Master-the-art-of-NEC [PDF]

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LỜI NÓI ĐẦU Kì thi Học Sinh Giỏi Quốc Gia (HSGQG) tổ chức tháng 1 hàng năm luôn là một ngày hội lớn với các bạn học sinh cấp 3 trên mọi miền tổ quốc. Đối với môn Tiếng Anh, một giải thưởng không chỉ là một tấm vé tuyển thẳng Đại Học, một điểm cộng trong hồ sơ du học mà còn là một niềm tự hào to lớn. Tuy vậy, điều quan trọng không nằm ở phần thưởng cuối cùng, mà là ở quá trình cố gắng học tập, ở những kiến thức ta thu được. Hiểu rõ được điều này, Ambrosia xin giới thiệu đến các bạn học sinh và quý thầy cô quyển sách “Master The Art of The NEC” với mục đích hỗ trợ cho quá trình ôn luyện và giảng dạy HSGQG môn Tiếng Anh. Quyển sách được chia thành các phần nhỏ Listening, Lexico-Grammar, Reading, Writing và Speaking đúng theo cấu trúc của kì thi Học Sinh Giỏi Quốc Gia. Mỗi phần sẽ bao gồm những ghi chú hướng dẫn và kinh nghiệm của nhóm tác giả về cách làm bài, cách luyện tập cũng như các chuyên đề đặc biệt và bài tập luyện tập. Ngoài ra, “Master The Art of The NEC” còn đem đến cho độc giả các bài kiểm tra kỹ năng và 2 đề luyện tập với cấu trúc giống như đề thi HSGQG chính thức. Vì kiến thức của sách rất rộng nên độc giả còn có thể dùng sách với mục đích ôn tập cho những kì thi chuẩn hóa như IELTS, TOEFL hay CAE. “Master The Art of the NEC” là những tâm huyết và kiến thức đúc kết từ những trải nghiệm thực tế của nhóm tác giả, những người đã gắn bó với Tiếng Anh Chuyên trong suốt nhiều năm qua. Quá trình soạn sách tuy rất vất vả nhưng Ambrosia vẫn luôn cố gắng tối ưu hóa chất lượng nội dung cuốn sách với sự nhiệt huyết và đam mê cao nhất. Chắc chắn những sai sót là không thể tránh khỏi nhưng Ambrosia hi vọng độc giả vẫn sẽ luôn luôn ủng hộ đứa con tinh thần này để bọn mình có thể tiếp tục tiến bộ và cải thiện trong tương lai. Mọi góp ý xin gửi về email: [email protected] hoặc fanpage: www.facebook.com/iloveambrosia Trân trọng cảm ơn Nhóm tác giả Ambrosia

GIỚI THIỆU VỀ AMBROSIA VÀ NHÓM TÁC GIẢ Ambrosia High School for The Gifted được thành lập tháng 7 năm 2017 nhằm mục đích mang lại một môi trường học tập và trao dồi kiến thức Tiếng Anh chuyên cho các bạn học sinh trên toàn quốc. Ambrosia luôn cố gắng đem lại những kiến thức và trải nghiệm để giúp các học sinh tự tin trước những kì thi Chuyên, HSG. Ngoài những bài đăng chia sẻ kiến thức, suốt một năm qua, Ambrosia đã nhiều lần tổ chức thi thử cho các cuộc thi HSGQG, Olympic 30/4 hay thi vào 10 Chuyên và luôn đồng hành cùng các thí sinh trong các cuộc thi Tiếng Anh Chuyên lớn. Tất cả những nỗ lực này của bọn mình đều nhằm phát triển phong trào Chuyên Tiếng Anh rộng rãi. Nhóm Tác Giả là những sinh viên và học sinh Chuyên Anh đã đạt được những thành tích cao trong các kì thi học sinh giỏi khu vực và quốc gia cũng như các kì thi chuẩn hóa quốc tế. Nhưng quan trọng hơn cả, bọn mình đều có một niềm đam mê với Chuyên Tiếng Anh và một niềm mong muốn được chia sẻ kiến thức. Ambrosia hi vọng những kiến thức và tâm huyết của bọn mình sẽ được vận dụng tối đa để giúp đỡ các bạn trong các cuộc thi sắp tới! Nhóm tác giả đồng thực hiện cuốn sách này:

Co-founders:

Ban Marketing

Diệp Đỉnh Khang

Trương Vũ Nguyên Uyên

Nguyễn Vũ Hoàng Tấn

Nguyễn Thị Bích Ngọc

Trần Hải Anh

Lý Nguyễn Khánh Linh

Ban Academic Content:

Ban Technical - Design

Chiêu Kim Quỳnh

Nguyễn Bá Phong

Nguyễn Minh Long

Trần Vũ Nam Khánh

Đặng Thị Hoài Linh

Nguyễn Lê Gia Thịnh

Trần Nguyễn Duy Thông

Hứa Phương Anh

Lê Gia Huy Nguyễn Huy Hiệu

MASTER the ART of NEC

PART ONE: LISTENING IELTS LISTENING notes I. Tips and notes Part 1 in the National English Competition is usually adapted from the IELTS Listening (any sections) with complete or partial revisions. This part comprises 5 questions, which can be in any forms ranging from gap-filling, true-false, multiple-choice,…These questions are generally easy, yet they require meticulous concentration as some may be tricky. In order to get a prize, maximum score on this part is a prerequisite. Tips to conquer this part are as follows:

DO - Read the instructions carefully since failure to follow the instructions can lead to your being penalised heavily. - Stay focused all the time. Do not underestimate the difficulty of the questions and do not skip listening the second time. - Read and underline the questions and the sentences carefully. Sometimes the idea order in the listening extract will not be the same as that of the questions, especially in case of listing. - Be careful of words like “about”, “the most”, “always” since these words can be incorporated to mislead careless listeners. For gap-filling questions:  Read the instructions to know the maximum number of words allowed.  Make sure your answer is grammatically correct.  Check your spelling carefully as a misspelt answer is counted as a wrong answer.  Look out for answers which are plural.  Try to predict the part of speech (e.g, noun, verb, adjective, etc.) of the answer  Pay attention to your handwriting. If the examiner cannot read what you have written, it will be marked as incorrect. For T/F questions:  Underline key words in the question. This will help you determine more clearly which piece of information you should listen for.  Move on to another question if you miss an answer. This will save you precious time as well as prevent you from missing more answers.  Try to anticipate what the speaker will say. This will help you to prepare for new information and minimize the chance of missing answers.  Look out for paraphrased information. Pieces of information and specific details in the recording are often stated in a different way to trick careless examinees.

DON’T - Leave an answer blank. - Rush through questions. There are frequently many traps in the recording, notably information changes. - Lose focus or get distracted. You can miss out many answers if you fail to concentrate. - Try to understand everything. Focus only on important pieces of information or details. difficulty and do not skip listening the second tme. fb.com/iloveambrosia I 3

in II. theHow recording are often in a different way to trick careless examinees. to practice

1.

Find quality IELTS books

There are manifold types of IELTS books catered for students of all levels. NEC participants should pay more heed to advanced-level books which will match the difficulty level of the real exam. Students can obtain books by buying them in bookstores (not too feasible because of the extravagant costs and the limited range of books in Vietnam) or downloading them from the Internet (highly recommended). Some credible books are IELTS Practice Test Plus 1, 2, 3, Complete IELTS Band 6.5-7.5, IELTS Trainer, Succeed in IELTS, IELTS Essentials, IELTS Simulation, IELTS Actual Tests, etc.

2.

Search for IELTS listening exercises on Youtube There is an abundance of IELTS listening exercises with wide-ranging levels of difficulty on Youtube. One obstacle is that students have to spend a large amount of time looking at computer screen, which can cause eye strain and exert a detrimental influence on overall health so follow this approach just for a suitable amount of time. Here are some of trustworthy Youtube channels for IELTS listening exercises: IELTS Listening Channel, IELTS Galaxy, IELTS Tips, The IELTS Listening Test, etc.

3.

Practice with friends Studying with friends proves to be a boon to students’ learning process since it will furnish them with greater learning motivation, either by dint of peer pressure or mutual encouragement. In this method, students and their friends can learn from each other’s both strengths and weaknesses for the sake of self-amelioration. Therefore, students can set aside a certain amount of time on group study to further improve their skills.

4.

Take it less seriously This means that students should listen not just for doing exercises but also for other purposes. IELTS listening exercises are abundant, many of which are truly informative or entertaining. Thereby, students can listen to IELTS audio just to obtain useful information and background knowledge without having to complete any kind of exercises in order to relax themselves.I. Common Mistakes III. Common mistakes

1.

Not using prediction skills Some of the answers can be anticipated from the contexts of the questions so it is crucial that students make some predictions in order to find the answers more easily. However, the anticipated answers should be for reference only and don’t let them cloud your judgement.

2.

Lose pace of the track Some questions may be a little bit more difficult than the rest and take you more time. However, if students still find the answers murky, do not focus on it too much and move on straight to the next questions in order to keep up with the listening tracks or else you will lose pace of the listening tracks and miss out on the entire following questions.

3.

Rush to answer the questions When test-takers think that they find out the answers, take them with a pinch of salt because these may not be the ultimate answers due to possible distractors ahead. Therefore, pay more attention to distractors and decide on the eventual answers carefully.

4.

Exceed the word limits Some of IELTS listening exercises require students to write TWO or THREE words or even ONE word only so read the instructions carefully before doing any exercises. Even if your answer is correct, you will still be penalized if you exceed the word limit.

5.

Grammar mistakes Pay close attention to grammar elements like plural forms, subject-verb agreement or verb tenses in order to have a grammatically correct answer.

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MASTER the ART of NEC IV. Exercises Please access the link below and download the audio files in order to complete the listening exercises: http://bit.ly/2ohWjZ9

1. (NEC 2017 Listening Part 1- Source: Succeed in IELTS)

FAIRVIEW LAKE CAMPING CENTRE

Three functions of the center: Conference center (1) _____________ Recreation activities The customer wants to bring children who (2) _______________ Academic courses: Maths, Sciences, Languages, (3) ______________ Sports: sailing, windsurfing, volleyball, rowing, athletics, (4) ______________ Accommodation facilities: The Birch Unit 8 people Greenback Row (5) _____________ Cabins 1-3 10 people each Cabins 5-6 12 people each

2.

(NEC 2018 Listening Part 1 - Source: IELTS Cambridge 7)

For questions 1-5, listen to a telephone conversation between a passenger and an official at the land transport information service at Toronto Airport and decide whether the statements are True (T) or False (F). Write your answers in the corresponding numbered boxes provided. 1. Milton is about 150 miles southwest of the airport. 2. The woman can afford to get to Milton by taxi. 3. The Greyhound bus departs only once a day at 11:30 AM. 4. A return ticket for the Shuttle bus costs $69. 5. The Shuttle bus can be reserved through the official.

___________ ___________ ___________ ___________ ___________

3. Choose the correct answer A, B or C 1. Speakers have to know A. their material B. their audience 2. Experienced speakers A. always try to wing it B. never arrive unprepared 3. You should always rehearse A. with friends who can advise B. with all the equipment 4. It is a good idea to A. be discreet with the audience B. meet your fans 5. Taking a few deep breaths before you begin A. will prevent panic attacks B. will guarantee a relaxing ambience C. will transform tension into energy

C. their limitations C. give the best preparations C. more than once C. welcome your audience

4. (Source: IELTS TRAINER) Listen to the recording and do as follows. Which attitude is associated with the following people during the conversation? Choose 6 answers from the box and write the correct letter, A-H, next to questions 1-6

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MASTER the ART of NEC 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

Cressida’s fellow students Cressida Ainsley Webb Dr Erskine Professor Jenkins TV news centre staff

A B C D E F G H

________ ________ ________ ________ ________ ________

amused critical forgetful impatient polite relaxed sympathetic unrealistic

(Question 7-10) Choose the correct letter A, B, or C 7. What was Cressida asked to do at the beginning of her replacement? A. Go out to buy things for the production team B. Run errands to other part of the TV news centre C. Meet visitors and escort them to the studio 8. What was fortunate for Cressida? A. She was familiar with a piece of equipment. B. She spent a lot of time in the editing suite. C. She was given a chance to interview someone. 9. What does Cressida feel she needs to improve? A. Her understanding of business B. Her organisational skills C. Her ability to work in a team 10. What has given her an idea for her final assignment? A. A meeting with a public relations professional B. Seeing a politician speaking to an audience C. A disagreement with a TV presenter

5.

(Source: IELTS Essentials) Listen to a talk about waste and waste treatment and complete the following

tasks. For questions 1-7, listen and answer the following questions with NO MORE THAN FOUR WORDS. 1. What was found to emerge during the times of ancient Greece and Rome? 1. ____________________________________________ 2. What enables the absorption of organic waste into the nature? 2. ____________________________________________ 3. What did science link with waste? 3. ____________________________________________ 4. Which invention is the biggest problem for the environment? 4. ____________________________________________ List THREE factors which led to the increase in waste 5. ____________________________________________ 6. ____________________________________________ 7. ____________________________________________ For questions 8-10, choose A-F from the box which country uses the highest proportion of each method of waste disposal. 8. incineration: ________ 9. landfill: ________ 10. recycling: ________

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A. Denmark B. Germany C. Japan D. Switzerland E. UK

MASTER the ART of NEC

6.

(Source: Succeed in IELTS) Listen to four business colleagues discussing a takeover proposal and complete

the following tasks. For questions 1-7, listen and fill in the missing information with NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS.

BIZZ-EDUCATORS INC. Upsides - A (1) ________________________ - An industry leader - Great respect from others and a great name - A lot of goodwill - A profit of over 500,000 pounds with a (2) ________________________ - A (3) ______________________ - Very high (4) _____________________ for 2012 and 2013

Downsides - The company’s desire to be (5) ______________________ makes this a hostile takeover. - A production-based company - A (6) ________________________ - Lack of synergy and cost savings

The official decision on whether to buy Bizz-Educators will be taken at tomorrow’s (7) __________________________ For questions 8-10, choose THREE letters A-G. What THREE requirements are there for the takeover of Bizz-Educators to go ahead? A. Assurances of no opposition from the management of Bizz-Educators 8. ______ B. An independent mediator be used to broker the deal 9. ______ C. An audit of the company’s books 10. ______ D. That a study of the company’s projected profit margin be conducted E. That the deal be kept secret until it is finalised F. That an analysis of the company’s goodwill assets be carried out G. That the asking price be lowered

7. (Source: IELTS Test Practice Book) Listen to a student, Eric, talking to his lecturer, Mrs Harris, about some

study difficulties and fill in the missing information with NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS. Struggling with (1) _________________, the student is advised by the lecturer to have a succinct rundown of (2) __________________. This should not be a (3) ________________ but contain the main point or (4) ________________, after which he can add supporting ideas and (5) __________________. Conciseness is the most important issue in summary. Some tips to write a summary - Actual summary begins with the (6) ___________________. - With (7) __________________, utilise bullet points to avert the impression of (8) ________________ and also to use them later whenever there is a need to (9) ______________ or ________________ from the text. - Older books require a justification about why they are used. - (10) _____________ and ______________ orders are both acceptable in data storage.

8. (Source: IELTS Simulation) Listen to a talk by health study lecturer on anxiety and complete the following

tasks. For questions 1-3, write NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS for each answer. Write your answer in the space provided. 1. Someone in an anxiety state has worse ____________________________ than normal. 2. A phobia may stem from heredity or ____________________________. 3. The reason for the final breakdown is generally linked with _________________________ like the loss of a loved one or a health crisis.

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MASTER the ART of NEC For questions 4-10, match the lettered phobic state to each symptom. Write your answers (A, B, C or D) in the corresponding numbered boxes. 4. Feeling extremely shy in company

A. Single phobia

5. Liking to sleep with the lights on

B. Agoraphobia

6. Fear of leaving the house

C. Claustrophobia

7. Getting sweaty hands

D. Social phobia

8. Fear of a particular creature 9. Fear of small places 10. Having difficulties speaking in front of people

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MASTER the ART of NEC

CAE, CPE LISTENING I. Tips and notes In recent years, unlike other parts, part 3 listening of the NEC has remained unchanged. This part always draws its source from the Part 3 Multiple-choice Listening in the CAE or CPE test, although the level of difficulty varies each year. For example, part 3 in the NEC 2017 is pretty easy, yet that of the 2018 is not a simple task. This part requires you to comprehend the long extract as a whole so it is not necessary to catch all the words. You will often be asked about the opinions and points the speakers make. Sometimes, especially with tough questions, inference is necessary to deduce the right answer. Here are some tips for this part.

TIPS FOR MULTIPLE CHOICE LISTENING 1)

Underline the key words in the questions prior to listening. While listening, look for synonyms and antonyms in the extracts that match those in the questions since they can give you a strong hint.

2)

Look for signposts while listening to these kinds of extract. The answers will not appear out of the blue. After giving a lot of background information to confuse you, the speakers may drop some hints implying that they are going to address the questions we need to answer before they actually do it. Make sure you are able to catch this and prepare to listen carefully to the next part.

3)

Some answers may seem obvious, but you should be careful and re-read the answers because misleading words like “always”, “really” can be used to trick you.

4)

If you are not sure about all 4 choices, infer yourself. Find a logical connection between the answer choices and what you can hear.

5)

Try to grasp the gist of the questions and answer choices before listening as the test designers sometimes paraphrase the exercise by phasing in a lot of difficult words or idioms to blur the overall meaning. Part 2 gap-filling in CAE/CPE also appears the test but the frequency is lower. However, we will still cover that

part in this course to leave nothing to chance. The part is not so hard but occasionally, even good listeners can miss some words or choose the wrong words to fill in. The tips for this part are similar to those of IELTS gap-filling, but with some additional advice.

TIPS FOR GAP-FILLING LISTENING 1)

Before listening, try to figure out what word form you are required to fill in (noun, verb, adjective,…). After you have filled in, read the sentences again to see whether it has a proper meaning or not. Sometimes you may accidentally leave out words and this may cost you points. For instance, if the answer key is “foregone conclusion” and you only write “conclusion”, you will lose all the points.

2)

You must maintain concentration all the time since the answers, unlike those of part 2, can come at any time.

3)

Like IELTS listening, listen for the ending sounds and the tense of the sentence. Nouns in this part will usually come in plural form.

ctic

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MASTER the ART of NEC e

II. How to practice

Here at Ambrosia, we have compiled a list of useful ways to practice your listening skill for this specific task and for any listening task in general. During your training session… Try to understand the extract as a whole. By this we mean do not just look for signposts all the time. Information can sometimes be scattered around in many sentences, and you may miss it if you do not have a good grip of what the speaker is saying. Listen to what the speaker has to say. When you have a good understanding of the context, you will be able to anticipate what the speakers might discuss next and even make educated guesses for your missed answers. - Some useful methods to practice this can be found in the Mini-challenges section. There are also complementary exercises. These are methods that will help you improve your overall listening ability: - Listen to radio podcasts. We cannot stress enough the importance of listening to as many materials as you can. We find the best (and most relaxing) way to do this is by listening to Internet podcasts. There are a myriad of podcasts available online and they cover a wide range of subjects and topics, anything you like from science to movies. Some are actually very close to the actual listening tests, and unlike them, you can choose the topics that suit your taste and listen to them leisurely – as you are surfing the web or taking a shower. We highly recommend you to listen to at least one podcast a day (about 15-20 minutes), preferably as you go to sleep. - Enrich your vocabulary. On many occasions, especially in gap filling questions, the reason you miss the answer is not so much that you fail to identify the words as that you do not know what they mean (and how they are spelled). Therefore, it's important that you familiarize yourself with words from as many topics as you can. Along with listening to podcasts, listening to English news and reading newspaper will also help. - Finally, practice so that it becomes second nature. How much you listen is just as important as how you listen. We suggest you practice listening with any form of media you are exposed to during the day, whether they are in the form of your favorite TV series or just random videos you see every day on Facebook or Youtube. This way, you will not feel like you are wasting your time, and for a studying method, nothing gets more entertaining than that.

-

III. Mini Challenge

“

If it doesn’t challenge you, it doesn’t change you. - Fred DeVito

"

The next time you are in a listening training session, try the following mini-challenges. These are fun and unconventional challenges that you can do to make the test more challenging as well as more interesting. Done correctly and you will be surprised with how much your listening has improved. Practice answering without referring to the choices. Take a piece of paper and cover the choices to the questions. Force yourself to come up with the answers to the questions on your own. Practice summarizing short extracts (5-10 minutes long). Try to summarize the content of whatever you are hearing in bullet points. You can take note as you listen. This will help you identify key information of any recording. You may also work in pair and discuss the answer with a friend. Transcribe the extract sentence by sentence. After each sentence is delivered, pause the recording and try to repeat after it until you get it as exactly as possible. Check the transcript to see how well you did.

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MASTER the ART of NEC Please access the link below and download the audio files in order to complete the listening exercises: http://bit.ly/2PbYRmW

Mini-challenge 1 (Source: Cambridge Certificate of Proficiency in English 2) You will hear a radio interview with a music critic, Hazel Fisher, about some classical music awards. Answer the following questions in the form of short notes. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

According to Hazel what is bad about the current situation in the music business? In Hazel’s opinion the list of nominations suggested that a purpose of the awards was to __________ What is Hazel’s main criticism of the way the winners will be chosen? One of Hazel’s objections to the nominations themselves is that __________ Hazel sees it as ironic that the record companies __________

Mini-challenge 2 (Source: TOEFL TPO Test 24)

You will hear a lecture about how crocodiles use their vocal abilities to communicate. Listen and summarize the main ideas of the lecture. _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________

Mini-challenge 3 (Source: CPE Practice Tests)

You will hear the introduction to a radio program about the arts and science in Britain. Listen and transcribe the listening extract. _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ IV. Exercises Please access the link below and download the audio files in order to complete the listening exercises: http://bit.ly/2MyPKjr

1. (Source: NEC 2017 Listening Part 3 – Objective Proficiency Workbook) For questions 1-5, listen to the discussion

and choose the correct answer A, B, C, or D which fits best according to what you hear. 1. It is expressed that brands should ______________ A. seek to utilize something visually unusual. B. symbolize something people enjoy. C. represent more than just a business proposition. D. learn to be more cooperative with others. 2. When talking about globalization, both agree that ______________ A. major sporting events are well-meaning but flawed. B. the positive symbols outweigh the negative ones. C. people are right to take the benevolent view. D. the Internet has a huge influence.

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MASTER the ART of NEC 3. A. B. C. D. 4. A. B. C. D. 5. A. B. C. D.

What point does Ivana make about language? speakers of a language use symbols without realizing that. writers use symbols in the same way everybody does. there is some debate as to what constitutes a symbol. some languages are particularly disposed towards symbols. What does David say about the symbol in his hockey team’s name? It was initially misinterpreted. It was somewhat misleading. It should really be changed. It puts pressure on the team. What does both speakers find absurd about color symbolism and cars? the contradictory arguments used by one insurer. the notion of linking a writer’s character with car color. the idea that a red car is any easier to see. the suggestions that insurer are influenced by cultural symbols.

2. (Source: NEC 2018 Listening Part 3 – Proficiency Expert Student’s Resource Book) For questions 1-5, listen to the

discussion and choose the correct answer A, B, C, or D which fits best according to what you hear. 1. Lois agrees with John’s point that ______________ A. the psychological effects of unemployment can be overstated. B. some people are better equipped to deal with unemployment than others. C. problems arise when unemployment coincides with other traumatic events. D. most people dread the prospect of unemployment. 2. Lois agrees with the listener who suggests that ______________ A. people should prepare for redundancy as they would for retirement. B. voluntary work may be more rewarding than paid work. C. not everybody can expect a high level of job satisfaction. D. work is only one aspect of a fulfilling life. 3. What is John’s attitude towards people who see work as a means to an end? A. He accepts that they have made a valid point. B. He feels they may be missing out on something important. C. He doubts their level of commitment to the job. D. He fears it will lead to difficulties for them later. 4. When asked about so-called “slackers” at work, John points out that ______________ A. their views are unacceptable in a free labor market. B. such an attitude has become increasingly unacceptable. C. people often jump to unfair conclusions about them. D. they accept the notion that work is a necessary evil. 5. Lois quotes psychologists Freud in order to ______________ A. provide a contrast to the idea of Bertrand Russell. B. question the idea that a desire to work is a natural thing. C. show how intellectual ideas have shifted over time. D. lend weight to John’s ideas about increased social mobility.

3. (Source: Cambridge Certificate of Proficiency in English 3) For questions 1-5, listen to the discussion and choose

the correct answer A, B, C, or D which fits best according to what you hear. 1. According to Professor Marshall, leisure is increasingly being seen as a way of ______________ A. convincing people they have freedom of choice. B. helping people to understand themselves better. C. encouraging people to perform better at work. D. dissuading people from challenging authority. 2. According to US sociologists, ‘serious leisure’ is an activity which A. is detrimental to someone’s work.

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MASTER the ART of NEC B. C. D. 3. A. B. C. D.

becomes a financial burden. becomes the central focus of someone’s life. helps a person to achieve a higher income. Professor Marshall believes that as people become more involved in their chosen leisure activities, they are less afraid of the dangers. they place a great value on routine. they worry less about the rules. they want more scope for personal development.

4. A. B. C. D. 5. A. B. C. D.

According to Professor Marshall, television provides a useful basis for social interaction. can disrupt other leisure activities. is no more than a very passive activity. destroys meaningful conversation. Professor Marshall says that having to wear special clothes to take part in a leisure activity may improve the participants’ respect for each other. redefine the participants’ social roles. increase the participants’ self-esteem. reflect the priorities of the participants work environment.

4. (Source: Cambridge Certificate of Proficiency in English 5) For questions 1-5, listen to the discussion and

choose the correct answer A, B, C, or D which fits best according to what you hear. 1. According to Richard, comments on a client’s personality traits should only be made if the graphologist ____ A. is sure that the sample of handwriting is genuine. B. is sure his results are supported by the rest of the team. C. can back up his initial findings with further evidence. D. can confirm his findings in different handwriting samples. 2. What is Maria’s view of the conclusions which graphologists arrive at? A. The rules of interpretation are not clear. B. The connections have not been proved. C. More detailed interpretation is needed. D. Research is needed into the way handwriting is taught. 3. What, in Richard’s view, is the key to an understanding of a client’s personality? A. The way in which the client learnt to write. B. The variations in the client’s individual letters. C. The way the client’s handwriting has developed. D. The influence of current trends on the client’s handwriting. 4. According to Richard, some businesses with North American links ______________ A. use graphology reluctantly in recruitment. B. are unwilling to disclose that they use graphology. C. are skeptical about the value of graphology. D. are trading more successfully because of graphology. 5. What does Maria conclude about the use of graphology? A. It has become a source of discontent. B. It is used by few serious psychologists. C. Its educational value has not been proved. D. It is not appropriate for use as a recruitment tool.

5. (Source: Proficiency Practice Tests Plus) For questions 1-5, listen to the discussion and choose the correct answer A, B, C, or D which fits best according to what you hear.

1. A.

Why did John agree to extend his contract as a newsreader? Audiences had asked to have him back.

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MASTER the ART of NEC B. C. D. 2. A. B. C. D. 3. A. B. C. D. 4. A. B. C. D. 5. A. B. C. D.

Another channel was keen to appoint him. He thought he’d miss being in the public eye. His suggested replacement was unpopular. What does John say about the early days of newsreading? News programs occurred less frequently. A news reader’s job was more straightforward. Audiences focused on style and presentation. Mistakes were sometimes embarrassing. In John’s view, competition between news programs is something which ______________ irritates the viewing public. affects their outward appearance. detracts from the quality of the content. reinforces negative views about news programs. In considering how opinions are formed, John points out that ______________ reporters may present a biased view. people sometimes misinterpret the facts. there are pros and cons to watching the news. television operates under certain constraints. John implies that he finds the general public’s attitude towards the news ______________ disheartening. enlightening. surprising. appreciative.

6. (Source: Practice Tests for the revised CPE 1) For questions 1-5, listen to the discussion and choose the correct

answer A, B, C, or D which fits best according to what you hear. 1. In Karl’s view, he is drawn to the jungle ______________ A. for its natural beauty. B. because it gives him a sense of well-being. C. because the more you go, the more you love it. D. for reasons he cannot justify. 2. What annoys Karl about ‘world-traveller’ he meets is that ______________ A. insists on attaching himself to the group. B. teases local natives with his stories. C. seems happy to live off other people. D. runs from difficult situations. 3. What shocks Karl about Steve’s case is that he had ______________ A. been infected with the parasite for so long. B. known about the parasite and done nothing. C. not taken precaution against diseases at the time. D. contracted the parasite in Peru. 4. What distinguishes ‘ethno’-biologists from ordinary scientists is ______________ A. the aims of their research. B. that they focus on particular types of illness. C. that their concern is to educate indigenous peoples. D. the starting point of their research. 5. During his time in Haiti, Karl ______________ A. only confirmed previous Japanese research. B. learned about a potentially dangerous drug. C. witnessed phenomena he could not explain. D. identified for locals a potentially poisonous type of fish.

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MASTER the ART of NEC

7. (Source: Practice Tests for the revised CPE 2) For questions 1-5, listen to the discussion and choose the

correct answer A, B, C, or D which fits best according to what you hear. 1. Jack is bemused by his character’s popularity because ______________ A. he never thought Arthur would be attractive to adults. B. aardvarks aren’t particularly loveable. C. Arthur has drawn so many families closer together. D. Arthur is rather old. 2. According to Jack, Arthur’s character ______________ A. came to him, as he was reading to his child. B. developed slowly over a period of time. C. was meant to cheer up his recuperating son. D. was meant to mirror an actual person. 3. According to Jack, Arthur ______________ A. made him wealthy when he first appeared. B. has appeared in children’s theatre. C. is still important in his son’s life. D. was so popular that he continued creating stories. 4. Jack says he stopped touring when ______________ A. a book was written about Arthur. B. he met Carol Greenwold after a TV broadcast. C. Arthur happened to be discovered. D. he was asked to appear on a TV program,. 5. The Arthur cartoon series seems to have ______________ A. enjoyed incredible success from the outset. B. exhausted its possibilities. C. not done very well in a popularity poll. D. been used as a vehicle for advertising goods.

8. [Source: NEC 2016 Listening Part 4 (Expert Proficiency Teacher’s Resource Book)] For questions 1-10, listen and complete the sentence with a word or short phrase.

THE LANGUAGE OF PIRAHA

Mara defines the way of life of the Piraha people as fitting into the (1) ______________ category. Mara explains that because most speakers of Piraha people are (2) ______________, the language is not under imminent threat. Professor Everett was surprised to discover that the Piraha language has no words for ideas like (3) “___________” or “number”. From his experiments, Professor Everett found that Piraha people couldn’t understand the concepts of number because (4) ______________ were not needed in their daily lives. Mara thinks that the Piraha language sounds more like (5) ______________ than speech. The (6) ______________ used in the Piraha language are thought to have originated in another language. As the Piraha have no written language, very few storytelling traditions, and no decorative art traditions, and concentrate on their present needs, they do not have a (7) ______________. Professor Everett gives the example of the Piraha’s superior (8) ______________ to support his idea that they are not unintelligent. Different from Professor Chomsky’s ideas about a universal grammar, Professor Everett thinks that the (9) ______________ of the Piraha is not determined by the inborn system of grammar. According to Mara, not many people can (10) ____________ or _____________ Professor Everett’s theory because

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MASTER the ART of NEC the Piraha language is hard to learn.

9. (Source: New Proficiency Testbuilder) For questions 1-9, listen and complete the sentence with a word or short phrase. At the end of her first work experience, Karen spent two days (1) ____________ and checking rooms with the floor housekeeper. Her last work experience was spent in the hotel’s (2) ____________. The subject of Karen’s next course was (3) ____________. During her HND course, the subjects she had top study were business studies, hotel management, human resource management and (4) ____________. The topic of her report was (5) ____________ in hotels. In her report, she wrote reviews of various (6) ____________. She joined an organization with the initials (7) ____________. She got information from a magazine called (8) ____________. In her present job, she has to deal with problems caused by the hotel being (9) ____________.

10. For questions 1-9, listen and complete the sentence with a word or short phrase. ‘Content analysis’ focuses on (1) ____________ which provides insight into people. Businesses use content analysis to identify how (2) ____________ are changing. For governments, content analysis can be a source of (3) ____________. A fingerprint word is a word that (4) ____________ in someone’s speech. In correspondence from the client, the young lawyer noticed (5) ____________ used by the client which showed him to be quite literary. People who use ‘I’ a lot in their speech are often thought to be a (6) ____________. The images of ‘staying on course’ the speaker’s uncle uses reveal his (7) ____________ as well as his general philosophy. Experts can tell as much from pauses in speech as they can from (8) ____________. Content analysis is no substitute for common sense but it may be used to (9) ____________ it.

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MASTER the ART of NEC

NEWS LISTENING News listening is the adjustment of authentic listening materials from news and speeches, for example, which are originally used for other purposes but then adapted for educational purposes. News listening usually covers 2 out of 4 exercises in the listening section, accounting for half of the points. Because news listening exercises are the relatively harder parts in the section, they will be the deciding factors in distinguishing excellent students from the average students. The two types of news listening are matching and gap-filling, both of which will be discussed in this section.

News Listening Matching I. Tips and notes Matching was first introduced in the exam paper of NEC in 2016. Prior to this, NEC’s listening test only focused on gap-filling and multiple-choice questions. In 2016 and 2017, matching was added to diversify the way that gifted students are tested. The question, however, is what distinguishes this specific format from others found in IELTS Listening Test. IELTS fanatics must have known that matching may cover a broad range of topics. IELTS Listening part 2 may consist of matching in the form of maps, where candidates are required to listen attentively and decide which letter goes with what place on the map. IELTS Listening part 3 and 4 revolve around academic content, so matching’s difficulty is also raised to fit. Nevertheless, matching in NEC is derived from authentic sources (as in 2016 was a BBC report on Korean education and in 2017 was a speech of Mark Zuckerberg on the development of Internet), which is a remarkable departure from standardized tests. Another distinctive feature is the number of alternatives that students are faced with. To illustrate this, consider the following example. In the matching section of 2016, the first question required students to choose three correct answers among seven. If this had been a matching exercise extracted from the IELTS papers, the number of choices would have been confined to only six at its maximum. Below are some tips for the students:to follow:

DO

-

Read all the options before listening. This will give you a sense of what will happen during the extract. Thus, you won’t be surprised while listening and you can understand the contents in the extract more clearly.

-

Distinguish background information from important information. The background information is irrelevant fact that confuses you. They are usually not the answers.

-

Paraphrase the option choices that sound complicated into simple ones. By doing this, while listening, you will be able to discern right answers much faster.

-

Pay attention to the ideas, not the vocabulary. In this listening part, examinees should listen out for gist, which is the topic of the conversation or the talk. A momentary lapse of concentration can amount to confusion. Therefore, the key is to paying maximum attention so as not to get lost.

-

Handle figures with care. Somewhere in the matching section, examinees will be required to listen and match two columns, among which figures will crop up (as in NEC 2017). In this case, listen carefully to understand what each number signifies and pay heed to some phrases that may be rewritten.

DON’T: - Be hasty. Don’t write down the answers when the speaker has not finished talking. The latter points and arguments may completely change his/her meaning. - Have second thoughts: Trust your first thought and don’t change your answer in this part. The information you hear is more reliable than your latter recollection. fb.com/iloveambrosia I 17

MASTER the ART of NEC II. How to practice Due to the fact that authentic source is a key player in news listening matching, students, with a view to excelling at this section, have to practice listening to materials outside the book’s content. Recommended sources are BBC podcast, CNN news, PBS Newshour, VOX, The Daily Conversation, TED-ed,… While practice listening, you should try to outline the ideas of the extract. Take note and then divide the extract into certain main ideas with explanation and supporting evidence followed. The matching exercise invariably requires students to choose the supporting ideas and evidence for a main idea; therefore, practicing in this way will familiarize you with the real test. You can also consult the IELTS matching exercise for practice. Yet bear in mind that it is much easier than the News Listening matching. III. Common mistakes

1. Practice goes astray at times Some students who work on authentic sources try to make out sophisticated vocabulary and phrases without close attention to what the speaker is trying to convey. However, in order to achieve high score at this section, it is the meaning of every sentence that counts. In fact, 4 listening parts in NEC are ordered according to difficulty level. Consequently, difficulty level of matching is that of average.

2. Paraphrasing can be rather misleading

In some tricky questions, the rewording of information from its original expression can go so far as to deceive listeners. For example, in the matching section of NEC 2017, the original information in the speech was: “In Uganda, a farmer is using his mobile phone to find the best prices for his crops”. Some students mistook this for “agricultural practices” while the accurate answer had to be “business practices”.

3. “Repeated word” misconception is one of the common pitfalls

Some students, especially gifted ones, hold that there must be some instances of paraphrasing in the given statements. This notion rings true upon some occasions. Upon others, however, it’s the test writer’s intention not to paraphrase much (and just make some slight modifications to sentences in the extract). Therefore, students must really understand what the speaker is saying, instead of looking for things that “are not mentioned” in the recording. There are even answers that bear no relation at all to the recording. Some even think that test writers are going to trick them here, and opt for these irrelevant contents. The tip is to trust your fresh thinking. On second thought, you might make a mistake! IV. Exercises Please access the link below and download the audio files in order to complete the listening exercises: http://bit.ly/2MVoCKU

1.

(Extracted from NEC 2016)

Listen to a report on Korean education. For questions 1-5, complete the following tasks. For questions 1-2, choose TWO LETTERS from A-E. Which TWO things are mentioned as factors putting students under study pressure in Korea? 1. __ 2. ___

A. B. C. D. E.

regular school at night double-shift schooling formidable parents lack of human resources lack of natural resources

For questions 3-5, choose THREE letters from A-G Which THREE things are mentioned as a result of too much emphasis on non-stop studying in Korea? A. maximum scores in formal exams 3. ___ B. extraordinary single-mindedness 4. ___

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MASTER the ART of NEC C. D. E. F. G.

5. ___

construction of power plants worldwide renowned brands internationally recognized qualifications huge investment in education top student suicidal rate among industrial nations

2. (extracted from NEC 2017) For questions 6-10, listen to part of a speech by Mark Zuckerberg on the development of the Internet and do the tasks that follow. For questions 6-8, match the changes that Internet connection makes with the corresponding places. Write ONE correct letter next to each country. 6. ______ 7. ______ 8. ______

A. B. C. D. E. F.

agricultural practices school work community projects business practices food supply child rearing

For questions 9-10, choose TWO letters from A-D Which TWO statements are TRUE according to the talk? Write your answers in the numbered space provided. 9. ______ 10. ______

A. B. C. D.

10 percent of people with Internet access have been helped with poverty relief. Out of every ten people, one is granted with access to the Internet. 140 million employment opportunities are provided for 260 million people. More than half a billion children are provided with educational facilities at low cost.

3. Listen to a report on how ‘Game of Thrones’ – an American fantasy drama television series first took shape. For questions 11–15, choose the letters on the right that address the questions on the left. Write your answer in the corresponding numbered space. (5 points) How are these dragons created in the first place? 11. __ 12. __

A. B. C. D.

Dragons are designed in such a way that they look mature. Their muscle structure is sometimes set disproportionate to their size. An analogy makes the process slightly more plain sailing. Dragons are initially constructed on a much smaller scale.

A. B. C. D. E. F.

employed to promote other elements. adopted throughout the film to make characters look real. used to complement with the unrestrained storyline. considered instrumental in the development of the character. accepted as what distinguishes the film from regular production. exploited to break new grounds in similar genre.

What do people say about the visual effects in Game of Thrones? Visual effects are … 13. _____ 14. _____ 15. _____

4. Listen to an extract from BBC about different kinds of wholesome food. For questions from 16-20, choose from the box ONE ANSWER that matches the food to its specific patients. A. Patients that resort to anti-depressants 16. Kudzu root - _____ B. Olympic runners 17. Oil of Oregano - _____ C. Those with respiratory problem 18. Fermented vegetables - _____ D. Officers with poor memory 19. CHIA - _____ E. Malnourished children 20. Cherry Extract - _____ F. Patients diagnosed with insomnia

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MASTER the ART of NEC G. H. I. J.

People who constantly feel cold Patients in need of a revitalization medication Those with poor digestive system Children consuming high sugar products

5. Listen to an extract from BBC about a new game console, Nintendo Switch. For questions 21-25, listen carefully and write your answer in the numbered space provided. What are the characteristics of Nintendo Switch? For questions 21-23, choose THREE letters from A-G

21. ________ 22. ________ 23. ________

A. Nintendo Switch resembles a tablet in shape. B. The quality of the displayed image is contingent upon how the device is used. C. Joy-cons are separate controllers but cannot be used simultaneously by an individual player. D. Joy-cons make it possible for corporeal interaction. E. Nintendo Switch can be charged while on the go. F. The smart design allows online playing mode even when players are in the middle of nowhere. G. Nintendo Switch can either be used as a portable device or a home console.

For questions 24-25, choose from the box TWO LETTERS that reflect TWO CHALLENGES that still face the new invention. A. negative response B. Attitude of people C. Competitive market D. Lack of research E. Prohibitive cost of production

24. ________ 25. ________

6. Listen to an extract from BBC about the discovery of new planets. For questions 26-30, listen carefully and choose from the box (A-J) FIVE letters whose content fits what you hear. Write your answers in the corresponding numbered space.

26. ______ 27. ______ 28. ______ 29. ______ 30. ______

A. Far-away in the universe lie seven Earth-sized planets, as a new discovery is made. B. Scientists are trying to figure out whether there is a periodical change in light intensity of these planets. C. Concrete evidence has been found to confirm the existence of the planets. D. The planets may host liquid water. E. This is not the first time experts have discovered planets that resemble the Earth. F. Over half of the planets found may well support life. G. That seven planets are simultaneously discovered is considered a startling fact. H. It takes 40 years travelling at the speed of light to reach these planets. I. It is predicted that human beings will soon establish themselves on outer planets. J. A giant telescope will be the only way that helps to provide new clues about alien life.

7. Listen to a report on the project of poly dome. For questions 31–37, choose the letters on the right that address the questions on the left. Write your answer in the corresponding numbered space. What lies among the problems posed by monoculture? A. concern for the origin of food 31. ____ B. under-capacity of current logistics network C. disruption in supply chain 32. ____ D. impediment to natural cycles E. damage to ecosystems

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MASTER the ART of NEC

What possible steps are taken as part of the poly culture based solution? A. build a highly cost-effective greenhouse 33. ____ B. arrange crops and animals based on their heat compatibility C. grow vegetables in liquid nutrients D. optimize soil quality 34. ____ E. adopt multi-layered farming method F. streamline harvest through external logistics systems 35. ____ G. collect data on agricultural products Two likely effects of poly dome are … A. B. 36. ____ C. D. 37. ____ E.

resultant emergence of several niche markets ecstatic growth in export’s profit margin severe damage to the labour market general increase in consumer surplus extensive solution to food security problem

8. Listen to a report about Russia’s ban in the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea. For questions 38-42, choose the correct letter to fill in the numbered space.

What is true about the IOC’s ban imposed on Russia? Choose THREE letters from A-G

38. ____ 39. ____ 40. ____

A. No athlete representing Russia will compete in the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang. B. The ban comes as no surprise to sports lovers around the world. C. Some Russian athletes can be ratified to compete under the country’s flag if they meet certain standards. D. IOC’s decision is based on evidence emerging from the previous Summer Games. E. A 50-million-dollar reimbursement for investigation expenses will be paid by the ROC. F. Russian representative in the IOC has also been prohibited from attending future Olympic Games. G. The blanket ban will reinforce the anti-doping system even further down the road.

How do Russian sports officials react to the ban? Choose TWO letters from A-E

41. ____ 42. ____

A. B. C. D. E.

They refuse to attend any Olympic Games in the future. They threaten to take revenge on the IOC. They regard themselves as being discredited. They are discontented with the unjust decision. They hit back at the IOC immediately after the decision is made.

9. Listen to a report that details the most expensive-to-live-in city in the world, Singapore. For questions 43–48, choose the letters on the right that address the questions on the left. Write your answer in the corresponding numbered space. (5 points) What are the reasons for Singapore’s high cost of living? A. monopoly on clothing products 43. ____ B. high markup on low-end goods C. tax on certain beverages 44. ____ D. competition with other cities E. excise tax on cars 45. ____ F. certificates to purchase a vehicle desire to go green

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MASTER the ART of NEC

What actions are taken to benefit low-income citizens? A. B. C. D. E.

46. ____ 47. ____

discrimination in taxing free meals distribution minimum-wage policy investments in social security programs regulations on its elderly’s retirement pay

10. Listen to a report that elaborates on Paris Climate Agreement. For questions 48–52, choose the letters on the right that address the questions on the left. Write your answer in the corresponding numbered space. (5 points) What lies among the concerns for Paris Climate Agreement? 48. ____ 49. ____

A. B. C. D. E.

reluctance to make a trade-off unwillingness to reach a consensus on common goals huge carbon footprints among BRIC nations lack of binding time constraint pledges from better-off countries to back others up

What are the likely impacts of Paris Climate Agreement?

50. ____ 51. ____ 52. ____

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A. B. C. D.

unanimous message conveyed between committed nations rapid adoption of eco-friendly technology different approach from conglomerate businesses excessive resources pooled into constructing pollution-free plants E. national movement to boycott the use of fossil fuels F. unprecedented funding for green energy development

MASTER the ART of NEC

News Listening: Gap Filling I. Tips and notes In the listening section, gap filling is the most prevalent exercise and has always been a fixed part in the national English examination for the gifted. There will be approximately 10 questions in this part. Involving numerous accents and recorded at faster-than-normal speed, gap filling from news listening, to many students, is the most challenging and thus, most competitive exercise in this test. Therefore, in most cases, whoever excels at this section will stand a better chance of reaping higher prizes in NEC. Despite its demanding nature, there are still a multitude of effective approaches to this kind of exercise. Here are some of the most fundamental tips from experienced testtakers:

DO

Search for credible sources of news listening This is utterly important because not only is it conducive to improved news listening skills but it also assists in expanding students’ cognizance of the world affairs and consolidating their background knowledge. Thereby, access to secure sources of news listening is a MUST for all NEC participants. Among the reliable sources for news listening are a staggering number of channels on the Internet which students can explore by themselves. Here are some of the suggestions: BBC, CNN, VOA, ABC, NowThis World, Newsy, NBC News, TED, TED-ed, … Pay attention to grammar Grammar may be just a small part in NEC but sometimes, students’ prize is dependent upon this. Grammar here refers mostly to plural nouns , subject-verb agreement and verb tenses. One small grammatical mistake can cost students one out of two points or the whole point of one question in NEC. As a result, attention to grammar is of considerable import. Students can determine the grammatical exactitude of the answers by just looking into the contexts of the questions or noticing the verbs or the subjects of sentences. Look for “academic” words The test makers have a tendency to omit so-called academic short phrases. Thus, from the overall topic of the listening extract, you should guess the omitted phrases, just like an open cloze exercise. By this way, you won’t be caught offguard while listening. Rely on signposts Remember to observe the surrounding words and sentences (context) of the blank to get a sense of what is going on in the extract. When the speaker mentions something relevant to the context, this may be a hint for you that the omitted word is about to appear.

DON’T: Neglect the instructions Remember to read the instructions carefully to obtain information such as word limit. Failure to obey the rules may result in point penalties even if your answers are correct. Rest on your laurel Some students are able to complete all blanks right after first time listening. However, don’t get over-confident and skip listening for the second time. You should listen again to check your answers and ensure that you will get full marks without any regrettable mistakes. Take it for granted Some students assume that the order of the questions follows that of the points in the extract. Nevertheless, this is not always the case. Therefore, listeners should always be on their toes in order to tackle the tricks of the tests. Give up Don’t leave an answer blank. Rely on the general topic of the listening extract to fill in some relevant phrases.

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MASTER the ART of NEC II. How to practice

1.

Increase exposure to news listening One major problem upon doing this kind of exercise is unfamiliarity with the real-life speech patterns, which are a world of difference compared to listening audio from books like IELTS, CAE, CPE in terms of speed, accents, etc. This feature requires all NEC students to acquaint themselves with a range of speech patterns in order to fulfill the tasks effectively, which can only be realised by day-by-day exposure to divergent sources of news listening for a fixed amount of time.

2.

Go step by step This approach means that it is not advisable to jump straight into difficult news listening exercises since this will easily shock students and strike fear into their heart whenever they attempt to do these assignments. To prevent their efforts from going down the drain, test-takers should instead go for some easy news listening exercises in the first place. Once guaranteeing a solid consolidation of listening skills, they can try to do some a little more difficult tasks and then increase the difficulty levels of the exercises. For example, should one be a beginner, he or she can start off by listening to BBC Learning English and then CNN Student News and finally, BBC or CNN.

3.

Focus on one topic One of the biggest obstacles in news listening is the wide range of vocabulary. In an endeavour to enrich vocabulary efficiently, students should acquire new advanced words in accordance with specific topics instead of expanding vocabulary in a disorganised way. For instance, NEC participants can allocate a certain amount of time (usually one week) to a particular topic and listen to a bunch of news bulletins related to this topic. The range of topics is considerable but students should take more heed of topical and latest issues such as environment, technology, large-scale and epoch-making events around the world, which are what the Ministry of Education and Training always aim at in NEC.

4.

Utilize teamwork If students find themselves in a scarcity of gap filling exercises of news listening, they can form a study group with their friends. Then, together they can design news listening assignments for each other on a regular basis. This, in turn, helps not only the students themselves but also their friends retrieve a vast source of exercises to complete and boost one another’s news listening capability.

5.

Relax by news listening You should not take news listening too seriously just as a way of honing your listening skills and gaining a higher prize. Rather, you can still sense the therapeutic effects of news listening if you regard it also as a means of entertainment by watching TV shows, your favourite celebrities’ interviews or listening to English-speaking videos with fun contents. In this way, news listening feels much more natural and relaxing, which can fuel your motivation to ameliorate your command of news listening further. III. Common mistakes

1. 2.

Exceed the word limit: As is above-mentioned, the resolution is to read the instructions carefully.

Grammatical Mistakes: Forget the ending sound “ed” and “s” Minor as these mistakes may seem, they can cost you dearly. Not only should you pay particular attention to the ending sound while listening but you should also rely on the context to decide the tense or the plural form.

3.

Lose the pace of the extract: Sometimes you may lose your concentration and thus, being unable to comprehend the rest of the extract. In case of this, pull yourself together, listen carefully to the next point/argument of the extract to re-catch the pace and move on to the next questions. Bear in mind that you can listen twice.

4.

Get distracted by background information: Some extracts have excruciatingly long irrelevant background information to demoralize you. However, you should concentrate all the time since the required phrases may appear anytime.

5.

Brood over after finishing listening:

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MASTER the ART of NEC Some students are still preoccupied with the listening part after the second time listening. However, at this point, remember that you practically cannot do anything to change that part. Thus, focus on finishing the other parts because the NEC is becoming longer. IV. Exercises Please access the link below and download the audio files in order to complete the listening exercises: http://bit.ly/2LA7gP1

1. (Source: NPR) Listen to a piece of news about people’s employment prospects in the modern era and fill in the missing information with NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS. America has lost more than 7 million (1) ______________________ since the late 1970s, and yet the amount of stuff the U.S. produces is at an all-time high. Michael Hicks, an economist, says (2) __________________ is responsible for the loss of these jobs. Indiana has been in the (3) ________________ of this recently because of the Carrier plant and now the interviewer wants to know how Professor Hicks fathoms President-elect Trump’s representation that hundreds of jobs were saved. As the plant probably goes through an automation period, we just don't know how many of the workers that are there now are going to be able to fit into the new, highly (4) _______________________ of 2020. The interviewer asks Professor Hicks whether he believes people that talk about our (5) ______________________ haven't accounted for the powerful impact of automation in industry Professor Hicks thinks that there is a real disconnect between what they talk about, which is jobs floating overseas to Mexico and China and Vietnam, and the reality, which is that automation and (6) ___________________________ have really accounted for the vast majority of job losses in Indiana nationwide. (7) ___________________ of a production process is going to make things quicker and more efficient so we don't need as many autoworkers as we did a generation and a half ago. There are certain new jobs being created, but they are harder to see. Between the time that manufacturing peaked in 1977 and today, we're down about 7 and a half million manufacturing jobs, but we're up about 9 and a half million (8) ______________________. It’s difficult to ask a 56-year-old guy who hasn't been around middle school math since the early '70s to jump into a training program at our community technical college or with our (9) _______________________ board and get retooled for a technology job or to work in a health care setting. 2015 is a year of (10) ___________________________________ in the United States.

2. (Source: ABC) Listen to a piece of news about the thaw in the North – South Korea relationship and fill in

the missing information with NO MORE THAN FOUR WORDS. Thousands of reporters around the world come to South Korea, sitting in a(n) (1) __________________________ just to witness a historic and emotional summit never seen before. Weeks ago, the whole region seemed to be under the (2) ______________________________ but now the picture looks completely different. Surrounded by bodyguards, Kim Jong-un emerged from the northern side of DMZ and then strode alone toward the (3) _____________________that marks the border. There are certain ceremonies and symbolism acts taking place such as a (4) ____________________, which is a shared Korean cultural trait. As a grim joke, Kim Jong-un promises South Korean leader that he won’t interrupt his sleep anymore with (5) __________________________. Ultimately, the two leaders reach a (6) _____________________________, sign and celebrate it with a handshake and a hug. The two leaders declare that by the end of the year they will reach a (7) ___________________, bringing a formal end to the Korean war. They will denuclearize the Korean peninsula and (8) __________________________. The location for the summit between Trump and Kim Jong-un turned out to be (9) ____________________ in part because Kim Jong-un’s airplanes are so old and have limited range.

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MASTER the ART of NEC Holding a summit between the USA and North Korea in the Koreas is undesirable because one or the other would look (10) _______________________.

3. (Source: Wall Street Journal) Listen to a piece of news about COP 21 and fill in the missing information with

NO MORE THAN FOUR WORDS. Why is Cop 21 considered to be so significant? Negotiators hope their efforts over the next two weeks will steer the planet away from what many here believe could be the (1) _________________________. In some countries, the US, for example, many politicians question whether the costs of (2) ______________________ for climate change are worse than the disease. What are negotiating teams’ assumptions? The way to stay below the (3) ___________________________ is to keep humankind’s total tally of carbon dioxide emitted into the atmosphere since the dawn of the industrial revolution below 1 trillion tons. Do negotiators hope to divide what remains of the carbon budget here in Paris? Leading up to the conference, more than 180 countries have (4) _______________________ for how much they would limit their CO2 emissions over coming decades. The (5) ___________________ between what the UN says is required, and what countries are putting on the table, is often referred to as the gap. So how will negotiators try to close the gap? Closing is widely considered at least here in Paris unrealistic but many officials hope countries will agree to a fiveyear review on target to later (6) ________________________ ambition on cutting emissions. What are the (7) _______________________ in these negotiations? Most of developed countries have already (8) ____________________ their CO2 emissions. And these developing countries have (9) _________________________ of their own that the more wealthy developed countries which already used up way more of their fair share of the planets carbon budget, should help pay the high cost of shifting to (10) ____________________________.

4. (Source: BBC) Listen to a speech by Angelina Jolie on the refugee system and fill in the missing

information with NO MORE THAN FOUR WORDS. Providing protection for refugees is the underlying working principle of the (1) _________________. The groups of refugees that suffer the most can be (2) _______________________ as a ‘third country’ and then migrate. The escalation of conflicts and (3) ____________________________ are what mainly accounts for the current breakdown in the refugee system. This can be seen in the fact that in the past six years, 15 conflicts have (4) _____________________. 20 years (5) ________________________ has now become a common thing for displaced people. That the UN appeals are (6) __________________________ makes millions of regugees have to live without adequate food and proper shelter. Angelina Jolie deems this refugee crisis as a large-scale trial of (7) _________________________. According to Angelina, America is neither at the flux of the refugee crisis nor the ones (8) ________________________________. European nations are currently (9) _____________________________ to resettle 10 percent of refugees from just one conflict: Syria while other countries are (10) ___________________________ with millions of refugees from multiple conflicts.

5. (Source: TED-ed) Listen to a piece of news about a new type of war possibly in the future and fill in the

missing information with NO MORE THAN FOUR WORDS. That new type of war in the future is cyberwarfare along with the traditional wars but the problem is that it is not present in the (1) _______________________________ and does not have any exact definition. To decipher cyberwarfare, one way is to (2) _______________________ where new international laws may be needed. In this way, a gunman who could (3) _________________________ without any firing is put forward as an example. In this example, a wireless device can be harnessed to send a signal to (4) ______________________ by an individual working for the government, which will eventually lead to fatal consequences.

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MASTER the ART of NEC In the second example, an image of some allied nations (5) _____________________ the computer systems of their rivals’ nuclear warship is conjured up. Then, (6) ___________________________________ is the answer to the above action, causing a power failure in the allied nations. Not only is that power failure derived from the assault but it is also compounded by downgraded power grids, (7) _________________________ and _________________________. It is still ambiguous as to whether who should accept liability for cyberwars, whether it is (8) __________________, the IT experts or the commander. Under the current legal frameworks, dropping atomic bombs, employing gas weaponry or (9) __________________ all are actions of war crimes. To conclude, the speaker poses a question that with the (10) _______________________ of cyberwarfare, what other deeds should be included in the laws to make the concept of cyber-warfare more transparent.

6.

(Source: Now This World) Listen to a piece of news about India’s development and fill in the missing

information with NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS. The reporter uses the phrase ‘(1) _____________________’ to depict the status of India today. Some domains that show India’s increasing power: ● Economy: multiple (2) _________________________ were implemented → considerable GDP rise → having the third strongest (3) _____________________ ● (4) ________________________ is another factor + Threefold increase in (5) ______________________ + Intentions to augment (6) ______________________ + Being among a few (7) _______________________ → the fourth most powerful military → strong geopolitical alliances, exemplified by India's intervention in the (8) ______________________ of the US ● Greater role in the United Nations ● Large population ● The largest single democratic nation Some issues that India needs to address: ● Corruption and bribery ● (9) __________________________ ● Acute (10) ________________________ ● Social class division

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MASTER the ART of NEC

LISTENING CONSOLIDATION Please access the link below and download the audio files in order to complete the listening exercises: http://bit.ly/2LCzVTm Part 1. Listen to a news bulletin about North Korea nuclear crisis. For questions 1-10, fill in the missing information with NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS. Write your answers in the space provided. Russian president Putin has warned of a global catastrophe if (1) _________________________________ with North Korea continue to increase. As North Korea is unlikely to give up its nuclear programme, South Korea has been holding more (2) __________________________ and showcasing its naval power. The South’s president said he is (3) ___________________________ but now it is not the right time. Dandong – a Chinese city, is a very good place to (4) ______________________________ in North Korea nuclear crisis. (5) ______________________ is an essential export of China to North Korea. The reporter uses the word (6) ____________________ to describe North Korea’s energy infrastructure. China fears that pushing North Korea to regime collapse can bring about chaos, instability and (7) ______________________________ or even wars. Therefore, there is no chance of China opting for a (8) _____________________________, talks and military actions. Vladimir Putin says that imposing further sanctions is a (9) ________________________. He is also very strong in terms of (10) ____________________________ that was being whipped up over the nuclear crisis. Part 2. Listen to an interview with Simon Lessing, a leading expert on the phenomenon of modern piracy. For questions 11-15, choose the answer (A, B, C or D) which best fits what you hear. Write your answers in the corresponding numbered boxes. 11. What distinguishes modern pirates from those of previous generations is ______. A.

the degree of advanced planning

B.

that they use more than one form of weaponry

C.

that victims are often murdered

D.

the targeting of ships with a certain type of crew

12. Common sources of information for pirate gangs are people who ______. A.

work for shipping companies

B.

operate computer networks

C.

work for multinational corporations

D.

handle the payroll

13. In Lessing’s view, the problem with ‘flags of convenience’ is that they ______. A.

are bought for a low registration fee

B.

can be used at open sea

C.

make hijacked ships harder to identify

D.

help pirates identify easy targets

14. Lessing implies that piracy is a more widespread problem than it used to be because _____. A.

of the forms of disguises pirates now adopt

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MASTER the ART of NEC B.

it affects more than just merchant vessels

C.

the method of counting and recording incidents has changed

D.

pirates have stopped targeting major sea lanes

15. Lessing feels that romantic notions of pirates ______. A.

have never been accurate

B.

still apply to modern piracy in some of its forms

C.

are appropriate to those who used riddles to indicate the location of their loot

D.

persist in modern times because of hidden treasure

Part 3. For questions 16-25, listen to a news bulletin about Indian economy and complete the following tasks. For questions 16-21, choose SIX letters A-K. Which factors contribute to the fast growth in Indian economy? Write your answers in the space provided. 16. ________ 17. ________ 18. ________ 19. ________ 20. ________

A. B. C. D. E. F. G. H. I. J. K.

large numbers of young and educated citizens huge amounts of imported oils richer countries’ supplies of modern equipment more open economic regime attraction of international finance increasing popularity of automation plummeting oil prices the arrangements of work for outside people Donald Trump’s attention for Indian economy capability for emulation of foreign technology occupation of 15% of global wealth

21. ________ For questions 22-25, answer the following questions with NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS or/and A NUMBER for each answer. Write your answers in the space provided. 22. What is the current growth rate of the US’s economy? _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ 23. What is a difference between Indian and US economy besides working days and retirement age limit? _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ 24. What does India have to sacrifice to produce much more goods? _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ 25. What is the most prominent sector that economic growth cannot reflect? _______________________________________________________________________________________________________

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MASTER the ART of NEC

PART TWO: LEXICO - GRAMMAR GRAMMAR I. Tips and notes Grammar exercises are omnipresent in every English Competition from the NEC to The 30-4 Olympic English Contest and the NEC team selection test of many provinces and cities. In the NEC (National English Contest), together with lexical questions, they account for around 10% of the total score. This is not a difficult part (C1 level) but cannot be underrated. Below are some tips to conquer the Grammar exercise:

IN LEARNING

-

Don’t worry about making mistakes.

-

Make a list of your common mistakes and pay special attention to them.

-

Be patient. Maybe you can do the practice exercises, but when you’re speaking you don’t have time to think about the correct grammar. Don’t worry, that’s completely normal.

-

Read and listen to English as much as possible. Think about grammar when you’re reading and listening. Do you know why they used that particular structure? Do you notice any differences between your language and English? Noticing which structures are used and knowing what the differences are will you help get English grammar right.

-

Practice, practice, practice! Try to use the new grammar you have learnt immediately. When you can do the practice exercises, try writing a sentence of your own, and use that grammar next time you’re speaking. This will help you remember new grammar really well

IN CONTEST -

Don’t waste too much time on one question as it will leave you with too little time for the rest.

-

Waste time processing information that is irrelevant to the questions.

-

II. How to practice

1.

Review your knowledge of basic rules. Although writing in English and attending classes in linguistics might not be of much interest to many students, it is very important to spend some time reviewing the fundamental rules and principles.

2.

Pay attention to details. This is especially important when you write some kind of academic paper. If you are inattentive to details, you will fail to do the work properly as the very meaning of your message to the audience might be distorted due to the incorrect use of grammar.

3.

Proofread what you have read aloud. At times we have to reread some parts of our writing to fill the gaps with required information. It is also important to proofread your paper aloud, because it gives a chance for you to see what mistakes you have made.

4.

Investigate and analyze various resources.

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MASTER the ART of NEC If you want to master grammar, you need to read such resources as textbooks, classic literature, fiction, scientific books, blogs, articles, essays and biographies. You should pay attention to what tenses are used in different cases and how sentences are structured.

5.

Practice a lot. There are many useful resources, both printed versions and online, that will help you to improve your grammar skills. A simple internet search provides access to a great variety of websites where you can study grammar by doing exercises and practicing with the help of games. III. STRATEGIES FOR DIFFERENT TYPES OF GRAMMAR STRUCTURES

1.

ABSOLUTE PHRASES: is a phrase that modifies a whole independent clause (a full sentence); not just one word. It generally combines a noun and a participle, so it can be as short as two words, or sometimes have other modifiers and objects, too. Ex (The absolute phrases are shown in bold):

Sally waited for her friends to arrive, muffins baking in the oven. Muffins baking in the oven, Sally waited for her friends to arrive. Her muffins freshly baked, Sally waited for her friends to arrive. Sally waited for her friends to arrive, her muffins freshly baked and ready.

a. Parts of absolute phrases: Nouns: A noun is a person, place, thing, object or idea. A sentence’s subject is pretty much always a noun. In an absolute phrase, the noun is what is doing the present or past participle. The noun in an absolute phrase is very often (but not always) accompanied by a pronoun. Ex: Her Muffins baking Particles: An absolute phrase almost always has a past or present participle. Adding “ed” to the end of regular verbs makes the past participle; adding “ing” to the end of all verbs makes the present participle. Objects: An object is the word affected by the verb or preposition in a sentence. Objects are usually nouns or pronouns that answer questions like “who,” “what,” “where,” and “when?” Ex:

-

• • •

Sally baked muffins. What did Sally bake? Sally baked at home. Where did she bake? Sally baked this morning. When did she bake them?

Modifiers: A modifier is an adjective or adverb that “modifies” or affects other words in a sentence to make it more descriptive. b. Types of absolute phrases: Past Participles: Past participles are different for regular and irregular verbs, but all past participle forms of regular verbs end in “ed.” Absolute phrases using a past participle follow the form Noun + past participle: Ex:

The batter mixed, Sally was ready to bake her muffins. Muffins baked, it was time for the brunch to begin. Muffins eaten, it was time for Sally to serve the fruit. Fruit served and enjoyed, Sally could now rest.

The past participles show that since something has happened, something else can happen. Without the past participle, we wouldn’t know any other details about the main clause. For example, since the batter is mixed, Sally can make muffins; since the muffins are baked, brunch can start. Present Participles: As you know, a present participle form of a verb always ends in “ing.” Absolute phrases using a present participle follow the form Noun + present participle:

Her mixer mixing the batter, Sally could soon add blueberries. Sally prepared the tables for brunch, her muffins baking in the oven. Muffins cooling on the counter, they would soon be ready to eat. You knew the muffins were homemade, the whole house smelling of blueberries.

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MASTER the ART of NEC The present participles show that something is happening right now that affects the full sentence. For example, the muffins are cooling, so soon they can be eaten; or, Sally prepares the tables, while the muffins are baking. Other Phrases as Absolute Phrases Sometimes an absolute phrase doesn’t have a participle. When it doesn’t, it can instead be a noun phrase or prepositional phrase that modifies a whole sentence. Ex:

A wonderful baker, Sally made fresh muffins for her friends. Last night, Sally made fresh muffins for her friends.

Noun phrase Prepositional phrase

You can see that both of the absolute phrases modify the whole sentence. “A wonderful baker” makes the fact that Sally baked muffins more important and meaningful—we know that they will be delicious. Likewise, “last night” tells us when Sally baked the muffins.

2.

INVERSION: happens when we reverse (invert) the normal word order of a structure, most commonly the subject-verb word order. For example, a statement has the subject (s) before the verb (v), but to make question word order, we invert the subject and the verb, with an auxiliary (aux) or modal verb (m) before the subject (s). WHEN DO WE USE INVERSION? ❖ When we use a negative adverb or adverb phrase at the beginning of the sentence. Usually, we put the expression at the beginning of the sentence to emphasize what we're saying. It makes our sentence sound surprising or striking or unusual. It also sounds quite formal. If you don't want to give this impression, you can put the negative expression later in the sentence in the normal way:

-

Seldom have I seen such beautiful work.

('Seldom' is at the beginning, so we use inversion. This sentence emphasizes what beautiful work it is.)

-

I have seldom seen such beautiful work.

('Seldom' is in the normal place, so we don't use inversion. This is a normal sentence with no special emphasis.) Common adverbs and adverbial phrases used for inverted emphasis: Seldom, rarely, never, scarcely, on no account, in no way, hardly, only then, no sooner, only later, nowhere, little, only etc. Common adverbial phrases in which the inversion must go in the second clause: Only by, only after, not until, only when, not since Examples of ’emphasis with inversion’, with the emphasis being inserted in the second clause: Only by knowing your enemy, can you learn about him/her. Only after graduating from university with a master’s degree, did I manage to find a job. Not until I left the building, could I see the rain clouds. Only when you reach twenty-nine years, will I allow you to live here. Not since Jamie found a job, has he been so happy. ❖ We can use inversion instead of 'if' in conditionals with 'had' 'were' and 'should'. This is quite formal: Normal conditional: If I had been there, this problem wouldn't have happened. Conditional with inversion: Had I been there, this problem wouldn't have happened. Normal conditional: If we had arrived sooner, we could have prevented this tragedy! Conditional with inversion: Had we arrived sooner, we could have prevented this tragedy! ❖ We can use inversion if we put an adverbial expression of place at the beginning on the sentence. This is also quite formal or literary: On the table was all the money we had lost. (Normal sentence: All the money we had lost was on the table.) Round the corner came the knights. (Normal sentence: The knights came round the corner.) HERE AND THERE: Inversion can happen after here, and after there when it is as an adverb of place. After here and there, we can use a main verb without an auxiliary verb or modal verb:

Here comes the bus! Here’s your coffee. I opened the door and there stood Michael, all covered in mud. She looked out and there was Pamela, walking along arm in arm with Goldie ❖ Expressions beginning with not We also invert the subject and verb after not + a prepositional phrase or a clause in initial position: Not for a moment did I think I would be offered the job, so I was amazed when I got it.

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MASTER the ART of NEC Not till I got home did I realize my wallet was missing.

3.

REDUCED ADVERB CLAUSES: refer to the shortening of an adverb clause to an adverbial phrase of time, causality or opposition. Adverb clauses may be reduced only if the subject of both the dependent (the adverb clause) and independent clause are the same. Reduce Only Certain Types of Adverb Clauses: There are a number of adverb clauses in English such as adverb clauses of time, causality, opposition, condition, manner, and place. Not all adverb clauses can be reduced. Only adverb clauses of time, causality and opposition can be reduced. Here are some examples of each type of adverb clauses which can be reduced: ❖ Reducing Adverb Clauses of Time Adverb clauses of time are reduced in a number of ways depending on the time expression used. Here are the most common:

Before / After / Since

• Keep the time word • Remove the subject • Change the verb to the gerund form OR Use a noun Ex:

After he took the test, he slept for a long time. -> After taking the test, he slept for a long time. OR After the test, he slept for a long time. Since I moved to Rochester, I have gone to the Philharmonic a number of times. -> Since moving to Rochester, I have gone to the Philharmonic a number of times. As • Delete 'as' • Remove the subject • Change the verb to the gerund form Ex:

As I was falling asleep, I thought about my friends in Italy. -> Falling asleep, I thought about my friends in Italy. As she was driving to work, she saw a deer in the road. -> Driving to work, she saw a deer in the road. As soon as

• Delete as soon as and replace with 'upon' or 'on' • Remove the subject • Change the verb to the gerund form Ex:

As soon as she finished the report, she gave it to the boss. -> Upon finishing the report, she gave it to the boss. As soon as we woke up, we got our fishing poles and went to the lake. -> On waking up, we got our fishing poles and went to the lake. ❖ Reducing Adverb Clauses of Causality Adverb clauses of causality (providing the reason for something) are introduced by the subordinating conjunctions 'because', 'since' and 'as'. • Each of these reduce in the same manner. • Remove the subordinating conjunction • Remove the subject Change the verb to the gerund form Ex:

Because he was late, he drove to work. -> Being late, he drove to work. Since she was tired, she slept in late. -> Being tired, she slept in late.

NOTE: When using the negative form of the verb, place 'not' before the gerund when reducing. Ex:

As he didn't want to disturb her, he left the room quickly. -> Not wanting to disturb her, he left the room quickly. Because she didn't understand the question, she asked the teacher for some help. -> Not understanding the question, she asked the teacher for some help. ❖ Reducing Adverb Clauses of Opposition

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MASTER the ART of NEC Adverb clauses of opposition beginning with 'though', 'although', or 'while' can be reduced in the following manner. • Keep the subordinating conjunction • Remove the subject and the verb 'be' • Keep the noun or adjective • OR Change the verb to the gerund form Ex:

(adjective) While he was a happy man, he had many serious problems. -> While happy, he had many serious problems. (noun) Though she was an excellent student, she failed to pass the test. -> Though an excellent student, she failed to pass the test. (gerund) Although he had a car, he decided to walk. -> Although having a car, he decided to walk.

4.

CONJUNCTIONS: are words that connect words, phrases, or clauses TYPES OF CONJUNCTION: ❖ Coordinating conjunctions Coordinating conjunctions may join single words, or they may join groups of words, but they must always join similar elements: e.g. subject+subject, verb phrase+verb phrase, sentence+sentence. Comes usually in the middle of a sentence, and a comma is used before the conjunction (unless both clauses are very short). The English language has seven coordinating conjunctions, and they’re easy to remember if you can just remember FANBOYS:

For - Explains reason or purpose (just like “because”)

I go to the park every Sunday, for I love to watch the ducks on the lake.

And - Adds one thing to another

I go to the park every Sunday to watch the ducks on the lake and the shirtless men playing soccer.

Nor - Used to present an alternative negative idea to an already stated negative idea I don’t go for the fresh air nor really for the ducks. Honestly, I just like the soccer.

But - Shows contrast

The soccer in the park is entertaining in the winter, but it’s better in the heat of summer.

Or - Presents an alternative or a choice The men play on teams: shirts or skins.

Yet - Introduces a contrasting idea that follows the preceding idea logically (similar to “but”) I always take a book to read, yet I never seem to turn a single page.

So - Indicates effect, result or consequence

I’ve started dating one of the soccer players, so now I have an excuse to watch the game each week. ❖ Subordinating Conjunctions A subordinating conjunction is a word that connects a main clause to a subordinate clause. A main clause is an independent clause that can stand alone by itself as a sentence. In other words, a main clause does not need any additional information to operate as a sentence. Below is a list of subordinating conjunction: A: after, although, as, as if, as long as, as much as, as soon as, as though B: because, before E: even, even if, even though I: if, if only, if when, if then, inasmuch, in order that J: just as L: lest N: now, now since, now that, now when O: once P: provided, provided that R: rather than S: since, so that, supposing

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MASTER the ART of NEC T: than, that, though, till U: unless, until W: when, whenever, where, whereas, where if, wherever, whether, which, while, who, whoever, why NOTE: Only use commas if the subordinating conjunction is the first word of a sentence. Place the comma after the first clause. ❖ Correlative conjunctions Correlative conjunctions are always used in pairs. They join similar elements and show the relationship between ideas expressed in different parts of a sentence - and thus make the joining tighter and more emphatic. When joining singular and plural subjects, the subject closest to the verb determines whether the verb is singular or plural. Below is a list of correlative conjunctions: as . . . as just as . . . so both . . . and hardly . . . when scarcely . . . when

either . . . or neither . . . nor if . . . then not . . . but

what with . . . and whether . . . or not only . . . but also no sooner . . . than rather . . . than

❖ Conjunctive Adverbs They are often used as a linking device between ideas. They show logical relationships expressed in clauses, sentences or paragraphs. Conjunctive adverbs are very emphatic, so they should be used sparingly. Similar to And Also Besides Furthermore Likewise Moreover

Similar to But However Nevertheless Nonetheless Still Conversely Instead Otherwise Rather

Similar to So Accordingly Consequently Hence Meanwhile Then Therefore Thus

● ●

5.

SPECIAL CASES OF CONDITIONAL SENTENCES ❖ “Mixed tense” in conditional sentence: Frequently, the time in the conditional clause and the time in the result clause are different: one clause may be in the present and the other one may be in the past. Past and present time are mixed in such sentences, in the sense that one of the verbal forms may express a real action and the other a hypothetical action. Ex: If he were a good student, he would have studied for the test yesterday.

If I had eaten breakfast this morning, I would not be hungry now. ❖ Other words and phrases with the same meaning –if

1. Unless: Conditional clauses can begin with unless. Unless means something similar to ‘if … not’ or ‘except if’. The verb forms in the examples are similar to sentences with if: we use the present simple in the unless-clause and shall, should, will, would, can, could, may or might in the main clause: Ex: Unless I phone you, you can assume the train’s on time. (If I do not phone you /except if I phone you, you can

assume the train is on time.)

Warning: We don’t use unless for impossible conditions. 2. If + were to In formal situations, we can use if + were to when we talk about things that might happen but which we think are unlikely: Ex: If the Prime Minister were to resign, there would have to be a general election within 30 days. Note: In even more formal styles, we use were + subject-verb inversion + to-infinitive. 3. As long as, so long as, providing, etc.

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MASTER the ART of NEC Sometimes we need to impose specific conditions or set limits on a situation. In these cases, conditional clauses can begin with phrases such as as long as, so long as, only if, on condition that, providing (that), provided (that). “As long as ” is more common in speaking; so long as and on condition that are more formal and more common in writing: Ex: You can play in the living room as long as you don’t make a mess.

So long as a tiger stands still, it is invisible in the jungle. The bank lent the company 100,000 pounds on condition that they repaid the money within six months. “Providing (that)” is more common in speaking; provided (that) is more formal and more common in written language: Ex: You can get a senior citizen’s reduction providing you’ve got a railcard.

They may do whatever they like provided that it is within the law.

4. Or and otherwise We often use or and otherwise with conditional meanings: Ex: You’ve got to start studying, or you’ll fail all those exams. (If you don’t start studying, you will fail the exams.) 5. Supposing “Supposing” may be used with a conditional meaning. It can be used in first, second or third conditional sentences. The speaker invites the listener to imagine a situation: Ex: Supposing I don’t arrive till after midnight, will the guest-house still be open? (Imagine if I don’t arrive till after midnight …)

Supposing you lost your passport, you’d have to go to the embassy, wouldn’t you? Supposing he hadn’t recognised us – he might never have spoken to us. 6. If- meaning (al)though “If “ can be with a similar meaning to (al)though in a rather formal style of English. In this case, if does not give so much importance as (al)though to the contrast, exception or concession that is referred to. Ex: His style, if mannered, is pleasant to read. The profits, if a little lower than last year’s, are still high.

6.

SUBJUNCTIVES: The subjunctive is a specific verb form. It usually expresses something that you wish for, or a hypothetical rather than actual situation: Ex: If only I were ten years younger. I only wish that what you say were true. It is also used to indicate that something is being suggested or demanded: Ex: The report recommends that he face the tribunal. It is important that they be aware of the provisions of the Act. WHEN IS IT USED ? ❖ In that -clauses It is probably most frequent in that-clauses with verbs like demand, insist, pray, recommend, suggest, and semantically related nouns/adjectives, e.g. essential, important, insistence, proposal, etc. Ex: She declined a seat beside Charles on the sofa. She insisted that Jane sit there. It was suggested that he wait until the next morning. It is important that they be aware of the provisions of the Act. Note: In most such cases it can be replaced by should + infinitive or by the indicative form of the verb: Ex: She declined a seat beside Charles on the sofa. She insisted that Jane sat there. It was suggested that he should wait until the next morning. It is important that they are aware of the provisions of the Act. The use of the subjunctive instead of those alternatives is very frequent in American English. In constructions of this type, any negation not (or never etc.) is normally placed before the subjunctive verb: One essential quality for a holiday novel is that it not be too light. I recommend that we not approve this letter. ❖ As if…, as though…, if… After if (or as if, as though, unless) in hypotheses or comparisons: Ex: If that were so, things would be very different.

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MASTER the ART of NEC It was as if Sally were disturbed in some way. His voice strained as though he were walking on a wire above a pit of sharks. The indicative may also be used, i.e. was instead of were , in all the examples above, but the subjunctive arguably conveys the hypothetical sense more forcefully. ❖ At the head of a clause This kind of construction, with the subject after the verb, is more typically found in writing than in speech, where it might be considered rather formal. Ex: Were I to get drunk, it would help me drown my anguish.

