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.
People think that traffic congestion in the downtown area is due to the increasing number of private cars.

A. Traffic congestion in the downtown area is blamed for the increasing number of private cars.

B. The increasing number of private cars is thought to be responsible for traffic congestion in the downtown area.

C. The increasing number of private cars is attributed to traffic congestion in the downtown area.

D. Traffic congestion in the downtown area is thought to result in the increasing number of private cars.

Mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to indicate the word(s) CLOSEST in meaning to the underlined word(s) in each of the following questions.

Mary has finally managed to get round her strict parents to let her go on a three- day excursion with her classmates.

A. permit

B. persuade

C. offer

D. support

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 from 36 to 42.

Paul Watson is an environmental activist. He is a man who believes that he must do something, not just talk about doing something. Paul believes in protecting endangered animals, and he protects them in controversial ways. Some people think that Watson is a hero and admire him very much. Other people think that he is a criminal.

On July 16th, 1979, Paul Watson and his crew were on his ship, which is called the Sea Shepherd. Watson and the people who work on the Sea Shepherd were hunting on the Atlantic Ocean near Portugal. However, they had a strange prey; instead of hunting for animals, their prey was a ship, the Sierra. The Sea Shepherd found the Sierra, ran into it and sank it. As a result, the Sierra never returned to the sea. The Sea Shepherd, on the other hand, returned to its home in Canada. Paul Watson and his workers thought that they had been successful.

The Sierra had been a whaling ship, which had operated illegally. The captain and crew of the Sierra did not obey any of the international laws that restrict whaling. Instead, they killed as many whales as they could, quickly cut off the meat, and froze it. Later, they sold the whale meat in countries where it is eaten.

Paul Watson tried to persuade the international whaling commission to stop the Sierra. However, the commission did very little, and Paul became impatient. He decided to stop the Sierra and other whaling ships in any way that he could. He offered to pay $25,000 to anyone who sank any illegal whaling ship, and he sank the Sierra. He acted because he believes that the whales must be protected. Still, he acted without the approval of the government; therefore, his actions were controversial.

Paul Watson is not the only environmental activist. Other men and women are also fighting to protect the Earth. Like Watson, they do not always have the approval of their governments, and like Watson, they have become impatient. Yet, because of their concern for the environment, they will act to protect it.

(Adapted from “Eco fighters” by Eric Schwartz, OMNI)

According to the reading, an environmental activist is someone who_______.

A. runs into whaling ship.

B. does something to protect the Earth. 

C. talks about protecting endangered species.

D. is a hero, like Paul Watson.

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 from 35 to 42.

Cambridge University is considering axing compulsory written exams, allowing students to use laptops or iPads instead, after tutors complained that students' handwriting is becoming illegible. Academics say the move, which would bring an end to over 800 years of tradition, has come about because students rely too heavily on laptops in lectures, and are losing the ability to write by hand.

Dr Sarah Pearsall, a senior lecturer at Cambridge University, said handwriting is becoming a ''lost art'' among the current generation of students. She added, ''It's increasingly hard for our examiners to read students' scripts. Those with illegible writing are forced to come back to their college during the summer holidays to read their answers aloud in the presence of two university administrators. It's extraordinarily commendable that the University is considering reforms to its examination practices.''

Sir Anthony Seldon, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Buckingham, said it is inevitable that universities will move to computers as handwriting deteriorates in the coming

years. ''We have to accept the reality. Handwriting has now become an optional, not a necessary, part of education. There simply isn't the same time in the curriculum for learning elegant, beautiful handwriting. Life is so quick now. Everybody writes as if they were a doctor writing a prescription,'' he said. ''Handwriting is not necessary for great thought, great English, or great intelligence. Some of our finest wordsmiths today write using laptops, and we have to fight to preserve what is really important, such as the use of great English or great sentence structures.''

Others, however, were not very positive about the move. Tracey Trussell, a handwriting expert, urged Cambridge to ensure that students continue to write by hand. She said, ''It's vital that people continue to write by hand. Writing by hand improves memory and equates to a higher rate of comprehension and information retention.'' There is also concern that schools could follow Cambridge's example by moving away from handwriting. Dr Jane Medwell, Associate Professor of Education at the University of Nottingham, is concerned that scrapping handwritten exams in universities could prompt ''downward curriculum pressure'' on primary and secondary schools to follow suit.

(Adapted from http://www. telegraph. co. uk)

The word "deteriorates'' in paragraph 3 mostly means     .

A. remains unchanged

B. becomes more important

C. improves gradually

D. gets worse and worse

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.

Do you realize that I would have been given that job if you had not been silent?

A. As you did not talk, I did not get the job. 

B. Because you asked, I did not get the job. 

C. Although you asked, I got the job.

D. Although you did not talk, I got the job.

    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 from 30 to 34.
         Visitors to London are struck by the proud splendour and glamour of one of the world's
oldest capitals, admiring iconic sites like Big Ben, the Palace of Westminster and Buckingham Palace. However, visitors seeking a glimpse into the city's everyday life should not miss Portobello Market, which is the most-visited market in London.
        This vibrant market has been featured in a number of films, documentaries and bestselling books, the most famous being the film ''Notting Hill'' starring Hugh Grant and Julia Roberts, which brought Portobello Market to the attention of audiences all over the world.
        Portobello Market is divided into different sections selling second-hand items, clothing,
jewellery, souvenirs and vegetables. The most sought-after area is devoted to antiques. Visitors may feel overwhelmed as there are over 1,000 booths manned by antique dealers from throughout England. It's a great fun to browse through antique cameras, watches, pottery and paintings that date back 300 years. They are sold at different prices, so it's possible to find a few good bargains. It seems that both buyers and sellers look forward to the weekends when they can meet and escape the city's fast pace at Portobello Market.
           When tired from exploring the market, visitors can drop into the nearby food courts to
savour an Indian curry, Italian pizza or sandwiches from Europe. It's a great pleasure to drink a cappuccino while listening to street performers. These represent the lively fun of Portobello
Market, offering exciting experiences that keep people coming back.

(Adapted from ''Heritage'' - Vietnam Airlines in-flight magazine)

According to the passage, Portobello Market has been featured in all of the following EXCEPT ______.

A. films

B. documentaries

C. books

D. songs