PLACEMENT TEST

PART A. PHONETICS
I. Choose the word whose main stressed syllable is placed differently from that of the others in each
group. Write your answers (A, B, C or D) in the box provided.
1. A. preferable B. maturity C. multitude D. speculative
2. A. interviewee B. agriculture C. illustrator D. adamantly
3. A. traditional B. technician C. recognition D. specific

II. Choose the word whose underlined part is pronounced differently from that of the others in each
group. Write your answers (A, B, C or D) in the box provided.
4. A. southerly B. breathe C. breathalyze D. trustworthy
5. A. watched B. sacrificed C. released D. wretched

PART B. LEXICO AND GRAMMAR

I. Choose the best answer to complete each of the following sentences. Write your answers (A, B, C or
D) in the box provided.
6. Under the desk ….
A. my lost ring was found B. was my lost ring to be found
C. found was my lost ring D. was found my lost ring
7. The two actors never became … buddies and never worked together again.
A. bosom B. fist C. feathered D. back
8. It is … possible to spend all of your life in this city.
A. purely B. starkly C. perfectly D. solidly
9. It turned out that we … to the airport as the plane was delayed by several hours!
A. mustn't have rushed B. needn’t have rushed
C. ought to have rushed D. might not have rushed
10. Suppose she … that outrageous story circulating around the office, she'd be furious!
A. has heard B. would heard C. were heard D. had heard
11. … for Dad's 60th birthday, I had to find a suitable card.
A. A present been chosen B. Chosen a present
C. Choosing a present D. Having chosen a present
12. The jury reached a … of not guilty after six hours of deliberation.
A. prosecution B. legislation C. sentence D. verdict
13. We attended the inauguration of the cruise company's latest ship last week, … the mayor of Paris
gave a speech.
A. in which event B. during which C. in which case D. during that
14. … what the inhabitants of the village thought, the shoplifter wasn't underprivileged; he came from
a very affluent family.
A. Contrary to B. Owing to C. Out of D. Except for
15. We'll need all … on deck if we're going to be ready for the party on time.
A. legs B. heads C. hands D. fingers
16. It is critical that the researcher … everything clearly to the participants before asking them to
complete the questionnaire.
A. must explain B. explain C. explains D. explained
 17. Her story about being chased away from school by wolves seems pretty ….
A. far-fetched B. far-flung C. far-reaching D. far-off

II. Think of ONE word which can be used appropriately in all three sentences. Number '0' is an
example. Write your answers in the box provided.
0. After being responsible for two false starts, the athlete was disqualified from the sprint.
I couldn't understand what Grandma was saying in her false teeth.
Making false statement to the police is an offence.
18. We can instantly see the sharp contrast between the rich and the poor in this part of the town.
He felt a sharp pain in his chest and soon called in on his doctor.
The scissors were not sharp enough for the barber to trim the split ends.
19. She couldn't keep her eyes off the new dress in the corner of the boutique.
You've got to be careful if you want to do business with that guy. You should have eyes in the back
of your head. He's a bit fishy.
Sorry I can't join you tonight. I'm up to my eyes in work.
20. Have you seen the latest … of the series The Big Bang Theory?
In summer, this place is full of tourists; but out of …, most hotels are half empty.
Remember to … the soup with salt and pepper.

III. Complete the phrasal verb in each sentence by using a verb in column A and a particle in column B.
You should use the correct form of the verbs. There are more verbs and particles than necessary.
Write your answers in the box provided.
A B
put perk wolf hold forward through around off
tie get nose up across down

21. The reason he didn't have a family was that he didn't want to be ….
22. To make the bland taste more interesting, the locals began … it … with local produce.
23. We stared down one another's eyes blankly for a minute and then I … my idea.
24. The police … the property for a while, but they didn't find anything.
25. If tactics are not your strong point, then make sure you have coaches around you who are tactically
strong to help you … the message.

