ENGLISH MID TEST A

Hawaiian Traditions
Hawaiian culture was once rich in colorful traditions. Though some of them have been forgotten, two
important traditions are very much alive today. One of these is the “lei” (a necklace made of flowers) and the
others is the “hula” (a Hawaiian dance). According to local history, leis were first given to Hawaiians by the goddess
of mercy and protection. She traveled to all the islands and destroyed the evil spirits. Leis were worn by Hawaiian
chiefs at peace conferences. They are still important to the Hawaiian people, and are still symbolic of peace and
friendship. Hawaiians wear leis at weddings, funerals, and at important ceremonies. A Hawaiian host will almost
always give a lei to non-Hawaiian visitors. When the guest arrives, the lei is placed around his or her neck, with
the traditional greeting, “Aloha”.
Handmade by older women, leis are created from the many kinds of fresh flowers found on the islands. The
flowers are sewn together to form a large circle. It takes many flowers to make a lei and the effect is richly colorful.
Since the flower must be fresh, the leis cannot be made in advance. In Hawaii, you can find women selling leis in
every shopping center and at the airports. Each islands has its typical lei, with a different kind of flower. May 1 is
“Lei Day” on all the islands.
Leis are often worn by Hawaiians when they dance the hula. According to Hawaiian traditions, the goddess
Laka taught the people how to dance the hula. They say that she set up a temple for teaching the hula on the
Napali coast in Kauai. At first, it was part of a religious ceremony and was danced only by men. But later, women
began to dance the hula too. Now, it is danced by mostly by women.
Many Hawaiians have learned how to dance the hula. But the best hula dancers have taken classes for years
and worked hard to learn the special movements. It is not easy to do the hula, though it may seem so simple and
graceful when done well. The hula dancer must learn to control every part of her body, even her face. Then, she
uses her hands, hips, and feet to tell a story.
Music played on Hawaiian instruments accompanies the dancing. These instruments are made of bamboo,
wood, and gourds (large vegetables that have been dried and hollowed out). The musicians also perform a kind
of soft singing with the music. The music, singing, and dancing become one to form a Hawaiian-style opera. In this
sense, hula dancing is typical of the extensive use of nonverbal expression in Hawaiian culture.
When Europeans came to Hawaii in the early 1800s, they did not like the hula. They thought such dancing
went against proper religious beliefs. Therefore, they discourages the hula and it almost disappeared from Hawaii.
However, in the late 1800s, King Kalakaua formed a special dance group and saved this important traditions.

After you read the text, answer the questions and complete the statements below!
1. This passage is about? a. men dancers.
a. a special kind of dance. b. music and soft singing.
b. two special Hawaiian traditions. c. loud music.
c. peace and nonverbal expression. d. lots of singers.
d. the use of flowers in Hawaiian 6. According to Hawaiian tradition, leis and
tradition hula dancing were….
2. Leis and hula dancing are…. a. both started by goddesses.
a. expression of the Hawaiian way of b. both discouraged by the
life. Europeans.
b. ways to make money for c. started mainly for the tourist.
Hawaiians. d. both started by Hawaiian chiefs.
c. only seen at religious ceremonies. 7. To become a best hula dancer, they have….
d. no longer part of Hawaiian way of a. to wear lei when practice
life. b. to go to Napali coast in Kauai.
3. Leis are…. c. to do it in weddings, funerals, and
a. made of plastic flowers. important ceremonies.
b. always made by hand. d. to work hard and learn the special
c. made by machine on some islands. movements.
d. always made by graceful girls. 8. Laka is….
4. Hula dancing is…. a. the goddess of mercy and
a. part of a religious ceremony. protection.
b. done only by young women. b. the former of hula dance group.
c. found only on the island of Kauai. c. the singer of Hawaiian-style opera.
d. a way of telling a story. d. the goddess who taught hula
5. Hula dancers are usually accompanied by…. dance to Hawaiians.
 ENGLISH MID TEST B
Cutting Down the Forests
There is nothing new about people cutting down trees. In ancient times, Greece, Italy, and Great Britain were
covered with forests. Over the centuries, those forests were gradually cut back and now almost nothing is left.

Today, however, trees are being cut down far more rapidly. Each year, about 42 million acres of forests are
cut down. That is more than equal to the area of the whole of Great Britain. While there are important reasons
for cutting down trees, there are also dangerous consequences for life on earth.

A major cause of the present destruction is the worldwide demand for wood. In industrialized countries,
people are using more and more wood for paper, furniture, and houses. There is not enough wood in these
countries to satisfy the demand. Wood companies, therefore, have begun taking wood from the forests of Asia,
Africa, South America, and even Siberia.

