SCHOOL OF FOREIGN LANGUAGES

ENGLISH LANGUAGE TEACHING

AND
ENGLISH LANGUAGE & LITERATURE
PREPARATORY CLASSES

SAMPLE
PROFICIENCY EXAM

NAME :___________________________

SURNAME :___________________________

NUMBER :___________________________

There are 100 questions in this exam and each question is worth 1 point.
You will be given 140 minutes to complete the exam.
Mobile phones must be turned off during the exam.
You are not allowed to leave the room during the first 40 minutes.
PART A: Choose the best alternative to complete the text.

Nowadays sections of the media seem to believe that people are more stupid and less well-informed than they ___1___ . And young
people are the focus of their attention. But, how can society be ‘becoming more stupid’, when both common sense and statistics suggest
that this ___2___ be true? It’s a fact that levels of intelligence ___3___ rising steadily over the past 50 years, and it’s surely reasonable to
suspect that, in an age ___4___ technology provides easy access to information, young people might just know more about what’s going
on than previous generations ___5___ .

That’s why I was deeply ___6___ to find unreliable research being used to promote the idea that today’s young people are less
well-informed and therefore less intelligent. Research ___7___ out in the United States has discovered that young people no longer read
newspapers regularly. The researchers claim they are astonished that, ___8___ decades ago young and old Americans got their news
from the same sources, nowadays teenagers and young adults don’t read a newspaper as part of their typical daily routine. But why the
astonishment? I’m convinced that this has always been true. Young people’s lives ___9___ around routines, but are often chaotic and
unplanned. What’s more, why should they make the time to read something that was never written with their interests in mind,
anyway? In my experience, such a habit is and always has been something ___10___ with getting older and settling down.

Some people have taken the results of this research to conclude that, ___11___ young people don’t read newspapers, they must be
less well-informed. But they fail ___12___ that the widespread use of the Internet has not only changed but improved the way young
people access the news. Newspapers are quickly becoming old-fashioned, and I suspect that, as more older people get used to ___13___
news faster and for free online, newsprint will soon be a thing of the past read only by those too afraid to use a computer.

One thing that the American research gets right is its description that how people get the news has changed over time, with
newspapers being the main source of news until the fifties when television took over. The rise of the Internet, providing news ___14___
is not only up to date, but also designed to meet the interests and demands of the reader, is also described accurately. However, the
research then goes on to argue that one of the problems with online access to news is that people who view it find it hard to remember
what they’ve read. The implication is that reading information printed in a paper is somehow a more reliable way of getting and
remembering it than reading it on a computer screen. But there is ___15___ evidence to support such a claim. I’m sure that 1940s
newspaper readers forgot everything they read some time between breakfast and dinner, too.

So what can we make of the American research? That it tells us nothing new. Or, more worryingly, that, once again, unreliable
and biased research is being used to promote the false idea that young people today are not as intelligent as we used to be.

1. a) would be b) used to be c) had been d) should have been

2. a) can’t b) mustn’t c) doesn’t have to d) shouldn’t
3. a) are b) were c) had been d) have been
4. a) that b) which c) when d) of whose
5. a) were b)did c) had d) have
6. a) irritate b) to irritate c) irritating d) irritated
7. a) had carried b) having carried c) carrying d) carried
8. a) whereas b) as c) despite d) in contrast
9. a) don’t build b) aren’t built c) won’t build d) won’t be built
10. a) which had come b) which has been coming c) that comes d) that was coming
11. a) because b) while c) unless d) in spite of
12. a) to be considered b) to consider c) considering d) to have considered
13. a) obtain b) be obtained c) obtaining d) have obtained
14. a) - b) that c) in which d) it
15. a) no b) any c) a bunch of d) a great deal of

1. B 6. D 11. A
2. A 7. D 12. B
3. D 8. A 13. C
4. C 9. B 14. B
5. B 10. C 15. A

PART B: Choose the best alternative to complete the text.

Face recognition
 We now upload over four billion photos a month onto Facebook, and anyone who uses the site is familiar with the idea of face
recognition software, which can ___16___ who is (or might be) in your photo.
Face recognition is being used in many different areas, especially to help the police identify criminals. Computers are ___17___
faces like humans can, but they can be trained to compare a face with a photo that is stored in a database. They do this by noting
certain features, or, for example, measuring the distance between the eyes. A ‘smart’ surveillance system – cameras which record
our movements in public spaces – has now been developed by a Japanese company which can look through 36 million faces in
one second to find a matching one. Many people say they feel ___18___ when there are cameras to protect them in public places,
but others are not comfortable with the fact that so many images of us are stored in a database.
The technology is not yet perfect (people who have had plastic surgery can especially confuse the system!), but it is now often
preferred to other forms of conventional identification. This is partly because it can be used without us knowing. Face
recognition is being improved all the time. Other new technology ___19___ designed which can predict how a face might look as it
gets older or which can fill in missing parts of an image. It can even identify someone from video taken in very low light.
In the future, face recognition might also inspire ___20___ more good business ideas. There is already an app for smartphones
to tell how many people are at a club, and the ratio of men to women. Sony has also designed a camera that waits for you to smile
before it takes a picture.
Finally, facial recognition doesn’t just recognize humans now – tests have been carried out which show that individual
chimpanzees can be recognized, a development that could be used to protect wildlife in the future.

