READING EXERCISES 2

I. Fill in each blank with a suitable word to complete the passage

HENRI CARTIER-BRESSON
Henri Cartier-Bresson helped (1) _established__ photojournalism as an art form. He believed that
photography should capture the meaning of outward appearance and so his camera (2) ___captured___ him wherever
he went in the world. In his twenties, he travelled in Africa, recording his experiences with a 35-millimetre Leica. Its
portability and the (3) ___speed_ with which one could record instantaneous impressions were hugely advantageous.
This type of camera was particularly relevant to Cartier-Bresson. It (4) __lent__ itself not only to spontaneity but to
(5) _anonymity__ as well. To such an (6) ___extent__ did Cartier-Bresson wish to remain a silent, and even unseen,
witness, that he covered the bright chromium parts of his camera with black tape to render it (7) __ less__ visible.
Cartier-Bresson travelled unceasingly, but there was (8) nothing___ compulsive or hurried about his travels or his
photography. One story tells of how Cartier-Bresson was present during the student riots in Paris in 1968. (9)
_Undiscouraged/Undeterred___ by the explosive nature of the riots, he continued to take photographs at the (10)
__rate__ of about four per hour.

Band Manufacture
The fate of any pop band is a question that no longer is of interest to its fans alone. Not only have economists
recognised pop music's importance as a business, pointing out that it contributes more to export earnings than the steel
industry, but (1) _strange_ as it may seem, people in some countries (2) __spend__ more on pop than they do on fruit
and vegetables. With such (3) __serious__ money washing around, the question of who will be the next big thing is
(4) __simply/far_ too important to be left to (5) _random__ factors such as chance and talent. Though the great
names of rock in the 60s and 70s formed bands spontaneously (6) __before_ they were discovered and then marketed,
their (7) __bound_ are increasingly likely to be brought (8) __together_ by marketing men. Many groups, often sold
as four young men or women in (9) _control__ of their own destiny, were in fact dreamed up and promoted by
middle-aged men. Designing a band is much the same as designing any other product, take a basic, successful model
and (10) __adapt_ it. The challenge, when (11) __method___ has been tried already, is to persuade consumers that
what you are doing is in some way (12) ____benificial__.
SERIOUS MONEY = A LARGE AMOUNT OF MONEY.

The value of marketing

When someone sees a new food product for sale in the supermarket, the (1) ___DECISION__ whether or not
to buy it depends on various factors. Among the most important of these of course, are price and packaging. It is
obvious that a highly-priced product will not (2) __DO well. If a consumer is faced with two different brands of baked
beans, one of which is twice as expensive as the other, he will probably choose (3) __ONE_ which is cheaper.
Nowadays, economic recession has made people even more (4) __RELUCTANT___ to buy what may be thought of
as luxury items. Interestingly, however, there is strong evidence to suggest that if the price of a product is too low, the
effect on sales will be the same. It simply makes no (5) _difference___ whether the product is top quality or not. The
public will not buy something it considers to be too cheap. Inevitably, thus comes as a surprise to most people, but
market research has shown it to be true. It goes without saying that the colour and the quality of the (6) ___ product__
also play a vital role in the success or failure of a new product. For example, people tend to opt for brands of frozen
vegetables in green or blue packets rather than those packaged in red or yellow. The (7)
_IMPORTANCE/BENEFITS_ of all this are obvious: it is essential that manufacturers and advertisers research the
market carefully before they (8) LAUNCH__ a new product.

ICE-FISHING
Every weekend, hundreds of Russians trudge for miles across snow and ice to indulge in the one thing which
gives (1) __(meaning)__ to their often harsh lives’ ice-fishing. On finding a suitably desolate spot of their own, they
drill a hole in the ice, dip in their line and wait for the fish to bite. With no company (2) _(whatever)___ save that of
the relentless howling of the wind, they sit for hours huddled over the frozen Moscow river, never exchanging more
than the (3) ___SMALLEST__ of grunts or nods with a fellow fisherman, should one pass by. Whatever the
practitioners of this bizarre sport may say, the (4) ___REWARD____ of ice-fishing do not include the fish they hope
to catch. To say the (5) ___LEAST___, these are inedible. Could it be, then, that they do it (6) _purely/merely😊__
and simply for the challenge? Yet another case of man battling against the elements?
In fact, the majority of Russians do not understand why so large a number of their countrymen can waste the
precious hours of winter daylight on what appears to be such a (7) _worthless___ activity. Above all, why should
anybody (8) _risk_ life and limb to catch fish which are usually thrown back into the over? For (9) _ ALTHOUGH_
ice-fishing may appear to be safe, it can be very dangerous indeed.
 In fact, so (10) __UNPREDICTABLE__ can be the movement of an ice-flow, that every year lives are put in
danger or lost altogether. Fishermen can find (11) ___THEMSELVES__ swept away and stranded on sheets of ice,
and unless (12) __RESCUED__ by helicopter within a few hours, will perish in the sub-zero temperatures.
RISK LIFE AND LIMB = DO SOMETHING VERY DANGEROUS.

UNCONSCIOUSNESS
Suddenly you find that you have lost all (1) __AWARENESS___________ of what you were going to say
next, (2) _BUT_ a moment ago the thought was perfectly clear. Or perhaps you were on the verge of introducing a
friend, and his name (3) __FAILED/ESCAPED_ you. as you were about to utter it .You may say you cannot
remember. In all (4) __LIKELIHOOD__, though, the thought has become unconscious, or at least (5)
_TEMPORARILY_ separated from consciousness. We find the same (6) __PHENOMENON_ with our senses. If we
concentrate hard on a continuous note, which is on the edge of audibility, the sound seems to stop at regular (7)
_INTERVALS___ and then start again.
Such oscillations(sự dao động) are the result of a periodic decrease and (8) __INCREASE__ in our attention,
not due to any variation in the note. But when we are unconscious of something it does not cease to exist, any more
than a car that has disappeared round a corner has (9) _VANISHED___ into thin air. It is simply out of sight. Just as
we may later see the car again, so we come across thoughts that were temporarily lost from us.
Thus, part of the unconscious consists of a multitude of temporarily obscured thoughts, impressions, and
images that, in spite of being lost, (10) __CONTINUE_ to have an influence on our conscious minds. A man who is
distracted or ‘absent-minded’ will walk across the room in (11) _SEARCH___ of something. He stops, in a quandary -
he has forgotten what he was (12) _SEARCHING__. His hands grope around the objects on the table as if he were
sleepwalking or under hypnosis; he is (13) ___OBLIVIOUS___ to his original purpose, yet he is unconsciously (14)
__GUIDED_ by it. In the end, he realises what it is that he wants. His unconscious has prompted him.
OBLIVIOUS TO SOMETHING = UNAWARE OF SOMETHING

