It can be inferred from the quote from the Omaha Daily Republican in the first paragraph that railroads______________.

Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to indicate the correct word or phrase that best fits each of the numbered blanks from 26 to 30.

Quan Ho is a Vietnamese style of folk music that is often performed in spring festivals in the north of Vietnam. Bac Ninh province is (26) ______________to the traditional music which was first recorded in the 13th century and officially recognized as the (27) ______________Cultural Heritage by UNESCO in 2009. It is characterized by its meaningful lyrics, folk beauty of music and the way it is performe

There are a large number of Quan Ho melodies. A pair of female singers sing a 'challenge phrase' (cau ra) and a pair of male singers sing 'a matching phrase' (cau doi), which repeats the melody phrase. Most of lyrics focus on topics related to love and sentimental desire of young adults. Hardly any form of cultural activities place men and women (28) ______________an equal basis like Quan Ho; young adults are free to communicate and (29) ______________their feelings with each other and more importantly, lyrics convey their high emphasis on genuine feelings rather than money or social status in a romantic relationship.

Quan Ho seems to be a game instead of a folk music as teams of singers compete with each other through the match of lyrics and of melodies to bring wonderful performance to audiences. The melodies as well as the lyrics are so beautiful and rich in poetry that the appearance of instruments sometimes seems to be abundant; the musical message is sufficient by (30) ______________.

You shouldn't make a(n) ______________decision. Think about it first.

Mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to indicate the word(s) CLOSEST in meaning to the underlined word(s) in each of the following questions.

Earthquakes are regarded as one of the most devastating forces known to man.

Mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to indicate the word whose underlined part differs from the other three in pronunciation in each of the following questions.

Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to indicate the correct answer to each of the questions from 31 to 35.

In the modern word, people are always looking for more ways of keeping fit and staying healthy. The following are some ways to help you become healthy.

Running is excellent exercise. Before you begin running you should warm up first by using slow movements that make all your muscles work. But be careful! If you stretch when your muscles are cold, you might hurt yourself. Always wear comfortable clothing and make sure your trainers are in good shape. If you wear shoes that support your whole foot well, you will put less pressure on your knees. You should start exercising slowly, at a pace you can keep up for about 15 minutes. Try to exercise on soft ground, as this will protect your knees and hips from too much stress.

It's OK if you sometimes go to bed late but if you usually cut down on your sleep, it will soon have a negative effect on your skin. If you get a good night's rest, it will do you the world of gooD.Lack of sleep can cause acne or dry skin. Make sure that you get a good night's sleep by going to bed and getting up at regular times: don't burn the candle at both ends. During the day, keep active: if you don't get enough exercise during the day, you may end up sleepless all night.

Most of us live in big polluted cities. If you got more fresh air, you would look healthier and more attractive. A brisk walk is one of the best things you can do for circulation and appearance. Walking slowly is useful but a quick pace gets more oxygen into your lungs. So don't just go for a pleasant stroll, try and find an area that doesn't have much pollution, and get moving!

Many young people feel guilty about eating too much chocolate, and some even say that they are addicted to it, though there is no evidence to support this. Nevertheless, if your diet is balanced, you needn't feel guilty: eating chocolate in moderation is fine - but don't eat it instead of a proper meal!

The writer says that you should______________.

She is playing music at______________volume and disturbing all her neighbors.

Mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to indicate the underlined part that needs correction in each of the following questions.

(A) According to a research, (B) many traumatic experiences (C) has been traced to events (D) during childhood

Mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to indicate the correct answer to each of the following questions.

Our company has to­______________ways of reducing costs.

Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to Indicate the correct answer to each of the questions from 36 to 42.

Railroads reshaped the North American environment and reoriented North American behavior. "In a quarter of a century", claimed the Omaha Daily Republican in 1883, "they have made the people of the United States homogeneous, breaking through the peculiarities and provincialisms which marked separate and unmingling sections."

The railroad simultaneously stripped the landscape of the natural resources, made velocity of transport and economy of scale necessary parts of industrial production, and carried consumer goods to households; itdispatched immigrants to unsettled places, drew emigrants away from farms and villages to cities, and sent men and guns to battle. It standardized time and travel, seeking to annihilatedistance and space by allowing movement at any time and in any season or type of weather. In its grand and impressive terminals and stations, architects recreated historic Roman temples and public baths, French chateaus and Italian bell towers “ edifices that people used as stages for many of everyday life's high emotions: meeting and parting, waiting and worrying, planning new starts or coming home.

Passenger terminals, like the luxury express trains that hurled people over spots, spotlight the romance of railroading. (The twentieth-Century Limited sped between Chicago and New York in twenty hours by 1915). Equally important to everyday life were the slow freight transport chugging through industrial zones, the morning and evening commuter locals shuttling back urban terminals, and the incessant comings and goings that occurred in the classifications, or switching, yards. Moreover, in addition to its being a transportation pathway equipped with a mammoth physical plant of tracks signals, crossings, bridges, and junctions, plus telegraph and telephone lines the railroad nurtured factory complexes, warehouses, and generating stations, forming along its right-of-way what has aptly been called "the metropolitan corridor" of the American landscape.

What does the passage mainly discuss?

People over eighteen are______________for membership in this club.