VERBAL ACUITY

ANALOGY
1) ELEMENT : AGGREGATE : FOREGROUND:______
A) painting 8) CONCESSION : PLACATE : CATALYST : _________
B) landscape A) engender
C) fortune B) bolster
D) ruler C) precipitate
E) nutrient D) enervate
E) mitigate
2) DECANTER : POUR MONUMENT : _________
A) : venerate 9) PLATITUDE : CLICH
B) deviate A) dogma : accurate
C) convert B) theater : dramatic
D) prescribe C) sage : wise
E) walk D) legerdemain : obvious
E) portent : beneficial
3) UNPRECEDENTED : FORERUNNERS :
ADULTERATED : ________ 10) POWERLESS : EFFICACY
A) prerequisites A) turbulent : violence
B) medicine B) anomalous : irregularity
C) anemia C) homogenous : similarity
D) proof D) effluent : water
E) purity E) explicit : ambiguity

4) ERUDITE : UNEDUCATED : FERVID : _________ 11) RIVULET : SMALL

A) flagrant A) dissertation : plagiarized
B) dispassionate B) bird : fledgling
C) talkative C) bankruptcy : indebted
D) naive D) hooligan : athletic
E) discordant E) citadel : fortified

5) TRUISM : OBVIOUS : DAREDEVIL : _________ 12) WRETCHED: CHEERFUL

A) safe A) territorial : terrestrial
B) tyrannical B) innocuous : dangerous
C) audacious C) floundering : struggling
D) ingenuous D) redacted : censored
E) imaginative E) solitary : confined

6) LACONIC : CONCISE : EPHEMERAL: ________ 13) LEVEL : HIERARCHY

A) cooperative A) installment : serial
B) fleeting B) halo : messiah
C) unchanging C) vinaigrette : salad
D) forgiving D) courtroom : drama
E) certain E) misnomer : definition

7) LIE : PREVARICATE : WAVER: _________ 14) PECCADILLO : SIN

A) trust A) masquerade : party
B) donate B) peasant : serf
C) falter C) sarcophagus : funeral
D) praise D) letdown : devastation
E) doubt E) hex : wizard

