Exercise #1

"The Earth's greatest gorge", the Grand Canyon is located in northwestern Arizona. Its vastness is 217 miles long, and its widest spans over 17 miles across. It is not surprising that it has been designated one of the Seven Wonders of the World. The walls of the canyon are made of limestone, sandstone, lava and other rocks. As the day passes, the rocks reflect different colors. Many tourists come to the canyon just to watch the rocks change color.

Cottonwood and willow trees grow at the bottom of the canyon. Many varieties of cacti grow here as well. The canyon is also home to many animals, such as bobcats, coyotes, kangaroo rats and deer.

Today about 4 million visitors come, to Grand Canyon each year. Seeing the Grand Canyon is always a breathtaking and unforgettable experience.

1. What makes the visitors feel interested watching the rocks?

A. They have different sizes.

B. They reflect human's life.

C. They can change into different colour.

D. They can change its form.

2. ". . . Grand Canyon is always a breathtaking and unforgettable experience." (Last paragraph) The underlined word has the same meaning as ...

A. strong emotional

B. available

C. amazing

D. unbelievable

Read the text below and answer questions 3 and 4.

The Eka Karya Botanical Garden is a unique place to visit in Bali. There, visitors can stroll through cool and tranquil gardens, visit temples and traditional Balinese buildings, and learn about Balinese botany and traditional. The gardens combine scientific and conservation goals in a cool, mountainous setting; with adjacent forests and lakes, wildlife such as birds and monkeys, and the attractive landscaping all joined in harmony. With a rich collection of 1,187 species, the Eka Karya Botanical Garden is not only a forerunner in conserving Indonesia's flora, but also one of the most beautiful gardens of its kind in the world. The primary task of the Botanical Garden is to conduct research, inventory and protect Indonesian plant species, native to moist upland areas, particularly from eastern Indonesia, also to provide useful scientific services and to increase public appreciation for conservation.

Vanessa Mae Vanakorn Nicholson is a musician. She is only nineteen years old, but she is a world-famous violinist. When she plays classical violin concerts on her electric violin, the world listens.

Vanessa Mae is Thai-Chinese. Her mother is Chinese and her father is Thai. She is from Singapore, but she now lives in London with her mother and her English stepfather. She's got cousins, aunts, uncles and grandparents in Thailand, Singapore, China and England.

Adapted from: Snapshot, Starter

5. What is the text about?

A. A violinist.

B. A musician.

C. A pianist.

D. An artist.

6. Vanessa plays violin : . . .

A. badly

B. carefully

C. classically

D. wonderfully

7. From the text we know that people ....

A. in the world are interested in all violinists

B. like to listen to Vanessa playing violin

C. are eager to play the violin with Vanessa

D. play the violin very well in a concert

8. ". .., but she now lives in London with her mother and her English stepfather." (Paragraph 3) The word "stepfather" means a male who's married to ....

A. one's aunt

B. one's sister

C. one's mother

D. one's daughter