2012/2013 ADMISSION EXAMINATION PAPERPart A Reading (30%)Suggested time: 30 minutes Each question is worth onepoint.PASSAGE ONEA.Public transportation receded into a cultural backwater in the 1950s as prosperousmiddle class people took advantage of cheap gas to put into their vehicles. With access to and use of fossil fuels a growing concern in the climate-changing, post-9/11 world, people are beginning to re-evaluate. And while buses and trains are really on the same team in terms of sustainable transportation—either option a vast improvement over the one-car, one-rider model—outspoken camps have sprung up around each. The two are worth comparing.B.AccessA fixed-rail system will never have the reach of a city bus, which can get just aboutany place there’s a paved road. For folks in some parts if there’s no train nearby, their mass-transit commuting will have to be done by bus.fortStudies suggest that light rail appeals to actual riders in a way that buses do not.Commuters tend to see light rail as more modern, more upscale and safer, with no real possibility of operator error.Rail cars are more spacious, offer more freedom of movement and are easier to board and exit. And the ride is smoother: fewer sharp turns, no potholes, no sudden stops.D.Initial CostBuilding new light rail is stunningly expensive, costing tens of millions of dollars per mile. And anti-light rail types love to massage those numbers into cost comparisons to make bus travel look like a bargain. Of course, those studies tend to ignore the cost of building and maintaining the roads on which buses travel. Still, light rail can’t win this game.E.Operation and Management CostOnce light rail is up and running, both infrastructure and train cars are more durable and less expensive to maintain than a fleet of buses and the roads they use. A rail car can last up to 60 years; a bus can last maybe a quarter of that. Every bus needs one driver, while one driver can pilot a train several cars long. That means a lower payroll. And electricity is cheaper than gas.F.StyleFace it, light rail is kind of cool. Buses are not that cool.G.Resources Used/Environmental ImpactLight-rail trains run on electricity. Much of that is generated by coal, and that’s a nonrenewable resource that leaves an ecological footprint in all stages of itsproduction and use. Yet buses run on petroleum products. There aren’t many people touting fossil fuels as the energy of the future these days.H.VisionOpponents of light rail have created a category of public transportation called Bus Rapid Transit — express buses that travel at higher speeds, with fewer stops, in designated lanes.It’s a project that has been implemented successfully in places and may be integrated into a larger transit package in the future. But dozens of American cities are insisting that light rail be a part of that future.BRT may be forward-thinking, but light rail is a breakthrough, a bold move that seeks to face down our dependence on oil.[Used with permission from the Portland Tribune (Pamplin Media Group). “Bus vs. Light Rail” by Eric Bartels, 13 November 2007.]Vocabulary in ContextBelow are words and phrases from Passage One. Choose the best definition for each underlined word or phrase as it is used in the passage. Mark the letter on the Answer Sheet.1.Paragraph A: …transportation receded into a cultural backwater in the 1950s…A.was talked aboutB.was largely ignoredC.was promotedD.was highlighted2.Paragraph A: …in terms of sustainable transportation…fortableB.economicalC.eco-friendlyD.fashionable3.Paragraph A: …outspoken camps have sprung up…A.vocal supportersB.loud groupsC.thoughtful followersD.open encampments4.Paragraph C: …more modern, more upscale and safer…A.up-to-dateB.elevated from the groundC.appealing to rich people5.Paragraph D: …to massage those numbers…A.changeB.manipulateC.rubD.mix6.Paragraph G: …many people touting fossil fuels as the energy…A.promotingB.criticisingC.buyingD.requesting7.Paragraph H: …in places and may be integrated into a larger…A.may be expanded intoB.may be setup inC.may replaceD.may become part ofComprehensionChoose the best answer and mark the letter on the Answer Sheet.8.Which one of the following statements is a reasonable inference from paragraph A?A.Buses should not be considered an environmentally friendly wayto travel.B.People think driving their cars is environmentally sustainable.C.Trains