The document discusses the plight of Dent Station in Yorkshire, England. It is the highest main-line railway station in England but has been officially closed since 1970, only opening a few weekends per summer. The line it is on, the scenic Settle to Carlisle line, is threatened with closure due to British Rail's financial problems. Many rural branch lines in northern England face a similar threat as infrastructure like bridges and tunnels age without funds for repairs. Major lines between cities remain profitable but country branch lines see declining maintenance, leading to slower journeys and fewer customers.
FellowBuddy.com is a platform which has been setup with a simple vision, keeping in mind the dynamic requirements of students.
Our Vision & Mission - Simplifying Students Life
Our Belief - “The great breakthrough in your life comes when you realize it, that you can learn anything you need to learn; to accomplish any goal that you have set for yourself. This means there are no limits on what you can be, have or do.”
Like Us - https://www.facebook.com/FellowBuddycom-446240585585480
FellowBuddy.com is a platform which has been setup with a simple vision, keeping in mind the dynamic requirements of students.
Our Vision & Mission - Simplifying Students Life
Our Belief - “The great breakthrough in your life comes when you realize it, that you can learn anything you need to learn; to accomplish any goal that you have set for yourself. This means there are no limits on what you can be, have or do.”
Like Us - https://www.facebook.com/FellowBuddycom-446240585585480
RRB Conducts NTPC exam to recruit Commercial apprentice, Goods guard, Traffic Apprentice, Traffic Assistant, Assistant Station Master for all over India.
Exam and results provide the previous year question papers and regarding RRB NTCP exam and gives the detail upadates on it.
JMeter webinar - integration with InfluxDB and GrafanaRTTS
Watch this recorded webinar about real-time monitoring of application performance. See how to integrate Apache JMeter, the open-source leader in performance testing, with InfluxDB, the open-source time-series database, and Grafana, the open-source analytics and visualization application.
In this webinar, we will review the benefits of leveraging InfluxDB and Grafana when executing load tests and demonstrate how these tools are used to visualize performance metrics.
Length: 30 minutes
Session Overview
-------------------------------------------
During this webinar, we will cover the following topics while demonstrating the integrations of JMeter, InfluxDB and Grafana:
- What out-of-the-box solutions are available for real-time monitoring JMeter tests?
- What are the benefits of integrating InfluxDB and Grafana into the load testing stack?
- Which features are provided by Grafana?
- Demonstration of InfluxDB and Grafana using a practice web application
To view the webinar recording, go to:
https://www.rttsweb.com/jmeter-integration-webinar
Dev Dives: Train smarter, not harder – active learning and UiPath LLMs for do...UiPathCommunity
💥 Speed, accuracy, and scaling – discover the superpowers of GenAI in action with UiPath Document Understanding and Communications Mining™:
See how to accelerate model training and optimize model performance with active learning
Learn about the latest enhancements to out-of-the-box document processing – with little to no training required
Get an exclusive demo of the new family of UiPath LLMs – GenAI models specialized for processing different types of documents and messages
This is a hands-on session specifically designed for automation developers and AI enthusiasts seeking to enhance their knowledge in leveraging the latest intelligent document processing capabilities offered by UiPath.
Speakers:
👨🏫 Andras Palfi, Senior Product Manager, UiPath
👩🏫 Lenka Dulovicova, Product Program Manager, UiPath
Search and Society: Reimagining Information Access for Radical FuturesBhaskar Mitra
The field of Information retrieval (IR) is currently undergoing a transformative shift, at least partly due to the emerging applications of generative AI to information access. In this talk, we will deliberate on the sociotechnical implications of generative AI for information access. We will argue that there is both a critical necessity and an exciting opportunity for the IR community to re-center our research agendas on societal needs while dismantling the artificial separation between the work on fairness, accountability, transparency, and ethics in IR and the rest of IR research. Instead of adopting a reactionary strategy of trying to mitigate potential social harms from emerging technologies, the community should aim to proactively set the research agenda for the kinds of systems we should build inspired by diverse explicitly stated sociotechnical imaginaries. The sociotechnical imaginaries that underpin the design and development of information access technologies needs to be explicitly articulated, and we need to develop theories of change in context of these diverse perspectives. Our guiding future imaginaries must be informed by other academic fields, such as democratic theory and critical theory, and should be co-developed with social science scholars, legal scholars, civil rights and social justice activists, and artists, among others.
State of ICS and IoT Cyber Threat Landscape Report 2024 previewPrayukth K V
The IoT and OT threat landscape report has been prepared by the Threat Research Team at Sectrio using data from Sectrio, cyber threat intelligence farming facilities spread across over 85 cities around the world. In addition, Sectrio also runs AI-based advanced threat and payload engagement facilities that serve as sinks to attract and engage sophisticated threat actors, and newer malware including new variants and latent threats that are at an earlier stage of development.
