Practice Tests Plus 1 Academic Reading Test 2
3 passages · 40 questions · 60 minutes
Tackling Obesity in the Western World
[A] Obesity is a huge problem in many Western countries and one which now attracts considerable medical interest as researchers take up the challenge to find a 'cure' for the common condition of being seriously overweight. However, rather than take responsibility for their weight, obese people have often sought solace in the excuse that they have a slow metabolism, a genetic hiccup which sentences more than half the Australian population (63% of men and 47% of women) to a life of battling with their weight. The argument goes like this: it doesn't matter how little they eat, they gain weight because their bodies break down food and turn it into energy more slowly than those with a so-called normal metabolic rate.
[B] 'This is nonsense,' says Dr Susan Jebb from the Dunn Nutrition Unit at Cambridge in England. Despite the persistence of this metabolism myth, science has known for several years that the exact opposite is in fact true. Fat people have faster metabolisms than thin people. 'What is very clear,' says Dr Jebb, 'is that overweight people actually burn off more energy. They have more cells, bigger hearts, bigger lungs and they all need more energy just to keep going.'
[C] It took only one night, spent in a sealed room at the Dunn Unit to disabuse one of their patients of the beliefs of a lifetime: her metabolism was fast, not slow. By sealing the room and measuring the exact amount of oxygen she used, researchers were able to show her that her metabolism was not the culprit. It wasn't the answer she expected and probably not the one she wanted but she took the news philosophically.
[D] Although the metabolism myth has been completely disproved, science has far from discounted our genes as responsible for making us whatever weight we are, fat or thin. One of the world's leading obesity researchers, geneticist Professor Stephen O'Rahilly, goes so far as to say we are on the threshold of a complete change in the way we view not only morbid obesity, but also everyday overweight. Prof. O'Rahilly's groundbreaking work in Cambridge has proven that obesity can be caused by our genes. 'These people are not weak-willed, slothful or lazy,' says Prof. O'Rahilly, 'They have a medical condition due to a genetic defect and that causes them to be obese.'
[E] In Australia, the University of Sydney's Professor Ian Caterson says while major genetic defects may be rare, many people probably have minor genetic variations that combine to dictate weight and are responsible for things such as how much we eat, the amount of exercise we do and the amount of energy we need. When you add up all these little variations, the result is that some people are genetically predisposed to putting on weight. He says while the fast/slow metabolism debate may have been settled, that doesn't mean some other subtle change in the metabolism gene won't be found in overweight people. He is confident that science will, eventually, be able to 'cure' some forms of obesity but the only effective way for the vast majority of overweight and obese people to lose weight is a change of diet and an increase in exercise.
[F] Despite the $500 million a year Australians spend trying to lose weight and the $830 million it costs the community in health care, obesity is at epidemic proportions here, as it is in all Western nations. Until recently, research and treatment for obesity had concentrated on behaviour modification, drugs to decrease appetite and surgery. How the drugs worked was often not understood and many caused severe side effects and even death in some patients. Surgery for obesity has also claimed many lives.
[G] It has long been known that a part of the brain called the hypothalamus is responsible for regulating hunger, among other things. But it wasn't until 1994 that Professor Jeffery Friedman from Rockerfeller University in the US sent science in a new direction by studying an obese mouse. Prof. Friedman found that unlike its thin brothers, the fat mouse did not produce a hitherto unknown hormone called leptin. Manufactured by the fat cells, leptin acts as a messenger, sending signals to the hypothalamus to turn off the appetite. Previously, the fat cells were thought to be responsible simply for storing fat. Prof. Friedman gave the fat mouse leptin and it lost 30% of its body weight in two weeks.
[H] On the other side of the Atlantic, Prof. O'Rahilly read about this research with great excitement. For many months two blood samples had lain in the bottom of his freezer, taken from two extremely obese young cousins. He hired a doctor to develop a test for leptin in human blood, which eventually resulted in the discovery that neither of the children's blood contained the hormone. When one cousin was given leptin, she lost a stone in weight and Prof. O'Rahilly made medical history. Here was the first proof that a genetic defect could cause obesity in humans. But leptin deficiency turned out to be an extremely rare condition and there is a lot more research to be done before the 'magic' cure for obesity is ever found.
Questions 1–8
Choose the correct heading for each paragraph from the list of headings below.
