TEST 5

PART A
Part 1. You will hear part of a discussion programme where Florence, a
marketing expert, and Mark, a retail analyst, discuss impulse buying. For
questions 1-5, choose the answer (a, b, c d) which fits hest according to what you
hear.
1. What does Mark imply when talking about the items made people purchase
through impulse shopping?
a. Many expensive items are often purchased in this way.
b. Impulse shopping can result in consumers buying unnecessary items.
c. Most impulse buys take place in clothes shops.
d. People very often purchase items that they cannot afford.

2. What point do both Mark and Florence make about the retail industry?
a. It actively encourages impulse-buying behaviours.
b. It maximises its profits by offering promotions on expensive items.
c. It has conducted extensive research into influencing people's way of thinking.
d. It often presents products of lesser quality as a good deal.

3. What do Mark and Florence agree has made impulse buying easier?
a. more disposable income
b. the availability of cheaper products
c. a wider variety of payment methods
d. advances in technology

4. When describing the relationship between stress and shopping, Florence says
that
a. shopping may help to briefly reduce stress levels.
b. all impulse buys are done when the consumer is stressed.
c. the act of shopping can be stressful in itself.
d. consumers shop online to avoid stress.

5. What advice does Mark have for anyone wanting to curb their spending
habits?
a. avoid the shops altogether
b. be aware that emotions guide purchasing decision
c. delay making a purchase
d. set a monthly budget for one’s spending.
Part 2. You will hear a student called Mara Barnes giving a presentation about
the language of the Piraha people who live in the Amazon basin. For questions 1–
9, complete the sentences with a word or short phrase.
Mara defines the way of life of the Piraha people as fitting into the (1)
________________ category.
Mara explains that because most speakers of Piraha are (2) ________________, the
language is not under imminent threat.
Professor Everett was surprised to discover that the Piraha language has no words for
ideas like (3) ‘________________’ or ‘number’.
Mara says that common objects such as (4) ________________ were used to establish
whether Piraha people could count.
Mara thinks that the Piraha language sounds more like (5) ________________ than
speech.
The (6) ________________ used in the Piraha language are thought to have
originated in another local language.
Mara uses the term (7) ‘________________’ for a common concept related to time
that Piraha people seem not to have.
Professor Everett gives the example of the Piraha’s superior (8) ________________
to support his idea that they are not unintelligent.
Mara uses the expression (9) ‘________________’ to describe her attitude towards
Professor Everett’s theory of language
Part 3. You will hear five short extracts in which different people are talking
about a heated argument they had. You will hear the recording twice. While you
listen, you must complete both tasks.

Task One
For questions 21-25, choose from the list (A-H) what each speaker did to cause
the argument.
A told serious lies
B damaged personal property
C read a private letter
D made a false accusation
E revealed confidential information
F made someone feel embarrassed
G omitted to tell someone something
H borrowed something without asking
Speaker 1 21 __________
Speaker 2 22 __________
Speaker 3 23 __________
Speaker 4 24 __________
Speaker 5 25 __________

