Humans were the first "computers”. Then machines were invented to carry out the

computational tasks. Now these machines have given way to new forms of information technology. Information has become accessible from anywhere.

Information technology deals with the acquisition, processing, storage and dissemination of vocal, pictorial, textual and numerical information by a microelectronics-based combination of computing and telecommunications. Thanks to the continuous development of computers, the original computing systems became minicomputers and later personal computers took the lead. Nowadays, mobile phones are dethroning the personal computer and computing is evolving faster to become disembodied more like a cloud, becoming accessible more easily whenever needed. Information technology in this sense has transformed people and companies and has allowed digital technology to influence society and economy alike.

What is the text about?

The causes of schizophrenia are not clear, but schizophrenia has long been attributed to faulty parenting. In cases where schizophrenia developed, the parents were often considered responsible. However, recent studies are now pointing to heredity and prenatal environmental factors as the chief culprits in this disease.

Recent studies of identical twins have been used to demonstrate that heredity plays a role in the development of schizophrenia. Studies have shown that in cases where one identical twin is afflicted with schizophrenia, the other twin has a 50 percent probability of also suffering from it.

However, heredity is not believed to be the only culprit. Studies of the fingerprints of identical twins have lent credence to the theory that prenatal environmental factors are likely contributors to the development of schizophrenia. In studies of pairs of identical twins in which one is afflicted with schizophrenia and one is not, abnormalities were found in the fingerprints of one-third of the twins, always in the afflicted twin. Since fingers develop in the second trimester of pregnancy, the hypothesis has been proposed that the abnormalities in the fingerprints were due to a second-trimester trauma that affected only one of the twins and that this same trauma was a factor in the onset of schizophrenia.

The author's purpose in writing the passage is to...

This message is for Tanya Smith. Tanya, my name is Karl Klaussen with Premium Insurance Company. You had asked me to give you a quotation for your 2007 Toyaki Turbo coupe. I've processed your information, and we could insure this vehicle for 5600 a year. That's $50 a month, and you have the choice of paying monthly or in advance. This price includes discounts for having a good driving record, and for also having your homeowner's insurance with us as well as your auto insurance. It includes comprehensive coverage, uninsured motorist protection, and up to $50,000 ability. We could begin coverage at the first of next month. If you have more questions I'd be happy to answer them. You can reach me at 590-095-6446 or on my cell at 342-768-0120 Thank you for considering Premium Insurance

What is the main purpose of the message?

Humans were the first "computers". Then machines were invented to carry out the computational tasks. Now these machines have given way to new forms of information technology. Information has become accessible from anywhere.

Information technology deals with the acquisition, processing, storage and dissemination of vocal, pictorial, textual and numerical information by a microelectronics-based combination of computing and telecommunications. Thanks to the continuous development of computers, the original computing systems became minicomputers and later personal computers took the lead. Nowadays, mobile phones are dethroning the personal computer and computing is evolving faster to become disembodied more like a cloud, becoming accessible more easily whenever needed. Information technology in this sense has transformed people and companies and has allowed digital technology to influence society and economy alike.

From the text, we can conclude that ...

Leeches are slimy worms with two suckers, a big one at the rear end and the smaller one at the mouth. They also have powerful muscles which enable them to expand and contract their bodies.

Mest leeches live off the blood of other creatures. A leech attaches itself to its victim by merging its skin and secretes a substance which prevents the blood from clotting. Then it sucks up the blood. As it sucks, it expands so many times its normal size. Once a leech attaches itself to its victim, it is very difficult to remove. However, if you put salt on it, it soon falls off and dies

Many years ago, people believed that some diseases were caused because a patient had too much blood in his/her body. Doctors would then attach leeches on to the patient. Some leeches, in fact, were specially bred for this purpose.

According to the text, we can infer that ...

In Montana and Wyoming, a cowboy’s life is harder in the winter than in other

seasons. During the spring and fall round-ups, a cowboy works long hours. The weather is good, however, and he enjoys being out of doors. The sun shines almost every day, and it rarely rains. During July and August there is little work for a cowboy, and he can spend much of his time at rodeos, his favourite form of recreation. In the winters, as in the spring and fall, a cowboy also has a lot to do, but the severe weather makes his work very difficult. He often works in extreme cold and wind. Even when the weather is bad, he rides his horse continuously, watching over his stock and taking care of the weak animals that cannot stand the wind and cold.

With which of the following sentences should the paragraph end?

Refugees are obviously not a new phenomenon. It has been said that Adam and Eve share the dubious honour of being the first refugees. In biblical times the Hebrews, to escape from slavery under the pharaos, fled from Egypt in one of the first recorded collective migrations. Throughout history, wars, invasions, and religions and political persecutions have left a trail of refugees and a concomitant acceptance of the right in churches, mosques, and other holy places. The 17th century Dutch jurist Hugo Grotious, himself a refugee, provided that they submit themselves to the established government and observe any regulations which are necessary to avoid strites,” However, until the 20th century, there were no international agreements covering the right of asylum. Only in a few instances appropriate national legislation was enacted.

The paragraph following the passage mostly likely discusses ...

Gambut has dark brown to blackish colours. Although its basic materials are grey, brown, or reddish, after decomposition, the dark humic compounds will appear. Furthermore, based on the weight of the contents, peat soil or gambut, which has undergone further decomposition, has a content weight ranging from 0.2 to 0.3 g/cm3. Due to the low content weight, peat has a large capacity as water storage, about 2 - 4 times its dry weight. In fact, moss peat that has not been decomposed can store up to 12 or 15 or even 20 times more water than its own weight. In addition, peat soil has a large absorption area, which is up to 4 times greater than montmorillonite clay.

The phrase “large capacity as water storage” in paragraph 2 can be replaced by ...

Today, millions of people want to learn or improve their English but it is difficult to

find the best method. Is it better to study in Britain or America or to study in your own country?

The advantages of going to Britain seem obvious. Firstly, you will be able to listen to the language all the time you are in the country. You will be surrounded completely by the language wherever you go. Another advantage is that you have to speak the language if you are with other people.

On the other hand, there are also advantages to staying at home to study. You don't have to make big changes to your life. As well as this, it is also a lot cheaper than going to Britain but it is never possible to achieve the results of living in the UK. If you have a good teacher, I think you can learn in a more concentrated way than being in Britain without going to a school.

So, in conclusion, I think that if you have enough time and enough money, the best choice is to spend some time in the UK. This is simply not possible for most people, so being here is the only viable option. The most important thing to do in this situation is to maximize your opportunities to speak only English in class and to try to use English whenever possible outside the class.

According to the text, which is NOT true ...