent.
6. When Abraham Lincoln’s grave was unearthed and his coffin was opened 36 years after
his assassination, it was seen that the embalming made it possible for his features to be
(still) recognizable.
7. Specimens from a dead body should be taken before embalming, because, when the body
is embalmed, its appearance changes and any injury, disease, or poison cannot be
identified.
8. Formaldehyde and glutaraldehyde are two of the harmful embalming substances that can
cause serious health problems, such as eye irritation, asthma, or even cancer.
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DEAD BODY PRESERVATION ‒ EMBALMING
Introduction
Embalming is the process of chemically treating the dead human body to reduce the presence and
growth of microorganisms, to retard organic decomposition, and to restore acceptable physical
appearance. It is a procedure owing to which it is possible to preserve the body of the deceased
temporarily, whether in part or as a whole, and to display in on the catafalque. The use of balms
and balsams to permeate the dead body for preservation has given this process the name
embalming. Embalming has a very long and cross-cultural history, with many cultures giving the
embalming process a greater religious meaning. In some parts of the world, such as the US,
Australia, or New Zealand, embalming is an integral part of the burial, and it is required by law to
perform it before the remains of their citizens who died in other countries are brought back to their
homeland. Furthermore, it is necessary in cases in which more time has passed between the
moment of death and the burial of the deceased than usual.
Purpose
The three main goals of embalming are sanitation, temporary preservation of the body, and
restoration or presentation. Embalming sanitizes and preserves the body, retards the decomposition
process, and enhances the appearance of a body disfigured by traumatic death or illness.
Sometimes the dead body has to be transported from one country to another for burial or cremation,
and the time taken in transit would ordinarily lead to decomposition. In that case, embalming will
help preserve the body; it will make it possible to lengthen the time between death and the final
disposition, thus allowing family members time to arrange and participate in the type of service
most comforting to them. Also, by means of embalming, the dead body of some important
personality is preserved for some time for public view. Embalming is also used for anatomical
research and study. The cadavers are always very well fixed so that they can be used for not only
anatomical dissection but also research of the vascular system by vasography, kinematics of the
joint, and other histological examinations.
History of Embalming
The embalming process has a long history, and it can be different in various cultures. However,
Egypt is principally associated with the beginnings of the art and techniques of embalming.
Egyptians are claimed to have begun to mummify their dead intentionally starting in around 2600
BC, during the Fourth and Fifth Dynasties. It is recorded that probably before 400 BC,
approximately 730,000,000 bodies were mummified in Egypt. Much evidence has demonstrated
that embalming is religious in origin. The Egyptians believed that preservation of the mummy
allowed the soul to return to the preserved corpse.
Other cultures that had developed embalming processes include the Incas in Peru, whose climate
also favored a form of mummification. Other ancient peoples who practiced embalming were
Ethiopian tribes, aboriginal inhabitants of the Canary Islands, Babylonians, Persians, Syrians,
Greeks, Romans, and Sumerians, the Jivaro tribes of Ecuador, the Guanches, and Tibetans. Recent
studies have shown that Nigerian tribes also practiced traditional embalming. Wadel (1912), in
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chronicling the history of embalming, noted that some early Christians were embalmed, though
they rejected it as a pagan practice. The Biblical Joseph, for example, was embalmed.
In ancient times, embalming was mainly practiced in Asia, Africa and the pre-Columbian cultures
of South America. In June 1999, a burial ground containing almost 10,000 mummies was
discovered near Bawiti, 320 km southwest of Cairo. Following ancient times, it spread to Europe,
where it was attempted from time to time, especially during the Crusades, when crusading
noblemen wished to have their bodies preserved for burial closer to home. In 2002, mummified
bodies were discovered on an island in the Outer Hebides, Scotland, and dated from 10,000 BC.
Embalming began to come back into practice in parallel with the anatomists of the Renaissance,
who needed to be able to preserve their specimens. History has it that embalming in the
Renaissance period was minimal and by specialists only. Then, however, scientific development
influenced the practice such that discoveries in the world of medicine resulted in the development
of modern embalming techniques.
The scientific trends are as follows:
*Leonardo da Vinci (1452-1519) produced hundreds of anatomical plates as a result of dissection

of the human body. Da Vinci undoubtedly used arterial injections to preserve the specimens.
*Dr. William Harvey (1578-1657) was the English physician who discovered the circulation of
blood.
*Dr. Frederick Ruysch (1665-1717), a Dutch anatomist, is believed to be the first man to embalm
by injecting a prepared preservative chemical solution into the blood vessels. His technique is
unknown.
*Dr. William Hunter (1718-1783) is credited with being the first to successfully adopt arterial
injection as a means of preservation.
*Jean Gannal (1721-1783) began as an apothecary’s assistant and became the first to offer
embalming to the French general public.
*In 1867, the German chemist August Wilhelm von Hofmann discovered formaldehyde, whose
preservative properties were soon discovered and became the foundation for modern methods of
embalming.
*Dr. Thomas Holmes (1817-1900) is generally considered the father of modern embalming. He
experimented with preservative chemicals while working as a coroner’s assistant in New York. He
received a commission from the Army Medical Corps to embalm corpses of the dead Union
officers in the US Civil War to return to their families.
Contemporary embalming methods advanced markedly during the American Civil War. It is said
that modern embalming really got started during this period. The use of ice or otherwise freezing
was also introduced as an embalming technique during early American embalming.
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Embalming by arterial injection as a mortuary practice began in England in the 18th century by the
noted English physiologist Dr. William Harvey. He was said to have injected colored solution into
the arteries of cadavers. Research showed that the Dutch, German, and Scottish scientists,
Frederich Ruysch, Griel Claurus, and William Hunter, respectively, used similar arterial injections
for embalming of bodies. During the 18th century, William Hunter worked in London using
injection fluid containing turpentine, and oil of lavender colored with vermillion for the arterial
injection. He injected camphorated oil and wine into the chest and abdominal cavities.
The first generally accepted embalming preparation was arsenic solution. In the 19th and early 20th
centuries, arsenic was frequently used as an embalming fluid but has since been supplanted by
other more effective and less toxic fluids.
Today, typical embalming fluid contains a mixture of formaldehyde, methanol, ethanol and other
solvents. The formaldehyde content may range from 9% to 56%. The embalming fluid acts as both
disinfectant as well as preservative.
Methods and Chemicals
Ancient Embalming
Ancient embalming methods varied according to the different cultures and peoples. These methods
consisted of removal of the brains and viscera and the filling of bodily cavities with a mixture of
balsamic herbs and other substances. The ancient Egyptians are known for their embalming
techniques. There were five physical steps in the processing of an Egyptian corpse:
1. Removal of the brain: The brain was removed via the nasal cavity. The skull was refilled
with wax and resins.
2. Evisceration: The internal organs, such as the stomach, the liver, kidneys, and the heart
were removed. This was done through an incision in the abdomen. These organs, as well
as the brain, would be placed in “Coptic jars” that had been filled with a preserving fluid
with a salt base.
3. Immersion: The body was immersed in a salt-based solution. This would last anywhere
from 20 to 70 days. The longer the better.
4. Dehydration: The body was removed from its salt bath and washed, and the limbs were
arranged. After this, they would place the deceased in the sun to dehydrate.
5. Wrapping: This procedure would take several hours. About 1200 yards of three-and-a-half
inch wide linen strips would be used on the average body. When wrapping was concluded,
the body would be placed in its sarcophagus and returned to the family.
In Tibet, some bodies are still embalmed using the ancient formula of putting the body in a large
box and packing in salt for about three months, following which it goes into a mummified state.
Superficial embalming by anointing the body with unguents, perfumes, and spices was practiced
by ancient Babylonians and Greeks. The Greeks as well as Assyrians made use of honey. Some
Nigerian tribes also practiced superficial embalming. Use of alcohol in preserving human remains
dates from old Egyptians, and was practiced by British sea forces for hundreds of years. Nigerian
tribes also used alcohol in embalming. The Persians used wax, and the Jews used spices and aloes.
The ancient methods also included the use of hot water and hot oil. The ancient Romans washed
their dead bodies for seven days with hot water and hot oil.
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Modern Embalming
Modern embalming techniques are the result of the accumulation of many centuries of research,
trial and error, and invention. A standardized version of the actual modern embalming process
usually involves four parts:
1. Arterial embalming: This involves the injection of embalming chemicals into the blood
vessels, usually via the right common carotid artery. The blood is displaced from the right
jugular vein. The embalming solution is injected through a mechanical pump or bya
gravity-fed container. The embalmer massages the corpse to ensure a proper distribution
of the embalming fluid. In case of poor circulation, other injection points are used.
2. Cavity embalming: This involves the suction of the internal fluids of the corpse and the
injection of embalming chemicals into body cavities, using an aspirator and trocar. The
embalmer makes a small incision just above the navel and pushes the trocar into the chest
and stomach cavities to puncture the hollow organs and aspirate their contents. He then
fills the cavities with concentrated chemicals that contain formaldehyde.
3. Hypodermic embalming: Embalming chemicals are injected under the skin as needed.
4. Surface embalming: This supplements the other methods, especially for visible, injured
parts.
Freezing or use of ice was introduced as embalming methods during the American Civil War. This
practice is still in existence in developing countries like Nigeria. Technological advancement has
brought a new embalming technique, sorbent technology, for 21st century embalming, which has
eased the process. The sorbent is a unique mixture of wood pulp and absorbent polymer. The
sorbent has absorption and solidification characteristics. When the sorbent is placed into the
cavities, the drainage (fluid) is allowed to freely flow into these cavities. The drainage taken up by
the sorbent is removed as a solid mass ‒ one gram of the sorbent absorbs 12 times its weight.
Embalming in different cultures and Notable Embalmings
Most Christians allow embalming, except for some branches of the Orthodox Church. Orthodox
Jews prohibit it, since their deceased need to be buried within 24 hours of the moment of death,
but it is allowed in exceptional cases. Therefore, the final decision on the embalming is to be made
by the rabbi (the Jewish priest) of a specific community. The Muslims do not allow embalming,
since according to Islam, the body is considered sacred, and so is to be buried as soon as possible
in clean clothes and without a casket.
Throughout history, many of the military leaders who died far away from their home, such as Lord
Nelson after the Battle of Trafalgar, were embalmed in order to be buried in their homeland.
Various communist leaders have been embalmed and put on public display. Perhaps the most
famous embalmed body of the 20th century is that of Vladimir Lenin, which continues to draw
crowds decades after his death in 1924. Joseph Stalin was also embalmed and placed next to Lenin,
but his body was buried in 1961, during de-Stalinization.
Abraham Lincoln was embalmed after his assassination in 1865. In order to prevent anyone from
stealing Lincoln’s body, Lincoln’s eldest son had Lincoln’s grave unearthed in 1901 and had his
father’s body buried in a concrete vault in the burial room of his tomb in Springfield, Illinois.
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Fearing that his body might have been stolen in the interim, family members opened Lincoln’s
coffin, and his features were still recognizable, 36 years after his death.
Kemal Ataturk is another leader who was embalmed after his death. His remains were originally
laid to rest in the Ethnography Museum of Ankara for 15 years, from November 10, 1938 to
November 10, 1953. He was subsequently moved to Anıtkabir in Ankara, Turkey, and buried in a
42-ton sarcophagus.
Eva Perón was also embalmed, by Dr. Pedro Ara, after her death, ordered by her husband, Juan
Perón. The body was preserved to look as if it was in a sleep-like state. While a monument was
being constructed for Eva, her embalmed body was displayed in her former office for almost two
years. Before the monument to Eva was completed, Juan Perón was overthrown in a military coup,
and Eva’s body went missing. Its whereabouts were a mystery for 16 years, until 1971, when the
military revealed that her body was buried in a crypt in Milan, Italy, under the name “María
Maggi.” Her body was eventually returned to Argentina.
Diana, Princess of Wales, was embalmed shortly after her death in France in August 1997. The
decision to embalm her provoked conspiracy theories that she was pregnant, as the embalming
fluid would have destroyed any evidence of fetal presence in her womb. The official explanation
for the embalming was that the warm conditions in the chapel of rest, where her body was laid out,
would have sped up the decomposition of the remains.
Since the 19th century, with the arrival of funeral companies, embalming has become a routine
procedure used to treat an ever-increasing number of the deceased.
Medico-legal considerations
Embalming alters the appearance of the body, tissues, and organs, making it difficult to detect any
injury, disease, or poison. Hence, removal of specimens from such bodies should be completed
before embalming. Embalming incisions may be mistaken for non-existent ante-mortem stab
wounds. Skin bruises may be markedly accentuated due to increased transparency of the overlying
skin, resulting from perfusion with fixative.
In Britain, in a medico-legal case, conducting embalming before autopsy invites liability under
Section 201 IPC, causing disappearance of evidence of offense or giving false information. The
Anatomy Act allows for the collection of a dead body for teaching purposes only if the death
occurs in a State Hospital or in a Public Place within the prescribed zone of a medical institution
and provided the police have declared (after 48 hours) that there are no claimants for the body and
it may be used for medical purposes.
Hazards
Embalming products are hazardous and are regulated under hazardous substances legislation.
Exposure to embalming products, such as formaldehyde and glutaraldehyde, can pose serious
health risks to workers and can worsen existing health problems.
Formaldehyde is highly toxic by inhalation, skin contact, and by swallowing. Solutions containing
formaldehyde give off formaldehyde gas, which is easy to breathe in, so effective ventilation is
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essential. Breathing in formaldehyde can irritate nerves in the eyes and nose, while skin contact
can cause rashes and allergic reactions.
Some embalming solutions may contain glutaraldehyde. Glutaraldehyde may be used in

embalming products with or without formaldehyde. Glutaraldehyde is also extremely toxic, can
be fatal, and must be handled with care.
Both formaldehyde and glutaraldehyde are harmful to human organs. Getting formaldehyde- or
glutaraldehyde-containing solutions in your eyes can cause serious damage, including, in severe
cases, blindness. Acute effects on your health, such as eye, nose, and throat irritation, can occur
after single, large, or repeated exposure. In some cases, you may not notice an immediate effect,
but the effects may appear over a longer period of time. Long-term exposure to these embalming
products can seriously damage your health and can lead to cancer or damage your internal organs.
Both formaldehyde and glutaraldehyde can cause sensitization. When someone is sensitized to a
hazardous substance, repeated exposure can lead to dangerous health conditions, such as asthma
or dermatitis.
Embalmers need to be aware of the dangers of the products they use and how to safely manage
them. In general, hazardous products should be handled by qualified people.
It is not just the products used in the process that may pose a risk for the embalmers. These people
also run the risk of contracting certain diseases from a deceased body. Johns Hopkins researchers
have reported the first known case of tuberculosis transmitted from a cadaver to an embalmer.
Infectious HIV has been reported in the pleural fluid, pericardial fluid, and blood of such patients
after storage at 2°C for up to 16.5 days post-mortem. There is also a reported case of HIV recovered
from bone fragments, brain, bone marrow, spleen, and lymph nodes from a patient with AIDS at
autopsy six days after death. An accidental injury may occur during embalming, causing
occupational HIV infection.
Conclusion
In conclusion, embalming in most modern cultures is the art of temporarily preserving human
remains to retard decomposition and make it suitable for display at a funeral, and most important
of all, a science of preserving human body for anatomical research and study.
Adapted from http://www.pokop.hr/embalming.aspx
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/261438780_Embalming_and_other_methods_of_dead_body_preservation
file:///C:/Users/DBE-HP6300-01/Downloads/WKS-2-hazardous-substances-embalming-products.pdf
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Search Reading 7
1. The difference between the Soviet and American space programs was that the Soviets had
different design groups competing against each other to design the best projects, while the
Americans had a single coordinating agency, NASA.
2. Until the 1980s, when Mikhail Gorbachev’s glasnost policy was applied, some mission
results were revealed only if they were successful. When the missions ended with failure,
no information was given to the public because of the program’s classified status.
3. The intercontinental ballistic missile that the Soviet Union developed was considered to be
an excellent space launch vehicle, for it not only had a global range but also a huge capacity
to carry weight up to five tons. This is why it was later used to launch Sputnik 1.
4. Of all the manned spaceflights of the Vostok program, Vostok 5 flight lasted the longest
with almost five days, in which the human spaceflight endurance record was set by the 82
orbits.
5. Although it was at first decided that the cosmonauts had to be between 25 and 30 years
old, this was later changed because five of the 20 selected candidates were outside the
desired age range.
6. Gherman Titov, in 1961, was the first person to spend more than 24 hours in space and to
sleep in space.
7. The first living beings that returned safely from the Moon were Russian tortoises (on Zond
5 in 1968).
8. There are several reasons why Russia’s first civilian space center is constructed in that area
in the Far East district. First, the routes do not go over crowded places where many people
live. Also, there is existing traffic infrastructure, as well as great reserves of locally
produced electricity.
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SOVIET-RUSSIAN SPACE PROGRAM
The theory of space exploration had a solid basis in the Russian Empire before the First World
War with the writings of Konstantin Tsiolkovsky, a Russian math teacher. Tsiolkovsky published
pioneering papers in the late 19th and 20th centuries, one of which was Exploring Space with
Reactive Devices, the first great study of rocketry. He developed the basic formulas for space
travel: a rocket going 15,000mph would hold suborbital flight long enough to land halfway around
the world, one traveling 17,000mph would end up in orbit, and one traveling 25,000mph could
break free of the earth’s gravity and travel to the moon. His papers were largely ignored until the
1920s, when they were discovered by some German scientists fascinated with rocketry.
The Soviet Space Program was one of the great achievements of the Soviet Union. Sergey
Pavlovich Korolyov was the chief designer of the Soviet Space Program. Korolyov developed the
first generation of Soviet rockets based in part on blueprints of German V-2 rockets seized at the
end of World War II. Regarded as more influential than Werner von Braun, the father of the
American space program, he designed the rocket that lift Sputnik and the first man in space as well
as the first ballistic missile. However, unlike its American competitor in the “space race,” which
had NASA as a single coordinating agency, the USSR’s program was split among several
competing design groups led by Korolyov, Mikhail Yangel, Valentin Glushko, and Vladimir
Chelomei.
Over its sixty-year history, this primarily classified military program was responsible for a number
of pioneering accomplishments in space flight, including the first intercontinental ballistic
missile (1957), the first satellite (Sputnik 1), the first animal in space (the dog Laika on Sputnik
2), the first human in space and Earth orbit (cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin on Vostok 1), the first
woman in space and Earth orbit (cosmonaut Valentina Tereshkova on Vostok 6), the first
spacewalk (cosmonaut Alexey Leonov on Voskhod 2), the first Moon impact (Luna 2), the first
image of the far side of the moon (Luna 3) and unmanned lunar soft landing (Luna 9), the
first space rover, the first space station, and the first interplanetary probe, or investigation.
Due to the program’s classified status, announcements of the outcomes of missions were delayed
until success was certain, and failures were sometimes kept secret. Ultimately, as a result
of Mikhail Gorbachev’s policy of glasnost in the 1980s, the policy that allowed discussion of the
country’s problems, many facts about the space program were declassified. Notable setbacks
included the deaths of Korolyov, Vladimir Komarov, and Yuri Gagarin between 1966 and 1968.
Also, only then were the disastrous experiences with the huge N-1 rocket revealed. Using the N-1
rocket, the Russians aimed to send a man to the moon, but the Soviet moon program was
abandoned because the super-heavy booster developed for the project failed four times during
attempted launches. During its first unmanned test in 1969, the N-1 rose steadily for 68 seconds
before vibrations broke a fuel pipe, shutting down all the engines. The rocket crashed 34 miles
away. During a second test six months later, the rocket exploded in a massive fireball after a bolt
was sucked into one of the engines. The third and fourth tests also resulted in explosions.
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Sputnik, Vostok, and Voskhod Programs
The Soviet plan to launch a satellite was approved by Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev in January
1956. Plans were approved for Earth-orbiting satellites (Sputnik) to gain knowledge of space, and
four unmanned military reconnaissance satellites, Zenit.
Under the direction of the rocket pioneer Sergey Korolyov, the Soviet Union during the 1950s
developed an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) that was capable of delivering a
heavy nuclear warhead to American targets. That ICBM, called the R-7 or Semyorka, was first
successfully tested on August 21, 1957. Because of its global range and large payload of
approximately five tons, the reliable R-7 was effective as an excellent basis for a space vehicle.
When used as a space launch vehicle, this gave the Soviet Union a significant early advantage in
the weight that could be placed in orbit or sent to the Moon or nearby planets.
An unmodified R-7 was used to launch the first Soviet satellite, Sputnik 1, on October 4, 1957.
Sputnik 1 was about the size of a beach ball (58 cm in diameter), weighed only 83.6 kg, and took
about 98 minutes to orbit the Earth on its elliptical path. History changed on that day, when the
Soviet Union successfully launched the world’s first artificial satellite. That launch ushered in new
political, military, technological, and scientific developments. While the Sputnik launch was a
single event, it marked the start of the space age and the US-USSR space race.
After the first Sputnik proved successful, Korolyov was charged to accelerate the manned program,
the design of which was combined with the Zenit program to produce the Vostok spacecraft. Still
influenced by Tsiolkovsky ‒who had chosen Mars as the most important goal for space travel‒ in
the early 1960s, the Russian program under Korolyov created substantial plans for manned trips
to Mars as early as 1968 to 1970. Further planned developments called for a manned Earth
orbit flight by 1964 and an unmanned lunar mission at an earlier date.
The Vostok program was a Soviet human spaceflight project to put the first Soviet citizens
into low Earth orbit and return them safely. It succeeded in placing the first human, Yuri Gagarin,
into space, in a single orbit in Vostok 1 on April 12, 1961. The Vostok capsule was developed
from the Zenit satellite project and adapted the Vostok launch rocket from the existing R-7
missile design. The name “Vostok” was treated as classified information until Gagarin’s flight was
first publicly disclosed to the world press.
The program carried out six manned spaceflights between 1961 and 1963. The longest flight lasted
nearly five days, and the last four were launched in pairs, one day apart. This exceeded Project
Mercury’s demonstrated capability of longest flight which was just over 34 hours. The Soviet
Union ended its Vostok program the next month, with the human spaceflight endurance record set
by 82 orbits, almost 5-day Vostok 5 flight.
Vostok was succeeded by two Voskhod program flights in 1964 and 1965, which used three- and
two-man modifications of the Vostok capsule and a larger launch rocket.
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Soviet Space Dogs
On November 3, 1957, the Soviet Union placed a second satellite, Sputnik II in orbit. Several times
larger than its predecessor, it carried the first living creature into space ‒ a female Samoyed husky
dog named Laika.
Laika was placed in a cylindrical chamber kept at room temperature and supplied with oxygen.
She wore a special suit and was fed a nutritional paste, confined with metal straps and covers with
electrodes that monitored her pulse, respiration, and body movements. The purpose of her flight
was to test life support systems, check out the effects of weightlessness on balance, and drinking
and eating. She apparently suffered no ill effects from the weightlessness, reached a record altitude
of 1,050 miles for the earth, and died after 10 days when her oxygen ran out. Her spacecraft was
not designed to return to earth.
Two female Samoyed huskies, Belka and Strelka, were the first animals to be recovered from
space. They were sent aloft in August 1960, orbited the earth 17 times in 25 hours, and survived
the space flight and the re-entry to Earth. Three and half months after Belka and Strelka’s flight,
two other female Samoyed huskies, Ptsyolka and Mushka, were sent into orbit, but the entry angle
of their capsule was too steep, and they burned up during re-entry into the atmosphere.
Dogs were also sent up 50 miles into space with a human dummy filled with cockroaches, mice
and other creatures to test space suits for the first manned flights.
Cosmonaut selection and training
By January 1959, the Soviets had begun preparations for human spaceflight. Physicians from the
Soviet Air Force insisted that the potential cosmonaut candidates be qualified Air Force pilots,
arguing that they would have relevant skills such as exposure to higher g-forces, as well as ejection
seat experience. The candidates had to be intelligent, comfortable in high-stress situations, and
physically fit.
Chief designer of the Soviet space program, Sergei Korolyov, decided that the cosmonauts must
be male, between 25 and 30 years old, no taller than 1.75 meters, and weigh no more than 72
kilograms. The final specifications for cosmonauts were approved in June 1959. By September,
interviews with potential cosmonauts had begun. Although the pilots were not told they might be
flying into space, one of the physicians in charge of the selection process believed that some pilots
had figured this out. Just over 200 candidates made it through the interview process, and by
October, a series of demanding physical tests were conducted on those remaining, such as exposure
to low pressures and a centrifuge test. By the end of 1959, 20 men had been selected. Of these 20,
five were outside the desired age range; so the age requirement was altered. The Soviet spacecraft
were more automated than the American counterparts, so significant piloting experience was not
necessary.
On January 11, 1960, Soviet Chief Marshal of Aviation Konstantin Vershinin approved plans to
establish the Cosmonaut Training Center, whose exclusive purpose would be to prepare the
cosmonauts for their upcoming flights. Initially the facility would have about 250 staff. Vershinin
assigned the already famous aviator Nikolai Kamanin to supervise operations at the facility. By
March, most of the cosmonauts had arrived at the training facility; on March 7, Vershinin gave a
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welcome speech, and those who were present were formally inducted into the cosmonaut
group. By mid-June, all twenty were permanently stationed at the center. In March, the cosmonauts
were started on a daily fitness regime and were taught classes on such topics as rocket space
systems, navigation, geophysics, and astronomy.
Due to the initial facility’s space limitations, the cosmonauts and staff were relocated to a new
facility in Star City, which has been the home of Russia’s cosmonaut training program for over
fifty years. The move officially took place on June 29, 1960.
The first manned spaceflight in April 1961, Vostok 1, was preceded by several preparatory flights.
In the summer of 1960, the Soviets learned that the Americans could launch a sub-orbital manned
spaceflight as early as January 1961. Korolyov saw this as an important deadline and was
determined to launch a manned orbital mission before the Americans launched their
manned suborbital mission. By April 1960, designers at Sergei Korolyov’s design bureau, then
known as OKB-1, had completed a draft plan for the first Vostok spacecraft, called Vostok 1K.
This design would be used for testing purposes; also in their plan was Vostok 2K and Vostok 3K,
which would be used for all six manned Vostok missions.
Despite the very large geographical size of the Soviet Union, there were obvious limitations to
monitoring orbital spaceflights from ground stations within the country. To remedy this, the
Soviets stationed about 7 naval vessels, or tracking ships, around the world. For each ground
station or tracking ship, the duration of communications with an orbiting spacecraft was limited to
five to ten minutes.
First man in space
On April 12, 1961, the USSR opened the era of manned spaceflight, with the flight of the first
cosmonaut, Yuri Gagarin. Gagarin’s flight, part of the Soviet Vostok space exploration program,
took 108 minutes and consisted of a single orbit of the Earth.
On August 7, 1961, Gherman Titov, another Soviet cosmonaut, became the second man in orbit
during his Vostok 2 mission.
By June 16, 1962, the Union launched a total of six Vostok cosmonauts, two pairs of them flying
concurrently, and accumulating a total of 260 cosmonaut-orbits and just over sixteen cosmonaut-
days in space.
First woman in space
The first woman in space was former civilian parachutist Valentina Tereshkova, who entered orbit
on June 16, 1963, aboard the Soviet mission Vostok 6. The chief Soviet spacecraft designer,
Sergey Korolyov, conceived of the idea to recruit a female cosmonaut corps and launch two
women concurrently on Vostok 5/6. However, his plan was changed to launch a male first
in Vostok 5, followed shortly afterward by Tereshkova. Khrushchev personally spoke to
Tereshkova by radio during her flight.
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Notable firsts
 1957 : First intercontinental ballistic missile, the R-7 “Semyorka”
 1957 : First satellite, Sputnik 1
 1957 : First animal in Earth orbit, the dog Laika on Sputnik 2
 1959 : First rocket ignition in Earth orbit, first man-made object to escape Earth’s
gravity, Luna 1
 1959 : First data communications, or telemetry, to and from outer space, Luna 1
 1959 : First man-made object to pass near the Moon, first man-made object in
Heliocentric orbit, Luna 1
 1959 : First probe to impact the Moon, Luna 2
 1959 : First images of the moon’s far side, Luna 3
 1960 : First animals to safely return from Earth orbit, the dogs Belka and
Strelka on Sputnik 5.
 1961 : First probe launched to Venus, Venera 1
 1961 : First person in space (International definition) and in Earth orbit, Yuri
Gagarin on Vostok 1, Vostok programme
 1961 : First person to spend over 24 hours in space Gherman Titov, Vostok 2 (also first
person to sleep in space).
 1962 : First dual manned spaceflight, Vostok 3 and Vostok 4
 1962 : First probe launched to Mars, Mars 1
 1963 : First woman in space, Valentina Tereshkova, Vostok 6
 1964 : First multi-person crew (3), Voskhod 1
 1965 : First extra-vehicular activity (EVA), by Aleksei Leonov, Voskhod 2
 1965 : First probe to hit another planet of the Solar system (Venus), Venera 3
 1966 : First probe to make a soft landing on and transmit from the surface of the
moon, Luna 9
 1966 : First probe in lunar orbit, Luna 10
 1967 : First unmanned rendezvous and docking, Cosmos 186/Cosmos 188.
 1968 : First living beings to reach the Moon (circumlunar flights) and return unharmed
to Earth, Russian tortoises on Zond 5
 1969 : First docking between two manned craft in Earth orbit and exchange of
crews, Soyuz 4 and Soyuz 5
 1970 : First soil samples automatically extracted and returned to Earth from another
celestial body, Luna 16
 1970 : First robotic space rover, Lunokhod 1 on the Moon.
 1970 : First data received from the surface of another planet of the Solar
system (Venus), Venera 7
 1971 : First space station, Salyut 1
 1971 : First probe to impact the surface of Mars, Mars 2
 1971 : First probe to land on Mars, Mars 3
 1975 : First probe to orbit Venus, to make soft landing on Venus, first photos from
surface of Venus, Venera 9
 1980 : First Hispanic and Black person in space, Arnaldo Tamayo Méndez on Soyuz 38
 1984 : First woman to walk in space, Svetlana Savitskaya (Salyut 7 space station)
 1986 : First crew to visit two separate space stations (Mir and Salyut 7)
 1986 : First probes to deploy robotic balloons into Venus atmosphere and to return
pictures of a comet during close flyby Vega 1, Vega 2
 1986 : First permanently manned space station, Mir, 1986–2001, with permanent
presence on board (1989–1999)
 1987 : First crew to spend over one year in space, Vladimir Titov and Musa Manarov on
board of Soyuz TM-4 - Mir
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SPACE CENTERS
Baikonur Space Center
Baikonur Space Center is the first and the largest cosmodrome in the world. The area of this
spaceport is 6717 km². It is located in Kazakhstan. The spaceport is currently leased by the Kazakh
Government to Russia until 2050, and is managed jointly by the Roscosmos State Corporation and
the Russian Aerospace Forces.
Today, Baikonur Space Center consists of nine launching sites, four launchers for testing
intercontinental ballistic missiles, 13 assembly and testing facility, 600 transforming substations,
two airfields, 470 km of railways, 1281 km of roads, 6610 km of transmission lines, and 2784 km
of telecommunication lines.
Guiana Space Centre
The Guiana Space Centre, or more commonly, Centre Spatial Guyanais, (CSG) is a French and
European spaceport to the northwest of Kourou in French Guiana. Operational since 1968, it is
particularly suitable as a location for a spaceport as it fulfills the two major geographical
requirements of such a site. First, it is near the equator, so that the spinning Earth can impart extra
velocity to the rockets for free when launched eastward, and second, it has open sea to the east, so
that lower stages of rockets and debris from launch failures cannot fall on human habitations.
The European Space Agency (ESA), the French Space Agency (CNES), and the commercial
companies Arianespace and Azercosmos conduct launches from Kourou.
Vostochny Space Center
Today, Russia’s space industry is experiencing a resurgence spearheaded by reforms of the

aerospace industry enterprises, reevaluation of Russia’s place in the system of international space
cooperation, and in-depth review of the goals and pathways of future development. For the first
time in many years, decisions on space industry’s development are not based solely on politics,
but take into account pragmatic objectives, such as the progress of science and industry, the
strengthening of Russia’s defensive capacity, and development of international relations with the
help of new opportunities.
One of such objectives was the creation of Russia’s first civilian space center known as Vostochny.
This launching site will have to assure independent space access from Russia’s territory across the
whole range of space-related tasks. With its very own space center that will be a launchpad for
orbiting spacecraft, man-carrying flights, and deep space explorations, Russia is becoming a
serious and prominent partner for international space projects.
Vostochny is a 21st century space center representative of Russia’s new philosophy. It is 8,000 km
away from Moscow and 180 km from Blagoveshchensk. The center has an area of 700 km2, with
the space center, airport and the town of Tsiolkovsky, which will become the technological center
of the future space cluster.
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The reason why Vostochny Space Center was built here is that the launch routes go over water and
sparsely populated regions of the Far East, which means additional safety for people and residential
properties. Also, there’s already traffic infrastructure in place: the Baikal-Amur Mainline and
Chita-Khabarovsky highway, as well as great reserves of locally produced electricity.
Adapted from http://en.roscosmos.ru/
http://factsanddetails.com/russia/Nature_Science_Animals/sub9_8d/entry-5070.html
http://factsanddetails.com/russia/Nature_Science_Animals/sub9_8d/entry-5071.html
http://factsanddetails.com/russia/Nature_Science_Animals/sub9_8d/entry-5072.html#chapter-2
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Search Reading 8
Fill in the blanks with information extracted from the text. Keep your answers as short as possible.
Text I.
1. Although OCD patients are aware that their obsessions are not true, they still can’t avoid
focusing on the obsessions or they can’t stop the compulsive actions.
2. While obsessions are a set of impulses, anxiety- or disgust-causing images, or thoughts that
come to mind recurrently and persistently, compulsions are recurrent behaviors or mental
acts whose aim is to prevent or reduce distress or a feared situation triggered by
obsessions.
3. In the treatment of OCD, simple techniques of relaxation can be helpful in relieving the
stress and anxiety caused by OCD.
Text II.
4. It is normal that everyone has their own insecurities. When one looks into the mirror, s/he
may think that some part of his/her body is imperfect. But for normal people, these thoughts
can easily disappear when they step away from the mirror. That is, such imperfections don’t
interfere with their daily lives.
5. People with BDD (body dysmorphic disorder) think about their flaws for hours every day.
Sometimes these flaws are real, and sometimes only people with BDD perceive them as
real. They are unable to control their pessimistic thoughts and when they are told (that)
they look fine, they don’t believe this.
6. According to the percentages given in 2013 by American Psychiatric Association, in the

