Choose the word(s) CLOSEST in meaning to the underlined word(s).
A lot of superstitious practice in a country can be a major impediment to its economic development.
Choose the word(s) CLOSEST in meaning to the underlined word(s).
I decided to set up my own business because I was tired of just being a cog in a machine.
Choose the word(s) CLOSEST in meaning to the underlined word(s).
The giraffe is conspicuous in the grasslands because of its long neck.
Choose the word(s) CLOSEST in meaning to the underlined word(s).
The people interviewed for the survey were randomly selected.
Choose the word(s) OPPOSITE in meaning to the underlined word(s).
There are a number of miracle cures on the market for people gullible enough to buy them.
Choose the word(s) OPPOSITE in meaning to the underlined word(s).
Unless you get your information from a credible website, you should doubt the veracity of the facts until you have confirmed them elsewhere.
Choose the word(s) OPPOSITE in meaning to the underlined word(s).
The prosecution is going to try to trip you up with your statement and your alibi, but so long as you stick to your guns, there's nothing to worry about.
Choose the word(s) OPPOSITE in meaning to the underlined word(s).
Lack of water and nutrients has impeded the growth of these plants.
Most of the _____ in this workshop do not work very seriously or productively.
At the end of the training course, each participant was presented with a _____ of completion.
Beneath the streets of a modern city _____ of walls, columns, cables, pipes, and tunnels required to satisfy the needs of ts inhabitants.
_____ has resulted in what is known as deforestation.
According to psychologists, children raised with high _____ of fear in unpredictable or violent environments experience negative emotions for extended periods of time.
Tim dropped the _____ on doing this task again because of his carelessness. I can't stand him anymore.
_____ passenger pigeon, one of several species of extinct birds, was hunted to extinction over _____ few decades.
The government has rightly been _____ its health policy.
After a busy day, my husband and I both sat and nodded _____ in front of the TV.
Vietnam’s chance of advancing in World Cup qualifying has dropped _____ almost zero after they lost _____ Indonesia at home for the first time in 20 years.
Read the following passage and choose the best answer for each blank.
Why is it that parents are so often egocentric when it comes to matters concerning their children? Although their are undoubtedly altruistic, they assume that the choices they make for their offspring are the right ones. Take the theme of colour, for example. Who decides what colour of trousers to buy for young Jimmy? Who chooses the colours for his bedroom or bedclothes? parents condition their child's perception of colour from a very early age. Choosing a pair of pink trousers for their six-year-old son runs counter to most parents' idea of how to dress a boy, and they would be to decorate their daughter's bedroom in brown. In a similar way, a small child seen drawing a red tree may be quietly told that trees should be green. Yet the underlying criticism in that can be detrimental to the child's of the world around them.
Psychologists believe that allowing children to choose their own colours increases their self-confidence and their ability to express themselves. They use colour as a(n) of helping children to identify their feelings and discuss them. For instance, studies have shown that after listening to a sad story, children tend to draw in dark brown, black or grey, whereas one with a happy ending will a response in yellow or orange. So, a mother should be delighted to see her four-year-old drawing an orange tree or a yellow house, and perhaps be concerned if the child only uses grey. children free rein to choose colours for themselves may help parents to understand them better.
Read the passage and choose the best answer for each question.
New Test Shows If You Are a Shopaholic
A new shopaholic test could tell if you should leave your credit card at home when heading out to the mall.
The test makes it clear that there's shopping and then there's over-the-top purchasing that can wreak havoc on a person's life. People who become preoccupied with buying stuff and repeatedly spend money on items, regardless of need, are commonly referred to as shopaholics. Scientists call it compulsive buying.
The new test was administered along with a survey that revealed that nearly 9 percent of a sample of 550 university staff members, mostly women, would be considered compulsive buyers. Past studies had put the incidence of compulsive buying somewhere between 2 percent and 8 percent 15 years ago, and more recently, at nearly 6 percent, the researchers say. Other research has found that men are just as addicted to shopping as women.
"We are living in a consumption-oriented society and have been spending ourselves into serious difficulty," researcher Kent Monroe, a marketing professor at the University of Illinois at UrbanaChampaign, told LiveScience. "Compulsive buying is an addiction that can be harmful to the individual, families, relationships. It is not just something that only afflicts low-income people."
Monroe and his colleagues found that compulsive buying was linked to materialism, reduced self-esteem, depression, anxiety and stress. Compulsive shoppers had positive feelings associated with buying, and they also tended to hide purchases, return items, have more family arguments about purchases and have more maxed-out credit cards.
Previous tests for identifying problem buyers are lacking because they depend in large part on the consequences of shopping, such as financial difficulties and family strain over money matters, the researchers note. But for compulsive shoppers with higher income, money matters could be non-existent.
