Saturday, April 30th

Excursion to OXFORD and STRATFORD

Note: We must have at least 30 people or the excursion will be cancelled.
To sign up, call the following number: 06/76965788

1. This ad says that…

a. thirty people is the minimum number.
b. thirty people will attend the excursion.
c. you can choose between Oxford and Stratford.
d. the excursion will be cancelled if it rains.

Attention corporate, group and individual travellers:

If you’re headed to the Paris Air Show (June 17 – 24), you’ll want to fly with us!
- guaranteed comfort with first class and better than business class seats
- amazingly low fares with additional discounts for early bookings and corporate/group seat blocks
- convenient schedule for attendees and for exhibitors
- book now as tickets are fully transferable
- round-trip from all major airports

2. This ad is about…
a. discount tickets for businessmen.
b. flights for a particular event.
c. round trip tickets from Paris.
d. a summer holiday.

COTE D’AZUR (near Valbonne)

One-to-four-bedroom villas for rent on wooded private estate including tennis courts and swimming pool. Larger
villas have private pools. All have gardens, patios, barbeque. Maid service.
For brochure call/fax 00 33 4 93 65 64 61

3. All the villas...

a. have a private pool.
b. offer outdoor activities.
c. are for sale.
d. are the same size.
4. This advertisement offers the...
a. highest quality.
b. lowest price.
c. fastest delivery.
d. best service.

Go with the #1 Franchise!

More than 250 “Good Food” restaurants are open and operating in Europe. We are looking for additional
development agents and franchisees who have the entrepreneurial spirit to bring the world’s largest sandwich
chain to every market in Europe. Our goal is to surpass our major competitors in the UK – just as we have in the
U.S. and Canada.

Contact us today!
800-159-6622

5. This advertisement is about…

a. opening your own business.
b. working in a factory.
c. investing in the U.S.
d. competing in the U.S. market.

INTER-TECH, INC.
Memorandum
Date: October 23, 2003
To: Secretarial Staff
From: Jane Brown, Personnel Director
Subject: Career Advancement Program

This month’s meeting will be held next Thursday at 8 p.m. with Dr. Gillis, a professor at City Technical College.
He will speak on moving up the career ladder, something which I’m sure interests all of us. Sign up with me if
you plan to attend.
6. This message informs the secretarial staff about…
a. letters they must sign.
b. career opportunities.
c. the topic of a meeting.
d. a welcome party.

BRIEFING IN PROGRESS
DO NOT DISTURB WHILE RED LIGHT IS ON

7. If the red light is on…

a. enter quietly.
b. return later.
c. turn it off.
d. knock first.

Packages, briefcases and other containers in the immediate possession of persons are subject to inspection.

8. You must show your…

a. personal belongings.
b. purchases.
c. passport.
d. ticket.

Departure Requirements:

Passengers with reservations must purchase a validated ticket providing for confirmed seats at least 30 minutes
(60 minutes international) before the scheduled departure time of the flight or earlier. Otherwise, all reservations
and seat assignments may be cancelled.

9. This is about…
a. delayed departures.
b. in-flight rules.
c. cancelled flights.
d. airline tickets.

Calculate and Compare Currencies

Use Expedia's free currency converter to convert your holiday funds instantly. Simply type in the amount of
money you would like to exchange, select the currency you’re converting from and to, and then just click on the
currency converter button for the results.
10. This free service is for people who want to...
a. change money.
b. find a holiday destination.
c. compare holidays.
d. learn how to type.

Important information regarding air travel:

New security measures require customers to obtain a boarding pass before proceeding to the security checkpoint.
Passengers must remain seated during the first 30 minutes of departure for all flights, as well as during the last
30 minutes of flights arriving at this airport.

11. These regulations are for…

a. security guards.
b. people traveling.
c. flight attendants.
d. airport personnel.

INSTRUCTIONS: check in electronically in 30 seconds. All you need is an electronic ticket for travel. Touch
the screen to begin. Insert and remove any major credit card. Select a seat from the seat map or confirm existing
seat assignment.

12. These instructions are for…

a. flying.
b. shopping.
c. parking.
d. banking.

Key points during cold-weather operations:

1. Eat and drink more food and water than usual.
2. Avoid alcohol; alcohol provides a false sense of warmth.
3. Avoid cold injuries by working together; checking each other is a good solution to prevent severe
freezing injuries.
4. Immediately treat persons showing any signs or symptoms of cold injury.

13. These instructions tell you to…

a. eat lightly to save energy.
b. drink alcohol to keep warm.
c. wear warm clothes.
d. pay attention to your comrade.
 Arizona’s renowned sunshine ensures that nearly every day is a perfect one for sightseeing, playing a round of
golf, skiing a slope or simply relaxing by a swimming pool. During any season in Arizona, some parts of the
state enjoy near-perfect weather. Depending on the time of year and the area, anything from a swimsuit to a
winter jacket may be appropriate. Also, hats, sunglasses and sunscreen are recommended year-round.

14. The main point of this text is that in Arizona…

a. summers are hot.
b. winters are cold.
c. it's sunny all year.
d. the weather is unpredictable.

Missing Person

The sheriff’s department is asking for the public’s help in locating Mary Smith. She is an elderly woman, 82
years of age, who suffers from Alzheimer’s disease. She was last seen yesterday morning at 9 a.m. in the vicinity
of route 54.

Miss Smith is a white female with a light complexion and grey hair. She is 160cm tall, weighs 50 kilograms and
walks with a limp. Miss Smith does not speak English and has not taken her medicine for two days. Please call
911 if you have any information as to her whereabouts.

15. The missing person needs…

a. medical attention.
b. a wheelchair.
c. directions to the hospital.
d. more food and clothes.

Departures to Central London via Charing Cross

Mondays to Fridays Saturdays Sundays

0526 first train 0526 first train 0713 first train

If no direct train is shown on the platform indicator, it is quicker to take the first train that comes and change at
Kennington, where trains depart from every 3 to 5 minutes via Charing Cross for most of the day.

16. The notice states that trains from this station…

a. go through Kennington Station.
b. all go direct to Charing Cross.
c. leave every three to five minutes.
d. leave at the same time every day.

A Redbone is a person of a mixed racial heritage who is a member of a group which defines its relationship to
 the dominant culture in a certain way.

The racial mix may be any combination of two or more of the following: Native American, European Caucasian,
Asians and any of the Negroid sub groups. Physical characteristics are varied but typically include a dark skin,
often a copper hue, high cheekbones, dark eyes, dark straight hair, and no single body type. Less often they are
of lighter skin, blue eyes and blond hair.

The cultural milieu is one where the group band together for protection against a perceived hostile dominant
culture. They often, in times past, have isolated themselves from the dominant culture taking a physical stand to
protect their territory and discourage intermarriage with members of the dominant culture.

While many Redbones have moved to cities all over the state and indeed all over the world and now have jobs
from menial to “high tech” and from commercial to academic and professional, many still live in sparsely
populated rural areas dominated by members of their clans.

17. A characteristic of the Redbone culture in the past was their…

a. dominance.
b. sociality.
c. physical features.
d. secluded lifestyle.

About the author

Lt. Col. William A. Butler is a career intelligence officer who has been stationed in Greece, Korea, Germany,
Panama, and Japan. He is a graduate of the U.S. Air Force Academy and holds a Master of Science degree from
Troy State University. His duty assignments include tours as an operations officer and squadron commander for
EC-130 and RC-135 operations. While assigned to the Pentagon, he served as the executive officer to the
assistant chief of the Air Force Intelligence, and on the Secretary of the Air Force Legislative Liaison staff.
Colonel Butler is a distinguished graduate of Squadron Officer School and a 1996 graduate of the Air War
College.

18. This excerpt states that Lt. Col. Butler has...

a. had experience only in the academic field.
b. been an instructor in Air Force schools.
c. had operational command responsibility.
d. been Secretary of the Air Force Legislative Liaison.

George Mallory was a classic public schoolboy hero. He gave everything up to pursue his love of
mountaineering. He was certainly unorthodox. On his expeditions to Everest, he would stride around the lower
altitudes stark naked. And in the manner of the eccentric upper-class amateur, he could be alarmingly forgetful
and careless. On several expeditions, he would take photos at the summit, only to find later that he had left the
lens cap on his camera. On his fateful Everest ascent at the age of 38, he forgot to pack his torch and magnesium
 flares, equipment which might have saved his life.

Asked why he wanted to climb the Everest, Mallory famously replied “Because it’s there”. To have climbed so
high in the conditions of the twenties was truly remarkable. He had no radio and carried heavy and rudimentary
equipment and clothing. Mallory’s grandson, also called George, scaled Everest in 1995 and left a photo of his
grandfather at the summit, saying “now I’ve finished the family business.”

19. George Mallory…

a. and his grandson both loved mountain climbing.
b. left a picture of himself at the top of Everest.
c. was so eccentric that no one took him seriously.
d. left evidence of his conquests to his heirs.

In a report on microwave weapons, experts point out that operating a diesel engine to power the weapon's
generator will require a lot of fuel, adding weight and cost to the operation. Not only is it too expensive to
maintain but it might require multiple backup systems as well. It is not yet known how effective microwave
weapons will be. It may take a lot of microwaves to disable just a few enemy weapons, and microwaves may not
be effective in battling small numbers of insurgents in urban areas because the fighters hide and seek cover
behind buildings.

20. The report states that microwave weapons will...

a. provide the best means to disable enemy weapons.
b. be highly effective in urban areas.
c. furnish strategic backup for other weapons systems.
d. be considerably costly to operate.

When Jane Blair found out that the Royal Marine -- one of the most famous and toughest commandos in the
world -- was going to open its ranks to women, she decided to give it a try. This meant she would be allowed to
take the notorious Green Beret commandos course. If she passed the course, she would be invited to join –
meaning that she would be offered the chance to fight. She knew exactly what she was getting into: she had to
climb an 11-metre rope; run for 200 metres carrying a colleague; complete a 16-kilometre march in 90 minutes
in full battle kit. Her boyfriend, who failed the course last year, thinks she will never make it because she is
simply not tough enough. She hopes to prove him wrong. She can just imagine the feminists’ delight!

21. Which is true?

a. Jane is a member of a feminist movement.
b. Jane thought the course was going to be easy.
c. The course was too difficult for her boyfriend.
d. Her boyfriend is optimistic about her success.

History tells us that the first licensed female pilot in the United States was Harriet Quimby in 1911. Women flew
 airplanes before they could vote – but not in the U.S. military! Although female pilots volunteered, none were
taken into consideration. Civilian women were flying over the North Pole, around the world and through the
sound barrier, but until the 70s the military resisted having female pilots.

The Navy, not the Air Force, took the first step. In 1974, six women earned their wings and became the first
naval aviators. The Army followed suit that same year and trained female helicopter pilots. The Air Force
caught up in 1976 and admitted women to the pilot training program, but their flying was limited to non-combat
operations. They were finally allowed to fly combat aircraft in 1993.

22. The first female pilots could fly...

a. in civilian aviation.
b. without any limitations.
c. in the Armed Forces.
d. only as volunteers.

In 1970, there were only a few women directors in the United States, but today they are becoming more and
more common. An important advantage of women directors is that they can take a different perspective from
male directors – an outside view. Male directors tend to eat at the same club and mix with other corporate
executives. Women are usually more involved with family relationships, buying for the home, the education of
children, volunteer activities and so on; they can take a different view from men who tend to become exclusively
involved with their work life.

23. Women directors...

a. are very absorbed by their jobs.
b. put pressure on male directors.
c. are negligent with their children.
d. take a fresh approach to problems.

The Search Warrant

The law still considers that a man’s home is his castle. This long standing policy under English law is fully
reflected in Canadian law. No one, including a police officer, can make their way into your home without your
express permission. If an entry is to be made without your permission, then a search warrant is required.

Search warrants are issued by a quasi judicial officer who is employed exclusively by the police and who can
usually be found on duty right at the police station. If a warrant is given, the police constable who comes
knocking on your door must bear a “token or evidence of authorization”. The law requires that all warrants must
include certain essential ingredients. These include a description of the offence alleged, a detailed listing of the
items being sought, and an adequate designation of the building, receptacle, or place to be searched.

24. Canadian law requires the use of search warrants in order to…
 a. protect citizens' privacy.
b. encourage citizens to collaborate.
c. enable citizens to identify police.
d. increase citizens' safety.

Lots of viruses get into your computer by finding your address in cached web pages. So, when posting your e-
mail address online, don’t use the “@” symbol. Instead, spell it out like this: john.smithATmsn.com. A spam bot
won’t recognize it as an e-mail address, but a real human who wants to send you mail will change “AT” back to
the “@” symbol.

25. What is the best title for this text?

a. Electronic mailing system changes symbol.
b. Update your anti-virus program now.
c. Web security announces dangerous virus.
d. Protect your e-mail address on web sites.

Last night I had a strange dream. I was in a house running up the stairs. When I got to the top, I saw a field full
of blue horses. I called one of them; he came over to me and I got on his back. I don’t know how far he took me.
We went through forests, across rivers and past high mountains covered with black snow. At last we came to a
town. The streets were full of people dressed in red. Nobody spoke. I said goodbye to my horse and walked until
I came to a church. Inside I heard my mother’s voice. I pushed the door, but it was too big and heavy – I couldn’t
move it. I called as loud as I could, but nothing happened. Then, very slowly, the door opened. In the church
there were hundreds of people, all looking at me. They started to come towards me, slowly at first, then faster
and faster…. then I woke up.

26. This person...

a. heard his mother singing in the church.
b. was unable to push the door open.
c. saw his mother among hundreds of people.
d. reached the church on the horse’s back.

