SECTION B SKIMMING AND SCANNING［5 MIN.］
In this section there are six passages with a total of ten multiplechoice questions.. Skim or scan them as required and then mark your answers on your ANSWER SHEET.
TEXT E
First read the following question.
81. The main idea of the passage is about ____.
A. global marine distribution
B. secrets of the world’s oceans
C. research on marine life
D. satellite tracking devices
Now read Text E quickly and mark your answer on your ANSWER SHEET.
Scientists are gearing up for one of the most ambitious international research programs ever attempted: A decade-long exploration of the world’s oceans to unlock some of the most closely held secrets of the creatures of the deep. Using sophisticated technology that was not available even five years ago, the scientists will rely primarily on the animals they want to study to collect the data needed to complete the “ Census of Marine Life.” Creatures ranging from blue whales to turtles will be fitted with satellite tracking devices that will record their every movement. The project, involving scores of institutions around the globe, is expected to cost upwards of $1 billion, and it will take at least 10 years. The scientists hope the research will tell us much more about a region of the Earth we understand so poorly. That area, incidentally, covers 70 percent of the globe.
TEXT F
First read the following questions.
82. What does SMS stand for?
A. Short message service.
B. Sound modulation system.
C. Advanced information service.
D. Special mobile system.
83. Why did many young Thais prefer to send Valentine by SMS?
A. Because they were far from their lovers.
B. Because they couldn’t afford expensive roses.
C. Because they were too shy tovoice their feelings.
D. Because it was a fashion among youngsters.
Now read Text F quickly and mark your answers on your ANSWER SHEET.
Thailand’s biggest mobile phone network crashed on Valentine’s Day as thousands of young lovers sent romantic to their sweethearts. Advanced Info Service (AIS) said the company’s GSM network was flooded with more than 100,000 text messages sent within an hour via mobile phones on Valentine’s Day. As AIS has a capacity for just 72,000 SMS short messages per hour, the deluge of messages paralyzed the short message service (SMS) network, blocking all voice calls. “The volume of messages sent from mobile phones this Valentine’s Day was the highest volume ever——twice as big as the message traffic sent on New Year’s Eve,” said Wichian Merktrakarn, vice president of AISs engineering operation. And he said many young Thais preferred to send Valentines by SMS because they were too shy to voice their feelings.
TEXT G
First read the following questions.
84. Which of the following sectors are NOT mostly occupied by foreign lab or in Malaysia?
A. Barber.
B. Plantation.
C. Transportation.
D. Construction.
85. According to the passage, how many races are there in Malaysia?
A. One.
B. Five.
C. Twenty-three.
D. Not mentioned.
Now read Text G quickly and mark your answers on your ANSWER SHEET.
Malaysia is running out of barbers and needs to import foreign workers to keep the population’s hair neat and tidy. The President of the Consumers Association of Penang (CAP), S. M. Idris, said at least 30 barber shops in Kuala Lumpur and the northern state of Penang closed last year due to a shortage of barbers. Malaysians are not interested in becoming barbers, forcing shops to turn to foreign labor. The Indian Barbers Association of Malaysia has submitted a request to employ 2,500 foreign barbers. ”CAP appeals to the government to deal with this request urgently as the barber shops need to obtain workers quickly. Even a month’s delay can result in another few shops closing down,” said Idris. Multiracial Malaysia depends on foreign labor for menial jobs. It recruits foreigners to work in plantation, construction and service sectors.