Practice Test 02 - Esc 20: Your Answers

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16 Aug 2022 PRACTICE TEST 02 – ESC 20

I. LISTENING (50 points)


PART 1. (10 points)
You will hear Alice Brown interviewing Professor Robert Atkins about health scares.
For questions 1-5, choose the answer (A, B, C, D) which fits best according to what
you hear.

1. How does Professor Atkins feel about the frequency of health scares in the media?
A. irritated that the media print nonsense
B. reconciled to health scares being a necessary evil
C. resigned to the media misunderstanding science
D. worried that the health scares might be real
2. What is Alice’s attitude to the threat of the lethal diseases?
A. She worries that new ones will occur.
B. She is doubtful that they can be contained.
C. She is concerned that they are spread more easily today.
C. She believes they pose less of danger today.
3. Professor Atkins believes that the concerns people have today arise from _______.
A. a lack of spiritual belief
B. being misled by scientists and doctors
C. bewilderment when their assumptions are challenged
D. worry about how diseases are communicated
4. What do Alice and Professor Atkins agree about when it comes to health scares?
A. some businesses have a vested interest in promoting them
B. some manufacturers see them as the best form of publicity
C. some doctors are at fault for not criticizing them sufficiently
D. some researchers are looking for publicity
5. What worries Professor Atkins about health scares?
A. They could lead to people taking too many pills.
B. They are more damaging than real diseases.
C. They might make people disregard potential risks.
D. They are difficult to disprove.
Your answers
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1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
PART 2. (10 points)

Listen to the conversation between Sasha and Jim, then complete the True/False exercise
below.

1. Sasha is currently unemployed.


2. Jim understands now why Sasha had problems in her previous apartment.
3. The problem with the television is that Sasha has sometimes forgotten to turn the TV
off.
4. Sasha didn’t know that Jim used the lights in the apartment as an anti-crime measure.
5. Sasha never realized the different cleaner was causing a problem in the shower.
Your answers

1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
PART 3. (10 points)
Listen to a talk about how to prevent a food crisis and answer the questions. Write NO
MORE THAN FOUR WORDS taken from the recording for each answer in the
corresponding numbered boxes provided.
1. What stimulates Africa’s economic boom?
2. What will become heavily dependent on AI in Europe?
3. What have fossil fuels been considered in the Middle East?
4. What will substitute for oil disputes in the future?
5. What will come to the throne by 2039?
Your answers

1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
PART 4. (20 points)
Listen to a radio discussion about the pros and cons of opening a new fast food
restaurant in a small town called Manley and complete the following sentences. Write
NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS taken from the recording for each answer in the
corresponding numbered boxes provided.

- The proposed opening of the new Burger World has provoked (1) _______ in the local
community.

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- Mr. Brownlea thinks it will harm the young people and the (2) _______.
- He would prefer a new restaurant offering (3) _______.
- He admits that Burger World prices are (4) _______
- He believes that fast food chains are causing the disappearance of (5) _______ around the
world.
- Mrs. Masters argues that preventing the new outlet’s opening in Manley will not (6)
_______ of changing food habit worldwide.
- Mr. Brownlea is worried that the new fast food will increase the problem of (7) _______.
- This will make older residents feel (8) _______.
- Mrs. Masters feels that it will be beneficial for young people to use Burger World as a (9)
_______.
- She believes the new restaurant will boost (10) _______ of the town.
Your answers
1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
6 7 8 9 10
II. GRAMMAR AND LEXICOLOGY (30 points)
1. Choose the best answer. (20 points)
1. The athlete was _______ in defeat and praised his opponent's skill, for which he received
a lot of praise.
A. abrasive B. valiant C. chivalrous D. magnanimous
2. I wish you’d stop _________ with that watch. It needs to be repaired by a professional
A. dabbling B. striving C. tinkering D. preserving
3. His driving is so bad that I always turn _______ when I am sitting with him in the car.
A. around the bend B. in a fog
C. off his trolley D. green around the gills
4. He _____ denied the accusations, saying they were totally false
A. excessively B. superficially C. strenuously D. unstintingly
5. The runner was far ahead for most of the race, but at the end she won only _______.
A. larger than life B. on the dot C. by a whisker D. a notch above
6. She’s raising two kids, holding down a full-time job, and trying to maintain some
_______ of a personal life.
A. semblance B. vestige C. inkling D. portent

