Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C, or D to indicate the correct word or phrase that best fits each the numbered blanks.

Psychologists have long known that having a set of cherished companions is crucial to mental well-being. A recent study by Australian investigators concluded that our friends even help to (34) ______ our lives. The study concentrated on the social environment, general health, and lifestyle of 1,477 persons older than 70 years. The participants were asked how much contact they had with friends, children, relatives and acquaintances. Researchers were surprised to learn that friendships increased life (35) ______ to a far greater extent than frequent contact with children and other relatives. This benefit held true even after these friends had moved away to (36) ______  city and was independent of factors such as socioeconomic status, health, and way of life. According to scientists, the ability to have relationships with people to (37) ______ one is important has a positive effect on physical and mental health. Stress and tendency towards depression are reduced, and behaviours that are damaging to health, such as smoking and drinking, occur less frequently. (38)_______, our support networks, in times of calamity in particular, can raise our moods and feelings of self-worth and offer helpful strategies for dealing with difficult personal challenges.

                                   (Source: Academic Vocabulary in Use by Michael McCarthy and Felicity O’Dell)

Laura thought she wouldn’t be able to pass the final exam. She didn’t have much

preparation for it.

Mark the letter A, B, C, or D to indicate the sentence that is closest in meaning to each of the following questions.

She started driving to work one month ago.

There have been surveys ________ in many countries to study people’s attitudes towards robots, with a particular focus on domestic use.

The industrial revolution caused a complete upheaval of the textile industry, with manual labor being replaced by mechanization and mass production.

Tom said: “Why do you keep staring at me, Janet?”

Ann and John is talking about social network.

    - Ann: "Today social network plays an important role in communication.”

    - John: “________”

Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C, or D to indicate the answer to each of the question.

Modern civilization is heavily dependent on energy. Without reliable power sources, we couldn’t operate machines, use transportation, communicate via the Internet, or do many other things. Although everyone recognizes the importance of energy, deciding what kind of energy the world should use in the future is not a simple task. The two leading candidates for this role are green energy and nuclear energy.

Currently, most of the energy we use is derived from fossil fuels. Although this energy source has got us this far, there are several problems with it. For starters, it is a finite resource which is quickly running out. Some analysts have even estimated that the Earth could run out of coal and oil within the next 50 years. Burning fossil fuels also creates large amount of pollution, which is harmful to the environment. Although fossil fuels still provide the majority of our power, governments are seeking better energy sources to use going forward.

Green energy is one option that is becoming increasingly attractive. It includes technologies such as solar, wind, and hydro power. These are seen as clean sources of energy because they cause very little pollution. In addition, they are completely renewable, so there is no danger that it will run out. The major disadvantage with green energy sources is that they are not cheap.

The other alternative is nuclear power. Like green energy, it is also a renewable source of power that will not run out, and it also doesn’t produce air pollution. In addition, nuclear power is more reliable than green energy, as it doesn’t depend on sunshine, rain, or wind to operate. The major issues with nuclear power are safety concerns and nuclear waste. Nuclear power plants create a considerable amount of nuclear waste which is extremely hazardous to people’s health. If they happen to have a meltdown, this could destroy the surrounding area for years to come.

The recent nuclear disaster in Fukushima, Japan brought this reality into the spotlight once again. In response, Germany announced it would close down eight of its nuclear plants immediately, and close the rest by 2022. Meanwhile, other nations refuse to give up on nuclear power, stating that these disasters are rare. The debate of whether to use green or nuclear power will likely continue for some time. In the end, it is quite possible that both energy sources will be used to fuel our planet.

                                                                           (Adapted from Intensive Reading Comprehension Skills)