PAE STAGE 2 EXAM PRACTICE TEST 5 With Answer Key and Tapescript

BILKENT UNIVERSITY
PROFICIENCY IN ACADEMIC ENGLISH EXAM
STAGE 2A
PRACTICE TEST 5
READING, GRAMMAR & VOCABULARY BOOKLET
TIME: 1 hour 45 minutes

READING
Part One
Questions 18
Read the following three passages. On the answer sheet, mark the letter A, B, C, D or E for
each question. Give only one answer to each question.
GM Foods
Thirty years ago, genetic engineers hoped the use of technology would revolutionise world
farming and reduce or even eliminate the need for fertilisers and pesticides. It was a noble idea
that deserved success. But only promises came. In the 1990s, the public was told genetic
modification (GM) would increase crop yields enough to feed the world. Now, in an age of climate
change, we hear that GM can reduce climate change emissions, improve drought tolerance,
stimulate growth and eliminate poverty.
Perhaps all these benefits to society will appear one day, but my fear, after tens of billions of
dollars of public and private research and development money have been spent by some of the
world’s most powerful companies, is that it has met a dead end.
Only a handful of GM food crops such as maize and soy are grown widely and this happens in
only a few countries. Instead, the business is controlled by a few global chemical companies who
make their profits mostly from the sale of the very same chemicals which they engineer their
seeds to resist. At a time when we desperately need new ideas to grow more food, we are being
offered more expensive seeds which require more chemicals.
If they had really attempted from the start to develop products useful to consumers and farmers,
rather than to create massive profits, it might by now have become a technology to change the
world. Instead, after 30 long years of public relations and backing by governments, the crops are
still not trusted and food safety concerns will not go away.
1 We can understand from the text that some big chemical companies want to
A boost food production in their own countries.

B reduce public fears concerning food safety.
C protect their own financial interests.
D persuade the government to invest in GM foods.
E reduce the adverse effects of climate change.
2 The author’s purpose in writing this text is to
A offer some advice to consumers.

B describe some scientific research.
C recommend a plan of action.
D explain some new technology.
E express a personal point of view.
Bilkent University Preparatory Program reserves the right to make changes to the exam and the criteria. Page 1 of 40
3 The main idea of this text is that research on GM crops
A should be more extensive.

B has been a waste of money.
C should be government-funded.
D has been based on faulty data.
E should have more public support.
Sound Gun
A new hand-held device created by Japanese researchers has a startling capability. The ‘sound
gun’ as it is known, sends out sound waves which can block the words of speakers more than
300 metres away.
The ‘sound gun’ operates on the concept of delayed auditory feedback. The gun is aimed at a
person, and a microphone in the gun picks up any sounds they make. The gun then plays them
back 0.2 seconds later making it nearly impossible for the person to hold a conversation. The
device doesn't cause the person any physical harm — they simply feel puzzled.
Normally, when the human brain hears its own speech, it easily processes the input and allows
us to largely ignore the sound of our own voice. However, when the gun is used on a person who
is talking, their brain hears their mouth speaking as well as the words they spoke 0.2 seconds
earlier. This unusual combination is so strange that it effectively turns off the part of the brain
responsible for managing speech, and you immediately fall silent.
This may sound alarming, but the developers say the ‘sound gun’ could be used for innocuous
purposes, such as enforcing rules requiring library users to keep quiet. It could also be used
during a large lecture when the lecturer does not want to be asked questions until the end of the
lecture.
However, the developers of the ‘sound gun’ have not acknowledged the somewhat disturbing
potential of the device. An individual protestor or speaker at a political gathering could be
silenced just for having unpopular views. Larger political and protest gatherings could also be
quieted by the sound gun if law enforcement or other government agencies should decide to buy
the technology.
4 The ‘sound gun’ affects a speaker by
A reprogramming his brain.

B confusing his brain.
C damaging his brain.
D altering his speech.
E distorting his hearing.
5 The main argument put forward about this new device is that it can
A cause both physical and mental harm.

B be more effective than existing devices.
C lead to over control of society by politicians.
D impact society in a number of ways.
E contribute to a number of social problems.
Children's Brains
What happens to us at the tender age of four has huge implications for our intellectual abilities as
adults. A twenty-year study has just shown that the more mental stimulation a child gets at that
age, the better developed parts of the cortex (the areas of the brain dedicated to language and
cognition) will be later on.
It has been known for some time that childhood experiences influence brain development, but
previous evidence has come solely from the study of deprived individuals. This study by
Professor Martha Farah and a team of researchers from the University of Pennsylvania, looked
at children with a normal range of childhood experiences.
The researchers began by visiting the children’s homes when they were four years old, recording
details of the books, educational toys and musical instruments they had. The parents were also
observed and scored on how warm and caring they were. This was repeated when the children
were eight, and when they were aged between 17 and 19, they all had a brain scan.
As the brain matures, unnecessary brain cells in the cortex are pruned back and the cortex
grows thinner. The scans showed that the cortex was thinnest – that is, the best developed – in
those teenagers who had received the most mental stimulation at the age of four. Later
stimulation and parental warmth seemed to make no difference to this.
What does this mean for parents eager to give their children the best possible start in life? Some
psychologists have been quick to stress the tremendous role and responsibility of parenting. But
Dr Bruce Hood of the University of Bristol is more reassuring. “Just be kind to your children,” he
advises. “Unless you raise them in a cardboard box without any stimulation or interaction, they
will probably be fine.”
6 Which of the following is closest in meaning to ‘pruned back’?
A Recovered
B Improved
C Discovered
D Removed
E Triggered
7 The best word to describe the tone of this text is
A neutral.
B sceptical.
C excited.
D sympathetic.
E alarmed.
8 The main idea of the text is that
A mental activities during late childhood affect teenagers’ cognitive abilities.

B being mentally active at the age of four helps children become good parents.
C receiving parental care early in life helps teenagers to improve cognitively.
D the ability of an adult to interact is related to their childhood experiences.
E mental stimulation in the early years impacts brain development later in life.
Part Two
Questions 9-20
Read the following two passages. On the answer sheet, mark the letter A, B, C, D or E for
each question. Give one answer only to each question.
British Universities
Imagine that you run one of the nation's most successful export industries. You produce one of
the world's most sought-after cars. Designed by the world's best engineers, these models are so
popular that you can't possibly keep up with demand. Then the government changes the law to
make it harder to purchase a car. They also make it difficult for foreign engineers to come and
work for you. Your most promising customers are put off and they decide they will try one of your
foreign competitor's excellent new models. While this scenario may appear unbelievable, it
summarizes the situation now facing higher education, one of the UK's most successful export
industries.
You may not think of university education as an export industry, and that view is understandable
but that’s exactly how it is in the UK and the British have been exporting education for a long
time. This business is designed by both British and foreign academics, and attracts customers
from all corners of the globe. These customers work hard to gain the intellectual skills needed to
obtain a UK degree, and a key source of that degree's value stems from being taught by
internationally respected professors. The universities are part of the knowledge industry, a
business whose stock in trade is intellect and information. Anyone who interferes with this
business may end up destroying a valuable source of income and cultural exchange.
It is estimated that there are now more than 340,000 overseas students at UK universities. They
generate more than £1.25 billion in fees, spend a further £1.6 billion in living costs and contribute
a total of around £8.5 billion to the British economy each year. Aside from the overall economic
benefit generated by overseas students, their fees help support UK universities financially. By
placing new limits on the number of foreign students allowed, the government risks depriving
universities of these vital funds at a time when they need them more than ever before.
Universities fear that any fall in overseas student numbers will only worsen the existing situation
caused by a lack of government funding.
In addition to economic advantages, overseas students benefit the UK in many other ways.
Customers in the education industry are usually ambitious people who are not satisfied with
staying and studying in their home country. The best and the brightest have the option of many
destinations and they should be encouraged to come to the UK to learn. If they decide to go
home after completing their studies, they will go with added goodwill towards the UK. This could
lead to business, diplomatic and political advantages for everyone concerned. On the other hand,
they may want to consider staying in the UK and the UK may want to consider inviting the best of
them to remain. However, now most are reluctant to consider this option because of
unnecessarily complex immigration procedures that often treat individuals with disdain or
disrespect. This also puts off many foreign professors who are experts in their fields. As a result,
many academics who would benefit the UK choose to remain in their own country or work in
another developed country.
The government's new policy appears to support the mistaken belief that British people suffer
when outsiders come to the UK. That is, the arrival of one immigrant comes at a cost to one UK
citizen. A son or daughter doesn't get a place at university, so it must be because a foreigner
took that place. A man can't find work, and so a foreigner in the UK must be to blame.
According to this way of thinking, the University of Manchester made a mistake by hiring Andre
Geim and Konstantin Novoselov, both of Russian origin, for jobs that ought to have gone to two
UK-born physicists. Two years ago Geim and Novoselov were awarded the Nobel Prize for
Physics for the invention of graphene, the world's thinnest material, which is said to be 20 times
stronger than steel. Their work has not only brought prestige to the UK and its universities, but
has also introduced new materials that have the potential to revolutionize manufacturing for
commercial and military use worldwide.
Trying to keep foreign students and academics out of universities is a mistake. The UK needs to
import foreign students to fund its universities and bring in academic talent to maintain high
standards.
9 In paragraph 1, the author mentions the car industry to
A give an example of a successful industry.

