GCSC-English 12 Practice Test 12

PRACTICE TEST 12
Mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to indicate the word that differs from the rest in the
position of the main stress in each of the following questions
Question 1: A. cover B. university C. prefer D. verbal
Question 2: A. noticed B. pronounced C. released D. used
Mark A,B,C or D to indicate the word whose main stress differs from the rest
Question 3: A. application B. compulsory C. inhabitant D. certificate
Question 4: A. enlarge B. struggle C. occur D. survive
Identify the underlined word or phrase that must be changed in order for the sentence to be corrected
Question 5: Wood is an excellent resource for heating homes, cooking food, and build
houses. A. an excellent B. for C. homes D. build
Question 6: As a child grows on, its physical health is affected by many elements in the air, water
and food A. by B. on C. is affected D. many elements
Question 7: The assumption that smoking has bad effects on our health have been proved.
A. effects B. that C. on D. have been proved
Mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to indicate the most suitable response to complete
each of the following questions
Question 8: Lucy: “You look really nice in that red sweater!” Sue : “_______”
A. Don’t mention it. B. How dare you? C. I’m afraid so. D. Thank you.
Question 9: “How do you like your steak done?” _ "__________”
A. Very much B. Well done C. I don’t like it D. Very little
Mark the letter A, B, C or D on your answer sheet to indicate the word(s) SIMILAR in meaning to the
underlined word(s) in each of the following questions
Question 10: I hope to have the privilege of working with them again.
A. right B. advantage C. honor D. favor
Question 11: Edwards seems like a dog with two tails this morning. Haven’t you heard the news? His
wife gave birth to a baby early this morning.
A. exhausted B. very proud C. extremely pleased D. extremely dazed
Mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to indicate the word or phrase that is OPPOSITE
meaning to the underlined part in each of the following questions
Question 12: She was unhappy that she lost contact with a lot of her old friends when she went abroad
to study.
A. put in charge of B. made room for C. lost control of D. got in touch with
Question 13: This shouldn’t be too taxing for you.
A. relaxing B. easy C. demanding D. comfortable
Mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to indicate the sentence that is closest in meaning to
each of the following questions
Question 14: Sam speaks Chinese well and his Japanese is good, too.
A. Sam not only speaks Chinese well but also is good at Japanese.
B. Sam is good at either Chinese or Japanese.
C. Not only Chinese but also Japanese Sam is good at.
D. Not only does Sam speak Chinese but also Japanese.
Question 15: I‘m sure Luisa was very disappointed when she failed the exam.
A. Luisa must be very disappointed when she failed the exam.
B. Luisa could have been very disappointed when she failed the exam.
C. Luisa may be very disappointed when she failed the exam.
D. Luisa must have been very disappointed when she failed the exam.
Question 16: When you practice regularly, you will become more skillful.
A. Without regular practice, you will not become more skillful.
B. Without regular practice, you would not become more skillful.
C. Without regular practice, you would not have become more skillful.
D. Thanks to regular practice, you would not become more skillful.
Mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to indicate the sentence that best combines
each pair of sentences in the following questions
Question 17: The agreement ended a six-month negotiation. It was signed yesterday

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A. The negotiation which lasted six months was signed yesterday.
B. The agreement which was signed yesterday lasted six months.
C. The agreement which was signed yesterday ended a six-month negotiation.
D. The agreement which ends a six-month negotiation was signed yesterday.
Question 18: Women still cover their heads in some countries. They did so in the past.
A. Women still cover their heads in some countries similar to what they did so in the past.
B. In the past, women cover their heads but they do so today in some countries.
C. Women still cover their heads in some countries as they did so in the past.
D. Women still cover their heads in some countries as they did in the past.
Mark the letter A, B, C, or D to indicate the correct answer in each of the following questions
Question 19: The higher the content of carbon dioxide in the air is,_____.
A. the more heat it retains B. more heat it retains
C. it retains the more heat D. the heat it retains more
Question 20: He is a _______ boy. He is often kind and helpful to every classmate.
A. lovely B. obedient C. caring D. frank
Question 21: The festival has many attractions. It will include contemporary orchestra music and an
opera. ______, there will be poetry readings and theatrical presentations.
A. Nevertheless B. On the other hand C. Otherwise D. Furthermore
Question 22: The boy waved his hands to his mother, who was standing at the school gate, to ___ her
attention. A. follow B. tempt C. attract D. pull
Question 23: The escaped prisoner fought _____________ before he was finally overpowered.
A. head over heels B. tooth and nail
C. heart and soul D. foot and mouth
Question 24: There are many ________ in our library.