US, BDD often starts during adolescence at the ages of 12 or 13, and is seen in about 2.5%
in males and in 2.2 % of females.
7. It is not very easy to live with BDD. Megan Bain-Kretschmer, a BDD sufferer, explains
that the disorder causes self-disgust, and this feeling creates a distance between her and her
husband and friends. This distance creates a physical and emotional barrier between them.
8. In addition to conventional methods of treatment, Dr. Gorbis uses some original methods
such as exposure to (distorting) funhouse mirrors / explorative therapy to treat BDD.
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Text I.
What Is Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder?
Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is an anxiety disorder in which people have recurring,

unwanted thoughts, ideas or sensations (obsessions) that make them feel driven to do something
repetitively (compulsions). The repetitive behaviors, such as hand washing, checking on things or
cleaning, can significantly interfere with a person’s daily activities and social interactions.
Many people have focused thoughts or repeated behaviors. But these do not disrupt daily life and
may add structure or make tasks easier. For people with OCD, thoughts are persistent and
unwanted routines and behaviors are rigid, and not doing them causes great distress. Many people
with OCD know or suspect their obsessions are not true; others may think they could be true
(known as poor insight). Even if they know their obsessions are not true, people with OCD have a
hard time keeping their focus off the obsessions or stopping the compulsive actions.
A diagnosis of OCD requires the presence of obsession and/or compulsions that are time-
consuming (more than one hour a day), cause major distress, and impair work, social or other
important function. About 1.2 percent of Americans have OCD, and among adults, slightly more
women than man are affected. OCD often begins in childhood, adolescence or early adulthood;
the average age symptoms appear is 19 years old.
Obsessions
Obsessions are recurrent and persistent thoughts, impulses, or images that cause distressing
emotions such as anxiety or disgust. Many people with OCD recognize that the thoughts, impulses,
or images are a product of their mind and are excessive or unreasonable. Yet these intrusive
thoughts cannot be settled by logic or reasoning. Most people with OCD try to ignore or suppress
such obsessions or offset them with some other thought or action. Typical obsessions include
excessive concerns about contamination or harm, the need for symmetry or exactness, or forbidden
sexual or religious thoughts.
Compulsions
Compulsions are repetitive behaviors or mental acts that a person feels driven to perform in
response to an obsession. The aim of these behaviors or acts is to prevent or reduce distress or a
feared situation caused by obsessions. In the most severe cases, a constant repetition of rituals may
fill the day, making a normal routine impossible. Compounding the anguish these rituals cause is
the knowledge that the compulsions are irrational. Although the compulsion may bring some relief
to the worry, the obsession returns and the cycle repeats over and over.
Some examples of compulsions:
- Cleaning to reduce the fear that germs, dirt, or chemicals will “contaminate” them. Some
people spend many hours washing themselves or cleaning their surroundings.
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- Repeating to dispel anxiety. Some people utter a name or phrase or repeat a behavior
several times. They know these repetitions won’t actually guard against injury but fear
harm will occur if the repetitions aren’t done.
- Checking to reduce the fear of harming oneself or others by, for example, forgetting to lock
the door or turn off the gas stove. Some people develop checking rituals. Some people
repeatedly retrace driving routes to be sure they haven’t hit anyone.
- Ordering and arranging to reduce discomfort. Some people like to put objects, such as
books in a certain order, or arrange household items “just so,” or in a symmetric fashion.
- Mental compulsions in response to intrusive obsessive thoughts. Some people silently pray
or say phrases to reduce anxiety or prevent a dreaded future event.
Treatment Types
a) Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy
One effective treatment is a type of cognitive-behavioral therapy known as exposure and response
prevention. During treatment sessions, patients are exposed to the situations that create anxiety
and provoke compulsive behavior or mental rituals. Through exposure, patients learn to decrease
and then stop the rituals that consume their lives. They find that the anxiety arising from their
obsessions lessens without engaging in ritualistic behavior. This technique works well for patients
whose compulsions focus on situations that can be re-created easily. For patients who engage in
compulsive rituals because they fear catastrophic events that can’t be re-created, therapy relies on
imagining exposure to the anxiety-producing situations. Throughout therapy, the patient follows
exposure and response prevention guidelines on which the therapist and patient agree.
Cognitive-behavior therapy can help many OCD patients substantially reduce their OCD
symptoms. However, treatment only works if patients adhere to the procedures. Some patients will
not agree to participate in cognitive-behavioral therapy because of the anxiety it involves.
b) Medication
A class of medications known as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) is effective in the
treatment of OCD. (The SSRI dosage used to treat OCD may be higher than that used to treat
depression.) Patients who do not respond to one medication sometimes respond to another. Other
psychiatric medications can also be effective. Noticeable benefit usually takes six to twelve weeks
to occur.
Patients with OCD who have received appropriate treatment have shown to have increased quality
of life and improved functioning. Successful treatment may improve the individual’s ability to
attend school, work, develop and enjoy relationships and pursue leisure activities.
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c) Self-help and Coping
Keeping a healthy lifestyle and being aware of warning signs and what to do if they return can
help in coping with OCD and related disorders. Also, using basic relaxation techniques, such as
meditation, yoga, visualization, and massage, can help ease the stress and anxiety caused by OCD.
Text II.
What Is Body Dysmorphic Disorder?
Insecurities: We’ve all got them. Perhaps when looking in the mirror, we wish our teeth were
whiter or our skin were smoother. Indeed, most of us have something we don’t like about our
appearance ‒ a crooked nose, an uneven smile, or eyes that are too large or too small. And though
we may fret about our imperfections, they don’t interfere with our daily lives. When we step away
from the glass, these thoughts typically fade into the background, and we continue our day.
But what if these minor insecurities didn’t fade, but were rather amplified, compromising our
ability to function? For more than 5 million Americans, this is a daily reality, and it’s called body
dysmorphic disorder. People who have body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) think about their real or
perceived flaws for hours each day. They can’t control their negative thoughts and don’t believe
people who tell them that they look fine. Their thoughts may cause severe emotional distress and
interfere with their daily functioning. They may miss work or school, avoid social situations, and
isolate themselves, even from family and friends, because they fear others will notice their flaws.
According to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America, BDD is a body-image disorder
that involves repetitive behaviors and debilitating fixations on a perceived — or imagined — flaw
in one’s appearance, including their face, skin, hair, genitals, and body type. An individual
struggling with the disorder may spend absurd amounts of time examining their body for defects,
comparing themselves to others or engaging in excessive exercise or primping. These obsessions
cause daily tasks, goals, and social interactions to be entirely interrupted, if not brought to a
screeching halt. In some cases, the extraordinary distress of BDD has led to suicide. Dysmorphia
shouldn’t be confused for dysphoria, which typically refers specifically to gender dysphoria and is
when a person’s assigned gender at birth does not match the gender to which they identify.
Characteristics of BDD: Percentages and Numbers
BDD is a body-image disorder characterized by persistent and intrusive preoccupations with an

imagined or slight defect in one’s appearance. People with BDD can dislike any part of their body,
although they often find fault with their hair, skin, nose, chest, or stomach. In reality, a perceived
defect may be only a slight imperfection or nonexistent. But for someone with BDD, the flaw is
significant and prominent, often causing severe emotional distress and difficulties in daily
functioning. BDD most often develops in adolescents and teens, starting at the age of 12 or 13,
and research shows that it affects men and women almost equally. In the United States, BDD
occurs in about 2.5% of males, and in 2.2 % of females. (American Psychiatric Association, 2013).
309
What causes BDD?
The causes of BDD are unclear, but certain factors may contribute to its development. According
to Dr. Eda Gorbis, director and founder of the Westwood Institute for Anxiety Disorders, BDD
can stem from a number of biological and environmental factors. These may include genetic
predisposition to compulsive disorders, cognitive malfunction, peer groups or childhood trauma.
While the media appears to be a probable culprit behind BDD, Gorbis informs us otherwise.
“While there is an overfocus in the media towards the way we look, this disorder occurs around
the world, regardless of access to media or socioeconomic status,” she says. “Only those who are
predisposed to the illness will encounter the illness.” And perhaps surprisingly, it affects women
and men almost equally.
Signs and Symptoms of BDD
People with BDD suffer from obsessions about their appearance that can last for hours or up to an
entire day. BDD obsessions may be focused on musculature (i.e. fixation on muscle mass or
definition). Hard to resist or control, these obsessions make it difficult for people with BDD to
focus on anything but their imperfections. This can lead to low self-esteem, avoidance of social
situations, and problems at work or school.
BDD sufferers may perform some type of compulsive or repetitive behavior to try to hide or
improve their flaws although these behaviors usually give only temporary relief. Examples can be
listed as camouflaging (with body position, clothing, makeup, hair, hats, etc.), comparing body
part to others’ appearance, seeking surgery, checking in a mirror, avoiding mirrors, skin picking,
excessive grooming, excessive exercise, or changing clothes excessively.
BDD and Other Mental Health Disorders
Dr. Gorbis stresses the fact that BDD is often misdiagnosed as OCD (Obsessive-Compulsive
Disorder), social anxiety, clinical depression, or an eating disorder. However, typically developed
during adolescence, BDD actually emerges as an accumulation of several of these issues. In fact,
people with BDD commonly also suffer from all these anxiety disorders.
BDD can also be misunderstood as one of these disorders because they share similar symptoms.
The intrusive thoughts and repetitive behaviors exhibited in BDD are similar to the obsessions and
compulsions of OCD. Yet, BDD is distinguished from OCD when the preoccupations or repetitive
behaviors focus specifically on appearance. Avoiding social situations in BDD may be due to
shame or embarrassment of one’s physical appearance and is similar to the behavior of some
people with social anxiety disorder.
So, what is it really like to live with BDD?
Megan Bain-Kretschmer, a 27-year-old mother of three, opened up about her ongoing journey with
the disorder — a journey that is anything but linear. From a young age, Bain-Kretschmer found
herself struggling with body image, spending hours in front of the mirror cataloging each of her
flaws and screaming hateful words at herself. She would often engage in cycles of restricting food,
monitoring her weight, and binge-eating. Even after years of therapy, these internal conflicts
followed her into adulthood. “Some mornings, I can’t even lift my eyes to look into the mirror
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because all of the imperfections on my face immediately jump out and start yelling at me, telling
me how pathetic I am,” Bain-Kretschmer says. “On those days, I generally avoid going out in
public or wearing clothes that might feel snug or revealing. I can’t even look at myself, let alone
expect anyone else to want to see me.” On other days, she’ll starve herself before overexercising,
with the goal of getting in the perfect shape and achieving a sense of “worthiness.” Bain-
Kretschmer explains that the self-hatred that comes with the bad days of BDD places a physical
and emotional barrier between her and her husband and distances her from her friends. And even
on a good day, BDD lingers.
Treatment
While the media images may be thought to have a tendency to increase the severity of BDD, as
Dr. Gorbis refutes this idea, another option appears: Could the media be the solution to this
problem? Thanks to powerful body-positive models like Ashley Graham and Ruby Vizcarra and
the ongoing efforts toward destigmatizing plastic surgery, individuals are encouraged to love the
skin they’re in while retaining the freedom to change their appearance as they please. Doesn’t that
solve the issue? Not quite. Remember, the self-imagery feedback between the eye and the brain of
these individuals is incredibly distorted, and while a surgery might “fix” a perceived flaw to one’s
satisfaction, the obsession can simply shift its focus to another feature. In fact, Gorbis advises
BDD patients to avoid plastic surgery and instead address and treat the issue as a psychiatric
disorder.
To get an accurate diagnosis and appropriate treatment, people must mention specifically their
concerns with their appearance when they talk to a doctor or mental health professional. A trained
clinician should diagnose BDD. However, you can take a self-test that can help suggest if BDD is
present, but it will not offer a definitive diagnosis. If your child is preoccupied with appearance so
that it interferes with concentration in school or if behaviors listed above appear, talk to a mental
health professional.
Effective treatments are available to help BDD sufferers live full, productive lives. Cognitive-
behavioral therapy (CBT) teaches patients to recognize irrational thoughts and change negative
thinking patterns. Patients learn to identify unhealthy ways of thinking and behaving and replace
them with positive ones. Antidepressant medications, including selective serotonin reuptake
inhibitors (SSRIs), can help relieve the obsessive and compulsive symptoms of BDD. Treatment
is tailored to each patient, so it is important to talk with a doctor to determine the best individual
approach. Many doctors recommend using a combination of treatments for best results.
Aside from these conventional methods (such as prescription medications in addition to forms of
cognitive behavioral therapy employed to change one’s perception of self-image), with which
BDD can be professionally treated, there are some options of treatment that are unprecedented.
While working to establish formal structure in her patients’ daily lives, Dr. Gorbis also uses some
unconventional treatments with her BDD patients, including — ironically — exposure to distorting
funhouse mirrors. “The whole idea of psychiatry is to externalize distorted feelings,” Gorbis
explains. “These mirrors help them to understand how they see themselves daily and externalize
what is internally improper.”
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In addition to explorative therapy, Bain-Kretschmer follows an interesting pathway as a BDD
patient, and she keeps up with personal journaling, spends time with her kids, and practices
powerlifting to combat BDD. She says these mindful lifestyle changes have increased her capacity
to love herself and have made the bad days less common. While there is currently no cure for the
disorder, she wants to help other individuals make the same progress. “I want to make sure anyone
struggling with BDD knows that they’re not alone, that seeking help is the strongest and most
brave thing they will ever do,” Bain-Kretschmer says. “There is a light at the end of the tunnel
where myself and the rest of BDD sufferers will be waiting to love them and cheer them on through
this lifelong battle.”
Adapted from http://www.sheknows.com/health-and-wellness/articles/1137838/body-dysmorphia-more-than-low-self-esteem

https://adaa.org/understanding-anxiety/related-illnesses/other-related-conditions/body-dysmorphic-disorder-bdd#
https://www.psychiatry.org/patients-families/ocd/what-is-obsessive-compulsive-disorder
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Search Reading 9
1. The teacher-centered approach to learning considers students to be “empty vessels,” who

are the passive receivers of knowledge from teachers through lectures and direct
instruction. This approach measures the learning of students through objectively scored
tests and assessments.
2. In the direct instruction model, in which systematic and scripted lesson plans are often
employed, teachers and professors perform their duties as the sole supplier of knowledge.
3. Founded on the notion of multiple intelligences, demanding students to do, make, or create,
kinesthetic learning is also known as hands-on learning or tactile learning.
4. A teacher using differentiated instruction would assign students readings at their own
levels, or provide them with different spelling lists. Also, s/he would meet with small
groups to reteach topics.
5. In the class of a teacher who utilizes inquiry-based learning, if the teacher applies the
personal model style, students learn by observing and copying the teacher’s process.
6. Expeditionary learning, which uses G Suite and Internet access to help and guide student
research, presentation, and implementation of projects, takes as it core the following two
strategies: the hands-on work and getting out into the community.
7. While personalized learning tremendously centralizes students, teachers’ presence in the

lessons are still required. Moreover, because of the online format of the lessons and
programs, teachers need to have the ability to easily navigate virtual platforms.
8. Game-based learning equips students with the necessary problem-solving abilities and soft
skills, so this type of learning does not concentrate on grades, but rather helps develop a
“mastery” mindset.
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TEACHING METHODS
The term teaching method refers to the general principles, pedagogy, and management strategies
used for classroom instruction. Your choice of teaching method depends on what fits you – your
educational philosophy, classroom demographic, subject area(s), and school mission statement.
Teaching theories can be organized into four categories based on two major parameters: a teacher-
centered approach versus a student-centered approach, and high-tech material use versus low-tech
material use.
Teacher-Centered Approach to Learning
Taken to its most extreme interpretation, teachers are the main authority figure in a teacher-
centered instruction model. Students are viewed as “empty vessels” who passively receive
knowledge from their teachers through lectures and direct instruction, with an end goal of positive
results from testing and assessment. In this style, teaching and assessment are viewed as two
separate entities; student learning is measured through objectively scored tests and assessments.
Student-Centered Approach to Learning
While teachers are still an authority figure in a student-centered teaching model, teachers and
students play an equally active role in the learning process. The teacher’s primary role is to coach
and facilitate student learning and overall comprehension of material, and to measure student
learning through both formal and informal forms of assessment, like group projects, student
portfolios, and class participation. In the student-centered classroom, teaching and assessment are
connected because student learning is continuously measured during teacher instruction.
High Tech Approach to Learning
Advancements in technology have propelled the education sector in the last few decades. As the
name suggests, the high tech approach to learning utilizes different technology to aid students in
their classroom learning. Many educators use computers and tablets in the classroom, and others
may use the Internet to assign homework. The Internet is also beneficial in a classroom setting as
it provides unlimited resources. Teachers may also use the Internet in order to connect their
students with people from around the world. Below are some tech tools used in classrooms today:
- G Suite (Gmail, Docs, Drive, and Calendar)
- Tablets/laptops
- Gamification software (such as 3DGameLab and Classcraft)
- Education-focused social media platforms
- Technology for accessibility for students with disabilities
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Low Tech Approach to Learning
While technology undoubtedly has changed education, many educators opt to use a more
traditional, low tech approach to learning. Some learning styles require a physical presence and
interaction between the educator and the student. Additionally, some research has shown that low-
tech classrooms may boost learning. For example, students who take handwritten notes have better
recall than students who take typed notes. Another downside of technology in the classroom may
be that students exposed to spell check and autocorrect features at an earlier age may be weaker in
spelling and writing skills. Ultimately, tailoring the learning experience to different types of
learners is incredibly important, and sometimes students work better with a low-tech approach.
Here are some examples of low technology usage in different teaching methodologies:
- Kinesthetic learners have a need for movement when learning. Teachers should allow
students to move around, speak with hands and gestures.
- Expeditionary learning involves “learning by doing” and participating in a hands-on

experience. Students may participate in fieldwork, learning expeditions, projects or case
studies to be able to apply knowledge learned in the classroom to the real world, rather than
learning through the virtual world.
- Many types of vocational or practical training cannot be learned virtually, whether it be a

laboratory experiment or woodworking.
Through these different approaches to teaching, educators can gain a better understanding of how
best to govern their classrooms, implement instruction, and connect with their students. Within
each category of teacher and student centeredness and tech usage, there are specific teaching roles
or “methods” of instructor behavior that feature their own unique mix of learning and assessment
practices. Learn more about each one to find the best fit for your classroom.
Teacher-Centered Methods of Instruction
- Direct Instruction (Low Tech)
Direct instruction is the general term that refers to the traditional teaching strategy that relies on
explicit teaching through lectures and teacher-led demonstrations. In this method of instruction,
the teacher might play one or all of the following roles:
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As the primary teaching strategy under the teacher-centered approach, direct instruction utilizes
passive learning, or the idea that students can learn what they need to through listening and
watching very precise instruction. Teachers and professors act as the sole supplier of knowledge,
and under the direct instruction model, teachers often utilize systematic, scripted lesson plans.
Direct instruction programs include exactly what the teacher should say, and activities that students
should complete, for every minute of the lesson.
Because it does not include student preferences or give them opportunities for hands-on or
alternative types of learning, direct instruction is extremely teacher-centered. It’s also fairly low-
tech, often relying on the use of textbooks and workbooks instead of computers and devices.
- Flipped Classrooms (High Tech)
The idea of the flipped classroom began in 2007, when two teachers began using software that
would let them record their live lectures. By the next school year, they were implementing pre-
recorded lectures and sharing the idea of what became known as the flipped classroom.
Broadly, the flipped classroom label describes the teaching structure that has students watch pre-
recorded lessons at home and complete in-class assignments, as opposed to hearing lectures in
class and doing homework at home. Teachers who implement the flipped classroom model often
film their own instructional videos, but many also use pre-made videos from online sources.
A key benefit of the flipped classroom model is that it allows students to work at their own pace if
that is how the teacher chooses to implement it. In some cases, teachers may assign the same videos
to all students, while in others, teachers may choose to allow students to watch new videos as they
master topics (taking on a more “differentiated” approach).
But despite this potential for more student-centeredness, flipped classroom models are still mostly
based on a teacher’s idea of how learning should happen and what information students need,
making it chiefly teacher-centered. From a technology perspective, the system hinges on pre-
recorded lessons and online activities, meaning both students and teachers need a good Internet
connection and devices that can access it.
- Kinesthetic Learning (Low Tech)
Sometimes known as tactile learning or hands-on learning, kinesthetic learning is based on the
idea of multiple intelligences, requiring students to do, make, or create. In a kinesthetic learning
environment, students perform physical activities rather than listen to lectures or watch
demonstrations. Hands-on experiences, drawing, role-play, building, and the use of drama and
sports are all examples of kinesthetic classroom activities.
Though a great way to keep students engaged and, at times, simply awake, very few classrooms
employ kinesthetic learning activities exclusively. One reason is that, despite the popularity of
learning style theories, there is a lack of research-based evidence that shows that teaching to certain
learning styles produces better academic results.
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One upside is that kinesthetic learning is rarely based on technology, as the method values
movement and creativity over technological skills. That means it’s cheap and fairly low-barrier to
adopt, as well as a welcome break from students’ existing screen time. Kinesthetic learning can be
more student-centered than teacher-centered when students are given the choice of how to use
movement to learn new information or experience new skills, so it’s also adaptable to a teacher’s
particular classroom preferences.
Student-Centered Methods of Instruction
- Differentiated Instruction (Low Tech)
Differentiated instruction is the teaching practice of tailoring instruction to meet individual student
needs. It initially grew popular with the 1975 Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA),
which ensured all children had equal access to public education. The Individualized Education
Programs (IEPs) that started under IDEA helped classroom teachers differentiate for students with
special needs. Today, differentiated instruction is used to meet the needs of all types of learners.
Teachers can differentiate in a number of ways: how students access content, the types of activities
students do to master a concept, what the end product of learning looks like, and how the classroom
is set up. Some examples of differentiation include: having students read books at their own
reading levels, offering different spelling lists to students, or meeting in small groups to reteach
topics.
Though differentiation is focused on individual student needs, it is mostly planned and

implemented by the teacher. And technology, though a potential aid, is not a hallmark of the
differentiated teaching style, making it a fairly traditional, low-barrier method to adopt.
- Inquiry-based Learning (High Tech)
Based on student investigation and hands-on projects, inquiry-based learning is a teaching method
that casts a teacher as a supportive figure who provides guidance and support for students
throughout their learning process, rather than a sole authority figure.
In this method of instruction, the teacher might play one or all of the following roles:
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Teachers encourage students to ask questions and consider what they want to know about the world
around them. Students then research their questions, find information and sources that explain key
concepts, and solve problems they may encounter along the way. Findings might be presented as
self-made videos, websites, or formal presentations of research results.
Inquiry-based learning falls under the student-centered approach, in which students play an active
and participatory role in their own learning. But teacher facilitation is also extremely key to the
process. Usually, during the inquiry cycle, every student is working on a different question or
topic. In this environment, teachers ask high-level questions and make research suggestions about
the process rather than the content. At the end of the inquiry cycle, students reflect on the
experience and what they have learned. They also consider how it connects to other topics of
interest since an inquiry on one topic often results in more questions, and then an inquiry into new
fields.
Inquiry-based learning can make great use of technology through online research sites, social
media, and the possibility for global connections with people outside of the community. But
depending on the subject at hand, it doesn’t necessarily require it.
- Expeditionary Learning (High Tech)
Expeditionary learning is based on the ideas of the educator who founded Outward Bound, and is
a form of project-based learning in which students go on expeditions and engage in in-depth study
of topics that impact their schools and communities.
The learning in this model includes multiple content areas so that students can see how problem-
solving can happen in the real world – ideally, their own worlds. A student in a big city, for
example, might study statistics about pollution, read information about its effects, and travel to
sites in their city that have been impacted by the problem. When they have a good understanding
of the circumstances, students and teachers work to find a solution they can actively implement.
Technology-wise, G Suite (Google Docs, Sheets, and Drive) and Internet access can aid student
research, presentation, and implementation of projects. But it’s the hands-on work and getting out
into the community that’s the cornerstone of this methodology.
- Personalized Learning (High Tech)
Personalized learning is such a new educational model that its definition is still evolving. At the
heart of the model, teachers have students follow personalized learning plans that are specific to
their interests and skills. Student self-direction and choice in the curriculum are hallmarks of
personalized learning.
Assessment is also tailored to the individual: schools and classrooms that implement personalized
learning use competency-based progression, so that students can move onto the next standards or
topics when they’ve mastered what they’re currently working on. That way, students in
personalized learning classrooms can progress to work beyond their grade level as they master
topics, while students who need additional help have that time built into their daily schedules as
well.
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There’s also room for an emphasis on college and career readiness in personalized learning
environments. Students who don’t require remediation or extension work can instead work with
teachers to nurture social skills and other 21st-century skills lessons and receive mentoring.
Personalized learning is extremely student centered, but teachers are required to be present in the
lessons, look at frequent assessment data, and meet with students to make any necessary changes
to their learning plans. They’ll also need to have a certain comfort level with technology: the
differentiated and personalized instruction that students receive often come in the form of online
lessons and programs, so teachers must be able to navigate virtual platforms with ease.
- Game-based Learning (High Tech)
Game-based learning comes from the desire to engage students in more active learning in the
classroom. Because they require students to be problem solvers and use soft skills that they will
need as adults, games are a great way to encourage a “mastery” mindset, rather than a focus on
grades.
In a game-based learning environment, students work on quests to accomplish a specific goal

(learning objective) by choosing actions and experimenting along the way. As students make
certain progress or achievements, they can earn badges and experience points, just like they would
in their favorite video games.
Game-based learning requires a lot of time and planning on the teachers’ part. Fortunately, there
is software that makes this process much easier, like 3DGameLab and Classcraft. Teachers who
use this software may be better at differentiating quests for students because of the data the
programs provide.
Because teachers play a big role in planning and creating content under this model, game-based
learning isn’t completely student-centered. But it is still very much focused on the student, who
works at his/her own pace and makes independent choices in a gamified environment.
Taken from https://teach.com/what/teachers-know/teaching-methods/
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Search Reading 10
1. Unlike classical mechanics, which holds the view that objects exist in a particular time and
place, quantum mechanics views the existence of objects in a haze of probability.
2. The earliest known research concerning the wave nature of light started in the 17th and 18th
centuries, when a wave theory of light was proposed by the early scientists Robert Hooke,
Christiaan Huygens, and Leonhard Euler, based on their experimental observations.
3. Three revolutionary principles that shed light on the evolution of quantum mechanics were
foregrounded by many scientists altogether between 1900 and 1930. These three principles
were quantized properties, particles of light, and waves of matter.
4. While he tried to explain the color distribution over the spectrum in 1900, Max Planck
came up with an equation, which included a number now called Planck’s Constant. This
number later paved the way for the development of quantum mechanics (QM).
5. Einstein’s 1905 paper, entitled “Concerning an Heuristic Point of View toward the
Emission and Transformation of Light,” explained that light traveled as “energy quanta,”
not as a wave.
6. Through the study of waves of matter, the German physicist Werner Heisenberg explained
the way electrons moved around in atoms through his development of matrix mechanics.
This made it possible to explain what was inexplicable through classical mechanics.
7. “Heisenberg’s Uncertainty Principle” explained that if an electron’s position is known with

higher precision, then its speed can be known only with lower precision. This not only
applies to electrons, but to larger objects that are used every day as well. However, in such
objects, this principle cannot be noticed due to the extremely tiny lack of precision.
8. Since Bethe’s breakthrough in 1947, quantum field theory (QFT) has formed the basis of
four areas of study, two of which are electromagnetism/ the weak nuclear force/ the strong
nuclear force/ gravity (any two).
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WHAT IS QUANTUM MECHANICS?
Introduction
Quantum mechanics (QM; also known as quantum physics or quantum theory), including quantum
field theory, is the branch of physics relating to the very small. It results in what may appear to be
some very strange conclusions about the physical world. At the scale of atoms and electrons, many
of the equations of classical mechanics, which describe how things move at everyday sizes and
speeds, cease to be useful. In classical mechanics, objects exist in a specific place at a specific
time. However, in quantum mechanics, objects instead exist in a haze of probability; they have a
certain chance of being at point A, another chance of being at point B and so on.
In the broadest sense, then, quantum mechanics can be defined as a fundamental theory in physics
which describes nature at the smallest scales of energy levels of atoms and subatomic particles.
Classical physics (the physics existing before quantum mechanics) is a set of fundamental theories
which describes nature at ordinary (macroscopic) scale. Most theories in classical physics can be
derived from quantum mechanics as an approximation valid at large (macroscopic) scale. Quantum
mechanics differs from classical physics in that energy, momentum, and other quantities of a
system may be restricted to discrete values (quantization), objects have characteristics of both
particles and waves (wave-particle duality), and there are limits to the precision with which
quantities can be known (uncertainty principle).
Quantum mechanics gradually arose from theories to explain observations which could not be
reconciled with classical physics, such as Max Planck’s solution in 1900 to the black-body
radiation problem, and from the correspondence between energy and frequency in Albert
Einstein’s 1905 paper which explained the photoelectric effect. Early quantum theory was
profoundly re-conceived in the mid-1920s by Erwin Schrödinger, Werner Heisenberg, Max Born,
and others. The modern theory is formulated in various specially developed mathematical
formalisms. In one of them, a mathematical function, the wave function, provides information
about the probability amplitude of position, momentum, and other physical properties of a particle.
Important applications of quantum theory include quantum chemistry, quantum optics, quantum
computing, superconducting magnets, light-emitting diodes, the laser, the transistor and
semiconductors such as the microprocessor, as well as medical and research imaging such as
magnetic resonance imaging and electron microscopy. Explanations for many biological and
physical phenomena are rooted in the nature of the chemical bond, most notably the macro-
molecule DNA.
The Early History and the Development of the Old Quantum Theory
Scientific inquiry into the wave nature of light began in the 17th and 18th centuries, when scientists
such as Robert Hooke, Christiaan Huygens, and Leonhard Euler proposed a wave theory of light
based on experimental observations. In 1803, Thomas Young, an English polymath, performed the
famous double-slit experiment that he later described in a paper titled “On the Nature of Light and
Colors.” This experiment played a major role in the general acceptance of the wave theory of light.
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In 1838, Michael Faraday discovered cathode rays. These studies were followed by the 1859
statement of the black-body radiation problem by Gustav Kirchhoff, the 1877 suggestion by
Ludwig Boltzmann that the energy states of a physical system can be discrete, and the 1900
quantum hypothesis of Max Planck. Planck’s hypothesis that energy is radiated and absorbed in
discrete “quanta” (or energy packets) precisely matched the observed patterns of black-body
radiation.
In 1896, Wilhelm Wien empirically determined a distribution law of black-body radiation, known
as Wien’s law in his honor. Ludwig Boltzmann independently arrived at this result by
considerations of Maxwell’s equations. However, it was valid only at high frequencies and
underestimated the radiance at low frequencies. Later, Planck corrected this model using
Boltzmann’s statistical interpretation of thermodynamics and proposed what is now called
Planck’s law, which led to the development of quantum mechanics.
Following Max Planck’s solution in 1900 to the black-body radiation problem (reported 1859),
Albert Einstein offered a quantum-based theory to explain the photoelectric effect (1905, reported
1887). Around 1900-1910, the atomic theory and the corpuscular theory of light first came to be
widely accepted as scientific fact; these latter theories can be viewed as quantum theories of matter
and electromagnetic radiation, respectively.
Among the first to study quantum phenomena in nature were Arthur Compton, C. V. Raman, and
Pieter Zeeman, each of whom has a quantum effect named after him. Robert Andrews Millikan
studied the photoelectric effect experimentally, and Albert Einstein developed a theory for it. At
the same time, Ernest Rutherford experimentally discovered the nuclear model of the atom, for
which Niels Bohr developed his theory of the atomic structure, which was later confirmed by the
experiments of Henry Moseley. In 1913, Peter Debye extended Niels Bohr’s theory of atomic
structure, introducing elliptical orbits, a concept also introduced by Arnold Sommerfeld. This
phase is known as “old quantum theory.”
Towards the Fifth Solvay Conference
According to Planck, each energy element is proportional to its frequency. Planck cautiously
insisted that this was simply an aspect of the processes of absorption and emission of radiation and
had nothing to do with the physical reality of the radiation itself. In fact, he considered his quantum
hypothesis a mathematical trick to get the right answer rather than a sizable discovery. However,
in 1905, Albert Einstein interpreted Planck’s quantum hypothesis realistically and used it to
explain the photoelectric effect, in which shining light on certain materials can eject electrons from
the material. He won the 1921 Nobel Prize in Physics for this work.
Einstein further developed this idea to show that an electromagnetic wave such as light could also
be described as a particle (later called the photon), with a discrete quantum of energy that was
dependent on its frequency.
The foundations of quantum mechanics were established during the first half of the 20th century
by Max Planck, Niels Bohr, Werner Heisenberg, Louis de Broglie, Arthur Compton, Albert
Einstein, Erwin Schrödinger, Max Born, John von Neumann, Paul Dirac, Enrico Fermi, Wolfgang
Pauli, Max von Laue, Freeman Dyson, David Hilbert, Wilhelm Wien, Satyendra Nath Bose,
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Arnold Sommerfeld, and others. The Copenhagen interpretation of Niels Bohr became widely
accepted.
In the mid-1920s, developments in quantum mechanics led to its becoming the standard
formulation for atomic physics. In the summer of 1925, Bohr and Heisenberg published results
that closed the old quantum theory. Out of deference to their particle-like behavior in certain
processes and measurements, light quanta came to be called photons (1926). In 1926, Erwin
Schrödinger suggested a partial differential equation for the wave functions of particles like
electrons. And when effectively restricted to a finite region, this equation allowed only certain
modes, corresponding to discrete quantum states – whose properties turned out to be exactly the
same as implied by matrix mechanics. From Einstein’s simple postulation was born a flurry of
debating, theorizing, and testing. Thus, the entire field of quantum physics emerged, leading to its
wider acceptance at the Fifth Solvay Conference in 1927.
Three Revolutionary Principles
Quantum mechanics developed over many decades, beginning as a set of controversial

