Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C or D on your answer sheet to indicate the option that best fits each of the numbered blanks from 1 to 5.

The historical image of a teacher as a distant figure of authority, whose primary role was to dispense information, is increasingly out of step with modern educational needs. The traditional dynamic, which many modern educators now rightly criticize, was a system where students were expected to passively receive knowledge, memorize facts for examinations, adhere to a rigid classroom hierarchy that discouraged open discussions, or (1) ________.

Today’s educational environment, where information is abundant and freely accessible online, calls for a significant re-evaluation of this relationship. While the teacher’s expertise remains crucial, their function is shifting from that of a sole information provider to one of a facilitator, a role that becomes increasingly vital (2) ________. This change does not diminish the teacher’s importance; on the contrary, it elevates it. (3) ________.

(4) ________. This closer bond, however, requires a delicate balance, as the line between being a supportive mentor and an overly familiar friend can sometimes become blurred. If this new partnership is to be truly effective, the teacher’s primary function must be re-envisioned, so that the pedagogical goal becomes not merely transmitting static information, which is a hallmark of outdated teaching styles, and instead (5) ________ on their own initiative.

(Adapted from ResearchGate)

Question 1:
A. the unquestionable truth of the textbook's contents is a single source accepted
B. accept the textbook’s contents as the single, unquestionable source of truth
C. question the truth in the textbook's contents and not accept it as a single source
D. till the textbook could be accepted as the unquestionable and truthful source

Question 2:
A. although the credibility of information is less of a challenge than simply accessing it
B. as the challenge is no longer accessing information, but rather discerning its credibility
C. if discerning credible information is no longer a challenge, but rather its accessibility
D. while information must be accessed before its credibility can be challenged or discerned

Question 3:

A. As a matter of fact, inspiring curiosity is now considered a far less valuable capacity for a teacher than the ability to recite memorized facts

B. To be more specific, a teacher's curiosity about inspiring memorable facts is now considered far more valuable than their recitation ability

C. Similarly, the value of a teacher's recitation of facts is now considered far less memorable than their capability to inspire curiosity

D. Specifically, the capacity of a teacher to inspire curiosity is now considered far more valuable than their ability to recite facts from memory

Question 4:
A. Building a relationship on mutual respect and trust fosters a more engaging learning atmosphere
B. A more engaging atmosphere for learning is fostered in order to build a mutually respectful relationship
C. Engaging learning in an atmosphere of mutual respect is fostered to build a trusting relationship
D. Mutual respect in a learning atmosphere fosters trust for building a more engaging relationship

Question 5:
A. their growing insight is what drives the formulation of their questions
B. of the insight from their questions being the driver for formulating their growth
C. formulating the insightful questions which are the drivers of their growth
D. the formulation of insight from their questions is the driver that makes them grow

Read the passage and mark the letter A, B, C or D on your answer sheet to indicate the best answer to each of the following questions from 6 to 13.

Recent confirmations from both Australian and U.S. government agencies have verified a sobering ecological event. The Great Barrier Reef, the planet’s largest living structure, is experiencing a widespread and severe mass bleaching episode. The development is not an isolated regional problem but part of a global pattern of coral reef degradation driven by persistently rising ocean temperatures. These vibrant and vital ecosystems, from the Pacific to the Atlantic, are succumbing to the pressures of a warming world.

The biological mechanism behind bleaching is a stress response to inordinate heat. Coral polyps, the tiny animals that build the reef, have a crucial symbiotic partnership with algae called zooxanthellae that live within their tissues. These algae provide the coral with its primary food source through photosynthesis and are responsible for its spectacular coloration. When subjected to prolonged thermal stress, the corals expel the algae. Left without them, the coral’s transparent tissue reveals its white calcified skeleton, though it is not yet dead. It is, however, in a state of starvation and extreme vulnerability to disease.

