PRACTICE TEST 48

I. LISTENING (50 POINTS)

Part 1: You will hear a lecture about the history of salt. For questions 1-10, listen and complete the
notes below. Write NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS AND/OR A NUMBER for each answer.
(20 points)
The Early History of Salt
Salt use
• Salt is salt is one of the oldest and most 1. _____________.
• Salt is essential for human health, for example it regulates the body's 2._____________.
• In ancient civilizations, salt was highly valued and used as a method of 3.
________________.
• The word 4. _______________ comes from the Latin word’s solarium argetum, which
was used to describe the payment to Roman soldiers.
• We know today a high salt environment is not conducive to microbial reproduction and 5.
______________ of salt can even kill microorganisms.
Ancient Sweden
• In Ancient Sweden, animals were kept in the 6. ______________ at the right time of year
so fresh meat was only available in October.
• A way of preserving food was invented: salting.
• Annual 7. ______________ increased rapidly because the food was much too salty.
Salt source
• it has long been found that salt can be extracted from seawater, mineral deposits, 8.
______________, brines, springs, etc.
• People mainly extract salt from oceans and deserts in the basins.
• Salt from spring water is 9. ______________and purer compared to that from sea water.
Salt distribution
• In ancient Sweden, locals needed to protect the 10. ______________by which they
imported salt.
• In other ancient countries, people carrying salt around were seen as a natural means
of transport.
Part 2: Listen to a piece of news report on plastic waste. From questions 11-15, answer the questions
with no more than 5 words. Write your answer in the given space. (10 points)
11. According to estimations, what do two billion of people worldwide have no access to?
……………………………………………………………………………………
12. What are fishing gear types that are often lost or dumped at sea?
……………………………………………………………………………………
13. What catastrophe does abandon fishing gear cause to marine life?
……………………………………………………………………………………
14. The size of the microplastic is no bigger than that of what?
……………………………………………………………………………………
15. What are washed down the drain that contain microbeads?
……………………………………………………………………………………
Part 3: You will hear part of an interview with Mark Latell, a scientist who works on volcanoes,
talking about his job. For questions 16-20, decide whether the following statements are True (T) or
False (F). (10 points)
16. According to Mark, predictions about volcanic eruptions can be inaccurate because of the
lack of constant observation.
17. When Mark’s team successfully predicted an eruption on an island, he felt embarrassed by
the thanks he received.
18. Mark’s team role is to deal with eruptions at the scale of national emergency.

1
 19. Mark thought that the comparison of them with the “cowboys” is true to some extent.
20. When escaping the eruption of Mount St Helens, everyone in Mark’s team were thrilled by
being so close to such a big eruption.
Your answers:
16. 17. 18. 19. 20.

Part 4: You will hear part of a radio interview in which a sports journalist is talking about
footballers’ pay. For questions 21-25, choose the answer A, B, or C which fits best according to
what you hear. (10 points)
21. According to Micheal, the amount of money in football is causing a problem because
A. too many poor quality matches are televised.
B. the game has switched from its working man’s roots.
C. it has weakened international competition in the game.
D. the high gate and kit charges have reduced the fan base.
22. Micheal claims that the high levels of pay for footballers have come about because of
A. companies wanting players to market their brand.
B. the demand for the televising of matches.
C. clubs fairly rewarding the talent of their players.
D. a desire to prevent top players going to other clubs.
23. Micheal says that a valid argument against paying footballers so much is that
A. they are inadequate role models for young people.
B. their salaries are disproportionate to the task.
C. the rich clubs fail to support the poorer clubs.
D. their jobs are less important than those of other workers.
24. Micheal suggests that the solution to the problem of pay is to
A. pay players according to how well they perform.
B. base pay on the percentage of fans the club attracts.
C. create a pay scale with a reasonable top limit.
D. share income from broadcasting across all the clubs.
25. Micheal thinks that the profits from football should be used for
A. new sports facilities across the country.
B. involving and teaching children in sports.
C. funding sports scholarships in poorer countries.
D. subsidizing an international pay scale for players.

