READING PASSAGE 1
You
should spend about 20 minutes on Questions 1-13 which
are based on Reading Passage 1 below.
Why
we need to protect polar bears
Polar
bears are being increasingly threatened by the effects of climate change, but
their disappearance could have far-reaching consequences. They are uniquely
adapted to the extreme conditions of the Arctic Circle, where temperatures can
reach -40°C. One reason for this is that they have up to 11 centimetres of fat
underneath their skin. Humans with comparative levels of adipose tissue would
be considered obese and would be likely to suffer from diabetes and heart
disease. Yet the polar bear experiences no such consequences.
A
2014 study by Shi Ping Liu and colleagues sheds light on this mystery. They
compared the genetic structure of polar bears with that of their closest
relatives from a warmer climate, the brown bears. This allowed them to
determine the genes that have allowed polar bears to survive in one of the
toughest environments on Earth. Liu and his colleagues found the polar bears
had a gene known as APoB, which reduces levels of low-density lipoproteins
(LDLs) – a form of ‘bad’ cholesterol. In humans, mutations of this gene are
associated with increased risk of heart disease. Polar bears may therefore be
an important study model to understand heart disease in humans.
The
genome of the polar bear may also provide the solution for another condition,
one that particularly affects our older generation: osteoporosis. This is a
disease where bones show reduced density, usually caused by insufficient
exercise, reduced calcium intake or food starvation. Bone tissue is constantly
being remodelled, meaning that bone is added or removed, depending on nutrient
availability and the stress that the bone is under. Female polar bears,
however, undergo extreme conditions during every pregnancy. Once autumn comes
around, these females will dig maternity dens in the snow and will remain there
throughout the winter, both before and after the birth of their cubs. This
process results in about six months of fasting, where the female bears have to
keep themselves and their cubs alive, depleting their own calcium and calorie
reserves. Despite this, their bones remain strong and dense.
Physiologists
Alanda Lennox and Allen Goodship found an explanation for this paradox in 2008.
They discovered that pregnant bears were able to increase the density of their
bones before they started to build their dens. In addition, six months later,
when they finally emerged from the den with their cubs, there was no evidence
of significant loss of bone density. Hibernating brown bears do not have this
capacity and must therefore resort to major bone reformation in the following
spring. If the mechanism of bone remodelling in polar bears can be understood,
many bedridden humans, and even astronauts, could potentially benefit.
The
medical benefits of the polar bear for humanity certainly have their importance
in our conservation efforts, but these should not be the only factors taken into
consideration. We tend to want to protect animals we think are intelligent and
possess emotions, such as elephants and primates. Bears, on the other hand,
seem to be perceived as stupid and in many cases violent. And yet anecdotal
evidence from the field challenges those assumptions, suggesting for example
that polar bears have good problem-solving abilities. A male bear called GoGo
in Tennoji Zoo, Osaka, has even been observed making use of a tool to
manipulate his environment. The bear used a tree branch on multiple occasions
to dislodge a piece of meat hung out of his reach. Problem-solving ability has
also been witnessed in wild polar bears, although not as obviously as with
GoGo. A calculated move by a male bear involved running and jumping onto barrels
in an attempt to get to a photographer standing on a platform four metres high.
In
other studies, such as one by Alison Ames in 2008, polar bears showed
deliberate and focused manipulation. For example, Ames observed bears putting
objects in piles and then knocking them over in what appeared to be a game. The
study demonstrates that bears are capable of agile and thought-out behaviours.
These examples suggest bears have greater creativity and problem-solving
abilities than previously thought.
As
for emotions, while the evidence is once again anecdotal, many bears have been
seen to hit out at ice and snow – seemingly out of frustration – when they have
just missed out on a kill. Moreover, polar bears can form unusual relationships
with other species, including playing with the dogs used to pull sleds in the
Arctic. Remarkably, one hand-raised polar bear called Agee has formed a close
relationship with her owner Mark Dumas to the point where they even swim
together. This is even more astonishing since polar bears are known to actively
hunt humans in the wild.
If
climate change were to lead to their extinction, this would mean not only the
loss of potential breakthroughs in human medicine, but more importantly, the
disappearance of an intelligent, majestic animal.
Questions
1-7
Do
the following statements agree with the information given in Reading Passage 1?
In boxes 1-7 on your answer sheet,
write
TRUE
if the statement agrees with the information
FALSE
if the statement contradicts the information
NOT GIVEN if
there is no information on this
1 Polar bears suffer from
various health problems due to the build-up of fat under their skin.
2 The study done by Liu and
his colleagues compared different groups of polar bears.
3 Liu and colleagues were
the first researchers to compare polar bears and brown bears genetically.