Unlike rival international fairs, be they in London, New York or Maastricht, the Biennale has enormous popular appeal.

IV. Exercises Source: Collection Book of Olympic 30/4 (2014,2015,2016,2017); Destination C1&C2 (Macmillan)

1. A. B. C. D. 2. A. B. C. D. 3. A. B. C. D. 4.

A. B. C. 5.

A. B. C. D. E. 6. A. B. C. D.

________________, the meeting began. All of us seated All of us had taken the seats All of us have been seated All of us having seated The authorities, ___________ at the potential for dissent, tried to outlaw the coffee houses. alarmed who alarmed alarming who was alarming His hat _____ and pride ________, Alan asked his former boss for his job back. had been in hand – had been in check being in hand - being in check in hand – in check was in hand- was in check Her original intention, _____________ in Paraguay till Christmas, still seems like the best one to me. which is staying which is to stay which was staying Honour still unsatisfied, they got back into their lorries and were off again , this time _______________ to edge __________ into a deep ravine that fell away at one side of the road. each to try – the other each trying – one another each trying – the other each tried - other to try each – another The work ______________ in next month’s exhibition is all by young French photographers. being shown to be shown which will be shown A and C are correct

7.

A. B. C. D. 8. A. B. C. D. 9.

A. B. C. D. 10. A. B. C. D. 11. A. B. C. D. 12. A. B. C. 13. A. B.

_________as a money-market account, a certificate of deposit is recommended by financial experts for its high yield. Although it is not such a liquid investment Although not as liquid an investment Though no liquid an investment While not being so liquid an investment The thief _________ has been arrested. who took her bag taking her bag who had taken her bag having taken her bag If ____________ in shopping malls, restaurants with similar price ranges and menus can make profits. each uncluttered next to the other each cluttering next to the other each cluttered next to another each decluttered next to the other A food stylist prepares the food ________________. to be photographed which will be photographed which are photographed A and B are correct I crouched in the alleyway, my eyes ____________ in the darkness. straining had been strained was strained strained Rather than the team __________ in the rain, the match was postponed. playing to play play After scoring, Fowler fell to the floor as if_________ by a bullet. he were hit hit

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MASTER the ART of NEC C. he was hit D. A and B are correct 14. We don’t anticipate ___________ any resistance from the anti-hunting lobby. A. There being B. There was C. There to be D. A and C are correct 15. “I’ll never finish this by five.” “ If _________, I’ll work overtime.” A. is needed B. need to be C. needing D. need be 16. “Is she coming back to Florida soon?” “ __________within the next six months.” A. In time B. Sometime C. Sometimes D. At some times 17. I for one am not sorry. He should have ___________ than to lend them money. A. thought more B. been better C. known more D. known better 18. Gaining all this weight is probably because of __________ exercising recently. A. me stopping B. I stopping C. I have stopped D. having stopping 19. “ It’s been decided that consideration ___________ to the issue at next week’s meeting.” A. is being given B. was to be given C. will be given D. will have given 20. “who did you say _____________ to see me this morning?” A. did he come B. had he come C. was coming D. will he come 21. The law stipulates that new cars ____________ with seat bells. A. are fitted B. be fitted C. are fit D. fit 22. “ Has Bob made any suggestions for the new project?”

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“ No, all he does is____________ about it. A. complain B. complaining C. to be complaining D. complained 23. “ This is a really boring topic!” “ Yes, I didn’t want to read the assignment, ______________ prepare a presentation on it.” A. Apart from B. Even C. Much less D. Rather not 24. ____________work last week, but something happened and I couldn’t. A. I could start B. If I were to start C. I was started D. I was to have started 25. __________, he was seeing his daughter off to Australia. A. The last I heard B. Last I heard C. I last heard D. I heard last 26. __________ you like about her, she’s the most capable employee this company’s ever had. A. Say what B. Tell me what C. Say which D. Tell me what 27. _________ account should you leave the building without notifying a member of staff. A. Of little B. Of no C. Not on any D. Not on your 28. If it’s all the same to you, I have a preference _____ at eight. A. Start B. to start C. for starting D. starting 29. _________ gone to the wedding would have turned the whole family against me. A. Not to have B. Having not C. Had I not D. If I had not 30. “Shouldn’t you be in your math class now?” “ Uh, oh! I didn’t ______________” A. hear the bell to ring B. hear the bell ring C. hear the bell having rung

MASTER the ART of NEC D. hear ringing the bell 31. My new personal trainer says he ______________ by the end of the month. A. will have done me 100 sit-ups a day B. had done 100 sit-ups a day C. will have me doing 100 sits-up a day D. has 100 sit-ups a day done 32. I didn’t know who _________ to for help. A. turning B. to have turned C. having turned D. to turn 33. “ I loved Christmas as a child.” “ So did I. Every Christmas Eve all the family ______________ the tree together.” A. would have decorated B. would decorate C. had been decorating D. used to decorating 34. “ I have an appointment to see Dr. Harrison.” “ If ____________ a seat, I’ll let him know you’re here.” A. would you take B. you are taking C. should you take D. you will take 35. “We can go for a swim now if you like!” “ If only ________ my bathing suit with me.” A. I was bringing B. I had brought C. I could bring D. I would bring 36. Over 10000 people have already volunteered ___________ the Olympic Games. A. for helping run B. helping to run C. to help running D. to help run 37. All the invitations have been sent. __________ the seating plan, that can wait till next week. A. But for B. As well as C. As for D. Unlike 38. The tennis tournament _______ held at the sports center but at the last minute the venue changed. A. has been B. would be C. was going to be D. is to be 39. Excuse me. I _________ if I could audition for a part in the play.”

A. B. C. D. 40.

had wondered was wondering was wondered am wondering We thought an _______ package tour would be more economical. A. all-including B. all-inclusive C. included D. inclusively 41. The accident happened _________ the bus not having been properly serviced. A. in consequence B. owing to C. on account D. because 42. “ You enjoy old movies, I’d rather not stay up late to watch one tonight.” “ ________, I’d rather not stay up late to watch one tonight.” A. On the other hand B. All the same C. Even though D. On the contrary 43. I thought I _________ that you had to submit your essays by Friday. A. made plain B. had made plainly C. made it plain D. did make plain 44. “ The meeting is going to be postponed till Friday.” “ Oh, I’d prefer ________ as I won’t be able to attend.” A. if it isn’t B. for it not be C. it if it weren’t D. it not being 45. “Trudy sure did a good job of decorating your apartment.” “ Yes, but I’d ___________ some of the work myself.” A. sooner have done B. rather done C. better have done D. prefer having done 46. The pay cuts ________ causing the workers to strike. A. were blamed on B. are blamed in C. were blaming for D. have been blamed for

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MASTER the ART of NEC 47. There have been a few cases of Asian flu recently but there _________ no cause for alarm. A. feels to be B. is felt to be C. has been felt there is D. was felt being 48. “ Wasn’t that a terrible storm!” “ Yes. It’s lucky more houses _________ damaged.” A. didn’t get B. weren’t being C. hadn’t D. weren’t to be 49. “ Did Maureen contact you?” “ No, but she ________ have gotten my message yet.” A. must B. could C. won’t D. shall 50. _____________ your phone for a moment, please? My battery has run out. A. Could I have used B. Might I use C. May I be using D. Can I be used 51. “ Last night I dreamed I was a millionaire.” “ How strange you ________ say that! I had a similar dream.” A. should B. would C. may D. could 52. “ Tony is at college all day, then works nights as security guard.” “ He can’t ___________ enough sleep.” A. getting B. be getting C. have got D. be got 53. Good morning, ladies and gentlemen. __________ of you is first in line? A. Who B. Whom C. Any D. Which 54. Jimmy doesn’t like my cooking, but it doesn’t bother me. _________, I’d say. A. Everyone to his own B. Each to his own C. Each one his own D. Everyone’s his own

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55. I’m sorry. I meant ___________ to you, but I’ve been so busy recently. A. to have written B. to have been writing C. to be writing D. to write 56. _______________ ghost exists in the world. That’s your illusion. A. Not such a B. No such thing as a C. No thing such as D. Such as 57. My teacher in primary school was very strict. He always ______________. A. said us to study harder B. told us study harder C. said to study harder D. told to study harder 58. It just ___________ that was in their area that, so I went to visit them. A. so happened B. happened so 59. A new generation of performers, ______________ those who by now had become a household name, honed their skills before following the same path onto TV. A. not talented less than B. no less talented that C. not less talented than 60. Nebraska has floods in some years, ______________. A. droughts in the other B. other droughts C. in others droughts D. in another droughts 61. How much can I pull myself together when this is not _______________ a challenge? A. so much a worry as B. as a worry as C. so a worry much as D. such as 62. Computers are said to be ____________ for the development of mankind. A. here to stay B. neither here nor there C. here and there D. here today, gone tomorrow 63. As ______ often the case with children, Amy was completely better by the time the doctor arrived. A. is B. it is C. what is

MASTER the ART of NEC D. being 64. As I stepped off the bus on to the snowcovered pavement, I fell ___________ my back. A. flatly on B. flat to C. flatly to D. flat on 65. I applied for the job that I saw __________ in the paper. A. advertised B. advertising C. being advertising D. to be advertised 66. In the northern and central parts of the state of Idaho ___________ and churning rivers. A. majestic mountains are found B. are found majestic mountains C. are majestic mountains found 67. She told me not to ask any questions, ___________as she did. A. just did B. only do C. only do much D. just to do 68. The whole place was completely deserted and not a car ____________ A. for being seen B. seeing C. to be seen D. be seen 69. He really deserved the award because he performed much better than ____________. A. was expected of him B. expected C. expected of him 70. If a diamond is heated without oxygen, it’ll turn to graphite, a form of ___________ that is used as a lubricant. A. carbon is so soft B. is carbon so soft C. carbon so soft D. so soft the carbon 71. He sold all his property and went away to America never ________ again. A. hearing of him B. to hear of him C. to be heard of D. being heard about 72. “Does Joanna walk to work?” “No, ____________ it is, she always takes the bus.” A. where B. wherever

C. as far as D. far as 73. Will three people be enough? Another three __________. A. will do B. will be 74. The spectators watched ___________ what they were seeing on the playing field. A. agape, therefore they couldn’t believe B. agape, they couldn’t believe C. agape having not believed D. agape, for the reason that they couldn’t believe 75. You should not have liked her, but ____________ be quite so rude. A. should you B. would you have to C. did you dare to D. did you need to 76. The committee has met and ________________. A. they have reached a decision B. it has reached a decision 77. The scientists ______________ the festival of Ramanda, but they were too busy with their research in the laboratory. A. would have liked to commemorate B. would have loved to have observed C. would prefer to have obeyed D. would sooner have celebrated 78. ____________, creative interests are put to one side as we struggle with our academic subjects. A. As often happens with young people B. Often happening with young people C. Often does it happen to young people D. Often happening to young people 79. Ann is __________________ her sister. A. every bit as intelligent as B. just intelligent as C. as intelligent like D. rather as intelligent as 80. Now considered an art form, quilt-making originated as a means of fashioning bed covers from bits of fabric that otherwise _____________. A. not use B. were no use C. had no use D. it was not used 81. I have several problems at the moment, __________ the least of which is lack of money. A. but B. not C. only D. for

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MASTER the ART of NEC 82. If you can win his attention, _________________ for you. A. the so much better B. so much the better C. the better so much D. so the much better 83. You are under no obligation __________ to accept this offer. A. indeed B. eventually C. apart D. whatsoever 84. “How often do you visit your parents?” “__________ so often, even though they live some distance away.” A. Even B. Ever C. Never D. Every 85. __________ my buying tuna if you detest eating fish. A. Is it any good B. As well as C. It’s not much use D. There’s nothing good 86. They arrived on ______ Saturday as far as I can remember. A. Ø B. a C. the D. either 87. He made __________ that he had caught the huge fish himself. A. believe B. to believe C. believing D. to be believing 88. __________ him walk down the street, you would never know he was blind. A. To see B. Having seen C. When you see D. So as to see 89. She is __________ too ready to accept the offer. A. far B. much C. all D. almost 90. If he so ____________ at another woman, I’ll kill him. A. as to look B. much as to look C. much as looks

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D. much as looking 91. On the top of the mountain ____________ where my father was born. A. the cabin is located B. is the located cabin C. is located the cabin D. located is the cabin 92. ____________, I haven’t seen Catherine all day. A. Coming to think of it B. To come to think of it C. Coming to think it D. Come to think of it 93. The answer is no. That’s all ________________ . A. there is at it B. how it is C. there is to it D. there it is 94. The music teacher made sure that ________ child had a chance to sing a solo. A. every and each B. each of all C. each and every D. all and every 95. I think Liza ____________ completely unreasonable about not lending her sister the money. A. will have been B. is being C. will be D. being 96. Johann isn’t ______ his elder brother Albert. A. about as sociable as B. quite as sociable as C. so much sociable as D. as sociable like 97. “So, what do you think?” “ I think it’s a crazy idea if _________ one.” A. there has been B. ever there was C. there ever was D. it could ever be 98. Not even __________ that the party would be such a success. A. had I guessed B. I had never guessed C. I would never have guessed D. I had guessed 99. ________, Simone has not been her usual self. A. Eventually B. Of late C. Lastly D. In time

MASTER the ART of NEC 100. Janet is a similar age ___________ John. A. as B. to C. with D. of 101. Have you ___________ that story in the papers about the elephant that escaped from the zoo? Apparently, they’ve just ____________ it. A. followed - been catching B. been following - caught C. been following - been catching D. followed - caught 102. ______________ getting a pet tarantula? A. Has Claire really thought that B. Does Claire really think of C. Is Claire really thinking of D. Has Claire really been thinking that 103. Looking at your CV, I _____________ you used to live in Australia. A. gather B. do gather C. am gathering D. have gathered 104. I _____________ frustrated with my Internet provider so I decided to change. A. have got B. have been C. was getting D. got 105. Just as you arrived, I _________ ready to go out. A. was B. had got

C. got D. was getting 106. Don’t worry. We’ll soon have your car ________ like new. A. running B. run C. to run 107. You must not cough when we are eating like that. ______________, excuse yourself. A. As necessary B. If need be C. In due time D. Despite that 108. Long _____________ he be instrumental in the drafting of the proposal. A. should B. might C. must D. could 109. He went so far ____________ the headmaster into granting entry into the secret chamber. A. as talking B. as to talk C. to talk D. as to talking 110. ________________ I heard him him that song in the bathroom. A. Many a times B. Many times C. Many’s times D. Many’s the time

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MASTER the ART of NEC

VOCABULARY I. Tips and notes Although vocabulary questions are few and far between in the NEC (about 10 questions), the knowledge it covers is very broad and its “application” can be seen everywhere. However, if you study diligently, there’s a high chance that you will successfully conquer the majority of the questions in this part. The level of difficulty of the questions in this section varies. Some answers are glaringly obvious, yet others are more difficult. Overall, the knowledge tested is a bit easier than that of the Olympic 30/4. The areas of knowledge tested in this part are Idioms and Phrasal Verbs, Collocations and Vocabulary. The vocabulary questions feature academic words, the so-called “SAT” word. However, don’t be scared because of this branding. These are “New SAT” vocabulary, not the “Old SAT” ones. The vocabulary of the NEC and the New SAT is more practical and appears more frequently. The Collocations, Idioms and Phrasal Verbs parts are more difficult than the other parts. The Idioms and Phrasal Verbs in the test bears a close resemblance to those tested in the Olympic 30/4. Most of them are of average level only but once in a while some idioms are very uncommon. However, the collocation questions are very unique and require experience, broad reading background and deep understanding of English language. Here are some tips for this type of question:

DO -

Read through the given sentence and examine -

the context around the blank carefully. -

-

Leave an answer blank. Rush through the questions carelessly. Some

Consider the overall meaning of the sentence to questions may seem familiar, yet this familiarity can trap

see if your chosen answer fits in. -

DON’T

you if you don’t read carefully.

Consider the tone of the sentence. Some

questions may have option choices with similar meaning, but they are different in view of tone and word usage. -

Make a calculated guess when you don’t know

the answers. -

Do infer. Sometimes, the literal meaning of an

idiom/phrasal verb is a hint of its figurative meaning. II. How to practice To maximise your chance of achieving a high score for this type of question, it is of great importance to expand your vocabulary. Below are several ways you can improve and stretch your vocabulary range:

1.

2.

To gain a decent wealth of knowledge on idioms, phrasal verbs or collocations, it is necessary that you do a lot of exercises. There are many English course-books on these topics, or you can simply rely on the Olympic 30/4 collections since these offer a plethora of exercises on the topic. Search for a list of SAT Vocabulary and study them. Cross out any words you deem unnecessary or impractical.

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MASTER the ART of NEC

3.

4. 5. 6. 7. 8.

Read regularly from a variety of sources, e.g. novels, literary works, articles. As you read, underline or highlight new words, collocations, idioms and phrasal verbs, try to derive the meaning from the context (this will also be helpful should you encounter new words in the actual examination) and look up the definition in a dictionary. Use a journal or notebook to keep a list of new or interesting vocabulary so you can refer back to this list later, slowly building them into your everyday vocabulary. Set objectives for yourself, e.g. learn five new words/collocations/idioms/phrasal verbs every day. Play word games such as crossword puzzles, anagrams, word jumble, Scrabble or Boggle. If possible, engage in conversations with native speakers. As with reading, take note of new words when you hear them.

Make use of mnemonics or word associations when learning new vocabulary. Example: The word “capacious” can be memorised using mnemonics or word associations such as: ✓ A big cap that is so spacious that the whole Ambrosia community can sit in it, I guess we can call it “capacious”. “Capacity” + “Spacious” = CAPACIOUS III. How to use your lexical resources the right way in writing It is vital that the test-takers be capable of utilizing a wide range of lexical resources, yet it is more important that they know how to use their vocabulary in an accurate, flexible and natural way. However, all too often, people just blindly stuff their writings with flowery language without paying attention to the overall effect. Before opting for a word, do not neglect to examine the context first. What is the tone? Do the words collocate? Is the situation formal or informal? These questions are important, especially in the writing part, because this decides your word choice. Thus, this section aims at providing some tips on how to incorporate your lexical resources into your writing:

1.

2.

3.

4.

Avoid using informal words. Informal words and phrases such as “it costs an arm and a leg” or “under the weather” are often clichés which are either used excessively or used in speaking merely. Hence, avoid using them because they do not strike the wrong note in your formal essay. Do not force yourself to use idioms. Idioms should appear as natural as possible and they should be there to support your idea and argument, not to show off your wealth of idiomatic expressions. The awkward use of idioms will disrupt the flows of idea and possibly weaken the argument. Also, do not use too many idioms in one essay. You should rely on other options such as academic words to convey your ideas. For instance, instead of saying “I paid through my nose for the tuition fee”, you can say “The tuition fee is astronomical/prohibitive”. Before you use idioms, make sure you know them well. Although some idioms and phrases have the same meaning, they may differ in their tone: one may be approving, the other may be disapproving; one may be formal, the other may be informal. Therefore, you should understand the use of an idiom thoroughly before using it. Don’t risk putting in an unknown quantity because this may create misunderstanding. You can consult the dictionary to have a better insight into the use of an idiom. Be careful when using phrasal verbs. Most phrasal verbs are informal, with only a few exceptions (consist of, account for,…). There are always some academic verbs that can replace phrasal verbs, use them (maybe with the combination of another adverb!)! For example, use “conduct” or “execute” instead of “carry out”, “omit” instead of “leave out”.

IV. Exercises

1.

Choose the correct answers A, B, C or D to each of the following questions.

1. The judge’s decision has struck a ________ for racial equality. A. note B. chord C. blow

D. balance

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MASTER the ART of NEC 2. She likes debating because she enjoys the cut and ________ of people’s arguments. A. glut B. hut C. crush 3. When he found out that he had been rejected, he cut up ________. A. rough B. raw C. loose 4. With two options presented, I was caught between two ________. A. horns B. stools C. doors 5. I didn’t sleep well last night so I’m not really on the ________ today. A. spur B. ball C. bounce 6. The house is expensive because it is situated in the most ________ part of the town. A. salubrious B. ornate C. impecunious 7. The trip will be long so you should bring a(n) ________ bag. A. cantankerous B. capacious C. salutary 8. He is a(n) ________ young man who shows no respect for god. A. impious B. ludicrous C. precipitous 9. Foreign aid is badly needed to ________ the effects of the drought. A. ameliorate B. exert C. ossify 10. The band sat down to enjoy the ________ ripe figs. A. overt B. luscious C. sardonic

2. Choose the correct answers A, B, C or D to each of the following questions.

D. thrust D. harsh D. ruts D. jump D. lucid D. ambulatory D. capacious D. preclude D. unpalatable

1. Teachers should try to understand their students before they ________ the punishment. A. bring out B. give out C. hand out D. splash out 2. When the police started asking questions, the suspect ________. A. clammed up B. eased off C. wore out D. gave away 3. When you are buying a flight, make sure you ________ to find the best price first. A. cast around B. swirl around C. shop around D. spin around 4. My big brother always ________ for me when my mother yelled at me. A. stuck up B. stood up C. hooked up D. blocked up 5. Strictly ________ the record, his work is not up to scratch. Don’t tell him. A.on B. by C. in D. off 6. The team was ________ devastated by the results. A. deeply B. utterly C. thoroughly D. acutely 7. Some politicians fear that the concession will ________ a dangerous precedent. A. establish B. set C. fix D. make 8. He ________ with laughter when he saw her ludicrous clothes. A. shouted B. roared C. clapped D. hooted 9. A loud ________ of thunder woke him from a restless sleep. A. bang B. peal C. ounce D. pound 10. Unfortunately, he doesn’t usually listen to ________ advice. A. sought-after B. unlooked-for C. unwonted D. unsolicited

3. Choose the correct words to fill in the blanks. alacrity lithe sagacious

1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

lethargic cacophony depravity

levity

idiosyncrasy

saccharine execrable

ominous

traverse

callow

trinket

ruminate

trepidation

demur exculpate

loquacious

deride

As we entered the farmyard we were met with a(n) _______________ of animal sounds. The monk was alarmed by society’s moral _______________ when he saw the news. He had the _______________, athletic body of a ballet dancer. One of the _______________ of this printer is that you can’t stop it once it has started. She’s always had _______________ taste in men. She used to date criminals!

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MASTER the ART of NEC 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18. 19. 20.

She always buys a few souvenirs when she returns from a vacation, even if they are only cheap ___________. Peter was just a(n) _______________ youth of 18 when he arrived in New York. There was a brief moment of _______________ during the solemn ceremony. She _______________ across the whole country in order to find her lost son. There was a(n) __________ silence when I asked her to marry him. Somehow I knew she was going to say no. It is imperative that you not be taken in by her _______________ smiles. We view the future plans with some _______________ because the whole process will be disrupted. The professor made a(n) _______________ comment on the matter, which satisfied everyone. I hated the judge because he _______________ my efforts as pathetic. She _______________ for weeks about whether to accept the school’s offer or not. After finishing my homework, I felt tired and _______________. There is never a dull moment around Sarah because she is so _______________. The pilot of the crashed plane will be _______________ when all the facts are revealed. Minerva accepted the offer with _______________ because it was her dream after all. The lawyer requested a break, but the judge _______________.

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10.

They have fitted ________ their bedroom with a new table. The family is ________ arrears ________ their mortgage payments. The doctor had to rely on many kinds of medicine to throw ________ the cold. The shirt is too tight for you. You’d better let it ________. There is no justification ________ betraying your dearest friends. The complexity of the judicial system militates ________ justice for the individual. Many years have rolled ________ since I last talked to my teacher. Space is ________ a premium in overcrowded cities. The boy delved ________ his pocket to find a pen to write. There was nothing to entertain so we were thrown ________ ________ our own resources.

4. Choose the correct prepositions or particles to fill in the blanks

5.

Give the correct form of the phrasal verbs to fill in the blanks.

squirrel away polish off drag on stamp on knock over nail down gloss over slave away snap up

lie about consist in

blow up

tick off

eke out swot up on

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15.

The tickets for the prom were _______________ within three hours of going on sale. He _______________ the whole pie in just a few minutes. Any opposition to the government will be _______________ by the army. The news of his acceptance ____________ everybody ____________. We should end it now. The dispute _______________ for months I _______________ all day trying to get this work finished. While in New York, he managed to _______________ his student loan till the end of the year. It is vital that the referee should not _______________ this problem. No wonder your plan _______________ seeing that it was so badly prepared. He _______________ by his parents for not having done his homework. True education does not _______________ simply being taught to remember facts. You should ____________ her ____________ to a specific time because she always procrastinates. The minister has money _______________ in various bank accounts all over the world. Make sure you _______________ the university before the alumni interview. He should have been fired a long time ago. He just _______________ doing nothing.

1. 2. 3. 4.

Fill in the correct words to finish the idioms. When you are young, you don’t have to worry about anything. The ____________ is your oyster. I don’t want to date that man. He doesn’t have a ____________ of decency. I was going to announce the results but he stole my ____________ and told everybody. If he can’t cut the ____________, we will have to hire another expert.

6.

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MASTER the ART of NEC 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15.

The hotel staff was glad to see the ____________ of such a difficult guest. The thought of the people who are poor tears my____________ out. After the election, it seems that politics remain very fertile ____________ for comedy. In a speech to ____________ of industry, she predicts there will be many fluctuations. Those important figures also agree with her opinions. Because I was so busy at the time, his birthday just fell off the ____________. Our team is two weeks behind the schedule, I think it’s time to ____________ the whip. Thanks for tipping me the ____________ about the answer keys. The millionaire can find ways to feather his own ____________. It’s a battle of ____________ between the hero and the villain. When the second goal was scored, you could even cut the atmosphere with a ____________. The rumor about the star’s death is now on everybody’s ____________.

1.  2.  3.  4.  5.  6.  7.  8.  9.  10. 

Rewrite the original sentence so that the second sentence has the same meaning. Now that you have submitted your profile, there is nothing you can do about it. (GENIE) Now that _________________________________________________________________________________________ . We are under great pressure since we are two weeks behind the schedule. (GUN) We are ___________________________________________________________________________________________ . She left the room with relief since there was nothing wrong with her health. (LIGHT) There being ______________________________________________________________________________________ . The odds are stacked against you when you apply to Harvard. (DICE) The ______________________________________________________________________________________________ . She might appear calm, but she was very nervous actually. (RACK) Calm ____________________________________________________________________________________________ . The professor is very knowledgeable about Ancient Egypt. (MINE) The ______________________________________________________________________________________________ . Mary is impatient to start the camping trip even though she doesn’t like the weather. (BIT) Much as _________________________________________________________________________________________ . The party would have been very lively if the celebrity had come. (SWING) Had _____________________________________________________________________________________________ . The storm has wreaked havoc on the village many times. (CUT) Many a __________________________________________________________________________________________ . Hardly had he got home when he was surrounded by his friends and relatives. (HEMMED) No ____________________________________________________________________________________________ kin.

7.

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MASTER the ART of NEC

WORD FORMATION I. Tips and notes There are generally only 6 to 10 word formation questions in the NEC. However, failure to achieve a high score for this type of question can drastically affect your final result. In general, word formation questions of the NEC are fairly easier than those of the Olympic 30/4. Nonetheless, examinees must have a good command of word formation knowledge as well as inferring skill in order to figure out the correct answer. Here are some tips for this type of question.

DO

DON’T

- Read through the entire given text, pay close attention

-

Leave an answer blank

to the context to determine what part of speech is

-

Rush through questions carelessly

required in each blank. - Make sure that your answer is grammatically correct and fits in with the sense of the sentence or text. - Check your spelling carefully, incorrect spelling would mean that your answer is incorrect. - Make an educated guess if you cannot determine the answer.

REMEMBER -

Numerous word roots have multiple derivatives of the same part of speech whose meanings can be easily confused (e.g., “personify” and “personalise” are both verbs and derivatives of the root word “person”).

-

Occasionally, the same word can be used as different parts of speech, dependent on the given context (e.g., “answer” can be used as a verb or a noun).

II. How to practice

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7.

Learn affixes. This can be helpful should you have to make a guess, since you can make affixations based on context. Look up derivatives of a word. When learning a new word, it is advisable that you try to find as many of its derivatives as possible. Build a word formation “database”. Keep a list of words and their derivatives so you can refer back to this list if needed. Read often and widely. When you encounter a new word, try to guess its meaning based on its affixation if possible. Practice makes perfect. Do a lot of exercises to practice as well as broaden your knowledge of word formation. Create your own word formation exercises as this can develop for you a mindset similar to that of a test designer and provide you with new vocabulary as well. Build up through your skills. To reinforce your pool of vocabulary, try to integrate your knowledge into your writing or speaking parts.

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MASTER the ART of NEC III. Common affixes An affix is a morpheme that is attached to a word stem to form a new word or word form. The two primary kinds of affix are prefix and suffix. Prefixes and suffixes that are used in English give clues as to the meaning and, or, the function of words. A wide knowledge of affixes is the key to maximise your chance of achieving a high score for this type of question. Below is a list of affixes that are frequently tested in the NEC. Each affix presented has a hyphen either at the beginning or the end. If the hyphen is at the beginning, then the affix is a suffix. If the hyphen is at the end, then the affix is a prefix. Affix

Meaning

Examples

not, without, opposite to

amoral, asocial, atonal, atypical

-able

1. that can or must be 2. having certain qualities or characteristics

1. lovable, enjoyable, imaginable

after-

1. something that happens after a particular activity or event 2.one thing that happens as a result of another

1. after-hours, after-school, after-lunch, after-dinner

a-

-al -age -ance -ant

anti-

-archy -arian

-ary

auto-based be-

2. comfortable, fashionable

2. aftertaste, afterglow, aftershock

1. something that is connected with another 2. actions or process

1. mental, environmental, global 2. burial, betrayal, denial

1. action, process or state 2. state or quality

1. clearance, defiance 2. importance, ignorance

1. opposition

1. anti-war, anti-religious, anti-government, anti-establishment 2. antidepressant, anticoagulant, antibacterial

1. a process, the result of a process or a state 2. a measurement

1. somebody who does a particular thing 2. something which has a particular effect

2. prevention

rule, government

Someone or something associated with a particular thing

1. someone or something that is connected to, involves, or share some characteristics with another 2. people 3. places where something is kept or done 1. automatic 2. oneself

1. the major part of something 2. something being positioned or existing mainly in a particular place someone or something in a particular state or going into that state

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1. blockage, leakage, stoppage 2. voltage, mileage

1. assistant, combatant, consultant 2. coolant, lubricant, pollutant

anarchy, monarchy, hierarchy

vegetarian, librarian, centenarian, humanitarian

1. complimentary, imaginary, honorary, legendary 2. secretary, luminary 3. mortuary, aviary

1. auto-cook, autopilot 2. autonomy, autograph

1. computer-based, nuclear-based, paperbased 2. land-based, ocean-based, campus-based belittle, bewildered

MASTER the ART of NEC

-bound -cide cocontracolcomcon-

counter-

-cy

de-

dis-

1. restrictions or limitations 2. direction

1. duty-bound, earthbound 2. homebound, westbound

killing

pesticide, suicide, genocide, herbicide

a job, task or status which two or more people can share

co-author, co-driver, co-pilot

something that opposes or has the opposite effect of another

contradict, contravene, contraception

together, with

collaborate, colleague company, compound contact, contemporary

actions or activities that oppose another action or activity

counterattack, counteract, counterbalance, counterclaim

1. a state, quality or experience 2. rank, position or occupation

1. pregnancy, accuracy, infancy 2. presidency, captaincy, consultancy

1. an action which has the opposite effect of, or reverses, the process of another 2. the removal of something

1. deactivate, decentralized, dehydrate, demobilize

1. an opposite action

1. disagree, disappear, disobey 2. disbelief, discomfort, discontent

2. opposite states, attitudes or qualities

2. debug, defrost

1. a state or condition

1. freedom, wisdom

-dom

2. a realm or territory

2. kingdom, princedom

down-

1. someone or something moving towards, or being situated in a lower place or position 2. becoming worse

1. downstream, downstairs, downward, downwind

1. someone who is affected by an action 2. someone who performs an action

1. examinee, interviewee, nominee 2. escapee, absentee

action, process or state

adherence, existence, insistence, indulgence

equal, equally

equidistant, equivocal

1. actions 2. behavior 3. a place where something is done or kept 4. a group or objects of a particular kind

1. discovery, delivery 2. bravery, foolery 3. butchery, fishery, gunnery, winery 4. artillery, scenery, finery

-ee emen-

-ence -ent equi-ery extra-

the process of moving into or being placed into a different state, condition or position a person or thing performing an action or experiencing a process

1. very

2. downfall, downgrade

empower, embark enable, enfold

respondent, transcendent

1. extra-thin, extra-strong

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MASTER the ART of NEC

fore-

-ful -hood -ibility -ible -ic -ility -ion -ify iliminir-ing

2. outside, beyond

2. extra-sensory, extra-curricular

1. the front part of something, something at the front of another 2. before something

1. forearm, foredeck, forehead

1. amounts and measurement 2. characteristics and qualities

1. spoonful, bagful, boxful

states, conditions or periods of time in which something is experienced

childhood, adulthood, motherhood

state or quality

a process or action which can be done

something resembling, involving, or being connected with another

-ism

-ist -ity -ive -ise/-ize -less -like malmismulti-

2. graceful, forceful, flavourful

invincibility, susceptibility, tangibility, visibility comprehensible, digestible

cubic, idiotic, ironic, magnetic

the state or quality of something

inability, availability

state or process

protection, combination, examination

opposite to something

illogical, illegal impossible, impassable injustice, informal irrelevant, irrational

the effect that something has on someone’s ideas and feelings

disgusting, unwitting

the process by which a state, quality or condition is brought about

1. between inter-

2. forecast, foreshadow, forewarn

2.connection 1. beliefs or behaviour based on a set of beliefs 2. actions and ceremonies

1. a person whose behaviours are based on a set of beliefs 2. occupations or study

amplify, solidify, personify, falsify

1. intercontinental, international 2. interdependent, interlock

1. feminism, capitalism, communism 2. hypnotism, exorcism 1. atheist, pacifist, feminist

2. cartoonist, novelist, geologist

state or condition

immunity, equality, formality

1. in adjectives 2. in nouns

1. creative, destructive 2. detective, laxative

1. lacking something 2. exceeding a category, cannot be measured

1. powerless, useless, endless, effortless 2. countless, timeless, ageless

1. actions 2. bringing about a state or condition

something similar to another

1. memorize, fantasize 2. legalize, stabilize

ladylike, childlike, cat-like

something bad or unpleasant, or that is unsuccessful and imperfect

malnutrition, malodorous, malnourished

A large number of something, or a large amount of a particular quality

multinational, multilateral, multi-faceted

something that is done badly or wrongly

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misbehave, misapprehension, misinform

MASTER the ART of NEC non-ological/ology omni-or -ous outoverpara-phobia/ -phobic poly-

postprepro-proof pseudoradiore-

retro-

-ridden selfsemi-ship -some -stricken subsupersur-

ultraun-

underup-

well-

-worthy

not having a characteristic an area of study of all things a person/a thing

having the nature or quality of greater, better 1. more than usual/completely 2. having power/authority

1. beyond 2. similar to but not official or not fully qualified fear a particular thing

non-committal, non-verbal, non-payment, non-essential

sociology, climatology, geology, terminology omnipotent, omnivore, omnipresent, omniscience auditor, adjudicator, conspirator

impetuous, righteous, contemptuous, ambiguous

outbid, outclass, outlive, outlast, outrun, outgrow, outwit 1. overprotective, overexposure, overjoy 2. overwhelm, overthrow, overtake 1. paranormal, paramount, paradigm 2. paramilitary, paramedic

hydrophobia, claustrophobia, technophobia, xenophobia

many

polyphony, polyglot, polytechnic

before

pre-war, premature, premarital, preschool, preordained, pre-cooked

after

support sb/sth

resist the damaging or harmful effects of something false or pretended

post-natal, posthumous, post-war

pro-Western, pro-government, pro-choice fireproof, oven-proof,waterproof, soundproof,child-proof, bulletproof

pseudo-intellectual, pseudo-science

connected with radio waves/producing radiation

radioactive, radio-controlled

back or backwards

retrograde, retrospective, retrogressive

of, to or by yourself

self-absorbed, self-centred, self-willed, selfsufficient, self-made

happen a second time

full of a particular unpleasant thing

half

rethink, rebuild

bedridden, angst-ridden, floodridden

semifinal, semi-organic

1. occupation & position 2. skills & ability

1. presidentship, authorship 2. leadership, salesmanship, sportsmanship

seriously affected by the thing mentioned

famine-stricken, flood-stricken, povertystricken

1. attributes 2. causing an emotion

1. below/under 2. exerting power over extremely/above, over

1. cumbersome, bothersome 2. irksome, troublesome

1. subculture, subdivide, substandard 2. subjugate, subservient superintend, superstructure

over,above,excess

surreal, surmount, surpass

not

uncomfortable, uncertain

higher

upturned, uphold, uproot

extremely; beyond a particular limit below/ not enough

doing sth well

deserving, or suitable for

ultraviolet, ultrasonic

undervalue, undertake, undernourished undermanned well-timed, well-bred, well-adjusted

trustworthy, roadworthy, praiseworthy

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MASTER the ART of NEC IV. Exercises

1.

(NEC 2018)

2.

(NEC 2017)

3.

(NEC 2016)

Levels of illiteracy and innumeracy remain startlingly high in the developing world, and will continue to be so until the West provides or sponsors new education initiatives, (1. PREFER) ___________ also getting directly involved. A better education is a prerequisite should the impoverished masses of Africa ever wish to hold any genuine hope of gaining their emancipation from the metaphorical shackles of poverty. Education initiatives for young people as well as lifelong learning programs will also help to breach the gulf that separates the working classes from their ruling elite, a privileged few who enjoy the (2. TRAP) ___________ of Western wealth and the lifestyle that goes with it, while those in their midst are completely (3. OCCUPY) ___________ with the daily struggle for survival. Furthermore, we must promote a culture of intolerance of corruption, and help to create a new generation for whom education rather than a(n) (4. SCRUPLE) ___________ nature will reap the true rewards. Education will also help to bridge another gap; that of the cultural one which separates the West from its brethren in the developing world. The impoverished slums and shanty towns are a hotbed of religious and political (5. EXTREME) ___________, but hopefully education will serve to create a better sense of understanding between the peoples of the world, irrespective of background. Tourism is now among the world's most important industries, generating jobs and profits worth billions of pounds. At the same time, however, mass tourism can have dire effects on the people and places it embraces both tourists and the societies and human environments they visit. We are increasingly familiar with some of the worst effects of unthinking, (1. MANAGE) _________, unsustainable tourism: previously undeveloped coastal villages that have become sprawling, charmless towns, their seas poisoned by sewage, (2. NUDE) ______ of wildlife, their beaches stained with litter and empty tubes of sunscreen. Historic towns, their streets now choked with traffic, their temples, churches and cathedrals seemingly reduced to a backdrop for holiday snaps that proclaim, 'Been there, Done that'. Some of the world's richest environments bruised by the tourist (3. SLAUGHT) __________, their most distinctive wildlife driven to near-extinction, with wider environmental impacts caused by the fuel-hungry transport systems used to take holidaying travellers around the world and back again. Less appreciated, perhaps, is the social (4. LOCATION) ________ unsustainable tourism can cause: once-cohesive communities disrupted as the holiday industry replaces old crafts, turning fishermen into tour boat operators, farmers into fast-food store waiters or hotel cleaners. Even the tourists are affected, the most placid and tolerant of us becoming short-tempered and (5. EXPLOIT) _______. All too often, clutching our soon-to-be-discarded souvenirs and cursing late flights and anybody who doesn't speak our language, we arrive home muttering: 'After that, I need a holiday!'

Perhaps the most vivid illustration of our gift for recognition is the magic of caricature-the fact that the sparest cartoon of a familiar face, even a single line dashed off in two seconds, can be identified by our brains in an instant. It is often said that a good caricature looks more like a person than the person themselves. As it happens, this notion, (1. INTUITION) _________ though it may sound, is actually supported by research. In the field of vision science, there is even a term for this seeming paradox-the caricature effect-a phrase that hints at how our brains (2. PERCEPTION) ______ faces as much as perceive them. Human faces are all built pretty much the same: two eyes above a nose that’s above a mouth, the features varying from person to person generally by mere millimetres. So what our brains look for, according to vision scientists, are the (3. LIE) _______ features-those characteristics that deviate most from the ideal face we carry around in our heads, the running average of every "visage" we have ever seen. We code each new face we encounter not in absolute terms but in the several ways it differs (4. MARK) _______ from the mean. In other words, we accentuate what is most important for recognition and largely ignore what is not. Our perception fixates on the (5. TURN) ______ nose, the sunken eyes or the (6. FLESH) ________ cheeks, making them loom larger. To better identify and remember people, we turn them into caricatures.

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MASTER the ART of NEC Before the days of digital storage files and the easy accessibility of the internet, almost every family home boasted a set of encyclopaedias, a world atlas and a selection of other weighty tomes that served as an (1. VALUABLE) __________ source of reference. Although these hefty volumes have long been rendered obsolete by ongoing technological advances, there is often a genuine (2. RELUCTANT) __________ to get rid of them. Those with attractive (3.BIND) ___________ may find a new use as an interior design feature, but the rest are (4. VARIABLE) __________ consigned to otherwise empty bookshelves in dusty corners of spare bedrooms. The artist Brian Dettmer could, however, come to their rescue. He has come up with an (5. GENIUS) __________ way of giving such books a new lease of life. Using what he calls ‘book surgery’, Brian creates a sculpture out of each redundant volume. After sealing the edges of the book, he painstakingly cuts into the surface to create intricate patterns in 3D. He never adds anything to his creations, however, for the skill lies both in making precise (6. INCISE) __________ and in knowing exactly how much material to take away.

5.

Social networking is here to stay and (1. ACT) __________ between people all over the world has never been easier. We can share our lives with our network friends who can help us solve problems or offer advice. Although these sites can act as a kind of group therapy session with people who seem to care and who will listen, there is little or no censorship, so cyberbullying is a growing problem. Perhaps there needs to be more constraints on what people are allowed to say. Nevertheless, social networking sites can be a great way to find people with shared interests and they can also be very (2. INFORM) __________ if used wisely. For many people, it offers them a feeling of (3. ESCAPE) __________ from the real world. Furthermore it gives them a chance to chat about anything and everything, often quite (4. MEAN) __________ , without fear of being rejected by others. Whatever the drivers, it has become a (5. COMPEL) __________ activity for many, so it is hardly surprising that some people feel a sense of (6. CONNECT) __________ if they are unable to get online for any period of time. And when they do get back online after a few hours of downtime, there is an (7. MISTAKE) __________ feeling of relief at being a part of the world once more.

6.

Space-based solar power (SBSP) is the concept of collecting solar power in outer space and distributing it to Earth. Space-based solar power systems convert sunlight to microwaves outside the atmosphere, avoiding these losses and the downtime due to the Earth's rotation, but at great cost due to the expense of launching material into orbit. SBSP is considered a form of (1. SUSTAIN) __________, renewable energy, and is occasionally considered among climate engineering proposals. Various SBSP proposals have been researched since the early 1970s but none are economically viable with present-day space launch infrastructure. A modest Gigawatt-range microwave system, comparable to a large commercial power plant, would require launching some 80,000 tons of material to orbit, making the cost of energy from such a system vastly more expensive than even (2.TEMPORARY) __________ nuclear plants. Some technologists speculate that this may change in the distant future if an off-world industrial base were to be developed that could manufacture solar power satellites out of asteroids or lunar material, or if radical new space launch technologies other than (3. ROCKET) __________ should become available in the future. Contrary to appearances of SBSP in popular novels and video games, most designs propose beam energy densities that are not harmful if human beings were to be (4.WIT) __________ exposed, such as if a transmitting satellite's beam were to wander (5. COURSE) __________. The service life of space-based collectors in the face of challenges from long-term exposure to the space environment, including (6.GRADE) ___________. from radiation and micrometeoroid damage, could also become a concern for SBSP.

7.

A live broadcast of any public event, such as a space flight or sporting occasion, is almost (61. VARIABLE) accompanied by the thoughts of a (62. COMMENT) ___________ . This may be on television, along with the relevant pictures, alternatively on radio. The technique involved (63.DIFFERENT) ___________ between the two media, with radio broadcasters needing to be more explicit and (64.DESCRIBE) ___________because of the absence of visual information. TV commentators do not need to paint a picture for their audience; instead, their various (65. OBSERVE) ___________ should add to the images that are already there. There will sometimes be silences and pauses in a TV commentary, although these are becoming increasingly rare. Both types of commentators should try to be informative, but should avoid sounding opinionated. In sports commentaries, fairness and (66. IMPART)

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MASTER the ART of NEC ___________ to both sides is vital, but spontaneity and enthusiasm are valued by those watching or listening. Sports commentators usually broadcast live in an essentially unscripted way, although they may refer to previously prepared materials such as sports statistics. Because of the (67. PREDICT) ___________ nature of live events, thorough preparation in advance is vital. The Internet has helped enormously with this aspect of the job. Anyone interested in becoming a commentator should have excellent (68.ORGANISE) ___________ skills, the willingness to work irregular hours, and a strong voice.

8.

According to (1. ARCHAEOLOGY) __________ evidence, at least 5,000 years ago, and long before the advent of the Roman Empire, the Babylonians began to measure time, introducing calendars to (2. ORDER) __________ communal activities, to plan the shipment of goods and, in particular, to (3. REGULAR) __________ planting and harvesting. They based their calendars on three natural cycles: the solar day, marked by the successive periods of light and darkness as the earth rotates on its axis; the lunar month, following the phrases of the moon as its orbit the earth; and the solar year, defined by the changing seasons that accompany our planet’s (4. REVOLVE) ___________ around the sun. Today, highly accurate timekeeping instruments set the beat for most electronic devices. Moreover, not only do time signals beamed down from Global Positioning System satellites (5. CALIBRE) __________ the functions of precision navigation equipment, they do so as well for mobile phone, instant stock-trading systems and nationwide power-distribution grids. So integral have these (6. TIME) __________ technologies become to day-today existence that our dependence on them is recognised only when they fail to work.

9.

Amedeo Modigliani (1884 - 1920) was an Italian painter and sculptor whose original paintings, which were characterised by asymmetry of composition, (1. LONG) __________ of figure, and simple but (2. MONUMENT) __________ use of line, are among the most important of the 20th century. They have also gained popularity for the entirely personal atmosphere with which they are invested: a kind of mute relationship between the artist and sitter that implicates the spectator in a truly (3. MARK) __________way. After suffering from serious illnesses as a child, he was forced to give up (4. CONVENTION) __________ education, and it was then that he began to study painting. After his studies in Italy, Modigliani left for Paris. There, he was overwhelmed by the painting of Paul Cezanne, which exerted an (5. QUESTION) __________ influence on the earliest phase of his work. Furthermore, his (6. EXTEND) __________ study of African sculpture made a profound impression on his painting style. Modigliani was not a professional portraitist in the strict sense of the word. His paintings are almost always portraits of relatives, (7. PERSON) __________ of the Parisian literary scene of his times and the contemporary artistic world, along with many portraits of (8. IDENTIFY) __________ persons.

10.

Compared with misery, happiness is relatively (1. EXPLORE) __________ terrain for social scientists, Between 1967 and 1994, 46,380 articles indexed in Psychological Abstracts mentioned depression, 36,851 anxiety, and 5,099 anger. Only 2,389 spoke of happiness, 2,340 life satisfaction, and 405 joy. How can social scientists measure something as hard to pin down as happiness? Most researchers simply ask people to report their feelings of happiness or unhappiness and to assess how satisfying their lives are. Such self-reported (2. BE) __________ is moderately consistent over years of retesting. Their daily mood ratings reveal more positive emotions, and they smile more than those who call themselves unhappy. Compared with the depressed, happy people are less self-focused, less hostile and abusive, and less (3. SUSCEPT) __________ to disease. We have found that the even distribution of happiness cuts across almost all demographic (4. CLASS) __________ of age, economic class, race and educational level. In addition, almost all strategies for assessing subjective well-being - including those that sample people’s experience by polling them at random times with beepers - turn up similar findings. Surveys with (5. RESPOND) __________ of all ages, for example, reveal that no time of life is notably happier or unhappier. Wealth is also a poor predictor of happiness. People have not become happier over time as their cultures have become more (6. FLUENT) __________.

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MASTER the ART of NEC If you are (1. AMBITION) __________ and are making plans for the future, it’s important to set (2. REAL) __________ goals, otherwise you will very soon find yourself becoming very (3. ILLUSION) __________ and may give up trying altogether. It’s important to recognise that (4. DENY) __________ there are many people who leave education still struggling with (5. LITERATE) __________ skills. But that doesn’t stop them from having a successful career. There are plenty of (6. APPRENTICE) __________ available that can help these people to get into the world of (7. EMPLOY) __________ . So, everyone can have ambitions.

12.

Oxford is a city with such a (1. MIND) _______ reputation that many who come here find themselves (2. TIMID) _______ by the place and can't wait to leave,while others,taking to it like a duck to water,find themselves returning again and again.The college lawns provide a gorgeous (3. DROP) ______ to serious study,and in the right light,on the sunny winter's morning say,one feels as if one is floating on air,such is the sense of unreality. Oxford may like to pretend that it is at the intellectual hub of things,but in many ways it is no more than a sleepy (4. WATER) _____ where,to mix metaphors,transitory students,the cream of their generation,wait in the wings allowing their talents to flourish before moving off into the industrial or political fast-lane. Much of this is a myth,of course. Hardship and hard work are very much part and parcel of student life.The (5. HEAD) _____ get through the three years' hard grind by simply putting their shoulders to the wheel before going on to fairly average jobs.Only for the tiny minority is Oxford the first step on the ladder to fame and fortune.

13.

It is difficult in the modern world to do anything other than a basic job without being able to read. Reading as a skill is the key to an educated workforce, which in turn is the (1. ROCK) _____ of economic advancement, particularly in the present technological age. Studies have shown that by increasing the literacy and (2. NUMBER) _____ skills of primary school children in the UK, the benefit to the economy generally is in billions of pounds. The skill of reading is now no more just an intellectual or leisure activity, but rather a (3 . FLEDGE) _____ economic force. There are also forces conspiring against reading in our modern society. It is not seen as cool among a younger generation more at home with computer screens or a Walkman. The solitude of reading is not very appealing. Students at school, college or university who read a lot are called bookworms. The term indicates the contempt in which reading and learning are held in certain circles or (4. CULTURE) _______. It is a criticism, like all such attacks, driven by the insecurity of those who are not literate or are (5. LITERACY) ________. Criticism is also a means, like all bullying, of keeping peers in place so that they do not step out of line. Peer pressure among young people is so powerful that it often kills any attempts to change attitudes to habits like reading.

14.

What is the proper role of a designer? Some have suggested that designers differ from engineers in that an engineer, although he or she might proceed intuitively, prefers to test and test, whereas a designer is entirely happy with intuitive judgments. But, unlike an engineer, a designer is not responsible for the structural failure of the product. This is not to imply that only engineers have responsibility for (1. FUNCTION) __________. Designers have a share of responsibility, especially in the design of the human/machine (2. FACE) ________ - can this machine be operated safely at all times, are the switches, dials, levers or handles in the right place for a human to use (3. EFFORT) __________? The disciplines of (4. ERG) ________ and product semantics are the disciplines of the designer’s responsibility to the user. The designer-to-manufacture-to-sales-to-user process is a (5. CONTINUE) ___________. Between ‘a designer’ and ‘a production line’ there are many interpreters .These individuals together with other specialists such as marketing experts, exist to get an idea into reality and also to filter out as many uncertainties as possible before a design goes into production. Many modern designs, especially is we consider domestic consumer goods, office equipment, power tools automobiles and aircraft, are not the fruits of one individual’s mind, even if it can be beneficial from a marketing point of view to play up a single designer’s name as a signature that gives the product a (6. PROVINCE) ______ in the same way that a painter signs his or her canvas. In relatively simple, fabricated, (7. MACHINE) _______ objects, such as printed textiles or (8. TABLE) _____, or furniture, a single designer can claim responsibility for the design of the whole product.

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MASTER the ART of NEC The most primitive way of exchange should be the barter trade. In this form of transaction, people used goods to exchange for the things that they had in mind. Many years later, the (1. CUMBER) _____barter trade finally gave way to the (2. MONEY) _____ form of exchange when the idea of money was invented. In the early days, almost anything could qualify as money: beads, shells and even fishing hooks. Then in a region near Turkey, gold coins were used as money. In the beginning, each coin had a different (2. NOMINATE) _________. It was only later, in about 700 BC, that Gyges, the king of Lydia, standardized the value of each coin and even printed his name on the coins. These means of transaction at first beat the traditional barter trade. However, as time went by, the thought of carrying a (3. PONDER) ________ pouch of coins for shopping appeared not only troublesome but thieves attracting. Hence, the Greek and Roman traders who bought goods from people (4. FAR) ______ cities, invented checks to solve the problem. Not only are paper checks easy to carry around, they discouraged robbery as these checks can only be used by the person whose name is printed on the notes.

16.

It is a huge (1. AGGLOMERATION) _________ with activities in diverse industries ranging from extraction and mining to call centre support services, but that hasn’t stopped a(n) (2. CONSORT) __________ of ambitious investors from launching a (3. TAKE) ____ bid. Unperturbed by a valuation of $18 billion, Matriarch Investors, as the group call themselves, have sent a(n) delegation of high-powered lawyers to meet with the present owners to discuss possible terms of sale, although before discussions can begin it will first have to be (4. CERTAIN) ___________ whether or not the owners are even willing to tolerate such talk as this takeover offer is entirely (5. SOLICIT) _____________.

17.

The first time I saw FireDance I was knocked off my feet. I couldn't believe the sheer energy and exuberance of the routines, the power of the score, the creative flair of the choreographers and the fluidity of the dancers. I remember being moved by the sensuality, (1. SPELL) ____ by the glamour, (2. AWE) ______ by the visual spectacle. You couldn't watch it without wanting to join in, but most people would agree it was impossible to take your eyes off the dancers no matter how much your feet were itching. I consider it a major turning point in my life - without which I would probably have trod a different path. Within a year of its first performance, FireDance had become an international phenomenon. As a show, FireDance was successful because it was essentially a simple idea, yet brilliantly conceived. The inspirational mix of African drums and the (3. EVOKE) ______ sounds of European folk music brought home a raw power that (4. CAPSULE) _______ one's (5. EARTH) _______ origins, yet aspired to some heavenly sphere. The pace of the production carried the audience along, at moments frenetically throwing you into the rhythms, at others, lulling you into a trance.

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MASTER the ART of NEC

LEXICO CONSOLIDATION Part 1. For questions 1-20, choose the correct answer A, B, C and D to each of the following questions. 1. That boy was the one who caused a brief moment of __________ during the opening ceremony. A. brevity B. levity C. deity D. dexterity 2. Local people were __________ about the slight damage the storm inflicted. A. stoical B. hardened C. callow D. lethargic 3. As a waiter you should be pleasant to clients without appearing too __________. A. lithe B. execrable C. servile D. apathetic 4. She summed up Henry’s achievements in a few __________ phrases. A. felicitous B. utilitarian C. loquacious D. ominous 5. After the break-up, her mood __________ between hope and despair. A. transfixed B. radiated C. emanated D. vacillated 6. Make sure you mix the ingredients well, __________ you might get lumps in your cake. A. unless B. otherwise C. lest D. supposing 7. The team leader immediately fell from __________ after the scandal. A. favor B. line C. grace D. ground 8. The family __________ all the money in order to buy that house. A. maxed out B. fluffed up C. squirreled away D. hemmed in 9. Up the road __________ the old couple who were always friendly to other people. A. lived B. living C. did it live D. there to live 10. Many a __________ it difficult to retain their form after the holiday. A. players find B. player finds C. players finds D. player find 11. Although Tom is talkative, his __________ grace is his intelligence. A. redeeming B. extenuating C. compensating D. saving 12. He asked whether we had a room to __________ and actually we did. A. hire B. lend C. let D. bail 13. As __________ would have it, I had a perfect score even though I didn’t revise much. B. life C. fortune D. luck A. chance 14. The solution suddenly came to him in a __________ flash. A. glaring B. blinding C. glowing D. glittering 15. The party of tourists __________ two hours late, dressed up in ball gowns. A. rocked up B. worked up C. popped up D. flocked up 16. Politicians sometimes inveigh __________ immigrants in order to get votes. A. on B. against C. up D. without 17. All of the plants now raised on farms have been developed from plants __________ wild. A. once they grew B. they grew once C. that once grew D. once grew 18. These carrots have __________ a bit so I will throw them away. A. dried up B. shriveled off C. dried off D. shriveled up 19. I am __________ furious with Adam because he forgot my birthday. A. absolutely B. extremely C. bitterly D. terribly 20. The captain’s heroic effort __________ the whole team with determination. A. transferred B. injected C. stimulated D. inspired Part 2. Write the correct form of each bracketed word. NOBEL PRIZE IN LITERATURE 2018 CANCELLED AFTER SEXUAL ASSAULT SCANDAL The Swedish Academy announced on Friday morning that there would be no Nobel laureate for literature selected in 2018, as it attempts to come to terms with controversy over its links to a man accused of sexual assault.

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MASTER the ART of NEC For the first time since 1949, the secretive jury that hands out the world’s most prestigious literary award will not (21. VEIL) ______________ a winner this autumn, instead revealing two winners in 2019. The decision comes after a string of sexual assault allegations made against the French photographer Jean-Claude Arnault. With academy members engaging in (22. PRECEDE) ____________ fights in the Swedish press, permanent secretary of the academy Sara Danius resigned on 12 April – to widespread protests in Sweden over the implication that she was taking the hit for male (23. BEHAVE) ______________ – as did Frostenson, after a three-hour meeting. (24. MEMBER) ______________ of the academy, which was established in 1786 by Swedish king Gustav III, is intended to be (25. LIFE) ______________, resulting in any resignations leaving an empty chair until the jury member’s death. Following the spate of recent (26. BREAK) ______________, Sweden’s King Carl XVI Gustaf announced he would change the rules, allowing new members to be appointed to replace resigning members. With only 10 active members on the 18-person jury, the academy said it would spend the year (27. BUILD) ______________ its structure and (28. HAUL) ______________ its practices, including “modernizing” its statutes. It also said that “routines will be tightened regarding conflict-of-interest issues and the management of information classified as secret”. Chairman of the Nobel Foundation board, Carl-Henrik Heldin said: “The crisis in the Swedish Academy has adversely affected the Nobel prize. Their decision (29. SCORE) ___________ the seriousness of the situation and will help (30. GUARD) ______________ the long-term reputation of the Nobel prize. None of this impacts the awarding of the 2018 Nobel prizes in other prize categories.”

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MASTER the ART of NEC

PART THREE: READING CLOZE TESTS I. Tips and notes The Guided and Open Cloze Texts in the NEC can be a little challenging, but can be mastered with practice and some tips . Here is your guide to the Cloze Texts for the NEC. SAMPLE EXERCISES Before we go into the details, here are two sample exercises. We will also be mostly analyzing examples from these samples. EXERCISE 1.0 - GUIDED CLOZE SECTION Technically, we are capable of doing two things at the same time. It is possible, for example, to watch TV while cooking dinner or to answer an email while talking on the phone. What is impossible, however, is concentrating on two tasks at once. You're either listening to the TV and the overflowing pot of pasta is background noise, or you're (1) _________ to the pot of pasta and the TV is background noise. During any single instant, you are concentrating on one or (2) _________ Multitasking forces your brain to switch your focus back and forth very quickly from one task to another. This wouldn't be a big deal if the human brain could (3) _________ seamlessly from one job to the next, but it can't. Have you ever been in the middle of writing an email (4) _________ someone interrupts you? When the conversation is over and you get back to the message, it takes you a few minutes to get your (5) _________, remember what you were writing, and get back on track. Something (6) _________ happens when you multitask. Multitasking forces you to pay a mental (7) _________ each time you interrupt one task and jump to another. In psychology terms, this mental price is called the switching cost. Switching cost is the disruption in performance that we experience when we switch our focus from one area to another. One study, published in the International Journal of Information Management in 2003, found that the typical person checks email once (8) _________ five minutes and that, on average, it takes 64 seconds to (9) ________ the previous task after checking your email. (10) _________, because of email alone, we typically waste one out of every six minutes. 1. A. tending B. overlooking C. seeing D. waiting 2. A. others B. the other C. another D. some other 3. A. transcend B. transition C. sway D. swing 4. A. when B. while C. that D. thereby 5. A. wits B. head C. bearings D. consciousness 6. A. similar B. alike C. the same D. much like 7. A. cost B. expenditure C. fee D. price 8. A. some B. any C. every D. out of 9. A. return B. resume C. redo D. reset 10. A. In all B. In such C. In other words D. In regards EXERCISE 2.0 – OPEN CLOZE SECTION (Adapted from http://www.kidsworldfun.com/teacher-resources/fast-foodrestaurants.php )

Isn’t fast food delicious? Aren’t fast food restaurants trendy? Aren’t they cool? The answer to all these questions is yes. However, there is growing (1) _________ that fast food is one of the worst components of modern life. In fact, studies have long shown that the burgers, the fried chicken, and the nuggets that we so (2) _________ enjoy in the ultra-cozy and trendy fast food joints can cause a variety of health problems. Obesity, heart problems, malnutrition, high blood pressure, depression and certain (3) _________ of cancer can be caused by a frequent diet of fast food. In children, fast food consumption has been (4) _________ to lower academic achievement also. Why are fast food restaurants so attractive? Their service is fast. Their staff are friendly and very smart-looking in their neatly pressed and bright uniforms. Moreover, most fast food restaurants are (5) _________ very conveniently, near places that people

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MASTER the ART of NEC frequent. It is so very easy to just grab a burger and eat (6) _________ the way to work. Fast food is often so conveniently packed that they will not cause a mess even if you stand up and eat it, or if you do not have a table to place it. Fast food restaurants are also very clean and inviting. Most (7) _________, when you sit inside a KFC or a McDonald’s, don’t you feel that you are someone very ‘cool’? A lot of strategic and clever advertising has given these fast food restaurants the image that they are the trendiest places available in town. There is no (8) _________ this attractiveness. Such a pity, however, that such attractive places are selling junk food! As people become more aware of the health risks that fast food causes, it is quite likely that fast food restaurants may go out of (9) _________. It may happen sooner than later. Therefore, instead of banning fast food restaurants, a better idea may be to persuade them to change their menu! Fast food restaurants can be the pioneers of a healthy food revolution. They can be places to go to, when you want to eat (10) _________ that will actually be good for your body. If they could combine healthy food with their signature speed of delivery, delicious flavours and trendy ambience, well, that will be the next best thing on earth for the human species! Now that you have finished the sample exercises, let’s move on to the main part:

ANALYSIS & GUIDE

Overview: The Cloze tasks will put to the test your command of English in three aspects: comprehension, grammar and vocabulary. In this guide, we will be examining each category one by one. 1. COMPREHENSION Comprehension questions are the most prevalent in these tasks. These questions mainly test whether you understand the content of the text and how different words are used. ❖ As for the Guided Cloze section, questions are usually not very difficult. Nevertheless you are required to thoroughly understand what the text is about as well what each given word means. First of all, there is the simplest (though not necessarily the easiest) type of question, which involves dealing with the word’s meaning and its use. Consider this example from Exercise 1.0: Example:

What is impossible, however, is concentrating on two tasks at once. You're either listening to the TV and the overflowing pot of pasta is background noise, or you're (1)_________ to the pot of pasta and the TV is background noise.

1. A. tending B. overlooking C. seeing D. waiting The answer is A. ‘to tend to something’ means ‘to care for something’. The other three options are either inappropriate in meaning, grammatically incorrect, or both. Collocations are a harder part in the task, especially in the Guided Cloze section. You will have to possess a great understanding of how the words are used and combined with other words, or - as it is sometimes called - a great feel for the language. Example:

Sometimes you just need to reorganize your priorities a little bit and suddenly progress comes much more quickly because you are now (3)_________ committed to a goal that was only getting (4)_________ attention previously.

3. 4.

A. utterly B. greatly C. definitely D.fully A. moderate B. ordinary C. mild D. adequate Here we can see when standing alone, these words can share the same meaning, but when put into context, it is clear we must base our answers on the word that it collocates with. Tip: The way to train your feel for the language is by reading as much as possible: be it novels, news or reading passages! ❖ As for the Open Cloze section, it is important that you consider all options that are grammatically appropriate, and not just the obvious ones. In many cases this means taking into account a word’s synonym(s) and even its antonym(s). Sometimes the slightest difference in their nuance is enough to separate the correct answer from wrong ones. Example:

Moreover, most fast food restaurants are (5)_________ very conveniently, near places that people frequent.

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MASTER the ART of NEC What is your answer? Is it ‘located’, ‘situated’, or something else? As we know ‘located’ and ‘situated’ are synonyms, and here it seems both answers are accepted. But as often used interchangeably as they are, when we dig deeper into their meaning, we can see ‘to be located’ is far more appropriate than ‘to be situated’ in this case, due to the subtle but vital differences in their meaning: ▪ To be situated usually refers to an exact or particular location or position ▪

The mansion is situated on the top of the mountain.

To be located meanwhile, usually refers to an approximate or hypothetical location or position.

The dormitories are conveniently located just a few minutes from the campus.

Since there is no exact location mentioned in the sentence, but rather just an approximation of where the restaurants may be (near places that people frequent), our answer must be ‘located’ and not ‘situated’. 2. GRAMMAR Grammar questions also make up a large proportion of the test. ❖ As for the Guided Cloze section, questions of this type mainly test whether you can identify different grammatical points and structures, such as inversion, absolute phrase, relative clause, etc.… Example:

Have you ever been in the middle of writing an email (4)_________ someone interrupts you? 4.

A. when B. while C. that D. thereby We can see that this is the interrogative form of the past continuous tense where an action happens (‘someone interrupts you’) while another action (writing an email) was taking place. In the formal form of this structure, choice A. ‘when’ is the correct answer. ❖ As for Open Cloze section, an indispensable additional step is to check the grammar. What this means is to take a moment to analyze the sentence and identify the grammatical element that you are expected to fill in the blank. Example:

Fast food restaurants can be the pioneers of a healthy food revolution. They can be places to go to, when you want to eat (10)_________ that will actually be good for your body.

Here we need something that serves as the object of the verb ‘eat’, and helps define the relative clause “that will actually be good for your body” that follows. Interestingly, in this case it is the indefinite pronoun ’something’ itself that appropriately satisfies these criteria. Some of the most common grammatical elements you will find in the Cloze Texts are: adverbs, prepositions, conjunctions (however, although…), articles (a, an, the), indefinite pronouns (something, anything…), or part of a structure (inversion, cleft sentence…), etc.… Even if you are not certain of your answer, by doing this, you will still have narrowed down your options and get yourself closer to the correct answer. Consider this next example: Example:

In fact, studies have long shown that the burgers, the fried chicken, and the nuggets that we so (2)_________ enjoy in the ultra-cozy and trendy fast food joints can cause a variety of health problems.

For this example, let’s assume you could not figure out the missing word immediately. In such cases, it is always good to start looking from a grammatical standpoint. ‘So’ is an adverb that complements another adverb or adjective. Since the missing word is meant to complement the verb enjoy, this signals us to think the missing word should be an adverb. Now we just need to consider how the adverb might complement the verb. The verb is ‘enjoy’ so the adverb likely describes the degree (how much) to which the subject enjoys. Now you can make an educated guess based on this - and if ‘much’ is your answer, congratulations; you have got it right. Finally, be extra careful with the little details such as the tenses, plural forms and other special grammatical structures for this section. These so-called little things can make a major difference in your result. 3. VOCABULARY Vocabulary questions are a more advanced type of question. These are usually idiomatic phrases or academic words. Questions of this type are harder, but are at the same time fairly recognizable, especially once you have gained a fair amount of knowledge.

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MASTER the ART of NEC ❖ For both sections, it is imperative that you notice the relevant information such as the adjective/adverb/noun/preposition… (for collocations) or keywords (for idioms and phrases) that goes with the missing word. Consider these questions from the Guided Cloze section: Example:

When the conversation is over and you get back to the message, it takes you a few minutes to get your (5)_________, remember what you were writing, and get back on track. 5.

A. wits B. head C. bearings D. consciousness We can reasonably infer that the word in the blank means ‘consciousness’, so D might seem like the answer. But be cautious: ‘consciousness’ does not go along with the verb ‘get’, which is the keyword here. Similarly, ‘wits’ does not form a collocation or idiom with ‘get’ either. Our answer instead should be C.‘bearings’, for there is the idiom ‘to get your bearings’ which means ‘to figure out your position or situation’. Here’s another example: Example:

Multitasking forces you to pay a mental (7)_________ each time you interrupt one task and jump to another. 7.

A. cost B. expenditure C. fee D. price Even though all options are fairly similar in their literal meaning, ‘to pay a price’ is an idiom that means ‘to suffer for something you have done’ so answer D is the most appropriate. ❖ Questions can get a little trickier in the Open Cloze section, however, since there will be fewer clues to jog your memory. Such questions can be very easy for those who have learned the phrase already, but can be very difficult for those who have yet to come into contact with them. Example:

A lot of strategic and clever advertising has given these fast food restaurants the image that they are the trendiest places available in town. There is no (8)_________ this attractiveness. There can be quite a few idioms that start with ‘there is no…’. The phrase we need here is ‘there is no denying’ which is used to say that something is true or irrefutable. Example:

As people become more aware of the health risks that fast food causes, it is quite likely that fast food restaurants may go out of (9)_________. It may happen sooner than later.

There are also many phrases and idioms that begin with ‘go out of…’, but here it can be inferred that we need a phrase that means ‘to become obsolete’. The correct answer therefore is the phrase ‘go out the fashion’ You can get better with practice: Since this is a matter of whether you recognize the idiom/phrase or not, the best way to prepare in this regard is to familiarize yourself with as many idioms, phrases, collocations, phrasal verbs… as possible. Finally, here are a summary of the type questions that we have made and key for the sample exercises: Exercise 1.0 COMPREHENSION GRAMMAR VOCABULARY (1), (3), (9), (10)

KEY: 1. A 2. B Exercise 2.0 COMPREHENSION

(2), (4), (6), (8) 3. B

(1), (3), (4), (5), (6)

4. A

5. C

6. A

(5), (7) 7. D

8. C

9. B

10. C

GRAMMAR

VOCABULARY

(2), (7), (10)

(8), (9)

KEY: 1. evidence 2. much 3. types 4. linked/ attributed 5. located 6. on/ along 7. importantly 8. denying 9. fashion 10. something

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MASTER the ART of NEC II. How to practice To ensure that you will maximise your score in this part, there are some tips for you. Remember to follow this tips every day because this part requires a lot of hard work in improving your skills:

1.

2. 3.

Try to read and do guided and open cloze tests in CAE, CPE books. A lot of tests in provincial/municipal and national examination take reference from a part of those books. Read newspaper like Guardian, Independent, Washington Post to familiarize yourself with Western style of writing, thus you can acquire sensitiveness for the correct words in the gaps. For open cloze: leave this part to be done after you have finished the Multiple Choice part because this part is usually hard and needs careful consideration when attempting to do.

IV. Exercises

Now have fun practicing for the Cloze Texts in the NEC with our practice tests.

1.

1. GUIDED CLOZE

(NEC 2017)

Tigers may be (1) ________ extinction in India, China and Siberia, but in the US, they have found a new lease of life - after a fashion. More than 12,000 are kept as pets - double the number thought to exist in the wild. The craze persists in spite of concern among politicians and animal welfare groups. Various reputable organisations promote ownership of endangered species. Prices are not particularly (2) ________: $1,000 for a generic cub, $3,500 for a pair of Bengal tigers. The private trade originated in zoos. Tiger cubs (3) ________ so popular with the public that zoos started breeding more than they needed and sold the surplus to private breeders. The US Endangered Species Acts of 1973 outlaws the taking of endangered animals from the wild, but does not (4) ________ what happens to the offspring of animals captured before the law was passed. Many owners believe they are saving an endangered species. But their cubs have no (5) ________ among wild tigers. They are a mixture of say, Sumatran, Siberian, and Bengal tigers, which would not survive in the wild. 1. A. faced B. facing C. experienced D. experiencing 2. A. forbidding B. prohibitive C. impossible D. restraining 3. A. indicated B. demonstrated C. shown D. proved 4. A. rule B. conduct C. systematise D. regulate 5. A. equivalent B. similarity C. substitute D. equality

2. (NEC 2014)

CAUGHT NAPPING Sleep, according to the Bard, “knits up the ravelled sleeve of care," but not, it seems for narcoleptics is the (1) ______ to fall asleep any time anywhere. First (2) ______ 120 years ago, it often goes undiagnosed, its (3) ______ labelled "lazy". The condition is debilitating and surprisingly common, affecting approximately one in 1,000 inhabitants of the western world. The three main symptoms of narcolepsy are all expressions of REM (rapid eye movement) sleep. They (4) ______ cataplexy, a sudden loss of voluntary muscle control, common to 0% of narcoleptics: sleep paralysis, which generally occurs on waking or falling asleep; and excessive sleepiness throughout the day, with frequent naps and a struggle against drowsiness. Paradoxically, many narcoleptics are insomniacs and (5) ______ little or no refreshment from sleep. 1. A. trend B. propensity C. mood D. mode 2. A. located B. invented C. notified D. identified 3. A. sufferers B. subjects C. instructors D. patients 4. A. comprise B. compose C. consist D. contain 5. A. desist B. detect C. detract D. derive

3.

(NEC 2010)

Earthquakes are amongst the most destructive natural disasters. They usually (1) ________ without any warning and result in a great (2) ________ of life and an enormous demolition of buildings. Additionally, they may cause devastating landslides or create gigantic tidal waves which, in fact, are colossal walls of water smashing into

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MASTER the ART of NEC seashores with such force that they are (3) ________ of destroying coastal cities. However, the (4) ________ majority of fatalities and serious injuries come (5) ________ when buildings (6) ________ Most frequently, the earthquake lasts 30 to 60 seconds, so usually there is no time to (7) ________ the mortal upshot once the shaking starts. The savage forces of an earthquake trigger off a complex chain (8) ________ in the building's structure when it is shaken, lifted, pushed it pulled. A building's height, its shape and construction materials are the most significant (9) ________ deciding about the survival or collapse of the structure and, consequently, about toe life or death of its (10) ________. 1. A. assault B. beat C. strike D. attack 2. A. fatality B. loss C. harm D. waste 3. A. potential B. conceivable C. capable D. possible 4. A. wide B. broad C. full D. vast 5. A. in B. about C. over D. on 6. A. collapse B. jumble C. destroy D. demolish 7. A. avert B. evade C. abstain D. restrain 8. A. activity B. motion C. progress D. reaction 9. A. factors B. phenomena C. points D. ingredients 10. A. settlers B. citizens C. inhabitants D. burghers

4. (Adapted from “Objective Proficiency Workbook”)

SAVING LATIN Try telling the Reverend Reginald Foster that Latin is a dead language. The response will be an impassioned rant from a teacher who has dedicated a large chapter of his life to keeping the forerunner of the English and Romance languages alive. A man on a (1) ________, he speaks only in Latin to his students, (2) ________ the language to life with his dramatic recitations. But Reverend Foster is not alone. Latin plays a special part in Italian cultural heritage, and politicians and academics have (3) ________ concerns that enthusiasm for Latin in schools appears to be on the (4) ________ because of the popularity of English. Some purists even feel this is (5) ________ their national identity. They have a point; in my experience Italians seem obsessed with using English words, and will (6) ________ an English word into a sentence even when a perfectly good native word will (7) ________. But need we really fear for Latin just yet? Maybe not. Even if it is on its last (8) ________, it has survived for over 2,000 years. 1. A. remit B. task C. vocation D. mission 2. A. getting B. putting C. bringing D. setting 3. A. conveyed B. voiced C. uttered D. sounded 4. A. wane B. fall C. ebb D. drop 5. A. deteriorating B. eroding C. disintegrating D. eating 6. A. slip B. push C. cast D. post 7. A. answer B. satisfy C. suffice D. content 8. A. laughs B. leases C. lengths D. legs

5.

(Adapted from “Proficiency Expert”)

HOW A SMALL COMPANY GROWS Although Gecko Headgear is a company that now specialises a in the design and manufacture of marine safety helmets, the company started out making surfboards. Feeling a need to (1) ________ their product offering, they identified a (2) ________ in the niche watersports market, for an innovative heat-retaining helmet. The idea soon (3) ________ a winner amongst surfers, but wanting to expand its customer (4) ________ the company approached other potential users, including the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI), quite a bold (5) ________ for a small company. The RNLI wanted its own version of the helmet, but Gecko found working with such a big organisation a whole new ballgame. The RNLI helmet had to be adapted, tested and certified before it could go on the market, so there was a need to (6) ________ investment capital by means of a bank loan. This paid off in the long run, however, as the RNLI helmet was a big success. And since then, Gecko haven't (7) ________ on their laurels, as ten subsequent versions of the helmet have been further refined in (8) ________ with customer feedback. B. variegate C. diversify D. heighten 1. A. multiply 2. A. space B. gap C. blank D. hole 3. A. resulted B. showed C. achieved D. proved 4. A. base B. foundation C. structure D. net

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MASTER the ART of NEC 5. 6. 7. 8.

6.

A. stroke A. earn A. rested A. accord

B. turn B. gain B. stayed B. line

C. move C. build C. reclined C. response

D. bid D. raise D. stuck D. theme

PSYCHOLOGISTS HAVE A CONCEPT THEY REFER TO AS “GOAL COMPETITION.” Goal competition says that one of the greatest barriers (1) _________ achieving your goals is the other goals you have. In other words, your goals are competing with one another for your time and attention. (2) _________ you chase a new goal, you have to pull focus and energy from your other pursuits. This is basically The Four Burners Theory in action. When you turn one burner up, you have to turn others down Now, there is good news. One of the fastest ways to make progress on your goals is to simply press pause on less important things and focus on one goal at a time. Sometimes you just need to reorganize your priorities a little bit and suddenly progress comes much more quickly because you are now (3) _________ committed to a goal that was only getting (4) _________ attention previously. This is an important insight. Typically, when we fail to reach our goals, we think something was wrong with our goal or our approach. Experts tell us, “You need to think bigger! Pick a dream that is so big it will motivate you every day.” Or we tell ourselves, “If only I had more hours in the day!” These excuses (5) _________ the bigger issue. What often looks like a problem of goal setting is actually a problem of goal selection. What we really need is not bigger goals, but better focus. You need to choose one thing and ruthlessly eliminate everything else. In the words of Seth Godin, “You don't need more time, you just need to decide.” Our lives are like rose bushes. As a rose bush grows, it creates more buds than it can (6) _________. If you talk to an experienced gardener, they will tell you that rose bushes need to be pruned to (7) _________the best in both their appearance and their performance. In other words, if you want a rose bush to (8) _________, then you need to cut away some of the good buds so the great ones can fully blossom. Our goals are similar. They need to be consistently pruned and trimmed (9) _________. It’s natural for new goals to come into our lives and to get excited about new opportunities—just like it’s natural for a rose bush to add new buds. If we can muster the courage to prune away a few of our goals, then we create the space we need for the remaining goals to fully blossom. Full growth and (10) _________ living require pruning. 1. A. for B. to C. in D. from 2. A. Whenever B. Regardless C. Irrespective D. If 3. A. utterly B. greatly C. definitely D. fully 4. A. moderate B. ordinary C. mild D. adequate 5. A. hinder B. block C. cloud D. detract 6. A. withstand B. hold C. assist D. sustain 7. A. get out B. bring about C. bring out D. get from 8. A. develop B. thrive C. expand D. mature 9. A. out B. down C. up D. over 10. A. optimal B. efficient C. complete D. total

7.

