A A A A A A A A A A

ITU/SFL PROFICIENCY EXAM June 2, 2015

SESSION I

SECTION I – LANGUAGE COMPREHENSION (15 x 1 = 15 points)

Which of the following sentences best expresses the meaning in the given sentence?

1. The more money a couple spends on their wedding, the more likely they are to get divorced.
A) More couples are having costly wedding celebrations, and the rate of divorce is also going up.
B) The great stress of financing an expensive wedding leads to tension and is often a factor in a divorce.
C) As the cost of a couple’s wedding increases, their chance of eventually getting divorced also rises.
D) Couples keep paying a great deal of money for their weddings even though divorce rates are getting higher.

2. At Italian weddings, the bride and groom traditionally throw a glass, and the number of pieces it breaks into is said
to be equal to the number of happy years they will have.
A) At a traditional Italian wedding, a glass is thrown by the newlyweds, and they are happy if the glass breaks into
many pieces.
B) According to an Italian wedding custom, the newly married couple will have as many happy years as the number of
pieces that the glass they throw breaks into.
C) It is hoped that the glass thrown by the newlyweds at an Italian wedding breaks into many pieces as each piece is
said to bring about many more years of happy marriage.
D) During an Italian wedding, if the glass thrown to the ground by the newly married couple is broken into pieces, it is
thought that they will be equally happy for years and years.

3. Hammurabi’s Code from Babylon contains some of the oldest recorded marriage laws, some of which protected
women while others restricted them. 
A) Hammurabi’s Code, which is one of the earliest set of laws and was used in ancient Babylon, aimed to defend
women but ended up reducing their rights.
B) The first civilization to regulate marriage was Babylon, and its laws related to marriage, known as Hammurabi’s
Code, kept women safe by controlling their movements.
C) Ancient laws related to marriage like those found in the Hammurabi Code of Babylon did not give women the
freedom they deserved although they provided some protection.
D) Laws that kept women safe as well as ones that limited their freedom were part of Hammurabi’s Code from
Babylon, and these are some of the first written marriage regulations.

4. While marital satisfaction generally improves once children leave home, if marital problems existed before, married
life without kids often reveals those hidden issues.
A) Couples tend to be happier after children leave home, but that is also usually the time when problems in a marriage
that have been covered up come out.
B) Watching children grow up is satisfying to parents, so when kids leave home there is greater stress on the marriage,
which may bring out a couple’s struggles.
C) Although parents try to hide it, children are often a cause of stress on their parents’ marriage, so parents are usually
happier when their kids are no longer at home.
D) A child leaving home is difficult for parents, so issues in the marriage that caused conflict will be felt more strongly
when they leave and may cause further problems.

5. There are significant barriers but also emerging opportunities for women wanting to work in the technology industry.
A) Even though jobs in technology are demanding, women should be encouraged to apply for these openings.
B) Technology firms are offering better conditions for women and solving the issues which kept them from advancing.
C) Despite having to overcome numerous difficulties to gain employment in technology companies, women have
increasing options to choose from.
D) The difficult circumstances related to working in the field of technology have prevented women from taking
advantage of the growing number of opportunities.

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ITU/SFL PROFICIENCY EXAM June 2, 2015
SESSION I

6. Teams that obtain great results are those made up of people with different personalities and backgrounds as they
bring multiple approaches to problem solving.
A) Productive teams look at problems from many perspectives, so they should be comprised of a large number of
people who are experienced in their field.
B) If a team has people with various personalities and differing backgrounds, it will try to solve problems in a range of
ways, which will lead to excellent outcomes.
C) When a team includes people of different races and varying personalities, conflict may affect productivity on account
of the extremely different ways members approach problems.
D) People generally have well-developed personalities due to working at their jobs for years, and this enables them to
work on teams that solve really challenging problems.

7. The organization 5smallsteps aims to get women already working in technology noticed and to prove that not all
technology companies are led by men.
A) The goal of the organization 5smallsteps is to have women in technology receive publicity, thus showing that there
are female leaders in technology.
B) 5smallsteps hopes to get more women jobs in the field of technology so that they can demonstrate that women are
also capable of leading technology companies.
C) Some technology companies that are headed by women have been initiated by the organization 5smallsteps, and
this organization intends to create more companies like this.
D) To overcome the common belief that all technology companies are managed by men, the organization 5smallsteps
is encouraging women to be aware of what they can achieve in the field of technology.