are a much better public transportation option than buses orprivate cars.D.The popularity and use of public transportation has come fullcircle.9.By discussing the comfort level passengers of light-rail trains feel, the authorassumes thatA.bus riders are people who prefer tradition over modernity.B.bus rides are usually rougher than light-rail train rides.C.bus drivers may skip over stops when their buses are full.D.bus riders do not actually enjoy riding buses.10.From the author’s discussion of the operation and management cost of both the busand light-rail systems, it can be argued thatA.buses cost more than rail cars to operate.B.buses can reach more destinations than light rail.C.light-rail drivers are more expensive to hire than bus drivers.D.light-rail cars break down more often than buses.11.Which of the following would be a reasonable inference about the author’s viewson the initial cost comparison between buses and light rail?A.People who like to take light rail will not mind its high initial cost.B.The initial cost of building light rail is actually lower than settingup bus travel.C.Bus travel advocates do not give an accurate portrayal of theinitial cost of bus travel.D.The initial cost of building a bus system is much lower thanexperts suggest.12.When comparing the sustainability of either a light-rail or a bus system, the authorsuggests thatA.light rail is much more environmentally friendly.B.the bus system is much more environmentally friendly.C.both light-rail and bus systems have a positive environmentalimpact.D.neither light-rail nor bus systems use renewable energies.13.Which of the following according to the article is not a form of “fossil fuel”?A.CoalB.GasC.ElectricityD.Petroleum14.Which of the following attributes does NOT apply to buses?A.FlexibilityB.DurabilityC.SustainabilityD.Lower initial cost15.What does the writer suggest that people are re-evaluating?e of fossil fuelsB.Climate changeC.Paved roadsD.Public transportation16.Which of the following sentences is closest in meaning to this quotation fromparagraph B?“For folks in some parts if there’s no train nearby, their mass-transit commuting will have to be done by bus.”A.Since there are no good trains, buses are a better option.B.Since buses are easy for commuting, taking the trains isunnecessary.C.As reaching train stations is difficult, buses are the only option.D.Trains can never beat buses in terms of connectivity.17.The writer suggests in paragraph H that Bus Rapid TransitA.is out-dated.B.cannot be implemented.C.is not as revolutionary as light rail.D.saves more money than light rail.PASSAGE TWOA.It’s hard to imagine why anyone would object to clean and green windturbines—especially when you compare them to dirty coal-fired plants and risky nuclear ones. Some people worry that because wind is very variable, we might suddenly lose all of our electricity and find ourselves plunged into a “blackout” if we rely on it too much.B.The reality of wind is quite different. Wherever you live, your power comes froma complex grid, or network, of highly interconnected power-generating unitsranging from giant power plants to individual wind turbines. Utility companies are highly adept at balancing power generated in many different places, in many different ways, to match the total power demand as it varies from hour to hour and day to day. The power from any one wind turbine will fluctuate as the wind rises and falls, but the total power produced by thousands of turbines, widely dispersed across an entire country, is much more regular and predictable. While it’s true that you might need 1,000 wind turbines to produce as much power as a giant coal or nuclear plant, it’s also true that if a single wind turbine fails or stops turning, it causes only 1/1000th (0.1 percent) of the disruption you get when a coal or nuclear plant fails (which happens more often than you might think). It’s also worth bearing in mind that wind is extremely predictable several days in advance so it’s easy for power planners to take account of its variability as they figure out how to make enough power to meet expected demands.C.Opponents of wind power have even suggested that it might be counter-productive,because we’d still need to have backup coal or nuclear plants or some way of storing wind-generated electricity for those times when there’s not enough wind blowing. That would certainly