Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Part 1.
Cressida Cowell is the author of the widely-praised How to Train your Dragon
series of children’s books. She spent her own childhood holidays on a remote
island,where she has left very much to her own (1)________. As a result, she
became an avid reader, entertaining (2)________ with books and developing a
fervent imagination. She even (3)________ up her own secret languages.
Cowell believes that today’s children still have a real (4)________ for language,
even though their attention (5)________ may not be as great as in her day,
(6)________ them less tolerant of descriptive passages in stories. Her books are
outlandish and exciting,with vivid imagery, cliffhangers and eye-catching
illustrations. Dragons seem to(7)________ to children of all nationalities, who
also seem to (8)________ with her protagonist, Hiccup, quite easily. Hiccup is a
boy who battles his way through’s life problems, often against the
(9)________ . Cowell is currently planning an illustrated book for
teenagers. In her own words, she enjoys breaking the (10)________ and finds
that kids are open-minded enough to accept this.
Part 4.
The environmental outlook for the future is mixed. Inspite of economic and
political changes, interest in and (1)________ about the environmental remains
high.Problems such as acid deposition, chlorofluorocarbons and ozone depletions
still require(2)________and concerted action is needed to deal with these.
(3)________ acid deposition diminish, loss of aquatic life in nothern lakes and
streams will continue and forest growth may be affected. Water pollution will
(4)________ a growing problem as an increasing human population (5)________
untold stress on the environment. To reduce environmental degradation and for
humanity to (6)________ its habitat, societies must recognize that resources are
finite. Environmentalists believe that, as populations and their demands increase,
the idea of continuous growth must give (7)________ to a more rational use of
the environment, but that this can only be brought about by a
dramatic(8)________ in the attitude of the human species.
Part 5.
Part 6.
The issues for emerging economies are a little more straightforward. The desire
to build on undeveloped land is not (1)________ out of desperation or necessity,
but is a result of the relentless (2)________ of progress. Cheap labour and a
relatively highly-skilled workforce make these countries highly competitive and
there is a flood of inward investment, particularly from multinationals
(3)________ to take advantage of the low wages before the cost and standard of
living begin to rise. It is (4)________ such as these that are making many Asian
economies extremely attractive when viewed as investment opportunities at
the moment. Similarly, in Africa, the relative (5)________ of preciousmetals
and natural resources tends to attract a lot of exploration companies and a
whole sub-industry develops around and is completely dependent on this
foreign-direct investment. It is understandable
Part 7.
Part 8.
Social networking is here to (1)________ and interaction between people all over
the world has never been (2)________. We can share our lives with our network
friends who can help us solve problems or offer advice. Although these sites can
(3)________ as a kind of group therapy session with people who seem to care and
who will listen, there islittle or no censorship, so cyber-bullying is a growing
problem. Perhaps there need to bemore (4)________ on what people are allowed
to say. Nevertheless, social networkingsites can be a great way to find people
with shared (5)________ and they can also be very informative if used wisely.
For many people, it offers them a feeling of (6)________ from the real
world. Furthermore it gives them a chance to chat about anything
and(7)________, often quite meaningless, without fear of being rejected by
others.(8)________ the drivers, it has become a compelling activity for
many, so it is hardly surprising that some people feel a (9)________ of
disconnectedness if they are unable to get online for any period of time.
And when they do get back online after a few hours of downtime, there is an
unmistakable feeling of relief at being a (10)________ of the world once more.
Part 10.