SPORTS AND LEADERSHIP

Schools and colleges around the world have long been aware of the connection between sports and leadership.
But in recent years the power of sports to influence business success has become increasingly (1)
_PREVALENT/POPULAR___. Management consultants have, for instance, made extensive (2) _EMPHASIS__ of
sporting metaphors as a means of focusing executives' thinking. Accordingly, terms such as 'run with the ball', 'player'
and 'team' now pepper the business lexicon in (3) ___COMPLETELY_ the same way as military references do.
The increased attention paid to leadership qualities nowadays has, if (4) __SO___, only heightened this
interest. (5) _BECAUSE_ managers being told that they should inspire and coach rather than give orders, the sports
connection has (6) _BEEN__ looked more tempting. It is with this in mind that organisations are beginning to invite
famous (7) ___ATHLETES__ to talk to the staff about the secrets of success. They show how directors can improve
their own leadership skills to (8) __BRING__ about better levels of performance throughout the company. Using a
number of coaching techniques, they are able to help their (9) _AUDIENCE__ identify leadership qualities, while
creating a better working environment generally.
IF SO = IF THIS IS TRUE
EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE
The writing is on the wall for the brilliant but bullying boss. Driving ambition and a high IQ might give you a
head (1) _START__ in the race for the top, but a lack of 'emotional intelligence' will be a (2) __BARRIER____ to
achieving medium- to long-term success. Senior managers have long been convinced of the value of interpersonal
skills in the workplace. The concept that emotional intelligence can (3) __ACCOUNT__ for the difference between
outstanding and average performance, however, is comparatively new. But what exactly is emotional intelligence?
One psychologist defined it as the ability to regulate your behaviour so that there is a (4) _BALANCE__ between
personal feelings, emotions and drives, and the feelings and needs of others. It is about being able to resolve the
conflict that may arise from high motivation and conscientiousness and integrity. People with low emotional
intelligence don't get promoted because others (5) _OBJECT___ to working with them.
In the workplace, there is a great need for sensitivity in relationships, and people in managerial jobs should
focus more on understanding people’s feelings about change and their fears of redundancy. An organisation which
attaches importance to the (6) __SATISFACTION/FEELINGS__ of the employees is more likely to be an effective
organisation. If a manager regularly (7) _CHEER__ his staff on their work, and sympathises with them when they
have problems, the profits of the company will increase at a greater rate. And people will enjoy working with each
other. CHEER ON = ENCOURAGE
Getting in touch with your own feelings has benefits which extend (8) BEYOND__ the workplace. If you are
only working with your brain, you won’t see the emotional cost to (9) _BEAR_. Making a move that is beneficial to
your career but means travelling all the time could result in the destruction of your relationship with your (10)
__SPOUSE_ and children. Without emotional intelligence, in the medium- to long-term, you will have a less balanced
personal life and make a lot of enemies.
II. Choose A, B, C or D that best fits each blank in the passage
A GHOST STORY
Charlie Bates, my great-great grandfather, once (1) ___ to have seen a ghost. Two ghosts, actually. And this despite
his being, by all (2) ___ a very level-headed, practical man.
It all happened back in 1918. Charlie was (3) ___ his weary way home, on foot, after three years spent fighting in the
First World War. After he had arrived at his parents' cottage, he expressed his amazement that Daisy and Florence
Boothroyd, nonagenarian sisters, were still alive. Charlie's puzzled mother told him that in fact they'd both (4) ___ a
year earlier. In spite of this, Charlie insisted that he'd seen the two 'old misers', as the sisters were known locally,
sitting under an ancient oak tree as he'd trudged home.
The next day the oak tree was (5) ___ by lightning and uprooted. And underneath was a huge sack, full of gold
sovereigns. Charlie always maintained that the sisters' ghosts had come back to watch over their precious hoard. His
mother, (6) ___ was often heard to mutter about the effects of shell shock and the horrors of war on sensitive young
soldiers.

1. A said B claimed C believed D stated

2. A accounts B ways C means D rumours
3. A limping B walking C going D making
4. A passed away B fallen out C gone forth D dropped off
5. A knocked B struck C stroked D beaten
6. A furthermore B regardless C however D moreover

FRESCOES
Fresco painting is the age-old technique which involves painting on damp plaster walls. It is known to have been used
to decorate homes for at least the last 5,000 years, and has probably existed in one form or another for (1) ___ longer,
its very nature makes it a (2) ___ medium for adorning large surfaces, which explains its ubiquity in churches and
government buildings. (3) ___ oil paintings, which are glossy and reflect light, making it difficult to view them from
certain angles, frescoes have a pleasing matt (4) ___. As fresco plaster bleaches relatively easily, artists do not use as
wide a range of pigments as in other types of painting, sticking mainly to pale earth tones.
Fresco painting is considered to have reached its (5) ___ in Italy during the Renaissance, with Michelangelo being
perhaps the most famous artist to employ this technique. But a great many churches in Europe (6) ___ wonderful
frescoes, and the medium is currently enjoying a revival in the New World.
1. A greatly B noticeably C perceptibly D considerably
2. A suitable B relevant C pertinent thích đáng D corresponding
3. A On the contrary B Unlike C Contrary to D Conversely
4. A veneer B polish C finish D ending
5. A height B summit C crest D top
6. A display B demonstrate C show D boast possess(a feature)
đáng tự hào

COFFEE-TABLE BOOKS
I used to cringe at the phrase ‘coffee-table book’. I would picture glossy, colourful tomes tastefully (1) ___ on
immaculate furniture; never read, but purchased because every fashionable household simply must have them.
Basically, I felt that these costly publications on art or animals, cookery or cottages, were just an (2) ___.
Then I was given one for my birthday. It is a beautiful book with exquisite photographs which are a pleasure to (3)
___ although what really surprised me was the text. When I got down to reading it, I discovered that it was full of
excellent advice on how to (4) ___ up my home. I decided to put my reading into practice and, to my great joy, a hide
paint, some indoor plants and a number of innovative ideas have transformed my living room.
I hate to admit it, but I was wrong about coffee-table books. In fact I am now (5) ___ them. Why not encourage people
to pick up books rather than have their treasures hidden away on bookshelves, unread and (6) ___ dust?
1. A exposed B displayed C enhanced D inlaid
2. A affectation B appearance C apparition D abstraction
Behaviour ko sincere Ghostlike images
3. A leaf through B look up C flick around D see through
4. A raise B liven C buck D lift
5. A in favour B all out C in on D all for SUPPORT
6. A acquiring B gathering C reaping D harvesting

HAZARDOUS TOY ADVERTISEMENTS

A film on TV is suddenly interrupted by an interminable (1) ___ of advertisements for children’s toys, and you realise
that Christmas is on its way. But why are toys being advertised at such a late hour?
Young children have not yet developed the critical thinking required to (2) ___ between what is acceptable
consumerism, and what is excess. When toy commercials are shown while children are viewing, it puts parents in the
unenviable position of constantly having to refuse the demands of their offspring for toys that the children have seen
advertised. (3) ___ some countries have banned the airing of advertisements for toys during (4) ___ viewing hours.
If one judges by the ad which presents all the models a company has on (5) ___ followed by a young boy gleefully
announcing, I want them all!", this policy seems to be very wise. Of course, companies wanting to promote their toy
products would (6) ___ disagree.
1. A stream B lot C amount D quantity
2. A tell B recognise C notice D distinguish
3. A All in all B For this reason C On the whole D So much so
4. A high B big C peak D major
5. A demand B market C offer D show
6. A heartily B vehemently C wilfully D resolutely

SATELLITE METEOROLOGY
Satellite technology has revolutionised the Geld of meteorology. The 1960 (1) ___ of the first television and
observation satellite heralded the beginning of a completely different approach, not only to forecasting the weather,
but also to looking at climatic and environmental phenomena. The main problem with (2) ___ methods of observation
was that they could not monitor weather patterns over the world’s oceans, which comprise (3) ___ 75% of the surface
of the earth and are where the most severe storms begin. (4) ___, scientists were unable to provide advance warning of
impending storms. Nowadays, however, hurricanes and typhoons can he accurately tracked while they are still far out
in the ocean.
Satellites are also equipped with instruments measuring variables of importance to farmers, geologists, fishermen,
oceanographers and (5) ___. Experts in all fields hope that, as satellites provide us with an increased awareness of
world climatic issues (such as global warming), decision makers will pay more attention to the far-reaching (6) ___ of
human activities on the environment.
1. A initiation B launch C inauguration D beginning
2. A conventional B conservative C traditionalist D conformist
3. A closely B generally C totally D roughly
4. A Despite this B As a result C In this way D At first
5. A more B further C others D some
6. A influence B role C place D function

ECO-TOURISM
Have you had enough of sight-seeing and lying on the beach? If you feel you want to do something more worthwhile
with your holiday, you might consider eco-tourism, which is (1) ___ in popularity in many countries. I recently
visited a wooded area of outstanding beauty with a group of young people. We were amazed by the biodiversity we
discovered. There were rare wild flowers (2) ___ small mammals and birds which we would never have noticed had
they not been (3) ___ out to us by our extremely knowledgeable guide. We also learnt about the problems facing the
region and what we can do to inform the public and help protect the creatures and the environment in which they live.
Educating people about animal and plant species and the threats that (4) ___ them is an important function of eco-
tourism. However, there are drawbacks. Hordes of eco-tourists tramping through natural habitats would obviously do
more harm than good. The whole subject needs to be seriously (5) ___ so that we don't end up damaging the (6) ___
environment we are trying to protect.
1. A gaining B augmenting C building D winning
2. A as far as B as much as C as good as D as well as
3. A looked B given C pointed D opened
4. A extinguish B endanger C hazard D risk
5. A addressed B applied C absolved tha tội D approved
6. A one B same C right D very

