The word "they” in paragraph 4 refers to __________.

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 34 to 40. 

     Roman gladiators are intriguing figures in history. We get "gladiator" from the Latin word gladius, which means sword. Gladiators were professional combatants who originally performed, to the death, at Etruscan funerals. The losers became armed attendants in the next world to the person whose funeral was being held. 

     In Rome, these exhibitions became very popular and increased in size from 3 pairs at the first known exhibition in 264 B.C. to 300 pairs in the middle of the first century B.C. These spectacles increased to as many as 100 pairs under the emperor Titus, while the emperor Trajan in 107 A.D. had 5,000 pairs of gladiators for his triumph. 

     There were various classes of gladiators, distinguished by their arms or modes of fighting. The Samnites fought with the national weapons - a large oblong shield, a visor, a plumed helmet, and a short sword. Thracians had a small round shield, called a buckler. And a dagger curved like a scythe. They usually fought the Mirmillones, who were armed in the Gallic fashion with helmet, sword and shield. Similarly, a Retiarius or net man, was often matched with a Secutor, or pursuer. The net man wore nothing but a short tunic or apron and tried to entangle the fully armed pursuer with the cast net he carried in his right hand. If successful, the net man dispatched the pursuer with a large, three pronged weapon called a trident, which the net man carried in his left. Others fought on horseback, and some carried a short sword in each hand. There were also gladiators who fought from chariots and others who tried to lasso their antagonists. 

     Gladiators came from a variety of social classes. Though they were usually slaves and criminals, a ruined man of high social position might hire himself out as a gladiator. Emperor Domitian had unusual gladiators, dwarfs and women, and the half-mad emperor Commodus fought in the arena, where he won his bouts with the aid of his Praetorian Guard. 

     To a victorious gladiator was given branches of palm and sometimes money. If they survived a number of combats, they were often freed from gladiatorial service. However, many gladiators reentered after discharge. Some became politically important bodyguards to controversial politicians. 

David is talking to Tom about their final project plan.

- David: "When will you give us your final decision?”

Evidence shows that the athletes won a lot of medals with hard practice for the games.

Everyone in the room burst into laughter when he _______ the other man so well.

Tung and Hoa are talking about time management skills.

- Tung: "I reckon that time management skill is very essential to our study."

She knew that her father _________ when he threatened to ground her if she failed the test.

There will be a sharp increase __________ the number of student enrolments for vocational training this year.

Researchers who are conducting a survey may find it __________ to talk to experts in the field.

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 7 to 11. 

     The common cold is the world's most widespread illness, which is plagues that flesh receives. The most widespread fallacy of all is that colds are caused by cold. They are not. They are caused by viruses passing on from person to person. You catch a cold by coming into contact, directly or indirectly, with someone who already has one. If cold causes colds, it would be reasonable to expect the Eskimos to suffer from them forever. But they do not. And in isolated arctic regions, explorers have reported being free from colds until coming into contact again with infected people from the outside world by way of packages and mail dropped from airplanes. 

     During the First World War soldiers who spent long periods in the trenches cold and wet showed no increased tendency to catch colds. In the Second World War, prisoners at the notorious Auschwitz concentration camp, naked and starving, were astonished to find that they seldom had colds. 

     At the Common Cold Research Unit in England, volunteers took part in experiments in which they gave themselves to the discomforts of being cold and wet for long stretches of time. After taking hot baths, they put on bathing suits, allowed themselves to be sipped with cold water, and then stood about dripping wet in drafty room. Some wore wet socks all day while others exercised in the rain until close to exhaustion. Not one of the volunteers came down with a cold unless a cold virus was actually dropped in his nose. 

     If, then, cold and wet have nothing to do with catching cold, why are they more frequent in the winter? Despite the most painstaking research, no one has yet found the answer. One explanation offered by scientists is that people tend to stay together indoors more in cold weather than at other times, and this makes it easier for cold viruses to be passed on. No one has yet found a cure for the cold. There are drugs and pain suppressors such as aspirin, but all they do is to relieve the symptoms. 

"Tom, stop playing with the knife, or else you will get a cut." said the father.

Jane had butterflies in her stomach _________ having prepared carefully for the interview. 

Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheer to indicate the correct word or phrase that best fits each of the numbered blanks from 29 to 33.

Although the plane is the fastest means of transport, the idea of travelling by plane does not appeal to everyone because of the frequent delays. It is extremely frustrating when you allow yourself (29) _________. of time to get to the airport and - once there - it is brought to your (30) _________ that there is a problem with your flight. The staff at the check-in are trying to convince you that it won't be long before the problem is solved. Yet, hours later you feel let down, as you continue waiting patiently for your boarding call. Of course, you won't gain anything by complaining. By this stage, you realize you are going to miss your connecting flight and now you must change your bookings. You feel as if you're never going to get to your destination. (31) ________, there is a slight chance that you could be one of the lucky ones spending the night at a top-class hotel at the expense of the airline (32) _________ caused your problem in the first place. Admittedly, you would rather be heading for your original destination. Regular (33) _______ advise us just to accept the fact that no matter how frustrating this situation might be, it's unavoidable and shouldn't affect us that much.