Indonesian authorities hope to reach an agreement with Singapore to start exporting

chickens within weeks, officials said, as the city-state scrambles to find alternative supply
sources after another neighbor Malaysia restricted sales. In a further sign of growing global food
shortages and supply chain issues, Malaysia halted chicken exports this month until local
production and soaring costs stabilize. The move had a knock-on impact in Singapore with
restaurants and street stalls hiking prices of its de-facto national dish, chicken rice.

Susiwijono Moegiarso, a senior official at Indonesia's Office of the Coordinating

Economic Minister, said authorities had conducted "technical discussions" with Singapore and
hoped exports could start this month. The Singapore Food Agency (SFA) said in a statement it
was "working closely" with Indonesian authorities over accreditation of the country as a potential
source of chicken imports. Indonesia, Southeast Asia's biggest and most populous country with
more than 270 million people, currently has a surplus in chicken production. Indonesia produces
55 million to 60 million birds per week, with a surplus of around 15 percent to 20 percent after
domestic consumption, Achmad Dawami, the chairman of the Indonesian Poultry Breeders'
Association, told Reuters. Exports to Singapore, which has an estimated demand of 3.6 million to
4 million birds per month, could help close the gap, Dawami said.

Singapore wanted to import live chickens in order to keep their domestic slaughterhouses
operational, Dawami said, noting Indonesian producers preferred exporting slaughtered chicken
since they lacked experience in shipping live poultry. "Hopefully within the next two weeks
there would be realization, if we have to wait for months we will miss the momentum," Dawami
said. Malaysia moved to partially lift its export ban on certain premium chickens last week. But a
ban on exporting commercial broiler chicken - which makes up the majority of Singapore's
chicken imports from Malaysia - and other types of chicken products will remain. Prices of
chicken, one of Malaysia's cheapest sources of protein, have soared in recent months as a global
feed shortage exacerbated by the Russia-Ukraine war disrupts production.

source: thejakartapost.com (with modifications)

1. The text mainly discusses about ….

A. the agreement of exporting chicken between Singapore and Indonesia

B. the supply chain issues happened in Singapore
C. the unstable price of chicken sales in Malaysia
D. the bilateral relationship between Singapore and Indonesia
E. the slaughtering operational issues in Indonesia and Singapore

In the wake of HBO’s “Game of Thrones,” the biggest television show left standing may
be a show that isn’t on traditional TV. For the moment, nothing feels like it has more big-tent
appeal than Netflix’s energetically spooky sci-fi drama “Stranger Things,” whose eight-episode
third season arrives with a patriotic flourish on Thursday.

But much of the appeal of Matt and Ross Duffer’s series has always been its lack of
grandiosity or pretension, its disdain of the kind of mock gravitas “Thrones” embraced. The
Duffers just want to scare us and charm us, to indulge their love of science-fiction and horror
tropes and to perfect the pop-cult simulacrum of 1980s Midwestern America in which their show
is set.

The mission hasn’t changed in “Stranger Things 3,” which takes place in 1985, a year
after the events of the second season (just as the second season took place a year after the first).
The extent to which you’ll be scared or charmed may be variable, though. As happens in the film
world—and no show more authentically embodies the notion of the series-as-eight-hour-
movie—“Stranger Things” is already showing some franchise fatigue.

Which isn’t to say that the show’s just repeating itself. In addition to a portal to a bleak
alternate dimension dubbed The Upside Down from which terrifying monsters try to break into
our world, the semi-rural town of Hawkins, Ind., now has a new mall in which much of the
season’s action takes place. The parameters of the Duffers’ movie love shift accordingly—where
Steven Spielberg’s “E.T.” was the guiding spirit of the first two seasons, Season 3 pays tribute to
the ultimate mall movie, Amy Heckerling’s “Fast Times at Ridgemont High.”

Introducing the mall as both setting and topical theme—it’s putting downtown
storefronts, like the Radio Shack run by last season’s tragic hero, Bob Newby (Sean Astin), out
of business—is a strategic response to something the show can’t avoid: puberty. The young cast
is growing up, and the real change in Season 3, which some fans may find distressing, is that
everyone’s pairing off. Even Dustin (Gaten Matarazzo), the nerdiest of the crew of world-saving
nerds, claims to have obtained a girlfriend over the summer.

(Source: https://www.nytimes.com/2019/07/03/arts/television/stranger-things-season-3-
review.html)

2. The main idea of paragraph 1 is ....

A. Stranger Things is bigger than Game of Thrones.
B. Game of Thrones is bigger than Stranger Things.
C. Game of Thrones is the biggest TV show.
D. Stranger Things is probably the only show right now that could compete with Game
of Thrones.
E. Netflix’s energetically spooky sci-fi drama “Stranger Things” has its eight-episode
third season arriving with a patriotic flourish on Thursday.