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7. Negotiations went _______, but we did manage to reach an agreement on the contract by
the deadline.
A. down to the short strokes B. down for the count
C. down to the ground D. down to the wire
8. Given the competitiveness of the National Contest, I have to knock it out of the _______
or I won’t be able to win any prizes.
A. park B. nail C. roof D. ring
9. She was extremely elegant and obviously very _________
A. entitled B. upheld C. upstanding D. well-heeled
10. I know it’s hard at first when you start a new job, but you’ll soon ______.
A. show your teeth B. find your feet C. follow your nose D. try your hand
11. The preparations ____________ by the time the guests ____________.
A. bad been finished/ arrived B. have finished I arrived
C. had finished/ were arriving D. have been finished/ were arrived
12. ____________, playing music is an effective way for them to open their heart to the
outside world.
A. Being visually impaired people B. Such were their visual impairments
C. Having been visually impaired D. For those with visual impairments
13. One day, ____________, she announced that she was leaving.
A. in the red B. in the pink C. over the moon D. out of the blue
14. John was out of his ______________ in the advanced class, so he moved to the
intermediate class.
A. class B. depth C. league D. head
15. One of the most important things you have to remember when you join this game is that
you should ____________.
A. go to your head B. keep your wits about you
C. keep your head in the clouds D. gather your wits
16. Sailing is not ____________ an art.
A. more science than B. so much a science as C. as scientific as
D. worth science for
17. ____________ you cut down your carbohydrate intake, you ___ weight by now.

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A. Had I would have lost B. Were/ would have lost C. If/ will Jose
D. Did/ would
18. It's very important that we ____________ as soon as there’s any change in the
patient’s condition.
A. be notified B. being notified C. are notified · D. were notified
19.There are ____________ words in English having more than one meaning. Pay close
attention to this fact.
A. a large many B. quite many C. a great many D. quite a lot
20. ____________ motivate learning is well documented.
A. That is computers B. Computers that C. That computers D. It is those
computers
Your answers
1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
6. 7. 8. 9. 10.
11. 12. 13. 14. 15.
16. 17. 18. 19. 20.

2. Complete these sentences, using the suitable form of the given words in brackets.
Write your answers in the corresponding numbered boxes provided. (10 points)
1. Unfortunately the game was cancelled because of a __________ pitch. (WATER)
2. People in coastal areas live mainly on the _________________, which allows them to
earn a great deal of money from the sea products. (CULTURE)
3. She made a _________________ return to the stage after several years working in
television. (TRIUMPH)
4. Antiseptics and __________ are widely used in hospital to kill the bacteria. (INFECT)
5. Thanks to the _________________ policy, more and more forests have been formed on
locations that used to be treeless. (FOREST)
6. Both are _______, extravagant in character, highly lyrical and immediately establish the
soloist as a romantic protagonist. (CLAIM)
7. We might have to employ someone temporarily as a _______ measure until we can hire
someone permanently. (STOP)
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8. Upholders of the scientific faith shudder at the implications of having to mix it with such
_______ subjective and impure elements. (REDEEM)
9. _______ should summarize the main facts about their performance based on the staff
evaluation criteria of the company. (APPRAISE)
10. It encouraged experimenters to propose ________ or novel approaches to problems.
(BEAT)
Your answers
1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
6. 7. 8. 9. 10.

