MIXED EXERCISES

I. Choose A, B, C or D that best fits each blank in the sentences

1. The _______ of his argument is that families play a key role in character development.
A. element B. essence C. presence D. component
2. It’s not surprising that the president’s approval rating has hit _______ due to the country’s economic woes.
A. the bricks B. the ceiling C. rock bottom D. pay dirt
3. Growing _______ are something many businesses experience when competition heats up.
A. failures B. barriers C. troubles D. pains
4. Had the politician not made such offensive remarks, he wouldn’t have _______ such widespread criticism.
A. proposed B. provoked C. emerged D. enraged
5. Our children thoroughly enjoyed listening to the _______ written by Aesop.
A. narrator B. fable C. moral D. proverb
6. They concluded their business _______ and shook hands on the deal.
A. confrontation B. manifestation C. transaction D. transgression
7. The job was_______; it couldn't have been easier.
A. a hot potato B. the salt of the earth C. a smart cookie D. a piece of cake
8. The government broker wasn’t sure, but she had _______ that the stock would go up in value.
A. a sign B. an omen C. a hint D. a hunch
9. Nothing _______ me like a good detective novel; I enjoy the mystery and suspense.
A. intrigues B. inducts C. instigates D. incites
10. Simon _______ a car for six months because he wasn’t planning on staying in the country.
A. chartered B. loaned C. purchased D. rented
11. Betty wasn't _______ upset by the accident; she remained calm and in control.
A. understandably B. improperly C. unduly D. inexplicably
12. The attorney was eager to_______ responsibility for the case to his associate.
A. turn down B. turn over C. turn against D. turn around
13. Local improvements are frequently _______ by the government with generous grants.
A. subsidized B. profited C. supplemented D. supplanted
14. The city passed a new _______ banning trashburning.
A. control B. subpoena C. ordinance D. precedent
15. More and more solar panels are being installed as they _______ the sun’s rays into electricity.
A. deflect B. convert C. exchange D. moderate
16. The manufacturer spent _______ amount of money on a recent advertising campaign.
A. a prodigious B. a prosperous C. a productive D. a partial
17. _______ agreement has been reached between the management and workers, but it's not yet definite.
A. An absolute B. A tentative C. A terminal D. A fixed
18. Katherine’s face was red and her voice _______ from shouting at the top of her lungs.
A. terse B. tense C. coarse D. hoarse
19. Some overseas travelers do not _______ the money they spend on first class airfare.
A. groan B. moan C. begrudge D. gripe
20. The patient’s _______ to his former condition meant that he had to have more treatment.
A. regression B. reduction C. recession D. remobilization
21. Jake was scolded by the teacher for _______ his book across the room.
A. snarling B. hurling C. curling D. twirling
22. A _______ in property prices has benefited many first-time buyers.
A. slip B. slump C. clash D. boost
23. The critic’s review was very _______ as he did not give an in-depth analysis of the novel.
A. superlative B. superfluous C. superficial D. superior
24. The evidence clearly _______ several senior executives in the security fraud.
A. implicated B. implied C. inflicted D. inferred
25. The fact that his alibi didn’t check out was _______ evidence.
A. discriminating B. incriminating C. invigorating D. undulating
26. Mia felt _______ resentful when her coworker got promoted over her and stormed out of the office.
A. sublimely B. intensely C. aggregately D. absentmindedly
27. This apartment complex is going _______, and is in dire need of serious repairs.
A. to the dogs B. through the roof C. off the deep end D. through the motions
28. Since all the evidence pointed to his innocence, he was _______ the charges.
A. condemned for B. discarded by C. dismissed with D. cleared of
29. The new drug approved by the FDA is extremely _______ and should be taken in small doses.
A. potent B. mighty C. vigorous D. forceful
30. Housing prices have risen in order to _______ the increased cost of building materials.
A. outset B. onset C. inset D. offset
31. Motherhood doesn’t immediately _______ to mind when you think of Rebecca.
A. strike B. spring C. skip D. surge .
32. The region has _______ supply of water due to high annual rainfalls.
A. an extreme B. a relative C. an abundant D. a maximum
33. Richard's remark was completely true; he really hit the _______ with what he said.
A. bottom line B. brass tacks C. bull's eye D. nuts and bolts

34. The original _______ of Dicken’s novel Oliver Twist is a priceless treasure.
A. manuscript B. handwriting C. transcript D. portfolio
35. Although the media go out of their way to _______ the political contender, their actions have not caused a decline in
his popularity.
