Nec Mock test - 150221

4. What do we learn about the company's performance?
A. The share price has now dropped by over one-third.
B. There has been a 6% improvement in the share price overnight.
C. $38 has been wiped off the share price.
D. It has become the biggest flop in history.
5. Nick believes that Google _______.
A. will inevitably prevail over Facebook in time.
B. was short-sighted to invest everything it had into one project.
C. technology will be made redundant by what Facebook offers users.
D. will become profit-making in a matter of time. Your answers: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
Part 2: You will hear the minister talking about crime. Are these statements true or false?
Write T (true) or F (false). (10 pts)
6. Peter Miles appointed a new head of the police service.
7. The government has spent a lot of money on CCTV.
8. The government copied the Make Amends scheme from another country.
9. More people get mugged now than ten years ago.
10. The figures in the report are completely accurate. Your answers: 6. 7. 8. 9. 10.
Part 3. You will hear a student called Tina asking Professor Van Diezen for advice on
choosing courses. Listen and answer the following questions, using NO MORE THAN
FIVE WORDS for each answer. (10 pts)
11. What is the defining characteristic of a specialised course?
_________________________________________________________________________
12. For whom the Microbiology courses are available?
_________________________________________________________________________
13. Who are interested in Microbiology courses?
_________________________________________________________________________
14. Why will a Medical Science course be opened next year?
_________________________________________________________________________
15. Which is the quickest increasing subject in enrolment?
_________________________________________________________________________
Part 4. Listen to the news and fill in the following blank with a suitable phrase. Write NO
MORE THAN THREE WORDS in each blank. (20 pts)
Today the U.S. Supreme Court delivered a (16) __________ to American business
and an equally sweeping defeat to American workers. The (17) __________upheld and
extended the growing practice adopted by American businesses, namely requiring workers
to agree as a condition of employment not to go to court over wage and hour disputes but to
instead submit their claims to (18) __________ individually. Lawyer Ron Chapman, who
represents management in (19) __________, said he expects small and large businesses
alike to immediately move to impose these binding arbitration contracts in order to
eliminate the fear of costly class-action (20) __________ from juries. Page 2 of 17
The lead (21) __________ in the case was an IT worker at Epic, the giant health care
software development company. That law guarantees the rights of workers to engage in
activities for the purpose of (22) __________ or any other concerted activities. Justice Ruth
Bader Ginsburg, in a (23) __________ from the bench, called out the majority for what she
said was an egregiously wrong decision. Labor law experts said today's decision likely will
present increasing problems for the #MeToo movement and for other civil rights class
actions claiming discrimination based on (24) __________. There's no transparency in most
binding arbitration agreements, and they often include (25) __________. Yale law professor
Judith Resnik observes that today's decision applies to all manner of class actions. Your answers: 16. 21. 17. 22. 18. 23. 19. 24. 20. 25.
B. LEXICO AND GRAMMAR (30 points)
Part 1. Choose the answer A, B, C, or D that best completes each of the following
sentences. Write your answers in the corresponding numbered boxes. (10 points)
1. I’m sure there’s a definite __________ of envy in her nasty comments about you. A. factor B. ingredient C. component D. element
2. She had an unclear __________ of him in her mind, although she knew he would be old. A. sight B. picture C. vision D. figure
3. Derek had no experience of white-water canoeing, so it was extremely__________ of
him to try and shoot the rapids. A. hazardous B. intrepid C. perilous D. foolhardy
4. Money was short and people survived by __________ and saving. A. scrimping B. scavenging C. scouring D. scrounging
5. The matter has been left in __________ until the legal ramifications have been explored. A. recess B. suspension C. abeyance D. waiting
6. He was absolutely __________ with anger when he found that I had scratched his car. A. burned B. carmine C. fickle D. livid
