2. The film explored the _____ corners of the human psyche, delving into areas seldom addressed
by mainstream cinema.
(A) tertiary (B) routine (C) familiar (D) clandestine
3. The protagonist’s _____ decision to leave the security of her homeland embarks her on a journey
fraught with unforeseen challenges.
(A) indolent (B) peripheral (C) impetuous (D) rescissory
4. In a world plagued by misinformation, the journalist’s _____ for uncovering the truth became
her most lauded trait.
(A) temerity (B) proclivity (C) equivocation (D) torpor
5. There are several management styles utilized by managers. The most effective managers are able
to _____ employees and keep up morale.
(A) empower (B) disenfranchise (C) simulate (D) belittle
6. Emma Stone graciously accepted the award for Best Actress for her role in “Poor Things.” She
displayed a charmingly flustered _____ upon hearing her name announced as the winner, hastily
making her way to the stage in surprise.
(A) relegation (B) key (C) demeanor (D) prosperity
7. A wildfire engulfed 1,700 square miles in Texas last week, resulting in the tragic deaths of two
women, the destruction of up to 500 structures, and the _____ loss of thousands of cattle.
(A) devastating (B) fortunate (C) pleasant (D) gratifying
8. Though numerous efforts have been made to improve vehicle passenger safety, no similar effort
to protect _____ has been initiated.
(A) pediatrics (B) pedestrians (C) tripods (D) pedestals
10. Unlike _____ plants, hydroponic ones grow in an artificial environment where mineral nutrient
solutions in water, instead of soil, are used to feed them.
(A) solar (B) amorphous (C) celestial (D) terrestrial
12. In most societies, adults in their prime are expected to care for those who are becoming more
and more _____ due to old age.
(A) frail (B) fraudulent (C) famished (D) fluent
13. Two perspectives _____ accounts of the growth of the wind energy industry and research on new
industries generally: the technological perspective and the market perspective.
(A) discredit (B) dominate (C) dismiss (D) discriminate
14. On-the-job training is a key feature of the company’s development, and there are programs for
_____ qualifications, with staff saying this training is of great benefit to them.
(A) articulated (B) assaulted (C) accredited (D) assassinated
15. The CEO’s _____ leadership style, marked by inflexible decisions and a disregard for dissent,
ultimately led to the company’s downfall.
(A) idyllic (B) benevolent (C) prudent (D) autocratic
II. Cloze 【A】The changing habitats of penguins may give us a small window into the future of our own
habitats. As the globe warms, animals like penguins, which spend a lot of time on ice, may be the
first to notice.
Among the flightless birds of the Southern Hemisphere, penguins are well suited to life in the
icy southern seas. They are masterful swimmers, spending __(16)__ 75% of their lives in the water. __(17)__ eighteen different penguin species, seven live around Antarctica. Antarctica has 90
percent of the world’s ice. The Antarctic Peninsula, like the rest of Earth, is warming, but at an even
faster pace. Researchers warn that the face of Antarctica will change in the next 100 years as ice
melts and glaciers __(18)__ .
The changing global environment will change the penguins’ lives. According to Dr. Andrew
Clarke of the British Antarctic Survey, “Many Antarctic organisms are __(19)__ very small changes
in temperature.” Dr. Clark predicts that if extreme temperature change continues, it will lead to
dramatic changes, including some extinctions.
Already, some penguin habitats may be shifting to the south. The pattern of snowfall is
important to penguins’ breeding. Ice patterns are also important because the birds have to trek to the
edge of the ice shelf in order to feed. It’s too early to __(20)__ the exact impact of global warming on penguin habitats. Scientists
will continue to watch the progress and survival of penguins as they try to adapt to their changing
world. 【題組】16. (A) so much (B) so much so (C) much as (D) as much as
【B】Studies show that musical training can have a __(21)__ and lasting impact on the brain,
creating additional neural connections in childhood that can last a lifetime and thus help compensate __(22)__ our failing powers of memory and thinking later in life. The many hours spent learning and
practicing specific types of __(23)__ (each finger on each hand doing something different, and for
wind and brass instruments, also using the mouth and breathing), along with the music-reading and
listening skills that go into playing an instrument in youth, are all factors contributing to the brain
boost that shows up at a later age.
