Wednesday, December 8, 2010

Preliminary Test - 2009

           

[Preliminary Test - 2009]

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. Kyle was thrown into the situation without being prepared for __________.
a. one
b. such
c. it
d. any

2. Many math students have become too __________ on calculators.
a. dependent
b. depending
c. dependable
d. depended

3. __________ he was voted out of office, the politician has secured a victory to become the governor again.
a. A generation is more since
b. Although more than a generation
c. More than a generation after
d. A generation or more than before

4. Why not __________ Susan about this issue.
a. ask
b. to ask
c. asking
d. you ask

5. The idea of __________ a group was important to her.
a. her belonging
b. belonging
c. she belongs to
d. belonging

6. It took more time to finish the report than one __________.
a. though
b. was thinking
c. would have thought
d. had thought

7. At seven o'clock, I __________ the hotel and checked in immediately.
a. reached to
b. reached
c. reached at
d. reached for

8. "Does your job require you to travel much?" "Yes, I'm __________ three days a week."
a. usually going
b. going usually
c. usually gone
d. usual to go

9. The new drug to treat arthritis __________ in early trials.
a. was shown promise
b. has promised
c. has shown promise
d. promised

10. Out of all the scholarship winner, James was  __________ to organize his own research laboratory.
a. the one of first
b. the first of one
c. one of the first
d. first of the one

GCVR - CLOZE

What we tipically call smog is primarily made up of ground-level ozone. Ozone can be good or bad depending on where it is located. Ozone in the stratosphere high above the Earth protects human health and the environment, ___(11)___ ground-level ozone is the main harmful ingredient ___(12)___ smog.

Ground-level ozone is ___(13)___ by the combination of pollutants from many ___(14)___, including smokestacks, cars, paints, and solvents. When a car ___(15)___ gasoline, releasing exhaust fumes, or a painter paints a house, smog-forming pollutants rise into the sky. Then, wind blows these pollutants ___(16)___ from their sources. The smog-forming reactions occur ___(17)___ the pollutants are being blown through the air by the wind. this ___(18)___ why smog is often more severe miles away from the source of the pollutants than it is at the source.

The smog-forming pollutants literally cook in the sky. ___(19)___ it's hot and sunny, smog forms more easily. Just as it takes time to ___(20)___ a cake, it takes time to cook up smog. It usually takes several hours from the time pollutants get into the air before the smog gets really bad.

11. a. but b. yet c. because d. moreover
12. a. in b. located c. called d. emits
13. a. found b. combined c. produced d. destroyed
14. a. activities b. results c. people d. sources
15. a. emits b. burns c. inputs d. refines
16. a. away b. ear c. lose d. about
17. a. to b. during c. here d. while
18. a. explains b. reason c. knows d. causes
19. a. If b. Thus c. Although d. As
20. a. burn b. eat c. cook d. bake

GCVR - VOCABULARY

21. Children's values often __________ those of their parents.
a. impose
b. identify
c. reflect
d. emit

22. "The political speaker who was here last week was really popular." "I know. I'm surprised so many people __________ for it.
a. showed up
b. caught on
c. filled up
d. turned in

23. The iron was much too hot and it __________ Mark's white shirt.
a. scoured
b. scorched
c. scoffed
d. scarred

24. The views of the candidate __________ sharply with the views of most young voters on that issue.
a. evaluate
b. equate
c. distinguish
d. contrast

25. Julie is absolutely __________ about being in the new theater production.
a. engaged
b. convincing
c. ecstatic
d. accessible

26. The director designed the plan, but the committee __________ it.
a. implemented
b. manufactured
c. predominated
d. emerged

27. Even though they didn't like dogs, our guests were very __________ of our pets.
a. tolerant
b. derisive
c. enthusiastic
d. moderate

28. She doesn't have the right __________ to work with young children.
a. tendency
b. temperance
c. temperament
d. template

29. Brian showed no __________ for cheating on the exam.
a. remorse
b. indulgence
c. agitation
d. modification

30. Mark needs to __________ himself in class more so that his questions will be answered.
a. declare
b. assert
c. accentuate
d. defend

GCVR - READING

A longtime mistery about fireflies was solved when scientists identified the chemical used to precisely control their flashing signals. Male fireflies use light to court females with well-choreographed flashes, and females respond in kind. Neurobiologists discovered that a simple gaseous molecule known as nitric oxide (NO), the same chemical that regulates the heartbeat and aids brain function in humans, helps to carry out this romantic exchange.

The firefly's abdomen contains a lantern made of photocytes, a type of specialized cell filled with a protein called luciferin that reacts with oxygen and emits light. Researchers were puzzled by the individualized, intricate flash patters that differed by fractional seconds among the two hundred species of firefly. A nerve signal controls the pattern, but how the signal travels was unclear, as the nerve ending isn't in direct contact with the photocytes. In effect, scientists knew where the light bulb was and what made it shine, but they couldn't locate the on/off switch.

Then, a team of neurobiologists wondered if NO could be involved in the signaling process. They found that the enzyme that makes NO was both present and active in the firefly lantern. To show that it was actually involved in flashing, fireflies were exposed to increasing concentrations of NO in a closed container. At high concentrations, the fireflies glowed continuously. To find out whether NO was responsible for the lantern's glow or simply triggered the nerves to initiate flashing, the researchers removed the nerves and found that the lantern still glowed when NO was added. However, when a chemical was added to completely absorb NO, the flashing stopped -- even when the lantern was directly stimulated. This implies that NO is the crucial ingredient.

31. According to the passage, what roles does NO play?
a. It triggers luciferin to initiate flashing in fireflies.
b. It absorbs excess chemicals that stimulate flashing.
c. It regulates the heartbeat and brain function in fireflies.
d. It controls the presence or absence of light.

32. According to the passage, make fireflies use light in order to...
a. drive away other male fireflies.
b. regulate their heartbeats.
c. attract female fireflies.
d. combine luciferin with oxygen.

33. According to the passage, in what way are the two hundred species of fireflies different from each other?
a. in the patterns of the chemicals in their abdomens
b. in the patterns of their flashing
c. in how their nerves control flashing
d. in the amount of NO they have

34. What controls the pattern of flashing?
a. nerve cells
b. photocytes
c. luciferin
d. proteins

35. What did the team of researchers learn?
a. NO causes luciferin to produce oxygen.
b. NO produces an enzyme that is active in firefly lanterns.
c. NO acts on fireflies similarly to the way it acts on humans.
d. NO is needed for fireflies to send signals.

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