METU/SFL
DBE
May 2017
REPEAT GROUP
TOWARDS EPE: PRACTICE 2
PART I. LANGUAGE SECTION
A. CLOZE TEST
I.
With increasing crime rates, people living in big cities feel the need to take more effective measures to protect
themselves. Today, most British people 1)_______________ Closed Circuit Television installed in case
thieves enter their homes or shops. However, recent studies have 2)_______________ some surprising facts
about this system. According to the evidence gathered, it is no 3)______________installing CCTV cameras
for houses or offices as they do not prevent criminals 4)_______________committing crimes. Therefore,
people should not depend on it for their safety since the system does not provide adequate protection.
The use of CCTV cameras in public areas also 5)_______________certain ethical questions. People who are
against the public use of this system complain about the issue of personal privacy. For example, a few years
ago, 6)_______________ along the Essex Road in London, in a highly depressed state, a man attempted to
commit suicide, but he was spotted by a CCTV camera. The police were called, and they took the situation
7)_______________ control and, fortunately, the man survived. However, the local council gave the images
to the BBC television, and they were shown on TV, which brought up the privacy issue.
While many people debate 8)_______________ to install these cameras or not, there are some entertaining
stories related to CCTV. Last week, a local shop owner complained to the police 9)_______________ a
burglary. “Thieves broke in last night,” he explained. When asked if he had a CCTV camera in the shop, he
said, “I have a CCTV camera in the shop, but, unfortunately, there are no CCTV pictures. If
10)_______________ my son hadn’t turned the camera off when he left the shop last night.”
II.
One of the most controversial topics advertisers must deal with today 1)_______________ the issue of
advertising to children. The market for children’s products and food is enormous because there has always
been a huge attraction to these goods. Parents are 2)_______________ a hard time raising children the way
they want to as kids are becoming increasingly influenced by commercialism, which often goes against what
parents are trying to do. Critics argue that children are especially vulnerable 3)_______________ advertising
because they lack the experience and knowledge to understand and evaluate critically the purpose of the ads
they are exposed to. Unfortunately, in most industrialized societies, where governments and campaigners
fight for better child advertising standards and regulations or improved food quality, the advertising
companies fight back preferring self-regulation. They argue that 4)_______________ is individual choices
and preferences that are the issue, not anything else. Advertising to children is big business as children are
a captive audience. The average American child watches approximately 25,000 to 40,000 television
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commercials per year, and companies spend $15-17 billion 5)_______________ advertising to children in
the US. The marketing seems to be worth it. For 6)______________, teens in the US spend around $160
billion a year, and children spend around $18 billion a year on products. This might be good for business;
7)_______________
there
are
also
important
economic,
social,
and
environmental
costs
8)_______________ be considered because what consumerism may take away from people is likely to
outweigh its advantages. The problem is the 9)_______________ of awareness. Buying whatever we want
even when we don’t need it, and getting any kind of service done as quickly as possible appear to be fun.
However, little do we know about the costs we have to pay in 10)_______________ for our crazy spending
habits.
III.
It was only when my television broke down that I found out how difficult it is to get one repaired. I asked
around at different shops, but no one would even agree to look at it for me. I wondered 1)_______________
other people would act in a similar situation. Instead of looking for someone to get it 2)_______________
they would throw their broken televisions away, I suppose. Anyway, I eventually found a place, but, even
then, I didn't have much luck as the repairman was not in the shop. The woman behind the counter explained
that 3)_______________ had a serious accident, the repairman had not worked for two weeks. He had, in
fact, fallen and broken his leg 4)_______________ fixing an antenna. She went on to add that he had an
apprentice, who could fix my television, but she didn't know 5)_______________ he was at that moment.
Looking at my watch, I thought to myself that he 6)_______________ be on his lunch break. I went back an
hour later and spoke to the apprentice. He agreed to come straight round to my house and repaired the
television for quite a lot of money. The next day, I told one of my friends about my experience. "How much
did you pay?" he asked and I told him. "That's so expensive. You 7)_______________ have told me your
TV wasn't working. Jack, my neighbour, is amazingly good with gadgets. He is 8)_______________ to
be good at repairing all kinds of electronic appliances. The best thing is that he likes fixing electronic devices
9)_______________ much that he doesn't charge anything. He 10)_______________ have repaired your
television for nothing and you wouldn’t have had to pay a penny."