Sleep is one of the strangest things we do each day. The (1) _________ adult will spend 36 percent of his or her life asleep. For one-third of our time on earth, we transition from the vibrant, thoughtful, active organisms we are during the day and power down into a quiet (2) _________ of hibernation. But what is sleep, exactly? Why is it so important and so restorative for our bodies and minds? How does it impact our lives when we are (3) _________? Sleep serves multiple purposes that are essential to your brain and body. Let's break down some of the most important ones. The first purpose of sleep is restoration. Every day, your brain accumulates metabolic waste as it (4) _________ its normal neural activities. While this is completely normal, too much accumulation of these waste products has been linked to neurological disorders such as Alzheimer's disease.

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MASTER the ART of NEC Alright, so how do we get rid of metabolic waste? Recent research has (5) _________ that sleep plays a crucial role in cleaning out the brain each night. While these toxins can be flushed out during waking hours, researchers have found that (6) _________ during sleep is as much as two-fold faster than during waking hours. The way this process occurs is fairly remarkable: (7) _________ sleep, brain cells actually shrink (8) _________ 60 percent, allowing the brain's waste-removal system—called the glymphatic system—to essentially “take out the trash” more easily. The result? Your brain is restored during sleep, and you wake up refreshed and with a clear mind. The second purpose of sleep is memory consolidation. Sleep is crucial for memory consolidation, which is the process that maintains and strengthens your long-term memories. Insufficient or fragmented sleep can hamper your ability to form both concrete memories (facts and figures) and emotional memories. Finally, sleep is (9) _________ for metabolic health. Studies have shown that when you sleep 5.5 hours per night instead of 8.5 hours per night, a lower proportion of the energy you burn comes from fat, while more comes from carbohydrate and protein. This can (10) _________ you to fat gain and muscle loss. Additionally, insufficient sleep or abnormal sleep cycles can lead to insulin insensitivity and metabolic syndrome, increasing your risk of diabetes and heart disease. 1. A. normal B. ordinary C. average D. common 2. A. period B. state C. position D. status 3. A. awake B. awoken C. wakened D. waking 4. A. goes about B. sets out C. play through D. comes into 5. A. proposed B. advised C. warned D. suggested 6. A. clearance B. clarity C. clarification D. cleaning 7. A. When B. Throughout C. During D. While 8. A. into B. for C. by D. to 9. A. tantamount B. paramount C. imminent D. inseparable 10. A. predispose B. prompt C. lead D. induce

8.

(Adapted from: https://jamesclear.com/shoshin)

There is a concept in Zen Buddhism known as shoshin, which means “beginner's mind.” Shoshin refers to the idea of letting go of your (1) _________ and having an attitude of openness when studying a subject. When you are a (2) _________ beginner, your mind is empty and open. You're willing to learn and (3) _________ all pieces of information, like a child discovering something for the first time. As you develop knowledge and expertise, (4) _________, your mind naturally becomes more closed.You tend to think, “I already know how to do this” and you become less open to new information. There is a (5) _________ that comes with expertise. We tend to block the information that disagrees with what we learned previously and yield to the information that (6) _________ our current approach. We think we are learning, but in reality we are steamrolling through information and conversations, waiting until we hear something that (7) _________ up with our current philosophy or previous experience, and cherry-picking information to justify our current behaviors and beliefs. Most people don't want new information, they want validating information. The problem is that when you are an expert you actually need to pay more attention, not less. Why? Because when you are already (8) _________ with 98 percent of the information on a topic, you need to listen very carefully to (9) _________ on the remaining 2 percent. As adults our prior knowledge blocks us from seeing things (10) _________. To quote zen master Shunryo Suzuki, “In the beginner’s mind there are many possibilities, but in the expert’s there are few.” 1. A. preconceptions B. inceptions C. misconceptions D. concepts 2. A. real B. genuine C. true D. pure 3. A. consider B. ponder C. regard D. account 4. A. additionally B. therefore C. then D. however 5. A. trap B. threat C. danger D. difficulty 6. A. affirms B. reaffirms C. confirms D. concludes 7. A. matches B. teams C. suits D. lives 8. A. accustomed B. familiar C. versed D. knowledgeable 9. A. get down B. make out C. catch up D. pick up 10. A. anew B. new C. newly D. renewed

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MASTER the ART of NEC

9.

Female foeticide takes place when a foetus is aborted after it is determined to be female. Under this illegal practice, the sex of the unborn child is determined by using the technique of ultrasound and if it happens to be a female foetus, it is aborted through medicine or surgery. In India, it is one of the most (1) _________ social evils . It is rooted in the patriarchal mindset where boys are preferred over girls for various irrational reasons, not only in rural but urban areas too. The patriarchal social structure in India and the society’s preference towards a male child is the major reason (2) _________ female foeticide. To carry forward the generation, families in general prefer the birth of sons over daughters. The male child is also (3) _________ by the Hindu family to perform the last rites of father in the absence of (4) _________, it is believed that the father would not (5) _________ salvation after death. A girl child, on the other hand, is more or less considered a (6) _________ or a burden, due to the frequent demands of huge sum in the form of dowry at the time of her marriage. Therefore , though the parents have to face similar ordeals in getting their kids educated and settled in their lives, whether they are boys or girls, however, the mindset inclined towards the baby boy (7) _________ to go, giving way to killing of female foetuses. With the progress of science and technology, it is quite easy to find out the gender of the foetus. Unfortunately, some (8) _________ medical practitioners are also found to be increasingly involved in the illegal trade of carrying out sex-determination tests and later (9) _________ with the wishes of the parents for abortion of the foetus, if it is found out to be female. Female foeticide is nothing but the misuse of pre-natal technology which was invented to detect abnormality in unborn child before it could actually take birth. It’s really very unfortunate that the technology is often used in detecting the sex of the foetus and if it is a girl, then parents have no (10) _________ in getting it aborted. 1. A. profound B. prolific C. abundant D. rampant 2. A. behind B. beneath C. to D. unto 3. A. forced B. demanded C. proposed D. required 4. A. what B. which C. that D. whom 5. A. acclaim B. attain C. amend D. allow 6. A. liability B. liaise C. tribulation D. trial 7. A. declines B. denies C. refuses D. rejects 8. A. unstinting B. unselfish C. unsolicited D. unscrupulous 9. A. conforming B. abiding C. complying D. befitting 10. A. qualms B. redoubts C. mischief D. disaffiliation

10.

(Adapted from “English Advanced Vocabulary and Structure Practice”)

Every now and then we hear someone claiming to be psychic or to experience precognitive dreams or to have (1) ______ about imminent (2) _______. Sometimes, we meet people who have participated in spiritualistic seances where they have (3) _______ miraculous parapsychological occurrences or listened to mediums making their (4) _______ prophecies about the future or even using their second sight tor (5) ______ past (6) ______. Parapsychology or extrasensory perception which includes such phenomena as psychokinesis, clairvoyance and out-of-body experiences is fiercely (7) ______ by its opponents finding no scrap of evidence for the reliability of performances like foreseeing future events or (8) ______ messages without any use of the sensory means, namely, by telepathy. Nevertheless, the acquisition of information by use of nonsensory channels can sometimes be of great advantage to those who aspire at (9) ______ the most enigmatic questions like the mysterious cases of crime or missing individuals. Although officially the police deny having (10) ______ to parapsychology, they do benefit from its vast potential whenever any (11) ______ evidence is (13) ______. The psychics are then employed (14) with the hope that their original practices will throw new light on many cases. Despite the growing interest in extrasensory perception and its possible applications, conventional scientists disregard it as highly (14) ______. 1. A. judgements B. forebodings C. indictments D. implications 2. A. discrepancies B. qualms C. turmoils D. adversities 3. A. beheld B. overlooked C. visualized D. partaken 4. A. sordid B. weird C. gloomy D. palpable 5. A. invigorating B. rejuvenating C. animating D. resuscitating 6. A. remembrances B. memorabilia C. reminders D. memorials 7. A. dispelled B. deprecated C. deferred D. dispensed

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MASTER the ART of NEC 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14.

1.

A. releasing A. disentangling A. support A. candid A. falling short A. taken on A. benevolent

B. emanating B. renouncing B. aid B. tangible B. laying bare B. laid up B. obscure

C. transmitting C. exploring C. plea C. credulous C. running low C. put about C. incongruous

D. dissenting D. detecting D. recourse D. utilitarian D. coming clean D. made for D. irrefutable

2. OPEN CLOZE (NEC 2018)

DIAGNOSING DYSLEXIA Approximately five percent of the population suffer from dyslexia. The cause of the disorder is unknown and it is commonly found in people of (1) _________ normal intellectual ability. The condition is characterized by severe reading difficulties, (2) _________ with dyslexics frequently confusing letters or words. They may, for example, read or write letters, words or sentences in the wrong order. Although the problem can be overcome with intensive instruction, sufferers usually continue to read and write (3) _________ throughout their lives. Traditionally, diagnosis has been made by reading experts, which means that many cases are not formally (4) _________ up until a child is around ten years of age. Now, however, a group of psychologists in the United States believe that they have found a way of identifying in their first days of life children who will develop dyslexia. This is exciting news as early identification and intervention (5) __________ early instruction possible, perhaps avoiding (6) _________ later problems altogether. The research team has identified distinct differences between the brain wave patterns of dyslexics and (7) _________ of better readers. Attaching electrodes to the heads of babies just 36 hours old, they measured the size and speed of their brain responses to selected (8) _________. The children were monitored and given IQ and comprehension tests every two years. At eight, reading tests were administered to identify those who were dyslexic. More than 90 percent diagnosed as dyslexic could have been singled out at (9) _________. This research is still in its (10) _________ but may result in a future in which dyslexia no longer causes lifelong distress.

2. (NEC 2017)

JARGON Jargon is a loaded word. One dictionary (1) _____ it neatly and neutrally, as "the technical vocabulary or idiom of a special activity or group", but this sense is almost completely overshadowed by (2) _______:"obscure and often pretentious language marked by a roundabout way of expression and use of long words." For most people, it is the (3) _______ sense which is at the front of their minds when they think about jargon. Jargon is said to be bad use of language, something to be avoided at all (4) _______. No one ever describes it in positive terms. Nor does one usually admit to using it (5) _______; the myth is that jargon is something only "other” people employ. The (6) _______, however, is that everyone uses jargon. It is an essential part of the network of occupations and pursuits that make (7) _______ society. All jobs present an element of jargon, which workers learn as they develop their expertise. All hobbies require mastery of a jargon. Each society grouping has (8) _______ jargon. The phenomenon (9) _______ out to be universal and valuable. It is the jargon element which, in a job, can promote economy and precision of expression, and thus help make life easier for workers. It is also the chief linguistic (10) _______ which shows professional awareness and social togetherness.

3.

(NEC 2016)

SUCCESSFUL TRAVEL WRITING One of the biggest temptations for someone new to the travel game is to look at everything through rosetinted (1) _______, and this typically comes out in their writing. They paint everything to be magical and perfect, and their stories are laid out in romantic, flowery language. But the reality is that over time the road will lose its lustre, and any reader who knows that is going to see right through your prose. Not to mention that the harsh (2) _______ of a place are often just as interesting as the poetry used to (3) _______ it - probably even more interesting. Look over what you've written, and if it seems as if you've just written a brochure, you might want to have (4) _______ look. It might be your limited (5) _______ that is causing the issue - perhaps you're still caught up in the magic of

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MASTER the ART of NEC the road. Or perhaps you are too caught up in selling the romance of travel. Although getting (6) _______the beaten track is always a good idea when travelling, travel writers nonetheless feel they need to capture the biggest sites that everyone comes to a specific country to see. So, even if they are the more adventurous type, they end up (7) _______ to the same places that everyone else goes to. It may depend on what audience you're writing for, but the best advice is always to head in the opposite (8) _______ to everyone else and just see what happens. In another country, the seemingly mundane often creates the most interesting, humorous and exciting moments. If you are stuck to the biggest attractions (9) _______ assignment, always look for another angle and point out things that (10) _______ miss.

4. (NEC 2015)

The money that some professional sportsmen earn shouldn’t impress anyone when you take into (1) _______the fact that only a few of them manage to attain immortality and everlasting fame. And once they (2) ______their prime and display their talent at their best, they are fully conscious that their brilliant careers won’t last forever. They live under a constant (3) ______ of being outshone and subsequently replaced by someone who is younger, faster and more accomplished. For that reason, objectives like retirement benefits and pensions are of a great (4) ______to all professional athletes. Some of the retired competitors go as far as to organize strikes and rallies to voice their protest against any policy (5)______ to their demands whereas the younger professionals seek more upgrading solutions to the problem as more and more of them attach a proper significance to (6) ______a solid education, even at university level. Such an approach should help them find interesting and well-paid jobs once their sports career is over. A completely new strategy has been devised by the schools priding themselves on supporting their own teams. Their authorities insist that the sports clubs members achieve high academic standards or (7) ______they are debarred from partaking (8) ________ certain sports events, which may lead to further disruption in their professional career. By these practical and most effective (9) ______, combining education with sports activity, the (10) ______of the professional athlete as being brainless and unintelligent may eventually be changing to the sportsmen’s benefit.

5.

(NEC 2014)

SCHOOL’S OUT FOR SUMMER Organised excursions are one of the ways that summer school programmes create a relaxed and fun atmosphere for their students, but escape from the classroom for a day is not an excuse to stop learning. As well as (1) ________ a great way to see Britain and to learn more about British life and culture, excursions can have a valuable role to play in language learning as they give learners the opportunity to put (2) ________ practice what they have learnt in the classroom. Excursions can (3) ________ from visits to famous towns and cities to the thousands of sites of historical interest around the country. Museums, art galleries and theme parks are other options. However, (4) ________ is the responsibility of the school to ensure that learners are properly prepared for their trips (5) ________ still in the classroom. Teachers should introduce the excursion as a discussion topic, provide background information on the place of interest or instruct students to carry (6) ________ their own research. New vocabulary and key words can be explained and learners can prepare questions to ask (7) ________ they get to their destination. Once (8) ________ of the classroom, many learners find it easier to relax and, as a result, become more articulate. They are helped by the (9) ________ that at most tourist attractions there are staff who are used to talking to learners and will make the effort to understand their English. (10) ________ returning to the classroom, teachers can set students a variety of extension exercises such as giving a mini-presentation (11) ________an aspect of the trip or making a poster or an information leaflet to advertise the place (12) ________.

6.

ROUND PEGS IN ROUND HOLES Do you remember when technology was (1) __________ to bring about big changes in the workplace, improve the working environment and increase leisure time? Well, you'll also recall that it failed to (2) _______ about such desired reforms for most of us at least. In fact, many of these technological advancements led to various health issues, like eyestrain and back problems. And the extra leisure time all the experts promised us never became a (3) __________. Luckily, there does appear to be some good news. Some employers have become enlightened enough to (4) _______ that happy, relaxed employees are more efficient and friendly than those who are burnt-out and

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MASTER the ART of NEC undervalued. Therefore, many businesses are attempting to upgrade their work environments in a way that promotes a positive, calm workplace. The principles of the ancient Chinese art of "Feng Shui" are being applied to create (5) __________ environments in many workplaces. For instance, as a (6) ___________ influence, an aquarium of fish can be placed in any workspace or chunks of amethyst can be placed next to workers' computers to help (7) ______ harmful radiation and relieve stress. Next, the furniture and office fixtures in the workspace affect the people who work in it. When employees are comfortable and are provided with quality equipment, they feel better and take greater (8) _______ in their work. It is vital for people to feel as though they are an integral and valued part of the company. To sum up, when people are treated as individuals and not merely as dispensable pieces of equipment, they are more likely to give their best. Offering employees (9) ______ in the shape of bonuses, regular pay increases, holidays, etc. can serve as all excellent ways to increase(10) ________. So go on, give it a try and see how your work environment can become more positive and energised.

7.

IS THE SENSE OF BEAUTY INNATE OR LEARNED? Beauty is the (1) _______ of a thing or person that gives you pleasure. Inner beauty refers to psychological factors, such as intelligence, kindness, compassion, and honesty. Outer beauty, or physical attractiveness, refers to factors such as looks, health, youthfulness, and symmetry. Is the ability to define physical or psychological attractiveness innate or (2) ______ ? Is beauty objective or subjective? There is some (3) _______ that the sense of beauty is subjective and culturally relative. The popular saying “beauty is in the eye of the (4) _______” tells us that different people have different opinions about what is beautiful. For example, most Westerners consider a woman with a wide mouth attractive, while many Chinese regard a woman with a small mouth as beautiful. During part of China’s history, women with big feet were considered to be ugly. Traditional Chinese foot-binding was (5) ________ to keep a woman’s feet tiny and thus “beautiful”. To people in the modern world, the foot-binding of women was painful, horrible, and ugly. These two examples suggest that some ideas about beauty are learned and subject to change. On the other hand, research indicates that a (6) _______ for beautiful faces occurs early in a child’s development. A small child plays with facially attractive dolls longer than with facially unattractive dolls. Children innately pay attention to the beauty of nature. People from various cultures and periods of time may have slightly different ideas about beauty. (7) ______ , they usually share many standards of beauty. A kind, honest, and intelligent individual is attractive. (8) _______ is a healthy, youthful person with a mathematically average face and a well-proportioned body. The (9) _______ of many aspects of both inner beauty and outer beauty is innate. Many aspects of beauty have been valued (10) _______ human history. Our notion of beauty is innate, though that innate sense may be influenced by the environment.

8.

Tone can be described as the (1) _____ of a written text. If you were reading the text aloud, how would it sound? When someone is speaking, their facial (2) ______, actions and the quality of their voice (volume, speed of delivery) all (3) ______ to indicate the speaker's attitude and help convey their message. In a film, the director will often advise the actor of the tone of voice to adopt, and may, for example, draw on music or lighting to convey mood or (4) _____ of emotion. In a written text, the language must portray the tone and give the piece its emotional 'flavor', although sometimes tone can be read from the response of other characters. When you create your own texts, try reading your work aloud in different tones and decide whether your reader will need some indication of how to (5) ____ the tone you intend. The way writers group their words and where they place (6) ______ determines the tone. Many words have positive or negative connotations which will affect the readers (7) _____ reaction to the writing, so word selection is very important when trying to convey a (8) ______ tone. The emotional tone of a text can range from neutral to (9) ______ emotive. A shorer text may have a single, consistent tone all the (10) _______ through, but the creators of most texts employ a range of different tones.

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MASTER the ART of NEC

9.

People are often (1) ________ off meditation by what they see as its many mystical associations. Yet meditation is a straightforward technique which merely involves sitting and resting the (2) _______. In addition to its simplicity, meditation offers powerful help in the battle (3) _______ stress. Hundreds of studies have shown that meditation, when (4) _______ in a principled way, can reduce hypertension which is related to stress in the (5) _______. Research has proved that certain types of meditation can substantially decrease key stress symptoms such as anxiety and irritability. In fact, those who practise meditation with any (6) ________ see their doctors less and spend, on average, seventy percent (7) _______ days in hospital. They are said to have more stamina, a happier disposition and even enjoy better relationships. When you learn to meditate, your teacher will give you a personal 'mantra' or word which you use every time you practise the technique and which is supposedly chosen according to your needs. Initial classes are taught individually but (8) ____ classes usually consist of a group of students and take place over a period of about four days. The aim is to learn how to slip into a deeper (9) ________ of consciousness for twenty minutes a day. The rewards (10) _______ for themselves.

10.

Newspaper publishers estimate that nearly six out of ten adults in the United States and Canada read a newspaper every day, and seven out of ten read a paper each weekend. By the time they see a newspaper, most people have already learned about (1) __________ news stories on television or radio. Readers (2) _____ on newspapers to provide detailed background information and analysis, which television and radio newscasts rarely offer. Newspapers not only inform readers that an (3) _____ happened but also help readers understand (4) _____ led up to the event and how it will affect the world around them. The staff of a large newspaper works under the constant (5) _____ of deadlines to bring news to readers as quickly as human energy and technological devices permit. Reporters, photographers, artists, and editors compile articles and graphics—sometimes in just a few hours. (6) _____ designers assemble articles, photos, illustrations, advertisements, and eye-catching headlines into page layouts, then rush their work to the printer. Printing technicians may work through the night operating printing presses that can churn out more than 60,000 (7) _____ per hour. Newspapers trace their roots to handwritten news sheets posted daily in the public marketplaces of (8) _____ Rome. The first printed newspapers appeared in China during the Tang dynasty (AD 618-907). These (9) _____ were printed from carved wood blocks. Precursors to modern papers first appeared in Venice, Italy, in the middle of the 14th century. Newspapers as (10) _____ known today, complete with advertising and a mixture of political, economic, and social news and commentary, emerged in Britain in the mid-18th century.

11.

Those who (1) _____ for a vegetarian diet must usually (2) _____ up a variety of aspects concerning the nutritional (3) _____ of vegetables and the adequacy of vegetarian meals in terms of the number of nutrients provided to the body. Vegetarianism is not a new concept, rather an ancient custom which evolved in the Far East cultures on ethical or religious grounds. In today's world, it has been (4) _____ by many followers who for a variety of reasons believe the vegetarian diet more preferable to that containing meat. For example, there's the theory that animal meat wasn't originally a component of the staple human diet as mankind evolved from foragers who later (5) _____ a taste for flesh. Hence, our primeval ancestors are alleged to have had a substantial (6) ____ of proteins and vitamins from natural vegetation rather than from the meat of hunted game. What's more, human teeth don't (7) _______ much resemblance to those of animal carnivores, and neither is our digestive system equivalent to the meat eaters' one. Apart from the enforced vegetarianism of underdeveloped communities where populations deprived of animal protein (8) ________ back on the natural vegetation, there's a rising acceptance of the vegetarian diet which ceases to be regarded as an eccentricity. Abstention from animal food, be it for religious, economic or humanitarian reasons, has been a quickly spreading custom as, surprisingly, the vegetarian diet needn't be dull or deficient. Yet, it does involve taking good (9) _______ to supply the body with a sufficient quantity of nutrients (10) ______ from corn, seeds and cereals.

12.

Never is it more important to fit in than during adolescence, that critical time of development when a young person’s character is refined and they find their place in the world. To be ostracised or socially (1) __________ is,

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MASTER the ART of NEC in fact, probably the worst nightmare for most teens, and the majority will do anything to avoid it, even if that means (2) __________ their own beliefs, yielding to peer (3) _____ and doing things they normally would never dream of. But it is in the making of such compromises that a teen’s life can be destroyed in an instant. Indeed, it is not at all uncommon for an otherwise perfectly decent young lad or lass to fall in with the wrong crowd and find themselves caught up in all sorts of trouble. Depending on how impressionable a teen is, and the extent to which they yearn (4) ______ acceptance, there is no (5) ______ what they will do in their efforts to gain same, from dabbling with drugs to (6) __________ themselves in criminal activities. The key determining factor in establishing the likelihood of whether a young person will go off the (7) ______ is not simply their background as one might expect. It is, in fact, the extent to which their parents have (8) __________ confidence and a sense of self-worth in them as they have grown up. In short, you can give a child the best education money can (9) ________ and impart on them all the moral virtues and wisdom you wish, but this will count for nothing unless you also foster in them an appreciation of their own value as an individual. Only then will they be able to resist the pressure from their peers and the natural inclination to try to become popular and be considered ‘cool’ (10) _______of the consequences.

13.

Not long ago, if you were a young, brash technologist with a world-conquering start-up idea, there was a good chance you spent much of your waking life working toward a single business (1) ______: taking your company public. Though luminaries of the tech industry have always expressed skepticism and even hostility toward the finance industry, tech’s dirty secret was that it looked to Wall Street and the ritual of a public (2) ______ for affirmation — not to mention wealth. But something strange has happened in the last couple of years: The initial public offering of stock has become déclassé. For start-up entrepreneurs and their employees across Silicon Valley, an initial public offering is no longer a main goal. Instead, many founders talk about going public as a (3) _______ evil to be postponed as long as possible because it comes with more problems than benefits. Silicon Valley’s sudden distaste for the I.P.O. —(4) ____ in part in Wall Street’s skepticism of new tech stocks — may be the single most important psychological shift underlying the current tech boom. Staying private (5) _____ start-up executives the luxury of not worrying what outsiders think and helps them avoid the quarterly earnings treadmill. A recent report suggests that despite all the attention start-ups have received in recent years, tech stocks are not seeing unusually high (6) _______. In fact, their share of the overall market has remained stable for 14 years, and far off the peak of the late 1990s. That unwillingness to cut much (7) _____ to young tech companies limits risk for regular investors. If the bubble pops, the unwashed masses, if that’s what we are, aren’t as likely to get washed (8) ______. Private investors, on the other hand, are making big bets on so-called unicorns — the Silicon Valley (9) _____ for start-up companies valued at more than a billion dollars. If many of those unicorns flop, most Americans will escape (10) ______, because losses will be confined to venture capitalists and hedge funds that have begun to buy into tech start-ups, as well as tech founders and their employees.

14.

(Adapted from: https://jamesclear.com/behavior-change-paradox)

The natural tendency of life is to find stability. In biology we refer to this process as equilibrium or homeostasis. For example, consider your blood pressure. When it dips too low, your heart (1) _________ speeds up and nudges your blood pressure back into a healthy range. When it rises too high, your kidneys reduce the amount of fluid in the body by flushing out urine. All the while, your blood vessels (2) _________ maintain the balance by contracting or expanding as needed. The human body (3) _________ hundreds of feedback loops to keep your blood pressure, body temperature, glucose levels, calcium levels, and many other processes at a stable equilibrium. In his book, Mastery, martial arts master George Leonard points out that our daily lives also develop their own levels of homeostasis. We (4) _________ into patterns for how often we do (or don't) exercise, how often we do (or don't) clean the dishes, how often we do (or don't) call our parents, and everything else (5) _________ between. Over time, each of us settles (6) _________ our own version of equilibrium. (7) _________ your body, there are many forces and feedback loops that moderate the particular equilibrium of your habits. Your daily routines are governed by the delicate balance (8) _________ your environment, your genetic potential, your tracking methods, and many other forces. (9) _________ time goes on, this equilibrium becomes so normal that it becomes invisible. All of these forces are interacting each day, but we rarely (10) _________ how they shape our behaviors. That is, until we try to make a change.

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15.

Imagine you are playing tennis. If you try to play a serious match against a four-year-old, you will quickly become bored. The match is too easy. On the opposite end of the (1) _________, if you try to play a serious match against a professional tennis player like Roger Federer or Serena Williams, you will (2) _________ yourself demotivated for a different reason. The match is too difficult. Human beings love challenges, but (3) _________ if they are within the optimal zone of difficulty. Compare these experiences to playing tennis against (4) _________ who is your equal. As the game (5) _________, you win a few points and you lose a few points. You have a chance of winning the match, but only if you really try. Your focus narrows, distractions fade (6) _________, and you find yourself fully invested in the task at (7) _________. The challenge you are facing is “just manageable.” Victory is not (8) _________, but it is possible. Tasks like these, science has found, are the most likely to keep us motivated in the long term. Tasks that are significantly (9) _________ your current abilities are boring. Tasks that are significantly beyond your current abilities are discouraging. But tasks that are right on the (10) _________ of success and failure are incredibly motivating to our human brains. We want nothing more than to master a skill just beyond our (11) _________ horizon. We can call this phenomenon The Goldilocks Rule. In order to (12) _________ the state of peak performance, we need to work on challenges at the right (13) _________ of difficulty. The Goldilocks Rule states that humans (14) _________ peak motivation when working on tasks that are right on the edge of their current abilities. Not too hard. Not too easy. Just right.

16.

(Adapted from: https://townhall.com/columnists/walterewilliams/2014/10/29/africa-a-tragic-continent-n1910507 )

Each year, The Wall Street Journal and The Heritage Foundation (1) _________ an "Index of Economic Freedom," which measures economic liberty around the world. Eight of the world's 20 least free economies are in Africa's sub-Saharan region. Poverty is not a cause but a result of Africa's problems. What African countries need the West cannot provide. They need personal liberty. That (2) _________ a political system in which there are guarantees of private property rights, free markets, honest government and the rule of law. Africa's poverty is, for the most (3) _________, self-inflicted. Some people might disagree because their college professors taught them that the legacy of colonialism explains Third World poverty. That's nonsense. Canada was a colony. So were Australia, New Zealand and Hong Kong. In fact, the richest country in the world, the United States, was once a colony. By (4) _________, Third World countries such as Ethiopia, Liberia, Nepal and Bhutan were never colonies, yet they are (5) _________ to some of the world's poorest people. There's no complete (6) _________ for why some countries are affluent while others are poor, but there are some leads. Rank countries according to whether they are closer to being a free market economy or whether they're closer to having a socialist or planned economy. Then rank countries by per capita income. Doing so, we will find a general, (7) _________ not perfect, pattern whereby those having a larger measure of economic freedom find their citizens enjoying a higher standard of living. Also, if we ranked countries (8) _________ to how Freedom House or Amnesty International rates human rights protections, we'd find that citizens of freer market economies enjoy a greater measure of human rights protections. You can bet the rent money that the correlation among free markets, wealth and human rights protections is not coincidental. With but few exceptions, most African countries are (9) _________ off now than they were during colonialism, both in terms of standard of living and in terms of human rights protections. Once a food-exporting country, Zimbabwe recently stood near the (10) _________ of starvation. Sierra Leone is rich in minerals - especially diamonds - has highly fertile land and is the best port site in West Africa, but it has declined into a state of utter despair. Africa is the world's most natural-resources-rich continent. It has 50 percent of the world's gold, most of the world's diamonds and chromium, 90 percent of the cobalt, 40 percent of the world's potential hydroelectric power, 65 percent of the manganese, and millions of acres of untilled farmland, as well as other natural (11) _________. Before independence, every African country was self-sufficient in food production; today many depend on imports, and others stand at the brink of famine. Though there's a strong (12) _________ for us to help with the Ebola crisis, the worst thing Westerners could do to Africa would be to (13) _________ more foreign aid. Foreign aid provides the financial resources that enable Africa's grossly corrupt and incompetent regimes to buy military equipment, pay off cronies and continue to oppress

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MASTER the ART of NEC (14) _________ people. It also provides resources for the leaders to live lavishly and set up "retirement" accounts in foreign banks.

17.(Adapted from http://www.kidsworldfun.com/blog/can-your-child-be-a-genius/)

The 21st century discoveries about the human brain and its functioning have revealed the astounding fact that human abilities are not fixed at birth. In other words, what you are able to do with your life is not fixed when you are (1) _________. It is not all in the genes. It is not just nature: nurture plays a significant part in the moulding of what a person is, and what he/she (2) _________ be. Brain plasticity or neuroplasticity (3) _________ to the amazing ability of the human brain to modify its structure and functions according to the changes within the body and/or in the (4) _________ environment. (‘Plasticity’ comes from the Greek word ‘plastos’ meaning molded). In his book ‘The Brain that Changes Itself’ psychiatrist and psychoanalyst Norman Doidge, M.D., offers an introduction to the brilliant scientists advocating neuroplasticity and the people (5) _________ lives they’ve transformed. The book describes real life stories of stroke patients learning to speak again, and the amazing story of a woman born with half a brain that restructured (6) _________ to work as a whole. It is a book that changes the way we think about our brain, its nature, and its potential. The genes we (7) _________ from our parents are finite, no doubt about that. However, our brain’s ability to develop is (8) _________. New brain cells are being born (9) _________ the time, and to keep them alive and growing, we have to stimulate them. Herein (10) _________ the promise of neuroplasticity in the moulding of children into adults who are (11) _________ of realizing their potential. For, genius is (12) _________ but a human being who has realized his/her innate potential! What Mozart, Einstein and da Vinci had was innate potential plus the right environment. All geniuses started life in exactly the same way. They had parents who supported the development of their individual gifts and talents. They had the right environment and stimuli that (13) _________ to the optimal development of (14) _________.

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IELTS READING I. Tips and notes IELTS Reading is a very common type of exercise in the NEC as well as in the NEC team selection test of many provinces and cities. There are usually 10 to 15 questions in this part. The difficulty level of IELTS Reading is not high but you should not underestimate the exercises since some questions can be tricky. The topic of the reading passages can range from science to current news. Here are some of the tips for tackling the IELTS READING test:

DO

DON’T

- Pay attention to instructions such as words limit, e.g.

- Expect to understand every word. If you don’t

NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS, ONE

understand a word in the reading tes, you can look at

WORD ONLY

the context for clues as to its meaning or you can

- Pay attention to pronouns (e.g., he, him, they, them, etc.) and identify the nouns to which they refer in the passage. - Paraphrase complex sentences into simple ones if you find them difficult to understand. - Before reading the texts, glance through the questions first to see which question types you are dealing with.

move on. - Read the whole text for every question. Only read what you need and then move on. - Waste too much time on one question as it will leave you with too little time for the rest. - Waste your time on information that is irrelevant to the questions.

Then, adopt different reading strategies towards different types. - Check your answers after you have finished. Try to provide the proof for each of them to make sure they are all correct. II. How to practice

1.

SKIMMING AND SCANNING ● Skimming Skimming means quickly reading the text to get only its main idea. To skim effectively, you need to read only a part of the material. You have already encountered skimming: when reading a long chapter of a book, or doing a research on a long article. In such case, you would probably read the first sentences of each paragraph, dropping down to the end of the paragraph. - Read the first paragraph attentively to get an idea of what will be discussed in the text. - Read the first (and sometimes the second) sentence of each paragraph - they give the main idea of the paragraph. - After you have read the first sentences, your eyes should drop down to the end of the paragraph, looking for important pieces of information, such as dates and names. - Read the last paragraph attentively as it may contain the summary. ● Scanning Scanning means searching for specific phrases in the text to answer some questions. - Underline the important information while reading the text (dates, numbers, names etc.)

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MASTER the ART of NEC -

2.

When you read the question, identify the keyword and scan the text for it. This way you’ll find the answer more quickly.

CLOSE READING This is probably the most important skill because it is the skill that helps us decide which answer is correct. There is no point in just skimming and scanning without using this skill, because skimming gives us general meaning and scanning gives us location, neither of which gives us the correct answer. Close reading is when we understand a whole sentence or paragraph and we know exactly what it all means. In other words, you understand every word and the meaning of the whole sentence. It takes time and concentration and requires you to think carefully about meaning.

3.

DEVELOPING VOCABULARY Learning vocabulary is not just about learning the meaning of a word, it is about learning when you can or cannot use the word. It is also about what collocations can be use with words. You can do this by learning vocabulary from practice reading passages and vocabulary materials from IELTS and SAT.

4.

EFFECTIVE TIME MANAGEMENT Bear in mind that IELTS Reading only accounts for no more than 10% of the total score in the NEC. Accordingly, you need to set your time appropriately in order to move on to other parts.

5.

6.

PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT: Like other tests, IELTS Reading requires students to practice regularly to master.

FINDING READING MATERIALS OUTSIDE THE BOOK As mentioned above, IELTS Reading mainly focuses on science articles and current news in the world. Therefore, you should get yourself up-to-date by reading newspapers and articles, this will familiarize you with the real reading test. Read newspaper articles and practice the following: ● Dividing the content into facts and opinions ● Finding the topic sentences of paragraphs ● Writing summaries ● Interpreting any diagrams or tables ● Thinking of headings you could give to paragraphs ● Underlining the pronouns and working out what they refer to ● Underlining unknown words and seeing if you can work out what they mean ● Reading the first paragraph and seeing if you can predict what will come next III. Strategies for different types of questions

1.

MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTIONS: can test both your global understanding of the text or ask you for specific information. This means you will have to make the decision yourself whether to skim or scan the text. Here are some strategies for practicing: ● Read the instructions carefully and check how many option letters you need to circle. ● Skim all the questions and the answer choices quickly. As you do this: - Underline the keywords (the words that give you the most information). - Try to get an idea of the topic you will be reading about from the vocabulary of the questions. - Look at any illustrations or diagrams that go with the text. ● Go back to the first question. Decide if you are looking for specific information or whether the question requires you to understand the whole text . Then either scan or skim the text, as appropriate, to find the answer. ● Read the relevant part of the text very carefully. ● Don’t leave any questions unanswered.

2.

SHORT ANSWER QUESTIONS: will usually tell you to write your answers in NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS. So you can answer with one word, two words or three words but no more. However, this is not always the case. So you should always check what the questions ask you to do. Here are some strategies for practicing: • Apply both skimming and scanning techniques to be able to answer the questions in time. • Skim all the questions quickly. As you do this:

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● ● ● ● ●

3.

- underline the keywords. - decide what information you need to find in the text. - look out for question words such as ‘where’ and ‘who’ - you should look for specific things like places and people. Go back to the first question and decide which part of the text you need to read. Read the part carefully to find the answer. You may use your own words. You don’t have to write a complete sentence but it does have to be grammatically correct. If you don’t know the meaning of any of the words in the questions, find it using a dictionary, write it down in your notebook and try to reuse it over and over again. The answer could be one word, two words or three words but not four or more. If you think you need more than three words your answer is probably incorrect.

SENTENCE COMPLETION: requires you to complete the end of a sentence. The questions generally appear in the same order as the information in the text. They will tell you to use words from the reading passage. Here are some strategies for practicing: ● Skim all the questions quickly. As you do this: - underline the keywords. - try to work out what information you need. - think about the grammatical form as well as the vocabulary that should follow immediately from the stem. ● Go back to the first sentence and decide what information you need to complete it. ● Find the place where the information should be in the text and read it carefully. ● Look out for synonyms and parallel expressions because the questions are not likely to use the same words as those in the text. ● Make sure your sentences make sense both logically and grammatically.

4.

NOTES/TABLE/SUMMARY FLOWCHART/DIAGRAM COMPLETIONS: ask for specific information. There are two types of these completion questions in the IELTS reading exam. ● Type 1. With a selection of possible answers. ● Type 2. Without a choice of possible answers. These questions require you to: - insert a word or phrase in the middle of a sentence - insert a word in the middle and another word at the end of a sentence For Type 1 questions the words or phrases provided will be different from the words in the text. There will be more words than gaps. Type 2 questions are similar to the short answer questions in that they will tell you to write your answers in NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS. So you can answer with one word, two words or three words but no more. Here are some strategies for practicing: ● Look at the table or form carefully: - examine any headings or subheadings. - try to get an idea of the topic. - decide what section of the passage the exercise covers. - anticipate grammatical form as well as vocabulary. ● If a box of answers is given, see if you can guess any of the matches & eliminate unlikely answers. ● If the question is in the form of a table, work out which way it is best to read it – horizontally or vertically. ● If the question is in the form of a summary, read through it first and see if you can guess any of the missing words. ● Take each gap one by one and search the text for the best word(s) to fill the gap. ● If there is a box of answers, there will be at least two you don’t need. ● If there is no box, the answer could be one word, two words or three words but not four or more. ● If you think you need more than three words your answer is probably incorrect. ● There may be alternative rubrics for these completion questions e.g. ‘complete the notice’ or ‘complete the explanation’ or ‘complete the news report’.

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5.

YES, NO, NOT GIVEN OR TRUE, FALSE, NOT GIVEN QUESTIONS tasks either ask you to identify the writer’s views or claims in the text or identify information in the text. You will be given a list of statements which are either opinions or facts and you have to decide - If they are opinions, whether they are the opinions of the writer or not or not given in the text. If they are facts, whether they are true, false or not given in the text. Here are some strategies for practicing: ● Read the instructions carefully. ● Quickly read through all the statements to get an idea about the topic. ● Read the first statement more carefully. Underline the keywords so you understand the main point. ● Search for the section of the text which deals with the idea or fact. ● Once you have found the relevant section, read it carefully.

6.

CLASSIFICATION QUESTIONS ask you to classify information given in the reading text. Classifications are often according to the writer’s opinion or according to a period of time or place. You will be asked to identify a letter which represents one of the classifications for each item in a list of statements. Here are some strategies for practicing: ● Read the instructions carefully. ● Make sure you know how many classifications there are and what letters you have to use. (E.g. US, J, G & UK in the exercise above.) ● Read the classifications carefully and make sure you don’t confuse the letters which represent each one. ● Read the statements/phrases or words beside the question numbers and underline keywords. ● Start with the first statement and work your way through them one by one and search the text to find where the information is mentioned. ● The questions will not necessarily be in the same order as the text and the wording will probably be different in the text so look out for synonyms and parallel expressions. ● When you’ve located the reference in the text, read it carefully and select your answer. ● Don’t leave any statements without a letter.

7.

MATCHING QUESTIONS require you to match a list of opinions to sources mentioned in the text. These questions are used with texts which present a number of different people’s opinions. The sources are usually numbered and the opinions are given a letter each. In the answer booklet, you write the letter(s) beside the numbers. There could be more opinions than sources. If so, you will need to write more than one letter beside the question in the answer booklet. If there are more sources than opinions, then the opinions will be used more than once. Here are some strategies for practicing: ● Read the instructions carefully. ● Take the names of the sources one by one and find them in the text and underline them. ● When you have located a name, read carefully to see what is said about his/her opinions. ● Look at the list of opinions and see if you can make a match. ● Remember that the text is not likely to use the same words as the questions, so look for synonyms and parallel expressions. ● Also, be aware that the sources may be referred to in more than one place in the text.

8.

CHOOSING HEADINGS QUESTIONS require you to sum up the meaning of a paragraph in order to match it to a bank of possible headings. You may be asked to match every paragraph or section of the text or just a selection of paragraphs or require you to sum up the whole text. Here are some strategies for practicing: ● Read the instructions carefully. ● Make sure you know which paragraphs or sections you have to sum up. ● Read the first paragraph or section and try to sum up, in your own words, what it is about. ● Then search through the bank of headings for the best answer. ● Make sure the heading you have chosen sums up the entire paragraph and not just one idea within it. ● If you have to sum up the entire text. Read the whole text before looking at the bank of headings. Try to think of your own heading and then look at the options.

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9.

SCANNING AND IDENTIFYING LOCATION OF INFORMATION QUESTIONS require you to scan the text to find the location of information. You will be given a set of statements and you need to find the paragraph each one comes from. Here are some strategies for practicing: ● Read the instructions carefully. ● Quickly read the statements to get an idea of what the text is about. ● Take the statements one by one. Underline the keywords. ● Next, search the text to find where the information is mentioned. ● Remember to look for synonyms and parallel expressions because it is likely that the statements express the ideas differently to the way they are expressed in the text.

10.

LABELLING A DIAGRAM WHICH HAS NUMBERED PARTS QUESTIONS: You will be given a diagram and asked to label it with words from the text or labels given. Here are some tips for practicing: ● The information will be given in the same order as the numbers on the diagram. ● Scan the text to find the information. If labels are not provided, make sure you use words from the text. IV. Exercises

1.

(NEC 2018)

ACQUIRING THE PRINCIPLES OF MATHEMATICS AND SCIENCE

A. It has been pointed out that learning mathematics and science is not so much learning facts as learning ways of thinking. It has also been emphasised that in order to learn science, people often have to change the way they think in ordinary situations. For example, in order to understand even simple concepts such as heat and temperature, ways of thinking of temperature as a measure of heat must be abandoned and a distinction between ‘temperature’ and ‘heat’ must be learned. These changes in ways of thinking are often referred to as conceptual changes. But how do conceptual changes happen? How do young people change their ways of thinking as they develop and as they learn in school? B. Traditional instruction based on telling students how modern scientists think does not seem to be very successful. Students may learn the definitions, the formulae, the terminology, and yet still maintain their previous conceptions. This difficulty has been illustrated many times, for example, when instructed students are interviewed about heat and temperature. It is often identified by teachers as a difficulty in applying the concepts learned in the classroom; students may be able to repeat a formula but fail to use the concept represented by the formula when they explain observed events. C. The psychologist Piaget suggested an interesting hypothesis relating to the process of cognitive change in children. Cognitive change was expected to result from the pupils’ own intellectual activity. When confronted with a result that challenges their thinking - that is, when faced with conflict - pupils realise that they need to think again about their own ways of solving problems, regardless of whether the problem is one in mathematics or in science. He hypothesised that conflict brings about disequilibrium, and then triggers equilibration processes that ultimately produce cognitive change. For this reason, according to Piaget and his colleagues, in order for pupils to progress in their thinking they need to be actively engaged in solving problems that will challenge their current mode of reasoning. However, Piaget also pointed out that young children do not always discard their ideas in the face of contradictory evidence. They may actually discard the evidence and keep their theory. D. Piaget’s hypothesis about how cognitive change occurs was later translated into an educational approach which is now termed ‘discovery learning’. Discovery learning initially took what is now considered the Tone learner’ route. The role of the teacher was to select situations that challenged the pupils’ reasoning; and the pupils’ peers had no real role in this process. However, it was subsequently proposed that interpersonal conflict, especially with peers, might play an important role in promoting cognitive change. This hypothesis, originally advanced by Perret-Clermont (1980) and Doise and Mugny (1984), has been investigated in many recent studies of science teaching and learning. E. Christine Howe and her colleagues, for example, have compared children’s progress in understanding several types of science concepts when they are given the opportunity to observe relevant events. In one study, Howe compared the progress of 8 to 12-year-old children in understanding what influences motion down a slope. In order to ascertain the role of conflict in group work, they created two kinds of groups according to a pre-test: one in which

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MASTER the ART of NEC the children had dissimilar views, and a second in which the children had similar views. They found support for the idea that children in the groups with dissimilar views progressed more after their training sessions than those who had been placed in groups with similar views. However, they found no evidence to support the idea that the children worked out their new conceptions during their group discussions, because progress was not actually observed in a post-test immediately after the sessions of group work, but rather in a second test given around four weeks after the group work. F. In another study, Howe set out to investigate whether the progress obtained through pair work could be a function of the exchange of ideas. They investigated the progress made by 12-15-year-old pupils in understanding the path of falling objects, a topic that usually involves conceptual difficulties. In order to create pairs of pupils with varying levels of dissimilarity in their initial conceptions, the pupils’ predictions and explanations of the path of falling objects were assessed before they were engaged in pair work. The work sessions involved solving computer-presented problems, again about predicting and explaining the paths of falling objects. A post-test, given to individuals, assessed the progress made by pupils in their conceptions of what influenced the path of falling objects. Questions 1-5: There are six paragraphs marked A-F in the passage. In which paragraph is the following mentioned? Write your answers in the corresponding numbered boxes provided. ________ 1. a claim that a perceived contradiction can assist mental development. ________ 2. the problem of superficial understanding. ________ 3. evidence for the delayed benefits of disagreement between pupils. ________ 4. an experiment to assess the benefits of exchanging views with a partner. ________ 5. a rejection of a widely held theory. Questions 6-11: Complete the following summary. Choose NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS from the passage for each answer. HOW CHILDREN LEARN The instructional approach presently referred to as “discovery learning” was based on Piaget's hypothesis that changes in a child’s mind were brought about by his/ her own (6) _________. As hypothesized by Piaget, disequilibrium occurs when a child is confronted with an idea that conflicts his/ her current belief. This initiates the processes of equilibration which result in cognitive change. Progress in learning, therefore, requires pupils’ active engagement in solving problems that contradict their existing (7) _________. However, Piaget also drew attention to the possibility that a child might (8) _________ the conflicting evidence and maintain his/her preconceived idea. While Piaget's hypothesis played down the roles of peers in the “lone learner" route, later studies put forward the importance of (9) _________ among friends in developing cognitive change. In an effort to (10) _________ the significance of conflict in group work, Christine Howe and her colleagues collected findings in support of the claim that children in the group with (11) _________ made better progress.

2.

(NEC 2017) (Adapted from “Focus on Academic Skills for IELTS”)

A. A century ago, the overwhelming majority of people in developed countries worked with their hands: on farms, in domestic service, in small craft shops and in factories. There was not even a word for people who made their living other than by manual work. These days, the fastest-growing group in the developed world are ‘knowledge workers’ – people whose jobs require formal and advanced schooling. B. At present, this term is widely used to describe people with considerable theoretical knowledge and learning: doctors, lawyers, teachers, accountants, chemical engineers. But the most striking growth in the coming years will be in ‘knowledge technologists’: computer technicians, software designers, analysts in clinical labs, manufacturing technologists, and so on. These people are as much manual workers as they are knowledge workers; in fact, they usually spend far more time working with their hands than with their brains. But their manual work is based on a substantial amount of theoretical knowledge which can be acquired only through formal education. They are not, as a rule, much better paid than traditional skilled workers, but they see themselves as professionals. Just as unskilled manual workers in manufacturing were the dominant social and political force in the twentieth century,

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MASTER the ART of NEC knowledge technologists are likely to become the dominant social – and perhaps also political – force over the next decades. C. Such workers have two main needs: formal education that enables them to enter knowledge work in the first place, and continuing education throughout their working lives to keep their knowledge up to date. For the old highknowledge professionals such as doctors, clerics and lawyers, formal education has been available for many centuries. But for knowledge technologists, only a few countries so far provide systematic and organised preparation. Over the next few decades, educational institutions to prepare knowledge technologists will grow rapidly in all developed and emerging countries, just as new institutions to meet new requirements have always appeared in the past. D. What is different this time is the need for the continuing education of already well-trained and highly knowledgeable adults. Schooling traditionally stopped when work began. In the knowledge society it never stops. Continuing education of already highly educated adults will therefore become a big growth area in the next society. But most of it will be delivered in non-traditional ways, ranging from weekend seminars to online training programmes, and in any number of places, from a traditional university to the student’s home. The information revolution, which is expected to have an enormous impact on education and on traditional schools and universities, will probably have an even greater effect on the continuing education of knowledge workers, allowing knowledge to spread near-instantly, and making it accessible to everyone. E. All this has implications for the role of women in the labour force. Although women have always worked, since time immemorial the jobs they have done have been different from men’s. Knowledge work, on the other hand, is ‘unisex’, not because of feminist pressure, but because it can be done equally well by both sexes. Knowledge workers, whatever their sex, are professionals, applying the same knowledge, doing the same work, governed by the same standards and judged by the same results. F. The knowledge society is the first human society where upward mobility is potentially unlimited. Knowledge differs from all other means of production in that it cannot be inherited or bequeathed from one generation to another. It has to be acquired anew by every individual, and everyone starts out with the same total ignorance. And nowadays it is assumed that everybody will be a ‘success’ – an idea that would have seemed ludicrous to earlier generations. Naturally, only a tiny number of people can reach outstanding levels of achievement, but a very large number of people assume they will reach adequate levels. G. The upward mobility of the knowledge society, however, comes at a high price: the psychological pressures and emotional traumas of the rat race. Schoolchildren in some countries may suffer sleep deprivation because they spend their evenings at a crammer to help them pass their exams. Otherwise they will not get into the prestige university of their choice, and thus into a good job. In many different parts of the world, schools are becoming viciously competitive. That this has happened over such a short time – no more than 30 or 40 years – indicates how much the fear of failure has already permeated the knowledge society. H. Given this competitive struggle, a growing number of highly successful knowledge workers of both sexes – business managers, university teachers, museum directors, doctors – ‘plateau’ in their 40s. They know they have achieved all they will achieve. If their work is all they have, they are in trouble. Knowledge workers therefore need to develop, preferably while they are still young, a non-competitive life and community of their own, and some serious outside interest – be it working as a volunteer in the community, playing in a local orchestra or taking an active part in a small town’s local government. This outside interest will give them the opportunity for personal contribution and achievement. 1. A. B. C. D. 2.

According to the writer, a hundred years ago in the developed world, manual workers _______________ were mainly located in rural areas. were not provided with sufficient education. were the largest single group of workers. were the fastest growing group in society. The writer suggests that the most significant difference between knowledge technologists and manual workers is _______________ A. their educational background. B. the pay they can expect.

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MASTER the ART of NEC C. their skill with their hands. D. their attitudes to society. 3. The writer predicts that in the coming years, knowledge technologists _______________ A. will have access to the same educational facilities as professional people. B. will have more employment opportunities in educational institutions. C. will require increasing mobility in order to find suitable education. D. will be provided with appropriate education for their needs. 4. According to the writer, the most important change in education this century will be _______________ A. the way in which people learn. B. the sorts of things people learn about. C. the use people make of their education. D. the type of people who provide education. 5. The writer says that changes in women’s roles _______________ A. mean women are now judged by higher standards. B. have led to greater equality with men in the workplace. C. are allowing women to use their traditional skills in new ways. D. may allow women to outperform men for the first time. Complete the following statements. Choose NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS from the passage for each blank. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13.

3.

In the knowledge society, there is almost no end to ________. This kind of society emphasizes on individual acquisition of knowledge at the entry level of ________. In the past, people would find the assumption that each individual can reach a certain level of achievement ________. Success in the ________ comes at the expense of people's mental and emotional wellbeing. Many students burn the midnight oil, working at ________ for fear of failure in exams. Obsession with academic success has ________ the whole society to such an extent that competition among educational institutions worldwide is becoming more and more intense. Competitive as the struggle may be, an increasing number of successful knowledge workers tend to ________ when they reach their middle-age. It is advisable that successful knowledge workers take up some genuine ________ for greater personal development. (Ambrosia’s Practice Test August 2017)

CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY A. An excellent definition was developed in the 1980s by Norwegian Prime Minister Gro Harlen Brundtland and used by the World Business Council for Sustainable Development: “Meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.” Nowadays, governments and companies need to account for the social consequences of their actions. As a result, corporate social responsibility (CSR) has become a priority for business leaders around the world. When a well-run business applies its vast resources and expertise to social problems that it understands and in which it has a stake, it can have a greater impact than any other organization. The notion of license to operate derives from the fact that every company needs tacit or explicit permission from governments, communities, and numerous other stakeholders to justify CSR initiatives to improve a company’s image, strengthen its brand, enliven morale and even raise the value of its stock. B. To advance CSR, we must root it in a broad understanding of the interrelationship between a corporation and society. Successful corporations need a healthy society. Education, health care, and equal opportunity are essential lo a productive workforce. Safe products and working conditions not only attract customers but lower the internal costs of accidents. Efficient utilization of land, water, energy, and other natural resources makes business more productive. Good government, the rule of law, and property rights are essential for efficiency and innovation. Strong regulatory standards protect both consumers and competitive companies from exploitation. Ultimately, a healthy society creates expanding demand for business, as more human needs are met and aspirations grow. Any business that pursues its ends at the expense of the society in which it operates will find its success to be illusory and ultimately temporary. At the same time, a healthy society needs successful companies. No social program can rival

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MASTER the ART of NEC the business sector when it comes lo creating the jobs, wealth, and innovation that improve standards of living and social conditions over time. C. A company’s impact on society also changes over time, as social standards evolve and science progresses. Asbestos, now understood as a serious health risk was thought to be safe in the early 1900s, given the scientific knowledge then available. Evidence of its risks gradually mounted for more than 50 years before any company was held liable for the harms it can cause. Many firms that failed to anticipated the consequences of this evolving body of research have been bankrupted by the results. No longer can companies be content to monitor only the obvious social impacts of today. Without a careful process for identifying evolving social effects of tomorrow, firms may risk their very survival. D. No business can solve all of society’s problems or bear the cost of doing so. Instead, each company must select issues that intersect with its particular business. Other social agendas are best left to those companies in other industries, NGOs, or government institutions that are better positioned to address them. The essential test that should guide CSR is not whether a cause is worthy but whether it presents an opportunity to create shared value – that is, a meaningful benefit for society that is also valuable to the business. Each company can identify the particular set of societal problems that it is best equipped to help resolve and from which it can gain the greatest competitive benefit. E. The best corporate citizenship initiatives involve far more than writing a check: They specify clear, measurable goals and track results over time. A good example is General Electronics’s program to adopt underperforming public high schools near several of its major U.S. facilities. The company contributes between $250,000 and $1 million over a five-year period to each school and makes in-kind donations as well. GE managers and employees take an active role by working with school administrators to assess needs and mentor or tutor students. In an independent study of Ion schools in the program between 1989 and 1999, nearly all showed significant improvement, while the graduation rate in four of the five worst performing schools doubled from an average of 30% to 60%. Effective corporate citizenship initiatives such as this one create goodwill and improve relations with local governments and other important constituencies. What’s more, GE’s employees feel great pride in their participation. Their effect is inherently limited, however. No matter how beneficial (he program is, it remains incidental to the company’s business, and the direct effect on GE’s recruiting and retention is modest. F. Microsoft s Working Connections partnership with the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC) is a good example of a shared-value opportunity arising from investments in context. The shortage of information technology workers is a significant constraint on Microsoft’s growth; currently, there are more than 450,000 unfilled IT positions in the United States alone. Community colleges, with an enrollment of 11.6 million students, representing 45% of all U.S. undergraduates, could be a major solution. Microsoft recognizes, however, that community colleges face special challenges: IT curricula are not standardized, technology used in classrooms is often outdated, and there are no systematic professional development programs to keep faculty up to date. Microsoft’s $50 million five-year initiative was aimed at all three problems. In addition to contributing money and products, Microsoft sent employee volunteers to colleges to assess needs, contribute to curriculum development, and create faculty development institutes. Microsoft has achieved results that have benefited many communities while having a direct-and potentially significant-impact on the company. G. At the heart of any strategy is a unique value proposition: a set of needs a company can meet for its chosen customers that others cannot. The most strategic CSR occurs when a company adds a social dimension to its value proposition, making social impact integral to the overall strategy. Consider Whole Foods Market, whose value proposition is to sell organic, natural, and healthy food products to customers who are passionate about food and the environment. The company’s sourcing emphasises purchases from local farmers through each store’s procurement process. Buyers screen out foods containing any of nearly 100 common ingredients that the company considers unhealthy or environmentally damaging. The same standards apply to products made internally. Whole Foods’ commitment to natural and environmentally friendly operating practices extends well beyond sourcing. Stores are constructed using a minimum of virgin raw materials. Recently, the company purchased renewable wind energy credits equal to 100% of its electricity use in all of its stores and facilities, the only Fortune 500 company to offset its electricity consumption entirely. Spoiled produce and biodegradable waste are trucked to regional centers for composting. Whole Foods’ vehicles are being converted to run on biofuels. Even the cleaning products used in

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MASTER the ART of NEC its stores are environmentally friendly. And through its philanthropy, the company has created the Animal Compassion Foundation to develop more natural and humane ways of raising farm animals. In short, nearly every aspect of the company’s value chain reinforces the social dimensions of its value proposition, distinguishing Whole Foods from its competitors. Choose the correct heading for paragraph A-G. There are TWO extra headings that you do not need to use. List of Headings

Your answers

i. How CSR may help one business to expand Paragraph A _____ ii. CSR in many aspects of a company's business Paragraph B _____ iii. A CSR initiative without a financial gain Paragraph C _____ iv. Lack of action by the state of social issues v. Drives or pressures motivate companies to address CSR Paragraph D _____ vi. The past illustrates business are responsible for future outcomes Paragraph E _____ vii. Companies applying CSR should be selective Paragraph F _____ viii. Reasons that business and society benefit each other ix. The history of applying CSR Complete the sentences, using NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS taken from the passage. 1. Promotion of CSR requires the understanding of ___________________ between business and society. 2. Corporations workers' productivity generally needs health care, education, and given ___________________. 3. ___________________ imposed by government and companies both protect consumers from being treated unfairly. 4. Improvement of the safety standard can reduce the ___________________ of accidents in the workplace. 5. Similarly society becomes a pool of more human needs and ___________________. 6. According to the passage, Whole Foods Market has established the ___________________ to promote the optimal methods of nurturing animals.

4.

(IELTS mentor - IELTS Academic Reading Sample 24)

You should spend about 20 minutes on Questions 1-13 which are based on the Reading Passage below.

MEASURING ORGANIZATIONAL PERFORMANCE

There is clear-cut evidence that, for a period of at least one year, supervision which increases the direct pressure for productivity can achieve significant increases in production. However, such short-term increases are obtained only at a substantial and serious cost to the organisation. To what extent can a manager make an impressive earnings record over a short period of one to three years by exploiting the company’s investment in the human organisation in his plant or division? To what extent will the quality of his organisation suffer if he does so? The following is a description of an important study conducted by the Institute for Social Research designed to answer these questions. The study covered 500 clerical employees in four parallel divisions. Each division was organised in exactly the same way, used the same technology, did exactly the same kind of work, and had employees of comparable aptitudes. Productivity in all four of the divisions depended on the number of clerks involved. The work entailed the processing of accounts and generating of invoices. Although the volume of work was considerable, the nature of the business was such that it could only be processed as it came along. Consequently, the only way in which productivity could be increased was to change the size of the workgroup. The four divisions were assigned to two experimental programmes on a random basis. Each programme was assigned at random a division that had been historically high in productivity and a division that had been below average in productivity. No attempt was made to place a division in the programme that would best fit its habitual methods of supervision used by the manager, assistant managers, supervisors and assistant supervisors. The experiment at the clerical level lasted for one year. Beforehand, several months were devoted to planning, and there was also a training period of approximately six months. Productivity was measured continuously and computed weekly throughout the year. The attitudes of employees and supervisory staff towards their work were measured just before and after the period.

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MASTER the ART of NEC Turning now to the heart of the study, in two divisions an attempt was made to change the supervision so that the decision levels were pushed down and detailed supervision of the workers reduced. More general supervision of the clerks and their supervisors was introduced. In addition, the managers, assistant managers, supervisors and assistant supervisors of these two divisions were trained in group methods of leadership, which they endeavoured to use as much as their skill would permit during the experimental year. For easy reference, the experimental changes in these two divisions will be labelled the ‘participative programme! Result of the Experiment In the other two divisions, by contrast, the programme called for modifying the supervision so as to increase the closeness of supervision and move the decision levels upwards. This will be labelled the ‘hierarchically controlled programme’. These changes were accomplished by a further extension of the scientific management approach. For example, one of the major changes made was to have the jobs timed and to have standard times computed. This showed that these divisions were overstaffed by about 30%. The general manager then ordered the managers of these two divisions to cut staff by 25%. This was done by transfers without replacing the persons who left; no one was to be dismissed. Changes in Productivity Figure 1 shows the changes in salary costs per unit of work, which reflect the change in productivity that occurred in the divisions. As will be observed, the hierarchically controlled programmes increased productivity by about 25%. This was a result of the direct orders from the general manager to reduce staff by that amount. Direct pressure produced a substantial increase in production. A significant increase in productivity of 20% was also achieved in the participative programme, but this was not as great an increase as in the hierarchically controlled programme. To bring about this improvement, the clerks themselves participated in the decision to reduce the size of the work group. (They were aware of course that productivity increases were sought by management in conducting these experiments.) Obviously, deciding to reduce the size of a workgroup by eliminating some of its members is probably one of the most difficult decisions for a workgroup to make. Yet the clerks made it. In fact, one division in the participative programme increased its productivity by about the same amount as each of the two divisions in the hierarchically controlled programme. The other participative division, which historically had been the poorest of all the divisions, did not do so well and increased productivity by only 15%. Changes in Attitude Although both programmes had similar effects on productivity, they had significantly different results in other respects. The productivity increases in the hierarchically controlled programme were accompanied by shifts in an adverse direction in such factors as loyalty, attitudes, interest, and involvement in the work. But just the opposite was true in the participative programme. For example, Figure 2 shows that when more general supervision and increased participation were provided, the employees’ feeling of responsibility to see that the work got done increased. Again, when the supervisor was away, they kept on working. In the hierarchically controlled programme, however, the feeling of responsibility decreased, and when the supervisor was absent, work tended to stop. As Figure 3 shows, the employees in the participative programme at the end of the year felt that their manager and assistant manager were ‘closer to them’ than at the beginning of the year. The opposite was true in the hierarchical programme. Moreover, as Figure 4 shows, employees in the participative programme felt that their supervisors were more likely to ‘pull’ for them, or for the company and them, and not be solely interested in the company, while in the hierarchically controlled programme, the opposite trend occurred.

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MASTER the ART of NEC Choose the appropriate letters A-D and write them in boxes 1-3 on your answer sheet. 1. The experiment was designed to __________ A. establish whether increased productivity should be sought at any cost. B. show that four divisions could use the same technology. C. perfect a system for processing accounts. D. exploit the human organisation of a company in order to increase profits. 2. The four divisions __________ A. each employed a staff of 500 clerks. B. each had equal levels of productivity. C. had identical patterns of organisation. D. were randomly chosen for the experiment. 3. Before the experiment __________ A. the four divisions were carefully selected to suit a specific programme. B. each division was told to reduce its level of productivity. C. the staff involved spent a number of months preparing for the study. D. the employees were questioned about their feelings towards the study. Questions 4-9 Complete the summary below. Choose ONE word from Reading Passage 24 for each answer. Write your answers in boxes 31-36 on your answer sheet. This experiment involved an organisation comprising four divisions, which were divided into two programmes: the hierarchically controlled programme and the participative programme. For a period of one year a different method of (4) _________ was used in each programme. Throughout this time (5) _________ was calculated on a weekly basis. During the course of the experiment, the following changes were made in an attempt to improve performance. In the participative programme: • supervision of all workers was (6) _________ • supervisory staff were given training in (7) _________ In the hierarchically controlled programme: • supervision of all workers was increased. • workgroups were found to be (8) _________ by 30%. • the workforce was (9) _________ by 25%. Questions 10-13 Look at Figures 1, 2, 3 and 4 in Reading Passage 24. Choose the most appropriate label, A—I, for each Figure from the box below. Write your answers in boxes 37-40 on your answer sheet. A. Employees’ interest in the company B. Cost increases for the company C. Changes in productivity D. Employees’ feelings of responsibility towards completion of work E. Changes in productivity when the supervisor was absent F. Employees’ opinion as to extent of personal support from management G. Employees feel closer to their supervisors H. Employees’ feelings towards increased supervision I. Supervisors’ opinion as to closeness of workgroup

5.

(IELTS mentor - IELTS Academic Reading Sample 166)

You should spend about 20 minutes on Questions 1-13 which are based on the Reading Passage below.

JUMPING SPIDERS

Peter Aldhons examines how Portia spiders catch their prey A. For a stalking predator, the element of surprise is crucial. And for jumping spiders that sneak onto other spiders' webs to prey on their owners, it can be the difference between having lunch and becoming it. Now zoologists have discovered the secret of these spiders' tactics: creeping forward when their prey's web is vibrating.

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MASTER the ART of NEC B. The fifteen known species of Portia jumping spiders are relatively small, with adults being about two centimeters long (that's smaller than the cap on most pens). They habitually stay in the webs of other spiders, and in an area of these webs that is as out-of-the-way as possible. Portia spiders live mostly in tropical forests, where the climate is hot and humid. They hunt a range of other spiders, some of which could easily turn the tables on them. 'They will attack something about twice their own size if they are really hungry,' says Stimson Wilcox of Binghamton University in New York State. Wilcox and his colleague, Kristen Gentile of the University of Canterbury in Christchurch, New Zealand, wanted to find out how Portia spiders keep the upper hand. C. All jumping spiders have large eyes that look like binocular lenses, and they function pretty much the same way. Most jumping spiders locate their prey visually, and then jump and capture from one centimeter to over ten centimeters away. Only a few species of jumping spiders invade the webs of other spiders, and the Portia spider is among them. Jumping spiders, including Portia spiders, prey on insects and other arthropods by stalking. Sometimes the spiders lure their victims by vibrating the web to mimic the struggles of a trapped insect. But many web-weaving spiders appear to be wise to these tricks, so stalking is often a better strategy. Sometimes, the researchers found, Portia spiders take advantage of the vibrations created in the web by a gentle breeze. But if necessary, they will make their own vibrations. D. The researchers allowed various prey spiders to spin webs in the laboratory and then introduced Portia spiders. To simulate the shaking effect of a breeze the zoologists used either a model aircraft propeller or attached a tiny magnet to the centre of the web which could be vibrated by applying a varying electrical field. The researchers noticed that the stalking Portia spiders moved more when the webs were shaking than when they were stilt and they were more likely to capture their prey during tests in which the webs were penorncally shaken than in those where the webs were undisturbed. If the spiders were placed onto unoccupied webs, they would make no attempt to change their movements. E. It is the Portia spider's tactic of making its victims' webs shake that has most intrigued the researchers, They noticed that the spiders would sometimes shake their quarry's web violently, then creep forwards up to five millimeters before the vibrations died down. 'They'd make a big pluck with one of their hind legs,' says Wilcox. These twangs were much more powerful than the gentler vibrations Portia spiders use to mimic a trapped insect, and the researchers were initially surprised that the prey spiders did not respond to them in any way. But they have since discovered that the violent twanging produces a pattern of vibrations that match those caused by a twig falling onto the web. F. Other predators make use of natural 'smokescreens' or ‘disguises’ to hide from their prey: lions hunting at night, for example, move in on their prey when clouds obscure the moon. 'But this is the first example of an animal making its own smokescreen that we know of,' says Wilcox. 'Portia spiders are clearly intelligent and they often learn from their prey as they are trying to capture it. They do this by making different signals on the web of their prey until the prey spider makes a movement. In general, Portia spiders adjust their stalking strategy according to their prey and what the prey is doing. Thus, Portia spiders use trial-and-error learning in stalking. Sometimes they will even take an indirect route to reach a prey spider they can see from a distance. This can sometimes take one to two hours following a predetermined route. When it does this, the Portia spider is actually solving problems and thinking ahead about its actions.' Questions 1-9 The Reading Passage has six paragraphs labelled A-F. Which paragraph contains the following information? Write the correct letter A-F in your answer sheet. NB You may use any letter more than once. 1. the reaction of the Portia spider's prey to strong web vibrations 2. a description of how the researchers set up their experiment 3. a comparison between Portia spiders and another animal species 4. an explanation of how the researchers mimicked natural conditions 5. a comparison between Portia spiders and their prey 6. the reason why concealment is important to Portia spiders 7. a description of the Portia spiders’ habitat 8. the number of species of Portia spiders 9. an example of the Portia spider's cleverness

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MASTER the ART of NEC Questions 10-13 Choose the correct letter, A, B, C or D and write in your answer sheet. 10. In their laboratory experiments, the researchers found that the Portia spiders moved most when the web was A. vibrating. B. motionless. C. undisturbed. D. unoccupied. 11. What discovery did the researchers make about Portia spiders? A. They make very strong vibrations with one leg. B. They move 5 mm at a time on a still web. C. They move slowly when vibrations stop. D. They use energetic vibrations to mimic a trapped insect. 12. Portia spiders are the only known animal to _________ A. use the weather to disguise themselves. B. mimic other prey-eating animals. C. create their own smokescreen. D. stalk using 'trial and error'. 13. The Portia spider demonstrates 'thinking ahead' when it _________ A. chooses prey that is a short distance away. B. takes a longer route to reach its prey. C. reaches its prey in a short time. D. solves the problem of locating its prey.

6.

(Real IELTS reading test – 10/03/2018)

You should spend about 20 minutes on Questions 1-13 which are based on the Reading Passage below.

THE SECRET OF THE YAWN

A. When a scientist began to study yawning in the 1980s, it was difficult to convince some of his research students of the merits of “yawning science”. Although it may appear quirky, his decision to study yawning ưas a logical extension to human beings of my research in developmental neuroscience, reported in such papers as “Wingflapping during Development and Evolution”. As a neurobehavioral problem, there is not much difference between the wing-flapping of birds and the face- and body-flapping of human yawners. B. Yawning is an ancient, primitive act. Humans do it even before they are born, opening wide in the womb. Some snakes unhinge their jaws to do it. One species of penguins yawns as part of mating. Only now are researchers beginning to understand why we yawn, when we yawn and why we yawn back. A professor of cognitive neuroscience at Drexel University in Philadelphia, Steven Platek, studies the act of contagious yawning, something done only by people and other primates. C. In his first experiment, he used a psychological test to rank people on their empathic feelings. He found that participants who did not score high on compassion did not yawn back. We literally had people saying, “Why am I looking at people yawning?” Professor Platek said. “It just had no effect.” D. For his second experiment, he put 10 students in a magnetic resonance imaging machine as they watched videotapes of people yawning. When the students watched the videos, the part of the brain which reacted was the part scientists believe controls empathy - the posterior cingulate, in the brain’s middle rear. I don’t know if it’s necessarily that nice people yawn more, but I think it’s a good indicator of a state of mind,” said Professor Platek. “It’s also a good indicator if you’re empathizing with me and paying attention.” E. His third experiment is studying yawning in those with brain disorders, such as autism and schizophrenia, in which victims have difficulty connecting emotionally with others. A psychology professor at the University of Maryland. Robert Provine, is one of the few other researchers into yawning. He found the basic yawn lasts about six seconds and they come in bouts with an interval of about 68 seconds. Men and women yawn or half-yawn equally often, but men are significantly less likely to cover their mouths which may indicate complex distinction in genders. “A watched yawner never yawns.” Professor Provine said. However, the physical root of yawning remains a mystery. Some researchers say it’s coordinated within the hypothalamus of the brain, the area that also controls breathing.

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MASTER the ART of NEC F. Yawning and stretching also share properties and may be performed together as parts of a global motor complex. But they do not always occur–people usually yawn when they stretch, but we don’t always stretch when we yawn, especially before bedtime. Studies by J. I. P, G. H. A. Visser and H. F. Prechtl in the early 1980s, charting movement in the developing fetus using ultrasound, observed not just yawning but a link between yawning and stretching as early as the end of the first prenatal trimester. G. The most extraordinary demonstration of the yawn-stretch linkage occurs in many people paralyzed on one side of their body because of brain damage caused by a stroke. The prominent British neurologist Sir Francis Walshe noted in 1923 that when these hemiplegics yawn, they are startled and mystified to observe that their otherwise paralyzed arm rises and flexes automatically in what neurologists term an “associated response”. Yawning apparently activates undamaged, unconsciously controlled connections between the brain and the cord motor system innervating the paralyzed limb. It is not known whether the associated response is a positive prognosis for recovery, nor whether yawning is therapeutic for reinnervation or prevention of muscular atrophy. H. Clinical neurology offers other surprises. Some patients with “locked-in” syndrome, who are almost totally deprived of the ability to move voluntarily, can yawn normally. The neural circuits for spontaneous yawning must exist in the brain stem near other respiratory and vasomotor centers, because yawning is performed by anencephalia who possess only the medulla oblongata. The multiplicity of stimuli of contagious yawning, by contrast, implicates many higher brain regions. Question 1-5 Complete the summary below. In boxes 1-5 on your answer sheet, write the correct answer with NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS A psychology professor drew a conclusion after observation that it takes about six seconds to complete an average yawning which needs (1) _________ before the following yawning comes. It is almost at the same frequency that male and female yawn or half, yet behavior accompanied with yawning showing a (2) _________ in genders. Some parts within the brain may affect the movement which also have something to do with (3) _________. Another finding also finds there is a link between yawning and (4) _________ before a baby was born, which two can be automatically co-operating even among people whose (5) _________ is damaged. Question 6-10 Read paragraph A-H. Which paragraph contains the following information. Write the correct letter A-H for question 6-10 NB You may use any letter more than once 6. The rate for yawning shows some regular pattern 7. Yawning is an inherent ability that appears in both animals and humans 8. Stretching and yawning are not always going together 9. Yawning may suggest people are having positive notice or response in communicating 10. Some superior in the brain may deal with the infectious feature of yawning Question 11-13 Do the following statement agree with the information given in Reading Passage 3? In boxes 11-13 on your answer sheet, write TRUE if the statement is true FALSE if the statement is false NOT GIVEN if the information is not given in the passage 11. Several students in Platek’s experiment did not comprehend why their tutor ask them to yawn back. 12. Some results from certain experiments indicate the link between yawning and compassion. 13. Yawning can show an affirmative impact on the recovery from brain damage brought by a stroke.

7.

(IELTS mentor - IELTS Academic Reading Sample 151)

You should spend about 20 minutes on Questions 1-13 which are based on the Reading Passage below. Questions 1-7 Reading Passage I has seven paragraphs, A-G. Choose the correct heading for each paragraph from the list of headings below. Write the correct number, i-x, in boxes 1-7 on your answer sheet. List of Headings

Your answers

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MASTER the ART of NEC i. ii. iii. iv. v. vi. vii. viii. ix. x.

Not all doctors are persuaded Choosing the best offers Who is responsible for the increase in promotions? Fighting the drug companies An example of what doctors expect from drug companies Gifts include financial incentives Research shows that promotion works The high costs of research The positive side of drugs promotion Who really pays for doctors' free gifts?

Paragraph A _____ Paragraph B _____ Paragraph C _____ Paragraph D _____ Paragraph E _____ Paragraph F _____

DOCTORING SALES

Pharmaceuticals is one of the most profitable industries in North America. But do the drugs industry's sales and marketing strategies go too far? A. A few months ago Kim Schaefer, sales representative of a minor global pharmaceutical company, walked into a medical center in New York to bring information and free samples of her company's latest products. That day she was lucky- a doctor was available to see her. 'The last rep offered me a trip to Florida. What do you have?' the physician asked. He was only half joking. B. What was on offer that day was a pair of tickets for a New York musical. But on any given day what Schaefer can offer is typical for today's drugs rep -a car trunk full of promotional gifts and gadgets, a budget that could buy lunches and dinners for a small country hundreds of free drug samples and the freedom to give a physician $200 to prescribe her new product to the next six patients who fit the drug's profile. And she also has a few $ 1,000 honoraria to offer in exchange for doctors' attendance at her company's next educational lecture. C. Selling Pharmaceuticals is a daily exercise in ethical judgment. Salespeople like Schaefer walk the line between the common practice of buying a prospect's time with a free meal, and bribing doctors to prescribe their drugs. They work in an industry highly criticized for its sales and marketing practices, but find themselves in the middle of the age-old chicken-or-egg question - businesses won’t use strategies that don't work, so are doctors to blame for the escalating extravagance of pharmaceutical marketing? Or is it the industry's responsibility to decide the boundaries? D. The explosion in the sheer number of salespeople in the Reid- and the amount of funding used to promote their causes- forces close examination of the pressures, influences and relationships between drug reps and doctors. Salespeople provide much-needed information and education to physicians. In many cases the glossy brochures, article reprints and prescriptions they deliver are primary sources of drug education for healthcare givers. With the huge investment the industry has placed in face-to-face selling, sales people have essentially become specialists in one drug or group of drugs - a tremendous advantage in getting the attention of busy doctors in need of quick information. E. But the sales push rarely stops in the office. The flashy brochures and pamphlets left by the sales reps are often followed up with meals at expensive restaurants, meetings in warm and sunny places, and an inundation of promotional gadgets. Rarely do patients watch a doctor write with a pen that isn't emblazoned with a drug's name, or see a nurse use a tablet not bearing a pharmaceutical company' logo. Millions of dollars are spent by pharmaceutical companies on promotional products like coffee mugs, shirts, umbrellas, and golf balls. Money well spent? It's hard to tell. I've been the recipient of golf balls from one company and I use them, but it doesn't make me prescribe their medicine,' says one doctor.' I tend to think I'm not influenced by what they give me.' F. Free samples of new and expensive drugs might be the single most effective way of getting doctors and patients to become loyal to a product. Salespeople hand out hundreds of dollars' worth of samples each week$7.2 billion worth of them in one year. Though few comprehensive studies have been conducted, one by the University of Washington investigated how drug sample availability affected what physicians prescribe. A total of 131 doctors self-reported their prescribing patterns-the conclusion was that the availability of samples led them to dispense and prescribe drugs that differed from their preferred drug choice. G. The bottom line is that pharmaceutical companies as a whole invest more in marketing than they do in research and development. And patients are the ones who pay-in the form of skyrocketing prescription prices-for

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MASTER the ART of NEC every pen that's handed out, every free theatre ticket, and every steak dinner eaten. In the end the fact remains that pharmaceutical companies have every right to make a profit and will continue to find new ways to increase sales. But as the medical world continues to grapple with what's acceptable and what's not, it is clear that companies must continue to be heavily scrutinized for their sales and marketing strategies. Questions 8-13 Do the following statements agree with the views of the writer in Reading Passage 1? In boxes 8-13 on your answer sheet, write YES if the statement agrees with the views of the writer NO if the statement contradicts the views of the writer NOT GIVEN if it is impossible to say what the writer thinks 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13.

