TOEFL test, October

Reading Set 1
Film Noir

The term film noir refers to a style of Hollywood movie-making that was prevalent from
the early 1940s until about 1960. Noir means, literally, black, and was invented by
French movie critics to describe the tone, mood, or point-of-view of a string of notable
Hollywood films the majority of which featured crime or mystery themes that were
released in their country in the aftermath of World War II. Unlike traditional
Hollywood movies, noir films were pessimistic, bleak, and highlighted, in the words of
one French critic, selected disagreeable realities of modern living. A classic film
noir story featured a cynical, depressed, hard-hearted male and a beautiful but dangerous
femme fatale, a female character who would sexually seduce him, and then betray or
double cross him in some way.
Though its difficult to classify noir films with exact precision, critics generally agree that
they shared four distinct characteristics. First, noir films were subjective, presenting
reality from the point-of-view of the movies protagonist. In sharp contrast to
conventional Hollywood movies, noir protagonists were rarely handsome, virtuous,
intelligent, moral role models. Instead, they were detectives, crooks, psychopaths, loners,
war veterans, murderers, or simply average Joes trying to make ends meet. A second
characteristic of noir movies is that their protagonists frequently violated convention by
shifting roles during the film: A detective might become a suspect, or a victim could
become an attacker. The storylines in noir movies were usually complex, filled with plot
twists and revealed in nonlinear fashion, often via a series of flashbacks. Common plots
involved a protagonist suffering from amnesia, and the ordinary man who invoked
calamity from some small misstep a minor car accident, a white lie -- or from being
falsely accused of a crime. Third, film noir protagonists had a fractured or adversarial
relationship with society at large, suffering from unfair treatment or a loss of community.
This tended to leave them feeling helpless, isolated, disillusioned and cynical, and lent
directors a chance to explore the dichotomy of moral choice versus fate. The fourth
characteristic of film noir movies is that they functioned as critiques of the US social and
political systems. The complexities of noir films prohibited simple solutions, and, like
real life, their endings were not the happy ever after closure of fairy tales and fantasy
movies. Noir often left viewers feeling disheartened, downcast, cynical, or bitter, a
radical departure from traditional Hollywood fare that ended on triumphant, upbeat notes.
To emphasize this dark view of American life, noir movies employed a technique
called expressionism, using visual elements to help create mood and tone. These films
were typically shot in black-and-white, with dim lighting and non-traditional camera
angles, and set in urban areas. The cinematography included long, distinct shadows, inky
blackness, choppy edits, dramatic music, and prominent juxtaposition of ordinary objects.
Interior shots were generally of claustrophobic, dimly-lit, cheap apartments, big-city
hotels rooms or abandoned warehouses. Exterior scenes were usually murky dark, often
featuring rain, narrow alleys and flashing neon lights. Expressionism reinforced the state

of mind of characters, and helped directors emphasize the shadowy, hidden aspects of
human experience. Expressionism was first used in Germany during the 1920s, and
spread to America by German filmmakers seeking refuge during the Second World War.
Film noir developed concurrently with a movement in literary noir, which reflected the
uncertainties of a nation suddenly confronted with the atrocities of war and the complex
relationships of a changing world order. Helplessness, confusion, paranoia and alienation
were frequent noir themes. One of the most influential noir novelists of the 1940s was
Cornell Woolrich, who had 11 movies based on his writing. Woolrichs protagonists
included alcoholics, criminals, and ordinary people caught in surreal predicaments, such
as a man who was hypnotized into believing he had committed a murder. One of the
earliest movies to earn the noir label was the 1941 detective thriller The Maltese Falcon,
directed by John Huston. This film introduced an element that came to be considered
characteristic of early noir films a tough, pragmatic, dogged detective. As noir
developed through the 1940s and 50s, however, other characteristic roles evolved,
including the aging gangster, the man (or woman) wrongly accused of a crime, and the
person battling some form or mental or emotional illness.
Questions
1. Look at the four squares [] that indicate where the following sentence can be added
to the passage.
It typically references a specific historical period of movie making, similar to the
French New Wave period, rather than the conscious creation of a new style of film.
Where would this sentence best fit?
Answer:
2. The word their in the passage refers to
(A) films
(B) themes
(C) critics
(D) tones
Answer: (C)
3. What can be inferred from the passage about Hollywood movies in France?
(A) They usually appeared in France before they opened in America.
(B) They were more popular in France than they were in the US.
(C) They could not be viewed in France during World War II.
(D) They were specially re-made to better appeal to French audiences.
Answer: (C)
4. The word cynical in the passage is closest in meaning to

(A) distrustful
(B) unloyal
(C) distasteful
(D) ungrateful
Answer: (A)
5. When the author states that noir films present the point-of-view of the movies
protagonist, he means the point-of-view of the
(A) hero
(B) supporting actor
(C) main character
(D) script writer
Answer: (C)
6. Which of the following best expresses the essential information in the highlighted
sentence? Incorrect choices change the meaning in important ways or leave out essential
information.
(A) Second, film noir protagonists often changed roles in the middle of the movie, with
the hero and villain, for example, suddenly trading situations and costumes.
(B) Secondly, the protagonists in noir movies frequently did not remain static, as was
customary, instead changing their viewpoint, status, or relationship to other characters.
(C) A second characteristic of noir films is that they were unconventional, in that the
protagonists often played several parts in the same movie: detective, suspect, victim,
attacker.
(D) The second characteristic of noir movies is that the protagonist was difficult to
identify, because he or she was typically switching roles with other members of the cast.
Answer: (B)
7. The word amnesia in the passage is closest in meaning to
(A) color blindness
(B) high fever
(C) cancer
(D) loss of memory
Answer: (D)
8. All of the following are mentioned as characteristics of noir films EXCEPT
(A) They functioned as socio-political critiques.
(B) They tried to present objective reality.
(C) Their protagonists often shifted roles.
(D) They presented protagonists versus society.
Answer: (B)

9. According to the passage, why did noir protagonists often feel helpless or cynical?
(A) They had had a negative experience with society.
(B) They frequently suffered from abusive childhoods.
(C) They were usually physically weak or sick..
(D) They were often criminals who loved doing wrong.
Answer: (A)
10. According to the passage, expressionism
(A) was first used in Germany during the Second World War.
(B) was virtually nonexistent in non-noir movies.
(C) utilized unusual camerawork to cover weak plots.
(D) used visual elements to create a dark mood and tone.
Answer: (D)
11. Why does the author mention Cornell Woolrich in the passage?
(A) to show the contrast between novels and movies
(B) to prove that noir novels were better than noir films
(C) to illustrate the link between literary and film noir
(D) to argue that noir films preceded noir literature
Answer: (C)
12. According to the passage, which of the following is true about The Maltese Falcon?
(A) It was directed by John Hudson.
(B) It was one of the earliest noir films.
(C) It was filmed in 1944.
(D) It was a defective thriller.
Answer: (B)
13. An introductory sentence for a brief summary of the passage is provided below.
Complete the summary by selecting the THREE answer choices that express the most
important ideas in the passage. Some sentences do not belong in the summary because
they express ideas that are not presented in the passage or are minor ideas in the passage.
This question is worth 2 points.
Film Noir describes a style of Hollywood movies between 1940 and 1960 that focused
on the pessimistic, cynical side of human nature.
(A) Noir black, in French was coined by French movie critics to label new types of
US movies, which started appearing in the 1940s, that that highlighted disagreeable
realities of modern life.

