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 first thing to do when you have a trip abroad is to check that your passport is valid. Holders of out–of–date passports are not allowed to travel overseas. Then you can prepare for your trip. If you don't know the language, you can have all kinds of problems communicating with local people. Buying a pocket dictionary can make a difference. You'll be able to order food, buy things in shops and ask for directions. It's worth getting one. Also there's nothing worse than arriving at your destination to find there are no hotels available. The obvious way to avoid this is to book in advance. This can save you money too. Another frustrating thing that can happen is to go somewhere and not know about important sightseeing places. Get a guide book before you leave and make the most of your trip. It's a must.

Then, when you are ready to pack your clothes, make sure they are the right kind. It's no good packing sweaters and coats for a hot country or T–shirts and shorts for a cold one. Check the local climate before you leave.

Also, be careful how much you pack in your bags. It's easy to take too many clothes and then not have enough space for souvenirs. But make sure you pack essentials. What about money? Well, it's a good idea to take some local currency with you but not too much. There are conveniently located cash machines (ATMs) in most big cities, and it's usually cheaper to use them than change your cash in banks. Then you'll have more money to spend. When you are at your destination, other travelers often have great information they are happy to share. Find out what they have to say. It could enhance your travelling experience.

(Adapted from Pearson Test of English General Skills)

What is the passage mainly about?

A. Things to avoid when you go abroad

B. Tips for Travelers Overseas

C. The benefits of travelling

D. How to find ATMs in big cities?

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.

Books which give instructions on how to do things are very popular in the United States today. Thousands of these How-to books are useful. In fact, there are about four thousand books with titles that begin with the words “How to”. One book may tell you how to earn more money. Another may tell you how to save or spend it and another may explain how to give your money away.

Many How-to books give advice on careers. They tell you how to choose a career and how to succeed in it. If you fail, however, you can buy the book — How to Turn Failure into Success”. If you would like to become very rich, you can buy the book “How to Make a Millionaire”. If you never make any money at all, you may need a book called “How to Live on Nothing”.

One of the most popular types of books is one that helps you with personal problems. If you want to have a better love of life, you can read “How to Succeed in Love every Minute of Your Life”. If you are tired of books on happiness, you may prefer books which give step by step instructions on how to redecorate or enlarge a house.

Why have How-to books become so popular? Probably because life has become so complex. Today people have far more free time to use, more choices to make, and more problems to solve. How-to books help people deal with modern life.

It can be inferred from the passage that

A. Today people are more bored with the modern life

B. Modern life is more difficult to deal with

C. Today people have fewer choices to make

D. Today people are more interested in modern life

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 first thing to do when you have a trip abroad is to check that your passport is valid. Holders of out–of–date passports are not allowed to travel overseas. Then you can prepare for your trip. If you don't know the language, you can have all kinds of problems communicating with local people. Buying a pocket dictionary can make a difference. You'll be able to order food, buy things in shops and ask for directions. It's worth getting one. Also there's nothing worse than arriving at your destination to find there are no hotels available. The obvious way to avoid this is to book in advance. This can save you money too. Another frustrating thing that can happen is to go somewhere and not know about important sightseeing places. Get a guide book before you leave and make the most of your trip. It's a must.

Then, when you are ready to pack your clothes, make sure they are the right kind. It's no good packing sweaters and coats for a hot country or T–shirts and shorts for a cold one. Check the local climate before you leave.

Also, be careful how much you pack in your bags. It's easy to take too many clothes and then not have enough space for souvenirs. But make sure you pack essentials. What about money? Well, it's a good idea to take some local currency with you but not too much. There are conveniently located cash machines (ATMs) in most big cities, and it's usually cheaper to use them than change your cash in banks. Then you'll have more money to spend. When you are at your destination, other travelers often have great information they are happy to share. Find out what they have to say. It could enhance your travelling experience.

(Adapted from Pearson Test of English General Skills)

According to the passage, you should do all of the following before leaving EXCEPT _____ .

A. taking money from an ATM

B. making sure of the validity of your passport

C. preparing suitable clothes

D. getting a guide book

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 first thing to do when you have a trip abroad is to check that your passport is valid. Holders of out–of–date passports are not allowed to travel overseas. Then you can prepare for your trip. If you don't know the language, you can have all kinds of problems communicating with local people. Buying a pocket dictionary can make a difference. You'll be able to order food, buy things in shops and ask for directions. It's worth getting one. Also there's nothing worse than arriving at your destination to find there are no hotels available. The obvious way to avoid this is to book in advance. This can save you money too. Another frustrating thing that can happen is to go somewhere and not know about important sightseeing places. Get a guide book before you leave and make the most of your trip. It's a must.