16. a) say you about
17. a) unable read
18. a) more safely
19. a) has been
20. a) quite
b) say you c) tell to you d) tell you
b) not able to read c) not capable of read d) incapable to read
b) safely than normal c) less safer d) much safer
b) would have been c) had been d) should have been
b) a large quantity of c) many d) a tiny proportion of

16. D
17. B
18. D
19. A
20. C

PART C: Choose the best phrase to complete the sentences.

21. __________ , but now I realize that we couldn’t cope without it.

a) The new secretary seemed rather incompetent at first

b) I can't decide whether we really need a burglar alarm
c)For a long time I thought electrical appliances were unnecessary
d)I was absolutely against purchasing a second computer

22. In the explosion at the mine last week, __________.

a) the owner has decided to sack most of the old workers

b) that might have been caused by a fault in the hydraulic lift system
c)eight miners lost their lives and a lot of machinery was damaged
d)the trade union had already warned the authorities of the danger

23. Jerome had been riding horseback for many hours __________.

a) and had dozens more before him until he reached his destination
b) otherwise, another mode of transportation would be available
 c)that has been his biggest dream ever since he was a boy
d)without the horse it would have taken days to come so far

24. You'll certainly lose your prejudices about Mr. Jamison __________.

a) unless you liked him immediately

b) once you've got to know him better
c)because he's always so inconsiderate
d)after you realized that he wasn't as bad as you thought

25. David’s been strictly observing the principles of a healthy diet __________ .

a) so that he would be able to recover his good health to some extent

b) when his doctor warned him about a probable heart attack
c)after he received severe criticism from his doctor about his eating habits
d)since he went to see his doctor about the pains in his chest

21. D
22. C
23. A
24. B
25. D

PART D: Choose the alternative that has the closest meaning to the given sentence.

26. It's more than a couple of years since I last went there.

a) I have visited them twice over the last two years.

b) It was only after two years that I went there again.
c)I had never been there until the year before last.
d)I haven't been there since my visit over two years ago.

27. The trade in Kü tahya was growing at the same time as tile-making in İznik was declining.

a) Once the trade of tile-making in İznik had disappeared, some tile craftsmen moved to Kü tahya.
b) Tile-making as a craft grew in İznik and Kü tahya, but later it declined in both towns for unknown reasons.
c)While fewer and fewer craftsmen were producing tiles in İznik, more and more people were taking up the business in Kü tahya.
d)Both İznik and Kü tahya are famous tile-making centres, but the craft became popular in Kü tahya much later than in İznik.

28. Throughout history, people have helped the needy, but social work didn't begin in an organized fashion until the 19th century.

a) When people started helping the needy during the 19th century, social work began to be organized.
b) Since history began, the needy have been helped by others, yet not until the 19th century did the organization of social work start.
c)The beginning of organized social work came in the 19th century, shortly after the rich started helping the poor.
d)Social work organizations, which help look after the poor, were badly organized before the beginning of the 19th century.

29. Martin allowed his garden to become overrun with weeds during the time that he was focusing on growing his business.

a) While concentrating on expanding his company, Martin let his garden become overgrown with weeds.
b) His garden got flooded because Martin wasn’t watching what he was doing when he was working in it.
c)When building a business up, it is easy to become tied down with work and neglect domestic chores such as weeding the garden.
d)Martin shouldn't have left his garden unattended while he tried to expand his company.

30. In spite of the recent improvements in the political situation, Nigeria still has a long way to go before it returns to full democracy.

a) Although the political situation in Nigeria has never appeared more hopeless, there are still some people who long for a return to
full democracy.
b) Nigeria's government has changed for the better recently, but they still have a lot to do before complete democracy is achieved.
c)Following recent developments for the better, Nigeria now looks poised for a return to democracy in the near
 future.
d)The political situation in Nigeria has been great recently. Therefore, a return to full democracy appears possible very soon.

26. D
27. C
28. B
29. A
30. B

PART E: Choose the best alternative to complete the sentences.

31. Peter Bogdanovich, one of America’s ___ most acclaimed film directors, has written __ book that profiles some of
the biggest stars of Hollywood’s golden age. Many of ___ actors profiled in the book are people ___ director has
collaborated with on various projects.

a. the / the / -- /a b. -- / the/ -- / the c.-- / a / the /the d. the / the / -- /--

32. We ___ some time before because I know your face, but unfortunately, I ___ your name.

a. must have met / can’t remember

b. could have met / might have remembered
c. may have met / shouldn’t remember
d. must have met / can’t have remembered

33. Several kinds of bacteria get into milk during milking, processing and bottling, and multiply rapidly ___ great care
is taken to keep the cow’s udders, milking machines and bottling equipment clean. ___, dairy cows are inspected at
regular intervals to make sure they are not carrying diseases.

a. in case / For this reason

b. if / Otherwise
c. unless / Therefore
d. as long as / Thus

34. Not until several years after ___ ___ the severe psychological damage it can cause.

a. has a war ended / many of its veterans begin to feel

b. a war has ended / do many of its veterans begin to feel
c. has a war ended / do many of its veterans begin to feel
d. a war has ended / many of its veterans begin to feel

35. You ___ something before we left the house; we ___ for at least three more hours.

a. had better eat / won’t stop

b. were bound to eat / we won’t have stopped
c. should have eaten / won’t be stopping
d. ought to have eaten / we won’t be stopped

36. Jane Austen’s third novel, Northanger Abbey, ___ when she was 27 or 28 years old, but it ___ in print until after her
death.

a. completed / didn’t appear

b. had been completed / wasn’t appeared
c. was completing / wouldn’t appear
d. was completed / didn’t appear

