JAMB English Language 2012 Past Questions & Answers

Religion in its various forms is very strong in Nigeria. In other words, Nigerian people are very religious most of them believe that there is an unseen supernatural world, apart from the natural world we see around us. This other world is inhabited by beings who are the source of our knowledge of good and evil. They watch and judge us, and if we offend them they may have to be appeased with prayers and sacrifices. Certain individuals in the natural in the natural world-priests, prophets and diviners- are believed to be endowed with special powers to make contact with the other world. These individuals lay down ceremonies or rituals which must be observed if due honour is to be paid to the unseen beings. The religious belief and practices of Nigerians can be classified under three main headings: Traditional religion, Islam and Christianity. In this passage, our focus is on traditional religion.

Traditional or indigenous religion continues to exert a strong influence on many people's mind partly because of its association with their birth places and families. Each ethnic group has its own religious traditional and these are often linked to some sacred spots in the ethnic homeland. Yet the various traditional religions have much in common: a remote but benevolent high god; under him, a number of lesser gods who interact with mankind; and below them various spirits who inhabit natural objects (trees, streams, rock, etc); below them again, and closest to living men and women, the spirits of the ancestors.

In the Yoruba tradition, for example, there are more than 400 lesser deities presided over by the high god, olorun. Because he is remote from mankind, shrines are not built to him and worship is not offered to him directly. The lesser gods, on the other hand, are the subject of special cults, each with its own priests and devotees. Eshu, the messenger of the gods; lfa, the god of divination; Shango, the god of thunder, and so on. Traditional religion was also strong in other parts of Nigeria. In lgbo Traditional religion, there were fewer gods. Although there was a remote high god, the most important figure was Ala or Ani, the goddess of the earth. In Hausaland, traditional religion has largely gone underground owing to the influence of lslam, but belief in the existence of 'Bori' spirits and their power to possess people, especially woman, is strong in some areas. Each spirit is associated with certain type of behavior, which is manifested by the possessed individual Divination - the discovery of what is unknown or is yet to happen by supernatural or magical means - is an important element of traditional religion. It is often one of the functions of medicine - men or herbalists. In lgboland, there also used to be several oracles which people consulted in order to seek solutions to their problems. With the coming of Christianity, their influence has however waned, but in areas like Arochukwu and Okija, the influence of such oracles is still strongly felt.

This question requires you to understand and combine two key ideas from the passage. The text first states, 'Each ethnic group has its own religious traditional', which shows the religions are different. It then immediately adds, 'Yet the various traditional religions have much in common', which points to their similarities. Option A correctly combines these two facts, stating that the religions are different but have similar elements.

Common mistake: Students might mistakenly choose option B because the passage gives specific examples of differences between Yoruba and Igbo traditions, causing them to overlook the sentence that explicitly says the religions have 'much in common'.

Religion in its various forms is very strong in Nigeria. In other words, Nigerian people are very religious most of them believe that there is an unseen supernatural world, apart from the natural world we see around us. This other world is inhabited by beings who are the source of our knowledge of good and evil. They watch and judge us, and if we offend them they may have to be appeased with prayers and sacrifices. Certain individuals in the natural in the natural world-priests, prophets and diviners- are believed to be endowed with special powers to make contact with the other world. These individuals lay down ceremonies or rituals which must be observed if due honour is to be paid to the unseen beings. The religious belief and practices of Nigerians can be classified under three main headings: Traditional religion, Islam and Christianity. In this passage, our focus is on traditional religion.

Traditional or indigenous religion continues to exert a strong influence on many people's mind partly because of its association with their birth places and families. Each ethnic group has its own religious traditional and these are often linked to some sacred spots in the ethnic homeland. Yet the various traditional religions have much in common: a remote but benevolent high god; under him, a number of lesser gods who interact with mankind; and below them various spirits who inhabit natural objects (trees, streams, rock, etc); below them again, and closest to living men and women, the spirits of the ancestors.

In the Yoruba tradition, for example, there are more than 400 lesser deities presided over by the high god, olorun. Because he is remote from mankind, shrines are not built to him and worship is not offered to him directly. The lesser gods, on the other hand, are the subject of special cults, each with its own priests and devotees. Eshu, the messenger of the gods; lfa, the god of divination; Shango, the god of thunder, and so on. Traditional religion was also strong in other parts of Nigeria. In lgbo Traditional religion, there were fewer gods. Although there was a remote high god, the most important figure was Ala or Ani, the goddess of the earth. In Hausaland, traditional religion has largely gone underground owing to the influence of lslam, but belief in the existence of 'Bori' spirits and their power to possess people, especially woman, is strong in some areas. Each spirit is associated with certain type of behavior, which is manifested by the possessed individual Divination - the discovery of what is unknown or is yet to happen by supernatural or magical means - is an important element of traditional religion. It is often one of the functions of medicine - men or herbalists. In lgboland, there also used to be several oracles which people consulted in order to seek solutions to their problems. With the coming of Christianity, their influence has however waned, but in areas like Arochukwu and Okija, the influence of such oracles is still strongly felt.

The question asks what Nigerians believe about the relationship between the natural and supernatural worlds based on the first paragraph. The passage states that beings in the supernatural world 'watch and judge us' and must be 'appeased with prayers and sacrifices' if offended. This shows a power dynamic where the supernatural world has authority and influence over the natural world, which is best described as control.

Common mistake: Students might mistakenly choose option A because the passage does mention that the two worlds exist together, but this choice is incomplete as it misses the key point about the power and influence the supernatural world has over the natural one.

Religion in its various forms is very strong in Nigeria. In other words, Nigerian people are very religious most of them believe that there is an unseen supernatural world, apart from the natural world we see around us. This other world is inhabited by beings who are the source of our knowledge of good and evil. They watch and judge us, and if we offend them they may have to be appeased with prayers and sacrifices. Certain individuals in the natural in the natural world-priests, prophets and diviners- are believed to be endowed with special powers to make contact with the other world. These individuals lay down ceremonies or rituals which must be observed if due honour is to be paid to the unseen beings. The religious belief and practices of Nigerians can be classified under three main headings: Traditional religion, Islam and Christianity. In this passage, our focus is on traditional religion.

Traditional or indigenous religion continues to exert a strong influence on many people's mind partly because of its association with their birth places and families. Each ethnic group has its own religious traditional and these are often linked to some sacred spots in the ethnic homeland. Yet the various traditional religions have much in common: a remote but benevolent high god; under him, a number of lesser gods who interact with mankind; and below them various spirits who inhabit natural objects (trees, streams, rock, etc); below them again, and closest to living men and women, the spirits of the ancestors.

