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Reading Passage 1 — Blue Footed Boobies
A
Boobies are a small group of seabirds native to tropical and subtropical oceans throughout the world. Their diet consists mainly of fish. They are specialized fish eaters feeding on small school fish like sardines, anchovies, mackerel, and flying fish. When their prey is in sight, they fold their long wings back around their streamlined bodies and plunge into the water from as high as 80 feet, so streamlined they barely make a splash. They travel in parties of about 12 to areas of water with large schools of small fish. When the lead bird sees a fish shoal in the water, it will signal the rest of the group and they will all dive together. Surprisingly, individuals do not eat with the hunting group, preferring to eat on their own, usually in the early morning or late afternoon.
B
There are three varieties on the Galapagos: the blue-footed, red-footed, and masked boobies. They are all members of the same family, and are not only different in appearance but also in behaviours. The blue-footed and red-footed boobies mate throughout the year, while the masked boobies have an annual mating cycle that differs from island to island. All catch fish in a similar manner, but in different areas: the blue-footed booby does its fishing close to shore, while the masked booby goes slightly farther out, and the red-footed booby fishes at the farthest distances from shore.
C
Although it is unknown where the name “Booby” emanates from, some conjecture it may come from the Spanish word for clown, “bobo”, meaning “stupid”. Its name was probably inspired by the bird’s clumsiness on land and apparently unwarranted bravery. The blue footed booby is extremely vulnerable to human visitors because it does not appear to fear them. Therefore these birds received such name for their clumsiness on land in which they were easy, captured, killed, and eaten by humans.
D
The blue-footed booby’s characteristic feet play a significant part in their famous courtship ceremony, the ‘booby dance’. The male walks around the female, raising his bright blue feet straight up in the air while bringing his ‘shoulders’ towards the ground and crossing the bottom tips of his wings high above the ground. Plus he’ll raise his bill up towards the sky to try to win his mate over. The female may also partake in these activities – lifting her feet, sky pointing, and of course, squawking at her mate. After mating, another ritual occurs – the nest-building which ironically is never used because they nest on the bare ground. When the female is ready to lay her eggs, they scrape the existing nest away so she can nest on exposed ground. Sun-baked islands form the booby’s breeding grounds. When ready the female Blue Footed Booby lays one to three eggs.
E
After mating, two or three eggs are laid in a shallow depression on flat or gently sloping ground. Both male and female take turns incubating the eggs. Unlike most birds, booby doesn’t develop brood patches (areas of bare skin on the breast) to warm the eggs during incubation. Instead, it uses its broad webbed feet, which have large numbers of prominent blood vessels, to transmit heat essential for incubation. The eggs are thick-shelled so they can withstand the full weight of an incubating bird.
F
After hatching, the male plays a major role in bringing fish home. He can bring back a constant supply of small fish for the chicks, which must be fed continuously. The reason is that the male has a longer tail than the female in relation to his body size, which makes him able to execute shallower dives and to feed closer to shore. Then the female takes a greater part as time proceeds. Sooner or later, the need to feed the young becomes greater than the need to protect them and both adults must fish to provide enough.
G
When times are good, the parents may successfully fledge all three chicks, but, in harder times, they may still lay as many eggs yet only obtain enough food to raise one. The problem is usually solved by the somewhat callous-sounding system of “opportunistic sibling murder.” The first-born chick is larger and stronger than its nest mate(s) as a result of hatching a few days earlier and also because the parents feed the larger chick. If food is scarce, the first born will get more food than its nest mate(s) and will outcompete them, causing them to starve. The above system optimizes the reproductive capacity of the blue-foot in an unpredictable environment. The system ensures that, if possible, at least one chick will survive a period of shortage rather than all three dying of starvation under a more ‘humane’ system.
Questions 1–6: Matching headings
Choose the correct heading for paragraphs A-G from the list below. Write the correct number, i-ix, in boxes 1-6 on your answer sheet.
