YILDIZ TECHNICAL UNIVERSITY 2022 – 2023 FALL

SCHOOL OF FOREIGN LANGUAGES MIDTERM /EPE PRACTICE MATERIAL

BASIC ENGLISH DEPARTMENT

GRAMMAR

A. Complete the text below with the words in the parentheses using Present Simple, Present
Continuous, Past Simple, Past Continuous, Present Perfect and will.
Artist Adrian Gray is an unusual kind of artist: He 1) … …………….. (make) shapes by balancing stones.
He first 2) ………………………….. (discover) stone balancing while he 3) ………………………….. (make)
sculptures out of stone on a beach one day. He accidentally 4) ……………………...
(balance) one stone on another in what seemed an impossible way. Adrian 5)
…………………….….. (be) interested in stones since he 6) …………………..….. (play)
with them in kindergarten. He was born in Bristol in the south of England. He
7) ……………………..….. (study) Geology at Bristol University, and after that he 8)
…………………………. (spend) a long time travelling and photographing stones in
places like the Himalayas and around the Pacific. So, how 9) ………………………..
…………………………………….(the stones/stay) without falling down in all his
performances? It 10) …………………….….. (seem) that it’s all to do with physics.
Gravity and friction cause the stones to stay in place. Some of Adrian’s works
11) …………………….…. (take) a few seconds or minutes while others12) ………..…..
(take) days. Of course a gust of wind, a wave or a downfall of rain can cause
the stones to suddenly fall. Looking back at his first pieces of stone work,
Adrian sees that he 13) ………………………..….. (get) better and better at organizing shapes day by day.
He doesn’t think he 14) …………………………….. (stop) creating this kind of art because working with
stones is now a passion for him. That’s why he spends much more time balancing stones than doing
other things.

B. Complete the text with the correct forms of the verbs given using Present Simple active or
passive, Present Continuous, Past Simple, Present Perfect or Will.
The Wilmington Bird Sanctuary
The Adirondack Wildlife Refuge and Rehabilitation Center is a non-profit organization located in
Wilmington, New York. The center (1) …………………….…… (include) several sanctuaries helping injured
animals and The Wilmington Bird Sanctuary is one of them. Each year hundreds of birds (2) ……….……
…………………. (find) with broken wings or legs and the sanctuary
(3) ………………..……… (provide) them with help and care. The
sanctuary (4) ………………..……… (visit) by many people every year.
The visitors (5) ………………… ………………….(show) around the
sanctuary and they (6) …………………….…… (inform) about the
different species. Entrance to sanctuary is free, but visitors give
whatever they can.

The sanctuary (7) ……………………………..…… (not have) much money at the beginning, so they
(8)…………………………..…….……… (try) hard to receive financial help from the people and the
businesses in the neighborhood since then. With the help of students from New York University, the
sanctuary (9) ……………….……… (increase) its capacity day by day. Now, there (10) …………………… (be)
more than two hundred birds under protection. Wendy, a volunteer from The Wilmington Bird
Sanctuary, says that she is hopeful for the future of these animals. “There (11) …………………………..……
(probably/be) more support from the people and we (12) ………………………..……… (save) more birds in
the future,” she explains.

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YILDIZ TECHNICAL UNIVERSITY 2022 – 2023 FALL
SCHOOL OF FOREIGN LANGUAGES MIDTERM /EPE PRACTICE MATERIAL
BASIC ENGLISH DEPARTMENT

C. Read the text below and choose the correct answer for each blank.
WALT DISNEY
Whenever we hear Walt Disney’s name, we (1) ………… think of the huge company which
creates the world’s most popular cartoon characters. This is Disney’s story.
Walt Disney was born in 1901. As he was growing up on a farm in Missouri,
he became interested in (2) ……. . His mother reported that he had loved
drawing sketches of the animals living on the farm. He (3) ………… an art
school at the age of fourteen for a short period of time. When he met Ub
Iwerks in 1919, he had been working at a commercial art studio in Kansas
City. They worked together until Iwerks died. Together they began creating
and selling their own cartoons. The success of these cartoons was what
made Disney decide (4)…………. his own cartoon (5) ………… company in
1923. It was in 1928 that his most famous character -Mickey Mouse
(6)…………. . Once (7)………… character appeared, it became very popular.
1. a) fortunately b) really c) immediately d) previously
2. a) sketching b) to sketch c) to sketching d) sketch
3. a) appeared b) attempted c)attended d) accompanied
4. a) started b) starting c) to start d) start
5. a) production b)produce c) productive d) producer
6. a) create b) was created c) created d) was creating
7. a) a b) the c) …….. d) an