8.

Sales representatives like Kim Schaefer work to a very limited budget. Kim Schaefer's marketing technique may be open to criticism on moral grounds. The information provided by drug companies is of little use to doctors. Evidence of drug promotion is clearly visible in the healthcare environment. The drug companies may give free drug samples to patients without doctors' prescriptions It is legitimate for drug companies to make money. (IELTS mentor - IELTS Academic Reading Sample 19)

You should spend about 20 minutes on Questions 1-13 which are based on the Reading Passage below.

CREATING ARTIFICIAL REEFS

In the coastal waters of the US, a nation's leftovers have been discarded. Derelict ships, concrete blocks, scrapped cars, army tanks, tyres filled with concrete and redundant planes litter the sea floor. However, this is not waste disposal, but part of a coordinated, state-run programme. To recently arrived fish, plants and other sea organisms, these artificial reefs are an ideal home, offering food and shelter. Sea-dumping incites widespread condemnation. Little surprise when oceans are seen as 'convenient' dumping grounds for the rubbish we have created but would rather forget. However, scientific evidence suggests that if we dump the right things, sea life can actually be enhanced. And more recently, purpose-built structures of steel or concrete have been employed - some the size of small apartment blocks -principally to increase fish harvests. Strong currents, for example, the choice of design and materials for an artificial reef depends on where it is going to be placed. In areas of a solid concrete structure will be more appropriate than ballasted tyres. It also depends on what species are to be attracted. It is pointless creating high-rise structures for fish that prefer flat or low-relief habitat. But the most important consideration is the purpose of the reef. In the US, where there is a national reef plan using cleaned up rigs and tanks, artificial reefs have mainly been used to attract fish for recreational fishing or sport-diving. But there are many other ways in which they can be used to manage the marine habitat. For as well as protecting existing habitat, providing purpose-built accommodation for commercial species (such as lobsters and octopi) and acting as sea defences, they can be an effective way of improving fish harvests. Japan, for example, has created vast areas of artificial habitat - rather than isolated reefs - to increase its fish stocks. In fact, the cultural and historical importance of seafood in Japan is reflected by the fact that it is a world leader in reef technology; what's more, those who construct and deploy reefs have sole rights to the harvest. In Europe, artificial reefs have been mainly employed to protect habitat. Particularly so in the Mediterranean where reefs have been sunk as physical obstacles to stop illegal trawling, which is destroying seagrass beds and the marine life that depends on them. If you want to protect areas of the seabed, you need something that will stop trawlers dead in their tracks,' says Dr Antony Jensen of the Southampton Oceanography Centre. Italy boasts considerable artificial reef activity. It deployed its first scientifically planned reef using concrete cubes assembled in pyramid forms in 1974 to enhance fisheries and stop trawling. And Spain has built nearly 50 reefs in its waters, mainly to discourage trawling and enhance the productivity of fisheries. Meanwhile, Britain established its first quarried rock artificial reef in 1984 off the Scottish coast, to assess its potential for attracting commercial species. But while the scientific study of these structures is a little over a quarter of a century old, artificial reefs made out of readily available materials such as bamboo and coconuts have been used by fishermen for centuries. And the benefits have been enormous. By placing reefs close to home, fishermen can save time and fuel. But unless

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MASTER the ART of NEC they are carefully managed, these areas can become overfished. In the Philippines, for example, where artificial reef programmes have been instigated in response to declining fish populations, catches are often allowed to exceed the maximum potential new production of the artificial reef because there is no proper management control. There is no doubt that artificial reefs have lots to offer. And while purpose-built structures are effective, the real challenge now is to develop environmentally safe ways of using recycled waste to increase marine diversity. This will require more scientific research. For example, the leachates from one of the most commonly used reef materials, tyres, could potentially be harmful to the creatures and plants that they are supposed to attract. Yet few extensive studies have been undertaken into the long- term effects of disposing of tyres at sea. And at the moment, there is little consensus about what is environmentally acceptable to dump at sea, especially when it comes to oil and gas rigs. Clearly, the challenge is to develop environmentally acceptable ways of disposing of our rubbish while enhancing marine life too. What we must never be allowed to do is have an excuse for dumping anything we like at sea. Questions 1-3 The list below gives some of the factors that must be taken into account when deciding how to construct an artificial reef. Which THREE of these factors are mentioned by the writer of the article? Write the appropriate letters A-F in boxes 1-3 on your answer sheet. The fishing activity in the area The intended location of the reef The existing reef structures The type of marine life being targeted The function of the reef The cultural importance of the area

Your answers 1. ________ 2. ________ 3. ________

Questions 4-8 Complete the table below. Choose NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS from the passage for each answer. Write your answers in boxes 4-8 on your answer sheet. Area/Country

Type of Reef

Purpose

US

Made using old (4) _______________

To attract fish for leisure activities

Japan

Forms large area of artificial habitat

to improve (5) _______________

Europe

lies deep down to form (6) ______________

to act as a sea defence

Italy

Consists of pyramid shapes of (7) ____________

to prevent trawling

Britain

made of rock

to encourage (8) _______________ Fish species

Questions 9-12 Using NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS, complete the following sentences. Write your answers in boxes 9-12 on your answer sheet. In (9) _______________, people who build reefs are legally entitled to all the fish they attract. Trawling inhibits the development of marine life because it damages the (10) _______________. In the past, both (11) _______________ were used to make reefs. To ensure that reefs are not overfished, good (12) _______________is required. Question 13 Choose the appropriate letter A-D and write it in box 13 on your answer sheet. 13. According to the writer, the next step in the creation of artificial reefs is A. to produce an international agreement. B. to expand their use in the marine environment. C. to examine their dangers to marine life. D. to improve on purpose-built structures.

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CAE CPE READING A. GAPPED TEXT I. Tips and notes Gapped text is commonly referred to as the most challenging part in the CAE/CPE reading section, or even in the whole test. It bothers many students who sits for the exam since getting no correct answer is not a rare thing. The special thing about gapped text is that, only in recent years has it made its way into exams in Vietnam, especially NEC. The first time this brain-teaser jolted NEC’s examinees was in 2016. Since then, the focus has been shifted to CAE/CPE reading part and students are more committed to filling in left-out paragraphs than ever. A stack of photocopied material, all about gapped text, is a testament to the hardship involved in practicing. Normally there will be 6 or 7 gaps that wait for the smartest and most patient student to fill in. The number of gaps varies according to difficulty. CAE has 6 blanks while CPE boasts a total of 7. In the National English Exam, the number of gaps is mostly 7, which means the difficulty level is that of CPE. Moreover, there is usually no modification to the paragraphs that are left out. People keep the original content, which was adapted from newspapers such as the Guardian, the Economist,… Sometimes, they may add some multiple-choice questions to diversify the way in which students are tested. These questions, more often than not, requires knowledge of vocabulary and collocations extracted from the passage. The number of questions can be up to 6, which adds up to a total of 1.3/20 points in this part. Yet in NEC 2017 and 2018, gapped text only covers gap filling, excluding the multiple-choice add-ons. Here are some tips to conquer this part:

DO - Glance through the option paragraphs first before reading the texts - Fully and truly understand the general meaning of each paragraph. - Pay attention to the following cues to get the right option: 1. Coherence – Cohesion: Remember these texts are originally from news or literary extracts, so their flows of coherence are mostly impeccable. You need to grasp the overall meaning and message of each paragraph, put them together and see whether the flow is clear and logical. For example, if the author has finished talking about the advantages, the next paragraphs may be talking about the disadvantages. 2. Linking words: Words like However, Furthermore, For example,….are hints which will help you if you fail to catch the general flow of meaning. These words mark the transition from paragraphs to paragraphs so when considering an option, check whether these words fit. 3. Reference: Words like it, this, he, she,…are used to replace a noun. Identify what subjects are being mentioned through these words and choose the relevant paragraph. 4. Tone and style: The writer will maintain a specific tone throughout the text so cross out paragraphs which seem unfit. 5. Chronological order: Some texts follow a chronological order so pay attention the time (date, year,…) in order to sequence a logical text. 6. Special Vocabulary and phrases: These can be hints for you since they are often used to emphasize the author’s ideas. - Re-read the paragraph to check its idea flow after you have completed. fb.com/iloveambrosia I 95

MASTER the ART of NEC

DON’T - Get panic if you cannot figure out the first few blanks since you can come back to them later. Try to stay calm and complete the other ones. - Be hasty. Some students just read the first sentence of the paragraph and immediately fill it in the blank. However, this is a common pitfall since it is the general idea of the paragraph that is important. - Leave an answer blank. Use the elimination method in order to make an educated guess. II. How to practice When doing gapped text, one golden rule must not be forgotten: the fruit always stems from the root, which is practice. Those with less practice will be at a disadvantage as their chance will be greatly reduced. The question is how much practice is adequate? There can be no definite answer, but one thing is certain: the amount of time spent corresponds with the number of conclusions one can draw. Gapped text finally boils down to the art of reading, which can only be imparted to individuals through hands-on experience. In NEC 2016, the passage ‘Art for all’ was originally adapted from the article named ‘Getting the knowledge’ posted on The Guardian in 2001. In 2017, ‘Against the grain’ was taken from CPE Practice Tests for the Revised 3 and was also newspaper-based. In 2018, ‘Blooms with a view’ had its origins in The Guardian too but was adapted in Objective Proficiency Workbook. These examples are strong evidence suggesting that gapped texts are derived from non-authentic sources. Therefore, with enough practice, students can totally achieve their goal in this section. Recommended sources are CAE/CPE textbooks such as CAE 1-6, CPE 1-5, CPE Practice Tests for the Revised 1, 2, 3, Proficiency Expert, Proficiency Masterclass, Upstream Proficiency, Proficiency Testbuilder,… III. A step-by-step guide As mentioned above, whether one can do well or not in this part is contingent on lessons that he/she accumulates through intensive reading. Personally, after a long time delving into gapped text, I have several tips regarding the order in which this part should be done as well as scanning technique. As far as order is concerned, to kick off, I read the first paragraph in the passage and identify key words at the beginning as well as the end. Then I browse through the left-out paragraphs from A to H to get the main ideas of these unit paragraphs. Then I re-read the passage and fill in the first gap. If I cannot fill in the first gap or I am not 100% sure my answer is correct, I will move on to the next gap because 1 incorrect answer equals 2. At the end of the passage, I will check how many gaps are left. If the number of remaining gaps is 5 or higher, I will read the passage and try the exercise again. If it is less than 5, I will try to fill in these gaps again without having to start over. With regard to scanning technique, it helps when I read carefully the beginning and end of any paragraph, whether it is a paragraph in the passage or the one that is omitted. While reading, I identify such words as ‘inventions’, ‘Peter and Ford’, ‘winter’, ‘laser cutting’, ‘sacred’, ‘William Shakespeare’,… If they are at the end of a paragraph in the passage, I will try to find corresponding words in paragraphs A-H. Examples are illustrated in the following table: Words/phrases at the end of a paragraph in the passage inventions

Peter and Ford

winter

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Words/phrases expected at the beginning of paragraphs from A to H

ingenious ideas, extraordinary man-made structure, thanks to these innovations, these unimaginable devices are a tribute to, It cost a lot to make them in the past,… the couple, these individuals, as a group, they are both instrumental in, should they live in today’s society, they co-author on a scientific journal published later this month,… cold season, end of year, Christmas, flakes, permafrost, People rush out to see snow fall for the first time, Christmas is just around the corner, under these layers of permafrost,…

MASTER the ART of NEC laser cutting sacred

William Shakespeare

cutting-edge technology, 21st century ‘s way of eradicating weeds, state-of-theart, for the technophiles, a green solution, an increase in productivity ensues,… divine, a gift from God, religious beliefs, these powers, spirit, spirituals, it gives vent to depression among those upset beings, many has turned to this otherworldly force as a last resort,… penmanship, a prolific author, an eminent playwright, endowed with a sixth sense of words, he was born just to write, most of his works remain intact until today, there are those who discredit him as a playwright, however,…

Similarly, when I scan the end of the paragraphs from A to H, I can easily identify words that interrelate with those at the beginning of paragraphs in the passage. In addition, it is advisable that students mind the tenses as well. The passage will always follow a logical order, so do the tenses. Any story that is told will be either in chronological order or as a continuous shift between the present and the past. Any abrupt change in tense should be considered carefully. Whether these tips may be helpful or not, practice is always the first and foremost priority if you detest to the idea of rolling a dice just to fine-tune your bad luck this time (and many times ago)! IV. Exercises

1.

(Adapted from CPE Practice Tests)

Seven paragraphs have been removed from the extract. Choose from the paragraph A-H the one which fits each gap (1-7). There is one extra paragraph which you do not need to use. Whether or not open-plan offices, where employees have their own enclosed space, create a productive working environment for employees has been the subject of much debate, but there is a strong argument that the benefits of an open-plan working environment go beyond the purely financial. I once had the chance to visit New York’s City Hall, during the period when Michael Bloomberg, the former trader-turned-financial-information-mogul – now works as mayor. As I entered his empire, I experienced a small shock. (1) _______ The man himself sat in a vast, airy, open-plan room, surrounded by officials and banks of giant data screens (showing information on things such as traffic flows or public satisfaction with the police). Anybody holding a meeting was encouraged to sit on a central, raised dais, rather than scuttle into a private hole; the idea, as one employee explained, being to encourage a climate of transparency and collaboration. (2) ______ Is the open-plan spirit associated with those environments appropriate to other work contexts? It is a fascinating and important question. Many of us spend an inordinate amount of time in the office, and – as anthropologists, architects and psychologists often note, the way we are physically organized shapes how we work and think in a profound way. (3) ______ So it was that the quasi-cubicle system was born, but it was as much a reflection of natural human instincts as it was dictated by the practicalities of the work itself. What gradually emerged were ‘offices’ where so much paper had to be dealt with that a tradition of piling it high around individual desks became the norm – a feeling of privacy being the not unwelcome by-product. (4) ______ Consequently, ‘flat top’ desks proliferated, to permit oversight even though bosses continued to retreat to private offices away from the staff whenever the opportunity arose. Then, in the 1960s, an industrial designer called Robert Propst hit on the ingenious idea of the cubicle office system, and it became fashionable to divide office workers again, to preserve privacy. (5) ______ There’s some evidence that removing physical barriers and bringing people closer to one another does promote casual interactions. This was the conclusion in an utterly fascinating piece in the Harvard Business Review in 2011. This should be required reading for any bosses planning an office design. But there’s a roughly equal amount of

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MASTER the ART of NEC evidence that because open spaces reduce privacy, they don’t foster informal exchanges and may actually inhibit them. (6) ______ Moreover, to promote collaboration, office bosses must not only approve informal debate, but also promote shared activities within a semi-private space. Congregating around photocopiers and coffee machines helps employees bond and share creative ideas, whereas creating formal ‘lounges’ does not. Scandinavian Airlines is apparently a wonderful case study for how to get things wrong. (7) ______ But, as someone who has worked in both a rabbit warren and an open-plan environment, I strongly favour the latter, and wish that more governments would adopt the system. After all, anything that promotes greater transparency and egalitarianism seems a thoroughly good idea. Knocking down walls may seem like mere symbolism; but, like all symbols, it can be a powerful place to start. A. But in the past decade, that pendulum has swung back: most large companies have – like Bloomberg – embraced the idea of open-plan space in the hope of promoting collaboration. In truth, corporate experiences of this arrangement are very mixed, as two decades of research by management consultants shows. B. During my career as a journalist, I have often walked through government buildings, and become accustomed to seeing a rabbit warren. Across the western world, senior officials typically work from offices interconnected by corridors, guarded by secretaries in ante-chambers. The building, though, was different. C. How Bloomberg’s open-plan design at City Hall stacks up, on these criteria, is tough to assess from the outside. The employees whom I spoke to seemed pretty happy, but it may have been early days. Received wisdom suggests that open-plan tends to become less attractive as people get older, and may not be equally suited to all kinds of business. D. In theory, in other words, anyone in the mayor’s office can see – and yell at – everyone else; much as they can on a modern financial trading floor or at a newspaper. This, of course, is no accident given that Bloomberg spent most of his career building the financial information giant that bears his name. E. It was the changing nature of work itself and the emergence of mobile technology that led to that evolution. Companies started experimenting with a mix of cubicles, open workstations, private offices and group workstations. In some cases, these were not assigned to one particular individual, but were available to any employee of the company on either a reservable or first-come, first-served basis. F. The key issue, apparently, is whether employees feel any sense of control. People must feel confident that they can converse without being interrupted or overheard and must also be able to avoid interacting when they want to. Without that possibility, staff will instead choose to conduct important business out of the office, or retreat into private ‘cyber caves’, doing their work entirely online. G. This trend towards separation intensified, as clerks started to surround their desks with more papers and machines, and bosses expressed hierarchies by retreating to a superior enclave. But in the early 20th century, a new idea spread in American companies: that top managers should watch their workers to keep productivity high. H. Yet, generally, we barely even notice our surroundings. Except, that is, when somebody such as Bloomberg tries to shake things up. But the idea of an ‘office’ let alone its layout – has not been constant. It first cropped up in Roman times, when magistrates worked in temples and palaces. These typically included a place for storing scrolls, where the scribes actually worked. For questions 8-13, choose the best answer A, B, C or D. Write your answer in the corresponding numbered space. 8. The word ‘mogul’ in the first paragraph most likely means a person who is A. influential B. conservative C. ambitious D. knowledgeable 9. The phrase ‘not unwelcome by-product’ implies A. the emergence of private working environments B. the convention on how offices should be organized C. the philosophy behind privacy

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MASTER the ART of NEC

10.

11.

12.

13.

2.

D. the departure from open working space The example of Scandinavian Airlines corroborates the fact that A. bondage between employees will foster creativity B. formal spaces hamper the free sharing of ideas C. exchange of innovative ideas can easily turn into trivial conversations D. congregation does not only come with benefits ‘Knocking down walls may seem like mere symbolism; but, like all symbols, it can be a powerful place to start.’ Which of the following best expresses the attitude of the author in the sentence? A. The author raises his eyebrows towards those who are abhorrent of these symbolic walls. B. The author harbor reservations concerning how the demolition of walls can be implemented. C. The author concurs that merits of unpartitioned environment outweigh its demerits D. The author champions the use of symbolism as an effective tool to unite everyone. According to paragraph F, what may induce employees to abandon their offices? A. the lucrative prospect of conducting online business B. the irresistible temptation to reign over their personal enclaves C. the vexatious conflict between self-control and desire to talk D. the annoyingly high probability of interruption while talking What literary device is used in the clause ‘that pendulum has swung back’? (Paragraph A) A. metaphor B. hyperbole C. innuendo D. personification E. irony (Adapted from CPE Practice Tests)

Seven paragraphs have been removed from the extract. Choose from the paragraph A-H the one which fits each gap (1-7). There is one extra paragraph which you do not need to use. Just as the spread of mobile phones in poor countries has transformed lives and boosted economic activity, solar lighting is poised to improve incomes, educational attainment and health across the developing world. (1) _______ The same was true of mobile phones which caught on quickly because they provided a substitute for travel and poor infrastructure, helped traders find better prices and boosted entrepreneurship. For a fisherman or a farmer, buying a mobile phone made sense because it paid for itself within a few months. (2) _______ The potential savings are huge. According to a recent study by the International Finance Corporation, an arm of the World Bank, $10 billion a year is spent on kerosene in sub-Saharan Africa alone to illuminate homes, workplaces and community areas. Globally, the figure has been put at $36 billion. Flexiway, an Australian-Argentine maker of solar lamps, found in its trials in Tanzania that households often spent more than 10% of their income on kerosene, and other studies have put the figure as high as 25%. (3) _______ Take a look at some of the solar lamps now available in Africa, Asia and Latin America, and their advantages are immediately apparent. Even the most basic solar lamps outperform kerosene lanterns. A typical device takes eight to ten hours to charge, and then provides four or five hours of clear, white light from high-efficiency white LEDs. The number of times solar lamps can be charged before their internal batteries wear out has improved enormously in recent years, along with their ability to cope with dust, water and being dropped. (4) _______ ‘The technology end of the solar business is there—now we have to think of the business model,’ says Nick Hughes, co-founder of M-KOPA, a start-up based in Kenya. He previously helped develop M-PESA, Kenya’s world-leading mobile-money transfer scheme, which is used by nearly 70% of the adult population and has spawned imitators in many other countries. Mr Hughes now wants to apply the same thinking to lighting. (5) _______

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MASTER the ART of NEC As long as they keep making payments, the system provides free light and power, and eventually they own it outright. Using mobile money as a flexible payment mechanism means that relatives can chip in remotely and allows farmers to vary the size of payments depending on their cash flow. (6) _______ Eight19, a start-up spun out of Cambridge University, has a similar model in which small payments, like those used to buy kerosene, allow the purchase of a solar-lighting system to be spread out. Users of its IndiGo system pay around $10 up front. They then buy scratch cards for as little as $1 each, and send the number on each card by text message to a central server that responds with an access code that is tapped into the IndiGo unit and provides a certain number of hours of lighting. (7) _______ But whichever proves more popular, one thing seems guaranteed: demand for cheap, efficient lighting is only going to grow. Even in the best-case scenarios, the number of people without electricity will tick up to 1.5 billion by 2030, as population growth outstrips electrification. The rate of innovation in delivery models, technology and design, in both rich and poor countries, suggests a bright future for solar lamps—and a slow dimming of kerosene’s flame. A. And the century-old technology does not merely eat up household income that could be spent on other things. It is also dangerous due to the fire hazard. The wicks smoke, the glass cracks, and the light may be too weak to read by, whilst climate-changing carbon-dioxide emissions are produced. B. Again, each payment goes toward buying the system outright, and a typical family will have paid for it after 18 months of use. Even while paying off the loan with scratch cards, users pay half as much for each hour of lighting as they did with kerosene. With both M-KOPA and Eight19 models, the lights go out if the payments stop, providing an incentive to keep paying. C. As previously happened with mobile phones, solar lighting is falling in price, improving in quality and benefiting from new business models that make it more accessible and affordable to those at the bottom of the pyramid. And its spread is sustainable because it is being driven by market forces, not charity. D. The starting price of ten dollars or so, nevertheless, is still too high for the poorest customers to pay, at least up front. But as with mobile phones, prices continue to fall and novel business models are starting to provide new ways to spread the cost. E. It also provides a mechanism for the government to provide subsidies for households with infants, or children studying for exams. In addition, the base-station provides a payment record which could be used by banks as a credit history when offering loans or mortgages. The first commercial units went on sale in June. F. The importance of design should not be overlooked either. Just as mobile phones have become status symbols, the same could happen with personal solar lamps. That will mean placing more emphasis on styling and appealing to younger consumers, for whom a device capable of doubling as a torch and desk light would be particularly useful G. The system consists of a base-station with a solar panel, three lamps and a charging kit for phones—an entire electrical system for a small house that would normally cost around $200. Customers have to pay $30 up front and then clear the balance in small instalments using their mobile phones. H. The economic case for solar lighting is even clearer: buying a lamp that charges in the sun during the day, and then produces light at night, can eliminate spending on the kerosene that fuels conventional lamps. Of the 1.4 billion people without access to grid electricity, most live in equatorial latitudes where the sun sets quickly and there is only a brief period of twilight. But solar lamps work anywhere the sun shines, even in places that are off the grid, or where grid power is expensive or unreliable.

3.

(Adapted from CPE Practice Tests New Edition)

Seven paragraphs have been removed from the extract. Choose from the paragraph A-H the one which fits each gap (1-7). There is one extra paragraph which you do not need to use.

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HELP US GUIDE THROUGH THE UNIVERSE Sir Martin Rees, Astronomer Royal, launches this year’s Young Science Writer competition If you ask scientists what they’re doing, the answer won’t be ‘Finding the origin of the universe’, ‘Seeking the cure for cancer’ or suchlike. It will involve something very specialized, a small piece of jigsaw that builds up the big picture. (1) _______ So, unless they are cranks or geniuses, scientists don’t shoot directly for a grand goal – they focus on bite-sized that seem timely and tractable. But this strategy (though prudent) carries an occupational risk: they may forget they’re wearing blinkers and fail to see their own work in its proper perspective. (2) _______ I would personally derive far less satisfaction from my research if it interested only a few other academics. But presenting one’s work to non-specialists isn’t easy. We scientists often do it badly, although the experience helps us to see our work in a broader context. Journalists can do it better, and their efforts can put a key discovery in perspective, converting an arcane paper published in an obscure journal into a tale that can inspire others. (3) _______ On such occasions, people often raise general concerns about the way science is going and the impact it may have; they wonder whether taxpayers get value for money from the research they support. More intellectual audiences wonder about the basic nature of science: how objective can we be? And how creative? Is science genuinely a progressive enterprise? What are its limits and are we anywhere near them? It is hard to explain, in simple language, even a scientific concept that you understand well. My own (not always effective) attempts have deepened my respect for science reporters, who have to assimilate quickly, with a looming deadline, a topic they may be quite unfamiliar with. (4) _______ It’s unusual for science to earn newspaper headlines. Coverage that has to be restricted to crisp newsworthy breakthroughs in any case distorts the way science develops. Scientific advances are usually gradual and cumulative, and better suited to feature articles, or documentaries – or even books, for which the latent demand is surprisingly strong. For example, millions bought A Brief History of Time, which caught the public imagination. (5) _______ Nevertheless, serious books do find a ready market. That’s the good news for anyone who wants to enter this competition. But books on pyramidology, visitations by aliens, and suchlike do even better: a symptom of a fascination with the paranormal and ‘New Age’ concepts. It is depressing that these are often featured critically in the media, distracting attention from more genuine advances. (6) _______ Most scientists are quite ordinary, and their lives unremarkable. But occasionally they exemplify the link between genius and madness; these ‘eccentrics’ are more enticing biographees. (7) _______ There seems, gratifyingly, to be no single ‘formula’ for science writing – many themes are still under-exploited. Turning out even 700 words seems a daunting task if you’re faced with a clean sheet of paper or a blank screen, but less so if you have done enough reading and interviewing on a subject to become inspired. For research students who enter the competition, science (and how you do it) is probably more interesting than personal autobiography. But if, in later life, you become both brilliant and crazy, you can hope that someone else writes a bestseller about you. A. However, over-sensational claims are a hazard for them. Some researchers themselves ‘hype up’ new discoveries to attract press interest. Maybe it matters little what people believe about Darwinism or cosmology. But we should be more concerned that misleading or over-confident claims on any topic of practical import don’t gain wide currency. Hopes of miracle cures can be raised; risks can be glossed over for commercial pressures. Science popularisers – perhaps even those who enter this competition have to be as skeptical of some scientific claims as journalists routinely are of politicians. B. Despite this, there’s a tendency in recent science writing to be charity, laced with gossip and biographical detail. But are scientists as interesting as their science? The lives of Albert Einstein and Richard Feyman are of interest, but is that true of the routine practitioner?

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MASTER the ART of NEC C. Two mathematicians have been treated as such in recent books: Paul Erdos, the obsessive itinerant Hungarian (who described himself as ‘a machine for turning coffee into theorems’) and Josh Nash, a pioneer of game theory, who resurfaced in his sixties, after 30 years of insanity, to receive a Nobel prize. D. For example, the American Physicist Robert Wilson spent months carrying out meticulous measurements with a microwave antenna who eventually revealed the ‘afterglow of creation’ – the ‘echo’ of the Big Bang with which our universe began. Wilson was one of the rare scientists with the luck and talent to make a really great discovery, but afterwards he acknowledged that its importance didn’t sink in until he read a ‘popular’ description of it in the New York Times. E. More surprising was the commercial success of Sir Roger Penrose’s The Emperor’s New Mind. This is a fascinating romp through Penrose’s eclectic enthusiasms – enjoyable and enlightening. But it was a surprising best seller, as much of it is heavy going. The sales pitch ‘great scientist says mind is more than a mere machine’ was plainly alluring. Many who bought it must have got a nasty surprise when they opened it. F. But if they have judged right, it won’t be a trivial problem – indeed it will be the most difficult that they are likely to make progress on. The great zoologist Sir Peter Medawar famously described scientific work as ‘the art of the soluble’. ‘Scientists’, he wrote, ‘got no credit for failing to solve a problem beyond their capacities. They earn at best the kindly contempt reserved for utopian politicians.’ G. This may be because, for non-specialists, it is tricky to demarcate well-based ideas from flaky speculation. But it’s crucially important not to blur this distinction when writing articles for a general readership. Otherwise, credulous readers may take too much on trust, whereas hard-nosed sceptics may reject all scientific claims, without appreciating that some have firm empirical support. H. Such a possibility is one reason why this competition to encourage young people to take up science writing is so important and why I am helping to launch it today. Another is that popular science writing can address wider issues. When I give talk about astronomy and cosmology, the questions that interest people most are the truly ‘fundamental’ ones that I can’t answer: ‘Is there life in space?’, ‘Is the universe infinite?’, or ‘Why didn’t the Big Bang happen sooner?’ For questions 8-13, choose the best answer A, B, C or D. Write your answer in the corresponding numbered space. 8. According to the passage, a paper described as arcane is A. considered uninteresting B. understood by few people C. written by experts D. concerned with science 9. In terms of scientific development, the author worries that A. latest advances have failed to bargain for the upward trend in human civilization. B. progress made doesn’t carry practical benefits. C. people will not receive enough returns on their investment. D. science reporters are not skilled enough to handle the job. 10. According to paragraph A, it is stated that “But we should be more concerned that misleading or over-confident claims on any topic of practical import don’t gain wide currency.” The phrase gain wide currency is closest in meaning to A. receive money B. interest the public C. become popular D. grow in importance 11. Something that is glossed over is likely to be A. exaggerated B. sidestepped C. deteriorated D. concealed 12. In paragraph F, Sir Peter Medawar wrote: ‘They (scientists) earn at best the kindly contempt reserved for utopian politicians.’ It can be inferred that A. Scientists are often discredited for their capacities. B. Scientists remain unrecognized for their commendable efforts. C. Scientists are underestimated for their unrealistic way of thinking. D. Both B and C are correct 13. According to paragraph G, those sceptics described as hard-nosed often A. refuse to back down B. attack others for their views C. reserve theoretical judgments D. hold extreme opinions 14. The last paragraph of the passage reaffirms the fact that A. science writing has yet to excavate every uncharted ground.

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4.

B. inspiration for science commences at the point of nothing. C. students are more drawn to science as they get older. D. personal autobiography is of no concern to science fanatics. (Adapted from: https://www.examenglish.com/cpe/cpe_reading_part3.htm)

Seven paragraphs have been removed from the extract. Choose from the paragraph A-H the one which fits each gap (1-7). There is one extra paragraph which you do not need to use.

THE DO-GOODERS

The people who changed the morals of English society. In the last decades of the 18th century, the losers seriously outnumbered the winners. Those who were fortunate enough to occupy the upper levels of society, celebrated their good fortune by living a hedonistic life of gambling, parties and alcohol. It was their moral right, they felt, to exploit the weak and the poor. Few of them thought their lives should change, even fewer believed it could. (1) ______ But the decisive turning point for moral reform was the French revolution. John Bowlder, a popular moralist of the time, blamed the destruction of French society on a moral crisis. Edmund Burke, a Whig statesman agreed. 'When your fountain is choked up and polluted,' he wrote, 'the stream will not run long or clear.' If the English society did not reform, ruin would surely follow. (2) ______ Englishmen were deeply afraid that the immorality of France would invade England. Taking advantage of this, Burke was able to gain considerable support by insisting that the French did not have the moral qualifications to be a civilised nation. He pronounced 'Better this island should be sunk to the bottom of the sea that than... it should not be a country of religion and morals.' (3) ______ Sobering though these messages were, the aristocracy of the time was open to such reforms, not least due to fear. France's attempt to destroy their nobility did much to encourage the upper classes to examine and re-evaluate their own behaviour. Added to this was the arrival of French noble émigrés to British shores. As these people were dependent on the charity of the British aristocracy, it became paramount to amend morals and suppress all vices in order to uphold the state. (4) ______ Whether the vices of the rich and titled stopped or were merely cloaked is open to question. But it is clear that by the turn of the century, a more circumspect society had emerged. Styles of dress became more moderate, and the former adornments of swords, buckles and powdered hair were no longer seen. There was a profusion of moral didactic literature available. Public hangings ceased and riots became much rarer. (5) ______ One such person was Thomas Wackley who in 1823 founded a medical journal called 'the Lancet'. At this time, Medicine was still a profession reserved for the rich, and access to knowledge was impossible for the common man. The Lancet shone a bright light on the questionable practices undertaken in medicine and particularly in surgery, and finally led to improved standards of care. (6) ______ How though did changes at the top affect the people at the bottom of the societal hierarchy? Not all reformers concerned themselves which changes at the authoritative and governmental levels. Others concentrated on improving the lives and morals of the poor. In the midst of the industrial revolution, the poorest in society were in dire straits. Many lived in slums and sanitation was poor. No-one wanted the responsibility of improvement. (7) ______ Could local authorities impose such measures today? Probably not. Even so, the legacy of the moral reform of the late 1800s and 1900s lives on today. Because of it, the British have come to expect a system which is competent, fair to all and free from corruption. Nowadays everyone has a right to a home, access to education, and protection at work and in hospital. This is all down to the men and women who did not just observe society's ills from a distance, but who dared to take steps to change it.

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MASTER the ART of NEC A. But a moral makeover was on the horizon, and one of the first people to promote it was William Wilberforce, better known for his efforts in abolishing the slave trade. Writing to a friend, Lord Muncaster, he stated that 'the universal corruption and profligacy of the times...taking its rise amongst the rich and luxurious has now ... spread its destructive poison through the whole body of the people.' B. But one woman, Octavia Hill, was willing to step up to the mark. Hill, despite serious opposition by the men who still dominated English society, succeeded in opening a number of housing facilities for the poor. But, recognising the weaknesses of a charity-dependent culture, Hill enforced high moral standards, strict measures in hygiene and cleanliness upon her tenants, and, in order to promote a culture of industry, made them work for any financial handouts. C. At first, moralists did not look for some tangible end to moral behaviour. They concerned themselves with the spiritual salvation of the rich and titled members of society, believing that the moral tone set by the higher ranks would influence the lower orders. For example, Samuel Parr, preaching at London's St Paul's Cathedral, said 'If the rich man...abandons himself to sloth and all the vices which sloth generates, he corrupts by his example. He permits...his immediate attendants to be, like him, idle and profligate.' D. In time, the fervour for improved morals strayed beyond personal behaviour and towards a new governance. People called for a tightening of existing laws which had formerly been enforced only laxly. Gambling, duelling, swearing, prostitution, pornography and adultery laws were more strictly upheld to the extent that several fashionable ladies were fined fifty pounds each for gambling in a private residence. E. So far, however, circumspection in the upper classes had done little to improve the lives of those in the lower classes. But that was to change. Against a backdrop of the moral high ground, faults in the system started to stand out. One by one, people started to question the morality of those in authority. F. The attitudes of the upper classes became increasingly critical during the latter part of the eighteenth century. In 1768, the Lord of the Treasury was perfectly at ease to introduce his mistress to the Queen, but a generation later, such behaviour would have been unacceptable. Such attitudes are also seen in the diaries of Samuel Pepys, who, in 1793 rambles without criticism about his peer's many mistresses. A few years later, his tone had become infinitely more critical. G. Similar developments occurred in the Civil Service. Civil servants were generally employed as a result of nepotism. Charles Trevelyan, an official at the London Treasury, realised the weaknesses in the system and proposed that all civil servants were employed as a result of entrance examinations, thus creating a system which was politically independent and consisted of people who were genuinely able to do the job. H. These prophecies roused a little agitation when first published in 1790. But it was the events in 1792-93 which shocked England into action. Over in France, insurrection had led to war and massacre. The King and Queen had been tried and executed. France was now regarded as completely immoral and uncivilized, a country where vice and irreligion reigned. For questions 8-10, choose the best answer A, B, C or D. 8. The word ‘hedonistic’ in the first paragraph is OPPOSITE in meaning to A. self-indulgent B. exuberant C. avaricious D. frugal 9. The writer uses the word ‘vices’ to describe behaviours that are A. unlawful B. defective C. unethical D. fraudulent 10. The word ‘nepotism’ in paragraph G refers to A. illegitimate abuse of personal influence. B. hierarchical order in contemporary society. C. recruitment procedures with unnecessary red tape. D. lax management as to how a person was employed.

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MASTER the ART of NEC For questions 11-15, match each person with their contribution to the moral reform 11. Samuel Pepys 12. Thomas Wackley 13. Octavia Hill 14. Charles Trevelyan 15. John Bowlder

5.

A. B. C. D. E. F. G. H. I. J. K. L.

decried slave trafficking exposed medical malpractices initiated healthcare reform unmasked the culprit behind social upheaval advocated women’s rights condemned extramarital affairs upgraded sewage system transformed evaluation process championed fair recruitment practices enhanced hygiene standards generalized standards for civilized societies led human rights’ campaign

(Adapted from CPE Entry Tests)

Seven paragraphs have been removed from the extract. Choose from the paragraph A-H the one which fits each gap (1-7). There is one extra paragraph which you do not need to use.

MOBILE MISGIVINGS

It’s getting hard to be anonymous. To do anything, you have to prove who you are. Want to buy something or draw some cash? That’s a wodge of credit cards to lug around, and a plethora of four-digit PINs to remember. Even before stepping out of the front door, you’ve got to find your driving licence or rail pass, perhaps even your passport. (1) ______ Inside every digital mobile phone is a SIM card. SIM stands for Subscriber Information Module, and the chip embedded in the SIM card is what makes the mobile yours. For now, the SIM just identifies you to the phone system, and maybe holds details of your favourite phone numbers. In future it could identify you to everyone who needs to know who you are and would enable you to carry out transactions which require a form of identification. (2) ______ The Finnish government is looking at using SIM’s in place of a national identity card – and eventually a passport. Under this plan, the SIM will become a person’s legal proof of identity. And there’s no reason why it couldn’t unlock your health records , social security details and other personal information. One click and a hospital would know exactly who it’s dealing with. (3) ______ People can lose or mislay their phones and they are a tempting target for thieves, who can easily dispose of them on the black market. That’s bad enough when there’s a large phone bill at stake. When your phone becomes the key to your identity, secrets and cash, you’ll want to make sure it stays safely locked up, even if only the gadget itself falls into the wrong hands. “Having something that contains all this information would be extremely cash,” says Roger Needham, managing director of Microsoft’s British research laboratory in Cambridge. “People will simply find it unacceptable.” (4) _______ The beauty of this system is that the identifier would act as one half of what’s called a public key encryption system. The identifier, kept safe inside the phone, acts as a key, known to no one else. To read a message locked with this private key requires a second, public key, which can be freely distributed. (5) _______ An increasing number of countries are passing laws to give private keys the same legal force as signatures. This has unleashed a flood of encryption systems, and the problem now is to get governments and companies to agree on a standard. “It needs to be simple, secure and transparent,” says Mika Nieminen, head of mobile commerce company More Magic Software, in Helsinki. “We have the maths to show that it is secure. The only problem now is making it global.” (6) _______

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MASTER the ART of NEC The private key is protected by a PIN, and the card will shut itself off if wrong numbers are keyed in three times. To switch it back on, the owner must take it to a police station with another form of ID. If a card is stolen, the police will cancel it permanently. Either way, information on the card stays safe (7) _______ Pearson thinks consumers, too, will learn to trust a chip with their identity, not least because it will make life so much easier. A private key will do away with hard-to-remember log-in codes and passwords for websites; as well as all those credit cards and PINs. “People already give up their privacy quite happily just to get access to a website,” he says. “As long as they get something out of it” A. But for these dreams to become reality, there’ll have to be a revolution in public attitudes. People will have to let go of their apprehensions about e-commerce and learn to trust their mobiles; “Cultivating that trust is a very difficult thing to do and takes a lot of time,” says Ian Pearson, resident futurologist at British Telecom. B. Your credit history could be accessed by your bank manager with your agreement, which would negate the need for you to visit the bank. The manager could communicate with you through your mobile phone and either give you advice over the phone or invite you to the bank for a face-to-face consultation. This has already been piloted in Britain and has received a positive reception. C. The solution, according to experts in the field, is to share precious information on secure servers accessible via a WAP connection on the web. The SIM would only store a personal identifier – a long string of digits that would unlock the servers and give access to the information they hold. To use the identifier, the phone’s owner would have to punch in a PIN, D. “Even in its embryonic form, FINED gives people a secure way to access sensitive information,” says Vatka. “And when you get it in a mobile phone you are not tied to a terminal,” he says. Many believe that identity theft will be inevitable no matter how careful safeguards are. But since it is taking place and this system is more secure, businesses will probably be keen to adopt it. E. In a few years, this plastic and paper baggage could be history. A single chip hidden in your cellphone will be all you need – a little treasure that holds your complete identity. But beware! Lose your phone, and your identity and money go with it. The big question is whether people will be willing to trust much to a silver of silicon. F. You might use this set-up to send a request to a bank using its public key to see the details of your account, which it would decrypt using its private key. The bank would then send you the requested information encrypted with your public key, which only your private key could decrypt. Thus both messages would be secure. G. To pay for a meal, say, you will use the phone to transfer money through the phone network to a restaurant’s computer. There will be no payment slip to sign because your SIM will do it for you. Likewise, when you board a plane you won’t have to wait in line for a boarding pass and seat number. H. “The Finnish government has taken the initiative with a national standard that the companies can use free of charge,” says Vesa Vatka of the Finnish Population Register Centre in Helsinki. “At the moment this system – called FINEID – uses a smart card and a card leader attached to a computer, but the plan is to integrate to a SIM,” says Vatka.

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B. MULTIPLE MATCHING I. Tips and notes In the NEC, the Multiple Matching task accounts for a great number of points and therefore can dramatically affect the final result of examinees. This part consists of a passage or several short texts, preceded by multiplematching questions, and examinees must match prompts to categories in the text. To excel in this part, it is vital that examinees have the ability to thoroughly understand details, opinions, attitudes and specific information. Increasing your reading speed is also advisable, as this task may take a considerable amount of time. Here are some tips for this task.

DO

- Read the introduction to the task and the title of the text (if given) first to have some idea of vocabulary and topics to expect.

DON’T

- Leave an answer blank. - Spend too much time on one question. You should move on to other questions and return later so as not to

- Underline the keywords in the questions so you can waste time. quickly refer back to them when needed.

- Rush through a question.

- Practice inferencing. You may encounter an unfamiliar word and have to derive its meaning from the context. - Make sure your answer contains all the information mentioned in the question. Impartial matches are incorrect. - Read at a moderate speed. You can miss important information if you read too quickly or waste too much time if your reading speed is too slow.

II. How to practice

1.

Do a lot of Multiple Matching exercises. If possible, use a clock to determine the amount of time you take to complete an exercise and adjust your reading speed accordingly.

2. Read English materials widely and regularly. Doing this will familiarise you with the process of comprehending

tones, details, attitudes, etc. You can also highlight new and useful words to expand your vocabulary when reading.

3. Develop and utilise skills such as:

● Skimming: reading only main ideas within a text to get an overall impression of the content. ● Scanning: reading a text quickly in order to find specific information. ● Inference: reading and drawing conclusions based on information that has been implied rather than directly stated.

4. Practice guessing the meanings of words. Predict the meaning, based on the context, before you look it up in the dictionary.

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III. Strategies and common pitfalls Without a suitable strategy, your chances of dealing with Multiple Matching exercises quickly and accurately will be reduced drastically. Here is a suggested approach: 1. 2.

Quickly read through the task introduction and the title of the text (if given). Read the first paragraph (paragraph A), skim for the main idea and scan for key details (remember not to read too fast, or you will fail to grasp any information and will have to read the paragraph again, wasting valuable time in the process). 3. Read through each prompt (question) and write A in the answer space if the information of the prompt matches that of the first paragraph (paragraph A). 4. Repeat step 2 and 3 for the remaining paragraphs. 5. There will likely be 2-3 questions left unanswered once you have go through steps 1-4. Do not worry, read each paragraph again (read more carefully this time), you should be able to find the correct paragraph eventually, and it should not take very long for you to complete these last few questions. Keep in mind that there are a lot of “traps” that can trick you if you are not careful, here are the two most common “pitfalls” to watch out for: 1. The “partial match”: The information in the paragraph matches that of the question, but only partly. Always remember that the correct paragraph must contain information that matches that of the question

completely.

Example: Read the paragraphs and answer the question below A. The way we choose to spend holidays embodies an understanding of what life might ideally be about. However, holidays almost always go wrong. The tragicomic disappointments of travel are a staple of office chat; the half-built hotel, the sense of disorientation, the dreary fellow travellers, the lethargy before ancient ruins. B. I remember a trip to the island of Ambrosia a few years ago. I was very excited about it. But on the very first morning on the island, I realised something surprising and obvious; that my body proved to be a temperamental partner. Asked to sit on a deckchair so that the mind could savour the magnificent beach, it collapsed into difficulties; the ears complained of an enervating wind, the skin of stickiness and the toes of sand lodged between them. Which paragraph mentions difficulties faced by the writer? A or B? → You will see that there are problems mentioned in both paragraphs A and B (underlined). However, the difficulties mentioned in paragraph A are not “faced by the writer”; these difficulties are just examples cited by the writer to illustrate how “holidays almost always go wrong.”, if you do not read carefully, you will most certainly be tricked into thinking the answer is A. Whereas the problems in paragraph B are indeed faced “by the writer”, as implied by the detail “my body proved to be…..”, so the answer here must be B. 2. The “identical words”: This pitfall works in a similar way to the “partial match” pitfall. The difference is that a keyword in the text is the exact same as the word in the question. The golden rule is the same: The correct paragraph must contain information that matches that of the question completely. Otherwise, the answer will be incorrect, identical words notwithstanding. That being said, it is not advisable to consider every “identical words” case as pitfalls, this way of thinking is, in itself, another pitfall. There are always cases in which identical words are not a pitfall. Be cautious!

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MASTER the ART of NEC IV. Exercises

1.

For questions 1-10, identify in which section (A-E) each of the following is mentioned. The sections may be chosen more than once

WHERE THE NOVEL MEETS THE COMIC MAGAZINE

A. The recent blockbuster film Inception, written and directed by Christopher Nolan, concludes with a 45-minute setpiece in which Leonardo DiCaprio’s team of brain-hopping idea thieves descends through nested dreams, in each of which time runs more slowly than in any previous layer. Any graphic novel fans in the audience would have watched this complex sequence with nods of recognition. But perhaps with sighs of exasperation too: the film’s showpiece effect– creating the illusion of relative time, of events happening simultaneously but being experienced at different paces – is much easier to achieve in the world of graphic novels. Years of experimentation, combined with certain defining features of the form, have resulted in a complex medium that excels at portraying multiple time schemes and shifting conceptions of reality. Three new works bear testimony to this. B. Air by G Willow Wilson is a love story in a breathless narrative of industrial espionage. Its protagonist, Blythe, is plunged into a world of dizzy reversals, in which the only constant is the philosophical notion that by redrawing our impressions of the world we can remake it for ourselves. Character and motivation are almost absent as Wilson’s hapless heroine is dragged from pillar to post by an arbitrary narrative fuelled by fitful quips. More seriously, the layout and structure show a distinct lack of invention. Just as hope is flagging, however, Wilson pulls out of the dive, and Air becomes both stranger and more interesting in concept and execution. One extended chapter consists of a sequence of flashbacks in a plane diving towards the ground, as Blythe finds herself simultaneously inhabiting the memories of her lover. Drawings of a falling, entwined couple are interleaved with the panels, a kind of metaphor for the movements of the plane. C. Matt Kindt’s graphic novel Revolver is an interesting addition to the genre in that it works around a single, but effective, manipulation of narrative time. Each morning its protagonist Sam finds himself waking up either in his everyday life, in which he edits pictures for a newspaper, or in an America under siege, where he is forced to fight for his life. Drawn by its author in a scrappy, offhand style that belies a deft grasp of form and scenic arrangement, Kindt’s novel still ultimately feels like less than the sum of its parts. Although attractively realised, the basic set-up, in which the audience is encouraged to wonder whether a troubled man is hallucinating or not, is becoming something of a familiar trope after Fight Club, Memento and others. Where Revolver succeeds is in the quiet suggestiveness with which his arrangement of panels blurs our perspective on the action. D. Last, and strangest, is Charles Burns’s X’ed Out, the first of a projected series of graphic novels by this idiosyncratic writer-illustrator. Burns is revered in comic circles for Black Hole, a surrealist saga. Grotesque but compelling, Burns’s drawings told the story of a group of teens who contract a disease that turns them into mutants and social outcasts. The author’s subsequent contention that the book was a metaphor for adolescence came nowhere near to explaining the work’s dark and haunting depths. X’ed Out is designed in full colour but its seamless and troubling transitions between its teenage protagonist’s dreams and waking moments show that Burns has lost none of his touch. He withholds many of the traditional devices used within the genre to shape a reader’s idea of time and causality, such as sound effects, motion blurs, panel comments and the like. The effect is highly unsettling. E. Graphic novels are good at representing complicated sequences in time, and contemporary creators seem particularly interested in constructing stories that place this at the centre. We can posit reasons – pandering to popular clichés of ‘comic-book’ entertainment, generalised discontent with Hollywood five-act stories, or simple celebration of a medium so suited to non-straightforward entertainment. Whatever its origin, a complex interest in time extends throughout the medium. Even the latest addition to the new Batman series, written by Grant Morrison, skips wildly across the epochs of human history, following a Caped Crusader who has come adrift in time. As the medium continues to evolve, this abiding formal interest in a largely unconscious process of perception may come to seem its most defining feature.

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MASTER the ART of NEC Which section... 1. 2. 3. 4. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11.

mentions individual bits of a work being better than the overall effect it has on the reader? mentions an author improving on an earlier weakness? suggests that an author’s newest work is as good as their previous one? mentions the confusion of a main character in a world which lacks stability and permanence? mentions the possibility that graphic novel authors are influenced by a desire to give readers what they expect? suggests that the hurried, imperfect look of an author’s drawings is a deliberate effect? contains a suggestion that a work is more complex than its author claims? mentions those familiar with the genre experiencing a mixed reaction? contains a suggestion that the unoriginal nature of a work’s central theme may be a problem? mentions images from a character’s past serving as a visual symbol for what is happening in the present?

2. For questions 1-10, identify in which section (A-D) each of the following is mentioned. The sections may be chosen more than once.

JEWELLERY DESIGNERS

A. Emma Franklin 'It has always been about animals,' Emma Franklin says. 'My friend's grandmother had an amazing stag brooch with huge antlers and that's where it started. Everyone has a relationship with an animal in my collection. When people ask me about an animal I haven't done, I then introduce it to the collection.' Her favourite? 'The ram. It's so strong.' Franklin hand-makes each necklace, bangle, ring, cufflink and pin, featuring any of 14 animal heads, from a pig to a triceratops. All her pieces are made in solid silver, plated in 22ct yellow gold or black rhodium, with black diamonds and freshwater pearls. Bespoke commissions, predominantly engagement rings, not all animal-related, are becoming more frequent. Her clients are all ages, women and men with a bold sense of style. Franklin's robust designs are instantly recognisable, as she has discovered. 'I see a surprising number of people wearing my designs in the street, mainly in east London,' she says. 'Recently in a pub this girl was wearing one of my rings at the bar so I introduced myself. She was completely star-struck and fetched over her dad, who had bought it for her. I had to explain that it was really me who was excited.' B. Alexandra Jefford 'My design style constantly evolves,' Alexandra Jefford says. 'It started out as a throwback to the 1940s, but even though I try new things I can't kick my art background. I'm really inspired by art, architecture, design, furniture design.' Jefford graduated with a degree in fine art, began designing jewellery and sold her first piece, a gold ring, on its first outing, at dinner with a friend. Her designs, produced on a project-by-project basis rather than as collections, include her signature Alphabet series for which she designed a slim font. Her recent O project interprets that letter in various typefaces. Jefford also makes one-off high-end pieces that are more sculptural. Fans range from her daughter's friends to her mother's friends, although she doesn't always want to sell. 'I become emotionally involved with all my pieces so I find it really hard to let go. There are some pieces that I hide "for the family museum". My husband says that I work as a shopper rather than a seller.' C. Hattie Rickards Hattie Rickards' first collection of 12 rings, entitled Revealed, was an instant success. Her second, Geo, a collection of 15 tactile, geometric necklaces, bracelets, rings, earrings and a brooch, came out to even greater acclaim. 'The ethos behind Geo is connection and relationships, bringing tessellating or geometrical shapes together making one, for example the Kindred ring where two puzzle pieces fit neatly together.' Rickards graduated in jewellery design, then worked for Solange Azagury-Partridge, helping to launch her Madison Avenue store in New York, before setting up on her own. 'I wanted to create a high-end, luxury jewellery brand with an ethical backbone, which coincided with a gap in the market.' All Hattie Rickards Jewellery is made using Fairtrade precious stones from Thailand and India and 18ct Fairtrade, fair-mined gold from Colombia. HRJ is one of the first 20 companies to become a certified user of this type of gold, many of its pieces having the premium 'ecological' label, which ensures no cyanide is used during extraction, which is harmful to the environment. There are no plans for e-commerce, as Rickards believes

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MASTER the ART of NEC this detracts from the meaning behind the piece. 'I am passionate that people understand the symbolism behind my work. I don't want it to just be a ring on a website. The story is so important.' D. Mawi Keivom Mawi Keivom is known for her architectural statement jewellery: chunky box chains with coloured pearls, spiked gold rings and brightly coloured gems. Born in the north-east of India, 40 miles from the Burmese border, into the Mahr tribe, Keivom draws her influences from a peripatetic childhood with her diplomat parents that took them to Africa, the Middle East, south-east Asia and Europe. 'I come from a tribal background and having that heritage has influenced me greatly; the colours, the chunky jewels, the sparkle.' Keivom designs two collections a year. 'My style of jewellery is very individual and not for the faint-hearted. I have a very strong vision that translates into an industrial, graphic aesthetic offset with crystals and pearls that are a little bit feminine. I don't try to do something that is for the moment. My pieces are classics in their own right, not trend-specific.' Which person.... 1. found that she was launching her jewellery at exactly the tight time? 2. is keen for others to focus on what her jewellery represents? 3. mentions acting on comments made by others? 4. mentions being regarded as an important person? 5. does not profit from everything she makes? 6. regards her jewellery as having long-term appeal? 7. produces pieces that give information on the source of the material used? 8. suggests that her jewellery may be too unusual for some people? 9. sometimes varies from her usual theme in her jewellery? 10. has rejected a certain business method?

3.

For questions 1-10, identify in which section (A-D) each of the following is mentioned. The sections may be chosen more than once.

KEEP MOVING A. In 2006, James Levine, a scientist based at the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota, conducted a very strange experiment. He wanted to measure something which goes by the cumbersome title of Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis or NEAT. Essentially, this examines how people move about during an average day- not when they're exercising, but when they're making no special effort to keep fit. The big question was just how to do the measuring - and here Levine hit upon a radical plan. He decided to put his volunteers into specially sensored underwear. This would measure their every waking and sleeping moment. Levine, incidentally, is no stranger to weird experiments. Aged 10, he'd placed 15 pond snails in a glass tank and tracked their movements every hour across a piece of wax paper. Twelve months and 200 wax paper trials later, he came to the same conclusion that he reached 23 years later in his sensored underwear experiment. All creatures have a biological imperative to move - arid movement, perhaps more than anything else, is good for us. B. By the same token, lack of movement is very bad indeed. The NEAT experiment revealed that lean people burn around 350 more calories a day just by fidgeting, pacing about, or walking to the coffee machine. As for the nonlean ones, they just sat there, getting ever more bloated and unfit. Sitting down, Levine concluded, is not just bad for people - it's a killer. This may seem a bit drastic, but Levine isn't the only scientist who reckons that being sedentary offers an accelerated route to an early grave. However, the vast majority of us move about less and less. As labour-intensive jobs disappear, we live in an increasingly sedentary world, spending our working lives stuck in a chair and ever larger amounts of our leisure time too. We know that exercise is good for us and that sitting down all day isn't - we just choose to ignore it. C. Soon after the end of the Second World War, a British health researcher called Jerry Morris set up a study to examine why record numbers of people were dying of heart attacks. The first results Morris got in were from London

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MASTER the ART of NEC busmen. Immediately, he saw that there was a striking difference: drivers were twice as likely to suffer a heart attack as conductors. To begin with, this didn't make sense. After all, they were much the same age, ate much the same food and so on. There was only one key difference. Whereas the drivers spent their days behind the wheel, conductors spent theirs running up and down the stairs. Morris thought he might be onto something, but it was still too early to say: he had to wait for other data to arrive. Then came the figures for postal workers. These were strikingly similar to the bus drivers: the postmen who delivered the mail by bike and on foot had markedly fewer heart attacks than the ones who served behind counters. His paper, 'Coronary Heart-disease and Physical Activity of Work', was published in 1953 - and greeted with hoots of derision by his peers. But Morris, as people slowly began to concede, was onto something. D. Two hundred years ago, people may have led much less sedentary lives, but they still had an inkling that sitting down wasn't doing them any good. No one seems to know exactly when the standing desk was invented, but by the mid 19th century, they were a regular fixture in the offices and homes of the rich. But if people could get used to working standing up, could they go one step further? One evening in 2007, Levine was in his office thinking about the relationship between exercise and fitness when he had an idea. Instead of people nipping off to the gym and then coming back to slump at their desks, maybe they could exercise at the same time as working. Sliding a hospital tray on top of a treadmill, Levine set it to a modest 2mph. To his surprise, he found he could work perfectly easily while he was walking along. He could type, make phone calls and do almost everything that he normally did sitting down. Yet after an hour, he'd burned off more than 100 calories. It was, as he admits, an eccentric invention. 'There was a notion floating about that I had completely flipped.' But television stations began doing news reports, and all at once people didn't think he was so nutty after all. Soon, the treadmill desk, or Walkstation as it was called, had gone into commercial production. In which section are the following mentioned? 1. a cautious reaction to some information 2. the reason for the decrease in the amount of movement made by people 3. the solution to a problem in carrying out some research 4. information from which it was initially hard to draw a conclusion 5. a gradual acceptance of the connection between movement and health 6. something widely acknowledged but not acted upon 7. proof that not everyone regarded an idea as ridiculous 8. a finding that pleased the person who made it 9. a history of taking an unusual approach to research 10. a view that could be regarded as too extreme

4.

For questions 1-10, identify in which section (A-D) each of the following is mentioned. The sections may be chosen more than once.

THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY

A. The scent of chocolate hangs over the small French town of Tain-l'Hermitage. Wafting from savoury to toasted, fruity to oily, the aroma emanates from the 89-year-old factory of Valrhona, one of the most respected chocolate makers in the business. I was inhaling this heady perfume on a trip to find out about Valrhona's first book, the fabulous Cooking with Chocolate. A vast tome, it's a chocophile's dream, with pages of chocolate information alongside recipes, from the ultimate sachertorte to 'Bittersweet Chocolate Bars, Salted Butter Caramel and Crystallised Almonds'. Most are mesmerizingly complex creations strictly for trained chefs or time-rich amateurs; mouthwatering for the rest of us. Best of all are the pages on techniques such as the all-important tempering (a heating and cooling process that keeps the shine and texture of chocolate when it is remoulded), all minutely described and carefully illustrated. B. I'd expect nothing less from Valrhona, which we have to thank for the quiet revolution in chocolate of the past 25 years. Back in the early 1980s, plain chocolate meant a cocoa solids content of barely 40 per cent. Then, in the early 1990s, cookery writers began telling us to use chocolate with 'minimum 50 percent cocoa solids'. The

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MASTER the ART of NEC supermarkets started stocking real cooking chocolate with escalating levels of cocoa solids. It was Valrhona that first introduced a 70 percent cocoa solids chocolate bar to the market in 1986. It caused a flurry among chefs, who found that it gave a far more intense chocolate flavour to their dishes, and it was given star billing on menus.Since then an army of boutique chocolate makers has been born. They all produce chocolate in a 'bean-to-bar' process, transforming raw, fermented beans into chocolate themselves. It's an important distinction, as many other companies buy ready-made chocolate in bulk and re-melt it to form bars and chocolate sweets. C. lnside Valrhona's newest factory on the outskirts of town, Luce, our elegantly grey-haired guide, leads us past paintings of the chefs who are fans of Valrhona. The smell grows ever headier and sweeter as we enter a windowless, high-ceilinged room with a cream-tiled floor, on which neat rows of sacks are waiting for processing. Inside are fermented and dried beans, but the dull brown seeds have a long way to go before they can live up to their botanical name, Theobroma: 'food of the gods'. In the next room that process is beginning, as the beans are roasted in huge rotating drums, then cooled and crushed to peppercorn-sized pieces. Just across the room, a lone worker is supervising the grinding of the nibs through pairs of rollers. It's this powder, he explains, which constitutes the 'cocoa solids' in the chocolate bar, and is mixed with extra cocoa butter (the fatty component of the cocoa bean), sugar, vanilla and emulsifier, usually soya lecithin, to make plain chocolate. Milk chocolate has milk powder added as well. They are ground together to make a paste refined to grains no bigger than 17 microns - the tongue can detect nothing below 20 microns. All the machines are thickly coated with cream-coloured paint and have a vintage air, like a ship's engine room. It turns out they date from the 1960s. 'We bought modern ones, which were much more efficient, but they just didn't produce such good chocolate, so we went back to these,' explains Luce, as we head to the conching machines. These huge mixers stir the chocolate ingredients for up to three days, combining them at 60-70C and developing the flavours. D. But can a bar ever contain too much cocoa solids? I ask Pierre Costet, head taster for Valrhona, over a table of chocolate samples. 'Yes'. The blend of beans with cocoa butter and sugar should vary according to the subtleties of the flavour. Costet also believes the merits of the three varieties of cacao bean are exaggerated. It is widely accepted that Criollo (mostly from Venezuela) is the connoisseur's choice and Trinitario, grown in South and Central America, is the best mainstream variety. Forestero, grown in Africa, is considered coarse, mass-market stuff. This, Costet tells me, is too simplistic. First, because cacao trees are grown from seed by the farmers, they may have been cross-pollinated with the other varieties anyway. Second, how the beans are grown and fermented makes a huge difference, so a well-looked-after Forestero may well be better than a poorly treated Criollo. In which section are the following mentioned? 1. visible evidence of Valrhona's popularity 2. assumptions that are not necessarily correct 3. the influence of Valrhona on cooking with chocolate 4. the difficulty of doing what Valrhona suggests 5. a contrast between ways of making chocolate 6. a change that Valrhona regretted making 7. an explanation of the term used for a stage in a process 8. a calculation connected with one of the senses 9. the possibility of overdoing something 10. an influence on the quality of an ingredient

5.

For questions 1-10, identify in which section (A-D) each of the following is mentioned. The sections may be chosen more than once.

SEEKING SOCRATES

A. Sharing breakfast with an award-winning author in an Edinburgh hotel a few years back, the conversation came round to what I was writing next. 'A book on Socrates,' I mumbled through my muesli. 'Socrates!' he exclaimed. 'What a brilliant doughnut subject. Really rich and succulent with a great hole in the middle where the central character should be.' I felt my smile fade because, of course, he was right. Socrates, the Greek philosopher, might be one of the most famous thinkers of all time, but, as far as we know, he wrote not a single word down. Born in

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MASTER the ART of NEC Athens in 469 BC, condemned to death by a democratic Athenian court in 399 BC, Socrates philosophized freely for close on half a century. Then he was found guilty of corrupting the young and of disrespecting the city's traditional gods. His punishment? Lethal hemlock poison in a small prison cell. We don't have Socrates' personal archive; and we don't even know where he was buried. So, for many, he has come to seem aloof and nebulous a daunting intellectual figure - always just out of reach. B. But that is a crying shame. Put simply, we think the way we do because Socrates thought the way he did. His famous aphorism, 'the unexamined life is not worth living', is a central tenet for modern times. His philosophies 24 centuries old - are also remarkably relevant today. Socrates was acutely aware of the dangers of excess and overindulgence. He berated his peers for a selfish pursuit of material gain. He questioned the value of going to fight under an ideological banner of 'democracy'. What is the point of city walls, warships and glittering statues, he asked, if we are not happy? The pursuit of happiness is one of the political pillars of the West. We are entering what has been described as 'an age of empathy'. So Socrates' forensic, practical investigation of how to lead 'the good life' is more illuminating, more necessary than ever. C. Rather than being some kind of remote, tunic-clad beardy who wandered around classical columns, Socrates was a man of the streets. The philosopher tore through Athens like a tornado, drinking, partying, sweating in the gym as hard as, if not harder than the next man. For him, philosophy was essential to human life. His mission: to find the best way to live on earth. As Cicero, the Roman author, perceptively put it: 'Socrates brought philosophy down from the skies.' And so to try to put him back on to the streets he loved and where his philosophy belonged, I have spent 10 years investigating the eastern Mediterranean landscape to find clues of his life and the 'Golden Age of Athens'. Using the latest archaeology, newly discovered historical sources, and the accounts of his key followers, Plato and Xenophon, I have endeavoured to create a Socrates-shaped space, in the glittering city of 500 BC Athens - ready for the philosopher to inhabit. D. The street jargon used to describe the Athens of Socrates' day gives us a sense of its character. His hometown was known as 'sleek', 'oily', 'violet-crowned', 'busybody' Athens. Lead curse tablets left in drains, scribbled down by those in the world's first true democracy, show that however progressive fifth-century Athenians were, their radical political experiment - allowing the demos (the people) to have kratos (power) did not do away with personal rivalries and grudges. Far from it. In fact, in the city where every full citizen was a potent politician, backbiting and cliquery came to take on epic proportions. By the time of his death, Socrates was caught up in this crossfire. E. His life story is a reminder that the word 'democracy' is not a magic wand. It does not automatically vaporize all ills. This was Socrates' beef, too a society can only be good not because of the powerful words it bandies around, but thanks to the moral backbone of each and every individual within it. But Athenians became greedy, they overreached themselves, and lived to see their city walls torn down by their Spartan enemies, and their radical democracy democratically voted out of existence. The city state needed someone to blame. High-profile, maddening, eccentric, freethinking, free-speaking Socrates was a good target. Socrates seems to me to be democracy's scapegoat. He was condemned because, in fragile times, anxious political masses want certainties not the eternal questions that Socrates asked of the world around him. In which section are the following mentioned? 1. relationships between people in Socrates' time 2. the continuing importance of Socrates' beliefs 3. the writer's theory concerning what happened to Socrates 4. why little is known about Socrates as a man 5. how the writer set about getting information relevant to Socrates 6. the difference between common perceptions of Socrates and what he was really like 7. an aim that Socrates was critical of 8. the realization that finding out about Socrates was a difficult task 9. how well known Socrates was during his time 10. an issue that Socrates considered in great detail

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TOEFL READING I. Tips and notes TOEFL Reading is not a regular feature in the NEC, yet it does appear in the latest one (NEC 2018). TOEFL Reading also makes an appearance in the NEC team selection test of many provinces and cities. There are usually 10 questions in this reading exercise, making up 20% of the total reading points. This is not a difficult part of the section (C1 level), but it will consume much time. The reading passages are usually science passages, taken from professional journals. Below are some tips to conquer TOEFL Reading:

DO

Read to find information - Before you read, quickly read through the questions to have a sense of what will be required. Then, when you read, be on the lookout for any relevant information. - After you have read the passage and the question, try to locate the paragraph in which the required information situates. Then, scan that paragraph to find and highlight key facts (dates, numbers, terms,…) and information. Read to have basic comprehension -

Skim the passage quickly to get a general impression of the main idea.

-

After skimming a passage, read it again more carefully and write down the main idea, major points, and important facts. Outline the passage to distinguish between major and minor points. You may create an oral or written summary of the passage using the charts and outlines.

- Guess the meaning of some unfamiliar words from the context (surrounding sentences). - Pay attention to pronouns (e.g., he, him, they, them, etc.) and identify the nouns to which they refer in the passage. - Try to make inferences and draw conclusions based on what is implied in the passage as a whole. - Paraphrase complex sentences into simple ones if you find them difficult to understand.

DON’T - Let your personal opinion or knowledge guide the inference process. You can only infer from what is available in the passage. - Waste too much time understanding information that is not asked in the questions because you will be under great time pressure in the real test. - Immediately choose the answer that you think is right. Consider other answer choices as well to see whether they are wrong. II. How to practice Thorough comprehension is the key to success in the TOEFL reading section. Thus, you should hone your comprehension skill in general in order to ace this part.

1.

The theme of TOEFL reading passages is invariably science. Therefore, you should consult scientific journals or the science section in newspapers. Reading these materials regularly will familiarize you with the real contents. While reading, you should also pay attention to the idea development and the structure

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2. 3. 4. 5.

organization of the passage. This habit will facilitate the comprehension process when you encounter the real test. When you practice with the real materials, set time and set goals for yourself. You should be aware that there are other reading parts which are much harder than the TOEFL one in the National English Competition. Therefore, you should try to finish the section fast and precisely. Increase vocabulary, especially academic words. They appear frequently in TOEFL Reading passages. Flashcards can help. Identify your weaknesses: which question types you usually fall for? Try to pinpoint a reason: is it because of carelessness or do you lack any particular skill? After to that, try to find a solution. You can either practice more on that question type or try out some new approaches. Practice makes perfect. The reading questions in the TOEFL are not that tricky. They are relatively straightforward compared to the IELTS or CPE. Therefore, if you practice regularly, you will figure out a pattern of your own that will help you conquer this reading exercise.

III. Strategies to some question types Those below are the basic question types that will often be asked in the TOEFL Reading test and the tips to conquer them. 1.

Factual Information Question “Factual information” question asks the readers to refer to details which appear in the passage. The variations of this type of question are “Overview question” and “Negative factual information question”. While “overview question” requires the readers to identify the main idea of a paragraph/passage, “negative factual information” tests the ability to distinguish between misleading information and factual information. - While answering these kinds of questions, you should read the question carefully and underline the key terms. Then, identify where the information is included in the passage and scan through that area. Compare and contrast the answer choices and the information provided in the passage. Eliminate the wrong choices since there will be some obviously irrelevant ones. Choose an answer only when its information is relevant to the question and appears in the passage. - For “overview question”, make sure you choose the choice that sums up the idea of the whole paragraph/question not choice that features trivial information. Answer choices that feature factual information may not necessarily be the right one. Instead, you should think about the role of the paragraph in the passage and the ideas the author wants to convey in order to figure out its main idea. Sometimes it may be obvious but in many cases, you will be caught between two seemingly right answers. In this case, refer to the small ideas within the paragraph to see they collectively support which choice. - For “negative factual information”, you will have to choose the wrong answer. First, you should cross out the obviously right answer. Then, refer back to the passage and compare the answer choices with the factual information. Wrong answers often alter the relationship between the terms featured in the question, exaggerate or understate the information or include contrasting information. Even minor misinformation like statistics can make an answer wrong. Therefore, don’t consider carefully each word of the choice to decide whether it is true or false. 2. Inference Question - “Inference question” asks the readers to utilize available information to answer questions that aren’t directly addressed in the passage. You have to use your own logical thoughts to form a conclusion as well. - While reading, you should understand the logical flow of ideas and infer, guess the author’s opinions. Remember you will not have to infer too far so answer choices which sound too far-fetched should be eliminated. - Be on the lookout for synonyms in the answer choices and the passages. They are often the signposts for the readers to investigate further. However, synonyms do not necessarily indicate the right choice. Check the overall meaning of the sentence and the relationship of the terms as well. The cause-effect relationship appears regularly on this kind of question.

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MASTER the ART of NEC 3. Purpose Question “Purpose question” requires the readers to understand the role of each detail in the passage. You will be asked to identify the logical connections and relationships among the details featured in the paragraphs. - While reading, try to understand why the author includes a particular piece of information or why the paragraph is organized in a certain way. The author usually includes information to support an idea, to provide an example, to explain a concept or to refute an argument. Pay attention to the context in order to figure out the flow of ideas. - Read the question and answer choices carefully and underline key terms. You should distinguish the tone of the answer choices so that it matches the tone of the author. For instance, there is a world of difference between “to criticize” and “to condemn”. 4. Summary-Categorization question “Summary” question requires the readers to outline an idea by choosing some main ideas from several options. You will have to distinguish important and factual information from trivial and misleading information. “Categorization” question asks the readers to organize information into some categories. You will have to compare and contrast key concepts and understand the idea development of the passage. - You should re-read parts of the passage where information in the answer choices appears. Underline details which you deem important. Compare and contrast the information in the passage with that of the answer choices. There will be obvious misinformation. Wrong answers often change the subject, the relationship between objects, the examples,… - Trivial information is information which can excluded without having a significant impact on the overall argument of the author. Trivial information often includes specific names, dates or numbers. Remember that even examples which the author gives in the passage are trivial information. - In the categorization question, the readers will not have to infer. The answer choices are all factual information that appears in the passage. Thus, if you can’t organize the options, read the passage carefully again. Pay attention to the way the information is paraphrased using different synonyms and grammar structures. IV. Exercises

1.

Read the following passage and choose the answer A, B, C, D which you think fits best according to the text.

RISK-TAKING AND THE MONKEY ECONOMY Humans are uniquely smart among all the other species on the planet. We are capable of outstanding feats of technology and engineering. Then why are we so prone to making mistakes? And why do we tend to make the same ones time and time again? When Primate Psychologist Laurie Santos from the Comparative Cognition Lab at Yale University posed this question to her team, they were thinking in particular of the errors of judgement which led to the recent collapse of the financial markets. Santos came to two possible answers to this question. Either humans have designed environments which are too complex for us to fully understand, or we are biologically prone to making bad decisions. In order to test these theories, the team selected a group of Brown Capuchin monkeys. Monkeys were selected for the test because, as distant relatives of humans, they are intelligent and have the capacity to learn. However, they are not influenced by any of the technological or cultural environments which affect human decision-making. The team wanted to test whether the capuchin monkeys, when put into similar situations as humans, would make the same mistakes. [A] Of particular interest to the scientists was whether monkeys would make the same mistakes when making financial decisions. [B] In order to find out, they had to introduce the monkeys to money. [C] The monkeys soon cottoned on, and as well as learning simple exchange techniques, were soon able to distinguish 'bargains' – If one team-member offered two grapes in exchange for a metal disc and another team-member offered one grape, the monkeys chose the two-grape option. [D] Interestingly, when the data about the monkey's purchasing strategies was compared with economist's data on human behaviour, there was a perfect match.

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MASTER the ART of NEC So, after establishing that the monkey market was operating effectively, the team decided to introduce some problems which humans generally get wrong. One of these issues is risk-taking. Imagine that someone gave you $1000. In addition to this $1000, you can receive either A) an additional $500 or B) someone tosses a coin and if it lands 'heads' you receive an additional $1000, but if it lands 'tails' you receive no more money. Of these options, most people tend to choose option A. They prefer guaranteed earnings, rather than running the risk of receiving nothing. Now imagine a second situation in which you are given $2000. Now, you can choose to either A) lose $500, leaving you with a total of $1500, or B) toss a coin; if it lands 'heads' you lose nothing, but if it lands 'tails' you lose $1000, leaving you with only $1000. Interestingly, when we stand to lose money, we tend to choose the more risky choice, option B. And as we know from the experience of financial investors and gamblers, it is unwise to take risks when we are on a losing streak. So would the monkeys make the same basic error of judgement? The team put them to the test by giving them similar options. In the first test, monkeys had the option of exchanging their disc for one grape and receiving one bonus grape, or exchanging the grape for one grape and sometimes receiving two bonus grapes and sometimes receiving no bonus. It turned out that monkeys, like humans, chose the less risky option in times of plenty. Then the experiment was reversed. Monkeys were offered three grapes, but in option A were only actually given two grapes. In option B, they had a fifty-fifty chance of receiving all three grapes or one grape only. The results were that monkeys, like humans, take more risks in times of loss. The implications of this experiment are that because monkeys make the same irrational judgements that humans do, maybe human error is not a result of the complexity of our financial institutions, but is imbedded in our evolutionary history. If this is the case, our errors of judgement will be very difficult to overcome. On a more optimistic note however, humans are fully capable of overcoming limitations once we have identified them. By recognising them, we can design technologies which will help us to make better choices in future. 1. What was the aim of the experiment outlined above? A. To investigate whether monkeys could learn to use money B. To investigate where human mistakes come from C. To find out whether it is better to take risks in times of loss D. To determine whether monkeys make more mistakes than humans 2. Where in paragraph 3 could the sentence below be best placed? The team distributed metal discs to the monkeys, and taught them that the discs could be exchanged with team-members for food. A. [A] B. [B] C. [C] D. [D] 3. Which of the following statements is the best paraphrase of the highlighted sentence in the last paragraph? A. Hopefully, humans will soon be able to solve these problems. B. Fortunately, humans can solve problems that we know about. C. Luckily, humans do not have many limitations which have been identified. D. We are happy to note that we can solve the problem which we have identified. 4. The words 'cottoned on' are closest in meaning to: A. learnt B. knew C. completed D. concluded 5. Which paragraph addresses why monkeys were chosen for the experiment? A. Paragraph 2 B. Paragraph 3 C. Paragraph 4 D. Paragraph 5 6. What can be inferred about Laurie Santos? A. She thinks that both humans and monkeys are greedy. B. Her job frequently involves working with monkeys. C. She believes that humans should never take risks. D. She prefers monkeys to humans.

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MASTER the ART of NEC

2.

Read the following passage and choose the answer A, B, C, D which you think fits best according to the text. It stands to reason that galaxies, large star systems that contain millions or even billions of stars, should collide with one another fairly often, given that the average separation between galaxies is only approximately 20 times the diameter of the average galaxy. In contrast, stars almost never collide because the average distance between stars is astronomical, perhaps 10,000,000 times their diameter. Using a telescope, it is possible to find hundreds of galaxies that appear to be colliding. However, when two galaxies appear to come into contact, there is in reality no direct contact between the stars of one galaxy and the stars of the other. Instead, the two galaxies pass through each other, and the gravitational forces in the two galaxies alter the shapes of the galaxies, often producing tails and bridges. One well-known pair of colliding galaxies, for example, is called the Mice because each of the two interacting galaxies resembles a mouse with a long tail, and the Whirlpool galaxy appears to be connected to a smaller galaxy by means of a bridge extending from one of its long spirals. It is impossible for astronomers to monitor the changing shapes of colliding galaxies because the interactions between galaxies last hundreds of millions of years, but it is possible to study galaxies in various stages of collision and draw conclusions about what happens when galaxies collide. In certain situations, when two galaxies collide, they do not always pass through each other and emerge as two separate galaxies. In one situation, if two galaxies are moving slowly enough, they may collide and then may not have enough velocity to escape each other's gravitational pull after the collision. In this case, the two galaxies will collide, and then move past each other, and then be pulled back to collide again, and continue this way until they eventually merge into a single galaxy. In another situation, if a much larger galaxy comes into contact with a smaller galaxy, the larger galaxy may absorb the smaller one in a process called galactic cannibalism. In this process, a larger galaxy first pulls away the outer stars of the smaller galaxy and then begins to pull at the denser core. While the process of galactic cannibalism is taking place and the two galaxies are merging into one, the cores of both the larger galaxy and the smaller galaxy can be clearly visible. Some giant elliptical galaxies, with what appear to be multiple nuclei, have been found in the skies, and astronomers once thought that these giant galaxies were giant galactic cannibals that had consumed many smaller galaxies recently enough that the cores of the cannibalized galaxies were still intact. One such galaxy, with what appeared to be eight separate nuclei, was found and was used to put forth the hypothesis that galaxies could be voracious monsters capable of swallowing up uncountable other galaxies simultaneously. However, further studies have shown that the numerous nuclei that seemed to be part of a single large galaxy were in reality the nuclei of smaller galaxies that were in front of or behind the larger galaxy. Thus, astronomers are now confident that galactic cannibalism exists among a limited number of interacting galaxies; however, astronomers are not convinced of the existence of cannibalistic galactic monsters that swallow up large numbers of smaller galaxies simultaneously. Signs of galactic cannibalism exist even in our own galaxy, the Milky Way. Astronomers have found younger stars south of the galaxy's disk, where only older stars should be found, suggesting that the younger stars formed when our galaxy cannibalized a smaller galaxy. Furthermore, it can be clearly seen now that our galaxy is beginning to digest the Magellanic Clouds, which are small irregular galaxies that are companions to the Milky Way and are visible in the southern skies over Earth.