be true if we made all our energy from one, single mega-sized wind turbine—but we don’t! In reality, even countries that have large supplies of wind energy have plenty of other sources of power too. Denmark, for example, makes 20 percent of its electricity—and meets 43 percent of its peak load—with wind. As long as wind power is making less than half of a country’s total energy, the variability of the wind is not a problem.Vocabulary in ContextBelow are words and phrases from Passage Two. Choose the best definition for eachunderlined word or phrase as it is used in the passage. Mark the letter on the Answer Sheet.18.Paragraph A: …. clean and green…A.green in colourB.naturalC.economicalD.non-polluting19.Paragraph A: …them to dirty coal-fired plants…A.unprofitableB.filthyC.not cleanD.pollution causing20.Paragraph B: Utility companies are highly adept at balancing power…A.very quickB.extremely skilfulpletely uselessD.very professional21.Paragraph B: …one wind turbine will fluctuate as…A.go up and down suddenlyB.move from side to sideC.vibrate quicklyD.drop suddenly22.Paragraph B: It’s also worth bearing in mind that…A.noticingB.rememberingC.observingD.reminding23.Paragraph C: …single mega-sized wind turbine…rgeB.very largeC.extremely largeD.infinitely largeComprehensionChoose the best answer and mark the letter on the Answer Sheet.24.The writer’s main point isA.wind turbines are more efficient than other power sources.B.wind energy cannot provide a country’s energy.C.wind turbines can provide up to 43 percent of a country’s energy.D.wind energy output can be managed effectively.25.Why does the writer suggest that failure of a wind turbine is not as damaging as thefailure of a coal or nuclear power plant?A.One turbine only contributes a small amount to the output.B.Utility companies have good plans for balancing output.C.Utility companies do not use mega-sized turbines.D.One turbine’s output depends on the direction of the wind.26.The writer suggests that problems with the wind are easily overcome whenA.energy can be stored when the turbine is too hot.B.backup power plants are built in other locations.C.the turbines are spread out across a wide area.D.20 percent of energy is produced by turbines.27.The writer feels that utility companies can use wind power becauseA.wind power is not only clean but green.B.the wind is usually blowing somewhere.C.turbines do not need to produce much power.D.other power plants often fail and cause blackouts.28.Based on paragraph A, the author probably believes that some people’s fears of theunreliability of wind powerA.is real.B.has happened.C.will happen.D.may be groundless.29.The writer’s attitude to people who oppose wind power is generallyA.negative.B.neutral.C.positive.D.uninterested.30.In paragraph B, the writer suggests thatA.wind turbines never fail.B.coal plants fail quite often.C.it is hard to predict the weather.D.nuclear plants are not necessary.Part B Grammar (30%)Each question is worth one point. Suggested time: 30 minutes Verb Tenses / Verb FormsFrom the choices provided, select the tense/form of the verb that best completes the sentence. Mark the letter on the Answer Sheet.People Turn a Blind Eye to the BlindIt never ceases to amaze me how uncaring and selfish this world 1. Are there any compassionate people left in this universe? They seem to be few and far between.Earlier today I 2 on my way home from grocery shopping. As I pulled my shopping cart behind me, I revelled in the warm weather and the snowless sidewalks for the first time in three weeks.I nearly reached the corner where the sidewalk ended and the street began when I 3 across to the opposite side of the street to see a blind man 4 his white cane from side to side. His cane moved frantically from the sidewalk to the curb where snow 5 up high. He was getting more frustrated by the minute, as he stood there moving his cane back and forth trying to find the place to cross.I looked at the traffic on the street, 6 that no one was even slowing down, or stopping to help this blind man who 7 to cross the street.Inside I felt 8 at this fast-paced world, where no one has the time or inclination to stop what they were doing to give aid to this helpless man.My heart went out to him and so I decided to cross the street and help him. I reached him as he was swishing his cane dangerously close to the street. He yelled something out that I could not decipher.I told him that I 9 him cross the street. He took my hand and told me that he wanted to cross the street and stay on the main street to go to the small plaza.commandment in the Bible states what we need to practise with our fellow humans, “Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.” We are not loving our neighbours when we see them in distress and just walk or drive on by.11 someone else other than ourselves means that we 12 the hands of love, compassion, and empathy to someone less fortunate than ourselves.