List of Headings:
i. Obesity in animals
ii. Hidden dangers
iii. Proof of the truth
iv. New perspective on the horizon
v. No known treatment
vi. Rodent research leads the way
vii. Expert explains energy requirements of obese people
viii. A very uncommon complaint
ix. Nature or nurture
x. Shifting the blame
xi. Lifestyle change required despite new findings
1. Paragraph A:
2. Paragraph B:
3. Paragraph C:
4. Paragraph D:
5. Paragraph E:
6. Paragraph F:
7. Paragraph G:
8. Paragraph H:
Questions 9–13
Complete the summary below. Choose your answers from the box below.
List of Words
A weight
B mind
C metabolism
D less
E behaviour
F exercise
G bodies
H more
I physical
J use
K sleep
L genetic
M consume
N mental
9. They do this by seeking to blame their …………………………
10. for the fact that they are overweight and erroneously believe that they use ………………………… energy than thin people to stay alive.
11. However, recent research has shown that a ………………………… problem can be responsible for obesity
12. as some people seem programmed to ………………………… more than others.
13. The new research points to a shift from trying to change people's ………………………… to seeking an answer to the problem in the laboratory.
Wheel of Fortune
[A] Since moving pictures were invented a century ago, a new way of distributing entertainment to consumers has emerged about once every generation. Each such innovation has changed the industry irreversibly; each has been accompanied by a period of fear mixed with exhilaration. The arrival of digital technology, which translates music, pictures and text into the zeros and ones of computer language, marks one of those periods.
[B] This may sound familiar, because the digital revolution, and the explosion of choice that would go with it, has been heralded for some time. In 1992, John Malone, chief executive of TCI, an American cable giant, welcomed the '500-channel universe'. Digital television was about to deliver everything except pizzas to people's living rooms. When the entertainment companies tried out the technology, it worked fine – but not at a price that people were prepared to pay.
[C] Those 500 channels eventually arrived but via the Internet and the PC rather than through television. The digital revolution was starting to affect the entertainment business in unexpected ways. Eventually it will change every aspect of it, from the way cartoons are made to the way films are screened to the way people buy music. That much is clear. What nobody is sure of is how it will affect the economics of the business.
[D] New technologies always contain within them both threats and opportunities. They have the potential both to make the companies in the business a great deal richer, and to sweep them away. Old companies always fear new technology. Hollywood was hostile to television, television terrified by the VCR. Go back far enough, points out Hal Varian, an economist at the University of California at Berkeley, and you find publishers complaining that 'circulating libraries' would cannibalise their sales. Yet whenever a new technology has come in, it has made more money for existing entertainment companies. The proliferation of the means of distribution results, gratifyingly, in the proliferation of dollars, pounds, pesetas and the rest to pay for it.
[E] All the same, there is something in the old companies' fears. New technologies may not threaten their lives, but they usually change their role. Once television became widespread, film and radio stopped being the staple form of entertainment. Cable television has undermined the power of the broadcasters. And as power has shifted the movie studios, the radio companies and the television broadcasters have been swallowed up. These days, the grand old names of entertainment have more resonance than power. Paramount is part of Viacom, a cable company; Universal, part of Seagram, a drinks-and-entertainment company; MGM, once the roaring lion of Hollywood, has been reduced to a whisper because it is not part of one of the giants. And RCA, once the most important broadcasting company in the world, is now a recording label belonging to Bertelsmann, a large German entertainment company.
[F] Part of the reason why incumbents got pushed aside was that they did not see what was coming. But they also faced a tighter regulatory environment than the present one. In America, laws preventing television broadcasters from owning programme companies were repealed earlier this decade, allowing the creation of vertically integrated businesses. Greater freedom, combined with a sense of history, prompted the smarter companies in the entertainment business to re-invent themselves. They saw what happened to those of their predecessors who were stuck with one form of distribution. So, these days, the powers in the entertainment business are no longer movie studios, or television broadcasters, or publishers; all those businesses have become part of bigger businesses still, companies that can both create content and distribute it in a range of different ways.
[G] Out of all this, seven huge entertainment companies have emerged – Time Warner, Walt Disney, Bertelsmann, Viacom, News Corp, Seagram and Sony. They cover pretty well every bit of the entertainment business except pornography. Three are American, one is Australian, one Canadian, one German and one Japanese. 'What you are seeing', says Christopher Dixon, managing director of media research at PaineWebber, a stockbroker, 'is the creation of a global oligopoly. It happened to the oil and automotive businesses earlier this century; now it is happening to the entertainment business.' It remains to be seen whether the latest technology will weaken those great companies, or make them stronger than ever.
Questions 14–21
Reading Passage 2 has seven paragraphs, A-G. Which paragraph mentions the following? Write the appropriate letters, A-G.