(B) Noir films critiqued American socio-political life by presenting reality subjectively,
from the viewpoint of unconventional protagonists who were at odds with society and
often switched roles during the film.
(C) The noir film movement coincided with a wave of noir literature, an artistic response
to changes produced by American exposure to World War II and uncertainties about its
role in a rapidly-changing world.
(D) An early noir movie, The Maltese Falcon, introduced Sam Spade, a tough,
independent, hard-nosed detective whose character type that would become characteristic
of the noir genre.
(E) Noir directors complemented the downbeat tone of their scripts with expressionist
cinematography black and white shots that emphasized claustrophobic interiors and
dark, wet urban exteriors.
(F) Noir movies featured complex plots and unique storylines filled with surprise twists,
typically presented in non-linear or non-chronological fashion, and often utilized
flashbacks to jump back and forth between present and past.
Answer: (B), (C), (E)
Reading set 2
Language and Play
Researchers in many countries have documented the relationship between language
development and levels of play. Theyve discovered that even in cultures that are
vastly different, the relationship between levels of play and language development
appears to be similar. Research reveals that as young children play, they establish vital
links between thought and action. These connections are the basis of mental processes.
Also, children often concentrate more during play, allowing them to operate at higher
mental levels than they do in non-pretend situations. Play can be an ideal method to
acquire language for several reasons. First, its fun. Children dont feel pressured to reach
a goal, and frustrated if they fail. Second, play is interactive. The topics are invented and
shared by each participant, instead of dictated by a teacher. Third, games are similar to
grammar, as they have variations in the order of their elements and roles that are
reciprocal. Finally, games require players to take turns, which mimics speaking and
listening in conversations.
Both play and language are initially very literal, relying on tangible items and
straightforward interpretation. Children will say shoe, for instance. Theyll play with it
by pretending to put it on their feet. A little later, however, children begin to use symbols
in both language and play. In language, a sneaker might represent basketball players. In
play, children will pretend a shoe is a telephone. Make-believe play is ideally suited to
helping children establish connections between concrete and abstract thought. Children
develop concepts and then use them. For example, a preschool boy makes important
symbolic/real-object connections when he puts a red block in front of a toy car and
exclaims, This means stop! Thus, play helps children to make sense of their world, and
develop social and cultural understandings that allow them to use language to express

their thoughts and feelings. Children often want parents to join in this pretend play.
Parents can model how to play, narrating the basic problem-solution or story structures.
Even two-year-olds can understand the basic problem-solution format, such as, The
baby was hungry. Mommy gave her some milk.
At age three, children begin role-playing. They possess generally accurate language
scripts for familiar situations, such as Mom or Dad telling them to begin their bedtime
routine. At first, the child plays him or her self. Later, they project a second speakers
role on dolls or passive persons such as a sibling. Eventually, an active person a
playmate or sibling might take on a reciprocal role. By age four, children are able to
role-play a baby by changing the pitch of their voices, making sounds and using shorter
and simpler words and phrases. They also begin to differentiate between Mom and Dad.
Moms use more polite language and indirect requests, with a higher pitch and longer
utterances. Dads use shorter sentences, and give more commands and less explanation
for their behavior. Children first experiment with changing the sound and rhythm of
words. Then they learn appropriate content and grammar.
Children use different language in solitary play and social play. Language in solitary
play might not accurately reflect a childs development. In social play, language is used
explicitly to convey meaning, because participants must agree upon terms (This pen will
be a gun) and roles (You be the mommy). Kids also use language to clarify (You
have to fall down when I shoot you) and negotiate (All right, Ill be the baby first.)
The organization and complexity of play themes increase with the childs age.
The language children use in play is influenced by the participants and the play
context. Generally speaking, preschoolers prefer to play with partners of the same gender,
with no adults present. Both boys and girls at this age prefer replica play a pretend
store, dressing up like adults, a tea party for dolls but boys also enjoy playing with
blocks. In cultures around the world, researchers have watched play develop from
concrete objects and literal dialog to abstract props and imaginative fantasies. They have
noted that, even in languages as diverse as English and Japanese, play parallels language
acquisition.
Questions
14. All of the following are mentioned in paragraph one as reasons play helps language
acquisition EXCEPT
(A) taking turns
(B) increased pressure
(C) interaction
(D) higher concentration
Answer: (B)
15. Look at the four squares [] that indicate where the following sentence could be
added to the passage.

Although play and language are different, the develop interdependently and
demonstrate underlying cognitive developments.
Where would the sentence best fit?
Answer:
16. The phrase these connections in paragraph one refers to
(A) children
(B) links
(C) thoughts and actions
(D) play and language development
Answer: (C)
17. The word concrete in paragraph two is closest in meaning to
(A) asphalt
(B) heavy
(C) literal
(D) figurative
Answer: (C)
18. In paragraph two, the author explains how children develop and use concepts by
(A) giving an example
(B) telling a personal anecdote
(C) using statistics
(D) quoting an expert
Answer: (A)
19. According to the information in paragraph two, play and language progress from
(A) symbolic to concrete
(B) small to large
(C) weak to strong
(D) concrete to symbolic
Answer: (D)
20. Why does the author mention Mom and Dad in paragraph three?
(A) to illustrate language development
(B) to emphasize parental involvement in play
(C) to remind readers of a previous point
(D) to inject humor into the passage
Answer: (A)

21. What can be inferred about young children from paragraph three?
(A) They love their mothers more than their fathers.
(B) They learn through imitation.
(C) They experiment with grammar first.
(D) They have a large vocabulary.
Answer: (B)
22. The phrase reciprocal role(s) in the passage means most nearly the same as
(A) complimentary gestures
(B) negotiable agreements
(C) symbolic actions
(D) interchangeable parts
Answer: (D)
23. Why does the author contrast solitary play and social play in paragraph four?
(A) to highlight the usefulness of social play language
(B) to prove that solitary play is unimportant
(C) to test a theory about language acquisition
(D) to distinguish between the play language of boys and girls
Answer: (A)
24. Which of the following best expresses the essential information in the highlighted
sentence?
(A) Children play better with same-gender partners.
(B) Play language is similar to language used in real life.
(C) Children will adjust their language to different play situations.
(D) Children use similar language in all types of play.
Answer: (C)
25. An introductory sentence for a brief summary of the passage is provided below.
Complete the summary by selecting the THREE answer choices that express important
ideas in the passage. Some sentences do not belong in the summary because they express
ideas that are not presented in the passage or are minor ideas in the passage. This
question is worth 2 points.
Researchers have found that how children play is closely linked with how
they acquire language.
(A) Even in different cultures, the relationship between play and language is similar.
(B) Play is fun; there is no pressure to succeed.

(C) Play develops important links that form the basis of mental processes.
(D) Poor children might not acquire language as fast as wealthy children.
(E) In both play and language, children advance from concrete to abstract.
(F) Children like to role-play mom and Dad at age three to four.
Answer: (A), (C), (E)

Reading set 3
The Invention of Basketball
Most sports do not have a definite beginning. They do not have one inventor. We often
think of baseball, for example, as an American game. But British people had a game
called rounders that was similar. We know that children were kicking balls in ancient
Greece and Rome long before soccer became a popular game. Basketball is different. It
has a definite starting point, and a definite inventor. It was completely new. There were
no games like it before.
Basketball began in 1891 in Springfield, Massachusetts. This is in the northeast part of
the United States. In the winter it is very cold. James Naismith was teaching physical
education at the YMCA International Training School. Today the school is called
Springfield College. One day Naismiths boss told him to invent a new game. He wanted
something that students could play during the winter. It would have to be an indoor
game. At first, Naismith thought about modifying football or soccer. But these games
were too difficult to play indoors. Naismith wanted a game that many could play, and that
was easy to learn. He started studying all the team games.
Naismith saw that all team games used a ball. He decided to use a soccer ball for his new
game. Naismith also noted that the object of team games was to move the ball into some
kind a goal, while opponents tried to tackle the player with the ball. Tackling would be
too rough indoors, on a wooden floor. If players cant run with the ball, they cant be
tackled, Naismith thought. But what kind of goal should they put the ball into? In other
team games, the goal was horizontal. Indoors, Naismith thought this type of goal would
be too easy to guard. He remembered a game he had played as a child, called Duck on a
Rock. Players threw a small rock at an object on top of a large rock, trying to knock the
object off. They had to throw the rock up in the air. Naismith decided his game would
have vertical goals. He wanted to use boxes, but the school didnt have any. It did have
two peach baskets, however. Naismith wrote 13 rules for his new game, nailed the
baskets to the balcony at each end of the gym, and posted the rules on the wall. Then he
waited for his PE class to come and test his invention. The date was Dec. 21, 1891.
Right away, his students loved the new game. Basketball, as it was called, quickly
became popular throughout the school, then the country, and then the world. It was first
played in American colleges in 1896, and became an Olympic sport in 1936.

