Vocab 2

BOOST YOUR VOCABULARY
Tài liệu gốc Cambridge IELTS của NXB Đại học Cambridge-Mua sách gốc tại link
Biên tập cuốn sách Boost your vocabulary này được thực hiện bởi IELTS Family-Các nhóm tự học IELTS
LỜI GIỚI THIỆU

Chào các bạn,
Các bạn đang cầm trên tay cuốn “Boost your vocabulary” được biên soạn bởi mình và bạn Dương
Nguyễn. Cuốn sách được viết nhằm mục đích giúp các bạn đang muốn cải thiện vốn từ vựng cho
phần thi Reading trong IELTS. Sách được viết dựa trên nền tảng bộ Cambridge IELTS của Nhà xuất
bản Đại học Cambridge – Anh Quốc.
Từ lúc mình lên ý tưởng cho cuốn sách này đến khi cùng bạn Dương Nguyễn bắt đầu thực hiện, mình
đã mất tương đối nhiều thời gian để nghiên cứu cách thức đưa nội dung sao cho khoa học và dễ dùng
nhất với các bạn đọc. Tuy vậy, cuốn sách không khỏi có những hạn chế nhất định. Mọi góp ý để cải
thiện nội dung cuốn sách mọi người xin gửi về email
Trân trọng cảm ơn,
NHÓM THỰC HIỆN

Đinh Thắng
Hiện tại là giáo viên dạy IELTS tại Hà Nội với các lớp học quy mô nhỏ
(dưới 10 người) từ cuối năm 2012. Chứng chỉ ngành ngôn ngữ Anh,
đại học Brighton, Anh Quốc, 2016.Từng làm việc tại tổ chức giáo dục
quốc tế Language Link Việt Nam (2011-2012)
Facebook.com/dinhthangielts
Dương Nguyễn
Du học sinh trường Centennial College, Canada. Hiện đang học tập
và sinh sống tại Toronto
Facebook.com/duong.nguyen.9216778
BOOST YOUR VOCABULARY 1
03 LÝ DO TẠI SAO NÊN HỌC TỪ VỰNG

THEO CUỐN SÁCH NÀY
1. Không còn mất nhiều thời gian cho việc tra từ
Các từ học thuật (academic words) trong sách đều có kèm giải thích hoặc từ đồng nghĩa. Bạn
tiết kiệm được đáng kể thời gian gõ từng từ vào từ điển và tra. Chắc chắn những bạn thuộc
dạng “không được chăm chỉ lắm trong việc tra từ vựng” sẽ thích điều này.
2. Tập trung bộ nhớ vào các từ quan trọng
Mặc dù cuốn sách không tra hết các từ giúp bạn nhưng sách đã chọn ra các từ quan trọng và
phổ biến nhất giúp bạn. Như vậy, bạn có thể tập trung bộ nhớ vào các từ này, thay vì phải mất
công nhớ các từ không quan trọng. Bạn nào đạt Reading từ 7.0 trở lên đều sẽ thấy rất nhiều
trong số các từ này thuộc loại hết sức quen thuộc
3. Học một từ nhớ nhiều từ
Rất nhiều từ được trình bày theo synonym (từ đồng nghĩa), giúp các bạn có thể xem lại và học
thêm các từ có nghĩa tương đương hoặc giống như từ gốc. Có thể nói, đây là phương pháp học
hết sức hiệu quả vì khi học một từ như impact, bạn có thể nhớ lại hoặc học thêm một loạt các từ
nghĩa tương đương như significant, vital, imperative, chief, key. Nói theo cách khác thì nếu khả
năng ghi nhớ của bạn tốt thì cuốn sách này giúp bạn đấy số lượng từ vựng lên một cách đáng
kể.
Tài liệu gốc Cambridge IELTS của NXB Đại học Cambridge - Mua sách gốc tại link
HƯỚNG DẪN SỬ DỤNG SÁCH

ĐỐI TƯỢNG SỬ DỤNG SÁCH
Nhìn chung các bạn cần có mức độ từ vựng tương đương 5.5 trở lên (theo thang điểm 9 của
IELTS), nếu không có thể sẽ gặp nhiều khó khăn trong việc sử dụng sách này.
CÁC BƯỚC SỬ DỤNG
Bước 1: Bạn in cuốn sách này ra. Nên in bìa màu để có thêm động lực học. Cuốn sách
được thiết kế cho việc đọc trực tiếp, không phải cho việc đọc online nên bạn nào đọc online sẽ
có thể thấy khá bất tiện khi tra cứu, đối chiếu từ vựng
Bước 2: Tìm mua cuốn Cambridge IELTS (6 cuốn mới nhất từ 6-12) của Nhà xuất bản
Cambridge để làm. Hãy cẩn thận đừng mua nhầm sách lậu. Sách của nhà xuất bản Cambridge
được tái bản tại Việt Nam thường có bìa và giấy dày, chữ rất rõ nét.
Bước 3: Làm một bài test hoặc passage bất kỳ trong bộ sách trên. Ví dụ passage 1,
test 1 của Cambridge IELTS 12.
Bước 4: Đối chiếu với cuốn sách này, bạn sẽ lọc ra các từ vựng quan trọng cần học.
Ví dụ passage 1, test 1 của Cambridge IELTS 12, bài về CORK: Bạn sẽ thấy
4.1 Cột bên trái là bản text gốc, trong đó gạch chân các từ vựng học thuật CƠ BẢN trong list 570
academic word mà nhiều bạn chắc đã từng nghe nói đến.
4.2 Cột bên phải chứa các từ vựng học thuật (academic words) theo kèm định nghĩa
(definition) hoặc từ đồng nghĩa (synonym)
Trong đó các từ đóng vai trò quan trọng trong việc giúp người đọc hiểu nội dung của text (important
words) được giải thích. Các từ này có thể nằm trong hoặc không nằm trong list 570 từ phía trên.
Nguyên nhân vì
- Khá nhiều từ trong list 570 từ vựng thuộc loại rất phổ biến (VD: individual, structure, technology, energy, v.v…) nên các từ này tất
nhiên không được giải thích ở cột bên phải.
- Khổ giấy có hạn, rất khó để trình bày hết các từ. Giả sử trình bày hết các từ thì trông cũng rất rối. Ở đây cuốn sách đặc biệt phục
vụ cho các bạn đang ở tầm 6.5-7.0 về từ vựng.
* Tài liệu này nên được in ra để thuận tiện cho việc học
** Lúc học, nên dùng kèm bút highlight/bút đỏ/bút chì để đánh dấu từ, như vậy sẽ đỡ bận mắt lúc
đọc và tra cứu.
*** Tránh mua/bán tài liệu này dưới mọi hình thức.
CAMBRIDGE IELTS 9
TEST 1
READING PASSAGE 1
T he man who invented synthetic dyes Synthetic = artificial, man-made…

Curiosity = the desire to know about
William Henry Perkin was born on March 12,1838, in something.
Prompt = to make someone decide to do
London, England.
something.
As a boy, Perkin’s curiosity prompted early interests Stumble on/across/upon something =
in the arts, sciences, photography, and engineering. come across = to find or discover
something by chance and unexpectedly.
But it was a chance stumbling upon a run-down, yet Run-down = in bad condition, badly
functional, laboratory in his late grandfather’s home maintained…
Solidify = strengthen, to make an
that solidified the young man’s enthusiasm for
agreement, plan, attitude etc more definite
chemistry. and less likely to change.
Enthusiasm = interest.
As a student at the City of London School, Perkin Become immersed in = become

became immersed in the study of chemistry. His completely involved in an activity
talent and devotion to the subject were perceived by
Devotion= commitment = adherence
his teacher, Thomas Hall, who encouraged him to dedication = the strong love that you show
attend a series of lectures given by the eminent when you pay a lot of attention to
scientist Michael Faraday at the Royal Institution. someone or something.
Those speeches fired the young chemist’s enthusiasm
Perceive= recognize, see, indentify…
further, and he later went on to attend the Royal
College of Chemistry, which he succeeded in entering
in 1853, at the age of 15.
At the time of Perkin’s enrolment, the Royal College Enrolment= the

process of arranging to join a school,
of Chemistry was headed by the noted German university, course etc.
chemist August Wilhelm Hofmann. Perkin’s scientific
Gift= talent, knack, ability…
gifts soon caught Hofmann’s attention and, within two
Breakthrough= advance, innovation,
years, he became Hofmann’s youngest assistant. Not
revolution, new idea, invention…
long after that, Perkin made the scientific
Fame= reputation.
breakthrough that would bring him both fame and
fortune. Fortune= wealth, riches…
At the time, quinine was the only viable medical

Derive= to develop or come from
treatment for malaria. The drug is derived from the something else.
bark of the cinchona tree, native to South America,
and by 1856 demand for the drug was surpassing the Substitute= alternate, replacement…
available supply. Thus, when Hofmann made some
passing comments about the desirability of a synthetic
substitute for quinine, it was unsurprising that his star
pupil was moved to take up the challenge.
During his vacation in 1856, Perkin spent his time in
the laboratory on the top floor of his family’s house. He
was attempting to manufacture quinine from aniline, Manufacture= produce, make, create…
an inexpensive and readily available coal tar waste
product. Despite his best efforts, however, he did not Mysterious= strange.
end up with quinine. Instead, he produced a
mysterious dark sludge. Luckily, Perkin’s scientific
training and nature prompted him to investigate the
substance further. Incorporating potassium dichromate
and alcohol into the aniline at various stages of the
experimental process, he finally produced a deep

purple solution. And, proving the truth of the famous Excretion= the waste material that people
or animals get rid of from their bodies.
scientist Louis Pasteur’s words ‘chance favours only
the prepared mind’, Perkin saw the potential of his Obtain = get, gain, attain…
unexpected find.
Extract something from something= to
carefully remove a substance from
Historically, textile dyes were made from such natural something which contains it, using a
sources as plants and animal excretions. Some of machine, chemical process etc.
these, such as the glandular mucus of snails, were
difficult to obtain and outrageously expensive. Indeed, Afford= pay for, manage to pay for, have
enough money…
the purple colour extracted from a snail was once so
costly that in society at the time only the rich could Backdrop= the conditions or situation in
afford it. Further, natural dyes tended to be muddy in which something happens.
hue and fade quickly. It was against this backdrop
that Perkin’s discovery was made.
Grasp= understand, comprehend, see the
Perkin quickly grasped that his purple solution could point of= to completely understand a fact
or an idea, especially a complicated one.
be used to colour fabric, thus making it the world’s first Fabric= material= cloth used for making
synthetic dye. Realising the importance of this clothes, curtains etc.
Patent= to obtain a special document
breakthrough, he lost no time in patenting it. But giving you the right to make or sell a new
perhaps the most fascinating of all Perkin’s reactions invention or product.
Instant= immediate.
to his find was his nearly instant recognition that the
Recognition= detection.
new dye had commercial possibilities. Commercial= money-making, profitable,
for profit, trade…
Perkin originally named his dye Tyrian Purple, but it
Assure= ensure, promise, confirm,
later became commonly known as mauve (from the guarantee.
French for the plant used to make the colour violet).
He asked advice of Scottish dye works owner Robert Fierce= strong.
Pullar, who assured him that manufacturing the dye
Objection= opposition, doubt…
would be well worth it if the colour remained fast (i.e.
would not fade) and the cost was relatively low. So, Mentor= adviser.
over the fierce objections of his mentor Hofmann, he
left college to give birth to the modern chemical
industry.
With the help of his father and brother, Perkin set up a
factory not far from London. Utilising the cheap and Utilise= make use of.
plentiful coal tar that was an almost unlimited by
product of London’s gas street lighting, the dye works
began producing the world’s first synthetically dyed

material in 1857. The company received a commercial Boost= increase, improvement,
enhancement…
boost from the Empress Eugenie of France, when she Flatter= to make someone look as
decided the new colour flattered her. Very soon, attractive as they can.
mauve was the necessary shade for all the Shade= something you use to reduce or
fashionable ladies in that country. block light.
Not to be outdone, England’s Queen Victoria also not to be outdone = in order not to let
appeared in public wearing a mauve gown, thus someone else do better or seem better
making it all the rage in England as well. The dye was
than you
bold and fast, and the public clamoured for more.
Be all the rage= to be very popular or
Perkin went back to the drawing board.
Although Perkin’s fame was achieved and fortune fashionable.
assured by his first discovery, the chemist continued Clamour for= to demand something
his research. Among other dyes he developed and loudly.
introduced were aniline red (1859) and aniline black
Go back to the drawing board= if you go
(1863) and, in the late 1860s, Perkin’s green. It is
back to the drawing board, you start again
important to note that Perkin’s synthetic dye
discoveries had outcomes far beyond the merely with a completely new plan or idea, after
decorative. The dyes also became vital to medical the one you tried before has failed.
research in many ways. For instance, they were used Merely= only, just, simply…
to stain previously invisible microbes and bacteria,
Vital= very important, crucial, necessary,
allowing researchers to identify such bacilli as
central…
tuberculosis, cholera, and anthrax. Artificial dyes
continue to play a crucial role today. And, in what Crucial= vital, very important, central…
would have been particularly pleasing to Perkin, their
current use is in the search for a vaccine against
malaria.
READING PASSAGE 2
T he Search for Extra-terrestrial Intelligence

Extra-terrestrial= relating to things that
exist outside the Earth.
The question of whether we are alone in the Universe Haunt= to cause problems for someone
has haunted humanity for centuries, but we may now over a long period of time
stand poised on the brink of the answer to that Poised on the brink/edge of something
question, as we search for radio signals from other = completely ready to do something or for
something to happen, when it is likely to
intelligent civilisations. This search, often known by the
happen soon.
acronym SETI (search for extra-terrestrial intelligence],
Intermittently= Sporadically= stopping
is a difficult one. Although groups around the world
and starting often and for short periods.
have been searching intermittently for three decades,
Determined= having a strong desire to do
it is only now that we have reached the level of something, so that you will not let anyone
technology where we can make a determined stop you.
attempt to search all nearby stars for any sign of life. Make an attempt to do something= to try
to do something, especially something
difficult.
A
The primary reason for the search is basic curiosity - Primary= main, most important…
the same curiosity about the natural world that drives Curiosity= the desire to know about
all pure science. We want to know whether we are something.
alone in the Universe. We want to know whether life
evolves naturally if given the right conditions, or Drive= force, make…
whether there is something very special about the Evolve= develop, change…
Earth to have fostered the variety of life forms that we
see around us on the planet. The simple detection of Foster= promote, encourage…
a radio signal will be sufficient to answer this most
Detection= discovery, finding…
basic of all questions. In this sense, SETI is another
cog in the machinery of pure science which is Sufficient= enough, plenty…
continually pushing out the horizon of our knowledge.
However, there are other reasons for being interested A cog in the machine/wheel= someone
who only has a small unimportant job in a
in whether life exists elsewhere. For example, we have large organization.
had civilisation on Earth for perhaps only a few
thousand years, and the threats of nuclear war and Tenuous= uncertain, weak, likely to
pollution over the last few decades have told us that change…
our survival may be tenuous. Will we last another two Wipe something out= to destroy, remove,
thousand years or will we wipe ourselves out? Since or get rid of something completely.
the lifetime of a planet like ours is several billion years,
we can expect that, if other civilisations do survive in Optimism= a feeling or belief that things
will get better or be more successful in the
our galaxy, their ages will range from zero to several future.
billion years. Thus any other civilisation that we hear
from is likely to be far older, on average, than
ourselves. The mere existence of such a civilisation
will tell us that long-term survival is possible, and gives
us some cause for optimism. It is even possible that
the older civilisation may pass on the benefits of their
experience in dealing with threats to survival such as
nuclear war and global pollution, and other threats that Adopt= to start to deal with or think about
we haven’t yet discovered. something in a particular way
Ground rules= the basic rules or
B
principles on which future actions or
In discussing whether we are alone, most SETI
behaviour should be based.
scientists adopt two ground rules. First, UFQs Evidence= proof.
(Unidentified Flying Objects) are generally ignored An open mind= if you have an open mind,
since most scientists don’t consider the evidence for you deliberately do not make a decision or
them to be strong enough to bear serious form a definite opinion about something.
consideration (although it is also important to keep an Convincing= persuasive, believable,
open mind in case any really convincing evidence compelling, forceful, strong…
emerges in the future). Second, we make a very Conservative = traditional, old…

conservative assumption that we are looking for a Assumption= supposition, guess,
life form that is pretty well like us, since if it differs hypothesis…
radically from us we may well not recognise it as a life
Radically= very, completely, totally…
form, quite apart from whether we are able to
communicate with it. In other words, the life form we Resemble= look like, be similar to…
are looking for may well have two green heads and
seven fingers, but it will nevertheless resemble us in Somebody’s fellows= people that you
work with, study with, or who are in the
that it should communicate with its fellows, be
same situation as you.
interested in the Universe, live on a planet orbiting a
star like our Sun, and perhaps most restrictively, have Orbit= to travel in a curved path around a
a chemistry, like us, based on carbon and water. much larger object such as the Earth, the
Sun etc.
C
Even when we make these assumptions, our Inconceivable= unthinkable,
understanding of other life forms is still severely unimaginable, unbelievable…
limited. We do not even know, for example, how many Estimate= calculate approximately.
stars have planets, and we certainly do not know how
likely it is that life will arise naturally, given the right Astronomical= relating to the scientific
conditions. However, when we look at the 100 billion study of the stars.
stars in our galaxy (the Milky Way), and 100 billion
galaxies in the observable Universe, it seems
inconceivable that at least one of these planets does
not have a life form on it; in fact, the best educated
guess we can make, using the little that we do know
about the conditions for carbon-based life, leads us to
estimate that perhaps one in 100,000 stars might
have a life-bearing planet orbiting it. That means that
our nearest neighbours are perhaps 100 light years
away, which is almost next door in astronomical
terms.
D Severely= harshly, strictly…

An alien civilisation could choose many different ways Attenuate= to make something weaker or
of sending information across the galaxy, but many of less.
these either require too much energy, or else are Traverse= pass through= to move across,
severely attenuated while traversing the vast over, or through something, especially an
distances across the galaxy. It turns out that, for a area of land or water.
given amount of transmitted power, radio waves in the Frequency= the number of radio waves,
frequency range 1000 to 3000 MHz travel the greatest sound waves etc that pass any point per
second.
distance, and so all searches to date have To date= up to now.

concentrated on looking for radio waves in this Concentrate on= focus on.
frequency range. So far there have been a number of Various= numerous, many, countless…
searches by various groups around the world, Radio telescope= a piece of equipment
including Australian searches using the radio that collects radio waves from space and
telescope at Parkes, New South Wales. Until now is used to find stars and other objects in
there have not been any detections from the few space.
hundred stars which have been searched. The scale of Scale= size.
the searches has been increased dramatically since
1992, when the US Congress voted NASA $10 million Dramatically= radically, noticeably,
per year for ten years to conduct a thorough search considerably, significantly…
for extra-terrestrial life. Much of the money in this Conduct = carry out…
project is being spent on developing the special
hardware needed to search many frequencies at Hardware= the machinery and equipment
once. The project has two parts. One part is a targeted that is needed to do something.
search using the world’s largest radio telescopes, the Sensitivity= the possibility of the fact that
American-operated telescope in Arecibo, Puerto Rico something is affected by very small
and the French telescope in Nancy in France. This part changes in light, heat, movement etc
of the project is searching the nearest 1000 likely stars
Monitor= to carefully watch and check a
with high sensitivity for signals in the frequency range situation in order to see how it changes
1000 to 3000 MHz. The other part of the project is an over a period of time.
undirected search which is monitoring all of space
with a lower sensitivity, using the smaller antennas of
NASA’s Deep Space Network.
E
There is considerable debate over how we should
react if we detect a signal from an alien civilisation. Considerable= substantial, large…
Everybody agrees that we should not reply
immediately. Quite apart from the impracticality of Debate= argument, discussion…
sending a reply over such large distances at short
notice, it raises a host of ethical questions that would Immediately= right away, without delay,
have to be addressed by the global community before Ethical= moral= relating to principles of
any reply could be sent. Would the human race face what is right and wrong.
the culture shock if faced with a superior and much
older civilisation? Luckily, there is no urgency about Address= tackle, deal with…
this. The stars being searched are hundreds of light
years away, so it takes hundreds of years for their Superior= better, greater…
signal to reach us, and a further few hundred years for
our reply to reach them. It’s not important, then, if Urgency= the need to deal with something
there’s a delay of a few years, or decades, while the immediately because it is very important.
human race debates the question of whether to reply,
and perhaps carefully drafts a reply.
READING PASSAGE 3
If you go back far enough, everything lived in the Evolutionary= relating to the way in which
plants and animals develop and change
sea. At various points in evolutionary history, gradually over a long period of time.
enterprising individuals within many different animal
Parched= dry, burnt, waterless…
groups moved out onto the land, sometimes even to
the most parched deserts, taking their own private Reptile= a type of animal, such as a
seawater with them in blood and cellular fluids. In snake or lizard, whose body temperature
addition to the reptiles, birds, mammals and insects changes according to the temperature
around it, and that usually lays eggs to
which we see all around us, other groups that have have babies.
succeeded out of water include scorpions, snails,
crustaceans such as woodlice and land crabs, Mammal= a type of animal that drinks milk
millipedes and centipedes, spiders and various worms. from its mother’s body when it is young.
Humans, dogs, and whales are mammals.
And we mustn’t forget the plants, without whose prior
invasion of the land none of the other migrations could Prior = previous, past, earlier…
have happened.
Moving from water to land involved a major redesign Involve= include, contain, comprise…
of every aspect of life, including breathing and Thoroughgoing= complete. Here it

reproduction. Nevertheless, a good number of means the process of moving from water
thoroughgoing land animals later turned around, to land is complete
abandoned their hard-earned terrestrial re-tooling, Abandon= throw away, dispose of…
Terrestrial= living on or relating to land
and returned to the water again. Seals have only gone
rather than water.
part way back. They show us what the intermediates
Cease= stop.
might have been like, on the way to extreme cases Revert to somebody/something= go
such as whales and dugongs. Whales (including the back to= to change back to a situation that
small whales we call dolphins) and dugongs, with their existed in the past.
close cousins the manatees, ceased to be land Remote= distant=far away in time.
creatures altogether and reverted to the full marine Ancestor= an animal that lived in the past,
habits of their remote ancestors. They don’t even that modern animals have developed from.
come ashore to breed. They do, however, still breathe Ashore= on or towards the shore of a
air, having never developed anything equivalent to lake, river, sea etc.
the gills of their earlier marine incarnation. Turtles Breed= reproduce= if animals breed, they
mate in order to have babies.
went back to the sea a very long time ago and, like all
Equivalent to = having the same value,
vertebrate returnees to the water, they breathe air.
purpose, job etc as a person or thing of a
However, they are, in one respect, less fully given different kind.
back to the water than whales or dugongs, for turtles Incarnation= the state of living in the form
still lay their eggs on beaches. of a particular person or animal. According
to some religions, people have several
There is evidence that all modem turtles are different incarnations.
descended from a terrestrial ancestor which lived
before most of the dinosaurs. There are two key fossils
called Proganochelys quenstedti and Palaeochersis
talampayensis dating from early dinosaur times, which Fragment= a small piece of something
that has broken off or that comes from
appear to be close to the ancestry of all modem turtles
something larger.
and tortoises. You might wonder how we can tell
Contemporary= someone who lived or
whether fossil animals lived on land or in water, was in a particular place at the same time
especially if only fragments are found. Sometimes it’s as someone else.
obvious. Ichthyosaurs were reptilian contemporaries Forelimb = one of the two front legs of an
of the dinosaurs, with fins and streamlined bodies. The animal with four legs.
fossils look like dolphins and they surely lived like
dolphins, in the water. With turtles it is a little less
obvious. One way to tell is by measuring the bones of
their forelimbs. Obtain= get, gain, attain, acquire...
Walter Joyce and Jacques Gauthier, at Yale
University, obtained three measurements in these
particular bones of 71 species of living turtles and
tortoises. They used a kind of triangular graph paper to
plot the three measurements against one another. All Plot= to draw marks or a line to represent
the land tortoise species formed a tight cluster of facts, numbers etc.
points in the upper part of the triangle; all the water Form= develop.
turtles cluster in the lower part of the triangular graph.
There was no overlap, except when they added some Cluster of something= a group of things
species that spend time both in water and on land. of the same kind that are very close
together.
Sure enough, these amphibious species show up on
the triangular graph approximately half way between Overlap=(n) the amount by which two
the ‘wet cluster’ of sea turtles and the ‘dry cluster’ of activities, ideas, things etc overlap.
land tortoises. The next step was to determine where (v) if two or more things overlap, part of
one thing covers part of another thing.
the fossils fell. The bones of P quenstedti and JR
talampayensis leave us in no doubt. Their points on Amphibious= able to live both on land
the graph are right in the thick of the dry cluster. Both and in water.
these fossils were dry-land tortoises. They come from
Approximately= about, around, roughly,
the era before our turtles returned to the water. almost, nearly…
You might think, therefore, that modem land tortoises
have probably stayed on land ever since those early Determine= decide, find out...
terrestrial times, as most mammals did after a few of
Era= period.
them went back to the sea. But apparently not. If you
draw out the family tree of all modem turtles and Apparently= seemingly= according to the
tortoises, nearly all the branches are aquatic. Today’s way someone looks or a situation appears,
land tortoises constitute a single branch, deeply although you cannot be sure.
nested among branches consisting of aquatic turtles. Aquatic= living or growing in water.
This suggests that modem land tortoises have not
stayed on land continuously since the time of P. Constitute = form = represent = comprise
quenstedti and P talampayensis. Rather, their = if several people or things constitute
something, they are the parts that form it.
ancestors were among those who went back to the
water, and they then re-emerged back onto the land in
(relatively) more recent times.
Tortoises therefore represent a remarkable double
Remarkable= extraordinary, amazing,
return. In common with all mammals, reptiles and incredible…
birds, their remote ancestors were marine fish and
before that various more or less worm-like creatures Generation= age group.
stretching back, still in the sea, to the primeval
bacteria. Later ancestors lived on land and stayed
there for a very large number of generations. Later
ancestors still evolved back into the water and became
sea turtles. And finally they returned yet again to the
land as tortoises, some of which now live in the driest
of deserts.
TEST 2
READING PASSAGE 1
H earing impairment or other auditory function

Mental/visual/cognitive/hearing etc
impairment= a condition in which a part of
a person’s mind or body is damaged or
deficit in young children can have a major impact on does not work well.
their development of speech and communication, Auditory = connected with hearing
resulting in a detrimental effect on their ability to learn Deficit= shortfall= the difference between
at school. This is likely to have major consequences the amount you have and the amount you
for the individual and the population as a whole. The need or expect.
New Zealand Ministry of Health has found from Speech= verbal communication= the
ability to speak.
research carried out over two decades that 6-10% of
Detrimental= harmful, damaging= causing
children in that country are affected by hearing loss.
harm or damage.
Carry out= conduct.
B
A preliminary study in New Zealand has shown that Preliminary= happening before something
that is more important, often in order to
classroom noise presents a major concern for teachers
prepare for it.
and pupils. Modern teaching practices, the
Acoustics= the shape and size of a room,
organisation of desks in the classroom, poor
which affect the way sound is heard in it.
classroom acoustics, and mechanical means of
ventilation such as air-conditioning units all contribute Ventilation= the fact of allowing fresh air
to enter and move around a room,
to the number of children unable to comprehend the
building, etc.
teacher's voice. Education researchers Nelson and Comprehend= understand, know, figure
Soli have also suggested that recent trends in learning out…
Collaborative= joint, two-away, shared…
often involve collaborative interaction of multiple Possession= ownership.
minds and tools as much as individual possession of Amount = to add up to something; to
make something as a total
information. This all amounts to heightened activity Heighten = increase = intensify = amplify
and noise levels, which have the potential to be = improve = enhance = if a feeling or an
effect heightens, or something heightens
particularly serious for children experiencing auditory
it, it becomes stronger or increases
function deficit. Noise in classrooms can only Potential =possibility.
exacerbate their difficulty in comprehending and Exacerbate = worsen, aggravate…
Instruction= teaching, training, tuition,
processing verbal communication with other children guidance…
and instructions from the teacher.
C
Children with auditory function deficit are potentially Generate= produce, create…
failing to learn to their maximum potential because of
noise levels generated in classrooms. The effects of Evaluate= assess= to judge how good,
noise on the ability of children to learn effectively in useful, or successful something is.
typical classroom environments are now the subject of
increasing concern. The International Institute of Noise Reverberation= a loud sound that is
Control Engineering (I-INCE), on the advice of the heard again and again as it is sent back
from different surfaces.
World Health Organization, has established an
international working party, which includes New
Zealand, to evaluate noise and reverberation control
for school rooms.
D
While the detrimental effects of noise in classroom Disability= Frailty = debility = a physical
situations are not limited to children experiencing or mental condition that makes it difficult
disability, those with a disability that affects their for someone to use a part of their body
processing of speech and verbal communication could properly, or to learn normally.
be extremely vulnerable. The auditory function deficits Vulnerable= weak, easily harmed or
hurt…
in question include hearing impairment, autistic
Disorder= a mental or physical illness
spectrum disorders (ASD) and attention deficit
which prevents part of your body from
disorders (ADD/ADHD).
working properly.
E Autism= a mental disorder (=problem)

Autism is considered a neurological and genetic life- that makes people unable to communicate
long disorder that causes discrepancies in the way properly, or to form relationships.
information is processed. This disorder is Discrepancy in/ between= difference =
inconsistency = divergence
characterised by interlinking problems with social
Characterise= describe, portray,
imagination, social communication and social
illustrate…
interaction. According to Janzen, this affects the ability Interlink= to connect or be connected with
to understand and relate in typical ways to people, something else.
understand events and objects in the environment, and Sensory= relating to or using your senses
understand or respond to sensory stimuli. Autism of sight, hearing, smell, taste, or touch.
does not allow learning or thinking in the same ways Stimulus= something that makes
as in children who are developing normally. someone or something move or react.
Autistic spectrum disorders often result in major
difficulties in comprehending verbal information and
speech processing. Those experiencing these Distressing= stressful = upsetting.
Quantify= to calculate the value of
disorders often find sounds such as crowd noise and
something and express it as a number or
the noise generated by machinery painful and
an amount.
distressing. This is difficult to scientifically quantify Intrusive= disturbing = affecting
as such extra-sensory stimuli vary greatly from one someone’s private life or interrupting them
autistic individual to another. But a child who finds any in an unwanted and annoying way.
type of noise in their classroom or learning space Adversely= harmfully, badly, negatively…
intrusive is likely to be adversely affected in their
ability to process information.
F
Be indicative of something= to be a
The attention deficit disorders are indicative of clear sign that a particular situation exists
neurological and genetic disorders and are or that something is likely to be true.
Sustain= maintain.
characterised by difficulties with sustaining attention,
Persistence= determination to do
effort and persistence, organisation skills and something even though it is difficult or
disinhibition. Children experiencing these disorders other people oppose it.
Screen something out/ Screen out
find it difficult to screen out unimportant information, something= filter out= to remove people
and focus on everything in the environment rather than or things that are not acceptable or not
suitable.
attending to a single activity. Background noise in the Distraction= something that stops you
classroom becomes a major distraction, which can paying attention to what you are doing.
Concentrate= focus.
affect their ability to concentrate.
G
Children experiencing an auditory function deficit can Isolate =separate…
often find speech and communication very difficult to
isolate and process when set against high levels of Penetrate= go through, enter…
background noise.
Strategy= plan.
These levels come from outside activities that
penetrate the classroom structure, from teaching Optimum = best, most favorable, finest=
activities, and other noise generated inside, which can the best or most suitable for a particular
be exacerbated by room reverberation. Strategies are purpose or in a particular situation.
needed to obtain the optimum classroom construction
and perhaps a change in classroom culture and Diagnose= to find out what illness
methods of teaching. In particular, the effects of noisy someone has, or what the cause of a fault
classrooms and activities on those experiencing is, after doing tests, examinations etc.
disabilities in the form of auditory function deficit need
thorough investigation. It is probable that many
undiagnosed children exist in the education system
with 'invisible' disabilities. Their needs are less likely to
be met than those of children with known disabilities.
H
The New Zealand Government has developed a New Embark on/upon something= to start
Zealand Disability Strategy and has embarked on a something, especially something new,
wide-ranging consultation process. The strategy difficult, or exciting.
recognises that people experiencing disability face
significant barriers in achieving a full quality of life in Consultation= discussion, talk,
areas such as attitude, education, employment and conference, meeting…
access to services. Objective 3 of the New Zealand
Barrier= difficulty.
Disability Strategy is to 'Provide the Best Education for
Disabled People' by improving education so that all Vitally= crucially, fundamentally…
children, youth learners and adult learners will have
equal opportunities to learn and develop within their
already existing local school. For a successful
education, the learning environment is vitally
significant, so any effort to improve this is likely to be
of great benefit to all children, but especially to those
with auditory function disabilities.
I
Formulate= invent, create…
A number of countries are already in the process of
formulating their own standards for the control and Standard= criterion.
reduction of classroom noise. New Zealand will
Literature on something = all the books,
probably follow their example. The literature to date articles etc on a particular subject.
on noise in school rooms appears to focus on the
To date= up to now.
effects on schoolchildren in general, their teachers and
the hearing impaired. Only limited attention appears to Imperative= urgent, very important,
crucial, vital…
have been given to those students experiencing the
other disabilities involving auditory function deficit. It is Take into account = to consider or
imperative that the needs of these children are taken include particular facts or details when
making a decision or judgment about
into account in the setting of appropriate something = take into consideration.
international standards to be promulgated in future.
Appropriate= suitable, proper, fitting…
Promulgate= to spread an idea or belief

to as many people as possible.
READING PASSAGE 2
J une 2004 saw the first passage, known as a
‘transit’, of the planet Venus across the face of the Sun

in 122 years. Transits have helped shape our view of
the whole Universe, as Heather Cooper and Nigel
Henbest explain
Astronomical= relating to the scientific
A study of the stars.
On 8 June 2004, more than half the population of the Steadily= gradually, little by little, inch
world were treated to a rare astronomical event. For by inch…
over six hours, the planet Venus steadily inched its Occasion= event, time…
way over the surface of the Sun. This ‘transit’ of Venus Observe= watch, view, scrutinize…
was the first since 6 December 1882. On that
It is alleged(that)= to say that
occasion, the American astronomer Professor Simon something is true or that someone has
done something wrong, although it has
Newcomb led a party to South Africa to observe the
not been proved.
event. They were based at a girls’ school, where - it is
Schoolmistresses= a female teacher,
alleged - the combined forces of three especially in a private school (=one that
schoolmistresses outperformed the professionals parents pay to send their children to).
Outperform= do better than…
with the accuracy of their observations. Accuracy=exactness, precision…
B
Draw somebody to something= to
For centuries, transits of Venus have drawn explorers attract someone or make them want to
and astronomers alike to the four corners of the do something.
The four corners of the
globe. And you can put it all down to the
Earth/world/globe= places or countries
extraordinary polymath Edmond Halley. In that are very far away from each other.
November 1677, Halley observed a transit of the Extraordinary=amazing, special,
remarkable…
innermost planet, Mercury, from the desolate island Polymath= someone who has a lot of
of St Helena in the South Pacific. He realised that, knowledge about many different
subjects.
from different latitudes, the passage of the planet Innermost= furthest inside or nearest
across the Sun’s disc would appear to differ. By timing to the centre.
Desolate= isolated, uninhabited, wild…
the transit from two widely-separated locations, teams
of astronomers could calculate the parallax angle - the Latitude= the distance north or south of
apparent difference in position of an astronomical the equator (=the imaginary line around
the middle of the world), measured in
body due to a difference in the observer’s position. degrees.
Calculating this angle would allow astronomers to
Apparent= Obvious, clear, noiceable…
measure what was then the ultimate goal: the
distance of the Earth from the Sun. This distance is Ultimate= eventual, final…
known as the astronomical unit’ or AU.

