Izmir University of Economics

BOOKLET-A IZMIR UNIVERSITY OF ECONOMICS SCHOOL OF FOREIGN LANGUAGES

ACADEMIC YEAR 2012 – 2013 SPRING

ENG 102

ACADEMIC SKILLS IN ENGLISH

MOCK MID-TERM EXAM

PART I PART II PART III OVERALL READING READING AWL GRADE (40 PTS) (40 PTS) (20 PTS) (100 PTS)

Time: 70 minutes

Student’s Name :

Student Number :

Department and Group :

INSTRUCTIONS

Read the following instructions before you start the test:

- This exam consists of a cover page and seven pages of questions. Please check that you have the complete exam paper.

- You cannot have your cell phones turned on or exchange pens, pencils, erasers etc.

- Make sure that your handwriting is clear and readable. PART I - READING (40pts)

Renting Your First Apartment

1 Whether you're moving away from college or out of your parent’s house, getting your first apartment can be a wonderful but nerve-racking experience. Moving into your own apartment may be one of the biggest financial steps you've taken thus far in your life. When you lease an apartment you're committing to stay in one place for a long time while spending a lot of money on rent, utilities and furniture. Therefore it’s imperative that you do it right, and there are several important considerations you need to take into account regardless of whether you're a first-timer or a seasoned renter.

2 The first thing to consider when looking for a place to live is to establish how much it will cost you to move into your new apartment. Typically the owner of the rental property will demand an additional one month’s rent deposit to cover any possible damages to the apartment. In addition, if you use a rental agency to find your new apartment they will also insist you pay one month’s rent as their fee. After you add in these two extra fees to your monthly rent fee, the cost of your first month could actually be three times the price.

3 Another thing to understand is that rent isn't the only expenditure for which you have to budget. When you first move into an apartment there are many expenses you will have to pay. For example, you may need to pay a monthly building fee charged by the building complex, a deposit to turn on the electricity, a deposit to turn on the water, fees to get your cable tv and telephone turned on, and maybe even a fee for a parking space. You’ll also need to include in the cost of furnishing your new apartment, light fixtures, and also a washing machine and refrigerator.

4 Before searching for a new apartment you should write down a list of items that you must have, and items you want to have. The items you must have are things you can't live without. For example, if you don’t own a car then being close to your workplace or near public transportation is a must have item. Items you want, however, are those things that would be nice to have, but you could live without. For example, you may want to live close to a fitness centre or shopping mall, but you can survive if you don’t get them.

5 Once you find an apartment it's a good idea to look it over before you call it home. After all you don’t want to arrive on moving day and discover your sofa won't fit through the front door. Bring a measuring tape and try to visualize your furniture fitting into the space. Take note of the number and location of phone and cable jacks and electrical outlets, and pay attention to the surroundings; is there a lot of traffic or neighbour noise, or any strange smells? Are all of the building areas well lit, and do the parking lots have enough empty parking spaces? Also don't forget to check out your cell phone's reception from inside the apartment.

6 When finally you decide you want to rent an apartment you should inspect the entire space for damage, and request that serious problems be fixed before you move in with your furniture. Write down every defect, no matter how small, date and sign your list, make a copy of it and give one to your property-owner or property rental agent. You don't want to be held responsible for pre- existing damages.

Make sure all your answers are marked on the optical form 2 7 The final thing you need to do is sign a lease agreement. A lease is a legal contract between you and the landlord that states each of your rights and the rules you must follow while living in the apartment. Every lease will include some basic information, such as the address of the apartment, the length of the lease, the amount and date of rent due, the amount of the security deposit, and the signatures of the landlord and all tenants. It's all basically straightforward, but there are additional clauses that could have a big impact on your finances, so watch out for penalties if you pay your rent late, policies for owning pets, policies on painting or altering the apartment, what to do if something breaks or needs repair, and penalties for moving before your lease term is up. Make sure you learn all you can about your rights and responsibilities as a renter.