III. READING (60 points)


Part 1: In the passage below, seven paragraphs have been removed. Choose from
paragraphs (A-H) the one which fits each gap (1-7). There is one extra paragraph you
do not need to use. Write your answers in the corresponding numbered boxes
provided. (7 points)
The white and silver buildings of the VLT or Very Large Telescope at the ESO (European
Organisation for Astronomical research in the Southern Hemisphere) stand tall and
imposing on top of a mountain shining brightly under the desert sun. At night they come
alive, the outer walls open up and silently slide through 360 degrees, allowing an
uninterrupted view of the Southern Hemisphere sky. Inside, a giant eye looks deep into the
stars and beyond, looking for life, mysteries and making sense out of the darkness.
1.
Getting to the place is a journey of discovery in itself. After leaving the Pacific Ocean, you
head south and hook up with the Panamericana Highway and into the desert, the driest on
Earth. It's a two-hour drive to the observatory, but it feels longer as the harsh light, the
rocky, dusty desert, the complete absence of any form of life, except for the giant trucks
plying their trade along the highway, is unsettling.
2.
The reason, we are told, is simple. Astronomers need a clear view of the sky at night.
Optimal conditions are to be found in deserts; there are fewer of the negative factors like
light pollution that can make the four telescopes which form VLT work less effectively.
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Here no lights are allowed after dark, all windows are screened, and even the main
residence where 108 people sleep, leaks no more than 40W when the lights are turned on.
3.
These monsters and their smaller auxiliaries bring to mind the set of Star Wars. But at
sunset, they take on another look. This could be Stonehenge, another magic circle where
our forefathers tried to make sense of the stars. Soon after arriving, we are taken to see the
inside of one of the telescopes. They have all been named in the indigenous Mapuche
language following a competition among Chilean schoolchildren.
4.
Once these have been completed, the telescope is handed over to the team who will operate
one or more of the telescopes from a control room. All night long these giants will be
moving and pointing to the sky helping the scientists unravel new problems. Fourteen
countries contribute around 160 million euros to their joint astronomical cause, and Paranal
is allocated 20% of that figure. Standing in the shadow of the VLT, one wonders what all
this taxpayers' money buys.
5.
They all answered with the usual 'finding out where we came from, where we are going, are
we alone in the universe...?' And, as the ESO has no commercial use and is a not-for-profit
organization, it's easy to imagine these scientists indulging in their research and being cut
off from reality.
6.
One of Paranal's great achievements was the discovery of a planet outside our solar system.
It is huge: five times bigger than Jupiter, and the work being done now is aimed at
understanding the physical and chemical composition of this, and other, giant Earth-like
planets. Truly a quest for life in outer space.
7.
'We needed even sharper images to settle the issue of whether any other configuration is
possible and we counted on the ESO VLT to provide those,’ says Reinhard Genzel, director
at the Max-Planck Institute for Extraterrestrial Physics. 'Now the era of observational
physics has truly begun.'

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Missing paragraphs
A But talking further revealed a simple truth: that having pretty much discovered all there
is to know about our world on the Earth, astronomy looks at the vast Terra Incognita
which surrounds us. These scientists see themselves very much as a mixture of
Renaissance men and women: all questing for further knowledge.
B Every evening an engineer is assigned to one of these telescopes and his or her job is to
get it ready so that it can then be taken over at night by a three-person team. The
engineer runs through a series of tests in preparation for the work which will be done
later that night.
C The central unit inside weighs 450 tonnes and houses the main 8.5 m mirror. A second,
smaller mirror is made from beryllium, a rare metal. The external walls can all slide
open to allow the telescope to point in any direction as it rotates soundlessly on its base.
D As we drive further into the desert, the road starts to rise gradually, with hills and steep
valleys all around us. The environment is harsh in the extreme and it's hard to imagine
that a community of European scientists have chosen this place to establish a world-
leading laboratory.
E It is a question that many in Paranal find a little difficult to answer. Maybe because
scientists, due to the nature of their research and also, maybe, their mindsets, tend to
focus on very specific areas of competence and therefore are not required to have a
broader 'strategic' view.
F The other big consideration in the desert is the absence of cloud cover and, higher up,
the lack of atmospheric dust and all the other interference caused by humans or nature
which contributes to partially hiding the secrets of the universe. 'Twinkle, twinkle little
star' is just what astronomers do not want to hear, as this means there is debris between
the eye, the telescopes and the stars.
G We are in Paranal, in Chile's Atacama Desert, where at 2,600 m above sea level, Europe
has its most advanced astronomical observatory. It's a leading site, a joint undertaking
by fourteen European countries focused on developing the most advanced scientific
tools for observing the universe and enhancing the knowledge base for industry,
H education and culture.
Astronomers have also used the data from VLT for another purpose - to attempt to find

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out how old the universe is. It seems that the oldest star is 13.2 billion years old, which
means the universe must be even older. They also use VLT to look into galaxies beyond
ours, and where they continue to find evidence of supermassive black holes, where all
kinds of violent activity occur.
Your answers
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7.

