Practice Test One?

Section A?

Directions: In this section, you will hear three news reports. At the end of each news report, you will hear two or three questions. Both the news report and the questions will be spoken only once. After you hear a question, you must choose the best answer from the four choices marked A, B, C and D.?

News item 1?

Most major car makers reported lousy sales in May. Sales fell at GM, Ford, Toyota and Honda. Fiat Chrysler was the only major auto company to buck the trend, extending the company’s impressive sales growth for 74 consecutive months. Still, sales were up only 1.1% though, led mainly by strong demand for its Jeep brand. Up until recently, the auto industry has been a bright spot for the U.S. economy. Sales hit a record last year, thanks to robust demand for trucks and SUVs as gas prices remained low. But the slowdown in May is a troubling sign—especially now that energy prices have surged in the past few months. This has taken a toll on auto stocks. Ford is down more than 6% this year. GM has fallen 11%. Toyota and Honda are each down about 15% and Fiat Chrysler has plunged nearly 25%. With gas prices increasing, consumers may also increasingly choose to lease a car instead of buying one.?

Questions 1 and 2 are based on the news report you have just heard.?

1. What happened to most major car companies in May??

2. According to the news report, what has the recent slowdown in the auto industry brought about??

News item 2?

Women are almost twice as likely to experience anxiety as men, according to a review of existing scientific literature, led by the University of Cambridge. The study also found that people from Western Europe and North America are more likely to suffer from anxiety than people from other cultures. The review, published today in the journal Brain and Behavior, also highlighted how anxiety disorders often provide a double burden on people experiencing other health-related problems, such as heart disease, cancer and even pregnancy. Anxiety disorders, which often manifest as excessive worry, fear and a tendency to avoid potentially stressful situations including social gatherings, are some of the most common mental health problems in the Western world. The annual cost related to the disorders in the United States is estimated to be $42.3 million. In the European Union, over 60 million people are affected by anxiety disorders in a given year.?

Questions 3 and 4 are based on the news report you have just heard.?

3. According to the news report, which of the following is true??

4. Which of the following does anxiety disorder refer to??

News item 3?

A state of emergency has been declared in the province of Alberta in Canada after a wildfire forced all 88,000 residents of Fort McMurray to flee. Officials say the fast-moving blaze could destroy much of the city. The fire, which broke out on Sunday in the heart on the country’s oil sands region, has gutted 1,600 buildings, including a new school. The evacuation was largest-ever in Alberta. Oil companies operating in the area have been forced to cut output. Several firms have shut down some pipelines. This was done to help evacuate nonessential personnel, reports say. So far there have been no reports of deaths or injuries in the wildfire, but two women gave birth in one evacuation center, Reuters reported. Bernie Schmitte, an official at Alberta’s Agriculture Ministry, said on Wednesday that the “catastrophic fire” had so far “resisted all suppression methods.” First Nation communities 30 miles south of the city were given mandatory evacuation orders on Wednesday.?

Questions 5 to 7 are based on the news report you have just heard.?

5. When was a state of emergency declared in Alberta, Canada??

6. Why did some oil companies temporarily close some of their pipelines??

7. According to the news report, which of the following is mentioned as a consequence of the Alberta fire??

Section B?

Directions: In this section, you will hear two long conversations. At the end of each conversation, you will hear four questions. Both the conversation and the questions will be spoken only once. After you hear a question, you must choose the best answer from the four choices marked A, B, C and D.?

Conversation 1?

M: Have you heard that Professor John is going to be leaving the department soon? He’s going back home to Scotland.?

W: Really? I didn’t know that.?

M: Were you ever in one of his classes??

W: No, but I’ve heard a lot about the guy. Seems he’s a pretty demanding type. What do you think of him as a lecturer??

M: He certainly knows his stuff, and his lectures are quite interesting. But he has extremely high standards and expects everyone to meet these standards. Of course not everyone is that capable.?

W: So you’re saying he’s pretty hard on the students who don’t get good grades??

M: Well, it’s more than that. You kind of get the feeling that he looks down on you if you’re not a genius.?

W: Yeah, but university students should really be able to perform to a high level. His problem is not with the ability of some students, but with their attitude towards study.?