A. retaliate B. revenge C. revile D. redeem
36. The business executive greatly increased his net worth thanks to a _______ investment.
A. shrewd B. shrill C. conducive D. gratuitous
37. Some scholars have been_______ in their vocal support for educational reforms in developing countries.
A. outlandish B. outspoken C. outproduced D. outranked
38. The editor-in-chief is going to _______ that famous new actor in the magazine next month.
A. feature B. elevate C. depict D. illustrate
39. The fragrance of fresh cut flowers _______ manor.
A. pervaded B. invaded C. perused D. perjured
40. The Calley brothers were wanted fugitives and were _______ from the police.
A. on the ropes B. on the lookout C. on the sly D. on the run
41. The mere mention of cockroaches causes many people to _______ in horror.
A. rebound B. falter C. recoil D. stagger
42. The witness was summoned to the police station to _______ a suspect from a lineup.
A. pick out B. pick on C. pick over D. pick off
43. The economic climate _______ the president’s downfall.
A. predicted B. predicated C. premeditated D. precipitated
44. The employee soon realized that she would have to put her supervisor’s critical remarks in ______.
A. perspective B. prospect C. perception D. proportion
45. The defendant on trial showed no _______ for his atrocious crime.
A, remorse B. reverse C. recourse D. recluse
46. At packed sporting competitions, security officers may have to _______ violent fan behavior.
A. stand up for B. put up with C. live up to D. come down to
47. The authorities and family members were searching _______ for the missing child.
A. judiciously B. frantically C. knowingly D. meticulously
48. Ed _______ to be an expert on Egyptian art, but I find it highly doubtful.
A. alleged B. imputed C. professed D. insisted
49. The workers decided to rebel against the _______ factory owner.
A. respective B. reflective C. receptive D. repressive
50. No _______ of diplomatic relations between the two countries was anticipated.
A. resumption B. consumption C. assumption D. presumption
II. Choose A, B, C or D that best fits each blank in the passage
ADVENTURE TRAVEL
Wilfred Thesinger, the (0) ___ explorer once said, ‘We live our lives second-hand'. Sadly, his words are true for far too
many of us, as we (1) ___ in front of the television, (2) ___ in reality television, living our adventures through the words
and pictures of others. But it does not have to be that way - there are more opportunities than ever for taking a break from
our increasingly sanitised lives and exploring not only some exotic (3) ___ of the globe, but also our own abilities and
ambitions. The kind of first-hand experience whose loss Thesinger laments is still available for anyone willing to forsake
the beaten (4) ___, and put their mind to (5) ___ into the less explored regions of this (6) ___ planet. The (7) ___ in
travel in recent years has been towards what is known as adventure travel. But adventure doesn’t have to involve
physical exertion; be it haggling over a souvenir in Peru, or getting lost in the labyrinthine passages of a Moroccan souk,
it all (8) ___.
0. A descriptive B. imaginary C. fabled D. legendary
1. A droop B slump C sag D plunge
2. A captivated B gripped C engrossed D riveted
3. A corner B edge C angle D pocket
4. A path B road C track D course
5. A turning out B taking off C making out D dropping off
6. A wide B diverse C mixed D different
7. A trend B direction C custom D inclination
8. A fits B belongs C counts D holds
The end of progress?
The remarkable (0) ___ in investment in scientific research in recent years, now routinely measured in hundreds of
millions of dollars, has (1) ___ a vast number of research papers. But it all seems to add up to surprisingly little in terms
of (2) ___ developments, certainly compared to the early twentieth century, when poorly funded scientists rewrote the
laws of physics and genetics. A writer called John Horgan controversially proposed an explanation for the apparently (3)
___ relationship between the current scale of research funding and scientific progress. He argued that the very success of
science in the past constrains its future (4) ___. Since the last century has (5) ___ a series of scientific discoveries that (6)
___ among the greatest intellectual achievements in history, it is difficult to imagine how such feats can be realistically
(7) ___. However, many prominent scientists (8) ___ his argument by pointing to the historical record. The view
that progress cannot be maintained indefinitely has been expressed many times before, only to be consistently disproved.
0. A torrent B. surge C. gush D. swell
1. A initiated B evoked C generated D incited
2. A signpost B landmark C keynote D cornerstone
3. A inverse B converse C adverse D reverse
4. A probabilities B forecasts C prospects D eventualities
5. A observed B witnessed C acknowledged D testified
6. A score B measure C class D rank
7. A surpassed B overtaken C excelled D outdone
8. A retaliate B contend C retort D counter
Dumbing down
Recent research (1) ___ that some everyday things decrease intelligence, and the results are guaranteed to (2) ___.
Reality TV has been under (3) ___ for a while. An Austrian study has revealed that watching reality shows actually
makes you stupider. It's (4) ___ to say that many people had suspected this was the case. For the (5) ___ of the study,
which involved two groups, one group of participants watched a reality show and then did a knowledge test. Those who
had watched the show (6) ___ worse results than those who had not.
