*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.  

School education system in England

Schooling is compulsory for all English children from the age of 5 to 16. The academic year in England runs from September to July and is divided into three terms. Autumn Term is from the beginning of September to mid – December. Spring Term is from the beginning of January to mid- March and Summer Term from early April to mid – July. Each term is separated by a one-week break called half terms, usually at the end of October, mid- February and the end of May.

There are two parallel school systems in England. The first is the state school system, which is free for all students and paid for by the state. The second category is the “independent” or “public school system, which is fee-paying. The state school system, which educates 93% of the pupils in England, can be divided into two levels of education: primary education and secondary education.

The National Curriculum is set by the government and must be followed in all state schools. It is made up of the following subjects : English, Design and Technology , Geography, Maths, Information Technology , Music , Science , Arts , Physical Education , History and a Modern Foreign Language. English, Maths and Science are core subjects, which are compulsory in the national examination at certain stages of the school education system.

Question 8:  When do children in England start their compulsory schooling?

A. When they are from 5 to 16 years old.                    B. When they are under 5 years old.

C. When they are 16 years old.                                    D. When they are 5 years old.

Question 9:  When do students in England take their half terms?

A. At the end of the school year B. At the end of each term                   

C. In the middle of each term                          D. At the beginning of each term                

Question 10:  The phrase is made up of in the passage means………………

A. exclude                       B. be compulsory

C. include                           D. produce               

Question 11:  Which of these statements is NOT true about the school education system in England?

A. The students who go to state school do not have to pay tuition fees.

B. Most students in England go to state school.

C. There are three half terms in a school year, which last one week each.

D. The National Curriculum is set by the government and must be followed in all schools.

Question 12:  What does the word it in paragraph 3 refer to? 

A. Primary education B. The government          

C. The state school system              D. The national curriculum        

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.

                                             SOLAR ENERGY

Sunlight carries huge amounts of energy. You can feel the Sun’s energy when sunlight warms your skin on a summer day. To capture the Sun’s energy, scientists have developed solar cells, called photovoltaic cells. These cells convert sunlight into electricity.

When sunlight hits a solar cell, some of the light energy is absorbed. This light energy causes the particles in the solar cell to move faster, and the movement of these particles creates electricity.

In some places, large panels of solar cells harvest sunshine to make electricity for homes and businesses. Solar cells have been placed on cars and appliances, too. Since the Sun sends abundant free energy streaming toward Earth 24 hours a day, people in many parts of the world, not just the sunniest places, have fixed solar cells and solar panels on the roofs of their houses or businesses to lower their energy costs.

Experts say that the huge installation of solar panels in sunny regions could generate enough electricity to supply an entire country. Capturing this energy can help overcome our diminishing energy supply. New ways to capture this energy are being developed all the time to maximize efficiency.

1. What is the source of solar energy?

A. sunlight      B. photovoltaic cells       C. solar panels    D. electricity

2. Solar cells are used ______________.

A. to collect energy from the sun                           B. to provide sunlight to houses

C. to convert sunlight into electricity                      D. both A and C are correct

3. Which of the following statements is true?

A. Solar cells absorb all of the light energy from the sun.

B. The light energy causes the particles to move faster to make electricity.

C. Solar energy can be used to power homes and businesses only.

D. Large solar panels have been placed on cars and appliances.

4. Where have people fixed solar panels?

A. On the roofs of their houses     B. Anywhere outside their houses

C. Inside their houses                    D. In the sunniest places

Mark the letter A, B, C or D on your answer sheet to indicate the correct answer to each of the following questions.

Mark the letter A, B, C or D on your answer sheet to indicate the correct answer to each of the following questions.

Mark the letter A, B, C or D on your answer sheet to indicate the correct answer to each of the following questions.

The minister ________ to say whether all the coal mines would be closed.

A. refused

B. avoided

C. denied

D. bothered

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 author mentions all of the following as requirements for slang expressions to be created EXCEPT

A. new situations

B. a new generation

C. interaction among diverse groups

D. a number of linguists

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.

     In an effort to fight pollution and help the environment, the Marina Hills Ecology Club offers free trees to institutions willing to plant them on their grounds. Among those that took advantage of the offer was Marina Hills High School. After consulting with his teachers on where to plant the trees, Principal Max Webb contacted the Ecology Club. But when the seedlings arrived, Webb had an idea. Instead of planting the young trees in front of the school, he thought it would be better to put them behind the school, where the sun gets very hot in the afternoon. “It gets so hot inside the building that the students start to sweat during their afternoon classes,” said Webb. “Now the shade from our trees will bring them some relief.”

     “There was no argument from the teachers,” he added. “When I proposed the idea, everyone said, “Why didn’t I think of that?”. “The relief won’t come until the trees grow taller, but the school will not have to wait long because it requested two species of trees that grow quickly. “Time is key, and we wanted our trees to get big fast,” said Webb. “We were given a wide choice, from shrubs to fruit trees. We requested eucalyptus and willow trees.” Webb said he is also looking forward to finally seeing some wildlife in the school yard at Marina Hills High School. “If all you have is a grass lawn with no trees, you can’t expect the local birds to come and visit,” said Webb. “They have no place to make their nests. Now that will change, and we’ll be able to see birds from our classroom windows.”

