11. Read the passage carefully.

As I often remind families as a futurist, parent and the author of “Parenting High-Tech Kids,” there’s
not always a pressing reason to put a smartphone in a child’s hands. However, smart tech can open
the door to all sorts of wonderful apps and games for kids, and a wealth of helpful connections and
insights. It also means having to prepare kids to greet the challenges that online connectivity and
communications often bring. Taking a few specific items into consideration can help you determine
why (or why not) your kids should have phones, and if various smartphone alternatives present a
better option. So, when should kids have cell phones?

The answer depends on when you feel that they’re ready for it, or when there’s a compelling reason
to suggest that they really need such a device for purposes of safety or schooling. From a practical
standpoint, that typically means when your kids start participating in after-school activities and
camps, when they need to get in touch with you remotely while away playing at friends’ houses, or
when they’ll otherwise largely be outside of your direct oversight or accessibility, such as walking to
class. Similarly, when considering if kids should have cell phones, you’ll want to consider adding a
parental control app, such as Smart Family, if they need online access to information, apps or
websites to aid with their lessons, assignments and learning.

Keep in mind that introducing various communication devices for kids into your home also means
having to make a commitment to do your homework as a parent, as these devices and apps and their
respective capabilities are always changing. In addition, you’ll need to make a point of actively
working with your children to ingrain positive high-tech habits on a daily basis, such as learning to
put down devices while conversing with other family members or by a certain time each evening. On
the bright side, as I’ve observed in my own household, kids and cell phones can often be a winning
combination. That’s because children have boundless curiosity—and as an always-on, ever-ready
gateway to a wealth of online information and activities, smartphones can expose them to a
multitude of positive exchanges and experiences … plus new insights, information and individuals.

That said, giving a child a cell phone effectively means exposing them to the wide virtual world at
large. Just as you wouldn’t send them out to play in the neighborhood without teaching them about
potential hazards to be aware of, and ingraining good safety habits, you’ll need to prepare them in
advance before they play in the digital world. Remember: Technology is simply another tool for
learning and communication, and like any tool it’s important to know how to use it responsibly in
order to enjoy a positive and uplifting experience. Not ready for your kids to have cell phones yet?
That’s perfectly understandable. Parents of younger children especially may wish to consider the
many smartphone alternatives for kids.

So the good news is that you don’t have to worry much. If you feel that your child is too young to
have a cell phone, a variety of high-tech tools stand ready to help you stay more connected with your
children at every turn.

Question

The word ‘observed’ in the third paragraph implies that ….

a. The author encourages all parents to reconsider the drawback of smartphones to their
children.
b. The author wants to reinforce the idea of handing smartphones to children by giving the
most reliable evidence based on what surrounding her.
 c. The author intends to share the findings of her long research regarding the upside of
smartphones.
d. The author dissents the majority opinion of parents to let their children operate some smart
technologies.
e. The author wants the readers to look back at the most possible things that happen to the
children when they use smartphones.

12. Read the text carefully.

The honey-tinted autumn sunshine was falling thickly over the crimson and amber maples around
old Abel Blair’s door. There was only one outer door in old Abel’s house, and it almost always stood
wide open. A little black dog, with one ear missing and a lame forepaw, almost always slept on the
worn red sandstone slab which served old Abel for a doorstep; and on the still more worn sill above
it a large gray cat almost always slept. Just inside the door, on a bandy-legged chair of elder days, old
Abel almost always sat.

He was sitting there this afternoon—a little old man, sadly twisted with rheumatism; his head was
abnormally large, thatched with long, wiry black hair; his face was heavily lined and swarthily
sunburned; his eyes were deep-set and black, with occasional peculiar golden flashes in them. A
strange looking man was old Abel Blair; and as strange was he as he looked. Lower Carmody people
would have told you.

Old Abel was almost always sober in these, his later years. He was sober today. He liked to bask in
that ripe sunlight as well as his dog and cat did; and in such baskings he almost always looked out of
his doorway at the far, fine blue sky over the tops of the crowding maples. But to-day he was not
looking at the sky, instead, he was staring at the black, dusty rafters of his kitchen, where hung dried
meats and strings of onions and bunches of herbs and fishing tackle and guns and skins.

But old Abel saw not these things; his face was the face of a man who beholds visions, compact of
heavenly pleasure and hellish pain, for old Abel was seeing what he might have been—and what he
was; as he always saw when Felix Moore played to him on the violin. And the awful joy of dreaming
that he was young again, with unspoiled life before him, was so great and compelling that it
counterbalanced the agony in the realization of a dishonoured old age, following years in which he
had squandered the wealth of his soul in ways where Wisdom lifted not her voice.