Task Two
For questions 26-30, choose from the list (A-H) what each speaker did to resolve
the situation.
A made a promise
B took someone out for a meal
C paid compensation
D made a joke
E begged for forgiveness
F wrote a letter of apology
G put the blame on someone else
H bought a present
Speaker 1 26 __________
Speaker 2 27 __________
Speaker 3 28 __________
Speaker 4 29 __________
Speaker 5 30 __________
PART B
Part 1. Choose one of the words marked A, B, C, or D which best completes each
of the following sentences
1. I was kept awake for most of the night by the _________ of a mosquito in my ear.
A. whine B. moan C. groan D. screech
2. You have been awfully quiet all day - a _____for your thoughts.
A. penny B. money C. piece D. Pony
a penny for your thoughts: đây là một cách để hỏi người khác đang nghĩ gì, đặc biệt
khi họ ngồi trầm ngâm trong một lúc.
3. In an effort to get_on the right foot this semester, I've already begun to research for
my thesis.
D. through C. in A. off B. out
Get off on the right foot: bắt đầu (có mối quan hệ) một cách đúng đắn, khởi đầu 1
cách tốt đẹp.
4. After a fall in profits, the company decided _________ the hotel business.
A. to pull out of B. to back off from
C. to take out of D. to keep away from
5. In spite of working their fingers to the _________, all the staff were made
redundant.
A. nail B. edge C. flesh D. bone
6. Oil spills will _________ even the healthiest of marine ecosystem.
A. play havoc on B. break ground with
C. pay the consequences for D. take their toll on
7. The doctor thought he had got over the worst, but his condition suddenly
_________.
A. deteriorated B. dismantled C. dissolved D.
disintegrated
8. I wish the band played more of their new materials and didn't just play ___ the
gallery with their greatest hits the whole night
A. to B.in C. on D. at
play to the gallery: chiều theo thị thiếu của quần chúng
9. The library is _________ people who lose their books.
A. cracking down on B. stepping up
C. going down with D. coming up against
10 Oh sure, our science teacher is a real barrel of_, especially when he's the
detention monitor.
A. fun B. enjoyment C. joy D. laughter
a barrel of fun: có nhiều chuyện để tán gẫu
11. Going down white-water rapids in a canoe must be extremely _________! Does
your heart start beating really fast?
A. trivial B. mundane C. sedentary D.
exhilarating
12. Even as an adult, I still_ a kick out of building sandcastles at the beach.
A. give B. get C. make D. have
get a kick out of sth: làm cho họ cực kỳ vui vẻ, hào hứng, yêu thích
13. In a situation like this, there are no _________ rules. You just have to use your
own discretion.
A. clear and cut B. hard and fast
C. up-and-coming D. out-and-out
14. She demanded to be promoted to a post of responsibility, otherwise she would
_________ about her affair with the Prime Minister.
A. reveal the cake B. spill the beans
C. let loose the pussycat D. spit out the bit
15. We can't win against the robber unless we_ up on him.
A. troop B. knotC. gang D. herd
gang up on sb: quấy rối, bặt nạt ai, tập hợp lại thành một nhóm chống lại ai
16. His English was roughly _________ with my Greek, so communication was rather
difficult.
A. level B. on a par C. equal D. in tune
17. I didn’t want to make a decision _________ so I said I’d like to think about it.
A. on and off B. in one go C. there and then D. at a stroke
18. It was a_ action movie---fine to kill a couple hours, but nothing special.
A. run-of-the-mill B.run-of-the-plant C.run-of-the-shop D.run-of-
the-manufactory
run- of- the-mill: Không có gì đặc biệt; tầm thường
19. That guy just gets my_ every time he opens his mouth.
A. billy B.goat D. large C. buck
20. Surgeons now can do miracles to their physical _________ which used to be
unbeatable.
A. conditions B. wrongdoings C. malfunctions D. abnormalities
Part 2.The following passage contains 10 errors. Find and correct them.
Most of the joggers who are overweigh are reasonable for talking about,
worrying with and being obsessed with their weight. Since many people start jogging
to lose weight, it is not surprised that body size is important. More and more people
are on the diet. 50% of the women and approximately 25% of the men in the USA are
watching what they eat. Body weight is the second most talk between joggers - heart
disease and high bleeding pressure are the first! There are many factors that effect you
weight. They include: body type, diet, exercise level, sex and age. What may be an
"ideal" weight for you in the age of 27 may not be "ideal" while you are 54. And you
"ideal weight" will probably be different during racing season when you were in a
specific training phase.
Your answers:
Errors Correction Errors Correction
1. 6.
2. 7.
3. 8.
4. 9.
5. 10.

