Section I: Listening

Section I: Listening

SECTION I: LISTENING

LECTURE I: You will hear an extract from a university lecture on the topic of ‘Marketing’. While you’re listening to the lecture, answer the following questions. There are 25 questions. Write NO MORE THAN THREE WORDSfor each answer. Now you have 2 minutes to look at the questions. (0,5pt each)

A- What is marketing?

(1) …………………….and (2)…………………………represent only two aspects of marketing.

Marketing involves:

  • finding customers
  • ensuring customer satisfaction
  • (3) …………………………………………….……………

(4)………..…….. NEEDS

(5)…………………….needs (8) ……………….… needs

e.g. food, warmth and e.g. (9) …….……………and

(6) …………………… self expression

(7) ...... needs

e.g. belonging

(when people have (10)………………… (11)……….……..…..)

Human wants Human (12)…………….….…

B- Market research method used by different businesses:

SUPERMARKETS ► (13) ………………………………………while they’re doing their shopping

Analysis of a survey can provide (14)………………….. (15)…………………….. on which

to base future marketing strategies.

DEPARTMENT STORES ► top executives (16)…………………… (17)………………….once

or twice a month. (18) WHY? (chooseone of the following options)

a) to sell products

b) to interview customers

c) for customer observation

FAST FOOD COMPANIES ►free offers e.g. give away vouchers in (19)…………………….

or on the (20)……………………which allows customers to get part of their meal

for (21) …………………..….. .

Benefits of free offers: a) attracts customers into the restaurants

b) managers can get an idea where to (22)………….………. and

which (23)……………………….to target.

THEME PARKS ► top managers spend at least one day in their career touring the park

dressed as a cartoon character

Benefit:

  • survey the scene
  • watch the customers (24)……………….……………………………….

C- Customer satisfaction

Product performance / Customers are…
  • poor
/
  • unhappy

  • as good as expected
/
  • satisfied

  • (25)……………………….…………….
/
  • delighted

LECTURE 2

You will hear a discussion between two students, Amy and Jonathan and a university tutor. They will be talking about statistics relating to television and other home entertainment and children’s use of the media. While you’re listening to the discussion answer the following questions. There are 15 questions. Now you have 2 minutes to look at the questions. (0,5pt each question / blank)

1- According to the discussion, what is the definition of a “heavy viewer”?

.………………………………………………………………………………..…………………

…………………………………………………………………………………………………...

2- Which country had the highest percentage of heavy viewers? What was the percentage?

……………………….. / …………..%

3- How did Amy feel about the result of the USA? (Choose the correct option.)

a) satisfiedb) neutral c) surprised

4- Which country was much higher than the USA in the list? ……………………………..

5- Amy had already expected Switzerland to be the country with fewest heavy viewers.

TRUE / FALSE / NOT GIVEN

6- Amy thinks having a breakdown of TV programs shown in an average only for one channel

is not a problem. TRUE / FALSE / NOT GIVEN

7- What are the two major areas which account for most of the time? What are their viewing

rates?

a)……………………/ factual e.g. ……………………………..- current affairs

Rate: just over …………………..……of the week

b)Drama / ……………………………. Rate: …………..…...the week’s viewing

8- What kind of programs constitute the third area in Amy’s analysis? Write two examples.

a) ………………………… b) ………………………………

9- Almost every home with children has had a ……………………… …………………… for at

least ten years.

10- The percentage of homes having CD players is expected to decrease in the coming years.

TRUE / FALSE / NOT GIVEN

11- At the beginning, satellite TV was ………………but now it is in about the ………………….

of homes with children.

12- Why does Jonathan think that television is so important to children? (Choose one)

a) They don’t have much else to do in their free time.

b) They like to watch the same programs as their friends.

c) It’s a way of escaping from their parents’ demands.

13- How many British children have television in their bedrooms? (Choose one)

a) less than halfb) about halfc) more than half

14- 53 % of the children have access to computers in their bedrooms.