B. DIALOGUE COMPLETION
Complete the dialogues with ONE statement or question. Write your answer in the blanks provided.
1. Daphne : I am going to ask for money from dad so that I can pay the tuition fee for this semester,
but I’m not sure about the amount. _________________________________________
Bob
: Well, you can check the web-site of the school or you can go and ask the people in the
Students Affairs Office.
Daphne : Thank you so much, that was really helpful.
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2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Joan
: Have you met the new engineer? His name is Dave.
Mary
: No, I haven’t. _____________________________________________________
Joan
: Well, he seems a little cold at first but actually he is very kind and friendly.
Ahmad : I have become forgetful recently. I’m often late for meetings or sometimes I miss them
completely.
Pat
: _________________________________________________ However remember it is
not enough just to have a diary. You should not forget to check it daily.
John
: I want to buy a mobile phone, but just a simple one because phones with a lot of
features are usually expensive.
Elton
: Yes, they usually are, but now, ______________________________________ Maybe
you should try one of them.
Paul
: ______________________________________________________________
Janis
: Too long? I could have stayed there forever! I adore Chopin. He is such a great composer!
Woman : Let’s go to a movie tonight? I’m really bored.
Man
: Sounds great! ______________________________________________________?
Woman : Hmmm. I’ve been sort of fed up with horror movies recently. They all seem so violent.
C. RESPONSE TO A SITUATION
Respond to the following situation in one statement or question. Write your response in the blank
provided.
1.
You have joined a health club. You have been told that you can bring a guest once a month, and you
have informed your best friend about this. Now, invite him/her to join you next weekend by saying:
________________________________________________________________________
2.
At the end of your third month of membership, you have been asked by the secretary to give your
opinion about the club in a questionnaire. You can fill it in either at the guest-relations office or
online. You are too busy to complete it now. Filling it online will be more convenient for you. Express
your preference by saying:
__________________________________________________________________________
3.
You want to go abroad for your winter break; however, your mother is not very eager to send you
away since you’re still a teenager. You try to comfort her by saying:
_________________________________________________________________________
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4.
Your school is organizing a trip to the Denmark, and they require that you should have the permission
form signed by your parents. You go to your parents and say:
_________________________________________________________________________
5. You work for an advertising company and you need a day off or two in order to relax. You know that
the company has been really busy lately, but you still want to talk to your boss about it so you say to
him:
_________________________________________________________________________
6. You missed a pop-quiz, which you later learned from your friends was very easy. You express your
regret by saying:
_________________________________________________________________________
PART II. READING SECTION
A. Paragraph Completion
Mark the choice which best follows logically.
1.
Not always being relaxing experiences, _________.
a) people have the advantage of working with pleasure on holiday
b) holidays may not provide peace of mind for travellers in certain cases
c) it is essential that holidaymakers plan their vacation in detail
d) people usually tell their colleagues where to go for a good time
2.
Just as murder is acceptable in cases of self-defence, euthanasia should be considered morally
correct if the reason is mercy; therefore, _________.
a) laws should be modified to legalize euthanasia in certain cases
b) its legalization may cause misuse, overuse or a loss of respect for the value of life
c) it shouldn't be against the patient's and/or the family's request or approval
d) a court approval is necessary to decide whether to unhook the patient's respirator
3.
In cognitive therapy, the psychologist treats mental disorders through modification of the
perceptions and behavioural patterns of the patient. In other words, _________.
a) psychiatry, which is based on the use of drugs, is a more effective form of treatment
b) the success of the therapy is dependent on the patient's ability to resist change
c) the most important task for the psychologist is to maintain habits previously formed by the patient
d) to overcome his illness, the patient must learn to alter the way he sees the world and act within it
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4.
According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s Code of Federal Regulations, natural flavor
essentially has an edible source which is obtained from animals and vegetables. Artificial flavors,
on the other hand, have an inedible source which means _________.
a) anything processed from petroleum to paper pulp to create flavorings
b) fruit imported from tropical countries gives food a great flavour
c) cheese produced from goat milk had a strange flavour
d) the food is no longer fit for consumption since it is no longer fresh
5.
