Passage 2: Read the passage carefully and answer the questions that follow.
Giving Circles
According to a study conducted by the Forum of Regional Associations of Grantmakers, giving circles are a
highly successful and expanding philanthropic movement. Unlike traditional philanthropy, which has a reputation as
the exclusive purview of the wealthy few, giving circles are known for being flexible and accessible. They can be –
and usually are – made up of the very people who have been alienated from more established philanthropic vehicles:
women, young people, and those on limited incomes. Giving circles are democratic; anyone can start one and anyone
can join one. The concept is as simple as it is powerful. A giving circle is formed when individuals come together
and pool their dollars, decide together what to do with the money (and other resources such as volunteer time), and
together learn about their community and philanthropy.
Within these base parameters, giving circles and shared giving take myriad forms. No two giving circles look
or act exactly the same. Some giving circles – such as the five-person Brooklyn, New York-based group One Percent
for Moms – are small enough to meet in a living room and make all decisions through discussion and consensus.
Others – like the 57-member Latino Giving Circle hosted by the Chicago Community Trust – partner with a local
organization, such as a community foundation, in order to offer grants and receive some administrative support. The
Washington Women’s Foundation in Seattle engages more than 400 women and operates on a non-profit basis with
a staff of four.
Giving circles are, at their core, grassroots organizations. They usually form because someone has an idea and
the energy to carry it through. Giving circle founders seem to be motivated primarily by an interest in improving their
communities; 96 percent of respondents listed concern about community needs and a desire to make a difference as
a significant factor. Other factors that sparked the development of giving circles included a desire to merge resources
and give away some money (88 percent), and an interest in encouraging new donors (84 percent).
1. What is the principal purpose of the passage?
A. to encourage others to start giving circles
B. to communicate the results of a study about giving circles
C. to show that giving circles are flexible groups
D. to give information about the location of giving circles
2. What does the passage imply about giving circles?
A. They alienate people with low incomes.
B. They are a growing trend in philanthropy.
C. They are similar to traditional philanthropy.
D. They have a very good reputation among the wealthy.
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3. As derived from the context of paragraph two, what phrase best defines ‘myriad’?
A. a great variety of B. a precise type of C. a certain variety of D. an imprecise type of
4. According to the passage, what is true of giving circles?
A. They are mostly made up of women.
B. They are profit-based foundations.
C. They offer administrative support to the community.
D. They can consist of any number of members.
5. According to the study, why do people start giving circles?
A. They want to motivate others to give.
B. The circle can donate more money than an individual.
C. They want to help the community.
D. The circle provides many ways to spark development.
Passage 3: Read the text and decide which answer (A, B, C or D) best fits each gap.
CROCODILE FARMS
When Andy Johnson (0)__C___ Britain’s first ever crocodile farm in 2006, he (1)_____ under fierce criticism
from animal rights groups, opposed to the factory farming of wildlife. However, Johnson, who also farms cattle, pigs
and lambs, (2)_____ that his motivation for starting a crocodile farm was for (3)_____ environmental reasons. He
wants to protect wild crocodiles from being poached, and he is primarily interested in their meat, not their skins. ‘By
(4)_____Europeans with home-produced crocodile, we can (5)_____ the market value of illegally supplied crocodile
meat,’ he claims.
Johnson says the meat ‘has a mild flavour – it’s low fat, high protein, very healthy and humanely produced’. His
crocodiles are housed in a tropically heated room that (6)_____ around 20 by 30 metres, so they have plenty of room.
However, Dr Clifford Warwick, a reptile biologist, (7)_____ concern: ‘Their biology and behaviour do not (8)_____
themselves to a captive life. The animals may seem peaceful and relaxed, but an animal behaviourist can see that
they are stressed.’
In the last century, many species of crocodiles were hunted to the (9)_____ of extinction as trade in their skins
(10)_____. Some 300,000 Australian saltwater crocodiles were killed between 1945 and 1972. The alligator suffered
a similar (11)_____, although both species are now protected and their (12)_____ are slowly rising. Worldwide, the
legal trade in crocodilian skins (crocodiles, alligators and caymans) has roughly tripled since 1977, (13)_____ to a
million or (14)_____ animals by 2002. The majority of these are farmed animals, but upwards of 90,000 are killed
annually in the (15)_____.
0. A. put out B. gave off C. set up D. brought about
1. A. came B. went C. met D. put
2. A. insists B. ascertains C. insures D. convinces
3. A. finely B. utterly C. cleanly D. purely
4. A. giving B. supplying C. delivering D. satisfying
5. A. downsize B. downplay C. undercut D. undergo
6. A. rules B. measures C. ranges D. sizes
7. A. speaks B. gives C. expresses D. arises
8. A. lend B. owe C. make D. let
9. A. frontier B. line C. side D. edge
10. A. flourished B. fell C. declined D. boosted
11. A. luck B. fate C. chance D. destination
12. A. groups B. counts C. numbers D. volumes
13. A. rising B. arising C. reigning D. raising
14. A. more B. many C. some D. such
15. A. natural B. wild C. savage D. outside
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5. _____ sophomores at the prominent boarding school attended orientation day than two years ago.
