proficiencyexam/august 04-07/UMNG/languagesdepartment

NUEVA GRANADA MILITARY UNIVERSITY LANGUAGES DEPARTMENT ENGLISH PROGRAM PROFICIENCY EXAM

DO NOT WRITE ON THIS BOOKLET WRITE ALL YOUR ANSWERS ON THE ANSWER SHEET
LISTENING SECTION (25 points, 1 each)
Part A You will hear five people who have given up stressful jobs in the city talking about their decisions. For questions 1-5, choose from the list A-E the statement which best matches what each person says. (CD to be played twice) A B C D E Im not absolutely sure Ive done the right thing. I find I can manage on a much lower income. A sudden change led me to make my decision. I had some money to invest in a new career. I realized that my way of life was making me miserable.

Part B You will hear a tour guide talking to a group of tourists in New York about a visit they will make to the Museum of Immigration on Ellis Island. For questions 1-10 complete the sentences. (CD to be played twice) Ellis Island was busiest between the years 1 and . The group of tourists will arrive at the museum by 2 . The first part of the museum you go through used to be the 3 . room. In the Registry Room, immigrants had both 4 . and medical check-ups. Whats called a 5 . records the names of immigrants who passed through Ellis Island. Immigrants staying overnight on the island slept in the 6 . Room. The movie you can see at the museum is called 7 . The play in Theatre 2 begins at 8 . Instead of the play, the tourists can visit the 9 . The Peopling of America exhibition can be found in what used to be a 10 . Part C You will hear an interview with a woman who's written a book about face-reading, the skill of judging a persons character from the shape of their face. For questions 1-10, complete the sentences. (CD to be played twice) The skill of face-reading is believed to have come from 1 . originally. The title of Lillian's book is 2 . Lillian explains that the face contains approximately 3 . muscles. Lillian says that when people look in a 4 , they usually manage to look their best. Lillian says that people often feel 5 . when they see themselves on video. Experts say that the left side of the face is regarded as more 6 . by most people. Lillian says that successful 7 . are often people with wide cheekbones. Lillian says that the shape of a person's 8 and . may show how determined they are. Lillian advises women against using too much 9 . at interviews. Lillian suggests 10 and . when listening to people at interviews.

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READING SECTION (15 points, 1 each)

Read the following passages and CIRCLE the appropriate letter to each question.
PASSAGE 1

In AD 999, Leif Ericson, son of Eric the Red, missed Greenland and instead landed on the coast of Labrador, in what is now Newfoundland, Canada. Archaeological excavations of artifacts that were made by the Vikings would appear to testify to the fact that they were the first Europeans to reach the New World. Officially, however, the province is considered to have been discovered almost exactly five hundred years after that, in 1497, when John Cabot claimed it for England. At the time, the only inhabitants were Indians and Inuit Eskimos. Newfoundland is now one of the four Atlantic provinces of Canada. Extending to the North Atlantic Ocean, it is the easternmost point of the entire North American continent. Its total area is 156,649 square miles, 43,548 square miles of that being the island of Newfoundland. This is separated from mainland Labrador by the Strait of Belle Isle. Labrador is itself bounded by Quebec to the south and west and makes up almost three quarters of the province's total area. Newfoundland's rugged coastline extends for more than 10,000 miles and is famous for some of the world's best fishing grounds, the Grand Banks. Historically, the province developed separately from the rest of Canada, as Britain's policy towards it discouraged colonial settlement in order to keep possession of the fisheries. However, in 1824 a colony headed by a governor was finally accepted and, eight years later, after demands from the population, a democratically-elected assembly was created. In 1927, protracted negotiations with Canada resulted in Labrador becoming part of Newfoundland, and in 1949 the people of the province voted in favor of entering the Canadian union. Newfoundland's geographical position has long made it important in transportation and communications between North America and Europe. In addition to the cod fisheries, there is iron mining in West Labrador, a major forestry industry and hydro-electric production. Churchill Falls hydroelectric plant in Labrador is one of the worlds most important, supplying electricity to Quebec and, indirectly, to the Northeastern United States. The ethnic composition of Newfoundland is remarkably homogeneous, with 95% of the total population of 568,474 (census of 1991) being of British and Irish descent. Around 3% of the population are of French origin. The relative isolation of the province has resulted in the preservation of archaic seventeenth-century West Country and other British dialects in Newfoundland speech.