C Fundamental = basic, elementary…
Halley was aware that the AU was one of the most
fundamental of all astronomical measurements. Goal= objective, aim, purpose, target…
Johannes Kepler, in the early 17 th century, had
Scale= size.
shown that the distances of the planets from the Sun
governed their orbital speeds, which were easily Fall into place= if parts of a situation
measurable. But no-one had found a way to calculate that you have been trying to understand
accurate distances to the planets from the Earth. The fall into place, you start to understand
how they are connected with each
goal was to measure the AU; then, knowing the orbital other.
speeds of all the other planets round the Sun, the
scale of the Solar System would fall into place.
However, Halley realised that Mercury was so far away
that its parallax angle would be very difficult to Determine= find out.
determine. As Venus was closer to the Earth, its
parallax angle would be larger, and Halley worked out
that by using Venus it would be possible to measure
the Suns distance to 1 part in 500. But there was a
problem: transits of Venus, unlike those of Mercury, Occur= happen, take place…
are rare, occurring in pairs roughly eight years apart
Roughly= approximately, about,
every hundred or so years. Nevertheless, he around, nearly…
accurately predicted that Venus would cross the face
of the Sun in both 1761 and 1769 - though he didn’t Predict= forecast, foresee…
survive to see either.
D
Inspired by Halley’s suggestion of a way to pin down Inspired= motivated, encouraged…
the scale of the Solar System, teams of British and Pin somebody/something down= pin
down somebody/something= to
French astronomers set out on expeditions to places understand something clearly or be
as diverse as India and Siberia. But things weren’t able to describe it exactly.
helped by Britain and France being at war. The person Expedition= journey, trip…
who deserves most sympathy is the French Diverse= different, varied…
Deserve= be worthy of, ought to
astronomer Guillaume Le Gentil. have…
He was thwarted by the fact that the British were Sympathy= a feeling that you
besieging his observation site at Pondicherry in India. understand someone because you are
Fleeing on a French warship crossing the Indian similar to them.
Thwart= to prevent someone from
Ocean, Le Gentil saw a wonderful transit - but the doing what they are trying to do.
ship’s pitching and rolling ruled out any attempt at Besiege= to surround a city or castle
making accurate observations. Undaunted, he with military force until the people inside
remained south of the equator, keeping himself busy let you take control.
Flee= run away, escape…
by studying the islands of Mauritius and Madagascar Rule something/somebody out= rule
before setting off to observe the next transit in the out something/somebody= to make it
Philippines. Ironically after travelling nearly 50,000 impossible for something to happen.
Attempt= effort.
kilometres, his view was clouded out at the last
Undaunted= undeterred= not afraid of
moment, a very dispiriting experience. continuing to try to do something in
spite of difficulties or danger.
E
Precise= exact, accurate, specific…
While the early transit timings were as precise as Dog= if a problem or bad luck dogs
instruments would allow, the measurements were you, it causes trouble for a long time.
dogged by the ‘black drop’ effect. When Venus begins Establish= Set up, start, launch…
to cross the Sun’s disc, it looks smeared not circular - Diffract= to bend light or sound waves
which makes it difficult to establish timings. This is as they pass around something or
due to diffraction of light. The second problem is that through a hole.
Venus exhibits a halo of light when it is seen just
Halo= a circle of light or something
outside the Sun’s disc. While this showed astronomers
bright.
that Venus was surrounded by a thick layer of gases Refract= if glass or water refracts light,
refracting sunlight around it, both effects made it the light changes direction when it
passes through the glass or water.
impossible to obtain accurate timings. Obtain = get, gain, attain, acquire…
F
But astronomers laboured hard to analyse the results Labour hard= work hard.
of these expeditions to observe Venus transits. Johann
Franz Encke, Director of the Berlin Observatory, finally Analyse= investigate, study, examine,
scrutinize…
determined a value for the AU based on all these
parallax measurements: Supersede= replace= if a new idea,
153,340,000 km. Reasonably accurate for the time, product, or method supersedes another
that is quite close to today’s value of 149,597,870 km, one, it becomes used instead because
it is more modern or effective.
determined by radar, which has now superseded
transits and all other methods in accuracy. The AU is a Cosmic= outer space, extraterrestrial…
cosmic measuring rod, and the basis of how we scale
the Universe today. The parallax principle can be Principle = rule, theory…
extended to measure the distances to the stars. If we Extend= make bigger, expand,
look at a star in January - when Earth is at one point in enlarge…
its orbit - it will seem to be in a different position from
where it appears six months later. Knowing the width
of Earth’s orbit, the parallax shift lets astronomers
calculate the distance.
G
Spectacle= a very impressive show or
June 2004’s transit of Venus was thus more of an
scene.
astronomical spectacle than a scientifically important
Pave the way for= to make a later
event. But such transits have paved the way for what event or development possible by
might prove to be one of the most vital producing the right conditions.
breakthroughs in the cosmos - detecting Earth-sized Vital= very important, crucial, central,
necessary…
planets orbiting other stars.
Breakthrough= advance, new idea…
READING PASSAGE 3
I n the last decade a revolution has occurred In the

way that scientists think about the brain.
Trace something (back) to
something= to find the origins of when
something began or where it came
We now know that the decisions humans make can from.
be traced to the firing patterns of neurons in Fire= inspire = to make someone feel
interested in something and excited
specific parts of the brain. These discoveries have about it.
led to the field known as neuroeconomics, which Pattern= the regular way in which
something happens, develops, or is
studies the brain's secrets to success in an economic done.
environment that demands innovation and being Innovation= modernization,
improvement, advance…
able to do things differently from competitors. A brain
Iconoclastic= iconoclastic ideas,
that can do this is an iconoclastic one. Briefly, an opinions, writings etc attack established
iconoclast is a person who does something that beliefs and customs.
Briefly= in a few words, concisely…
others say can't be done.
Imply= suggest= to suggest that

This definition implies that iconoclasts are different something is true, without saying this
directly.
from other people, but more precisely, it is their Iconoclasts = skeptic = critic =
brains that are different in three distinct ways: someone who attacks established ideas
and customs
perception, fear response, and social intelligence. Precise= specific, particular…
Perception= view, opinion…
Each of these three functions utilizes a different Utilize= make use of…
circuit in the brain. Naysayers might suggest that the Irrelevant= unrelated, beside the
brain is irrelevant, that thinking in an original, even point…
revolutionary, way is more a matter of personality Constraint= limitation.

than brain function. But the field of neuroeconomics
was born out of the realization that the physical
workings of the brain place limitations on the way we
make decisions. By understanding these
constraints, we begin to understand why some
people march to a different drumbeat.
The first thing to realize is that the brain suffers from Suffer from= to have a particular
disease or medical condition, especially
limited resources. It has a fixed energy budget, for a long time.
about the same as a 40 watt light bulb, so it has
Fixed= unchanging, permanent…
evolved to work as efficiently as possible. This is
Budget= resources.
where most people are impeded from being an
iconoclast. For example, when confronted with Evolve= develop, change, grow…
information streaming from the eyes, the brain will Impede= to make it difficult for
someone or something to move forward
interpret this information in the quickest way or make progress.
possible. Thus it will draw on both past experience
Be confronted with something= if a
and any other source of information, such as what problem, difficulty etc confronts you, it
other people say, to make sense of what it is seeing. appears and needs to be dealt with.
This happens all the time. The brain takes shortcuts Interpret = explain = clarify = Illuminate
that work so well we are hardly ever aware of them. Shortcut= a quicker way of doing
We think our perceptions of the world are real, but something.
they are only biological and electrical rumblings. Rumblings= a series of long low
sounds
Perception is not simply a product of what your eyes
or ears transmit to your brain. More than the physical
reality of photons or sound waves, perception is a
product of the brain.
Perception is central to iconoclasm. Iconoclasts see Central= vital, essential, fundamental,
crucial, important…
things differently to other people. Their brains do not Pitfall= a problem or difficulty that is
fall into efficiency pitfalls as much as the average likely to happen in a particular job,
person's brain. Iconoclasts, either because they were course of action, or activity.
Perceptual = relating to the ability to
born that way or through learning, have found ways
become aware of something (to
to work around the perceptual shortcuts that plague
perceive = Verb)
most people. Perception is not something that is
Plague= trouble.
hardwired into the brain. It is a learned process,
Hardwired= if an attitude, way of
which is both a curse and an opportunity for change. behaving etc is hard-wired, it is a
The brain faces the fundamental problem of natural part of a person’s character that
interpreting physical stimuli from the senses. they are born with and cannot change.
Everything the brain sees, hears, or touches has Curse= something that causes trouble,
multiple interpretations. The one that is ultimately harm etc.
chosen is simply the brain's best theory. In technical Fundamental= basic.
terms, these conjectures have their basis in the Stimulus= something that makes
someone or something move or react.
statistical likelihood of one interpretation over
Ultimate= final, last.
another and are heavily influenced by past
Conjecture= guess, hypothesis…
experience and, importantly for potential iconoclasts,
Statistical= numerical.
what other people say.
Likelihood= possibility, chance…
The best way to see things differently to other people Bombard somebody with
is to bombard the brain with things it has never something= to do something too often
or too much, for example criticizing or
encountered before. Novelty releases the perceptual
questioning someone, or giving too
process from the chains of past experience and much information.
forces the brain to make new judgments. Successful
iconoclasts have an extraordinary willingness to be Encounter= meet, come across…
exposed to what is fresh and different. Observation Chain= group.
Extraordinary= amazing, surprising,
of iconoclasts shows that they embrace novelty
uncommon, strange, remarkable,
while most people avoid things that are different.
special…
The problem with novelty, however, is that it tends to
Observation= surveillance, scrutiny,
trigger the brain's fear system. Fear is a major study, examination…
impediment to thinking like an iconoclast and stops Embrace= to accept a new idea =
the average person in his tracks. There are many welcome = support = adopt
types of fear, but the two that inhibit iconoclastic Novelty = unfamiliarity = difference =
thinking and people generally find difficult to deal with creativity = innovation
are fear of uncertainty and fear of public ridicule. Trigger= activate.
These may seem like trivial phobias. But fear of Disorder= a mental or physical illness
public speaking, which everyone must do from time which prevents part of your body from
working properly.
to time, afflicts one-third of the population. This
makes it too common to be considered a mental Inhibit= stop, prevent…
disorder. It is simply a common variant of human
nature, one which iconoclasts do not let inhibit their
reactions.
Finally, to be successful iconoclasts, individuals must Coordinate= collaborate = to organize

sell their ideas to other people. This is where social an activity so that the people involved in
it work well together and achieve a
intelligence comes in. Social intelligence is the ability good result.
to understand and manage people in a business
setting. In the last decade there has been an Reveal= show, bring to light…
explosion of knowledge about the social brain and
Empathy=
how the brain works when groups coordinate the ability to understand other
decision making. Neuroscience has revealed which people’s feelings and problems .
brain circuits are responsible for functions like
understanding what other people think, empathy, Convince= persuade, satisfy…
fairness, and social identity. These brain regions play Enthusiasm= interest.
key roles in whether people convince others of their
ideas. Perception is important in social cognition too. Reputation= the opinion people have
The perception of someone's enthusiasm, or of something or someone, based on
what has happened in the past.
reputation, can make or break a deal.
Understanding how perception becomes intertwined Intertwine with = connect = link = if
with social decision making shows why successful two things intertwine, or if they are
iconoclasts are so rare. intertwined, they are twisted together so
that they are very difficult to separate.
Iconoclasts create new opportunities in every area Alienation= unfriendliness = hostility

from artistic expression to technology to business. = the act of making somebody less
friendly or sympathetic towards you
They supply creativity and innovation not easily
accomplished by committees. Rules aren't important Asset= advantage = strength = benefit
to them. Iconoclasts face alienation and failure, but
can also be a major asset to any organization. It is Crucial= vital, central, important,
necessary, fundamental…
crucial for success in any field to understand how
the iconoclastic mind works.
TEST 3
READING PASSAGE 1
Systematic= organized carefully and done
I t is not easy to be systematic and objective

thoroughly. = methodical = orderly
Objective= based on facts, or making a
decision that is based on facts rather than on
your feelings or beliefs = fact-based =
about language study. Popular linguistic
empirical
debate regularly deteriorates into invective Linguistic= Relating to language
and polemic. Language belongs to everyone, so Debate= argument, discussion…
most people feel they have a right to hold an Deteriorate= worsen = get worse = decline
= weaken
opinion about it. And when opinions differ,
Invective= rude and insulting words that
emotions can run high. Arguments can start as someone says when they are very angry =
easily over minor points of usage as over major diatribe = criticism
policies of linguistic education. Polemic = a written or spoken statement
that strongly criticizes or defends a
particular, idea, opinion, or person =
Language, moreover, is a very public behaviour, argument = diatribe
Minor= small= insignificant= minimal=
unimportant= marginal= negligible = trivival
so it is easy for different usages to be noted and Criticize= assess = analyse = evaluate =
appraise
criticised. No part of society or social behaviour
is exempt: linguistic factors influence how we Exempt= not affected by something =
exclude = except
judge personality, intelligence, social status,
Variety = type = kind = form = sort =
educational standards, job aptitude, and many category = class
other areas of identity and social survival. As a
Inherently= naturally = essentially = innately
result, it is easy to hurt, and to be hurt, when # superficially
language use is unfeelingly attacked. Impose smt on smb = to force someone to
In its most general sense, prescriptivism is the have the same ideas, beliefs etc as you =
compel= enforce = oblige
view that one variety of language has an
Propound= to suggest an idea, explanation
inherently higher value than others, and that
etc for other people to consider = put forward
this ought to be imposed on the whole of the promote advocate = propose
speech community. The view is propounded Favour= prefer = choose = support = back
especially in relation to grammar and
Encounter= Meet= Come across= Stumble
vocabulary, and frequently with reference to upon= Come upon
pronunciation. The variety which is favoured, in Adherent= supporter= believer= devotee
this account, is usually a version of the 'standard'
Deviation= a noticeable difference=
written language, especially as encountered in difference
literature, or in the formal spoken language
which most closely reflects this style. Adherents
to this variety are said to speak or write
'correctly'; deviations from it are said to be
'incorrect!
All the main languages have been studied Prescriptively= describing how the words of
a language should be used, rather than
prescriptively, especially in the 18th century describing how it is actually used #
descriptively
approach to the writing of grammars and
dictionaries. The aims of these early Codify= arrange things= sort something into
organized systems
grammarians were threefold: (a) they wanted to
Principle= rule= law= theory= standard=
codify the principles of their languages, to tenet
show that there was a system beneath the
apparent chaos of usage, (b) they wanted a Apparent= evident= clear= obvious= visible
means of settling disputes over usage, and (c) Chaos= a situation in which everything is
they wanted to point out what they felt to be happening in a confused way and nothing is
organized or arranged in order= disorder=
common errors, in order to 'improve' the unruliness
language. The authoritarian nature of the Settle a dispute/ lawsuit/ conflict/
approach is best characterised by its reliance argument= to end an argument or solve a
disagreement.
on ‘rules' of grammar. Some usages are
Reliance= dependence
'prescribed,' to be learnt and followed
accurately; others are 'proscribed,' to be Prescribe=decided by a rule= set= arrange=
stipulate= impose
avoided. In this early period, there were no half-
Proscribe= to officially say that something
measures: usage was either right or wrong, and
is not allowed to exist or be done= prohibit=
it was the task of the grammarian not simply to ban= forbit= disallow
record alternatives, but to pronounce pronounce on/upon something
judgement upon them. = to give a judgment or opinion on something
These attitudes are still with us, and they Evaluate : to judge how good, useful,
motivate a widespread concern that linguistic or successful something is= assess=
appraise
standards should be maintained. Nevertheless,
Halt = prevent= stop= discontinue
there is an alternative point of view that is
concerned less with standards than with the Advocate=supporter= backer= promoter=
believer
facts of linguistic usage. This approach is
summarised in the statement that it is the task of
the grammarian to describe, not prescribe to
record the facts of linguistic diversity, and not to
attempt the impossible tasks of evaluating
language variation or halting language change.
In the second half of the 18th century, we
already find advocates of this view, such as
Joseph Priestiey, whose Rudiments of English
Grammar (1761) insists that 'the custom of
speaking is the original and only just standard of
any language! Linguistic issues, it is argued, Legislation = law= rule…

cannot be solved by logic and legislation. And Tenet = principle= belief= rule= theory…
this view has become the tenet of the modern
Descriptive= describing how the words of a
linguistic approach to grammatical analysis. language are actually used, rather than
saying how they ought to be used=
In our own time, the opposition between expressive= Illustrative
'descriptivists' and 'prescriptivists' has often
Prescriptive= describing how a language
become extreme, with both sides painting unreal should be used, rather than describing how it
is actually used
pictures of the other. Descriptive grammarians
have been presented as people who do not care Radical = new, different (ideas), against
what most people think or believe
about standards, because of the way they see
all forms of usage as equally valid. Prescriptive Liberalism= opinions and principles that
supports or allows gradual political and
grammarians have been presented as blind social changes # conservatism
adherents to a historical tradition. The opposition Elitist = an elitist system, government etc=
has even been presented in quasi-political terms one in which a small group of people have
more power and advantages than other
- of radical liberalism vs elitist conservatism. people
Conservatism= the political belief that

society should change as little as possible=
dislike of change and new ideas
READING PASSAGE 2
U ndersea turbines which produce electricity

from the tides are set to become an important
Predict= forecast, foresee…
Play a role in= to have an effect

or influence on something = influence,
source of renewable energy for Britain. It is still too
impact, affect
early to predict the extent of the impact they may
have, but all the signs are that they will play a
significant role in the future Operate= work, run, function
A Tidal= relating to the regular rising and
Operating on the same principle as wind turbines, falling of the sea.
the power in sea turbines comes from tidal Current= a continuous movement of water
currents which turn blades similar to ships’ in a river, lake, or sea , flow, stream, flux
propellers, but, unlike wind, the tides are Blade= the flat cutting part of a tool or
predictable and the power input is constant. The weapon.
Prospect= possibility, likelihood, vision,
technology raises the prospect of Britain becoming
potential…
self-sufficient in renewable energy and drastically
Emission= release, discharge #
reducing its carbon dioxide emissions. If tide, wind absorption
and wave power are all developed, Britain would
be able to close gas, coal and nuclear power plants Export= sell abroad, sell overseas,
and export renewable power to other parts of distribute, ship
Europe. Unlike wind power, which Britain originally Abandon= to leave someone or
developed and then abandoned for 20 years something and no longer help or support
allowing the Dutch to make it a major industry, them = desert, vacate
undersea turbines could become a big export
earner to island nations such as Japan and New
Zealand.
B
Tidal sites have already been identified that will
Identify= recognize, find, detect…
produce one sixth or more of the UK’s power - and
at prices competitive with modern gas turbines and Include= comprise, consist of #exclude
undercutting those of the already ailing nuclear
industry. One site alone, the Pentland Firth,
between Orkney and mainland Scotland, could
produce 10% of the country’s electricity with banks
of turbines under the sea, and another at Alderney
in the Channel Islands three times the 1,200
megawatts of Britain’s largest and newest nuclear
plant, Sizewell B, in Suffolk. Other sites identified
include the Bristol Channel and the west coast of
Scotland, particularly the channel between
Campbeltown and Northern Ireland.
C Advance= improve, develop, enhance,

Work on designs for the new turbine blades and progress
sites are well advanced at the University of Sustainable= able to continue for a long
Southampton’s sustainable energy research
time.
group. The first station is expected to be installed
Install = establish.
off Lynmouth in Devon shortly to test the
technology in a venture jointly funded by the Venture = a new business activity that
department of Trade and Industry and the involves taking risks.
European Union. AbuBakr Bahaj, in charge of the Jointly = together, both, mutually…
Southampton research, said: The prospects for
Fund = finance, support…
energy from tidal currents are far better than from
Be in charge of something = to be the
wind because the flows of water are predictable
and constant. The technology for dealing with the person who manages a group of people,
hostile saline environment under the sea has been an organization, or an activity
developed in the North Sea oil industry and much Deal with = cope with, handle….
is already known about turbine blade design,
Hostile = unpleasant, tough, harsh,
because of wind power and ship propellers. There adverse, unfavourable

are a few technical difficulties, but I believe in the Commercial = for profit, trade, business-
next five to ten years we will be installing related.
commercial marine turbine farms.’ Southampton
Subsidiary= a company that is owned or
has been awarded £215,000 over three years to controlled by another larger company.
develop the turbines and is working with Marine
Current Turbines, a subsidiary of IT power, on the Potential= possible, likely.
Lynmouth project. EU research has now identified
106 potential sites for tidal power, 80% round the
coasts of Britain. The best sites are between
islands or around heavily indented coasts where
there are strong tidal currents.
D
A marine turbine blade needs to be only one third
of the size of a wind generator to produce three Generator= producer, maker, creator…
times as much power. The blades will be about 20
Diameter= a straight line from one side of
metres in diameter, so around 30 metres of water a circle to the other side, passing through
is required. Unlike wind power, there are unlikely to the centre of the circle, or the length of this
be environmental objections. Fish and other line.
creatures are thought unlikely to be at risk from the
Objection= difficulty, problem…
relatively slow-turning blades. Each turbine will be
mounted on a tower which will connect to the Relatively= fairly, quite, rather…
national power supply grid via underwater cables.
The towers will stick out of the water and be lit, to
warn shipping, and also be designed to be lifted out
of the water for maintenance and to clean seaweed
from the blades.
E
Dr Bahaj has done most work on the Alderney site,
where there are powerful currents. The single
undersea turbine farm would produce far more Feed into something= to have an effect
on something or help to make it happen.
power than needed for the Channel Islands and
most would be fed into the French Grid and be re-
imported into Britain via the cable under the
Channel.
F
One technical difficulty is cavitation, where low
pressure behind a turning blade causes air
Vibration= a continuous slight shaking
bubbles. These can cause vibration and damage movement.
the blades of the turbines. Dr Bahaj said: ‘We have

to test a number of blade types to avoid this Submerged= flooded, underwater…
happening or at least make sure it does not Debris= rubbish, garbage, trash, waste…
damage the turbines or reduce performance.
Another slight concern is submerged debris Robust= strong, healthy, vigorous, tough
floating into the blades. So far we do not know how
Hostile (hostile
much of a problem it might be. We will have to environment/climate/terrain etc) = used
make the turbines robust because the sea is a to describe conditions that are difficult to
hostile environment, but all the signs that we can live in, or that make it difficult to achieve
do it are good.’ something.
READING PASSAGE 3
I nformation theory lies at the heart of everything - Theory = a formal set of ideas that is
intended to explain why something happens
or exists = concept, principle
Genetic code = the arrangement of genes
from DVD players and the genetic code of DNA to that controls the way a living thing
the physics of the universe at its most fundamental. develops.
Central = vital, crucial, fundamental, most
It has been central to the development of the important…
Enable = allow, make possible, permit, aid,
science of communication, which enables data to support, facilitate, empower….
be sent electronically and has therefore had a
major impact on our lives Take place= happen, occur, arise.
Demonstrate= show, reveal.
A
Application= use, function…
In April 2002 an event took place which Space probe= a spacecraft without people
demonstrated one of the many applications of in it, that is sent into space to collect
information about the conditions there and
information theory. The space probe, Voyager I, send the information back to Earth.
launched in 1977, had sent back spectacular Spectacular= stunning, impressive,
fantastic, amazing…
images of Jupiter and Saturn and then soared out Soar= to fly, especially very high up in the
sky, floating on air currents.
of the Solar System on a one-way mission to the
stars. After 25 years of exposure to the freezing Exposure to something= when someone
is in a situation where they are not
temperatures of deep space, the probe was protected from something dangerous or
beginning to show its age. Sensors and circuits unpleasant.
were on the brink of failing and NASA experts On the brink/edge of something= to be
very close to being in an unpleasant or
realised that they had to do something or lose dangerous situation.
contact with their probe forever. The solution was
Spare= replacement.
to get a message to Voyager I to instruct it to use
Manage to do something= to succeed in
spares to change the failing parts. With the probe
doing something difficult, especially after
12 billion kilometres from Earth, this was not an trying very hard.
easy task. By means of a radio dish belonging to

NASA’s Deep Space Network, the message was
sent out into the depths of space. Even travelling at
the speed of light, it took over 11 hours to reach its
target, far beyond the orbit of Pluto. Yet, incredibly,
the little probe managed to hear the faint call from
its home planet, and successfully made the
switchover.
B
It was the longest-distance repair job in history, and Triumph= victory, achievement, success…
a triumph for the NASA engineers. But it also
highlighted the astonishing power of the Highlight= emphasize, stress…
techniques developed by American
Breakthrough= advance, new idea,
communications engineer Claude Shannon, who innovation, revolution…
had died just a year earlier. Born in 1916 in
Petoskey, Michigan, Shannon showed an early Foundation= basis, groundwork, base…
talent for maths and for building gadgets, and
Shun= to deliberately avoid someone or
made breakthroughs in the foundations of something =avoid, ignore, turn away from…
computer technology when still a student. While at
Bell Laboratories, Shannon developed information Acclaim= praise, approval, applause,
theory, but shunned the resulting acclaim. In the compliments…
1940s, he single-handedly created an entire
science of communication which has since
inveigled its way into a host of applications, from Inveigle somebody into something= to
DVDs to satellite communications to bar codes - persuade someone to do what you want,
especially in a dishonest way.
any area, in short, where data has to be conveyed
rapidly yet accurately. Convey= pass on, send, transmit…
C
This all seems light years away from the down-to-
earth uses Shannon originally had for his work, Prestigious= admired as one of the best
and most important= admired, respected,
which began when he was a 22-year-old graduate
celebrated, famed, notable….
engineering student at the prestigious
Apparently= obviously, evidently…
Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1939. He
Pin somebody/something ↔ down= to
set out with an apparently simple aim: to pin
make someone give clear details or make a
down the precise meaning of the concept of definite decision about something = identify,
‘information’. The most basic form of information, determine.
Shannon argued, is whether something is true or Precise= exact, correct…
false - which can be captured in the binary unit, or Capture= to put something in a form that a
‘bit’, of the form 1 or 0. Having identified this computer can use.
fundamental unit, Shannon set about defining Identify= discover, find, detect…
otherwise vague ideas about information and how Fundamental= important, central,
essential, vital, major….
to transmit it from place to place. In the process he
Guarantee= assure, ensure…
discovered something surprising: it is always
Interference= unwanted noise on the radio,
possible to guarantee information will get through
television, or on the telephone, or faults in
random interference - ‘noise’ - intact.
the television picture.
D
Noise usually means unwanted sounds which
interfere with genuine information. Information Genuine= real.
theory generalises this idea via theorems that
capture the effects of noise with mathematical Relative= having a particular quality when
precision. In particular, Shannon showed that noise compared with something else
sets a limit on the rate at which information can Capacity= size.
pass along communication channels while
remaining error-free. This rate depends on the
relative strengths of the signal and noise travelling
down the communication channel, and on its
capacity (its ‘bandwidth’). The resulting limit, given
in units of bits per second, is the absolute
maximum rate of error-free communication given Cope with= deal with, tackle, handle…
signal strength and noise level. The trick, Shannon
The ravages of something= the damage
showed, is to find ways of packaging up - ‘coding’ - caused by something.
information to cope with the ravages of noise,
while staying within the information-carrying
capacity - ‘bandwidth’ - of the communication
system being used.
E
Over the years scientists have devised many such
coding methods, and they have proved crucial in
many technological feats. The Voyager spacecraft Devise= intent, plan, work out, develop…
transmitted data using codes which added one
extra bit for every single bit of information; the Crucial= vital, central, most important…
result was an error rate of just one bit in 10,000 -
Transmit= convey, pass on…
and stunningly clear pictures of the planets. Other
codes have become part of everyday life - such as Error= mistake, fault…
the Universal Product Code, or bar code, which
uses a simple error-detecting system that ensures Ensure= make sure, guarantee…
supermarket check-out lasers can read the price Ultimate= best.
even on, say, a crumpled bag of crisps. As recently
as 1993, engineers made a major breakthrough by
discovering so-called turbo codes - which come
very close to Shannon’s ultimate limit for the
maximum rate that data can be transmitted reliably,
and now play a key role in the mobile videophone
revolution.
F
Shannon also laid the foundations of more efficient
ways of storing information, by stripping out Ambiguous= unclear, uncertain,
confusing…
superfluous (‘redundant’) bits from data which
contributed little real information. As mobile phone Cram something into/onto etc
text messages like ‘I CN C U’ show, it is often something = to force something into a
possible to leave out a lot of data without losing small space.
much meaning. As with error correction, however,
there’s a limit beyond which messages become too
ambiguous. Shannon showed how to calculate
this limit, opening the way to the design of
compression methods that cram maximum
information into the minimum space.
TEST 4
READING PASSAGE 1
M arie Curie is probably the most famous woman Radioactivity : the sending out
of radiation (=a form of energy) when
scientist who has ever lived. Born Maria Sklodowska the nucleus (=central part) of an atom has
broken apart
in Poland in 1867, she is famous for her work on
radioactivity, and was twice a winner of the Nobel Sole= only, single, individual.
Prize. With her husband, Pierre Curie, and Henri
Becquerel, she was awarded the 1903 Nobel Prize for
Physics, and was then sole winner of the 1911 Nobel
Prize for Chemistry. She was the first woman to win a
Nobel Prize.
From childhood, Marie was remarkable for her Prodigious= abnormal, extraordinary,
prodigious memory, and at the age of 16 won a gold phenomenal, unusual, remarkable,
medal on completion of her secondary education. impressive…
Because her father lost his savings through bad
investment, she then had to take work as a teacher.
From her earnings she was able to finance her sister

Bronia's medical studies in Paris, on the
understanding that Bronia would, in turn, later help
her to get an education.
In 1891 this promise was fulfilled and Marie went to Fulfill (a promise) = to do what you said
you would do = complete, finish, carry
Paris and began to study at the Sorbonne (the out…
University of Paris). She often worked far into the
night and lived on little more than bread and butter Bread and butter= providing a livelihood
and tea. She came first in the examination in the or basic source of income; supplying the
basic needs of life…
physical sciences in 1893, and in 1894 was placed
second in the examination in mathematical sciences.
It was not until the spring of that year that she was
introduced to Pierre Curie.
Partnership= collaboration.
Their marriage in 1895 marked the start of a Mineral= a substance that is formed
partnership that was soon to achieve results of world naturally in the earth, such
significance. Following Henri Becquerel's discovery in as coal, salt, stone, or gold. Minerals can
1896 of a new phenomenon, which Marie later called be dug out of the ground and used.
'radioactivity', Marie Curie decided to find out if the Superior = better quality, greater…
radioactivity discovered in uranium was to be found in Pure = one hundred percent, unmixed,
real…
other elements. She discovered that this was true for
Presence = existence.
thorium.
Ore = rock or earth from which metal can
be obtained
Turning her attention to minerals, she found her Substance = element, material,
interest drawn to pitchblende, a mineral whose ingredient…
radioactivity, superior to that of pure uranium, could Undertake = to accept that you
be explained only by the presence in the ore of small are responsible for a piece of work, and
quantities of an unknown substance of very high start to do it
activity. Pierre Curie joined her in the work that she Resolve= to find a satisfactory way of
had undertaken to resolve this problem, and that led dealing with a problem or difficulty= solve,
to the discovery of the new elements, polonium and workout…
Devote your time/ energy/ attention/
radium. While Pierre Curie devoted himself chiefly
yourself etc to something=dedicate= to
to the physical study of the new radiations, Marie
use all or most of your time, effort etc in
Curie struggled to obtain pure radium in the metallic order to do something or help someone.
state. This was achieved with the help of the chemist Chiefly = primarily, mainly, mostly…
André-Louis Debierne, one of Pierre Curie's pupils. Radiations = a form of energy that
Based on the results of this research, Marie Curie comes especially from nuclear reactions,
received her Doctorate of Science, and in 13 Marie which is very harmful to living things
and Pierre shared with Becquerel the Nobel Prize for Metallic = made of metal or containing
Physics for the discovery of radioactivity. metal

The births of Marie's two daughters, Irène and Eve, in Interrupt= stop.
1897 and 1904 failed to interrupt her scientific work.
Experimental= used for, relating to, or
She was appointed lecturer in physics at the École resulting from experiments
Normale Supérieure for girls in Sèvres, France
(1900), and introduced a method of teaching based Demonstration=an act of explaining and
showing how to do something or how
on experimental demonstrations. In December
something works
1904 she was appointed chief assistant in the
laboratory directed by Pierre Curie.
The sudden death of her husband in 1906 was a

Vacant = available, untaken...
bitter blow to Marie Curie, but was also a turning point
in her career: henceforth she was to devote all her
energy to completing alone the scientific work that
they had undertaken. On May 13, 1906, she was
appointed to the professorship that had been left
vacant on her husband's death, becoming the first
woman to teach at the Sorbonne. In 1911 she was
awarded the Nobel Prize for Chemistry for the
isolation of a pure form of radium.
During World War I, Marie Curie, with the help of her Operate = manage, work, conduct, carry
out…
daughter Irène, devoted herself to the development of
the use of X-radiography, including the mobile units In earnest= more seriously and with more
which came to be known as ‘Little Curies', used for force or effort than before
the treatment of wounded soldiers. In 1918 the
Radium Institute, whose staff Irène had joined, began
to operate in earnest, and became a centre for
nuclear physics and chemistry. Marie Curie, now at
the highest point of her fame and, from 1922, a
member of the Academy of Medicine, researched the
chemistry of radioactive substances and their medical
applications.
In 1921, accompanied by her two daughters, Marie Triumphant= having gained a victory or
Curie made a triumphant journey to the United success.
States to raise funds for research on radium. Women
there presented her with a gram of radium for her
campaign. Marie also gave lectures in Belgium,
Brazil, Spain and Czechoslovakia and, in addition,
had the satisfaction of seeing the development of the

Curie Foundation in Paris, and the inauguration in
1932 in Warsaw of the Radium Institute, where her
sister Bronia became director.
One of Marie Curie's outstanding achievements was Accumulate= to gather, collect…

to have understood the need to accumulate intense Intense=having a very strong effect or felt
radioactive sources, not only to treat illness but also very strongly.
to maintain an abundant supply for research. The
existence in Paris at the Radium Institute of a stock of Abundant = plentiful, rich, ample
#scarce…
1.5 grams of radium made a decisive contribution to
the success of the experiments undertaken in the Leukaemia = a type of cancer of
years around 1930. This work prepared the way for the blood, that causes weakness and
the discovery of the neutron by Sir James Chadwick sometimes death.
and, above all, for the discovery in 1934 by Irène and Exposure to something = when
Frédéric Joliot-Curie of artificial radioactivity. A few someone is in a situation where they are
months after this discovery, Marie Curie died as a not protected from
result of leukaemia caused by exposure to radiation. something dangerous or unpleasant.
She had often carried test tubes containing Isotopes = one of the possible different
radioactive isotopes in her pocket, remarking on the forms of an atom of a
pretty blue-green light they gave off. particular element (=simple chemical
substance)
Her contribution to physics had been immense, not Immense = great, huge, enormous…
only in her own work, the importance of which had
been demonstrated by her two Nobel Prizes, but
because of her influence on subsequent generations
of nuclear physicists and chemists.
READING PASSAGE 2
A sense of self develops in young children

somebody’s sense of self =
someone’s idea that they are
a separate person, different from other people
Degree= level.
by degrees. The process can usefully be thought Gradual= slow, steady…
of in terms of the gradual emergence of two Emergence= arrival, advent, development…
Somewhat = more than a little but not very
somewhat separate features: the self as a rather, slightly, to some extent
subject, and the self as an object. William James Separate= unconnected, independent,
different.
introduced the distinction in 1892, and
Distinction=difference, separation,
contemporaries of his, such as Charles Cooley, discrepancy #similarity
added to the developing debate. Ever since then Contemporary= someone who lived or was
in a particular place at the same time as
psychologists have continued building on the someone else.
theory. Debate= argument, discussion.
B
According to James, a child's first step on the Various = many, a range of, numerous…
road to self-understanding can be seen as the
recognition that he or she exists. This is an Emerge = arise, develop, appear.
aspect of the self that he labelled 'self-as-
Infant = a baby or very young child.
subject', and he gave it various elements. These
included an awareness of one's own agency (i.e. Caregiver = someone who takes care of a
one's power to act), and an awareness of one's child or sick person.
distinctiveness from other people. These features
gradually emerge as infants explore their world Propose = suggest
and interact with caregivers. Cooley (1902)
suggested that a sense of the self-as-subject was Attempt = effort, endeavor.
primarily concerned with being able to exercise
power. He proposed that the earliest examples
of this are an infant's attempts to control physical
objects, such as toys or his or her own limbs.
This is followed by attempts to affect the
behaviour of other people. For example, infants
learn that when they cry or smile someone
responds to them.
C
Another powerful source of information for infants Mimic= imitate, copy…
about the effects they can have on the world Vocalize= to make a sound or sounds with
around them is provided when others mimic your voice.
them. Many parents spend a lot of time, Reflection= an image that you can see in a
particularly in the early months, copying their mirror, glass, or water.
Contingent on/upon something=
infant's vocalizations and expressions. In depending on something that may happen in
addition, young children enjoy looking in mirrors, the future.
where the movements they can see are Distinct= different, dissimilar…
dependent upon their own movements.
This is not to say that infants recognize the
reflection as their own image (a later
development). However, Lewis and Brooks-Gunn
(1979) suggest that infants' developing
understanding that the movements they see in
the mirror are contingent on their own, leads to
a growing awareness that they are distinct from
other people. This is because they, and only
they, can change the reflection in the mirror.
D
This understanding that children gain of Co-operate= work together, work as a
themselves as active agents continues to team…
develop in their attempts to co-operate with
others in play. Dunn (1988) points out that it is in
such day-to-day relationships and interactions
that the child's understanding of his- or herself Empirical= based on scientific testing or
emerges. Empirical investigations of the self-as- practical experience, not on ideas=
subject in young children are, however, rather experimental, observed, practical #theoretical
scarce because of difficulties of communication:
even if young infants can reflect on their
experience, they certainly cannot express this
aspect of the self directly.
E
Once children have acquired a certain level of Acquire= obtain, get, attain…
self-awareness, they begin to place themselves
in a whole series of categories, which together Unique= distinctive, only one of it’s kind…
play such an important part in defining them
uniquely as 'themselves'. This second step in Characteristic= trait, feature, quality…
the development of a full sense of self is what
Derive something from something= to get
James called the 'self-as-object'. This has been
something, especially an advantage or a
seen by many to be the aspect of the self which
pleasant feeling, from something.
is most influenced by social elements, since it is
made up of social roles (such as student, brother,
colleague) and characteristics which derive
their meaning from comparison or interaction
with other people (such as trustworthiness,
shyness, sporting ability).
F
Cooley and other researchers suggested a close Identity= the qualities and attitudes that a
connection between a person's own person or group of people have, that make
understanding of their identity and other people's them different from other people.
understanding of it. Cooley believed that people Bind somebody/something
build up their sense of identity from the reactions together=unite= to form a strong emotional
of others to them, and from the view they believe or economic connection between two people,
others have of them. He called the self-as-object countries etc.
the 'looking-glass self', since people come to see
themselves as they are reflected in others. Mead Arise= happen, occur, take place, start…
(1934) went even further, and saw the self and
the social world as inextricably bound together: Conceive of (doing) something = to
'The self is essentially a social structure, and it imagine a particular situation or to think about
arises in social experience ... it is impossible to something in a particular way.
conceive of a self arising outside of social
experience.'
G
Lewis and Brooks-Gunn argued that an important Milestone= a very important event in the
developmental milestone is reached when development of something.
children become able to recognize themselves
visually without the support of seeing contingent Contingent= dependent= depending on
movement. This recognition occurs around their something that may happen in the future.
second birthday. In one experiment, Lewis and
Experiment= test, research…
Brooks-Gunn (1979) dabbed some red powder

on the noses of children who were playing in front Longitudinal study/survey/research etc=
of a mirror, and then observed how often they relating to the development of something over
touched their noses. The psychologists reasoned a period of time.
that if the children knew what they usually looked
Frustration= the feeling of being annoyed,
like, they would be surprised by the unusual red
upset, or impatient, because you cannot
mark and would start touching it. On the other control or change a situation, or achieve
hand, they found that children of 15 to 18 months something.
are generally not able to recognize themselves
unless other cues such as movement are Anger= a strong feeling of wanting to hurt or
present. criticize someone because they have done
H something bad to you or been unkind to you.
Finally, perhaps the most graphic expressions of
self-awareness in general can be seen in the
displays of rage which are most common from 18 tug-of-war = a situation in which two people
months to 3 years of age. In a longitudinal or groups try very hard to get or keep the
same thing
study of groups of three or four children,
Bronson (1975) found that the intensity of the Dispute= to try to get control of something
frustration and anger in their disagreements or win something
increased sharply between the ages of 1 and 2
years. Often, the children's disagreements Marked= clear, obvious, noticeable…
involved a struggle over a toy that none of them
had played with before or after the tug-of-war: Notable= important, significant, prominent,
the children seemed to be disputing ownership outstanding,…
rather than wanting to play with it. Although it
may be less marked in other societies, the link
between the sense of 'self' and of 'ownership' is a
notable feature of childhood in Western
societies.
READING PASSAGE 3
Conviction= strong belief, opinion or view
T he conviction that historical relics

provide infallible testimony about the
Relic= an old object or custom that reminds
people of the past or that has lived on from a
past time.
Infallible= always right = reliable, dependable
past is rooted in the nineteenth and early Testimony= indication, proof, evidence…
Root= origin.
twentieth centuries, when science was
Objective= based on facts, or making a
regarded as objective and value free. As
decision that is based on facts rather than on
one writer observes: 'Although it is now your feelings or beliefs.
evident that artefacts are as easily altered Artefact= an object such as a tool, weapon
as chronicles, public faith in their veracity etc that was made in the past and is
endures: a tangible relic seems ipso historically important.
facto real.' Such conviction was, until Alter= change, modify, adjust, vary #maintain
recently, reflected in museum displays. Chronicle= story, record…
Museums used to look - and some still do - Veracity= truth.
much like storage rooms of objects packed Endure= to remain alive or continue to exist
together in showcases: good for scholars for a long time.
who wanted to study the subtle differences Tangible= clear enough or definite enough to
be easily seen or noticed.
in design, but not for the ordinary visitor, to Ipso facto= used to show that something is
whom it all looked alike. Similarly, the known from or proved by the facts.
information accompanying the objects Scholar= an intelligent and well-educated
often made little sense to the lay visitor. person.
The content and format of explanations Accompany= go together with.
dated back to a time when the museum Exclusive= available or belonging only to
was the exclusive domain of the scientific
particular people, and not shared.
researcher.
Domain= area, field, sphere, realm,
B Heritage= the traditional beliefs, values,