IV. Give the correct form of the word given in parentheses. Write your answers in the box provided.
THE “STRIKING YET SIMPLE” STADIUM FOR QATAR WORLD CUP FINAL
Designed by Foster + Partners in collaboration with (26) structural (STRUCTURE) engineer Arup and
sports architect Populous, the 80,000-seat stadium is located north of the Qatari capital Doha in Lusail.
Wrapped in a golden facade, it was designed to be a(n) (27) striking (STRIKE) addition to the emerging
town. Described by the studio as a "golden vessel", the stadium's form was informed by Islamic bowls as
well as local architecture. The perforated facade was made up of numerous flat, (28) triangular
(TRIANGLE) pieces supported on a steel frame to create the curved form. The openings in the facade
reference the stadium's structure and create a perforated screen that allows light into the internal
concourses. According to the studio, creating a(n) "(29) immersive (IMMERSE) atmosphere" for players
and spectators was the starting point for the design, with fans arranged as close as possible to the pitch.
The stadium is topped with a "spoke-wheel" cable net roof that provides shade for fans and players. The
307-meter-diameter structure is one of the largest to be installed in a stadium, and along with the facade
designed to help reduce its energy (30) consumption (CONSUME). Within the stadium, which has
achieved a five-star rating under the Global Sustainability Assessment System, outdoor air conditioning
will also be used to cool fans. Other stadiums set to host games during the tournament include Al
Wakrah Stadium, designed by Zaha Hadid Architects, a stadium (31) modelled (MODEL) on traditional
Arab hat, a stadium in a giant tent and a(n) (32) demountable (?) (MOUNT) stadium built with shipping
containers.

PART C. READING
I. Fill each blank with a suitable word to complete the passage. Write your answers in the box
provided.
It must be acknowledged that financial aids from developed countries play an important role in
eradicating poverty in economically-disadvantaged regions of the world. The financial donations (33)
make it possible for the governments in poor countries to provide their citizens with better access to basic
necessities and infrastructure so that they can lift themselves out of chronic state of subsistence. For
example, with direct financial support from various NGOs and foreign governmental agencies, countries
like Vietnam have been able to build extensive road networks and improve its people's access to better
healthcare and universal education, which among many other things has (34) paved the way for robust
economic growth over the last decades.
However, financial support sometimes can be more (35) like a bane than a boon, and the benefits do not
necessarily trickle (36) down (?) to the individuals who are in need. This is because these financial
bonanzas can fall into the hand of corrupt governmental agencies and end up being embezzled because
underdeveloped countries often lack a reliable and transparent institution to oversee the spending of the
money. That's not mention that most of the financial aids from the developed world do not come (37)
with a price to pay. Take some African countries for instance. Such countries like Ethiopia and Angola
have become (38) so heavily in debt to foreign creditors that they have been forced to adopt extreme
austerity measures like cutting (39) down on education and healthcare spending, thus aggravating the
problem of extreme poverty.

II. Read the following passage and circle the best answer for each blank. Write your answers (A, B, C
or D) in the box provided.
Research in the University of Leicester Department of Media and Communication examined interest in
celebrities and gossip about them. It was carried out by Dr Charlotte De Backer who sought in her study
to explain interest in celebrity culture.
According to Dr De Backer: 'Life is about learning and gaining experience, and in that process we have a
tendency to observe and mimic the actions of others. Ideally, we mimic what makes others successful and
(40) … unsuccessful actions others have trialled and paid for. In reality, humans seem to have the tendency
to mimic the overall behaviour pattern of the higher status of those more successful than themselves. This
explains why celebrities act as role models for broad (41) … of behaviour they display – whether good or
bad.'
Dr De Backer also examined another theory for interest in celebrity, known as the Parasocial Hypothesis.
In this (42) … the bonds are parasocial, or one-way, because the celebrity reveals private information,
often involuntarily. The audience members respond emotionally to this information, although there is
hardly ever any feedback on the private life of the audience going to the celebrity, nor do celebrities (43) …
emotions towards their audience.
Her study of 800 respondents and over 100 interviews (44) … that younger participants showed greater
interest in celebrity gossip, even if it was about celebrities who were much older than them and even
when they did not know who the celebrities were. They showed greatest interest in internationally-known
celebrities, because they considered (45) … as more prestigious.
Her study also found that older people were interested in celebrity gossip not because they wanted to
learn from the celebrities, but because it helped them to form social networks with other people. ‘We
found in the interviews that older people do not gossip about celebrities because they want to learn from
them or feel (46) … by them, but because they use celebrity gossip to (47) … with real-life friends and
acquaintances. As we live in scattered societies, celebrities can act as our mutual friends and
acquaintances.’
40. A. escape B. avoid C. prevent D. evade
41. A. reaches B. domains C. ranges D. spheres
42. A. case B. instance C. state D. position
43. A. exhibit B. present C. display D. expose
44. A. reinforce B. assured C. validated D. confirmed
45. A. whom B. ones C. those D. themselves
46. A. befriended B. sustained C. patronized D. upheld
47. A. tie B. link C. network D. bond