Part 3.For questions 1-10, write the correct form of each bracketed word in the
numbered space
provided.
1. The woman is getting older. She is now in the __________ year of her age.
(LIGHT)
2. Chemicals are easily __________ if they are laid open in the atmosphere for a long
time. (ACTION)
3. The spectators booed as the referee did not disallow the _______ goal. (SIDE)
4. The government must work at full tilt to promote the economy and reduce the
________. (EFFICIENT)
5. The Earth is experiencing a major ________ in the climate. (HEAVE)
6. My ________ is the unique thing that distinguishes me from others. (MARK)
7. Children who grow up in peace tend to be more ________ than those who grow up
in war. (ADAPT)
8. My mother ________ me a great deal of encouragement after I got bad grades in
my exam. (VOUCH)
9. He is a(n) ________ man. He does not gain any ground in his family. (WILL)
10. You can look at the ________ of this Chinese book to see the elucidation of these
new words. (ADD)
Part 4.For questions 1 - 8, read the text below and decide which answer (a, b, cor d)
best fits each gap.
A price on happiness?
The phrase 'Money doesn't buy happiness' is a cautionary cliché that keeps us from
blindly lining our pockets with (1) _____in the hope that we'll feel happier. But a
recent study at Princeton University in New Jersey is challenging that idea; the study
suggests that happiness could possibly be (2) _____ at an annual income of the
equivalent of approximately $75,000 US dollars. Can that be true?
Hearing this, we might be tempted to run to our employer and pressure them to (3)
_____ out the cash more generously because our happiness depends on it. Of course,
they're not likely to (4) ____ us with money just so that we smile more often in our
cubicles. So before we start thinking a little extra dough is going to (5) ___ us for our
sadness, it's important to note that the study makes a distinction between types of
happiness - daily happiness and lifelong satisfaction.
For the former, no amount of money makes a difference, whether you're frequently
(6) _____ or you're rolling in it. For the latter, though, the study showed that people
making less than the magic number seem to express more frustration about the
problems in their lives, for example, a health issue, whereas more (7) ___ folks aren't
as affected by the same problem. Interestingly, though, those past the marker
expressed no more satisfaction with life than those that just reached it. This suggests
that a(n) (8) _____ to a multi-billion-dollar fortune wouldn't be any more satisfied
than someone making a paltry $75,000 a year. What a waste!
1. a. stash b. hoard c. stock d.
dosh
2. a. cherished b. prized c. treasured d. valued
3. a. crack b. dole c. tip d.
toss
4. a. rinse b. wash c. shower d.
bathe
5. a. reimburse b. balance c. offset d.
compensate
6. a. skint b. thrifty c. posh d.
shady
7. a. well-heeled b. big-hearted c. open-handed d.
tight-fisted
8 a. proxy b. heir c. chancellor d.
treasurer

Part 5: Fill each of the numbered blank with ONE suitable word.
 The causes of headaches, (1)______ they are the common kind of tension or
migraine headaches, or any other kind, are usually the same. During period of stress,
muscles in the neck, head and face are contracted (2)____ tightly that they exert
tremendous pressure (3)______ the nerves beneath them. Headaches take many forms
from a constant, dull pain to an insistent hammering.
Although at (4)______ 50% of American adults are estimated (5)_____ suffer
one or more headaches per week, it is the 20 million migraine suffers (6)______ are in
special difficulties. Migraines, which are mostly suffered by women, can involve
tremendous, unrelieved pain.
Migraines, which may also (7) ______ caused by stress, can occur in people
who bottle up their emotions and who are very conscientious in their performance.
Escaping (8) _______ stressful situations, (9) _____ open with one's feeling and
lowering one's expectations can help reduce the stress and so cut down on those
headaches which cannot be "help" aspirin an (10) _____ non-prescription painkillers.
Your answers:
1. ………………. 2. ………………. 3. ………………. 4. ……………….
5. ………………. 6. ………………. 7. ………………. 8. ……………….
9. ………………. 10. ……………….
Part 6.Read the passage and choose the right answer for each question:

THE RECYCLED ORCHESTRA

There is a village called Cateura in poverty-stricken Latin America that has to be seen
to be believed: it is a slum built on a landfill. People here live on garbage and from
garbage. Tons of rotting debris are dumped here daily, and the villagers swarm
around the garbage trucks, picking over the pieces that provide them with their
livelihood. They are definitely the poorest of the region, yet they are a passionate
people with strong family bonds and friendships. Cateura is the setting of one of the
most amazing examples of how love and creativity can triumph over poverty.