Part 2. Complete the following passage by filling each blank with ONE suitable word.
Write your answers in the corresponding numbered boxes provided. (15 points)
Since the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the COVID-19 outbreak a
pandemic back in March 2020, the virus has claimed more than 2.5 million lives globally
with upwards of 113 million cases being (1) by laboratory tests (March 2021).
The pandemic has impacted almost every corner of life, causing global economies to
stall, changing the way we work and interact (2) our loved ones, and stretching healthcare
(3) to the limit. Governments around the world have been forced to implement harsh
restrictions (4) human activity to curb the spread of the virus.
COVID-19 vaccination is now offering a way to transition out of this phase of the
pandemic. Without them, many scientists believe that natural herd (5) would not have been
sufficient to restore society to its normal (6) quo and that it would have resulted in extreme
fatality. This is something that has been echoed by many health (7) including the WHO. In
a scenario (8) access to vaccines, strict behavioral measures may have had to remain for the
foreseeable future.
Fortunately, the beginning of 2021 saw numerous vaccines given emergency (9) and begin
their roll out in countries across the world. As of March 2021, just shy of 300 million
vaccine doses had been administered worldwide. The figures give (10) of a return to
‘normal’. However, global COVID-19 vaccination faces several challenges which may
impact its success.
Your answers
1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
6. 7. 8. 9. 10.

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Part 3. Read the passage below and answers the questions (10 points)
The presence or absence of water has a direct bearing on the possibility of life on other
planets. In the nineteenth century, it was commonly accepted that life, perhaps even
intelligent life, was widespread in the solar system, and Mars was an obvious target in the
search for life. New photographic technology offered a way for astronomers to learn more
about the red planet. In 1888, Italian astronomer Giovanni Schiaparelli produced images
that showed a network of long, thin, dark lines crossing the surface of Mars. He called these
features canali in Italian, which became “canals” or “channels” in English. The strange
appearance of the canals suggested to some scientists that they had been formed artificially
rather than naturally. The mystery deepened when Schiaparelli observed that many of the
canals in the photographs were actually double.
Other photographic images of Mars revealed its seasonally changing polar ice caps
and features that appeared to be ancient islands located in what was now a dry streambed.
When the islands were first discovered, some scientists speculated that a thick water-laden
atmosphere capable of generating heavy rains and had once existed on Mars. However,
others remained unconvinced of the presence of water. Then, in 1963, a team of
astronomers obtained a good photographic plate of the near-infrared spectrum of Mars. The
photograph showed that, faintly but definitely, water vapor lines could be seen. This
photograph established that there really was water on Mars, though the amount was very
small. Today, the presence of water vapor in the Martian atmosphere is generally accepted,
as is the belief that the atmosphere was once much denser than it is now, with a much
greater abundance of water vapor.
The surface of Mars is dry today, but it does contain significant amounts of ice and
signs that liquid water once flowed over the planet. All of the locations where evidence of
water has been found are ancient, probably formed every early in Martian history. Data
transmitted from spacecraft on Mars in 2004 have revealed that water was once common
across a vast region of the planet, possibly as shallow lakes or seas that dried out and then
filled up again. There are signs that the wind blew debris around during dry stages. These
seas and lakes extended across hundreds of thousands of square miles, creating habitable
conditions during long stretches of time billions of years ago.

10
Evidence of water includes the presence of various minerals known as evaporates,
deposits left behind when liquid water turns to vapor. Small areas of mineral deposits have
been found in Valles Marineris, a huge hole on Mars that is larger than the Grand Canyon
on Earth. The minerals there contain water, so they had to be formed in the presence of
water. Geologic research has also turned up clay and gypsum deposits that were formed by
water in the soil. Rocks that clearly formed in water extend throughout 300 meters of
layered materials in several locations across the Martian plains. The layers were built up
over time, which means water was present, at least temporarily, for extended periods on
ancient Mars.
Besides the ice packs at Mars’s poles, astronomers have discovered a frozen sea near
its equator. This frozen sea is the size of the North Sea on Earth and appears similar to the
ice packs on Antarctica. Scientists have also detected evidence of lava flows 20 million
years ago as well as signs that some volcanoes may still be active. Several recently formed
volcanic cones near Mars’s North Pole indicate that the planet’s core may interact with the
surface, meaning there was both warmth and moisture in the recent past – circumstances
that might have supported life.
Liquid water is the key ingredient for life as we know it. Of all the other planets in the
solar system, Mars is most like Earth. In 20111 a team of researchers used computer
modeling to compare data on temperature and pressure conditions on Earth with those on
Mars to estimate how much of Mars could support Earth- like organisms. Their results
showed that three percent of Mars could sustain life, although most of these regions are
underground. Below the planet’s surface, conditions are right for water to exist as a liquid.
Additional evidence of water on the planet’s surface came in 2012, when a robot landed on
Mars and transmitted hig-resolution images showing a streambed with coarse gravel that
had likely been deposited by flowing water. All of this evidence of water does not
necessarily mean life ever emerged there; however, it does suggest that Mars meets all the
requirements that are needed for life to exist.