For the Great Barrier Reef, this is the fourth catastrophic mass bleaching event recorded since 2016. Aerial surveys conducted by the marine park authority revealed that over 75% of shallow-water corals across multiple regions were affected. The frequency of these serial bleaching events prevents the reef from having adequate time to recover, leading to cumulative and potentially irreversible damage. "This is tragic. It is heartbreaking," stated David Ritter, the chief executive of Greenpeace Australia Pacific. "This is a direct result of the heating of our planet."

The loss of coral reefs has cascading consequences far beyond marine biodiversity. These keystone ecosystems act as natural barriers, protecting coastlines from storms and erosion, a service that is increasingly critical in an era of more extreme weather. They also support the livelihoods of hundreds of millions of people globally through fishing and tourism. The slow, silent death of a coral reef is a stark and unambiguous indicator of a planet under duress, a visible sign of the profound impact of global warming on the natural world.

(Adapted from The Conversation)

Question 6: The word succumbing in paragraph 1 is OPPOSITE in meaning to ______.
A. adapting B. withstanding C. shrinking D. experiencing

Question 7: The word inordinate in paragraph 2 is closest in meaning to ______.
A. excessive B. prolonged C. unusual D. damaging

Question 8: The word it in paragraph 2 refers to ______.
A. the algae B. transparent tissue

C. white calcified skeleton D. the coral

Question 9: Which of the following is NOT mentioned in the passage as an immediate consequence for a coral after it has expelled its symbiotic algae?
A. Exposure of its white skeleton B. A state of starvation
C. Vulnerability to disease D. Irreversible damage

Question 10: Which of the following best paraphrases the underlined sentence in paragraph 4?

A. The profound effect of global warming on nature is made visibly and undeniably clear by the slow, quiet demise of a coral reef, a signal that the planet itself is in distress.

B. A coral reef’s slow and silent degradation is a significant cause of worldwide planetary stress, serving as a visible warning of global warming's strong environmental effects.

C. The gradual, quiet decay of a coral reef clearly indicates the impact of global warming, an impact that is itself caused by the immense pressure affecting the natural world.

D. The quiet deterioration of a coral reef is an undeniable signal of a world in crisis and is likewise a tangible manifestation of global warming's serious impact on human beings.

Question 11: Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?

A. In a bleaching episode, the symbiotic algae living within the coral tissues perish, revealing the white skeleton of the living coral host.

B. The high frequency of mass bleaching episodes in recent years significantly slows down the natural recovery timeline for the reef ecosystem.

C. The recurrent nature of recent bleaching events is linked to a failure in the photosynthetic process of the corals' symbiotic algae.

D. The structural formations of coral reefs provide coastal regions with a valuable defense against the destructive forces of severe weather.

Question 12: Which paragraph mentions the recurring nature of the problem hindering the ecosystem's recovery?

A. Paragraph 1 B. Paragraph 3 C. Paragraph 2 D. Paragraph 4

Question 13: Which paragraph mentions the human economic and safety benefits provided by coral reefs?

A. Paragraph 4 B. Paragraph 3 C. Paragraph 2 D. Paragraph 1

Read the passage and mark the letter A, B, C or D on your answer sheet to indicate the best answer to each of the following questions from 14 to 23.

Coined by author Janine Benyus, "biomimicry", the conscious emulation of life's genius, has become a celebrated concept in sustainable innovation. We see its successes in designs like the Shinkansen Bullet Train, inspired by a kingfisher's beak, and buildings that cool themselves based on termite mounds; [I] innovations often hailed as vital for building a more sustainable future. But a crucial question remains: are we genuinely learning from nature's wisdom, or are we simply continuing a pattern of exploitation under a more elegant name?

The dominant scientific paradigm is rooted in rationalism, an approach that seeks certainty by extracting parts of nature from their environment to be examined in isolation. While this method offers analytical power, it has profound limitations. [II] It tends to overlook the web of relationships and the "continual dialogue" inherent in all living systems. This leads to a worldview that emphasizes competition—the "selfish gene"—while marginalizing the reciprocity and resilience that emerge from an ecosystem's interconnectedness. Recently, however, a growing number of ecologists are finding that what may have appeared as purely competitive relations often fosters resilience at the ecosystem level, benefiting both the whole and its parts.