Recently, however, attitudes towards customs etc of a family, country, or society.
history and the way it should be presented
have altered. The key word in heritage
display is now 'experience', the more
exciting the better and, if possible, Emerge= appear, come out…
involving all the senses. Good examples of
this approach in the UK are the Jorvik Prototype= example, model…
Centre in York; the National Museum of
Photography, Film and Television in Virtual= almost or nearly as described, but not
Bradford; and the Imperial War Museum in completely or according to strict definition
London. In the US the trend emerged =near.
much earlier: Williamsburg has been a
prototype for many heritage Vivid= vivid memories, dreams, descriptions
developments in other parts of the world. etc are so clear that they seem real.
No one can predict where the process will
Intolerable= too difficult, bad, annoying etc for
end. On so-called heritage sites the re-
you to accept or deal with.
enactment of historical events is
increasingly popular, and computers will Vulgarisation= the process of spoiling
soon provide virtual reality experiences, something by changing it so that it is more
which will present visitors with a vivid ordinary than before and not of such a high
image of the period of their choice, in standard
which they themselves can act as if part of
the historical environment. Such
developments have been criticised as an
intolerable vulgarisation, but the
success of many historical theme parks
and similar locations suggests that the
majority of the public does not share this
opinion.
C
In a related development, the sharp Sharp= clear, definite,…
distinction between museum and heritage
sites on the one hand, and theme parks Theme park= a type of park where you can
on the other, is gradually evaporating. have fun riding on big machines such as a
They already borrow ideas and concepts roller coaster, and where the whole park is
from one another. For example, museums based on one subject such as water or space
have adopted story lines for exhibitions, travel.
sites have accepted 'theming'as a relevant Evaporate= if a feeling evaporates, it slowly
tool, and theme parks are moving towards disappears = vanish, fade, dissolve #solidify
more authenticity and research-based
presentations. In zoos, animals are no Adopt= approve.
longer kept in cages, but in great spaces,
either in the open air or in enormous
greenhouses, such as the jungle and
desert environments in Burgers'Zoo in
Holland. This particular trend is regarded

as one of the major developments in the
presentation of natural history in the
twentieth century.
D
Theme parks are undergoing other Undergo= experience, go through…
changes, too, as they try to present more
serious social and cultural issues, and Fulfill= satisfy.
move away from fantasy. This
development is a response to market Operate= run, organize…
forces and, although museums and
heritage sites have a special, rather
distinct, role to fulfill, they are also
operating in a very competitive
environment, where visitors make choices
on how and where to spend their free time.
Heritage and museum experts do not have
to invent stories and recreate historical
environments to attract their visitors: their
assets are already in place. However,
exhibits must be both based on artefacts
and facts as we know them, and
attractively presented. Those who are
professionally engaged in the art of Be engaged in something= to be doing or to
become involved in an activity.
interpreting history are thus in a difficult
position, as they must steer a narrow Interpret= explain.
course between the demands of
'evidence' and 'attractiveness', especially Steer a course= to choose a way of doing
given the increasing need in the heritage something carefully.
industry for income-generating activities.
E
It could be claimed that in order to make
everything in heritage more 'real', historical Depict= describe, illustrate, represent,…
accuracy must be increasingly altered. For Correspond to/with something= link, relate,
example, Pithecanthropus erectus is match…
depicted in an Indonesian museum with Perception= view, opinion…
Malay facial features, because this Dominant= leading= more powerful,
corresponds to public perceptions. important, or noticeable than other people or
Similarly, in the Museum of Natural History things.
in Washington, Neanderthal man is shown Gesture= something that you say or do, often
making a dominant gesture to his wife. something small, to show how you feel about
Such presentations tell us more about someone or something.
contemporary perceptions of the world

than about our ancestors. There is one Compensation= something that makes a bad
compensation, however, for the situation better.
professionals who make these Misconceptions= misunderstanding,
interpretations: if they did not provide the mistaken belief,…
interpretation, visitors would do it for Prejudice= strong and unreasonable feelings
themselves, based on their own ideas, which make you like some things but not
misconceptions and prejudices. And no others.
matter how exciting the result, it would Bias= an opinion about whether a person,
contain a lot more bias than the group, or idea is good or bad that influences
presentations provided by experts.
how you deal with it.
F
Inevitable= unavoidable, certain…
Human bias is inevitable, but another
source of bias in the representation of Occupy= live in , inhabit…
history has to do with the transitory nature
of the materials themselves. The simple
fact is that not everything from history
survives the historical process. Castles,
palaces and cathedrals have a longer
lifespan than the dwellings of ordinary
people. The same applies to the
furnishings and other contents of the
premises. In a town like Leyden in Holland,
which in the seventeenth century was
occupied by approximately the same
number of inhabitants as today, people
lived within the walled town, an area more
than five times smaller than modern
Leyden. In most of the houses several
families lived together in circumstances
beyond our imagination. Yet in museums,
fine period rooms give only an image of
the lifestyle of the upper class of that era. Era= period, age…
No wonder that people who stroll around
Wonder=question, doubt…
exhibitions are filled with nostalgia; the
evidence in museums indicates that life Stroll= leisurely walk.
was so much better in the past. This
notion is induced by the bias in its Nostalgia= a feeling that a time in the past
representation in museums and heritage was good, or the activity of remembering a
centres. good time in the past and wishing that things
had not changed.
Notion = idea, view, concept, belief,

perception, thought…
PHỤ LỤC
IELTS READING ANSWER SHEET | Phiên bản chỉnh sửa
Phù hợp việc tự luyện IELTS Reading tại nhà
Để làm tốt bài thi IELTS Reading, một điều quan trọng là có chiến lược làm bài nhanh
và hiệu quả. Trong đó, kỹ năng sử dụng answer sheet đóng vai trò rất quan trọng. Một
số bạn thậm chí không sử dụng answer sheet trong lúc luyện tập. Điều này là không
nên vì rất nhiều trường hợp transfer câu trả lời từ sách sang answer sheet sẽ bị nhầm.
Ngoài ra, khác với listening có 10 phút để transfer câu trả lời từ booklet sang answer
sheet, trong bài thi reading, các bạn nên điền câu trả lời trực tiếp vào answer sheet lúc
làm bài để tiết kiệm tối đa thời gian.
Dưới đây là link answer sheet dùng cho bài thi Reading sử dụng trong các kỳ thi IELTS
chính thức
https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B2TIoHBJlsvnXzRhR29MN25FSFFiWDVGcDc4SVhrYmc3c
U4w
Tuy nhiên, để phục vụ việc ghi chép các lỗi thường gặp trong quá trình làm bài và tạo
điều kiện cho việc “rút kinh nghiệm” trong các lần làm bài kế tiếp, mình khuyên các bạn
sử dụng answer sheet sau
Link download
https://drive.google.com/open?id=1C_bY208s2_zK8FKzJzqCvPpSoCx4TLd8
Ưu điểm của answer sheet này
 Các phần thông tin chỉ dùng cho kỳ thi thật đã được cắt bỏ, thay vào đó là cột
thông tin problem và solution để các bạn có thể ghi chú các thông tin cần thiết
sau mỗi lần làm bài
 Bảng điểm tham khảo để các bạn tiện đối chiếu sau khi làm bài xong
Hướng dẫn cách ghi answer sheet mới
Sau đó ghim các tờ answer sheet của bạn lại thành 1 quyển và đọc đi đọc lại
thường xuyên, và đặc biệt là đọc thật kỹ trước khi làm một test mới
Ảnh chụp answer sheet của học sinh mình áp dụng theo cách phía trên. Nhờ việc rút
kinh nghiệm từ những lỗi sai và áp dụng các giải pháp do bạn ấy tự đưa ra thì từ lúc bắt
đầu học làm được khoảng 18-20/40 câu đúng (tương đương 5.5), bạn ấy đã tiến bộ rất
nhiều và trong 2 lần thi thật thì đạt lần lượt 6.5 và 7.0 Reading)
RẤT CÁM ƠN CÁC BẠN ĐÃ SỬ DỤNG CUỐN SÁCH. MÌNH RẤT

MONG NHẬN ĐƯỢC THÊM NHỮNG Ý KIẾN ĐÓNG GÓP CŨNG NHƯ
NHỮNG CHIA SẺ VỀ VIỆC BẠN ĐÃ DÙNG SÁCH HIỆU QUẢ TRONG
VIỆC LÀM BÀI IELTS READING RA SAO. TEAM SOẠN SÁCH SẼ CẢM
THẤY CÓ THÊM ĐỘNG LỰC LỚN NẾU BẠN SHARE NHỮNG ĐÁNH
GIÁ VỀ CUỐN SÁCH TRÊN CÁC GROUP CŨNG NHƯ FACEBOOK CÁ
NHÂN.
https://www.facebook.com/dinhthangielts/posts/2037751856500217
https://www.facebook.com/groups/IELTSfamily/permalink/1495634343815651/
Phía trên là một vài trong số rất nhiều review tích cực mà team
đã nhận được và thực sự đã giúp bọn mình rất nhiều trong thời
gian qua. Hy vọng team sẽ đón nhận thêm nhiều review như vậy
nữa.
Trân trọng,

Chào các bạn,
NHÓM THỰC HIỆN

Đinh Thắng
Dương Nguyễn
Cựu sinh viên K55 Đại học Kinh tế Quốc Dân Hà Nội.

kể.

Nguyên nhân vì
Neglect= ignore, abandon…

Cambridge 10
Restoration= repair, renewal…
Test 1
Former= ex, previous, past…
READING PASSAGE 1
Glory= when something is beautiful and
impressive in appearance.
Stepwells Spectacular= fantastic, stunning, amazing,
impressive, fabulous…
A millennium ago, stepwells were fundamental to life in
the driest parts of India. Although many have been Bygone= past, former, previous…
neglected, recent restoration has returned them to
their former glory. Richard Cox travelled to north- Inhabitant= citizen, resident…
western India to document these spectacular
monuments from a bygone era. Monument= a building, statue, or other
During the sixth and seventh centuries, the large structure that is built to remind people
of an important event or famous person.
inhabitants of the modern-day states of Gujarat and
Rajasthan in North-western India developed a method Irrigate= to supply land or crops with water.
of gaining access to clean, fresh groundwater during
the dry season for drinking, bathing, watering animals Utilitarian= useful, practical, effective…
and irrigation. However, the significance of this
invention – the stepwell – goes beyond its utilitarian Unique= sole, only one of its kind,
application. distinctive…
Unique to the region, stepwells are often Heyday= peak of your success, glory days,
architecturally complex and vary widely in size and prime= the time when someone or
shape. During their heyday, they were places of something was most popular, successful, or
gathering, of leisure, of relaxation and of worship for powerful.
villagers of all but the lowest castes. Most stepwells Caste= social class in India.
are found dotted around the desert areas of Gujarat
(where they are called vav) and Rajasthan (where they Position= locate, situate, place…
are known as baori), while a few also survive in Delhi.
Some were located in or near villages as public spaces Comprise= include, contain, consist of…
for the community; others were positioned beside
roads as resting places for travellers. Descend= go down, move down, tumble
down…
As their name suggests, stepwells comprise a series
of stone steps descending from ground level to the Negotiate= consult, discuss…
water source (normally an underground aquifer) as it
Crater= hole.
recedes following the rains. When the water level was
high, the user needed only to descend a few steps to
reach it; when it was low, several levels would have to
be negotiated.
Some wells are vast, open craters with hundreds of
steps paving each sloping side, often in tiers. Others Tier= one of several levels or layers that
are more elaborate, with long stepped passages rise up one above the other.
leading to the water via several storeys built from
stone and supported by pillars, they also included Elaborate= intricate, complicated,
pavilions that sheltered visitors from the relentless complex…
heat. But perhaps the most impressive features are the
Pillar= Tower of strength= a tall upright
intricate decorative sculptures that embellish many
round post used as a support for a roof or
stepwells, showing activities from fighting and dancing bridge.
to everyday acts such as women combing their hair
and churning butter. Pavilion= exhibition area, spectator area…
Down the centuries, thousands of wells were Shelter= protect.

constructed throughout northwestern India, but the
majority have now fallen into disuse; many are derelict Intricate= complex, complicated,
and dry, as groundwater has been diverted for elaborate…
industrial use and the wells no longer reach the water
Relentless= Endless, persistent…
table. Their condition hasn’t been helped by recent dry
spells: southern Rajasthan suffered an eight-year Sculpture= statue.
drought between 1996 and 2004.
Embellish= decorate, beautify, make
However, some important sites in Gujarat have fancy…
recently undergone major restoration, and the state
government announced in June last year that it plans Derelict= neglected, abandoned…
to restore the stepwells throughout the state.
Divert= reroute, turn away…
In Patan, the state’s ancient capital, the stepwell of
Rani Ki Vav (Queen’s Stepwell) is perhaps the finest Undergo= experience.
current example. It was built by Queen Udayamati
Finest= best, most excellent…
during the late 11th century, but became silted up
following a flood during the 13th century. But the Pristine= like new, untouched, unspoiled…
Archaeological Survey of India began restoring it in the
1960s, and today it’s in pristine Depict= show, represent, describe,
condition . At 65 metres long, 20 metres wide and 27 illustrate…
metres deep, Rani Ki Vav features 500 distinct
sculptures carved into niches throughout the Incarnation= the state of living in the form
monument, depicting gods such as Vishnu and of a particular person or animal. According
Parvati in various incarnations. Incredibly, in January to some religions, people have several
2001, this ancient structure survived a devastating different incarnations.
earthquake that measured 7.6 on the Richter scale.
Devastating= harmful, damaging,
ruinous…
Another example is the Surya Kund in Modhera,
northern Gujarat, next to the Sun Temple, built by King Earthquake = a sudden shaking of the
Bhima I in 1026 to honour the sun god Surya. It’s Earth’s surface that often causes a lot of
actually a tank (kund means reservoir or pond) rather damage.
than a well, but displays the hallmarks of stepwell
architecture, including four sides of steps that descend Honour= respect, admire…
to the bottom in a stunning geometrical formation. The

terraces house 108 small, intricately carved shrines Commissioned= specially made,
between the sets of steps. custom- built…
Rajasthan also has a wealth of wells. The ancient city Ruined= broke, destroyed…
of Bundi, 200 kilometres south of Jaipur, is reknowned
for its architecture, including its stepwells. One of the Dramatic= spectacular, striking,
larger examples is Raniji Ki Baori, which was built by remarkable, extraordinary…
the queen of the region, Nathavatji, in 1699. At 46
metres deep, 20 metres wide and 40 metres long, the Comprise= include, contain, consist of,
intricately carved monument is one of 21 baoris involve…
commissioned in the Bundi area by Nathavatji.
Striking= good-looking, attractive…
In the old ruined town of Abhaneri, about 95
kilometres east of Jaipur, is Chand Baori, one of Ornate= covered with a lot of
India’s oldest and deepest wells; aesthetically, it’s decoration.
perhaps one of the most dramatic. Built in around 850
AD next to the temple of Harshat Mata, the baori Preserve= protect, save…
comprises hundreds of zigzagging steps that run
along three of its sides, steeply descending 11 storeys, Flock= gather, form a group…
resulting in a striking geometric pattern when seen
from afar. On the fourth side, covered verandas Marvel= wonder, awesome sight,
supported by ornate pillars overlook the steps. amazing thing…
Still in public use is Neemrana Ki Baori, located just off Ingenuity= cleverness, inventiveness,
the Jaipur–Dehli highway. Constructed in around 1700, creativity…
it’s nine storeys deep, with the last two levels
underwater. At ground level, there are 86 colonnaded
openings from where the visitor descends 170 steps to
the deepest water source.
Today, following years of neglect, many of these

monuments to medieval engineering have been saved
by the Archaeological Survey of India, which has
recognised the importance of preserving them as part
of the country’s rich history. Tourists flock to wells in
far-flung corners of northwestern India to gaze in
wonder at these architectural marvels from 1,000
years ago, which serve as a reminder of both the
ingenuity and artistry of ancient civilisations and of the
value of water to human existence.
READING PASSAGE 2
Prospect= possibility, likelihood, chance,
option…
Conceive=imagine, visualize, think of….

EUROPEAN TRANSPORT
Vigorous= strong and healthy…
SYSTEMS 1990-2010
What have been the trends and what are the Efficient= effective, useful, helpful, well-
prospects for European transport systems? organized…
A It is difficult to conceive of vigorous economic Facilitate= aid, help, assist…

growth without an efficient transport system. Although
Substantial= significant, considerable…
modern information technologies can reduce the
demand for physical transport by facilitating
teleworking and teleservices, the requirement for Frontier= border, boundary, edge…
transport continues to increase. There are two key
factors behind this trend. For passenger transport, the Abolish= eliminate, put an end to, stop,
determining factor is the spectacular growth in car use. close down, get rid of…
The number of cars on European Union (EU) roads
saw an increase of three million cars each year from Emphasis= stress.
1990 to 2010, and in the next decade the EU will see a
further substantial increase in its fleet. Labour-intensive = an industry or type of
work that is labour-intensive needs a lot of
B As far as goods transport is concerned, growth is
due to a large extent to changes in the European workers.
economy and its system of production. In the last 20
years, as internal frontiers have been abolished, the Assembly= gathering, meeting, get-
EU has moved from a ”stock” economy to a ”flow”
economy. This phenomenon has been emphasised together…
by the relocation of some industries, particularly those Candidate= applicant.
which are labourintensive, to reduce production
costs, even though the production site is hundreds or Haulage =moving, carrying, shipping…
even thousands of kilometres away from the final
assembly plant or away from users. Export= sell abroad, sell overseas, sell to
other countries…
C The strong economic growth expected in countries
which are candidates for entry to the EU will also Import= bring in, trade in, buy from abroad,
increase transport flows, in particular road haulage buy from overseas, buy from other
traffic. In 1998, some of these countries already countries…
exported more than twice their 1990 volumes and
Inherit= be left, take over…
imported more than five times their 1990 volumes.
And although many candidate countries inherited a
transport system which encourages rail, the Distribution= sharing, spreading,

distribution between modes has tipped sharply in allocation…
favour of road transport since the 1990s. Between
1990 and 1998，road haulage increased by 19.4%, Imperative= vital, very important,
while during the same period rail haulage decreased crucial, essential…
by 43.5%, although – and this could benefit the
enlarged EU – it is still on average at a much higher Sustainable= able to continue for a long
level than in existing member states. time.
D However, a new imperative-sustainable Adapt= get a feel to, get used to,
development – offers an opportunity for adapting the familiarize yourself…
EU common transport policy. This objective, agreed
by the Gothenburg European Council, has to be Policy= rule, guiding principle, strategy,
achieved by integrating environmental considerations plan…
into Community policies, and shifting the balance
between modes of transport lies at the heart of its Objective= aim, purpose, goal,
strategy. The ambitious objective can only be fully intention…
achieved by 2020, but proposed measures are
nonetheless a first essential step towards a Integrate= put together, mix, combine…
sustainable transport system which will ideally be in
place in 30 years‟ time, that is by 2040. Strategy= plan.
E In 1998, energy consumption in the transport sector Propose= suggest, recommend,

was to blame for 28% of emissions of CO2，the advise…
leading greenhouse gas. According to the latest
estimates, if nothing is done to reverse the traffic Ideally= perfectly, well…
growth trend, CO2 emissions from transport can be
expected to increase by around 50% to 1,113 billion Blame= hold responsible, accused…
tonnes by 2020，compared with the 739 billion tonnes
Emission= release, discharge…
recorded in 1990. Once again, road transport is the
main culprit since it alone accounts for 84% of the
Reverse = overturn.
CO2 emissions attributable to transport. Using
alternative fuels and improving energy efficiency is
Culprit= cause, reason…
thus both an ecological necessity and a technological
challenge.
Account for= represent, explain,
answer for…
F At the same time greater efforts must be made to
achieve a modal shift. Such a change cannot be
Deterioration = worsening, decline,
achieved overnight, all the less so after over half a
weakening…
century of constant deterioration in favour of road.
This has reached such a pitch that today rail freight
Marginalise= to make a person or a
services are facing marginalisation, with just 8% of
group of people unimportant and
market share, and with international goods trains
powerless in an unfair way.
struggling along at an average speed of 18km/h. Three
possible options have emerged.
Emerge= appear, come out…
G The first approach would consist of focusing on road

transport solely through pricing. This option would not Accompany= go along with, go
be accompanied by complementary measures in the together with…
other modes of transport. In the short term it might
curb the growth in road transport through the better Complementary= balancing.
loading ratio of goods vehicles and occupancy rates
of passenger vehicles expected as a result of the Ratio= proportion, percentage…
increase in the price of transport. However, the lack of
measures available to revitalise other modes of Curb= hold back, limit, restrain, reduce,
transport would make it impossible for more cut back…
sustainable modes of transport to take up the baton.
Occupancy= the number of people who
H The second approach also concentrates on road stay, work, or live in a room or building
transport pricing but is accompanied by measures to at the same time.
increase the efficiency of the other modes (better
quality of services, logistics, technology). However, Concentrate on= focus on.
this approach does not include investment in new
infrastructure, nor does it guarantee better regional Logistics= the business of transporting
cohesion. It could help to achieve greater uncoupling things such as goods to the place where
than the first approach, but road transport would keep they are needed.
the lion‟s share of the market and continue to
concentrate on saturated arteries, despite being the Infrastructure= the basic systems and
most polluting of the modes. It is therefore not enough structures that a country or organization
to guarantee the necessary shift of the balance. needs in order to work properly, for
example roads, railways, banks etc.
I The third approach, which is not new, comprises a
series of measures ranging from pricing to revitalising Cohesion= unity, consistency,
alternative modes of transport and targeting organization…
investment in the trans-European network. This
integrated approach would allow the market shares of Uncoupling= disconnection,
the other modes to return to their 1998 levels and thus separation…
make a shift of balance. It is far more ambitious than it
looks, bearing in mind the historical imbalance in Saturated= soaked, wet…
favour of roads for the last fifty years, but would
achieve a marked break in the link between road Artery= a main road, railway line, river
transport growth and economic growth, without placing etc.
restrictions on the mobility of people and goods.
Revitalizing= refreshing, renewing…
Bear in mind=since, given that…
Innovation= improvement, advance,

READING PASSAGE 3 modernization…
Survival= continued existence.
The psychology of innovation Substantial= considerable, significant…

Why are so few companies truly innovative?
Inspire= motivate, encourage…
Innovation is key to business survival，and
companies put substantial resources into inspiring Stimulate= inspire, motivate,
employees to develop new ideas. There are, encourage…
nevertheless, people working in luxurious, state-of-the-
art centres designed to stimulate innovation who find Budget= the money that is available to
that their environment doesn’t make them feel at all a person.
creative. And there are those who don’t have a
budget, or much space, but who innovate Recruitment= employment, staffing…
successfully.
Circumstance= situation, condition…
For Robert B. Cialdini, Professor of Psychology at
Arizona State University, one reason that companies Quartet= four singers or musicians who
don’t succeed as often as they should is that sing or play together.
innovation starts with recruitment. Research shows
that the fit between an employee’s values and a Quintet= five singers or musicians who
company’s values makes a difference to what perform together.
contribution they make and whether, two years after
they join, they’re still at the company. Studies at Revolutionise= transform, develop,
Harvard Business School show that, although some modernize, change…
individuals may be more creative than others, almost
every individual can be creative in the right Fuse= combine, blend…
circumstances.
Ambition= aim, goal, objective…
One of the most famous photographs in the story of
rock’n’roll emphasises Ciaidini’s views. The 1956
picture of singers Elvis Presley, Carl Perkins, Johnny
Cash and Jerry Lee Lewis jamming at a piano in Sun
Studios in Memphis tells a hidden story. Sun’s ‘million-
dollar quartet’ could have been a quintet. Missing
from the picture is Roy Orbison’ a greater natural
singer than Lewis, Perkins or Cash. Sam Phillips, who
owned Sun, wanted to revolutionise popular music
with songs that fused black and white music, and
country and blues. Presley, Cash, Perkins and Lewis
instinctively understood Phillips’s ambition and
believed in it. Orbison wasn’t inspired by the goal, and
only ever achieved one hit with the Sun label.
Hard-wired= if an attitude, way of behaving etc

The value fit matters, says Cialdini, because is hard-wired, it is a natural part of a person’s
character that they are born with and cannot
innovation is, in part, a process of change, and under change.
that pressure we, as a species, behave differently,
‘When things change, we are hard-wired to play it Adopt= embrace, take on, accept, approve….
safe.’ Managers should therefore adopt an approach
that appears counterintuitive -they should explain what Seize= take advantage of, grab, take…
stands to be lost if the company fails to seize a Gamble= risk.
particular opportunity. Studies show that we invariably
take more gambles when threatened with a loss than Threatened= in danger, in jeopardy…
when offered a reward.
Delicate= needing to be dealt with carefully or
sensitively in order to avoid problems or failure.
Managing innovation is a delicate art. It’s easy for a
company to be pulled in conflicting directions as the Conflicting= contradictory, disagreeing,
marketing, product development, and finance differing…
departments each get different feedback from different
sets of people. And without a system which ensures Ensure= make sure, guarantee…
collaborative exchanges within the company, it’s also Collaborative= mutual, shared…
easy for small ‘pockets of innovation‟ to disappear.
Innovation is a contact sport. You can‟t brief people Brief =inform, tell…
just by saying, ‘We’re going in this direction and I’m
going to take you with me.’ Syndrome= a set of qualities, events, or types
of behaviour that is typical of a particular kind of
problem.
Cialdini believes that this ‘follow-the-leader syndrome,
is dangerous, not least because it encourages bosses Cite= refer to, mention…
to go it alone. ‘It’s been scientifically proven that three
people will be better than one at solving problems, Organism= an animal, plant, human, or any
other living thing.
even if that one person is the smartest person in the
field.’ To prove his point, Cialdini cites an interview Crack= solve, work out, figure out…
with molecular biologist James Watson. Watson,
together with Francis Crick, discovered the structure of Accomplished= talented, gifted, skilful,
DNA, the genetic information carrier of all living expert….
organisms. ‘When asked how they had cracked the Rival= opponent, competitor…
code ahead of an array of highly accomplished rival
investigators, he said something that stunned me. He Pursue= chase, follow, hunt
said ”he and Crick had succeeded because they were
aware that they weren’t the most intelligent of the Pervasive= existing everywhere.
scientists pursuing the answer. The smartest scientist Resist= oppose, refuse to accept, deny…
was called Rosalind Franklin who, Watson said, “was
so intelligent she rarely sought advice”.’ Veteran= experienced, expert…
Teamwork taps into one of the basic drivers of human

behaviour. ‘The principle of social proof is so
pervasive that we don’t even recognise it,’ says
Cialdini. ‘If your project is being resisted, for example,
by a group of veteran employees, ask another old-
timer to speak up for it.’ Cialdini is not alone in Advocate= support, encourage, promote,
advocating this strategy. Research shows that peer be in favor of…
power, used horizontally not vertically, is much more
powerful than any boss’s speech. Peer= colleague, friend…
Engagement= meeting, appointment…

Writing, visualising and prototyping can stimulate the
flow of new ideas. Cialdini cites scores of research Inhibit= stop, prevent…
papers and historical events that prove that even
something as simple as writing deepens every Regrettable= undesirable, unwelcome,
individual’s engagement in the project. It is, he says, unfortunate…
the reason why all those competitions on breakfast
cereal packets encouraged us to write in saying, in no Tendency= trend.
more than 10 words: ‘I like Kellogg’s Com Flakes
because… .’ The very act of writing makes us more Opt= choose, decide on, select…
likely to believe it.
Overbearing= domineering= always trying
to control other people without considering
Authority doesn’t have to inhibit innovation but it often
their wishes or feelings.
does. The wrong kind of leadership will lead to what
Cialdini calls ”captainitis, the regrettable tendency of Interchange= exchange, swap…
team members to opt out of team responsibilities that
are properly their’. He calls it captainitis because, he Function= role, purpose, meaning…
says, ”crew members of multipilot aircraft exhibit a
sometimes deadly passivity when the flight captain Furniture= large objects such as chairs,
makes a clearly wrong-headed decision”. This tables, beds, and cupboards.
behaviour is not, he says, unique to air travel, but can
happen in any workplace where the leader is Ideal= perfect, best…
overbearing.
Take pride in= to do something very
carefully and well, in a way that gives you a
At the other end of the scale is the 1980s Memphis lot of satisfaction.
design collective, a group of young designers for
whom ”the only rule was that there were no rule”. This Accomplishment= achievement,
environment encouraged a free interchange of ideas, success…
which led to more creativity with form, function, colour
and materials that revolutionised attitudes to furniture Simultaneously= at the same time, at
design. once…
Many theorists believe the ideal boss should lead from Assure = ensure, make certain,
behind, taking pride in collective accomplishment guarantee…
and giving credit where it is due. Cialdini Frustrating= annoying.
says:”Leaders should encourage everyone to
contribute and simultaneously assure all concerned Formula= rule, principle…
that every recommendation is important to making the
right decision and will be given full attention” The
frustrating thing about innovation is that there are
many approaches, but no magic formula. However, a
manager who wants to create a truly innovative culture
can make their job a lot easier by recognising these

psychological realities.
Anthropological= the scientific study

Test 2 of people, their societies, cultures etc.
Wrestle with something=

to try to understand or find a solution to
READING PASSAGE 1 a difficult problem.
Enigma= mystery, puzzle…

Tea and the Industrial
Puzzle= mystery, enigma…
Revolution
A Cambridge professor says that a change in drinking Take off= start out, begin…
habits was the reason for the Industrial Revolution in
Britain. Anjana Abuja reports Drive= run.
A Alan Macfarlane, professor of anthropological Urban= city, town, metropolitan…

science at King’s College, Cambridge has, like other
historians, spent decades wrestling with the enigma of Labour= workforce, workers,
the Industrial Revolution. Why did this particular Big employees…
Bang – the world-changing birth of industry-happen in
Britain? And why did it strike at the end of the 18th Criterion= standard, principle…
century?
Sufficient= adequate, enough…
B Macfarlane compares the puzzle to a combination
lock. ‘There are about 20 different factors and all of
them need to be present before the revolution can Coal= a hard black mineral which is dug
happen,’ he says. For industry to take off, there needs out of the ground and burnt to produce
to be the technology and power to drive factories, large heat
urban populations to provide cheap labour, easy
Convinced= persuaded.
transport to move goods around, an affluent middle-
class willing to buy mass-produced objects, a market-
driven economy and a political system that allows this to
happen. While this was the case for England, other
nations, such as Japan, the Netherlands and France
also met some of these criteria but were not
industrialising. All these factors must have been
necessary. But not sufficient to cause the revolution,
says Macfarlane. ‘After all, Holland had everything
except coal while China also had many of these factors.
Most historians are convinced there are one or two
missing factors that you need to open the lock. Propose= suggest.
’
C The missing factors, he proposes, are to be found in Ingredient= element, part…
almost even kitchen cupboard. Tea and beer, two of the
Flourish= thrive, grow…
nation’s favourite drinks, fuelled the revolution. The
antiseptic properties of tannin, the active ingredient in Succumb= give in, surrender…
tea, and of hops in beer – plus the fact that both are
made with boiled water – allowed urban communities to Eccentric= unusual, weird, strange…
flourish at close quarters without succumbing to
water-borne diseases such as dysentery. The theory Deduction= reasoning, conclusion,
sounds eccentric but once he starts to explain the logic…
detective work that went into his deduction, the
scepticism gives way to wary admiration. Macfarlane’s Scepticism= an attitude of doubting that
case has been strengthened by support from notable particular claims or statements are true or
quarters – Roy Porter, the distinguished medical that something will happen.
historian, recently wrote a favourable appraisal of his
Strengthen= support, reinforce…
research.
Appraisal= assessment, evaluation,
D Macfarlane had wondered for a long time how the judgment, review…
Industrial Revolution came about. Historians had
alighted on one interesting factor around the mid-18th Notable= important, interesting, excellent,
century that required explanation. Between about 1650 or unusual enough to be noticed or
and 1740，the population in Britain was static. But then mentioned.
there was a burst in population growth. Macfarlane
says: ‘The infant mortality rate halved in the space of Wonder= self=question.
20 years, and this happened in both rural areas and
Alight on= to suddenly think of or notice
cities, and across all classes. People suggested four something or someone.
possible causes. Was there a sudden change in the
viruses and bacteria around? Unlikely. Was there a Static= constant, unchanging…
revolution in medical science? But this was a century
before Lister’s revolution*. Was there a change in Infant= newborn baby.
environmental conditions? There were improvements in
agriculture that wiped out malaria, but these were small Mortality= death.
gains. Sanitation did not become widespread until the
19th century. The only option left is food. But the height Wipe out= destroy, eliminate, remove…
and weight statistics show a decline. So the food must
Sanitation= the protection of public health
have got worse. Efforts to explain this sudden reduction
by removing and treating waste, dirty
in child deaths appeared to draw a blank.’ water etc.
E This population burst seemed to happen at just the Statistics= data, information, figures…
right time to provide labour for the Industrial Revolution.
‘When you start moving towards an industrial revolution,
it is economically efficient to have people living close
together,’ says Macfarlane. ‘But then you get disease,
particularly from human waste.’ Some digging around in
historical records revealed that there was a change in
the incidence of water-borne disease at that time,

especially dysentery. Macfarlane deduced that Incidence= frequency, occurrence, rate…
whatever the British were drinking must have been
important in regulating disease. He says, ‘We drank Deduce= assume, reason, figure out…
beer. For a long time, the English were protected by the
Regulate= control.
strong antibacterial agent in hops, which were added to
help preserve the beer. But in the late 17th century a Preserve= protect.
tax was introduced on malt, the basic ingredient of
beer. The poor turned to water and gin and in the 1720s Malt= grain, usually barley, that has been
the mortality rate began to rise again. Then it suddenly kept in water for a time and then dried. It is
dropped again. What caused this?’ used for making beer, whisky etc..
F Macfarlane looked to Japan, which was also
developing large cities about the same time, and also Prevalence= dominance.
had no sanitation. Water-borne diseases had a much
looser grip on the Japanese population than those in Extraordinary= strange, unusual,
Britain. Could it be the prevalence of tea in their surprising…
culture? Macfarlane then noted that the history of tea in Coincidence= when two things happen at
Britain provided an extraordinary coincidence of the same time, in the same place, or to the
dates. Tea was relatively expensive until Britain started same people in a way that seems
a direct dipper trade with China in the early 18th surprising or unusual.
century. By the 1740s, about the time that infant
mortality was dipping, the drink was common. Dipping= plummeting, dropping,
Macfarlane guessed that the fact that water had to be reducing…
boiled, together with the stomach-purifying properties
of tea meant that the breast milk provided by mothers Purify= clean, get rid of impurities…
was healthier than it had ever been. No other European
nation sipped tea like the British, which, by Macfarlanes Out of contention= no longer having a
chance of winning something.
logic, pushed these other countries out of contention
for the revolution. Forge ahead= to make progress,
especially quickly.
G But, if tea is a factor in the combination lock, why
didn’t Japan forge ahead in a tea-soaked industrial Literacy= the state of being able to read
revolution of its own? Macfarlane notes that even and write.
though 17th-century Japan had large cities, high
literacy rates, even a futures market, it had turned its Abandoned= neglected.
back on the essence of any work-based revolution by
giving up labour-saving devices such as animals, afraid
that they would put people out of work. So, the nation
that we now think of as one of the most technologically
advanced entered the 19th century having ‘abandoned
the wheel’.
Determine= decide.
READING PASSAGE 2 Intelligence= cleverness.
Gifted children and learning Cutoff point= maximum value.
Contribute= be a factor.
A Internationally, ‘giftedness’ is most frequently
determined by a score on a general intelligence test, Provision= the act of providing something
known as an IQ test, which is above a chosen cutoff that someone needs.
point, usually at around the top 2-5%. Children’s
educational environment contributes to the IQ score Backup= help, support, encouragement…
and the way intelligence is used. For example, a very
close positive relationship was found when children’s Verbal= oral, spoken.
IQ scores were compared with their home educational
provision (Freeman, 2010). The higher the children’s Interaction= communication.
IQ scores, especially over IQ 130, the better the quality
Manipulate= to work skillfully with
of their educational backup, measured in terms of information, systems etc to achieve the
reported verbal interactions with parents, number of result that you want.
books and activities in their home etc. Because IQ
tests are decidedly influenced by what the child has Predict = guess, forecast, foresee…
learned, they are to some extent measures of current
achievement based on age-norms; that is, how well Emerge= come out, appear…
the children have learned to manipulate their
knowledge and know-how within the terms of the test. Appropriate = suitable, proper, right,
The vocabulary aspect, for example, is dependent on correct, fitting…
having heard those words. But IQ tests can neither
identify the processes of learning and thinking nor Material= data, information…
predict creativity. Tuition= teaching, guidance, training…
B Excellence does not emerge without appropriate Encouragement= support.
help. To reach an exceptionally high standard in any
area very able children need the means to learn, which Intellectual= relating to the ability to
includes material to work with and focused understand things and think intelligently.
challenging tuition -and the encouragement to follow
their dream. There appears to be a qualitative External = outside, outer…
difference in the way the intellectually highly able
think, compared with more average-ability or older Regulation= control.
pupils, for whom external regulation by the teacher
Compensate= balance
often compensates for lack of internal regulation. To
be at their most effective in their self-regulation, all Internal= inside, inner…
children can be helped to identify their own ways of
learning – metacognition – which will include strategies
of planning, monitoring, evaluation, and choice of what
to learn. Emotional awareness is also part of
metacognition, so children should be helped to be
aware of their feelings around the area to be learned,

feelings of curiosity or confidence, for example. Curiosity= the desire to know about
something.
C High achievers have been found to use self-
Strategy= plan, approach…
regulatory learning strategies more often and more
effectively than lower achievers, and are better able to Demonstrate= show, display…
transfer these strategies to deal with unfamiliar tasks.
This happens to such a high degree in some children Succinctly= in a few words, concisely…
that they appear to be demonstrating talent in
particular areas. Overviewing research on the thinking Gifted= talented.
process of highly able children, (Shore and Kanevsky,
1993) put the instructor’s problem succinctly: ‘If they Merely= just, only, simply…
[the gifted] merely think more quickly, then .we need
only teach more quickly. If they merely make fewer Adjustment= change, modification,
errors, then we can shorten the practice’. But of correction…
course, this is not entirely the case; adjustments have
Take account of= comprise, contain, take
to be made in methods of learning and teaching, to
in…
take account of the many ways individuals think.
Conversely= on the other hand, in
D Yet in order to learn by themselves, the gifted do opposition, on the contrary…
need some support from their teachers. Conversely,
teachers who have a tendency to ‘overdirect’ can Tendency= trend.
diminish their gifted pupils’ learning autonomy.
Although ‘spoon-feeding’ can produce extremely high Autonomy= independence.
examination results, these are not always followed by
equally impressive life successes. Too much Recognize= realize.
dependence on the teachers risks loss of autonomy
Fundamental= basic, original, elemental,
and motivation to discover. However, when teachers o primary…
pupils to reflect on their own learning and thinking
activities, they increase their pupils’ self-regulation. For Major= main, most important, foremost…
a young child, it may be just the simple question ‘What
have you learned today?’ which helps them to Competent= knowledgeable,
recognise what they are doing. Given that a experienced…
fundamental goal of education is to transfer the
control of learning from teachers to pupils, improving Bright= brilliant, intelligent, clever, smart…
pupils’ learning to learn techniques should be a major
outcome of the school experience, especially for the Deprived= disadvantaged, poor…
highly competent. There are quite a number of new
Progress= development, growth,
methods which can help, such as child- initiated improvement, advancement…
learning, ability-peer tutoring, etc. Such practices have
been found to be particularly useful for bright children Vital= very important, crucial, necessary…
from deprived areas.
Outstanding= excellent, great, wonderful…
E But scientific progress is not all theoretical,
knowledge is a so vital to outstanding performance:
individuals who know a great deal about a specific
domain will achieve at a higher level than those who

do not (Elshout, 1995). Research with creative Domain = field, area…
scientists by Simonton (1988) brought him to the
conclusion that above a certain high level, Conclusion= something you decide
characteristics such as independence seemed to after considering all the information you
contribute more to reaching the highest levels of have.
expertise than intellectual skills, due to the great
demands of effort and time needed for learning and Characteristic= trait, feature…
practice. Creativity in all forms can be seen as
expertise se mixed with a high level of motivation Expertise= know-how, knowledge,
(Weisberg, 1993). proficiency…
F To sum up, learning is affected by emotions of both Desire= want, need…

the individual and significant others. Positive emotions
facilitate the creative aspects of earning and negative
emotions inhibit it. Fear, for example, can limit the
development of curiosity, which is a strong force in
scientific advance, because it motivates problem-
solving behaviour. In Boekaerts’ (1991) review of
emotion the learning of very high IQ and highly
achieving children, she found emotional forces in
harness. They were not only curious, but often had a
strong desire to control their environment, improve
their learning efficiency and increase their own
learning resources.
Original= real.
READING PASSAGE 3 Reproduction= copy, imitation, replica,

duplicate…
Assumption= supposition, guess,

Museums of fine art and their hypothesis…
public
Fine= very well, excellent, top quality…
The fact that people go to the Louvre museum in Paris
to see the original painting Mona Lisa when they can
see a reproduction anywhere leads us to question
some assumptions about the role of museums of fine
art in today’s world
One of the most famous works of art in the world is
Leonardo da Vinci’s Mona Lisa. Nearly everyone who

goes to see the original will already be familiar with it Novel= work of fiction, story…
from reproductions, but they accept that fine art is
more rewardingly viewed in its original form. Bother= to make the effort to do
something.
However, if Mona Lisa was a famous novel, few
people would bother to go to a museum to read the Evolve= develop, grow…
writer’s actual manuscript rather than a printed
reproduction. This might be explained by the fact that Precisely= exactly, correctly,
the novel has evolved precisely because of accurately…
technological developments that made it possible to
print out huge numbers of texts, whereas oil paintings Interpret= translate.
have always been produced as unique objects. In
addition, it could be argued that the practice of Convention= rule, principle…
interpreting or ‘reading’ each medium follows different
conventions. With novels, the reader attends mainly Signify= mean, indicate, show…
to the meaning of words rather than the way they are
printed on the page, whereas the ‘reader’ of a painting Facsimile= exact copy, duplicate,
must attend just as closely to the material form of reproduction…
marks and shapes in the picture as to any ideas they
may signify. Witness= see, observe…
Yet it has always been possible to make very accurate Assign= allocate, give…
facsimiles of pretty well any fine art work. The seven
surviving versions of Mona Lisa bear witness to the Workshop= class, seminar…
fact that in the 16th century, artists seemed perfectly
content to assign the reproduction of their creations to Apprentice= trainee, learner…
their workshop apprentices as regular ‘bread and
butter’ work. And today the task of reproducing Bread and butter work= bread-and-
pictures is incomparably more simple and reliable, with butter work is work that is not very
reprographic techniques that allow the production of exciting but provides you with most of
high-quality prints made exactly to the original scale, the money that you need in order to live.
with faithful colour values, and even with duplication
of the surface relief of the painting. Scale= size.
But despite an implicit recognition that the spread of Faithful= true, authentic, exact, close…
good reproductions can be culturally valuable,
museums continue to promote the special status of Duplication= replication, copying…
original work.
Exhibit= display, show…
Unfortunately, this seems to place severe limitations
on the kind of experience offered to visitors.
One limitation is related to the way the museum

presents its exhibits. As repositories of unique
historical objects, art museums are often called
‘treasure houses’. We are reminded of this even

before we view a collection by the presence of security Treasure= wealth.
guards, attendants, ropes and display cases to keep
us away from the exhibits. In many cases, the Reinforce= strengthen, support…
architectural style of the building further reinforces
that notion. In addition, a major collection like that of Notion=idea, view..
London’s National Gallery is housed in numerous
rooms, each with dozens of works, any one of which is Possess= have, own…
likely to be worth more than all the average visitor
possesses. In a society that judges the personal Monetary= financial, economic…
status of the individual so much by their material worth,
it is therefore difficult not to be impressed by one’s own Institution= organization.
relative ‘worthlessness’ in such an environment.
Alter= change.
Furthermore, consideration of the ‘value’ of the original
work in its treasure house setting impresses upon the Deter= discourage, prevent..
viewer that, since these works were originally
produced, they have been assigned a huge monetary Spontaneous= artless, unstructured,
value by some person or institution more powerful unplanned…
than themselves. Evidently, nothing the viewer thinks
about the work is going to alter that value, and so Diverse= various, varied…
today’s viewer is deterred from trying to extend that
spontaneous, immediate, self-reliant kind of reading Distressing= upsetting, painful, sad…
which would originally have met the work.
Vital= very important, fundamental,
The visitor may then be struck by the strangeness of essential, crucial, central….
seeing such diverse paintings, drawings and
sculptures brought together in an environment for Appreciation= admiration, approval,
which they were not originally created. This enjoyment…
‘displacement effect’ is further heightened by the sheer
volume of exhibits. In the case of a major collection, Superficially= apparently.
there are probably more works on display than we
could realistically view in weeks or even months.
This is particularly distressing because time seems to

be a vital factor in the appreciation of all art forms. A
fundamental difference between paintings and other
art forms is that there is no prescribed time over which
a painting is viewed. By contrast, the audience
encourage an opera or a play over a specific time,
which is the duration of the performance. Similarly
novels and poems are read in a prescribed temporal
sequence, whereas a picture has no clear place at
which to start viewing, or at which to finish. Thus art
works themselves encourage us to view them
superficially, without appreciating the richness of
detail and labour that is involved.