Felix Moore was standing opposite to him, before an untidy stove, where the noon fire had died
down into pallid, scattered ashes. Under his chin he held old Abel’s brown, battered fiddle; his eyes,
too, were fixed on the ceiling; and he, too, saw things not lawful to be uttered in any language save
that of music; and of all music, only that given forth by the anguished, enraptured spirit of the violin.
And yet this Felix was little more than twelve years old, and his face was still the face of a child who
knows nothing of either sorrow or sin or failure or remorse. Only in his large, gray-black eyes was
there something not of the child—something that spoke of an inheritance from many hearts, now
ashes, which had aforetime grieved and joyed, and struggled and failed, and succeeded and
grovelled. The inarticulate cries of their longings had passed into this child’s soul, and transmuted
themselves into the expression of his music.

Question

According to the passage, what do we know about Felix Moore?

a. Felix Moore’s life was not always fulfilled with joy.

b. Felix Moore was not in his good condition.
 c. Felix Moore was actually still a teenager.
d. Felix Moore was Abel’s personal caregiver.
e. Felix Moore was one of Abel’s neighbors.

13. Read the passage carefully.

The first release from the Sixth Assessment Report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate
Change has been making waves simply by summarizing the brutal realities of what we know about
climate change.

The report titled Climate Change 2021: The Physical Science Basis gives an updated account of what
the scientific consensus on climate change is. It states that a median global warming of 1.5 degrees
Celsius could already be reached by 2030 – with big consequences on extreme weather events.

Weather extremes like heat, heavy precipitation, and drought have been increasing with scientific
certainty in many regions in the world, as the following chart shows. Europe and East Asia emerge as
the regions where the most climate change patterns have been proven by scientists. Western and
Central Europe, Eastern Asia, and Eastern Central Asia as well as Western Central Asia are among the
places where all three weather extremes have been on the rise. Furthermore, all other regions in
Europe and East Asia have been experiencing a rise in two weather extremes - which mostly means
more heat and rain, but in the case of Mediterranean Europe (as well as Mediterranean Africa)
translates into extreme heat and drought.

More regions prone to heat and drought were Western North America, Northeast South America,
Southern Australia as well as West and Central Africa. Both Africa and South America had limited
data on the increase in heavy rains, which means that changes to precipitation patterns could simply
be too little explored.

Only one region experienced a decrease in extreme weather events. Tropical Northern Australia was
found to be experiencing less drought due to climate change, while also seeing more hot extremes
and more heavy precipitation.

Question

According to the passage, where were the most climate change patterns found by scientists?

a. North America and Northeast South America

b. North America and Europe
c. East Asia and Australia
d. Europe and East Asia
e. Southern Australia and Central America

14. Read the passage carefully.

The first release from the Sixth Assessment Report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate
Change has been making waves simply by summarizing the brutal realities of what we know about
climate change.

The report titled Climate Change 2021: The Physical Science Basis gives an updated account of what
the scientific consensus on climate change is. It states that a median global warming of 1.5 degrees
Celsius could already be reached by 2030 – with big consequences on extreme weather events.

Weather extremes like heat, heavy precipitation, and drought have been increasing with scientific
certainty in many regions in the world, as the following chart shows. Europe and East Asia emerge as
the regions where the most climate change patterns have been proven by scientists. Western and
Central Europe, Eastern Asia, and Eastern Central Asia as well as Western Central Asia are among the
places where all three weather extremes have been on the rise. Furthermore, all other regions in
Europe and East Asia have been experiencing a rise in two weather extremes - which mostly means
more heat and rain, but in the case of Mediterranean Europe (as well as Mediterranean Africa)
translates into extreme heat and drought.

More regions prone to heat and drought were Western North America, Northeast South America,
Southern Australia as well as West and Central Africa. Both Africa and South America had limited
data on the increase in heavy rains, which means that changes to precipitation patterns could simply
be too little explored.

Only one region experienced a decrease in extreme weather events. Tropical Northern Australia was
found to be experiencing less drought due to climate change, while also seeing more hot extremes
and more heavy precipitation.