There's a lot of potentially useful raw materials bound up in used face masks, grocery
bags and food wrap. But it has been much cheaper to keep making more of these single-use
plastics than to recover and recycle them. An international research team led by the Department
of Energy's Pacific Northwest National Laboratory has cracked the code that stymied previous
attempts to break down these persistent plastics. Typically, recycling plastics requires 'cracking'
or splitting apart the tough and stable bonds that also make them so persistent in the
environment. This cracking step requires high temperatures, making it expensive and energy
intensive. The novelty here is combining the cracking step with a second reaction step that
immediately completes the conversion to a liquid gasoline-like fuel without unwanted
byproducts. The second reaction step deploys what are known as alkylation catalysts. These
catalysts provide a chemical reaction currently deployed by the petroleum industry to improve
the octane rating of gasoline.

Source : sciencedaily.com (with modifications)

3. The text mainly discusses about ….

A. the heart disease that threatening people
B. the reason on reducing fast-food consumption
C. the new year resolution for obese people
D. the liver fats that could cause diabetes
E. the fast-food calories that consumed by people

TEXT A

Millennials, or people born between 1981 and 1996, are known for living at home with
their parents longer, renting instead of buying a home, and staying in college to earn advanced
degrees while simultaneously drowning in student loan debt. But one thing hardly discussed is
the factors that have impacted millennials, their lifestyles and their finances, for better and for
worse. While people are quick to poke fun at them, nobody wants to talk about why millennials
aren't meeting the same financial milestones as previous generations.

So, what is truly making it more difficult for millennials to build wealth? According to
Sam Garrison, who is the co-founder of financial wellness company Stackin, many millennials
started out on their journey to adulthood at the worst possible time. For example, some came of
age in the working world at a time of dramatic changes, beginning with the '08 recession through
to the Covid-19 pandemic and now the new wave of tech layoffs.

Garrison also adds that millennials are more likely than previous generations to switch
jobs every few years. This assertion is backed up by a recent report from Gallup that showed
60% of millennials were open to new job opportunities, compared to just 45% of workers in
other age groups who said the same.

Source: forbes.com (with modifications)

TEXT B

Millennials who managed the feat of becoming homeowners have discovered that their
piece of the American Dream may have turned into a bit of a nightmare. 82% of millennial
homeowners have at least one regret about their first home purchase, according to a 2023
Millennial Homebuyer Report by Clever Real Estate’s Real Estate Witch. That’s not surprising
given the difficult hand dealt to this generation: two economic recessions and a historically
expensive housing market driven by high demand and limited supply, followed by climbing high
mortgage rates in 2022.
 Given the challenges facing them, many millennials have had to be flexible and make
compromises when buying a home that, in hindsight, may not have been worth it. There are a
handful of first-time regrets, but the most common is taking out a mortgage with too high an
interest rate.

The good news is that while you can’t control the market’s rates, you can take steps to
increase your odds of scoring the lowest rate possible from what’s offered. Millennials can work
on your debt-to-income (DTI) ratio, or how much debt you owe compared to your gross income.
A lower ratio tells a lender that you have a healthy balance of debt to income. A higher ratio may
indicate that too much of your income is dedicated to paying down debt.

Source: cnbc.com (with modifications)

4. The two text above is mainly talk about ….

A. millennials nowadays
B. the struggles of millennials
C. the difficulties of buying home for millennials
D. the rising price of housing
E. the switching job trend in millenials

Alfred Bernhard Nobel, a Swedish inventor and philanthropist, bequeathed most of his
vast fortune in trust as a fund from which annual prizes could be awarded to individuals and
organizations who had achieved the greatest benefit to humanity in a particular year. Initially, the
Nobel will designate six classifications for outstanding contributions, including chemistry,
physics, physiology or medicine, literature, and international peace.

The prizes are administered by the Nobel Foundation in Stockholm. In 1969, a prize for
economics endowed by the Central Bank of Sweden was added. Candidates for the prizes must
be nominated in writing by a qualified authority in the field of competition. Recipients in
physics, chemistry, and economics are selected by the Royal Swedish Academy of Science;
physiology or medicine by the Caroline Institute; literature by the Swedish Academy; and
international peace by the Norwegian Nobel Committee appointed by Norway's parliament. The
prizes are usually presented in Stockholm on December 10, with the King of Sweden officiating,
an appropriate tribute to Alfred Nobel on the anniversary of his death. Each includes a gold
medal, a diploma, and a cash award of about one million dollars.

5. What does this passage mainly discuss?

A. Alfred Bernhard Nobel

B. The Nobel prizes
C. Great contributions to mankind
D. Swedish philanthropy
E. Alfred Nobel's death

Recent technological advances in manned and unmanned undersea vehicles, along with
satellite technology and computer equipment breakthroughs. The divers often became sluggish
without a vehicle, and their mental concentration was limited. Because of undersea pressure that
affected their speech organs, communication among divers was difficult or impossible. But
today, most oceanographers make direct observations by means of instruments that are lowered
into the ocean from samples taken from the water or from photographs made by orbiting
satellites. Direct observations of the ocean floor are made by divers, deep-diving submarines, and
aerial photography. Some of the submarines can dive to depths of more than seven miles and
cruise at depths of fifteen thousand feet. In addition, radio-equipped buoys can be operated by
remote control to transmit information back to land-based laboratories, often via satellite.
Particularly important is data about water temperature, currents, and weather. Satellite
photographs can show sea ice distribution, oil slicks, and cloud formations over the ocean. Maps
created from satellite pictures can represent the ocean's surface's temperature and color, enabling
researchers to study the ocean currents. Furthermore, computers help oceanographers to collect
and analyze data from submarines and satellites. By creating a model of the ocean's movement
and characteristics, scientists can predict the patterns and possible effects of the ocean on the
environment. Recently, many oceanographers have been relying more on satellites and
computers than on research ships or even submarine vehicles because they can supply a greater
range of information more quickly and efficiently. Some of mankind's serious problems,
especially energy, and food, may be solved with the help of observations made possible by this
new technology.