M: There certainly are people who don’t work as hard as they could. You know, always playing sports, going to parties, etc. W: How about you? What was he like to you??

M: Not too bad, because I could always come up with some kind of answer for any question he put to me.?

W: So do you think that kind of pressure made you work harder in that subject??

M: I suppose it did really. There was always the thought in the back of your mind that if you didn’t prepare properly for Professor John’s lectures then there was a chance you’d end up looking silly during the classes. W: So it sounds like the extra pressure actually works.?

M: Well, maybe for me. Maybe more people should change their attitude towards study. I really feel sorry to see the old fellow leave myself.?

Questions 8 to 11 are based on the conversation you have just heard.?

8. Why is Professor John leaving the department??

9. What does the female student think of Professor John??

10. What does the female student think university students should do??

11. What effect does extra pressure have on the male student??

Conversation 2?

M: Excuse me, can you give me some information about purchasing a cellular phone? W: Of course, my pleasure. I will do my best to help you find a phone that suits your needs. M: Thanks. I won’t need anything too sophisticated, just your basic phone functions. W: Sure, let’s take a look. What about size, color or the brand? M: Well, I don’t really care what brand the cell phone is. But I don’t want anything that is too big or too small. I want a phone that can fit nicely in my hand and in my pocket. If it is too big it might be too heavy, and if it is too small I might lose it. Color I don’t really care about either. Well, I don’t want a pink phone. W: OK. How about this one? This one is the R55, black, not too big, not too small, all the usual functions. The best feature of R55 is that it can be used worldwide, even in Europe or Asia. M: It looks good. How much does it cost? W: Only $100. M: How old is this model though? I don’t want anything too old. W: This model was introduced to the market about 3 years ago, so it is a bit older, but be assured, it will still work fine. M: Well, I still want something not as old. How about from last year? Any good phones from around that time? W: Yes, there are some. How about this one? It’s the new model of the phone you just looked at, called the W55. Most of the features are the same. There are some new features on the W55 though. The battery will last up to 2 days longer, and the overall weight of the phone is lighter. M: How much is this one? W: $150. M: OK, I think I will take this one.?

Questions 12 to 15 are based on the conversation you have just heard.?

12. What kind of cellular phone does the man want??

13. Why does the man want a phone neither too big nor too small??

14. What is the best feature of the R55 phone??

15. What advantage of the W55 phone is mentioned in the conversation??

Section C?

Directions: In this section, you will hear three passages. At the end of each passage, you will hear some questions. Both the passage and the questions will be spoken only once. After you hear a question, you must choose the best answer from the four choices marked A, B, C and D.?

Passage 1?

The longer food is kept, the more likely it is to attract insects. Even foods stored in containers often attract bugs. To solve this problem, scientists have been working with different odors in an attempt to find one strong enough to keep insects from going near food. One possibility would be to use plants with strong smells, like garlic or pine, to keep insects away. Unfortunately, however, using these smells might keep some people away too! A more promising repellent is citronella oil, which comes from a type of lemongrass. An experiment was done using this oil with a certain insect, the red flour beetle. Scientists sprayed cardboard boxes with citronella oil and noticed that the beetles did not enter those boxes. They were much more interested in boxes that were not sprayed. One problem with using citronella oil as a repellent, however, is that it is quite ephemeral—it simply does not last very long. After a few months it loses its smell, and bugs no longer find it unpleasant. Scientists hope to improve citronella oil so that its scent remains strong for a longer time. It will also be necessary to make sure that the oil is not harmful to people, as scientists are still not sure whether it is safe to use around food.?

Questions 16 to 18 are based on the passage you have just heard.?

16. What is the passage mainly about??

17. What does the speaker say about the sprayed boxes??

18. What do scientists still not know about citronella oil??

Passage 2?

