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Dear John,

I told you that I was going to England, but actually I was heading for Scotland. I applied for a job and I went for an interview yesterday. The manager and the factory supervisor interviewed me. At first I found it difficult to understand them but I managed to answer all their questions. I’ll know on Friday before I return whether I get the job or not.

Tomorrow I plan to go to the National Museum of Scotland, the Palace of Holy Roodhouse, the Queen’s residence when she’s in Scotland.I’m going to spent a few more days here enjoying the city which I hope will become my home for the next few years.

I’ll ring you when I hear something about my job on Friday.

Bye,

Peter

What kind of text above?

• narrative

• recount

• report

• nothing

Rafflesia can be found in the forests of Malaysia, Southern Thailand, Sumatra and Java. But, Rafflesia flowers are fairly hard to locate. It is especially difficult to see them in bloom. Its buds take up to 10 months to develop while its blossom lasts for just a few days.

Rafflesia has brownish, scale like leaves and fleshy, smelling flowers of various sizes, from few inches to meter big in diameter. We usually noticeits large fleshy flowers. There is a deep well in the centre of the flowers. The sexual organs are located beneath the rim of the disk. Male and female flowers are separate.

The reddish brown colors of the petals, sprinkled with white freckles produce unpleasant stench, similar to rotting flesh. This would attract flies and insects which help disperse the seeds. Rafflesia isparasite, which means it takes the nutrient out of itshost.

Q: The text mainly describes… of Rafflesia.

• the location

• the petals

• the sexual organs

• physical look

Last autumn I was in India during Diwali, the “Festival of Lights” which takes place every year to celebrate the victory of good over evil. This festival lasts for five days and is held at the end of October or in the first week of November.

Preparations began weeks before the event. People cleaned their homes and painted wonderful designs called rangolis on the walls and floors. They bought beautiful new clothes and jewelry to wear during the festival. Women made delicious sweets which were better than any others I have ever tasted.

During the five days of Diwali, every home and temple was decorated, inside and outside, with lovely clay lamps and colourful candles. After dark, the whole neighbourhood glittered with thousands of tiny lights, as though in a fairy tale. Excited children set off firecrackers, and at first I was frightened by the loud bangs, but the spectacular display was so fascinating that I soon joined in the spirit of celebration.

Diwali is a deeply moving festival. I am very grateful I had the chance to share in this celebration of peace and harmony. I have fond memories of the experience, and in particular I will never forget how friendly and generous people were.

Q: 1. What is Diwali?

• Celebration

• Wonderful designs

• Festival of Lights

• Home and temple in India

How to scramble eggs

Break eggs into bowl. Add 1 tablespoon milk or cream and a dash of (46)……….for each egg. Beat well with fork. Heat half tablespoon fat for each egg in moderately hot skillet. (47)….in mixture and reduce heat. Cook (48)….., turning gently as mixture sets at bottom and sides of pan. Avoid constant stirring. When cooked through but still moist (5 to 8 minutes), serve at once.

• sugar

• water

• milk

• salt and pepper

Brittany's mom walks into the kitchen wearing her sun hat and a pair of old shoes. “Those vegetable plants are growing by leaps and bounds!” she exclaims to Brittany, as she takes off a dirty glove and wipes a smudge of dirt off her face. Where was Brittany's mom?

• At the store
• At the doctor's office
• In the garden
• At the airport

Tags

CCSS.RL.7.1

CCSS.RL.8.1

CCSS.RI.7.1

CCSS.RI.8.1

CCSS.RL.9-10.1

Weather reporters have to give out a lot of information. That's why they use pictures. The pictures help them tell us about the weather without using so many words. Weather reporters need to know where the cold air is. They need to know where the warm air is. They have to know where it is raining and what types of clouds are in the area. Their reports need to be correct, but they also need to be short. The pictures help weather reporters get the information out in a fast way.

Which sentence best describes the main idea of the paragraph?