1. A. B. C. D. 2. A. B. C. D. 3.

Which of the following is NOT true according to paragraph 1? Galaxies may contain billions of stars. On the average, the distance between galaxies is around 20 times the diameter of a galaxy. It is unusual for stars to collide. The average distance between stars is 70 times their diameter. The author mentions tails and bridges in paragraph 2 in order to provide a visual image of the parts of galaxies that have been affected by gravitational forces provide examples of the types of galaxies that tend to collide describe the recognizable characteristics of the colliding galaxies called the Mice create a visual roadmap of the routes that galaxies take through the skies The word last in paragraph 2 could best be replaced by A. end in B. endure for C. finish with D. lose out to

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MASTER the ART of NEC 4.

The word merge in paragraph 3 is closest in meaning to A. divide B. swallow C. join D. appear 5. What occurs during galactic cannibalism, according to paragraph 3? A. A larger galaxy is absorbed by a smaller one. B. The first step involves pulling at the core of the smaller galaxy. C. The outer stars of the smaller galaxy are absorbed by its core. D. The core of the smaller galaxy generally manages to remain visible 6. Which of the sentences below expresses the essential information in the highlighted sentence in paragraph 4? A. Astronomers have recently found some giant galaxies that have cannibalized a number of galaxies. B. Astronomers used to think that certain giant galaxies that appeared to have a number of nuclei were galactic cannibals C. When astronomers find galaxies with multiple nuclei, they know that they have found galactic cannibals. D. Even though a galaxy has multiple nuclei, it is not certain whether or not the galaxy is a galactic cannibal. 7. The phrase put forth in paragraph 4 is closest in meaning to A. encounter B. understand C. deny D. promote 8. Why does the author mention voracious monsters in paragraph 4? A. To emphasize how violently the galaxies strike each other B. To emphasize how much energy the giant galaxies consume C. To emphasize how many smaller galaxies the giant galaxies seem to consume D. To emphasize how really big the giant galaxies are 9. It is stated in paragraph 4 that scientists today are quite certain that A. galactic cannibalism does not really exist B. there is a limited amount of galactic cannibalism C. galactic cannibalism is commonplace D. galactic cannibals are capable of taking over numerous small galaxies at the same time 10. Based on the information in paragraph 5, what will be most likely to happen to the Magellanic Clouds in the distant future? A. They will become galactic cannibals. B. They will develop separate nuclei. C. They will become regular galaxies. D. They will become part of the Milky Way.

3.

Read the following passage and choose the answer A, B, C, D which you think fits best according to the text.

DESERT FORMATION The deserts, which already occupy approximately a fourth of the Earth’s land surface, have in recent decades been increasing at an alarming pace. The expansion of desertlike conditions into areas where they did not previously exist is called desertification. It has been estimated that an additional one-fourth of the Earth’s land surface is threatened by this process. Desertification is accomplished primarily through the loss of stabilizing natural vegetation and the subsequent accelerated erosion of the soil by wind and water. In some cases the loose soil is blown completely away, leaving a stony surface. In other cases, the finer particles may be removed, while the sand-sized particles are accumulated to form mobile hills or ridges of sand. Even in the areas that retain a soil cover, the reduction of vegetation typically results in the loss of the soil’s ability to absorb substantial quantities of water. The impact of raindrops on the loose soil tends to transfer fine clay particles into the tiniest soil spaces, sealing them and producing a surface that allows very little water penetration. Water absorption is greatly reduced, consequently runoff is increased, resulting in accelerated erosion rates. The gradual drying of the soil caused by its diminished ability to absorb water results in the further loss of vegetation, so that a cycle of progressive surface deterioration is established.

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MASTER the ART of NEC In some regions, the increase in desert areas is occurring largely as the result of a trend toward drier climatic conditions. Continued gradual global warming has produced an increase in aridity for some areas over the past few thousand years. The process may be accelerated in subsequent decades if global warming resulting from air pollution seriously increases. There is little doubt, however, that desertification in most areas results primarily from human activities rather than natural processes. The semiarid lands bordering the deserts exist in a delicate ecological balance and are limited in their potential to adjust to increased environmental pressures. Expanding populations are subjecting the land to increasing pressures to provide them with food and fuel. In wet periods, the land may be able to respond to these stresses. During the dry periods that are common phenomena along the desert margins, though, the pressure on the land is often far in excess of its diminished capacity, and desertification results. Four specific activities have been identified as major contributors to the desertification processes: overcultivation, overgrazing, firewood gathering, and overirrigation. The cultivation of crops has expanded into progressively drier regions as population densities have grown. These regions are especially likely to have periods of severe dryness, so that crop failures are common. Since the raising of most crops necessitates the prior removal of the natural vegetation, crop failures leave extensive tracts of land devoid of a plant cover and susceptible to wind and water erosion. The raising of livestock is a major economic activity in semiarid lands, where grasses are generally the dominant type of natural vegetation. The consequences of an excessive number of livestock grazing in an area are the reduction of the vegetation cover and the trampling and pulverization of the soil. This is usually followed by the drying of the soil and accelerated erosion. Firewood is the chief fuel used for cooking and heating in many countries. The increased pressures of expanding populations have led to the removal of woody plants so that many cities and towns are surrounded by large areas completely lacking in trees and shrubs. The increasing use of dried animal waste as a substitute fuel has also hurt the soil because this valuable soil conditioner and source of plant nutrients is no longer being returned to the land. The final major human cause of desertification is soil salinization resulting from overirrigation. Excess water from irrigation sinks down into the water table. If no drainage system exists, the water table rises, bringing dissolved salts to the surface. The water evaporates and the salts are left behind, creating a white crustal layer that prevents air and water from reaching the underlying soil. The extreme seriousness of desertification results from the vast areas of land and the tremendous numbers of people affected, as well as from the great difficulty of reversing or even slowing the process. Once the soil has been removed by erosion, only the passage of centuries or millennia will enable new soil to form. In areas where considerable soil still remains, though, a rigorously enforced program of land protection and covercrop planting may make it possible to reverse the present deterioration of the surface. The deserts, which already occupy approximately a fourth of the Earth’s land surface, have in recent decades been increasing at an alarming pace. The expansion of desertlike conditions into areas where they did not previously exist is called desertification. It has been estimated that an additional one-fourth of the Earth’s land surface is threatened by this process. 1. 2.

3. 4.

The word threatened in the passage is closest in meaning to A. restricted B. endangered C. prevented D. rejected According to paragraph 3, the loss of natural vegetation has which of the following consequences for soil? A. Increased stony content B. Reduced water absorption C. Increased numbers of spaces in the soil D. Reduced water runoff The word delicate in the passage is closest in meaning to A. fragile B. predictable C. complex D. valuable According to paragraph 5, in dry periods, border areas have difficulty A. adjusting to stresses created by settlement B. retaining their fertility after desertification C. providing water for irrigating crops

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MASTER the ART of NEC D. attracting populations in search of food and fuel 5. The word progressively in the passage is closest in meaning to A. openly B. impressively C. objectively D. increasingly 6. According to paragraph 6, which of the following is often associated with raising crops? A. Lack of proper irrigation techniques B. Failure to plant crops suited to the particular area C. Removal of the original vegetation D. Excessive use of dried animal waste 7. The phrase devoid of in the passage is closest in meaning to A. consisting of B. hidden by C. except for D. lacking in 8. According to paragraph 9, the ground’s absorption of excess water is a factor in desertification because it can A. interfere with the irrigation of land B. limit the evaporation of water C. require more absorption of air by the soil D. bring salts to the surface 9. All of the following are mentioned in the passage as contributing to desertification EXCEPT A. soil erosion B. global warming C. insufficient irrigation D. the raising of livestock 10. Which of the sentences below best expresses the essential information in the highlighted sentence in the passage? Incorrect choices change the meaning in important ways or leave out essential information. A. Desertification is a significant problem because it is so hard to reverse and affects large areas of land and great numbers of people. B. Slowing down the process of desertification is difficult because of population growth that has spread over large areas of land. C. The spread of deserts is considered a very serious problem that can be solved only if large numbers of people in various countries are involved in the effort. D. Desertification is extremely hard to reverse unless the population is reduced in the vast areas affected. 11. It can be inferred from the passage that the author most likely believes which of the following about the future of desertification? A. Governments will act quickly to control further desertification. B. The factors influencing desertification occur in cycles and will change in the future. C. Desertification will continue to increase. D. Desertification will soon occur in all areas of the world. 12. Complete the summary by selecting the THREE answer choices that express the most important ideas in the passage. Some answer choices do not belong in the summary because they express ideas that are not presented in the passage or are minor ideas in the passage. Many factors have contributed to the great increase in desertification in recent decades. ● ● ● Answer Choices A. Growing human populations and the agricultural demands that come with such growth have upset the ecological balance in some areas and led to the spread of deserts. B. As periods of severe dryness have become more common, failures of a number of different crops have increased. C. Excessive numbers of cattle and the need for firewood for fuel have reduced grasses and trees leaving the land unprotected and vulnerable. D. Extensive irrigation with poor drainage brings salt to the surface of the soil, a process that reduces water and air absorption. E. Animal dung enriches the soil by providing nutrients for plant growth.

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MASTER the ART of NEC F. Grasses are generally the dominant type of natural vegetation in semiarid lands.

4.

Read the following passage and choose the answer A, B, C, D which you think fits best according to the text.

AGGRESSION When one animal attacks another, it engages in the most obvious example of aggressive behavior. Psychologists have adopted several approaches to understanding aggressive behavior in people.

The Biological Approach . Numerous biological structures and chemicals appear to be involved in aggression. One is the hypothalamus, a region of the brain. In response to certain stimuli, many animals show instinctive aggressive reactions. The hypothalamus appears to be involved in this inborn reaction pattern: electrical stimulation of part of the hypothalamus triggers stereotypical aggressive behaviors in many animals. In people, however, whose brains are more complex, other brain structures apparently moderate possible instincts. An offshoot of the biological approach called sociobiology suggests that aggression is natural and even desirable for people. Sociobiology views much social behavior, including aggressive behavior, as genetically determined. Consider Darwin’s theory of evolution. Darwin held that many more individuals are produced than can find food and survive into adulthood. A struggle for survival follows. Those individuals who possess characteristics that provide them with an advantage in the struggle for existence are more likely to survive and contribute their genes to the next generation. In many species, such characteristics include aggressiveness. Because aggressive individuals are more likely to survive and reproduce, whatever genes are linked to aggressive behavior are more likely to be transmitted to subsequent generations. The sociobiological view has been attacked on numerous grounds. One is that people’s capacity to outwit other species, not their aggressiveness, appears to be the dominant factor in human survival. Another is that there is too much variation among people to believe that they are dominated by, or at the mercy of, aggressive impulses.

The Psychodynamic Approach. Theorists adopting the psychodynamic approach hold that inner conflicts are

crucial for understanding human behavior, including aggression. Sigmund Freud, for example, believed that aggressive impulses are inevitable reactions to the frustrations of daily life. Children normally desire to vent aggressive impulses on other people, including their parents, because even the most attentive parents cannot gratify all of their demands immediately. (1) Yet children, also fearing their parents’ punishment and the loss of parental love, come to repress most aggressive impulses.(2) The Freudian perspective, in a sense, sees us as “steam engines.”(3) By holding in rather than venting “steam,” we set the stage for future explosions.(4) Pent-up aggressive impulses demand outlets. They may be expressed toward parents in indirect ways such as destroying furniture, or they may be expressed toward strangers later in life. According to psychodynamic theory, the best ways to prevent harmful aggression may be to encourage less harmful aggression. In the steam-engine analogy, verbal aggression may vent some of the aggressive steam. So might cheering on one’s favorite sports team. Psychoanalysts, therapists adopting a psychodynamic approach, refer to the venting of aggressive impulses as “catharsis.” Catharsis is theorized to be a safety valve. But research findings on the usefulness of catharsis are mixed. Some studies suggest that catharsis leads to reductions in tension and a lowered likelihood of future aggression. Other studies, however, suggest that letting some steam escape actually encourages more aggression later on. * Catharsis: In psychodynamic theory, the purging of strong emotions or the relieving of tensions.

The Cognitive Approach. Cognitive psychologists assert that our behavior is influenced by our values, by the ways

in which we interpret our situations, and by choice. For example, people who believe that aggression is necessary and justified—as during wartime—are likely to act aggressively, whereas people who believe that a particular war or act of aggression is unjust, or who think that aggression is never justified, are less likely to behave aggressively. One cognitive theory suggests that aggravating and painful events trigger unpleasant feelings. These feelings, in turn, can lead to aggressive action, but not automatically. Cognitive factors intervene. People decide whether they will act aggressively or not on the basis of factors such as their experiences with aggression and their interpretation

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MASTER the ART of NEC of other people’s motives. Supporting evidence comes from research showing that aggressive people often distort other people’s motives. For example, they assume that other people mean them harm when they do not. 1.

According to paragraph 2, what evidence indicates that aggression in animals is related to the hypothalamus? A. Some aggressive animal species have a highly developed hypothalamus. B. Electrical stimulation of the hypothalamus delays animals’ inborn reaction patterns. C. Animals behaving aggressively show increased activity in the hypothalamus. D. Animals who lack a hypothalamus display few aggressive tendencies. 2. According to Darwin’s theory of evolution, members of a species are forced to struggle for survival because A. not all individuals are skilled in finding food B. individuals try to defend their young against attackers C. many more individuals are born than can survive until the age of reproduction D. individuals with certain genes are more likely to reach adulthood 3. The word inevitable in the passage is closest in meaning to A. unavoidable B. regrettable C. controllable D. unsuitable 4. The word gratify in the passage is closest in meaning to A. identify B. modify C. satisfy D. simplify 5. The word they in the passage refers to A. future explosions B. pent-up aggressive impulses C. outlets D. indirect ways 6. According to paragraph 5, Freud believed that children experience conflict between a desire to vent aggression on their parents and A. a frustration that their parents do not give them everything they want B. a fear that their parents will punish them and stop loving them C. a desire to take care of their parents D. a desire to vent aggression on other family members 7. Freud describes people as steam engines in order to make the point that people A. deliberately build up their aggression to make themselves stronger B. usually release aggression in explosive ways C. must vent their aggression to prevent it from building up D. typically lose their aggression if they do not express it 8. Which of the sentences below best expresses the essential information in the highlighted sentence in the passage? Incorrect answer choices change the meaning in important ways or leave out essential information. A. People who believe that they are fighting a just war act aggressively while those who believe that they are fighting an unjust war do not. B. People who believe that aggression is necessary and justified are more likely to act aggressively than those who believe differently. C. People who normally do not believe that aggression is necessary and justified may act aggressively during wartime. D. People who believe that aggression is necessary and justified do not necessarily act aggressively during wartime. 9. According to the cognitive approach described in paragraphs 7 and 8, all of the following may influence the decision whether to act aggressively EXCEPT a person’s A. moral values B. previous experiences with aggression C. instinct to avoid aggression D. beliefs about other people’s intentions 10. The word distort in the passage is closest in meaning to A. mistrust B. misinterpret C. criticize D. resent 11. Where in paragraph 5 does the following sentence best fit? According to Freud, however, impulses that have been repressed continue to exist and demand expression. A. (1) B. (2) C. (3) D. (4)

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MASTER the ART of NEC 12. Complete the table below by matching five of the six answer choices with the approach to aggression that they exemplify: Approach to Understanding Aggression Biological Approach

●

Psychodynamic Approach

● ●

Cognitive Approach

●

Associated Claims

________________________________ ________________________________ ________________________________ ________________________________

A. Aggressive impulses toward people are sometimes expressed in indirect ways. B. Aggressiveness is often useful for individuals in the struggle for survival. C. Aggressive behavior may involve a misunderstanding of other people’s intentions. D. The need to express aggressive impulses declines with age. E. Acting aggressively is the result of a choice influenced by a person’s values and beliefs. F. Repressing aggressive impulses can result in aggressive behavior.

5.

Read the following passage and choose the answer A, B, C, D which you think fits best according to the text.

METEORITE IMPACT AND DINOSAUR EXTINCTION There is increasing evidence that the impacts of meteorites have had important effects on Earth, particularly in the field of biological evolution. Such impacts continue to pose a natural hazard to life on Earth. Twice in the twentieth century, large meteorite objects are known to have collided with Earth. If an impact is large enough, it can disturb the environment of the entire Earth and cause an ecological catastrophe. The best-documented such impact took place 65 million years ago at the end of the Cretaceous period of geological history. This break in Earth’s history is marked by a mass extinction, when as many as half the species on the planet became extinct. While there are a dozen or more mass extinctions in the geological record, the Cretaceous mass extinction has always intrigued paleontologists because it marks the end of the age of the dinosaurs. For tens of millions of years, those great creatures had flourished. Then, suddenly, they disappeared. The body that impacted Earth at the end of the Cretaceous period was a meteorite with a mass of more than a trillion tons and a diameter of at least 10 kilometers. Scientists first identified this impact in 1980 from the worldwide layer of sediment deposited from the dust cloud that enveloped the planet after the impact. This sediment layer is enriched in the rare metal iridium and other elements that are relatively abundant in a meteorite but very rare in the crust of Earth. Even diluted by the terrestrial material excavated from the crater, this component of meteorites is easily identified. By 1990 geologists had located the impact site itself in the Yucatán region of Mexico. The crater, now deeply buried in sediment, was originally about 200 kilometers in diameter. This impact released an enormous amount of energy, excavating a crater about twice as large as the lunar crater Tycho. The explosion lifted about 100 trillion tons of dust into the atmosphere, as can be determined by measuring the thickness of the sediment layer formed when this dust settled to the surface. Such a quantity of material would have blocked the sunlight completely from reaching the surface, plunging Earth into a period of cold and darkness that lasted at least several months. The explosion is also calculated to have produced vast quantities of nitric acid and melted rock that sprayed out over much of Earth, starting widespread fires that must have consumed most terrestrial forests and grassland. Presumably, those environmental disasters could have been responsible for the mass extinction, including the death of the dinosaurs. Several other mass extinctions in the geological record have been tentatively identified with large impacts, but none is so dramatic as the Cretaceous event. But even without such specific documentation, it is clear that impacts of this size do occur and that their results can be catastrophic. What is a catastrophe for one group of living things, however, may create opportunities for another group. Following each mass extinction, there is a sudden evolutionary burst as new species develop to fill the ecological niches opened by the event. Impacts by meteorites represent one mechanism that could cause global catastrophes and seriously influence the evolution of life all over the planet. (1) According to some estimates, the majority of all extinctions of species may be due to such impacts. (2) Such a perspective fundamentally changes our view of biological evolution. (3)The

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MASTER the ART of NEC standard criterion for the survival of a species is its success in competing with other species and adapting to slowly changing environments. (4) Yet an equally important criterion is the ability of a species to survive random global ecological catastrophes due to impacts. Earth is a target in a cosmic shooting gallery, subject to random violent events that were unsuspected a few decades ago. In 1991 the United States Congress asked NASA to investigate the hazard posed today by large impacts on Earth. The group conducting the study concluded from a detailed analysis that impacts from meteorites can indeed be hazardous. Although there is always some risk that a large impact could occur, careful study shows that this risk is quite small. 1. The word “pose” in paragraph 1 is closest in meaning to A. claim B. model C. assume D. present 2. In paragraph 2, why does the author include the information that dinosaurs had flourished for tens of millions of years and then suddenly disappeared? A. To support the claim that the mass extinction at the end of the Cretaceous is the best-documented of the dozen or so mass extinctions in the geological record B. To explain why as many as half of the species on Earth at the time are believed to have become extinct at the end of the Cretaceous C. To explain why paleontologists have always been intrigued by the mass extinction at the end of the Cretaceous D. To provide evidence that an impact can be large enough to disturb the environment of the entire planet and cause an ecological disaster 3. Which of the following can be inferred from paragraph 3 about the location of the meteorite impact in Mexico? A. The location of the impact site in Mexico was kept secret by geologists from 1980 to 1990. B. It was a well-known fact that the impact had occurred in the Yucatán region. C. Geologists knew that there had been an impact before they knew where it had occurred. D. The Yucatán region was chosen by geologists as the most probable impact site because of its climate. 4. According to paragraph 3, how did scientists determine that a large meteorite had impacted Earth? A. They discovered a large crater in the Yucatán region of Mexico. B. They found a unique layer of sediment worldwide. C. They were alerted by archaeologists who had been excavating in the Yucatán region. D. They located a meteorite with a mass of over a trillion tons. 5. The word “excavating” in paragraph 4 is closest in meaning to A. digging out B. extending C. destroying D. covering up 6. The word “consumed” in paragraph 4 is closest in meaning to A. changed B. exposed C. destroyed D. covered 7. According to paragraph 4, all of the following statements are true of the impact at the end of the Cretaceous period EXCEPT: A. A large amount of dust blocked sunlight from Earth. B. Earth became cold and dark for several months. C. New elements were formed in Earth’s crust. D. Large quantities of nitric acid were produced. 8. The phrase “tentatively identified” in paragraph 5 is closest in meaning to A. identified after careful study B. identified without certainty C. occasionally identified D. easily identified 9. The word “perspective” paragraph 6 is closest in meaning to A. sense of values B. point of view C. calculation D. complication 10. Paragraph 6 supports which of the following statements about the factors that are essential for the survival of a species? A. The most important factor for the survival of a species is its ability to compete and adapt to gradual changes in its environment.

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MASTER the ART of NEC B. The ability of a species to compete and adapt to a gradually changing environment is not the only ability that is essential for survival. C. Since most extinctions of species are due to major meteorite impacts, the ability to survive such impacts is the most important factor for the survival of a species. D. The factors that are most important for the survival of a species vary significantly from one species to another. 11. Which of the sentences below best expresses the essential information in the highlighted sentence in the last paragraph? Incorrect choices change the meaning in important ways or leave out essential information. A. Until recently, nobody realized that Earth is exposed to unpredictable violent impacts from space. B. In the last few decades, the risk of a random violent impact from space has increased. C. Since most violent events on Earth occur randomly, nobody can predict when or where they will happen. D. A few decades ago, Earth became the target of random violent events originating in outer space. 12. According to the passage, who conducted investigations about the current dangers posed by large meteorite impacts on Earth? A. Paleontologists B. Geologists C. The United States Congress D. NASA 13. Where in paragraph 6 does the following sentence best fit? This is the criterion emphasized by Darwin’s theory of evolution by natural selection. A. (1) B. (2) C. (3) D. (4) 14. Complete the summary by selecting the THREE answer choices that express the most important ideas in the passage. Some sentences do not belong in the summary because they express ideas that are not presented in the passage or are minor ideas in the passage. Scientists have linked the mass extinction at the end of the Cretaceous with a meteorite impact on Earth. ● ● ● Answer choices A. Scientists had believed for centuries that meteorite activity influenced evolution on Earth. B. The site of the large meteorite impact at the end of the Cretaceous period was identified in 1990. C. There have also been large meteorite impacts on the surface of the Moon, leaving craters like Tycho. D. An iridium-enriched sediment layer and a large impact crater in the Yucatán provide evidence that a large meteorite struck Earth about 65 million years ago. E. Large meteorite impacts, such as one at the end of the Cretaceous period, can seriously affect climate, ecological niches, plants, and animals. F. Meteorite impacts can be advantageous for some species, which thrive, and disastrous for other species, which become extinct.

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MASTER the ART of NEC

READING CONSOLIDATION Part 1: (Adapted from CAE Advanced Trainer) For questions 1-10, fill in the blanks with ONE WORD only. You are supposed to write your answer in the corresponding numbered space. A damp island on the fringes of the North Atlantic, Ireland has always been shaped by the (1) __________. How our wild inhabitants got here is the subject of lively debate. Why, for example, do we have species, such as spotted slugs, that are (2) __________ from Britain but found in northern Spain and Portugal? The fact that the island’s wildlife is not (3) __________ a subset of that of the British Isles is intriguing, and, when added to our cultural landscape and weather-(4) __________ coasts, makes it a uniquely attractive destination. Memorable experiences are at your (5) __________. For instance, commuters on Dublin’s urban rail system are regularly (6) __________ to views of seals, porpoises and bottlenose dolphins. While Ireland is small, there are endless (7) ___________ and crannies waiting to be explored, and many surprises lie in (8) __________. Here, for example, is my pick of the top wildlife hotspots. Vast expanses of uninhabited bog and the cone-shaped, glittering quartz peak of Mount Errigal define the Donegal uplands. Remote and forbidding, this is a landscape of resilience in the (9) ___________ of isolation. At its heart is Glenveagh National Park, where nearly 10 years ago the skies resounded once again to the cries of golden eagles. The species was (10) __________ here from Scotland after not having been seen for more than a century. 1.

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Part 2: (Adapted from the Guardian) For questions 11 – 17, read the passage and choose the best answer for each blank. You are supposed to write your answer in the corresponding numbered space. Water shortages are likely to be the key environmental challenge of this century, scientists from NASA have warned, as new data has revealed a drying-out of (11) ___________ of the globe between the tropics and the high latitudes, with 19 hotspots where water depletion has been dramatic. The Caspian Sea was a salient example that shows a strong decline in water resources, which tends to (12) ___________, resulting in a shrinking shoreline. Previously, this change had been attributed to natural (13) ___________, but the new report demonstrates it was caused in large part by the diversion and extraction of water from rivers that feed it, for agriculture and industry. In northern India, groundwater extraction for irrigation of crops such as wheat and rice have caused a rapid decrease in available water, despite rainfall being normal throughout the period studied. The fact that extractions already exceed recharge during normal precipitation does not (14) ___________ well for the availability of groundwater during future droughts. Jonathan Farr, senior policy analyst at the charity WaterAid, said governments must take note of the findings and increase their role in preserving water resources and supplying people with freshwater in a sustainable manner. “We have been trying to unearth a solution to the water (15) __________ since civilisation began. We know how to do it. We just need to manage it, and that has to be done at a local level”, he said. Providing access to clean water provides (16) __________ benefits to health, education, equity and the economy, so investment in water assets yields both economic and social (17) __________. 11. A. swaths B. tracts C. stretches D. belts 12. A. exhilarate B. exacerbate C. desecrate D. amalgamate 13. A. mutability B. oscillation C. vicissitudes D. variability 14. A. strike B. bode C. take D. stick 15. A. hunch B. toss-up C. conundrum D. roll-out 16. A. knock-on B. knock-by C. knock-in D. knock-out 17. A. dividends B. credits C. equity D. asset 11.

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14.

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16.

17.

MASTER the ART of NEC Part 3: (Adapted from http://theconversation.com/the-sexist-truth-about-chinas-booming-aviation-industry-48843) Seven paragraphs have been removed from the passage. For questions 18-24, choose from the paragraphs A-H the one which best fits each gap. There is one extra paragraph you do not need to use. You are supposed to write your answer in the corresponding numbered space. Amid fears of an economic slowdown in China, there is one sector that is not feeling the pinch. The Chinese aviation industry has continued to grow at a robust rate following the global financial crisis of 2008 and the first quarter of 2015 saw traffic from China’s airlines surpass 100m passengers for the first time. But success has come at a high cost for the women that fuel this industry. (18) ______________ China’s aviation industry operates within the fastest growing aviation and passenger transportation market in the world. Late leader Deng Xiaoping initiated this growth alongside the momentous wider economic reforms of the 1980s. Airlines were made independent of military control and commercialized, transforming state-owned airlines into profit-driven businesses. By 2002 they had been consolidated into three big airline groups in an industry increasingly characterized by market deregulation, passenger growth and prosperity. There are now 40 airlines in China. (19) ______________ In response to this rapidly growing demand, the industry has had a pressing need to purchase more aircraft and recruit more staff. The latest figures show that the industry has more than 400,000 employees. It is a major employer of women who, for example, at the end of 2013 made up 41% of national flag carrier Air China’s 63,241 employees. (20) _______________ Compared with operators in the West, Chinese airlines appear to be more dependent upon young and attractive female cabin staff to deliver their version of “quality” to customers. This deployment of employees’ physical characteristics occurs through corporate control of the selection and training processes. (21) _______________ Although men were not excluded from applying, they did not appear in the televised selection process. The physical appearance of cabin crew have been mobilized to strengthen the appeal of airline brands across the industry. (22) _______________ In 2013 female members accounted for only 13.4% of the total number of senior executives in Air China. The industry’s high status and high-skilled jobs are male dominated; female pilots account for just 1.1% of the total in China. (23) _______________ And the stress of this work environment is leading to burnout and a huge amount of work-family conflict. While in the West, it is common for working women to find managing family life a source of stress, in China, women report finding their families very supportive and their workplace incredibly taxing. (24) _______________ Female frontline employees generally have a precarious occupational status in the Chinese airline industry and there is an excess of labor available to replace them. But because of their perceived glamour and relatively favorable salaries, jobs in the industry continue to have wide appeal. Supply outstrips demand and so the women are relatively disposable. Their power to change the industry from within, therefore, appears to be limited. This might well lead to short-term competitive advantage being yielded to the cost of organizational performance in the longer term. A revolution in workplace attitudes needs to take place for China’s aviation industry to go from strength to strength.

A.

Rapid expansion in the Chinese airline industry has not only intensified the demand for flight attendants, but also led to a significant intensification of workloads. This has created a highly pressurized work environment where women find few, or no, opportunities to take contractual leave or pursue career development. Women are dominant in the low-skilled service roles. Not only do men dominate the higher status and higher paid jobs (from pilots to executives), they also have the more senior positions as stewards. B. The inflexibility of how they are managed, shift work, lack of leave and sexist organizational culture means many women are unhappy in their roles and do not last long in their roles. And, despite witnessing the work-family conflicts that their female employees experience, airline managers tend to neither appreciate its impact nor recognize their organization’s responsibility for addressing it.

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MASTER the ART of NEC C.

Although success like this may be envied by other providers, people, as naïve they are, do not live in a nonexistent utopian society. The prosperity of the aviation industry itself has come at the expense of people, and in this case, females. They are not treated on a par with their male counterparts: more work, but less money. As a result, the industry has put itself in jeopardy for paying lip service the so-called “gender equality”, which is, more often than not, guaranteed in any printed papers in China.

D.

A startling illustration of this has been the hosting of nationwide pageant-type fairs to select flight attendants. I’ve seen newspaper advertisements requiring applicants to be aged between 18 and 25, slim, attractive, have good skin, a height between 1.65m and 1.75m, a pleasant personality and a good smile. E. In their effort to gain competitive advantage over one another and internationally, Chinese airlines have adopted some of the most retrograde and sexist employment practices, which many of their Western counterparts have been associated with historically. Interviews I’ve conducted with women in the industry show how female employees are treated like commodities and exploited. And much of this seems to be based on the underlying assumption that affluent consumers in China’s new market economy are mostly male.

F.

Embracing commercialization and internationalization, the Chinese airline industry is subject to fierce competition. An unstable global economy, high fuel prices and established global competitors means that making a profit is highly challenging. An important way that the airlines have sought to differentiate themselves – and increase profit margins – is through their cabin crews. G. In the aftermath of the global financial crisis of 2008, the Chinese airline industry rebounded with strong growth in passenger volume. Between 2009 and 2014, revenue was growing at an annual rate of 14.1% to a total of US$106.7 billion. As well as domestic traffic growing by 11% in the first quarter of 2015, the growth in international travel is picking up steam, increasing by 57% in Q1 2015. H. Women therefore experience significant job insecurity. They are subject to temporary, short-term and agency contracts, which are becoming increasingly common in the industry’s competitive environment. Plus, the aesthetic and emotional requirements of their job roles – including age and appearance – makes them all the more insecure. For questions 25-30, choose the best answer for each question. Write your answer in the corresponding numbered box. 25. What does the phrase “feeling the pinch” in the first paragraph mean? A. plunging into turmoil B. being in dire economic straits C. becoming disintegrated D. detaching from government control 26. The word “precarious” in the penultimate (second to the last) paragraph most likely means ____________. A. inferior B. erratic C. long-awaited D. unacknowledged 27. If the “China’s aviation industry is to go from strength to strength”, it _______________. A. leads the economy B. takes steps to increase turnover C. meets the growing demands D. gradually becomes successful the market 28. What influence does the working environment in the China’s aviation industry exert on females? A. Break-ups are ineluctable for families. B. Exhaustion has become an integral part of life. C. Be it at home or at work, it is now too demanding for them. D. They fail to recognize their top priority. 29. Which of the following statements is true according to the penultimate paragraph? A. People have a tendency to evaluate the aviation industry on surface values. B. People are disillusioned with perks of the aviation industry. C. People are inclined to regard the aviation industry as inundated with negativity. D. People are too powerless to have a say in restructuring the aviation industry. 30. The word “retrograde” in Paragraph E most likely means ________________. A. racist B. barbaric C. degenerate D. stiff 25.

26.

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27.

28.

29.

30.

MASTER the ART of NEC Part 4: (Adapted from IELTS SIMULATION TESTS) Read the passage below. For questions 31-42, choose from the list one suitable heading for each paragraph (A-G).

THREE DIMENSIONAL FILMS

A. In the theatre of the Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles, on the evening of 27 September 1922, a new form of film-making made its commercial debut: 3-D1. The film, The Power of Love, was then shown in New York City to exhibitors and press, but was subsequently not picked up for distribution and is now believed to be lost. The following three decades were a period of quiet experimentation for 3-D pioneers, as they adapted to new technologies and steadily improved the viewing experience. In 1952 the "golden era" of 3-D is considered to have begun with the release of Bwana Devil, and over the next several years audiences met with a string of films that used the technology. Over the following decades it waxed and waned within filmmaking circles, peaking in the 1970s and again in the 1990s when IMAX gained traction, but it is only in the last few years that 3-D appears to have firmly entered mainstream production. B. Released worldwide in December 2009, the fantasy film Avatar quickly became the highest-grossing film ever made, knocking Titanic from the top slot. Avatar, set in 2154 on a planet in a distant solar system, went on to become the only film to have earned US$2 billion world-wide, and is now approaching the $3 billion mark. The main reason for its runaway popularity appears to be its visual splendor; though most critics praised the film, it was mostly on account of its groundbreaking special effects. Kenneth Turan of the Los Angeles Times praised Avatar's "powerful" visual accomplishments, but suggested the dialogue was "flat" and the characterizations "obvious". A film analyst at Exhibitor Relations has agreed, noting that Avatar has cemented the use of 3-D as a production and promotional tool for blockbuster films, rather than as a mere niche or novelty experiment. "This is why all these 3D venues were built", he said. "This is the one. The behemoth... The holy grail of 3-D has finally arrived". C. Those who embrace 3-D note that it spices up a trip to the cinema by adding a more active "embodied" layer of experience instead of the viewer passively receiving the film through eyes and ears only. A blogger on Animation Ideas writes, "...when 3-D is done well-like in the flying scenes in Up, How to Train Your Dragon and Avatar, there is an added feeling of vertigo. If you have any fear of heights, the 3-D really adds to this element..." Kevin Carr argues that the backlash against 3-D is similar to that which occurred against CGI2 several years ago, and points out that CGI is now widely regarded as part of the film-maker's artistic toolkit. He also notes that new technology is frequently seen to be a "gimmick" in its early days, pointing out that many commentators slapped the first "talkie" films of the early 1920s with this same label. D. But not everyone greets the rise of 3-D with open arms. Some ophthalmologists point out that 3-D can have unsettling physical effects for many viewers. Dr. Michael Rosenberg, a professor at Northwestern University, has pointed out that many people go through life with minor eye disturbances—a slight muscular imbalance, for example—that does not interrupt day-to-day activities. In the experience of a 3-D movie, however, this problem can be exacerbated through the viewer trying to concentrate on unusual visual phenomena. Dr. Deborah Friedman, from the University of Rochester Medical Center, notes that the perception of depth conjured through three dimensions does not complement the angles from which we take in the world. Eyestrains, headaches and nausea are therefore a problem for around 15% of a 3-D film audience. E. Film critic Roger Ebert warns that 3-D is detrimental to good film-making. Firstly, he argues, the technology is simply unnecessary; 2-D movies are "already" 3-D, as far as our minds are concerned. Adding the extra dimension with technology, instead of letting our minds do the work, can actually be counter-purposeful and make the overall effect seem clumsy and contrived. Ebert also points out that the special glasses dim the effect by soaking up light from the screen, making 3-D films a slightly duller experience than they might otherwise be. Finally, Ebert suggests that 3-D encourages filmmakers to undercut drama and narrative in favor of simply piling on more gimmicks and special effects. "Hollywood is racing headlong toward the kiddie market," he says, pointing to Disney's announcement that it will no longer make traditional films in favor of animation, franchises, and superheroes. F. Whether or not 3-D becomes a powerful force for the film-maker's vision and the film-going experience, or goes down in history as an over-hyped, expensive novelty, the technology certainly shows no signs of fading in the popularity stakes at the moment. Clash of the Titans, Alice in Wonderland and How to Train Your Dragon have all recently benefited at the box office due to the added sales that 3-D provides, and with Avatar's record set to last some time as a totem of 3-D's commercial possibilities, studios are not prepared to back down.

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MASTER the ART of NEC List of headings Your answers: i) Construction of special cinemas for 3-D 31. Paragraph A: _______ ii) Good returns forecast for immediate future 32. Paragraph B: _______ iii) The greatest 3-D film of all time 33. Paragraph C: _______ iv) End of traditional movies for children 34. Paragraph D: _______ v) Early developments 35. Paragraph E: _______ vi) New technology diminishes the art 36. Paragraph F: _______ vii) The golden age of movies viii) In defence of 3-D ix) 3-D is here to stay x) Undesirable visual effects For questions 87-92, complete the summary with NO MORE THAN FOUR WORDS from the passage. Although an additional sense of (37) __________________ may appear if 3-D is well-prepared, experts warn that those who watch 3-D are likely to suffer from (38) ______________________. For example, a trivial eye problem may well be (39) ___________________ if attempting to focus on the “extraordinary” visual display. This can be explained by a change in (40) ________________________ brought about by 3-D dimensions. Moreover, the film itself, if added an extra dimension, may look (41) ________________________. Film-makers are likely to be over-reliant on (42) _________________________ in lieu of twists and turns in the plot line. 31. 37.

32. 38.

33. 39.

34. 40.

35. 41.

36. 42.

Part 5: (Adapt from CPE Sample Test) Read an article about whether the internet is changing our lives and the way we think. For questions 43-55, choose the sections from A to D in which the given statements are mentioned. Write your answers beside the questions. A. SARAH The internet can be the same: it often tells us what we think we know, spreading misinformation and nonsense while it's at it. It can substitute surface for depth, imitation for originality, and its passion for recycling would surpass the most committed environmentalist. In 10 years, I've seen students' thinking habits change dramatically: if information is not immediately available via a Google search, students are often stymied. But of course what a Google search provides is not the best, wisest or most accurate answer, but the most popular one.But knowledge is not the same thing as information, and there is no question to my mind that the access to raw information provided by the internet is unparalleled and democratising. Admittance to elite private university libraries and archives is no longer required, as they increasingly digitise their archives. We've all read the jeremiads that the internet sounds the death knell of reading, but people read online constantly – we just call it surfing now. What they are reading is changing, often for the worse; but it is also true that the internet increasingly provides a treasure trove of rare books, documents and images, and as long as we have free access to it, then the internet can certainly be a force for education and wisdom B. GEOFF Sometimes I think my ability to concentrate is being nibbled away by the internet; other times I think it's being gulped down in huge, Jaws-shaped chunks. In those quaint days before the internet, once you made it to your desk there wasn't much to distract you. You could sit there working or you could just sit there. Now you sit down and there's a universe of possibilities – many of them obscurely relevant to the work you should be getting on with – to tempt you. To think that I can be sitting here, trying to write something about Ingmar Bergman and, a moment later, on the merest whim, can be watching a clip from a Swedish documentary about Don Cherry – that is a miracle (albeit one with a very potent side-effect, namely that it's unlikely I'll ever have the patience to sit through an entire Bergman film again). Then there’s another thing. From the age of 16, I got into the habit of memorising passages of poetry and compiling detailed indexes in the backs of books of prose. So if there was a passage I couldn't remember, I would spend hours going through my books, seeking it out. Now I just google keywords. C. COLIN It's curious that some of the most vociferous critics of the internet – those who predict that it will produce generations of couch potatoes, with minds of mush – are the very sorts of people who are benefiting most from this

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MASTER the ART of NEC wonderful, liberating, organic extension of the human mind. They are academics, scientists, scholars and writers, who fear that the extraordinary technology that they use every day is a danger to the unsophisticated. They underestimate the capacity of the human mind – or rather the brain that makes the mind – to capture and capitalise on new ways of storing and transmitting information. When I was at school I learned by heart great swathes of poetry and chunks of the Bible, not to mention page after page of science textbooks. And I spent years at a desk learning how to do long division in pounds, shillings and pence. What a waste of my neurons, all clogged up with knowledge and rules that I can now obtain with the click of a mouse. At its best, the internet is no threat to our minds. It is another liberating extension of them, as significant as books, the abacus or the pocket calculator D. IAN The evidence that the internet has a deleterious effect on the brain is zero. In fact, by looking at the way human beings learn in general, you would probably argue the opposite. The opportunity to have multiple sources of information or opinion at your fingertips, and to dip into these rather than trawl laboriously through a whole book, is highly conducive to the acquisition of knowledge. It is being argued that the information coming into the brain from the internet is the wrong kind of information. It's too short, it doesn't have enough depth, so there is a qualitative loss. It's an interesting point, but the only way you could argue it is to say that people are misusing the internet. It's a bit like saying to someone who's never seen a car before and has no idea what it is: "Why don't you take it for a drive and you'll find out?" If you seek information on the internet like that, there's a good chance you'll have a crash. But that's because your experience has yet to inculcate what a car is. Which person gives each of these opinions about the Internet? Reservations about the benefits of universal access are unfounded 43. ______ It excels in its ability to disseminate facts 44. ______ Its power to sidetrack can be both positive and negative 45. ______ It assists learning by exposing people to a wider range of ideas than was previously 46. ______ possible. 47. ______ Much of the material on it is not original. 48. ______ It enables us to follow up on ideas that suddenly occur to us. 49. ______ It is only with time and practice that we can make the best use of the Internet. 50. ______ The quality of material is questionable. 51. ______ It still requires people to process the written word. 52. ______ It has reduced the need to memorise information. 53. ______ It curtails the drudgery involved in sifting through books 54. ______ It affords a glimpse into resources that are not all the rage. 55. ______ 43. 50.

44. 51.

45. 52.

46. 53.

47. 54.

48. 55.

49.

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MASTER the ART of NEC

PART FOUR: WRITING SUMMARY WRITING I. Tips and notes Summary is the first part in the writing section of the NEC, making up 15 out of 60 points. You will be required to paraphrase and summarize an academic (science) passage of about 350 words. You should finish this part in less than 15 minutes.

DO

-

Concentrate on the full comprehension of the passage. Sometimes, the main idea remains until the very last

sentence such as the one in the NEC 2015. You can spend up to 3 to 5 minutes if you are not sure about its central content after reading once or twice. -

Highlight keywords and paraphrase them for later writing. Outline your writing if necessary.

-

Write in one paragraph only.

-

Start with a topic sentence that covers all the main contents of the passage. A conclusion is optional.

-

Calculate wisely how many words you will write to cover one paragraph and divide it into sentences as there

is limitation on word number (100-120 words). -

Choose words and phrases that suit the tone and diction of the original passage.

-

Use of wide range of grammatical structures and vocabulary.

-

Exclude details and examples.

Don’t -

Copy too many words in the original passage. However, key concepts can be maintained, for instance, the

word ‘adjunct’ in NEC 2016. Try to diversify by using your own words and various sentence structures. -

Change the order (of the ideas) of the original passage.

-

Add your own opinion and interpretation. The author’s point of view must be maintained.

II. How to practice How to sharpen your summarizing skill?

1.

2.

The best thing about the summarizing skill is that you can practice it while simultaneously practicing your reading skill, so you can “kill two birds with one stone”. While reading any kind of passage, you should pay attention to its idea organization, tone, and diction. Moreover, highlight the key words and phrases. In the long run, this will develop for you a “systematic” mindset which will enable you to easily recognize the general idea and structure of any passage at first glance. This is easier for academic passages, but for literary and non-academic passages, it will be much more difficult to discern their idea organization. Fortunately, the passages featured in real tests will invariably be academic ones with relatively straightforward structure. The sources of summary exercises are often academic reading passages of the IELTS or TOEFL test. Thus, you can refer to these sources to find suitable practice materials for yourself. If you don’t have sufficient time to write your summary out, just picture out its structure and plan it out in your head. If you can afford the time, write out the whole paragraph and proof-read it to check whether it is easy to understand and contains must-

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MASTER the ART of NEC

3.

4.

have information, whether the structure, tone, diction of the original passage are retained. If not, re-write until you have been satisfied with your composition. This website http://www.englishdaily626.com/summary.php?176 offers summary exercises with model answers. Compare your own paragraphs to the model ones so as to have a deeper insight into your ability. Identify your particular weakness: Do you leave out important information? Do you include too much information? Does your writing style (use of language) correspond to that of the original source? After you have recognized your shortcomings, bear them in mind whenever you do a summary exercise so as to avoid repeating the same mistakes.

For extra practice exercises, check out the writing task 1 of the TOEFL iBT test. In this section, you have to summarize information from both reading and listening extracts. Because you have to listen and read to take note of the information, you will be provided with the chance to sharpen your skill of selecting key facts. How to sharpen your paraphrasing skill?

1.

2. 3.

When you learn vocabulary, don’t just study the word only. Instead, pay attention to its synonyms, antonyms and other forms (verb, adjective, …) as well. This will expand your vocabulary range, which greatly facilitates the paraphrasing process. Try to apply your lexical knowledge to your writing, but don’t misuse them. You should check whether the tone of the word suits that of the passage as well. Although the sentence transformation exercise has been excluded from most tests, don’t neglect it. This type of exercise offers valuable chances to sharpen your paraphrasing skill. You can learn how to apply new vocabulary knowledge and different grammar structures to your writing. Writing essays is also an effective way to practice paraphrasing. While writing, you will have to find ways to demonstrate your ideas in words through utilizing your wealth of lexical knowledge in a flexible and natural way.

III. Paraphrasing skills Step of paraphrasing: 1. Read carefully. 2. Make sure you have the full comprehension of the original text. 3. Underline the important ideas and words that can be rephrased. 4. Find the synonyms of the words and phrases. 5. Change the structure of the sentences. 6. Proofread to check mistakes and see whether the new sentences convey the original intention of the author. Example: 1. This principle applies to humans too – someone maybe born with innate intelligence but their environment probably has the final say over whether they become creative or even a genius. (NEC 2015 Writing part 1)  The rule functions similarly in humans’ case – notwithstanding one’s inborn capacity, their exceptionality is decisively determined by their environment. 2. Although solar power is a vast and inexhaustible resource, it is also an intermittent energy source, which means that it is not available all the time.  Albeit infinite in its resource, solar energy is rather sporadic in its availability. IV. Exercises PARAPHRASE: 1. Zoos provide an excellent way for people to relax, escaping the pressures of work and the general rough and tumble of urban life. (Oxford Proficiency Masterclass)  ___________________________________________________________________________________________________ 2. The word ‘friendship’ is not used in any context to describe family relationships, but it does imply some type of reciprocity and obligation between otherwise unrelated individuals. (Proficiency Gold)  __________________________________________________________________________________________________ 3. In the past few decades, homeschooling has evolved into something that is often anywhere but at home and students are rarely alone. (Upstream Proficiency)  ___________________________________________________________________________________________________

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MASTER the ART of NEC 4.

The desire to alter or to add to the original natural state is so prevalent in the human species that we must assume it has become an inborn human trait. (Objective Proficiency)  ___________________________________________________________________________________________________ 5. It was a simultaneous evolution of linguistic competence and a capacity for complex thought that gave us an evolutionary edge over other animals. (CPE 4 Cambridge)  ___________________________________________________________________________________________________ SUMMARY:

1.

(NEC 2017 writing part 1)

Read the following extract and use your own words to summarize it. Your summary should be between 100 and 120 words long. Scientists have identified two ways in which species disappear. The first is through ordinary or “background” extinctions, where species that fail to adapt are slowly replaced by more adaptable life forms. The second is when large numbers of species go to the wall in relatively short periods of biological time. There have been five such extinctions, each provoked by cataclysmic evolutionary events caused by some geological eruption, climate shift, or space junk slamming into the earth. Scientists now believe that another mass extinction of species is currently under way – and this time human fingerprints are on the trigger. How are we doing it? Simply by demanding more and more space for ourselves. In our assault on the ecosystems around us we have used a number of tools, from spear and gun to bulldozer and chainsaw. Certain especially rich ecosystems have proved the most vulnerable. In Hawaii more than half of the native birds are now gone – some 50 species. Such carnage has taken place all across the island communities of the Pacific and Indian oceans. While many species were hunted to extinction, others simply succumbed to the “introduced predators” that humans brought with them: the cat, the dog, the pig, and the rat. Today the tempo of extinction is picking up speed. Hunting is no longer the major culprit, although rare birds and animals continue to be butchered for their skin, feathers, tusks, and internal organs, or taken as cage pets. Today the main threat comes from the destruction of the habitat that wild plants, animals, and insects need to survive. The draining and damming of wetland and river courses threatens the aquatic food chain and our own seafood industry. Overfishing and the destruction of fragile coral reefs destroy ocean biodiversity. Deforestation is taking a staggering toll, particularly in the tropics where the most global biodiversity is at stake. The shrinking rainforest cover of the Congo and Amazon river basins and such places as Borneo and Madagascar have a wealth of species per hectare existing nowhere else. As those precious hectares are drowned or turned into arid pasture and cropland, such species disappear forever.

2.

(NEC 2018 writing part 1)

Read the following extract and use your own words to summarize it. Your summary should be between 100 and 120 words long. Stress is the term used to describe the physical and emotional rigors our bodies undergo when we adapt to changes in our lives. Contrary to popular belief, stress can produce positive responses as well as the well-documented adverse symptoms. Positive stress, as it is known, can spur us on to greater heights by increasing awareness which, in turn, helps us to lead a fuller, more satisfying life. Unfortunately, though, any benefits that stress may bring very often give way to the darker effects of negative stress. Far from producing a feeling of well-being, negative stress induces a range of unpleasant mental, behavioral and physiological reactions: Basically, its victims suffer from low self-esteem due to an inability to achieve set goals. This results primarily in a fear of further failure. Outwardly, people exposed to extremely stressful situations display distinct patterns of behavior. They become increasingly impulsive, more heavily dependent on nicotine, drugs or alcohol and excessively prone to overeating. The upshot of all this is that unrelieved stress causes sweating, an increased heartbeat rate, sleeping problems and inexplicable tiredness. This list alone is enough to heighten anxiety even if you are not stressed out, but advice is not in short supply for those who are. Although what they advise is not equally applicable to every person negatively affected by stress, there are some useful standard recommendations. Any strategy for tackling stress should begin with actually recognizing there is a problem rather than denying it. When the root of the problem has been identified, it is time to react. This involves pinpointing ways of modifying or changing the factors responsible for it. Finally, action needs to be taken to reduce the intensity of the stressors. There is a host of tactics available at this stage, each of which

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MASTER the ART of NEC is designed to alleviate stress to differing degrees. These include shortening exposure to stressors, moderating physical reactions to them and building physical reserves which can provide protection against them through regular exercise.

3.

(Source: http://mini-ielts.com/)

Read the following extract and use your own words to summarize it. Your summary should be between 100 and 120 words long. Such is our dependence on fossil fuels, and such is the volume of carbon dioxide already released into the atmosphere, that many experts agree that significant global warming is now inevitable. They believe that the best we can do is keep it at a reasonable level, and at present the only serious option for doing this is cutting back on our carbon emissions. But while a few countries are making major strides in this regard, the majority are having great difficulty even stemming the rate of increase, let alone reversing it. Consequently, an increasing number of scientists are beginning to explore the alternative of geo-engineering — a term which generally refers to the intentional large-scale manipulation of the environment. According to its proponents, geo-engineering is the equivalent of a backup generator: if Plan A - reducing our dependence on fossil fuels - fails, we require a Plan B, employing grand schemes to slow down or reverse the process of global warming. Geo-engineering has been shown to work, at least on a small localized scale. For decades, MayDay parades in Moscow have taken place under clear blue skies, aircraft having deposited dry ice, silver iodide and cement powder to disperse clouds. Many of the schemes now suggested look to do the opposite, and reduce the amount of sunlight reaching the planet. The most eye-catching idea of all is suggested by Professor Roger Angel of the University of Arizona. His scheme would employ up to 16 trillion minute spacecraft, each weighing about one gram, to form a transparent, sunlight-refracting sunshade in an orbit 1.5 million km above the Earth. This could, argues Angel, reduce the amount of light reaching the Earth by two per cent. The majority of geo-engineering projects so far carried out — which include planting forests in deserts and depositing iron in the ocean to stimulate the growth of algae - have focused on achieving a general cooling of the Earth. But some look specifically at reversing the melting at the poles, particularly the Arctic. The reasoning is that if you replenish the ice sheets and frozen waters of the high latitudes, more light will be reflected back into space, so reducing the warming of the oceans and atmosphere.

4.

(Source: http://mini-ielts.com/)

Read the following extract and use your own words to summarize it. Your summary should be between 100 and 120 words long. There is a great concern in Europe and North America about declining standards of literacy in schools. In Britain, the fact that 30 percent of 16 year olds have a reading age of 14 or less has helped to prompt massive educational changes. The development of literacy has far-reaching effects on general intellectual development and thus anything which impedes the development of literacy is a serious matter for us all. So the hunt is on for the cause of the decline in literacy. The search so far has focused on socioeconomic factors, or the effectiveness of 'traditional' versus 'modern' teaching techniques. The fruitless search for the cause of the increase in illiteracy is a tragic example of the saying 'They can't see the wood for the trees'. When teachers use picture books, they are simply continuing a long-established tradition that is accepted without question. And for the past two decades, illustrations in reading primers have become increasingly detailed and obtrusive, while language has become impoverished — sometimes to the point of extinction. Amazingly, there is virtually no empirical evidence to support the use of illustrations in teaching reading. On the contrary, a great deal of empirical evidence shows that pictures interfere in a damaging way with all aspects of learning to read. Despite this, from North America to the Antipodes, the first books that many school children receive are totally without text. As they grow older, many children turn aside from books without pictures, and it is a situation made more serious as our culture becomes more visual. It is hard to wean children off picture books when pictures have played a major part throughout their formative reading experiences, and when there is competition for their attention from so many other sources of entertainment. The least intelligent are most vulnerable, but tests show that even intelligent children are being affected.

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MASTER the ART of NEC

5.

(Source: http://mini-ielts.com/)

Read the following extract and use your own words to summarize it. Your summary should be between 100 and 120 words long. To detectives, the answers lie at the end of our fingers. Fingerprinting offers an accurate and infallible means of personal identification. The ability to identify a person from a mere fingerprint is a powerful tool in the fight against crime. It is the most commonly used forensic evidence, often outperforming other methods of identification. These days, older methods of ink fingerprinting, which could take weeks, have given way to newer, faster techniques like fingerprint laser scanning, but the principles stay the same. No matter which way you collect fingerprint evidence, every single person’s print is unique. So, what makes our fingerprints different from our neighbor’s? A good place to start is to understand what fingerprints are and how they are created. A fingerprint is the arrangement of skin ridges and furrows on the tips of the fingers. This ridged skin develops fully during foetal development, as the skin cells grow in the mother’s womb. These ridges are arranged into patterns and remain the same throughout the course of a person’s life. Other visible human characteristics, like weight and height, change over time whereas fingerprints do not. The reason why every fingerprint is unique is that when a baby’s genes combine with environmental influences, such as temperature, it affects the way the ridges on the skin grow. It makes the ridges develop at different rates, buckling and bending into patterns. As a result, no two people end up having the same fingerprints. Even identical twins possess dissimilar fingerprints. It is not easy to map the journey of how the unique quality of the fingerprint came to be discovered. The moment in history it happened is not entirely dear. However, the use of fingerprinting can be traced back to some ancient civilisations, such as Babylon and China, where thumbprints were pressed onto clay tablets to confirm business transactions. Whether people at this time actually realised the full extent of how fingerprints were important for identification purposes is another matter altogether. One cannot be sure if the act was seen as a means to confirm identity or a symbolic gesture to bind a contract, where giving your fingerprint was like giving your word.

6.

(Source: http://mini-ielts.com/)

Read the following extract and use your own words to summarize it. Your summary should be between 100 and 120 words long. Biometrics is a little-known but fast-growing technology that involves the use of physical or biological characteristics to identify individuals. In use for more than a decade at some high- security government institutions in the United States and Canada, biometrics are now rapidly popping up in the everyday world. Already, more than 10,000 facilities, from prisons to day-care centres, monitor people's fingerprints or other physical parts to ensure that they are who they claim to be. Some 60 biometric companies around the world pulled in at least $22 million last year and that grand total is expected to mushroom to at least $50 million by 1999. Biometric security systems operate by storing a digitised record of some unique human feature. When an authorised user wishes to enter or use the facility, the system scans the person's corresponding characteristics and attempts to match them against those on record. Systems using fingerprints, hands, voices, irises, retinas and faces are already on the market. Others using typing patterns and even body odours are in various stages of development. Fingerprint scanners are currently the most widely deployed type of biometric application, thanks to their growing use over the last 20 years by law-enforcement agencies. Sixteen American states now use biometric fingerprint verification systems to check that people claiming welfare payments are genuine. In June, politicians in Toronto voted to do the same, with a pilot project beginning next year. To date, the most widely used commercial biometric system is the handkey, a type of hand scanner which reads the unique shape, size and irregularities of people's hands. Originally developed for nuclear powerplants, the handkey received its big break when it was used to control access to the Olympic Village in Atlanta by more than 65,000 athletes, trainers and support staff. Now there are scores of other applications.

7.

(Source: https://www.aaas.org/)

Read the following extract and use your own words to summarize it. Your summary should be between 120 and 140 words long. Aerosols have a strong influence on the present climate, but this influence will likely be reduced over the coming decades as air pollution measures are implemented around the world. At a global level, aerosols have helped to reduce the warming effect from greenhouse gas emissions, and necessary reductions in air pollution may thus make

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MASTER the ART of NEC it harder to achieve ambitious global climate and environmental aims, such as the Paris Agreement's 2°C target. Furthermore, the local nature of air pollution means that the impacts of changes to aerosol emissions—on temperature, precipitation, extreme events, and health—are likely to differ widely from one place to another. Model and observational studies are beginning to assess these impacts, particularly the link between aerosols and precipitation, to elucidate the climate effects of cleaning up our air. Human influence on the climate is a tug-of-war, with greenhouse gas–induced warming being held partly in check by cooling from aerosol emissions. In a Faustian bargain, humans have effectively dampened global climate change through air pollution. Increased greenhouse gas concentrations from fossil fuel use are heating the planet by trapping heat radiation. At the same time, emissions of aerosols—particles that make up a substantial fraction of air pollution—have an overall cooling effect by reflecting incoming sunlight Many climate effects from aerosols are, however, regional rather than global. Whereas the major greenhouse gases, carbon dioxide and methane, get distributed globally, aerosols are removed from the atmosphere in a matter of days, leading to quite different patterns of impact. A reduction in aerosol emissions—as has already occurred in the United States and Europe and is assumed to continue in most climate scenarios—can be expected to have disproportionately strong impacts near emission regions, where most of the world's population lives. The effects of global warming on society are therefore different if the warming is due to loss of aerosol cooling, rather than from greenhouse gas–induced warming. Simply put, it matters not only that we limit global warming to 2°C, but also how we do it.

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REPORT WRITING I. Tips and notes While writing an essay may require a person to be creative, writing a report seems more of a daunting task to berserk limit breakers who hate rules. Officially standardized as task 1 of IELTS writing section, reports call for less innovative a mind, but more flexible a head for figures. Those who want to excel at this part should not pay meticulous attention to details but should ensure that everything must be executed to its precision. Formidable though these requirements are, writing a report can be a piece of cake to swallow. Once there has been sufficient practice, task 1 will turn out to be plain sailing regardless of whatever chart type that makes its way into the exam, which may include bar chart, line graph, pie chart, table, maps, process, mixed type. The number of lines, bars, for example, is not fixed and varies on each exam date. Nowadays, reports no longer confine themselves to the narrow space of a standardized test. They have been integrated into NEC since 2007 (as far as can be traced), but have until now retained their distinct identities. In NEC, writing a report is more often than not part 2 of the writing section. This part usually makes up 1.5/20 marks and is singled out as something extremely within reach if the art can be mastered! Here are some tips for the students to follow:

DO

● Keep timing right The maximum time you should spend on this task is 20 minutes, either in a real IELTS exam or in NEC. If you lose your time grip, chances are you will not finish all tasks on time. (because there is still an essay awaiting you). ● Keep it concise Due to time constraints, your writing should not be too long but still has to fulfill the task achievement requirements. Specific details should not be described as doing this is a waste of time and unnecessarily lengthens the report. Try to achieve the harmony between citing the data and describing trends, changes,… ● Keep it precise It is imperative that the report be objective. This means that information based on one’s personal preferences must not be added under any circumstances; otherwise, marks will get deducted. Proper input will save time for other tasks and help maintain the neutral tone of the report. ● Make an outline Sketch out some notes before you write. Decide what will be the tense, the structure, features you wish to include and the set of expression you will use because each type of graphs or charts has its own set.

Don’t ● Repeat Not only is the content important but the lexical resource also plays a crucial role in the scoring rubric. Repetition with regard to the vocabulary will make your writing boring and it’s likely that you won’t get a high mark. Try to use synonyms to adorn your writing. ● Use the wrong vocabulary Some students make mistakes in using the wrong vocabulary. Remember that each type of chart has its own sets of expression. Thus, bear in mind that you have to use specialized vocabulary for each type of chart. You will probably be penalized if you use line graph vocabulary to describe pie chart, for example. ● Neglect the instructions The instructions provide important information such as time, unit,…so make sure not to skip them. If you do not read the instructions carefully, there’s high chance that you will make systematic errors, like mistakes in tense.

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MASTER the ART of NEC II. How to write Writing a report is almost similar to writing an essay. A complete report can be divided into two or three parts: introduction, body, conclusion (optional) INTRODUCTION Introduction should only be two-sentence long at most. In case there are two types of charts that must be reported, a second sentence with structure similar to the first one will be used. In other instances, a second sentence can help to give information on measurement unit. Introduction will cover what is mentioned in the instruction and the chart(s)/graph(s), including what the chart describes, name, place, time, what measurement unit is used. A comprehensible introduction starts with: STARTING EXPRESSIONS (HIGHLY RECOMMENDED)

The line graph(s) The bar chart(s) The pie chart(s) The table(s) The diagram(s) The map(s)

VERB

shows, illustrates, compares, depicts, outlines, describes, represents, expresses, demonstrates, delineates, sketches out, gives information on, … *Words in Bold: most commonly used *Words in Italic: rarely used

DESCRIPTIONS

the proportion/percentage of … the number/amount of … the changes in … the differences in/between … how the … the trend in … an overview of …

Other introductory phrases can also be useful: ● It is clear from the graph(s)/… ● It can be seen from the graph(s)/… ● As the graph(s)/… shows ● As can be seen from the graph(s)/… ● As is shown/illustrated by the graph(s)/… A golden rule to bear in mind is that you should never repeat the instruction but instead, paraphrase it in the most professional way you can. Paraphrasing requires you to change some vocabulary and structure Example 1: The following chart gives information about the sales of different equipment in KhangDiep store from January to July → The (bar) chart compares the revenue obtained from sales of cassettes, headphones, CD players in KhangDiep store between January and July. As you may notice, some changes have been made ● gives information about = illustrates ● The introduction goes into details what the graph describe, which is, in this case, revenue from sales ● Three equipment are specified in the introduction ● from January to July = between January and July Example 2: Write a report for a university lecturer describing the information in the graph. Write at least 150 words.

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MASTER the ART of NEC Consumption of Fast Food in the UK (grams/person/week)

→ The line graph compares the amount of hamburger, fish & chips and pizza eaten in the UK between 1970 and 1990 measured in grams per person per week. Example 3: (NEC 2013) The charts below show the profit made by MG Entertainment (a record company) from different formats in three European countries. Summarize the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant. Write as least 150 words.

→ The bar charts compare the profit generated from five formats of MG Entertainment in Germany, France and Italy in 1997 and 2007. The measure unit is million euros. OVERVIEW The overview is the second paragraph in your report. How it is developed affects the rest of your report. Here are nine principles collected from IELTS Simon for writing a standard overview:

1.

Always try to write two sentences. This forces you to describe two main or general features of the graph, chart or diagram.

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2. 3.

Don't put any numbers in your overview. Save specific numbers for the 'details' paragraphs.

4.

Look for overall trends, and ignore individual figures that don't fit the trend. For example, if a graph shows a rising trend overall, you can ignore a specific year when the figures decreased - save that year for your 'details' paragraphs.

5.

If no time period is shown, you can't look for trends. Instead, look for differences and similarities between items.

6.

Don't look for individual 'highest' or 'lowest' figures such as a 'peak' on a line graph. Instead, describe the highest and lowest items overall (e.g. which line on the graph was the highest for the whole or most of the period?).

7.

Start your overview with a simple phrase that clearly shows the examiner that this is your summary paragraph e.g. It is clear that... , It is noticeable that... , Overall we can see that...

8. 9.

If there are two different charts, write one overview sentence about each chart.

If the graph or chart shows a time period (e.g. years), look for the overall change from the beginning to the end of the period (e.g. from the first year to the last year).

If there are more than two charts, they must be connected in some way, so look for two main features overall. Example 4: 1. In the example of UK’s fast food consumption, the overview can be written as below: Overall, there was an upward trend in fast food consumption during the period. More hamburger, fish & chips were eaten while pizza experienced a steady decline in demand. 2. In the example of profit made by MG Entertainment, the overview can be executed as: Generally speaking, most profit in both years was derived from CDs purchased in shops despite its downward trend. Internet downloads, together with CDs bought online, emerged as a new source of profit for the corporation. Paragraphs to describe details There are usually two paragraphs to elaborate on details of the graph/chart/table… Though different, they are all specified based on the overview written above. Example 5: 1. In 1970, the most popular fast food was pizza. Over 300g were consumed each week. By 1990, however, this had fallen to just over 200g - a 50% drop. Consumption of other fast foods such as fish and chips and hamburger increased, however. The amount of hamburger eaten shot up from about 20g a week to more than 270g, overtaking pizza in the late 1980s. Fish and chips consumption also increased, rising from about 80g in 1970 to almost 500g in 1990. Accompanying this change in the choice of foods was an increase in the amount of fast food consumed. In 1970, British consumers ate about 450g a week of fast food. In 1990, on the other hand, this had more than doubled, to 1000g. 2. CDs available in German shops brought about 45 million of profit, compared to 25 and 20 million received in French and Italian stores in 1997. Although Germany was still the largest profit-making environment for this format in 1997, its figure dropped to 25 million in 2007, along with Italy and France ranging from 10 to 15. While cassettes, vinyl singles and LPs made up part of the profit in 1997, they were completely unprofitable in 2007. By contrast, formats that dealt with CDs purchased online and Internet downloads became more lucrative businesses. Germany, France and Italy all saw their online profit from CDs increase, totaling nearly 20 million euros in 2007. Being a format that yielded nothing in 1997, Internet downloads produced 5 million in profit in 2007 for Germany and France whereas the company did not benefit much from Italy in this respect.

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MASTER the ART of NEC III. Description Vocabulary 1. Similarity and contrast Similarity

Contrast

similarly in the same way likewise as well as equally also as … as … too in a similar way/fashion not only … but also …

however, nevertheless yet on the other hand unlike while/whereas although/even though as opposed to in contrast/by contrast instead of apart from/except for

2. Trends Trends

Increase

Decrease

Standability/Flat

3. Changes Rapid ups and downs Type of change Rapid change Moderate change Steady change Slight change

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Verb form

Noun form

rise/ increase / go up / uplift / rocket/ climb / upsurge / soar/ shot up/ improve/ jump/ leap/ move upward/ skyrocket/ soar/ surge

a rise / an increase / an upward trend / a growth / a leap / a jump / an improvement/ a climb.

level off / remain constant / remain unchanged / remain stable / prevail consistency / plateau / reach a plateau / stay uniform or immutable / level out/ stabilize/ remain the same.

no change/ a flat/ a plateau

fall / decrease / decline / plummet / plunge / drop / reduce / collapse / deteriorate/ dip / dive / go down / take a nosedive / slum / slide / go into free-fall

wave/ fluctuate/ oscillate/ vacillate

Adverb form

a fall / a decrease / a reduction / a downward trend /a downward tendency / a decline/ a drop / a slide / a collapse / a downfall.

waves/ fluctuations/ oscillations/ vacillations Adjective form

dramatically / rapidly / sharply / quickly / hurriedly / speedily / swiftly / significantly/ considerably / substantially / noticeably.

dramatic / rapid / sharp / quick / hurried / speedy / swift / significant / considerable / substantial / noticeable.

steadily / gradually / progressively / sequentially.

steady / gradual / progressive / sequential.

moderately

slightly / slowly / mildly.

moderate

slight / slow / mild.

MASTER the ART of NEC 4. Dates, Months & Years related vocabulary and grammar ● From 1990 to 2000, Commencing from 1980, Between 1995 and 2005, After 2012. ● By 1995, In 1998, In February, Over the period, During the period, During 2011. ● In the first half of the year, For the first quarter, The last quarter of the year, During the first decade. ● In the 80s, In the 1980s, During the next 6 months, In the mid-70s, Next 10 years, Between 1980 - 1990. ● Within a time span of ten years, within five years. ● Next month, Next quarter, Next year, Previous month, Previous year. 5. Percentage, Portion and numbers Percentages: 10% increase, 25 percent decrease, increased by 15%, dropped by 10 per cent, fall at 50%, reached to 75%, tripled, doubled, one-fourth, three-quarters, half, twofold, treble, 5 times higher, 3 timers lower, declined to about 49%, stood exactly at 43% Fractions: 4% = A tiny fraction. 24% = Almost a quarter. 25% Exactly a quarter. 32% Nearly one-third, nearly a third. 49% = Around a half, just under a half. 50% Exactly a half. 51% = Just over a half. 73% = Nearly three quarters. 77% = Approximately three quarters, more than three-quarter. 79% = Well over three quarters. Proportions: 2% = A tiny portion, a very small proportion. 4% = An insignificant minority, an insignificant proportion. 16% = A small minority, a small portion. 70% = A large proportion. 72% = A significant majority, A significant proportion. 89% = A very large proportion. IV. Exercises

1.

Describe the information in the chart and make comparisons where relevant. You should write about 150 words.

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2.

.

3.

(Source: NEC 2018 Writing Part 2)

The table below gives information on sales of five car brands in part of world market from 2012 to 2016. Describe the information in the table and make comparisons where relevant. You should write about 150 words. Year

Toyota

Mercedes

Kia

Ford

RollsRoyce

Brand

2012 2013 2014 2015 2016

14.800

15,800

18,500

19.600

15.100

14.000

11.700

23,700

17.600

10,500

14.500

15,300

27,300

15.600

7,600

14.500

17.400

29,600

22.400

6.700

14,500

18.500

32.500

26.100

5.400

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4.

The diagram below shows the production of steam using a gas cooled nuclear reactor. Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant. Write at least 150 words.

5.

The charts below give information about travel to and from the UK, and about the most popular countries for UK residents to visit. Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant

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ESSAY WRITING I. Tips and notes Essay writing is a task which requires test-takers to state and reinforce their positions on an issue and put their opinions in written form. This is the last exercise in the written test of the NEC in the first day and accounts for 3 out of 20 points of the entire test. Therefore, mastery of essay writing skills can earn test-takers higher overall scores and, ultimately, higher prizes. Nevertheless, practicing essay writing is probably the most difficult compared to practicing other skills because this process requires both internal factors like efforts, patience, certain degree of inborn writing ability and external ones like qualified writing teachers. In the essay writing exercise, students must write about 350 - 400 words on a topic, which can be anything from education, culture to technology, environment, etc. The criteria for this section is quite similar to these of IELTS task two writing; so in order to gain a high score, test-takers must follow the following categories: Category

Sub-category

1. A full and relevant answer to the question 2. A definite position 3. Fully developed ideas

Task Response

Coherence and Cohesion

1. Presence of good writing organisation and progression 2. Close connection between sentences and different parts 3. Efficient paragraph organisation 1. A range of words 2. Accurate use of those words

Lexical Resource Grammatical Range and Accuracy

1. A range of grammars 2. Accurate use of those grammars

Belows are some tips for essay writing:

DO

-

allot sufficient time for the writing part. Some students

DON’T - write too long as this can get you penalised and waste

get too absorbed in the reading part that they neglect the writing section. However, bear in mind that the

- leave an essay unfinished

writing part contains the most points.

- use abbreviations and informal words/phrases in your

-

remember to state your opinion clearly

-

include real life examples to support your argument.

-

a wide range of grammatical structures and vocabulary.

-

your precious time

ensure that the volume of each paragraph is consistent.

-

proofread your essay after you have finished.

-

pay attention to your handwriting

II. A step-by-step guide to essay writing

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essay -

use too many personal examples but rely on examples from famous cases instead

MASTER the ART of NEC

There are four essential steps in essay writing ● Step 1: Distil the question ● Step 2: Brainstorm ● Step 3: Write the essay ● Step 4: Proofread and complete So now, let’s break down each step in writing a high-scoring essay: STEP ONE: DISTIL THE QUESTION This is the first and foremost step in order to produce a high-quality essay since it helps students to visualise what to write and how to write. Should students skip this step, no matter how good the essay itself is, it may still receive harsh judgement due to its possible irrelevance. So, what is needed to distil the question effectively is: Part 1: IDENTIFY THE ESSAY TYPE Knowing the essay type helps students to grasp the structure and the direction of what they are going to write. There are four main types of essays: 1. Argumentative essay Argumentative essay is the most common type in NEC. This essay type requires students to state their stances on a matter and explain the rationales for their opinions explicitly. Some signs to pinpoint this essay type are some lines like ‘To what extent do you agree or disagree with this statement?’ or ‘What is your opinion on this matter?’ and so on. ➢ Example 1 (adapted from NEC 2018): More and more children are performing their talents on reality shows. Some people welcome this as a way to nurture young talents; others are worried that rising to fame at such an early age may disrupt children’s personal development. Present argumentation to highlight your opinion on this matter. Give reasons and specific examples to support your opinion. ➢ Example 2 (adapted from Northern Delta – Coastal Area Competition 2017): Educational administrators have decided to combine some academic subjects to design Social science test (history, geography, civic education) and Natural science test (physics, chemistry, biology), which will be used to assess school-leaving students in The National Examination. What is your own opinion? 2. Discussion essay Discussion essay seems to rarely appear in NEC but is still worth practicing to develop a well-rounded writing capability and widen one’s mindset due to the ability to understand their other side’s pros and cons . Some signs to pinpoint this essay type are some lines like: ‘Discuss both sides’ or ‘Discuss both views and give your opinion’. ➢ Example 1: Some people want the government to spend more money on looking for life on other planets; however, others think that it is a waste of public money when there are so many problems on Earth that need to be solved. Discuss both views of this issue. ➢ Example 2: Computers are being used more and more in education. Some people say that this is a positive trend, while others argue it is leading to negative consequences. Discuss both sides of this argument and then give your own opinion. 3. Account essay This is the simplest essay type since it only require students to list out ideas without entangling in the problem of stating opinions murkily. Account essay can be divided further into three main types: ➢ Problems and solutions Example: The proportion of overweight people is increasing considerably worldwide. What are the consequences of this trend? What measures can be taken to address this problem? ➢ Causes and effects Example: More and more children are allowed to have their own smartphones at an early age. Why does this trend gain traction? What are some effects of this? ➢ Pros and cons Example: In the modern era, more people are turning to social networks like Facebook and Instagram. What are the advantages and disadvantages of this trend?

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MASTER the ART of NEC 4. Mixed essay A mixed essay is an essay consisting of two questions derived from often two of the three aforementioned essay types. This is certainly going to take students a large amount of time to answer fully, relevantly in a balanced way to all parts of the questions. Once encountering this essay type, test-takers should answer to each of the two questions in one paragraph to make the whole essay fully developed with proper balance. ➢ Example (adapted from NEC 2017): In the age of globalisation, access to the Internet and the media provides instant contact with many cultures. Young people’s cultural identity may be influenced by certain aspects of other cultures. Discuss this statement (1) / What do you think young Vietnamese people should do to maintain our cultural identity in today’s society? (2) After identifying CORRECTLY the essay type, it’s time we moved onto part 2 of step one. Part 2: FIND THE QUESTION Finding the question means identifying what needs to be written about. Essay questions often have warmup sentences or fact statements before the actual essay questions which do not need discussing or arguing. However, some students may mistake those warm-up sentences for the actual essay questions and spend a certain amount of time writing about them. This is a huge waste of time and efforts and can backfire on test-takers because their essays can be judged as off-topic, which considerably lowers their task response score. Therefore, read the question CAREFULLY and find the question that needs to be answered. USUALLY, the actual essay question lies in the last or penultimate clauses and sentences, but it is just USUALLY, not in all cases. Let’s take a look at some examples: Example 1: Modern buildings have changed the appearance of cities and towns. Some people argue we should build all buildings in traditional styles to protect the cultural identity. To what extent do you agree or disagree? ➢ The first sentence is a warm-up sentence, which just states the fact that cities and towns have witnessed certain changes in appearance owing to modern buildings. ➢ The following sentence is the actual essay question which denotes the matter that needs discussing: whether to build traditional-styled buildings to protect cultural identity or not. → Students should focus on showcasing their opinion and argumentation about whether constructing buildings in traditional styles to protect cultural identity is crucial or not and refrain from writing about how modern buildings have changed cities’ appearance

Find and underline the essay question by yourself

Example 2: Modern cities have good conditions in education and medicine. Some people say that all new teachers and doctors should be sent to rural areas to improve the local conditions. Others say people should go where they like. Discuss both views and give your opinion. Example 3: The shortage of housing in big cities can cause severe consequences, and only government action can solve the problem. To what extent do you agree or disagree? ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------STEP TWO: BRAINSTORMING This step means sketching out what you are going to put in your essay. Brainstorming will assist students to have a proper and stable writing direction throughout the whole essay. Skipping this step and students will easily get stuck in the middle of the essay or turn their essay into a mess of ideas without any focus. Therefore, efficient brainstorming techniques are of tremendous values to test-takers. Now let’s focus more on brainstorming for an argumentative essay since this essay type is much more common in NEC. Part 1: ADOPT A FIRM STANCE First and foremost, students should solidly identify their opinion on the given issue, whether they disagree, agree or partly agree so as to have a direction for their writing, which will have an enormous impact on the entire following steps. There are two factors when students need to consider to identify opinion: ➢ Their own standpoint: it is obvious that writing in accordance with their own opinion will gain students more passion and more convincing argumentation in writing an essay. ➢ Supporting points for each standpoint: occasionally students will find it difficult to corroborate their own standpoint. In that situation, students can switch to the opposite position if it is easier to support.

