Professional Documents
Culture Documents
The passage below, edited from two articles by Jason Bourke in The Guardian, is followed by a
number of questions. Answer them based on what is stated or implied in the passage:
I would like to say that I have watched Pakistan change since 1998, but, sadly, I haven't.
It is true that the stock-market has soared, but if the benefits of 8% GDP growth are meant to be
"trickling down", it is taking a long time to do so.
Islamabad remains as sleepy as ever, though sliced by new roads. Rawalpindi, its sister city, is
still a seething, dusty chaos of spluttering motor rickshaws, brightly painted lorries, tiny
overstocked shops and vast districts of packed, crumbling housing.
And the new motorway to Peshawar only takes you a third of the way before you are back on the
Grand Trunk Road, fringed by giant eucalyptus trees and plastic-bag strewn fields.
In the evening the children from the Afghan refugee camp east of the city - one of the three main
camps has been razed in the last five years - still play cricket with hacked down bits of plank and
a ball made of rubber bands, and smoke from the cooking fires lies in bands like mist on a river
above the flat roofs of the mud homes.
The road back to Islamabad is familiar, having barely changed in 10 years. Between the towns,
such as Nowshera and Attock, with their dilapidated, exhaust-choked bazaars and grimy military
cantonments, are the fields and villages that make up so much of Pakistan. I watch a broken-
backed old man, stooped over an exhausted donkey, drawing an overloaded cart along the
roadside. Thin children in rags scrabble in the scraps behind a roadside kebab stall. Their mother
stands nearby, her face covered in weeping sores.
There is so much talk of militancy and extremism in Pakistan that it is often forgotten how poor
the country is. Yes, a thin slice of a new middle class is emerging, but half the population of 160
million barely scrapes enough to eat; less than half has access to clean water or sanitation; and
in some areas, such as those that are causing so much trouble on the Afghan frontier, literacy
rates are lower than 10%.
Pakistan is known for violence and religious extremism, which is a caricature of a varied and
complex, if troubled, country. Hardly anyone mentions the constant, daily humanitarian crisis
unfolding there.
1. Which of the following choices best describes the spirit of this article?
2. Which of the following statements best characterizes the cities described in this article?
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d. The cities are unable to keep pace with the growing population.
3. Which one or more of the following statements captures this article’s description of the
quality of Pakistan’s environment?
a. More than 80 million people may contract some disease by drinking water from the tap.
b. Heaps of garbage are a common sight in the cities.
c. Factories are polluting groundwater with their chemical discharge.
d. The large number of cars, buses and rickshaws is polluting the air.
a. 1988
b. 1998
c. 2001
d. 2007
Answers: 1) c; 2) d; 3) a & d; 4) d
The passage below, edited from a sample SAT problem in English Comprehension, is followed by
a number of questions. Answer them based on what is stated or implied in the passage:
What is it about stars that has intrigued humankind for thousands of years? Most people who look
up towards the sky in search of stars feel no particular compulsion to learn about stellar life cycles
or a star's absolute magnitude or spectral class. Their interest is not in the mathematical
calculations and scientific data that fascinate astronomers. They look skyward for the same
reason that poets and songwriters have done so for centuries - to absorb the silent beauty of a
starry night. Throughout history, stargazing has been motivated by more than admiration for
celestial objects, however. As early as 3,000 B.C., the ancient Babylonians studied the night sky
and identified various constellations. Other early civilizations created star maps and tracked the
position of the stars for navigation and timekeeping purposes. Their efforts were succeeded by
advancements in science and technology that enabled modern society to understand more fully
those twinkling lights in the sky.
Although Galileo used a telescope in the early seventeenth century to make important discoveries
about our solar system, his instrument had limitations - chiefly, distortion of the image. The first
practical reflecting telescope was invented by Isaac Newton around 1670. By the close of the
1600s, there were a number of telescopic observatories. During the next two centuries, hundreds
of stars were observed and catalogued. In 1838, the distance of a star was calculated for the first
time. Further studies and innovations helped astronomers to make detailed observations of the
spectra, or white light, of stars, which was key to determining a star's chemical composition. In
1849, the first photos of stars were taken at an observatory.
