Reading test

For each question, choose the correct answer.

7.

8.
9.

10.

11.

12.

Our school newspaper

by Michael Williams

Some years ago, our head teacher, Mrs Waters, decided to start a school
newspaper, and get as many students as possible to take on the job of producing it – and
parents, too. She felt the newspaper would help them learn more about school life,
through articles on things like sports achievements and arts projects, which not all
students know about if they’re not taking part. Students took the whole thing very
seriously – and we now have a prize-winning newspaper!
Some of my friends joined the newspaper team immediately and enjoyed it. I’d
always loved creative writing and drawing cartoons, which I thought would be perfect in
the newspaper, so I signed up. My dad, who’s a journalist, was pleased – he thought that
even though I wasn’t keen on a job like his, the newspaper would be a great opportunity
for me. And he was right – I loved it! Dad often came along to give advice, which was
popular with the students. It was difficult sometimes, if he was busy, but he learned a lot
about the school that way.
My first job was writing a report about a sports event – a writing style I’d never
attempted before. But Dad reminded me it was similar in some ways to writing a story –
getting information in the right order. Once I’d understood that, there was no stopping me
– and after my first efforts, I developed quite a professional style, which was brilliant.
Sometimes the team couldn’t use what I’d written, or my cartoons, for whatever reason,
but I didn’t mind. And sometimes it was hard to finish stuff on time, but I usually got
there.
I’m now one of the editors – we decide what goes into the newspaper, so our
names no longer appear in print. And it’s stressful sometimes as we don’t have much
time, but we try to manage that properly. We also correct mistakes in people’s articles,
which we all had to get used to, but we were soon doing it without thinking – and in our
own schoolwork, too. I still put off calling people outside school for comments on stuff,
but I guess it’s all good experience – at least, that’s what Dad says!

13 Michael’s head teacher wanted to start a student newspaper to

A provide an activity for students not interested in sport or art.
B make students feel more confident about taking part in something.
C keep students better informed about what was happening at school.
D give students the experience of being responsible for something.

14 Michael decided to join the newspaper because

A he had ideas about some work he could do for it.
B he was considering a career in journalism.
C his friends had encouraged him to do so.
D he liked the idea of being part of a team.

15 When Michael first started working on the newspaper, he was

A disappointed when his stories sometimes weren’t used.
B delighted at the way his writing skills improved.
C pleased to find he could make use of his art skills.
D worried he’d be late completing some of his writing.