PART II. LEXICO - GRAMMAR (30 points)

Part 1: Choose the best answer to each of the following questions. (15 pts)
1. There is little doubt that your daughter has a real _________ with animals.
A. affinity B. intuition C. aptitude D. flair
2. Despite a string of _________ performance, he retained his place in the side.
A. promising B. reasonable C. satisfactory D. moderate
3. For years now, it seems he has been _________ by bad luck.
A. bugged B. doomed C. dogged D. haunted
4. The movie takes considerable _________ with the novel that it is based on.
A. liberties B. privileges C. enlightenments D. deliverances
5. _________ IT skills today should not be required for women?
A. Who was that said B. Who was it that said
C. Who that it said D. Who was said that
6. From the top of the hill, the village looks quite close, but distances are_________.
A. deceptive B. surprising C. false D. illusory

2
7. This room could really do with another _________ of paint.
A. coat B. jacket C. skin D. sliver
8. Her dishonesty served as a ____________ to the speedy termination of her employment.
A. catastrophe B. catharsis C. catalepsy D. catalyst
9. In his speech he made a flattering ______ to your work.
A. allusion B. appetite C. application D. applause
10. If we _________ over the details, we’ll never finish filming this episode by today.
A. niggle B. discuss C. huddle D. mob
11. The camel has adapted to survive in an _____________ environment like the desert for many
days without water.
A. acidic B. alkaline C. arid D. avid
12. My manager is a typical working mother who has to deal with ___________ activities every day.
A. miscellaneous B. multifarious C. many D. manifold
13. He'll have to buckle ________ to his work soon if he wants to pass his finals.
A. up B. in C. down D. for
14. He spoke well though it was his _________ speech.
A. first-hand B. maiden C. slurred D. prime
15. In his ___________days he was quite dandy.
A. salad B. green C. fruit D. vegetable
Your answers
1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
6. 7. 8. 9. 10.
11. 12. 13. 14. 15.
Part 2: The text below contains 5 mistakes. Underline the mistakes and write the correct words in
the space provided. (5 pts)
1 With Europe facing the more serious flu epidemic in years, the World Health
2 Organization is warning the public, especially the sick and elderly, to do an inoculation
3 now. Health experts warn that this winter's outbreak could be as severe as the 1989
4 epidemic, which killed 25,000 people in Britain only.
5 WHO has stressed the importance in vaccination, and several countries are already taking
6 precautions to ensure that those of high-risk categories such as diabetics and those with
7 heart, or lung complaints, are vaccinated. Nearly all previous strains of flu are known to
8 originate in China and Far East, and whereas in the past infection spread slowly across
9 the world, these days global infection is a threat.

Part 3: Write the correct form of each bracketed word in the following sentences. (10 pts)
1. Students carried out a …………. at the governor's office to protest higher tuition costs. (SIT)
2. It was a very idea …………. completely impractical and unworkable. (FAR)
3. Sometimes the way we view life seems to be determined not by what really happens to us, so
much as by our perception of what happens, which is sometimes called thinking. (FACT)
4. Bill Gate is a totally millionaire………… he started his own business with no financial help at all.
(SELF)
5. we often forget we are inextricably linked to nature, and by doing so,………….contribute to its
slow destruction. (ADVERT)
6. The drinking water had a …………. oily taste. (AGREE)
7. The students ranged from people who already had some expertise in the kitchen, to totally
(3)…………. people like myself. (SKILL)
8. It was going to take some deft political…………. to save the situation. (WORK)
9. What a terrible film! It's really…………. in my views. (RATE)

3
10. The reason for Bruce Lee's death was sleeping pill…………. (DOSAGE)
Your answers
1. 3. 5. 7. 9.
2. 4. 6. 8. 10.

PART III. READING (60 points)