14. NB You may use any letter more than once. the contrasting effects that new technology can have on existing business
15. NB You may use any letter more than once. the fact that a total transformation is going to take place in the future in the delivery of all forms of entertainment
16. NB You may use any letter more than once. the confused feelings that people are known to have experienced in response to technological innovation
17. NB You may use any letter more than once. the fact that some companies have learnt from the mistakes of others
18. NB You may use any letter more than once. the high cost to the consumer of new ways of distributing entertainment
19. NB You may use any letter more than once. uncertainty regarding the financial impact of wider media access
20. NB You may use any letter more than once. the fact that some companies were the victims of strict government policy
21. NB You may use any letter more than once. the fact that the digital revolution could undermine the giant entertainment companies
Questions 22–25
The writer refers to various individuals and companies in the reading passage. Match the people or companies with the points made about the introduction of new technology, A-E.
Individuals and Companies
A John Malone
B Hal Varian
C MGM
D Walt Disney
E Christopher Dixon
22. Historically, new forms of distributing entertainment have alarmed those well-established in the business.
23. The merger of entertainment companies follows a pattern evident in other industries.
24. Major entertainment bodies that have remained independent have lost their influence.
25. News of the most recent technological development was published some years ago.
Questions 26–27
Choose the appropriate letters, A-D.
26. How does the writer put across his views on the digital revolution?
A by examining the forms of media that will be affected by it
B by analysing the way entertainment companies have reacted to it
C by giving a personal definition of technological innovation
D by drawing comparisons with other periods of technological innovation
27. Which of the following best summarises the writer's views in Reading Passage 2?
A The public should cease resisting the introduction of new technology.
B Digital technology will increase profits in the entertainment business.
C Entertainment companies should adapt to technological innovation.
D Technological change only benefits big entertainment companies.
Nurturing Talent within the Family
What do we mean by being 'talented' or 'gifted'? The most obvious way is to look at the work someone does and if they are capable of significant success, label them as talented. The purely quantitative route – 'percentage definition' – looks not at individuals, but at simple percentages, such as the top five per cent of the population, and labels them – by definition – as gifted. This definition has fallen from favour, eclipsed by the advent of IQ tests, favoured by luminaries such as Professor Hans Eysenck, where a series of written or verbal tests of general intelligence leads to a score of intelligence.
The IQ test has been eclipsed in turn. Most people studying intelligence and creativity in the new millennium now prefer a broader definition, using a multifaceted approach where talents in many areas are recognised rather than purely concentrating on academic achievement. If we are therefore assuming that talented, creative or gifted individuals may need to be assessed across a range of abilities, does this mean intelligence can run in families as a genetic or inherited tendency? Mental dysfunction – such as schizophrenia – can, so is an efficient mental capacity passed on from parent to child?
Animal experiments throw some light on this question, and on the whole area of whether it is genetics, the environment or a combination of the two that allows for intelligence and creative ability. Different strains of rats show great differences in intelligence or 'rat reasoning'. If these are brought up in normal conditions and then run through a maze to reach a food goal, the 'bright' strain make far fewer wrong turns that the 'dull' ones. But if the environment is made dull and boring the number of errors becomes equal. Return the rats to an exciting maze and the discrepancy returns as before – but is much smaller. In other words, a dull rat in a stimulating environment will almost do as well as a bright rat who is bored in a normal one. This principle applies to humans too – someone may be born with innate intelligence, but their environment probably has the final say over whether they become creative or even a genius.
Evidence now exists that most young children, if given enough opportunities and encouragement, are able to achieve significant and sustainable levels of academic or sporting prowess. Bright or creative children are often physically very active at the same time, and so may receive more parental attention as a result – almost by default – in order to ensure their safety. They may also talk earlier, and this, in turn, breeds parental interest. This can sometimes cause problems with other siblings who may feel jealous even though they themselves may be bright. Their creative talents may be undervalued and so never come to fruition. Two themes seem to run through famously creative families as a result. The first is that the parents were able to identify the talents of each child, and nurture and encourage these accordingly but in an even-handed manner. Individual differences were encouraged, and friendly sibling rivalry was not seen as a particular problem. If the father is, say, a famous actor, there is no undue pressure for his children to follow him onto the boards, but instead their chosen interests are encouraged. There need not even by any obvious talent in such a family since there always needs to be someone who sets the family career in motion, as in the case of the Sheen acting dynasty.
