ACADEMIA TEHNICA MILITARA

SIMULARE ADMITERE – TEST LIMBA ENGLEZA - 2014

Part I (Reading Comprehension)

Read the text below and answer the questions by choosing one of the possible answers:

Researchers suggest that there are creatures that do not know what light means at the bottom of the sea. They don't have either eyes or ears; they can only feel. There is no day or night for them. There are no winters, no summers, no sun, no moon, and no stars. It is as if a child spent its life in darkness in bed, with nothing to see or hear. How different our own life is! Sight shows us the ground beneath our feet and the heavens above us - the sun, moon, and stars, shooting stars, lightning, and the sunset. It shows us day and night. We are able to hear voices, the sound of the sea, and music. We feel, we taste, we smell. How fortunate we are!

1. Judging from the passage, we can say that this story is mainly about

A. life of sea creatures at the bottom of the seaB. how changes in the seasons are perceived by the deep-sea creaturesC. how wonderful our lives were and will beD. the superiority of human beings over some creatures in terms of senses

2. We discover that the sea creatures in the story ................ .

A. have the same senses that we doB. have no sense of hearing as well as sightC. hear the sounds of the oceanD. live in darkness because no light reaches to the bottom

3. In the passage a child in darkness is likened to ................ .

A. someone who lives where there are no seasonsB. an animal without the sense of touchC. a sea creature with no seeing or hearing abilityD. a deaf child unaffected by the environment

Official records state that the Pueblo Indians lived in New Mexico and Arizona. The word "Pueblo" comes from the Spanish word "pueblo," meaning town or village. The Spaniards found these Indians living in apartment houses, some of them on the side of a cliff in order that they could be reached only by ladders. Whenever they were attacked by Apaches, the Pueblos would pull up the ladders. They grew corn, which they watered with water flowing down in ditches. They wove cloth, made wonderful baskets, and created jars and pots out of clay proving how skilful they were at hand-craft. 

4. From the passage we understand that the Pueblo Indians were afraid of ............. .

A. cliff dwellingB. Apache IndiansC. apartment housesD. water flowing down in ditches

5. Why the Spaniards called these Indians "Pueblos" is because they ................ .

A. were close to the ApachesB. lived together in a town or villageC. farmed and brought down water in ditchesD. pulled up their ladders when attacked

6. The Pueblo Indians lived on the side of a cliff ................ .

A. although they had apartment housesB. to observe the stars in the sky for rain seasonC. so that they could provide themselves with sheltersD. and, the didn't have a lake, a stream, or a pond

Smart Energy

1. The next few decades will see great changes in the way energy is supplied and used.  In some major oil producing nations, 'peak oil' has already been reached, and there are increasing fears of global warming.  Consequently, many countries are focusing on the switch to a low carbon economy. This transition will lead to major changes in the supply and use of electricity.  [A] Firstly, there will be an increase in overall demand, as consumers switch from oil and gas to electricity to power their homes and vehicles.  [B] Secondly, there will be an increase in power generation, not only in terms of how much is generated, but also how it is generated, as there is growing electricity generation from renewable sources. [C] To meet these challenges, countries are investing in Smart Grid technology.  [D] This system aims to provide the electricity industry with a better understanding of power generation and demand, and to use this information to create a more efficient power network.2. Smart Grid technology basically involves the application of a computer system to the electricity network.  The computer system can be used to collect information about supply and demand and improve engineer's ability to manage the system.  With better information about electricity demand, the network will be able to increase the amount of electricity delivered per unit generated, leading to potential reductions in fuel needs and carbon emissions.  Moreover, the computer system will assist in reducing operational and maintenance costs.3. Smart Grid technology offers benefits to the consumer too.  They will be able to collect real-time information on their energy use for each appliance.  Varying tariffs throughout the day will give customers the incentive to use appliances at times when supply greatly exceeds demand, leading to great reductions in bills.  For example, they may use their washing machines at night.  Smart meters can also be connected to the internet or telephone system, allowing customers to switch appliances on or off remotely.  Furthermore, if houses are fitted with the apparatus to