III. Read the following passage and do the tasks that follow.
TELEVISION ADDICTION
A. The term "TV addiction" is imprecise, but it captures the essence of a very real phenomenon.
Psychologists formally define addiction as a disorder characterized by criteria that include
spending a great deal of time using the thing; using it more often than one intends; thinking about
reducing use or making repeated unsuccessful efforts to reduce use; giving up important activities
to use it; and reporting withdrawal symptoms when one stops using it.
B. All these criteria can apply to people who watch a lot of television. That does not mean that
watching television, in itself, is problematic. Television can teach and amuse; it can be highly
artistic; it can provide much needed distraction and escape. The difficulty arises when people
strongly sense that they ought not to watch as much as they do and yet find they are unable to
reduce their viewing. Some knowledge of how television becomes so addictive may help heavy
viewers gain better control over their lives.
C. The amount of time people spend watching television is astonishing. On average, individuals in the
industrialized world devote three hours a day to the activity – fully half of their leisure time, and
more than on any single activity except work and sleep. At this rate, someone who lives to 75
would spend nine years in front of the television. Possibly, this devotion means simply that people
enjoy TV and make a conscious decision to watch it. But if that is the whole story, why do so many
people worry about how much they view? In surveys in 1992 and 1999, two out of five adults and
seven out of ten teenagers said they spent too much time watching TV. Other surveys have
consistently shown that roughly ten per cent of adults call themselves TV addicts.
D. To study people’s reactions to TV, researchers have undertaken laboratory experiments in which
they have monitored the brain waves, skin resistance or heart rate of people watching television.
 To study behavior and emotion in the normal course of life, as opposed to the artificial conditions
of the laboratory, we have used the Experience Sampling Method (ESM). Participants carried a
beeper*, and we signaled them six to eight times a day, at random, over the period of a week;
whenever they heard the beep, they wrote down what they were doing and how they were
feeling.
E. As one might expect, people who were watching TV when we beeped them reported feeling
relaxed and passive. The EEG studies similarly show less mental stimulation, as measured by
alpha brain-wave production, during viewing than during reading.
F. What is more surprising is that the sense of relaxation ends when the set is turned off, but the
feelings of passivity and lowered alertness continue. Survey participants commonly reflect that
television has somehow absorbed or sucked out their energy, leaving them depleted. They say
they have more difficulty concentrating after viewing than before. In contrast, they rarely indicate
such difficulty after reading. After playing sports or engaging in hobbies, people report
improvements in mood. After watching TV, people's moods are about the same or worse than
before.
G. Within moments of sitting or lying down and pushing the "power" button, viewers report feeling
more relaxed. Because the relaxation occurs quickly, people are conditioned to associate viewing
with rest and lack of tension. The association is positively reinforced because viewers remain
relaxed throughout viewing.
H. Thus, the irony of TV: people watch a great deal longer than they plan to, even though prolonged
viewing is less rewarding. In our ESM studies the longer people sat in front of the set, the less
satisfaction they said they derived from it. When signaled, heavy viewers (those who consistently
watch more than four hours a day) tended to report on their ESM sheets that they enjoy TV less
than light viewers did (less than two hours a day). For some, a twinge of unease or guilt that they
aren't doing something more productive may also accompany and depreciate the enjoyment of
prolonged viewing. Researchers in Japan, the U.K. and the U.S. have found that this guilt occurs
much more among middle-class viewers than among less affluent ones.
I. The orienting response is an instinctive reaction to any sudden or new, such as movement or
possible attack by a predator. Typical orienting reactions include the following the arteries to the
brain grow wider allowing more blood to reach it, the heart slows down and arteries to the large
muscles become narrower so as to reduce blood supply to them. Brain waves are also interrupted
for a few seconds. These changes allow the brain to focus its attention on gathering more
information and becoming more alert while the rest of the body becomes quieter.