Wood is also in great demand as firewood in developing countries. In many areas, people depend on wood
to cook their food. As the population grows, the need for wood grows, too. But when too many trees are cut at
once, forests are destroyed. A future source of wood is destroyed as well. When some trees in a forest are left
standing, the forest can grow back. But only if it is not cut again for at least 100 years. In reality, it usually has no
chance to grow back. Small farmers who are desperate for land move in. They cut down the rest of the trees and
burn them. In this way, many millions of acres of forest are destroyed every year. Unfortunately, the forest soil
is not good for growing food. Thus, these poor farmers remain as poor and desperate as before. They have also
lost the resources of the forest.

However, the desperate and poor people are not the only ones to cut and burn forests. In Brazil and Central
America, large landowners want to raise lots of cattle for export. They put too many cattle on too little
land. When that land has been ruined, they burn parts of the forests. Then they move the cattle into the forest
land. This way both land and forest are destroyed.

The destruction of forests affects first the people who used to live there. However, it also has other effects
far away. For example, on the mountainsides, trees help to absorbs heavy rains. When the trees are cut down,
the rain pours all at once into the rivers and there are terrible floods downstream. This has happened to the
Ganges, the Mekong, and other major rivers in Asia.

But finally, the loss of forests may have an effect on the climate of our planet. Together with increasing
pollution, it could cause temperatures to rise and the climate to change around the worlds. No one knows exactly
what effect this would have on our lives. For many people, however, the effects would probably be destructive.

After you read the text, answer the questions and complete the statements below!
1. This passage is about… 5. Large landowners in Brazil and Central
a. the tropical forests. America…
b. how landowners cut down trees in a. use the forests for hunting.
Brazil. b. worry about the effects of cutting
c. the destruction of the forests. down the forests.
d. why people are cutting down so c. Use a lot of wood to build their
many trees. house.
2. Greece, Italy, and Great Britain…. d. destroy the forests to raise beef
a. are all covered by forests. cattle.
b. never had any forests. 6. When trees are cut down on
c. have growing populations. mountainsides,….
d. used to be covered by forests. a. the wood is usually of poor quality.
3. These days, forests are being cut down in…. b. they grow back quickly.
a. Asia, Africa, and South America. c. there are floods downriver.
b. Australia, New Zealand, and d. cattle come in to eat the grass.
Tanzania. 7. The cutting down of forests….
c. Greece, Italy, and Great Britain. a. could improve the climate.
d. the industrialized countries. b. could cause heavy rains.
4. The demand for wood in industrialized c. has no effect on people in cities.
countries…. d. could affect the climate.
a. is helping to save the forests. 8. Terrible floods downstream caused by…
b. is one cause of the forests’ a. the population growth.
destruction. b. the unhealthy air around the
c. is easily satisfied by the United forests.
States. c. the poor and desperate farmers.
d. has declined in recent years. d. forests destruction.
 ENGLISH MID TEST C
Water Sports in Hawaii
If you enjoy water sports, Hawaii is the place for you! You can go swimming all year round in the
warm water. You can go sport fishing from the shore or from a boat. If you like boats, you can go sailing,
canoeing, or windsurfing. Or, you can also try some other water sports that are especially popular in
Hawaii: surfing, snorkelling and scuba diving.
Surfing is a sport which started in Hawaii many years ago. The Hawaiians called it “he’enalu”, which
means “to slide on a wave”. Long before the arrival of the Europeans, the Hawaiians would ride on the
waves on long, narrow wooden boards. When the first European came to the islands, they were amazed
by these surfing Hawaiians. Since that time, surfing has become a very popular sport on the California
coast and in Australia, among the other place.
If you want to try surfing, you need, first of all, to be a good swimmer. You also have to have an
excellent sense of balance. You must swim out from the beach with your surfboard under your arm.
When you get to where the waves begin to break, you wait for a calm moment. Then you try to stand up
on the board. The wave will begin to rise under you. You must try to steer the board with your feet so
you stay on top of the wave. The important thing is to keep your balance and not fall down. If you can
manage this, you will have an exciting ride all the way in to the shore.
Scuba diving and snorkelling are two ways to get a close look at the beauty lying below the surface
of the ocean. The waters off the Hawaiian Islands are clean, clear and warm. They contain hundreds of
kinds of colourful fish. The undersea world is made even more colourful by the coral reefs of red, gold,
white and light purple. Among these reefs there may be larger fish or sea turtles.
Scuba diving allows you to see the most interesting undersea sights. “Scuba” means “Self-Contained
Underwater Breathing Apparatus”, that is, equipment for breathing and swimming around far under
water. In Hawaii, you can take special courses to learn how to scuba dive. After the courses, you can get
a certificate that will allow you to dive alone. Since it can be dangerous, proper instruction and great
care are always necessary when you are scuba diving.
If you are adventurous, you might try snorkelling instead of scuba diving. Less equipment is needed,
just a face mask, a breathing tube (snorkel) and flippers for your feet. It only takes a few minutes to learn
how to snorkel. Although you cannot dive deep into the water, you can swim with your face below the
surface. Breathing through the tube, you float on the surface, and keep yourself moving with your
flippers. Even from the surface like this, there will be plenty of colour and beauty to see.
After you read the text, answer the questions and complete the statements below!

