Friday, December 17, 2010

Infinitives or Gerunds? Notes on Usage and Meaning

           
[Infinitives/Gerunds]

Adapted from English Grammar Online 4U.

There are certain words in English that are usually followed by an infinitive or gerund. If you are not sure whether to use the infinitive or gerund, check out our lists or look the words up in a dictionary.

Infinitives or Gerunds?

Certain words are followed by either an infinitive or gerund form, but the meaning of the word often changes accordingly.

- Same meaning.
  • After these verbs: attempt, begin, bother, cannot bear, cease, continue, hate, intend, love, prefer, start.
  • I started to read. / I started reading.
- Same meaning but different use.
  • Special cases: advise, allow/permit, forbid.
  • Infinitive + object: She allowed him to take the car.
  • Gerund, no object: She allowed taking the car.
- Different meaning.

Verb                   Infinitive meaning         Gerund meaning
forget
/ remember         
with regard to the future
Remember to switch off the lights.        
with regard to the past
Do you remember switching off the lights?
go on start something new
Go on to read.
continue with the same action
Go on reading.
regret with regard to the future
I regret to say that.
with regard to the past
I regret saying that.
stop interrupt another action
I stopped to smoke.
terminate, give up
I stopped smoking.
try do something complicated
Try to solve this riddle.
do it and see what happens
Try talking to him.

- Infinitive (without to) or gerund.
  • Special cases: feel, hear see.
  • Infinitive meaning: to emphasize that the action is completed. I saw him go up the stairs.
  • Gerund meaning: the action may or may not be completed.  I saw him going up the stairs. I saw him as he was doing this.
  •  Special cases: go, come.
  • Infinitive meaning: to express a purpose. She is coming to show us the pictures.
  • Gerund meaning: in connection with activities. Let's go shopping, dancing ....


Gerunds - Notes on Usage

           
[Infinitives/Gerunds]

Adapted from English Grammar Online 4U.

There are certain words in English that are usually followed by an infinitive or gerund. If you are not sure whether to use the infinitive or gerund, check out our lists or look the words up in a dictionary.

Gerunds

Certain words are followed by an ing form of a verb.

- As the subject of a clause.
  • Cycling is great for your health.
- After certain adjectives.
  • After these adjectives afraid of, angry about / at, bad at, busy, clever at, crazy about, disappointed about, excited about, famous for, fond of, glad about, good at, impressed by, interested in, keen on, like, near, proud of, sick of , sorry about, ired of, worried about, worth.
  • He's afraid of traveling by plane.
- After certain prepositions.
  • After about (in 'how/what about'), after, apart from, because of, before, by, in, in spite of, instead of, on, without.
  • How about watching a movie later tonight?
- After certain verbs.
  • After the verbs admit, advise, allow, appreciate, avoid, can't help, can't stand, consider, delay, deny, dislike, enjoy, escape, fancy, finish, go (in go swimming), imagine, involve, keep, mention, mind, miss, permit, postpone, practice, reject, resist, risk, stop, suggest, understand, waste time / money.
  • I really enjoy cooking.
- After certain verbs with prepositions.
  • After accuse of, adjust to, agree with, apologize for, approve of, ask about, ask for, begin by, believe in, be, used to, blame for, care for, carry on, complain about, concentrate on, congratulate on, consist of, cope with, decide against, decide for, depend on, die of, dream about / of, escape from, feel like, forgive for, give up, insist on, keep on, look forward to, object to, pay for, prevent sb. from, protect from, put off, rely on, spend money on, spend time on, succeed in, suspect of, take part in, talk about / of, thank for, think of, use for, warn against, worry about.
  • We're really looking forward to going on vacation next month.
- After certain nouns.
  • After these nouns: advantage of, alternative of, chance of, choice between, danger of, difficulty in, doubt about, experience in, fun, hope of, idea of, interest in, opportunity of, place for, pleasure in, point in, possibility of, problem, reason, for, trouble, trouble in, use, way of, waste of money, waste of time.
  • We had problems finding our way back home.


           

Infinitives - Notes on Usage

            
[Infinitives/Gerunds]

Adapted from English Grammar Online 4U.

There are certain words in English that are usually followed by an infinitive or gerund. If you are not sure whether to use the infinitive or gerund, check out our lists or look the words up in a dictionary.

Infinitives

Certain words are followed by an infinite verb with or without to.

- As the subject of a clause.
  • Followed by the verbs be, seem or appear.
  • To know you is to love you.
- After certain expressions (without to).
  • After had better, would rather, would sooner, why not, why should I/you/... not.
  • "Why not go to the cinema?" "I think I would rather stay home tonight."
- After certain verbs (without to).
  • can, do, let, may, must, should, will, help.
  • I can swim.
- After certain verbs (with to).
  • With verbs such as afford, agree, aim, appear, arrange, attempt, be determined, beg, care, choose, claim, condescend, consent, decide, demand, deserve, determine, expect, fail, guarantee, happen, have, help, hope, manage, need, offer, plan, pretend, promise, refuse, seem, stop, want, would hate, would like.
  • She wants to see you before you leave the office.
- After certain verbs with interrogatives (infinitive constructions).
  • After the verbs ask, advise (+ Object), consider, decide, explain, find out, forget, know, learn, remember, see, show, teach, tell (+ object), understand wonder.
  • They don't know how to swim.
 - After certain verbs with objects (without to).
  • After make and let.
  • He made her finish the lesson before she could leave.
- After certain verbs with objects (with to),
  • After the verbs advise, allow, ask, beg, cause, enable, encourage, expect, forbid, force, get, help, invite, mean, order, permit, persuade, recommend, remind, teach, tell, want, warn, would hate, would like, would love, would prefer.
  • They wanted us to stay, but it was already too late.
 - After certain adjectives and their comparison.
  • After these adjectives: amazed, amazing, angry, astonished, astonishing, awkward, brave, careless, clever, cowardly, crazy, , delighted, difficult, disappointed, disgusted, easy, extraordinary, funny, generous, glad, happy, hard, honest, horrified, impossible, kind, nice, odd, pointless, relieved, ridiculous, rude, sad, selfish, silly, sorry, strange, stupid, surprised, wicked, wise.
  • It was impossible to go back.
 - After nouns deriving from the verbs mentioned above.
  • After the nouns effort, agreement, aim, appearance, arrangement, attempt, choice, claim, decision, determination, expectation, failure, guarantee, hesitation, hope, longing, need, neglect, offer, plan, preparation, procedure, promise, refusal, resolution, tendency, threat, trouble, try
  •  We couldn't turn down the offer to stay at his beach house that weekend.
             
        

Both, Either, Neither, Nor and So

        
[Adverbials]

Adapted from English Grammar Online 4U.

The following adverbs often generate some confusion. Read the examples below and then check your understanding by doing the following exercise.

- both ... and
  • I like both cats and dogs.
- so
  •  Jane likes cats. So do I.
- not ... either
  • Jane doesn't like cats. I don't like cats either.
- either ... or ...
  •  Jane either has a cat or a dog.
- neither/nor
  •  Jane doesn't like cats. Neither do I./Nor do I.
- neither ... nor ...
  • I like neither cats nor dogs.