4 Polar bears are able to control
their levels of ‘bad’ cholesterol by genetic means.
5 Female polar bears are able to
survive for about six months without food.
6 It was found that the bones of
female polar bears were very weak when they came out of their dens in spring.
7 The polar bear’s mechanism
for increasing bone density could also be used by people one day.
Questions
8-13
Complete
the table below.
Choose ONE
WORD ONLY from the passage for each answer.
Write your answers in boxes 8-13 on
your answer sheet.
READING
PASSAGE 2
You
should spend about 20 minutes on Questions 14-26 which are
based on Reading Passage 2 below.
The
Step Pyramid of Djoser
A
The
pyramids are the most famous monuments of ancient Egypt and still hold enormous
interest for people in the present day. These grand, impressive tributes to the
memory of the Egyptian kings have become linked with the country even though
other cultures, such as the Chinese and Mayan, also built pyramids. The
evolution of the pyramid form has been written and argued about for centuries.
However, there is no question that, as far as Egypt is concerned, it began with
one monument to one king designed by one brilliant architect: the Step Pyramid
of Djoser at Saqqara.
B
Djoser
was the first king of the Third Dynasty of Egypt and the first to build in
stone. Prior to Djoser’s reign, tombs were rectangular monuments made of dried
clay brick, which covered underground passages where the deceased person was
buried. For reasons which remain unclear, Djoser’s main official, whose name
was Imhotep, conceived of building a taller, more impressive tomb for his king
by stacking stone slabs on top of one another, progressively making them
smaller, to form the shape now known as the Step Pyramid. Djoser is thought to
have reigned for 19 years, but some historians and scholars attribute a much
longer time for his rule, owing to the number and size of the monuments he
built.
C
The
Step Pyramid has been thoroughly examined and investigated over the last
century, and it is now known that the building process went through many
different stages. Historian Marc Van de Mieroop comments on this, writing ‘Much
experimentation was involved, which is especially clear in the construction of
the pyramid in the center of the complex. It had several plans … before it
became the first Step Pyramid in history, piling six levels on top of one
another … The weight of the enormous mass was a challenge for the builders, who
placed the stones at an inward incline in order to prevent the monument breaking
up.’
D
When
finally completed, the Step Pyramid rose 62 meters high and was the tallest
structure of its time. The complex in which it was built was the size of a city
in ancient Egypt and included a temple, courtyards, shrines, and living
quarters for the priests. It covered a region of 16 hectares and was surrounded
by a wall 10.5 meters high. The wall had 13 false doors cut into it with only
one true entrance cut into the south-east corner; the entire wall was then
ringed by a trench 750 meters long and 40 meters wide. The false doors and the
trench were incorporated into the complex to discourage unwanted visitors. If
someone wished to enter, he or she would have needed to know in advance how to
find the location of the true opening in the wall. Djoser was so proud of his
accomplishment that he broke the tradition of having only his own name on the
monument and had Imhotep’s name carved on it as well.
E
The
burial chamber of the tomb, where the king’s body was laid to rest, was dug
beneath the base of the pyramid, surrounded by a vast maze of long tunnels that
had rooms off them to discourage robbers. One of the most mysterious
discoveries found inside the pyramid was a large number of stone vessels. Over
40,000 of these vessels, of various forms and shapes, were discovered in
storerooms off the pyramid’s underground passages. They are inscribed with the
names of rulers from the First and Second Dynasties of Egypt and made from
different kinds of stone. There is no agreement among scholars and archaeologists
on why the vessels were placed in the tomb of Djoser or what they were supposed
to represent. The archaeologist Jean-Philippe Lauer, who excavated most of the
pyramid and complex, believes they were originally stored and then give a
‘proper burial’ by Djoser in his pyramid to honor his predecessors. There are
other historians, however, who claim the vessels were dumped into the shafts as
yet another attempt to prevent grave robbers from getting to the king’s burial
chamber.
F
Unfortunately,
all of the precautions and intricate design of the underground network did not
prevent ancient robbers from finding a way in. Djoser’s grave goods, and even
his body, were stolen at some point in the past and all archaeologists found
were a small number of his valuables overlooked by the thieves. There was
enough left throughout the pyramid and its complex, however, to astonish and
amaze the archaeologists who excavated it.
G
Egyptologist
Miroslav Verner writes, ‘Few monuments hold a place in human history as significant
as that of the Step Pyramid in Saqqara … It can be said without exaggeration
that this pyramid complex constitutes a milestone in the evolution of
monumental stone architecture in Egypt and in the world as a whole.’ The Step
Pyramid was a revolutionary advance in architecture and became the archetype
which all the other great pyramid builders of Egypt would follow.
