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.
Perhaps better known than the Cullinan Diamond is the Hope Diamond, a valuable and blue gem with a background of more than 300 years as a world traveler.The 112-carat blue stone later became the Hope Diamond was mined in India sometime before the middle of the seventeenth century and was first known to be owned by Shah Jahan, who built the Taj Mahal in memory of his beloved wife. From India, the celebrated blue stone has changed hands often, moving from location to location in distant corners of the world.
In the middle of the seventeenth century, a trader from France named Jean Baptiste Tavernier acquired the large blue diamond, which was rumored to have been illegally removed from a temple Tavemier returned to France with the big blue gem, where the stone was purchased by the Sun King Louis XIV. Louis XIV had it cut down from 112 to 67 carats to make its shape symmetrical and to maximize its sparkle. The newly cut diamond, still huge by any standards, was passed down through the royal family of France, until it arrived in the hands of Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette. During the French Revolution, Louis XVI and his wife met their fate on the guillotine in 1793, and the big blue diamond disappeared from public sight.
The diamond somehow managed to get from France to England, where banker Henry Hope purchased it from a gem dealer early in the nineteenth century. The huge blue stone was cut into a 45.5-carat oval, and at this point it took on the name by which it is known today. The diamond stayed in the Hope family for around a century, when deep indebtedness brought on by a serious gambling habit on the part of one of Henry Hope's heirs forced the sale of the diamond.                                                                                                                                                                                  ‘'MB
From England, the Hope Diamond may have made its way into the hands of the Sultan of  Turkey; whatever route it took to get there, it eventually went on to the United States when American Evelyn Walsh McLean purchased it in 1911. Mrs. McLean certainly enjoyed showing the diamond off guests in her home were sometimes astounded to notice the huge stone embellishing the neck of Mrs. McLean’s Great Dane as the huge pet trotted around the grounds of her Washington, D.c. home. The Hope Diamond later became the property of jeweler Harry Winston, who presented the stunning 45.5- carat piece to the Smithsonian in 1958. The Hope Diamond is now taking a well-earned rest following its rigorous travel itinerary and is on display at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C., where it has been since 1958.
Where in the passage does the author describe what happened to the royal French owners of the diamond?
A.Lines 7-8
B.Lines 10-11
C.Lines 12-14
D.Lines 15-16

The word “the latter” in paragraph 1 refers to ______.
A.family unit                 
B.relatives               
C.the nuclear family     
D.the extended family

__________(55)
A.sets   
B.establishes      
C.occurs   
D. issues

I am going to_____ my dress dry- cleaned
A.make  
B. send    
C.get    
D.take

Read the passage carefully, then choose the best answer for each question.
A WARMING WORLD
One weekend in May 2010, the weather forecast for Nashville, Tennessee, U.S.A., predicted 10 centimeters (4 inches) of rain. By Sunday, over 33 centimeters (13 inches) had fallen. Soon the city was flooded. On the roads, cars were covered by the rising water. "We've got buildings running into cars,” the news reported as a small building floated by. There were 11 deaths that weekend.
Changing Weather
The weather is changing. Over the last few years, heavy rains have caused floods in Brazil, Pakistan, and Thailand. Droughts have struck Russia and Australia. Heat waves have killed thousands in Europe, and all over the world, hurricanes and tornadoes strike more frequently and with greater force than ever before. In 2011 alone, losses caused by the weather cost the world 150 billion dollars.
Warmer and Wetter
As more wild weather events happen, a worried world is beginning to ask questions like: What is going on with the weather? And why? Many also want to know: Is this natural, or are we to blame?
The answer seems to be: a little of both. Wild weather is natural. But most scientists agree human activity has made the Earth warmer. This global warming makes heat waves more likely to occur. The higher temperatures also cause more water to enter the air. This causes heavier and more frequent rain. Some scientists also believe global warming makes hurricanes and other storms stronger.
This means we're likely to see more wild weather. "[But] we don't have to just stand there and take it," says scientist Michael Oppenheimer. He and other experts say we need to stop the Earth from getting warmer. We also need to be prepared, to do things that will help save lives.
Which of the following is closest in meaning to “What is going on with the weather?”?
A.What will the weather do next?
B.What was the weather like before?
C.Why are we having such strange weather?
D.How bad is the weather?

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.
            One of the seven wonders of the ancient world, the Great Pyramid of Giza was a monument of wisdom and prophecy built as a tomb for Pharaoh Cheops in 2720 B.C. Despite its antiquity, certain aspects of its construction makes it one of the truly wonders of the world. The thirteen- acre structure near the Nile river is a solid mass of stone blocks covered with limestone. Inside are the number of hidden passageways and the burial chamber of the Pharaoh. It is the largest single structure in the world. The four sides of the pyramid are aligned almost exactly on true north, south, east and west-an incredible engineering feat. The ancient Egyptians were sun worshippers and great astronomers, so computations for the Great Pyramid were based on astronomical observations.
            Explorations and detailed examinations of the base of the structure reveal many intersecting lines. Further scientific study indicates that these represent a type of timeline of events – past, present and future. Many of the events have been interpreted and found to coincide with known facts of the past. Others are prophesied for future generations and are currently under investigation. Many believe that pyramids have supernatural powers and this one is no exception. Some researchers even associate it with extraterrestrial beings of ancient past.
            Was this superstructure made by ordinary beings, or one built by a race far superior to any known today?
 What is the best title for the passage?
A.Problems with the Construction of the Great Pyramid
B.Exploration of the Burial Chamber of Cheops   
C.Symbolism of the Great Pyramid               
D.Wonders of the Great Pyramid of Giza

The words “exposed to” in paragraph 2 most likely mean ______.
A.hardened by           
B.chilled with                        
C.subjected to                       
D.deprived of

Choose the correct answer
My brother assists _____ other activities in the home like watering the plants and cleaning the house while my mother may assists brother _____ doing the laundry.
A.A. with/ with                
B. B. with/ in                   
C.C. in/ with                  
D. D. in/ in

In London, people cheer and sing when the clock _____ midnight on New Year’s Eve.
A.gets
B.strikes                                 
C.sees                         
D.goes

Mark the letter A, B, C or D on your answer sheet to indicate the correct answer to each of the following questions.
I won’t be home for _______ dinner this evening. I’m meeting some friends after _______ work and we’re going to _______ cinema.
A.X/the/X         
B.The/X/X               
C.X/X/the          
D.X/the/the