8. The brown rat may have arrived in Europe as early as 1553.

A) The brown rat’s presence in Europe should have begun in 1553.
B) It is possible that the brown rat first appeared in Europe in 1553.
C) The brown rat, still common in Europe today, first came there in 1553.
D) As soon as the brown rat came to Europe in 1553, it must have established itself there.

9. Humans have caused the extinction of many species by accidentally introducing rats to new areas.
A) Humans are the reason why many species go extinct as they mistakenly believe rats don’t harm new environments.
B) Due to unknowingly taking rats to new places, humans have brought about the extinction of lots of species.
C) When unintentionally spreading to areas they hadn’t previously inhabited, rats caused many animals to die out.
D) People are generally unaware that many species have not survived due to rats, which have followed humans all
over the world.

10. While taboo in some cultures due to religious restrictions or fear of disease, rat meat is a key part of the diet in
many others.
A) Religions prohibit eating rat meat, and consuming it leads to fearful diseases; nevertheless, it is consumed in many
parts of the world.
B) Rat meat is believed to lead to disease and is not allowed by some religions, which is why the number of people
who eat it is quite restricted.
C) Some do not eat rat meat on account of their religion and others because of concern about disease, but it plays an
important role in the diet of many cultures.
D) Although rat meat is a common part of the diet in many regions of the world, eating it both increases risk for disease
and is not allowed by many religions.

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ITU/SFL PROFICIENCY EXAM June 2, 2015
SESSION I

11. Rats have a remarkable sense of smell and are easy to train, so they are used for diverse jobs such as detecting
landmines and diagnosing diseases through smell.
A) If they are found to have the ability to smell and to learn, rats may find landmines and understand whether someone
has a sickness after receiving the proper training.
B) Dangerous jobs, including finding landmines and looking for illnesses by smell, are assigned to rats because they
are trainable and possess an excellent sense of smell.
C) Having an excellent ability to detect smells and being easily trained, rats can be taught to find the location of
landmines, identify illnesses by smell and do various other tasks.
D) Many jobs which humans don’t want to do, like finding landmines and using their sense of smell to identify diseases,
can be done by rats, which not only have a well-developed sense of smell but also are easily taught.

12. The idea that men and women differ fundamentally in the way they use language is a widespread but false belief.
A) The common belief that men and women use language very differently is simply not true.
B) It is actually not accurate to say that everyone believes that men and women speak very differently.
C) Few people are willing to accept that there are no differences in the way the two sexes make use of language.
D) Women’s language has become much more like men’s every day, but few people are aware of this major change.

13. 182 nations signed the Convention on Biological Diversity with the purpose of preventing mass extinction of plants
and animals, but the treaty has had almost no impact.
A) Because many plants and animals had gone extinct, 182 countries agreed to the Convention on Biological Diversity,
which has proved to be ineffective.
B) The Convention on Biological Diversity has been a disappointment to the 182 nations who believed that they could
eliminate the extinction of plants and animals.
C) The 182 nations that signed the Convention on Biological Diversity, which intended to put an end to plants and
animals becoming extinct, have hardly been affected by it.
D) The 182 countries that signed the Convention on Biological Diversity hoped the agreement would help avoid mass
extinction of plants and animals, yet it has failed to have a significant effect.

14.Climate change is an issue that has serious consequences for our generation and those that will follow.
A) People living today as well as people not yet born will be deeply impacted by climate change.
B) Unless we learn how to modify climate, not only people today but also those of tomorrow will suffer.
C) While people alive today have experienced some effects of climate change, those of the future will face its full
effects.
D) Climate change has reached such a point that it is no longer worth trying to escape its upcoming devastating
effects.

15. No country can achieve the necessary CO2 emission reductions alone; instead, there must be sustained
discussions among countries.
A) CO2 emissions can be lowered only through ongoing dialogue between countries rather than action by any single
country.
B) Both long-term meetings among countries and steps by individual countries are needed to decrease CO2
emissions.
C) Even with the continuing support of many nations, there are not any countries that have managed a reduction in
their CO2 emissions.
D) Countries attempting to cut CO2 emissions do not have to act by themselves because other countries are also very
interested in this issue.

