KEYS TO PART 1: SENTENCE COMPLETION (P.2745) PRACTICE 1 Directions: The following sentences are incomplete. Beneath each of these sentences, there are four words or phrases, marked A, B, C, and D. Choose the one word or phrase that best completes the sentence and fill in the appropriate answer above. 1. We hope to receive the order in time; ______ we will cancel. A. accordingly B. otherwise = OR ELSE C. meanwhile D. moreover 2. ______ a news article in the Newark Times, the domestic economy will pick up in the coming quarter. A. Based on B. However C. According to D. Although 3. I don’t mind if you go out for lunch ______ you’re back for the meeting at 2. A. as long as = PROVIDED THAT on condition that B. until C. while D. so that 4. ______ other important professions, high level business positions can be stressful at times A. Like (prep) B. Alike (adj adv) C. Similar (adj) to D. A or C ALIKE (adj) = The twins looked ALIKE. The real flower and the imitation one are very much ALIKE. ALIKE (adv) = in the same way. Example: The girls dressed ALIKE in blue skirts and white blouse. She talked in a friendly way to the rich and the poor ALIKE. 5. Man also travelled for days on foot or on the back of some animals ______ horses or mules. A. like as B. such as C. for example D. A or B or C 6. Why don’t you plan ______ meeting us here shortly after 5 o’clock? A. of B. on C. with D. about to PLAN ON doing sth to PLAN TO DO sth
PART 2: READING PASSAGES Practice Questions 1-5 refer to the following passage I bought a $600 digital camera in May of 2003 at Future Shop in Kitchener, ON In December of that same year, while using the camera, [2C] the screen went totally blank I went directly to the store where I bought the camera They connected it to an outside power source and determined that the camera wasn’t getting any power but could not explain why They then offered to send it to somewhere in BC for me but would not talk to me about the fact that the camera was barely months old and that they had never seen this particular model have this problem Nor did they offer any type of compensation by way of a loaner [1B] The camera was sent on December 21, 2003 In Feb of 2004 I began calling the store to find out how long it would be, [3C] I was given a run-around every time “I’ll call you back”, “I don’t have that information for you”, etc I never got any calls back I finally spoke to a young man on the last day of March 2004, who I bothered enough to give me the number of the place they had sent my camera to I had been told several times that they were not allowed to give this number out I called myself on March 30 and [4D] was told that they had just received my bill of sale for proof of warranty days before I called The camera is now fixed and on it’s way back to me [5B] Future Ship is essentially at fault for me having to wait over months for a camera that only took week to fix They will not talk to me about this either Questions 6-10 refer to the following passage Online shoppers count on free shipping Expect more promotions this holiday season than ever before This month, Kristen Roswell is planning to buy most of her Christmas presents online at her computer [6D] She says one thing that really impresses her is: free shipping “Free shipping is a huge bonus,” said the 35-year-old mother “I will always choose a retailer that has free shipping when buying something.” According to a study released by Shop.org, an organization of online retailers, this holiday season 83 percent of online retailers surveyed plan to provide free shipping promotions Two years ago, [7D] only 64 percent of online retailers offered free shipping Three-fourths of shoppers surveyed said free shipping offers are one of the most important factors when they decide where to buy online Consumers are expected to spend as much as $32 billion online this holiday season, up 18 percent from 2005 “Online retailers see free shipping as a necessary evil during the holidays,” said Ellen Davis, spokeswoman for Shop.org “They know [8B] it motivates customers.” Retailers also justify free shipping by imposing conditions for the deals, requiring customers to meet certain minimums to get the offer Consequently [9A] people tend to spend more and make unplanned purchases to qualify for free shipping Most free shipping offers end in mid-December, so people who want to take advantage of the discounts [10A] need to shop early, she said Practice Questions 1-5 refer to the following passage McDowell Publishing plans to merge with Harvey Media this January, a spokesman for McDowell Publishing said The new company will be called McDowell and Harvey Media The decision comes after both companies experienced their third straight year of [1A] losses Both companies have struggled [2D] to compete with the world’s largest publishing company, [4C] Watson Media Inc., which accounts for about 75 percent of the market Since [3B] Watson Media Inc was founded by Charles Duvet Jr in 1999, the company has successfully forced ten other small publishing companies to declare bankruptcy According to a spokesman from Harvey Media, after the merger is completed, the new company will launch a 3-million-dollar marketing campaign [5C] Jackson Polkins, the famous children’s writer, has already announced he will be leaving Watson Media Inc to pursue a contract with the new company Questions 6-10 refer to the following passage The Grant Corporation plans to open a new factory by the end of 2008, a company spokesman said The new factory is scheduled to be