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The thrift store business has gone big-time. What used to be a local, mom-and-pop business has been tech-enabled. The technology inclusion allows what were local inventories of unique items to be available worldwide. The resale business, as it is now known, has scaled up. All are facilitated by venture capital and private equity. This business type handles thousands of items and hundreds of millions of dollars of product. The appeal is manifold. Consumers save money on brands they love and help the environment by giving old products new life. Consumers can turn their old stuff into money to buy replacement or other products. The impact goes well beyond resale and has potential to further chip away at the performance of department stores and off-price retailers like Burlington Coat, TJX. (adapted from: https://www.forbes.com/)

The underlined word ‘can’ in the passage means ....

Read the passage carefully and choose the best answer!

The thrift store business has gone big-time. What used to be a local, mom-and-pop business has been tech-enabled. The technology inclusion allows what were local inventories of unique items to be available worldwide. The resale business, as it is now known, has scaled up. All are facilitated by venture capital and private equity. This business type handles thousands of items and hundreds of millions of dollars of product. The appeal is manifold. Consumers save money on brands they love and help the environment by giving old products new life. Consumers can turn their old stuff into money to buy replacement or other products. The impact goes well beyond resale and has potential to further chip away at the performance of department stores and off-price retailers like Burlington Coat, TJX. (adapted from: https://www.forbes.com/)

…. plays an important role in the rise and success of resale business.

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(1) (1)I ask every student I interview for admission to my institution, Pitzer College, the same question, “What do you look forward to the most in college?”. (2)I was stunned and delighted recently when a student sat across from me at a Starbucks in New York City and replied, “I look forward to the possibility of failure”. (3)Of course, this is not how most students respond to the question when sitting before the person who makes decisions about their academic futures. (4)However, this young man took a risk. (5)They do silly things, mess up, fall down, and lack confidence.

(2) “My parents have never let me fail,” he said. “When I want to take a chance at something, they remind me it’s not a safe route to take. Taking a more rigorous course or trying an activity I may not succeed in, they tell me, will ruin my chances at college admission.”

(3) I wish I could tell you this is an uncommon story, but kids all over the world admit they are under tremendous pressure to be perfect. When I was traveling in China last fall and asked a student what she did for fun, he replied: “I thought I wasn’t supposed to tell you that? I wouldn’t want you to think I am not serious about my work!”

(4) Students are usually in shock when I chuckle and tell them I never expect perfection. In fact, I prefer they not project it in their college applications. Of course, this goes against everything they’ve been told and makes young people uncomfortable. How could a dean of admission at one of America’s most selective institutions not want the best and the brightest? The reality is, perfection does not exist, and we do not expect to see it in a college application. “In fact, admission officers tend to be skeptical of students who present themselves as individuals without flaws.”

(5) These days, finding imperfections in a college application is like looking for a needle in a haystack. Students try their best to hide factor they perceive to be negative and only tell us things they believe we will find impressive. (adapted from: https://www.edweek.org/)

Which sentence is NOT relevant in paragraph 1?

Read the passage carefully and choose the best answer!

(1) (1)I ask every student I interview for admission to my institution, Pitzer College, the same question, “What do you look forward to the most in college?”. (2)I was stunned and delighted recently when a student sat across from me at a Starbucks in New York City and replied, “I look forward to the possibility of failure”. (3)Of course, this is not how most students respond to the question when sitting before the person who makes decisions about their academic futures. (4)However, this young man took a risk. (5)They do silly things, mess up, fall down, and lack confidence.

(2) “My parents have never let me fail,” he said. “When I want to take a chance at something, they remind me it’s not a safe route to take. Taking a more rigorous course or trying an activity I may not succeed in, they tell me, will ruin my chances at college admission.”

(3) I wish I could tell you this is an uncommon story, but kids all over the world admit they are under tremendous pressure to be perfect. When I was traveling in China last fall and asked a student what she did for fun, he replied: “I thought I wasn’t supposed to tell you that? I wouldn’t want you to think I am not serious about my work!”

(4) Students are usually in shock when I chuckle and tell them I never expect perfection. In fact, I prefer they not project it in their college applications. Of course, this goes against everything they’ve been told and makes young people uncomfortable. How could a dean of admission at one of America’s most selective institutions not want the best and the brightest? The reality is, perfection does not exist, and we do not expect to see it in a college application. “In fact, admission officers tend to be skeptical of students who present themselves as individuals without flaws.”