Exercise
In this amusing exercise, find out why some parents think that their teenage sons or daughters have a lot in common with cats.

  1. cats teenagers turn their heads when you call them.
  2. You would hardly ever see a cat walking outside of the house with its master. would you see a teenager in public with his or her parents very often.
  3. A cat doesn't share your taste in music. A teenager doesn't
  4. cats teenagers can lie on the sofa for hours on end without moving.
  5. Cats expect you to prepare the food for them. do teenagers.
  6. If you tell a joke, your cat your teen will laugh about it.
  7. If you make a sudden move in their direction, cats teenagers get frightened.
  8. Cats do not improve your furniture. Teenagers don't
  9. Cats roam outside and often come home very late at night. do teenagers.
  10. Conclusion: no matter if you have a cat a teenager at home - it's all the same.

                

Thursday, December 16, 2010

Subject-Verb Agreement: Rules and Exercise

          
[S/V Agreement]

Here are some important rules for Subject-Verb (S/V) Agreement.

- A verb must agree in number with its subject:
  • Stress is a difficult word to define.
- Words that come between the subject and the verb are not part of the subject:
  • A person with anxiety and fears rarely has severe mental illness.
- When the subjects are joined by neither...nor, either...or, not only...but also, the verb agrees with the subject that is closer.

- Subjects joined by and are usually plural. However, when each or every comes before singular subjects joined by and, a singular verb is used:
  • Every father and mother likes to know what their kids are doing.
- There, here and where are not subjects. In sentences beginning with these words, the subject follows the verb:
  • Here is the information you wanted.
- A singular verb is used with words like the following when they are used as subjects:
  • Everyone, someone, anyone, no one, everybody, somebody, etc.
  • Each, either, neither.
- A singular verb is used with subjects that state an amount (for example, of money, time, or distance):
  • Two hundred kilometers is a long distance to be walked.
- A singular verb is used with subjects that are plural in form but singular in meaning:
  • Mathematics is too difficult to be understood by most kids.
- Use singular verbs when abstract nouns such as news, politics, etc. are the subject.

- A singular verb is used with collective nouns (group, family, team, police, committee, class). However, if the speaker is thinking in terms of the individuals that make up the group, a plural verb is used.


Exercise
Underline the subjects in each sentence. Then, choose the correct verb(s) to complete the sentence.

1. Dizziness, as well as other symptoms, cause/causes great concern to the anxious person.
2. Neither his parents, nor his wife is/are able to help him cope with his problems.
3. Not only Anne but also her brothers suffer/suffers from claustrophobia.
4. Anxiety and fear is/are normal human emotions.
5. Every doctor and patient need/needs to identify what is causing stress.
6. Here is/are the books you wanted.
7. Nobody, not even the most well-known futurists, know/knows what the future will be like.
8. Seventy thousand dollars is/are how much the average car will cost in 2019.
9. Physics has/have played an important role in the development of modern technology.
10. The committee is/are looking into hoe to prevent the spread of the disease.
11. The committee is/are meeting today. I saw them enter the room a short time ago.
12. Statistics shows/show us that the crime rate is increasing in this area.
13. The class has/have completed more than half of the book.
14. The news is/are good: by 2030, world hunger should be eliminated.
15. Each of us has/have three basic negative emotion: fear, anger and depression.
                      

Verbs: Perfect Tenses

[Verb Tenses]

Adapted from Andy and Audrey Jackson: Advanced Grammar Worksheets Photocopy Master, Prentice hall International (UK) Ltd 1995.


There are three perfect tenses in English. They all refer to an action started before a certain point in time. In the case of simple tenses, this action is completed.
  • She had studied drama before she went to Paris.
  • He has gone to Rome. He doesn't live here anymore.
  • The snow will have melted by tomorrow morning.
In the case of continuous tenses, the action may extend beyond the point of reference.
  • The fire had been burning for had an hour when the firefighters arrived and it took two hours to get it under control.
The difference between the perfect simple and perfect continuous can be seen in these two sentences:
  • I've driven fifty miles this morning. (a specific distance that has been completed)
  • I've been driving all morning. (a continuous activity that may not be finished)

Exercise

Complete each of the following sentences with a suitable perfect tense(past, present or future, simple or continuous) of the verbs in brackets.

1. My fingers are aching -- I __________ (write) letter all evening.
2. I'm feeling really proud of myself -- I __________ (write) six letters this evening.
3. She couldn't help thinking she __________ (see) his face somewhere before.
4. I bet Ben __________ (not do) the washing up by the time we get back.
5. Can you give me a hand? I __________ (do) my homework, but I'm stuck on this exercise.
6. I __________ (not feel) very well lately. I think I __________ (overwork).
7. They're trying to break the record. By six o'clock, they __________ (dance) non-stop for 3 days.
8. If you don't hurry, they __________ (leave) before you get there.
9. I __________ (hope) to meet your boss, but I hear he's away on business.
10. They __________ (plan) this holiday for ages. I hope it goes well.


               

Verbs: Past Tense Revision

            
[Verb Tenses]

Adapted from Andy and Audrey Jackson: Advanced Grammar Worksheets Photocopy Master, Prentice hall International (UK) Ltd 1995.


The following passage revises the uses of the past tenses. Look out for the passives and negatives.

Exercise
Put the verbs in the correct tense in the following passage.

Eventually, I (1)__________ (drop) off to sleep. the next thing I (2)__________ (know), the compartment (3)__________ (be) almost empty and the train stationary. Then I (4)__________ (realize) that the parcel (5)__________ (go)! I (6)__________ (wonder) which of the passengers (7)__________ (take) it, and if they (8)__________ (get) a shock when they (9)__________ (open) it. My watch (10)__________ (say) 3 a.m. We (11)__________ (reach) the border and the paper (12)__________ (be) still in my pocket. Then I (13)__________ (hear) heavy boots on the ground beside the carriage. I (14)__________ (run) to the toilet, (15)__________ (sit) on the seat and (16)__________ (stuff) the precious paper down the back of the mirror. I (17)__________ (sit) for what (18)__________ (seem) an eternity when a sharp rap (19)__________ (sound) on the door and it (20)__________ (kick) open by an angry-looking soldier. For a moment we (21)__________ (stare) at each other, but then he (22)__________ (mutter) an apology and (23)__________ (close) the door again. (24)_____ he _____ (see) the paper, I (25)__________ (wonder)? If he (26)__________ (see) it, he (27)__________ (take) it to his commanding officer, surely! I (28)__________ (take) the paper from its hiding place and (29)__________ (return) to my compartment. A moment later, a man in plain clothes (30)__________ (come) in, flanked by policemen. I (31)__________ (order) to hand over my passport and notebook. My heart (31)__________ (beat) wildly as they (33)__________ (search) through the papers. If only I (34)__________ (destroy) the incriminating papers which now (35)__________ (burn) a hole in my left shoe. But miraculously, my passport and papers (36)__________ (return) to me and I  (37)__________ (question) or (38)__________ (search). My precious paper (39)__________ (find) and hopefully I (40)__________ (be able) to deliver it in person.