built in Dobson County and [6B] will create approximately 1,000 new jobs for the local community The mayor of Dobson County, Frank Ploy, said the new factory will be a positive addition to the town, and that the town will support all efforts to construct the factory as planned The Grant Corporation is the world’s largest producer of airplane parts, and is renowned for its strict environmental policies In 2007, the company received the prestigious Better Business Award for implementing a new waste management program that [8C] decreased the amount of industrial waste it produced by nearly 25 percent Currently, the company owns four other factories, and has been very successful at securing the support of all the communities it affects Just last March, the factory in Trenton, New Jersey, [9D] sponsored a charity event that raised million dollars for a local elementary school The residents of Dobson County hope to receive the same benefits from the new factory The Grant Corporation plans to build the new facility on the grounds of the old Milner Factory [10C] Milner Automobiles abandoned the factory last year after it built a bigger factory in Michelan, a city about thirty five miles north of Dobson County According to a company spokesman, the old factory will be demolished before construction on the new facility begins Practice Questions 1-3 refer to the following passage Companies who are looking to establish a new headquarters or other facilities must consider location very carefully The match, or lack of it, between the company’s requirements and the available human and natural resources in the area can be crucial [1C] A company’s future growth and prosperity depends on a successful match of needs and resources Different companies, of course, have different needs Some are looking for a [2B] good climate and [2B] sound infrastructure, like public transportation, schools, and other facilities for their employees Others are seeking [2B] affordable office space and a large workforce Still others want a low cost of living and access to cultural or outdoor activities to keep their employees happy But the one common denominator must be [3D] a pro-business attitude in the community If the citizens not want commercial enterprises in their neighborhood, a company should consider another location Questions 4-7 refer to the following passage The Organization of Responsible Executives [6D] was founded five years ago to provide support and assistance for [4B] member executives who are looking for better ways to solve their problems ORE concentrates on [5A] finding solutions that are environmentally and socially responsible “If you need suggestions on non-polluting alternatives to chemicals, or want to know the pros and cons of setting up a day care center for your working parent, then we are the group to call,” says director David Anderson “If we don’t have the information on hand, we’ll find it for you.” It is this kind of responsiveness that has made [7C] ORE the fastest-growing business organization to come along in years It provides a one-source solution for executives who are trying to help the company without hurting the world Questions 8-10 refer to the following passage NOTICE: To make your shopping at Harold’s as easy as possible, you are invited to use our concierge services at the Concierge desk [9B] The Concierge Desk is located on the main level, beside the Gourmet Food Shop We [8D] offer a range of shopper services including public transportation schedules, direct lines to taxi services, and package mailing We also have a complete database of merchandise in our stores, so that we can direct you to the store that will best suit your needs You may visit the Concierge Desk in person, or you may [10D] call from the direct-line telephone at any of the lighted directory maps in the mall Practice Questions 1-5 refer to the following passage Since 1913 [1D] the Federal Reserve System has served as the central bank for the United States It consists of twelve District Reserve Banks and their branch offices, along with several committees and councils The most powerful body is the sevenmember Board of Governors in Washington, appointed by the President and confirmed by the Senate The System’s primary function is [2A] to control monetary policy by influencing the cost and availability of money and credit through the purchase and sale of government [3B] securities If the Federal Reserve [4C] provides too little money, interest rates tend to be high, borrowing is expensive, business activity slows down, unemployment goes up, and there is a danger of recession [5B] If there is too much money, interest rates decline, and borrowing can lead to excess demand, pushing up prices and fueling inflation Questions 6-10 refer to the following passage Making the most of the food already in your kitchen This cooking class focuses on using those food items which seem to have been in your kitchen forever, and never get eaten Do you have a lot of different leftover uncooked pasta in your cupboard? Consider a mixed pasta salad! Remember that [7A] different types of pasta need to be cooked separately, but once that is done they can be mixed together and used with any pasta salad recipe Also, [9B] overripe bananas can be used to make delicious banana bread! Check out the recipe on our website, www.eatit.com Dispose of old materials in your workshop The old paint cans and other chemicals lying around in your basement or garage are a fire hazard, and they are also hazardous to your health You should [8C] call your local chemical disposal department to request detailed information about how to dispose of these items They may have questions about what ingredients are inside each container And as for the bits of wood left over from that last construction project? If you have kids, you may want to suggest that they get creative and build things like birdfeeders and footstools (under your careful supervision of course) If the leftovers are really of no use to you, you should contact your local landfill to see if there are recycling options available Practice Questions 1-5 refer to the following passage IMPORTANT NOTICE All passengers who are nationals of countries other than the United States or Canada must complete an Immigration Form before arrival in the U.S Fill out one for each family member Do not write on the back Write in English in all capital letters [2B] Keep the form until your departure from the United States Use the white I-94 form if you have a valid U.S visa Use the green I-94W form if you hold a passport from one of the 22 countries participating in the visa-waiver program and not have a valid U.S visa [3C] Use the blue I-94T form if you are only making an in-transit stop en route to another country [1D + 4A] All passengers (or one passenger per family) are required to complete a Customs Declaration Form prior to arrival Complete it in English and in capital letters [5B] Be sure to sign your name on the back of the form Questions 6-10 refer to the following passage Cokesbury Island Conference Housing and Accommodations [6C] The largest structure on the Cokesbury Island is Oceanbreeze Estate Built over 120 years ago, Oceanbreeze Estate has a main lobby, dining area, gift shop, and sleeping quarters, a number of small cottages and several Victorian type units provide additional guest rooms and conference center rooms Expect your accommodations to be very comfortable but not modern Sleeping quarters are equipped with some amenities The rooms have showers but no bathtubs [8B] Meals are served on a buffet basis The food is fresh but not fancy [7A] Low-sodium and vegetarian meals are available for those who request them twenty-four hours in advance Individual dietary requests for those on dairy-free or wheat-free diets cannot be accommodated Due to limitations of the island’s electrical systems, we [10C] generate our own electricity on the islands For this reason, [9D] guests are asked not to bring appliances with heating electronics such as heating pads and hairdryers Practice Questions 1-5 refer to the following advertisement JP Store is proud to announce its new catalogue service, which will 10 sign a contract with us Practice Questions 1-5 refer to the following information Time 8:15 - Day One [1C] Starting an E- 10:00 Business Day Two Internet Technology (also available online) Choosing an Internet Designing a Provider Functional Website Understanding Search Mastering E- Engines 10:30 commerce Online Advertising Outsourcing Online -12:00 (also available online) The Advantages of Hiring Writing Sales Copy for Freelancers the Web How to Find a Freelancer Marketing your Product Online 12:00 – Lunch 1:15 1:15 - Keeping Track of [2B] Shipping Products 2:45 Finances (also available online) Basic Rules of How to Create a Simple Accounting Online Order Form Important Tax Laws How to Minimize Shipping 17 Problems 2:45 - Coffee Break 3:15 3:15 – [1C] Advice from Conclusion 4:45 Successful E- This portion of the seminar business Owners has not been determined Mark Henrich, Contact Brent Sprites, Event President of IP Media Coordinator, for more Online information Linda Orlick, cofounder of Intelligent Designs, an online web design company [3A] George Tulane, author of "E-Business and You" Questions 6-10 refer to the following itinerary and note Small Business Association Conference – Thursday, August 18th Seminar – Itinerary 7:30 A.m Registration Opens 8:00 A.m - 8:20 A.m Opening Ceremony 8:20 A.m -10:20 A.m Session I 18 "Seven Irrefutable Rules of Small Business Growth," Part I, with Michael Bornstein 10:30 A.m -11 50 A.m Session II "Creating a Winning Culture of Innovation" with Bill Ripley "21st Century E-marketing,” with Richard Grant Noon Luncheon 1:00 p.m - 6:00 p.m Workshops held in Marchand Hall 6:00 p.m - 7:00 p.m Break 7:00 p.m - 10:00 p.m Awards Dinner & Reception To: bripley@netspark.net From: jamesransom@ontariosmlbiz.com Date: Wednesday, August 17th Re: IMPORTANT SCHEDULE CHANGES Mike just called from the airport in Toronto, and it looks like he's going to be arriving late There was some mix-up with his flight, I guess Apparently, he told his secretary that [8A] he was expecting to be leaving tonight, but for some strange reason she booked the flight for tomorrow morning That means that he won't be able to be here for his presentation Anyway, he sounded really worried about it, and I didn't really know what else to do, so I said we'd rearrange the schedule He won't be here until 19 11 o'clock at the earliest, so I'll have to put you and Richard first in Session I I know you were only scheduled to speak for about 30 minutes, but I'd really appreciate it if you could stretch your presentation out a bit – maybe have a question-and-answer session or something You need to fill about an hour I know it's last minute, but these things happen Whenever he gets in, we can start his session, and it won't be too bad I figure, at worst, we'll be running about half an hour late Oh, and [10C] could you please let everyone know about the changes when you