I. Word Choice (11%)
1. The New Jersey hospital’s emergency department is one of a few in the nation with a _____ care program, a growing specialty that gives patients more control over their treatment and life in their final months or days.
(A) palliative (B) dismissive (C) meager (D) frilly 2. I escape to my room as quickly as possible and _____ down under the covers.
(A) peruse (B) ruminate (C) mince (D) burrow
3. Cato has finished the first phase of his _____ and takes out his anger on the smoking remains by kicking open various containers.
(A) lethargy (B) tantrum (C) despondency (D) levity
4. An annular solar eclipse will take place on May 20, when the moon will pass between Earth and the sun, thereby _____ the image of the sun for a viewer on Earth. The annular phase will be visible from the Chinese coast, the south of Japan, and the western part of the United States and Canada.
(A) obscuring (B) devolving (C) lampooning (D) dawdling
5. The discovery of the New World made it _____ that more accurate maps be devised in order to allow reliable navigation.
(A) imperative (B) incontrovertible (C) academic (D) debatable
6. To establish the validity of the _____ that cigarette smoking causes lung cancer, epidemiologists had to establish that the higher rate of lung cancer in smokers is caused solely by smoking and not by other factors.
(A) induction (B) misapprehension (C) approbation (D) utilization
7. Some of US President Barack Obama’s email correspondence was swept up by Russian hackers last year in a bleach of the White House’s unclassified computer system that was far more _____ and worrying than has been publicly acknowledged.
(A) permanent (B) munificent (C) nonchalant (D) intrusive
8. Our growing addition to technology has become even more dramatic thanks to the proliferation of mobile devices. While their benefits are bountiful, that same powerful computer in our pocket is also _____ obsessive behavior, often served up with heaping sides of angst.
(A) burgeoning (B) debunking (C) percolating (D) spawning
9. Taiwan has long offered free half-day tour packages to travelers with long _____ transiting in the nation, but the service remains little-known to oversea visitors.
(A) layovers (B) fiascos (C) custodians (D) refectories
10. A Thai court has issued an arrest warrant for a high-ranking army officer over human trafficking, making him the first military figure in Thailand to be _____ in the trade in migrants from Myanmar and Bangladesh.
(A) exterminated (B) unraveled (C) implicated (D) corroborated
11. The _____ absence of top players from global companies at Computex Taipei, such as Intel Corp Chief executive Brain Krzanich and Microsoft Corp Executive Satya Nadell, is a sign that China is gradually overtaking Taiwan as a key supplier to the world’s electronics industry.
(A) extraneous (B) glaring (C) euphoric (D) stringent
II. Cloze (7%)
Between 1450 and 1550 the foundations for Renaissance and modern science were laid in Europe. Two partially conflicting discoveries were of paramount importance in this process; first, the practical rediscovery of the works of the ancient authors like Plato and Aristotle, and second, the realization that these revered sources were __12__ both partial correction and sometimes wholesale revision. From this simultaneous acceptance and rejection __13__ the modern scientific method so well exemplified by Galileo.
Medieval thought on material world was solidly based on __14__ of the Greeks, especially Aristotle, and other notable historic authors. By 1450 the whole works of Plato and Aristotle were available in Latin translations direct from the Greek. Copernicus, despite the vastness of the change involved in his theory of the earth's revolution around the sun, retained the belief of many Greek astronomers of the spherical nature of the universe and its limitation by the sphere of the fixed stars. He also retained the ancient idea of the uniform circular motion of all heavenly bodies. Even a towering Renaissance figure like the father of modern anatomy, Andreas Vesalius, consciously based his research on the then 1,300 year old findings of the dusty Galen.