15) TYRO : INEXPERIENCED
A) headmaster : principled
B) scapegoat : blameworthy
C) forgery : valuable
D) sycophant : servile
E) risk : worthwhile
16) BLANDISHMENT : COAX
A) directory : telephone
B) pavilion : promenade
C) surplus : squander
D) eulogy : praise
E) controversy : placate
17) PRAGMATISM : PHILOSOPHY
A) elevation : pinnacle
B) cancer : malady
C) electricity : outlet
D) cacophony : opera
E) chemistry : element
READING COMPREHENSION
Passage 1
The Russian leader, Stalin, is supposed to have
asked how many divisions the Pope had. Like the
Roman Catholic church, the British Commonwealth
does not operate in the realms of realpolitik. It is
closer, perhaps, to the world of Lewis Carroll than
to that of Bismarck. As an idea, the
Commonwealth dates from the year of Queen
Elizabeth*s birth, 1926. It was to be an association
of autonomous communities within the Empire,
unified in one respect only: by their allegiance to
the sovereign as the head of state. Even this
requirement was dropped in 1949 when India
asked to remain a member of the Commonwealth
even though, as a newly-independent republic, it
had ended its allegiance to the crown. Still, even
today, Elizabeth is Queen not only of the United
Kingdom, but of 17 other countries as well. Of the
other nation states in the Commonwealth, 26 are
republics which recognize her only as head of the
Commonwealth, and the other five (Brunei,
Lesotho, Malaysia, Tonga and Swaziland) have
monarchs of their own. The 49 countries have a
population of around one billion. The
Commonwealth has one unifying factor: the Queen
as its head. It is noteworthy, if not miraculous, that
there has been this continuity, that the monarch of
the imperialist nation should be accepted with
18) VITRIOL : BITTER
A) hindsight : perfect
B) alabaster : white
C) buoyancy : light
D) equilibrium : just
E) jubilation : biblical
19) INVECTIVE : BLAME
A) homage : copy
B) grandeur : admire
C) duplicity : increase
D) depravity : corrupt
E) masonry : construct
20) VERNACULAR : REGIONAL
A) leaf : autumnal
B) senator : dissentious
C) fluctuation : irregular
D) budget : austere
E) autopsy : fatal
affection and respect by the newly independent
sovereign states. The reason lies in the status the
Commonwealth offers, and in the framework it
provides for useful work to be done. It is
remarkable, for example, that all Commonwealth
countries, without exception, gave Britain moral
support during the Falklands crisis. The
Commonwealth has seen much disunity as well,
and a number of countries have ceased to be
members, usually for political reasons. In 1948,
Palestine became Israel. In 1949, the Republic of
Ireland, neutral during the *39-*45 war, also left.
In 1972, after war with India, and the creation of
Bangladesh, Pakistan also departed. But the most
significant departure has been that of South Africa,
in 1961. The key issue of the Commonwealth is, of
course, race, and in particular hostility to racism as
practised by white people. For the past 15 years
the focus of attention has been upon South Africa,
especially upon the severing of sporting links with
that country. The refusal of the former Thatcher
government to impose economic sanctions on the
apartheid-ridden country has caused tension not
only between Britain and other Commonwealth
countries, but also between the Queen and her
Prime Minister. The Queen has to remain above all
the issues, all the arguments. That she does so is
one of the wonders of modern politics. The very
looseness of the Commonwealth may be its
greatest virtue, given the number of one-party
states, military dictatorships, and personal regimes
within it. Each member takes or gives what the
realpolitik of its own government requires.
Through the Commonwealth, for example, Canada
has attained a degree of influence among Third
World countries which otherwise would never
21. With whom is the Queen identified?
A. A policy of political realism.
B. Stalin.
C. Alice in Wonderland.
D. Bismarck.
22. Why is the Commonwealth compared to the
Catholic church?
A. It has no army.
B. It is like a fairy story.
C. It is concerned with influence rather than
political power.
D. It is a worldwide organisation.
23. How did relations between the British
government and other Commonwealth members
become strained?
A. It invaded the Falklands.
Passage 2
A violent storm has threatened the first voyage of
the ship Nan-Shan. This excerpt from a work of
fiction portrays several crew members, including
the first mate, Jukes, as they confront the storm.
Jukes was as ready a man as any half-
dozen young mates that may be caught by casting
a net upon the waters; and though he had been
somewhat taken aback by the startling viciousness
of the first squall, he had pulled himself together
on the instant, had called out the hands, and had
rushed them along to secure such openings about
the deck as had not been already battened down
earlier in the evening.
Shouting in his fresh, stentorian
voice, Jump, boys, and bear a hand! he
led in the work, telling himself the while that he
had just expected this. But at the same time he
was growing aware that this was rather more than
he had expected. From the first stir of the air felt
on his cheek the gale seemed to take upon itself
have been possible. But the Commonwealth is also
limited: for military help in a domestic crisis,
Grenada had to turn to the United States. Still,
Alice in Wonderland or not, a two-metre high
portrait of the Queen does hang outside the
entrance to Zimbabwe*s Senate. An official
explained: She*s not there because we love the