26. Which of the following would be the best title for the passage? a Viking Achievements b The Geographical Location of Newfoundland c Characteristics of the inhabitants of Newfoundland d The Geography, History and People of Newfoundland 27. The word they in the first paragraph refers to ... 28. Which of the following is not true about Newfoundland? a It was discovered by John Cabot five hundreds years before Vikings landed on it b Evidence that Vikings were once there has been discovered c Inuit Eskimos were there before John Cabot d John Cabot found it inhabited by Indians and Eskimos 29. Which word is closest in meaning to testify in paragraph 1? a see b attest c observe 30. Newfoundland a is now part of Canada. c makes up three-quarters of the island of Labrador. d declare

b is on mainland Labrador. d is southwest of Quebec.

31. Why did Britain discourage colonial settlement in Newfoundland? a It was general policy to discourage colonialism b They wanted to exploit the area themselves c They thought colonial settlement would separate Newfoundland from Canada d They wanted Newfoundland to be a democracy 32. Look at this extract from the passage. Newfoundland's geographical position has long made it important in transportation and communications between North America and Europe. What does the writer mean? Newfoundland geographically connects America and Europe Transportation from Newfoundland to Europe is easy Communication between North America and Europe would be impossible without Newfoundland Newfoundland is of importance to America and Europe because of its location

a b c d

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33. Which paragraph discusses Newfoundlands sources of wealth? 1 2 3

34. Look at the word major in paragraph 3. Which word or phrase in the same paragraph is closest in meaning? 35. The paragraph following the passage would most probably discuss a West countrys economy b British economy c French economy d Examples of preserved dialects

Read the following passage and CIRCLE the appropriate letter to each question. PASSAGE 2 Planet Earth has a litter problem in space because near-Earth orbit is filling up with man-made garbage that jeopardizes space travel and threatens our safety here below. Space junk isn't big news, but the hazards it brings could soon prove fatal. A pea-sized fragment orbiting Earth at a typical speed of 8000 meters per second could shatter a multi-million dollar satellite or kill an astronaut. If the space station Freedom is built, it will orbit exactly in the middle of the busiest and most litter-ridden space lanes. Collisions between satellites and man-made debris occur constantly. The Solar Maximum satellitesuccessfully brought back to Earth by the space shuttle after four years in orbit - was scarred by 186 craters, only 20 of which were the result of impacts with natural matter. The rest contained tell-tale traces of paint showing that they had been caused by fragments of other satellites. Manned missions, too, have had narrow escapes. In June 1983, one of the windows of a space shuttle had to be replaced after it was badly chipped in a collision. Only a month later Soviet cosmonauts heard a loud crack while aboard the space station Salyut 7 and were alarmed to find a pit 4 millimeters deep on one of the windows. The damage, trivial in a less hostile environment, could have meant doom for the crew.

36. According to the passage, man-made space litter . . . a is rare. b is generally very small. c is increasing rapidly. d was recently discovered. 37. Scientists can identify damage caused specifically by man-made objects because . . . a the type of paint can be traced. b the damage is a particular shape. c it always affects windows. d particles of paint are left behind. 38. According to the passage, which of these statements is true? a A very small piece of debris can destroy a satellite b Most pieces of litter are from Russian satellites c Space litter can cause satellites to collide d Collisions between satellites occur infrequently 39. Why is the Solar Maximum satellite mentioned in the passage? a It was successfully brought back to Earth b It was in space for four years c It was scarred by man-made litter d It was greatly damaged by natural matter 40. The "hostile environment " mentioned in the last paragraph refers to . . . a Earth b space stations c satellites d space