D. Circle the correct answer to complete the text.

LAWS FOR PAWS – WEIRD ANIMAL LAWS IN THE USA
If you’re traveling around the USA with a pet, there are (1) a few / a little / much local laws you
should know. For example, if you go for a hair cut
in Juneau, Alaska, you (2) should / could / will
have to leave your dog outside. It’s illegal to take a
pet into a barber’s. In the Californian town of
Glendale, you can’t take a dog in a lift, and in
Cathedral City, you aren’t allowed to take one into
a school. You can walk your dog in Waterboro,
Maine, but the leash (3) must / had to / could be shorter than 8 feet (about 2.4 meters). There are
going to be (4) few / much / a lot of people walking their dogs and it might be difficult for you to
control the animal if the leash is too long.
If you have a pet skunk, you (5) mustn’t / could / don’t have to take it into Tennessee – it’s forbidden
to enter the state with one of these smelly animals. In Louisiana, there is a law which prohibits
hunting alligators because there are (6) a lot of / few / little of these (7) fascinating / fascinated /
fascinate animals left in the wild.
What about selling animals? Kentucky has more relaxed laws in this area, so you (8) couldn’t
/shouldn’t / don’t have to have permission to sell chicks or ducklings, but you can’t dye them a
different color first. When it comes to animal laws, there is so (9) many / few / much variation
between states that you’ll need to be very careful. Otherwise, you might be (10) embarrassed
/embarrassing / embarrass by getting fine or a prison sentence!

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YILDIZ TECHNICAL UNIVERSITY 2022 – 2023 FALL
SCHOOL OF FOREIGN LANGUAGES MIDTERM /EPE PRACTICE MATERIAL
BASIC ENGLISH DEPARTMENT
E. Choose the correct answer to complete the paragraph.
DAN BROWN
Born in Exeter, USA in 1964, Dan Brown (1)………. up on the campus of Philip
Exeter Academy, where his father was a mathematics teacher. Brown’s
parents, (2) ……… were also singer musicians, served as choir masters.
Following his graduation, he started teaching at Beverly Hills Preparatory
School. In 1996, Brown (3) ….. teaching to become a full-time writer. After he
(4) ………… ‘Digital Fortress’ in 1998, Dan Brown published ‘Deception Point’
and ‘Angels and Demons’. Brown’s first three novels had (5) ……… success,
with fewer than 10,000 copies in each of their first printings. However,
Brown’s fourth novel, ‘The Da Vinci Code’, became a best seller (6) ……… its
first week of release in 2003. Brown’s fifth book ‘The Lost Symbol’ (7) ………
on September 15, 2009 with an initial print run of 6,5 million copies.
Electronic versions (8) …… e-book and audible book versions, were also (9)
……… on the same date. Dan Brown and then Catholic Church have had several problems (10) ……
the issues in his books. Critics said that if he didn’t have any problems with the Church, he wouldn’t
be a very famous writer.

1. a) grows b) was growing c) grew d)grown

2. a) which b) who c) what d) ------
3. a) stopped b) stops c) had stopped d) stop
4. a) has been writing b) was writing c) wrote d) has written
5. a) little b) several c) few d) a great amount of
6. a) as b) when c) while d) during
7. a) has released b) has been released c) was released d) released
8. a) unlike b) such as c) alike d) as
9. a) suitable b) available c) probable d) dependable
10. a) despite b) even if c) because d) due to

F. Choose the correct answers to complete the text below.

Turkey and Pakistan may be two different countries with quite a distance between each other, but
Turks are now taking the country by storm – with their popular TV series! Channels that broadcast
famous soap operas from Turkey have managed 1) ………. millions of viewers every evening. But
while the public enjoy 2) ………. Turkish soaps, some in Pakistan are expressing growing concern at
what they see as a cultural attack to their country. One Pakistani actor says that TV channels tend 3)
………. Turkish series because they are cheaper than home-made productions. Actress Javeria Abbasi
is one of those who cannot accept the success of Turkish TV dramas. She suggests 4) ………. local
productions with Urdu culture in them. She adds: "People like me 5) ………. our cultural identity. I'd
rather 6) ………. cartoons instead of these low-quality foreign products." Not everyone thinks like
Abbasi. Many teenagers still keep 7) ………. on the TV to watch the latest episodes of series where
handsome Turkish actors play, and girls look forward 8) ………. their favorite actress's clothes. One of
the people who support Turkish TV series says: "These dramas are good. They have succeeded 9)
………. the trend. They are different to Pakistani and Indian dramas with new places and faces in
them.”

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YILDIZ TECHNICAL UNIVERSITY 2022 – 2023 FALL
SCHOOL OF FOREIGN LANGUAGES MIDTERM /EPE PRACTICE MATERIAL
BASIC ENGLISH DEPARTMENT

1. a. attracting b. attract c. to attracting d. to attract

2. a. to watch b. watching c. in watching d. watch
3. a. at buying b. buy c. to buy d. buying
4. a. making b. in making c. make d. to make
5. a. are trying to lose b. are not trying to lose
c. are trying not to lose d. are trying to not lose
6. a. to watch b. watch c. watching d. for watching
7 .a. turn b. to turn c. to turning d. turning
8. a. to see b. to seeing c. see d. for seeing
9. a. in changing b. to change c. changing d. at changing