__15__ all the respect paid to the luminaries of the past, scientific thought was in motion. Former notions were subjected to freshly designed experiments and rigorous debates before they were accepted. __16__ in the opening years of the Renaissance Platonic thought was revived and Aristotle was confirmed as the master of biology, cracks began to appear in his systems of cosmology and mechanics. By the middle of the seventeenth century, Aristotle's physics and cosmology had both completely collapsed, while his biology was being laboriously rebuilt. The Greek science of alchemy had effectively been replaced by chemistry built mainly on the technological traditions of artisans and craftsman, and the exploration of the structure and function of the human body had become a new profession based on observation and experimentation __17__ scholarly memorization. science itself had emerged as a vocation supported by its specialized philosophers, its specialized __18__ in the art of discovery, and its highly skilled instrument makers. Science had evolved from its more primitive stages and was ready for the glittering gains of the following period.
12. (A) susceptible to (B) liable for (C) subject to (D) intended for 13. (A) coming (B) came (C) to come (D) come
14. (A) which (B) what (C) it (D) that
15. (A) But for (B) Because of (C) Instead of (D) As of 16. (A) Until (B) Although (C) As (D) Unless 17. (A) let alone (B) along with (C) as a result of (D) rather than 18. (A) exponents (B) subcontractors (C) concessionaires (D) foremen III. Passage Completion (12%)
Elizabeth Lopez maneuvered a massive steel claw over the side of a sailboat and guided its descent through swaying kelp and schools of fish 10 miles off the coast and San Diego. She was hoping to catch pieces of a mysterious marine ecosystem that scientists are calling the plasticsphere.
It starts with particles of __19__ plastic no bigger than grains of salt. Bacteria take up __20__ on those tiny pieces of trash. Then single-celled animals feed on the bacteria, and larger __21__ feed on them. “We’ve created a new man-made ecosystem of plastic debris,” said Lopez, a graduate student at the University of San Diego.
The plasticsphere was six decades in the __22__. It’s a product of the discarded plastic – flip-flops, margarine tubes, toys, toothbrushes – that gets swept from urban sewer systems and river channels into the sea. When that debris
washes into the ocean, it breaks down into bits that are __23__ by microscopic organisms that scientists are just beginning to understand. Researchers suspect that some of the __24__ may be pathogens hitching long-distance rides on floating junk.
Scientists also fear that creatures in the plasticsphere break down chunks of plastic so completely that dangerous chemicals __25__ into the environment. “This is an issues of great concern,” said Tracy Mincer, a marine geochemist at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution in Massachusetts. About 245 millions tons of plastic is produced annually around the world, according to industry estimates. That represents 7- pounds of plastic annually for each of the 7.1 billion people on the planet, scientists say.
The waste gathers in vast ocean “garbage patches” formed by __26__ currents and winds. Once trapped in these dead zones, plastic particles may persist for centuries.
Edward Carpenter, a professor of microbial ecology, first reported that microbes could attach themselves to plastic particles __27__ at sea 1972. He observed that these particles enabled the growth of algae and probably bacteria and __28__ that hazardous chemicals may have leached out of bits of plastic. Carpenter’s discovery went largely __29__ for decades. But now scientific effort to understand how the plasticsphere influences the ocean environment has become a growing field of study. Scientists are collecting seawater and marine life so they can analyze the plastic fragments they contain. Their findings are shedding new light on the __30__ of humanity’s addition to plastic.
“We’re changing the basic rhythms of life in the world’s oceans, and we need to understand the consequences of that,” said marine biologist Miriam Goldstein, who studied plastic debris in the Great Pacific Garbage Patch between Hawaii and California.
Answer Key
19. BE 20. D 21. AC 22. CD 23. BC 24. AB
25. BD 26. B 27. A 28. C 29. AD 30. E
(A) adrift (B) converging (C) speculated (D) residence (E) ramifications (AB) denizens (AC) predators (AD) unnoticed (BC) colonized (BD) percolate (BE) degraded (CD) making IV. Please clarify the use of following sets of words by making up a sentence respectively for each word.
(10%) 1. (4%)
(A) insure (v.) (B) ensure (v.) (C) assure (v.) (D) reassure (v.) 2. (3%)
(A) preserve (v.) (B) conserve (v.) (C) reserve (v.) 3. (3%)
(A) retain (v.) (B) maintain (v.) (C) sustain (v.)
