Read the following conversation and complete the passage.

Write your answers

in the space provided.
Mother : Why are you late from school, Amit ?
Amit : While coming from school to bus stop, slipped by stepping on a banana peel.
Mother : O, my son! Did you hurt yourself ?
Amit : I got a bad bruise on my left knee.
Mother asked Amit (3.1)………………….. Amit replied that while coming f’rom school
to bus stop(3.2)……………….peel. Mother was shocked to hear this. She further asked
(3.3)……………… . Amit answered that (3.4)……………… .
Answers- .3.1 why he was late from school ?
3.2 he had slipped by stepping on a banana
3.3 if he had hurt himself
3.4 he had got a bad bruise on his left knee

Questions 1–4 are about the following announcement.

Student Volunteers Needed!
On Saturday, December 12th, from 10 A.M. until 4 P.M., Carverton Middle School will
be holding a music festival in the school gymnasium. The special event will feature a
variety of professional musicians and singers.

Task Time Date

Make posters 1 P.M.–4 P.M. December 5th
Set up gym 11 A.M.–4 P.M. December 11th
Help performers 9 A.M.–4 P.M. December 12th
Welcome guests 10 A.M.–2 P.M. December 12th
Clean up gym 4 P.M.–7 P.M. December 12th
Interested students should speak with Ms. Braxton, the music teacher. Students who
would like to help at the festival must have written permission from a parent or guardian.
1. What time will the festival begin?
1. 10 A.M.
2. 11 A.M.
3. 1 P.M.
4. 2 P.M.
2. In line 3, the word feature is closest in meaning to _______.
1. look
2. keep
3. include
4. entertain
3. What job will be done the day before the festival begins?
1. Making posters
2. Setting up the gym
3. Cleaning up the gym
4. Helping the performers
4. Who is told to talk to Ms. Braxton?
1. Parents
2. Students
3. Teachers
4. Performers

Questions 5–11 refer to the following story.

"Did you see that?" Joe said to his friend Bill.
"You're a great shooter!"
Bill caught the basketball and bounced it before throwing it again. The ball flew into the net.
"Bill, you never miss!" Joe said admiringly.
"Unless I'm in a real game," Bill complained.
"Then I miss all the time."
Joe knew that Bill was right. Bill performed much better when he was having fun with Joe in the
school yard than he did when he was playing for the school team in front of a large crowd.
"Maybe you just need to practice more," Joe suggested.
"But I practice all the time with you!" Bill objected.
He shook his head. "I just can't play well when people are watching me."
"You play well when I'm watching," Joe pointed out.
"That's because I've known you since we were five years old," Bill said with a smile. "I'm just
not comfortable playing when other people are around."
Joe nodded and understood, but he also had an idea.
The next day Joe and Bill met in the school yard again to practice. After a few minutes, Joe
excused himself.
"Practice without me," Joe said to his friend. "I'll be back in a minute."
Joe hurried through the school building, gathering together whomever he could find—two
students, a math teacher, two secretaries, and a janitor. When Joe explained why he needed them,
everyone was happy to help.
Joe reminded the group to stay quiet as they all went toward the school's basketball court. As Joe
