c. restrain the passenger
d. behave rudely to the passenger
8. The writer's main purpose in this passage is to _________________
a. discuss the phenomenon of air rage. b. explain the reasons for air rage.
c. suggest solutions for airline staff faced with air rage. d. warn passengers about air rage.
C. Please read the following article about men who hunt for birds’ nests in caves in
Thailand, and then answer questions 1-9 in your own words on a separate answer sheet.
The Nest Hunters of Tam Yai
Swiftlets are shy birds that make their nests in the remotest corners of deep caves. They have the ability to fly fast and straight like arrows around the interior of the cave walls. Like some other birds, they build their nests with their saliva, the juicy liquid from their own mouths. This juice hardens quickly to make a small nest, shaped like a cup. These nests are called “white gold”, because they can be sold for thousands of dollars in the Chinese food markets. It is these nests for which the hunters of Tam Yai are prepared to risk their lives.
Tam Yai cave in southern Thailand is the largest network of caves inside a limestone mountain, known as Suwan Kuha, meaning “cave temple”. It has been given this name because it contains a large area decorated with statues of Buddhas. High above the statues, in the far corners of the cave complex, is where the nests are to be found.
The nest hunters climb barefoot up dangerous bamboo poles hundreds of metres above the ground to collect these valuable nests. They rarely use safety equipment, and if they fall, they will die instantly. These nests can only be reached by the bravest and most skilled climbers, and they are often only able to reach the highest nests with the aid of a stick and a net.
Nest hunting is a skill passed down in families from father to son. Because of the profits that can be made, the competition among rival climbers is fierce. There are armed guards at the entrance to the cave to protect the nests from thieves. In Tam Yai, there are also strict laws to prevent illegal hunting and to ensure proper collecting, or “harvesting”, of the nests. As a result, the birds are a protected species and the number of swiftlets is growing. Nest harvesting begins in March and if the harvest is collected at the correct time of year, each swiftlet will lay eggs three times a season. Once the young
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birds have hatched and flown, the nests can be collected and sold to the Chinese food industry as the vital ingredient in bird’s nest soup.
The recipe for the highly valued bird’s nest soup is centuries old, and the soup is said to have a value in prolonging life. Chinese doctors often prescribe it for people who are suffering from skin conditions, lung disease and breathing problems.
It is important to prepare the nests thoroughly when they arrive in the restaurant kitchens. Firstly they are washed, soaked and boiled until they have a soft, rubber-like texture. Then they are mixed with meat and coconut and all the ingredients are cooked together. The nest itself is not delicious, in fact it has hardly any taste. As one Chinese chef says: “It is the other ingredients which give the soup its flavour. The nest is soft and crunchy, and when you prepare it you must be careful to remove all traces of the bird, such as bones or feathers. This is because Chinese people appreciate the way it feels in their mouth rather than the taste and smell.”
It is an exotic dish in a multi-million dollar market. The nests themselves are small; they weigh less than 10 grams and measure just a few centimetres. But for the nest hunters the risks are great indeed.
Questions: 1. What happens to the saliva when the birds build their nests? 2. Why do the hunters take such great risks to collect the nests? 3. Which country buys most of the birds’ nests? 4. Why is Suwan Kuha regarded as a temple?
5. What makes the job of nest hunting particularly dangerous? Give TWO details. 6. According to the graph, how does the price of birds’ nests in 2008 compare to
that of 1968?
7. How is the business of nest hunting in Tam Yai controlled? Give TWO details. 8. How is bird’s nest soup important for health? 9. How does the soup get its taste?
Paper III: Use of English (20 minutes 60 marks)
A. Cloze
School’s Art Sale
Last Friday parents helped collect lots of money for a school by buying children’s pictures. A primary school in Bicester used its classrooms as an art gallery for a day and (1) ............ parents to come and look. All the pupils (2) ............ a work of art and (3) ............ painting went on sale at ￡5. Hundreds of parents and relations came and, together, they spent (4) ............ ￡2,000. Now the school is (5) ............ of making the exhibition bigger next year by also contacting businesses (6) ............ operate in the local area. One of the schoolchildren’s parents first had the (7) ............ after going to (8) ............ exhibitions in her home country, South Africa.
The school has decided to (9) ............ the money to buy books and CD players. The Head Teacher
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said he was delighted to see the school (10) ............ full and he was very proud of the children.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
A hoped A operated A few A over A planning A what A memory A same A bring A so
B invited B played B some B more B thinking B who B idea B likely B add B too
C pleased C performed C each C close C considering C which C habit C similar C join C such
D wished D produced D all D near D wanting D whose D choice D equal D use D enough
B. Grammar and Vocabulary Multiple Choices
1. We don't have any milk left. _____ ? a. don't you b. are we c. do we d. have you
2. I tried on two sweaters, but I didn't buy _____ of them. a. either b. none c. neither d. any
3. If they ________________ the car earlier, they wouldn't have gotten stuck on the road. a. were checked b. did check c. had checked d. checked
4. I saw every episode in that _____________ television series. a. ten-parts b. tens-part c. tens-parts d. ten-part
5. \\
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a. can't have managed b. haven't managed c. don't manage
d. haven't been managing
6. I've been trying ____________ Sue all morning. a. to call b. calling c. call
d. to have called
7. You ___________ close all the windows before you leave the house. a. need b. should c. ought d. might
8. He was accused ______________ stealing money from the store. a. in b. for c. by d. of
9. We stayed up to watch TV ___________ it was very late. a. despite b. in spite of c. although d. even
10. \________ get you one right now.\a. I'm able to b. I'm going c. I ought to d. I'll
11. It will take you _______ three hours to drive to the campsite. a. greatly b. entirely
c. approximately d. annually
12. We didn’t get to the meeting on time __________ a traffic jam. a. causing b. because of
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