Summary cloze practice

①
Dr. Lewis endorsed the warning that, in conjunction with home computers and
video games, the mobile is having a detrimental effect on children’s social skills.
“The mobile now often substitutes for physical play,” he explained. “To develop
proper friendships you have to invest time in people, doing things together.
Speaking on the phone and sending lots of text messages will give children many
more acquaintances but fewer friends. They are replacing quality with quantity.”

Sociologists have also warned that the popularity of e-mailing, text messaging and
playing games on mobile phones is affecting other important activities such as
recreational reading and studying. A third of those aged between 16 and 20 prefer
text messaging to all other means of written communication, according to a survey
last year by Mori for Vodafone. Handset manufacturers claim, however, that they
are not out of market to the under-16s.

Dr. Lewis (a)_______________ with Dr. Ishii that mobile phones can be
(b)________________ to youngsters’ social skills. Although using phones enables
them to gain more (c)_____________, quality is (d)______________ because
youngsters do not invest enough time in building proper friendships. Moreover,
young people may spend (e)______________ time on other important activities.
Indeed, (f)_____________ of the interviewed young people between 16 and 20
preferred text messages.

Answers
a. agrees/ concurs
b. detrimental/ harmful
c. acquaintances/ relationships
d. sacrificed/ lowered/ reduced/ decreased
e. less/ insufficient/ little
f. one-third
Summary cloze practice

②
According to Gilly Wong, the chief executive of the Consumer Council, existing
laws monitoring the sales of goods, such as the Trade Descriptions Ordinance and
the Bankruptcy Ordinance apply to both physical and online stores.

However, in the case of online stores, it is very difficult to find out who is legally
liable and hold them accountable. “They close as swiftly as they’re set up,” says
Wong. “If consumers did not take note of the terms and conditions of the company,
it will be very difficult to find the owner of the business,” says Wong. To better
protect their rights, Wong urges consumers to steer clear of shady stores that do not
list their contact information and keep a record of all the transaction details, as it
will be necessary if the consumer decides to pursue legal action.

Although existing laws are (a)______________ to both physical and online stores,
it is hard to (b)______________ the laws because it is difficult to
(c)_____________ who is the accountable person. Hence, Wong suggests that
consumers (d)________________ shady stores and keep (e)_____________ of all
transaction details, for the convenience of potential (f)________________.

Answers
a. applicable
b. enforce/ implement/ execute
c. identify/ recognize/ know
d. avoid
e. track/ records
f. lawsuits
Summary cloze practice

③
Far up in the mountains of Canada, there was an old abandoned log cabin. Once it
was occupied by a young couple who wanted to distance themselves from the
chaos of the modern world. They were miles away from the nearest town. Arther,
the husband, made the occasional trip into town to buy supplies whereas Jane, the
wife, spent her free time sewing by the fire. Their life was simply idyllic.

One midwinter's day, Jane woke up from bed with a strange ache in her bones.
Putting it down to overwork, Arther shooed her to bed and made sure she rested.
Though Jane was impatient to get to her chores, Arther soothed her, “Relax
darling, you're overdoing things. All these chores will be here when you recover.”

Once upon a time in the mountains of Canada, a young couple

(a)________________ a small woodhouse which was (b)__________________.
Living miles away from the town centre, the couple wanted to get rid of the
(c)_________________ modern world. Arthur and Jane enjoyed their
(d)_________________ lives up on the hill. One day, Jane experienced a
(e)_______________ bone pain. However, she insisted on finishing the household
(f)_______________. Being a caring husband, Arthur tried to
(g)____________________ Jane by asking her to take some (h)____________ on
bed.

Answers
a) occupied b) old/ abandoned c) chaotic
d) idyllic e) strange f) chores
g) soothe h) rest
Summary cloze practice

④
Man's progress to civilization continued in the Mesolithic period, Neolithic period,
Bronze Age and Iron Age. Each period saw a steady increase in the sophistication
of weapons and warfare. It would almost look as if fighting wars is an innate
quality of the human being. Civilization truly started when humans started to look
for peace and peaceful co-existence.

