Mark the letter A, B, C or D on your answer sheet to indicate the correct answer to each of the following questions from 1 to 15.

Question 1 (NB): Lady Gaga is an American singer, songwriter and actress, ______?

Question 2 (TH): On our trip to Spain, we crossed ______ Atlantic Ocean.

Question 3 (TH): She likes reading books ______ the library.

Question 4 (TH): The government suggests ______ robots to access remote areas that are dangerous to the lives of militants.

Question 5 (NB): If the bride's father ______ the car, she would be at the Church now.

Question 6 (TH): Since Helen ______ 10 years old, she has mastered Braille as well as the manual alphabet and even learned to use the typewriter.

Question 7 (TH): People should stop smoking ______ it is extremely detrimental to health.

Question 8 (TH): She will take management training course ______.

Question 9 (TH): You can't expect ______ a foreign language in a few months.

Question 10 (TH): Good students aren't ______ intelligent students.

Question 11 (VD): He ______ some excuse about his daughter being sick.

Question 12 (VD): The US president Barack Obama ______ an official visit to Vietnam in May 2016, which is of great significance to the comprehensive bilateral partnership.

Question 13 (TH): The ______ of toothpaste are located in the health and beauty section of the supermarket.

Question 14 (TH): There is no longer the ______ use of animals to test products. Only some are used.

Question 15 (VDC): Alex dreams of going on tour – he's just waiting for his big ______ to get his foot in the door of the music industry.

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 16 to 20.

Dressing up in costumes and trick-or-treating are popular Halloween activities, but few probably (16) ______ these lighthearted fall traditions with their origins in Samhain, a three-day ancient Celtic pagan festival.

For the Celts, who lived during the Iron Age in what is now Ireland, Scotland, the U.K. and (17) ______ parts of Northern Europe, Samhain (meaning literally, in modern Irish, “summer's end”) marked the end of summer and kicked off the Celtic new year. Ushering in a new year signaled a time of both death and rebirth, something that was doubly symbolic because it (18) ______ with the end of a bountiful harvest season and the beginning of a cold and dark winter season that would present plenty of challenges.

Eventually, Halloween became more popular in secular culture than All Saints' Day. The pagan-turned- Christian practices of dressing up in costumes, playing pranks and handing out offerings have evolved into popular traditions even for those (19) ______ may not believe in otherworldly spirits or saints. (20) ______, whether Halloween celebrants know it or not, they’re following the legacy of the ancient Celts who, with the festival of Samhain, celebrated the inevitability of death and rebirth.

Question 16 (VD):

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 16 to 20.

Dressing up in costumes and trick-or-treating are popular Halloween activities, but few probably (16) ______ these lighthearted fall traditions with their origins in Samhain, a three-day ancient Celtic pagan festival.

For the Celts, who lived during the Iron Age in what is now Ireland, Scotland, the U.K. and (17) ______ parts of Northern Europe, Samhain (meaning literally, in modern Irish, “summer's end”) marked the end of summer and kicked off the Celtic new year. Ushering in a new year signaled a time of both death and rebirth, something that was doubly symbolic because it (18) ______ with the end of a bountiful harvest season and the beginning of a cold and dark winter season that would present plenty of challenges.

Eventually, Halloween became more popular in secular culture than All Saints' Day. The pagan-turned- Christian practices of dressing up in costumes, playing pranks and handing out offerings have evolved into popular traditions even for those (19) ______ may not believe in otherworldly spirits or saints. (20) ______, whether Halloween celebrants know it or not, they’re following the legacy of the ancient Celts who, with the festival of Samhain, celebrated the inevitability of death and rebirth.

Question 17 (TH):

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 16 to 20.

Dressing up in costumes and trick-or-treating are popular Halloween activities, but few probably (16) ______ these lighthearted fall traditions with their origins in Samhain, a three-day ancient Celtic pagan festival.