mathematical explanations of experiments that the math of classical mechanics could not explain.
It began at the turn of the 20th century, around the same time that Albert Einstein published his
theory of relativity, a separate mathematical revolution in physics that describes the motion of
things at high speeds. Unlike relativity, however, the origins of QM cannot be attributed to any
one scientist. Rather, multiple scientists contributed to a foundation of three revolutionary
principles that gradually gained acceptance and experimental verification between 1900 and 1930.
They are quantized properties, particles of light, and waves of matter. To explain these three
fundamental notions of quantum mechanics, one needs to further delve into the historical
developments in the evolutionary path of the field.
a) Quantized Properties
Certain properties, such as position, speed and color, can sometimes only occur in specific, set
amounts, much like a dial that “clicks” from number to number. This challenged a fundamental
assumption of classical mechanics, which said that such properties should exist on a smooth,
continuous spectrum. To describe the idea that some properties “clicked” like a dial with specific
settings, scientists coined the word “quantized.”
In 1900, Max Planck sought to explain the distribution of colors emitted over the spectrum in the
glow of red-hot and white-hot objects, such as light-bulb filaments. When making physical sense
of the equation he had derived to describe this distribution, Planck realized it implied that
combinations of only certain colors (albeit a great number of them) were emitted, specifically those
that were whole-number multiples of some base value. Somehow, colors were quantized! This was
unexpected because light was understood to act as a wave, meaning that values of color should be
a continuous spectrum. What could be forbidding atoms from producing the colors between these
whole-number multiples? This seemed so strange that Planck regarded quantization as nothing
more than a mathematical trick. According to Helge Kragh in his 2000 article in Physics World
magazine, “Max Planck” was “the Reluctant Revolutionary.” Kragh further explained this as
follows: “If a revolution occurred in physics in December 1900, nobody seemed to notice it. Planck
was no exception …”
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Planck’s equation also contained a number that would later become very important to future
development of QM; today, it’s known as “Planck’s Constant.”
Quantization helped to explain other mysteries of physics. In 1907, Einstein used Planck’s
hypothesis of quantization to explain why the temperature of a solid changed by different amounts
if you put the same amount of heat into the material but changed the starting temperature.
Since the early 1800s, the science of spectroscopy had shown that different elements emit and
absorb specific colors of light called “spectral lines.” Though spectroscopy was a reliable method
for determining the elements contained in objects such as distant stars, scientists were puzzled
about why each element gave off those specific lines in the first place. In 1888, Johannes Rydberg
derived an equation that described the spectral lines emitted by hydrogen, though nobody could
explain why the equation worked. This changed in 1913 when Niels Bohr applied Planck’s
hypothesis of quantization to Ernest Rutherford’s 1911 “planetary” model of the atom, which
postulated that electrons orbited the nucleus the same way that planets orbit the sun. According to
Physics 2000 (a site from the University of Colorado), Bohr proposed that electrons were restricted
to “special” orbits around an atom’s nucleus. They could “jump” between special orbits, and the
energy produced by the jump caused specific colors of light, observed as spectral lines. Though
quantized properties were invented as but a mere mathematical trick, they explained so much that
they became the founding principle of QM.
b) Particles of Light
Light can sometimes behave as a particle. This was initially met with harsh criticism, as it ran
contrary to 200 years of experiments showing that light behaved as a wave; much like ripples on
the surface of a calm lake. Light behaves similarly in that it bounces off walls and bends around
corners, and that the crests and troughs of the wave can add up or cancel out. Added wave crests
result in brighter light, while waves that cancel out produce darkness. A light source can be thought
of as a ball on a stick being rhythmically dipped in the center of a lake. The color emitted
corresponds to the distance between the crests, which is determined by the speed of the ball’s
rhythm.
In 1905, Einstein published a paper, “Concerning an Heuristic Point of View toward the Emission
and Transformation of Light,” in which he envisioned light traveling not as a wave, but as some
manner of “energy quanta.” This packet of energy, Einstein suggested, could “be absorbed or
generated only as a whole,” specifically when an atom “jumps” between quantized vibration rates.
This would also apply, as would be shown a few years later, when an electron “jumps” between
quantized orbits. Under this model, Einstein’s “energy quanta” contained the energy difference of
the jump; when divided by Planck’s constant, that energy difference determined the color of light
carried by those quanta.
With this new way to envision light, Einstein offered insights into the behavior of nine different
phenomena, including the specific colors that Planck described being emitted from a light-bulb
filament. It also explained how certain colors of light could eject electrons off metal surfaces, a
phenomenon known as the “photoelectric effect.” However, Einstein wasn’t wholly justified in
taking this leap, said Stephen Klassen, an associate professor of physics at the University of
Winnipeg. In a 2008 paper, “The Photoelectric Effect: Rehabilitating the Story for the Physics
324
Classroom,” Klassen states that Einstein’s energy quanta aren’t necessary for explaining all of
those nine phenomena. Certain mathematical treatments of light as a wave are still capable of
describing both the specific colors that Planck described being emitted from a light-bulb filament
and the photoelectric effect. Indeed, in Einstein’s controversial winning of the 1921 Nobel Prize,
the Nobel committee only acknowledged “his discovery of the law of the photoelectric effect,”
which specifically did not rely on the notion of energy quanta.
Roughly two decades after Einstein’s paper, the term “photon” was popularized for describing
energy quanta, thanks to the 1923 work of Arthur Compton, who showed that light scattered by an
electron beam changed in color. This showed that particles of light (photons) were indeed colliding
with particles of matter (electrons), thus confirming Einstein’s hypothesis. By then, it was clear
that light could behave both as a wave and a particle, placing light’s “wave-particle duality” into
the foundation of QM.
c) Waves of Matter
Matter can also behave as a wave. This ran counter to the roughly 30 years of experiments showing
that matter (such as electrons) exists as particles.
Since the discovery of the electron in 1896, evidence that all matter existed in the form of particles
was slowly building. Still, the demonstration of light’s wave-particle duality made scientists
question whether matter was limited to acting only as particles. Could wave-particle duality
perhaps ring true for matter as well? The first scientist to make substantial headway with this
reasoning was a French physicist named Louis de Broglie. In 1924, de Broglie used the equations
of Einstein’s theory of special relativity to show that particles can exhibit wave-like characteristics,
and that waves can exhibit particle-like characteristics. Then in 1925, two scientists, working
independently and using separate lines of mathematical thinking, applied de Broglie’s reasoning
to explain how electrons whizzed around in atoms (a phenomenon that was unexplainable using
the equations of classical mechanics). In Germany, physicist Werner Heisenberg (teaming with
Max Born and Pascual Jordan) accomplished this by developing “matrix mechanics.” Austrian
physicist Erwin Schrödinger developed a similar theory called “wave mechanics.” Schrödinger
showed in 1926 that these two approaches were equivalent (though Swiss physicist Wolfgang Pauli
sent an unpublished result to Jordan showing that matrix mechanics was more complete).
The Heisenberg-Schrödinger model of the atom, in which each electron acts as a wave (sometimes
referred to as a “cloud”) around the nucleus of an atom replaced the Rutherford-Bohr model. One
stipulation of the new model was that the ends of the wave that forms an electron must meet. In
Quantum Mechanics in Chemistry, 3rd Ed. (W.A. Benjamin, 1981), Melvin Hanna writes, “The
imposition of the boundary conditions has restricted the energy to discrete values.” A consequence
of this stipulation is that only whole numbers of crests and troughs are allowed, which explains
why some properties are quantized. In the Heisenberg-Schrödinger model of the atom, electrons
obey a “wave function” and occupy “orbitals” rather than orbits. Unlike the circular orbits of the
Rutherford-Bohr model, atomic orbitals have a variety of shapes ranging from spheres to
dumbbells to daisies.
In 1927, Walter Heitler and Fritz London further developed wave mechanics to show how atomic
orbitals could combine to form molecular orbitals, effectively showing why atoms bond to one
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another to form molecules. This was yet another problem that had been unsolvable using the math
of classical mechanics. These insights gave rise to the field of “quantum chemistry.”
The Uncertainty Principle
In the same year that Heitler and London developed wave mechanics, Heisenberg made another
major contribution to quantum physics. Using the presumption that matter acts as waves,
Heisenberg came up with the following explanation: Some properties, such as an electron’s
position and speed, are “complementary,” meaning there’s a limit (related to Planck’s constant) to
how well the precision of each property can be known.
Under what would come to be called “Heisenberg’s uncertainty principle,” it was reasoned that
the more precisely an electron’s position is known, the less precisely its speed can be known, and
vice versa. This uncertainty principle applies to everyday-size objects, as well, but is not noticeable
because the lack of precision is extraordinarily tiny. According to Dave Slaven of Morningside
College (Sioux City, IA), if a baseball’s speed is known to within a precision of 0.1 mph, the
maximum precision to which it is possible to know the ball’s position is
0.000000000000000000000000000008 millimeters.
Onward: Quantum Field Theory
The principles of quantization, wave-particle duality and the uncertainty principle ushered in a
new era for QM. In 1927, Paul Dirac applied a quantum understanding of electric and magnetic
fields to give rise to the study of “quantum field theory” (QFT), which treated particles (such as
photons and electrons) as excited states of an underlying physical field. Work in QFT continued
for a decade until scientists hit a roadblock: Many equations in QFT stopped making physical
sense because they produced results of infinity. After a decade of stagnation, Hans Bethe made a
breakthrough in 1947 using a technique called “renormalization.” Here, Bethe realized that all
infinite results related to two phenomena (specifically “electron self-energy” and “vacuum
polarization”) such that the observed values of electron mass and electron charge could be used to
make all the infinities disappear.
Since the breakthrough of renormalization, QFT has served as the foundation for developing
quantum theories about the four fundamental forces of nature: 1) electromagnetism, 2) the weak
nuclear force, 3) the strong nuclear force, and 4) gravity. The first insight provided by QFT was a
quantum description of electromagnetism through “quantum electrodynamics” (QED), which
made strides in the late 1940s and early 1950s. Next was a quantum description of the weak nuclear
force, which was unified with electromagnetism to build “electroweak theory” (EWT) throughout
the 1960s. Finally came a quantum treatment of the strong nuclear force using “quantum
chromodynamics” (QCD) in the 1960s and 1970s. The theories of QED, EWT and QCD together
form the basis of the Standard Model of particle physics. Unfortunately, QFT has yet to produce a
quantum theory of gravity. That quest continues today in the studies of string theory and loop
quantum gravity.
Adapted from: https://www.livescience.com/33816-quantum-mechanics-explanation.html and http://www.wiki-
zero.com/index.php?q=aHR0cHM6Ly9lbi53aWtpcGVkaWEub3JnL3dpa2kvUXVhbnR1bV9tZWNoYW5pY3M
Flesch Reading Ease 33.8 / IELTS 8+/ CEFR C2
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Search Reading 11
1. More than two centuries ago, Adam Smith mentioned certain economic advantages, which,
without doubt, contributed to the general popularity of job specialization in service jobs
and on assembly lines.
2. Frank and Lillian Gilbreth made important contributions to the development of scientific
management. They not only developed fatigue and motion studies to get rid of unnecessary
hand-and-body motions, but also formulated a label format to classify therbligs, which
referred to seventeen basic hand motions.
3. Fayol, who developed the fourteen principles of management, emphasized the importance
of developing the spirit, by the help of even small factors. He believed that, whenever it
was applicable, verbal communication would be much more useful than formal, written
communication.
4. Mary Parker Follett argued that humans could only feel complete when they are part of a
group, and as such, human beings developed themselves through their relationships with
others in organizations.
5. Chester Barnard is the original owner of the ideas that today’s businesses give importance
to, such as building cooperative work groups, making business firms more socially
responsible, and matching organizational strategies to opportunities in the environment.
6. According to Douglas McGregor, there are two basic assumptions about viewing people,
Theory X and Theory Y. While the former suggests that people have little ambition, dislike
work, want to avoid responsibility, and need to be closely supervised to work effectively,
the latter opposes this by stating that people can exercise self-direction, accept
responsibility, and consider work to be as natural as rest or play.
7. For Frederick Herzberg, continuous satisfaction of employees can only come from the job
itself.
8. As a result of the 1927 experiments conducted by Elton Mayo and his team, what was later
termed as the Hawthorne effect was understood. According to this phenomenon, if
employees were ensured that the managers and supervisors cared about their welfare and
paid attention to them, they would work hard(er).
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DIFFERENT APPROACHES TO SYSTEMS OF MANAGEMENT
Introduction
It is important to know that the year 1911, when Frederick Winslow Taylor’s Principles of
Scientific Management was published, is generally considered as the year in which scientific
method was brought and applied to management systems and the development of knowledge. The
scientific method to management systems involves the determination of facts through observation.
This results in the formulation of certain concepts and principles. Concepts are mental images of
anything formed by generalization, derived from particulars. When these generalizations or
hypotheses are tested for accuracy and appear to be true; that is, when they reflect or explain
reality, they are called principles. Theory is a systematic grouping of interdependent concepts and
principles, which give a framework to, or tie together, a significant area of knowledge. Formally,
a theory is a coherent group of assumptions put forth to explain the relationship between two or
more observable facts. In the field of management, the role of theory is to provide a means of
classifying significant and pertinent management knowledge.
Why is theory important?
Theories provide a stable focus for understanding what we experience; they give us criteria to
evaluate what is relevant. Since they enable us to communicate efficiently, they prove to be helpful
tools for us to move into more and more complex relationships with other people. It is in this sense
that theories make it possible for us to keep learning about our world.
Evolution of Management Theory
Prescientific Management Era
Adam Smith in his Wealth of Nations (1776) introduced the concept of division of labor. Smith
concluded that division of labor increased productivity by increasing each worker’s skill and
dexterity, by saving time that is normally lost in changing tasks, and by the creation and better use
of labor-saving inventions and machinery. Today, the general popularity of job specialization in
service jobs, as well as on assembly lines, is undoubtedly due to the economic advantages cited
over 200 years ago by Adam Smith.
The Classical Approach to Management
In 1832, Charles Babbage, a mathematician and a teacher, wrote On the Economy of Machinery
and Manufactures, in which he applied his principles to the workshop. This early work introduced
the idea of using scientific techniques to improve the managing process. The theoretical
foundations of management lie in the classical approach to management, which sought to
formulate rational principles that would make organizations more efficient. The classical approach
to management consists of two subcategories:
a) Scientific management approach looked at the field from the perspective of how to
improve the productivity of operative personnel. Most writers agree that the origin of the
concentrated study of management was the work performed by Frederick W. Taylor (1865-
1915) and his associates during the scientific management movement that developed
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around 1900. Taylor pioneered scientific management, which suggested that systematic
investigation could indicate proper methods, standards, and timings for each operation in
an organization’s activities.
The scientific management method proposed by Taylor was based on the notion that there
was a single “best way” to fulfil a particular job. The responsibility of management was to
select, train, and help workers to perform their jobs properly. The job of management was
to plan and control the work. The responsibility of workers was simply to accept the new
methods and perform accordingly. The practical application of this approach was to break
each job down into its smallest and simplest component parts or ‘motions:’ each single
motion in effect became a separate specialized ‘job’ to be allocated to a separate worker.
Workers were selected and trained to perform such jobs in the most efficient way possible,
eliminating all wasted motions or unnecessary physical motion.
Another figure that falls into the scope of scientific management approach was Henry L.
Gantt (1861-1919), a contemporary and associate of Taylor. Gantt emphasized the
psychology of the worker and the importance of morale in production. He devised a wage
payment system, which stimulated foremen and workers to strive for improvement in work
practices. Gantt also developed a charting system for scheduling production, the “Gantt
chart,” which still remains the basis for modern scheduling techniques.
Likewise, Frank and Lillian Gilbreth (1868-1924 and 1878-1972), the husband-and-wife
team, made their contribution to the scientific management approach with fatigue and
motion studies to eliminate wasteful hand-and-body motions. The Gilbreths also
experimented with the design and use of the proper tools and equipment for optimizing
work performance. They were among the first to use motion picture films to study hand-
and-body motions. The couple also devised a classification scheme to label seventeen basic
hand motions, which they called therbligs.
Contributions of Scientific Management:

• Brought about assembly lines concept  to produce large quantities faster
• Initiated the careful study of tasks and jobs
• Similar to today’s reengineering concept
• Demonstrated importance of compensation for performance
• Its efficiency techniques  applied to tasks even today
Limitations of Scientific Management:
• Regarded workers as uninformed and ignored their ideas
• Led to dehumanization of workers
• Caused more stress on quantity rather than quality
• Did not appreciate the higher needs of workers
• Did not acknowledge differences among individuals
• Gave more importance to method than skill
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b) General administrative approach was concerned with the overall organization and how to
make it more effective. Henri Fayol (1841-1925) was a French industrialist who can be
considered a significant figure in this approach. Fayol put forward and popularized the
concept of the ‘universality of management principles,’ the idea that all organizations could
be structured and managed according to certain rational principles. He divided a
commercial organization’s activities into the six basic elements, known as technical
elements, commercial elements, financial elements, accounting, security, and management.
He described the practice of management as distinct from the other business activities. He
argued that management was an activity common to all human undertakings: in business,
in government, and even in the home. In his most significant work, General and Industrial
Management, Fayol discussed fourteen general principles of management which he felt
could be applied in any organizational setting. Several of these principles are part of
management philosophy today. Before Fayol, it was generally believed that “managers are
born, not made.” Fayol insisted, however, that management was a skill like any other – one
that could be taught once the principles of management were understood.
Fayol’s Fourteen Principles of Management
1. Division of Labor. The more people specialize in a certain area, the more efficiently they
can perform their work. This principle is epitomized by the modern assembly line.
2. Authority. Managers must give orders so that they can get things done. While their
formal authority gives them the right to command, managers will not always compel
obedience unless they have personal authority (such as relevant expertise) as well.
3. Discipline. Members in an organization need to respect the rules and agreements that
govern the organization. To Fayol, discipline results from good leadership at all levels of
the organization, fair agreements (such as provisions for rewarding superior performance),
and judiciously enforced penalties for infractions.
4. Unity of Command. Each employee must receive instructions from only one person.
Fayol believed that when an employee reported to more than one manager, conflicts in
instructions and confusion of authority would result.
5. Unity of Direction. Those operations within the organization that have the same
objective should be directed by only one manager using one plan. For example, the
personnel department in a company should not have two directors, each with a different
hiring policy.
6. Subordination of Individual Interest to the Common Good. In any undertaking, the

interests of employees should not take precedence over the interests of the organization as
a whole.
7. Remuneration. Compensation for work done should be fair to both employees and
employers.
8. Centralization. Decreasing the role of subordinates in decision-making is centralization;

increasing their role is decentralization. Fayol believed that managers should retain final
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responsibility, but should at the same time give their subordinates enough authority to do
their jobs properly. The problem is to find the proper degree of centralization in each case.
9. The Hierarchy. The line of authority in an organization – often represented to day by the
neat boxes and lines of the organization chart – runs in order of rank from top management
to the lowest level of the enterprise.
10. Order. Materials and people should be in the right place at the right time. People, in
particular, should be in the jobs or positions they are most suited to.
11. Equity. Managers should be both friendly and fair to their subordinates.
12. Stability of Staff. A high employee turnover rate undermines the efficient functioning
of an organization.
13. Initiative. Subordinates should be given the freedom to conceive and carry out their
plans, even though some mistakes may result.
14. Esprit de Corps. Promoting team spirit will give the organization a sense of unity.
To Fayol, even small factors should help to develop the spirit. He suggested, for example,
the use of verbal communication instead of formal, written communication whenever
possible.
Other Pioneering Figures
Max Weber (1864-1920), a German sociologist, developed a theory of authority structures and
described organizational activity on the basis of authority relations. He described an ideal type of
organization that he called a bureaucracy, characterized by division of labor, a clearly defined
hierarchy, detailed rules and regulations, and impersonal relationships. Weber also believed that
technical competence should be emphasized and that performance evaluations should be made
entirely on the basis of merit. Weber recognized that this ideal bureaucracy did not exist in reality.
He used it as a basis for theorizing about work and the way work could be done in large groups.
His theory became the design prototype for many of today’s large organizations.
Mary Parker Follett (1868-1933) introduced many new elements to the classical management
approach, especially in the areas of human relations and organizational structure. The trends she
initiated were further developed in the then emerging behavioral and management science
approaches. Follett recognized that organizations could be viewed from the perspective of
individual and group behavior. She was convinced that no one could become a whole person except
as a member of a group; human beings grew through their relationships with others in
organizations. The manager’s job was to harmonize and coordinate group efforts. Follett asserted
that managers and workers should view themselves as partners, or as part of a common group. She
proposed that managers should rely more on their expertise and knowledge to lead subordinates
rather than on the formal authority of their position. Her approach stressed the importance of
people rather than engineering techniques. Follett addressed issues that are timely today, such as
ethics, power, and how to lead in a way that encourages employees to give their best.
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Chester Barnard (1886-1961) expressed his views in his book The Functions of the Executive
(1938). He saw organizations as social systems that require human cooperation. A major part of
an organization’s success depended on the cooperation of its employees. He went further to
emphasize the organization as the cooperative enterprise of individuals working together in groups.
One of Barnard’s significant contributions was the informal organization. The informal
organization occurs in all formal organizations, and it includes cliques and naturally occurring
social groupings. Barnard argued that organizations are not machines, and informal relationships
are powerful forces that can help the organization if properly managed.
Another significant contribution of Barnard was the acceptance theory of authority, which states
that people have free will and can choose whether to follow management orders. People typically
follow orders because they perceive positive benefit to themselves, but they do have a choice. He
proposed that an enterprise can operate efficiently and survive only when the organization’s goals
are kept in balance with the aims and needs of the individuals working for it. Barnard also argued
that success of an enterprise depended on maintaining good relations with the people and
institutions with whom the organization regularly interacted. By recognizing the organization’s
dependence on investors, suppliers, customers, and other stakeholders, Barnard introduced the idea
that managers had to examine the external environment and then adjust the organization to
maintain a state of equilibrium.
The current interest in building cooperative work groups, making business firms more socially
responsible, and matching organizational strategies to opportunities in the environment can be
traced to ideas originally proposed by Barnard.
Behavioral Approach
Robert Owen was a successful Scottish businessman who was repulsed by the harsh practices he
found in factories in his time. He chided factory owners for treating their equipment better than
their employees. He was more than a hundred years ahead of his time when he argued, in 1825,
for regulated hours of work for all, child labor laws, public education, company-furnished tools
and equipment, and business involvement in community projects. Therefore, Owen’s ideas can be
considered an important factor in the development of behavioral approach.
In relation to this, the behavioral approach emerged partly because the classical approach did not
achieve sufficient production efficiency and workplace harmony. There was increased interest in
helping managers deal more effectively with the “people side” of their organizations. Hugo
Munsterberg created the field of industrial psychology – the scientific study of individuals at work
to maximize their productivity and adjustment. In his work, Psychology and Industrial Efficiency
(1913), Munsterberg suggested the use of psychological tests to improve employee selection, the
value of learning theory in the development of training methods, and the study of human behavior
to determine what techniques are most effective for motivating workers. Much of current
knowledge of selection techniques, employee training, job design, and motivation is built on the
work of Munsterberg.
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The Impact of Elton Mayo (1880-1949)
Scholars generally agree that the Hawthorne studies, undertaken at the Western Electric
Company’s Hawthorne works in Illinois, USA, under the leadership of Elton Mayo, had a
dramatic impact on management thought towards “Human Relations.” The Hawthorne
studies began in 1924, but expanded and continued through the early 1930s. They were
initially devised by Western Electric industrial engineers to examine the effect of different
illumination levels on worker productivity. Control and experimental groups were
established. The experimental group was presented with different levels of illumination
intensity. The engineers expected individual output to be directly related to the intensity of
light. However, they found that as the light level was increased, in the experimental group,
productivity continued to increase in both groups. In fact, productivity decreased in the
experimental group only after the light intensity had been reduced to that of moonlight.
The engineers concluded that illumination intensity was not directly related to group
productivity, but they could not explain the behavior they had witnessed.
In 1927, the Western Electric Engineers asked Harvard professor Elton Mayo and his
associates to join the study as consultants for conducting numerous experiments covering
the redesign of jobs, changes in the lengths of the workday and workweek, the introduction
of rest periods, and individual versus group wage plans. The researchers concluded that
employees would work harder if they believed management was concerned about their
welfare and supervisors paid special attention to them. This phenomenon was subsequently
labeled the Hawthorne effect. Mayo concluded that behavior and sentiments are closely
related, that group influences significantly affect individual behavior, that group standards
establish individual worker output, and that money is less a factor in determining output
than are group standards, group sentiments, and security. These conclusions led to a new
emphasis on the human factor in the functioning of organizations and the attainment of
their goals. Although criticized for the procedures, analysis of the findings, and the
conclusions drawn, what is important is that the Hawthorne studies stimulated an interest
in human factors. Current organizational practices that owe their roots to the Hawthorne
studies include attitude surveys, employee counseling, management training, participative
decision making, and team-based compensation systems.
The Human Resources Perspective
The behavioral approach, which began with the Hawthorne studies, is also known as the
neo-human relations perspective. The human resources perspective combines prescriptions
for design of job tasks with theories of motivation. In the human resources view, jobs
should be designed so that tasks are not perceived as dehumanizing or demeaning but
instead allows workers to use their full potential. The best-known contributors to the human
resources perspective are Abraham Maslow, Douglas McGregor, and Frederick Herzberg.
- Abraham Maslow (1908-1970), a practicing psychologist, proposed a

hierarchy of five needs: physiological, safety, social, esteem, and self-
actualization. In terms of motivation, Maslow argued that each step in the
hierarchy must be satisfied before the next level can be activated and that once
a need was substantially satisfied, it no longer motivated behavior.
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- Douglas McGregor (1906-1964) formulated two sets of assumptions – Theory
X and Theory Y – about human nature. Theory X presents an essentially
negative view of people. It assumes that they have little ambition, dislike work,
want to avoid responsibility, and need to be closely supervised to work
effectively. Theory Y offers a positive view, assuming that people can exercise
self-direction, accept responsibility, and consider work to be as natural as rest
or play. McGregor believed that the classical approach was based on Theory X
assumptions about workers. He also felt that a slightly modified version of
Theory X fit early human relations ideas. In other words, human relations ideas
did not go far enough. McGregor proposed Theory Y as a more realistic view
of workers for guiding management thinking. The point of theory Y is that
organizations can take advantage of the imagination and intellect of all their
employees. Employees will exercise self-control and will contribute to
organizational goals when given the opportunity.
- Frederick Herzberg (1923-2000) suggested that only higher psychological

needs for growth, challenge, responsibility, and self-fulfillment can positively
motivate employees to improved performance. Work relationships and
supervisory style along with pay and conditions merely ward off dissatisfaction.
Only the job itself could provide lasting satisfaction, and Herzberg, in
particular, concentrated on ways of designing jobs for greater worker
satisfaction.
Behavioral Science
Another category within the behavioral approach encompasses the behavioral science approach,
which relies on the scientific method for the study of organizational behavior. Behavioral science
draws from sociology, psychology, anthropology, economics, and other disciplines to understand
employee behavior and interaction in an organizational setting. This approach can be seen in
organizations even today when, for example, a firm conducts research to determine the best set of
tests, interviews, and employee profiles to use when selecting new employees. Our current
understanding of such issues as leadership, employee motivation, personality differences, the
design of jobs and organizations, organizational cultures, high-performance teams, performance
appraisals, conflict management, and negotiation techniques are largely due to the contributions
of behavioral scientists. The behavioral approaches brought about an important awareness of the
influence of the human factor. This factor had a big role in the workplace, and it significantly
influenced the organizational performance and the job satisfaction of employees. Most of its
theorists attempted to offer guidelines to enable practicing managers to satisfy and motivate
employees and so, theoretically, to obtain the benefits of improved productivity. However, there
is still no proven link between job satisfaction and motivation, or either of these and productivity,
or the achievement of organizational goals. For example, employee counseling (prescribed by
Mayo) and job enrichment (prescribed by Herzberg) have both proved at best of unpredictable
benefit to organizations applying them in practice.
Adapted from http://managementconsultingcourses.com/Lesson12TheDifferentApproaches&SystemsOfManagement.pdf
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Search Reading 12
1. Historically speaking, there are mainly three waves of feminism, the second of which took
place during the 1960s and the 1970s.
2. In her book The Feminine Mystique, Betty Friedan argued that women were victimized by
a system based on a false belief, which forced them to discover their identities and the
meaning of life by taking care of their husbands and children.
3. Although post-feminists argue against the overgeneralizations caused by the second- and
the third-wave feminisms, everything that feminist movement (as a whole) fought for
becomes meaningless due to the so-called feminisms displayed through media products.
4. Pro-feminism as a term generally applies to those who actively advocate feminism and
their efforts to bring about gender equality.
5. According to socialist feminists, prostitution, domestic work, childcare, and marriage are
tools for the exploitation of women by a patriarchal system (that devalues women and the
substantial work they do).
6. Today’s post-colonial and third-world feminists prefer to use their own views of culture
and society than employ the Western ideals in fighting gender oppression.
7. For environmental feminists, the subordination of women is directly linked to the thought
patterns that pave the way for the domination of the environment.
8. As the latest trend in feminism, the posthumanist view emphasizes the inseparability of all
forms of suppression, comprising (hetero-)sexism, racism, ageism, ableism, as well as
classism and speciesism.
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HISTORY AND THEORY OF FEMINISM
Introduction
The term feminism can be used to describe a political, cultural, or economic movement aimed at
establishing equal rights and legal protection for women. Feminism involves political and
sociological theories and philosophies concerned with issues of gender difference, as well as a
movement that advocates gender equality for women and campaigns for women’s rights and
interests. In its evolutionary path, feminism has altered predominant perspectives in a wide range
of areas within Western society, ranging from culture to law. Feminist activists have campaigned
for women’s legal rights (rights of contract, property rights, voting rights); for women’s right to
bodily integrity and autonomy, for abortion rights, and for reproductive rights (including access to
contraception and quality prenatal care); for protection of women and girls from domestic
violence, sexual harassment and rape; for workplace rights, including maternity leave and equal
pay; against misogyny; and against other forms of gender-specific discrimination against women.
The history of feminism can be divided into three waves. The first feminist wave was in the 19th
and early 20th centuries, and it mainly refers to women’s suffrage movements, concerned with
women’s right to vote. The second wave spans the 1960s and the 1970s, referring to the ideas and
actions associated with the women’s liberation movement, which campaigned for legal and social
rights for women. The third wave refers to a continuation of, and a reaction to the perceived failures
of, second-wave feminism, from the 1990s to the present.
The First Wave of Feminism
First-wave feminism originally focused on the promotion of equal contract and property rights for
women and the opposition to ownership of married women (and their children) by their husbands.
However, by the end of the 19th century, activism focused primarily on gaining political power,
particularly the right of women’s suffrage. As early as 1854, Florence Nightingale established
female nurses as adjuncts to the military.
In Britain, the Suffragettes and the Suffragists campaigned for the women’s vote. The
Representation of the People Act 1918 granted the vote to women over the age of 30 who owned
houses. In 1928, this was extended to all women over twenty-one. In the United States, first-wave
feminism involved a wide range of women. Some, such as Frances Willard, belonged to
conservative Christian groups such as the Woman’s Christian Temperance Union. Others, such as
Matilda Joslyn Gage, were more radical, and expressed themselves within the National Woman
Suffrage Association or individually. American first-wave feminism is considered to have ended
with the passage of the Nineteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution (1919), granting
women the right to vote in all states.
The Second Wave of Feminism
According to scholars Imelda Whelehan and Estelle Freedman, the second wave was largely
concerned with other issues of equality, such as ending discrimination. During this period, the
feminist activist and author Carol Hanisch coined the slogan “The Personal is Political,” which
became synonymous with the second wave. Second-wave feminists saw women’s cultural and
political inequalities as inextricably linked and encouraged women to understand aspects of their
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personal lives as deeply politicized and as reflecting sexist power structures. Hence, an important
figure in this wave was the French author and philosopher Simone de Beauvoir. Her treatise The
Second Sex presented a detailed analysis of women’s oppression and a foundational tract of
contemporary feminism. As an existentialist, de Beauvoir accepted Jean-Paul Sartre’s precept that
“existence precedes essence,” and therefore is best known by her maxim “one is not born a woman,
but becomes one.” Her analysis focuses on the social construction of Woman as the Other, which
she identifies as fundamental to women’s oppression. She argues women have historically been
considered deviant and abnormal and contends that even Mary Wollstonecraft considered men to
be the ideal toward which women should aspire. De Beauvoir argues that for feminism to move
forward, this attitude must be set aside.
The Feminine Mystique
It was during the second wave that Betty Friedan’s The Feminine Mystique (1963) came out. The
book criticized the idea that women could only find fulfilment through childrearing and
homemaking. Friedan hypothesized that women were victims of a false belief system that required
them to find identity and meaning in their lives through their husbands and children. Such a system
caused women to completely lose their identity in that of their family. Friedan specifically located
this system among post-World War II middle-class suburban communities.
Women’s Liberation in the USA
The phrase “Women’s Liberation” was first used in the United States in 1964 and first appeared
in print in 1966. By 1968, although the term Women’s Liberation Front appeared in the magazine
Ramparts, it was starting to refer to the whole women’s movement. One of the most vocal critics
of the women’s liberation movement has been the African American feminist and intellectual
Gloria Jean Watkins, who uses the pseudonym “bell hooks.” She argues that this movement
glossed over race and class and thus failed to address “the issues that divided women.” This paved
the way for the third-wave in feminism.
The Third Wave of Feminism
Third-wave feminism began in the early 1990s, arising as a response to perceived failures of the
second wave, and also as a response to the backlash against initiatives and movements created by
the second wave. Third-wave feminism seeks to challenge or avoid what it deems the second
wave’s essentialist definitions of femininity, which (according to them) over-emphasize the
experiences of upper middle-class white women. Third-wave feminism also contains internal
debates between “difference feminists;” those who believe that there are important differences
between the sexes and those who believe that there are no inherent differences between the sexes
and contend that gender roles are due to social conditioning.
Post-feminism
Post-feminism describes a range of viewpoints reacting to feminism. While not being “anti-
feminist,” post-feminists believe that women have achieved second-wave goals while being
critical of third-wave feminist goals. The term was first used in the 1980s to describe a backlash
against second-wave feminism. It is now a label for a wide range of theories that take critical
approaches to previous feminist discourses and includes challenges to the second wave’s ideas.
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Other post-feminists say that feminism is no longer relevant to today’s society. Post-feminist texts
which emerged in the 1980s and the 1990s portrayed second-wave feminism as a monolithic entity
and criticized it using generalizations. Following this thread, some contemporary feminists, such
as Katha Pollitt or Nadine Strossen, consider feminism to hold simply that “women are people.”
Views that separate the sexes rather than unite them are considered by these writers to be sexist
rather than feminist.
Post-feminism gives the impression that equality has been achieved and that feminists can now
focus on something else entirely. Angela McRobbie, for instance, believes that post-feminism is
most clearly seen on so-called feminist media products, such as Bridget Jones’s Diary, Sex and
the City, and Ally McBeal. Female characters like Bridget Jones and Carrie Bradshaw claim to be
liberated and clearly enjoy their sexuality, but what they are constantly searching for is the one
man who will make everything worthwhile. This, accordingly, reverses everything that feminist
movement as a whole fought for.
The French School of Thought in Feminism
French feminism refers to a branch of feminist thought from a group of feminists in France from
the 1970s to the 1990s. French feminism, compared to Anglo-American feminisms, is
distinguished by an approach which is more philosophical and literary. Its writings tend to be
effusive and metaphorical, being less concerned with political doctrine and generally focused on
theories of “the body.” The term includes writers who are not French, but who have worked
substantially in France and the French tradition, such as Julia Kristeva and Bracha Ettinger.
In the 1970s, French feminists approached feminism with the concept of écriture feminine, which
translates into English as “female, or feminine writing.” Hélène Cixous argues that writing and
philosophy are male-centered, and along with other French feminists, such as Luce Irigaray,
emphasizes “writing from the body” as a subversive exercise. The work of the feminist
psychoanalyst and philosopher, Julia Kristeva, has influenced feminist theory in general and
feminist literary criticism in particular. From the 1980s onwards, the work of artist and
psychoanalyst Bracha Ettinger has influenced literary criticism, art history, and film theory.
However, as the scholar Elizabeth Wright pointed out, “none of these French feminists align
themselves with the feminist movement as it appeared in the Anglophone world.”
Theoretical Models
Feminist theory is an extension of feminism into theoretical or philosophical fields. It encompasses