B show the value of engineers in businesses.
C explain how to attract foreign students.
D show how governments make their decisions.
E introduce a change in government policy.
10 According to paragraph 2, the author sees university education as an industry because
A education at a British university is expensive.

B graduates can easily earn high salaries.
C information is seen as a kind of a product.
D universities employ many academics.
E students cost the government a lot of money.
11 According to paragraph 3, foreign students
A pay less for tuition than UK students.

B outnumber UK students in the UK.
C are important for the UK economy.
D experience limitations in the UK.
E want to receive a UK education.
12 In paragraph 4, one of the advantages of having foreign students in the UK is that they
will
A be beneficial for the UK.

B become better academics.
C encourage UK businesses.
D better understand diplomacy.
E usually complete their studies.
13 According to paragraph 5, the government’s policy seems to suggest that foreigners aren’t
wanted in the UK because they
A cost the country a lot of money.

B threaten local people’s opportunities.
C tend to make costly mistakes.
D cause problems in the workplace.
E put in less effort than local people.
14 The author gives the example of the Russian physicists to
A justify the need to continue to employ foreign academics.

B encourage other foreigners to come and work in the UK.
C show how their invention has helped the manufacturing industry.
D prove that foreign physicists work much harder than local ones.
E explain how important it is for the UK to win the Nobel Prize.
The Chicken
A chicken can vanish from sight as easily as an insect and Zhong, the owner of this particular
missing chicken, had deduced that her neighbour, Wu, was responsible. Zhong thought about
the incriminating evidence that demonstrated her neighbour’s guilt. First, a trail of claw-prints
ended in Wu's vegetable garden; second, her house smelled of soup. Wu was not a woman you
wanted to get on the wrong side of. She liked a fight, and would probably burn your house down
too if she felt like pursuing the quarrel. If only Zhong's son, with his dark, murderer's stare, had
been around, she thought to herself. But he hadn't phoned for ages, or sent any money back.
As evening approached, two aspects of the problem occurred to Zhong. One, it was Wu, not
herself, who had spoiled their formerly harmonious relationship, and two, although the
disappearance of the chicken was not a disaster of the first order, it could not be ignored. If
Zhong waited till tomorrow, her moment would have passed. And so she decided to take a tour
around the village. "Have you seen my chicken?" she asked everyone she met. "I last saw it on
the east side." She'd learnt this tactic from her husband. You need to prepare for your battles
first, he'd instructed her, near the end of the long illness that finally killed him. Finally, Zhong
advanced upon Wu’s house: "Who could have stolen my chicken?" she sang out three times.
"What's wrong?" Wu asked.
"I'm trying to find out who stole my chicken." Once the words were out, Zhong felt almost dizzy at
her implicit declaration of war. "It'll come back in its own time," Wu replied. "What if it's already
dead and eaten?" Zhong continued her attack and quickly looked away. Wu at last understood.
"You think I took it?"
"You tell me," Zhong pronounced, turning to leave. Wu pulled her back by the sleeve. Zhong
shook her off. "Are you saying I ate your chicken?" Wu screamed.
"No. But you just said it. To eat a chicken's an easy enough thing. And tidy – no evidence left."
The rain was pouring down. Wu grabbed Zhong – a thin, weak woman – by the collar, stared
fiercely at her accuser's face, then slapped it hard. Zhong’s nose began bleeding and tears
streamed down her face. As Wu was preparing to deliver a second blow, neighbours began to
arrive at the scene. There they found Zhong on the ground, screeching for her dead husband
and absent son, with Wu standing beside her, ignoring her husband's calls to go back inside the
house. "She started it," Wu explained. "She said I stole her chicken." Zhong beat the concrete
with her fists. A few of the women tried to pull her up, but she refused. Her hands and feet began
to shake uncontrollably.
"She's faking it," Wu said.
"Just shut up," her husband suggested. She wasn't finished, though, even as he dragged her
inside. "You all heard her: she said I stole her chicken.” Now Zhong sat up and stabbed a finger
in her direction: "If you stole my chicken, your son will die this year. If you didn't, my son will."
"If I stole it, my son will die." Wu accepted the terms of the curse.
"I still don't believe her," Zhong muttered. Even as she cried herself to sleep that night, she felt
that having the last word had lessened some of the injustice of the encounter. The next morning,
the chicken came home, soaked by the rain and scratching away at the ground. She carried the
chicken inside and quietly killed it.
15 Zhong suspects her neighbour of stealing her chicken because of
A the cooking smells from Wu’s house.

B a recent argument that they have had.
C the feathers in the vegetable garden.
D Wu’s reputation as a trouble maker.
E the guilty look on Wu’s face.
16 It can be understood from the text that the two women
A were trying to be friendly to each other.

B caused divisions among their friends.
C had recently become friends.
D used to have a better relationship.
E kept chickens in their back garden.
17 Zhong’s real reason for going around the village is to
A inform her neighbours about the lost chicken.

B discover why someone stole her chicken.
C avoid talking to Wu about the chicken.
D prepare to accuse Wu of stealing the chicken.
E persuade her neighbours to look for the chicken.
18 We can infer from the story that Zhong’s husband wanted his wife to
A take care of the chickens.

B be more friendly to her neighbours.
C be able to defend herself.
D look after her health better.
E sort out any problems immediately.
19 We can infer that Zhong kills the chicken in order to
A avoid admitting her mistake.

