General Reading 1

7/27/2019 General Reading 1

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Reading passage 1

A. Despite doom-saying about Democrats chances in the midterms, the

latest NEWSWEEK Poll shows that they remain in a close race with

Republicans 12 days before Election Day, while the presidents approval

ratings have climbed sharply. The poll finds that 48 per cent of registeredvoters would be more likely to vote for Democrats, compared with 42

percent who lean Republican (those numbers are similar to those in the last

NEWSWEEK Poll, which found Democrats favoured 48 per cent to 43 per cent).

B. President Obamas approval ratings have jumped substantially, crossing

the magic halfway threshold to 54 percent, up from 48 percent in late

September, while the portion of respondents who disapprove of the

president dropped to 40 percent, the lowest disapproval rating in a

NEWSWEEK Poll since February 2010.

C. However, his approval rating, which is notably higher than many recent

polls of the presidents popularity, may be evidence of a closing

enthusiasm gap more than a sea change in voter attitudes, and may not

substantially affect Democrats fortunes come Election Day. In 1994,

NEWSWEEK Polls showed a similar steep climb in President Clintons

approval between late September and late October, but Democrats still

suffered a rout in the midterms.

D. While two thirds (69 percent) of self-identified Republican voters say

theyve given a lot or some thought to the election, 62 percent of

Democrats say they have. This result indicates that the difference inenthusiasm between Democratic and Republican voters may be less stark

than some otherpolls have suggested. A small plurality of registered voters

48 to 43 percentwould prefer that Democrats keep control of Congress.

(The polls margin of error is 4.3 percent.)

E. The new survey also offers a morsel of evidence that Democrats strategy

of gaining an edge among early voters might be succeeding. They hold a

10-point lead among those who have already voted, 52 points to 42, but

because the sample only represents 92 voters out of the 1,005 polled,

Hugick says more polling is necessary for a conclusive picture. Earlyvoting, which has steadily gained popularity in recent years, is expected to

have an impact on the election, with three in 10 voters expected to cast

ballots before Nov. 2.

F. Pollster Larry Hugick says that while Republicans are still likely to come

out on top on Nov. 2, the results of the new poll show it might not be the

runaway domination some commenters have suggested. The idea that

the Democrats are just going to sit this one out doesnt seem very likely,

he says. While theres no question that Republicans are going to pick up

seats, the question is how many.
http://www.newsweek.com/2010/10/01/newsweek-poll-anger-unlikely-to-be-deciding-factor-in-midterms.htmlhttp://www.newsweek.com/2010/10/01/newsweek-poll-anger-unlikely-to-be-deciding-factor-in-midterms.htmlhttp://maristpoll.marist.edu/108-enthusiasm-gap-still-wide-for-novembers-elections/http://dailycaller.com/2010/10/18/poll-enthusiasm-gap-favoring-republicans-no-myth/http://www.newsweek.com/2010/10/01/newsweek-poll-anger-unlikely-to-be-deciding-factor-in-midterms.htmlhttp://www.newsweek.com/2010/10/01/newsweek-poll-anger-unlikely-to-be-deciding-factor-in-midterms.htmlhttp://maristpoll.marist.edu/108-enthusiasm-gap-still-wide-for-novembers-elections/http://dailycaller.com/2010/10/18/poll-enthusiasm-gap-favoring-republicans-no-myth/


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G. One factor feeding excitement for the GOP: the Tea Party. A quarter of

likely voters, 24 percent, say they support the movement, with 27 percent

of likely voters opposing it. Among Tea Party supporters, two thirds

identify as Republicans, but nine in 10 intend to vote for Republican

candidates for Congress. Eighty-one percent of Tea Party backers oppose

the bank bailouts, 90 percent oppose health-care reform, and 85 percent

think the economic stimulus was bad for the country. Among the entire

sample of voters, two thirds look unfavourably on the bailouts, but support

and opposition for the stimulus and health-care reform are roughly equal

and within the margin of error.

