The biological community changes again as one moves from the city to the suburbs. Around all cities is a biome called the "suburban forest". The trees of this forest are species that are favored by man, and most of them have been deliberately planted. Mammals such as rabbits, skunks, and opossums have moved in from the surrounding countryside. Raccoons have become experts at opening garbage cans, and in some places even deer wander suburban thoroughfares. Several species of squirrel get along nicely in suburbia, but usually only one species is predominant in any given suburb -fox squirrels in one place, red squirrels in another, gray squirrels in a third - for reasons that are little understood. The diversity of birds in the suburbs is great, and in the South, lizards thrive in gardens and even houses. Of course, insects are always present. There is an odd biological sameness in these suburban communities. True, the palms of Los Angeles are missing from the suburbs of Boston, and there are species of insects in Miami not found in Seattle. But over wide stretches of the United States, ecological conditions in suburban biomes vary much less than do those of natural biome. And unlike the natural biomes, the urban and suburban communities exist in spite of, not because of, the climate

The word "thrive" is closest in meaning to ........

A recent study shows that an unequal share of household chores is still the norm in many households, despite the fact that many more women now have jobs. In a survey of 1,256 people ages between 18 and 65, men said they contributed an average of 37% of the total housework, while the women estimated their share to be nearly double that, at 70%. This ratio was not affected by whether the woman was working or not. When they were asked what they thought was a fair division of labour, women with jobs felt that housework should be shared equally between male and female partners. Women who did not work outside the home were satisfied to perform 80% - the majority of the household work - if their husbands did remainder. Research has shown that, if levels increase beyond these percentages, women become unhappy and anxious, and feel they are unimportant. After marriage, a woman is reported to increase her household workload by 14 hours per week, but for men the amount is just 90 minutes. So the division of labour becomes unbalanced, as a man's share increases much less than the woman's. It is the inequality and loss of respect, not the actual number of hours, which leads to anxiety and depression. The research describes housework as thankless and unfulfilling. Activities included in the study were cooking, cleaning, shopping, doing laundry, washing up and childcare. Women who have jobs report that they feel overworked by these chores in addition to their professional duties. In contrast, full-time homemakers frequently anticipate going back to work when the children grow up. Distress for this group is caused by losing the teamwork in the marriage. 

According to the passage, a fair division of labour is that ...................

The word “rupture” in bold in paragraph 3 is closest in meaning to .............

Which of the following best expresses the main idea of the second paragraph of the passage?

The word “elegant” is closest in meaning to ...........

The word “minute” is closest in meaning to ...........

These days, most people in Britain and the US do not wear very formal clothes. But sometimes it is important to wear the right thing. Many British people don't think about clothes very much. They just like to be comfortable. When they go out to enjoy themselves, they can wear almost anything. At theatres, cinemas and concerts you can put on what you like from elegant suits and dresses to jeans and sweaters. Anything goes, as long as you look clean and tidy. But in Britain, as well as in the US, men in offices usually wear suits and ties, and women wear dresses or skirts (not trousers). Doctors, lawyers and business people wear quite formal clothes. And in some hotels and restaurants men have to wear ties and women wear smart dresses. In many years, Americans are more relaxed than British people, but they are more careful with their clothes. At home, or on holiday, most Americans wear informal or sporty clothes. But when they go out in the evening, they like to look elegant. In good hotels and restaurants, men have to wear jackets and ties, and women wear pretty clothes and smart hairstyles. It is difficult to say exactly what people wear informal or formal in Britain and the US, because everyone is different. If you are not sure what to wear, watch what other people do and then do the same. You'll feel more relaxed if you don't look too different from everyone else. 

Many British people wear freely when they ..................

