Unseen Passage 1
Educating boys and girls together has always been an important and stressful issue. Many parents believe that the educational process can be more effective if the classes are divided according to the gender of the students. Although same-sex schools are considered too conservative and strict in today’s times. Nevertheless, there are still supporters of this manner of education. Some parents are not in favor of a co-educational system as they feel that the presence of the opposite gender distracts the attention of students and prevents them from concentrating on studies.
On the other hand, supporters of co-education feel that as boys and girls are different, it is a valuable experience for both genders to communicate with each other. Moreover, the earlier boys and girls begin to communicate, the sooner they acquire social skills, which are crucial to communicating freely in the world. Further, if there are girls in the class, boys may well possibly try to behave better in order not to lose face in front of the girls.
Apart from all that has been mentioned above, educating boys and girls together helps them understand and mutually respect each other from an early stage in life. This can possibly help in building a generation that doesn’t suffer from gender bias and is open to a healthy competition even between the two genders.
Question 1.
Why according to the writer are some parents not in favor of the co-education system?
Question 2.
Why are socializing skills important?
Question 3.
Same-gender schools are considered
Question 4.
What according to the writer helps girls and boys develop mutual respect for each other?
Question 5.
Find words from the passage that mean
a. traditional
b. paying attention
c. vital
d. unfairness
Unseen Passage 2
In response to the increasing environmental damage wrought by poachers, authorities placed a ban on ivory in the 1980s. Although the ban resulted in an initial decrease in the sale and trade of illegal ivory and a concurrent increase in the elephant population, more pressing needs caused most Western nations to withdraw funding for poaching prevention programs. Without significant financial support, poorer countries were unable to effectively combat poachers. The resulting explosion in the ivory trade has seen prices increase to nearly 10 times the $45 per pound price at the beginning of the decade.
Unfortunately, the countries with the worst poaching problems have also tended to be the ones least able to combat the problem due to unstable political systems, corruption, lack of comprehensive enforcement programs, or some combination of all these factors. One primary hindrance to better enforcement of the ivory ban came from an inability to definitively identify the country of origin of illegal ivory. Countries used this uncertainty to avoid responsibility for curbing illegal poaching in their territories by attempting to blame other countries for the oversights in enforcement.
Now, though, zoologists have perfected a new DNA identification system. First, scientists gathered genetic data from the population of African elephants, an arduous effort that ultimately resulted in a detailed DNA-based map of the distribution of African elephants. Then, the researchers developed a method to extract DNA evidence from ivory, allowing them to match the ivory with elephant populations on the map. Zoologists hope this new method will pinpoint the exact origin of poached ivory and force countries to accept their responsibility in enforcing the ban.
Questions
1. The passage suggests which of the following about the ivory ban?
(a) It will be successful now that the DNA-based map has been developed.
(b) It has been mostly unsuccessful in reducing the trade of illegal ivory.
(c) It will continue to be ineffective unless the problems of political corruption are solved.
(d) Western monetary support was a major factor in its success.
2. The response of the countries with the worst poaching problems to the situation was most analogous to:
(a) a tax evader who uses deceptive accounting practices to hide her income from auditors
(b) an embezzler who steals from her company by pilfering small amounts of money over a long period of time
(c) a criminal who argues that it is not he but one of his accomplices who is guilty of a crime
(d) a con artist who convinces his victim that it is in the victim’s best interest to help him
3. The passage suggests which of the following about the DNA-based map created by zoologists?
(a) Its assemblage involved a great deal of work on the part of the researchers.
(b) Its creation will force countries to accept responsibility for the ivory poached from within their
borders. (c) The map is able to pinpoint the exact elephant from which poached ivory was obtained.
(d) It must be updated constantly to account for changes in elephant populations.
4. The passage is chiefly concerned with:
(a) advocating a course of action for countries with poaching problems
(b) exposing the weaknesses of the ivory ban
(c) pleading with Western countries to re-institute financing for the ivory ban
(d) detailing a way to overcome a problem that has lessened the effectiveness of the ivory ban
Unseen Passage 3
Andrew Fang is a legend in bowling. He was voted Sportsman of the Year in 2000. Andrew is only 23. He started bowling when he was nine, picking up the sport from his parents.. “When I was just starting out, my family supported me by paying for my training and equipment,” says the Arts undergraduate whose major is economics. Competition or not, Andrew has no problem keeping fit. “I like biking. Rain or shine, you’ll find me on my mountain bike cycling for at least two hours at Bukit Timah, four times a week. It takes my mind off problems and troubles,” says Andrew. Rest and recreation are as important as exercise.
“I love sleeping,” Andrew says. “When I’m preparing for tournaments, I usually sleep eight to nine hours a day.” He also likes playing pool, reading a good novel or watching a show with his friends. When it comes to food, Andrew says he takes everything in moderation and stays away from fried and fatty food. He takes in more protein than the average person and tries to drink as much water as he can to prevent dehydration since he cycles so much. Because of his discipline, Andrew’s working relationship with his coach has been very smooth. Andrew’s priority, however, is education. “Getting my degree is my biggest wish now. After that, I can concen trate fully on professional bowling,” Andrew states firmly.
