Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C or D on your answer sheet to indicate the correct answer to each of the questions from 26 to 30.
Tornadoes are giant rotating columns of air. They form in thunderstorms when there is a great difference in the temperature and humidity of the lower and upper atmosphere. They can be very dangerous and very destructive. There are different varieties of tornadoes. They can be very big or small. Some tornadoes are only a few feet across and others can travel across an entire state. Tornadoes· stretch from the ground high into the sky. Usually, people rate them from F0 to F5, F5 being the most dangerous with wind speeds of around 261-318 miles per hour. They are a very violent force of nature and can lay whole towns completely flat. Tornadoes can happen all over the world but a lot of them happen in the central United States in a region called Tornado Alley. Tornado Alley is made up of the low, flat states of the central United States between the Rocky Mountains and the Appalachian Mountains. Even though Tornado Alley is the most common place for tornadoes, the deadliest recorded tornado was in Bangladesh in 1989 and killed around 1,300 people. Recently, massive tornadoes destroyed large parts of Alabama in the United States, a state that does not usually have tornadoes.
Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C or D on your answer sheet to indicate the correct answer to each of the questions from 34 to 40.
Within the space of a few decades, video game technology has changed beyond recognition. From basic single – player computer games involving simple stick controls, we can now manipulate the movements of computer game characters with our bodies. We can even invite other people from anywhere in the world to join us in online games. So how might gaming evolve in the next few decades? The average age of gamers has risen to about 30 in recent years. Experts agree that this trend is likely to continue. Not only are people continuing to play games later in life, but now even older people with no computer skills can also confidently take part in the games console revolution. More and more games are designed to need very little pressing of buttons. Games of the future may even be completely voice – activated. Because of this user – friendliness, game designers are trying to appeal to a whole new market the middle – aged. We may soon see the release of games with themes such gardening or cookery. The younger generation, however, can push themselves harder with more serious gaming and they expect games to become to a lot more physical in the future. There are already some games that sense the movement of any part of the body. Soon, games consoles will even be adapted to the way we feel through our facial expressions. Some games will feel more real than ever through the use of 3D imagery. Today’s most advanced video games are played in the home, but it is already common for people to continue playing them wherever they go via their phones or similarly – sized gadgets. Businesses could even try to take advantage of this, couldn’t they? They could start advertising within games that are being played by people in their target groups, those who live in certain areas or by people with particular tastes.
Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C or D on your answer sheet to choose the word or phrase that best fits each other numbered blanks.
We all have heard that good study habits involve sitting somewhere quite, sticking to a schedule and setting yourself targets. (41) ______ , such habits don’t work for everyone and cognitive scientists have come up with some new findings. In fact, the brain makes subtle associations between what is studying and the background sensations it has at the time. Restricting study to one place may therefore have (42) ______ effects because when the context is varied, the information being studied is enriched and forgetting is slowed down. In effect, the information is given more support from the multiple associations. Evidence also shows that varying the type of material studied in a single sitting leaves a deeper impression on the brain than does concentrating on (43) ______ skill at a time. Musicians have known this for years, as have athletes (44) ______ routinely incorporate strength, speed and skill drills into their workout. These ideas seem to work when applied to any subject so it seems time for this (45) ______ to studying to be taken more seriously. (Adapted from Complete Advanced by Laura Matthews and Barbara Thomas)