had hoped,
Bill was still practicing basketball. He made five baskets in a row without noticing the silent
people
standing behind him.
"Hey, Bill!" Joe called out finally.
Bill turned. A look of surprise came over his face.
"I just wanted to show you that you could play well with people watching you," Joe said. "Now
you'll have
nothing to worry about for the next game!"
5. What would be the best title for the story?
1. Joe Joins the Team
2. Practice Makes Perfect
3. Bill Wins the Big Game
4. Bill's Basketball Problem
6. In line 8, the word performed is closest in meaning to _______.
1. acted
2. played
3. moved
4. changed
7. Why is Bill upset?
1. He plays better in practice than he does during games.
2. The school yard is not a good place to practice.
3. Joe watches him too closely when he plays.
4. His team loses too many games.
8. Why does Bill play well when Joe is watching him?
1. He is comfortable with Joe.
2. Joe tells him how to play better.
3. He does not know that Joe is there.
4. He wants to prove to Joe that he is a good player.
9. Why does Joe decide to gather a group of people?
1. Because he wants more players for his team
2. Because he wants to help Bill feel less nervous
3. Because he wants to show them his talent
4. Because he wants more people to see the next game
10. At the end of the story, all of the following people watch Bill practice EXCEPT _______.
1. Joe
2. a janitor
3. a math teacher
4. the basketball coach
11. Why does the group have to be quiet when they go to the basketball court?
1. Because Joe is telling Bill what to do
2. Because they do not want Bill to know they were there
3. Because Bill likes to practice alone
4. Because the group needs to listen to Joe’s instructions
Questions 12–20 are about the following passage.
When another old cave is discovered in the south of France, it is not usually news. Rather,
it is an ordinary event. Such discoveries are so frequent these days that hardly anybody pays
heed to them.
 However, when the Lascaux cave complex was discovered in 1940, the world was amazed.
Painted directly on its walls were hundreds of scenes showing how people lived thousands of
years ago. The scenes show people hunting animals, such as bison or wild cats. Other
images depict birds and, most noticeably, horses, which appear in more than 300 wall images, by
far outnumbering all other animals.
Early artists drawing these animals accomplished a monumental and difficult
task. They did not limit
themselves to the easily accessible walls but carried their painting materials to spaces that
required climbing
steep walls or crawling into narrow passages in the Lascaux complex. Unfortunately, the
paintings have been exposed to the destructive action of water and temperature changes, which
easily wear the images away. Because the Lascaux caves have many entrances, air movement
has also damaged the images inside.
Although they are not out in the open air, where natural light would have destroyed them
long ago, many of the images have deteriorated and are barely recognizable. To prevent
further damage, the site was closed to tourists in 1963, 23 years after it was discovered.