Source: Newsweek

Questions

You should spend about 20 minutes on Questions 1 to 14 which are based on

Reading Passage 1Questions 1 to 7

Reading Passage 1 has seven paragraphs A G.

From the list of headings below, choose the most suitable heading for each

paragraph.

Write the appropriate numbers I ix in boxes 1 7 on your answer sheet.

1 Paragraph A

2 Paragraph B

3 Paragraph C

4 Paragraph D

5 Paragraph E

6 Paragraph F

7 Paragraph G

Questions 8 10

Choose the correct letters, A, B, C or D

Write your answers in boxes 8 10 on your answer sheet.

i. The pollster.

ii. The latest Newsweek poll.

iii. The Tea Party supporters.

iv. The Republicans success.

v. The strategy and its effect.

vi. The necessity of polling.

vii. The difference in

enthusiasm.

viii. Enthusiasm gap.

ix. President Obamas approval

ratings.


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8 Some commenters have suggested that

A. It will be a solid domination for the Republicans.

B. It will be a defeat for the Republicans.

C. It will be a clear domination for the Democrats.

D. It will be a tight fight between the two.

9 President Obamas approval ratings

A. Went down very sharply.

B. Went up very sharply.

C. Showed no change.

D. Had a great impact on the poll.

10 One factor feeding excitement for the GOP is

A. The Republicans.B. The Democrats.

C. The Tea Party.

D. The Voters.

Questions 11 14

Complete each of the following statements (questions 11 14) with the best

endingsA G from the box below

Write the appropriate lettersA G in boxes 11 14 on your answer sheet.

11 Democrats strategy of gaining an edge12 President Obamas approval ratings have jumped substantially

13 Eighty-one percent of Tea Party backers oppose

14 While two thirds of self-identified Republican voters say

Reading passage 2

A. Thousands of rural and urban post offices will be under threat of closure as

a result of government plans to privatise Royal Mail, John Denham, theshadow business secretary, will warn this week. The Labour MP will say

A Crossing the magic halfway.

B Among early voters might be succeeding.

C Theyve given a lot or some thought to the

election.

D The bank bailouts.

E Is not going to win the game for them.


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that the Post Office network depends on Royal Mail for 30% of its income,

which is currently guaranteed as a result of a 150m public subsidy each

year and an agreement known as the Inter Business Arrangement. But

Denham will tell MPs that there is no guarantee this will continue once

Royal Mail becomes a separate entity.

B. "The business that Royal Mail brings to the Post Office is vital to the future

of local post offices but the privatisation bill does not set out any

mechanism for guaranteeing this. And the Inter Business Agreement which

brings Royal Mail business to the Post Office could end the moment Royal

Mail is sold," he said. "The Post Office minister, Ed Davey, confirmed in a

briefing with MPs on the bill on 20 October that the government would

have nothing to do with the IBA and it would be entirely down to relations

between the Post Office and Royal Mail.

C. "A supermarket chain could turn to a privatised Royal Mail and say we

could provide 'post offices' to Royal Mail more cheaply than Post Office Ltd

by excluding as many loss-making areas as possible. This would be a

disaster for rural and non-profitable urban post offices."

D. Currently the Post Office is wholly owned by Royal Mail, but the two will be

separated as a result of the Postal Services Bill. Gregg McClymont, Labour

MP for Cumbernauld, Kilsyth and Kirkintilloch East, attended the meeting

with Davey. He said the minister had expressed confidence that Royal Mail

would maintain the contract with post offices without government

intervention.

E. "I am surprised at his confidence that the IBA will continue because there

are major questions about the relationship between the Post Office and

Royal Mail under the new system," McClymont said. "My fear is that they

are rushing this through without anyone having the chance to stop and

think of the post offices." The MP said Davey had promised there would be

no "programme of closures" but argued that post offices would not survive

without the guaranteed business. "The market rules they are creating will

lead to the post office closures," he added.

