Michigan diagnosis test

Listening UNIT ONE

Choose the best answers to the questions you hear. If you hear a sentence, choose the
statement which has the same meaning as the one you have heard. You will hear the extracts
only once.

1) a. I'll finally manage.

b. No, I'll take my chances.

c. Yes, it will.

2) a. I'll say!

b. Not if I can help it!

c. Don't you know them?

3) a. If it comes up.

b. She will too.

c. You can count on it.

4) a. Oh no, not again!

b. She was at her mother's house.

c. Yes, I hear.

5) a. Yes, a good many.

b. No, I couldn't picture it.

 c. No, I took them.

6) a. Yes, his clothes are very nice.

b. Yes, he's very bright.

c. No, he wasn't.

7) a. No problem.

b. I wouldn't drop it.

c. I can if you like.

8) a. Yes, I promise to write.

b. No, I wouldn't.

c. Yes, I'm touchy.

9) a. No, he was picked over.

b. Yes, he was fighting.

c. Yes, he was asking for it.

10) a. Never enough money.

b. Not much.

c. Let's wait and see.

11) a. I will count on it.

b. I wouldn't depend on it.

c. I hope it happens.
12) a. He's going to fail.

b. He's certain to pass.

c. He still has a chance.

13) a. She can't understand it.

b. She has written the figures.

c. She is bad at math.

14) a. She will telephone tomorrow.

b. His name sounds familiar.

c. She doesn't remember meeting him.

15) a. She'll finish tomorrow.

b. She's already given up.

c. She's determined to finish.

16) a. She knows her tolerance extensively.

b. She is extremely patient.

c. She can put up with him sometimes.

17) a. It's an easy job.

b. She told him to relax.

c. She told him off.

18) a. She's never thought of it before.

b. She feels cross.

 c. She's made up her mind.

19) a. He lies constantly.

b. He wouldn't lie all the time.

c. He certainly told the truth.

20) a. She has been disrespectful before.

b. The teacher was talking too much.

c. Her behavior won't be permitted next time.

GRAMMAR

1. - John is so shy.
- I know. Very rarely __________ to me.

A. he speaks C. he is speaking

B. does he speak D. he does speak

2. - Did you go to the mall today?

- Yes, I bought one of those __________ books.

A. good $5 paperback C. paperback good $5

B. $5 good paperback D. good paperback $5

3. - Where are the compact disks?

- They are in the cabinet __________ we keep the CD player.

A. that C. which

B. where D. in that
4. - What is the current status of your business plan?

- Right now we're sizing __________ the competition.

A. in C. under

B. up D. over

5. - When are you going on vacation?

- We hope __________ on Saturday.

A. to go C. to going

B. going D. to have been going

6. - Did Alice come to the party?

- Yes, no sooner __________ than she came in.

A. we arrived C. we had arrived

B. had we arrived D. we were arriving

7. - Where is Alison?

- At home recovering __________ the flu.

A. with C. to

B. for D. from

8. - How did you like the show?

- I have never seen __________ performance.

A. such an awful C. so an awful

B. such awful a D. a so awful

9. - The police finally solved the crime.

 - Yes, the ringleader turned __________ his conspirators.

A. down C. off

B. away D. against

10. - What did the weather report say?

- That it __________ rain tomorrow.

A. must C. could

B. ought D. maybe

11. - Jason always insults me.

- Don't worry. He __________ too.

A. does it for me C. does it to me

B. does it me D. is doing it for me

12. - My daughter made the varsity team.

- Mine __________.

A. didn't either C. didn't too

B. didn't though D. did neither

13. - It was either lie or steal.

- Well, I hope you chose the __________ of two evils.

A. least C. lesser

B. less D. more less

14. - Jane is 6'4".

- She is the __________ four sisters.

 A. tallest of the C. taller of her

B. taller than her D. most tall of the

15. - What is your favorite pastime?

- I enjoy swimming __________.

A. in summer C. during summers

B. in the summer D. summertime

16. - What's wrong with Darren?

- He's __________ with leukemia.

A. afflicted C. affliction

B. afflict D. the affliction

17. - Sue is so rude.

- I know. She always barges __________ without knocking.

A. in C. around

B. on D. about

18. - It's cold outside.

- I __________ take a coat.

A. would rather C. should have

B. had better D. wouldn't need to

19. - Ralph left Betty.

- He wouldn't have __________ faithful.

A. she was C. had she been

 B. was she D. she had been

20. - It's Barbara's last day of work on Friday.

- Let's chip __________ to buy her a farewell gift.

A. with C. in

B. together D. around

21. - Did you like the movie?

- I preferred the one __________ .

A. to which I saw last week C. I saw last week

B. which last week I saw D. I saw it last week

22. - Did John get the money?

- I don't know ____________ it or not.

A. whether got C. he got

B. if he got D. that he got

23. - I can't believe Sarah told everyone your secret.

