BIU3032: English Language 3

SECTION A (15 marks) Instructions: Read the texts (1 and 2) and answer all the questions that follow. For each question, choose the best answer from the options given.

Text 1 Questions 1 -7 are based on Text 1. 1 Marine archaeologists have interesting jobs. They spend most of their time looking for shipwrecks and the lost objects the ships were carrying. They look for artefacts from the past times, lost under the seas and oceans of the world. There are dangers to the job though, and marine archaeologists must be very careful of waves and currents as they dive to and from the wrecks. 2 Often the crew of a shipwreck lost everything in the disaster, including their lives. However, the remains of the ships and their contents provide valuable information about life at sea and shipping technology during these past times. Things such as ancient cannons, objects from the ships kitchen and everyday items such as coins or jewellery are all important discoveries for marine archaeologists. Archaeologists know they can never uncover the whole story of the past, but by analysing the evidence they find, they can get closer to understanding the past and the cause of the shipwreck. 3 There are many preserved wrecks in the Baltic Sea which marine archaeologists have studied. These wrecks have provided valuable information not just about the ships but the lives of people who sailed in them. In the waters of the Baltic, low salt levels and cold water have helped preserve the remains of the ships. For example, the Vasa, which sank on its very first voyage in 1628, was raised in the 1960s. Another valuable wreck is the Kronan, which blew up and sank during a battle in 1676. 20 15 10 5

Although marine archaeologists work under the sea, they follow the same [See next page

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procedures as archaeologists on land. First they survey an area using tape measures and grids to find out how big it is. Then the photograph and video the new site before disturbing it. Then they can record details about the site and what they discover. 5 Often after a historical wreck has been investigated and the mysteries of its past uncovered, artefacts and photographs from the wreck become available for public display in museums.
Source: RMIT English Worldwide (2004)

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. 1. Marine archaeologists study _______________

A.

works of art.

B. history of ships. C. waves and currents. D. artefacts under the sea.

2. Based on the passage, marine archaeologists enjoy finding objects such as jewellery because _______________ A. they can become rich. B. they can become famous. C. they can display them in the museum. D. they can learn about the way people used to live.

3. Shipwrecks in the Baltic Sea provide very valuable information because ______________

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A. there are many of them. B. they are very expensive. C. they are still in good condition.

D. archaeologists can learn waves and currents.

4. Based on the passage, why do you think marine archaeology can be a dangerous job?

A.

There are dangerous currents and waves.

B. Pirates might try to rob their valuable artefacts. C. There are a lot of dangerous creatures in the sea. D. Archaeologists ships might be wrecked by storms.

5. The word preserved (line 14) would best be replaced with _______________ A. kept. B. saved. C. sustained. D. conserved.

6. What can the word investigated (line 25) be best described as?

A. A place where something is hidden. B. Missing pieces or parts of something. [See next page

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C.

Reason for believing that something is true.

D. Studied or collected information about something.

7. The most appropriate title for this passage would be_______________

A. Shipwrecks. B. Archaeology. C. Marine Archaeology. D. The Best Job in The World.

Text 2 Questions 8 -15 are based on Text 2. 1 Have you ever gone to the shops not intending to buy anything, only to come home with an armful of goods that you were seemingly powerless to resist? It turns out that you werent being greedy; clever marketing strategies were at work to tap into your most primal urges. 2 Advertisers use everything from product placement in the movies and TV shows to subliminal messaging to get us to buy their goods. Already softened up by these subtle messages, once you arrive at the mall, the pitch for cash begins in [See next page 5