     

Tuesday, December 14, 2010

Writing Outline: Advantages and Disadvantages Essays

            
[Writing Outline]

Below is an example of an outline for a For and Against Essay.

Introduction
  • Paraphrase! Restate the topic in your own words.
  • Acknowledge that there are both advantages and disadvantages involved.
Body (Paragraph 1)
  • Introduce the major advantages: "On the positive side..."
  • Present the main points and elaborate.
Body (Paragraph 2)
  • Introduce the major disadvantages: "Despite these attractions, however, some drawback do exist..."
  •  Present the main points and elaborate.
Conclusion
  • Restate your opinion and refer to the main advantages and disadvantages presented in the essay.
Here are some helpful linking words that may be used throughout this essay:
  • Firstly,
  • In other words,
  • This means that
  • It is also
  • Another advantage is that
  • While
  • However,
  • On the other hand
  • Finally
  • In conclusion,
  • To sum up,


                   

Writing Outline: For and Against Essays

         
[Writing Outline]



Below is an example of an outline for a For and Against Essay.

Introduction
  • Paraphrase! Restate the topic in your own words.
  • Acknowledge the complexity of the issue and state that you will look at both For and Against arguments.
Body (Paragraph 1)
  • Introduce the major argument For: "On the one hand..."
  • Present the main points and elaborate.
Body (Paragraph 2)
  • Introduce the major argument Against: "On the other hand..."
  •  Present the main points and elaborate.
Conclusion
  • State that after weighing both arguments you have finally developed your own opinion.
  • Close your essay with a dramatic, thought-provoking statement of your personal thoughts on the issue.


The following is a Sample of a For and Against Essay.

Topic: Should Animals be used in testing new drugs and procedures? (Animal Testing)

Animal testing may be necessary, but we need to be merciful

Every year, millions of animals undergo painful suffering or death as a result of scientific research into the effects of drugs, food additives, cosmetics and other chemical products. While most people think animal testing is necessary, others are upset by what they see as needless suffering. This essay looks at some of the positive and negative aspects of animal testing.

Many medical treatments and procedures have been developed from experiments on animals. Since animals share many features with humans, scientists use animals to test the safety and effectiveness of newly developed drugs before pilot testing on small groups of patients. Medical teams practice new operating techniques such as transplants on animals. Without animal testing, many procedures or new drugs would be extremely unsafe.

However, many people are concerned that animals are suffering unnecessarily and cruelly. They do not believe that every new drug needs to be tested on animals, especially with the huge database of knowledge and modern computer models. They also are worried that many animal tests are ineffective, pointing out that many drugs have had to be withdrawn from  the market despite extensive testing. They particularly feel that animal testing should not be used for non-essential products such as cosmetics, shampoos, soaps, and cleaning products. Furthermore, some campaigners would like to see certain tests replaced and more humane methods used.

We need to make sure that the millions of animals who are used for testing new products are treated with the minimum of suffering. Although some animal testing may be unavoidable at present, treating our fellow creatures as mercifully as possible will demonstrate our humanity.
           

Showing Attitude

         
[Adverbials]

Below is a short interviews on the topic of smoking in public spaces. Fill in the blanks with words from the list that show the interviewee's attitudes to what he is saying.

Laws (1) __________ should dictate where people can smoke. (2) __________, I support laws that allow smoking only in one's own home or private office. For one thing, scientific research (3) __________ proves that smoking not only harms the health of smokers, it also harms the health of nonsmokers around them. Wives and children of smokers, for example, have been found to have more instances of lung cancer, ear and throat infections, and asthma than wives and children of nonsmokers. For another thing, nonsmokers must (4) __________ pay for the consequences of smoking, such as fires and increased costs of ventilation. (5) __________, we cannot depend on smokers to be considerate and respectful of the health and pocketbooks of those around them. (6) __________, for the good of all society, we need lays to tell smokers when and where to smoke.

Choices:
1. a) confidentially b) certainly c) perhaps d) admittedly
2. a) in fact b) evidently c) presumably d) to my surprise
3. a) eventually b) to be honest c) clearly d) quite likely
4. a) in short b) fortunately c) unjustly d) to tell you the truth
5. a) in theory b) perhaps c) unfortunately d) unjustly
6. a) presumably b) in my opinion c) to my surprise d) officially


                    

Organizing Ideas

        
[Organizing Ideas]

The following sentence form an opinion essay, but they are in the wrong order. Working with a group, put them in logical order. Discuss how the underlined words and phrases help you. When you have finished, divide the sentences into paragraphs and write out the essay.


  • The elderly couple down the street from me, for example, spent over $20 on lottery tickets last week, and they have only their meager social security checks to support them.
  • I only wish to express my opinion, namely, that lottery games of all types should be abolished.
  • People who want to gamble would be better off in places like Las Vegas or Hong Kong where they would at least be using some skill.
  • I would like to express my concern at the growing number of lottery games in this country.
  • Just last month, a gang of youths tried to hassle people lined up to buy lottery tickets at my local newsstand, making a tremendous amount of noise in the attempt.
  • Second, while I do not object to gambling in principle, I feel that this particular kind, where no skill is required on the part of the player, is especially offensive and deadening to the intellect.
  • In conclusion, let me say that I do not wish to appear old-fashioned or anti-pleasure.
  • There are several reasons why I object to this kind of gambling.
  • Finally, the places where lottery tickets are sold often attract undesirable people to otherwise quiet neighborhoods.
  • First, the people who run the lotteries are taking substantial amounts of money away from people, many of whom are old and can least afford to lose it.

                           

    Relating Ideas: Linking words and phrases 2

            
    [Linking Words/Phrases]


    In the following essay, the linking words and phrases are left out. For numbers 1-9, choose the most appropriate words or phrases from those given below. For numbers 10-16, fill in each blank with any word or phrase that makes sense.


    Living in an ethnic community is very pleasant, (2) __________it definitely has some disadvantages. Let me explain what I mean through personal example.

    (2) __________, when I came from Cuba to live in Miami, I was very happy (3) __________all my old friends were living in the same neighborhood I was. I didn't ever feel lonely. (4) __________, if I needed help with anything, (5) __________, with the language or the subway, someone was there to help me. For me, that was very nice (6) __________ it made me feel right at home.

    A year later, (7) __________, my family and I decided to move from that area in order to live near where we worked. That day I began to feel that I was living in another country, in another city, in another Miami. My first problem came (8) __________ I tried to tell the landlord of our building that our regrigerator was broken. He didn't speak Spanish, (9) __________ I didn't speak English. Little things like that made me feel unhappy and insecure, (10) __________ I did not want to go back to my own ethnic community. (11) __________ I came to realize that I was not living in my country anymore. (12) __________, I was living in a new country, (13) __________I had to do things for myself. I had to learn a different culture, a different language, and different customs.

