NAME:

Reading:
If you want to prepare yourself for great achievement and have more to (1) ______ to your
education or your work, try reading more books. (2) ______ up some of the interestingly
informative books and search for well-researched material that can help you grow.
We should (3) ______ our children to read more books and (4) ______ less time watching
TV. Some people have commented that this is inconsistent. "Why is the written word a superior
way to get information than television?" That is an interesting point of view worth further
exploration. Reading is a skill that is in much greater demand than the demand for watching TV.
There are no jobs that (5) ______ a person to be able to watch TV but reading is an integral part
of many jobs.

Read the passage then choose the best word to complete the space.
1. A. collect B. contribute C. gather D. gain
2. A. Set B. Pick C. Take D. Make
3. A. encourage B. discuss C. define D. suggest
4. A. spend B. apply C. waste D. train
5. A. inquire B. require C. tell D. ask

B. Choose the best answer to complete the following sentence.

1. It is a good book. I think it is interesting enough for you to ________.
A. put down B. understand C. look up D. swallow

2. The ship ____________ during the night.

A. remained the harbor B. remained in the harbor
C. was remained in the harbor D. has remained the harbor

3.You should keep the flowers in a warm sunny place. In passive form, we can write:
‘_______________”
A. The flowers should keep you in a warm sunny place.
B. In a warm sunny place should keep the flowers.
C. The flowers should be kept in a warm sunny place.
D. In a warm sunny place the flowers should kept.

4. Swimming, windsurfing and water skiing are ___________ sports.

A. field B. freestyle C. team D. aquatic

5. These reports _____________________ before noon

A. must type B. must be typed C. need type D. have to be type

6. The garage is going to repair the car for us next week. In passive form, we can write:
‘_______________”
A. The car is going to be repaired by the garage next week
B. The car is going to repair next week by the garage
C. The car is going to repair by the garage next week
D. The car is going to be repaired next week by the garage

7. Pandas __________________ from extinction

 A. should save B. mustn’t save C. needn’t to be saved D. need to be saved

8. My car keys are possibly in the kitchen. It means “__________________”

A. My car keys might be in the kitchen.
B. I do not know whether my car keys are in the kitchen.
C. My car keys cannot be in the kitchen.
D. My car keys should be put in the kitchen.

9. Jack was my ___________ in the tennis match.

A. opposite B. opposing C. opposition D. opponent

10. Windsurfing first became an Olympic sport in 1984 for men and 1992 for women.
The underlined verb is a(n) _________________
A. phrasal verb B. Intransitive verb C. Transitive verb D. modal verb

Reading
Directions: For all questions:
• Read each passage. Then answer each question carefully by choosing the
best answer.
• Mark your answers for ALL of the questions.
Remember only one of the choices provided is the correct answer.

Uncle Wilbur
My uncle Wilbur used to spend hours every day checking on the lightning rods that stood
guard on the roof of his house. We get a lot of storms here in our state. Sometimes we see wind up
to sixty miles per hour and baseball-size hail. Lightning, Uncle Wilbur would say, is a living
thing, and like a cat, it will strike anything that moves. You’d better not tempt it, he always told
us. He advised my cousins and me to always be mindful of the nearest sheltering tree. He said we
should be prepared to drop to the ground like a hot potato at the first sound of thunder. Knowing
that lightning is attracted to the tallest thing around, Uncle Wilbur worried constantly about my
cousin Jared, who, at sixteen, was 6’2” and still growing. Uncle Wilbur has always been a smart
man. We all listened as he dismissed the automobile as a passing fancy. Every year it seemed
more and more Model Ts came rolling into town, but Uncle Wilbur insisted that nothing could
replace the reliability of a good old-fashioned mule when it came to transportation, work, or even
entertainment. Yes, Uncle Wilbur’s Mule Olympics, complete with obstacle courses and a long
jump, was known far and wide. Sadly, the Mule Olympics did not survive into the next decade
because the mules got too old and lost interest. Nonetheless, my uncle Wilbur continued to predict
future trends and warn us of impending tragedy. To this day, he reminds us that he foresaw the
stock market crash of 1929, and that’s why he kept his money wrapped in a handkerchief under
his mattress. When the government started collecting income taxes a few years back, Uncle
Wilbur reluctantly shared his wealth with Uncle Sam, insisting that the money was just a
temporary loan. Uncle Wilbur did not take kindly to the power company man who came knocking
one day in 1936. This was the year the government launched a campaign to bring electricity to
rural areas like ours. Most people, like Uncle Wilbur, were a little wary of having electricity in
their homes. Many of us had running water, and we just weren’t sure that the two mixed.
Nevertheless, Uncle Wilbur was downright floored when the man said he wanted to string power
lines up to the house. Nearly losing his temper, Uncle Wilbur exclaimed, “Here I am doing
everything in my power to keep from getting struck by lightning, and you want to bring it right to
my doorstep?” He sent the man on his way with a “No, thank you,” and a “Good day, sir,” but in
the months that followed, we all eventually relented and let in the light. I must admit, playing
checkers in the dark is a talent you can easily lose without daily practice. Many things have
changed since those times. Uncle Wilbur still lives in mortal fear of a lightning strike, but because
he doesn’t get out much anymore, most of his lightning rods have rusted through and fallen to the
ground. Uncle Wilbur lives mostly on Social Security, which he proudly proclaims as his victory
(see, he says, the government did eventually give his money back). He probably spends more time
reminiscing about the past than he does making future predictions, but Uncle Wilbur will be the
first to tell you that television will never be as popular as radio, and the idea of a human traveling
into outer space is just plain crazy!