The latest edition of the OT/ICS and IoT security Threat Landscape Report 2024 also covers:
State of global ICS asset and network exposure
Sectoral targets and attacks as well as the cost of ransom
Global APT activity, AI usage, actor and tactic profiles, and implications
Rise in volumes of AI-powered cyberattacks
Major cyber events in 2024
Malware and malicious payload trends
Cyberattack types and targets
Vulnerability exploit attempts on CVEs
Attacks on counties – USA
Expansion of bot farms – how, where, and why
In-depth analysis of the cyber threat landscape across North America, South America, Europe, APAC, and the Middle East
Why are attacks on smart factories rising?
Cyber risk predictions
Axis of attacks – Europe
Systemic attacks in the Middle East
Download the full report from here:
https://sectrio.com/resources/ot-threat-landscape-reports/sectrio-releases-ot-ics-and-iot-security-threat-landscape-report-2024/
UiPath Test Automation using UiPath Test Suite series, part 4DianaGray10
Welcome to UiPath Test Automation using UiPath Test Suite series part 4. In this session, we will cover Test Manager overview along with SAP heatmap.
The UiPath Test Manager overview with SAP heatmap webinar offers a concise yet comprehensive exploration of the role of a Test Manager within SAP environments, coupled with the utilization of heatmaps for effective testing strategies.
Participants will gain insights into the responsibilities, challenges, and best practices associated with test management in SAP projects. Additionally, the webinar delves into the significance of heatmaps as a visual aid for identifying testing priorities, areas of risk, and resource allocation within SAP landscapes. Through this session, attendees can expect to enhance their understanding of test management principles while learning practical approaches to optimize testing processes in SAP environments using heatmap visualization techniques
What will you get from this session?
1. Insights into SAP testing best practices
2. Heatmap utilization for testing
3. Optimization of testing processes
4. Demo
Topics covered:
Execution from the test manager
Orchestrator execution result
Defect reporting
SAP heatmap example with demo
Speaker:
Deepak Rai, Automation Practice Lead, Boundaryless Group and UiPath MVP
LF Energy Webinar: Electrical Grid Modelling and Simulation Through PowSyBl -...DanBrown980551
Do you want to learn how to model and simulate an electrical network from scratch in under an hour?
Then welcome to this PowSyBl workshop, hosted by Rte, the French Transmission System Operator (TSO)!
During the webinar, you will discover the PowSyBl ecosystem as well as handle and study an electrical network through an interactive Python notebook.
PowSyBl is an open source project hosted by LF Energy, which offers a comprehensive set of features for electrical grid modelling and simulation. Among other advanced features, PowSyBl provides:
- A fully editable and extendable library for grid component modelling;
- Visualization tools to display your network;
- Grid simulation tools, such as power flows, security analyses (with or without remedial actions) and sensitivity analyses;
The framework is mostly written in Java, with a Python binding so that Python developers can access PowSyBl functionalities as well.
What you will learn during the webinar:
- For beginners: discover PowSyBl's functionalities through a quick general presentation and the notebook, without needing any expert coding skills;
- For advanced developers: master the skills to efficiently apply PowSyBl functionalities to your real-world scenarios.
GraphRAG is All You need? LLM & Knowledge GraphGuy Korland
Guy Korland, CEO and Co-founder of FalkorDB, will review two articles on the integration of language models with knowledge graphs.
1. Unifying Large Language Models and Knowledge Graphs: A Roadmap.
https://arxiv.org/abs/2306.08302
2. Microsoft Research's GraphRAG paper and a review paper on various uses of knowledge graphs:
https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/research/blog/graphrag-unlocking-llm-discovery-on-narrative-private-data/
PHP Frameworks: I want to break free (IPC Berlin 2024)Ralf Eggert
In this presentation, we examine the challenges and limitations of relying too heavily on PHP frameworks in web development. We discuss the history of PHP and its frameworks to understand how this dependence has evolved. The focus will be on providing concrete tips and strategies to reduce reliance on these frameworks, based on real-world examples and practical considerations. The goal is to equip developers with the skills and knowledge to create more flexible and future-proof web applications. We'll explore the importance of maintaining autonomy in a rapidly changing tech landscape and how to make informed decisions in PHP development.
This talk is aimed at encouraging a more independent approach to using PHP frameworks, moving towards a more flexible and future-proof approach to PHP development.