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MASTER the ART of NEC Part 2: LIST OUT SUPPORTING IDEAS There are some important tips as follows: ➢ Put yourself in the question: This means that in order to answer the essay question, students should look at the matter from an involved person’s perspective to truly understand his or her feelings and reactions and come up with proper argument direction for their essay. Example: With the topic ‘Do you think that cars should be banned from city centres?’, students can put themselves in the shoes of the following groups of people: car drivers, road users of other vehicles, authorities, etc. Just pose some questions to themselves like: ‘How would I feel if I, a car driver, cannot go into the city centre?’,’Can a car ban help road users of other vehicles move more easily?’ ➢ Divide into many levels: In order to acquire a logical and coherent thought process, students should divide the essay question into many aspects. In this way, for each aspect, they can think of a supporting idea without one intertwining with the others, which certainly raises Task Response and Coherence and Cohesion band score. Example: With the topic: ‘The importance of education’, you can divide the question into the range of education’s impact: on an individual scale, on a national scale, on a worldwide scale, etc. ➢ No over-stressing of stereotype ideas: Some students always try to produce an impressive essay by coming up with unique supporting ideas. This is unnecessary as in many cases, stereotype ideas are still the strongest arguments and what matters is the unique explanation methods for these stereotypes ideas. Therefore, although it is a competitive edge that students can think of exceptional supporting idea, focus on exceptional elaboration directions is also a good idea. ➢ Expand background knowledge: This is a no-brainer to all students learning writing skills. It is imperative that students do meticulous research on the essay question so that they can present the best supporting ideas as possible in their essay upon practice stages. Sometimes, students should also set time for the brainstorming part in order to increase their quick wit. The research process should be both in English and Vietnamese for the sake of sufficiency of information. Some credible sources of background knowledge are BBC, CNN, Fox News, The Guardian or Dantri, Vietnamnet, VnExpress, etc. ➢ Write them down: It is a common mistake that some students do not bother writing their draft ideas in paper and rush to write an essay. However, this can lead to a murky essay because during writing an essay, a person needs to pay heed to not only thinking of ideas and writing them but also to idea expressions, which can easily confuse and distract his or her mind. Therefore, the advice is to write draft ideas and argumentation direction in a paper so that the mind is able to process information. ➢ Write them in a system of key words: Given the importance of writing draft ideas down, students must know how to write them down efficiently, not in a disorganised way. The most recommended way is to to write draft ideas in a system of key words with branches or arrows indicating the natural train of thoughts and arguments. Example: With the topic ‘In your opinion, do the benefits of video games outweigh its drawbacks?’, one can sketch out ideas like this: Drawbacks outweigh benefits - On the one hand: Benefits

entertainment: relax after hard work

education: learn about some life skills: problem iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiisolving, quick thinking, concentration span, … - On the other hand: Drawbacks high addictiveness: game’s new progression and iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiitargets → children more compelled to play games iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii→ consequences on health, studies and social life

➢ Think of argumentation in a direction: This is not about producing main supporting ideas but more about thinking of how these supporting ideas can be supported or explained. Usually, the following are common techniques for argumentation direction: ● ● ●

Answer the question ‘Why’ Think of consequences / outcomes: what it will bring about, how it develops over time Rephrase: often associated with the phrase ‘in other words’ for important messages

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MASTER the ART of NEC ● Compare and contrast: similarities and differences, pros and cons, upsides and downsides, etc. ● Exemplify from real life ● Put forward a null hypothesis: bring up an opposite theory: if it did not happen, what would the outcomes be? ➢ Counter-argue: Should students encounter a lack of supporting ideas, they can add a paragraph of counter-argument., which points out weaknesses of the opposite side’s arguments and elaborates on how their side can rival the other. The structure of a counter-argument paragraph will be delineated later. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------STEP THREE: WRITE THE ESSAY This is the most arduous step due to the multitude of factors needed to be considered during this step. This demanding nature requires whoever yearning to ameliorate their writing skill to allocate a long period of time and great strive to acquiring this skill as there is no shortcut to success in this. Part 1: FORMS AND REQUIREMENTS The usual form of an essay is as follows INTRODUCTIONS General statement: background information and reference to the essay question Thesis statement: writer’s opinion BODY 1 Topic Sentence: indicate the first supporting idea Supporting sentences: supporting argumentation for the supporting idea Examples: real life (recommended), hypotheses BODY 2 Topic Sentence Supporting Sentences Examples BODY 3 Topic Sentence Supporting Sentences Examples CONCLUSION Restatement of opinion Summary of supporting ideas Further thoughts: suggestions. recommendations Note : ➢ Whether there are two or three body paragraphs depends on the numbers of supporting ideas and the length of elaboration and example sentences but these are the recommended numbers of body paragraphs in an essay. ➢ In the body paragraph, examples are optional but it is advisable to include one or two in order to (1) increase the essay’s persuasiveness, (2) improve band scores and (3) satisfy the minimum length requirement (350-400 words) ➢ In the conclusion paragraph, further thoughts are also optional but still should be included for the three aforementioned reasons. Requirements for each section: ➢ Intro: ● Concise: refraining from beating around the bush ● General: just stating generally what the opinion is ● Straight to the point: stating opinion right in the intro ● Impressive: by advanced vocabulary or upper-intermediate grammar structure (but do not overdo it) Note: Discussion essays should be clearly distinguished from argumentative essays in the intro. This is because occasionally, in an argumentative essay, some students may feel tempted to write about both sides. This writing direction is good but students should be really cautious with this. Should they not state their opinions on the matter

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MASTER the ART of NEC clearly, examiners may mistake an argumentative essay for a discussion essay, which certainly lowers the band scores considerably. In order to avert this mistake, students should state right in the introduction whether this is a discussion or argumentative essay. ● If it is an argumentative essay, opinions (agree, disagree or partly agree) should be demonstrated in the introduction. In case students feel the need to elaborate on both sides, state in the first sentence of the body paragraph about the opposite side that this is not their opinions. ● If it is purely a discussion essay, state in the intro that this essay is going to discuss both sides of the issue. ● If it is a discussion essay but does require students to give their opinion, still state in the intro that this is going to be a discussion essay but note that they will give their opinions in the conclusion (it is advisable to state opinions in the conclusion rather than in the introduction). ➢ Body: ● Persuasive: convincing main supporting ideas and in-depth argumentation ● Coherent: logical and practical ● Cohesive: united between different sentences and different paragraphs ● Exemplified: examples being present ● Impressive: with advanced vocabulary and grammar structures (no overdoing) ➢ Outro: ● Succinct: only including the most general ideas ● Panoramic: covering all crucial ideas of the essays: opinion and supporting ideas ● Open-ended: this is optional as it is in ‘further thoughts’ part but still an open-ended conclusion with insightful predictions and suggestions can create a more well-rounded composition. Part 2: ESSENTIAL TIPS Tips for step three are wide-ranging but there is an urgent need to list them out because of its huge role in writing improvements. ❖ Tips related to expressions with specific words and phrases ➢ No contraction: a formal essay is a contraction-free essay. Thereby, do not write words and phrases in short forms but always in their full forms. Example: he’s / she’s / we’re / I’m / I’d / They’ve / It hadn’t / $300 → he is / she is / we are / I am / I would / They have / It had not / 300 dollars ➢ Varied grammar structures: inclusion of manifold grammar structures is an indispensable part in the descriptor of writing band scores. This does not necessarily mean that students bombard their essays with super advanced grammars but does stress the flexibility in the utilisation of both basic and advanced grammar structures. Some grammar structures that always need including are: relative clauses, inversion, conditional sentences, cleft sentences, passive voice. It is better to list the above structures in advance for students to remember including

them.

➢ Formal / uncommon vocabulary: formal and uncommon vocabulary can lead to a more impressive essay, raising band scores in lexical resources. Students can search for formal and uncommon vocabulary in these following ways: ● Search for formal wordlists in Oxford Dictionary on the Internet (remember to check the explanation for words’ meaning) ● Search for words with similar meanings to common words in thesaurus (remember to check EXTREMELY CAREFULLY the explanation for words’ meaning) ● Search for model essays to extract high-quality vocabulary ● Search for topic vocabulary (specific topics have specific topic vocabulary, so be patient in this searching method) ● Collect good vocabulary from friends and teachers ● Collect good vocabulary from practicing listening and reading skills (news bulletins, newspapers, etc) ● Invent words by yourself: some words, although not present in a dictionary, can be invented by students themselves by matching two words, often with hyphen for the sake of more succinct expressions. However, always check CAREFULLY the meanings of those two words and their correct forms. If one is unsure about their self-made words, just refrain from including them.

Example: post-examination period, mid-term tests, budgetwise ➢ Limited / avoided words and phrases:

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MASTER the ART of NEC ● Informal vocabulary: any word that is deemed informal in the dictionary or is slang/colloquialisms should be excluded since it is formal writing.

Example: a lot of, reckon , wanna, gonna, really, pretty ● Too general / simple words: words that imply too vague meanings or subject themselves to various

interpretations also should not be present because academic writing requires transparent and concise meanings from words. Only when those words are part of fixed phrases can students make an exception but overall, avoid words and phrases that contain those words.

Example: get, give, good, bad, stuff, thing ● Informal grammar: first-person plural pronouns (we, us), second pronouns (you, your) or phrases like ‘have got’ Note: Personal pronouns like ‘I’, ‘me’, ‘my’ should only be utilised when students state their stances on the essay

question in the introduction and the conclusion. Other than that, avoid those words as much as possible. ● Idioms: idioms that are listed as informal or is not listed as having specific registers should be left out. The only exception is formal idioms, which also should be used once or twice in a normal essay. ● Multiple-word verbs: phrasal verbs are usually considered inappropriate in academic writing and most of them can be replaced with more formal verbs. However, if students find it hard to replace them, they can make an exception with it but generally, avoid phrasal verbs as much as possible. ➢ No overload of advanced vocabulary: this is a common mistake for almost every advanced writing learner. Once they have extensive enough vocabulary, they will feel tempted to showcase advanced words and phrases as much as possible. Nonetheless, this can backfire since too much of high-level vocabulary can make reading the essays overwhelmingly stressful and demanding and can lower their overall scores. Therefore, do not stress too much over advanced vocabulary but rather use it flexibly along with normal-level words. ➢ Collocations: collocation refers to frequent combinations of words. A fine grasp of collocation can make an essay more natural in expressions and more precise in meaning. Additionally, searching for collocations also enables students to have more extensive vocabulary thanks to the long list of words in a collocation dictionary. Therefore, a collocation dictionary (recommended: Oxford Collocation Dictionary) is indispensable to all writing learners. ➢ Nominalisation: nominalisation is the formation of nouns from verbs or adjectives. This is particularly important in academic writing because using nouns gives an essay a more abstract and formal flavour. Due to its demanding nature, nominalisation should be practiced over a certain period of time so that students can utilise this skillfully without awkwardness or overuse. Example: That food prices are increasing rapidly is making middle-income families concerned. → Rapid increases in food prices is causing concern among middle-income families. In the future, when the robot takes over, both white-collar and blue-collar workers are bound to be made redundant. → In the future, when the robotic takeover occurs, redundancy is inevitable for both white-collar and blue-collar workers. Exercise: Rewrite the following sentences, using nominalisation. Suggested answers are in the final part of essay writing section but note that answers are variable. 1. Instead of receiving money from parents, students now can earn money to spend for food or travelling. → __________________________________________________________________ 2. There is some truth to the fact that when children are pampered and raised up in wealthy family, they would never know the value of money they receive from parents. → __________________________________________________________________ 3. It is noted that having a paid-work can help students to improve their soft skills such as communication or interpersonal, which may be useful for their future. → __________________________________________________________________ 4. Some claim that paid work could bring children to dangerous environment full of crime such as bars, night clubs... → __________________________________________________________________ 5. Paid-work also brings students valuable experience. Even if the work now is not associated with one future, it is still wonderful experience. → __________________________________________________________________ ➢ Timing of repetition: Repetition of vocabulary and grammar is always averted because it will demonstrate writers’ limited vocabulary and cause boredom to readers. However, sometimes, repetition is necessary to maintain focus and sometimes, it is impossible not to repeat in a 350-word essay. As a result, acquisition of repetition timing

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MASTER the ART of NEC is of great values for students to showcase their extensive vocabulary yet still stay on course. There are some rules drawn from first-hand writing experience as follows: ● Normal words: should be used once or twice or three times maximum in a paragraph. Particularly, do not used advanced words and phrases twice because it will lose those words' effects of beautifying an essay. ● Key words: should be repeated at least twice or three times in a body paragraph to maintain focus but not be present in two consecutive sentences. Find some ways to rephrase those keywords. ● Grammar: when it comes to tenses, if it is past tense or present tense, it is okay. However, if they are other tenses, be careful not to overuse those structures because those tenses have auxiliary verbs such as 'have', 'will', repetition of which is certainly boring. With regard to grammar structures, do not use advanced grammar structures like invasion or conditional sentences twice in a paragraph. ❖ Tips related to expressions of different sentences and a paragraph ➢ Transparent and straightforward topic sentences: A clear and concise topic sentence will help readers know exactly what the following is about and visualise how it is going to be explained, thus gaining a deeper understanding of the argumentation. To achieve this, the main supporting idea should be in the form of a noun phrase (practice more with nominalisation). ➢ Compound and complex sentences ➢ Always question relevancy between different sentences and paragraphs: This means that whenever students write a sentence or a paragraph, they should always question themselves how this sentence / paragraph is linked to the previous one, whether the link is too far or the two consecutive sentences / paragraphs contain just one repeated idea. By doing this, students can ensure their essay is coherent and well-connected in all parts. ➢ Linking words and phrases: linking words and phrases are a compulsory means to link different clauses, sentences and paragraphs. Therefore, make sure to have appropriate linking words and phrases in appropriate places and refrain from overusing them. Here are the list of some essential linking words: Introducing points

Comparing and Contrasting

First of all First and foremost Firstly / Secondly To begin with In addition Additionally Furthermore What is more Besides Moreover Another point is that When it comes to With regard to With respect to As for As far as sth is concerned Last but not least

But / However Whereas / While Although / Despite Nonetheless Nevertheless Notwithstanding In contrast On the contrary Conversely

For example For instance Such as Namely Including In particular

Particularly Especially It should be noted It is worth remembering It is noteworthy

Exemplifying

Emphasis

Reason / Cause / Effect

As / Since Because / Due to Owing to As a result Consequently Thus / Hence Therefore / Thereby For this reason This is why

Similarity

Similarly Similar to Like Just as As did/do/have sth/ sb

Introducing opinion In my opinion In my view From my perspective From my standpoint From my viewpoint Personally speaking I am of the opinion I believe that I am convinced that As far as I am concerned

Concluding

In conclusion To sum up In brief To put it briefly Briefly speaking After all / All in all In the final analysis

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MASTER the ART of NEC ➢ Hedging words and phrases: in academic writing, students should use language cautiously when they declare their position because what they say may be true in most cases but not in every situation unless students are stating facts. Therefore, the addition of hedging language will create a more objective essay. Here are some of the words to emphasise hedging and certainty: Hedging

Probably / Possibly / Perhaps Presumably / Seemingly Probable / Possible / Likely / Unlikely Suggest / Indicate / Seem / Tend / Appear May / Might / Can / Could In general / Generally Largely / Predominantly Usually / Often Almost all / Almost every

Certainty

Surely / Certainly With certainty Will Clearly / Obviously / Apparently / Evidently Apparent / Evident Always All / Every Perfectly / Completely

➢ No drifting: in Vietnamese writing, drifting or the repetition of one idea is a commonplace technique that is deeply ingrained in Vietnamese students' mindset. However, in English writing, conciseness and straight-to-thepoint style are prized. As a result, students should refrain from drifting in writing, even though it is an attempt to satisfy the minimum length of an essay (350-400 words). Instead, think of a new argumentation direction as suggested in step two: brainstorming to not only satisfy the required length but also add depth into the essay. ➢ Clarification of examples: examples are good, but clarifying them is far better. It is because when, in particular, real-life examples are elaborated readers will understand more about the matters' true nature and their direct links with daily lives. This certainly makes the essay more persuasive and bring a huge bonus point to task response score. Additionally, this is also an effective way of meeting the length requirement in a NEC essay. Thereby, remember to not just mention examples but CLARIFY them CLEARLY. ➢ Reaffirment of topic sentences: after supporting sentences and examples, it is imperative to have a concluding sentence by paraphrasing the topic sentence to re-emphasise the main supporting idea and make a paragraph complete. However, be careful with this because students are easily prone to repeating the topic sentence, which can be considered an error and lower the score. Remember: reaffirment of topic sentences is PARAPHRASE of topic sentences with DIFFERENT WORDS. ➢ Abstention from memorised formulas: students should clearly distinguish between learning from and memorising writing formulas in model essay. Memorising model essays can lead to awkwardness and inflexibility during writing because memorising does not help students adapt to various situations in which writing requirements are divergent. Therefore, learn from model essays, highlight the good points, adapt them and create your own styles. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------STEP FOUR: PROOFREAD AND COMPLETE Part 1: Self-check Students should check the following: ➢ Spelling ➢ Grammar ➢ Word replacement: if there are some normal words which can be replaced with better advanced ones, do it. ➢ Linking words and phrases: if some parts are not well-connected, fix them by linking words and phrases. ➢ Repetition: if words or grammar structures are repeated too many times, replace some of them with different phrases and structures. Part 2: Peer-review Checking with friends is a convenient essay proofreader because friends help to eliminate any generation gap or shyness and embarrassment upon an essay assessment. Therefore, sometimes, students and their friends can have their essays checked by one another and learn from their friends’ good points in their essays. Part 3: Teacher’s check This is the final step to have an ideal essay. Writing learners should make sure that they have qualified and experienced teachers check their essays and pay meticulous attention to the mistake-fixing process. III. How to practice

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1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

Write on one topic for a period of time: focus on one topic for a certain period of time, usually one week, to gain comprehensive understanding of that topic. Over time, whatever topics they encounter, students can think of supporting ideas without much difficulty when following this topic-orientated approach. Write with time constraint: due to the limited time of NEC, students must write a quality essay of about 350400 words at a high speed. Therefore, at home, students must practice to write essays within a time limit of between 40 and 50 minutes, which certainly takes time. Go step by step: writing is the skill that takes the largest amount of time to improve. Therefore, patience is of utmost importance during acquisition of writing skills. Free writing: free-style writing can relieve students of the pressure of academic writing and aid them to have more motivation for writing. Free-style writing can be in various forms like writing book or movie reviews on the Internet, writing blogs and statuses, writing letters, etc. Students can also improve their essay writing skill through both reading and writing exercises: While reading (newspapers articles and essay samples), students are advised to pay attention to and learn from the diction (use of language). The authors are invariably professional and native writers so their writing skill is virtually impeccable. Moreover, the students should take into consideration the way these authors develop their arguments by using a harmonious combination of logics and evidence. Students can refer to sample essays in the below website: https://www.ukessays.com/services/samples/ There are some books which focus on writing but they only introduce the writing techniques and formats in general:

Writing Proficiency by Virginia Evans Writing Academic English by Alice Oshima and Ann Hogue Effective Academic Writing 3 - The Essay by Jason Davis and Rhonda Liss

The below websites can help you revise and improve your essays. https://www.cambridgeenglish.org/learning-english/free-resources/write-and-improve/ https://www.grammarly.com

IV. DO IT YOURSELF! Write essays of about 350 words for the below topics, using the suggested ideas and vocabulary. Topic 1: A government has a responsibility to the citizens to ensure their safety. Therefore, some people think that the government should increase spending on defense but spend less on social benefits. To what extent do you agree? SUGGESTED IDEAS -

Partly agree

-

The government should increase spending on defense to:

-

Ensure national security in an unpredictable global era: Wars are no longer restricted to conflicts

between state actors, but also non-state ones (e.g: terrorists). They are fought not only on physical battlegrounds, but also via cyberspace. This diversification of both war forms and catalysts is synonymous with the increased unpredictability of wars, possibly leaving the government with a narrower range of response options. On the grounds of this heightened volatility, a larger defense budget, devoted to the training of elite military officers and the upgradation of military accoutrements , would allow the government to minimize civilians’ sufferings in times of

crisis . -

But the government should not spend less on social benefits:

-

Social benefits underlie citizens’ good quality of life: Social benefits cover the whole spectrum of

people’s day-to-day operations, exemplified by the dispensation of top-notch healthcare services for the general public or the entitlement of junior citizens to fair educational opportunities. Sufficient governmental investment in

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MASTER the ART of NEC these welfare services is a prerequisite for citizens’ enjoyment of an optimal living standard. Without an efficient welfare system, citizens would suffer long-term afflictions and the whole country would cripple even in the absence of a debilitating war. Social security is as important as national defense. EXPRESSION HIGHLIGHTS 1.

welfare spending >< defense spending

2.

a complex and volatile security environment = a complex and uncertain security landscape

3.

interstate (strategic) competition

4.

cyber defense

5.

conventional military strength

6.

heightened volatility: increased instability

7.

military accoutrements: military equipment

8.

synonymous with: closely connected to and having the same meaning

9.

in times of crisis

10.

dispensation of sth: the distribution and giving out of something

11.

prerequisite: something that must happen before something else can happen

12.

cripple: (country) to cause serious damage to something, making it weak and not effective

DO IT YOURSELF!

___________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________ Topic 2: Should drug experiments be conducted on living animals? SUGGESTED IDEAS

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MASTER the ART of NEC -

No, because:

1.

The results of animal experiments cannot always be extrapolated to human beings: Even animals

whose characteristics bear a striking resemblance to those of humans, like apes, are not identical to humans in terms of genetic make-up. This biological difference, however insignificant, may lead to serious incompatibilities, in some cases life-threatening to humans, when drugs tested successfully on animals prove inapplicable to humans. 2.

Animal testing is unnecessarily costly: The set-up of experiments on animals, including the installation of

animal-specific testing equipment and the establishment of well-structured observation processes, requires huge financial investment. Indeed, for the same purpose of testing drugs, scientists can employ other cost-effective methods, such as computer simulations and tissue culture tests. EXPRESSION HIGHLIGHTS 1.

Vivisection: the practice of doing experiments on live animals for medical or scientific research

2.

To undergo clinical trials: (of a drug) to be tested

3.

Animal testing/experimentation

4.

Extrapolate something from something: to estimate something or form an opinion about something,

using the facts that you have now and that are valid for one situation and supposing that they will be valid for the new one DO IT YOURSELF!

___________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________ Topic 3: Voluntary euthanasia should be legalized. Do you agree or disagree? SUGGESTED IDEAS -

Agree, because:

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MASTER the ART of NEC 1.

It ends patients’ undue sufferings: Many victims of incurable diseases, for example advanced cancer,

suffer from prolonged physical pains and mental depression as circumstantially

ineffective treatments like

chemotherapy give them a tenuous hold on their life. When a confirmation on the irreversibility of a patient’s medical condition has been made, euthanasia, with the patient’s consent, should be legally applied so as to relieve him or her of unnecessary afflictions. 2. It lightens the burden on the whole healthcare system: In catering to critically ill patients’ needs, a multitude of hospital resources, ranging from intensive care equipment to specialists on 24-hour standby, are mobilized. This equals to the sobering fact that such a concerted usage of healthcare resources would go to waste in the event of a patient’s failure to recuperate. Therefore, in order to free the medical system of costly inefficiencies, there should be legal permission for euthanasia based on doctors’ prognosis and patients’ consent. EXPRESSION HIGHLIGHTS 1.

Prognosis: an opinion, based on medical experience, of the likely development of a disease or an illness

2.

Recuperate from something: To get back your health, strength or energy after being ill/sick, tired, injured, etc.

3.

Euthanasia: the practice of killing without pain a person who is suffering from a disease that cannot be cured = mercy killing

4.

Affliction: pain and suffering or something that causes it

5.

Undue: more than you think is reasonable or necessary

DO IT YOURSELF!

___________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________ V. Exercises

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MASTER the ART of NEC

With model essays and comments at the key section of this book:

1.

Forests are the lungs of the Earth. Destruction of the world’s forests amounts to the death of the world we currently know.

To what extent do you agree or disagree? Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience. Write at least 350 words.

2.

‘Cooperation rather than competition should be promoted among high school students’.

3.

We are becoming more and more dependent on machines to function in the modern world. Some people think this is a very negative development.

Write an essay of about 350 words to express your opinion on this proposal.

To what extent do you agree or disagree? Without model essays and comments:

4.

(NEC 2016)

Good health is a basic human right. However, in a growing number of countries today, access to health care depends on socio-economic status. This is discriminatory and should not be the basis for access to good health.

To what extent do you agree with this statement? Write an essay of about 350 words to express your opinion. Give reasons and specific examples to support your answer.

5.

(NEC 2017)

Write an essay of 350 words on the following topic: In this age of globalization, access to the Internet and the media provides instant contact with many cultures. Young people’s identity may be influenced by certain aspects of other cultures. Discuss the statement. What do you think young Vietnamese people should do to maintain our cultural identity in today’s society. Give reasons and specific examples to support your opinion(s).

6.

(NEC 2018)

Write an essay of 350 words on the following topic: More and more children are performing their talents on reality shows. Some people welcome this as a way to nurture young talents; others are worried that rising to fame at such an early age may disrupt children’s personal development.

Present argumentation to highlight your opinion on this matter. Give reasons and specific examples to support your opinion(s).

7.

(IELTS actual writing task 2 question)

The tendency of human beings to copy one another is shown in the popularity of fashion clothes and consumer goods. To what extent do you agree with this statement? Write an essay of about 350 words to express your opinion. Give reasons and specific examples to support your answer.

8.

eSports have now been incorporated into ASIAD 2018. Do you think eSports should be counted as an actual sport and be featured in major sports events? Write an essay of about 350 words to express your opinion. Give reasons and specific examples to support your answer.

9.

Some U.S colleges reject many Asian qualified students in order to maintain theỉr cultural diversity. Do you think this is a fair act to the rejected students?

Write an essay of about 350 words to express your opinion. Give reasons and specific examples to support your answer.

10.

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MASTER the ART of NEC Some people think that only the government can make significant changes in the society, while others think that individuals can have a lot of influence. What is your opinion? Write an essay of about 350 words to express your opinion. Give reasons and specific examples to support your answer.

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WRITING CONSOLIDATION Part 1: Read the following extract and use your own words to summarize it. Your summary should be between 100 and 120 words long. Unusual incidents are being reported across the Arctic. Inuit families going off on snowmobiles to prepare their summer hunting camps have found themselves cut off from home by a sea of mud, following early thaws. There are reports of igloos losing their insulating properties as the snow drips and refreezes, of lakes draining into the sea as permafrost melts, and sea ice breaking up earlier than usual, carrying seals beyond the reach of hunters. Climate change may still be a rather abstract idea to most of us, but in the Arctic it is already having dramatic effects - if summertime ice continues to shrink at its present rate, the Arctic Ocean could soon become virtually ice-free in summer. The knock-on effects are likely to include more warming, cloudier skies, increased precipitation and higher sea levels. Scientists are increasingly keen to find out what's going on because they consider the Arctic the 'canary in the mine' for global warming - a warning of what's in store for the rest of the world. For the Inuit the problem is urgent. They live in precarious balance with one of the toughest environments on earth. Climate change, whatever its causes, is a direct threat to their way of life. Nobody knows the Arctic as well as the locals, which is why they are not content simply to stand back and let outside experts tell them what's happening. In Canada, where the Inuit people are jealously guarding their hard-won autonomy in the country's newest territory, Nunavut, they believe their best hope of survival in this changing environment lies in combining their ancestral knowledge with the best of modern science. This is a challenge in itself. Part 2: The table below gives information on consumer spending on different items in five different countries in 2002. Describe the information in the table and make comparisons where relevant. You should write about 150 words.

Part 3: Write an essay of 350 words on the following topic Some countries are banned from hosting and participating in the Olympics and other sporting events because they violated international rules, poor human rights record, for example. To what extent do you agree or disagree with this act? Give reasons and specific examples to support your answer.

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PART FIVE: SPEAKING PERSONAL QUESTIONS Personal questions are occasionally featured in the NEC, asking participants to state their own ideals about a specific topic. For instance: ‘What is your philosophy for a happy life?’ (2016) I. Tips and notes You can include quotations and striking examples in this type of questions that hold the same opinions as you. Therefore, you should bear in mind some examples and quotations to utilize in the examinations. This type of question is open to your personal choice so use your own experiences and opinions to make your answer creative and uniquely yours.

-

II. How to practice Think about abstract terms and topics, those that are ambiguous and subject to personal interpretation and inference, such as happiness, success, what an accomplished person means, what is sustainable development, … Make an outline for each term and google illustrious names to back up your opinions such as Jack Ma, Steve Jobs, Mother Teresa, … or listen to speeches from sources such as TED or Big Think to widen your ideas and examples. III. Structure 1.

Introduction

‘Attention getter’: one or two sentences on the given term or topic. You can use rhetorical questions, scenarios/background information or the ‘turnabout’, the definitions/opinions that you consider unacceptable then refuse it to attract attention. Mention your own definitions/opinions on the given term. Thesis statement: state the direction that you are going to take.

2.

Body

Direction: You can choose 2 to 3 aspects to prove your points. For example: What is your definition of happiness: health, wealth, relationships. What are the vital components of success: attitude, health, satisfaction. Each paragraph includes: Topic sentence. Elaboration: in this part, you can mention the current attitude towards the chosen aspect, how they are forgetting the core value of it and the consequences. You can also mention quotations to make it more convincing or a ‘counterfactual’, stating what will happen if we lack that aspect. Benefits/detriments of the aspect and the ways to maximize/minimize them can also be included Examples: in this part, list some real life examples (stories of famous people, true incidents related to the topic…) to further strengthen your point.

3.

Conclusion

Summarize your ideas and leave a powerful message.

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MASTER the ART of NEC IV. Examples and Exercises

1. EXAMPLES

Examples will be written in 2 versions: - The first is the outline with only key words, resembling the one you will be expected to write in the real examination. - The second is the full version, written in form of paragraphs with academic phrases and vocabulary for reference. Topic : What is your definition of success?

1. 2. a. b. c. 3. -

Version 1:

Introduction: Current situation: greed - unrighteous behaviors – twisted definition. State direction: attitude, health and satisfaction. Body: Attitude: Quote of Winston Churchill. Calmness and patience – not drop out. Example of J.K Rowling. Health: Current situation: caught up in the hectic schedule – forget to take care. Steve Jobs’ quote. Essential – to see efforts pay off. Satisfaction: A man with money – without happiness – failure. People – ignore their blessings. Advice: relax and be happy. Conclusion: Find a positive principle – live to the fullest.

Version 2:

Nowadays, a myriad number of people seem to be driven by their avarice to obtain extreme wealth, ultimate power and superiority to others in the name of success. So, what is success that has led so many people to commit various unrighteous and maleficent acts? To my mind, the success in their case has been totally twisted. To do success justice, my speech will be divided into three parts, covering three components that I deem positive: attitude, health and satisfaction. First of all, it is worth bearing in mind that success lies in one’s attitude when one is completely void of accomplishments. Winston Churchill, the former Prime Minister of the UK once said that: ‘Success consists of going from failure to failure without a loss of enthusiasm’. A successful person possesses an incredible amount of calmness and patience in order to weather the storm without dropping out. One of the most notable examples should be that of J.K Rowling. She was turned down by 12 publishers for her draft of Harry Potter, the novel that has taken the world by storm, before being accepted for an advance of just £1,500, a quintessence for tenacity and resilience in the face of challenges and perturbation. The next thing that is also of overriding importance is health. These days, people seem to be snowed under with work at the expense of their health and too caught up in the hustle and bustle of life to actually pay attention to their physical condition. Steve Jobs, when nearing his death of cancer, once said that ‘The most expensive bed in the world is the hospital bed’ given the fact that you can hire people to work for you, but not to be sick for you. As a result, it is essential that we maintain success with a good health so that we are equipped with adequate energy to cherish our results and see the days our efforts bear fruit. Last but by no means least, although a bit cliched, satisfaction is the preponderant component of success. Think about it, will a rich man who possesses a colossal amount of money, living in a gigantic house be considered successful if he undervalues the simplicity of everyday joy? Probably not. These days some people have a tendency to ignore the unbidden happiness in their daily life, so much so that they forget to count their blessings, how fortunate they are to have a loving family or the luck just simply to be in existence. Maybe it’s time we all slowed

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MASTER the ART of NEC down, took a deep breath and chilled out. Let goals be the driving force, not the threatening feeling. The mastery of such mindset is also genuine success in life. In conclusion, success per se is a positive motivation for each and every person in life. It is imperative that one create a principle that would inspire them every day to live their life to the fullest and the most jubilant. Live your best, appreciate your heath and simple joys, then success will follow you.

2. EXERCISES “If you have difficulty in doing these exercises, you can refer to “Suggested Aspects” in the key section of this part.”

1.

In your opinion, what qualities make a relationship fulfilling? Brainstorm: _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________

2.

In your own words, define ‘sustainable development’. Brainstorm: _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________

3.

We live in an increasingly modern world, yet when it comes to habit, morality and communication quality, there are so many paradoxes in existence, for instance, we live in times when our Facebook friend list is huge, but our relationships are poor. To your mind, what are the main constituents of these paradoxes? Brainstorm: _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________

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MASTER the ART of NEC _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________

4.

What do you think makes a global citizen? Brainstorm: _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________

5.

What’s your definition of a happy country Brainstorm: _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________

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MASTER the ART of NEC

PROVERB AND QUOTE QUESTIONS Proverb/quote questions are quite familiar in the NEC with each year presenting a number of rather challenging questions such as: -

‘Idleness is the source of all evils’ (2014)

-

Aristotle once said that: ‘The roots of education are bitter but the fruit is sweet’ (2016)

-

And most recently: Jim Rohn once said: ‘Formal education makes you a living. Self-education makes you a fortune’. How do you understand the quote? How important is self-study to a person’s well-being? What should be done to promote learning autonomy (2018) I. Tips and notes

DO

DON’T

- Learn some quotations of the same topics to utilize in case the topic is present in the exam. - Speak in the minimum of 3 minutes and a half, the maximum of 5 minutes. But the optimal one would be from 4 minutes to 4 minutes and a half. - Take note key words in vertical order so as to make the speech more smoothly. - Take note the academic key words or idioms you find fascinating in order not to forget to incorporate them into your speech. - Try to make it as fluently as possible and don’t leave too long a pause. - Pause shortly after each sentence in order to let the judge take in the previous sentence. - Control your speaking speed at a moderate pace. - Pay attention to the pronunciation of every word, especially the ending sounds.

- Mention anything personal such as your school or your name. - Leave your speech incomplete without a conclusion. - Make any noise if you finish before 5 minutes.

II. How to practice

1.

At first, you can write the topic out in form of an essay and practice it with the manner of a speech. By doing this, you can first get yourself familiarized with speaking as well as learn new vocabulary and brainstorm new ideas.

2. You can have a notebook to keep all the topic-related vocabulary and ideas in form of an outlined speech. 3. After gaining enough confidence, you should start practicing like real exams, but first with IELTS task 2 questions. Until you feel certain about the quality of your previous performances, it is then that you practice with the real questions.

4. Record your own speech to modify your speaking pace and intonation until you think it sounds best.

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MASTER the ART of NEC III. Structure 1. Introduction

- ‘Background of quote – ‘attention getter’: One or two sentences connected to the quote. Choose a unique and interesting one to make the first impression. Rhetorical questions/ scenarios that provoke curiosity can be one wise choice. - Mention the quote. - Thesis statement: state whether you agree/disagree or partly agree/disagree and indicate the direction you are going to take: what you will say in the first, second, third part … respectively.

2.

a. Your understanding of the quote: - Define/elucidate meaning of words which are still obscure or key words. - Elucidate the whole meaning of the quotation. b. Supporting ideas: (2-3)

Body

Order of paragraphs: Direction 1: -

On individual scale. On societal scale. Counterfactual: what would happen without the principles in the quotation.

Direction 2 (for when you partly agree): -

Reasons why you agree. Reasons why you think it’s not entirely correct.

Overall structure of one paragraph: c. -

4.

Conclusion

Topic sentence. Elaboration. Example. How to adopt/avoid the principle in the quotation (optional): Action 1. Action 2. Action 3. d. Answer extra questions if asked in the topic. Restate your opinion and leave an intriguing message.

IV. Examples and Exercises

1. EXAMPLES

Examples will be written in 2 versions: The first is the draft with only key words, resembling the one you will write in the real examination. The second is the full version, written in form of paragraphs with academic phrases and vocabulary. Topic 1: (NEC 2012) Charity begins at home.

Version 1: 1. -

Introduction: Scenario: on a deadly desert with a family member and a stranger. Have limited amount of water – how to distribute it? Some say family member first – avid believer of – quote. Direction: First part: explanation. Second part: why I agree. Third part: why I believe there is more to that.

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MASTER the ART of NEC 2. a. b.

Body: Explanation: family members first – other people come after. Second part: - People have limited resources – family members are priority – flesh and blood. Ex1: (individual scale) - Family member - terminally ill – onerous burden. - No surplus or plethora for charity + donation. Ex2: (societal scale): 2 scenarios Every year: Northeast Region of Vietnam: flooded and devastated Somewhere else in the world: same situation → Choose the former – same origin and nationality. c. Third part: If have resources – compassion is crucial. Value, scruple of Vietnam – something thousand years of history hold dear. Sharing – help all endure in dire straits. Example: in war – cannot be egocentric – cut down on sustenance – donate to soldiers. Humanity – humans are social beings – helping for mutual development. 3. Conclusion: Cease being selfish – think of others – giving is receiving.

Version 2:

Imagine this scenario, you are wandering on a deadly and sweltering desert and you only possess a limited amount of water left. You have kept enough for yourself but beside you stand 2 people: one is your family member, the other: a total stranger. How would you distribute such amount of water. In answer to this paradox, some people would indisputably choose the former on the grounds of the avid belief: ‘Charity begins at home’. To illustrate my view on the proverb, my speech will be divided into 3 parts. First, I’ll give my elucidation on it. In the second part, I’ll elaborate on the justifications for the aforementioned proverb. In the third part, I’ll delve into the rationale for my saying that although charity begins at home, humans also need to have empathy for those who are far away from us. First of all, as far as I understand, ‘charity begins at home’ means family members, both literally and figuratively, should be considered the number one priority before you can cast an eye over people in some far-flung corners. Turning to the next part, in view of the fact that everyone only has a restrained amount of resources to themselves, it is unarguably true that it should be specifically allocated to family members, who are their flesh and blood. The inherent bond and affectionate attachment have become so ingrained that an instinct is automatically formed to protect them with utmost care, more than anyone under the sun. For instance, in the event of your family member’s terminal illness, the burden will be too onerous to shoulder for one with low monetary income. As a result, there remains no plethora for one to extravagantly donate and contribute to charity or non-profit organizations. Let’s take another example on a larger scale. Annually, the northwest region of Vietnam is always subject to the feeling of powerlessness, vulnerability and excruciating pain, being placed under the threatening force of nature, namely flood. Everything in one’s possession, belongings houses and properties, is annihilated. Then turn to another direction, somewhere else in the world, a community is also in dire straits with similar hurdles. Then without too much resources, the appropriate course of action to take is, beyond any shadow of doubt, to help the people who share the same nationality and origin. Having said so, as social creatures, compassion and empathy for people other than our family members are also of paramount importance for the following reasons. Firstly, ever since time immemorial, compassion is a time-honored and invaluable scruple and virtue that Vietnamese ancestors had held dear. Epitomes shine through the foggiest night of history, especially in wars. In such predicaments, people have no alternative but to cut down on their own sustenance and donate to the courageous soldiers at the front line of battle fields. In addition, as an inviolable absolute of nature, only through sharing and caring can all beings support one another to survive. Among all kinds of creatures, mankind is endowed with the noble feeling of humanity. It is in their genetic makeup not to turn a blind eye to someone dying in front of them without taking any actions just only for the sake of the intangible thing called humanity. Will you do ignore another being’s suffering? It’s a fair bet the answer is no. In conclusion, notwithstanding the fact that goodwill traces its first roots to the love for people living in close proximity, when necessary, it should be shared with other people, too. It is imperative that we as human beings

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MASTER the ART of NEC cease being too egocentric and reach out our hand to the troubled because when we give something to someone, it also gains for ourselves the feeling of contentment and satisfaction seeing euphoria on another being’s face. Topic 2: (NEC 2016) Aristotle once said that: ‘The roots of education are bitter but the fruit is sweet’

Version 1: 1. -

Introduction: (Rhetorical questions): personal experience about bitterness – sweetness in education. Quote. State direction: Part 1: explanation. Part 2: reasons why agree. Part 3: what we can do to adopt Aristotle’s lesson. 2. Body:

a.

Explanation:

-

Roots: origin – beginning – process. Bitter: challenging and punishing. Fruit: eventual academic outcome. Sweet: gratifying – pleasant. Full meaning: Although hard – worth making concerted effort in education.

-

It takes failure and underachievement, frustration => experience accumulation and motivation => success. Individual scale: example of Helen Keller: disabled – enormous drawbacks compared to normal students – overcome – became Ivy League student. Societal scale: initial trouble – eventual robust workforce.

b.

-

c.

Reasons why agree:

What to do:

Eradicate perfectionism. Cultivate inquisitive mindset. 3. Conclusion: Become avid learners despite difficulties.

Version 2: Let’s me ask you: do you consider yourself accomplished in your educational journey? If yes, then cast your mind back to the time when you experience great setbacks. How did you feel? Torment? Bitterness? Humiliation? I name it, you know it all, right? But what about the eventual results? Achievements, fame and glory. Aristotle, the preeminent philosopher of all times, had brilliantly encapsulated the inherent nature of education in just one depiction: ‘The roots of education are bitter but the fruit is sweet’. To illustrate my view, my speech will be divided into 3 parts. First, I’ll shed some light on the meaning of the saying. In the second part, I’ll expand on the reasons for my agreement and finally, I’ll point out some courses of actions to take in order to benefit from Aristotle’s longstanding lesson. Firstly, it is imperative that one fully comprehend the meaning lying beneath Aristotle’s striking metaphor. ‘Roots’ means the origin, the commencement and the process from which education springs. It can be as simple as the first day in your language class, or the first time you get exposed to a new skill. These experiences are referred to as ‘bitter’, which means being strenuous and punishing. In stark contrast, ‘fruit’ is the eventual outcome of education, being delineated as ‘sweet’, which means rewarding and gratifying. Most importantly, ‘education’ can be interpreted as the lifelong acquisition of knowledge, not just in schools and institutions but beyond that. Combined together, they become the beacon for generations of learner to put in intensive effort in the face of difficulties, even seemingly insurmountable ones. In the second part, I’ll talk about the reason why Aristotle’s legacy still holds true from BC till now. As an inviolable law of nature, it takes primary angst, frustration and underachievement to serve as stepping stones for experience accumulation and boost of motivation, as only in a state of discomfort will a learner realize his constrained ability and potential to strive for sustained and exponential growth. The quintessence of hardship endurance during education should be entitled to Helen Keller’s story. Blind, mute and deaf since her very birth, Helen Keller was no

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MASTER the ART of NEC stranger to impediments and obstacles, having received education with the seeing and hearing pupils. She was not given any privileges and clearly was put at a distinct disadvantage when she had to wait to have the questions read to her before she could provide her answers. Given all her grave hindrances, she extra-ordinarily passed all exams with flying colors and most notably, the entrance exam to an Ivy League college, then went on to be one of the most illustrious inspirational speakers of all time. As for societal scale, there is bound to be major stumbling blocks for initial investments in education. However, all overcome, it will culminate in guaranteed robust and productive future workforce for a nation. In the last part, I’ll put forward the practical mindsets and behaviors to follow the advice in Aristotle’s saying. The attitude of perfectionism should be eradicated from the word go. In light of the fact that perfectionists cannot stand the slightest shortcomings, they are liable to get highly irritated when beginning to learn something they know nothing about. Such feelings will ultimately lead to withdrawal and get learners nowhere. That is to say, learners have to keep a cool head when they encounter drawbacks and accept that success requires long-term actions, then soldier on without many complaints. Furthermore, learners should cultivate an inquisitive mindset so as to diminish their own problems. When faced with a challenge in education, learners can deem them golden opportunities to gain insights into novel subjects. In conclusion, Aristotle’s comment on education is always highly relevant and applicable for learners throughout the course of history. The onus is on people to take up his invaluable advice and become voracious learners even in the teeth of formidable challenges. Topic 3 (NEC 2014) Idleness is the source of all evils.

Version 1: 1. -

Introduction: Ask about procrastination. Laziness – omnipresent. Many believe – mention quote. State direction: Part 1: explanation. Part 2: why it’s true. Part 3: why it’s not entirely correct. 2. Body: a. Explanation: - Idleness: laziness – unwillingness to do anything. - All evils: all of the malevolent actions. → Laziness is the cause of all the wrongdoings in life. b. Reasons why agree: - Idleness → poverty → crime to cater for one’s needs. Example: lazy people who do not work – game addicts, robbing people for money. - Idleness – find shorter ways to earn money => crime. c. Reasons why not entirely right: - There are other causes: the urge to save lives – inadvertent motives. Example: a loving father – famished daughter – rob to save her life. - Idleness – source of inventiveness. 3. Conclusion: - Laziness can be harmful – but not all crimes. - Can arise sometimes – it’s important to fight back the feeling.

Version 2:

May I just ask you take a look around your life and spot the existence of laziness. What can you see? Procrastination? Refusal to complete one’s work? Or tasks done without thorough care? It seems that idleness has become omnipresent, but what corollaries will it have? As stated in a popular proverb, some people believe that ‘Idleness is the source of all evils’. To illustrate my perspective, my speech will be divided into 3 parts. In the first

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MASTER the ART of NEC part, I will elucidate the meaning of the proverb. In the second part, I will expand on the reasons why it is true to some extent. And in the final part, I will delve into the reasons why I hold a belief that it’s not entirely accurate. First of all, idleness is the sense of being lazy and it entails the unwillingness to do anything. All evils encompass the malevolent actions with unscrupulous intentions. Combined together, the sentence indicates that laziness is the primary cause of all wrongdoings in life. Secondly, there are some grounds to back up the aforementioned proverb. First and foremost, more often than not, idleness will sow the seed of poverty as one deems working humdrum and becomes uneager to actually make a concerted effort to make ends meet. As the result, one can resort to unrighteous and low-down actions to cater for one’s basic needs. For instance, reality is rife with situations when people rob or pickpocket others to steal the money they need to invest in their playing games online because they decline to make an attempt to utilize their own resources in work. Idleness can also lead talented and astute people to commit crime as it can create a much more colossal amount of money than ordinary working. For example, the average monthly income of a working citizen in US can vary around 4000 to 5000 dollars while for Bill Mason, the notorious jewel thief, 35 million dollars can be obtained immediately without having to go through the daily grind of working. Nonetheless, it is unjustifiable to attribute all misdeeds to laziness. Offenses can sometimes originate from forced situations and can occur to even industrious people. Imagine this scenario. A very loving father who has to work under oppressive environments with domineering bosses who refuse to give him a salary boost. His daughter is completely famished and terminally ill. Spurred on by his noble affection for his only flesh and blood, he can blindly do the wrong thing just for the survival of his beloved daughter. Therefore, it is illegitimate to claim that laziness is to blame for every crimes. On the contrary, laziness can sometimes be the root of inventiveness. For all the convenient products we have today, laziness plays a pivotal part in inducing the urge of inventors to embark upon creating their brainchildren. Isn’t it our refusal to walk on foot or to travel by mobile vehicles for a long distance that had triggered a myriad of inventors to experiment with flying objects in the first place? After all, laziness is not something so pernicious if one knows how to deploy it judiciously. In conclusion, idleness can easily pave the way for depravity. However, idleness is not meant to shoulder the responsibility to be called the origin of all misdeeds as there are also other rationales. For all of us, laziness is an ineluctable part of human beings, but the bottom line is how we train ourselves to fight back the feeling and go through the motions of working despite feeling indolent. Topic 4 (NEC 2017) Jim Rohn once said: ‘Formal education makes you a living. Self-education makes you a fortune’. How do you understand the quote? How important is self-study to a person’s well-being? What should be done to promote learning autonomy?

Version 1:

1. Introduction Background: - Percent of taught knowledge and self-obtained knowledge? - Earn good grades by learning in class only-possible? - Many believe studying in school - not enough. - Mention quote. - Direction: First part: Explanation. Second part: How I agree - The importance of self-study. Last part: How to promote learning autonomy. 2. a. b. ● ● -

Conclusion.

Body Explanation: Success and well-being are largely dependent on self-study. Second part: I strongly believe that is true => the importance and benefits of self-study. Idea 1: Facilitate and promote the process of learning. Learn at one's own pace. Understand concepts from one's own viewpoint. Learn at one's own preferred environment. Learn without restrictions. Idea 2: Development of work ethics. Time management (organize timetable for studying)

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MASTER the ART of NEC ● c.

Sense of discipline and responsibility (e.g., stick to the organized timetable) Idea 3: Personal development. Self-confidence. Critical thinking. Third part: To promote learning autonomy: - Teach students the importance of self-study. - Introduce ways to study on students’ own. - Governments – supply facilities. 3. Conclusion: Self-studying is important: - Should focus on promoting it. - We should adopt the habit of studying on our own.

Version 2:

Consider this: How many percent of your knowledge is imparted from teachers? How many percent is selfobtained? So is it really possible for one to achieve desirable academic results if one only studies in class? Many believe that academic success and success in general cannot be achieved if one does not cultivate the habit of studying on one's own. One such person is Jim Rohn, who once said: "Formal education makes you a living. Selfeducation makes you a fortune." To present my view upon this quote, I will divide my answer into three parts. First, I will clarify the meaning of the quote. In the second part, I will discuss the importance of self-study to a person's well-being, and finally, I will present several ways in which we can promote self-education and draw my conclusion. To begin with, to my understanding, the quote implies that success in life largely depends on self-study, not just formal education alone. Formal education is the education that takes place at schools, universities or institutions. On the other hand, self-education does not involve the assistance of anyone but oneself. According to Jim Rohn, formal education can lay the foundation for one to make ends meet, to cater for basic needs. Nonetheless, it is selfeducation that will make one stand out against the crowd. I am convinced that this is true, therefore I will proceed to talking about the importance and advantages of selfstudy. Firstly, the process of learning is facilitated and vastly promoted with the help of self-study. In schools, lessons are taught at a general speed, learner's own speed of grasping new knowledge notwithstanding, and are confined to a designated curriculum. When studying on their own, however, a person can learn at their own pace and can study whatever they want without any restrictions. Additionally, learning outside of school means that one can choose their preferred studying environment. Moreover, when learning by themselves, learners can work out and comprehend lessons or concepts from their own point of view, which, in turn, makes it easier to retain their understanding of said lessons or concepts. Another point in favour of self-study is that certain work ethics can be developed, notably time management, as self-studying involves organising schedules, and discipline as well as responsibility when a person attempts to act in accordance with the set timetable. In terms of personal development, one's mental capacity can also be vastly ameliorated as a result of self-study, case in point, when working out problems on their own, students will promote their critical thinking skill and gain self-confidence simultaneously. More often than not, household names are those who rely on their own ability to learn rather than learn from schools. One quintessence is Steve Jobs. He was a college dropout after just 6 months, yet, thanks to his own capability and inquisitive mind, he became a tech visionary and went on to be the pioneer in touch-screen device. Having discussed its importance, I will now present several possible ways to promote learning autonomy. Firstly, we must make sure that students are aware of the benefits brought about by self-study. Moreover, teachers should actively introduce ways in which learners can study on their own. For instance, more group-work and projects should be assigned so that students can familiarize themselves with being active in learning. In doing so, I believe that more learners will realise the need to self-study. On a societal scale, governments should keep facilities such as museums or libraries well-equipped with adequate materials for those who want to seek information. All things considered, self-studying is preponderant, if not indispensable to one's well-being and success in life. Efforts should be made to promote it, and as learners, we should adopt the habit of studying by ourselves.

2. EXERCISES

“If you have difficulty in doing these exercises, you can refer to “Suggested Direction” in the key section of this part.”

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MASTER the ART of NEC 1.

Albert Einstein once said:" Intellectual growth should commence at birth and cease only at death". How do you understand this quote? Brainstorm: _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ 2. Jim Rohn once said: "Discipline is the path between goals and accomplishments". How do you understand this quote? Brainstorm: _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ 3. Edith Wharton once said: ‘There are two ways of spreading light: to be the candle or to be the mirror that reflects it’. How do you understand the quote? How important is the role of emulators? Brainstorm: _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ 4. Helen Keller once said: ‘One can never consent to creep when one feels an impulse to soar’. How do you understand this quote? Brainstorm: _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________

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MASTER the ART of NEC _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ 5. Aristotle once said: ‘Whosoever is contented in solitude is either a wild beast or a God’. How do you understand the quote? What can we do to encourage interaction in the modern world? Brainstorm: _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________

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MASTER the ART of NEC

TOPIC QUESTIONS Topic questions are quite common in the NEC, requiring participants to express their viewpoints on a particular topic, the given topics are usually relevant to the current global situation. Examples include:

“In the twenty-first century, the focus of education and learning should be on helping students to be adaptable and responsive to changing circumstances. How far do you agree with this statement? What skills and qualities do you think young people need to make themselves more employable?” (NEC 2018) “A global citizen of the 21st century should see challenges as opportunities, not threats. What is your opinion?” (NEC 2017) I. Tips and notes

DO ●

Learn some quotations of the some specific topics to utilize in case the same topic is present in the exam.

●

Speak in the minimum of 3 minutes and a half, the maximum of 5 minutes. The optimal answer time would

be from 4 minutes to 4 minutes and a half.

●

Take note of key words in vertical order so as to make the speech more smoothly.

●

Take note the academic key words or idioms you find fascinating in order not to forget to incorporate them

into your speech.

●

Try to speak as fluently as possible and don’t pause for too long.

●

Make a short pause after each sentence in order to let the judge take in the previous sentence.

●

Control your speaking speed at a moderate pace.

●

Pay attention to the pronunciation of every word, especially the ending sounds.

●

Recite the topic before beginning your answer.

Don’t ●

Mention personal information such as your school or your name.

●

Leave your speech incomplete without a conclusion.

●

Make any noise if you finish before 5 minutes.

II. How to practice

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

Stay up-to-date with current events by subscribing to traditional news sources and making use of social media. Topic questions usually refer to recent society and global issues. Familiarize yourself with common topics such as health, environment, education, technology, etc. Build up your vocabulary on these specific topics. You can have a notebook to keep all the topic-related vocabulary and ideas in form of an outlined speech. You can practice with IELTS Writing Task 2 questions, and then move on to practicing with real questions in previous NECs Record your own speech and modify your speaking pace and intonation until you think it sounds best. If possible, search for topics and discuss them with your friends in English to build up your ideas and vocabulary.

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MASTER the ART of NEC III. Ideas, vocabulary and examples for topics

1. EDUCATION

1.1. Advantages and disadvantages of studying abroad Pros

1. Foreign institutions may offer superior/unique courses. 2. Qualifications gained abroad can open the door to many new opportunities. 3. Living abroad exposes students to new perspectives, new cultures and new foreign languages, thus making them more experienced, knowledgeable and independent.

Cons

1. Students are under no parental guidance and supervision. They are likely to fall under bad influence. 2. Culture barriers may prevent students from fulfilling their potential.

Relevant Vocabulary: 1. well-endowed (schools): receiving a lot of money in grants, gifts from rich people. 2. elite/prestigious/world-renowned/foremost university: famous and high-ranking university. 3. learning curve: the rate of someone’s progress in learning new skill. 4. school someone in something: to train and discipline someone in something. 5. mingle with international students: to socialize with international students. 6. university of life: the daily life and work where you learn more than you would by going to university. 7. culture vulture: someone who has an avid interest in culture and the arts. 8. cultivate students’ qualities: to improve and develop students’ qualities. 9. pick up a language: to learn a language by chance rather than by making a deliberate effort. 10. immerse in a new culture: to get completely involved in a new culture. 11. to be given the free rein: the freedom to do what you want. 12. hinder/impede/hamper: to limit the ability of someone to do something. Examples: There seems to be a shortage of excellent Hospitality Management schools in our country; therefore, prospective students are invariably advised to enroll in leading overseas universities such as those in Switzerland. Guy Fieri, best known for hosting several shows on the Food Network, mentions his time spent studying abroad in France as having a major impact on his career trajectory. It was in France that he gained his deep appreciation for international cuisine which would subsequently influenced his career as a professional chef. 44% of Korean Ivy League students drop out halfway since they are incapable of integrating into the international environment. 1.2. Advantages and disadvantages of technology in education Pros

Cons

1. Technology is a powerful tool to engage students’ interest in the lessons since it makes the lessons more interesting. 2. Technology reduces the workload of teachers. 3. Students can also learn skills which will be valuable for their future career.

1. Technology can be expensive to install and maintain and can be unreliable. 2. Students become too dependent on technology, which will make their literacy skills suffer.

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MASTER the ART of NEC Relevant vocabulary: 1. 2. 3. 4.

captivate: to hold the attention of someone by being extremely interesting and attractive. pique somebody’s curiosity/interest: to make someone interested in something facilitate: to make something possible or easier. burdensome/onerous/painstaking tasks: work that requires a lot of strength and attention to be completed. 5. tech-savvy: having a lot of knowledge about technology. 6. hone/sharpen/enhance one’s skill: to make a skill perfect or suitable for its purpose. 7. prohibitive/exorbitant/extortionate/cost an arm and a leg: extremely expensive. 8. out of order (machines): broken. 9. over-reliant/over-dependent: to become unreasonably attached to something 10. degenerate/deteriorate (abilities): to become worse. 11. pedagogical (experts) = (experts in) education and teaching 12. synthesise sources = to use a variety of sources and combine them in one project 13. rote-learning = learning by repetition and memorising items 14. assimilate knowledge: to absorb and understand it 15. discriminate between sources: to decide whether one source is better or more reliable than another source 16. sift information: to remove unwanted or less useful information 17. marshal facts: to organise facts in support of an idea 18. far-flung: remote or far away Examples (Source: http://blogs.worldbank.org/edutech/10-things) Students in Kuwait are individually allocated their own iPad and execute the majority of their literacy and numeracy tasks on the devices. Teachers assert that their students respond favorably to this interactive aspect and tend to have a longer attention span. Even in developing countries, teachers have begun to connect with students on social media platforms like Facebook to assign them homework or to make announcements. Wherever computers and the Internet are introduced into schools for the first time -- whether this in a suburban Canadian school in the 1990s or a rural school in South Asia in the 2010s -- run-of-the-mill 'copy-paste plagiarism' invariably sky rockets, and other, more inventive ways to cheat are subsequently discovered and put to use by students. 1.3. Advantages and disadvantages of home-schooling Pros

1. One-to-one lessons allow much faster progress since parents can respond swiftly and appropriately to their children’s needs. The child can work at his/her own pace. 2. The children will be under their parents’ observation, thus preventing them from being involved in the forces of evil.

Cons

1. Parents will have to sacrifice their career and many parents do not possess sufficient knowledge and skills. 2. Students don’t have a chance to socialize with other students and may suffer from depression.

Relevant Vocabulary: 1. at will: if you can do something at will, you can do it any time you want. 2. pace yourself: to be careful not to do something too quickly. 3. have an insight into children’s needs: understand clearly what the children want. 4. progress by/in leaps and bounds: improve very quickly. 5. superintend: to be in charge of something. 6. juvenile delinquency: illegal and unacceptable behavior. 7. be sacrificed on the altar of something: to be destroyed or replaced by another activity or belief.

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MASTER the ART of NEC 8. leave of absence: time allowed away from work. 9. deprive somebody of a chance: to take away a chance. 10. in the depths of despair/depression: experiencing despair/depression. Examples: Edison was homeschooled because he could not bear the rigid and bookish learning methods at conventional schools. With his caring mother as a teacher, Edison’s creativity and talents for mechanics flourished, making him become the best inventor of all time. Of the 1,220 homeschooled children studied for a research by Kent's former education director Graham Badman, 270 were "neets" (no education, employment or training), around 22%. This was more than four times the proportion of neets in the UK population. The situation is attributed to the home-educated children’s lack of interpersonal skills. 1.4. Advantages and disadvantages of single sex education Pros

1. Discipline problems might be avoided by separating boys and girls. Students at single sex schools tend to focus longer. 2. Boys and girls may learn in different ways and have different needs. 3. Single sex schools help to challenge gender stereotypes and broaden the educational aspirations of both girls and boys.

Cons

1. It will have an adverse impact on children’s social development since a mixed-environment is more representative of real life.

Relevant Vocabulary: 1. attention span: the length of time that someone can keep focused. 2. steer clear of discipline problems: to avoid discipline problems. 3. be at variance with something (boys’ needs and girls’ needs): be different from something. 4. methodology: a set of methods and principles used in teaching or studying. 5. gender norms/roles: ideas about how men and women should act. 6. break the mold/new ground: challenge acceptable ways; to be different. 7. aspire to something: to have strong determination to do something. 8. carbon copy (mixed sex school and real life): something that is very similar to another. 9. put a damper on the development: make something less successful. 10. gender-neutral: relating to people in general, not especially men or women. Examples (Source: http://www.bbcactive.com/BBCActiveIdeasandResources/Whataretheadvantagesofsinglesexschools.aspx)

The SchoolDash research found that 75% of pupils at single-sex schools achieved five good GCSEs compared to just 55% in mixed schools. Researchers at London's Institute of Education found no earnings advantage for men who attended all-boys schools, either grammar or comprehensive. 1.5. Opinion about corporal punishment -

Corporal punishment damages both the body and the mind of the children.

-

Children who are physically punished are likely to become resentful and might copy this violent education approach. Children should be governed by love, not just by fear.

-

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MASTER the ART of NEC Relevant Vocabulary: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9.

inflict damage on somebody: to hurt and cause damage to somebody. be in the wars: to have injuries in many different parts of the bodies. black and blue: with bruises. poison somebody’s mind: to make someone believe in unpleasant things. pattern yourself on somebody: to copy somebody’s behavior. set a bad example/precedent: to behave in a way that people should not copy. breeding ground for resentment: a place where resentment develops. fuel resentment: make the feeling of resentment become stronger. spare the rod and spoil the child: said when you think that punishment (not necessarily corporal) is necessary. 10. a slap on the wrist: a mild punishment. Examples: John Wayne Gacy, who dressed as clown named "Pogo" for children's parties, turned into a serial killer. Gacy's father was an alcoholic and physically abusive to all his children. Later, Gacy adopted the alter ego of Pogo the Clown to bring children the happiness he was cheated out of from a young age. Up to 80% of crime in the UK is committed by people who had behavioural problems as children and teenagers, according to a report by the Sainsbury Centre for Mental Health.

2. ENVIRONMENT

2.1. Global warming: causes, effects and solution

Causes: The increasing level of greenhouse gases is highly responsible for warming of the atmosphere. Combustion of fossil fuels by various means such as automobiles, factories and electricity use are to blame for emitting greenhouse gases. To make matter worse, trees in cities are all chopped down, thus trapping the heat and raising the overall temperature. Effects: As the temperature increases, the ice at the North Pole will melt and affect low-lying areas. Animals that cannot adapt to the changing surroundings will become extinct. Solution: Reduce fossil fuel combustion and recycle garbage. Maximize the use of renewable energy. Combat issues such as deforestation and raise people’s awareness. Relevant Vocabulary: 1. bear the brunt of something: the main force of something unpleasant. 2. searing heat: extreme heat. 3. concrete jungle: the crowded, ugly and industrialized parts of the city. 4. green belt: a strip of countryside round a town where building is not allowed. 5. repercussion/upshot/implication/outcome: adverse consequences. 6. ecological niche: the fit of a species living under specific environmental circumstances. 7. on the verge/brink of extinction: become nearly extinct. 8. afforestation: to plant trees in an area in order to make a forest. 9. energy-efficient appliances: machines that save energy. 10. put a curb on something: limit the amount of something. 11. emissions = gases entering the atmosphere 12. run-off = water that runs from the ground into rivers and lakes 13. habitat loss = destruction or disappearance of an animal’s natural home 14. dwindling numbers = (to dwindle = to steadily decline in quantity) 15. exacerbate: to make an existing problem worse, accidentally or deliberately Examples: Rising ocean temperatures caused by global warming have caused coral bleaching in vast portions in Australia—a condition in which the coral turns white and is prone to mass die-offs. Iceland generates the most clean electricity per person on earth, with almost 100% of its energy coming from renewable sources that make the most of its unique landscape.

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MASTER the ART of NEC 2.2. Advantages and disadvantages of nuclear power 1.

2.

Pros

Nuclear power can be used to produce a great amount of electricity without wasting natural resources. This also means that the amount of greenhouse gases dumped into the atmosphere is greatly reduced. When a nuclear power plant is functioning properly, it can run uninterrupted for up to 540 days. This results in fewer power interruptions. The running of the plant is also not contingent on weather or foreign suppliers, which makes it more stable than other forms of energy.

Cons

1. Nuclear waste disposal is a significant problem because there is currently no way to decontaminate radioactive materials. 2. The radioactive waste can present a threat to the environment and is dangerous for humans. Accidents did happen and resulted in severe consequences.

Relevant Vocabulary: 1. harness/utilize/make use of: to control something in order to use its power. 2. generate energy: produce energy. 3. a brownout: a drop in voltage in an electrical power supply system (rarely happens with nuclear power). 4. cutting-edge: very modern. 5. peak oil: the time after which there will start to be less oil available. 6. off the grid: not connected to the main electricity grid. 7. dispose of/dispense with/do away with: get rid of. 8. pose a hazard to/put in jeopardy: pose a threat to something. 9. detrimental/pernicious/deleterious/inimical: harmful and dangerous. 10. give rise to: to cause something. Examples: The main benefits of nuclear power are that is it more efficient than burning fossil fuels as the amount of energy released from uranium per gram is much more than that of fuels such as oil or coal; approximately 8,000 times more efficient in fact. Estimates conclude that somewhere between 15 000 and 30 000 people lost their lives in the Chernobyl aftermath and more than 2.5 million Ukrainians are still struggling with health problems related to nuclear waste. 2.3. Pollution: causes, effects and solution Causes: Excessive burning of fuel, which is a necessity of our daily lives, releases a huge amount of chemical substances in the air everyday. Also spraying insecticides and pesticides on plants pollutes the groundwater system and oil spills in the oceans have caused substantial damage to the water bodies. Release of industrial waste, deforestation and mining degrade the soil as well. Effects: Pollution not only affects humans by destroying their respiratory, cardiovascular and neurological systems; it also has a negative impact on the nature, plants, fruits, vegetables, rivers, ponds, forests, animals, etc, on which we are highly dependent for survival. Solution: Community education is one of the key strategies for preventing pollution and involving the people in actions to protect the environment. People can resort to energy-saving appliances and recycle their own garbage. Switching from fossil fuels to clean energy can reduce emissions and provide clean fuel for daily activities. Moreover, clean energy sources are also renewable which do not deplete natural resources or cause environmental harm. Afforestation is beneficial if the native tree species are planted in areas where deforestation has occurred. Government can introduce regulations to combat the pollution issues.

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MASTER the ART of NEC Relevant Vocabulary: 1. the bare essentials: the most basic and necessary things or activities. 2. sustain a population: to keep alive a population. 3. ozone depletion: the destruction of the upper atmospheric layer of ozone gas. 4. soil erosion: the displacement of the upper layer of soil. 5. perpetuate: to cause something to continue. 6. contingent on/upon something: depending on something in order to happen. 7. unsanitary: dirty and unhealthy. 8. in short supply: to be few or not enough in number. 9. non-biodegradable: not able to decay naturally. 10. carbon footprint: a measure of the amount of carbon dioxide that is produced by the daily activities of a person or company 11. aquifers: underground, natural water stores 12. tainted: polluted or contaminated 13. logging: cutting down trees for timber and industrial use 14. food chain: the natural system of animals eating other animals and plants 15. irrigation: supplying water to land for agriculture 16. crop rotation: the process of using different fields each year to keep the soil healthy 17. animal husbandry: the skill of keeping animals Examples: Linfen, China, where residents say they literally choke on coal dust in the evenings, is one of the most polluted place in the world and exemplifies many Chinese cities. Six months after the 2010 BP oil spill, which affected 16,000 miles of U.S. coastline, over 8,000 animals were reported dead. Copenhagen prioritises bikes over cars and now has more cyclers than drivers.

3. SOCIETY

3.1. Globalization: Advantages and disadvantages (Source: https://www.quora.com/What-are-the-advantagesand-disadvantages-of-Globalization)

Pros

1. As globalization increases, more and more companies are setting up businesses in other countries. This in turn increases the employment opportunities that people at one place have. 2. With the increase in globalization, it has become easier for people to move across borders to different parts of the world to acquire better education. 3. An increase in free trade has opened doors for investors in developed countries to invest their money in developing countries. 4. Information flows from one part of the world to the other immediately, resulting in the world being tied together. 5. As people move from one country to another, barriers between various cultures tend to decrease.

Cons

1. Developed countries can take advantage of underdeveloped countries’ weak regulatory laws in terms of environmental protection. 2. Small scale industries face extinction as they do not have the resources or the power that the multinational companies have. 3. Developing countries is facing a phenomenon called “brain-drain”, where a huge chunk of youth is preferring jobs/education in the developed countries than their own. 4. Terrorism has soared in the globalised world. 5. Globalisation can weaken and threaten national identities

Solution to protect traditional values : - We should promote the retention of our traditional roots to preserve the diversity of our culture and develop a sense of national identity

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MASTER the ART of NEC -

Cultural heritage and values should be passed down from generation to generation to safeguard our cultural uniqueness from being obliterated Don’t underestimate the paramount importance of prestigious national achievements, events, and famous people who shape the country

Relevant Vocabulary : 1. headhunt: to persuade someone to leave their job by offering them another job with more pay and a higher position. 2. corporate ladder: a series of increasingly important jobs that someone can do within a company. 3. promotion prospects: the chance of being raised to a higher employment position. 4. tariff: list of charges on goods entering a country. 5. color barrier: a system in which people of different races are separated and not given the same rights. 6. transcend barriers: to overcome barriers. 7. enter into negotiations: discuss to reach an agreement. 8. indigenous to: naturally and originally existing in a place. 9. infringe on: to break a rule or law. 10. human resources: the personnel of a business or organization. Examples: In the 2000s, Japanese and European companies such as Kawasaki and Siemens started producing high-speed trains in China. This helped Chinese firms in gaining knowledge about the production process and now Chinese companies such as China South Locomotive & Rolling Stock Corp. are producing high-speed trains on their own. An example of globalization’s downside is the bamboo furniture making industry in India. The manufacturers work out of their homes and work hard to make furniture out of bamboo. These workers cannot compete with large companies selling cheap plastic furniture and as a result, their industry faces extinction. furniture and as a result, their industry faces extinction. 3.2. Censorship: Opinion 1. 2. 3. 4.

Censorship is necessary to a certain extent in order to maintain society’s stability Violent images from movies and video games can have an adverse influence on the children. Terrorist parties can manipulate weak censorship regulations to distribute fake news and incite the masses. However, censorship regulations should be too stringent as to limit the freedom and creativity capacity of people. Relevant Vocabulary: 1. in a shambles: a state of chaos and bad organization. 2. desensitize: to cause somebody to experience an emotion less strong than before. 3. propaganda: information that is highly manipulative. 4. hate speech: words that mean to humiliate and incite violence or prejudice. 5. transparency: the quality of being done in an open way without secrets. 6. profanity/vulgarity: rude and disrespectful language. 7. hold/keep something in check: to limit something. 8. whistle-blower: a person who tells someone in authority about something illegal. 9. firewall: a program that stops people from seeing certain information on the Internet. 10. freedom of expression: a principle that supports the freedom of an individual or a community to articulate their opinions and ideas without fear of retaliation, censorship, or sanction. Examples: Research by psychologists L. Rowell Huesmann, Leonard Eron and others starting in the 1980s found that children who watched many hours of violence on television when they were in elementary school tended to show higher levels of aggressive behavior when they became teenagers.

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MASTER the ART of NEC India has been shaken by a spate of mob killings sparked by a hoax about child kidnappers spread on WhatsApp. In just two months, 20 people have been murdered in such attacks. 3.3. Video cameras in public place: Advantages and disadvantages Pros

1. Outside of being able to monitor your premises, CCTV cameras act as deterrents against crimes. 2. With a security camera, the authorities can witness the series of events as they really unfolded and gathered evidence through this means. 3. A camera system can bring people an increased sense of security and reassurance, especially high crime rate areas.

Cons

1. Naysayers claim that CCTV violates their privacy and makes them feel uncomfortable. 2. Cameras cost hundreds, even thousands of dollars depending on the features and the number of cameras and monitoring systems you buy. Their installation and maintenance means added costs.

Relevant vocabulary: 1. under surveillance: under close observation. 2. dummy cameras: fake security cameras. 3. avert: to prevent something from happening. 4. footage: a piece of film showing an event. 5. nab: to catch or arrest a criminal. 6. catch somebody red-handed: to find somebody in the act of doing something illegal. 7. bear witness/testimony to something: if something bears witness/testimony to a fact, it proves that it is true. 8. give an account of something: give a description of something. 9. invasion of privacy/intrusion into privacy: an action that affects other people’s personal lives in an unpleasant way. 10. pay top dollar: pay a lot of money. Examples: Between 6 and 10 August 2011, thousands of people ran riot in several London areas. Apart from five deaths, at many as 16 others were injured as a direct consequence of related violence. Major British cities relied on CCTV to monitor crime and large events and had identified many of the rioters and looters as they didn’t cover their faces. In 1997, a top-ranking police official in Washington, DC was caught using police databases to gather information on patrons of a gay club.

4. MEDIA

4.1. Ideas about television Pros

1. It is many people’s favorite way to wind down after a hard day at work 2. Television programs can be entertaining and enjoyable 3. TV can elaborate the information in a more pictorial and vivid way than newspaper 4. Television brings the best comedians, musicians and actors into our homes 5. Programs can also be informative and educational 6. Many TV programs cater for a large array of sophisticated tastes of viewers

Cons

1. Television is having an adverse impact on society 2. Some people link violence on television with crime rates in the real world 3. With the omnipresence of TV, it is impossible to keep children away from it 4. Children imitate the behavior they see on the screen 5. Children are less healthy because they squander most of their time watching TV 6. Advertisers direct their marketing at children 7. Watching TV is a waste of time

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MASTER the ART of NEC 7. Parents should extol the importance of watching news channels to develop overall general knowledge of children Relevant vocabulary: 1. debut: the first public appearance of something 2. audio and visual enjoyment 3. feature film: a main film/movie with a story 4. kill time = while away the time 5. couch potato: a person who spends a lot of time sitting and watching television 6. crack somebody up = give sb a good laugh: make sb laugh a lot 7. a dog and pony show: an event that is planned only in order to impress people so that they will support or buy something Ex: I’m really interested in reality shows or a dog and pony shows because they are really realistic and bloody hilarious. 8. star-studded: including many famous performers 9. visual editings and content management 10. mind-numbing: very boring 11. enlightening: giving information so that you can understand something better 12. celebrity endorsement: a form of brand or advertising campaign that involves a well known person using their fame to help promote a product or service Examples: Research by the Girl Scout Research Institute shows that girls who regularly watch reality TV tend to be more focused on physical appearance: 72% of regular viewers said they spend a lot of time on their appearance, compared with 42% of non-viewers In the same survey, 38% of reality TV viewers said a girl’s value is based on how she looks (compared with 28% of non-viewers). And 28% would rather be recognised for their outer beauty than their inner values (versus 18% of non-viewers) Those who regularly watch reality TV were more likely to say ‘you sometimes have to lie to get what you want’ (37% of regular viewers versus 24% of non-viewers); and that ‘you sometimes have to be mean to get what you want’ (28% versus 18%) 4.2. Ideas about newspaper Pros

1. Newspapers give you a glimpse of the entire world 2. Newspapers keep you abreast of the up-to-theminute information in the world 3. Newspapers enrich your knowledge and vocabulary 4. Reading newspapers will make it easy for you to relate to and gather the courage to share with other people who often talk about current events and politics. 5. Newspaper articles and books are written by professionals. Professionals produce better quality writing than amateurs 6. People still buy newspapers and books because they are portable

Cons

1. Newspapers sometimes come published with poorly printed text and images that can hardly be read or seen by readers. 2. Newspapers are cumbersome to move and carry around because of their shape and loose pages. 3. Newspapers cannot be updated/they are rigid in terms of news and information sources. 4. Newspapers are expensive cumulatively: It is quite expensive to produce and publish newspapers especially because they have to be distributed across the country.

Relevant vocabulary:

1.

Common words for describing newspaper 1. circulation: the number of copies a newspaper distributes on an average day 2. layout: the way articles are designed on a page

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MASTER the ART of NEC 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18. 19. 20.

2.

front page: the first page of a newspaper fact checkers: a person (people) who checks if the newspaper facts and information in an article are correct readership: the collective readers of a newspaper (some newspapers have a large readership) issue (n) : 1. an important topic for a debate 2. a copy of a newspaper daily: a newspaper published every day media outlet: a newspaper publishes news stories advice column: a column in the newspaper where advice is given to people who write in for it obituaries: a section in the newspaper about people who have recently died letter to the editor: a section in the newspaper for people to express their views to the editor of the newspaper comic strip: a cartoon series in the newspaper attention-grabbing: a news story which draws public attention eye-catching: a picture or layout which catches a person’s eye in-depth: with many details sensational news: news which causes public excitement or interest special feature: special story direct quotation = words taken directly from what a person has said credibility: refers to whether something is reliable or from a reliable source. slander: false charges and malicious oral statements about someone

Habits of using newspaper follow a story, peruse my favourite column; keep track of the news; catch a news bulletin; subscribe to a publication, flick through newspaper

3.

Types of news local news; international news; world events; current affairs; business news; gossip; sensational news; the scandal received wide coverage in the press; libel; breaking news; objective reporting; cover a story; news coverage; analysis; the story went viral, gruesome details

4.

The people involved paparazzi; unscrupulous reporters; a news anchor; a newscaster; a broadcaster; a columnist; a reporter; a journalist; a photojournalist

5.

Phrases and Idioms: 1. the gutter press: newspapers which focus on sensational journalism, often about the lives of famous people 2. yellow journalism: newspaper reports that are exaggerated and written to shock readers 3. information overload: exposure to too much information or data 4. invasion of privacy: unjustifiable intrusion into the personal life of another without consent. 5. a slow news day: a day with little news to report 6. black and white: without colour 7. grab/hit/make the headlines: to be an important item of news in newspapers or on the radio or television 8. hot off the press = news that has just been printed and is very recent 9. up to the minute: having the latest information 10. stale news: information that is no longer interesting or new, because it has already been reported 11. falling circulation: the decline in the number of copies of a newspaper sold each day 12. carry a story: to include an item in a news report 13. editorial policy: policy of the newspaper, as decided by the person in charge of producing the newspaper 14. a leading article: a piece of writing which deals with the most important news item of the day. 15. broadcast propaganda: send out a programme on television or radio that may be false or exaggerated in order to gain support for a political leader, a party etc 16. mirror our society: show the image of our society 17. read between the lines: look for or discover a meaning in something that is not openly stated

Examples:

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MASTER the ART of NEC Patrick Mattimore, teacher of high school psychology for many years in the US says: “Young people, particularly, gain access to western media using VPN's. For the most part, people don't seem to concern themselves much with what the government does. That said, my sense is that censorship is like telling Eve not to eat the apple. Even without the serpent around to entice her, she is going to want the apple.” He also says: “What makes government censorship of the press and resultant self-censorship by media itself even more baffling, is that psychological science suggests that it doesn't work. If you want to make an idea, or nearly anything, more valuable to someone, make it less available by censoring it. For example, more than 40 years ago, when University of North Carolina students learned that a speech opposing coed dorms on campus would be banned, psychologists reported that the students became more opposed to the idea of coed dorms. Without ever hearing the speech, students became more sympathetic to its argument.”

