Section B: directions
In this section, you will hear three short passages. At the end of each passage, you will hear some questions. Both the passage and the questions will be spoken only once. After you hear the question, you must choose the best answer from the choices marked a), b), c), and d). Then mark the corresponding letter on answer sheet two with a single line through the center.
Passage one:
Edgar Poe, an American writer, was born in 1809. His parents were actors. Edgar was a baby when his father left the family. He was two years old when his mother died. He was taken into the home of a wealthy business man named John Allen. He then received his real name, Edgar Allen Poe. As a young man, Poe attended the University of Virginia. He was a good student, but he liked to drink alcohol and play card games for money. As an unskilled game player, he often lost money. Since he couldn’t pay off his gambling money, he left university and began working for magazines. He worked hard, yet he was not well paid, or well known. At the age of 27, he got married. For a time it seemed that Poe would find happiness, but his wife was sick for most of their marriage, and died in 1847. Through all his crises, Poe produced many stories and poems which appeared in different publications, yet he didn’t become famous until 1845, when his poem, The Raven, was published. There is a question, however, about Poe’s importance in American Literature. Some critics say that Poe was one of America’s best writers, and even influenced many French writers, but others disagree. They say that Poe’s work is difficult to understand and most of his writing describes many unpleasant situations and events. Edgar Allen Poe died in 1849 when he was 40 years old. It is said that he was found dead after days of heavy drinking.
Questions 26-29 are based on the passage you have just heard:
Question 26:
What happened to Edgar Allen Poe’s family, when he was only two years old?
Question 27:
Why did Edgar Allen Poe leave the University of Virginia?
Question 28:
What do some critics say about Edgar Allen Poe?
Question 29:
How did Edgar Allen Poe’s life come to an end?
Passage Two:
More than fifty years ago, the United Nations declared that literacy is a basic human right. It’s very important for improving the lives of individuals, however, it is estimated that 880 million adults around the world are illiterate, that is, they are unable to read or write. A majority of them are women. Over 100 million school age children around the world do not attend school. Many others complete school of fail to finish their studies without learning to read or write. Many countries depend on the efforts of people who offer their time to help illiterate individuals. For example, John Mogger became concerned about the problem of illiteracy three years ago, so he started teaching five prisoners in Brazil. In his teaching, he developed a system with these prisoners. He says his way of teaching can help anyone learn how to read and write with about thirty hours of study. To learn his system, people must first know how to write letters of the alphabet and learn which sounds they represent. The system divides letters into three groups. The first group of letter can be written between two lines. The second can be written between two lines but part of the letter is above the top line. The third group has letters that are partly written below the lower line. John Mogger taught his students to write simply words from the letters, in this way, his students learned more than seven hundred words. Many of them can now write to family members. They also can read newspapers and magazines.
Questions 30-32 are based on the Passage you have just heard:
Questions 30:
According to the speaker, which group of people make up the majority of the illiterate population?
Question 31:
What is the most important feature of John Moggers method of teaching the alphabet?
Question 32:
What does John Mogger say about his teaching method?
Passage Three:
Farmers usually use plows to prepare their fields for planting crops. Plows cut into the ground, and lift up weeds, and other unwanted plants. However, plowing is blamed for causing severe damage to top soil by removing the plants that protect soil from being blown or washed away. Many farmers in South Asia are now trying a process called Low Till Farming. Low Till Farming limits the use of plows. In this method of farming seeds and fertilizer are put into the soil through small cuts made in the surface of the ground. Low Till Agriculture leaves much or all the soil and remains of plants on the ground. They serve as a natural fertilizer and help support the roots of future crops. They take in rain and allow it to flow into the soil instead of running off. It has been proved that Low Till Farming increases harvests and reduces water use, and this method reduced the need for chemical products because there are fewer unwanted plants. Scientists say Low Till Farming is becoming popular in South Asia, which is facing a sever water shortage. They say the area will become depended on imported food unless water is saved through methods like Low Till Farming. Currently, more than 150 million people in South Asia depend on local rice and wheat crops. Farmers grow rice during wet weather. During the dry season they grow wheat in the same fields. Farmers are using the Low Till method to plant wheat after harvesting rice. Scientists say Low Till Agriculture is one of the best examples in the worlds of technologies working for both people, and the environment.