B offer it to her neighbour.
C make a meal for her family.
D prevent anyone from stealing it.
E stop it from wandering away.
20 What would be the best title for this text?
A Chinese Adventures
B Two Lonely Women
C A Village Feast
D Zhong’s Son Returns
E The Disappearance
Part Three
Questions 21-35
Read the following passage. On the answer sheet, mark the letter A, B, C, D or E for each
question. Give only one answer to each question.
1. Somewhere near Ann Arbor, Michigan, there is a very unusual museum, known as the
‘Museum of Failed Products.’ Ranging from shampoos to fruit drinks and dog food, all of the
products gathered together there have been launched onto the market and rapidly withdrawn.
According to some estimates, the failure rate for new products is as high as 90%; in other words,
most new products fail. The really surprising thing, however, is that so many product developers
have to visit the museum’s collection in order to find out about their own company’s failed
products. Being reminded of past failures is apparently so unpleasant that companies do not
keep samples of their own disasters.
2. Behind all the most popular modern approaches to success is the philosophy of focusing on
things going right. But ever since ancient times, some people have believed the opposite. They
believe it is our constant effort to feel happy or achieve goals that is making us unhappy and
leads to the failure of our plans. According to this view of life, we must stop running away from
insecurity and sadness and instead be willing to embrace and experience them.
3. Popular self-help books encourage us to be optimistic and promote the technique known as
‘positive visualisation’. The idea is that if you have a mental picture of things turning out well, they
are more likely to do so. But is this really true? Psychologist Gabriele Oettingen has been
investigating this and has devised experiments to find the real effect of what she calls ‘positive
fantasies about the future’.
4. In one of Oettingen’s experiments, participants were made slightly dehydrated. Some were
then encouraged to use positive visualisation – to visualise drinking a glass of cool refreshing
water – while others did a different exercise. The results were striking. Those who visualised the
water experienced a drop in their energy levels and the urge to drink water became weaker.
Surprisingly, visualizing drinking made them less motivated to actually drink some water and
rehydrate themselves. They seem to have confused imagining the successful action with actually
doing it and so remained dehydrated.
5. Of course, it doesn’t necessarily follow that it would be a good idea to change from positive to
negative visualisation. However, that is exactly what the Stoics, the ancient Athenian
philosophers, did and they came to dominate western thinking about success and happiness for
almost five hundred years. The Stoics considered a calm, quiet state of mind to be ideal, not the
active and excited kind of happiness people today seem to want. They did not believe we should
chase after enjoyable experiences, but instead develop a calm and accepting response to
whatever happens to us. We should not run away from negative events in our lives, but examine
them closely. The Stoics believed that nothing is actually positive or negative; it is only our beliefs
that may make things negative and cause suffering. They advised us to think about the worst that
can happen in the future, not the best. Too much optimism means we get a terrible shock when
things go wrong, but imagining the worst – negative thinking – can bring two major benefits.
6. The first benefit relates to what psychologists call ‘hedonic adaptation’. This describes the way
in which any new source of pleasure soon fails to please us as much as it did at first. Think how
thrilled a child is with a new toy – and how soon that new toy stops being so special! We can see
just the same effect happening in more important areas of life such as marriage. This loss of
enjoyment (the ‘adaptation effect’) can be reversed if you remind yourself frequently that you
could lose those things you value. The possibility of losing it puts it back in the centre of your life,
where you can enjoy it and take pleasure in it again, thus improving your life enormously.
7. The second benefit is that negative thinking can be an antidote to anxiety. Usually, we tend to
reassure anyone who is worried, and tell them that it will all be all right in the end. In the short
term, this works, but the effect does not last long; an anxious person will need to be reassured
again and again. Worse than this, reassurance can actually make an anxious person more
worried. When you tell your friend that the worst-case scenario will probably not occur, you
strengthen his belief that if it does happen, it will be an absolute catastrophe. All too often in life,
the Stoics said, things will not turn out perfectly. But it is also true that when things do go wrong,
they will probably go less wrong than you feared. You may lose your job, but that doesn’t mean
you will starve. Your relationship may fail, but you won’t really be miserable for the rest of your
life.
8. So how can we learn to benefit from negativity and failure? The work of the Stanford University
psychologist Carol Dweck suggests that our experiences of failure are strongly influenced by the
subconscious, unspoken beliefs we have about talent and ability. There are two extreme
attitudes to talent, she believes, and most of us come somewhere between them. At one
extreme, those with a ‘fixed theory’ believe that you are either born with certain abilities or you
aren’t. Those with an ‘incremental theory’ believe that ability can be developed through challenge
and hard work.
9. People with the more ‘fixed’ kind of attitude are much more likely to fear challenges and try to
avoid them because they can lead to failure. To them, failure is horrifying, because it means that
the ability they were born with is inferior. A classic example is a young sports star who thinks of
himself as a ‘natural’. He may fail to realise his potential because he doesn’t put in enough
practice. His subconscious attitude is that he has a fixed amount of talent and practice is
irrelevant to this.
10. People with the ‘incremental theory’ approach are different. Because they see abilities as
emerging through tackling challenges, the experience of failure has a different meaning for them.
They see it as evidence that they are stretching themselves to their current limits. There is a
useful analogy here with weight training. The muscles of weight-lifters grow by being pushed to
the limits of their capacity, to a point where the fibres of the body are actually damaged. When
they heal, they are stronger than before, so for a weight-lifter, what is called ‘training to failure’ is
a strategy for later success.
11. Fortunately for us all, Dweck’s research indicates that we can quite easily change our outlook
and adopt an incremental view of ability. For many people it is enough to be alerted to the
existence of the two attitudes. Others have to make more effort. Try it for yourself; next time you
fail at something, tell yourself that it’s only happening because you are pushing at the limits of
your present abilities.
12. It’s also a good idea to encourage an incremental outlook in children. Do this, Dweck
advises, by taking care to praise them for their effort rather than for their intelligence; focusing on
the latter is likely to produce a fixed mindset, making them more reluctant to face the risk of
failure in future. The incremental mindset is more likely to lead to sustainable success, but there
is more to it than that. Having an incremental outlook is a happier way to be, whether or not it
leads to success. It is a win-win attitude, for which the only precondition is a willingness to lose.
13. Those who promote the power of positive thinking can’t bear to admit that there might be
happiness to be found in embracing failure as failure. But, as the writer Natalie Goldberg argues,
there is honesty in failure, a down-to-earth engagement with reality which can seem lacking at
the higher levels of success. Being a perfectionist, Goldberg says, may not seem like a character
defect: yet it is a fear-driven need to avoid failure at all costs. In its extreme form it is an
exhausting and permanently stressful way to live. Research has found a greater correlation
between perfectionism and suicide than between feelings of hopelessness and suicide. Not just
to tolerate failure but to fully embrace the experience means abandoning the struggle never to
get anything wrong – and so to allow yourself to relax.
21 All the products in the Museum of Failed Products have been
A withdrawn from the market because of design faults.

B taken off the market after a short period of time.
C sold successfully at some earlier period in time.
D obtained by the museum from supermarkets.
E re-launched after being changed in some way.
22 We can infer from paragraph 1 that
A many companies don’t inform their employees about failed products.

B the museum was set up by a company to help its product developers.
C some companies don’t like their employees to visit the museum.
D product developers risk losing their jobs when their products fail.
E some products fail for reasons which are difficult to understand.
23 According to paragraph 2, some people believe that success can be achieved by
A becoming more focused.

B keeping clear aims in mind.
C welcoming unhappy emotions.
D visualising negative outcomes.
E setting more sensible goals for ourselves.
24 The point being made in paragraph 3 is that
A ‘Positive visualisation’ is likely to have several advantages.

B further research on the positive effects of visualisation is needed.
C an optimistic attitude to life is helpful for the majority of people.
D advice given in popular self-help books may be wrong.
E everyone has to cope with disappointment at some time.
25 In paragraph 3, ‘devised’ is closest in meaning to
A supported.
B influenced.
C created.
D described.
E published.
26 The writer mentions Oettingen’s experiment in paragraph 4 to show that positive

visualisation
A can produce physical changes in the body.

B helps people to focus clearly on their aims.
C can lead to a deeper level of relaxation.
D has a negative effect on people’s motivation.
E discourages people from fantasizing.
27 According to paragraph 5, the Stoics believed that being optimistic can
A lead to severe disappointment.

B help us accept whatever happens.
C produce a calm frame of mind.
D make us behave negatively.
E enable us to solve our problems.
28 The main idea of paragraph 6 is that it is
A important to teach children to be adaptable.

B hard for some people to enjoy anything.
C wrong to give children too many treats.
D sometimes beneficial to imagine a loss.
E essential to learn to value the right things.
29 According to paragraph 7, which of the following is true?
A Anxious people often worry when they don’t need to.

B Reassuring an anxious person only helps temporarily.
C Negative thinking leads to a more severe form of anxiety.
D Anxiety can have catastrophic effects on a person’s life.
E Anxious thoughts can actually cause things to go wrong.
30 The writer mentions the example of a young sports star to show that
A practice is necessary for a person to succeed.