7. In these times of high unemployment everyone thought my giving up my job was______ madness. A. sheer B. steep C. high D. deep
8. Most teenagers go through a rebellious __________ for a few years but they soon grow out of it. A. stint B. span C. duration D. phase
9. I knew my mother would __________ a face the minute she saw my new hair cut. A. drag B. lift C. pull D. race
10. The president was eventually __________ by a military coup. A. disposed B. despised C. deposed D. dispersed Your answers: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. Page 3 of 17
Part 2. The passage below contains 5 mistakes. Identify the mistakes and write the
corrections in the corresponding numbered boxes. There is an example at the beginning. (5 points) 1
The key ingredient in the body’s psychological response to danger is adrenaline. 2
The body produces this chemical in the center of the adrenal glands atop the kidneys. 3
When a physically or mentally stressful situation rises, a flood of adrenaline into the 4
blood flow prepares the body to act swiftly and forcefully to protect it. The heart 5
beats faster. Blood is directed away from the skin and toward such structures as the 6
skeletal muscle and the brain- all to provide the oxygen necessary to run fast, lift 7
heavy objects, and think quickly. This physiological reaction to risk is the well- 8
known “flight- to- flight”. 9
Although activated by a threat, the sudden release of adrenaline and the body’s 10
responses to it produce a distinctively pleasurable feeling once the danger has 11
passed. Even people who are not seeking danger but who confront it accidentally 12
will speak afterwards or an exciting “adrenaline rush.” To some people, the pleasure 13
of such an experience is so intensive that they rate it among life’s most desirable 14
sensations. This hints at a likely biochemical- psychological mechanism motivating 15
some, perhaps most, risk-seeking individuals. Your Answers: Number Line Mistake Correction 1 2 3 4 5
Part 3. Complete each of the following sentences with a suitable preposition or particle.
Write your answers in the space provided. (5 points)
1. Don’t try to palm me ______ with your lies and excuses.
2. He is a leader __________ name only: his deputy has effectively taken over.
3. This will go __________ in history as the most important event of the century.
4. It might be a good idea to butter __________ the boss before you ask for a rise.
5. My mum draws heavily __________ her teaching experience each time she gives a presentation. Your answers: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
Part 4. Give the correct form of each bracketed word in the following passage. Write your
answers in the space provided. (10 points)
The University of Southern California rescinded the admissions of a half-dozen
students, and several other colleges and universities pledged to take a closer look at their
admissions processes as (1. FALL)_____________continued from an admissions scandal
that implicated coaches, athletic department administrators and 33 wealthy, well-connected
parents who allegedly schemed to get their children admitted to prestigious colleges.
A (2. CLASS) _____________ lawsuit was filed Wednesday on behalf of applicants
who were denied admission to several universities affected by the scandal. It alleged that
those schools failed to take adequate steps to (3. SAFE) _____________ against fraud, Page 4 of 17
depriving the applicants of a fair shot. And it emerged that the genesis of the FBI
investigation came when an investor tipped off agents to the admissions scheme after he
was caught (4. COMMIT) _____________ securities fraud.
On Tuesday, 50 people were charged or indicted in connection with the scheme,
including actors Felicity Huffman and Lori Loughlin and Loughlin’s husband, clothing
designer Mossimo Giannulli. Other parents charged include the owner of a Napa Valley
(5. WINE)_____________, the wife of an NFL legend, (6. RANK) _____________
lawyers, private equity investors, real estate moguls and a media company owner.
Questions remain about what will happen to the college students who were admitted
under circumstances being scrutinized by the FBI. According to the criminal complaint in
the case, their parents paid hundreds of thousands of dollars to submit fraudulent test scores
and fake athletic (7. CREDENCE) _____________ on their behalf. Prosecutors say that
with the help of a corrupt college consultant, the parents paid off coaches so their children
could pose as athletic (8. RECRUIT) _____________, allowing them to attend selective
schools despite (9. LACK) _____________ academic records.