16 What does Michael say about his role on the newspaper now?
A He feels uncomfortable about correcting other students’ work.
B He still needs to improve the way he manages his time.
C He’s happier to handle making telephone calls to others.
D He’s become better at making articles more accurate.
Distance learning
Distance learning can give students the chance to work and learn at the same time.
Nineteen-year-old Jamie Henderson hasn’t had what you’d call a typical student
experience. Despite wanting to read for a degree in Law, Jamie decided against the usual
university route and instead opted to study from home.
‘With course fees now so high in this country, I was really put off by all the debt I
would have when I came out of university,’ he says.
Having made this decision, Jamie was able to look into alternatives – which in the
end turned out to be a degree validated by a university through a distance learning
provider.
‘It was a massive weight off my mind and it was a perfect option for me,’ Jamie
says. ‘It has allowed me to stay near my friends and my family and still work part-time.’
Jamie has been able to take on two part-time jobs – alongside his studies – but has also
been free to undertake work experience for a law firm, which has led to a full-time job
offer before he has even completed his course.
Jonathan Smith, who is studying for a BA in Business, chose to study via a
distance learning course when already in full-time employment.
‘I’d studied History, Politics and Economics at school but going to university
wasn’t even a consideration for me,’ he explains. ‘My friends were at home, I didn’t want
to be burdened with debt and I wanted to get straight into a career.’
Jonathan completed a Business and Administration Apprenticeship with the local
council. While working as a medical administrator, he studied for a diploma and after 12
months had valuable workplace experience.
‘I’d done so well at work that they kept me on. But after six months getting
settled into my new role, I was financially stable and ready to progress my career with a
degree. I didn’t want to give up what I’d achieved to go to university, so distance learning
was an appealing choice.’
Obviously, one of the downsides to a distance learning course is that students
miss out on the experience of attending university, which means missing out on
traditional lectures.
‘Reading feedback and instructions from a screen isn’t quite the same as talking
to someone face-to-face,’ Jamie says. ‘It’s also a lot of work to do on your own. I don’t
have a close circle of friends going through the same thing, so I can’t really ask my peers
for help and advice. However, I’ve found the online (line 46) student forums helpful and
the firm I’ve been working for have offered advice and guidance when I’ve needed it.’
‘I haven’t met as many new people as I would have, had I moved away,’ says Jamie. ‘But
I have met new people through work instead. It’s just a different type of experience,
which is just as rewarding and ultimately, in my opinion, makes me more employable.’
For anyone considering a distance learning course, there are several other factors to be
considered; perhaps most importantly, motivation.
‘Distance learning isn’t an easy option,’ says Dr Philip Hallam, Chief Executive
Officer of a distance and online learning provider. ‘It’s going to be a substantial
commitment, not only financially but also on your time. We need to make sure that
people have really thought it through and understand why they want a degree. You will
need to dig deep occasionally.’
Jonathan Smith is confident in the choices he’s made regarding education, but believes
more could be done to make young people aware of the choices they have.
‘When I left school with good qualifications, I was shocked at how little advice
was available on options other than university. Everyone is different and education
should reflect that. I’m glad I took the route I did and I think it is important that more
people have the opportunity to study in a way that suits them.’
17    Why did Jamie decide to do his degree from home?
      A   His friends were also studying by distance learning.
      B   He had already been offered a full-time job.
      C   He wanted to avoid owing a lot of money.
      D   He was unable to obtain a place at university.
18   Jonathan’s reason for studying from home was that
      A   he wanted to remain in his job.
      B   the job he was doing was badly paid.
      C   his preferred subject wasn’t available at university.
      D   it was too late for him to apply to university.
19   In line 46, what does ‘my peers’ mean?
      A   the university staff
      B   students who have already graduated
      C   the management of the f rm
      D   students of the same age
20   Jamie says that studying from home has enabled him to
      A   work with people who were also studying at the same time.
      B   improve his chances of finding work in the future.
      C   get to know more people than he would have done at university.
      D   concentrate on studying rather than spend time socializing.
21   Dr Hallam recommends distance learning for students who
      A   dislike having to work very hard.
      B   have little time available for study.
      C   cannot afford to go to university.
      D   know exactly what it involves.