proficiencyexam/august 04-07/UMNG/languagesdepartment

LANGUAGE IN USE SECTION (35 points) MULTIPLE CHOICE CLOZE (10 points, 1 each)
PART 1. Read the text below and decide which answer a, b, c or d best fits each space. CIRCLE the letter of the best completion. An instinctive fear is usually associated with spiders. Psychologists have found that young babies become distressed when ......(41)...... with a template of a spider. This suggests that this fear, ......(42)...... irrational, is an integral part of our psyche. Yet, no matter how ......(43)...... spiders may seem, they are one of the most successful groups of animals on earth. There are 105 known families of spiders, the most highly evolved ......(44)...... the jumping spider. These spiders are mainly found in tropical regions, where the heat ......(45)...... larger and more athletic types. Unlike the ordinary house spider, these spiders rely ......(46)...... their speed and agility to jump on their prey from a ......(47)...... . One jumping spider has developed wing-like extensions that enable it to glide ......(48)...... leaps. Spiders can withstand six ......(49)...... more radiation than humans, and may be the only species to survive in the ......(50)...... of nuclear war. This masterful and menacing breed is hard not to admire, if only for its survival tactics. 41. 42. 43. 44. 45. 46. 47. 48. 49. 50. a a a a a a a a a a encountered nevertheless forbidding are advances from length while quantities event b b b b b b b b b b shown how forbearing been encourages to range though times accident c confronted c however c forbidden c is c urges c on c space c during c levels c happening d opposed d even d forborne d being d advocates d than d distance d as d amounts d circumstance

ERROR CORRECTION (15 points, 1 each)

PART 2. Read the text below and look carefully at each line. Some of the lines are correct, and some have a word which should not be there. If a line is correct, put a tick () by the number. If a line has a word which should not be there, write the word in the space. There are examples at the beginning (0 and 00).

SCHOOL FOR DJS

0 Every Saturday night I go out clubbing, and I can thoroughly 0 00 recommend the club is called Ocelot. They've got some really 00 51 good DJs who play a good range of music that including hip-hop, 52 funk and boogie. But there is such more to the club than just Saturday 53 nights. During the week, they run away DJ classes for people like 54 me, who dream of becoming DJs themselves one day. I've already 55 done the introductory course and had learned the basics. So next 56 week, I'm starting out the Wednesday Masterclass where one of 57 the country's top DJs shows you how to really put it a great set 58 of music together. Apparently you're allowed to take along your own 59 records if you will want, but you don't have to because everything 60 is supplied within the price. You get two hours' one-to-one tuition 61 and then from the nine o'clock until eleven, as people begin to arrive 62 for a night out, you get the chance to perform as if you were a real DJ, 63 under the supervision of your tutor. You can never know, if people 64 like what I do, someone might offer to me a job. I wish they would. Then 65 I'd be able to give completely up the day job and go clubbing full-time!

is

. .

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WORD FORMATION (10 points, 1 each)

PART 3. Read the text below. Use the word given in capitals to form a word that fits in the space in the text. There is an example at the beginning (0).

CAN HYPNOSIS REDUCE STRESS?

When we think of hypnosis, we (0) .. usually .. think of those television shows where (66) ... members of the audience are encouraged to do foolish things while they are (67) ... . In such shows, the hypnotist is an (68) ... , almost like a magician, whose main aim is to keep the audience happy. But hypnosis deserves to be taken more (69) ... . If it is used properly, it can help people who suffer from (70) ... related to stress. We use the word stress to describe quite a large (71) ... of different feelings, especially those connected with (72) ... about our jobs. Hypnosis can help people to believe in their (73) ... to do their jobs well. It also helps them to feel more relaxed about their work, which gives them greater (74) ... to deal (75) ... with any problems they may be facing in their daily lives. (0) USUAL (66) FORTUNE (67) CONSCIOUS (68) ENTERTAIN (69) SERIOUS (70) ILL

(71) VARY (72) ANXIOUS (73) ABLE (74) CONFIDENT (75) SUCCESS

WRITING SECTION (25 points)

Write an essay on the following prompt.

Some people like to study in groups while others prefer to study alone. Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of each position and, then, say which YOU prefer and why.