Court documents allege the man at the (10. CENTER) _____________of the
scandal, William “Rick” Singer, has been helping parents get their children into selective
schools this way since at least 2011. Your answers: 1. 6. 2. 7. 3. 8. 4. 9. 5. 10. C. READING (60 points):
Part 1. Read the following passage and decide which answer (A, B, C or D) best fits each
gap. Write your answers in the corresponding numbered boxes. (10 points) OK
The word OK is ubiquitous in modern English but its origins remain (1) __________ in
mystery. Over the years, many theories have been (2) __________ regarding its derivation
but none of them is (3) __________ convincing. The first recorded written use of OK was in
1839, when it appeared in a newspaper article in Boston, Massachusetts. There was a (4)
__________ for wacky acronyms at the time, just as today's text messages use things like
'LOL', and OK allegedly originated as a misspelling of All Correct. But (5) __________
many of these acronyms flourished briefly and then gradually (6) __________ out of use,
OK has proved to be remarkably (7) __________. It first reached England in 1870, where it
appeared in the words of a popular song, and today is in (8) __________ use across the
English-speaking world. As part of a phrase ' …. rules OK', it has been a mainstay of urban
graffiti since the 1930s and in 1969 it had the (9) __________of being the first word spoken
on the moon. In short, it's a (10) __________ useful word. 1. A. shrouded B. smothered C. clothed D. draped 2. A. laid out B. put forward C. drawn up D. brought about 3. A. widely B. mainly C. wholly D. largely 4. A. hype B. craze C. rage D. whim 5. A. despite B. albeit C. whereas D. providing 6. A. slipped B. faded C. crept D. strayed 7. A. resolute B. stalwart C. steadfast D. resilient Page 5 of 17 8. A. staunch B. relentless C. durable D. constant 9. A. credit B. pride C. honour D. acclaim 10. A. phenomenally B. ordinarily C. conclusively D. controversially Your answers: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10.
Part 2. Read the text below and think of the word which best fits each space. Use only one
word in each space. Write your answers in the space provided. (15 points)
Over the last hundred years, much of the art of using herbs in cooking and medicine
has been lost, especially in industrialised societies. Until recently, few people in the
crowded cities had the space to grow plants or vegetables, and so (1) __________ in the
country did knowledge of herbs linger on. (2) __________ the advent of refrigeration,
however, which meant that the strong smell of old meat no longer had to be disguised, and
the appearance of packaged food and easily-available medicines, the growing of herbs declined rapidly.
Nowadays, there is hardly anyone who does not have a small patch of garden, or a
(3) __________ sill or balcony or balcony large enough for a pot or two of herbs. These
facts, (4) __________ with the beginnings of a revolt (5) __________ standardised foods
and perhaps also a mistrust of the (6) __________ effects of some of today's medicines,
mean that herbs have taken (7) __________ a new popularity.
The culinary uses of herbs are endless and they can be used to good effect all year
(8) __________, in dried form or cut fresh. (9) __________ aids to beauty and for medicinal
(10) __________, there is now a vast range of available. Herbs are for all occasions and all seasons. Your answers 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10.
Part 3: Read the following passage and choose the best answer. Write your answers in the
corresponding numbered boxes. (10 points) AROUND THE WORLD IN 94 DAYS
In February 2001, at the age of 24, Ellen Mac Arthur became the youngest and fastest
ever woman to sail round the world. After 94 days alone on board her yacht Kingfisher, she
finished second to Michel Desjoyaux of France in the single-handed Vende Globe event.
In sport, like life, the winner is usually fêted, and runners-up quickly forgotten. This
time the roles were reversed and it was Ellen, weighing just 50 kilos and barely 1m60 tall,
that really captured people's imaginations and emotions. One newspaper in France, where
she was and is a real heroine, summed up the national mood there with the headline 'Well done, Michel, brave Ellen'.
As with many spectacular achievers, the signs were there from an early age, even in
the unpromising nautical terrain of landlocked Derbyshire. Her great-grandparents were
sailing people and a great-uncle was a merchant seaman, but any real link with the sea is
tenuous. There was, however, aunt Auntie Thea who lived on the east coast of England and
had a 26-foot sailing boat called Cabaret. It took just one trip on the open sea with her aunt
to spark off Ellen's lifelong passion. She was eight years old. After that she began saving her
pocket money and spent all her spare time reading sailing books in the library, absorbing Page 6 of 17
information like a sponge. With her savings and the help of her grandmother she bought an
8-£00t fibre glass dinghy, and from that moment on there was no keeping her away from the water.
