Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Part 4: Write the correct form of each bracketed word in corresponding numbered
boxes. (10 pts)
CHARLES BABBAGE, COMPUTER PIONEER
‘Propose to any Englishman any principle, or any instrument, however admirable it may
be,’ grumbled the inventor Charles Babbage, ‘and you will observe that the whole effort
of the English mind is directed to find a difficulty, a defect, or an impossibility in it.’
Babbage’s dream, back in the 1830s, was for a computer – the Analytical Engine. His
detailed designs (46)_______ (CORPUS) almost every principle of modern computers,
(47)_______ (DISTINCT), for instance, between memory and processor, and recognising
the need to skip and repeat during calculations. The problem was that Babbage was a
century before his time, his ideas unfortunately disregarded as (48)_______ (THINK),
temerarious, non-viable and (49)_______ (BRAIN) because they could not be realised by
mechanical terms. Common sense was not his strong suit. His Analytical Engine would
have been five metres tall and six metres in diameter had it ever been built. His
Difference Engine No. 1, the one big project he did not exactly prove (50)_______
(FRUIT), was a huge calculator of cast iron and brass designed to print (51)_______
(ERR) mathematical tables. The section completed in 1832, now in the Science Museum,
is a(n) (52)_______ (PIECE) of precision engineering, but the full-size engine would
have weighed 15 tonnes and (53)_______ (TAIL) 25,000 individually
machined parts. After ten years, Babbage’s attempts to build it collapsed (54)_______
(MID) accusations and (55)_______ (CRIME), at a cost to the state of £17,500.
C. READING
Part 1: For questions 1–10, read the following passages and decide which answer (A,
B, C or D) best fits each gap. Write your answers (A, B, C, or D) in corresponding
numbered boxes. (10pts)
Urban gum crime
The Mayan tribes of South America would chew chicle, a natural form of rubber, while
the Ancient Greeks (1)_________ the resin of a mastic shrub. In modern Britain, we like
to chew sticks and tablets of manufactured gum – and (2)_________ of the tasteless
sticky residue on the ground.
However, recent legislation in the UK means that used chewing gum is now
(3)__________ as litter and anyone who drops it on the pavement or (4)__________ in
any public place is committing a crime and can be fined. Some areas have council litter
wardens who can (5)________ on-the-spot fines.
A new government campaign (6)_______ the extent of the problem and aims to
(7)________ awareness about this anti-social habit, for instance with posters in shopping
areas.
Throughout the UK, councils spend 150 million pounds a year (8)_______ chewing gum
from the streets, and 4 million of that is in London alone. Indirectly, this is (9)________
taxpayers’ money. (10)_______ is the main removal method, but use is also made of
chemical sprays, freezing, pressurized water and steam.
1. A. favoured B. approved C. commended D. indulged
2. A. discard B. dispose C. dispense D. disperse
3. A. ranked B. classified C. systematised D. codified
4. A. at any rate B. anyway C. even so D. indeed
5. A. fix B. compel C. impose D. prescribe
6. A. features B. declares C. focuses D. highlights
7. A. make B. provoke C. grow D. heighten
8. A. erasing B. spraying C. removing D. washing
9. A. no doubt B. for sure C. of course D. within reason
10. A. Scraping B. Clawing C. Scratching D. Rubbing
Part 2: Read the text below and think of one word which best fits each space. Use
only ONE WORD for each space. Write your answers in the corresponding
numbered boxes. (10 pts)
The Rosetta Stone
For centuries Egyptian hieroglyphics represented one of the world’s greatest linguistic
challenges. They (1)......................... scholars baffled until they were finally deciphered in
the nineteenth century, (2) ........................ to the discovery of the Rosetta Stone.
In the year 1799 some French soldiers found a slab of black basalt (3) .......................
working on a fortress near the small town of Rosetta. One officer, Pierre Francois
Bouchard, realised they had stumbled (4) ........................ a finding of great significance
and handed it over to scholars.
The Rosetta Stone has inscriptions in two languages, Egyptian and Greek, (5)
........................ there are, in fact, three scripts carved on it. The (6) ........................ script
is hieroglyphics, a pictorial form of writing used (7) ........................ transcribe the
language of Ancient Egypt, and which (8) ........................ be found on many Egyptian
buildings and monuments. The hieroglyphics are followed by Demotic, (9) .......................
Egyptian script. The third script is Ancient Greek, and it was (10) ................... that alerted
Bouchard, who recognised it, to the importance of the discovery.