[Used with permission from a Creative Commons 3.0 licence. “People Turn a Blind Eye to the Blind” by Catharine Leona Joy Minter Parks, 29 September 2011.]1. A. became B. will become C. is becoming D. will have become2. A. am B. have been C. had been D. was3. A. was looking B. looked C. have been looking D. look4. A. to swish B. swish C. swished D. swishing5. A. was piling B. piled C. was piled D. were piled6. A. noting B. to note C. being noted D. noted7. A. tried B. had tried C. was trying D. would try8. A. disgusting B. disgusted C. disgusts D. to disgust9. A. had helped B. helped C. would help D. was helping10. A. kept B. keeps C. keep D. had kept11. A. Helped B. Helps C. Help D. Helping12. A. were stretching B. have stretched C. stretches D. were stretched UsageSelect the choices that would best complete the passage. Mark the letter on the Answer Sheet.How to Keep Chickens as PetsThere are many breeds of chickens. Some are better for laying; some are fancier 13 appearance, and some chicken breeds are 14 than others, making them suited for pets.The Orpington is a good all-round bird, suited for 15 and as pets. The Sussexand Rhode Island Chickens are also suited for all purposes. The Silkie Chickens and Cochin are 16 birds generally kept as pets or for eggs, and they make terrific parents if you do have a rooster.Chickens come in different sizes. Bantam chickens are smaller and 17 great pets in a limited space. Some chicken breeds only come in bantam size, 18 others only come in standard sizes. A few come in both.If you want eggs, you will note that some breeds lay more than others, with most hens producing 4 – 6 eggs a week.Typically, white hens lay white eggs and brown hens lay brown eggs. Some breeds even lay colourful green/blue eggs. It is actually the colour of 19 bird’s ear that determines what colour eggs it will lay; egg colour has 20 to do with nutrition.Most hens start laying eggs at 5 months of age and only lay during the spring, summer, and early fall. They molt and stop laying for the winter. A few breeds lay year 21, while others 22 a break. Chickens can be induced to lay at other times by providing artificial light but their bodies do need to rest. As they get older, they lay fewer eggs.Laying hens need a special ration 23 is high in protein and calcium. They can also be given extra calcium in the form of oyster shell or actual crushed egg shells.24 their proper diet, chickens should be given some chicken scratch (a corn mixture) every day, and can be given some kitchen leftovers such as old bananas, ends of brown bread, apples, and so forth. They should not be given onions. Offering scratch and other treats is a good way to make your birds friendly.Chicken should also be given grit to help with digestion and should always have fresh water.If eggs are not removed, some hens become broody and will sit on them to hatch out chicks, but not all hens have this habit. It takes 21 days for chicken eggs to hatch. Only fertile eggs will hatch. 25 there is no rooster, the eggs are not fertile.If you are collecting eggs for eating, you will have to check in the morning and again at noon and refrigerate any eggs you gather.[Used with permission from a Creative Commons 3.0 licence. “How to Keep Chickens as Pets” by Brenda Nelson, 6 October 2011.]13. A. by B. with C. in D. at14. A. friend B. friends C. friendly D. friendlier15. A. lay B. laying C. lie D. lying16. A. ornament B. ornamented C. ornamental D. ornamentally17. A. make B. suit C. turn D. keep18. A. while B. and C. despite D. even19. A. an B. the C. any D. some20. A. anything B. something C. everything D. nothing21. A. in B. around C. within D. round22. A. take B. give C. live D. make23. A. , in that B. in which C. that D. ,which24. A. Except B. In addition to C. Because D. As long as25. A. As B. Although C. However D. IfSentence completionChoose