37. The weather was ________ freezing, but some parents ____ outside.

a. absolutely / didn’t mind their children play

b. extremely/ didn’t mind their children playing
 c. fairly / didn’t mind playing their children
d. really/ didn’t mind their children playing

38. Mrs. Malaprop, ___ a character ___ created by the writer Sheridan, would often use an incorrect word when
speaking; e.g. “The ‘geometry’ of Turkey is fantastic,” when she actually meant ‘geography’.
a. -- / who b. whom / -- c. whose / that d.-- / --

39. My wisdom tooth had been causing me so much pain that at last I decided ___ my dentist and ____.

a. seeing/ had it pull out c. to seeing/ got it pull out

b. to see / get it to pull out d. to see / have it pulled out

40. Alison regretted ___ a research on learner autonomy because her advisor remembered ____ a very similar research
paper. She was devastated!

a. to conduct / to read
b. conducting / reading
c. having conducted / to read
d. conducting / having read

31. C 36. D
32. A 37. D
33. C 38. D
34. B 39. D
35. C 40. B

PART F: Choose the correct answer for the gaps in the sentences.
41. More than three quarters of academics questioned stated that universities are ___. Victoria University professor
Don Throw stated that many commerce students are not able to write a coherent sentence or do simple mental
arithmetics.
a. dumbing down b. backing down c. burning down d. holding down

42. Kelly is sometimes ___ and arrogant. He keeps quiet, standing in his corner, paying no attention.
a. devious b. meticulous c. pragmatic d. aloof

43. I think Jack is ___. I usually feel angry or frustrated by what he does.
a. exhilarating b. invigorating c. exasperating d. disorientating

44. The Southwest Cancer Centre is a forefront of treatment technologies. It offers some ___ technology and radio
surgery equipment not available anywhere else in the region.
a. obsolete b.cutting-edge c. redundant d.archaic

45. You may think that I am ____________ to quit my job, but I need to focus on my doctoral studies. Time is
ticking away!
a. bonkers b. sane c. rewarding d. used

46. Wow! They did a great job! Even the FBI couldn’t work fast enough to _____________ these people in such a
short time.
a. bump into b. catch up c. track down d. pull down

47. The _____________ fact is that the tennis world has changed immensely in the past couple of decades.
a. insoluble b. indisputable c. incompatible d. incorporable
48. During the world-famous Oktoberfest, people in Munich really ___________. All pubs have music and get into
the spirit of it. People have drinks and a lot of fun!
a. let their hair down c. hear it on the grapevine
b. get straight to the point d. move the goalposts

49. As we hadn’t booked in advance, we stayed in an old, __________ hotel with a leaky roof. It was the worst hotel
I’d ever stayed.
a. contemporary b.disenchanted c. dilapidated d. degrading

50. Students who ______________ their peers not only learn more, but they are also more comfortable asking them
questions and getting extra help.
a. get on with b. fall out with c. break up with d. come up with

51. Garlic is a superb food which fights against high _______, high cholesterol and many types of cancer.
a. chest pain b. heart attack c. blood pressure d. immune system

52. Globally, the _________ rate decreased from an estimated rate of 65 deaths per 1000 live births in 1990 to 29
deaths per 1000 live births in 2017. 
a. premature aging b. palliative care c. life expectancy d. infant mortality

53. At his best, William is clever, heroic, and courageous and never _______ his responsibilities or leaves an
obligation unfulfilled.
a. assumes b. shirks c. shoulders d. bears

54. It has become one of the main tenets of the qualitative inquiry that the results _______ naturally, without any
biased interference of the researcher.
a. erode b. indicate c. emerge d. reinforce

55. The study has shown that there is a general _________ that bilinguals rely on a single shared conceptual store.
a. consensus b. streaming c. convenience d.violation

56. The growing ___of the protests appeared more hideous as the dangers threatening the government receded in
Paris.
a) legacy b) ferocity c) casualty d) foray

57. Under the new rules in America, only designated ___ are allowed to process poultry, which cannot be sold
without a quarantine certificate which is important for public health.
a) constituents b) brokers c) tariffs d) plants

58. As soon as the company increased the price of its videogame by fifty dollars, it saw its sales ___.
a) plummet b) soar c) wax d) flutter

59. E-mail is a notoriously bad way to resolve serious disputes over ___issues, since it easily leads to harsh tones and
misunderstandings.
a) contentious b) inaugural c) alienated d) consistent
60. The young girl ___ the farewell gesture by slightly nodding his head and slowly blinking her large, intelligent eyes
knowing that she would never see him again.
a) prescribed b) countered c) reciprocated d) refuted
 61. Umbrella making developed ___; they began to be painted with flowers and landscape scenes of various kinds,
various fabrics and various types.
a) prosperous b) prosper c) prosperously d) prosperity

62. A visit to the supermarket can present a shopper with a ___array of choices.
a) bewilder b) bewildering c) bewilderment d) bewilderingly

63. One way to trace liberty is to take note of occasions when people ___ to those who govern them.
a) consent b) consensually c) consensus d) consensual

64. The world has become too large and complex to accept the ___ of one power.
a) predominate b) predominant c)predominance d) predominantly

65. Electronic payment ___ has become a serious issue for financial institutions and for online shopping websites.
a) fraudulently b) defraud c) fraudulent d) fraud