For the Celts, who lived during the Iron Age in what is now Ireland, Scotland, the U.K. and (17) ______ parts of Northern Europe, Samhain (meaning literally, in modern Irish, “summer's end”) marked the end of summer and kicked off the Celtic new year. Ushering in a new year signaled a time of both death and rebirth, something that was doubly symbolic because it (18) ______ with the end of a bountiful harvest season and the beginning of a cold and dark winter season that would present plenty of challenges.

Eventually, Halloween became more popular in secular culture than All Saints' Day. The pagan-turned- Christian practices of dressing up in costumes, playing pranks and handing out offerings have evolved into popular traditions even for those (19) ______ may not believe in otherworldly spirits or saints. (20) ______, whether Halloween celebrants know it or not, they’re following the legacy of the ancient Celts who, with the festival of Samhain, celebrated the inevitability of death and rebirth.

Question 18 (TH):

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 16 to 20.

Dressing up in costumes and trick-or-treating are popular Halloween activities, but few probably (16) ______ these lighthearted fall traditions with their origins in Samhain, a three-day ancient Celtic pagan festival.

For the Celts, who lived during the Iron Age in what is now Ireland, Scotland, the U.K. and (17) ______ parts of Northern Europe, Samhain (meaning literally, in modern Irish, “summer's end”) marked the end of summer and kicked off the Celtic new year. Ushering in a new year signaled a time of both death and rebirth, something that was doubly symbolic because it (18) ______ with the end of a bountiful harvest season and the beginning of a cold and dark winter season that would present plenty of challenges.

Eventually, Halloween became more popular in secular culture than All Saints' Day. The pagan-turned- Christian practices of dressing up in costumes, playing pranks and handing out offerings have evolved into popular traditions even for those (19) ______ may not believe in otherworldly spirits or saints. (20) ______, whether Halloween celebrants know it or not, they’re following the legacy of the ancient Celts who, with the festival of Samhain, celebrated the inevitability of death and rebirth.

Question 19 (TH):

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 16 to 20.

Dressing up in costumes and trick-or-treating are popular Halloween activities, but few probably (16) ______ these lighthearted fall traditions with their origins in Samhain, a three-day ancient Celtic pagan festival.

For the Celts, who lived during the Iron Age in what is now Ireland, Scotland, the U.K. and (17) ______ parts of Northern Europe, Samhain (meaning literally, in modern Irish, “summer's end”) marked the end of summer and kicked off the Celtic new year. Ushering in a new year signaled a time of both death and rebirth, something that was doubly symbolic because it (18) ______ with the end of a bountiful harvest season and the beginning of a cold and dark winter season that would present plenty of challenges.

Eventually, Halloween became more popular in secular culture than All Saints' Day. The pagan-turned- Christian practices of dressing up in costumes, playing pranks and handing out offerings have evolved into popular traditions even for those (19) ______ may not believe in otherworldly spirits or saints. (20) ______, whether Halloween celebrants know it or not, they’re following the legacy of the ancient Celts who, with the festival of Samhain, celebrated the inevitability of death and rebirth.

Question 20 (TH):

Mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to indicate the sentence that best completes each of the following exchanges from 21 to 22.

Question 21 (TH): Mary is talking to her professor in his office.

- Mary: “Can you tell me how to find material for my science report, professor?”

- Professor: “__________”

Mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to indicate the sentence that best completes each of the following exchanges from 21 to 22.

Question 22 (TH): – Tom: “Who's going to win the contest?” – Jerry: “______________.”

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 from 23 to 24.

Question 23 (TH): The student service centre will try their best to assist students in finding a suitable part-time job.

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 from 23 to 24.

Question 24 (TH): She was brought up in a well-off family. She can't understand the problems we are facing.

Mark the letter A, B, C or D on your answer sheet to show the underlined part that needs correction in each of the following questions from 25 to 27.

Question 25 (TH): Facebook allow you to send messages and post status updates to keep in touch with friends and family.