Questions
1. Andrew Fang is introduced to bowling by his _
(a) parents
(b) friends
(c) coach
(d) teacher
2. What does Andrew do when he is stressed?
(a) He goes bowling.
(b) He climbs up Bukit Timah Hill.
(c) He eats fried and fatty food.
(d) He goes cycling on his mountain bike.
3. How does Andrew prepare himself for tournaments?
(a) He cycles for two hours every day.
(b) He sleeps at least eight hours a day.
(c) He plays pool and reads a good novel.
(d) He takes in less protein and drinks more water.
4. Which one of the following is most important to Andrew now? It is to
(a) be a professional bowler
(b) graduate from university
(c) be voted as Sportsman of the Year
(d) pay his parents for his training and the equipment
5. “Andrew Fang is a legend in bowling” means that
(a) He has written a book on bowling
(b) He is very disciplined and co-operates with his coach.
(c) His achievements in sports must be remarkable.
(d) His interest in bowling lasted for fourteen years.
Unseen Passage 4
A fundamental principle of pharmacology is that all drugs have multiple actions. Actions that are desirable in the treatment of disease are considered therapeutic, while those that are undesirable or pose risks to the patient are called “effects.” Adverse drug effects range from the trivial, e.g., nausea or dry mouth, to the serious, e.g., massive gastrointestinal bleeding or thromboembolism; and some drugs can be lethal. Therefore, an effective system for the detection of adverse drug effects is an important component of the health care system of any advanced nation. Much of the research conducted on new drugs aims at identifying the conditions of use that maximize beneficial effects and minimize the risk of adverse effects.
The intent of drug labeling is to reflect this body of knowledge accurately so that physicians can properly prescribe the drug; or, if it is to be sold without prescription, so that consumers can properly use the drug. The current system of drug investigation in the United States has proved very useful and accurate in identifying the common side effects associated with new prescription drugs. By the time a new drug is approved by the Food and Drug Administration, its side effects are usually well described in the package insert for physicians.
The investigational process, however, cannot be counted on to detect all adverse effects because of the relatively small number of patients involved in premarketing studies and the relatively short duration of the studies. Animal toxicology studies are, of course, done prior to marketing in an attempt to identify any potential for toxicity, but negative results do not guarantee the safety of a drug in humans, as evidenced by such well known examples as the birth deformities due to thalidomide. This recognition prompted the establishment in many countries of programs to which physicians report adverse drug effects.
The United States and other countries also send reports to an international program operated by the World Health Organization. These programs, however, are voluntary reporting programs and are intended to serve a limited goal: alerting a government or private agency to adverse drug effects detected by physicians in the course of practice. Other approaches must be used to confirm suspected drug reactions and to estimate incidence rates. These other approaches include conducting retrospective control studies; for example, the studies associating endometrial cancer with estrogen use, and systematic monitoring of hospitalized patients to determine the incidence of acute common side effects, as typified by the Boston Collaborative Drug Surveillance Program.
Thus, the overall drug surveillance system of the United States is composed of a set of information bases, special studies, and monitoring programs, each contributing in its own way to our knowledge about marketed drugs. The system is decentralized among a number of governmental units and is not administered as a coordinated function. Still, it would be inappropriate at this time to attempt to unite all of the disparate elements into a comprehensive surveillance program. Instead, the challenge is to improve each segment of the system and to take advantage of new computer strategies to improve coordination and communication.
Questions
1. The author is primarily concerned with discussing:
(a) the importance of having accurate information about the effects of drugs
(b) methods for testing the effects of new drugs on humans
(c) procedures for determining the long-term effects of new drugs
(d) attempts to curb the abuse of prescription drugs
2. The author implies that a drug with adverse side effects:
(a) will not be approved for use by consumers without a doctor’s prescription
(b) must wait for approval until lengthy studies prove the effects are not permanent
(c) should be used only if its therapeutic value outweighs its adverse effects
(d) should be withdrawn from the marketplace pending a government investigation
3. Which of the following can be inferred from the given passage?
(a) A centralized drug oversight function would improve public health.
(b) Most physicians are not aware that prescription drugs have side effects.
(c) Some rare adverse drug effects are not discovered during the limited testing.
(d) Consumers are seldom unable to understand directions for proper use of a drug.