This ethical blind spot becomes alarmingly clear in some modern applications of biomimicry. Consider the spectacle of spiders pinned down alive in a laboratory to have their silk extracted for human benefit. Is this really the "conscious emulation" Benyus described? [III] It is, rather, a display of the same hubris that precipitated our current ecological crises. The original Greek meaning of mimesis (imitation) implies a deeper connection. It requires the imitator to empathetically embody that which is being imitated—a wisdom sourced from perception and our ability to share in what another feels.

Put more bluntly, scientific rationalism alone will not solve our sustainability crisis. Simply dealing with symptoms like carbon emissions, ocean dead zones, or factory farming fails to address the underlying cause: our dysfunctional relationship with the natural world. [IV] Our analytical examination of nature is important, but only as part of a richer, more participatory engagement. For biomimicry to fulfill its transformative potential, it must evolve beyond mere engineering and embrace a deeper way of engaging with life that is at once scientific, sensuous, and spiritual.

Question 14: A crucial uncertainty surrounding the practice of biomimicry concerns ______.

A. its hailed status as a vital tool for building a more sustainable future
B. the success of innovations like the Shinkansen Bullet Train and self-cooling buildings
C. the definition of the concept as the conscious emulation of life's genius
D. whether its motive is genuine learning or misuse disguised by appealing terminology

Question 15: Which of the following best summarises paragraph 2?

A. The prevailing scientific method is limited because its focus on isolating natural elements for study causes it to overlook the importance of interconnectedness and to prioritize competition over the resilience that emerges from ecosystem-wide relationships.

B. The rationalist scientific paradigm is based on a now-outdated focus on competition, like the "selfish gene" theory, a view which is being challenged by modern ecologists who are discovering the importance of reciprocity and interconnectedness in nature.

C. In order to achieve its analytical power, the dominant scientific paradigm must extract natural elements from their context, a necessary trade-off that unfortunately leads it to overemphasize competition while overlooking an ecosystem's inherent resilience.

D. The traditional scientific emphasis on competition is being re-evaluated because ecologists are now finding that symbiotic relationships between species, once thought to be rare, are actually a common and crucial source of an ecosystem's overall resilience.

Question 16: What shortcoming does the author attribute to the practice of examining natural parts in isolation?

A. The inability to provide powerful analytical insights into the natural world.
B. An overview of the network of connections and constant exchanges in nature.
C. An overemphasis on the resilience and reciprocity found within ecosystems.
D. A requirement to study living systems within their native environments.

Question 17: The word its in paragraph 2 refers to ______.

A. resilience B. competition C. ecosystem's interconnectedness D. the ecosystem

Question 18: The word precipitated in paragraph 3 is closest in meaning to ______.

A. hastened B. worsened C. predicted D. defined

Question 19: What example is given of biomimicry being applied unethically?

A. The design of a high-speed train based on a kingfisher's beak.
B. The creation of buildings that cool themselves like termite mounds.
C. The isolation of natural parts for detailed and rational examination.
D. The forcible harvesting of silk from living, immobilized spiders.

Question 20: Which of the following best paraphrases the underlined sentence in paragraph 4?

A. For biomimicry to fulfill its transformative potential, it must evolve beyond engineering to apply scientific principles in embracing a deeper, more sensuous and spiritual engagement with life.

B. Biomimicry's transformative potential is achieved when its engineering aspect serves as a foundation for a deeper engagement with life that becomes spiritual, sensuous, and also scientific.

C. Biomimicry can fulfill its transformative potential by evolving beyond mere engineering and embracing a deeper way of engaging with life that is at once scientific, sensuous, and spiritual.

D. To realize its transformative potential, biomimicry must evolve beyond engineering, using its scientific and sensuous aspects to foster a deeper spiritual connection with the natural world.