SMART CARS
High-tech safety developments are revolutionising our cars and, together with them, our expectations about essential
safety (1) ___ Devices preventing us from getting whiplash or being crushed against the steering wheel, highly visible
tail-lights, and brakes which don't lock when we hit them are just a few of the standard pieces of equipment on new
cars.
But safety research is about to take an enormous leap (2) ___ Engineers are currently working on a system which
would recognise imminent danger and alert, and possibly even advise, drivers. Development of the new system has (3)
___ into problems, though, since testing the new collision warning system has proved difficult, because simulators
cannot deliver the feeling of a (4) ___ accident to testers. More importantly, experts in the (5) ___ of human behaviour
have raised concerns about the possibility of drivers panicking at the sound of bells chiming or voices barking orders
at them. Since 90% of accidents are due to human error, it (6) ___ to be seen how many lives high tech will be able to
save on the road. REMAIN TO BE SEEN = UNCERTAIN.
1. A factors B specifications chỉ rõ C features D options
2. A forward B above C onward D further
3. A gone B come C run D headed
4. A forthcoming B probable C pragmatic thực tiễn D potential
5. A field B domain C topic D search
6. A stands B determines C remains D leaves

THE BIG DECISION

The tension in the air was so thick, you could (1) ___ it with a knife. She cast her eyes back to the desk in front of her.
‘Well?" he inquired ominously. He was just the sort of man that you would expect to find in a place like this. (2) ___
his diminutive stature, he seemed to tower over her, he and his faintly oppressive manner. His dark, carefully pressed
suit hung on his thin frame as it might from a wire hanger which had been (3) ___ shape. He stood so close to her that
she could feel his damp breath on her neck. Finally, unable to (4) ___ the wordless pressure any longer, she
murmured, 'I'll take eight rolls of that one,' (5) ___ at the sample with the soothing flowery (6) ___, in butter yellow.
And be sure there's enough glue to put it all up. I don't want to have to come back.’
BENT OUT OF SHAPE = INFURIATED/ANNOYED, uốn cong
GET INTO SHAPE = RETURN SOMEONE OR SOMETHING INTO ACCEPTABLE
CONDITION/BEHAVIOUR
1. A chop B cut C slice D carve
2. A Despite B Nonetheless C Given D Though
3. A twisted into B put out C bent out of D moved into
4. A undertake B withstand C undergo D uphold
5. A indicating B showing C directing D pointing
6. A silhouette B shape C outline D pattern

BODY LANGUAGE
Words are the most obvious part of any conversation, yet they are only the (1) ___ of the communication iceberg.
There have been studies of the impact of body language and voice tone on our (2) ___ of the trustworthiness of other
people. These have shown that if words and body language conflict, we nearly always take the non-verbal message as
the more significant, (3) ___ our conscious attention is mostly on the words. Sometimes we may not know why we do
not trust someone; sometimes the conflict is obvious. Would you take lessons in public (4) ___ from someone
who mumbled?

Clothes and appearance are also part of our body language. They make a (5) ___ about us to the outside world,
whether we want them to or rot. Our clothes and appearance contribute to the impressions we make on others. Rapport
at this level is partly a matter of credibility, something which (6) ___ at a business meeting in jeans and trainers is
unlikely to gain us.
MAKE PROCLAIMATION = MAKE SOMETHING KNOWN PUBLICLY
1. A tip B top C peak D summit
2. A idea B realisation C perception D observation
3. A although B even so C however D nevertheless
4. A vocalising B talking C speaking D communicating
5. A declaration B conclusion C proclamation D statement
6. A showing up B coming round C turning in D bringing up

CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE ANIMAL KIND

A few years ago, the whole idea would have been considered preposterous. Now, however, evidence seems to be
mounting that owning a cat or a dog can actually make you live longer. An extensive survey in Australia indicates that
pet owners show (1) ___ healthier blood pressure and cholesterol levels than non-owners. Furthermore, British studies
have shown that cat as well as dog owners reported better health, and actually stroking a friendly cat or dog can (2)
___ blood pressure.
Just how important is this discovery, and how can we use it to our (3) ___? Last month, I was visiting my nephew in
the children’s unit of an orthopaedic hospital and I was surprised to see a large, floppy-eared rabbit being taken round
the ward. Stroking the animal really (4) ___ the children up and helped them to forget their pain and their (5) ___
Doctors now think that the (6) ___ process might actually be speeded up, too. Humans certainly do benefit from
contact with animals.
1. A seriously B vitally C significantly D knowingly
2. A depress B deteriorate C lower D sink
3. A advantage B exploitation C credit D profit
4. A pleased B gratified C delighted D cheered
5. A location B surroundings C place D premises cơ sở/đầu
6. A curing B healing C treating D restoring

DIVERSITY OF LANGUAGE
All languages have the same purpose - to communicate thoughts - and yet they achieve this single aim in a multiplicity
of ways. There is, it appears, no feature of grammar or syntax that is indispensable or universal. The ways of dealing
with matters of number, tense, gender, and the (1) ___ are wondrously various from one tongue to the (2) ___ Many
languages manage without quite basic grammatical or lexical features, while others burden themselves with
remarkable complexities.
Not only have various speech communities devised different languages, but also different cultural predispositions to
(3) ___ with them. Speakers from the Mediterranean region, for instance, like to put their faces very close, relatively
speaking, to those they are (4) ___. A common scene when people from southern Europe and northern Europe are
standing together talking is for the latter to spend the entire conversation (5) ___ back, to try to gain some space, and
for the former to keep advancing to close the (6) ___ Neither speaker may even be aware of it.
1. A others B similar C like D more
2 A another B further C second D next
3. A go B match C speak D belong
4. A approaching B contacting C communicating D addressing
5. A heading B falling C coming D turning
6. A breach B gap C crack D whole

THE TREE
It was just a tree: leafless, black in (1) ___ contrast to the blight sky, but it was perfect. I had decided to take the path
which snaked its way steeply up the hillside above the narrow Welsh mining valley alone, for once unaccompanied by
my father, but with a sketch pad (2) ___ under my arm. Inspiration had taken over, and a powerful urge to draw. (3)
___, I had thought that the view from the hilltop would have been a good (4) ___, the shiny grey rooftops of the
winding lines of miners' cottages, and the great black wheel of the mine shaft itself, silhouetted against the opposite
hill.
But as soon as I saw the angular tree, I knew that was it. There was something about the tenacity of the roots, clinging
to the rocky slope, the bonsai-like lack of symmetry. It was bent and gnarled by the wind which tore at the exposed
hillside. There are times when drawing takes effort and much (5) ___ out, but this was different. It was as if the tree
itself was guiding my hand, (6) ___ to be immortalised on paper.
Tuck = gài, xếp, gấp (vải, chăn…) HOOK = MÓC SMEAR OUT = BÔI NHỌ (ĐẤT CÁT, MÀU)
1 A clear B sharp C deep D fine
2 A tucked B kept C hooked D grasped
3. A At first B Then C Afterwards D At last
4. A attempt B way C theme D subject
5. A smearing B missing C rubbing D erasing
6. A avid (khao khát) B eager C enthusiastic D intent

LOW TECHNOLOGY
While the high-tech pundits of the world (1) ___ themselves on the back for a job well done, and many of us benefit
from their victories in the form of mobile phones, computers, the internet, e-mail and talking cars, the rest of the world
is still trying to (2) ___ out a way to prevent themselves from dying of starvation and contaminated drinking water.
The sheer monstrosity of this paradox - that for all our collective genius, we can’t (or can’t be bothered to) solve such
simple problems is (3) ___ difficult to fathom.
It seems, (4) ___, that we may have low technology to thank for coming up with practical solutions. One of the
simplest but most impressive (5) ___ is expected to greatly reduce the enormous number of deaths each year in the
developing world. Filling transparent plastic bottles with water and laying them out in the sun on a dark surface for
about five hours (6) ___ wonders; the combined effects of the increased water temperature and ultraviolet radiation
kill most pathogens. PUNTDIT = EXPERT PAT ON THE BACK = PRAISE
1. A pat B hit C smack D stroke
2. A think B bring C work D put
3. A absolutely B perfectly C totally D incredibly
4. A regardless B besides C though D notwithstanding
5. A findings B inventions C discoveries D fabrications giả mạo
6. A does B causes C creates nguỵ tạo
D makes