work in a variety of disciplines, including anthropology, sociology, economics, women’s studies,
literary criticism, art history, psychoanalysis, and philosophy. Feminist theory aims to understand
gender inequality and focuses on gender politics, power relations, and sexuality. While providing
a critique of these social and political relations, much of feminist theory focuses on the promotion
of women’s rights and interests. Themes explored in feminist theory include discrimination,
stereotyping, objectification (especially sexual objectification), oppression, and patriarchy.
The American literary critic and feminist Elaine Showalter describes the phased development of
feminist theory. The first she calls “feminist critique,” in which the feminist reader examines the
ideologies behind literary phenomena. The second Showalter calls “gynocriticism,” in which the
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“woman is producer of textual meaning” including “the psychodynamics of female creativity;
linguistics and the problem of a female language; the trajectory of the individual or collective
female literary career and literary history.” The last phase she calls “gender theory,” in which the
“ideological inscription and the literary effects of the sex/gender system” are explored. The scholar
Toril Moi, however, criticized this model, seeing it as an essentialist and deterministic model for
female subjectivity that fails to account for the situation of women outside the West.
Sub-types, Movements, and Ideologies Aligned with Feminism
Several sub-movements of feminist ideology have developed over the years; some of the major
subtypes are listed below. These movements often overlap, and some feminists identify themselves
with several types of feminist thought.
Pro-feminism
Pro-feminism is the support of feminism without implying that the supporter is a member of the
feminist movement. The term is most often used in reference to men who are actively supportive
of feminism and of efforts to bring about gender equality. The activities of pro-feminist men’s
groups include anti-violence work with boys and young men in schools, offering workshops on
sexual harassment in workplaces, running community education campaigns, and counseling male
perpetrators of violence. Pro-feminist men are also involved in men’s health, activism against
pornography including anti-pornography legislation, men’s studies, and the development of gender
equity curricula in schools. This work is sometimes in collaboration with feminists and women’s
services, such as domestic violence and rape crisis centers. Some activists of both genders will not
refer to men as “feminists” at all, and will refer to all male supporters of feminism as “pro-
feminists.”
Anarcha-feminism
Anarcha-feminism (also called anarchist feminism and anarcho-feminism) combines anarchism

with feminism. It generally views patriarchy as a manifestation of involuntary hierarchy. Anarcha-
feminists believe that the struggle against patriarchy is an essential part of class struggle, and the
anarchist struggle against the State. In essence, the philosophy sees anarchist struggle as a
necessary component of feminist struggle and vice-versa. As L. Susan Brown puts it, “as
anarchism is a political philosophy that opposes all relationships of power, it is inherently
feminist.”
Socialist and Marxist Feminism
Socialist feminism connects the oppression of women to Marxist ideas about exploitation,
oppression, and labor. Socialist feminists think unequal standing in both the workplace and the
domestic sphere holds women down. Socialist feminists see prostitution, domestic work, childcare,
and marriage as ways in which women are exploited by a patriarchal system that devalues women
and the substantial work they do.
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Marx felt when class oppression was overcome, gender oppression would vanish as well. Some
socialist feminists, along similar lines, view Marxist writings as a powerful explanation of the link
between gender oppression and class exploitation. However, some contributors to socialist
feminism have criticized the traditional Marxist ideas for being largely silent on gender oppression
except to subsume it underneath broader class oppression.
Radical Feminism
Radical feminism considers the male-controlled capitalist hierarchy, which it describes as sexist,
as the defining feature of women’s oppression. Radical feminists believe that women can free
themselves only when they have done away with what they consider an inherently oppressive and
dominating patriarchal system. Radical feminists feel that there is a male-based authority and
power structure and that it is responsible for oppression and inequality, and that as long as the
system and its values are in place, society will not be able to be reformed in any significant way.
Riot grrrl movement
Riot grrrl (or riot grrl) is an underground feminist punk movement that started in the 1990s and is
often associated with third-wave feminism (it is sometimes seen as its starting point). It was
grounded in the DIY (do-it-yourself) philosophy of punk values. Riot grrls took an anti-corporate
stance of self-sufficiency and self-reliance. Riot grrrl bands often address issues such as rape,
domestic abuse, sexuality, and female empowerment. Some bands associated with the movement
are: Bikini Kill, Bratmobile, Excuse 17, Free Kitten, Heavens To Betsy, Huggy Bear, L7, and
Team Dresch. In addition to a music scene, riot grrrl is also a subculture; zines, the DIY ethic, art,
political action, and activism are part of the movement. Riot grrrls hold meetings, start chapters,
and support and organize women in music.
Liberal Feminism
Liberal feminism asserts the equality of men and women through political and legal reform. It is
an individualistic form of feminism, which focuses on women’s ability to show and maintain their
equality through their own actions and choices. Issues important to liberal feminists include
reproductive and abortion rights, sexual harassment, voting, education, “equal pay for equal work,”
affordable childcare, affordable health care, and bringing to light the frequency of sexual and
domestic violence against women.
Black Feminism
Black feminism argues that sexism, class oppression, and racism are inextricably bound together.
Forms of feminism that strive to overcome sexism and class oppression but ignore race can
discriminate against many people, including women, through racial bias. One of the theories that
evolved out of this movement was Alice Walker’s Womanism. It emerged after the early feminist
movements that were led specifically by white women who advocated social changes such as
woman’s suffrage. These movements were largely white middle-class movements and had
generally ignored oppression based on racism and classism. Alice Walker and other Womanists
pointed out that black women experienced a different and more intense kind of oppression from
that of white women.
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Postcolonial and Third-World Feminism
Postcolonial feminists argue that oppression relating to the colonial experience, particularly racial,
class, and ethnic oppression, has marginalized women in postcolonial societies. They challenge
the assumption that gender oppression is the primary force of patriarchy. Postcolonial feminists
object to portrayals of women of non-Western societies as passive and voiceless victims and the
portrayal of Western women as modern, educated, and empowered. Today, they struggle to fight
gender oppression within their own cultural models of society rather than through those imposed
by the Western colonizers.
Post-structuralist and Postmodern Feminism
Post-structuralist feminism, also referred to as French feminism, uses the insights of various
epistemological movements, including psychoanalysis, linguistics, political theory (Marxist and
post-Marxist theory), race theory, literary theory, and other intellectual currents for feminist
concerns. Postmodern feminism is an approach to feminist theory that incorporates postmodern
and post-structuralist theory. The largest departure from other branches of feminism is the
argument that gender is constructed through language. The most notable proponent of this
argument is Judith Butler. In her 1990 book, Gender Trouble, she draws on and critiques the work
of Simone de Beauvoir, Michel Foucault, and Jacques Lacan. Butler criticizes the distinction
drawn by previous feminisms between biological sex and socially constructed gender. She says
that this does not allow for a sufficient criticism of essentialism. For Butler, “woman” is a
debatable category, complicated by class, ethnicity, sexuality, and other facets of identity. She
states that gender is performative. This argument leads to the conclusion that there is no single
cause for women’s subordination and no single approach towards dealing with the issue. Likewise,
in A Cyborg Manifesto, Donna Haraway criticizes traditional notions of feminism, particularly its
emphasis on identity, rather than affinity. She uses the metaphor of a cyborg in order to construct
a postmodern feminism that moves beyond dualisms and the limitations of traditional gender,
feminism, and politics.
Environmental Feminism
Ecofeminism links ecology with feminism. It connects the exploitation and domination of women
with that of the environment. That is, the domination of women stems from the same ideologies
that bring about the domination of the environment. Patriarchal systems, where men own and
control the land, are seen as responsible for the oppression of women and destruction of the natural
environment. As a way of repairing social and ecological injustices, ecofeminists feel that women
must work towards creating a healthy environment and ending the destruction of the lands that
most women rely on to provide for their families.
New Materialist Feminism
This strand of feminism is one of the newest approaches in feminist thought. Developed from 2010
onwards, new materialist feminism separates itself from the work of Marxist materialists and gives
“matter” another meaning by referring to it as “the body” or “the flesh” of the world. It aims to
recap some of the missing elements from post-structuralist and postmodern feminisms, such as
bridging the gap between discourse and matter (or the linguistic and the material). Aside from
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focusing on the material aspect, the new materialist feminists underline the idea that the social
problems are intertwined with the problems of nature and the living world. Thus, this approach
aims to blend environmental elements of feminism into their own array of thoughts, too.
Posthumanist Feminism
The latest sub-category under feminist ideologies is coined in parallel to the latest developments
in critical theory. As the Western contemporary philosophies move toward a more material-
oriented form, which highlights the body and matter, rather than giving credence to language and
its impact on the social construction of gender and politics, feminism has also moved toward the
same direction. Posthumanist feminism, in this regard, aims to bring together all feminisms that
have been considered to be different schools so far. It underlines the fact that all suppression forms,
including (hetero-)sexism, racism, ageism, ableism, classism, and speciesism, are in fact
intertwined and can never be fully gotten rid of unless they are thought as one. Such theoretical
advances and their impact can also be viewed in the LGBTI movements of today, which are also
heavily supported by the majority of contemporary feminist movements and animal rights
campaigns.
Adapted from The Oxford Handbook of Feminist Theory (2015)

http://www.gender.cawater-info.net/knowledge_base/rubricator/feminism_e.htm
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WRITING PRACTICE
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LINE GRAPHS
Practice 1
Describe the following graph by reporting the trends and making comparisons, in about 150 words.
Make sure you present the information in an organized manner using a variety of language
structures and vocabulary.
You are advised to spend 5 minutes planning and 25 minutes writing.
Money spent on Cosmetics

100
90
80
70
US dollars (millions)
60 France
50 Italy
Germany
40
Turkey
30
20
10
0
2009 2010 2011 2012 2013
The line graph shows the amount of money spent on cosmetics in France, Italy, Germany, and
Turkey between 2009 and 2013, in million dollars.
In 2009, France was the country where the highest amount was spent (80 million dollars), while
Turkey spent the lowest amount of money on cosmetics (30 million dollars). In the same year,
Italy and Germany spent about 60 and 70 million dollars, respectively.
Between 2009 and 2013, cosmetics purchases in France fluctuated before reaching a peak in 2013,
at 95 million dollars. Although the purchases in Italy remained steady for two years, they reached
85 million dollars in 2013, overpassing the amount in 2009. The amount of money spent on
cosmetics in Germany reached almost the same amount as in 2009 after a dip in 2011. Turkey was
the only country that witnessed a steady increase in the amount of money spent on cosmetics. By
2013, cosmetics purchases more than doubled and equaled 75 million dollars.
Overall, during this period, France remained the biggest spender on cosmetics. However, the
significant increase in the amount spent in Turkey moved it to the third place in the list.
(190 words)
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Practice 2
Goods transported in UK (1974-2002)

120
100
80
road
Million tons
60 water
rail
40
pipeline
20
0
1974 1978 1982 1986 1990 1994 1998 2002
Taken from https://i2.wp.com/ieltsliz.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/ielts-line-graph.jpg
The line graph indicates the amounts of goods transported using four types of transport in the UK
from 1974 to 2002, in million tons.
According to the graph, initially in 1974, more than 70 million tons of goods were transported in
the UK on the road, while water and rail were each used to carry 40 million tons of goods. The
lowest quantity (around 5 million tons) was transported through pipelines in the same year.
Over the years, the quantity transported via road increased with some fluctuations and reached
about 100 million tons in 2002. The quantity of goods transported by water and pipeline remained
steady for the first two years, and then from 1978 to 1982, they increased to 60 and 20 million
tons, respectively. After 1982, they almost levelled off again. On the other hand, the amount of
goods transported by rail fluctuated. After declining to about 30 million tons in 1994, it started to
rise again, and in 2002, the amount was the same as in 1974 (40 million tons).
Overall, it is clearly shown that the amounts of goods transported in the UK by all types of transport
increased over the given period, except those transported by rail. (202 words)
345
Practice 3
Average consumption of different types of milk per person,

Turkey
140
120
100
80
liters
60
40
20
0
1995 2000 2005 2010 2015
whole cow milk skim cow milk lactose-free milk soy milk
The line graph illustrates the average individual consumption of four types of milk in Turkey from
1995 to 2015. Units are measured in liters.
In 1995, the consumption of whole cow milk was much higher than any other type of milk. A
person consumed about 110 liters of whole cow milk on average in 1995. This amount peaked at
about 130 liters in 2000 before falling dramatically to 70 liters by 2010. From 2010 to 2015, its
consumption remained the same. On the other hand, skim cow milk was consumed very little in
1995, at about 10 liters per person. From 1995 to 2015, its consumption increased steadily and
reached 60 liters in 2015, almost catching up with the whole cow milk consumption.
With regard to the consumption of soy milk and lactose-free milk, their consumption was close to
none until 2005. From 2005 to 2015, the consumption of soy milk increased significantly to 50
liters. Likewise, that of lactose-free milk went up to 20 liters per person.
Overall, while the consumption of whole cow milk fell over the period given, the consumption of
others rose. However, whole cow milk was still the most popular type of milk in 2015. (200 words)
346
Practice 4
Note to the Instructor: You may want to teach the word “projection” and explain how such data
might be reported in writing.
POPULATION GROWTH AND PROJECTIONS

China India Europe USA
1600
1400
1200
1000
MILLIONS
800
600
400
200
0
1950 1970 1990 2010 2030 2050
Adapted from http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/shared/spl/hi/in_depth/china_modern/html/2.stm
The line graph shows the population growth in China, India, Europe, and the USA from 1950 to
2018, with projected growth until 2050.
In 1950, there were about 500 million and 300 million people living in China and India,
respectively. There has been an upward trend in the population growth of these two countries. In
2010, their populations were almost the same, at around 1300 million, and from 2010 onwards,
their figures have been on an increase. However, the population of India is estimated to be much
higher than that of China in 2050.
Similarly, the population of the USA has tripled since 1950, from 100 million to 300 million. It is
projected that its population will be over 400 million by 2050.
While there were 500 million people living in Europe in 1950, equal to the population in China, it
slightly increased by 100 million until 1990, and it has remained almost the same since then. The
same trend is expected in the future until 2050.
Overall, there has been an exponential growth in the populations of India and China, and this trend
is anticipated in the future, while the population of the USA has seen a gradual increase and is
expected to continue in the same way. Europe is projected to maintain its population size by 2050.
(219 words)
347
BAR GRAPHS
Practice 1
Applications to three US universities
Social Work
Faculty area
Business
Engineering
Biology
0 500 1000 1500 2000 2500 3000 3500 4000 4500

Number of student applications
1990 2000 2010
Adapted from http://ielts-english.info/blog/?m=201202
The bar graph depicts information regarding the number of students who applied for four faculty
areas, namely biology, engineering, business, and social work at three US universities between
1990 and 2010.
The graph clearly shows that student applications for engineering and biology declined
considerably during the given period. By contrast, the number of students who applied for business
and social work increased dramatically.
While 4000 students applied for engineering in 1990, the corresponding number for business
studies was just half of it (2000 applications). During the next ten years, engineering became less
popular, and applications dropped to 2500. The same downward trend continued during the next
ten years, and applications dropped to just over 500 in 2010.
Biology courses also lost their popularity during the 20 years from 1990 to 2010. Applications for
biology related courses were 3000 in 1990 and reduced to half of that in 2000 (1500 applications).
In 2010, less than 1000 students opted for biology.
Unlike engineering and biology, business studies, which received just 2000 applications in 1990,
became the most popular area in 2010 with 4000 applications. Meanwhile, applications for social
work also rose and almost doubled from 1000 to 2000 during this twenty-year period. (200 words)
348
Practice 2
Percentage of children with a reported allergic condition, by age group,

US, 2011
25
20
15
10
0
Food allergy Skin allergy Respiratory allergy
0-4 years 5-9 years 10-17 years
Source: CDC/NCHS, Health Data Interactive, National Health Interview Survey

Adapted from https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/products/databriefs/db121.htm
The bar graph outlines the percentage of children with a reported allergic condition in the US based
on their age groups in 2011. Three types of allergies, namely food, skin, and respiratory allergies,
were observed.
Overall, it can be seen in the graph that the younger age group (0 to 4 years old) suffered less from
allergies than the other two age groups (5 to 9 and 10 to 17 years old).
In all age groups, 5 percent of children were reported with food allergy. Skin allergy was more
common among the youngest age group. About 14 percent of 0-4-year-olds had skin allergy, while
about 13 percent of children between 5 and 9, and 11 percent of those from 10 to 17 complained
about his problem. As regards the respiratory allergy, it had the highest percentage in children aged
10 to 17. Twenty percent of these children were reported to have this type of allergy, while this
figure was 10 percent for the youngest children and 17 percent for the middle group. (173 words)
349
Practice 3
The wage gap between men and women

40,0%
35,0%
30,0%
25,0%
20,0%
15,0%
10,0%
5,0%
0,0%
UK Canada France Italy Japan
1995 2005 2015
Adapted from https://publicpolicy.wharton.upenn.edu/live/news/2052-budgeting-for-gender
The bar graph shows the gender wage gap in the UK, Canada, France, Italy, and Japan in the years
1995, 2005, and 2015, in percentages.
As can be seen in the graph, the wage gap between men and women was the highest in Japan
throughout the whole period. However, it became smaller; in 1995, women earned 37 percent less
than men, while they earned about 26 percent less in 2015.
The gender wage gap in the UK and Canada was similar in 1995, around 25 percent, and, the gap
became narrower in both by 2015, but in the UK the gap decreased to about 16 percent, while it
was close to 20 percent in Canada in 2015.
The gap between the amounts men and women earned was the smallest in France and Italy in all
three years. In France, the wage gap was almost the same during this twenty-year period, slightly
decreasing by about one percent. On the other hand, the gender wage gap in Italy decreased from
19 percent in 1995 to 10 percent in 2005 and then to 5 percent in 2015.
Overall, although the wage gap between men and women became narrower, women still earned
less than men. Italy was the only country where people earned almost the same amount of money
regardless of their gender. (200 words)
350
Practice 4
Proportion of arrests by gender and offence group,

England, 2017
45
40
35
30
Percentage
25
20
15
10
5
0
Violence against Burglary/Theft Drug offences Sexual offences Robbery Others
the person
Men Women
Adapted from https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/police-powers-and-procedures-england-and-wales-year-ending-31-

march-2015/police-powers-and-procedures-england-and-wales-year-ending-31-march-2015
The given bar graph shows the proportion of men and women arrested for various offences in
England in 2017.
The majority of the arrests in England were due to violence against people and drug offences. 30%
of men and 40% of women were arrested for violence. About 25% of both men and women were
arrested in connection with drug offences.
As regards burglary and theft, men were twice as likely to be arrested as women, at 20% and 10%,
respectively. They were even more likely to be arrested for sexual offences; 15% of men and 5%
of women who were arrested committed such crimes.
While women experienced a higher percentage of arrest rates for robbery with 10% and other
crimes with 8%, the figures for the each of these crimes were 5% for men.
It is clear from the graph that the most common reason for arrest in both male and female groups
was violence, followed by drug offences. Only in robbery and the other crimes which were not
specified did women have a higher proportion. (176 words)
351
PIE CHARTS
Practice 1
Describe the following charts by reporting the trends and making comparisons, in about 150 words.
Reasons for cycling to work

12%
Health and fitness
30%
13% Less pollution
No parking problems
No costs
15%
Faster than driving
30%
11%
Reasons for driving to work
Comfort
14%
40% Distance to work
Faster than cycling
Need to carry things to work

14%
Safer than cycling
21%
Adapted from https://www.ielts-exam.net/academic_writing_samples_task_1/1002/
352
The first chart shows the reasons why some people in the UK prefer cycling to work, and the
second chart gives reasons for those who choose to go to work by car.
The two biggest shares in the first chart belong to those who have justified their choice by referring
either to health and fitness or to causing less pollution as the reason (30% each). 15% of cyclists
have noted that they prefer this means of transport to experience no parking problems. The rest
have referred to financial benefits and speed to explain their preference.
People who prefer to drive to work have shown some different reasons. The majority of drivers
prefer to travel by car because it is more comfortable (40%). More than one fifth would rather
drive to work due to the distance. The high speed of the car and the need to carry things to work
were given by 14% each as reasons for driving. 11% in this group have attributed their choice to
safety.
In general, it seems that the majority of those cycling to work do this for health and environmental
reasons. By contrast, those who travel by car want to have a more comfortable journey over longer
distances. (204 words)
353
Practice 2
Percentage of time spent on some Internet activities

(18-24 age group)
Researching e.g.
health data
14%
Social networking
Making purchases
39%
13%
Making booking e.g.

cinema/travel
8%
Accessing music/films
26%
Percentage of time spent on some Internet activities

(60-70 age group)
Social networking
Researching e.g. 12%
health data
27%
Accessing music/films
16%
Making purchases
13%
Making booking e.g.

cinema/travel
32%
Adapted from https://www.ielts-mentor.com/writing-sample/academic-writing-task-1/1975-academic-ielts-writing-task-1-sample-

157-time-younger-and-older-people-spend-on-various-internet-activities
354
The two pie charts illustrate the proportion of time two groups of people (18-26 age group and 60-
70 age group) allocate on different Internet activities. Overall, it is clear that the two age groups
have different preferences of Internet activities.
First and foremost, the younger age group spends a majority of their time on social networking
(39%), compared to only 12% of the time elderly people spend. The older people, however, spend
most of their time on making bookings (for cinema tickets or travel, for instance). The percentage
of the elderly that use the Internet for making bookings is 32%, which is almost four times as much
as the time youngsters spend on this category.
Young people tend to use the Internet to access music or films more than older people (26% and
16%, respectively), while older people spend more time than the young to do research, for
example, about health data (27% and 14%, respectively). Both young and old people spend the
same amount of time making purchases, at 13%. (171 words)
355
Practice 3
THE CHANGES IN ANNUAL SPENDING BY LOCAL AUTHORITIES IN DENVER
1980 1990
6% 4%
4% 5%
14% 35%
20%
45%
16% 6%
25% 20%
2000
9% 1% Higher Education
10% Transportation
40% Environmental services
K-12 Education
22% Health and human resources
Other
18%
Adapted from https://www.ielts-exam.net/academic_writing_samples_task_1/818/
356
The charts show how much local authorities spent on a range of services in Denver in three separate
years: 1980, 1990, and 2000.
In all three years, the greatest expenditure was on education. However, while K-12 education saw
a fall from 25% in 1980 to only 18% of spending in 2000, higher education remained the largest
proportion, reaching 45% of total spending in 1990 and ending at 40% in 2000.
Expenditure on health and human resources had increased to 20% by 1990 before decreasing to
only 10% by the end of the period. In contrast, the share of transportation saw an opposite trend.
This cost decreased to only 6% of total expenditure in 1990 but rose dramatically in 2000, when it
represented 22% of the total budget. Similarly, the cost of environmental services saw a rising
trend, growing from only 4% to 9% by 2000.
Overall, higher education constituted the largest cost to local authorities, and while spending
increased for transportation and environmental services, there were corresponding drops in
expenditure on health and human resources and K-12 education. (178 words)
357
Practice 4
Household Spending Patterns

1980 UK New Zealand
Food & drink
9
9
23
Utility bills
29
18
Transport
27
Leisure
17 Other
26
27
15
2010 11 13 11
25
17
28
34
16
31
14
Adapted from http://ielts-simon.com/ielts-help-and-english-pr/2015/02/ielts-writing-task-1-pie-chart-video.html
358
The illustration compares five categories of household expenditure in the UK and New Zealand in
1980 and 2010. As is observed in the graph, spending on food and drink decreased in both the UK
and New Zealand over these 30 years, while expenditures on leisure activities and utility bills
increased.
In 1980, the spending on food and drink in the UK (23%) was lower than in New Zealand (29%).
By 2010, expenditures in this category had fallen slightly to 22% in New Zealand and dropped
dramatically to 13% in the UK. By contrast, both countries experienced a slight rise in the amount
spent on utility bills, from 27% to 31% in New Zealand and from 26% to 28% in the UK.
Leisure activities held the biggest share in the UK household expense in both years, with 27% in
1980 and 34% in 2010. The proportion of expenditure on leisure activities in New Zealand,
however, was lower than this, although it showed a slight increase from 18% to 20%.
Transport costs were almost the same in the UK and New Zealand in both years, at around 15%,
and other costs comprised about 9% in 1980 and 11% in 2011 in both. (200 words)
359
TABLES
Practice 1
Describe the following table by reporting the trends and making comparisons, in about 150 words.
The amount of waste production (in millions of tons) in six different countries:
1980 1990 2000
Ireland 0.6 2.2 5
Japan 28 32 53
Korea 20 31 19
Poland 4 5 6.6
Portugal 2 3 5
US 131 151 192
Adapted from https://ieltsonlinetests.com/488/30/131/exam/mock-test-april-2017/writing/practice-test-1
The table gives information on the amount of waste production in six countries in the years 1980,
1990, and 2000, in million tons.
According to the table, initially in 1980, total garbage production in Ireland, Portugal, and Poland
were below 4 million tons, compared to the 28 million tons in Japan and 131 tons in the US. In
this year, US alone produced far more waste than the total of all other countries’ waste. In 1990,
garbage production in all the given six countries increased. Finally, by 2000, the amount of waste
produced in Ireland, Poland, and Portugal had slightly increased. In the same year, the waste
production in the US remained the highest, at 192 million tons, while Japan produced the second
most garbage, at 53 million tons. Although Korea stood in the third place in terms of garbage
production in 2000, which was 19 million tons, this was much lower than the amount produced in
1990 (31 million tons).
Overall, waste production in the US was always significantly higher than the other five countries,
which was followed by Japan. Korea was the only country where the amount of waste produced
decreased over the years. (196 words)
360
Practice 2
The results of the survey showing the members’ opinions about the F&T sports club:
Very s atis fied S atis fied Not s atis fied
R ang e of ac tivities
͵ͷΨ ͵ͷΨ ͵ͲΨ
ͷͷΨ ͶͲΨ ͷΨ
C lub fac ilities
͸ͶΨ ʹʹΨ ͳͶΨ

͸͵Ψ ʹ͹Ψ ͳͲΨ
O pening hours
͹ʹΨ ʹͷΨ ͵Ψ

ͶͶΨ ͳͻΨ ͵͹Ψ
Adapted from https://ieltsonlinetests.com/246/15/66/exam/ielts-practice-tests-plus-2/writing/practice-test-2
The table compares the opinions of male and female club members about the services provided by
the F&T Sports Club.
We can see from the responses of the male members that they are either satisfied or very satisfied
with the range of activities at the club, with only 5% dissatisfied. In contrast, only about two-thirds
of female members were positive about the activity range, while almost a third of them were
dissatisfied.
The genders were more in agreement about the club facilities. Only 10% of men and 14% of
women were unhappy with the facilities at the club, whereas the majority (63 and 64%,
respectively) were very satisfied with them.
Finally, the female respondents were much happier with the club opening hours than their male
counterparts. Almost three-quarters of them were very satisfied with the hours and only 3% were
unhappy, whereas nearly 40% of the men expressed their dissatisfaction.
Overall, the table indicates that female members are most unhappy with the range of activities,
while male members feel that opening hours are the least satisfactory aspect of the club. (180
words)
361
Practice 3

Worldwide Market Share of Notebook Computer Manufacturers
Company 2006 % Market Share 2007 % Market Share
HP 31.4 34
Dell 16.6 20.2
Acer 11.6 10.7
Toshiba 6.2 7.3
Lenovo 6.6 6.2
Fujitsu-Siemens 4.8 2.3
Others 22.8 19.3
Total 100 100
Taken from https://www.ielts-exam.net/academic_writing_samples_task_1/862/
The table gives information on the market share of notebook computer manufacturers for two
consecutive years, 2006 and 2007.
In both years, HP was clearly the market leader, selling 31.4% of all notebook computers in 2006,
and slightly more (34%) in 2007. This was a greater market share than its two closest competitors,
Dell and Acer, added together. Dell increased its market share from 16.6% in 2006 to 20.2% in
2007. In contrast, Acer saw its share of the market decline slightly from 11.6% to 10.7%.
Each of the remaining companies listed had a much smaller share of the market. Toshiba’s share
increased from 6.2% in 2006 to 7.3% in 2007, whereas Lenovo’s decreased slightly from 6.6% to
6.2%. Fujitsu-Siemens’ share fell more than half from 2006 to 2007: from 4.8% of the market to
only 2.3%.
Other manufacturers accounted for 22.8% of the market in 2006 – more than all the companies
mentioned except HP. However, in 2007, the other companies only made up 19.3% of the sales –
less than both HP and Dell.
Overall, HP retained its position as the market leader, and Dell and Toshiba increased their shares,
while all the other manufacturers decreased their shares of the market. (201 words)
362
Practice 4
Sales of Fairtrade-labeled Tea and Pineapples (2010 & 2015)
Tea 2010 (Millions of Euros) 2015 (Millions of Euros)
France 2.5 21
Austria 4 8
Germany 2.8 3
Netherlands 2 2.7
Norway 1.8 2
Pineapples 2010 (Millions of Euros) 2015 (Millions of Euros)
Austria 16 48
France 2 6.5
Netherlands 1.6 5
Norway 2.8 2
Germany 3 1.9
*Fairtrade: a category of products for which farmers from developing countries have been paid an officially
agreed fair price.
Taken from https://www.ielts-exam.net/academic_writing_samples_task_1/982/
363
The two tables contain sales data for Fairtrade-labeled tea and pineapples in 2010 and 2015, in five
nations of Europe.
The first table shows tea sales, which increased from 2010 to 2015 in all five. The two smallest
increases were in Germany (from 2.8 to 3 million) and Norway (from 1.8 to 2 million). The
increment was slightly larger in Netherlands, from 2 to 2.7 million Euros. Meanwhile, in Austria
sales doubled from 4 to 8 million Euros. Finally, in France, there was an enormous increase, from
2.5 to 21 million Euros.
In the second table, Austria stands out as its sales figures jumped from 16 to 48 million Euros,
while in France and Netherlands, sales only increased from 2 to 6.5 and from 1.6 to 5 million
Euros, respectively. On the other hand, Norway and Germany saw falls in their sales. In Norway,
the pineapple sales decreased from 2.8 million in 2010 to 2 million Euros in 2015, and in Germany,
they fell from 3 million to 1.9 million Euros.
Overall, tea sales increased in all five countries, and pineapple sales increased in Austria, France,
and Netherlands, albeit to widely varying degrees. Only pineapple sales in Germany and Norway
saw a decrease. (203 words)
364
MULTIPLE GRAPHS
Practice 1
Describe the following graphs by reporting the trends and making comparisons, in about 150
words. Make sure you present the information in an organized manner using a variety of language
MOST POPULAR FILM GENRES FOR MEN AND WOMEN

IN THE US IN 2010
45
40
35
30
Percentage
25
20
15
10
5
0
action comedy thriller science fiction western romantic
comedy
men women
Box-office takings 2010: US

others
thriller 5%
10%
romantic
comedy
12% action
49%
comedy
24%
Taken from https://www.testbig.com/sites/default/files/ielts%20photot1.jpg
365
The pie chart shows the box-office takings of different types of films in the US in 2010, and the
bar graph compares the preferences of men and women there for movie genres in the same year.
According to the pie chart, action movie genre got almost half of the ticket sales in the US, while
comedies accounted for 24% of the sales. The box-office takings of romantic comedies and
thrillers were 12% and 10%, respectively, while all the other movie genres contributed to the
remaining 5% ticket sales in 2010.
According to the bar graph, action movies were very popular among both men and women: 40%
of men and 25% of women preferred this genre. Romantic comedies were most popular among
women (30%), while it was preferred by very few men (only about 5%). Comedy movies were
favored by the same proportion of men and women, 20% each.
Thriller, western, and science-fiction movies were less popular compared to the other genres. 15%
of men and 10% of women preferred thrillers, while science fiction had 10% male and 5% female
viewers. The same proportion of viewers in the two groups (10%) preferred watching western
movies.
Overall, action movies were very popular both among men and women, and the ratio of ticket sales
for this type of movie was also much higher than any other film category. (225 words)
366
Practice 2
Describe the following charts and table by reporting the trends and making comparisons, in about
150 words. Make sure you present the information in an organized manner using a variety of
language structures and vocabulary.