Sailing round Britain single-handed at the age of 18 was just the start; Ellen had long
since set her sights on the Vende. But finding the money to undertake round-the-world
voyages is no easy feat. She wrote 2,000 letters requesting sponsorship and received just
two replies, from the Kingfisher company who were looking to expand into France. And in
terms of race preparation, if thoroughness was the key to success, Ellen could certainly be
considered one of the favourites. In the eight months leading up to the start of the race, she
sailed no fewer than 60,000 miles at the helm of her 60-£001 Kingfisher, far more than the
rest of the fleet put together in the same period.
During her three months at sea MacArthur negotiated deadly icebergs, gigantic waves
and gale-force winds. She endured the freezing cold of the Antarctic and suffered the
blistering heat of the windless doldrums. Racing conditions meant sleeping in 10-minute
bursts, a survival suit that stayed on for weeks at a time and hands and wrists covered in
sores and cuts. Food was dried or frozen. Water came from a desalinator, which passes sea
water through a membrane. 'You don't really wash in the icy waters of the southern ocean,'
she laughs. 'Anyway, there's no one to tell you that you smell.'
As Kingfisher crossed the finishing line Ellen was surrounded by hundreds of spectator
boats and a cheering crowd of 200,000 lined the shore. Stepping off her yacht she looked
remarkably composed and seemed to take the change from solitude to public adulation very
much in her stride. Her thoughts, she later confessed, were on the realization that she had
fulfilled the ambition that had dominated her life for the previous four or five years.
'Throughout that time my sole focus had been crossing the finishing line, and in the fastest
possible time.' Now she could savour that moment.
But despite MacArthur's belief that everyone who finishes the Vende is a winner, she
still feels a sense of disappointment that, having taken the lead from the eventual winner
Michel Desjoyaux 10 days from the finish, she did not quite have the energy or good
fortune to turn her advantage into victory. 'You have to believe you can win from the start,'
she asserts. 'Deep down you're a competitor, you don't climb the mast and come back black
and blue just for a cruise. You do it because it's a race.'
The public will now be hoping to see a suitable encore, some new feat of endurance to
justify her celebrity status. For Ellen can no longer claim, as she did in her post-race press
conference, to be the simple Derbyshire girl with 'no mobile, no credit cards, no money, no
nothing'; she is a heroine and an inspiration to others of her generation. As if to reinforce
this, and despite her reluctance to take on this role, she later commented: 'If there's one thing
I've learned in this past year, it's that deep down in your heart, if you have a dream, then you can and must it happen.'
1. The word “fêted” in the second paragraph means
A. to make somebody pleasant. B. to praise somebody. C. to make somebody happy. D. to give somebody a reward.
2. At the time of her achievement we learn that Ellen
A. enjoyed only short-lived success.
B. was more famous in France than anywhere else.
C. attracted more attention than Michel Desjoyaux.
D. became popular because of her size.
3. The word “landlocked” in the third paragraph means A. having no seaport. B. having no fresh water . C. having no land. D. having no sea coast. Page 7 of 17
4. Where did Ellen's initial interest in sailing come from?
A. She came from a family of sailing enthusiasts.
B. She went to see one of her relatives.
C. She read widely on the subject. D. She lived near the sea.
5. The word “single-handed” in the fourth paragraph means
A. without any help from anyone else.
B. using only one of one's hands to row.
C. on a boat with only one paddle.
D. on a boat with only one sail.
6. What do we learn about Ellen at the start of the race?
A. People thought she had a very good chance of winning.
B. She was a more experienced sailor than the other racers.
C. She had been waiting for this moment since she was 18.
D. She had gone to great lengths to achieve her ambition.
7. The writer suggests that one cause of discomfort for Ellen at sea was A. the shortage of water. B. her failure to sleep. C. extremes of temperature.