Questions
14-20
Reading
Passage 2 has seven paragraphs, A-G.
Choose
the correct heading for each paragraph from the list of headings below.
Write the correct number, i-ix, in
boxes 14-20 on your answer sheet.
List of Headings
i The areas and
artefacts within the pyramid itself
ii A difficult task
for those involved
iii A king who
saved his people
iv A single certainty
among other less definite facts
v An overview of the
external buildings and areas
vi A pyramid design that
others copied
vii An idea for
changing the design of burial structures
viii An incredible
experience despite the few remains
ix The answers to some
unexpected questions
14 Paragraph A
15 Paragraph B
16 Paragraph C
17 Paragraph D
18 Paragraph E
19 Paragraph F
20 Paragraph G
Questions
21-24
Complete
the notes below.
Choose ONE
WORD ONLY from the passage for each answer.
Write your answers in boxes 21-24 on your answer
sheet.
The Step Pyramid of Djoser
The
complex that includes the Step Pyramid and its surroundings is considered to be
as big as an Egyptian 21 ………………….. of the past. The area
outside the pyramid included accommodation that was occupied by 22 …………………..,
along with many other buildings and features.
A
wall ran around the outside of the complex and a number of false entrances were
built into this. In addition, a long 23 ………………….. encircled
the wall. As a result, any visitors who had not been invited were cleverly
prevented from entering the pyramid grounds unless they knew the 24 …………………..
of the real entrance.
Questions
25-26
Choose TWO letters, A-E.
Write the correct letters in boxes 25 and 26 on
your answer sheet.
Which TWO of
the following points does the writer make about King Djoser?
A Initially he had to be persuaded
to build in stone rather than clay.
B There is disagreement concerning
the length of his reign.
C He failed to appreciate Imhotep’s
part in the design of the Step Pyramid.
D A few of his possessions were
still in his tomb when archaeologists found it.
E He criticised the
design and construction of other pyramids in Egypt.
READING PASSAGE 3
You
should spend about 20 minutes on Questions 27-40 which are
based on Reading Passage 3 below.
The
future of work
According
to a leading business consultancy, 3-14% of the global workforce will need to
switch to a different occupation within the next 10-15 years, and all workers
will need to adapt as their occupations evolve alongside increasingly capable
machines. Automation – or ‘embodied artificial intelligence’ (AI) – is one
aspect of the disruptive effects of technology on the labour market.
‘Disembodied AI’, like the algorithms running in our smartphones, is another.
Dr
Stella Pachidi from Cambridge Judge Business School believes that some of the
most fundamental changes are happening as a result of the ‘algorithmication’ of
jobs that are dependent on data rather than on production – the so-called
knowledge economy. Algorithms are capable of learning from data to undertake
tasks that previously needed human judgement, such as reading legal contracts,
analysing medical scans and gathering market intelligence.
‘In
many cases, they can outperform humans,’ says Pachidi. ‘Organisations are
attracted to using algorithms because they want to make choices based on what
they consider is “perfect information”, as well as to reduce costs and enhance
productivity.’
‘But
these enhancements are not without consequences,’ says Pachidi. ‘If routine
cognitive tasks are taken over by AI, how do professions develop their future
experts?’ she asks. ‘One way of learning about a job is “legitimate peripheral
participation” – a novice stands next to experts and learns by observation. If
this isn’t happening, then you need to find new ways to learn.’
Another
issue is the extent to which the technology influences or even controls the
workforce. For over two years, Pachidi monitored a telecommunications company.
‘The way telecoms salespeople work is through personal and frequent contact
with clients, using the benefit of experience to assess a situation and reach a
decision. However, the company had started using a(n) … algorithm that defined
when account managers should contact certain customers about which kinds of
campaigns and what to offer them.’
The
algorithm – usually build by external designers – often becomes the keeper of
knowledge, she explains. In cases like this, Pachidi believes, a short-sighted
view begins to creep into working practices whereby workers learn through the
‘algorithm’s eyes’ and become dependent on its instructions. Alternative
explorations – where experimentation and human instinct lead to progress and
new ideas – are effectively discouraged.
Pachidi
and colleagues even observed people developing strategies to make the algorithm
work to their own advantage. ‘We are seeing cases where workers feed the
algorithm with false data to reach their targets,’ she reports.
It’s
scenarios like these that many researchers are working to avoid. Their
objective is to make AI technologies more trustworthy and transparent, so that
organisations and individuals understand how AI decisions are made. In the
meantime, says Pachidi, ‘We need to make sure we fully understand the dilemmas
that this new world raises regarding expertise, occupational boundaries and
control.’