In the Yoruba tradition, for example, there are more than 400 lesser deities presided over by the high god, olorun. Because he is remote from mankind, shrines are not built to him and worship is not offered to him directly. The lesser gods, on the other hand, are the subject of special cults, each with its own priests and devotees. Eshu, the messenger of the gods; lfa, the god of divination; Shango, the god of thunder, and so on. Traditional religion was also strong in other parts of Nigeria. In lgbo Traditional religion, there were fewer gods. Although there was a remote high god, the most important figure was Ala or Ani, the goddess of the earth. In Hausaland, traditional religion has largely gone underground owing to the influence of lslam, but belief in the existence of 'Bori' spirits and their power to possess people, especially woman, is strong in some areas. Each spirit is associated with certain type of behavior, which is manifested by the possessed individual Divination - the discovery of what is unknown or is yet to happen by supernatural or magical means - is an important element of traditional religion. It is often one of the functions of medicine - men or herbalists. In lgboland, there also used to be several oracles which people consulted in order to seek solutions to their problems. With the coming of Christianity, their influence has however waned, but in areas like Arochukwu and Okija, the influence of such oracles is still strongly felt.

The correct answer is derived directly from reading the passage. The text states that in Hausaland, traditional religion declined 'owing to the influence of lslam', and the influence of oracles 'waned' 'with the coming of Christianity'. Since both Islam and Christianity are non-traditional religions, option C correctly summarises the reasons given in the passage for the decline.

Common mistake: Students might choose options A or B because the passage specifically mentions Islam and Christianity, but these are only examples of the broader category 'non-traditional religion' which is the most complete answer.

Religion in its various forms is very strong in Nigeria. In other words, Nigerian people are very religious most of them believe that there is an unseen supernatural world, apart from the natural world we see around us. This other world is inhabited by beings who are the source of our knowledge of good and evil. They watch and judge us, and if we offend them they may have to be appeased with prayers and sacrifices. Certain individuals in the natural in the natural world-priests, prophets and diviners- are believed to be endowed with special powers to make contact with the other world. These individuals lay down ceremonies or rituals which must be observed if due honour is to be paid to the unseen beings. The religious belief and practices of Nigerians can be classified under three main headings: Traditional religion, Islam and Christianity. In this passage, our focus is on traditional religion.

Traditional or indigenous religion continues to exert a strong influence on many people's mind partly because of its association with their birth places and families. Each ethnic group has its own religious traditional and these are often linked to some sacred spots in the ethnic homeland. Yet the various traditional religions have much in common: a remote but benevolent high god; under him, a number of lesser gods who interact with mankind; and below them various spirits who inhabit natural objects (trees, streams, rock, etc); below them again, and closest to living men and women, the spirits of the ancestors.

In the Yoruba tradition, for example, there are more than 400 lesser deities presided over by the high god, olorun. Because he is remote from mankind, shrines are not built to him and worship is not offered to him directly. The lesser gods, on the other hand, are the subject of special cults, each with its own priests and devotees. Eshu, the messenger of the gods; lfa, the god of divination; Shango, the god of thunder, and so on. Traditional religion was also strong in other parts of Nigeria. In lgbo Traditional religion, there were fewer gods. Although there was a remote high god, the most important figure was Ala or Ani, the goddess of the earth. In Hausaland, traditional religion has largely gone underground owing to the influence of lslam, but belief in the existence of 'Bori' spirits and their power to possess people, especially woman, is strong in some areas. Each spirit is associated with certain type of behavior, which is manifested by the possessed individual Divination - the discovery of what is unknown or is yet to happen by supernatural or magical means - is an important element of traditional religion. It is often one of the functions of medicine - men or herbalists. In lgboland, there also used to be several oracles which people consulted in order to seek solutions to their problems. With the coming of Christianity, their influence has however waned, but in areas like Arochukwu and Okija, the influence of such oracles is still strongly felt.

The correct answer is 'divination' because the passage explicitly states it is a common feature. The text says, 'Divination... is an important element of traditional religion,' and then gives examples from different cultures, like the Yoruba god of divination (Ifa) and the oracles consulted in Igboland.

Common mistake: Students might incorrectly choose 'ritual' because it is mentioned early in the passage, but the text provides more specific examples of 'divination' as a practice shared across different traditional religions.

Recent literary researches reveal that Nigerians hardly have time to read . In essence, the reading culture in Nigeria is now at a low ebb. It is disturbing, however, that few Nigerians that read concentrate more on foreign books than indigenous productions. Most Nigerian authors of novels, storybooks, fictions and non-fiction series have decried, on different occasions, their woes. They were bitter at the way most owners of bookshops and publishers treat them. It was gathered to stock foreign books. When contacted by DAILY INDEPENDENT, the general manager of a popular bookstore on Lagos island declared that most of the bookshops preferred to stock foreign books because of higher demands for them. The question that bothers most Nigerian authors is, while their overseas counterparts are being rewarded with great international honours, why are Nigerians not awarding them such recognition in their own country?

Recently, "Nigerian novelist, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, won the 2007 Orange Prize Award, the literary world's top award for fiction in English written by women. The award carries a prize tag of $30,000 it was reported in Publishers Weekly, Half of a Yellow Sun, the book that earned her the award, was profoundly gripping. According to the reviewer, the book is a transcendent novel of many descriptive triumphs, most notably its diction of the impact of war brutalities on peasants and intellectuals alike. It is searing history in fictional form, intensely evocative and immensely absorbing. Chinua Achebe, 'Father of Modern African Literature, also won the second ever Man Booker International Prize of £60,000 with his first novel Things Fall Apart, published in 1958. When Professor Wole Soyinka won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1986, the fame confirmed the relevance of Nigerians in the world of classical excellence. Ben Okri won the 1991 Booker Prize with his work, The Famished Road, and the world celebrated Nigeria as the giant of Africa.

It was also, gathered that most of the publishers hurriedly produce books and in the process marred their good contents. Most of the books are not properly edited and eventually become substandard when compared with foreign products. The extent to which book publishing standard has fallen in Nigeria is alarming. Often Nigerian publishers have been blamed for this. It is instructive that none of the books mentioned had been published in Nigeria. It was discovered that most students in tertiary institution depend on dictations from their lectures and /or handouts. A science lecturer in one of the Nigeria universities, who had been a victim of handout sales scandal, told DAILY INDEPENDENT the reality of campus challenges in relation to books; I was forced to dictate notes slowly to students who hung on my every word in the absence of textbooks in a library that had, to all intent and purpose, stopped buying new books when the local currency was devalued. But what other alternative does one have?

The question asks you to make an inference, which is a conclusion based on evidence from the text. The passage states that the few Nigerians who read 'concentrate more on foreign books than indigenous productions' and that bookshops stock foreign books because of 'higher demands for them'. This evidence directly supports the conclusion that Nigerians read mostly foreign books.

