Time allowed: 29-30 minutes Total questions: 18
Part 1: Reading & Writing: Fill in the Blanks
Below is a text with blanks. Select the appropriate word from the dropdown list for each blank.
Question 1-6
Passage: The Philosophy of Consciousness
Consciousness remains one of the most 1 {{ANSWER:1}} problems in philosophy and science. Despite remarkable advances in neuroscience, we still lack a satisfactory explanation for how physical processes in the brain give rise to subjective experience—what philosophers call the "hard problem" of consciousness. We can 2 {{ANSWER:2}} neural correlates of conscious states, identifying which brain regions activate during particular experiences, yet this leaves unexplained why these processes feel like anything at all. Some theorists argue that consciousness is an 3 {{ANSWER:3}} property that cannot be reduced to physical explanations, while others maintain that future scientific progress will eventually 4 {{ANSWER:4}} the mystery. The question has practical implications for artificial intelligence: if we cannot define what consciousness is, how can we determine whether machines might possess it? Similarly, debates about consciousness inform medical ethics regarding patients in vegetative states and the moral 5 {{ANSWER:5}} of animals. Whether consciousness is uniquely human, shared with other species, or potentially achievable by artificial systems remains deeply 6 {{ANSWER:6}}.
1 Options: perplexing, perpendicular, permeating, perpetuating
2 Options: identify, identical, identity, idealize
3 Options: emergent, emergency, emerging, emerged
4 Options: dissolve, resolve, revolve, evolve
5 Options: status, statue, static, statistics
6 Options: contested, contented, contacted, contracted
Part 2: Re-order Paragraphs
The text boxes below have been placed in a random order. Restore the original order.
Question 7-9
A These developments have revolutionized fields from medicine to materials science, enabling targeted drug delivery, more efficient solar cells, and ultra-strong materials with remarkable properties.
B Nanotechnology involves the manipulation of matter at the atomic and molecular scale, typically dealing with structures between 1 and 100 nanometers—roughly the size of a few atoms to a virus.
C At this scale, materials often exhibit properties dramatically different from their bulk counterparts, as quantum effects and the enormous surface-area-to-volume ratio become dominant factors.
Correct order:
7 {{ANSWER:7}} → 8 {{ANSWER:8}} → 9 {{ANSWER:9}}
Part 3: Reading: Fill in the Blanks
Below is a text with blanks. Drag and drop the words from the word bank to complete the text.
Question 10-14
Passage: The Evolution of Democracy
Democracy has evolved considerably from its origins in ancient Athens, where citizens participated directly in political decisions but citizenship excluded women, slaves, and foreigners. Modern representative democracy emerged gradually, with the 10 {{ANSWER:10}} of voting rights expanding over centuries through often contentious struggles. The twentieth century witnessed democracy's global spread, though its forms vary 11 {{ANSWER:11}} across nations with different electoral systems, institutional structures, and balances between majority rule and minority protections. Contemporary challenges include declining voter participation, the influence of money in politics, and the rise of populist movements that sometimes 12 {{ANSWER:12}} democratic norms. Digital technology presents both opportunities for civic engagement and risks of manipulation through targeted misinformation. Scholars debate whether democracy is in 13 {{ANSWER:13}} globally or merely experiencing growing pains as it adapts to new circumstances. The resilience of democratic institutions ultimately depends on citizens' commitment to 14 {{ANSWER:14}} participation in self-governance.
Word Bank: decline, franchise, considerably, undermine, sustaining, active, passive
Part 4: Multiple Choice, Choose Single Answer
Read the text and answer the multiple-choice question by selecting the correct response. Only one response is correct.
Question 15
Passage: The Paradox of Choice
While modern consumer societies celebrate the freedom to choose from abundant options, psychological research suggests that excessive choice can paradoxically reduce satisfaction and wellbeing. When presented with too many alternatives, people may feel overwhelmed, experience decision paralysis, or suffer regret after choosing, wondering whether a different option might have been better. The phenomenon appears strongest for important decisions where options are similar and trade-offs are difficult to evaluate. Cultural factors matter: individuals from societies that emphasize personal autonomy report greater stress from choice overload than those from more collectivist cultures. Marketers have responded by curating recommendations and simplifying product lines, recognizing that reducing options can actually increase sales. However, the relationship between choice and satisfaction is complex—too little choice also reduces wellbeing. The optimal amount likely varies by individual, context, and the nature of the decision.