A. interesting American old history books B. interesting old American history books
C. old American interesting history books. D. American interesting old history books
Question 25: John failed again. He _______ harder.
A. can tried B. must have tried C. should have tried D. may have tried
Question 26: In spite of her abilities, Laura has been _____ overlooked for promotion.
A. repeat B. repeatedly C. repetitive D. repetition
Question 27: Phone me after 8 o’clock. We ………………dinner by then.
A. will have finished B. had finished C. have finished D. will be finishing
Question 28: Standing on the tip of the cape, _____.
A. people have seen a lighthouse far away C. we can see the lighthouse in the distance
B. a lighthouse can see from the distance D. lies a lighthouse in the middle of the sea
Question 29: We regret to tell you that the materials you ordered are _______.
A. out of work. B. out of stock C. out of reach D. out of practice
Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to choose the word
or phrase that best fits each of the numbered blanks from 30 to 35
FASHION IN SIGHTSEEING
The question of what (0) _________A_________ an entertaining sightseeing excursion is just as subject to
the whims of fashion as any other leisure activity. A trip around the spectacular coastal scenery of
western Scotland is now a highly attractive option but a couple of centuries ago that same landscape
was (30) __________________ as a wild and scary wasteland. Increasingly, in western Europe, safely
decommissioned mines and (31) ________________ of the region’s industrial heritage are now being
reinvented as visitor attractions, whilst redundant factories and power stations get a new (32)
__________________ of life as shopping centres and art galleries. This (33) _________________ the question: if
defunct industrial sites can attract tourists, then why not functioning ones?
The Yokohama Factory Scenery Night Cruise is just one of several industrial sightseeing tours now
available in Japan. These are part of an emerging niche tourist trade, (34) ________________ by a craze
amongst young urbanites to reconnect with the country’s industrial base. Seeing the oil refineries and
steelworks at night, when lights and flares are more visible, apparently (35) __________________ to the
aesthetic charm of the experience.
Question 0: A. makes B. holds C. gives D. gets
Question 30. A. referred B. regarded C. reputed D. renowned

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Question 31. A. legacies B. remainders C. inheritances D. leftovers
Question 32. A. term B. source C. grant D. lease
Question 33. A. begs B. leads C. rises D. brings
Question 34. A. demanded B. powered C. pushed D. fuelled
Question 35. A. boosts B. improves C. adds D. enhances
Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to indicate the correct
answer to each of the questions from 36 to 42
New surveys suggest that the technological tools we use to make our lives easier are killing our leisure
time. We are working longer hours, taking fewer and shorter vacations (and when we do go away, we
take our cell phones, PDAs, and laptops along). And, we are more stressed than ever as increased use of e-
mail, voice mail, cell phones, and the Internet is destroying any idea of privacy and leisure.
Since the Industrial Revolution, people have assumed that new labor-saving devices would free them
from the burdens of the workplace and give them more time to grow intellectually, creatively, and socially
– exploring the arts, keeping up with current events, spending more time with friends and family, and even
just ‘goofing off’.
But here we are at the start of the 21st century, enjoying one of the greatest technological boom times in
human history, and nothing could be further from the truth. The very tools that were supposed to liberate us
have bound us to our work and study in ways that were inconceivable just a few years ago. It would seem
that technology almost never does what we expect.
In ‘the old days’, the lines between work and leisure time were markedly clearer. People left their offices
at a predictable time, were often completely disconnected from and out of touch with their jobs as they
traveled to and from work, and were off-duty once they were home. That is no longer true. In today’s
highly competitive job market, employers demand increased productivity, expecting workers to put in
longer hours and to keep in touch almost constantly via fax, cell phones, e-mail, or other communications
devices. As a result, employees feel the need to check in on what is going on at the office, even on days
off. They feel pressured to work after hours just to catch up on everything they have to do. Workers work
harder and longer, change their work tasks more frequently, and have more and more reasons to worry about
job security.
Bosses, colleagues, family members, lovers, and friends expect instant responses to voice mail and e-
mail messages. Even college students have become bound to their desks by an environment in which
faculty, friends, and other members of the college community increasingly do their work online. Studies of
time spent on instant messaging services would probably show staggering use.
This is not what technology was supposed to be doing for us. New technologies, from genetic research
to the Internet, offer all sorts of benefits and opportunities. But, when new tools make life more difficult
and stressful rather than easier and more meaningful – and we are, as a society, barely conscious of it – then
something has gone seriously awry, both with our expectations for technology and our understanding of how
it should benefit us.