Question 21: Which of the following can be inferred from the passage?

A. Recent ecological discoveries concerning resilience and reciprocity have effectively invalidated the long-standing "selfish gene" theory of evolution.

B. The author's call for a more sensuous and spiritual engagement with nature is a viewpoint now gaining considerable traction in the scientific community.

C. The controversial laboratory extraction of spider silk is a necessary, albeit difficult, step on the path to achieving genuine "conscious emulation".

D. Based on the term's original meaning, a genuine approach to biomimicry involves an attempt to share in the lived experience of the life form being copied.

Question 22: Where in the passage does the following sentence best fit?

A fundamental change in outlook is needed, not just superficial actions.

A. [III] B. [I] C. [IV] D. [II]

Question 23: Which of the following best summarises the passage?

A. The idea of biomimicry has been misused due to a rationalist scientific method focused on exploitation, which suggests that a truly sustainable path requires setting aside this analytical view in favor of a more intuitive and spiritual wisdom.

B. The potential of biomimicry is being held back by a detached scientific method that enables unethical extraction; for the concept to succeed, it must incorporate a more profound and participatory connection with the natural world.

C. The potential of biomimicry is limited by a science that emphasizes competition; this has led to ethically questionable applications, so the solution is to find and copy the more cooperative and resilient models that can be found in nature.

D. While biomimicry is a celebrated modern innovation, its application has been flawed by an extractive scientific mindset, a departure from the more empathetic and holistic principles of imitation that were first developed in Eastern philosophies.

Read the following advertisement and mark the letter A, B, C or D on your answer sheet to indicate the option that best fits each of the numbered blanks from 24 to 29.

30 Minutes a Day - That Will Change Your Life

All you need is the desire (24) ______. We take care of the rest.
(25) ______ all the digital language learning methods, ours is probably the one that most closely mimics the natural language acquisition process. It stands out for its effectiveness, (26) ______, and its ability to produce quick and tangible results. You won't need to immediately understand (27) ______. The explanations will come gradually.

All you need is to invest 30 minutes a day (in one or two sessions) at least five days a week. If you don't have this time to learn a language, we won't be able to help you. Our method is designed for people (28) ______ a peaceful and supportive learning experience, far from stressful or compulsive methods.

With our course, you will achieve your language learning goals and (29) ______ real progress every day. Join Loecsen today and start your journey to fluency!

Question 24:
A. to learn B. to learning C. learn D. learning

Question 25:
A. For B. Under C. With D. Of

Question 26:
A. simple B. simply C. simplicity D. simplify

Question 27:
A. grammatical complex structures B. complex grammatical structures

C. complex structures grammatical D. structures grammatical complex

Question 28:
A. who seeks B. seek C. sought D. seeking

Question 29:
A. run B. make C. launch D. raise

Read the following leaflet and mark the letter A, B, C or D on your answer sheet to indicate the option that best fits each of the numbered blanks from 30 to 35.

Vincent van Gogh

(30)__________ Vincent van Gogh was virtually unknown and poor throughout his life, he is considered one of the greatest Dutch painters of the post-Impressionist era.

Early life and Family Van Gogh was born on March 30, 1853, in Groot-Zundert, Netherlands. His mother was a moody artist whose love of nature, drawing and watercolors was (31)__________ to her son.

At age 15, van Gogh's family was struggling financially, and he was forced to (32)__________ school and go to work.

In the fall of 1880, van Gogh decided to move to Brussels and later to Paris to become an artist. Van Gogh was passionate, and he argued with other painters about their works, (33)__________ those who became tired of his bickering.

Paintings Vincent van Gogh completed more than 2,100 works, consisting of 860 oil paintings and more than 1,300 watercolors, drawings, and (34)__________.

Several of his paintings now rank among the most expensive in the world; "Irises" sold for a record $53.9 million, and his "Portrait of Dr. Gachet" sold for $82.5 million. (35)__________ of van Gogh's most well-known artworks include "Starry Night", "Sunflowers" and "Self-Portrait".