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earnest. There are confusing layouts designed to keep you browsing for as long as possible, aromas that put you in a carefree holiday mood and clothes that are simply begging to be touched and tried on. The odds of you leaving the mall without buying anything are slim. 3 Recent advances in brain scanning technology have given researchers a whole new insight into why we respond to certain commodities the way we do and it turns out that even though were shopping for non-essentials, we are driven by our fundamental human urges of survival and procreation. For example, the cute baby face of a Mini Cooper car produces a warm maternal glow, while for men, looking at expensive sports cars stimulates the part of the brain associated with reward and reinforcement. 4 Shopping has been cynically described as the new religion and malls its cathedrals: shopping can be an almost religious experience. Danish-born marketing guru and brand futurist Martin Lindstrom spent three years and $7 million to conduct research to find the brains buy switch. Lindstroms book Buyology discusses the study results in detail, including the role other peoples behaviour plays in our shopping experience. 5 Products and brands evoke certain feelings and associations based on how they look, feel or smell, Lindstrom writes, adding that the most successful products are the ones with the most common with religion. Apple, for example, has a strong sense of mission, and a devoted band of evangelical followers. It has an opponent that must be vanquished (i.e. Microsoft) and in its high priest, the late Steve Jobs, it had a figure who inspired devotion. The Apple logo is arguably as recognisable as religious symbols, while the cutting-edge design of Apple concept stores pays homage to the grandeur of cathedrals, enhancing the spiritual experience of devotees. Simply put, people want to belong. 6 Its all down to mirror neurons excitable brain cells that are responsible for the lingering rush of exhilaration when an action hero dispatches a villain, and the feeling that if we buy the same clothes and accessories as someone we admire, then well also be acquiring the image and the attitude that make them so appealing in the first place. Mirror neurons work in tandem with dopamine, a chemical in the brain [See next page 35 30 25 20 15 10

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which is also associated with food and pleasure. 7 Culture plays an important role in shaping the shopping experience, and shopping in Asia is a vastly different prospect to shopping in Europe, according to Guy Hearn, Director of Communications Insights, Asia Pacific, for Singapore-based Omnicom Media Group. In Southeast Asia, for example, climate and lifestyle factors mean that people spend much more time in shopping malls than Europeans, who might go shopping once a fortnight. This means that shoppers quickly tire of whats on offer, so stores constantly change their displays and have promotions to keep the news new, he says. 8 Then there are gender variations in the way we shop. Paco Underhill, author of Why We Buy, conducted a study of male and female shoppers. He found that when it comes to shopping, men hunt, and women gather. Men shop using the skills developed to obtain meat in a hunter-gatherer environment. Male shopping is a decisive, rational experience, unless, that is, they are looking at the equivalent of a new club power tools, computers or home theatre systems. Women, on the other hand generally enjoy shopping, and browse for much longer, unless accompanied by their male partner. Gatherers need to be able to assess if a fruit or vegetable is ripe, which may explain why women are more sensitive to smells and textures and variations in reds, pinks, and yellows than men. Its also why stores place piles of appealingly textured clothes at their entrances, drawing shoppers inside the store where further temptation awaits. 9 We shop to relieve stress, celebrate our achievements and to compensate for lifes disappointments, but does retail therapy actually make us happier? The answer, according to Martin Lindstrom, is yes, at least in the very short term, thanks to the flush of reward, pleasure and wellbeing from dopamine. So, if youre not in the mood for some retail therapy, but cant avoid going to the shopping centre, it might be best to leave your wallet at home because shops have ways of making you buy!
(Adapted from The Readers Digest, Vol.98, Dec. 2011, pp. 44-49)

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8.

What influenced us to buy goods which we were seemingly powerless to resist? A. B. C. D. Greed Status in life Hunger for food Marketing strategies

9. The statement .....shopping has been cynically described as the new religion and malls its cathedral ... (line 19) most probably means that ____________________ A. B. C. D. a new religion was created from shopping. religious shoppers like to buy Apple products. religious shoppers want to belong to the shops they go to. a shopping experience is quite similar to a religious experience.

10. Mirror neurons are the causes for _____________________ A. B. C. D. the feeling of excitement. the creation of dopamine. the positive attitude in humans. a villain being beaten by a hero.

11. Which of the following statement is true? A. B. C. D. Shopping malls are built like cathedrals. Male shoppers enjoy shopping much more than females. Dopamine is a brain chemical that is related to food and pleasure. The shopping experience in Europe is similar to shopping in Asia.

12. The writer uses the words retail therapy (line 61) to mean _________________ A. B. C. D. happiness. medication. shopping malls. shopping experience.