Snapchat is a messaging app where users can send Snaps, consisting mostly of photos or video, that
disappear after they’re viewed by the recipient. The other fun feature is the filters. They can turn
your selfie into the image of an adorable puppy, or a video of a deer. Despite the fun, ______.
a) it does not let you comment or like photos or videos unlike other social media like Facebook and
Instagram.
b) 71% of itst users are under 34 years old which means you get the best social marketing platform
to invest in
c) it offers variety of filters that you can choose from to express yourselves and how you truly feel.
d) it promotes real time happenings and connects families and friends even from afar
6. In Araçatuba, any woman who is interested a little by fashion and the Internet knows the blogger
Mariah Bernardes. One of the most influential bloggers in the world and with her page for eight
years on the air, Mariah plans her busy schedule between appointments, press and family. Being
famous worldwide, _________.
a) in their social networks it is possible to follow business trips, honeymoons and romantic walks
b) she has 500,000 followers on Instagram with whom she shares tips in multiple languages
c) Araçatuba plays a very important role, both in her personal and professional life
d) Chiara Ferragni and Mia Moretti have multimillion-dollar personal style blog businesses
B. TEXT COMPREHENSION
Circle the best choice.
Text I
Hay fever is a seasonal allergy to pollens; the term ‘hay fever’, however, is a less than adequate description
since an attack of this allergy does not incur fever and since such an attack can be brought on by sources
other than hay-producing grasses. Hay fever is generally caused by air-borne pollens, particularly ragweed
pollen. The amount of pollen in the air is largely dependent on geographical location, weather, and season.
In the eastern section of the United States, for example, there are generally three periods when pollen from
various sources can cause intense hay fever suffering: in the spring-time months of March and April when
pollen from trees is prevalent, in the summer months of June and July when grass pollen fills the air, and
at the end of August when ragweed pollen is at its most concentrated levels.
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1. Which of the following would be the best title for the passage?
a) The relationship between Season and Allergies
b) Misconceptions and Facts about Hay Fever
c) Hay Fever in the Eastern U.S
d) How Ragweed Causes Hay Fever
2. Which of the following is NOT discussed in the passage as a determining factor of the amount of pollen
in the air?
a) Place
b) Climate
c) Time of year
d) Altitude
3. Which of the following is NOT true about hay fever in the eastern U.S.?
a) Suffering from hay fever is equally severe year-round.
b) Pollen from trees causes hay fever suffering in the spring.
c) Grass pollen fills the air earlier in the year than ragweed pollen.
d) Ragweed pollen is most prevalent at the end of the summer.
Text II
When a strong earthquake occurs on the ocean floor rather than on land, a tremendous force is exerted on
the seawater and one or larger, destructive waves called tsunamis can be formed. Tsunamis are commonly
called tidal waves in the United States, but this is really an inappropriate name in that the cause of the
tsunami is an underground earthquake rather than the ocean’s tides.
Far from land, a tsunami can move through the wide-open vastness of the ocean at a speed of 600 miles
(900 kilometers) per hour and often can travel tremendous distances without losing height and strength.
When a tsunami reaches shallow coastal water, it can reach a height of 100 feet (30 meters) or more and
can cause tremendous flooding and damage to coastal areas.
1. The paragraph preceding the passage most probably discusses
a) tsunamis in various parts of the world
b) the negative effects of tsunamis
c) land-based earthquakes
d) the effect of tides on tsunamis
2. Which of the following is most likely the topic of the paragraph following the passage?
a) The cause of tsunamis
b) Examples for the destructive effects of tsunamis
c) The differences between tsunamis and tidal waves
d) The distances covered by tsunamis
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Text III
Unlike earlier campaigns, the 1960 presidential campaign featured the politically innovative and highly
influential series of televised debates in the contest between the Republicans and the Democrats. Senator
John Kennedy established an early lead among the Democratic hopefuls and was nominated on the first
ballot at the Los Angeles convention to be the representative of the Democratic party in the presidential
elections. Richard Nixon, then serving as vice president of the United States under Eisenhower, received
the nomination of the Republican Party. Both Nixon and Kennedy campaigned vigorously throughout the
country and then took the unprecedented step of appearing in face-to-face debates on television. Political
experts contend that the debates were a pivotal force in the elections. In front of a viewership of more than
100 million citizens, Kennedy masterfully overcame Nixon’s advantage as the better-known and more
experienced candidate and reversed the public perception of him as too inexperienced and immature for
the presidency.