Turbulent Times for Airport Chaplains

There was a time when an airport chaplain’s main job was to soothe the occasional passenger with a fear of
flying. But these days, the anxieties, like everything else in the airline industry, are more complicated. Airport
chaplains now find themselves ministering to travellers coping with stress over security, cancelled flights and
terrorism. They also help airline workers worried about bankruptcies and layoffs. Add to that the heightened
concerns that the SARS virus has been spread by long distance air travel and you have what the Reverend James
considers a community in chaos.

Above all, the message seems to be that in such times of uncertainty, religious leaders of all faiths must be
 available to listen and give comfort. The worries often belong to airline employees, who fret that they may lose
jobs they always believed were secure. For workers and pilots always on the go, the airport chapel stands in for
the hometown place of worship; some shuffle their schedules to land in time for a service.

The overall feeling rippling through airports has changed. Once it seemed glamorous, full of mystique. It has
become much more stressful since September 11. It is not that the chaplains can offer concrete answers about job
security or assure travellers that they are safe from terrorism. What they can do is “hope and pray”.

27. Recently the “job” of airport chaplains has…

a. assumed new tasks.
b. diminished in importance.
c. become less demanding.
d. become more secure.

Torredonjimeno: Curfew on Men

The mayor of a small town in Andalucia has banned men from going out on Thursday nights between 9 p.m. and
2 a.m. so that their womenfolk can have an evening off. The curfew is enforced by a team of women clad in air
hostess uniforms, who patrol the streets handing out on-the-spot five-euro fines to offenders. Mayor Javier Checs
claims that the scheme is a boost for female equality. But many residents, male and female, are furious. “I am
not going home,” said farm worker Rafael Sanchez, clutching his drink defiantly in a bar on Thursday night.
“They can’t make me.”

28. The official aim of the curfew is to...

a. reduce alcohol consumption.
b. make a weekly profit.
c. give more jobs to women.
d. give women more free time.

Multibrigade Southeast(MNB-SE) performed a Red Wheels exercise in the region of Mostar. This training
sought to display and gauge emergency procedures in a crisis situation. Several units were involved in dealing
with the aftermath of a simulated road accident. Due to the fact that this type of crisis is unexpected, every unit
must be prepared to face any eventuality. That is the reason no one (except of course the planners of the
exercise) knew in advance when and where Red Wheels would be played.

The accident occurred in the vicinity of Gorni Jasoc, located about 30 km south of Mostar. The Moroccan
contingent planned a live fire exercise for one of its platoons. When this unit, comprised of 13 troops, arrived on
the range, the truck manoeuvred into the parking place. The bad weather conditions and the poor conditions of
the road caused the truck to slide down the gully. Most of the soldiers were injured and in shock. Nevertheless,
the platoon leader could report to the brigade operational centre in Europe base the first details at 1300 hrs. The
place of the simulated accident was perfectly decorated and the make up of the role players realised by a French
 sergeant, a specialist in this domain.

29. This exercise…

a. did not proceed as planned.
b. was rehearsed many times.
c. had improvisational skills.
d. caused many casualties.

1260 Packard Avenue

Racine, WI 53403
April 29, 2005

Customer Service
Telmar, Inc.
1025 Main Place Blvd.
Denver, CO 80202

Dear Sir:

Three months ago I purchased a model Z25 Telmar color TV from the ACE television store here in Racine.
Because of the clarity and lifelike colour of its picture, I was keen on the idea of buying a Telmar product.
However, the TV delivered to my home has developed a major problem: the picture now appears upside-down.

I have not moved, dropped or abused the television set, and it is still under the free service and parts warranty.
Unfortunately though, the ACE television store is no longer in business. I have not been able to find any other
store in my area that sells or services Telmar televisions, and so I am writing to you for help.

Please let me know how I can resolve this problem, because aside from the upside-down picture, I am very
happy with the Telmar television. I would be pleased with either a new replacement TV or a good repair job.

Sincerely,
Ralph Brown

30. Mr. Brown's TV cannot be repaired because…

a. the warranty is valid only in the store where the purchase was made.
b. his free service and parts warranty expired three months ago.
c. this model is no longer sold because of a fault in production.
d. no one sells Telmar color televisions in his area anymore.

Shipping “pile-up” sparks safety fears

Last week a dramatic sequence of collisions in the English Channel caused concern over the current state of ship
safety and accident prevention. First, the car carrier Tricolor collided with another ship and sank in shallow
water. As precautionary measures, a French naval vessel and two tugs were sent to guard the Tricolor, which was
also surrounded by a ring of illuminated buoys. In addition, every hour British and French Coast Guard stations
 were sending out warnings of the wreck to ships in the area.

Despite these precautions, during the week two ships crashed into the wreck of the Tricolor. Like most vessels,
both ships were using paper navigation charts, which are updated through telex messages giving the position of
any new obstacles. Yet both captains said they had no idea the wreck was there.

Technologies that might help prevent such accidents in the future include the use of computerised navigation
charts that can be automatically updated with hazard positions. While experts welcome electronic charts, they
point out that officers will have to be trained to use them. Even the best technology is of little help if
crewmembers cannot use it properly, they point out.

31. What does this report imply about the collisions with the Tricolor?
a. The wreck of the Tricolor was inadequately marked.
b. There were insufficient warnings of the wreck’s presence.
c. The ships’ paper navigation charts had not been updated.
d. The ship was not equipped with the necessary electronic charts.

NATO’s Transformation

Though it may be suspected that they did not appreciate it at the time, the heads of state attending the NATO
Summit in Prague effectively signed up to the Alliance’s world – and that of their defense forces – being turned
upside down. No longer is the Alliance to wait for the threat to come to it; now its aim will be to deal with
threats wherever they may arise.

This may have been universally assented to in Prague, but in numerous recent addresses the NATO Secretary
General has felt driven to repeatedly point out that while non-U.S. NATO countries have plenty of soldiers, still
far too few of them can be deployed in global missions.

The reasons are many and various. Some countries have legal or constitutional constraints on where they are able
to deploy their forces. Other countries do not have the capabilities required to deploy them abroad and supply
them where they are. Others again say they cannot afford to do so. The truth is that if our governments are to
continue to take on political commitments to do more militarily, then they must improve the usability of their
armed forces.

32. According to this article, what constitutes a serious obstacle to NATO’s transformation?
a. Member nations want to avoid any further political commitments.
b. NATO members’ armed forces are not large enough for global missions.
c. Member nations have institutional, logistical and economic limitations.
d. NATO members do not agree on the phraseology of the agreement.

Suddenly, chipmakers are looking happier. The semiconductor industry had its worst year ever three years ago when
sales fell by an unprecedented 32%. The following year, sales were flat. This year, however, sales have grown by
 around 15%. Since most of the growth came in the second half of the year, the war in Iraq and SARS having
dampened sales in the first half, the actual pace of growth is even greater.

This, in turn, means that demand for high-tech products that rely on fancy microchips is picking up too. Consumer
spending, particularly on mobile phones, is expected to give way to a gradual, more broad-based recovery in
corporate technology spending as companies upgrade old PCs and buy new communications equipment over the
next two years.

The semiconductor industry’s crash three years ago was unusual in that it was caused by a collapse in demand as the
internet bubble burst. Normally, the industry’s crashes are the result of oversupply. Anticipating further strong
growth, chipmakers will soon start to increase capacity; this will lead to oversupply in the near future at which point
the market will stall again. For chipmakers, that is no more than business as usual.

33. What trend will probably characterize the semiconductor industry over the next few years?
a. a predictable fall in profits as companies upgrade existing computers and invest in new ones
b. an anomalous drop in demand and sales given the geopolitical scenario.
c. an increment in demand at first, followed by an expected fall due to oversupply.
d. an unprecedented, relentless increase in sales as a result of the war in Iraq.

Are you tired of reading one article after another about the high cost of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) and the
cancellation of other major acquisition projects due to the lack of funding? What if I told you that the U.S. already owns
about 300 aircraft the size of current UAVs that are in service, powered by turboprops, dependable, low maintenance and
could be given fuel tanks to have a greater endurance time than some UAVs being built today? And what if I told you that
they’re being replaced very soon?

The aircraft is the Navy's primary trainer, the T-34C. The Navy has operated this craft for more than 30 years and shortly the
plane will be replaced by the new Joint Primary Aircraft Trainer. The T-34Cs will probably be buried in the boneyards of
Davis-Monthan Air Force Base in Arizona. Converting the T-34C platform to a UAV, armed UAV or semi-UAV would be
more efficient and effective, and most importantly, could quickly provide an asset to our war-fighters to save lives.

34. Which of the following statements is TRUE ?

a. Changing the T-34Cs into UAVs would save the Navy time and money.
b. The T-34C fuel tanks have better resistance than the current UAV ones.
c. The T-34Cs have put the Joint Primary Aircraft Trainers out of service.
d. UAV projects are being cancelled because of budget limitations.

Sea Basing

“Sea Basing”, placing at sea capabilities critical to joint and coalition operational success, will be increasingly
central to joint military planning. The traditional advantages enjoyed by afloat forces – such as independence,
mobility, and security – are becoming ever more important to military affairs. At the same time traditional
limitations of sea-based forces – including operational reach and connectivity – have been largely overcome by
new technologies and concepts of operations.
 These advances in sea-based capabilities could not come at a more critical time, as political and military barriers
to access ashore are growing worldwide. Because of these changes, the value of Sea Basing in an increasingly
interdependent world will continue to rise – providing operational freedom for joint and coalition forces,
compressing deployment timelines, strengthening deterrence, and projecting dominant and decisive combat
power from the sea.

35. Why is Sea Basing becoming possible in joint military planning?

a. Coalition forces are compressing deployment timelines.
b. Shore access is becoming increasingly limited worldwide.
c. The world is becoming increasingly interdependent.
d. Former limitations have been almost completely removed.

Tangible evidence offering a direct relationship of causality between UN military observers and mission success
(or failure) is hard to find. From a purely military standpoint, several factors undermined the direct military
effectiveness of the observers sent to undertake these limited operations: their small size, inadequate equipment,
the huge areas of difficult terrain in which they had to operate, and, most important, the mercurial cooperation
often shown to UN observers by the belligerents on the ground. Most UN observation missions were militarily
incapable of fulfilling their mandates without substantial cooperation.

The strategy of observation missions relies on an indirect relationship between the handful of UN military
observers and the political objective. One does not cause the other: there are many other players involved and the
way in which the UN employs its observers reflects this imperative. When deciding on force structure, the
United Nations relied heavily on political calculations rather than military requirements. This meant that the
force often made good sense on paper, but much less sense when trying to operate as an effective unit in the
field.

36. This article implies that observation missions…

a. gave belligerents false hope of peace.
b. suffered too many unnecessary budget cuts.
c. were poorly organized by military personnel.
d. often failed due to insufficient planning.

According to the latest findings there has been a 60% increase in the land used for opium production in the past
year, and income from opium growing and trafficking has been equal to more than half the legal economy of the
nation itself. Drugs have become a key political and economic issue. It was recently stated that just as people
can become addicted to drugs, countries can be addicted to a drug economy. The findings show that drugs
provide livelihoods for poor farmers as well as employment for laborers during the harvest season; teachers and
bureaucrats earn extra money as small traders; merchants and money lenders earn profits as financiers and
middlemen; militia commanders of the countries' principal military garrisons have enriched themselves
protecting the trade.
 A key member of the Afghan government recently stated that cultivators do not create traffickers; rather
traffickers create cultivators. Many peasants who grow opium are caught in the cycle of opium production
because they have borrowed money from the traffickers for the initial crops and continue year after year to
increase their debt.

Some in the international coalition wish to eradicate the problem by aerial spraying of drug crops with herbicide.
This would damage other farm products and injure people’s health. The most that would happen in this case
would be to destroy part of the crop. This would then drive up the price and therefore create incentives to grow
opium in more inaccessible areas. Poor, indebted farmers would be left with little choice: give their daughters to
the drug traders, grow more opium or flee the country. This situation was what took place under the Taliban
when the crop was banned without alternative livelihoods. If half the crop were destroyed without offering an
alternative and meaningful consultation, no progress would be made to transform the economy.

37. What solution is the author implying?

a. The international community should eliminate the debt cycle for farmers.
b. The international community should offer alternatives to opium growers.
c. The Afghanis need to eradicate the opium producers.
d. The opium fields must be completely destroyed.

A Nation’s Transition: On a Knife Edge

Fundamental change is needed soon if the widening gap separating the occupation’s governing institutions from the
population is to be narrowed and a spreading insurgency overcome. October 4 is a key turning point, though it will not
bring the full transfer of sovereignty many of the people expect. What they should get then is more power, and the space
to create a more inclusive, cohesive policy, but still necessarily incomplete sovereign power until elections are held. The
redistribution of power between the U.S., the UN and the country’s new institutions should be even more substantial than
the current proposal and have a strong UN special representative serving as final arbiter of disputes during the transition.

38. The writer thinks that on October 4...

a. a new cohesive policy will have been established.
b. the people should only receive partial sovereignty.
c. the proposed redistribution of power will be impossible.
d. the people should receive complete sovereignty.

Defence Experts Emphasize Science and Technology

Science and technology must be accorded a higher priority in Pentagon planning in order to keep pace with the astonishing
speed of scientific advances. Scientific breakthroughs are advancing across a broad front and a handful of these offer the
potential to bring important changes in military operations in coming decades.

Six emerging areas of technology seem to hold the most payoff for military operations. These include: radically different
energy conversion and management, advanced materials, nanotechnology, neuroscience, biomedicine, and information
technology.

Wringing the most potential from these areas requires a coordinated and long-term government-directed program to ensure
that there is growing awareness and understanding of the benefits and dangers that these emerging technologies bring to
military operations. Emerging technologies, like nanotechnology or robotics, for example, are areas where there is scant
expertise in the nation’s traditional defence industrial base. Building up an adequate level of effort for major, long-term
research for the public will require an increased investment on the order of 100 percent over the next eight years.