generate their own power, appliances can be set to run directly from the on-site power source, and any excess can be sold to the grid.4. With these changes comes a range of challenges.  The first involves managing the supply and demand.  Sources of renewable energy, such as wind, wave and solar, are notoriously unpredictable, and nuclear power, which is also set to increase as nations switch to alternative energy sources, is inflexible.  With oil and gas, it is relatively simple to increase the supply of energy to match the increasing demand during peak times of the day or year.  With alternative sources, this is far more difficult, and may lead to blackouts or system collapse.  Potential solutions include investigating new and efficient ways to store energy and encouraging consumers to use electricity at off-peak times.5. A second problem is the fact that many renewable power generation sources are located in remote areas, such as windy uplands and coastal regions, where there is currently a lack of electrical infrastructure.  New infrastructures therefore must be built.  Thankfully, with improved smart technology, this can be done more efficiently by reducing the reinforcement or construction costs.6. Although Smart Technology is still in its infancy, pilot schemes to promote and test it are already underway.  Consumers are currently testing the new smart meters which can be used in their homes to manage electricity use.  There are also a number of demonstrations being planned to show how the smart technology could practically work, and trials are in place to test the new electrical infrastructure.  It is likely that technology will be added in 'layers', starting with 'quick win' methods which will provide initial carbon savings, to be followed by more advanced systems at a later date.  Cities are prime candidates for investment into smart energy, due to the high population density and high energy use.  It is here where Smart Technology is likely to be promoted first, utilizing a range of sustainable power sources, transport solutions and an infrastructure for charging electrically powered vehicles.  The infrastructure is already changing fast.  By the year 2050, changes in the energy supply will have transformed our homes, our roads and our behavior.

7. According to paragraph 1, what has happened in some oil producing countries?A. They are unwilling to sell their oil any moreB. They are not producing as much oil as they used toC. The supply of oil is unpredictable. D. Global warming is more sever here than in other countries. 8. Where in paragraph 1 can the following sentence be placed? There is also likely more electricity generation centers, as households and communities take up the opportunity to install photovoltaic cells and small scale wind turbines. A.B.C. D.

9. Which of the following is NOT a benefit of Smart Grid technology to consumers?A. It can reduce their electricity bills. B. It can tell them how much energy each appliance is using. C. It can allow them to turn appliances on and off when they are not at home. 

D. It can reduce the amount of energy needed to power appliances. 10. According to paragraph 4, what is the problem with using renewable sources of power?A. They do not provide much energy. B. They often cause system failure and blackouts. C. They do not supply a continuous flow of energy. D. They can't be used at off-peak times. 11. In paragraph 5, what can be inferred about cities in the future?A. More people will be living in cities in the future than nowadays. B. People in cities will be using cars and buses powered by electricity. C. All buildings will generate their own electricity. D. Smart Grid technology will only be available in cities. 12. The word 'remote' in paragraph 5 could be best replace by:A. isolated B. crowded C. attractive D. alone

13. The word 'underway' in paragraph 6 is closest in meaning to:A. permanent B. complete C. beneficial D. in progress

14. What is the main idea of the final paragraph? (paragraph 6).A. To describe who will benefit from Smart Grid technology firstB. To outline the advantages of Smart Grid technology.C. To summarize the main ideas in the previous paragraphs. D. To describe how, where and when Smart Technology will be introduced. 15. In paragraph 6, what can be inferred about the introduction of Smart Grid Technology?A. The technologies which produce most benefits will be introduced first. B. The cheapest technologies will be introduced first. C. The technologies which are most difficult to put into place will be introduced first. D. Technologically advanced systems will be introduced first. 

Part II (Grammar and Vocabulary)

Choose the verbal forms that best suit the contexts below. Mark the letter of your choice on your answer sheet 16. The island of Mauritius _____ from an agricultural to a semi-industrialized country over the past three decadesA. is evolving 

B. has been evolved C. evolved D. has evolved 

17. He wouldn't be so successful now if he __________ so hard when he was at schoolA. wouldn't have studied B. hadn't studied C. didn't study D. hasn’t studied

18. You won't forget to email those files, _______?A. can you B. won't you C. will you D. can’t you?

19. I can't find my keys ________.A. anywhereB. anythingC. everywhereD. every time

20. He ________ gone to work yesterday. John was there all day and nobody saw him.A. mustn’t haveB. wasn’t haveC. can’t haveD. may have

Mark out the incorrect form in the following contexts:

21. The economy is heavy dependent on industry, and economic growth has always been of greater concern than environmental preservation.A. on industryB. has always beenC. heavyD. than

22. 2002, 20 million people in the United States were reported have asthma -- a chronic inflammatory lung disease characterized by wheezing, difficulty breathing, chest tightness and coughing.A. were reportedB. characterized byC. difficulty breathingD. and coughing