22   In the last paragraph, Jonathan says that young people should
      A   be advised not to go to university.
      B   be made more aware of the choices they have.
      C   apply for work with employers like his.
      D   ensure they get high grades at school.
Hotels of the future
Our Travel correspondent Joana Richards reports about a new trend in hotels.
I recently visited a hotel in France which has no visible human staff. This is just one of
several hotels in Europe and Asia which runs with apparently no human contact. Most of
the services are provided by robots and machines. The concept is to provide an
environmentally friendly hotel where staff and running costs kept to a minimum.
Personally, I’ve spent my life away from robots and machines, and so kept having to
remind myself that in many parts of the world, its not unusual for jobs and household
tasks to be automated these days.
So I lost no time in booking myself a room at one of these hotels and going to see it for
myself. And sure enough, there are the reception desk instead of a friendly receptionist
wearing a uniform was a machine.
‘I’d like to check in please, I shouted, wondering if the machine would respond to my
voice, and feeling thrilled that I was about to have my first ever conversation with a
check-in machine. Nothing. I said it again but there was silence. I was hoping the
machine would say something like ‘If you want to check in, press 1. But then I noticed a
written message in the machine’s screen. ‘Please insert your credit card and key in your
booking reference, then follow the instructions.’ No conversation. How disappointing.
Staying at the hotel costs from €35 (more if you want a bigger room). That’s a bargain for
Paris, where a stay in a more conventional hotel can easily cost two or three times that
much. And if you did stay there, it wouldn’t necessarily be any nicer, and certainly
wouldn’t be any more memorable. The hotel is located near to the amusement park,
Disneyland Paris, which was created as a visitor attraction on the east of the city with lots
of amusement rides. In fact, many of the guests book the hotel purely in order to be close
to the park.
Back in the hotel, as well as machines to check in, there are vending machines to serve
drinks and snacks and vacuum cleaners that work without a human, using sensors to
navigate around the rooms. According to the owners, the laundry has robots which do all
the washing unaided. Another innovation is the use of face recognition instead of keys to
get into your room. A photograph of the guest’s face is taken at the reception desk by the
check in machines.
With 60 rooms in the building, there is a lot of coming and going. Guests are actively
encouraged to stop and get a coffee from one of the machines in the guest lounge with
other guests, so there is at least some social interaction. One area where humans are
absolutely essential for the hotel is security. There are scanners and CCTV cameras
everywhere, and the footage from these is watched by human security guards, no matter
whether or not the hotel is full. It is their job to make sure that the guests are safe – and
that no-one causes any damage to hotel property, including of course making off with a
costly robot.
Critics say that businesses like these automated hotels will mean that people lose their
jobs, as more and more roles can be performed by robots and machines. But there are
many who see them as a vision of the future and argue that robots can make our lives
easier. But this can only happen if higher manufacturing and (line x) operating standards
are achieved, and if guests are prepared to put their trust in machines and don’t mind the
lack of personal contact. Only then will this type of hotel be a success. Time will tell if
this is the case.
23    The aim of this hotel is to be very
      A   efficient.
      B   friendly.
      C   profitable.
      D   unusual.
24    What aspect of the writer’s experience at reception was ‘disappointing’ (line X)?
      A   the appearance of the reception
      B   the time she wasted checking in
      C   the lack of verbal interaction with the machine
      D   the rudeness of the other guests
25    What does the writer say about the price of the rooms in the hotel?
      A   The hotel is good value.
      B   The prices are likely to rise.
      C   Other hotels provide better accommodation.
      D   It is not always clear how much a room will cost.
26    What is the writer’s main point in the fourth paragraph?
      A   There are limits to what robots and machines can do.
      B   Robots and machines can learn a wide range of skills.
      C   Different robots and machines are used for different tasks.
      D   Humans make mistakes that robots and machines do not make.
27    What risk is mentioned in the fifth paragraph?
      A   robots being stolen
      B   security guards being ineffective
      C   the hotel not doing enough business
      D   areas of the hotel becoming too crowded
28    What does ‘this can only happen’ in line X refer to?
      A   more roles being performed by robots and machines
      B   many seeing the hotel as a vision of the future
      C   robots and machines making our lives easier
      D   reduction in social human contact
Teenagers and parents – it’s the same old story …