39. What is the author’s main concern?

a. to skillfully exploit potential technologies for the Armed Forces.
b. to educate a large number of officers in scientific fields.
c. to fully take advantage of scientific investments.
d. to promote more funding for military operations.

The President delivered his space vision speech at the headquarters of NASA yesterday. Displayed behind him
were several pieces of NASA artwork depicting future moments in space exploration. The one most directly
behind his back showed a futuristic landing craft, a rocky red surface, a blue-gray sky and an astronaut holding a
pole with an American flag.

Although such a landing is probably at least a quarter-century away, apparently it has already been decided to
plant in the soil of Planet Mars not a flag representing all the inhabitants of Planet Earth, but a flag of one
country: The United States. Perhaps the most obvious level on which this might turn out to be an unwise artistic
choice is financial. The only possible way to pay for the new space initiative will be to unfold it as a global
collaboration rather than an international competition.

It’s difficult to see what motive either a citizen or a government of another country might have to invest their toil
and treasure in such an undertaking after seeing that piece of art. Why participate, if the decision has already
been made that the very first astronaut will be representing only some of us and not all of us?

There’s another issue larger than simply sharing the expenses. If there’s anything that should be done on behalf
of all the earth, it is the first time a single human sets foot on a planet other than the Earth. A 21st space program
could generate a profound sense of human solidarity, a non negotiable ethic of shared destiny, an intuition that
we are all in the same boat on spaceship Earth.

The 27 fortunate souls who have ventured outward to lunar orbit have all gazed upon a single, borderless,
breathtaking planet suspended among the blazing stars. They were perhaps the first humans to have the
opportunity to grasp that the whole earth was more than just the sum of its parts, that it was something singularly
deserving of our loyalty and allegiance.

40. The writer’s PRIORITY is to promote…

a. anti-American sentiment.
b. international funding.
 c. planetary patriotism.
d. space research.

A Congressman's Position on the Draft

Staying the course in peacekeeping missions abroad means increasing our troop strength and -- not surprisingly –
recruitment and re-enlistment levels are down. But proposed re-enlistment bonuses and other economic incentives will
not make the military any more attractive to upper-middle-class young people. Increasingly we will be a nation in which
the poor fight our wars while the affluent stay home.

To correct the disparity among those who serve, I have proposed a new draft: a three-tiered draft system in which
conscripts could serve in the military, in homeland security or in civilian-service programs. All men and women ages 18
through 26 would be eligible for induction once they have completed high school.

41. Which statement expresses the writer’s point of view?

a. New economic incentives will produce a wider range of conscripts.
b. No young man or woman should have to fight a war.
c. The burden of service should fall only upon volunteers.
d. Fighting for the country must be fairly shared by all.

The 200th anniversary of Emerson’s birth is this month, and he starts his third century widely regarded as one of
America’s most influential thinkers. Emerson was part of the same 19th century literary renaissance that produced
Melville, Hawthorne and Thoreau. He is known for his quotable essays, philosophy-minded poems, and his role in
founding Transcendentalism.

Emerson’s vast body of work is credited with playing a large part in shaping the American character. It provides, in
particular, an intellectual basis for one of America’s great traditions, rugged individualism. This is often associated
with the pioneers and cowboys of the West. But it goes back centuries earlier, to Puritan New England, where the first
individualists were religious dissenters who broke away from the crowd, theologically not geographically. There is a
straight line from them to Emerson, whose own belief in individualism was similarly rooted in religion. Emerson
insisted god dwelled in every individual.

Individualism run amok, transformed into a cruel self-absorption, is a good description of much of American life right
now. Two hundred years after his birth, Emerson still matters not because he has all the answers for how Americans
should live, but because he so intriguingly reflects who Americans actually are.
42. What does this text say about Emerson?
a. His anniversary celebrations confirm his popularity.
b. He influenced modern American character.
c. He was a controversial forefather of the Far West.
d. His line of thought was opposed in his lifetime.

Letter to the Editor

The recent state visit of the President provided a perfect illustration of clever hypocrisy being practiced by the heads of both
countries. For the "Stop the War Coalition" to have assembled hundreds of thousands of people to demonstrate peacefully on
a weekday was no small achievement, yet the President was able to claim truthfully that he had hardly been aware of any
protests. This was possible only because the authorities ensured that the demonstrators were kept out of the President’s range.
And then the politicians added salt to the wound by extolling the virtues of free protests in democratic nations, pointing out
that in many countries no such freedom exists. But what is the value of such liberties if protest is to be so cynically robbed of
influence by the governments at which it is directed? For democracy to flourish, it is essential that the right to protest
peacefully is not downgraded to the right to protest ineffectually.

43. This writer states that governments weaken democracy by...

a. ridiculing people’s right to protest.
b. claiming protests do not take place.
c. rendering demonstrations ineffective.
d. prohibiting peaceful demonstrations.

For the Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr., death at the hands of a white bigot came as a tragic finale to an American
drama fraught with classic hints of inevitability. Propelled to fame in the throes of the U.S. blacks’ mid-century
revolution, he gave it momentum, steered it toward non-violence and served as its eloquent voice.
Yet the movement he served with such power and zeal was beginning to pass him by even before his death. Non-
violence was beginning to seem outmoded to the increasingly militant black community. Behind his back, King’s black
denigrators called him “de Lawd”; in public they called him an Uncle Tom. And in the years since he was gunned down
on the balcony of a Memphis motel in March 1968, both his achievements and his personal character have been
assailed.

Yet if ever there were a transcendent symbol of the dreams, hopes and achievements of African Americans, it was
Martin Luther King. Bridging the void between black despair and white unconcern, he spoke so powerfully of, and
from, the wretchedness of his people’s condition that he became the flag bearer of civil rights, not only to Americans
but also to the world beyond. The courage and eloquence that brought him the Nobel Prize for Peace in 1964 have
endured. His legacy as America’s foremost spokesman for civil rights in the 20th century is secure.

44. Which statement best expresses the main point of this passage?
a. King was unable to maintain the non-violent nature of the civil rights movement.
b. Despite criticism during and after his lifetime, King remains a great moral leader.
c. King was an inspiring yet unperceptive and inflexible leader.
d. King’s death was inevitable in a society permeated by bigotry.

CORRISPONDENZA
1 domanda

UNITED NATIONS - NATIONS UNIES

Mr. Mario Rossi
Via della Pieve 111
06100 Perugia, Italy
 Dear Mr. Rossi:
As we discussed during your visit here in New York along with the representatives of the UN Permanent
Mission of Italy, I must confirm that under the provisions of the UN Notes for the Guidance of Military
Observers on Appointment, the sole compensation payable to you for the injuries sustained during your mission
in Lebanon will be in the amount of U.S. $15,000.

You indicated at our meeting that the matter of the assessment of the injuries should be disciplined in accordance
with Italian law since you are an Italian citizen. The fact is, however, that when serving under the United Nations
flag, the military observer is under the jurisdiction of the UN under the command of the Chief of Staff of the
United Nations Force. As observer, therefore, you must abide by the terms provided under the UN Notes of
Guidance which you ratified by signing the Understanding prior to your assignment.

As conveyed in my correspondence of May 3, the Organization is not subject to any one country’s legislation
and therefore its responsibility is limited to the conditions provided under the terms of the Agreement signed
between Italy and the United Nations. Paragraph 14 of said Agreement stipulates: "Observers are auxiliary
personnel placed at the disposal of the United Nations on loan basis by governments of Member States at the
request of the Secretary-General." In addition, paragraph 28 of the UN Notes states: "The selection of an
observer is the responsibility of the government which has agreed in advance to provide such observer."

Although I sympathize with the predicament which besets you, I am afraid we are unable to comply with your
demands as they are not within the purview of the Agreement signed between your government and the United
Nations. Kindly accept my most sincere wishes for your prompt recovery. If I can be of any further assistance,
please do not hesitate to contact me.

Yours sincerely,
Barbara O’Brien
Secretary, Advisory Board on Compensation Claims

45. This letter implies that...

a. an out-of-court payment will follow the initial settlement in due course.
b. the debtor has not adhered to the conditions agreed upon and is at fault.
c. the writer has made no effort to empathize with the observer's grievances.
d. the claimant has questioned the appropriateness of the governing law.

For half a century, America’s leaders have dreamed of erecting a shield above their nation to protect it from
incoming ballistic missiles. Such a shield would help their nation to recapture the sense of untouchability that its
geography, weak neighbours and power have implanted and sustained in the past.

The habitual American faith in technology has helped to make the ambition seem feasible: if America can put a
man on the moon, then why shouldn’t it “hit a bullet with a bullet”? – as some like to characterize the task of
shooting down a missile in space. In fact, the missile to be unveiled next year is highly ambitious. In theory, a
threatening missile will be detected by satellite soon after its launch and its trajectory tracked by radar. Then an
interceptor will be dispatched.
 So how good is the system that will come into operation next year? Critics allege that flight tests that have been
conducted so far have provided mixed results. But the enthusiasts say missile defense will help dissuade some
countries from developing missiles and help deter any that consider firing them. And America’s own freedom of
action will be increased; it could, for instance, intervene in a regional conflict without fear of ballistic blackmail.

46. The new missile system…

a. has encountered only scepticism.
b. will rekindle a sense of invulnerability.
c. will encourage a race to space weaponry.
d. has discouraged investments.

Knowledge-Based Warfare Implications

A good example of how our traditional thinking is undermined is our understanding of reduced visibility.
Thermal sights and second-generation, forward-looking infrared radars, combined with position and navigation
systems, have literally turned night into day. Today’s gunner actually prefers night engagements, because targets
stand out much better when the background is largely stripped of daytime clutter.

This is only a mere example of the revolutionary and evolutionary changes that may be in store for the Army as
we approach knowledge-based warfare between forces of roughly equal capabilities. At the tactical level, these
will include new ways of evaluating terrain, visibility and the battle space’s nature.

We must rethink the roles and relationships of traditional arms. Some of these developments are already part of
our doctrine, others are being discussed in our battle labs. Still others are only dimly emerging from professional
literature and dialogue. The challenge is not in identifying future trends but in visualizing how they will interact.
Constructing a force that weaves those trends together will require us to think in new ways and to identify which
lessons we must unlearn.

47. The prevailing idea in this excerpt is that it is necessary to...

a. be cautious in adopting innovative strategies.
b. have a broad view on combining innovations.
c. learn how to use new information technologies.
d. strive for forces of equal strength.

New Civilian Mission for Radar

Phased-array radar, a technology used by the U.S. military to guide missiles to their targets, is about to take on a
civilian mission: alerting drivers to the presence of vehicles in the cars’ “blind spots”.

Miniaturizing and drawing a small fraction of the power required to track targets like supersonic fighter jets, the
automotive radar systems are designed to detect vehicles lurking in areas blocked from the driver’s view. These
 so-called blind spots can be a result of improperly positioned rear view mirrors, structural necessities like the
pillars that support the car’s roof or a cargo load that blocks the driver’s line of sight. Drivers often compensate
for blind spots by turning their heads to glance out the side window. But there is a drawback to doing this when
changing lanes or merging into the flow of freeway traffic – the driver’s eyes are diverted from the road ahead.

Employing sonar, laser or radar technology, the devices detect unseen objects very close to the car. The blind-
spot monitoring system, which requires scaling down the military-type phased-array radar units to fit
automobiles, could be in the showroom within a few years. A broadcasting technology uses a series of computer-
controlled antennas. Each antenna is about the size of a pack of cigarettes and weighs less than 12 ounces.

48. How has this military technology been adapted for civilian use?
a. It has been reduced both in terms of dimension and power.
b. A combination of sonar, laser and radar has been developed.
c. Car radio antennas have been made compatibly smaller.
d. Structural impediments have been removed from vehicles.

U.S. Agency Eyes Private Satellite

With a dearth of X-band satellite capacity on hand to meet the U.S. military’s fast-growing communications
needs, the Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA) is keenly interested in using a privately owned X-band
satellite due for launch soon. Depending on the level of interest from satellite users within the Defense
Department, DISA could elect to lease as many as half of the transponders on the satellite.

The satellite is under construction by Space Systems in California and is scheduled to be launched within the
next few months. The company has not announced which rocket it will use, but industry sources said it is in
negotiations to launch its satellite on a new version of Europe’s Ariane 5 rocket. This satellite is particularly
appealing to DISA because the military prefers to use X-band satellite communication links whenever possible,
yet faces a severe shortage of such capacity. The Pentagon’s existing X-band platform is aging and no longer
capable of meeting the military’s needs.

The X-Band portion of the radio spectrum is reserved for military users in the U.S., and the Pentagon has
agreements with other countries’ militaries to facilitate the use of the band in their territories. The X-band also
has technical characteristics that make it superior in adverse atmospheric conditions to other satellite frequencies.
The geostationary satellite will be able to cover hot spots where the U.S. military is currently engaged. In
addition, DISA does not have to compete with news organizations for band capacity since it is off limits to
commercial users throughout the world.

49. Which of the following statements best describes the U.S. military's current technological status?
a. Outsourcing is necessary due to a problem of oversupply.
b. Funds assigned to satellite systems have been depleted.
c. Equipment has become both obsolete and insufficient.
 d. Investing is necessary to compete with private companies.

Telecommunications used to be a closed game, from the copper and fibre that carried the messages, to the
phones themselves. Now, openness reigns in the world of wires. Networks must interconnect with those of
competitors, and users can plug in their own devices as they will. One result of this openness has been a lot of
innovation.

Openness is coming to the wireless world, too. Cheap and powerful devices that use unlicensed and lightly
regulated parts of the radio spectrum are proliferating. But there is a problem. Though the spectrum is open, the
microprocessor chips that drive the devices which use them are not. The interface information which would
allow those chips to be used in novel ways is normally kept secret by manufacturers. The latter claim that
making interface information public would be illegal, because it would allow users to change the parameters of a
chip in ways that violate the rules for using unlicensed spectrum (for example by increasing or changing its
operating frequency).

