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.
The mineral particles found in soil range in size from microscopic clay particles to large boulders. The most abundant particles - sand, silt, and clay - are the focus of examination in studies of soil texture. Texture is the term used to describe the line composite sizes of particles in a soil sample, typically several representative handfuls. To measure soil texture, the sand, silt, and clay particles are sorted out by size and weight. The weights of each size are then expressed as a percentage of the sample weight.
In the field, soil texture can be estimated by extracting a handful of sod and squeezing the damp soil into three basic shapes; cast, a lump formed by squeezing a sample in a clenched fist; thread, a pencil shape formed by rolling soil between the palms; and ribbon, a flatfish shape formed by squeezing a small sample between the thumb and index finger. The behavioral characteristics of the soil when molded into each of these shapes, if they can be formed at all, provides the basis for a general textural classification. The behavior of the soil in the hand test is determined by the amount of clay in the sample. Clay particles are highly cohesive, and when dampened, behave as a plastic. Therefore the higher the clay content in a sample, the more refined and durable the shapes into which it can be molded.
Another method of determining soil texture involves the use of devices called sediment sieves, screens built with a specified mesh size. When the soil is filtered through a group of sieves, each with a different mesh size, the particles become grouped in corresponding size categories. Each category can be weighed to make a textural determination. Although sieves work well for silt, sand, and larger particles, they are not appropriate for clay particles. Clay is far too small to sieve accurately; therefore, in soils with a high proportion of clay, the fine particles are measured on the basis of their settling velocity when suspended in water. Since clays settle so slowly, they are easily segregated from sand and silt. The water can be drawn off and evaporated, leaving a residue of clay, which can be weighed.
The word “they” in the passage refers to _____.
A.categories
B.sieves
C.clay particles
D.larger particles

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.
Telecommunicating is a form of computer communication between employees’ homes and offices. For employees whose jobs involve sitting at a terminal or word processor entering data or typing reports, the location of the computer is of no consequence. If the machine can communicate over telephone lines, when the work is completed, employees can dial the office computer from a distant site and transmit the material to their employers. A recent survey in USA Today estimates that there are approximately 8.7 million telecommuters. But although the numbers are rising annually, the trend does not appear to be as significant as predicted when Business Week published "The Portable Executive" as its cover story a few years ago.
Why hasn't telecommuting become more popular?
Clearly, change simply takes time. But in addition, there has been active resistance on the part of many managers. These executives claim that supervising the telecommuters in a large work force scattered across the country would be too difficult, or, at least, systems for managing them are not yet developed, thereby complicating the manager's responsibilities.
It is also true that employees who are given the option of telecommuting are often reluctant to accept the opportunity. Most people feel that they need regular interaction with a group, and many are concerned that they will not have the same consideration for advancement if they are not more visible in the office setting. Some people feel that even when a space in their homes is set aside as a work area, they never really get away from the office.
It can be inferred from the passage that the author is         .
A.a telecommuter
B.the manager
C.a statistician
D.a reporter

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.
We can communicate not only through words (31)                 through body language. Body language includes our posture, facial expressions, and gestures. Because body language is so important, you’ll want (32)             what yours is saying and how to interpret other people’s, too. Here are some examples of body language and its meaning. If your posture is slumped and your head is down, this could mean that you are sad or you lack (33)        . If your posture is straight but relaxed, you are expressing confidence and friendliness. A smile is a sign of friendliness and interest. But people sometimes smile just to be polite.
Friendliness and interest are expressed when a person’s eyes meet yours and then look away and meet yours again. A person (34)           doesn’t look away is expressing a challenge. Hand gestures can mean a person is (35)            in the conversation.
(35)
A.interest
B.interested
C.interestingly
D.interesting

Mark the letter A, B, C or D on your answer sheet to indicate the sentence that best combines each pair of sentences in the following questions.
He had just finished eating his breakfast. Then he fell down.
A.Hardly did he finished eating his breakfast when he fell down.
B.Hardly he had finished eating his breakfast when he fell down.
C.Hardly had he finished eating his breakfast when he fell down.
D.Hardly have he finished eating his breakfast when he fell down.