Part 3: Read the following passage and choose the best answer (A, B, C or D)
according to the text. Write your answers (A, B, C or D) in the corresponding
numbered boxes (15pts).
Until recently, most American entrepreneurs were men. Discrimination against women in
business, the demands of caring for families, and lack of business training had kept the
number of women entrepreneurs small. Now, however, businesses owned by women
account for more than $40 billion in annual revenues, and this figure is likely to continue
rising throughout the 1990s. As Carolyn Doppelt Gray, an official of the Small Business
Administration, has noted, "The 1970s was the decade of women entering management,
and the 1980s turned out to be the decade of the woman entrepreneur". What are some of
the factors behind this trend? For one thing, as more women earn advanced degrees in
business and enter the corporate world, they are finding obstacles. Women are still
excluded from most executive suites. Charlotte Taylor, a management consultant, had
noted, "In the 1970s women believed if they got an MBA and worked hard they could
become chairman of the board. Now they've found out that isn't going to happen, so they
go out on their own".
In the past, most women entrepreneurs worked in "women's" fields: cosmetics and
clothing, for example. But this is changing. Consider ASK Computer Systems, a $22-
million-a-year computer software business. It was founded in 1973 by Sandra Kurtzig,
who was then a housewife with degrees in math and engineering. When Kurtzig founded
the business, her first product was software that let weekly newspapers keep tabs on
their newspaper carriers-and her office was a bedroom at home, with a shoebox under
the bed to hold the company's cash. After she succeeded with the newspaper software
system, she hired several bright computer-science graduates to develop additional
programs. When these were marketed and sold, ASK began to grow. It now has 200
employees, and Sandra Kurtzig owns $66.9 million of stock.
Of course, many women who start their own businesses fail, just as men often do. They
still face hurdles in the business world, especially problems in raising money; the
banking and finance world is still dominated by men, and old attitudes die hard. Most
businesses owned by women are still quite small. But the situation is changing; there are
likely to be many more Sandra Kurtzigs in the years ahead.
1. What is the main idea of this passage?
A. Women today are better educated than in the past, making them more attractive to the
business world.
B. The computer is especially lucrative for women today.
C. Women are better at small businesses than men are.
D. Women today are opening more businesses of their own.
2. The word "excluded" in line 13 is closest in meaning to
A. not permitted in
B. often invited to
C. decorators of
D. charged admission to
3. All of the following were mentioned in the passage as detriments to women in the
business world EXCEPT
A. women were required to stay at home with their families
B. women lacked ability to work in business
C. women faced discrimination in business
D. women were not trained in business
4. In line 17, "that" refers to
A. a woman becomes chairman of the board
B. women working hard
C. women achieving advanced degrees
D. women believing that business is a place for them
5. According to the passage, Charlotte Taylor believes that women in the 1970s
A. were unrealistic about their opportunities in business management
B. were still more interested in education than business opportunities
C. had fewer obstacles in business than they do today
D. were unable to work hard enough to succeed in business
6. The author mentions the "shoebox under the bed" in the third paragraph in order to
A. show the frugality of women in business
B. show the resourcefulness of Sandra Kurtzig
C. point out that initially the financial resources of Sandra Kurtzig's business were
limited
D. suggest that the company needed to expand
7. The expression "keep tabs on" in line 24-25 is closest in meaning to
A. recognize the appearance of
B. keep records of
C. provide transportation for
D. pay the salaries of
8. The word "hurdles" in line 33 can be best replaced by
A. fences
B. obstacles
C. questions
D. small groups
9. It can be inferred from the passage that the author believes that businesses operated by
women are small because
A. women prefer a small intimate setting
B. women can't deal with money
C. women are not able to borrow money easily
D. many women fail at large businesses
10. The author's attitude about the future of women in business is
A. skeptical
B. optimistic
C. frustrated
D. negative
Part 4: Read the following passage and do the tasks that follows. Write your answer
in the space provided. (15 pts)
A. A constellation is a group of stars which when viewed collectively appear to have a
physical proximity’ in the sky. Constellation boundaries and definitions as used today in
Western culture, and as defined by the International Astronomical Union (IAU), were
formalised in 1930 by Eugene Delporte. There are 88 official constellations as recognised
by the IAU, those visible in the northern hemisphere being based upon those established
by the ancient Greeks, the constellations of the southern hemisphere – since invisible to
the Greeks due to geographical location – were not defined until later in the early modem
era.