(Adapted from Biography.com)

Question 30:
A. Although  B. Despite  C. Hence  D. On account of

Question 31:
A. transmitted  B. converted  C. transferred  D. transformed

Question 32:
A. look up to  B. catch up with  C. drop out of  D. come up with

Question 33:
A. conquering  B. invading  C. abducting  D. alienating

Question 34:
A. lyrics  B. sketches  C. palettes  D. rhythms

Question 35:
A. A little  B. A few  C. None  D. Much

Mark the letter A, B, C or D to indicate the best arrangement of utterances or sentences to make a meaningful exchange or text in each of the following questions from 36 to 40.

Question 36: 

A. Alex: That's awesome! I think she's going to fit right in with our group. 

B. Alex: Hey, did you meet the new classmate today? 

C. Taylor: Yeah, I did! Her name is Mia, and she's from Barcelona. She's really friendly and has a great sense of humor.

A. a-c-b  B. c-b-a  C. b-c-a D. b-a-c

Question 37: 

A. Shop assistant: Certainly, but can you let me know about your needs first? 

B. Shop assistant: Hello, can I help you? 

C. Shop assistant: Then I think this laptop is the best one for you. You can take a look at it. Feel free to ask me if you need further information. 

D. Tim: Hello. I'm looking for a laptop. Can you please recommend a good one to me? 

e. Tim: Sure. I'm a student, so I'd like a cheap and light laptop. 

(Adapted from Global Success)

A. b-d-a-c-e  B. b-d-a-e-c  C. d-b-c-a-e  D. c-e-d-b-a

Question 38: 

Dear Jack, 

A. I fear that we simply don't have enough food, energy, or water for further urban growth. 

B. I'm worried that all these challenges will mean the prices of energy, food and water will continue to increase.
C. Since 91% of Japanese live in urban centres, I'm fearful that many people will be in danger if there are any environmental threats, such as flooding, earthquakes, tropical cyclones, heat waves, or epidemics. 

D. This will cause serious problems for the poor, making it difficult for them to survive. 

e. In my geography class today, we learned about future cities, and I'm concerned about Tokyo's future. 

f. As megacities expand, the demand for energy to power a megacity will also increase. More food will need to be grown, but there will be less available farmland due to the expansion of cities. Best, Michiko 

(Adapted from Discovery)

A. e-c-f-a-b-d  B. f-d-e-a-b-c  C. f-b-d-a-e-c  D. e-c-f-a-d-b

Question 39: 

A. On the positive side, peer pressure can encourage individuals to strive for excellence, adopt healthy habits, or engage in pro-social activities. 

B. This influence can be both positive and negative, depending on the context. 

C. It is crucial for individuals to recognize the impact of peer pressure and develop the confidence to make independent decisions that align with their values and beliefs. 

D. Peer pressure is a powerful force that can influence individuals to conform to the behaviors, attitudes, or values of their peers. e. Conversely, negative peer pressure can lead to risky behaviors, such as substance abuse, cheating, or bullying.

A. d-b-a-e-c  B. d-b-c-e-a  C. b-d-e-a-c  D. c-e-d-a-b

Question 40: 

A. Ultimately, this commitment to preservation fosters a sense of continuity and respect for the diverse cultures that have shaped our world. 

B. Moreover, efforts to conserve and protect relics involve meticulous restoration techniques, climate-controlled environments, and the implementation of strict handling protocols. 

C. Preserving relics is essential for maintaining the connection to our shared history and cultural heritage. 

D. Therefore, by safeguarding these relics, we ensure that future generations can learn from and appreciate the rich tapestry of human history. e. Firstly, these artifacts provide tangible links to past civilizations, offering insights into their daily lives, beliefs, and achievements. 

f. Additionally, public awareness and education about the importance of preservation play a critical role in garnering support for these initiatives.

A. f-d-a-c-e-b  B. d-e-a-b-c-f  C. c-e-b-f-d-a  D. c-e-d-f-b-a