Common mistake: Students may be tempted to choose option B, but the passage explains that undergraduates rely on handouts due to a lack of textbooks in the library, not because they refuse to read textbooks altogether.

Recent literary researches reveal that Nigerians hardly have time to read . In essence, the reading culture in Nigeria is now at a low ebb. It is disturbing, however, that few Nigerians that read concentrate more on foreign books than indigenous productions. Most Nigerian authors of novels, storybooks, fictions and non-fiction series have decried, on different occasions, their woes. They were bitter at the way most owners of bookshops and publishers treat them. It was gathered to stock foreign books. When contacted by DAILY INDEPENDENT, the general manager of a popular bookstore on Lagos island declared that most of the bookshops preferred to stock foreign books because of higher demands for them. The question that bothers most Nigerian authors is, while their overseas counterparts are being rewarded with great international honours, why are Nigerians not awarding them such recognition in their own country?

Recently, "Nigerian novelist, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, won the 2007 Orange Prize Award, the literary world's top award for fiction in English written by women. The award carries a prize tag of $30,000 it was reported in Publishers Weekly, Half of a Yellow Sun, the book that earned her the award, was profoundly gripping. According to the reviewer, the book is a transcendent novel of many descriptive triumphs, most notably its diction of the impact of war brutalities on peasants and intellectuals alike. It is searing history in fictional form, intensely evocative and immensely absorbing. Chinua Achebe, 'Father of Modern African Literature, also won the second ever Man Booker International Prize of £60,000 with his first novel Things Fall Apart, published in 1958. When Professor Wole Soyinka won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1986, the fame confirmed the relevance of Nigerians in the world of classical excellence. Ben Okri won the 1991 Booker Prize with his work, The Famished Road, and the world celebrated Nigeria as the giant of Africa.

It was also, gathered that most of the publishers hurriedly produce books and in the process marred their good contents. Most of the books are not properly edited and eventually become substandard when compared with foreign products. The extent to which book publishing standard has fallen in Nigeria is alarming. Often Nigerian publishers have been blamed for this. It is instructive that none of the books mentioned had been published in Nigeria. It was discovered that most students in tertiary institution depend on dictations from their lectures and /or handouts. A science lecturer in one of the Nigeria universities, who had been a victim of handout sales scandal, told DAILY INDEPENDENT the reality of campus challenges in relation to books; I was forced to dictate notes slowly to students who hung on my every word in the absence of textbooks in a library that had, to all intent and purpose, stopped buying new books when the local currency was devalued. But what other alternative does one have?

The question asks for the reason why bookshops do not have many local books, according to the passage. The passage provides a direct answer from a bookstore manager who 'declared that most of the bookshops preferred to stock foreign books because of higher demands for them.' The phrase 'higher demands' means that the books attract more buyers, which makes option B the correct answer.

Common mistake: Students may mistakenly choose option D because the passage does mention the low quality of some indigenous books, but this is not the specific reason the bookshop manager gave for not stocking them.

Recent literary researches reveal that Nigerians hardly have time to read . In essence, the reading culture in Nigeria is now at a low ebb. It is disturbing, however, that few Nigerians that read concentrate more on foreign books than indigenous productions. Most Nigerian authors of novels, storybooks, fictions and non-fiction series have decried, on different occasions, their woes. They were bitter at the way most owners of bookshops and publishers treat them. It was gathered to stock foreign books. When contacted by DAILY INDEPENDENT, the general manager of a popular bookstore on Lagos island declared that most of the bookshops preferred to stock foreign books because of higher demands for them. The question that bothers most Nigerian authors is, while their overseas counterparts are being rewarded with great international honours, why are Nigerians not awarding them such recognition in their own country?

Recently, "Nigerian novelist, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, won the 2007 Orange Prize Award, the literary world's top award for fiction in English written by women. The award carries a prize tag of $30,000 it was reported in Publishers Weekly, Half of a Yellow Sun, the book that earned her the award, was profoundly gripping. According to the reviewer, the book is a transcendent novel of many descriptive triumphs, most notably its diction of the impact of war brutalities on peasants and intellectuals alike. It is searing history in fictional form, intensely evocative and immensely absorbing. Chinua Achebe, 'Father of Modern African Literature, also won the second ever Man Booker International Prize of £60,000 with his first novel Things Fall Apart, published in 1958. When Professor Wole Soyinka won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1986, the fame confirmed the relevance of Nigerians in the world of classical excellence. Ben Okri won the 1991 Booker Prize with his work, The Famished Road, and the world celebrated Nigeria as the giant of Africa.

It was also, gathered that most of the publishers hurriedly produce books and in the process marred their good contents. Most of the books are not properly edited and eventually become substandard when compared with foreign products. The extent to which book publishing standard has fallen in Nigeria is alarming. Often Nigerian publishers have been blamed for this. It is instructive that none of the books mentioned had been published in Nigeria. It was discovered that most students in tertiary institution depend on dictations from their lectures and /or handouts. A science lecturer in one of the Nigeria universities, who had been a victim of handout sales scandal, told DAILY INDEPENDENT the reality of campus challenges in relation to books; I was forced to dictate notes slowly to students who hung on my every word in the absence of textbooks in a library that had, to all intent and purpose, stopped buying new books when the local currency was devalued. But what other alternative does one have?

This question asks for the meaning of a phrase 'as used in the passage', which means you must consider the context. The passage links the book being 'profoundly gripping' to it winning a major international award. This success implies a wide and diverse readership. Therefore, in this specific context, the phrase is used to mean that the book's quality was so high that it attracted a large number of readers from different places.

Common mistake: Students often choose option A because it provides the direct dictionary definition of 'gripping', but they miss the instruction 'as used in the passage', which requires interpreting the phrase based on the surrounding text about international awards and recognition.

Recent literary researches reveal that Nigerians hardly have time to read . In essence, the reading culture in Nigeria is now at a low ebb. It is disturbing, however, that few Nigerians that read concentrate more on foreign books than indigenous productions. Most Nigerian authors of novels, storybooks, fictions and non-fiction series have decried, on different occasions, their woes. They were bitter at the way most owners of bookshops and publishers treat them. It was gathered to stock foreign books. When contacted by DAILY INDEPENDENT, the general manager of a popular bookstore on Lagos island declared that most of the bookshops preferred to stock foreign books because of higher demands for them. The question that bothers most Nigerian authors is, while their overseas counterparts are being rewarded with great international honours, why are Nigerians not awarding them such recognition in their own country?