Questions 33-35 are based on the passage you have just heard.
Question 33:
What is the main problem cause by the usual way of plowing?
Question 34:
What does the speaker say about Low Till Farming?
Question 35:
Where is Low Till Farming becoming popular?
Section C: Directions
In this section you will hear a passage three times. When the passage is read for the first time, you should listen carefully for its general idea. When the passage is read the second time you are required to fill in the blanks numbered from 36-43 with the exact words you have just heard. For the blanks numbered 44-46 you are required to fill in the missing information. For these blanks you can either use the exact words you have just heard or write down the main points in your own words. Finally, when the passage is read for the third time, you should check what you have written. Now, listen to the passage.
Adults are getting smarter about how smart babies are. Not long ago, researches learned that four day olds could understand addition and subtraction. Now, British research psychologist Gram Shaffer has discovered that infants can learn words or uncommon things long before they can speak. He found that nine month old infants could be taught through repeated show and tell to recognize the names of objects that were foreign to them, a result that challenges in some ways, the received wisdom that apart from learning to identify things common to their daily lives, children don’t being to build vocabulary until well into their second year. “It’s no secret that children learn words, but the words they tend to know are linked to specific situations in the home,” explains Shaffer. This is the first demonstration that we can choose what words the children will learn and that they can respond to them with an unfamiliar voice giving instructions in an unfamiliar setting. “Figuring out how human acquire language may shed light on why some children learn to read and write later than others,” Shaffer says, “and could lead to better treatments for developed mental problems.” What’s more, the study of language acquisition offers direct insight into how humans learn. “Language is a test case for human cognitive development,” says Shaffer, “but parents eager to teach their infants should take note. Even without being taught new words a control group caught up with the other infants within a few months.” This is not about advancing development, he says, it’s just about what children can do at an earlier age than what educators have often thought.
Now the passage will be read again.
Adults are getting smarter about how smart babies are. Not long ago, researches learned that four day olds could understand addition and subtraction. Now, British research psychologist Gram Shaffer has discovered that infants can learn words or uncommon things long before they can speak. He found that nine month old infants could be taught through repeated show and tell to recognize the names of objects that were foreign to them, a result that challenges in some ways, the received wisdom that apart from learning to identify things common to their daily lives, children don’t being to build vocabulary until well into their second year. “It’s no secret that children learn words, but the words they tend to know are linked to specific situations in the home,” explains Shaffer. This is the first demonstration that we can choose what words the children will learn and that they can respond to them with an unfamiliar voice giving instructions in an unfamiliar setting.
“Figuring out how human acquire language may shed light on why some children learn to read and write later than others,” Shaffer says, “and could lead to better treatments for developed mental problems.” What’s more, the study of language acquisition offers direct insight into how humans learn.
“Language is a test case for human cognitive development,” says Shaffer, “but parents eager to teach their infants should take note. Even without being taught new words a control group caught up with the other infants within a few months.”
This is not about advancing development, he says, it’s just about what children can do at an earlier age than what educators have often thought.
Now the passage will be read for the third time.
Adults are getting smarter about how smart babies are. Not long ago, researches learned that four day olds could understand addition and subtraction. Now, British research psychologist Gram Shaffer has discovered that infants can learn words or uncommon things long before they can speak. He found that nine month old infants could be taught through repeated show and tell to recognize the names of objects that were foreign to them, a result that challenges in some ways, the received wisdom that apart from learning to identify things common to their daily lives, children don’t being to build vocabulary until well into their second year. “It’s no secret that children learn words, but the words they tend to know are linked to specific situations in the home,” explains Shaffer. This is the first demonstration that we can choose what words the children will learn and that they can respond to them with an unfamiliar voice giving instructions in an unfamiliar setting. “Figuring out how human acquire language may shed light on why some children learn to read and write later than others,” Shaffer says, “and could lead to better treatments for developed mental problems.” What’s more, the study of language acquisition offers direct insight into how humans learn. “Language is a test case for human cognitive development,” says Shaffer, “but parents eager to teach their infants should take note. Even without being taught new words a control group caught up with the other infants within a few months.” This is not about advancing development, he says, it’s just about what children can do at an earlier age than what educators have often thought.
This is the end of Listening Comprehension.