    Living with my ethnic group was very comfortable, (14) __________, at the same time, in my opinion, it was harmful (15) __________ I didn't learn some of the essentials for survival in a foreign country, (16) __________ the language. It was an important, though painful lesson to learn.
                       
    1. a) on the contrary b) and c) but d) so
    2. a) at first b) first c) although d) beforehand
    3. a) because of b) besides c) because d) despite
    4. a) however b) besides c) nevertheless d) first
    5. a) to begin with b) though c) moreover d) for instance
    6. a) even though b) at least c) although d) since
    7. a) however b) but c) although d) for instance
    8. a) as well as b) and c) when d) moreover
    9. a) because b) but c) and d) since
    10-16. Various answers 
              

    Monday, December 13, 2010

    Relating Ideas: Linking words and phrases

                    
    [Linking Words/Phrases]

    In the following essay, the linking words and phrases are left out. For numbers 1-12, choose the most appropriate words or phrases from those given below. For numbers 13-18, fill in each blank with any word or phrase that makes sense.


    Every day we hear about the problem of hunger in Africa. Many authorities state causes, (1) __________ drought and overpopulation. They (2) __________ suggest solutions, (3) __________ food aid and population control.

    It is true that such realities as drought and overpopulation worsen the problem of hunger in Africa. (4) __________, these realities are not the real cause of Africa's famine. The real culprit is poverty, (5) __________ only by doing something about poverty itself can we solve the hunger problem in Africa.

    I am not suggesting that we ignore the problems of drought and overpopulation. (6) __________, I believe we should study them carefully in order to learn what lies behind them. Let us look, (7) __________, at droughts.

    Insufficient rainfall is a problem for farmers all over the world, (8) __________ it is only the truly poor who die from it. How, (9) __________, did Africans become so poor? In the past several hundred years, with the help of European colonizers, the best farm lands were taken and planted in cash crops for export, with profits going to a few of the wealthy. (10) __________, there has not been enough food produced for the poor majority, (11) __________ it is these already hungry people who are so affected by drought. Since food aid treats symptoms, not causes, i suggest that the only long-lasting solution to this problem lies, not in food aid, (12) __________ in revising Africa's farming practices.

    (13) __________, let's look at the second problem authorities mention, (14) __________, overpopulation. It is true that Africa's population growth rate is higher than that of any other continent. (15) __________, having many children is logical for African farmers, who need a lot of workers for the family farm and who know that one out of three of these children will die before adulthood. Studies from all over the world show that the best way to raise living standards is to lower birth rates. (16) __________, when African parents can be sure their children will survive and that they can earn a decent living, they will not need to have so many of them.

    (17) __________, I suggest that when we hear the words drought and overpopulation in connection with famine in Africa, let's keep in mind the real enemy, (18) __________, poverty.

    1. a) either b) consequently c) likewise d) such as
    2. a) also b) but c) for example d) nevertheless
    3. a) and b) such as c) besides d) on the other hand
    4. a) and b) finally c) because d) however
    5. a) or b) when c) and d) anyway
    6. a) on the contrary b) at least c) moreover d) then
    7. a) such as b) first c) however d) though
    8. a) even though b) by the way c) but d) then
    9. a) then b) however c) for instance d) well
    10. a) on the contrary b) consequently c) second d) at last
    11. a) when b) and c) because d) or
    12. a) but b) and c) by the way d) though
    13-18. Various answers
                   

    Friday, December 10, 2010

    Writing Benchmark 2009 - Question 2 - Rating: A

    Original material provided by UMich ELI may be found here.
               

    Examination for the Certificate of Proficiency in English (ECPE)
    Writing Section
    Benchmark Set 2009

    The following composition was written by an ECPE examinee and scored using the 5-point ECPE Writing scale.

    Many popular movies are based on books. Some people believe the book versions are better than the movie versions. Which do you prefer? Why? Support your answer with specific examples.

    Rating: A
    Nowadays, various blockbuster movies are based on books. This has resulted in people debating about which version is better, the movie or the book. In my opinion, reading a book is more preferable for a number of reasons.
     
    To begin with, books allow the reader to let his/her imagination free and imagine the plot taking place any way s/he wants. The reader is free to set up the scenery s/he wishes in his mind and not as the director of the movie maker would visualize it. For instance, he may be able to decide whether it’s a sunny or rainy day, whether it’s morning or evening, whether the actor is happy or sad.
     
    Moreover, books give the reader more time flexibility. That means that at any time they want they have the opportunity to leave the book and continue reading it later. In addition, they have the ability to take the book with them. For example, if they have to go to work they could take the book with them and read it on the bus. Another option would be to take the book in the park and read it there enjoying the nice weather and greenery at the same time.
     
    Furthermore, books give the opportunity to the reader to let the information sink in at their own time. For example, if a reader is reading a mystery novel s/he can take the time s/he wants in order to try and hypothesize what might have happened, before s/he reaches the end.
     
    On the other hand, it needs to be acknowledged that move versions may offer greater excitement due to the special effects and action used. However, this is only for a short period of time – as long as the movie lasts, whereas the excitement books offer may be of lesser degree but last longer.
     
    Overall, although [essay is unfinished]

    Commentary

    This is an example of a low “A” band essay. The introduction begins well; the writer rephrases the prompt in his/her own words and shows that he/she has understood the question. The final sentence of the paragraph makes clear the writer’s point of view. The organization is well-controlled and appropriate to the material. Connections are smooth and sometimes unusual (e.g., “moreover”). The writer structures the argument very well, making an abstract claim and then providing a concrete example (e.g., paragraph 3). This demonstrates the writer’s ability to present his/her ideas in different ways to clarify his/her meaning effectively. One side of the topic is richly, fully, and complexly developed and the other side of the topic is also addressed competently.
     
    Sentence structures are varied, complex and accurate. Morphological (word forms) control is nearly always accurate. The writer also appropriately uses a broad range of vocabulary including idiomatic phrasal verbs (e.g., “sink in,” paragraph 4) and modifiers (e.g., “it needs to be acknowledged”, paragraph 5).
     
    However, it is important to note that the essay is unfinished. This suggests that the writer needed to take time to ensure the high level of grammatical accuracy and to select appropriate vocabulary. This in turn suggests that his/her language resources are not as “automatic” as you might expect for a very proficient writer. However, the quality of the text produced is excellent and this is why an “A” should be awarded.

    ***
      

    Writing Benchmark 2009 - Question 2 - Rating: B

    Original material provided by UMich ELI may be found here.
               

    Examination for the Certificate of Proficiency in English (ECPE)
    Writing Section
    Benchmark Set 2009

    The following composition was written by an ECPE examinee and scored using the 5-point ECPE Writing scale.

    Many popular movies are based on books. Some people believe the book versions are better than the movie versions. Which do you prefer? Why? Support your answer with specific examples.

    Rating: B

    Nowadays, more than ever before, cinema has evolved into a huge industry. Thousands of movies are being directed and watched every year, providing entertainment to the public. However, fresh ideas seem to be depleted and consequently screenwriters try to be inspired by masterpieces of literature. But are the movies based on books of equal artistic value? As far as I am concerned, I tend to believe that the book version is in most of the times better.