B a certain way of thinking can be a disadvantage.
C everyone has to face some difficult challenges in life.
D even naturally talented people sometimes fail.
E hard work is pointless without natural ability.
31 In paragraph 10, line 3, ‘it’ refers to
A tackling challenges.
B the development of abilities.
C the experience of failure.
D a different meaning.
E the ‘incremental theory’ approach.
32 For a weight-lifter, ‘training to failure’ means
A spending insufficient time training.

B training to a point where injury occurs.
C training himself to be able to accept failure.
D keeping training within sensible limits.
E failing to establish a regular training programme.
33 According to paragraph 12, which of the following would you say to a child to encourage
an ‘incremental outlook’?
A "You were very clever to think of doing that!"

B "Never mind! It wasn’t your fault!"
C "Don’t worry! We all find some things difficult!"
D "Let me help you; together we can do it!"
E "Well done! You worked really hard on that!"
34 According to the information given in paragraph 13, what advice would Natalie Goldberg
give?
A "Don’t try to do anything that you find too stressful."

B "Accept that feeling tired can be part of success."
C "Aim to be the best in everything you do in life."
D "Don’t get upset if your efforts achieve nothing."
E "Avoid failure by refusing to tolerate defeat."
35 What would be the best title for this article?
A How to Survive the Pain of Failure

B Why Negative Thinking Leads to Failure
C Why Some People Never Experience Failure
D Dealing with Failure - a Philosopher’s Advice
E Appreciate Failure - It Can Be Good For You!
GRAMMAR
Questions 36-50
Read the following two texts. On the optic form, mark the letter A, B, C, D or E for each
Multi-tasking
Multitasking means doing more than one thing at a time in order to save time, particularly in the
workplace. _____(36)_____ it is sometimes a matter of choice, at other times it can actually be a
necessity. However, there are some concerns about whether multitasking might affect the quality
of a person’s work. Can quality really _____(37)_____ when we are busy switching between
tasks so frequently? Or do we just want to get the work done as quickly as possible?
Many people consider multitasking to be an effective method _____(38)_____ quantity is the

main concern. However, as we are multitasking, we need to remember we are focusing on many
things at once, which might affect the quality and so result in extra work. This probably happens
regularly to many of _____(39)_____ and we actually find ourselves wasting time instead of
saving it. For example, you might be talking on the phone _____(40)_____ sending an important
email. Later you realise that _____(41)_____ is wrong with your message, so you then need to
go back and spend time making corrections. It is ironic that we multitask to save time when in
fact, quite often the opposite happens.
Multitasking might cause a drop in the quality of work and consequently a longer 'to-do' list. It is
therefore worth thinking hard about _____(42)_____ our priorities are. Is it just quantity that we
are interested in or should it be quality as well? Perhaps it is time for us to pause and reflect on
our way of working.
36 A In spite of B When C Although D Because E Due to

37 A maintaining B maintained C maintain D is maintained E be maintained
38 A whether B unless C so that D if E in case
39 A them B us C those D yours E these
40 A during B while C as D since E by
41 A there B anything C something D this E nothing
42 A how B when C whether D that E what
Glow Cats
Genetically modified (GM) animals and plants are commonly produced for medical research. A
particularly eye-catching example of this is the creation of animals that glow in the dark with a
green light. Glowing GM fruit flies, mice and rabbits are already common, but _____(43)_____
glowing cats. Now the news is out that a research scientist at the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota
_____(44)_____, within the past few weeks, produced the first glowing GM kittens.
These six extraordinary kittens _____(45)_____ created through the use of a virus which carried
a gene called GFP (green fluorescent protein) into their cells. The GFP gene contains proteins
known to glow in the dark when exposed to certain types of light. Scientists frequently use this
function so that they can observe the activity of individual cells in a variety of animals
_____(46)_____ causing any pain.
The use of GM cats in research is likely to be limited, and considered only if other, more
commonly used laboratory animals _____(47)_____ mice and rats are unsuitable. However,
there is an important area of research _____(48)_____ these cats may prove invaluable. Cats
are often infected with a virus known as FIV, a close relative of HIV, which causes AIDS. GM
cats will be developed for the study of FIV, providing information about HIV that will hopefully
bring about a cure for AIDS. Dr Robin Lovell-Badge of the Medical Research Council comments,
“The cat is _____(49)_____ of the few animal species known to be at risk from such viruses. FIV
in cats is as devastating as HIV is to humans, so finding out _____(50)_____ to destroy these
viruses is of importance to animal health as well as human health.”
43 A nothing B any C not D also E none

44 A has B have C had D is E will have
45 A are B have C were D had E be
46 A while B without C by D for E not
47 A such B that C so D like E as
48 A where B what C that D which E how
49 A many B all C one D those E some
50 A when B how C whether D has E in order
VOCABULARY
Questions 51-70
Read the following two texts. On the answer sheet, mark the letter A, B, C, D or E for each
Artificial Sweeteners
You may think that zero-calorie artificial sweeteners, as opposed to natural sugars that contain
calories, can help you lose weight. However, recent studies suggest that using these artificial
sweeteners may actually _____(51)_____ weight loss. In fact, you shouldn't be surprised if you
actually gain weight.
When you eat food and drink beverages _____(52)_____ natural sugar, insulin levels in your body go
up and hormones that increase the feeling of fullness are triggered. Also, insulin helps the brain
_____(53)_____ the chemical dopamine, which gives a feeling of reward. Once sugar enters your
system, it heats your body up and you start to burn off the calories that you are _____(54)_____.
However, when you use artificial sweeteners, this natural _____(55)_____ does not happen. They
sweeten your food but your body does not heat up to burn off calories. Also, you do not feel full and
you are left with an unsatisfied feeling, which may _____(56)_____ to more eating and drinking.
Another point to consider is that some users of artificial sweeteners do not make any changes in the
rest of their diet. Thinking that they have already cut down on sugar, these people _____(57)_____
more carbohydrates or fat. You must have seen people ordering a giant hamburger together with a diet
coke in a fast food restaurant. Over time, this can cause _____(58)_____ weight gain.
Many dieticians recommend natural sugar as it is _____(59)_____ for weight control. According to
them, used in _____(60)_____, natural sugar both helps people lose weight healthily and supplies the
energy our body, especially certain organs like the brain, requires to function properly.
51 A hinder B transform C eliminate D contradict E resist

52 A generating B involving C containing D distributing E integrating
53 A spread B release C expand D extend E apply
54 A taking in B taking up C taking on D taking off E taking away
55 A incident B labour C development D process E transfer
56 A cause B result C end D affect E lead
57 A utilize B consume C exceed D gain E replace
58 A deliberate B stable C numerous D probable E gradual
59 A initial B expected C innocent D crucial E balanced
60 A moderation B consideration C restriction D reflection E regulation
Charisma
One of the qualities that draws us towards a person is, without doubt, charisma. It is generally
assumed that charisma is something people are born with. Yet, despite what many people think,
charisma is not _____(61)_____ but something that can be learnt at a later stage in life. Dr
Richard Reid, a relationships expert, _____(62)_____ workshops to anyone who is interested in
becoming more charismatic. His clients are usually _____(63)_____ professionals. However, they
lack the power of _____(64)_____ possessed by charismatic people, who can easily influence and
convince those around them.
Reid claims there are two main skills that can help anyone to become more charismatic. Firstly,
charismatic people are comfortable with themselves and do not worry about how others
_____(65)_____ them. Small children, for instance, have this skill; they do not care what others
think and are not afraid of _____(66)_____ themselves. Unfortunately, as people grow up, they
begin to worry about others’ opinions of them. In his workshops, Reid helps
people_____(67)_____ these learned fears so that they can be who they really are. Secondly,
charismatic people can make a positive _____(68)_____ on others because, as Reid says, they
are ‘warm’. You feel comfortable talking to them because they seem _____(69)_____. Their body
language makes you feel ‘this is someone who is interested in me’.
A recent study supports Reid’s argument. A group of managers were assessed by their co-
workers both before and after charisma training. It was observed that there was a _____(70)_____
improvement in their charisma scores after the training.
61 A innate B dominant C distinct D constant E incidental

