Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B. C or D on your answer sheet to indicate the correct word for each of the blanks
NEVER TOO OLD TO LEARN!
Education is a life-long process that not only provides us with basic skills such as literacy and numeracy, but is also essential in (51)________ our future lives. From the moment we enter kindergartens as small children, and as we progress through primary and secondary education, we (52)_______ the foundations for the life ahead of us. We must discipline ourselves to work hard (53)______ we can pass exams and gain the qualifications we will need to secure a good job. We must also acquire valuable life skills so that we can fit in and work with those around us. And of course health education helps us to understand (54)____________we can stay fit and healthy.
For most people, this process ends when they are in their mid-to-late teens. For others, however, it is the beginning of a lifetime of learning. After they finish school, many (55)________ to further education where they will learn more useful skills such as Computer literacy or basic business management. (56)______ will enroll on a programme of higher education at a university where, with hard work, they will have the opportunity to graduate after three or four years with a well-earned degree. After that, they may work for a while before opting to study for a higher degree — an MA. for example, or a PhD. Altematively, they may choose to attend an evening class after work or, if they have a sympathetic employer, (57)__________ day release so that they can study during the week. And if they live a long way from a college or university, they might follow a (58)_________ course using mail and the Internet. (59)________ , it is largely due to the proliferation of computers that many people have started to study again and can proudly class themselves as mature students.
We live in a fascinating and constantly changing world, and we must continually learn and (60)______ new knowledge if we are to adapt and keep up with changing events. Our schooldays are just the beginning of this process, and we should make the best of every opportunity to develop ourselves, whether we are eighteen or eighty. You are, indeed, never too old to learn.
Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C or D on your answer sheet to indicate the correct answer to each of the questions
Hints for Reading Practice
Dictionaries slow you down!
If you have chosen the right, fairly easy, sort of book for your general reading practice, you will not need to use a dictionary for such an exercise. If you really must know the dictionary meaning of all the words you meet (a doubtful necessity) jot them down on a piece of paper to look up later. Actually, the meanings of many words will be clear from the sentences around them - what we call the ‘context’. Here is an example. Do you know the word ‘sou’wester’? It has two meanings in English as the following sentences indicate:
a) In spite of the fact that the fishermen were wearing sou’westers, the storm was so heavy they were wet through.
b) An east or north-east wind brings cold, dry weather to England, but a sou’wester usually brings rain.
You should have guessed very easily that in sentence a) the word sou’wester refers to some kind of waterproof clothing, presumably quite thick and heavy since it is worn by fishermen in storms. In sentence b) it is clearly a kind of wind, coming from a south-westerly direction. Incidentally, you would have had the greatest difficulty in finding this word in most dictionaries since it often appears a long way down among the secondary meanings of south. If you did not know that sou’ meant ‘south’ in the first place you could only have found the word by the merest chance.
Pay attention to paragraph structure
Most paragraphs have a ‘topic sentence’ which expresses the idea. The remaining sentences expand or support that idea. It has been estimated that between 60 and 90% of all expository paragraphs in English have the topic sentence first. Always pay special attention to the first of a paragraph; it is most likely to give you the main idea.
Some-times, though, the first sentence in the paragraph does not have the feel of a 'main idea’ sentence. It does not seem to give us enough new information to justify a paragraph. The next most likely place to look tor the topic sentence is the last sentence of the paragraph.
Take this paragraph for example:
Some students prefer a strict teacher who tells them exactly what to do. Others prefer to be left to work on their own. Still others like a democratic discussion type of class. No one teaching method can be devised to satisfy all students at the same time.’
Remember that the opening and closing paragraphs of a passage or chapter are particularly important. The opening paragraph suggests the general direction and content of the piece, while the closing paragraph often summarizes the very essence of what has been said.
Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, c or D on your answer sheet to indicate the correct answer to each of the question
It is very difficult to succeed in the music business; nine out of ten bands that release a first record fail to produce a second. Surviving in the music industry requires luck and patience, but most of all it requires an intricate knowledge of how a record company functions. The process begins when a representative of a company’s Artists and Repertoire (A&R) department visits bars and night clubs, scouting for young, talented bands. After the representative identifies a promising band, he or she will work to negotiate a contract with that band. The signing of this recording contract is a slow process. A company will spend a long time investigating the band itself as well as current trends in popular music. During this period it is important that a band reciprocate with an investigation of its own, learning as much as possible about the record company and making personal connections within the different departments that will handle its recordings.
Once a band has signed the contract and has finished recording an album, the Publicity and Promotions department takes over. This department decides whether or not to mass produce and market the band’s album. Most bands fail to make personal contacts in this second department, thus losing their voice in the important final process of producing and marketing their album. This loss of voice often contributes to the band’s failure as a recording group.