    To begin with, reading is a great way of broaden up someone’s mind. While reading a novel, we have the chance to form the characters as we delight and intrigue our imagination. Places and situations are delineated the way the reader is wishing and not according to the director’s point of view.

    In addition to that, books are always more detailed. It is more than natural that a two-hour film cannot encompass a whole novel in it. As a result, details that may seem important for the plot during reading a book do not appear during the movie. A striking example of this is the movie version of Lord of the Rings. Though I enjoyed watching the film, having read the book previously, I was disappointed not to watch some of the details that I considered crucial for the story.

    However, there is always the other side of the coin. A book needs days or even weeks to be read while a movie is an entertaining procedure that lasts a few hours. A further advantage is that movies make the public familiar with writers and books that have contributed greatly in modern culture and thus provoke people to start reading.

    All in all, though I definitely prefer reading a book to watching the movie version, I am of the opinion that the latter can also be beneficial to the public provided that it is directed with respect to the original story.

    Commentary

    This essay has a clear introduction. The writer rephrases the essay prompt very well and this demonstrates that he/she has understood the topic. By the end of the paragraph the writer also makes his/her point of view clear.

    The topic is clearly and completely developed with acknowledgement of its complexity (see paragraph 4, “there is always the other side of the coin…”). Organization is controlled and each paragraph contains a clear main point which is connected logically to the subsequent paragraphs. As a result a coherent argument is developed.

    Both simple and complex syntax are adequately used but the writer tends to prefer simple sentence structures. Additionally, some constructions are clumsy and unidiomatic (e.g., “the way the reader is wishing,” paragraph 2). Vocabulary use shows flexibility but words are sometimes used incorrectly or imprecisely (e.g., “intrigue,” paragraph 2, is a nice word but is used inappropriately here).

    Finally, the conclusion is clearly marked (with “all in all”) but seems rushed. It is as though the writer ran out of time. Overall, this is a “B” level essay.

    ***
          

    Writing Benchmark 2009 - Question 2 - Rating: C

    Original material provided by UMich ELI may be found here.
               

    Examination for the Certificate of Proficiency in English (ECPE)
    Writing Section
    Benchmark Set 2009

    The following composition was written by an ECPE examinee and scored using the 5-point ECPE Writing scale.

    Many popular movies are based on books. Some people believe the book versions are better than the movie versions. Which do you prefer? Why? Support your answer with specific examples.

    Rating: C


    For a long time has the world been imersed into a cultural darkness and for a long time information and knowledge have been priceless.

    With the advent of the popular reproduction of books – printing them, instead of hand-copying them – a new cultural dimension has been created and with that the socialization of ideas and the observation of new horizons for those who sought scientific breakthroughs or leisure.

    Books are mostly important because they allow you not only to expose your ideas and ideals but also because they allow your imagination and personal experience to participate, interpretating the author’s ideas based on some of your own ideas and your cultural background and that is one of the reasons I have to advocate for the books’ cause: they amplify your mind’s horizons, lifting you up to a higher level as if you could almost reach the stars with your imagination.

    Whereas the books have this much importance for the mankind in general, the movies represent a new kind of art. Expressing your ideas using images and people to make the books stories come true can be tricky and intricating, even so, they tend to limit your imagination because what you see, you see through other people’s eyes. In conclusion, books will never be overwhelmed by the movies as they are a fountain of unchenqueable fire since your imagination has no limits.
     
    Commentary

    This essay does not have a traditional introduction. The opening sentence (paragraph 1) is very elegantly written but is meaningless. Paragraph 2 is also just one long sentence and is just as unfocused as paragraph 1. This type of opening language is encouraged in some writing cultures but is not appropriate when writing in English.

    In the rest of the essay both sides of the topic are addressed but not completely or with acknowledgement of its complexity. In fact, the essay only makes one point; a book is mentally and emotionally enriching.

    The sentence structures in this essay are generally very complex and long; the writer has good control over multiple subordinate clauses. There are also many elegant, low-frequency words. This could lead to the conclusion that the essay should receive a high grade. However, there are numerous collocation errors and vocabulary is not always used appropriately or correctly. For instance, it is not at all clear what the writer means by the phrases “the socialization of ideas” and “the observation of new horizons.” Additionally, in paragraph 3, “expose” does not collocate with “ideas.”

    Finally, the punctuation in this essay is sometimes distracting; some of the sentences should have been broken up into two or more shorter sentences. Overall, this is a “C” level essay.

    ***
          

    Writing Benchmark 2009 - Question 2 - Rating: D

    Original material provided by UMich ELI may be found here.
               
    Examination for the Certificate of Proficiency in English (ECPE)
    Writing Section
    Benchmark Set 2009

    The following composition was written by an ECPE examinee and scored using the 5-point ECPE Writing scale.

    Many popular movies are based on books. Some people believe the book versions are better than the movie versions. Which do you prefer? Why? Support your answer with specific examples.

    Rating: D

    It is an undeniable fact that many famous movies are based on novels, which makes them even more popular. However, it is widely debated whether the movies or the books are better. This issue have made two groups of people, which of whom strongly support their opinion.
     
    Some books have had enormous success and are considered all time classics. The “perfume”, “Da Vinci Code”, “Alexander The Great”, etc. have gained people’s admiration and are getting known from generation to generation. Almost in every home there are some famous novels like those.
     
    One the other hand, great movies, which are based on novels, have been created. With huge care and a really high budget brilliant movies have forged people to fullfil the cinemas. The enormous movies industry have  succeed to form a movie in a great similarity to its source-novel.
     
    Athought this huge effort, in my opinion it is impossible to be a real transformation of the book’s elements to a film. The imagination world that we can find in books can’t be replaced by a movie. Books make us imagine and participate to the scenes in our mind. “Alexander The Great” as a movie, for instance make a lot of people dissapointed.
     
    Consequently, as hard as movie industry can try cannot replace books with movies. Books will always be in the first place of our heart.

    Commentary

    The introduction paraphrases the prompt and indicates that there is debate on the issue. From the outset, however, there are signs that the writer is not very proficienct. First, the language used is a little strong (e.g., “it is an undeniable fact”). The strong language used suggests more controversy than the prompt actually implies. Second, the final sentence of the introduction is muddled and the reader has to make considerable effort to understand what is meant.

    The remainder of the essay develops the topic simply. The writer gives examples of three books and states that these are very popular. He/she then states that some films are extremely popular. However, the essay does not clearly develop the reasons for these claims. As a result, the essay is unsuccessful in its attempts to address different perspectives on the topic.
     
    The essay contains numerous, low-level grammatical errors (e.g., articles, plurals, tense and aspect, and prepositions). The reader has to pay close attention to understand what the writer is trying to say. Additionally, words are used inappropriately to the point that they cause confusion (e.g., “forged,”, “fullfil,” and “form”—all in paragraph 3).
     
    Overall, the reader has to make considerable effort to understand what the writer is trying to say. This is indicative of a “D” band essay.