from the choices provided and complete the following sentences in the best way. Mark the letter on the Answer Sheet.26. Forty years ago car safety did not exist and thousands died on the roads _____.Some passengers survived the crash but _____ burn to death in the resulting fire.A.per annual … wouldB.each annual … usuallyC.every year … wouldD.each yearly … usually27. Suzie: Do you miss _____?Denise: No, not at all. I’d rather _____ here.A.he being around … not had himB.him being around … not have himC.he be around … not having himD.him be around … not to have him28. Suddenly, there was absolute silence. Neither the women nor anyone else _____.I supposed they should either charge these women _____ let them go.A.were going to speak ... or as wellB.was going to speak … and alsoC.were going to speak … and thenD.was going to speak … or else29. _____ one British child in four is born into poverty _____ a disgrace.A.When … isB.Which … areC.If … areD.That … is30. Peter came in, _____.A.more excited than anyone had seen him before.B.more exciting than anyone had seen him before.C.more excitement than someone had seen him before.D.more excite than someone had seen him before.Part C Writing (40%)Suggested time: 60minutesTo plan: 5 – 10 minutesTo write: 40 – 45 minutesTo check: 5 minutes Instructions:Choose ONE topic and write at least 300 words. Put the letter (A, B or C) of your choice on the Answer Booklet. The writing topics are designed to give you an opportunity to demonstrate your ability to write clearly and effectively. You should try to produce the best essay possible in the time allotted. Your essay will be judged on the following:∙Logical development of ideas, including an introduction, a body and a conclusion∙Clear expression of ideas supported with specific evidence and concrete examples∙Appropriate choice of vocabulary∙Correct and varied sentence structure∙Correct spelling, grammar and punctuationWriting TopicsA.Many schools in Asia are beginning to actively address the problem of bullies,people who use their strength or power to frighten or hurt other people. In your opinion, how should this issue be addressed?B.Taking music lessons is very common nowadays, but why do we need to studymusic?C.Advertising is now a very big business, but it is not always ethical, oftenencouraging people to buy things they do not really need. How do you view this issue?End of Examination Paper2012/2013 MODEL ANSWERPart A. Reading Part B. Grammar1. B 16. C 1. C 16. C2. C 17. C 2. D 17. A3. A 18. D 3. B 18. A4. C 19. D 4. D 19. B5. B 20. B 5. C 20. D6. A 21. A 6. A 21. D7. D 22. B 7. C 22. A8. D 23. C 8. B 23. C9. B 24. D 9. C 24. B10. A 25. A 10. C 25. D11. C 26. C 11. D 26. C12. D 27. B 12. B 27. B13. C 28. D 13. C 28. D14. B 29. A 14. D 29. D15. D 30. B 15. B 30. A2011/2012 ADMISSION EXAMINATION PAPERPart AReading (30%)Suggested time: 40 minutesEach question is worth two points.PASSAGE ONEA.When I first met Mark Zuckerberg, he seemed as much a visitor to his surroundingsas I was. It was earlier this summer, in Facebook's boardroom in Palo Alto, and it was clear Zuckerberg hadn't spent a lot of time there. He wondered aloud to his media aide why we were meeting in such a big and off-putting formal space. His comments caught me off-guard. I expected a guy who has become as rich and famous as Zuckerberg to more fully embrace it. And then I thought, "Of course he feels awkward about his surroundings. He's only 23 years old."B.It's been like that from the beginning for Zuckerberg. Ever since he startedFacebook out of his Harvard dormitory room four years ago, he has been scrambling to keep up with epic growth in his and the company's fame and fortune.The last year has been particularly remarkable. Users have quadrupled while employees and revenues have tripled. Zuckerberg was mocked briefly in 2006 for turning down a near $1-billion buyout from Yahoo. Now, there is talk that Google and Microsoft both want to buy a chunk of or all of Facebook for a valuation exceeding $10 billion. Meanwhile, in bars and at cocktail parties, Silicon Valley people ask "Do you think he's more like Steve Jobs or Bill Gates?"C.Another round of Silicon Valley hype, you say? Perhaps. It does defy a certain logicthat a 23-year-old might be worth – based on his 30% stake in Facebook – $3 billion. But the facts are these: Facebook is the hottest social networking company