D. a lack of cooking facilities.
8. According to the writer, when Ellen finished the race, she was
A. overwhelmed by her new-found fame.
B. surprised by the number of people who came to greet her.
C. able to reflect on her achievement.
D. delighted to be amongst people again.
9. According to the writer, Ellen
A. thinks she deserved to win the race.
B. has mixed feelings about the outcome of the race.
C. knew she would win the race.
D. thinks Michel Desjoyaux was lucky to beat her.
10. Which of the following views does the writer express in the last paragraph?
A. She has the power to motivate.
B. She has no right to fame yet. C. Her comments lack depth.
D. She needs to change her lifestyle. Your answers 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10.
Part 4. Read the passage and do the tasks that follow. Write your answers in
corresponding numbered boxes. (10 points) WHERE HAVE ALL OUR BIRDS GONE?
People have been listening to skylarks singing in Britain for 10,000 years. But now they,
and many other much loved species, are vanishing fast. David Adam finds out why.
A family of Starlings has chosen a post box for the third year running in an Essex seaside
town to raise their young brood.
A. The B1042 that winds from the Bedfordshire town of Sandy towards the village of
Potton is a difficult road to cross. Fast and twisty, there are several blind bends where
pedestrians must take their lives into their hands. That is trickier than it sounds, for most
pedestrians who cross the B1042 already have a pair of binoculars in their hands. The road
separates the grand headquarters of the RSPB, home to hundreds of birdwatchers, from Page 8 of 17
some unkept fields, home to hundreds of watchable birds – hence the regular skips across
the tarmac. The skips, though, are now less regular for many RSPB staff, for the star
attraction of the neighbouring fields has flown. Until a year ago, a clutch of woodlark nested
there, one of Britain's rarest birds with just 1,000 or so thought to remain. Then their home
was ploughed up and replaced with a giant field of swaying hemp plants. The woodlark have not been seen since.
B. It is not just the professional birdwatchers of the RSPB who have seen their local
landscape transformed. Across Britain, and with little fanfare, the face of the countryside
has subtly changed in recent years. Farm fields that stood idle for years under EU schemes
to prevent overproduction, such as the one across the road from the RSPB, have been
conscripted back into active service. The uncultivated land, previously a haven for wildlife,
has been ploughed, and farmers have planted crops such as wheat and barley, with
occasional hemp for use in paper and textiles.
C. As a result, the amount of land available for birds such as the woodlark has halved in the
last two years. Without efforts to stem this loss of habitat, conservation experts warn that
the countryside of the future could look and sound very different. Starved of insects in the
spring and seeds through the winter, the metallic-sounding corn bunting and plump grey
partridge, formerly one of the most common birds on UK shores, are on the brink. And the
skylark, whose twittering has provided the soundtrack to millions of countryside walks and
inspired Percy Bysshe Shelley, in Ode to a Skylark, to praise its "profuse strains of
unpremeditated art", is struggling and could soon vanish from many areas. Numbers fell
53% from 1970 to 2006. "This is not just about birdwatchers. These birds are part of our
common heritage," says Gareth Morgan, head of agriculture policy at the RSPB.
D. Government figures show that populations of 19 bird species that rely on farmland have
halved since serious counting started in the 1970s – a decline conservationists blame on
intensive farming methods, with insecticide and herbicide sprayed on to monoculture fields
shorn of vibrant hedges. The unmistakable yellowhammer, which likes to sing while
perched as a dash of colour on hedges and bushes, has steadily disappeared with the hedges
and bushes. And a startling 80% drop across England in 40 years has diluted the shifting
Rorschach blots painted on the dusk sky by massed flocks of starling – though urban
changes are blamed for this too.
E. Farmland birds may sound a niche problem, and you may think that the rest of the
countryside is doing OK, but for most people, farmland is the British countryside. About
75% of Britain is farmed, and about half of that is arable fields. Take a train between two
UK towns, particularly in eastern counties, and almost all of the countryside you see is farmland.