In this section, you will hear three short passages. At the end of each passage, you will hear some questions. Both the passage and the questions will be spoken only once. After you hear the question, you must choose the best answer from the choices marked a), b), c), and d). Then mark the corresponding letter on answer sheet two with a single line through the center.
Passage one:
Edgar Poe, an American writer, was born in 1809. His parents were actors. Edgar was a baby when his father left the family. He was two years old when his mother died. He was taken into the home of a wealthy business man named John Allen. He then received his real name, Edgar Allen Poe. As a young man, Poe attended the University of Virginia. He was a good student, but he liked to drink alcohol and play card games for money. As an unskilled game player, he often lost money. Since he couldn’t pay off his gambling money, he left university and began working for magazines. He worked hard, yet he was not well paid, or well known. At the age of 27, he got married. For a time it seemed that Poe would find happiness, but his wife was sick for most of their marriage, and died in 1847. Through all his crises, Poe produced many stories and poems which appeared in different publications, yet he didn’t become famous until 1845, when his poem, The Raven, was published. There is a question, however, about Poe’s importance in American Literature. Some critics say that Poe was one of America’s best writers, and even influenced many French writers, but others disagree. They say that Poe’s work is difficult to understand and most of his writing describes many unpleasant situations and events. Edgar Allen Poe died in 1849 when he was 40 years old. It is said that he was found dead after days of heavy drinking.
Questions 26-29 are based on the passage you have just heard:
Question 26:
What happened to Edgar Allen Poe’s family, when he was only two years old?
Question 27:
Why did Edgar Allen Poe leave the University of Virginia?
Question 28:
What do some critics say about Edgar Allen Poe?
Question 29:
How did Edgar Allen Poe’s life come to an end?
Passage Two:
More than fifty years ago, the United Nations declared that literacy is a basic human right. It’s very important for improving the lives of individuals, however, it is estimated that 880 million adults around the world are illiterate, that is, they are unable to read or write. A majority of them are women. Over 100 million school age children around the world do not attend school. Many others complete school of fail to finish their studies without learning to read or write. Many countries depend on the efforts of people who offer their time to help illiterate individuals. For example, John Mogger became concerned about the problem of illiteracy three years ago, so he started teaching five prisoners in Brazil. In his teaching, he developed a system with these prisoners. He says his way of teaching can help anyone learn how to read and write with about thirty hours of study. To learn his system, people must first know how to write letters of the alphabet and learn which sounds they represent. The system divides letters into three groups. The first group of letter can be written between two lines. The second can be written between two lines but part of the letter is above the top line. The third group has letters that are partly written below the lower line. John Mogger taught his students to write simply words from the letters, in this way, his students learned more than seven hundred words. Many of them can now write to family members. They also can read newspapers and magazines.
Questions 30-32 are based on the Passage you have just heard:
Questions 30:
According to the speaker, which group of people make up the majority of the illiterate population?
Question 31:
What is the most important feature of John Moggers method of teaching the alphabet?
Question 32:
What does John Mogger say about his teaching method?
Passage Three:
Farmers usually use plows to prepare their fields for planting crops. Plows cut into the ground, and lift up weeds, and other unwanted plants. However, plowing is blamed for causing severe damage to top soil by removing the plants that protect soil from being blown or washed away. Many farmers in South Asia are now trying a process called Low Till Farming. Low Till Farming limits the use of plows. In this method of farming seeds and fertilizer are put into the soil through small cuts made in the surface of the ground. Low Till Agriculture leaves much or all the soil and remains of plants on the ground. They serve as a natural fertilizer and help support the roots of future crops. They take in rain and allow it to flow into the soil instead of running off. It has been proved that Low Till Farming increases harvests and reduces water use, and this method reduced the need for chemical products because there are fewer unwanted plants. Scientists say Low Till Farming is becoming popular in South Asia, which is facing a sever water shortage. They say the area will become depended on imported food unless water is saved through methods like Low Till Farming. Currently, more than 150 million people in South Asia depend on local rice and wheat crops. Farmers grow rice during wet weather. During the dry season they grow wheat in the same fields. Farmers are using the Low Till method to plant wheat after harvesting rice. Scientists say Low Till Agriculture is one of the best examples in the worlds of technologies working for both people, and the environment.