Then, when you are ready to pack your clothes, make sure they are the right kind. It's no good packing sweaters and coats for a hot country or T–shirts and shorts for a cold one. Check the local climate before you leave.

Also, be careful how much you pack in your bags. It's easy to take too many clothes and then not have enough space for souvenirs. But make sure you pack essentials. What about money? Well, it's a good idea to take some local currency with you but not too much. There are conveniently located cash machines (ATMs) in most big cities, and it's usually cheaper to use them than change your cash in banks. Then you'll have more money to spend. When you are at your destination, other travelers often have great information they are happy to share. Find out what they have to say. It could enhance your travelling experience.

(Adapted from Pearson Test of English General Skills)

According to the passage, holders of out–of–date passports ______ 

A. have to show an ID instead when they travel

B. cannot travel to other countries

C. should ask for help from local people

D. may have their passports renewed in any country.

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 first thing to do when you have a trip abroad is to check that your passport is valid. Holders of out–of–date passports are not allowed to travel overseas. Then you can prepare for your trip. If you don't know the language, you can have all kinds of problems communicating with local people. Buying a pocket dictionary can make a difference. You'll be able to order food, buy things in shops and ask for directions. It's worth getting one. Also there's nothing worse than arriving at your destination to find there are no hotels available. The obvious way to avoid this is to book in advance. This can save you money too. Another frustrating thing that can happen is to go somewhere and not know about important sightseeing places. Get a guide book before you leave and make the most of your trip. It's a must.

Then, when you are ready to pack your clothes, make sure they are the right kind. It's no good packing sweaters and coats for a hot country or T–shirts and shorts for a cold one. Check the local climate before you leave.

Also, be careful how much you pack in your bags. It's easy to take too many clothes and then not have enough space for souvenirs. But make sure you pack essentials. What about money? Well, it's a good idea to take some local currency with you but not too much. There are conveniently located cash machines (ATMs) in most big cities, and it's usually cheaper to use them than change your cash in banks. Then you'll have more money to spend. When you are at your destination, other travelers often have great information they are happy to share. Find out what they have to say. It could enhance your travelling experience.

(Adapted from Pearson Test of English General Skills)

The word “essentials” in paragraph 4 mostly means ________

A. everything

B. valuables

C. necessities

D. food

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 first thing to do when you have a trip abroad is to check that your passport is valid. Holders of out–of–date passports are not allowed to travel overseas. Then you can prepare for your trip. If you don't know the language, you can have all kinds of problems communicating with local people. Buying a pocket dictionary can make a difference. You'll be able to order food, buy things in shops and ask for directions. It's worth getting one. Also there's nothing worse than arriving at your destination to find there are no hotels available. The obvious way to avoid this is to book in advance. This can save you money too. Another frustrating thing that can happen is to go somewhere and not know about important sightseeing places. Get a guide book before you leave and make the most of your trip. It's a must.

Then, when you are ready to pack your clothes, make sure they are the right kind. It's no good packing sweaters and coats for a hot country or T–shirts and shorts for a cold one. Check the local climate before you leave.

Also, be careful how much you pack in your bags. It's easy to take too many clothes and then not have enough space for souvenirs. But make sure you pack essentials. What about money? Well, it's a good idea to take some local currency with you but not too much. There are conveniently located cash machines (ATMs) in most big cities, and it's usually cheaper to use them than change your cash in banks. Then you'll have more money to spend. When you are at your destination, other travelers often have great information they are happy to share. Find out what they have to say. It could enhance your travelling experience.

(Adapted from Pearson Test of English General Skills)

The word "This" in paragraph 2 refers to ________ 

A. finding are no hotels to stay at

B. saving money

C. booking in advance

D. asking for directions

Complete the text with the correct form of the verbs in brackets

After finishing secondary school,some studentsdecide...........(take) a gap year and go ................(travel).I think it is one of the best decisions a young person can make.My brother .....(go) around South America and the USA last year and i hope .....(go) to Australia after my exams.Some people are worried about travelling alone because they think it might......(be) dangerous. But i think it's fine if you plan your trip carefully and you .......(not take) risk. Of course you can travel with a friend.My best friend and i .........(plan) our trip at the moment.There is a lot of information about gap years on the Internet.But i think it's a good idea to talk to people who.......already..........(do) their trip.You can find out such a lot.

Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C, or D to indicate the best answer to each of the following questions.

Shyness may not seem to be a serious complaint, but for some who suffer from it, it can become unbearable. Even talking to a small group of people you know can seem like an ordeal - it can feel as if you’ve been asked to give a speech on a topic you know very little about to a number of experts. You start to feel hot and shaky, your heart beats faster, your knees feel weak, you begin to stutter and the whole experience seems to last forever.

The fact of the matter is that shyness is something we often recognize in others: blushing is one of the more visible signs, for example. Yet we do not judge someone harshly because of this. But shyness does mean you are harder to approach, so you become more isolated. As one shy person put it, “It’s like being in a prison, and it’s very hard to break out.”

Experts on the subject have come up with various possible solutions, and one has been singled out as being the key to success, namely, finding an interest in common with other people. Spending a lot of time on the sidelines watching other people and envying them because they are much more outgoing doesn’t help; remembering that some of the people you envy most are probably shy themselves. The secret is how you deal with it. And experts have come up with four things you can do today to help. Firstly, you can start by listening to other people. You will find yourself getting interested in what they’re talking about and asking questions, and before you know it, you’ll be having a conversation. Secondly, you could try asking neighbors if you can walk their dog. Like children, pets can be excellent icebreakers for conversations with passers-by. Thirdly, try joining a class to learn something like tap-dancing or flamenco, where people are likely to laugh a lot. You’ll feel relaxed, and also you’ll be much too busy concentrating on what you are doing to feel shy. Lastly, try telling yourself that it doesn’t matter if you say or do something silly. Most people make a fool of themselves every so often, and it’s not the end of the world if you do.

A. sweating a lot.

B. an increased heart rate.

C. pain in the knees.

D.excessive talkativeness.

Read the following text and decide if each sentence below is correct or incorrect.

Stamp collecting- It's a hobby that can grow and grow

Millions of people of all ages enjoy a hobby which is both interesting and fun. And every year, more and more people start a stamp collection of their own and discover an interest which can last a lifetime. Starting your collection is easy because stamps are everywhere. Holiday postcards from friends, birthday cards from favourite aunts and letters from pen-friends can all provide you with stamps from all over the world. But once you've started collecting seriously, you will probably want to join the Stamp Collectors' Club which exists to provide collectors with new British stamps. As a Club member you order the special sets of new stamps you want for your collection. You can receive these in three different ways. We can either post you a complete set of stamps on an envelope addressed to you, or send you the same stamps in a colourful information pack with lots of interesting facts. Or, if your prefer, we can send you the individual stamps for you to arrange in special book of your own. The Stamp Collectors' Club has about 70.000 members and you could become a member too, with a two-year membership costing just $5. You can even get a reduction if a group of you joint at the same time. We're sure you'll agree that this is great value for money. And when you join, the Club sends you a Starter Pack at no extra cost. This contains 100 stamps to begin your collection, together with an attractive box to keep them in. You also receive our helpful 4-page guide to collecting, which has further suggestions on how to add to your collection and includes useful addresses of shops and businesses that sell stamps. Every two months you'll get a copy of the club magazine, which is packed full of competitions and quizzes, and gives you to chance to exchange stamps with members around the world. Why not start on an adventure which will give you years of pleasure? You'll spend many happy hours looking at the amazing variety of stamps in your collection or searching for unusual ones which you know are out there somewhere just waiting to be found. So join the Stamp Collectors' Club today and discover the fun and excitement of stamp collecting. To join the Club simply complete the application form and send your membership fee. Ypur Starter Pack will be sent within 28 days of receipt of your application. 1. The Stamp Collectors' Club sends you special stamps from many different countries. 2. The Club sends every member the same set of new stamps. 3. Information packs include a full set of stamps. 4. It costs $5 a year to join the Stamp Collectors' Club. 5. It is cheaper if several people joing the Club together. 6. The Club sends each new member a hundred free stamps. 7. The guide tells you where you may be able to buy the stamps you want. 8. Members of the Club are sent a monthly magazine. 9. The magazine helps you to contact other members. 10. You must write a letter to the Club if you want to join.