From “Summit 1” by Joan Saslow & Allen Ascher
Question 36: This passage has probably been taken from______.
A. a science review B. a political journal C. an advertisement D. a fashion magazine
Question 37: The word “inconceivable” in the passage is closest in meaning to”______”.
A. unforgettable B. unimaginable C. predictable D. foreseeable
Question 38: The word “They” in the fourth paragraph refers to______.
A. workers B. employers C. employees D. tasks
Question 39: It can be inferred from the fourth paragraph that______.
A. employees have more freedom to decide what time they start and finish work
B. it is compulsory that employees go to the office, even on days off
C. employers are more demanding and have efficient means to monitor employees
D. life is more relaxing with cell phones and other technological devices
Question 40: Which of the following could best serve as the title of the passage?
A. Expectations and Plain Reality B. Benefits of Technology
C. Research on the Roles of Computers D. Changes at the Workplace
Question 41: According to the first three paragraphs, technological tools that were designed to make
our lives easier______.
A. have fully met our expectations B. have brought us complete happiness
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C. have turned out to do us more harm than good D. have not interfered with our privacy
Question 42: Which of the following is NOT true about technological tools, according to new surveys?
A. They are being increasingly used. B. They are used even during vacations.
C. They make our life more stressful. D. They bring more leisure to our life.
Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to indicate the correct
answer to each of the questions from 43 to 50
Pollution emitted in industrial areas represents a threat to human health and the surrounding natural
resources. We have a tendency to believe that the production processes are the only source of
environmental damage, and often forget about the possible long-term effects of harmful production
practices. We may think that the closure of these huge industrial areas would improve the quality of the
environment. Unfortunately, this ignores the threat of the remaining waste, which is abandoned and
poorly stored. It represents an even bigger danger because it stands neglected as it degrades and leaks
into the earth without any control at all.
Changes in the water chemistry due to surface water contamination can affect all levels of an ecosystem.
It can affect the health of lower food chain organisms and, consequently, the availability of food up
through the food chain. It can damage the health of wetlands and damage their ability to support healthy
ecosystems, control flooding, and filter pollutants from storm water runoff. The health of animals and
humans are affected when they drink or bathe in contaminated water. In addition water-based
organisms, like fish and shellfish, can pile up and concentrate contaminants in their bodies. When
other animals or humans eat these organisms, they receive a much higher dose of contaminant than they
would have if they had been directly exposed to the original contamination.
Contaminated groundwater can badly affect animals, plants and humans if it is removed from the
ground by manmade or natural processes. Depending on the study of rocks of the area, groundwater
may rise to the surface through springs or seeps, flow sideways into nearby rivers, streams, or ponds, or
sink deeper into the earth. In many parts of the world, groundwater is pumped out of the ground to be
used for drinking, bathing, other household uses, agriculture, and industry
Contaminants in the soil can harm plants when they take up the contamination through their roots.
Eating, breathing in, or touching contaminated soil, as well as eating plants or animals that have piled up
soil contaminants can badly affect the health of humans and animals.
Air pollution can cause breathing-related problems and other bad health effects as contaminants are
absorbed from the lungs into other parts of the body. Certain air contaminants can also harm animals and
humans when they contact the skin. Plants rely on breathing for their growth and can also be affected by
exposure to contaminants moved in the air.
(Source: Adapted from http://www.grid.unep.ch/waste/download/waste1213.pdf)
Question 43: According to the passage, which of the followings supports healthy ecosystems?
A. Lower food chain organisms B. Water-based organisms
C. Animals D. Wetlands
Question 44: Which of the followings has the closest meaning to the word “absorbed” in the last
paragraph? A. Consumed B. Piled up C. Swallowed D. Taken in
Question 45: The word “it” in the first paragraph refers to ________.
A. the environment B. the remaining waste C. the threat of the remaining waste D. a danger
Question 46: Which of the followings affect an ecosystem as the whole?
A. Soil contamination B. Air contamination
C. Groundwater contamination D. Surface water contamination
Question 47: According to the passage, the industry is likely to be thought as _________.
A. the utmost harmful activity B. a threat to human health
C. the only source of pollution D. a danger to the environment
Question 48: What is the topic of the passage?
A. The quality of the environment C. The pollution from the city
B. Bad effects of industrial waste D. Sources of environmental damage
Question 49: Which of the followings is NOT badly affected by contaminated groundwater?
A. Rocks B. Human C. Plants D. Animals
Question 50: Which of the followings is the flow of water from the ground to the surface?
A. Ponds B. Springs C. Streams D. Rivers
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