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PART III: READING COMPREHENSION(500points)

Directions: Read eachpassageas carefullyand rapidly as you can. Then choose

the best answerfor eachquestion.

PassageI

Manila's Ninoy Aquino InternationalAirport is the Philippines' "window to the

world." That's the view of the airport's generalmanager,Eduardo O. Carrascoso.
But when he took over the job four years ago, it was a pretty dirty window. That's
changed. Carrascosoboostedthe airport's reputation---andrevenues. It wasn't easy.
He has to contendwith eight crashes,an attemptedcoup, an at traffic controllers' strike,
the evacuation of earthquakevictims from Baguio and a six-day shutdown after Mt.
Pinatuboblew up. Amid all thesein early l99l he led a 300-manFilipino medicalteam
to the Gulf.
An engineer and computer specialist, Carrascosoran his own design and
constructioncompany. He was recruitedto overseethe airport after it had gone through
threemanagersin two years. The improvementsare obvious: reliable air-conditioning,
working phones, clean toilets, more check-in counters. To cope with Filipinos'
penchantfor greeting, he spent $654,000to extend the arrivals hall. Security was
beefedup. Next year a new French-designed terminal is due. It will handle over l0
million arrivals a yeab-morethan twice the figure now. "We're not the most modern
airport in Asia. But we comparefavorably."
The airport has soared well into the black under Carrascoso. It's the
government'stop moneymakerafter tax, customsand casinoincome. Profits of $2.65
million in 1990 balloonedto a record $12.7 million last year. The jump came from
increasesin dockingand landingfees and rate hikes for concessionslike duty free shops.
The airport also resumedcontrol of profitableareasit had previouslyfarmed out---cargo
handling,maintenanceand parking.

51. Before Carrascosoassumedhis position,Manila's Ninoy Aquino International

Airport

l. was not well-known by travellers

2. had only eight crashes
3. was one of the most modernairportsin Asia
4. was not in a profitable and modernizedcondition

52. To build up Manila InternationalAirport

l. was a toughjob for Carrascoso

2. causedseveralcrashes
3. requiredat least300 maleworkers
4. resultedin an attemptedcoup
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53. The passageis mainly about

L the building of Ninoy Aquino InternationalAirport

2. Carrascoso's managerialtechniques
3. the improvementat Manila InternationalAirport
4. the Philippines---Window to the World

54. "These" (line 7) refersto

l. Manila's Ninoy Aquino lnternationalAirport

2. the improvementof the airporl's reputation
3. unforfunateeventsin the Philippines
4. the evacuationof earthquakevictims

55. Which is correctaccordingto the passage?

I. Carrascosois a successful
managerdueto his academicbackground.
2. Carrascosohasput the airport into a critical condition.
3. Carrascosowas trainedby threemanagers beforehe assumedhis position.
4. Carrascosohas improvedconditionsat the airport.

56. One of the following which hasstill not been completed under Camascoso's
administrationis

l" anewterminal 3. phone improvements

2. dependable
air-conditioning 4. increasein securitv

57. It is clearlvstatedthat

I. airport revenuesare now the fourth biggestincomeof the country

2. Manila lnternationalAirporr is the most modernairport in Asia
3. the Philippinegoverrlmentmakesthe most moneyfrom its airpoft revenues
4. Camascoso spent$645,000to copewith Filipinos' greetingtheir friends

58. According to the passage,the arrporl

1. will accommodate more than l0 million arrivalsat the end of this vear
2. accommodated 5 million arrivalslastyear
3. presentlycan accommodate almost5 million arrivals
4. will accofirmodate
about20 million arrivalsnext year
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59. The phrase"beefedup" (line 14)meansalmostthe sameas

I . innovated 3. recruited
2. increased 4. utilized

60 The phrase "farmed out" (lines 2l) meansalmostthe sameas

I . lost profits 3. let othersdo

2. madeprofits 4. carriedout

Passage2

Cardiologistsdivide us into fwo types, accordingto how our personalityaffects

our heart. Type A individualsare highly competitive,innately hostile, fast eatingand
rapid talking, whilst B types drown in the milk of human kindnessand are sublimely
indifferent to the passageof time. It is an uncomfortablefact that A's die twice as
frequently from heart diseaseas B's, even when the risks of cigarettes,alcohol and
creambuns are takeninto account.
Personalityis to a large extent geneticallyendowed: A-Vpe parentsusually
begetA-Upe offspring. But the environmentmust also have a profound effect, sinceif
competitionis importantto the parents,it is likely to becomea major factor in the lives
of their children.
One placewhere childrensoakup A traits is school,which is, by its very nature,a
highly competitiveinstitution. Too many schoolsadoptthe "win at all costs" ethic and
measuretheir successby sportingachievements.The currentmaniafor making children
competeagainsttheir peersor againstthe clock producesa two-tier system,in which
competitiveA Upes seemin someway betterthan their B type fellows. Addistion to
winning can have dangerousconsequences: remember that Pheidippides,the first
marathonrunner,,droppeddeadsecondsafter croaking:"Rejoice,we conquer."
By far the worst form of competitionin schoolsis the disproportionate emphasis
on examinations. It is a rare schoolthat allows pupils to concentrateon thosethings
they do well. The merits of competition by examinationare dubious enough, but
competitionin the certainknowledgeof failureis positivelyharmful.
Obviously,it is neitherpracticalnor desirablethat all A youngsterschangeinto
B's. The world needsboth Vpes, and schoolshave an important duty to try to fit a
child's personalityto his possiblefuture employment. It is a fallacy, for instance,that
peoplesuccessfulin businessare full of competitivezeal:there are many B types in top
management.
If the preoccupationof schoolswith academicwork was lessened,more time
might be spent teaching children surer values. Perhaps selection for the caring

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professions,especiallymedicine,could be made less by good gradesin chemistryand
more by such considerations as sensitivity,altruism and compassion. It is surely a
mistaketo chooseour doctorsexclusivelyfrom A-Upe stock. B's are imporlantand
shouldbe encourased.