1. The word ‘target’ in paragraph 1 is closest in meaning to ______.


A. watery planet B. symbol of strength C. missing link D. object of
interest

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2. According to the passage, what has been a major focus of research about Mars?
A. How Mars compares to other planets in the solar system
B. Who built the network of canals on the surface of Mars
C. Whether signs of water indicate that life has existed on Mars
D. How soon astronauts from Earth will be able to go to Mars
3. Astronomers of the 19th and 20th centuries studied Mars mainly through ______.
A. ancient writings B. photographic images
C. Martian soil samples D. data sent by spacecraft
4. It can be inferred from paragraph 1 that Schiaparelli’s observation of canals on Mars
led to ______.
A. direct proof that life has existed on Mars
B. the rejection of Schiaparelli’s ideas by other scientists
C. the search for canals on other planets in the solar system
D. new questions about intelligent life on Mars
5. What discovery led some scientists to think that the Martian atmosphere had
produced heavy rains in the past?
A. A network of canals on the surface
B. Ancient islands in a dry streambed
C. Water vapor lines on a photographic plate
D. Volcanic cones near the planet’s North Pole
6. Which sentence below best expresses the essential information in the highlighted
sentence in paragraph 2?
A. Most scientists believe there is water vapor in the Martian atmosphere, which is
now less dense than it was in the past.
B. The amount of water vapor in the Martian atmosphere has changed many times in
the past, and scientists generally accept this.
C. The atmosphere of Mars used to contain only water vapor, but now scientists
know that several other gases are also present.
D. Scientists used to believe that Mars had no atmosphere, but now most think it has
a very dense atmosphere of water vapor.
7. Layers of rock in several places on the Martian plains are evidence that ______.

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A. Mars was formed at the same time as Earth
B. both wind and water erosion occurred there
C. water was present there for a long time
D. liquid water is no longer present on Mars
8. All of the following indicate the presence of water on Mars EXCEPT ______.
A. images of polar ice caps B. a 1963 photograph
C. clay and gypsum deposits D. evidence of lava flows
9. Write the correct letter [A], [B], [C] or [D] that indicates where the following
sentence could be added to the passage?
Astronomers already knew that Mars had some kind of atmosphere because of the
occasional presence of bright features that looked like clouds.
The presence or absence of water has a direct bearing on the possibility of life on
other planets. [A] In the nineteenth century, it was commonly accepted that life, perhaps
even intelligent life, was widespread in the solar system, and Mars was an obvious target
in the search for life. [B] New photographic technology offered a way for astronomers to
learn more about the red planet. In 1888, Italian astronomer Giovanni Schiaparelli
produced images that showed a network of long, thin, dark lines crossing the surface of
Mars. [C] He called these features canali in Italian, which became “canals” or
“channels” in English. The strange appearance of the canals suggested to some scientists
that they had been formed artificially rather than naturally. [D] The mystery deepened
when Schiaparelli observed that many of the canals in the photographs were actually
double.
10.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.
Scientists have long searched for evidence of water on Mars
-
-
-

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A. Early photographs of Mars showed what appeared to be canals, polar ice caps,
and ancient islands.
B. Dry streambed, lakes, and seas suggest that Mars does not have enough water to
support life.
C. There is water vapor in the Martian atmosphere and evidence that liquid water
once flowed on the surface.
D. Mars contains many types of evaporates, minerals left behind when liquid water
becomes vapor.
E. Geologic research, photography and computer modeling provide evidence of
water – and possibly life – on Mars.
F. Because Mars is so similar to Earth, scientists believe that humans will be able to
live on Mars in the future.

Your answers:
1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
6. 7. 8. 9. 10.

Part 4. Read the passage and do the tasks below (13 points)
Section A
• The human community can be regarded as a system, holistic in nature, seeking survival.
Throughout the ages, observers of human behaviour have repeatedly identified four
major patterns or configurations of behaviour. Such holistic sorting of behaviour
patterns has been recorded for at least twenty-five centuries.
• In 450 B.C., Hippocrates described four such dispositions he called temperaments - a
choleric temperament with an ease of emotional arousal and sensitivity, a phlegmatic
temperament with cool detachment and impassivity, a melancholic temperament with a
very serious, dour, and downcast nature, and a sanguine temperament full of
impulsivity, excitability, and quick reactivity. During the Middle Ages, Philippus
Paracelsus described four natures whose behaviours were said to be influenced by four
kinds of spirits: nymphs, sylphs, gnomes, and salamanders.
• Most twentieth-century psychologists abandoned holistic observation of human

