SUNDAY 2021 – Number 181

LISTENING
Questions 31-40 Write ONE WORD ONLY for each answer
Effects of urban environments on animals
Introduction
Recent urban developments represent massive environmental changes. It was
previously thought that only a few animals were suitable for city life, e.g.
 The 31………………… - because of its general adaptability.
 The pigeon – because walls of city buildings are similar to 32…………………
In fact, many urban animals are adapting with unusual 33…………………
Recent research
 Emilie Snell-Rood studied small urbanized mammal specimens from museums in
Minnesota.
o She found the size of their 34…………………had increased
o She suggests this may be due to the need to locate new sources of 35…….
and to deal with new dangers
 Catarina Miranda focused on the 36………………of urban and rural blackbirds.
o She found urban birds were often braver, but were afraid of situations that
were 37…………………
 Jonathan Atwell studies how animals respond to urban environments.
o He found that some animals respond to 38…………………by producing
lower levels of hormones.
 Sarah Partan’s team found urban squirrels use their 39…………………to help
them communicate.
Long-term possibilities
Species of animals may develop which are unique to cities. However, some changes
may not be 40…………………

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GRAMMAR
1. Find the word which has a different sound in the part underlined
1 A paranoia B papist C saffron D travail
2 A blubber B blurt C crustacean D crud
3 A whorl B halitosis C mezzo D mobile
4 A phlebitis B wily C whine D philately
5 A exist B exaggerate C anxiety D complexion
6 A chad B chaff C chalet D challis
7 A favour B devour C flavour D savour
8 A stingy B serge C paraplegia D wigwam
9 A lurch B murder C murky D purvey
10 A fascism B fascination C incandescent D descendant

2. Find the word whose stress pattern is different from the others
1 A conference B cannonball C nostalgia D biosphere
2 A disposable B diabetes C democratic D diagnosis
3 A multimedia B opportunity C archeologist D exclamatory
4 A backpacking B pollutant C digital D challenging
5 A goldfish B harpoon C canyon D clockwise

3. Choose the correct answer

3.1. Cuc Phuong National Park is home …varied tropical fauna.
A for B to C of D by
3.2. She’s decided to …her Garman by attending an evening course.
A brush up B patch up C polish off D dust off
3.3. If you don’t stop smoking, you …this risk of developing chronic bronchitis.
A bear B suffer C make D run
3.4. I think you’ll find that the inconvenience of the diet is …by the benefits.
A outranked B overthrown C overbalanced D outweighed
3.5. He was so …in answer to my questions that I knew he had something to hide.
A effusive B elusive C allusive D evasive
3.6. Giving up smoking is just one of the ways to …heart disease.

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A push off B put off C ward off D throw off

3.7. I’ve got such a …headache that I can’t concentrate on the lecture.
A beating B drumming C hammering D throbbing
3.8. The tent was very complicated to erect but simple enough to …
A dismantle B dismount C disconnect D disclose
3.9. His football career …to an abrupt halt after he was injured.
A went B came C brought D dropped
3.10. We caught a momentary …of Prince Charles as his car drove past
A glance B glimpse C peep D view
3.11. ‘What does your new English teacher look like?’ - ‘…’
A She has taught English for 5 years C I like her very much
B I am sure you will like her D She is slim with long black hair
3.12. ‘Would you mind letting me use your bicycle for a little while?’ – ‘…’
A Never mind B You are welcome C Not at all D Thank you so much
3.13. ‘I need some help with this table . …you lift the other end, please?’
A Shall B May C Could D Should
3.14. ‘Would you like to meet Mrs. Hana?’ – ‘…’
A I’m afraid B I’d love to C I’ll wait D I’m thinking
3.15. ‘I have left a cookie on the table, but now it’s gone. What happened to it?’
‘I don’t know. One of the children …it.’
A may have eaten B should have eaten C had to eat D could eat

4. Find mistakes and correct them

4.1. Those three men (A) were arrested because they suspected (B) of being (C) poachers
(D) at Nam Cat Tien National Park.
4.2. The goalkeeper is the only player (A) allowed (B) to touch the ball with the hands
while (C) the ball is in playing (D).
4.3. That novel is definitely (A) a dense packed (B) narrative, but one which requires (C)
a vast knowledge of cultural background or an (D) excellent encyclopedia.