6. With what topic is the passage primarily concerned?

A. Technological advances in oceanography

B. Communications among divers
C. Direct observation of the ocean floor
D. Undersea vehicles
E. The difficulties faced by divers

Different forms of energy sources have helped us in many ways from running our
vehicles to cooking at home or generating electricity. There are two types of energy sources-
renewable and non-renewable energy resources. The former is where the energy resources do not
get depleted and they can be used repeatedly whereas non-renewable energy resources cannot be
used again and again.

We cannot even imagine a life without the existence of fossil fuels like crude oil; coal
and natural gas. But, usage of these energy resources creates lot of problems. Global warming,
increase in prices of fossil fuels, and the threat of peak oil are major concerns around the globe
but what steps are we taking to overcome all these issues? If we stop consuming fossil fuels, we
can stop global warming and save non renewable energy resources for our future generations to
deploy. But, at the same time we need to seek an alternative to meet our requirements. We come
across these topics on television, internet, and magazines and there is a lot of debate going on
with regards to these topics. Is it possible for us to overcome the crisis? Only alternative energy
solutions can help us as well as our environment to some extent.

Industries that deal with alternative energy solutions like solar and wind power thrive
hard to save our environment. Even though modern technologies are being implemented to
extract crude oil from places. Which were not reachable earlier, it is still nor possible to meet the
growing demand. The demand for fossil fuels is increasing due to the rapid increase in
population growth. Alternative energy -solutions have lot of benefits when compared to non-
renewable energy resources. Industries have started investing their time and money in
researching as well as setting up power plants.

Certain home users hesitate to go for alternative energy solutions as initial investment
needs to be made. However, once the equipment is installed, there will be no maintenance costs
or other repetitive costs. Apart from the set up cost, energy from the sun and the wind will
always be free in any part of the country and there is no need for being dependent upon other
countries. On the other hand, the prices of renewable energy resources keep increasing and
certain countries have to dependent upon major oil producing countries. Home users who
consume alternative energy resources can cut down on their electricity bills.

Every system has its own pros and cons but the best and wise thing to do is weigh the
options that are available and choose the energy resources that offers long-term benefits. When it
comes to alternative energy solutions, setting up solar plants and building windmills is a huge
and complicated process but once they are set up, they offer endless benefits. In case of fossil
fuels, oil companies need to locate the proven reserves, dig oil wells, extract oil, and convert into
a more usable from so that it can reach the end consumer.

(Adapted from http://www.articlebase.com)

7. What is the main idea of the paragraph 3?

A. Solar and wind power have saved the environment

B. The population growth is the main factor in using fossil fuels as a source of energy
C. The investment of alternative energy needs to be made to save the environment
D. The modern technology cannot overcome the needs of energy.
E. Many stakeholders have begun to implement the renewable energy

Five centuries after Leonardo Da Vinci painted the Mona Lisa (1503–19), the portrait
hangs behind bulletproof glass within the Louvre Museum and draws thousands of jostling
spectators each day. It is the most famous painting in the world, and yet, when viewers manage
to see the artwork up close, they are likely to be baffled by the small subdued portrait of an
ordinary woman. Much has been said about her smile and gaze, but viewers still might wonder
what all the fuss is about. Along with the mysteries of the sitter’s identity and her enigmatic
look, the reason for the work’s popularity is one of its many conundrums. Although many
theories have attempted to pinpoint one reason for the art piece’s celebrity, the most compelling
arguments insist that there is no one explanation. The Mona Lisa’s fame is the result of many
chance circumstances combined with the painting’s inherent appeal.

There is no doubt that the Mona Lisa is a very good painting. It was highly regarded even
as Leonardo worked on it. Giorgio Vasari later extolled Leonardo’s ability to closely imitate
nature. Indeed, the Mona Lisa is a very realistic portrait. The subject’s softly sculptural face
shows Leonardo’s skillful handling of sfumato, an artistic technique that uses subtle gradations
of light and shadow to model form, and shows his understanding of the skull beneath the skin.
The delicately painted veil, the finely wrought tresses, and the careful rendering of folded fabric
reveal Leonardo’s studied observations and inexhaustible patience. Leonardo painted a complex
figure that is very much like a complicated human.