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behaviour for a microscopic examination of parts, fragments, traits, and so on. To them,
all human beings were basically alike, and individual differences were due to chance or
conditioning.
• Two German psychologists, Ernst Kretschmer and Eduard Spranger, were among the
few to continue to view individuals holistically in terms of patterns. Inspired by their
work, a modern psychologist, David Keirsey, noted common themes in the various
observations and the consistent tendency of human behavious to sort itself into four
similar patterns. Linda Berens continues to expand our understanding of the four
temperaments through the unique contributions, including the core needs, values,
talents, and behaviours of the four temperament patterns – as illustrated by The
Temperament Targets.
• These four major patterns are referred to as temperaments. They describe the ways human
personality interacts with the environment to satisfy its needs. Each of the four types of
humours corresponded to a different personality type.
Section B
• The Sanguine temperament personality is fairly extroverted. People of a sanguine
temperament tend to enjoy social gatherings and making new friends. They tend to be
creative and often day dream. However, some alone time is crucial for those of this
temperament. Sanguine can also mean very sensitive, compassionate and thoughtful.
Sanguine personalities generally struggle with the following tasks all the way through.
They are chronically late, and tend to be forgetful and sometimes a little sarcastic. Often,
when pursuing a new hobby, interest is lost quickly when it ceases to be engaging or fun.
A sanguine person is happy, friendly, warm, eager and has an ability to sympathize with
others. He has lots of friends and everyone thinks he is a fun company. But he is often
very self-centred and he lacks self-control. He has a tendency to exaggerate and he is
emotionally unstable.
Section C
• A person who is choleric is a doer. They have a lot of ambition, energy and passion, and
try to instill it in others. They can dominate people of other temperaments, especially
phlegmatic types. Many great charismatic military and political figures were cholerics.
They have a strong will. They are independent, practical, efficient and productive. When

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they get something in their mind, nothing can stop them. Unfortunately, choleric people
have to spend a lot of their time alone, as their social side is so poorly-developed. They
scare people away with their coldness and their angry and cruel words. They are
insensitive and overly dominating.
Section D
• A person who is a thoughtful ponder has a melancholic disposition. Often very kind and
considerate, melancholies can be highly creative – as in poetry and art – and can become
occupied with the tragedy and cruelty in the world. A melancholic is also often a
perfectionist. They are often self-reliant and independent. A melancholic person is often
extremely talented. He can analyse things very deeply. He has an eye for beauty. He is
disciplined and diligent. But he has a whole load of dark sides. He is often pessimistic
and is depressed easily. He is too critical of himself and of others. He is revengeful and
easily offended.
Section E
• Phlegmatics tend to be self-content and kind. They can be very accepting and
affectionate. They may be very receptive and shy and often prefer stability to
uncertainty and change. They are very consistent, relaxed, rational, curious, and
observant, making them good administrators and diplomats. Unlike the Sanguine
personality, they may be more dependable.
• It’s easiest to get along with a phlegmatic person. He is calm and easygoing. His
carefree attitude and good sense of humour attract people. He is stable and reliable and
very diplomatic. But he is not perfect, either. He is often irritatingly slow and unable to
make up his mind. He is selfish and stingy. Sometimes he is totally indifferent to
everything around him. All he’s interested in is his daydreams.
Section F
• The concept of temperament can generally be defined as a behavioural or emotional
trait that differs across individuals, appears early in life, is relatively stable over the life-
span, and is, at least to some degree, influenced by biology. One common defining
characteristic of temperament is that it appears quite early in development and is
relatively stable over the life-span. It is for this reason that the study of temperament has
often focused on infancy and early-childhood. The assumption has been that