G. Complete the text with the correct active (Present Simple, Present Continuous, Past Simple,
Present Perfect, will, be going to) and passive (Present Simple, Past Simple) forms of the verbs in
brackets.
THE RUBBISH REVOLUTION
The average person in Britain (1)……………………….… (produce) seven times their own weight in
rubbish every year. But perhaps this is not surprising when you look at the amount of packaging on
supermarket food. And most of it is unnecessary. Normally, four plastic pots of yoghurt (2)………………
(sell) in a cardboard packet. The cardboard packet
(3)……………………… (go) straight in the bin. Six
plastic bottles of water (4)……………
……………………(package) together in plastic
packaging and they (5)………………….…… (carry)
home in a plastic bag. That’s a lot of plastic. Only
a few years ago we (6)…………..……… (drink) water
out of the tap, and how much rubbish (7)………………… that …………..……………… (produce)? None at all!
A lot of the rubbish which we produce (8)…………………..……… (recycle), of course, but that (9)……………
(use) valuable resources too. It’s better to buy food with as little packaging as possible. Recently,
some of the biggest supermarket chains in the UK (10)……………………………… (agree) to cut
unnecessary packaging. However, this is not enough for the British government. They have
announced that they (11)………………………………….………
(increase) taxes on food packaging next year. Minister Ben Bradshaw also (12)……………………… (want)
consumers to take direct action, by taking unnecessary packaging off our food at the supermarket
tills and leaving it there. But perhaps consumer action is not enough, and in fact, some governments
(13)……………………………..…… (take) stronger action nowadays. Over a decade ago, Bangladesh
(14)………………………… (become) the first country to ban the plastic bag. But would consumers in
Britain accept such a ban? The answer is yes. In 2009, in the town of Modbury in Devon, the plastic
bag (15)…………………………..… (ban) for six months as an experiment. The ban was so popular that
they (16)……………………………… (decide) to keep it, and now, other towns (17)…………………………..……
(plan) to follow their example. Most towns in Britain (18)……………………………………… (probably/be)
plastic bag-free in the near future.

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YILDIZ TECHNICAL UNIVERSITY 2022 – 2023 FALL
SCHOOL OF FOREIGN LANGUAGES MIDTERM /EPE PRACTICE MATERIAL
BASIC ENGLISH DEPARTMENT
VOCABULARY

H. Choose the correct answers to complete the text below.

A group of sociologists carried out a study in a village called Lijang in China. The people who lived
there were interesting because they 1) …………… new things entering their daily life. For example,
they didn’t use technological products like mobile phones. When the sociologists asked the villagers
about this phenomenon in a survey, they found that using new products were against their 2) …… ,
which they had kept for hundreds of years. This meant that according to their traditions, they simply
continued to use what they already had in their hands. This may seem like a disadvantage in today’s
modern world, but another result of the survey showed that it had benefits. For instance, the
villagers who 3) …………… in the study answered questions about their eating habits. These people
preferred to eat 4) …………… food like organic meat and fresh vegetables, but never tried 5) ……………
products such as cigarettes or coffee, the kinds of things that make you want to use them all the
time.
This was a/an 6) …………… of their way of life again, meaning that it resulted from their old and
never-changing lifestyle. Although the researchers could not 7) …………… the reasons behind the
behavior of these people at the beginning of the study, they are now able to understand them
better.
1. a. interacted b. implied c. rejected d. trained
2. a. journals b. behaviors c. symptoms d. customs
3. a. allowed b. selected c. participated d. created
4. a. nutritious b. potential c. flexible d. widespread
5. a. similar b. addictive c. major d. cultural
6. a. authority b. consequence c. source d. adjustment
7. a. comprehend b. consume c. ignore d. affect

READING

İ. Read the text below and answer the questions that follow.
PERFUME
I. The actual word perfume comes from the Latin per fumus which means literally ‘by smoke’. This is
because, many centuries ago, people noticed that some smoke rising from their fires smelled sweet
and sharply strong. Until then, there was scent, of course, in flowers and even in trees, but it could
not be controlled in any way. A flower that smelled sweetly at dusk – just before the night falls, or
after the rain, for instance, no longer did so after dark. It was only lighting their fires that men first
noticed that some woods gave off sweet smells, and that by burning them they could have scent
whenever they wanted it.
II. Women began to perfume themselves very early on, and the Egyptians used scent very
generously.
Cleopatra went to meet Anthony in a large boat that was literally soaked in it! Perfumes of the time
would, however, seem very strange to us today because they were extremely spicy. The first cheap
scents were made in Roman times and even Nero’s wife, Poppaea, went into business and invented
a scented face cream which became a status symbol among rich women at the time.
III. The great breakthrough in perfumery came when the scientist Avicenna, who lived from 980 to
1036, discovered that the aroma from plants and flowers could be preserved by distillation – and
rose water was born. It came to Europe at the time of the Crusades, when the knights brought