It all started a few years ago, when one of the garbage pickers, known as “Cola”,
joined forces with a local musician, Favio, to start making instruments for the children
of the slum. Cola grew up close to Cateura and started working as a builder at the age
of 7, when his father died. [A] After 3 decades of hard labour in construction, he
considered himself fortunate to become a trash collector, due to the steady daily
income it provides. As he puts it, “There will always be garbage, which means I will
always have a job.” Cola proved to be an untutored genius, creating violins and
cellos from oil cans, flutes from water pipes, and guitars from packing crates. The
children and their parents were thrilled and eventually one of the most unusual
orchestras was formed. [B] Called the “Recycled Orchestra”, the musicians use
instruments that are made entirely out of trash.

Favio’s initial aim was simply to offer music lessons in order to keep the children out
of the landfill and away from drugs or illegal activities. Never in his wildest dreams
could he have imagined the dedication and support his endeavours would receive.
Parents were thrilled that their children were being kept out of trouble and soon there
were more and more children wanting to take his music lessons. The problem was the
lack of instruments; in Cateura, a violin can cost more than a house. This is where
Cola came into the picture. Having experimented for months with instrument
building, he ultimately fashioned instruments that sounded superior to the “real
instruments” that the state had donated to his cause.

For many years, the Recycled Orchestra was unheard of, until producer Alejandra
Nash reached out to filmmaker Juliana Penaranda-Loftus to work on a documentary
about the underserved children of Paraguay. Together they started an extensive
research process during which they travelled to Paraguay to interview different leads,
among them the Minister of Education of Paraguay, community leaders, school
principals, and children from low-income families. Through their research, Alejandra
and Juliana discovered the Recycled Orchestra. A year later, the two of them returned
to Paraguay to begin filming a documentary about the musicians. With this
preliminary footage, they launched a successful social media campaign that, in just
over seven months, brought over 160,000 Facebook friends to the project, and had
over 3 million views when their promotional video was released. This campaign also
brought the attention of media and sponsors from all over the world. Without the
latter, Alejandra and Juliana’s project would never have been completed. [C]

For the founders and members of this amazing troupe, this publicity is a golden
opportunity to bring attention to the issues of poverty, pollution and the hopeless
predicament of so many children. [D] As Favio says, “People realize we shouldn’t
throw away trash so carelessly. Well, we shouldn’t throw away people either.”
1: What is the author trying to express with the sentence 'People here live on
garbage and from garbage' in paragraph 1?
A. that the amount of garbage in the landfill is steadily increasing
B. that it is impossible for the villagers to leave the landfill
C. that garbage is an indispensable part of the villagers’ lives
D. that the villagers are becoming fed up with the garbage
2: How does the first paragraph describe Cateura?
A. as a village with the potential to become wealthy B.as a village with many
contradictions
C. as a village whose residents have lost hope D. as a typical Latin
American village
3: What does Cola appreciate about his job as a trash collector?
A. collaborating with others while collecting trash
B. the potential of attaining a higher position
C. the flexibility it offers him
D. the stability it provides
4: What does the author mean by the phrase 'untutored genius' in paragraph 2?
A. that Cola’s skills are underestimated B. that Cola is being taken
advantage of
C. that Cola’s musical abilities are unique D. that Cola’s talent is
innate
5: Why did Favio start giving music lessons to the children from the village?
A. He wanted to find better uses for garbage.
B. He hoped to draw the media's attention to their situation.
C. He was concerned about their welfare.
D. He thought this could improve his skills in music.
6: What is said about Cola 's instruments?
A. The children’s parents helped construct them.
B. They are the result of trial and error.
C. They were unaffordable.
D. The government is giving them out to children in other areas.
7: What was the original purpose of the filmmakers who came to Paraguay?
A. to try to convince politicians to take action
B. to highlight the difficulties that local children face
C. to draw publicity to the Recycled Orchestra
D. to occupy the country 's youth in a creative way
8: What has the most important accomplishment of the filmmakers been so far?
A. getting social media sites to promote their cause
B. finding financial resources to fund their project
C. making an award-winning documentary
D. encouraging young people to play an instrument
This campaign also brought the attention of media and sponsors from all over the
world. Without the latter, Alejandra and Juliana’s project would never have been
completed.
9: Where would the following sentence best fit into the passage?
“Since then, they have formed strong bonds with the orchestra and continue to follow
their progress.”
A. [A] B. [B] C. [C] D.
[D]
“They” refer to Alejandra and Juliana.
10: What feeling is the author trying to evoke in this article?
A. a desire to visit poverty-stricken villages in Latin America
B. awe of the hidden musical talent that many people have
C. admiration for the undefeatable spirit of some children
D. pity for the plight of children living in slums