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temperament is not an acquired characteristic; one doesn’t learn one’s temperament,
rather one is simply born with a given temperament profile. Further, these “in-born”
traits persist throughout the life span, though they may change form. For example, an
infant may have a withdrawal oriented temperament, but lacking the physical capacity
to move independently may cry when presented with novel situations or toys or people,
etc. The infant’s crying then elicits a caregiver to either remove the infant from the
stimulus or the stimulus from the infant. In either case it effectively increases the
distance between the infant and that which makes him or her uncomfortable. As the
child ages through early childhood, middle childhood, and adolescence and so on, he or
she no longer needs to rely exclusively on others to control their environment. They can
themselves retreat from situations that make them uncomfortable and/or they may
actively seek out environments that are of low stimulus intensity. In adolescence they
may begin to use depressant drugs such as alcohol, narcotics, or nicotine to effectively
withdraw from situations that make them uncomfortable, but for which there is strong
social pressure to pursue (parties, school functions, etc.) These behaviours are quite
different in form, but yield the same functional effect.
Questions 1-6: The reading passage has six sections, A-F. Choose the correct heading
for each section from the list of headings below. Write the correct number, i-ix, in the
corresponding numbered boxes provided.
List of Headings
I Cautious and caring people
Ii Connection between characteristics and body
Iii In-depth thinking and intelligent people
Iv Changing behaviours
V Active and optimistic people
Vi Theories from ancient philosophers
Vii Four personalities on the basis of body fluid
vii Demanding and unsympathetic people
i
Ix The in-born and permanent temperament

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1. Section A
2. Section B
3. Section C
4. Section D
5. Section E
6. Section F
Questions 7-13: Do the following statements agree with the information given in the
reading passage? In the corresponding numbered boxes provided, write:
TRUE if the statement reflects the claims of the writer
FALSE if the statement contradicts the claims of the writer
NOT GIVEN if it is impossible to say what the writer thinks about this
7. The four temperaments can be traced back reliably to philosophy, notably in the work of
Hippocrates.
8. To all twentieth-century psychologists, the personal characteristics came from different
situations.
9. People of a sanguine temperament are imaginative and creative, and are often the ones
who enthusiastically promote new ideas on the job.
10. If someone has a strong will, he or she must be a great charismatic military or political
person.
11. Most melancholies can be poets or artists because they are highly creative.
12. Phlegmatic people are usually indifferent to everything.
13. Temperament is an “in-born” characteristic which is stable throughout one’s life.
Your answers
1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
6. 7. 8. 9. 10.
11 12 13

Part 5. (15 points)


You are going to read an extract from an article about paintings. For questions 1–10,
choose from the sections (A–E). The sections may be chosen more than once. Write
your answers in the corresponding numbered boxes provided.

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A. Luisa Sutton
A Bar at the Folies-Bergère, by Edouard Manet
Manet was inviting some kind of response in the way in which he presented women in his
work and he succeeded in bridging the gap between classical traditions and painting
modern life. Above all, I have tremendous respect for the fact that he was a breakthrough
artist: a champion of realist modernism who was censured for breaking the mould. Through
the medium of painting, Manet constantly reassessed the prevailing attitudes of the world
he was living in. Today we are used to multiple perspective - seeing the same image from
different angles. This was not so in Manet’s time and in this painting we see him crossing
boundaries as he switches reality by employing a mirror to reflect his subjects.
B. Paul Harris
Henry VII, 29 October 1505, by unknown artist
Visually, this is a stunning portrait; Henry moves towards the viewer from the parapet
wearing the red robes of Lancaster, his hands on the ledge. It is immediately exciting and
emotive. Henry VII was on the lookout for a new bride and this was painted to be sent to
the court of Maximilian, much as we would send a photo today. So the provenance is clear.
Portraits of other English monarchs, Richard III in particular, are, in comparison, stiff and
remote. Henry VII’s portrait speaks in a very particular way. His eyes look at one. He is
Renaissance man but, at the same time one sees a shrewd, wise and wily man who,
throughout his reign, managed to amass the fortune of the Tudor dynasty.
C. Tom Newman
James VI and I, 1618, by Paul Van Somer
I used to work for an art handling company in New York, and I came to realise how
wonderful paintings are as entities. Old paintings last for so long because of the materials
used – the oil is so robust, it expands or contracts depending on the heat. They can be rolled
up and taken around the world, they’ll never die. This portrait, in particular, made a huge
impression on me. Works of art often lose their power as soon as they’re placed in a
museum. This painting is where it belongs – in a palace. Subject to who you speak to,
James is either a buffoon or a tactical genius, but in this work he looks so stately. The
painting was clearly commissioned to convey regality – and it worked on me, 400 years
later.