23. On the bottom of the New York MetroCards have three arrows and little white letters that say "Insert this way/This side facing you." What is it about that instruction that is so impossible to understand?A. On the bottom ofB. haveC. is it aboutD. that is so

24. Since 2001, the company's annual revenue from ticket sales and contributions grown by 85 percent, to $42.9 million.A. SinceB. annualC. fromD. grown

25. After a muscle fiber has worked intensely for while, it begins to lose potassium, and that dampens the fiber's ability to contract.A. whileB. After aC. and thatD. ability to 

At the end of each line there is a word in capitals. Choose the word which is derived from the word in capitals which best fits the space in the same line 26. There is an increasing ___ placed on the English language IMPORTANTA. IMPORTANTHOODB. IMPORTANTSHIPC. IMPORTANCED.IMPORTANTLY

27.A recent report has warned of global food ___ unless the current system of farming and food distribution is changed SHORTA.SHORTLYB.SHORTAGEC.SHORTINGD.SHORTLESS

28.Unless action is taken, hunger and ___ will become growing problems of our world. NUTRIENTA. NUTRITIONB. NUTRIENTSC. SUBNUTRITIOND. UNDERNUTRITION

29.The report considers the billion people worldwide who ____ and are therefore obese. EAT

A. UNDEREATB. EATINGC. EATEND. OVEREAT

30 This is an illustrative example of the ___ of the current system to provide health and well-being to the world’s population. FAILFAILINGFAILEDFAILURESUBFAILURE

For items 31 to 35 choose the word or phrase that is the most similar to the braketed word in the sentences below.

31. I was so [relieved] after I had a short nap.A. restedB. tiredC. sleepyD. hasty

32. Leave the gelatin in the refrigerator until it is [stiff]A. drunkB. darkC. firmD. cooked

33. She likes to [boast] about her daughter's swimming trophies.A. bragB. complainC. yellD. explain

34. An underground [passage] connected the house to the garage.A. entranceB. hallwayC. roomD. ticket35. The earthquake made the pictures on the wall [swing].A. bounceB. breakC. crashD. sway

Part III. Writing

Fill the gaps in the essay below with the correct word or phrase.

36. ___ the subject of keeping animals in zoos creates a lot of debate. Some people say zoos are traditional family entertainment and good for animals. Others say keeping animals in zoos is cruel and inhumane.A. There is no doubt thatB. ConcerningC. UnfortunatelyD. Primarily

37. ___ zoos is that they give people the chance to see and learn about animals. This makes people more likely to want to look after animals and protect their natural habitats.A. Another concern aboutB. One advantage ofC. Some ideas aboutD. A mentioning concerning

38. ___ zoos is that they help to protect endangered species by offering them a safe place to live.A. Another positive aspect of B. Yet a positive aspect ofC. NeverthelessD. Moreover

39. ___ zoos help to find mates for endangered species. A. As a plusB. FurthermoreC. In additionD. In plus

40. ___, many pandas would not find a mate to breed with if they were on their own in the wild.A. InstantlyB. For oneC. For exampleD. Obviously

41. ___ there are many arguments against keeping animals in zoos.A. MoreoverB. AdditionallyC. On the other handD. Otherwisely

42. Firstly, zoo animals often suffer from stress and boredom when they are not in their natural habitat. ___, unwanted animals are sometimes sold to circuses, hunting parks or for meat.A. Next

B. ThenC. SometimesD. Secondly

43. ___ that animals sometimes escape from their enclosures, which is dangerous for humans.A. Another drawback isB. Another matter isC. Some other issue isD. It appears

44. ___ there are strong arguments for and against keeping animals in zoos.A. As a conclusionB. To concludeC. ConclusivelyD. Concluding

45. ___ I think it is acceptable to keep animals in zoos, as long as they have enough space and are properly looked after.A. On my own,B. In my opinionC. Hereinafter, D. Personally,

Nota: Toate subiectele sunt obligatorii Fiecare item rezolvat corect este notat cu 0,2 puncte (45x0,2=9) Se acorda 1 punct din oficiu

GRILA DE CORECTARE1. D 40. C2. B 41. C3. C 42. D4. B 43. A5. B 44. B6. C 45. B7. B8. C9. D10. C11. B12. A13. D14. D15. A16. D17. B18. C19. A20. C21. C22. A23. A24. D25. A26. C27. B28. C29. D30. C31. A32. C33. A34. B35. D36. A37. B38. A39. C