    ***
          

    Thursday, December 9, 2010

    Writing Benchmark 2009 - Question 1 - Rating: A

    Original material provided by UMich ELI may be found here.
               
    Examination for the Certificate of Proficiency in English (ECPE)
    Writing Section
    Benchmark Set 2009

    The following composition was written by an ECPE examinee and scored using the 5-point ECPE Writing scale.

    Some psychologists claim that people inherit most of their personality traits from their parents. Do you think this is true? Give specific examples from your own experience to support your viewpoint.

    Rating: A

    Many believe that children are a mirror of their household. Scientists in the social fields such as psychologists and behavioral specialists agree that the majority of ones personality traits are inherited from ones parents. Though it is not the only factor surely environment plays a major role in ones development and hence personality and behavior.

    Genetics and environment are both referred to in this claim. Though it can be argued that environment plays a larger role in the development of ones personality than genes. This argument is supported by the instances in which children born of the same parents but raised in different households (as the result of adoption, for example) turn out to have very different mannerisms, behavior, and personality. This also occurs all the time with children born of the same parents in the same household. Siblings very often differ greatly in terms of their personalities. Even if they are raised in the same environment, the rearing and the treatment they receive within that environment can differ greatly.

    It is true though that oftentimes one resembles the personality of their father or mother, or a mixture of both. This is unavoidable as ones parents are typically the main influence on a child from early on in their lives and including the times they are most impressionable. This can have both negative and positive results. One can grow up to be a responsible, caring, generous, and compassionate individual if they recieved and witnessed such treatment from a young age. On the other hand it is very common for children from abusive households to become abusers themselves one day, as well as to have negative affects on their mental and stability.

    Personally I very much resemble the personality and mannerisms of my father. We are both generally quiet and shy, and share many of the same mannerisms. While my mother and my brother have very expressive and
    extraverted personalities.

    One really is a product of their environment. Their future behavior and personality is greatly influenced by their parents are their major influences from a young age. Though this is a complicated area, that brings the social, behavioral, and biological sciences together to consider the affects of both genetics and environment on personality.

    Commentary

    This essay develops the topic fully and completely; the examinee addresses both the “inheritance” and “environmental influence” sides of the argument (though the “environmental influence” side is treated more fully). The introduction is particularly strong. It addresses the question directly. Secondly, it provides the writer’s understanding of the prompt by rephrasing the question rather than copying it word for word. Thirdly, it gives the writer’s point of view.

    Some aspects of the organization and connection could be improved. For instance, the writer does not put all the arguments in favor of inheritance together and all the arguments in favor of environmental influences together. Also the writer repeatedly uses the connector “though” incorrectly. When “though” is used, the reader expects a two-part sentence where the second part of the sentence contains contrasting information to the first part of the sentence. Because this error occurs more than once in the text we have to presume that the writer did not learn this structure correctly.

    However, these flaws do not impede the flow of information. Also, the essay has very strong grammar/syntax
    and vocabulary. The writer correctly uses a wide range of syntactic structures and some very complex modifiers; for example, “very often differ greatly.” Additionally, he/she uses a broad range of vocabulary that is both powerful and appropriate to the meaning and context of the essay. For instance, in the final sentence of paragraph 1, the writer begins with the word “surely.” This is a very simple but powerful indicator of his/her position and is extremely effective. Also, in the second sentence of paragraph 3, the writer uses the modifier “typically.” This is a very appropriate choice and would be expected in an academic essay.

    There are some repeated punctuation errors (e.g., “one’s” is persistently spelled as “ones”), but these are rare and insignificant.

    Overall, this essay has been awarded an “A” because it provides a balanced answer to the question, addressing both sides of the argument. It also uses a variety of complex grammatical structures accurately and makes very appropriate and powerful choices of vocabulary.

    ***
          

    Writing Benchmark 2009 - Question 1 - Rating: B

    Original material provided by UMich ELI may be found here.
               
    Examination for the Certificate of Proficiency in English (ECPE)
    Writing Section
    Benchmark Set 2009

    The following composition was written by an ECPE examinee and scored using the 5-point ECPE Writing scale.

    Some psychologists claim that people inherit most of their personality traits from their parents. Do you think this is true? Give specific examples from your own experience to support your viewpoint.

    Rating: B

    It is a fact that we all inherit many characteristics from our family and especially our parents. But in spite of the external characteristics that we inherit, there are also many traits of our demeanor which seem to have been inherited from our parents. This psychologists’ view is true, but there are many cases when people’s personality traits are created by other circumstances.
    In my view many personality characteristics are inherited from parents. For instance when a person is nimble or has an answer for whatever he is told, this trait is based on his parents’ same trait. A good example is my sister. She is always ready to give an answer for almost everything others tell her and my father has exactly the same trait. So, in this case, many may believe that my sister’s demeanor has been inherited from my father.
    Additionally, sensitivity is another personality trait that could be inherited. From my own experience, I am as sensitive as my mother is and this may have been inherited from her. On the other hand, both my father and my sister are not so sensitive.
    Of course, there are many other traits that are not supposed to be inherited from parents. For example, being stubborn or audacious doesn’t necessarily mean that it is due to our parents. It may be created by other circumstances such as friends, co-workers and in general other people that we have relationships with.
    All things considered, having a certain demeanor may be due to a variety of circumstances, one of which is the inheritance from parents’ personality traits. Of course every one of us may have some special traits that can not be the same for any other person and this is what makes people different.

    Commentary
    This essay develops the topic completely, with acknowledgement of its complexity. Like Essay #1 it has a promising introduction; it addresses the question directly and the writer signals his/her point of view, stating that he/she broadly agrees with the psychologists’ point of view (i.e., “inheritance”). Additionally, the viewpoint that “environmental influences” can influence your personality is also introduced in the final sentence of the introduction. This suggests that the essay will present a balanced argument.
    The essay is generally well organized using a relatively simple rhetorical structure. For instance, in paragraph 2 the writer describes a characteristic. He/she then attributes feature to his/her sister, saying their father is the same. This provides proof of the claim that we do inherit our personality traits from our parents. This paragraph also shows that the writer can make smooth connections between sentences.  

    The essay displays a range of syntactic structures and is generally very accurate. The writer shows that he/she can use subordinate clauses effectively; for example, “All things considered, having a certain demeanor may be due to a variety of circumstances, one of which is the inheritance from parents’ personality traits” (paragraph 5).
    The vocabulary use shows flexibility and is usually appropriate but there are limitations. For instance, some connectors between sentences are misused or absent (e.g., “But in spite of” is incorrect and inappropriately used in the introductory paragraph; “From my own experience” is not appropriately used in paragraph 3). These slips do not confuse meaning and on other occasions the connectors used are effective (e.g., “of course” and “all things considered”). Nevertheless they indicate that the writer does not have full control over his/her vocabulary. Another example of this shortcoming is in paragraph 3 where the writer uses “sensitivity”/“sensitive” three times. If the word had been used once and then synonyms been used for the other two mentions this would have helped the reader to better understand the concept being described. Does the writer mean that he/she and his/her mother are more easily hurt? Or does “sensitive” here mean that they are more aware of other people’s feelings?
    Overall, even though the essay develops the argument well and has very good grammar and vocabulary, the essay has limitations that make it a good example of a “B” level performance.