Food, too, can be a culprit. A Californian study showed that we need to be (7) ___ when it comes to sugar. Not only is it
bad for our teeth and waistlines, but continued consumption slows the brain, and hinders memory and learning. Chewing
gum, too, has come in for (8) ___. In Wales, scientists discovered that it (9) ___ short-term memory. Participants had to
look at a group of items and then recall the items and the order in which they saw them. The group that had chewed gum
before the test was not able to (10) ___ the task as well as those who had not.
1. A comments B indicates C remarks D observes
2. A blast B bother C offend D shock
3. A fire B threat C pressure D warning
4. A candid B bold C wise D fair
5. A data B reasons C purposes D observations
6. A achieved B reached C managed D succeeded
7. A afraid B considerate C apprehensive D cautious
8. A notice B criticism C praise D trouble
9. A affects B resists C provokes D solves
10. A realise B cope C accomplish D impress
Action or Rom-com?
Do you prefer guy movies like Mission: Impossible, or (1) ___ flicks like Twilight? What is it about fast cars and
exploding buildings that (2) ___ to men? Why do women enjoy love stories, tear-jerkers and (3) ___ of woe? For
Hollywood (4) ___ bosses it doesn't matter what the reasons are; they're just glad such exploitable differences exist. For
example, they know that a romantic comedy will be more successful if it is (5) ___ in time for Valentine's Day. And
while films like P.S. I Love You and One Day tug at the (6) ___ of every woman, sports films about underdogs such as
Dodgeball and Remember the Titans seem to be more popular with men. Why? Well, there's something about ordinary
people overcoming all the obstacles to triumph that appeals to men.
1. A chic B chick C chicken D hen
2. A attracts B appeals C applies D allures
3. A tells B tails C tales D talks
4. A studio B set C stage D theatre
5. A revealed B reviewed C released D rehearsed
6. A heartstrings B heart rate C heartthrob D heartbeat
Photovoltaic energy
The direct conversion of light into electricity inside an atom is known as photovoltaics. The sun (1) ___ light and, with
the use of photovoltaic cells - also known as solar cells - the energy can be (2) ___. This type of energy is clean as it
produces no (3) ___. For this reason, it is a viable (4) ___ to fossil fuels and nuclear power.
So how exactly does it work? There are materials that can (5) ___ photons of light and release electrons. Capturing the
electrons results in electric current that can be used as electricity. This is known as the photoelectric effect. Albert
Einstein described the (6) ___ of light and the photoelectric effect in 1905 and won a Nobel Prize in physics for his work
You may have seen photovoltaic panels in fields or on rooftops where they collect light to (7) ___ homes. When the sky
is (8) ___, they are exposed to large amounts of light. On a(n) (9) ___ day less light passes through the atmosphere to the
panels. Therefore, this technology is ideal for home use in countries where the sun (10) ___ relentlessly. The electricity
that is produced can be used immediately or stored and (11) ___ at a later time, or, if it (12) ___ the needs of a
household, the extra power can be put into the electricity grid for use by others.
1. A spews B spills C passes D emits
2. A harnessed B settled C triggered D mined
3. A polluters B pollutions C pollutants D polluting
4. A substitute B alternative C option D choice
5. A absorb B give C swallow D pull
6. A type B kind C character D nature
7. A strengthen B boost C power D drive
8. A glossy B clean C clear D shiny
9. A breezy B overcast C oppressive D humid
10. A blows up B beats down C dries up D buckets down
11. A applied B spent C lessened D consumed
12. A exceeds B suits C meets D satisfies
Archimedes
Archimedes of Syracuse was an extraordinary mathematician and inventor. He is perhaps best known for his phrase
‘Eureka’ (meaning, 'I have found it’). According to the story. King Hiero II of Syracuse suspected that the crown he had
ordered from a goldsmith was not of (1) ___ gold. He asked Archimedes to find a way to (2) ___ if the crown was made
solely of the (3) ___ metal or not. The solution came to him when he stepped into his bath and saw the water (4) ___.
He concluded that by measuring the (5) ___ of water that was (6) ___ when an object was put into it, it was possible to
calculate the object’s weight. A practical man, Archimedes' numerous inventions made life easier for the people of the
time. These included pulleys for lifting heavy items and the Archimedes screw which was a mechanical pump for (7) ___
water from a lower to a higher (8) ___. Legend has it that to (9) ___ Syracuse from the Romans, he invented a(n) (10)
___ for catapulting heavy rocks, and a system of mirrors that (11) ___ the sun’s rays on the Roman ships and ignited
them. Archimedes was killed by a Roman soldier who took offence when, (12) ___ in his work, the scientist asked him
not to disturb the circles he was drawing in the sand.