Remarkably, scientists can even map the impact of musical training on the brain. In a 2003
study, Harvard neurologist Gottfried Schlaug found that the brains of adult professional musicians
had a larger __(24)__ of grey matter (the regions of the brain involved in mental processes such as
seeing and hearing, memory, emotions, speech, decision making, and self-control) than those of
non-musicians. Schlaug and colleagues also found that after fifteen months of musical training in
early childhood, structural brain changes associated with improvements in our movement and
hearing begin to appear. Such findings speak to the brain’s __(25)__ — its ability to change or
adapt in response to experience, environment, or behavior. It also shows the power of musical
training to enhance and build connections within the brain. 【題組】21. (A) detrimental (B) profound (C) diffluent (D) longing
【C】Decades of predictions have foretold the __(26)__ of artificial intelligence (AI) into the
workforce, with forecasts suggesting that up to 40% of jobs might be automated within twenty years.
This trend mainly affects roles in predictable, structured settings like factories. However, AI is not
yet capable of performing tasks that require nuanced cognition, subtlety, or complexity, falling short
in sectors that demand human creativity, perception, and social skills. Fields such as surgery, human
resources, and legal work __(27)__ areas where human expertise remains paramount, showcasing
the limits of AI in replicating the depth of human judgment and ingenuity.
The concept of human-in-the-loop, which blends AI with human supervision, presents a
superior method by leveraging the strengths of both to surpass what either could achieve alone. This
hybrid approach enhances efficiency, accuracy, and decision-making across various industries.
Particularly, the medical, HR, and legal sectors benefit from this __(28)__ , with AI assisting but not
replacing human professionals. In healthcare, AI supports diagnostic and treatment processes by __(29)__ the critical roles of empathy and intuition to medical professionals. In HR, AI streamlines
recruitment and training, relying on human insight for nuanced decisions. Legal practices utilize AI
for document analysis, yet depend on human legal expertise for strategic thinking and complex
negotiations.
Embracing the partnership between AI and human intelligence, rather than viewing it as a threat,
encourages a promising path forward. This collaborative model ensures the __(30)__ of both
artificial and human intelligences, leading to enhanced outcomes and the preservation of uniquely
human attributes in professional settings. 【題組】26. (A) collocation (B) expansion (C) exhalation (D) interception
III. Reading Comprehension
【A】Back pain is a common health problem which affects 80 percent of us at some time in our lives.
It affects general wellbeing, prevents people from working, and even causes people to become
depressed.
You could be forgiven for thinking that lower back pain is a curse of our modern lifestyle. Many
in the West blame our sedentary habits. But back pain is something that people around the world
seem to suffer from, whether they spend all day sitting at a desk or working in the fields.
Scientists believe that back pain comes from our being bipedal: walking upright on two feet. So,
unless you go in for regular posture training or have a resistant physique, you will suffer from back
pain at some point. What to do about it? You can look into exercise classes that help to build core
muscle strength, but they are mainly a preventive measure. Some countries have developed cures,
like Madagascar, where Baobab tree bark is used. But mostly treatment consists of months of
painkillers and manipulation before the practitioner can turn around the situation. It seems that for
the time being, we will just have to put up with back pain. 【題組】31. What is NOT true about back pain according to the passage?
(A) Experts have found effective measures that can cure back pain permanently.
(B) 80 percent of people around the world are affected by back pain at some time in their lives.
(C) Exercise classes that help to build core muscle strength may help to prevent back pain.
(D) Back pain treatment may take months of medication and manipulation before it gets better.
【題組】32. What assumption does the sentence “Many in the West blame our sedentary habits” express?
(A) People in the East have proven that sedentary habits are the main causes for back pain.
(B) People who sit for long periods are prone to back pain.
(C) People in the West think that taking sedan chairs is the main cause of back pain.
(D) Sedentary habits are habits that are developed based on overdose of secondary treatment.
【題組】33. Which does the word “bipedal” in the third paragraph mean?
(A) Moving on four feet (B) Moving on both feet
(C) Working with both hands (D) Kneeling down on both knees
【題組】34. Which is wrong about the kind of back pain discussed in the passage?
(A) It is a universal problem.
(B) It affects people’s work.
(C) Getting a half-hour massage can fix it.
(D) People working in the fields also suffer from back pain.
【題組】35. What does it mean when the author suggests that readers “put up with” back pain?
(A) There is good news because some countries have developed cures for back pain, such as
Baobab tree bark in Madagascar.
(B) No one thinks that back pain is a curse of our modern lifestyle because it is unpredictable.
(C) People with regular posture training and strong core muscle strength will have to cope with
back pain.
(D) People will have to cope with back pain until more effective cures can be provided.
【B】A new report published by the World Health Organization (WHO), “Fair share for health and
care: gender and the undervaluation of health and care work” illustrates how gender inequalities in
health and care work negatively impact women, health systems and health outcomes.