Dominant= leading.
Consequently, the dominant critical approach
becomes that of the art historian, a specialised Critical= significant…
academic approach devoted to ‘discovering the
meaning’ of art within the cultural context of its time. Devote= apply, dedicate, offer…
This is in perfect harmony with the museum s
function, since the approach is dedicated to seeking Harmony= agreement.
out and conserving ‘authentic’, original, readings of the
exhibits. Again, this seems to put paid to that Criticism= disapproval.
spontaneous, participators criticism which can be
found in abundance in criticism of classic works of Abundance= loads, great quantity,
literature, but is absent from most art history. plenty…
The displays of art museums serve as a warning of Absent= lacking.

what critical practices can emerge when spontaneous
criticism is suppressed. The museum public, like any Warning= caution.
other audience, experience art more rewardingly when
given the confidence to express their views. If Establishment= organization.
appropriate works of fine art could be rendered
permanently accessible to the public by means of high-
fidelity reproductions, as literature and music already
are, the public may feel somewhat less in awe of them.
Unfortunately, that may be too much to ask from those
who seek to maintain and control the art
establishment.
Test 3 Primitive= prehistoric, ancient…
READING PASSAGE 1 Survival= continued existence.
The Context, Meaning and

Scope of Tourism
A Travel has existed since the beginning of time, when
primitive man set out, often traversing great distances
in search of game, which provided the food and
clothing necessary for his survival. Throughout the
course of history, people have travelled for purposes of
trade, religious conviction, economic gain, war,

migration and other equally compelling motivations. In Conviction= belief, faith…
the Roman era, wealthy aristocrats and high
government officials also travelled for pleasure. Compelling= persuasive, convincing…
Seaside resorts located at Pompeii and Herculaneum
afforded citizens the opportunity to escape to their Afford= give, offer…
vacation villas in order to avoid the summer heat of
Rome. Travel, except during the Dark Ages, has Villa= holiday home…
continued to grow and, throughout recorded history,
has played a vital role in the development of Advent= start, beginning…
civilisations and their economies.
Relatively= quite, fairly, rather,
B Tourism in the mass form as we know it today is a comparatively…
distinctly twentieth-century phenomenon. Historians
suggest that the advent of mass tourism began in Rapid= fast, quick, speedy…
England during the industrial revolution with the rise of
the middle class and the availability of relatively Expansion= growth, development,
inexpensive transportation. The creation of the increase, spreading out…
commercial airline industry following the Second World
War and the subsequent development of the jet aircraft Exchange= swap, trade, import and
in the 1950s signalled the rapid growth and export…
expansion of international travel. This growth led to
the development of a major new industry: tourism. In Segment= part, section….
turn, international tourism became the concern of a
number of world governments since it not only Tax= an amount of money that you must
provided new employment opportunities but also pay to the government according to your
produced a means of earning foreign exchange. income, property, goods etc and that is
used to pay for public services.
C Tourism today has grown significantly in both
economic and social importance. In most industrialised Estimate= calculate approximately.
countries over the past few years the fastest growth
has been seen in the area of services. One of the
largest segments of the service industry, although
largely unrecognised as an entity in some of these
countries, is travel and tourism. According to the World
Travel and Tourism Council (1992),Travel and tourism
is the largest industry in the world on virtually any
economic measure including value-added capital
investment, employment and tax contributions,. In
1992’ the industry’s gross output was estimated to be
$3.5 trillion, over 12 per cent of all consumer spending.
The travel and tourism industry is the world’s largest
employer the almost 130 million jobs, or almost 7 per
cent of all employees. This industry is the world’s
leading industrial contributor, producing over 6 per
cent of the world’s national product and accounting for
capital investment in excess of $422 billion m direct

indirect and personal taxes each year. Thus, tourism Capital= money or property, especially
has a profound impact both on the world economy when it is used to start a business or to
and, because of the educative effect of travel and the produce more wealth.
effects on employment, on society itself.
Profound= deep, great, extreme…
D However, the major problems of the travel and
tourism industry that have hidden, or obscured, its Obscured= hidden, covered, buried…
economic impact are the diversity and fragmentation
of the industry itself. The travel industry includes: Diversity= variety.
hotels, motels and other types of accommodation;
restaurants and other food services; transportation Fragmentation= breakup, division…
services and facilities; amusements, attractions and
other leisure facilities; gift shops and a large number Accommodation= somewhere to live,
of other enterprises. Since many of these businesses somewhere to stay…
also serve local residents, the impact of spending by
visitors can easily be overlooked or underestimated. Amusement= entertainment, recreation,
In addition, Meis (1992) points out that the tourism pursuit…
industry involves concepts that have remained
amorphous to both analysts and decision makers. Facilities= services, conveniences…
Moreover, in all nations this problem has made it
difficult for the industry to develop any type of reliable Enterprise= venture, project, activity…
or credible tourism information base in order to
estimate the contribution it makes to regional, national Overlook= fail to notice, ignore, miss,
and global economies. However, the nature of this forget, neglect…
very diversity makes travel and tourism ideal vehicles
for economic development in a wide variety of Concept= idea, theory…
countries, regions or communities.
Credible= believable, convincing,
E Once the exclusive province of the wealthy, travel plausible, probable…
and tourism have become an institutionalised way of
life for most of the population. In fact, McIntosh and Commodity= product, goods…
Goeldner (1990) suggest that tourism has become the
largest commodity in international trade for many
nations and, for a significant number of other
countries, it ranks second or third. For example,
tourism is the major source of income in Bermuda,
Greece, Italy, Spain, Switzerland and most Caribbean
countries. In addition, Hawkins and Ritchie, quoting
from data published by the American Express
Company, suggest that the travel and tourism industry
is the number one ranked employer in the Bahamas,
Brazil, Canada, France, (the former) West Germany,
Hong Kong, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Singapore, the
United Kingdom and the United States. However,
because of problems of definition, which directly affect
statistical measurement, it is not possible with any

degree of certainty to provide precise, valid or reliable Statistical= numerical.
data about the extent of world-wide tourism
participation or its economic impact. In many cases, Precise= exact, specific, accurate…
similar difficulties arise when attempts are made to
measure domestic tourism. Arise= happen, occur…
Attempt= effort.
Investigate= examine, study, explore…

READING PASSAGE 2
Mystery= secrecy.
Autumn leaves Captivating= charming, attractive,

Canadian writer Jay Ingram investigates the mystery fascinating…
of why leaves turn red in the fall
Magnificent= wonderful, outstanding,
A One of the most captivating natural events of the brilliant…
year in many areas throughout North America is the
turning of the leaves in the fall. The colours are Molecule= tiny part.
magnificent, but the question of exactly why some
trees turn yellow or orange, and others red or purple, is Hemisphere= a half of the Earth,
something which has long puzzled scientists. especially one of the halves above and
below the equator.
B Summer leaves are green because they are full of
chlorophyll, the molecule that captures sunlight Redundant= unneeded, unnecessary…
converts that energy into new building materials for the
tree. As fall approaches in the northern hemisphere, Precious= valuable, important,
the amount of solar energy available declines treasured, cherished…
considerably. For many trees – evergreen conifers
being an exception – the best strategy is to abandon Discard= get rid of, throw away,
photosynthesis* until the spring. So rather than remove…
maintaining the now redundant leaves throughout the
winter, the tree saves its precious resources and Dismantle= take to pieces.
discards them. But before letting its leaves go, the
tree dismantles their chlorophyll molecules and ships Twig= a small very thin stem of wood
their valuable nitrogen back into the twigs. As that grows from a branch on a tree.
chlorophyll is depleted, other colours that have been
dominated by it throughout the summer begin to be
revealed. This unmasking explains the autumn colours
of yellow and orange, but not the brilliant reds and
purples of trees such as the maple or sumac.

Spectrum= the set of bands of coloured
C The source of the red is widely known: it is created light into which a beam of light
by anthocyanins, water-soluble plant pigments separates when it is passed through a
reflecting the red to blue range of the visible prism.
spectrum. They belong to a class of sugar-based
chemical compounds also known as flavonoids. Puzzling= confusing.
What’s puzzling is that anthocyanins are actually
newly minted, made in the leaves at the same time as Manufacture= produce, create, make…
the tree is preparing to drop them. But it is hard to
make sense of the manufacture of anthocyanins – Bother= trouble.
why should a tree bother making new chemicals in its
leaves when it’s already scrambling to withdraw and Scramble= move quickly, rush…
preserve the ones already there?
Preserve= protect, save….
D Some theories about anthocyanins have argued that
they might act as a chemical defence against attacks Fungus= a simple type of plant that has
by insects or fungi, or that they might attract fruit- no leaves or flowers and that grows on
eating birds or increase a leafs tolerance to freezing. plants or other surfaces. Mushrooms
However there are problems with each of these and mould are both fungi.
theories, including the fact that leaves are red for such
a relatively short period that the expense of energy Expense= cost, price.
needed to manufacture the anthocyanins would
outweigh any anti-fungal or anti-herbivore activity Outweigh= more than.
achieved.* photosynthesis: the production of new
material from sunlight, water and carbon dioxide. Propose= recommended, suggested…
E It has also been proposed that trees may produce Infestation= if insects, rats etc infest a
vivid red colours to convince herbivorous insects that place, there are a lot of them and they
they are healthy and robust and would be easily able usually cause damage.
to mount chemical defences against infestation. If
insects paid attention to such advertisements, they Prompted= encouraged.
might be prompted to lay their eggs on a duller, and
presumably less resistant host. The flaw in this theory Proof= evidence.
lies in the lack of proof to support it. No one has as yet
ascertained whether more robust trees sport the Ascertained= determined, established,
brightest leaves, or whether insects make choices discovered…
according to colour intensity.
Plausible= believable, reasonable,
F Perhaps the most plausible suggestion as to why possible…
leaves would go to the trouble of making anthocyanins
when they’re busy packing up for the winter is the Hypothesis= suggestion, assumption…
theory known as the ‘light screen’ hypothesis. It
sounds paradoxical, because the idea behind this
hypothesis is that the red pigment is made in autumn
leaves to protect chlorophyll, the light-absorbing
chemical, from too much light. Why does chlorophyll

need protection when it is the natural world’s supreme Intact= unbroken, undamaged,
light absorber? Why protect chlorophyll at a time when unharmed…
the tree is breaking it down to salvage as much of it as
possible? Vulnerable= at risk, in danger,
defenseless, weak…
G Chlorophyll, although exquisitely evolved to capture
the energy of sunlight, can sometimes be Destructive= damaging, devastating,
overwhelmed by it, especially in situations of drought, harmful, detrimental…
low temperatures, or nutrient deficiency. Moreover, the
problem of oversensitivity to light is even more acute in Suspect= doubt, disbelieve, distrust…
the fall, when the leaf is busy preparing for winter by
dismantling its internal machinery. The energy Clue= evidence, sign…
absorbed by the chlorophyll molecules of the unstable
autumn leaf is not immediately channelled into useful Straightforward= simple,
products and processes, as it would be in an intact uncomplicated…
summer leaf. The weakened fall leaf then becomes
vulnerable to the highly destructive effects of the Excess= extra.
oxygen created by the excited chlorophyll molecules.
Disposal= removal, clearance…
H Even if you had never suspected that this is what
was going on when leaves turn red, there are clues Overexposure= over contact.
out there. One is straightforward: on many trees, the
leaves that are the reddest are those on the side of the Spectacular= stunning, amazing,
tree which gets most sun. Not only that, but the red is impressive, fantastic, brilliant…
brighter on the upper side of the leaf. It has also been
recognised for decades that the best conditions for
intense red colours are dry, sunny days and coo
nights, conditions that nicely match those that make
leaves susceptible to excess light. And finally, trees
such as maples usually get much redder the more
north you travel in the northern hemisphere. It’s colder
there, they’re more stressed, their chlorophyll is more
sensitive and it needs more sunblock.
I What is still not fully understood, however, is why

some trees resort to producing red pigments while
others don’t bother, and simply reveal their orange or
yellow hues. Do these trees have other means at their
disposal to prevent overexposure to light in autumn?
Their story, though not as spectacular to the eye, will
surely turn out to be as subtle and as complex.
Trace= a small sign that shows that

READING PASSAGE 3 someone or something was present or
existed.
Ancient= very old.

Beyond the blue horizon
Ancient voyagers who settled the far-flung islands of By chance= by accident, accidentally,
the Pacific Ocean unintentionally…
(1)
An important archaeological discovery on the island of Dig= excavate.
Efate in the Pacific archipelago of Vanuatu has
revealed traces of an ancient seafaring people, the Cemetery= a piece of land, usually not
distant ancestors of todays, Polynesians. The site belonging to a church, in which dead
came to light only by chance. An agricultural worker, people are buried.
digging in the grounds of a derelict plantation,
scraped open a grave – the first of dozens in a burial Rove= travel, journey…
ground some 3,000 years old. It is the oldest cemetery
ever found in the Pacific islands, and it harbors the Pioneer= leader.
remains of an ancient people archaeologists call the
Lapita. Livestock= farm animals.
(2)
They were daring blue-water adventurers who used Boundary= border, limitation…
basic canoes to rove across the ocean. But they were
not just explorers. They were also pioneers who Precious= valuable, important…
carried with them everything they would need to build
new lives – their livestock, taro seedlings and stone Thrilled= excited, delighted…
tools. Within the span of several centuries, the Lapita
stretched the boundaries of their world from the jungle- Identify= detect, discover, find…
clad volcanoes of Papua New Guinea to the loneliest
coral outliers of Tonga.
(3)
The Lapita left precious few clues about themselves,
but Efate expands the volume of data available to
researchers dramatically. The remains of 62
individuals have been uncovered so far, and
archaeologists were also thrilled to find six complete
Lapita pots. Other items included a Lapita burial urn
with modeled birds arranged on the rim as though
peering down at the human remains sealed inside. ‘It’s
an important discovery,’ says Matthew Spriggs,
professor of archaeology at the Australian National
University and head of the international team digging
up the site, ‘for it conclusively identifies the remains
as Lapita.’
(4)
DNA teased from these human remains may help

answer one of the most puzzling questions in Pacific Puzzling= confusing.
anthropology: did all Pacific islanders spring from one
source or many? Was there only one outward Descendant= offspring, young
migration from a single point in Asia, or several from generation.
different points? ‘This represents the best opportunity
we’ve had yet,’ says Spriggs, ‘to find out who the Accomplish= achieve, complete, do,
Lapita actually were, where they came from, and who finish, get done…
their closest descendants are today.’
(5) Equivalent= something that has the
There is one stubborn question for which archaeology same value, purpose, job etc as
has yet to provide any answers: how did the Lapita something else.
accomplish the ancient equivalent of a moon
landing, many times over? No-one has found one of Oral= spoken, by word of mouth…
their canoes or any rigging, which could reveal how the
canoes were sailed. Nor do the oral histories and Myth= legend, fairy tale…
traditions of later Polynesians offer any insights, for
they turn into myths long before they reach as far Distinguished= differentiate, tell
back in time as the Lapita. apart…
(6)
‘All we can say for certain is that the Lapita had Courage= brave.
canoes that were capable of ocean voyages, and they
had the ability to sail them,’ says Geoff Irwin, a Swift= speedy, fast, quick, rapid…
professor of archaeology at the University of Auckland.
Those sailing skills, he says, were developed and
passed down over thousands of years by earlier
mariners who worked their way through the
archipelagoes of the western Pacific, making short
crossings to nearby islands. The real adventure didn’t
begin, however, until their Lapita descendants sailed
out of sight of land, with empty horizons on every side.
This must have been as difficult for them as landing on
the moon is for us today. Certainly it distinguished
them from their ancestors, but what gave them the
courage to launch out on such risky voyages?
(7)
The Lap it as thrust into the Pacific was eastward,
against the prevailing trade winds, Irwin notes. Those
nagging headwinds, he argues, may have been the
key to their success. ‘They could sail out for days into
the unknown and assess the area, secure in the
knowledge that if they didn’t find anything, they could
turn about and catch a swift ride back on the trade
winds. This is what would have made the whole thing
work.’ Once out there, skilled seafarers would have
detected abundant leads to follow to land: seabirds,
coconuts and twigs carried out to sea by the tides, and

the afternoon pile-up of clouds on the horizon which Tide= wave.
often indicates an island in the distance.
(8) Indicate= point out, show, suggest…
For returning explorers, successful or not, the
geography of their own archipelagoes would have Overshoot= pass, go beyond, go
provided a safety net. Without this to go by, past…
overshooting their home ports, getting lost and sailing
off into eternity would have been all too easy. Eternity= time without end.
Vanuatu, for example, stretches more than 500 miles
in a northwest-southeast trend, its scores of Stretch= widen, enlarge, make longer,
inrervisible islands forming a backstop for mariners broaden…
riding the trade winds home.
(9) Presuppose= assume.
All this presupposes one essential detail, says Atholl
Anderson, professor of prehistory at the Australian Proof= evidence.
National University: the Lapita had mastered the
advanced art of sailing against the wind. ‘And there’s Rig= engineer, arrange, prepare…
no proof they could do any such thing,’ Anderson
says. ‘There has been this assumption they did, and Disruption= a situation in which
people have built canoes to re-create those early something is prevented from continuing
voyages based on that assumption. But nobody has in its usual way.
any idea what their canoes looked like or how they
were rigged.’ Scatter=spread out.
(10)
Rather than give all the credit to human skill, Anderson Expansion= spreading out.
invokes the winds of chance. El Nino, the same
climate disruption that affects the Pacific today, may Reverse= turn around.
have helped scatter the Lapita, Anderson suggests.
He points out that climate data obtained from slow- Encounter= come across, meet.
growing corals around the Pacific indicate a series of
unusually frequent El Ninos around the time of the
Lapita expansion. By reversing the regular east-to-
west flow of the trade winds for weeks at a time, these
super El Ninos might have taken the Lapita on long
unplanned voyages.
(11)
However they did it, the Lapita spread themselves a
third of the way across the Pacific, then called it quits
for reasons known only to them. Ahead lay the vast
emptiness of the central Pacific and perhaps they were
too thinly stretched to venture farther. They probably
never numbered more than a few thousand in total,
and in their rapid migration eastward they
encountered hundreds of islands – more than 300 in
Fiji alone.
Test 4 Drought= a long period of dry weather

when there is not enough water for
READING PASSAGE 1 plants and animals to live.
Oversupply= the state of having more

of something than you need or can sell.
The megafires of California
Tinder= dry material that burns easily
Drought, housing expansion, and oversupply of and can be used for lighting fires.
tinder make for bigger, hotter fires in the western
United States Menace= threat, danger…
Wildfires are becoming an increasing menace in the Squad= team, crew, group…
western United States, with Southern California being
the hardest hit area. There's a reason fire squads Blaze= fire.
battling more frequent blazes in Southern California
are having such difficulty containing the flames, Erratically= randomly, unpredictably…
despite better preparedness than ever and decades of
experience fighting fires fanned by the ‘Santa Ana Unintentional= unplanned, accidental,
Winds’. The wildfires themselves, experts say, are not deliberately…
generally hotter, faster, and spread more erratically
than in the past. Consequence= result, effect,
outcome…
Megafires, also called ‘siege fires’, are the increasingly
frequent blazes that burn 500,000 acres or more - 10 Halt= stop, pause…
times the size of the average forest fire of 20 years
ago. Some recent wildfires are among the biggest ever Eradication= abolition.
in California in terms of acreage burned, according to
state figures and news reports. Underbrush= undergrowth, bushes…
One explanation for the trend to more superhot fires is
that the region, which usually has dry summers, has
had significantly below normal precipitation in many
recent years. Another reason, experts say, is related to
the century- long policy of the US Forest Service to
stop wildfires as quickly as possible.
The unintentional consequence has been to halt the
natural eradication of underbrush, now the primary
fuel for megafires.
Three other factors contribute to the trend, they add.

First is climate change, marked by a 1-degree Active= lively, dynamic…
Fahrenheit rise in average yearly temperature across
the western states. Second is fire seasons that on Volcano= a mountain with a large hole
average are 78 days longer than they were 20 years at the top, through which lava (=very hot
ago. Third is increased construction of homes in liquid rock) is sometimes forced out.
wooded areas.
‘We are increasingly building our homes in fire-prone Intensity= strength, power, amount…
ecosystems,’ says Dominik Kulakowski, adjunct
professor of biology at Clark University Graduate Progress= development, growth,
School of Geography in Worcester, Massachusetts. improvement…
‘Doing that in many of the forests of the western US is
like building homes on the side of an active volcano.' Scorch= burn.
In California, where population growth has averaged Criticism= disapproval.

more than 600,000 a year for at least a decade, more
residential housing is being built. ‘What once was open Bungle= to fail to do something
space is now residential homes providing fuel to make properly, because you have made
fires burn with greater intensity,’ says Terry McHale of stupid mistakes – used especially in
the California Department of Forestry firefighters' news reports.
union. ‘With so much dryness, so many communities
to catch fire, so many fronts to fight, it becomes an Personnel= workers, staff, employees,
almost incredible job.' workforce, human resources…
That said, many experts give California high marks for Fulfilled= satisfied.
making progress on preparedness in recent years,
after some of the largest fires in state history Insufficient= lacking, not enough…
scorched thousands of acres, burned thousands of
homes, and killed numerous people. Stung in the past Funding= financial support, money…
by criticism of bungling that allowed fires to spread
when they might have been contained, personnel are Administration= management,
meeting the peculiar challenges of neighborhood - and government…
canyon- hopping fires better than previously, observers
say. Proactive= positive, upbeat…
State promises to provide more up-to-date engines,

planes, and helicopters to fight fires have been
fulfilled. Firefighters’ unions that in the past
complained of dilapidated equipment, old fire engines,
and insufficient blueprints for fire safety are now
praising the state's commitment, noting that funding
for firefighting has increased, despite huge cuts in
many other programs. ‘We are pleased that the current
state administration has been very proactive in its
support of us, and [has] come through with budgetary
support of the infrastructure needs we have long
sought,' says Mr. McHale of the firefighters’ union.

Upgrade= improve.
Besides providing money to upgrade the fire engines
that must traverse the mammoth state and wind Traverse= cross, pass though…
along serpentine canyon roads, the state has invested
in better command-and-control facilities as well as in Mammoth= enormous, huge,
the strategies to run them. ‘In the fire sieges of earlier massive…
years, we found that other jurisdictions and states
were willing to offer mutual-aid help, but we were not Command= the control of a group of
able to communicate adequately with them,’ says Kim people or a situation.
Zagaris, chief of the state's Office of Emergency
Services Fire and Rescue Branch. After a Jurisdiction= the right to use an official
commission examined and revamped power to make legal decisions, or the
communications procedures, the statewide response area where this right exists.
‘has become far more professional and responsive,’
he says. There is a sense among both government Commission= official group, committee,
officials and residents that the speed, dedication, and authority…
coordination of firefighters from several states and
jurisdictions are resulting in greater efficiency than in Revamp= improve, refurbish, restore,
past ‘siege fire’ situations. do up…
In recent years, the Southern California region has Strategy= plan, policy…
improved building codes, evacuation procedures, and
procurement of new technology. ‘I am extraordinarily Adequately= sufficiently, satisfactorily…
impressed by the improvements we have witnessed,’
says Randy Jacobs, a Southern California- based Responsive= quick to respond…
lawyer who has had to evacuate both his home and
business to escape wildfires. ‘Notwithstanding all the Coordination= the organization of
damage that will continue to be caused by wildfires, we people or things so that they work
will no longer suffer the loss of life endured in the past together well.
because of the fire prevention and firefighting
measures that have been put in place,’ he says. Extraordinarily= extremely, very,
particularly…
Impress= amaze.
Evacuate= abandon, leave…
Prevention= avoidance.
Personality= character, traits,

qualities…
READING PASSAGE 2 Experimentation= testing.
Inject= add, insert, bring in…
Second nature Optimism= hopefulness.

Your personality isn't necessarily set in stone. With a
little experimentation, people can reshape their Courage= brave.
temperaments and inject passion, optimism, joy and
courage into their lives Transformation= change, alteration,
conversion, revolution…
A Psychologists have long held that a person's
character cannot undergo a transformation in any Trait= feature.
meaningful way and that the key traits of personality
are determined at a very young age. However, Determine= decide, establish…
researchers have begun looking more closely at ways
we can change. Positive psychologists have identified Identify= recognize, discover, find,
24 qualities we admire, such as loyalty and kindness, detect…
and are studying them to find out why they come so
naturally to some people. What they're discovering is Admire= like, respect, have a high
that many of these qualities amount to habitual regard for…
behaviour that determines the way we respond to the
world. The good news is that all this can be learned. Cultivate= develop, nurture, promote,
Some qualities are less challenging to develop than encourage, foster…
others, optimism being one of them. However,
developing qualities requires mastering a range of Alter= change, modify, adjust…
skills which are diverse and sometimes surprising. For
example, to bring more joy and passion into your life, Introverted= someone who is
you must be open to experiencing negative emotions. introverted is quiet and shy and does
Cultivating such qualities will help you realise your full not enjoy being with other people.
potential.
Reticence= shyness, quietness,
B 'The evidence is good that most personality traits introversion…
can be altered,' says Christopher Peterson, professor
of psychology at the University of Michigan, who cites Disastrous= unsuccessful, terrible…
himself as an example. Inherently introverted, he
realised early on that as an academic, his reticence Spontaneous= natural.
would prove disastrous in the lecture hall. So he
learned to be more outgoing and to entertain his
classes. 'Now my extroverted behaviour is
spontaneous,' he says.
C David Fajgenbaum had to make a similar transition. Transition= change, conversion…

He was preparing for university, when he had an
accident that put an end to his sports career. On Ordinary= normal, usual, regular…
campus, he quickly found that beyond ordinary
counselling, the university had no services for Counsel= advise, support, help, guide,
students who were undergoing physical rehabilitation assist…
and suffering from depression like him. He therefore
launched a support group to help others in similar Launch= open, start…
situations. He took action despite his own pain - a
typical response of an optimist. Fortune= wealth, riches…
D Suzanne Segerstrom, professor of psychology at the Passionate about= keen about, mad
University of Kentucky, believes that the key to about, crazy about.
increasing optimism is through cultivating optimistic
behaviour, rather than positive thinking. She Pursuit= hobby, chase, hunt, interest…
recommends you train yourself to pay attention to
good fortune by writing down three positive things that Stamina= energy, strength,
come about each day. This will help you convince endurance…
yourself that favourable outcomes actually happen all
the time, making it easier to begin taking action. Overwhelm=overpower.
E You can recognise a person who is passionate Fear= anxiety, worry, fright…
about a pursuit by the way they are so strongly
involved in it. Tanya Streeter's passion is freediving - Excite= stimulate, motivate…
the sport of plunging deep into the water without tanks
or other breathing equipment. Beginning in 1998, she Discipline= obedience.
set nine world records and can hold her breath for six
minutes. The physical stamina required for this sport Tolerate= stand, bear, put up with,
is intense but the psychological demands are even accept…
more overwhelming. Streeter learned to untangle her
fears from her judgment of what her body and mind
could do. 'In my career as a competitive freediver,
there was a limit to what I could do - but it wasn't
anywhere near what I thought it was/ she says.
F Finding a pursuit that excites you can improve

anyone's life. The secret about consuming passions,
though, according to psychologist Paul Silvia of the
University of North Carolina, is that 'they require
discipline, hard work and ability, which is why they
are so rewarding.' Psychologist Todd Kashdan has this
advice for those people taking up a new passion: 'As a
newcomer, you also have to tolerate and laugh at your
own ignorance. You must be willing to accept the
negative feelings that come your way,' he says.
G In 2004, physician-scientist Mauro Zappaterra Unfortunately= unluckily, unhappily,

began his PhD research at Harvard Medical School. sadly…
Unfortunately, he was miserable as his research
wasn't compatible with his curiosity about healing. Miserable= unhappy, fed-up, sad,
He finally took a break and during eight months in depressed, down…
Santa Fe, Zappaterra learned about alternative healing
techniques not taught at Harvard. When he got back, Curiosity= the desire to know about
he switched labs to study how cerebrospinal fluid something.
nourishes the developing nervous system. He also
vowed to look for the joy in everything, including Heal= cure, nurse back to health…
failure, as this could help him learn about his research
and himself. Switch= change.
One thing that can hold joy back is a person's
concentration on avoiding failure rather than their Vow= promise, swear.
looking forward to doing something well. 'Focusing on
being safe might get in the way of your reaching your Embarrassing= make shy, humiliate…
goals,' explains Kashdan. For example, are you hoping
to get through a business lunch without embarrassing Demand= require, ask, want…
yourself, or are you thinking about how fascinating the
conversation might be? Executive= senior manager, director,
administrator…
H Usually, we think of courage in physical terms but
ordinary life demands something else. For marketing Ethically= morally.
executive Kenneth Pedeleose, it meant speaking out
against something he thought was ethically wrong. Intimidate= threaten, frighten, scare,
The new manager was intimidating staff so bully…
Pedeleose carefully recorded each instance of bullying
and eventually took the evidence to a senior director, Obligation= compulsion, duty,
knowing his own job security would be threatened. responsibility, requirement…
Eventually the manager was the one to go. According
to Cynthia Pury, a psychologist at Clemson University, Mitigate= lessen, reduce, alleviate…
Pedeleose's story proves the point that courage is not
motivated by fearlessness, but by moral obligation. Allegation= a statement that someone
Pury also believes that people can acquire courage. has done something wrong or illegal, but
Many of her students said that faced with a risky that has not been proved.
situation, they first tried to calm themselves down, then
looked for a way to mitigate the danger, just as
Pedeleose did by documenting his allegations.
Over the long term, picking up a new character trait
may help you move toward being the person you want
to be. And in the short term, the effort itself could be
surprisingly rewarding, a kind of internal adventure.
READING PASSAGE 3 Backwards= toward the back.
Represent= stand for.
When evolution runs Controversial= causing a lot of

disagreement, because many people
backwards have strong opinions about the subject
being discussed.
Evolution isn’t supposed to run backwards - yet an
increasing number of examples show that it does and Reluctant= unwilling, unenthusiastic…
that it can sometimes represent the future of a
species. Genetics= the study of how the qualities
of living things are passed on in their
The description of any animal as an ‘evolutionary genes.
throwback’ is controversial. For the better part of a
century, most biologists have been reluctant to use Connotation= a quality or an idea that a
those words, mindful of a principle of evolution that word makes you think of that is more
says ‘evolution cannot run backwards. But as more than its basic meaning.
and more examples come to light and modern
genetics enters the scene, that principle is having to Medic= a medical doctor.
be rewritten. Not only are evolutionary throwbacks
possible, they sometimes play an important role in the Primitive= prehistoric, ancient…
forward march of evolution. The technical term for an
evolutionary throwback is an ‘atavism’, from the Latin Measure= assess, evaluate…
atavus, meaning forefather. The word has ugly
connotations thanks largely to Cesare Lombroso, a Conclusion= end, deduction…
19th-century Italian medic who argued that criminals
were born not made and could be identified by certain Propose= suggest.
physical features that were throwbacks to a primitive,
sub-human state. Irreversible= irreversible damage,
change etc is so serious or so great that
While Lombroso was measuring criminals, a Belgian you cannot change something back to
palaeontologist called Louis Dollo was studying fossil how it was before.
records and coming to the opposite conclusion. In
1890 he proposed that evolution was irreversible: Organism= an animal, plant, human, or
that ‘an organism is unable to return, even partially, to any other living thing.
a previous stage already realised in the ranks of its
ancestors. Early 20th-century biologists came to a Probability= likelihood, chance…
similar conclusion, though they qualified it in terms of
probability, stating that there is no reason why
evolution cannot run backwards -it is just very unlikely.

And so the idea of irreversibility in evolution stuck and Exception= something or someone that
came to be known as ‘Dollo’s law. is not included in a general statement or
does not follow a rule or pattern.
If Dollo’s law is right, atavisms should occur only very
rarely, if at all. Yet almost since the idea took root, Characteristic= trait, feature…
exceptions have been cropping up. In 1919, for
example, a humpback whale with a pair of leglike Disappear= vanish, fade away, go…
appendages over a metre long, complete with a full set
of limb bones, was caught off Vancouver Island in Reappear= comeback.
Canada. Explorer Roy Chapman Andrews argued at
the time that the whale must be a throwback to a land- Probability= likelihood, chance,
living ancestor. ‘I can see no other explanation, he possibility…
wrote in 1921.
Calculate= work out, analyze…
Since then, so many other examples have been
discovered that it no longer makes sense to say that Likelihood= probability, possibility,
evolution is as good as irreversible. And this poses a chance…
puzzle: how can characteristics that disappeared
millions of years ago suddenly reappear? In 1994, Up to= equal to.
Rudolf Raff and colleagues at Indiana University in the
USA decided to use genetics to put a number on the Relatively= comparatively, quite,
probability of evolution going into reverse. They fairly…
reasoned that while some evolutionary changes
involve the loss of genes and are therefore irreversible, Juvenile= young, childish, immature…
others may be the result of genes being switched off. If
these silent genes are somehow switched back on, Lineage= the way in which members of
they argued, longlost traits could reappear. a family are descended from other
members.
Raff’s team went on to calculate the likelihood of it
happening. Silent genes accumulate random
mutations, they reasoned, eventually rendering them
useless. So how long can a gene survive in a species
if it is no longer used? The team calculated that there
is a good chance of silent genes surviving for up to 6
million years in at least a few individuals in a
population, and that some might survive as long as 10
million years. In other words, throwbacks are possible,
but only to the relatively recent evolutionary past.
As a possible example, the team pointed to the mole
salamanders of Mexico and California. Like most
amphibians these begin life in a juvenile ‘tadpole’
state, then metamorphose into the adult form – except
for one species, the axolotl, which famously lives its
entire life as a juvenile. The simplest explanation for
this is that the axolotl lineage alone lost the ability to
metamorphose, while others retained it. From a

detailed analysis of the salamanders’ family tree, Retain= keep, hold, maintain…
however, it is clear that the other lineages evolved
from an ancestor that itself had lost the ability to Minuscule= tiny, very small…
metamorphose. In other words, metamorphosis in
mole salamanders is an atavism. The salamander Limb= an arm or leg.
example fits with Raff’s 10million-year time frame.
Hind= back.
More recently, however, examples have been reported
that break the time limit, suggesting that silent genes Occasion= time, chance…
may not be the whole story. In a paper published last
year, biologist Gunter Wagner of Yale University Trait= characteristic, feature…
reported some work on the evolutionary history of a
group of South American lizards called Bachia. Many Reverse= turn around.
of these have minuscule limbs; some look more like
snakes than lizards and a few have completely lost the
toes on their hind limbs. Other species, however, sport
up to four toes on their hind legs. The simplest
explanation is that the toed lineages never lost their
toes, but Wagner begs to differ. According to his
analysis of the Bachia family tree, the toed species re-
evolved toes from toeless ancestors and, what is
more, digit loss and gain has occurred on more than
one occasion over tens of millions of years.
So what’s going on? One possibility is that these traits

are lost and then simply reappear, in much the same
way that similar structures can independently arise in
unrelated species, such as the dorsal fins of sharks
and killer whales. Another more intriguing possibility is
that the genetic information needed to make toes
somehow survived for tens or perhaps hundreds of
millions of years in the lizards and was reactivated.
These atavistic traits provided an advantage and
spread through the population, effectively reversing
evolution.
But if silent genes degrade within 6 to million years,

how can long-lost traits be reactivated over longer
timescales? The answer may lie in the womb. Early
embryos of many species develop ancestral features.
Snake embryos, for example, sprout hind limb buds.
Later in development these features disappear thanks
to developmental programs that say ‘lose the leg’. If for
any reason this does not happen, the ancestral feature
may not disappear, leading to an atavism.
Chào các bạn,
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Dương Nguyễn

kể.

Nguyên nhân vì
Cambridge 11 Urban= city, inner-city, metropolitan, town

Test 1
Conservative= be likely to be less than
the real amount
READING PASSAGE 1 Current= present, existing
Crop-growing skyscrapers Demographic= relating to the population and

groups of people in it
By the year 2050, nearly 80% of the Earth’s
Practice= habit, tradition, or custom
population will live in urban centres. Applying the
most conservative estimates to current Hothouse = a heated glass building in
which plants are grown
demographic trends, the human population will
increase by about three billion people by then. An Vogue= fashion, trend
estimated 109 hectares of new land (about 20%
Urgent= very important and needing to be
larger than Brazil) will be needed to grow enough dealt with immediately
food to feed them, if traditional farming methods
Scale up= increase, expand, develop
continue as they are practised today. At present,
throughout the world, over 80% of the land that is Accommodate= to give someone what
is needed
suitable for raising crops is in use. Historically, some
15% of that has been laid waste by poor management Employ = use
practices. What can be done to ensure enough food
Cutting-edge= modern
for the world’s population to live on?
Proposal= suggestion, application
The concept of indoor farming is not new, since Vertical farming= an idea for a way of
hothouse production of tomatoes and other produce farming in which plants are grown or animals
are kept in tall structures with many levels
has been in vogue for some time. What is new is the
urgent need to scale up this technology to Multi-storey= many floors
accommodate another three billion people. Many
believe an entirely new approach to indoor farming is
required, employing cutting-edge technologies. One
such proposal is for the ‘Vertical Farm’. The concept
is of multi-storey buildings in which food crops are
grown in environmentally controlled conditions.

