Level 24 Test

Part 1. LISTENING
Listen to a radio show. Choose the correct answer. (track 35)
1. The interview is mainly about ______.
A. the pros and cons of microfinancing
B. how families can use microfinancing
C. where microfinancing works and does not work
D. why microfinancing does not work in some areas.
2. Based on the listening, which statement about microfinancing is true?
A. some people do not think is a solution.
B. It helps only to the poorest people in the village.
C. People in some areas do not want to accept it.
D. it is the best solution for places without economies.
3. Why is microfinancing called a Band-Aid solution?
A. It cover up the pain of poverty.
B. poverty can be treated as an illness.
C. a solution for poverty already exists.
D. It doesn´t address the root of the problem.
4. Which of the following features is not mentioned as a necessary condition for microfinancing to
work?
A. a literate population
B. a healthy population
C. a small business system.
D. a working infrastructure.
5. According to Dr. Lim, What is an alternative to microfinancing when it is not applicable?
A. credits
B. loans
C. welfare
D. credit
6. What does the host most likely think about microfinancing?
A. She does not believe it will work.
B. she does not believe in its principles.
C. she is not convinced by Dr. Lim’s defence of it.
D. she is not convinced by the arguments against it.
Listen to the excerpts. Choose the best answer.
7. Dr. Lim assumes that the radio audience ______.
A. understand how microfinancing works.
B. agrees with his opinion about microfinancing.
C. has other solutions to offer instead of microfinancing.
8. Dr. Lim says that microfinancing is not a one-size-fits-all solution. He gives all the following reasons
except that it ______.
A. cannot help an entire village.
B. only helps family with resources.
C. does not affect malnourished families.

Part 2. VOCABULARY
Use the words and phrases in the box to fill in the gaps. Not all the words will be used.

compelling malnourished overnight pitfalls

cottage industry overextended panacea safety net

9. Don’t be fooled by people who tell you they have a ___________________ for the world’s
problems. If such a thing existed, we would be living in a perfect world.
10. The pictures of the war-torn country were so ____________________ that I volunteer to join the
relief organization.
11. Many of the people who were helped by microcredits were women who had no
___________________ to fall back on.
12. One of the ___________________ of the organization is that it cannot help people who are just
above the poverty line.
13. the problems of poverty-stricken communities are not cured ___________________.
Match the words with their definitions on the right.
______ 14. characterization A. destroyed
______ 15. sustainable B. reach the limit of success
______ 16. diminish C. personal story
______ 17. hit a ceiling D. description
______ 18. malnourished E. trusted
______ 19. wiped out F. lessen
______ 20. anecdote G. sick from lack of food
H. able to continue
Circle the letter of the definition of the boldfaced vocabulary word.
21. inevitable
A. certain to happen B. unlikely to happen C. already happened
22. prospect
A. creation B. mistake C. idea
23. available
A. ready for use B. in need of repair C. recently sold
24. dramatic
A. very expensive B. highly shocking C. extremely long
25. wane
A. give an opinion B. decrease in strength C. ask for help

Use the words from the box to fill in the blanks. Not all of the words will be used.

affluent inhibit restricted

concerted malnutrition undertaken

Many people in rural parts of the world live in severe poverty. They often feel that their
environment can 26. __________________ them, and their possibilities are 27.
___________________ as a result. This is not always true; successful business ventures have been 28.
___________________ by determined individuals who also receive help from others. These people
may never lead a(n) 29. ____________________ life, but they can certainly support and feed their
families.
Part 3. GRAMMAR.

Circle the correct conditional structure to complete the sentences.

30. Some people think microfinancing is not a good solution to poverty. They believe if that people
hadn’t invested their money in banks like Grameen Bank, then larger, nationally-funded programs like
CARE (wouldn’t have received / would have received) more donations.

31. If microfinancing (were / hadn’t been) the solution to poverty, then poverty would have been
wiped out long ago.

32. Thousands of families would not have received loans if Muhammed Yunus (had not developed /
weren’t developed) the system of microfinancing.

33. Ma-Dong got a loan from a microfinancing organization. Today, she has a small business, that
supports her extended family. If she (had gotten / had not gotten) the money, she would not be out of
poverty.

34. Marie-Santie lives in Haiti. She makes jewellery to sell in the market, but she would like to double
her income. I she got a loan now, she (could have increased / could increase) her income by at least
one-third.

Fill in each blank with a word from the box and the correct form of the words in parentheses.

where that what how much whoever

35. A convenience store __________________ paid only $7 an hour.

(Jacob Viga / work)
36. In fact, the job was exactly _________________.
(he / expect)
37. What he didn’t know was ____________________ so little.
(it /pay)
38. ___________________ told him the same thing.
(he / talked to)
39. ___________________ depends on your experience and your education.
(you / earn)
Part 4. READING

Read the article.

Housing Choices

1 During a time of economic problems, politicians like to zero in on the

housing
issue in America. We hear repeatedly that there is not enough available low-
income housing. This is misleading. If people think lack of affordable housing
inhibits their search for a home, it is because they are looking in the wrong
places.

2 Urban apartments are relatively expensive at the moment due to their

increasing popularity. In the 1970s, people’s desire to live in big cities really
waned, and a mass migration was undertaken by affluent people to suburbs.
Now, that trend is reversing. Suburbanites’ return to the cities has spurred the
demand for a limited number of units, and this is driving up housing prices in
many big cities. Conversely, housing prices in rural and suburban areas have
experienced a dramatic drop in some places. So, while someone may pay
through the nose to
rent an apartment in New York City, that same person could go to upstate New
York with a much better prospect of finding affordable housing.

3 Another factor that people often forget is that cities are like brands: It is
inevitable that people will pay more to live in a well-known city. In places like
New York, California, and Florida, there is tremendous demand for housing, so
this restricts who can live there. It may not be feasible to find somewhere cheap
to live. However, it is a fanciful notion that because demand is high in a city it
is a better place to live.

4 Statistically, many of the U.S. cities with the highest quality of life are in the
Midwest. A good example is Indianapolis, the twelfth largest city in the United
States. Indianapolis has a strong economy, lots of jobs, and is also surrounded
by
lots of nature. Here, housing prices are a third of what they are in New York.

5 Now, has there been a total eradication of an impoverished state in

Indianapolis? No, of course not, but people are less likely to be suffering from
malnutrition and other health issues, as is often the case with the working poor
in other cities. If people want a good price for a home, they need to make a
concerted effort to shop around.

Choose the best answer.

40. According to the author, it is hard to find affordable housing ______.

A. in the Midwest
B. in popular cities
C. when there are economic problems
D. when the wealthy control the market

41. During the 1970s, the number of people who wanted to live in cities ______.
A. varied
B. increased
C. decreased
D. stayed the same

42. Now, the ability to find affordable housing in ______ is increasing.

A. big, popular cities
B. every American city
C. rural and suburban areas
D. apartments in New York

43. Indianapolis is a desirable place to live because of all of the following reasons except ______.
A. a strong economy
B. it has a “brand name”
C. the natural environment
D. there is affordable housing

Find the paragraph where the information can be found for each item below. Write the
paragraph number on the line.

44. how cities are like brands. ______

45. why urban apartments are expensive. ______

46. which area has the highest quality of life in the U.S. ______

47. what the housing trend was in the 1970’s. ______