Many readers have described the ups and downs of living with teenage children.
This week, we hear from Barry Davros, 15.
OK, I’ll admit it. Things haven’t been so easy at home in the last couple of years. I’d like
to think I’m old enough and wise enough to know that it’s almost certainly because I’m a
teenager now. Teenagers complain to their friends about their parents. And I think we can
be pretty certain that the parents do the same about their kids. I argue with mine. We
don’t talk as much as we did when I was a kid. It’s not that this is the way I want it – I’d
prefer it if we never argued, but found a way to talk about what was bothering us. That
would be so much better, not just for me and my mum and dad, but for any teenager and
their family. So I’ve been reading a lot – books like The Teenage Brain, and lots of
online stuff. And I’m sure that if people understood more about what goes on inside a
teenager’s mind, half of the arguments over the dinner table wouldn’t even start in the
first place. So I’d like to share what I’ve learnt.
There are so many things that parents have a go at their teenagers for that it’s almost
impossible to know where to start. So let’s just pick mornings. Mornings are for sleeping.
For as long as you need to, or at least as long as you can. Every teenager knows that. But
not parents – they think that we should get up at 7.30, just because they get up at 7.30,
ready for another busy day. So who’s right? Well, the science says that an adolescent’s
body clock isn’t programmed in the same way, and is on a schedule about three hours
behind that of older adults (that means both going to bed and getting up).
Another ‘issue’ that parents make a big deal about is tidiness. Clothes dumped on the
bathroom floor, an old plate of food under the bed, house keys lost. OK, I admit, I’ve
been guilty of all of these things recently (but at least I owned up!). Sorting stuff like this
takes planning, and the way the teenage brain develops means that it’s just not our strong
point. Sorry! The brain develops a chemical called myelin, and it’s created over time.
Until it’s fully developed in all parts of the brain, it does unfortunately mean that even
very bright teens can do really stupid things. So just bear with us guys!
Because as already mentioned, the teenage brain goes through all sorts of changes,
sometimes teenagers can get angry. This usually makes parents angry. Which makes us
angrier, which … OK, you get the picture. But parents need to understand more about
what’s going on inside our heads. Like, there might be a perfectly understandable (to us)
reason why we don’t want to do that maths homework this instant. So, listen parents out
there, try and understand! Don’t always respond to us by getting angry. Just don’t! Calm
down, count to ten and think twice. (line 49)
Communication. That’s a big one. Sure, teens and parents need to hang out together too,
not live in separate worlds. But I’m 15, so the topics of conversation I was into when I
was 11 don’t work for me now. Same for all kids my age. The sooner parents realise that,
the better. It’s not that we stop (line 54) loving them just because we’re in our teens, it’s
just that we need more space. To grow up and find out who we are.
Here’s a tip – if there’s something that needs to be discussed, do it on a car journey.
Whether it’s the whole family together or just two of you, the fact that you’re in a car
means that you’re gazing ahead, rather than staring at each other. For me, it just makes it
easier to talk somehow, because I sometimes feel they’re judging me or something if
they’re observing me. Try it. It works. And you heard it from me.
29    Why shouldn’t parents be surprised if their teenagers sleep late?
      A   Many teenagers find their busy schedule tiring.
      B   Some teenagers need more hours of sleep than adults.
      C   Teenagers prefer not to see their parents in the mornings.
      D   It’s natural for teenagers to have different sleep patterns from adults.
30    In the third paragraph, the writer admits that teenagers tend not to be very
      A   honest.
      B   organised.
      C   confident.
      D   intelligent.
31    What does the writer mean when he advises parents to ‘count to ten’ in line 49?
      A   don’t react too quickly
      B   repeat what you have said
      C   find ten reasons for the behaviour
      D   don’t tell teenagers things they already know
32    What does ‘that’ refer to in line 54?
      A   Teenagers need to spend time away from their parents.
      B   Teenagers love their parents less than they did as children.
      C   Teenagers want to talk about different things as they mature.
      D   Teenagers need to spend more time talking to their parents.
33    Car journeys are a good opportunity to speak because
      A   the speakers don’t need to look at each other.
      B   the vehicle provides more privacy.
      C   families can travel somewhere nice together.
      D   teenagers cannot avoid their parents when they are in the same car.
34   Why has Barry written this blog post?
      A   to help families get along better
      B   to explain why his parents annoy him
      C   to encourage parents, doctors and teachers to read more about teenagers
      D   to suggest that it is important for teenagers to be responsible