The report reveals that underinvestment in health systems results in a vicious cycle of unpaid
health and care work, lowering women’s participation in paid labor markets, harming women’s
economic empowerment and hampering gender equality. Women comprise 67% of the paid global health and care workforce. In addition to this paid
work, it has been estimated that women perform 76% of all unpaid care activities. Work that is done
primarily by women tends to be paid less and to be carried out in poor working conditions.
The report highlights that low pay and demanding working conditions are commonly found in
the health and care sector. Devaluing caregiving, which is work performed primarily by women,
negatively impacts wages, working conditions, productivity and the economic footprint of the sector.
The report illustrates that decades of chronic underinvestment in health and care work is
contributing to a growing global crisis of care. With stagnation in progress towards universal health
coverage (UHC), which has resulted in 4.5 billion people lacking full coverage of essential health
services, women may take on even more unpaid care work. The negative impact of weak health
systems combined with an increasing volume of unpaid health and care work is further straining the
wellbeing of caregivers and the quality of services. “The ‘Fair Share’ report highlights how gender-equitable investments in health and care work
would reset the value of health and care and drive fairer and more inclusive economies,” said Jim
Campbell, WHO Director for Health Workforce. “We are calling upon leaders, policy-makers and
employers to action investment: it is time for a fair share for health and care.”
Investments in health and care systems not only accelerate progress toward UHC, they
redistribute unpaid health and care work. When women participate in paid health and care
employment, they are economically empowered and health outcomes are better. Health systems need
to recognize, value and invest in all forms of health and care work. 【題組】36. What does the new report published by the WHO illustrate?
(A) Gender inequalities bring negative impacts on women, health systems and health outcomes.
(B) There is a fair share for health and care for both males and females.
(C) There has been enough investment in the global health care system.
(D) Most care activities are basically performed by men who are unpaid.
【題組】38. What benefits will investments in health and care systems bring?
(A) Progress toward UHC
(B) The redistribution of unpaid health and care work
(C) Economic empowerment for women
(D) All of the above
【題組】39. According to the reading, what does UHC stand for?
(A) Universal health coverage (B) Universal help center
(C) Universal health committee (D) Universal happiness condition
【題組】40. What is NOT true about the data in the report?
(A) Women perform 76 percent of all unpaid care work.
(B) 67 percent of the people in the world lack full health coverage.
(C) Women perform two-thirds of paid global health and care work.
(D) 4.5 billion people lack full coverage of crucial health services.
【C】Even if the term “appropriate technology” is a relatively new one, the concept certainly isn’t. In
the 1930s, Mahatma Gandhi claimed that the advanced technology used by Western industrialized
nations did not represent the right route to progress for his homeland, India. His favorite machines
were the sewing machine, a device invented “out of love,” he said, and the bicycle, which he rode all
his life. He wanted the poor villagers of India to use technology that empowered them and helped
them to become self-reliant.
This was also the philosophy promoted by E. F. Schumacher in his famous 1970s book Small Is
Beautiful, which called for “intermediate technology” solutions. Do not start with technology and see
what it can do for people, he argued. Instead, “find out what people are doing and then help them to
do it better.” According to Schumacher, it did not matter whether the technological answers to
people’s needs were simple or sophisticated. What was important was that solutions were long-term,
practical, and, above all, firmly in the hands of the users.
More recently, the term “appropriate technology” has come to mean not just technology which
is suited to the needs and capabilities of the user, but technology that takes particular account of
environmental, ethical, and cultural considerations. This is clearly a much more difficult thing to
achieve. Often appropriate technology is found in rural communities in developing or less
industrialized countries. For example, solar-powered lamps that bring light to areas with no
electricity and water purifiers that work simply by the action of sucking through a straw. But the
principle of appropriate technology does not only apply to developing countries. It also has its place
in the developed world.
For example, a Swedish state-owned company has found a way to harness the energy produced
by the 250,000 bodies rushing through Stockholm’s central train station each day. The body heat is
absorbed by the building’s ventilation system, then used to warm up water that is pumped through
pipes over to the new office building nearby. It’s old technology, a system of pipes, water, and pumps,
but used in a new way. It is expected to bring down central heating costs in the building by up to 20
percent.
However, wherever it is deployed, there is no guarantee that appropriate technology will in fact
be appropriate. After some visiting engineers observed how labor-intensive and slow it was for the
women of a Guatemalan village to shell corn by hand, they designed a simple mechanical device to
do the job more quickly. The new device certainly saved time, but after a few weeks the women
returned to the old manual method. Why? Because they valued the time that hand-shelling gave them
to chat and exchange news. In another case, in Malawi, a local entrepreneur was encouraged to manufacture super-efficient
wood-burning stoves to sell to local villagers. Burning wood on an open fire, which is traditional in
the developing world, is responsible for 10-20 percent of all global CO2 emissions, so this seemed to
be an excellent scheme. However, the entrepreneur was so successful that he bought himself a whole
fleet of gas-guzzling cars. “We haven’t worked out the CO2 implications of that yet,” said a
spokesman for the organization that promoted the scheme. 【題組】41. Which one of the following statements is true according to the reading?
