Choose the word(s) OPPOSITE in meaning to the underlined word(s).
In the chaos of the emergency, the manager lost his head, forgetting the safety protocols.
Choose the word(s) OPPOSITE in meaning to the underlined word(s).
The Prime Minister was instrumental in bringing about the Prison Reform Act.
Choose the word(s) OPPOSITE in meaning to the underlined word(s).
The court upheld the local community's right to preserve the historic park against commercial development.
Choose the word(s) OPPOSITE in meaning to the underlined word(s).
The documentary showcased the cultural diversity of the region.
Choose the word(s) CLOSEST in meaning to the underlined word(s).
He inherited his father's trait of meticulous attention to detail, which served him well in his career.
Choose the word(s) CLOSEST in meaning to the underlined word(s).
You must be scrupulous about hygiene when you're preparing a baby's bottle.
Choose the word(s) CLOSEST in meaning to the underlined word(s).
The organisers go to great lengths to warn entrants of the potential dangers.
Choose the word(s) CLOSEST in meaning to the underlined word(s).
The new government plans to do away with outdated tax laws to simplify the financial system.
_____ are a form of carbon has been known since the late eighteenth century.
The poor man was driven from _____ for justice, but his efforts were of no avail.
In 1991, twenty ex-East German swimming coaches _____ admitted giving anabolic steroids to their former charges during the 1970s.
If you are bitten by a poisonous snake, it is necessary to be given an _____ as quickly as possible.
Beaches were _____ as police searched for canisters for toxic waste from the damaged ship.
There are several habits that man takes from his childhood and continues to use even after he reaches and _____ maturity.
There is no doubt that this volume is _____ for those interested in the syntax of free word order.
Potential delays _____, this airline service isn’t so bad.
The company is said _____ victory over its rival through a smear campaign.
The chef prepared a _____ feast, featuring a variety of delicious dishes.
Read the text and choose the best answer to fill in the blanks.
Our group fell silent at the base of a narrow steel ladder that rose vertically through the maze of girders at the south-east end of Australia's Sydney Harbour Bridge. We needn't have worried about the first part of the climb. Up to this our guided tour had been little more than a stroll but now our task was to face the ladder. It must have been at least fifty feet high. There were handrails and our safety belts would be tethered to a cable to a fall but the water couldn't have been less than 250 feet below us and the prospect of climbing was daunting.
What lay at the top was stepping out onto the exposed upper arch of the bridge, with blue sky all round and the water almost 262 feet below. We ought to have found this out before embarking on what now seemed a singularly mission! My own acrophobia was extreme, but, on this sparkling morning, I saw no option but to the summit of one of the world's best-loved icons - a miracle of engineering recognized by people everywhere.
As I climbed, the tension out of me; I was driven by an exhilarating feeling of conquest. At the top, I dropped my to the vast pool of the harbor below. It might just as well have been a millpond from this height. We stood on a small viewing deck in the warm sunshine, with excitement and arms raised as our guide took a photograph.
Read the following passage and choose the correct answer to each of the following questions.
Reviewers and students have educated me not only about how I write, but about why I write. Apparently, I wish to capture the immigrant experience, to demystify Chinese culture, to show the differences between Chinese and American culture, to pave the way for other Asian-American writers – and I have a whole host of other equally noble motivations.
The truth is, I write for more self-serving reasons – that is, I write for myself. I write because I enjoy stories and make-believe. I write because if I didn’t, I’d probably go crazy. Thus I write about questions that disturb me, images that mystify me, or memories that cause me anguish and pain. I write about secrets, lies, and contradictions, because within them are many kinds of truth. In other words, I write stories about life as I have misunderstood it. To be sure, it’s a Chinese-American life, but that’s the only one I’ve had so far.
Contrary to what some students, professors, reporters, and fund-raising organizations assume, I am not an expert on China, Chinese culture, mah jong, the psychology of mothers and daughters, generation gaps, immigration, illegal aliens, assimilation, acculturation, racial tension, Tiananmen Square, Most Favored Nation trade agreements, human rights, Pacific Rim economics, the purported one million missing baby girls of China, the future of Hong Kong after 1997, or, I am sorry to say, Chinese cooking. Certainly I have personal opinions on any of these topics, especially food, but by no means do my sentiments or my world of make-believe make me an expert.
And so I am alarmed when reviewers and educators assume that my very personal, specific, and fictional stories are meant to be representative, down to the smallest detail, of not just Chinese-Americans but sometimes all Asian culture. Is Jane Smiley’s A Thousand Acres supposed to be representative of all American culture? Do all American daughters serve their tyrannical fathers the same breakfast every morning? Do all sisters betray each other? Are all conscientious objectors flaky in love relationships? Why do readers and reviewers assume that a book with Chinese-American characters can encompass all the demographics and personal histories of Chinese America?
My editor at Putnam tells me that over the years she has received hundreds of permission requests from publishers of college textbooks and multicultural anthologies, wishing to reprint my work for educational purposes. One publisher wanted to include an excerpt from The Joy Luck Club, a scene in which a woman invites her non-Chinese boyfriend to her parents’ house for dinner. The boyfriend brings a bottle of wine as a gift and commits a number of social gaffes at the dinner table. Students were supposed to read this excerpt, then answer the following question: ‘If you are invited to a Chinese family’s house for dinner, should you bring a bottle of wine?’ My editor and I agreed to turn down that permission request.