• Weather reporters need to know where the cold air is

• Pictures help weather reporters get information out in a fast way

• Their reports need to be correct, but they also need to be short

• They have to know where it is raining and what types of clouds are in the area

Tags

CCSS.RL.7.2

CCSS.RI.7.2

CCSS.RI.8.2

CCSS.RL.8.2

CCSS.RL.9-10.2

Soccer is known in some countries as football. It is a popular sport across the world, with over 200 countries playing the sport. It is estimated that over 250 million people, both men and women, play soccer. The sport has been part of the Olympic games from 1900 to 1928 and from 1936 to today.
 What is the main idea?

• Soccer is important at the Olympics.
• Soccer is a worldwide sport.
• Soccer is also called football.
• Soccer is played by men and women.

Tags

CCSS.RL.7.2

CCSS.RI.7.2

CCSS.RI.8.2

CCSS.RL.8.2

CCSS.RL.6.2

When another old cave is discovered in the south of France, it is not usually news. Rather, it is an ordinary event. Such discoveries are so frequent these days that hardly anybody pays heed to them. However, when the Lascaux cave complex was discovered in 1940, the world was amazed. Painted directly on its walls were hundreds of scenes showing how people lived thousands of years ago. The scenes show people hunting animals, such as bison or wild cats. Other images depict birds and, most noticeably, horses, which appear in more than 300 wall images, by far outnumbering all other animals. Early artists drawing these animals accomplished a monumental and difficult task. They did not limit themselves to the easily accessible walls but carried their painting materials to spaces that required climbing steep walls or crawling into narrow passages in the Lascaux complex. Unfortunately, the paintings have been exposed to the destructive action of water and temperature changes, which easily wear the images away. Because the Lascaux caves have many entrances, air movement has also damaged the images inside. Although they are not out in the open air, where natural light would have destroyed them long ago, many of the images have deteriorated and are barely recognizable. To prevent further damage, the site was closed to tourists in 1963, 23 years after it was discovered.

Which title best summarizes the main idea of the passage?

• Wild Animals in Art

• Hidden Prehistoric Paintings

• Exploring Caves Respectfully

• Determining the Age of French Caves

Tags

CCSS.RL.7.2

CCSS.RI.7.2

CCSS.RI.8.2

CCSS.RL.8.2

CCSS.RI. 9-10.2

When another old cave is discovered in the south of France, it is not usually news. Rather, it is an ordinary event. Such discoveries are so frequent these days that hardly anybody pays heed to them. However, when the Lascaux cave complex was discovered in 1940, the world was amazed. Painted directly on its walls were hundreds of scenes showing how people lived thousands of years ago. The scenes show people hunting animals, such as bison or wild cats. Other images depict birds and, most noticeably, horses, which appear in more than 300 wall images, by far outnumbering all other animals. Early artists drawing these animals accomplished a monumental and difficult task. They did not limit themselves to the easily accessible walls but carried their painting materials to spaces that required climbing steep walls or crawling into narrow passages in the Lascaux complex. Unfortunately, the paintings have been exposed to the destructive action of water and temperature changes, which easily wear the images away. Because the Lascaux caves have many entrances, air movement has also damaged the images inside. Although they are not out in the open air, where natural light would have destroyed them long ago, many of the images have deteriorated and are barely recognizable. To prevent further damage, the site was closed to tourists in 1963, 23 years after it was discovered.

Based on the passage, what is probably true about the south of France?

• It is home to rare animals.

• It has a large number of caves.

• It is known for horse-racing events.

• It has attracted many famous artists.

Tags

CCSS.RL.7.1

CCSS.RL.8.1

CCSS.RI.7.1

CCSS.RI.8.1

CCSS.RI.9-10.1

Weather reporters have to give out a lot of information. That's why they use pictures. The pictures help them tell us about the weather without using so many words. Weather reporters need to know where the cold air is. They need to know where the warm air is. They have to know where it is raining and what types of clouds are in the area. Their reports need to be correct, but they also need to be short. The pictures help weather reporters get the information out in a fast way.

Which sentence best describes the main idea of the paragraph?

• Weather reporters need to know where the cold air is

• Pictures help weather reporters get information out in a fast way

• Their reports need to be correct, but they also need to be short

• They have to know where it is raining and what types of clouds are in the area

Tags

CCSS.RL.7.2

CCSS.RI.7.2

CCSS.RI.8.2

CCSS.RL.8.2

CCSS.RI. 9-10.2