UE Section C. Q1-15

1 The word ‘compelling’ in the phrase ‘the most compelling themes of our times” (lines 1-2) means something which ...

D cannot be ignored.

    Quotation Explanation Skill tested
    The rising power and influence of Asia is the most compelling theme of our times and is central to current political debate in the West. (lines 1-3) “Compel” implies get sth by pressure. It matches the theme: central to current political debate. Guess the meaning based on the context.

       

2.  The phrase “centre of gravity” (lines 7-8) means …

        A. the balance of power.

Quotation Explanation Skill tested
The shifting centre of gravity in world affairs affects the way we see our interests and shape our policies, especially foreign policy.(lines 7- 9) The topic of this article is “The Asian Challenge”. David Howell contrasts East with West. The register should related to history, world affairs. Guess the meaning based on the context.
  1. In paragraph 3, the writer suggests that Western thinkers have
  1. been focusing on the questions rather than on their answers.

The question was deleted.

  1. In paragraph 4, which of the following does the writer suggest that the West needs to consider accepting?
  1. Asian business techniques
  2. Asian values
  3. Asian attitudes
  1. all of the above.
Quotation Explanation Skill tested
The west has to be clear-headed not just about adopting the business techniques of those now in the ascendant – the Asian dynamos – but also about the values and attitudes, which lie beneath their success, as both economics and societies.(lines 20-24) “Adopting” implies “consider accepting”. “But also” is a phrase, suggesting

“ additional items”.

1. Reading for specific information

2. Grammar structure .

5. The writer’s attitude towards the fact that “Japan alone now accounts for 56 percent of the world’s saving” (lines 26-7) is one of

A. Surprise

Quotation Explanation Skill tested
Incredibly, Japan alone now accounts for 56 percent of the world’s saving – as against the United States’ five per cent.(lines 26-29) “Incredibly” suggests “impossible to believe”. “Alone” suggests emphasis. Tone.
  1. Which of the factors below does the writer believe will hinder Asian success?
  1. autocratic regimes
  2. state-driven investments
  3. energy supplies
  1. None of the above
Quotation Explanation Skill tested
Those who concede that Asia is marching ahead comfort themselves with the belief that it is all being achieved by state-driven investment of autocratic regimes which sooner rather than later will inevitably fail. A lack of energy supplies will also hamper their efforts, we are told. Yet, these “autocratic regimes” are privatizing their industries and increasingly getting rid of state economic power. (lines 30-37) “Concede” suggests “admit”, and “we are told” suggests something told are passive. “Yet” suggests a contrast, defending what are mentioned earlier. These are not factors, which hinder Asian success. Tone, discourse marker.
  1. Which of the following does the writer feel is the case concerning current energy supplies?
  1. Middle East oil producers are not dependable
  2. Asian coal supplies are unreliable
  3. Asian coal is environmentally bad

C. all of the above

Quotation Explanation Skill tested
As for energy policies, most of these societies long ago made the decision to go nuclear. These policies do not depend on uncertain Middle East oil products, or on unreliable – as well as environmentally –undesirable – domestic coal supplies.(lines 30-34) The use of “or” and “as well as” conveys three different pieces of information. Discourse marker
  1. Which area does the writer feel will have the cleanest environment in the next century?
  1. Asia
  2. the Middle East
  3. the West
  1. 1. Only
Quotation Explanation Skill tested
So, the prospect emerges not just of richer Asian countries with far better public amenities, but of states with a cleaner environment and more reliable power supplies than Western governments for decades to come.(lines 41-45) The second co-ordinate clause shows that Asian states are with a cleaner environment. Reading for specific information
  1. The word “It” (line 48) refers to…

    2. C. the failure

    Quotation Explanation Skill tested
    The West’s failure to catch up with what has occurred with such astonishing speed and power in parts of Asia in the last decade is widespread. It extends not just to the environment and physical infrastructure of modern Asian societies, which people are amazed to

    find leave British and many other European cities looking run down and

    dilapidated.(lines 46-52)

    		 “It” is the subject of the sentence. It refers to the subject of the previous sentence. Reference
  2. The word “which” (line 50) refers to …

    3. B. the environment and physical infrustrature of modern Asian societies.

    Quotation Explanation Skill tested
    It extends not just to the environment and physical infrastructure of modern Asian societies, which people are amazed to

    find leave British and many other European cities looking run down and

    dilapidated.(lines 48-52)

    		 “Which” is a relative determiner, used to refer back to preceding noun, “the environment and physical infrastructure of modern Asian societies. Reference

    Relative determiner

11. The writer suggests that – compared to Asian cities – European cities …

    B. are in a poor state of repair

    Quotation Explanation Skill tested
    It extends not just to the environment and physical infrastructure of modern Asian societies, which people are amazed to

    find leave British and many other European cities looking run down and

    dilapidated. (lines 48-52)

    		 ‘Dilapidated” implies “falling into pieces and in a bad state of repair.” Reading for specific information.

12. In lines 51-54, the writer states that European and American leaders …

  1. like to talk about the basic values of life in the West.
Quotation Explanation Skill tested
  1. European and American leaders are never happier than when sounding off about basic values, by which they mean good family life, self-discipline, hard work, respect for elders, dedication to children’s education, crime-free communities, suppression of drugs, and an emphasis on duty as well as rights.
 “Good family life, self-discipline, hard work, respect for elders, dedication to children’s education, crime-free communities, suppression of drugs, and an emphasis on duty as well as rights” are basic values. “Basic values” is a Superordinate . “Good family life, self-discipline, hard work, respect for elders, dedication to children’s education, crime-free communities, suppression of drugs and an emphasis on duty ” are hyponyms Reading for specific information. Superordinate and hyponym

13. The writer feels that the reasons for the Asian success story lies in a mixture of …

  1. Western capitalism
  2. market forces
  3. Confucian values
  1. all of the above
Quotation Explanation Skill tested
Were we not told that Confucian philosophy imposed a fatal passivity on these peoples and that they could only be energized by good doses of western capitalism and market forces? (lines 61-64) The writer uses a subjunctive subjection to defend the success for Asian success lies on three factors, not only the western ones.
  1. Reading for specific information.
  2. tone

14. The phrase “their parents” (line 78) refers to

    D. parents of all Asian children

    Quotation Explanation Skill tested
    What this actually mean is that millions of children – Indonesian, Indian, Malaysian, Chinese, Thai, Vietnamese, and countless others – are coming out of school more attuned to the age of computers than their Western counterparts. If their parents, who often came from agricultural backgrounds, have already lifted their societies to the top rank of economic performers, the mind spins to think of the impact a fully-educated and highly-skilled younger generation will have, leaving the West even further behind.

    (lines 74-84)

    		 “Millions of children” is superordinate . Indonesian, Indian, Malaysian, Chinese, Thai, Vietnamese, and countless others”are hyponym. They are Asian countries. Reading for specific information. Superordinate and hyponym

15. The writer states that Westerners usually look at Asian development in terms of

  1. government systems
  2. degrees of democracy
  3. grassroots relationships
  1. 1 and 2 only
Quotation Explanation Skill tested
While the Western eye focuses on government systems and degrees of democracy, the grassroots relationships inside modernizing Asian societies are rarely examined. (lines 84-86) “Rarely” suggests “not often, seldom’ and it is negative in sense. Reading for specific information

The use of negative adverb.