66. I hope for upcoming years we will be an opportunity to cross international boundaries and express practical help
and love for those who are ___ and homeless.
a) conditioned b) corroding c) menacing d) bereft
67. The Bohemian rebellion was ruthlessly ___in 1620 and Bohemia went through a decade of decline.
a) suppressed b) obtained c) promoted d) submitted
68. The police detectives spent five years studying the case and ___an astonishing quantity of information to find
the criminal.
a) parlayed b) amassed c) exceeded d) accumulated
69. Although Susanna’s brain was___, she could just about blink and could barely speak after the accident.
a) intact b) adrift c) poignant d) entitled
70. The Prime Minister expressed their ___with the people who were injured in the protests by the police forces.
a) cascade b) hindrance c) solidarity d) proliferation

41. A 46. C 51. B 56. B 61. C 66. D

42. D 47. B 52. D 57. D 62. B 67. A
43. C 48. A 53. B 58. A 63. A 68. B
44. B 49. C 54. C 59. A 64. C 69. A
45. A 50. A 55. A 60. C 65. D 70. C

PART G: Complete the dialogues with the best option.

Interviewer: With me in the studio today I have two pilots, Richard and Steven, who are going to
answer some of the most frequently asked questions about flying and air travel. Hello to both of you.
Pilots: Hello.
Interviewer: Passengers often think that putting on seat belts in a plane is just pointless. Is that true?
Richard: (71) _____. During the flight if there is sudden and severe turbulence, they could be thrown all over the
cabin if they aren’t wearing their seat belts.
Interviewer: Should we really listen to the safety information?
Steven: (72)_____. If there’s a fire on a plane, the information will help you to find the nearest one to save your
life.
Interviewer: How important is it for pilots and air traffic controllers to have good clear English?
Richard: It’s the official language of the air, so (73) ______.

71
a. As for wearing seat belts,it’s all water
under the bridge
b. It simply inevitable to wear your belt
when the seat belt light is off
c. I’m not too keen on wearing them
d. We urge them to wear their seatbelts
72 73
a. One reason I favour doing that is a. I just don’t think it’s feasible
to locate emergency exits b. it’s just speculation on our part
b. I have to agree with you therethat c. that’s a pre-requisite
safety information is dispensable d. it’s barely an absolute priority
c. I’m not sure how helpful that’d
bein case of emergency
d. Admittedly, that’d mean nothing in a
matter of life and death

John: I’m afraid I won’t be able to meet the deadline for my MA thesis. I have some plans, but I don’t know how to put
them in practice.
Mark: So tell me, what are your plans?
John: I’ve already found similar studies on teacher development and I’m planning to copy the findings inone of them.
Mark: What! You can’t be serious! If your advisor finds it out, (74) ___. He might take legal action.You need to (75)
_____. I’ve got a bad feeling about it. (76) ___.
John: You’re right. I need to make an appointment and ask for some time.

74 75 76
a. he’ll give you a hand a. hold fire on this one a. Finding a recent study might well solve the
b. you’ll be in hot water b. burn your bridges problem
c. you’ll take it for granted c. make a scene b. The best way forward is to tell him the truth
d. he’ll be in two minds d. hear it on the grapevine c. You don’t want to be left behind, so go for it
d. The best way to deal with it is to find an
original study

Interviewer: Frank Clifford is an astrologer and palmist. So can astrologers and palmists predict people’s future?
Frank: (77) ___. It’s not really about reading somebody’s future; it’s about understanding where they are today,
who they are, and future possibilities.(78) ____, we encourage people to live their own lives and decide on their own
future, not feel as though it’s written somewhere and that they have nothing to do or say about the outcome.
Interviewer: If you saw on someone’s hand that they were going to have a serious illness, would you tell them?
Frank: I’m not a doctor so I wouldn’t talk about anything medical.
Interviewer: (79) _____, because it’s not what people want to hear from an astrologer or a palmist.
Frank: (80) ______.What we are doing is not reading or predicting somebody’s future.
People should come to a palmist or astrologer not to be told about anunalterable destiny or future. They should see us
as…
 77
a. I’m not going to argue against
you on this one
b. I’d like to make my position very
clear about this
c. There seems to be no end to our
talents
d. That’s the way forward for an
astrologer and palmist
78 79 80
a. That’s a fair point a. But think of the a. I can see some real
b. We aren’t on the same consequences problems
wavelength b. That’s really good b. Let me recap, please
c. Or to put it another advice c. That’s a fact of life
way c. It’s a hard world over d. Well, I’m sorry, but
d. It’s worth trying there that’s not acceptable
d. I’d go along with you
there