Two More Fire Scouts for the U.S. Navy

Northrop Grumman has sold two MQ-8B Fire Scout UAVs (Unmanned Aerial Vehicles)
to the U.S. Navy, raising the service’s total orders for the rotary-wing UAV to nine.
According to the manufacturer, the additional aircraft will assist the Navy in broadening
the Fire Scout usage in naval operations. This work is scheduled to include evaluation
flights and cargo test work.
Based on the Schweitzer 333 light civil helicopter, the Fire Scout is expected to find a
home aboard the Navy’s new Littoral Combat Ship now in development. The aircraft is
expected to reach operational capability in 2008. The MQ-8B Fire Scout variant made its
initial flight in December and the most significant change to it has been the four-blade
rotor modification. This UAV is also characterised by greater endurance and can carry a
larger cargo than the first-generation RQ-8A model.
Proposed missions for the MQ-8B Fire Scouts include the collection of real-time video
imagery and other forms of intelligence gathering, communications relay, precision
targeting, and foremost, accurate battle damage assessment. Fire Scouts are assembled at
the Unmanned Systems Center in Moss Point, Miss. “The first successful flight testing
was conducted in the same place, later however, they proceeded at Webster Field, part of
the Patuxent River Naval Air Station in Maryland. Systems work is underway in San
Diego, Calf,” Northrop Grumman said.
35. The new equipment is needed to …
A. widen the range of UAVs’ operations
B. improve the UAVs’ loading capacity
C. increase the UAVs’ air strike ability
36. The MQ-8B will …
A. help to upgrade the Schweitzer 333
B. be soon replaced by the RQ-8A model
C. operate from the Littoral Combat Ship
37. MQ-8B further flight tests have been continued …
A. in Moss Point
B. at Webster Field
C. in San Diego

 We Might ‘Win,’ But Still Lose

 Everyone seems certain that George W. Bush’s new plan for Iraq is bound to fail. But I
am not so sure. At a military level, the strategy could well produce some successes.
American forces have won every battle they have fought in Iraq. Having more troops and
a new mission to secure whole neighbourhoods is a good idea – better late than never.
But the crucial question is, will military progress lead to political progress? That logic, at
the heart of the president’s new strategy, strikes me as highly doubtful.
Administration officials have pointed to last week’s fighting against Sunni insurgents in
Baghdad as a textbook example of the new strategy. Iraqi forces took the lead, American
troops backed them up and the government did not put up any obstacles. The battle
looked like a successful test of unified American-Iraqi effort. But did it? A member of an
American advisory team, who took part in the fighting, reports that no more than twenty-
four hours after the battle on January 6, the brigade’s Sunni commander, Gen. Razzak
Hamza, was relieved of his command. The phone call to fire him came directly from the
office of Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki, a Shiite. Lt. Col. Steven Duke, commander of a
U.S. advisory team working with the Iraqis, describes Hamza as “a true patriot who
would go after the bad guys on either side.” Hamza was replaced by a Shiite.
Joint operations against Shiite militias are far less likely, and not only because of political
interference from the top. Groups like Moqtada al-Sadr’s Mahdi Army don’t generally
start fights with the Americans or attack Iraqi forces. Their goals are different, quieter.
Another U.S. advisor, Maj. Mark Brady, confirms reports that the Mahdi Army has been
continuing to take over Sunni neighbourhoods, terrorizing and forcing people out of their
homes. “They’re slowly moving across the river,” he said, from predominantly Shiite
eastern Baghdad into the predominantly Sunni west with a view to controlling the whole
city. If the 20,000 additional American troops being sent to the Iraqi capital focus
primarily on Sunni insurgents, there is a chance the Shiite militias might get bolder.