Part 7 Read the following passage and do as directed. (15 points)

Bioluminescence
A In the pitch-black waters of the ocean's aphotic zone - depths from 1,000m to
the sea floor – good eyesight does not count for very much on its own. Caves, in
addition, frequently present a similar problem: the complete absence of natural light at
any time of the day. This has not stopped some organisms from turning these
inhospitable environments into their homes, and in the process many have created
their own forms of light by developing one of the stunning visual marvels of the
biological universe - bioluminescence.
B Many people will encounter bioluminescence at some point in their life,
typically in some form of glowworm, which is found on most continents. North and
South America are home to the "firefly", a glowing beetle which is known as a glow-
worm during its larvae stage. Flightless glowing beetles and worms are also found in
Europe, Asia, Australia, and New Zealand. Less common flies, centipedes, molluscs,
and snails have bioluminescent qualities as well, as do some mushrooms. The most
dramatic examples of bioluminescence, however, are found deep below the ocean's
surface, where no sunlight can penetrate at all. Here, anglerfish, cookie-cutter sharks,
flashlight fish, lantern fish, gulpereels, viperfish, and many other species have
developed bioluminescence in unique and creative ways to facilitate their lives.
C The natural uses of bioluminescence vary widely, and organisms have learnt to
be very creative with its use. Fireflies employ bioluminescence primarily for
reproductive means - their flashing patterns advertise a firefly's readiness to breed.
Some fish use it as a handy spotlight to help them locate prey. Others use it as a lure;
the anglerfish, for example, dangles a luminescent flare that draws in gullible, smaller
fishes which get snapped up by the anglerfish in an automated reflex. Sometimes,
bioluminescence is used to resist predators. Vampire squids eject a thick cloud of
glowing liquid from the tip of its arms when threatened, which can be disorientating.
Other species use a single, bright flash to temporarily blind their attacker, with an
effect similar to that of an oncoming car which has not dipped its headlights.
D Humans have captured and util ised bioluminescence by developing, over the
last decade, a technology known as Bioluminescence Imaging (BLI). BLI involves the
extraction of a DNA protein from a bioluminescent organism, and then the integration
of this protein into a laboratory animal through transgeneticism. Researchers have
been able to use luminised pathogens and cancer cell lines to track the respective
spread of infections and cancers. Through BLI, cancers and infections can be
observed without intervening in a way that affects their independent development. In
other words, while an ultra-sensitive camera and bioluminescent proteins add a visual
element, they do not disrupt or mutate the natural processes. As a result, when testing
drugs and treatments, researchers are permitted a single perspective of a therapy's
progression.
E Once scientists learn how to engineer bioluminescence and keep it stable in
large quantities, a number of other human uses for it will become available. Glowing
trees have been proposed as replacements for electric lighting along busy roads, for
example, which would reduce our dependence on non-renewable energy sources. The
same technology used in Christmas trees for the family home would also eliminate the
fire danger from electrical fairy lights. It may also be possible for crops and plants to
luminesce when they require watering, and for meat and dairy products to "tell us"
when they have become contaminated by bacteria. In a similar way, forensic
investigators could detect bacterial species on corpses through bioluminescence.
Finally, there is the element of pure novelty. Children's toys and stickers are often
made with glow-in-the-dark qualities, and a biological form would allow rabbits,
mice, fish, and other pets to glow as well.
Choose the correct headings for sections A- E from the list of headings below.
There are more headings than you need.
List of Headings
i. Mushrooms that glow in the dark
ii. Bright creatures on land and in the sea
iii. Evolution's solution
iv. Cave-dwelling organisms
v. Future opportunities in biological engineering
vi. Nature's gift to medicine
vii. Bioluminescence in humans
viii. Purposes of bioluminescence in the wild
ix. Luminescent pets
1 Section A
2 Section B
3 Section C
4 Section D
5 Section E
Complete the sentences below.
Choose NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS from the passage for each answer.
6. A _________, famous for its bioluminescence, is familiar with human beings due
to its presence in many places.
7. The luminescent fluid that a vampire squid emits has a _________ effect on its
predator.
8. In order to use bioluminescence in a trans-genetic environment, _________ must
first be removed from a bioluminescent creature.
9. One advantage of BLI is that it could allow researchers to see how a treatment is
working without altering or disturbing _________.
10. In the future, _________ may be able to use biolurninescence to identify evidence
on dead bodies.
Part 8.
1. Someone who left almost no stone unturned around the world.
2. The surprising anonymity of someone.
3. Disappointment that flora and other fauna are not mentioned.