Part 1: Choose the words that best complete the sentences in the text. (10 pts)
INDUSTRY 4.0
Digitally connected manufacturing, often (1)___ “Industry 4.0”, (2)___ a wide variety of
technologies, ranging from 3D printing to robotics, new materials and production systems.
A move towards Industry 4.0 would benefit the private sector. Large, integrated manufacturers
would find in it a way to (3)___ and shorten their supply chain, for example via flexible factories. A
more digitalized manufacturing would also open new market (4)___ for SMEs providing such
specialized technologies as sensors, robotics, 3D printing or machine-to-machine communications.
For developed nations, Industry 4.0-a term initially (5)___ in Germany-could be a way to regain
manufacturing competitiveness. This is particularly relevant in the case of Western Europe, which,
unlike the US, does not currently enjoy reduced energy costs.
As for (6)___ markets, Industry 4.0 could provide the much-needed route to moving up the value
chain, something that has become increasingly important to achieve in the (7)___ of rising labor costs.
For example, China’s new ten-year plan, issued last May and (8)___ named “Made in China 2025”,
targets key sectors such as robotics, information technology and energy (9)___ turning the country
from a “manufacturing giant” into a “world manufacturing power.
As promising as it is, much more work remains to be done to make Industry 4.0 a large scale
reality. On the regulatory side, for instance, policy makers will have to ensure that data-the (10)___ of
Industry 4.0- can move freely and securely throughout the supply chain, including across borders. This
is
an effort that is likely to take some time.
1. A. deferred to as B. referred to as C. deferred to D. referred to
2. A. involves B. supports C. encompasses D. necessitates
3. A. optimize B. maximize C. customize D. legitimize
4 .A. chances B. possibilities C. opportunities D. places
5. A. yielded B. pieced C. lauded D. coined
6. A. novel B. emerging C. premature D. immature
7. A. loop B. teeth C. feat D. wake
8. A. aptly B. particularly C. unwittingly D. distinctively
9. A. in the interests of B. in lieu of C. in awe of D. in the hope of
10. A. pins and needles B. nuts and bolts C. root and branch D. part and parcel
Part 2. Read the text below and think of the word which best fits each space. Use only one word in
each space. (10pts)
EDUCATING TOMORROW’S LEADERS
When it comes to educating tomorrow's leaders, it would be wrong to assume that there is a formula
that can be applied to (1) ____ people into great leaders. But it is possible to prepare youngsters for
leadership by teaching them some essential skills. We all have the potential to lead, and, (2) ____
importantly, the ability to improve our skills. The first step is to let young people look at the great
leaders (3) ____ know about. They will soon realize that leaders have their own, personal ways of
leading. But faced with the prospect of comparing themselves (4) ____ famous leaders, youngsters
may well fell discouraged. We need to give them examples of leadership (5) ____ can be found all
around us.

4
There are countless opportunities to pick up leadership skills at school, in the sport field, and even at
home. We should encourage youngsters to take (6) ____ projects which involve leadership. It is also
advisable for them to keep a journal (7) ____ they can record their experiences as leaders, even if they
seem small and unimportant. They can put (8) ____what they did well and also where they have done
(9) ____This is not a waste of time because (10) ____ a journal will be a valuable reference for years.

Part 3: Read the following passage and choose the best answer to each question. (10 points)
HISTORY OF THE CHICKENPOX VACCINE
Chickenpox is a highly contagious infectious disease caused by the Varicella zoster virus; sufferers
develop a fleeting itchy rash that can spread throughout the body. The disease can last for up to 14 days
and can occur in both children and adults, though the young are particularly vulnerable. Individuals
infected with chickenpox can expect to experience a high but tolerable level of discomfort and a fever
as the disease works its way through the system. The ailment was once considered to be a “rite of
passage” by parents in the U.S. and thought to provide children with greater and improved
immunity to other forms of sickness later in life. This view, however, was altered after additional
research by scientists demonstrated unexpected dangers associated with the virus. Over time, the fruits
of this research have transformed attitudes toward the disease and the utility of seeking preemptive
measures against it.
A vaccine against chickenpox was originally invented by Michiaki Takahashi, a Japanese doctor
and research scientist, in the mid-1960s. Dr. Takahashi began his work to isolate and grow the virus in
1965 and in 1972 began clinical trials with a live but weakened form of the virus that caused the human
body to create antibodies. Japan and several other countries began widespread chickenpox vaccination
programs in 1974. However, it took over 20 years for the chickenpox vaccine to be approved by the
U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA), finally earning the U.S. government’s seal of approval for
widespread use in 1995. Yet even though the chickenpox vaccine was available and recommended by
the FDA, parents did not immediately choose to vaccinate their children against this disease. Mothers
and fathers typically cited the notion that chickenpox did not constitute a serious enough disease
against which a person needed to be vaccinated.
Strong belief in that view eroded when scientists discovered the link between Varicella Zoster, the
virus that causes chickenpox, and shingles, a far more serious, harmful, and longer-lasting disease in
older adults that impacts the nervous system. They reached the conclusion that Varicella Zoster remains
dormant inside the body, making it significantly more likely for someone to develop shingles. As a
result, the medical community in the U.S. encouraged the development , adoption, and use of a vaccine
against chickenpox to the public. Although the appearance of chickenpox and shingles within one
person can be many years apart - generally many decades - the increased risk in developing shingles
as a younger adult (30-40 years old rather than 60-70 years old) proved to be enough to convince the
medical community that immunization should be preferred to the traditional alternative.
Another reason that the chickenpox vaccine was not immediately accepted and used by parents in
the U.S. centered on observations made by scientists that the vaccine simply did not last long enough
and did not confer a lifetime of immunity. In other words, scientists considered the benefits of the
vaccine to be temporary when given to young children. They also feared that it increased the odds that
a person could become infected with chickenpox later as a young adult, when the rash is more painful
and prevalent and can last up to three or four weeks. Hence, allowing young children to develop
chickenpox rather than take a vaccine against it was believed to be the “lesser of two evils.” This idea
changed over time as booster shots of the vaccine elongated immunity and countered the perceived
limits on the strength of the vaccine itself.
Today, use of the chickenpox vaccine is common throughout the world. Pediatricians suggest an
initial vaccination shot after a child turns one year old, with booster shots recommended after the child
turns eight. The vaccine is estimated to be up to 90% effective and has reduced worldwide cases of
chickenpox infection to 400,000 cases per year from over 4 ,000,000 cases before vaccination became