List of Headings
i. Unusual way of hatching the chicks
ii. Feeding habit of the red-footed booby
iii. Folding wings for purpose
iv. Rearing the young
v. Classification of boobies
vi. Diving for seafood
vii. Surviving mechanism during the food shortage period
viii. Mating and breeding
ix. Origin of the booby’s name
Example Answer Paragraph C ix
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
- 6
Questions 7–9: True/False/Not Given
Do the following statements agree with the information given in Reading Passage 1? In boxes 7-9 on your answer sheet, write TRUE if the statement is true, FALSE if the statement is false, NOT GIVEN if the information is not given in the passage.
- 7
Boobies are afraid of human approaching.
- 8
Female boobies eat more than the male ones.
- 9
When there is not sufficient food, the larger chicks will be fed at the expense of the survival of its smaller mates.
Questions 10–13: Summary completion
Complete the summary below. Using NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS from the Reading Passage for each answer. Write your answers in boxes 10-13 on your answer sheet.
The courtship of the Blue-footed Booby consists of the male flaunting his blue feet and dancing to impress the female. During the dance, the male will spread his wings and stamp his feet on the ground with his bills 10 _________. After mating, the booby’s unusual demeanor continues with ritual 11 _________ that really serves no purpose. When the female Booby lays eggs, the parental boobies incubate the eggs beneath their 12 _________ which contain 13 _________ to transmit the heat, because of the lack of brood patches.
- 10
- 11
- 12
beneath their 12 _________
- 13
which contain 13 _________
Reading Passage 2 — Which Voting System Is Better?
A
Voting is often portrayed as a very simple activity – all that is required being a list of names, boxes, and a pen with which to tick the preferred option – but it is actually an intricate process that can take many different forms on which everyone from mathematicians to political scholars, interest groups, politicians, and voters often have divergent opinions. Two of the most popular of these voting systems are known as First-Past-the-Post (FPP) and Mixed-Member Proportional (MMP), and they have quite different features.
B
FPP is one of the simplest voting systems. Voters select one person from a list of candidates in their electorate, and the candidate with the highest number of votes is elected to represent them. While this might sound simple and fair, it can have several undesirable effects. Firstly, because of the ‘all or nothing’ result, FPP produces a large number of wasted votes – votes which do not affect the outcome of the election. This is the case in the majority of electorates, which are safe or relatively safe. Consequently, the party that gains the highest number of seats in Parliament may not actually gain the most votes – in the 2005 UK elections, for example, the Labour party governed alone with only 35 per cent of the vote. Because of the pressure on voters not to ‘waste’ their vote, FPP tends to foster tactical voting for a rival but the less popular candidate, thus sidelining minority voices and third-party candidacies in favour of a race between two, often similar, contestants.
C
MMP attempts to create a parliament that represents a national consensus, rather than combining the results from dozens of local ‘mini-elections’. Voters select their electorate candidate, as in FPP, but they also select a party, which will gain seats in Parliament proportionate to the party vote. This opens the door for representation amongst parties that may have broad support nationally but not enough support in any single geographical area to win an electorate seat. While Parliament as a whole may be more representative, however, the ability to affect change within Parliament can often accrue to a centrist, smaller party that has the ability to essentially choose the government, by selecting between the major parties as coalition partners. This phenomenon is known as the ‘tail wagging the dog’. Finally, the party vote tends to bring in Members of Parliament (MPs) in an order that is chosen, not by the electorate, but by the party itself. This is one of MMP’s undemocratic moves that favours party establishment and hierarchy over the will of the public.
E
New Zealand’s transition from FPP to MMP demonstrates the benefits and drawbacks of each system. In the 1970s, many New Zealanders grew disillusioned with the two-party system. FPP did not provide voters with another viable option; however, the leading third party received a considerable 16 per cent of the vote in 1978 but gained only one of the 92 seats in Parliament – three years later, their vote share was up to 21 per cent, but they gained only two seats. A Royal Commission subsequently recommended a shift to MMP, and in 1993, a statewide referendum was held that passed in favour of the reform.