Mark the letter A, B, C or D n your answer sheet to indicate the most suitable response to complete each of the following exchanges.
- John: “You have a good voice! You sang so beautifully!”
- Linda: “                  ”
A.Don’t joke me.
B.Your compliment isn’t correct.
C.Your compliment is encouraging.
D.Better than you are thinking.

Mark the letter A, B, C, D on your answer sheet to indicate the correct answer to each of the following question.
She was tired and couldn’t keep          the group.
A.on to
B.up against
C.up with
D.out of

A.think
B.that
C.three
D.thank

Mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to indicate the sentence that is closest in meaning to each of the following questions.
There is no doubt that Martin is the best candidate for the job.
A.Martin is by all means the best candidate for the job.
B.Without question, Martin is the best candidate for the job.
C.In all likelihood, Martin is the best candidate for the job.
D.Quite by chance, Martin is the best candidate for the job.

Mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to indicate the sentence that is closest in meaning to each of the following questions.
Sam doesn’t find it difficult to get up early in the morning.
A.Sam is in two minds about getting up early in the morning.
B.Sam is not hesitant to get up early in the morning.
C.Sam is accustomed to getting up early in the morning.
D.Sam is pleased with getting up early in the morning.

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 following questions.
SHAYNE’S DREAMS COME TRUE - BUT WILL THEY BE SHATTERED?
It is a week before The X Factor live tour when I meet the winner of the series, Shayne Ward. “It has been mental,” he says, referring to the past six months of his life. “I've just been talking to Louis Walsh on the phone. Louis Walsh!” Walsh, a top record producer and The X Factor judge, now manages Shayne’s career. “I was talking to Simon Cowell (a celebrity record producer) yesterday!” He shakes his head in amazement. And these people are telling me they're excited about working with me. “I can't get my head round it.”
Shayne is about as natural as any pop star arriving in the public arena can be. “I just can’t accept where I am now” he says sincerely. “It doesn't feel real. To me, this is just a job.” “What do you think being famous feels like?” I ask him. “I'm not sure, to be honest. Different from this?” he laughs, with only a hint of nerves. Since winning The X Factor, Shayne's success has been phenomenal. His debut single took just three days to reach the number one spot. On tour, he's going to play to audiences of 10,000 on average. He has already brought the house down at a gig in his home city. “I walked out after that performance and just thought, “I’m dreaming!””
Shayne is one of a family of seven children. Times were hard, but he has never wished or a different childhood. Although he thought about going to college, he ended up leaving school at sixteen, just to help his mother pay the rent. He set out on his reality show journey shortly afterwards. When he told he friends he had an audition for The X Factor, none of them really believed him. “I thought I’d go fot it because my family wanted me to, but I never really believed that I would win.”
Naturally, Ward is a fan of reality TV talent shows. “They're brilliant, because people who want recording contracts try for years and get nowhere. Then these competitions come along the people at home decide whether they like the singers or not. So its not just a few people at a record company deciding who gets a chance.” But the previous winner of The X Factor only had one hit. He hasn't been heard of since then. Is Shayne Ward going to be another talent show flop?
A lot of people feel cynical about reality TV show winners and their chances of continuing success. Audiences usually lose interest in them as soon as the show has finished. In fact, contestants on shows like Big Brother are given severe warnings from the show’s producers beforehand, basically telling them “you will not be liked”. Talent shows like The X Factor have to offer contestants a kind of stardom though, and something they can think of as a career, months afterwards at least.
The word “flop” in the passage is closest in meaning to
A.someone who is unpopular     
B.someone who is unsuccessful
C.someone who isn’t ambitious  
D.someone who lacks character