V. Essay Writing: Many students are confused about noun clauses. Can you please explain the concept of noun clauses with examples? (10%)
VI. Please rewrite the given article into a two-paragraph passage. Then write a cloze test with 5 multiple-choice questions based on your two-paragraph passage with your answers enclosed. (15%) What Is Identity Crisis During Adolescence?
The period during which adolescents develop a sense of identity is a challenging stage for adolescents.
Adolescents going through the stage describe it as the years of discovery or finding themselves. During this period, many adolescents embrace change and identify a goal or a plan for the next stages of their lives. For some teens, this stage becomes a struggle, as they have difficulty understanding the changes their bodies are going through or have not achieved the sense of self-identity they need to move forward. This is known as an identity crisis. By understanding the adolescent identity crisis, it is possible to help your teen through this difficult stage.
Identity Crisis of Children Adopted or Displaced
Understand the identity crisis among adolescents who have been displaced or experienced some kind of trauma.
Adopted adolescents experience loss and grief as they transition into families they are not familiar with. According to the Administration of Children and Families, “Adopted persons' questions about identity often occur first during adolescence. The task of identity development during adolescence is often more difficult for the adopted teenager because of the additional adoption issues.”
Adolescents' Search for Identity
Look closely at the family unit. Adolescents struggle with finding a unique identity when they are among other siblings. According to psychologist Stephen A. Johnson, “If the first child, for example, decides to be a serious intellectual, the second may seek individuality by becoming a jokester. Seeing these two places already taken, the third child may choose to be an athlete.” Each child will look for individuality in their search for identity. When a child cannot find his own identity, an identity crisis will manifest.
Explain Traditions and Cultural Backgrounds
Provide a platform for identity growth by helping your teen understand who she is and her culture. Many adolescents follow family traditions and religious ceremonies without fully understanding why they do them or what they stand for. According to psychiatrist M.A.M. Khan, “The students of today also face an identity crisis.
Immediately after [Indian] Independence, there was no identity crisis, because everyone took pride in being Indian.”
Recognize the Adolescent's Reaction to Failure
Provide encouragement and security for the adolescent, especially when something has failed. The response to failure in some adolescents is anger toward family, political leaders, or religious organizations. Some adolescents who are in crisis may become social dropouts or turn to drugs and alcohol to deny that the problem exists.
Talk to Your Adolescent
Communicate with your teen and be available for open discussions when needed. An adolescent with an identity crisis can be an open book waiting to be written by outside influences or guided by someone who loves and cares for him. Helping your teen through this stage will build future bonds and strengthen the family unit.
Understand the Rebellion Stage
Identify rebellious behavior as your adolescent's struggle for uniqueness. Rebellion is outward frustration and a plea for attention by the adolescent in an identity crisis. Understand that the adolescent's rejection of family, school and society is usually temporary. Often, the rebellious behavior is found to be useless and quickly goes away.
VII. Please read the given passage and draw up a reading comprehension question test with 5 questions.
There should be 4 corresponding options in each question. Please underline the correct answer to your question. (15%)
Can you be too beautiful? It is hardly a problem that most of us have to contemplate – as much as we might like
to dream that it were the case.
Yet the blessings and curses of beauty have been a long-standing interest in psychology. Do those blessed with symmetrical features and a striking figure live in a cloud of appreciation – or does it sometimes pay to be plain?
Combing through decades of findings, social psychologists Lisa Slattery Walker and Tonya Frevert at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte have reviewed all the evidence to date – and their conclusions are not what you might expect.
At the most superficial level, beauty might be thought to carry a kind of halo around it; we see that someone has one good attribute, and by association, our subconscious assumes that they have been blessed in other departments too. “It’s one of many status characteristics that we can identify very early in our interactions,” says Walker.
To psychologists, this is called the “what is beautiful is good” heuristic, but fans of the sitcom 30 Rock might recognize this as “the bubble”. Jon Hamm’s character is remarkably incompetent, yet manages to live in blissful self-delusion thanks to his good looks. As a doctor, for example, he can’t even perform the Heimlich manoeuvre, but somehow managed to drift through medical school thanks to his natural charm.