    ***
       

    Writing Benchmark 2009 - Question 1 - Rating: C

    Original material provided by UMich ELI may be found here.
               
    Examination for the Certificate of Proficiency in English (ECPE)
    Writing Section
    Benchmark Set 2009

    The following composition was written by an ECPE examinee and scored using the 5-point ECPE Writing scale.

    Some psychologists claim that people inherit most of their personality traits from their parents. Do you think this is true? Give specific examples from your own experience to support your viewpoint.


    Rating: C

    Some psychologists claim that people inherit most of their personality from their parents and I agree to some extend.
    When babies are born, they show their personality. The way they behave, the way they cry or even when they are hungry, the way they ask for food shows or give us an indea of how his/her personality is going to be. From the very beginning you can listen people making comments like “he is sweet”. “she’s got bad temper”, “she wants to control everybody,” etc.
    Some of these “sweet”, “bad-tempered”, “controller” babies happened to be different when they grow up. They grow up in an environment and the tend to do what they see.
    There are children who have problems at school. They fight, say bad words, don’t have respect for their teacher nor their peers. They show an aggressive personality but sometimes they don’t want to have those kind of reactions. 

    Renzo is a very intelligent and sweet boy who has problems at school. If teachers treat him with love, pacience and respect, he produces good work and has no problem with his friends, but if somebody pushes him as an accident he reacts violently.
    We have had interviews with his parents and we found out that his mother treats him the same way he treats people at school. Therefore, this boy might have a lovely personality but because of this influence and example of his mother he reacts differently.
    On the other hand we have children who have parents that are quite aggressive and the children are sweet, delicate, kind.
    Therefore I can conclude saying that we born with our own personality but life might change it, sometimes for better and some for not. As adults we have to be aware of this and as we live in a society we need to know how to control our personality. We need to know how to behave in different situations. If you need to be polite be polite.

    Commentary
    The opening paragraph gives a poor first impression; the first half of the introductory sentence of this essay is copied from the prompt and the second half could be rote-learned language. Copying directly from the prompt is an indication of a weak writer who does not have a broad enough vocabulary to use his/her ownwords to rephrase the essay question.

    Though the introduction is weak, the topic is developed on both sides (“inheritance” and “environmental influence”). The writer even tries to show how complex the topic is by giving examples of children who are affected by the behavior of their parents and children who are not (see paragraphs 6 and 7). The organization is also generally controlled and the paragraphs are in a logical order. However, connections are sometimes absent or unsuccessful and after paragraph 2 the essay has no clear argument thread. Instead, each paragraph feels like a separate “vignette” rather than part of a cohesive whole.

    Both simple and complex syntax are present but most sentences are relatively simple (with “and” or “but” connectors). There are also a number of different grammatical errors such as subject-verb agreement, missing prepositions, and incorrect tense choices. For instance, paragraph 3 has a number of small grammatical errors that the reader has to mentally correct while reading.

    The vocabulary is adequate but not always appropriately used. For instance, in paragraph 6 the examinee writes, “We have had interviews….” “Had” is an efficient word choice but not contextually appropriate. “Conducted” would be more appropriate.

    Overall this essay shows that the writer can express his/her ideas but lacks the language resources to makepoints effectively. This is very typical of a “C” level essay.

    ***
         

    Writing Benchmark 2009 - Question 1 - Rating: D

    Original material provided by UMich ELI may be found here.
               
    Examination for the Certificate of Proficiency in English (ECPE)
    Writing Section
    Benchmark Set 2009

    The following composition was written by an ECPE examinee and scored using the 5-point ECPE Writing scale.

    Some psychologists claim that people inherit most of their personality traits from their parents. Do you think this is true? Give specific examples from your own experience to support your viewpoint.

    Rating: D

    Nowadays, it is a common belief that children are influence in a great variety of things by their parents. They try to learn as much as they can in order to be more polite, responsible and feel satisfaction with themselves. As a result, they create a personality that is based on many things that they trait from their parents. But this sometimes doesn’t make good to their development. Anyway, it is an ambivalent topic that needs a lot of discussion.

    First of all, in my point of view people inherit much more that we can image from they way that their parents live in order to have a right education. Some of them try to learn the way that they think, to make the same friends, to have common habits, to have rights that only adults can have. For example, many of today’s children want to follow their father’s or mother’s footsteps and do the same job. Actually, they have been clung to them in such a great point that they feel that way of success and better life in that. Their behaviour also to some of their old friends and other persons has changed dramatically. They ignore their help, advise and feel that their friendship has nothing to provide them.

    On the other hand, some children do not be influenced in that way by their parents. They certainly listen to their advise and learn a lot from what they say but want to be much more independent, and don’t make their mind to them. They think that they can do things better in their own and don’t trust others easily. That kind of people don’t have the ideal relationships with their parents and go away their home as soon as they can.

    To sum up, I would like to tell again that people inherit most of their personality traits from their parents.They become like them in many ways that represent  their beliefs and willings. I believe that this is good and should be continued in order our society to be progressed.

    Commentary
    The opening paragraph of this essay seems to address the writing prompt but not precisely. It seems to be about “learning” things from one’s parents; this is the “environmental influence” side of the topic. However, the core idea of the writing prompt, which is about the characteristics that we “inherit” from our parents, is not discussed. Even though the writer uses the word “inherit” more than once during the essay, all the examples relate to whether children are more influenced by their upbringing or by their wider environment (each a different aspect of the “environmental influence” side of the argument) and are not about the characteristics that we are born with. It is possible that the writer did not fully understand the essay prompt and, as a result, his/her attempts to address different aspects of the topic were unsuccessful.

    The grammar is also problematic. Morphological errors are frequent (e.g., “satisfaction” instead of “satisfied” in paragraph 1, and “image” instead of “imagine” in paragraph 2). Also, though simple sentences tend to be accurate, more complex ones tend to be inaccurate. For example, “Actually, they have been clung to them…and better life in that” (paragraph 2) is so garbled that the meaning is impossible to retrieve.

    The vocabulary is limited in range and is sometimes inappropriately used to the point that it causes confusion. For instance, the writer says, “to have rights that only adults can have” (paragraph 2) and “don’t make their mind to them” (paragraph 3). These are vague and the reader cannot be sure of the precise meaning intended. Additionally, the writer makes incorrect word choices such as “trait” instead of “inherit,” and “willings” instead of “wishes.”

    Even though it is possible to retrieve the gist of this essay, the text is confusing and garbled throughout, with many “huh” moments. Essays such as this, where the reader can grasp the main meaning intended but needs to work hard to reformulate many individual sentences, are very good examples of a “D” level essay.