GDG Cloud Southlake #33: Boule & Rebala: Effective AppSec in SDLC using Deplo...James Anderson
Effective Application Security in Software Delivery lifecycle using Deployment Firewall and DBOM
The modern software delivery process (or the CI/CD process) includes many tools, distributed teams, open-source code, and cloud platforms. Constant focus on speed to release software to market, along with the traditional slow and manual security checks has caused gaps in continuous security as an important piece in the software supply chain. Today organizations feel more susceptible to external and internal cyber threats due to the vast attack surface in their applications supply chain and the lack of end-to-end governance and risk management.
The software team must secure its software delivery process to avoid vulnerability and security breaches. This needs to be achieved with existing tool chains and without extensive rework of the delivery processes. This talk will present strategies and techniques for providing visibility into the true risk of the existing vulnerabilities, preventing the introduction of security issues in the software, resolving vulnerabilities in production environments quickly, and capturing the deployment bill of materials (DBOM).
Speakers:
Bob Boule
Robert Boule is a technology enthusiast with PASSION for technology and making things work along with a knack for helping others understand how things work. He comes with around 20 years of solution engineering experience in application security, software continuous delivery, and SaaS platforms. He is known for his dynamic presentations in CI/CD and application security integrated in software delivery lifecycle.
Gopinath Rebala
Gopinath Rebala is the CTO of OpsMx, where he has overall responsibility for the machine learning and data processing architectures for Secure Software Delivery. Gopi also has a strong connection with our customers, leading design and architecture for strategic implementations. Gopi is a frequent speaker and well-known leader in continuous delivery and integrating security into software delivery.
Key Trends Shaping the Future of Infrastructure.pdfCheryl Hung
Keynote at DIGIT West Expo, Glasgow on 29 May 2024.
Cheryl Hung, ochery.com
Sr Director, Infrastructure Ecosystem, Arm.
The key trends across hardware, cloud and open-source; exploring how these areas are likely to mature and develop over the short and long-term, and then considering how organisations can position themselves to adapt and thrive.
Key Trends Shaping the Future of Infrastructure.pdf
Tailieu.vncty.com trac nghiem tong hop trinh do c bai 8
1. ĐỀ THI CCQG C
1. A child's first five years are important as far as learning is ...
a) hit
b) worried
c) touched
d) concerned
2. Many students find it difficult to make ... meet on their small grants.
a) ends
b) circles
c) points
d) edges
3. At parties people .... to talk about jobs and money.
a) habit
b) tend
c) accustom
d) keep
4. He ... the bank manager that he could repay the loan.
a) assured
b) ensured
c) ascertained
d) insured
5. He considers shares to be a good long ... investment.
a) term
b) age
c) run
d) time
2. 6. He drank very little ... the police caught him as he drove home.
a) in the event
b) otherwise
c) despite
d) in case
7. The pub was so crowded that he could ... get to the bar.
a) almost
b) quite
c) barely
d) merely
8. He lost all his money through ... on cards and horses.
a) playing
b) risking
c) gambling
d) speculating
9. All the ... of the dance went on charity.
a) results
b) proceeds
c) rewards
d) finances
10. Being a teacher, she shops at stores which offer a ... to teachers.
a) discount
b) subtration
c) subsidy
d) rebate
3. 11. That cupboard must always be ... carefully locked.
a) guarded
b) shut
c) closed
d) kept
12. He ... in the doorway in order to light his cigarette.
a) arrested
b) paused
c) entered
d) hung
13. His ... of the aeroplane was correct in every detail and could really
fly.
a) shape
b) pattern
c) design
d) model
14. His name was on the ... of my tongue, but I just couldn't remember it.
a) end
b) point
c) edge
d) tip
15. An early typewriter produced letters quickly and neatly; the typist, ...
couldn't see his work on this machine.
a) however
b) yet
c) therefore
d) although
4. 16. Because of the low ceiling the bookcase was much too ... to go into the
room.
a) tall
b) grand
c) lengthy
d) deep
17. John ... a great deal about examinations.
a) worries
b) troubles
c) prepares
d) annoys
18. The garden ... as far as the river.
a) advances
b) lies
c) extends
d) develops
19. A narrow road ... the stream to the other side of the park.
a) joins
b) crossed
c) unites
d) passes
20. She tried to ... out of the window to see the procession more clearly.
a) bend
b) curve
c) bow
d) lean
5. 21. You should be very ... to your teachers for their help.
a) thankful
b) grateful
c) thanking
d) considerate
22. When can the students ... for next year's evening classes?
a) assist
b) join
c) enrol
d) inscribe
23. I shall never beat John at tennis; we are clearly not in the same ....
a) set
b) band
c) group
d) class
24. The curtains have ... because of the strong sunlight.
a) dulled
b) fainted
c) lightened
d) faded
25. The policeman stopped him when he was driving home and ... him of
speeding.