(5) These days, finding imperfections in a college application is like looking for a needle in a haystack. Students try their best to hide factor they perceive to be negative and only tell us things they believe we will find impressive. (adapted from: https://www.edweek.org/)

Which paragraph illustrates that college admission accepts imperfectness?

Read the passage carefully and choose the best answer!

(1) (1)I ask every student I interview for admission to my institution, Pitzer College, the same question, “What do you look forward to the most in college?”. (2)I was stunned and delighted recently when a student sat across from me at a Starbucks in New York City and replied, “I look forward to the possibility of failure”. (3)Of course, this is not how most students respond to the question when sitting before the person who makes decisions about their academic futures. (4)However, this young man took a risk. (5)They do silly things, mess up, fall down, and lack confidence.

(2) “My parents have never let me fail,” he said. “When I want to take a chance at something, they remind me it’s not a safe route to take. Taking a more rigorous course or trying an activity I may not succeed in, they tell me, will ruin my chances at college admission.”

(3) I wish I could tell you this is an uncommon story, but kids all over the world admit they are under tremendous pressure to be perfect. When I was traveling in China last fall and asked a student what she did for fun, he replied: “I thought I wasn’t supposed to tell you that? I wouldn’t want you to think I am not serious about my work!”

(4) Students are usually in shock when I chuckle and tell them I never expect perfection. In fact, I prefer they not project it in their college applications. Of course, this goes against everything they’ve been told and makes young people uncomfortable. How could a dean of admission at one of America’s most selective institutions not want the best and the brightest? The reality is, perfection does not exist, and we do not expect to see it in a college application. “In fact, admission officers tend to be skeptical of students who present themselves as individuals without flaws.”

(5) These days, finding imperfections in a college application is like looking for a needle in a haystack. Students try their best to hide factor they perceive to be negative and only tell us things they believe we will find impressive. (adapted from: https://www.edweek.org/)

How are ideas in the sentences 1 and 2 in paragraph 4 related?

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(1) A doctor in pediatric respiratory medicine reported that with the rising popularity of vaping, the hospitals are treating many life-threatening cases. The doctor is concerned that e-cigarettes are advertised in the UK, given the severe reaction they can cause in children and a lack of scientific studies on their safety.

(2) E-cigarettes are promoted in the UK as a way to quit smoking because they let people inhale nicotine in vapour rather than breathing in smoke. The Director of Public Health England said vaping is 95% safer than smoking but is not without risks. He asserted that smoking kills half of lifelong smokers and accounts for almost 220 deaths in England every day. While it is not completely risk free, UK regulated e-cigarettes carry a fraction of the risk of smoked tobacco.

(3) This is supported by Dr. Hopkinson, the Medical Director of the British Lung Foundation. He stated that if people switch completely from smoking to vaping, they will substantially reduce their health risk as e-cigarettes do not contain tobacco and any harmful components are present at a much lower level. He advises people who switch to vaping to try to quit vaping in the long term too but not at the expense or relapsing to smoking.

(4) But there are arguments about how safe vaping really is. The World Health Organization says e-cigarettes are undoubtedly harmful and should therefore be subject to regulation. It also raises concerns about vaping being aggressively marketed at young people. It is also concerned about the possibility of e-smoking leading to the renormalization of smoking.

(5) A researcher studying the effects of vaping said the findings show that vaping is not safe, especially for the lungs or young people. He believes that it is dangerous to announce that e-cigarettes are much safer than tobacco. In conclusion, the best advice that can be given is: “if you smoke, switch to vaping; if you don’t smoke, don’t vape.”

The paragraph preceding the passage most likely concerns ....

Read the passage carefully and choose the best answer!

(1) A doctor in pediatric respiratory medicine reported that with the rising popularity of vaping, the hospitals are treating many life-threatening cases. The doctor is concerned that e-cigarettes are advertised in the UK, given the severe reaction they can cause in children and a lack of scientific studies on their safety.

(2) E-cigarettes are promoted in the UK as a way to quit smoking because they let people inhale nicotine in vapour rather than breathing in smoke. The Director of Public Health England said vaping is 95% safer than smoking but is not without risks. He asserted that smoking kills half of lifelong smokers and accounts for almost 220 deaths in England every day. While it is not completely risk free, UK regulated e-cigarettes carry a fraction of the risk of smoked tobacco.