Professional basketball the NBA began in the 1940s. Two years after that initial
basketball game, Naismith replaced the peach baskets with an iron rim and a new type of
basket. It wasnt until 10 years later, though, that the bottom of the basket was opened
so the ball could pass through. Until then, the game had to stop after each score while
players retrieved the ball. The modern basketball was invented in 1929.
In some ways, the sport has changed little since that first game in a Springfield gym.
Many of Naismiths original rules are still used today. For instance, teams score points
when the ball enters the basket. Players still cannot run with the ball. And players cannot
foul their opponents by holding, pushing, striking or tripping them. Some of the rules
have changed, however. Originally, putting the ball in the basket counted for only one
point. Today a basket counts for two points, and sometimes three. The first basketball
game had nine players on each team, because Naismith wanted all of his students to
participate. Today there are five. Naismith ruled that players could not bounce the
basketball, but had to pass it from the place they caught it. Today they can bounce or
pass. In addition, Naismith ruled that if a team made three fouls in a row, their opponents
would get a point. That is not true today. Naismith died in 1939, and was elected to the
basketball Hall of Fame in 1959.
25. The word definite in the passage is closest in meaning to
(A) confusing
(B) perfect
(C) clean
(D) certain
Answer: (D)
26. Why does the author mention Rome in paragraph 1?
(A) to help explain the beginning of baseball
(B) to support his point about how most sports begin
(C) to prove that soccer was invented in Italy
(D) to show how old basketball is
Answer: (B)
27. The word this in the passage refers to
(A) basketball
(B) 1891
(C) Massachusetts *
(D) The United States
Answer: (C)
28. According to paragraph 2, why did James Naismith try to invent a new game?
(A) His boss was angry with Naismith and was trying to punish him.

(B) Naismith was bored with football and soccer, and wanted something different.
(C) His boss wanted students to have something to play during winter. *
(D) Naismiths PE students asked him to invent something new.
Answer: (C)
29. The word indoor is closest in meaning to
(A) inside
(B) interior
(C) within
(D) into
Answer: (A)
30. Which of the sentences below best expresses the essential information in the
highlighted sentence in the passage? Incorrect answer choices change the meaning in
important ways or leave out essential information.
(A) At first, Naismith had his students try playing football and soccer inside the gym.
(B) Naismiths initial idea was to try and adapt an outdoor sport, especially football or
soccer, for play indoors.
(C) Naismith first changed the rules of soccer and football, but stopped because his PE
students didnt like it.
(D) The first thought Naismith had was to find a way to play football or soccer in the cold
Massachusetts weather.
Answer: (B)
31. The word object in paragraph 3 is closest in meaning to
(A) reason
(B) item
(C) result
(D) aim
Answer: (D)
32. Which of the following is true about the first basketball game?
(A) It used boxes as goals.
(B) The goals were horizontal.
(C) It was played in 1891.
(D) It had 31 rules.
Answer: (C)
33. Look at the four squares that indicate where the following sentence could be added
to the passage.

Within a few days the class attracted fans, and teachers from a nearby girls
school watched the game and took it away with them to organize the first girls'
basketball team.
Where would the sentence best fit? Click on the square to add the sentence to the
passage.
Answer:
34. All of the following are true about basketball EXCEPT
(A) The first college basketball game was played in 1896.
(B) Basketball was first played in the Olympics in 1932.
(C) The bottom of the basket was opened in 1903.
(D) The NBA started in the 1940s.
Answer: (B)
35. What can be inferred from paragraph 5 about Naismiths PE class?
(A) There were 18 students in the class.
(B) The players did not follow his rules.
(C) The students were good basketball players.
(D) The students did not like physical education.
Answer: (A)
36. In paragraph 5, the author states that Naismiths original rules
(A) are better than modern rules
(B) have been changed completely
(C) are the same as modern rules
(D) have been changed a little
Answer: (D)
37. Complete the table below about the changes in basketball rules discussed in the
passage. Match the appropriate statements to the type of rule with which they are
associated. There are more answer choices than correct choices. Some answer choices
will not be used.
Original rule
C
D
F

Modern rule
B
G

(A) If a player gets two fouls, he must leave the game until the next point is scored.

(B) There are five players on each team.

(C) A basket counts for one point.
(D) Players cannot bounce the basketball.
(E) The game will have two 15-minute halves.
(F) A team gets a point if its opponent fouls three times in a row.
(G) A basket can count for three points.

LISTENING SECTION
Lecture
Listen to part of a lecture from a social science class.
Prof: Joseph Needham spent most of his life researching and documenting China's
contributions to modern science. In his famous series of books, called "Science and
Civilization in China," he lists literally hundreds of inventions and discoveries that were
made in China before the West, uh, before they were invented or discovered in the West.
These include gunpowder, ship rudders, the magnetic compass, uh, book printing, chess,
um, toothbrushes, toilet paper, uh, stirrups, smallpox inoculation, and the motion, the
proper motion of the stars. From antiquity through the 14th Century AD, Needham
estimated that the Chinese had fif [false start] fifteen major inventions per century -which is a truly staggering number. We know now, from his notes, that Needham's
motivation came in large part from a question. Why, he wondered, did China stop this
pace of invention in roughly the 15th century, and consequently, why did modern science
develop in the West instead of China? This has come to be known as the, ahem [clears
throat] "Needham Question," and it has sparked considerable discussion since Needham's
death in 1995, and the subsequent publication of a best-selling biography called "The
Man Who Loved China."
[coughs] In that book, author Simon Winchester said that Needham never reached an, a
satisfactory conclusion. Since Needham's death, neither really have other scholars.
Winchester wrote that the, uh, sum of their conclusions is that China basically stopped
trying. HmmWhy? Some have speculated that China's lack of a mercantile class
hindered scientific development. For centuries, the ultimate aim of bright Chinese
students was to enter the government, rather than going into a trade. Because there was
no climate of competition and improvement, complacency set in. Others have pointed to
China's immense size and indigin--uh, homogeneous culture as a barrier to creativity.
Because Europe was packed with warring peoples of different languages and cultures,
there was more incentive to invent things like, oh, better canons and more sophisticated
ships. Still others blame the totalitarian style of Chinese government -- first with
emperors, then with communism. A Hungarian scholar named, um, Etienne Balazs wrote
that China's atmosphere of traditionalism, and of having innovation sanctioned by
government in advance, is quote unfavorable to the spirit of free inquiry unquote.