B. Arguably, the twelve constellations through which the sun passes – as used to
represent the signs of the zodiac to define birth characteristics – are the most culturally
significant and well known of those established by the ancient Greeks. Cultural
differences in Interpretation and definition of star constellations mainly relate to these
zodiac interpretations, Chinese constellations, for example, which are different to those
defined in the western world due to the independent development of ancient Chinese
astronomy, includes 28 ‘Xiu’ or ‘mansions’ instead of the 12 western zodiac
counterparts. In Hindu/Vedic astronomy, in which constellations are known as ‘rashis’,
12 rashi corresponding directly to the twelve western star signs are acknowledged; these
are however, divided again into 27 ‘Nakshatras’ or ’lunar houses’. Many cultures have an
intricate mythology behind the stars and their constellations. In Greek mythology, for
example Pegasus, the winged horse, is said to have sprung from the decapitated head of
Medusa, and later was used by the God King Zeus to carry thunder and lightning to
Earth, before being put into a constellation.
C. In Western astronomy, all modern constellation names derive from Latin, some stars
within the constellations are named using the genitive form of the Latin word by using
the usual rules of Latin grammar. For example, the zodiac sign for the Fish constellation
Pisces relates to Piscium. In addition, all constellation names have a standard three-letter
abbreviation as assigned by the IAU, under which, for example, Pisces becomes PSC.
D. Some star patterns often wrongly considered constellations by laymen are actually
‘asterisms’ – a group of stars that appear to form patterns in the sky -and are not in fact
one of the 88 officially divided areas truly defined as a constellation. A famous example
of an asterism oft mistaken for a constellation is the Big Dipper’ (as it is termed in North
America) or the ‘Plough’ as it is known in the UK. In astronomical terms, this famous
star formation is in fact considered only part of the larger constellation known as Ursa
Major.
E. In order to identify the position of stars relative to the Earth, there are a number of
different celestial coordinate systems that cart provide a detailed reference point in space.
There are many different systems, all of which are largely similar with the exception of a
difference in the position of the fundamental plane – the division between northern and
southern hemispheres. The five most common celestial systems are the Horizontal
system, the Equatorial system, the Ecliptical system, the Galactic system and the
Supergalactic system.
F. The launch of the Hubble space telescope in April 1990 changed the way that
astronomers saw the universe, providing detailed digital images of constellations, planets
and gas- clouds that had never been seen before. Compared to ground-based telescopes,
Hubble is not particularly large. With a primary mirror diameter of 2.4 meters (94.5
inches). Hubble would be considered a medium-size telescope on the ground. However,
the combination of its precision optics, state-of-the-art instrumentation, and
unprecedented pointing stability and control, allows Hubble to more than make up for its
lack of size, giving it a range of well over 12 billion light years.
G. The telescope’s location above the Earth’s atmosphere also has a number of
significant advantages over land based telescopes. The atmosphere bends light due to a
phenomenon known as diffraction (this is what causes starlight to appear to twinkle and
leads to the often blurred images seen through ground-based telescopes). The Hubble
Space Telescope can also observe infrared light that would otherwise be blocked by the
atmosphere as the wavelength (distance between successive wave crests) of ultraviolet
light is shorter than that of visible light.
H. Despite early setbacks – one of the reflective mirrors had to be replaced after finding
that it had been ground incorrectly and did not produce the images expected – the
telescope has reignited interest in space amongst the general public – a requirement,
given that taxpayer funding paid for the research, deployment and maintenance of the
telescope.
Questions 1-5. Choose the correct heading for paragraphs A-F from the list of headings
below.
List of Headings
i. Different methods of locating and identifying
ii. A better view of the constellations
iii. Technological advances in research and development
iv. Atmospheric weaknesses of telescopes in orbit
v. Different interpretations of star groupings
vi. Common misconceptions
vii. Bypassing terrestrial limitations
viii. Renewed interest in the stars
ix. Ethnic differences in celestial mapping
x. Formal marking of constellations
xi. Universal myths of constellations
xii. Historical and modern reference
1. Paragraph A
2. Paragraph B
3. Paragraph C
4. Paragraph D
5. Paragraph F
Questions 6-10. Complete the summary below using NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS.
Despite an initial flaw in a 6_______________, the Hubble space telescope is superior to
telescopes on land as it can identify 7_________________ which would not normally
reach the Earth’s surface. This is all the more impressive given that Hubble is only
classified as a 8______________ telescope. Being above the atmosphere, it also has the
advantages of not being affected by 9 _____________, which would otherwise lead to 10
______________ images.
Part 5: Read the text below and answer questions (10pts).