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YILDIZ TECHNICAL UNIVERSITY 2022 – 2023 FALL
SCHOOL OF FOREIGN LANGUAGES MIDTERM /EPE PRACTICE MATERIAL
BASIC ENGLISH DEPARTMENT
perfumes home for their ladies to use. In the Middle Ages and the Reformation, people sprayed
themselves with perfume as a substitute for hygiene, as they used baths less and less. (In 1292 there
were still about thirty baths in Paris where people chose between steam or warm water, but these
slowly went out of fashion.)
IV. It was during the eighteenth century that Paris really began to show its power as a center of
elegance, luxury and fashion. The coldness of the French Revolution was just a short phase, after
which the Directoire, and then the Consulate and the Empire, re-discovered the art of perfumery
and beauty. Napoleon’s love of Eau de Cologne was as well-known as his wife, Josephine’s for heavy
musk-scented perfumes.
V. Nowadays people like exotic, rather heavy scents with oriental undertones for evenings and, for
everyday use, the simpler ‘green’ smells of citrus and single floral scents. The materials the perfumer
uses have changed very little, except that synthetic essences have taken over from the more hard to
get ingredients. But basically, perfume making remains the same.
VI. Grasse in the South of France is the center of the great French perfume industry. In the summer
you can see the fields there covered with blossom. The flowers – jasmine, roses and also lavender –
are at their most highly scented at dawn, very early in the morning, when women and children
gather them into baskets and rush them to the factories. The blossoms are then distilled and
blended into familiar perfumes we buy; the unmistakable scents recognized by everyone around us.

1. Perfume is a word which means ‘by smoke’ because people used it …………… .
a. to identify the scent in flowers
b. to define some smoke which smelled sweet
c. to compare flowers that smelled sweetly at dusk and after the rain
d. to describe what smoke looked like

2. In paragraph I, the word ‘dusk’ refers to the time …………… .

a. just after the rain
b. after burning wood
c. before people became aware of perfume
d. just before the sun goes down

3. People noticed for the first time that woods produces smells …………… .
a. after dark
b. after the rain
c. by burning them
d. by smelling flowers

4. Why do some perfumes in the past seem strange to us today?

a. Because of the amount of spice they had.
b. Because Egyptians used them generously.
c. Because their smell was extremely weak.
d. Because of the different smell of the face creams.

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YILDIZ TECHNICAL UNIVERSITY 2022 – 2023 FALL
SCHOOL OF FOREIGN LANGUAGES MIDTERM /EPE PRACTICE MATERIAL
BASIC ENGLISH DEPARTMENT

5. A scented face cream, which was invented by Poppaea, was …………… .

a. a symbol of cheap scents in Roman times
b. very unusual because it was too spicy
c. used by Cleopatra before she met Anthony
d. a sign of being a rich person

6. In paragraph III, the word ‘breakthrough’ is closest in meaning to …………… .

a. a great failure
b. a rapid fall
c. an important development
d. an interesting experiment

7. Perfumes were used in Europe for the first time when …………… .
a. they were used as cleaning products
b. Avicenna brought bottles of them to Europe
c. knights brought them their home for their wives
d. people didn’t use baths much in 1292

8. Which of the following is NOT TRUE according to paragraph III?

a. Perfumes were used only for smelling nice in history.
b. Distillation process resulted in the invention of rose water.
c. Perfumes were brought to Europe for the first time during the Crusades.
d. Avicenna, the scientist, played a significant role in the process of making perfume.

9. In the 1700s, …………… .

a. Napoleon was more addicted to perfumes than his wife, Josephine
b. the coldness of the French Revolution lasted for a long time
c. the art of perfumery and beauty was discovered for the first time in history
d. the capital of France, Paris, became the centre of elegance, luxury and fashion

10. Today, people generally prefer using …………… for daily use.
a. exotic scents
b. heavy musk-scented perfumes
c. simple smells of plants
d. scents with oriental undertones

11. Which of the following is TRUE according to paragraph VI?

a. Grasse has lost its importance as the center of the perfume industry.
b. Women and children collect various flowers in the summer.
c. Flowers smell the most when it is night time.
d. The smell of jasmine is stronger than rose and lavender.

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YILDIZ TECHNICAL UNIVERSITY 2022 – 2023 FALL
SCHOOL OF FOREIGN LANGUAGES MIDTERM /EPE PRACTICE MATERIAL
BASIC ENGLISH DEPARTMENT
J. Read the text below and answer the questions that follow.
WINDS
I. Like all gases, air constantly moves. Masses of air, warm or cool, wet or dry, move across land and
sea and bring about weather changes. During this process, one air mass replaces another.
II. When air is heated, it expands. Hot air is less dense than cold air. For this reason, it rises and
leaves behind an area of low pressure. Unlike hot air, cold air has a large density. Instead of rising, it
presses heavily on the earth’s surface. Therefore, it produces an area of high pressure. Since gases
always try to move from high to low pressure, winds are caused by the flow of cold air which tries to
replace the rising hot air.
III. Why is there such a difference in the temperature of the air at various places on earth? There are
two major global air patterns on Earth. One is from the poles towards the equator and the other is
from the equator towards the poles. On the earth’s surface, the poles are always cold and the
equator hot. Cold air comes down from the polar regions. Since the distance from the poles to the
equator is so great, the cold air from the poles warms up on the way. Similarly, the hot equatorial air
becomes cooler on its way to the poles and this is what causes the difference in temperature. These
winds do not blow in the north-south direction, but they are diverted to various directions. The
rotation of the earth is the cause of this change in direction. These two major global air patterns
cover thousands of kilometres.
IV. Besides these air patterns, there are smaller cycles which cover hundreds of kilometres. These
smaller air patterns form because of smaller changes in temperature. For example, the air above the
ground is heated by the ground whereas the air above the sea is colder. As a result, the cool air
moves from the sea to the land, forming a “sea breeze”. During the night, the land is cooler than the
sea (since water heats up and cools down more slowly) and the breeze blows from the land to the
sea. This wind is called a “land breeze”.
V. Winds that blow very powerfully can develop into storms, which can turn into hurricanes.
Actually, no one knows why some of the storms become hurricanes and others do not. A hurricane
forms over tropical seas, it moves, and when it reaches the land or a colder part of the sea, it slowly
diminishes, dies out. A hurricane can be 1000 kilometres in diameter. The centre of the hurricane is
called the “eye”. The speed of the wind in a hurricane can range from 150 kph (kilometres per hour)
to 300 kph. All hurricanes originate close to the equator. Hurricanes in the Pacific and Indian Oceans
are known as “typhoons.”
VI. Sometimes storms can also develop into tornadoes. These resemble hurricanes but form over
land. Tornadoes can occur anywhere on Earth but are mostly observed over the central United
States. A tornado, like a hurricane, is a strong wind spinning and turning around a core. Unlike a
hurricane, it contains a partial vacuum.
VII. The wind speed of a tornado is about 300 kph, but sometimes it can reach 800 kph. Scientists do
not know exactly how tornadoes form. It is thought that when warm moist air meets the cold air
from the north, it causes clouds to form and storms to develop. This brings about an uprush of warm
air, which is known as a tornado. When a tornado passes over a house, for example, the low
pressure at the centre causes the air in the house to expand suddenly and, as a result, the building
explodes.