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ITU/SFL PROFICIENCY EXAM June 2, 2015
SESSION I

SECTION II – READING COMPREHENSION (30 x 1.5 = 45 points)

Read each text and choose the best alternative that answers each question.

Text 1 The Science of “Happily Ever After”

1 Women, make a mental list of the characteristics you desire in your
husband. Are you looking for a man who is handsome, has a high-paying job,
a sharp mind, a sweet personality, and a degree from a top university?
“You’re not going to ever find him,” says relationship expert Ty Tashiro,
“because in love, as with magic genies, you only get three wishes. The more
traits you pick that are above average, the lower the chances that you’ll find a
match. Three above-average traits are the most you can realistically hope for.”
Tashiro, a professor at the University of Maryland, urges single people to be
more statistical in dating. “All this wishing leads to wanting everything and
getting nothing,” Tashiro claims.

2 Tashiro points out that although 90 percent of people marry in their lifetimes, only three in ten find enduring
love. He gets this statistic by adding unhappy marriages to the 50 percent divorce rate that is found in many countries. If
you want a happy, long-term relationship, he advises not looking for physical attractiveness in a future partner because
research shows there is little association between attractiveness and relationship satisfaction. A study at the University
of Tennessee in which 82 newlyweds rated each other’s attractiveness corroborates his conclusions. It found that there
was almost no connection between good looks and happiness in relationships. The only significant association was that
physically attractive men were the least satisfied with their marriages over time. In addition, money does not make a
marriage happier after a couple has earned $50,000 a year. Money makes a difference on the low end of the income
scale, which has high divorce rates in the first 10 years of marriage, but a high income does not make a couple happier
than an average one. “Once this threshold is passed, there is no relationship between more wealth and higher levels of
happiness,” Tashiro writes, “so find someone who can help you create a household where basic needs are met.”

3 On the other hand, there is a personality trait that sustains a loving relationship: agreeableness, which
describes someone who is “polite, flexible, trusting, cooperative, forgiving, soft-hearted and tolerant.” It may not be sexy,
but it’s the most reliable sign that your mate will be a good partner in the long term. This is especially true since nice
people tend to stay nice. Looks and money are often temporary, while personality traits tend to stay constant, according
to studies which have followed people’s personalities throughout their adult lives.

4 Unfortunately, people often miss clear signs of future problems because of the effects of romantic love.
Researchers call this mistake “positive illusory bias,” and define it as exaggerating the positive personality traits of a
partner. A study at the University of Washington had married couples chat for 15 minutes about random topics as
trained researchers who had never met the couple observed them. The researchers were able to predict whether or not
the couple would divorce in 10 years with an amazing 90% accuracy. In another study done at Harvard, even untrained
university students were able to guess the couples’ futures with 81% accuracy based on a 15-minute interaction,
showing how clear these signs were.

5 For most people, statistics and love are like oil and water – they do not mix. But Tashiro hopes to get people to
consider some well-proven statistics when they look for long-term love. “A love story cannot be a fairy tale but it does
not need to be a romantic tragedy,” he says. “If the goal is to find love that is real and enduring, then it cannot be left to
chance. If you choose someone with traits that drive you crazy or make you sad while you’re dating, those traits will do
that for decades. So choose well, because what you see is what you get.”

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ITU/SFL PROFICIENCY EXAM June 2, 2015
SESSION I

16. In paragraph 1, Tashiro suggests choosing three traits in future mates because ---.
A) men with more than three positive traits are not good marriage partners
B) so few men have more than three of the positive traits that women want
C) research shows there are three main traits which affect happiness in marriage
D) women usually focus primarily on money but personality traits are important, too

17. The word corroborates in paragraph 2 is closest in meaning to ----.

A) contradicts
B) includes
C) researches
D) supports

18. The phrase this threshold in paragraph 2 refers to ----.

A) $50,000 a year
B) money
C) high divorce rates
D) the first ten years of marriage

19. According to paragraph 2, it is TRUE that ----.

A) about half of the people in a long-term relationship are happy with it
B) physical attractiveness and at least a middle-level income help improve a relationship
C) men who are good looking are the most likely to be unhappy with a long-term relationship
D) couples who struggle to meet their basic physical needs often manage to achieve happiness