Martin Sheen was the seventh of ten children born to a Spanish immigrant father and an Irish mother. Despite intense parental disapproval he turned his back on entrance exams to university and borrowed cash from a local priest to start a fledgling acting career. His acting successes in films such as Badlands and Apocalypse Now made him one of the most highly-regarded actors of the 1970s. Three sons – Emilio Estevez, Ramon Estevez and Charlie Sheen - have followed him into the profession as a consequence of being inspired by his motivation and enthusiasm.
A stream seems to run through creative families. Such children are not necessarily smothered with love by their parents. They feel loved and wanted, and are secure in their home, but are often more surrounded by an atmosphere of work and where following a calling appears to be important. They may see from their parents that it takes time and dedication to be master of a craft, and so are in less of a hurry to achieve for themselves once they start to work.
The generation of creativity is complex: it is a mixture of genetics, the environment, parental teaching and luck that determines how successful or talented family members are. This last point – luck – is often not mentioned where talent is concerned but plays an undoubted part. Mozart, considered by many to be the finest composer of all time, was lucky to be living in an age that encouraged the writing of music. He was brought up surrounded by it, his father was a musician who encouraged him to the point of giving up his job to promote his child genius, and he learnt musical composition with frightening speed – the speed of a genius. Mozart himself simply wanted to create the finest music ever written but did not necessarily view himself as a genius – he could write sublime music at will, and so often preferred to lead a hedonistic lifestyle that he found more exciting than writing music to order.
Albert Einstein and Bill Gates are two more examples of people whose talents have blossomed by virtue of the times they were living in. Einstein was a solitary, somewhat slow child who had affection at home but whose phenomenal intelligence emerged without any obvious parental input. This may have been partly due to the fact that at the start of the 20th Century a lot of the Newtonian laws of physics were being questioned, leaving a fertile ground for ideas such as his to be developed. Bill Gates may have had the creative vision to develop Microsoft, but without the new computer age dawning at the same time he may never have achieved the position on the world stage he now occupies.
Questions 28–29
Complete the notes, which show how the approaches to defining 'talent' have changed. Choose ONE OR TWO WORDS from the passage for each answer.
Changing approaches to defining 'talent'
'percentage definition'
↓
(28) …………………………
↓
(29) …………………………
Questions 30–32
Which THREE of the following does the writer regard as a feature of creative families? Write the appropriate letters, A-F.
30. Which THREE of the following does the writer regard as a feature of creative families?
A a higher than average level of parental affection
B competition between brothers and sisters
C parents who demonstrate vocational commitment
D strong motivation to take exams and attend university
E a patient approach to achieving success
F the identification of the most talented child in the family
31. Which THREE of the following does the writer regard as a feature of creative families?
A a higher than average level of parental affection
B competition between brothers and sisters
C parents who demonstrate vocational commitment
D strong motivation to take exams and attend university
E a patient approach to achieving success
F the identification of the most talented child in the family
32. Which THREE of the following does the writer regard as a feature of creative families?
A a higher than average level of parental affection
B competition between brothers and sisters
C parents who demonstrate vocational commitment
D strong motivation to take exams and attend university
E a patient approach to achieving success
F the identification of the most talented child in the family
Questions 33–34
Choose the appropriate letters, A-D.
33. The rat experiment was conducted to show that
A certain species of rat are more intelligent than others.
B intelligent rats are more motivated than 'dull' rats.
C a rat's surroundings can influence its behaviour.
D a boring environment has little impact on a 'bright' rat.
34. The writer cites the story of Martin Sheen to show that
A he was the first in a creative line.
B his parents did not have his creative flair.
C he became an actor without proper training.
D his sons were able to benefit from his talents.
Questions 35–39
Do the following statements agree with the claims of the writer in Reading Passage 3?
YESif the statement agrees with the views of the writer
NOif the statement contradicts the views of the writer
NOT GIVENif it is impossible to say what the writer thinks about this
35. Write YES if the statement agrees with the writer's claims, NO if the statement contradicts the writer's claims, or NOT GIVEN if it is impossible to say what the writer thinks about this. Intelligence tests have now been proved to be unreliable.
36. Write YES if the statement agrees with the writer's claims, NO if the statement contradicts the writer's claims, or NOT GIVEN if it is impossible to say what the writer thinks about this. The brother or sister of a gifted older child may fail to fulfil their own potential.
37. Write YES if the statement agrees with the writer's claims, NO if the statement contradicts the writer's claims, or NOT GIVEN if it is impossible to say what the writer thinks about this. The importance of luck in the genius equation tends to be ignored.