Other critics have claimed that Needham's question was flawed at the outset. They say
that arguing a negative -- why modern science did not develop in China -- is a fruitless
mission. It's a bit like asking, why wasn't your photograph on page three of today's
newspaper? Instead, the question should be reframed: Why did modern science develop
in Europe? Seen in this context, it's important to investigate the degree of scientific crosscultural influence, as well as how science relates to technology, and to consider how both
are affected by the, political, economic, and, um, religious forces operating in their
countries at the time.
By the 1960s, scholars were contesting some of Needham's claims about Chinese
discoveries, such as the proposition that China developed the earliest theory of wave
motion. In the 1980s, an historian, David Landes, proved that China's water-powered
astronomical clocks were not the forerunners of Europe's mechanical time clocks, as
Needham had postulated. These arguments underscored a larger point. Just because China
got there first does not necessarily mean that their innovations beg, er, gave birth to later
inventions made in Europe. In fact, China's long isolation from the Western world
supports the idea that science developed along separate lines.
This point, I would argue, is the ultimate value of Needham's contribution. By awakening
us to China's past achievements, he has forced scholars to re [false start] re-examine
notions of how science has developed, and to ask anew how information is transmitted
across lands separated by, not only by geography, but by distinct cultural, ideological,
economic and political concerns. Also, the "Needham Question" remains relevant as we
examine the pace of scientific and technological expansion today. For example, is China
still no longer trying to develop modern science? Did it ever? Or is it in fact leading the
world in some respects in the development of new technologies? Moreover, can every
invention or discovery be traced to a single source? Or can science develop
simultaneously in different places at the same time, irrespective of the degree of shared
knowledge between the innovators?
1. What is the main topic of the lecture?
(A) Joseph Needham's life
(B) Chinese inventions
(C) The Needham Question *
(D) The development of modern science
2. Which of the following does the professor mention as a theory for why modern science
did not develop in China?
(A) Totalitarian government *
(B) Lack of modern equipment
(C) China's civil wars
(D) A strong Chinese mercantile class
3. Why does the professor mention a newspaper photograph?
(A) To prove that the Chinese invented gunpowder

(B) To illustrate a claim made by Needham's critics *

(C) To remind students of a homework assignment
(D) To refute an assertion by an Hungarian scholar
4. Narrator: Listen again to part of the lecture. Then answer the question.
Prof: A Hungarian scholar named, um, Etienne Balazs wrote that China's atmosphere of
traditionalism, and of having innovation sanctioned by government in advance, is quote
unfavorable to the spirit of free inquiry unquote.
What does the professor mean when he says this:
is quote unfavorable to the spirit of free inquiry unquote.
(A) He is repeating the exact words of the author. *
(B) He does not believe what the author has written.
(C) He is paraphrasing the conclusions of Joseph Needham.
(D) He wants to highlight a controversial claim.
5. What does the professor imply about Joseph Needham?
(A) He had never visited China.
(B) His research was hindered by bias.
(C) He was an American citizen.
(D) Some of his information was inaccurate. *
6. According to the professor, why is the "Needham Question" relevant today?
(A) It aids in the research of new technologies.
(B) It accurately explains Chinese culture.
(C) It forces re-examination of scientific development. *
(D) It reminds us that history is usually irrelevant.
Conversation
Listen to a conversation between a student and a school administrator.
A: All right. Heres your student ID card. Youll need to show this at every meal or each
time you buy something at a campus dining hall.
S: Really? Hmm. Thats different than my old school.
A: Yes, I imagine it is. We have a unique system here. Do you know about our meal
plans?
S: Meal plans? Uh, no.
A: There are several different plans. You can choose to buy nine, 12, 15, or 18 meals each
week. It depends on your schedule and eating habits.
S: I see. Um, what if I buy the 15-meal plan and only eat 13 meals that week? Will I get

17 the next week?

A: No, meals do not carry over into the next week. Thats why its important that you
choose your meal plan carefully.
S: What if I want to treat my friend? Can I use two meals at one time?
A: Sorry, no. Only one meal each meal period. If you want to treat a friend, you can use
your declining balance points.
S: My what?
A: (laughs) Declining balance points. They work like an ATM card. At the dining halls,
you use the points like cash. You can buy food, snacks or meals. Then the points are
withdrawn from your declining balance account. All of our meal plans offer these points.
S: Um, OK. What happens when I run out of declining balance points?
A: You can buy more points at any time. Just go to the One Card office on the North
Campus. We will bill your home through the Student Accounts office.
7. How does the administrator explain the concept of declining balance points?
A) He draws a picture.
B) He tells a story about herself.
C) He compares them to buying stocks.
D) He compares them to using an ATM card. *
8. Which of the following statements is correct?
A) Students must show their ID cards at each meal. *
B) Students must buy at least 15 meals per week.
C) Unused meals carry over to the next week.
D) Students can eat two meals during each meal period.
9. Why does the student mention his old school?
A) He wants to go back to it.
B) It had a different system. *
C) He misses his English teacher.
D) It was bigger than his new school.
10. What is NOT mentioned about meal plans?
A) There are different ones.
B) Its important to choose carefully.
C) How much they cost. *
D) The number of meals in each plan.
11. Listen again to part of the conversation and answer the question.
S: what if I buy the 15-meal plan and only eat 13 meals that week? Will I get 17 the next week?

A: No, meals do not carry over into the next week.

What does the administrator mean when he says this:
No, meals do not carry over into the next week.

A)
B)
C)
D)

Chefs will not cook extra meals for students.

Dining halls will not serve leftovers.
Students will lose declining balance points.
Students cannot get credit for meals they dont eat. *

Lecture
Listen to part of a lecture from a physical sciences class.
Professor: Cosmology is the study of the universe and its components, including,
uh, how it formed, how its has evolved, and what its future holds. Modern cosmology
grew from ideas before recorded history. Ancient man -- men actually older than me -asked questions such as "What's going on around me?" which then developed into "How
does the universe work?" This is the question, the key question that cosmology asks.
To scientists, cosmology is about a world of controlled observations elucidated by
natural forces. The, many of the earliest recorded scientific observations were about
cosmology, and this pursuit of understanding has continued for over 5,000 years. In the
past 10 years, the study of cosmology has exploded, due to technological advances in
telescopes and space observatories. We've, er, scientists, rather, discovered radically new
information about the structure, origin and evolution of the universe, including what it's
made of -- the objects within it -- and its overall architecture.
The, um, core of modern cosmology grew out of ancient Greece. The underlying
theme in Greek science is the use of observation and experiments -- experimentation,
sorry -- to search for simple, universal laws. We call this geometric cosmology.
Geometric cosmology is on the edge, the borderland, between science and philosophy. It's
close to philosophy because it asks fundamental questions about the universe, and it's
close to science since it looks for answers in the form of empirical understanding by
observation and rational explanation. Thus, theories about cosmology operate with a
tension between a philosophical urge for simplicity and a wish to include all the
universe's features, versus the scientific complexity of it all.
The struggle to formulate a geometric cosmology led to the development of the
biggest philosophical achievement of humankind: [pause] the philosophy of science.
Indirectly, through an examination of our myths and creation stories, we developed the
ideas and techniques that later would become the core ideas of this thing, this discipline,
that we call science. For instance, central to Greek cosmology is the belief that the
underlying order of the universe can be expressed in mathematical form. This assumption
lies at the heart of science, and it is rarely questioned. But here's the catch: Is
mathematics a human invention, or does it have an independent existence?
The philosophy of science led Plato to hypothesize that there were, in fact, two
universes. One was a physical world, the moon, the stars, planets, comets, etcetera. The
other was an immaterial world of "forms." These were perfect aspects of everyday
objects such as tables or birds, and also ideas and emotions such as joy, action, freedom,
democracy, and so on. The objects and ideas we encounter in our material world are
imperfect "shadows" of the perfect forms. This solves the problem of how objects in the
material world are all distinct, and yet similar. For example, no two tables are exactly the