Many scholars, however, point out that the excellent quality of the Mona Lisa was not
enough by itself to make the painting a celebrity. External events also contributed to the
artwork’s fame. That the painting’s home is the Louvre, one of the world’s most-visited
museums, is a fortuitous circumstance that has added to the work’s stature. The painting became
part of the royal collection, and, for centuries after, the portrait was secluded in French palaces
until the Revolution claimed the royal collection as the property of the people. The Mona Lisa
was installed in the Louvre Museum at the turn of the 19th century. As patronage of the Louvre
grew, so too did recognition of the painting.

The identity of the portrait’s sitter soon became more intriguing. Although many scholars
believe that the painting depicts Lisa Gherardini, wife of the Florentine merchant Francesco del
Giocondo, no records of such a commission from Francesco exist, and the sitter has never been
conclusively identified. The unknown identity has thus lent the figure to whatever
characterization people wanted to make of her. and draw speculation.

The writers of the 19th century aroused interest in the Mona Lisa, but the theft of the
painting in 1911 and the ensuing media frenzy brought it worldwide attention. The Mona Lisa
was certainly more famous after the heist.

A tour of the painting to the United States in 1963 and to Japan in 1974 elevated it to
celebrity status. What’s more, as travel has become increasingly affordable since the late 20th
century, more and more individuals have been able to visit Paris and pay their respects in person,
contributing to the unyielding crowds of today.
https://www.britannica.com/story/why-is-the-mona-lisa-so-famous

8. Which of the following best states the topic of the text?

A. Mona Lisa
B. The history of Mona Lisa painting
C. The artist who made Mona Lisa painting
D. The struggles to make Mona Lisa painting
E. The mystery of famous Mona Lisa painting

Local legends say that Borneo’s few thousand wild elephants are descendants from those brought
to an Island from India or Malaysia as a gift to a sultan in the eighteenth century. Biologists from
Columbia University’s Centre for Environmental Research and Conservation compared DNA
samples from Borneo elephants with Asian elephants in Sumatra, India and elsewhere. Findings
confirmed their (1)_______: Borneo’s elephants are genetically different. In fact, the DNA
(2)_______ are so great between them and their closest relatives (elephants in Peninsular
Malaysia) that the populations may have separated up to 300,000 years ago, say the scientists.
The animals become isolated when the island became totally cut off from the mainland due to a
rise in sea level. Borneo’s elephants are, therefore, an important, separate population.

9. A good title for this passage is ....

A. Genetical Difference Between Borneo Elephant and Other Asian Elephants
B. Borneo Elephants in The 18th Century
C. Borneo Elephant's Uniqueness Proven Scientifically
D. The Separation of Borneo Elephants
E. The Impact of Sea Level on Borneo Elephants

Eventhough it is called Central Park, New York City’s great green space has no
“center”— no formal walkway down the middle of the park, no central monument or body of
water, no single orienting feature. The paths wind, the landscape constantly shifts and changes,
the sections spill into one another in a seemingly random manner. But this “decentering” was
exactly the intent of the park’s innovative design. Made to look as natural as possible, Frederick
Law Olmsted’s 1858 plan for Central Park had as its main goal the creation of a democratic
playground— a place with many centers to reflect the multiplicity of its uses and users. Olmsted
designed the park to allow interaction among the various members of society, without giving
preference to one group or class. Thus, Olmsted’s ideal of a “commonplace civilization” could
be realized.

10. The main idea of the passage is ….

A. Central Park is democratic by design.
B. Olmsted was a talented designer.
C. New York City is a democratic city.
D. More parks should be designed without centers.
E. Central Park is commonly used by many people for various purposes.
From savoring a piece of cake to hugging a friend, many of life’s pleasures trigger a
similar reaction in the brain–a surge of dopamine, the “feel-good” chemical. Recent research
suggests this reward circuit may do much more than make us smile.

Researchers implanted skin and lung cancer cells in mice, then stimulated the dopamine-
releasing neurons in the ventral tegmental area (VTA) of their brains. The rush of dopamine
disabled a group of cells that promote tumor growth. That allowed the immune system to
respond more effectively to the tumors, which were 40 to 52 percent smaller and lower in weight
in mice that received VTA stimulation than in those that didn’t. “By artificially activating the
VTA,” says the study’s co-author, Asya Rolls of Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, “we
can affect the nervous system and, in turn, the immune system.”
 Moreover, the researchers explain, once the immune system is activated in this way, it
appears to create a “memory” of the foreign agents to which it has been exposed, allowing it to
respond more efficiently to them in the future.

Rolls doesn’t believe that positive thinking alone can cure cancer, but the study’s author
hope that cancer patients might someday receive brain stimulation as an add-on therapy that
could, in turn, reduce the need for traditional treatments such as chemotherapy and radiation.

Source: “Feeling Good Could Slow Tumor Growth”. Reader’s Digest. Aug. 2019: 34. Print.