4. A book that is physically difficult to carry around with you.
5. Some details are inaccurate in this book.
6. Information written like an old-fashioned diary.
7. Text that adds something to the images.
8. A collaboration that produced great results.
9. A book that covers all of nature’s seasons.
10. A wide variety of subject matter.
Book Reviews on Earth exploration
A. A Complete Guide to Life in a Cold Climate by Richard Sale
This book is packed with information and deserves to be the ultimate Arctic wildlife
guide for a long time to come. It begins well, with an introduction to Arctic geology,
climate and habitats, an overview of all the people living and working in the region.
The bulk of the book is an extensive field guide to Arctic birds and mammals, with
distribution maps and information on confusing species. Its scope is broad and
generous, but I have a few niggles. It should really include Arctic plants, fish and
invertebrates. This would have doubled the size of the book and made it unwieldy and
impractical, but it’s fair to say that the title is mis- eading. But I’m being picky here,
and these minor
B. Burton Holmes Travelogues
Burton Holmes was the greatest traveller not just of his own time out perhaps of all
time. A pretty big claim, but there’s evidence to oack it up. Over a 60-year period,
Holmes visited nearly every country on the planet, photographed all he saw, and
invented the term ‘travelogue’. His pictures are stunning, both as social history and as
art. Holmes photographed everything: the dead on battlewelds; the running of bulls in
Spain; a mule train in Death Valley. A sequence of Vesuvius erupting in 1906
includes a shot of a woman under an ash-strewn sky that is positively apocalyptic, out
Holmes’ work wasn’t restricted to the large canvas - he was as capable of capturing
an intimate portrait of a chicken vendor in a Bangkok market as he was revealing the
vastness and intricacy of the construction of the Panama Canal.
C. No More Beyond by Simon Nasht
In Simon Nasht’s brilliant biography of Sir Hubert Wilkins, he says that his subject
isn’t like other great explorers, primarily because most of us have never heard of him.
He had no lust for fame, instead being driven by a thirst that led him to remote envi-
ronments and places that cried out for exploration, rather than towards the popular
challenges so desired by newspaper editors of the day. Nasht couldn’t believe “a man
could achieve so much and yet be so little remembered.” In 1917 Wilkins was under
the command of veteran polar explorer and photographer Frank Hurley in the
Australian Flying Corps. Their mutual interests were vital to the development of
aerial photography as an integral part of modern geography.
D. Farmland Wildlife by James McCallum
As a refuge for wildlife, British farmland has had a bad press in recent years.
Fortunately, the artist’s beautiful visual journey through the seasons presented in this
book reveals that there is still an abundance of wildlife if you know where to look for
it and what to look for. McCallum shuns detailed portraiture in favour of sketches
capturing the spirit of his subjects - and hooray for that. If I need precise anatomical
detail, I can look at a photograph. But if I want to grasp how a stoat rolls an egg, how
a male whitethroat makes his fluttering display-flights or how long-tailed tits work
together to build their nests, then I need something more - and McCallum is
stunningly good at translating these complex movements and behaviours onto the
page. His simple explanatory captions - taken from his field notebook - are a bonus.
E. Troubled Waters by Sarah Lazarus
Sometimes it seems as though the size of books on whales is led by the size of the
subject matter. This, however, is a small, readable book. There are no detailed species
accounts and the text is almost entirely devoted to the threats that whales and dolphins
face, such as chemical and noise pollution, ship strikes and entanglement in fishing
nets. A careful read reveals factual errors but, on the whole, these do not affect the
thoughtful and concise discussion. It is notoriously difficult to get to the bottom of the
whaling issue, and here Lazarus struggles a bit. The International Whaling
Commission comes in for a lot of criticism, which would perhaps have been better
directed at the three of its members who have chosen not to abide by the spirit of its
conservation decisions.
F. The High Lowlands by Derek Ratcliffe
For some, the south of Scotland is the plainer and less charismatic sibling of the
breathtaking Highlands and the rugged West Coast. But it’s every bit as wild as those
famed areas, but with a gentler appeal. This book describes an unexpected Eden, a
place whose heart pulses to a different beat. This is an epic piece of writing, its
subject matter covered in a manner more akin to the journals of a Victorian chronicler
than a modern natural history book. Derek Ratcliffe’s recordings of the natural
goings-ons in this lonely land spanned 50 years. His intimacy is apparent on every
page. Everything is catalogued and described in meticulous detail, and few questions
are left unanswered. It’s a great pity that Derek did not live to see his life’s work in
print. This is a book for everyone, but it’s a huge volume that you couldn’t take with
you on holiday unless you’ve got a pretty hefty rucksack and a strong back.