same -- the same size, shape, material and appearance. Yet, they are all tables, so they
have something in common. We could call this common denominator "tableness," if you
will. Yes, question in the back?
S: Um, I don't quite get it. Did Plato believe, that these, uh, shadows, and, um,
forms, exist side by side? But we can see one and not the other?
P: Basically yes, that's correct. In the universe of forms, there are different
objects, namely different types of tables, reflecting the quality "tableness" from the
universe of forms. Thus, there came into existence two schools of thought. One school is
attributed to Plato, and finds that nature is a structure that is precisely governed by
timeless mathematical laws. According to Platonists we do not invent mathematical
truths, we discover them. The physical world is a shadow of the truths in the Platonic
world. The deeper we probe the laws of nature, the more the physical world disappears
and becomes a world of pure math.
The other school holds that mathematical concepts are merely idealizations of our
physical world. The world of absolutes, or the Platonic world, has existence only through
the physical world. In this case, the mathematical world is the same as the Platonic world
and would be thought of as emerging from the world of physical objects.
12. What is the lecture mainly about?
(A) The formation of the universe
(B) Geometric cosmology *
(C) The life of Plato
(D) Forms and shadows
13. Why does the professor mention ancient Greece?
(A) To contrast modern science with old superstitions
(B) To dispel a popular notion about Plato
(C) To explain the origins of modern cosmology *
(D) To highlight the difference between shadows and forms
14. According to the professor, what resulted from the formulation of geometric
cosmology?
(A) Observation and explanation
(B) Mathematical principles
(C) Technological advances
(D) The philosophy of science *
15. Narrator: Listen again to part of the lecture. Then answer the question.
P: Modern cosmology grew from ideas before recorded history. Ancient man -men actually older than me -- asked questions such as "What's going on around me?"
which then developed into "How does the universe work?" This is the question, the key
question that cosmology asks.

Why can be inferred about the professor when he says this:

Ancient man -- men actually older than me -(A) He is more than 100 years old.
(B) He has a good sense of humor. *
(C) He does not respect his students.
(D) He is a professional scientist.
16. Narrator: Listen again to part of the lecture. Then answer the question.
P: For example, no two tables are exactly the same -- the same size, shape,
material and appearance. Yet, they are all tables, so they have something in common. We
could call this common denominator "tableness," if you will. Yes, question in the back?
S: Um, I don't quite get it. Did Plato believe, that these, uh, shadows, and, um,
forms, exist side by side? But we can see one and not the other?
Why does the student say this:
Um, I don't quite get it.
(A) He does not understand what the professor said. *
(B) He cannot hear the professor well.
(C) He could not afford to buy a textbook.
(D) He is having trouble reading his notes.
17. What did Plato believe?
(A) Forms are shadows of physical objects.
(B) There are multiple universes.
(C) Physical objects are shadows of forms. *
(D) Scientists invent mathematical truths.
Conversation
Listen to a conversation between a professor and a student.
P: OK. You are my 9 a.m. appointment, Mr. um, Roberts. Is that correct?
S: Yes, sir. Thanks for seeing me, Professor Johnson. I appreciate it.
P: It's what I'm here for. Now, what can I do for you today?
S: Um. You know, I, uh, I'm in your biology 203 class
P: Yes, I'm aware of that.
S: [nervous laugh] Yeah, I know. I mean, I'm coming every day, and I'm taking notes and
everything, butwell, I'm having, uh, I'm having trouble understanding them. I can't
seem to get the main concepts from the lecture very well.

P: I see. Have you thought about attending one of the class review sessions.
S: Review sessions? Uh, no. I missed the first class.
P: They're explained on the syllabus too. But no worries. A review session is an, er, a
discussion thats led by a student who has already taken the class. They review my lecture
and the homework assignments for each week. Then they answer questions.
S: That sounds good. How long is it?
P: Only an hour. There are two sessions each week, so hopefully one of them can
accommodate your schedule. Here, this will tell you more about them.
S: OK, thank you. I'll, I'll try to make it.
P: You don't have to go, but if youre having trouble, a review session will help you a lot.
I know that the ex-students enjoy leading them.
S: Thank you Professor Johnson. I think I can make the one on Thursday mornings. It's in
Moore Hall; that's close to my dorm.
P: Well, as long as you're here, should we go over some of the stuff that's confusing you,
so we can get you up to speed?
18. Why does the student visit the professor?
(A) To ask about review sessions
(B) To critique a presentation
(C) To complain about a grade
(D) To get help with a problem *
19. What is NOT true of review sessions?
(A) They are led by a former student.
(B) They are two hours long. *
(C) There are two of them each week.
(D) Students are not required to attend.
20. Listen again to part of the conversation and answer the question.
P: OK. You are my 9 a.m. appointment, Mr. um, Roberts. Is that correct?
S: Yes, sir. Thanks for seeing me, Professor Johnson. I appreciate it.
P: It's what I'm here for. Now, what can I do for you today?
What does the professor mean when he says this:
It's what I'm here for.
(A) Meeting with students is part of his job. *
(B) He does not like to meet with students.
(C) He is irritated with the student for coming.
(D) He does not have much time for the student.
21. What can be inferred about the student?
(A) He does not like biology.

(B) He is hard-working. *
(C) He lives with his parents.
(D) He is not very intelligent.
22. What will the student probably do next?
(A) Attend to a review session
(B) Visit another professor
(C) Review notes with Professor Johnson *
(D) Excuse himself and go to lunch
Lecture
Listen to part of a lecture from a life sciences class.
Professor: A few years ago, director Steven Spielberg made a movie called AI. It
told the story of someone who looked and acted like a little boy, but wasnt a little boy.
That's because he was a robot. Now, do you know what does AI stands for?
Student: Artificial intelligence.
Professor: Very good. Artificial intelligence is also known as machine
intelligence. Simply put, it is intelligence exhibited by any manufactured, or artificial,
system. The term is often applied to general-purpose computers, as well as the field of
scientific investigation into the theory and practical application of AI. Artificial
intelligence began as an experimental field in the 1950s. Two men named Allen Newell
and Herbert Simon founded the first AI laboratory at Carnegie Mellon University in
Pittsburgh, and another AI lab opened at MIT in 19, uh, 1959. Artificial intelligence
research was very heavily funded in the 1980s by the Defense Advanced Research
Projects Agency in the United States, and by the fifth generation computer systems
project in Japan.
We use artificial intelligence to produce useful machines that perform human
tasks requiring intelligent behavior. We havent yet produced the human-like robots seen
in Spielbergs AI, but were getting closer. Meanwhile, we are using AI for some very
important tasks. These include scheduling military units, answering customers questions,
and understanding and trans [false start] transcribing speech. AI systems are now
routinely used by businesses and hospitals. And they are built into common home
computer software such as Microsoft Office and video games. There are several different
branches of AI, including logical, search, pattern recognition, and inference. With logical
AI, a machine uses logic to decide how it should act. Information about the world, the
machines specific situation, and, um, its goals are represented by logical mathematical
language. The machine decides what to do by inferring that certain actions are
appropriate for achieving its goals. The search AI program is able to rapidly examine a
large number of possibilities and choose the best option. Um, this is used, for example, in
computers that play chess. A third branch of AI is called pattern recognition. We can
program a machine to compare what it sees with a known pattern. So if a machine looks
into a crowd of people, it will match a pattern of eyes and a nose in order to find a face