Just fifty years ago, it took much longer for news to reach the far corners of the
world. Today, with the Internet and advanced technology, it is not just news that
can reach us in real time, but we also get to see the events online. The various
avenues of social media give the world's citizens direct access to people and events
all over the world. This is a new phenomenon that has gained ground over the last
decade. This also means that people get to share their concerns, values and
interests. Social media has had a direct impact on the values and beliefs of cultures
around the world. Knowledge of traditions and core values in each country are
freely available to today's generations.

Humans had gone through four periods of time to become more and more
(a)________________. Similarly, our weapons and warfare have been growing
more (b)_______________________ as if the concept of starting wars is
(c)_________________ instilled in humans’ minds. Fortunately, people started to
realize the consequences of wars and our ancestors tried hard to strive for
(d)________________. Because of civilization and stability of the world, the
development of technology has been growing and becoming more
(e)____________________. We can simply go (f)________________ and access
any information or events happening in real time. Speaking of the Internet,
(g)_____________ ______________ plays an important role in spreading values
and cultures around the globe.
Summary cloze practice

Answers
a) civilized
b) sophisticated
c) innately
d) peace
e) advanced
f) online
g) Social media
Summary cloze practice

⑤
Tai Chi is flexible in allowing participants to practise at their own pace. Another
benefit is the enlarging of one's social circle. The lack of urgency in movements is
of special appeal for the elderly. It means that there is lower risk of injuries to life,
limb or creaky joints. Intense focus is combined with slow and elegant movements
which improve agility, strength and balance.

The actual benefit of following a routine of Tai Chi will only be evident after
several months of continuous practice. Participants will feel healthier and better, as
well as naturally becoming more active in their daily lives. One expert in chronic
disease prevention opined that a combination of Tai Chi and walking would be a
good mix. The most promising fact about Tai Chi is that the practitioners enjoy
performing it. This brings the promise of continuity and its long term benefits.

(a)_________________ people to follow their own pace, learning Tai Chi can also
enlarge one’s social circle. Slow movements in Tai Chi (b)_________________ to
the elderly as it is less (c)____________ to get injured. Combining slow and
elegant movements, (d) ____________ ____________ can indeed enhance one’s
agility and strength. The benefits of Tai Chi can be seen after practising it
(e)__________________ for a long period of time. An expert was very much of
the (f)______________ that Tai Chi plus walking can (g)_______________
chronic disease.

Answers
a) Allowing b) appeal c) risky
d) intense focus e) continuously f) opinion g) prevent
Summary cloze practice

⑥
Anthony Abraham, a 34-year-old crane driver, barely managed to get out of the
way of falling steel. Turning around, he could hardly believe the horrible scene that
lay before him. The steel girders were piled on top of the crane in a haphazard
fashion, like gigantic pick-up sticks. All he could see of the machine was its rear
wheels and a section of what had been the cab. Anthony raced to the cab, shouting
his friend George Burns' name. When he reached the site, he could see blood
oozing out of the sides of the cab.

By then, three other iron workers had reached the scene of the carnage. One of
them yelled, 'George, can you hear me?' Over the din of the diesel engine, a
strained voice responded. 'I'm not sure if you can get me out of here, guys,' came
George's voice. George could hardly move. The falling steel had crumpled up his
cab into a crushed tin can. Although he was still in an upright sitting position in the
operator's seat, the space had been reduced to that of a filing cabinet. He couldn't
even brush away glass fragments from his eyes, as his arms were pinned down
along with his chest and legs.

Anthony was a crane driver who could (a)_______________ avoid the falling steel
in front of him. (b)___________________ up like pick-up sticks, the steel girders
were lying on top of each other on the crane (c)_____________________.
Anthony (d)_____________ to the cab where George’s blood was
(e)_________________ __________________ _______________ it. Under the
(f)___________ of the engine, George was sounding (g)________________.
(h)____________________ in the cramped operator’s seat, George couldn’t move
and brush away the glass fragments from his eyes.

Answers
a) barely b) Piled c) haphazardly d) raced/reached
e) oozing out of f) din g) strained h) sitting
Summary cloze practice

⑦
In Malaysia, elephants estimated at below 3,000 in total now, have been facing
extinction for years. The biggest threat to the elephant population here is the
massive clearance of the rainforests. Elephants used to have many thousands of
square kilometres of rainforests where they could roam freely. Now, with roads,
villages, cities and oil palm plantations taking over their homes, the elephants'
natural migration path has been limited or destroyed. Moreover, their keen sense of
smell leads them into trouble sometimes. Unable to resist the delicious roots of
young palm trees, they sneak out into plantations at night to raid the nurseries,
uprooting every tree in sight.