In the passage below, seven paragraphs have been removed. For questions 119-125,
read the passage and choose from the paragraphs A-H the one which fits each gap.
There is ONE extra paragraph which you do not need to use. Write your answers in
the corresponding numbered box provided.

THE ORIGIN OF ADVERTISING

Advertising has become a major force in our modern world. Through our airwaves, up
in the skies, on walls, streets and along motorways, almost nowhere can we go and
not be bombarded by adverts. It has become so prevalent that scientists and
researchers have analyzed its sociological effect extensively – how it influences
buying habits, desensitizes consumers and in some cases even repels them.
119.

Such rudimentary content is also believed to be present in the first printed adverts,
used by ancient Egyptians to communicate sales messages through the use of papyrus.
In contrast with the ephemeral nature of today’s advertising, they would also carve
messages of commerce into stone or on steel plates, which would remain visible for a
lifetime.
120.

Naturally, we cannot know for sure, but one would guess that the power of persuasion
was present in the spoken adverts of ancient times. You could suppose that the
loudest, most colorful, most entertaining crier garnered the most business. Although
we do not experience this form of advertisement often today, sellers in public markets
in Europe and the Middle East still employ this method.
121.

The specific message on the printing plate was ‘We buy high-quality steel rods and
make fine-quality needles to be ready for use at home in no time', and the seller also
placed a rabbit logo and the name of his shop in the center. The plate, made of copper
and dating back to the Song dynasty of the 10 th-century China, was used to print
posters the dimensions of which were nearly perfect squares roughly the size of a
window frame.
122.