Part 11. Today many people find that the pressure they have at work makes their
jobsuntenable as they have to put their families totally in the (1)________. So
working fromhome, being more at the (2)________ of your family rather than
your current boss, hasgreat appeal to many as they start up their own businesses
from bedrooms or garages. Butdon’t just think about it. Now is the time to
start, so (3)________ while the iron’s hot.Providing you are disciplined in
what you do, and (4)________ the idea of workingmostly alone and without
the team spirit (5)________ by working alongside others, thenwhat’s
stopping you? You gain far more flexibility as you can choose the working
hoursthat suit you. You will still have to meet deadlines, but they are ones that
you or customers have (6)________. And if you are at a (7)________ end during
quiet times,you can go out and do things you couldn’t do before. But don’t
get (8)________ awaywith the idea of making millions. You’ll need to be
determined and work hard to succeed, but it’ll pay off in the end. background –
disposal – strike - embarce – engendered – set – loose - carriedPart 12. It is said
that we never stop learning until the day we die. Broadening our horizons has
never been easier, as the twenty-first century (1)________ ever more
opportunities for learning and developing our skills. And if you don’t want
to(2)________ out in the job market and (3)________ for a poorly- paid, boring
job, there’sno (4)________ these days. Thousands of online courses allow you
to work at your own(5)________, while you are doing a full-time job.
Although be careful that you don’t(6)________ off more than you can chew!
Modern-day society puts a lot of pressure on people, many of whom have had to
offers – lose – settle – excuse – pace – bite – loans – making – key – sit
Part 13.
motives
sort – recipient – get – danger – weight – ends – parties - bear – reduce –
We live in culture that values participation over ability: the karaoke culture. In
broadcasting, it seems we cannot (1)________ the vogue for “access TV”,
“peopleshows” and “video diaries”. (2)________ is our apparent obsession with
documenting our own lives that, in future, programmes will be replaced by
cameras in every room, sothat we can watch (3)________ endlessly on TV. In the
countless shows that (4)________ our daytime schedules, the audience has
become the star. The public make programmes,the public participate in
programmes, the public become performers. Anybody can do it!But there is a
world of (5)________ between enjoying something and joining in. If weall join
in, what is the (6)________ of artists or experts? If everything
(7)________, therecan be no mystery, no mystique. I love listening to a
genius and learning from (or even just appreciating) his or her skill. To assume
then that I can “have a (8)________ at”their craft would be monstrous
impudence on my part.
Part 15.
Few inventions have had more scorn and praise (1)________ upon them at the
same time than television. And few have done so much to unite the world
(2)________ one vast audience for news, sport, information and entertainment.
Television must berated (3)________ printing as one of the most significant
inventions of all time in thefield of communications. In just a few decades it
has (4)________virtually every home in the developed world and an ever-
increasing proportion of homes in developing countries.It took over half a
century from the first suggestion that television might be (5)________ before
the first flickering (6)_______were produced in laboratories in Britain
andAmerica. In 1926 John
Part 16.
Part 17.
Part 20.
There are solid reasons for supporting, preserving, and documenting endangered
languages. First, (1)________ and every language is a celebration of the rich
cultural diversity of our planet; second, each language is an (2)________ of a
unique ethnic,social, regional or cultural identity and world view; third, language
is the repository(3)________ the history and beliefs of a people; and finally,
every
Part 21.
Part 22 .
Little babies are not so innocent after all, it would seem. Infants as young as six
months, new research claims, are capable of lying to their doting parents, which
they do(1)________ crying when they are not truly (2)_________ pain or distress.
They do it simply to draw attention to themselves, but once they start receiving
the loving hugs and cuddles they (3)_________ badly crave, the babies then do
(4)________ best to prolong this reward by offering fake smiles. This has led to
suggestions that human beings are 'born to lie' and that this is a uniquequality of
our species. As someone who has devoted a lifetime to studying human and
animal behaviour, I have to report that this is actually (5)_________ from being
the truth.Mankind may be the most adept species at telling fibs, but we are
far from alone.A young chimpanzee in captivity, for example, is just as
capable of 'lying', as I have witnessed on many occasions, most commonly when
human handlers, working with young chimps, have to leave them alone.
(6)________ human babies, the apes really hate (7)___________ left alone, and
for this reason, their handlers, (8)_________ have become their 'family', should
ideally never be out of sight.
