The word “It” in paragraph 2 refers to ______ .

Which of the following could be the best title for the passage?

Which of the following statements is TRUE about Istanbul, according to the passage?

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 from 25 to 29.

Imagine a city that’s steeped in history. Now think of a city that is vibrant and modern. Maybe you think no city can be both, but you’d be wrong. Istanbul, the most well-known city in Turkey, manages to combine both ancient traditions with a lively, contemporary feel.

Being the only city in the world that is situated on two continents, Istanbul is clearly something special. On the legendary Silk Route that once linked Asia and Europe and the capital of many different civilisations in the past, Istanbul has a cultural diversity that few cities can offer. It remains to this day a welcoming place for thousands of people that come to visit it each year.

Before you start thinking the city is touristy, Istanbul has more than just historic monuments. Alongside its fabulous mosques and palaces, you can find cool art galleries and trendy cafes. In fact, there is so much variety that you can always find something that suits your mood. If shopping is more your scene, you can head to the Grand Bazaar with its thousands of stalls, or visit the many shopping centres and fashion stores. At night the streets are bustling with life and you’re spoilt for choice for places to eat and drink.

Quite frankly, Istanbul should be on any list of the world’s most liveable cities for its unique beauty and character. But don’t just take my word for it. Come and see for yourself. You might just end up staying, like many have before!

There is evidence that increasingly prosperous countries in the world are beginning to react to environmental damage and pollution.

The number of students attending universities to study economics have increased steadily in the last few years.

Normally, interviews ______ the suitability of candidates for a position in a company.

Mark the letter A, B, C or D on your answer sheet to indicate the correct answer to each of the following questions.

The word “drastic” in paragraph 3 can be best replaced by ___________

The word “it” in paragraph 2 refers to __________ 

The word “highlights” in paragraph 2 is closest in meaning to ____________

According to paragraph 1, Brian Perez was shocked to find that ______________

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 from 44 to 50. 

Los Angeles dancer, Brian Perez, was eating out with his friends one evening when suddenly everyone went quiet. To his horror, he saw that the reason for this was that people were checking their phones. Realising he had to do something to stop this, Brian made a rather daring suggestion. What if they all put their gadgets in a pile in the middle of the table until they had finished the meal? If anyone picked up their phone, that person would have to pay the whole bill. And so, it is said, the game of 'phone stacking' was bom.

The necessity for action like this highlights a major problem in today's society: our inability to disconnect from technology. But while Brian's idea deals with the obsession in a social context, measures also need to be taken at home. Some people drop their smartphones into a box the moment they arrive home, which gives them the chance to interact with the people they live with. The fact that the phone cannot be heard - it is on silent - nor seen - the flashing lights are hidden by the box - means that they are no longer tempted to use it. 

A less drastic solution is to ban electronic devices at certain times of day when the whole family is likely to be together, for example at meal times. This can be hard for everyone, from teenagers desperate to text friends to parents unable to switch off from work. On a normal day, however, dinner takes less than an hour, and the benefits of exchanging opinions and anecdotes with the rest of the family certainly makes up for the time spent offline. 

Taking a break from technology is one thing, but knowing when to turn off a device is another. Time seems to stand still in the virtual world, and before you know it, you find that it is three o'clock in the morning. This is where a digital curfew comes in handy, a set time when all devices must be put away. Evenings without technology are usually nice and peaceful and make a more agreeable end to the day. 

And then it's time for bed. One of the best ways of ensuring you can sleep at night is to ban electronic devices altogether from the bedroom. Lying next to a machine bursting with information is far from relaxing, and the sounds it emits during the night can easily wake you up. With technology out of the room, a line has been drawn between daytime and sleep time, which enables us to switch off ourselves and drift off to sleep. 

(Adapted from Solutions 3rd Edition by Tim Falla and Paul A Davies) 

Which best serves as the title for the passage?