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4.4. The doctor suggested that he lay (A) in bed (B) for several (C) days as a precaution
against further damage (D) to the tendons.
4.5. That (A) these students have improved (B) their grades because of their (C)
participation (D) in the test review class.
4.6. The professor is (A) thinking to go (B) to the conference on aerodynamics (C) next
month. (D)
4.7. His father does not (A) approve of him to go (B) to the banquet without dressing
(C) formally (D).
4.8. If it had not been (A) for the computerized register tape from the grocery (B) store
I never (C) would have been able to figure on (D) expenditures.
4.9. Our new office building will be located (A) downtown in the corner (B) of (C) Euclid
Avenue and (D) East Ninth Street.
4.10. The coach was depending for (A) his team to win (B) the game so that (C) they
would have a chance to play in the Super Bowl (D).
4.11. Many (A) of the population in the rural areas (B) is composed of (C) manual laborers
(D)
4.12. The (A) Department of Foreign Languages are (B) not located in (C) the new
building opposite (D) the old one.

5. Choose the correct answer

Today the most important population trends are the fast growth in the number of
elderly people and the sharp drop in the number of teenagers leaving school. The size
of the elderly population is (33)…because people are living longer and fewer babies
have been born.
In 1911, only 5 percent of the UK population was older than 65. Today, the figure
is more than 15 percent. Over the next decade the greatest (34)…will be in people aged
75 and over. The drop in the number of school-leavers was caused by the fall in the
birth rate between 1964 and 1977. This trend is known as the ‘demographic time bomb’

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– because demographers knew that, once the birth rate fell, there was (35)…way to stop
it having an explosive effect on the economy and on society 16 years later.
However, the impact may (36)…be short-term. According to some forecasters the
UK’s birth rate may soon become one of the highest in western Europe. Companies
have to take into account the age of the population when they are recruiting staff.
In Britain and most of Europe, the birth rate fell between the early 1960s and the
mid 1970s. That (37)…that, by the second half of the 1980s, the number of teenagers
leaving school and looking for jobs each year fell sharply.
In 1986, there were 6.2 million people aged between 16 and 24 in the labour force.
By the turn of the century, this is likely to (38)…fallen to 4.9 million. That means that
companies who generally recruited many of their staff straight from school have had to
think of other ways of attracting workers.
At the other end of the age scale is the significant increase in the number of elderly
people in the population. Over the (39)…ten years, several companies have grown up
which specialize in building ‘sheltered accommodation’ for elderly people. Groups of
houses or flats where there is an warden on (40)…to give help. In the 1970s, these
companies were virtually unknown. They have come into being because of
demographic change
33 A growing B falling C decreasing D raising
34 A decrease B number C amount D increase
35 A some B another C none D no
36 A far B much C most D well
37 A explained B concluded C meant D defined
38 A be B seem C have D become
39 A last B previous C recent D near
40 A guide B duty C security D protection

6. Think ONE word which can be used appropriately in all three sentences

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1 I’ll never let you get away with it. You can be sure one day you’ll……………for all
your crooked ways.
Where are your manners? Don’t ……………me back, you rude boy.
Call you ……………the door? I’m having a shower.
2 In small villages news travels fast. It is spread by word of ……………
The refugee camp was built near the ……………of the reiver to make relief work more
efficient.
The bad smell that was coming from his ……………put off all the girls in our class
3 With the arrival of the storm, almost all the telephone lines went ……………, which
caused even more problems for the rescue teams
They all agreed that the plan was a……………duck and chose to abandon it
The patient was pronounced ……………on arrival. The funeral was scheduled two days
later
4 The house on the outskirts of the town was in a sorry …………… It desperately neded
renovating.
For years the two neighboring countries were in a ……………of war.
Those who came to the airport were able to see a few heads of ……………coming out
of the plane to the accompaniment of the orchestra.
5 When in the pub, Frank usually ……………up attractive girls sitting at the tables which
makes his wife see red
I’m sorry I’m so busy at the moment. I’m up to my ……………in work.
You’ve got to be very careful doing business with that Russian. He’s a bit fishy. I advise
you to have ……………in the back of your head.