20. In paragraph 3, it is implied that the personality trait of “agreeableness” ----.

A) includes the concept of being physically attractive
B) is likely to increase and decrease over time
C) has been researched in long-term studies
D) combines a person’s looks, financial status and personality

21. The main point of paragraph 4 is that ----.

A) “positive illusory bias” makes it difficult for experts and untrained people to clearly evaluate relationships
B) “positive illusory bias” makes it hard for couples to notice problems which are quite obvious to others
C) the effects of “positive illusory bias” are not nearly as great as either experts or untrained people claim
D) different studies have come to differing conclusions regarding the effects of “positive illusory bias”

22. According to paragraph 5, Tashiro thinks that ----.

A) the key to finding long-term love is being aware of some important facts
B) you need logic and some luck to have a positive long-term relationship
C) some relationships will end up being tragic even if the couple considers the relationship carefully
D) there is always hope that one partner will change and a relationship will improve

23. Which of the following is TRUE according to the article?

A) Women often do not find happiness in marriage because they look for too few positive traits in partners.
B) Fewer and fewer people are getting married these days because of the high rate of divorce.
C) A person’s personality generally does not change significantly once a person becomes an adult.
D) Trained researchers could predict a couple’s future accurately because they knew which questions to ask a couple.

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ITU/SFL PROFICIENCY EXAM June 2, 2015
SESSION I

Text 2 Gender Diversity in Silicon Valley

1 Samsung has recently introduced its Galaxy S6 in Barcelona, and the accusations that it
had stolen from Apple followed soon after. Many say Galaxy S6’s speakers look like the iPhone’s
speakers, its edges look like the iPhone’s edges, and its fingerprint reader works like the
iPhone’s fingerprint reader. However, there is one area where Samsung certainly did not copy
Apple, and for this it should be proud: the release of Samsung’s premier gadget emphasized
influential women onstage. Two of the three largest roles of the night were assumed by women;
13 of the first 20 minutes of the event, which are the most important parts, featured presentations
by women. This is important because technology firms in general, and Silicon Valley in
particular, have gender diversity problems, which range from a male-to-female ratio imbalance to
open hostility toward women.

2 Apple has long been criticized for the gender homogeneity of its product showcases. At developer conferences
since 2007, Apple has featured 57 men and only two women as speakers. Of Apple’s 10 top executives, nine are men,
and the lone exception, Angela Ahrendts, was hired in 2013.  If you’ve watched Apple product unveilings in the past
several years, you might have noticed that Apple has had mostly white male executives taking the stage.  The contrast
with Samsung couldn’t have been starker. If they were placed side by side, you’d notice an immediate difference
between Samsung’s latest product launch and Apple’s latest product launch: The Samsung launch featured Asian
women. Perhaps for the launch of the next iPhone, Apple could copy Samsung for once.

3 It is not only Apple which draws criticism for being gender exclusive and lacking diversity. Gender diversity is a
hot topic among most tech companies in Silicon Valley. Google, Facebook, and LinkedIn have each published diversity
reports in recent weeks that outline gender statistics within their workforce ranks. Google was one of the first big
companies to release a report detailing its diversity. Global gender data indicates that Google employees are 70% male
and 30% female. Google has employee resource groups to assist its employees, including groups for specific race, age,
and sexual orientation of its employees. Facebook released its diversity report in June 2014, showing numbers similar to
Google’s. Facebook employees are 69% male and 31% female globally. LinkedIn reported its diversity numbers on its
blog, stating there were 5,400 employees globally. LinkedIn's global workforce has one of the strongest female
representations on this list, with 39% female employees and 61% male. Nevertheless, jobs listed as "tech" are 83%
male and 17% female at LinkedIn. These figures are important as they help us understand how serious the problem is.
Still, other corporate giants refrain from going public with diversity reports and keep their lack of diversity a secret, which
makes it even harder to overcome gender inequality at work.

4 The gender imbalance within the technology industry is an issue that Silicon Valley companies need to tackle
together. To diversify the workforce, companies should create a more diverse pool of candidates to hire from in the
future by creating various initiatives for university students. Also, reporting must be accurate and open to promote
diversity. It is hard to address these kinds of challenges if you’re not able to discuss them openly with facts. In addition,
women need to be encouraged and given opportunities to develop professionally. Some companies are no longer
making excuses; rather, they are taking achievable steps to be more diverse in terms of gender. With these efforts,
hopefully they will be able to reverse the status quo, or at least tip the scales toward a gender-balanced workplace.