5. TECHNOLOGY

5.1. Ideas about Internet: Pros

1. It gives us instant access to information on almost any subject 2. It costs nothing to publish or access information on the Internet 3. People can buy goods and services from the comfort of their homes 4. The Internet is starting to replace other forms of entertainment 5. It has revolutionized communication 6. We can keep in touch by email or instant messenger services 7. Video messaging is becoming common for business meetings

Cons

1. Many websites contain offensive content 2. Some sites show violent or sexual images 3. Parents find it difficult to control what their children see online 4. With so many websites it is difficult to search for good information 5. Criminals increasingly use the Internet to conduct cybercrime 6. You may encounter invasion of privacy which can put your bank accounts, mobile phone numbers, emails into jeopardy 7. People do not like reading from a screen

Relevant vocabulary: 1. cyberspace=Internet 2. cybernaut: a person who uses the Internet 3. phishing: the activity of tricking people by getting them to give their identity, bank account numbers, etc. over the Internet 4. protocol: a set of rules that control the way data is sent between computers 5. bandwidth: the amount of information Internet connection can send in at a time 6. inordinate usage of Internet: excessive usage of Internet 7. adverse ramifications on your physical health: bad results on your health 8. exert a colossal influence on: have a big effect 9. manipulate public opinion: change public opinion in a way you want 10. be encrypted with virus: have virus 11. bookmark a webpage: to mark a webpage for future reference 12. wireless hotspot: a public place where you can access the Internet Examples: Facebook have impacted on your emotions Facebook's director of research David Ginsberg and research scientist Moira Burke published a post in which they addressed questions about the impact Facebook has on our moods, and revealed some compelling information. "University of Michigan students randomly assigned to read Facebook for 10 minutes were in a worse mood at the end of the day than students assigned to post or talk to friends on Facebook," the blog post said. "A study from UC San Diego and Yale found that people who clicked on about four times as many links as the average

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MASTER the ART of NEC person, or who liked twice as many posts, reported worse mental health than average in a survey." In other words, if you're using Facebook to mindlessly browse through your feed or click posts, you may end up in a foul mood after. 5.2. Ideas about technology: Pros

1. Technology offers immediate communication and allows friends and family overseas to stay connected 2. Technology is cheaper than telephone calls / faceto-face meetings, more convenient / people can communicate on-the-move 3. Technology gives everybody the chance to have a public voice

Cons

1. People may be alienated from social interactions and become introverted 2. People may substitute physical relation with electronic ones so tech may be deleterious to the relationships amongst people 3. The loss of social etiquettes results from making use of emoticon and abbreviations 4. People may become addicted to social network sites 5. Tech has made some jobs redundant and requires staff to be technically skilled 6. Tech gives customers less personal service 7. Tech requires a lot of investment and breakdowns in the system may cause severe problems

Relevant vocabulary 1. user-friendly: easy for people who are not experts to use or understand 2. techie: somebody who has an interest in technology = geek, technophile >< technophobe 3. computer buff: an expert computer user 4. gadget: an advanced piece of technology, like smartphone 5. high-spec: powerful computer with top quality components 6. computer fatigue: a syndrome of tiredness resulting from long computer usage 7. cutting-edge = state of the art: something innovational and leading >< outdated,obsolete 8. light years ahead: very far away from. Ex: Modern computers are light years ahead of those which people used in 90s. 9. rocket science: a very complicated subject for someone 10. silver surfer: an old person, who uses the Internet 11. be stuck behind a computer: to use computer for a long period of time 12. pull the plug: to end an activity. Ex: After being stuck behind a computer all day, I decided to pull the plug. 13. push someone's buttons: to do specific thing to irritate somebody (usually intentionally). 14. well-oiled machine: something that works perfectly well. Ex: My computer, despite being 7 years old, is still a well-oiled machine. 15. breakthrough: an important development 16. epoch-making: having a very important effect on people’s lives and on history Ex: Internet is an epoch-making invention of the 20th century. 17. digital native: Digital natives are young people who have grown up with laptops, iPads and mobile phones. 18. computer-literate: able to use computers well 19. labour-saving: designed to reduce the amount of work 20. ...is attended by ...= is followed by Ex: The staggering advancement of technology is attended by severe pollution of the ecosystem. 21. in the palm of my hand: something portable and accessible 22. just a few clicks: quickly and easily 23. at the touch of a button: quickly and easily

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MASTER the ART of NEC 24. be superseded by: to be replaced by something which is better Ex: The latest technological innovations are usually soon superseded by new and more advanced devices. 25. become over-reliant on: need something so that your survival or success depends too much on it Ex: Businesses have become over-reliant on complicated computer systems, so that if these systems fail the results will be disastrous. 26. be in its infancy: to be in the early development of something 27. lead sb up the garden path: deceive someone 28. go viral: to become very popular on the internet Examples: Is technology producing a decline in critical thinking and analysis? As technology has played a bigger role in our lives, our skills in critical thinking and analysis have declined, while our visual skills have improved, according to research by Patricia Greenfield, UCLA distinguished professor of psychology and director of the Children's Digital Media Center, Los Angeles. Learners have changed as a result of their exposure to technology, says Greenfield. Reading for pleasure, which has declined among young people in recent decades, enhances thinking and engages the imagination in a way that visual media such as video games and television do not, Greenfield said. "By using more visual media, students will process information better," she said. "However, most visual media are real-time media that do not allow time for reflection, analysis or imagination — those do not get developed by realtime media such as television or video games. Technology is not a panacea in education, because of the skills that are being lost. "Studies show that reading develops imagination, induction, reflection and critical thinking, as well as vocabulary," Greenfield said. "Reading for pleasure is the key to developing these skills. Students today have more visual literacy and less print literacy. Many students do not read for pleasure and have not for decades." Among the studies Greenfield analyzed was a classroom study showing that students who were given access to the Internet during class and were encouraged to use it during lectures did not process what the speaker said as well as students who did not have Internet access. When students were tested after class lectures, those who did not have Internet access performed better than those who did.

6. TECHNOLOGY

6.1. Ideas about diet

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10.

The human body requires a balanced diet. An unhealthy diet can cause various health problems. Obesity, diabetes and heart disease are on the increase with the prevalence of fast food and processed food Many people nowadays rely on fast food or pre-prepared meals. These foods often contain too much fat, salt and sugar. They are cheap to buy and very easy to prepare. Many young people have grown up on a diet of convenience foods. With excessive consumption of fast food, populations in developed countries are increasingly overweight. A balanced diet has a paramount importance to remain fit both physically and psychologically. A sound mind lies on a sound body and a body needs calories to properly function. 6.2. Ideas about exercise

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

Regular exercise is essential in maintaining a healthy body Exercise burns calories and helps to build healthy bones and muscles Doctors advise exercising at least three times a week for 20 minutes Most people nowadays lead a sedentary lifestyle We tend to walk less and do desk jobs Most adults relax by watching television

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MASTER the ART of NEC 7. 8.

Children play video games rather than doing outdoor sports In the past, people were more active in their jobs and at home Children can engage in sports to ameliorate the physical effects. 6.3. Government’s role in health

1.

Government play a plethora/wide array of functions, among which health care is an area of critical/utmost/grave concern. 2. Governments have a significant role to play in reducing obesity. 3. Government expenditure shouldn’t be confined to the boundary of healthcare. 4. More and more people, including young children are seriously overweight. They are at risk of heart disease and diabetes. This situation will increase the burden on hospitals and taxpayers. 5. Hospitals rely on the government for money and resources. 6. We need initiatives to tackle obesity, anti-social behaviour and delinquency. 7. There should be more time for sports on school timetables. 8. Unhealthy junk food should be banned from school menus. 9. Food packaging must show the food’s nutritional content. 10. The British Government recommends eating five portions of fruit and vegetables per day. 6.4. State health system vs Private healthcare system State health system

1. Good healthcare should be available to everyone for free 2. State healthcare is paid by the government using money from taxes 3. Everyone has access to the same quality of care and treatment 4. Private healthcare is unfair because only wealthy people can afford it 5. The National Health Service in the UK provides free healthcare for every resident

Private healthcare system

1. State hospitals are often very large and difficult to run 2. Private hospitals have shorter waiting lists for operations and appointments 3. Patients can benefit from faster treatment 4. Many people prefer to pay for more a personal service 5. Patients have their own room and more comfortable facilities

6.5. Alternative medicine Pros

1. People are increasingly using alternative medicines to treat illnesses. 2. For example, acupuncture can be used to treat backache 3. Herbal medicines can be used to treat allergies or viruses 4. Many patients report positive experiences with these treatments 5. Some traditional cures have been used for hundreds of years

Cons

1. Many alternative medicines have not been tested scientifically 2. They may have no beneficial effect at all 3. They may cause unknown side effects 4. People should trust the opinions of qualified doctors 5. An illness could get worse without treatment from a doctor

6.6. Stress Causes: 1. Modern lifestyles are increasingly stressful 2. People work long hours with strict deadlines 3. Our busy lifestyles mean we have less time to relax 4. Unemployment is a major cause of stress

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MASTER the ART of NEC 5. Children may be affected by their parents’ relationship problems 6. Tests and exams can also cause stress Solutions: 1. Stress can be reduced by taking regular exercise and eating a healthy diet 2. It is also important to get sufficient sleep and make leisure time a priority 3. People should work less overtime and take regular holidays 4. Schools have started to employ psychologists 5. They can offer emotional support to students 6. They can help students to cope with exam stress 6.7. Vocabs for health topic:

1. Topic-related vocab

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. Ex: 7.

life expectancy: the number of years that a person is likely to live sedentary lifestyle: a lifestyle in which you spend a lot of time sitting down inflammation: a condition in which a part of the body becomes red, sore and swollen analgesic: a substance that reduces pain antibiotics: a substance, for example penicillin, that can destroy or prevent the growth of bacteria a fitness regime: a method or routine of taking regular exercise Even elderly people can adopt a fitness regime by taking light exercise such as walking or jogging. health awareness campaigns: publicity to encourage people to be concerned about looking after their health. Ex: Public health awareness campaigns are essential if people are to accept that they have a personal responsibility to look after their own health. 8. frame of mind: the way you feel or think about something at a particular time Ex: We'll discuss this when you're in a better frame of mind. 9. build up one’s immune system/ immunity: to increase the ability of your body to fight diseases Ex: A healthy lifestyle and a diet rich in vitamins is a sure way to build up one’s immune system. 10. be prone to/at an increased risk of obesity: to be likely to become fat [in an unhealthy way] Ex: Children who are addicted to watching television, instead of playing outdoor games, are more prone to obesity. 11. chemotherapy/radiotherapy: the treatment of disease by chemicals/radiation 12. carcinogenic effect: effect that is likely to cause cancer Ex: the carcinogenic effects of some pesticides used on fruit 13. prescription charges: money the patient pays for medicine authorised by a doctor a check-up: a physical examination by a doctor 14. excruciating pain = unbearable pain 15. splitting headache: a bad pain in your head

2. Phrases and Idioms

1.

2. 3. 4.

5. 6.

as fit as a fiddle: in very good physical condition = as right as rain, alive and kicking, hale and hearty , be full of beans, in the best of health, fighting fit, be the picture of health Ex: He's in the best of health because he exercises regularly and doesn't eat junk food. be over the worst: to have got through the most serious stage of an illness nurse someone back to health: care for somebody who is ill/sick on the mend: be getting better after an illness or injury = recuperate, convalesce, rehabilitate, make a speedy recovery = be back on your feet, get a new lease of life, be given a clean bill of health → put the roses in somebody’s cheeks: to make somebody look healthy Ex: A brisk walk will put the roses back into your cheeks. go down with a disease: suffer from a disease be under the weather: feel ill/sick = be a bit off colour, feel out of sorts, be run-down,

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MASTER the ART of NEC 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12.

be at death’s door: (informal) to be very ill indeed go private: to choose to be treated by commercial healthcare rather than a state one phone in sick: to call work to explain you won’t be attending work due to illness bag of bones: a very thin person go under knife: have a medical operation fend off diseases before they arise: prevent diseases before they arise

Examples:

The Impact of Socioeconomic Status on Health A May 2011 study featured in the journal Sleep Medicine found that people with the least amount of education had the most sleep complaints. In addition, those who were unemployed or making less than $75,000 a year also had significantly more sleep complaints than those who were gainfully employed and making at least $75,000 annually. Of course, we now know that lack of sleep can weaken the immune system, increase obesity, and put us at risk of developing diabetes and heart disease. A 2011 study in the journal Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism demonstrated that even just one night of sleeping four or fewer hours creates a state of insulin resistance-which is associated with increased obesity and diabetes-in study participants. The journal BMC Cardiovascular Disorders reported in November 2011 that low socioeconomic status, defined as less than a high school education and earning less than $12,000 annually, is an independent risk factor for the development of heart disease. This conclusion is similar to those of other published studies regarding income and education as it relates to heart disease. The researchers concluded, "Ignoring [socioeconomic status (SES)] in coronary heart disease risk assessment under-estimates the risk in lower SES persons, and may, in turn, through relative undertreatment, contribute to widening SES disparities in coronary heart disease." The researchers contend that in addition to the Framingham risk score, socioeconomic factors should be considered in assessing a person's risk of coronary heart disease.

7. SPORTS

7.1. Pros and Cons of Professional/Competitive sport Pros

1. Professional sports are the same as any other business 2. Many people are employed in the sports industry 3. People should be able to use their talents to earn a salary 4. Sports stars entertain millions of people 5. Money is necessary to improve facilities and train athletes 6. The level of professional sport is much higher than that of amateur sport 7. Competition is a natural instinct in humans 8. In daily life we compete to get jobs or the highest grades 9. Sports are a safe form of competition 10. Competition is healthy because it pushes us to give our best 11. Competitors and fans can release energy and aggression 12. Supporters of teams feel a sense of belonging to a community

Cons

1. Sport has become a business with an aim at profit-maximization instead of entertainment 2. Professional sport encourages people to compete for money 3. Many sports stars are only concerned about money and fame 4. Competitors are often selfish and rude 5. They are not good role models for children 6. All sports should be amateur 7. Sports should be leisure activities rather than jobs 8. People should do sporting activities for enjoyment and health reasons 9. Taking part is more important than winning 10. Tempted by the prospect of large financial rewards, many athletes take proscribed performance-enhancing drugs

Relevant vocabulary 1. sportsmanship: fair, generous and polite behaviour, especially when playing a sport or game

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MASTER the ART of NEC 2.

renowned superstar: famous super star

3.

specialised facilities

4.

stamina=strength=( physical or mental) energy=vigour

5.

negate=cancel out=counteract=reverse

6.

inactivity=idleness=sluggishness=indolence=immobility

7.

stick to=follow=abide by

8.

fortitude=determination=courage=strength

9.

proscribed=banned=prohibited=forbidden

10. crown a champion: become the champion 11. sporting pursuit: trying to follow sports career 7.2. Opinion: professional sport salaries are fair 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8.

For

Sport is a multi-million-pound industry There is a large audience of sports fans Sports on television attract many viewers Sports stars have dedicated hours of practice to developing their fitness and skills Only the most talented among them will reach the top A sports career many only last 10 years Sports fans are willing to pay to support their teams Sports fans are engrossed by the grace, endurance and fortitude shown by athletes

Against

1. Sports professionals earn too much money 2. They do not provide a vital service 3. Football players, for example, earn enormous salaries by simply kicking a ball 4. We could all live happily without professional football 5. Life would be difficult without doctors, engineers and other vital professionals. 6. Society does not seem to value these professions as highly as professional sport 7. Sports salaries should be compatible with the wages most people earn

Relevant vocabulary: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

patron=sponsor stretch themselves to the limits: make use of all of their abilities shed tears of joy: cry because you are happy concussions arising from sports: a temporary loss of consciousness caused by sports long-term adverse health effects solid form: consistent performance follow a special diet regime engrossed by=occupied by=absorbed in=immersed in telephone figure/number salaries: a very large salary, 6 figures or more well-rounded player: player who have a good balance of skills cuts and bruises: a mark shows your skin is injured aches and pains: minor pains that continue over a period of time 7.3. Sports and Politics Some people think that sport and politics should remain separate Governments are involved in the hosting of sporting events such as the Olympics. These events attract investment and create jobs. The Olympic Games are an advertisement for the host nation. They attract huge numbers of visitors and sports fans Wealthy countries tend to hold these events

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MASTER the ART of NEC 6. 7. 8. 9.

Developing countries should be given the chance to become hosts Government should divest itself of intervening in the sports industry. The state can concede its control over national sports teams to private ownership. Private sponsors have expertise in different areas of technology ranging from nutrition to the treatment of injuries. 10. International sporting events as a substitute for war, formalising the conflicts between countries. 11. Extravagant expenditure on sports facilities may lead to the derelict buildings after the sports events. 12. However, economic and non-economic benefits such as travelling, promoting image brought to the host city is immeasurable 13. Private sponsors are more financially capable of providing awards, bonus and other financial incentives to motivate athletes 14. National teams are branded, marketed and sold as entertainment products while the value of national pride and ethnic dignity is overlooked. It is also very likely that private investors are only interested in those sports with high media exposure, resulting in the unbalanced development of sports. 15. The demand of the masses may be ignored. Players will try their best to ensure a victory by playing defensively in a boring way and even conducting unsportsmanlike actions to achieve the goal. Relevant vocabulary: 1. concede=give in=give up=grant=forfeit 2. host=provide facilities for: 3. giving the green light: allow 4. divest=rid=deprive 5. sports feat: a magnificent action in sports 6. economic windfall: an unexpected boost in economy 7. experience cost overruns: encounter excessive costs over-budget 8. escalating costs: increasing costs 9. spur goodwill: promote friendly or helpful feelings towards other people or countries 10. civic pride = the pride felt in the town/city where you live, its people and infrastructure 11. embrace commercialism = commercialize 12. tempt travellers to the city=lure=entice=attract 13. facilities and amenities = places providing any service to the public, either private or public sector IV. Exercises

With model answers:

1.

(NEC 2018) In the twenty first century, the focus of education and learning is to make students adaptable

2.

(NEC 2017) As the world grows more connected through the Internet and greater international trade,

3.

Many famous footballers nowadays are transferred from their cradle club to another renowned club. They later score goals against their previous club. Their success is deemed professionalism by some but a lack of loyalty by others. What is your opinion? Get ready to talk to an audience on this issue.

4. 5.

and responsive to changing circumstances. How far do you agree? What skills and qualities do young people need to make them more employable? Get ready to talk to an audience on this issue. globalization is becoming more important and more controversial. What is your opinion? Get ready to talk to an audience on this issue.

Some people say that students should be taught to ‘learn to live together’ as a basic guidance in such a developed yet violent world. What is your opinion? Get ready to talk to an audience on this issue. Today the high sales of consumer goods reflect the power of advertising rather than the real need of people. What is your opinion? Get ready to talk to an audience on this issue.

Without model answers:

6.

(NEC 2014) “Computers will soon replace teachers in the classroom.” Do you agree or disagree? Get

ready to talk to an audience about this issue.

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MASTER the ART of NEC

7. 8.

(NEC 2016) Should history be made compulsory in schools as a separate subject rather than an interdisciplinary subject? What is your opinion? Get ready to talk to an audience on this issue.

Should sports events be broadcasted free for all people? What is your opinion? Get ready to talk to an audience on this issue.

9. To what extent is censorship necessary in Vietnam? Get ready to talk to an audience on this issue. 10. There are many cheating cases in Vietnam’s National University Entrance Examination. What are the causes and solutions to this problem? Get ready to talk to an audience on this issue.

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MASTER the ART of NEC

SPEAKING CONSOLIDATION Topic 1: Is political apathy a curse or a blessing for a country? Topic 2: Should teamwork be made a tenet of the school curriculum? Topic 3: Leadership – Followership: which is more important? Topic 4: Who are you in the next 10 years? Topic 5: Should religion be divorced from politics? Topic 6: Is the Internet reviving justice or killing it? Topic 7: Why should Vietnamese read “Truyen Kieu”? Topic 8: If a woman willingly sacrifices her career for the sake of her family, should we consider her a victim of gender inequality? Topic 9: Is there any possibility of a community benefiting from self-serving members? Topic 10: Can violence ever be justified?

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MASTER the ART of NEC

PART SIX: PRACTICE TESTS PRACTICE TEST 1 I. LISTENING

Please access the link below and download the audio files in order to complete the listening exercises: http://bit.ly/2NsJhCV HƯỚNG DẪN PHẦN NGHE HIỂU • Bài nghe gồm 4 phần; mỗi phần được nghe 2 lần, mỗi lần cách nhau 05 giây; mở đầu và kết thúc mỗi phần nghe có tín hiệu. • Mở đầu và kết thúc bài nghe có tín hiệu nhạc. Thí sinh có 02 phút để hoàn chỉnh bài trước tín hiệu nhạc kết thúc bài nghe. • Mọi hướng dẫn cho thí sinh (bằng tiếng Anh) đã có trong bài nghe. Part 1: (Source: Oxford IELTS Practice tests Peter May) Complete the table. Write NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS OR A NUMBER for each answer in the space provided.

THE ZIP FASTENER

1851

Howe

‘Automatic Continuous Clothing Closure’

commercial potential only

1893

Judson

‘Clasp Locker’

commercial failure

1908

Sundback

(4) ____________ 1920s

Your answers 1.

Kynoch

(5) ____________

2.

commercial

USA

(1) ___________ Sweden

(2) __________

(3) ____________

‘Ready Fastener’

commercial success

UK

‘Zipper’

commercial success

USA

3.

4.

5.

Part 2: Listen to a report about earthquakes in different countries and how people brace themselves for impacts. For questions 6-7, choose TWO LETTERS from A-E that are TRUE about the earthquake in the mountainous region of ITALY. 6. ________ 7. ________

A. Underdeveloped infrastructure was instrumental in destroying the town. B. A death toll of two thousand was reported in the aftermath. C. Accessibility was thwarted by weather conditions. D. Twenty major earthquakes take their toll on the country annually. E. More than 250 lives were claimed along with property damage.

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MASTER the ART of NEC For questions 8-10, choose THREE LETTERS from F-M that are true about earthquakes and earthquake preparedness in CHILE. 8. ________

F. G. H. I. J. K. L. M.

9. ________ 10. ________

The country is situated in an earthquake-prone area. Proactive measures sometimes fail to handle forthcoming calamities. There have been thirteen earthquakes of magnitude 9.5 since 1906. A dearth of alerts and necessary drills makes the country vulnerable. Government officials are often labeled ‘bribe takers’. The most recent quake was nowhere near as destructive as that in 1960. Training sessions for rescue teams are held once a year. Emergency preparedness includes setting stringent construction standards.

For questions 11-12, choose TWO LETTERS from N-S that indicate how JAPAN solves the earthquake puzzle. N. Old buildings are substituted for modern buildings. O. Some houses can rise and hover in the air during earthquakes thanks to their foundations. P. A special TV channel is designated for covering relief efforts. Q. Underground tremors are spotted by an early-warning system launched throughout the world. R. Regions under threat of tsunamis are tracked and televised. S. High-speed passenger trains head for the nearest station when earthquakes strike.

11. ________ 12. ________

Your answers 6.

7.

8.

9.

10.

11.

12.

Part 3: (Source: Cambridge Certificate of Proficiency in English 4) You will hear a radio interview with Diana Boardman, a manager of an orchestra. For question 13-17, choose the answer (A, B, C or D) which fits best according to what you hear. 13. Diana feels that her orchestra is special because ___________ A. it benefits from a long history. B. her players are skilled in many areas. C. it is known for a particular type of music. D. she has associated with the right type of people. 14. Diana says that her concerts ___________ A. are better attended than most. B. consist of a mix of music types. C. can be interpreted in two ways. D. have a high risk of element to them. 15. According to Diana, it is important to ___________ A. move towards a change in music traditions. B. distinguish classical music from other art forms. C. understand the past influences on music. D. recognize the role of women in the history of music. 16. Diana feels that the number of men in classical music audiences ___________ A. should come as no surprise. B. is generally underestimated. C. reflects how things have changed. D. is difficult to understand. 17. Why did Diana decide to make arts administration her career? A. It was a subject that she had studied.

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MASTER the ART of NEC B. C. D.

It proved to be satisfying. She likes a competitive atmosphere. Influential colleagues recommended it.

Your answers 13.

14.

15.

16.

17.

Part 4: For questions 18-25, listen to a report on the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and supply the blanks with the missing information. Write NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS taken from the recording for each answer in the space provided. Because GDPR was implemented so recently, plenty of large tech firms have been (18) _______ to make sure they don't get caught on the wrong side of the law. One of the biggest (19) ________ of the GDPR is consent. There are some more rules concerning how they have to store it specifically it has to be protected in some way whether it's through (20) _______ or by keeping the data separate from other data that could be used together to identify an individual person. For example a national ID number should be (21) ______ from other information that could enable an attacker to work out who it belongs to. The GDPR also obligates companies to give you access to an on-demand or to delete your data upon request, partly (22) ________ of the Internet is forever with a right to be forgotten. If you live in the US, Japan or Guinea Bissau, some tech firms like Facebook and Microsoft are implementing GDPR (23) _______ worldwide giving users outside the EU the same level of access and control. It's also not a great look from a public relations perspective to give you there's a certain places less (24) ______ just because they can’t. To sum up, that's a great step towards a more global Internet because I have had just about enough of (25) _________. Your answers 18. 22.

II.

19. 23.

20. 24.

21. 25.

LEXICO-GRAMMAR

Part 1: For questions 26-39, choose the correct answer A, B, C, or D to each of the following questions. Write your answers in the corresponding numbered boxes provided. 26. He has been __________ about his mother’s death for weeks! We need to cheer him up. A. pondering

B. contemplating

C. lamenting

D. suffering

27. "Amazing! Extraordinary! Unprecedented! Astonishing!", Romano __________ out loud in complete surprise. A. shrieked

B. ejaculated

C. murmured

D. whimpered

C. planet

D. compound

28. The largest celestial __________ is the Nebula M78. A. body

B. matter

29. Barry lost his job and his family had to scrape __________ on less than 100$ a month. A. off

B. out

C. by

D. about

30. Without adaptability, you will never be able to deal with the shifting __________ of this profession. A. grounds

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B. places

C. ways

D. sands

MASTER the ART of NEC 31. To survive in this grueling environment, you must be quick on the __________. A. mark

B. uptake

C. target

D. mind

32. I am sorry for disturbing you at such small hours, but I need to __________ my spleen and you are the only good listener I can think of. A. vent

B. exhaust

C. unleash

D. clean

33. Are you sure we can get this cupboard upstairs? It looks really __________, given its unusual shape and huge size. A. unwieldy

B. clumsy

C. impracticable

D. clunky

34. John was trying to tell me something, but the sudden appearance of Bruce __________ the conversation in the bud. A. broke

B. cut

C. nipped

D. snapped

35. Jomelo and Ruliet used to hate each other, but by some __________ of fate, they ended up becoming husband and wife. A. stroke

B. change

C. leap

D. quirk

36. Hands __________, the dancers were circling to the right and left in an impressive manner. A. held high

B. were held highly

C. high holding

D. having highly held

37. At long last, the police found the murder weapon after a five-day __________ search on the field. A. circumspect

B. painstaking

C. vigorous

D. vigilant

38. I am so sorry for leaving your name off the list. It was done __________. A. graciously

B. unwittingly

C. vehemently

D. incongruously

39. The mayor failed to deliver key promises in his manifesto, but to give him his ___________, he tried his best to improve the city’s infrastructure. A. account Your answers 26. 33.

B. view 27. 34.

28. 35.

C. owing 29. 36.

D. due 30. 37.

31. 38.

32. 39.

Part 2: (Source: https://edition.cnn.com/2018/07/16/football/world-cup-win-paris-celebrations-clashes-intl-spt/index.html) For questions 40-45, write the correct form of each bracketed word in the numbered space provided in the column on the right. As the heavens opened in Russia and torrential rain lashed down upon the (40. TRIUMPH) _________ French team, millions took to the streets of Paris in celebration. Twenty years on from exploits of the "Rainbow team," whose victory on home soil united a nation, Les Bleus had once again won the World Cup. Some 100,000 gathered at the foot of the Eiffel Tower to take in the action on big screens on Sunday. Once victory had been confirmed — courtesy of a 4-2 win against Croatia — a party atmosphere took hold and went on long into the night. But as the night wore on, the scenes of (41. REVEL) _________ were marred by two confirmed fatalities and the behavior of a small minority. In the capital, fireworks, flares and smoke bombs were thrown (42. DISCRIMINATE) _________ along the Champs Elysees, as fans refused to disperse and clashed with the advancing police. Windows were smashed and shops were looted, with similar scenes of (43. REST) _________ occurring in the cities of Lyon and Marseille. Some 30 individuals broke into the luxury store Drugstore Publicis on Champs Elysees in scenes (44. REMINISCE) _________ of the 2006 World Cup final, when the shop was also damaged. "Lots of merchandise was stolen and damaged," Drugstore Publicis deputy CEO Virginie Levy told CNN. "They stole alcohol, including champagne, but

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MASTER the ART of NEC also lots of jewelry. "No one was injured, that is the important thing, but we are shocked. This is obviously not in the spirit of the world cup. Last night, tens of people ruined the party for everyone. It is not patriotic." In response riot police first fired tear gas to disperse the crowds, and later used water cannons in a bid to evacuate the streets. All in all, 292 people were placed into custody in France last night, including 90 people in Paris, the Interior Ministry told CNN. "There were no major incidents," a spokesperson said. "There were however some upsets in big cities, with shops and terraces damaged." There had been 10,000 police officers and gendarmes (45. MOBILE) _________ in the capital for the match — 45 were injured but none were "seriously" hurt. On Monday, Macron welcomed the team back to Paris and the players made a bus parade up the Champs-Elysees avenue, where they were honored by hundreds of thousands of people. The players and coach will receive their country's highest accolade, the Légion d'Honneur. Your answers 40. 41. 42. 43. 44. 45.

III.

READING

Part 1: (Source: Advanced Grammar and Vocabulary Student’s Book) For questions 46-50, read the passage below and decide whether A, B, C or D best fits each gap. Write your answers in the corresponding numbered boxes provided.

LIONEL MENDAX: THE TRUTH

It was my misfortune to be Lionel Mendax's form master in his last year at school. Lionel was a _____(46) liar and an compulsive cheat who, when not _____ (47) hooky, plagued the hell out of both myself and my teaching colleagues. Contrary to his own inflated opinion of his intellectual abilities, Lionel was not a gifted student. Far from it. He was at best a/an _____ (48) candidate for his GCSE exams and as such it was perhaps a blessing that he was _____ (49) from the school before he took them. It is only fair, however, that I should give Lionel credit where credit is due. No one had ever been thrown out of Greyfriars School before. Notwithstanding that, even our ridiculously lenient and excessively liberal headmaster could not ignore the fact that Lionel had been caught cheating on every single one of his mock GCSE Exams. After his expulsion he _____ (50) a course in printing and design at the local technical college, but soon dropped out. 46. A. compelling 47. A. running 48. A. periphery 49. A. evacuated 50. A. did Your answers 46.

B. overwhelming B. playing B. edge B. expelled B. made 47.

48.

C. inveterate C. making C. futile C. evicted C. assisted 49.

D. addictive D. doing D. borderline D. expired D. sat 50.

Part 2: (Source: Letter from the White House) For questions 51-60, fill each of the following numbered blanks with ONE suitable word. Write your answers in the corresponding numbered boxes provided. My fellow Americans, It's a long-standing tradition for the sitting president of the United States to leave a parting (51) _________________ in the Oval Office for the American elected to take his or her place. It's a letter meant to share what we know, what we've learned, and what small wisdom may help our successor (52) ___________________ the great responsibility that comes with the highest office in our land, and the leadership of the free world. But before I leave my note for our 45th president, I wanted to say one final thank you for the (53) ___________________ of serving as your 44th. Because all that I've learned in my time in office, I've learned from you. You made me a better President, and you made me a better man.

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MASTER the ART of NEC I've (54) ___________________ heart from the hope of young graduates and our newest military officers. I've seen our scientists help a paralyzed man regain his sense of (55) __________________, and wounded warriors once given up for dead walk again. I've seen Americans whose lives have been saved because they finally have access to (56) ___________________ care, and families whose lives have been changed because their marriages are recognized as equal to our (57) ____________________. I've seen the youngest of children remind us through their actions and through their generosity of our obligations to care for refugees, or work for peace, and, above all, to look (58) ___________________ for each other. I've seen you, the American people, in all your decency, determination, good humor, and kindness. And in your daily acts of citizenship, I've seen our future unfolding. All of us, (59) ____________________ of party, should throw ourselves into that work -- the joyous work of citizenship. Not just when there's an election, not just when our own narrow interest is at (60) ____________________, but over the full span of a lifetime. I'll be right there with you every step of the way. And when the arc of progress seems slow, remember: America is not the project of any one person. The single most powerful word in our democracy is the word 'We.' 'We the People.' 'We shall overcome.' Yes, we can. President Barack Obama Your answers 51. 56.

52. 57.

53. 58.

54. 59.

55. 60.

Part 3: (Source: http://ielts-share.com/ielts-reading-practice-140/) For questions 61-73, read the following passage and do the tasks that follow.

LOST FOR WORDS

Many minority languages are on the danger list.

In the Native American Navajo nation, which sprawls across four states in the American southwest, the native language is dying. Most of its speakers are middle-age or elderly. Although many students take classes in Navajo, the schools are run in English. Street signs, supermarket goods and even their own newspapers are all in English. Not surprisingly, linguists doubt that any native speakers of Navajo will remain in the next one hundred years. Navajo is far from alone. Half of the world’s 6,800 languages are likely to vanish within two generations – that’s one language lost every ten days. Never before has the planet’s linguistic diversity shrunk at such a pace. “At the moment, we are heading for about three or four languages dominating the world”, says Mark Pagel, an evolutionary biologist at the University of Reading. “It’s a mass extinction, and whether we will ever rebound from the lost is difficult to know.” Isolation breeds linguistic diversity. As a result, the world is peppered with languages spoken by only a few people. Only 250 languages have more than a million speakers, and at least 3,000 have fewer than 2,500. It is not necessarily these small languages that are about to disappear. Navajo is considered endangered despite having 150,000 speakers. What makes a language endangered is not the number of speakers, but how old they are. If it is spoken by children it is relatively safe. The critically endangered languages are those that are only spoken by the elderly, according to Michael Krauss, director of the Alassk Native Language Center, in Fairblanks. Why do people reject the language of their parents? “It begins with a crisis of confidence, when a small community finds itself alongside a larger, wealthier society.”, says Nicholas Ostler of Britain’s Foundation for Endangered Languages, in Bath. “People lose faith in their culture” he says. “When the next generation reaches their teens, they might not want to be induced into the old tradition.” The change is not always voluntary. Quite often, governments try to kill off a minority language by banning its use in public or discouraging its use in school, all to promote national unity. The former US policy of running Indian reservation in English, for example, effectively put languages such as Navajo on the danger list. But Salikoko

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MASTER the ART of NEC Mufwene, who chairs the Linguistics Department at the University of Chicago, argues that the deadliest weapon is not government policy but economic globalisation. “Native Americans have not lost pride in their language, but they have had to adapt to socio-economic pressures” he say. “They can not refuse to speak English if most commercial activity is in English”. But are languages worth saving? At the very least, there is a loss of data for the study of languages and their evolution, which relies on comparisons between languages, both living and dead. When an unwritten and unrecorded language disappears, it is a loss to science. Language is also intimately bound up with culture, so it may be difficult to reserve one without the other. “If a person shifts from Navajo to English, they lose something” Mufwene says. “Moreover, the loss of diversity may also deprive us of different ways of looking at the world” say Pagel. There is mounting evidence that learning a language produces physiological changes in brain. “Your brain and mine are different from the brain of someone who speaks French, for instance.”, Pagel says, and this could affect our thoughts and perceptions. “The patterns and connections we make among various concepts may be structured by the linguistic habits of our community.” So despite linguists’ best efforts, many languages will disappear over the next century. But a growing interest in cultural identity may prevent the direst predictions from coming true. “The key to fostering diversity is for people to learn their ancestral tongue, as well as the dominant language” , says Doug Whalen, founder and president of the Endangered Language Fund in New Haven, Connecticut. “Most of these languages will not survive without a large degree of bilingualism.” , he says. In New Zealand, classes for children have slowed the erosion of Maori and rekindled interest in the language. A similar approach in Hawaii has produce about 8000 new speakers of Polynesian languages in the past few years. In California, ‘apprentice’ programmes have provided life support to several indigenous languages. Volunteer ‘apprentices’ pair up with one of the last living speakers of Native American tongue to learn traditional skills such as basket weaving, with instruction exclusively in the endangered language. After about 300 hours of training they are generally sufficiently fluent to transmit the language to the next generation. But Mufwene says that preventing a language dying out is not the same as giving it new life by using it every day. “Preserving a language is more like preserving fruits in a jar” he says. However, preservation can bring a language back from the dead. There are examples of languages that have survived in written form and then been revived by later generations. But a written form is essential for this, so the mere possibility of revival has led many speakers of endangered languages to develop systems of writing where none existed before. Question 61-64 Complete the summary below. Choose no more than TWO words from the passage for each answer. There are currently approximately 6,800 languages in the world. This great variety of languages came about largely as a result of geographical (61) __________ . But in today’s world, factors such as government initiatives and (62) __________ are contributing to a huge decrease in the number of languages. One factor which may help to ensure that some endangered languages do not die out completely is people’s increasing appreciation of their (63) __________. This has been encouraged through programmes of languages classes for children and through “apprentice” schemes, in which the endangered language is used as the medium of instruction to teach people (64) __________. Some speakers of endangered languages have even produced writing systems in order to help secure the survival of their mother tongue. Question 65-69 Look at the following statements (Question 65-69) and the list of people below. Match each statement with the correct person A-E. You may use any letter more than once. 65. Endangered languages cannot be saved unless people learn to speak more A. Michael Krauss than one language. B. Salikoko Mufwene 66. Saving languages from extinction is not in itself a satisfactory goal. C. Nicholas Ostler 67. The way we think may be determined by our language. D. Mark Pagel 68. Young people often reject the established way of life in their community. E. Doug Whalen 69. A change of language may mean a loss of traditional culture. Your answers: 65. 66. 67. 68. 69. Question 70-73

Do the following statements agree with the views of the writer in the passage?

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MASTER the ART of NEC In boxes 70-73, write: YES If the statement agrees with the view of the writer . NO If the statement contradicts the view of writer . NOT GIVEN If it is impossible to say what the writer thinks about this . 70. The Navajo language will die out because it currently has too few speakers. 71. A large number of native speakers fails to guarantee the survival of a language. 72. National governments could do more to protect endangered languages. 73. The loss of linguistic diversity is inevitable. Your answers: 70.

71.

72.

73.

Part 4: (Source: Objective Proficiency) In the passage below, seven paragraphs have been removed. For questions 74-79, read the passage and choose from the paragraphs A-G the one which fits each gap. There is ONE extra paragraph which you do not need to use. Write your answers in the corresponding numbered boxes provided. FIGHTING TALK It would seem that some people are simply incapable of settling scores amicably at work and practicing some good old-fashioned forgiveness. High court judge Martin Mann was last week forced to order two doctors who were unable to settle a personal dispute to divide their surgery in two by building a wall right through their medical practice. 74. Although an extreme case, it demonstrates just how bad things can get when communication and understanding breaks down between colleagues at work. Office feuds can be experienced in even the friendliest of environments. But what to do when faced with one? 75. But what causes acrimony in the first place? Reasons can be as diverse as a clash of personalities, jealousy, backstabbing, or a simple misunderstanding. Whatever the cause, there has to be a strong desire to solve the problem if things are to get better. If you are personally involved - and almost all of us have been in one way or another - then the best thing to do, says Clarke, is to try to put yourself in the other person's shoes. Easier said than done, since empathy is not an easy emotion to come by, even to the most virtuous. 76. Listening skills are vital. If the problem is between other colleagues, things can be a bit trickier. You may not be the gallant sort - practicing an unhealthy dose of denial is often what most people would prefer to do - but ignoring the situation will not make it go away. 77. Mediation is another option; get the two parties to sit together and act as a buffer zone. You might have the urge to bash their heads together, but it won't be terribly constructive. As Clarke says, "Sometimes it is a case of translating. People are often so different that it seems that they speak a different language." 78. Negative energy between people need not produce bad karma. Harnessed creatively, it can actually become a positive force. So, if you are having problems with the office dullard who will insist on putting downers on any bright new ideas you might have, use their criticism and objections as a way of really testing a brainwave. Surely, if it can survive them, it can survive anyone. Try looking at people's weaknesses as strengths: assign a pedant to research the finer details of a project; the loudmouth of the office can always be pushed forward when it comes to public speaking.

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MASTER the ART of NEC 79.

I.

Whether you are involved directly or an innocent bystander watching others curdle the workplace atmosphere, Jane Clarke, author of Office Politics (published by the Industrial Society) offers some sound advice. "On the whole, people do not like dealing with conflict, but it is very important to grab the bull by the horns. If you feel you are able to, you should try and sort it out. If not, the very least you can do is report it to a manager who should make sure that workers know that bad behavior in the workplace will not be tolerated." II. You might think that doctors Anne Rodway, 65, and Paul Landy, 49, were old enough to know better but somehow the two could not manage to work alongside each other. The two set up their partnership three years ago in Sevenoaks, Kent, but stopped talking just three months after their business started. Both staff and around 3,500 patients have been asked to decide on which side their loyalties lie as the practice is formally divided - especially difficult for the staff, who have already had to become used to being paid separately by the warring doctors. III. Any meetings between disputing colleagues should have some follow-up. All involved should be made aware of the next steps - failing to do this could mean that the situation repeats itself. IV. Disputes and ill feelings can arise both among employees or between employee and employer, a fact clearly illustrated by the record numbers of people who contacted conciliation service Acas over the past year: 715,000, according to figures released last week. Acas officials were called in to help resolve almost 1,500 industrial disputes, another huge increase. Reassuringly, however, 76% of cases were settled through mediation - an indication, perhaps, that rather than working on building walls in the workplace, we should be bringing them down. V. Company executives rarely have backgrounds in conflict resolution or workplace counseling, but we need to be prepared to successfully avert and manage office feuds. It’s perfectly normal for coworkers to disagree on important issues and to want clear communication from their leadership—what matters is how leaders react to these situations. VI. "Often it is easy to dump on the other person and blame them totally for the situation, but remember it is your problem and you have a responsibility to try to resolve it," says Clarke. VII. So what are your options? "If you feel you are up to it, try talking with the feuding parties individually and try to understand what the issue is," advises Clarke. "Make it clear that you are a neutral party and that it is not an acceptable state of affairs." Your answers: 74.

75.

76.

77.

78.

79.

For question 80-85, choose the answer (A, B, C, or D) which you think fits best according to the text. 80. In telling the story of the two doctors, they writer suggests they _____ A. Didn’t give their partnership enough of a chance B. Were totally incompatible from day one C. Should have been able to resolve their problems D. Were introverted and intolerant people 81. What main point is the doctor’s story used to illustrate? A. Conflicts at work divide staff and clients B. The failure of relationship at work can have serious consequences C. Work conflicts can happen where you least expect them D. It is not always easy to know how to handle conflicts at work 82. According to Jane Clarke, office disputes _____ A. Occur for any number of reasons B. Are caused in the first instance by acrimonious feelings C. Are usually attributable to personality differences D. Tend to arise when least expected 83. The view is expressed that work conflicts will not get resolved unless both parties _____ A. Have a personal involvement B. Accept some blame for the situation C. Commit to finding a solution D. Accept each other in a spirit of friendship 84. Which phrase from the penultimate paragraph sums up its main point?

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MASTER the ART of NEC A. Bad karma B. Harnessed creatively C. Putting downers on D. Testing a brainwave 85. Which of the following best describes the tone of the article? A. Constructive and practical B. Detached and critical C. Understanding and empathetic D. Ironic and dismissive Your answers: 80.

81.

82.

83.

84.

85.

Part 5: (Source: New Proficiency Testbuilder 4th edition) The passage below consists of four paragraphs marked A, B, C, D, E and F. For questions 86-95, read the passage and do the task that follows. Write your answers in the corresponding numbered boxes provided.

JOHN MCCARTHY - COMPUTER PIONEER A. John McCarthy was often described as the father of 'artificial intelligence' (AI), a branch of computer science founded on the notion that human intelligence can be simulated by machines. McCarthy, who coined the term in 1956, defined it as 'the science and engineering of making intelligent machines' and created the Lisp computer language to help researchers in the AI field. He maintained that there were aspects of the human mind that could be described precisely enough to be replicated: 'The speeds and memory capacities of present computers may be insufficient to simulate many of the higher functions of the human brain; he wrote in 1955, 'but the major obstacle is not lack of machine capacity but our inability to write programs taking full advantage of what we have.' B. McCarthy went on to create AI laboratories at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and later at Stanford University where he became the laboratory's director in 1965. During the 1960s he developed the concept of computer time-sharing, which allows several people to use a single, central, computer at the same time. If this approach were adopted, he claimed in 1961, 'computing may someday be organized as a public utility'. The concept of time-sharing made possible the development of so-called ' cloud computing' (the delivery of computing as a service rather than a product). Meanwhile, his Lisp programming language, which he invented in 1958, underpinned the development of voice recognition technology. C. McCarthy's laboratory at Stanford developed systems that mimic human skills - such as vision, hearing and the movement of limbs - as well as early versions of a self-driving car. He also worked on an early chess-playing program, but came to believe that computer chess was a distraction, observing in 1997 that it had developed 'much as genetics might have if the geneticists had concentrated their efforts starting in 1910 on breeding racing Drosophila. We would have some science, but mainly we would have very fast fruit flies.' D. The concept of AI inspired numerous books and sci-fi films, notably Stanley Kubrick's dystopian 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968). In the real world, however, the technology made slow progress, and McCarthy later admitted that there was some way to go before it would be possible to develop computer programs as intelligent as humans. Meanwhile he applied himself to addressing theoretical issues about the nature of human and robotic decisionmaking and the ethics of creating artificial beings. He also wrote a sci-fi story, The Robot and the Baby, to 'illustrate my opinions about what household robots should be like'. The robot in the story decides to simulate love for a human baby. E. McCarthy taught himself mathematics as a teenager by studying textbooks at the California Institute of Technology. When he arrived at the institute to study the subject aged 16, he was assigned to a graduate course. In 1948 a symposium at Caltech on 'Cerebral Mechanisms in Behavior', that included papers on automata and the brain and intelligence, sparked his interest in developing machines that can think like people. McCarthy received a doctorate in Mathematics from Princeton University in 1951 and was immediately appointed to a Chair in the subject. It was at Princeton that he proposed the programming language Lisp as a way to process more sophisticated mathematical concepts than Fortran, which had been the dominant programming medium until then. McCarthy joined the Stanford faculty in 1962, remaining there until his official retirement in 2000.

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MASTER the ART of NEC F. During the 1970s he presented a paper on buying and selling by computer. He also invited a local computer hobby group, the Homebrew Computer Club, to meet at the Stanford laboratory. Its members included Steve Jobs and Steven Wozniak, who would go on to found Apple. However, his own interest in developing timesharing systems led him to underestimate the potential of personal computers. When the first PCs emerged in the 1970s he dismissed them as 'toys'. McCarthy continued to work as an emeritus professor at Stanford after his official retirement, and at the time of his death was working on a new computer language called Elephant. Despite his disappointment with AI, McCarthy remained confident of the power of mathematics: 'He who refuses to do arithmetic is doomed to talk nonsense; he wrote in 1995. In which section are the following mentioned?

Your answers

86. the speed at which McCarthy made progress in his career

86. _______

87. an opinion McCarthy had which proved to be mistaken

87. _______

88. McCarthy's belief that one of his ideas could have a widespread function

88. _______

89. McCarthy's attention to the moral aspects of an area of research

89. _______

90. what inspired McCarthy to go into a certain area of research

90. _______

91. McCarthy's view of what was the cause of a certain problem

91. _______

92. McCarthy's attempt to introduce a rival to something commonly used

92. _______

93. McCarthy's continuing belief in the importance of a certain field

93. _______

94. a common belief about McCarthy

94. _______

95. McCarthy's criticism of an area of research he had been involved in

95. _______

IV.

WRITING

Part 1: Read the following extract and use your own words to summarise it. Your summary should be between 100 and 120 words long. Oil spills can have serious effects on marine life, as highlighted by the photos of dead birds which immediately appear in the news after a spill. Seabirds are amongst the most vulnerable inhabitants of open waters since they are easily harmed by floating oil. Species that dive for their food or that congregate on the sea surface are particularly at risk. Although oil ingested by birds during attempts to clean themselves by preening may be lethal, the most common cause of death is from drowning, starvation, loss of body heat following of plumage by oil. Some species of birds are more susceptible to the effects of oil than others. Successful rehabilitation will depend on ensuring timely mobilization of experts and resources and the application of appropriate methods and protocols. Consideration of a wildlife response during contingency planning improves the chances of success as has been shown by long-term studies on the survival rate of rehabilitated birds after release. Bird mortality occurs during most spills and in some major spills breeding colonies have been seriously depleted. Some species react by laying more eggs, breeding more frequently or younger birds joining the breeding group. These processes can assist recovery, although recovery may take several years and will depend on other factors like food supply. While it is common for short and medium-term loss to occur in populations, there is scant evidence of spills causing long-term harm to populations or of a spill tipping a marginal colony in to permanently decline. _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________

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MASTER the ART of NEC _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ Part 2: The table below shows information on the overall fares for long and short distance of the two most popular ride-hailing applications and local taxis for some countries across Southeast Asia in 2016. Describe the information in the chart and make comparisons where relevant. You should write in about 150 words. Overall fares (USD) Countries

Uber

Short Distance (5 km)

Grab

Local Taxis

Indonesia

1.5

1.9

2.3

Philippines

2.7

1.9

2.5

Malaysia

Singapore Thailand Vietnam

1.9 5.6

4.3

2.1 2.2

Indonesia

4.6

Philippines

6.6

Malaysia

1.8

2.2 Long Distance (20 km)

5.1

2.7

2.3 7.0 2.9 3.5

5.4

7.0

5.7

6.5

6.5

6.1

Singapore

12.8

11.6

16.2

Vietnam

7.6

9.5

12.7

Thailand

4.6

6.1

5.9

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________

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MASTER the ART of NEC _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ Part 3: Write an essay on the following topic. You should write at least 350 words:

Should countries be given a right to interfere in other countries’ internal affairs? What is your opinion? Give reasons and specific examples to support your argument. _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________

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MASTER the ART of NEC _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________

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MASTER the ART of NEC

PRACTICE TEST 2 I.

LISTENING

Please access the link below and download the audio files in order to complete the listening exercises: http://bit.ly/2wrFuyA HƯỚNG DẪN PHẦN NGHE HIỂU • Bài nghe gồm 4 phần; mỗi phần được nghe 2 lần, mỗi lần cách nhau 05 giây; mở đầu và kết thúc mỗi phần nghe có tín hiệu. • Mở đầu và kết thúc bài nghe có tín hiệu nhạc. Thí sinh có 02 phút để hoàn chỉnh bài trước tín hiệu nhạc kết thúc bài nghe. • Mọi hướng dẫn cho thí sinh (bằng tiếng Anh) đã có trong bài nghe. Part 1: For questions 1-5, listen to a guide talking about an architectural development in the city of Birmingham and supply the blanks with the missing information. Write NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS and/or A NUMBER.

PROJECT DEVELOPMENT SCHEDULE Project name: The Cube

Length:

Current stage of project:

(1) ________________

(2) ____________________

ACTIVITY

TIME FRAME

Completion of each floor

2 – 3 weeks

Installation of the (3) ______________________

Beginning in February

‘Topping out’ of frame

(4) ____________________

Installation of the (5) ______________________

Coming together in early fall

Part 2: For questions 6-12, match the statement on renewable energy with the corresponding country. Write ONE correct letter next to each statement. 6. Had a designated department to supervise execution regarding geothermal heat. A. Costa Rica B. Iceland 7. Once relied on renewable energy completely for nearly one year. C. Albania 8. Forcefully depended on foreign nations for all of its energy. D. Paraguay E. None 9. Powered a number of vehicles with unsustainable energy. 10. Generated energy simultaneously with a bordering nation. 11. Had an energy-generating infrastructure renowned for its aesthetic aspect. 12. Released 30% less carbon dioxide after a period of 30 years. Part 3: For questions 13-17, listen to an interview with a businesswoman and choose the answer (A, B, C or D) which fits best according to what you hear. 13. What lesson did Julia acquire from Jenifer Alderton? A. B. C.

to ensure all the staff treated her with courtesy an agreeable definition of authority the importance of emphasising morality with the staff

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MASTER the ART of NEC D.

the need for self-belief

14. According to Julia, companies that have command-control management _________. A. misuse productive time due to internal conflicts B. work well in certain manufacturing industries C. furnish their staff with insufficient facilities D. do not treat staff reasonably in the event of friction 15. Julia believes that promoting criticism in a company ______. A. diminishes the frequencies of conflicts B. allow managers to obtain varied experience C. enables managers to delegate more efficiently D. paves the way for development opportunities 16. Julia delineates that ______ has assisted the debate on work-life balance A. the demolition of international barriers B. workers’ increasing assertiveness in communication C. well-known people’s preferences for off-work time D. women’s rise to top positions 17. What is Julia intending to do in the near future? A. providing small businesses with pecuniary advantage B. establishing communication skills courses C. rendering assistance to people with inventive ideas D. conducting market research for small businesses Part 4: For questions 18-25, listen to a news report on Fidel and Raul Castro Legacy. Write NO MORE THAN FOUR WORDS taken from the recording for each answer in the space provided. A new era is dawning on Cuba. On April 19, Cuba’s National Assembly came together to officially elect the nation’s next president. Fidel Castro After (18) ____________________ which ousted the nation’s US-backed dictator, Fidel Castro came to power in 1959. Then, he established the first communist state in the western hemisphere. He allowed the Soviet Union to install (19) ____________________ in Cuba and the legacy of this was the tension with the US. Cuba’s northern neighbor imposed sanctions and effectively ended (20) ____________________ to the country. This embargo had an adverse impact on the economic and social lives of Cubans. During his regime many Cubans were (21) ____________________ in____________________ and harassed. Raul Castro In 2008, Fidel officially resigned and handed over the presidency to his younger brother. Despite his reputation as a hardline communist, Raul was viewed by experts as a more (22) ____________________. A few months after his presidency, he (23) ____________________ on the private possession of mobile phones and computers, announced the reversal of a policy that allowed equality in earnings and cut back on other restrictions. He also made the historic decision to establish relations with the US. Miguel Diaz-Canel The vice-president was selected by the legislative body to become the next president. He was alleged to have lashed out against (24) ____________________, the media, and (25) ____________________.

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MASTER the ART of NEC

II.

LEXICO-GRAMMAR

Part 1. For questions 26-39, choose the correct answer A, B, C, or D to each of the following questions. 26. They stopped as the last light was _____ from the sky. A. edging B. ebbing C. eddying D. evening 27. You could have done ____ inviting Sam to the party. A. better or worse than B. a lot worse than C. much better as D. nothing as worse as 28. Tome said something disgusting, from which and a heated argument _______, the result of which was that they broke up. A. ensued B. eventuated C. supervened D. transpired 29. It is up to the court to decide, in the exercise of their _____, whether to grant the favor or not. A. circumspection B. discretion C. judiciousness D. prudence 30. ___________ I’ve finished my work, let’s just call it a day. A. Hitherto B. There and then C. Ever since D. Now that 31. Diagnosed with tumor in the brain, she refused to meet her _________ but turned to religion for help. A. paleontologist B. oncologist C. entomologist D. seismologist 32. ____ today, he would be in Tokyo by Friday. A. Would he leave B. To leave C. Were he to leave D. As he was leaving 33. _______with being so busy both at work and at home, she became increasingly tired and bad-tempered. A. What B. How C. Where D. Which 34. The hippopotamuses spent the hot day joyously_______ in the mud on the banks of the river. wallowing B. strolling C. wading D. stroking 35. ________by the policeman, his face went pale with fear. A. For being tied B. Having been tied C. What he did seen His hands tied 36. 36. The regular appearance of sex and violence on television undoubtedly has a ____________ influence on teenagers. A. precipitous B. parsimonious C. pernicious D. propitious 37. The bottom fell out of this ______ cardboard box while I was carrying it up the stairs; how cheap of the courier company to use such cut-rate packaging. A. haughty B. lustrous C. intrepid D. flimsy 38. The cat slept peacefully ______________ in the long grass. A. nestled B. huddled C. snuggled D. cuddled 39. _____ came _____ as the injured cat was so weak. A. Afterwards/dying B. Soon/death C. Death/ ø D. Then/to die Part 2. For questions 40-45, write the correct form of each bracketed word in the numbered space provided. In 1825, Jacob Bigelow, a doctor and botanist in Boston, Massachusetts, noticed that the many small church graveyards throughout the city were becoming overcrowded. A (40. SCIENCE) ________________ man, Bigelow concocted a plan for a new cemetery on the outskirts of the city; one carpeted in flowers and designed to preserve natural beauty. After years of planning and lobbying wary townspeople, Mount Auburn Cemetery was founded in 1831, and Boston’s mourners began packing picnic baskets and taking carriages out to the country to be with their recently deceased. Though Mount Auburn owed a debt to European cemeteries built with similar intent, it was the first of its kind in the US, and soon a rural and garden cemetery movement took hold. Green-Wood Cemetery was founded in New York City in 1838, and in 1847, New York state passed the Rural Cemetery Act, which allowed churches and other entities to buy up (41. TAX) ______________ land. Soon, New York City – and Queens especially, where more than double the number of people who live above ground are buried below it – was home to many (42. SPRAWL) _____________ cemeteries. The Evergreens. Cypress Hills. Calvary. The names go on. I spent a few hours touring the grounds of Green-Wood with Jeff Richman, the cemetery’s historian. The space is beautiful. Trees tower and curve and throw long spiraling shadows over tombs and headstones. It is (43. ODOR) _______________ of wealth. […]

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MASTER the ART of NEC Richman said there was no limit to what the cemetery could do, whether by rearranging the grounds to make space for new arrivals or by talking with developers and (44. TRUST) ___________________ to rearrange the cemetery’s vision to cater to new customers. What he did not say was that the cost of a single grave plot in GreenWood starts at $19,000. Indeed, nearly every cemetery in New York City suffers from the problem of decreasing space for a number of dead that will continue to rise (45. RELENT) _________________.

III.

READING

Part 1. For questions 46-55, fill each of the following numbered blanks with ONE suitable word. All over the western world banks are (46) ______ down cash machines and branches. They are trying to push you into using their digital payments and digital banking infrastructure. (47) ______ like Google wants everyone to access and navigate the broader internet via its privately controlled search portal, so financial institutions want everyone to access and navigate the broader economy through their systems. Another (48) ______ is to cut costs in order to boost profits. Replacing human staff with standardised self-service apps allows the senior managers of financial institutions to directly control and monitor interactions with customers. Banks, of course, tell us a different (49) ______ about why they do this. In closing their branches, or withdrawing their cash machines, they make it harder for me to use those services. I am much more (50) ______ to “choose” a digital option if the banks deliberately make it harder for me to choose a non-digital option. In behavioural economics this is (51) ______ to as “nudging”. If a powerful institution wants to make people choose a certain thing, the best strategy is to make it (52) ______ to choose the alternative. We can illustrate this with the example of self-checkout tills at supermarkets. The underlying agenda is to replace checkout staff with self-service machines to cut costs. But supermarkets have to convince their customers. They, (53) ______, initially present self-checkout as a convenient alternative. When some people then use that alternative, the supermarket can cite that as evidence of a change in customer behaviour, (54) ______ they then use to (55) ______ a reduction in checkout employees. This in turn makes it more inconvenient to use the checkout staff, which in turn makes customers turn to use the machines. They slowly wean you off staff, and “nudge” you towards self-service. Part 2. (Adapted from “IELTS Masterclass”) For questions 56-66, read the following passage and do the tasks that follow.

THE PHANTOM HAND There is a very striking illusion in which you can feel a rubber hand being touched as if it were your own. To find out for yourself, ask a friend to sit across from you at a small table. Set up a vertical partition on the table, rest your right hand behind it where you cannot see it, and place a plastic right hand in view. Ask your assistant to repeatedly tap and stroke your concealed right hand in a random sequence. Tap, tap, tap, stroke, tap, stroke, stroke. At the same time, while you watch, they must also tap and stroke the visible plastic dummy at exactly the same time in the same way. If your friend continues the procedure for about twenty or thirty seconds, something quite strange will happen: you will have an uncanny feeling that you are actually being stroked on the fake hand. The sensations you feel will seem to emerge directly from the plastic. Why does this happen? Matthew Botvinick and Jonathan Cohen, at the University of Pittsburgh and Carnegie Mellon University, who reported the so-called rubber- hand illusion in 1998, have suggested that the similarity in appearance fools the brain into mistaking the false hand for your real hand. They believe this illusion is strong enough to overcome the discrepancy between the position of your real hand that you can feel and the site of the plastic hand you can see. But that is not the whole story. William Hirstein and Kathleen Carrie Armel of the University of California discovered a further twist: the object your helper touches does not even need to resemble your hand. The same effect is produced if they tap and stroke the table. Try the same experiment, but this time get your acquaintance to rub and tap the surface in front of you while making matching movements on your real, concealed hand. You will eventually start feeling touch sensations emerge from the wood surface. This illusion is extraordinarily compelling the first time you encounter it. But how can scientists be certain that the subject really believes that they are feeling sensations through the table? Kathleen Carrie Armel again and Vilayanur S Ramachandran learned that, once the illusion has developed, if you 'threaten' the table by aiming a blow at it, the person winces and even starts sweating. This reaction was demonstrated objectively by measuring a sudden decrease in electrical skin resistance caused by perspiration. It is as if the table becomes incorporated into a person's own body image so that it is linked to emotional centres in the brain; the subject perceives a threat to the table as a threat to themselves.

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MASTER the ART of NEC This may all sound like a magic trick, but it does have practical applications. In fact, the experiments were inspired by work with patients who had phantom limbs. After a person loses an arm from injury, they may continue to sense its presence vividly. Often, the phantom seems to be frozen in a painfully awkward position. To overcome this, a patient was asked to imagine putting their phantom arm behind a mirror. By then putting their intact arm on the reflective side, they created the visual illusion of having restored the missing arm. If the patient now moved the intact arm, its reflection - and thus the phantom - was seen to move. Remarkably, it was felt to move as well, sometimes relieving the painful cramp. Beyond a practical application, these illusions also demonstrate some important principles underlying perception. Firstly, perception is based largely on matching up sensory inputs. As you feel your hand being tapped and stroked and see the table or dummy hand being touched in the same way, your brain asks itself, 'What is the likelihood that what I see and what I feel could be identical simply by chance? Nil. Therefore, the other person must be touching me.' Secondly, this mechanism seems to be based on automatic processes that our intellect cannot override. The brain makes these judgments about the senses automatically; they do not involve conscious thought. Even a lifetime of experience that an inanimate object is not part of your body is abandoned in light of the perception that it is. All of us go through life making certain assumptions about our existence. 'My name has always been Joe,' so someone might think. 'I was born in San Diego,' and so on. All such beliefs can be called into question at one time or another for various reasons. One premise that seems to be beyond question is that you are anchored in your body. Yet given a few seconds of the right kind of stimulation, even this obvious fact is temporarily forsaken, as a table or a plastic hand seem to become part of you. Questions 56-58: Choose the correct answer A, B, C or D. 56. How do researchers explain the fact that subjects respond physically when someone threatens to hit the table in front of them? A. The table becomes an integral part of the image subjects have of themselves. B. It is a reflex action triggered by the movement of the other person's hand. C. An electrical connection is established between the subject and the table. D. Over time, the subject comes to believe that the table is one of his possessions. 57. What does the phantom hand experiment show us about the nature of human perception? A. It is based on conscious thought processes. B. It is primarily an unconscious process. C. It is closely related to intellectual ability. D. It relies only on sensory information. 58. Which of these statements best summarizes the wider implications of the experiments described in the text? A. The experiments are valuable in treating patients who have lost limbs. B. The experiments cast doubt on a fundamental human assumption. C. The experiments show humans to be less intelligent than was once thought. D. Human beings arrive at the truth by analysing the evidence of their senses. Questions 59-61: Look at the following statements and the list of three teams of researchers, A-C, below and match each statement with the correct team. A. Botvinick and Cohen 59. The brain can disregard spatial information. B. Hirstein and Armel 60. If the fake hand is threatened, the subject will show signs of fear. C. Armel and Ramachandran 61. A hand-shaped object is required for the illusion. Questions 62-66: Complete the following summary. Choose NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS from the passage for each answer. It is a recognized phenomenon that patients who have been injured and lost (7) _______ sometimes continue to have feelings, like torment or (8) _______, in these parts of their body. In order to assist patients like this, doctors can utilize a (9) _______ placed vertically on a flat surface. The patient envisages that he is putting his phantom arm behind the mirror and his (10) _______ arm in front. When the patient moves the latter, the (11) _______ also moves, giving the patient the illusion that his non-existent arm is moving. Part 3. In the passage below, seven paragraphs have been removed. For questions 67-73, read the passage and choose from the paragraphs A-H the one which fits each gap. There is ONE extra paragraph which you do not need to use.

Heatwave seems to make manmade climate change real for Americans fb.com/iloveambrosia I 216

MASTER the ART of NEC The record-breaking high temperatures across much of North America appear to be shaping people’s thinking, a survey finds. The warm temperatures that have scorched much of the US appear to be influencing Americans’ acceptance of climate science, with a new poll finding a record level of public confidence that the world is warming due to human activity. 67. Both of these findings are record highs in a twice-yearly survey that has been conducted by the University of Michigan and Muhlenberg College since 2008. The latest poll was conducted during May, which was hotter than any May recorded in the contiguous US in 124 years of record keeping, according to the National Ocean and Atmospheric Administration, eclipsing the 1930s during the Dust Bowl era. 68. But there remains a yawning ideological divide when it comes to climate change in the US. The survey found that while 90% of Democrats accept there is solid evidence of climate change, only 50% of Republicans feel the same. 69. “The talking points have turned more to the cost to mitigate climate change rather than deny its existence,” Borick said. “That said, if you want one factor that influences your view on climate change, it’s party affiliation. Age, race and gender don’t even come close.” 70. About 80 million Americans have been placed under heat warnings in recent weeks, with cities such as Denver, Colorado and Cheyenne, Wyoming, both experiencing record temperatures. 71. A string of warm days in New York City helped trigger a return to smog-like conditions on 2 July, when the temperature in the city reached 95F (35C).Researchers who flew a light aircraft taking measurements over a hazy New York were astonished to find that the ozone concentration was 150 parts per billion. This far exceeds the Environmental Protection Agency’s eight-hour average ozone health standard of 70 parts per billion. The high ozone readings have continued, with preliminary data for Tuesday showing 85 parts per billion in New York. 72. “This is a disturbingly high level, we were very surprised at the results,” said Russell Dickerson, a professor at the University of Maryland’s department of atmospheric and oceanic science. “The sky was very gray. It reminded me of Beijing. It was like what New York used to be like, before it cleaned itself up.” 73. “We are trying to work out why this is but the recent high level could well be because of the hot, stagnant weather, with weak winds,” Dickerson said. “It’s a public health concern. I’d certainly advise people to stay indoors during the hottest part of the day.”

The missing paragraphs: I. The hot temperatures have persisted in much of the country since the May survey, with Los Angeles hitting a monthly overnight record of 79oF (26.1oC) on 7 July. Chino, near Los Angeles, saw a record temperature of 120oF (48.9oC), while Death Valley in California reached 125.6oF (52oC) on 8 July.

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MASTER the ART of NEC II. Overall air quality in the US has improved markedly in recent decades following the introduction of federal clean air rules. Ozone levels have remained stubbornly high in New York, however. III. The discoveries made in the experiment have sounded a dead knell for thousands of people living in the area. It is undeniable that the rising heat will have far-reaching consequences on the daily lives of the ordinary people. Financial loss aside, the surrounding environment will become intolerably hot and humid, which will be a serious threat for senior citizens. IV. “There’s lots of evidence that contemporary weather is a contributing factor to belief in climate change,” said Chris Borick, director of the Muhlenberg College Institute of Public Opinion. “But there are other factors. People are telling us they are experiencing a climate that isn’t what they remember in the past and the evidence itself, such as declining polar ice, is having an effect. Americans are moving to a lot more confident space on this.” V. However, Borick said that messaging from those who deny or obfuscate climate science has shifted away from outright rejection of temperature data. While Donald Trump has previously called climate change “bullshit” and a Chinese-inspired hoax, he has rarely spoken of the issue while president apart from framing action to address it as economically costly. VI. The heat has been fierce on the US east coast and Canada, too. About 70 deaths have been blamed upon a punishing heatwave experienced in and around Montreal, with further deaths recorded in New York and Pennsylvania due to the high temperatures. VII. Ground-level ozone is created when pollutants react to intense sunlight, potentially causing haze or smog. This can cause serious health problems and even death for people who are elderly, sick or who have respiratory conditions. VIII. A long-running survey of American attitudes to climate change has found that 73% of people now think there is solid evidence of global warming. A further 60% believe that this warming is due, at least in some part, to human influences. Part 4. (Adapted from Advanced Masterclass) For questions 74-83, read an extract from an article on body language and choose the answer A, B, C or D, which you think fits best according to the text. Body language, it seems, could be the key to all sorts of insoluble mysteries. Experts believe that our ‘silent speech’ - the way we move, small changes in appearance, posture and gestures - conveys far more meaning than the words in any conversation. Body language can make or break any encounter, especially if you’re feeling uncomfortable. Learning the Language If body language doesn't match words, it makes us feel uncomfortable even if we can’t identify why. Dr Desmond Morris, the world-famous animal and people watcher, calls these incongruities ‘non-verbal leakage’, the failure of our social ‘mask’, and being able to spot them can help us to make much more sense of our interactions. Watching other people’s body language can also help your own self-image. ‘The main problem when people are insecure or lack self-esteem is that they imagine everyone else is secure,’ he says. ‘If you spot the tricks someone is using to intimidate you, they seem less threatening. So body language tactics are not to hide these signs of tension, but to encourage the gaining of mastery and confidence over the environment, to spot when others are being threatening or belittling, and take counter-measures. If you don't feel good about yourself, it’s going to show’ says psychologist Dr David Lewis, who teaches people how to use body language tactics to think themselves into a more confident manner. Walk Tall Anyone who’s ever tried to change the way they move, say from being round-shouldered, knows that it takes a great deal of concentration – for a while. It can soon become as much of a habit as a slouched posture. And walking tall increases the amount of testosterone in the body. Another useful ploy to boost confidence before a tricky encounter is to look up at the sky or ceiling (if you’re alone, stretch your arms up as well), then put your chin horizontal and lower your gaze, but keep your eyes and eyebrows in the same position. 'Echoes' of Friendship Consider how you feel with true friends. There is a sense of relaxation, of freedom from the tension, power plays and uncertainty experienced during encounters with strangers. The key here is that you are of equal status. Among friends, there is a similarity of posture and a mimicry of movement, known as postural echo. Popular people seem to have a natural ability with postural echo, and it is often used by successful salespeople. The synchrony is missing in people with serious mental disturbances, and many normal people have poor postural echo. Perhaps because their parents were undemonstrative or unloving, they seem never to have absorbed the unconscious

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MASTER the ART of NEC signals of co-operative movement. As the echo goes, so does the sense of rapport, and they themselves may find it difficult to make friends. Minding your Language People signal feeling and intent in body language. Jabbing finger in conversation means power or anger. Turning the head or crossing legs away from someone you're talking to, however animatedly - shows you don’t want them to be so involved. Other ‘barrier signals', like folded arms, may reveal a person’s hostility or insecurity. Submission gestures like nodding and bowing are ritualized socially. We all start move back a little, or sit forward in our chair, when we’re too polite to say ‘I’d like to leave’, and most people will take the hint. Those who don’t are likely to be labelled as monopolizing bores. 74. A. B. C. D. 75. A. B. C. D. 76. A. B. C. D. 77. A. B. C. D. 78. A. B. C. D. 79. A. B. C. D. 80. A. B. C. D. 81. A. B. C. D.

What is the main purpose of the passage? To point out the solution to intractable mysteries. To call people’s attention to their blissful ignorance of body language. To elucidate key elements to mastering body language. To contrast between people with and without the mastery of body language. What is the main idea of the first paragraph? Non-verbal cues are crucial as they transmit the majority of one’s intentions. Verbal and non-verbal elements can give rise to either success or failure. Mannerisms can be key to unfathomable mystiques. Apprehension can ruin body movements and social encounters. The word ‘insoluble’ is closest in meaning to _____ unsolved. arduous. vexed. wearying. Which of the following statements is true according to the passage? The great self-esteem of others dampens one’s own security. Emulation of others’ demeanors serves to augment one’s vanity. To conceal the unpleasant emotions from others is preponderant. People should take responsive actions when aware of being put down. The word “incongruities” can be best replaced by _____ inconsistencies rebuttals irregularities alienations It can be inferred from the passage that _____ Copious amount of testosterone leads to greater level of confidence. It possibly takes more than a year for the modification of habits to be feasible. Stretching arms in social occasions helps engender an upsurge in one’s confidence. Psychological disorders supposedly spring from poor postural echo. According to the passage, poor postural echo may be due to _____ the incapacity to cooperate with parents. failure to blend in with people of equal status. the severe lack of proper training. the inability to make out signals in relationships. According to the passage, when people want to end a conversation, they _____ edge away slightly. nod their head strongly. cross their legs. fold their arms.

82. A. B. C. D. 83.

According to the passage, turning the head away from someone indicates _____ gravitas. ostracism. resentment. assertiveness. All of the following are mentioned as ways to improve body language EXCEPT for _____

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MASTER the ART of NEC A. B. C. D.

altering one’s gait. impersonating distinguished salespeople. taking in the subtleties of non-verbal cues. observing others’ body language.

Part 5. The passage below consists of four paragraphs marked A, B, C, and D. For questions 84-95, read the passage and do the task that follows.

THE CHANGING FACES OF CAPTAIN COOK A. In the painting by Johann Zoffany which depicts the death of Captain James Cook – the tireless eighteenth-century explorer – the captain is shown lying on the ground, mortally wounded and surrounded by an angry group of half-naked warriors. The painting, in keeping with others of the late eighteenth century, contributed to the growing demand for stylised depictions of heroic deaths of British officers. This fashion reinforced the view point that the British elite, at that time, were selflessly willing to sacrifice themselves in the name of enlightenment and progress. During his career in the navy, Cook made three important voyages into the Pacific. A quick look at a map of that area today will show reminders of that time – for example, the Cook Islands, and Mount Cook on the South Island of New Zealand. B. There is some controversy as to whether Cook should be regarded simply as part of the process which led to Europe spreading its influence and strength into the Pacific or whether he played a more active role. Either way, the significance of his discoveries remains immense. His expeditions contributed greatly to the study of botany, anthropology, navigation, exploration, cartography, and medicine. In fact, his greatest accomplishments probably stemmed from his thorough approach to whatever he undertook, which led him to be able to consolidate the work of earlier explorers. Cook’s first two voyages into the Pacific were characterised by his tolerance and forbearance towards the inhabitants of the islands he visited and the importance he placed on the physical well-being of his crew. His recognition of the fact that there was a huge cultural difference between his men and the islanders influenced his dealings with the latter and the commands issued to the former. By contrast, his third and last voyage saw a different, more irritable Cook, a man who frequently punished his own men for minor misdemeanours. Flogging became a relatively common event and some crew members even began top lot mutiny. C. On 16th January, 1779, Cook’s ships put in at Kealakekua Bay on Hawaii having first slowly circumnavigated the island. He had decided that they should pass the winter in a warm region before sailing to the west coast of America to restock the ships. The arrival of the ships coincided with the rituals surrounding the worship of the god Lono. By landing at the bay where the temple of the god was situated in this particular season, the expedition managed to fulfil with amazing precision the various legends associated with Lono. Even the ship’s masts and sails bore some resemblance to the emblem of the god. Speculation has it that the inhabitants of the island may have supposed Cook to actually be the god, visiting them in human form, or that he was a human representative of the god. Either way, they welcomed him with open arms and gave him help in stocking his ships with food. D. The expedition’s departure happened to coincide with the end of this season of worship, no doubt further adding to the islanders’ conviction that Cook was a man of importance to them. Unfortunately, the expedition had to return to the bay after one of the ships suffered storm damage. On the island, it was now a period dedicated to the worship of the god Ku, a deity opposed to Lono. Cook’s return was therefore contradictory and confusing, and potentially upset the delicate relationship that had been previously established. Events took a turn for the worse with his decision to confront the Hawaiian king after the theft of one of his boats. This served to incur the wrath of the islanders and triggered a series of events that led to his being killed by them on the beach of the bay while trying to flee from the island. In which section are the following mentioned?

Your anwers

84. Cook’s voyages enhancing knowledge in a range of fields

84. _________

85. Cook’s fateful decision to challenge a figure of authority

85. _________

86. the concept of giving up one’s life for a greater good

86. _________

87. meticulous methodology being crucial to Cook’s achievements

87. _________

88. remarkable coincidences facilitating Cook’s purpose

88. _________

89. a change in circumstances clouding a situation

89. _________

90. the abandonment of an enlightened approach

90. _________

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MASTER the ART of NEC 91. the privileged seeking to reinforce an image

91. _________

92. the possibility of Cook being passed for a divinity

92. _________

93. asking if Cook merely performed his duty or actively shaped regional policy

93. _________

94. locations reminiscent of Cook’s journey to the ocean

94. _________

95. Cook’s change of disposition leading to possible usurpation of his authority

95. _________

IV.

WRITING

Part 1. Read the following extract and use your own words to summarise it. Your summary should be between 100 and 120 words long. The conviction that historical relics provide infallible testimony about the past is rooted in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, when science was regarded as objective and value free. As one writer observes: 'Although it is now evident that artefacts are as easily altered as chronicles, public faith in their veracity endures: a tangible relic seems ipso facto real.' Such conviction was, until recently, reflected in museum displays. Museums used to look and some still do - much like storage rooms of objects packed together in showcases: good for scholars who wanted to study the subtle differences in design, but not for the ordinary visitor, to whom it all looked alike. Similarly, the information accompanying the objects often made little sense to the lay visitor. The content and format of explanations dated back to a time when the museum was the exclusive domain of the scientific researcher. Recently, however, attitudes towards history and the way it should be presented have altered. The key word in heritage display is now 'experience', the more exciting the better and, if possible, involving all the senses. Good examples of this approach in the UK are the Jorvik Centre in York; the National Museum of Photography, Film and Television in Bradford; and the Imperial War Museum in London. In the US the trend emerged much earlier: Williamsburg has been a prototype for many heritage developments in other parts of the world. No one can predict where the process will end. On so-called heritage sites the re-enactment of historical events is increasingly popular, and computers will soon provide virtual reality experiences, which will present visitors with a vivid image of the period of their choice, in which they themselves can act as if part of the historical environment. Such developments have been criticised as an intolerable vulgarisation, but the success of many historical theme parks and similar locations suggests that the majority of the public does not share this opinion. _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________

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MASTER the ART of NEC Part 2. Describe the information in the charts below and make comparisons where relevant. You should write about 150 words.

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MASTER the ART of NEC

Part 3. Write an essay of 350 words on the following topic:

By definition, charity is generosity in offering money, food and help to the needy. To some people, such kindness should be boundless; others argue for a limit to it. Present argumentation to highlight your opinion on this matter. Give reasons and specific examples to support your opinion(s). _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________

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MASTER the ART of NEC _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________

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MASTER the ART of NEC

PART SEVEN: KEY LISTENING IX.