TASK 1
Do the following statements agree with the information given in the passage?
In boxes 48 - 51, write:
YES (Y) if the statement agrees with the writer’s claims
NO (N) if the statement contradicts the writer’s claims
NOT GIVEN (NG) if there is impossible to say what the writer thinks about this

Question 48. One purpose of the research is to help people to manage their lives better. NG
Question 49. People's brains show less activity while watching television than when reading. Y
Question 50. There is a relationship between the length of time spent watching TV and economic status.
F
Question 51. Pleasure increases in proportion to the length of time spent watching TV. F

TASK 2
Classify the following feelings and mental states as generally occurring:

Question 52. reduced anxiety and stress. B A. before watching television

Question 49. increased fatigue. C B. while watching television
Question 50. higher levels of concentration. A C. after watching television
Question 51. less mental activity. D D. both while and after watching television

IV. Read the following passage about light pollution. Five sentences have been removed from the
article. Choose from sentences A-F the one which fits each gap. There is one extra sentence that you
do not need to use.
A. Light pollution is the excessive and obtrusive light produced by humans at night.
B. Twenty-five years ago Los Angeles experienced a massive power blackout due to an earthquake. The
entire city was thrust into darkness.
C. Nevertheless, there's a bigger problem: there's mounting evidence that increased lighting has a range
of negative effects.
D. The introduction of artificial light at night has occurred in a universe, that is, in fact, exceedingly dark.
E. Light pollution is a pernicious and increasingly understood global change driver.
F. Given the extent and severity consequences, the dearth of light pollution research in Africa is a
surprising oversight.

LIGHT POLLUTION: THE DARK SIDE OF KEEPING THE LIGHTS ON

Question 56. [E] The emergency call service, 911, was inundated with panicked residents reporting "a
giant silvery cloud," was engulfing the sky. Unknown to the callers, they were seeing the Milky Way, the
galaxy containing our solar system, in the night sky for the first time. Some of these urbanites had never
before experienced a non-light polluted sky.
Question 57. [A] This light is from artificial sources, mainly electricity from houses, offices, streetlamps,
billboards or car headlights. There are two main types of light pollution: point source, that is light directly
from a source, and skyglow, the combined and accumulated effect of point source lighting that spreads
through the atmosphere. This is the slight glow one can see on the horizon if looking towards a city from a
rural area.
Question 58. [D] Apart from the soft glow of celestial light, it is remiss of us to forget that half the earth
always used to be, at any moment in time, in utter darkness. We only experience sunlight daily because of
the random virtue of happening to be close to a star. That means that over evolutionary timescales, life on
earth, and humans also, have adapted to constant and regular day-night cycles. Many species use these
sunlight cycles, and moonlight cycles, to time their behaviour, activity and sleep patterns as well as when
to mate and when to feed. But now, the spatial coverage of light pollution is large, and its intensity is
increasing.
Question 59. [C] Lighting negatively affects the environment as it disrupts the natural light cycles that
species are cued into. These include changes in time partitioning such as singing, activity and foraging in
animals, or altering individual health. And there's increasing evidence that lighting has negative effects on
human health. Melatonin is the hormone that regulates human sleep patterns and is expressed under
light. Changes in light regimes away from day-night cycles caused by light pollution means that it can
disrupt this vital hormone's natural expression. This has been linked to obesity, reduced sleep quality and
impaired memory.
Question 60. [F] While many Africans may still see the Milky Way, the expansion of lighting infrastructure
is imminent. As with other global change drivers, the continent is at an important juncture to ensure that
its economic trajectory does not compromise its human and environmental health. How best to do so for
light pollution still remains to be decided.

PART D. WRITING
I. Rewrite each of the following sentences so that it has the same meaning to the first one.
61. He was a fool to say that.
It was so foolish of him to say that.
62. They report that two people were injured in the accident.
Two people are reported to have been injured in the accident
63. He got down to writing the letter as soon as he returned from his walk.
No sooner had he returned from his walk did he get down to writing the letter.
64. She had such a great grief that she almost fainted.
So great a grief she had that she almost fainted.
65. The hurricane blew off the roof of the house.
The house had its roof blown by the hurricane.

II. Rewrite each of the following sentences using the word given in bold so that it means the same as
the original one.
66. Could you have a quick look at my essay before I give it in? (CAST)
Could you … before I hand it in?
67. His claims that he didn't know anything couldn't deceive me. (TAKEN)
I wasn't taken in that he didn’t know anything.
68. She lost all self-control when she found out what he'd done. (CONTAIN)
She was not containing herself on what he’d done.
69. The letter arrived completely unexpectedly this morning. (BLUE)
The letter arrived completely out of the blue this morning.
70. The comedian's performance at the Variety Show was a complete flop. (BALLOON)
The comedian's performance at the Variety Show went down like a lead balloon.