I. Read the following passage and choose the best answer.

Since the advent of motion pictures, the use of books for entertainment has certainly declined.
Some people believe that this trend produces negative effects on the individual as well as the
society at large. Others defend movie watching, claiming that it is more entertaining, more
convenient, and more directed at the accelerated pace of modern life. While I do enjoy watching
movies, I feel that reading books provides more advantages to the reader than watching movies
does. In my opinion, reading books has several advantages over watching movies. First, reading is
a much more interesting form of entertainment, because reading involves an active process, the
reader becomes more connected and involved with the text. Similarly, reading is a much more
intimate activity than watching a movie. Of course, reading is done alone, which makes it an
intimate activity, but it goes beyond that. The reader engages and relates to the setting, events, and
especially the characters in a very personal way. Because a novel cannot visually present as many
details as a movie, the reader creates his or her own interpretation and vision of these details.
Furthermore, because the reader spends so much time connecting to the thoughts, dreams, and
feelings of the characters, those characters become a part of the reader’s personal experience,
almost like a friend or a family member. Finally, reading has the advantage of providing a source of
learning. It provides the avid reader with a familiarity with literature, vocabulary, and grammatical
structures, all of which boost his or her overall mental and linguistic ability.

1. It can be inferred from the passage that _________________.

A. reading books for entertainment has decreased because of movies

B. the author does not like watching movies

C. movies might have some negative effects on individuals

D. movies are more entertaining and convenient in modern life

2. According to the author, when you read __________________.

A. you become connected with everything

B. you can do it in a quiet place

C. you relate to the characters in a very impersonal way

D. you are very active in the process

3. According the author, reading ________________.

A. is as interesting as watching movies

B. helps develop your mental and linguistic ability

C. takes you a lot of time

D. presents details visually

4. Which of the following adjectives is NOT used to describe the reading process?
A. active

B. intimate

C. special

D. personal

5. The word “intimate” is closest in meaning to ______________.

A. entertaining

B. very close

C. very detailed and thorough

D. fascinating

II. Choose the item among A, B, C or D that best answers the question about the passage.

Books which give instructions on how to do things are very popular in the United States today.
Thousands of these How-to books are useful: in fact, there are about four thousand books with titles
that begin with the words “How to”. One book may tell you how to earn more money, another may
tell you how to save or spend it, and another may explain how to give your money away. Many How-
to books give advice on careers. They tell you how to choose a career and how to succeed in it. If
you fail, however, you can buy the book “How to Turn Failure into Success”. If you would like to
become very rich, you can buy the book “How to Make a Millionaire”. If you never make any money
at all, you may need a book called “How to Live on Nothing”. One of the most popular types of books
is one that helps you with personal problems. If you want to have a better love of life, you can read
“How to Succeed in Love every Minute of Your Life”. If you are tired of books on happiness, you may
prefer books which give step-by-step instructions on how to redecorate or enlarge a house. Why
have How-to books become so popular? Probably because life has become so complex. Today
people have far more free time to use, more choices to make, and more problems to solve. How-to
books help people deal with modern life.

1. From the first paragraph, we know How-to books are ____________.

A. only about four thousand copies

B. on money

C. very helpful in life

D. needed a lot

2. The passage tells us that How-to books sell well on how ____________.

A. to succeed in career

B. to solve personal problems

C. to deal with business

D. to make money

3. If you often read How-to books, you _________________.

A. will be sure to get something you need

B. will not know how to help yourself in life

C. will become a man in life

D. needn’t think any more in the world

4. How-to books appear only because _________________.

A. People have more free time to spend than before

B. People meet more problems than their parents

C. people may have more choices from How-to books than any other books

D. modern life is more difficult to deal with

5. The word “step-by-step” would probably mean __________.

A. little by little B. gradually C. slower and slower D. A and B

LANGUAGE FOCUS I. Change the following active sentences to the passive.

1. People should save pandas from extinction.

_________________________________________________________

2. People must obey all traffic laws.

____________________________________________________________

3. Someone ought to repair this broken window.

____________________________________________________________

4. Someone should have supplied the hotel guests with clean towels.
____________________________________________________________

5. Someone had better take this garbage to the dump soon.

____________________________________________________________

6. People can pick tomatoes before they are completely ripe.

____________________________________________________________

7. Someone is supposed to divide the profits among the shareholders.

____________________________________________________________

8. Someone must have hurt Peter’s feelings.

___________________________________________________________
9. Someone has to finish this work today.
____________________________________________________________

10. Someone ought to have reported the accident to the police.

____________________________________________________________

II. Complete the sentences with the appropriate forms of the verbs in the box. Use each verb only
once. Some of the sentences are active and some are passive.

consider forget repeat tell cost pollute sew discover read sign wrap

1. John has a right to know. He ought to _____be told____________ the news immediately. If you
don’t do it, I will.

2. I have no patience with gossips. What I told Bill was a secret. He shouldn’t have
__________repeated_________ it to you.

3. Use this brown paper and tape. A package has to _________be wrapped_________ carefully
before it is mailed. Otherwise, the post office won’t send it.

4. I don’t know why Susan wasn’t at the meeting. She must have ______forgotten_______ about it.
Next time there’s a meeting, I’ll be sure to remind her about it.

5. The ancient ruins may have _________been discovered________ as early as 1792. The
historical record is difficult to interpret.

6. You should ________sew__________ this button back on right away before you lose it. Here’s a
needle and thread.

7. Did you know that Sarah bought a new sports car? I don’t know how much she paid for it, and of
course it’s none of my business, but it must have _______cost___________ her a lot of money.

8. Let’s not talk so loudly. We don’t want to awaken the baby. We’d better
_________whisper___________.

9. You’d better not drink that river water. It could _______be polluted__________.

10. We have no choice in the matter. I know Tom wants to spend the night outside in a tent with his
friends, but he’s sick. His well-being must ______be considered_______ above all else. We have to
tell him he can’t do it.

11. Your passport is supposed to _______be signed_________. It is invalid without your signature.

12. I think everyone should ____read_________ this newspaper on the economic crisis. It has
information that everyone should have.

III. Choose A, B, C or D that best completes the following passage.

Nearly all the discoveries that have been (1)________ through the ages can be found in books. The
invention of the book is one of humankind’s (2)________ achievements, the importance of
(3)________ cannot be overestimated. Books are very adaptable, (4)________ us with both
entertainment and information. The production of books (5)________ in ancient Egypt, though not in
a form that is (6)________ to us today. The books read by the Romans, (7)________, have some
similarities to the ones we read now. Until the middle of the 15 th century, in Europe, all books were
written (8)________ hand. They were often beautifully illustrated and always rare and expensive.
With printing (9)________ the possibility of cheap, large-scale publication and distribution of books,
(10)________ knowledge more widespread and accessible.

1. A. made B. done C. achieved D. attained

2. A. largest B. greatest C. giant D. huge

3. A. whose B. that C. which D. who’s

4. A. giving B. offering C. meeting D. providing

5. A. arose B. carried out C. began D. set

6. A. known B. recognized C. considered D. belonged

7. A. however B. though C. therefore D. also

8. A. with B. by C. in D. on

9. A. began B. appeared C. existed D. came

10. A. getting B. causing C. making D. leaving