C. Reading (8 Marks)
5) Read the following passage, then answer the questions:
You are at a restaurant and you bite into a chilli pepper. Your eyes start
to water. You cough. You sweat. Your lips, tongue and mouth burn. It feels
like your head is going to explode. Your only thought is: 'Help! How can I
put out this fire?' What makes it burn is a chemical called capsaicin (or
capsicum). Capsaicin is the oil found in no other plant except hot pepper. It
is colourless and odourless. But if you put one drop of that oil into 100,000
drops of water and drank it, you would still feel the heat. Here is why it feels
like a fire in your mouth: your tongue has sensors that cause you to feel pain
from high temperatures. These sensors make you feel such pain. Some kinds
of chilli pepper are hotter than others. Therefore, the extra heat has to do
with the type – not the amount– of capsaicin.
A- Answer the following questions:
1- What is the effect of capsaicin on the human body?
2- According to the passage, what is capsaicin?
3- What does the extra heat depend on?
B- Choose the correct answer from a, b, c or d:
4- 'Your eyes start to water' means to................. .
a. have no tears b. become full of tears
c. wash with water d. be washed with water
5- The tongue sensors help to .............. .
a. sense high temperatures b. eat chilli pepper
c. produce extra heat d. give a burning sensation
6) Read the following passage, then answer the questions:
A Japanese professor has produced evidence to show that computer games
can have a bad effect on children. Many parents and grandparents have been
saying this for years, but they were largely ignored, being regarded as
technophobes. Parental worries about computer games often relate to their
effect on their children's health and on their own social skills. They feel that
they should be outdoors; getting exercise and enjoying the fresh air while
playing with their friends. Since many of them usually play by themselves,
they live rather isolated lives, with little opportunity to interact with other
people. As a result, they may be very poor at communication. Parents are
also worried in case the violence of many of the games will cause their
children to become more aggressive and violent themselves. This anxiety
also applies to television, which often shows scenes of extreme cruelty.
A- Answer the following questions:
1- Why are many parents and grandparents regarded as technophobes?
2- What does the underlined word 'themselves' refer to?
3- How far do you agree with the evidence produced by the Japanese
professor? Why?
B- Choose the correct answer from a, b, c or d:
4- 'poor at communication' means.................... .
a. unable to use their mobile phones
b. clever at making fewer phone calls
c. having difficulty in socializing with others
d. having the ability to speak in public
5- Violence, cruelty and aggressiveness can be caused by...............
a. computer programmes b. parental worries
c. technophobes d. TV scenes and computer games