Causes of Worldwide Land Degradation in 1990s
other
7%
over-grazing
35%
deforestation
30%
over-cultivation
28%
Adapted from https://www.ielts-mentor.com/writing-sample/academic-writing-task-1/1037-academic-ielts-writing-task-1-sample-

100-why-agricultural-land-becomes-less-productive
367
The pie chart indicates the factors that negatively affected the productivity of agricultural lands
worldwide, while the table data illustrates the percentage of land degradation in three main regions
in the 1990s due to those factors mentioned.
According to the pie chart, the major factor that caused the worldwide land degradation during the
1990s was over-grazing. 35% of agricultural lands worldwide became less productive due to a
single factor – over-grazing. Deforestation accounted for 30% degradation of cultivable land, and
over-cultivation resulted in 28% of land degradation. All other minor reasons constituted 7%
collectively.
The area that lost most proportion of its agriculture land was Europe, at 23%. On the other hand,
Oceania and North America was not as badly affected, losing 13% and 5% of their farmland,
respectively. Surprisingly, the main problem faced by each area was different from one another.
The problem of over-grazing was especially serious in Oceania, resulting in 11.3% of its land
unsuitable for agriculture. On the other hand, deforestation with 9.8% was the major problem faced
by the European farmers. Although over-cultivation was the primary threat in North America, it
was not a problem at all in Oceania.
In conclusion, over-grazing was the main cause of worldwide degradation in 1990s. Europe’s
percentage of degradation was the largest of all three regions, and all three regions had different
predominant causes. (224 words)
368
DIAGRAMS
Practice 1
The diagram below shows the life cycle of the honey bee. Describe the process by reporting the main
features and making comparisons where relevant. Write about 150 words. Make sure you present the
information in an organized manner using a variety of language structures and vocabulary.
hatch (v): to (cause an egg to) break in

order to allow a young animal to come out
nymph (n): a small version of the adult bee

with an incomplete metamorphosis (a thin
exoskeleton and no wings)
moult (v): (of a bird or animal) to lose

feathers, skin, or hair as a natural
process at a particular time of year so that
new feathers, skin, or hair can grow
Adapted from https://ieltsonlinetests.com/516/32/138/exam/mock-test-february-2017/writing/practice-test-2
The supplied illustration presents the complete life-cycle of the honey bee. Overall, the life-cycle
of the honey bee is about 34-36 days, and it consists of six stages.
The cycle starts when female bees lay their eggs. Actually, they lay one or two eggs once in every
three days. Those eggs hatch after nine or ten days. After this, it takes the nymph five days to get
out of the egg. The nymph moults three times as it grows. It first moults seven days after it gets
out of the egg, and then it moults again for a second time after nine days. Finally, the nymph
emerges into the young adult bee. After this stage, it takes five days for the adult bee to become
mature, and then the cycle can start again with the new mature female bee laying eggs. (141 words)
369
Practice 2
The diagram below shows the recycling process of wasted glass bottles. Describe the process by
reporting the main features and making comparisons where relevant. Write about 150 words. Make sure
you present the information in an organized manner using a variety of language structures and vocabulary.
Adapted from http://ieltsmaterial.com/ielts-writing-task-1-process-sample-answers/
The diagram illustrates the process of recycling wasted glass bottles. It is clear that there are three
distinct stages in the recycling process, beginning with the collection of unused bottles and ending
with the delivery of new bottles.
At the first stage in the process, wasted glass bottles are gathered at a collecting point and delivered
to a cleaning plant by a truck. At the second stage, glass bottles are washed in high-pressure water
before being categorized according to colors which normally include clear, green, and brown.
After that, the bottles are sent to a glass factory, where they are broken into pieces. Then, by
burning these pieces in furnaces at a temperature of 600-800℃, liquid glass is produced. At the
end of this second stage, the recycled liquid glass and the new liquid glass from other sources are
together shaped in a glass mould to produce new bottles. At the final stage, new bottles are used
as containers to bottle liquids and then transported to supermarkets, where the products will be
sold. (173 words)
370
PERFORMANCE TASKS
371
Performance Task 1.
You will hear a lecture on market structures. While listening, take notes on the main points and
important details. You will hear the lecture only once.
Lecture
There are quite a few different market structures that can characterize an economy. However, as
the first-year students of the Department of Economics, you are just getting started with this topic.
So, it’s better to look at the four basic types of market structures first; namely, perfect competition,
imperfect competition, oligopoly, and monopoly. Each of them has their own set of characteristics
and assumptions, which we will look at in detail. So, I’d like you to take notes on the descriptions
of market structures, the characteristics of each one, and the assumptions on which each structure
is based.
Alright, the first type of market structure is known as perfect competition. Perfect competition
describes a market structure where a large number of small firms compete against each other. In
this scenario, a single firm does not have any significant market power. As a result, the industry
as a whole produces the socially optimal level of output, because none of the firms have the ability
to influence market prices. The idea of perfect competition builds on a number of assumptions: (1)
all firms maximize profits, (2) there is free entry and exit to the market, (3) all firms sell completely
identical – or homogeneous – goods, and (4) there are no consumer preferences. By looking at
those assumptions, it becomes quite obvious that we will hardly ever find perfect competition in
reality. This is an important aspect, because it is the only market structure that can theoretically
result in a socially optimal level of output.
Now, the second type is imperfect competition. Imperfect competition also refers to a market
structure where a large number of small firms compete against each other. However, unlike in
perfect competition, the firms in imperfect competition sell similar, but slightly differentiated
products. This gives them a certain degree of market power which allows them to charge higher
prices within a certain range. Imperfect competition builds on the following assumptions: (1) all
firms maximize profits, (2) there is free entry and exit to the market, (3) firms sell slightly
differentiated products, and (4) consumers may prefer one product over the other. Now, those
assumptions are a bit closer to reality than the ones we looked at in perfect competition. However,
this market structure will no longer result in a socially optimal level of output, because the firms
have more power and can influence market prices to a certain degree.
The third type of market structure is oligopoly. This is the combination of two words, oligo-
meaning “few” in Ancient Greek, and -poly meaning “sell” as a suffix. Let me spell it for you: O-
L-I-G-O-P-O-L-Y. Okay, now, the definition: An oligopoly describes a market structure which is
dominated by only a small number of firms. This results in a state of limited competition. The
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firms can either compete against each other or collaborate. By doing so, they can use their
collective market power to drive up prices and earn more profit. The oligopolistic market structure
builds on the following assumptions: (1) all firms maximize profits, (2) oligopolies can set prices,
(3) there are barriers to entry and exit in the market, (4) products may be homogenous or
differentiated, and (5) there is only a few firms that dominate the market. Unfortunately, it is not
clearly defined what “a few firms” exactly means. As a rule of thumb, we say that an oligopoly
typically consists of about three to five dominant firms.
The final type of market structure that I’m going to talk about today is monopoly. You know, like,
the game (chuckles). A monopoly refers to a market structure where a single firm controls the
entire market. In this scenario, the firm has the highest level of market power, as consumers do not
have any alternatives. As a result, monopolists often reduce output to increase prices and earn more
profit. The following assumptions are made when we talk about monopolies: (1) the monopolist
maximizes profit, (2) it can set the price, (3) there are high barriers to entry and exit, and (4) there
is only one firm that dominates the entire market. From the perspective of society, most
monopolies are usually not desirable, because they result in lower outputs and higher prices
compared to competitive markets. Therefore, they are often regulated by the government.
Alright. We have very little time left, so let me give a brief summary of what I have already talked
about. In a nutshell, there are four basic types of market structures: perfect competition, imperfect
competition, oligopoly, and monopoly. Perfect competition describes a market structure where
many small firms compete against each other with homogeneous, that is, identical products.
Meanwhile, imperfect competition refers to a market structure where a lot of small firms compete
against each other with differentiated products. An oligopoly describes a market structure where a
small number of firms compete against or collaborate with each other. And finally, monopoly
refers to a market structure where a single firm controls the entire market. Next week, we’ll
continue with… (fade out)
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READING TEXT
An Overall Look at the US Market

a) Breakfast Cereals: There is a huge number of different brands of breakfast cereals in the US market
today. Cap’n Crunch, Lucky Charms, Froot Loops, and Apple Jacks are some of them. Cap’n
Crunch advertises itself as “the Original Crunch.” The description reads as follows: “Sweet and
golden, with a crunch you can’t resist, nothing competes with the original Cap’n Crunch®. Grab a
bowl or cup for an easy snack that goes great with couch time, anytime.” The second one, Lucky
Charms, comes with the cartoon image of unicorns, Lucky the Leprechaun, and floating
marshmallows, and the motto of “The Most Magical Part of the Day.” The brand describes itself
as follows: “All you need is some extra magic to start your day off right. And lucky for you: Lucky
Charms marshmallow charms are pretty magical.” Likewise, Froot Loops also uses the
advertisement slogan that reads: “Follow your nose to the delicious fruity taste and fun, colorful
loops of Froot Loops® cereal. It’s awesome anytime, from breakfast to a midnight snack.” Finally,
Apple Jacks is yet another breakfast cereal, which describes itself as follows: “This crunchy three-
grain cereal is sweetened with apple and cinnamon.” Most of them probably taste slightly different
from one another, with an appeal to probably different customer profiles. However, it is possible
to refer to them altogether as breakfast cereals.
b) Corn: Monsanto is an agricultural company, helping farmers large and small grow food more
sustainably. From seed to software, to fiber and fuel, the company is developing tools to help
growers protect natural resources while providing nourishment to the world. In the face of a
changing climate and other environmental challenges, Monsanto aims at helping ensure the
agricultural system continues to suit the needs of everyone. About 80% of all corn harvested in the
US is trademarked by this company. That gives Monsanto an extremely high level of market power.
c) Gaming consoles: Those who spent their childhood years and teens might probably know three
main brands of gaming consoles: Microsoft, Sony, and Nintendo. Since the release of the first
gaming consoles, these three powerful companies have dominated the market. This leaves all of
them with a significant amount of market power, as can be also viewed in the pie chart below.
Video Game Console Sales in the US Market
Nintendo -
1,95 Millions
Microsoft Xbox One -
4,2 Millions
Sony PS4 -
3 Millions
Adapted from https://quickonomics.com/market-structures/
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Summary Essay
Summarize all the main points in the lecture and integrate the relevant points from the reading text.
Write 250-300 words.
Do not copy sentences from the reading text. Use your own words.
Total time: 50 minutes
Sample response
The lecture explains four different types of market structures that characterize an economy;
namely, perfect competition, imperfect competition, oligopoly, and monopoly. The reading text
provides examples for three of them.
Perfect competition refers to many firms competing against each other, so there is no single market
power, and firms have no influence on prices. Perfect competition assumes all firms maximize
profit by freely entering or exiting the market. All firms produce identical products, so consumers
have no preference.
Imperfect competition involves many small firms producing similar but slightly different products.
Therefore, consumers have a choice to prefer one firm over the other. In this structure, firms have
power on prices. The reading gives breakfast cereals as an example for this structure. There are
many cereals produced with slightly different tastes and flavors, and each manufacturer appeals to
a different group of consumers.
Oligopoly is a structure where few companies dominate the market. There is limited competition,
and companies are competitors or collaborators, so they drive up the prices. There are three or five
dominant firms that maximize profit, set prices, and produce differentiated products, such as
Microsoft, Sony, and Nintendo in the gaming console market, as given in the text. These are the
only companies that share the market, so they have great market power.
The last structure is monopoly, where there is one single firm with the highest market power, and
consumers have no alternative. Because this single company can increase the prices and profit
without any competition, it should be regulated by the government. Monsanto, an agricultural
company, is an example provided by the reading as it trademarks 80% of all corn produced in the
US.
278 words
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Performance Task 2.
You will hear a lecture on discourse types in writing. While listening, take notes on the main
points and important details. You will hear the lecture only once.
Lecture
If everyone’s seated, we can start. Uhm, okay. Today, we’ll be talking about discourse types in
writing. But before that, let me give you a definition of discourse. Discourse is any written or
spoken communication. It can also be described as the expression of thought through language.
According to the most widely accepted literary approach, discourse has four main types. These
four traditional modes of discourse are narration, description, exposition, and argument.
Okay, the first one, narration, simply means telling a story. It involves relating a series of events,
usually in a chronological order. Narration has two subtypes; fictional or non-fictional. Uhm… in
the first subtype, I mean, in fictional narratives, the events that are told are not real, uhm… they
are made-up, or imaginary. So, a simple narrative in this category may begin with “Once upon a
time . . .” and end with “And they lived happily ever after.” Therefore, fairy tales, short stories, or
novels fall into this category. And yes, the title “story” is reserved for this type of narratives. The
second subtype in narration is non-fictional. This means the events really occurred. If the events
actually happened, we do not call them stories, but these types of narratives are analyzed under
other titles, such as biography, autobiography, history, after-action report, or newspaper report.
Uhm, also, there are some cases that fall in between. For example, there is a genre called “historical
fiction,” which may portray a historical event more or less accurately, while making up a story
about real or fictional characters involved in that event. But I’m not going to talk about this in
detail.
Uhm, so… the next type of discourse that we’re going to look at is description. At its simplest,
description tells what things are like according to the five senses. A descriptive essay, or a
descriptive passage in a story, tells how things look, sound, feel, taste, and smell. Nouns and
adjectives can show what a person, place, or thing are like in their material aspects. Description
often tries to do more than enable readers to visualize characters, settings, and actions. It may also
try to evoke a mood or atmosphere, and this is aided by the use of some literary devices that show
similarities between things or persons, such as simile and metaphor.
Alright. The third type of discourse is exposition. It is the kind of writing that is used to inform.
The prefix ex- comes from Greek and means “out, or away from.” The root of the word comes
from the Latin verb ponere which means “to place.” So, translated literally, exposition means “to
place out,” and, of course, the thing that is placed out for us to see and understand is information.
Exposition as a discourse has several subtypes like comparison and contrast, cause and effect, or
problem and solution. These are distinguished by purpose, as the names indicate, but also by
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structure or organization. For example, by looking at the word choice or structure in a text, an
experienced writer or a reader understands that an essay is comparing and contrasting things,
places, or people. Or, again, an avid reader would easily understand an essay that describes a
problem and presents a solution. Each subtype has its own conventional pattern of organization,
and once readers recognize the intended mode, they also expect the writer to follow the
organizational conventions associated with it.
The final mode of discourse is argument. The purpose of argument is to convince through logic,
generally on a controversial issue that is being discussed currently. An argument is based on a
belief or opinion that the writer holds as true. The statement of this opinion is called a “thesis.” It
is usually presented explicitly near the beginning of the argument. To convince readers that his or
her opinion is true, the writer must build a case to support the thesis. Building a case requires
presenting reasons for accepting the thesis, and then presenting evidence to support the reasons.
Therefore, it is essential to be credible, that is reliable and believable. One way for a writer to
establish credibility is to be well-informed about the topic and to know both sides of the issue that
he or she is arguing. Citing authorities and including a works-cited page are evidence that the ideas
are based on valid and reliable information.
Alright, as the final remarks, I should cover up what I presented. Please note that identifying the
modes of discourse is a convenient way to talk about writing. A specific essay or longer works
may be labeled narration, description, exposition, or argument. However, the various modes are
almost never found in a pure form. They are rather embedded one within another and work in
concert to help the writer achieve his or her purpose.
Adapted from https://sites.google.com/a/proofreadoutloud.com/www/four-modes-of-discourse
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READING TEXT
Review #1: A.P. Martinich’s Thomas Hobbes: A Biography

Thomas Hobbes (1588-1679) is now recognized as one of the fathers of modern
philosophy and political theory. In his own time, he was as famous for his work
in physics, geometry, and religion. A. P. Martinich has written the most
complete and accessible biography of Hobbes available. The book takes full
account of the historical and cultural context in which Hobbes lived, drawing
on both published and unpublished sources. It will be a great resource for
philosophers, political theorists, and historians of ideas. The presentation is
chronological, with brief analytical detours to explore texts written by Hobbes.
Disagreements among scholars are noted throughout regarding not only
interpretation of Hobbes’s thought, but also details of his life.
Adapted from https://www.amazon.com/Hobbes-Biography-P-Martinich/dp/0521039347
Review #2: Sheila Newman’s The Final Energy Crisis

Australian environmental sociologist Sheila Newman edits and contributes
several chapters to this fully revised and updated second edition of The Final
Energy Crisis. This volume includes chapters in different aspects of the energy
issue. Published in mid-2008 as crude oil prices were approaching $150 US per
barrel and concern about “peak oil” was cresting, this book is no less relevant
today, when the global economic-financial meltdown has displaced oil and food
prices as the crisis of the moment. After all, the topic it presents – how (or how
not) to change the currently misleading energy policies into a secure form of
sustainable energy, by building an economically stable and environmentally
safe future – is timeless.
Adapted from https://www.amazon.com/Final-Energy-Crisis-Sheila-Newman/dp/0745327176
Review #3: Leon R. Kass and James Q. Wilson’s The Ethics of Human
Cloning
In this two-part guide to the ethical debate, Kass and Wilson articulate opposed
notions with a lively intellectual power. Kass believes that cloning humans is
another step in the degradation of humanity. He asserts that it’s a natural
progression in the assault on the traditional structure of the family. For his part,
Wilson addresses the issue from a different perspective, and he believes that it
may be an answer to infertility and a substitute for adoption. Both authors allow
ample space to develop both wings of the argument as they cite from various
academic and popular sources of science, literature, and the media. The second
part of the book is allocated for rebuttal and conclusions.
Adapted from https://www.amazon.com/Ethics-Human-Cloning-Leon-

Kass/dp/0844740500/ref=sr_1_3?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1525173383&sr=1-3&keywords=ethics+of+cloning
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Summary Essay
Sample response
The lecture defines discourse as any written or spoken communication and explains four discourse
types: narration, description, exposition, and argument. The reading text gives three books as
examples.
Narration means story-telling, often following a chronological order. Narration can be fictional or
non-fictional. Fictions include fairy tales, novels, (or short-stories), whereas non-fiction narrates
real events, so biography and history (autobiography, after-action report, or newspaper report) fall
into this category. (There is also an in-between genre, which is historical fiction.) An example
given in the text to (non-fictional) narration is the biography of Hobbes, which chronologically
presents information about Hobbes’s life and thoughts.
Description explains how things look, taste, and smell, (sound, and feel). It is about what things
are like according to the five senses. It tries to help readers visualize things (or characters, settings,
and actions).
Exposition means “placing out” information. It has different subtypes such as comparison and
contrast or problem-solution. Each subtype has its own conventions of language and organization.
The Final Energy Crisis is an example provided by the reading to this type, focusing on different
aspects of the energy issue, and providing sustainable, economically-stable, and environmentally-
friendly solutions.
Finally, argument aims to convince the reader through logic. It is often based on a belief or opinion,
so thesis must be presented explicitly. To do this, the writer must build a case with reasons and
evidence, so s/he must be knowledgeable about both sides of the argument. Moreover, the writer
should present credible and reliable information by citing sources. An example given in the text is
The Ethics of Human Cloning, presenting two opposite views on cloning by two authors. One
author defends cloning as a solution to infertility, while the other thinks it is an attack on the
traditional family structure and a degradation of humankind.
299 words
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Performance Task 3.
You will hear a lecture on parenting styles. While listening, take notes on all the main points and
important details of the lecture. You will hear the lecture only once.
Lecture
Today, we are going to talk about parenting styles. In psychology today, there are four major
recognized parenting styles: authoritarian, authoritative, permissive, and neglectful. Each style
takes a different approach to raising children. Each one carries different characteristics and brings
about different reactions in the children which they are used on. Although no parent-child
relationship is the same, it should be noted that the parenting style can affect everything from how
much the child weighs to how she or he feels about herself or himself. It’s important to ensure that
the parenting style is supporting healthy growth and development; it should help to raise a happy,
responsible, and productive member of society.
Now, let’s look at the characteristics of each parenting style. The first one is authoritarian parents.
Authoritarian parents are very strict and controlling. They are big believers in clearly stated rules.
These parents are demanding, but not responsive. There is little emphasis on understanding the
motive behind the child’s actions, and the parents are often unresponsive to their child’s desire to
understand the benefit of the rules. They allow for little open dialogue between parent and child,
and they expect children to follow a strict set of rules and expectations. They usually rely on
punishment to demand obedience or teach a lesson. If their kids don’t behave as ordered, then
those teens will be punished.
The second style of parenting is authoritative. Authoritative parenting is widely regarded as the
most effective and beneficial parenting style for normal children. This type of parenting creates
the healthiest environment for a growing child, and it helps to foster a productive relationship
between parent and child. While retaining authority and control, these parents are warmer and
more communicative than authoritarian parents. Authoritative parents seek a balance between the
teen’s desire for independence and the parents’ desire to be listened to. These parents are
demanding and responsive. They are assertive, but not intrusive or restrictive. Both authoritarian
and authoritative parents have high expectations from their children, but the authoritative parent
encourages more freedom of expression.
The third is the permissive style of parenting. These parents are responsive, but not demanding.
They are often warm and accepting, but they make few demands on their children. These parents
tend to be lenient while trying to avoid confrontation. Few rules are set for the children of
permissive parents, and the rules are inconsistent when they do exist. It may seem as though this
would be a child’s favorite parenting style as it provides a sense of freedom without consequences.
However, children crave a sense of structure to make them feel safe. Clear-cut parental and child
roles are important in a child’s development, but they don’t exist in this type of parenting, so
permissive parenting can have long-term damaging effects.
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The last parenting style is neglectful parenting. It is one of the most harmful styles of parenting
that can be used on a child. Neglectful parents give children a lot of freedom and generally stay
out of their way. They demand almost nothing and give almost nothing in return, except near-
absolute freedom. This style is low in both demandingness and responsiveness. Communication
between the parent and the child is limited. Some parents may make a conscious decision to parent
in this way, while others are less interested in parenting or unsure of what to do.
The research in parenting and child development has found that parents who provide their children
with proper nurture, independence and firm control have children who appear to have higher levels
of competence and who are socially skilled and proficient. Since the parents’ aim is to raise
children to become healthy, well rounded and successful adults, and since specific parenting styles
influence a child’s later development, parents need to be aware of their parenting style. It’s usually
good to balance a few of these parenting styles so as not to stifle your child or produce needy
children, but to bring up well-rounded children who can handle whatever comes their way.
Adapted from http://theattachedfamily.com/membersonly/?p=2151
https://my.vanderbilt.edu/developmentalpsychologyblog/2013/12/types-of-parenting-styles-and-how-to-identify-yours/
381
READING TEXT
Associated outcome:
1 The child turns out to be a high-achiever
academically. In terms of self-esteem,
the child raised by this style has very
high self-respect. S/he also has the
capability of establishing good social
relationships, shows high interaction
capabilities, and displays better social
skills. Not many cases of mental illness
and delinquency are seen.
Associated outcome:
2 The child has an inclination towards
frequent displays of impulsive behavior.
S/he is very likely to fall victim to drug
and alcohol abuse. Delinquency
accompanies a tendency to exhibit
violent attitudes. Self-destructive
behaviors are quite widespread in the
children brought up in this manner.
Suicidal tendency may be encountered.
Associated outcome:
3 The child will behave impulsively, and
egocentric attitudes will be dominant.
The child may develop poor social skills
and experience difficulty establishing
good rapport with their peers, or s/he
may have a tendency to disrupt their
own relationships with others.
Adapted from https://www.parentingforbrain.com/4-baumrind-parenting-styles/
382
Summary Essay
Sample response
The lecture explains the characteristics of four parenting styles, whereas the text presents the
effects of these styles on children, except for one.
The first style is authoritarian. These strict, controlling, demanding, but not responsive parents
expect the child to behave by following a set of rules. Otherwise, the result is punishment.
The second is authoritative, which provides the healthiest environment for a child. Authoritative
parents are demanding, responsive, warm, and communicative, but still have authority and control.
They may have high expectations of the child, but they allow the child to express himself/herself
more freely. They can find a balance between what the child wants and what they require from the
child. The children raised this way, as the reading text shows, often become mentally healthy,
academically successful, and self-respectful with good social relations.
The third style is permissive, which offers a sense of freedom without consequences. Since
permissive parents are often warm and responsive, but not demanding, the environment that the
child grows up in either has no rules or has inconsistent ones, which have long-term damaging
effects. If the child is brought up by permissive parenting, in the end, s/he will turn out to be an
impulsive and egocentric person with poor social skills, according to the text.
The last parenting style is neglectful, which is one of the most harmful ones. The parents following
this style are neither demanding nor responsive, and they give the child nothing but almost absolute
freedom. The communication between the parents and the child is very limited. The children
brought up by neglectful parents, as shown in the reading, may act impulsively and be prone to
drug and alcohol abuse, criminal behavior and violence, and even suicide.
286 words
383
Performance Task 4.
You will hear a lecture on phubbing. While listening, take notes on all the main points and
Lecture
Mobile phones are both our best friends and our worst enemies. In fact, ignoring someone in favor
of the mobile phone is a very common phenomenon all around the world. Scientists even gave it
a name: phubbing. New research is exploring how phubbing hurts our relationships.
Today, I am going to talk about the profound impact phubbing can have on our relationships and
well-being. I will mainly focus on four impacts of phubbing. Please take notes on the effects of
phubbing on marriage, friendships, professional life, and mental health. OK. Let me define
phubbing once more. Phubbing is the practice of ignoring others in favor of our mobile phones.
OK. How does phubbing affect marriage? Overall, several scientists have conducted studies of the
relationship between mobile-phone use and the happiness levels of married couples. They all
suggest that phubbing can lead to a decline in one of the most important relationships we can have
as an adult: the one with our life partner. According to an American study of 145 adults, phubbing
decreases marital satisfaction, in part because it leads to conflict over phone use. By lowering the
happiness level in marriages, scientists found, phubbing affected a partner’s depression and
satisfaction with life.
Phubbing also shapes our casual friendships. Not surprisingly for anyone who has been phubbed,
phone users are generally seen as less polite and attentive. When someone’s eyes wander, we
intuitively know that his mind is wandering. This is what brain studies also show. When we see
someone not paying attention to us, we feel unheard, disrespected, and disregarded. Therefore,
when we have our mobile phones present during our conversations with friends, we lose the
opportunity to have a fulfilling talk. A set of studies actually showed that just having a phone out
and present during a conversation – say, on the table between you – interferes with your sense of
connection to the other person, the feelings of closeness experienced, and the quality of the
conversation. This phenomenon is especially the case during meaningful conversations – you lose
the opportunity for true and authentic connection to another person, which is the core aspect of
any friendship or relationship.
Well, what about the effects of phubbing in the workplace? It is not uncommon for people to
respond to and send emails while sitting in a meeting. Because we are only capable of focusing on
one thing at a time, when our focus is on our device, then our attention is diverted from whatever
is said in that meeting during that time. This means we are not mentally there. We miss something.
To ignore a speaker or a colleague is sending the message that we deem his comments unimportant.
384
Or perhaps your employee is sitting in your office, discussing something he considers important.
He might be facing a challenge and requesting your feedback. Or you have asked him for an update
on a project. Each time you glance at your phone, or pick it up and read and send a quick message,
you impress upon the employee that whatever he is saying is not worthy of your time or attention.
When you communicate with your employees, how often do you do so in person rather than
through email? The more we interact with employees through our devices, the more the human
connection fails. Sadly, human connection is often saved for giving negative feedback, which
contributes to the poor reputation of many in leadership roles.
How does phubbing affect our mental health? Phubbing may lead to enhanced feelings of
depression and a lowered sense of well-being. It is not difficult to imagine that the individual being
phubbed will develop complexes. Emotional distress isn’t the only potential consequence. A series
of studies by two researchers at the University of Essex found the very presence of a phone during
an encounter, even if it is not in use, can be detrimental to an individual’s attempts at interpersonal
connection. People feel they are less interesting than e-mail, Facebook, or Twitter. The result is
less closeness, less empathy, and less trust between individuals. Our personal relationships and our
own mental health are at risk, so as you see, phubbing may have quite destructive effects; much
more destructive than we can imagine.
Well, today I have talked about the effects of phubbing on marriage, friendships, professional life,
and health. Now, let’s …….. (fade out)
Adapted from https://www.mindful.org/what-is-your-phone-doing-to-your-relationships/
385
Reading Text
Text 1.
A workplace should set simple policies for answering or making personal phone calls
during the workday. If an organization doesn’t have policies in place, team leaders can
work with their teams to agree to some basic standards.
- private calls should not be answered during the workday, unless it’s an emergency.
- no excuse for answering your mobile phone during an internal or external meeting, no
matter how important you might be in your workplace or who’s calling.
Text 2.
If you have a friend who can’t stay off her phone, and she’s someone you’d like to maintain
a relationship with, it may be time to show some tough love. Here are some things you can
do:
• Next time she invites you to join her, ask her to leave her phone at home. She’ll
probably say she can’t do that, and if she does, tell her you will not meet her.
• Next time you have a party, don’t invite your friends who are the worst phubbing
offenders. When they ask why they were left off the guest list, be honest and say that you
want people who want to socialize and have real fun.
• If your friend whips out her phone and starts chatting or texting while you are together,
get up and leave.
Text 3.
There are increasing numbers of people in long-term partnerships that feel they must
compete with their partner’s smartphone for attention. A survey found that almost three
quarters of women in committed relationships feel that smartphones are interfering with their
love life and are reducing the amount of time they spend with their partner. In fact, 62% of
the women who took part in another survey claimed that technology interfered with the time
spent with their partner, and almost one third of respondents said their boyfriend looked at
his smartphone while they were talking. OK then. Place the phone somewhere away from
you, on silent. If you need to check on something legitimately important, provide an
explanation to your partner first and then check your phone. Set phone limits in your
relationship. Don’t forget. Partners need to be understanding.
Adapted from https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/feeling-it/201711/phubbing-the-1-phone-habit-drop-better-relationships
386
Summary Essay
Sample response
The lecture explains the four effects of phubbing, which means ignoring other people in favor of
mobile phones. The reading text provides information about what to do against phubbing.
The first effect is on the happiness level of married couples. Phubbing may result in a decrease in
marital satisfaction due to the conflict between couples over phone use. It may also cause a partner
to be depressed and dissatisfied with life. To overcome this problem, the reading suggests that
people put their phones away, in silent mode. In addition, setting phone limits, or giving an
explanation first and then checking the phone might be helpful.
The second effect of phubbing is on friendships. Phone-users are regarded as less polite and less
attentive. Being constantly busy with their phones, they cannot have a fulfilling talk with their
friends, who feel unheard, disrespected, and disregarded. Consequently, the sense of connection,
the feelings of closeness, and the quality of conversation are negatively affected. The suggestion
in the reading is to ask the friend to leave his/her phone at home when invited, not inviting the
worst phubbers to parties, or leaving them when they start phubbing.
The third effect is that, in the workplace, when people focus on their phones during a meeting,
their attention is diverted, and they miss points as they are not mentally there. Phubbing also sends
the message to the speaker that his/her comments are not worthy of being listened to. The solution
given in the text is to set simple policies regarding personal phone calls at work.
Finally, due to phubbing, people may suffer from enhanced feelings of depression and a lowered
sense of well-being. Phubbing affects interpersonal connections negatively, and thus may bring
about less closeness, empathy, and trust, which puts mental health at risk.
297 words
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Performance Task 5.
You will hear a lecture on Goldberg’s Big Five Personality Theory, OCEAN. While listening,
take notes on all the main points and important details of the lecture. You will hear the lecture only
once.
Lecture
Good morning class. Today’s topic is Lewis Goldberg and his “Big Five Personality Theory,” also
known as OCEAN. We’ll talk about these five factors that Goldberg identified. Well, these primary
factors of personality have played a key role in determining certain qualities in people, across
countries and continents, so these five categories are universal. Now, let me explain each one of
them in detail.
The first factor is openness to experience. As Goldberg also noted, openness to experience can be
sometimes called intellect or imagination. Overall, if a person is considered to be open to
experience, s/he must have deep and complex experiences of the mind. Openness to experience
also concerns an individual’s willingness to try new things. These people can be defined as curious,
creative, and daring. An individual who is high in openness to experience is usually someone who
has a love of learning, enjoys the arts, engages in a creative career or hobby, and likes meeting
new people.
Alright. The second trait pointed out by Goldberg is conscientiousness. Let me spell it for you: C-
O-N-S-C-I-E-N-T-I-O-U-S-N-E-S-S. Conscientiousness, right? Okay, conscientious people know
how to act in proper ways in society. They do not give impulsive responses to situations. Most
importantly, these individuals excel in their ability to delay pleasure in order to complete a
previously assigned task. They work within the rules, and plan and organize their business life and
social life effectively. Such people are self-disciplined, hard-working, ambitious, and
resourceful. Someone who is high in conscientiousness is likely to be successful in school and in
his or her career.
Now, let me move onto my third point. This third factor, uhm… everyone, listen carefully,
Goldberg’s third factor is extroversion. Well, this factor concerns where an individual draws his
or her energy and how s/he interacts with others. Broadly speaking, then, it is about our interactions
with our environment. People who are high in extroversion are likely to be more outgoing and
sociable. Therefore, in general, extroverts draw energy or “recharge” from interacting with others,
so they like being socially involved in situations. These people tend to seek out opportunities for
social bonds, and they are often the “life of the party.” They are friendly, talkative, and socially
confident. Clearly, they enjoy interacting with others and refill their energy from other people’s
company; that is, being with other people.
Okay, now, the fourth factor, agreeableness, concerns how well people get along with others. That
is, it involves how you generally interact with others, uhm… whether you are likely to agree with
people, or uhm… get along well with them. People high in agreeableness, as you might guess, are
better at having good public relations in general. They tend to be polite, unselfish, humble, well-
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liked, respected, and sensitive to the needs of others. They have few enemies. However, people on
the low end of the agreeableness spectrum do not have those qualities. That is, if someone is not
agreeable, then s/he is less likely to be trusted or liked by others. People who do not have agreeable
qualities tend to be uncaring, rude, ill-tempered, and sarcastic.
The last factor identified by Goldberg is neuroticism. It is sometimes called emotional instability.
And it is the only Big-Five factor in which a high score indicates more negative traits. Uhm…
Neuroticism is the tendency to experience negative emotions, such as anger, anxiety, or depression.
Uhm… the traits that are commonly associated with neuroticism can be listed as being moody,
pessimistic, jealous, nervous, insecure, or oversensitive. Okay… let me check my notes, oh, yes.
The individuals that are high in neuroticism may be temperamental or easily angered, and they
tend to be self-conscious. That is, they are often unsure of themselves. High neuroticism is mainly
related to added difficulties in life, including addiction, poor job performance, and unhealthy
adjustment to life’s changes.
Alright, as my final point today, I must say that there are also criticisms that accuse the “big five”
taxonomy. Uhm… they accuse this theory of not living up to the standards of a “true” theory. They
support the idea that the Big Five is indeed not a theory but a model… (fade out).
Adapted from https://positivepsychologyprogram.com/big-five-personality-theory/
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READING TEXT
Meticulous Work and Dedication: Marie Curie