on the planet right now. And two very smart companies – Google and Microsoft – along with most of Silicon Valley believe that Facebook, or its kind of technology, is going to completely change the way you use the Internet in five years. Is that worth $5 billion? $10 billion? $15 billion? I don't know, but I know it's worth a lot.D.When I first met Zuckerberg, I hadn't figured that out. Sure, MySpace – owned byRupert Murdoch's News Corp. – had more than 100 million users, and Facebook had 40 million. But these were all teenagers sharing party pictures online, right? At their best, the two websites seemed like a more technologically advanced version of Internet chat rooms. At worst, they were a hangout for scammers and sexualE.It all sounds way too complicated for ordinary people to understand until you hearZuckerberg explain it. Boiled down, it goes like this: Humans get their informationfrom two places – from mainstream media or some other centralized organization such as a church, and from their network of family, friends, neighbours and colleagues. We've already digitized the first. Almost every news organization has a website now. What Zuckerberg is trying to do with Facebook is digitize the second.F.Think about what this means. Right now, the interactions among friends,neighbours and colleagues – a.k.a. word of mouth – is still analogue. You go to a cocktail party, and a friend tells you about this incredible restaurant he's found. You ask a few other friends to confirm that data and eventually two things happen: You go to the restaurant regularly, and the place becomes a favourite in town. Now imagine that information automatically pushed out to all your friends, tested, verified and returned to you in 24 hours, and you have Zuckerberg's vision for Facebook.[Source: Adapted from Fred Vogelstein, “The Facebook Revolution,” Los Angeles Times, 7 October 2007.]Vocabulary in ContextBelow are words and phrases from reading Passage One. Choose the best definition for each underlined word or phrase as it is used in the passage. Mark the letter on the Answer Sheet.1.Paragraph A: …in such a big and off-putting formal space.A.unpleasantB.upstagingC.removingD.replacing2.Paragraph B: Zuckerberg was mocked briefly in 2006...A.congratulatedB.praisedC.persuadedD.ridiculed3.Paragraph C: …Silicon Valley hype...A.optimismB.pessimismC.exaggerationD.explanation4.Paragraph E: Boiled down, it goes like this:A.evaporatedB.simplifiedC.elaboratedD.moreoverComprehensionChoose the best answer and mark the letter on the Answer Sheet.5.According to the passage, Silicon Valley people consider Mark Zuckerberg…A.a fool.B. a visitor.C. a visionary innovator.D.a person obsessed with fame and fortune.6.According to the passage, what important function is Facebook trying toaccomplish?A.Create more games and apps for users.B.Put the opinions of everyone you know onto the internet.C.Add an e-mail function.D.Put every news organization onto the internet.7.The main purpose of the reading passage is…A.to convince people to use Facebook.B.to describe the enormous potential of Facebook.C.to estimate the value of Facebook.D.to compare Facebook to Apple and Microsoft.PASSAGE TWOA.Tired? Lethargic? In dire need of 40 winks? Join the club. But how to boost ourenergy levels without putting in too much effort? I finally accepted the urgent need to sort out my energy levels when the clocks went back last year. The days were suddenly short, drab, dark. I snored through the alarm every morning, then kick-started myself with strong coffee. By midday, I'd be working out ways to fit ina sneaky nap. In the evening, I'd drink wine to wind down, before sliding into bedwith a laptop, promising myself sleep by midnight at the latest, then Skyping friends, ordering groceries and reading tomorrow's papers until past 2am. It didn't seem stupid at the time. Of course it didn't – my mind was in a permanent tired yet over-stimulated fog. And anyway, everyone I knew was the same.B.I came to my first conclusion early. The main reason we're all so incrediblyexhausted is – sorry to blind you with science – we're not getting enough sleep.Obvious, perhaps, but also not so obvious. We all seem fully aware that we need, for example, eight hours, but always get five, yet we do nothing constructive about it. I think the reason for that is that getting good sleep requires sacrifice and strong willpower.。