F. George Thomson, general secretary of the National Federation of Sub-

Postmasters, said he feared that most post offices would be unable to

continue without a 10-year IBA. Any less than that would be

"catastrophic", with a deal of half that length meaning "falling off a cliff" in

five years. "The majority of postmasters would go out of business," he

said.

G. However, others argued that Royal Mail would never break its tie with the

Post Office, because of the strength and popularity of the brand. A Royal

Mail source said: "It is unthinkable that there won't always be a very

strong relationship between the post offices and Royal Mail both are of

crucial importance to each other."


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Source: Time Magazine

Questions

You should spend about 20 minutes on Questions 15 27 which are based on

Reading Passage 2

Questions 15 19

Do the following statements agree with the information given in Reading

Passage 2?

In boxes 15 -19 in your answer sheet write

TRUE if the statement agrees with the information

FALSE if the statement contradicts the information

NOT GIVEN if there is no information on this

15. The Royal Mail is a good source of revenue for the British

government.

16. The Royal mail is going to be privatised.

17. A supermarket chain can be a partner to the Royal Mail.

18. Currently the Royal Mail has a tie with the Post Office.

19. The British ministry doesnt want a merge of some other company

with the Royal Mail.

Question 20 23

Look at the following persons (questions 20 23) and the list of statements

below.Match each person to the correct statement.

Write the correct letterA G in boxes 1 4 on your answer sheet.

20. John Denham

21. George Thomson

22. Gregg McClymont

23. Ed Davey

Questions 24 27

Complete the following statements with the correct alternative from the box.

Write the correct letterA F in boxes 24 27 on your answer sheet.

A Questions about the relationship between the Post

Office and Royal Mail under the new system.

B Is apprehensive about the privatisation of the

Royal Mail.

C Is the general secretary of the National Federation

of Sub-Postmasters.


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24. A supermarket chain could turn

25. George Thomson feared that most post offices would be

26. the Post Office is wholly owned by Royal Mail, but the two

27. The business that Royal Mail brings to the Post Office is vital

Reading Passage 3

A. A pack of dogs is basking in the sun in the old Jewish cemetery on the hill

overlooking the district of Grabavica in Sarajevo. During the siege of

Sarajevo in the Bosnian war, the Serbs placed their guns up here to fire

into the city. Fifteen years after the war's end, this scruffy neighbourhood

has become the centre of a new conflict. It is thought to be one of the

locations where Angelina Jolie would like to direct her debut film, dealing

in part with the experience of a Muslim woman who was a victim of the

notorious rape camps. The film has provoked a bitter battle over who has

the right to interpret one of the conflict's dark episodes and how. Thedispute has even split groups that speak for rape survivors.

B. What started as a vague rumour that Jolie intended to depict a love affair

between a Serb rapist and his Muslim victim has come to represent much

more: a fierce debate over the political and social influence of war victims'

groups in a still troubled society. It has seen the country's culture minister,

Gavrilo Grahovac, withdraw Jolie's permission to film before being forced a

few days later into an embarrassing climbdown.

C. The scandal has dominated TV news and ordinary conversation with

many backing Jolie. On Thursday the country's leading political weeklymagazine, Dani, dedicated 16 pages to the affair, with a picture of Jolie

above the acid-eaten words "Welcome to Sarajevo". Bakira Hasecic, a rape

victim and the head of the Association of Women Victims of War, is one of

those with the strongest objections to Jolie's film. Her voice Hasecic's

critics say has had undue influence in Bosnian politics. She argues that

any depiction of a relationship between a Serb rapist and his victim would

be offensive.

D. Not all rape victims support her. Enisa Salcinovic, who was raped in a

camp in Foca, split with Bakira in 2006 and now heads the women'ssection of the Association of Concentration Camp Victims. "Fifty per cent

A Will be separated as a result of the Postal Services

Bill.