1. What is the prefix in the word foresaw?

A. fore
B. saw
C. for
D. aw

2. Which phrase is an example of personification?

A. lightning rods standing guard
B. dismissed the automobile as a passing fancy
C. string power lines up to the house
D. idea of a human traveling into outer space

3. How would Uncle Wilbur feel about cellular phones?

A. fearful
B. distrustful
C. welcoming
D. indifferent

4. Compared to Uncle Wilbur, how does the narrator feel toward modern advancements?
A. resisting
B. accepting
C. uncertain
D. exhilarated

5. Which reason explains why the author wrote about Uncle Wilbur?
A. to explain him
B. to pacify him
C. to remember him
D. to persuade him

6. Which pair of words best describe how the narrator most likely feels about Uncle Wilbur?
A. annoyed and frustrated
B. respectful and amused
C. sad and indifferent
D. envious and distrustful

7. What BEST describes the passage?

A. a character sketch
B. a factual research
C. a persuasive essay
D. a news article
 The Happiness Effect
Happiness may be the primary goal of human existence. Philosophers have wrestled with the
concept of happiness. Legislators create laws to support citizens’ rights to pursue happiness.
Television, radio, and print advertisers assure consumers that various products will guarantee
happiness. Interestingly, people have a tendency to believe they are happier than their neighbors,
and they are optimistic about their happiness in the future. Most people assume that they will be
happier a decade from now than they are today.
Clearly, everyone from writers and philosophers to legislators and the average person on the
street thinks a great deal about happiness. What makes happiness so important to human
existence?

Why Be Happy?
Not only does happiness feel good, but it appears to provide a variety of psychological and
physical benefits. Happiness plays a significant role in enhancing good health, strengthening the
immune system, promoting longevity, improving productivity and performance, and increasing
resilience. Happy people work hard, play hard, have an active social life (and a social conscience),
experience good health, and live longer. A happy person lives an average of nine years longer
than a miserable one.

The Opposite of Happiness

4 When studying happiness, it makes sense that its opposite condition would also be a topic of
examination. Scientists have observed that there are two unfortunate life events that induce
profound unhappiness, perhaps over the course of many years: the loss of a spouse and the loss of
a job.

What Causes Happiness?

However, good news abounds in the study of happiness. Fortunately, humans experience
happiness from a wide range of stimuli, from traveling to an exotic destination to redecorating
one’s home or from winning a game of soccer to eating a delicious meal. Simply watching a
favorite television show or laughing at a funny joke can boost a depressed mood. While the
happiness produced by such experiences tends to be short lived, certain conditions do promote a
more long-lasting and durable state of happiness as a lifestyle: a wide social network, believing in
a meaningful reason for one’s existence, and establishing goals and working to achieve them.

With a Little Help from My Friends

Surprisingly, income is not a primary factor in determining a person’s level of happiness once
the basic needs of food, clothing, and shelter have been met. More important is one’s social
network. Being socially active may be more effective in increasing one’s immunity to illness than
a vaccine. Misery may love company, but so does happiness, and having close friends and family
is vital to one’s overall level of happiness. (If friends and family are crucial, so is a loving partner.
Research suggests that being married increases one’s potential for happiness.) Even sharing one’s
home with an animal companion can make a person happier.

Why Am I Here?
Scientists report that believing in some kind of meaning for one’s life is necessary to living a
happy life. This may be a religion, a code of ethics, a particular value system, a philosophy, or any
other reason for being that lifts people out of the mundane routine of daily existence and gives
their life meaning beyond a weekly paycheck.

The Habit of Happiness

Happiness is not an innate characteristic but may actually be developed as a habit. Scientists
suggest that incorporating new habits and practices can go a long way in increasing one’s state of
happiness. While people generally do not transform their basic temperaments, people can learn to
become happier by participating in a variety of activities, including socializing, watching funny
movies or reading funny books, keeping a gratitude journal (writing a daily list of three to five
things for which one is grateful), involving oneself in pleasurable activities, such as sports,
hobbies, or the arts, focusing on positive outcomes, and performing acts of kindness for others.
Apparently, doing something to make someone else happy will make you happy, too.