Drastically = greatly, markedly
Situated in the heart of urban centres, they would
drastically reduce the amount of transportation Implement= apply, put into practice
required to bring food to consumers. Vertical farms Proponent= advocate, supporter

would need to be efficient, cheap to construct and
Renewal= the act or process of making
safe to operate. If successfully implemented, changes to something in order to improve it
so that it becomes more successful
proponents claim, vertical farms offer the promise of
urban renewal, sustainable production of a safe and Sustainable= able to continue for a long time
varied food supply (through year-round production of Sacrifice= decide not to have something in
all crops), and the eventual repair of ecosystems that order to get something that is more important
have been sacrificed for horizontal farming. Horizontal farming = traditional farming
It took humans 10,000 years to learn how to grow Take sb/st for granted= do not show that
most of the crops we now take for granted. Along they are grateful
the way, we despoiled most of the land we worked, Despoil= damage, spoil, ruin
often turning verdant, natural ecozones into semi-
Verdant= green
arid deserts. Within that same time frame, we
Semi-arid= having little rain but not
evolved into an urban species, in which 60% of the completely dry
human population now lives vertically in cities. This
Evolve= develop gradually
means that, for the majority, we humans have shelter
Shelter= cover, protection
from the elements, yet we subject our food-bearing
plants to the rigours of the great outdoors and can Subject smt to smt= cause smt to
experience smt , especially smt unpleasant
do no more than hope for a good weather year.
Food-bearing plants= plants provide food
However, more often than not now, due to a rapidly such as tomato, vegetable,…
changing climate, that is not what happens. Massive
The rigours of something= the unpleasant
floods, long droughts, hurricanes and severe or severe conditions of something
monsoons take their toll each year, destroying
Drought= a long period of dry weather when
millions of tons of valuable crops. there is not enough water
Hurricane= cyclone, typhoon, tornado, storm

The supporters of vertical farming claim many
Monsoon= heavy rain
potential advantages for the system. For instance,
Take their toll= to have a very bad effect on
crops would be produced all year round, as they smt or smb over a long period of time
would be kept in artificially controlled, optimum Optimum= most favorable, best, greatest
growing conditions. There would be no weather- Pest= an insect or small animal that is
related crop failures due to droughts, floods or pests. harmful or damages crops
All the food could be grown organically, eliminating Eliminate= remove, eradicate, put an end to,
get rid of
the need for herbicides, pesticides and fertilisers.
The system would greatly reduce the incidence of Herbicide= a substance used to kill
unwanted plants
many infectious diseases that are acquired at the Pesticide= a chemical substance used to kill
insects and small animals that destroy crops
agricultural interface. Although the system would
consume energy, it would return energy to the grid via Fertilizer= a substance that is put on the soil
to make plants grow
methane generation from composting non edible
parts of plants. It would also dramatically reduce fossil Incidence= occurrence, frequency, rate
fuel use, by cutting out the need for tractors, Infectious= able to pass a disease from one
person, animal, or plant to another
ploughs and shipping.
Interface= edge, border, line
A major drawback of vertical farming, however, is Compost= to decay plant material that is
added to soil to improve its quality
that the plants would require artificial light. Without
it, those plants nearest the windows would be Edible= suitable to be eaten, not poisonous
exposed to more sunlight and grow more quickly, Tractor= a strong vehicle with large wheels,
used for pulling farm machinery
reducing the efficiency of the system. Single-storey
greenhouses have the benefit of natural overhead Plough= a piece of farm equipment used to
turn over the earth so that seeds can be
light; even so, many still need artificial lighting. planted
A multi-storey facility with no natural overhead light
Drawback= disadvantage, downside,
would require far more. Generating enough light could
Artificial= synthetic, non-natural, man-made
be prohibitively expensive, unless cheap, renewable
energy is available, and this appears to be rather a Expose= make something uncovered or
hidden able to be seen
future aspiration than a likelihood for the near
Prohibitively= at a very high price that does
future. not seem reasonable
Aspiration= ambition, goal, aim, target

One variation on vertical farming that has been
Likelihood= probability, possibility
developed is to grow plants in stacked trays that
move on rails. Moving the trays allows the plants to Variation = something that is done in a way
that is different from the way it is usually done
get enough sunlight. This system is already in Address= tackle, deal with
operation, and works well within a single-storey Detrimental= harmful, damaging, negative
greenhouse with light reaching it from above: it Is not Skyscraper= a very tall modern city building
certain, however, that it can be made to work without
that overhead natural light.
Vertical farming is an attempt to address the

undoubted problems that we face in producing
enough food for a growing population. At the moment,
though, more needs to be done to reduce the
detrimental impact it would have on the environment,
particularly as regards the use of energy. While it is
possible that much of our food will be grown in
skyscrapers in future, most experts currently believe
it is far more likely that we will simply use the space
available on urban rooftops.
Rotating= turning in a circle, especially

around a fixed point
READING PASSAGE 2 Central= vital, essential, chief, most

important, crucial, significant
Restore= Repair, rebuild

THE FALKIRK WHEEL Navigability= the degree to which an area of
A unique engineering achievement water is deep, wide, or safe enough for a
boat to go through
The Falkirk Wheel in Scotland is the world's first and
Sequence=chain, series
only rotating boat lift. Opened in 2002, it is central to
the ambitious £84.5m Millennium Link project to Enclosed=surrounded by walls, objects,
restore navigability across Scotland by reconnecting or structures
the historic waterways of the Forth & Clyde and Union
Dismantle= take to pieces, take apart
Canals.
Launch= start
The major challenge of the project lays in the fact that
Authority= government department
the Forth & Clyde Canal is situated 35 metres below
the level of the Union Canal. Historically, the two Landmark= a building or place that is easily
canals had been joined near the town of Falkirk by a recognized
sequence of 11 locks - enclosed sections of canal in
Fitting= suitable or right for a particular
which the water level could be raised or lowered - that
occasion.
stepped down across a distance of 1.5 km. This had
been dismantled in 1933, thereby breaking the link. Commemoration= something that makes
When the project was launched in 1994, the British you remember and respect someone
important or an important event in the past.
Waterways authority were keen to create a dramatic
twenty-first-century landmark which would not only Submit= offer, propose, suggest
be a fitting commemoration of the Millennium, but
also a lasting symbol of the economic regeneration of Seesaw= a piece of equipment that children
play on, made of a board that is balanced in
the region.
the middle, so that when one end goes up
the other goes down
Numerous ideas were submitted for the project,
including concepts ranging from rolling eggs to tilting Monorail= a railway system that uses a
single rail, usually high above the ground
tanks, from giant seesaws to overhead monorails.
The eventual winner was a plan for the huge rotating Axe=a tool that has a heavy iron or steel
steel boat lift which was to become The Falkirk blade at the end of a long wooden handle,
Wheel. The unique shape of the structure is claimed used for cutting wood
to have been inspired by various sources, both Propeller= a piece of equipment consisting
manmade and natural, most notably a Celtic double of two or more blades that spin around, which
makes an aircraft or ship move
headed axe, but also the vast turning propeller of a Ribcage=the structure of ribs that
ship, the ribcage of a whale or the spine of a fish. protects your heart and lungs in your chest
Spine=the line of bones down the centre of

The various parts of The Falkirk Wheel were all the back that provides support for the body
constructed and assembled, like one giant toy
building set, at Butterley Engineering's Steelworks in Assemble= bring together, put together,
gather
Derbyshire, some 400 km from Falkirk. A team there
carefully assembled the 1,200 tonnes of steel, Painstakingly =carefully
painstakingly fitting the pieces together to an
accuracy of just 10 mm to ensure a perfect final fit. In Lorry= a large vehicle for carrying heavy
goods
the summer of 2001, the structure was then
dismantled and transported on 35 lorries to Falkirk, Bolt= fasten something with a metal pin or
before all being bolted back together again on the bar
ground, and finally lifted into position in five large
Crane= hoist (a large tall machine used by
sections by crane. The Wheel would need to builders for lifting heavy things)
withstand immense and constantly changing
stresses as it rotated, so to make the structure more Withstand= resist, stand up to= to be strong
robust, the steel sections were bolted rather than enough to remain unharmed by something
such as great heat, cold, pressure etc
welded together. Over 45,000 bolt holes were
matched with their bolts, and each bolt was hand- Immense= extremely large, enormous
tightened.
Robust= strong, tough
The Wheel consists of two sets of opposing axe- Weld= to join pieces of metal together by
shaped arms, attached about 25 metres apart to a heating
fixed central spine. Two diametrically opposed
Attach= to fasten or connect one object to
water-filled 'gondolas', each with a capacity of
another
360,000 litres, are fitted between the ends of the
arms. These gondolas always weigh the same, Diametrically= completely
whether or not they are carrying boats. This is
Gondola= a long narrow boat with a flat
because, according to Archimedes' principle of
bottom and high points at each end, used on
displacement, floating objects displace their own the canals in Venice in Italy
weight in water. So when a boat enters a gondola, the
amount of water leaving the gondola weighs exactly Float= to stay on the surface of a liquid and
not sink
the same as the boat. This keeps the Wheel balanced
and so, despite its enormous mass, it rotates through Displace= put out of place, move
180° in five and a half minutes while using very little
power. It takes just 1.5 kilowatt-hours (5.4 MJ) of Basin= an area of land around a large river
with streams running down into it
energy to rotate the Wheel -roughly the same as
boiling eight small domestic kettles of water.
Hydraulic= moved or operated by the

Boats needing to be lifted up enter the canal basin at pressure of water or other liquid
the level of the Forth & Clyde Canal and then enter Seal= shut out, close up, stop entering
the lower gondola of the Wheel. Two hydraulic steel
gates are raised, so as to seal the gondola off from Clamp= a piece of equipment for holding
things together
the water in the canal basin. The water between the
gates is then pumped out. A hydraulic clamp, which Array= group
prevents the arms of the Wheel moving while the
Axle= a bar connected to the centre
gondola is docked, is removed, allowing the Wheel to of a circular object such as a wheel that
turn. In the central machine room an array of ten allows or causes it to turn, especially one
hydraulic motors then begins to rotate the central connecting two wheels of a vehicle
axle. The axle connects to the outer arms of the Revolution= a complete circular movement
Wheel, which begin to rotate at a speed of 1/8 of a around a point
revolution per minute. As the wheel rotates, the
gondolas are kept in the upright position by a simple Cog= a wheel with small bits sticking out
around the edge that fit together with the bits
gearing system. Two eight-metre-wide cogs orbit a of another wheel as they turn in a machine
fixed inner cog of the same width, connected by two
smaller cogs travelling in the opposite direction to the Orbit= to move in a curved path around a
outer cogs - so ensuring that the gondolas always much larger object
remain level. When the gondola reaches the top, the Aqueduct= a structure like a bridge, that
boat passes straight onto the aqueduct situated 24 carries water across a river or valley
metres above the canal basin.
Elevate= raise, lift, make higher
The remaining 11 metres of lift needed to reach the The presence of something= the fact that
Union Canal is achieved by means of a pair of locks. someone or something is in a place
The Wheel could not be constructed to elevate boats
Tunnel= a passage that has been dug under
over the full 35-metre difference between the two
the ground for cars, trains etc to go through
canals, owing to the presence of the historically
important Antonine Wall, which was built by the
Romans in the second century AD. Boats travel under
this wall via a tunnel, then through the locks, and
finally on to the Union Canal.
Geo-engineering= the study of finding ways

to change the earth’s atmosphere in order to
reduce global warming
Dependence on= the situation in which you

READING PASSAGE 3 need something all the time to continue
existing
Fossil fuel= a fuel such as coal or oil that is

Reducing the Effects of produced by the very gradual decaying of
animals or plants over millions of years
Climate Change Volume=capacity, size, extent
Mark Rowe reports on the increasingly ambitious Atmosphere= air in environment

geo-engineering projects being explored by
Inevitable= unavoidable, certain
scientists
Reasonable = acceptable, appropriate
A
Emission= release, discharge
Such is our dependence on fossil fuels, and such is
the volume of carbon dioxide already released into Stride= advance, progress, development
the atmosphere, that many experts agree that
Stem= stop
significant global warming is now inevitable. They
believe that the best we can do is keep it at a Reverse= to change something, such as a
reasonable level, and at present the only serious decision, judgment, or process so that it is
the opposite of what it was before
option for doing this is cutting back on our carbon
emissions. But while a few countries are making Intentional= planed, intended
major strides in this regard, the majority are having
Manipulation= the action of influencing or
great difficulty even stemming the rate of increase, controlling something
let alone reversing it. Consequently, an increasing
number of scientists are beginning to explore the Proponent= advocate, supporter
alternative of geo-engineering — a term which Equivalent= parallel, similar
generally refers to the intentional large-scale
manipulation of the environment. According to its Backup= smt that you can use to replace
something that does not work or is lost
proponents, geo-engineering is the equivalent of a
backup generator: if Plan A - reducing our Grand scheme= important and large plan
dependency on fossil fuels - fails, we require a Plan
Localize= to limit smt to a particular area
B, employing grand schemes to slow down or
reverse the process of global warming. Parade= a public celebration when musical
bands, brightly decorated vehicles etc move
B down the street
Geo-engineering; has been shown to work, at least Deposit= place, drop, put down
on a small localised scale. For decades, MayDay
parades in Moscow have taken place under clear Disperse= melt away, get rid of
blue skies, aircraft having deposited dry ice, silver

iodide and cement powder to disperse clouds. Many Eye-catching= attractive, noticeable
of the schemes now suggested look to do the Employ= use
opposite, and reduce the amount of sunlight reaching
the planet. The most eye-catching idea of all is Minute= tiny, little, small
suggested by Professor Roger Angel of the University Transparent= see-through, clear
of Arizona. His scheme would employ up to 16 trillion
minute spacecraft, each weighing about one gram, to Deposit=put, place, lay
form a transparent, sunlight-refracting sunshade in Stimulate= quicken, speed up, promote
an orbit 1.5 million km above the Earth. This could,
argues Angel, reduce the amount of light reaching the Reverse= to change something, such as the
direction, order, or process, so that it is the
Earth by two per cent. opposite of what it was before
C Replenish= refill
The majority of geo-engineering projects so far Reflect= to show the image of smb/smt on
carried out — which include planting forests in the surface of smt
deserts and depositing iron in the ocean to
Aerosol= a metal container in which liquids
stimulate the growth of algae - have focused on are kept under pressure and forced out in
achieving a general cooling of the Earth. But some a spray
look specifically at reversing the melting at the poles,
Spray= liquid which is forced out of a special
particularly the Arctic. The reasoning is that if you container in a stream of very small drops
replenish the ice sheets and frozen waters of the
high latitudes, more light will be reflected back into Stratosphere= a very high position
space, so reducing the warming of the oceans and Propose= suggest, recommend
atmosphere.
Dim= make less bright, make less intense
D Explosion= bang
The concept of releasing aerosol sprays into the
stratosphere above the Arctic has been proposed Scrutinise= examine, study, analyze
by several scientists. This would involve using sulphur
Preserve= protect
or hydrogen sulphide aerosols so that sulphur dioxide
would form clouds, which would, in turn, lead to a Reinforce= strengthen, support
global dimming. The idea is modelled on historic
High-tension= strong, tight
volcanic explosions, such as that of Mount Pinatubo
in the Philippines in 1991, which led to a short-term Evergreen= an evergreen tree or bush does
cooling of global temperatures by 0.5 °C. Scientists not lose its leaves in winter
have also scrutinised whether it's possible to
preserve the ice sheets of Greenland with reinforced
high-tension cables, preventing icebergs from
moving into the sea. Meanwhile in the Russian Arctic,
geo-engineering plans include the planting of millions Absorb= take in or soak up (energy, liquid or
of birch trees. Whereas the regions native evergreen other substance…)
pines shade the snow an absorb radiation, birches
would shed their leaves in winter, thus enabling
Shed=lose, get rid of, drop
radiation to be reflected by the snow. Re-routing
Russian rivers to increase cold water flow to ice-
forming areas could also be used to slow down Re-routing= change the direction
warming, say some climate scientists.
E Implement= put into practice, apply
But will such schemes ever be implemented?
Generally speaking, those who are most cautious
about geo-engineering are the scientists involved in Cautious= careful
the research. Angel says that his plan is ‘no
substitute for developing renewable energy: the only Substitute= alternate, replacement
permanent solution'. And Dr Phil Rasch of the US-
based Pacific Northwest National Laboratory is
Permanent= everlasting, eternal, enduring
equally guarded about the role of geo-engineering: 'I
think all of us agree that if we were to end geo-
engineering on a given day, then the planet would Guard= protect, defend
return to its pre-engineered condition very rapidly,
and probably within ten to twenty years. That’s Inject= insert, add, bring in
certainly something to worry about.’
F
The tropics= the hottest part of the world,
The US National Center for Atmospheric Research
has already suggested that the proposal to inject which is around the equator
sulphur into the atmosphere might affect rainfall
patterns across the tropics and the Southern Ocean. Distribution= spreading, allocation
‘Geo-engineering plans to inject stratospheric
aerosols or to seed clouds would act to cool the
Precipitation= rainfall
planet, and act to increase the extent of sea ice,’ says
Rasch. ‘But all the models suggest some impact on
the distribution of precipitation.’ Overshoot= exceed, surpass
G
Pole= the most northern or most southern
A further risk with geo-engineering projects is that you
point on a planet, especially the Earth
can “overshoot Y says Dr Dan Hunt, from the
University of Bristol’s School of Geophysical
Sciences, who has studied the likely impacts of the
sunshade and aerosol schemes on the climate. ‘You
may bring global temperatures back to pre-industrial
levels, but the risk is that the poles will still be warmer Industrialisation= the process of developing
than they should be and the tropics will be cooler than industries in a country or an area
before industrialisation. “To avoid such a scenario,”
Hunt says, “Angel’s project would have to operate at
Scenario= the description of possible
half strength; all of which reinforces his view that the
best option is to avoid the need for geo-engineering actions or events in the future
altogether.”
Faith= belief
H
The main reason why geo-engineering is supported
Conservation= Preservation, protection
by many in the scientific community is that most
researchers have little faith in the ability of politicians
to agree - and then bring in - the necessary carbon Human-induced= caused by human
cuts. Even leading conservation organisations see
the value of investigating the potential of geo- Exclude= omit, miss out, eliminate, not
engineering. According to Dr Martin Sommerkorn,
include
climate change advisor for the World Wildlife Fund’s
International Arctic Programme, ‘Human-induced
climate change has brought humanity to a position
where we shouldn’t exclude thinking thoroughly
about this topic and its possibilities.’
Fleet= ship in a navy
Engaged in= to be doing or to become

Test 2 involved in an activity
READING PASSAGE 1 Vessel= a ship or large boat
Vary= differ, be different
Raising the Mary Rose Witness= observer
How a sixteenth-century warship was recovered Outdated=old-fashioned, old, obsolete

from the seabed. # current, modern, fashionable
Overladen= filled with too many people or

On 19 July 1545, English and French fleets were things
engaged in a sea battle off the coast of southern
England in the area of water called the Solent, Mishandle= to treat something roughly, often
causing damage
between Portsmouth and the Isle of Wight. Among
the English vessels was a warship by the name of Undisciplined = behaving in an uncontrolled
Mary Rose. Built in Portsmouth some 35 years way
# disciplined, well behaved
earlier, she had had a long and successful fighting
career, and was a favourite of King Henry VIII. Crew= sailors, seamen
Accounts of what happened to the ship vary: while
Undisputed= acknowledged, undeniable
witnesses agree that she was not hit by the
French, some maintain that she was outdated, Act as sth= do a particular job
overladen and sailing too low in the water, others
Current = a movement of water in
that she was mishandled by undisciplined crew. a particular direction
What is undisputed, however, is that the Mary
Rose sank into the Solent that day, taking at least Exposed = not covered, unprotected,
500 men with her. After the battle, attempts were Erode (v) - Erosion (n)= if the weather
made to recover the ship, but these failed. erodes rock or soil, or if rock or soil erodes,
its surface is gradually destroyed
The Mary Rose came to rest on the seabed, lying Marine = sea, oceanic, aquatic
on her starboard (right) side at an angle of
approximately 60 degrees. The hull (the body of the Organism= living thing, creature
ship) acted as a trap for the sand and mud carried
Degradation= the process by which
by Solent currents. As a result, the starboard side something changes to a worse condition
filled rapidly, leaving the exposed port (left) side to
be eroded by marine organisms and mechanical Intact= unbroken, unharmed, undamaged
# broken, damaged
degradation. Because of the way the ship sank,
nearly all of the starboard half survived intact.
During the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries,
the entire site became covered with a layer of hard

grey clay, which minimised further erosion.
Minimize= reduce, decrease, cut down,
lessen # maximize, increase
Then, on 16 June 1836, some fishermen in the
Solent found that their equipment was caught on an Obstruction= blockage, obstacle
underwater obstruction, which turned out to be the Sunken = having fallen to the bottom of the
Mary Rose. Diver John Deane happened to be sea
exploring another sunken ship nearby, and the
Gear= a set of equipment or tools you need
fishermen approached him, asking him to free their for a particular activity
gear. Deane dived down, and found the equipment
caught on a timber protruding slightly from the Dive= swim under water, go under water
seabed. Exploring further, he uncovered several Timber= wood
other timbers and a bronze gun. Deane continued
diving on the site intermittently until 1840, Protrude= stick out from or through smt
recovering several more guns, two bows, various Uncover= detect, discover, find out
timbers, part of a pump and various other small # cover, conceal, hide
finds.
Intermittently = stopping and starting
repeatedly or with periods in between
The Mary Rose then faded into obscurity for
another hundred years. But in 1965, military Fade into obscurity= being in the state of
not being known or remembered
historian and amateur diver Alexander McKee, in
conjunction with the British Sub-Aqua Club, Amateur # professional
initiated a project called ‘Solent Ships’. While on
Conjunction=combination
paper this was a plan to examine a number of
known wrecks in the Solent, what McKee really Initiate= start, set off
hoped for was to find the Mary Rose. Ordinary
Wreck= a ship that has sunk
search techniques proved unsatisfactory, so McKee
entered into collaboration with Harold E. Edgerton, Collaboration= teamwork, partnership
professor of electrical engineering at the
Sonar= relating to sun
Massachusetts Institute of Technology. In 1967,
Edgerton’s side-scan sonar systems revealed a Reveal= discover, make known
large, unusually shaped object, which McKee # hide, conceal
believed was the Mary Rose.
Excavation= digging
Further excavations revealed stray pieces of timber Climax= peak, highest point
and an iron gun. But the climax to the operation
Frame= structure
came when, on 5 May 1971, part of the ship’s
frame was uncovered. McKee and his team now House = provide space for something
knew for certain that they had found the wreck, but
Treasure trove= a group of valuable or
were as yet unaware that it also housed a treasure interesting things
trove of beautifully preserved artefacts. Interest in

the project grew, and in 1979, The Mary Rose Trust Artefacts= historical objects
Salvage = to save goods from damage or
was formed, with Prince Charles as its President destruction, especially from a ship that has
and Dr Margaret Rule its Archaeological Director. sunk
The decision whether or not to salvage the wreck
Feasible= possible, practicable, workable…
was not an easy one, although an excavation in # impractical
1978 had shown that it might be possible to raise
the hull. While the original aim was to raise the hull Go-ahead = an occasion when permission is
given for someone to start doing something
if at all feasible, the operation was not given the
go-ahead until January 1982, when all the Attach= glue, join, connect
necessary information was available.
Overcome = defeat or succeed in
An important factor in trying to salvage the Mary controlling or dealing with something
Rose was that the remaining hull was an open shell.
This led to an important decision being taken: Jack = a piece of equipment used
to lift a heavy weight off the ground, such as
namely to carry out the lifting operation in three very a car, and support it while it is in the air
distinct stages. The hull was attached to a lifting
frame via a network of bolts and lifting wires. The Hook= a curved piece of metal or plastic that
you use for hanging things on
problem of the hull being sucked back downwards
into the mud was overcome by using 12 hydraulic Crane= a large tall machine used by builders
jacks. These raised it a few centimetres over a for lifting heavy things
period of several days, as the lifting frame rose Precise= exact, specific, accurate
slowly up its four legs. It was only when the hull was # imprecise, inaccurate
hanging freely from the lifting frame, clear of the
Framework= the main supporting parts of a
seabed and the suction effect of the surrounding building, vehicle, or object
mud, that the salvage operation progressed to the
second stage. In this stage, the lifting frame was Skeleton= the main structure that supports a
building, bridge etc.
fixed to a hook attached to a crane, and the hull
was lifted completely clear of the seabed and Hold (one’s) breath (idiom)= wait for
transferred underwater into the lifting cradle. This something specific to happen
required precise positioning to locate the legs into
the stabbing guides’ of the lifting cradle. The lifting
cradle was designed to fit the hull using
archaeological survey drawings, and was fitted with
air bags to provide additional cushioning for the
hull’s delicate timber framework. The third and final
stage was to lift the entire structure into the air, by
which time the hull was also supported from below.
Finally, on 11 October 1982, millions of people
around the world held their breath as the timber
skeleton of the Mary Rose was lifted clear of the

water, ready to be returned home to Portsmouth. Civilisation= human development
Ancient= very old

READING PASSAGE 2
Remote= distant, far-off # central
Settle= set up home, emigrate to

What destroyed the
Isolated= remote
civilisation of Easter Island?
Carve= to make something by cutting into
A. especially wood or stone, or to cut into
Easter Island, or Rapu Nui as it is known locally, is the surface of stone, wood, etc.
home to several hundred ancient human statues -
the moai. After this remote Pacific island was Platform= stage
settled by the Polynesians, it remained isolated for
centuries. All the energy and resources that went Identity= who a person is
into the moai - some of which are ten metres tall
Stranded= stuck
and weigh over 7,000 kilos - came from the island
itself. Yet when Dutch explorers landed in 1722, Extraterrestrial= a creature that people think
they met a Stone Age culture. The moai were may exist on another planet
carved with stone tools, then transported for many
kilometres, without the use of animals or wheels, to Archaeological= belonging to the study of
massive stone platforms. The identity of the moai ancient societies by examining what remains
builders was in doubt until well into the twentieth of their buildings, graves, tools etc.
century. Thor Heyerdahl, the Norwegian
ethnographer and adventurer, thought the statues Genetic= relating to genes or genetics
had been created by pre-Inca peoples from Peru.
Definitively=perfectly
Bestselling Swiss author Erich von Daniken
believed they were built by stranded Folklore= myths, legends
extraterrestrials. Modern science - linguistic,
archaeological and genetic evidence - has Drag= pull
definitively proved the moai builders were
Polynesians, but not how they moved their Rope= very strong thick string, made by
creations. Local folklore maintains that the statues twisting together many thinner strings
walked, while researchers have tended to assume
the ancestors dragged the statues somehow, using Log= a thick piece of wood from a tree
ropes and logs.
Pollen= a fine powder produced by flowers,
which is carried by the wind or by insects to
B.
other flowers of the same type, making them
When the Europeans arrived, Rapa Nui was produce seeds
grassland, with only a few scrawny trees. In the
1970s and 1980s, though, researchers found pollen Sediment= solid substances that settle at the
preserved in lake sediments, which proved the bottom of a liquid
island had been covered in lush palm forests for
thousands of years. Only after the Polynesians Descendant= offspring, previous generation
arrived did those forests disappear. US scientist Wreck= ruin, destroy, damage
Jared Diamond believes that the Rapanui people - Fragile= easily broken # strong
descendants of Polynesian settlers - wrecked their
Fertilise = to spread a natural or chemical
own environment. They had unfortunately settled on substance on land or plants, in order to make
an extremely fragile island - dry, cool, and too the plants grow well
remote to be properly fertilised by windblown
volcanic ash. When the islanders cleared the Ash= the soft grey powder that remains after
forests for firewood and farming, the forests didn’t something has been burned
grow back. As trees became scarce and they could
no longer construct wooden canoes for fishing, they Scarce= rare, insufficient # plentiful,abundant
ate birds. Soil erosion decreased their crop yields. Erosion= the fact of soil, stone, etc. being
Before Europeans arrived, the Rapanui had gradually damaged and removed by the
descended into civil war and cannibalism, he waves, rain, or wind
maintains. The collapse of their isolated civilisation,
Diamond writes, is a ’worst-case scenario for what Descend= fall # ascend
may lie ahead of us in our own future’.
Collapse= breakdown, failure, end
C. Scenario= situation
The moai, he thinks, accelerated the self-
destruction. Diamond interprets them as power Accelerate= quicken, speed up # slow down
displays by rival chieftains who, trapped on a
remote little island, lacked other ways of asserting Rival= opponent # ally
their dominance. They competed by building ever
Chieftain = the leader of a tribe
bigger figures. Diamond thinks they laid the moai on
wooden sledges, hauled over log rails, but that Assert= defend, maintain
required both a lot of wood and a lot of people. To
feed the people, even more land had to be cleared. Dominance = superiority, power, authority
When the wood was gone and civil war began, the
islanders began toppling the moai. By the Haul = drag, pull, tug
nineteenth century none were standing.
Feed= give food to, provide food for
D. Topple= to take power away from a leader or
Archaeologists Terry Hunt of the University of government, especially by force
Hawaii and Carl Lipo of California State University
agree that Easter Island lost its lush forests and that Catastrophe= disaster
it was an ‘ecological catastrophe' - but they believe
the islanders themselves weren’t to blame. And the Infertile= unproductive # fertile
moai certainly weren’t. Archaeological excavations Windbreak = something that gives protection
indicate that the Rapanui went to heroic efforts to from the wind, such as a row of trees,
protect the resources of their wind-lashed, infertile bushes, or a wall
fields. They built thousands of circular stone
windbreaks and gardened inside them, and used Moist= wet, damp #dry
broken volcanic rocks to keep the soil moist. In
Pioneer= leader
short, Hunt and Lipo argue, the prehistoric Rapanui
were pioneers of sustainable farming. Sustainable= able to continue for a long time
Contend= argue, claim, assert
E. Manoeuvre= move, turn

Hunt and Lipo contend that moai-building was an
Replica= copy, duplicate, reproduction.
activity that helped keep the peace between
islanders. They also believe that moving the moai Convince= persuade
required few people and no wood, because they
were walked upright. On that issue, Hunt and Lipo Wholly = completely
say, archaeological evidence backs up Rapanui
folklore. Recent experiments indicate that as few as Nut= seed
18 people could, with three strong ropes and a bit of
practice, easily manoeuvre a 1,000 kg moai replica Groove= a thin line cut into a hard surface.
a few hundred metres. The figures’ fat bellies tilted
them forward, and a D-shaped base allowed Overrun= if a place is overrun by unwanted
things or people, they spread over it in great
handlers to roll and rock them side to side.
numbers.
F. Doom= ruin, destroy
Moreover, Hunt and Lipo are convinced that the
settlers were not wholly responsible for the loss of Deforestation= the cutting or burning down
the island’s trees. Archaeological finds of nuts from of all the trees in an area
the extinct Easter Island palm show tiny grooves,
made by the teeth of Polynesian rats. The rats Collapse= fall down
arrived along with the settlers, and in just a few
years, Hunt and Lipo calculate, they would have Stable= fixed = steady #changeable
overrun the island. They would have prevented the
Immunity= resistance, protection
reseeding of the slow-growing palm trees and
thereby doomed Rapa Nui’s forest, even without Slave= someone who is owned by another
the settlers’ campaign of deforestation. No doubt person and works for them for no money.
the rats ate birds’ eggs too. Hunt and Lipo also see
no evidence that Rapanui civilisation collapsed Decimate= destroy, devastate, ruin
when the palm forest did. They think its population
grew rapidly and then remained more or less stable Shrivel = become smaller, shrink
until the arrival of the Europeans, who introduced
deadly diseases to which islanders had no Ingenious= cleaver, good at inventing
immunity. Then in the nineteenth century slave
traders decimated the population, which shrivelled Reckless= careless # careful, cautious
to 111 people by 1877.
Abject failure= the state of being extremely
poor, unhappy, unsuccessful etc.
G.
Hunt and Lipo’s vision, therefore, is one of an island
populated by peaceful and ingenious moai builders
and careful stewards of the land, rather than by
reckless destroyers ruining their own environment
and society. ‘Rather than a case of abject failure,
Rapu Nui is an unlikely story of success’, they
claim. Whichever is the case, there are surely some

valuable lessons which the world at large can learn
from the story of Rapa Nui.
Neuroaesthetics= a field of study in which
researchers attempt to understand how the
READING PASSAGE 3 brain responds to art
Emerging= rising
Neuroaesthetics Discipline= field of study, branch of
knowledge, subject, area
An emerging discipline called neuroaesthetics is Objectivity= the quality of being able to
seeking to bring scientific objectivity to the study of make a decision or judgment in a fair way
art, and has already given us a better understanding that is not influenced by personal feelings or
beliefs # subjectivity
of many masterpieces. The blurred imagery of
Impressionist paintings seems to stimulate the Masterpiece= a work of art, a piece of writing
brain's amygdala, for instance. Since the amygdala or music etc that is of very high quality or that
plays a crucial role in our feelings, that finding is the best that a particular artist, writer etc
has produced
might explain why many people find these pieces so
moving. Blurred= unclear # clear, distinct
Could the same approach also shed light on Stimulate= quicken, accelerate, arouse,
inspire
abstract twentieth-century pieces, from Mondrian's
geometrical blocks of colour, to Pollock's seemingly Crucial= vital, central, essential, important
haphazard arrangements of splashed paint on
canvas? Sceptics believe that people claim to like Moving= touching, affecting, emotional
such works simply because they are famous. We Shed light on= make clear, explain, simplify
certainly do have an inclination to follow the crowd.
When asked to make simple perceptual decisions Abstract= non-realistic, symbolic
such as matching a shape to its rotated image, for
Sceptic= a person who disagrees with
example, people often choose a definitively wrong particular claims and statements
answer if they see others doing the same. It is easy
to imagine that this mentality would have even Inclination= a feeling that makes you want to
more impact on a fuzzy concept like art do something = tendency, proclivity
appreciation, where there is no right or wrong Perceptual= relating to the ability to
answer. notice something or come to an opinion about
something using your senses
Angelina Hawley-Dolan, of Boston College,
Mentality= a particular attitude or way of
Massachusetts, responded to this debate by asking thinking
volunteers to view pairs of paintings - either the
creations of famous abstract artists or the doodles Fuzzy= unclear
of infants, chimps and elephants. They then had to
judge which they preferred. A third of the paintings Doodle= a rough drawing
were given no captions, while many were labelled
Caption= title, description
incorrectly -volunteers might think they were viewing
a chimp's messy brushstrokes when they were Messy = disordered, chaotic, confused,
actually seeing an acclaimed masterpiece. In each disorganized
set of trials, volunteers generally preferred the work
of renowned artists, even when they believed it Brushstroke = the way in which
was by an animal or a child. It seems that the something, especially paint, is put on to
viewer can sense the artist's vision in paintings, a surface with a brush
even if they can't explain why.
Acclaimed= honored, admired, praised
Robert Pepperell, an artist based at Cardiff Renowned= famous, well-known

University, creates ambiguous works that are
neither entirely abstract nor clearly representational. Ambiguous= uncertain, confusing, unclear
In one study, Pepperell and his collaborators
asked volunteers to decide how' powerful'they Collaborator= coworkers, colleague, partner
considered an artwork to be, and whether they saw
anything familiar in the piece. The longer they took Scrutiny= examination, analysis
to answer these questions, the more highly they
rated the piece under scrutiny, and the greater Decipher= decode, interpret
their neural activity. It would seem that the brain
Exclusively= only
sees these images as puzzles, and the harder it is
to decipher the meaning, the more rewarding is the Deceptively simple= looking simple, but
moment of recognition. actually the opposite
And what about artists such as Mondrian, whose Meticulously= carefully

paintings consist exclusively of horizontal and # carelessly
vertical lines encasing blocks of colour? Mondrian's
works are deceptively simple, but eye-tracking Altered= changed
studies confirm that they are meticulously # original
composed, and that simpily rotating a piece
Flit= to move lightly or quickly and not stay in
radically changes the way we view it. With the
one place for very long
originals, volunteers' eyes tended to stay longer on
certain places in the image, but with the altered Pleasurable= enjoyable
versions they would flit across a piece more rapidly.
As a result, the volunteers considered the altered
versions less pleasurable when they later rated the
work.
In a similar study, Oshin Vartanian of Toronto
University asked volunteers to compare original

paintings with ones which he had altered by moving
objects around within the frame. He found that
almost everyone preferred the original, whether it Frame= a border that surrounds and
was a Van Gogh still life or an abstract by Miro. supports a picture, door, or window
Vartanian also found that changing the
composition of the paintings reduced activation in Composition= the way that people or things
those brain areas linked with meaning and
are arranged in a painting or photograph
interpretation.
In another experiment, Alex Forsythe of the Interpretation= explanation, understanding

University of Liverpool analysed the visual intricacy
of different pieces of art, and her results suggest Intricacy= complexity
that many artists use a key level of detail to please
the brain. Too little and the work is boring, but too
Please = satisfy
much results in a kind of 'perceptual overload',
according to Forsythe. What's more, appealing
pieces both abstract and representational, show Recur = occur again, be repeated
signs of 'fractals' - repeated motifs recurring in
different scales, fractals are common throughout
Appealing= attractive, interesting, tempting,
nature, for example in the shapes of mountain
charming
peaks or the branches of trees. It is possible that
our visual system, which evolved in the great
outdoors, finds it easier to process such patterns. Motif= pattern
It is also intriguing that the brain appears to

Intriguing= fascinating, interesting, exciting
process movement when we see a handwritten
letter, as if we are replaying the writer's moment of
creation. This has led some to wonder whether Wonder= doubt, question, self-ask
Pollock's works feel so dynamic because the brain
reconstructs the energetic actions the artist used as Dynamic= lively, energetic
he painted. This may be down to our brain's 'mirror
neurons', which are known to mimic others' actions.
Mimic= copy, imitate
The hypothesis will need to be thoroughly tested,
however. It might even be the case that we could
use neuroaesthetic studies to understand the Hypothesis = theory, assumption
longevity of some pieces of artwork. While the
fashions of the time might shape what is currently Longevity= a long life
popular, works that are best adapted to our visual
system may be the most likely to linger once the Linger= remain # leave
trends of previous generations have been forgotten.
It's still early days for the field of neuroaesthetics -

and these studies are probably only a taste of what Foolish= stupid, silly, unwise
is to come. It would, however, be foolish to reduce
art appreciation to a set of scientific laws. We Appreciation= admiration, enjoyment
shouldn't underestimate the importance of the style
of a particular artist, their place in history and the Underestimate= undervalue
artistic environment of their time. Abstract art offers # overestimate
both a challenge and the freedom to play with
Decode= decipher, interpret
different interpretations. In some ways, it's not so
different to science, where we are constantly
looking for systems and decoding meaning so that
we can view and appreciate the world in a new way.
Luxurious= expensive, costly
Test 3 Fabric= material, cloth
READING PASSAGE 1 Fine= well, excellent, top quality
Smooth= downy, soft, flat
THE STORY OF SILK Legend= myth, fairy tale