I hear that my books and essays are now on the required-reading lists for courses in ethnic studies, Asian-American studies, Asian-American literature, Asian-American history, women’s literature, feminist studies, feminist writers of color, and so forth. I am proud to be on these lists. What writer wouldn’t want her work to be read? But there’s a small nagging question that whispers into my ear once in a while: ‘What about American literature?’
I know I’m not supposed to complain, or at least not too loudly. After all, I am one of the lucky writers to be read, in classrooms, by the mainstream, and in CliffNotes. I have had many readers tell me that they read my books because they feel the stories are about universal emotions between mothers and daughters.
But as my mother has often told me, I have an attitude. I have an attitude not just about my books but about literature in general. I have this attitude that American literature if such a classification exists, should be more democratic than the color of your skin or whether rice or potatoes are served at your fictional dinner table. And so I ask myself and sometimes others: Who decides what is American fiction? Why is it that works of fiction by minority writers are read mainly for the study of class, gender, and race? Why is it so hard to break out of this literary ghetto?
Why does the writer use the word ‘Apparently’ in line 2?
Why do some people assume that the writer is an expert on China?
The writer mentions Jane Smiley’s novel in the fourth paragraph because _____.
Why did the writer and her editor refuse a request to publish an excerpt from The Joy Luck Club?
The writer implies that her books _____.
What is the writer’s main point in the last paragraph?
We can infer from the text that the writer is _____.
The word ‘flaky’ in the 4th paragraph is closest in meaning to _____.
Mike and Lane are university students. They are talking about Lane’s upcoming high-school reunion.
Mike: So, you have your fifth high-school reunion coming up?
Lane: ______.
Two close friends Tom and Kyle are talking about Kyle's upcoming birthday.
Tom: Can I bring a friend to your birthday party?
Kyle: _____.
A: ______ detective stories?
B: In my opinion, they're good for teenagers.
A: More women will be participating in politics.
B: _____ They are becoming more active.
An old gentleman, who is not sure where to go for the summer holiday, is asking a travel agent for advice.
Gentleman: Can you recommend any places for this summer holiday?
Agent: _____.
A son is talking to his mother.
Son: If only I had kept a low profile, I wouldn't have been in dire straits.
Mom: _____
Choose the sentence that best combines this pair of sentences.
What a pity that the fridge broke down. Thus, we can't prevent our food from rotting now.
Choose the sentence that best combines this pair of sentences.
Societies doubted about women's intellectual ability. Therefore, they could not get access to education.
Choose the sentence that best combines this pair of sentences.
My brother can't find a job. He is very well-qualified.
Choose the sentence that best combines this pair of sentences.
Bill was tired of the hectic lifestyle in the city. He quitted his job and moved to a far-flung place.
Choose the sentence that best combines this pair of sentences.
Some mobile applications are very tempting. They may expose users to identity theft.
Choose the sentence CLOSEST in meaning to the sentence given.
Providing that Sheldon's plans stay the same over the weekend, we'll leave early on Monday morning.
Choose the sentence CLOSEST in meaning to the sentence given.
That he decided to retire early marked the end of his distinguished career.
Choose the sentence that is CLOSEST in meaning to the sentence given.
It took her several months to overcome the feeling of despair after she failed the interview.
Choose the sentence CLOSEST in meaning to the sentence given.
Trying to run a few errands just before she went to the airport caused her to be a little late in picking up her husband there.
Choose the sentence CLOSEST in meaning to the sentence given.
The reason she wasn't responding to your questions is that her anger at you for what you said to her the other night still hasn't waned.
She hasn't stopped being angry with you for your words to her a few nights ago, but there's no reason for you not to respond to her questions.
Read the text and choose the best answer to fill in the blanks.
(1) _____. This is a complex issue about which not a great deal is known, but the lack of evidence of mineral deficiencies in our population speaks to the adequacy of our soils. (2) _____ can over time result in a crop poor in these minerals. (3) _____. But with most fertilizers, this practice would replenish only potassium, phosphates, and nitrogen. Rotating a "green manure" crop such as clover, (4) _____, would renew only nitrogen in the soil, not trace elements. There is a growing realization, (5) _____, that so-called organic farming makes good commercial sense and would help minimize mineral depletion. Organic farming essentially refers to farming that does not depend on chemical fertilizers; rather, soils are invigorated (6) _____. These techniques return organic material and trace minerals back to the soils and are to be commended.
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).
Two teenagers are browsing the stalls at a vintage fair. They're trying to get good deals on old postcards and closely examining worn record covers, in the hope of having limited collectibles for their shared album.
What phrase best describes this situation?
When the team meeting became tense, Sarah quietly reminded everyone about their mutual goal and the importance of respect, which reduced the stress in the room.
What expression best describes her action?
The company's new policy required all employees to return to the office to work full-time. However, many staff members protested, saying they worked better remotely.
What expression best describes the company's new policy?
Emma started watching a short documentary on climate change, but hours later, she was still clicking through videos about ocean currents, ice age cycles, and global warming theories.
What phrase best describes this situation?
Write an academic essay of about 250 words on the following topic.
The use of social media is replacing face-to-face interaction among many people in society. Do you think the advantages outweigh the disadvantages?
Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.