F
The 1996 elections wore away much public enthusiasm for MMP, however. The result was indecisive, and with neither major party able to govern alone, the power to form a coalition rested upon a third party, New Zealand First. Instead of forming a coalition with Labour – a party that many voters considered to be its natural ally – the New Zealand First party sided with the National party. This was followed by a subsequent rise in party-hopping – MPs leaving the parties from which they were elected. Eventually, the coalition disbanded with Prime Minister Jenny Shipley sacking New Zealand First leader, Winston Peters, from Cabinet.
G
Nevertheless, after these initial teething problems, New Zealand voters and politicians have grown accustomed to MMP and learnt to focus on its possibilities rather than its hindrances. One of the most notable benefits is that Parliament has become far more representative of the diversity in modern New Zealand society. MMP introduced a number of MPs who had previously been marginalized from mainstream politics: women, people from diverse ethnic backgrounds, and community activists. Relationships between major and minor parties have also grown more stable, and in many ways, minor parties now function as auditors keeping a check on the major parties. MMP is not without its flaws, but the transition has generally been a positive experience.
Questions 14–19: True/False/Not Given
Do the following statements agree with the information given in Reading Passage 2? TRUE if the statement agrees with the information, FALSE if the statement contradicts the information, NOT GIVEN if there is no information on this.
- 14
Under FPP, the voter always selects the candidate that the voter likes best.
- 15
Many voters have no role in determining the electoral result in the FPP system.
- 16
FPP uses geographically determined electorates as a basis for electing MPs.
- 17
MMP may give minor parties disproportionate influence.
- 18
A change in the electoral system was rejected by New Zealand voters in the early 1990s.
- 19
In both FPP and MMP systems, the government may not be formed based on a majority voter mandate.
Questions 20–26: Summary completion
Use NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS for each answer.
Public dissatisfaction with elections came about as a result of the 20 __________ in New Zealand, and many people voted for a 21 __________ instead. However, the parliamentary representation was disproportionate to the number of votes received, and after investigation, this situation eventually led to a national 22 __________ which asked the people to express their preference for a particular electoral system.
The first experience was messy; however, 23 __________ ensued after the New Zealand First party decided to go into 24 __________ with National instead of the Labour party. New Zealanders have since become used to MMP, and its advantages are now clearer. People once 25 __________ from affairs of state have gained access to Parliament, and major and minor parties now get along better – the latter taking on the role of 26 __________.
- 20
as a result of the 20 __________ in New Zealand
- 21
many people voted for a 21 __________ instead
- 22
led to a national 22 __________
- 23
23 __________ ensued after the New Zealand First party decided to go into 24 __________
- 24
decided to go into 24 __________ with National
- 25
People once 25 __________ from affairs of state
- 26
the latter taking on the role of 26 __________
Reading Passage 3 — Preparing For the Threat
A
It is an unfortunate fact that over the past 20 years, around 260 million people a year have been affected by natural disasters around the world. Regrettably, a vast majority of the victims of this staggering number are from developing countries. Whether it be earthquakes, tornadoes, floods, volcanoes or tsunamis, over the past twenty years, natural disasters have been happening more frequently and affecting more people than ever before. It follows that the international community should address the issue of ‘disaster preparedness’ and establish a process by which natural disasters are dealt with.
B
On December 26, 2004, a massive earthquake centred off the coast of the Indonesian island of Sumatra caused a series of deadly tsunamis in the Indian Ocean. The damage from this extraordinary disaster was estimated to be in the vicinity of the US $13 billion – the equivalent to the combined GDP of the world’s developing countries for an entire year. In a matter of seconds, the tsunami waves wiped out the long years of struggle for development, and the world was once again reminded of the fearsome and destructive power of natural disasters.
