English Practice
English Practice
English Practice
Instructions: Read the poem carefully and then answer Items 26-32 on the basis of what is stated or implied.
Caged Bird
By Maya Angelou
6. This poem is an example of: 10. What meaning is the poet trying to convey by
(A) cause and effect stating that caged bird is standing on “the grave
(B) description of dreams”?
(C) comparison and contrast (A) the bird cage is a grave
(D) persuasion (B) the caged bird’s dream is to be buried
(C) the caged bird’s dream of freedom will
7. “And dares to claim the sky,” is similar to which never materialize
other line in the poem? (D) the caged bird’s dreams are serious
(A) thinks of another breeze
(B) he names the sky his own 11. “Shadow shouts on a nightmare’s scream,” is
(C) floats downstream an example of what literary device?
(D) back of the wind (A) Personification
(B) Alliteration
8. According to the poem, why does the cage bird (C) Simile
sing? (D) Metaphor
(A) because it is happy
(B) because it wants to know about life from 12. The poem can be interpreted as a metaphor
another bird pertaining to:
(C) to please the owner with its melodious (A) the sky
voice (B) birds
(D) out of fear and a desire for freedom (C) life
(D) fear
9. What is meant by the bird’s “fearful trill of the
things unknown but longed for still”?
(A) the bird longs to be free despite the fear of
not knowing what to expect
(B) the bird is fearful of the unknown
(C) the bird longs to be fearful
(D) the bird is thrilled at the idea of being of
free
Items 33-39
Instructions: Read the following extract carefully and answer the questions.
Nelson Mandela was born in Transkei, South Africa on July 18, 1918. He was the son of a local tribal leader of
Tembu tribe. As a youngster, Nelson took part in the activities and initiation ceremonies of his local tribe.
However, unlike his father, Nelson Mandela gained a full education, studying at the University College of Fort
Hare and also the University of Witwatersrand. Nelson was a good student and qualified with a law degree in
1942.
During his time at University, Nelson Mandela became increasingly aware of the racial inequality and injustice
faced by non-white people. In 1943, he decided to join the ANC and actively take part in the struggle against
apartheid.
As one of the few qualified lawyers, Nelson Mandela was in great demand; also his commitment to the cause
saw him promoted through the ranks of the ANC. In 1956, Nelson Mandela, along with several other members
of the ANC were arrested and charged with treason. After a lengthy and protracted court case, the defendants
were finally acquitted in 1961. However, with the ANC now banned, Nelson Mandela suggested an active
armed resistance to the apartheid regime. This led to the formation of Umkhonto we Sizwe, which would act
as a guerrilla resistance movement. Receiving training in other African countries, the Umkhonto we Sizwe took
part in active sabotage.
In 1963, Mandela was again arrested and put on trial for treason. This time the State succeeded in convicting
Mandela for plotting to overthrow the government. However, the case received considerable international
attention and the apartheid regime of South Africa became under the glare of the international community. At
the end of his trial, Nelson Mandela made a long speech, in which he was able to affirm his commitment to the
ideas of democracy.
Mandela’s death sentence was commuted to life imprisonment and from 1964-1981 he was incarcerated at
Robben Island Prison, off Cape Town. In prison the conditions were sparse; however, Mandela was with many
other political prisoners, and there was a strong bond of friendship helped to make more bearable the difficult
prison conditions. Also, in prison, Nelson Mandela was highly disciplined; he would try and study and take part
in exercise every day. He later said these years of incarceration in jail were a period of great learning, even if
painful. Mandela also created friendships with some of the guards. Mandela would later say that he felt he
was fighting the apartheid system and not individual white people. It was in prison that Mandela became
aware of the passion that Afrikaners had for rugby, and he developed an interest himself.
During his time in prison, Mandela became increasingly well known throughout the world. Mandela became
the best known black leader and was symbolic of the struggle against the apartheid regime. Largely
unbeknown to Mandela, his continued imprisonment led to a worldwide pressure for his release. Many
countries implemented sanctions on apartheid regime increasingly began to negotiate with the ANC and
Nelson Mandela in particular. On many occasions, Mandela was offered a conditional freedom. However, he
always refused to put the political ideals of the ANC above his own freedom.
Eventually, Nelson Mandela was released on February 11, 1990. The day was a huge event for South Africa
and the world. His release was symbolic of the impending end of apartheid. Following his release there
followed protracted negotiations to secure a lasting settlement. The negotiations were tense often against the
backdrop of tribal violence. However, in April 1994, South Africa had its first full and fair elections. The ANC,
with 65% of the vote, were elected and Nelson Mandela became the first President of the new South Africa.
33. The writing contained in the extract can be classified as an example of:
(A) biography
(B) life history
(C) memoir
(D) autobiography
35. According to the extract, which of the following did not make Mr. Mandela’s life in prison more bearable?
(A) strong bond of friendship with other political prisoners
(B) studying and exercising daily
(C) making friends with some of the prison guards
(D) visits by family members
39. All of the following are significant aspects of the elections held in South Africa 1994 except:
(A) heavy tribal violence
(B) the ANC gained 65% of the votes
(C) South Africa had its first full and fair elections
(D) Nelson Mandela became the first President of the new South Africa
Items 40-46
Instructions: Read the extract carefully. Then answer the questions that follow.