28. What would be the most appropriate headline for this article?

     A. Local School Gets Greener             B. student Wins Science Award

     C. Principal Discovers New Trees        D. Teacher Leads Ecological Club

29. What problem does Principal Webb talk about?

     A. Pollution in the city                         B. Classrooms that are too hot

     C. Tall trees that block the view           D. Wild animals that destroy trees

30. What did the Ecology Club do for Marina Hills High School?

     A. It helped design the school yard.                 B. It put flowers in the classrooms.

     C. It sold seeds to the school.                          D. It provided free trees.

31. What decision was changed?

     A. Which trees should be dug up.

     B. When the old trees should be cut down.

     C. Where the new trees should be planted.

     D. Which type of tree should be chosen.

32. What can be inferred from the article about eucalyptus and willow trees?

     A. They grow quickly.

     B. They become extremely tall.

     C. They are less expensive than fruit trees.

     D. They do not grow flowers in the springtime.

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.

     In an effort to fight pollution and help the environment, the Marina Hills Ecology Club offers free trees to institutions willing to plant them on their grounds. Among those that took advantage of the offer was Marina Hills High School. After consulting with his teachers on where to plant the trees, Principal Max Webb contacted the Ecology Club. But when the seedlings arrived, Webb had an idea. Instead of planting the young trees in front of the school, he thought it would be better to put them behind the school, where the sun gets very hot in the afternoon. “It gets so hot inside the building that the students start to sweat during their afternoon classes,” said Webb. “Now the shade from our trees will bring them some relief.”

     “There was no argument from the teachers,” he added. “When I proposed the idea, everyone said, “Why didn’t I think of that?”. “The relief won’t come until the trees grow taller, but the school will not have to wait long because it requested two species of trees that grow quickly. “Time is key, and we wanted our trees to get big fast,” said Webb. “We were given a wide choice, from shrubs to fruit trees. We requested eucalyptus and willow trees.” Webb said he is also looking forward to finally seeing some wildlife in the school yard at Marina Hills High School. “If all you have is a grass lawn with no trees, you can’t expect the local birds to come and visit,” said Webb. “They have no place to make their nests. Now that will change, and we’ll be able to see birds from our classroom windows.”

28. What would be the most appropriate headline for this article?

     A. Local School Gets Greener             B. student Wins Science Award

     C. Principal Discovers New Trees        D. Teacher Leads Ecological Club

29. What problem does Principal Webb talk about?

     A. Pollution in the city                         B. Classrooms that are too hot

     C. Tall trees that block the view           D. Wild animals that destroy trees

30. What did the Ecology Club do for Marina Hills High School?

     A. It helped design the school yard.                 B. It put flowers in the classrooms.

     C. It sold seeds to the school.                          D. It provided free trees.

31. What decision was changed?

     A. Which trees should be dug up.

     B. When the old trees should be cut down.

     C. Where the new trees should be planted.

     D. Which type of tree should be chosen.

32. What can be inferred from the article about eucalyptus and willow trees?

     A. They grow quickly.

     B. They become extremely tall.

     C. They are less expensive than fruit trees.

     D. They do not grow flowers in the springtime.

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 word "They" in paragraph 2 refers to ______.

A. human-related effects

B. some species

C. low birthrates

D. natural obstacles

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.

     Earth orbits the sun while the moon orbits Earth. Occasionally, all three of them become aligned with one another. When this happens, an eclipse occurs. There are two types of eclipses: solar and lunar. Both are rare events simply because, due to the movement of all three celestial bodies, the times when they line up with one another are infrequent.

     Solar eclipses are easily the more spectacular of the two. For a solar eclipse to occur, the moon's orbit must take it between Earth and the sun. While the sun is much larger than the moon, the relative nearness of the moon to Earth makes it appear to be the same size as the sun when viewed from the ground. Thus, when the sun, Earth, and moon are perfectly aligned, the moon appears to cover the entire sun. This is a solar eclipse. A solar eclipse may be either total or partial.      When a total eclipse happens, the sun is completely obscured by the moon. The sky darkens, and it appears to be night time. However, most solar eclipses are partial ones. When they take place, the sun is only partly covered by the moon.

     When a solar eclipse happens, it is observable from a fairly small area on the planet. Thus, when there is a solar eclipse in North America, it is highly unlikely that it will be visible in Africa or Australia. A solar eclipse only lasts for a few minutes since all three heavenly bodies are in continual motion. People must also take care when viewing a solar eclipse since looking directly at it can cause damage - including blindness - to their eyes.

     Lunar eclipses happen when Earth moves directly between the sun and the moon. When this occurs, the planet blocks sunlight from reflecting off the moon. Lunar eclipses take place at night. During one, the moon appears very orange and is practically red in color. There are two different types of lunar eclipses. Taken together, the result is that lunar eclipses happen more frequently than solar eclipses. In addition, lunar eclipses may last for hours and can be seen from a wider area on the planet. There is no harm in directly observing a lunar eclipse either, so looking at one will not damage a person's eyes.

28. What is the passage mainly about?

     A. How eclipses have affected history       B. Two types of eclipses

     C. The problems eclipses cause                  D. Solar eclipses

29. What is the word ‘spectacular’ in line 5 closest in meaning to?

     A. distinct              B. impressive            C. lost lasting             D. common

30. Why is the moon able to cover the sun during a solar eclipse?

     A. Because of its large size                         B. Because of its brightness

     C. Because of its closeness to Earth                        D. Because of its rotation

31. Which of the following is NOT mentioned about solar eclipses?

     A. How they can harm people

     B. How long they may last

     C. How much of the sun cannot be seen during them

     D. How often they happen

32. What can be inferred from the passage about lunar eclipses?

     A. It is possible to see them from everywhere in the world.

     B. They are less dangerous to people than solar eclipses.

     C. Superstitious people believe they bring bad luck.

     D. During a full moon, they can be extremely bright.

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 word “they” in the last paragraph refers to _______.

A. today’s musicians

B. Scott Joplin and Bessie Smith

C. the musicians’ music

D. the names of the earliest African-American singers