Questions 33-35 are based on the passage you have just heard.
Question 33:
What is the main problem cause by the usual way of plowing?
Question 34:
What does the speaker say about Low Till Farming?
Question 35:
Where is Low Till Farming becoming popular?
Section C: Directions
In this section you will hear a passage three times. When the passage is read for the first time, you should listen carefully for its general idea. When the passage is read the second time you are required to fill in the blanks numbered from 36-43 with the exact words you have just heard. For the blanks numbered 44-46 you are required to fill in the missing information. For these blanks you can either use the exact words you have just heard or write down the main points in your own words. Finally, when the passage is read for the third time, you should check what you have written. Now, listen to the passage.
Adults are getting smarter about how smart babies are. Not long ago, researches learned that four day olds could understand addition and subtraction. Now, British research psychologist Gram Shaffer has discovered that infants can learn words or uncommon things long before they can speak. He found that nine month old infants could be taught through repeated show and tell to recognize the names of objects that were foreign to them, a result that challenges in some ways, the received wisdom that apart from learning to identify things common to their daily lives, children don’t being to build vocabulary until well into their second year. “It’s no secret that children learn words, but the words they tend to know are linked to specific situations in the home,” explains Shaffer. This is the first demonstration that we can choose what words the children will learn and that they can respond to them with an unfamiliar voice giving instructions in an unfamiliar setting. “Figuring out how human acquire language may shed light on why some children learn to read and write later than others,” Shaffer says, “and could lead to better treatments for developed mental problems.” What’s more, the study of language acquisition offers direct insight into how humans learn. “Language is a test case for human cognitive development,” says Shaffer, “but parents eager to teach their infants should take note. Even without being taught new words a control group caught up with the other infants within a few months.” This is not about advancing development, he says, it’s just about what children can do at an earlier age than what educators have often thought.
Now the passage will be read again.
Adults are getting smarter about how smart babies are. Not long ago, researches learned that four day olds could understand addition and subtraction. Now, British research psychologist Gram Shaffer has discovered that infants can learn words or uncommon things long before they can speak. He found that nine month old infants could be taught through repeated show and tell to recognize the names of objects that were foreign to them, a result that challenges in some ways, the received wisdom that apart from learning to identify things common to their daily lives, children don’t being to build vocabulary until well into their second year. “It’s no secret that children learn words, but the words they tend to know are linked to specific situations in the home,” explains Shaffer. This is the first demonstration that we can choose what words the children will learn and that they can respond to them with an unfamiliar voice giving instructions in an unfamiliar setting.
“Figuring out how human acquire language may shed light on why some children learn to read and write later than others,” Shaffer says, “and could lead to better treatments for developed mental problems.” What’s more, the study of language acquisition offers direct insight into how humans learn.
“Language is a test case for human cognitive development,” says Shaffer, “but parents eager to teach their infants should take note. Even without being taught new words a control group caught up with the other infants within a few months.”
This is not about advancing development, he says, it’s just about what children can do at an earlier age than what educators have often thought.
Now the passage will be read for the third time.
Adults are getting smarter about how smart babies are. Not long ago, researches learned that four day olds could understand addition and subtraction. Now, British research psychologist Gram Shaffer has discovered that infants can learn words or uncommon things long before they can speak. He found that nine month old infants could be taught through repeated show and tell to recognize the names of objects that were foreign to them, a result that challenges in some ways, the received wisdom that apart from learning to identify things common to their daily lives, children don’t being to build vocabulary until well into their second year. “It’s no secret that children learn words, but the words they tend to know are linked to specific situations in the home,” explains Shaffer. This is the first demonstration that we can choose what words the children will learn and that they can respond to them with an unfamiliar voice giving instructions in an unfamiliar setting. “Figuring out how human acquire language may shed light on why some children learn to read and write later than others,” Shaffer says, “and could lead to better treatments for developed mental problems.” What’s more, the study of language acquisition offers direct insight into how humans learn. “Language is a test case for human cognitive development,” says Shaffer, “but parents eager to teach their infants should take note. Even without being taught new words a control group caught up with the other infants within a few months.” This is not about advancing development, he says, it’s just about what children can do at an earlier age than what educators have often thought.
This is the end of Listening Comprehension.