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ITU/SFL PROFICIENCY EXAM June 2, 2015
SESSION I

24. The word assumed in paragraph 1 is closest in meaning to ----.

A) compared
B) carried out
C) considered
D) admired

25. In paragraph 1, the author compares Samsung with Apple for the purpose of ---.
A) explaining why Samsung is not actually inspired by Apple’s designs
B) indicating Samsung’s products appeal to women more than Apple’s
C) showing that positions in technology are usually dominated by men
D) pointing out a different attitude toward women in each company

26. The word starker in paragraph 2 could best be replaced by ----.

A) clearer
B) fairer
C) nastier
D) closer

27. Paragraph 2 states that ---.

A) Apple has decided to deal with the issue of gender diversity due to the criticism it has received
B) Apple might copy Samsung’s design for its latest product
C) Apple has a lack of gender and racial diversity
D) Angela Ahrendts is forcing Apple to take the necessary steps to improve gender balance

28. The information in paragraph 3 implies that ---.

A) companies in Silicon Valley acknowledge that they should hire more women particularly in the tech field
B) LinkedIn has more female employees than Google and Facebook but men hold more jobs than women in
management
C) Facebook and Google are not really different in terms of the wages they offer women at work
D) Google encourages minority groups in the company by supporting diversity at work

29. In paragraph 4, which of the following is NOT mentioned as a solution to gender inequality at work?
A) Encouraging more women to have careers at universities
B) Supporting and investing in women
C) Providing transparent diversity reports
D) Ensuring a diverse applicant pool

30. Which of the following is TRUE according to the article?

A) Samsung has the highest female employment rates in Silicon Valley.
B) Some big companies refuse to share their diversity reports.
C) Female employees are not as productive, so companies have a poor track record of employing women.
D) Silicon Valley companies have made plans to engage with several partners to support or create educational
programs for women.

A)

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ITU/SFL PROFICIENCY EXAM June 2, 2015
SESSION I

Text 3 RATS IN NEW YORK

1 By some estimates, there are more rats than humans in New York, a city of 8.4 million, although it's impossible
to know for sure. One thing is certain though: Most New Yorkers detest rats, and the city this year is budgeting $611,000
for a new program targeting "rat reservoirs," places where rats gather, in hopes of reducing their numbers. Part of the
plan is to hire extra exterminators and to seal up holes in sidewalks, parks, and other public infrastructure because rats
can squeeze through the tiniest openings. They only need a hole or a gap the size of a large coin to enter. The
$611,000 program is described as a pilot program that will focus on a few areas of Manhattan and the Bronx where rats
make their homes. "This is about more than just aesthetics or disgust," said City Councilman Mark D. Levine, describing
the problem as "epidemic" on some streets in his district of Upper Manhattan. "We've had rats going into cars and
damaging electrical cables. We have rats that are entering homes, and they may even be infecting New Yorkers,"
Levine said.

2 The Department of Health and Hygiene is increasing efforts to teach regular New Yorkers how to make their
streets, businesses and gardens “less hospitable” to rats, in other words, to see their neighborhood the way a health
inspector would. They will also offer courses that are geared toward building supervisors, homeowners and others
interested in learning how to manage the rats in their lives.

3 Some health experts say the brown Norway rats that thrive in New York generally do not pose a direct threat to
humans, but that doesn't stop people from freaking out when a fine example of Rattus norvegicus crosses their path. A
video taken last month showed subway riders wailing in distress and mounting seats as a rat rode the A Train traveling
beneath the East River. "Rat on the train!" someone had shouted, but by then, the doors were closing. They didn't open
again for more than 2 minutes, the time it took for the train to reach the next stop, so people stood on seats in fear. A
man in a suit jumped skyward, as if he were skipping rope, as the rat rushed down the corridor under him.

4 A group called Ryders Alley Trencher-fed Society — or R.A.T.S. — regularly patrols

some of the city's rattiest areas, using their dogs to chase down and kill the rats. This lets their
dogs exercise their hunting skills as well as lessens the city's rat issue, say participants, who
post photographs of their experiences on the group's Facebook page.

