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.

The New York Times is a daily newspaper published in New York City. For a long time, it has been a newspaper of record in the United State and one of the world’s great newspapers. Its strength is in its editorial excellence; it has never been the largest newspaper in terms of circulation.

The Times was established in 1851 as a penny paper whose editors wanted to report the news in a restrained and objective fashion. It enjoyed early success as its editors set a pattern for the future by appealing to a cultured, intellectual readership instead of a mass audience. However, in the late nineteenth century, it came into competition with more popular, colorful, if not lurid, newspapers in New York City. Their publishers ran sensational stories, not because they were true, but because they sold newspapers. Despite price increases, the time was losing £1,000 a week when Adolph Simon Ochs bought it in 1896.

Ochs built the Times into an internationally respected daily. He hired Carr Van Anda as editor. Van Anda placed greater stress than ever on full reporting of the news of the day, and his reporters maintained and emphasized existing good coverage of international news. The management of the paper decided to eliminate fiction from the paper, added a Sunday magazine section, and reduced the paper’s price back to a penny. In April 1912, the paper took many risks to report every aspect of the sinking of the Titanic. This greatly enhanced its prestige, and in its coverage of two world wars, the Times continued to enhance its reputation for excellence in world news.

In 1971, the Times was given a copy of the so-called “Pentagon Papers,” a secret government study of U.S. involvement in the Vietnam war. When it published the report, it became involved in several lawsuits. The U.S. Supreme Court found that the publication was protected by the freedom-of-the-press clause in the First Amendment of the U.S Constitution. Later in the 1970s, the paper, under Adolph Ochs’s grandson, Arthur Ochs Sulzberger, introduced sweeping changes in the organization of the newspaper and its staff and brought out a national edition transmitted by satellite to regional printing plants

What is the main idea of the passage?

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

That is a well-behaved boy whose behavior has nothing to complain about

How are you ______ on with your work?- It is OK

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

Among (A) many other program, (B) UNICEF also (C) supports (D) the international Child Rights Information Network

My student practices ______ English with her friends every day

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

In 2030, (A) how we will provide (B) for the food, land, and energy needs  (C) of a global population of over 8 billion? (D)

Not until darkness fell ______ he hadn’t done half of his work

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

Although the government has taken certain measures to protect elephants, numerous threats remain for them

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

I can’t stand make (A) noise in class. Would you please do (B) something (C) more useful?(D)

______ you read, ______ you get

You ______ go to the shop. I have already bought the milk

Mark the letter A, B, C or D on your answer sheet to indicate the word that differs from the other three in the position of the primary stress in each of the following questions

I think that my abilities, personality, and my experience will meet the ______ of the job

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

GCSEs are not compulsory, but they are the most common qualification taken by 14-16-year-old students.

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 35 to 44

Here are tips that help succeed in your job interview:

Always arrive early. If you do not know (35) ______ the organization is located, call for exact directions (36) ______ advance. Leave some extra time for any traffic, parking, or (37) ______ events. If you are running late, call right away and let someone know. The best time to arrive is approximately 5 - 10 minutes early. Give (38) ______ the time to read your resume one more time, to catch your breath, and to be ready for the interview. Once you are at the office, treat everyone you encounter with respect. Be (39) ______ to everyone as soon as you walk in the door.

Wear a professional business suit. This point should be emphasized enough. First (40) ______ are extremely important in the interview process. Women should (41) ______ wearing too much jewelry or make up. Men should avoid flashy suits or wearing too much perfume. It is (42) ______ important that you feel comfortable. While a suit is the standard interview attire in a business environment, if you think it is (43) ______ informal environment, call before and ask. Regardless, you can never be overdressed (44) ______ you are wearing a tailored suit.Question 36

Mary gave Peter a gift for his birthday. Select the most suitable response to fill in the blank. Peter: “Thanks a lot for your wonderful gift.Mary: “______.”