In recent times, astronomers have learned a great deal about stars. From observation of stars at
different stages, astronomers have theorized that stars have existed for hundreds of millions or
billions of years. Stars are formed from dust and gas in space. They are born in regions of space
called nebulae, in which gravity prompts interstellar matter to contract, generating heat. The result
is the creation of a protostar. If a protostar's temperature rises high enough, nuclear fusion
reactions at its core will transform it into a true star. During this stage, a star is classified as a
main-sequence star.
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A main-sequence star is essentially a huge ball of glowing gas with a lifespan of about 10 billion
years. It is fueled by hydrogen, and when this starts to run out, further gravitational contractions
occur and the star collapses. It then undergoes elemental changes that convert it into a red giant
or a red supergiant if it has enough mass. After around 100 million years, supergiants collapse
due to gravitational forces. It is a spectacular event. The collapse itself takes under a second and
is followed by an enormous explosion called a supernova - so bright it can outshine the parent
galaxy. The remnants, or debris, are flung throughout space, becoming a nebula in which new
stars will be born.
Everyone can readily identify the star that is indispensable to life on Earth - the Sun. Due to its
proximity to Earth, it bathes our planet with sunlight - the source of almost all of the energy on
Earth. It is its very closeness that makes the Sun look like a giant yellow star. It is true that the
Sun's diameter is about 100 times that of the Earth's. Nevertheless, the Sun is an average-sized
star. When it reaches the end of its life as a main-sequence star, the Sun will become a red giant
- not a supergiant. A red giant has the same lifespan as a supergiant and collapses for the same
reasons, but it does not explode. Instead, it shrinks into a star called a white dwarf, which is cold
and can be smaller than Earth. The Sun is too bright for direct observation. Hence, astronomers
have devised methods and instruments, such as the spectrometer, to study it.
Fortunately, the Sun is the exception; gazing directly at other stars is not a problem. Nonetheless,
people who live in highly populated areas, such as cities, do not see the same night sky that
ancient civilizations enjoyed. Modern technology has a price. The electric lights that allow us to
see at night obscure most of the 6,000 stars that would otherwise be visible from Earth with the
unaided eye.
In one of his works, a famous poet describes a man who, "tired and sick" of the scientific data,
walks out of an astronomer's lecture. In the "mystical moist night-air," he looks up "in perfect
silence at the stars." Our fascination with the stars may never end.
In the first paragraph, the reference to poets and songwriters is most likely meant to show
that
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e. nineteenth-century astronomers made the most significant discoveries
Which of the following statements applies to both red giants and red supergiants?
I. They were once main-sequence stars.
II. They collapse due to gravitational forces.
III. Their collapse triggers an explosion.
a. I only
b. II only
c. III only
d. I and II only
e. I, II, and III
Write an essay of about a hundred words on the topic below. An essay not relevant to the topic
will receive no credit.
Take a position for or against the statement above. State your reasoning clearly.
4
Basic Mathematics: Sample Test
1
2
(A) (4-π)/2
(B) (4- π)/4
(C) (16-3π)/4
(D) (16-3π)/8
(E) None of above
y
4
3
2
1
0 1 2 3 4 x
-1
-2
-3
(A) y = x2 - 2
(B) y = x2 - x - 2
(C) y = (x -2)2 - 6
(D) y = x3 - 2x2 + 2x - 2
1 2 1
(E) y = (x + ) –2
2 4
1
o
x + 45
3x
o 2x
60 - x o
3x + 55
(A) 10°
(B) 20°
(C) 30°
(D) 40°
(E) None of above
9 x
60o
(A) 6 3
18
(B)
3
9
(C)
2
9
(D)
2
9 3
(E)
2
2
5. If x satisfies
3x + 1 > 4x – 4, and
6x < 8x + 2,
(A)
(B)
(C)
(D)
(E)
-7 -6 -5 -4 -3 -2 -1 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
y = x + 2,
y = 0, and
x = 2.
(A) 16
(B) 4
(C) 8
(D) 10
(E) None of above
7. If x% of y is 100, what is y?
(A) 1/x
(B) 100/x
(C) x
(D) 10,000/x
(E) x/100
8. If a and b are negative and c and d are positive, which of the following is (are) true?
(I) a-b<a-d
(II) if a < b and c < d, then a/d < b/c
(III) (1/b) < (1/c)(1/d)
(A) I only
(B) II only
(C) III only
(D) II and III only
(E) I, II and III
3
9. What is the length of the line AB in the figure below?
B
3
(A) 2 3
(B) 10
5
(C)
2
(D) 3
(E) 3 2
1 i 3 8 1 i 3 9
2 + 8 (- + ) + 2 (- + )
2 2 2 2
(A) 2
(B) -i4 3
(C) 8
(D) i4 3
(E) 8 + i2 3
Answers: 1) d; 2) b; 3) e; 4) e; 5) c; 6) c; 7) d; 8) c; 9) d; 10) b
4
Mathematics Test: Sample Questions
x2 −4
2. Do the two expressions x−2
and x + 2 represent the same function?