62 A hires B guides C offers D exploits E enables
63 A humble B loyal C competent D manipulative E modest
64 A estimation B persuasion C confirmation D devotion E admission
65 A discriminate B monitor C imitate D perceive E restrain
66 A embarrassing B boasting C offending D deceiving E insulting
67 A undertake B invade C experience D cause E overcome
68 A feeling B illustration C implication D comment E impression
69 A conscious B obedient C impatient D sincere E insistent
70 A notable B prospective C simultaneous D deceptive E peculiar
BILKENT UNIVERSITY
STAGE 2A
PRACTICE TEST 5
LISTENING 1 &
LISTENING 2 NOTE TAKING BOOKLET
TIME: 30 minutes
6
LISTENING PART ONE
You are going to listen to five short dialogues. As you listen, answer the questions related
to each dialogue by choosing A, B, C, D or E. You will hear each dialogue once only. You
will be given 30 seconds before each dialogue to look at the questions.
NUMBER ONE
1 Kevin is surprised that Mary wants to study with him because he
A did not have the lesson notes.

B thought she preferred to study alone.
C did not get on well with Mary.
D got a low score on the last exam.
E heard she was taking a different course.
2 Kevin did not want to call Nicky because he
A remembered his argument with her.

B owed her a favour for previous help.
C thought it was too late to bother her.
D wanted to call another friend to help.
E wanted to stop studying as he was tired.
3 What are the speakers mainly discussing?
A A presentation for the astronomy class

B Planets in the Solar system
C The similarities between Earth and Venus
D Preparing for an important exam
E Finding class notes for a friend
NUMBER TWO
4 Jane missed the class because
A her roommate took her assignment by mistake.

B she was unable to wake up in the morning.
C she had to give one of her friends a ride.
D her roommate had a traffic accident.
E she had to buy a plane ticket before class.
5 Professor Brown only talks to Jane for a short while because he
A does not tolerate students who arrive late.

B prefers to have group meetings with students.
C finds her excuse for missing class unacceptable.
D needs to attend an important meeting later.
E is not in favour of having long office hours.
6 At the end of the conversation, Professor Brown thinks that Jane
A should focus on theories that are proven.

B can start working on her choice of topic.
C should read more about research on animals.
D has chosen a very difficult topic to write about.
E can find a lot of evidence to support her belief.
NUMBER THREE
7 The student cannot get a transcript because he has not
A got a valid student ID card.

B brought the library book back.
C paid for the document in advance.
D made a scheduled appointment.
E passed his literature course.
8 Sending the transcript through regular mail
A is not possible from the campus.

B may not be the safest way.
C is not permitted internationally.
D will not take more than 3 days.
E does not cost students anything.
9 At the end of the conversation, the woman
A gives him an application form.

B asks the student to pay.
C contacts the library.
D reassures the student.
E mails the transcript.
NUMBER FOUR
10 The study participants were shown cartoons to
A justify why they laughed.

B draw similar cartoons.
C list their favourite cartoons.
D choose the most aggressive one.
E rate their enjoyment.
11 People who liked black humour the most
A had a greater level of aggression.

B became moody more frequently.
C tended to drop out of college more.
D got better results in both IQ tests.
E made other participants laugh more.
12 The findings of the study about those who like black humour
A contradict some popular beliefs.

B cause a dispute among academics.
C mislead Johanna in her thesis.
D support the professor’s claim.
E help Johanna finalize her research.
NUMBER FIVE
13 Which exam are the students mainly discussing?
A Statistics
B Finance
C Economics
D Maths
E Physics
14 When Simon first saw today’s exam, he
A wanted to walk out of the room.

B tried to talk to his friend Ali.
C looked at the questions for a long time.
D thought that he should have studied more.
E started to feel physically sick.
15 When Mary says she will talk to the teacher, Simon is
A disappointed.
B doubtful.
C sarcastic.
D shocked.
E critical.
LISTENING PART TWO
You are going to listen to a lecture about losing intelligence. As you listen, take notes
under the headings provided. Some background information is provided below about the
topic.
****************************************************************************************************************
We often think of evolution as the progress of a species but a scientist is questioning whether this
is actually true when it comes to human intelligence.
1. CRABTREE’S THEORY AND WHERE IT CAME FROM
2. THE EVIDENCE FOR CRABTREE’S THEORY
3. RESPONSE OF THE SCIENTIFIC COMMUNITY
4. THE EFFECTS OF EDUCATION
5. OTHER FACTORS IN HUMAN INTELLIGENCE
6. CONCLUSION
BILKENT UNIVERSITY
STAGE 2A
PRACTICE TEST 5
LISTENING 2 QUESTION BOOKLET
TIME: 15 minutes
Use your notes about losing intelligence to answer the following questions. On the answer
sheet, mark the letter A, B, C, D, or E for each question. Give only one answer to each
question.
16 According to Crabtree, human intelligence has been decreasing since the
A introduction of the theory of evolution.

B use of the first stone tools.
C rise of Greek civilisation.
D start of the Industrial Revolution.
E introduction of farming methods.
17 According to the lecture, Crabtree
A did not understand the theory of evolution.

B published his work to become famous.
C wanted to see his own theory proved incorrect.
D based his theory on outdated sources.
E was not qualified enough to carry out research.
18 According to the lecture, early humans used their spatial abilities to
A assess whether something was dangerous.

B protect themselves from neighbouring tribes.
C develop tools to make their lives easier.
D decide if they should move to another area.
E communicate effectively with each other.
19 The lecturer’s attitude towards bankers can best be described as
A sarcastic.
B sceptical.
C threatening.
D critical.
E impatient.
20 The example of the modern banker makes clear that
A our spatial ability determines our job.

B people usually avoid taking risks.
C humans will learn to deal with mistakes.
D society sometimes rewards mistakes.
E our spatial ability has remained the same.
21 Crabtree bases his theory on research that examined the connection between genetics and
A the brain.
B intelligence tests.
C economics.
D education.
E physical development.
22 The lecturer suggests Crabtree’s theory is speculative because
A Williams Syndrome does not help us understand intelligence.

B modern man cannot be compared with early humans.
C studies involving genetics produce limited results.
D Williams Syndrome cannot be inherited over generations.
E human intelligence decreases as people grow older.
23 Thomas Hills believes Crabtree’s theory is incorrect because
A the theory of evolution has recently been rejected.

B society has improved since the ancient Greeks.
C human intelligence can be boosted by modern technology.
D modern man is under more pressure to succeed.
E human intelligence has increased over the past century.
24 Crabtree claims that intelligence tests are not
A ethical.
B fair.
C useful.
D popular.
E easy.
25 The lecturer believes that Crabtree’s theory could be best disproved by
A changing the way people think about genetics.

B examining the impact of education on people.
C comparing intelligence levels around the world.
D studying people’s responses to intelligence tests.
E observing recent developments in genetics.
26 According to the lecturer, human genes are
A easy to manipulate.
B difficult to analyse.
C certain to change.
D hard to identify.
E likely to multiply.
27 According to the lecture, Stephen Hawking is so intelligent because he has
A made use of knowledge from earlier scientists.

B a larger capacity for learning than other people.
C benefited from the private lessons he took.
D developed mental rather than physical skills.
E skills different from that of most other people.
28 It is now thought that human intelligence depends mainly on
A controlling environmental pollution.

B avoiding serious childhood illnesses.
C having access to lots of books at home.
D studying a variety of subjects at school.
E getting the right food at an early age.
29 According to the lecture, what would represent a major failure for mankind?
A Declining levels of interest in learning

B An intelligence gap between the rich and poor
C A drop in the number of people entering university
D A continuing need for international aid
E Overlooking the potential of young children
30 It is clear that the lecturer believes human intelligence
A needs to be analysed further.

