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.

THE PEOPLE BEHIND THE MUSIC

Think for a moment about the last music album you bought. Most likely, you’ll think of the singer or band that made you want to buy the album. You might even know the name of the guitar player or the drummer. Those talented performers, however, are only some of the people in the music industry work behind the scenes, but the roles they play in the musical progress are very important.

Songwriters: Songs begin with the songwriter. Some songwriters work alone, but many work in teams that combine the talents of a lyricist, who writes the words to songs, and an instrumentalist, often a piano player or guitarist, who writes the music. Many of today’s pop stars work with songwriters. For example, some of Lady Gaga’s biggest hits were written by Nadir Khayat, also known “RedOne”. Some songwriting teams have become very famous, such as Mike Stock, Matt Aitken, and Pete Waterman, who were responsible for many big 1980s pop hits.

Arrangers: After a song has been written, music arrangers make it more appealing by deciding which instruments will be used, what tempo, or speed, the song will have, and whether the song should have a lower or higher pitch. A good arrangement can bring a song to life and make it a classic.

Studio Musicians: Not every singer or instrumentalist can be a star, and many work in the background as studio musicians. These artists are not a part of any one musical group. Instead, they are hired for recording sessions that eventually become the albums you buy, as well as soundtracks for television shows, movies, and radio ads.

Recording Engineers: Recording engineers also play a major role in creating the final sound that you hear. First, these engineers set up the recording studio, the room where the performers play, placing musicians and microphones in exactly the right places to get the best sound. Next, they use electronic equipment, such multi-track recorders, to capture the music. Finally, long after the musicians have gone home, recording engineers use a mixing board to balance the melodies and rhythms of each musician, and sometimes to incorporate special sound effects or additional tracks. Many people make a living with music. You may not recognize all of their names, but all of them work together to create the songs you love to listen to

Which piece of equipment is used at the end of the recording process?

Travel insurance is sometimes mistaken for temporary health insurance, but the two are actually different

Ellen didn’t get_________ very well _________ her roommate

Mark the letter A, B, C or D on your answer sheet to indicate the underlined part that needs correction in each of the following questions

She wishes that we didn’t send her the candy yesterday because she’s on a diet.

Not all teenagers are well-_________ for their future job when they are at high school

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.

The Rise of Robots

As kids, our grandparents frequently scared us by talking about how difficult life was when they were growing up. They mentioned walking miles to school in the snow, or doing hours of manual labour for little pay. Life has changed greatly since then, and it seems to get easier year by year. In fact, with the help of robots we soon might have to do much at all. But is this a good thing?

By 2030, it’s estimated that robotics will be a $10 billion business worldwide. Companies are already starting to integrate them into the workforce. The electronics manufacturer Foxconn is drawing up plans to launch a factory within the next 10 years that’s completely staffed by robot workers. Meanwhile, an American company Briggo has invented a robot that serves gourmet-quality coffee to customers. With the push of a button it will crush coffee beans, measure exact quantities of water, and even wave a steam wand to ensure customers get the perfect cream on top. Unlike human baristas, it can serve multiple drinks at once and work all day and night without a break.

Robots are also invading our homes. The Rooma is a mini-robot that vacuums rooms automatically according to a schedule. The Robomow is a device that will cut the grass for you while you sit in the shade. Then there’s the Nanda clocky, an alarm clock that makes sure that even the deepest sleepers get up on time. The clock is attached to a pair of wheels, and it will randomly move around the room. Once you finally catch it, you’re probably too awake to hit the snooze button.

Although these early home robots are somewhat basic, they will likely become more capable as times goes on. Although robots certainly help us to eliminate tedious tasks, many people are concerned about a future filled with robots. Some fear that humanity will start to decline if machines do everything for us. Others have even warned about the robot rebellion, in which robots become so smart that they may decide to turn on their masters. These ideas may seem a bit far-fetched, but there are certainly lots of questions that need to be answered before everyone opens up to the idea of a robotic future

How is Briggo’s invention superior to human workers? 

Mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to indicate the word or phrase that is OPPOSITE in meaning to the underlined part in each of the following questions

Punctuality is imperative in your new job

Mark the letter A, B, C or D on your answer sheet to indicate the word whose underlined part differs from the other three in pronunciation in each of the following questions.