The history of the world’s most luxurious fabric, Responsible= being the primary cause of
from ancient China to the present day something
Silk is a fine, smooth material produced from the Destruction= ruin, damage
# construction
cocoons - soft protective shells - that are made by
mulberry silkworms (insect larvae). Legend has it Land in= fall into
that it was Lei Tzu, wife of the Yellow Emperor, ruler
of China in about 3000 BC, who discovered Unravel= untie, loosen, separate out
silkworms. One account of the story goes that as she Thread= a long thin string of cotton, silk etc
was taking a walk in her husband’s gardens, she used to sew or weave cloth
discovered that silkworms were responsible for the
destruction of several mulberry trees. She collected Wind= roll, twist
a number of cocoons and sat down to have a rest. It Persuade= convince
just so happened that while she was sipping some
tea, one of the cocoons that she had collected Rear= raise, nurture
landed in the hot tea and started to unravel into a
Devise= invent, come up with, formulate,
fine thread. Lei Tzu found that she could wind this design
thread around her fingers. Subsequently, she
persuaded her husband to allow her to rear Reel= a round object around which you wind
silkworms on a grove of mulberry trees. She also such things as thread
devised a special reel to draw the fibres from the Fibre= a mass of threads used to make
cocoon into a single thread so that they would be rope, cloth etc.
strong enough to be woven into fabric. While it is
unknown just how much of this is true, it is certainly Cultivation= growing, planting
known that silk cultivation has existed in China for Restrict something to something= limit
several millennia.
Royalty= members of a royal family
Originally, silkworm farming was solely restricted to
Be entitled to (do) something= to have the
women, and it was they who were responsible for the right/ to be allowed to do smt
growing, harvesting and weaving. Silk quickly grew
into a symbol of status, and originally, only royalty

were entitled to have clothes made of silk. The rules
were gradually relaxed over the years until finally
during the Qing Dynasty (1644—1911 AD), even Peasant= poor farmer
peasants, the lowest caste, were also entitled to
wear silk. Sometime during the Han Dynasty (206 Caste= social class
BC-220 AD), silk was so prized that it was also used
as a unit of currency. Government officials were Prized= treasured, precious, valued
paid their salary in silk, and farmers paid their taxes
Currency= money
in grain and silk. Silk was also used as diplomatic
gifts by the emperor. Fishing lines, bowstrings,
Diplomatic= relating to the work of
musical instruments and paper were all made using diplomats who officially represent their
silk. The earliest indication of silk paper being used government in a foreign country
was discovered in the tomb of a noble who is
estimated to have died around 168 AD. Emperor= royal leader, monarch
Demand for this exotic fabric eventually created the Indication= sign, mark
lucrative trade route now known as the Silk Road,
taking silk westward and bringing gold, silver and Tomb= burial place for last resting place
wool to the East. It was named the Silk Road after its
Noble= a member of the highest social class
most precious commodity, which was considered
to be worth more than gold. The Silk Road stretched
Exotic= unusual, unconventional,
over 6,000 kilometres from Eastern China to the extravagant, unfamiliar
Mediterranean Sea, following the Great Wall of
China, climbing the Pamir mountain range, crossing Lucrative= profitable, thriving, flourishing
modern-day Afghanistan and going on to the Middle
East, with a major trading market in Damascus. Precious= valuable, important
From there, the merchandise was shipped across
the Mediterranean Sea. Few merchants travelled Commodity= product, item
the entire route; goods were handled mostly by a
series of middlemen. Merchandise= goods, products
Merchant= businessman, tradesman
With the mulberry silkworm being native to China,
Middlemen= someone who buys things in
the country was the world’s sole producer of silk for order to sell them to someone else, or who
many hundreds of years. The secret of silk-making helps to arrange business deals for other
eventually reached the rest of the world via the people
Byzantine Empire, which ruled over the
Mediterranean region of southern Europe, North Smuggle= take/send/bring goods/people
Africa and the Middle East during the period 330— secretly and illegally into/out of a country
1453 AD. According to another legend, monks
Conceal= hide, cover
working for the Byzantine emperor Justinian

smuggle silkworm eggs to Constantinople (Istanbul
in modern-day Turkey) in 550 AD, concealed inside
hollow bamboo walking canes. The Byzantines were Secretive= a secretive person or
as secretive as the Chinese, however, and for many organization likes to keep their thoughts,
centuries the weaving and trading of silk fabric was a intentions, or actions hidden from others
strict imperial monopoly. Then in the seventh
century, the Arabs conquered Persia, capturing Imperial= relating to an empire or to the
their magnificent silks in the process. Silk person who rules it
production thus spread through Africa, Sicily and
Monopoly= domination= exclusiveness
Spain as the Arabs swept, through these lands.
Andalusia in southern Spain was Europe’s main silk- Conquer= defeat, beat, overpower
producing centre in the tenth century. By the
thirteenth century, however, Italy had become Capture= take over, take
Europe’s leader in silk production and export.
Venetian merchants traded extensively in silk and Magnificent= great, fine, wonderful
encouraged silk growers to settle in Italy. Even now,
silk processed in the province of Como in northern Export= sell abroad, sell overseas, sell to
Italy enjoys an esteemed reputation. other countries # import
Settle in somewhere = to go to live in a

The nineteenth century and industrialisation saw the
new place, and stay there for a long time
downfall of the European silk industry. Cheaper
Japanese silk, trade in which was greatly facilitated Esteemed= respected, admired, honored
by the opening of the Suez Canal, was one of the
many factors driving the trend. Then in the twentieth Reputation= fame
century, new manmade fibres, such as nylon,
started to be used in what had traditionally been silk Facilitate= make easy, make possible,
products, such as stockings and parachutes. The enable
two world wars, which interrupted the supply of raw
material from Japan, also stifled the European silk Manmade= artificial, synthetic,
industry. After the Second World War, Japan’s silk manufactured # natural
production was restored, with improved production
Interrupt= stop, end, halt
and quality of raw silk. Japan was to remain the
world’s biggest producer of raw silk, and practically Raw= unprocessed, unrefined, natural
the only major exporter of raw silk, until the 1970s.
However, in more recent decades, China has Stifle= prevent st from happing
gradually recaptured its position as the world’s
biggest producer and exporter of raw silk and silk Recapture= bring back, take over again
yarn. Today, around 125,000 metric tons of silk are
Silk yarn= thread used for making cloth or
for knitting
produced in the world, and almost two thirds of that

production takes place in China.
Migration= relocation, resettlement,

movement
READING PASSAGE 2
Define= describe correctly and thoroughly
Inherited= inborn, innate = having qualities,

Great Migrations physical features that controlled by gene
passed from their parent
Animal migration, however it is defined, is far more
Instinct (n)= nature, character
than just the movement of animals. It can loosely be
Instinctive (adj)= intuitive, natural, innate,
described as travel that takes place at regular inborn
intervals - often in an annual cycle - that may involve
many members of a species, and is rewarded only Identify= discover, find, determine
after a long journey. It suggests inherited instinct. Prolonged= expanded, lengthened
The biologist Hugh Dingle has identified five
characteristics that apply, in varying degrees and Linear= following a straight line
combinations, to all migrations. They are prolonged
Overfeeding= eating more than they need
movements that carry animals outside familiar for immediate purposes
habitats; they tend to be linear, not zigzaggy; they
involve special behaviours concerning preparation Allocation= distribution
(such as overfeeding) and arrival; they demand
Undistracted = able to concentrate fully on
special allocations of energy. And one more: something
migrating animals maintain an intense attentiveness
to the greater mission, which keeps them Temptation= attraction, lure, appeal
undistracted by temptations and undeterred by
Undeterred= if you are undeterred by
challenges that would turn other animals aside. something, you do not allow it to stop you
doing what you want
An arctic tern, on its 20,000 km flight from the
extreme south of South America to the Arctic circle, Dive= go underwater
will take no notice of a nice smelly herring offered Voracious= very eager for something,
from a bird-watcher's boat along the way. While local especially a lot of food
gulls will dive voraciously for such handouts, the
tern flies on. Why? The arctic tern resists distraction Handout= something such as food,
clothing, or money that is given free to
because it is driven at that moment by an instinctive someone who has a great need for it
sense of something we humans find admirable: larger
purpose. In other words, it is determined to reach its Resist= avoid, refuse to accept, defend
destination. The bird senses that it can eat, rest and against
mate later. Right now it is totally focused on the Intent= intention, aim, goal, target, purpose
journey; its undivided intent is arrival. Reaching some
Converge= meet, come together
gravelly coastline in the Arctic, upon which other
arctic terns have converged, will serve its larger Evolution= growth, development
purpose as shaped by evolution: finding a place, a
time, and a set of circumstances in which it can Rear= look after, raise
successfully hatch and rear offspring.
Offspring= children
But migration is a complex issue, and biologists
define it differently, depending in part on what sorts of Terrestrial mammals= animals giving birth
animals they study. Joe! Berger, of the University of to live young, not eggs and living on land
Montana, who works on the American pronghorn and rather than in the water or air
other large terrestrial mammals, prefers what he
calls a simple, practical definition suited to his beasts: Beast= creature, animal
'movements from a seasonal home area away to
another home area and back again'. Generally the Seek= search for, look for
reason for such seasonal back-and-forth movement is
to seek resources that aren't available within a single Vertical= straight up= pointing up in a line
that forms an angle of 90° with a flat
area year-round.
surface # horizontal
But daily vertical movements by zooplankton in the Predator= an animal that kills and eats
ocean - upward by night to seek food, downward by other animals (prey).
day to escape predators - can also be considered
migration. So can the movement of aphids when, Deplete= reduce, eat up, lessen, exhaust,
having depleted the young leaves on one food plant, diminish # increase
their offspring then fly onward to a different host plant,
with no one aphid ever returning to where it started. Intricate = complicated, complex # simple
Dingle is an evolutionary biologist who studies Cite= name, mention, refer to

insects. His definition is more intricate than Berger's,
Distinguish= differentiate, discriminate
citing those five features that distinguish migration
from other forms of movement. They allow for the fact
Sensitive to= responsive to, reactive to,
that, for example, aphids will become sensitive to easily influenced by
blue light (from the sky) when it's time for takeoff on
their big journey, and sensitive to yellow light Appropriate= suitable, proper, fitting
(reflected from tender young leaves) when it's
appropriate to land. Birds will fatten themselves with Fatten sb with= to become fatter by doing
heavy feeding in advance of a long migrational flight. something.
The value of his definition, Dingle argues, is that it
focuses attention on what the phenomenon of In advance (of something)= before
something happens
wildebeest migration shares with the phenomenon of
the aphids, and therefore helps guide researchers Phenomenon= a fact or situation that is
towards understanding how evolution has produced observed to exist or happen
them all.
Detrimental= harmful, negative, damaging
# beneficial
Human behaviour, however, is having a detrimental
Resemble= look like, be similar to # differ
impact on animal migration. The pronghorn, which
resembles an antelope, though they are unrelated, is Be notable for= be famous for
the fastest land mammal of the New World. One
population, which spends the summer in the Invariance= constancy; stability
# variance, difference
mountainous Grand Teton National Park of the
western USA, follows a narrow route from its summer Severity= dangerousness, extremity,
range in the mountains, across a river, and down onto harshness
the plains. Here they wait out the frozen months,
Constriction= restriction, limitation
feeding mainly on sagebrush blown clear of snow.
These pronghorn are notable for the invariance of Bottleneck= a place in a road where
their migration route and the severity of its the traffic cannot pass easily, so that there
constriction at three bottlenecks. If they can't pass are a lot of delays
through each of the three during their spring Plain= a large area of flat dry land
migration, they can't reach their bounty of summer
grazing; if they can't pass through again in autumn, Traverse= cross, pass through, go over
escaping south onto those windblown plains, they
Corridor= long, narrow passage, passage
are likely to die trying to overwinter in the deep snow. way
Pronghorn, dependent on distance vision and speed
to keep safe from predators, traverse high, open Crisis= disaster, catastrophe, trouble, hard
shoulders of land, where they can see and run. At times
one of the bottlenecks, forested hills rise to form a V, Threaten= endanger, put smb/smt at risk
leaving a corridor of open ground only about 150
metres wide, filled with private homes. Increasing Choke off= to prevent something from
happening
development is leading toward a crisis for the
pronghorn, threatening to choke off their Conservation= protection, preservation,
passageway. safeguarding
Agency= group, organization

Conservation scientists, along with some biologists
and land managers within the USA's National Park Preserve= maintain, protect, conserve
Service and other agencies, are now working to
preserve migrational behaviours, not just species and Recognize= identify, know
habitats. A National Forest has recognised the path
Path= way, route
of the pronghorn, much of which passes across its
land, as a protected migration corridor. But neither the Jurisdiction= rules, legal decisions
Forest Service nor the Park Service can control what
happens on private land at a bottleneck. And with Wisdom= understanding, intelligence,

certain other migrating species, the challenge is knowledge
complicated further - by vastly greater distances
traversed, more jurisdictions, more borders, more
dangers along the way. We will require wisdom and
resoluteness to ensure that migrating species can
Resoluteness= determination,
continue their journeying a while longer. perseverance
READING PASSAGE 3 Reasoning= the process of thinking about

something in order to make a decision
Composition= work of art, piece of music,

etc
Preface to ‘How the other half Advanced= higher
thinks: Adventures in # foundation, elementary
mathematical reasoning’ Specialized= designed or developed for a

particular purpose # generalized
A Arithmetic= the science of numbers

Occasionally, in some difficult musical compositions, involving adding, multiplying etc
there are beautiful, but easy parts - parts so simple a
beginner could play them. So it is with mathematics Odd number= a number that cannot be
as well. There are some discoveries in advanced divided exactly by two, for example 1,3, 5,7
mathematics that do not depend on specialized etc. # even number
knowledge, not even on algebra, geometry, or
Illustrate= demonstrate, show, describe
trigonometry. Instead they may involve, at most, a
little arithmetic, such as ‘the sum of two odd Elementary= basic, simple,
numbers is even’, and common sense. Each of the straightforward, uncomplicated
eight chapters in this book illustrates this
phenomenon. Anyone can understand every step in Participate in (v)= take part in
the reasoning. The thinking in each chapter uses at Participant (n)= a person who takes part in
most only elementary arithmetic, and sometimes not or becomes involved in a particular activity
even that. Thus all readers will have the chance to
participate in a mathematical experience, to Appreciate= value, respect, cherish,
appreciate the beauty of mathematics, and to treasure, think highly of
become familiar with its logical, yet intuitive, style of
Intuitive= instinctive, natural
thinking.
Reveal= bring to light, show, point out
B
One of my purposes in writing this book is to give Fascinating= interesting, attractive
readers who haven’t had the opportunity to see and # boring, dull
enjoy real mathematics the chance to appreciate the
mathematical way of thinking. I want to reveal not Application= implementation, use,
only some of the fascinating discoveries, but, more utilization
importantly, the reasoning behind them. In that
respect, this book differs from most books on Procedure= process, method, practice
mathematics written for the general public. Some
Assume= presume, suppose, guess…
present the lives of colorful mathematicians. Others

describe important applications of mathematics. Yet Adept= skillful, expert, proficient, gifted,
others go into mathematical procedures, but talented # Inept
assume that the reader is adept in using algebra.
C
I hope this book will help bridge that notorious gap Bridge a gap= to make the difference
that separates the two cultures: the humanities and between them smaller
the sciences, or should I say the right brain (intuitive)
and the left brain (analytical, numerical). As the Notorious= infamous
chapters will illustrate, mathematics is not restricted to
the analytical and numerical; intuition plays a Separate= divide, split up, break up
significant role. The alleged gap can be narrowed or
completely overcome by anyone, in part because Intuition= the ability to understand or know
each of us is far from using the full capacity of either something because of a feeling rather than
side of the brain. To illustrate our human potential, I by considering the facts.
cite a structural engineer who is an artist, an Alleged= unproven, suspected
electrical engineer who is an opera singer, an opera # confirmed
singer who published mathematical research, and a
mathematician who publishes short stories. Overcome= defeat, control, get over
D Capacity= ability
Other scientists have written books to explain their
fields to non-scientists, but have necessarily had to Potential= capability, capacity, ability
omit the mathematics, although it provides the
foundation of their theories. The reader must remain Cite= name, mention, refer to
a tantalized spectator rather than an involved
Omit= neglect, ignore, forget
participant, since the appropriate language for
describing the details in much of science is Foundation= base, basis
mathematics, whether the subject is expanding
universe, subatomic particles, or chromosomes. Tantalize= to excite or attract someone
Though the broad outline of a scientific theory can be by offering or suggesting something that
sketched intuitively, when a part of the physical is unlikely to be provided or is not enough
universe is finally understood, its description often
looks like a page in a mathematics text. Spectator= viewer, watcher, observer
E Sketch= draft, outline

Still, the non-mathematical reader can go far in
Sustained= continuous, ongoing, constant
understanding mathematical reasoning. This book
presents the details that illustrate the mathematical Analysis= study, investigation, examination
style of thinking, which involves sustained, step-by-
step analysis, experiments, and insights. You will Experiment= test
turn these pages much more slowly than when
reading a novel or a newspaper. It may help to have a Insight= a clear, deep understanding of
pencil and paper ready to check claims and carry a complicated problem or situation
out experiments.
Claim= a statement that something is true,

F. As I wrote, I kept in mind two types of readers: even though it has not been proved
those who enjoyed mathematics until they were
turned off by an unpleasant episode, usually around Carry out= do, conduct
fifth grade, and mathematics aficionados, who will
Aficionado= enthusiast, fan, admirer
find much that is new throughout the book. This book
also serves readers who simply want to sharpen their Sharpen= enhance, improve
analytical skills. Many careers, such as law and Analytical= logical, systematic, scientific,
medicine, require extended, precise analysis. Each rational
chapter offers practice in following a sustained and
closely argued line of thought. That mathematics can Precise= exact, accurate
develop this skill is shown by these two testimonials:
Testimonials= statements, confirmations
G
A physician wrote, The discipline of analytical Discipline= an area of knowledge or
thought processes [in mathematics] prepared me teaching, especially one such as history,
chemistry, mathematics etc that is studied
extremely well for medical school. In medicine one is
at a university
faced with a problem which must be thoroughly
analyzed before a solution can be found. The process Background= experience
is similar to doing mathematics.’
A lawyer made the same point, “Although I had no Attribute smt to smb/smt= to believe or
background in law - not even one political science say that a situation or event is caused by
course — I did well at one of the best law schools. I something
attribute much of my success there to having
learned, through the study of mathematics, and, in Theorem= a statement that can be shown
particular, theorems, how to analyze principles. to be true
Lawyers who have studied mathematics can master
Delight= enjoyment, pleasure, happiness,
the legal principles in a way that most others cannot.’ joy
I hope you will share my delight in watching as
simple, even naive, questions lead to remarkable Naive= simple, inexperienced, immature
solutions and purely theoretical discoveries find # sophisticated
unanticipated applications.
Remarkable= extraordinary, amazing,
outstanding, significant, incredible
# ordinary
Purely= completely and only
Unanticipated= unexpected, surprising,

unforeseen
Twin= one of two children born at the same

time to the same mother
Test 4 Precious= valuable, cherished, treasured
READING PASSAGE 1 Untangle= understand or explain
something that is mysterious or
complicated
Nurture= the education and care that you

Research using twins are given as a child, and the way it affects
your later development and attitudes
To biomedical researchers all over the world, twins Identical twin= one of a pair of brothers or
offer a precious opportunity to untangle the influence sisters born at the same time, who develop
of genes and the environment - of nature and nurture. from the same egg and look almost exactly
Because identical twins come from a single fertilized alike
egg that splits into two, they share virtually the same
Fertilize = to cause an egg or seed to start
genetic code. Any differences between them -one to develop into a new young animal or plant
twin having younger looking skin, for example - must by joining it with a male cell
be due to environmental factors such as less time
spent in the sun. Split= divide, break # merge
Virtually= almost, nearly

Alternatively, by comparing the experiences of
Quantify= count, calculate, measure
identical twins with those of fraternal twins, who come
from separate eggs and share on average half their Extent= degree, level
DNA, researchers can quantify the extent to which
our genes affect our lives. If identical twins are more With respect to= concerning, regarding
similar to each other with respect to an ailment than
fraternal twins are, then vulnerability to the disease Ailment= illness, disease
must be rooted at least in part in heredity.
Vulnerability= the state of being easily
affected by something
These two lines of research - studying the differences Be rooted in something = to be based on
between identical twins to pinpoint the influence of something or caused by something
environment, and comparing identical twins with
fraternal ones to measure the role of inheritance - have Heredity= the process by which mental
and physical qualities are passed from a
been crucial to understanding the interplay of nature parent to a child before the child is born.
and nurture in determining our personalities,
behavior, and vulnerability to disease. Pinpoint= identify
Interplay= relationship, interaction
The idea of using twins to measure the influence of Determine = decide = specify
heredity dates back to 1875, when the English scientist
Coin the phrase= invent a term
Francis Galton first suggested the approach (and
coined the phrase 'nature and nurture'). But twin Twist = change
studies took a surprising twist in the 1980s, with the Reunite= bring back together, come
arrival of studies into identical twins who had been together
separated at birth and reunited as adults. Over two
decades 137 sets of twins eventually visited Thomas Carry out= do, implement
Bouchard's lab in what became known as the
Minnesota Study of Twins Reared Apart. Numerous Genetic makeup= genetic combination
tests were carried out on the twins, and they were
each asked more than 15,000 questions.
Statistical= numerical
Bouchard and his colleagues used this mountain of
data to identify how far twins were affected by their Radical= fundamental, basic, essential
genetic makeup. The key to their approach was a
statistical concept called heritability. In broad terms, Elemental= basic, fundamental
the heritability of a trait measures the extent to which
differences among members of a population can be Epigenetics= a branch of genetics that
explained by differences in their genetics. And studies the chemical reactions that turn
wherever Bouchard and other scientists looked, it genes on and off
seemed, they found the invisible hand of genetic
influence helping to shape our lives. Tied= linked, joined, related
Lately, however, twin studies have helped lead Represent= stand for, symbolize
scientists to a radical new conclusion: that nature and
nurture are not the only elemental forces at work. Component= part, factor, element
According to a recent field called epigenetics, there is
a third factor also in play, one that in some cases Immense=extremely large, enormous
serves as a bridge between the environment and our
genes, and in others operates on its own to shape who
Segment= section, part, piece, sector
we are.
Epigenetic processes are chemical reactions tied to
neither nature nor nurture but representing what Trait= characteristic, feature
researchers have called a 'third component'. These
reactions influence how our genetic code is expressed: Determine= decide
how each gene is strengthened or weakened, even
turned on or off, to build our bones, brains and all the Tune= melody
other parts of our bodies.
Revolutionize= develop, transform
If you think of our DNA as an immense piano
keyboard and our genes as the keys - each key Reveal= show, display, exhibit # conceal
symbolizing a segment of DNA responsible for a
particular note, or trait, and all the keys combining to Mechanism = process, system, operation
make us who we are - then epigenetic processes
determine when and how each key can be struck,

changing the tune being played.
One way the study of epigenetics is revolutionizing

our understanding of biology is by revealing a
mechanism by which the environment directly impacts Pregnancy= when a woman has a baby
on genes. Studies of animals, for example, have growing inside her body
shown that when a rat experiences stress during
pregnancy, it can cause epigenetic changes in a Fetus= a baby or young animal before it is
fetus that lead to behavioral problems as the rodent born
grows up. Other epigenetic processes appear to occur
randomly, while others are normal, such as those that Random = unexpectedly = in an unplanned
guide embryonic cells as they become heart, brain, or way
liver cells, for example.
Hardwired= if an attitude, way of behaving
Geneticist Danielle Reed has worked with many twins
etc is hard-wired, it is a natural part of a
over the years and thought deeply about what twin
studies have taught us. 'It's very clear when you look person’s character that they are born with
at twins that much of what they share is hardwired,' and cannot change
she says. 'Many things about them are absolutely the
same and unalterable. But it's also clear, when you Unalterable= unchangeable, fixed
get to know them, that other things about them are
different. Epigenetics is the origin of a lot of those Trailblazer= pioneer
differences, in my view.'
Mothering= the process of caring for
Reed credits Thomas Bouchard's work for today's children in the way that a mother does.
surge in twin studies. 'He was the trailblazer,' she
says. 'We forget that 50 years ago things like heart Reflective= thinking carefully and quietly
disease were thought to be caused entirely by lifestyle.
Schizophrenia was thought to be due to poor Take our understanding even further =
mothering. Twin studies have allowed us to be more increase our knowledge
reflective about what people are actually born with
and what's caused by experience.'
Having said that, Reed adds, the latest work in

epigenetics promises to take our understanding
even further. 'What I like to say is that nature writes
some things in pencil and some things in pen,' she
says. 'Things written in pen you can't change. That's
DNA. But things written in pencil you can. That's
epigenetics. Now that we're actually able to look at the
DNA and see where the pencil writings are, it's sort of
a whole new world.'
Visual = relating to seeing
Underestimate= underrate, undervalue

READING PASSAGE 2 # overestimate
Complicated= complex # simple, easy
An Introduction to Film Sound Ingredient= element, factor, part
Balanced = containing an equal amount or

number of similar things or people
Though we might think of film as an essentially visual
experience, we really cannot afford to underestimate Emphasis= special attention or importance
the importance of film sound. A meaningful sound
track is often as complicated as the image on the Desired = expected, wanted # unwanted
screen, and is ultimately just as much the responsibility
of the director. The entire sound track consists of three Dialogue= conversation
essential ingredients: the human voice, sound effects
Characterization= the way in which the
and music. These three tracks must be mixed and character of a real person or thing is
balanced so as to produce the necessary emphases described
which in turn create desired effects.
Perceive= recognize, become aware of
Topics which essentially refer to the three previously
mentioned tracks are discussed below. They include Personality= traits, character
dialogue, synchronous and asynchronous sound
Merge= combine, unite # separate, split
effects, and music.
Texture= the quality of something (eg.
Let us start with dialogue. As is the case with stage voice) that is rough or smooth or soft or
drama, dialogue serves to tell the story and expresses hard
feelings and motivations of characters as well. Often
with film characterization the audience perceives Physiognomy= the general appearance of
a person’s face
little or no difference between the character and the
actor. Thus, for example, the actor Humphrey Bogart is Gesture= a movement of part of your body,
the character Sam Spade; film personality and life especially your hands or head, to show
personality seem to merge. Perhaps this is because what you mean or how you feel
the very texture of a performer's voice supplies an
element of character. Persona = the particular type of character
that a person seems to have and that is
often different from their real character
When voice textures fit the performer's physiognomy
and gestures, a whole and very realistic persona Craft= skill, ability, technique
emerges. The viewer sees not an actor working at his
craft, but another human being struggling with life. It Struggle= to experience difficulty and
is interesting to note that how dialogue is used and the make a very great effort in order to do
very amount of dialogue used varies widely among something
films. For example, in the highly successful science-

fiction film 2001, little dialogue was evident, and most Banal=trivial= ordinary and not interesting,
of it was banal and of little intrinsic interest. In this because of a lack of new or different ideas.
way the film-maker was able to portray what Thomas Intrinsic= natural
Sobochack and Vivian Sobochack call, in An Inadequacy= insufficiency, lack
Introduction to Film, the 'inadequacy of human # abundance
responses when compared with the magnificent
technology created by man and the visual beauties of Magnificent= wonderful, outstanding,
the universe'. brilliant
The comedy Bringing Up Baby, on the other hand, Breakneck= fast, rapid, quick
presents practically non-stop dialogue delivered at
breakneck speed. This use of dialogue underscores Underscore= emphasize, highlight,
underline # ignore
not only the dizzy quality of the character played by
Katherine Hepburn, but also the absurdity of the film Dizzy= stupid and forgetful
itself and thus its humor. The audience is bounced
from gag to gag and conversation to conversation; Absurdity= illogicality, ridiculousness,
there is no time for audience reflection. The audience foolishness # logic, reasonableness
is caught up in a whirlwind of activity in simply
managing to follow the plot. This film presents pure Reflection=serious and careful thought
escapism - largely due to its frenetic dialogue.
be/get caught up in something= to be or
Synchronous sound effects are those sounds which get involved in something, especially
are synchronized or matched with what is viewed. For something bad
example, if the film portrays a character playing the
Plot= story line
piano, the sounds of the piano are projected.
Synchronous sounds contribute to the realism of film Escapism = activities or entertainment that
and also help to create a particular atmosphere. help you forget about bad or boring things
For example, the 'click' of a door being opened may for a short time
simply serve to convince the audience that the image
portrayed is real, and the audience may only Frenetic= frantic, fast and not very
subconsciously note the expected sound. organized
However, if the 'click' of an opening door is part of an
ominous action such as a burglary, the sound mixer Convince= persuade
may call attention to the 'click' with an increase in
Subconscious= unintentional
volume; this helps to engage the audience in a
# consciously
moment of suspense.
Burglary= breaking and entering, theft,
Asynchronous sound effects, on the other hand, are robbery
not matched with a visible source of the sound on
screen. Such sounds are included so as to provide an Engage somebody in something=
appropriate emotional nuance, and they may also add to attract someone’s attention and keep
to the realism of the film. For example, a film-maker them interested
might opt to include the background sound of an
ambulance's siren while the foreground sound and Suspense= tension, uncertainty, doubt,
image portrays an arguing couple. The asynchronous anxiety, nervousness
ambulance siren underscores the psychic injury Nuance= a very slight, hardly noticeable
incurred in the argument; at the same time the noise of difference in manner, colour, meaning
the siren adds to the realism of the film by
acknowledging the film's city setting.
We are probably all familiar with background music in Ubiquitous = popular, common, pervasive,
films, which has become so ubiquitous as to be prevalent # rare
noticeable in its absence. We are aware that it is
used to add emotion and rhythm. Usually not meant Noticeable= clear, obvious
to be noticeable, it often provides a tone or an
emotional attitude toward the story and /or the Absence= nonexistence, lack
characters depicted. In addition, background music
Emotion= feeling
often foreshadows a change in mood. For example,
dissonant music may be used in film to indicate an Rhythm= beat
approaching (but not yet visible) menace or disaster.
Background music may aid viewer understanding by Foreshadow= anticipate
linking scenes. For example, a particular musical
theme associated with an individual character or Dissonant = lacking harmony
situation may be repeated at various points in a film in Menace= threat, danger
order to remind the audience of salient motifs or
ideas. Associate with= link with, connect with
Film sound comprises conventions and Salient= important, main, outstanding,

innovations. We have come to expect an noticeable, obvious, remarkable
acceleration of music during car chases and creaky
Motif= pattern
doors in horror films. Yet, it is important to note as well
that sound is often brilliantly conceived. The effects of Comprise= include, contain, consist of
sound are often largely subtle and often are noted by
only our subconscious minds. We need to foster an Convention= rule, standard, principle
awareness of film sound as well as film space so as to
truly appreciate an art form that sprang to life during Innovation= improvement, modernization
the twentieth century - the modern film.
Acceleration= speeding up, quickening,
increase in speed
Conceive= think, see, perceive, grasp,

appreciate, apprehend
Subtle= delicate, indirect # obvious
Foster= promote, encourage
So as to= in order to, in an attempt to
Appreciate = acknowledge, recognize,

be aware of
Marvellous= amazing, awesome
Manifold= various, many and different

READING PASSAGE 3
Take pride of place= if something has or
takes pride of place, it is put in the best place
for people to see because it is the thing you
‘This Marvellous Invention’ are most proud of
Transform= change, alter, modify

A Material = relating to physical objects or
Of all mankinds manifold creations, language must money rather than emotions
take pride of place. Other inventions -the wheel,
Advent= arrival, start
agriculture, sliced bread - may have transformed our
material existence, but the advent of language is Achieve = get, gain, obtain, acquire
what made us human. Compared to language, all
Originate= begin, start, come from
other inventions pale in significance, since everything
we have ever achieved depends on language and Embark on= to start something, especially
originates from it. Without language, we could never something new, difficult, or exciting
have embarked on our ascent to unparalleled Ascent= the process of becoming more
power over all other animals, and even over nature important or powerful than before
itself.
Unparalleled = better than any other
Sophistication= complexity
B
Simplicity= easiness # complexity
But language is foremost not just because it came
first. In its own right it is a tool of extraordinary Disclose= reveal, make known # hide
sophistication, yet based on an idea of ingenious
simplicity: ‘this marvellous invention of composing Penetrate= understand, grasp, perceive
out of twenty-five or thirty sounds that infinite variety Stirring of our soul= the arousing of deep
of expressions which, whilst having in themselves no emotion
likeness to what is in our mind, allow us to disclose
Renowned= famous, well-known
to others its whole secret, and to make known to
those who cannot penetrate it all that we imagine, Distill= to get the main ideas or facts from a
and all the various stirrings of our soul’ This was much larger amount of information
how, in 1660, the renowned French grammarians of Flaw= fault, error
the Port-Royal abbey near Versailles distilled the
essence of language, and no one since has Hymn= a song of praise
celebrated more eloquently the magnitude of its Homage= respect, honor
achievement. Even so, there is just one flaw in all

these hymns of praise, for the homage to languages Accomplishment= achievement
unique accomplishment conceals a simple yet Conceal= hide, cover up
critical incongruity. Language is mankind s greatest Incongruity= strangeness, inappropriateness
invention - except, of course, that it was never
invented. This apparent paradox is at the core of our Paradox= inconsistency, contradiction = a
situation or statement that seems impossible
fascination with language, and it holds many of its or is difficult to understand because it
secrets. contains two opposite facts or characteristics
C Handiwork= something done skillfully with

the hands
Language often seems so skillfully drafted that one
can hardly imagine it as anything other than the Craftsman= someone who is very skilled at a
perfected handiwork of a master craftsman. How particular craft
else could this instrument make so much out of
Instrument= tool, gadget
barely three dozen measly morsels of sound? In
themselves, these configurations of mouth Configuration= the shape or arrangement of
p,f,b,v,t,d,k,g,sh,a,e and so on - amount to nothing the parts of something
more than a few haphazard spits and splutters,
Amount to something= or be the same as
random noises with no meaning, no ability to
express, no power to explain. But run them through Haphazard= random, disorganized
the cogs and wheels of the language machine, let it
Meaningless= worthless # meaningful
arrange them in some very special orders, and there
is nothing that these meaningless streams of air Interminable= endless= long and boring
cannot do: from sighing the interminable boredom of
existence to unravelling the fundamental order of Unravel= to understand or explain something
that is mysterious or complicated
the universe.
Foragers= hunters
D Infinite= never-ending, unlimited

The most extraordinary thing about language,
Subtle= not easy to notice or understand
however, is that one doesn’t have to be a genius to unless you pay careful attention
set its wheels in motion. The language machine
allows just about everybody from pre-modern Exertion= a lot of mental and physical effort
foragers in the subtropical savannah, to post-modern Deceptive= misleading, false
philosophers in the suburban sprawl - to tie these
meaningless sounds together into an infinite variety Ease= effortlessness, no difficulty
of subtle senses, and all apparently without the
Be a victim of your own success= to be
slightest exertion. Yet it is precisely this deceptive badly affected by some unexpected results of
ease which makes language a victim of its own being very successful
success, since in everyday life its triumphs are
Triumph= victory, win, conquest, success
usually taken for granted. The wheels of language

run so smoothly that one rarely bothers to stop and Take for granted= undervalue
think about all the resourcefulness and expertise that
Estranement= separation, division
must have gone into making it tick. Language
conceals art. Exotic= unusual, out of the ordinary, strange
# familiar, conventional
E
Often, it is only the estrangement of foreign tongues, Outlandish= strange, unusual, weird
with their many exotic and outlandish features, that
brings home the wonder of languages design. One of Showy stunt= something that is done to
the showiest stunts that some languages can pull attract people’s attention, especially in
off is an ability to build up words of breath-breaking advertising or politics.
length, and thus express in one word what English
Pull off= succeed, do well
takes a whole sentence to say. The Turkish word
çehirliliçtiremediklerimizdensiniz, to take one Monstrosity = something that is very ugly
example, means nothing less than ‘you are one of and usually large
those whom we can’t turn into a town-dweller’. (In
case you were wondering, this monstrosity really is Squash = squeeze = to push something into
one word, not merely many different words a small space
squashed together - most of its components cannot
even stand up on their own.) Enable= allow, make possible # prevent
F Documentation= records
And if that sounds like some one-off freak, then
Trim= neat, shorten
consider Sumerian, the language spoken on the
banks of the Euphrates some 5,000 years ago by the Impressive= extraordinary, remarkable
people who invented writing and thus enabled the # unimpressive, ordinary
documentation of history. A Sumerian word like
munintuma'a (‘when he had made it suitable for her’) Reverse= opposite, contrary
might seem rather trim compared to the Turkish
colossus above. What is so impressive about it, Compactness= neatness = the fact that
however, is not its lengthiness but rather the reverse everything fits neatly into a little space
- the thrifty compactness of its construction. The
word is made up of different slots, each correspond to = to be very similar to or the
same as something else
corresponding to a particular portion of meaning.
This sleek design allows single sounds to convey
Sleek= smooth
useful information, and in fact even the absence of a
sound has been enlisted to express something Convey= express
specific. If you were to ask which bit in the Sumerian
word corresponds to the pronoun ‘it’ in the English Absence= lack, non-existence
translation ‘when he had made it suitable for her’, # presence, attendance

then the answer would have to be nothing. Mind you,
a very particular kind of nothing: the nothing that
stands in the empty slot in the middle. The Fine-tune = to make very small changes to
something such as a machine, system, or
technology is so fine-tuned then that even a non- plan, so that it works as well as possible
sound, when carefully placed in a particular position,
has been invested with a specific function. Who could Come up with= to think of an idea, find out,
create
possibly have come up with such a nifty
contraption? Nifty= ingenious, clever, effective
Contraption= a piece of equipment or

machinery
PHỤ LỤC
IELTS READING ANSWER SHEET | Phiên bản chỉnh sửa
Phù hợp việc tự luyện IELTS Reading tại nhà
Để làm tốt bài thi IELTS Reading, một điều quan trọng là có chiến lược làm bài nhanh
và hiệu quả. Trong đó, kỹ năng sử dụng answer sheet đóng vai trò rất quan trọng. Một
số bạn thậm chí không sử dụng answer sheet trong lúc luyện tập. Điều này là không
nên vì rất nhiều trường hợp transfer câu trả lời từ sách sang answer sheet sẽ bị nhầm.
Ngoài ra, khác với listening có 10 phút để transfer câu trả lời từ booklet sang answer
sheet, trong bài thi reading, các bạn nên điền câu trả lời trực tiếp vào answer sheet lúc
làm bài để tiết kiệm tối đa thời gian.
Dưới đây là link answer sheet dùng cho bài thi Reading sử dụng trong các kỳ thi IELTS
chính thức
https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B2TIoHBJlsvnXzRhR29MN25FSFFiWDVGcDc4SVhrYmc3c
U4w
Tuy nhiên, để phục vụ việc ghi chép các lỗi thường gặp trong quá trình làm bài và tạo
điều kiện cho việc “rút kinh nghiệm” trong các lần làm bài kế tiếp, mình khuyên các bạn
sử dụng answer sheet sau
Link download
https://drive.google.com/open?id=1C_bY208s2_zK8FKzJzqCvPpSoCx4TLd8
Ưu điểm của answer sheet này
 Các phần thông tin chỉ dùng cho kỳ thi thật đã được cắt bỏ, thay vào đó là cột
thông tin problem và solution để các bạn có thể ghi chú các thông tin cần thiết
sau mỗi lần làm bài
 Bảng điểm tham khảo để các bạn tiện đối chiếu sau khi làm bài xong
Hướng dẫn cách ghi answer sheet mới
Sau đó ghim các tờ answer sheet của bạn lại thành 1 quyển và đọc đi đọc lại
thường xuyên, và đặc biệt là đọc thật kỹ trước khi làm một test mới
Ảnh chụp answer sheet của học sinh mình áp dụng theo cách phía trên. Nhờ việc rút kinh
nghiệm từ những lỗi sai và áp dụng các giải pháp do bạn ấy tự đưa ra thì từ lúc bắt đầu
học làm được khoảng 18-20/40 câu đúng (tương đương 5.5), bạn ấy đã tiến bộ rất nhiều
và trong 2 lần thi thật thì đạt lần lượt 6.5 và 7.0 Reading)
RẤT CÁM ƠN CÁC BẠN ĐÃ SỬ DỤNG CUỐN SÁCH. MÌNH RẤT

MONG NHẬN ĐƯỢC THÊM NHỮNG Ý KIẾN ĐÓNG GÓP CŨNG NHƯ
NHỮNG CHIA SẺ VỀ VIỆC BẠN ĐÃ DÙNG SÁCH HIỆU QUẢ TRONG
VIỆC LÀM BÀI IELTS READING RA SAO. TEAM SOẠN SÁCH SẼ CẢM
THẤY CÓ THÊM ĐỘNG LỰC LỚN NẾU BẠN SHARE NHỮNG ĐÁNH GIÁ
VỀ CUỐN SÁCH TRÊN CÁC GROUP CŨNG NHƯ FACEBOOK CÁ NHÂN.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/IELTSfamily/permalink/1789370387775377
https://www.facebook.com/groups/IELTSfamily/permalink/1791366800909069
https://www.facebook.com/dinhthangielts/posts/2037751856500217
https://www.facebook.com/groups/IELTSfamily/permalink/1495634343815651/
Phía trên là một vài trong số rất nhiều review tích cực mà team đã
nhận được và thực sự đã giúp bọn mình rất nhiều trong thời gian
qua. Hy vọng team sẽ đón nhận thêm nhiều review như vậy nữa.
Trân trọng,
Bạn có thể tìm các tài liệu trên tại

Google.com.vn
Group IELTS Việt
Group IELTS family – Các nhóm tự học IELTS
Hoặc
facebook.com/dinhthangielts
Bạn nào sử dụng sách và thấy kết quả thì rất mong bạn
inbox cho mình để mình có thêm động lực soạn tài liệu
Đinh Thắng

Chào các bạn,
thiện nội dung cuốn sách mọi người xin gửi về email thangwrm@gmail.com
NHÓM THỰC HIỆN

Đinh Thắng
đại học Brighton, Anh Quốc, 2016. Từng làm việc tại tổ chức giáo dục
Dương Nguyễn

Các từ học thuật (academic words) trong sách đều có kèm giải thích hoặc từ đồng nghĩa.
Bạn tiết kiệm được đáng kể thời gian gõ từng từ vào từ điển và tra. Chắc chắn những bạn
thuộc dạng “không được chăm chỉ lắm trong việc tra từ vựng” sẽ thích điều này.
phổ biến nhất giúp bạn. Như vậy, bạn có thể tập trung bộ nhớ vào các từ này, thay vì phải
mất công nhớ các từ không quan trọng. Bạn nào đạt Reading từ 7.0 trở lên đều sẽ thấy rất
nhiều trong số các từ này thuộc loại hết sức quen thuộc
Rất nhiều từ được trình bày theo synonym (từ đồng nghĩa), giúp các bạn có thể xem lại và
học thêm các từ có nghĩa tương đương hoặc giống như từ gốc. Có thể nói, đây là phương
pháp học hết sức hiệu quả vì khi học một từ như impact, bạn có thể nhớ lại hoặc học thêm
một loạt các từ nghĩa tương đương như significant, vital, imperative, chief, key. Nói theo
cách khác thì nếu khả năng ghi nhớ của bạn tốt thì cuốn sách này giúp bạn đấy số lượng từ
vựng lên một cách đáng kể.