give your presentation tomorrow morning? Thanks a lot for understanding See you tomorrow, James Ransom Practice Questions 1-5 refer to the following poll and analysis We are working to [1D] improve the overall working dynamics within our company, in particular employees' attitudes towards the relationships with senior management, a primary factor influencing the core human relations in the workplace Please read below, and circle one answer only Please describe your working relationship style with your direct senior manager 20 A) Casual B) Very casual C) Formal D) Very formal [2B] How often you meet with your senior manager to discuss your progress and projects in general? A) Once a week B) Once a month C) Once a year D) Never How you address your senior manager in correspondence? A) By first name B) By last name C) By full title D) Flexible - depends on topic How would you prefer that your senior manager view you? A) As an employee B) As a colleague C) As a friend D) As a trainee How satisfied are you with your relationship with your senior manager? A) Very satisfied 21 B) Satisfied C) Somewhat satisfied D) Not satisfied Results A) Casual 53% B) Very casual 7% C) Formal 26% D) Very formal 14% A) Once a week 48% B) Once a month 25% C) Once a year 19% D) Never 8% A) By first name 45% B) By last name 30% C) By full title 10% D) Flexible- depends on topic 15% A) As an employee 23% [3C] B) As a colleague 47% C) As a friend 25% D) As a trainee 5% A) Very satisfied 63% B) Satisfied 28% C) Somewhat satisfied 7% 22 D) Not satisfied 2% Analysis After reviewing the study results, [4A] we conclude that a large number of staff relationships with their senior managers are increasingly casual, which corresponds to the nationwide trends of effective workforce relationships Interaction and communication with management is therefore more frequent and natural [5C] Correspondence and other written communication are also more friendly and casual, with almost half of respondents feeling comfortable using a first name basis only Employees want and enjoy a co-working relationship view with their senior managers, preferring to be viewed as a colleague With a staggering 63% "very satisfied" with their relationships and another 28% "satisfied", the present relations in our company 's staff with management seem to indicate a surprisingly content team of people Of course, we will recommend making effort to increase the overall satisfaction in all relationships for everyone Questions 6-10 refer to the following letter and e-mail Tony Warner 23 Warner Associates Inc 175 Ninth Avenue New York 10075 Dear Mr Warner, At the beginning of this month, I signed a contract with your company for an office renovation project Soon after the crew started work, [6B] there were many signs that warned me of bad things to come I realize now that I should have taken those signs seriously and put a stop to the project to minimize the damage that it has since caused In summary, the entire project has been a huge catastrophe Firstly, the crew showed little professionalism by [7D] [a] being late in meeting their starting times on a daily basis and [b] took long breaks during crucial stages, which caused extra work for everyone else As well, certain areas requiring supervision were left unattended for long periods of time, and considerable [c] garbage was left in areas that were not designated for waste removal These issues have caused much stress to our employees and reduced the productivity of our office over these weeks Our staff has expressed their discomfort, their feelings of being unsafe and have wasted precious time cleaning up after your company's crew instead of doing their regular work Mr Warner, I have left many messages about this on your voicemail but have not heard back I am astonished and extremely disappointed at the performance and quality of the work being done 24 and the lack of responsiveness from your company to my calls This letter serves to confirm the immediate end to your company's contract with us Your crew will no longer be allowed on our premises, and please not expect payment for any work completed to date! David Martin Panorama Systems, General Manager dlmartin@panorsys.org To: dlmartin@panorsys.org From: twarner@warnerinc.net Subject: Service termination Dear Mr Martin, My sincerest apologies for the service issues your company has endured, I have been out of the office on a family emergency and have been unable to retrieve my messages in the few days I have just returned and have listened to your messages and read your letter There is no excuse for the lack of professionalism and poor performance shown by the crew from our organization The assigned crew was a new team subcontracted from a source that I 25 thought was very reliable Normally, our senior supervisor would have worked alongside the crew on this project but, due to extenuating circumstances, could not [9D] I am shocked and severely sorry for the troubles this has caused, and to the reputation of my company Please accept my deepest apologies and our offer to complete the work properly immediately — with payment for hard costs only [8C] (Our labor and other fees will be waived entirely.) You have my personal commitment that the project will be completed at the highest quality with my direct supervision [10D] I will give you a call in the morning hopefully to be able to discuss this proposal with you and to convince you to allow us to finish this project Best regards, Tony Warner Warner Associates Inc Practice 10 Questions 