VITAL READING?
I have just finished reading Raising Children in the Modern Age by Jane Stevens, whose (1) ___ rise to fame is an
amazing story in itself. On finishing university with a mediocre degree, she found herself unemployed, married, and a
mother, in that (2) ___. Her experiences as a new mother provided her with much food for thought, and she soon
began (3) ___ her ideas about the sinister effect she believed all the trappings of modern society were having on her
child. (4) ___ she managed to sculpt these observations into a cohesive guide for like-minded parents.
The book itself is thought-provoking and is certainly a laudable attempt to instruct parents in the fine (5) ___ of
raising thinking children. Nevertheless, some of the suggestions struck me as somewhat pie-in-the-sky. Is it really
possible (or desirable) for today’s parents to restrict their child's television viewing to two hours a week? Many
parents today struggle (6) ___ to earn a decent living. Perhaps what we really need is a book on how to find the time
to a better parent!
1. A explosive B rocketing C meteoric D soaring
2. A way B structure C rank D order
3. A jotting down B noting in C writing on D scrawling on
4. A Progressively B Eventually C Suddenly D Obviously
5 A skill B flair C talent D art
6 A really B just C only D hardly

MONTREAL
Montreal is a city best visited in autumn, when the leaves of the towering old trees lining the streets and covering the
hills start turning vibrant shades of orange and red, students begin returning from their home towns to (1) ___
residence for the academic year, and the temperatures drop to refreshing, even invigorating levels. Open-air
restaurants with their delicious cuisine and (2) ___ chatter abound, cafes are full, the river (3) ___ beckon, and the
whole city is alive with renewed enthusiasm as a new season begins.
Of course, there are those who will find (4) ___ with this view, and insist that summer is the time to (5) ___ the
charms of this cosmopolitan city. Indeed, summer is relentlessly sunny and crammed full of activities sure to appeal to
festival enthusiasts, with the famous Food, Jazz and Film Festivals (6) ___ visitors from around the world. Actually,
there is quite a lot to be said for Montreal’s tranquil snowy writer months, as well, so let the choice be yours!
CHATTER = CHUYỆN PHIẾM. VIVACIOUS = HOẠT BÁT. LANH LẸ (NS VỀ WOMEN)
1. A bring up B find out C take up D move in
2. A bubbly nhiều bọt, B vivacious C energetic D lively
người vui vẻ B edges C verges D banks
3. A shores B mistake C flaw D error
4. A fault B understand C appreciate D realise
5. A recognise B bringing C tempting D inducing
6. A attracting

EXCITING MUSEUMS
When we were young, both my brother and I (1) ___ the semi-annual visit io the museum inflicted upon us by our
mother in on apparent effort to enlighten and improve us. (2) ___ we went to many museums, they were all roughly
alike - stuffy, stagnant and endless.
Nowadays, parents themselves seem to avoid museums at all (3) ___. I myself used to, as well, until last week when I
was forced to attend the opening of the new Museum of Civilisation. To my amazement, my walk through the
museum was, almost (4) ___ a stroll through history; life-sized figures did chores in full-scale cottages, while the
sounds of their chatter and smells of cooking food wafted through the air. This is just one of a new (5) ___ of
interactive museums designed to be (6) ___ to the average person. If they're all as inspiring as this one was, there may
be hope for me yet.
1. A terrified B frightened C dreaded D worried
2. A Despite B So C As D Though
3. A expenses B possibilities C costs D means
4. A literally B exactly C similarly D figuratively
5. A strain B race C array D generation
6. A handy B accessible C excessive D approachable

SPEED READING
As a graduate student, in a moment of unprecedented foolhardiness, I enrolled in a course entitled "Politics and
Literature’. Little did I know that the tutor was an uncompromising zealot who would require us to read one fat novel
each week and come to class (1) ___ with plenty of historical background information, an awareness of current
literary criticism on the book and well-considered opinions on the novel’s political significance.
I quickly (2) ___ for a speed reading course in a vain attempt to keep up. Its basic (3) ___ was that since the eye
registers groups of words at once and processes their meaning as a group, the faster you force your eyes across the
page, collecting chunks of words, the faster you will read. We used our index finger to (4) ___ our eyes and prevent
them from stumbling over words. I (5) ___ feeling that I was not absorbing what I read, (6) ___ skidding (TRƯỢT)
over text, so I resorted to the time-honoured method of getting through voluminous course material: staying up all
night.
Steer = control movement
1. A appointed B prepared C armed D. fuelled
2. A signed up B wrote down C noted down D put in
3. A factor B inkling HINT C notion D premise TIỀN ĐỀ
4. A steer B guide C bring D convey
5. A started off B got over C ended up D gave up
6. A utterly B solely C purely D merely
III. You are going to read about five places of historical importance in Britain. For questions 1-10, choose from
the sections (A-E). The sections may be chosen more than once.
In which section are the following mentioned?
1. a prime example of objective observation
2. the triumph of our darker side over the potential for creating a better world
3. an emotionally-uplifting observation
4. an illusion created while travelling in a balloon
5. the use of balloons as a means of gathering intelligence
6. features that improve the retrospective quality of the book
7. the use of environmental cues as a navigational tool
8. the idea that ballooning had the ability to remove barriers
9. the fate of some aeronautic adventurers
10. the shattering of an illusion created by writers

UP!
A lively account of the early history of ballooning — John Lacey
Falling Upwards - How we took to the air — By Richard Holmes
A. For the Romantics, as Richard Holmes showed in his acclaimed 2008 book The Age of Wonder, ballooning was
the future. Air travel, they believed, would carry freedom and prosperity across the globe. Frontiers would vanish.
Holmes's new book, by contrast, records how the balloon dream deflated in the course of the 19th century. It is a tragic
tale, punctuated with ghastly accidents, but thanks to Holmes's enthusiasm and eager curiosity, it remains valiantly
airborne. He does not attempt a full-scale history of ballooning, instead concentrating on a clutch of dramatic stories.
Almost all his pages have black-and-white pictures from books and magazines, so you get the feel of being at a
Victorian magic-lantern show. Quotations from accounts left by real-life balloonists enhance this sense of going back
in time. They record their sensations during flight. Even at a mile or two up, voices from the ground and animal noises
can be heard. Higher, they fade to a whisper.
B. At night, earth's noises can help you plot your position. The croaking of frogs, for example, indicates you are over
fenland. Without such aids, the night is terrifying. Monck Mason, a passenger on Charles Green's epic 1836 flight
from London's Vauxhall Gardens to a forest near Frankfurt, recalls how, when light had faded, they strained their eyes
to penetrate the darkness, which gave them the feeling that they were 'cutting a path through an immense block of
black marble'. What use balloons were was much debated. They were unsuited to travel because they could not be
steered. Erasmus Darwin, Charles's grandfather, suggested a small hydrogen balloon attached to a garden
wheelbarrow would make it easier to push, but nobody seems to have taken up this sensible idea. Instead, balloons
became a standard item in the entertainment industry. Acrobats hung from them, fireworks were - sometimes
disastrously - set off from them and a young woman called Sophie Blanchard achieved fame (cut short by a fatal fall)
by making ascents in a basket no bigger than a child's cradle.
C. Human nature being what it is, balloons made their appearance in warfare very early. Napoleon, for instance, used
them (unsuccessfully) at the Battle of the Nile. Their more fortunate deployment as aerial observation posts was seen
in the American Civil War. Abraham Lincoln's Military Aeronautics Corps used tethered balloons with telegraph
equipment to relay information to Union officers about Confederate positions. The scientific sections of Holmes's
book soar above these conflicts. For meteorologists the upper air was a laboratory. The most poetic moment comes
when a clashing young French scientist, Camille Flammarion, notices butterflies fluttering around the gondola of his
balloon. This was the first recorded sighting of what are now known to be massive seasonal airflows of migrating
moths, ladybirds and lacewings as well as butterflies, occurring up to 9,000 feet. According to one study, the total
flow over a small stretch of southern England is 3 billion insects a month. The paths taken by these diminutive
aeronauts influence bird migrations, especially those of swifts and swallows, which eat insects on the wing.
D. The hero among Holmes's scientists is James Glaisher, a watchmaker's son from Rotherhithe, who set out to
discover how high you could go before breathable air gave out and you died of asphyxiation. Terminating the ascent
before that occurred was clearly of paramount importance, so Glaisher took an experienced balloonist, Henry Coxwell
with him. On their first flight in July 1862, Glaisher recorded his physical symptoms with admirable scientific
detachment. Approaching 19,000 feet his pulse rate reached 100 beats a minute; after another 400 feet he suffered
heart palpitations and found it hard to breathe; 20 feet higher his hands and lips turned dark blue; at 21,792 feet he felt
sick and could not see clearly. Only at 22,357 feet did Coxwell, perhaps noticing his passenger's discomfort, start the
descent. Neither man was deterred by the experience. During an ascent two months later, Glaisher actually passed out
and Coxwell's hands froze so much that he could not pull open the gas-escape valve. By the time he managed it, with
his teeth, they had soared to 37,000 feet or just over seven miles. What they had discovered, Holmes observes, was
that the envelope of life-sustaining oxygen around the planet is alarmingly thin and that what lies beyond is not the
ethereal realm imagined by poets, but darkness and absence of life.
E. This is a bleaker book than The Age of Wonder and it ends with a fearsome account of an attempt made by three
Swedish balloonists to reach the North Pole in 1897. Their remains, complete with diaries and letters home, were not
found until 1930. Ballooning was a dream that failed, and the lesson of Holmes's story is that an invention that seemed
to promise democracy and universal brotherhood became merely another means for humanity to exhibit its insatiable
appetite for destruction. Perhaps the nearest modern parallel will turn out to be the Internet.

