(30) ______ people would agree, however, that there is something very special about receiving a personal, handwritten letter.

In recent years, (29) ______ , everything has changed.

This, together with improvements in education and the spread of postal services in the nineteenth century, permitted families and friends to (28) ______ messages to each other by letter.

Subjects were usually connected to religion, trade and government, although historians have also come across love letters (27) ______ people wrote to stay in touch in those times.

Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to choose the word or phrase that best fits each of the numbered blanks from 26 to 30.

STAYING IN TOUCH

People have been recording information in the form of writing since ancient times. Latin, the language of religion, and French, the language of the rich and powerful, were the (26) ______ languages in the Middle Ages in Europe. Subjects were usually connected to religion, trade and government, although historians have also come across love letters (27) ______ people wrote to stay in touch in those times.

After the invention of the printing press in the mid-fifteenth century, books and documents in people's native languages became readily available. This, together with improvements in education and the spread of postal services in the nineteenth century, permitted families and friends to (28) ______ messages to each other by letter. Maintaining contact was much easier than it had ever been. In recent years, (29) ______ , everything has changed. Mobile phones, emails and text messages are replacing letters. Why bother writing a letter when you can make small talk on the phone for very little cost? (30) ______ people would agree, however, that there is something very special about receiving a personal, handwritten letter.

(Adapted from High Note by Rachael Roberts and Caroline Krantz)

David and Martin are talking about urbanisation.

- David: “I think urbanisation brings about many advantages to city life.”

- Martin: “ ______ . It can lead to some issues such as pollution or traffic congestion.”

A final agreement hasn’t been reached yet because they are at loggerheads over the cost.

Jane was the centre of attention when she wore an elegant dress at the party.

They will give a performance ______ .

Hana rarely goes to the theatre, ______ ?

Write a paragraph (of approximately 150 words) about the following topic:

Do you prefer to study at a university abroad or in your country? Explain your choice.

The Hoi An Lantern Festival is a monthly (28) _________ of the full moon in Vietnam. The full moon is one of the most sacred times in the Buddhist calendar. During this time, people all over Asia observe (29) ________ and worship their ancestors. This is done in many ways, from offerings made at family shrines to the burning of incense and the lighting of candles. These traditions have gradually morphed into the (30) _______ Hoi An Lantern Festival. As the name suggests, lantern lighting is (31) _____________ a festival highlight. Multi-coloured lanterns are lit with candles and placed on the Thu Bon River with a wish for all good things. The festival is (32) _______________ held on the exact date of the full moon, but it has been recently organized on the 14th day of the lunar calendar each month. 

(Adapted from www.onthegotours.com) 

What can be inferred about the saola captive breeding program?

What does the word "fueling" in paragraph 4 mean? 

Which of the following is NOT true according to the passage? 

Section 4: Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to indicate the correct answer to each of the questions.

   Not much is known about the saola, a mysterious horned mammal native to forests in the Annamite Mountains of Laos and Vietnam. The species was unknown to Western science until 1992, when researchers encountered saola horns in the home of a local hunter. Scientists have only managed to record a saola in the wild five times and only with camera traps. At least one thing seems fairly certain, though: The saola is a very endangered species. 

   Adult saolas are about 33 inches tall at the shoulder, but they can weigh 220 pounds, and their two long horns can grow to 20 inches. Smaller than most cattle and bison, they have managed to hide from humans better than other animals at their size. They are likely the world's largest land animal that has never been seen in the wild by a biologist. Even so, they are still suffering the effects of human's presence. 

   Hunting is the main danger to the saolas, even though most hunters in the species' range have little interest in killing or capturing them. Unlike many other animals in their habitat, the saolas are not featured in the traditional Chinese pharmacopeia, so there isn't much financial incentive for hunters to target saolas for export. The species' meat is not considered especially appealing compared with other, more common ungulates in the same forests, like muntjacs or sambar deer, so they are not highly valued as bushmeat, either. Nonetheless, they're often incidentally killed amid the general pursuit of other wildlife. Some saolas fall victim to bushmeat hunters, but the main threat comes from wire traps set by professional poachers. 

   Another major threat to the saola is a familiar one for wildlife all over the world: the loss and fragmentation of its habitat. The development of the Ho Chi Minh Highway has already affected saola populations by fragmenting forests as well as by increasing human access for logging, hunting, and spiriting wildlife away to urban markets. The road has also led to more deforestation in several key areas for the saola, especially the Hue Saola Nature Reserve and Quang Nam Saola Reserve. The high growth rate in human populations will likely add to the pressures already fueling the saola's decline. 

   People have been trying to capture saolas about 20 times since 1992. Unfortunately, all have died shortly afterward except for two that were released back into the wild. There are currently no captive saolas anywhere, and thus no backup for wild populations. If a captive breeding program can't be established before the last wild saolas fade away, the species will be lost forever. 

(Adapted from https://www.treehugger.com) 

What is the passage mainly about? 

Which of the following is closest in meaning to the phrase 'we're like' in paragraph 4?

At Christmas, what did Eliza and her family have for breakfast? 

How did Chloe adapt the tea ceremony to make both families happy? 

Section 3: Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to indicate the correct answer to each of the questions. 

   Many intercultural families involve the negotiation of different cultural traditions. They must adopt, or adapt to, elements of a different culture. This process can sometimes be fraught. Our cultural background provides us with a set of expectations about how things work in the world. Negotiating different elements of this worldview requires understanding and acceptance, and often compromise. 

   Dom and her twin sister Gen grew up with a blending of their mum and dad's cultural traditions. Their mum is of European heritage and their dad is Indian, but she grew up in Singapore. As a family, they celebrated Christmas and Deepavali. At Christmas, they had a roast lunch and presents. They also celebrated Deepavali or Diwali, as it is sometimes called, with a family meal and a prayer. They had sparklers too because it is the Festival of Light. On birthdays, they ate Prasad, an Indian sweet. But she doesn't recall her parents struggling with cultural differences. Their parents want them to pick and choose what they wanted from each culture. 

   Chloe and Matt had to navigate their different cultural heritages in the planning of their wedding. They had to bring Chloe's Chinese and Matt's Italian backgrounds together so that they and both families were happy with. The couple wanted a 'Western style' service in a church. Yet, Chloe's mum was uncomfortable with that and suggested the 'Eastern' side of the family. So, they included the traditional Chinese tea ceremony in the reception. Usually it takes place on the morning of the wedding with family members, but the couple decided to do it at the wedding reception instead. Chloe says when she spoke to guests, they had loved it. 

   In many intermarried families, the merging of cultural traditions happens most around the dinner table. Eliza remembers lots of stories about cooking when she was growing up. Her mum, from Trinidad and Tobago, still makes traditional food for their family. At Christmas, instead of roast ham for lunch, they would have it for breakfast. She would cut it up with tomatoes and lots of traditional spices. Mum would always try to get them to eat more spices, Eliza admits. "She's got this jar of spicy sauce and it's too spicy for the rest of us. She puts it on her food and she asks us if we want some too. We're like, 'no no no no!' So she'd say to us, you're not proper black children.' She's like, 'it's your white side coming out'," Eliza laughs. She says her dad is of British heritage. 

   Although navigating cultural differences in family life can be challenging, successful intermarriages have some common factors. One is shared values; another is a common faith. Openness towards difference and the ability to compromise are also important. 

(Adapted from scanloninstitute.org.au) 

What does the word 'it' in paragraph 2 refer to?