Secondary Exam Practice Reading Comprehension Papers

Secondary Past Exam Papers This part is to test your ability to use words and phrases correctly to construct meaningful and grammatically correct sentences. Directions: There are 30 incomplete statements here. You are required to complete each statement by choosing the appropriate answer from the 4 choices marked A), B), C) and D). 1. We have always ______ a friendly policy towards the people all over the world. A) believed B) seek C) liked D) pursued 2. No matter what happens, I’ll ______ you, so don’t be afraid. A) stand with B) stand by C) stand aside D) stand for 3. They hurried into the hall, ______ their engagement to us. A) announcing B) talking about C) proposing D) speaking 4. The car is beautiful. ______ the price, they are prepared to pay for it.

A) However C) Whatever

B) Whichever D) Wherever

5. She is ______ to catch up with the top students in her class. A) decided B) determined C) declared D) settled 6. He ordered that the books ______ at once. A) would be sent B) would send C) be sent D) send 7. With great efforts of the peace-loving people all over the world, Iraq ______the war. A) survived B) survived from C) survival D) survived to 8. He went to school ______ his serious illness. A) though B) in spite C) past D) despite 9. As a(n) ______ of his work, he won the scholarship. A) award B) reward C) pay D) payment 10. The general manager was ______ busy to see visitors. A) too much B) much C) much too D) very much 11.I’m not ______what you have finished. Try it again! A) familiar to B) used to C) content with D) interested in 12. Only in this way ____________the pollution problem effectively. A) we can deal with B) can we deal with C) we will deal with D) do we deal with

12 marks

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Secondary Past Exam Papers Comprehension

15 marks

Mount Everest Has Shrunk

Mount Everest is 3.6 meters shorter than we thought. This is according to a team of Chinese scientists who have just finished measuring the world’s highest mountain. They say Everest stands at 8844.43 meters above sea level. This is lower than a measurement of 8,848 meters, which was taken in 1975. A Chinese spokesman Chen Bangzhu said the new height was accurate within a range of plus or minus 21 centimeters. His team used the latest technology in carrying out its survey, including GPS (Global Positioning System) satellite equipment. The Chinese team wanted to find the actual height of the rock surface and not the ice. Mr. Chen explained that the latest survey did not measure the thickness of the ice on top of the mountain. Scientists did not want to include the depth of the ice for the mountain’s height. It is uncertain whether other countries will accept the new data. A survey by American scientists in 1999 discovered the peak was 8,850 meters, five and a half meters higher than the Chinese calculation. China also has a different name for Mt. Everest. It uses the Tibetan name for the peak, Mt. Qomolangma.

Questions a) Find the synonyms in the article for precise and conducting. (2 marks)

b) Why won’t other countries accept the data? (2 marks)

c) What was the mission of the Chinese team? (2 marks)

d) Why do you think the Chinese and American measurements differ by more than five meters (2 marks)

e) Which name do you prefer, Mount Everest or Mount Qomolangma and why? (2 marks)

f) Why do you think Mount Everest has shrunk? (5 marks)

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Secondary Past Exam Papers Directions: In this part, there is a passage with incomplete sentences. You are expected to fill in the blanks. The first letters of the words have been given out. The earth is our h_________(1). We must take of it, for ourselves and for the next g_________(2). This means preserving the q_________(3) of our environment. The importance of this task is s_________ (4) by scientists who study the relation of man to nature. They are responsible for k_________(5) the land, air and water clean. To keep the wheels of the industry t_________(6), we manufacture consumer goods in endless q_________(7), and in the process, are rapidly exhausting our n_________(8) resources. But this is only half the problem. What to do with manufactured products when they are w_________(9) out. They must be disposed of, but how and where? Man, about to be b_________(10) in his own 10 marks

waste, is caught in a vicious cycle.

Translation Directions: This part is to test your translating ability. It consists of two sections. Section A Directions: In this section there are two sentences. Translate them into Chinese. 1. It is important to see that our cars are equipped with pollution-control devices. Such devices effectively reduce the harmful gases emitted from the engine. _________________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________________ 2. The zookeepers were concerned that because the young gorilla hadn’t any maternal role models, she might not be fully prepared to mother her own young, so they give lessons. _____________________________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________________________

Section B Directions: In this section there are three Chinese sentences. Translate them into English using the given expressions.

1. 黑人在美国国家的发展中起着重要的作用。（play…role in…） ______________________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ 2. 我们将改在花园喝茶，而不在屋里喝。（instead of） ______________________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________ 3. 这些勇敢的战士在必要时都愿以为国捐躯。（be ready to do） ________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________ 10 marks

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Secondary Past Exam Papers

Reading Comprehension: There have been many stories in the media about bird flu. The H5N1 strain of avian influenza has been identified in birds across Europe and Asia. Millions of birds and at least 60 people have died. Bird flu has caught lots of media attention lately and some health experts are warning of a potential global pandemic. But bird flu is not a recent phenomenon, and it is unknown in the United States, either. There was an outbreak just last year in Texas that showed no serious problems. Before that, outbreaks in 1924 and 1983 led to the destruction of millions of birds. However, the bird flu is attracting more attention because it may be more dangerous. Bird flu is spreading through migratory birds. But at the moment bird flu can only be transmitted to humans through direct contact with a bird's faeces or respiratory secretions (呼吸分泌物). There has been concern people could get bird flu from eating chicken. Dr. DeHaven says that there is no danger in eating poultry or poultry products as long as the food is cooked properly. So if you have meat from an infected bird or an egg from an infected bird and you cook it properly, it represents really no risk to human health. Some people are also worried that they can get bird flu just from touching poultry. That is not true if the birds are healthy although as a general rule, it's always a good idea to wash hands after touching raw poultry. 1. What does the passage mainly talk about? (A) (B) (C) (D)

The migration of different birds The deadly disease of the 21st century —SARS The inflection and prevention of bird flu The advantages and disadvantages of raising poultry.

2. Which of the statements about bird flu is NOT correct? (A) It is possible that humans get inflected by direct contacting with the bird’s faeces. (B) Eating poultry or poultry products is considered dangerous. (C) If cooked properly, the meat from the inflected birds will do no harm to our health. (D) According to the survey, the H5N1 strain of avian influenza has caused at least 60 people’s death. 3. Which word has the closest meaning to pandemic? (A) A global illness (B) A serious side effect (C) A deadly virus (D) A wonderful compliment 4. Which of the following statement is TRUE according to DeHaven’s statement? (A) DeHaven thought of bird flu as an incurable disease. (B) Washing your hands after touching poultry can keep us away from getting inflected. (C) We had better not eat chicken so as not to get bird flu. (D) A vaccine has been found to successfully fight against the bird flu virus. 5. At the end of this article, what’s the author’s attitude toward bird flu? (A) Challenging (B) Grieving (C) Optimistic (D) Awkward 5 marks

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