Many of us know the feeling of standing in front of a subway map in a strange city, puzzled by the multi-colored web and seemingly unable to find a route from point A to point B. Now, a team of physicists and mathematicians has attempted to quantify this confusion and find out whether there is a point at which navigating a route through a complex urban transport system exceeds our cognitive limits. After analyzing the world’s 15 largest metropolitan transport networks, the researchers estimated that there is the cognitive limit for planning a trip. Additionally, this cognitive limit for transportation suggests that maps should not consist of more than 250 connection points to be easily readable. Using journeys with exactly two connections as their basis, the researchers found that navigating transport networks in major cities can come close to exceeding humans’ cognitive powers. Human cognitive capacity is limited, and cities and their transportation networks have grown beyond human processing capability. In particular, the search for a simplest path becomes inefficient when a transportation system has too many interconnections. Put simply, the maps we currently have need to be rethought and redesigned in many cases. Journey-planner apps of course help, but the maps themselves need to be redesigned.?

Questions 19 to 21 are based on the passage you have just heard.

19. What is the purpose of the team of experts??

20. What is the maximum number of connections for maps to be easily readable??

21. What do the experts suggest doing to help search for a simplest path? Passage 3?

The palolo—a worm which lives on rocks in the sea—is one of very few animals which never have contact with other members of the same species. Others, such as spiders, are normally solitary, meeting only to mate (that is, to reproduce). Some species form social links only for the period while they are rearing their young. Among birds, European robins raise their chicks in a pair, away from other members of their species, while herring gulls form larger groups (colonies) consisting of many pairs living close together, each pair raising their chicks independently. Many species of fish and birds form large groups, called schools and flocks, respectively, and swim or fly together. Hens attack each other, and eventually establish a hierarchy based on their individual strength. Those at the top of the “pecking order” get to eat before the others. Finally, some animals spend most or all of their lives in social groups in which individuals co-operate. Lions, for instance, usually live in a relatively permanent group, called a pride, where some activities, such as hunting, are social and others, like sleeping, are solitary. Bees, wasps and ants live in stable, co-operative groups in which every activity is communal and organized. Worker bees (which are all female) have several jobs in succession, depending on their age. They begin with cleaning duties, and later become soldiers to defend the hive against intruders. Finally they fly out of the hive to collect food. Theirs is a highly complex social organization.?

Questions 22 to 25 are based on the passage you have just heard.?

22. Which of the following animals spends most, but not all its life, alone??

23. In what way are European robins different from herring gulls??

24. What is said about the life of lions??

25. What point is made about worker bees??

Practice Test Two?

Section A?

Directions: In this section, you will hear three news reports. At the end of each news report, you will hear two or three questions. Both the news report and the questions will be spoken only once. After you hear a question, you must choose the best answer from the four choices marked A, B, C and D.?

News item 1?

President Barack Obama has sipped a glass of filtered water on a visit to the Michigan city of Flint, which has been wracked by a public health crisis. He took a drink of the city’s filtered water to “show it was safe”. The visit was prompted by a letter the president received from eight-year-old resident Amariyanna Copeny. A change in water supplier in 2014 sparked the crisis, with nearly 100,000 people exposed to high levels of lead, sparking an outcry. Mr. Obama declared a state of emergency for the city in January and ordered federal aid for the crisis. “Filtered water is safe, and it works,” he said during a discussion with officials in Flint. “Working with the state and the city, filters are now available for everyone in the city.” More than 40% of Flint residents are impoverished and more than half are black.?

Questions 1 and 2 are based on the news report you have just heard.?

1. Why did President Obama visit the Michigan city of Flint??

2. Why did residents in Flint become quite angry??

News item 2?

Researchers find that “cuteness” in babies triggers key parental behavior. Babies appeal to all our senses and even smell cute. Cuteness is vital as it triggers adults to offer care to babies. What is it about the sight of an infant that makes almost everyone crack a smile? Big eyes, chubby cheeks, and a button nose? While we have long known that babies look cute, Oxford University researchers have found that cuteness is designed to appeal to all our senses. They explain that all these characteristics contribute to “cuteness” and trigger our caregiving behaviors, which is vital because infants need our constant attention to survive and thrive. The study is published in the journal Trends in Cognitive Sciences. The data shows that definitions of cuteness should not be limited just to visual features but include positive infant sounds and smells. From an evolutionary standpoint, cuteness is a very potent protective mechanism that ensures survival for otherwise completely dependent infants.?

Questions 3 and 4 are based on the news report you have just heard.

?3. What is the news report mainly discussing??

4. What’s the ultimate purpose of babies’ being cute??

News item 3?