12. Which title best summarizes the main idea of the passage?
1. Wild Animals in Art
2. Hidden Prehistoric Paintings
3. Exploring Caves Respectfully
4. Determining the Age of French Caves
13. In line 4, the words pays heed to are closest in meaning to _______.
1. discovers
2. watches
3. notices
4. buys
14. Based on the passage, what is probably true about the south of France?
1. It is home to rare animals.
2. It has a large number of caves.
3. It is known for horse-racing events.
4. It has attracted many famous artists.
15. According to the passage, which animals appear most often on the cave walls?
1. Birds
2. Bison
3. Horses
4. Wild cats
16. In line 10, the word depict is closest in meaning to _______.
1. show
2. hunt
3. count
4. draw
17. Why was painting inside the Lascaux complex a difficult task?
1. It was completely dark inside.
2. The caves were full of wild animals.
3. Painting materials were hard to find.
4. Many painting spaces were difficult to reach.
18. In line 14, the word They refers to _______.
1. walls
2. artists
3. animals
4. materials
19. According to the passage, all of the following have caused damage to the paintings
EXCEPT _______.
1. temperature changes
2. air movement
3. water
4. light
20. What does the passage say happened at the Lascaux caves in 1963?
1. Visitors were prohibited from entering.
2. A new lighting system was installed.
3. Another part was discovered.
4. A new entrance was created.
Questions 21–25 are about the following passage.
Smart Energy
The next few decades will see great changes in the way energy is supplied and
used. In some major oil producing nations, 'peak oil' has already been reached, and
there are increasing fears of global warming. Consequently, many countries are
focusing on the switch to a low carbon economy. This transition will lead to major
changes in the supply and use of electricity. [A] Firstly, there will be an increase in
overall demand, as consumers switch from oil and gas to electricity to power their
homes and vehicles. [B]Secondly, there will be an increase in power generation, not
only in terms of how much is generated, but also how it is generated, as there is
growing electricity generation from renewable sources. [C] There is also likely more
electricity generation centres, as households and communities take up the opportunity
to install photovoltaic cells and small scale wind turbines. To meet these challenges,
countries are investing in Smart Grid technology. [D] This system aims to provide the
electricity industry with a better understanding of power generation and demand, and to
use this information to create a more efficient power network.
Smart Grid technology basically involves the application of a computer system to the
electricity network. The computer system can be used to collect information about
supply and demand and improve engineer's ability to manage the system. With better
information about electricity demand, the network will be able to increase the amount of
electricity delivered per unit generated, leading to potential reductions in fuel needs and
carbon emissions. Moreover, the computer system will assist in reducing operational
and maintenance costs.
Smart Grid technology offers benefits to the consumer too. They will be able to collect
real-time information on their energy use for each appliance. Varying tariffs throughout
the day will give customers the incentive to use appliances at times when supply greatly
exceeds demand, leading to great reductions in bills. For example, they may use their
washing machines at night. Smart meters can also be connected to the internet or
telephone system, allowing customers to switch appliances on or off
remotely. Furthermore, if houses are fitted with the apparatus to generate their own
power, appliances can be set to run directly from the on-site power source, and any
excess can be sold to the grid.
With these changes comes a range of challenges. The first involves managing the
supply and demand. Sources of renewable energy, such as wind, wave and solar, are
notoriously unpredictable, and nuclear power, which is also set to increase as nations
switch to alternative energy sources, is inflexible. With oil and gas, it is relatively simple
to increase the supply of energy to match the increasing demand during peak times of
the day or year. With alternative sources, this is far more difficult, and may lead to
blackouts or system collapse. Potential solutions include investigating new and efficient
ways to store energy and encouraging consumers to use electricity at off-peak times.
A second problem is the fact that many renewable power generation sources are
located in remote areas, such as windy uplands and coastal regions, where there is
currently a lack of electrical infrastructure. New infrastructures therefore must be
built. Thankfully, with improved smart technology, this can be done more efficiently by
reducing the reinforcement or construction costs.
Although Smart Technology is still in its infancy, pilot schemes to promote and test it are
already underway. Consumers are currently testing the new smart meters which can be
used in their homes to manage electricity use. There are also a number of
demonstrations being planned to show how the smart technology could practically work,
and trials are in place to test the new electrical infrastructure. It is likely that technology
will be added in 'layers', starting with 'quick win' methods which will provide initial carbon
savings, to be followed by more advanced systems at a later date. Cities are prime
candidates for investment into smart energy, due to the high population density and
high energy use. It is here where Smart Technology is likely to be promoted first,
utilising a range of sustainable power sources, transport solutions and an infrastructure
for charging electrically powered vehicles. The infrastructure is already changing
fast. By the year 2050, changes in the energy supply will have transformed our homes,
our roads and our behaviour.
21. According to paragraph 1, what has happened in some oil producing countries?
A. They are unwilling to sell their oil any more.
B. They are not producing as much oil as they used to.
C. The supply of oil is unpredictable.
D. Global warming is more sever here than in other countries.