11. What is the writer trying to inform the readers?

A. The impact of tumors
B. The effect of feeling good to our health
C. The causes of dopamine stimulation
D. The issues of tumor responses
E. The research on mice

In fall 1994, Ford introduced the Ford Contour and Mercury Mystique in the United
States–the same basic mid-size car it introduced in Europe in 1993 under the name of Mondeo.
Intended to be Ford’s world car, it took six years to develop at a cost of $6 billion–twice what
Ford spent to develop its vastly successful Taurus and four times more than Chrysler spent on its
Dodge/Plymouth Neon. Ford insisted that by developing and producing a single basic car for
Europe and the United States, it saved about 25 percent of developing and producing a separate
car for each side of the Atlantic, as it had done in the past. Consumer tastes had converged
sufficiently, according to Ford, ...[15] a single car would find lots of buyers everywhere, just as
one menu is working around the world for McDonald’s. Building a world car is a most ambitious
undertaking; in the past, only Volkswagen’s classic Beetle and Toyota’s Corolla have come close
to succeeding.

For the exterior design, Ford commissioned clay models from its design studios in
California, Michigan, England, and Italy–from which it developed a consensus model. After
showing the model to consumer clinics in the United States, Ford chose to change the front and
rear styling and put a larger trunk and more chrome on the U.S. version of the car. Still, the
European and American versions have 75 percent of their parts in common. This was a far cry
from Ford’s previous unsuccessful attempt in 1981 to build a common car for Europe and the
United States (the Escort), which resulted in one of the grandest corporate foul-ups ever and led
to European and American models that shared only two insignificant parts. Indeed, many experts
still feel that a common car for the world market violated the basic marketing wisdom of the
1990s to get closer to customers. Ford, however, was confident that consumer tastes had
converged sufficiently during the previous decade as to ensure the success of its world car.

12. The main idea of the first paragraph is….

A. Ford’s world car
 B. Ford’s new type of cars in the United States and Europe
C. Ford’s most ambitious undertaking
D. Ford’s basic car
E. Ford’s assumptions about consumer tastes

The most popular festival in Japan takes place from 1st-3rd January, and is called
Ganjitsu, which means ‘the beginning of the year’. People believe that good or bad luck in the
first few days of the year represents the luck you will have for the rest of the year. Ganjitsu is
celebrated by ceremonial house cleaning, feasting, and by the exchanging of visits and presents.
Most people put up special decorations at the entrance to their houses to keep out evil spirits. The
main decoration is a sacred rope decorated with ferns, oranges, and lobster. All of these things
are thought to bring good fortune, prosperity, and long life. Finally, no celebration is complete
without mochi cake and zoni soup. Both the cake and the soup are made from traditional recipes.

13. What is the topic of the passage?

A. Popular Japanese celebrations
B. Ganjitsu Festival
C. Japanese celebrations
D. Keeping up evil spirits in Japan
E. Good and bad luck in Japan

In recent years, snails have gone from garden dweller and French appetizer to practically
a worldwide skin-care ingredient: Their mucin (the slime they trail in their wake) forms the
foundation for a recent wave of hyperpopular creams, masks, and serums.

Most of the snail mucin used for skin care involves the Cryptomphalus aspersa species,
a.k.a. the common garden snail. If you’ve ever tried snail-slime products and noticed your skin
looking extra supple and glowy, you are not imagining it.

Dermatologists state that snail mucin seals in moisture and allows active ingredients to
penetrate the skin very well. The mucous is rich in hyaluronic acid, and has been shown to
exhibit antioxidant activities, stimulate collagen production, and enhance wound healing.

If the only thing holding you back from trying snail-slime beauty products (besides the
ick factor) is concern for snail welfare, don’t worry. Harvesting the slime involves having the
nocturnal snails crawl around a mesh net in a darkened room for 30 minutes at a time, then
transferred back to their natural habitat to rest. The snails are never harmed, and their
moisturizing slime is then collected and pasteurized for the bottle.

Source: Keong, Lori. “What Does Snail Slime Actually Do for Your Skin?” Aug. 21,
2018. New York Magazine Web. Nov, 7. 2019

14. The main information of the text is about ….

 A. why snail mucin is currently popular as a skincare ingredient
B. what kind of snail involved in skincare production
C. how to make a facial cream or mask from snail mucin
D. when to harvest snail slime
E. how snail-slime products react to our skin

A new way of removing carbon dioxide from a stream of air could provide a significant
tool in the battle against climate change. The new system can work on the gas at virtually any
concentration level, even down to the roughly 400 parts per million currently found in the
atmosphere.

Most methods of removing carbon dioxide from a stream of gas require higher
concentrations, such as those found in the flue (1)____ from fossil fuel-based power plants. A
few variations have been developed that can work with the low concentrations found in air, but
the new method is significantly less energy-intensive and expensive, the researchers say.

The technique, based on passing air through a stack of charged electrochemical plates, is
described in a new paper in the journal Energy and Environmental Science, by MIT postdoc
Sahag Voskian, who developed the work during his PhD, and T. Alan Hatton, the Ralph Landau
Professor of Chemical Engineering.