a) charged
b) accused
c) blamed
d) warned
6. 26. His new appointment takes ... from the begining of next month.
a) place
b) effect
c) post
d) warned
27. In a low voice, she ... that someone was moving about upstairs.
a) screamed
b) shouted
c) told
d) whispered
28. When he was at school, he won first ... for good behaviour.
a) reward
b) prize
c) present
d) price
29. If you don't mind, I should like to ... a suggestion.
a) make
b) show
c) say
d) reach
30. Papermaking began in China and from there it ... to North Africa
and Europe.
a) sprang
b) spilled
c) carried
d) spread
7. 31. Pigs ... certain characteristics with human beings.
a) which share
b) are sharing
c) while sharing
d) share
32. Albert Szent-Gyorgyi ... the 1937 Nobel Prize for medicine for his
synthesis of ascorbic acid.
a) was awarded
b) to award
c) awarded
d) awarding
33. ... thirteen states in the original United States.
a) As there were
b) There were
c) Were
d) So were
34. Researchers have recently confirmed ... pygmies are missing an
insulin-like growth factor.
a) and that
b) so that
c) because
d) that
35. The Order of Elks has been in existence ... 1868.
a) starting in
b) since
c) after
d) founded
8. 36. ... to use pigeons for observation purposes on sea-rescue missions.
a) It is planned
b) There is planned
c) Has been planned
d) Is planned
37. Only under special circumstances ... to test out of freshman
composition and literature.
a) freshmen permitted
b) freshmen are permitted
c) are freshmen permitted
d) are permitted freshmen
38. ... is so limited (64,000 transistors and 64,000 capacitors in about one-
twentieth of a square inch), the manufacture of 64k random access
memories requires highly sophisticated production technology.
a) Because space
b) As a result of space
c) Being space
d) Its space
39. Only one mammal, ... is known to bear routinely four indentical
young.
a) it is the armadillo
b) being the armadillo
c) which the armadillo
d) the armadillo
40. One of the puzzles still mystifying biologists is ... what to become in
an embryo.
a) how do cells know
b) how know cells
c) how cells know
d) how cells knowing
9. 41. Touch-typing was originally devised as an aid to ...
a) the blinds
b) the blind
c) a blind one
d) blind
42. If a traveler had visited the San Diego Peninsula in the 1880's ... that
coyotes ans jackrabbits outnumbered the human population 10,000 to
one.
a) he had found
b) he found
c) had he found
d) he would have found
43. The Appaloose horse was brought to Mexico from Spain, was later
introduced into the United Stated, and today ...
a) by American ranchers is prized
b) is prized by American ranchers
c) prized by American ranchers
d) American ranchers prize it
44. ... the news from war zones is inevitalbly censored.
a) Although much of
b) Assuming some of
c) Much of
d) Many of
45. There are now ... methods for studying color vision in infants than
there once were.
a) more sophisticated than
b) much more sophisticated
c) much sophisticated
d) sophisticated
10. 46. Economics ... the science of choice.
a) are
b) which is
c) is
d) and
47. ... yak is taken below 10,000 feet, it is likely to become sick.
a) a
b) if a
c) frequently a
d) because of a
48. Juggling ... at least 5,000 years to the early Egyptians.
a) dating back
b) is dating back
c) which dates back
d) dates back
49. ..., Hong Kong acts as a gateway into and out of the Republic of
China.
a) Strategically located
b) It is located strategically
c) Where strategically located
d) Because located strategically
50. In 1964, Americans drank an average of 26 gallons of milk ...
a) each
b) every one
c) singly
d) themselves
11. 51. The summer ice pack appears ... by about 150 miles since the 1930's.
a) having shrunk
b) to shrink
c) to have shrunk
d) to be shrinking
52. ... undergraduate programs, American universities also offer
graduate and professional courses.
a) Except for
b) Moreover
c) Besides
d) As
53. ... are carcinogens now appears to be beyond dispute.
a) If asbestos fibers
b) Asbestos fibers
c) While asbestos fibers
d) That asbestos fibers
54. It is ... Minnesota popular with outdoorsmen.
a) lakes that make it
b) its lakes that make
c) that lakes make it
d) lakes that it makes
55. ... Thomas E.Selfridge was the first person to be killed in an airplane
accident.
a) One of an army team evaluating the Wright Brother's plane,
b) The Wright Brother's plane was being examined by an army team,
c) He was one of an army team evaluating the Wright Brother's
plane,
d) Of an army team evaluating the Wright Brothers' plane, one
12. 56. Satchel Paige pitched his last game in the major leagues when he ...
