The phrase "these signals" refers to _______________.

According to the passage, sound-on-film guaranteed synchronization because the recording was _________.

I was busy yesterday. I couldn't complete my homework.

My brother was too weak. He couldn't take part in the marathon last week.

The country's continued prosperity is dependent on the opportunities and achievements of all its residents.

I know she's upset but it's time for her to pull herself together and stop crying.

Choose the word whose underlined part is pronounced differently from that of the rest.

Choose the word whose underlined part is pronounced differently from that of the rest.

Choose the word that differs from the rest in the position of the main stress.

Choose the word that differs from the rest in the position of the main stress.

The disabled man used to go swimming with his friends in the afternoons.

"I will let you know the answer by the end of this week," Webber said to Juana.

My classmate paid for her travel in advance, but it wasn't necessary.

We spent tens of millions of dong on rent every month, and on top of that is the staff payroll.

I scanned some photos I'd taken, so that I could send it to a friend in Australia.

Electric devices such as computers contain circuits that send currents between internal components and develop voltages.

Counter-urbanisation has caused many negative effects, ___________?

My parents ___________a lot of their time writing letters before they started using social media 2 months ago.

She was very fascinated by a pair of _____________ shoes in West Lake shopping Mall.

She walked home by herself, _____________ she knew that it was dangerous.

Migrants may lose their cultural identity _____________.

Money ___________ to the homeless shelter by a large number of local citizens so far.

_____________ for the first time in 1833, the launch coincides with the Mercury's 180th anniversary.

The practice of using more chemicals to improve crop yields is harmful ___________people’s health.

We are no longer prepared to ____________reckless behaviour, which too often has resulted in irreparable damage to the environment.

Living in their own country, people can easily acquire and maintain their cultural identity because they are fully ____________ to different aspects of their native culture.

Chaplin was not just a genius, he was among the most ____________ figures in film history.

They cannot stand the sight of each other, but they will just have to ____________.

Most of the people surveyed __________ a high opinion of the organization.

Another ______ characteristic of water is that water has a heat capacity which is the highest of all liquids and solids except ammonia.

The prospect of the writer under surveillance has long held a ____________ for readers.

The biological agents now in use are environmentally benign and are harmless to humans.

The sun is a powerful energy source, and this energy source can be harnessed by installing solar panels.

A common phenomenon in arid regions of the world is the whirling vortex called the “dust devil.” Although they resemble tornadoes, dust devils are generally much smaller and less intense than their more destructive cousins. Most dust devils are only a few meters in diameter and reach heights no greater than about 100 meters. Further, these whirlwinds are usually short-lived microscale phenomena: most form and die out within minutes. Unlike tornadoes, which are associated with clouds, dust devils form on days when clear skies prevail. Further, these whirlwinds form from the ground upward, exactly the opposite of tornadoes. Because surface heating is critical to their formation, dust devils occur most frequently in the afternoon, when surface temperatures are highest.

Dust devils form when the hot surface of the earth warms the air above it. When the air near the surface is considerably warmer than the air a few tens of meters overhead, the layer of air near Earth’s surface becomes unstable. In this situation, warm surface air begins to rise, causing air near the ground to be drawn into the developing whirlwind. A light wind will start this rising air to rotate, and once the rotation has begun, it becomes faster due to the same physical principle that causes ice-skaters to spin faster as they pull their arms closer to their body. As the inwardly spiraling air rises, it carries sand, dust, and other loose debris tens of meters into the air. It is this material that makes a dust devil visible. Occasionally, dust devils form above ground covered with vegetation. Under these conditions, the vortices may go undetected unless they interact with objects at the surface.

Most dust devils are small and short-lived; consequently, they are not generally destructive. Occasionally, however, these whirlwinds grow to be 100 meters or more in diameter and over a kilometer high. Larger and more vigorous dust devils have a longer lifetime than smaller ones. One large dust devil, with a height of about 750 meters, lasted for seven hours as it traveled 64 kilometers in western Utah. With winds that whirl at speeds that may reach 100 kilometers per hour, such large dust devils can do considerable damage.

The phrase “their more destructive cousins” in the paragraph refers to_______.

The word “prevail” in line 7 is closest in meaning to _______.

The word “critical” in line 8 is closest in meaning to _______.

According to the first paragraph, tornadoes and dust devils differ in all of the following respects EXCEPT______.

Why does the author mention ice-skaters in the second paragraph?

According to the second paragraph, what makes the situation in which a dust devil forms unstable?

In the third paragraph, why does the author mention a large dust devil in western Utah?

In the U.S., (46)________ the dialogue of inclusion is relatively advanced, even the mention of the word "diversity" can lead to anxiety and conflict. Supreme Court justices disagree on the virtues of diversity and the means for achieving it. Corporations spend billions of dollars to attract and manage diversity both internally and externally, (47)________they still face discrimination lawsuits, and the leadership ranks of the business world remain predominantly white and male.

It is reasonable to ask what (48)________diversity does us. Diversity of expertise confers benefits that are obvious you would not think of building a new car without engineers, designers, and quality-control experts but what about social diversity? What good comes from diversity of race, ethnicity, gender, and sexual orientation? Research has shown that social diversity in a group can cause discomfort, rougher interactions, a lack of trust, greater perceived interpersonal conflict, lower communication, less cohesion, more concern about disrespect, and (49)________ problems. So, what is the upside?

The fact is that if you want to build teams or organizations capable of innovating, you need diversity. Diversity enhances creativity. It encourages the search for novel information and perspectives, (50) ________to better decision making and problem solving. Diversity can improve the bottom line of companies and lead to unfettered discoveries and breakthrough innovations. Even simply being exposed to diversity can change the way you think.

Choose the correct word for blank (46).

Choose the correct word for blank (47) in the passage above.

Choose the correct word for blank (48) in the passage above.

Choose the correct word for blank (49) in the passage above.

Choose the correct word for blank (50) in the passage above.