You are going to read an article about an annual flower show. For questions 1-10, choose from the sections (A-
E). The sections may be chosen more than once.
In which section are the following mentioned?
1. garden features whose popularity has not diminished
2. an activity that did not immediately capture the public's imagination
3. the apparent absence of new experiences for visitors
4. an eagerness to proceed which paid off
5. an aim to spur on the ordinary gardener
6. the timing of an event to coincide with a busy spell for leisure-time horticulturalists
7. a period when cost cutting did not lead to a reduction in quality
8. a concern that proved to be unfounded
9. times at which the show is not open to the general public
10. lively floral compositions designed by top horticulturalists

The Chelsea Flower Show

A. The world-famous Chelsea Flower Show, organised by the Royal Horticultural Society, is not just an event for
gardening enthusiasts, it is an integral part of London's annual social scene, where flamboyant garden designers rub
shoulders with royalty and celebrity spotting is very much part of the entertainment. Held every May in the grounds of
the Royal Hospital Chelsea, the show is a grand celebration of all things horticultural, featuring a series of ambitious
show gardens, inspirational small gardens and vibrant horticultural displays created by a stellar line up of renowned
gardeners. The show itself dates back over 150 years to 1862, when the Great Spring Show, as it was originally
known, was first held in gardens in Kensington. The date of the show was chosen so that it would take place during
the peak period for amateur gardening, and it flourished, with nurseries exhibiting plants from their stock. The show
soon became an annual event and was relocated to the larger Temple Gardens on the Embankment.
B. In 1912, the show was cancelled to make way for the Royal International Horticultural Exhibition, which the RHS
was instrumental in organising. Council member Harry Veitch arranged for the exhibition to be staged in the Royal
Hospital Grounds. Initially, it was thought that the sizeable grounds, which were twice as big as those at the Temple,
would be too far off the beaten track to attract visitors. However, the exhibition exceeded all expectations and the
following year the annual Chelsea Flower Show was established on the same site. The first show in 1913 was much
smaller than today's event and although it was claimed that there was a lack of novelty, it soon became a talked about
event. In September of that year, a play called Sealed Orders opened in London's Drury Lane, with scenes set at the
Chelsea Flower Show.
C. Throughout the decades the show has become a regular fixture in the royal calendar and today, in her role as patron
of the Royal Horticultural Society, the Queen regularly attends the opening of the show, which begins with Press Day
on the Monday followed by two private views for RHS members. However, over the last century the show has had to
survive periods of adversity which ultimately led to its cancellation in 1917,1918 and the six successive years prior to
1947. In that year the majority of exhibitors expressed their preference for a postponement since stocks of plants were
low, staff numbers depleted and special permits were required for greenhouse fuel, but Lord Aberconway (then RHS
president) together with the RHS and its council were keen to resume the show as quickly as possible. Their
enthusiasm was rewarded as the show was considered a great success.
D. Another challenge for the show's organisers has been the constant changes in horticultural fashion. In 1925 the
show was extended to five days. This meant that nearly all the plants on display were growing rather than cut flowers,
which were previously the norm. The following year there was a additional tent for pictures of flowers and gardens.
During the 1930s, Constance Spry introduced the art of flower I arranging, but this did not really catch on until the
end of the following decade, when flower gardening came to the fore. In the 1950s, emphasis was on easy and cheap
gardens without lowering horticultural standards. Chelsea's famous show gardens have also mirrored the changing
enthusiasms of garden designers - from the Japanese and topiary gardens of the early days (Japanese bonsai trees first
appeared in 1913), through the rock garden craze of the 1940s and the paved back yards and cottage gardens of the
1980s, to the contemporary sculptural gardens of the present day.
E. Since the 1970s, high-profile companies, newspapers such as the Times and the Telegraph as well as charities like
Age UK and Teenage Cancer Trust have started sponsoring show gardens. Different categories have also been
introduced, including Urban and Fresh Gardens. At the heart of Chelsea is the exhibition of plants staged by
nurserymen and women, professionals and amateurs. For the 100th anniversary of the show, five-time gold medal
winner Christopher Bradley-Hole created a garden inspired by the English landscape and the Japanese approach to
garden making. One the other hand, Roger Platts looked back over the previous 100 years, focusing on classics that
have stood the test of time such as shrub roses and hardy perennials. While the garden designs and the plants used to
create them may have changed, visitors have always been encouraged to go away feeling they could do something
similar. Spread over 11 acres, the RHS Chelsea Flower Show is now where trends start, new styles of design are
exhibited and where new plants and garden products are launched.

You are going to read a magazine article about four women who explain why they do the dangerous things they
do. For questions 1 - 10, choose from the sections (A - D).
Which of the women
1. was given encouragement by a family member?
2. says she remains calm in demanding situations?
3. has experienced physical symptoms of fear?
4. didn't think much of the activity at first?
5. is frightened by one aspect of what she does?
6. avoided starting a new activity?
7. had a gradual introduction to what she does?
8. says it is important to focus on what she is doing?
9. wanted a change from her normal life?
10. was successful at a certain activity when young?