TRUE / FALSE / NOT GIVEN

15- What three reasons did children give for not reading books? Tick the correct answers.

a) Not interesting …………….

b) Information is out of date ………….

c) Too expensive…………….

d) Not fashionable ……………..

e) Too much effort…………….

f) Not enough pictures …………….

g) Parents don’t buy books ………………..

SECTION II: READING

TEXT 1:

SAVING THE PANDA

IJuly 9, 2005, was an important day at the Smithsonian National Zoological Park in Washington, D.C. The zoo had a new arrival that morning: Tai Shan, the first baby of Tian Tian and Mei Xiang, male and female giant pandas. Tai Shan’s birth, like any panda’s, was a cause for celebration. In the first three months that the cub was on public display following his birth, visits to the zoo increased by 50 percent over prior years.

IIAround the world, conservation centers and zoos like the Smithsonian are working to ensure that pandas survive, whatever the cost. But what makes these animals so special? Aside from their cuteness, their scarcity makes them important: giant pandas are extremely rare. Even other endangered animals- tigers, gorillas, Asian elephants- outnumber them, both in the wild and in captivity. Recently, China reported that about 1,590 of the black-and-white bears survive in the hills of Sichuan, Shaanxi, and Gansu provinces. In captivity, there are only about 200: some are in the U.S. and a few others are in Mexico, Japan, Thailand, Germany, and Austria. Most captive pandas, though, are in zoos and research centers in their native China.

IIITheir shortage makes pandas precious, but caring for them isn’t easy. The cost of hosting a giant panda at each zoo can exceed two and a half million U.S. dollars a year, and that’s without babies. Add a couple of cubs (nearly a half of all panda births produce twins), and the bill approaches four million dollars. Of course, at any zoo, the arrival of a panda or the birth of cubs brings an increase in attendance, but the crowds rarely translate into sufficient revenue. Even with tickets and gift shop sales, no zoo has collected enough money to offset the costs of hosting one of these animals.

IVWhy is accommodating these bears so expensive? At most zoos, these animals get the best of everything: state-of-the-art habitats, the best doctors and keepers, the tastiest food, and a variety of toys to play with. In the U.S. alone, this level of care costs millions of dollars a year. Every year, each zoo also sends China a million dollars for the protection of pandas and their remaining habitat. China uses these funds to create education programs for schools near protected areas, and to restore the panda’s bamboo forests.

VGiven the enormous cost of caring for these animals, what exactly are the benefits of raising pandas in captivity? For one thing, it has led to a number of successful births. In recent years, the captive-panda population has increased dramatically. Record numbers of cubs have been born, with much better chances for survival rates. A decade ago, at the Wolong Nature Reserve in China, at least half the twins and many of the single cubs died as babies. Today, new care and feeding techniques have improved the chances for survival of captive pandas in zoos in China and around the globe. All those cubs have pushed the captive population closer to a magic number: 300. With that many pandas, says population biologist Jon Ballou, “we can have a self-sustaining captive population and maintain 90 percent of known giant panda genetic variation for a century.”

VIWith panda numbers now on the rise, China’s goal is to release captive pandas into special nature reserves and to eventually boost the numbers of these animals in the wild. Scientists hesitate to do this just yet, though. As National Zoo biologist David Wildt says, “There may be as many wild pandas out there now as the habitat can support.” However, many pandas born in captivity are being trained to be more self-sufficient and not rely on their human keepers.

VII One day, we may be able to eliminate altogether the need to raise pandas in captivity. Though this hasn’t happened yet, the work being done in China, the U.S., and other countries worldwide is helping to make the goal a reality, one panda at a time.

PART A. Answer the following questions according to the text. (1 pt each question / blank)

1. What is this reading text mainly about?

a) the reasons panda numbers are decreasing

b) the problems faced by pandas in zoos

c) the differences between wild and captive pandas

d) the expense of caring for pandas in captivity

2. As a result of baby panda Tai Shan’s birth, the number of visitors to the zoo increased by half.

TRUE / FALSE / NOT GIVEN

3. Which of the following is NOT true about giant pandas?

a) Other endangered animals are not at a higher risk than giant pandas.

b) Most giant pandas in captivity are in their native land.

c) The number of giant pandas in captivity is more than in the wild.

d) They are considered as cute.