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D. Paula Smith
Mr and Mrs Andrews, by Gainsborough
I chose this painting as it has personal relevance for me. I grew up in my grandmother’s
house in London. She was an excellent copyist of Gainsborough. We had copies of all of
his paintings, except for this one, which my grandmother didn’t approve of. I’ve always
found it incredibly beautiful though. The two figures in this wonderful painting have very
enigmatic expressions. What are they up to? What are they thinking? And then what are we
to make of the landscape? It’s an agricultural scene, in the middle of the day, but there are
no agricultural workers anywhere to be seen. Where on earth is everybody? What a strange
atmosphere the place has, a long ago era that will never be recaptured.
E. Lynn D’Anton
An Old Woman Cooking Eggs, 1618, by Velàzquez
What is most striking about this painting is surely its veracity. One gets the feeling that one
is looking into a room in which there are no obstacles to understanding. Nothing comes
between the subject and the observer. The artist here is the perfect observer. When I saw it
a few years ago in the National Gallery of Scotland, set alongside many other works from
Velazquez’s youth, there was no doubt in my mind that it was a masterpiece. I think that it
is easy for many people to empathise with this painting in one way or another.
In which section are the following mentioned?
1. the inscrutable nature of the subjects
2. the artist’s ability to give an insight into temperament
3. the integrity of the image portrayed
4. the view that the artist was an innovator
5. delight in a painting’s ability to endure
6. the background to a painting being well documented
7. the view that a painting’s impact depends on its surroundings
8. a painting which gives an image of a lost world
9. admiration for an artist who dared to challenge conventional ideas
10.conflicting opinions about the subject of a painting
Your answers
1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

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6. 7. 8. 9. 10.

IV. WRITING (60 points)


Part 1. (15 points)
Read the following articles and summarize the measures recommended in both
articles in order to improve health and performance. You should write a paragraph of
between 80 and 100 words.
Article 1: Discover the healing power of positive thinking
We all know that strong emotions have powerful physical effect. Feeling nervous
before an important interview can send you rushing to the bathroom, while a sudden attack
of anxiety can send your heart racing and leave you feeling faint and dizzy. But new
research has revealed the incredible healing power of the brain and how learning to relax
and think positively can have dramatic health benefits. And there is now overwhelming
evidence that your mental and emotional state can also have a direct impact on your body’s
ability to fight disease and cope with pain.
Bob Lewin, Professor of Rehabilitation at York University, took a group of heart
patients through an eight-week angina management, relaxation techniques, goal-setting,
yoga and exercise. The results were staggering. Fifty per cent of the patients who had been
on waiting list for bypass surgery were taken off by their cardiologists who decided that
they no longer needed it.
So how do you make it work for yourself? Well, it’s far more complex than just
learning to look on the bright side. The key variable in patients getting well is the extent to
which they feel in control of their own emotions. Reorganizing your life and learning self-
help techniques can help put you back in control of these.

Article 2: How to stay cool even when you’re quaking


We all carry round a baggage of attitudes and beliefs that colours our response to new
situations. If you’re lucky, these will be “can-do” messages, but many of us are
programmed for failure. Perhaps every time you stepped out of the door when you were
little, your parents cried “Be careful!”, as if doom and disaster lurked at every turn, or
friends say, “I wouldn’t attempt that if I were you!”, if you hear negative statements often

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enough, you learn to expect the worst. The immediate reaction to a new or daunting
situation is “I can’t handle it”.
“Most people’s confidence is a level or two below their competency.” Says clinical
psychologist Averil Leimon, director of a company which helps personnel transform their
behaviour. “People need to understand that they really are better than they believe.”
Everybody feels fearful in unfamiliar situations that doesn’t mean we should avoid
them. Taking risks, even tiny ones like picking up a telephone to make a complaint, is a
necessary part of accepting adult responsibility. The best strategy you can adopt is to
understand why you feel so fearful and learn how to deal with it, then, when you succeed in
a difficult situation, you’ll feel more confident about approaching it next time around.
The people you admire for their apparent confidence and ability to cope with any
situation are probably feeling just as daunted as you would be, but they don’t let it stand in
their way.
Your summary:
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.................................................................................................................................................
.................................................................................................................................................

Part 2. (15 points)


The line graph below shows changes in the amount of coffee exported from three
countries between 2002 and 2012. Summarize the information by selecting and
reporting the main features and make comparisons where relevant.

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.................................................................................................................................................
.................................................................................................................................................
.................................................................................................................................................

Part 3. (30 points)


In many countries today insufficient respect is shown to older people. What do you
think may be the reasons for this? What problems might this cause in society?
Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own
knowledge or experience.
Write no more than 350 words.

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.................................................................................................................................................
.................................................................................................................................................

THE END

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