1. A natural B pure C total D clean
2. A determine B devise C manage D figure
3. A wealthy B rare C fancy D precious
4. A overcoming B overreaching C overflowing D overdoing
5. A volume B space C area D size
6. A replaced B displaced C released D removed
7. A expanding B directing C pouring D raising
8. A range B layer C level D surface
9. A protect B help C preserve D care
10. A tool B equipment C device D appliance
11. A gathered B focused C collected D sent
12. A concentrated B intent C devoted D absorbed

For the sports fan, what could be a better job than that of the sports (1) ___? At the highest level, this dream job involves
(2) ___ the world's major sporting (3) ___, such as the football World Cup and the Olympic Games, as well as (4) ___
interviews with the sports world's living (5) ___.
So what does it (6) ___ to be the best? It requires excellent communication skills and a feeling for drama to really create
a (7) ___ broadcast for listeners. The very best announcers can put the viewer into a seat at the (8) ___ and bring the
game to (9) ___. Quick wits and a sense of humour come in handy, too.
Comedian Will Ferrell studied sports broadcasting at university with a view to becoming an announcer. Following an
internship at a local television station, however, he decided to go into acting, but he obviously remained a sports (10) ___
as many of his films over the years have been sports related.
1. A commentator B interpreter C observer D reviewer
2. A covering B considering C reaching D referring
3. A actions B episodes C events D incidents
4. A conducting B leading C steering D taking
5. A figures B heroes C legends D myths
6. A have B need C take D want
7. A captivating B charming C dazzling D pleasing
8. A place B scene C site D venue
9. A life B home C light D mind
10. A admirer B fanatic C maniac D supporter
The best of the best
We are obsessed with success. We seek to rank and list all manner of people and things according to how good they are.
Nowhere is this more true than in sport, especially in international (1) ___ like the Olympic Games. It is the nature of
sport that athletes (2) ___ against each other in order to be recognised as the best. But how should we define sporting
success? What does it (3) ___ to be considered a (4) ___? Certainly, (5) ___ a world record is one way. Another is by
winning the most medals.
After (6) ___ most of his competitors at the 2012 London Olympics, champion swimmer Michael Phelps now leads the
tally of most Olympic medals won. But not all sports are equal. Swimmers, gymnasts and (7) ___ can win many more
medals because more are available in their sports, particularly when compared to volleyball, basketball and handball
where there is only one gold medal available (8) ___ Olympiad.
Perhaps instead of counting medals, we could mark the all-time best Olympic moments; performances that became a (9)
___ of inspiration for generations to come. Such as when, in 1968, American long jumper Bob Beamon (10) ___ a record
which (11) ___ athletes for the next 20 years. We (12) ___ such feats and marvel at super-human effort. Bob Beamon
only ever won one gold medal, but what a performance it was!
1. A cases B events C incidents D situations
2. A compete B attempt C contest D fight
3. A have B want C seem D take
4. A myth B protagonist C conqueror D legend
5. A holding B taking C forming D carrying
6. A outplaying B conquering C winning D beating
7. A bolters B dashers C sprinters D racers
8. A per B for C all D in
9. A point B source C cause D root
10. A placed B put C made D set
11. A invited B provoked C challenged D aspired
12. A clap B applaud C approve D recommend
III. Fill in each blank with a suitable word to complete the passage
Garden Ponds
Splashing out on a garden pond requires meticulous planning. But, once installed, it will attract wildlife, (1)
_________ up new horticultural opportunities and, (2) __________ of all, prove a hit with the kids. In a perfect world, a
pond will have plenty of sunshine, especially if you want it to have as rich and varied a wildlife as possible.
It is viable to position your pond in the shade, but your plant options will be much more limited. As a rule of (3)
_____________, the pond should receive direct sunlight for at least half the day. The biggest problem you’ll (4)
________________ when a pond is (5) ____________ by a tree will come from falling leaves, which will have to be
scooped out in autumn on a daily basis. As for (6) _________, it should be as big as the budget and aesthetics (7)
_____________. If I was six and my dad made a pond, I would like to sail a boat on it. Another good reason for making
it as big as possible is (8) _____________. A decent size will give room for a wide ledge or shelf right (9) __________
the perimeter, so if a child does fall in they will not immediately be out of their (10) __________ and will be able to
scramble out.
Still standing
Jim Collins did not (1) __________ trying to push people over, but someone had to do it! He has been looking
for a way to work out how (2) ___________ people are on their feet, so that he can pick those who are at risk of falling
before they (3) ___________ themselves. Collins is not a doctor, or even a physiotherapist. He is a physicist, and now he
and others have come up with a mathematical model that describes (4) __________ our muscles keep our ever-moving
skeleton upright.