Part 23.
Part 24
In 1942, only a few months after the United States had entered World War II, as
Hitler plunged deeper into Russia and Japan was advancing victoriously
throughout the Pacific,President Roosevelt, Secretary of State Cordell Hull, and
his deputy, Sumner Welles,along with many politicians, journalists, and
academics, were already involved in adebate on postwar arrangements. Many
of the proposals were far-reaching, (1)________ revolutionary. In no other
country did the shock of war create such a (2)________ at a time when the Nazis
and the Japanese were still clearly winning. Such activities(3)________ strikingly
with the negativism and lack of verve that now, in our peaceful time,
characterize the discussion, when there is any, of international organization
for thefuture.At the end of the war, (4)________ from the usual
xenophobes and isolationists,relatively few voices questioned the need for the
new international system. On the(5)________, there was a tendency to
oversell it and to create unrealistic hopes for its effectiveness. Thus when the
cold war—along with the usual tendency of sovereign statesto quarrel and
(6)________ to violence—shattered the dream of a more rational world,
public disillusion and hostility to the UN (7)________ all the fiercer. In fact,
the UN has never quite (8)________ from its failure to live up to its advance
notices.Already in 1942 there were warning (9)________. Professor Nicholas
Spykman of Yale wrote that “plans for far-reaching changes in the character of
Part 25.
Part 26.
Part 27.
Part 28.
Part 29.
sought – gaining – avoid – ranges – case – nor – known – form – much – bond
Part 30. How far should members of the public have to run the risk of personal
harm wherescientific or technological innovation is (1)_______? In some legal
systems, including European Union law, the (2)_______ of the precautionary
principle is a statuory requirement. The precautionary principle advises society to
be cautious about atechnology or practice where there is scientific uncertainty,
ignorance, gaps in knowledge or the likelihood of (3)_______ outcomes.This runs
(4)_______ to the optimistic notion that any adverse effects that arise
unintentionally can be addressed. (5)_______, some claim these may provide an
opportunity to develop new solutions, and in this way contribute to economic
growth. For this reason, the US Chamber of Commerce dislikes the precautionary
approach and prefers the use of sound science, cost – benefit (6)_______, and risk
assessment when assessing a particular regulatory issue. Its strategy is therefore to
: ‘Oppose the domestic and international adoption of the precautionary principle
(7)_______ a basis for regulatory decision making.’ Yet history (8)_______ us
that asbestos, halocarbons and PCBs seemed like miracle substances at first, but
turned out to be highly problematic for human and environmental health.
Our biological clocks govem almost every aspect of our lives. Our sensitivity to
stimuli(1)_______ over the course of the day, and our ability to perform certain
functions is subjects to fluctuations. Consequently, there is an (2)______ time for
tasks such as making decision: around the middle of the day. Anything that
(3)_______ physical co-ordination, on the other hand, is best attempted in the
early evening. What is more , there is a dramatic drop in performance if these
activities are carried out at other times. Therisk of accident in a factory, for
example, is 20% higher during the night (4)________.Primitive humans lived
their lives in (5)_______ with the daily cycle of light and dark.Today we
are firmly convinced that we can impose schedules on our lives at
(6)_______.Sooner or later, however, we pay a price for ignoring our natural
rhythms. A good example is jet lag, caused when we confuse our body's
biological clocks by(7)_______several time zones, people suffering from iet
lag can take several days to(8)_______ to new time zones, and have a
reduced ability to make decisions, which is awonying thought, as serious
(9)_______ of judgment can be made, And this may be justthe tip of the
iceberg. An increasing number of people suffer from seasonal affective disorder
(SAD), a form of depression that can be triggered by living in artificial conditions.
SAD can be serious, and sufferers, may (10)_______ need to take antidepressant
drugs.
Part 32
Part 33.
