a. It’s a difficult balancing act and, of course, parents get it wrong sometimes. After all, they’re only human too.

b. But it’s not always so easy. Children grow up so fast these days and it can be difficult to get it right all the time.

c. If they are too strict, their children might rebel. If they are too soft, then the children might only do the things they want to do.

d. For sure, parents know the importance of school and they want their children to do well, but what happens when the child doesn’t want to try?

e. Most parents want to do their best for their children and help them get ahead in life. They try to bring their children up well and give them a happy childhood.

(Adapted from THiNK)

Dear Doctor Clark,

I am writing to you about the serious threat of lionfish in the Atlantic Ocean.

a. We have already tested the first model, though it hasn’t been very effective so far.

b. Since then, we have been working on making a robot that will be able to kill lionfish with electricity.

c. Since 2004, the lionfish have been eating local fish, and they are continuing to destroy native species.

d. Until we can find a solution, we can only hope that the lionfish do not end up wiping out populations of native fish.

e. There are no natural enemies of the lionfish here, so we have been trying to train sharks to prey on them, but it didn’t work.

Your colleague,

Doctor Lewis

(Adapted from i-Learn Smart World)

a. Nam: It’s hard to predict who’ll win. Other classes also have very interesting projects.

b. Mark: True. There’re so many great ideas. The judges will have a difficult decision to make.

c. Nam: You’re telling me! It’s a good habit that will lead to healthier lifestyles in the long run.

d. Mark: Tomorrow we’ll get the results of the Green Classroom Competition. Do you think we will win?

e. Mark: I agree. The Cycling-to-school programme proposed by Class 12C is going to impress the judges.

(Adapted from Global Success)

Where in paragraph 1 does the following sentence best fit?

However, these are only the products of culture followed by the society and cannot be defined as culture.

a. The Shenzhen Special Economic Zone is part of the China Greater Bay Area development plan, which connects ten major cities in southern China.

b. In order to reach this goal, the Chinese government will have to carry out a wide variety of reforms for the city, regarding legal, financial, medical and social sectors.

c. Moreover, the government is encouraging international organisations and big companies to set up branches or headquarters in Shenzhen.

d. Shenzhen (China) is expected to become a model of high-quality development by 2035, and one of the leading citites in the world in terms of economic strength.

e. The plan sets long-term goals for 2035 to induce faster growth in the region, turning the Bay Area into a global innovation centre and financial powerhouse.

(Adapted from C-21 Smart)