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 39 to 43.
In 2007, at a heavily hyped press event in San Francisco. Apple co-founder Steve Jobs stood on stage and unveiled a revolutionary product that not only broke the mold but also set an entirely new paradigm for computer-based phones. The look, interface and core functionality of nearly every smartphone to come along since is, in some form or another, derived from the original iPhone's innovative touchscreen-centric design. Among some of the ground-breaking features was an expansive and responsive display from which to check email, stream video, play audio, and browse the internet with a mobile browser that loaded full websites, much like what is experienced on personal computers. Apple's unique iOS operating system allowed for a wide range of intuitive gesture-based commands and eventually, a rapidly growing warehouse of downloadable third-party applications. Most importantly, the iPhone reoriented people's relationship with smartphones. Up to, then, they were generally geared toward businesspeople and enthusiasts who saw them as an invaluable tool for staying organized, corresponding over email, and boosting their productivity. Apple's version took it to a whole other level as a full-blown multimedia powerhouse, enabling users to play games, watch movies, chat, share content, and stay connected to all the possibilities that we are all still constantly rediscovering.
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
The authors noted that while other forms of pollution are decreasing, noise pollution has been increasing. This conclusion is reinforced by the fact that there has been an increase in the number of people who have been complaining about excessive noise in the WHO region. Populations that are exposed to high noise levels can be afflicted by other symptoms such as: stress reactions, sleep-stage changes, and clinical symptoms like hypertension and cardiovascular diseases. All these impacts can contribute to premature mortality. It is important to note that these adverse health problems impact all age groups including children and adolescents. In fact, it has been reported that children who live and or study in an area afflicted with noise pollution tend to suffer from stress, impairments in memory and attention as well as difficulty reading. “In Western Europe, the guidelines say, traffic noise results in an annual loss of at least one million healthy years”. Traffic noise is currently ranked second among environmental threats to public health. The danger of noise pollution is more present to us when we are asleep. Because the human ear is so sensitive, it never rests, it is always working, picking up and transmitting sounds for our brains to interpret. This always on working process is where the danger lies, though you may be sleeping, sounds are still being picked up and processed. The most common side effects of this phenomenon are sleep disturbance and tiredness, impaired memory judgment, and psychomotor skills. The other more serious outcomes of this can be the triggering of the body’s acute stress response, which raises blood pressure and heart rate as the body and brain go into a state of hyperarousal. According to the European Environment Agency, at least 10,000 cases of premature deaths from noise exposure occur each year, although incomplete data mean this number is significantly underestimated.
Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to indicate the correct word or phrase that best fits each of the numbered blanks from 34 to 38. The Internet is, no doubt, a wonderful meeting place. At the same time, it poses certain risks to (34) _______ its users no matter how old they are. And (35) ________ some eighteen-or nineteen-year-olds realise the potential threats they face online, they don't seem to give much thought to the fact that university administrators and employers more and more often scrutinise their profiles before admitting them to prestigious colleges or giving them jobs. Young adults (36) _______ post provocative photos and comments about their partying habits or, what's worse, about drinking or drug abuse can make themselves (37) _______ immature and lack common sense. Experts advise against posting any material that would make you feel ashamed of yourself in the future and, as one media expert said, 'wouldn't make your grandmother proud of you!' So, it's high time you treated social networking sites as space to promote yourself personally, academically and professionally by sharing information that will help you leave a positive (38) _______ on your future employers. Too young to agonise over it? Think twice before you turn this advice down.