Google’s self-driving car hit a small bump in the road. The driverless car had an accident February 14 in California. The accident was reported to the Department of Motor Vehicles in California February 23. According to a technology publication, the car changed traffic lanes and moved into the path of a bus. The driverless car was a Lexus SUV. When it hit the bus, the Google car was moving at around 3 kilometers per hour. The speed of the bus was 24 kilometers per hour at the time of the collision. No injuries were reported. The left front wheel and fender of the Google car were damaged. In a May 2015 monthly report Google said: “We’ll inevitably be involved in accidents; sometimes it’s impossible to overcome the realities of speed and distance ... In the six years of our project, we’ve been involved in 12 minor accidents during more than 1.8 million miles of autonomous and manual driving combined.” Google has predicted the cars will be ready for the road by 2020.?

Questions 5 to 7 are based on the news report you have just heard.?

5. When did the accident happen to Google’s driverless car??

6. Which of the following is mentioned as a consequence of the accident??

7. What is implied about Google’s attitude towards the prospects of its self-driving car??

Section B?

Directions: In this section, you will hear two long conversations. At the end of each conversation, you will hear four questions. Both the conversation and the questions will be spoken only once. After you hear a question, you must choose the best answer from the four choices marked A, B, C and D.?

Conversation 1?

W: Good afternoon. Are you looking for office furniture??

M: Well, a desk chair. I’m trying to make a comfortable study area in my house. I’m a graduate student and I have to do a lot of computer work.?

W: I see. Are you familiar with ergonomic furniture? It’s quite innovative. We just got a few pieces in—like this chair, here.?

M: I’ve never heard of it. Hmm, it looks a little odd.?

W: That’s because you’re used to normal office chairs. Most people don’t realize that they were designed for someone who’s 5 feet 10, 185 pounds, and is in good health.?

M: Whoa!?

W: Surprising, isn’t it? But ergonomic furniture’s designed to be flexible. It adjusts to keep the body well supported—all sizes and conditions of bodies.?

M: Must be expensive.?

W: Not necessarily. It’s available at all price levels.?

M: So how does it work??

W: Well, for example, this model has a hydraulic lift to adjust your sitting height—You’ve probably noticed that you’re more comfortable if your knees are just a little higher than your hip joints when you sit.?

M: Hmm. I never thought about it, but I guess that’s true. Why does it have these levers in the back??

W: It’s important to keep your lower back supported. The levers move the back of the chair inward to fit the contour of your back.?

M: Sounds like it would be good for working long hours at the computer.?

W: Absolutely. Why don’t you try this one? I’ll adjust it for you and you can see how it feels.?

Questions 8 to 11 are based on the conversation you have just heard.?

8. What is the woman telling the man about??

9. According to the woman, what is the most outstanding feature of the ergonomic chair??

10. What is the purpose of the chair’s hydraulic lift??

11. What will the man probably do next??

Conversation 2?

W: Hi, Steven. Shall we have a look at the material for our presentation on marriage customs??

M: Yeah, sure. I’ve got a lot of information about India. How about you??

W: Yes. I’ve got material about marriage in Japan. Shall we get going? What about meeting? How do people in India meet in the first place??

M: Mmm … in traditional Indian families the parents used to arrange the marriage, and the couple used to meet for the first time when the boy visited the girl’s house. But that’s changed now.?

W: Did the groom have to give anything to the bride’s family? I mean, did they give them a gift or money??

M: Well, in India, in the old days, the girl’s family used to give the boy’s family a gift, like money or jewelry. But, it’s not allowed any more. W: Wow! In my country the groom still has to pay all the expenses! Umm … have there been any changes in marriage customs in India in recent years??

M: Well, yes. I’ve found an article about special websites for finding partners. It says that because so many young people from India study abroad these days, their families are using websites to find marriage partners for them.?

W: Oh, OK. And where do the couple live when they get married??

M: That’s another thing that’s changing. In the past, the bride used to go to live with the family of the groom. But, these days, more and more young people are setting up their own homes, independently.?

Questions 12 to 15 are based on the conversation you have just heard.?

