Section A

Directions: For each blank in the following passage there are four words or phrases marked A, B, C and D. Fill in each blank with the word or phrase that best fits the context

　　　 People often ask which is the most difficult language to learn, and it is not easy to answer because there are many factors to take into consideration. Firstly, in a first language the differences are　 (66)　 as people learn their mother tongue naturally, so the question of how hard a language is to learn is only　 (67 )　 when learning a second language.

　　　 A native speaker of Spanish,　 (68)　 , will find Portuguese much easier to learn than a native speaker of Chinese, because Portuguese is very similar to Spanish,　 　(69)　 　Chinese is very different. So first language can 　(70)　 　learning a second language. The greater the differences between the second language and our first are, the　 　(71)　 　it will be for most people to learn. Many people answer that Chinese is the hardest language to learn, possibly 　(72) 　by the thought of learning the Chinese writing system, and the pronunciation of Chinese does appear to be very difficult for many foreign learners. 　(73) 　, for Japanese speakers, who already use Chinese characters in their own language, learning 　(74)　 will be less difficult than for speakers of languages using the Roman alphabet.

　　　 Some people seem to learn languages　 (75) 　, while others find it very difficult. Teachers and the 　(76)　 　in which the language is learned also play an important role, as well as each learner's motivation for learning. If people learn a language because they need to use it 　(77)　 , they often learn it faster than people studying a language that has no direct use in their day to day life.

　　　 Difference cultures and 　(78)　 from those cultures will find different languages more difficult. No language is easy to learn well,　 　(79)　 languages which are related to our first language are easier. Learning a completely different writing system is a huge　 　(80)　　 , but that does not necessarily make a language more difficult than another.

　　　 66. A. apparent　　　　　　　 B. extensive　　　　　　　　　 C. decline　　　　　　　　　　 D. unimportant

　　　 67. A. relevant　　　　 　　 B. permanent　　　　 　　 C. essential　　　　　　　　　 D. progressive

　　　 68. A. by contrast　　　　　 B. in addition　　　　　 　　 C. for example　　　　　　　 　　 D. after all

　　　 69. A. when　　　　　　　　　 B. while　　　　　　　　　　　　 C. where 　　　　　　　　　　 D. whether

　　　 70. A. affect　　　　　　　　 B. achieve　　　　　　　　　　 C. attach　　　　 　　　 　　 D. assemble

　　　 71. A. easier　　　　　　　　　 B. harder　　　　　　　 　　 C. faster　　　　　　　　　　　 D. slower

　　　 72. A. inherited 　　　　　　 B. overtaken 　　　　 　　C. influenced 　　　　 　　D. restricted

　　　 73. A. However 　　　　　 B. Moreover　　　　　　　　 C. Therefore　　　　　　　　 D. Anyhow

　　　 74. A. speaking　　　　　　 B. listening　　　　　　　　　　 C. reading 　　　　　　　　　 D. writing

　　　 75. A. gradually　　　　　　 B. steadily　　　　　　　　　　 C. readily　　　　　　　 　　 D.subconsciously

　　　 76. A. learners 　　　　　　 B. materials 　　　　　　　　 C. tutors 　　　　　　　 　　　　D.circumstances

　　　 77. A. occasionally 　　 B. professionally　　　　　　 C. properly　　　　　　　　　 D. informally

　　　 78. A. societies 　　　　　　 B. characters 　　　　 　　C. individuals　　　　 　　 D. visitors

　　　 79. A. as 　　　　　　　　　　 B. though　　　　　　　　　　 　　 C. because　　　　　　　　　　 D. since

　　　 80. A. success　　　　　　　 　　 B. surprise　　　　　　　　　　 C. opportunity　　　　 　　 D. challenge

Section B

Directions: Read the following four passages. Each passage is followed by several questions or unfinished statements. For each of them there are four choices marked A, B, C and D. Choose the one that fits best according to the information given in the passage you have just read

(A)

81. Which of the following is TRUE about Brian Wilson?

　　 A. He was a good film producer.　　　　　 B. He could play all musical instruments.

　　 C. He was considered the best director ever. D. He was devoted to American rock music.

82. “The Age of Innocence" is ______

　　 A. a movie about the past America　　　　 B. a TV show about children

　　 C. the name of a music album　　　　　　 D. a movie about Italian-American

83. The three artists mentioned in the passage are all _____.

　　 A. talented actors　　　　　　　　　　 B. famous musicians

C. remarkable performers　　　　　　　 D. Academy Award Winners

65. Their loud parties have recently caused a number of ___from the other people in their apartment.

　 A. troubles　 　　　　 B. dislikes　 　　　　　　　　　　　 C. complaints　 　 D. problems

64. In his talk Dr. Lin ___to the help he received from his colleagues in his research.

　 A. mentioned　 　　　 B. expressed　 　　　　　　　　　 C. referred　 　　　　　　　 D. touched

63. If a baby bird stays ___ for two or three weeks after leaving the nest, it has a fair

　chance of becoming an adult.

　 A. living　　　　　　　　　 B. lively　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 C. alive　　　　　　　　　 D. live

62. Mother’s death came as a great ___ to all of us, because it was so unexpected.

　 A. shake　　　　　　　　　 B. threat　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 C. shock　　　　　　　 D. response

61. During the Gulf War in 1991, the Iraqi troops ___ heavy losses.

　 A. received　　　　　　　 B. suffered　　　　　　　　　　　　　 C. suffered from 　 D. accepted

60. Don’t expect a(n) __ success because Rome was not built in a day.

　 A. fast　　　　　　　　　　 B. instant　　　　　　　　　　　 C. constant　　　　　　 D. rapid

59. Any passenger who has booked the plane ticket must ___ it 3 days before the departure

　 date.

　 A. claim　　　　　　　　　 B. confirm　　　　　　　　　　　　　 C. declare　　　　　　　 D. replace

58. It is obvious that boys are more naughty than girls by ___.

　 A. nature　　　　　　　　 B. character　　　　　　　　　 C. action　　　　　　　 D. attitude

57. It is clear that when the two substances are mixed, a certain kind of energy will be ___.

　 A. released　　　　　　　 B. removed　　　　　　　　　 C. replaced　　　　　　　　　 D. reflected