A dwindling bank account is just one of the upshots of shopping 'til you drop. Others include family conflicts, stress, depression and loss of self-esteem. The shopaholic test is just part of the answer.
"There needs to be more research not only identifying people who have a tendency to buy compulsively, but also on developing education and self-help programs for people who are buying things they do not need or use," Monroe said. "It can lead to a waste of resources and to deterioration in families and relationships."
What is the main idea of the article?
Which of the following best explains the meaning of the word "compulsive"?
Which of the following statements does NOT describe a compulsive buyer?
Which of the following is reportedly the deep cause of compulsive buying behavior?
What is the key point of paragraph 4?
Which of the following best describes the meaning of the phrase "shopping 'til you drop"?
Which of the following describes a serious flaw of a test designed to identify problem buyers by focusing only on financial difficulties and family strain over money matters?
Future research can help compulsive buyers by providing information on _____
A: The application of technology in schools will facilitate teaching.
B: _____ We can now use computers and projectors in classrooms.
Anne: What makes you think we can find a solution to this complex problem?
John: _____, but I believe that with the right resources and expertise, we can make it happen.
A: I'm so sorry I lost that hat you gave me last year.
B: _____
Andy: I want a dozen roses delivered to my girlfriend's house.
Florist: _____
A: I think teenagers should be allowed to decide what to do in their free time.
B: _____ That may help them become self-dependent and creative.
Lisa: Would you like Matcha ice-cream or Caramel with jam?
Rose: _____
Choose the sentence CLOSEST in meaning to the sentence given.
I whispered as I didn't want anybody to hear our conversation.
Choose the sentence CLOSEST in meaning to the sentence given.
Our system is that the losing side pays for the hire of the basketball court.
With us it's the winners, not the losers, who have to pick up the tab for the hire of the basketball court.
Choose the sentence CLOSEST in meaning to the sentence given.
In spite of feeling confident about her university entrance exams, Jane did very poorly.
Choose the sentence CLOSEST in meaning to the sentence given.
For an allergic person, a bee-sting can be very serious, often resulting in a severe reaction or even death.
Choose the sentence CLOSEST in meaning to the sentence given.
Diesel fuel is normally a petroleum product, but good quality diesel fuel can be synthesized from vegetable oil and alcohol.
Choose the sentence that best combines this pair of sentences.
The substance is very toxic. Protective clothing must be worn at all times.
Choose the sentence that best combines this pair of sentences.
One student failed because he completely ignored the instructions on the paper. The instructions appeared on the top of every page.
No matter how completely one student plainly overlooked the instructions printed on the top of every page of the paper, he failed.
Choose the sentence that best combines this pair of sentences.
She kept talking about her new business idea. She couldn't think of anything else.
Choose the sentence that best combines this pair of sentences.
He is a rich man. He leads a simple life.
Choose the sentence that best combines this pair of sentences.
His meeting with The Queen marked a milestone in his life. After that, nothing was the same for him.
His meeting with the Queen was the turning point of his life as it appealed to his better nature.
After a talk with the Queen his life changed once and for all.
His meeting with the Queen meant a world to him for it radically changed his outlook on life.
Read the passage and choose the correct answer for each blank.
(1) _____. Whilst there remain for exotic animals in society, endangered species will always be at risk of being hunted and poached. (2) ____ - animals which take a long time to repopulate, such as rhinos and elephants. The poachers are clever and use methods which are sometimes completely undetectable. Captive breeding is perhaps the most effective method of protecting animals from extinction, (3) _____. First, releasing animals from captive environments could introduce disease into wild populations. (4) _____. Would they know how to hunt for food? Or how not to be killed by other animals? Perhaps the biggest problem facing endangered species, (5) _____, is the increasing population of the human race. Although conservation measures have helped to prevent human from completely destroying all natural habitats, (6) _____.
Choose the correct answer for (1).
Choose the correct answer for (2).
Choose the correct answer for (3).
Choose the correct answer for (4).
Choose the correct answer for (5).
Choose the correct answer for (6).
Residents collected signatures to install brighter streetlights after several nighttime traffic accidents. The city council approved the upgrade within a month.
Which expression best describes the situation?
Their dream holiday was cancelled due to circumstances beyond their control. She continues to mourn the lost trip, looking at brochures and sighing, though it's long past.
Which expression best describes her action?
The football team's star player was injured during practice, so a backup player had to replace him. Surprisingly, the backup player performed brilliantly and brought victory to the team in the championship game.
Which expression best describes this situation?
Despite repeated warnings from the IT department about the risks of outdated systems, no action was taken. It was not until the network crashed and serious damage was done that the CEO finally approved the overdue upgrade.
Which expression best describes this situation?
Write an academic essay of about 250 words on the following topic.
Some say that music, art and drama are as important as other school subjects, especially at the primary level. Do you agree or disagree?
Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.