• B) Yes, except at x = 2.
• E) Yes, only at x = 2.
Ra Ra
3. If f (x) = −f (−x) and 0 f (x)dx = b then the value of −a f (x)dx is:
• A) zero.
• B) 2b.
• C) b/2.
• D) b
• E) cannot be calculated.
1
4. Which of the following functions satisfies the conditions: f 0 (x) > 0 and
f 00 (x) ≥ 0 for all x > 0?
• A) f (x) = log x
• B) f (x) = −x2 + x
• C) f (x) = sin(x)
• D) f (x) = 2x + 1
• E) f (x) = cos(x)
5. For any function f (x), the inverse function f −1 (x) is defined such that
f −1 (f (x)) = x. If f (x) = 3e−x , then f −1 (x) =
• A) ln ( x3 )
• B) ln ( x3 )
√
• C) ln x
1
• D) 3
ln x
• E) ln (3 − x)
6.
Tan140◦ + Tan70◦
=
1 − Tan140◦ Tan70◦
√
• A) - 3
√
3
• B) √
1− 3
√
3
• C) 3
√
• D) 3
√
3− 3
• E) 3
2
7. The polynomial P (x) with integer cofficients is such that when divided by
x2 − 4x + 3, the remainder is 65x − 68. When P (x) is divided by x2 + 6x − 7,
the remainder is −5x + a. The value of a is:
• A) 7
• B) -5
• C) -6
• D) 2
• E) -3
8. Consider the sequence 1, 1/2, 1/2, 1/4, 1/4. 1/4, ... where 1/2k−1 appears
2k−1 times successively (k = 1, 2, 3 ...). If the first n terms add up to 10, n =
• A) 1023
• B) 1230
• C) 2056
• D) 1003
• E) 517
• A) 1/72
• B) 1/12
• C) 1/7
• D) 1/21
• E) 1/84
3
√ √
10. Consider
√ the points O(0, 0, 0), A( 2, 0, 0) and B(0, 2, 0) and a sphere of
radius 6, tangent to OA, OB and AB.Given that the centre of the sphere
lies above the z-axis, its coordinates are:
√ √ √
• A) ( 6, 6, 6)
√ √ √
• B) ( 2, 2, 6)
√ √ √
• C) ( 2, 2 − 1, 2 + 1)
√ √ √
• D) ( 1, 1, 6)
√ √ √
• E) ( 2 − 1, 2 − 1, 2 + 1)
Answers: 1) E, 2) B, 3) A, 4) D, 5) A, 6) C, 7) D, 8) A, 9) B, 10) E
4
Biology Test: Sample Questions
2) Ability of hemoglobin to bind or release oxygen molecule in different parts of the body
is a function of
a) Jelly-fish
b) Star-fish
c) Crab
d) Shark
e) Snail
10) Which of the following will affect rate of transpiration from a leaf?
a) Wind speed
b) Temperature
c) Humidity
d) Sunlight
e) All of above
Answers: 1) b; 2) a; 3) d; 4) a; 5) e; 6) b; 7) d; 8) b; 9) a; 10) e
Chemistry Test: Sample Questions
1. As you view the Periodic Table from left (H) to right (He), which of the following
statements is true?
2. How many moles of electrons are required to reduce 100 g. of molten FeCl3 to
elemental iron?
a. 1.0 mole
b. 1.55 mole
c. 1.85 mole
d. 2.20 mole
e. 1.98 mole
3. The volume of a gas at 795 mm Hg pressure and 320 C is 550 ml. Calculate the volume it
would occupy under standard conditions (760 mm Hg / 00 C).
a. 550 ml.
b. 558 ml
c. 515 ml
d. 535 ml
e. 505 ml
4. Combustion of an organic compound yielded, by weight, 83.02 % CO2 and 16.98 % H2O.
Which of the following compounds would satisfy this data?