Reasons to Smile
Smiling…
is contagious.
relieves stress.
improves your mood.
helps you stay positive.
lowers your blood pressure.
attracts other people to you.
makes you appear confident.
boosts your immune system.

8. In the section Why Be Happy?, why does the author include parentheses around “and a
social
conscience”?
A. to point out that social conscience leads to good health
B. to emphasize the importance of playing and working hard
C. to point out that having a social conscience can promote longevity
D. to emphasize the importance of social conscience as a part of an active social life

9. What change occurs as a result of adding the prefix un- to fortunate in paragraph 4?
A. the word becomes more intense
B. the word becomes less intense
C. the word takes on the opposite meaning
D. the word takes on a different part of speech

10. Which statement summarizes the heading What Causes Happiness?

A. A wide social network is the key to happiness.
B. Laughing at funny jokes helps to lift a gloomy mood.
C. Scientists conclude that good news leads to long-lasting happiness.
D. Both short- and long-term happiness are caused by a variety of experiences.

11. In the section With a Little Help from My Friends, why does the author use the phrase
“misery
may love company”?
A. to convince people that pets are better company than a loving partner
B. to encourage people to find mates for their friends who are unhappy
C. to point out that people will be happier with positive relationships
D. to recommend that people try to influence negative people in a positive way

12. What is one assumption the author makes about attaining happiness?
A. Some people find comfort in mundane routines.
B. A person needs a social network to attain happiness.
C. Reading and writing about your problems will produce happiness.
D. Convincing negative people to become positive is a life goal.

13. In the section The Habit of Happiness, what does the word innate mean?
A. natural and existing
B. incomplete and building
C. absent and unfamiliar
D. learned and habitual

14. Which statement is an opinion?

A. Happiness is not a physical characteristic.
B. Legislators create laws to support happiness.
C. Happiness may be the primary goal of human existence.
D. Advertisers use happiness to promote their products.

Writing

Write your own example of figures of speech as described.

1. Alliteration is the repetition of the beginning sounds of neighboring words.

Example: Zamiel needed new notebooks.
_________________________________________________________________________
_____________________

2. Anaphora is a technique where several phrases (or verses in a poem) begin with the same
word or words.
Example: I came, I saw, I conquered - Julius Caesar
_________________________________________________________________________
___________________

3. Hyperbole uses exaggeration for emphasis or effect.

Example: I've told you a hundred times
_________________________________________________________________________
__________________

4. Metaphor compares two unlike things or ideas.

Example: Heart of stone
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________

5. Oxymoron is two contradictory terms used together.

Examples: Peaceful chaos
_________________________________________________________________________
__________________

6. Personification is giving human qualities to non-living things or ideas.

Example: The flowers nodded
_________________________________________________________________________
___________________

7. Simile is a comparison between two unlike things using the words "like" or "as."
Examples: As slippery as an eel

Task: Write a 5-paragraph essay complete with an introduction. 3 body paragraphs, and a
conclusion.
 1. Living in a post-COVID era. Will communication become more digitalized? Can we
transform healthcare systems accordingly? How did the pandemic affect people's personal
lives?

2. How can we make political debates more civil and focused on solving problems?

Part 1
Directions: In this part of the test, you will show how well you can write a response to an
e-mail.

Directions: Read the email and respond to the e-mail. Respond as if you have recently
moved to a new city. In your e-mail to the committee, make at least TWO requests for
information.
From: Dale City Welcome Committee
To: New Dale City Resident
Subject: Welcome to your new home!
Sent: July 23, 4:32 P.M.
Welcome! We would like to be the first to welcome you to Dale City. We know that there
are many things to do when you move, from finding your way around town to setting up
your utilities. Please contact us if you need any help at all.

Part 2
Write an opinion essay
Directions: In this part of the test, you will write an essay in response to a question that
asks you to state, explain, and support your opinion on an issue. Typically, an effective
essay will contain a minimum of 300 words.

Read the question below. You have 30 minutes to plan, write, and revise your essay.
Typically, an effective response will contain a minimum of 300 words.

There are many ways to find a job: newspaper advertisements, Internet job search websites,
and personal recommendations. What do you think is the best way to find a job? Give
reasons or examples to support your opinion.
Part 3

Directions: In this part of the test, you will write ONE sentence that is based on a picture.
With each picture, you will be given TWO words or phrases that you must use in your
sentence. You can change the forms of the words and you can use the words in any order.
Your sentence will be scored on

• the appropriate use of grammar, and

• the relevance of the sentence to the picture.
Words : Airport terminal, so