Most scientists, especially women, are fascinated by Marie Curie. In the early part of the twentieth
century, when professional opportunities for women were rare, she was the first woman to obtain a
doctoral degree from the Sorbonne. Curie carried out groundbreaking research, providing the first
detailed description of radioactivity and using its detection to discover two new elements: polonium
and radium. She was awarded Nobel prizes in physics (1903) and in chemistry (1911). Even when she
lived in poverty in Poland, where she worked as a governess, she immersed herself in her scientific
studies. This strong commitment to work is what distinguishes Curie from other scientists of her time.
In fact, the most striking aspect of Curie’s life was her persistent devotion to her research. She was not
deterred by physical or personal hardships. Her notable qualities were a love of science, high
intelligence, the strong conviction that her work would provide important benefits for humanity, and
the ability to persevere in light of the difficulties she faced.
The Joy of Discovery: Nikola Tesla
If we could imagine the modern world devoid of Nikola Tesla’s discoveries, we’d be surprised at how
impoverished it would be. The gigantic industries would be perhaps dead, factories empty, cities would
be dark, people would have no radio or television, the trams, trolleybuses and trains would stop. About
epochal value of his inventions in the area of electric technology much is known, but about the structure
and dynamics of Tesla’s interesting personality, however, very little is known. Even in his early
childhood, Tesla exhibited immense powers of imagination, which is an ability to imagine detailed,
rich, and realistic things in his mind. Due to his lively imagination, it was easy for Tesla to realize
complex experiments in his minds, with no drawings, models, or laboratory instruments. Tesla’s
biggest and most carefully tended passion was for discovery of unknown principles, laws, and
unknown worlds. This composed and disciplined man found the greatest joy in his love of ‘discovery.’
The Humble Scientist: Albert Einstein
It has been proven now that Albert Einstein was smarter than others of his time and also than most
humans to have ever lived. Surprisingly though, whereas Einstein excelled in science, he kept failing
his exams in literature, politics, and French during the years he spent working on his application to
study at Zurich Polytechnic. Einstein later successfully retook the exams, but he wasn’t a perfect pupil:
He once blew up a lab during an experiment, and was uninterested in rote learning. Yet, Einstein had
a very pleasant personality. He was easy to mingle with and his welcoming outreach to the world and
people around him made him quite popular a personality in his times. He was also a very humble man.
It was his humility and accessibility that made everyone comfortable with him, from world leaders to
noble laureates of his era, from the common man he spoke to on campus to the students who were
fortunate enough.
Adapted from http://scienceblogs.com/clock/2006/07/03/nikola-teslas-personality/

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1087189/
https://www.usatoday.com/story/life/tv/2017/04/24/albert-einstein-genius-national-geographic/100824198/
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Summary Essay
Sample response
The lecture introduces Goldberg’s Big Five Personality Theory, also known as OCEAN, which is
a key to determining certain universal qualities of people. The reading provides three scientists as
examples.
The first factor is openness to experience. People open to experience are curious, creative, and
willing to meet new people and experience new things, with a high intellect or imagination,
enjoying deep and complex mental experiences. Able to deal with detailed, rich, and realistic
experiences without any sketches or tools, Tesla is an example from the text with his great
imaginative powers and love of discovering unknown principles.
The second is conscientiousness, which refers to self-discipline and hard work. Conscientious
people delay pleasure to complete their tasks. As they are ambitious, they are likely to succeed in
their education and career. Being dedicated and ambitious, Marie Curie is an example from the
reading, as she persevered to complete her work and she wasn’t discouraged by any difficulties.
The third one is extroversion, determined by where the person draws his energy from and how he
interacts with his environment. Extroverts are outgoing, sociable, friendly, and talkative. As they
recharge from interacting with others, they seek out opportunities for social bonds.
The fourth factor is agreeableness. People with this quality are likely to agree and get on well with
others. Therefore, they are polite, unselfish, humble, better at public relations, and sensitive to
others’ needs. Einstein is an example given in the reading, as he was an agreeable character. He
was humble and easy to talk to, embracing the world and people around him.
The fifth is neuroticism, characterized by anger, anxiety, depression, sadness, worry, and low self-
esteem. If highly neurotic, the person is moody, pessimistic, jealous, and insecure. Being mostly
over-sensitive and self-conscious, neurotic people display poor adjustment to life changes.
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Performance Task 6.
You will hear a lecture on comics medium. While listening, take notes on the main points and
Lecture
Alright, so today’s topic is the comics medium. What we mean by “comics medium” is basically
cartoons, both in the newspaper and in book format. If the comics are in the newspaper, we call
them comic strips. If they are, however, in the book format, they are known as comic books. So,
to repeat myself, comics medium mainly includes newspaper comic strips such as Dennis the
Menace or Garfield, and comic books such as Spider-Man and Batman. However, there are two
opposing views on the issue of comics. The controversy is that scholars all around the world have
discussions over whether comics are a uniquely American art form or not. Well, there are a number
of reasons why I would strongly argue that comics medium is completely American. First, I’ll list
these reasons, and then, I’ll explain each one of them. Uhm… So… The first reason is that, the
first comic strip in the world, that is, the first comics to appear the newspapers, uhm… they were
originally American. Secondly, the first comic books were also published in the United States.
That is, the comics that we buy in the book format also originated in the US. Thirdly, American
comic arts always player a great role in shaping other countries’ comics. For example, Americans
influenced both Asian and European comics and cartoons. Okay, don’t worry if you couldn’t catch
all the points. Now, I’ll explain the reasons why I definitely support the argument that comics are
uniquely American. Let me talk about those three reasons in detail.
Okay, let me begin by explaining the first one, which is about the comic strips in the newspapers.
The first commercially successful comic strip came from the United States in the late nineteenth
century. Its title was Hogan’s Alley, which was a comic strip from the 1890s. Hogan’s Alley
featured the character Yellow Kid. And Yellow Kid was the world’s first popular cartoon
character. This strip and its character marked the beginning of comics, and it was American in
every respect. Okay, what makes Hogan’s Alley uniquely American? Well, first of all, it was set
in a low-income neighborhood in New York City, and it dealt with the lives of ordinary Americans.
It was written and drawn by an American cartoonist, named R.F. Outcault. Also, the publishers
were also American. Joseph Pulitzer and William Randolph Hearst, two famous and influential
American publishers, printed this comic strip in their newspapers. Yeah. P-U-L-I-T-Z-E-R,
Pulitzer, and H-E-A-R-S-T, Hearst. Following Pulitzer and Hearst’s success, Hogan’s Alley
became the ultimate example of the cartoon arts in the United States. It was even published as an
entire magazine on its own.
And, this brings me to my second point: Comic books. Well, the book formatted comics are also
an American creation. This is because they were first published in the United States. For instance,
the first popular comic book in the world was of American origin. Action Comics, a series that is
still in print today, was initially released in 1938 in the US. It featured Superman, the world’s first
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superhero. Uhm, Superman’s creator was an American artist, erm… named Joe Shuster. Broadly
speaking, then, we can say that, it was in 1938 that the world’s first comic book series and the
world’s first superhero came into existence in the United States. Right.
And my third point is of course Americans’ being the source of inspiration for all comic art forms
around the world. Clearly, it was the Americans that invented comic strips, and Americans have
exported their unique art form to the rest of the world. Japanese comics, called manga, for instance,
were inspired by the American comics. We can see the American influence on many Japanese
series of manga today. Similarly, popular European comic series such as Smurfs and Asterix were
influenced by Disney comic books. As you know, Disney is also American, and it still has a great
influence on European comics. Today, American-created Disney comic characters are more
popular in Europe than ever. And European cartoons mostly display American features.
So, let me cover it up. Overall, the comics medium started in America. While it has spread around
the world, even comics that aren’t created by Americans have an undeniable American influence.
This is why so many art and literature scholars recognize the comic strip as a truly American art
form.
Adapted from https://magoosh.com/toefl/2015/toefl-integrated-writing-practice-task/
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READING TEXT
15 INTERESTING FACTS ABOUT COMICS AND CARTOONS

Fact 1: “Keep ‘em flying” was a slogan in World War II, but it was also the battle cry of Wonder Woman.
Fact 2: As early as the 1790s, long before the appearance of comics in the US, there had been many popular
comic strips and many popular cartoon characters in Europe, especially in Britain and Switzerland.
Fact 3: The characters in Hogan’s Alley were mostly immigrants, coming from different countries to the
US. Indeed, the publisher of Hogan’s Alley, Joseph Pulitzer was himself a Hungarian immigrant who came
to the United States.
Fact 4: Pokémon stimulates the same part of the brain in children as heroin.
Fact 5: Mel Blanc, who voiced Bugs Bunny, was allergic to carrots. Yet, Blanc insisted on chewing real
carrots to provide the chomping sounds when he voiced Bugs Bunny.
Fact 6: The Adventures of TinTin was first released as a comic book in Belgium in 1922. It was the world’s
first comic book.
Fact 7: Donald Duck comics were banned from Finland because he doesn’t wear trousers.
Fact 8: Joe Shuster, the artist of Superman, is Canadian, not American.
Fact 9: Japanese manga is based heavily on Asian art, and the traditional impacts of the Asian drawings can
easily be seen in all mangas.
Fact 10: Cartoons such as Asterix and the Smurfs are drawn on a uniquely European style.
Fact 11: It was Walt Disney’s wife who convinced him to change the name of his character from ‘Mortimer
Mouse’ to ‘Mickey Mouse.’ Donald Duck’s middle name is Fauntleroy, and all the professors in Pokémon
are named after trees. Pluto the dog was originally called “Rover”!
Fact 12: Although the Disney characters were created in America, European Disney comics are written and
drawn by European creators, without considering the US impact at all.
Fact 13: The man who was the voice of Optimus Prime also gave voice to Eeyore and Nintendo’s Mario.
Fact 14: Hulk was originally grey, not green.
Fact 15: Pinocchio is Italian for “pine eye.”
Adapted from https://magoosh.com/toefl/2015/toefl-integrated-writing-practice-task/

https://www.funfactsabout.net/comics-and-cartoons-facts/
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Summary Essay
Sample response
The speaker argues that comics medium is purely American by providing three reasons. However,
the text provides certain facts that refute this.
The first reason presented by the speaker is that the first comic strip was an American product,
Hogan’s Alley, published in the 1890s. The strip was American in every way because it was set in
New York and dealt with the lives of ordinary Americans. Moreover, its publishers, Pulitzer and
Hearst were also American. However, according to the reading text, 100 years before Hogan’s
Alley, there were comic strips in Europe. In addition, neither the characters in Hogan’s Alley nor
its publishers were American because they were immigrants.
Secondly, the speaker claims that the first comic books were published in the US. In 1938, America
introduced (through Action Comics) the adventures of the world’s first superhero, Superman,
written by Joe Shuster, an American. In contrast, the reading maintains that the first comic book
in the world, Adventures of TinTin, was published in 1922 in Belgium. Moreover, Joe Shuster is
from Canada, not from the US.
Finally, the speaker advocates that comics is a uniquely American art form that has influenced
many comics around the world, such as the Japanese manga or the European cartoons like Smurfs
and Asterix, drawn under Disney’s impact. The speaker also mentions the popularity of Disney
characters in Europe, where cartoons mostly display American features. However, according to
the reading text, Japanese manga was heavily influenced by Asian traditional arts and drawings,
not American art. Likewise, Smurfs and Asterix are drawn with an original European touch, and
European Disney comics are created by European artists with no American influence.
To conclude, the lecture and the reading portray opposing view on the origins and characteristics
of comics medium.
293 words
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Performance Task 7.
You will hear a lecture on marketing concepts. While listening, take notes on the main points and
Lecture
The practice of marketing has been known for millennia, but the term “marketing,” which is used
to describe commercial activities ‒ buying and selling of products and services, came into popular
use in the late nineteenth century. Despite the fact that modern business is changing rapidly, and
it’s radically different from 20 or 50 years ago, some core marketing concepts have remained the
same.
Well, before we go into the details, we should define the term “marketing.” According to
Kotler, marketing is ”the science and art of exploring, creating, and delivering value to satisfy the
needs of a target market at a profit.” In order to achieve this, businesses use several marketing
concepts, which are the philosophies that are used by businesses to guide their marketing efforts.
Not every philosophy can result in the same gain to every business; therefore, different businesses
use different marketing concepts.
In order to understand marketing strategies of companies, we need to learn about these marketing
concepts. Today, I’ll inform you about four of these concepts and give detailed information.
The first concept I’m going to talk about is the production concept, which is, maybe, the easiest of
all marketing concepts. Also, it is one of the oldest orientations. Production concept is just about
producing, and it does not spend much effort on knowing something about the customer. It follows
the idea that consumers will favor products that are highly affordable and accessible. Therefore,
the aim of the organization is to improve production and distribution efficiency by increasing
supply and decreasing costs. One way to do this is via mass production. Companies focus on
producing more of the product and making sure that it is available to the customer everywhere
easily. The problems with this concept? Well, first of all, low price may attract new customers, but
since the focus is just on production and not on the product quality, this may result in decrease in
sales, if the product is not up to the standards. This philosophy only works when the demand is
more than the supply. Moreover, a customer does not always prefer an inexpensive product over
others. There are many other factors which influence his purchase decision.
The second is the product concept. This concept works on an assumption that customers prefer
products offering the most quality, performance and innovative features, and uhm... price or
and availability doesn’t influence their purchase decision. It focuses totally on the product: nicer
and better, but not on the customer, or what he might need. In other words, it starts with a product
and then tries to sell this product to customers, instead of starting with a customer and considering
the needs and wants of this customer. As a result, a company oriented towards the product develops
one of greater quality, which usually turns out to be expensive. However, focusing too much on
the product may also lead to missing the actual aim of marketing. Since the main focus of the
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marketers is the product quality, they often lose or fail to appeal to customers whose demands are
driven by other factors like price, availability, usability, etc.
The third concept is the selling concept, which was dominant in the 1930s and 40s. The selling
concept is, as the name indicates, all about selling, which involves aggressive selling to any
customer. It is of minor importance who this customer may be or why he might need the product.
This usually automatically leads to a short-term customer relationship. Consequently, the selling
concept takes on an inside-out perspective, starting with the existing products and focusing on
finding customers later. In other words, it is all about selling what the company makes, following
the idea that consumers will not buy enough of the company’s products unless the company
undertakes a large selling and promotion effort. Typically, it is practiced with unsought goods, that
is, products that consumers normally do not think of buying, such as club membership, smoke
detectors, water filtering systems, insurance, and so on. The risk with this concept is that the
company cannot build profitable long-term customer relationships, since the only focus is on
creating a sale.
The final concept is the societal marketing concept. This is a relatively new marketing concept.
While the societal marketing concept highlights the needs and wants of a target market and the
delivery of better value than its competitors, it also emphasizes the importance of the well-being
of customers and society as a whole. The societal marketing concept calls upon marketers to build
social and ethical considerations into their marketing practices. They must balance the often-
conflicting criteria of company profits, consumer satisfaction, and public interest. This philosophy
believes that the business is a part of the society, and hence, should take part in social services like
elimination of poverty, illiteracy, and controlling explosive population growth.
To wrap up, marketing isn’t simply an important part of business success ‒ it is the business.
Everything else in the business depends upon marketing. “No sales. No company.” Therefore, it
is important that businesses choose the right concept to sell their products or services.
Collated from https://www.marketing91.com/concepts-of-marketing/

https://marketing-insider.eu/marketing-concepts/
https://oxidian.ch/en/the-five-marketing-concepts-explained/
https://www.feedough.com/marketing-management-philosophies-five-marketing-concepts-with-infographics/
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READING TEXT
Apple
When it comes to consumer electronics and computing technology, one of the most recognizable
names in the world is Apple. It is one of the world’s largest information technology company, and
it ranks in the top three manufacturers of mobile phones in the world. In a 2014 survey, it was
adjudged as the most valuable brand in the world, valued at close to USD120 billion.
Originally named Apple Computer Inc. when it was founded in 1976 by Steve Jobs, Ronald Wayne
and Steve Wozniak, it was originally focused on hardware development, primarily on personal
computers. It wasn’t until in 2007 that it decided to shift to developing consumer electronics
products. However, the entrance of other players in the consumer electronics market has meant
that Apple is getting stiffer competition, especially since these competitors are churning out
smartphones and tablets that are significantly lower in price. Apple CEO Tim Cook, however, is
unfazed by this non-threat, calling these lower-cost counterparts as the “junk market”. According
to Cook, Apple is not catering to this junk market, which is why it opts to stick to offering more
expensive products that have a lot more, and better, things to offer, than what these “junk markets”
are currently fielding to buying customers. That’s why when talking about Apple, what usually
comes to mind is its product line, which has become equated with high quality, invention and
innovation.
Adapted from https://www.cleverism.com/apple-product-strategy/
The Body Shop

The Body Shop is a British cosmetics, skin care, and perfume company that was founded in 1976
by Dame Anita Roddick. It currently has a range of 1,000 products which it sells in over 3,049
owned and franchised stores internationally in 66 countries. The Body Shop is regarded as a
pioneer of modern corporate social responsibility. Founder Anita Roddick led her company to
stand up for its beliefs and fight for causes such as self-esteem, environmental protection, animal
rights, community trade, and human rights. From sponsoring posters in 1985 for Greenpeace to
presenting a petition against animal testing to the European Union with 4,000,000 signatures, The
Body Shop has contributed significantly to the causes it supports, and it exemplifies how other
companies can do the same.
Adapted from http://adage.com/article/cmo-strategy/10-companies-social-responsibility-core/143323/
Fit’n Healthy
The Fit’n Healthy Gym has been offering memberships to people from all walks of life since 2001.
It sold 250 memberships in 2001, and since then, the number of memberships sold has increased
3% annually. This was achieved by their persuasive sales representatives, who visited homes and
convinced people that they needed to get this membership, and that without it, they would not lead
a healthy life. In an era when you can buy just about anything with the click of a mouse, you might
think this is a bit old-fashioned, but their persuasive sales representatives’ visits and efforts make
millions of dollars annually.
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Summary Essay
Sample response
The lecture is about four marketing concepts that play an important role in commercial activities.
The reading text provides examples to three of these concepts.
The first is the production concept, the oldest and easiest of all. In this concept, affordable and
accessible products are created through mass production without an effort to know the customers.
The supply is kept high, while the cost is lowered so that everyone buys the product.
The second is the product concept, which offers the highest quality product customers may desire;
otherwise, the company will lose customers. Using technology and innovation, it aims to direct
customer choice to nicer and better products. Apple is an example given in the reading text, as it
offers high quality and innovation in electronics products.
The third is the selling concept, which was popular in the 1930s and 40s. Using aggressive selling
techniques, the aim is to sell the product to almost any customer even if they don’t need it.
According to the reading, Fit’n Healthy, with its convincing sales representatives who claim that
the membership is the only way of leading a healthy life, is an example to this concept.
The fourth is the societal marketing concept, a relatively new concept dealing with both the needs
and wants of the market and the well-being of customers and society. Customer satisfaction or
company profits are still important, but there are social and ethical concerns, such as eliminating
poverty or illiteracy. Body Shop, as an example given in the reading to this concept, is a socially
responsible firm, sensitive to concepts such as self-esteem, environmental protection, animal and
human rights, and community trade.
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Performance Task 8.
You will hear a lecture on Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. While listening, take notes on all the
main points and important details of the lecture. You will hear the lecture only once.
Okay, since we have limited time, I’d like to begin immediately. Motivation is driven by needs, so
the earliest studies of motivation involved an examination of individual needs. Specifically, early
researchers thought that people try hard and demonstrate goal-driven behavior in order to satisfy
needs. Therefore, to understand what these needs are, they developed motivational theories, and
one of the most prominent accounts of human motivation is “hierarchy of needs,” which was
developed by Abraham Maslow. Today, I’m going to talk about this hierarchy of Maslow’s under
three headings. First, I’ll give brief background information on this theory. Then, I’ll explain the
classification of needs. And finally, I’ll talk about the relationship between the different categories
of needs.
Abraham Maslow is among the most prominent psychologists of the twentieth century. In order to
explain human motivation in influencing behavior, Maslow researched both “exemplary people”
from the past, such as Albert Einstein and Abraham Lincoln, and elite college students, who were
the healthiest 1% for their particular group. By concentrating on ‘healthy’ individuals, Maslow
intended to provide a more representative account of motivation that would be applicable to the
general population, free from the potential biasing effect of using those with some established
psychological health problems. Following these studies, he produced the hierarchy of needs in the
1940s and 1950s, which is the earliest and most widely known theory of motivation.
Maslow’s theory is based on a simple premise: Human beings are motivated by unsatisfied needs,
and these needs are hierarchically ranked. This hierarchy is most often displayed as a hierarchical
pyramid with five levels, to name them from the bottom, physiological needs, safety needs, social
needs, esteem needs, and self-actualization needs. The lowest levels of the pyramid are made up
of the most basic needs, while the more complex needs are located at the top of the pyramid.
Now, let’s have a closer look at each one of the five levels, or categories, of needs.
The lowest category in Maslow’s hierarchy is the physiological needs. This includes the most basic
needs that are vital to survival, such as the need for water, air, food, and sleep. Maslow believed
that these needs are the most instinctive needs because all needs become secondary until these
needs are met.
Once physiological needs are met, one’s attention turns to safety and security in order to be free
from the threat of physical or emotional harm. This category includes need for shelter, job security,
health, and safe neighborhoods. Security needs are important for survival, but they are not as
important as the basic physiological needs, and if one feels that he is in some sort of danger, higher
needs will not receive much attention.
The third category from the bottom of Maslow’s pyramid is social needs. These are the needs for
belonging, love, affection as well as for relationships with family and friends and companionship.
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Once a person feels a sense of “belonging,” the need to feel important arises, which Maslow calls
“esteem needs.” Esteem needs encompass confidence, strength, self-belief, personal and social
acceptance, and respect from others. These needs might be classified as internal or external. Needs
that are related to self-esteem, such as self-respect and achievement, might be given as examples
to internal esteem needs, while social status or recognition might be given for external ones.
Self-actualization is the summit of Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. It is the quest of reaching one’s
full potential as a person. Maslow describes this as the desire to become everything that one is
capable of becoming. Unlike lower level needs, this need is never fully satisfied; as one grows
psychologically, there are always new opportunities to continue to grow.
Now, what is the relationship between these five categories? Well, as I said before, Maslow
ordered the needs in a hierarchy, and he considered this order to be universal, I mean, the same for
everyone. According to him, every human being would climb up the hierarchy, having met the
previous level of needs. Obviously, there are some needs that are basic to all human beings, and
in their absence, nothing else matters, so he proposed that if the lower level needs aren’t satisfied,
higher level needs cannot influence behavior. The lowest unsatisfied need becomes the dominant,
or the most powerful and significant need, and the most dominant need activates an individual to
act to fulfil it. On the other hand, satisfied needs do not motivate an individual any longer, so
he/she pursues to seek a higher need when lower needs are fulfilled. All people are motivated to
move up the hierarchy toward a level of self-actualization. Unfortunately, progress is often
disrupted by failure to meet lower level needs.
Well, that’s all for now. I’m going to distribute a handout on another motivational theory, but
before that, are there any questions?
Adapted from http://open.lib.umn.edu/principlesmanagement/chapter/14-3-need-based-theories-of-motivation/
http://thepeakperformancecenter.com/educational-learning/learning/principles-of-learning/maslow-pyramid/
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READING TEXT
ERG theory, which refers to Existence, Relatedness, and Growth, proposed by the American psychologist
Clayton Alderfer in 1969, is a modification of Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. Alderfer proposed this theory
and believed that each need carries some value, and hence can be classified as lower-order needs and higher-
order needs. He also found some level of overlapping in the physiological, security, and social needs along
with an invisible line of separation between the social, esteem, and self-actualization needs. This led to the
formation of Alderfer’s ERG theory, which comprises of the condensed form of Maslow’s needs.
Existence Needs: The existence needs

comprises all those needs that relate to the
physiological and safety aspects of human
beings and are a prerequisite for survival.
Relatedness Needs: The relatedness needs

refer to the social needs. An individual seeks
to establish relationships with those for
whom he cares, such as family, friends, and
co-workers. This group also involves the
need to be recognized and feel secure as part
of a group or family.
Growth Needs: The growth needs are those

that influence one to make creative or
productive effects on himself and the
environment, to explore his maximum
potential.
Relationship of Needs
Alderfer made a clear statement about how several needs can be in play at the same time and that their
importance depends on the individual, not the order presented. The ERG theory allows the order of the
needs to differ for different people (e.g., it accounts for the “starving artist” who may place growth needs
above existence ones). Also, in this theory, a lower level need does not have to be gratified in order to move
up to higher-level needs. The progression upward from relatedness satisfaction to growth desires does not
presume the satisfaction of a person’s existence needs, for example.
Alderfer’s ERG Theory also acknowledges that if a higher-level need remains unfulfilled, the person
regresses to lower-level needs that appear easier to satisfy, which he called frustration-regression. In other
words, an already satisfied need can become active when a higher need cannot be satisfied. Thus, if a person
is continually frustrated in his/her attempts to satisfy growth, relatedness needs can resurface as key
motivators.
Adapted from https://businessjargons.com/alderfers-erg-theory.html

https://www.valuetransform.com/existence-relatedness-growth-erg-theory-motivation/
402
Summary Essay
Sample response
The lecturer explains Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, while the reading text focuses on Alderfer’s
ERG theory, which can be compared to Maslow’s theory.
Maslow analyzes the humans’ universal, goal-driven behaviors to satisfy certain needs in five
levels. However, Alderfer’s ERG theory is a condensed form of Maslow’s theory, using three
categories.
Maslow’s classification begins with physiological (or instinctive) needs, essential to survival, such
as water, air, food, and sleep. The second need is safety, involving shelter, job security, health, and
a safe neighborhood. Thirdly, social needs include sense of belonging, love, affection, family,
(friends, and companionship). Esteem is the fourth one, referring to confidence, strength, and
respect from others. At the top of the list comes self-actualization, which is about reaching one’s
full potential. On the other hand, as the reading text shows, Alderfer groups Maslow’s first two
categories as one, calling them Existence needs, which he sees as vital for survival. The social
needs and esteem needs are merged as Relatedness, which includes relationships, social life, and
the need to be considered as part of a group. Finally, Growth needs refer to creative and productive
potentials of an individual, which is Maslow’s “self-actualization.”
Relationship between needs is presented in a hierarchy by Maslow, and accordingly, the lower
needs must be fulfilled before higher needs can be met. If not, higher needs become irrelevant. If
met, the needs do not motivate individuals, so the fulfilment of a higher need is sought. In contrast,
as the reading suggests, Alderfer claims that several needs may occur at the same time, and the
importance and priority depends on the individual.
To conclude, Maslow’s hierarchy of five needs is condensed into Alderfer’s three needs that work
independently from one another.
286 words
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Performance Task 9.
You will hear a lecture on Victimology. While listening, take notes on all the main points and
Lecture
Alright, today I’ll be talking about victimization. I’ll first provide a definition of the term, and then
I’ll explain three concepts related to it. Let’s start with the definition of this term. What does
victimology mean? Well, victimology is often considered a subfield of criminology, and the two
fields do share much in common. Just as criminology is the study of criminals, victimology is the
study of victims. Victimology studies the causes of victimization, its psychological effects on
victims, relationships between victims and offenders, the interactions between victims and
the criminal justice system ‒ that is, the police and courts ‒ and the connections between victims
and other social groups and institutions, such as the media, businesses, and social movements.
Victimology is a science; victimologists use the scientific method to answer questions about
victims.
The term victimology was coined in the mid-1900s. Beginning in this period, concern was shown
for the crime victim, but this concern was not entirely sympathetic. Instead, scholars and others
became preoccupied with how the crime victim contributes to his or her own victimization.
Scholarly work during this period focused not on the needs of crime victims but on identifying to
what extent victims could be held responsible for being victimized, and three concepts, namely
victim precipitation, victim facilitation, and victim provocation developed from these
investigations.
Victim precipitation, let me spell it for you, P-R-E-C-I-P-I-T-A-T-I-O-N, is defined as the extent
to which a victim is responsible for his or her own victimization. It studies the relationship between
the victim and the victimizer, and tries to determine the dynamics of the criminal act. It examines
how victims contribute to their own victimization, and whether they share any responsibility for
the occurrence of a criminal act. This theory acknowledges that in certain crimes, some people
may actually initiate the confrontation that eventually leads to their own injury or death. The
lifestyles of certain people, for example, increase their exposure to the criminal elements of
society, thereby facilitating their victimization; what they do or where they live may increase their
chances of confrontation with criminals; or some people may exhibit some personal characteristics
that unknowingly threaten or encourage the attacker. The victim, in this case, would be unaware
that he or she is provoking the attacker. For example, an old and weak person can be an easy target.
Identifying victim precipitation does not necessarily lead to negative outcomes. However, it is
problematic when it is used to blame the victim while ignoring the offender’s role.
Similar to victim precipitation is the concept of victim facilitation. Facilitation is a term to be
reserved for those situations in which victims unknowingly, carelessly, negligently, foolishly, and
unwillingly make it easier for the criminal to commit the crime. Victim facilitation occurs when
victims unintentionally make it easier for an offender to commit a crime, and therefore they share
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a major amount of blame. They increase the dangers they face and open themselves up to trouble
by their own thoughtless action. A victim may, in this way, be a catalyst for victimization.
Facilitating victims attract criminally inclined people to them. Unlike precipitation, facilitation
helps understand why one person may be victimized over another but does not connote blame and
responsibility.
The third concept is victim provocation. Victim provocation occurs when a person does something
that causes another person to commit an illegal act. Provocation is a partial defense to an act of
criminal violence, such as murder or attempted murder. Provocation suggests that without the
victim’s behavior, the crime would not have occurred. Provocation, then, most certainly puts some
blame on the victim. In fact, the offender is not at all responsible.
To sum it up, the field of victimology originated in the 1900s, with the first victimologists
attempting to identify how victims contribute to their own victimization. To this end, the concepts
of victim precipitation, victim facilitation, and victim provocation were examined. The distinctions
between the three concepts, as you probably noticed, are not always clear-cut. These terms were
developed, described, studied, and used in somewhat different ways by several scholars. We’ll
examine these scholars in our next lecture.
Adapted from https://uk.sagepub.com/sites/default/files/upm-binaries/83271_Chapter_1.pdf
https://opinionfront.com/victim-precipitation-theory-explained-with-examples
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READING TEXT
Armed robber killed on camera trying to hold up a gun store by its 48-year-old owner
Surveillance footage at Dixie Gun and Pawn in Mableton, Georgia, showed the moment the would-be
criminal and an accomplice stormed into the store dressed in ski masks.
They aimed their guns towards an employee who held his hands up in a plea for mercy before store
owner Jimmy Groover opened fire.
The 48-year-old Groover reached for his own gun and shot one of the robbers dead while the other ran
for his life.
Later, Groover said he had no choice but to shoot the man. ’I’ve been doing this 30 years. Nothing like
this has ever happened. I never wanted this to happen but I want to go home at night, too.’
The attempted robbery took place at 11am on December 26 while Groover, the employee and two
customers were inside.
No charges were brought against the man afterwards.
Taken from http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-4106236/Armed-robber-killed-camera-tries-hold-gun-store-quick-thinking-owner-64-shot-
dead-accomplice-fled.html
 A 70-year-old handed over the money after believing the caller was from his bank.
The 70-year-old, from Cupar, Fife, was called by the fraudster on January 11.
The caller, who pretended to be a staff member at his bank, claimed the man’s account had been
compromised while using software which made it appear as if he was calling from an official number.
The man was then convinced to transfer £29,000 into the scammer’s account for safekeeping.
Police are investigating the theft and warning others to be aware of these types of phone scams, known
as vishing.
Detective chief inspector Scott Cunningham said: “These scammers claim to be from legitimate
organizations and try to frighten or pressure people into revealing personal details or banking
information.”
“Never give such information or transfer money to an unexpected caller and, although anyone can fall
victim to this, please warn elderly or vulnerable friends or relatives in particular to be wary this type of
scam.”
“If you receive such a call, advise the caller that you will contact the company on your own terms and
hang up immediately.”
Taken from https://stv.tv/news/north/1406413-fraudster-steals-30-000-from-victim-in-vishing-scam/
Surveillance Video Captures Suspect Stealing Unlocked, Running Car at Gas Station
Mt. Juliet, Tenn. – Surveillance video captured the theft of an unlocked, running car at a gas station,
where the car was later used in a shooting incident outside of Mt. Juliet. On March 11, 2018 around
7:35 p.m. officers were summoned to the Shell gas station, at 14422 Lebanon Road, in regards to a car
theft. While the victim went inside the store to buy items, the car was left unlocked and running. A
black late 2000’s model BMW 5 series, with a spare tire on the front driver’s side, pulls up, and an
occupant jumps out and steals the victim’s car. The suspect, described as a tall, thin light-skinned black
male, drove the stolen car away towards Hermitage.
Further investigation revealed that the car was involved in a shooting-related incident in Metro-
Nashville on March 12, 2018. The stolen car has already been recovered, and it is being processed for
evidence.
Taken from https://mjpdnews.org/2018/03/14/surveillance-video-captures-suspect-stealing-unlocked-running-car-at-gas-station/
406
Summary Essay
Sample response
The lecture explains victimology, which studies how people contribute to their victimization, and
three concepts related to it. The reading text provides sample criminal cases to exemplify these
concepts.
The first concept is victim precipitation. It investigates the extent to which victims are responsible
for their own victimization, and the relationship between the victim and the victimizer. In certain
crimes, some victims may initiate the confrontation leading to their victimization. What the victim
does, where s/he lives, his/her age or weakness can make him/her an easy target, increasing the
chance of encountering or unknowingly encouraging a criminal. The old man who transferred
money to scammers on the phone is an example provided by the reading text to victim
precipitation.
The second concept is victim facilitation, in which the victim foolishly or unknowingly makes it
easier for the offender to commit crime. In this case, the victim is to share the blame as s/he attracts
criminals to himself/herself. The woman at the gas station who left her car running and unlocked
while she stepped inside the shop to buy some items is an example from the reading text to victim
facilitation, triggering the car theft and the shooting.
The last one is victim provocation, where the victim does something to provoke or cause a crime.
In other words, without the victim’s behavior, the crime wouldn’t have occurred. In such cases,
the victim is to blame and the offender isn’t responsible for the crime. As the reading text indicates,
the case of the shopper in the gun store shooting the armed robbers in the shop is an example
because one of the robbers, who actually provoked the crime, left the shooter no other choice.
282 words
407
Performance Task 10.
You will hear a lecture on qualitative research. While listening, take notes on the main points
and important details. You will hear the lecture only once.
Lecture
Alright, everyone. In last week’s class of research techniques, as you might remember, we focused
on quantitative research, which involved working with mathematically calculable data. Today,
we’ll talk about another approach: qualitative research. I’ll first give you a definition, and then,
I’ll talk about the three major strengths of this approach to research. OK, let’s begin.
As opposed to quantitative or statistical research, qualitative research is a type of social science
research. It collects and works with non-numerical data. That is, it does not focus on numbers, but
it works with people, social values, and ideas. For instance, qualitative research studies can provide
you with details about human behavior, emotions, and personality characteristics. Thus, this type
of research is particularly useful for exploring how and why things have happened. So, briefly, we
can say that qualitative research is looking for meaningful connections. Uhm… it seeks to interpret
meaning so that… uhm… so that we can understand social life. And this type of research helps us
understand the meaning of social life through the study of targeted populations or places. I mean
certain groups of people or locations. Clear? Right.
Okay. Now, let’s take a look at the strengths of this type of research. As you can see in my slides,
there are three main strengths of this research method.
First of all, qualitative research presents a strength because it focuses on human experience, rather
than statistics or numbers. Although our modern world tends to prefer statistics and verifiable facts,
we cannot simply discard the human experience, which influences a lot of behavioral patterns.
Different people will have remarkably different perceptions about any statistic, fact, or event. This
is because our unique experiences generate a different perspective of the data that we see. As a
result, qualitative research can generate conclusions with more depth and accuracy, which benefits
everyone. It does not skip any relevant information, or does not miss out on important details
because it does not concentrate on numerical data only. By considering the human factor, it reveals
a bigger picture of the subject that is being studied. This also brings about the involvement of the
researcher in his or her own project. That is to say, compared to other types of research, the
researchers using qualitative method can be a part of their own research. And as a result of this,
the researcher gains an insider’s view of the field. This allows the researcher to find issues that are
often missed by the scientific or statistical methods of research. Let me explain this further: As
qualitative research is concerned with complete and detailed descriptions of events, the researcher
can let the study unfold more naturally by adding some more interesting questions, which may
encourage truthful behavior in respondents. This means that it allows participants to express
themselves with authenticity. In return, the data collected becomes more accurate and can lead to
predictable outcomes. This is, of course, a great benefit for the researcher.
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Alright. The second strength of qualitative research is its small sample size. Qualitative sample
sizes are generally small, and if the size is enough to obtain feedback for most or all perceptions,
then, there is no need to add more participants in the study. Uhm… the importance of working
with small sample sizes has been underlined by many researchers, like Morse, Creswell, and Glaser
and Strauss, for instance. We’ll take a look at their studies later. Erm… Yes. What was I saying?
Well… Because smaller sample sizes are used in qualitative research, this helps the researcher to
save time. Therefore, many qualitative research projects can be completed quickly because they
involve fewer individuals as the sample group, unlike the other research methods.
Thirdly, and this will be our final point today… erm… Yes, the final strength of qualitative
research is that it gives freedom to the researcher because it can bring together a wide variety of
study fields. Yes, it is a multi-disciplinary approach with larger space for the researcher. This
means you do not have to stick to your own field of study only. Let me clarify this: Qualitative
research approach holistically understands the human experience in specific settings. It can benefit
from many fields. Uhm… Actually, according to the studies by Denzin and Lincoln, qualitative
research encompasses a wider range of viewpoints, research methods, and interpretive techniques
of understanding human experiences. From this perspective, it is much more suitable for the study
of social sciences and the humanities. The study of language assessment, the analysis of human
behavior in cultural contexts, or the examination of any other content-related variables can be done
with qualitative research. For example, if you are studying English Language Teaching, and if you
are doing research for your English literature class, uhm… say… on the analysis of characters in
a certain short story or novel, you can benefit from psychology, sociology, history, or cultural
studies. This means your research is fed by several fields of study.
And uhm… Now, let me briefly cover up what I said before as our time is limited. In qualitative
research, as subject materials can be evaluated with greater detail, qualitative method aims to
analyze... (fade out)
Adapted from https://occupytheory.org/advantages-and-disadvantages-of-qualitative-research/