royal family, but because she is the head of the
Commonwealth.
B. It continued to trade with South Africa.
C. It cut aid to developing nations.
D. It joined the EU.
24. By what criteria can member states of the
Commonwealth be recognised?
A. They recognise the Queen as Head of State.
B. English is their official language.
C. They are former colonies.
D. They are members of the Commonwealth.
25. Why is it necessary for members of the
Commonwealth to be tolerant of each other?
A. They have various political systems.
B. They have language problems.
C. Communication is not always easy.
D. Some of them are racist.
the accumulated impetus of an avalanche. Heavy
sprays enveloped the Nan-Shan from stem to
stern, and instantly in the midst of her regular
rolling she began to jerk and plunge as though she
had gone mad with fright.
Jukes thought, This is no joke. While he was
exchanging explanatory yells with his captain, a
sudden lowering of the darkness came upon the
night, falling before their vision like something
palpable.
It was as if the masked lights of the
world had been turned down. Jukes was
uncritically glad to have his captain at
hand. It relieved him as though that man had, by
simply coming on deck, taken
most of the gales weight upon his shoulders. Such
is the prestige, the privilege, and
the burden of command. Captain MacWhirr could
expect no relief of that sort from anyone on earth.
 Such is the loneliness of command. He
was trying to see, with that watchful manner
of a seaman who stares into the winds eye as if
into the eye of an adversary, to penetrate the
hidden intention and guess the aim and force of
the thrust. The strong
26. The description of Jukes as as
ready a man as any half-dozen young mates
that may be caught by casting a net upon the
waters means that he
A. is better at fishing than other men on his
ship.
B. is a good catch because he has had many
years of experience.
C. is as generally capable as other first mates.
D. does the work of six men.
27. What was Jukes doing while the crew
rushed about the deck?
A.He was watching them.
B. He was working alongside them.
C. He was searching for the captain.
D. He was urging the men to jump overboard.
28. Jukes most likely told himself that he had
just expected this in order to
A. reassure himself.
Passage 3
Recent animal behavior studies have found that
most species appear to spend a great deal of time
resting. Monkeys, for example, spend three-
quarters of their waking hours just sitting, while
hummingbirds perch
motionless about 80 percent of every day.
Giving the lie to the old fables about the unflagging
industriousness of ants, bees, beavers, and the like,
a new specialty known as time budget analysis
reveals that the great majority of creatures spend
most of their time doing nothing much at all. They
eat when they must or can. Some species build a
makeshift shelter now and again; others fulfill the
occasional social obligation, like picking out fleas
from a fellow creatures fur.
A fair analysis of animal inactivity shows it
is almost never born of aimless indolence, but
instead serves a broad variety of purposes. Some
animals lounge around to conserve precious
wind swept at him out of a vast obscurity; he felt
under his feet the uneasiness of his ship, and he
could not even discern the shadow of her shape.
He wished it were not so; and very still he waited
B. reassure the crew.
C. appear experienced to the captain.
D. hide his fear from the crew.
29. How did Jukes feel when Captain MacWhirr
came on deck?
A. Angry
B. Fearful
C. Surprised
D. Comforted
30. The author has used the
storm as an opportunity to do which of the
following?
A. Suggest that there is conflict developing
between Jukes and the captain
B. Portray weaknesses in Jukess character
C. Contrast the captains position of responsibility
with Jukess position
D. Describe the various measures that must
be taken while sailing a ship during severe weather
calories, others to improve digestion of the calories
they have consumed. Some do it to stay cool,
others to keep warm.
The hunted is best camouflaged when its
not fidgeting or fussing, and so too is the hunter,
who wishes to remain concealed until the optimal
moment for attack. Some creatures linger quietly
in their territory to
guard it, and others stay home to avoid being
cannibalized by their neighbors. Even the busy
bees or worker ants dedicate only about 20
percent of the day to doing chores like
gathering nectar or tidying up the nest. Otherwise,
the insects stay still. The myth of the tireless social
insect probably arose from observations of entire
hives or anthills, which are little galaxies of
ceaseless activity.
But now that scientists have learned to
tag individual insects to see what each does from
one moment to the next, they find that any single
bee or ant has a lot of surplus time.
Biologists studying animals at rest turn to
sophisticated mathematical models, resembling
those used by economists, which take into account
an animals energy demands, fertility rate, the
relative
abundance and location of food and water,
weather conditions, and other factors. They do
extensive cost- benefit analyses, asking questions
like: How high is the cost of foraging compared
with the potential
calories that may be gained? Such a calculation
involves not only a measure of how much energy
an animal burns as it rummages about relative to
31. The passage suggests that the primary
reason for animal inactivity is
A. greed.
B. illness.
C. boredom.
D. self-preservation.