a) approximately sixty years old
b) was nearly sixty
c) about sixty was
d) had almost sixty years
57. Both slate and marble chips can be melted and spun ..., and then
made into a type of glass wool.
a) like to cotton candy
b) as like cotton candy
c) like cotton candy
d) cotton candy, alike
58. The traditional goal of science is to discover how things are, not how
they ought ...
a) are
b) be
c) can be
d) to be
59. Though the female has undisputed last word over the acceptability of
a new nest, it is the male weaver bird who must build in entirely ...
a) on his own
b) on himself
c) for themselves
d) by his own
60. Herbalists recommend the juice of barley plants as a means of
slowing the aging process and also ...
a) it to cancer patients recommend
b) to cancer partients recommend it
c) recommend it cancer patients
d) recommend it to cancer patients
13. 61. Questions 61-66
England's highest main-line railway station hangs on to life by a thread :
deserted and unmanned since it was officially closed in 1970, Dent,
situated high in the hills of Yorkshire, wakes up on six summer weekends
each year, when a special charter train unloads walkers, sightseers and
people who simply want to catch a train from the highest station, on to
its platforms.
But even this limited existence may soon be brought to an end. Dent
station is situated on the Settle to Carlisle railway line, said to be the
most scenic in the country. But no amount of scenic beauty can save the
line from British Rail's cash problems. This year, for the sake of
economy, the express trains which used to pass through Dent station
have been put on to another route.
It is now an open secret that British Rail sees no future for this railway
line. Most of its trains disappeared some time ago. Its bridge, built on a
grand scale a century ago, is falling down. It is not alone. Half-a-dozen
railway routes in the north of England are facing a similar threat. The
problem is a worn out system and an almost total lack of cash to repair
it. Bridges and tunels are showing their age, the wooden supports for the
tracks are rotting and engines and coaches are getting old.
On major lines between large cities, the problem is not too bad. These
lines still make a profit and cash can be found to maintain them. But on
the country branch line, the story is different. As track wears out, it is
not replaced. Instead speed limits are introduced, making journeys
longer than necessary and discouraging customers.
If a bridge is dangerous, there is often only one thing for British Rail to
do: go out and find money from another source. This is exactly what it
did a few months ago when a bridge at Bridlington station was
threatening to fall down. Repairs were estimated at $200,000 - just for
one bridge - and British Rail was delighted, and rather surprised, when
two local councils offered half that amount between them.
Since 1970 Dent Station has been used ...
a) only for a part of each year
b) only in some years
c) only by local people
d) only be hill walkers
62. Of all the railway routes in Britain the one which passes through
Dent ...
a) is the most historic
b) passes through the most attractive countryside
c) is the most expensive to maintain
d) carries the greatest number of tourists
14. 63. The most urgent problem for many country railway lines is that of ...
a) rebuilding bridges
b) repairing engines
c) renewing coaches
d) repairing stations
64. The people most affected by the difficulties facing British Rail would
appear to be ...
a) business men
b) organised groups of holiday makers
c) inter-city travellers
d) occasional and local travellers
65. In order to improve the financial situation of country railway lines
British Rail should ...
a) introduce speed limits
b) reduce the scale of maintenance
c) increase fares
d) appeal to local councils
66. The prospect the country railway lines might close is viewed by the
author with ...
a) anger
b) approval
c) regret
d) surprise
67. Questions 67 - 69
In marine habitats, a number of small creatures are involved in a
"cleaning symbiosis". At least six species of small shrimps, frequently
brightly colored, crawl over fish, picking off parasites and cleaning
injured areas. This is not an accidental occurrence, because fish are
observed to congregate around these shrimp and stay motionless while
being inspected. Several species of small fish (wrasses) are also cleaners,
nearly all of them having appropriate adaptations such as long snouts,
tweezer-like teeth, and bright coloration. Conspicuous coloration
15. probably communicates that these animals are not prey.
What is the topic of this passage?
a) Marine life
b) Why fish need to be cleaned
c) How certain sea creatures clean other fish
d) How fish are adapted to be cleaners
68. What is the main idea of the passage?
a) Some fish need to be cleaned
b) Cleaning symbiosis is an important aspect of marine life
c) Certain fish are better adapted to be cleaners than others.
d) Cleaner fish are brightly colored
69. What is the best title for the passage?
a) Shrimp and Fish
b) Narure's Cleaners of the Deep
c) Protective Coloration for Fish
d) Why Fish Are Cleaners
70. Questions 70 - 75
When I went to interview Roy Bragg yesterday I learned that new
regulations, introduced in May this year, affect all forms of money-
lending in Britain. This means that there have been some changes for
traditional shops of the kind that Mr Bragg owns, where people can
borrow money against valuable articles left at the shop until both the
loan and the interest due on it are repaid. Individual money-lenders are
now able to compete with each other and set their own interest rates but
they have to give much more information to the customer at the
transaction.