This really depends on a conservative interpretation of the law. Engineers are not asking for the computer code
that drives the interfaces, merely for the means to talk to them. And having this interface should eventually result
in more chips being sold. So it is hard to see what the problem is beyond a dog-in-the-mangerish desire not to
give anything away. It’s time to open it up!

50. The author of this article...

a. argues that interface information should indeed be kept secret.
b. is concerned that this new technology will hamper the economy.
c. believes many could benefit from making this interface available.
d. is in favour of reforming the old law regulating information technology.

RELAZIONI SU ARGOMENTI GENERICI

3 domande

Lethal Arms Vanishing “Without a Trace”: A new report from the Control Arms Campaign

There is more likelihood of being able to trace a suitcase or a genetically modified tomato than lethal weapons,
according to a new study released today by the Control Arms Campaign. The lack of a global system to track
small arms and ammunition means exporting countries cannot be held accountable for their weapons reaching
human rights abusers and war criminals.

This report by the Control Arms Campaign shows that while weapons and ammunition often do carry basic serial
numbers, there is no worldwide system to record this information in sales of small arms. This renders them
useless as a tool to identify, locate and trace illegal arms shipments.

Those countries selling arms illegally can simply claim ignorance of how the weapons ever ended up in the
 hands of killers. This means that it is nearly impossible to prosecute people or hold governments accountable for
illegally selling arms and breaking UN arms embargoes.

The Control Arms Campaign sees a global system for marking and tracing weapons as one vital step towards
improving the regulation of the arms trade. A comprehensive system requires the adoption of an International
Arms Trade Treaty and a convention to control the activities of arms brokers. Hundreds of thousands of people
from across the world and several governments have already backed the campaign.

51. The author’s main concern is to...

a. halt the manufacturing of small arms in rogue states.
b. denounce governments that produce and trade illegal arms.
c. foster an agreement to keep track of all small arms manufactured.
d. prosecute those countries that sell lethal weapons.

In the years immediately following the end of the Cold War, observers of international relations theorized ad
nauseam about the dynamics of the brave new world into which we were all entering. In a hasty world seeking
solutions to complex problems, “The New World Order”, “The Clash of Civilizations” and other catchphrases
crowded the pages of learned journals and the editorial sections of the major newspapers. This jumble of
opinions sought to make sense of a new world in which the traditional roles of the nation states were seemingly
being transferred to, undermined by, or devolved to trans-national corporations and international organizations.

In the military field, one of the principal questions of the time concerned the role of the United Nations in the
maintenance of international peace and security. The United Nations had always been a peripheral player in
military affairs during its existence. On occasion, the UN even mobilized small military forces under its direction
to aid in the resolution of military disputes between states. However, with the end of the era of superpower
confrontation, many thought that a new security order might be in the offing and the United Nations would play
a more central role in international military operations.

52. In this article, the author’s intent is to…

a. criticize journalists and their views on the war.
b. describe the UN’s new active role.
c. hypothesize a potential new role for the UN.
d. describe the aftermath of the Cold War.

Don’t Add Troops Yet

The U.S. military, spread ever more thinly by peacekeeping missions, needs more war fighters. But before swelling
the active duty ranks, U.S. leaders in and out of uniform should look carefully at ways to trim non-combat jobs.

Peacekeeping commitments have been growing for years. The sunny hopes of U.S. military planners – that occupied
countries would welcome a foreign invasion and turn peacefully to rebuilding – have been replaced by the deadly
reality of guerrilla war and the possibility that more ground troops may be required.

The Pentagon has announced a reasonable short-term fix: doubling the length of standard Army deployments to one
year and begging other nations to contribute peacekeeping forces. Today’s military was built to fight, yes, wars – but
also to carry out endless peacekeeping operations. Military transformation helps, but only to a point. It streamlines
capability but does little to ease occupying a country after a war.

The solution may not be adding more uniformed personnel but rather redeploying people in uniform from the logistics
tail to the fighting teeth. Many jobs performed by uniformed soldiers, sailors, airmen and marines could just as easily
be done by civilians, either federal employees or contractors. While it’s not entirely clear that civilians will do those
jobs better, or at lower cost, there is logic to the suggestion that the military ought to invest its training dollars in war
fighters, rather than clerks and accountants.

53. What is the author suggesting?

a. The increasing demand for reinforcements could become a problem.
b. The military should be disarmed and personnel become civilian employees.
c. Other countries should have participated in previous missions.
d. More civilians should be employed in non-combat roles.

Knowledge is composed of judgements as to what is true. Truth is the agreement of our ideas and words with the
nature of things, and knowledge of nature consists in understanding the causes of things. Knowledge comes to
those who have acquaintance with facts – facts which can only be acquired by study or research. Knowledge is
objective, outside of oneself, and thus can be attacked and defended without reference to the individual. Further,
our beliefs, opinions, and/or theories should not be considered knowledge until they have been exposed over
time. The truth can be quite painful at times: it can be offensive. We cannot jettison the truth to make another
person or group of persons feel better.

54. According to this article, knowledge is...

a. what we believe in.
b. dependent on experience.
c. the key to success.
d. an innate human attribute.

The government’s handling of this issue has been shambolic. Having executed his abrupt U-turn, the Prime
Minister has not even begun to tackle the consequences. One day he indicates that he will keep putting the
question to the people until he gets his way; the next he backtracks, hinting that even a “no” vote would be taken
as final. The Foreign Minister, meanwhile, argues that there might not be a vote at all.

55. This article implies that the government...

a. has handled the matter in question well.
b. has boycotted a proposed reform.
 c. is noticeably indecisive on some current matters.
d. wants a proposal to be rejected by the population.

The Great Depression of 1929

An important factor to keep in mind is that estimates of the impact of the Great Depression are frequently
determined not by faulty memory but by political considerations. Frank Freidel writes:

“Critics of Roosevelt have not only denied that anything constructive could have come from
the New Deal, but they have even succeeded in creating the impression, in the prosperous
years since 1945, that the Depression really did not amount to much. But how bad it was is
worth remembering.”

As Freidel implies, post-war prosperity has blurred the impact of the Great Depression. Especially among the
young who have no memories of the Depression, affluence is a barrier to understanding what it was like to live
in hard times. Arthur M. Schlesinger, Jr., confesses:

“I don’t know what is to be done to persuade people that the Great Depression took place. So
far as I can tell, more and more Americans are coming to believe that it never really occurred.
The whole thought of widespread economic collapse a generation ago in a nation as
spectacularly opulent as ours is now, has for many – perhaps for most of us – no more reality
any longer than a bad dream. Worse, the actualities of depression – bread lines, soup
kitchens, Hoovervilles, etc. – have become clichés rejected by the sophisticated as corny and
the unsophisticated as communistic.”

56. The reason this author quotes Arthur Schlesinger is to...

a. contradict Freidel.
b. endorse his own thesis.
c. illustrate the opposite point of view.
d. denounce communist propaganda.

Crowd Behavior

Turning from the motives of protesters to their conduct, we find that recent studies of crowd behavior undermine
some traditional generalizations. A common assumption is that mobs furnish excellent materials for leaders
intent on causing a genuine revolution or in arrogating power for themselves. In other words, the crowd itself
lacks the capacity for conceiving and executing a protest action.

In an essay on the American Revolution, Jesse Lemisch raises serious questions about such an assumption of the
crowd’s incapacity:
A merchant speculated the next day that the Boston Tea Party was conducted so
efficiently that there must have been “People of sense and more discernment than
the vulgar among the Actors.” But certainly there is nothing beyond the most
 uneducated man’s capacity in the events of that December night in 1773: that the
mob showed up with lanterns and hatchets, attached block and tackle to the chests,
raised them from the holds, and emptied the tea into the harbour seems more nearly
to suggest the skills of the lower class than to be evidence of an operation so clever
as to be explicable only by upper-class manipulation.

There is no reason to assume that the Tea Party was organized by Harvard men. Along the same lines, Jake W.
Lenker of Cedar County, Iowa, and his neighbors were capable of launching the “Cow War” without outsiders’
direction, and the picketing around Sioux City was a spontaneous development quite apart from the stated
policies of the Farmers’ Association leaders.

57. Which statement expresses this author’s opinion?

a. Crowds are not capable of organizing protest actions by themselves.
b. Power-hungry organizers often exploit crowds for their own gains.
c. The Boston Tea Party was clearly organized by upper-class leaders.
d. Crowds are able to organize protests without outside intervention.

Talking with reporters about recent elections, the President bore witness to a quintessential American faith. “If
people” he said, “are given a right to express themselves in the ballot box, in the public square, and through a
free and open press, it’ll lead to peace”.

Elections, if free and open, are a good thing. But, as the U.S.'s founding fathers understood, they’re only part of
the alchemy by which societies conjure up stability, security and happiness for their citizens. To sanction their
break with England in 1776, the founding fathers invoked philosophers. It was from them that the Constitution’s
framers learned how to fashion a lasting government. The framers insisted on a judiciary separate from the other
branches of government. They also designed a legislative branch of government with two houses, each to check
the other.

Of late, we’ve been reminded by headlines of the difficulties of staging free elections. But, however vexing,
voting alone cannot guarantee liberty’s blessings. Enduring democracy involves more than setting up a ballot
box and waiting for voters to line up.

58. The writer of this article…

a. agrees with the President’s statement on free elections.
b. thinks the U.S. Constitution should be amended.
c. believes there is more to freedom than free elections.
d. is partially in favor of separate government branches.

At the dawn of a new century, globalization is a double-edged sword: a powerful vehicle that raises economic
growth, spreads new technology and increases living standards in rich and poor countries alike. But it is also an
 immensely controversial process that assaults national sovereignty, erodes local culture and tradition and
threatens economic and social instability. And the daunting question is: Will nations control this great upheaval
or will it come to control them?

In the aftermath of two World Wars, Europeans saw economic unification as an antidote to deadly nationalism.
Today, globalization continues this process but also departs from it in at least one critical respect. Until recently,
countries were viewed as distinct economic entities; now this is becoming less true. Multinational companies
have gone on an international acquisition binge, and behind the merger boom lies the growing corporate
conviction that many markets have become truly global. By trying to maximize their presence in as many nations
as possible, companies seek to achieve economies of full-scale by lowering costs and increasing sales and
production volumes. In addition, companies increasingly organize production globally, dividing product design,
component manufacturing and final assembly among many countries.

Economic interdependence cuts both ways. Under favourable conditions, it helps everyone; under unfavourable
conditions, it hurts everyone. Market analysts are therefore extremely cautious. Globalization’s promise may
exceed its peril, but the peril is still real. Both are awaiting the new century, and one of the great dramas will be
to see which of the two will prevail.

59. This article implies that...

a. the new economic trend could spur a full-scale economic downturn.
b. international conglomerates will be hard-pressed to stay ahead.
c. globalization cannot snowball into an international slump.
d. globalization will help relieve fears of a world-wide economic slowdown.

Colonel Helmut Schmidt

Military Attaché
German Embassy
London

Dear Colonel Schmidt,

I announced last October that I had set work in hand within our Ministry of Defence to assess the implications of
the events of 11 September and to ensure that our nation has the right defence concepts, capabilities and forces to
meet the additional challenges we face from international terrorism and other asymmetric threats.

Our emerging thinking on these issues is set out in the fullest way to date in the attached discussion document
which we are making available to the government and the public today. Given the urgency of the work, we have
asked for comments by 15 March. I hope to be able to publish some conclusions in the spring or early summer.

I would like the work to be open and inclusive and to draw widely on views both from home and abroad
including – importantly – the views of allies and partners. The attached public discussion material forms an
integral part of this process and, apart from yourself, I am sending it to all my NATO and EU counterparts, to the
Defence Ministers of NATO and EU aspirant countries, and to a number of other key allies and partners.

Formally, the document is principally designed as a vehicle for seeking views within our country, but any
 reflections which you may have would of course be very welcome. These are issues which we are all going to
have to continue to debate in the months ahead.

Sincerely,
Colonel Zachary Thompson
Office for Internal Security

60. The purpose of this letter is to...

a. organize a joint NATO-EU meeting on terrorism.
b. illustrate the position of the writer’s country.
c. request feedback for the writer’s domestic discussion.
d. urge allies to continue their internal debate on terrorism.

FORM “B” FORM “A”

1 31 1 C 31 A
2 32 2 A 32 D
3 33 3 C 33 C
4 34 4 C 34 A
5 35 5 A 35 D
6 36 6 C 36 B
7 37 7 D 37 D
8 38 8 D 38 B
9 39 9 A 39 D
10 40 10 B 40 B
11 41 11 C 41
12 42 12 B 42
13 43 13 B 43
14 44 14 A 44
15 45 15 D 45
16 46 16 D 46
17 47 17 C 47
18 48 18 D 48
19 49 19 A 49
20 50 20 A 50
21 51 21 D 51
22 52 22 D 52
23 53 23 B 53
24 54 24 C 54
25 55 25 B 55
26 56 26 C 56
27 57 27 A 57
28 58 28 D 58
29 59 29 B 59
30 60 30 D 60
1. a
2. b
3. b
4. b
5. a
6. c
7. b
8. a
9. d
10. a
11. b
12. a
13. d
14. c
15. a
16. a
17. d
18. c
19. a
20. d
21. c
22. a
23. d
24. d
25. d
26. b
27. a
28. d
29. c
30. d
31. c
32. c
33. c
34. a
35. d
36. d
37. b
38. b
39. a
40. c
41. d
42. b
43. c
44. b
45. d
46. b
47. b
48. a
49. c
50. c
51. c
52. d
53. d
54. b
55. c
56. b
57. d
58. c
59. a
60. c

KEY
A
D
A
A
C
B
A
B
C
C
D
A
D
D
C
B
C
A
B
B
C
C
B
C
B
A
B
C
B
A
A
B
B
A
D
B
B
D
B
A
B
A
B
C
C
C
C
A
B
A
C
C
B
A
A
C
B
A
B
C
 A FORM
SECTION 1 CLASSIFIED ADS, NOTES, MESSAGES, BRIEF EXPLANATIONS,
INSTRUCTIONS AND DIRECTIONS, DESCRIPTIONS OF PEOPLE,
PLACES AND THINGS, ADVERTISEMENTS
15 questions

CLASSIFIED ADS
2 questions

Wine Tasting
at the
Old Mill Inn

Saturday, February 21
Time: 6-9 p.m.