Economist
Professor Hamish Low believes that the future of work will involve major
transitions across the whole life course for everyone: ‘The traditional
trajectory of full-time education followed by full-time work followed by a
pensioned retirement is a thing of the past,’ says Low. Instead, he envisages a
multistage employment life: one where retraining happens across the life
course, and where multiple jobs and no job happen by choice at different
stages.
On
the subject of job losses, Low believes the predictions are founded on a
fallacy: ‘It assumes that the number of jobs is fixed. If in 30 years, half of
100 jobs are being carried out by robots, that doesn’t mean we are left with
just 50 jobs for humans. The number of jobs will increase: we would expect
there to be 150 jobs.’
Dr
Ewan McGaughey, at Cambridge’s Centre for Business Research and King’s College
London, agrees that ‘apocalyptic’ views about the future of work are misguided.
‘It’s the laws that restrict the supply of capital to the job market, not the
advent of new technologies that causes unemployment.’
His
recently published research answers the question of whether automation, AI and
robotics will mean a ‘jobless future’ by looking at the causes of unemployment.
‘History is clear that change can mean redundancies. But social policies can
tackle this through retraining and redeployment.’
He
adds: ‘If there is going to be change to jobs as a result of AI and robotics
then I’d like to see governments seizing the opportunity to improve policy to
enforce good job security. We can “reprogramme” the law to prepare for a fairer
future of work and leisure.’ McGaughey’s findings are a call to arms to leaders
of organisations, governments and banks to pre-empt the coming changes with
bold new policies that guarantee full employment, fair incomes and a thriving
economic democracy.
‘The
promises of these new technologies are astounding. They deliver humankind the
capacity to live in a way that nobody could have once imagined,’ he adds. ‘Just
as the industrial revolution brought people past subsistence agriculture, and
the corporate revolution enabled mass production, a third revolution has been
pronounced. But it will not only be one of technology. The next revolution will
be social.’
Questions 27-30
Choose
the correct letter, A, B, C or D.
Write the correct letter in boxes 27-30 on
your answer sheet.
27 The first paragraph tells
us about
A the kinds of jobs that will be
most affected by the growth of AI.
B the extent to which
AI will after the nature of the work that people do.
C the proportion of
the world’s labour force who will have jobs in AI in the future.
D the difference between ways that
embodied and disembodied AI with impact on workers.
28 According to the second
paragraph, what is Stella Pachidi’s view of the ‘knowledge economy’?
A It is having an influence
on the number of jobs available.
B It is changing people’s
attitudes towards their occupations.
C It is the main reason why
the production sector is declining.
D It is a key factor driving
current developments in the workplace.
29 What did Pachidi observe
at the telecommunications company?
A staff disagreeing with the
recommendations of AI
B staff feeling resentful
about the intrusion of AI in their work
C staff making sure that AI
produces the results that they want
D staff allowing AI to carry
out tasks they ought to do themselves
30 In his recently published
research, Ewan McGaughey
A challenges the idea that
redundancy is a negative thing.
B shows the profound effect
of mass unemployment on society.
C highlights some differences
between past and future job losses.
D illustrates how changes in
the job market can be successfully handled.
Questions
31-34
Complete
the summary using the list of words, A-G, below.
Write the correct letter, A-G, in boxes
31-34 on your answer sheet.
The
‘algorithmication’ of jobs
Stella
Pachidi of Cambridge Judge Business School has been focusing on the
‘algorithmication’ of jobs which rely not on production but on 31 ………………….
.
While
monitoring a telecommunications company, Pachidi observed a growing 32 ………………….
on the recommendations made by AI, as workers begin to learn through the
‘algorithm’s eyes’. Meanwhile, staff are deterred from experimenting and using
their own 33 …………………., and are therefore prevented from
achieving innovation.
To
avoid the kind of situations which Pachidi observed, researchers are trying to
make AI’s decision-making process easier to comprehend, and to increase
users’ 34 …………………. with regard to the technology.
A
pressure B
satisfaction C intuition
D
promotion E
reliance F confidence
G information
Questions
35-40
Look
at the following statements (Questions 35-40) and the list of people below.
Match
each statement with the correct person, A, B or C.
Write the correct letter, A, B or C,
in boxes 35-40 on your answer sheet.
NB You may use any letter
more than once.
35 Greater levels of
automation will not result in lower employment.
36 There are several reasons
why AI is appealing to businesses.
37 AI’s potential to
transform people’s lives has parallels with major cultural shifts which
occurred in previous eras.
38 It is important to be aware of
the range of problems that AI causes.
39 People are going to follow a less
conventional career path than in the past.
40 Authorities should take measures
to ensure that there will be adequately paid work for everyone
List of people
A Stella Pachidi
B Hamish Low
C Ewan McGaughey
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