So what will happen if Bush’s new plan “succeeds” militarily? Sunnis will become more
insecure as their militias are dismantled. Shiite militias will lower their profile on the
streets and remain settled securely within the Iraqi Army and police. That will surely
make Sunnis less likely to support the new Iraq. Shiite political leaders, on the other
hand, will be emboldened. They refused to make any compromises – on federalism, de-
Baathification, oil revenues and jobs – in 2003 when the United States was dominant, in
2005 when the insurgency was raging, and in 2006 when they took over the government
fully. Why would the Shiites do so as they gain the upper hand militarily?
U.S. administration officials claim that this time things are different. The Maliki
government, and the Shiite leadership more generally, understand that they must crack
down on militias and compromise with the Sunnis. Why? In the words of one senior U.S.
official because Shiite political leadership understand they no longer have “unquestioning
American support, especially from Capitol Hill.” This suggests that the administration
has finally understood that Bush’s unrestricted policy for the Iraqi government has
proved totally counterproductive. The one action that might be forcing the Iraqi
leadership to make some compromises has been the threat that Congress would force a
withdrawal of American support.
Over the past years, the dominant flaw in the Bush administration’s handling of Iraq is
that it has driven the country’s several communities apart. Every seemingly neutral action
– holding elections, firing Baathists from the bureaucracy, building up an Iraqi military
and police force – has had sectarian consequences. The greatest danger of Bush’s new
strategy, then, isn’t that it won’t work but that it will – and thereby push the country one
step further along the road to all-out civil war. Only sustained pressure on the Maliki
government – unlike anything Bush has been willing to do yet – has any chance of
averting this outcome.
Otherwise, American interests and ideals will both be in jeopardy. Al Qaeda in Iraq – the
one true national-security threat we face from that country – will gain Sunni support. In
addition, as American officers like Duke and Brady have noted, our ideals will be
tarnished. The U.S. Army will be witnessing the largest program of ethnic cleansing since
Bosnia. Is that the model Bush wanted for the Middle East?
38. In the writer’s opinion, Bush’s new strategy for Iraq …
A. will become a military failure
B. may be politically unsuccessful
C. will lead to political progress
D. may threaten security in the region
39. The event after the Baghdad battle showed that …
A. the Sunnis and the Shiites act together
B. the Sunnis are distrusted by the U.S.
C. the Iraqis are far from getting united
D. the American new strategy really works
40. The Shiite militias want to …
A. oppose the United States’ forces
B. influence the Iraqi government
C. remove the Sunnis from Baghdad
D. weaken the Iraqi military forces
41. According to the author, Bush’s potential military success will …
A. stop Iraqi government’s help for the Sunnis
B. make Shiite leaders more uncompromising
C. make the Shiites hostile towards America
D. strengthen the forces of the Sunni militias
42. The American administration now believes that …
A. they should withdraw their support for the Sunnis
B. the Iraqis should be allowed to act on their own
C. Bush’s policy towards the Iraqis was too tough
D. the Iraqi leaders fear the withdrawal of U.S. help
43. If Bush’s strategy in Iraq works, …
A. the Iraqi military will become strong again
B. the pressure on Iraq’s leaders will be greater
C. the divisions in Iraq will be even deeper
D. a civil war will be prevented in this country
44. According to the author, the main threat of Bush’s strategy to America is that …
A. the States will be weakened militarily
B. Al Qaeda will gain new followers
C. human rights will be violated in Iraq
D. U.S. interests in Asia will be undermined