“Live music, food, fun and wines available

from all regions of Italy”.

Ticket cost is $ 10.00

and will be sold at the door.

For more information contact John at 340-

148-0855.

1. At the Old Mill Inn….

a. there is no entertainment.
b. admission is free.
c. tickets are at the entrance.
d. a bottle of wine is $ 10.00.
 Saturday, 30th April
Excursion to: OXFORD and STRATFORD
Note: We must have at least 30 people
or the excursion will be cancelled
To sign up call the following number: 06/76965788

2. This ad says that…

a. thirty people is the minimum number.
b. thirty people will attend the excursion.
c. you can choose between Oxford and Stratford.
d. the excursion will be cancelled if it rains.

NOTES AND MESSAGES

1 question

Memorandum date: October 23, 2003

To: Secretarial Staff
From: Jane Brown, personnel director
Subject: Career Advancement Program

This month’s meeting will be held next Thursday at 8:00 p.m. with Dr. Gillis, a
professor at City Technical College. He will speak on moving up the career ladder,
something which I’m sure interests all of us.
Sign up with me if you plan to attend.

3. This message informs the secretarial staff about…

a. letters they must sign.
b. career opportunities.
c. the topic of a meeting.
d. a welcome party.

NOTICES
 2 questions

If you see an unattended package or bag

o Don’t ignore it.
o Don’t touch it.
o Alert our staff or a police officer immediately.

4. If you see an unattended bag……

a. take it to staff or police.
b. move it immediately.
c. inform staff or police.
d. look for the owner.

SHOP OPEN 9.00 -5.30

CLOSED ON SUNDAYS.

5. This sign says…

a. the shop is closed on Sundays.
b. the shop is open only on Sundays.
c. the shop opens at 5.30 on Sundays.
d. the shop opens at 9 a.m. everyday.

BRIEF EXPLANATIONS, INSTRUCTIONS AND DIRECTIONS

5 questions

If your product fails during the warranty period and the suggestions in the
Guide Booklet do not solve the problem, you can get help by finding your
nearest Company Support location at www.compaq.com/consumersupport

6. If you have a problem you can …..

a. pay for service.
b. extend the warranty.
 c. contact the company.
d. get your money back.

WARNING.
Do not try to repair, relocate, modify or reinstall the air conditioner by
yourself.
Incorrect work will cause electric shocks, fire etc.
For repair and reinstallation, consult the shop where you bought the air
conditioner.

7. To modify your air conditioner you………..

a. read the manual.
b. repair it yourself.
c. call the repairman.
d. return to the shop.

Departure requirements: passengers with reservations must purchase a

validated ticket providing for confirmed seats at least 30 minutes (60 minutes
international) before the scheduled departure time of the flight or earlier.
Otherwise, all reservations and seat assignments may be cancelled.

8. This is about…
a. delayed departures.
b. flight rules.
c. cancelled flights.
d. airline tickets.

Calculate and compare currencies

Use Expedia's free currency converter to convert your holiday funds instantly.
Simply type in the amount of money you would like to exchange, select the
currency you’re converting from and to, and then just click on the currency
converter button for the results
9. This free service is for people who want to…..
a. change money.
b. find a holiday destination.
c. compare holidays.
d. learn how to type.
Collins International Airport
There are four terminals at this airport within walking distance of each other. The
International Arrivals and International Departures terminals are in one building. The
Domestic Departures and Domestic Arrivals terminals are located in other buildings.
To get to the airport drivers should take the N2 highway and follow signs.

10. To transfer between International Arrivals and International Departures …

a. walk through Domestic Arrivals.
b. stay in the same building.
c. go past Domestic Departures.
d. take the N2 highway.

DESCRIPTIONS OF PEOPLE, PLACES AND THINGS

2 questions

The Waterberg Plateau and the 41,000 hectares of surrounding land was
declared a Nature reserve in 1972. The plateau is largely inaccessible.
Several of Namibia’s endangered animals were brought here to protect
them from predators. Waterberg now supplies the other Namibian parks
with rare animals.

11. Animals live on the plateau because…

a. it supplies other parks with animals.
b. it covers a very large area.
c. it offers the animals protection.
d. the habitat is more natural.
 Police are looking for a man who is in his early thirties with an athletic build.
He is 6 ft. 2 in. tall, he has black hair and blue eyes and has a prominent
nose. His complexion is pale and has a scar under his right eye. He is armed.
If you see him, do not approach him but contact the nearest police station
immediately.

12. The man……………

a. needs eyeglasses.
b. is very dangerous.
c. is seriously injured.
d. needs medical assistance.

ADVERTISEMENTS
3 questions

Attention corporate, group and individual travellers.

If you’re headed to the Paris air show…. You’ll want to fly with us!
- guaranteed comfort with first class and better than business – class seats
- amazingly low fares with additional discounts for early bookings and corporate
/group seat blocks.
- Convenient schedule for attendees and for exhibitors
- Book now as tickets are fully transferable
- Round-trip from all major airports
Paris air shows: June 17 – 24, 2004

13. This ad is about…

a. discount tickets for businessmen.
b. flights for particular events.
c. round trip tickets from Paris.
d. a summer holiday.
o 291 guest rooms and suites.
o Business centre, internet and
computer access.
o 2 restaurants, 3 bars and live
entertainment.
o Azure Spa and full gymnasium on-
site.
o Fresh water pool as well as
private beach offering non-motorized
water sports.
o Nearby golf, tennis, casino and
shopping
14. At this hotel, you CANNOT ……
a. use a motorboat.
b. watch a show.
c. go swimming.
d. send an e-Mail.

IrishTimesJobs.com
Looking for a job? - Planning a career move?
Our new website will help you.
IrishTimeJobs.com
For more information on web advertising costs and packages
Contact Brenda Galving & Caroline Smith
Tel: 01-677 7645 / 671 9822 or email: recruit@irish-times.ie

15. This classified ad is for……………………..

a. Irish people only.
b. voluntary groups.
c. people without a job.
d. advertising agencies.

SECTION 2 SOCIAL NOTICES, DESCRIPTIONS OF PEOPLE, PLACES AND

THINGS, SIMPLE BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION, SIMPLE
TECHNICAL MATERIAL, SIMPLE NARRATIVES, NEWS ITEMS,
ROUTINE BUSINESS LETTERS
15 questions

SOCIAL NOTICES
1 question
 AOUL
AMERICAN UNIVERSITYOF LONDON

The Pioneer Distance Learners Since 1984

BBA, BSc, MA, MBA, DBA, LLM, PhD
 One-on-One Instruction / Supervision
 Accredited degrees
 Modules and Flexible Programs
 Worldwide Faculty
 Academic Excellence

Tel. 00 44 14 9473 0571 Fax: 00 44 28 7657 7653

2 Old Brompton Road, London EW7 3DQ

16. The American University of London…

a. offers no modular programs.
b. has little academic excellence.
c. gives no accredited degrees.
d. offers individual instruction.

DESCRIPTIONS OF PEOPLE, PLACES AND THINGS

1 question

“The first time I saw the beach here, I didn’t want to leave,” reminisces Julie. “The sand was
gorgeous, and the water was a shade of blue I had never seen before.” Julie, a mother of four
children, also endorses this island’s world-renowned hospitality. “This is a kid’s paradise. When
you come here, you’ll find all sorts of great activities for the kids at the resorts, letting you do
what you want in complete confidence that your children are being well cared for. There is
also a wide variety of beach and water sports, too: everything from volleyball to parasailing,
jet skiing, sailing, fishing, scuba diving and snorkelling. So much to do. So little time,” Julie
sighs. “Getting to the beach is no problem either,” she adds. “You can drive out of the city
and, within a few hours, be sitting on the beach sipping drinks in a tropical paradise. Being
here is absolutely heavenly.”

17. What does Julie say about this island’s vacation facilities?
a. It takes too long to drive to the beaches.
b. There is an inadequate variety of beach and water sports.
c. It’s difficult to take advantage of all the opportunities.
d. Children’s activities are limited and poorly organized.

BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION
2 questions

Stephen Mac Millan is of Scots-Irish ancestry. He was born in Portland, Maine in 1954. He
attended the grammar school in Durham and then Lisbon Falls High School, graduating in
1966.
He graduated from the University of Maine at Orono in 1954, with a degree in English and
qualified to teach at the high school level. A military commission found him ineligible on
grounds of high blood pressure, limited vision, flat feet and punctured ear drum.

18. Which is true about Stephen Mac Millan?

a. Due to poor hearing he failed a few oral exams.
b. He was enlisted immediately after high school.
c. His high blood pressure affected his eye sight.
d. He was unqualified to serve in the Armed Forces.

WANTED – AWARD OFFERED

An unknown male suspect is being sought in connection with the robbery of a bank downtown
 yesterday. During this robbery, two people were shot, one of whom died. At approximately 10
a.m. the suspect entered the bank and told one of the employees that he was with the FBI
and was “staging a robbery”. After asking the employees about the bank’s security and
alarms, he pulled out two weapons and told the employee to get him money. One customer
was shot and killed inside the bank, while a second was shot and survived.
The unknown suspect wore a dark blue jacket with yellow “FBI” letters on the back and the
sleeves. He also wore a “U.S. Marshall’s Service” style badge on a chain around his neck. In
addition, he wore a navy blue bullet proof vest, a navy blue t-shirt, navy blue pants, a black
cap, and sunglasses with thick dark frames. He had a slight stubble on his face and carried a
briefcase.
The FBI is offering $60,000 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of this
individual. He is to be considered armed and dangerous. Please contact the police department
if you have any information concerning this person.

19. The suspect…

a. tricked the employees.
b. belongs to the FBI.
c. is easily recognizable.
d. has a previous police record.

SIMPLE TECHNICAL MATERIAL

5 questions

History tells us that the first licensed woman pilot in the United States was Harriet Quimby in
1911. Women flew airplanes before they could vote – but not in the U.S. military!
Although women pilots volunteered, none were taken into consideration. Civilian women were
flying over the North Pole, around the world and through the sound barrier but until the ‘70s
the military resisted having women pilots.

The Navy, not the Air force, took the first step.
In 1974 six women earned their wings and became the first naval aviators. The Army followed
suit in 1974 and trained female helicopter pilots.
The Air Force caught up in 1976 and admitted women to the pilot training program but their
flying was limited to non-combat. They were finally allowed to fly combat aircraft in 1993.

20. The first women pilots could fly......

a. in civilian aviation.
b. without any limitations.
c. in the Joint Forces.
d. only as volunteers.

When it comes to tobacco use, health professionals have the opportunity to help people
change their behaviour. Their involvement is key to successfully curb the tobacco epidemic. For
example, if dentists warned all their patients that smoking causes excess plaque, yellowing
teeth and contributes to tooth decay, as well as an increased risk of oral cancer, the impact on
smoking would be dramatic.

Studies have shown that even brief counselling by health professionals on the dangers of
smoking and importance of quitting is one of the most cost-effective methods of reducing
smoking. According to the new code of conduct promoted by healthcare professional
associations, health professionals shall also lead by example. They should act as role-models
for their patients, by ceasing to smoke.

21. The code asks health professionals to ...

a. study new cost-effective methods.

b. conduct anti-smoking campaigns.
c. organize free community courses.
d. give up smoking themselves.
 The role of the police: the search warrant
The law still considers that a man’s home is his castle. This long standing development under
English law is fully reflected in Canadian Law. No one, including a police officer, can make their
way into your home without your express permission. If an entry is to be made without your
permission, then a search warrant is required.
Search warrants are issued by a quasi judicial officer who is employed exclusively by the police
and who can usually be found on duty right at the police station. If a warrant is given, the police
constable who comes knocking on your door, must bear a “token or evidence of authorization”.
The law requires that all warrants must include certain essential ingredients. These include a
description of the offence alleged, a detailed listing of the items being sought, and an adequate
designation of the building, receptacle, or place to be searched.

22. Search warrants…

a. are necessary when no police officer is on duty.
b. can be issued with a citizen’s permission.
c. are used when all other measures fail.
d. protect the privacy of citizens.

An annual report issued by the Pentagon for the U.S. Congress focuses on the current and
probable future direction of Chinese military technology, including military space.
The report takes particular note of China’s work in electronic warfare, including development of
state-of-the-art technology for intercepting satellite equipment. The reports also describes China’s
robust research and development program for laser weapons. The Chinese displayed a portable
laser weapon that it advertised as capable of blinding human vision and electro-optical sensors.
According to the report, a weaker military is envisioned as defeating a superior one by attacking
its space-based communications and surveillance systems. The mastery of outer space will be a
requisite for military victory, with outer space becoming heights for combat.

23. An annual report indicates that in a possible future war…

a. laser weaponry will be opposed.
b. space technology will be vital.
 c. traditional warfare will be advantageous.
d. China will win thanks to its technology.

Twist of science marks a revolution for detectives

Police are investigating an armed robbery. The unconscious victim has been taken to hospital, and
detectives have discovered a spot of blood they believe to be the robber’s. They place a sample in
a brief-case-sized test kit and wait for results. Twenty minutes later, a print out shows the DNA
came from a 6 ft. tall, middle-aged man with a Scottish background, brown eyes, and a distinctive
hooked nose. The manhunt begins.
It sounds like science fiction, yet this technology is soon likely to become reality, say scientists. A
new report will review a variety of new DNA markers that could soon help police pinpoint the
appearance and origins of suspects. DNA technology is now entering a new phase of
sophistication.

