Reading and Use of English

Part 1
For question 1-8, read the text below and decide which answer (A, B, C or D) best fits each gap. There is an
example at the beginning (0)
0. A. section B. corner C. boundary D. periphery
Visiting Antarctica
For those intrepid travellers who wish to explore every (0) ………… of the globe, Antarctica, which is still
considered to be off the beaten (1) ………….. , is likely to be high on the list of must-visit destinations. This
vast white wilderness attracts around 35,000 visitors per year, but the experience of (2) …………….. at the
diversity of wildlife and stunning scenery does not (3) ………… cheap. A typical passenger on a specially
adapted ship can expect to fork out at least £4,000, but if price is no (4) …………… , there are far more
expensive alternatives. Travel agents’ clients who prefer to (5) ……………… into the more remote interior can
stay in opulent camps that are (6) …………… at the end of the season. The price tag for such a stay can reach
£20,000.
No matter what kind of visit is selected, the Antarctic never fails to (7) …………… on its promise of the
holiday of a lifetime on the most (8) ………………… populated land mass on the planet.

1. A. lane B. way C. path D. track

2. A. hailing B. marvelling C. revelling D. appreciating
3. A. come B. find C. charge D. cost
4. A. reason B. factor C. object D. barrier
5. A. get through B. go by C. take off D. make over
6. A. uprooted B. debunked C. undone D. dismantled
7. A. deliver B. announce C. follow D. succeed
8. A. randomly B. sparsely C. thinly D. finely

Part 2
For question 9-16, read the text below and think of the word which best fits each space. Use only ONE WORD
in each space. There is an example at the beginning (0).
Promoting healthy eating
Together (0) ……with…… the widespread availability of fast food and (9) ………… wholehearted
acceptance by a substantial proportion of the population have come serious health concerns. The convenience
factor associated with burgers and pizza in this (10) …………… and age of working long hours has for the
most part been responsible for the adoption of poor diets. All (11) …………… often those who embrace the
fast food culture are quick to make the excuse that they have too (12) …………… time to eat ‘proper food’.
In an attempt to help their employees, certain employers have (13) ……………… to the trouble of
providing healthy meals either (14) …………… of charge or for a nominal fee. Their decision to take (15)
…………… a step is obviously not completely altruistic as they also benefit (16) …………… their workers
taking less sick leave brought on by unhealthy eating habits. It is a win-win situation for all concerned.
Part 3
For question 17-24, read the text below. Use the word given in capitals at the end of some of the lines to form a
word that fits in the space in the same line. There is an example at the beginning (0).
Britain’s Roswell
According to conspiracy (0) ……theorists…… , the truth behind the incident THEORY
at Roswell, New Mexico, in which an alien craft crash landed in the desert
still remains shrouded in (17) ……………. This element of mystery SECRET
that (18) …………… the incident has led to alternative ROUND
(19) ………………… continuing their research into what actually happened in HISTORY
the South Western United States over sixty years ago and whether it is part
of a (20) ……………… UFO phenomenon. WORLD

Some three decades after the Roswell incident, eyewitnesses in the UK claimed to
have observed an (21) ……………… object hovering over a forest. As news of the IDENTIFY
accounts spread slowly through limited media (22) ………………… of the sighting, COVER
the military personnel who had (23) ………………… seen the craft were told that APPEAR
What they had actually seen was a beam of light from a nearby lighthouse. Some
of them remained (24).................. by this explanation, but as they were unable to CONVINCE
provide evidence to the contrary, they could not challenge it.

Part 4
For questions 25-30, complete the second sentence so that it has a similar meaning to the first sentence, using
the word given. Do not change the word given. You must use between three and eight words, including the
word given. Here is an example (0).
0. They argued fiercely when they couldn’t agree on the best policy for the company.
broke
A ………fierce argument broke out……… because of their inability to agree on the best policy for the
company.

25. You don’t have to shout when you express your opinion.
need
There ……………………………………………………………………… your point of view across.
26. Everything the professor said went straight over my head.
faintest
I ………………………………………………………………………… the professor was talking about.
27. Nobody expected the film to be a great success.
turned
Contrary ………………………………………………………………… to be a great success.
28. As David’s sister is generous, he asks her for money at every opportunity.
advantage
David …………………………………………………… by asking her for money at every opportunity.
29. They ought to realise it was luck that allowed them to escape serious injury.
count
They should ………………………………………………………… away with only minor injuries.
30. The treasurer could give no explanation that would account for the missing money.
loss
The treasurer ……………………………………………………… some of the money was missing.

Part 5
You are going to read an extract from a novel. For questions 31-36, choose the answer (A, B, C or D) which
you think fits best according to the text.

Graecen took out his pen and wrote his name neatly at the head of the list for the excursion to “The Labyrinth
of Crete”, “Shall I put yours?” he asked. Baird nodded and then thanked him.
“And mine, please,” said Campion, who was craning over Baird’s shoulder.
Few of the other passengers showed much interest apart from the Trumans, who spent a good five minutes
calculating the cost of the rate of exchange and wondering whether the expenditure would be justified. Finally,
they added their names to the list. Fearmax pondered the question seriously over dinner, and only added his
name after the purser had made a short announcement to the effect that he would like the list closed by ten
o’clock that night as the Captain was required to contact Crete stating the number of prospective excursionists
and arranging for cars to ferry them to their destination.

