Read the following passage and choose the correct answer to each of the questions.
Artificial intelligence is often imagined as something weightless, a clever tool that lives in "the cloud" rather than in the physical world. Many people also regard it as a powerful ally against climate change. AI systems can already help balance electricity grids, predict extreme weather and reduce waste in factories. Seen this way, the technology appears to offer environmental benefits at almost no environmental cost.
The reality is far more physical. Rather than floating in the air, every chatbot request is sent to a data centre, a vast warehouse packed with computer equipment. Thousands of servers run day and night inside these buildings, and because they generate intense heat, operators must cool them constantly, often using large quantities of fresh water. Each seemingly effortless answer, in other words, depends on electricity, water and concrete.
The numbers reveal how rapidly this footprint is expanding. According to the International Energy Agency's 2025 report Energy and AI, data centres consumed around 415 terawatt-hours of electricity in 2024, roughly 1.5% of the global total. By 2030, that figure is projected to more than double to about 945 terawatt-hours, slightly more than Japan's entire electricity consumption today. AI is expected to be the main driver of this surge. Meanwhile, renewables are forecast to meet only about half of the extra demand, leaving much of the rest to natural gas and other conventional sources.
This does not make AI an environmental villain. The same technology that strains power grids can also make them more efficient. Whether AI proves to be a climate solution or a climate problem depends less on the technology itself than on how wisely we use it. Only when it is applied with clear purpose and powered by clean energy can its benefits truly outweigh its costs.
It can be inferred from paragraph 2 that _____.
AI tools use very little energy because they operate mainly in the cloud
the environmental cost of using AI is largely invisible to ordinary users
data centre operators are mainly to blame for rising global water use
chatbots consume more energy than any other type of AI application
The word "projected" in paragraph 3 is CLOSEST in meaning to _____.
The word "ally" in paragraph 1 is OPPOSITE in meaning to _____.
opponent
contributor
spectator
companion
The word "they" in paragraph 2 refers to _____.
Which of the following best paraphrases the underlined sentence in paragraph 4?
"Whether AI proves to be a climate solution or a climate problem depends less on the technology itself than on how wisely we use it."
The system's basic design primarily determines AI's environmental impact, leaving thoughtful human application as a secondary factor.
What primarily determines AI's environmental impact is the system's basic design, making thoughtful human application completely irrelevant.
It is thoughtful human application, rather than the system's basic design, that primarily determines AI's environmental impact.
Thoughtful human application primarily determines AI's environmental impact only if the system's basic design remains strictly unchanged.
Which of the following statements would the writer NOT agree with?
AI can already be used to help forecast extreme weather events.
Data centres used about 1.5% of the world's electricity in 2024.
Renewables are expected to meet nearly all extra demand from data centres.
AI should not simply be regarded as an enemy of the natural environment.
In which paragraph does the writer compare a figure to a country's usage?
In which paragraph does the writer turn from appearance to reality?
Read the following passage and choose the option that best fits each of the blanks.
The rapid growth of cities has dramatically transformed natural landscapes around the world over the past century. (1) _____. Consequently, many native animals have lost their natural habitats and currently face severe population declines. However, not all animals necessarily suffer in these challenging concrete environments. Some species, often called "urban adapters," have successfully learned to thrive alongside dense human populations.
For instance, nocturnal animals like foxes and raccoons can now move through busy city streets very easily. They have completely modified their traditional hunting behaviors, (2) _____. Instead of tracking live prey in forests, they look for discarded food waste in household garbage bins. (3) _____. Therefore, these highly intelligent animals rely heavily on the continuous supply of edible waste produced by modern human society.
Nevertheless, living so close to urban centers brings several unique biological challenges. Urban wildlife often faces highly dangerous environmental hazards, such as heavy traffic or toxic industrial chemicals, (4) _____. To ensure their long-term survival, city planners must integrate greener spaces into their architectural designs. (5) _____, wildlife populations will eventually experience significant declines, even among the most highly adaptable species. In the end, human cities must become safer environments for both people and local wildlife.
Choose the correct option for (1).
Forests, wetlands, and open fields have increasingly been cleared to make way for roads, buildings, and other infrastructure
Roads, buildings, and other infrastructure have increasingly been demolished to restore forests, wetlands, and open fields
Increasingly clearing roads, buildings, and other infrastructure has made way for forests, wetlands, and open fields to expand
Forests, wetlands, and open fields, having made way for roads, buildings, and other infrastructure, continue to expand unchecked
Choose the correct option for (2).
Choose the correct option for (3).
Choose the correct option for (4).
unsuspecting animals have gradually learned to recognize and avoid over time
Choose the correct option for (5).
If ecological preservation is only considered after urban development plans have already been finalized
As long as short-term economic growth remains a lower priority than long-term ecological balance
Read the following notice and choose the best answer for each blank.
Attention all Photography Club members!
Due to the unexpected heavy rain forecast for this Thursday, we have decided to our weekly outdoor shooting session to next Monday afternoon.
For the upcoming session, our advisor strongly suggests your own memory cards, as the club has a limited supply. Please note that a signed permission slip by the school administration before you can check out any expensive cameras. If you wish to borrow our specialized lighting , you must submit a request form online at least two days in advance.
Also, please be reminded that we cannot late submissions for the monthly photo contest. Finally, is only through consistent practice that you can truly master the art of photography. See you all next week!
Read the following passage and choose the correct answer to each of the questions.
Economists describe the price of any choice not simply as its explicit cost but as the value of the next-best alternative that is given up, a concept known as opportunity cost. In the rapidly expanding gig economy, this principle applies directly to labour: workers who allocate their own time to platform-based, on-demand work purchase autonomy over their schedule and location, but in doing so, they typically forgo the employer-sponsored protections, health insurance, paid leave, and pension contributions, that accompany standard employment contracts.