The device is essentially a large, specialized battery that absorbs carbon dioxide from the
air (or other gas (2)____) passing over its electrodes as it is being charged up, and then releases
the gas as it is being discharged. In operation, the device would simply alternate between
(3)____, with fresh air or feed gas being blown through the system during the charging cycle,
and then the pure, concentrated carbon dioxide being blown out during the discharging. Source:
sciencedaily

15. The passage explains the idea that removing carbon dioxide ….
A. requires small concentrations
B. occurs when the device is not charging
C. uses a battery-based device
D. requires fossil-fuel
E. is an ineffective way to fight climate change

According to a research abstract that will be presented at the 23rd Annual Meeting of the
Associated Professional Sleep Societies, students who consider themselves to be evening types
(that is someone who feels more alert and does their best work later in the day) have poorer sleep
hygiene scores than morning and intermediate types. Sleep hygiene is the group of behaviors
linked to good sleep and alertness. Examples include having a regular bedtime routine, a regular
wake time, a regular bedtime, and sleeping in a comfortable bed.
 The researchers found that this poor sleep hygiene was related to poorer academic
performance and a decline in grade point average (GPA) during the transition from high school
to college.

Results indicate that evening types had significantly lower first year college GPA (2.84)
than morning and intermediate types (3.18). These evening-type students showed a greater
decrease in their GPA during the transition from high school to college than their peers; their
grades dropped by .98 GPA points, while others only dropped by .69 GPA points. These evening
types also slept on average 41 minutes less than other students on school nights.

Lead author Jennifer Peszka, PhD, psychology department chair at Hendrix College in
Conway, Ark., said that many students experience deterioration in sleep hygiene during their
transition from high school to college.

The study was based on datba from 89 students (between 17 and 20 years old) preparing
to begin their freshman year and 34 of those students as they completed their freshman year at a
liberal arts college.

Authors of the study state educating high school and college students about the possible
negative effects of poor sleep ehaviors on academic performance may result in improvement in
academic performance, especially in adolescents who are at risk due to poor sleep hygiene and
evening-type status.

Source: ScienceDaily, 11 June 2009

16. A good title for the text is ….

A. Academic Benefits of Being An Early Bird
B. Being A Night Owl in High School is Linked with Lower College GPA
C. Average Performance of High School and College Students
D. Sleep Hygiene: A Study on High School Students
E. The Main Reason Behind Sleep Deprivation

Bees, classified into over 10,000 species, are insects found in almost every part of the
world except the northernmost and southernmost regions. One commonly known species is the
honeybee, the only bee that produces honey and wax. Humans use wax in making candles,
lipsticks, and other products, and they use honey as food. While gathering the nectar and pollen
with which they make honey, bees are simultaneously helping to fertilise the flowers on which
they land. Many fruits and vegetables would not survive if bees did not carry the pollen from
blossom to blossom. Bees live in a structured environment and social structure within a hive, a
nest with storage space for the honey. The different types of bees each perform a unique
function. The worker bee carries nectar to the hive in a special honey stomach. Other workers
shape beeswax into a honeycomb, a waterproof mass of six-sided compartments or cells. The
queen lays eggs in completed cells. As the workers build more cells, the queen lays more eggs.
All workers, like the queen, are female, but the workers are smaller than the queen. The male
honey bees are called drones; they do no work and cannot sting. They are developed from
unfertilized eggs, and their only job is impregnating a queen. The queen must be fertilized to lay
worker eggs. During the season, when less honey is available, and the drone is of no further use,
the workers block the drones from eating the honey so that they will starve to death

17. Which of the following is the best title for this reading?
A. The Many Species of Bees
B. The Useless Drone
C. The Honeybee--Its Characteristic and Usefullness
D. Making Honey
E. Bee
[1] "The most common definition of lazy keto is to eat no more than 20 grams of
carbohydrates per day without counting calories or tracking the other macronutrients,
protein and fat," said Allison Knott, MS, RDN, CSSD, a registered dietitian based in New
York City. "In theory, this sounds great for those who don't enjoy tracking every bite of
food going into their mouth, but it's unlikely to result in the metabolic state known as
ketosis," she said.

[2] Ketosis is the process that occurs when the body stops using glycogen
(carbohydrate) stores for energy and starts burning fat instead. In ketosis, the body burns
the fat you eat plus the fat you have stored. Ketosis is vital to the keto diet and its highly
touted weight loss bene ts. But ketosis isn't as easy as ditching carbs almost entirely to
force fat burning.Yes, carbs are the direct source of glucose for energy and without
them, your body will need another energy source.

[3] Protein, if you aren't watchful, can become that source of glucose in a process
called gluconeogenesis. It could be the death knell for the lazy keto concept. "Protein has
an insulinogenic response, which means that eating too much protein on a ketogenic diet
can actually cause the body to use glucose for fuel instead of ketones, thus taking the
person out of ketosis," said Michelle Shapiro, MS, RD, a registered dietitian in New York
City.

[4] "If macronutrients are not balanced and nutrient timing, i.e., when eating meals,
is not tightly regulated, it is very probable that the ketogenic diet will not be done
properly, and will leave the person feeling very hungry," she added.