- Well, ____________ we are still good friends.

A. furthermore C. despite of that

B. contrarily D. in spite of that

24. - Why is Bob so upset?

- He saw a bad accident that ____________ this morning.

A. was happening C. happened

B. has happening D. happen

25. - Why didn't you go on vacation?

- Someone told me ____________ to California in the summer.

A. not to go C. not going

B. not go D. if I not go

READING

Passage 1

Sports have long been a favorite pastime, if not a fanatical obsession, for Americans from all
walks of life. Not only do sports exist as a source of entertainment for the American public, but
also as a lucrative business enterprise for those who provide financial backing.

American Major League Baseball, for example, consisted of only a handful of teams when the
National League was founded in 1876. It has grown in popularity by leaps and bounds over the
years, resulting in increased ticket sales for games and bolstering the profits of its investors.
The increased demand from the public, in turn, precipitated the formation of a new division,
known as the American League, in 1901. Additionally, new teams are formed from time to time
in accordance with regional demand, such as the Colorado Rockies in Denver, Colorado, and
the Devil Rays in Tampa Bay, Florida.

However, the sport which has reaped the largest monetary benefit has been American
basketball. Successful marketing, together with the aggressive recruitment of new players, has
helped to enthrall Americans with this sport. With hindsight, it appears that the National
Basketball Association (NBA) made the big time in the late 1980's when several new teams
were set up. Previously existing teams, such as the Chicago Bulls, also experienced an increase
in popularity during this era.

1. Sports in America

A) exist solely due to the demand for entertainment displayed by the public.

B) have become popular only because of monetary assistance provided by various

companies.

C) are profitable for the public.

 D) are enjoyable for Americans from various strata of society.

2. The popularity of American baseball

A) was doomed from the beginning.

B) is a result of successful marketing.

C) has experienced rapid periodic growth.

D) is due to the establishment of new teams.

3. New baseball teams are established as a result of

A) regulations of the league.

B) increased ticket sales.

C) a reduction in financial support from investors.

D) the interest displayed by the members of the public in a particular geographical

area.

4. Which factor contributed to the increased popularity of American basketball?

A) new investors

B) successful marketing.

C) employment of new players.

D) both (B) and (C).

5. Which of the following statements is true according to the passage?

A) All Americans enjoy baseball.

B) By examining the past, we can see that the formation of new teams made
basketball successful.

C) The American and National Leagues were formed due to a slump in regional
markets.

D) A higher volume of ticket sales depends upon larger investor expenditures.

Passage 2
When people are bored or have too much time on their hands, an easy solution is readily
available: simply turn on the tube. One thing for certain is that Americans are constantly being
accosted by an overabundance of television programs. Today Americans have three national
networks from which to choose: the American Broadcasting Corporation (ABC); the National
Broadcasting Corporation (NBC) and the Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS). These
networks broadcast programs free of charge to the public, relying on the support of major
American commercial enterprises, such as Coca-Cola and Kimberly Clark, in the form of
airtime purchased to advertise their products.

Commercial support is, by and large, intertwined with the public's often temperamental viewing
preferences. The Neilson Ratings are statistical indicators which measure such viewing trends
by evaluating how many families are watching a certain program on a given network during a
particular day or time. If the Nielsen Rating for a certain program is too low, a potential
advertiser will be reluctant to purchase airtime during its broadcast as the advertising message
will not reach the maximum number of viewers.

Firms will reach the largest audience during what is known as "Prime Time," the window of
advertising opportunity from 7:00 P.M. to 10:00 P.M. Taking the volume of viewers into
account, commercial entities devour this airtime with alacrity. A plethora of popular situation
comedies, known as "sit-coms," are aired during these evening hours. Other commercial
opportunities exist during morning and afternoon broadcasts of long-running talk shows, game
shows, and soap operas, now euphemistically termed "daytime dramas."

6. Which of the following statements concerning national networks is false?

A) Networks are reliant upon businesses for monetary support.

B) The network's success depends upon the public's viewing habits.

C) The national network is also known as the National Broadcasting Corporation.

D) Families do not pay a fee to watch national television.

7. Television programs

A) are few and far between.

B) are broadcast during purchased airtime.

C) are constantly being altered.

D) provide Americans with more than enough options from which to choose.
8. The public's viewing habits

A) are assessed by the Nielsen Ratings.

B) are constant and unwavering.

C) are influenced by advertising.

D) fluctuate in relation to commercial support.

9. An advertiser will communicate his message to the largest amount of viewers

A) when the Nielsen Rating increases.

B) during the evening hours.

C) in the morning.

D) in the afternoon.

10. Commercial opportunities are

A) most plentiful during the broadcast of soap opera episodes.

B) thwarted by statistical ratios compiled by Nielsen.

C) the best during Prime Time.

D) greater during the morning than during the afternoon.