5 Still, rats have their defenders, including Debbie Ducommun, "The Rat Lady", who
heads the Rat Fan Club. Ducommun believes one reason rats unnerve people is because they
like the same things humans do. "We really hate the idea that rats want to basically eat the things we eat and get into
our homes," said Ducommun, who has 23 pet rats. She claims domesticated rats make great pets. "They learn their
names and do tricks like other animals," she said. "They're very social. If they're raised around people, they form bonds
and they want to come out and be with you. Moreover, they are unique as other wild animals don’t really want to come
into our homes."

6 The Metropolitan Transportation Authority is planning the second phase of a rat-sterilization study in partnership
with the company, SenesTech. SenesTech developed ContraPest, an additive that sterilizes female rats that eat it. That
is, it deprives them of their ability to produce young. The first test of ContraPest ended last August. The next one begins
in July, said spokesman Kevin Ortiz. "We were able to see a reduction," Ortiz said of the first effort, but he said more
statistical work was needed before actual numbers were clear.

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ITU/SFL PROFICIENCY EXAM June 2, 2015
SESSION I

31. According to paragraph 1, it is TRUE that ---.

A) rats have caused rapid spread of infectious diseases in New York
B) the $611,000 program will target rats in every district of New York
C) rats need a space as large as their body to enter a structure
D) rats might pose a health threat to New Yorkers

32. Paragraph 1 does NOT support that the $611,000 program ---.
A) aims to close the small places rats get into
B) will be an experimental trial to see how a larger project might work
C) has largely solved the rat problem in Manhattan and the Bronx
D) will employ people to get rid of rats

33. From paragraph 2, we can understand that by teaching New Yorkers how to make their neighborhood “less
hospitable” to rats, the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene may teach them how to ---.
A) apply for being a health inspector
B) get rid of the fear of rats
C) make their environment less suitable for rats
D) improve the appearance of their streets, business and gardens

34. The word mounting in paragraph 3 is closest in meaning to ---.

A) running from
B) climbing on top of
C) escaping with
D) hiding under

35. According to paragraph 4, R.A.T.S ---.

A) consists of health experts and some of the Department of Health and Hygiene staff
B) aims to both improve their dogs’ skills and help reduce the rat population
C) seldom hangs around areas that host the largest number of rats in the city
D) shares their experiences of dogs that were infected by rats on their Facebook page

36. In paragraph 5, Ducommun states that what makes rats different from other wild animals is that they ---.
A) are one of the few animal species that can be domesticated
B) want to interact with humans despite being wild animals
C) eat the food humans eat unlike many other animals
D) can be trained and be taught to do tricks

37. According to the text, the $611,000 program and ContraPest study differ in that ---.
A) the $611,000 program is funded by SenesTech
B) ContraPest only kills female rats
C) the former kills while the latter stops their breeding
D) ContraPest study is more expensive

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ITU/SFL PROFICIENCY EXAM June 2, 2015
SESSION I

Text 4 Solving Climate Change

1 If ever there has been a problem that’s hard to solve, it’s climate
change. It’s a complex issue requiring more expertise than any one person
can possess, including in-depth knowledge of the physics of the upper
atmosphere, an understanding of the economics of technological
innovation, and an awareness of the psychology of human behavior
change. What’s more, top-down approaches that have been tried for
decades—like laws passed by national legislatures and international bodies
—haven’t produced the kind of change scientists say is needed to avert
potential consequences of climate change. But there’s a reason for
optimism. We now have a new and potentially more effective way of solving complex global challenges: crowdsourcing,
which is requesting assistance from internet users all over the world.

2 Millions of people around the world can now work together online to achieve a common goal with a degree of
collaboration that was never before possible. From Wikipedia to open source software to online citizen science projects,
crowdsourcing has produced remarkable results in the fields of education, technology, and science. Take the online
game FoldIt, for example. In just ten days, players from around the world helped produce an accurate model of a key
protein found in an HIV-like virus, solving a problem via an online game that had puzzled scientists for 15 years. This is
just the beginning of what’s possible.