https://www.thoughtco.com/qualitative-research-methods-3026555
http://archive.learnhigher.ac.uk/analysethis/main/qualitative.html
https://blog.globalwebindex.com/trends/qualitative-vs-quantitative/
https://www.skillsyouneed.com/learn/quantitative-and-qualitative.html
https://vittana.org/23-advantages-and-disadvantages-of-qualitative-research
https://www.uxmatters.com/mt/archives/2012/09/strengths-and-weaknesses-of-quantitative-and-qualitative-
research.php
https://www.statisticssolutions.com/qualitative-sample-size/
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READING TEXT
Qualitative research involves words or language, but may also use pictures or
photographs and observations. Almost any phenomenon can be examined in a
qualitative way, and it is often the preferred method of investigation in the UK and
the rest of Europe; US studies tend to use quantitative methods, although this
distinction is by no means absolute. In general, many social sciences like
psychology, sociology, philosophy, or any other field in the humanities work with
qualitative method in research, but despite many benefits of doing so, some
limitations are obvious in conducting qualitative research.
In especially those cases that use the interview techniques or those studies that require participants,
there is the problem of sample size. Because fewer people are generally studied by qualitative
research, it is not possible to generalize the results to those of the population. Usually exact
numbers are reported rather than percentages. Moreover, it is difficult to make systematic
comparisons if people give widely differing responses. To bridge the gap between these different
responses, the researcher needs to work with a much larger sample group, but this is often not very
likely due to time or budget restraints.
There may also be particular difficulties about ethics. It is generally harder for qualitative
researchers to remain apart from their work. By the nature of their study, they are involved with
people. Considering this nature of qualitative studies, the interaction between researchers and
participants can be ethically challenging for the former, as they are personally involved in different
stages of the study. In ethnographic studies, for example, researchers function as instruments that
understand and analyze the culture. Therefore, ethnographic investigators need to be immersed in
the culture and to live among the study population. However, ethnographers have to be notified of
their role as research instruments while collecting and analyzing data so that they will not influence
the outcomes of their research. Although ethics could be an issue for any type of research, with
qualitative research, there are some other specific issues concerning ethics because the researcher
may be party to confidential information. When highly sensitive issues are concerned, children
and other vulnerable individuals should have access to an advocate who is present during initial
phases of the study, and ideally, during data gathering sessions. It is sometimes even necessary
that the researcher clarify in writing which persons can have access to the initial data and how the
data might be used. In other words, it is important for the researcher to always bear in mind that
s/he must do no harm to his/her research subjects.
Adapted from https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1120221.pdf

https://vittana.org/23-advantages-and-disadvantages-of-qualitative-research
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4263394/
410
Summary Essay
Sample response
The lecture defines and gives three strengths of qualitative research, which provides non-numerical
data used in social sciences to investigate people, social values, and ideas, by asking how and why
things have happened. The reading text focuses on two limitations of this research method.
The first strength of qualitative research lies in its focus on human experience, influencing
behavioral patterns. Therefore, it can generate deeper and more accurate information as it does not
skip important details. Researchers can become a part of their own research, which brings about
an insider’s views. However, according to the text, this may also cause ethical concerns as the
research is personally involved in research. Due to the interaction between the researcher and the
participants, there is the risk of researcher’s influencing the outcomes. Moreover, the researcher
may find out confidential information about individuals while gathering data, and participants may
require a lawyer to protect their privacy.
The second strength is the small sample size, which enables the researchers to get feedback on
their perspectives quickly, helping them to save time. Yet, as the reading indicates, this may lead
to the limitation of not being able to make accurate generalizations due to the small size of the
samples and not being able to compare outcomes systematically as a result of the variety of the
answers obtained.
The third one is the researcher’s freedom to benefit from many disciplines. As the researchers do
not have to stick only to their own field, the outcomes are holistic, which is beneficial. The research
can encompass many viewpoints from social sciences and the humanities, ranging from
psychology to cultural studies.
271 words
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You will hear a lecture on the Impostor Syndrome. While listening, take notes on all the main
points and important details of the lecture. You will hear the lecture only once.
Lecture
Well, first of all, let’s start by defining what impostor means. An impostor is a person
who pretends to be someone else in order to trick people. The term the Impostor Syndrome is
the feeling that your achievements are not real or that you do not deserve praise or success. That
is, although you may be a very successful person, if you’re suffering from the Impostor Syndrome,
you do not believe in your own success and you think you are not capable of what you have
achieved. Well, the syndrome is particularly prevalent and intense among a select sample of high
achieving women. Despite outstanding academic and professional accomplishments, women who
experience the Impostor Phenomenon persist in believing that they are really not bright and have
fooled anyone who thinks otherwise.
Now, the question is, of course, why? We’ll look at three main reasons why the Impostor
Syndrome is so common. Uhm… Psychologists believe that the Impostor Syndrome could be
rooted in family background and the parenting style with which one was raised. Let me now
explain the three specific facets of upbringing that could influence the likelihood of developing
the Impostor Syndrome.
The first factor leading to the Impostor Syndrome might be undeserved praise. If your parents or
other significant adults in your life, such as your grandparent or a family friend, gave you
acknowledgement for things you didn’t think you deserved praise for, you might have become
instilled with the sense that you were a phony, let me spell it for you, P-H-O-N-Y. So you might
feel you are a phony; that is, you may have started to think or believe that you were not real, that
you were deceiving people. Maybe you were told you were a “good girl“ or “good boy” frequently,
but you thought you were not that good. Or maybe you were applauded for your skills as an athlete,
your artistic aptitude, or your math smarts when you knew, based on comparison to your peers,
that you weren’t particularly distinguished in that arena. Such experiences and feelings in
childhood may increase the likelihood of developing this syndrome, and when you grow up and
start work, for example, you are convinced that you are a phony among qualified colleagues, and
so you often push yourself to work harder and harder to measure up. The resulting work-overload
may harm not only your own mental health, but also your relationships with others.
The second factor, on the flip side, might be receiving no praise at all. Everyone, from the
youngest child to the most mature adult, relishes and requires praise in order to nurture their self-
esteem and sense of self-worth. For children, that need for positive attention is greatest. If you
didn’t have that need met, it could continue to affect your self-regard even as an adult because if
you never received praise at all ‒ even for something impressive, such as winning a writing
competition, earning straight A’s, or nabbing the lead role in the school play, ‒ you probably
learned to think of yourself as inadequate and not good enough. Therefore, to overcome that feeling
412
of inadequacy, as an adult, you start to set excessively high goals for yourself. When you fail to
reach that goal, you experience major self-doubt and worry about measuring up. Even if you
succeed, it is rarely satisfying for you because you always believe you could have done better.
And the final factor during upbringing might be family labels. If you grew up with siblings or
cousins, you may have identified with a certain role in the family, like the “smart one,” the
“sensitive one,” the “competitive one,” and so on. The danger of those family labels is that they
can be hard to get rid of. This can lead to deep self-doubt when an individual’s personal view of
themselves doesn’t match up with what they’ve always been defined as and recognized for. For
example, you have a sibling who has been designated as the “intelligent” member of the family,
and you are directly or indirectly told to be the “sensitive” one. The implication from immediate
and extended family members is that you can never prove you are as bright as your sibling
regardless of what you actually accomplish intellectually. Although you succeed in obtaining
outstanding grades, academic honors, and acclaim from teachers, your family seems unimpressed,
still attributing greater intelligence to the “bright” sibling whose academic performance is often
poorer by comparison. That could lead you to doubt how smart you actually are. You may begin
thinking your family may be correct, and thus, the impostor phenomenon emerges, which may
extend into adulthood and professional life.
To sum up, these three facets of upbringing could cause people to develop the Impostor Syndrome.
While the Impostor Phenomenon is not considered a psychological disorder and isn’t an official
diagnosis listed in the DSM, psychologists and other experts acknowledge that it is a very real and
specific form of intellectual self-doubt. Approximately 70% of the population worldwide is
believed to be affected by this syndrome at some point in their careers; however, it often goes
unrecognized. People should be aware that this syndrome is the symptom, not the cause of their
self-confidence issues.
Adapted from http://www.paulineroseclance.com/pdf/ip_high_achieving_women.pdf
https://melodywilding.com/how-to-overcome-impostor-syndrome/
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READING TEXT
The philosopher Bertrand Russell wrote: “The whole problem with the world is that fools
and fanatics are always so certain of themselves, and wiser people so full of doubts.”
Whether on a local or global level, the problems we face require the best people to step
up. But many hold back because they feel that luck rather than ability lies behind their
successes, and dread that sooner or later some person or event will expose them for the
fraud that deep down they believe themselves to be. Far from being a realistic self-
assessment, the Impostor Syndrome mind-trap prevents people from believing in
themselves, to the detriment of us all. While the root cause isn’t entirely clear,
there are things you can do to tackle the Impostor Syndrome.
First of all, some sufferers of the Impostor Syndrome think they do not deserve the praise
they get and that they are bogus, i.e. fake, even when they are praised. What they should
do is to embrace the praise objectively. When they are given a compliment, they should
internalize it as fact. They shouldn’t judge themselves against what was said or analyze
it for deeper meaning. Also, they should stop explaining away their successes by
revealing all the various reasons why what they did wasn’t really that impressive. Instead,
when they get a compliment, they should practice saying “Thanks! I’m glad it worked
out,” and move on.
Some others, on the other hand, always compare themselves to some other people who
they admire or regard successful. When they do this, it’s easy to fall into the trap of “my
life sucks compared to that life.” They might as well not even do anything! Emerson said,
“Envy is ignorance…” and he was right on. To overcome this feeling of self-doubt, the
sufferers of this syndrome should acknowledge that they aren’t here to live the life of
another person. They’re here to live whatever life they can. They could turn Facebook
off, get off Instagram, stop reading biographies of “successful” people, and learn to
respect their own experience. Moreover, some girls are held back by stereotypes.
Teachers and caregivers must challenge these stereotypes and encourage girls to
recognize and accept their success, appreciate their competence, and celebrate their
strengths.
The best news is that the Impostor Syndrome is prevalent across all industries, genders,
and races, so if you’re feeling like an impostor, then many people around you are, too.
Adapted from https://melodywilding.com/how-to-overcome-impostor-syndrome/

https://www.themuse.com/advice/5-different-types-of-imposter-syndrome-and-5-ways-to-battle-each-one
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2017/sep/19/fraud-impostor-syndrome-confidence-self-esteem
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Summary Essay
Sample response
The lecture explains the three causes of the Impostor Syndrome, which means not believing in
oneself despite high academic or professional success. The reading text provides two methods to
deal with this.
Firstly, undeserved praise leads to this syndrome. If the child thinks s/he doesn’t deserve the praise
given by the adults in the family, s/he starts to feel he is not actually that good. To overcome this
feeling, s/he works harder to the extent that s/he harms mental health and relationships with others.
The method to deal with this, as offered by the reading, is to accept acknowledgement without
bias, and to internalize compliments rather than looking for underlying implications.
Secondly, those who don’t get any praise at all suffer from this syndrome because people require
praise to build self-worth and self-esteem. Getting no praise affects self-regard negatively and
increases feelings of inadequacy. To overcome these negative emotions, the sufferers set high
goals, but even when they achieve these goals, they think they could have done better.
Finally, family labels might be a reason. Once a label is given to a child, such as the smart one, the
sensitive one, or the competitive one, it’s very hard to get rid of it. Even when the child achieves
a certain level of success, s/he is never able to impress the family, so s/he comes to believe that
the family may be correct in their judgment. According to the reading text, stopping comparisons
between oneself and others is a method to deal with this. For children who are troubled by labels
or stereotypes, teachers and caregivers must challenge these prejudices and motivate children to
accept and cherish their success, abilities, and strengths.
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You will hear a lecture on emotional eating. While listening, take notes on all the main points and
Lecture
Here’s a situation that probably sounds very familiar to you. Something upsets you very much,
and your body starts craving high-carbohydrate, high-calorie foods with low nutritional value. The
craving is so huge that you simply have to eat – usually sugar or unhealthy fats: a bowl of ice
cream, pizza, French fries, a big packet of candy, or a chocolate bar. They can all somehow offer
you comfort when you have to deal with negative feelings. It’s called emotional eating.
Today, I will explain four reasons why people turn to emotional eating, and what happens
afterwards. Please take notes on the causes of emotional eating, and how people feel afterwards.
OK. Let’s start with the definition of emotional eating. Emotional eating is consuming food, not
out of hunger, but to gain some form of short-term relief. It is often an attempt to manage mood
with food.
Why do we turn to emotional eating? The first reason is simple. It is easy. Eating everything that
we can to feel better is actually the same as getting drunk or taking a drug, because after that, the
world looks more beautiful to us, and we feel happier. According to many sources, eating sugars
and fats releases opioids in our brain. Opioids are the active ingredients in cocaine, heroin and
many other narcotics. So the calming, soothing effects that you feel when you eat ice cream and
BBQ potato chips are real. We use food to feel better, not to fill our stomach. For example, after a
huge argument with our partner, we urgently need a lot of ice cream to calm down. And when we
“sober up,” it becomes even worse. In the phase of abstinence crisis, that is, when we want to
control ourselves, we start to experience feelings of guilt, which makes the situation even worse
and can cause the development of a depressive mood. If such cravings happen occasionally, it
doesn’t mean that we are addicted. But if a bowl of ice cream becomes the first thought when we
are disappointed, under stress, or exhausted, then we have got caught in a loop, which won’t be
easy to get out of.
Stress is another factor that makes people liable to emotional eating. Stress makes people hungry.
It is not just in their mind. When stress is chronic, the body produces high levels of cortisol, the
stress hormone. Cortisol triggers cravings for salty, sweet, and fried foods ‒ foods that give a burst
of energy and pleasure. The more uncontrolled stress in people’s lives, the more likely they are to
turn to food for emotional relief.
Another reason why we emotionally eat is that we are unable to tolerate difficult feelings in our
lives. In our culture, we learn from a young age to avoid things that make us feel
bad. Unfortunately, the ways we have found to distract ourselves from difficult feelings are not
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always in our best interest. Maybe we grew up in a family where food was a soother. Did your
mom offer you a hot fudge sundae or a trip to the ice cream shop if you had a bad day at school?
Did your friends come over with a gallon of ice cream when your high school boyfriend broke up
with you? When we think back to our childhood memories of food, we may realize that some
childhood habits regarding food are often carried over into adulthood. When these adults face
challenging situations in their lives, rather than trying to cope with the problems, they may turn to
food that will comfort them, just like in their childhood. In other words, without the ability to
tolerate life’s inevitable unpleasant feelings, we are susceptible to emotional eating.
Finally, boredom might be a reason for emotional eating. Having too much free time or feeling
unmotivated often gives us a reason to reach for food to fill the gap. If you’re home with nothing
to do on a Saturday afternoon, you might decide to binge watch your favorite show and grab a bag
of chips to join you. Before you know it, you are three shows in and the bag is gone, not because
you were hungry but because you were bored and not paying attention to what you were
consuming. You were feeling empty from the boredom, and food was the habitual answer to deal
with that feeling. All these triggers are emotional.
Well, today, I have talked about emotional eating and the four important factors that trigger this
cycle. The psychological factors that… (fade out)
Collated from https://agileleanlife.com/emotional-eating/
https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/inside-out/201309/emotional-eating-5-reasons-you-can-t-stop
https://www.dietspotlight.com/emotional-eating/
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READING TEXT
The difference between emotional hunger and physical hunger
Emotional hunger can be powerful, so it’s easy to mistake it for physical hunger, but there are clues you
can look for to help you tell physical and emotional hunger apart.
Emotional hunger comes on suddenly. It hits you in an instant and feels overwhelming and urgent.
Physical hunger, on the other hand, comes on more gradually. Therefore, you must resist eating when
the hunger hits you in an instant. The urge to eat doesn’t demand instant satisfaction, unless you haven’t
eaten for a very long time.
Emotional hunger craves specific comfort foods. When you’re physically hungry, almost anything
sounds good ‒ including healthy stuff like vegetables. However, emotional hunger craves junk food or
sugary snacks that provide an instant rush, so try to avoid eating such food. You feel like
you need cheesecake or pizza, and nothing else will do.
Emotional hunger often leads to mindless eating. Before you know it, you’ve eaten a whole bag of
chips without really paying attention or fully enjoying it. When you’re eating in response to physical
hunger, you’re typically more aware of what you’re doing.
Emotional hunger isn’t satisfied once you’re full. You keep wanting more and more, often eating until
you’re uncomfortably stuffed. Physical hunger, on the other hand, doesn’t need to be stuffed. You feel
satisfied when your stomach is full.
Emotional hunger often leads to regret, guilt, or shame. When you eat to satisfy physical hunger,
you’re unlikely to feel guilty or ashamed because you’re simply giving your body what it needs. If you
feel guilty after you eat, it is likely because you know deep down that you are not eating for nutritional
reasons.
Steps to counter emotional eating

Being aware of what triggers emotional eating: To overcome this unhealthy eating habit, sufferers
should first be well aware of their emotional eating and what triggers it. Then, they have to learn how to
manage their emotions in a way that doesn’t involve food
Meditation: Countless studies show that meditation may help people become more mindful of food
choices. With practice, a person may be able to pay better attention to the impulse to grab a fat- and
sugar-loaded comfort food and inhibit the impulse.
Exercise: Intense exercise increases cortisol levels temporarily, but low-intensity exercise seems to
reduce them. University of California researchers reported that exercise may blunt the urge of emotional
eating. Some activities, such as yoga and tai chi, have elements of both exercise and meditation.
Social support: Friends, family, and other sources of social support seem to have a buffering effect on
stress. For example, research suggests that people working in stressful situations, like hospital
emergency departments, have better mental health if they have adequate social support. When stress is
reduced, people are less likely to fall to emotional eating. But even people who live and work in
situations where the stakes aren’t as high need help from time to time from friends and family.
Diets: Diets so often fail because they offer logical nutritional advice, which only works if you have
conscious control over your eating habits. It doesn’t work when emotions hijack the process, demanding
an immediate payoff with food.
In order to stop emotional eating, you have to find ways to fulfill yourself emotionally.
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Summary Essay
Sample response
The lecture defines and provides reasons for emotional eating, while the reading text provides
solutions to this.
According to the lecture, emotional eating is consuming food not out of hunger but to gain short
term relief. In other words, emotional eating is managing mood with food. There are mainly five
reasons that cause emotional eating.
The first reason why people turn to emotional eating is that it is easy. For some people, the world
looks more beautiful when they eat. Eating everything is like getting drunk. People forget about
the difficulties of life easily.
The second reason is stress. Stress makes people liable to emotional eating. When there is
continuous stress in one’s life, that is, if the stress is chronic, the body releases high levels of the
stress hormone, cortisol. This hormone triggers the need for foods that give energy and pleasure.
The third reason is not being able to tolerate difficult feelings. From childhood, people learn to
avoid things that make them feel bad. Food is generally a reliever in the family. These habits are
carried into adulthood. As adults, people do not try to cope with the problem but turn to food.
The last reason is boredom. Not being able to fill the gap in their lives, many people reach for
food. When they feel empty because they are bored, food is the answer. The reason behind their
eating is emotional triggers.
According to the reading text, meditation, exercise and social support may prevent emotional
eating. People should be aware of what triggers their emotional eating, and they have to learn how
to manage their emotions without food. They should resist eating, especially junk food, when the
hunger appears suddenly.
Only if people can find ways to fulfill themselves emotionally, can they stop emotional eating.
298 words
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You will hear a lecture on common workplace obstacles that impact well-being. While listening,
take notes on all the main points and important details of the lecture. You will hear the lecture only
once.
Lecture
What gives you energy at work? The odds are strong that an answer quickly sprang to your mind.
Maybe it’s collaboration, a new creative challenge, or an uninterrupted chunk of time to focus.
Now consider, what drains your energy? It’s likely that a mix of people, places, and scenarios
come to your mind, since there are so many things that drain our energy at work. Why does this
matter? Well, this matters because your creative and productive energy is what fuels your best
thinking and makes you feel connected to your job. When that energy is diverted, blocked, or
drained away, not only are you far less effective, you’re usually not very happy. So, here are four
obstacles that drain your energy at work: Drama, perfectionism, a negative outlook on life, and
control.
OK. Let’s begin. As I’ve said before, the first obstacle that impacts your well-being at work is
drama. Drama is all about assuming the worst intent in team members and leaders. This causes a
lot of time waste due to people’s venting wasteful thought processes and unproductive behaviors.
That is, people might be creating a lot of unnecessary thought processes, which wastes your
valuable time. You might be attracted to it or you might create it – either way its purpose is to
distract from and avoid unpleasant issues. As a way of dealing with fear or uncertainty, or putting
off dealing with it, it’s common for people to invent “stories” to fill in missing details. For example,
people create their own theories about why changes are happening in business strategy or
personnel. Then, you probably start looking for clues to verify the validity of these stories. Since
it is impossible to know all the details, your mind gets busier and busier dealing with theories. This
creates a downward drama spiral that can kill productivity and morale.
The second obstacle that prevents you from working effectively is perfectionism. This is the belief
that there’s no room for mistakes. When people feel they’re working in an environment where
their best is not good enough, it’s not only demoralizing, but it also limits innovation: no one wants
to take a risk for fear of “doing it wrong.” Most people have some amount of perfectionism.
Everyone can get inspired by the perfectionistic drive of athletic champions and outstanding
business leaders. But there is a need to recognize the difference between a desire to become better
and an insatiable need to be perfect. Well, there are three main characteristics of people who are
victims of perfectionism. First, perfectionists feel the need to advertise their perfection and criticize
those they perceive lack their high personal standards. Second, they avoid situations where
perfection isn’t possible, and this results in chronic procrastination. Third, they often hide or fail
to disclose situations where they have been imperfect, concealing errors that may not be discovered
until it’s too late to fix them. Now, how does this lead to energy drain at work? Well, as you can
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guess, extreme criticism of a perfectionist boss may lead to a sense of failure and job dissatisfaction
among employees. This brings about unwillingness to complete a task or produce quality work.
Also, procrastination is a direct result, as I’ve already mentioned. So, if you focus on your
weaknesses and mistakes, and if you believe that there is always a better way of doing things, this
might result in a feeling of being inadequate. This directly reduces your self-confidence and results
in not being able to produce efficient work.
The third energy drainer is closely related to the second one. It’s a negative outlook on life. This
is also known as the “Glass-Half-Empty Outlook.” A manager who focuses on the negatives of a
person, situation, or product isn’t generally able to see the potential positives. When a manager
dwells on the problems, rather than focusing on a solution, the company’s vision becomes
distorted. A workplace becomes stagnated when it is managed by someone who takes on a negative
outlook. That is, the quality of work will decrease, and if a company strives for a workplace that’s
upbeat and positive, a negative manager will prevent the company from accomplishing that goal.
So, when your focus is always on what’s going wrong, it’s downright exhausting. And if you linger
in that mindset for too long, it can cause hypervigilance; that is, extreme cautiousness. And clearly,
this is not a productive use of your energy.
OK, the last point that might drain your energy at work and might prevent you from productive
behavior is control. This shows up as a compulsive desire to know everything and control
outcomes. Employers or employees who need to control other people make up universal rules and
apply them to everybody. They don’t care what you think about their rules. Let me explain this
further. When you rely on controlling behaviors, you might become fearful – either of the outcome
not going your way, or of being “exposed” as not good enough. Both of these feelings can deplete
your energy by focusing on incomplete or false data. Of course, this seriously prevents productivity
because nobody wants to be patronized or manipulated.
So, time is up. Let’s have a break now.
Adapted from https://www.mindful.org/running-on-empty/
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READING TEXT
“I wouldn’t do it that way.” “Why don’t you try this?” “What are you doing?” “That’s not right.”
“Don’t do that. Do this.” These are all phrases you’ve likely heard from the notorious co-worker
in your office. And, while you’ve somehow managed to continue trucking along without snapping,
you’re getting dangerously close to the end of your rope. Whether you have an obsessed boss or a
ridiculously overbearing co-worker, we’ve all had to work with someone who has a “my way or
the highway” sort of attitude. Of course, dealing with this person isn’t easy – but it’s also pretty
much inevitable. Recognizing the positive attributes of this person’s work ethic will make working
with him or her at least a little bit easier. Let’s face it – this person probably doesn’t behave this
way to purposely annoy you or make your job more difficult. Instead, he’s just incredibly
passionate about work. Making an effort to accept that his or her motivations are good will make
your life easier.
Adapted from https://lifehacker.com/tag/office-gps?startIndex=40
“Did you hear what Brian said in the meeting this morning?” “I can’t believe Lisa thought this
report was good.” “I heard that Megan partied a little too hard with a client last weekend at the
conference.” Sounds familiar? Trash-talking friends, free-flowing gossip, popularity contests, and
exclusive circles. Sounds like high school? Probably. But the better (and much scarier) question is
– does it sound like your office? You might assume now that you’ve entered the professional,
mature workforce, you’d be able to escape the petty tragi-comedies reminiscent of high school. In
reality, offices can be just as filled with unnecessary stories as your high school homeroom. How
can you avoid this? It’s better to resist the urge to talk about your co-workers and boss while you’re
in the office. Go to your own room, close the door, and mind your work.
Adapted from http://www.youblisher.com/p/1209395-TBA-04-09-15/
Most people believe it is important to try to do one’s best and not make mistakes. Some of us,
however, tend to believe that we should never make mistakes and that making a mistake means
we are a failure or a horrible person for disappointing others. Thinking like this makes it really
scary for us to make mistakes. Trying to be perfect is also likely to make you feel stressed and
maybe even disappointed with yourself much of time because you are not able to meet your
standards easily, or at all. Over time, you may even start to believe that you are not as capable as
others. How can you feel better? Well, it is worthwhile to consider loosening up your standards a
bit to ease the stress and anxiety you may feel from trying so hard. Try the following:
- “Making a mistake does not mean I’m stupid or a failure. It only means that I am like everyone
else – human. Everyone makes mistakes!”
- “It’s okay not to be pleasant all the time. Everyone has a bad day sometime.”
- “It’s okay if some people don’t like me. No one is liked by everyone!”
Adapted from https://www.anxietybc.com/sites/default/files.pdf
422
Summary Essay
Sample response
The lecture focuses on four workplace obstacles that impact the well-being of employees, causing
them to become unhappy and lose productivity and creativity. The reading provides tips on how
to deal with three of these obstacles.
The first obstacle is drama, which means looking for the worst intent in team-members and
inventing stories to fill in missing details. This is a wasteful, unnecessary, and unproductive
thought process, distracting employees from the task and killing creativity and productivity. The
suggestion from the reading is to shut the office door and concentrate on work instead of joining
the gossip.
The second one is perfectionism, leaving no room for mistakes and leading employees to feel
inadequate. Because employees fear making mistakes, they feel demoralized and stop trying to
become better. Extreme criticism of a perfectionist boss reduces the workers’ willingness to
complete tasks and prevents them from producing efficient work. Lowering the standards a little
in order to reduce stress and anxiety, along with not forgetting that everybody can make mistakes,
is a way to deal with this, as given in the text.
The third obstacle is a negative outlook on life, which prevents employees from seeing the potential
positives. This may result in a decrease in the quality of work and accomplishments due to the
extreme cautiousness in employees.
The fourth and the last one is control, referring to a compulsive desire to control every possible
outcome. Controlling bosses make up universal rules for everyone to follow, but this depletes
energy and reduces positivity because nobody wants to be patronized. To work better with such
people, according to the text, one must try to think that they have good motivations and strong
ethics for the job they love doing.
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You will hear a lecture on human trafficking. While listening, take notes on all the main points
and important details of the lecture. You will hear the lecture only once.
Lecture
Slavery has been a disgraceful aspect of human society for most of human history. Although we
think of slavery as a thing of the past, it still continues in different ways. Modern day slavery, also
known as human trafficking, occurs when individuals are exploited through force or deception,
and typically involves restricted freedom of movement. Modern slavery, or human trafficking, can
take many forms that we often do not think of as slavery. Now, I’m going to talk about five specific
forms of modern day slavery.
The first form is forced labor. International Labor Organization, Forced Labor Convention, defines
it as “all work or service which is exacted from any person under the threat of a penalty and for
which the person has not offered himself or herself voluntarily.” That is, forced labor is any work
or service which people are forced to do against their will, under the threat of punishment. It is the
most common form of modern slavery. The practice is typically found in industries with little
regulation and many workers. It is commonly used in global supply chains by the private economy
to make products. This form of slavery is also used by governments, particularly in state prisons.
Forced labor often affects the most vulnerable and excluded groups. Women and girls are more at
risk than boys and men, and children make up a quarter of people in forced labor. Migrant workers
are also targeted because they often don’t speak the language, have few friends, have limited rights,
and depend on their employers.
The second form is bonded labor. Bonded labor, also known as debt bondage, happens when
people give themselves into slavery as security against a loan, or when they inherit a debt from a
relative. It can be made to look like an employment agreement, but it is designed to exploit workers
because the worker starts with a debt to repay – usually in brutal conditions – and later finds that
repayment of the loan is impossible. The cyclical process begins with a debt, whether acquired or
inherited, that cannot be paid immediately. Then, while the worker labors to repay the debt, the
employer continues to add on additional expenses. For instance, a laborer may begin with an initial
debt of $200. While working and unable to leave, this worker needs a shelter, food, and water. The
employer tacks on $25 per day to the debt to cover those expenses. Consequently, the employee
only grows his debt while continuing to labor for his debtor, and repayment is impossible, so their
enslavement becomes permanent. Bonded labor is used across a variety of industries in order to
produce products for consumption around the world.
The third form is domestic servitude. Domestic servitude is the seemingly normal practice of live-
in help that is used as cover for the exploitation and control of someone, usually from another
country. It is a form of forced labor, but it also warrants its own category of slavery because of the
unique contexts and challenges it presents. Victims of domestic servitude may appear to be nannies
or other domestic help, but the moment their employment arrangement changes into a situation
whereby there are restrictions on their movement and they cannot leave on their own free will, it
becomes a case of enslavement. They are forced to work long hours for little pay. They may also
suffer physical and sexual abuse. Since authorities are unable to easily inspect homes, this modern
day slavery is easy to hide.
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The fourth form of modern-day slavery is sex trafficking. Sex trafficking occurs when women,
men, or children are forced to engage in commercial sex acts. Those living in extreme poverty are
particularly vulnerable to this practice because of their economic marginalization and lack of
education. Many times, people from these communities are offered false employment
opportunities in major cities. For example, men and boys are sent overseas to work in construction
and agriculture, but are also forced to perform commercial sex acts. Women and young girls may
be offered jobs as models, nannies, waitresses, or dancers. Some traffickers operate under the guise
of agencies that offer cross-country dating services. However, upon arrival, these individuals are
abused, threatened, and sold in the sex industry. Sex trafficking has devastating consequences for
the trafficked individual, ranging from physical and psychological trauma to drug addiction.
The last form of human trafficking I’ll talk about is forced marriage. This type of slavery occurs
when an individual lacks the option to refuse marriage or is married to someone else by relatives.
I mean, in forced marriage, at least one of the marrying parties does not give his or her
consent. Forced marriage can also happen when a wife is married in exchange for payment. Forced
marriage of a child under the age of eighteen is called early marriage. A major motivation of this
type of slavery is cultural tradition or threats. Girls are more common targets for this because they
can be controlled through sexual violence.
These are five of the most common types of modern-day slavery, but the practice is not limited to
just these forms. Slavery still occurs throughout the world in practices that are not always easily
recognizable. Governments and organizations must remain informed about the occurrence of
modern-day slavery to be able to stop it in its tracks.
Adapted from https://www.antislavery.org/slavery-today/modern-slavery/