WOMEN WHO LIKE THE TASTE OF DANGER

Ivy Viney asked four women what makes them do the things they do.
A. Marlee became a policewoman eight years ago, and has done a lot of work in undercover operations. 'We had a
careers talk at school about joining the police force, which interested me and I decided to apply. To be sure that a life
as a policewoman was really for me, I first signed up for the Specials, a group of part-time officers. I really liked the
work so signed on the dotted line and became a full-time officer. After a couple of years, I joined the Special Inquiry
Section, which deals with robberies. I have to do a certain amount of undercover work, such as pretending to be a
cashier in a bank about which we’ve received a tip-off that it might be robbed. Obviously, we're dealing with
criminals, some of whom are violent, so there's already the element of risk. However, I have a back-up team that I
have total confidence in, and therefore, I don't really feel scared when I'm working undercover. It does frighten me
when we have to do a raid though, as we never know what we're going to face when we walk into a room. That makes
me more careful, and not being alone, makes me feel more confident.
B. During the week, Eva works in a shop making chocolate. However, at weekends she drives down to Dover, on the
English Channel, where she trains to swim the thirty-five kilometre stretch of sea between England and France, one of
the world's busiest shipping lanes. 'When I was young I kept winnings long-distance swimming events and eventually
someone said to me, 'Why not have a go at the Channel? I thought I couldn't do it and made excuses saying I couldn't
afford it Then my friends started raising money to pay for me to try, so I had no choice but to do it. When I got in the
sea, I kept asking myself What am I doing?1 It was hard work and I was scared. It finally took me 11 hours 21
minutes and I was told to try it again and do it a bit faster the next time! These days I swim the Channel mainly to
raise money for children in hospital.'
C. In 2007, although a mother of three small children, Katherine signed up for the Air Force because she saw it as a
change from her domestic routine. Her husband was already a pilot and urged her to join. Katherine didn't think the
Air Force would accept her, but they did and she is now not only an Air Force pilot for her country, but also flies
small planes in competitions. 'I'm quite a careful and cautious person and don't think of what I do as dangerous
because I always respect my limitations and those of the aircraft. The engine could fail, but that's a risk I have to take.
My worst and most scary moment was when I was flying home from a competition in France. The weather was awful,
forcing me to fly lower and lower. My heart was racing, my mouth was dry, and my hands were sweating. I had to
turn back and find another airfield to land at. I also race cars and have often been more frightened doing that than
flying.'
D. Georgina gave up her career as a social worker to become a professional acrobatic parachutist. 'I first tried
parachute jumping in my teens, but didn't particularly like it. Then, in my mid-20s I visited the States and went on a
jump with a friend. I was hooked straight away. I like being in the air and the freedom it gives me, and the fact that
you can't switch off - you really have to concentrate or you put the rest of the team in jeopardy. I think I'm a level-
headed and calm person, so I rarely panic in a difficult situation. I have been in dancer though. One time another
member of the team jumped out of the plane too quickly, landed on me and knocked me out. Fortunately someone else
saw it happen and grabbed hold of me. We landed together with me still unconscious, which is a very difficult
manoeuvre. The accident damaged my confidence, but within weeks I was back jumping again.'
IV. You are going to read an extract from an article. Seven paragraphs have been removed from the extract.
Choose from paragraphs A-H the one which fits each gap (1-7). There is one extra paragraph which you do not
need to use.
Facebook: Are some ‘likes’ worth more than others?
Billy Mae investigates the social media giant's recent addition: the search function.
Are all Facebook users created the same or will some now find it too easy to beat the system for personal gain?
Facebook's Graph Search facility raised two questions: can I make money from it, and can it threaten Google?
1. ________
A search engine like Google provides links, but Graph Search actually provides answers. Mark Zuckerberg explains,
'Search' engines are designed to take any open-ended question and give you links that might have answers. Graph
Search is designed to take a precise query and give you an answer, not give you links that might provide the answer
The answers will come directly from a user's 'social graph' of friends.
2. ________
The opportunities that Graph Search provides are endless, both to advertisers and Facebook users alike. For lovelorn
users who want to find that special someone, all they need to do is search for something like, 'Single people who like
Ancient history'.
3. ________
In the past, the majority of Internet users were anonymous when they used online services. Searching for an item or
person was impersonal and the responses were based on global trends and the cumulative study of other Internet users.
4. ________
Elise Ackerman, in her analysis of Graph Search for Forbes, realised that not all users are created equal and the more
the anonymity of the virtual world is substituted for the real world of friends, status, fame and followers, the more this
disparity becomes an entrenched element of people's daily digital living.
5. ________
To answer the other question: is it going to be simple to make money from this new facility? Well, have you been to a
shop where the service was excellent, the prices reasonable and there was a wide choice of whatever they sell? Then
write a good review of the place and you will get money off next time you shop there. What if you have never been to
that shop? No problem. Earn cash by stating that you have been there and loved the experience. Tell all your 'friends'
and followers on Facebook and the cash will roll in.
6. ________
Facebook, like any other business, wants to keep its clients happy by giving them what they want. They also want the
public to get it when they want it and from whomever they want it in effect, the public have been recruited as
reviewers, self-promoters, broadcasters and publicists and the public are lapping it up.
The drawback, voiced by Pinboard founder Maciej Ceglowski in November 2011, is what enticements this places on
our relationships. 'We have a name for the kind of person who collects a detailed, permanent dossier on everyone they
interact with, with the intent of using it to manipulate others for personal advantage,' he observed. 'We call that person
a sociopath.' Perhaps Ceglowski's words are less a prophecy and more of a warning, but they should be taken
seriously.
7. ________
Nonetheless whether it is making money or friends or not, finding your true love or not, some things just are not worth
doing. Not if you want to be able to look at yourself in the mirror in the morning with a dear conscience, anyway.

A. Facebook has, in effect, turned its data into an unparalleled chance for social discovery, showing us the future of
the Internet and proving it is now really fully assimilated into daily life.
B. Facebook is, in effect, feeding this inequity and assisting everyone to utilise their specific qualities for all they are
worth.
C. All they need to do is type in a question, such as, ‘People I know in Australia who eat chocolate and have visited
Chicago’, and a list they can sort through will come up based on that criteria. It is also possible to explore what their
friends have been doing, what they are interested in doing and how they appraise these experiences.
D. The Internet these days is becoming progressively more out of balance. Our relationships and approval of different
things alike are services that we can sell. Utilising our sociopathic tendencies has never been easier to do or more
enticing.
E. Both of these questions are pivotal should any budding enterprise wish to survive in this age of booming digital
technology. Failing to address either of these is synonymous with succumbing to the giants who have already
dominated the market for years.
F. Facebook's Graph Search will not necessarily be a success, nor only a way for making money and being able to find
an audience for what you have to say. It is, however, an indication of a blossoming digital culture that stems from real
lives and places.
G. It would seem that companies like Google misjudged how much users want to make the whole experience more
personal. People want to know who the information comes from rather than its popularity, and even if this information
is from a celebrity rather than the man down the road, it is still of more interest to most of us.
H. As regards the second question, part of the answer is that what Facebook appears to have created is the world's first
pioneering social search function.

The psychological effect of making a to-do list

Lilian Papla is a psychologist who investigates why people make to-do lists.
Many people make lists for everything, whether it's a shopping list or a to-do list of things that need to be done.
1. ________
According to David Allen in his book Getting Things Done - known simply as GTD - people are often paralysed by
the sheer volume of tasks remaining to be done. Allen's best-selling book advises a personal productivity system, and
despite the book being over a decade old, his advice still rings true today and is just as effective now as it was then.
Scientific research has also proved him right.
2. ________
Allen's method is more like owning a bicycle or a sports car. You can immediately see and feel the difference. Allen
advocates a three-tier filing system. The first is an archive where your to-do lists are kept until you need them. These
can be forgotten about until then. The second is a list of current tasks that need doing, but these are filed as an 'action’
and the last a 'tickler file' of forty-three folders.
3. ________
The second file, the 'current task to-do' list is somewhat special, as the tasks listed are characterised by the first action
that is required to advance them.
4. ________
For instance, one item on a to-do list might be 'redecorate the spare bedroom', which becomes 'ring Maureen and find
out who wallpapered her living room', or better still, 'ring Maureen, 7835 159 019, and ask her who wallpapered her
living room.' By breaking each task down into small steps, it provides the inspiration to alter tasks from just something
written on a piece of paper to the physical act of resolving it or you can file it again, content with the thought that you
have taken some action, however small, and it is now in your filing system.
5. ________
But is there any real psychology to support Allen's theory? E J Masicampo and Roy Baumeister of Florida State
University have been investigating the Zeigarnik Effect, whereby our propensity to be preoccupied by unfinished tasks
consumes our thoughts rather than those tasks we have completed. For example, think of something you need to
remember short term, like buying a loaf of bread, which you instantly forget once you have bought it. People do not
fixate on tasks they have completed.
6. ________
Interestingly, they then allowed some people to write down what they were going to do to complete the warm-up task,
not to actually physically finish it, only plan how to do it. Their performance on the brainstorming tasks improved
dramatically because their minds were no longer diverted by the warm-up task being unfinished.
7. ________
The GTD system acts as a reminder and a plan for how to do and complete a task, freeing the part of the mind that is
labouring to remind you what has to be done on your to-do list. Instead of completing them Allen, Masicampo and
Baumeister have shown that we only need to plan how to do them, which satisfies something in our brain, enabling us
to forget about them for the time being.