38. Write YES if the statement agrees with the writer's claims, NO if the statement contradicts the writer's claims, or NOT GIVEN if it is impossible to say what the writer thinks about this. Mozart was acutely aware of his own remarkable talent.
39. Write YES if the statement agrees with the writer's claims, NO if the statement contradicts the writer's claims, or NOT GIVEN if it is impossible to say what the writer thinks about this. Einstein and Gates would have achieved success in any era.
Question 40
From the list below choose the most suitable title for the whole of Reading Passage 3. Write the appropriate letter, A-D.
40. From the list below choose the most suitable title for the whole of Reading Passage 3.
A Geniuses in their time
B Education for the gifted
C Revising the definition of intelligence
D Nurturing talent within the family
Answers
1. x
2. vii
3. iii
4. iv
5. xi
6. ii
7. vi
8. viii
9. metabolism
10. less
11. genetic
12. consume
13. behaviour
14. D
15. C
16. A
17. F
18. B
19. C
20. F
21. G
22. B
23. E
24. C
25. A
26. by drawing comparisons with other periods of technological innovation
27. Entertainment companies should adapt to technological innovation.
28. IQ tests
29. multi-faceted approach
30. competition between brothers and sisters
31. parents who demonstrate vocational commitment
32. a patient approach to achieving success
33. a rat's surroundings can influence its behaviour.
34. he was the first in a creative line.
35. Not Given
36. Yes
37. Yes
38. No
39. No
40. Nurturing talent within the family
Explanations
- 1. x
- The heading's phrase 'shifting the blame' paraphrases the passage's description of obese people who, "rather than take responsibility for their weight", "sought solace in the excuse" of a slow metabolism. 'Shifting' generalizes this specific act of transferring fault onto genetics, and 'the blame' restates the negated 'take responsibility' as its positive-form equivalent.Common trap: ix (Nature or nurture) refers to the genetics-vs-environment debate discussed later, not this specific act of blame-shifting; v (No known treatment) is not addressed here; iv (New perspective on the horizon) belongs to paragraph D.
- 2. vii
- The heading's 'Expert explains' paraphrases Dr Jebb being quoted directly ('says Dr Jebb'), a named specialist standing in for 'expert'. 'Energy requirements of obese people' generalizes her specific statement that overweight people 'burn off more energy' and 'need more energy just to keep going' into the abstract concept of energy needs.Common trap: iii (Proof of the truth) fits paragraph C, where the sealed-room experiment provides the proof, rather than this explanation; i (Obesity in animals) is not mentioned here; iv (New perspective on the horizon) comes later in paragraph D.
- 3. iii
- The heading's 'Proof' paraphrases the sealed-room, oxygen-measuring procedure that 'showed her that her metabolism was not the culprit' — a concrete experimental method restated as the abstract noun 'proof'. 'The truth' picks up the contrast with the metabolism myth she had believed all her life.Common trap: vii (Expert explains energy requirements) belongs to paragraph B, which explains rather than proves; iv (New perspective on the horizon) is not the focus here; x (Shifting the blame) is the opposite of what this paragraph does.
- 4. iv
- The heading's 'New perspective on the horizon' paraphrases 'on the threshold of a complete change in the way we view' obesity — 'on the horizon' restates 'on the threshold of' (both signal an imminent, not-yet-arrived change), and 'new perspective' generalizes the 'complete change in the way we view' obesity into a single noun phrase.Common trap: ix (Nature or nurture) touches on genetics but the paragraph's main point is the coming shift in perspective, not the nature/nurture debate itself; xi (Lifestyle change required) belongs to paragraph E; viii (A very uncommon complaint) belongs to paragraph H.
- 5. xi
- The heading's 'Lifestyle change' generalizes the passage's two specific actions, 'a change of diet and an increase in exercise', into one umbrella term. 'Despite new findings' captures the concessive 'but' connecting the genetic 'cure' research to the practical solution the writer says is still required for most people.Common trap: v (No known treatment) is contradicted since a potential cure is mentioned; iv (New perspective on the horizon) belongs to the previous paragraph; x (Shifting the blame) does not fit, as this paragraph is about solutions.
- 6. ii
- The heading's 'Hidden dangers' paraphrases drugs whose workings were 'often not understood' yet 'caused severe side effects and even death', and surgery that 'has also claimed many lives' — 'hidden' restates the not-understood, unpredictable nature of these risks, while 'dangers' generalizes the specific side effects and deaths into one category.Common trap: v (No known treatment) does not fit, since treatments are discussed, just dangerous ones; vi (Rodent research leads the way) belongs to paragraph G; i (Obesity in animals) is not mentioned here.
