Test 2

Part A

Passage 1:

Catherine's mother was an energetic woman full of life and love before she got cancer. It pained Catherine to see her mother suffer and become someone who depends entirely on others. Catherine tried hard to find a way to give her mother something to look forward to. Then one night last August an idea occurred to her. She would write a letter to the local newspaper, telling people how much she loved her mother and asking them to send her their best wishes. The letter was published and within weeks her mother had received about 500 loving caring cards and letters. Catherine was so excited to see that her mother's old spirit returned. Her mother fought against her disease until she died in October. Today the letters have become a treasured memory and a constant source of inspiration for Catherine.

Question:

What does the passage mainly tell us?

Passage 2:

The nuclear family generally consists of a husband, a wife and children. However, if there are no children, then the husband and wife are the nuclear family. If you put two or more nuclear families together, then you have an extended family. For the most part, in an extended family a married couple lives with either the husband's parents or the wife's parents. But the couple may also live with aunts, uncles, cousins and others who are not blood relations.

The extended family pattern is favored in some countries. For example, as a rule, people choose to live in extended families in Africa and Japan. In other countries, the nuclear family pattern is favored. In these countries, where people can choose the pattern they want, they normally choose to live only with their nuclear family.

Question:

What can we learn from the passage?

Passage 3:

In some industrialized countries, the majority of elderly people don't see their children on a regular basis due to the fact that they move so often. Then do you know what percentage of the elderly live in the same household with their children, or live within ten minutes of their children by car? The answer is 60 percent of the elderly do. However, even though they may live close to their children, they do not see their children very often. They do not see their brothers and sisters or other relatives often either because the nuclear family is so strong in these countries. But there are some elderly people who live with their children. They are living with their children because they are sick. Otherwise they would live on their own. Luckily, there are some offices and programs that take care of the elderly for families that no longer care for old people.

Question:

How does the speaker feel about the life of the elderly people in some industrialized countries?

Part B

Passage:

Imagined for centuries, space exploration began over forty years ago when the former Soviet Union launched the first satellite, Sputnik 1, on 4th October 1957 into space. If Sputnik had not been launched, the modern space age might never have begun.

Sputnik, which means 'fellow traveler ' in Russian, was as small as a football and was powered by battery. Compared to today's technology, it was very simple. But its effect was earth-shattering. After its launch, things began to happen quickly. Before long the Russians were sending dogs and monkeys into space and then, in April 1961, the first human being was sent into space -- a Russian cosmonaut called Yuri Gagarin.

These Russian successes pushed the Americans into action and thus the 'space race' began. In 1961, President Kennedy said that America would begin a program to put a man on the moon. On July 20th, 1969, Neil Armstrong stepped on the surface of the moon. At this historic moment he said: 'This is one small step for a man; one giant leap for mankind.'

Part C

M: I think after all the noise in the city a quiet walk in the woods can be very restful.

W: You're right there. I feel the same.

M: Look, it's so pretty when the leaves are changing color. I'm glad we decided to come here.

W: Changes in nature always make things so beautiful. In the spring, the green grass and leaves make everything seem new. In the autumn when the leaves turn red, yellow and brown, the woods are full of color. No wonder autumn is also called fall. When leaves fall on the ground, they cover it like a blanket.

M: Actually tree leaves turn color because in the autumn days are shorter than in the summer, and the number of daylight hours decreases. I'm sure this does not sound very romantic, but it's scientifically accurate.

W: Scientifically accurate or not, I just enjoy looking at the trees that can have a dozen different shades of color in the sunlight.

Questions 1 and 2 are based on the dialogue you've just heard.

1. What are the two speakers mainly talking about?

2. Why do tree leaves change color according to the man?

Part D

Passage 1

In the United States many have been told that anyone can become rich and successful if he works hard and has some good luck. When one becomes rich he wants people to know it. And even if he does not become very rich, he still wants people to think that he is. That's what 'keeping up with the Joneses' is about. The expression was first used in 1913 by a young American named Arthur Momand. Momand looked around him and noticed that many people do things to keep up with their neighbors; they try to look as rich and as successful as their neighbors. He saw the funny side of it and started to write a series of short stories. He called it 'keeping up with the Joneses', because 'Jones' is a very common name in the United States. 'Keeping up with the Joneses' came to mean keeping up with the people around you. Momand's series appeared in different newspapers across the country for over 28 years.

People never seem to get tired of keeping up with the Joneses. That is one reason why they read the 'right' books, go to the 'right' universities and eat in the 'right' restaurants.

Every city has an area where people want to live because others will think better of them if they do. And there are 'Joneses' in every city of the world. But one must get tired of trying to keep up with the Joneses, because no matter what one does, Mr. Jones always seems to be ahead.

1. What does the expression 'Keeping up with the Joneses' mean according to the passage?

2. What does the speaker think of the practice of 'keeping up with the Joneses'?

Passage 2

Ozone is a form of oxygen. It is found in the air we breathe and in the upper atmosphere. Near Earth, ozone in the air is a danger to life. It is a pollutant. But between ten and fifty kilometers up in the atmosphere, ozone protects life on Earth. Ozone forms in the atmosphere through the action of radiation from the sun. Ozone blocks harmful radiation from reaching Earth. Scientists say a decrease in ozone and an increase in the harmful radiation will cause many more cases of skin cancer. And it will harm crops, animals and fish.

Ozone problems first became known in 1985. British scientists reported that ozone levels in the Antarctic atmosphere near the South Pole fell sharply each year in October and November. 1987 was the first year that a huge hole developed in the ozone layer above the Antarctic.

A recent study of the atmosphere over the Arctic area near the North Pole showed extreme thinning of the ozone. Officials from the American space agency said the latest study is a result of the largest campaign yet to measure ozone amounts and changes in the Arctic area. NASA researcher Paul Newman said some of the measurements show ozone in the Arctic decreased about sixty per cent between January and the middle of March. These measurements are similar to the ozone losses observed in this area a few years ago.

Other studies have shown that man-made chemicals were destroying ozone in the atmosphere. An international agreement halted production of the most harmful chemicals. The new findings support the idea that recovery of the ozone layer may be delayed.

1. Where can ozone be found useful to life according to the passage?

2. When did ozone problems first become known?

3. What is the passage mainly about?