C
Gross Domestic Product is the total value of goods and services produced by a country in a year. The United Nations designated the 1990s as the International Decade for Natural Disaster Reduction and has been active in promoting and developing international cooperation on disaster preparedness. The UN’s Yokohama Strategy for a Safer World: Guidelines for Natural Disaster Prevention, Preparedness and Mitigation had adopted in 1994. Among the guidelines, developing countries have encouraged to organize and implement their domestic resources for disaster reduction activities and donor developed countries have encouraged to give greater priority to disaster prevention, mitigation, and preparedness in their assistance programs and budgets, including through increasing financial contributions.
D
In January 2005 the UN World Conference on Disaster Reduction (WCDR) met in Kobe, Hyogo Prefecture to discuss and debate how the international community should address issues of disaster preparedness and mitigation. The meeting itself attended by over 4,000 delegates representing some 168 countries occurred almost 10 years to the day after the Great Hanshin earthquake in Kobe. The January meeting of the WCDR in Kobe provided experts and scientists from over 150 countries, government officials, Non-Government Organisation (NGOs) and United Nations representatives with an opportunity to review the Yokohama Strategy. It recorded on the 2005-15 Yokohama Strategy Action Plan that participant countries and agencies should work over the next 10 years to reduce vulnerability to natural disasters. The Action Plan encourages as a first step, the integration of disaster prevention programs in all development and policy-making plans for all countries. Jim Edgeland, UN representative stated, “Disaster risk reduction is not an additional expense – it is an essential investment in our common future, but the benefits of this investment will be calculated not only in dollars or euros or yen saved, but most importantly, in saved lives in every corner of the globe.”
E
Perhaps the most significant work done at the WCDR meetings was the drafting and adoption of the Hyogo Declaration, This document expresses the united determination of the international community to rely not only on advanced technology or facilities for disaster preparedness but on a people-centred early warning system. The people-centered system requires effective communication and education in the building of disaster-resilient countries and communities. As the intergovernmental panels of the WCDR were meeting, the Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake Forum was also underway. The earthquake measuring a magnitude of 7.3, led to the loss of over 6,400 lives and widespread destruction affecting some 460,000 households. This public forum offered a variety of sessions, during which the lessons learned from the disastrous earthquake had discussed. Earthquake expert Professor Tomohiro Kawata said, “Because this disaster happened over a decade ago, the memory of the devastation can be forgotten.
F
Part of our gathering here today is to make sure that we do not forget what happened back in 1995.” Also included were some personal stories from the earthquake victims themselves. Earthquake victim Kumiko Nagota told attendees that her house collapsed in the Kobe earthquake and she had trapped under it. She tried to call for help but after a while, she lost her voice and just had to wait there until help came. Attendees had told of the how the town mobilized to facilitate recovery and reconstruction. An exhibition hall showed pictures of mounds of rubble produced by the earthquake as well as a display of objects donated by earthquake victims including a broken clock and a child’s toy that melted in the fires caused by the earthquake. Said Kawata, “As well as being a memorial, our facility and, indeed this forum, is a place to learn from earthquake experiences and incorporate the things we learned into our preparations for future disasters”. During the forum, it had agreed that in May 2005, a new hub for the coordination of international disaster recovery support activities would be established in Kobe.
Questions 27–31: True/False/Not Given
Do the following statements agree with the information given in Reading Passage 3? TRUE if the statement agrees with the information, FALSE if the statement contradicts the information, NOT GIVEN if there is no information on this.
- 27
The number of people affected by natural disasters has remained relatively stable over the last two decades.
- 28
Mostly people from poorer countries are affected by natural disasters.
- 29
Present-day natural disasters are more dangerous than disasters of the past.
- 30
It will take the countries affected by the tsunami many years to rebuild.
- 31
Being prepared and knowing what to do in a disaster should be a global issue.