Mark the letter A, B, C or D on your answer sheet to show the underlined part that needs correction in each of the following questions from 25 to 27.

Question 26 (TH): Many places of history, scientific, cultural, or scenic importance have been designated national monuments.

Mark the letter A, B, C or D on your answer sheet to show the underlined part that needs correction in each of the following questions from 25 to 27.

Question 27 (TH): Just as the performance ended, all the concertgoers raised to their feet and applauded.

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 from 28 to 30.

Question 28 (TH): Helen's boss earns more money than she does.

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 from 28 to 30

Question 29 (TH): Cindy said that “I haven't seen John since last month.”

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 from 28 to 30

Question 30 (VD): John is not here, perhaps he is ill.

Mark the letter A, B, C or D on your answer sheet to indicate the word that differs from the rest in the position of the main stress in each of the following questions from 31 to 32.

Question 31 (NB):

Mark the letter A, B, C or D on your answer sheet to indicate the word that differs from the rest in the position of the main stress in each of the following questions from 31 to 32.

Question 32 (NB):

Mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to indicate the sentence that best combines each of sentences in the following questions from 33 to 34.

Question 33 (VDC): You can go out with your friends. Make sure you finish your homework by 5 p.m.

Mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to indicate the sentence that best combines each of sentences in the following questions from 33 to 34.

Question 34 (VDC): He has great intelligence. He can solve all the problems very quickly.

Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheer to indicate the correct answer to each of the questions from 35 to 39.

As customers choose brands based on how they make them feel, rather than their actual products or services, there is an intrinsic advantage to those organizations who use designed experiences as a weapon to cut through the most competitive of markets. Those that don't, operate in what we call the “experience gap”, the space between them and their customer's expectation of them. Make no mistake, in our high paced and digitally connected economies, the experience gap is driving markets, fast.

For example, take Instagram and Twitter. These brands filled the demand for a whole new human experience that did not exist before the evolution of digital technologies enabled that. They were pioneers, and there were no established players to unseat. But we are also seeing a similar dynamic in existing industries. New entrants are coming in and taking the space, also using whole new experiences, purely because the incumbents left the door open.

Closer to home, this can be seen with Australian neobanks who are giving customers a better experience than the incumbents. Robert Bell is the CEO at neobank 86400. He says banking has already become quite complicated and he wanted to make a change. His neobank is working to solve customers’ problems more holistically. Bell said, “It's significantly harder work and takes more time to become a bank, but having done that we can have a much better relationship with our customers and we can offer them a lot more products and services.”

Think about that for a moment. Do you notice how better experiences, leads to better relationships, which is then the stepping stone for more offerings? Many brands still jump straight to modified offerings, without gaining that customer connection and the necessary foundation of trust first.

(Source: https://which-50.com/)

Question 35 (VD): What does the passage mainly discuss?

Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheer to indicate the correct answer to each of the questions from 35 to 39.

As customers choose brands based on how they make them feel, rather than their actual products or services, there is an intrinsic advantage to those organizations who use designed experiences as a weapon to cut through the most competitive of markets. Those that don't, operate in what we call the “experience gap”, the space between them and their customer's expectation of them. Make no mistake, in our high paced and digitally connected economies, the experience gap is driving markets, fast.

For example, take Instagram and Twitter. These brands filled the demand for a whole new human experience that did not exist before the evolution of digital technologies enabled that. They were pioneers, and there were no established players to unseat. But we are also seeing a similar dynamic in existing industries. New entrants are coming in and taking the space, also using whole new experiences, purely because the incumbents left the door open.

Closer to home, this can be seen with Australian neobanks who are giving customers a better experience than the incumbents. Robert Bell is the CEO at neobank 86400. He says banking has already become quite complicated and he wanted to make a change. His neobank is working to solve customers’ problems more holistically. Bell said, “It's significantly harder work and takes more time to become a bank, but having done that we can have a much better relationship with our customers and we can offer them a lot more products and services.”