được thiết kế cho việc đọc trực tiếp, không phải cho việc đọc online nên bạn nào đọc online
sẽ có thể thấy khá bất tiện khi tra cứu, đối chiếu từ vựng
Cambridge để làm. Hãy cẩn thận đừng mua nhầm sách lậu. Sách của nhà xuất bản
Cambridge được tái bản tại Việt Nam thường có bìa và giấy dày, chữ rất rõ nét.
Bước 3: Làm một bài test hoặc passage bất kỳ trong bộ sách trên. Ví dụ passage
1, test 1 của Cambridge IELTS 12.
4.1 Cột bên trái là bản text gốc, trong đó gạch chân các từ vựng học thuật CƠ BẢN trong list
570 academic word mà nhiều bạn chắc đã từng nghe nói đến.
Nguyên nhân vì
- Khá nhiều từ trong list 570 từ vựng thuộc loại rất phổ biến (VD: individual, structure, technology, energy, v.v…) nên các từ này
tất nhiên không được giải thích ở cột bên phải.
- Khổ giấy có hạn, rất khó để trình bày hết các từ. Giả sử trình bày hết các từ thì trông cũng rất rối. Ở đây cuốn sách đặc biệt
phục vụ cho các bạn đang ở tầm 6.5-7.0 về từ vựng.
** Lúc học, nên dùng kèm bút highlight/bút đỏ/bút chì để đánh dấu từ, như vậy sẽ đỡ bận mắt
lúc đọc và tra cứu.
Test 1 Remarkable=extraordinary,
outstanding, significant, incredible…
READING PASSAGE 1
Tough= strong.
Elastic= stretchy, flexible…

Cork Buoyant= able to float.
Cork - the thick bark of the cork oak tree (Quercus Fire-resistant= unaffected by fire.
suber) - is a remarkable material. It is tough, elastic,
buoyant, and fire-resistant, and suitable for a wide Extraordinary=remarkable,
range of purposes. It has also been used for outstanding, significant, incredible…
millennia: the ancient Egyptians sealed then
sarcophagi (stone coffins) with cork, while the ancient Insulate= to cover or protect
Greeks and Romans used it for anything from something with a material that stops
beehives to sandals. electricity, sound, heat etc from
getting in or out
And the cork oak itself is an extraordinary tree. Its
bark grows up to 20 cm in thickness, insulating the Particular= unique.
tree like a coat wrapped around the trunk and
branches and keeping the inside at a constant 20°C all Replicate= duplicate, copy…
year round. Developed most probably as a defence
against forest fires, the bark of the cork oak has a Pressure= stress.
particular cellular structure - with about 40 million
cells per cubic centimetre - that technology has never Flourish= grow, thrive…
succeeded in replicating. The cells are filled with air,
which is why cork is so buoyant. It also has an Thrive= flourish…
elasticity that means you can squash it and watch it
spring back to its original size and shape when you Soil= the top layer of the earth in
release the pressure. which plants grow.
Cork oaks grow in a number of Mediterranean Moisture=wetness, dampness…
countries, including Portugal, Spain, Italy, Greece and
Morocco. They flourish in warm, sunny climates Nutrient= a chemical or food that
where there is a minimum of 400 millimetres of rain provides what is needed for plants
per year, and no more than 800 millimetres. Like grape or animals to live and grow
vines, the trees thrive in poor soil, putting down deep
root in search of moisture and nutrients. Southern
Portugal’s Alentejo region meets all of these
requirements, which explains why, by the early 20th
century, this region had become the world’s largest
producer of cork, and why today it accounts for roughly
half of all cork production around the world.
Most cork forests are family-owned. Many of these

family businesses, and indeed many of the trees
themselves, are around 200 years old. Cork

production is, above all, an exercise in patience. From Patience= the ability to continue
the planting of a cork sapling to the first harvest takes waiting or doing something for a
25 years, and a gap of approximately a decade must long time without becoming angry or
separate harvests from an individual tree. And for top- anxious.
quality cork, it’s necessary to wait a further 15 or 20
years. You even have to wait for the right kind of Strip= to remove something that is
summer’s day to harvest cork. If the bark is stripped covering the surface of something
on a day when it’s too cold - or when the air is damp - else
the tree will be damaged.
Specialised= trained, designed, or
Cork harvesting is a very specialised profession. No developed for a particular purpose,
mechanical means of stripping cork bark has been type of work, place etc
invented, so the job is done by teams of highly skilled
workers. First, they make vertical cuts down the bark Mechanical= motorized.
using small sharp axes, then lever it away in pieces as
large as they can manage. The most skilful cork- Boil= to wash something, using
strippers prise away a semi-circular husk that runs the boiling water.
length of the trunk from just above ground level to the
first branches. It is then dried on the ground for about Thermal= relating to or caused by
four months, before being taken to factories, where it heat
is boiled to kill any insects that might remain in the
cork. Over 60% of cork then goes on to be made into Acoustic= relating to sound and the
traditional bottle stoppers, with most of the remainder way people hear things
being used in the construction trade, Corkboard and
cork tiles are ideal for thermal and acoustic Manufacture= production.
insulation, while granules of cork are used in the
manufacture of concrete. Monopoly= if a company or
government has a monopoly of a
Recent years have seen the end of the virtual business or political activity, it has
monopoly of cork as the material for bottle stoppers, complete control of it so that other
due to concerns about the effect it may have on the organizations cannot compete with it
contents of the bottle. This is caused by a chemical
compound called 2,4,6-trichloroanisole (TCA), which Spoil= ruin, destroy…
forms through the interaction of plant phenols, chlorine
and mould. The tiniest concentrations - as little as Substitute= something new or
three or four parts to a trillion - can spoil the taste of different that can be used instead of
the product contained in the bottle. The result has something else.
been a gradual yet steady move first towards plastic
stoppers and, more recently, to aluminium screw caps. Sustainable= able to continue
These substitutes are cheaper to manufacture and, in without causing damage to the
the case of screw caps, more convenient for the user. environment.
The classic cork stopper does have several

advantages, however. Firstly, its traditional image is
more in keeping with that of the type of high quality
goods with which it has long been associated.
Secondly - and very importantly - cork is a
sustainable product that can be recycled without
difficulty. Moreover, cork forests are a resource which
support local biodiversity, and prevent

desertification in the regions where they are planted. Biodiversity= the variety of plants
So, given the current concerns about environmental and animals in a particular place.
issues, the future of this ancient material once again
looks promising. Prevent= stop.
Desertification= the process by

which useful land, especially
farmland, changes into desert.
READING PASSAGE 2 Fascinating= charming, attractive,

interesting…
Dignify= distinguish.
Productive= practical, useful,

Collecting as a hobby helpful, valuable.
Collecting must be one of the most varied of human Antique: a piece of furniture,
activities, and it's one that many of us psychologists jewellery etc that was made a very
find fascinating. long time ago and is therefore
valuable.
Many forms of collecting have been dignified with a
technical name: an archtophilist collects teddy bears, a Profit=income, earnings, turnover,
philatelist collects postage stamps, and a deltiologist revenue.
collects postcards. A massing hundreds or even
thousands of postcards, chocolate wrappers or Psychological=mental.
whatever, takes time, energy and money that could
surely to much more productive use. And yet there Element= factor.
are millions of collectors around the world. Why do
they do it? Triumph=Victory, succeed, joy,
satisfaction.
There are the people who collect because they want to
make money - this could be called an instrumental Exchange= swap, trade.
reason for collecting; that is, collecting as a means to
an end. They'll look for, say, antiques that they can
buy cheaply and expect to be able to sell at a profit.
But there may well be a psychological element, too -
buying cheap and selling dear can give the collector a
sense of triumph. And as selling online is so easy,
more and more people are joining in.
Many collectors collect to develop their social life,

attending meetings of a group of collectors and
exchanging information on items. This is a variant on
joining a bridge club or a gym, and similarly brings
them into contact with like-minded people.

Desire= wish, need, want.
Another motive for collecting is the desire to find
something special, or a particular example of the Aimless= meaningless…
collected item, such as a rare early recording by a
particular singer. Empty=meaningless, purposeless.
Some may spend their whole lives in a hunt for this.
Psychologically, this can give a purpose to a life that Fossil= an animal or plant that lived
otherwise feels aimless. There is a danger, though, many thousands of years ago and
that if the individual is ever lucky enough to find what that has been preserved, or the
they're looking for, rather than celebrating their shape of one of these animals or
success, they may feel empty, now that the goal that plants that has been preserved in
drove them on has gone. rock.
If you think about collecting postage stamps another Inferior=poorer, lower.

potential reason for it - Or, perhaps, a result of
collecting is its educational value. Stamp collecting Publish= announce, make public.
opens a window to other countries, and to the plants,
animals, or famous people shown on their stamps. Identify= recognize, distinguish,
Similarly, in the 19th century, many collectors detect.
amassed fossils, animals and plants from around the
globe, and their collections provided a vast amount of Knowledgeable= well-informed,
information about the natural world. Without those experienced, educated.
collections, our understanding would be greatly
inferior to what it is. Railway= a system of tracks along
which trains run, or a system of
In the past - and nowadays, too, though to a lesser trains.
extent - a popular form of collecting, particularly among
boys and men, was trainspotting. This might involve Operation= process, procedure.
trying to see every locomotive of a particular type,
using published data that identifies each one, and Doll= a child’s toy that looks like a
ticking off each engine as it is seen. Trainspotters small person or baby.
exchange information, these days often by mobile
phone, so they can work out where to go to, to see a Enlarge= increase, expand,
particular engine. As a by-product, many practitioners extend…
of the hobby become very knowledgeable about
railway operations, or the technical specifications of Standard= norm, average…
different engine types.
Wax= a solid substance made of fat
Similarly, people who collect dolls may go beyond or oil and used to make candles,
simply enlarging their collection, and develop an polish etc
interest in the way that dolls are made, or the materials
that are used. These have changed over the centuries Porcelain= a hard shiny white
from the wood that was standard in 16th century substance that is used for making
Europe, through the wax and porcelain of later expensive plates, cups etc.
centuries, to the plastics of today's dolls. Or collectors
might be inspired to study how dolls reflect notions of
what children like, or ought to like.
Not all collectors are interested in learning from their
hobby, though, so what we might call a psychological

reason for collecting is the need for a sense of control, Neatly= tidily, carefully.
perhaps as a way of dealing with insecurity. Stamp
collectors, for instance, arrange their stamps in Conscious= intentional, deliberate.
albums, usually very neatly, organising their collection
according to certain commonplace principles-perhaps Individualism= the belief that the
by country in alphabetical order, or grouping stamps by rights and freedom of individual
what they depict -people, birds, maps, and so on. people are the most important rights
in a society.
One reason, conscious or not, for what someone
chooses to collect is to show the collector's Existence= Reality.
individualism. Someone who decides to collect
something as unexpected as dog collars, for instance, Mildly= slightly, a little…
may be conveying their belief that they must be
interesting themselves. And believe it or not, there is at Passion= a very strong liking for
least one dog collar museum in existence, and it grew something.
out of a personal collection.
Engross= hold your attention.
Of course, all hobbies give pleasure, but the common
factor in collecting is usually passion: pleasure is Fulfillment= satisfaction.
putting it far too mildly. More than most other hobbies,
collecting can be totally engrossing, and can give a Eccentric= unusual, strange,
strong sense of personal fulfillment. To non-collectors weird…
it may appear an eccentric, if harmless, way of
spending time, but potentially, collecting has a lot
going for it.
READING PASSAGE 3 Institution= a large organization

that has a particular kind of work or
purpose.
What’s the purpose of gaining Motto= Slogan, saying…

knowledge?
A
‘I would found an institution where any person can
find instruction in any subject' That was the founders
motto for Cornell University, and it seems an apt
characterization of the different university, also in the
USA, where I currently teach philosophy. A student
can prepare for a career in resort management,
engineering, interior design, accounting, music, law
enforcement, you name it. But what would the
founders of these two institutions have thought of a

course called Arson for Profit’? I kid you not: we have Arson= fire-starting, fire-raising…
it on the books. Any undergraduates who have met the
academic requirements can sign up for the course in Profit= income, earnings,
our program in 'fire science’. revenue…
B Prospective= likely, potential…

Naturally, the course is intended for prospective
arson investigators, who can learn all the tricks of the Prosecution= when someone is
trade for detecting whether a fire was deliberately set, judged for a crime in a court of law.
discovering who did it, and establishing a chain of
evidence for effective prosecution in a court of law. Criticize= to express your
But wouldn’t this also be the perfect course for disapproval of someone or
prospective arsonists to sign up for? My point is not to something, or to talk about their
criticize academic programs in fire science: they are faults.
highly welcome as part of the increasing
professionalization of this and many other Occupation= Job, work…
occupations. However, it’s not unknown for a
firefighter to torch a building. This example suggests Illegal= against the law.
how dishonest and illegal behavior, with the help of
higher education, can creep into every aspect of public Appreciate= be grateful for, be
and business life. thankful for, be glad about, be
pleased about, value…
C
I realized this anew when I was invited to speak before Ethical= Moral, principled…
a class in marketing, which is another of our degree
programs. The regular instructor is a colleague who Cue= signal.
appreciates the kind of ethical perspective I can bring
as a philosopher. There are endless ways I could have Principle= rule, law…
approached this assignment, but I took my cue from
the title of the course: 'Principles of Marketing’. It Codify= to arrange laws, principles,
made me think to ask the students, 'Is marketing facts etc in a system.
principled?’ After all, a subject matter can have
principles in the sense of being codified, having rules, Assume= suppose, believe, think…
as with football or chess, without being principled in
the sense of being ethical. Many of the students Obvious= clear, apparent...
immediately assumed that the answer to my question
about marketing principles was obvious: no. Just look Sound= seem.
at the ways in which everything under the sun has
been marketed; obviously it need not be done in a Downright= absolutely, totally,
principled (=ethical) fashion. extremely…
D
Is that obvious? I made the suggestion, which may
sound downright crazy in light of the evidence, that
perhaps marketing is by definition principled. My
inspiration for this judgement is the philosopher
Immanuel Kant, who argued that any body of
knowledge consists of an end (or purpose) and a
means.
E Sign up= join, enroll…

Let us apply both the terms 'means' and ‘end' to
marketing. The students have signed up for a course Irrelevant= unrelated,
in order to learn how to market effectively. But to what inappropriate…
end? There seem to be two main attitudes toward that
question. One is that the answer is obvious: the Expertise= knowledge,
purpose of marketing is to sell things and to make proficiency…
money. The other attitude is that the purpose of
marketing is irrelevant: Each person comes to the Proposal= suggestion.
program and course with his or her own plans, and
these need not even concern the acquisition of Endeavor= effort, try…
marketing expertise as such. My proposal, which I
believe would also be Kant's, is that neither of these Scrutiny= careful and thorough
attitudes captures the significance of the end to the examination of someone or
means for marketing. A field of knowledge or a something.
professional endeavor is defined by both the means
and the end;hence both deserve scrutiny. Students Supremely= extremely, completely,
need to study both how to achieve X, and also what X totally….
is.
Presumably= seemingly,
F apparently…
It is at this point that ‘Arson for Profit’ becomes
supremely relevant. That course is presumably all Prosecute= accuse= to charge
about means: how to detect and prosecute criminal someone with a crime and try to
activity. It is therefore assumed that the end is good in show that they are guilty of it in a
an ethical sense. When I ask fire science students to court of law.
articulate the end, or purpose, of their field, they
eventually generalize to something like, ‘The safety Generalize= simplify, take a broad
and welfare of society,’ which seems right. As we have view…
seen, someone could use the very same knowledge of
means to achieve a much less noble end, such as Articulate= speak about.
personal profit via destructive, dangerous, reckless
activity. But we would not call that firefighting. We have Reckless= not caring or worrying
a separate word for it: arson. Similarly, if you employed about the possible bad or
the ‘principles of marketing’ in an unprincipled way, dangerous results of your actions.
you would not be doing marketing. We have another
term for it: fraud. Kant gives the example of a doctor Fraud= the crime of deceiving
and a poisoner, who use the identical knowledge to people in order to gain something
achieve their divergent ends. We would say that one is such as money or goods.
practicing medicine, the other, murder.
Synthesis= mixture, combination…

Test 2
Distinguish= differentiate…
READING PASSAGE 1
Dependent= reliant.
Vulnerable= a place, thing, or idea

that is vulnerable is easy to attack or
The risks agriculture faces in criticize.
developing countries
Entrench= Establish.
Synthesis of an online debate
A Volatility= unpredictability.
Two things distinguish food production from all other Instability.
productive activities: first, every single person needs
food each day and has a right to it; and second, it is Adverse= unfavorable, poor, bad…
hugely dependent on nature. These two unique
aspects, one political, the other natural, make food Infrastructure= the basic systems
production highly vulnerable and different from any and structures that a country or
other business. At the same time, cultural values are organization needs in order to work
highly entrenched in food and agricultural systems properly, for example roads,
worldwide. railways, banks etc.
B Prevalent=common.
Farmers everywhere face major risks; including
extreme weather, long-term climate change, and price Participant= member, partaker…
volatility in input and product markets. However,
smallholder farmers in developing countries must in Address= tackle, deal with…
addition deal with adverse environments, both natural,
in terms of soil quality, rainfall, etc. and human, in Inability= powerlessness, failure,
terms of infrastructure, financial systems, markets, lack of ability…
knowledge and technology. Counter-intuitively, hunger
is prevalent among many smallholder farmers in the Indentify= detect, discover, find,
developing world. recognize…
C Unsupportive= not ready to give a

Participants in the online debate argued that our hand, uncooperative…
biggest challenge is to address the underlying causes
of the agricultural system’s inability to ensure Mitigate= lessen, reduce,
sufficient food for all, and they identified as drivers of alleviate…
this problem our dependency on fossil fuels and
unsupportive government policies. Intervention= involvement.
D Fund= sponsor, subsidise, back

On the question of mitigating the risks farmers face,
most essayists called for greater state intervention. In Significantly= much, a lot…
his essay, Kanayo F. Nwanze, President of the
International Fund for Agricultural Development,
argued that governments can significantly reduce
risks for farmers by providing basic services like roads

to get produce more efficiently to markets, or water Storage= the process of keeping or
and food storage facilities to reduce losses. Sophia putting something in a special place
Murphy, senior advisor to the Institute for Agriculture while it is not being used.
and Trade Policy, suggested that the procurement
and holding of stocks by governments can also help Facilities= rooms, equipment, or
mitigate wild swings in food prices by alleviating services that are provided for a
uncertainties about market supply. particular purpose.
E Senior= higher-ranking.
Shenggen Fan, Director General of the International
Food Policy Research Institute, held up social safety Procurement= the act of ordering
nets and public welfare programmes in Ethiopia, Brazil and buying the equipment, supplies,
and Mexico as valuable ways to address poverty services etc needed by a company
among farming families and reduce their vulnerability or other organization.
to agriculture shocks. However, some commentators
responded that cash transfers to poor families do not Alleviate= lessen.
necessarily translate into increased food security, as
these programmes do not always strengthen food Poverty= the situation or
production or raise incomes. experience of being poor.
Regarding state subsidies for agriculture, Rokeya
Kabir, Executive Director of Bangladesh Nari Progati Subsidy= financial support,
Sangha, commented in her essay that these ‘have not financial assistance, grant, aid
compensated for the stranglehold exercised by
private traders. In fact, studies show that sixty percent Compensate= give back, pay
of beneficiaries of subsidies are not poor, but rich compensation…
landowners and non-farmer traders.
Scheme= plan.
F
Nwanze, Murphy and Fan argued that private risk Adoption= the act of starting to use
management tools, like private insurance, commodity a particular plan, method, way of
futures markets, and rural finance can help small-scale speaking etc.
producers mitigate risk and allow for investment in
improvements. Kabir warned that financial support Excessively= extremely, greatly…
schemes often encourage the adoption of high-input
agricultural practices, which in the medium term may Transparency= clearness,
raise production costs beyond the value of their simplicity…
harvests.
Murphy noted that when futures markets become Adequate= Sufficient, enough…
excessively financialised they can contribute to short-
term price volatility, which increases farmers’ food
insecurity. Many participants and commentators
emphasised that greater transparency in markets is
needed to mitigate the impact of volatility, and make
evident whether adequate stocks and supplies are
available. Others contended that agribusiness
companies should be held responsible for paying for
negative side effects.
G
Many essayists mentioned climate change and its Consequence= outcome, result,
consequences for small-scale agriculture. Fan effect…
explained that in addition to reducing crop yields,
climate change increases the magnitude and the Magnitude= scale, size…
frequency of extreme weather events, which increase
smallholder vulnerability. The growing unpredictability Frequency= rate, regularity,
of weather patterns increases farmers’ difficulty in occurrence
managing weather-related risks.
According to this author, one solution would be to Solution= key, answer, resolution
develop crop varieties that are more resilient to new
climate trends and extreme weather patterns. Resilient= strong.
Accordingly, Pat Mooney, co-founder and executive
director of the ETC Group, suggested that ‘if we are to Executive= senior manager,
survive climate change, we must adopt policies that let decision-maker…
peasants diversify the plant and animal species and
varieties/breeds that make up our menus. Peasant= a poor farmer.
Diversify= expand, spread,
H
Some participating authors and commentators argued Strategy= plan.
in favour of community- based and autonomous risk
management strategies through collective action Enhance= improve, boost…
groups, co-operatives or producers’ groups. Such
groups enhance market opportunities for small-scale Synchronise= to happen at exactly
producers, reduce marketing costs and synchronise the same time, or to arrange for two
buying and selling with seasonal price conditions. or more actions to happen at exactly
According to Murphy, ‘collective action offers an the same time.
important way for farmers to strengthen their political
and economic bargaining power, and to reduce their Bargaining= dealing.
business risks. One commentator, Giel Ton, warned
that collective action does not come as a free good. It Dictate= to control or influence
takes time, effort and money to organise, build trust something.
and to experiment. Others, like Marcel Vernooij and
Marcel Beukeboom, suggested that in order to ‘apply
what we already know’, all stakeholders, including
business, government, scientists and civil society,
must work together, starting at the beginning of the
value chain.
I
Some participants explained that market price volatility
is often worsened by the presence of intermediary
purchasers who, taking advantage of farmers’
vulnerability, dictate prices. One commentator
suggested farmers can gain greater control over prices
and minimise price volatility by selling directly to
consumers.
Similarly, Sonali Bisht, founder and advisor to the
Institute of Himalayan Environmental Research and
Education (INHERE), India, wrote that copipunity-
supported agriculture, where consumers invest in local

farmers by subscription and guarantee producers a Subscription= an amount of money
fair price, is a risk-sharing model worth more attention. you pay regularly to be a member of an
Direct food distribution systems not only encourage organization or to help its work, or the
small-scale agriculture but also give consumers more act of paying money for this.
control over the food they consume, she wrote.
Distribution= allocation, spreading…
Consume= eat, use…
READING PASSAGE 2
Ruin= damage, destroy, devastate…
Civilization= society.
The Lost City
Exploration= discovery.
An explorer’s encounter with the ruined city of Machu
Remote= far-off, distant…
Picchu, the most famous icon of the Inca civilization
Empire= a group of countries that are
A When the US explorer and academic Hiram all controlled by one ruler or
Bingham arrived in South America in 1911, he was government.
ready for what was to be the greatest achievement of
his life: the exploration of the remote hinterland to the Plateau= a large area of flat land that is
west of Cusco, the old capital of the Inca empire in the higher than the land around it.
Andes mountains of Peru. His goal was to locate the
remains of a city called Vitcos, the last capital of the Elevation= height, distance from the
Inca civilisation. ground…
Cusco lies on a high plateau at an elevation of more
Descend= go down, move down…
than 3,000 metres, and Bingham’s plan was to
descend from this plateau along the valley of the Canyon= a deep valley with very steep
Urubamba river, which takes a circuitous route down to sides of rock that usually has a river
the Amazon and passes through an area of dramatic running through it.
canyons and mountain ranges.
Set off= get going, start out…
B When Bingham and his team set off down the
Urubamba in late July, they had an advantage over Precede = to go somewhere before
travellers who had preceded them: a track had someone else.
recently been blasted down the valley canyon to
Valley canyon= a deep valley with very
enable rubber to be brought up by mules from the
steep sides of rock that usually has a
jungle. Almost all previous travellers had left the river river running through it.
at Ollantaytambo and taken a high pass across the
mountains to rejoin the river lower down, thereby Bring up= raise, care, look after…
cutting a substantial corner, but also therefore never
passing through the area around Machu Picchu. Substantial= significant, important…
Trek= hike, walk…
C On 24 July they were a few days into their descent
of the valley. The day began slowly, with Bingham Companion= friend, buddy…
trying to arrange sufficient mules for the next stage of
the trek. His companions showed no interest in Accompany= go with, come with…
accompanying him up the nearby hill to see some
ruins that a local farmer, Melchor Arteaga, had told

them about the night before. The morning was dull Dull= boring, uninteresting…
and damp, and Bingham also seems to have been
less than keen on the prospect of climbing the hill. In Damp= moist, wet…
his book Lost City of the Incas, he relates that he
Ascent= climb, rise…
made the ascent without having the least expectation
that he would find anything at the top. Vivid= vivid memories, dreams,
descriptions, etc are so clear that they
D Bingham writes about the approach in vivid style in seem real.
his book. First, as he climbs up the hill, he describes
the ever-present possibility of deadly snakes, ‘capable Pursuit= chase, hunt…
of making considerable springs when in pursuit of
their prey’; not that he sees any. Then there’s a sense Prey= an animal, bird etc that is hunted
of mounting discovery as he comes across great and eaten by another animal.
sweeps of terraces, then a mausoleum, followed by
monumental staircases and, finally, the grand Mounting= gradually increasing.
ceremonial buildings of Machu Picchu. 'It seemed like Come across= find.
an unbelievable dream the sight held me spellbound
’, he wrote. Mausoleum= a large stone building
made specially to contain the body of a
E We should remember, however, that Lost City of the dead person, or the dead bodies of an
Incas is a work of hindsight, not written until 1948, important family.
many years after his journey. His journal entries of the
time reveal a much more gradual appreciation of his Monumental= historic, classic…
achievement. He spent the afternoon at the ruins
noting down the dimensions of some of the buildings, Spellbound= extremely interested in.
then descended and rejoined his companions, to
Hindsight= the ability to understand a
whom he seems to have said little about his discovery. situation only after it has happened.
At this stage, Bingham didn’t realise the extent or the
importance of the site, nor did he realise what use he Dimension= aspect, feature, factor…
could make of the discovery.
Wonder= self-ask.
F However, soon after returning it occurred to him that
he could make a name for himself from this discovery. Chronicler= storyteller.
When he came to write the National Geographic
magazine article that broke the story to the world in Flee= run away, escape…
April 1913, he knew he had to produce a big idea.
Invader= attacker, soldier…
He wondered whether it could have been the
birthplace of the very first Inca, Manco the Great, and Desperate= a desperate action is
whether it could also have been what chroniclers something that you only do because
described as ‘the last city of the Incas’. This term you are in a very bad situation.
refers to Vilcabamba the settlement where the Incas
had fled from Spanish invaders in the 1530s. Magnificent= good, beautiful,
Bingham made desperate attempts to prove this belief impressive, brilliant…
for nearly 40 years. Sadly, his vision of the site as both
the beginning and end of the Inca civilisation, while a Inaccurate= wrong, incorrect…
magnificent one, is inaccurate. We now know, that
Vilcabamba actually lies 65 kilometres away in the
depths of the jungle.
G One question that has perplexed visitors, historians

and archaeologists alike ever since Bingham, is why Perplex= confuse.
the site seems to have been abandoned before the
Spanish Conquest. There are no references to it by Archaeologist= the person studying
any of the Spanish chroniclers - and if they had known about ancient societies by
of its existence so close to Cusco they would certainly examining what remains of their
have come in search of gold. buildings, graves, tools etc.
An idea which has gained wide acceptance over the
past few years is that Machu Picchu was a moya, a Abandon= leave behind.
country estate built by an Inca emperor to escape the
cold winters of Cusco, where the elite could enjoy Conquest= take-over, invasion,
monumental architecture and spectacular views. control…
Furthermore, the particular architecture of Machu
Picchu suggests that it was constructed at the time of Emperor= ruler, royal leader…
the greatest of all the Incas, the emperor Pachacuti
(1438-71). By custom, Pachacuti’s descendants built Elite= a group of people who have a
other similar estates for their own use, and so Machu lot of power and influence because
Picchu would have been abandoned after his death, they have money, knowledge, or
some 50 years before the Spanish Conquest. special skills.
Monumental= historic, classic…
Spectacular= stunning, fantastic,

impressive
Bilingual= able to speak two

READING PASSAGE 3 languages equally well.
Multilingual= using, speaking, or

written in several different languages.
Monolingual= speaking or using only

The Benefits of Being one language.
Bilingual Peers= the people who are the same
age as you, or who have the same type
A of job, social class etc.
According to the latest figures, the majority of the
world’s population is now bilingual or multilingual, Cognitive= related to the process of
having grown up speaking two or more languages. In knowing, understanding, and learning
the past, such children were considered to be at a something.
disadvantage compared with their monolingual
peers. Over the past few decades, however, Neurological= the scientific study of
technological advances have allowed researchers to the nervous system and its diseases.
look more deeply at how bilingualism interacts with
Identify= recognize, discover, find,
and changes the cognitive and neurological
detect…
systems, thereby identifying several clear benefits of
being bilingual.
B
Research shows that when a bilingual person uses Sequential= happening in a fixed
one language, the other is active at the same time. order, where a series of related
When we hear a word, we don’t hear the entire word actions, events etc lead to a
all at once: the sounds arrive in sequential order. particular result.
Long before the word is finished, the brain’s language
system begins to guess what that word might be. If you Activate= make active.
hear ‘can’, you will likely activate words like ‘candy’
and ‘candle’ as well, at least during the earlier stages Corresponding= matching,
of word recognition. For bilingual people, this activation equivalent, related…
is not limited to a single language; auditory input
activates corresponding words regardless of the Compelling= persuasive,
language to which they belong. Some of the most convincing, undeniable…
compelling evidence for this phenomenon, called
‘language co-activation’, comes from studying eye Phenomenon= something that
movements. A Russian-English bilingual asked to ‘pick happens or exists in society,
up a marker’ from a set of objects would look more at a science, or nature, especially
stamp than someone who doesn’t know Russian, something that is studied because it
because the Russian word for ‘stamp’, marka, sounds is difficult to understand.
like the English word he or she heard, ‘marker’. In
cases like this, language co-activation occurs because Deal with= cope with, handle…
what the listener hears could map onto words in either
language. Persistent= lasting, remaining…
C Juggle= if you juggle two jobs or

Having to deal with this persistent linguistic activities, you try to fit them both into
competition can result in difficulties, however. For your life.
instance, knowing more than one language can cause
speakers to name pictures more slowly, and can Access= get into, approach…
increase ‘tip-of-the-tongue states’, when you can
almost, but not quite, bring a word to mind. As a result, Conflict= differ.
the constant juggling of two languages creates a need
to control how much a person accesses a language at Excel= do extremely well.
any given time. For this reason, bilingual people often
perform better on tasks that require conflict Competing= opposing.
management. In the classic Stroop Task, people see a
word and are asked to name the colour of the word’s Switch= change.
font. When the colour and the word match (i., the word
‘red’ printed in red), people correctly name the colour
more quickly than when the colour and the word don’t
match (i., the word ‘red’ printed in blue). This occurs
because the word itself (‘red’) and its font colour (blue)
conflict. Bilingual people often excel at tasks such as
this, which tap into the ability to ignore competing
perceptual information and focus on the relevant
aspects of the input. Bilinguals are also better at
switching between two tasks; for example, when
bilinguals have to switch from categorizing objects by
colour (red or green) to categorizing them by shape
(circle or triangle), they do so more quickly than
monolingual people, reflecting better cognitive

control when having to make rapid changes of Reflect= be a sign of, signal, show,
strategy. indicate…
D Rapid= fast, quick…

It also seems that the neurological roots of the
bilingual advantage extend to brain areas more Strategy= plan.
traditionally associated with sensory processing.
When monolingual and bilingual adolescents listen to Associate with= join with, merge
simple speech sounds without any intervening with, combine with…
background noise, they show highly similar brain stem
responses. When researchers play the same sound to Adolescent= a young person,
both groups in the presence of background noise, usually between the ages of 12 and
however, the bilingual listeners’ neural response is 18, who is developing into an adult.
considerably larger, reflecting better encoding of the
sound’s fundamental frequency, a feature of sound Intervene= to interrupt someone
closely related to pitch perception. when they are speaking.
E Stem= the part of a word that stays

Such improvements in cognitive and sensory the same when different endings are
processing may help a bilingual person to process added to it, for example ‘driv-’ in
information in the environment, and help explain why ‘driving’.
bilingual adults acquire a third language better than
monolingual adults master a second language. This Encode= program, instruct…
advantage may be rooted in the skill of focusing on
information about the new language while reducing Pitch= tone.
interference from the languages they already know.
Sensory= relating to or using your
F senses of sight, hearing, smell,
Research also indicates that bilingual experience may taste, or touch.
help to keep the cognitive mechanisms sharp by
recruiting alternate brain networks to compensate for Interference=an act of interfering(to
those that become damaged during aging. Older deliberately get involved in a
bilinguals enjoy improved memory relative to situation where you are not wanted
monolingual people, which can lead to real-world or needed).
health benefits. In a study of over 200 patients with
Alzheimer’s disease, a degenerative brain disease, Alternate= substitute, different…
bilingual patients reported showing initial symptoms of
the disease an average of five years later than Degenerative= a degenerative
monolingual patients. In a follow-up study, researchers illness gradually gets worse and
compared the brains of bilingual and monolingual cannot be stopped.
patients matched on the severity of Alzheimer’s
symptoms. Surprisingly, the bilinguals’ brains had Symptom= warning sign.
more physical signs of disease than their monolingual
counterparts, even though their outward behaviour Counterpart= matching part,
and abilities were the same. If the brain is an engine, corresponding item…
bilingualism may help it to go farther on the same
amount of fuel.
Furthermore, the benefits associated with bilingual

experience seem to start very early. In one study, Reward= Gift.
researchers taught seven-month-old babies growing
up in monolingual or bilingual homes that when they Infant= very young baby, newborn
heard a tinkling sound, a puppet appeared on one side baby.
of a screen. Halfway through the study, the puppet
began appearing on the opposite side of the screen. In Navigate= to understand or deal
order to get a reward, the infants with something complicated.
had to adjust the rule they’d learned; only the bilingual
babies were able to successfully learn the new rule.
This suggests that for very young children, as well as
for older people, navigating a multilingual
environment imparts advantages that transfer far
beyond language.
Reintroduce= Bring back.

Test 3
Spiny= a spiny animal or plant has
READING PASSAGE 1 lots of stiff sharp points.
Cacti= a desert plant with sharp

points instead of leaves.
Flying tortoises Uneven= not smooth, flat, or level.
An airborne reintroduction programme has helped
conservationists take significant steps to protect the Lava= hot liquid rock that flows from
endangered Galapagos tortoise. a volcano, or this rock when it has
become solid.
A
Forests of spiny cacti cover much of the uneven lava Interior= inner part, heart, center…
plains that separate the interior of the Galapagos
island of Isabela from the Pacific Ocean. With its five Resemble= look like, be similar to…
distinct volcanoes, the island resembles a lunar
landscape. Only the thick vegetation at the skirt of the Lunar= relating to moon.
often cloud-covered peak of Sierra Negra offers
respite from the barren terrain below. Respite= a short time when
This inhospitable environment is home to the giant something bad stops happening, so
Galapagos tortoise. Some time after the Galapagos’s that the situation is temporarily
birth, around five million years ago, the islands were better.
colonised by one or more tortoises from mainland
South America. As these ancestral tortoises settled on Vegetation= plants.
the individual islands, the different populations adapted
to their unique environments, giving rise to at least 14 Inhospitable= unfriendly.
different subspecies. Island life agreed with them. In
the absence of significant predators, they grew to Predator= an animal that kills and
become the largest and longest-living tortoises on the eats other animals.
planet, weighing more than 400 kilograms,

occasionally exceeding 1,8 metres in length and living Pirate= someone who sails on the
for more than a century. seas, attacking other boats and
stealing things from them.
B
Before human arrival, the archipelago's tortoises Exponentially= exponential growth,
numbered in the hundreds of thousands. From the increase etc becomes faster as the
17th century onwards, pirates took a few on board for amount of the thing that is growing
food, but the arrival of whaling ships in the 1790s saw increases.
this exploitation grow exponentially. Relatively
immobile and capable of surviving for months without Relatively= quite, comparatively,
food or water, the tortoises were taken on board these fairly, rather…
ships to act as food supplies during long ocean
passages. Sometimes, their bodies were processed Immobile= motionless.
into high- grade oil.
In total, an estimated 200,000 animals were taken from Supply= source.
the archipelago before the 20th century. This historical
exploitation was then exacerbated when settlers Exploitation= mistreatment.
came to the islands. They hunted the tortoises and
destroyed their habitat to clear land for agriculture. Exacerbate= worsen.
They also introduced alien species - ranging from
cattle, pigs, goats, rats and dogs to plants and ants - Destroy= damage, spoil, ruin…
that either prey on the eggs and young tortoises or
damage or destroy their habitat. Habitat= the natural home of a plant
or animal.
C
Today, only 11 of the original subspecies survive and Endangered= in danger of
of these, several are highly endangered. In 1989, extinction.
work began on a tortoise-breeding centre just outside
the town of Puerto Villamil on Isabela, dedicated to Dedicate= to give all your attention
protecting the island’s tortoise populations. The and effort to one particular thing.
centre’s captive-breeding programme proved to be
extremely successful, and it eventually had to deal Deal with= cope with, tackle,
with an overpopulation problem. solve…
D Pressing= urgent.
The problem was also a pressing one. Captive-bred
tortoises can’t be reintroduced into the wild until they’re Repatriation= to send someone
at least five years old and weigh at least 4,5 kilograms, back to their own country.
at which point their size and weight - and their
hardened shells - are sufficient to protect them from Carry out= do.
predators. But if people wait too long after that point,
the tortoises eventually become too large to transport.
E
For years, repatriation efforts were carried out in
small numbers, with the tortoises carried on the backs
of men over weeks of long, treacherous hikes along
narrow trails. But in November 2010, the
environmentalist and Galapagos National Park liaison
officer Godfrey Merlin, a visiting private motor yacht

captain and a helicopter pilot gathered around a table Yacht= a large boat with a sail,
in a small cafe in Puerto Ayora on the island of Santa used for pleasure or sport,
Cruz to work out more ambitious reintroduction. The especially one that has a place
aim was to use a helicopter to move 300 of the where you can sleep.
breeding centre’s tortoises to various locations close
to Sierra Negra. Helicopter= a type of aircraft with
large metal blades on top which turn
F around very quickly to make it fly.
This unprecedented effort was made possible by the
owners of the 67-metre yacht White Cloud, who Aim= goal, target, purpose…
provided the Galapagos National Park with free use of
their helicopter and its experienced pilot, as well as the Breeding= reproduction.
logistical support of the yacht, its captain and crew.
Originally an air ambulance, the yacht’s helicopter has Unprecedented= exceptional, first-
a rear double door and a large internal space that’s time, unique…
well suited for cargo, so a custom crate was designed
to hold up to 33 tortoises with a total weight of about Logistical= relating to the logistics
150 kilograms. This weight, together with that of the of doing something(the business of
fuel, pilot and four crew, approached the helicopter’s transporting things such as goods to
maximum payload, and there were times when it was the place where they are needed).
clearly right on the edge of the helicopter’s capabilities.
During a period of three days, a group of volunteers Crew= team, group..
from the breeding centre worked around the clock to
prepare the young tortoises for transport. Meanwhile, Cargo= the goods that are being
park wardens, dropped off ahead of time in remote carried in a ship or plane.
locations, cleared landing sites within the thick brush,
cacti and lava rocks. Crate= a large box made of wood or
plastic that is used for carrying fruit,
G bottles etc.
Upon their release, the juvenile tortoises quickly
spread out over their ancestral territory, investigating Payload= the amount of goods or
their new surroundings and feeding on the vegetation. passengers that can be carried by a
Eventually, one tiny tortoise came across a fully vehicle, or the goods that a vehicle
grown giant who had been lumbering around the is carrying.
island for around a hundred years. The two stood side
by side, a powerful symbol of the regeneration of an Warden= Supervisor, guardian…
ancient species.
Juvenile= young.
Territory= the area that an animal,

bird etc regards as its own and will
defend against other animals.
Come across= find, meet…
Lumber= to move in a slow

awkward way.
Ancient= very old.
READING PASSAGE 2 Eradicate= eliminate, get rid of,

wipe out, destroy, remove…
Vaccination= immunization= to
The Intersection of Health protect a person or animal from a
disease by giving them a vaccine.
Sciences and Geography
Prevalent= common.
A While many diseases that affect humans have been Infection= disease, illness, virus…
eradicated due to improvements in vaccinations and
the availability of healthcare, there are still areas Resistant to= unaffected by.
around the world where certain health issues are more
prevalent. In a world that is far more globalised than Tropical= hot.
ever before, people come into contact with one
another through travel and living closer and closer to Foster= promote.
each other. As a result, super-viruses and other
infections resistant to antibiotics are becoming more Damp= moist, wet.
and more common.
Desert= a large area of land where
B Geography can often play a very large role in the it is always very dry, there are few
health concerns of certain populations. For instance, plants, and there is a lot of sand or
depending on where you live, you will not have the rocks.
same health concerns as someone who lives in a
different geographical region. Perhaps one of the most Mosquito= a small flying insect that
obvious examples of this idea is malaria-prone areas, sucks the blood of people and
which are usually tropical regions that foster a warm animals, sometimes spreading the
and damp environment in which the mosquitos that disease malaria.
can give people this disease can grew. Malaria is
much less of a problem in high-altitude deserts, for Well-being= a feeling of being
instance. comfortable, healthy, and happy.
C In some countries, geographical factors influence Smog= dirty air, air pollution…
the health and well-being of the population in very
obvious ways. In many large cities, the wind is not Massive= huge, enormous, very
strong enough to clear the air of the massive amounts big…
of smog and pollution that cause asthma, lung
problems, eyesight issues and more in the people who
live there. Part of the problem is, of course, the
massive number of cars being driven, in addition to
factories that run on coal power. The rapid
industrialisation of some countries in recent years has
also led to the cutting down of forests to allow for the
expansion of big cities, which makes it even harder to
fight the pollution with the fresh air that is produced by
plants.
D It is in situations like these that the field of health

geography comes into its own. It is an increasingly Re-emerge= come back.
important area of study in a world where diseases like
polio are re-emerging, respiratory diseases continue Respiratory diseases= diseases
to spread, and malaria-prone areas are still fighting to relating to breathing or your lungs.
find a better cure. Health geography is the
combination of, on the one hand, knowledge Cure= treatment.
regarding geography and methods used to analyse
and interpret geographical information, and on the Combination= mixture.
other, the study of health, diseases and healthcare
practices around the world. The aim of this hybrid Aim= goal, target, purpose…
science is to create solutions for common geography-
based health problems. While people will always be Solution= key, answer…
prone to illness, the study of how geography affects
our health could lead to the eradication of certain Prone to= likely to do something or
illnesses, and the prevention of others in the future. suffer from something, especially
By understanding why and how we get sick, we can something bad or harmful.
change the way we treat illness and disease specific to
certain geographical locations. Prevent= stop.
Frequency= rate of recurrence.