Money-lenders now also have to apply for a licence through the
government's Office of Fair Trading. The capital a money-lender
requires depends on the amount he lends; if he has a lending limit of
$1,000 he does not need too much.But if he intends to lend large
amounts, says Roy Bragg, who once lent $45,000 on some rare books, 'he
should watch out he doesn't get as short of money as his customers. My
money is in and out every day of the week';
He and his staff are all Fellows of the Gemological Association. It is an
essential qualification for valuing jewellery. though they also learn by
esperience whether items are genuine or not. 'When I first started, I
never knew it would be so difficult.' said one of Roy Bragg's young
16. assistants. 'On my own, I wouldn't have got any where; I would have
offered too much or too little.'
Roy Bragg agrees that you can never accept anything or anybody
unquestioningly in the money-lending business. "Some of the best-
dressed and most well-spoken people are the ones you have to watch.
One of the oldest tricks is for someone to come in and show you a large,
real diamond ring. You say they can have $1.000 on it. They say. "Oh no,
I wanted $1,500. I'll go somewhere else". You pass the ring back and
they don't go away, just take it from you and turn towards the door.
Then they turn back and say. "Oh, I don't know, I was recommended to
you. I think I'll take the $1,000" And meanwhile they've done a switch
with a cheaper ring. I tell my staff that if an item leaves their hands they
should inspect it again as if it had just arrived'.
How do they know they are not dealing in stolen property? 'After forty-
four years, you get a nose for this kind of thing', says Roy Bragg. 'Most
of us in the trade know each other well. I'm on the Committee of the
National Association: we meet once a month and know if anyone's
having any bother'.
What difference have the new regulations made to the money-lending
business?
a) Interest rates are much more variable
b) Money-lenders cannot operate without a licence.
c) More information has to be given to the government
d) Customers now ask more questions
71. What we learn from Roy Bragg about the amount of capital money-
lenders need?
a) $45,000 is about the right amount
b) They must balance their lending policy and their capital
c) They will need more than they first thought.
d) The Office of Fair Trading sets limits
72. What did Mr Bragg's young assistant find was tending to happen
when he first began to work for the business?
a) He misjudged what customers wanted
b) He damaged precious articles
c) He over-valued everything
d) He needed help from more experienced staff
17. 73. Money-lenders have to be suspicious about ...
a) everyone who comes to them
b) people who look poor
c) people who look rich
d) anybody who brings valuable items.
74. In the old trick described a money-lender might make the mistake of
...
a) not recognizing stolen property
b) offering $500 too much
c) not realizing there were two rings
d) not examining the ring carefully in the first place.
75. How does Mr Bragg know when he is being offered things which have
been stolen?
a) He gets information from the police
b) Experience tells him when something is wrong
c) He can now recognize all the local burglars
d) The National Association sends out warnings
76. Questions 76 - 80
In this world of new technology it is good to know that some of the old
skills and crafts are still practised. One such traditional craft is thatching
- making roofs from straw or reeds - and one of the few remaining
thatched cottages in the Wellington area, Linden Cottage at Westford,
has just been given an attractive new roof.
Walkers using the footway past the cottage will no doubt have noticed
the new roof; which also covers an area over the front door, and the
owner, Mr Dennis Wright and his wife, Pam, say they are delighted with
the end result. 'It's an old craft which can't be rushed'. said Mrs Wright.
'The cottage now looks better than ever'.
The work, which took about six weeks, was carried out by Brian
Whitemore and Robert Webber of Lydeard Saint Lawrence. Until now
the 300-year-old cottage was roofed with wheat straw which lasts on
average for fifteen years but this time Mr and Mrs Wright decided to
have the roof done with water reeds which last for sixty or seventy years
and cost more.
Signs that re-roofing is needed are when straw washes out in heave rain
and the fixings begin to show. The water reeds, which are brought from
Scotland, are thicker and longer than wheat straw but are slightly more
difficult for the craftsmen to use. Water reeds also differ from wheat
18. straw in that iron hooks are used to keep them in place, whereas with the
old straw roof, wooden pegs were used.
After the wheat straw was taken off, the worn wood in the roof was
renewed and the cross-pieces which lie over the roof beams were also
replaced. Large waterproof sheets were erected to keep everything dry.