B will develop in unexpected ways.
C has reached its full potential.
D will be measured in different ways.
E will continue to improve.
BILKENT UNIVERSITY
STAGE 2B
PRACTICE TEST 5
WRITING 1 & WRITING 2 BOOKLET
TIME: 1 hour 35 minutes
WRITING PART ONE
In the text below, the writer describes a social problem in Spain. In your opinion, is the way
that the problem is handled by working parents in Spain acceptable? Write a paragraph of
approximately 150 words.
Clearly identify what this social problem is and write what you think about the acceptability
of the solution to the problem by referring to relevant arguments in the text and expanding
upon these arguments.
Your paragraph will be assessed on task completion, organization, grammar and

vocabulary. Copying sentences or chunks from the text is not acceptable and will be
penalized.
Of all calls to revolt, this must be the most unlikely ever. Grandparents around Spain are being
asked to go on strike this week and refuse to provide childcare. For a country where half of all
grandparents look after their grandchildren every day – often for more than nine hours – the strike
call threatens to disrupt the working lives of a significant proportion of the population and expose
the extent to which this unpaid work is propping up the economy. It highlights one of the key
elements of Spanish society – grandparents provide the childcare that working parents cannot give
and the state does not offer.
One Madrid grandmother, Manuela Martin, looks after her seven year-old granddaughter all week,
only giving her back to her parents at the weekend. ‘Her parents start work at 7am, so they can’t
get her to school,’ she says. Spanish working hours are partly to blame. Long lunch hours mean a
long day. A culture of not leaving before the boss keeps some in the office even later. And with
part-time or flexible jobs a rarity, many families with two working parents cannot function without a
grandparent.
It is not just Spain’s working class who depend on their relatives. ‘We help a lot,’ says Juan José,
as he walks his two grandchildren to their exclusive private nursery school. ‘In the summer we
have them in our home near the beach for almost the whole three months of the holidays while my
son and his wife work. We love it, but it did not happen when we were young.’
Predictably, few grandparents say they intend to strike. ‘What do they think we are going to do with
our grandchildren?’ asks Martin. ‘Leave them in the street?’
WRITING PART TWO
Choose either topic A or topic B (do not do both) and write an essay of about 350 words.
Society today is becoming increasingly violent. Many people blame the media for this because
every day, on television and in the newspapers, we are faced with violent images. Some people
believe that the only solution is to censor or control what the media can show. What do you think
about stopping the media from showing violent, disturbing images?
OR
One of the greatest tragedies of our times is the fact that in many parts of the world, people are
allowed to die from hunger. There is no reason for this to happen, many people in developed
countries eat too much and our planet has more than enough resources to feed everyone. It is
time for governments all over the world to get together and solve this problem. What is your
opinion on this issue?
YOU MAY USE THIS SPACE TO PLAN YOUR ESSAY
PAE STAGE 2A PRACTICE TEST 5 ANSWER KEY
READING GRAMMAR & VOCABULARY LISTENING

1.C 36.C 1.D
2.E 37.E 2.C
3.B 38.D 3.D
4.B 39.B 4.C
5.D 40.B 5.D
6.D 41.C 6.B
7.A 42.E 7.B
8.E 43.C 8.E
9.E 44.A 9.D
10.C 45.C 10.E
11.C 46.B 11.D
12.A 47.D 12.A
13.B 48.A 13.A
14.A 49.C 14.C
15.A 50.B 15.B
16.D 51.A 16. E
17.D 52.C 17. C
18.C 53.B 18. A
19.A 54.A 19. D
20.E 55.D 20. D
21.B 56.E 21. A
22.A 57.B 22. B
23.C 58.E 23. E
24.D 59.D 24. C
25.C 60.A 25. B
26.D 61.A 26. C
27.A 62.C 27. A
28.D 63.C 28. E
29.B 64.B 29. B
30.B 65.D 30. E
31.C 66.A
32.B 67.E
33.E 68.E
34.D 69.D
35.E 70. A
TAPESCRIPT
LISTENING 1
Bilkent University Proficiency in Academic English Exam, listening section. You are going to listen to five
short dialogues. As you listen, answer the questions related to each dialogue by choosing A, B, C, D or E. You
will hear each dialogue once only. You will be given 30 seconds before each dialogue to look at the questions.
NUMBER ONE
Mary: Hi, Kevin. Your roommate told me that I could find you in the TV room. What are you doing here?
Kevin: Hi, Mary. I was just taking a break. We have a science mid-term tomorrow, you know?
Mary: Well, I know. I thought maybe I can study with you.
Kevin: I can't believe you want to study with me. You know I got a low grade on the previous test, don't you?
Mary: Yeah, I know. You told me about that. I just thought two heads might be better one.
Kevin: That's nice idea. This space stuff gives me a headache if I work on it too long.
Mary: I know what you mean.
Kevin: I’ve been working on it for three hours already. I just don't understand the movements of some planets;
especially the strange facts about Venus make me confused.
Mary: What is that?
Kevin: You know, Earth turns around on its axis in 24 hours which we call “a day”. And, it takes 365 days to go around
the Sun, and we call it “a year”. However, Venus completes its turn around the Sun in only 225 Earth days. I mean, 1
Venus years is 225 days.
Mary: O.K but, what is strange about that?
Kevin: O.K. Here it is! Venus turns around on its axis extremely slowly. It takes 243 days to complete its spin. This
means a day on Venus is longer than a year on Venus.
Mary: What?
Kevin: In fact, a day on Venus is longer than a day on any planet in the solar system. I am so confused! But, you
know, I wish I knew the girl in our class who got a hundred on the last test. She didn't miss a question. Umm . . . was it
Nikky?
Mary: Oh yeah, Nikky! She is a friend of mine. She’d be a big help right now. Why don't we call her?
Kevin: What! At this hour? It’s already one thirty.
Mary: Yeah, I guess you are right. But you know what; she owes me a big favour. Let’s at least give her a call and see
what she says. Maybe going over the notes with us would also help her review.
NUMBER TWO
Student: Professor Brown? I’m Jane Thomson, from your Geology class.
Professor: Yes. I know. That’s a big class, but I do recognize you. I noticed you weren’t in class this morning. Did you
oversleep? That’s one of the problems with an 8:30 class.
Student: Oh, no, I didn’t oversleep. In fact, I was up at 5 am. One of my roommates had an early flight and I took her
to the airport. I thought I would make it to school in time, but you know how traffic can be out on Airport Road at that
time of the day. Anyway, I know you were going to give us some information about the research paper in class today.
Do you have a few minutes to tell me about it please?
Professor: Well, just a few minutes. This isn’t my regular office hour, you know. I actually need to attend the faculty
meeting, which I can’t miss and I just came to my office to pick up a few papers before the meeting.
Student: Thank you Professor. Well . . . about the research paper . . . how long does it have to be?
Professor: Well, as I told the class, it should be at least twelve pages, but no more than fifteen.
Student: And about the topic... I’m interested in writing about using animals to predict earthquakes. I saw this show on
television about earthquakes, and it said that in China, they predicted an earthquake because of the way animals were
acting. There were snakes coming out of the ground in the middle of winter. And also horses were acting frightened.
Professor: You mean the earthquake that occurred about three years ago. But there were other signs, too, not just
from animals. Well, scientists wonder if there is some connection between strange behaviour in animals and
earthquakes. But the problem is that none of the studies done have shown that animals are any better at sensing an
approaching earthquake than people.
Student: So you don’t think that’s a very good idea then?
Professor: Well, I didn’t say that . . . I know this theory hasn’t been proven but you can still write a perfectly good
paper about this topic. Why not?
NUMBER THREE
Student (S): Excuse me, I need a transcript of my grades for an internship program.
THE WOMAN: OK. What’s your name? And could I see your student ID card, please?
S: Sure, James Smith. And here’s my ID.
THE WOMAN: Thank you. Oh, wait a second...my records are showing me that you have an overdue book at the
library. And unfortunately since you haven’t returned the book or paid the late fee I can’t help you.
S: Oh, really! It must be the book I checked out for my British Literature class. I always remember to return books, but
this time that wasn’t the case. So, how much is the fee? Can I just pay it here?
THE WOMAN: Actually I can’t see how much the late fee is; you’ll have to check with the library to find out that
information. And you’ll have to return the book as well.
S: Oh, okay, well I’ll take care of that immediately. And another question...the internship I’ve applied for does not want
me to send the transcript directly but has asked for the university to send a copy of my transcript. Is that a problem?
THE WOMAN: Not at all. We do it all the time. But is the internship local or international?
S: It’s international. In Australia, actually.