Recently, "Nigerian novelist, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, won the 2007 Orange Prize Award, the literary world's top award for fiction in English written by women. The award carries a prize tag of $30,000 it was reported in Publishers Weekly, Half of a Yellow Sun, the book that earned her the award, was profoundly gripping. According to the reviewer, the book is a transcendent novel of many descriptive triumphs, most notably its diction of the impact of war brutalities on peasants and intellectuals alike. It is searing history in fictional form, intensely evocative and immensely absorbing. Chinua Achebe, 'Father of Modern African Literature, also won the second ever Man Booker International Prize of £60,000 with his first novel Things Fall Apart, published in 1958. When Professor Wole Soyinka won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1986, the fame confirmed the relevance of Nigerians in the world of classical excellence. Ben Okri won the 1991 Booker Prize with his work, The Famished Road, and the world celebrated Nigeria as the giant of Africa.

It was also, gathered that most of the publishers hurriedly produce books and in the process marred their good contents. Most of the books are not properly edited and eventually become substandard when compared with foreign products. The extent to which book publishing standard has fallen in Nigeria is alarming. Often Nigerian publishers have been blamed for this. It is instructive that none of the books mentioned had been published in Nigeria. It was discovered that most students in tertiary institution depend on dictations from their lectures and /or handouts. A science lecturer in one of the Nigeria universities, who had been a victim of handout sales scandal, told DAILY INDEPENDENT the reality of campus challenges in relation to books; I was forced to dictate notes slowly to students who hung on my every word in the absence of textbooks in a library that had, to all intent and purpose, stopped buying new books when the local currency was devalued. But what other alternative does one have?

The correct answer is B because the passage states the lecturer's reason for giving handouts is the library's inability to buy new books. This happened 'when the local currency was devalued'. A devalued currency means money has less value, which is the same as having low purchasing power.

Common mistake: Students might wrongly choose C because the passage mentions low-quality books, but this was not the specific reason the lecturer gave for using handouts.

Recent literary researches reveal that Nigerians hardly have time to read . In essence, the reading culture in Nigeria is now at a low ebb. It is disturbing, however, that few Nigerians that read concentrate more on foreign books than indigenous productions. Most Nigerian authors of novels, storybooks, fictions and non-fiction series have decried, on different occasions, their woes. They were bitter at the way most owners of bookshops and publishers treat them. It was gathered to stock foreign books. When contacted by DAILY INDEPENDENT, the general manager of a popular bookstore on Lagos island declared that most of the bookshops preferred to stock foreign books because of higher demands for them. The question that bothers most Nigerian authors is, while their overseas counterparts are being rewarded with great international honours, why are Nigerians not awarding them such recognition in their own country?

Recently, "Nigerian novelist, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, won the 2007 Orange Prize Award, the literary world's top award for fiction in English written by women. The award carries a prize tag of $30,000 it was reported in Publishers Weekly, Half of a Yellow Sun, the book that earned her the award, was profoundly gripping. According to the reviewer, the book is a transcendent novel of many descriptive triumphs, most notably its diction of the impact of war brutalities on peasants and intellectuals alike. It is searing history in fictional form, intensely evocative and immensely absorbing. Chinua Achebe, 'Father of Modern African Literature, also won the second ever Man Booker International Prize of £60,000 with his first novel Things Fall Apart, published in 1958. When Professor Wole Soyinka won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1986, the fame confirmed the relevance of Nigerians in the world of classical excellence. Ben Okri won the 1991 Booker Prize with his work, The Famished Road, and the world celebrated Nigeria as the giant of Africa.

It was also, gathered that most of the publishers hurriedly produce books and in the process marred their good contents. Most of the books are not properly edited and eventually become substandard when compared with foreign products. The extent to which book publishing standard has fallen in Nigeria is alarming. Often Nigerian publishers have been blamed for this. It is instructive that none of the books mentioned had been published in Nigeria. It was discovered that most students in tertiary institution depend on dictations from their lectures and /or handouts. A science lecturer in one of the Nigeria universities, who had been a victim of handout sales scandal, told DAILY INDEPENDENT the reality of campus challenges in relation to books; I was forced to dictate notes slowly to students who hung on my every word in the absence of textbooks in a library that had, to all intent and purpose, stopped buying new books when the local currency was devalued. But what other alternative does one have?

A suitable title must capture the main idea of the entire passage. The passage begins by stating that 'the reading culture in Nigeria is now at a low ebb,' which is the central theme. All other points, like authors winning awards or lecturers giving handouts, are discussed as consequences or examples related to this main problem. Therefore, 'Poor Reading Culture in Nigeria' is the best title as it summarises the overall message of the text.

Common mistake: Students might mistakenly choose an option like 'Nigerian Literary Writers' because famous authors are mentioned, but this is only a supporting detail and not the main focus of the passage.

It is said that experience is the best teacher, but to learn consciously through wisdom may even be a better and more convenient way. T learn by experience is to learn from mistakes. It means you have burnt our fingers and now your eyes are open'. This is a tough, costly and inconvenient way to learn. Rather than leaving our learning to experience, why do we not learn consciously going out way to acquire knowledge and wisdom rather than leave our learning to chance. Surely, we can learn from mistakes but why wait till when we make mistakes before we lean? We should give more premium to learning by wisdom than by experience.

This will involve one making up ones mind to be decisive in learning. We must decide to learn consciously and not necessarily from negative experiences. The first step is to realize that life is simply the outcome and outplay of decisions. Our life now is the sum total of our decisions and our future will be determined by our decisions. Our life now is the sum total of our decisions and our future will be determined by our decisions of today. If we decide to learn today we are not likely to make mistakes and when we do not make mistakes, experience need not be our best teacher.

To avoid making experience our best teacher will take more than a decision. We must couple our decision with a complete and - wholehearted devotion. We must be resolved, resolute and resilient in our bid to learn by wisdom and not necessarily by experience. This is crucial because situations and circumstances will want us to make a detour and leave our learning and life to chance. We must therefore be disciplined to remain with our resolve to make a clean break with experience as our best teacher. Disciplined in this regard means learning something new everyday by wisdom rather than rather than experience. It means consciously getting better by the day in your chosen field. Discipline will demand taking advantage of every learning opportunity that comes our way. It will mean we must pay the price for learning by wisdom -invest in books, magazines, seminars and other means by which we may become wiser.

It is much easier and cheaper to learn consciously by wisdom than to learn by experience. When we learn by experience, the deed is done and we are just picking up the pieces-learning in regret how to avoid such predicament next time. Consider the child who grapes a burning coal, he has learned the hard way through the painful experience, but his fingers will remain burnt. Thus the saying, that experience is the best teacher, may not be justifiable after all.

The writer's attitude is critical because he is analyzing and judging the popular saying 'experience is the best teacher'. He points out its weaknesses, calling it 'tough, costly and inconvenient', and argues strongly for a better method, which is learning through wisdom. This act of evaluating an idea and finding fault with it is a critical attitude.