By Kiplinger, 2012

http://realestate.msn.com/article.aspx?cp-documentid=20751682

Reading Task-1 (5x4pts=20pts)

1. Which of the following best describes the main topic of paragraph 2? a. how much money you will have to pay if you damage the rental apartment b. trying to reach an agreement with the owner about how long you will stay c. the additional fees you will have to pay when first renting an apartment d. deciding if you have enough money to afford the cost of moving and the rent

2. Which of the following best describes the main topic of paragraph 3? a. choosing an apartment that costs less to rent than other apartments b. deciding whether or not you want to have internet and cable television c. if possible try to rent an apartment that is already fully furnished d. be prepared to pay for the extra costs needed to live in the new apartment

3. Which of the following best describes the main topic of paragraph 4? a. deciding between the items you need to have and the items you want b. deciding if you want to live near a shopping mall and fitness centre c. deciding the type of neighbourhood is important for personal safety d. deciding when to buy your own car and stop taking public transportation

4. Which of the following best describes the main topic of paragraph 5? a. be afraid of any strange smells that may be in your apartment b. purchase furniture that will be perfect for your new apartment c. take the time to completely check everything about the apartment d. make sure that your cell phone works from your new apartment

5. Which of the following best describes the main topic of paragraph 6? a. make sure the moving company did no damage to your items b. check your new apartment for damage before you move into it c. ask the property owner to clean and paint the apartment d. sign a piece of paper with the date on it and give it to the owner

Make sure all your answers are marked on the optical form 3 Reading Task-2 (5x4pts=20pts)

6. Why is renting an apartment a big decision? (paragraph 1) a. because you will bring a lot of furniture b. because it is the first time you move away from home c. because you are going to move away from college d. because you are going to stay there for a long time

7. Why might you pay more than one month’s rent to the owner? (paragraph 2) a. so he can pay the rental agency b. as a fee for letting you live there c. as rent for the next three months d. for anything that might get broken

8. According to the author, what might be a problem if you don’t check your house before you move in? (paragraph 5) a. the house might be too quiet b. your phone might not work c. your sofa might be too small d. there may be too many cables

9. Why should you make a note of all the problems before you move in? (paragraph 6) a. so the owner can inform you immediately b. so you know how much money you will spend c. so you are not the person blamed for the problems d. so the furniture is not placed near broken areas

10. Why must you be careful with the conditions written in a lease? (paragraph 7) a. because it tells you what you can and can’t do b. because it looks simpler than it is c. because it doesn’t protect your rights d. because some information may be wrong

PART II - READING (40pts)

Students need to manage their money

1 Managing finances may not be the most exciting part of university life; however, managing them well is really important in order for students to both have an enjoyable time and stay focussed on their studies. While many young people have had part time jobs before, if they are moving away from home, probably it will be the first time they have had to manage their own living costs. Therefore, it is really important for them to find out what living expenses they will have during their time at university, how to support their studies and how to budget for a successful university experience.

2 If students are living away from home, they are likely to have to pay their own rent. However, although this is certainly the most expensive item, there are many other expenses which need to be considered. Most university owned dormitories include bill payments for items such as electricity in their rental cost, although they may ask for extra money if students are using more than expected. If students are living in privately rented accommodation they will need to pay for electricity, gas and water separately. They may also need to pay for a telephone line and internet connection if they want them. Make sure all your answers are marked on the optical form 4 3 Socialising is a big part of university life, but that doesn't mean it has to be expensive. The student council at any university will offer a range of clubs and societies which offer a way to meet new people with similar interests and take part in favourite pastimes, whether that is computer games, football or diving, at a cheap rate. In addition, a university card can get many discounts all over town including shops, hairdressers, restaurants, nightclubs and the cinema - so many places offer student discounts that it's impossible to list them all!

4 No matter what course they study at university, any student is going to have to read some books. While the university library will carry a selection of what is needed, it's often quite difficult to get hold of the right books at the right time when 50 people are all after the same book at once! Luckily, there are alternatives, since websites like eBay and Amazon offer a large selection of second hand books at a fraction of the cost of buying new ones. When they are no longer required, they can be sold again. Also, it is always a good idea to share the cost of expensive books with friends who can be trusted.

5 The closer students live to university, the less they will have to spend on transport. This factor should be considered when choosing somewhere to live. However, nearly everywhere offers discounts on rail and bus travel to students and this is a great way to get around at cheap rates. When planning longer trips by bus, train or even plane, it is always best to plan well in advance, because tickets bought before the date of travel are often much cheaper and together with the student discount students can save a lot of money on these expensive items.

6 Most students are at university for four years and they will probably want to buy some new clothes during that time. With the large variety of city centre shops that sell the kind of clothes that students usually wear, it's easy to spend too much on clothes and many people do. The best idea is to have a monthly budget for clothes and never spend more than the monthly limit. In addition, it is important to have one item of smart clothing for any special event that occurs.

7 When students first start university, they may find that they have what seems like a lot of money, but they should remember that it has to last a whole semester. Therefore, they should work out how much they are going to be spending each week on normal living costs before they decide how much they can afford to spend on their social life. Then they will be in a better position to decide if they are going to need a part-time job and how many hours a week they will need to work. More students drop out of university because of financial problems than for any other reason, so working out a budget really is important.