It was not until the rise of newspapers did advertising makes its next big leap. During
this time, targeted slogans and catchphrases became popular. The first such instance
of a paid newspaper advert appeared in the French newspaper La Presse in 1836 and
what was so revolutionary about it was that the seller paid for its placement, allowing
the newspaper to charge its readers less.
123.

Known as quackery, such messages boasted cures for common ailments that went
above and beyond what traditional remedies could provide. Naturally, an
unsuspecting and undereducated public was particularly susceptible to such
fabrications. Much as how quackery would be dispelled today, doctors went out of
their way to publish medical journals debunking the claims made by these adverts.
124.

In the advert, a painting of a child blowing bubbles – a work of art literally entitled
Bubbles, by English artist Sir John Everett Millais – was used as the background of a
poster, with the product visible in the foreground. The visual immediately linked the
product with high – class society and it is a tactic that is undeniably still very much
used today.
125.

Along with the staggering investment is the use of a broad range of tactics to
maximize impact, such as focus groups, evocative imagery, storytelling, and
seemingly boundless product placement. So psychological is the effect that it has
given rise to the belief that companies know everything about you. Nevertheless, with
such creativity poured into the field, one can still appreciate its art form and its place
in history.
A. One need look no further than failed advertising campaigns. Some went too far in
their shock value, had to be apologized for and hurt the brand more than they helped.
In one example, a game manufacturer, in order to promote the carnal violence visible
in the game, held an event which showcased an actual deceased goat.
B. For better or worse, there was no stopping the budding advertising industry.
Agencies started to spring up and with that came campaigns. The first successful
campaign was for the British soap manufacturer Pears. With the help of chairman
Thomas James Barratt, the company successfully linked a catchy slogan with high
culture.
C. In contrast to the adverts being produced for the literate populace of this region,
text was largely absent from adverts that proliferated in the towns and cities of
medieval Europe. To circumvent this obstacle, adverts used commonly recognizable
imagery such a boot for a cobbler or a diamond for a carver to promote products and
services. And still, criers remained the go-to medium for relaying the sellers’
messages to the public.
D. Also entering the industry was the vast sums of money that companies would
splash out on campaigns. A little over one hundred American companies in 1893
spent 50,000 US dollars on advertising campaigns. That equates to over one million
US dollars today, still a fraction of what today’s companies spend at nearly 500
billion pounds globally.
E. In this era, though, the medium with the greatest prevalence was oral. Public criers
would circulate messages in urban centers to passers-by advertising various products.
There is evidence of written adverts and for more than just selling wares. In one such
advert found at the ruins of Thebes dated 1,000 BC, a man was offering a reward for a
runaway slave. But oral messages were the main method of delivery until the
invention of the printing press in 1450.
F. But there was a time when an advert was a rare occurrence and its effect on society
amounted to no more than its core function; that is, to connect seller and buyer. We
know that the written word began around 5,000 years ago in Mesopotamia, in the
Sumerian civilization that existed in modern-day southern Iraq. The make – up of this
early scrawling consisted of grain inventories, from what historians and linguists can
make of it.
G. Adverts in ancient times did contain an element of sophistication which essentially
lured buyers, albeit less obviously. On the other side of the world, in ancient China,
the language of adverts contained selling points and friendly imagery, such as in an
advert to coax people into using a craftsman’s services. This particular advertising
medium is considered the oldest example of printed advertising.
H. That formula was soon copied by other publishers looking to increase their profits
while expanding their circulation. British newspapers, which had been using
newspaper advertising since the 18th century, used adverts to promote books and
newspapers themselves. The printing press had made their production much more
affordable and advertising content expanded to include medicines, in what would
prove to be the first instances of false advertising
Part 10. Some people think that the teenage years are the happiest times of most
people’s lives. Others think that adult life brings more happiness, in spite of
greater responsibilities.
Discuss both these views and give your own opinion.
Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant example from your own
knowledge or experience.
Write at least 250 words.