1. What does ‘the other’ in paragraph III refer to?

a. the equator
b. the air temperature
c. global air pattern
d. one of the poles

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YILDIZ TECHNICAL UNIVERSITY 2022 – 2023 FALL
SCHOOL OF FOREIGN LANGUAGES MIDTERM /EPE PRACTICE MATERIAL
BASIC ENGLISH DEPARTMENT

2. According to paragraph III, the enormous amount of space between the poles and the
equator is the cause of …………… .
a. the change in the direction of the winds
b. the rotation of the earth
c. two major global air patterns
d. the difference in temperature

3. According to paragraph III, when the earth moves in a circle around itself, this movement
causes …………… .
a. winds to blow only from the south to the north
b. a change in the direction of two major global air patterns
c. two major global air patterns to move in one direction
d. winds to blow directly from the north to the south

4. What is the topic of paragraph IV?

a. smaller air patterns such as land breeze and sea breeze
b. the movement of heated air above the ground
c. air moving from the land to the sea
d. air patterns formed especially at night

5. Which of the following is TRUE about hurricanes?

a. We know which storms become hurricanes.
b. A hurricane can reach a speed of 1000 kph.
c. Some hurricanes originate far from the equator.
d. Hurricanes are strong winds turning around a centre.

6. When does a hurricane start to die?

a. When it reaches a tropical area.
b. When it reaches a cold area.
c. When it reaches 1000 km in diameter.
d. When it reaches 300 kph.

7. All of the following are true about tornadoes EXCEPT:

a. Their wind speed can reach 800 kph.
b. Like hurricanes, they form over tropical seas.
c. They can form at many places on Earth.
d. When they go over a house, it explodes.

8. What is paragraph VI mainly about?

a. hurricanes
b. types of storms
c. storms in the United States
d. tornadoes

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YILDIZ TECHNICAL UNIVERSITY 2022 – 2023 FALL
SCHOOL OF FOREIGN LANGUAGES MIDTERM /EPE PRACTICE MATERIAL
BASIC ENGLISH DEPARTMENT

9. What is the text mainly about?

a. the movement of the earth and its effect on winds
b. how winds occur and some types of winds
c. the difference between tornadoes and hurricanes
d. how sea breeze and land breeze are formed

K. Read the article below to answer the questions.

Measuring Health and Happiness
The small country of Bhutan in the Himalayan Mountains is over one thousand years old. In the past
it was a poor country and not many people visited it. But nowadays, it is becoming
more and more popular with tourists. Medicine and health is improving and its economy is growing.
King Jigme Singye Wangchuck, the king of Bhutan until 2006, talked about his
country’s ‘Gross National Happiness’. In other words, he thought happiness is the way to measure
the country’s development.
But how do you measure happiness? Perhaps health is the best way because a famous doctor once
said, ‘Happy people generally don’t get sick.’ It’s also easy to measure how many people feel ill or
unhealthy in a country. For example, one survey says Iceland is the ‘healthiest country in the world’
because men and women live a long time there, the air is
very clean and there are more doctors available per
person than anywhere else in the world.
However, there was another survey of the happiest
countries in the world and Iceland was not near the top.
The questions on this survey included: How much do you
earn? How healthy are you? How safe do you feel? After
visiting 155 different countries, the researchers decided
that Denmark feels happier than other countries.
So does happiness equal money and good health? Not
according to the artist Erik Krikortz. He feels that there are other ways of measuring happiness.
Krikortz has a website and visitors click on different happy or sad faces to comment on how well
they sleep, their family and friends, their level of stress, their inspiration and their physical activity.
When you finish, his website adds the results for each area and it gives you a final result for your
happiness.
In his home city of Stockholm, Krikortz also shows the results of his survey as different colored lights
on the side of a large building in the city. For example, red means the people of Stockholm are very
happy, green is OK and purple means many people are sad. ‘A lot of people look at the building
every day and see how “we” are,’ Krikortz says. The colored lights are also useful if you feel like
visiting the
city. For example, if the lights are red, you know the locals are feeling happy!