THE WOMAN: Okay, no problem. If we send it through regular mail there’s no charge for students, but if you want it
sent express there will be a thirty dollar charge.
S: Hmmm, okay, well, my internship needs it as soon as possible. How long does each take? I mean how many days
for regular mail and express mail?
THE WOMAN: Well, that’s really a question for the post office but a rough estimate is 10-14 business days for regular
mail and if it’s sent express, it’s 2-3 business days.
S: Oh, but I have only 3 days to complete my application. What if I can’t find the library book?
THE WOMAN: Don’t worry. I’m sure there is a solution. You can pay for the book if you have lost it.
S: Oh, thank you for telling me this.
NUMBER FOUR
Professor: Hi Johanna, good morning, did you find some research to support your PhD thesis?
PhD Student: Yes professor, I did. I found a really good article in Psychology Today.
Professor: Oh yeah, that’s a really good journal, you can find a lot there.
PhD Student: The article focuses on a number of factors that are relevant to my thesis. It mainly looks at the
connection between black humour, intelligence and personality, as well as bad mood and anger.
Professor: I’m glad you found one. So, tell me a little more about the study that you read about, I mean, was it a large
scale study and what kind of data was collected?
PhD Student: Yes, it was large. About 156 people took part. The study was in the University of Nice in France. They
got 156 people to watch twelve black humour cartoons after that they asked the participants to report on their
comprehension and enjoyment of these black humour cartoons. That was the first stage of the study.
Professor: And, what about the other stage of the study – what did the research reveal?
PhD Student: Well, in the next stage, the participants had to take verbal and non-verbal IQ tests. And believe it or
not, the study found that people with the highest black humour appreciation and comprehension scored higher in both
types of IQ tests.
Professor: That’s very interesting. So, the study has obviously found that intelligence plays a key role in the
appreciation and enjoyment of black humour. OK then, were they able to find any connection with black humour and
say, people’s personality traits?
PhD Student: Yes, in fact. Those people with the highest verbal and non-verbal IQ scored lower in terms of
aggression and bad mood. What fascinated me most is that people with a sense of humour are actually less likely to
show aggression.
Professor: That’s very interesting and seems to go against many common beliefs about people who like black
humour. So what is your interpretation of all this?
PhD Student: Well, I think I can infer from this study that appreciating black humour is a “complex information-
processing task, so it is a complex thing
Professor: So it is a complex thing, why is it complex, what did you find?
PhD Student: Well it seems that negative moods and high aggression levels stops you being able to get a joke.
Professor: You did a great job, Johanna. Keep researching for more articles to support your thesis. And drop by when
you need help.
NUMBER FIVE
Simon: So Mary, what did you think of today’s exam?