A. A few of B. Few C. Fewer D. There are a few
6. Other _____ her sense of humor, Meredith has few admirable traits.
A. than B. except C. apart D. besides
7. James appears _____ a taste for gourmet cuisine.
A. to have acquired B. he had acquired C. to acquire D. he acquired
8. _____ was her apprehension, she declined the offer.
A. Much B. Such C. Many D. So
9. It crossed his mind that the piece would be _____ difficult for her to master in the time which remained.
A. more too B. most C. much too D. too much
10. The champion bellowed at the crowd, demonstrating that he had little intention _____ his crown.
A. to be relinquishing B. having relinquished C. to relinquish D. of relinquishing
11. Monica emerged _____ from the terrible accident.
A. spotless B. unscathed C. immaculate D. harmless
12. Since the Korean War those countries with the highest growth _____ have had the lowest levels of military
expenditure as a percentage of GDP.
A. measures B. standards C. rates D. amounts
13. What is the current annual potato consumption figure per _____ of population in Britain?
A. head B. centre C. density D. size
14. The tensions of the week had taken their _____ and he slept instantly.
A. cost B. toll C. loss D. penalty
15. Representatives of 87 nations signed a convention in Paris in October 1994, hoping to _____ the situation.
A. repeat B. undo C. halt D. reverse
16. What is truly needed to end the 20-year war in Afghanistan and _____ the country into a democracy is the
determination of its people to accomplish these goals by their own might.
A. move B. turn C. put D. set
17. _____ on another optimistic subject for British wildlife – butterflies to be exact – Edwin Mullins explains why
he is so bewitched by them.
A. Thinking B. Aligning C. Alighting D. Noticing
18. Medical supplies were exempt from the economic sanctions _____ by the UN Security Council in August 1990.
A. initiated B. instituted C. introduced D. imposed
19. The Guyanese mining community is small but powerful and Indians fear that the government will turn a _____
eye to their protests.
A. private B. blind C. black D. open
20. The US continued to _____ money into the South to keep it in power, again sinking deeper into the quicksand
in the process.
A. pour B. drop C. spill D. flow
21. During a lengthy speech at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Mr. Bush praised Iraq’s government for ordering
the assault in Basra and _____ the battle as evidence that his strategy of increasing troop strength was bearing
fruit.
A. established B. portrayed C. implied D. illustrated
22. Many hope that improving their looks will also improve their _____ in life.
A. plot B. load C. lot D. haul
23. The main _____ is on diseases that persist in an animal’s tissues even after the animal seems to recover.
A. point B. idea C. reason D. focus
24. At the height of the Cold War, a version of modernization theory emerged in the United States that portrayed
underdevelopment as a _____ consequence of a country’s psychological and cultural traits.
A. direct B. main C. foremost D. primary
25. My program model is a monthly or semimonthly session after school, with each session _____ on a different
topic, such as Minecraft, robotics, origami, GarageBand, video production, etc.
A. basing B. centering C. standing D. setting
26. Skin cancer is the most _____ of all human cancers and has been clearly linked to chronic sun exposure.
A. contemporary B. prevailing C. prevalent D. obvious
27. Have I generously shared my material goods with the less _____?
A. unlucky B. lucky C. unfortunate D. fortunate
28. _____ was the mood of the moment that it seemed a sullen breach of etiquette to utter any such criticism.
A. So B. There C. Such D. It
29. A deadly car bomb struck the heart of Beirut today, _____ fears that Syria’s war is spilling over into Lebanon.
A. facing B. raising C. expressing D. overcoming
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30. In popular music of the 1990s a music _____ known as ambient techno has become increasingly popular.
A. theory B. class C. critic D. genre
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3. If we take everything into account, the street party was a great success in the end. CONSIDERED
All ______________________________ out to be a great success in the end.
4. Everyone was horrified when the new manager dropped Ripley from the first team and picked Conway
instead. LEFT
To ______________________________ of the first team by the new manager and he picked Conway instead.
5. The company’s owners are quite radical because they’ve got rid of a whole layer of managers, and they’ve
introduced flexible working time. DONE
The company’s owners are quite radical because not ______________________________ with a whole layer
of managers, but they’ve also introduced flexible working time.
6. The police apologised a great deal for having completely failed to recognise the seriousness of the situation.
COMPLETE
The police were very ______________________________ to recognise the seriousness of the situation.
7. My boss says he has no intention of making anyone redundant, even though the situation is difficult for the
company right now. DREAM
My boss says he ______________________________ off, even though the situation is difficult for the
company right now.
8. They say New York was a rather aggressive city 20 years ago but it feels quite friendly these days.
SUPPOSED
New York ______________________________ a rather aggressive city 20 years ago but it feels quite friendly
these days.
9. Jenny was the person who really didn’t want to tidy up after the party. OBJECTED
It ______________________________ up after the party.
10. The new software isn’t the main point for discussion tomorrow, but should anyone raise the subject by any
chance, I’ll give my views. HAPPENS
The new software isn’t the main point for discussion tomorrow but if the ______________________________
up by anyone, I’ll give my views.
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