Nowadays in Malaysia, the (a)_____________________ of the number of

elephants was approximately a few thousands. Elephants in Malaysia may become
(b)______________________ soon as people have cleared their natural habitat
(c)_____________________. Years ago, the elephants were free to
(d)___________________ around the tropical rainforests. However, due to the
recent development of human activities, the construction of buildings and
plantations have (e)___________________, or even (f)_________________ their
ways of travelling to different places. Sometimes, the elephants made a
(g)_________________ on the nurseries as they couldn’t resist the temptation to
taste the roots of young palm trees.

Answers
a) estimation b) extinct c) massively
d) roam e) limited f) destroyed
g) raid
Summary cloze practice

⑧
Occasionally, the wild elephants are entrapped in the middle of approaching
development. In such situations, these frightened beasts bulldoze acres of freshly
planted crops. The plantation owners, who are tired of having to foot the bill for
the damage, call the Department of Wildlife and National Parks to remove the
elephants. Being strictly protected under the Protection of Wildlife Act of 1972
under the endangered species listing, culling of elephants is prohibited. The rangers
track them down, capture and translocate the elephants to larger tracts of jungle
areas, like the Kuala Gandah Elephant Conservation Centre where they can roam
in peace.

(a)______________________ in the middle of development, the

(b)___________________elephants often destroy a large area of crops. Tired of
paying for the loss, (c)_________________ __________________ usually call the
government department for the (d)___________________ of elephants. Since
elephants there are regarded as (e)___________________
____________________, killing them is prohibited. In such a case, forest
(f)_________________ sent by the government will transfer the elephants to vast
(g)__________ of rainforests where they can roam freely.

Answers
a) Entrapping
b) wild/frightened
c) plantation owners
d) removal
e) endangered species
f) rangers
g) tracts
Summary cloze practice

⑨
In 1944, the critic Edmund Wilson expressed surprise that the ghost story was still
alive and well in the age of the electric light. But why should he have been
surprised? Ghosts are resilient creatures. They thrive in an atmosphere of
candlelight and decay, in antique manors, graveyards and cloisters and yet, they are
equally at home under the harsh light of the electric bulb. The advent of the motor
car and the invention of the telephone have merely made ghost stories more
ingenious, and exercised the talents of a host of writers.

In 1994, the American critic Edmund Wilson felt (a)________________ that ghost
stories still (b)_______________ in the age of electricity. Nevertheless, ghosts are
(c) ___________________. The usual background of old houses, graveyards and
churches is a dark one, but they thrive just as well in a room lit by
(d)____________________. We have (e)_____________ cars and telephones, but
ghost stories have endured and so have (f)_______ _______ _________ talented
authors.

Answers
a. surprised
b. alive/ existed/ thrived
c. resilient
d. electricity
e. invented
f. a host of
Summary cloze practice

⑩
*Difficult: some answers may not be directly found in passage. Paraphrasing
is needed.

Ghosts themselves have an ancient cultural lineage but ghost stories - those
deliberate fictional constructs that are designed to make their readers feel
pleasurably afraid - are of relatively recent origin. Their main characteristics were
developed in the early 19th century, and from the earliest stages of their evolution
they anchored themselves firmly in the here and now, reflecting the ordinary
landscapes and circumstances of contemporary life. This, indeed, was what
distinguished them from their immediate literacy antecedents which were set in
worlds completely imaginary and, in fact, impossible.

The existence of ghosts has a long (a)________________ but ghost stories,

well-defined (b)______________ of fiction that aim to make (c)_____________
enjoy a fright, have a much shorter history. Their basics were developed about
(d)______________________ ago and since then, these stories have had
(e)__________________ settings, reflecting the world in which they were written.
This was what made them very (f)_________________ from similar stories written
earlier, which were works of imagination.

Answers
a. history
b. kinds/ construct/ types/ forms
c. readers
d. centuries
e. ordinary/ contemporary/ realistic
f. different/ unique