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University Tips
World wide web
By Ajarn Helen Jandamit
University Tips is here to help you prepare for the English exams that are coming your way. It gives you practise answering questions similar to those you may have at school and also on the university entrance examination.
Spider celebration
Thousands of spectators
recently watched as a 12-metre tall spider, weighing 38 tonnes, crawled through
the waterfront of Yokohama, Japan's second largest city.
People were perched high atop the mechanical spider, steering the creepy crawler through the streets as it blew clouds of steam from its fangs. The giant spider was operated by 12 people.
The mechanical spider was the creation of the French performance group La Machine. La Machine are famous for making giant marionettes of elephants, squids and other animals.
The city of Yokohama invited La Machine to join the celebrations of the 150th anniversary of the opening of Yokohama port to the world in 1859.
La Machine's art director Francois Delaroziere said that the giant spider is meant to represent foreigners visiting the port.
Superhero rescue
Recently, an 8-year-old
autistic boy perched on the ledge of the third floor of a
Srinakharinwirot University building. People nearby thought that the boy was
going to jump.
Fire-fighter Sonchai Yoosabai came to the rescue upon learning from the boy's mother and teachers that he likes Spider-Man and Ultraman.
"I am Spider-Man," he told the boy's mother.
He asked the mother and teachers to keep talking to the boy while he went back to the fire station in Klong Toey to change into his superhero outfit.
A short time later, Spider-Man was making his way to the building with the boy's favourite meal, moo satay, and an iced orange drink in his hands.
"Spider-Man is coming," the teachers yelled to the boy. The boy turned around, saw the costume and yelled, "Spider-Man!"
Sonchai instructed the boy to come down, which he did without resisting.
SECTION 1
Read the stories. Then, answer the following true or false questions.
1. Yokohama is Japan's largest city.
... ........................................................................................
2. Sonchai dressed up as Ultraman.
... ........................................................................................
3. According to Francois, the spider represents foreigners.
... ........................................................................................
4. Sonchai ask the teacher and the boy's mother to buy moo stay and orange drink.
... ........................................................................................
5. The mechanical spider needs 38 people to operate it.
... ........................................................................................
SECTION 2
Read the stories. Then, find the words in the stories that match the following definitions.
6. sitting or resting on something, especially on the edge of something
... ..............................................................................
7. to move quickly off the ground or away from a surface by pushing yourself with your legs and feet
... ..............................................................................
8. people who are watching an event, especially a sports event
... ..............................................................................
9. a character in a story who has unusual strength or power and uses it to help people
... ..............................................................................
10.either of two long sharp teeth at the front of the mouths of some animals, such as a snake or dog
... ..............................................................................
SECTION 3
Read the following excerpt from the Spider-Man story and fill in the blanks with the correct words from choices below.
"I'm not crazy. It's part of my firefighting and rescuing job at Klong Toey station. It's to attract attention from the public, ... ......11 ... ...... children," he explained. "My job isn't only ... ...... 12 ......... stop fires, but also to help people - for ... ......13 ... ...... , when snakes are found in a residence, or ... ...... 14 ... ...... cat gets stuck in a tree. Some cases ... ...... 15 ... ...... really silly, while some actually involve saving people's lives."
11.
a. especially
b. and
c. except
d. for
12.
a. about
b. for
c.
against
d. to
13.
a. example
b.
information
c. sample
d. E.G.
14.
a. an
b. a
c. the
d. some
15.
a. may
b. seem
c. be
d.
similar
SECTION 4
Read the stories. Then, answer the following multiple-choice questions.
16. Which of the following best describes the giant spider in Yokohama?
a. It was 12 metres tall.
b. It was 12 metres tall and weighed 38 tonnes.
c. It was a 12 metre-tall man-made spider that weighed 38 tonnes.
d. It was 12 metres tall, weighed 38 tonnes and was made in Japan.
17. Why was the La Machine group in Yokohama?
a. They were travelling
from the port of Yokohama to France.
b. Their relatives had been there in 1859.
c. They were helping to celebrate the anniversary of the opening Yokohama port
to the world.
d. They were celebrating.
18. Why was Sonchai wearing a Spider-Man costume at Srinakharinwirot University?
a. He was going to a party.
b. He was delivering moo satay and an iced orange drink.
c. He was promoting fire safety.
d. He was trying to save the life of an autistic child.
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creepy (adj): causing an unpleasant feeling of fear or slight horror marionette (n): a puppet whose arms, legs and head are moved by strings ledge (n): a narrow flat shelf fixed to a wall, especially one below a window outfit (n): a set of clothes that you wear together, especially for a particular occasion or purpose instruct (v): to tell somebody to do something, especially in a formal or official way resist (v): to use force to stop something from happening |
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