Although Linden Cottage will not have to be complety re-roofed for
many years, like all thatched properties it will still have to be 'ridged'
after every eight years. This means that the join at the top of the house is
redone to maintain its strength.
The cottage has been re-roofed twice in the thirty-one years that Mr and
Mrs Wright have lived there - the last time was in 1969. As it has now
been officially declared a building of special historic interest which must
be preserved, the ridging can only be done in the West Country style,
and other patterns of ridging are not acceptable. The roof is now bright
yellow in colour but it will quickly become darker as it weathers.
Brian Whitemore has been in the roofing business for about thirty years
and he and his partner cover a wide area. Working with them at Linden
Cottage were brothers Lee and Steven Roadhouse from Bishops Lydeard
who are training to become thatchers. While they were there, Brian's
small dog, Midge, became a star attraction as he ran up and down their
ladder while they worked. He travels almost everywhere with them and
is as much part of the scenery as the ladder.
Mr and Mrs Wright, The owners of Linden Cottage,...
a) have spent a long time looking for someone to do the roof
b) are surprised at how difficult it was to do the roof
c) were very pleased at how well the work was done
d) found they had to choose cheaper roofing material.
77. The new thatched roof at Linden Cottage will last for approximately
...
a) eight years
b) fifteen years
c) seventy years
d) three hundred years
78. What was different about how the roof was done this time compared
with the previous time?
a) A cloth lining was installed
b) New wooden pegs were made
c) Iron hooks were used to hold the thatch
19. d) The wooden frame to the roof was re-designed
79. Because Linden Cottage has now been declared of special historic
interest, the roof ...
a) has to be finished in a certain way
b) has to be thatched with water reeds
c) must be yellow in colour
d) has to be redone more frequently
80. How many people worked on the new roofing?
a) one
b) two
c) four
d) five
81. Questions 81 - 90
I hate being ill. I do not simply mean that I dislike the illness itself
(although that is true), but I hate what being ill does to my character. As
soon as I have a headache or a cold or the first signs of flu coming on, I
start to behave as if I were in the grip of some fatal illness, and to wear
an expression of suffering which is supposed to indicate that I will
bravely face the few days of life that are left to me. The fact is that I
really know how to make use of the ability to feel sorry for myself, and,
which is more important, how to wring sympathy out of the women who
surround me. I love being nursed and fussed over, and I make a three-
day cold last a good week by a combination of carefully-produced and
well-timed groans and grimaces. Of course, being a man I have to show
that I suffer my pain bravely, but I make it quite clear that I am none the
less suffering I suffer beautifully. I am really good at it, and I can melt
the hardest female heart the minute I am probably suffering from
nothing more serious than a hangover.
The first thing you must do is deny that you are suffering, because they
will be reluctant to give you any sympathy if they think that that is what
you are after. But at the same time that you deny you are ill, you must
furrow your brow and clutch the part of you that is in agony to show
that the pain is overwhelming you in spite of your efforts to put on a
brave front. Once you are into your pyjamas and your bed, the battle is
as good as won. Do not, at first, ask for anything : you do not want to be
a bother to anyone, you are prepared to lie there alone and suffering in
silence until the end comes. Under no circumstances should you ask for
food : nobody can have a really worthwhile illness and an appetite. In no
time at all, they are all over you, full of concern and caresses, stroking
your brow and destroying themselves in an attempt to restore you to
20. health.
Most men are naturally good at this sort of thing, and will exploit a
minor illness to good effect. But men are not hypochondriacs - sufferers
from imaginary illnesses - as most women assert. The fact is that most
men are fully aware that they are performing a valuable social service by
making out that they are more ill than they really are. You see, women
love illness. They do not, on the whole, like to be ill themselves, although
they will occasionally take to their beds on some flimsy pretext, just to
make sure that they are not being taken completely for granted. No, a
wife actually likes her husband to be ill from time to time so that she can
show off her talents as an amateur Florence Nightingale. It is the spirit of
noble self-sacrifice that really fulfils her.
In this she is encouraged by all the television commercials she sees. They
show a calm, caring wife/mother-figure mopping fevered brows,
administering soothing medicines, and generally behaving like a
'ministering angel'. And when she shakes the thermometer and sticks it
into your unprotesting mouth ... well, you would think that it was a
magic wand, and that she was a fairy godmother !
Still, there is not doubt that we males get the benefit; it can be nice to be
ill once you get the hang of it. If, in addition, you want to make your
loved one even happier, keep her awake night after night with your
moans and groans and your requests for hot drinks and a cool hand on
your brow. There is a bonus for her in all this : when you are better and
back at work, think of the pleasure she will get from telling the
neighbours about the hell she has been through !