Common mistake: Students might mistakenly choose 'objective' because the passage presents a logical argument, but the writer clearly takes a side against the idea of experience being the best teacher, so he is not neutral.

It is said that experience is the best teacher, but to learn consciously through wisdom may even be a better and more convenient way. T learn by experience is to learn from mistakes. It means you have burnt our fingers and now your eyes are open'. This is a tough, costly and inconvenient way to learn. Rather than leaving our learning to experience, why do we not learn consciously going out way to acquire knowledge and wisdom rather than leave our learning to chance. Surely, we can learn from mistakes but why wait till when we make mistakes before we lean? We should give more premium to learning by wisdom than by experience.

This will involve one making up ones mind to be decisive in learning. We must decide to learn consciously and not necessarily from negative experiences. The first step is to realize that life is simply the outcome and outplay of decisions. Our life now is the sum total of our decisions and our future will be determined by our decisions. Our life now is the sum total of our decisions and our future will be determined by our decisions of today. If we decide to learn today we are not likely to make mistakes and when we do not make mistakes, experience need not be our best teacher.

To avoid making experience our best teacher will take more than a decision. We must couple our decision with a complete and - wholehearted devotion. We must be resolved, resolute and resilient in our bid to learn by wisdom and not necessarily by experience. This is crucial because situations and circumstances will want us to make a detour and leave our learning and life to chance. We must therefore be disciplined to remain with our resolve to make a clean break with experience as our best teacher. Disciplined in this regard means learning something new everyday by wisdom rather than rather than experience. It means consciously getting better by the day in your chosen field. Discipline will demand taking advantage of every learning opportunity that comes our way. It will mean we must pay the price for learning by wisdom -invest in books, magazines, seminars and other means by which we may become wiser.

It is much easier and cheaper to learn consciously by wisdom than to learn by experience. When we learn by experience, the deed is done and we are just picking up the pieces-learning in regret how to avoid such predicament next time. Consider the child who grapes a burning coal, he has learned the hard way through the painful experience, but his fingers will remain burnt. Thus the saying, that experience is the best teacher, may not be justifiable after all.

The question asks you to deduce the main point from the passage. The author repeatedly argues that learning through wisdom is better than learning through experience, calling it a 'better and more convenient way' and 'much easier and cheaper'. This directly supports the idea that wise thoughts (learning by wisdom) are more desirable than experience.

Common mistake: Students might mistakenly choose option A because the passage opens with the common saying 'experience is the best teacher', but they fail to realize that the author introduces this idea only to argue against it throughout the rest of the text.

It is said that experience is the best teacher, but to learn consciously through wisdom may even be a better and more convenient way. T learn by experience is to learn from mistakes. It means you have burnt our fingers and now your eyes are open'. This is a tough, costly and inconvenient way to learn. Rather than leaving our learning to experience, why do we not learn consciously going out way to acquire knowledge and wisdom rather than leave our learning to chance. Surely, we can learn from mistakes but why wait till when we make mistakes before we lean? We should give more premium to learning by wisdom than by experience.

This will involve one making up ones mind to be decisive in learning. We must decide to learn consciously and not necessarily from negative experiences. The first step is to realize that life is simply the outcome and outplay of decisions. Our life now is the sum total of our decisions and our future will be determined by our decisions. Our life now is the sum total of our decisions and our future will be determined by our decisions of today. If we decide to learn today we are not likely to make mistakes and when we do not make mistakes, experience need not be our best teacher.

To avoid making experience our best teacher will take more than a decision. We must couple our decision with a complete and - wholehearted devotion. We must be resolved, resolute and resilient in our bid to learn by wisdom and not necessarily by experience. This is crucial because situations and circumstances will want us to make a detour and leave our learning and life to chance. We must therefore be disciplined to remain with our resolve to make a clean break with experience as our best teacher. Disciplined in this regard means learning something new everyday by wisdom rather than rather than experience. It means consciously getting better by the day in your chosen field. Discipline will demand taking advantage of every learning opportunity that comes our way. It will mean we must pay the price for learning by wisdom -invest in books, magazines, seminars and other means by which we may become wiser.

It is much easier and cheaper to learn consciously by wisdom than to learn by experience. When we learn by experience, the deed is done and we are just picking up the pieces-learning in regret how to avoid such predicament next time. Consider the child who grapes a burning coal, he has learned the hard way through the painful experience, but his fingers will remain burnt. Thus the saying, that experience is the best teacher, may not be justifiable after all.

This question tests your ability to understand the main argument of the passage. The passage advises readers to learn through 'wisdom' and make 'conscious decisions' rather than learning from mistakes. Option B, which says our actions should be decided by our judgement, correctly captures this idea because 'judgement' is similar to the 'wisdom' and 'conscious decisions' the author recommends.

Common mistake: Students might mistakenly choose option A because the passage mentions the common saying 'experience is the best teacher', but they fail to understand that the author's main point is to argue against this idea.

It is said that experience is the best teacher, but to learn consciously through wisdom may even be a better and more convenient way. T learn by experience is to learn from mistakes. It means you have burnt our fingers and now your eyes are open'. This is a tough, costly and inconvenient way to learn. Rather than leaving our learning to experience, why do we not learn consciously going out way to acquire knowledge and wisdom rather than leave our learning to chance. Surely, we can learn from mistakes but why wait till when we make mistakes before we lean? We should give more premium to learning by wisdom than by experience.

This will involve one making up ones mind to be decisive in learning. We must decide to learn consciously and not necessarily from negative experiences. The first step is to realize that life is simply the outcome and outplay of decisions. Our life now is the sum total of our decisions and our future will be determined by our decisions. Our life now is the sum total of our decisions and our future will be determined by our decisions of today. If we decide to learn today we are not likely to make mistakes and when we do not make mistakes, experience need not be our best teacher.

To avoid making experience our best teacher will take more than a decision. We must couple our decision with a complete and - wholehearted devotion. We must be resolved, resolute and resilient in our bid to learn by wisdom and not necessarily by experience. This is crucial because situations and circumstances will want us to make a detour and leave our learning and life to chance. We must therefore be disciplined to remain with our resolve to make a clean break with experience as our best teacher. Disciplined in this regard means learning something new everyday by wisdom rather than rather than experience. It means consciously getting better by the day in your chosen field. Discipline will demand taking advantage of every learning opportunity that comes our way. It will mean we must pay the price for learning by wisdom -invest in books, magazines, seminars and other means by which we may become wiser.

