The great strength of plastic is its indestructibility

The great strength of plastic is its indestructibility. However, this quality is also something of a drawback: beaches all over the world, even on the remotest islands, are littered with plastic bottles that nothing can destroy. Nor is it very easy to recycle plastics, as different types of plastic are often used in the same items and call for different treatments. Plastics can be made biodegradable by incorporating into their structure a material such as starch, which is attacked by bacteria and causes the plastic to fall apart. Other materials can be incorporated that gradually decay in sunlight—although bottles made of such materials have to be stored in the dark, to ensure that they do not disintegrate before they have been used. Questions 14-20 Complete the table below Choose NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS from the passages for each answer Write your answer in boxes 14-20 on your answer sheet. Name of plastic Date of invention Original region Property Common use Celluloid 1860s US (14) (15) 1907 US Can be cast and moulded but cannot be softened by heat (16) household items and car parts Polythene 1930 (17) Bottles Rigid PVC (18) Polystyrene 1930s Germany (19) Food container Polyurethanes Germany (20) foams Adhesives, coatings and insulation Questions 21-26 Do the following statements agree with the information in Reading Passage? In boxes 21-26 on 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 (21) The chemical structure of plastic is very different from that of rubber. (22) John Wesley was a famous chemist. (23) Celluloid and Bakelite react to heat in the same way. (24) The mix of different varieties of plastic can make the recycling more difficult. (25) Adding starch into plastic can make plastic more durable. (26) Some plastic containers have to be preserved in special conditions. READING PASSAGE 3: QUESTIONS 27-40 You should spend about 20 minutes on Questions 27-40 which are based on Reading Passage 3. Global Warming in New Zealand For many environmentalists, the world seems to be getting warmer. As the nearest country of South Polar Region, New Zealand has maintained an upward trend in its average temperature in the past few years. However, the temperature in New Zealand will go up 4oC in the next century while the polar region will go up more than 6oC. The different pictures of temperature stem from its surrounding ocean which acts like the air conditioner. Thus New Zealand is comparatively fortunate. Scientifically speaking, this temperature phenomenon in New Zealand originated from what researchers call “SAM” (Southern Annular Mode), which refers to the wind belt that circles the Southern Oceans including New Zealand and Antarctica. Yet recent work has revealed that changes in SAM in New Zealand have resulted in a weakening of moisture during the summer, and more rainfall in other seasons. A bigger problem may turn out to be heavier droughts for agricultural activities because of more water loss from soil, resulting in poorer harvest before winter when the rainfall arrive too late to rescue. Among all the calamities posed be drought, moisture deficit ranks the first. Moisture deficit is the gap between the water plants need during the growing season and the water the earth can offer. Measures of moisture deficit were at their highest since the 1970s in New Zealand. Meanwhile, ecological analyses clearly show moisture deficit is imposed at different growth stage of crops. If moisture deficit occurs around a crucial growth stage, it will cause about 22% reduction in grain yield as opposed to moisture deficit at vegetative phase. Global warming is not only affecting agriculture production. When scientists say the country’s snow pack and glaciers are melting at an alarming rate due to global warming, the climate is putting another strain on the local places. For example, when the development of global warming is accompanied by the falling snow line, the local skiing industry comes into a crisis. The snow line may move up as the temperature goes up, and then the snow at the bottom will melt earlier. Fortunately, it is going to be favorable for the local skiing industry to tide over tough periods since the quantities of snowfall in some areas are more likely to increase. What is the reaction of glacier region? The climate change can be reflected in the glacier region in southern New Zealand or land covered by ice and snow. The reaction of a glacier to a climatic change involves a complex chain of processes. Over time periods of years to several decades, cumulative changes in mass balance cause volume and thickness changes, which will affect the flow of ice via altered internal deformation and basal sliding. This dynamic reaction finally leads to glacier length changes, the advance or retreat of glacier tongues. Undoubtedly, glacier mass balance is a more direct signal of annual atmospheric conditions. The latest research result of National Institute of Water and Atmospheric (NIWA) Research shows that glaciers line keeps moving up because of the impacts of global warming. Further losses of ice can be reflected in Mt. Cook Region. By 1996, a 14 km long sector of the glacier had melted down forming a melt lake (Hooker Lake) with a volume. Melting of the glacier front at a rate of 40 m/yr will cause the glacier to retreat at a rather uniform rate. Therefore, the lake will continue to grow until it reaches the glacier bed. D Agricultural production will be reduced as a result of more rainfall in other seasons Câu 29 Đang cân nhắc 29. What does “moisture deficit” mean to the grain and crops? A The growing condition will be very tough for crops. B The growing season of some plants can hardly be determined. C There will be a huge gap between the water plants needed and the water the earth can offer. D The soil of the grain and crops in New Zealand reached its lowest production since 1970s. Câu 30 Đang cân nhắc 30. What changes will happen to skiing industry due to the global warming phenomenon? A The skiing station may lower the altitude of skiing B Part of the skiing station needs to move to the north. C The snowfall may increase in part of skiing station. D The local skiing station may likely to make a profit because of the snowfall increase. Câu 31 Đang cân nhắc 31. Cumulative changes over a long period of time in mass balance will lead to A Alterations is the volume and thickness of glaciers. B Faster changes in internal deformation and basal sliding. C Larger length of glaciers. D Retreat of glacier tongues as a result of change in annual atmospheric conditions. Câu 32 Đang cân nhắc 32. Why does the writer mention NIWA in the sixth paragraph? A To use a particular example to explain the effects brought by glacier melting. B To emphasize the severance of the further loss of ice in Mt. Cook Region. C To alarm the reader of melting speed of glaciers at a uniform rate. D To note the lake in the region will be disappear when it reach the glacier bed. Questions 33-35 Complete the summary below. Choose NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS from the passage for each answer.