1. Which of the following best expresses the main idea of the passage?
a) Kennedy defeated Nixon in the 1960 presidential election.
b) Television debates were instrumental in the outcome of the 1960 presidential election.
c) Television debates have long been a part of campaigning.
d) Kennedy was the leading Democratic candidate in the 1960 presidential election.
2. The passage implies that Kennedy _____________.
a) could barely win the Democratic presidential nomination
b) won the Democratic presidential nomination fairly easily
c) was not a front runner in the race for the Democratic presidential nomination
d) came from behind to win the Democratic presidential nomination
3. The passage states that the television debates between presidential candidates in 1960 ___________.
a) did not influence the selection of the president
b) were the final televised debates
c) were fairly usual in the history of presidential campaigns
d) were the first presidential campaign debates to be televised
4. Which of the following is NOT mentioned about Richard Nixon?
a) He was serving as vice president.
b) He was the Republican Party’s candidate for president.
c) He campaigned strongly all over the country.
d) He was nominated on the first ballot.
5. The passage states that in the debates with Nixon, Kennedy demonstrated to the American people that
he was_____________.
a) old enough to be president
b) better known than Nixon
c) experienced enough to be president
d) too inexperienced to serve as president
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Text IV
Some say technology is a blessing; others say it’s a curse. Which is right? They both are. Think about it:
Technology can give you cancer, and technology can cure your cancer. So it’s not about whether technology
is good or bad; it’s about what we decide to do with technology that matters. Today, thanks to exponential
growth in processing power, storage, and bandwidth, we have the ability to do things that were literally
impossible just a few years ago.
For example, for several years now the military has been increasingly using drones, which are robotic planes
controlled from a remote distance, for surveillance flights over Iraq, Iran, and other areas of the Middle East.
They have kept many humans from being put at risk. In addition, they have also been used for targeted
bombing missions in areas that would have put human flight crews at high risk. Describing drones as good
or bad becomes harder to answer when you see the many shades of grey underlying the subject. Taking this
a little further, the companies that make drones have recently expanded their markets and now our border
patrol, as well as an increasing number of police departments, has found drones to be a cost effective way to
accomplish surveillance tasks.
The next step has been to make drones much smaller. Recently, they’re developing micro aircrafts. Think of
them as bug-sized flying spies. For example, Johns Hopkins University together with the U.S. Air Force
Office of Science Research at Wright-Patterson Air Force is developing what they’re calling a Micro Aerial
Vehicle (MAV). These are robotic insects that can effortlessly infiltrate urban areas, even where there are
dense buildings, a lot of people, and unpredictable winds. Scientists have gone even beyond that with this
technology in that they’re capable of landing the MAVs precisely on the human skin. Then, using a supermicron-sized needle, it can take a DNA sample and fly off at top speed. The person who has been bitten by
this drone insect only feels the same pain as a mosquito bite, but they don’t have the burning, itching, or
swelling.
1. According to the writer, _________.
a) we should use technology to cure many forms of cancer
b) what is essential is to know what to do with technology
c) use of technology was impossible years ago
d) the main concern for technological advances is storage
2. The military has started to use drones because _________.
a) drones can be used in missions to minimize the risk of losing lives
b) drones are robotic planes that are easy to control from a distance
c) drones have caused the number of police police departments to increase
d) drones put human crew flights at risk due to being controlled remotely
3. Micro Aerial Vehicle are not only designed to secretly fly into populated areas, _________.
a) but also to inflict the same pain as a mosquito bite with burning and itching
b) but to develop micro aircrafts that bite humans for DNA samples
c) but also to land on humans so as to collect DNA samples
d) but also to create bugs in urban areas and dense buildings
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TEXT V
Minding the Brain
1
The human brain, with its 100 billion nerve cells, is the most complicated object in the known universe.