18. The main topic of the text is ....

 A. the growing popularity of lazy keto
B. how keto helps your diet
C. a popular choice in diet
D. why lazy keto doesn't work
E. lazy keto as a cause of death

There are many reasons why Japanese people live longer than the rest of us. One
reason might be soybean products like tofu, natto and miso. Scientists from the National
Institute of Health and Nutrition in Tokyo conducted a study into the health bene ts of
soybeans and their products. They found that people who regularly ate tofu, natto and
miso were 10 percent less likely to die from common killers than people who ate no
soybean products.
Furthermore, researchers found that eating soybean-based food lowered the risk of
death from heart attacks, stroke and other cardiovascular problems. They said: "A higher
intake of fermented soy products was associated with a lower risk of mortality."
Soybeans and fermented soybean products are superfoods. They are rich in
protein, ber and unsaturated fats. They are also a source of potassium and other
minerals. Soy ber can help to lower cholesterol and boost weight loss.

Soy is an important part of the cuisine of East Asia, especially in Japan. (2)
(1)
People in Asia have eaten soy since ancient times. (3) The most common types of soy
products are tofu (soybean curd), natto (fermented soybeans), miso (a fermented soybean
paste added to soups) and soy sauce. (4) Some scientists say miso is high in salt. (5)
Soybean products thus are becoming more popular around the world.

19. The best title of the passage above is ….

A. Do you want to live longer? Eat soybean!

B. This plant is popular in East Asia, a nd out why!

C. Soybean consumption is rising, research found

D. Health Bene ts of Eating Soybean Regularly

E. Japan’s secret to staying healthy? It’s soybean

Tech company Gogle’s popular word processing software, Gogle Docs, will be equipped
with a feature that suggests ways to improve the quality of your writing in addition to xing
straightforward grammar and spelling errors. A purple squiggly line will helpfully appear under
suggestions to help make your writing more concise, inclusive, active, or to warn you away from
inappropriate words.

“The feature will give you suggestions when there are opportunities to structure a
sentence with an active voice or when a sentence can be more concise, helping to make your
writing more impactful. Potentially discriminatory or inappropriate language will be agged,
along with suggestions on how to make your writing more inclusive and appropriate for your
audience,” reads the of cial blog post about the nifty addition.

These kinds of suggestions have long been available via third-party writing assistant
applications like Grammarlee, which is able to integrate with Gogle Docs and aims to help
improve the quality of your writing. Depending on the quality of Gogle Docs’s native
suggestions, it could vastly reduce the need for these third-party services. This is not the rst time
that Gogle has turned third-party services unnecessary, and it’s kind of awful of Gogle to keep
doing that, but then again, erce competition is always to be expected in the world of tech.

The catch is that Gogle isn’t rolling out this assistive writing feature to all Gogle Docs
users. It says that the feature, called Tone and Style Assistant, will be available for subscribers of
the enterprise and education plans, including “Business Standard, Business Plus, Enterprise
Standard, Enterprise Plus, [and] Education Plus”. Gogle’s internal list of eligible users has shown
that more than ten million Gogle Docs users are subscribed to those plans, and therefore will get
the upcoming assistive writing feature. However, that means if you’re on a more basic plan like
Gogle Workspace Essentials, you won’t get this neat feature.

[...]

Source: theverge.com (with modifications)

20. What does the passage mainly talk about?

a. Gogle’s word processing software
b. a replacement to third-party writing assistant applications
c. the Tone and Style Assistant
d. the features of Gogle Docs
e. improving writing quality

Elon Musk, the billionaire CEO of Tesla and SpaceX and a longtime Twitter
provocateur, now owns a 9.2 percent share of Twitter and has been offered a board
seat at the company. Parag Agrawal, Twitter’s CEO, wrote a welcome post on the
platform today, noting that Musk is “both a passionate believer and intense critic of
the service, which is exactly what we need on Twitter, and in the boardroom, to make
us stronger in the long-term.”

According to a ling with the Securities and Exchange Commission, Musk’s board
 term will expire in 2024. And as long as he continues to serve on the board, he cannot
own more than 14.9 percent of the company’s common stock. Twitter’s move to
appoint Musk a board seat may be a tactic to prevent him from taking over the
company by buying a controlling share.

As his investment was announced days after he publicly questioned the company’s
commitment to free speech and suggested that he might start his own social platform,
several outlets are speculating that Musk could be preparing to take on an activist
investor role at Twitter. Activist investors buy big shares in companies to in uence
how they’re run. A traditional activist investor takes an important position in a
company, installs board members aligned with a certain point of view, and uses their
new power to make nancial and operational changes with the goal of increasing the
company’s share price.

Musk might seek to use his position to change Twitter products, content moderation
rules (what gets labeled and removed), and enforcement practices (such as when to
deplatform a user). In addition, he has also previously voiced his belief that users
should be allowed to choose what types of tweets they see and what order they see it
in, challenging Twitter’s core algorithm. This resonates with the interest expressed by
many Twitter executives to decentralize the platform and enable users to customize
their own feed algorithms.