3 In our work at the MIT Center for Collective Intelligence, we’re exploring the potential of crowdsourcing to help
solve climate change. To do that, we’ve created the Climate CoLab, an online platform where people from around the
world develop and evaluate proposals for what to do about global climate change. There are no impediments to
contribute. In the same way that FoldIt opened up the chemist’s laboratory, the Climate CoLab takes down barriers to
participating in the conferences and meetings where climate strategies are developed today. To move beyond relying
solely on experts, scientists, and politicians to develop solutions, we’ve broken down the issue into sub-problems and
invited a global community to tackle each of these tasks and then put the puzzle back together again into a global
strategy. It doesn’t matter who a person is or where they come from; they can contribute ideas and have them reviewed
by an international community of thousands of people, including experts from organizations like NASA, the World Bank,
and leading universities.

4 Over the past three years, the Climate CoLab community has grown dramatically, and it currently has over
10,000 members from more than 100 countries. Members include not only dozens of the world’s leading experts on
climate change but also students and concerned citizens. Together, the community has submitted and evaluated over
400 proposals on a wide variety of topics ranging from eating vegetarian diets to adapting to sea level rise to shifting
public attitudes about climate change.

5 Activity on our website is organized through a series of competitions. As proposals are developed, members of
the community can support them or suggest improvements. After proposal writers have the chance to make use of this
criticism, a panel of expert judges evaluates the entries which receive the most support, selects the most promising
ones to be finalists, and provides feedback on how to further improve them. The finalists then have a chance to modify
their entries before the community votes for the ones they find the most hopeful. Finally, the most-liked proposals
receive Popular Choice Awards. All Popular Choice winners receive a cash award and an opportunity to present their
ideas to top experts. Thus, for the first time in history, there is a highly-accessible, democratic platform that allows
people across the globe to develop solutions to climate change. By bringing together experts and crowds, the Climate
CoLab opens up the possibility that effective solutions to climate change can come not just from international
conferences or labs, but collectively from large numbers of people all around the world.

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ITU/SFL PROFICIENCY EXAM June 2, 2015
SESSION I

38. The main idea of the passage is that ----.

A) the Climate CoLab has helped many people realize that climate change is not as big a threat as it was in the past
B) solving climate change is possible through projects like the Climate CoLab that bring many types of people together
C) the Foldit project achieved success in just fifteen days, but the Climate CoLab hasn’t achieved as much success yet
D) online crowdsourcing may help solve climate change but more money is needed to get more people to participate

39. The word avert in paragraph 1 is closest in meaning to ----.

A) prevent
B) be aware of
C) harm
D) move toward

40. In paragraph I, the writer argues that ----.

A) we do not have enough knowledge of what happens in the upper atmosphere to understand climate change
B) it is necessary not to mix economics into the fight against climate change
C) stronger efforts are needed so that better laws can be passed nationally and internationally
D) measures agreed on by international organizations have had little effect on climate change

41. In paragraph 2, the writer mentions the online game FoldIt in order to show that ----.
A) solving complex problems may sound boring but actually it is often enjoyable work
B) numerous people coming together on the Internet to solve a problem can find solutions amazingly quickly
C) although the Internet can provide quick solutions, it takes experts time to determine if they are actually correct
D) although crowdsourcing helped solve a problem related to HIV, solving climate change will be more difficult

42. The word impediments in paragraph 3 is closest in meaning to ----.

A) obstacles
B) decisions
C) modifications
D) improvements

43. According to paragraphs 3 and 4, the Climate CoLab ----.

A) occasionally sponsors traditional meetings in places like conference halls
B) accepts proposals from people all around the world but creates solutions using experts, scientists, and politicians
C) has grown significantly from the 10,000 members it had three years ago
D) is made up of members that have greatly varying levels of expertise on climate change

44. According to paragraph 5, which statement is TRUE about the proposals which were entered into competitions
organized by the Climate CoLab?
A) Proposals can be revised after receiving feedback from both community members and judges.
B) The judges give feedback for all the proposals that people make.
C) All finalists receive a cash award for the proposal that they have developed.
D) Judges make the final decision about which proposals receive awards.

45. Which of the following is stated in paragraph 5 as one of the factors making the Climate CoLab unique?
A) The high amount of the financial prizes that are given to people who make the best proposals
B) The large number of people who are able to participate in making proposals
C) The large number of worldwide locations where the Climate CoLab holds conferences
D) The high level of expertise of the scientists who participate in the Climate CoLab

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