71. D 76. B
72. A 77. B
73. C 78. C
74. B 79. D
75. A 80. B

READING PART
Zombies are everywhere these days – on television, in movies and in books. The current image of the terrifying
flesh-eating zombie comes from George Romero’s 1968 classic film Night of the Living Dead. Nowadays many
people like to frighten themselves with the idea of the ‘Zombie Apocalypse’, and enjoy learning how to destroy
zombies by decapitation or shooting them in the head.
However zombies are not new. The term, from the Kongo word nzambi which means ‘spirit of a dead person’, has
been long associated with the Vodou religion of Haiti (popularly known as Voodoo). As with West African Vodun,
from which it is descended, Vodou has strong ties to the supernatural and magic practised by witch doctors
called bokors.
In Haitian culture zombies are not evil creatures but victims. They are said to be people who have been killed by
poisoning, then reanimated and controlled by bokors with magic potions for some specific purpose, usually to work
as slave labour. The bokors were widely feared and respected. It is said that they used to be in the service of the
secret police and those who defied the authorities were threatened with being turned into the living dead.
For a long time most people assumed that zombies were nothing more than mythical figures, like werewolves and
vampires. However this changed in the 1980s when a man called Clairvius Narcisse claimed that he had been
turned into a zombie by means of drugs and forced to work on a sugar plantation for two years before escaping.
Wade Davis, a Harvard scientist, investigated the claim and obtained something called ‘zombie powder’ from
Haitian bokors. The main active ingredient was a neurotoxin found in puffer fish which could be used to simulate
death. The bokors also explained to Davis that a second poison, made from the datura plant, known as the zombie
cucumber, was given to victims after they were revived from their death-like state. This kept the ‘zombies’ in a
submissive state so that it was easy to force them to work. Davis wrote several books on the topic, including  The
Serpent and the Rainbow, later made into a horror film by director Wes Craven.
Although the book was very popular with the public, some scientists were sceptical of Davis’s claims. They said the
amounts of toxin in the powder samples he found were inconsistent and not high enough to produce zombifying
effects. Although many people in Haiti still believe in zombies, there have been no publicised cases in the last few
decades and Davis’s theory remains controversial. The Zombie Apocalypse seems unlikely to take place soon.
Circle the correct answer
81 .According to the text, ___.
a. zombies are represented in different ways in different TV programmes, films and books
b. our current understanding of what a zombie is comes from a seminal sixties film
c. people do not find zombies as frightening now as they did in the past
d. people like zombies because they show us the dark side of humankind
82.'Zombie' ___.
a. is a Haitian and West African religion
b. is a witch doctor who practises magic
c. comes from the Kongo word 'nzambi'
d. means 'victim'

83.In Haitian culture, zombies are ___.

a. living people who are kept in a death-like state by poisoning
b. dead people who have been brought back to life by witch doctors
c. people who are being punished for disloyalty to the secret police
d. witch doctors who have poisoned themselves with their own medicine

84. Clairvius Narcisse ___.

a. claimed he was a real-life zombie
b. said working on a sugar plantation turned people into zombies
c. took 'zombie powder' to appear dead in order to escape from the sugar plantation where he worked
d. told a Harvard scientist that he knew how to turn people into zombies

85.'The Serpent and the Rainbow' ___.

a. proved Narcisse's theory with rigorous scientific evidence
b. presented the case with scepticism
c. was popular with zombie fans but not scientists
d. was a fictional account based on the real-life story

Did you know that humans aren't the only species that use language? Bees communicate by dancing. Whales talk to each other by
singing. And some apes talk to humans by using American Sign Language.

Meet Koko: a female gorilla born at the San Francisco Zoo on July 4th, 1971. Koko learned sign language from her trainer, Dr. Penny
Patterson. Patterson began teaching sign language to Koko in 1972, when Koko was one year old. Koko must have been a good
student, because two years later she moved onto the Stanford University campus with Dr. Patterson. Koko continued to learn on the
campus until 1976. That's when she began living full-time with Patterson's group, the Gorilla Foundation. Patterson and Koko's
relationship has blossomed ever since.

Dr. Patterson says that Koko has mastered sign language. She says that Koko knows over 1,000 words, and that Koko makes up new
words. For example, Koko didn't know the sign for ring, so she signed the words finger and bracelet. Dr. Patterson thinks that this
shows meaningful and constructive use of language.

Not everyone agrees with Dr. Patterson. Some argue that apes like Koko do not understand the meaning of what they are doing.
Skeptics say that these apes are just performing complex tricks. For example, if Koko points to an apple and signs red or apple, Dr.
Patterson will give her an apple. They argue that Koko does not really know what the sign apple means. She only knows that that if
she makes the right motion, one which Dr. Patterson has shown her, then she gets an apple. The debate is unresolved, but one thing
is for certain: Koko is an extraordinary ape.

Sign language isn't the only unusual thing about Koko. She's also been a pet-owner. In 1983, at the age of 12, researchers said that
Koko asked for a cat for Christmas. They gave Koko a stuffed cat. Koko was not happy. She did not play with it, and she continued to
sign sad. So for her birthday in 1984, they let her pick a cat out of an abandoned liter. Koko picked a grey cat and named him "All
Ball." Dr. Patterson said that Koko loved and nurtured All Ball as though he were a baby gorilla. Sadly, All Ball got out of Koko's cage
and was hit by a car. Patterson reported that Koko signed "Bad, sad, bad" and "Frown, cry, frown, sad" when she broke the news to
her.

It seems like Patterson and Koko have a good relationship, but not everyone agrees with it. Some critics believe that Patterson is
humanizing the ape. They believe that apes should be left in the most natural state possible. Even Dr. Patterson struggles with these
feelings. When asked if her findings could be duplicated by another group of scientists, she said, "We don't think that it would be
ethical to do again." She went on to argue that animals should not be kept in such unnatural circumstances. Nonetheless, Koko lives
in her foundation today.

As for the future, Dr. Patterson and the Gorilla Foundation would love to get Koko to an ape preserve in Maui, but they are having
trouble securing the land. So unless you have a few million dollars to spare, Koko's going to be spending her time in Woodland,
California with Dr. Patterson. Koko probably doesn't mind that. If she moved to Hawaii, she'd have to give up her Facebook page and
Twitter feed, and she's got like 50 thousand "likes." Some may deny that she knows sign language, but nobody says that she doesn't
know social networking.