22. The word 'remote' in paragraph 5 could be best replace by:

A. isolated
B. crowded
C. attractive
D. alone

23. Which of the following is NOT a benefit of Smart Grid technology to consumers?
A. It can reduce their electricity bills.
B. It can tell them how much energy each appliance is using.
C. It can allow them to turn appliances on and off when they are not at home.
 D. It can reduce the amount of energy needed to power appliances.

24. According to paragraph 4, what is the problem with using renewable sources of
power?
A. They do not provide much energy.
B. They often cause system failure and blackouts.
C. They do not supply a continuous flow of energy.
D. They can't be used at off-peak times.

25. In paragraph 5, what can be inferred about cities in the future?

A. More people will be living in cities in the future than nowadays.
B. People in cities will be using cars and buses powered by electricity.
C. All buildings will generate their own electricity.
D. Smart Grid technology will only be available in cities.

The Alaska pipeline starts at the frozen edge of the Arctic Ocean. It stretches southward
across the largest and northernmost state in the United States, ending at a remote ice-free
seaport village nearly 800 miles from where it begins. It is massive in size and extremely
complicated to operate.
The steel pipe crosses windswept plains and endless miles of delicate tundra that tops
the frozen ground. It weaves through crooked canyons, climbs sheer mountains, plunges over
rocky crags, makes its way through thick forests, and passes over or under hundreds of rivers
and streams. The pipe is 4 feet in diameter, and up to 2 million barrels (or 84 million gallons) of
crude oil can be pumped through it daily.
Resting on H-shaped steel racks called "bents," long sections of the pipeline follow a
zigzag course high above the frozen earth. Other long sections drop out of sight beneath spongy
or rocky ground and return to the surface later on. The pattern of the pipeline's up-and- down
route is determined by the often harsh demands of the arctic and subarctic climate, the tortuous
lay of the land, and the varied compositions of soil, rock, or permafrost (permanently frozen
ground). A little more than half of the pipeline is elevated above the ground. The remainder is
buried anywhere from 3 to 12 feet, depending largely upon the type of terrain and the
properties of the soil.
One of the largest in the world, the pipeline cost approximately $8 billion and is by far the
biggest and most expensive construction project ever undertaken by private industry. In fact, no
single business could raise that much money, so eight major oil companies formed a consortium
in order to share the costs. Each company controlled oil rights to particular shares of land in the
oil fields and paid into the pipeline-construction fund according to the size of its holdings. Today,
despite enormous problems of climate, supply shortages, equipment breakdowns, labor
disagreements, treacherous terrain, a certain amount of mismanagement, and even theft, the
Alaska pipeline has been completed and is operating.

1. The passage primarily discusses the pipeline's

A. Operating costs
B. Employees
C. Consumers
D. Construction
 2. The word "it" in line 5 refers to the
A. Pipeline
B. Ocean
C. State
D. Village

3. According to the second paragraph, 84 million gallons of oil can travel through the
pipeline each
A. Day
B. Week
C. Month
D. Year

4. The phrase "Resting on" in line 15 is closest in meaning to

A. Consisting of
B. Supported by
C. Passing under
D. Protected with

5. The author mentions all of the following in the third paragraph as important in
determining the pipeline's
route EXCEPT the
A. Climate
B. Lay of the land itself
C. Local vegetation
D. Kind of soil and rock

6. The word "undertaken" in line 31 is closest in meaning to

A. Removed
B. Selected
C. Transported
D. Attempted

7. According to the last paragraph, how many companies shared the costs of constructing
the pipeline?
A. Three
B. Four
C. Eight
D. Twelve

8. The word "particular" in line 35 is closest in meaning to

A. Peculiar
B. Specific
C. Exceptional
D. Equal

9. According to the last paragraph, which of the following determined what percentage of
the construction costs
each member of the consortium would pay?
A. How much oil field land each company owned
B. How long each company had owned land in the oil fields
 C. How many people worked for each company
D. How many oil wells were located on the company's land

10. Where in the passage does the author provide a term for a layer of soil that always
remains frozen?
A. Line 4
B. Line 15
C. Line 23
D. Line 37

"The evolution of the banana, star of the Western fruit bowl"