- 7. vi
- The heading's 'Rodent research' paraphrases 'studying an obese mouse' (a mouse being a specific rodent), and 'leads the way' paraphrases 'sent science in a new direction' — both describe the mouse study as the origin point that redirected the whole field of obesity research.Common trap: i (Obesity in animals) is too general — the paragraph's focus is on how the research led to a discovery, not animals in general; viii (A very uncommon complaint) belongs to paragraph H; iii (Proof of the truth) belongs to paragraph C.
- 8. viii
- The heading's 'A very uncommon complaint' paraphrases 'leptin deficiency turned out to be an extremely rare condition' — 'complaint' is a synonym for medical 'condition', and 'very uncommon' is a synonym-swap for 'extremely rare'.Common trap: iv (New perspective on the horizon) fits the leptin discovery itself, but this paragraph's key point is its rarity; iii (Proof of the truth) belongs to paragraph C; vi (Rodent research leads the way) belongs to paragraph G.
- 9. metabolism
- The gap's frame 'seeking to blame their _____' paraphrases 'sought solace in the excuse that they have a slow metabolism' — 'blame' restates 'sought solace in the excuse' (looking for something else to hold responsible), pointing directly to 'metabolism' as the noun the passage names as the object of that excuse.Common trap: "bodies" is too general a word for what is specifically blamed; "genetic" is an adjective describing the metabolism issue, not the noun needed for the blank; "physical" is too vague compared to the specific term "metabolism."
- 10. less
- 'use less energy...to stay alive' paraphrases the passage's claim that obese people's bodies 'break down food and turn it into energy more slowly' — converting food to energy more slowly is restated as using less energy overall, and 'erroneously believe' flags this as the myth Dr Jebb later calls 'nonsense'.Common trap: "more" contradicts the passage, since it is later proven overweight people actually burn off more energy, not less; "use" is a word already present in the sentence and does not fit as the answer itself.
- 11. genetic
- 'a _____ problem' paraphrases 'a genetic defect' — 'problem' is a generic synonym for 'defect' — while the required adjective 'genetic' is lifted directly from the passage's 'caused by our genes'/'genetic defect' wording.Common trap: "mental" is explicitly ruled out, since the passage says sufferers are not "weak-willed" or "slothful"; "physical" is too vague compared with the specific term "genetic" used in the passage.
- 12. consume
- 'programmed to consume more' paraphrases 'how much we eat' — 'consume' is a synonym for 'eat' — and 'programmed' restates the genetic framing that variations 'combine to dictate weight' and 'how much we eat'.Common trap: "use" relates more to energy expenditure than to eating; "exercise" is not what is being consumed — it is a separate factor mentioned in the same sentence.
- 13. behaviour
- 'change people's behaviour' paraphrases 'behaviour modification' — 'change' restates 'modification' — and the sentence's shift-from/to structure mirrors the passage's contrast between older treatments (behaviour modification, drugs, surgery) and the newer genetic, laboratory-based research described afterward.Common trap: "mind" is related but the passage specifically uses the term "behaviour modification"; "mental" does not match the passage's wording either.
- 14. D
- 'the contrasting effects...on existing business' paraphrases 'both threats and opportunities' — 'contrasting' restates the both/and structure, and 'effects...on existing business' generalizes 'the potential...to make the companies...richer, and to sweep them away' into abstract impact language.Common trap: A discusses fear and exhilaration as emotional responses, not business effects; B discusses the cost of new technology; E discusses how companies lost power rather than the contrasting effects themselves.
- 15. C
- 'a total transformation...in the delivery of all forms of entertainment' paraphrases 'it will change every aspect of it, from the way cartoons are made to the way films are screened to the way people buy music' — 'total transformation' generalizes the passage's list of specific examples into one all-encompassing claim, and 'in the future' picks up 'eventually'.Common trap: A mentions change but not the "every aspect" detail; D discusses the past rather than a future transformation; G discusses the current giant companies, not the transformation itself.
- 16. A
- 'the confused feelings...in response to technological innovation' paraphrases 'a period of fear mixed with exhilaration' — mixing two opposite emotions is restated as 'confused', and 'in response to technological innovation' generalizes 'each such innovation has changed the industry' into the recurring pattern being described.Common trap: D discusses the effects on companies, not feelings; B discusses cost issues, not feelings; F discusses companies adapting, not feelings.