Question

According to the infographic, Australia experienced a decrease in ….

a. heavy precipitation
b. hot extremes
c. hot extremes and heavy precipitation
d. heavy precipitation and drought
e. Drought

15. Read the passage carefully.

Schizophrenia—any of several severe mental disorders having such symptoms as hallucinations,

disorganized thinking, withdrawal from reality, or bizarre behavior—is produced by premature
deterioration of the brain. This deterioration is usually a product of genetic predisposition combined
with stress, but it can be accelerated by external diseases or parasites. Schizophrenia affects only 1%
of the population, although many people are predisposed to it but are never exposed to enough
stress to exhibit any symptoms. How could cats possibly play a role in something so complicated?

Well, as it turns out, one of those potentially accelerating parasites can be found in our feline friends.
Toxoplasma gondii, T. gondii for short, is a parasite that lives in raw meat and some garden soils. Cats
become infected with it through consuming outdoor prey and then can pass it along to humans
through their feces and litter boxes. So, does owning a cat make you susceptible to schizophrenia?

That’s just the thing—scientists still aren’t sure. Though some studies have been done, none has
been conclusive. The current consensus is that there is a definite correlation between cats and
schizophrenia, but it is unlikely that the animals are a causal factor in the development of the
disorder. Basically, cats probably don’t actually cause someone to develop schizophrenia. The T.
gondii found in some cats can cause cysts that accelerate premature brain deterioration, but such
deterioration can happen only in individuals who are predisposed to schizophrenia.

Question

According to the passage, what causes cysts that potentially accelerate premature brain
deterioration in people with schizophrenia?

a. T. gondii
 b. Cat feces
c. Litter box
d. Garden soil
e. Raw meat

16. Read the passage carefully.

Schizophrenia—any of several severe mental disorders having such symptoms as hallucinations,

disorganized thinking, withdrawal from reality, or bizarre behavior—is produced by premature
deterioration of the brain. This deterioration is usually a product of genetic predisposition combined
with stress, but it can be accelerated by external diseases or parasites. Schizophrenia affects only 1%
of the population, although many people are predisposed to it but are never exposed to enough
stress to exhibit any symptoms. How could cats possibly play a role in something so complicated?

Well, as it turns out, one of those potentially accelerating parasites can be found in our feline friends.
Toxoplasma gondii, T. gondii for short, is a parasite that lives in raw meat and some garden soils. Cats
become infected with it through consuming outdoor prey and then can pass it along to humans
through their feces and litter boxes. So, does owning a cat make you susceptible to schizophrenia?

That’s just the thing—scientists still aren’t sure. Though some studies have been done, none has
been conclusive. The current consensus is that there is a definite correlation between cats and
schizophrenia, but it is unlikely that the animals are a causal factor in the development of the
disorder. Basically, cats probably don’t actually cause someone to develop schizophrenia. The T.
gondii found in some cats can cause cysts that accelerate premature brain deterioration, but such
deterioration can happen only in individuals who are predisposed to schizophrenia.

https://www.britannica.com/story/do-cats-cause-schizophrenia

Question

According to the passage, how do cats usually get infected by Toxoplasma gondii?

a. By consuming their own feces

b. By eating infected prey
c. By disposing their litter to box
d. By transferring parasites to human
e. By ingesting garden soils

17. Read the passage carefully.

According to the Statista Global Consumer Survey, emerging markets had the highest shares of
people who had spent money on e-learning or other professional trainings in the twelve months
prior to the 2021-22 survey. In India, Brazil and China as well as Mexico, the number was around half
of the online adult population or even exceeded it. In India, 69 percent of urban Indians said they
had recently spent money in this way.

Online trainings were the most popular, accounting for around half of all professional training
courses purchased per country. Consulting with a business or life coach was also exceptionally
popular in India. As many e-learning contents are presented in English, Indians as well as South
Africans have an advantage accessing them. When it comes to the most prestigious online learning
opportunities - university courses and classes - these are dominated by English-language offers, the
Statista Digital Market Outlook found.
In Europe, fewer people engaged in paid-for e-learning and professional training. The most active
were Spaniards with an engagement of 34 percent of respondents. Brits were among the least
convinced of paying for online trainings and the like, with just 16 percent participating in them within
the past year.

https://www.statista.com/chart/28035/spending-on-e-learning-and-professional-training/

Question

According to the infographic, which of the following are the countries spent the least on business/life
coach training?

a. China and South Korea

b. South Korea and India
c. Spain and South Korea
d. United Kingdom and India
e. China and United Kingdom

18. Read the passage carefully.

We've all seen the troubling headlines. "Microplastics are raining down from the sky", "There's no
getting away from microplastic contamination", or "Microplastics found in human blood for first
time". But equally worrying as the apparent abundance of these particles all over the planet are the
seemingly myriad ways that each and every one of us contributes to their dissemination every day.
From the plastic water bottle you throw in the bin, to the shampoo you used in the shower this
morning, something else you can add to the list is a source of microplastic that many of us carry
around with us all day long.