By Rosie Mestel
Did you hear? The genome of the banana has been sequenced, an important
development in scientist's efforts to produce better bananas.
A look at that genome has revealed curious things, said Pat Heslop-Harrison, a plant
geneticist at the University of Leicester in England who was a coauthor of the report published
this week in the journal Nature.
For example, there are regions of the banana genome that don't seem to be involved in
making proteins but are shared by many different species of plants, far beyond bananas. What,
he wonders, are they doing?
There are remnants of bits of banana streak virus spliced into the banana genome (too
broken-up to cause disease, however).
There are whole sets of DNA repeats that plants normally have but bananas do not. And,
intriguingly, three times since this genus of giant herbs took an evolutionary turn away from its
relatives -- the grasses -- it has duplicated its entire set of chromosomes.
Two of the doublings took place at the Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary 65 million years
ago, back when the dinosaurs and lots of other species went extinct, Heslop-Harrison noted.
Duplications like this are known to have happened in other plant groups at this same
time but haven't occurred since, Heslop-Harrison said. Scientists don't know why, but they
believe having extra copies of genes may have imparted some stability to plants during a time of
rapid climate change after an asteroid hit Earth.
Having more than one gene of each type means that if one gene of a set loses function,
the plant still has another one that works. And there's more room for adaptability to new
circumstances, because one gene could be altered and co-opted for new purposes and there
would still be the other one left to perform the original job.
"Perhaps it's the reason [bananas have] done so well in the subsequent millions of years,"
Heslop-Harrison said. "One can ask, will changes occurring in the world's climate now mean
there's going to be a whole set of new genome duplications that will enable plants to survive?
We don't know that, but it's interesting to consider."
The banana genome sequenced by the French scientists was from the Pahang, a wild
Malaysian banana of the species Musa acuminata. It's a key species in the complicated evolution
of the bananas and plantains people eat around the world, including the Cavendish banana that
we buy at the supermarket.
The sterile Cavendish is a so-called triploid: It has three sets of chromosomes instead of
the normal two. One of those genomes came from Pahang. The others came from other
subspecies of Musa acuminata.
The changes occurred stepwise, and went something like this:
 Thousands of years ago, two wild banana species from different parts of the islands of
Southeast Asia were brought into the same range by people. They formed hybrids. A bit like
mules, the hybrids were vigorous but fairly sterile.
 The hybrids were kept going without sex through propagation of their shoots.
 At some point, the hybrids developed the ability to set fruit without being fertilized.
 Then (for most bananas, including the Cavendish) came another chance event that caused the
hybrids to end up with three sets of chromosomes. Every now and again, the few viable eggs and
pollen that they made would mistakenly contain two sets of chromosomes instead of just one.
When a double-chromosome pollen combined with a single-chromosome egg (or vice
versa), the result was a hopelessly sterile plant with even more vigorous fruit.
Events like this happened more than once and sometimes included other types of
ancestral banana species.
Some scientists, in fact, have made a whole study of banana domestication and
movement around the world. They've pieced the story together using quite different strands of
information, including the genomes of wild and cultivated bananas, the microscopic relics of
banana leaf material found at archaeological sites, and even the word for "banana" in different
languages.

11. In paragraph 2, the word "curious" is closest in meaning to

A. Inquisitive
B. Peculiar
C. Nosy
D. Intricate

12. What does paragraph 5 suggest about bananas?

A. The banana genus may not yet be classifiable into a traditional category
B. Bananas are actually a species of grass
C. Bananas may now be categorized as "herbs" in supermarkets
D. Because banana chromosomes duplicate themselves, they have better potential
for successful cloning

13. Why does the author use "intriguingly" to describe the phenomenon in paragraph 5?
A. To imply that bananas are far more interesting than other fruits
B. To make readers doubt the claims scientists are making about bananas
C. To suggest that duplication of chromosomes is a rare and interesting occurrence in
the plant world
D. To encourage questions about whether bananas are grasses or herbs

14. Why is the observation in paragraph 6 important?

A. It suggests that the banana mutated its genetic structure for survival
B. It shows that bananas can be traced as far back as dinosaurs
C. It suggests that bananas were fatal to dinosaurs and other species
D. It proves that bananas are immune to atmospheric changes

15. The word "co-opted" in paragraph 8 is closest in meaning to

A. Decided upon together
B. Argued against
C. Removed from the study
D. Adopted
 16. The quote in paragraph 9 most closely suggests
A. Bananas may be an example of ways that species might alter their genetics to
survive changes in the
earth's climate and atmosphere
B. That the genetic mutations of bananas have no implications for other species
C. That genetic structure is the only factor that should be considered when
predicting survival
D. Though bananas have made it this far, there is no proof that they will survive the
next wave of
significant atmospheric changes.

17. According to the article, all are steps in the evolution of the banana EXCEPT
A. Some banana hybrids began to develop three sets of chromosomes
B. The merging of two different banana species
C. Bananas reproduced widely and easily through fertilization
D. Bananas developed the ability to develop fruit without fertilization

18. The word "chance" in paragraph 16 is closest in meaning to

A. Random
B. Gamble
C. Risky
D. Opportune

19. All are variations of banana mentioned in the article EXCEPT

A. The Cavendish
B. Dolus mundi
C. Musa acuminata
D. Plantains

20. The word "domestication" in the final paragraph is closest in meaning to>
A. Housebroken
B. Well-controlled
C. Adapted for human consumption
D. Accepted within the culture

For number 21-25:

The late 1980s found the landscape of popular music in America dominated by a
distinctive style of rock and roll known as Glam Rock or Hair Metal—so called because of the
over-styled hair, makeup, and wardrobe worn by the genre's ostentatious rockers. Bands like
Poison, White Snake, and Mötley Crüe popularized glam rock with their power ballads and flashy
style, but the product had worn thin by the early 1990s. The mainstream public, tired of an act
they perceived as symbolic of the superficial 1980s, was ready for something with a bit of
substance.
In 1991, a Seattle-based band named Nirvana shocked the corporate music industry with
the release of its debut single "Smells Like Teen Spirit," which quickly became a huge hit all over
the world. Nirvana's distorted, guitar-laden sound and thought-provoking lyrics were the
antithesis of glam rock, and the youth of America were quick to pledge their allegiance to the
brand new movement known as grunge.
Grunge actually got its start in the Pacific Northwest during the mid 1980s, the offspring
of the metal-guitar driven rock of the 1970s and the hardcore, punk music of the early 1980s.
Nirvana had simply brought into the mainstream a sound and culture that got its start years
before with bands like Mudhoney, Soundgarden, and Green River. Grunge rockers derived their
fashion sense from the youth culture of the Pacific Northwest: a melding of punk rock style and
outdoors clothing like flannels, heavy boots, worn-out jeans, and corduroys. At the height of the
movement's popularity, when other Seattle bands like Pearl Jam and Alice in Chains were all the
rage, the trappings of grunge were working their way to the height of American fashion. Like the
music, teenagers were fast to embrace the grunge fashion because it represented defiance
against corporate America and shallow pop culture.
Many assume that grunge got its name from the unkempt appearance of its musicians
and their dirty, often distorted guitar sounds. However, rock writers and critics have used the
word "grunge" since the 1970s.While no one can say for sure who was the first to characterize a
Seattle band as "grunge," the most popular theory is that it originated with the lead singer
ofMudhoney,Mark Arm. In a practical joke against a local music magazine, he placed
advertisements all over Seattle for a band that did not exist.He then wrote a letter to the
magazine complaining about the quality of the fake band's music. The magazine published his
critique, one part of which stated, "I hate Mr. Epp and the Calculations! Pure grunge!"
The popularity of grunge music was ephemeral; by the mid- to late-1990s its influence
upon American culture had all but disappeared, and most of its recognizable bands were
nowhere to be seen on the charts. The heavy sound and themes of grunge were replaced on the
radio waves by bands like NSYNC, the Backstreet Boys, and the bubblegum pop of Britney Spears
and Christina Aguilera.
There are many reasons why the Seattle sound faded out of the mainstream as quickly as
it rocketed to prominence, but the most glaring reason lies at the defiant, anti-establishment
heart of the grunge movement itself. It is very hard to buck the trend when you are the one
setting it, and many of the grunge bands were never comfortable with the celebrity that was
thrust upon them. One of the most successful Seattle groups of the 1990s, Pearl Jam, filmed only
one music video, and refused to play large venues. Ultimately, the simple fact that many grunge
bands were so against mainstream rock stardom eventually took the movement back to where it
started: underground. The American mainstream public, as quick as they were to hop onto the
grunge bandwagon, were just as quick to hop off, and move onto something else.

21. The author's description of glam rockers in paragraph 1 indicates that they
A. Cared more about the quality of their music than money.
B. Were mainly style over substance.
C. Were unassuming and humble.
D. Were songwriters first, and performers second.

22. The word ostentatious in paragraph 1 most nearly means

A. Stubborn.
B. Youthful.
C. Showy.
D. Unadorned.

23. In paragraph 3 the phrase the trappings of grunge refers to

A. The distorted sound of grunge music.
B. What the grunge movement symbolized.
C. The unattractiveness of grunge fashion.
D. The clothing typical of the grunge movement.

24. Which of the following is not associated with the grunge movement?
 A. Mr. Epp and the Calculations
B. Pearl Jam
C. Nirvana
D. White Snake

25. Which of the following words best describes the relationship between grunge music and
its mainstream
popularity?
A. Solid
B. Contrary
C. Enduring
D. Acquiescent