The Fight Against Fake Drugs

In November 2008, 84 children in Nigeria were killed by a medicine called My Pikin
Baby Teething Mixture. The syrup was fake, and the standard glycerin was replaced with
cheaper diethylene glycol, which is an industrial solvent that attacks the central nervous
system, kidneys and liver. In this case counterfeit drugs killed its victims outright. More
frequently, they kill by robbing patients of the real drugs they need. And some
counterfeits contain a small amount of active ingredient – not enough to cure an illness,
but enough to promote resistance that renders the real medicine powerless. That is the
most deadly effect of all.
It turns out that there is no way to tell if a pill is fake or real before taking it – or, for that
matter, afterwards. Malaria treatments are a good example. A study in Western Kenya
found that only 38 per cent of people who sought treatment for malaria actually had the
disease. What people believed to be malaria, then, might have been another fever that
resolved on its own — “cured” by a counterfeit with no active ingredient. Conversely, a
drug’s failure is not proof that it is counterfeit, as real drugs don’t always work. And
there is always the question of whether patients take them correctly.
Nations with a counterfeiting problem can solve it by acquiring effective regulation and
liability laws. Rwanda seems to be on its way. In Uganda, two organizations are co-
operating to improve village health. The nongovernmental organization BRAC has long
equipped its workers with medicines to sell. The other group, Living Goods, is using an
Avon Lady style of direct sale: women buy medicines to sell to their neighbours. This
gives villages access to reliable drugs, reducing other retailers’ sale of counterfeits.
Before the NGOs came in, 37 percent of pharmacies sold counterfeit malaria drugs. Now,
the amount of counterfeits sold in pharmacies has fallen by half. “You can get away with
selling fakes if villagers have nothing to compare them to,” says Yanagizawa-Drott from
BRAC. “When consumers try a reliable drug, they are able to observe quality.”
Providing genuine drugs is achievable in other ways. Tanzania is creating a network of
Accredited Pharmacies which are given subsidies and are then tightly regulated and
inspected. Another strategy was developed by an American company – Sproxil. Its CEO,
Ashifi Gogo, created a cellphone identification system allowing shoppers to verify the
authenticity of Whole Foods’ organic produce. “The system won a number of awards, but
nobody bought it, because clients trusted Whole Foods,” Gogo says. “So I turned to
emerging markets, like Nigeria, where that trust is absent, and from organic-food to
pharmaceuticals,” he explains. Today, Sproxil makes labels, each with a unique scratch-
off number, that are affixed to each medicine. Purchasers text the ID to a number on the
box and get a text back saying whether the drug is fake or real.
Sproxil has provided 9 million verifications so far. One reason for its success is that in
most countries its verification texts are free. “Setting up that deal with cell-phone
companies has been a nightmare. It can take them a year to provide lifesaving service to
their own customers,” Gogo says. But free is necessary. It allows people to send a text or
to borrow someone else’s phone if they don’t have one. India doesn’t allow free texts,
which has been a disadvantage for another mobile verification firm, PharmaSecure,
which began in India in 2009. Also, free-text arrangements keep counterfeiters from
faking the verification process. They do put fake numbers on products, but they aren’t
going to sign any deals with phone companies.
PharmaSecure’s CO, Nathan Sigworth, says the response rate on its verification labels is
just a few percent in India and Nigeria. Sproxil’s rates vary between 10 and 30 percent –
mostly because they cover more chronic diseases and use number-only codes which are
easier to type on basic phones than PharmaSecure’s alphanumeric codes. However,
Sigworth sees great growth potential in Nigeria and India. PharmaSecure has already
followed in Sproxil’s footsteps in sending patients personalised medical advice. “We
began in anti-counterfeiting and realized the service opens a world of possibilities,”
Sigworth says. “At the moment we are the only firm verifying the authenticity of
agricultural products. Farmers in Africa could increase their yields 10-fold by buying
hybrid seeds. However, 30% of hybrid seeds are fakes that fail to germinate. The risk of
buying counterfeits keeps farmers from investing in products that could lift them out of
poverty,” Sigworth explains. That’s another area in which counterfeits kill.

45. Fake drugs that contain small amounts of active ingredient …

A. are most dangerous because they kill quickly
B. are more likely to cure the disease in question
C. damage patients’ ability to react to real drugs
D. have a neutral influence on patients’ organisms
46. In Western Kenya, fake malaria drugs were hard to recognize because …
A. they provoked the onset of another illness
B. they actually helped some malaria patients
C. they were given to wrongly diagnosed patients
D. they were effective against other kinds of fever
47. Judging from the context, the word “conversely” in paragraph two means …
A. on the other hand
B. consequently
C. at any rate
D. similarly
48. BRAC and Living Goods managed to …
A. introduce effective anti-counterfeit laws
B. eliminate fake medicines from pharmacies
C. give clients a chance to see the real drugs’ effect
D. do away with direct sales of counterfeit medicines
49. Gogo’s first attempt to introduce his solution failed because it was …
A. criticised for being untrustworthy
B. launched in the wrong market
C. denied government subsidies
D. rejected by certified pharmacies
50. The problem with mobile verification system in India is that …
A. counterfeiters are starting to use free verification
B. legal regulations make free verification impossible
C. phone companies secretly co-operate with counterfeiters
D. too few clients have phones to check drug authenticity
51. In contrast to Sproxil, PharmaSecure does not offer …
A. specialized medicines for chronic diseases
B. a user friendly mobile-verification system
C. mobile verification of agricultural goods
D. a customized medical-guidance service