One of the strongest influences on teenagers today is that of their peers. What
their friends think, how they dress and how they act in class and out of it
(1)_______ the behaviour of nearly every teenager. In their (2)_______ not to be
different, some children go so (3)_______ as to hide their intelligence and
ability in case they are made fun of.Generally, teenagers do not want to stand
out from the (4)_______. They want to fit in, to be accepted. In psychological
terms the importance of peer pressure can not be overemphasized. There is a lot
of evidence that it has great (5)_______ on all aspects of their lives, from the
clothes they wear, the music they listen to and their (6)_______ tostudies, to their
ambitions in life, their relationships and their (7)_______ of self-
worth.However, as adolescents grow up into young adults, individuality becomes
more acceptable and in their (8)_______
Part 34.
Part 35.
Our ultimate escape from whatever life has thrown at us during our waking day
is sleep. Nature’s healer lowers our eyelids and (1)_______ us with the
comforting blanket of unconsciousess. Every night we are given a period in
which our bodies and minds can recuperate and (2)_______ us for the trials and
demands of the following day. As we allknow, our subconscious controls
our quiet periods, taking our (3)_______ on journeysconsisting of events and
half-remembered thoughts from our conscious hours. Our journeys are
usually fragmented patterns of sensations and pictures, sometimes
pleasant,sometimes harrowing. These periods of (4)_______ and dreams are
essential for our health and well-being butan increasing number of people
today suffer from an inability to enjoy this necessary form of escape. Insomnia
affects a high proportion of us and this frustrating, debilitating malady can
have dire results. The insomniac wades (5)_______ his waking hours in afog.
Creative thought can be deadened, reflexes slowed and sensations dimmed.
If this ability to sleep lasts for more than a week or two, what is known as
chronic insomnia(6)_______ in, sometimes causing severe depression and
leaving the sufferer unable to cope with daily life.
Part 36.
Part 37.
Part 38.
Part 39.
There has been a significant (1)_______ in entertainment trends over the last
twenty years or so. Entertainment used to be public; now it is becoming more and
more(2)_______. Formerly, people wanting to amuse themselves did so in
groups; these days, people (3)_______ entertain themselves on their own.Long,
long ago, there were storytellers. They used to travel around the country and
their (4)_______ was awaited with eager anticipation. In the more
(5)_______ past, people used to have musical evenings, they used to play
games together, or simply sit around the fire and chat. Nowadays, instead of
playing board games in a group, children play video games aloneor with one
(6)_______ person. People of all ages spend their evenings alone watching
televisions, videos and DVDs. And large numbers of young (and not so
young)enthusiasts spend their free time surfing the net, which, by its very
(7)_______, tends to be a solitary activity. Forms of entertainment have
always been changing of course, but it could be said that these recent changes –
all products of technological development – (8)_______ a more fundamental
shift. One could (9)_______argue that this shift is symbolised by the earphones
that are in evidence everywhere. Can this deliberate attempt to
(10)_______ out the rest of the world really be called entertainment?
An Italian academic, Giorgio Stabile, has (1)_______ to light the fact that the
ubiquitous symbol of Internet era communication, the @ sign used in email
addresses, is (2)_______ a 500-year-old invention of Italian merchants. He claims
to have stumbled on the earliestknown example of the symbol’s use, as an
(3)_______ of a measure of weight or volume.He said the @ sign (4)_______ an
amphora, a measure of capacity based on the terracotta jars (5)_______ to
transport grain and liquid in the ancient Mediterranean world. The first known
(6)_______ of its use occurred in a letter written by a Florentine merchant on
May4, 1536. The ancient symbol was uncovered in the (7)______ of research for
a visualhistory of the 20 th century. Apparently, the sign had made its
(8)_______ along traderoutes to northern Europe, where it took on its
contemporary accountancy (9)_______:“at the price of”. According to Professor
Stabile, the oldest example could be of great value as it could be used for
publicity (10)_______ and to enhance the prestige of the institution that has it in
their possession.