A. Because hardware and software is changing so rapidly, GTD is deliberately technologically neutral. (In fact, Allen
advises people to start with a paper-based system.) Many task management tools claim to implement GTD
methodology and Allen maintains a list of some technology that has been adopted in or designed for GTD.
B. As regards the GTD system, it would seem that people's attention has a restricted capability. In other words, there is
a limit to how much can be on the mind at any one time.
C. This might again sound obvious, but it is amazingly successful in prompting us to plan the first stages of dealing
with the task. The idea is to break each task down into its constituent parts to encourage you to make the first move to
actually doing it.
D. The nucleus of his system is to write absolutely everything down that you have to remember and then file it
efficiently. This might seem obvious, but his ideas are not built on using a filing cabinet and a scrappy piece of paper
with your to-do list scribbled on it.
E. Research has shown though, that it's the simple strategy of writing down something that provides the pleasure,
rather than the actual completion, as it frees the mind from the worry of uncompleted jobs.
F. Every day you check the folder for that day and either take some action or delay by placing it in a folder for another
day or month. According to Allen, this is absolutely vital to making a complete self-management system because your
filing system is doing the remembering and monitoring for you.
G. These folders are labelled one for each of the thirty-one days in a month, as well as one for each of the twelve
months. In these files you note reminders of tasks to do.
H. Masicampo and Baumeister tested the Zeigarnik Effect - whether an uncompleted task hinders the brain's faculties
to carry out a successive task. The two men determined that the volunteers they tested performed badly on a
brainstorming activity when they had been stopped from completing a previous task, because the previous task was
still at the forefront of their active memory.

Friends
Friends burst onto our screens on 22nd September 1994 in the coveted 830 Thursday slot on NBC to nearly fifteen
million viewers.
1. ________
The writers, Crane and Kauffman, considered Friends just a TV show, albeit an extremely successful one. However,
many psychologists realised that the programme was gradually having an impact on culture, not just in America, but
around the world. For instance, something as trivial as Jennifer Aniston's hairstyle, now known as 'The Rachael,' after
Aniston's character in the series, is still being sported by many women globally, despite Rachael changing her
hairstyle after the end of Season 2 in 1996.
2. ________
The series also had an influence on the English language in general. The University of Toronto discovered that all the
characters stressed the word 'so’ to modify adjectives, more frequently than any other intensifier.
3. ________
In addition, Chandler's practice of leaving a sentence unfinished as a form of sarcasm also influenced how fans of the
show spoke in their daily lives. Another great cultural influence has been the Central Perk coffee shop, where much of
the action in the series takes place. In 2006, an Iranian businessman registered the name as a franchise in thirty-two
countries.
4. ________
By far the biggest influence is that which Friends has had on lifestyle - an alternative lifestyle representing young
people that have an unorthodox domestic life. The programme epitomises the idea that all that is needed in anyone’s
life is good friends.
5. ________
It exposed a different way of life and developing relationships that are not usually seen in traditional society. The
University of Buffalo classes Friends as 'one of those rare shows that marked a change in American culture’.
6. ________
The cast also learned how to be true friends. Before they began filming for the third season, they decided to enter
salary negotiations collectively rather than individually.
7. ________
They also reached a deal with Warner Bros, to receive syndication royalties, unheard of at the time unless the stars
owned part of the show. Again, if they had not collaborated as one entity, they would not have received the royalties.
Friends is missed by the public and media critics alike, with the latter bemoaning the fate of the sitcom genre now the
series has finished. They deem it the final real scripted sitcom, which has been replaced, unfortunately, by more and
more reality TV programming.

A. Although it was already reasonably common in American colloquial speech, usage by such popular characters
hastened how many more people adopted it in their speech.
B. They were best friends off-screen and have remained so since the series ended. Each considers the rest of the cast
their family.
C. Although two of the stars had to take a reduction in pay, by the tenth season all six cast members were earning one
million dollars an episode, something that was unlikely to have happened if they had not co-operated together.
D. Despite the show presenting stereotypical ideas of class and race, depicting a group of white men and women
living in New York City, viewers could identify with the programme through the problems the cast faced each week.
E. The decor of the coffee house in the programme has been replicated in each one, including similar couches, neon
signs, bricks and the counter. There are also paintings of the cast adorning the walls and televisions that constantly
show episodes of Friends.
F. They spent the next twenty-two minutes in the company of three men and women who were to have an effect on
different aspects of culture throughout the world. It was also to be the lowest viewing figures throughout the ten-year
run of the sitcom.
G. Then there was Joey's catchphrase, 'How you doing?', which became popular in Western English slang, used
commonly for greeting friends or as a conversation opener with a stranger.
H. Their pop-culture experts claims that the impression of young people and the roles they represent are well
delineated and symbolise a way of life that centres around creating and maintaining bonds between friends, who are in
charge of their own lives and ask for help only from each other.

Are people naturally good or bad?

Behavioural anthropologist, Jay Hoy, investigates whether science can tell if someone is inherently good or bad.
The question that anthropologists, psychologists and philosophers have asked themselves for centuries is 'do we
basically have a good character that Is distorted by society, or a bad character that is kept honest by society?'. Recent
research has revealed evidence which might help somewhat towards answering this question.
One means of trying to find an answer is to use babies in research. They are a blank canvas, perfect for revealing the
fundamental characteristics of human nature.
1. ________
However, their inability to speak makes it difficult to know what they are thinking. It is usual when people take part in
an experiment to instruct them in what is expected of them or if they are required to respond to questions. Both tasks
require language. So although babies might well be adorable to work with, rather than teenagers or adults, they cannot
follow instructions or be expected to be obedient.
2. ________
With these factors in mind, Yale University developed some imaginative experiments to look into how babies think.
The researchers were amazed to discover that even at such a tender age, they know right from wrong and intuitively
prefer good to bad. But how can experiments show these character traits?
Babies have a short attention span, so any experiments have to be fairly brief, as well as fun. What the Yale
researchers devised were brightly coloured puppets, with a stage showing a big green hill.
3. ________
This shape found the going difficult and kept sliding back down the hill. Enter the other two shapes. One helped the
climber get up the hill by pushing from behind, while the third shape pushed down from above, forcing the first shape
back down the hill Despite the puppets only being shapes, anyone can understand the script.
4. ________
Yet what followed shows us even more about human nature. When the puppet show had finished, the babies were
offered the chance to reach out to the helping shape, or the second shape that had been obstructive. All the infants
went for the helping shape. This is unsurprising if they saw the action in the puppet show in terms of motivation.
5. ________
A second puppet show was then performed for the infants to confirm the results. In this segment, the climber shape
had to choose between the other two shapes and move towards one of them. The infants' reaction to these moves was
one of surprise when the climbing shape shifted towards the obstructive shape. They gazed for considerably longer
than when the climber shape went for the helping shape.
6. ________
When the climber shape moved towards the impeder, the infants were startled, yet this is, in effect, the same reaction
you would anticipate if an adult saw someone shaking hands with another-adult who had just harmed them.
7. ________
Their response does not completely answer the question about human nature. It does, however establish that even in a
developing mind there is the capability to make sense of people around us and their motivations, plus a hardwired
intuition to like a friendly intent rather than a malevolent one. This is the basis on which adult morality is developed,
but It may change over time with other influences.