7. Choose the correct answer

Dr. Seuss
Theodor Seuss Geisel, better (0)…as ‘Dr. Seuss’, began writing for children
(1)…by chance. During a long sea voyage in 1936, Seuss amused himself by
(2)…together a nonsense poem to the rhythm of the ship’s engine. Later he illustrated

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the rhyme and published it as And to think that I saw it on Mulberry Street. Many critics
(3)…it as Seuss’ best work.
A later book, McElligot’s Pool, (4)…the first appearance of Seuss’ famous fantasy
characters, and Horton Hatches the Egg introduces an (5)…of morality. Seuss’ reputation
as a major children’s writer was sealed with the publication of The Cat in the Hat. This
book uses easy-to-read words to tell the story of two children alone at home on a rainy
day. A cat wearing a tall hat arrives to entertain them, wrecking their house in (6)… The
enthusiastic (7)…of this book delighted Seuss and (8)…him to found Beginner Books, a
publishing company specializing in easy-to-read books for children. Some of his books
have been made into cartoons and one of them, How the Grinch Stole Christmas, was
also made into an ingenious and (9)…successful feature film starring Jim Carrey.
At one point in his career, Seuss (10)…gave up writing for children and (11)…his
talents to making documentary films. One of these (12)…a great deal of attention and
won an Academy Award.
0 A known B identified C recognized D acknowledged
1 A fully B quite C extremely D fairly
2 A placing B laying C putting D setting
3 A look beyond B look upon C look through D look towards
4 A indicates B shows C means D marks
5 A amount B ingredient C element D item
6 A practice B method C process D action
7 A reception B welcome C greeting D admission
8 A guided B led C told D pointed
9 A highly B intensively C strongly D widely
10 A shortly B momentarily C temporarily D presently
11 A assigned B allocated C donated D devoted
12 A called B attracted C engaged D pulled

8. Fill in each blank with a suitable word

The British are widely (1) _____ to be a very polite nation, and in (2)______
respects this is true. An Italian journalist once commented of the British that they need
(3) _____ fewer than four “thank you” merely to buy a bus ticket. The first, from the
bus conductor means, “I’m here.” The second accompanies the handing over of the

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money. The third, again from the conductor, (4) ____ “Here is your ticket.”, and then
the passenger utters a final one as he accepts the tickets. Such transactions in most (5)
____ parts of the world are usually conducted in total silence. In sharp contrast to this
excessive politeness with strangers, the British are strangely lacking (6) _____ ritual
phrases for social interaction. The exhortation “Good appetite”, uttered in so (7) ______
other languages to fellow-diners before a meal, does not exist in English. The nearest
equivalent – Enjoy your dinner! – is said only by people who will not be partaking of
the meal in question. What’s more, the British (8) ____ happiness to their friends or
acquaintances only at the start of a new year and at (9)_____ such as birthdays, (10)
_____ the Greeks routinely wish all and sundry a “good week” or a “good month”.

9. Fill in each blank with the suitable form of the word in brackets
For all of us, close personal friends are important. Good friends are above all (1-
rely)………………people who can trust to keep a secret. If you have a problem to solve,
or a (2-confess)………………to make, they will listen and give you (3-help)…………
advice.
Their (4-generous)………………is such, that they do not expect anything in return,
but they know with (5-certain)………………that you would do the same for them.
Close friends are (6-like)………………ever to let you down or make you feel (7-
ridicule)………………when you tell them about your problems. On the contrary, they
are a real source of (8-strong)………………when you feel weak and in need of support.
They will tell you (9-sincere)………………what they think, and help you find your
way out. As a result, your (10-friend)………………will grow even stronger.