- 17. F
- 'learnt from the mistakes of others' paraphrases 'they saw what happened to those of their predecessors who were stuck with one form of distribution' — 'mistakes' restates the failure of being 'stuck with one form of distribution', and 'learnt' captures how this observation 'prompted the smarter companies...to re-invent themselves'.Common trap: D discusses historical fear of new technology, not learning from mistakes; E discusses companies that failed but does not describe others learning from them; G discusses current companies, not the act of learning.
- 18. B
- 'the high cost to the consumer' paraphrases 'not at a price that people were prepared to pay' — both describe the same commercial failure, restating the negated 'not...prepared to pay' as the positive claim that the price was too high.Common trap: A does not mention cost; C mentions changes but not cost; D does not mention consumer cost.
- 19. C
- 'uncertainty regarding the financial impact' paraphrases 'nobody is sure...how it will affect the economics of the business' — 'uncertainty' restates 'nobody is sure', and 'financial impact' is a synonym for 'economics of the business'; 'wider media access' generalizes the Internet/PC-based digital expansion described in the paragraph.Common trap: A does not mention financial uncertainty; D mentions past patterns, not uncertainty; G mentions a possible outcome but frames it differently, not as financial uncertainty.
- 20. F
- 'victims of strict government policy' paraphrases 'faced a tighter regulatory environment' — 'strict government policy' is a synonym for 'tighter regulatory environment', and 'victims' restates that this was 'part of the reason why incumbents got pushed aside'.Common trap: E discusses companies losing power but not specifically due to government policy; D does not mention regulation; A does not mention government policy.
- 21. G
- 'undermine the giant entertainment companies' paraphrases 'weaken those great companies' — 'undermine' is a direct synonym for 'weaken', and 'giant entertainment companies' restates 'great companies' (the seven media conglomerates named earlier).Common trap: D discusses historical patterns, not the digital revolution specifically; E discusses companies that lost power in the past; C discusses changes but not specifically weakening giants.
- 22. B
- 'alarmed those well-established in the business' paraphrases publishers 'complaining that circulating libraries would cannibalise their sales' — 'alarmed' restates 'complaining' (a reaction of concern), and 'those well-established in the business' generalizes the specific example of 'publishers' into the broader category of incumbent players; 'historically' picks up 'go back far enough'.Common trap: A (John Malone) talks about the 500-channel universe, not historical alarm; C (MGM) is an example of a company that lost influence, not a person making this point; D (Walt Disney) is not mentioned in this context.
- 23. E
- 'the merger of entertainment companies' paraphrases 'the creation of a global oligopoly' happening 'to the entertainment business', and 'follows a pattern evident in other industries' restates Dixon's comparison that 'it happened to the oil and automotive businesses earlier this century; now it is happening to the entertainment business'.Common trap: A (John Malone) talks about television, not merger patterns; B (Hal Varian) talks about historical fear of new distribution; C (MGM) is an example of a failed company, not the person making this point.
- 24. C
- 'lost their influence' paraphrases MGM being 'reduced to a whisper' — the antonym-negation of its earlier description as 'the roaring lion of Hollywood' — and 'remained independent' paraphrases 'because it is not part of one of the giants'.Common trap: A (John Malone) is a person, not an independent company; B (Hal Varian) is a person, not a company; D (Walt Disney) is itself one of the giant companies, not an independent one.
- 25. A
- 'published some years ago' paraphrases 'In 1992' (a specific past date), and 'the most recent technological development' paraphrases the '500-channel universe' Malone 'welcomed' as digital television's promise — restating a dated prediction as older news about technology that still frames the whole passage.Common trap: B (Hal Varian) discusses historical examples, not recent news; C (MGM) is not making a prediction about recent technology; D (Walt Disney) is not mentioned in this context.
- 26. by drawing comparisons with other periods of technological innovation
- The correct option's 'drawing comparisons with other periods of technological innovation' paraphrases the passage's repeated historical parallels — 'Hollywood was hostile to television, television terrified by the VCR' and the publishers/circulating-libraries example — restructuring these concrete cases into the general claim that the writer argues by analogy to earlier innovations.Common trap: None significant.
- 27. Entertainment companies should adapt to technological innovation.
- The option's 'should adapt to technological innovation' paraphrases the passage's approving account of 'smarter companies...re-invent themselves' after seeing 'what happened to those of their predecessors who were stuck with one form of distribution' — 're-invent themselves' is restated as 'adapt', generalizing the specific historical examples into the writer's overall message.Common trap: None significant.