As research by the University of Plymouth revealed, if you have synthetic fabrics in your wardrobe,
you are contributing to the problem every time you throw the clothes in the washing machine. Of
the three fabric types tested, acrylic was found to be the worst offender. When washing a load at or

there are on average an estimated 730 thousand fibers released into the waste water system.
Polyester is the next most prolific culprit, adding almost 500 thousand every wash. A polyester-
cotton blend is less serious in terms of microplastic impact, but a switch to a 100% cotton garment
(other natural fibers are also available) is of course the best way to reduce your wardrobe's
'microplastic footprint'.

https://www.statista.com/chart/17937/laundry-contribution-to-world-microplastic-problem/

Question

According to the passage, what is the best way to reduce wardrobe's microplastic footprints?

a. Using synthetic fabric clothes

b. Changing daily clothes with prolific material
c. Keeping water system be cleaned from wardrobe's waste
d. Using clothes made from natural fibers
e. Switching to a polyester-cotton blend

19. Read the passage carefully.

We've all seen the troubling headlines. "Microplastics are raining down from the sky", "There's no
getting away from microplastic contamination", or "Microplastics found in human blood for first
time". But equally worrying as the apparent abundance of these particles all over the planet are the
seemingly myriad ways that each and every one of us contributes to their dissemination every day.
From the plastic water bottle you throw in the bin, to the shampoo you used in the shower this
morning, something else you can add to the list is a source of microplastic that many of us carry
around with us all day long.

As research by the University of Plymouth revealed, if you have synthetic fabrics in your wardrobe,
you are contributing to the problem every time you throw the clothes in the washing machine. Of
the three fabric types tested, acrylic was found to be the worst offender. When washing a load at or

there are on average an estimated 730 thousand fibers released into the waste water system.
Polyester is the next most prolific culprit, adding almost 500 thousand every wash. A polyester-
cotton blend is less serious in terms of microplastic impact, but a switch to a 100% cotton garment
(other natural fibers are also available) is of course the best way to reduce your wardrobe's
'microplastic footprint'.

https://www.statista.com/chart/17937/laundry-contribution-to-world-microplastic-problem/

Question

According to the infographic, how was the research of microplastic footprint in wardrobe done?

a. By washing the fabrics below 30 degrees Celsius and using the same fabric conditioner
b. By only examining the clothes using an electron microscope and processing the sewage
treatment
c. By extracting fibers from waste effluent and eliminating fibers from sewage treatment
d. By examining both fibers from waste effluent and fibers passing through sewage treatment
e. By washing the fabrics at a certain temperature and using different combinations of
detergent Passage

20. Read the passage carefully.

We've all seen the troubling headlines. "Microplastics are raining down from the sky", "There's no
getting away from microplastic contamination", or "Microplastics found in human blood for first
time". But equally worrying as the apparent abundance of these particles all over the planet are the
seemingly myriad ways that each and every one of us contributes to their dissemination every day.
From the plastic water bottle you throw in the bin, to the shampoo you used in the shower this
morning, something else you can add to the list is a source of microplastic that many of us carry
around with us all day long.

As research by the University of Plymouth revealed, if you have synthetic fabrics in your wardrobe,
you are contributing to the problem every time you throw the clothes in the washing machine. Of
the three fabric types tested, acrylic was found to be the worst offender. When washing a load at or

there are on average an estimated 730 thousand fibers released into the waste water system.
Polyester is the next most prolific culprit, adding almost 500 thousand every wash. A polyester-
cotton blend is less serious in terms of microplastic impact, but a switch to a 100% cotton garment
(other natural fibers are also available) is of course the best way to reduce your wardrobe's
'microplastic footprint'.

https://www.statista.com/chart/17937/laundry-contribution-to-world-microplastic-problem/

Question
From the infographic, we can infer that ….

a. The amount of microplastic will increase along with the use of non-natural fibers.
b. Using acrylic fiber will not affect the amount of microplastic in the Earth.
c. Polyester-cotton blend does not contribute to the microplastic footprint that is released.
d. Fiber type does have nothing to do with microplastic released in the ocean.
e. It has been estimated that approximately 700 hundred of microplastic pollute our planet
each year.