a. Hexane
b. Diethyl ether
c. Anthracene
d. Benzene
e. Toluene
5. Calculate the solubility of BaSO4 in water, given its solubility product Ksp = 1.5 x 10 -9.
a. Ethane
b. Butyl alcohol
c. 2-Methyl propene
d. Dibutyl ether
e. Chloroform
a. 0.23 molar
b. 0.20 molar
c. 0.25 molar
d. 0.18 molar
e. 0.33 molar
8. Calculate the standard enthalpy of formation of CS 2 from its elements, given the
following data:
a. - 100 KJ
b. +100.8 KJ
c. +86.3 KJ
d. +106.3 KJ
e. - 77.8 KJ
C 6 H 12 O 6 ------------------› 2 C 2 H 5 OH + 2 CO 2
Starting with 555 g. of glucose, what is the maximum amount of ethanol in grams that can
be obtained using the above equation?
a. 300.8 g ethanol.
b. 333.0 g.ethanol
c. 401.0 g ethanol
d. 283.7 g. ethanol
e. 293. 2 g. ethanol
10. A 1.0 g. sample of an organic amine requires 32 ml of a 0.1N HCl, using methyl orange
as indicator. Calculate the molecular weight of the amine.
a. 156.0
b. 331.6
c. 312.5
d. 302.5
e. 298.0
Answers: 1) b; 2) c; 3) c; 4) d; 5) b; 6) c; 7) a; 8) c; 9) d; 10) c
Physics Test: Sample Questions
1. Questions 1–2 are based on the diagram below showing capacitors arranged in five different
patterns. All capacitors have the same capacitance C. An identical constant voltage source V is
placed across the points P and Q. Which one of the following statements is true.
A) (a) stores the maximum and (b) stores the minimum electric charge
B) (c) stores the maximum and (b) stores the minimum electric charge
C) All configurations store the same amount of charge
D) (b) stores the maximum and (c) stores the minimum electric charge
E) (b) stores the maximum and (d) stores the minimum electric charge
2. Consider the delta-shaped arrangement of capacitors, figure (d). The voltage source V is removed
and a resistor R is quickly placed between the contacts P and Q. In a few milliseconds, the resistor
heats up. How much total heat is dissipated in the process?
A) ½ C V2
B) V2 / R
C) ¾ C V2
D) 3 C V2
E) 1/3 C V2
3. An object is moving in a straight line in the vertical direction. A plot of its height from ground level
as a function of time is:
A) B)
C) D)
4. An ideal gas is held at atmospheric pressure and 100°C. If the pressure is kept constant, the
density would be reduced to half at:
A) 50°C
B) 273°C
C) 473°C
D) 200°C
E) 400°C
5. A sphere of mass 1 kg is kept in position by two strings attached to fixed supports, as shown in the
diagram below. The string PQ is horizontal and RS is inclined at an angle of 60° with the horizontal.
Assuming that the acceleration due to gravity is 10 ms-2, the tensions in the strings are:
A) Tension in PQ = 10 N, Tension in RS = 10 N
B) PQ = 10 / √3 N, RS = 20 / √3 N
C) PQ = 10 / √3 N, RS = 10 / √3 N
D) PQ = 20 / √3 N, RS = 20 / √3 N
E) Cannot be determined from the data provided.
6. The naturally radioactive nuclide, protactinium decays with a half life of 6.75 hours. The daughter
nucleus is an isotope of uranium, itself decaying with a half life of 2.47 × 105 years. The nuclear
reactions are:
234
91Pa → 23492U + a + photons
234
92U → 23090Th + b + photons
A) the work necessary to transport a body depends only on the initial and final positions
B) energy is not conserved
C) the work is equal to the variation of energy
D) energy is conserved
E) both energy and momentum are conserved.
8. A stone is thrown vertically upwards. At the highest point of its trajectory what are the forces acting
on it?
9. An object is moving in a circle with uniform speed. Which of the following quantities is conserved?
A) linear momentum
B) velocity
C) angular momentum
D) rate of change of linear momentum
E) none of the above
10. A body of mass m moves on a horizontal plane without friction with velocity v and hits another
body of the same mass m. After the collision the first mass recoils with velocity 1/2 v, while the
other body moves forward with velocity 3/2 v in the opposite direction. Is this event physically
possible?
Answers: 1) d; 2) c; 3) c; 4) c; 5) b; 6) a; 7) a; 8) d; 9) c; 10) a