unsinkable Ship Naval architects never claim that a ship is unsinkable, but the sinking of the passenger•and-car ferry Estonia in the Baltic surely should never have happened. It was well designed and carefully maintained. It carried the proper number of lifeboats. It had been thoroughly inspected the day of its fatal voyage. Yet hours later, Estonia rolled over and sank in a cold, stormy night. It went down so quickly that most of those on board, caught in their dark, flooding cabins, had no chance to save the natives. Of those % who managed to scramble overboard, only 139 survived. The rest died of hypothermia before the rescuers could pluck them from the cold sea. The final death toll amounted to 912 souls. One can understand from the reading that .

Passage 15 Hi, my name is Joshua. I am a financial adviser. Yesterday I had a very busy day. I woke up at half past six. Waking up was so hard that I needed to wash my face with cold water to open my eyes. Then I went to the kitchen and had a cup of coffee and toast for breakfast. I brushed my teeth, took the trash out, ironed my clothes and finally I got dressed up and left home around seven o’clock. I got on the bus at half past seven to downtown. I arrived at work at ten to eight. i needed to finish up six reports before noon. At twelve o’clock I had half an hour lunch with my colleagues. After lunch we had a meeting until two o’clock. Then I visited one of my clients at three o’clock to talk about his financial plans. I came back to work at around four o’clock and prepared three more reports. Finally, at six I was able to leave my office and l was exhausted by the time I got home. Which of the following questions you cannot answer?

Diana Prince of Wales, became famous when she decided to marry Prince Charles. She became the most photographed, Photographed person in the world. Everywhere she went, there were photographers taking pictures of her and people were very interested in her clothes, where she went on holiday and who she Was v They were also interested in the problems between her and her husband. When they iv remained very popular. In addition to her image as a ‘star’ c , Princess Diana used her influence toill and dedicated time to helping them and drawing public attention to their problems. She used to visit homeless people regularly and did a lot of work for the National AIDS Trust; she visited people suffering from AIDS. It is implied in the passage that before her marriage to Prince Charles, Diana was •

Passage 5 One of my favorite vacation places is Mexico. I really like the weather there because it never gets cold. The people are very nice too. They never laugh at my bad Spanish. The food is really good. Mexico City is a very interesting place to visit. It has some great museums and lots of fascinating old buildings. The hotels arc too expensive to stay but there are more affordable options. For example, you can stay at one of the beach resorts like Acapulco. If you are planning to visit Mexico, you should definitely see the Mayan temples near Merida.

What can you conclude from the paragraph?

Passage 8 Often mistaken for insects, spiders actually belong to a different classification of creatures, called arachnids. They’re insects’ worst enemies. Although a few species, such as the black widow and the brown recluse, are dangerous, the majority are harmless to humans. Moreover, they can be helpful. Pest control, for example is just one of the many ways spiders can help us. They kill far more pests than commercial insecticides do. In the future, perhaps if farmers employ armies of spiders to protect their fields, our grocery bills will be lower and our soil and water and food will have fewer pesticide remains.

Unlike many people think,

Passage 4 – Erosion in America Erosion of America’s farmland by wind and water has he en a and grasslands under the plow In the nineteenth century. By the 1930s, more than 282 million acres offarmland were damaged by erosion. After 40 years of conservation efforts, soil erosion has due to new demands placed on the land by heavy crop production. In the years ahead, soil the pollution problems it causes, are likely to replace petroleum scarcity as the nation’s natural resource problem. It is pointed out in the reading that In America

passage 1 Opera Opera refers to a dramatic art form, originating in Europe, in which the emotional content is conveyed to the audience as much through music, both vocal and instrumental, as it is. through the lyrics. By contras% in musical theater an actor’s dramatic performance is primary, and the music plays a lesser role. The drama in opera is presented using the primary elements of theater such as scenery, costumes, and acting. However, the words of the opera, or libretto, are sung rather than spoken. The singers are accompanied by a musical ensemble ranging from a small instrumental ensemble to a full symphonic orchestra.