that it recognizes. Pattern recognition is also useful for understanding and transcribing
peoples speech. Another branch is called inference AI. With inference AI, a machine is
programmed for a type of reasoning called default reasoning. Default reasoning works
like this: when we hear of a bird, we usually infer that it can fly. However, if we learn the
bird is a penguin, we have to reverse our conclusion about flight, because penguins can't
fly, right? Default reasoning allows the machine to change its original inference in
situations like this. Nowyes, question?
Student: Do scientists want to make AI machines that are as intelligent as people, like in
the movie?
Prof: Yes they do. The ultimate effort, ultimate aim is to make computer programs that
can solve real-world problems and achieve goals as well as humans can. Yes, over here?
Student: How long do they predict before that happens?
Prof: Quite awhile. The Spielberg movie, remember, was set many years in the future.
One problem is that, uh, common-sense knowledge and reasoning are the areas in which
AI is farthest from the human level. Um, another problem is that machines presently
cannot be programmed to learn the same way as a child would. Machines cant learn
from physical experience like a child does, by touching a hot stove and saying "ow," for
instance. And they cant understand, can't comprehend language well enough to learn
much by reading. So I think it will be several years, anyway, before we see something
close to that on the AI market.
23. What aspect of artificial intelligence does the professor mainly discuss?
(A) Its history
(B) Its future
(C) Its uses *
(D) Its theory
24. According to the professor, when did AI research begin?
(A) In the 1920s
(B) In the 1950s *
(C) In the 1960s
(D) In the 1980s
25. Why does the professor mention penguins?
(A) To illustrate an example of default reasoning *
(B) To explain about an early AI experiment
(C) To point out a fallacy with logical AI
(D) To exemplify a practical use of search AI
26. Narrator: Listen again to part of the lecture. Then answer the question.
Prof: Yes they do. The ultimate effort, ultimate aim is to make computer programs
that can solve real-world problems and achieve goals as well as humans can. Yes, over
here?
Student: How long do they predict before that happens?

What does the professor mean when he says this:

Yes, over here?
(A) He is asking a rhetorical question.
(B) He has dropped his microphone.
(C) He is inviting a student to ask a question. *
(D) He is pointing out a location on a map.
27. The professor mentions all of the following as AI branches EXCEPT
(A) Logical
(B) Search
(C) Pattern Recognition
(D) Interference *
28. What is one problem mentioned with machines?
(A) They comprehend language too easily.
(B) They cannot learn from physical experience. *
(C) Their pattern recognition is inefficient.
(D) They do not understand logical mathematical language.
Conversation
Listen to a conversation between a university student and a university employee.
S: Hi, I'm a freshman, and my friend invited me to a sorority party tonight. Could you tell
me how to get to the Alpha Phi house?
E: Sure. The Alpha Phi house is on Miller Street. Walk through campus on the road in
front of the building -- that's 13th -- and turn right onto High Street. Walk down two
blocks, then turn left onto Miller. The Alpha Phi house will be on your right, about a
block down.
S: Um, thanks. Uh
E: Yes?
S: Well, it's just that. The party starts at 9. It's dark then, and I don't, I don't know the
town real well
E: I understand. Why don't you use our campus escort service?
S: What's that?
E: Campus escort is a free service that gives students rides. Other students drive you to
the place youre going.
S: Really? Its free?!
E: Yep. Just call 874-SAFE, and tell them where you're going and what time you would
like to be picked up.
S: Butwill they escort me back home?
E: Sure. Theres a car that will take you from your dorm room to the party, then back to

your dorm. It runs from 5 p.m. to 1 a.m. And theres also a small van that picks students
up every hour at the student center and the mall. It runs from 6 p.m. to midnight.
S: That's really cool. But, um, what if I want to stay later?
E: Call campus police for a free escort: 874-2121.
29. What does the student want to know?
(A) The location of Miller Street
(B) The phone number for the police
(C) How to join a sorority
(D) How to get to a party *
30. What does the employee suggest?
(A) Using an escort *
(B) Taking a small van
(C) Not going to the party
(D) Phoning a friend
31. Listen again to part of the conversation and answer the question.
E: Campus escort is a free service that gives students rides. Other students drive you to

the place youre going.

S: Really? Its free?!
Why does the student say this:
Really?
(A) She thinks the employee is lying.
(B) She is surprised by what the employee has said. *
(C) She did not hear the employee clearly.
(D) She does not want a campus escort.
32. What is the employee's attitude toward the student?
(A) Arrogant
(B) Brusque
(C) Courteous *
(D) Fawning
33. What should the student do if she wants to stay at the party past 1 a.m.?
(A) Call for a small van to pick her up
(B) Spend the night at the party
(C) Have a male walk her home
(D) Call campus police to take her home *

Lecture
Listen to part of a lecture from a life science class.
Professor: All right. Last week, as some of you might recall, we learned how
archaeologists use survey and excavation to recover artifacts and help us date
archaeological sites. But recovering materials from a site is only the first step in using
them to write human history. Archaeologists have to know what theyre looking at as they
handle pots, bones, plant remains and so forth, and recognize patterns in data drawn from
those materials. Some items are easy to recognize, like a potsherd or goat bone. But other
items are more enigmatic, because they um, they're not used in the modern world, so
they're outside our common-sense understanding. A fundamental problem for
archaeologists is how to learn more about the meaning of evidence that is initially myster,
er, ambiguous. To do this, they use a technique called middle range research. Middle
range research bridges the gap between what we know in the present and the meaning of
materials from the past.
In 1983, Lewis Binford wrote, "The archaeological record is contemporary; it
exists with me today, and any observation I make about it is a contemporary observation."
The "archaeological record" to which Mr. Binford refers is a static collection of objects in
their three-dimensional spatial context. This record does not speak for itself; it has to be
interpreted in light of modern knowledge. Middle range research links this static
collection of archaeological objects to past human behavior. This strategy of research has
been dubbed actualism, because it studies the past dynamics that produced the static
remains we see today, which of course is the only time frame where we can observe these
cause-and-effect relationships. Archaeologist Michael Schiffer distinguished between an
object's "archaeological context," that is, the static, three-D shape we encounter in the
present, with its, uh, its "systemic context" -- the active context in which the object was
actively used in the past. Actualism can help us understand how things move from
"systemic" to "archaeological" contexts.
Middle range research depends on reasoning by analogy. We will never know
exactly what happened in the past, but we believe that we can understand past situations
by comparing them with analogous cases in the present. For instance, if a certain presentday action produces a certain consequence, then we can assume that a similar action in
the past would have produced a similar consequence. I can use clay and fire today to
produce pottery, correct? So we might reasonably conclude that the same actions -shaping wet clay and heating it -- would have produced the pottery found at an
archaeological site. This approach has enabled archaeologists to understand much more
about the functions of stone tools and other artifacts through experimental replication and
use.
Middle range research uses what we call a uniformitarian perspective. This means
that we assume the same cause-and-effect relationships observable in the present were at
work in the past. If rubbing two sticks together causes fire today, it did so in the past also.
Now, there are few complications in using a middle-range approach with situations
involving physical or chemical processes. We run into more problems, however, in
dealing with human behavior, particularly in the more remote past. Remember, we are

often dealing with evidence that was produced by peoples and institutions which have
been wiped out, or with the remains of early hominids whose capacity for abstract
reasoning and whose social behavior may have been quite different from our own. But
the only source of information we have on these past human actions is analogy with
present-day processes. Uniformitarian assumptions don't tell us why things happened,
they only permit us more detailed "access" to the past time in which we are interested. It's
like the tools police use to investigate crimes -- fingerprints, blood types and hair
analysis. Like the police, archaeologists are trying to reconstruct events that took place
away from direct observation. This is what makes archaeology simultaneously
challenging and frustrating.
34. What is the lecture mainly about?
(A) Middle range research *
(B) Archaeology
(C) Survey and excavation
(D) Uniformitarian perspective
35. According to the professor, what is the purpose of middle range research?
(A) To identify archaeological artifacts
(B) To use reasoning by analogy
(C) To understand archaeological context
(D) To link present and past knowledge *
36. Narrator: Listen again to part of the lecture. Then answer the question.
Prof: All right. Last week, as some of you might recall, we learned how
archaeologists use survey and excavation to recover artifacts and help us date
archaeological sites.
What does the professor imply when he says this:
as some of you might recall
(A) He suffers from a poor memory.
(B) His students are attentive and hard working.
(C) Many students forgot the previous lecture topic. *
(D) It has been a long time since his last lecture.
37. What is true of middle range research?