By Tom Perkins, June 2012 Adapted from: http://www.go2uni.net/go/student-life/managing-your-money

11. Which of the sentences below is closest in meaning to the highlighted sentence in paragraph 1? a. Staying at home won’t make much difference to the way students manage their living costs. b. Students get better at managing their living expenses when they live away from home. c. When students go to university they get worse at managing their money. d. Students living away from home will probably have to learn to look after their own finances.

Make sure all your answers are marked on the optical form 5 12. Which of the sentences below is closest in meaning to the highlighted sentence in paragraph 2? a. It’s unusual for university dormitories to include the cost of electricity in the rent. b. The cost of electricity is never included in the rent of the university dormitories. c. Student dormitory rents are normally inclusive of costs such as electricity. d. Students in university dormitories always get an extra bill for electricity.

13. Which of the sentences below is closest in meaning to the highlighted sentence in paragraph 3? a. Students socialise a lot at university which makes this aspect of life expensive. b. Social life at university doesn’t have to cost much, even if students do a lot of it. c. Many university students do not have enough time to socialise very much.. d. It is expensive to be part of university life if you only socialise at weekends.

14. Which of the sentences below is closest in meaning to the highlighted sentence in paragraph 4? a. Students don’t have to read many books in some university courses. b. Reading quite a few books is a central part of any university course. c. In a few university courses students don’t have to read any books. d. Difficult university courses require students to read the most books.

15. Which of the sentences below is closest in meaning to the highlighted sentences in paragraph 5? a. At university rail and bus travel is often free for all students. b. Students get around more cheaply on trains than on buses. c. Low cost travel for students is widely available in most countries. d. Students can travel around at very cheap rates after university.

16. ‘Budget’ means… (paragraph 1) a. to reduce the amount of money b. to carefully plan spending c. to follow the prices of items d. to work together with others

17. ‘This’ refers to… (paragraph 2) a. home b. rent c. university d. payment

18. ‘That’ refers to… (paragraph 3) a. meeting people b. a club or society c. a favourite pastime d. university

Make sure all your answers are marked on the optical form 6 19. ‘Fraction’ means… (paragraph 4) a. a better position for something b. a small part of something c. an important development d. a useful part of something

20. ‘It’ refers to… (paragraph 7) a. money b. university c. the whole semester d. the week

PART III – VOCABULARY (20 pts)

AWL - Task 1 (5 x 1pt)

Select the correct definition that matches the underlined AWL word in the sentences below.

21. The report suggests that there has only been a marginal improvement in women's pay over the past few years.

a. considering or including everything b. as much as needed for a particular purpose c. happening or coming after something else d. being unimportant or minor

22. Despite the government's assurance, taxation has risen over the past decade. a. a reason why something happened b. the ability to make people believe you c. a promise that something will happen or is true d. a particular ability to do something

23. There is little incentive for people to leave their cars at home when public transport remains so expensive.

a. a short statement that gives the main information b. something that encourages you to work harder c. a problem that is often discussed or argued about d. an improvement, usually a small one, to something

24. These changes will increase the company's ability to generate revenue.

a. to complain in an angry way b. to produce or cause something c. to need something d. to change something

Make sure all your answers are marked on the optical form 7 25. The new teacher had failed to enforce any sort of discipline in her classroom.

a. to do something to make your position stronger b. to convince somebody to do something c. to make people obey a rule or law d. to give a piece of work to someone in authority

AWL - Task 2 (5 x 2pts) Select the correct AWL word from the box that matches the sentence. There is one extra AWL word.

a. promote b. exclusively c. evident d. occupy e. domestic f. devote

26. At the age of 25, he decided to ____ himself to helping the homeless in London.

27. The full extent of the damage only became ____ the following morning.

28. Greenpeace works to ____ awareness of the dangers that threaten our planet today.

29. The company will employ more staff and ____ more floor space in the near future.

30. This offer is available ____ to our established customers.

AWL - Task 3 (5 x 1pt) Select the correct AWL word form that matches the sentence.

31. The latest ____ in computer technology was used by everyone in the company.

a. innovation b. innovative c. innovate d. innovator

32. The main office building had ____ value for the company because of its location.

a. strategic b. strategize c. strategically d. strategy

33. The state's ____ has strict rules about what tax money can be used for.

a. constitution b. constitute c. constitutional d. constitutionally

34. This building should be preserved because of its historical ____.

a. signify b. significance c. significant d. significantly

35. The university does not permit ____ of leaflets on campus because of litter.

a. distributor b. distribution c. distribute d. distributional

Make sure all your answers are marked on the optical form 8