Questions 32–35: Multiple choice
Choose the correct letter, A, B, C or D. Write the correct letter in boxes 32-35 on your answer sheet.
- 32
According to the passage, reducing the risk of disasters is important because
- A. countries can then focus on growth and development.
- B. communities will be drawn together in support of each other.
- C. help international communities to be more economically stable.
- D. it will save lives and money.
- 33
According to the writer, the most important outcome of the World Conference on Disaster Reduction (WCDR) was the
- A. discussion and debate amongst the international community attendees.
- B. a chance for participants to review the Yokohama Strategy.
- C. writing and acceptance of the Hyogo Declaration.
- D. acknowledgement that disaster risk reduction is an investment in the future.
- 34
The town of Kobe was effectively rebuilt due to
- A. the support of the United Nations.
- B. the people of Kobe.
- C. the Government of Japan.
- D. the leadership of Professor Kawata.
- 35
The stated purpose of the Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake Forum was
- A. to help others be better prepared for any future natural disasters.
- B. for people to learn more about natural disasters.
- C. to remember the Kobe earthquake of 1995.
- D. for people to remember and the team from what happened.
Questions 36–40: Matching
Look at the following statements (Questions 36–40) and the list of disaster control initiatives below. Match each statement with the correct disaster control initiative, A-D. Write the correct letter, A-D.
Disaster Control Initiatives
A. Hyogo Declaration
B. Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake Forum
C. World Conference on Disaster Reduction
D. Yokohama Strategy for a Safer World
- 36
people should be the early broadcasters of disaster information
- A. Hyogo Declaration
- B. Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake Forum
- C. World Conference on Disaster Reduction
- D. Yokohama Strategy for a Safer World
- 37
led to a new central area for support in disaster recovery
- A. Hyogo Declaration
- B. Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake Forum
- C. World Conference on Disaster Reduction
- D. Yokohama Strategy for a Safer World
- 38
a reminder of the impact of disasters
- A. Hyogo Declaration
- B. Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake Forum
- C. World Conference on Disaster Reduction
- D. Yokohama Strategy for a Safer World
- 39
in times of disaster, developed countries should do more to help less-developed countries
- A. Hyogo Declaration
- B. Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake Forum
- C. World Conference on Disaster Reduction
- D. Yokohama Strategy for a Safer World
- 40
national development and disaster prevention should be considered at the same time
- A. Hyogo Declaration
- B. Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake Forum
- C. World Conference on Disaster Reduction
- D. Yokohama Strategy for a Safer World
Tampilkan kunci jawaban
Kunci jawaban
1. vi
Paragraph A is best summarized by vi because it describes the boobies' hunting habits and how they catch fish, mentioning their group hunting and diving behavior.
2. v
Paragraph B matches v as it compares the three types of boobies on the Galapagos, focusing on their differences in appearance, behavior, and fishing areas.
3. viii
Paragraph D fits viii because it details the courtship and nesting rituals of the blue-footed booby, including the 'booby dance' and nest-building.
4. i
Paragraph E is best matched with i since it explains how boobies incubate their eggs using their webbed feet instead of brood patches.
5. iv
Paragraph F matches iv as it describes the roles of male and female boobies in feeding chicks and how both parents eventually fish to provide enough food.
6. vii
Paragraph G fits vii because it explains how sibling rivalry and 'opportunistic sibling murder' help ensure at least one chick survives when food is scarce.
7. FALSE
FALSE is correct because the passage says the blue-footed booby 'does not appear to fear' humans and is 'extremely vulnerable to human visitors.'
8. NOT GIVEN
NOT GIVEN is correct because the passage does not mention whether female boobies eat more than males.
9. TRUE
TRUE is correct because the passage says the first-born chick is larger and stronger, gets more food, and may cause its smaller siblings to starve if food is scarce.
10. skypointing
'skypointing' is correct because the passage describes the male raising his bill up towards the sky as part of the courtship dance.