Part 41.
Part 42.
Many students in the UK consider doing a gap year before going to university.
Critics(1)_______ whether it is a just a long glorified holiday or if it's really
worth doing. Does it actually help students in their careers? Some educational
establishments (2)_______ encourage students to take a gap year and recommend
that students take advantage of the opportunities (3)_______. However, most of
them would prefer it if the students did some (4)_______ of voluntary work
instead of just having a holiday. There are numerous organisations which
organise these trips for students and it's a good idea to (5)_______ them out
online. One of the main advantages is that it's a great way to get to know
more about different cultures and, for many, it is also a painless way to
learn another language by speaking to local people. Volunteers who stay in
local homes say that they get the
Part 43
Part 44.
Over the last century the world has become increasingly smaller. Not
geographically, of course, but in the (1)_______ that media, technology and the
opening of borders hasenabled the world’s citizens to view, share and gain access
to a much wider range of cultures, societies and world views. In this (2)______
pot that the world has become,today’s child is privy (3)_______ facets of the
human experience that his immediate predecessors had no inkling even existed.
It (4)_______ to reason that in order to absorb,configure and finally form
opinions about this information-laden planet, children must be supplied with
certain tools. (5)______ in this list of ‘tools’ are: education, social
skills,cultural awareness and the acquisition of languages, the most important of
these being the latter. Until
Part 45.
Our daily lives are largely made up of contacts with other people, during which
we are constantly making judgments of their personalities and accommodating
our behavior tothem in (1)_______ with these judgments. A casual meeting
of neighbors on the street, an employer giving instructions to an
employee, a mother telling her children how to behave, a journey in a train
where strangers eye one another without exchanging a word -all these involve
(2)_______ interpretations of personal qualities. Success in manyvocations
largely depends on skill in
Part 46.
Can you feel your anxiety and stress levels increasing every time you get caught
in a traffic jam? Do you find it difficult to control your tongue when your boss
points out your shortcomings yet again? Do you (1)_______ for state-of-the-art
technology in your home that you haven’t had to pay for? If you are shouting an
enthusiastic “Yes!” in answer to these questions, then it could be (2)_______ to
make a career and life change that may not even require you to quit your job.
Part 47.
Beauty is the (1)_______ of a thing or person that gives you pleasure. Inner
beauty refers to psychological factors, such as intelligence, kindness, compassion,
and honesty. Outer beauty, or physical attractiveness, refers to factors such as
looks, health, youthfulness,and symmetry.Is the ability to define physical or
psychological attractiveness innate or learned ? Is beauty objective or subjective?
There is some (2)_______ that the sense of beauty issubjective and culturally
relative. The popular saying “beauty is in the eye of the(3)_______” tells us that
different people have different opinions about what is beautiful.For example, most
Westerners consider a woman with a wide mouth attractive, while many Chinese
regard a woman with a small mouth as beautiful. During part of China’shistory,
women with big feet were considered to be ugly. Traditional Chinese foot-
binding was (4)_______ to keep a woman’s feet tiny and thus “beautiful”. To
people inthe modern world, the foot-binding of women was painful, horrible, and
ugly. These two examples suggest that some ideas about beauty are learned and
(5)_______ to change.On the other hand, research indicates that a preference for
beautiful faces (6)_______ early in a child’s development. A small child plays
with facially attractive dolls longer than with facially unattractive dolls.
Children innately pay attention to the beauty of nature.People from various
cultures and periods of time may have slightly different ideas about beauty.
Nonetheless, they usually share many (7)_______ of beauty. A kind, honest,
and intelligent individual is attractive. So is a healthy, youthful person with a
mathematically (8)_______ face and a well – proportioned body. The
appreciation of many aspects of both inner beauty and outer beauty is
innate.Many aspects of beauty have been valued throughout human
Part 48.
Part 49.
Part 50.