24. What is the main point in this article?

a. DNA technology will soon be used for genetic mapping.
b. An armed robbery gave scientists ideas on DNA technology.
c. DNA markers may soon give police more precise identikits.
d. Witnesses gave a clear and precise description of the robber.

SIMPLE NARRATIVES
2 questions

Last night I had a strange dream. I was in a house running up the stairs. When I got to
the top, I saw a field full of blue horses. I called one of them; he came over to me and I
got on his back. I don’t know how far he took me. We went through forests, across
rivers, past high mountains covered with black snow. At last we came to a town. The
streets were full of people dressed in red. Nobody spoke. I said goodbye to my horse
and walked until I came to a church. Inside I heard my mother’s voice. I pushed the
door, but it was too big and heavy – I couldn’t move it. I called as loud as I could, but
nothing happened. Then, very slowly, the door opened. In the church there were
hundreds of people, all looking at me. They started to come towards me, slowly at first,
 then faster and faster…. then I woke up.

25. The boy ...

a. heard his mother singing in the church.
b. was unable to push the door open.
c. saw his mother among hundreds of people.
d. reached the church on the horse’s back.

July 14th,1982 is a day I shall never forget. On that day. I stared death in the face.
Our flight was due to leave at 11 am that day, and I arrived at the airport with plenty of
time to spare. We started boarding at 10.30. Most of us were holiday-makers and there was
a lot of laughing and joking going on. It was raining slightly, but the visibility was good, and
the plane took off on time. The cabin staff were just beginning to bring round the duty-free
goods, when the plane began to shake.
At first we thought we had Just hit bad weather. We were told to sit down and to
fasten our seat belts. Then, suddenly, the front of the plane seemed to dip, and we realised
we were speeding towards the ground. People screamed in panic. Strangers joined hands
and prayed. We all thought we had only minutes to live.
Then, just when we had given up all hope, we felt the plane level out, and slowly we
began to gain height. A few minutes later, the pilot announced that everything was now
under control, and we all began to clap and cheer hysterically. Twenty minutes later, we
landed safely. Experts are still investigating the cause of the incident, but until now they
have found no real answers. As for me, I shall never feel really safe on a plane again. It
was the most frightening experience of my life.

26. The ending of this episode is…

a. sad.
b. frightening.
 c. happy.
d. humorous.

NEWS ITEMS
3 questions

FOR AIRPORT CHAPLAINS, TURBULENT TIMES

There was a time when an airport chaplain’s main job was to soothe the occasional
passenger with a fear of flying. But these days, the anxieties, like everything else in the
airline industry, are more complicated.
Airport chaplains now find themselves ministering to travellers coping with stress over
security, cancelled flights and terrorism.
They also help airline workers worried about bankruptcies and layoffs.
Add to that the heightened concerns that the SARS virus has been spread by the long
distant air travel and you have what the Reverend James considers a community in
chaos.
Above all, the message seems to be that in such times of uncertainty, religious leaders of
all faiths must be available to listen and give comfort. The worries often belong to airline
employees, who fret that they may lose jobs they always believed were secure.
For workers and pilots always on the go, the airport chapel stands in for the hometown
place of worship; some shuffle their schedules to land in time for a service.
The overall feeling rippling through airports has changed. Once it seemed glamorous, full
of mystique. It has become much more stressful since September11.
It is not that the chaplains can offer concrete answers about job security or assure
travellers that they are safe from terrorism. What they can do is “hope and pray”.

27. Recently, the “job” of airport chaplains has…

a. assumed new tasks.
b. required experts on duty.
c. become less demanding.
 d. become more secure.

Torredonjimeno: Curfew on men

The mayor of a small town in Andalucia has banned men from going out on Thursday
nights between 9 p.m. and 2 a.m. so that their womenfolk can have an evening off. The
curfew is enforced by a team of women clad in air hostess uniforms, who patrol the
streets handing out on-the-spot five euro fines to offenders. Mayor Javier Checs claims
that the scheme is a boost for female equality. But many residents, male and female, are
furious. “I am not going home,” said farm worker Rafael Sanchez, clutching his drink
defiantly in a bar on Thursday night. They can’t make me.”

28. The official aim of the curfew is to …..

a. reduce alcohol consumption.
b. make a profit once a week.
c. give more jobs to women.
d. give women more free time.

 CAPE TOWN Helicopters rescue last of Antarctic scientists

Helicopters on Monday plucked the last of 90 scientists and nonessential crew from a ship
trapped in ice deep in the Antartic Ocean officials said.
Two helicopters flew 380 kilometers (205 nautical miles) from the South African research
ship Agulhas to the icebound Magdalena Oldendorff shortly after the dawn of the region’s six-hour
day and returned about four hours later.
Tanya Hacker, Spokeswoman for the Dutch-owned Smit Marine salvage company here, said
the helicopters collected the last eight scientists and 11 non essential crew, leaving 17 men to look
after the ship.

29. The rescue mission…

a. left the scientists behind.
b. was able to save everyone.
c. left the most important crew members.
d. took place off the shore of South Africa.
 ROUTINE BUSINESS LETTER
1 question

1260 Packard Avenue

Racine, WI 53403
April 29, 2003
Customer service
Telmar, Inc.
1025 Main Place Blvd.
Denver, CO 80202
Dear Sir:
Three months ago I purchased a model Z25 Telmar colour TV from the ACE television
store here in Racine. Because of the clarity and lifelike colour of its picture, I was keen
on the idea of buying a Telmar product. However, the TV delivered to my home has
developed a major problem. The picture now appears upside-down.
I have not moved, dropped or abused the television set, and it is still under the free
service and parts warranty. Unfortunately though, the ACE television store is no longer in
business. I have not been able to find any other store in my area that sells or services
Telmar televisions, and so I am writing to you for help.
Please let me know how I resolve this problem. Aside from the upside-down picture, I am
very happy with the Telmar television. I would be pleased with either a new replacement
TV or a good repair job.
Sincerely,
Ralph Brown

30. This TV cannot be repaired because…

a. the warranty is valid only in the store where the purchase was made.
b. his free service and parts warranty expired three months ago.
c. this model is no longer sold because of a fault in production.
d. no one sells Telmar colour televisions in his area anymore.

SECTION 3 TEXTS FROM SPECIAL FIELDS, REPORTS, PERSONAL AND

 PROFESSIONAL CORRESPONDENCE, NEWS, INFORMATIONAL
AND EDITORIAL ITEMS
15 questions

TEXTS FROM SPECIAL FIELDS

5 questions

The Air Force expects planes will be able to fire non-lethal microwave rays at enemy
troops with the help of a new super conducted generator system. Airborne
microwave weapons create a disabling burning sensation. They could be used to
control large groups of enemy fighters without killing them.
Such high-powered electromagnetic beams that can rapidly heat water molecules
and other directed–enemy weapons could bring advantages to the battlefield
where troops have to deal with hostile but unarmed crowds as well as dangerous
rebels.
The weapons could also disable the electronics of missiles and roadside bombs or
even disable a vehicle in a high–speed chase. They emit a pulse of energy and
can destroy semiconductors with a surge of volts.

31. The new microwave weapon.....

a. will be able to paralyze potential attackers.
b. can only disable vehicles at a standstill.
c. can be fatal if very powerful beams are emitted.
d. is more appropriate for a small enemy group.

In the near future, Americans will make use of the most sophisticated piece of
electronic intelligence gadgetry ever made available to ground commanders,
orchestrated from satellites and the military Internet.
It will serve them by collecting the graphic and other data present in a battle
environment, by pointing out the dangers lying in wait for U.S. forces, exposing
and nailing every combat element, including hostile intelligence, and
 electronically attacking their signals to prevent them from communicating critical
data. The effect will be to silence enemy communications, as well as jamming its
command, computer and electronic warfare systems.
A ground commander equipped with this new device will receive on his laptop a
comprehensive picture of electronic emitters within a battle arena of any size up
to 150 km wide and 120 km deep. He will have a full view of his own forces in
relation to the enemy and be guided in mid-combat to openings that will give his
troops the advantage.
In the course of battle, he will be able to pinpoint, collect and electronically
attack emitters, however large or small, beyond the reach of conventional
reconnaissance

32. The new electronic system....

a. can only assist targeting.
b. can only be used on the ground.
c. will require a greater number of U.S. forces.
d. can project the routes of forces on the move.

Suddenly, chipmakers are looking happier. The semiconductor industry had its
worst year ever three years ago when sales fell by an unprecedented 32%.
The following year, sales were flat. This year, however, sales have grown by
around 15%. Since most of the growth came in the second half of the year,
the war in Iraq and SARS having dampened sales in the first half ; the actual
pace of growth is even greater. This, in turn, means that demand for high-
tech products that rely on fancy microchips is picking up too. Consumer
spending, particularly on mobile phones, is expected to give way to a gradual,
more broad-based recovery in corporate technology spending as companies
upgrade old PCs and buy new communications equipment over the next two
years. The semiconductor industry’s crash three years ago was unusual in that
it was caused by a collapse in demand as the internet bubble burst. Normally,
 the industry’s crashes are the result of oversupply. Anticipating further strong
growth, chipmakers will soon start to increase capacity: this will lead to
oversupply in the near future at which point the market will stall again. For
chipmakers, that is no more than business as usual.

33. What is being anticipated in the semiconductor industry for the next few years?
a. a predictable fall as companies advance existing computers and invest in
new ones.
b. an anomalous drop in demand and sales given the geopolitical scenario.
c. an increment in demand at first, followed by an expected fall due to
oversupply.
d. an unprecedented, relentless increase in sales as a result of the war in Iraq.

Are you tired of reading one article after another about the high cost of
Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) and the cancellation of other major acquisition
projects due to the lack of funding? What if I told you that the U.S. already owns
about 300 aircraft the size of current UAVs that are in service, powered by
turboprops, dependable, low maintenance and could be given fuel tanks to have a
greater endurance time than some UAVs being built today? And what if I told you
that they’re being replaced very soon?
The aircraft is the Navy's primary trainer, the T-34C. The Navy has operated
this craft for more than 30 years and shortly the plane will be replaced by the new
Joint Primary Aircraft Trainer. The T-34Cs will probably be buried in the bone yards
of Davis-Monthan Air Force Base in Arizona. Converting the T-34C platform to a
UAV, armed UAV or semi-UAV would be more efficient and effective, and most
importantly, could quickly provide an asset to our war-fighters to save lives.

34. Which of the following statements is TRUE ?

a. Changing the T-34Cs into UAVs would save the Navy time and money.
b. The T-34C fuel tanks have better resistance than the current UAV ones.
 c. The T-34Cs have put the Joint Primary Aircraft Trainers out of service.
d. UAV projects are being cancelled because of budget limitations.

Sea Basing

“Sea Basing” – placing at sea capabilities critical to joint and coalition operational
success – will be increasingly central to joint military planning because the traditional
advantages enjoyed by afloat forces – such as independence, mobility, and security –
are becoming ever more important to military affairs, while traditional limitations of sea-
based forces – including operational reach and connectivity – have been largely
overcome by new technologies and concepts of operations. These advances in sea-
based capabilities could not come at a more critical time, as political and military
barriers to access ashore are growing worldwide. Because of these changes, the value
of Sea Basing in an increasingly interdependent world will continue to rise – providing
operational freedom for joint and coalition forces, compressing deployment timelines,
strengthening deterrence, and projecting dominant and decisive combat power from the
sea.

35. Why is “Sea Basing” becoming possible in joint military planning?

a. Coalition forces are compressing deployment timelines.

b. Shore access is becoming increasingly limited worldwide.

c. The world is becoming increasingly interdependent.

d. Former limitations have been almost completely removed.

REPORTS
3 questions

According to the latest findings there has been a 60 per cent increase in the land used for opium
production in the past year and income from opium growing and trafficking was equal to more
than half the legal economy of the nation itself.
Drugs have become a key political and economic issue. It was recently stated that just as people
can become addicted to drugs, countries can be addicted to a drug economy. The findings
show that drugs provide livelihoods for poor farmers as well as employment for laborers during
the harvest season; teachers and bureaucrats earn extra money as small traders; merchants
and money lenders earn profits as financiers and middle men; militia commanders of the
countries principal military garrisons have enriched themselves protecting the trade.
A key member of the Afghan government recently stated that cultivators do not create
traffickers, traffickers create cultivators. Many peasants who grow opium are caught in the cycle
of opium production because they have borrowed money from the traffickers for the initial crops
and continue year after year to increase their debt.
Some in the international coalition wish to eradicate the problem by aerial spraying of drug
crops with herbicide. This would damage other farm products and injure people’s health. The
most that would happen in this case would be to destroy part of the crop. This would then drive
up the price and therefore create incentives to grow opium in more inaccessible areas. Poor,
indebted farmers would be left with little choice: give their daughters to the drug traders, grow
more opium, or flee the country. This situation was what took place under the Taliban when the
crop was banned without alternative livelihoods. If half the crop were destroyed without
offering an alternative and meaningful consultation no progress will be made to transform the
economy.

36. What solution is the author implying?

a. The international community should eliminate the debt for the farmers.
b. The international community should offer alternatives to opium growers.
c. The Afghanis need to eradicate the opium producers.
d. The complete destruction of the opium fields.

America’s biggest export is no longer the fruit of its fields or the output of its
factories, but the mass-produced products of its popular culture – movies, TV
programs, music, books and computer software.
Entertainment around the world is dominated by American-made products. But why
 do people prefer the American variety to that produced in, say, Venezuela or Japan
or France?
The answer is partly linguistic, partly economic and partly a reflection of the unique
historical, racial and ideological development of the United States. To its admirers,
U.S. entertainment is something bright and new. ‘The United States has little history
and it is very open to new things,’ said David Escobar Galindo, El Savador’s foremost
writer. ‘Europe has many wonderful things but it is very tied to its past. U.S. culture
is fresher.’