(3) This is supported by Dr. Hopkinson, the Medical Director of the British Lung Foundation. He stated that if people switch completely from smoking to vaping, they will substantially reduce their health risk as e-cigarettes do not contain tobacco and any harmful components are present at a much lower level. He advises people who switch to vaping to try to quit vaping in the long term too but not at the expense or relapsing to smoking.

(4) But there are arguments about how safe vaping really is. The World Health Organization says e-cigarettes are undoubtedly harmful and should therefore be subject to regulation. It also raises concerns about vaping being aggressively marketed at young people. It is also concerned about the possibility of e-smoking leading to the renormalization of smoking.

(5) A researcher studying the effects of vaping said the findings show that vaping is not safe, especially for the lungs or young people. He believes that it is dangerous to announce that e-cigarettes are much safer than tobacco. In conclusion, the best advice that can be given is: “if you smoke, switch to vaping; if you don’t smoke, don’t vape.”

What is the author’s attitude toward the topic of the passage?

Read the passage carefully and choose the best answer!

(1) A doctor in pediatric respiratory medicine reported that with the rising popularity of vaping, the hospitals are treating many life-threatening cases. The doctor is concerned that e-cigarettes are advertised in the UK, given the severe reaction they can cause in children and a lack of scientific studies on their safety.

(2) E-cigarettes are promoted in the UK as a way to quit smoking because they let people inhale nicotine in vapour rather than breathing in smoke. The Director of Public Health England said vaping is 95% safer than smoking but is not without risks. He asserted that smoking kills half of lifelong smokers and accounts for almost 220 deaths in England every day. While it is not completely risk free, UK regulated e-cigarettes carry a fraction of the risk of smoked tobacco.

(3) This is supported by Dr. Hopkinson, the Medical Director of the British Lung Foundation. He stated that if people switch completely from smoking to vaping, they will substantially reduce their health risk as e-cigarettes do not contain tobacco and any harmful components are present at a much lower level. He advises people who switch to vaping to try to quit vaping in the long term too but not at the expense or relapsing to smoking.

(4) But there are arguments about how safe vaping really is. The World Health Organization says e-cigarettes are undoubtedly harmful and should therefore be subject to regulation. It also raises concerns about vaping being aggressively marketed at young people. It is also concerned about the possibility of e-smoking leading to the renormalization of smoking.

(5) A researcher studying the effects of vaping said the findings show that vaping is not safe, especially for the lungs or young people. He believes that it is dangerous to announce that e-cigarettes are much safer than tobacco. In conclusion, the best advice that can be given is: “if you smoke, switch to vaping; if you don’t smoke, don’t vape.”

Which of the following is the best summary of the passage?

Read the passage carefully and choose the best answer!

(1) A doctor in pediatric respiratory medicine reported that with the rising popularity of vaping, the hospitals are treating many life-threatening cases. The doctor is concerned that e-cigarettes are advertised in the UK, given the severe reaction they can cause in children and a lack of scientific studies on their safety.

(2) E-cigarettes are promoted in the UK as a way to quit smoking because they let people inhale nicotine in vapour rather than breathing in smoke. The Director of Public Health England said vaping is 95% safer than smoking but is not without risks. He asserted that smoking kills half of lifelong smokers and accounts for almost 220 deaths in England every day. While it is not completely risk free, UK regulated e-cigarettes carry a fraction of the risk of smoked tobacco.

(3) This is supported by Dr. Hopkinson, the Medical Director of the British Lung Foundation. He stated that if people switch completely from smoking to vaping, they will substantially reduce their health risk as e-cigarettes do not contain tobacco and any harmful components are present at a much lower level. He advises people who switch to vaping to try to quit vaping in the long term too but not at the expense or relapsing to smoking.

(4) But there are arguments about how safe vaping really is. The World Health Organization says e-cigarettes are undoubtedly harmful and should therefore be subject to regulation. It also raises concerns about vaping being aggressively marketed at young people. It is also concerned about the possibility of e-smoking leading to the renormalization of smoking.

(5) A researcher studying the effects of vaping said the findings show that vaping is not safe, especially for the lungs or young people. He believes that it is dangerous to announce that e-cigarettes are much safer than tobacco. In conclusion, the best advice that can be given is: “if you smoke, switch to vaping; if you don’t smoke, don’t vape.”

From the passage it can be concluded that the more ....