    ***
         

    Preliminary Test - 2010

    [Preliminary Test - 2010]

    ECPE - Examination for the Certificate of Proficiency in English
    Michigan ELI Testing

    GRAMMAR, CLOZE, VOCABULARY, AND READING SECTION INSTRUCTIONS

    There are 35 multiple-choice problems in this test: 10 grammar, 10 cloze, 10 vocabulary, and 5 questions about a reading passage. You will have 30 minutes to answer all 35 problems.

    GCVR - GRAMMAR

    1. "I've worked here for more than two years and never gotten a raise." "__________ thought of asking for one?"
    a. Will you ever have
    b. Did you ever have
    c. Have you ever
    d. Had you ever

    2. Plastic __________ invented if there weren't any chemists.
    a. would never have been
    b. were never
    c. haven't ever been
    d. had never been

    3. Museum exhibitions benefit the local economy __________ people into the city.
    a. to bring
    b. they bring
    c. are bringing
    d. by bringing

    4. The way __________ I see it, he's better off in his new office.
    a. what
    b. how
    c. that
    d. which

    5. It is commonly thought that people gain wisdom __________.
    a. they get older
    b. through age
    c. as older
    d. with age

    6. "I don't think he's a strong candidate." "You're just not seeing him __________."
    a. for who is he
    b. who he is
    c. for who he is
    d. who is he

    7. "Was John at home when you called him?" "No, he __________ for work."
    a. was already leaving
    b. had already been left
    c. had already left
    d. has already left

    8. The decision __________ should be done is up to the director.
    a. of to what
    b. for what
    c. about to what
    d. as to what

    9. He woke up four times __________.
    a. during the night
    b. while the night
    c. through the night
    d. the night

    10. __________ the shipment to your house this weekend instead of to your office. That way you'll receive it sooner.
    a. If I send
    b. what I'll do is send
    c. Whether I'll be sending
    d. I do send

    GCVR - CLOZE

    Once thought to be signs form the heavens of future events, comets now are understood to be relatively simple astronomical phenomena. Comets are celestial bodies of small mass ___(11)___ mainly of gases. they consist of a nucleus of ice and other similar ___(12)___ materials, followed by an extensive tail. The tail is formed ___(13)___ the comet approaches the sun, as particles from the edges of the nucleus are ___(14)___ off.

    Comets have traditionally been regarded as ___(15)___ of both good fortune and imminent ___(16)___.  People have often pondered the nature of the events that these celestial bodies have been ___(17)___ to bring. In 1066 AD, a comet appeared, which greatly concerned King Harold of England. He was  ___(18)___ towards an armed conflict with William of Normandy. His men wondered ___(19)___ this comet was a sign of victory or defeat. The Normans answered this question on Saturday, Obcober 14, 1066 AD. Late that afternoon, after a fierce battle at Hastings, King Harold ___(20)___ dead among many hundreds of his soldiers. William had all but conquered England and changed the course of world history.

    11. a. contained b. composed c. amount d. creating
    12. a. to b. like c. heated d. frozen
    13. a. when b. by c. from d. where
    14. a. frozen b. turned c. fallen d. forced
    15. a. idols b. omens c. estimates d. images
    16. a. disaster b. future c. end d. occurrence
    17. a. thought b. made c. trying d. beginning
    18. a. relying b. afraid c. retreating d. moving
    19. a. either b. that c. whether d. about
    20. a. almost b. became c. lay d. found

    GCVR - VOCABULARY

    21. I __________ my teacher telling my mother that I was getting an A in math.
    a. deduced
    b. overheard
    c. acquainted
    d. notified

    22. Although moving to a new location may seem like the right decision now, __________ it's not a good idea.
    a. ultimately
    b. marginally
    c. subsequently
    d. terminally

    23. There's been __________ amount of rainfall this year.
    a. a prevailing
    b. a dominant
    c. an inclusive
    d. an unprecedented

    24. Today, a high __________ of teen agers have visited a foreign country.
    a. proportion
    b. total
    c. selection
    d. group

    25. In order to compete in the global market, these two companies __________ to form an international corporation.
    a. multiplied
    b. adhered
    c. merged
    d. affiliated

    26. The professor wrote comments in the paper's__________.
    a. sidelines
    b. outskirts
    c. margins
    d. surroundings

    27. Please put the package in a  __________ place so that I will be sure to see it.
    a. remarkable
    b. conceivable
    c. inaccessible
    d. conspicuous

    28. Mary is not a close friend, but she is an __________ of mine.
    a. accomplice
    b. acquaintance
    c. adolescent
    d. attendant

    29. Mike complained that his neighbor's loud music __________ with his ability to study in his apartment.
    a. interfered
    b. restricted
    c. prevented
    d. coincided

    30. In order to keep the colors separate in the paint box, it's useful to put them in individual __________.
    a. compartments
    b. parameters
    c. portions
    d. intervals

    GCVR - READING
    The human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) belongs to a certain group of viruses found in many different animals, from horses to humans. Among the viruses in this group, simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV) and feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) are closest to HIV. By studying these viruses and the relationships between them, researchers hope to be able to explain their progression and gains information that may offer clues about the way viruses like HIV can be overcome.

    Many biologists believe that SIV evolved in African monkeys and that some time ago there was what is called an adaptive episode. In other words, some of the monkeys were resistant to the virus for genetic reasons and survived the SIV epidemic, while all the others died off, or the virus became less virulent, or some combination of both things happened. either way, there now exists a sort of equilibrium between the host and the virus.

    Researchers want to study SIV in wild monkeys, but collecting the needed blood samples is problematic, due in part to the endangered species status of the monkeys. They can't be shot with tranquilizer darts, which is necessary to get a blood sample, because that could injure the animals by casing them to fall from tall trees.

    To solve this problems, the researchers have turned to the lions of the Serengeti plains. Lions infected with FIV offer an almost identical parallel to SIV, except that studying their infection in the wild is far easier than tracking SIV-positive African monkeys. All researchers have to do is sneak up on a lion napping on the ground and shoot it with a tranquilizer dart. the animal will just sleep a little deeper, without suffering any ill effects.

    31. What does the passage suggest about SIV?
    a. It used to be more deadly than FIV.
    b. It was more deadly than it is now.
    c. It caused African monkeys to become an endangered species.
    d. It evolved into HIV.
    32. What was the result of the adaptive episode mentioned in the second paragraph?
    a. SIV disappeared.
    b. Monkeys who were SIV resistant died off.
    c. Both the SIV virus and the monkeys survived.
    d. A cure for SIV was found.
    33. According to the passage, which goals conflicted?
    a. protecting monkeys and learning more about SIV
    b. protecting lions and learning more about FIV
    c. studying these viruses without becoming infected
    d. protecting both monkeys and lions
    34. What problem do researchers have in collecting SIV samples?
    a. It's difficult to locate monkeys hiding in trees.
    b. It is illegal to tranquilize the monkeys.
    c. The animal will probably be hurt when the samples are collected.
    d. Very few monkeys are SIV positive.
    35. How did the researchers solve their collection problem?
    a. They collected a different virus from a different species.
    b. They collected the same virus from a different species.
    c. they collected a different virus from the same species.
    d. They used a different collection method on the same species.

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