It has proved a tough problem, but it has been (5) ___________ the effort because the practical benefits of this
work could be immense. They include helping missions into space, and (6) _____________ whether people are fit to
operate delicate or dangerous machinery. Most importantly of all, they could help keep frail old people on their (7)
____________, and save the millions of pounds that healthcare systems worldwide spending every year on patching
people (8) ________ after they fall over.
The first thing the researchers noted was that everyone sways. It doesn’t matter whether you are feeble or fit, the
fact is that you have never stood (9) ___________ still in your life.
IV. You are going to read an extract from a magazine article. Seven paragraphs have been removed from the
extract. Choose from the paragraphs A - H the one which fits each gap (1 - 7).
TOWARDS GENDER-SENSITIVE ARCHITECTURE
Some twenty years ago, one of my neighbours first stimulated my investigations into gender-sensitive architecture. She
was trying to cook on a charcoal stove on the plastic tiled floor of her kitchen in our up-market part of Nairobi, the
capital city of Kenya. She proudly described her design solution, consisting of an old tyre and some sackcloth to put
under the stove to protect her nice floor. Watching the white ceiling darken above her stove, I began to realise that
professional ignorance of the circumstances in which people live has a gender aspect as well as a cultural aspect.
1. _____
One result was an overhaul of the architecture curriculum, encouraging students to investigate the rural roots of urban
social life and to be more creative about building design. Another result was the beginning of more systematic research
on building use and adaptation. It was during the investigations of our own neighbourhood that I and my colleagues came
across the gender differences.
2. _____
Women went to great trouble to light their stoves and cook in these modern houses. Most carried the stove across the
living room to the back garden and back to the kitchen when lit, crossing their children's play area. Thus, when most of
the smoke had subsided, they could cook inside.
3. _____
Africa is not the only region where a lack of gender sensitivity in architecture shows up most in the design of kitchens.
Above all, this appears in the lack of sensitivity to the predominant fuel type used for cooking and how the buildings are
designed to accommodate this. There is also the problem of cramped spaces for cooking, in disregard of the convenience,
as well as the health and safety, of the people - women - doing the cooking.
4. _____
However, it remains depressingly commonplace for architects to give precious little attention to the actual needs and
situation of the people who are going to live in their buildings, especially women. Women in unplanned informal
settlements are in a considerably worse situation than the housewife in her African plastic-tiled kitchen or the Asian
apartment block. They have to cope with an almost total lack of services and often harassment of their daily activities as
well.
5. _____
Many poor urban women and men engage in crop growing and livestock keeping. They need small gardens suitable for
this. As mentioned, they need workspace in the home or neighbourhood, and most of all they need privacy for different
functions in the home. The small spaces and overcrowding in low income informal settlements and planned housing
cause severe problems for women and men and for growing children.
6. _____
These arrangements have grown up over time in all societies. They are at the very basis of culture, which is why there is
often resistance to changing them, or even questioning them. And yet it is obvious that they are always in a state of
change as families and societies adapt to different technologies and other circumstances. One of the most major changes
in families, in the things men and women do, happens with the trend towards living in cities.
7. _____
Developing appropriate designs for local conditions is one of the least often mentioned advantages of self-help housing.
People who build for themselves can adapt materials and technologies to suit their own needs, thus participating as
designers of buildings. Women as well as men have to take part in decisions about what is built if the architecture is to be
gender sensitive. The African housewife struggling with her stove probably wishes she were back in her village where
this process happened as a matter of course.

A. Throughout Asia too, researchers have found women cooking with smoky fuels even in cramped spaces in apartment
buildings. In China, a group of university women based mainly in Nanjing and Beijing formed the ‘Design and Research
Group on House Kitchens’. During the 1980s and 1990s they carried out research on kitchens and applied this to
developing better designs. Similar initiatives in Viet Nam and in other parts of Asia have led to some changes in design
and planning of buildings as networks of researchers and women's networks link up their efforts.
B. One of the men we talked to first drew our attention to the issue, pointing out that the kitchen and living area was
arranged in such a way that it tended to be a woman's place, whereas there was no men's place as is the custom in rural
homes. Research in 1985 showed that 83 percent of Nairobi households were using charcoal to cook with. This accounts
for why the women, always responsible for cooking, stressed this as an important aspect of building design.
C. Men and women use space in the home and even the workplace and other public spaces differently. Apart from their
different tasks, there are strongly-held beliefs in some cultures about how men and women use space, and these vary
enormously. Although this is becoming less and less the case in industrialised and post industrial economies, throughout
much of the world there is a clear division of labour in the home as well as the workplace.
D. Even now, this routine, and the same fuels, charcoal and even firewood, are still used for cooking in urban areas.
However, fuel stores are not routinely designed in houses. With the exception of a few 'experimental houses', there are no
chimneys in Nairobi kitchens. It is also worth noting that these shortcomings are mainly experienced by women.