It is much easier and cheaper to learn consciously by wisdom than to learn by experience. When we learn by experience, the deed is done and we are just picking up the pieces-learning in regret how to avoid such predicament next time. Consider the child who grapes a burning coal, he has learned the hard way through the painful experience, but his fingers will remain burnt. Thus the saying, that experience is the best teacher, may not be justifiable after all.

The passage states that 'We must therefore be disciplined to remain with our resolve to make a clean break with experience as our best teacher.' This means we should actively decide to stop relying on experience as our main teacher. Option D, 'decide against making experience our teacher', correctly summarises this specific point made by the author.

Common mistake: Students might mistakenly choose option C because the passage mentions taking advantage of learning opportunities. However, the passage presents this as a method to achieve the main goal, which is to stop relying on experience as a teacher.

It is said that experience is the best teacher, but to learn consciously through wisdom may even be a better and more convenient way. T learn by experience is to learn from mistakes. It means you have burnt our fingers and now your eyes are open'. This is a tough, costly and inconvenient way to learn. Rather than leaving our learning to experience, why do we not learn consciously going out way to acquire knowledge and wisdom rather than leave our learning to chance. Surely, we can learn from mistakes but why wait till when we make mistakes before we lean? We should give more premium to learning by wisdom than by experience.

This will involve one making up ones mind to be decisive in learning. We must decide to learn consciously and not necessarily from negative experiences. The first step is to realize that life is simply the outcome and outplay of decisions. Our life now is the sum total of our decisions and our future will be determined by our decisions. Our life now is the sum total of our decisions and our future will be determined by our decisions of today. If we decide to learn today we are not likely to make mistakes and when we do not make mistakes, experience need not be our best teacher.

To avoid making experience our best teacher will take more than a decision. We must couple our decision with a complete and - wholehearted devotion. We must be resolved, resolute and resilient in our bid to learn by wisdom and not necessarily by experience. This is crucial because situations and circumstances will want us to make a detour and leave our learning and life to chance. We must therefore be disciplined to remain with our resolve to make a clean break with experience as our best teacher. Disciplined in this regard means learning something new everyday by wisdom rather than rather than experience. It means consciously getting better by the day in your chosen field. Discipline will demand taking advantage of every learning opportunity that comes our way. It will mean we must pay the price for learning by wisdom -invest in books, magazines, seminars and other means by which we may become wiser.

It is much easier and cheaper to learn consciously by wisdom than to learn by experience. When we learn by experience, the deed is done and we are just picking up the pieces-learning in regret how to avoid such predicament next time. Consider the child who grapes a burning coal, he has learned the hard way through the painful experience, but his fingers will remain burnt. Thus the saying, that experience is the best teacher, may not be justifiable after all.

The phrase 'wholehearted devotion' means to be completely committed to something with all your heart and mind. The passage links this to being 'resolved, resolute and resilient', which describes a firm and unwavering attitude. Therefore, acting with wholehearted devotion is the same as acting without any doubts about your chosen path of learning.

Common mistake: Students might wrongly select 'learning without pains' because the passage contrasts learning by wisdom with the 'painful experience' of mistakes, but devotion itself refers to commitment, not the absence of effort.

The medical definition of miscarriage is the spontaneous loss of a pregnancy before twenty-four weeks. Miscarriage is very common, occurring in ten to twenty percent, of confirmed pregnancies. Most of those feature 16 twelve weeks of pregnancy. The most common 17 is vaginal bleeding, which can range from light spotting to heavier than a period. You may see blood clots, brown discharge or other tissues that are not 18 identifiable. Sometimes a sac-like structure is seen. Often, there is cramping with pelvic or back pain.

You may find that the usual symptoms of pregnancy, such as breast tenderness, feeling sick, and having to pass urine more 19 than usual stop unexpectedly. Sometimes there are no signs or symptoms of miscarriage and pregnancy symptoms continue, and the miscarriage only 20 in a routine scan. About half of all early miscarriages happen because of a problem in the way the genetic material from the egg and sperm have combined during 21 it can be difficult to find out why this has 22, but it is more likely to be due to random chance than to any underlying problem with either parent. Imbalances in pregnancy hormones, problems in the immune 23,and some serious infections are also thought to make miscarriages more likely. The risk of miscarriage 24 with age because the quality of eggs deteriorates. If a woman drinks too much alcohol or smokes heavily, the risk of miscarriage is higher. It is also increased with 25 pregnancies such as twins.

This question tests your ability to choose words that fit the specific context of a passage, which is a cloze test. The sentence is explaining that most miscarriages happen early in a pregnancy. The phrase 'in the first' correctly shows that this happens within the beginning period of twelve weeks, which makes the sentence logical and clear within the medical context.

Common mistake: A common mistake is choosing 'around' because it seems to suggest a time, but 'in the first' is more precise for describing a period from the beginning up to a certain point, which is what the context requires.

The medical definition of miscarriage is the spontaneous loss of a pregnancy before twenty-four weeks. Miscarriage is very common, occurring in ten to twenty percent, of confirmed pregnancies. Most of those feature 16 twelve weeks of pregnancy. The most common 17 is vaginal bleeding, which can range from light spotting to heavier than a period. You may see blood clots, brown discharge or other tissues that are not 18 identifiable. Sometimes a sac-like structure is seen. Often, there is cramping with pelvic or back pain.

You may find that the usual symptoms of pregnancy, such as breast tenderness, feeling sick, and having to pass urine more 19 than usual stop unexpectedly. Sometimes there are no signs or symptoms of miscarriage and pregnancy symptoms continue, and the miscarriage only 20 in a routine scan. About half of all early miscarriages happen because of a problem in the way the genetic material from the egg and sperm have combined during 21 it can be difficult to find out why this has 22, but it is more likely to be due to random chance than to any underlying problem with either parent. Imbalances in pregnancy hormones, problems in the immune 23,and some serious infections are also thought to make miscarriages more likely. The risk of miscarriage 24 with age because the quality of eggs deteriorates. If a woman drinks too much alcohol or smokes heavily, the risk of miscarriage is higher. It is also increased with 25 pregnancies such as twins.

This question tests your ability to choose the most suitable word based on the context of the passage. The sentence describes 'vaginal bleeding' as an indicator of a miscarriage. In a medical context, a 'symptom' is a physical sign that indicates a particular disease or condition, making it the perfect word for the gap.

Common mistake: Students may mistakenly choose 'cause' because they confuse the result or sign of the miscarriage (bleeding) with the actual reason it happened.

The medical definition of miscarriage is the spontaneous loss of a pregnancy before twenty-four weeks. Miscarriage is very common, occurring in ten to twenty percent, of confirmed pregnancies. Most of those feature 16 twelve weeks of pregnancy. The most common 17 is vaginal bleeding, which can range from light spotting to heavier than a period. You may see blood clots, brown discharge or other tissues that are not 18 identifiable. Sometimes a sac-like structure is seen. Often, there is cramping with pelvic or back pain.