5
widespread . ■ (A) In light of such statistics, most doctors insist that the potential risks of developing
shingles outweigh the benefits of avoiding rare complications associated with inoculations . ■ (B) Of
course, many parents continue to think of the disease as an innocuous ailment, refusing to take
preemptive steps against it. ■ (C) As increasing numbers of students are vaccinated and the virus
becomes increasingly rarer, how eve r, even this trend among parents has failed to halt the decline of
chickenpox among the most vulnerable populations. ■ (D)
1. The word “tolerable ” in the 1st pas sage is closest in meaning to
A. sudden. B. bearable C. infrequent. D. unexpected.
2. According to paragraph 1, which of the following is true of the chicken pox virus?
A. It leads to a potentially deadly disease in adults.
B. It is associated with a possibly permanent rash.
C. It is easily transmittable by an infected individual.
D. it has been virtually eradicated in the modern world.
3. Which of the following best expresses the essential information in the highlighted sentence “The
ailment was once considered to be a “rite of passage” by parents in the U.S. and thought to
provide children with greater and improved immunity to other forms of sickness later in life” ?
A. U.S. parents believed that having chickenpox benefited their children.
B. U.S. parents believed that chickenpox led to immunity against most sickness.
C. U.S. parents wanted to make sure that their children developed chickenpox.
D. U.S. parents did not think that other vaccinations were needed after chickenpox.
4. Which of the following can be inferred from paragraph 2 about the clinical trials for the
chickenpox vaccine?
A. They too k longer than expected. B. They cost a lot of money to complete.
C .They took a long time to finish. D. They were ultimately successful.
5. The word “notion” in the 2nd passage is closest in meaning to
A. history B. findings C. fact D. belief
6. According to paragraph 3, which of the following is true of Varicella Zoster?
A. It typically attacks adults who are over 60 years old.
B. It is linked to a serious disease that occurs more commonly in adults.
C. It likely is not a serious enough threat to hum an health to require a vaccine.
D. It is completely eradicated from the body after chickenpox occurs.
7. According to paragraph 3, all of the following is true about the chickenpox virus EXCEPT:
A. It causes two distinct yet related ailments.
B. People did not view it as a serious public health threat.
C .It tended to quickly become dormant and remain inoperative over time.
D. Vaccination against it would help prevent the onset of shingles.
8. The author uses “booster shots” as an example of
A. a way to increase the effectiveness of the chickenpox vaccine.
B. a preferred method of chickenpox rash and fever treatment.
C. a scientifically app roved medicine to eliminate chickenpox.
D. a strategy for parents to avoid vaccinating their child altogether.
9. According to paragraph 4, man y parents did not choose the chickenpox vaccine because
A. they believed that the virus was weak and not especially harmful.
B. they thought that scientists did not have enough data to reach a conclusion,
C. they were unsure about the utility of the vaccine given its expected duration.
D. they were convinced it was potentially very toxic, particularly for older children.
10. Look at the four squares [■] that indicate where the following sentence could be added to the
passage.
Meanwhile, some continue to remain unconvinced, citing a supposed potential of the vaccine to do
harm.