Question 15: What does the passage suggest about the relationship between choice and satisfaction?
A. More choice always leads to greater satisfaction B. Eliminating choice entirely maximizes wellbeing C. The relationship is complex, with both too much and too little choice reducing wellbeing D. Cultural factors have no influence on how people experience choice
{{ANSWER:15}}
Question 16
Passage: Rewilding Initiatives
Rewilding represents a conservation approach that aims to restore ecosystems by reintroducing species and allowing natural processes to resume with minimal human management. Unlike traditional conservation, which often focuses on preserving specific species or habitats in their current state, rewilding embraces ecological dynamism and the restoration of food webs and trophic cascades. The reintroduction of wolves to Yellowstone National Park demonstrated how apex predators can trigger profound ecosystem changes, altering elk behaviour in ways that allowed vegetation to recover along rivers, stabilizing stream banks and benefiting numerous other species. European rewilding projects have reintroduced bison, horses, and other large herbivores to create more dynamic landscapes. Critics raise concerns about conflicts with agriculture, safety risks from large predators, and questions about which historical baseline should guide restoration. Proponents argue that rewilding offers scalable, cost-effective conservation that can also address climate change through carbon sequestration in restored ecosystems.
Question 16: According to the passage, how does rewilding differ from traditional conservation?
A. It focuses exclusively on preserving current habitats B. It embraces ecological change and restoration of natural processes C. It avoids reintroducing any animal species D. It requires intensive ongoing human management
{{ANSWER:16}}
Part 5: Multiple Choice, Choose Multiple Answers
Read the text and answer the question by selecting all the correct responses. More than one response is correct.
Question 17
Passage: The Sharing Economy
The sharing economy encompasses platforms that facilitate peer-to-peer exchange of goods, services, and resources, from ride-sharing and home rentals to tool libraries and skill exchanges. Proponents argue these platforms increase efficiency by utilizing underused assets, provide income opportunities, and build community connections. Environmental benefits may include reduced consumption as sharing replaces ownership. However, the sharing economy has faced criticism on multiple fronts. Labour concerns arise when platforms classify workers as independent contractors, denying them employment protections and benefits. Regulatory questions emerge when sharing services compete with traditional businesses subject to different rules. Housing platforms have been blamed for reducing affordable rental stock in tourist destinations. The term "sharing" itself is contested, as many platforms are profit-driven intermediaries rather than genuine peer exchanges. As the sector matures, finding appropriate regulatory frameworks that preserve innovation while addressing legitimate concerns remains an ongoing challenge.
Question 17: According to the passage, what criticisms has the sharing economy faced?
A. Labour concerns about worker classification B. Excessive regulation hindering innovation C. Impact on affordable housing in tourist areas D. Environmental damage from increased consumption E. Competition with differently regulated traditional businesses
{{ANSWER:17}}
Question 18
Passage: Epigenetics and Environment
Epigenetics studies how environmental factors can influence gene expression without altering the underlying DNA sequence. Chemical modifications to DNA and associated proteins can switch genes on or off, affecting which proteins are produced and how cells function. These epigenetic changes can be triggered by diet, stress, toxin exposure, and other environmental factors. Remarkably, some epigenetic modifications appear to be heritable, potentially transmitting the effects of ancestral experiences across generations. Studies of famine survivors have found metabolic differences in their grandchildren, suggesting transgenerational inheritance of environmentally-induced changes. This challenges the traditional view that inheritance occurs only through DNA sequences and raises questions about how quickly organisms can adapt to environmental pressures. Epigenetics also has implications for understanding disease, as cancer and other conditions involve epigenetic dysregulation. The field opens possibilities for interventions that might reverse harmful epigenetic changes, though such applications remain largely experimental.
Question 18: What does the passage indicate about epigenetics?
A. Environmental factors can influence gene expression B. Epigenetic changes always alter the DNA sequence C. Some epigenetic modifications may be inherited across generations D. Diet and stress can trigger epigenetic changes E. Epigenetic changes are impossible to reverse
{{ANSWER:18}}