1. This passage is:
(a) a newspaper editorial
(b) a newspaper article
(c) an academic paper
(d) a letter

2. Which of the following is the writer implying in paragraph 2?
(a) the marking system is important in assessing the standard of English in Hong Kong
(b) the marking system is one important factor in assessing the standard of English in Hong Kong
(c) the marking system is irrelevant in assessing the standard of English in Hong Kong
(d) the marking system is a reliable indicator the marking system is important in assessing the standard of English in Hong Kong

3. In parapraph 9 'nurturing' could be replaced by which of the following?
(a) projecting
(b) protecting
(c) producing
(d) promoting

4. The writer's attitude to the present educational system can best be summed up as:
(a) distanced and disinterested
(b) balanced but critical
(c) subjective and not founded on facts or relevant experience
(d) ignorant and arrogant

5. According to the writer the present marking system is:
(a) good for nothing
(b) good for assessing students' performance relative to one another
(c) good for assessing students' performance relative to last year's results
(d) good for assessing students' abilities

6. Which of the following criticisms does the writer NOT make of the exam system?
(a) it doesn't test how well students use English
(b) it doesn't test if students know the correct answer at all times
(c) it only tests how well students have done compared to other students
(d) it only devotes a small percentage of marks to language use

7. The writer's attitude to the TOC system can best be summed up as:
(a) too little, too late
(b) a system built on misguided philosophy
(c) a system poorly implemented
(d) too much, too soon

8. In paragraph 7 "complexity" is in inverted commas because:
(a) the writer is using direct speech
(b) the word is used in an unusual way
(c) the writer is quoting from another source
(d) to emphasize the word

9. In line 12 'significant' is closest in meaning to:
(a) small
(b) suggested
(c) important
(d) intended

10. In paragrah 3 'invariably' is closest in meaning to:
(a) never
(b) always
(c) invaluably
(d) inarguably

11. In paragraph 5 'it' refers to:
(a) the marking
(b) the paper
(c) the percentage
(d) none of the above

12. In paragraph 5 'naive' could be replaced by which of the following?
(a) wonderful
(b) foolish
(c) nice
(d) correct

13. In paragraph 4 'suffice' could be replaced by which of the following?
(a) be unsatisfactory
(b) be awarded
(c) be counted
(d) do

14. Why does the writer use a semi-colon in paragraph 5 ?
(a) because the break is stronger than a full stop.
(b) because what comes after the colon is a contradiction of what came before it.
(c) because what comes after the colon is a development of what comes before it.
(d) because what comes after the colon is an example of what comes before it.

15. In paragraph 6 'indeed' is closest in meaning to which of the following:
(a) on the other hand
(b) this means
(c) nevertheless
(d) what is more

16. In parapraph 7 'misled' is closest in meaning to:
(a) given false information
(b) interpreting correctly
(c) fooled
(d) misunderstood