Creole Language in Jamaica
A. Language in Jamaica today reflects the history of the country’s interaction with a
variety of cultures and languages from many ethnic, linguistic, and social
backgrounds. Aside from the Arawaks, the original inhabitants of Jamaica, all its
people were exiles or children of exiles. Over 90 of the 2.5 million people living in
Jamaica today are descendants of slaves brought from western Africa by the
British. The local Jamaican language is a reflection of a history of contact with a
variety of speakers, but the official language remains Standard English. The most
influential speakers were immigrants from Africa and Europe. Kwa, Manding, and
Kru are amongst the variety of prominent African languages apparent in Jamaican
history. Early Modern English was brought to the Caribbean by sailors, soldiers,
indentured servants, convicts, and lower-class settlers in the form of regional and
non-standard dialects.
B. Today the Jamaican creole language, called Jamaican Patois, falls at one extreme
of the linguistic spectrum while Standard English lies at the other end of the
spectrum. The majority of the population speaks a language which falls in between
the two. At one end there is the educated model spoken by the elite, which follows
the “London Standard”. At the other extreme is what linguists call “creolized’
English, fragmented English speech and syntax with African influences developed
during the days of slavery. This is the speech of the peasant or laborer with little
education. In the middle of the language scale there is the inclusion of Jamaican
rhythm and intonation of words, which evolved within the country, as well as the
presence of other uniquely Jamaican traits including retention in common speech
of English words now rare or poetic as well as new formations such as alterations
of existing words.
C. Jamaican history and the formation of Patois are based on the experience of exile.
In the early 16th century Spanish settlement began in Jamaica with the Arawaks as
their first slave labour force. Within 100 years very few Arawaks survived due to a
deadly epidemic. The only evidence of the Arawak dialect in Jamaica today is a
few loan words, place names, foods, natural objects, and events. Xaymaca is
actually an Arawak word meaning ‘island of springs”, which is where the name
Jamaica is derived from. It is possible that the first contact of the Arawaks and the
Spaniards may have led to an early pidgin or bilingualism among the first
generation of mixed blood. Age in Jamaica have led to an early pidgin or
bilingualism among the first generation of mixed blood. Throughout Spanish rule,
the Arawaks had contact with Spanish colonists, Portuguese, Amerindians brought
in as slaves from other parts of the Caribbean, and West Africans. Then, in 1655,
the English attacked the Spanish colony bringing with them new influences.
Arriving with the invaders were soldiers recruited from England, Barbados, and
Montserrat; settlers from Surinam, Barbados, Bermuda, New England, and
Virginia; Jews from Brazil; indentured servants from Bristol; midland and
northern lower-class English speakers; convicts from large prisons in England;
Romany speakers; and a variety of African speakers. The birth of population
centers, such as Port Royal, Passage Fort, and Kingston. Served as a mixing pot of
many different speakers.
D. Today linguists agree that East Indians, Spanish, and Arawaks have contributed a
little vocabulary to the Jamaican dialect, but the majority of non-English terms,
grammar and phonology is African. Africans came to acquire forms of English
because of the domination of the English dialects of their plantation-owning
masters. The heyday of sugar. Between 1700-1834. Is the period thought to be
most responsible for the forming of Patois? At this time, increasing numbers of
Africans were imported to work on the Large plantations. By the end of the
century Africans made up a quarter of the slave population and Creole took
precedence over the African past. Increases in written records of Jamaican Creole
were seen at the time of the abolitionist movement from 1770 to 1838, but English
continued to influence Jamaican Creole in the form of biblical and prayer-book
language.
E. The perception that English-lexicon Creole languages are a form of “bad English”
still persists today in Jamaica. Jamaican Patois continues to be considered an
unacceptable official language and an informal language not to be used for any
formal purpose. Creole speakers are often compared to those speakers of Standard
English. The similarity of Creole to English has led Creole speakers to be labelled
as socially and linguistically inferior, although Jamaica Creole is increasingly
showing up in newspapers once known for their old-fashioned Standard English,
on the radio, and in songs. Indeed, in the past 30 or 40 years linguists have final
begun to recognize Creole as a language in itself.
D. WRITING
Part 1
Write an essay of about 300-350 words expressing your opinion on the following topic:
Should young people be encouraged to start up?
- The end -