You may find that the usual symptoms of pregnancy, such as breast tenderness, feeling sick, and having to pass urine more 19 than usual stop unexpectedly. Sometimes there are no signs or symptoms of miscarriage and pregnancy symptoms continue, and the miscarriage only 20 in a routine scan. About half of all early miscarriages happen because of a problem in the way the genetic material from the egg and sperm have combined during 21 it can be difficult to find out why this has 22, but it is more likely to be due to random chance than to any underlying problem with either parent. Imbalances in pregnancy hormones, problems in the immune 23,and some serious infections are also thought to make miscarriages more likely. The risk of miscarriage 24 with age because the quality of eggs deteriorates. If a woman drinks too much alcohol or smokes heavily, the risk of miscarriage is higher. It is also increased with 25 pregnancies such as twins.

This question is a cloze test, which requires you to choose the best word to fill a gap in a passage. The sentence describes tissues that are not easy to recognize. The word 'clearly' is an adverb that means 'in a way that is easy to see or understand', so 'not clearly identifiable' correctly means the tissues are not easy to recognize by sight, which fits the context perfectly.

Common mistake: Students might wrongly choose 'medically' because the entire passage is about a medical topic, but the sentence is describing the visual appearance of the tissue, not its medical classification.

The medical definition of miscarriage is the spontaneous loss of a pregnancy before twenty-four weeks. Miscarriage is very common, occurring in ten to twenty percent, of confirmed pregnancies. Most of those feature 16 twelve weeks of pregnancy. The most common 17 is vaginal bleeding, which can range from light spotting to heavier than a period. You may see blood clots, brown discharge or other tissues that are not 18 identifiable. Sometimes a sac-like structure is seen. Often, there is cramping with pelvic or back pain.

You may find that the usual symptoms of pregnancy, such as breast tenderness, feeling sick, and having to pass urine more 19 than usual stop unexpectedly. Sometimes there are no signs or symptoms of miscarriage and pregnancy symptoms continue, and the miscarriage only 20 in a routine scan. About half of all early miscarriages happen because of a problem in the way the genetic material from the egg and sperm have combined during 21 it can be difficult to find out why this has 22, but it is more likely to be due to random chance than to any underlying problem with either parent. Imbalances in pregnancy hormones, problems in the immune 23,and some serious infections are also thought to make miscarriages more likely. The risk of miscarriage 24 with age because the quality of eggs deteriorates. If a woman drinks too much alcohol or smokes heavily, the risk of miscarriage is higher. It is also increased with 25 pregnancies such as twins.

This question tests your ability to choose the most suitable word for a gap in a passage. The sentence describes a symptom of pregnancy, which is the need to urinate more often than usual. The word 'frequently' means 'often' or 'happening many times', which perfectly fits the context of increased urination during pregnancy.

Common mistake: Students might mistakenly choose 'commonly' because it sounds similar to 'common symptoms', but the sentence requires a word to describe the increased rate of the action (urination), which is 'frequently'.

The medical definition of miscarriage is the spontaneous loss of a pregnancy before twenty-four weeks. Miscarriage is very common, occurring in ten to twenty percent, of confirmed pregnancies. Most of those feature 16 twelve weeks of pregnancy. The most common 17 is vaginal bleeding, which can range from light spotting to heavier than a period. You may see blood clots, brown discharge or other tissues that are not 18 identifiable. Sometimes a sac-like structure is seen. Often, there is cramping with pelvic or back pain.

You may find that the usual symptoms of pregnancy, such as breast tenderness, feeling sick, and having to pass urine more 19 than usual stop unexpectedly. Sometimes there are no signs or symptoms of miscarriage and pregnancy symptoms continue, and the miscarriage only 20 in a routine scan. About half of all early miscarriages happen because of a problem in the way the genetic material from the egg and sperm have combined during 21 it can be difficult to find out why this has 22, but it is more likely to be due to random chance than to any underlying problem with either parent. Imbalances in pregnancy hormones, problems in the immune 23,and some serious infections are also thought to make miscarriages more likely. The risk of miscarriage 24 with age because the quality of eggs deteriorates. If a woman drinks too much alcohol or smokes heavily, the risk of miscarriage is higher. It is also increased with 25 pregnancies such as twins.

This question tests your ability to choose the word that best fits the meaning of the sentence. The passage states that sometimes there are no symptoms, and the miscarriage is only found during a routine scan. The word 'discovered' means to find something unexpectedly or during a search, which perfectly describes how the miscarriage is identified in this context.

Common mistake: A student might wrongly choose 'stopped' because a miscarriage involves the stopping of a pregnancy, but the sentence is about how the condition is found out, not the biological event itself.

The medical definition of miscarriage is the spontaneous loss of a pregnancy before twenty-four weeks. Miscarriage is very common, occurring in ten to twenty percent, of confirmed pregnancies. Most of those feature 16 twelve weeks of pregnancy. The most common 17 is vaginal bleeding, which can range from light spotting to heavier than a period. You may see blood clots, brown discharge or other tissues that are not 18 identifiable. Sometimes a sac-like structure is seen. Often, there is cramping with pelvic or back pain.

You may find that the usual symptoms of pregnancy, such as breast tenderness, feeling sick, and having to pass urine more 19 than usual stop unexpectedly. Sometimes there are no signs or symptoms of miscarriage and pregnancy symptoms continue, and the miscarriage only 20 in a routine scan. About half of all early miscarriages happen because of a problem in the way the genetic material from the egg and sperm have combined during 21 it can be difficult to find out why this has 22, but it is more likely to be due to random chance than to any underlying problem with either parent. Imbalances in pregnancy hormones, problems in the immune 23,and some serious infections are also thought to make miscarriages more likely. The risk of miscarriage 24 with age because the quality of eggs deteriorates. If a woman drinks too much alcohol or smokes heavily, the risk of miscarriage is higher. It is also increased with 25 pregnancies such as twins.

The question requires the specific word for the process where 'the genetic material from the egg and sperm have combined'. The correct biological term for this fusion is 'fertilization'. The other options refer to related but different concepts: pregnancy is the state after fertilization, while mating is the physical act that can lead to it.

Common mistake: Students might mistakenly choose 'pregnancy' because the entire passage is about it, but the gap specifically requires the word for the *process* of the egg and sperm combining, not the state that follows.

The medical definition of miscarriage is the spontaneous loss of a pregnancy before twenty-four weeks. Miscarriage is very common, occurring in ten to twenty percent, of confirmed pregnancies. Most of those feature 16 twelve weeks of pregnancy. The most common 17 is vaginal bleeding, which can range from light spotting to heavier than a period. You may see blood clots, brown discharge or other tissues that are not 18 identifiable. Sometimes a sac-like structure is seen. Often, there is cramping with pelvic or back pain.