6
Where would the sentence fit best?
A. A B. B C. C D. D

Part 4. The reading passage has five paragraphs A-E.

For questions 1-5, choose the correct heading for paragraphs A, B, C, D, and E from the list of the
headings below. Write your answers in answer box below. (10pts)
List of Headings
i Complaints about the impact of a certain approach
ii Fundamental beliefs that are in fact incorrect
iii Early recommendations concerning business activities
iv Organizations that put a new approach into practice
v Companies that have suffered from changing their approach
vi What people are increasingly expected to do
vii How to achieve outcomes that are currently impossible
viii Neither approach guarantee continuous improvement
ix Evidence that a certain approach can have more disadvantages than advantages
1. Paragraph A ___________
2. Paragraph B ___________
3. Paragraph C ___________
4. Paragraph D ___________
5. Paragraph E ___________
WHY COMPANIES SHOULD WELCOME DISORDER
A. Organizations is big business. Whether it is of our lives – all those inboxes and calendars or
how companies are structured, a multi-billion dollar industry helps to meet this need. We have more
strategies for time management, project management and self-organization than at any other time in
human history. We are told that we ought to organize our company, our home life, our week, our day
and even our sleep, all as a means to becoming more productive. Every week, countless seminars and
workshops take place around the world to tell a paying public that they ought to structure their lives in
order to achieve this. This rhetoric has also crept into the thinking of business leaders and
entrepreneurs, much to the delight of self-proclaimed perfectionists with the need to get everything
right. The number of business schools and graduates has massively increased over the past 50 years,
essentially teaching people how to organize well.
B. Ironically, however, the number of business that fail has also steadily increased. Work-
related stress has increased. A large proportion of workers from all demographics claim to be
dissatisfied with the way their work is structures and the way they are managed. This begs the question:
what has gone wrong? Why is it that on paper the drive for organization seems a sure shot for increasing
productivity, but in reality falls well short of what is expected?
C. This has been a problem for a while now. Frederick Taylor was one of the forefathers of
scientific management. Writing in the first half of the 20th century, he designed a number of principles
to improve the efficiency of the work process, which have since become widespread in modern
companies. So the approach has been around for a while.
D. New research suggests that this obsession with efficiency is misguided. The problem is not
necessarily the management theories or strategies we use to organize our work; it’s the basic
assumptions we hold in approaching how we work. Here it’s the assumption that order is a necessary
condition for productivity. This assumption has also fostered the idea that disorder must be detrimental
to organizational productivity. The result is that businesses and people spend time and money
organizing themselves for the sake of organizing, rather than actually looking at the end goal and
usefulness of such an effort.
E. What’s more, recent studies show that order actually has diminishing returns. Order does
increase productivity to a certain extent, but eventually the usefulness of the process of order reduces