Choosing the right apartment feels like such a weighty decision: what if you choose the wrong one and feel
stuck in an unhappy situation? Though you can’t control every variable of life in your new apartment, you can
be as careful in your selection. The first step in choosing the right apartment is to search in the right way. Be
sure that you record the details of the apartments you visit in a binder that contains all of the property’s stats,
your notes, photos and answers from the landlord on whatever questions you have. The most important
aspect in making a choice is knowing what is really important to you. By putting your apartment priorities
down on paper, you’ll know what to keep in mind during your search. Considerations may include location,
how much rent you can afford and the type of apartment you’d prefer. Bringing a friend or trusted family
member along is always a good idea, or you can tag a trusted person to go over the notes and photos from
your hunt to help you decide.
Your primary consideration when evaluating apartment floor plans should be space. You need to know if an
apartment design includes enough space for you, your family and all of your things. Interior designers
recommend classifying the rooms into three categories: private areas, service areas and public areas. Living
rooms are an example of public areas. They are the social spaces where you can entertain, relax and live most
of your day-to-day like. These should be multi-purpose spaces where you should participate in a variety of
activities from hosting a party to simply reading a book. Service areas include the kitchen and laundry room –
highly functional spaces that you use for singular purposes. When you evaluate these spaces, look for logical
layouts that will make your life easy. Private areas include the spaces where you want to be alone: your
bedroom, your office and your bathroom.
Don’t underestimate the importance of storage space in your new apartment. Everybody needs a place to put
food, clothing and important valuables. Design experts recommend looking for an apartment that is ten to
fifteen percent storage space. In other words, built-ins like closets, cabinets and pantries make up almost 15
percent of a floor plan with adequate storage space. Look for an apartment design that incorporates these
storage features throughout the unit and makes them easily accessible. The floor plan may still work for you if
it’s spacious enough to hold a lot of non-built-in storage furniture like dressers, shelves or trunks. Traffic
patterns are another important floor plan consideration. A floor plan’s traffic pattern refers to the way a
person has to walk through the apartment to get from room to room. The best apartment designs are
arranged so that you can move easily from space to space, as well as enter and exit easily.
When you’re comparing apartments, one of the most important concerns will be lease terms and conditions.
Chief among them are the financial terms. Remember that rent may not be the only monthly expense
associated with your apartment. Consider these additional expenses: utility bills that aren’t included in rent,
late payment charges, payments for parking spaces and amenity fees. The upfront costs of applying for
apartments should also factor into your decision which may include security deposits, application fees and
non-refundable pet deposit fees. In addition to financial terms, make sure that lease conditions will work with
your lifestyle. Are pets allowed in your new apartment? How long do you plan to stay at your place? If you
think you may need to move soon, can you sublet the apartment or alter your lease dates?
Items 47-53
Instructions: Read the following letter carefully. Then answer the questions that follow.
The awful misappropriation of cash, which was entrusted to me has created an uneasy working environment
for which I am extremely embarrassed. It was unpardonable to take the company’s money for personal use,
when I was entrusted with the responsibility for securing it.
My actions were both reprehensible and immoral. Initially, I thought that I would be able to reimburse the
amount of money taken before the audit took place. However, due to a surprise audit my intentions never
came into fruition. Contrary to general perception, my intentions were not unconscionable. I was experiencing
terrible challenges in meeting my mortgage payments and could not think of another way to satisfy my
financial commitments. Despite the empathy expressed by fellow employees and your good self, I am willing
to accept the consequences of my actions and would abide by any decision made by the company.
I am humbly requesting that this incident not to be reported to the police or local media. Until this incident,
my work ethic, character and integrity has been unblemished. If this incident is publicized it would be very
difficult the secure another form of employment. I apologize once again for my unethical behaviour and I
promise to return the money taken as soon as possible.
Sincerely,
Christine Scott
47. This letter can be classified as a: (A) she intentionally entrapped the manager
(A) thank you letter (B) she created an uneasy working
(B) letter or apology environment
(C) referral letter (C) she betrayed the individuals whose money
(D) letter of complaint she was entrusted to secure
(D) she accessed the company’s cash for
personal use
48. Which of the following misdemeanours was 49. The employee was caught due to which one
not committed by the employee? of the following activities?
(A) a spot check by the security guard 52. Why did the employee request that the
(B) an unexpected audit incident not be reported to the police or local
(C) a guilty conscience media?
(D) an observant co-worker (A) she did not want her husband to find out
(B) she was too embarrassed by the situation
50. Based on the context of the letter, which (C) the publicity would make her famous
would could be used in place “of (D) she did not want the publicity to prevent
unconscionable”? her from gaining future employment
(A) thoughtless
(B) foolish
(C) unethical 53. Which of the following does not support the
(D) irrational reputable character of the employee?
(A) the delay in reporting the incident to the
51. The tone of the writer could be described as: police
(A) self-righteous (B) the employee admission that her work
(B) remorseful ethic, character and integrity has been
(C) callous untarnished
(D) unrepentant (C) the empathy shown by co-workers
(D) the empathy shown by the manager
Items 54-60
Instructions: Review the following carefully. Then answer the questions that follow.
EMPLOYEE:
Were they doing their regular job duties: _____ yes ____ no
Hire Date: __________ Marital Status: ____________
Employee Classification: __________________________
Protective Equipment being used: _____ yes _____ no
If not used, Why:
_________________________________________________________________________________________
Description of Incident/Complaint (Who, What, Where, How, Why, Include sequence of events, personnel
involved, body part injured, reason incident occurred) (If medication error include brand name, manufacturer,
dosage)
__________________________________________________________________________________________
Actions Taken by Staff Members: ______________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________