E. Despite the fact that societies in different parts of the world begin from very different cultural assumptions about what
men and women do and have very different buildings adapted to their circumstances, urbanisation often comes with a
whole new set of assumptions and conditions which are imposed from elsewhere. This includes the buildings, whose
form and construction may be based on completely different climates and culture, and are therefore unsuitable for a
given region.
F. Yet these women's problems would by no means be solved if by some miracle they were transported to the house with
the plastic-tiled kitchen or the apartment block. Apart from the fuel problem, they have other matters to contend with.
G. While teaching architecture at the University of Nairobi in the 1970s, I had already realised the sometimes ridiculous
gaps between East African lifestyles and the type of designs I was used to building. My curiosity was roused by the
results of surveys the students carried out on how families in different parts of the city were using buildings. In apartment
blocks, cooking was mostly done on balconies and staircases, while kitchens were often used as extra bedrooms by large
families.
H. In addition to studying the changes people made to their houses, we had to take into account the practical effects of
these people leading a largely nomadic lifestyle. A great deal of consideration had to be given to the utility of buildings
that lent themselves to easy dismantling for reconstruction at another site.

You are going to read about investigations into the origins of the universe. Seven paragraphs have been removed
from the extract. Choose from the paragraphs A - H the one which fits each gap (1-7).
THE ORIGINS OF THE UNIVERSE
A powerful conviction for me is the idea that as we converge on the moment of creation, the constituents and laws of the
universe become ever simpler. A useful analogy here is life itself, or, more simply, a single human being. Each of us is a
vastly complex entity, assembled from many different tissues and capable of countless behaviours and thoughts.
1. _____
Cosmology is showing us that this complexity flowed from a deep simplicity as matter metamorphosed through a series
of phase transitions. Travel back in time through those phase transitions, and we see an ever-greater simplicity and
symmetry, with the fusion of the fundamental forces of nature and the transformation of particles to ever-more
fundamental components.
2. _____
Go back further still. What was there before the big bang? What was there before time began? Facing this question
challenges our faith in the power of science to find explanations of nature. The existence of a singularity - in this case the
given, unique state from which the universe emerged - is anathema to science, because it is beyond explanation.
3. _____
Cosmologists have long struggled to avoid this bad dream by seeking explanations of the universe that avoid the
necessity of a beginning. Einstein, remember, refused to believe the implication of his own equations — that the universe
is expanding and therefore must have had a beginning — and invented the cosmological constant to avoid it. Only when
Einstein saw Hubble's observations of an expanding universe could he bring himself to believe his equations.
4. _____
Stephen Hawking and J B Hartle tried to resolve the challenge differently, by arguing the singularity out of existence.
Flowing from an attempt at a theory of quantum gravity, they agreed that time is finite, but without a beginning. Think of
the surface of a sphere. The surface is finite, but it has no beginning or end - you can trace your finger over it
continuously, perhaps finishing up where you began. Suppose the universe is a sphere of space time. Travel around the
surface, and again you may finish up where you started both in space and time.
5. _____
We simply do not know yet whether there was a beginning of the universe, and so the origin of space-time remains in
terra incognita. No question is more fundamental, whether cast in scientific or theological terms. My conviction is that
science will continue to move ever closer to the moment of creation, facilitated by the ever-greater simplicity we find
there. Some physicists argue that matter is ultimately reducible to pointlike objects with certain intrinsic properties.

6. _____
To an engineer, the difference between nothing and practically nothing might be close enough. To a scientist, such a
difference, however miniscule, would be everything. We might find ourselves experiencing Jarrow's bad dream, facing a
final question: Why? "Why” questions are not amenable to scientific inquiry and will always reside within philosophy
and theology, which may provide solace if not material explication.
7. _____
The list of cosmic coincidences required for our existence in the universe is long, moving Stephen Hawking to remark
that, ‘the odds against a universe like ours emerging out of something like the big bang are enormous." Princeton
physicist Freeman Dyson went further, and said: ‘The more I examine the universe and the details of its architecture, the
more evidence I find that the universe in some sense must have known we were coming." This concatenation of
coincidences required for our presence in this universe has been termed the anthropic principle. In fact, it is merely a
statement of the obvious: Had things been different, we would not exist.

A. This, of course, requires time travel, in violation of Mach's principle. But the world of quantum mechanics, with its
uncertainty principle, is an alien place in which otherworldly things can happen. It is so foreign a place that it may even
be beyond human understanding.
B. But what if the universe we see were the only one possible, the product of a singular initial state shaped by singular
laws of nature? It is clear that the minutest variation in the value of a series of fundamental properties of the universe
would have resulted in no universe at all, or at least a very alien universe. For instance, if the strong nuclear force had
been slightly weaker, the universe would have been composed of hydrogen only. An expansion more rapid by one part in
a million would haw excluded the formation of stars and planets.