The reason the writer hates being ill is that he ...
a) can't stand pain
b) doesn't want to be a bother to anyone
c) always feels sorry for himself
d) does not think he behaves well when he is ill
82. The writer, when he is ill, ...
a) makes a lot of noise.
b) does not let anyone know how ill he really is.
c) always pretends he is worse than he really is.
d) goes to bed and stays there until he is well again.
83. If you say that you are in pain, they (whoever is looking after you)
will ...
a) feel sorry for you
b) think you are merely looking for sympathy
21. c) start to nurse you and fuss over you
d) give you medicine to make you better
84. Once you are in bed, they will ...
a) leave you alone
b) start to take you seriously
c) give you a lot of attention
d) soon get tired of looking after you.
85. If you ask for food when you are ill, they will ...
a) think that you cannot be very ill after all
b) refuse to give you any because of your illness.
c) give you some because they feel sorry for you
d) start to suspect that you are taking them for granted.
86. The reason that men make a fuss when they are ill is that they ...
a) always think that their illness is more serious than ot really is.
b) want women to make a fuss of them.
c) cannot stand illness as well as women can.
d) know that women will get a lot of pleasure out of nursing them.
87. If a woman pretends to be ill, it is because she wants to ...
a) make her husband spoil her (make a fuss of her).
b) make her husband aware how much she does for him.
c) have a rest from work.
d) punish her husband for being selfish.
88. Television advertisements suggest that women ...
a) are good at looking after sick people.
b) enjoy looking after sick people.
c) know a lot about modern medicines and techniques (treatments).
d) take much more interest in medicine than men do.
22. 89. According to the writer, men, when they are ill, ...
a) treat women very badly, as if they were slaves.
b) give women the opportunity (chance) to practise being nurses.
c) behave much worse than women do in the same circustances.
d) try to remain quiet and do what they are told to do.
90. According to the writer, a woman will tell her neighbours ...
a) all the details of her husband's illness
b) about the shocking way her husband behaved when he was ill
c) how much she has had to put up with during his illness.
d) how her husband always pretends to be more ill than he really is.
91. Questions 91 - 100
With its radiant color and plantlike shape, the sea anemone looks more
like a flower than an animal. More specifically, the sea anemone is
formed quite like the flower for which it is named, with a body like a
stem and tentacles like petals in brilliant shades of blue, green, pink, and
red. Its diameter varies from about six millimeters in some species to
more than ninety centimeters in the giant varieties of Australia. Like
corals, hydras, and jellyfish, sea anemones are coelenterates. They can
move slowly, more often they attach the lower part of their cylindrical
bodies to rocks, shells, or wharf pilings. The upper end of the sea
anemone has a mouth surrounded by tentacles that the animal uses to
capture its food. Stinging cells in the tentacles throw out tiny poison
threads that paralyze other small sea animals. The tentacles then drag
this prey into the sea anemone's mouth. The food is digested in the large
inner body cavity. When disturbed, a sea anemone retracts its tentacles
and shortens its body so that it resembles a lump on a rock. Anemones
may reproduce by forming eggs, dividing in half, or developing buds that
grow and break off as independent animals.
Which of the following is the main topic of the passage?
a) The varieities of ocean life
b) The characteristics of the sea anemone
c) A comparison of land and sea anemones
d) The defenses of coelenterates
23. 92. The word "shape" in line 1 is closest in meaning to ...
a) length
b) grace
c) form
d) nature
93. The author compares a sea anemone's tentacles to a flower's ...
a) stem
b) leaves
c) petals
d) roots
94. It can be inferred from the passage that hydras ...
a) were named after a flower
b) are usually found in Australia
c) prey on sea anemones
d) are related to sea anemones
95. It can be inferred from the passage that sea anemones are usually
found ...
a) attached to stationary surfaces
b) hidden inside cylindrical objects
c) floating among underwater flowers
d) searching for food
96. The word 'capture' in line 12 is closest in meaning to ..
a) catch
b) control
c) cover
d) clean
24. 97. The word 'retracts' in line 16 is closest in meaning to ...
a) pulls back
b) relaxes
c) reproduces
d) lifts up
98. According to the passage, when a sea anemone is bothered it ...
a) hides under a rock
b) alters its shape
c) changes colors
d) ejects a poisonous substance
99. The sea anemone reproduces by ...
a) budding only
b) forming eggs only
c) budding or dividing only
d) budding, forming eggs, or dividing
100. Based on the information in the passage, all of the following
statements about sea anemones are true EXCEPT that they
a) are usually tiny
b) have flexible bodies
c) are related to jellyfish
d) are usually brightly colored