SAMPLE UNIVERSITY ENTRANCE EXAM

TEXT D

Rhino’s Protection                                           Test designed by Lucas Valenzuela

            Officers patrolling wildlife reserves in East Africa often find dead rhinos with their horns sawed off. Why? Simply, because rhino horn is extremely valuable. In Asia, it is used to treat headaches, colds and flu. But most importantly, it is thought to increase a man's potency.

            Working at night, poachers are well-equipped with automatic weapons. They shoot the animals and, then, cut off the horns with axes or chain saws. The international trade in rhino horn is banned. But the killing still goes on because poachers can make huge sums of money selling horns on the black market. Large fines, long prison sentences or even the death penalty can't stop the poachers. Wildlife officers admit that they are losing the battle.

            The rhinos can't defend themselves against poachers. They have extremely bad eyesight and a rhino will instinctively assist another rhino when it hears a cry for help. Poachers exploit this fact by imitating the cry and then killing the approaching rhino. There are five different types of rhino in Africa and Asia. All of them are endangered species. Since 1970, 90% of them have disappeared. At the present rate of killing, there will be almost no rhinos left by the year 2011.

            Now more and more rhinos are captured and moved to game reserves. They are tranquilized with a dart gun, and then their horns are cut off with a saw. This makes the rhino worthless to poachers for a time, but the horns grow again within three years.

A.- CONPREHENSION                                                                                                                   (4 points)

 

ANSWER QUESTIONS 1-2 ACCORDING TO THE INFORMATION GIVEN IN THE TEXT. USE YOUR OWN WORDS.

1.- What do people use rhino horns for?                                                                                                     (1 point per answer)

                                                                                                                                                            

2.- What is the penalty for poachers who get caught?

ARE THESE STATEMENTS TRUE OR FALSE.? JUSTIFY YOUR ANSWERS WITH THE PRECISE WORDS OR PHRASES FROM THE TEXT, OR USE YOUR OWN WORDS.                                                                       (0.5 points per answer)

3.- Rhinos are killed for fun?

4.- Poachers kill rhinos because they need to feed their families.

5.- Rhinos are easy to kill.

6.- Only 90% of the different species are endangered.

USE OF ENGLISH                                                                                                                           (3 points)

 

7.- WHICH WORD DOES NOT HAVE THE SAME MEANING?  Banned / prohibited / allowed / forbidden                 (0.25 points)

8.- FIND A SYNONYM FROM THE TEXT FOR CONTINUES.                                                                                               (0.25 points)

9.- FIND A WORD IN THE TEXT MEANING " Things used to kill or harm."                                                      (0.25 points)

10.- FIND IN THE TEXT THE OPPOSITE OF RELEASED.                                                                                      (0.25 points)

11. - PUT THE FOLLOWING SENTENCE INTO THE PASSIVE VOICE:                                                                 (0.5 points)

 Officers patrolling wildlife reserves in East Africa often find dead rhinos.

12. - PUT THE FOLLOWING SENTENCE IN REPORTED SPEECH:                                                                        (0.5 points)

At this rate of killing, there will be almost no rhinos left by the year 2005.

13. - JOIN THE TWO SENTENCES INTO JUST ONE:                                                                                                (0.5 points)

 Large fines, long prison sentences or even the death penalty can't stop the poachers. Wildlife officers are losing the battle.

14.-  Join the following sentences in an appropriate way (do not use AND/ BUT).                                                         (0.5 points)

 Poachers shoot the rhinos to cut off their horns. Rhinos can't defend themselves against poachers.

	PRODUCTION                                                                                           (3 points)

 

WRITE A COMPOSITION OF APPROXIMATELY 120 WORDS. CHOOSE ONE OF THE FOLLOWING OPTIONS, AND FOCUS STRICTLY ON IT.

1.- Animals in the zoo. Write for and against.

2.- Wildlife protection.