https://borgenproject.org/the-six-types-of-modern-day-slavery/
http://www.endslaverynow.org/learn/slavery-today/sex-trafficking
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READING TEXT
What are governments doing to address and prevent the issue of human trafficking in their own
countries and around the world? To give you a closer look at what’s happening around the world,
here’s a brief overview of three countries’ efforts and policies, as well as the challenges they face
in implementing those laws.
India
More than 200,000 Indian children are trafficked each year and forced into domestic servitude or
labor in brick kilns or embroidery factories. However, while government-sponsored Anti-
Trafficking Units, which are supposed to investigate human trafficking cases, continue to be
established and more prosecutions are occurring, the laws are not widely enforced. Part of the
problem is that it’s hard to say if one universal trafficking law can work and be enforced for a
country as large and regionally diverse as India. At the same time, factors like corruption and lack
of training and resources make it difficult to ensure that programs are effective. What’s more, it’s
difficult to detect this type of enslavement unless someone complains, as the authorities cannot
scrutinize private property to check whether there is human trafficking or not.
Niger
Niger has the one of the highest rates of child marriages in the world. According to figures
published by the United Nations Population Fund, UNFPA, 76 percent of all girls under 18 are
married in Niger.
While forced marriages continue in rural areas, things are improving in Nigerien urban centers. A
local branch of a small human rights organization funded by international donors in Niger provides
shelter to women in need in Niger’s capital Niamey. The organization members are trying to
change local attitudes and persuade parents that their daughters have a right to a childhood and
education. The organization also supports young girls and women filing for a divorce,
accompanying them to local judges and traditional leaders.
However, although local judges and traditional tribal leaders are mostly supportive of the move,
many women in rural areas are still afraid to speak up against their conservative culture that
undermines their rights, as in those areas, people still believe that their child is their property which
they can give away when and to whom they want.
South Korea
Trafficking is unfortunately widespread in South Korea, and many cases have been reported of
people from Russia, North Korea, the Phillipines, and Thailand being exploited in labor. Many
human trafficking victims in the United States originate in South Korea, and find themselves in
situations of forced labor when they arrive. There are many cases of labor exploitation and
trafficking especially in 3D (difficult, dirty, dangerous) factories, where many migrant workers
and vulnerable locals fall ill or are abused. The Labor Standards Act places harsh sentences on
traffickers, but there is no clear legislation defining trafficking, so it is actually difficult to
determine and prosecute these individuals.
Adapted from https://www.themuse.com/advice/whats-being-done-to-stop-human-trafficking

http://www.dw.com/en/fighting-against-forced-marriages-in-niger/a-17892960
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Summary Essay
Sample response
The lecture explains five types of human trafficking, which means forced exploitation of workers.
The reading text explains what some countries are doing to stop this and the difficulties they face.
The first type is forced labor, defined as all work or service people are forced to do under the threat
of punishment, often seen in state prisons and industries with little regulation. Vulnerable groups
and migrant workers are exploited the most. The text mentions South Korea trying to deal with
this through the Labor Standards Act, which gives severe punishment. The difficulty is the lack of
a clear definition in law, making it hard to identify and punish traffickers.
The second is bonded labor. Here, labor is given as security against a loan. The worker starts
working with debt, but as the employer adds extra expenses, the debt builds up and gets impossible
to pay, making the worker unable to leave.
The third is domestic servitude, which refers to live-in help or nannies. Victims work long hours
for little pay, and are physically and sexually abused. This type is easy to hide as authorities can’t
inspect homes. The text mentions the Indian government, which has caught many traffickers
thanks to Anti-Trafficking Units, but the challenge is to enforce the law because one universal law
isn’t suitable for this large and diverse country.
The fourth type is sex trafficking. Due to extreme poverty and lack of education, both men and
women are forced into sex labor by agencies abusing them. The inevitable result is physical or
psychological trauma.
The last type is forced marriage, in which girls get married without their consent, sometimes in
return for payment. Girls under 18 are victimized by cultural tradition and threats. According to
the text, an organization in Niger supports women by providing shelter, helping them get divorced,
or convincing parents to let girls go to school. The limitation, however, is that rural areas retain
their conservative traditions, and local judges and tribal leaders support this kind of trafficking.
335 words
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VOCABULARY
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Note to the Instructor
The vocabulary items in these tests are selected from the General and Academic Word Lists in
accordance with the relevant bands in NGSL and NAWL, as suggested by the SFL administration
and the NEPE committee.
Bearing in mind that vocabulary is tested not only directly via this section of the NEPE, but also
indirectly through other sections, we feel that boosting students’ knowledge of frequently used
academic and general words is of utmost importance. Given the length of the word lists mentioned
above, the need to expose the students to as much vocabulary as possible is obvious; hence,
although it is by no means comprehensive, the set of vocabulary presented below involves distinct
items for each question.
Please note that the items used in the following tests could be recurring in any other section of this
book although special attention was paid in order not to repeat any of the vocabulary items in any
of the questions to make sure that the students encounter them at least once, but recycle them either
through other skills, or by allocating time to study on their own.
Please teach the word families for each item to facilitate as much permanent learning as possible,
while strongly encouraging the students to revisit the vocabulary items in their own time.
429
Test 1
1. Both the lemon and the lime are citrus fruits, and some people think of them as
interchangeable. However, lemons and limes are two __________________ fruits. Limes
are green, small, and generally more acidic than lemons, whereas lemons are yellow and
larger than limes.
a. discrete (NAWL 3659)
b. various
c. identical
d. rampant
e. integral
2. San Francisco Art Institute is one of the oldest and most prestigious schools of higher
education in contemporary art, but it is also counted as one of the most haunted places.
__________________ built on a cemetery in the early 1900s after an earthquake, it is
believed to be haunted by a few restless spirits.
a. Predominantly
b. Historically
c. Supposedly (NAWL 3360)
d. Freely
e. Mutually
3. The climate of Mesopotamia was harsh and dry, so its people had to learn different
__________________ methods to make the land fertile and cultivable so that they could
grow plants.
a. irrigation (NAWL 3709)
b. dissertation
c. biodiversity
d. regulation
e. maintenance
4. Due to the economic recession, sales have been very low over the last couple of weeks. If
this is a/an __________________ of how future business will be shaped, we will go
bankrupt in a year.
a. function
b. restoration
c. prospect
d. indication (NGSL 2573)
e. assumption
430
5. Tom pleaded guilty to drunk driving, and his driver’s license has been
__________________ for six months. Therefore, he will have to use the public transport
during this time.
a. restricted
b. held
c. issued
d. obtained
e. suspended (NGSL 2752)
6. Women in developing regions have a higher likelihood of having an abortion than their
counterparts in developed regions: The abortion rates are 36 per 1,000 women and 27 per
1,000 __________________.
a. namely
b. respectively (NGSL 2017)
c. alternatively
d. profoundly
e. approximately
7. There’s a lot that geometry helps with. From finding our way through a plethora of jobs to
helping with our awareness of relation between objects, we find that geometry is an
incredibly important __________________ to our daily life and to our course work.
a. sediment
b. facility
c. facet (NAWL 3699)
d. tract
e. premise
8. Having a/an __________________ flow of income is an important part of the credit card
application process. However, your reported income does not have to be from a job; it can
come from other sources, too, as long as it is received regularly.
a. steady (NGSL 2110)
b. obstructed
c. maximum
d. collective
e. incisive
431
9. Many large companies believe that on-campus fairs are the number one avenue for them to
brand themselves with students, and therefore, they visit universities at graduation time in
an effort to __________________ the best of the new graduates.
a. apply
b. compensate
c. grasp
d. recruit (NGSL 2086)
e. dissolve
10. Undersea turbines, which produce electricity from the tides, are set to become an important
source of renewable energy for Britain. Unlike wind power, which Britain originally
developed and then __________________ for twenty years allowing the Dutch to make it
a major industry, undersea turbines could become a big export earner to island nations such
as Japan and New Zealand.
a. integrated
b. abandoned (NGSL 1964)
c. retailed
d. traced
e. eliminated
11. There are many types of fear, but the two that impede original thinking and people
generally find difficult to deal with are fear of uncertainty and fear of public ridicule. These
may seem like __________________ phobias, but fear of public speaking, which everyone
must do from time to time, afflicts one-third of the population.
a. forceful
b. obsessional
c. trivial (NGSL 3535)
d. persistent
e. widespread
12. Terrorism has been a problem for airlines and air travelers since the 1970s, and increased
security at airports aims to prevent any such attempt. Travelers are recommended to check
in online twenty-four hours prior to departure, as well as arrive three hours before
international flight departures, due to __________________ security measures at airports.
a. vital
b. neat
c. finite
d. tight (NGSL 2082)
e. controlled
432
13. The Guardian had printed a report in which the popular messaging app, WhatsApp, was
claimed to have a critical fault, a “backdoor” that could allow a malicious third party to
read your messages. However, the report turned out to be erroneous, and the widely
reported WhatsApp vulnerability is not as serious as _____________________ thought.
a. consistently
b. subsequently
c. aimlessly
d. readily
e. initially (NGSL 2145)
14. Don Robinson once said, “one weakness of our age is our __________________ inability
to distinguish our needs from our greed.” This still holds true today. As a culture, as a
society, and as a species, we could never possibly agree on what a person needs, and
therefore, we could never agree on when pursuing and fulfilling perceived or actual needs
become greed.
a. apparent (NGSL 2150)
b. enforced
c. invulnerable
d. progressive
e. confined
15. One of the most __________________ explanations for the disappearance of the dinosaurs
has been what is known as the comet theory, which most people accept: A comet colliding
with Earth could have caused the dinosaurs’ demise. However, this argument is weakened
by those who say numerous species of animals from the same era as the dinosaurs and
similar to them in physiology and habitat did not become extinct when the dinosaurs did.
a. definite
b. plausible (NAWL 3541)
c. deceiving
d. inadequate
e. sentient
16. With technological progress, the states felt the need to enlarge their waters to ensure
security and to exploit the marine and subsoil resources. This is the reason why Greece and
Turkey are in __________________ over the boundaries of their coastal waters.
a. alignment
b. charge
c. persuasion
d. dispute (NGSL 2028)
e. proposition
433
17. Two of the journalists in the area the disaster struck went missing and are
__________________ dead. However, the rescue team hopes that that’s not the case.
a. interrogated
b. presumed (NAWL 3238)
c. specified
d. amended
e. queried
18. The four great deposits of mineral wealth in the area are still richly productive, and they
constitute the greatest industrial __________________ which the colony possesses.
a. inducements
b. chambers
c. assets (NGSL 1500)
d. proximities
e. relations
19. Rapid population growth has social consequences that have been perfectly clear for at least
30 years. They are low living standards, low education standards, unemployment,
starvation, and civil war; these will continue to increase in the developing nations. It also
leads to environmental destruction, mainly in the form of deforestation caused by slash-
and-burn agriculture. Obviously, the earth cannot continue forever to
__________________ population growth at the current rate.
a. sustain (NGSL 2272)
b. stimulate
c. summon
d. subtract
e. subsidy
20. Doctors requested the __________________ of the drug from the market after several
cases involving dangerous side-effects were reported.
a. shortage
b. submission
c. collapse
d. withdrawal (NAWL 4011)
e. indecision
434
Test 2
1. The LBGTI Platform demands that some articles of the Constitution should be revised in
such a way that it should be _____________________ stated that discrimination against
people with a different sexual orientation shall be prohibited.
a. explicitly (NAWL 3320)
b. haphazardly
c. purely
d. extremely
e. merely
2. The mainstreaming of the Internet has sparked a lively debate among political analysts
about the possible __________________ of this revolution of communications for the
political system. Some argue that the Internet has the potential to transform the democratic
process in significant ways, making citizen involvement more egalitarian, informed, and
participatory, while others are not so sure.
a. outbreaks
b. negotiations
c. origins
d. implications (NGSL 1870)
e. inclinations
3. Many governmental actors feel no real commitment to address the human rights challenges
affecting the country and act _____________________, or they are unaware that human
rights violations may not only result from acts but also omissions, including an
unwillingness to investigate, prosecute and punish, to protect the civilian population in
zones of armed conflict, or to provide basic goods and services necessary for the realization
of economic, social, and cultural rights.
a. abruptly
b. accordingly (NAWL 4138)
c. allegedly
d. accurately
e. abundantly
435
4. The unique value of the products guarantees for the organization a privileged market
situation, which should be protected against competing or substitute products by
_____________________ improving product or service quality and packaging in order to
maximize their appeal to targeted market segments or general public depending on the
activity in question.
a. randomly
b. exactly
c. officially
d. constantly (NGSL 2153)
e. briefly
5. The scandals of the past eighteen months are too numerous to count, which is a public
disappointment. These scandals, unfortunately, _____________________ issues as serious
as violating civil rights laws, collaborating with dictators, and fueling ethnic cleansing.
a. encompass (NGSL 5286)
b. interfere
c. intensify
d. explore
e. indulge
6. Many commuters to school or work choose the bicycle _____________________, just to

have at least a small amount of exercise before and after the hours they spend sitting at
their desks.
a. sufficiently
b. undoubtedly
c. independently
d. deliberately (NAWL 3086)
e. partially
7. State-of-the-art care usually results in a high degree of successful control of asthma with
an acceptably safe and _____________________ convenient therapy.
a. inevitably
b. simultaneously
c. formerly
d. reasonably (NGSL 2716)
e. roughly
436
8. The observation that genomic evolution of tumor cells occurs in the milk duct, or tube,
before invasion proceeds suggests that a short period of genome instability is an early event
in breast-cancer _____________________.
a. confirmation
b. designation
c. initiation (NAWL 3728)
d. nomination
e. resignation
9. Space junk is an ever-growing problem with more than 7,500 tons of

_____________________ hardware which is now thought to be circling the Earth.
a. conforming
b. accessible
c. redundant (NGSL 5882)
d. contingent
e. subtle
10. Lack of access to health care, low nutrition, and the high _____________________ of
infectious diseases such as tuberculosis and HIV leave the region’s population more
susceptible to the effects of environmental pollutants.
a. compliance
b. integrity
c. differentiation
d. prevalence (NAWL 3611)
e. levitation
11. Screening in both healthy and high-risk populations offers the opportunity to
_____________________ cancer early, with an increased opportunity for treatment and
curative intent.
a. contract
b. detect (NGSL 2344)
c. transmit
d. struggle
e. obscure
437
12. With _____________________ medicine failing to guarantee a total recovery from
allergies, over the last decades, there has been a great deal of interest in the role of
complementary and alternative medicine in allergy treatment.
a. conventional (NGSL 2307)
b. successive
c. functional
d. excessive
e. mandatory
13. Autophagy is a natural regeneration process that occurs at a cellular level in the body,
reducing the likelihood of developing some diseases as well as ____________________
the lifespan of the individual.
a. accelerating
b. declaring
c. prolonging (NAWL 4595)
d. surviving
e. expecting
14. For over 400 years, Himeji Castle has remained _____________________, even
throughout the extensive bombing of Himeji in World War II, natural disasters such as the
1995 Great Hanshin earthquake, and many typhoons.
a. genuine
b. concrete
c. firm
d. intact (NAWL 4517)
e. precise
15. The meat in dog foods are of several types, and they are heated at intensely high
temperatures until they no longer resemble meat at all. This process kills a lot of the
bacteria, but it also makes the food nutritionally deficient. To _____________________
that, manufacturers add vitamin and mineral supplements to the food and then spray the
resulting sludge with something tasty-smelling like chicken fat to appeal to a dog’s nose.
a. reassure
b. remedy (NAWL 4260)
c. mediate
d. manifest
e. multiply
438
16. In 2016, in Illinois, Russian hackers broke into a database by exploiting
a/an _____________________ in a web page that allowed citizens to register or change
registrations online.
a. layout
b. clash
c. ailment
d. content
e. flaw (NAWL 4555)
17. Any bacterium that _____________________ in a lab is by definition exceptional, and

these bacteria are almost exclusively the organisms studied by microbiologists.
a. ponders
b. accomplishes
c. thrives (NAWL 4573)
d. hesitates
e. relocates
18. Researchers are _____________________ a new way to grow human organs inside other
animals, but the method raises potentially thorny ethical issues.
a. catering
b. fostering
c. accessing
d. surging
e. devising (NAWL 4404)
19. The first novel that she has written successfully _____________________
a sense of innocence with overwhelming bitterness.
a. condemns
b. monitors
c. intimidates
d. renders
e. blends (NAWL 4314)
20. The company received _____________________ criticism for continuing to supply faulty
goods, which was the reason why its sales had been in decline for some time.
a. negligent
b. harsh (NAWL 4148)
c. invasive
d. illustrious
e. empirical
439
Test 3
1. Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is the most common type of chronic liver
disease in developed nations, where it affects around 25% of the population. After
treatment, unsurprisingly, younger people and those with a less severe type of the disease
are most likely to show an improvement. But beyond that, little is known about the
mechanisms of _________________ or the factors that determine why one person shows
an improvement, but another does not.
a. autonomy
b. impeccability
c. regression (NAWL 3663)
d. objection
e. replication
2. The lack of a strong scholarly record took some _________________ away from the
authors. They clearly need supporting evidence to refute all the claims against their recent
publications.
a. interpolation
b. credibility (NAWL 3322)
c. circumscription
d. intimacy
e. castigation
3. Though premium leather looked good and proved durable, its lack of _________________
and comfort led to the development of golf shoes that were designed to imitate sneakers.
a. concentration
b. fertility
c. perplexity
d. flexibility (NAWL 3011)
e. coordination
4. In academia, the influence of funding by mega-corporations is viewed as inappropriate,

partly because it may pressure professors to produce biased research, _________________
the reliability of their work and spreading incorrect information to students.
a. typifying
b. elucidating
c. undermining (NAWL 3037)
d. tempting
e. inserting
440
5. In the long run, the decrease in the _________________ of researchers and individuals
with highly sought-after technical skills will stagnate our country’s scientific advancement
and economic development.
a. execution
b. assertion
c. chastisement
d. availability (NAWL 3047)
e. correspondence
6. Artificial intelligence and machine learning can be employed to boost human skills of
communication. For instance, they can be used as supportive systems for the patients of
diseases that cause a loss in brain functions. Highly developed machines can enable patients
with speech loss to interact with their environment. Recently, scientists have built a device
to enhance some of the limited _________________ capabilities in severe ALS patients,
using both speech recognition and machine translation.
a. analytical
b. preliminary
c. intriguing
d. influential
e. cognitive (NAWL 3095)
7. On the first two days of the festival, the attendance figures were beyond
_________________, but eventually those numbers settled down.
a. cue
b. contradiction
c. culmination
d. comprehension (NAWL 3458)
e. continuation
8. Upon the completion of a series of experiments conducted at Harvard University, it was

revealed that mice with gene _________________ that predisposed them to Alzheimer’s
disease developed some realistic symptoms, similar to those in humans.
a. evaporations
b. mutations (NAWL 3558)
c. memorizations
d. dominations
e. implorations
441
9. The move marked a significant disagreement with the United Nations and other involving
parties, including Britain, France, and Germany, and resulted in a _________________ in
transatlantic relations in a generation.
a. fortune
b. fracture (NAWL 3565)
c. framework
d. formulation
e. fabrication
10. According to many scientists, including the renowned immunologist Dr. James Sereti, if
antibiotics are not used properly, their theoretically healing effects may turn out to be toxic.
When the patient stops using the prescribed antibiotics before the entire dosage is
completed, _________________ bits of bacteria continue to float in their bloodstream, and
continually “tickle the immune system, increasing chronic inflammation,” Sereti said.
a. residential
b. residual (NAWL 3581)
c. radiant
d. respiratory
e. rational
11. The books written as a follow-up item to popular literary works often disappoint the avid
readers of a well-known author. After reading Watchman, a recent sequel to the famous To
Kill a Mockingbird, for instance, many “Mockingbird” fans were shocked by the way
Atticus is _________________ in the second book, which portrays him as a racist figure.
a. composed
b. exterminated
c. retained
d. mitigated
e. depicted (NAWL 3049)
12. The _________________ of human-generated carbon dioxide from the atmosphere by the
world’s seas is among the biggest threats to ocean creatures like shellfish.
a. combustion
b. hibernation
c. premonition
d. abduction
e. absorption (NAWL 3653)
442
13. With the state’s traditional rainy season over, scientists explained that there was a good
chance this was the last _________________ Southern California would receive for some
time.
a. estimation
b. precipitation (NAWL 3753)
c. rupture
d. coincidence
e. ignition
14. Scientists believe that when the universe began some 13.8 billion years ago, it underwent
a process called inflation, which referred to an enormous expansion, marking a/an
_________________ growth in a very short amount of time.
a. morphological
b. lexical
c. exponential (NAWL 3769)
d. congressional
e. temporal
15. New Zealand is more impacted by certain climate _________________, like fluctuations
in the temperature of the Pacific Ocean surface waters.
a. oscillations (NAWL 3783)
b. dissections
c. volitions
d. preservations
e. convictions
16. The numbers of law violations generated in each region of the country are basically
_________________ with the scale of population, outdoor opportunities, and public lands
access. The higher the density of the population, the number of opportunities, and the
amount of the public lands access, the higher the law violations.
a. reminiscent
b. susceptible
c. adaptive
d. sincere
e. congruent (NAWL 3804)
443
17. When taking allergy medication, it is important not to take vital decisions or undertake
responsibilities that bear any kind of risk as drugs of such kind seem to prevent the
production of _________________ thoughts.
a. silencing
b. implicit
c. coherent (NAWL 3494)
d. retrieved
e. constrained
18. If their environment turns inhospitable, single-celled animals _________________ in order

to form larger groups and reproduce by cooperatively releasing hardy spores into the air
from an elevated stalk.
a. articulate
b. appreciate
c. advocate
d. adopt
e. aggregate (NAWL 3222)
19. Comedy and horror are seemingly distinct genres, but they often _________________
because they are both about raising tension, and then delivering a punchline to hit the
audience.
a. overlap (NAWL 3228)
b. flip
c. dictate
d. seclude
e. release
20. The government is putting pressure on immigration courts, asking for the immediate
deportation of many immigrants. Although the judges ask for liberation and would like to
extend the time given to the immigrants in the country, the _________________ laws of
immigration often leave little room for any other decision than directly deporting
immigrants.
a. recited
b. readjusted
c. rigid (NAWL 4951)
d. reconstructed
e. renovated
444
Test 4
1. Facebook is _________________ its settings on both web and mobile, making it easier for
people to find the option to download all of their Facebook data or delete their account.
a. simplifying (NAWL 3357)
b. beautifying
c. exemplifying
d. notifying
e. verifying
2. At a private breakfast, Rick Scott, the Republican governor of Florida, who is running to
unseat the _________________ Democratic Senator Bill Nelson, met with supporters and
the mayors of Judea and Samaria.
a. incumbent (NAWL 3523)
b. inconsiderable
c. incomputable
d. incorrect
e. incurable
3. So far, none of the proposals have been anywhere near developed enough to be considered
a/an _________________ global solution.
a. bizarre
b. primitive
c. circulated
d. viable (NAWL 3370)
e. peripheral
4. Scientists say that there is a correlation between warm temperatures and increased shell
disease, but _________________ of the disease is very low off Maine, the nation’s top
lobster-producing state, where the ocean usually reaches 11°C maximum in late summer.
a. infinity
b. identity
c. inequality
d. invariability
e. incidence (NAWL 3388)
445
5. That the Member of Parliament was deeply knowledgeable, skillful in speech, and highly
_________________ in diplomacy was without any doubt.
a. comparative
b. corrective
c. competent (NAWL 3352)
d. corporeal
e. complicated
6. She will also work closely with the data analytics and the _________________ research
teams in order to collect numerical data and conduct statistical analysis.
a. qualitative
b. quantitative (NAWL 3477)
c. quarrelsome
d. quadruple
e. quarantined
7. The local people of Fiji have innumerable religious beliefs. For instance, a majority of
_________________ Fijians identify as Christian, while those with Indian ancestry often
identify as Hindu or Muslim.
a. inferior
b. innate
c. incited
d. inhibited
e. indigenous (NAWL 3481)
8. Despite continuous losses and failures in the major league, the supporters and fans still felt
_________________ to their team.
a. leakage
b. legality
c. loyalty (NAWL 4123)
d. longitude
e. longevity
9. As you see, I cannot afford to lose time. Please do not disturb me unless there is a/an
_________________ matter that requires immediate action.
a. petty
b. dispensable
c. iconic
d. symbolic
e. urgent (NAWL 3957)
446
10. A potential way to decrease the impact of the non-biodegradable materials on the
environment is the _________________ of plastics with plant-based materials.
a. scrutiny
b. displacement
c. substitution (NAWL 3626)
d. dimension
e. deflection
11. During World War II, countries would _________________ messages so that their
enemies couldn’t understand them if they were intercepted.
a. situate
b. encode (NAWL 3641)
c. denote
d. transcribe
e. connote
12. The biggest classical musical event of the year, watched live by millions of people around
the world, took place at the wedding of Meghan Markle and Prince Harry. “It was a
_________________ chance for us to promote classical music,” said Christopher Warren-
Green, one of the conductors of the event.
a. populous
b. phenomenal (NAWL 3731)
c. pretentious
d. plagiarized
e. proportionate
13. Sterling was formed in 1834 by the _________________ of two towns, Harrisburg and
Chatham, founded here in 1836 and 1837, respectively; it was chartered as a city in 1857.
a. prosperity
b. perpetuation
c. custody
d. consolidation (NGSL 5993)
e. confrontation
447
14. Abagnale is the con artist who pretended to be a doctor and airline pilot, among other
_________________.
a. interferences
b. disguises (NAWL 4971)
c. supervisions
d. restraints
e. directories
15. Since everyone was confused about the latest developments in the country, they were
waiting for a follow-up call from the prime minister, hoping that his explanations would
provide more _________________.
a. diversion
b. impatience
c. allowance
d. clarity (NAWL 4979)
e. space
16. Navalny argued that the authorities’ refusal to allow the protest was illegal and criticized
the _________________ against him as “ridiculous and unlawful.”
a. accusations (NAWL 4917)
b. alterations
c. aspirations
d. allocations
e. admissions
17. Chairman and CEO Jeff Gennette said the company saw strength across its
Bloomingdale’s, Bluemercury, and Macy’s brands. He said results are improving at its
stores, coupled with _________________ online and mobile growth.
a. illuminating
b. inherent
c. disposable
d. cautious
e. robust (NAWL 4994)
448
18. Psychologists have different theories on language _________________, or the process by
which we learn to speak, write, or even use sign language in meaningful ways to
communicate.
a. acquaintance
b. acquisition (NGSL 2009)
c. affirmation
d. affluence
e. ambivalence
19. Signs of wear are starting to show on the protesters, as days of sleep _________________,
the endless sound of mortar fire, and the fear of a police crackdown strain their unraveled
nerves.
a. demolition
b. deprivation (NGSL 6796)
c. determination
d. deterrence
e. deviance
20. Even though atoms were first _________________ and named by ancient Greeks, it was
not until the last century that they achieved the status of actual physical entities.
a. woven
b. founded
c. conceived (NAWL 3226)
d. adjourned
e. scrambled
449
450
451
452

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ODTÜ METU

Summer School Materials

Umman Tümkaya & Başak Ağın

pre-teach: highlight, shortcoming

Adapted from https://www.theguardian.com/stage/2017/oct/16/sean-hughes-tributes-jokes-rhona-cameron-mark-steel

1. What is the aim of the speaker?

2. What is the main point of the talk?

3. What is the topic of the talk?

Adapted from http://www.odditycentral.com/foods/professional-dog-food-taster-is-actually-a-real-job.html

4. What is the topic of the talk?

Adapted from https://www.theguardian.com/environment/gallery/2017/oct/17/wildlife-photographer-of-the-year-2017-the-winners

5. What is the purpose of the talk?

1. Which of the following is true according to the instruction?

pre-teach: conflict, reassure, caution, console

Registrar : Next, please.

11. Which best describes the student’s current activity?

Paul : Right, so let’s … oo, where is Cindy?

Adapted from https://www.examenglish.com/TOEFL/TOEFL_listening_conversation2.htm

16. getting quantitative data ___a___ a. Kate

pre-teach: precision, bulky

Adapted from http://www.english-test.net/toefl/listening/Which_designer_did_not_work_at_the_Bauhaus.html

Adapted from https://business.tutsplus.com/tutorials/5-minute-presentation--cms-29182

1. What is the speaker going to talk about next?

3. What is the topic of the talk?

pre-teach: boost, analogous, adhere to

Adapted from http://www.engineering.com/DesignSoftware/DesignSoftwareArticles/ArticleID/6815/Why-Playing-with-LEGO-is-so-

4. What is the main idea of the talk?

pre-teach: pros and cons

5. What is the topic of the talk?

6. Why will the TV set be removed from the building?

8. When should the trees be pruned?

10. What does the student go to the Intramural Activities Center?

Adapted from METU DBE Summer School Materials

21. Bonsai _______.

Adapted from http://www.english-test.net/toefl/listening/A_lecture_by_a_professor_of_Fine_Arts.html

26. Why does the lecturer mention Leonardo da Vinci?

Reading comprehension is defined as the level of understanding of a text. This understanding

1. What is the topic of the talk?

2. Which of the following is expected to dominate the rest of the talk?

Adapted from https://www.thoughtco.com/japanese-vs-american-animation-141033

3. What is the purpose of the talk?

Many professions require at least a foundational understanding of geometry. Sports, construction,

4. What is the main point of the talk?

5. What is the topic of the talk?

6. Where can you go if you want to report a lost item?

9. When working with a rare book, you can _________________.

Employee: Yes, how can I help you?

14. Charles ____c____

Adapted from http://www.english-test.net/toefl/listening/Which_aspect_of_bee_behavior_does_the_professor_mainly_discuss.html

1. What is the purpose of the talk?

pre-teach: neglect, negligence

pre-teach: persist, detrimental, superstitious

3. What is the main point of the talk?

4. What is the purpose of the talk?

5. What is the topic of the talk?

6. What is the main purpose of this announcement?

1. When will the teams submit their final project?

12. Why does the girl start a conversation?

Jamie : Hey, Brannah, what are you up to?

16. Erin ____b, c, e____ a. Star Wars

Adapted from https://www.examenglish.com/FCE/fce_listening3_test2.htm

pre-teach: overemphasize, oppress

S1: They’re all stupid. [laughter]

16. getting quantitative data _a_ a. Kate

14. Charles c

16. Erin b, c, e a. Star Wars

17. buying high-tech PCs and monitors b

21. Frank b ___ a. Prepare a presentation

1. Ted _d_ a. Many living things are affected negatively by the

22. Sheldon _ b, c, d _ a. Facebook

28. Brian X b_ c) Spent time in parents’ home