Miss Dale and Miss Dombey brought up the rear; the former because she had a vague feeling that the visit
might help her with her examination and the latter because she was an inveterate sightseer, and because
humanitarian motives demanded that Spot, her dog, should have a run on terra firma after so many days at sea.
Several other names were added to the list, but these were later erased when it emerged that the trip would take
up nearly a whole day. The name of Colonel Sinclair was also on the list, but he had become too incapacitated
by sea sickness to avail himself of the opportunity offered by the Jannadis Brothers. He lay in his bunk
groaning for Cheltenham. Later, of course, he claimed that a premonition had prevented him from going rather
than sea sickness. Indeed, on his return, the local paper published this myth under the headline of Colonel’s
Premonition.

The sea in the Cretan channel had become rough again and several passengers, including Miss Dombey,
suffered from seasickness - not because the Europa rolled, but because the ship moved so steadily through a
raging sea of whitecaps that piled up around her like the froth on a café viennois. By dawn, however, the squall
had blown itself out and the great vessel nosed cautiously into the magnificent bay of Suda and anchored
opposite the twisted wreck of the old warship York, which lay, a rusted relic of the Cretan campaign,
belly-down in the shallows.
Baird had been up at dawn to watch the sunrise over the familiar Cretan landscape. He was troubled by
something, but he could not put his finger on exactly what it was. The sun rose slowly from among the
snow-capped peaks of the White Mountains. It was bitterly cold, but he had found himself a vantage point on
the boat deck where he was shielded from the light piercing wind. From there, looking down into the harbour,
he could see the reflection of the ship rustling in the water, almost motionless except for the thick black plume
of smoke billowing from the white stacks. He stared out eagerly across the island, taking in every detail,
surprised to find how intimately he could remember it all. A foreground of olive trees and turned red earth, a
few box-like houses and an oil refinery gave way to a dusty road winding into the distance - in his imagination
peopled by dusty columns of New Zealanders and British, plodding their way towards Sphakia. He could have
walked inland with his eyes shut.

As he was standing there, a car came over the brow of the hill and took the winding road, fringed with pines,
which led to the jetty. It stopped at the water’s edge and a man got out. Was it perhaps Axelos who had come to
meet Graecen? He saw almost immediately that it was someone much smaller than Axelos. A fisherman in a
blue jersey brought the newcomer across until his boat rested in the shadow of the Europa. From the cut of the
man’s clothes, Baird concluded that he was probably English, though quite why he should come aboard at this
hour was more than the observer could fathom. ‘Prosechete, Kirie,’ he heard the boatman say. It was the first
Greek he had heard for some time; it filled him with a kind of nostalgic pain. He scanned the face of the
boatman eagerly to see if it was anyone he knew. (One always does this in Greece.) Octopus, pinnae and red
mullet lay in a basket at the bottom of the boat. He had obviously been out all night fishing. The British Consul
took his time to come aboard. He was tired and peevish, and walked like a person of considerable standing to
the bridge, where he asked for the officer of the watch. ‘I understand you have passengers wishing to visit the
labyrinth. I have come to inform you that the trip is simply not safe.’

He was conducted below to see the Captain, to whom he explained his business more clearly, slightly mollified
by the excellent coffee and biscuits he was served. “There’s a travel agency run by two young Greeks,” he said.
“They advertise tours of the labyrinth. Now, my advice is to dissuade passengers from running the risk. The
labyrinth simply isn’t safe. I don’t want to have British subjects lost on the island. It upsets the Embassy and
I’ve no doubt your company would not like to risk the lives of its passengers.”

The Captain listened to him carefully and decided that his manner was too peremptory for a mere vice-Consul.
The company, he pointed out, was exempt from any responsibility in the matter. The Jannides Agency had
merely canvassed visitors to the labyrinth. It was not up to him to stop people enjoying themselves. At any rate,
he would post a notice on the board, explaining that the place was considered dangerous by the Consul, and
advising passengers not to risk it.

Over breakfast all eight of them read the Captain’s notice with curiosity not unmixed with excitement. They felt
rather bold to be visiting a place considered unsafe by the Consul. Even Miss Dombey, who was under the
weather, felt it was up to her to show she was no coward. “You’re intrepid, that’s what you are,” said Campion
to her in his stage-Cockney accent while buttering his toast.

31. Why did some people remove their names from the list to visit the labyrinth?
A. They felt the excursion was overpriced.
B. They did not trust the transport on the island.
C. They hadn’t signed up before the deadline.
D. They had been discouraged from going.
32. It can be inferred from the newspaper story about Colonel Sinclair that
A. reporters are all too willing to believe respected members of society.
B. journalists manipulate the truth by ignoring context.
C. the press tend to opt for the sensational over the mundane.
D. the editors had little knowledge of Cretan mythology.

33. Baird was familiar with Crete because

A. he had worked on a tanker operating in the region.
B. he had participated in a military campaign on the island.
C. he had stayed with one of Graecen’s friends who lived there.
D. he had cruised round the Mediterranean before.

34. Why has the sentence “One always does this in Greece” been added in brackets?
A. to illustrate that Baird’s staring would not be considered rude
B. to highlight how much the fisherman had changed over the years
C. to show that Greek people all look alike to foreigners
D. to remind the reader that Crete is part of Greece

35. When the diplomat was taken below, the Captain

A. tried to placate him by offering him coffee and biscuits.
B. refused to believe the tour organisers were reckless.
C. decided that he would not cooperate with him.
D. did not realise exactly who his visitor was.

36. The notice the Captain posted for the passengers visiting the labyrinth
A. was worded so as not to act as a deterrent.
B. did very little to allay their fears.
C. would not have met with the Consul’s approval.
D. gave them added incentive to go on the excursion.