F. As Simon Gillings of the British Trust for Ornithology (BTO) puts it: "For most people,
farmland is the countryside and farmland birds are the birds they see." If birds are
struggling, then it is a fair bet that other wildlife is too. "Birds are indicative of other
things," Gillings says. "If birds are declining then what does that say about the plants and
insects they rely on? It's all linked together." Page 9 of 17 Questions 1- 6
The Reading Passage has six paragraphs, A-F. Choose the correct heading for each
paragraph from the list of headings. Write the correct number i-ix in boxes 1-6. List of Headings i. Not only birds suffer
ii. Vanishing of habitats gives rise to the drop in bird species.
iii. Cultivating fame fields is profitable for farmers iv. A niche and minor problem v. Who should be blamed?
vi. Woodlark and other birds are on the brink
vii. Hedges and bushes are blamed for the reduction
viii. The rapid disappearance of bird species in Britain
ix. The countryside is the farmland
x. A major change in local landscape – more land is cultivated.
xi. Farmland is taking an insignificant share. 1. Paragraph A __________ 2. Paragraph B __________ 3. Paragraph C __________ 4. Paragraph D __________ 5. Paragraph E __________ 6. Paragraph F __________ Your answers: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. Questions 7-10
Do the following statements agree with the information given in the READING PASSAGE? Write: YES
if the statement agrees with the information NO
if the statement contradicts with the information NOT GIVEN
if there is no information on this
7. The RSPB is a very famous international organisation in birds conservation.
8. In EU countries farm fields are left uncultivated in order to increase their fertility.
9. The loss of habitats means a more demanding survival for many bird species.
10. In the 1970s governments only counted 19 bird species that depended on farmland. Your answers 7. 8. 9. 10.
Part 5. Read the text, identify which section A–F each of the following is mentioned.
Write ONE letter A–F in the corresponding numbered space provided. Each letter may be
used more than once. (15 points)
BOOK REVIEWS ON EARTH EXPLORATION
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 Page 10 of 17
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
misleading. But I'm being picky here, and these minor shortcomings don't detract from the overall value of the book. B. Burton Holmes Travelogues
Burton Holmes was the greatest traveler not just of his own time but perhaps of all time. A
pretty big claim, but there's evidence to back 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 battles; 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, but 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 environments and places
that cried out for exploration, rather than awards 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 Page 11 of 17
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 Ratcliffes
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-on 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. Your answers
Someone who left almost no stone unturned around the world. 1. ..............
The surprising anonymity of someone. 2. ..............
Disappointment that flora and other fauna are not mentioned. 3. ..............
A book that is physically difficult to carry around with you. 4. ..............
Some details are inaccurate in this book. 5. ..............
Information written like an old-fashioned diary. 6. ..............
Text that adds something to the images. 7. ..............
A collaboration that produced great results. 8. ..............
A book that covers all of nature's seasons. 9. ..............
A wide variety of subject matter. 10. .............. D. WRITING (60 points)
Part 1. Read the following extract and use your own words to summarize it. Your
summary should be about 140 words long. (15 points)
The temperature of the Sun is over 5,000 degrees Fahrenheit at the surface, but it
rises to perhaps more than 16 million degrees at the center. The Sun is so much hotter than
the Earth that matter can exist only as a gas, except at the core. In the core of the Sun, the
pressures are so great against the gases that, despite the high temperature, there may be a
small solid core. However, no one really knows, since the center of the Sun can never be directly observed.
Solar astronomers do know that the Sun is divided into five layers or zones. Starting
at the outside and going down into the Sun, the zones are the corona, chromosphere,
photosphere, convection zone, and finally the core. The first three zones are regarded as the
Sun's atmosphere. But since the Sun has no solid surface, it is hard to tell where the
atmosphere ends and the main body of the Sun begins. The Sun's outermost layer begins
about 10,000 miles above the visible surface and can be seen during an eclipse such as the
one in February 1979. At any goes outward for millions of miles. This is the only part of the Page 12 of 17
Sun that other time, the corona can be seen only when special instruments are used on
cameras and telescopes to shut out the glare of the Sun's rays.
The corona is a brilliant, pearly white, filmy light about as bright as the full Moon. Its
beautiful rays are a sensational sight during an eclipse. The corona's rays flash out in a
brilliant fan that has wispy spike-like rays near the Sun’s north and south poles. The corona
is thickest at the sun's equator.
The corona rays are made up of gases streaming outward at tremendous speeds and
reaching a temperature of more than 2 million degrees Fahrenheit. The rays of gas thin out
as they reach the space around the planets. By the time the Sun's corona rays reach the
Earth, they are weak and invisible.
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