It is stated in the reading that

When school opened in Texas this fall, some favorites were missing from the cafeteria menus. Soda; and ghouls op-when rand`, bars had been banned for grade schoolers, chips and cookies were mini•size. And that perennial favorite, the French fry, was given just one more year before it too will be banned. Howls of protest could be heard everywhere. Principals complained about being forced to act as “nutrition police.” Parents and kids traded schoolyard rumors about twinkles being confiscated from lunch boxes. Nearly everyone, addicted to the revenues that vending machines bring in, yelled that there wouldn’t be enough money for activities like band camp and choir trips. Angry e-mails poured in to the woman who had imposed the new rules-Texas agriculture commissioner Susan Combs. It is stated in the passage that both the students and the principals of the schools in Texas

Passage 2— Dolphins Dolphins are regarded as the friendliest creatures in the sea and stories of then thelping drowning sailors have been common since Roman times. The more we learn about dolphins, the more we realize that their society is more complex than people previously imagined. They look after other dolphins when they are ill, care for pregnant mothers, and protect the weakest in the community, as we do. Some scientists have suggested that dolphins have a language, but it is much more probable that they communicate with each other without needing words. It is clear from the passage that dolphins •

Passage 6 Last summer, we decided to spend our vacation at the beach because the weather was very hot in the mountains. The travel agent said that traveling by bus was the cheapest way, but we went by plane because it was faster. We wanted to have more time to spend at the beach. The weather was beautiful, and we had a great time.

We decided to go to the beach because

Passage 12 Every summer Nichole goes to the countryside for a month. She stays a(her uncle’s farm and helps him. She works very hard, but she likes it because she loves to spend time with her cousin Macy. Every morning she wakes up at six o’clock, first she collects the eggs and feeds the chickens, then she has breakfast at 6:30 and after breakfast, she helps her aunt with the house chores for an hour. She can’t wait to spend time with her cousin Macy. They always have a great time together. They climb trees, pick fruits and flowers. They love being outdoors. They come back home before dark and get ready for dinner. After dinner, they go out and feed the animals. Before they go to bed, they watch TV for a little bit or read books. They are always very tired at the end of the day and usually fall asleep watching TV or reading. Where does Nichole go in summer?

Passage 10 Hi, my name’s Andriy. I love football, I am a great fan of AC Milan. I have also been interested in cars since I was a child. I’m crazy about driving and I also enjoy fixing cars. When I was ten, I had many toy cars. I would play with them, repair the ones my friends broke. I also used to help my dad fix his car. So, eventually I decided to become a mechanic and open up my own shop. My parents are happy with my choice, too. They think it’s important that I pursue a carrier that I like. I have a bright career now and I really enjoy it. I’m planning to get married soon. My girlfriend is also interested in cars. Who knows, maybe we can run the car shop together with our kids in the future. Andriy has been interested In cars since

Passage 7 Dear Melissa, I hope you are well. Guess what) I am having a big party next week at my house and I am inviting all my close friends. The theme of the party is going to be Harry Potter, so all must dress accordingly. You would make a great witchl I need to let everyone know by Wednesday since I am throwing the party next Saturday. Sam is going to decorate the house and my mother is going to bake a cake and making lots of food. There Is going to be music and dancing as well. John is going to be the DJ. You can stay over at my house. It’s going to be great! I hope to see you then.

What kind of an organization Is it?

Passage 13 – Our Toy Shop Hi, my name is Amy. I am twelve years old. We have a small toy shop in our neighborhood. My father says Fridays are the busiest day in our toy shop. So, after the school, my mom takes me there to help my dad. That’s another reason why I like Fridays. We allow kids to play with the toys when they are in the store. tily father says I am responsible for the toys and that I need to watch and make sure nothing breaks. Many kids from my school and neighborhood also come to the shop to look at our new toys. It is always noisy here. Because it’s full of babies and small children. Little girls tend to go for dolls, boys go for cars. Some just want to play with the toys, some actually want to buy them. It’s a bit tiring for me, but I like going to the shop and helping my father. Which of the following questions you cannot answer?

Passage 9 Dear Marcos, Hi, my name is Rebecca and I am your new pen pal. I’m ten years old, and I live in Barcelona, Spain. I go to the 4th grade in Saint Michael Elementary School. On weekdays, I get up at 6 o’clock. The school starts at 7:30 in the morning. I have my lunch at the school cafeteria and I usually leave around 3:30 in the afternoon. I am good at math, I also like history and geography, but my favorite subject is science. I like playing basketball and soccer. I also play tennis, and I like swimming. On the weekends, I go to the movie theater with my friends. We like action movies. I usually go to church with my parents on Sundays.

Which statement is correct?