- 28. IQ tests
- The blank's position directly after 'percentage definition' in the flow-chart mirrors the passage's own chronology: the percentage definition 'has fallen from favour, eclipsed by the advent of IQ tests' — the next step restates this replacement, so the blank names the term the passage places in that position, 'IQ tests'.Common trap: "written tests" or "verbal tests" are too specific — they are only part of what makes up the IQ tests, not the name itself.
- 29. multi-faceted approach
- The blank's position after the IQ-tests step paraphrases the passage's next stage of development: 'The IQ test has been eclipsed in turn' by 'a broader definition, using a multifaceted approach' — the flow-chart restates this second replacement in sequence, so the blank captures the passage's own term for the currently preferred method.Common trap: "broader definition" describes the approach but is not the exact phrase used by the passage for this term.
- 30. competition between brothers and sisters
- 'competition between brothers and sisters' paraphrases 'friendly sibling rivalry' — 'brothers and sisters' is plain-language for 'siblings', and 'competition' restates 'rivalry'. The option is confirmed correct because the passage frames this rivalry as accepted ('not seen as a particular problem'), not absent.Common trap: See optionExplanations for the reasoning behind each option.
- 31. parents who demonstrate vocational commitment
- 'parents who demonstrate vocational commitment' paraphrases 'an atmosphere of work...where following a calling appears to be important' — 'vocational commitment' generalizes 'following a calling' (a calling being one's vocation), and 'demonstrate' restates the idea of an ambient 'atmosphere' surrounding the children.Common trap: See optionExplanations for the reasoning behind each option.
- 32. a patient approach to achieving success
- 'a patient approach to achieving success' paraphrases 'are in less of a hurry to achieve for themselves' — 'patient' is essentially an antonym-negation of 'in a hurry' — and 'achieving success' restates 'to achieve' alongside 'to be master of a craft'.Common trap: See optionExplanations for the reasoning behind each option.
- 33. a rat's surroundings can influence its behaviour.
- 'a rat's surroundings can influence its behaviour' paraphrases the finding that when 'the environment is made dull and boring the number of errors becomes equal', reversing again in 'an exciting maze' — 'surroundings' is a synonym for 'environment', and 'influence...behaviour' generalizes the specific change in maze-error counts into the abstract cause-effect claim.Common trap: None significant.
- 34. he was the first in a creative line.
- 'the first in a creative line' paraphrases 'someone who sets the family career in motion, as in the case of the Sheen acting dynasty' — 'first in a...line' restates 'sets...in motion' (the originating figure), and 'creative line' generalizes 'family career'/'acting dynasty' into the abstract idea of a hereditary line of talent.Common trap: None significant.
- 35. Not Given
- The statement's 'proved to be unreliable' overstates the passage's actual wording that IQ tests have simply 'been eclipsed in turn' by a broader, multifaceted approach — 'eclipsed' describes a shift in preference, not a proof of unreliability, so the passage never supplies the proof the statement asserts, making it Not Given.Common trap: The change in preference away from IQ tests can be mistaken for proof they are unreliable, but the passage never states this.
- 36. Yes
- 'fail to fulfil their own potential' paraphrases 'their creative talents may be undervalued and so never come to fruition' — 'fulfil...potential' restates 'come to fruition', and 'fail to' is the negation matching 'never', both describing the sibling's suppressed development.Common trap: None significant.
- 37. Yes
- 'tends to be ignored' paraphrases 'often not mentioned' — a near-synonym swap — and 'the genius equation' generalizes 'the generation of creativity', while the statement's 'importance of luck' restates the passage's claim that luck 'plays an undoubted part'.Common trap: None significant.
- 38. No
- The statement's 'acutely aware of his own remarkable talent' is the antonym-negation of the passage's 'did not necessarily view himself as a genius' — the passage explicitly denies the self-awareness of genius the statement claims, making it No.Common trap: None significant.
- 39. No
- 'would have achieved success in any era' is the antonym-negation of the passage's claim that their talents 'blossomed by virtue of the times they were living in', and that Gates 'may never have achieved' his position 'without the new computer age' — the passage ties their success to specific historical timing, contradicting the statement's claim of era-independent success.Common trap: None significant.
- 40. Nurturing talent within the family
- 'Nurturing talent within the family' paraphrases the passage's recurring focus on parents who 'identify the talents of each child, and nurture and encourage these', and the claim that 'a stream seems to run through creative families' — the title generalizes the specific family examples (Sheen, Mozart, Einstein, Gates) into one overarching theme.Common trap: None significant.
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