A. Which of the sentences is the best summary of the main argument?

a. Happiness improves our health.
b. Denmark is the happiest country in the world.
c. There are different ways to measure happiness.

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YILDIZ TECHNICAL UNIVERSITY 2022 – 2023 FALL
SCHOOL OF FOREIGN LANGUAGES MIDTERM /EPE PRACTICE MATERIAL
BASIC ENGLISH DEPARTMENT

B. Choose the correct answer for the questions according to the information in the article.
1. How did the King of Bhutan measure the country’s development?
a. by money b. by health c. by happiness d. by popularity with tourists

2. Which is easier to measure?

a. happiness b. health c. sickness and ill health d. clean air

3. Why was Iceland number one in a survey?

a. for its money b. for its health c. for its happiness d. for its clean air

4. How did researchers measure happiness in 155 countries?

a) with answers to questions
b) by looking at people’s faces
c) by measuring the number of sick people
d) by counting doctors available per person

5. What do visitors to Krikortz’s website click on?

a. questions b. numbers c. faces d. letters

6. How many categories does Krikortz have for measuring happiness?

a. three b. five c. seven d. nine

7. Which one is not one of the categories Krikortz use for measuring happiness?
a. how well people sleep
b. people’s physical activity.
c. people’s level of stress
d. how much money people have

8. What color are the lights on the building when Stockholm is happy?
a. yellow b. green c. purple d. red

L. Answer the questions according to the text below.

GET STRESSED, STAY YOUNG
I. For decades, doctors have warned us about the dangers of stress and have given us advice about
how to cut down our stress levels. We all know that long-term stress and stressful situations where
there is nothing we can do are harmful for our health. Examples of these are looking after someone
who has a chronic illness or being in a traffic jam for hours. Everyone agrees that we should avoid
these whenever possible. However, some medical experts now believe that certain kinds of stress
may actually be good for us.
II. Dr. Marios Kyriazis, an anti-aging expert, says that 'good stress' is beneficial to our health. He
believes it may, in fact, help us stay young and attractive and even live longer. Dr. Kyriazis says that
'good stress' can strengthen our natural defenses which protect us from illnesses common among
older people, such as Alzheimer's, arthritis, and heart problems. He believes that 'good stress' can
increase the production of the proteins that help to repair the body's cells, including brain cells.
III. According to Dr. Kyriazis, running for a bus or working with a time limit are examples of 'good

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YILDIZ TECHNICAL UNIVERSITY 2022 – 2023 FALL
SCHOOL OF FOREIGN LANGUAGES MIDTERM /EPE PRACTICE MATERIAL
BASIC ENGLISH DEPARTMENT

stress': situations which involve short-term, low or medium stress. Good stress usually makes us
react quickly and efficiently, and gives us a feeling of achievement – we did it! However, in both
situations, the stress damages the cells in our body or brain and they start to break down. But then
the cells' own repair mechanism switches on. It produces proteins which repair the broken cells and
remove harmful chemicals that can slowly cause disease. In fact, the body's reaction is greater than
is necessary to repair the damage, so it actually makes the cells stronger than they were before.
IV. “When the body gets older, this self-repair mechanism of the cells starts to slow down,” says Dr.
Kyriazis. “If you want to keep this process working well, you must exercise it, in the same way you
must exercise your muscles to keep them strong. This means we should have a certain amount of
stress in our lives.” Kyriazis recommends other stressful activities as being good stress. These include
redecorating a room in your house over a weekend, packing your suitcase in a hurry to reach the
airport on time, shopping for a dinner party during your lunch break or programming your DVD or
video recorder by following the instruction manual. So next time your boss tells you that she wants
to see that report ready on her desk in 45 minutes, don't panic; just think of it as 'good stress' which
will have benefits for your long-term health!

1. What is the main idea of the text?

a. Scientists have shown that all stress is good for our mental and physical health.
b. The best way to stop old age illnesses is to stay away from stress at a young age.
c. It is surprising for most people, but some forms of stress have health benefits.
d. Situations which produce good stress are always short term.

2. Which of the following is TRUE according to paragraph III?

a. Stress is most useful when it lasts for a longer period than usual.
b. After repairs, cells become better than they were before the damage.
c. Good stress is healthier because it does not break down cells.
d. The body reacts to stress by producing new and better cells.

3. The word “achievement” in paragraph III is closest in meaning to …………

a. effect b. nervousness c. determination d. success

4. Which of the following is NOT TRUE according to paragraph IV?

a. Older people don’t need as much stress as young people to stay healthy.
b. Exercising your muscles is necessary to keep fit.
c. Packing your suitcase quickly is an example of good stress.
d. We need some stress in order to exercise our cells’ self-repair mechanism.