1. This passage is about… 5. The water around Hawaiian Islands is…

a. water sports around the world. a. often quite cold.
b. surfing. b. full of colourful things to see.
c. tourist activities in Hawaii. c. usually very dark.
d. water sports in Hawaii. d. full of dangerous fish.
2. You can go deep under water when you 6. Scuba diving….
are…. a. is an ancient Hawaiian water sport.
a. snorkelling. b. requires special equipment an
b. scuba diving. training.
c. swimming. c. is the only way to see the fish
d. surfing. underwater.
3. Surfing… d. requires good balance.
a. began as a sport in 1943. 7. Snorkelling…
b. was invented by the native a. requires more expensive
Hawaiians. equipment than scuba diving.
c. requires expensive equipment. b. can be dangerous.
d. is very dangerous. c. is an easy way to see the
4. If you want to try surfing, you… underwater life.
a. need to be a good swimmer. d. was invented in ancient times.
b. should not go out into deep water. 8. In Hawaii,….
c. need to wait for a windy day. a. scuba diving was banned.
d. should go to Australia. b. Europeans introduced surfing.
c. water sports are very dangerous.
d. we can get a certificate after take
the special courses of scuba dive.
 ENGLISH MID TEST D
Global Thinking in the 21st Century
At the end of the 20th century, the world is changing in important ways. Until recently, nations acted
independently. Each country did its business and tried to solve its problems alone. But now, the economy is
worldwide and communications technologies have connected people all over the globe. Many problems are
global, too, and can no longer be solved by individual nations.
Environmental destruction is one of these problems. As the world's population has grown and technology has
developed, the environment has suffered. Some nations have begun to try to stop the pollution and the
environmental destruction. But the environment is global -- the atmosphere, the oceans, and many forms of life
are all connected. Thus, the solutions require global thinking.
The problem of ocean pollution is a good example. All the oceans of the world are connected. Pollution does
not stay where it begins. It spreads out from every river and every harbor and affects bodies of water everywhere.
For centuries, people have used the oceans as a dumping place. Many cities take tons of garbage out to sea
and dump it there. The quantity of garbage that ends up in the water is incredible. Five million plastic containers
are thrown into the world's oceans every day. Aside from plastics, many other dangerous substances are dumped
in oceans. These include human waste and chemicals used in agriculture. And every year, oil tankers accidentally
spill millions of gallons of oil into the sea.
Some people believe that the oceans are so large that chemicals and waste will disappear. However, many
things, such as chemicals and plastics, stay in the water and create problems. They eventually float to shore and
are eaten by tiny sea creatures. Then the larger animals that eat the tiny creatures are poisoned and die. Harbors
and coasts around the world have become unsafe for humans or animals. The world's fish populations are rapidly
shrinking.
Another global pollution problem concerns the atmosphere. Until recently, chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) were
used around the world in manufacturing refrigerators. Scientists discovered that these CFCs were destroying the
ozone layer in the atmosphere. The ozone layer helps protect the earth from the sun's rays. Without this layer,
most forms of life on earth — including humans — probably would not be able to live.
CFCs will soon be completely banned in the United States and in most developed countries. But many other
countries still use CFCs in manufacturing. Among these countries are some of the most populous on earth, such
as India and China. These countries need to change their refrigerator factories to non-CFC processes. But they
may not be able to make this change alone. They will need help from the industrialized countries. This is what
global thinking means working together for solutions.

After you read the text, answer the questions and complete the statements below!
1. This passage is about… a. will solve the problem of ocean
a. air pollution. pollution.
b. old ways of thinking. b. have made the pollution problem
c. global thinking. worse.
d. refrigerator factories in China. c. is a result of global thinking.
2. Until now, most nations followed the principal d. have resulted in more business
that…. opportunities.
a. all countries should share their 6. Nation must learn to think globally because….
problems. a. communication technologies will solve
b. all nations were enemies. our problems.
c. each nation should take care of its own b. large business will spread around the
problems. world.
d. what happens in China affects c. changes in the world require stronger
everyone. nations.
3. According to this passage, many environmental d. that is the only way to solve global
problems…. problems.
a. are caused by global thinking. 7. Chlorofluorocarbons or CFCs are….
b. are caused by old ways of thinking. a. the cause of ocean pollution.
c. are caused by the United States and b. good for environtment.
Japan. c. the results of developed technology.
d. cannot be solved by local laws. d. the factors of ozone destruction.
4. The solution to ocean pollution requires global 8. The world’s fish populations are rapidly shrinking
thinking because… because…
a. no one cares about the ocean. a. of the use of CFCs in India and China.
b. the oceans are so large. b. the harbours and the coasts are not
c. all the world’s oceans are connected. well-organized.
d. more oil is needed in the developing c. of the rise of sea level.
countries. d. the chemicals and waste are eaten by
5. Increasing global population and the the animals and sea creatures
development of technology…