E The geography of disease and ill health analyses the
frequency with which certain diseases appear in Overlay= cover.
different parts of the world, and overlays the data with
the geography of the region, to see if there could be a Correlation= association,
correlation between the two. Health geographers also connection, relationship, link…
study factors that could make certain individuals or a
population more likely to be taken ill with a specific Spread= increase, broaden,
health concern or disease, as compared with the expand…
population of another area. Health geographers in this
field are usually trained as healthcare workers, and Interactions= relations,
have an understanding of basic epidemiology as it connections…
relates to the spread of diseases among the
population. Lead to= bring about, cause…
F Researchers study the interactions between Vulnerable= defenseless, weak…

humans and their environment that could lead to
illness (such as asthma in places with high levels of Provision= when you provide
pollution) and work to create a clear way of something that someone needs now
categorising illnesses, diseases and epidemics into or in the future.
local and global scales. Health geographers can map
the spread of illnesses and attempt to identify the
reasons behind an increase or decrease in illnesses,
as they work to find a way to halt the further spread or
re-emergence of diseases in vulnerable populations.
G The second subcategory of health geography is the

geography of healthcare provision. This group studies
the availability (of lack thereof) of healthcare resources
to individuals and populations around the world. In
both developed and developing nations there is often

a very large discrepancy between the options Developed= a developed country is
available to people in different social classes, income one of the rich countries of the world
brackets, and levels of education. Individuals working with many industries, comfortable
in the area of the geography of healthcare provision living for most people, and usually
attempt to assess the levels of healthcare in the area an elected government.
(for instance, it may be very difficult for people to get
medical attention because there is a mountain Developing= a developing country
between their village and the nearest hospital). These is a poor country that is trying to
researchers are on the frontline of making increase its industry and trade and
recommendations regarding policy to international improve life for its people.
organisations, local government bodies and others.
Discrepancy= difference,
H The field of health geography is often overlooked, inconsistency…
but it constitutes a huge area of need in the fields of
geography and healthcare. If we can understand how Bracket= group, range, rank…
geography affects our health no matter where in the
world we are located, we can better treat disease, Overlook= ignore, fail to notice…
prevent illness, and keep people safe and well.
Constitute= Set up, establish,
create, found…
READING PASSAGE 3
Music and the emotions

Neuroscientist Jonah Lehrer considers the emotional
power of music
Why does music make us feel? On the one hand, Devoid= to be completely lacking in
music is a purely abstract art form, devoid of language something.
or explicit ideas. And yet, even though music says
little, it still manages to touch us deeply. When Betray= show accidentally, leak.
listening to our favourite songs, our body betrays all
Symptom= sign.
the symptoms of emotional arousal. The pupils in our
eyes dilate, our pulse and blood pressure rise, the Arousal= excitement, especially sexual
electrical conductance of our skin is lowered, and the excitement.
cerebellum, a brain region associated with bodily
movement, becomes strangely active. Blood is even Dilate= open, widen, expand…
re-directed to the muscles in our legs. In other words,
sound stirs us at our biological roots. Repeal= Cancel, abolish, end…
A recent paper in Neuroscience by a research team in Precise= exact, accurate…

Montreal, Canada, marks an important step in
Underpin= to give strength or support
repealing the precise underpinnings of ‘the potent
to something and to help it succeed.
pleasurable stimulus’ that is music. Although the
study involves plenty of fancy technology, including Potent=strong, powerful…
functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and
ligand-based positron emission tomography (PET) Stimulus= something that helps a
scanning, the experiment itself was rather process to develop more quickly or
straightforward. After screening 217 individuals who more strongly.
responded to advertisements requesting people who
experience ‘chills’ to instrumental music, the scientists Involve= include, contain…
narrowed down the subject pool to ten. They then
asked the subjects to bring in their playlist of favourite Experiment= Test, research…
songs - virtually every genre was represented, from
Straightforward= easy to understand,
techno to tango - and played them the music while simple…
their brain activity was monitored. Because the
scientists were combining methodologies (PET and Narrow down= restrict, limit, reduce…
fMRI), they were able to obtain an impressively exact
and detailed portrait of music in the brain. The first Genre= a particular type of art, writing,
thing they discovered is that music triggers the music etc, which has certain features
production of dopamine - a chemical with a key role in that all examples of this type share.
setting people’s moods - by the neurons (nerve cells)
in both the dorsal and ventral regions of the brain. As Monitor= check, examine…
these two regions have long been linked with the
Combine= mix.
experience of pleasure, this finding isn’t particularly
surprising. Trigger= activate, generate, cause…
What is rather more significant is the finding that the Mood= temper, feel…
dopamine neurons in the caudate - a region of the
brain involved in learning stimulus-response Anticipating= expecting.
associations, and in anticipating food and other
‘reward’ stimuli - were at their most active around 15 Purpose=aim, object, target…
seconds before the participants’ favourite moments in
the music. The researchers call this the ‘anticipatory
phase’ and argue that the purpose of this activity is to
help us predict the arrival of our favourite part. The
question, of course, is what all these dopamine

neurons are up to. Why are they so active in the period Climax= the most exciting or important
preceding the acoustic climax? After all, we typically part of a story or experience, which
associate surges of dopamine with pleasure, with the usually comes near the end.
processing of actual rewards. And yet, this cluster of
Surge= if a large amount of a liquid,
cells is most active when the ‘chills’ have yet to arrive,
electricity, chemical etc surges, it
when the melodic pattern is still unresolved. moves very quickly and suddenly.
One way to answer the question is to look at the music Intricate= complicated, complex…
and not the neurons. While music can often seem (at
least to the outsider) like a labyrinth of intricate Symphony= a long piece of music
patterns, it turns out that the most important part of usually in four parts, written for an
every song or symphony is when the patterns break orchestra.
down, when the sound becomes unpredictable. If the
music is too obvious, it is annoyingly boring, like an Demonstrate= show, prove…
alarm clock. Numerous studies, after all, have
Pattern= a regularly repeated
demonstrated that dopamine neurons quickly adapt to
arrangement of sounds or words.
predictable rewards. If we know what’s going to
happen next, then we don’t get excited. This is why Principle= rule, theory…
composers often introduce a key note in the beginning
of a song, spend most of the rest of the piece in the Analyze= examine, study, investigate…
studious avoidance of the pattern, and then finally
repeat it only at the end. The longer we are denied the Flirtation= a short period of time during
pattern we expect, the greater the emotional release which you are interested in something.
when the pattern returns, safe and sound.
Preserve= protect, maintain…
To demonstrate this psychological principle, the
Beg= ask for, request…
musicologist Leonard Meyer, in his classic book
Emotion and Meaning in Music (1956), analysed the Chord= a combination of several
5th movement of Beethoven’s String Quartet in C- musical notes that are played at the
sharp minor, Op. 131. Meyer wanted to show how same time and sound pleasant
music is defined by its flirtation with - but not together.
submission to - our expectations of order. Meyer
dissected 50 measures (bars) of the masterpiece, Suspenseful= a feeling of excitement
showing how Beethoven begins with the clear or anxiety when you do not know what
statement of a rhythmic and harmonic pattern and will happen next.
then, in an ingenious tonal dance, carefully holds off
Tension= worry, nervousness,
repeating it. What Beethoven does instead is suggest
anxiety…
variations of the pattern. Me wants to preserve an
element of uncertainty in his music, making our brains Unfulfilled= displeased.
beg for the one chord he refuses to give us.
Beethoven saves that chord for the end. Emotion= feeling, sensation…
According to Meyer, it is the suspenseful tension of Unfolding event= if a series of events

music, arising out of our unfulfilled expectations, that unfolds, they happen.
is the source of the music’s feeling. While earlier
theories of music focused on the way a sound can
refer to the real world of images and experiences - its
‘connotative’ meaning - Meyer argued that the
emotions we find in music come from the unfolding
events of the music itself. This ‘embodied meaning’

arises from the patterns the symphony invokes and Surge= to increase suddenly.
then ignores. It is this uncertainty that triggers the
surge of dopamine in the caudate, as we struggle to
figure out what will happen next. We can predict some
of the notes, but we can’t predict them all, and that is
what keeps us listening, waiting expectantly for our
reward, for the pattern to be completed.
Test 4 Eruption= if a volcano erupts, it

explodes and sends smoke, fire,
READING PASSAGE 1 and rock into the sky.
Spear=a pole with a sharp pointed

blade at one end, used as a weapon
in the past
The History of Glass
Evidence= proof.
From our earliest origins, man has been making use of
glass. Historians have discovered that a type of natural Glaze= a liquid that is used to cover
glass - obsidian - formed in places such as the mouth plates, cups etc made of clay to give
of a volcano as a result of the intense heat of an them a shiny surface.
eruption melting sand - was first used as tips for
spears. Archaeologists have even found evidence of Container= bottle.
man-made glass which dates back to 4000 BC; this
took the form of glazes used for coating stone beads. Impurity= a substance of a low
It was not until 1500 BC, however, that the first hollow quality that is contained in or mixed
glass container was made by covering a sand core with something else, making it less
with a layer of molten glass. pure.
Glass blowing became the most common way to make Raw= unprocessed, unrefined,
glass containers from the first century BC. The glass untreated…
made during this time was highly coloured due to the
impurities of the raw material. In the first century AD, Tint= to slightly change the colour of
methods of creating colourless glass were developed, something, especially hair.
which was then tinted by the addition of colouring
materials. The secret of glass making was taken Guard= protect.
across Europe by the Romans during this century.
However, they guarded the skills and technology Collapse= fall down, end…
required to make glass very closely, and it was not
until their empire collapsed in 476 AD that glass- Reputation= standing.
making knowledge became widespread throughout
Europe and the Middle East. From the 10th century
onwards, the Venetians gained a reputation for
technical skill and artistic ability in the making of glass
bottles, and many of the city’s craftsmen left Italy to set

up glassworks throughout Europe. Counter= answer.
A major milestone in the history of glass occurred with Astronomical= relating to the
the invention of lead crystal glass by the English glass scientific study of the stars.
manufacturer George Ravenscroft (1632 - 1683). He
attempted to counter the effect of clouding that Repeal= cancel.
sometimes occurred in blown glass by introducing lead
to the raw materials used in the process. The new Levi= charge, tax…
glass he created was softer and easier to decorate,
and had a higher refractive index, adding to its Method= technique.
brilliance and beauty, and it proved invaluable to the
optical industry. It is thanks to Ravenscroft’s invention Automated= mechanized,
that optical lenses, astronomical telescopes, programmed…
microscopes and the like became possible.
Install= establish.
In Britain, the modem glass industry only really started
to develop after the repeal of the Excise Act in 1845. Impressive= remarkable,
Before that time, heavy taxes had been placed on the extraordinary…
amount of glass melted in a glasshouse, and were
levied continuously from 1745 to 1845. Joseph Rapid= fast, quick…
Paxton’s Crystal Palace at London’s Great Exhibition
of 1851 marked the beginning of glass as a material Supplier= provider
used in the building industry. This revolutionary new
building encouraged the use of glass in public, Craft= a job or activity in which you
domestic and horticultural architecture. Glass make things with your hands, and
manufacturing techniques also improved with the that you usually need skill to do.
advancement of science and the development of better
technology. Fiercely= strongly or severely.
From 1887 onwards, glass making developed from

traditional mouth-blowing to a semi-automatic process,
after factory- owner HM Ashley introduced a machine
capable of producing 200 bottles per hour in
Castleford, Yorkshire, England - more than three times
quicker than any previous production method. Then in
1907, the first fully automated machine was
developed in the USA by Michael Owens - founder of
the Owens Bottle Machine Company (later the major
manufacturers Owens- Illinois) - and installed in its
factory. Owens’ invention could produce an
impressive 2,500 bottles per hour Other
developments followed rapidly, but it was not until the
First World War when Britain became cut off from
essential glass suppliers, that glass became part of
the scientific sector. Previous to this, glass had been
seen as a craft rather than a precise science.
Today, glass making is big business. It has become a

modem, hi-tech industry operating in a fiercely
competitive global market where quality, design and

service levels are critical to maintaining market share. Critical= significant, important, vital,
Modem glass plants are capable of making millions of crucial, essential…
glass containers a day in many different colours, with
green, brown and clear remaining the most popular. Beverage= drink.
Few of us can imagine modem life without glass. It
features in almost every aspect of our lives - in our Cosmetics= makeup, eye shadow,
homes, our cars and whenever we sit down to eat or mascara, lipstick, perfume…
drink. Glass packaging is used for many products,
many beverages are sold in glass, as are numerous Ideal= perfect.
foodstuffs, as well as medicines and cosmetics.
Green= environmentally friendly
Glass is an ideal material for recycling, and with
growing consumer concern for green issues, glass Landfill= a place where waste is
bottles and jars are becoming ever more popular. buried under the ground.
Glass recycling is good news for the environment. It
saves used glass containers being sent to landfill. As Precious= valuable.
less energy is needed to melt recycled glass than to
melt down raw materials, this also saves fuel and
production costs. Recycling also reduces the need for
raw materials to be quarried, thus saving precious
resources.
Vanished= missing.
READING PASSAGE 2
Mystery= unknown, unidentified…
Presume= assume, guess,

suppose…
Bring back the big cats
Die out= become extinct,
It's time to start returning vanished native animals to disappear…
Britain, says John Vesty There is a poem, written
around 598 AD, which describes hunting a mystery Inhabitant= resident, citizen…
animal called a llewyn. But what was it? Nothing
seemed to fit, until 2006, when an animal bone, dating Take up= start, adopt…
from around the same period, was found in the Kinsey
Cave in northern England. Until this discovery, the lynx Compelling= forceful, convincing,
- a large spotted cat with tassel led ears - was persuasive, undeniable…
presumed to have died out in Britain at least 6,000
years ago, before the inhabitants of these islands Evidence= proof, data…
took up farming. But the 2006 find, together with three
others in Yorkshire and Scotland, is compelling Extinction= disappearance.
evidence that the lynx and the mysterious llewyn were
in fact one and the same animal. If this is so, it would Roughly= approximately, around,
bring forward the tassel-eared cat's estimated about, nearly, almost…
extinction date by roughly 5,000 years.
However, this is not quite the last glimpse of the Glimpse= sight.
animal in British culture. A 9th- century stone cross
from the Isle of Eigg shows, alongside the deer, boar Seabed= sea floor (the land at the
and aurochs pursued by a mounted hunter, a speckled bottom of the sea).
cat with tasselled ears. Were it not for the animal's
backside having worn away with time, we could have Predator= an animal that kills and
been certain, as the lynx's stubby tail is unmistakable. eats other animals.
But even without this key feature, it's hard to see what
else the creature could have been. The lynx is now Drive=force, make….
becoming the totemic animal of a movement that is
transforming British environmentalism: rewilding. Resonate= if something such as an
Rewilding means the mass restoration of damaged event or a message resonates, it
ecosystems. It involves letting trees return to places seems important or good to people,
that have been denuded, allowing parts of the seabed or continues to do this.
to recover from trawling and dredging, permitting rivers
to flow freely again. Above all, it means bringing back Chain= series.
missing species. One of the most striking findings of
modern ecology is that ecosystems without large Struggle= make a great effort, work
predators behave in completely different ways from hard…
those that retain them Some of them drive dynamic
processes that resonate through the whole food Conservation= protection.
chain, creating niches for hundreds of species that
might otherwise struggle to survive. The killers turn Assemblage= a group of things
out to be bringers of life. collected together.
Such findings present a big challenge to British Expense= cost.

conservation, which has often selected arbitrary
assemblages of plants and animals and sought, at Prevent= avoid, stop…
great effort and expense, to prevent them from
changing. It has tried to preserve the living world as if it Merely= just, only, simply…
were a jar of pickles, letting nothing in and nothing out,
keeping nature in a state of arrested development. But Depend on= rely on.
ecosystems are not merely collections of species; they
are also the dynamic and ever-shifting relationships Commercial= marketable, money-
between them. And this dynamism often depends on making, profit-making…
large predators.
Chase= hunt.
At sea the potential is even greater: by protecting large
areas from commercial fishing, we could once more Insistence= when you demand that
see what 18th-century literature describes: vast shoals something should happen and
of fish being chased by fin and sperm whales, within refuse to let anyone say no.
sight of the English shore. This policy would also
greatly boost catches in the surrounding seas; the Articulate= speak out.
fishing industry's insistence on scouring every inch of
seabed, leaving no breeding reserves, could not be
more damaging to its own interests.
Rewilding is a rare example of an environmental

movement in which campaigners articulate what they
are for rather than only what they are against. One of
the reasons why the enthusiasm for rewilding is Enthusiasm= interest.
spreading so quickly in Britain is that it helps to create
a more inspiring vision than the green movement's Threat= danger.
usual promise of 'Follow us and the world will be
slightly less awful than it would otherwise have been. Exotic= unusual, out of the
ordinary…
The lynx presents no threat to human beings: there is
no known instance of one preying on people. It is a Livestock= farm animals.
specialist predator of roe deer, a species that has
exploded in Britain in recent decades, holding back, by Extraordinary= strange, unusual,
intensive browsing, attempts to re-establish forests. It surprising…
will also winkle out sika deer: an exotic species that is
almost impossible for human beings to control, as it Proposal= plan, suggestion,
hides in impenetrable plantations of young trees. The scheme…
attempt to reintroduce this predator marries well with
the aim of bringing forests back to parts of our bare Triple= three time more than a
and barren uplands. The lynx requires deep cover, and particular number.
as such presents little risk to sheep and other
livestock, which are supposed, as a condition of farm Roughly= approximately.
subsidies, to be kept out of the woods.
Lucrative= profitable, worthwhile,
On a recent trip to the Cairngorm Mountains, I heard beneficial…
several conservationists suggest that the lynx could be
reintroduced there within 20 years. If trees return to the Chance= opportunity.
bare hills elsewhere in Britain, the big cats could soon
follow. There is nothing extraordinary about these Except= but, not including, apart
proposals, seen from the perspective of anywhere from…
else in Europe. The lynx has now been reintroduced to
the Jura Mountains, the Alps, the Vosges in eastern Hint= suggestion.
France and the Harz mountains in Germany, and has
re-established itself in many more places. The
European population has tripled since 1970 to
roughly 10,000. As with wolves, bears, beavers, boar,
bison, moose and many other species, the lynx has
been able to spread as farming has,left the hills and
people discover that it is more lucrative to protect
charismatic wildlife than to hunt it, as tourists will pay
for the chance to see it. Large-scale rewilding is
happening almost everywhere - except Britain.
Here, attitudes are just beginning to change.

Conservationists are starting to accept that the old
preservation-jar model is failing, even on its own
terms. Already, projects such as Trees for Life in the
Highlands provide a hint of what might be coming. An
organisation is being set up that will seek to catalyse
the rewilding of land and sea across Britain, its aim
being to reintroduce that rarest of species to British
ecosystems: hope.
Governance= the act or process of

READING PASSAGE 3 governing.
Meltdown= a situation in which

prices fall by a very large amount or
an industry or economic situation
becomes much weaker.
UK companies need more
effective boards of directors Result in= cause, bring about…
Prolonged= expanded, stretched…

A After a number of serious failures of governance
(that is, how they are managed at the highest level),
Downturn= slump, decline…
companies in Britain, as well as elsewhere, should
consider radical changes to their directors’ roles. It is
Crisis= disaster.
clear that the role of a board director today is not an
easy one. Following the 2008 financial meltdown,
Auditor= someone whose job is to
which resulted in a deeper and more prolonged
officially examine a company’s
period of economic downturn than anyone expected,
financial records.
the search for explanations in the many post-mortems
of the crisis has meant blame has been spread far
Pick over= to examine a group of
and wide. Governments, regulators, central banks and
things very carefully in order to
auditors have all been in the frame. The role of bank
choose the ones you want.
directors and management and their widely publicised
failures have been extensively picked over and
Inquiry= question, investigation…
examined in reports, inquiries and commentaries.
Pressure= stress.
B The knock-on t of this scrutiny has been to make
the governance of companies in general an issue of
Scrutiny= examination.
intense public debate and has significantly increased
the pressures on, and the responsibilities of, directors.
Fulfill=satisfy, meet…
At the simplest and most practical level, the time
involved in fulfilling the demands of a board
Agenda= a list of problems or
directorship has increased significantly, calling into
subjects that a government,
question the effectiveness of the classic model of
organization etc is planning to deal
corporate governance by part-time, independent non-
with.
executive directors. Where once a board schedule
may have consisted of between eight and ten
meetings a year, in many companies the number of
events requiring board input and decisions has
dramatically risen. Furthermore, the amount of reading
and preparation required for each meeting is
increasing. Agendas can become overloaded and this
can mean the time for constructive debate must

necessarily be restricted in favour of getting through Constructive= positive, helpful,
beneficial…
the business.
Restrict= limit.
C Often, board business is devolved to committees in
order to cope with the workload, which may be more Devolve to= pass to, give to…
efficient but can mean that the board as a whole is less
Address= tackle, deal with…
involved in fully addressing some of the most
important issues. It is not uncommon for the audit Issue= problem, matter…
committee meeting to last longer than the main board
meeting itself. Process may take the place of Collaboration= teamwork.
discussion and be at the expense of real
Be at the expense of= if something is
collaboration, so that boxes are ticked rather than done at the expense of someone or
issues tackled. something else, it is only achieved by doing
something that could harm the other person
D A radical solution, which may work for some very or thing.
large companies whose businesses are extensive and
Recruitment= employment, staffing…
complex, is the professional board, whose members
would work up to three or four days a week, supported Executive= a manager in an organization
by their own dedicated staff and advisers. There are or company who helps make important
obvious risks to this and it would be important to decisions.
establish clear guidelines for such a board to ensure
Non-executive= someone who has a non-
that it did not step on the toes of management by executive role is not involved in the daily
becoming too engaged in the day-to-day running of the management of a company or other
company. Problems of recruitment, remuneration and organization but attends board meetings
independence could also arise and this structure would and gives advice.
not be appropriate for all companies. However, more
Latter= being the second of two people or
professional and better-informed boards would have things, or the last in a list just mentioned
been particularly appropriate for banks where the (>< former).
executives had access to information that part-time
non-executive directors lacked, leaving the latter Comprehend=understand, know…
unable to comprehend or anticipate the 2008 crash.
Criticism= remarks that say what you think
is bad about someone or something.
E One of the main criticisms of boards and their
directors is that they do not focus sufficiently on Strategy= plan.
longer-term matters of strategy, sustainability and
governance, but instead concentrate too much on Sustainability= able to continue for a long
time.
short-term financial metrics. Regulatory requirements
and the structure of the market encourage this Regulatory= having the purpose of
behaviour. The tyranny of quarterly reporting can controlling an activity, system, or industry,
distort board decision-making, as directors have to especially by rules.
‘make the numbers’ every four months to meet the
Insatiable= always wanting more and more
insatiable appetite of the market for more data. This of something.
serves to encourage the trading methodology of a
certain kind of investor who moves in and out of a Appetite= desire, liking…
stock without engaging in constructive dialogue with
the company about strategy or performance, and is Dialogue= conversation, discussion, talk…
simply seeking a short¬ term financial gain. This effect Capital= resources, fund, money…
has been made worse by the changing profile of
investors due to the globalisation of capital and the
increasing use of automated trading systems.

Corporate culture adapts and management teams are Compensation= money paid to
largely incentivised to meet financial goals. someone because they have
suffered injury or loss, or because
F Compensation for chief executives has become a something they own has been
combat zone where pitched battles between investors, damaged.
management and board members are fought, often
behind closed doors but increasingly frequently in the Chief executive= the person who
full glare of press attention. Many would argue that this has the highest position in a
is in the interest of transparency and good company or other organization and
governance as shareholders use their muscle in the who makes all the important
area of pay to pressure boards to remove decisions about how it is run.
underperforming chief executives. Their powers to vote
down executive remuneration policies increased Combat= battle, war.
when binding votes came into force. The chair of the
remuneration committee can be an exposed and lonely Transparency= clearness,
role, as Alison Carnwath, chair of Barclays Bank’s simplicity…
remuneration committee, found when she had to
resign, having been roundly criticised for trying to Remuneration= the pay you give
defend the enormous bonus to be paid to the chief someone for something they have
executive; the irony being that she was widely done for you.
understood to have spoken out against it in the privacy
of the committee. Morality= ethics.
G The financial crisis stimulated a debate about the Encompass= cover.

role and purpose of the company and a heightened
awareness of corporate ethics. Trust in the corporation
has been eroded and academics such as Michael
Sandel, in his thoughtful and bestselling book What
Money Can’t Buy, are questioning the morality of
capitalism and the market economy. Boards of
companies in all sectors will need to widen their
perspective to encompass these issues and this may
involve a realignment of corporate goals. We live in
challenging times.
Chào các bạn,
Các bạn đang cầm trên tay cuốn “Boost your vocabulary” được biên soạn bởi mình và các bạn Luyện
Linh & Thu Anh. Cuốn sách được viết nhằm mục đích giúp các bạn đang muốn cải thiện vốn từ vựng
cho phần thi Reading trong IELTS. Sách được viết dựa trên nền tảng bộ Cambridge IELTS của Nhà
xuất bản Đại học Cambridge – Anh Quốc.
Trong quá trình thực hiện, mình và các bạn trong nhóm đã dành tương đối nhiều thời gian để nghiên
cứu cách thức đưa nội dung sao cho khoa học và dễ dùng nhất với các bạn đọc. Tuy vậy, cuốn sách
không khỏi có những hạn chế nhất định. Mọi góp ý để cải thiện nội dung cuốn sách mọi người xin gửi
về email
TÁC GIẢ & NHÓM THỰC HIỆN
Đinh Thắng
Hiện tại là giáo viên dạy IELTS tại Hà Nội với các lớp học quy mô nhỏ (dưới
12 người) từ cuối năm 2012. Chứng chỉ ngành ngôn ngữ Anh, đại học
Brighton, Anh Quốc, 2016.Từng làm việc tại tổ chức giáo dục quốc tế
Language Link Việt Nam (2011-2012)
… cùng các bạn Luyện Linh & Thu Anh

kể.
Biên tập cuốn sách Boost your vocabulary này được thực hiện bởi Đinh Thắng & IELTS Family-Các nhóm tự học IELTS

CÁCH 1: LÀM TEST TRƯỚC, HỌC TỪ VỰNG SAU
Ví dụ passage 1, test 1 của Cambridge IELTS 13, bài về Tourism New Zealand Website: Bạn sẽ
thấy
4.1 Cột bên trái là bản text gốc, trong đó bôi đậm các từ học thuật - academic word 4.2 Cột
bên phải chứa các từ vựng này theo kèm định nghĩa (definition) hoặc từ đồng nghĩa
(synonym)
CÁCH 2: HỌC TỪ VỰNG TRƯỚC, ĐỌC TEST SAU
Bước 2: Đọc cột bên trái như đọc báo. Duy trì hàng ngày. Khi nào không hiểu từ nào
thì xem nghĩa hoặc synonym của từ đó ở cột bên phải. Giai đoạn này giúp bạn phát triển
việc đọc tự nhiên, thay vì đọc theo kiểu làm test. Bạn càng hiểu nhiều càng tốt. Cố gắng
nhớ từ theo ngữ cảnh.
Bước 3: Làm một bài test hoặc passage bất kỳ trong bộ sách Cambridge IELTS. Ví
dụ bạn đọc xong cuốn Boost your vocabulary 13 này thì có thể quay lại làm các test
trong cuốn 10 chẳng hạn. Làm test xong thì cố gắng phát hiện các từ đã học trong
cuốn 13. Bạn nào có khả năng ghi nhớ tốt chắc chắn sẽ gặp lại rất nhiều từ đã học. Bạn
nào có khả năng ghi nhớ vừa phải cũng sẽ gặp lại không ít từ. Việc
Bước 4: Đọc cuốn Boost your vocabulary tương ứng với test bạn vừa làm. Ví dụ trong cuốn
Boost your vocabulary 10.
Tóm lại, mình ví dụ 1 chu trình đầy đủ theo cách này
B1. Đọc hiểu và học từ cuốn Boost your vocabulary 13
B2. Làm test 1 trong cuốn Boost your vocabulary 10
B3. Đọc hiểu và học từ cuốn Boost your vocabulary 10 & tìm các từ lặp lại mà bạn đã đọc trong cuốn Boost your
vocabulary 13
TEST 1
READING PASSAGE 1
N ew Zealand is a small country of four million Inhabitant= resident = dweller
Long-haul= travelling a long distance

inhabitants, a long-haul flight from all the major tourist-
generating markets of the world. Tourism currently Gross domestic product (GDP)=
makes up 9% of the country’s gross domestic product, the total value of goods and services
and is the country’s largest export sector. Unlike produced by a country in one year
other export sectors, which make products and then sell
Launch= start, begin, initiate
them overseas, tourism brings its customers to New
Zealand. The product is the country itself - the people, Scenic= picturesque, beautiful
the places and the experiences. In 1999, Tourism New
Exhilarating= thrilling, exciting,
Zealand launched a campaign to communicate a new
stimulating, energizing
brand position to the world. The campaign focused on
New Zealand’s scenic beauty, exhilarating outdoor Authentic= genuine, original, real # fake
activities and authentic Maori culture, and it made
New Zealand one of the strongest national brands in the Potential= possible, likely, prospective,
world. probable
Tourism-related business= business

A key feature of the campaign was the based on travel to make money, such as
website www.newzealand.com, which provided hotel, tour guides, etc.
potential visitors to New Zealand with a single gateway
Access to= the right to enter a place, use
to everything the destination had to offer. The heart of
something, see someone etc
the website was a database of tourism services
operators, both those based in New Zealand and those On a regular basis= often, regularly,
based abroad which offered tourism services to the frequently
country. Any tourism-related business could be listed
Scheme= plan, project, programme,
by filling in a simple form. This meant that even the strategy
smallest bed and breakfast address or specialist activity
provider could gain a web presence with access to an Undergo= go through, experience,
engage in
audience of long-haul visitors. In addition, because
participating businesses were able to update the details Evaluation= assessment
they gave on a regular basis, the information provided
remained accurate. And to maintain and Consider= think about, examine
improve standards, Tourism New Zealand organised a Interactive= involving communication
scheme whereby organisations appearing on the between people
website underwent an independent evaluation against
a set of agreed national standards of quality. As part of Blockbuster film= a film that is very
successful
this, the effect of each business on the environment
was considered. tunning= impressive, amazing,
marvelous, breathtaking
To communicate the New Zealand experience, the site
Scenery= the general appearance of
also carried features relating to famous people and the natural environment, especially when it
is beautiful
places. One of the most popular was an interview with
former New Zealand All Blacks rugby captain Tana Backdrop= the view behind something
Umaga. Another feature that attracted a lot of attention Devise= come up with, form, design,
was an interactive journey through a number of the invent, create, produce
locations chosen for blockbuster films which had made Customize= to make or change
something according to the buyer's or
use of New Zealand’s stunning scenery as user's needs
a backdrop. As the site developed, additional features
Itinerary= a detailed plan or route of
were added to help independent travellers devise their a journey
own customised itineraries. To make it easier to plan Catalogue= list
motoring holidays, the site catalogued the most popular
driving routes in the country, highlighting different Highlight= underline, stress, emphasize
routes according to the season and indicating distances Indicate= demonstrate, show
and times.
Accommodation= housing, lodging
Later, a Travel Planner feature was added, which Register= enrol, enter, sign up
allowed visitors to click and ‘bookmark’ places or
Inclusion= the act of including someone
attractions they were interested in, and then view the or something in a larger group or set, or
results on a map. The Travel Planner offered suggested the fact of being included in one
routes and public transport options between the chosen
locations. There were also links to accommodation in
Achievement= attainment,
the area. By registering with the website, users could accomplishment
save their Travel Plan and return to it later, or print it out
to take on the visit. The website also had a ‘Your Words’ Innovation= revolution, transformation,
modernization
section where anyone could submit a blog of their New
Zealand travels for possible inclusion on the website. Expenditure= spending, expenses
The Tourism New Zealand website won two Webby Set up= start, establish
awards for online achievement and innovation. More Geographical= relating to a particular
importantly perhaps, the growth of tourism to New area or place
Zealand was impressive. Overall tourism expenditure Driver= something that has
increased by an average of 6.9% per year between 1999 an important influence on other things
and 2004. From Britain, visits to New Zealand grew at an Satisfaction= content, pleasure,
average annual rate of 13% between 2002 and 2006, fulfilment, happiness, enjoyment
#dissatisfaction, discontent
compared to a rate of 4% overall for British visits abroad.
Contribute smt to sb/smt= give smt
The website was set up to allow both individuals and to sb/smt
travel organisations to create itineraries and travel Account for= make up = constitute
packages to suit their own needs and interests. On the
website, visitors can search for activities not solely by
geographical location, but also by the particular nature
of the activity. This is important as research shows that
activities are the key driver of visitor satisfaction,
contributing 74% to visitor satisfaction, while transport
and accommodation account for the remaining 26%.
The more activities that visitors undertake, the more Undertake= engage in, be involved in,
take part in, participate in
satisfied they will be. It has also been found that visitors
enjoy cultural activities most when they are interactive, Typical= normal, average, ordinary,
standard #unusual, abnormal
such as visiting a marae (meeting ground) to learn about
Be composed of= consist of = comprise
traditional Maori life. Many long-haul travellers enjoy
such learning experiences, which provide them with Perceive= recognize, understand, see,
realize
stories to take home to their friends and family. In
addition, it appears that visitors to New Zealand don’t Reliable= dependable, trustworthy, good
#unreliable, untrustworthy
want to be ‘one of the crowd’ and find activities that
Infrastructure= the basic systems
involve only a few people more special and meaningful. and structures that a country or
organization needs in order to work
It could be argued that New Zealand is not a typical properly, for example roads, railways,
banks etc
destination. New Zealand is a small country with a visitor
Once-in-a-lifetime= very special because
economy composed mainly of small businesses. It is you will probably only have it once
generally perceived as a safe English-speaking country
Underlying= real but not immediately
with a reliable transport infrastructure. Because of the obvious
long-haul flight, most visitors stay for longer (average 20 Comprehensive= thorough, in-depth,
days) and want to see as much of the country as complete #partial, limited
possible on what is often seen as a once-in-a-lifetime

visit. However, the underlying lessons apply anywhere
– the effectiveness of a strong brand, a strategy based
on unique experiences and a comprehensive and user-
friendly website.

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BOOST YOUR VOCABULARY

LỜI GIỚI THIỆU

Trân trọng cảm ơn,

NHÓM THỰC HIỆN

03 LÝ DO TẠI SAO NÊN HỌC TỪ VỰNG

2. Tập trung bộ nhớ vào các từ quan trọng

3. Học một từ nhớ nhiều từ

HƯỚNG DẪN SỬ DỤNG SÁCH

CÁC BƯỚC SỬ DỤNG

T he man who invented synthetic dyes Synthetic = artificial, man-made…

As a student at the City of London School, Perkin Become immersed in = become

At the time of Perkin’s enrolment, the Royal College Enrolment= the

At the time, quinine was the only viable medical

experimental process, he finally produced a deep

began producing the world’s first synthetically dyed

T he Search for Extra-terrestrial Intelligence

emerges in the future). Second, we make a very Conservative = traditional, old…

D Severely= harshly, strictly…

distance, and so all searches to date have To date= up to now.

of every aspect of life, including breathing and Thoroughgoing= complete. Here it

H earing impairment or other auditory function

E Autism= a mental disorder (=problem)

Promulgate= to spread an idea or belief

J une 2004 saw the first passage, known as a

‘transit’, of the planet Venus across the face of the Sun

known as the astronomical unit’ or AU.

impossible to obtain accurate timings. Obtain = get, gain, attain, acquire…

I n the last decade a revolution has occurred In the

Imply= suggest= to suggest that

revolutionary, way is more a matter of personality Constraint= limitation.

Finally, to be successful iconoclasts, individuals must Coordinate= collaborate = to organize

Iconoclasts create new opportunities in every area Alienation= unfriendliness = hostility

Systematic= organized carefully and done

I t is not easy to be systematic and objective

any language! Linguistic issues, it is argued, Legislation = law= rule…

Conservatism= the political belief that

U ndersea turbines which produce electricity

Play a role in= to have an effect

C Advance= improve, develop, enhance,

because of wind power and ship propellers. There adverse, unfavourable

the blades of the turbines. Dr Bahaj said: ‘We have

easy task. By means of a radio dish belonging to

From her earnings she was able to finance her sister

Physics for the discovery of radioactivity. metal

The sudden death of her husband in 1906 was a

had the satisfaction of seeing the development of the

One of Marie Curie's outstanding achievements was Accumulate= to gather, collect…

A sense of self develops in young children

Brooks-Gunn (1979) dabbed some red powder

Conviction= strong belief, opinion or view

T he conviction that historical relics

B Heritage= the traditional beliefs, values,

Holland. This particular trend is regarded

contemporary perceptions of the world

Notion = idea, view, concept, belief,

Ưu điểm của answer sheet này

Hướng dẫn cách ghi answer sheet mới

RẤT CÁM ƠN CÁC BẠN ĐÃ SỬ DỤNG CUỐN SÁCH. MÌNH RẤT

LỜI GIỚI THIỆU

Trân trọng cảm ơn,

NHÓM THỰC HIỆN

03 LÝ DO TẠI SAO NÊN HỌC TỪ VỰNG

2. Tập trung bộ nhớ vào các từ quan trọng