(A) It rejects the uniformitarian perspective.

(B) It was more popular in the past than today.
(C) It depends on reasoning by analogy. *
(D) It tells us why things happened in the past.
38. Why does the professor discuss police investigations?
(A) To remind students about a previous lecture

(B) To make an analogy to archaeologists *

(C) To argue against uniformitarian assumptions
(D) To dispel a common erroneous belief
39. According to the professor, what is the main problem with middle range research?
(A) It is not accepted in other branches of science.
(B) It cannot be applied to physical processes.
(C) It is difficult to apply to human behavior. *
(D) It is not as accurate as using actualism.

SPEAKING SECTION
Task 1
Independent: personal preference
Some movies are serious, designed to make the audience think. Other movies are
designed primarily to amuse and entertain. Which type of movie do you prefer? Use
specific reasons and examples to support your answer.
Sample response: I like movies that are entertaining and funny, like the James Bond and
Jackie Chan movies. I think all day in school and when I do my homework. When I
watch a movie, I want to relax and escape from life for a while. I want to come out of the
theater feeling happy. I can read about serious things in books and magazines, or watch
them on TV. To me watching a movie is a special thing that I can do to forget about
serious life. I can give my mind a rest, and have fun.
Task 2
Independent: paired choice
You have received a gift of money. The money is enough to buy either a piece of clothing
that you like or tickets to a concert you want to attend. Which would you buy? Use
specific reasons and details to support your answer.
Sample response 1: I would buy the tickets, because this might be my only chance to see
the concert. I could always buy clothes later, because they will still be there. But I wont
always have a chance to see my favorite singer or band. In the future I might not have
enough money, or the singer or band might not come back to my city. Or they might stop
playing, or die. The concert will give me memories that will last a lifetime. Clothes get
old, and then you have to buy new ones. So I would definitely buy concert tickets.
Sample response 2: I would buy the piece of clothing, because clothes are more
important than music. Clothes can last a long time, while a concert is over in two hours.
If I like a band or a singer, I can watch them on MTV or buy one of their DVDs. I might

not have a chance to buy the piece of clothing again, because I wouldnt have enough
money. I can wear the clothes for three or four years, and they will help me make friends.
This is why I would buy the piece of clothing instead of the tickets.
Task 3
Integrated: reading + conversation
Reading
NOTICE
Beginning next term, there will be a fee for parking your bicycle on campus. It will cost
50 cents per hour to park your bike in the main lots on the north and south end of campus.
An all-day parking pass will be $3.50. A term parking pass is $40. An attendant will be on
duty to watch the lots. This new policy is in response to an increase in campus bicycle
thefts. Having bikes in one place, with a guard, ensures their safety. The money will be
used to pay the attendants salary and to secure and cover the bicycle lots.
Conversation
M: Thats just ridiculous!
W: What is, Charley?
M: Look at this. They want to charge me for parking my bike on campus!
W: Hmm. Well, it seems like its for your safety. Didnt Daniel have his bike stolen last
month?
M: Yeah, but thats not his fault. He locked it up.
W: But if it had been in one of these lots, it probably wouldnt have been stolen.
M: If they had better security guards, it wouldnt have been stolen either. Or they could
put cameras next to the bicycle lots. I already pay enough money for books, food and
tuition. I cant afford this extra charge! Its not fair!
W: They charge cars for parking on campus.
M: Yeah, they should. Cars cause pollution, and they take up too much space. We should
be rewarded for riding bikes to school, not punished.
W: You could always park your bike off campus, and then walk to class.
M: Oh yeah, my bike will be real safe off campus. And anyway, why should I have to
walk? You know I live almost a mile away.
Question
What is the mans opinion about the bicycle parking fee? Use specific examples to
support your answer.
Sample response: The man strongly disagrees with the bicycle parking fee. He thinks
that he already pays enough money for his books and tuition, and so on. He says that the
school should hire more guards or use cameras to catch bicycle thieves. He feels the fee
is not fair, because bicycles dont cause pollution. So its OK to charge cars, but not
bikes. Also, he doesnt want to park his bike outside the campus because its not safe

there. And he doesnt want to walk because he lives a long way away from school. So he
is very angry.
Task 4
Integrated: reading + lecture
Reading
Parents should be careful about what their children watch on TV, the movies and the
Internet. Young kids will do what they see on TV. Older children will develop heroes
from the things they watch. If their hero smokes, they might want to try it. Also, children
cant usually tell whats true and false. People can easily trick them. Another reason
parents must be careful is that what they watch can shape childrens beliefs. They might
get ideas their parents dont like. Finally, sitting too much is not healthy. Children need
exercise, and to play with friends.
Lecture
Prof: Weve read a lot lately about the impact of TV and the Internet on children. Most
people agree that there are lots bad things for children to see. Well, there are. Im not
going to argue about that. I want to point out, however, that there are also a lot of good
things for kids to watch. There are a variety of shows that have fine role models. Parents
dont need to be scared of TV and computers. But they should try very hard to make sure
their kids watch the good things, and not the bad. How can they do this? One good way is
to spend time watching TV and movies with their children. When they go on the Internet,
be there with them. Another good way is to buy Internet and TV filters. These filters
wont let kids visit bad websites or watch bad TV channels. A third way is to limit the
amount of time children can watch TV or be online. But most importantly, parents need
to teach their children right and wrong. If a child knows whats right, he wont be tricked
so easily into believing something that is wrong. Children need to learn right and wrong
from somewhere. If mom and dad dont do it, TV and movies and computers will.
Question
How does the lecture relate to the reading? Give specific reasons and details to support
your answer.
Sample response: The reading said that parents must be careful about letting their
children watch TV and movies and the Internet. It said children do what they see, and
they cant tell whats true so they get bad ideas. The speaker agreed, but he also said there
are good things for children to watch. He gave ideas how parents can help their kids. He
said parents can be with their children when they watch. Or they can buy filters that
wont let them watch bad things. But he said the best thing parents can do is teach their
kids whats right and wrong.

Task 5
Integrated: conversation/best solution
M: Ms. Shaw, is it? Nice to meet you. Thank you for coming to the student counseling
center. My name is Ted Carver. How can I help you today?
W: I have a problem, Mr. Carter, and I need some advice.
M: Thats what were here for. What sort of problem do you have?
W: Its my roommate. I mean, shes a really nice person, but were very different kinds of
people. She likes to stay up late, and I dont. She studies in the library, but I like to study
in the room, and I cant because shes always playing music or talking on the phone or
inviting friends in. Like I say, shes nice, but I dont think I can live with her any longer.
M: It takes time to adjust to living together, Ms. Shaw
W: You can call me Nancy.
M: OK, Nancy. The first semester at college is always stressful. Its not easy to be thrown
in a room with someone you dont know. Its still early in the term. Have you tried talking
with her about your feelings?
W: Sort ofnot really, no. I mean, I mentioned the studying problem, but she thought it
wasnt that serious. And she can see that I want to sleep at night, but she keeps on talking
to friends and playing her music anyway. I guess Im kind of scared to upset her.
M: Well, one idea is that you could talk with her. If she is nice, she will listen to you, and
maybe you could work something out. For example, you could study in your room while
she studies in the library. And perhaps you could find an agreeable bed time.
W: Um, I could try that, I guess. I do like heras a friend, anyway.
M: Another idea, if you think talking wont work, is to move to a different room. You
could go to the student housing office and ask whats available. You might be able to get
a single room, but single rooms are more expensive. Or, you might have to move to a
different dorm. And your new roommate might not be as nice as this one. Why dont you
think about those two suggestions: talking to your roommate, or changing rooms.
W: Thank you Mr. Carter, I will.
Question
What is the best solution to the womans problem? Give specific reasons and details to
support your answer.
Sample response 1: I think the best solution is for Nancy to talk with her roommate. She
said that her roommate is nice, and that she likes her. So they should be able to find some
way to solve their problems. The man said it takes time to get used to living with
someone. Maybe Nancy needs to wait longer. She should talk to her roommate. Then, if
the situation doesnt improve, she could try changing rooms. But I think its always better
to talk about a problem first, and see if you can find the answer on your own.
Sample response 2: The best solution is for the girl to find a different roommate. She has
already told her roommate about the problems she had studying in the room, but the
roommate didnt listen to her. And when the girl tried to sleep, her roommate was very
rude. She went on playing music and talking on the phone. I dont think the roommate is

