READING PASSAGE 1

You should spend about 20 minutes on Questions 1-13 which are based on Reading Passage 1 below.

Research using twins

To biomedical researchers all over the world, twins offer a precious opportunity to untangle the influence of genes and the environment – of nature and nurture. Because identical twins come from a single fertilized egg that splits into two, they share virtually the same genetic code. Any differences between them -one twin having younger looking skin, for example – must be due to environmental factors such as less time spent in the sun.

Alternatively, by comparing the experiences of identical twins with those of fraternal twins, who come from separate eggs and share on average half their DNA, researchers can quantify the extent to which our genes affect our lives. If identical twins are more similar to each other with respect to an ailment than fraternal twins are, then vulnerability to the disease must be rooted at least in part in heredity.

These two lines of research – studying the differences between identical twins to pinpoint the influence of environment, and comparing identical twins with fraternal ones to measure the role of inheritance – have been crucial to understanding the interplay of nature and nurture in determining our personalities, behavior, and vulnerability to disease.

The idea of using twins to measure the influence of heredity dates back to 1875, when the English scientist Francis Galton first suggested the approach (and coined the phrase ‘nature and nurture’). But twin studies took a surprising twist in the 1980s, with the arrival of studies into identical twins who had been separated at birth and reunited as adults. Over two decades 137 sets of twins eventually visited Thomas Bouchard’s lab in what became known as the Minnesota Study of Twins Reared Apart.

READING PASSAGE 2

You should spend about 20 minutes on Questions 14-26 which are based on Reading Passage 2 below.

An Introduction to Film Sound

(i will insert paragraphs here)

READING PASSAGE 3

You should spend about 20 minutes on Questions 27-40 which are based on Reading Passage 3 below.

‘This Marvellous Invention’

(i will insert paragraphs here)

Questions 1-4

Do the following statements agree with the information given in Reading Passage?

TRUE if the statement agrees with the information

FALSE if the statement contradicts the information

NOT GIVEN if there is no information on this

1
There may be genetic causes for the differences in how young the skin of identical twins looks.
2
Twins are at greater risk of developing certain illnesses than non-twins.
3
Bouchard advertised in newspapers for twins who had been separated at birth.
4
Epigenetic processes are different from both genetic and environmental processes.

Questions 5-9

Look at the following statements ( Questions 5-9 ) and the list of researchers below.
Match each statement with the correct researcher, A, B or C.

List of Researchers
A   Francis Galton
B   Thomas Bouchard
C   Danielle Reed

5
invented a term used to distinguish two factors affecting human characteristics
6
expressed the view that the study of epigenetics will increase our knowledge
7
developed a mathematical method of measuring genetic influences
8
pioneered research into genetics using twins
9
carried out research into twins who had lived apart

Questions 10-13

Complete the summary using the list of words, A-F, below.

A   nurture
B   organs
C   code
D   chemicals
E   environment
F   behaviour/behavior

Epigenetic processes

In epigenetic processes, 10 influence the activity of our genes, for example in creating our internal 11. The study of epigenetic processes is uncovering a way in which our genes can be affected by our 12. One example is that if a pregnant rat suffers stress, the new-born rat may later show problems in its 13.

Questions 14-18

Choose the correct letter, A, B, C or D.

14
In the first paragraph, the writer makes a point that
15
One reason that the writer refers to Humphrey Bogart is to exemplify
16
In the third paragraph, the writer suggests that
17
What does the writer suggest about Bringing Up Baby?
18
The writer refers to the ‘click’ of a door to make the point that realistic sounds

Questions 19-23

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

19
Audiences are likely to be surprised if a film lacks background music.
20
Background music may anticipate a development in a film.
21
Background music has more effect on some people than on others.
22
Background music may help the audience to make certain connections within the film.
23
Audiences tend to be aware of how the background music is affecting them.

Questions 24-26

Complete each sentence with the correct letter below.

A   when the audience listens to the dialogue.
B   if the film reflects the audience’s own concerns.
C   if voice, sound and music are combined appropriately.
D   when the director is aware of how the audience will respond.
E   when the actor’s appearance, voice and moves are consistent with each other.

24
The audience’s response to different parts of a film can be controlled
25
The feelings and motivations of characters become clear
26
A character seems to be a real person rather than an actor

Questions 27-32

Reading Passage 3 has six paragraphs, A-F.
Choose the correct heading for paragraphs A-F from the list of headings below.

List of Headings
i    Differences between languages highlight their impressiveness
ii   The way in which a few sounds are organised to convey a huge range of meaning
iii  Why the sounds used in different languages are not identical
iv   Apparently incompatible characteristics of language
v    Even silence can be meaningful
vi   Why language is the most important invention of all
vii  The universal ability to use language

27
Paragraph A
28
Paragraph B
29
Paragraph C
30
Paragraph D
31
Paragraph E
32
Paragraph F

Questions 33-36

Complete the summary using the list of words, A-G, below.

A   difficult
B   complex
C   original
D   admired
E   material
F   easy
G   fundamental

The importance of language

The wheel is one invention that has had a major impact on 33 aspects of life, but no impact has been as 34 as that of language. Language is very 35 , yet composed of just a small number of sounds.
Language appears to be 36 to use. However, its sophistication is often overlooked.

Questions 37-40

Do the following statements agree with the views of the writer in Reading Passage 3?

YES if the statement agrees with the views of the writer

NO if the statement contradicts the views of the writer

NOT GIVEN if it is impossible to say what the writer thinks about this

37
Human beings might have achieved their present position without language.
38
The Port-Royal grammarians did justice to the nature of language.
39
A complex idea can be explained more clearly in a sentence than in a single word.
40
The Sumerians were responsible for starting the recording of events.