4. The author introduces the example of thalidomide to show that some:
(a) drug testing procedures are ignored by careless laboratory workers
(b) drugs do not have the same actions in humans that they do in animals
(c) drugs have no therapeutic value for humans
(d) drugs are prescribed by physicians who have not read the manufacturer’s recommendations
5. The author of the passage regards current drug investigation procedures as:
(a) important but generally ineffectual
(b) lackadaisical and generally in need of improvement
(c) comprehensive but generally unnecessary
(d) necessary and generally effective
6. The author is most probably leading up to a discussion of some suggestions about how to:
(a) centralize authority for drug surveillance among international agencies
(b) centralize authority for drug surveillance in the United States
(c) coordinate better the sharing of information among the drug surveillance agencies
(d) improve drug testing procedures to detect dangerous effects before drugs are approved
7. The author relies on which of the following in developing the passage?
(a) Examples
(b) Statistics
(c) Analogy
(d) Rhetorical questions
Unseen Passage 5
The classical realist theory of international relations has long dominated both academic institutions and the American government. Even at the birth of the nation, early political thinkers, such as Alexander Hamilton, promoted a realist view of international relations and sought to influence the actions of the government based on this perspective. While the classical realist school of international relations is not entirely homogeneous in nature, there are certain premises that all classical realists share.
The primary principle underlying classical realism is a concern with issues of war and peace. Specifically, classical realists ask, what are the causes of war and what are the conditions of peace? The members of the classical realist school mainly attribute war and conflict to what is termed the security dilemma. In the absence of any prevailing global authority, each nation is required to address its own security needs. However, each nation’s quest for security—through military buildups, alliances, or territorial defenses necessarily unsettles other nations.
These nations react to feelings of insecurity by engaging in their own aggressive actions, which leads other nations to react similarly, perpetuating the cycle. It is important to note that for realists, unlike idealists or liberal internationalists, international conflict is a necessary consequence of the structural anarchy that nations find themselves in. Whereas other schools may see international conflict as the result of evil dictators, historical chance, flawed socio political systems, or ignorance of world affairs, classical realists see war as the logical result of a system that by its nature lacks a true central authority.
Hand in hand with this view of conflict as an inevitable condition of the global power structure is the realists’ view of the nation as a unitary actor. Because classical realists see international relations as a continuing struggle for dominance, the nation can not be viewed as a collection of individuals with disparate wants, goals, and ideologies. The realist view requires the formulation of a national interest, which in its simplest terms refers to the nation’s ability to survive, maintain its security, and achieve some level of power relative to its competitors.
Realism is not without its critics, many of whom challenge the premise that war is the natural condition of international relations or that there can be a truly national interest. However, the realist school of international relations continues to shape foreign policy because of the successes it has had in describing real world interactions between nations.
Questions
1. Which of the following, if true, would best support the classical realist theory of international conflict as it is described in the passage?
(a) Some countries ruled by dictators maintain peaceful relations with their neighbours
(b) Despite the presence of a world superpower, many countries continue to fight wars with their neighbours.
(c) War has existed from the beginning of recorded history.
(d) After the nations of the world form an authoritative world court, wars decrease dramatically.
2. It can be inferred from the passage that members of the classical realist school would be LEAST likely to support.
(a) a domestic policy that attempts to unify the nation’s citizens behind a common cause
(b) an international policy that seeks to reduce threats of war by providing humanitarian aid to potential aggressor countries
(c) an international policy based on building a strong military force to deter threats
(d) an international policy based on joining a common defense contract with other nations
3. According to the passage, the formation of a national interest serves what function in the classical real ist theory of war and peace?
(a) It provides the necessary justification for the classical realist view of a continuous global power struggle.
(b) It is a convenience used by theorists to describe national interests where none exist.
(c) It is less important to the theory than is the idea of the nation as a unitary actor
(d) It is the part of the theory that receives the most criticism from opponents.
4. The author most likely regards the classical realist theory of international relations with
(a) general apathy
(b) skeptical dismissal
(c) qualified acceptance
(d) glowing approval
Unseen Passage 6
I build walls Walls that protect, Walls that shield, Walls that say I shall not yield Or reveal Who I am and how I feel. I build walls Walls that hide, Walls that cover what’s inside, Walls that stare or smile or look away, Silent flies, Walls that even block my eyes From the tears I might have cried. than I build walls away, Walls that never let me Truly touch Those I love so very much. Walls that need to fall! Walls mean to be fortresses Are prisons after all.
Questions
1. What are the walls in the poem made of?
(a) Blood and flesh
(b) Hidden feelings and thoughts
(c) Bricks or any physical material
(d) Cement and tiles
2. The poet uses “Walls” as a
(a) metaphor
(b) alliteration
(c) simlie
(d) personification
3. When walls act as a protection, they
(a) touch the ones who are truly loved
(b) surrender to strong feelings
(c) do not reveal what is inside
(d) make one shed tears
4. The expression ‘silent lies’ in the second stanza implies
(a) walls make one hide one’s true feelings
(b) walls lie silently around all of us
(c) walls are silent
(d) walls are liars
5. Why is not a good idea to have these ‘walls?
(a) they are made up of bricks
(b) they hurt others
(c) they act as a fortress
(d) they act as prison and keep loved ones.
6. Walls built to protect us ultimately turn into a prison. It is an example of a
(a) puzzle
(b) riddle
(c) satire
(d) paradox