Think about that for a moment. Do you notice how better experiences, leads to better relationships, which is then the stepping stone for more offerings? Many brands still jump straight to modified offerings, without gaining that customer connection and the necessary foundation of trust first.

(Source: https://which-50.com/)

Question 36 (TH): The word “them” in paragraph 1 refers to _______.

Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheer to indicate the correct answer to each of the questions from 35 to 39.

As customers choose brands based on how they make them feel, rather than their actual products or services, there is an intrinsic advantage to those organizations who use designed experiences as a weapon to cut through the most competitive of markets. Those that don't, operate in what we call the “experience gap”, the space between them and their customer's expectation of them. Make no mistake, in our high paced and digitally connected economies, the experience gap is driving markets, fast.

For example, take Instagram and Twitter. These brands filled the demand for a whole new human experience that did not exist before the evolution of digital technologies enabled that. They were pioneers, and there were no established players to unseat. But we are also seeing a similar dynamic in existing industries. New entrants are coming in and taking the space, also using whole new experiences, purely because the incumbents left the door open.

Closer to home, this can be seen with Australian neobanks who are giving customers a better experience than the incumbents. Robert Bell is the CEO at neobank 86400. He says banking has already become quite complicated and he wanted to make a change. His neobank is working to solve customers’ problems more holistically. Bell said, “It's significantly harder work and takes more time to become a bank, but having done that we can have a much better relationship with our customers and we can offer them a lot more products and services.”

Think about that for a moment. Do you notice how better experiences, leads to better relationships, which is then the stepping stone for more offerings? Many brands still jump straight to modified offerings, without gaining that customer connection and the necessary foundation of trust first.

(Source: https://which-50.com/)

Question 37 (TH): According to paragraph 2, what is true about Instagram and Twitter in the stated instance?

Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheer to indicate the correct answer to each of the questions from 35 to 39.

As customers choose brands based on how they make them feel, rather than their actual products or services, there is an intrinsic advantage to those organizations who use designed experiences as a weapon to cut through the most competitive of markets. Those that don't, operate in what we call the “experience gap”, the space between them and their customer's expectation of them. Make no mistake, in our high paced and digitally connected economies, the experience gap is driving markets, fast.

For example, take Instagram and Twitter. These brands filled the demand for a whole new human experience that did not exist before the evolution of digital technologies enabled that. They were pioneers, and there were no established players to unseat. But we are also seeing a similar dynamic in existing industries. New entrants are coming in and taking the space, also using whole new experiences, purely because the incumbents left the door open.

Closer to home, this can be seen with Australian neobanks who are giving customers a better experience than the incumbents. Robert Bell is the CEO at neobank 86400. He says banking has already become quite complicated and he wanted to make a change. His neobank is working to solve customers’ problems more holistically. Bell said, “It's significantly harder work and takes more time to become a bank, but having done that we can have a much better relationship with our customers and we can offer them a lot more products and services.”

Think about that for a moment. Do you notice how better experiences, leads to better relationships, which is then the stepping stone for more offerings? Many brands still jump straight to modified offerings, without gaining that customer connection and the necessary foundation of trust first.

(Source: https://which-50.com

Question 38 (TH): According to paragraph 3, what is the attitude of Robert Bell towards the customers?

Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheer to indicate the correct answer to each of the questions from 35 to 39.

As customers choose brands based on how they make them feel, rather than their actual products or services, there is an intrinsic advantage to those organizations who use designed experiences as a weapon to cut through the most competitive of markets. Those that don't, operate in what we call the “experience gap”, the space between them and their customer's expectation of them. Make no mistake, in our high paced and digitally connected economies, the experience gap is driving markets, fast.

For example, take Instagram and Twitter. These brands filled the demand for a whole new human experience that did not exist before the evolution of digital technologies enabled that. They were pioneers, and there were no established players to unseat. But we are also seeing a similar dynamic in existing industries. New entrants are coming in and taking the space, also using whole new experiences, purely because the incumbents left the door open.