IELTS LISTENING

Packaging Ex 1: Disposable goods 1. Educational institution 8. C 2. (have) failed exams 9. E 3. Geography 10. D 4. Archery Ex 6: 5. 8 people 1. proven track record Ex 2: 2. great shareholder return 1. T 3. clear, ambitious strategy 2. F 4. projected profits 3. F 5. an independent entity 4. F 6. high-risk venture 5. T 7. board meeting Ex 3: 8, 9, 10. A, B, E 1. A Ex 7: 2. B 1. the assignments 3. B 2. each reading text 4. C 3. list of details 5. C 4. purpose Ex 4: 5. cite some evidence 1. A 6. author’s name 2. H 7. citation details 3. B 8. plagiarising the text 4. G 9. paraphrase … quote 6. D 10. chronological … alphabetical 7. E Ex 8: 8. B 1. anxiety reactions 9. A 2. environmental issues 10. B 3. personal events 11. C 4. D Ex 5: 5. A 1. municipal waste collection 6. B 2. natural processes of decay 7. D 3. disease 8. A 4. plastic 9. C 5, 6, 7 (in either order) 10. D Mass manufacturing -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

II.

CAE, CPE LISTENING

Ex 1: 1. C

2. D

3. A

4. B

5. B

Ex 2: 1. D Ex 3:

1. B

3. A

4. B

5. B

3. B

4. A

5. C

2. B

3. C

4. B

5. D

2. D

3. B

4. D

5. A

Ex 4: 1. C

2. D

2. C

Ex 5: 1. C

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MASTER the ART of NEC Ex 9:

Ex 6: 1. D

2. C

3. A

4. D

5. B

2. B

3. D

4. C

5. A

1. planning rotas 2. front office 3. Hospitality Management 4. operational techniques 5. green issues 6. give-aways 7. HCIMA 8. Caterer and Hotelkeeper 9. overbooked Ex 10:

Ex 7: 1. B Ex 8:

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10.

hunter-gatherer monolingual color

numerical skills humming

1. (small) verbal clues 2. consumer attitudes collective memory 3. intelligence sense of direction 4. occurs frequently language structure 5. expression and allusions 6. bore corroborate (or) refute 7. nautical background 8. direct answers 9. supplement ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------personal pronouns

III. NEWS LISTENING

KEY MATCHING Ex 1

Ex. 2

Ex. 3

Ex. 4

Ex. 5

Ex. 6

Ex. 7

Ex. 8

Ex. 9

Ex. 10

2. E

7. F

12. C

17. H

22. D

27. D

32. D

39. B

44. C

49. D

1. B 3. A

4. D

5. G

6. B

8. D 9. A

10. D

11. A 13. A

14. C 15. D

16. F

18. C 19. I

20. B

21. B

23. G 24. B

25. C

26. A 28. E

29. G 30. H

31. A

33. C 34. E

35. G 36. A

38. A

40. G 41. B

42. D

43. B 45. F

46. A

47. C

37. D

KEY GAP-FILLING

Ex 1

1. factory jobs

6. technological improvement

3. crosshairs

8. logistics jobs

2. automation

4. technical automated factory 5. outsourcing

1. demilitarised zone Ex 2

2. looming threat of war 3. ceasefire line

4. traditional honour guard

5. early morning missile tests

1. catastrophic consequences of inaction Ex 3

2. the proposed cures

3. two degree benchmark 4. submitted pledges 5. disparity

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7. digitisation

9. workforce development

10. record agricultural production 6. remarkable joint agreement 7. peace treaty

8. increase economic ties

9. a (really) delicate negotiation 10. subservient 6. ramp up

7. friction points

8. stabilised or (even) reduced 9. adopted a premise

10. non-carbon fuel sources

48. A 50. A

51. C 52. F

MASTER the ART of NEC

Ex 4

1. international humanitarian system

6. drastically underfunded

3. scale of displacement

8. making the greatest sacrifice

2. identified for asylum

4. erupted or re-ignited 5. in exile

1. existing legal frameworks Ex 5

2. envision situations 3. perpetrate a crime

4. another leader’s pacemaker 5. cooperatively infiltrating 1. emerging superpower

Ex 6

2. neoliberal economic policies 3. purchasing power 4. military might

5. defense expenditures

7. our values and resolve 9. negotiating to resettle

10. bursting at the seams

6. unleashing a defensive cybe-rattack

7. fragile infrastructure, feeble cybersecurity 8. military project manager

9. commandeering civilian planes 10. burgeoning definition 6. arms production

7. nuclear-ready countries

8. (ongoing) counter-terrorism efforts 9. sweeping nepotism 10. income inequality

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

IV. LISTENING CONSOLIDATION 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18. 19. 20. 21. 22. 23. 24. 25. 26.

military tensions live fire drills open to dialogue contemplate China’s position Crude oil dilapidated factional infighting total trade embargo dead-end road military exterior A A C B D A D E G H J about 2 percent few federal holidays children / human rights per capita income

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MASTER the ART of NEC

LEXICO-GRAMMAR I.

GRAMMAR

1. A

2. A

3. A

4. A

5. A

6. A

7. A

8. A

9. A

10. A

11. A

12. A

13. A

14. A

15. A

16. A

17. A

18. A

19. A

20. A

21. C

22. C

23. C

24. C

25. C

26. C

27. C

28. C

29. C

30. C

31. B

32. B

33. B

34. B

35. B

36. B

37. B

38. B

39. B

40. B

41. C

42. C

43. C

44. C

45. C

46. C

47. C

48. C

49. C

50. C

51. D

52. D

53. D

54. D

55. D

56. D

57. D

58. D

59. D

60. D

61. C

62. C

63. C

64. C

65. C

66. C

67. C

68. C

69. C

70. C

71. A

72. A

73. A

74. A

75. A

76. A

77. A

78. A

79. A

80. A

81. D

82. D

83. D

84. D

85. D

86. D

87. D

88. D

89. D

90. D

91. D

92. D

93. D

94. D

95. D

96. D

97. D

98. D

99. D

100. D

101. A

102. A

103. A

104. A

105. A

106. A

107. A

108. A

109. A

110. A

II. VOCABULARY

Ex 1: 1. C strike a blow for: to do something that supports or defends somebody/something 2. D cut and thrust: the interesting and exciting arguments 3. A cut up rough: to become very angry 4. B to be caught up between two stools: to fail because of an inability to reconcile or choose between two courses of action. 5. B to be on the ball: to be quick to understand and to react to things. 6. A salubrious: pleasant, clean and healthy to live in 7. B capacious: having a lot of space and able to contain a lot 8. A impious: showing no respect, especially for religion 9. A ameliorate: to make a bad situation better 10. B luscious: having a pleasant sweet taste or containing a lot of juice Ex 2: 1. C hand out punishment: to inflict punishment 2. A clam up: to become silent suddenly 3. C shop around: to compare the quality and price of products 4. A stick up for: to defend or support 5. D off the record: not publicly reported 6. B to be utterly devastated: to be very shocked 7. B set a precedent: set an example 8. D hoot with laughter: make a loud laugh 9. B peal of thunder 10. D unsolicited advice: advice that is not asked for Ex 3:

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MASTER the ART of NEC 1. cacophony: an unpleasant mixture of loud sounds 2. depravity: the state of being morally bad 3. lithe: young, healthy, attractive and able to move and bend smoothly 4. idiosyncrasies: a strange or unusual habit or feature that someone/something has 5. execrable: very bad 6. trinket: a small, cheap decorative object 7. callow: immature 8. levity: humor or lack of seriousness, especially during a serious occasion 9. traverses/traversed: to move or travel through an area 10. ominous: suggesting that something unpleasant is likely to happen 11. saccharine: too sweet or too polite 12. trepidation: fear or worry about what is going to happen 13. sagacious: wise, showing understanding and the ability to make good judgments 14. deride: to laugh at, ridicule 15. ruminated: to think carefully and for a long period of time 16. lethargic: having little energy, unwilling to do anything 17. loquacious: talkative 18. exculpated: to remove blame from someone 19. alacrity: speed and eagerness 20. demurred: to refuse to do something Ex 4: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10.

out fit out : to supply someone/something with the things that will be needed. in/with or in/on in arrears with/on : owing money that should have been paid already off throw off : to stop suffering from an illness out let out : to make a piece of clothing wider for there is no justification for something : there is no excuse for something against militate against : to make something less likely to happen or succeed by roll by: if an amount of time rolls by, it passes at at a premium : to be not common and therefore valuable into delve into : to search in order to find things or information back/on throw somebody back on something : to force somebody to rely on something because nothing else is available Ex 5: 1. snapped up snap up: to buy or obtain something quickly 2. polished off polish off : to finish something, especially food, quickly 3. stamped on stamp on : to prevent something from happening 4. knocked over knock over (with a feather) : to surprise 5. has dragged on drag on : to continue, to happen for a long time 6. have been slaving away slave away: to work hard for a long time 7. eke out eke out : to make a small supply of something last longer by using only small amounts of it. 8. gloss over gloss over : to avoid, neglect something 9. blew up blow up (in one’s face) : to go wrong and in an unexpected way 10. was ticked off tick off : to speak severely or criticize something 11. consist in consist in : to have something as the main or only part 12. nail down nail down : to force somebody to give a definite promise 13. squirreled away squirrel away: to hide/store something so that it can be used later 14. swot up on swot up on : to prepare very hard for something 15. lies about lie about: to spend time doing nothing Ex 6: 1.

the world is your oyster: if the world is someone’s oyster, they can do whatever they want.

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MASTER the ART of NEC 2. not have a spark of decency: have no manners 3. steal somebody’s thunder : to take the role, idea,….of somebody 4. can’t cut the mustard: to be not able to deal with problems 5. see the back of somebody: not having to see somebody anymore 6. tear somebody’s heart out: to make somebody very sad 7. fertile ground for something: a situation that produces good results or many ideas 8. captains of industry: people who are important and influential in the industry 9. fall off the radar : to be forgotten, neglected 10. crack the whip: to use your authority to influence someone else 11. tip somebody the wink : to secretly give somebody information 12. feather your own nest : to make yourself rich, especially in a way that is dishonest. 13. a battle of wits : a battle which uses intelligence to fight 14. cut the atmosphere with a knife : used to describe a tense situation 15. on everyone’s lips : being talked by a lot of people Ex 7: 1.

Now that you have submitted your profile, the genie is out of the bottle. The genie is out of the bottle : if the genie is out of the bottle, something has been done which cannot be changed. 2. We are under the gun since we are two weeks behind the schedule. Under the gun : to feel worried because you have to do something in a particular way 3. There being nothing wrong with her health, she left the room with a light heart. With a light heart : with relief, pleasure 4. The dice are loaded against you when you apply to Harvard. The dice are loaded against somebody: used for saying that it is very likely that something will not happen. 5. Calm as she might appear, she is on the rack actually. On the rack : to be suffering great physical or mental pain 6. The professor is a mine of information about ancient Egypt. A mine of information about/on something : someone who has a lot of knowledge 7. Much as Mary doesn’t like the weather, she was chomping at the bit to start the camping trip. Chomp/champ/chafe at the bit : to be restless and impatient to do something 8. Had the celebrity come, the party would have gone with a swing. Go with a swing : to be very exciting and successful 9. Many a time has the storm cut a swathe through the village. Cut a swathe through something : to destroy a large part of something or kill many people. 10. No sooner had he got home than he was hemmed in by his kith and kin. Hem in : to surround somebody/something Kith and kin : friends and relatives -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

III. WORD FORM

Ex 1: 1. preferably 2. trappings 3. preoccupied 4. unscrupulous 5. extremism Ex 2: 1. unmanaged 2. denuded 3. onslaught 4. dislocation 5. exploitative Ex 3: 1. counterintuitive 2. misperceive 3. outlying 4. markedly 5. upturned 6. fleshy Ex 4: 1. invaluable 2. reluctance 3. binding 4. invariably 5. ingenious 6. incisions Ex 5: 1. interaction 2. informative 3. escapism 4. meaningless 5. compelling 6. disconnectedness 7. unmistakable Ex 6: 1. sustainable 2. contemporary 3. rocketry

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4. unwittingly 5. off-course 6. degradation Ex 7: 1. invariably 2. commentator 3. differs 4. descriptive 5. observation 6. impartiality 7. unpredictable 8. organisational/organizational Ex 8: 1. archaeological 2. coordinate 3. regulate 4. revolution 5. calibrate 6. time-based Ex 9: 1. elongation 2. monumental 3. remarkable 4. conventional 5. unquestionable 6. extensive 7. personalities 8. unidentified Ex 10: 1. unexplored 2. well-being 3. susceptible 4. classifications 5. respondents 6. affluent Ex 11: 1.ambitious 2. realistic 3. disillusioned

MASTER the ART of NEC 4. undeniably 5. literacy 6. apprenticeships 7. employment Ex 12: 1. mind-blowing 2. intimidated 3. backdrop 4. backwater 5. level-headed Ex 13: 1. bedrock 2. numeracy 3. fully-fledged 4. subcultures 5. semi-literate Ex 14: 1. malfunction 2. interface 3. effortlessly

4. ergonomics 5. continuum 6. provenance 7. nonmechanical 8. tableware Ex 15: 1. cumbersome 2. monetary 3. denomination 4. ponderous 5. faraway Ex 16: 1. conglomerate 2. consortium 3. takeover 4. ascertained 5. unsolicited Ex 17: 1. spellbound 2. awestruck 3. evocative 4. encapsulated 5. earthly -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

IV. LEXICO CONSOLIDATION Ex 1: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11.

B levity: humor or lack of seriousness (during a serious occasion) A stoical: determined not to complain or show your feelings C servile: too eager to serve or please other people A felicitous: suitable or right and expressing well the intended thought D vacillate: to be uncertain what to do, or to change often between two opinions B otherwise C fall from grace: a situation in which you do something that makes people stop liking or admiring you. A max out: to use all that is available of something A lived B player finds D saving grace: a good quality or feature in a person or thing that prevents them from being completely useless. 12. C let: to allow your house to be lived in in exchange for a regular payment. 13. D as luck would have it: by chance 14. B a blinding flash: an idea or answer that suddenly becomes obvious 15. A rock up: to arrive somewhere 16. B inveigh against: to strongly criticize something or someone 17. C that once grew 18. D shrivel up: to become dry and smaller 19. A absolutely furious 20. D inspire: to make someone have a particular strong feeling or reaction Ex 2: 21. 22. 23. 24. 25. 26. 27. 28. 29. 30.

unveil: make something known for the first time unprecedented: never having happened or existed in the past misbehavior: immoral or unacceptable behavior Membership: the state of belonging to an organization lifelong: lasting for the whole of a person’s life breakaways: an act of separating from a group rebuilding: to build something again that has been damaged or destroyed overhauling: to repair or improve something underscores: to emphasize safeguard: to protect something from harm

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MASTER the ART of NEC

READING I.

CLOZE TESTS

2.6: 1. supposed 2. bring 3. reality 4. recognise

I - Guided Cloze 1.1:

1. B

2. B

3. D

4. D

5. A

5. harmonious 6. calming 7. neutralise 8. pride

1.2:

1. B

2. D

3. A

4. A

5. D

9. benefits 10. productivity

1.3:

1. C

2. C

3. B

4. A

5. A

2.7: 1. quality

6. B

7. D

8. A

9. D

10. C

5. intended 6. preference 7. However 8. So

1. D

2. C

3. B

4. A

5. B

9. appreciation 10. throughout

6. A

7.C

8. D

1. C

2. B

3. D

6. D

7. A

8. B

1. B

2. A

3. D

4. A

5. C

2.9: 1.put 2. mind 3. against 4. undertaken 5. body 6.

6. D

7. C

8. B

9. B

10. A

regularity 7. fewer 8. subsequent 9. state 10. speak

1. C

2. B

3. A

4. A

5. D

2.10: 1. breaking 2. rely 3. event 4. what 5.

6. A

7. C

8. C

9. B

10. A

6. Page 7.copies 8. ancient 9. newspapers

1. A

2. C

3. A

4. D

5. C

10. commonly

6. C

7. A

8. B

9. D

10. A

2.11: opt 2. weigh 3. value 4. undertaken 5. acquired

1. D

2. A

3. D

4. B

5. B

6. intake 7. bear 8. fall 9. precautions 10. deriving

6. A

7. C

8. D

9. C

10. A

2.12: 1. excluded 2. compromising 3. pressure 4. for

1. B

2. D

3. A

4. C

5. D

5. telling 6. involving 7. rails 8. instilled 9. buy

6. A

7. B

8. C

9. A

10. D

10. regardless/irrespective

11. B

12. C

13.A

14. B

1.4: 1.5: 1.6: 1.7: 1.8: 1.9: 1.10:

2. learned 3. evidence 4. beholder

2.8: 1. sound 2. expressions 3. contribute 4. shades 4. A

5. C

5. adopt 6. emphasis 7. initial 8. particular 9. extremely 10. halfway

pressure

2.13: 1. milestone 2.offering 3. necessary 4.rooted

II – Open Cloze

5. affords 6. valuations 7. slack 8. out 9. jargon

2.1: 1. otherwise 2. with 3. poorly 4. picked 5. make

10. unharmed

6. later 7. those 8. stimuli 9. birth 10. infancy

2.14: 1. rate 2. help 3. employs 4. fall 5. in 6. into

2.2: 1. defines 2. another 3. second / latter 4. costs

7. Like 8. between 9. As 10. notice

5. oneself 6. reality 7. up 8. its 9.turns 10. element

2.15: 1. spectrum 2. find 3. only 4. someone

2.3: 1. glasses 2. realities 3.describe 4.another

5. progresses 6. away 7. hand 8. guaranteed 9. below

5. perspective 6. off 7. going 8. direction 9. by

10. border 11. current 12. reach/ achieve 13. degree

10. others

14. experience

2.4: 1. consideration 2. reach 3. pressure 4. concern

2.16: 1. publish 2. means 3. part 4. contrast 5. home

5. unresponsive 6.receiving 7.else 8. in 9. means

6. explanation 7. though 8. according 9. worse

10. image

10. brink 11. sources 12. case 13. send 14. their

2.5: 1. being 2. into 3. be/vary/range 4. it 5.

2.17: 1. born 2. can 3. refers 4. external 5. whose

when/while 6. out 7. when/as 8. out 9. fact

6. itself 7. inherit 8. infinite 9. all 10. lies 11. capable

10. On/Upon 11. of/on 12. visited

12. nothing 13. led/ contributed 14. themselves

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MASTER the ART of NEC

II.

IELTS READING

Ex 1: 1. C 2. B 3. E 4. F 5. D 6. intellectual activity 7. mode of reasoning 8. discard 9. interpersonal conflict 10. ascertain 11. dissimilar views Ex 2: 1. C 2. A 3. D 4. A 5. B 6. upward mobility 7. total ignorance 8. ludicrous 9. rat race 10. a crammer 11. permeated 12. plateau 13. outside interest Ex 3: 1. v 2. viii 3. vi 4. vii 5. iii 6. i 7. ii 8. interrelationship 9. equal opportunity 10. (Strong) regulatory standards 11. internal costs 12. aspirations 13. Animal Compassion Foundation

III.

Ex 4: 1. A 2. C 3. C 4. supervision / leadership / management 5. productivity 6. reduced / cut/ decreased 7. (group methods of) leadership 8. overstaffed 9. reduced / cut / decreased 10. C 11. D 12. G 13. F

CAE CPE READING

Ex 5: 1. E 2. D 3. F 4. D 5. B 6. A 7. B 8. B 9. F 10. A 11. A 12. C 13. D Ex 6: 1. 68 seconds 2. (complex) distinction 3. Breathing 4. Stretch/stretching 5. Brain

6. E 7. B 8. F 9. D 10. H 11. NOT GIVEN 12. TRUE 13. FALSE Ex 7: 1. v 2. vi 3. iii 4. ix 5. i 6. vii 7. x 8. NO 9. YES 10. NO 11. YES 12. NOT GIVEN 13. YES Ex 8: 1, 2 & 3: B, D, E (In any order) 4. rigs and/or tanks 5. fish stocks 6. physical obstacles 7. concrete 8. commercial 9. Japan 10. sea(grass) beds/floor/bottom 11. bamboo and coconuts 12. management (control) 13. С

KEY GAPPED TEXT Ex 1

Ex 2

Ex 3

Ex 4

Ex 5

1. B

8. A

1. C

1. F

8. B

1. A

9. C

1. E

3. H

10. B

3. A

3. H

10. C

3. C

11. F

3. A

2. D

9. D

2. H

2. D

9. C

2. H

10. A

2. G

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MASTER the ART of NEC 4. G

11. C

4. D

4. A

11. B

4. D

12. B

4. C

6. F

13. A

6. E

6. G

13. A

6. G

14. I

6. H

5. A

12. C

7. C

5. G

5. E

7. B

KEY MULTIPLE MATCHING Ex 1

7. C

Ex 2

12. D 14. A

5. E

13. J

7. B

15. D

8. D

Ex 3

Ex 4

5. F

7. D 1. E

Ex 5

1. C

6. C

1. C

6. D

1. C

6. B

1. C

6. C

1. D

6. C

3. D

8. A

3. A

8. D

3. A

8. D

3. B

8. C

3. E

8. A

2. B 4. B 5. E

7. D

9. C

10. B

2. C 4. A

5. B

7. C 9. A

10. C

2. B

4. C 5. C

7. D 9. A

10. B

2. D 4. A

5. B

7. A

2. B

9. D

4. A

10. D

5. C

7. B 9. E

10. B

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IV.

1. B

TOEFL READING Ex 1

1. D

Ex 2

Ex 3

6. B

2. C

2. A

7. D

3. B

3. B

8. C

4. A

4. C

9. B

5. A

5. D

10. D

1. B 2. B 3. A 4. A 5. D 6. C

6. B Ex 4

7. D 8. D 9. C 10. A 11. C 12. A, C, D Ex 5

1. C

7. C

1. D

8. B

3. A

9. C

3. C

10. B

2. C 4. C 5. B 6. B

8. B

10. B 11. B

12. Biological Approach: B Psychodynamic Approach: A, F Cognitive Approach: C, E

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2. C 4. B 5. A

6. C

7. C

9. B

11. A

12. D 13. D

14. D, E, F

MASTER the ART of NEC

V.

READING CONSOLIDATION

Part 1

1. elements 6. treated

2. absent

3. merely

7. nooks

4. beaten

8. wait

5. fingertips

9. face/teeth

10. reintroduced

Part 2 11. A Part 3

18. E

25. B Part 4 31. v

37. vertigo

Part 5

43. C 50. A

12. B

13. D

14. B

15. C

16. A

17. A

19. G

20. F

21. D

22. A

23. H

24. B

26. B

32. iii

27. D

38. unsettling physical effects

44. A 51. A

28. B

33. viii

29. A

34. x

39. exacerbated 40. perception of depth

45. B

52. C

46. D

53. B/D

47. A

54. D/B

30. C

35. vi

41. clumsy and contrived

48. B 55. A

36. ii

42.gimmicks and special effects

49. D

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MASTER the ART of NEC

WRITING I.

SUMMARY

KEY PARAPHRASE 1. What zoos offer people is an opportunity to unwind and a means of escapism from the hustle and bustle of city life. 2. Although ‘friendship’ is not utilized to refer to kinship, there is a certain degree of mutuality and commitment between individuals who are not consanguineous. 3. Over the course of a few decades, home is no longer where homeschooling is attached to and solitude is hardly present in students’ life. 4. Such is the popularity of the aspiration for change in and addition to the natural condition that it is allegedly an innate human characteristic. 5. That our ability to use language and our complicated cognition evolved contemporaneously made us more advantageous than other species. KEY SUMMARY Ex 1: Contents: 10 points The summary MUST cover the following points: ● Through history, extinction has been of two types: ordinary extinction (natural selection) and extinction by sudden disasters. ● However, the current wave of mass extinction is that it is the only one ever caused by humans. ● Specifically, the current mass extinction is caused by: + Hunting/poaching and introduction of non-native species. + Main threat: habitat destruction (deforestation, damming river, draining wetland, overfishing,) The summary MUST NOT contain personal opinions. Language use: 5 points The summary: ● Should show attempts to convey the main ideas of the original text by means of paraphrasing (structural and lexical use). ● Should demonstrate the correct use of grammatical structures, vocabulary, mechanics (spelling, punctuations) ● Should maintain coherence, cohesion, unity throughout (by means of linkers and transitional devices) Model answer: The extract offers an insight into the driving forces behind the complete annihilation of some species. This decimation occurs either when the animal’ adaptability is surpassed by that of another or when severe natural catastrophes strike. However, human has been pinpointed as the impetus of another mass destruction which is on the horizon. In order to serve the insatiable craze for more land, humans have wreaked irreparable havoc on our surroundings by multiple means, ranging from poaching to the introduction of non-native, malicious species. Moreover, the rate at which extinction proceeds is accelerating by many new human-induced threats. The aquatic ecosystem has fallen victim to the growth of water dams and the greedy fishing industry. On land, the situation is not better-off: hectares of forests are cleared incessantly, which leads to a plummet in biodiversity. Ex 2: Model answer: The passage acknowledges the two sides of stress and recommends certain methods to counteract its downsides. Stress is synonymous with the strains we encounter when we are subject to life alterations. It is capable of affording us merits by acting as a source of motivation. However, its assets are all too often overshadowed by its negative connotation. Pernicious stress can lead to both psychological and physical repercussions. Not only are people deterred from making progress by a phobia of failure but they also manifest other palpable stress-induced symptoms as well. There are three steps involved in conquering stress. First, it is vital that the victims discern their own problems. Then, measures should be taken with a view to tampering with the factors entailed. Lastly, the sufferers should strive to soothe their stress by multitudinous means such as minimizing exposure frequency, regulating responses and establishing physical protection.

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MASTER the ART of NEC Ex 3: Model answers: The reading extract discusses the potential application of geo-engineering to counteract the threats of global warming. So great is our carbon dioxide emission that there is a general consensus among scientists that severe global warming is unavoidable. The failure to curb carbon disgorgement of certain nations has given rise to an alternative – geo-engineering. This option entails customizing the surrounding environment with a view to countering the repercussions of global warming. People have been utilizing aircraft to scatter clouds, which bears testimony to the fact that geo-engineering is effective. However, an opposite method has been recommended, which involves deploying tiny spacecraft to diminish the sunlight amount. Most geo-engineering projects as yet lay emphasis on the overall cooling of the Earth, yet localized projects in the Arctic are being taken into consideration. With Arctic’s high latitudes, chances are that more light will be transposed into space. Ex 4: Model answers: The passage expresses concern over the plummet in children’s literacy, whose cause is ascribed to the prevalence of picture books. Since the literacy standard is a matter of great consequence, its decline has prompted experts to pinpoint a culprit. Although the search’s emphasis is invariably on the socio-economics factors or the assessment of conventional and contemporary teaching techniques, the cause actually lies in the widespread use of books with superfluous illustrations. Whilst there are no grounds to bear out the assets of such picture books, they have been proved to have a detrimental impact on children’s reading capacity. In a visually oriented world with multitudinous entertainment means, people are demotivated from opting for full-texted books as they relied excessively on visual assistance during their childhood. This disturbing trend has an adverse influence on all people across the intelligence spectrum. Ex 5: Model answers: The reading extract gives insights into the past and modern use of fingerprint as well as its biological formation. Fingerprint provides us with an unerring confirmation of personal identification, which is a great asset to counter crimes. While there are many variations of the fingerprint identification techniques, their core principles are consistent since each fingerprint is distinctive. Fingerprint represents the patterns of skin ridges, which are formed during the fetal period and it is not subject to transformations over time. With a combination of gene and environmental factors, the development of ridges is peculiar even within identical twins. With respect to its ambiguous history, the first use of fingerprint dates back to ancient civilizations, where thumbprints were utilized as a tool for transaction verification. However, it is questionable as to whether the fingerprint was regarded as an identity certification or only as a representative mark. Ex 6: Model answers: The passage sheds light on the working mechanism of biometrics and its practical applications. Biometrics technology relies on an individual’s distinctive superficial traits in order to verify personal identity. This technology is becoming increasingly prevalent around the world, with biometric companies making huge profits. The system operates by matching the users with their predetermined peculiar biological features. Although as yet, only conventional characteristics such as fingerprints and faces are integrated into the system, research into other less familiar features is being conducted. Fingerprint scanner is hailed as the most prevalent biometrics technology, especially among the law-enforcement institutions. With regard to biometrics product, the hand-key, which analyze people hands’ variations, is the most commonplace. It is initially utilized in the power industry, but its use has been extended to other sectors as well. Ex 7: Model answers: The reading passage elucidates the ecological impacts of aerosols on global climate. Aerosols plays a principal role in diminishing the warming consequences from the disgorgement of greenhouse gases, yet this asset is likely to be deprived of due to the enforcement of air pollution regulations. Moreover, because air pollution is inherently localized, there are wide disparities among the aerosols’ influences on environmental factors of different regions. Therefore, research is being conducted with a view to evaluating the relationships of ecological factors and the effects of air cleansing. The global climate balance is maintained by both greenhouse gases and aerosols. Whilst concentrations of greenhouse gas accumulate heat radiation, aerosols reflect sunlight, thus lowering the overall

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MASTER the ART of NEC temperature. The impact of aerosols is municipal since they are promptly disposed of, while greenhouse gases disperse far and wide. A plummet in the release of aerosols will present major changes to heavily populated areas. However, it should be taken into account that this effect is not analogous to that of greenhouse gases loss. -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

II.

REPORT WRITING

SAMPLES FOR EXERCISES Ex 1: The chart illustrates the amount of money spent on five consumer goods (cars, computers, books, perfume and cameras) in France and the UK in 2010. Units are measured in pounds sterling. Overall, the UK spent more money on consumer goods than France in the period given. Both the British and the French spent most of their money on cars whereas the least amount of money was spent on perfume in the UK compared to cameras in France. Furthermore, the most significant difference in expenditure between the two countries was on cameras. In terms of cars, people in the UK spent about £450,000 on these as opposed to the French at £400,000. Similarly, the British expenditure was higher on books than the French (around £400,000 and £300,000 respectively). In the UK, expenditure on cameras (just over £350,000) was over double that of France, which was only £150,000. On the other hand, the amount of money paid out on the remaining goods was higher in France. Above £350,000 was spent by the French on computers which was slightly more than the British who spent exactly £350,000. Neither of the countries spent much on perfume which accounted for £200,000 of expenditure in France but under £150,000 in the UK. Ex 2: The two pie charts compare the percentages of travellers using five traffic methods to commute to one university for work and study in 2004 and 2009. In general, after ten years’ time, buses overtook cars to be commuters’ top preference for transport mediums. It is also obvious to see that while the proportion of people travelling by cars decreased significantly from 2004 to 2009, the popularity of other methods observed an upward trend. In 2004, over a half of people (51%) travelling to the university used cars as their main method of transport, making automobiles the most preferred one, followed by bus with 33%. However, the figure for car users experienced a nearly twofold decrease to only 28% in 2009. Witnessing a reverse trend, after a 10-year period, the percentage of bus-based travellers rose by 13%. The trend of preferring buses to cars could be attributed to the installation of a new bus stop in 2006 and alterations to the car park at the university in 2008. An upward pattern was observed in the proportions of pedestrians, train passengers and bike riders. Marginally more people chose to travel by train or walked to the university from 2004 to 2009, accounting for an insignificant combined percentage of about 10% and making these means the least favored by travellers. However, a more substantial rise, from 9% to 16%, was seen in the bicycle share. Ex 3: The provided table affords a glimpse of the sales of five makes of car worldwide, namely Toyota, Mercedes, Kia, Ford and Roll-Royce in a half-decade period from 2012 to 2016. In general, there were wide disparities among the turnover of these companies, each possessing a specific trend over the years. A closer look into the table reveals that with the exception of 2012, Kia invariably stood out as the most appealing car company. Moreover, there was an uninterrupted upsurge in their sales in straight five years, culminating in the staggering figure of 32500 in 2016 from 18500 cars in 2012. Ranked second in the table was Ford, which sold the largest number of cars in 2012 (19600). However, subsequently, their revenue experienced a dip in the next two years before recovering and reaching its peak at 26100 cars. In stark contrast, Roll-Royce’s corresponding figures were at the other end of the spectrum. Its sales experienced an incessant downward spiral, hitting rock bottom at mere 5400 cars in 2016. Also, it is noteworthy to discern that, in comparison with other brands, Toyota’s turnover was superiorly steadier, perpetually falling in between the gap from 14000 to 15000 cars in the five-year period. On the other hand, there were wild fluctuations in that of Mercedes. For instance, while sales in 2013 ceased at 11700 merely, that of 2016 was up to 18500 cars.

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MASTER the ART of NEC To conclude, it is glaringly apparent that extortionate car brands were more likely to be subject to fluctuations and slums with regard to their turnover. Ex 4: A gas-cooled nuclear reactor consists of the reactor itself and a heat exchanger. The reactor contains uranium fuel elements which are surrounded by graphite moderators and topped by charge tubes for loading fuel elements, and boron control rods. The whole reactor is contained in a pressure vessel surrounded by a concrete shield. From the reactor the hot gas flows through a duct into the heat exchanger which is outside the concrete radiation shielding. In the heat exchanger, steam is generated in a secondary loop. There a pipe brings in water which is heated to steam, and this then flows out to the turbo-alternator. Meanwhile the hot gas sinks to the bottom of the heat exchanger and passes through a gas blower which pushes it into a cool gas duct and back to the reactor. As can be seen, this is a continuous cycle that keeps the reactor from overheating, while carrying away the heat and steam, which will power the turbines. Ex 5:

The line graph gives an insight into UK’s tourism industry with its two-way flow of holidaymakers. The bar chart illustrates some most appealing foreign destinations in the opinion of UK tourists. In general, the gap between UK’s inward and outward flows of tourism was widening with the passing of time and there were wide discrepancies among the destination preference of UK holidaymakers. With regard to the visits to and fro UK, both initially possessed the figure of roughly 10 million visits. Nevertheless, over the next half decade, due to dissimilar growth pace, the two flows gradually diverged to the extent that in 1986, the gap had already nearly reached the number of 10 million visits. The divergence, however, did not cease to persist but culminated in 1999, at which point UK inhabitants made over 50 million visits. On the other hand, overseas travellers paid just under 30 million visits merely. In view of the cited popular countries, France and Spain ostensibly stood out as the two most captivating countries. While the former attracted a total of 12 million UK vacationers, the latter lagged behind by just a close margin, at roughly 9 million. In stark contrast, both Turkey and Greece were the least appealing destinations, with their corresponding figures languishing at 3 and 4 million visitors, respectively. -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

III.

1.

ESSAY WRITING

ANSWERS TO NOMINALISATION EXERCISE: Students now can share the financial burden of living expense or transport with parents thanks to money from their paid-work. The financial burden of living or transport can now be lessened thanks to money from students’ paid-work.

2.

Honestly, children who enjoy parental indulgence, especially in terms of material, would never appreciate the true value of money.

3.

It is noted that thanks to paid work, several vital soft skills, namely communication or interpersonal ones might be enhanced/boosted/gained/acquired, which will certainly be a huge boon to students’ future.

4.

Some claim that children engaging in paid work can be exposed to risky situations / environments such as bars, night clubs... at young age.

5.

Despite the divergence between present part-time job and future one, some valuable experience obtained from this paid-work will certainly yield/offer long-term benefits to students’ career prospect. SAMPLES ESSAYS AND COMMENTS Ex 1: In order to meet the insatiable needs for industrial plots of land, humans have made every effort to, ironically, transform natural jungles to the

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MASTER the ART of NEC barren ‘concrete jungles’. Materialistic assets notwithstanding, deforestation undoubtedly poses grave ramifications to the fragile ecological system of the Earth. If this trend persists, within a few decades, the world will undergo fully-fledged changes beyond recognition. From my perspective, it is vital that we should reverse this unfavorable development; if not, insurmountable repercussions will inevitably arise. First and foremost, it is undeniable that the decimation of forests is the driving force behind the soaring severity of air pollution. It is common knowledge that trees serve the biological purpose of absorbing carbon dioxide, thus purifying the air that we breathe on a daily basis. Humans run the risk of contracting irreparable lung problems if they are exposed sufficiently long to the pernicious air. In other words, no sooner had

mankind phased out their ‘ecological lungs’ than they found out that their biological lungs cannot withstand the bombardment of detrimental air quality. It is also blindly obvious that human beings are not the only

one who is under the obligation to experience respiratory problems. The Earth too, with its disabled lungs, cannot effectively regulate the flows of air and have no alternative but to accumulate a hefty amount of green houses in the atmosphere, absorbing rays of scorching sunlight. This phenomenon is termed as global warming, presenting the looming threats of rising sea level. Coastal areas such as Venice have come to regard their submerged cities as not so much of tourist attractions but as preys waiting to be devoured by the sea. As can be seen, the loss of

forests has given rise to a wide array of health and environmental problems. Another victim that has to bear the brunt of our irrational obsession with

land is the animal inhabiting the forests. These animals rely on the forests for everything, including abode, sustenance and reproduction. Humans, although aware of this fact, are so besotted with the potential wealth that blatantly disregard the dire downsides, clearing off the forests without hesitation. Deprived of their natural habitats, animals are placed on the horns of a dilemma – whether to emigrate or perish. However, the process is never so straightforward. Only when having

settled down in new areas does it dawn on many species that the regions’ natural conditions do not align with their biological characteristics. For instance, the Coco bird went to great lengths to position themselves in Africa. Nevertheless, on arrival there, they faced complete extinction since the climate in Africa is too harsh. In the long run, the global diversity look set to encounter many challenges with regard to the destruction of forests. In conclusion, it is an inescapable fact that unless deforestation comes to a halt, it is unlikely for us to ward off the threats of environmental disasters and diversity deterioration looming on the horizon. It is imperative that the government take actions to curb this inauspicious trend from wreaking havoc on our common home.

1. 2. 3. 4.

Good word usage: pose grave ramifications to sth: pose a threat to sth fully-fledged: fully developed decimation of forests: deforestation (paraphrase of key words) driving force: the main reason, the main motivation for sth

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→ linking words to ỉntroduce opinions

→ linking words to introduce points → clear and straightforward topic sentence (in the form of a noun phrase) → advanced grammar structure: invasion

→ inclusion of example for more persuasiveness → reaffirment of topic sentences

→ linking phrase to introduce points

→ advanced grammar structure: invasion, with proper timing of repetition → clarification of example: Coco bird

→ linking phrase to conclude → concise summary of main supporting ideas

MASTER the ART of NEC 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16.

It is common knowledge that: it is widely known that, many people know that pernicious air: harmful, polluted air a hefty amount of: a large amount of scorching sunlight: very strong sunlight looming threats: serious threats that are going to happen soon abode: the place where someone lives sustenance: food and drink to stay healthy enough besotted with sth/sb: love sth/sb so much that one cannot behave normally on the horns of a dilemma: in extreme danger an inescapable fact: an undeniable fact come to a halt: stop wreak havoc on sth: destroy, damage sth severely

Ex 2: As far as high school is concerned, people have always raised questions over what spirits would be optimal and most fruitful for students’ academic performances and personal development. Some people argue that it is judicious to foster cooperative relationships between students instead of competitive ones. I do not completely concur with this notion due to the pivotal role of competition and the fact that collaboration and competition have to be promoted in parallel. First of all, the absence of competition may prove decisively inimical to students’ motivation and in turn, educational outcomes. In view of the fact that students show little interest in rankings, they will, in all likelihood, refuse to explore their full potential to outperform their peers. As a consequence, their scholastic results will be confined to fixed standards which they deem acceptable and eventually, experience little noteworthy improvement. Secondly, a lack of competitive spirit serves as an eradication of individuality. As a matter of fact, students’ proclivity for peace and harmony means the preclusion of their freedom in voicing and displaying opinions; so they will opt for whatever decent opinions from their peers. Consequently, the unconscious adoption of ‘concession mindset’ is ineluctable when students are engaged in a debate and eventually their hallmarks are obliterated. For instance, when making preparation for a group presentation, individuals without competitive spirit would simply delegate the responsibility of major decisions to their peers and follow without serious contemplation on their own beliefs. Therefore, a combination between cooperation and competition would be the most desirable. Competition provokes students’ wish to be more outstanding than their contemporaries while cooperation ensures the reduction in fierceness so that competition does not trigger resentment and hostility. In addition, competition enables the openness in personal perspectives and cooperation ensures these are not biased or egoistic by letting students pinpoint the flaws and shortcomings of one another. In short, it is imperative that competition and cooperation exist simultaneously and harmoniously to complement each other and become two inseparable approaches of education. In conclusion, both cooperation and competition are favorable for high school students and one should never be eliminated for the sake of promoting the other.

→ state opinions right in the intro

→ linking phrase to introduce points

→ linking phrase to express causeeffect relation → little: hedging word (should not be ‘no’) → Secondly: linking word to introduce points

→ linking phrase to introduce points

→ linking phrase to conclude

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MASTER the ART of NEC Good word usage: 1. judicious: sensible 2. foster: promote 3. pivotal role: very important role 4. educational outcomes: academic results, marks and achievements in general 5. inimical to sth: harmful to sth 6. In view of: considering sth 7. proclivity for sth: tendency for sth, often sth bad 8. preclusion: prevention of sth 9. concession mindset: a tendency to allow sb to do sth to end an argument 10. ineluctable: unavoidable 11. hallmark: a typical feature of sth/sb 12. delegate responsibility to sb: shift workload to sb Ex 3: In the technology-driven era, modern machinery has seemingly infiltrated almost all aspects of human’s lives. Nevertheless, some people deprecate this phenomenon and claim that this will exert deleterious effects on mankind, which I wholeheartedly subscribe to. The first and foremost rationale for my standpoint is the deprivation of logical human thinking. Since modern people’s dependence on technology increases overtime, they will have a tendency to resort to machines to tackle a multitude of life issues as it takes much less time and effort. In the long run, should this practice persist for a certain

period of time, individuals’ capability for analytical and critical thinking will be eroded to a certain extent due to underuse. As a result, when

bereft of cutting-edge technology, people may struggle considerably to solve their own problems by themselves. This can be witnessed in the

fact that a number of today students in manifold countries express strong preferences for Google and other online websites in order to search for answers to their school assignments, which has induced huge idleness among them. This has caused them to meet with colossal difficulties when they are made to perform academic tasks without the help of the Internet for example, during formal school examinations. Thereby, humans’ lack of logical thinking is conceivable in the event of overuse of modern machines. Increasing unemployment is another potential peril of humans’ over-

reliance on machines. In the current context, numerous corporations make use of artificial intelligence and automation in lieu of human labours owing to their superior working productivity and financial savings from salaries to human employees. Consequently, both bluecollar and white-collar workers from a variety of occupations, especially manual jobs, will be made redundant in this robotic takeover, which will place those people in a great dilemma to eke out a living. China and India are cases in point. Upon the widespread invasion of

automation, these two most populous countries in the world have been forced to reduce the number of manual and blue-collar workers by millions and are anticipated to cut back more on this section workforce in the long term. This situation has robbed many Chinese and Indian people of future job opportunities and incomes. This also potentially destroys these nations’ long-standing strive for poverty reduction, considering the constantly growing population of China and India. This

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→ state opinion right in the intro → clear and straightforward topic sentence in the form of a noun phrase → advanced grammar structure: invasion

→ clarification of example: students’ over-reliance on technology

→ reaffirment of topic sentence → linking word to introduce point

→ clarification of example: unemployment in China and India due to technology

→ reaffirment of topic sentence

MASTER the ART of NEC alarming example does suffice to illustrate the gloomy scenario of unemployment when people become too dependent on technology. In conclusion, the ever-increasing use of state-of-the-art technology in daily lives can have serious repercussions for humans. Hence, I opine that each individual should harness machines appropriately and cautiously with a view to making the most of them and averting their potential drawbacks as much as possible.

→ linking phrase to conclude

Good word usage: 1. technology-driven: dominated by technology 2. deprecate sth: oppose to sth 3. wholeheartedly subscribe to sth (collocation): totally agree with sth 4. rationale for sth: reason for sth 5. bereft of sth: completely lacking sth 6. manifold: many 7. peril: danger 8. in lieu of: instead of 9. robotic takeover: a situation in which robot takes over 10. eke out a living: manage to live with little money 11. poverty reduction (collocation): the act of reducing poverty 12. suffice to do sth: enough to do sth 13. state-of-the-art: the most modern, updated 14. repercussion: consequences 15. opine: have the opinion 16. avert: avoid -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

IV. WRITING CONSOLIDATION Sample Answers Ex 1:

The reading extract sheds light on the battle against climate change that the Inuit is fighting. Unprecedented events such as premature thaws, snow dripping and lake draining have resulted in many repercussions. For instance, igloos’ insulating characteristics are subsiding and no longer are seals within reach of the hunters. These severe implications have raised the alarm about climate change for the word and thus, piqued the curiosity of scientists. Climate change poses a serious threat to the survival of the Inuit, whose living conditions are excruciatingly tough. The indigenous people have no intention of being manipulated since they are both knowledgeable and possessive about their territory. To resolve climate change, they rely on the integration of traditional and modern wisdom, which is another issue to address. Ex 2: The given table gives an insight into the expenditure patterns of consumers on three categories of products and services in 2002. Overall, all five countries featured in the survey share a common trend: the budget on food/drinks/tobacco is the largest and the reverse is applicable to leisure/education. A closer look reveals that Turkey and Ireland stood out as nations which possessed the highest percentage spending on food/drinks/tobacco, at 32.14% and 28.91% respectively. With regard to leisure/education, Turkey also topped the table as its consumers devoted about 4% of their budget to this segment. On the other hand, Ireland and Spain attached little of their resources to leisure/education: the former spent only 2.21% whilst the latter’s figure languished at 1.98% only. It is noteworthy that in respect to clothing/footwear, Italians were the ones

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MASTER the ART of NEC who invested most heavily, with its footwear budget accounting for up to nearly a tenth of the whole. In stark contrast, the corresponding figure of Sweden was the lowest, at merely 5.4%. Ex 3: In an increasingly complicated world, every facet of life is inextricably intertwined. Contrary to popular belief, no longer are sport and politics separate entities. In other words, politics can have knock-on effects on sport and vice versa. In fact, throughout the course of history, many nations were forbidden from entering into sporting competitions due to failure to abide by international rules. From my perspectives, I generally agree with this act because of its merits; however, precautions should be taken when this kind of punishment is adopted. First and foremost, utilizing sport as a punishment deters nations from violating international rules. It is common knowledge that sporting competitions provides countries with a chance to gain a great deal of financial resources and establish a global reputation. As a result, countries are under the obligation to adhere to regulation or else their economy and stature will be under threat. A salient instance of this would be the case of African countries under the Apartheid regime. These nations are implicated in several international boycotts, which thwarted them from partaking in sporting events. These turns of event had far-reaching impact on the socio-economic situations of the era. Not only did the prohibition put an end to segregation in sports but it made a huge contribution to the downfall of the vicious Apartheid regime. Nevertheless, it would be blatantly unreasonable to blindly impose such punishment and it is imperative that the severity of the act should be meticulously considered. The intrinsic value of sporting events is undoubtedly to cement the diplomatic ties among nations. Nonetheless, if an arbitrary and excessive punishment is issued, it will backfire, fuel hatred and therefore go back on the events’ inherent doctrine. The recent tension between Russia and Western countries is a prime example of a counter-productive scheme. The International Olympic Committee barred Russian sportspeople from attending the Olympic Winter Game due to a doping scandal, yet this sport juggernaut dismissed the punishment as utterly unjust. It is evident from this case that prior to the implementation of a penalty, every aspect should be taken into account with a view to putting forward the most even-handed decision. In this way, the effectiveness of the punishment will be optimized and the core values of sporting events are still retained. In conclusion, although it is an inescapable fact that boycott in sporting events proves to an invaluable tool to enforce regulations, it is vital that the punishment should be upright and legitimate.

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MASTER the ART of NEC

SPEAKING I.

PERSONAL QUESTIONS

Ex 1: Suggested aspects: Empathy: relationships are built upon a solid foundation of tolerance of one’s shortcomings and imperfections. Therefore, as time elapses, there arises calamitous incidents which expose one’s vulnerability and these situations is where sympathy steps in to ensure the other person is attuned to the hindrances and torments of his/her beloved. Should there be no sympathy in a relationship, both parties will run the risk of turning venomous towards one another for not being able to cater for the emotional needs that they are so-called supposed to understand without any verbal means. Dependability: there are innermost secrets of a person that are by no means to be divulged to anybody else. Yet it is these disquieting thoughts that may constantly weigh him/her down. A fulfilling relationship creates the private space in which one does not have to jump to his defence and truly reveal his helplessness. Hence, a fair degree of trustworthiness is prerequisite for a rewarding and long-lasting relationship Supportiveness: there are days in life where it can turn depressing for one so much so that he/she may give up on himself/herself and cease his/her strive towards aspirations. When being so down and out, they need someone to stand shoulder to shoulder with them to remind them of their own self-worth and tenacity to surmount obstacles. Vocabulary highlights: 1. be attuned to: especially able to understand 2. venomous (adj): full of anger and hard feeling 3. divulge (v): reveal 4. jump to one’s defence: quickly defend yourself 5. so much so: to such a great degree 6. down and out: having no hope of improvement 7. stand shoulder to shoulder with someone: support someone during a difficult time 8. tenacity (n): strong will 9. surmount (v): overcome Ex 2: Suggested aspects: Environment: sustainable development is intrinsic to the zero depletion of non-renewable resources and the sagacious utilization of green energy. Industrial growth should be carried out in such a way that does undermine the stability and integrity of the ecosystem. Although the exploitation of nature to meet the demands for materials in manufacture and the preservation of natural resources can be conflicting in their nature, a state of equilibrium should be reached to reconcile these forces. Education: sustainable development in education entails an inclusive and equitable education for all people irrespective of races, backgrounds and identities. The key point is to help engender a competent and productive future workforce with diverse perspectives and ideologies, which mitigates the risk of groupthink and promotes a prosperous economy in the long run. Society: in an ideal world, sustainable development of a society means that no one shall be shown partiality or treated with inequality. In other words, there would be no such concept as misogyny or male chauvinism, Islamophobia or homophobia. In view of the fact that everyone can feel free to be themselves, they will not have to fear prejudice and spare no room for acrimonious conflicts whose causes are, more often than not, resentment and retaliation against prejudice and discrimination. Vocabulary highlights: 1. sagacious (adj): wise 2. equilibrium (n): a state of balance 3. groupthink (n): a psychological phenomenon in which people try to avoid conflict by reaching consensus without proper evaluation. 4. misogyny (n): dislike of women 5. male chauvinism (n): the belief that men are superior 6. acrimonious (adj): angry and bitter

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MASTER the ART of NEC Ex 3: Suggested aspects: Ignorance: one quintessential paradox that originates from ignorance is the way how our belongings are more, but our appreciation is less. This is deeply rooted in the conspicuous dearth of gratitude and failure to open one’s eyes to the misfortunes and adversity of the impoverished. In such a state of blissful ignorance, people are predisposed towards bitter complaints on their own state, forgetting to count their blessings. Lowered ethics: the epitome of this paradox is the way how we are able to earn a good living but fail to live good. The core ulterior motives at play may well be money, fame or self-righteousness. Clouded by these rationales, one’s judgment will lead them on the path to moral degradation and depravity notwithstanding a colossal accumulation of financial resources. In addition, these people will be deprived of a gratifying life on account of them being conscience-stricken for their misdeeds and wrongdoings. Abuse of technology: This is the underlying reason for the paradox mentioned in the topic question. In this era, some people fail to avail themselves of technology, especially social media in a decent and accurate manner. Some misuse it to immerse fully in the virtual world, disregarding the reality and living with Fear of Missing Out. The number of friends on social media is now deemed the criterion for which one’s popularity is judged. As a result, some continue to build up this list, as a way of collecting ‘digital currency’, rather than putting a premium on true quality. Vocabulary Highlights: 1. in blissful ignorance: not knowing the unpleasant fact 2. count one’s blessings: to be grateful for the good thing in life 3. ulterior motives (n): a secret purpose for doing something 4. be at play: to have an influence on a situation 5. self-righteousness (n): belief that one is morally better than others 6. colossal (adj): large 7. conscience-stricken (adj): feeling sorry for the bad thing you have done 8. avail oneself of something: to make use of something 9. put a premium on something: to consider something to be very important Ex 4: Suggested aspects: A strong cultural identity: A global citizen is and should not be one that finds himself/herself struggling to navigate his/her way around the labyrinth of cultural identities. Though the word “global” in “global citizen” indicates the highly recommended universality in both the scale and the nature of one’s practices, it is not to be misinterpreted that a global citizen recklessly subjugates himself/herself to the absolute influence of each and every culture he/she comes across. Rather, a global citizen enjoys a solid cultural background, built up incrementally by his/her experiences in his/her home country, and steps onto the global platform with a strong willingness to promote his/her local cultures in an effort to personalize the international integration process. This also helps to diversify the demographics of players in the international arena. An open, progressive, concerned mind: There are various definitions of “global citizen”, but a global citizen is most likely an open-minded individual at heart. He/she views the world from different perspectives and does not allow himself/herself to be bound by misconceptions and social stigma. He/she is ready to embrace new schools of thought provided that their validity is successfully proved, and he/she is concerned about the development of the world as a whole as he/she sees himself/herself as part of the world. Parochialism is an anathema to them. A challenge-seeking attitude: A global citizen understands and readily takes on the multiple challenges of the 21st century’s wildly fluctuating world. He/she sees opportunity in every challenge, and he/she focuses wholeheartedly on tackling them in creative ways instead of shying away from them. In other words, the future of the world lies in the hands of global citizens. Without such enquiring minds and risk-embracing souls, the big conundrums of the modern world would not be resolved and sustainable development, therefore, would hardly be achieved. Vocabulary highlights: 1. Labyrinth (n) (formal) a complicated series of paths, which it is difficult to find your way through 2. Incrementally (adv) in regular increases, amounts or stages 3. Demographics (n) data relating to the population and different groups within it 4. Stigma (n) feelings of disapproval that people have about particular illnesses or ways of behaving

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MASTER the ART of NEC 5. 6.

School of thought: a way of thinking that a number of people share Parochialism (n) (disapproving) the quality of only being concerned with small issues that happen in your local area and not being interested in more important things 7. Anathema (n) (formal) a thing or an idea which you hate because it is the opposite of what you believe 8. Shy away (from st) = to avoid doing st because you are nervous or frightened 9. Enquiring (adj) showing an interest in learning new things 10. Conundrum (n) a confusing problem or question that is very difficult to solve Ex 5: A happy country is one where happy citizens lead fulfilling lives, possibly characterized by a host of factors: A healthy economy: Enormous economic clout is not necessary to ensure citizens’ well-being, but healthy economic growth is. Under a healthy economy, citizens land the jobs that match their skills and earn decent salaries that allow them to meet their basic living needs. Unemployment, if ever in existence, is kept under strict control and tackled timely by the government. An egalitarian society: Citizens benefit from not only favorable economic conditions, but social policies whose cornerstone is facilitating civil equality as well. A customary index of social equality is the Gini coefficient, which reveals the size of the gap between the rich and the poor – the higher it is, the less likely citizens are to feel satisfied, leading to a nation’s failure to achieve the title “happy country”. Gender and racial equality are other common indicators of a country’s happiness. A peaceful political climate: No one is happy living in a war-ravaged country, where bloodshed is the new normal and citizens’ lives hang by a hair. Citizens enjoy the rightful access to a stable and sustainable political system. Only when the high-stake race towards the acquisition of geopolitical advantages is compromised in the interests of citizens’ safety and prosperity will a country stand a chance of ranking high on the NHI list. An effective legal system: The absence of a robust legal structure is liable to result in a soaring crime rate, rampant civil unrest, and the breakdown of the very fabric that binds society together. A legal system is considered up to the job when it provides clear and incontestable definitions of crime, leaves no room for impunity, and creates a justice environment conducive to people’s healthy development. It should not be one that citizens dread to even think of due to its intolerance and overbearingness, and neither should the rules and regulations implemented in its name be too lax to safeguard citizens’ rights. For example, under such a desirable system, amnesty may be granted to law-breakers in specific situations, but in the presence of convincing extenuating circumstances only. Vocabulary highlights: 1. clout (n) power and influence 2. cornerstone (n) the most important part of something that the rest depends on 3. index (n) a sign or measure that something else can be judged by 4. bloodshed (n) the killing or wounding of people, usually during fighting or a war 5. geopolitical (adj) connected with the political relations between countries and groups of countries in the world or with the study of these relations 6. hang by a hair/thread = (of a person’s life) to be in great danger 7. robust (adj) (of a system or an organization) strong and not likely to fail or become weak 8. rampant (adj) (of st bad) existing or spreading everywhere in a way that cannot be controlled 9. the fabric (of st) = (formal) the basic structure of a society, an organization, etc. that enables it to function successfully 10. if a person does sth bad with impunity, they do not get punished for what they have done 11. extenuating (adj) (formal) showing reasons why a wrong or illegal act, or a bad situation, should be judged less seriously or excused -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

II.

PROVERB AND QUOTE QUESTIONS

Ex 1: Suggested direction a. Explanation: One should never cease to expand one's own knowledge, the process of learning should be continuous and lifelong.

b.

Supporting ideas:

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MASTER the ART of NEC The world is always changing, to adapt and to keep up (especially in working world) - one must learn without stopping. Continuous learning gives people the chance to pursue passions or aspirations. How to adopt: Cultivate habit of study, read widely and regularly, keep a list of new things to learn, put new knowledge into practice. Ex 2: Suggested direction a. Explanation: To achieve success and accomplish objectives in life, one must have a sense of discipline. -

b. Supporting ideas:

A disciplined person - can set clear goals - focus on these goals. Discipline promotes self-control - a disciplined person is more tactful - can build good relations. Discipline = more well-prepared for working life. Get things done faster and on time - less stress (e.g. having to cope with deadlines at work or at school). How to adopt: Set goals for yourself, organise plans and schedules, develop healthy habits (e.g. exercise every day, eat healthy food). Ex 3: Suggested direction:

-

a. Explanation: you can be the inventors, or the emulators that imitate and improve the initial invention. b. Supporting ideas:

Proof: greatest inventors based their brainchildren on others’ works. Example: the Wright brothers were credited with aircraft invention, but in fact the idea had been tested and experimented since Da Vinci’s time. The Wright brothers were just at the right time in history to take advantage of all the previously invented objects to build a machine that can actually fly. - Initial inventions contain flaws – need emulators to refine the shortcomings. - What would happen when there were no inventors + no emulators. - How to adopt: appreciate your work, display unwavering passion in whatever job assigned to contribute to the overall values. Ex 4: Suggested direction: -

a. Explanation:

You hold the power to choose the path for your life. When you set your sights on growing as a person, you keep on learning endlessly and never become contented and rest on your laurels. In short, the quotation is about

constant growth without complacency. b. Supporting ideas:

Reasons why it’s true: humans are ambitious beings. Once they have set their sights on a goal, there is every likelihood that they will take great pains to accomplish further and further. - What would happen if one suppresses their aspiration and leads a simplistic life. - How to adopt: dream big, dare to carry out your dream and preserve an amount of humility in order to nourish the hankering for new things. Ex 5: Suggested direction: -

a. Explanation:

-

A wild beast: a very dangerous person or thing that can put others’ safety in jeopardy. A God: too transcendental to seek affectional attachment from others. Other than these, no being can exist in seclusion, without the support and company of others.

b. Supporting ideas:

From an evolutionary aspect, humans have always displayed support and interrelation throughout the process of natural selection for survival. - From a psychological aspect, humans are social beings who crave inclusion in group life. - What would happen if a society totally lacked communication and support from its individuals for one another. How to encourage interaction: put electronic devices down and get some real socialization. Live with reality, not virtually. Participate in favorite outdoor activities to bond some strong ties with like-minded people… -

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MASTER the ART of NEC

III.

TOPIC QUESTIONS

Model answers Ex 1: Education has always attracted attention not only due to its undeniable importance but also due to its changing nature. Apparently, teaching methods have continuously evolved to meet the needs of the society. Nowadays, our world is a place of constant transformations, so I am of the opinion that the emphasis of education is to equip the students with skills which help them deal with their surrounding environments. First of all, it is advisable that students have to pick up skills assisting them in the fight against the shifting circumstances because the society undergoes alterations invariably. As a matter of fact, there are so many factors and variations involved in the process of life that there is no telling what is going to happen. For instance, in the last century, nobody would have predicted that one day all the manual work would be fully automated by robots. However, that scenario is the reality. If the students fail to adapt to the changing surroundings, in all probability they will be in dire straits. Back to the example of the robots, millions of blue-collar workers had been given the sack due to the advent of technology. This was because they did not possess sufficient skills to outperform the robots. The example raises another question: which skills should the youth adopt in order to seek a rewarding job and retain it afterwards? In my opinion, students should make an effort to sharpen their interpersonal skills such as teamwork or communication skills. It is an inescapable fact that technology is on the point of taking over the majority of jobs. Thus, it is imperative that young people should hone skills in which technology has no chance of imitating. Interpersonal skills are skills that utilize human’s emotions and logics so only the human race is endowed with these talents. Another skill that the youth need to pick up is computing skills. As abovementioned, technology has become too prevalent for us to turn a blind eye to. Our world functions and depends on technology but humans are still the ones who monitor machines. Hence, tech-savvy people will call the shots and will be headhunted by many prestigious firms. A surprising fact is that computer science major students get 50% more internship opportunities than their economics counterparts, bolstering the claim that computing skill is a powerful tool to help young people climb the corporate ladder. To conclude, from my perspective, the ultimate aim of education is to transform the learners into a versatile being that can respond swiftly to the incessant outward changes. It is vital that interpersonal and computing skills should be incorporated into the curriculum so as to give young people a competitive edge in their job application procedures. Ex 2: In the last few decades, globalization has become the new buzzword in the printed world as countries are becoming increasingly interconnected. There is no denying that this trend has brought about considerable benefits, yet its potential downsides should be taken into account in order to produce an accurate and thorough assessment. First and foremost, it is an inescapable fact that globalization offers a variety of merits, both culturally and economically speaking. The international interaction has promoted mutual understandings between cultures, therefore advancing the acceptance of diversity in society. In other words, globalization transcends over cultural barriers such as languages or customs, which forges a sense of harmony among people of different races. For instance, since the advent of globalization, Japanese people no longer bear a grudge against foreign people as they used to, but instead welcome them with an open mind. Moreover, globalization has great potential to reduce poverty and strengthen the economics. International trade will be facilitated by the elimination of tariffs and other complications. Resources, especially raw materials, are likely to be shared more equally among countries so that each possesses a sufficient, not superfluous, amount to function. For instance, developed countries invariably lack the human resources to materialize their ideas so they often resort to the workers in the developing countries. This is a win-win situation in which each side will gain innumerable benefits through the deal. Nonetheless, it would be blatantly unreasonable to ignore the drawbacks involved in the process. Globalization is widely accused of putting cultural identities on the verge of destruction. Each culture has its own unique features that set them apart from the rest of the world. However, due to globalization, cultures now have a tendency to conform to a common norm, which is dull and monotonous. As a powerful superpower, the USA can influence the world by propagating their movies, books and countless other means of cultural manifestation. The other cultures will be gradually indoctrinated by this propaganda, wrongly perceiving that the key to success and prosperity is to imitate the dominant ones. What is more, economic globalization is driven by market forces, with the main emphasis being monetary. This leaves little protection for our planet as investors are so obsessed with the

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MASTER the ART of NEC short-term gains that they cannot recognize the upcoming environmental ramifications. As a matter of fact, developed countries often regard developing ones as the backstage for them to utilize natural resources in an irresponsible way, thus inflicting irreparable damage to the environment. In summary, although globalization presents a wide array of upsides, we should take its downsides into consideration as well. It is time we took actions with a view to minimizing globalization’s disadvantages and optimizing its advantages. Ex 3: In this day and age, it is customary in the football world for prominent players to become a transfer from their original team to a more well-known one. Some people argue that owing to the opposition of players against their preceding club, their achievements are entirely based on disloyalty. Their opponents, on the other hand, maintain that it is just a matter of professionalism. My speech will be divided into two parts, stating my rationales for supporting the latter idea and a counter-argument to the former. First of all, the fact that footballers are being transferred is justifiable in that it is human nature. As the pinnacle of success is rather a short period of time in sports, players who long for advancement will probably wish to move from one team to another for further experience, strategies and tactics of different coaches. As a result, transfers only aim at improvement in skills, prospects and techniques, which are all prerequisite of professionalism. Moreover, when players are endowed with an exceptional gift, it would be a wastage of talents if they stayed with their cradle club, which could be too mediocre or financially troubled. Such clubs cannot incentivize players to achieve their full potential, hence the transfer to a more famed and well-off one. Furthermore, the fast rate of transferring is also attributable to the nature of football world. The time-honored tradition of loyalty seems to be more or less debased by the commercialization of football world because these days, fans and spectators pay their money to see the most rewarding performances of teams. Consequently, clubs have no alternative but to gather the most adept footballers for the satisfaction of demands. By the same token, players, desiring for display of world-class matches for the sake of fans, will also turn to more celebrated teams. Some people insist that transfer is against the principle of faithfulness among players. Admittedly, previous clubs do provide players with the foundation for them to thrive. Nonetheless, since clubs are the one that show scant loyalty to players first, they should not expect players to demonstrate faithfulness. As a matter of fact, more often than not, players get transferred on account of the fact that they can no longer serve the purposes of the club and therefore, no longer included in their plans. In such a case, it is irrational to require loyalty from players since they do not even have the ability to do so. In conclusion, footballer transfer should not be judged as a matter of disloyalty but one of professionalism for both individual players and the football world. Ex 4: It has always been the ultimate goal of educators to devise the most fruitful approach and provide the solid foundation for students’ education. One notable principle is the motto of “learning to live together”. Some people argue that in the context of increasing brutality of today’s world, this should be perceived as the rudimentary and pivotal rule in education for the promotion of harmony. My speech will be divided into 3 parts. In the first part, I will elaborate on the definition of ‘living together’. In the second and third parts, I’ll delve into the reasons why “living together” can minimize the concern about violence and help students thrive in this developed era of globalization. To commence with, I will elucidate the meaning of ‘living together’. It could be defined as the act of peaceful co-existence where conflicts and disputes are resolved in a benign and congenial manners. It also entails the acceptance of others’ apparently opposite views, perspectives and dispositions without critical judgment. As a result, it may result in some adaptation of one’s demeanors to fit others’. Learning to live together, therefore, is a judicious choice as it addresses the underlying causes of violence. More often than not, the origin of belligerence is people’s gulf regarding values, religions or beliefs and their inability to bridge that gap. It can also stem from one’s narcissism and egoism, which involves the imposition of one’s mentality on another. As learning to live together will enable people to lower their self-importance and listen sympathetically to others’ views, violence is likely to reduce substantially. Such respect for others will gradually diminish irreconcilable and violent conflicts. What is more, learning to live together is a prerequisite of development in the age of globalization. As a matter of fact, the alienation of one individual from another will give rise to entrenchment, which will be of no value to a person in the integrated world where emphasis is laid on examining multiple facets to a problem. Moreover, globalization calls for the elimination of differences among countries to cooperate in peace; therefore, it is vital that

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MASTER the ART of NEC there be mutual understanding among parties who may share virtually no commonality. Such toleration needs to be learned on individual scale as well as at a young age in order to constitute a whole nation that adopts compromising mentality. In conclusion, it is reasonable to regard the belief of “living together” as a guiding principle in education due to its capability to deal with the root of savagery and its significance in adjustment to globalization. Ex 5:

In this day and age, citizens are bombarded with advertisements everywhere they go ranging from homes to streets. People, therefore, raise the vexed question of whether advertising has become so powerful that it can overshadow the actual needs of the community. My speech will be divided into 2 parts. In the first part, I will elaborate on the profound effects that advertisements have on some customers, which induce them to purchase redundant belongings . In the second part, I will delve into the reasons why high sales of goods still partly mirror society’s necessities as some people’s real demands are not at all influenced by advertisements’ omnipresence. First of all, I hold a firm belief that advertisers can easily entice people into buying by creating some kinds of trend and using technological effects. Conscious of people’s mentality to seek fashionable items, advertisements usually feature personalities to attract their fans to buy products. To demonstrate their idolatry, some fans are willing to purchase anything possessed by their favorite stars regardless of their actual needs. Consequently, the item would rise to the status of ubiquity and become indispensable for fashion-conscious men and women alike. Moreover, genuine quality is not prioritized by advertisers, so exaggeration can be deployed to create captivation instead of advance warning on the products’ downsides. Without due consideration, gullible people will probably be lured into purchasing with the belief that they can get a product of high quality just as the one advertised. Nonetheless, other consumers still make their own decisions based on their demands, unaffected by the compelling advertisements. As a matter of fact, people will probably conduct their own survey, making comparisons and considering all the pros and cons before reaching the final conclusion about whether the product is the optimal choice. What is more, people have a tendency to take brands into account instead of the alluring advertisements. And finally, people with limited financial resources will make judicious calculations and steer clear of costly items to opt for those with reasonable price. In conclusion, despite the minority of people who are significantly impacted by advertisements, others still purchase goods because of their own interests. Advertisements act as a means to inform people of new products so they are by no means to blame for some people’s extravagant and inveterate consumer behaviors. The onus is on the customers themselves to make the most realistic choices. -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

IV.

SPEAKING CONSOLIDATION

Questions to consider: Topic 1: How should “political apathy” be defined? What may be its cause accordingly? Does a country with politically apathetic citizens enjoy more stability than those without? Is there any case in which the citizenry’s ardent concern for political issues may prove counterproductive? Should there be any limit to citizens’ political involvement? Topic 2: Why should teamwork be encouraged among students? Is teamwork the sole decisive factor in the success of a project? Can teamwork ever misfire? If yes, then in which case? What are possible ways to improve teamwork experiences? Topic 3: -

Is there any link between leadership and followership? Consider the current global context, which skill of the two may predominate?

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MASTER the ART of NEC Should we revise our outlook on these two skills? Topic 4: -

Which aspects of your current self do you want to change? How do you want to grow as a person? How will you look at life in the future, when you're no longer a student? What are your aspirations for the future, or in other words, what goals do you want to fulfill/achieve in the next 10 years? Topic 5: In what way may religion positively/negatively affect political processes? What are some examples? Why is atheism in politics supported by a number of people? Topic 6: How should we understand “justice”? What are some characteristics of the Internet that may make it a double-edged sword in the pursuit of justice? What are some relevant real-life examples? Topic 7: -

Suggestion : Find out reasons by looking from different perspectives! - What aspects/ facts about this work and its author make it so special? - What does it offer on a literary perspective? What about its ethical values? - How can oneself benefit from reading this? And how will society benefit as a whole? Topic 8: -

How would you define "victim"? Is being the one who suffers enough on its own to make someone a victim, or do you believe that their willingness to suffer counts more? - And what about their willingness? What could have lead these women to make such a decision in the first place? Are they inevitable? - Could their decision have been affected by external factors, such as how they were raised and the society/age they live in? Topic 9: -

Why are self-serving members so condemned in our society? On the other hand, when taken to the extreme, how could a community-oriented mindset be bad for our society? Topic 10: -

Is violence the same all the time, or is it varied in nature? Is there any case in which violence is the only recourse? Does the end result of violence influence the way we view it? By which standard do we evaluate the justifiability of an action/event?

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MASTER the ART of NEC

PRACTICE TESTS I.

PRACTICE TEST 01 I. LISTENING

Part 1:

1. USA

2. Hookless Fastener

3. success

4. 1919

5. Goodrich

Part 2:

6. A/E

7. A/E

8. F/K/M

9. F/K/M

10. F/K/M

13. C

14. B

15. A

16. A

17. B

Part 3:

Part 4: 18

scrambling

Part 1:

19

linchpins

20

encryption

21

sequestered

II. LEXICO-GRAMMAR

22

23

stemming the tide

compliant features

11. O/R

24

robust protection

12. O/R

25

geo-blocking

26. C

27. B

28. A

29. C

30. D

31. B

32. A

33. A

34. C

35. D

36. A

37. B

38. B

39. D

Part 2: 40. triumphant

Part 1:

41. revelry

42. indiscriminately

43. unrest

44. reminiscent

45. mobilized

III. READING

46. C

47. B

48. D

49. B

50. A

Part 2: 51. letter

52. bear

53. honor/honour

54. taken

55. touch

56. medical

57. own

58. out

59. regardless/irrespective

60. stake

Part 3: 61. isolation 62. economic globalisation/globalization/socioeconomic pressures 63. cultural identity 64. traditional skills 65. E 66. B Part 4: 74. B

80. C

67. 68. 69. 70. 71. 72. 73.

D C B NO YES NOT GIVEN YES

75. A

76. F

77. G

78. C

87. F

88. B

89. D

90. E

81. B

82. A

83. C

84. B

Part 5: 86. E

91. A

92. E

93. F

94. A

95. C

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MASTER the ART of NEC IV. WRITING Part 1: Suggested Answer: The reading extract discusses the impacts of oil spills on seabirds and some recovery strategies. Seabirds are amongst the most vulnerable sea inhabitants whenever an oil spill occurs, usually due to drowning, starvation or loss of body heat, with some species more susceptible than others. Short and medium term losses of bird populations usually follow as a result, sometimes on a large scale, but a permanent decline is less likely. Successful rehabilitation in such cases requires a timely mobilization of experts, resources, the application of appropriate methods and protocols, and a consideration for wildlife response after release. Laying more eggs or breeding more frequently in response can assist recovery, but it can take time and will depend on external factors too. Part 2: 1. Content: -

All the relevant information must be included.

-

Make general remarks and suitable comparisons.

2.

Organisation:

-

The report should be easy to read with good flow and can be easily understood

3.

Use of language:

-

Usage of appropriate linking words and phrases as well as a good level of grammar.

-

Accurate vocabulary usage.

Part 3: Introduction Hook + Background information Thesis statement Body

Paragraph 1

Topic sentence Supporting 1 + (example, explanation, quotation, statistic) Supporting 2+ (example, explanation, quotation, statistic)

Paragraph 2

Topic sentence Supporting 1 + (example, explanation, quotation, statistic) Supporting 2 + (example, explanation, quotation, statistic) Conclusion Summary Giving students' opinion/suggestion/… Vocabulary and Structures Using various linking devices. Present vocabulary, structures and arguments with coherence and cohesion. Note:

0,25 0,25

0,15 0,3 0,3 0,15 0,3 0,3 0,25 0,25 0,25 0,25

1. Minus 0,1 points for each grammar or spelling mistake, but do not exceed 0,4. 2. Candidates must present at least 2 main ideas. If there is more than 2, choose the best ones to mark but mistakes must be noticed in all arguments.

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II.

PRACTICE TEST 02 I. LISTENING

Part 1. 1. 142 weeks

4. late summer

2. halfway through

5. (metallic) fretwork screen

3. (glistening) golden exterior Part 2. 6. B

7. A

8. E

10. D

11. E

12. B

9. A

Part 3. 13. B

14. A

15. D

16. C

17. A

Part 4. 18. orchestrating a coup

22. pragmatic leader

19. nuclear-capable ballistic missiles

23. lifted a nationwide ban

20. all diplomatic ties

24. political dissidents

21. incarcerated/abysmal prisons

25. foreign embassies

Part 1.

II. LEXICO-GRAMMAR

26. B

27. B

28. A

29. B

30. D

31. B

32. C

33. A

34. A

35. D

36. C

37. D

38. A

39. C

Part 2. 40. prescient 41. tax-exempt 42. sprawling 43. redolent 44. trustees 45. relentlessly III. READING Part 1. 46. shutting

51. referred

47. just

52. difficult / hard

48. aim / goal / objective

53. therefore / thus

49. story

54. which

50. likely

55. justify

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MASTER the ART of NEC Part 2. 56. A

57. B

58. B

59. A

60. C

61. A

62. limbs 63. cramp 64. mirror 65. intact 66. reflection Part 3. 67. H

68. D

69. E

71. F

72. F

73. B

70. A

Part 4. 74. C

75. A

76. A

77. D

78. A

79. A

80. D

81. A

82. B

83. B

Part 5. 84. B

85. D

86. A

87. B

88. C

89. D

90. B

91. A

92. C

93. B

94. A

95. B

IV. READING Part 1. Suggested answer: The reading passage sheds light on the mindset shift of people towards history and its representation methods. Relics used to be regarded as cast-iron proof of the past, as manifested in the way museums were designed. Museums resembled warehouses that featured artifacts, offering merits to scholars but not the laypeople. Likewise, the counterpart information was restricted to the grasp of the professionals merely. Nevertheless, this conception of history has undergone dramatic transformations. Museums now view “experience” as the ground on which this industry premises. Heritage sites now run simulations of historical events and computers will soon be phased in with a view to entailing visitors themselves as participants. Whilst naysayers consider these trends as a form of desecration, the roaring success of modernized heritage sites has proved the opposite. Part 2: 1. Content: ● All the relevant information must be included. ● Make general remarks and suitable comparisons. 2. Organisation: ● The report should be easy to read with good flow and can be easily understood 3. Use of language: ● Usage of appropriate linking words and phrases as well as a good level of grammar. ● Accurate vocabulary usage.

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MASTER the ART of NEC Part 3: Introduction Hook + Background information

0,25

Thesis statement

0,25

Body

Paragraph 1

Topic sentence

0,15

Supporting 1 + (example, explanation, quotation, statistic)

0,3

Supporting 2+ (example, explanation, quotation, statistic)

0,3

Paragraph 2

Topic sentence

0,15

Supporting 1 + (example, explanation, quotation, statistic)

0,3

Supporting 2 + (example, explanation, quotation, statistic)

0,3

Conclusion Summary

0,25

Giving students' opinion/suggestion/…

0,25

Vocabulary and Structures ● ●

Using various linking devices. Present vocabulary, structures and arguments with coherence and cohesion.

0,25 0,25

Note: 1. Minus 0,1 points for each grammar or spelling mistake, but do not exceed 0,4. 2. Candidates must present at least 2 main ideas. If there are more than 2, choose the best ones to mark but mistakes must be noticed in all arguments.

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MASTER the ART of NEC

TABLE OF CONTENTS PART ONE: LISTENING .............................................................................................................................................. 3 IELTS LISTENING.................................................................................................................................................... 3 CAE, CPE LISTENING ............................................................................................................................................. 9 NEWS LISTENING ................................................................................................................................................. 17 LISTENING CONSOLIDATION ............................................................................................................................. 28 PART TWO: LEXICO - GRAMMAR .......................................................................................................................... 30 GRAMMAR ............................................................................................................................................................ 30 VOCABULARY ....................................................................................................................................................... 44 WORD FORMATION ............................................................................................................................................. 49 LEXICO CONSOLIDATION ................................................................................................................................... 59 PART THREE: READING .......................................................................................................................................... 61 CLOZE TESTS ....................................................................................................................................................... 61 IELTS READING .................................................................................................................................................... 77 CAE CPE READING .............................................................................................................................................. 95 A.

GAPPED TEXT ........................................................................................................................................... 95

B.

MULTIPLE MATCHING ........................................................................................................................... 107

TOEFL READING ................................................................................................................................................. 115 READING CONSOLIDATION .............................................................................................................................. 128 PART FOUR: WRITING ........................................................................................................................................... 134 SUMMARY WRITING .......................................................................................................................................... 134 REPORT WRITING .............................................................................................................................................. 140 ESSAY WRITING ................................................................................................................................................. 148 WRITING CONSOLIDATION ............................................................................................................................... 163 PART FIVE: SPEAKING ........................................................................................................................................... 164 PERSONAL QUESTIONS .................................................................................................................................... 164 PROVERB AND QUOTE QUESTIONS ............................................................................................................... 168 TOPIC QUESTIONS ............................................................................................................................................ 177 SPEAKING CONSOLIDATION ............................................................................................................................ 197 PART SIX: PRACTICE TESTS ................................................................................................................................ 198 PRACTICE TEST 1 .............................................................................................................................................. 198 PRACTICE TEST 2 .............................................................................................................................................. 212 PART SEVEN: KEY .................................................................................................................................................. 225

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