4. What effect do cubs have on the cost of hosting a giant panda?

______

5. The arrival of a panda, tickets or gift shop sales contribute a lot to the costs of hosting a giant

panda.

TRUE / FALSE / NOT GIVEN

6. What is NOTstated in the text as a way China spends the money it receives in donations?

a) care of captive pandas in zoos

b) educating children about wild pandas

c) building up the bamboo forests in China

d) protection of pandas

7. Why do cubs have much better chances for survival rates today?

______

8. Training for carers at the Wolong Nature Reserve in China has improved.

TRUE / FALSE / NOT GIVEN

9. When can captive pandas be ready to be released into special nature reserves?

______

10. The writer hopes that it will be completely unnecessary to raise pandas in captivity in the future.

TRUE / FALSE / NOT GIVEN

PART B: Explain the following words from the text in your own words.

1. cub (prg. I): ______

2. scarcity (prg.II):______

3. boost (prg. VI): ______

PART C: Find words or phrases in the text with the following meanings:

1. to be more than, to exceed (prg. II): ______

2. suddenly and obviously (prg. V): ______

3.able to support itself without help from others (prg. V): ______

PART D: What do the following words refer to in the text?

1. it (prg.V – line 2): ______

2. the goal (prg. VII – line 3): ______

TEXT 2

Read this extract from an article that appeared in the journal Scientific American in July 2004, just before the Athens Olympic Games and answer the following questions.

GENE DOPING

Athletes will be going to Athens next month to take part in a tradition which started in Greece more than 2,000 years ago. As the world’s finest specimens of fitness test the extreme limits of human strength, speed and agility, some of them will probably also get involved in a more recent, less inspiring Olympic tradition: using performance-enhancing substances. Despite repeated scandals, doping has become irresistible to many athletes, in order to keep pace with competitors who are doing it. Where victory is paramount, athletes will try to catch any opportunity to gain extra seconds of speed or a small boost of endurance.

Sports authorities fear that a new form of doping will be undetectable and therefore much less preventable. Treatments that regenerate muscle, increase its strength and protect it from degradation will soon be entering clinics to be tested on humans with muscle-wasting problems. Among these are therapies that give patients a synthetic gene, which can last for years, producing high amounts of naturally occurring muscle-building chemicals.

…(6A)…This kind of gene therapy could change the lives of the elderly and people with muscular dystrophy (abnormal development or degeneration of muscles). ...(6B)… The chemicals are identical to their natural equivalents and are only produced locally in the muscle tissue. Nothing enters the bloodstream, so officials will have nothing to detect in a blood or urine test. The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) has already asked scientists to help find ways to prevent gene therapy from becoming the newest means of doping. …(6C)… But as experts start testing these treatments in clinics and, after a certain time, start using them more frequently, it could be impossible to prevent athletes from gaining access to them . …(6D)…

Is gene therapy going to form the basis of high-tech cheating in athletics? It is certainly possible. Will there be a time when gene therapy becomes so commonplace for disease that manipulating genes to increase performance will become universally accepted? Perhaps. Either way, the world may be about to watch one of its last Olympic Games without genetically enhanced athletes.

Answer the following questions. (0,5pt each question / blank except for 1 pt)

1. Which of the following is NOT true according to the text? (1 pt)

a) The majority of the athletes are likely to take drugs to improve their ability.

b) Scandals have not stopped athletes from taking performance-enhancing substances.

c) Athletes often feel they have to take drugs in order to match their peers.

d) Athletes are ready to do whatever it takes because winning is all that matters.

2. The more detectable the doping, the less preventable it will be.

TRUE / FALSE / NOT GIVEN

3. What benefits will people whose muscles are very weak get from treatments about to be tested?

Write three of them.

a) ______

b) ______

c) ______

4. The word “paramount” in line 8 means…

a) secondary b) convenient c) supreme d) reasonable

5. Find the word which means “the process of becoming weak” in paragraph 2.

______

6. Where would the following sentence best fit into Paragraph 3? Circle the best choice.

Unfortunately, it is also a dream come true for an athlete who is determined to use doping.