Closer to home, this can be seen with Australian neobanks who are giving customers a better experience than the incumbents. Robert Bell is the CEO at neobank 86400. He says banking has already become quite complicated and he wanted to make a change. His neobank is working to solve customers’ problems more holistically. Bell said, “It's significantly harder work and takes more time to become a bank, but having done that we can have a much better relationship with our customers and we can offer them a lot more products and services.”

Think about that for a moment. Do you notice how better experiences, leads to better relationships, which is then the stepping stone for more offerings? Many brands still jump straight to modified offerings, without gaining that customer connection and the necessary foundation of trust first.

(Source: https://which-50.com/)

Question 39 (TH): What does the phrase “stepping stone” in paragraph 4 mean?

Mark the letter A, B, C or D on your answer sheet to indicate the word whose underlined part is pronounced differently from that of the rest in each of the following questions from 40 to 41.

Question 40 (NB):

Mark the letter A, B, C or D on your answer sheet to indicate the word whose underlined part is pronounced differently from that of the rest in each of the following questions from 40 to 41.

Question 41 (NB):

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 42 to 48.

Nepal has made important progress over the past few years to promote equality, but the country still has one of the highest rates of child marriage in the world. 41% of Nepalese girls are married before the age of 18.

Poverty is both a cause and consequence of child marriage in Nepal. Girls from the wealthiest families marry 2 years later than those from the poorest, who are seen as an economic burden, and who drop out of school and earn little money.

Food insecurity plays an important role too. Nepalese families that do not have enough food to eat are more likely to marry their daughters at a young age to decrease the financial burden. One study shows that 91% of people who had secure access to food married over the age of 19.

Dowry is also a common practice in many communities. Parents marry their daughters as soon as possible because the money they have to pay for the groom's family is higher if their daughter is older. Since 2010, the legal age of marriage is 20 for both men and women, or 18 with parental consent, according to the Nepalese Country Code.

The law states that punishment for child marriage is imprisonment for up to three years and a fine of up to 10,000 rupees (£102). But reports suggest that this law is rarely applied. There has been quite a lot of progress in Nepal over the past 3 years with a clear government commitment to ending child marriage and civil society cooperation. The Ministry of Women, Children and Social Welfare is currently developing Nepal's first national strategy on child marriage in collaboration with UNICEF Nepal and Girls Not Brides Nepal. However, the post-earthquake and post-fuel crisis environment has meant progress is slow and the national strategy has been delayed.

(Adapted from http://www.girlsnotbrides.org/)

Question 42 (VD): Which of the following best serves as the title for the passage?

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 42 to 48.

Nepal has made important progress over the past few years to promote equality, but the country still has one of the highest rates of child marriage in the world. 41% of Nepalese girls are married before the age of 18.

Poverty is both a cause and consequence of child marriage in Nepal. Girls from the wealthiest families marry 2 years later than those from the poorest, who are seen as an economic burden, and who drop out of school and earn little money.

Food insecurity plays an important role too. Nepalese families that do not have enough food to eat are more likely to marry their daughters at a young age to decrease the financial burden. One study shows that 91% of people who had secure access to food married over the age of 19.

Dowry is also a common practice in many communities. Parents marry their daughters as soon as possible because the money they have to pay for the groom's family is higher if their daughter is older. Since 2010, the legal age of marriage is 20 for both men and women, or 18 with parental consent, according to the Nepalese Country Code.

The law states that punishment for child marriage is imprisonment for up to three years and a fine of up to 10,000 rupees (£102). But reports suggest that this law is rarely applied. There has been quite a lot of progress in Nepal over the past 3 years with a clear government commitment to ending child marriage and civil society cooperation. The Ministry of Women, Children and Social Welfare is currently developing Nepal's first national strategy on child marriage in collaboration with UNICEF Nepal and Girls Not Brides Nepal. However, the post-earthquake and post-fuel crisis environment has meant progress is slow and the national strategy has been delayed.