The freedom that gig work advertises is rarely as costless as it first appears. Consider a food-delivery courier who logs on only when convenient, avoiding the fixed shifts of a traditional job. By the same token, every hour of discretionary rest corresponds to income the courier does not earn, and every sick day taken corresponds to a wage that no employer replaces, since no salary continues in their absence, regardless of how urgent the need.
[I] Consider, for example, three gaps that recur across platform sectors and reveal this opportunity cost in practice. Demand for rides or deliveries fluctuates with season, weather, or a single change to a platform's commission algorithm, leaving earnings to rise and fall with no base salary to cushion the difference. [II] Independent workers must also arrange and finance, entirely on their own, protections that a payroll department would otherwise provide automatically, including health cover, retirement savings, and pay during illness. [III] Digital risk compounds the pattern: an account suspended by an automated fraud filter, or a payment withheld after a client dispute, leaves the worker with little recourse beyond the platform's own internal appeals process. [IV]
None of this means that gig work is without merit; for many, it remains a legitimate stepping stone into the labour market or a valuable source of supplementary income. What it does mean is that the price of flexibility should be counted, not assumed away. Emerging policy models, such as portable benefits attached to the worker rather than the employer, and earnings-linked social insurance, attempt to narrow this gap without eliminating the autonomy that draws people to platform work in the first place. Flexibility, in other words, is never truly free; it is simply paid for in a different currency.
The word "forgo" in paragraph 1 is closest in meaning to _____.
accumulate
postpone
retain
According to paragraph 1, when individuals participate in on-demand labor, what do they essentially trade away?
Their basic freedom to determine when and where to operate.
The initial financial investments required to access digital marketplaces.
The standard protections and benefits typically provided by traditional employers.
Any future opportunity to return to regular corporate jobs.
The word "it" in paragraph 2 refers to _____.
gig work
a traditional job
the advertised freedom
discretionary rest
Which of the following best summarises paragraph 2?
Voluntary time off serves as a crucial financial cushion for freelance food-delivery couriers.
The heavily promoted independence of platform work equates directly to a sacrifice of potential economic stability.
Traditional employment offers fixed shifts that significantly restrict a worker's ability to earn a steady income.
In paragraph 3, where would the following sentence best fit?
"Beyond financial instability, the reliance on algorithmic management introduces an entirely different kind of vulnerability."
Which of the following is NOT described in paragraph 3?
Overall earnings remain highly vulnerable to unpredictable external shifts and system updates.
Workers must bear the entire financial burden for sudden healthcare crises and future retirement.
Automated moderation mechanisms can unexpectedly sever a person's livelihood without human review.
Tech platforms frequently charge excessive legal fees when resolving disputes between clients and workers.
What is the author's primary conclusion in the final paragraph?
Which of the following can be inferred from the passage?
What can be reasonably inferred about the "portable benefits" mentioned in paragraph 4?
Which of the following would be the best title for the passage?
Read the following passage and choose the best answer for each blank.
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Choose the best way to rearrange the following sentences in order to make a meaningful conversation.
a. Nam: Yes, I need some fresh vegetables.
b. Linh: Are you going to the supermarket today, Nam?
c. Linh: Oh, awesome! Could you buy two bottles of milk for me then?
Choose the best way to rearrange the following sentences in order to make a meaningful conversation.
a. Priya: That does change things a bit. I'll bring that point up at the next council meeting.
b. Felix: I'm actually in favour of it, even if it raises prices in the short term.
c. Felix: True, but the revenue collected could be redirected into subsidies that help those very businesses go greener.
d. Priya: Our city council is debating whether to introduce a carbon tax on local factories. What do you reckon?
e. Priya: What's your reasoning behind that? Rising prices could hurt smaller businesses badly.
b – d – c – e – a
b – d – e – c – a
d – b – e – c – a
d – e – b – a – c
Choose the best way to rearrange the following sentences in order to make a meaningful letter.
Dear Ms Patterson,
a. This year's Riverside Community Fun Run, now in its fifth edition, aims to raise funds for local youth sports programmes.
b. Given your company's strong commitment to community wellbeing, we believe this event aligns closely with the values Hartley Foods represents.
c. We are offering three sponsorship tiers, each including branded signage, a promotional stall on race day and recognition across our social media channels.
d. We would be grateful if you could confirm your preferred sponsorship level by 15 March, ahead of our promotional material going to print.
e. Should you have any questions regarding the packages, please do not hesitate to get in touch with our events team.
Yours sincerely,
c – a – e – b – d
c – b – a – d – e
a – b – c – d – e
Choose the best arrangement of utterances or sentences to make a meaningful exchange or text.
a. They point out that only a small number of studies exist, and few of them have been repeated in natural forests.
b. Some scientists believe that trees in a forest share food and warning signals through underground networks of fungi.
c. Other researchers, however, argue that this evidence has been greatly exaggerated in popular books and documentaries.
d. In several experiments, carbon from one tree was later found in the roots of its neighbours, suggesting a kind of cooperation.
e. Until stronger proof appears, it seems wise to treat the idea of "talking trees" with some caution.
Choose the best way to rearrange the following sentences in order to make a meaningful text.
a. This assumption seems justified by the fact that classical pieces often run far longer than the average pop song.
b. This trend suggests that classical music's survival may depend less on concert halls than on its adaptability to new digital formats.
c. Many assume that classical music holds little appeal for younger listeners raised on fast-paced streaming playlists.
d. Much of this unexpected popularity stems from short video platforms, where brief excerpts of orchestral pieces have gone viral as background music.
e. Streaming data, however, tells a different story: several classical works have quietly amassed millions of plays among listeners under twenty-five.
a – e – d – c – b
c – a – d – e – b
c – a – e – d – b