12. In traditional Indian families, where did the bride and groom use to meet for the first time??

13. In India, what did the father of the bride use to give??

14. What are many Indian families currently doing??

15. With whom do more and more married couples live in India these days??

Section C?

Directions: In this section, you will hear three passages. At the end of each passage, you will hear some questions. Both the passage and the questions will be spoken only once. After you hear a question, you must choose the best answer from the four choices marked A, B, C and D.?

Passage 1?

Our unprecedented ability to collect, store and analyze data is opening up new frontiers in science and the humanities, from extending our knowledge of how the universe is built, to creating new understanding of the genetic basis of disease, to discovering the impact of schools on pupil achievement. “Big Data” has also been highlighted by the UK government to help drive economic growth. But what actually is big data? Collecting and analyzing data on individuals, societies and all aspects of the natural world is routine in research. Another aspect of the current interest in big data is the realization. Because we can collect data doesn’t mean we are making the best use of it. In fact, big data is often described as data exceeding our ability to handle, and for which new analytical methods are required to extract useful information. But this is clearly a moving target, and research is urgently needed to keep up.?

Questions 16 to 18 are based on the passage you have just heard.?

16. Which of the following is not mentioned as a new frontier in dealing with data??

17. Why is the UK government eager to embrace Big Data??

18. What is problematic with current interest in Big Data??

Passage 2?

Smog is a combination of smoke and fog. It occurs when gases from burnt fuel get together with fog on the ground. When heat and sunlight get together with these gases, they form fine, dangerous particles in the air. Smog occurs in big cities with a lot of traffic. Especially in the summertime, when it is very hot, smog stays near the ground. It is dangerous to our breathing and in smog areas we can’t see very well. Smog was first discovered in Great Britain in the 19th century, during the beginning of the Industrial Revolution. At that time people used coal for heating and cooking. Factories also used coal to produce iron and steel. Smoke got together with wet, foggy air and turned yellow. The smog often stayed over cities for many days. It caused lung diseases and breathing problems. Thousands of people died in London every year. Today, cities that have a high population and are located in hot, subtropical areas have the biggest smog problems—Los Angeles, Mexico City or Cairo. A lot has been done to prevent smog recently. Factories use coal that doesn’t have that much sulphur in it. And cars are much cleaner today. In some cities, cars aren’t even allowed to drive on smog days.?

Questions 19 to 21 are based on the passage you have just heard.?

19. What will happen if smog stays close to ground??

20. What probably caused the smog in Great Britain at the beginning of the Industrial Revolution??

21. What has been done to prevent smog??

Passage 3?

An essential aspect of leisure is that we can pick hobbies to suit our personality, our needs and our wallet, and we can drop them at any time. This control is crucial, as people benefit from feeling that they’re making their own decisions. That’s one reason why children need to choose their own hobbies, instead of having them imposed by their parents. With large numbers of people wishing to spend time on leisure activities, there’s a growing demand for the organizer—whether it’s a cinema or a dance class—to ensure that participants have a full experience. It isn’t enough just to show a film: customers want to be able to find out in advance what’s on, travel to the cinema easily, feel welcome when they arrive, and have the chance to buy popcorn to eat during the film. People may enjoy an activity—a dance class, for instance—but drop it because these other parts of the experience have been overlooked. They’re likely to enjoy themselves much more if they’re made to feel welcome and there’s an opportunity to socialize when the dancing ends. Like cinemas, the retail sector is making efforts to package a variety of experiences. Many people go shopping for pleasure, and spend far longer comparing and discussing products than they do actually buying. This has even gained a name in recent years— “retail therapy”—reflecting the view that it makes people feel better. Shopping used to be purely practical: we bought what we needed. But that’s no longer enough. Many shopping centers now ensure shoppers are provided with entertainment as well. This is good for business, as it attracts more customers, who stay longer and spend more. And is leisure good for us, or simply a waste of time? According to psychologists, participating in leisure activities makes us healthier, both physically and mentally, and increases the pleasure we gain from life. So we’ve got good reason to carry on with our hobbies!?

Questions 22 to 25 are based on the passage you have just heard.?

22. What should organizers of leisure activities ensure??

23. What do many participants want to do after an activity??

24. What name is given to shopping as a leisure activity??

25. What new attraction is now offered by shopping centers??