B To a privatised Royal Mail.

C Unable to continue without a 10-year IBA.

D To the future of local post offices.


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of the victims who called me after the row over the film escalated told me

they do not support Bakira," she says. While her group's members would

also like to be reassured about the contents of the film's script, she insists

they are deeply unhappy about Hasecic's aggressive tactics and says she

should not "talk in all our name". "Angelina Jolie went to meet women

victims in Gorazde [a city in the east of the country]," she adds. "I don't

believe she would want to hurt the victims of the war." She accuses

Hasecic of using her position to advance her own political interests, not

least her close connections with Bosnian nationalist politicians. What is

certainly true is that neither the culture minister, who at first withdrew the

filming permit, nor Hasecic, had seen the script before mounting their

protests.

E. The row has also prompted sharp reactions among other Bosnians with

some including writers for Dani breaking a long-existing taboo against

criticising war victims' organisations and their influence in Bosnian society.Among those who felt impelled to speak out is Belma Becirbasic, a senior

editor and writer who had carried out academic research on the Bosnian

rape camps, who believes the controversy reflects a far deeper social

malaise in a society still struggling with its demons 15 years on and that is

undergoing an increasing radicalisation, producing leaders who have

exploited war victims for their own ends.

F. "Behind the story of Angelina Jolie and her film," she said, "is the inability

of a society and culture to go forward and put the war behind us. This is

the first time I've taken the course of writing about the real Bakira and the

other side of the war victims' organisations. "Because if you write about

that other side, how they exploit public discourse, you offend them. What

has happened around this film has been an excuse. Next week there will

be something else for them to take issue with. And in Bakira's case what

has happened is that she has monopolised the discussion of Bosnia's

raped."

G. The clumsy handling of permission for Jolie to film has also incensed

members of Bosnia's small but vibrant film industry, among them Nenad

Dizdarevic, a director and dean of Sarajevo's Film Academy whose film,

The Awkward Age, was premiered in Sarajevo in 1994 in the midst of thesiege. He insists that films dealing with "problematic themes" are "the

most interesting", pointing to Charlotte Rampling and Dirk Bogarde in The

Night Porter, about a masochistic love affair between a former Nazi and a

concentration camp victim, as a "small masterpiece".

Questions

You should spend about 20 minutes on Questions 28 40 which are based on

Reading Passage 3.

Questions 28 32


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The passage has seven paragraphs labelledAG.

Which paragraph contains the following information?

Write the correct letter A-G in boxes 28-32 on your answer sheet.

NB: You may use any letter more than once.

28. Jolie intended to depict a love affair between a Serb rapist and his Muslim

victim.

29. Belma Becirbasic carried out academic research on the Bosnian rape

camps.

30. Behind the story of Angelina Jolie and her film is the inability of a society

and culture to go forward.

31. Bakira Hasecic is a rape victim and the head of the Association of WomenVictims of War.

32. The Bosnian film fraternity welcomed Jolies project.

Questions 33 36

Complete the sentences below with words taken from Reading Passage 3.

Use NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS for each answer.

Write your answers in boxes 33-36 on your answer sheet.

33. All the rape victims do not support .

34. Fifteen years after the war's end, this scruffy neighbourhood has become

the centre of .

35. The Awkward Age was premiered in Sarajevo in 1994 in the midst of .

36. Jolie wanted to be close to the victims to .

Questions 37 40

Complete the summary of the paragraphs A C below.

Choose NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS for each answer.

Write your answers in boxes 37-40 on your answer sheet.


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Grabavica in Sarajevo is thought to be one of the locations where Angelina Jolie

would like to direct 37 . The film has provoked a bitter battle

over who has the right to interpret one of the 38 . This has raised

a fierce debate over the political and social influence of war victims' groups in 39

. Any depiction of a relationship between a Serb rapist and his

victim 40 .

Documents

General Reading 1