Four West Indian geckos, with human assistance, have recently entered the United States. The yellowheaded gecko, the ashy gecko, the reef gecko, and the ocellated gecko are presently inhabiting the tropical areas of the Keys and the tip of southern Florida. The Mediterranean gecko also arrived along the Gulf coast some time ago, via the West Indies. The only other geckos in the United States live in the Southwest. In extreme southern California, the leaf-gingered gecko lives in dry, rocky country and scampers over boulders at night, hiding by day in crevices. It has a slender, tapered tail and stalks insects by raising itself high on its legs, cocking its head, and twitching its tail nervously before leaping on its prey. In courtship, the tail is also waved by the male as he approaches the female. Although most lizards are excellent climbers, the geckos are able to walk on smooth surfaces with the help of unique clinging devices under the toes. Also, the undersides of most geckos have pads of large scales, each of which bear microscopic hairs with hundreds of branches having minute, blunt ends that press against the surface that the gecko is on, enabling the gecko to cling to almost any surface. Like other lizards, geckos have the ability to shed their tails if attacked by an enemy. They stump heels and a new tail is grown in approximately the same shape as the original. Unlike most lizards, most geckos have no moveable eyelids. The nocturnal geckos have vertical pupils, which contract in bright light. All geckos, except several New Zealand species, lay eggs. The eggs have a tough, white shell and are laid under stones, behind window shutters or under bark. 

In line 1, the author uses the words “human assistance” to mean ............

Although women think men should share the housework, those who don't have paid job agree to share ........... of the chores

The word “wink” in the second paragraph means most nearly the same as ............

What should a diver do when ascending?

What does the author imply about the effect of climate in the suburban biome?

Ever since humans have inhabited the earth, they have made use of various forms of communication. Generally, this expression of thoughts and feelings has been in the form of oral speech. When there is a language barrier, communication is accomplished through sign language in which motions stand for letters, words, and ideas. Tourists, the deaf, and the mute have had to resort to this form of expression. Many of these symbols of whole words are very picturesque and exact and can be used internationally, spelling, however, cannot. Body language transmits ideas or thoughts by certain actions, either intentionally or unintentionally. A wink can be a way of flirting or indicating that the party is only joking. A nod signifies approval, while shaking the head indicates a negative reaction. Other forms of nonlinguistic language can be found in Braille (a system of raised dots read with the fingertips), signal flags, Morse code, and smoke signals. Road maps and picture signs also guide, warm, and instruct people. While verbalization is most common form of language, other systems and techniques also express human thoughts and feelings. 

Which form other than oral speech would be the most commonly used among blind people?

What is the most likely subject of the paragraph following this passage?

In the United States, it is important to be on time, or punctual, for an appointment, a class, a meeting, etc... This may not be true in some other countries, however. An American professor discovered this difference while teaching a class in a Brazilian university. The twohour class was scheduled to begin at 10 a.m, and end at 12 a.m. On the first day, when the professor arrived on time, no one was in the classroom. Many students came after 11 a.m. Although all of the students greeted the professor as they arrived, few apologised for their lateness. Were these students being rude? He decided to study the students’ behavior. In American university, students are expected to arrive at the appointed hour. On the other hand, in Brazil, neither the teacher nor the students always arrive at the appointed hour. Classes not only begin at the scheduled time in the United States, but they also end at the scheduled time. In the Brazilian class, only a few students left the class at noon, many remained past 12:30 to discuss the class and ask more questions. While arriving late may not be important in Brazil, neither is staying late. The explanation for these differences is complicated. People from Brazilian and North American cultures have different feelings about lateness. In Brazil, the students believe that a person who usually arrives late is probably more successful than a person who is always on time. In fact, Brazilians expect a person with status or prestige to arrive late, while in the United States, lateness is usually considered to be disrespectful and unacceptable. Consequently, if a Brazilian is late for an appointment with a North America, the American may misinterpret the reason for the lateness and become angry. As a result for his study, the professor learned that the Brazilian students were not being disrespectful to him. Instead, they were simply behaving the appropriate way for a Brazilian student in Brazil. Eventually, the professor was able to adapt his own behavior to feel comfortable in the new culture. 

What is the main idea of this passage?

What did the professor learn from the study?