Reading Part 1: Reading Correspondence

Read the following message.

Dear Ms. Green,
I am sorry to bother you, as I know you are very busy, but I would like to change my vacation time
request. I asked to take the first 2 weeks of July off, but now, if it is okay, I would like the first 2
weeks of August instead.
The rule is that no changes may be made once requests have been submitted in writing, but I
think that requiring requests to be made in January is a little unreasonable. It is difficult for some
people to know, 6 months in advance, what their summer plans will be. I understand that time is
needed to hire temporary replacements to take care of things while people are away. I am also
aware that everyone needs to coordinate their vacation plans in a way that ensures no single
department is understaffed. However, I believe 2 or 3 months' notice should be sufficient.
According to my friends, that's the amount of notice required by other places of employment here
in Canada.
The reason I am changing my request is that I had originally planned to take a trip to Japan during
the first 2 weeks of July. However, I have now decided to go to Africa instead, and that tour is
scheduled for the first 2 weeks of August. My husband and his retired parents have already made a
non-refundable deposit for the trip to Africa for the four of us, and they are really looking forward
to it. In fact, my husband, who will be taking a solo business trip to Mexico afterwards, bought six
suitcases yesterday and has already started planning everything. I do not want to disappoint my
family with news that I cannot get the time off. As I am still giving 5 months' notice, I hope it will
be sufficient.
Please let me know at your earliest convenience whether I can change my vacation time to the
first 2 weeks of August, as I will need to either finalize the booking with Global Travel Agency or
try to get our non-refundable deposit back!
Thank you,

Else Birch

choose the best option according to the information given in the message.
1. It was unnecessary for the writer to mention the

 date of her initial request.

 expected period of absence.
 name of the travel agency.
 type of deposit she made.

2. Mrs. Birch accepts that

 advance notice of vacation is required.

 most departments are understaffed.
 replacement workers are unavailable.
 6 months' notice is the minimum.

3. Mrs. Birch disagrees with the

 "changes not allowed" rule.
 "no other employment" rule.
 "requests must be in writing" rule.
 "6 months’ notice" rule.

4. The trip to Africa

 is offered only in the summer.

 occurs when July is over.
 takes 4 weeks in total.
 will depart from Japan.

5. Mrs. Birch’s travel plans include

 family members.
 her closest friends.
 only her husband.
 her co-workers.

6. In general, Mrs. Birch seems

 confused.
 happy.
 pressured.
 sorry.

Here is a response to the message. Complete the response by filling in the

blanks. Select the best choice for each blank
Dear Else,

Thank you for your recent email asking me to 7. ____________, I would like to assure you that I
very much appreciate your comments about our policy. You are certainly not the first employee
here at The Fabulous Furniture Company to 8.____________ the requirements. I am aware, as
your email suggests, that other companies are 9.________ policies.

Given the information you have provided, I'm pleased to say that I have decided to make an
exception and 10._____________

I do hope you enjoy your adventure -- I myself have wanted to visit 11._____________for some
time now!

Regards,

Ms. Green

7)
 change the dates you'll be away
 confirm your travel insurance
 give you extra time off work
 revise our vacation policy

8)

 have difficulty meeting

 insist on changes to
 need an explanation of
 refuse to follow

9)

 different in terms of their

 ignoring such vacation
 now changing such strict
 popular because of their

10)

 approve 2 months' vacation

 forward your message upwards
 grant your revised request
 hire your temporary replacement

11)

 Africa
 Canada
 Japan
 Mexico

Reading Part 2: Reading to Apply a Diagram

Read the following email message about the diagram on the left. Complete
the email by filling in the blanks. Select the best choice for each blank
 From: <[email protected]>
To: <[email protected]>
Subject: Gardening

Hey Lucy,

Any interest in planting a vegetable garden? It'd be a great way to get cheap, nutritious food. I
know you're not a fan of dirt, but it could be fun! Check out the brochure!

Since we're first time gardeners, I'd suggest starting with something simple. Obviously, we'd want
to avoid growing 1____________. Also, our yard is very sunny, so it could be difficult to grow
2.___________. Of course, we'd definitely need to plant pumpkin, since, as you know, I love
pumpkin pies. We could work something out even though they require
3.__________ For fresh pies, I accept the challenge!