C. Trace that person back through his or her life, back beyond birth to the moment of fertilisation of a single ovum by a
single sperm. The individual becomes ever simpler, ultimately encapsulated as information encoded in DNA. The
development that gradually transforms a DNA code into a mature individual is an unfolding, a complexification, as the
information in the DMA is translated and manifested through many stages of life. So, I believe, it is with the universe.
We can see how very complex the universe is now, and we are part of that complexity.
D. Others argue that fundamental particles are extraordinarily tiny strings that vibrate to produce their properties. Either
way, it is possible to envisage creation of the universe from almost nothing - not nothing, but practically nothing. Almost
creation ex nihilo, but not quite. That would be a great intellectual achievement, but it may still leave us with a limit to
how far scientific inquiry can go, finishing with a description of the singularity, but not an explanation of it.
E. For many proponents of the steady state theory, one of its attractions was its provision that the universe had no
beginning and no end, and therefore required no explanation of what existed before time = 0. It was known as the perfect
cosmological principle.
F. There can be no answer to why such a state existed. Is this, then, where scientific explanation breaks down and God
takes over, the artificer of that singularity, that initial simplicity? The astrophysicist Robert Jastrow described such a
prospect as the scientist's nightmare: ‘He has scaled the mountains of ignorance; he is about to conquer the highest peak;
as he pulls himself over the final rock, he is greeted by a band of theologians who have been sitting there for centuries.’
G. Various COBE team members and other cosmologists were on TV, radio talk shows, and in newspapers for several
days. The publicity and tremendous public interest provided a unique opportunity to discuss science with a very large
audience and to promote the power of human endeavour in pursuing the mysteries of nature.
H. Go back further and we reach a point when the universe was nearly an infinitely tiny, infinitely dense concentration of
energy. This increasing simplicity and symmetry of the universe as we near the point of creation gives me hope that we
can understand the universe using the powers of reason and philosophy. The universe would then be comprehensible, as
Einstein had yearned.
V. For questions 1-10, choose the paragraphs (A - D). The paragraphs may be chosen more than once.
In which paragraph are the following mentioned?
1. winning a competition before the Adventurers of the year award
2. a lack of financial support
3. using equipment that belonged to someone else
4. an everyday activity in unusual settings
5. being ready to take a chance
6. earning a great deal of money in a short space of time
7. an adventurer whose upbringing prepared him/her well for his/her chosen sport?
8. a film that became extremely popular on the Internet
9. doing something only a few people had done before
10. making use of abandoned buildings
People’s Choice Adventurers
A. Sano Babu Sunuwar and Lakpa Tsheri Sherpa took the title following their Ultimate Descent expedition. The pair
proved they have a true spirit of adventure by successfully completing the expedition which involved climbing Everest,
paragliding back down and then kayaking all the way to the Indian Ocean. With borrowed gear and a bare-bones budget,
there were no corporate sponsors nor social media campaigns, just the essentials for adventure - vision, creativity and
friendship.
The three-month quest for the Ultimate Descent began in April 2011 and the pair arrived at the summit of Mount Everest
(8850m) on May 21. Wasting no time, they then launched a tandem paraglider from the summit, being only the third
team to do so. For the men, flying above the Khumba Glacier was the highlight of the expedition. Their 4999-metre
descent lasted a remarkable 45 minutes.
The final stage of their expedition was completed on June 27 when the men reached Ganga Saga in the Bay of Bengal by
kayak.
B. Surfer Carissa Moore has not only proved herself to be a top-class surfer, but she's even managed to break the gender
barrier in her sport by competing in men's events. At the age of 18, Moore finished high school like most youngsters her
age. However, that was also the year she was accepted onto the Association of Surfing Professionals (ASP) Women's
World Tour. She showed fellow competitors and surfing fans what she was made of when she picked up first prize in two
events. Moore went on to crush the female competition in world surfing's main events. On the ASP's World Tour, she
came first in three events and snatched the overall women's title. The young surfer has also competed against the world's
best male surfers on male tour events. In two short years of professional competition, Moore has pocketed a staggering
$225.000 and has attracted top-notch sponsors.
The young surfer is now set to compete against the world's best male surfers on the male tour events which will take
place on her home turf in Hawaii.
C. Ground-breaking adventure has always made us examine the fine line between the possible and the impossible. Street
trials rider Danny MacAskill is a shining example of a young adventurer who has forced us to reconsider what is
possible. In 2011, a short film called Industrial Revolutions featuring the young rider, MacAskill, became an instant
sensation on YouTube. In the film, MacAskill performs some mind-blowing stunts as he rides through abandoned
Scottish factories, leaping between train cars and riding across 5-centimetre-wide beams suspended 4.6 metres above
concrete. MacAskill makes us reimagine our daily environments as he and his bike become one. Thanks to sponsorship,
since 2009, he has travelled over 64,374 kilometres in Scotland in search of the ideal location for his next perfect trick.