(Adapted from http://www.girlsnotbrides.org/

Question 43 (TH): According to paragraph 2, in Nepal, girls from needy families _______.

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 42 to 48.

Nepal has made important progress over the past few years to promote equality, but the country still has one of the highest rates of child marriage in the world. 41% of Nepalese girls are married before the age of 18.

Poverty is both a cause and consequence of child marriage in Nepal. Girls from the wealthiest families marry 2 years later than those from the poorest, who are seen as an economic burden, and who drop out of school and earn little money.

Food insecurity plays an important role too. Nepalese families that do not have enough food to eat are more likely to marry their daughters at a young age to decrease the financial burden. One study shows that 91% of people who had secure access to food married over the age of 19.

Dowry is also a common practice in many communities. Parents marry their daughters as soon as possible because the money they have to pay for the groom's family is higher if their daughter is older. Since 2010, the legal age of marriage is 20 for both men and women, or 18 with parental consent, according to the Nepalese Country Code.

The law states that punishment for child marriage is imprisonment for up to three years and a fine of up to 10,000 rupees (£102). But reports suggest that this law is rarely applied. There has been quite a lot of progress in Nepal over the past 3 years with a clear government commitment to ending child marriage and civil society cooperation. The Ministry of Women, Children and Social Welfare is currently developing Nepal's first national strategy on child marriage in collaboration with UNICEF Nepal and Girls Not Brides Nepal. However, the post-earthquake and post-fuel crisis environment has meant progress is slow and the national strategy has been delayed.

Question 44 (TH): The word “those” in paragraph 2 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 42 to 48.

Nepal has made important progress over the past few years to promote equality, but the country still has one of the highest rates of child marriage in the world. 41% of Nepalese girls are married before the age of 18.

Poverty is both a cause and consequence of child marriage in Nepal. Girls from the wealthiest families marry 2 years later than those from the poorest, who are seen as an economic burden, and who drop out of school and earn little money.

Food insecurity plays an important role too. Nepalese families that do not have enough food to eat are more likely to marry their daughters at a young age to decrease the financial burden. One study shows that 91% of people who had secure access to food married over the age of 19.

Dowry is also a common practice in many communities. Parents marry their daughters as soon as possible because the money they have to pay for the groom's family is higher if their daughter is older. Since 2010, the legal age of marriage is 20 for both men and women, or 18 with parental consent, according to the Nepalese Country Code.

The law states that punishment for child marriage is imprisonment for up to three years and a fine of up to 10,000 rupees (£102). But reports suggest that this law is rarely applied. There has been quite a lot of progress in Nepal over the past 3 years with a clear government commitment to ending child marriage and civil society cooperation. The Ministry of Women, Children and Social Welfare is currently developing Nepal's first national strategy on child marriage in collaboration with UNICEF Nepal and Girls Not Brides Nepal. However, the post-earthquake and post-fuel crisis environment has meant progress is slow and the national strategy has been delayed.

(Adapted from http://www.girlsnotbrides.org/

Question 45 (TH): The word “burden” in paragraph 3 is closest in meaning 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 42 to 48.

Nepal has made important progress over the past few years to promote equality, but the country still has one of the highest rates of child marriage in the world. 41% of Nepalese girls are married before the age of 18.

Poverty is both a cause and consequence of child marriage in Nepal. Girls from the wealthiest families marry 2 years later than those from the poorest, who are seen as an economic burden, and who drop out of school and earn little money.

Food insecurity plays an important role too. Nepalese families that do not have enough food to eat are more likely to marry their daughters at a young age to decrease the financial burden. One study shows that 91% of people who had secure access to food married over the age of 19.

Dowry is also a common practice in many communities. Parents marry their daughters as soon as possible because the money they have to pay for the groom's family is higher if their daughter is older. Since 2010, the legal age of marriage is 20 for both men and women, or 18 with parental consent, according to the Nepalese Country Code.