Circle the correct answer

86. Which best expresses the main idea of this article?
a. Bees, whales, and apes like Koko all use language to
communicate.
b. Koko uses sign language but some think it's just a trick.
c. When someone works properly, every animal can learn to
communicate.
d. Dr. Patterson struggled throughout her life to understand
the communication between animals.
87. Which statement would the author most likely agree
with?
a. Koko has mastered sign language without a doubt.
b. Everybody likes how Dr. Patterson has raised Koko.
c. Koko doesn't really know sign language.
d. Some people are troubled by how Koko was raised.
88. Which best defines the word duplicated as it is used in
the text?
a. To dispute a fact or disagree with someone
b. To lie to someone or to fool them
c. To copy or recreate something
d. To be disproven through debate
89. Which statement would the author most likely disagree
with?
a. Dr. Patterson has worked hard to teach Koko sign
language.
b. Some people think that Koko only signs to get food.
c. The Gorilla Foundation would like to move Koko to an ape
preserve.
d. Dr. Patterson has no regrets about working with Koko.

90. If a book were being written about Koko and All Ball,
which title would best summarize their story?
a. Long Wanted, Short Lived: A Tale of Strong Loves Lost
b. Happy Ending: The Gorilla Who Got What She Wanted
c. A Tale of Two Kitties: A Stuffed Cat Versus a Real One
d. Plushy Love: How A Gorilla Fell in Love with a Stuffed Cat
Imagine that you're a fly. You're just zipping around the sky, looking for a place to rest, when you see a nice pink leaf. That
looks like a nice place to land. You think to yourself in your fly head. As you rest your feet on the leaf, you notice something strange.
This leaf is hairy. You begin to make your move, but you trigger the plant's reflex. Snap! In one-tenth of a second, you are caught in
the Venus flytrap. You will be digested in five to twelve days. Welcome to the world of carnivorous plants!
 There are over a quarter of a million plant species. Only 600 or so are carnivorous. We call them this because they attract,
trap, and eat bugs. Like other plants, they get energy from the sun. But unlike other plants, they get their nutrients from their prey.
Carnivorous plants live in bogs and places where the soil lacks nutrients. Most plants get nutrients from the soil. Carnivorous plants
have turned to other sources.

The snap of the Venus flytrap is not the only way that plants eat bugs. Pitcher plants trick their prey into landing on them.
They offer nectar bribes to the foolish insects that would take them. True to their name, pitcher plants have deep chambers. Their
landing surface is slippery. They have inward pointing hairs, making it hard to escape. The fly lands on the pitcher plant to eat, but
slips into a pit filled with digestive fluids and is eaten.

Then there are sundews. We call them sundews because they sparkle in the sun as if covered in morning dew. Of course,
that sparkle is from something much more treacherous. It is sweet goo called mucilage that bugs can't resist. Sundews create
mucilage to attract bugs. As they fly in to eat, bugs become trapped in the very object of their desire. They soon exhaust themselves
by trying to escape the mucilage. Or the sundew's tentacles, which respond to prey by curling around them, smother them. Bugs
usually die in about 15 minutes. Then the plant dissolves its prey in enzymes and absorbs the nutrients.

Have you ever walked into trouble and found that you couldn't get out? So has every insect that has ever wandered into a
corkscrew plant. Bugs love to investigate plants for nectar and food. Corkscrew plants have inviting stems. Curved hairs line the
inside of these stems. These hairs allow insects to go up the stems, but not back. Going forward leads a chamber filled with digestive
fluid, the plant's stomach. Bugs who wander into the corkscrew plant find that they are unable to escape. They must march to their
own demise.

And then there are the bladderworts. They're about as nice as they sound. They live in water and float near the surface.
Their traps are like small bladders hidden beneath the water. Only their flowers are visible from the surface. When bugs swim into
the trigger hairs, the plant reacts. A trapdoor in the bladder opens up. The bladder sucks up the prey and the water surrounding it. A
tenth of a second later, the bladder shuts again. The plant has trapped the prey. It releases digestive fluids. The prey will be digested
within hours.

Carnivorous plants might sound tough, but they are difficult to keep at home. They are built to survive in places that other
plants cannot. This specialization comes at a cost. They have a hard time adapting to other environments. Their strengths become
weaknesses in rich soil. They depend on the harsh yet delicate environments in which they thrive. They are not so hardy after all.
Still, there's something to be said about the power of life when one finds a plant that can survive in barren soil.

91. Which statement would the author most likely
agree with?
a. There are too many species of carnivorous plants.
b. There are too few plant species in the world.
c. Only a small number of plants are carnivorous.
d. A majority of plants are carnivorous.
92. Which plant traps bugs in its stem and forces them
to walk forward?
a. Corkscrew plants b. Sundews
c. Bladderworts d. Pitcher plants
93. Which of the following statements is false?
a. Carnivorous plants get their energy from eating bugs.
b. Carnivorous plants do not get nutrients from the soil.
c. Carnivorous plants get their energy from the sun.
d. Carnivorous plants get their nutrients from eating
bugs.
94. Which statement would the author most likely
disagree with?
a. Carnivorous plants cannot thrive in rich soil.
b. Bladderworts react quickly when their trigger hairs
are bumped.
c. Carnivorous plants are tough and can live in any
environment.
d. Bladderworts hide their traps just below the surface
of the water.
95. Which title best expresses the author's main
purpose in writing this text?
a. Watch Out! How To Avoid Being Eaten by
Carnivorous Plants
b. At Risk: How You Can Help to Preserve Carnivorous
Plants
c. Venus Flytrap: Nature's Most Beautiful and
Dangerous Plant
d. Fatal Flowers: Plants That Kill Insects

