Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to indicate the correct word or phrase that best fits each of the numbered blanks.

      Tattooing has been around for thousands of years. The act of making a permanent design or mark on the body was originally thought to (23) ______________ magical protection against disease and misfortune. Later, it was used to show a person's social status. The Romans, for example, used to tattoo slaves and criminals.

       With the arrival of Christianity in Europe, tattooing was forbidden. It virtually died out for hundreds of years, until European explorers came into (24) ________ with American Indians and Polynesians in the 17th and 18th centuries. Sailors would return from long voyage, decorated with large and elaborate designs. Many of these sailors later joined circuses, and earned a living by showing their tattoos to the public.

       Nowadays, tattooing is neither as unusual, nor as popular as it once was. Tattoo parlors do exist, but most people are unwilling to go (25) ____________ the rather painful procedure. On the other hand, temporary tattoos are becoming increasingly common. The design, (26)_______lasts for three to six weeks, is painted painlessly onto the skin.

       Other people still prefer the (27) _________, permanent techniques, of course. The world record for the most-tattooed person is held by Tom Leppard from Scotland. His leopard-skin design covers 99.2% of his body surface!

(Source: https://www.britannica.com/art/tattoo)

Running can make your heart work __________ harder than just walking.

Mark the letter A, B, C or D to indicate the underlined part that needs correction in each of the following questions.

In South Korea, the national government has been built English immersion schools all over the country.

There are fascinating and _____________ stories of everyday life and insights into how different people live

Many others certainly don't see it that way and are adamant that the late politician was largely to blame for having a(n) ______________for the vision but scant regard for the detail.

Mark the letter A, B, C or D to indicate the option that best completes following exchanges.

- A: “____________.” - B: "That's a good idea."

Mark the letter A, B, C or D to indicate the correct answer to each of the following questions.

He plagued me ___________ stupid questions all through lunch.

Mark the letter A, B, C or D to indicate the word(s) CLOSEST in meaning to the underlined word(s) in each of the following questions.

No matter how the connection between language and music is parsed, what is apparent is that our sense of music, even our love for it, is as deeply rooted in our biology and in our brains as language is.

I have never been as relaxed as my sister when talking to our father.

Nutritionists report that diets that are high in saturated fat clog up our arteries, _______________ reducing the blood flow to our hearts and brains.

Mark the letter A, B, C, or D to indicate the sentence that best combines each pair of sentences in the following questions.

ASEAN is an international organization. It consists of 10 countries located in Southeast Asia.

But some of the weird writing calls that composer to mind, especially in the more reflective moments of the second movement.