Mary: Simon, I’d rather not talk about it – I really don’t feel good, in fact I feel physically sick.
Simon: Did you see Ali, he walked out after 20 minutes, he obviously couldn’t handle it.
Mary: Yeah, well he wasn’t the only one. I mean really, what kind of questions were those? It was so hard compared
to yesterday’s economics exam. I know statistics is not an easy subject but I didn’t expect it to be that hard. All that
work I did and almost nothing I knew came up.
Simon: I don’t think it was because you didn’t know it, I mean we studied together, the economics went ok and your
maths exam was fine from what you said. I thought this exam was awful too, when I first saw the questions, I sort of
blanked out and I just stared at the paper for ages but then I tried to pull myself together and sort of figured out what
they were asking – but it was tough.
Mary: look Simon, I know I said I don’t want to talk about it but I’m thinking of going to see the teacher and get some
kind of guidance, maybe he will go over the questions with me and then I can see if I got any of them correct – I don’t
know, what do you think?
Simon: Well, you can go and see him but I really don’t think he’ll go over the questions with you – it wouldn’t be fair to
the other students. You’ll just have to wait until he’s marked all the papers. Concentrate on your next exam, it’s finance
isn’t it?
Mary: Are you serious? You think I can concentrate on tomorrow’s finance exam when I am feeling like this? You
know how long it takes him to mark. I just don’t think I can stand the stress of waiting. I am going to have to go and
see him.
Simon: Well, good luck with that but don’t get your hopes up.
That was the end of Listening Part 1. You now have 3 minutes to transfer your answers to the optic form.
LISTENING 2
You are going to listen to a lecture about losing intelligence. As you listen, take notes under the headings
provided. You have 30 seconds to look at the headings...Now listen.
Good morning. Today we will examine the notion of contemporary human intelligence. I’ll begin by discussing some
recent work by Gerald Crabtree, who believes that human beings are becoming less intelligent. Following that, I’ll
discuss where Crabtree got these ideas and how they are being received by the scientific community. Finally, I will
discuss other factors that play a role in intelligence and then I’ll briefly mention the future.
Well then, let’s begin by discussing Crabtree’s theory. Since modern humans emerged, our bodies and minds have
been changing through a process of what is known as natural selection. This term, natural selection, was first
discussed in Charles Darwin’s On the Origin of Species. In On the Origin of Species, Darwin suggested that only the
fittest, most healthy and most capable animals survive in the wild. Through a process of evolution, each species,
including humans, has progressed to live a more comfortable life in their environment. But, the question I would like to
ask here is, has natural selection affected human intelligence? I mean, has our cognitive ability risen steadily since our
ancestors began using the first stone tools? Or are our smartest days behind us? Gerald Crabtree, a geneticist at
Stanford University, believes that we, as a species, are becoming less intelligent. According to Crabtree, our
intellectual ability has probably been decreasing since the invention of farming and the rise of easy living that it
allowed. According to Crabtree, if an average Greek from 1,000 BC was transported to modern times, he or she would
be one of the brightest among us. In two separate articles published, Crabtree explains what might be called a
speculative or estimated theory of human intelligence. It is, Crabtree admits, an idea that needs testing, and one that
he would happily see proved wrong. Indeed, Crabtree would be pleased to learn that his own theory is wrong and in
fact, that the human race is advancing and becoming more intelligent.
So where did Crabtree get the theory from? The inspiration for Crabtree's theory is quite simple. Early humans lived or
died by their spatial abilities. That’s spatial, S-P-A-T-I-A-L. What I mean by “spatial abilities” is the early humans’ ability
to observe and assess objects to see whether they would be dangerous or beneficial. In other words, whether
investigating and getting close to something would cause harm or be helpful. In the past, when our ancestors faced
the difficulties of a hunter-gatherer lifestyle, the punishment for stupidity was often death. They would get a disease, or
be eaten by an animal or eat something they shouldn’t and die. And so, according to Crabtree, the early humans had
to be intelligent to survive. This means that the less intelligent humans were often killed and the smarter humans lived
for a long time and were successful. Over thousands of years the intellect of humans, I mean the average human’s
intelligence, was raised. But this is not the case today. As Crabtree explains in his research: a hunter-gatherer who
was not able to find food or shelter probably died, along with his or her family. Nowadays, people do not have to
defend themselves from wild animals and look for caves to sleep in. Instead we use our spatial ability just to complete
simple tasks, like washing dishes.
Crabtree gives the example of a modern day banker to show how the human situation has changed. We all know that
the current global recession is due to mistakes made by bankers around the world. Their mistakes have caused
thousands of people to lose their homes and jobs across the world. We also all know that these bankers still receive
very large financial bonuses even though they are making these mistakes. So according to Crabtree, the example of
the bankers makes clear that we are rewarding mistakes instead of punishing them. In other words, without the natural
punishments for mistakes, mankind is more likely to make mistakes.
Ok, so what evidence did Crabtree have? Well, he looked at studies that investigated the relationship between
genetics and the brain to get an idea of how many genes are important for human intelligence. The study Crabtree
drew from involved a disease called Williams Syndrome. Now, people with Williams Syndrome often lack spatial ability
and score below average on IQ tests. Researchers discovered that people with Williams Syndrome are missing a
number of genes from part of their DNA. These genes are considered to be responsible for large areas of human
intelligence. Having identified these genes, the researchers calculated that around 5,000 genes are responsible for
human intelligence. Now, Crabtree uses this data to suggest that through a process of evolution early humans’ genes
have become mutated, I mean they have become physically different. This is because parents hand their genes down
to their children and as our lifestyle became easier the genes changed. Crabtree suggests that the genetic mutations
have appeared over the past 3,000 years. So they started at the point in history when mankind really began to
experience the benefits of agriculture. Now this is all speculative. Now what I mean by speculative is we aren’t actually
sure. There is no possible way to compare the intelligence of a modern day human with the intelligence of a human
living three thousand years ago. But, if we believe Crabtree, and his argument does sound convincing, this means that
humans reached their most intelligent level in the distant past.
Well, I’d now like to discuss how Crabtree’s ideas are being received in the scientific world. As you can imagine, some
scientists are beginning to question Crabtree’s theory. For instance, Thomas Hills, a famous psychologist has argued
that the kind of pressure to survive - the idea that the punishment for making a mistake is death - this kind of pressure
in the wild is not necessary to maintain human intelligence. Hills points to historical data about the average IQ scores
on IQ tests around the world over the last 100 years. According to the data, the average IQ around the world has
increased dramatically over the past 100 years. This fact alone would definitely seem to contradict the claims that
Crabtree makes. Well, maybe not. Crabtree has argued that the rise in IQ scores on tests does not necessarily mean
a rise in intelligence. Crabtree suggests that IQ tests may not be a proper measure of intelligence. You see, because
children go to school for a longer period of time now than they did 100 years ago and because they have become
familiar with being tested on school related material, such as vocabulary, mathematics and so on, they are more likely
to get high scores on IQ tests. In other words, children are becoming conditioned to score well on IQ tests because of
the education system.
But what about the education? How does this affect Crabtree’s theory? It seems to me that the effects of education on
human intelligence could be the best way to disprove the loss of intelligence theory. You see, human genes are very
fragile and I believe they change over thousands of years, human society is made strong by education. So the
knowledge from previous generations accumulates, it builds up and is immediately available to new generations who
can then build on that. This would seem to suggest that, as mankind develops and accumulates knowledge, humans
are not becoming less intelligent, they are, in fact becoming more intelligent. For example, you don't get someone as
intelligent as Stephen Hawking 20,000 years ago. People of his intelligence just didn't exist. Now, the reason Steven
Hawking is so intelligent is his understanding of people who came before him like Isaac Newton and the reason for
Newton’s intelligence is his understanding of Pascal and so on and so on. Future generations can expect to develop
the intelligence generated by modern intellectuals like Stephen Hawking and mankind will progress even further. It
would be foolish to compare the intelligence of an ancient Greek with that of a modern day human, as Crabtree does,
because the world is so different from how it was three thousand years ago and we as a species have come so far.
You see, education allows strengths and knowledge to be passed down to younger members of society very quickly.
Well now, let’s move on to other factors that influence intelligence. Of course, there will always be variations in the
levels of intelligence among the world population and genes are partly responsible for this. But a very important factor
that is often not mentioned when discussing human intelligence is economics. It is simple enough to say that the richer
a person is the more access they have to a better education and that this will raise a person’s intelligence level. But
there are less obvious factors that play a part in human intelligence. Scientists argue that more than genes, nutrition in
the early stages of life is vitally important to develop children’s’ minds. Without access to proper nutrition, children do
not develop as they should and this will have a negative effect on their intelligence levels. This is true both in the
developing and the developed world. Recent studies have shown that people belonging to poor communities often do
not make the right choices when it comes to food. The cheap price and constant reminders of advertising are
encouraging the poor to eat fast food. We simply cannot receive the appropriate amount of vitamins and nutrition from
such food and this is a major problem for the lower classes of society. If this process continues, mankind’s’ genes will
be affected and we might see a decline of intelligence in the human species, for poor people, at least. And this would
represent a major failure for mankind as a species.
Just before I conclude let me remind you that it is education which ensures intelligence levels continue to progress and
develop. In my opinion, education is improving everywhere which means people are becoming more intelligent and
there are no signs that this will change.
Well, thank you for listening.
That was the end of the listening section. You now have 15 minutes to answer the questions for Listening 2
and transfer your answers to the optic form.

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BILKENT UNIVERSITY

PROFICIENCY IN ACADEMIC ENGLISH EXAM

READING, GRAMMAR & VOCABULARY BOOKLET

TIME: 1 hour 45 minutes

A boost food production in their own countries.

2 The author’s purpose in writing this text is to

A offer some advice to consumers.

A should be more extensive.

4 The ‘sound gun’ affects a speaker by

A reprogramming his brain.

A cause both physical and mental harm.

6 Which of the following is closest in meaning to ‘pruned back’?

7 The best word to describe the tone of this text is

8 The main idea of the text is that

A mental activities during late childhood affect teenagers’ cognitive abilities.

9 In paragraph 1, the author mentions the car industry to

A give an example of a successful industry.

10 According to paragraph 2, the author sees university education as an industry because

A education at a British university is expensive.

11 According to paragraph 3, foreign students

A pay less for tuition than UK students.

A be beneficial for the UK.

A cost the country a lot of money.

A justify the need to continue to employ foreign academics.

"She's faking it," Wu said.

15 Zhong suspects her neighbour of stealing her chicken because of

A the cooking smells from Wu’s house.

16 It can be understood from the text that the two women

A were trying to be friendly to each other.

17 Zhong’s real reason for going around the village is to

A inform her neighbours about the lost chicken.

A take care of the chickens.

19 We can infer that Zhong kills the chicken in order to

A avoid admitting her mistake.

20 What would be the best title for this text?

21 All the products in the Museum of Failed Products have been

A withdrawn from the market because of design faults.

22 We can infer from paragraph 1 that

A many companies don’t inform their employees about failed products.

23 According to paragraph 2, some people believe that success can be achieved by

A becoming more focused.

24 The point being made in paragraph 3 is that

A ‘Positive visualisation’ is likely to have several advantages.

25 In paragraph 3, ‘devised’ is closest in meaning to

26 The writer mentions Oettingen’s experiment in paragraph 4 to show that positive

A can produce physical changes in the body.

A lead to severe disappointment.

28 The main idea of paragraph 6 is that it is

A important to teach children to be adaptable.

29 According to paragraph 7, which of the following is true?

A Anxious people often worry when they don’t need to.

A practice is necessary for a person to succeed.

31 In paragraph 10, line 3, ‘it’ refers to

32 For a weight-lifter, ‘training to failure’ means

A spending insufficient time training.

A "You were very clever to think of doing that!"

A "Don’t try to do anything that you find too stressful."

35 What would be the best title for this article?

A How to Survive the Pain of Failure

Many people consider multitasking to be an effective method _____(38)_____ quantity is the

36 A In spite of B When C Although D Because E Due to

43 A nothing B any C not D also E none

51 A hinder B transform C eliminate D contradict E resist

Many people consider multitasking to be an effective method _(38)_ quantity is the