1 _________that the insulation has been replaced, the building is much more energy-efficient

Now

For

As

Though

2 The company lowered its prices to outsell its competitors and attract more customers.

 strategy

 strategically

 strategies

 strategic

3 Emergency crews are______progress in fixing the broken levees, but they are in a desperate race to stop the flooding.

 making

 doing

 getting

 becoming

4 I take_________everything I said about Paul. I realize now that it wasn't true.

 on

 over

 in

 back

5 I'm sorry about not coming last week. I ___ a cold and so I _____ at home.

 have - stay

 had - stayed

 have had - stayed

 have - have stayed

6 If I ____ the car myself I ____ you use it.

 needed - would let

 don’t need - wouldn't let

 didn't need - wouldn't let

 didn't need - would let

7 The customer insists on ____ , so hurry up.

 serving

 being served

 serve

 having served

8 Jim is not _____ a quick worker ____ you are.

 such - as

 so - that

 such - that

 more - than

9 He's funny when he _______ his grandfather.

 takes off

 takes to

 takes after

 takes for

10 The businessman proved to be an apparently well-behaved _______ middle-aged man.

 offensive

 unoffending

 inoffensive

 innocent

11 I was ______ that I couldn’t keep my eyes open.

 too tired

 tired so much

 so tired

 so tiring

12 I never eat chocolate now, nut I _______ lots of it when I was a child.

 was used to eat

 used to eat

 use to eat

 was eating

The homing instinct

The homing instinct is what makes certain animals, birds and fish return (1)…………… the place they consider home. Cats often have this instinct. It was ________ strong in an American cat called Ninja, which disappeared shortly after its owners had taken it to their new home; a year later the cat turned up at its old home even (3)…………… this was 1,360 kilometres away from (4)…………… its owners were now living. Other cats may not travel so far but many (5)…………… on going back to their old home. Pilsbury, an English cat, made a 13-kilometre journey back to its former home 40 times in spite of having to cross several busy roads to do so.

Pigeons also have the homing instinct and, ever (7)…………… ancient times, human beings have used them to carry messages back home. However, cat owners,  who have to keep __(8)_______ to their old address in (9)…………… to bring their cat home, tend to find the homing instinct simply irritating rather than useful or interesting!

 Experiments have shown that in selecting personnel for a job, interviewing is at best a hindrance, and may even cause harm. These studies have disclosed that the judgments of interviewers differ markedly and bear little or no relationship to the adequacy of the job applicants. Of the many reasons why this should be the case, three in particular stand out.

The first reason is related to an error of judgment known as the halo effect. If a person has one noticeable good trait , their other characteristics will be judged as better than they really are. Thus, an individual who dresses smartly and shows self-confidence is likely to be judged capable of doing a job well regardless of his or her real ability.

Interviewers are also prejudiced by an effect called the primacy effect. This error occurs when interpretation of later information is distorted by earlier connected information. Hence, in an interview situation, the interviewer spends most of the interview trying to confirm the impression given by the candidate in the first few moments. Studies have repeatedly demonstrated that such an impression is unrelated to the aptitude of the applicant.

The phenomenon known as the contrast effect also skews the judgment of interviewers. A suitable candidate may be underestimated because he or she contrasts with a previous one who appears exceptionally intelligent. Likewise, an average candidate who is preceded by one who gives a weak showing may be judged as more suitable than he or she really is.

Since interviews as a form of personnel selection have been shown to be inadequate, other selection procedures have been devised which more accurately predict candidate suitability. Of the various tests devised, the predictor which appears to do this most successfully is cognitive ability as measured by a variety of verbal and spatial tests.

Question 1. The word “they” in line 6 refers to         .

A. applicants        B. judgments        C. interviewers        D. characteristics

Question 2. The word “ this” in line 20 refers to         .

A. measure cognitive ability        B. devise personnel selection

C. predict candidate suitability        D. devise accurate tests

Question 3. This passage mainly discusses the         .

Judgments of interviewers concerning job applicants.

Inadequacy of interviewing job applicants.

Effects of interviewing on job applicants.

Techniques that interviewers use for judging job applicants.

Question 4. According to the passage, the halo effect         .

exemplifies how one good characteristic color perceptions

takes effect only when a candidate is well -dressed

stands out as the worst judgmental error

helps the interviewer’s capability to judge real ability

Question 5. The word “hindrance” in line 1 is closest in meaning to         .

A. assistance        B. encouragement        C. procedure        D. interference

Question 6. According to the passage the first impression         .

A. can easily be altered        B. is unrelated to the interviewer’s prejudices

C. is the one that stays with the interviewer        D. has been repeatedly demonstrated to the applicant

Question 7. The word “skews” in line 14 is closest in meaning to         .

A. improves        B. opposes                C. biases        D. Distinguishes Question 8. The author mentions all of the following reasons why interviewing is not an accurate way to predict candidate suitability EXCEPT the         .

A. primacy effect        B. halo effect        C. contrast effect        D. cognitive effect

Question 9. The word “confirm” in line 11 is closest in meaning to         .

A. verify        B. misrepresent        C. recollect        D. conclude

Question 10. The paragraphs following the passage most likely discuss which of the following?

More information on the kinds of judgmental effects

Other reasons for misjudgments of applicants

Other selection procedures included in interviewing

More information on cognitive ability tests