Let's check out the gardening centre after dinner. It sounds like the 4.__________ place in town.
Also, I'll stop by the library for a gardening guide since the brochure doesn't provide complete
information for each plant. The brochure mentions harvest time for only
5__________That's something we'd definitely need to know!

Best,

Alan

1)

 watermelon
 peas
 tomatoes
 carrots

2)

 spinach
 peas
 watermelon
 carrots

3)

 plenty of space
 warm and dry soil
 lots of shade
 specialized seed compost

4)
 most helpful
 busiest
 largest
 most popular

5)

 carrots and spinach

 watermelon and peas
 spinach and tomatoes
 pumpkin and carrots

choose the best option.

6. What does Alan want Lucy to do?

 call the garden centre for information

 research the harvest time of each plant
 make a pumpkin pie for dinner
 plant a vegetable garden with him

7. Why does Alan think a garden is a good idea?

 He knows Lucy would enjoy it.

 It is an affordable way to eat healthy food.
 It will fill empty space in their yard.
 He feels they don't eat enough healthy food.

8. Why did Alan attach the brochure to his email?

 to show her the new gardening centre in town

 to provide examples of things they can grow
 to encourage Lucy to plant a garden again
 to explain what he'll be doing this summer

Reading Part 3: Reading for Information

Read the following passage.

A. With most Canadians living in the southern part of the country, much of Canada's 9.9 million
square kilometres is uninhabited. Consequently, outdoor wilderness activities—such as hunting,
fishing, camping, hiking, and canoeing—are suitable pastimes. Of these, camping has the widest
appeal. More than one third of Canadian households contain camping equipment, and about one
quarter of the population camps each and every year. More than 37 national parks plus
innumerable provincial parks and private campgrounds regularly attract camping enthusiasts and
issue thousands of permits each year.
 B. The most common camping choices in Canada range from posh, fully-equipped motorhomes to
rustic wilderness camping with whatever the hiker can carry in a backpack. The most lavish
option, the 6- to 13-metre-long motorhome, consumes tremendous amounts of fuel and requires
large parking spaces in campgrounds. These campers should reserve their campsites well in
advance. Retired couples sometimes take a year or more to travel around North America this way,
perhaps in a cavalcade of up to a hundred vehicles. Another option is the RV trailer, which is
shorter but requires a towing vehicle. RV trailers are far cheaper than motorhomes but still
provide the conveniences of home.

C. In Canada, motorhomes and RVs are costly to buy or rent and to use. For those requiring a
cheaper alternative and willing to forgo homey conveniences, the lightweight tent trailer is a
possibility. Typically costing less than $10,000, it's easy to pull and manoeuvre. Essentially, it's a
collapsible tent-like structure mounted on a rectangular four-sided box attached to two wheels.
The interior varies with the model, the more expensive ones including a rustic kitchen, beds,
running water, and an electrical hookup. More stable than a tent, which sits on the ground, its
construction may still lead to camper discomfort during extreme weather.

D. Less restrictive and more economical than other mobile accommodations, tents can be used
along designated hiking trails or in established campgrounds; though, regulations prevent tenters
from pitching a tent anywhere they choose. Travellers driving or biking along the Trans-Canada
highway, for example, will notice campgrounds that cater to motorhomes, tent trailers, and
tenters. Some campgrounds have running water and showers, whereas others have only outhouses
and outdoor cold-water taps. Reservations are accepted for any type of camping. Websites and
books are available with detailed information about campsites in each province, facilitating
vacation planning for adventurous campers.

E. Not given in any of the above paragraphs.

Decide which paragraph, A to D, has the information given in each

statement below. Select E if the information is not given in any of the
paragraphs.
1. Camping’s popularity in Canada is evidenced by the percentage of frequent campers.

 A
 B
 C
 D
 E

2. Certain types of camping cannot be done spontaneously.

 A
 B
 C
 D
 E
 3. Some people who prefer one style of camping enjoy travelling in groups.

 A
 B
 C
 D
 E

4. Camping is a growing trend among wilderness enthusiasts.

 A
 B
 C
 D
 E

5. Campers should check where they are permitted to set up camp.

 A
 B
 C
 D
 E

6. Campsites can be found across the length of Canada.

 A
 B
 C
 D
 E

7. People who use motorhomes bring a second vehicle with them.

 A
 B
 C
 D
 E

8. Some campers choose a middle ground between luxury and rustic camping.

 A
 B
 C
 D
 E

9. Some camping equipment is less able to withstand unpleasant conditions.

 A
 B
 C
 D
 E

Reading Part 4: Reading for Viewpoints

Read the following article from a website.