32. What does indolence (line 6) mean?
A. Dissatisfaction
B. Exhaustion
C. Instinct
D. Laziness
33. What innovation allowed biologists to
discover that certain species of insects
were less active than had previously been
supposed?
A. Recently developed mathematical formulas
B. Computer programs that generate
cost-benefit analyses
C. The ability to mark and keep track of
individual members of the species
D. The reconstruction of natural habitats in
laboratory conditions
Passage 4
Many great inventions are greeted with ridicule
and disbelief. The invention of the airplane was no
exception. Although many people who heard
what it would spend resting, but also a
consideration of, for
example, how hot it will become in motion, and
thus how much of its stored water will be needed
to evaporate away heat to cool the body.
Once they complete their computations,
the biologists usually acknowledge their respect
for the animals decision to lie low. Humans
generally spend more time working than do other
creatures. One reason for human diligence is that
we can often override our impulses to slow down.
Many humans are driven to work hard by a
singular desire to gather resources far beyond
what is required for survival. Squirrels collect what
they need to make it through one winter; only
humans worry about college bills or retirement.
34. According to the passage, what is one way
biologists use models like those used by
economists?
A. To measure and compare the caloric
expenditures of various activities
B. To study the division of labor in various
animal colonies
C. To predict animal behavior based on
weather patterns
D. To monitor the feeding habits of animals
35. What is the most likely reason that
biologists usually acknowledge their
respect for the animals decision to lie low?
A. Their fieldwork made them experience
firsthand the dangers animals cope with
in the wild.
B. Their studies show that rest periods are
necessary for safety and for conservation
of the animals energy.
C. They think animals who work in short,
efficient bursts and then take long rests
provide a sensible model for humans.
D. They observe that species that rest more
seem to have lower stress levels.
about the first powered flight on December
17,1903, were excited and impressed, others
reacted with peals of laughter. The idea of flying an
aircraft was repulsive to some people. Such people
called Wilbur and Orville Wright, the inventors of
the first flying machine, impulsive fools. Negative
reactions, however, did not stop the Wrights.
Impelled by their desire to succeed, they continued
their experiments in aviation.
Orville and Wilbur Wright had always had
a compelling interest in aeronautics and
mechanics. As young boys they earned money by
making and selling kites and mechanical toys.
Later, they designed a newspaper-folding machine,
built a printing press, and operated a bicycle-repair
shop. In 1896, when they read about the death of
Otto Lilienthal, the brother's interest in flight grew
into a compulsion. Lilienthal, a pioneer in hang-
gliding, had controlled his gliders by shifting his
body in the desired direction. This idea was
repellent to the Wright brothers, however, and
they searched for more efficient methods to
control the balance of airborne vehicles. In 1900
and 1901, the Wrights tested numerous gliders and
developed control techniques. The brothers'
inability to obtain enough lift power for the gliders
almost led them to abandon their efforts. After
further study, the Wright brothers concluded that
the published tables of air pressure on curved
surfaces must be wrong.
They set up a wind tunnel and began a
series of experiments with model wings. Because
of their efforts, the old tables were repealed in
time and replaced by the first reliable figures for
air pressure on curved surfaces. This work, in turn,
made it possible for them to design a machine that
would fly. In 1903 the Wrights built their first
airplane, which cost less than one thousand
dollars.
They even designed and built their own
source of propulsion- a lightweight gasoline
engine. When they started the engine on
December 17, the airplane pulsated wildly before
taking off. The plane managed to stay aloft for
twelve seconds, however, and it flew one hundred
twenty feet. By 1905 the Wrights had perfected
the first airplane that could turn, circle, and remain
airborne for half an hour at a time. Others had
flown in balloons or in hang gliders, but the Wright
brothers were the first to build a full-size machine
that could fly under its own power. As the
contributors of one of the most outstanding
engineering achievements in history, the Wright
brothers are accurately called the fathers of
aviation.
36. People thought that the Wright brothers had
A. acted without thinking
B. been negatively influenced
C. been too cautious
D. had not given enough thought
E. acted in a negative way

37. The Wright's interest in flight grew into a ____.

A. financial empire
B. plan
C. need to act
D. foolish thought
E. answer not in article

38. Lilenthal's idea about controlling airborne vehicles was ___the Wrights.
A. proven wrong by
B. opposite to the ideas of
C. disliked by
D. accepted by
E. opposed by

39. The old tables were __ and replaced by the first reliable figures for air pressure on curved surfaces.
A. destroyed
B. canceled
C. multiplied
D. discarded
E. not used

40. The Wrights designed and built their own source of ____.
A. force for moving forward
B. force for turning around
C. turning
D. force to going backward
E. none of the above