going to change. She might be very nice, but shes not nice to live with. The girl should
move to a different room. Then she and her roommate can still be friends.
Task 6
Lecture summary
Prof: The modern bicycle was invented by many different people. The first type of
bicycle was called a running machine. It was made of wood, and riders moved it by
sitting on it and pushing with their feet along the ground. They couldnt steer it. After the
running machine came something called a hobby horse. Hobby horses were like running
machines, but the front wheel could move, so the hobby horse could be steered. In the
1860s, two French men invented a kind of bike called a velocipede. The velocipede was
the first bike with pedals. The velocipede was followed in the 1870s by a bike with
pedals, a large front wheel and small back wheel. This was called a penny farthing. The
penny farthing was the first machine to be called a bicycle, which means two wheels.
In the middle of the 1880s, a British engineer named James Starley developed a bicycle
that looked much like modern bikes today. It was called the Starley Rover. The Starley
Rover had two equal-size wheels and a chain drive. The riders seat was between the
wheels and above the pedals. Though the Rover looked modern, it was still
uncomfortable to ride over the rough, bumpy roads of that time. In 1888, an Irish man
named John Dunlop invented rubber tires that could be filled with air. These tires gave
bicycle riders a smoother ride. Today, Dunlop Tires are a famous brand. The Rover, with
its new rubber tires, made bicycles very popular. In the 1900s, bikes continued to
improve. By the year 2000, we had mountain bikes. Mountain bikes can be ridden on dirt
and grass, as well as roads.
Question
Summarize the lecture in your own words.
Sample response: The speaker said that bikes were invented by different people. The
first kind of bike was called a running machine. Then there was the hobby horse. Next
came the velocipede. This was the first bike with pedals. After that, there was the penny
farthing. It had a big front wheel and small back wheel. This was the first one that was
called a bicycle. After that was the Starley Rover. It looked like a modern bike, and used
rubber tires that could be filled with air. By 2000, there were mountain bikes, which can
be used on dirt and grass.

WRITING SECTION
Writing task 1
Integrated reading-lecture
Reading

The death of the dinosaurs is a great mystery. Sixty-five million years ago, dinosaurs
covered the Earth. Many dinosaurs were huge. Some weighed thousands of pounds, and
were 100 feet tall. They had existed on Earth for nearly 200 million years. Suddenly they
became extinct. What happened? There are many different theories.
Many scientists believe that the dinosaurs were killed by an asteroid that hit the Earth.
The asteroid was about six to 12 miles wide. It crashed into southern Mexico. It made a
hole about 130 miles wide. The crash threw lots of dust and dirt into the sky. Strong
winds blew these dirt clouds all over the world. The Earth became dark, and cold.
Sunlight could not reach the ground for about six months. The asteroid also caused fires,
earthquakes and tidal waves. Volcanoes erupted. The fires killed the plants. Poison gases
lowered the oxygen in the oceans. The volcanoes caused acid rain. Very quickly there
was no food for the plant-eating dinosaurs. When the plants died, there was no food for
the meat-eating dinosaurs. The asteroid killed almost 70 percent of all the plants and
animals on Earth. The only animals that could survive were small ones that could eat
many different kinds of food.
The asteroid killed dinosaurs on land, and reptiles in the sea. After a period of time, life
returned to Earths land and seas. But this new life didnt include dinosaurs. They were
extinct; gone forever. In their place, mammals began to appear.
Lecture
What killed the dinosaurs? The most popular theory is that an asteroid did it. We do know
that a large asteroid hit Mexico about the time the dinosaurs disappeared. But did this
asteroid make dinosaurs extinct? Im not sure that it did.
Its true that the asteroid made it hard to live on Earth. But extinction is not a simple
event. Most extinctions do not happen suddenly. Scientists think dinosaurs were getting
weaker before the asteroid hit the Earth. They arent sure why. They know that the
climate was changing. It was getting colder, and the seas were drying up. The colder
climate killed the plants that dinosaurs ate. When the seas dried up, new land appeared.
Some of this land served as bridges between two areas of land. Dinosaurs probably
walked over the land bridges looking for food. Something in the new land might have
given them some type of disease. Scientists think that this disease was killing the
dinosaurs before the asteroid came. Other scientists say that mammals had already started
to appear before the asteroid. Some of these mammals might have eaten dinosaur eggs.
This would prevent young dinosaurs from being born.
The asteroid might have finished off the dinosaurs. It could have been the final blow. But
I dont think the asteroid, by itself, caused the extinction of the dinosaurs. The asteroid
worked in combination with other things. I think that a colder climate, disease, and eggstealing mammals combined with the asteroid to finish off the dinosaurs.
Question

How does the lecture contradict points made in the reading passage? Use specific details
and examples to support your answer.
Sample response
The reading passage said that a huge asteroid probably made dinosaurs extinct. The
lecture, on the other hand, said that the asteroid didnt kill the dinosaurs all by itself. The
reading told about the bad effects of the asteroid hitting the Earth. It said the asteroid
made plants die, so dinosaurs couldnt eat them. The plant eating dinosaurs died. Then
the meat-eaters died. The lecture said the Earth was getting colder and dinosaurs were
dying before the asteroid came. The speaker said the dinosaurs might have had some kind
of disease. The reading said mammals came after the dinosaurs died. But the speaker said
some mammals came before they died. He said that mammals might have eaten the
dinosaurs eggs.
Writing task 2
Independent: personal opinion
Question
Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? Parents are the best teachers. Use
specific reasons and examples to support your answer.
Sample response 1: I agree that parents are the best teachers. Children see their parents
every day, but they only see teachers at school for part of the year. Parents have the most
influence. Children learn a lot by watching their parents. For example, I learned to like
reading by watching my father read many books. Also, I learned how to cook by helping
my mother in the kitchen. On one hand, teachers can teach you things like math and
spelling. However, they cant teach you whats right and wrong. They cant teach you
good manners, or how to save money. They cant give you too much attention, because
they have a class full of other students. Parents, on the other hand, can give you personal
attention. They know you, so they know the best way to teach you. Teachers can teach
you books. Parents teach you about life. These are the best kind of teachers.
Sample response 2: I dont think parents are the best teachers. Just because someone has
children, it doesnt mean they know how to teach them. I remember one time when my
dad tried to help me with my math. He wanted me to do the problem his way, and I didnt
understand it. I got upset and cried. Then he got angry. The next day, my teacher showed
me a better way to do the problem. She was nice, and very patient. I got a 100 on my
math test that week. The parents main job is to discipline their children. They have to tell
them what to do and what not to do. Its often difficult for them to be teacher as well as
father or mother. The children know that their parents are not teachers. They dont want
to listen to them. Teachers, on the other hand, are trained how to teach children. They
know better ways to get kids to learn. This is why I dont think parents are the best
teachers.