37. Which of the following is true?

a. U.S. filmgoers prefer European films.
b. U.S. films draw larger audiences than its books do.
c. American entertainment has some restraints.
d. Europe’s traditional values are still strongly felt.

A Nation’s Transition: On a Knife Edge

Fundamental change is needed soon if the widening gap separating the occupation’s
governing institutions from the population is to be narrowed and a spreading
insurgency overcome. October 4 is a key turning point, though it will not bring the
full transfer of sovereignty many of the people expect. What they should get then is
more power, and the space to create a more inclusive, cohesive policy, but still
necessarily incomplete sovereign power until elections are held. The redistribution of
power between the U.S., UN and the country’s new institutions should be even more
substantial than the current proposal and have a strong UN Special Representative
serving as final arbiter of disputes during the transition.

38. The writer thinks that on October 4 ….

a. a new cohesive policy will have been established.
b. the people should only receive partial sovereignty.
c. the proposed redistribution of power will be impossible.
 d. the people should receive complete sovereignty.

PERSONAL AND PROFESSIONAL CORRESPONDENCE

1 question

UNITED NATIONS - NATIONS UNIES

December 29, 1999

Mr. Mario Rossi

Via della Mina 111
06100 Perugia, Italy

Dear Mr. Rossi:

As we discussed during your visit here in New York along with the representatives of the U.N.
Permanent Mission of Italy, I must confirm that under the provisions of the UNTSO Notes for the
Guidance of Military Observers on Appointment, the sole compensation payable to you for the
injuries sustained during your mission in Lebanon will be in the amount of US$15,000.00.
You indicated at our meeting that the matter of the assessment of the injuries should be
disciplined in accordance with Italian law since you are an Italian citizen. The fact is, however,
that when serving under the United Nations flag, the military observer is under the jurisdiction of
the United Nations under the command of the Chief of Staff of the United Nations Force. As
observer, therefore, you must abide by the terms provided under the UNTSO Notes of Guidance
which you ratified by signing the Understanding prior to your assignment.
As conveyed in my correspondence of May 3, 1998, the Organization is not subject to any one
country’s legislation and therefore its responsibility is limited to the conditions provided under the
terms of the Agreement signed between Italy and the United Nations. Paragraph 14 of said
Agreement stipulates: Observers are auxiliary personnel placed at the disposal of the United
Nations on loan basis by governments of Member States at the request of the Secretary-General.
In addition, paragraph 28 of the UNTSO Notes states: The selection of an observer is the
responsibility of the government which has agreed in advance to provide such observer.
Although I sympathize with the predicament which besets you, I am afraid we are unable to
comply with your demands as they are not within the purview of the Agreement signed between
your government and the United Nations.
Kindly accept my most sincere wishes for your prompt recovery. If I can be of any further
assistance, please do not hesitate to contact me.
Yours sincerely,
Barbara O’Brien
Secretary
Advisory Board on Compensation Claims

39. This letter implies that ...

a. an out-of-court payment will follow the initial settlement in due course.
b. the debtor has not adhered to the conditions agreed upon and is in at
fault.
c. the writer has made no effort to empathize with the observer’s grievances.
d. the claimant has questioned the appropriateness of the governing law.
 NEWS, INFORMATIONAL AND EDITORIAL ITEMS
6 questions

General Smith, a former commander in chief of U.S. Special Operation

Command stated, in a recent interview, that terrorism has become a preferred
form of warfare and that if it is to be defeated, we need to bring the power of
the U.S. government to bear on all agencies. General Smith explained that timely
and accurate intelligence is crucial. However, he said, intelligence-gathering
efforts against terrorism have been curbed by recent restrictions that limit CIA
field officers’ ability to recruit unsavoury characters with access to terrorists
groups, or who are members of such groups. Most experts agree that intelligence
penetration is the key to thwarting terrorists before they can strike. Planting spies
within the groups has proven to be difficult but not impossible.

40. According to this excerpt…

a. planting spies within the group is not only difficult but useless.
b. the gathering of secret information has been increased
c. unsavoury characters serve no purpose in the antiterrorism cells.
d. terrorism has acquired military value for some countries.

Plans to cut Air Force manpower by more than 20,000 will not impede the way the service recruits
highly motivated people. Every career field requires certain aptitudes from each person the service
recruits. To get those top-notch recruits, the Air Force launched a new advertising campaign to
heighten awareness and let the nation know the service needs people with good skills and
outstanding character. “Recruiting has changed immensely since I graduated from the Air Force
Academy in 1977”, said General Sanders. “Back then, recruiters’ tools were limited. Essentially, the
recruiters were our tools. They were our awareness campaign.
Recruiting today is constantly changing to keep up with competition.
 41. Which is true?
a. The Air Force is no longer seeking high-calibre recruits.
b. People aren’t always aware the Air Force is hiring.
c. Qualified people are unavailable to work.
d. Recruiting qualified men is easier.

Democratic congressmen: “staying the course in peacekeeping missions abroad means

increasing our troop strength, and not surprisingly, recruitment and re-enlistment levels are
down. But proposed re-enlistment bonuses and other economic incentives will not make the
military any more attractive to upper-middle-class young people. Increasingly we will be a
nation in which the poor fight our wars while the affluent stay home.
To correct the disparity among those who serve, I have proposed a new draft. A three-tiered
draft system in which conscripts could serve in the military, in homeland security, or in civilian-
service programmes. All men and women ages 18 and 26 would be eligible for induction once
they have competed high school.

42. Which statement expresses the writer’s point of view?

a. New economic incentives will produce a wider range of conscripts.
b. No young man or woman should have to fight a war.
c. The burden of service should fall only upon volunteers.
d. Fighting for the country must be fairly shared by all.

Distant dreams

Floated at the high tide of the dotcom boom, the dream of a UK e-university that
would meet global demands for higher education now has to make its way in a
harsher world. It is not just dotcom companies that have been asking themselves the
“www” question – what went wrong?” universities and companies that invested in e-
learning have also had their fingers burnt by rushing hopefully on line.
No one doubts that there are a lot of people out there in Asia and the Middle East
wanting higher education, but whether online learning is the way to supply that need
is coming under sharper scrutiny from both academics and business investors. There
 has been a handful of successes in online education but a series of faltering and
failed ventures. Do established universities with internationally known names really
need the e–university to promote themselves abroad? There must be no compromise
on the quality of the courses, the technology to deliver them and the student support
offered. Low enrolment on online programmes seems to be due to employers’
suspicions and reluctance by students to sign up for entirely online courses. It is
estimated that an online course needs 40 students to make a commercial return, but
the average US distance programmes is 25. Many courses targeted at the US market
would appear to be unsustainable.

43. Expectations on distance learning have been…

a. met only for business courses.
b. globally disappointing due to lack of quality.
c. fulfilled only in certain cases.
d. surpassed in terms of commercial returns.

Iraq’s Kurds: Toward a Historic Compromise ?

Fiery rhetoric over the Kurdish question in Iraq suggests acrimony, conflict
and possibly secession. But outside the battle of words fought in the glare of the
media spotlight, Kurdish leaders have indicated that a historic compromise over
Kurdish autonomy and the status of Kirkuk is possible within a unitary Iraq. Given
their current political strength in the country, Kurdish leaders now need to moderate
their public rhetoric and inform their people of what they see as the maximum
realistic solution to the Kurdish historical predicament and Kirkuk’s status. The
occupying powers and the international community more generally should pay heed
to the Kurds’ fair demands. Failure to meet the Kurdish desire for freedom within a
unitary Iraq could well pave the way for more radical separatist elements to gain the
upper hand in the Kurdish community, raising a grave regional confrontation.
44. This article suggests that the aims of the Kurdish leaders in Iraq are….
a. not satisfying separatist groups in the community.
b. more moderate than they appear in the media.
c. in line with the demands of the occupying powers.
d. unrealistic and may provoke violent conflict.

For the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., death at the hands of a white bigot came as a
tragic finale to an American drama fraught with classic hints of inevitability. Propelled
to fame in the throes of the U.S. blacks’ mid-century revolution, he gave it
momentum, steered it toward non violence and served as its eloquent voice. Yet the
movement he served with such power and zeal was beginning to pass him by even
before his death. Non violence was beginning to seem outmoded to the increasingly
militant black community. Behind his back, King’s black denigrators called him “de
Lawd”; in public they called him an Uncle Tom. And in the years since he was
gunned down on the balcony of a Memphis motel in March 1968, both his
achievements and his personal character have been assailed.
Yet if ever there were a transcendent symbol of the dreams, hopes and
achievements of African Americans, it was Martin Luther King. Bridging the void
between black despair and white unconcern, he spoke so powerfully of, and from,
the wretchedness of his people’s condition that he became the flag bearer of civil
rights, not only to Americans but also to the world beyond. The courage and
eloquence that brought him the Nobel Prize for Peace in 1964 have endured. His
legacy as America’s foremost spokesman for civil rights in the 20th century is secure.

45. Which statement best expresses the main point of this passage?
a. King was unable to maintain the non violent nature of the civil rights
movement.
b. Despite criticism during and after his lifetime, King remains a great moral
leader.
c. M. L. King was an inspiring yet unperceptive and inflexible leader.
d. Martin L. King’s death was inevitable in a society permeated by bigotry.
 SECTION 4 TEXTS FROM SPECIAL FIELDS, REPORTS, PERSONAL AND
PROFESSIONAL CORRESPONDENCE, NEWS, INFORMATIONAL
AND EDITORIAL ITEMS
15 questions

TEXTS FROM SPECIAL FIELDS

5 questions

For half a century, America’s leaders have dreamed of erecting a shield above their
nation to protect it from incoming ballistic missiles. Such a shield would help their
nation to recapture the sense of untouchability that its geography, weak neighbours
and power have implanted and sustained in the past.
The habitual American faith in technology has helped to make the ambition seem
feasible: if America can put a man on the moon, then why shouldn’t it “hit a bullet
with a bullet”? - as some like to characterize the task of shooting down a missile in
space.
In fact, the missile to be unveiled next year is highly ambitious. In theory, a
threatening missile will be detected by satellite soon after its launch and its trajectory
tracked by radar. Then an interceptor will be dispatched.
So how good is the system that will come into operation next year? Critics allege that
flight tests that have been conducted so far have provided mixed results.
But the enthusiasts say missile defense will help dissuade some countries from
developing missiles, and help deter any that consider firing them. And America’s own
freedom of action will be increased; it could, for instance, intervene in a regional
conflict without fear of ballistic blackmail.

46. The new missile system…

a. has discouraged investments.
b. will rekindle a sense of invulnerability.
c. will encourage a race to space weaponry.
d. has encountered only scepticism.
 New civilian mission for radar

Phased-array radar, a technology used by the U.S. military to guide missiles to their
targets, is about to take on a civilian mission: alerting drivers to the presence of
vehicles in the cars’, “blind spots”.
Miniaturizing and drawing a small fraction of the power required to track targets like
supersonic fighter jets, the automotive radar systems are designed to detect vehicles
lurking in areas blocked from the driver’s view. These so-called blind spots can be a
result of improperly positioned rear view mirrors, structural necessities like the pillars
that support the car’s roof or a cargo load that blocks the driver’s line of sight.
Drivers often compensate for blind spots by turning their heads to glance out the
side window. But there is a drawback to doing this when changing lanes or merging
into the flow of freeway traffic – the driver’s eyes are diverted from the road ahead.
Employing sonar, laser or radar technology, the devices detect unseen objects very
close to the car. The blind-spot monitoring system, which requires scaling down the
military-type phased-array radar units to fit automobiles, could be in the showroom
within a few years. A Broadcasting technology uses a series of computer-controlled
antennas. Each antenna is about the size of a pack of cigarettes and weighs less
than 12 ounces.

47. How was this military device adapted for civilian use?

a. Structural impediments were removed from vehicles.

b. It was installed only on the blind spots of vehicles.
c. Car antennas were made compatibly smaller.
d. The device was reduced both in terms of size and power.
 The following is an excerpt from the article “KNOWLEDGE-BASED WARFARE
IMPLICATIONS”

….. A good example of how our traditional thinking is undermined is our

understanding of reduced visibility. Thermal sights and second- generation
forward-looking infrared radars, combined with position and navigation
systems, have literally turned night into day. Today’s gunner actually prefers
night engagements, because targets stand out much better when the
background is largely stripped of daytime clutter.
This is only a mere example of the revolutionary and evolutionary changes
that may be in store for the Army as we approach knowledge-based warfare
between forces of roughly equal capabilities. At the tactical level, these will
include new ways of evaluating terrain, visibility and the battle space’s nature.
We must rethink the roles and relationships of traditional arms. Some of
these developments are already part of our doctrine, others are being
discussed in our battle labs. Still others are only dimly emerging from
professional literature and dialogue. The challenge is not in identifying future
trends but in visualizing how they will interact. Constructing a force that
weaves those trends together will require us to think in new ways and to
identify which lessons we must unlearn.

48. The prevailing idea in this excerpt on new warfare implications is that it is
necessary to ….
a. strip all doctrine of obsolete notions.
b. have a broad view on combining innovations.
c. learn how to use new information technologies.
d. consider forces being of equal strength in the future.
 U.S. Agency Eyes Private Satellite

With a dearth of X-band satellite capacity on hand to meet the U.S. military’s fast-
growing communications needs, the Defence Information Systems Agency (DISA) is
keenly interested in using a privately owned X-band satellite due for launch soon.
Depending on the level of interest from satellite users within the Defence
Department, DISA could elect to lease as many as half of the transponders on the
satellite.
The satellite is under construction by Space Systems in California and is scheduled
to be launched within the next few months. The company has not announced which
rocket it will use, but industry sources said it is in negotiations to launch its satellite
on a new version of Europe’s Ariane 5 rocket.
This satellite is particularly appealing to DISA because the military prefers to use X-
band satellite communication links whenever possible, yet faces a severe shortage
of such capacity. The Pentagon’s existing X-band platform is aging and no longer
capable of meeting the military’s needs.
The X-Band portion of the radio spectrum is reserved for military users in the U.S.
and the Pentagon has agreements with other countries’ militaries to facilitate the
use of the band in their territories. The X-band also has technical characteristics
that make it superior in adverse atmospheric conditions to other satellite
frequencies. The geostationary satellite will be able to cover hot spots where the
U.S. military is currently engaged.
In addition, DISA does not have to compete with news organizations for band
capacity since it is off limits to commercial users throughout the world.