Therefore, it is not surprising that nearly everything we know about the brain today was discovered in
the second half of the 20th century. Until then, the primary method for investigating brain activity was
to study patients who had suffered damage to very specific areas in their brains, and observe what they
could and couldn't do.
2
By the mid-19th century, research had revealed that certain brain sections were responsible for certain
abilities. For instance, those sections in the left hemisphere called Broca's and Wernicke's areas were
critical to speech. However, there was no way to know whether these abilities were completely localized
or extended throughout the brain, or how they might be organized at the cell level. Then in 1949,
Canadian psychologist Donald Hebb proposed a new explanation for how the brain worked. He theorized
that the brain created 'cell assemblies' in response to things that happened in the world. For example, if
you see enough triangles, you will develop a group of cells in your brain that is very good at recognizing
three-sided figures.
3
In the early 1960s, experiments on animals revealed the distinctive areas of the brain that process visual
information. These experiments also helped scientists learn about the regions of the cortex (the outermost
layer of the brain), which is heavily involved in receiving sensory information and controlling motor
responses. Later, developing technology allowed researchers to record the electrical activity of
individual brain cells and the eye. In addition to the experiments on animals, studies were carried out on
humans as well. Further study of patients with brain damage identified the areas which were involved
in processing memory and integrating feeling with thought. Today, new research has shown that,
although certain brain regions have specialized abilities, there is much more interaction among even
remote sections of the brain than previously thought.
4
Since the 1980s and '90s, work has progressed rapidly on three fronts: First, information theorists have
started to use computers to figure out how the brain works. Second, bio-chemists have learned to control
the complex chemistry that occurs between nerve cells, where psychoactive drugs work. As a result, new
drugs have become available. One example is Prozac, which raises the level of an important chemical
called serotonin in the spaces between nerve cells. For many patients, this alleviates depression. Third,
modern science has made it possible to watch the brain in action by identifying the areas that are the
most active, and therefore, consume the most nutrients. It has become possible for patients to undergo
a PET (positron emission tomography) scan, which measures brain cells that are working hardest when
a person is performing a certain task. For example, scientists can now watch which areas of the brain
are activated when a person is asked to spell 'Massachusetts' or add 17 and 28. Thanks to these new
discoveries, science has begun to probe what may be the final frontier of neuro-science: consciousness.
In other words, it has begun to explore what aspects of the brain make it aware of its own activity. This
means one of the greatest scientific journeys of the 21st century will be inside ourselves.
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1. In parag. 2, 'they' refers to __________.
a)
b)
c)
d)
Broca's and Wericke's areas
right and left hemispheres
certain abilities
brain sections
2. In parag. 4, 'probe' probably means __________.
a)
b)
c)
d)
interfere
respond
contradict
investigate
3. Prior to the second half of the 20th century, it wasn't known _________.
a)
b)
c)
d)
whether speech ability was a completely local one or not
that patients with brain damage couldn't use specific areas of their brains
whether it was possible to investigate brain activity
that certain brain sections were involved in performing certain abilities
4. It can be inferred from the second paragraph that _________.
a) cell assemblies create a response in the brain to things happening around us
b) Broca and Wernicke are the discoverers of the brain sections critical to speech
c) a person good at recognizing rectangles will develop a group of cells to distinguish between
different shapes
d) the explanation Donald Hebb provided was in fact very similar to the ones proposed earlier
5. Animal experimentation in the early 1960s enabled scientists to learn about the _________.
a)
b)
c)
d)
existence of a region called cortex
interaction among distant sections of the brain
areas of the outermost layer of the brain
motor responses in the individual cells
6. In the late 20th century, the scientific studies of the brain concentrated on _________.
a) computerized techniques for brain functions, the chemistry between nerve cells and imaging
techniques to watch the brain performing a specific task
b) the types of nutrients the brain consumes when a patient spells a difficult word such as
'Massachusetts'
c) defining the techniques employed by a person when he is performing a mathematical task
d) improving PET scans to be able to see the changes in the brain when a patient is given Prozac
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