No one is more surprised by his success than the rider himself. 'I never had the goal of becoming a professional rider,'
says MacAskill, 'I just wanted to ride my bike.'
D. Snowboarder Travis Rice, whose father was a ski patroller, was raised to take risks in snowy mountains. His unique
combination of fearlessness, acrobatics and snow and mountain sense have enabled him to reach the peaks of
snowboarding. Now hailed as the best snowboarder in the world, Rice received worldwide acclaim following the release
of the film The Art of Flight in which he executes astonishing aerial tricks high up in the mountains. In the peaks, a fall
could mean tumbling down a vertical face or being swept into a gaping crevasse. Although a lot of planning went into the
film, many of the tricks were spontaneous. Rice says, 'You have to see opportunity when it knocks on your door.'
For questions 1-12, choose from paragraphs (A - F). The paragraphs may be chosen more than once.
In which paragraph are the following mentioned?
1. a predicted change that soon became a thing of the past
2. a forecast that Edison got completely correct
3. one of Edison's own developments that updated a whole sector
4. a prediction the writer regrets hasn’t come true
5. a change that has brought benefits as well as drawbacks
6. alterations to the workforce
7. knowledge that Edison acquired by looking at the environment closely
8. the role Edison felt technology plays in making us advance as people
9. a substitute for a more traditional material that r could bend easily
10. the world's first successful aviators
11. a material future generations will not be accustomed to
12. speeding up a lengthy process
Thomas Edison Predictions That Came True... or Didn’t
In 1911, inventor Thomas Edison made a series of predictions as to how technology would transform the world. If only
he were alive today to see which ones he got right and which ones he got wrong. Let's take a look at a few of his
prophecies.
A. Edison was positive that in the years to come, machinery would take over manual labour. He even realised that when
'this revolution in industry took place, certain jobs would disappear. The day of the seamstress, wearily running her
seam, is almost ended,' he predicted. There may well be times when seamstresses wish robots could do their jobs for
them, but for the time being sewing machines are still operated by human hands.
In other industries this is not the case, however. The car industry wouldn't be able to produce cars at the rate it does today
if it wasn't for technological developments. The mundane jobs on production lines for cars these days are performed by
robots rather than humans. But it's not all good news as we've now reached the stage where our economies no longer
fully employ people as the use of automated machinery has proved more cost effective.
B. Among Edison's misses was the prediction that books of the future would be made of nickel. According to the
inventor, if paper was replaced by nickel, books would be made of a cheaper, stronger and more flexible material. Never
could he have imagined that, thanks to the digital revolution, books as he knew them would give way to e-books. In
today's world, reading is still a popular activity. However, readers are more likely to curl up with their state-of-the-art
iReader or Kindle than with their favourite hardback.
C. One of Edison's own inventions was the long kiln, which revolutionised the cement industry. If his kiln hadn't been
invented, modern construction would be very different to what it is today. Way back in 1911, he claimed that 'men are
lunatics' to keep building with bricks and steel, rather than concrete and steel bars. To his mind, reinforced concrete
would allow buildings to practically stand forever and would be widely used in constructing all types of buildings from
mansions to skyscrapers. His prediction came true - but was short-lived. Skyscrapers built in the 1920s were largely
steel-reinforced concrete. But since the end of WWII, architects have preferred to construct tall buildings with steel
frames and glass.
D. If Edison's prediction about household furniture had come true, then today we'd all furnish our homes using steel
because it is lighter and cheaper than wood. Edison felt that wooden furniture would be completely replaced with steel
furniture. ‘The babies of the next generation will sit in steel high-chairs and eat from steel tables,' Edison said. 'They will
not know what wooden furniture is.’ Although wood is not as widely used today as it was in the past, glass, MDF and
plastic have become more popular alternatives than steel in furniture making.
E. One of Edison's most interesting forecasts concerned poverty. In 1911, he proclaimed, 'there will be no poverty in the
world a hundred years from now.' He supported this view by saying that 'Poverty was for a world that used only its
hands.' As a firm believer in the power of the brain and technological progress to transform the human condition, he was
certain that poverty would be done away with in the near future. If only this were the case!
F. When it came to flying, Edison was spot on. Although his understanding of artificial flight was limited, he informed
himself by observing nature - in particular, the agility of the bumblebee. Eight years after the Wright brothers' triumphant
first flight in a flying machine, Edison guessed that in the future such machines would carry passengers at more than 160
km an hour. Today, aviation and fast travel has become second nature to us.