5. Which of the following is NOT an example of good stress in the text?

a. finishing a report at work quickly
b. trying to catch a plane
c. changing the furniture in a room in a short time
d. waiting a long time in traffic

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YILDIZ TECHNICAL UNIVERSITY 2022 – 2023 FALL
SCHOOL OF FOREIGN LANGUAGES MIDTERM /EPE PRACTICE MATERIAL
BASIC ENGLISH DEPARTMENT

PARAGRAPH COMPLETION
M. Choose the correct option to complete the paragraphs.
1. The camel is a mammal closely related to the IIama. _______________. The Bactrian is a strong
animal with two humps and native to Central Africa, while the Arabian camel has a single hump
and comes from the Sahara desert region.
A) Camels have been used as beasts of burden for thousands of years
B) There are two species of camel, with distinct physical features
C) The IIama is native to the Ands Mountains of South America
D) In Africa, thousands of wild camels live in the desert

2. The word alcohol is commonly used to mean ethyl alcohol or pure spirits; __________ . Some
alcohols are liquids, others solids. Alcohols are used in cleaning products, dyes, perfumes and
certain pharmaceutical products.
A. the abuse of alcohol is called alcoholism and is difficult to treat
B. but alcohol can be any of a number of related liquid compounds
C. however, in chemistry it describes a whole group of related substances
D. and it has little use except as a drink or for disinfecting cuts

3. ________________. More than ninety per cent of the inhabitants were primarily engaged in
agriculture. The rest was fur traders, fishermen, craftsmen, merchants and professional people.
The last three groups were also likely to be farmers.
A) The early settlers in America were faced with a hostile environment and, thus, security was the
most important issue
B) The lack of a large market for their agricultural products forced the early settlers in America to
turn to the sea
C) The economic life of the early colonists in America was essentially based on the land
D) The great period of colonial migration to America was in the 18th rather than 17th century

4. As you may have seen in a museum, men and women have grown taller and heavier in the last
300 years. _________. Body weights are also significantly higher today. The average weight of
English males in their thirties was about 60 kg in 1790 – 20% below today’s average.
A) A typical Frenchman in his thirties at that time weighed only 50 kg
B) As an example, an average male adult today is at approximately 1.75 m tall, which is nearly 12 cm
taller than the typical Englishman in the late eighteenth century
C) Robert Fogel from the University of Chicago estimated that the chronic malnutrition caused by
limited food supplies at those times limited productivity at work
D) Economic growth increased food supplies, enabling workers to become more productive and
increase gross domestic product even more

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YILDIZ TECHNICAL UNIVERSITY 2022 – 2023 FALL
SCHOOL OF FOREIGN LANGUAGES MIDTERM /EPE PRACTICE MATERIAL
BASIC ENGLISH DEPARTMENT

5. After earning his degree, John M. Keynes became a civil servant, taking a job with the India
Office in Whitehall, London. ___________. With the beginning of World War I, Keynes returned to
government employment, this time in the Treasury.
A) After World War I, he attended the Versailles Peace Conference
B) His book, The Economic Consequences of the Peace, criticized the Versailles Peace Treaty and its
negotiators
C) His wife, a Russian ballerina, was very active in promoting the arts
D) After a while, he returned to Cambridge, where he taught economics at the university.

6. Isaac Newton and Francis Bacon were considered by their contemporaries to be ornaments of
the English humanities, and many whom we now call scientists were called “natural philosophers”
in their day. ______________. According to the Oxford English Dictionary, the earliest use of the
term was in 1840.
A) Inspired by the example of the University of Berlin, other institutions of learning were beginning
to detach themselves from theology and classics and devote themselves to research
B) Sigmund Freud considered himself a “biologist of the mind”
C) Charles Darwin was a man driven to explain his ideas in rational terms
D) The term “scientist” was only invented in the 19 th century as a kind of counterpart to the term
“artist”

7. New and exciting links are being developed fast between the cities of Europe. In France, high-
speed trains are providing the links. _____________. These bring new energy to regional towns
which have now, for the first time, become accessible in terms of time and money to millions of
other Europeans.
A) The river-bank highways south of the river Seine have been converted into a giant beach
B) The new energy is not confined to Europe’s capitals
C) More importantly, an extraordinary network of low-cost airlines have suddenly come into being
D) These growing links will accelerate the disappearance of national boundaries

8. The arts in Italy have enjoyed a long and glorious history, and Italians are very proud of this.
______________. Still, efforts are being made throughout the country to put as many art
collections on show as possible. The performing arts such as opera and cinema are also
underfunded, yet there are spectacular cultural festivals.
A) In the land of Verdi and Rossini, opera is naturally well supported
B) However, it does cost a lot to look after them
C) 15th-century artists and scholars were inspired by the Renaissance in Europe
D) On the other hand, Rome, Florence and Venice are naturally the main tourist destinations

9. The Suez Canal is 100 miles long and connects the Mediterranean and Red Sea, so shortening
the sea route from Europe to India by 5000 miles. It was constructed by the French engineer
Ferdinand de Lesseps and opened in 1869. _______________ . This caused the so-called Suez
Crisis, during which France and Britain both attacked Egypt.
A) Their action was criticized by the United Nations and they left
B) The canal can handle an average of sixty ships per day
C) The town of Suez is starting point for Muslims to go to Mecca
D) In an internationally unpopular decision, it was nationalized by Egypt in 1956