The law states that punishment for child marriage is imprisonment for up to three years and a fine of up to 10,000 rupees (£102). But reports suggest that this law is rarely applied. There has been quite a lot of progress in Nepal over the past 3 years with a clear government commitment to ending child marriage and civil society cooperation. The Ministry of Women, Children and Social Welfare is currently developing Nepal's first national strategy on child marriage in collaboration with UNICEF Nepal and Girls Not Brides Nepal. However, the post-earthquake and post-fuel crisis environment has meant progress is slow and the national strategy has been delayed.

(Adapted from http://www.girlsnotbrides.org/)

Question 46 (TH): The word “imprisonment” in the last paragraph could be best replaced by _______.

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 42 to 48.

Nepal has made important progress over the past few years to promote equality, but the country still has one of the highest rates of child marriage in the world. 41% of Nepalese girls are married before the age of 18.

Poverty is both a cause and consequence of child marriage in Nepal. Girls from the wealthiest families marry 2 years later than those from the poorest, who are seen as an economic burden, and who drop out of school and earn little money.

Food insecurity plays an important role too. Nepalese families that do not have enough food to eat are more likely to marry their daughters at a young age to decrease the financial burden. One study shows that 91% of people who had secure access to food married over the age of 19.

Dowry is also a common practice in many communities. Parents marry their daughters as soon as possible because the money they have to pay for the groom's family is higher if their daughter is older. Since 2010, the legal age of marriage is 20 for both men and women, or 18 with parental consent, according to the Nepalese Country Code.

The law states that punishment for child marriage is imprisonment for up to three years and a fine of up to 10,000 rupees (£102). But reports suggest that this law is rarely applied. There has been quite a lot of progress in Nepal over the past 3 years with a clear government commitment to ending child marriage and civil society cooperation. The Ministry of Women, Children and Social Welfare is currently developing Nepal's first national strategy on child marriage in collaboration with UNICEF Nepal and Girls Not Brides Nepal. However, the post-earthquake and post-fuel crisis environment has meant progress is slow and the national strategy has been delayed.

(Adapted from http://www.girlsnotbrides.org/)

Question 47 (VD): According to the passage, which of the following statements is NOT true?

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 42 to 48.

Nepal has made important progress over the past few years to promote equality, but the country still has one of the highest rates of child marriage in the world. 41% of Nepalese girls are married before the age of 18.

Poverty is both a cause and consequence of child marriage in Nepal. Girls from the wealthiest families marry 2 years later than those from the poorest, who are seen as an economic burden, and who drop out of school and earn little money.

Food insecurity plays an important role too. Nepalese families that do not have enough food to eat are more likely to marry their daughters at a young age to decrease the financial burden. One study shows that 91% of people who had secure access to food married over the age of 19.

Dowry is also a common practice in many communities. Parents marry their daughters as soon as possible because the money they have to pay for the groom's family is higher if their daughter is older. Since 2010, the legal age of marriage is 20 for both men and women, or 18 with parental consent, according to the Nepalese Country Code.

The law states that punishment for child marriage is imprisonment for up to three years and a fine of up to 10,000 rupees (£102). But reports suggest that this law is rarely applied. There has been quite a lot of progress in Nepal over the past 3 years with a clear government commitment to ending child marriage and civil society cooperation. The Ministry of Women, Children and Social Welfare is currently developing Nepal's first national strategy on child marriage in collaboration with UNICEF Nepal and Girls Not Brides Nepal. However, the post-earthquake and post-fuel crisis environment has meant progress is slow and the national strategy has been delayed.

(Adapted from http://www.girlsnotbrides.org/)

Question 48 (VDC): It can be inferred from 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 from 49 to 50.

Question 49 (TH): Thousands are going starving because of the failure of this year's harvest.

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 from 49 to 50.

Question 50 (VDC): Tom was too wet behind the ears to be in charge of such a difficult task.