I was once a conscientious diary-keeper but having realized its treacherous potential, I buried it in the bin. In a move far more
decisive than mine, my aunt torched her diaries in a bonfire. The third diarist in my family is my great grandfather, who fought in the
First World War. The many letters he wrote to my great-grandmother aren’t exactly a diary, yet they document his experiences on
the battlefield in a similar way. He didn’t do anything as extreme as my aunt or me – we edited our pasts into ash and landfill – but
my great-grandfather’s letters are still edited. The words are brave and considered rather than raw and desperate, since they were
for his wife, who must have been sick with worry and had three young sons to care for. I’m sure he never foresaw me, the
granddaughter of neither one of those boys, reading his letters 100 years later, nor that they would be on display in the Imperial
War Museum.
A few years before the First World War began; Captain Robert Falcon Scott had set off for the South Pole. And in 1914, Ernest
Shackleton started out on another Antarctic expedition; his object to cross the entire continent. With curious symmetry, both Scott
and Shackleton’s lives ended up being defined by a journey of around 800 miles, which were documented by both men in diaries.
Scott, I suspect, never had it in mind for his to be made public yet I, like countless other people, have found it greatly absorbing.
(Indeed, I have relied on it for my new novel, Everland, dealing with the conflict between historical records and the realities of
human relationships.) Ernest Shackleton, however, would not have been surprised: he edited his journal into the book published
three years after he returned from Antarctica. Scott’s journal, in contrast, was retrieved from his pocket after he had been dead for
eight months. The difference would prove to be important.
With his ship crushed by the ice and the crew marooned on Elephant Island, Shackleton and five men then sailed more than 800
miles in a boat to South Georgia to get help. Incredibly, they made it. His book South! describes one of the most astonishing
journeys ever made. And despite the overwhelming probability that no one from the ship Endurance would survive, a spirit of
cheerfulness permeates the book. Any mention of the conflict or anguish that occurred is brief to the point of non-existence. As
Shackleton remarks in the preface, the story is of ‘high adventure, strenuous days, lonely nights, and, above all, records of
unflinching determination’. Writing retrospectively, his focus is naturally on the larger triumph of the rescue and escape rather than
the smaller, spikier aspects of their ordeal.
The story of Scott’s last 800 miles, however, is one of grinding torture. Beaten to the South Pole by Norwegian Roald Amundsen, he
slowly returns. His account is drawn from the perspective of someone whose chances of survival are being steadily destroyed. It
displays just as much ‘unflinching determination’ as Shackleton’s, yet despair seeps from the page as the distance that Scott and his
four men have left to travel becomes impossible to square with diminishing supplies and deteriorating health. ‘Loneliness is the
penalty of leadership,’ Shackleton wrote, which is possibly why Scott unburdened himself so freely on paper. In his last entries Scott
reveals a man who could be depressive, snappish and critical. People irritate him, their performance dissatisfies him and he makes
biting asides about incompetence. But he was equally impatient with himself. His rigid belief in self-discipline was the result of a
lifelong disgust at his own inclination towards laziness. While in the navy, he wrote ‘of the hope of being more worthy; but how shall
I ever be?’ This relentlessness of Scott’s was often a beneficial quality but his willingness to punish himself could also be considered
a form of self-abuse.
‘Scott’s diary, had he lived, would have formed the basis of the book he would have written,’ fellow explorer Apsley Cherry-
Garrard later noted. There is no doubt Scott planned to revise his diary into something more selective. I’m certain Shackleton
revised his diary, just as I’m certain anyone would. Such edits aren’t necessarily a misrepresentation of events, but reflect the
diplomacy of retrospection. As Captain Lawrence Oates, who died two weeks before Scott, once wrote to his mother: ‘Please
remember that when a man is having a hard time he says hard things about other people which he would regret afterwards.’ For my
great grandfather, and the hundreds of thousands of other men who were sent to fight a year later, Scott’s story was an
inspirational example of courage. It continued to be so for several decades, until a newer, determinedly sensational form of
biography became fashionable and Scott’s admissions of self-doubt were used to destroy his character and explain the failure of his
expedition.
Shackleton didn’t initially receive the same recognition as Scott. It took another 30 years after his death before he began to
gain similar levels of public renown. Their most famous expeditions are technically about failure but to classify them only as failures
is deliberately to misunderstand what makes these two expeditions so extraordinary. Shackleton and Scott tell their stories in their
own words, yet Scott’s contains the reflexive frustration and turmoil of a man writing privately at the end of each day. He never had
the chance to appraise the situation objectively, so we read it as he went through it, blind to what the next 24 hours will bring. It
makes for a more intimate, but perhaps less comprehensive account.

96. When referring to the diarists in her family, the writer says___
a) her great-grandfather had probably not imagined he would be writing for posterity.
b) she had considered it a personal obligation to uphold a family tradition.
c) the family diary-keepers are all prone to occasions of melodramatic behaviour.
d) her great-grandfather was more cautious in what he wrote compared to her aunt.

97. What point does the writer make about Scott and Shackleton in the text?
a) Scott’s story of tragedy lends itself more to fictional interpretation.
b) Unlike Shackleton, Scott had no say in the decision to publish his diary.
c) Reading Shackleton’s writing feels much less like an invasion of privacy.
d) Shackleton was frustrated by the inevitable comparisons to Scott.