You may find that the usual symptoms of pregnancy, such as breast tenderness, feeling sick, and having to pass urine more 19 than usual stop unexpectedly. Sometimes there are no signs or symptoms of miscarriage and pregnancy symptoms continue, and the miscarriage only 20 in a routine scan. About half of all early miscarriages happen because of a problem in the way the genetic material from the egg and sperm have combined during 21 it can be difficult to find out why this has 22, but it is more likely to be due to random chance than to any underlying problem with either parent. Imbalances in pregnancy hormones, problems in the immune 23,and some serious infections are also thought to make miscarriages more likely. The risk of miscarriage 24 with age because the quality of eggs deteriorates. If a woman drinks too much alcohol or smokes heavily, the risk of miscarriage is higher. It is also increased with 25 pregnancies such as twins.

This question is part of a cloze passage, which tests your ability to choose the best word for a gap based on context. The sentence is trying to explain why a particular problem 'happens'. The word 'occurred' means 'happened' or 'took place', making it the most suitable choice to complete the phrase 'why this has occurred'.

Common mistake: Students might be tempted to choose 'emerged', but 'occurred' is the more precise and standard word to use when talking about an event or problem that has happened.

The medical definition of miscarriage is the spontaneous loss of a pregnancy before twenty-four weeks. Miscarriage is very common, occurring in ten to twenty percent, of confirmed pregnancies. Most of those feature 16 twelve weeks of pregnancy. The most common 17 is vaginal bleeding, which can range from light spotting to heavier than a period. You may see blood clots, brown discharge or other tissues that are not 18 identifiable. Sometimes a sac-like structure is seen. Often, there is cramping with pelvic or back pain.

You may find that the usual symptoms of pregnancy, such as breast tenderness, feeling sick, and having to pass urine more 19 than usual stop unexpectedly. Sometimes there are no signs or symptoms of miscarriage and pregnancy symptoms continue, and the miscarriage only 20 in a routine scan. About half of all early miscarriages happen because of a problem in the way the genetic material from the egg and sperm have combined during 21 it can be difficult to find out why this has 22, but it is more likely to be due to random chance than to any underlying problem with either parent. Imbalances in pregnancy hormones, problems in the immune 23,and some serious infections are also thought to make miscarriages more likely. The risk of miscarriage 24 with age because the quality of eggs deteriorates. If a woman drinks too much alcohol or smokes heavily, the risk of miscarriage is higher. It is also increased with 25 pregnancies such as twins.

The correct answer is 'system' because the phrase 'immune system' is a standard and fixed expression in English, especially in a medical context. This term refers to the body's entire network of cells and organs that protect it from infection. The question tests your knowledge of this common word combination, also known as a collocation.

Common mistake: Students might mistakenly choose 'response' because 'immune response' is also a common phrase, but the sentence structure 'problems in the immune...' points to a larger structure or network, which is the 'system'.

The medical definition of miscarriage is the spontaneous loss of a pregnancy before twenty-four weeks. Miscarriage is very common, occurring in ten to twenty percent, of confirmed pregnancies. Most of those feature 16 twelve weeks of pregnancy. The most common 17 is vaginal bleeding, which can range from light spotting to heavier than a period. You may see blood clots, brown discharge or other tissues that are not 18 identifiable. Sometimes a sac-like structure is seen. Often, there is cramping with pelvic or back pain.

You may find that the usual symptoms of pregnancy, such as breast tenderness, feeling sick, and having to pass urine more 19 than usual stop unexpectedly. Sometimes there are no signs or symptoms of miscarriage and pregnancy symptoms continue, and the miscarriage only 20 in a routine scan. About half of all early miscarriages happen because of a problem in the way the genetic material from the egg and sperm have combined during 21 it can be difficult to find out why this has 22, but it is more likely to be due to random chance than to any underlying problem with either parent. Imbalances in pregnancy hormones, problems in the immune 23,and some serious infections are also thought to make miscarriages more likely. The risk of miscarriage 24 with age because the quality of eggs deteriorates. If a woman drinks too much alcohol or smokes heavily, the risk of miscarriage is higher. It is also increased with 25 pregnancies such as twins.

This question tests your ability to choose the most logical word based on the context of the sentence. The sentence explains that the risk of miscarriage changes 'because the quality of eggs deteriorates' (gets worse) with age. When egg quality gets worse, the risk of problems becomes higher, so the risk of miscarriage 'increases'.

Common mistake: Students might mistakenly choose 'reduces' if they do not understand that 'deteriorates' means to become worse, which logically leads to an increase, not a decrease, in risk.

The medical definition of miscarriage is the spontaneous loss of a pregnancy before twenty-four weeks. Miscarriage is very common, occurring in ten to twenty percent, of confirmed pregnancies. Most of those feature 16 twelve weeks of pregnancy. The most common 17 is vaginal bleeding, which can range from light spotting to heavier than a period. You may see blood clots, brown discharge or other tissues that are not 18 identifiable. Sometimes a sac-like structure is seen. Often, there is cramping with pelvic or back pain.

You may find that the usual symptoms of pregnancy, such as breast tenderness, feeling sick, and having to pass urine more 19 than usual stop unexpectedly. Sometimes there are no signs or symptoms of miscarriage and pregnancy symptoms continue, and the miscarriage only 20 in a routine scan. About half of all early miscarriages happen because of a problem in the way the genetic material from the egg and sperm have combined during 21 it can be difficult to find out why this has 22, but it is more likely to be due to random chance than to any underlying problem with either parent. Imbalances in pregnancy hormones, problems in the immune 23,and some serious infections are also thought to make miscarriages more likely. The risk of miscarriage 24 with age because the quality of eggs deteriorates. If a woman drinks too much alcohol or smokes heavily, the risk of miscarriage is higher. It is also increased with 25 pregnancies such as twins.

This question tests your ability to choose the most suitable word based on the context of the passage. The sentence gives an example, 'such as twins', to clarify the type of pregnancy being discussed. Since twins mean two babies, the correct descriptive word is 'multiple', which means more than one.

Common mistake: A student might wrongly choose 'complicated' because pregnancies with twins can be more difficult, but the word needed here is one that defines the type of pregnancy (having more than one baby), not its potential difficulty.

The expression 'to have a finger in every pie' is an idiom that means to be involved in many different activities at once. The sentence advises that hardworking students should not try to participate in every single activity in the school. Option A correctly interprets this by saying they 'must not have a role to play in most activities'.

Common mistake: Students might mistakenly choose option C, confusing the advice 'must not do' with a simple statement of fact 'do not do'.