10. Complete the second sentence so that it has a similar meaning to the first one,
using the word given. Do not change the word given. You must use between three
and six words
10.1. Flooding after a heavy storm was responsible for the damage to the bridge (cause)

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The damage to the bridge …………………………………………………after a

heavy storm.
10.2. When we arrive isn’t really important, as long as we get there. (matter)
It really ………………………………………..time we arrive, as long as we get there.
10.3. I want to buy a car but, without your financial help, I’ll be unable to do it. (able)
I want to buy a car but I won’t ………………………………………………..you help
me financially.
10.4. It was impossible to predict all the problems that we faced when we built our
own house (predicted)
Nobody could …………………………………….face so many problems when we
built our own house.
10.5. Gail wished she had followed David’s suggestions about preparing for the
interview. (doing)
Gail regretted ………………………………………………. about preparing for the
interview
10.6. After a sleepless night, Marta finally decided that she wouldn’t accept the job
she had been offered. (mind)
After a sleepless night, Marta finally …………………………………………..accept
for the job she had been offered.
10.7. Although Joe kept on attempting to contact his cousin, he didn’t manage to
speak to her until the next day. (touch)
Despite repeated …………………………...…………………..his cousin, Joe didn’t
manage to speak to her until the next day.
10.8. The huge traffic ham on the motorway delayed us for several hours. (held)
The huge traffic jam on the motorway .………………………….………………….for
several hours.

11. Choose the correct answer

11.1. Nathalie seems very tough at work. She’s a different person at home, …

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A though B although C as though D even though

11.2. I kept out of the conversation because it …me.
A wasn’t concerned B wasn’t concerning C didn’t concern D didn’t concern to
11.3. The entire city was … electricity last night – it was chaotic.
A no B almost no C hardly any D without
11.4. Henry was overweight, so he went on a strict diet and …twenty kilos.
A missed B lost C failed D fell
11.5. He was arrested because he answered to the description of the …man.
A searched B pursued C wanted D hunted
11.6. Humanity has done great damage to the environment in its search for…
materials.
A live B raw C crude D rude
11.7. …, the balcony chairs will be ruined in this weather.
A Leaving uncovered C Left uncovered
B Having left uncovered D Been left uncovered
11.8. One way to let off …after a stressful day is to take some vigorous exercise.
A cloud B tension C steam D sweat
11.9. Their research into the causes of cancer promises to break the new … in the
field and possibly lead to a cure.
A earth B ground C soil D land
11.10. After three days in the desert, his mind began to play …on him.
A games B jokes C tricks D fun
11.11. The match will be screened on ITV with …commentary by Any Gray.
A lively B live C alive D living
11.12. I know you didn’t want to upset me but I’d sooner you …me the whole truth
yesterday.
A could have told B told C have told D had told
11.13. As the drug took …, the patient became quieter.
A effect B force C influence D action
11.14. The dawn redwood appears …some 100 million years ago in northern forests
around the world.
A was flourished B having to flourish C to have flourished D have flourished
11.15. His comments …little or no relation to the facts and the figures of the case.
A reflect B beat C give D possess
11.16. All …is a continuous supply of the basic necessities of life.
A what is needed B four our needs C the thing needed D that is needed
11.17. It is urgent that this letter …immediately.

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A was posted B posted C be posted D be post

11.18. John: This grammar test is the hardest one we’ve ever had this semester!
Mary: …but I think it’s quite easy.
A I couldn’t agree more C You’re wrong
B I understand what you’re saying D I don’t see in that way
11.19. It is only recently that ballets have been based on the themes … American life.
A reflecting B reflects C is reflecting D reflected
11.20. I wish you’d do the accounts. I don’t have …for numbers.
A a head B a mind C the heart D the nerve

READING
Question 14-17 Reading passage has seven sections, A-G. Which paragraph
contains the following information. Write the correct letter, A-G, next to the statements
14 Examples of different ways in which the parallax principle has been applied
15 A description of an event which prevented a transit observation
16 A statement about potential future discoveries leading on from transit observations
17 A description of physical states connected with Venus which early astronomical
instruments failed to overcome.

Question 18-21 Look at the following statements (18-21) and the list of people
below. Match each statement with the correct person.
18 He calculated the distance of the Sun from the Earth based on A Edmond Halley
observations of Venus with a fair degree of accuracy
19 He understood that the distance of the Sun from the Earth could B Johannes Kepler
be worked out by comparing observations of a transit
20 He realized that the time taken by a planet to go round the Sun C Guillaume Le Gentil
depends on its distance from the Sun
21 He witnessed a Venus transit but was unable to make any D Johann Franz Encke
calculations

Question 22-26 True/ False/ Not given

22 Halley observed one transit of the planet Venus

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23 Le Gentil managed to observe a second Venus transit

24 The shape of Venus appeared distorted when it starts to pass in front of the Sun
25 Early astronomers suspected that the atmosphere on Venus was toxic
26 The parallax principle allows astronomers to work out how far away distant stars are from
the Earth.

