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 25 to 29. Fill in the appropriate word in question 26

Keeping the World in Our Pockets

Faster processors and advances in memory technology have made today’s smartphones much more powerful than a lot of computers from just a decade ago. With wireless technology, people can surf the Internet, play online games, send e-mail, and do (25) _____ all the things they once could only do on a computer. (26) _____, they have the power to do things constantly at their fingertips.

Many people (27) ____ that while smartphones are powerful tools, they are making people reliant on them. Why would a person need to learn to read a map when he can get directions to anywhere by simply asking his phone a question? Who needs to learn maths when you have immense calculating power in your pocket at all times? What (28) _____ is there to memorise facts about history, art, or geography when that information is readily available from a portable Internet interface?

There are just some of the questions being asked and answered as smartphone usage continues to spread. Like any technology, smartphones have their advantages, but they do have disadvantages as well that we must (29) _____ an eye on.

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

I had only just put the phone down when the boss rang back.

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.

The medical community continues to make progress in the fight against cancer. 

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

_______ ten minutes earlier, you would have got a better seat.

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 primary stress in each of the following questions.

Stop _____ about the bush, John! Just tell me exactly what the problem is.

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

I lay down on ______ ground and looked up at ______ sky.

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

The youths nowadays have many things to do in their ______ time.

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

By the time the boss comes back from England, the work ________.

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.

The consequences of the typhoon were disastrous due to the lack of precautionary measures.

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

My English is progressing in _________. 

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.

He mentioned in particular electronics, his major at university. 

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

All students should be ______ and literate when they leave school.

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

The government have tried to _____ the price of food, and they finally succeeded.

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 secretary told (A) me an important file had left  (B) in the lunch room just (C) the other (D) day.

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.

Some fishes (A) live at enormous depths (B) that they are almost complete (C) blind (D).

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.

“Your speech this morning was just beyond my expectation.”     “_______________”