7
productivity. Some argue that in a business, if the cost of formally structuring something outweighs
the benefits of doing it, then that thing ought not to be formally structured. Instead, the resources
involved can be better used elsewhere.
For questions 6 - 10, choose NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS to complete the sentences below.
(10pts)
6. Numerous training sessions are aimed at people who feel they are not ________ enough.
7. Being organized appeal to people who regard themselves as ________.
8. Many people feel ________ with aspects of their work.
9. Both businesses and people aim at order without considering its ultimate________.
10. Recent studies show that one shortcoming of order is that it may bring some _______________
to productivity.
Part 5. For question 1-10, answer by choosing from the four naturalists (A-D). Some of the choices
may be required more than once. (10pts)
Which naturalist
1. says that the book contained a wider range of material than other books he/she owned?
2. says that the human race is often blamed for its destructive relationship with the wildlife?
3. says that the book can make the organization of a particular animal group clear to an observer?
4. raises the author’s desire to make the work accessible to the non- specialist?
5. explains what motivated him/her to start drawing?
6. describes experiencing a change of mood when reading the book?
7. raises the book for both its use of language and depth of feeling?
8. describes the sensory experiences evoked by the book?
9. attributes the skill of the illustrator to extensive observation?
10. says that no other book has proved to be as good as the one nominated?
NATURAL BOOKS
We invited four leading naturalists to tell us about the wildlife classic that has influenced them
most.
A. Geoffrey Lean
At least it wasn’t hard to choose the author. As an environmental journalist, one advantage of
longevity is that I have had the chance to meet some of the giants who pioneered thinking in the field.
Of these, none stood, in deed, still stands, taller than a small, frail woman, Barbara Ward. I can’t think
of anyone else more at heart of environmental issues in post-war Europe. She has synthesized her
experience of various environmental movements into her own compelling philosophy. Unwilling
‘volunteered’ to cover the field, I found, as a young journalist, that she, more than anyone, made it all
make sense.
Picking the book was much harder. It could have been Only One Earth or Progress for a Small
Planet. But despite its title (which sounded old-fashioned), even in 1976), The Home of Man is, to me,
Barbara’s most important book. Its focus is on the explosive growth of the world’s cities, but its canvas
is the great themes to which she devoted her life. It is as eloquent and as impassioned a plea as exists
for what we would now call ‘sustainable human development’. In the hundreds of books I have read
since, I have yet to meet its equal.
B. Linda Bennett
When I open the passages of Signals for Survival by Niko Timbergen, I can hear the long calls
for herring gulls, recall the smell of the guano in the hot sun and visualize the general hullabaloo of
the colony. This book explains superbly, through words and pictures, the fascinating world of animal
communication.
Read Signals for Survival and then watch any gull colony, and the frenzy of activity changes
from apparent chaos to a highly efficient social structure. You can see which birds are partners, where
the boundaries are and, later on in the season, whole families can be recognized.

8
 A distinguished behaviourist, Niko Tinbergen came from that rare breed of academics who
wish to explain their findings to the layperson. His collaboration in this book with one of this century’s
most talented wildlife artists, Eric Ennion, was inspirational and has produced a book of interest to
anyone with a love of wildlife. His spontaneous style of painting came from years of watching and
understanding birds. With just a minimal amount of line and colour, he brings to life how one gull is
an aggressor, how another shows appeasement. This is the art of a true field naturalist.
C. Lee Durrell
Most definitely, my Family and Other Animals by Gerald Durrell is the book that has had the
greatest influence on my life. Beyond the obvious reason that it ultimately led me to a wonderful
husband, and an exciting career in conversation, this extraordinary book once and for all defined my
devotion to the natural world.
I was doing research work into animal vocalizations in Madagascar when I first read the book.
I had been there two years and was discouraged by the number of setbacks I was encountering but
when, at the end of the day, I opened My Family and Other Animals to where I had left off the night
before, the world became a brighter place. Animals, people, joy and beauty inextricably woven together
– a microcosm of a world worth saving.
Many people say that our species is the worst because of the terrible things we have done to
the others. But I like to think back to Gerald as a boy in My Family and Other Animals, looking at the
world’s inhabitants as a whole, a family whose members, be they good, bad or indifferent, are
nevertheless so intertwined as to be inseparable. And that is a concept we all need to grasp.
D. Bruce Pearson
A copy of The Shell Bird Book, by James Fisher, found its way into my school library shortly
after it was first published in 1966. I was drawn to it at once, especially to the 48 colour plates of birds
by Eric Ennion, pained, as the jacket puts it,... with particular skill and charm. It was those Ennion
images which captured my attention.
I already had copies of other bird books and had spent several holidays learning to identify
birds. They encouraged me to begin sketching what I saw as an aid to identification. But in The Shell
Bird Book there was so much more to feast on. As well as the glorious Ennion paintings, there were
chapters on migrants and migration, a review of the history of birds in Britain, and, best of all, a chapter
on birds in music, literature and art.
It was the broad span of ornithological information and the exciting images that steered me
towards being more of a generalist in my appreciation of birds and the natural world. The book made
it clear that my emotional and creative response to nature was as valid and as possible as a rational and
scientific one. And, as art was a stronger subject for me than maths or physics, I began to see a door
opening for me.

---------------- The end --------------