11. nest-building
'nest-building' is correct because after mating, the passage says another ritual occurs, which is nest-building, even though the nest is not used.
12. webbed feet
'webbed feet' is correct because the passage says the booby uses its broad webbed feet to warm the eggs during incubation.
13. blood vessels
'blood vessels' is correct because the passage says the webbed feet have large numbers of prominent blood vessels to transmit heat.
14. FALSE
FALSE is correct because the passage says FPP leads to tactical voting, where voters may vote for a less preferred candidate to avoid wasting their vote.
15. TRUE
TRUE is correct because the passage says FPP produces many wasted votes that do not affect the outcome in most electorates.
16. NOT GIVEN
NOT GIVEN is correct because the passage does not specifically state that FPP uses geographically determined electorates as a basis for electing MPs.
17. TRUE
TRUE is correct because the passage says under MMP, a small centrist party can have the power to choose the government, known as 'the tail wagging the dog.'
18. FALSE
FALSE is correct because the passage says a referendum in 1993 passed in favor of changing to MMP, not rejecting it.
19. TRUE
TRUE is correct because the passage gives the example of the Labour party governing with only 35% of the vote under FPP, and under MMP, coalitions can form without a majority vote.
20. TWO-PARTY SYSTEM
'TWO-PARTY SYSTEM' is correct because the passage says many New Zealanders grew disillusioned with the two-party system.
21. THIRD-PARTY
'THIRD-PARTY' is correct because the passage says the leading third party received a considerable share of the vote.
22. REFERENDUM
'REFERENDUM' is correct because the passage says a statewide referendum was held to decide on the reform.
23. PARTY-HOPPING
'PARTY-HOPPING' is correct because the passage says there was a rise in party-hopping after the coalition was formed.
24. COALITION
'COALITION' is correct because the passage says New Zealand First decided to go into coalition with the National party.
25. MARGINALIZED
'MARGINALIZED' is correct because the passage says MMP introduced MPs who had previously been marginalized from mainstream politics.
26. AUDITORS
'AUDITORS' is correct because the passage says minor parties now function as auditors keeping a check on the major parties.
27. FALSE
FALSE is correct because the passage says natural disasters have been happening more frequently and affecting more people than ever before.
28. TRUE
TRUE is correct because the passage says the vast majority of victims are from developing (poorer) countries.
29. NOT GIVEN
NOT GIVEN is correct because the passage does not compare the danger level of present-day disasters to those of the past.
30. NOT GIVEN
NOT GIVEN is correct because the passage does not say how long it will take countries affected by the tsunami to rebuild.
31. TRUE
TRUE is correct because the passage says the international community should address disaster preparedness as a global issue.
32. D
D is correct because the passage quotes, 'the benefits of this investment will be calculated not only in dollars... but most importantly, in saved lives.' Option A is tempting but not directly stated.
33. C
C is correct because the passage says the most significant work at the WCDR was the drafting and adoption of the Hyogo Declaration. Option B is tempting but is only a review, not the main outcome.
34. B
B is correct because the passage says the town mobilized to facilitate recovery and reconstruction, showing the people of Kobe rebuilt the town. Option A is tempting but not supported.
35. D
D is correct because the passage says the forum is both a memorial and a place to learn from experiences, so people remember and learn from what happened.
36. A
A is correct because the Hyogo Declaration calls for a people-centred early warning system, meaning people should be the early broadcasters of disaster information.
37. B
B is correct because the Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake Forum agreed to establish a new hub for disaster recovery support in Kobe.
38. B
B is correct because the Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake Forum included stories and displays reminding people of the impact of disasters.
39. D
D is correct because the Yokohama Strategy encourages developed countries to give greater priority to helping less-developed countries with disaster prevention.
40. D
D is correct because the Yokohama Strategy Action Plan encourages integrating disaster prevention programs into all development and policy-making plans.