1-5 refer to the following contract and letter Hours of work All employees are expected to be present and on time for every working day, When circumstances prevent you from reporting to 26 work, or when you know in advance that you will be late, you are expected to notify your manager prior to your normal start time If you are absent from work for three consecutive working days for reasons of illness, [1C] a doctor's statement regarding the nature of your illness and verifying consultation time and date may be required Failure to provide doctor's verification of fitness upon request may result in the time off being classified as an unexcused absence and your pay may be adjusted If you are [2D] absent from work without notification, it may be assumed that you are not returning, and we reserve the right to immediately terminate your employment and include a note in your record stating "voluntarily quit without notice." I'm writing to you in the hopes that you will understand my situation I trust that by now you will have heard about my situation from my manager I hope that I can at least be given the chance to explain my side of the story As for my manager, she is only doing her job, but I think she has been totally unreasonable in following company policy to the letter and not giving the least bit of consideration to normal human error March 11th, 2005 Dear Mr Witherspoon, 27 I’m writing to you in the hopes that you will understand my situation I trust that by now you will have heard about my situation from my manager I hope that I can at least be given the chance to explain my side of the story As for my manager, she is only doing her job, but I think she has been totally unreasonable in following company policy to the letter and not giving the least bit of consideration too normal human error I was very ill from February 20th to 24th, and I took those days off work to recover I did not go to the doctor as it was just a case of food poisoning, and all I really needed was bed rest I did, however, call each day to tell my manager When I returned to work, she asked me for a doctor's note, and I told her I couldn't produce one That was the last I heard about it until payday when I noticed that my pay was short I asked my manager about it, and she told me that I wasn't being paid for the days I was home sick from work That's when she told me about the policy And when I complained, she insisted I bring it up with you Needless to say, I'm very upset that this money was withheld from my pay It was my understanding that I was allowed to take paid sick days from work, and I'm sorry to say that I had no idea about this policy about having to hand in a doctor's note [3C] I really need that money as I have a very tight budget this month It was a mistake, and, [4C] had I known, I certainly would have gone to 28 the doctor about my condition I hope you can understand my situation Yours sincerely, Brenda Wilson Questions 6-10 refer to the following e-mail and notice To: Helen Blithe From: cs@electroland.com Date: August 18th at 16:45 Re: Extremely dissatisfied! Attachment: electroland_refundpolicy.doc Dear Ms Blithe, Thank you for your e-mail of August 17th We have investigated your complaint with the staff members of Electro-Land in Torrance (Redondo Blvd branch) Unfortunately, we are unable to comply with your request for a refund and must uphold the decision made by the sales clerk that you dealt with at the store She was following company policy I have attached [7B] a copy of our refund policy for your review This would also have been printed on the back of your receipt As you can see in point 4, we are [9B] not able to offer refunds on 29 software that has been opened if you not have the original receipt I hope you can appreciate that, once the product is opened, it cannot be resold, and is therefore valueless to us In addition, I understand from your e-mail that [8C] your computer did not have the minimum requirements to run the software, so you could not use it However, the minimum system requirements are listed by the manufacturer on the outside of the box the software came in So, you did not have to open the box to find this out We regret the situation and hope to continue to serve you in the future Electro-Land Refund Policy for Electronic Games and Computer Software If you have your receipt and the package has not been opened (the security seal is unbroken), we will offer you your choice of a refund or an exchange coupon If you not have a receipt and the merchandise has not been opened (the security seal is unbroken), you will be offered an exchange coupon: Cash refunds are not available in this case If the package has been opened (the security seal is broken) and you have a receipt, you will be offered a refund or exchange [10A] only if the item is defective or unfit for the intended purpose 30 If you not have a receipt and the merchandise has been opened (the security seal is broken), no refund or exchange is permitted An Exchange Coupon can be redeemed at any Electro-Land store for any purchase or (where applicable) a repair of the item This coupon can be used to replace the returned merchandise with either the same item or an alternative of your choice The value of the exchange coupon will be the system price of the returned merchandise on the day of the return You will be requested to produce suitable identification, such as a Driver's License, or any other form of identification that contains your name, address, signature and photo will also be accepted 31