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Venus in transit
June 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
A On 8 June 2004, more than half the population of the world were treated to a rare
astronomical event. For over six hours, the planet Venus steadily inched its way over the
surface of the Sun. This ‘transit’ of Venus was the first since 6 December 1882. On that
occasion, the American astronomer Professor Simon Newcomb led a party to South Africa
to observe the event. They were based at a girls’ school, where - it is alleged - the combined
forces of three schoolmistresses outperformed the professionals with the accuracy of their
observations.
B For centuries, transits of Venus have drawn explorers and astronomers alike to the
four corners of the globe. And you can put it all down to the extraordinary polymath
Edmond Halley. In November 1677, Halley observed a transit of the innermost planet,
Mercury, from the desolate island of St Helena in the South Pacific. He realised that, from
different latitudes, the passage of the planet across the Sun’s disc would appear to differ.
By timing the transit from two widely separated locations, teams of astronomers could
calculate the parallax angle – the apparent difference in position of an astronomical body
due to a difference in the observer’s position. Calculating this angle would allow
astronomers to measure what was then the ultimate goal: the distance of the Earth from
the Sun. This distance is known as the astronomical unit’ or AU.
C Halley was aware that the AU was one of the most fundamental of all astronomical
measurements. Johannes Kepler, in the early 17th century, had shown that the distances of
the planets from the Sun governed their orbital speeds, which were easily measurable. But
no-one had found a way to calculate accurate distances to the planets from the Earth. The
goal was to measure the AU; then, knowing the orbital 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. 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, are rare, occurring in
pairs roughly eight years apart every hundred or so years. Nevertheless, he accurately
predicted that Venus would cross the face of the Sun in both 1761 and 1769 - though he
didn’t survive to see either.

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D Inspired by Halley’s suggestion of a way to pin down the scale of the Solar
System, teams of British and French astronomers set out on expeditions to places as
diverse as India and Siberia. But things weren’t helped by Britain and France being at war.
The person who deserves most sympathy is the French astronomer Guillaume Le Gentil.
He was thwarted by the fact that the British were besieging his observation site at
Pondicherry in India. Fleeing on a French warship crossing the Indian Ocean, Le Gentil
saw a wonderful transit - but the ship’s pitching and rolling ruled out any attempt at making
accurate observations. Undaunted, he remained south of the equator, keeping himself busy
by studying the islands of Mauritius and Madagascar before setting off to observe the next
transit in the Philippines. Ironically after travelling nearly 50,000 kilometres, his view was
clouded out at the last moment, a very dispiriting experience.
E While the early transit timings were as precise as instruments would allow, the
measurements were dogged by the ‘black drop’ effect. When Venus begins to cross the
Sun’s disc, it looks smeared not circular - which makes it difficult to establish timings.
This is due to diffraction of light. The second problem is that Venus exhibits a halo of light
when it is seen just outside the Sun’s disc. While this showed astronomers that Venus was
surrounded by a thick layer of gases refracting sunlight around it, both effects made it
impossible to obtain accurate timings.
F But astronomers laboured hard to analyse the results of these expeditions to
observe Venus transits. Johann Franz Encke, Director of the Berlin Observatory, finally
determined a value for the AU based on all these parallax measurements: 153,340,000 km.
Reasonably accurate for the time, that is quite close to today’s value of 149,597,870 km,
determined by radar, which has now superseded transits and all other methods in accuracy.
The AU is a cosmic measuring rod, and the basis of how we scale the Universe today. The
parallax principle can be extended to measure the distances to the stars. If we look at a star
in January - when Earth is at one point in 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 June 2004’s transit of Venus was thus more of an astronomical spectacle than a
scientifically important event. But such transits have paved the way for what might prove
to be one of the most vital breakthroughs in the cosmos – detecting Earth-sized planets
orbiting other stars.

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