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YILDIZ TECHNICAL UNIVERSITY 2022 – 2023 FALL
SCHOOL OF FOREIGN LANGUAGES MIDTERM /EPE PRACTICE MATERIAL
BASIC ENGLISH DEPARTMENT

10. Scientists measuring the global climate have found that the world’s climate is changing. The
average world temperature has increased by about half a degree Celsius since the 1850s.
___________ . By the middle of the next century it is likely the world will be 1.5 C warmer than
today.
A) If the ozone layer thins, the extra ultraviolet lights may have an negative effect on plant growth
B) Flooding would also cause widespread environmental damage and loss of life
C) Scientists are predicting that this trend will continue
D) Most nations are willing to accept the inevitable consequences of global warming

11. When we think of a city, we usually remember certain great buildings or monuments in or near
it, rather than the city as a whole. To many people, Athens is known for the Parthenon, and New
York for the Empire State Building and other skyscrapers. Every civilization builds monuments. In
ancient times, the most famous were the Seven Wonders of the World. _____________ .
A) Certain memorable buildings and monuments were built for religious purposes
B) Palaces may remind us of great rulers, past and present
C) Of these, only the Great pyramid in Egypt remains today
D) Anghor Wat was built as a Hindu temple.

12. It seems that in most countries, the categorizing of the handicapped is undergoing a change. In
particular, the idea of mental handicapped is being recognized. The case of autistic children is an
example of this. _____________ .
A) Judging from the data gathered recently, through the world the handicapped are not receiving
the care
they actually need
B) On the contrary, the handicapped can get effective education in regular classrooms
C) In fact, among the reforms proposed by the Ministry is the reform of general education
D) It is now clear that these children can be taught

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YILDIZ TECHNICAL UNIVERSITY 2022 – 2023 FALL
SCHOOL OF FOREIGN LANGUAGES MIDTERM /EPE PRACTICE MATERIAL
BASIC ENGLISH DEPARTMENT

LISTENING
You will hear a recording about “studying abroad”. Answer the questions below while you are listening. You
will listen TWICE.

1. Mike started to meet people online because he ………. .

a. was not a social child at school

b. preferred temporary relationships
c. could not find Harry Potter fans at school
d. had to change his address very often

2. In the program called “study and travel”, students ………. .

a. don’t have to finish high school

b. can receive a scholarship easily
c. have to take a psychology test
d. cannot choose their destination

3. In Mexico, Mike ………. .

a. was in trouble with local people

b. posed with a traditional hat
c. improved his English at school
d. disliked the Mexican food

4. Which of the following is NOT TRUE about Mike’s experience in China?

a. The weather of Fu Yun affected him badly.

b. He had a chance to appear on Chinese TV.
c. He met people from different fields.
d. The culture disappointed him a lot.

5. Mike and Lisa lived in Morocco for ……… months.

a. 6
b. 8
c. 9
d. 10

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YILDIZ TECHNICAL UNIVERSITY 2022 – 2023 FALL
SCHOOL OF FOREIGN LANGUAGES MIDTERM /EPE PRACTICE MATERIAL
BASIC ENGLISH DEPARTMENT

LISTENING - NOTE-TAKING

Listen to a lecture about the history of tea and take detailed notes in the outline below. You will answer the
questions using these notes. You will listen to the recording TWICE.

INTRODUCTION

THE ORIGINS OF TEA

CHINA

Tang dynasty

Ch’a Ching

JAPAN

Matcha

Chanoyu

Chasen

Chawan

EUROPE

TEA INNOVATION

CONCLUSION

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YILDIZ TECHNICAL UNIVERSITY 2022 – 2023 FALL
SCHOOL OF FOREIGN LANGUAGES MIDTERM /EPE PRACTICE MATERIAL
BASIC ENGLISH DEPARTMENT

Look at your notes about the lecture on the history of tea and answer the questions accordingly.
1. Which of the following did Lu Yu NOT mention in his work?
a. The types of tea
b. How tea is grown
c. The preparation of tea
d. How people can use tea

2. Which of the following match is NOT correct?

a. Matcha – the name of the tea powder
b. Chanoyu – traditional tea ceremony
c. Chasen- the name of the stone mill
d. Chawan – handcrafted bowls

3. Which of the following is TRUE about the earliest times of tea in Europe?
a. It arrived in Europe in 1601.
b. It was brought to Europe by the British East India Company.
c. People could easily drink it due to its affordable price.
d. It was Germany that saw tea for the first time.

4. The first tea shop opened in England in ………. .

a. 1567
b. 1657
c. 1652
d. 1625

5. We can understand from the lecture that Robert Fortune ………. .

a. was a half-Chinese merchant
b. had no idea about plants
c. was sent to India by the British Tea Committee
d. helped Britain to expand the tea business

6. According to the lecture, in which of the following cities were there no trading stations?
a. Bombay
b. Madras
c. Bengal
d. Punjabi

7. We learn from the lecture that iced tea ………. .

a. makes up more than half of the whole U.S. tea market sales
b. first appeared in 1914
c. was born when an ice cream seller dropped ice in hot tea
d. was disliked by people at first

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