13. Which of the following statements shows the main idea in paragraph 8? [See next page

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A. B. C. D.

There are gender variations in the way we shop. Male shopping is a decisive, rational experience. When it comes to shopping, men hunt, and women gather. Paco Underhill conducted a study of male and female shoppers.

14. The word grandeur (line 32) means _________________ A. B. C. D. exciting. common. impressive. challenging.

15. The most appropriate title for this passage is _________________ A. B. C. D. Shoppers. Shopping Paradise. Religious Shoppers. Shopping Experience.

SECTION B (25 marks) Instructions: Answer all the questions below. For each question, choose the best answer from the options given.

16. This computer has some very ____________ instructions. A. B. C. D. confuse confuses confused confusing

17. Mrs. Tan was quite ____________ to see her daughter, Diana behaving like that. A. shock [See next page

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B. shocks C. shocked D. shocking 18. The passengers were ___________ about the train delay. A. B. C. D. annoy annoys annoyed annoying

19. I just dont understand. I find the whole thing rather ____________ A. B. C. D. puzzle. puzzles. puzzled. puzzling.

20. You _____ switch off the light when you leave the room. A. B. C. D. will shall would should

21. You __________ drive carefully in bad weather. A. B. C. D. will might would ought to

22. I ___________ be a bit late because I have to stop by at the store to get some milk. A. B. C. D. can may would must

23. He works hard at __________ his game. [See next page

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A. B. C. D.

improve improved improving improvement

24. The university has introduced a route __________ a degree through industrial placement. A. B. C. D. to gain gained gaining gainfully

25. Many motorists were caught ___________ while driving. A. B. C. D. tweet to tweet tweeted tweeting

26. To get from Kuala Lumpur to Langkawi Island, you can fly ___________ you can go by ferry. A. B. C. D. if or but and

27. I don't know him, ____________ I am sure he is an honest and decent man. A. B. C. D.

if or nor yet

28. She could not call her friend ____________ she drove to her house instead. [See next page

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A. B. C. D.

or so for and

29. Shida likes listening to K-pop ____________ Hindustani songs. A. B. C. D. or nor yet and

I am flabbergasted. My plans have been ruined by the little boy. Do you see these? I (30)____________ my tickets ready. My bags (31)____________ and transport to the airport (32)____________. I am ready to go to Bali, but you know what? The boy took my passport and ruined it. By the time I managed to trace its whereabouts, it (33)____________ already ___________ through a wash, and some of the pages (34)_____________ and torn. He (35)___________ it like a toy. If I could sell off that little brother of mine, I would, right now! 30. A. B. C. D. 31. A. B. C. D. has got had got have got had getting has been packed had been packed have been packed have being packed [See next page

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32. A. B. C. D. 33. A. B. C. D. 34. A. B. C. D. 35. A. B. C. D.

has been arranged had been arranged have been arranged have being arranged has been hadbeen hadbeing havebeing has been crumpled had been crumpled have been crumpled had been being crumpled has treated had treated has been treated had been treated

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A number of writers have claimed that Asian women are now as free as their Western counterparts to get divorced. However, the average Asian woman does not really have the same freedom to get divorced (36)___________ she is in an unhappy marriage. Statistics clearly show that in the West, it is women, relatively independent in attitude and finances, who initiate most divorces. In contrast, many Asian women still depend financially on their husbands and, (37)____________ may have to endure an unhappy marriage. Some countries, the Philippines for example, do not permit divorce and, (38)____________ an Asian woman is prepared to live in relative poverty, she is likely to suffer from social problems related to divorce. (39)________________ the problems, the Asian divorce rate is slowly increasing, as is the tendency to remain single. In Singapore, there are numerous unmarried professional women. They are mostly unworried about their single status. (40)______________ they have interesting work and money, they prefer freedom to an unequal or bad marriage.

36. A. B. C. D. 37. A. B. C. D. 38. A. B. C. D. 39. A. B. C. D. 40. A. B. C. D.

if while unless despite so as since though until despite even if because While Despite Because Although Besides Because Whereas Although END OF QUESTIONS