A. Babies have no cultural bias, no friends to speak of, have not yet attended school and have never read a book. They
also lack speech and have to be helped to do everything, so their minds are as innocent as if is possible for human
minds to be.
B. Even though babies have no worldly knowledge, these experiments illustrate that they still have expectations about
how people should behave. Indeed, they deduce the actions of the shapes as a consequence of motivation, but favour
the good motivation over the bad.
C. The puppets made no noise and exhibited no human feelings or emotions, yet everyone could understand the
purpose of their movements, which exposed their characters.
D. The puppets were in the shape of a triangle, a square and a circle, all with big, loose eyes and in different vibrant
colours. The puppets then performed a short play in which one of the shapes attempted to get to the top of the hill.
E. Fortuitously, speech is not always necessary to express an opinion. Babies will stretch out their hands for an item
they want or like, and they have a propensity to stare at things for longer if they are surprised by them.
F. There is obviously an inconsistency in children’s identification of the villain shape, so such clues as colours or
names are absolutely necessary.
G. Obviously, making for the helper shape would have provided a happy ending and it was clear it was what the
babies expected.
H. In other words, the shapes were moving with purpose and not at random, but it also demonstrated to the babies that
the shape pushing up the hill was helping the first shape, and so a nice 'person', whereas the shape pushing downhill
was bad because it was being obstructive and causing problems.

A HEALTHY OLD AGE

Physical capacity peaks in young adulthood and then declines progressively decade by decade at a rate which varies
from one individual to another. Part of this physical decline is due to ageing and is not amenable to intervention.
1. ________
However, some age-related changes that were once thought to result solely from ageing are now known to be the
result of disuse and are therefore potentially reversible.
The practical importance of this is that an older person is often precariously close to the threshold at which a small
decline in physical capacity will render basic everyday activities impossible. An episode of intercurrent illness may
render even a previously healthy 80-year-old immobile and dependent.
2. ________
Many other health benefits are associated with regular physical activity in old age. Weight bearing exercise may slow
the rate of bone loss in older women; balance exercise training and tai chi may make falls less likely; and regular
exercise may help in major depression.
3. ________
Clearly there are compelling reasons for old people to be physically active. However, if more old people are to have
this opportunity, radical changes in attitude are required. Prevailing cultural expectations that pensioners should 'put
their feet up" must be challenged.
4. ________
Well-intentioned relatives who take over the household chores may be depriving their elderly relative of their main
physical activity of the week. Too often the old person struggling with an aspect of self-care in the community is
simply provided with social support, when a more appropriate response might be treatment to help regain the lost skill.
There are no guarantees where health is concerned. A healthy old age depends heavily on luck and genetic and other
factors that are not amenable to intervention.
5. ________
Additional disability-free years in later life are precious to individuals and to society, but this prospect should not be
overestimated. Disability may be postponed; it will not be eliminated. Old people will still require long-term care, and
many of the chronic disabling diseases of later life will still take their toll. Unfortunately, health issues in old age are
neglected by most health education campaigns.
6. ________
It is also important to understand more about how and when such knowledge actually influences health behaviours:
research is required into incentives and opportunities which would motivate older people to adopt and maintain
healthy lifestyles.
7. ________
The ageing of the population is a success story and, although much debate has so far focused on how to care for the
growing number of old people, an equally important target is how to maintain their health arid minimise disability. A
public health approach to an ageing society is long overdue.

A. There is, however, substantial evidence that lost fitness can be regained with regular physical activity, even in
extreme old age, and exercise training in older people may prevent an individual from falling beneath functionally
important thresholds.
B. Even healthy ageing is associated with a striking loss of muscle mass and hence muscle strength: by the age of 80
about half of muscle mass has gone.
C. However, the provision of inappropriate social services to old people may simply accelerate the rate at which
physical abilities are lost, and tow staffing levels in hospitals and homes are likely to create unnecessary dependence.
D. Such changes are less likely to be achieved by exercise prescription schemes than by turning our environment into
a more attractive place in which to be physically active, with attention to personal safety, good street lighting, and
town planning.
E. Older people require access to information about healthy lifestyles, the ability to appraise such information, and a
sense of control over their own future.
F. The social benefits of group exercise activities in later life should not be underestimated in a population where
social isolation and loneliness may be common.
G. The social benefits of group exercise activities in later life should not be underestimated in a population where
social isolation and loneliness may be common.
H. The literature on exercise trials in old age is remarkable for its paucity of adverse events. If an activity is not
provoking symptoms it is very unlikely to be doing harm.

CLONING: WHERE IS IT TAKING US?

When the cloned sheep, Dolly, first hit the newspapers, nearly 90 per cent of Americans found human cloning morally
repugnant. Perhaps no other moral issue in American history has produced such near unanimity.
1. _________
This is a seductive argument, especially when cancer victims make it. But the talk of concrete material benefits from
cloning assumes that if it is permissible to reproduce certain cells for certain purposes (eg - to reproduce a burn
victim's remaining healthy skin cells to produce a graft), it is permissible to reproduce human beings in a Petrie dish.
Humans are embodied beings, our souls and physical selves ore profoundly intertwined. Cloning would take the
humanity out of human reproduction and, in so doing' rob our spirits of something that cannot be replaced artificially.
2. _________
Most advocates of cloning ignore the moral arguments and tempt us with small concrete benefits. These potential
benefits play on our current notions of rights and our culture of compassion in a way that gives them considerable
political force.
3. _________
We hear most often that cloning could provide perfectly compatible body parts for people who need them, or that it
could enable infertile couples to have "biological" offspring. It is hard to say without sounding callous, but death and
bodily infirmity are concomitant with human existence and, in the long run, unavoidable. We live in a society where
longevity is becoming a value in itself, but longevity cannot justify a practice that is basically wrong.
4. _________
When defenders of cloning talk about the brave new world of medical techniques, it is important to remember what
cloning entails: the DA-laden nucleus from a somatic cell is placed into a denucleated egg and stimulated into growth
with an electric shock. What begins to grow is a “fertilised” egg, an embryo - not a kidney or any other disembodied
piece of tissue.
5. _________
Actually, there is perhaps one grosser corruption, for the “headless human” scenario is still a science fiction
nightmare: it is much easier to delete mouse genes (preventing the head from growing) than human genes. In the
meantime, cloned organs would probably have to develop within human foetuses, which would be aborted when the
organs were ready. This is coded "organ farming": growing human life as material. Advocates of cloning like to
sidestep the idea of organ forming with visions of growing organs, not a foetus.
6. _________
The foetus will be female, and have, inside her ovaries, a lifetime supply of eggs, exactly identical to the woman's own
eggs. The foetus is then aborted and the eggs harvested for implantation in the woman. This is an option actually
entertained by some fertility doctors, who say they already see a market for it; cloning defenders celebrate this as a
marvellous extension of a woman's reproductive capabilities.
7. _________
For we human beings are unavoidably defined by our biological, embodied natures. How we come into being is not
trivial: it is central to who we are.

A. But politicians have been reluctant to cement this consensus into law. A bill recently introduced would have
outlawed human cloning under a penalty of up to ten years in prison. It lost under a hail of criticism that it would be
an unnecessary impediment Io scientific research.
B. The fact that people are already inventing - and endorsing - such scenarios demonstrates the corrosive magic this
technology works on the notion of human dignity. Indeed, if is not just the horrific applications but cloning itself that
are abominations.
C. As for infertility, it is not even a disabling sickness that, on humanitarian grounds, we should feel obliged to
deviate. It is simply a limitation. There is nothing heartless about saying that people should resort to alternatives
besides cloning, like adoption.
D. In the meantime, more conventional researchers were trying to make cloned human embryos and, they hoped, keep
them alive long enough to make human embryonic stem cell lines from them, cell lines that would be important for
research and might be crucial for clinical uses.
E. The infertility applications of cloning have nightmares of their own. Consider: a woman wants "biological"
children, but her ovaries do not work because of age or other reasons. She clones herself.
F. Chorles Krauthammer recently wrote about experiments in which headless mice were created, and raised the
spectre of headless humans used as organ factories: ‘There is no grosser corruption of biotechnology than creating a
human mutant and disemboweling it for spare parts.’
G. Furthermore, the manufacture of human beings on demand without conception would turn people into made-to-
order goods, and would in aggregate debase our respect for human life.
H. But these arguments do not sustain scrutiny. There is little disagreement about the profound effects the cloning of
human beings would have on human nature. However, some cloning apologists simply respond, 'So what?'.