(A) Gandhi coined the term “appropriate technology.”
(B) The concept of appropriate technology is relatively new.
(C) Schumacher claimed that technology should provide long-term and practical solutions for
its users.
(D) Gandhi preferred advanced technology because it represented the right route to progress for
India.
【題組】42. Which is NOT true about the features of appropriate technology?
(A) It should empower people and help them to become more self-reliant.
(B) It should only be applicable for developing countries since it is easy.
(C) It should be suitable for the needs and capabilities of its users.
(D) It should consider cultural, ethical, and environmental factors.
【題組】43. What does the figure “250,000” in the fourth paragraph refer to?
(A) The number of citizens who live in Stockholm, Sweden
(B) The heating costs that can be cut in the office buildings near the station
(C) The number of pipes to help pump energy to heat the train station
(D) The daily number of visitors at Stockholm’s central train station
【題組】44. Why did the women in a Guatemalan village return to shell corn by hand?
(A) It was important for them to socialize while they shell corn.
(B) It was unethical for the women to shell corn without the engineers’ help.
(C) It was more time-consuming to shell corn with the mechanical device.
(D) It was inappropriate for the engineers to design the device without permission.
【題組】45. What does the expression, “the CO2 implications of that” refer to in the sixth paragraph?
(A) Wood burning on an open fire accounts for 10-20 percent of global CO2 emissions.
(B) The entrepreneur tried to promote wood burning on an open fire.
(C) The organization tried to reduce CO2 emissions by burning wood on an open fire.
(D) The entrepreneur bought many cars while selling super-efficient wood-burning stoves.
【D】The life of an entrepreneur is inherently hectic and stressful, largely due to escalating market
competition and relentless work pressure. Consequently, many young entrepreneurs find themselves
vulnerable to depression, anxiety, and various other health complications. According to research
conducted by ICICI Lombard, approximately 65% of individuals aged between 22 and 25 exhibit
early signs of depression. Increasingly empowered by a heightened awareness of mental health, young professionals and
entrepreneurs are recognizing the value of adventure sports as a means to address anxiety and stress.
Extreme activities such as bungee jumping, scuba diving, skydiving, and rafting offer transformative
experiences that demand not only physical resilience but also profound courage and mental fortitude.
While physical fitness undoubtedly enriches life experiences, the cultivation of mental resilience
through pushing one’s cognitive limits is equally vital. Some, considering the daunting courage
required, opine that adventure sports are not for everyone. However, confronting the precipice
compels individuals to draw upon inner strength, thereby unleashing their inner superhero.
Adventure sports epitomize the conquest of fears, instilling a belief in the realm of the
impossible. Indeed, management companies are increasingly employing adventure sports as a tool to
bolster employee confidence as part of their HR initiatives. While the “I CAN” attitude may be
taught theoretically in classrooms, its practical embodiment is effectively achieved through
participation in adventure sports.
Given the mental strength and focus demanded by such pursuits, they facilitate the attainment of
a “flow state”—an elevated state of concentration wherein external distractions dissipate. Regular
engagement in these activities enhances concentration, fostering traits such as critical thinking, keen
vision, and decisive judgment. Numerous studies attest to the ability of extreme sports to sharpen
concentration, equipping entrepreneurs to confront challenges boldly. 【題組】46. What are identified as major contributors to the stress experienced by entrepreneurs?
(A) Lack of market competition and HR initiatives
(B) Rising market competition, and work pressure
(C) Insufficient physical fitness and life experience
(D) Declining mental resilience and limits
【題組】47. According to ICICI Lombard’s research, what percentage of individuals aged 22-25 display
early signs of depression?
(A) Fewer than 30% (B) Fewer than 40% (C) Fewer than 60% (D) Fewer than 70%
【題組】48. What is highlighted as a benefit of engaging in adventure sports?
(A) Development of physical strength only (B) Dwindling of mental fortitude
(C) Increased mental robustness (D) Reduction of concentration level
【題組】49. How are adventure sports utilized by management companies?
(A) As part of HR initiatives to enhance staffers’ self-assurance
(B) As a means to decrease employee morale
(C) To exacerbate stress levels among employees
(D) As a form of punishment for underperforming employees
【題組】50. What term in the article describes the heightened state of mental focus achieved through
engaging in adventure sports?
(A) Superhero myth (B) Flow state (C) Extreme focus (D) Zen mindset
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