49. Which of the following statements best describes the Army’s current technological
status?
a. Investing is necessary to compete with private companies.
b. Funds destined to satellite systems have been depleted.
c. Equipment has become both obsolete and insufficient.
d. Outsourcing is necessary due to a problem of oversupply.
 Machines with sinister minds of their own have been standard fare in popular science
fiction films. But the fiction behind these devises is rapidly becoming fact and ADA – a
room-sized artificial intelligence- system on show at the Swiss National Exhibition is
living proof. ADA is a mirror-clad room outfitted with its own electronic eyes and ears
that is capable of interacting and communicating with visitors. Ceiling cameras monitor
guests as they move about inside the room, while microphones pick up sounds ranging
from whispers to shouts. Even the floor is equipped with pressure sensors that can
track a person’s progress through the room. Should ADA want to communicate with
visitors, it can do so through complex light and sound projections. Named after a British
programming pioneer, it performs all these feats thanks to neural network technology,
layers of computer circuits that work in ways analogous to the human brain. It may
pave the way for the development of commercially constructed “smart” rooms and
buildings that can dynamically adapt themselves to the needs of their inhabitants.

50. This new technology….

a. will be used to monitor the population.
b. is named after a science fiction film.
c. works very similarly to the human brain.
d. will be used only in private homes in the future.
 REPORTS
3 questions

In the years immediately following the end of the Cold War, observers of international relations
theorized ad nauseam about the dynamics of the brave new world into which we were all
entering. In a hasty world seeking solutions to complex problems, “The New World Order”,
“The Clash of Civilizations” and other catchphrases crowded the pages of learned journals and
the editorial sections of the major newspapers. This jumble of opinions sought to make sense of
a new world in which the traditional roles of the nation states were seemingly being transferred
to, undermined by, or devolved to trans-national corporations and international organizations.
In the military field, one of the principal questions of the time concerned the role of the United
Nations in the maintenance of international peace and security. The United Nations had always
been a peripheral player in military affairs during its existence. On occasion, the United Nations
even mobilized small military forces under its direction to aid in the resolution of military
disputes between states. However, with the end of the era of superpower confrontation, many
thought that a new security order might be in the offing and the United Nations would play a
more central role in international military operations.

51. In this article, the author’s intent is to…

a. criticize journalists and their views on the war.
b. describe the U.N.’s new active role.
c. hypothesize a potential, new role for the U.N.
d. underline the aftermath of the Cold War.
 Don’t add troops yet

The U.S. military, spread ever more thinly by peacekeeping missions, needs more
war fighters. But before swelling the active duty ranks, U.S. leaders in and out of
uniforms should look carefully at ways to trim non-combat jobs.
Peacekeeping commitments have been growing for years. The sunny hopes of U.S.
military planners – that occupied countries would welcome a foreign invasion and
turn peacefully to rebuilding – have been replaced by the deadly reality of guerrilla
war and the possibility that more ground troops may be required.
The Pentagon has announced a reasonable short- term fix- doubling the length of
Standard Army deployments to one year and begging other nations to contribute
peacekeeping forces. Today’s military was built to fight, yes, wars – but also endless
peacekeeping operations. Military transformation helps, but to a point. It streamlines
capability, but does little to ease occupying a country after a war.
The solution may not be adding more uniformed personnel, but rather redeploying
people in uniform from the logistics tail to the fighting teeth. Many jobs performed
by uniformed soldiers, sailors, airmen and marines just as easily could be done by
civilians, either federal employees or contractors.
While it’s not entirely clear that civilians will do those jobs better, or at lower cost,
there is logic to the suggestion that the military ought to invest its training dollars in
war fighters, rather than clerks and accountants.

52. What is the author implying?

a. The increasing demand for reinforcements could become a problem.
b. The military should be disarmed and personnel become civilian employees.
c. Other countries should have participated in previous missions.
d. Civilians should be asked to participate in peacekeeping missions.
 Lethal arms vanishing “without a trace” : New report from the Control Arms
Campaign

There is more likelihood of being able to trace a suitcase or a GM tomato than lethal
weapons, according to a new research released today by the Control Arms
Campaign. The lack of a global system to track small arms and ammunition means
exporting countries cannot be held accountable for their weapons reaching human
rights abusers and war criminals.
This report by the Control Arms Campaign shows that while weapons and
ammunition often do carry basic serial numbers, there is no worldwide system to
record this information in sales of small arms. This renders them useless as a tool to
identify, locate and trace illegal arms shipment.
Those countries selling arms illegally can simply claim ignorance of how the weapons
ever ended up in the hands of killers. This means that it is nearly impossible to
prosecute people or hold governments accountable for illegally selling arms and
breaking UN arms embargoes.
The Control Arms Campaign sees a global system for marking and tracing weapons
as one vital step towards improving the regulation of the arms trade. A
comprehensive system requires the adoption of an International Arms Trade Treaty
and a convention to control the activities of arms brokers. Hundreds of thousands of
people from across the world and several governments have already backed the
campaign.

53. What is the author’s main suggestion?

a. To halt the manufacturing of small arms in rogue states.
b. To denounce governments who produce and trade illegal arms.
c. To foster an agreement to keep track of all small arms manufactured.
d. To prosecute those countries that sell lethal weapons.
 PERSONAL AND PROFESSIONAL CORRESPONDENCE
1 question

January 29, 1999

Dr. William Shawarz
c/o Acquisition, Technology and Logistics Department
Ministry of Defense
Dear Dr. Shawarz:
We are pleased to forward the final report of the DSB task Force on Acquisition of National
Security Space programs. The task force was chartered by the Under Secretary of Defence and
the Secretary of the Air Force. It was tasked to investigate systematic issues related to space
systems acquisition, to include all aspects from requirements definition and budgetary planning
through staffing and program execution; and to recommend improvements to the acquisition of
space programs from initiation to deployment.
Over the course of this study, the members of this team discerned profound insights into
systematic problems in space acquisition. Their findings and conclusions identified requirements
definition and control issues; unhealthy costs bias in proposal evaluation; widespread lack of
budget reserves required to implement high risk programs on schedule; and an overall under-
appreciation of the importance of appropriately staffed and trained system engineering staffs to
manage the technologically demanding and unique aspects of space programs.
This report highlights our nation’s dependence on space assets to perform our national security
mission and delineates appropriate remedies for a strategic recovery.
Given the significance of this report, the task force should reconvene in approximately one year
to review the progress of the corrective actions.

Yours sincerely,

Dr. Daniel Defoe

AFSAB Chairman
Attached: dsb report
 54. The findings of a task force report…
a. are positive in terms of staffing and costs.
b. have highlighted a few shortcomings.
c. recommend further investigations.
d. are negative only on budget matters.

NEWS, INFORMATIONAL AND EDITORIAL ITEMS

6 questions

Knowledge is composed of judgements as to what is true. Truth is the agreement of

our ideas and words with the nature of things and knowledge of nature consists in
understanding the causes of things. Knowledge comes to those who have
acquaintance with facts, facts which can only be acquired by study or research.
Knowledge is objective, outside of oneself, and thus can be attacked and defended
without reference to the individual. Further, our beliefs, opinions, and/or theories
should not be considered knowledge until they have been exposed over time. The
truth can be quite painful at times: it can be offensive. We cannot jettison the truth
to make another person or group of persons feel better.

55. Knowledge is…

a. what we believe in.
b. based on factuality.
c. the key to success.
d. an innate quality.
The Government’s handling of this issue has been shambolic. Having executed his abrupt U-turn,
the Prime Minister has not even begun to tackle the consequences. One day he indicates that he
will keep putting the question to the people until he gets his way; the next he backtracks, hinting
that even a “No” vote would be taken as final. The Foreign Minister, meanwhile, argues that there
might not be a vote at all.

56. This article implies that the government …..

a. has handled the matter in question well.
b. has boycotted a proposed reform.
c. is noticeably indecisive on some current matters.
d. wants a proposal to be rejected by the population.
 The Great Depression of 1929

An important factor to keep in mind is that estimates of the impact of the Depression are
frequently determined not by faulty memory but by political considerations. Frank Freidel
writes: “Critics of Roosevelt have not only denied that anything constructive could have come
from the New Deal, but they have even succeeded in creating the impression, in the
prosperous years since 1945, that the Depression really did not amount to much. But how bad
it was is worth remembering.”
As Freidel implies, post war prosperity has blurred the impact of the Great Depression.
Especially among the young who have no memories of the Depression, affluence is a barrier to
understanding what it was like to live in hard times. Arthur M. Schlesinger, Jr., confesses:
“I don’t know what is to be done to persuade people that the Great Depression
took place. So far as I can tell, more and more Americans are coming to believe
that it never really occurred. The whole thought of widespread economic collapse a
generation ago in a nation as spectacularly opulent as ours is now, has for many –
perhaps for most of us – no more reality any longer than a bad dream. Worse, the
actualities of depression – bread lines, soup kitchens, Hoovervilles, etc. – have
become clichés rejected by the sophisticated as corny and the unsophisticated as
communistic.”

57. Why does this author quote Arthur Schlesinger?

a. to support Freidel.

b. to support his own thesis.

c. to illustrate the opposite point of view.

d. to denounce communist propaganda.

 The ability to use language is the most distinctive characteristic of human beings,
and yet most people take their language ability for granted, never considering its
richness and complexity.
Language is so built into the way people live that it has become an axiom of being
human. Without it we would live in isolation from our ancestors and our
descendants, condemned to learn only from our own experiences.
It seems likely that language arose in humans about a hundred thousand years ago.
How this happened is at least as unknowable as how the universe began. Modern
linguists have adopted an evolutionary hypothesis. Somehow, over the millennia,
both the human brain and those parts of the body now loosely classed as the organs
of speech have evolved so that speech is now part of human nature. Babies start to
talk at a certain stage of their development, whether or not their parents consciously
try to teach them; only prolonged isolation from the sounds of speech can keep them
from learning. No other primate uses the vocal organs to communicate anything but
rudimentary warnings and emotive cries.
Some theories have been ruled out about whether all of today’s languages are
traceable to one common ancestor. It would be very strange if there had been a
moment at which language emerged as the possession of one society which
thereafter transmitted it to its descendants. Far more likely would be the presence of
about as many languages as there were societies, rivalling one another in efficiency
and improving through competition. The similarities that are often cited as
indications of common source are as easily explained by the fact that humans are
built alike, live out their lives in the same world and are often in contact with one
another

58. Which of the following statements is true?

a. The theory of a common origin of language has finally been accepted.
b. Civilization and language evolved in a similar manner.
c. The author questions the ability of children to acquire a language.
d. Language evolution is evidenced through the varieties spoken.
 CROWD BEHAVIOR
Turning from the motives of protesters to their conduct, we find that recent studies
of crowd behaviour undermine some traditional generalizations. A common
assumption is that mobs furnish excellent materials for leaders intent on causing a
genuine revolution or in arrogating power for themselves. In other words, the crowd
itself lacks the capacity for conceiving and executing a protest action.
In an essay on the American Revolution, Jesse Lemisch raises serious questions
about such an assumption of the crowd’s incapacity:
A merchant speculated the next day that the Boston Tea Party
was conducted so efficiently that there must have been “People of
sense and more discernment than the vulgar among the Actors.”
But certainly there is nothing beyond the most uneducated man’s
capacity in the events of that December night in 1773: that the mob
showed up with lanterns and hatchets, attached block and tackle to
the chests, raised them from the holds, and emptied the tea into the
harbour seems more nearly to suggest the skills of the lower class
than to be evidence of an operation so clever as to be explicable
only by upper-class manipulation.
There is no reason to assume that the Tea Party was organized by Harvard men.
As the reader will also learn, Jake W. Lenker of Cedar County, Iowa, and his
neighbors were capable of launching the “Cow War” without outsiders’ direction, and
the picketing around Sioux City was a spontaneous development quite apart from the
stated policies of the Farmers’ Association leaders.

59. Which statement expresses this author’s opinion?

a. Crowds are not capable of organizing protest actions by themselves.

b. Power-hungry organizers often exploit crowds for their own gains.

c. The Boston Tea Party was clearly organized by upper-class leaders.

d. Crowds are able to organize protests without outside intervention.

 Talking with reporters about recent elections, the President bore witness to a
quintessential American Faith. “If people” he said, “are given a right to express
themselves in a ballot in the ballot box, in the public square, and through a free and
open press, it’ll lead to peace”.
Elections, if free and open, are a good thing. But, as the U.S.’s founding fathers
understood, they’re only part of the alchemy by which societies conjure up stability,
security and happiness for their citizens. To sanction their break with England, the
U.S.’s founders in 1776 invoked philosophers. It was from them that the
constitution’s framers learned how to fashion a lasting government. The framers
insisted on a judiciary separate from the other branches of government. And the
framers also designed a legislative branch of government with two houses, each to
check the other.
Of late, we’ve been reminded by headlines of the difficulties of staging free elections.
But, however vexing, voting alone cannot guarantee liberty’s blessings. Enduring
government involves more than setting up a ballot box and waiting for voters to line
up.

60. The writer of this article…

a. agrees with the President’s statement on free elections.
b. thinks the American Constitution should be revised.
c. believes there is more to freedom than free elections.
d. is partially in favour of separate government branches.