Adapted from popsci.com with modifications

21. What is the main topic of the passage above?

A. changes in Twitter following Elon Musk’s appointment as a board member

B. Elon Musk’s views regarding how Twitter should run as a platform
C. appointment of Elon Musk as a strategy to prevent him from taking over
D. predictions around Musk’s appointment as a new board member of Twitter
E. Twitter’s transformation motivating Musk’s decision to be a board member

Cars are becoming more and more technologically advanced. In the past decade, we
have seen improvements in electric car technology and driverless cars.

(1) The latest advance comes from Mercedes-Benz. (2) The luxury carmaker has
unveiled a car that lets you use your mind to control certain things. The car giant
unveiled its futuristic car at the IAA Mobility show in Munich earlier this week. The
car is called Vision AVTR. The four capitalized letters at the end of its name are to
make people think of the movie Avatar.(3) This movie was about using the brain to
connect with nature.

Mercedes spokeswoman Britta Seeger spoke about how exciting she thought the
futuristic car was. The car would not be available for purchase any time soon. (4) It is
currently in the concept stage of production. She said: "Mercedes-Benz is setting
another milestone in the merging of man and machine." The Mercedes website says:
"As soon as you get in, the car becomes an extension of your own body and a tool to
discover the environment."
22. The main idea of the passage above is ….

A. Mercedes revealed its latest futuristic car

B. Technology plays an important role in shaping electric cars
C. Mercedes is using brain-computer technology in its new cars
D. Mercedes is setting a goal to be the rst producer of driverless cars
E. Driverless cars will be an advanced transportation in the next few years

Hypertension is a chronic medical condition in which the blood pressure in the arteries is persistently
elevated. Hypertension is also sometimes called high blood pressure. High blood pressure usually does not
cause symptoms. Long- term high blood pressure, however, is a major risk factor for many illnesses.
These include coronary artery disease, stroke, heart failure, atrial brillation, peripheral vascular disease,
vision loss, chronic kidney disease, and dementia.

High blood pressure is categorized into two major types. They are primary high blood pressure and
secondary high blood pressure. According to statistics, about 90-95% of cases are primary hypertension.
This type is de ned as high blood pressure due to nonspeci c lifestyle and genetic factors. Lifestyle factors
that increase the risk include excess salt in the diet, excess body weight, smoking, and alcohol use. The
remaining 5- 10% of cases are categorized as secondary high blood pressure. This type of hypertension is
de ned as high blood pressure due to an identi able cause, such as chronic kidney disease, narrowing of
the kidney arteries, an endocrine disorder, or the use of birth control pills.

Blood pressure is expressed by two measurements namely the systolic and diastolic pressures. They are the
maximum and minimum pressures respectively. For most adults, normal blood pressure at rest is within the
range of 100-130 millimeters mercury (mmHg) systolic and 60-80 mmHg diastolic. High blood pressure is
present when the resting blood pressure is persistently at or above 130/90 or 140/90 mmHg. Different
numbers apply to children. High arterial blood pressure affects between 16 and 37% of the population
globally.

Lifestyle changes and medications can lower blood pressure and decrease the risk of health
complications. Lifestyle changes include weight loss, decreased salt intake, physical exercise, and a
healthy diet. If lifestyle changes are not sufficient then blood pressure medications are used. Up to three
medications can control blood pressure in 90% of people. The treatment of moderately high arterial blood
pressure with medications is associated with an improved life expectancy.

23. What topic does the paragraph following the passage most likely discuss?
A. The type of hypertension
B. The de nition of hypertension
C. The treatment of the hypertension
D. The measurement of hypertension
E. The variations of hypertension medications

The earth’s crust is split into a number of tectonic plates that oat on the hot
magma liquid. The plates keep moving. This is called a tectonic plate, and the movement
of the tectonic plate is the trigger for earthquakes.

Strong earthquakes occur when two tectonic plates collide with each other. As a
result, the high tension arises at the edges of the two plates. The power continues to
increase and it eventually reaches an optimal point. When that energy is released, an
earthquake occurs.

There are also two plates that collide and squeeze each other in the coastal area
of Japan. The edges of these tectonic plates are nally pressed to the earth. A curved
plate in ltrates under another plate with a higher density. If the pressure caused by the
collision of the tectonic plates is released suddenly, then a natural disaster occurs in
the form of a huge earthquake.

The earthquake has also threatened the west coast of the United States. The two
plates rub against an area called the San Andreas fault. The length of the rubbing plate
is about 1,000 kilometers. The resulting friction also causes collisions. The two plates
are currently sliding past each other. Since the fault is formed from the sliding plates,
a large tension is stored. The researchers estimate that the entire region is threatened
by natural disasters that can occur at any time.

Tectonic plates on the surface of the earth always move dynamically so that
earthquakes often occur at the edges of each plate. The most famous earthquake area is
the Paci c Fire Ring, which stretches from Chile in South America across the eastern
coast of North America, Japan, the Philippines, Indonesia to the Tonga Islands.

24. What is the main idea of the passage above?

A. The San Andreas Fault causes earthquakes on the west coast of the United
States.
B. Strong earthquakes that occur in the sea can trigger tsunamis.
C. The movement of tectonic plates causes earthquakes.
D. Tectonic plates are fragmented by the earth crusts.
E. Huge earthquakes occur in the continent of Asia.