6A6B6C6D

7. The man-made substances are identical to those that exist in the body.

TRUE / FALSE / NOT GIVEN

8. Which of the following can be said about the WADA’s attitude towards gene therapy?

a) They are afraid that gene therapy will be the new way of doping.

b) They are not aware of the possible risk.

c) They have managed to prevent the clinical trials of these treatments.

d) They work in cooperation with experts to encourage the widespread use of gene therapy.

9. The writer believes that athletes at the Athens Olympics...

a) will certainly manipulate genes to increase their performance.

b) hope to win their final games thanks to gene therapy.

c) may be among the last generation to compete without gene therapy.

d) will use high-tech cheating techniques in the games.

10. What does the word “them” refer to in paragraph 1, line 4? Choose the correct option.

a) extreme limits

b) human strength

c) speed and agility

d) finest specimens of fitness

11. What does the word “it” refer to in paragraph 2, line 2?

______

PART A- KEY WORD TRANSFORMATION

Complete the second sentence so that it has a similar meaning with the first sentence. You must use between two and five words. There is an example at the beginning.

(0,5pt each question)

Example

They don’t let people smoke in this area.

allowed

People are not allowed to smoke in this area.

1. She can’t say anything because she is so shocked.

too

She is ______anything.

2. The human body consists of trillions of cells.

made

The human body ______trillions of cells.

3. I’m sure he was involved in the robbery.

must

He ______in the robbery.

4. Her mother doesn’t like her to stay out late.

approve

Her mother doesn’t ______out late.

5. I can’t finish the job if you don’t stop speaking to me.

unless

I can’t finish the job ______to me.

6. People say that China is a beautiful country.

said

China ______a beautiful country.

7. He appears to be fighting with that man over there.

as

It looks ______with that man over there.

8. Let’s play a game of tennis.

playing

How ______a game of tennis?

PART B: MULTIPLE CHOICE CLOZE (1 x 16 pts = 16 pts)

Read the text below and circle the best alternative for each blank.

A lot of people are familiar with the story of Brave Gelert, the dog that faithfully defended the prince’s son, (1) ______

was killed while it was fast asleep through

a terrible misunderstanding. (2) ______, only a few people know that the story is really a pack of lies. Let me explain.

About a hundred or so years ago there was a hotel owner in Wales who was (3) ______up with business being so bad. His hotel was stuck in the middle of nowhere and hardly (4) ______came to stay. Then, one day, he (5) ______an old friend who gave the hotel owner a great idea. A famous prince (6) ______Llewellyn had lived in the area (7) ______the Middle Ages and had been (8) ______of dogs. This is hardly surprising (9) ______hunting was extremely popular at that time. So what he did was to (10) ______up the story of the brave and faithful Gelert and how (11) ______by his ungrateful master.

Of course, people would be more (12) ______to believe the story if there was something they could see. (13) ______, one day, the hotel keeper went to the top of a high hill and built a sort of monument from the stones he found (14) ______around. A friend of his, who was, incidentally, an accountant helped him (15) ______it. The ‘legend’ soon caught on and developed a life of its own. Afterwards, people came from far and wide to see the spot where the dog was buried. (16) ______to say, business became very good for the hotel owner. He wished he had found this solution much earlier.

1. a) whichb) wherec) thatd) why

2. a) Sob) Howeverc) Justd) While

3. a) calledb) fedc) lookedd) tied

4. a) no oneb) everyonec) anyoned) someone

5. a) came alongb) came throughc) came acrossd) came around

6. a) was calledb) callingc) calledd) had been called

7. a) whileb) sincec) atd) during

8. a) keenb) crazyc) fondd) interested

9. a) asb) due toc) despited) however

10. a) turnb) makec) calld) do

11. a) he had been killedb) was he killedc) had he been killedd) he killed

12. a) possiblyb) probablyc) surelyd) likely

13. a) Sob) Thoughc) Actuallyd) Since

14. a) lyingb) placingc) hangingd) setting

15. a) constructingb) constructc) constructedd)having constructed

16. a) Withoutb) Needlessc) Nothingd) Going