According to the available evidence, the bubble is a reality. In education, for instance, Walker and Frevert found a wealth of research showing that better looking students, at school and university, tend to be judged by teachers as being more competent and intelligent – and that was reflected in the grades they gave them.
What’s more, the bubble’s influence inflates over the years. “There’s a cumulative effect,” explains Frevert.
“You become more confident and have more positive beliefs and more opportunities to demonstrate your competence.”
In the workplace, your face really can be your fortune. When everything else is considered, more attractive people tend to earn more money and climb higher on the corporate ladder than people who are considered less pleasing on the eye. One study of MBA graduates found that there was about a 10 to 15% difference in earnings between the most and least attractive people in the group – which added up to about $230,000 (£150,000) over a lifetime. “You are being conferred advantages throughout your life, from your schooldays into the workplace,” says Walker.
Even in the courts, a pleasing appearance can work its magic. Attractive defendants are likely to get more lenient sentences, or to escape conviction entirely; attractive plaintiffs, meanwhile, are more likely to win their case and get bigger financial settlements. “It’s a pervasive effect,” says Walker.
But if beauty pays in most circumstances, there are still situations where it can backfire. While attractive men may be considered better leaders, for instance, implicit sexist prejudices can work against attractive women, making
them less likely to be hired for high-level jobs that require authority. (If you want Hollywood’s take on this truism, Frevert and Walker suggest that you look no further than Reese Witherspoon’s Legally Blonde.) And as you might expect, good-looking people of both genders run into jealousy – one study found that if you are interviewed by someone of the same sex, they may be less likely to recruit you if they judge that you are more attractive than they are.
More worryingly, being beautiful or handsome could harm your medical care. We tend to link good looks to health, meaning that illnesses are often taken less seriously when they affect the good-looking. When treating people for pain, for instance, doctors tend to take less care over the more attractive people.
And the bubble of beauty can be a somewhat lonely place. One study in 1975, for instance, found that people tend to move further away from a beautiful woman on the pathway – perhaps as a mark of respect, but still making interaction more distant. “Attractiveness can convey more power over visible space – but that in turn can make others feel they can’t approach that person,” says Frevert. Interestingly, the online dating website OKCupid recently reported that people with the most flawlessly beautiful profile pictures are less likely to find dates than those with quirkier, less perfect pics – perhaps because the prospective dates are less intimidated.
So, as you might have guessed, being beautiful is not a passport to certain happiness – though it helps. Frevert and Walker are keen to emphasise that like our conceptions of beauty itself, these influences are superficial and by no means deep-rooted in our biology, as some might suggest. “We have a whole set of cultural ideals about beauty that let us say if someone is attractive – and through those same ideals, we begin to associate it with competence,” says Walker. In a sense, it’s just a cognitive shortcut for a quick appraisal. “And like many of the shortcuts we use, it’s not very reliable,” says Frevert. And it could be fairly easy to lessen the impact – if human resources departments give more information about a candidate’s achievements before an interview, for example.
Ultimately, Frevert points out that focusing too much on your appearance can itself be detrimental if it creates undue stress and anxiety – even for those already blessed with good looks. “If you are obsessing about attractiveness, it may alter your experience and interactions,” she says. It’s a cliché, but no amount of beauty can make up for a bad personality. As the writer Dorothy Parker put it so elegantly: “Beauty is only skin deep, but ugly goes clean to the bone.”
VIII. As Taoyuan Senior High School English teachers, we have difficulty effectively helping students improve their speaking and writing skills. Please come up with feasible approaches and incorporate them into the regular course. Specify your objectives and procedures. And you are expected to take the following variables into consideration.(20%)
A 11th-year class composed of 45 students.
3 of them at high-intermediate level of GEPT, 7 of them intermediate level, 31 of them elementary level, and the rest of them hardly passed elementary level.