Language Decline
The numbers are in, and they're grim: Three thousand of the world's seven thousand languages are
in decline and expected to perish by around 2100. While the most prevalent languages are taking
a firmer hold across the globe, the extinction rate for languages is 25 per year. Charting language
demise, UNESCO ranks dwindling languages on a scale ranging from “vulnerable” to “critically
endangered.” The question is how, or whether, UNESCO or sovereign governments should
intervene?

Concerned language preservation organizations include the Canadian Association for Language
Diversity (CALD), a charity whose goal is to prevent language extinctions. IALD spokesperson
Norman Reideger says all endangered languages should be saved. “For individuals, language
fosters a sense of personal identity. Language extinction means loss of priceless, irreplaceable
cultural knowledge—the grammar, music, narratives, and even medical knowledge embedded in a
language. A linguistically diverse planet is a healthy planet.”

Concordia University linguistics professor Marianne Houseman deplores such use of biodiversity
rhetoric in linguistics discourse. “Life is life, and language is language,” she clarifies. Houseman is
skeptical about whether speakers of endangered languages benefit from linguistic preservation,
noting that those who abandon their language may be acting in their own best interests by
adapting to a naturally evolving socio-economic climate. “Whose needs are served by government-
funded social—or socio-linguistic—engineering schemes?” asks Houseman, “Their proponents are
typically nationalist regimes advancing their own territorial, political and economic agendas.”

Annalisa Ducharme, a Memorial University doctoral candidate, points out that a confounding
factor is variation within a language. “One language can have multiple dialects—regional
varieties,” says Ducharme, “If an endangered language is to be artificially propped up with
government funded schools and preschools, as they do with some First Nation languages in
Canada, then which—whose—version of the language should be deemed “essential” and therefore
worth saving?”As well as First Nation languages, Duchenne points to French, which “has many
dialects worth sustaining. Globally, France, Louisiana, and Africa have their own versions. In New
Brunswick, French dialects include Quebecois, Acadian, and Chiac, a sub-dialect that blends
Acadian French, English, and [aboriginal] Mi'kmaq.”
 choose the best option according to the information given on the website.
1. Annalisa Ducharme most likely objects to

 inflated claims about language preservation outcomes.

 public programs to revitalize dying languages for political reasons.
 denials about the rate of language extinction.
 a simplistic categorization or definition of a language.

2. Marianne Houseman thinks language preservation programs should be

 modified.
 continued.
 consolidated.
 abandoned.

3. Who holds directly opposing viewpoints?

 Ducharme and UNESCO

 Houseman and Reideger
 Reideger and Ducharme
 Ducharme and Houseman

4. Marianne Houseman would most likely agree that

 investments in language immersion schools are defensible.

 language preservation policies deserve public attention.
 people stand to gain from speaking a lingua franca.
 dying languages are a priceless cultural resource.

5. Overall, the article suggests that efforts to preserve dying languages are

 hampered by the link between language and identity.

 fraught with an array of sociopolitical complications.
 warranted on the basis of disturbing global statistics.
 essential for the sake of preserving indigenous cultures.

The following is a comment by a visitor to the website page. Complete the

comment by choosing the best option to fill in each blank.
I'm Metis, of French and Cree descent. Having just 1,000 remaining speakers, Michif, the language
of my people, is being sustained through Canadian federal government funded programs like those
described in the article. The goal is to save it through transmission to 6._________. I have two
points. First, I remind the 7._________ that historically, the demise of Michif was anything but an
organic process; Michif endured systematic government efforts to erase it. Michif therefore merits
government efforts to help it 8.____________. I strongly disagree with the notion that language-
 targeted government redress and reconciliation programs are 9.___________. Second, Michif has
several dialects; we chose to revitalize two. While Ms Ducharme may think targeting languages for
revival is 10. __________, we think Michif is worth reviving.

6)

 the next generation

 linguistic researchers
 a range of First Nation groups
 Michif speakers

7)

 professor
 graduate student
 CALD representative
 United Nations

8)

 continue evolving
 grow more diverse
 make a comeback
 become official

9)

 language standardization efforts

 aggressive nationalist agendas
 likely to proliferate
 indulgent charity campaigns

10)

 unnecessary
 linguistic
 essential
 arbitrary