98. What does the writer suggest about Shackleton’s book South?
a) It contains elements of embellishment characteristic of adventure writing
b) It omits the detail that would have made a more engaging read
c) It includes a balance of factual information and personal reflection
d) It is unswervingly positive in the conveyance of tone and mood

99. When describing Scott’s diaries, the writer shows appreciation for___
a) the form of encouragement Scott gave his men so that they would persevere.
b) Scott’s acceptance of responsibility for the circumstances his team found themselves in.
c) Scott’s unambiguous admission of defeat regarding the attempt to reach the South Pole.
d) the way Scott applied the same exacting standards to himself and to those working with him.

100. What point does the writer make about the editing of biographical material?
a) Any alteration detracts from the truth and is therefore unjustifiably deceptive
b) The benefit of hindsight may make certain revisions acceptable
c) The deliberate misrepresentation of a person creates an iconic image
d) Modern types of memoir may in fact be more discreet than older ones

81. B 86. B 91. C 96. A

82. C 87. D 92. A 97. B
83. B 88. C 93. A 98. D
84. A 89. D 94. C 99. D
85. C 90. A 95. D 100. B
 Name/Surname:
Number:
Duration: 70 minutes

TOPIC: Do you think learning English online is practical?

Write an opinion essay about the topic above. Your essay should have at least four paragraphs.

(!!!) Essays out of the topic above will not be evaluated.

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 ELT & ELL PREPARATORY CLASSES
PROFICIENCY EXAM LISTENING SESSION
PART A: Listen to the recording twice and circle the correct answer. You have 90 seconds to read the questions.

1. The lecturer says, “Our body clearly works on a use-it-or-lose-it basis.” What does he mean?
A If you use your body too much, you will lose the ability to use it.
B You must use your body if you want to keep in good shape.
C Too much exercise is not good for one’s health.
D Too much eating is not good for one’s health.

2. According to the lecturer, what is the most important type of exercise?

A balance exercise
B endurance exercise
C flexibility exercise
D strength exercise

3. Flexibility exercise can reduce pain because it ___.

A improves posture
B strengthens muscles
C lowers heart rate
D improves sleep

4. According to the lecturer, what is one reason why learning to speak a foreign language is beneficial?
A Languages are complex.
B Languages are enjoyable to speak.
C Speaking a language is natural.
D Speaking creates social interaction.

5. What is an example of “get uncomfortable”?

A meet up with friends
B travel around a new place
C exercise more frequently
D go on a diet

6. What does the phrase normal routine mean in “When we get away from our normal routine … ”?
A the place where we live
B our typical way of doing things
C the people we usually talk to
D the place where we grew up

7. Another way to say “make our world bigger” is ___.

A talk to our friends more often
B live in a large city
C use electronic devices daily
D experience new things

8. Both “strain your brain” and “get uncomfortable” are ___.

A physically difficult
B physically tiring
C mentally challenging
D mentally harmful

9. Getting a job that involves interacting with many people we haven’t met before is an example of ___.
A being social
B volunteering
C maintaining strong social relationships
D navigating unfamiliar surroundings

10. Why does the lecturer quote Gandhi at the end of the lecture?
A The quote indicates how we should treat others.
B The quote summarizes the lecturer’s points about slowing down a
C The quote suggests how to deal with an aging mind and body.
D The quote emphasizes the important of health.
PART B: Listen to the recording twice and circle the correct answer. You have 90 seconds to read the questions.

11. According to the lecturer, one reason that marriage has taken various forms is ____.
A humans have a variety of preferences
B humans are extremely creative
C human social organization varies widely
D human interests change over time

12. When a person has only one marriage partner in his or her life, it is an example of ___.
A civil marriage
B monogamy
C polygamy
D religious marriage

13. According to the Ethnographic Atlas, polygamy is practiced in ___.

A very few societies
B about one-quarter of human societies
C about half of human societies
D the majority of human societies

14. The lecturer says that polygyny developed ___.

A because of practical and social reasons
B because of social inequalities
C because some families sought wealth
D because of political pressures

15. What does the phrase create ties mean in “create ties with a greater number of family groups”?
A build businesses
B become more competitive
C become friendly
D develop relationships

16. According to the Ethnographic Atlas, polyandry occurs ___than polygyny.

A much less frequently
B slightly less frequently
C slightly more frequently
D much more frequently

17. According to the lecturer, limiting population growth through the practice of polyandry is desirable in areas where ___.
A floods often occur
B there are few natural resources
C women outnumber men
D many dangerous animals live

18. What is the second reason for polyandry given by the lecturer?
A to provide children with the best care possible
B to maintain high income levels
C to create strong relationships among several families
D to keep plots of land large and productive

19. The lecturer’s basic attitude toward the existence of various kinds of marriage appears to be ____.
A negative
B neutral
C positive
D uninterested

20. Which sentence best summarizes the lecture?

A Each kind of marriage is based on a particular social and physical context.
B Each kind of marriage is decided by those with the most power in the society.
C Each kind of marriage is determined by a dominant religion.
D Each kind of marriage is based on the dominant type of family structure.
This is the end of the exam. Now write your answers in the chart .
!!! Only the answers on the marking chart are valid; check carefully!!!
KEY

1.B 2.B 3.A 4.A 5.B 6.B 7.D 8.C 9.A 10.
D

11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18. 19. 20.
C B D A D A B D C A