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 37 to 43.
When people hear the word “city”, they usually imagine concrete, neon signs, and lots of air pollution. Thanks to some clever and concerned architects, this image is starting to change. The concept of green cities aims to bring some beauty from rural environments into urban areas. It is not only about looking better though. Green cities are also trying to improve the efficiency of cities and raise the standard of living for people who stay in them. The term “green cities” refers to cities where builders take into account several environmental factors before those cities are constructed or redesigned to be more physically appealing than traditional cities from the past. In addition, the mobility of citizens should be considered, so public transportation can be more convenient and travel time to work can be reduced. Energy sources should also be evaluated with the goal of minimizing air pollution. When it comes to going green, the city of Barcelona is far ahead of its time. Since 1859, its designers have consciously tried to create sustainable urban designs. Then in 1992, the city received a well-deserved makeover before hosting the Olympic Games. In recent years, Barcelona has upgraded its transportation system. This has reduced air pollution and more workers are using public transportation instead of their own vehicles. Barcelona also boasts one of the best recycling programs in the world. Visitors will find clear, color –coded trash bins throughout the city where they can put all of their materials. It is no secret in Portland, Oregon is one of the greenest cities in the US. Since 1903, it has been an example of what American cities can accomplish with careful planning. Instead of filling its area with office buildings, Portland has plenty of green space for activities. It has 119 kilometers of running, hiking, and bike trails that allow citizens to experience the great outdoors. The city also offers residents creative energy plans that give them the opportunity to pay a bit extra for clean energy sources. For about $3 to $9 extra each month, homeowners can choose solar or wind power and help the environment. These are only a small sample of the green cities around the world. As more people experience the pleasure of visiting green cities, it seems certain that the trend of urban areas going green will continue far into the future. (Adapted from Read to Achieve by Rich Issak)
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 46 to 50.
Broadcasting, perhaps the greatest invention of the last century, has come a long way; and the BBC is one of the most important and trusted broadcasters in the world today. The British Broadcasting Company was established in 1922. Four years later, it changed its name to the British Broadcasting Corporation, better known as the BBC. It was not the world's first radio station. There had already been public radio broadcasts in Britain before 1920. From the beginning the BBC was a public service radio, but also an independent operator. In the early days of BBC radio, there was not a lot of news on the radio. There were music, drama, discussions and children's programs; but news was not broadcast until after 7 p.m., to avoid competition with the newspapers! In 1936 the BBC began the world's first television service. Only a few thousand people in London could receive those first flickering images. Nevertheless, people liked what they saw, and as the number of transmitters increased, more and more people went out to buy new television sets. In 1937, tennis was broadcast from Wimbledon for the first time. Then in 1938, football's Cup Final could be seen, live, by hundreds of thousands of people for the first time ever. Since 1946, the BBC has become one of Britain's most famous institutions. Today it has several national television channels, lots of radio channels and a growing number of international services. (Adapted from https://linguapress.com)
Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to indicate the correct word or phrase that best fits each of the numbered blanks from 5 to 9. Gia Long was the first emperor of the Nguyen dynasty as well as the founding father of the modern nation of Vietnam. Born as Nguyen Phuc Anh, he was the nephew of the last Nguyen lord who (5) ________ over southern Vietnam. In spite of being born into a royal family, he had to encounter (6) ________ difficulties in his early life as he became the target of rival groups who attempted to wipe out the Nguyen clan (7) ________ After the deaths of his father and uncle at the hands of the rival leaders, Nguyen Phuc Anh fled to the southern coastal tip of Vietnam (8) ________ he met a French priest, Pigneau de Behaine, who would eventually become his trusted adviser and play a major (9) ________ in his rise to power. He escaped with the help of the priest and later on sought aid from the French in his struggle against his rivals. (Adapted from https://www.thefamouspeople.com/)