Read the following passage about THE SHADOW AI PARADOX and mark the letter A, B, C or D on your answer sheet t...

Read the following advertisement and mark the letter A, B, C or D on your answer sheet to indicate the option that best fits each of the numbered blanks from 1 to 6.

Navigate the New Global Order with Expert Insights

Stay Ahead in Uncertain Times

⮚        The recent World Economic Forum in Davos has exposed unprecedented geopolitical tensions (1)_________ the very foundation of global economic stability and cooperation. Our premium analysis platform provides real-time coverage of major political and economic events (2)_________ shape international relations and business landscapes across multiple continents today.

⮚        Economic (3)_________ from both the Western and Eastern hemispheres are now facing mounting pressure from trade disputes and tariff wars. Don't let critical developments and emerging market opportunities (4)_________ your fingers unnoticed in this rapidly changing environment—our expert team tracks every shift in policy.

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https://apnews.com/z

Question 1:A. threatenable
B.  threaten
C.  threatening
D.  threateningly

Question 2:A. that
B.  when
C.  whom
D.  where

Question 3:A. powerhouses
B.  titans
C.  blocs
D.  juggernauts

Question 4:A. pass by
B.  slip through
C.  fall through
D.  get away

Question 5:A. Several 
B.  Almost 
C.  Every 
D.  Much

Question 6:A. will publishing
B.  which published
C.  published
D.  was published

Read of the following leaflet and mark the letter A, B, C or D on your answer sheet to indicate the option that best fits each of the numbered blanks from 7 to 12.

The Electric Vehicle Landscape Has Shifted

BYD Surges Ahead: What Investors Need to Know

⮚        The global (7)_________ has witnessed a historic and unprecedented power shift in 2025. China's BYD delivered
B. 26 million battery-electric vehicles last year, (8)_________ Tesla's quarterly and annual deliveries fell significantly to
A. 64 million, marking more than an 8% decline.

⮚        Tesla's market position came (9)_________ siege from multiple fronts, including the abrupt end of U.S. tax credits and intensifying competition from Chinese manufacturers. The Chinese manufacturer's aggressive and strategic expansion into Southeast Asia, the Middle East, and Europe demonstrates (10)_________ clear vision that's reshaping the entire sector.

⮚        Industry analysts predict that once regulatory (11)_________ are cleared in key European markets regarding self-driving technology approvals, competition will intensify dramatically. However, experts warn that it will take time for demand to (12)_________ after significant policy changes and market disruptions affecting the global EV sector.

❖        Get Our Full Market Analysis

❖        Contact: market-insights@evanalysis.com | +1-555-EV-TREND

https://www.lemonde.fr/z

Question 7:A. industry landscape automotive 
B.  automotive industry landscape

C.  landscape automotive industry
D.  industry automotive landscape 

Question 8:A. although
B.  meanwhile
C.  because
D.  whereas

Question 9:A. about
B.  between
C.  under
D.  without

Question 10:A. Ø
B.  a
C.  the
D.  an

Question 11:A. hurdles 
B.  prerequisites
C.  benchmarks
D.  frameworks

Question 12:A. recover
B.  stabilize
C.  normalize
D.  rebalance

Mark the letter A, B, C or D on your answer sheet to indicate the best arrangement of utterances or sentences to make a meaningful exchange or text in each of the following questions from 13 to 17.

Question 13:

A.         Sarah: Well, now there are tourists everywhere, new cafes and hotels, and ticket prices tripled! The locals say it's good for business, but they miss the peaceful days.

B.         Tom: Really? What changed? I remember it was just a quiet little place with those ancient temples.

C.         Sarah: Hey Tom, have you been back to our old town lately? It's completely different since it got UNESCO status!

A.  a-b-c        
B.  c-b-a
C.  b-a-c        
D.  b-c-a

Question 14:

A.         Mr. Lee (Parent): That's true for my daughter, too, because if she doesn't watch what her friends watch, she feels left out of their conversations at school.

B.         Ms. Johnson: I understand your concern, but we should also recognize that this is how they build friendships, even though it's different from our generation's way of socializing.

C.         Mr. Lee: It's interesting that knowing about trending videos or memes has become so important, yet I worry they spend too much screen time just to fit in.

D.         Ms. Johnson (Teacher): I've noticed that my students always talk about the latest shows and games, and they seem really upset when they miss popular content.

e.        Ms. Johnson: Exactly! While we used to bond over playground games, these kids connect through shared streaming experiences and online gaming sessions.

A.  d-c-e-a-b
B.  b-a-e-c-d
C.  a-b-e-d-c
D.  d-a-e-c-b

Question 15:

Dear Professor Martinez,

A.         What surprised me most was that many African communities defined fun through communal celebrations, although Western societies tend to focus on individual entertainment and personal pleasure.

B.         Our research showed that Brazilians consider fun as something social and loud, whereas Scandinavian respondents preferred solitary outdoor experiences that connect them with nature.

C.         I'm writing to share our fascinating findings from the global study, which revealed that different cultures define "fun" in surprisingly diverse ways.

D.         I hope we can discuss these results when you visit next month, because I believe this data will change how we understand leisure across cultures.

e.        While Americans often associate fun with excitement and adventure, Japanese participants told us that they find enjoyment in quiet, peaceful activities like tea ceremonies.

Best regards,

Z

A.  a-c-e-b-d
B.  e-a-d-c-b
C.  c-e-b-a-d
D.  b-a-c-e-d

Question 16:

A.         Vietnam has been actively promoting multilingual education because the country recognizes the importance of regional integration within ASEAN.

B.         The government launched the National Foreign Language Project 2020, which aimed to improve English proficiency among students and workers, so they could compete better in the regional market.

C.         Although challenges remain in rural areas, Vietnam's multilingual approach has created more opportunities for young people, and it has strengthened cultural exchanges with neighboring countries.

D.         While Vietnamese remains the primary language, schools now teach English as a mandatory subject, and some institutions also offer Chinese, Japanese, or Korean programs.

e.        As ASEAN continues to grow economically, Vietnam's investment in language education will help the nation build stronger partnerships, yet it must also preserve its linguistic heritage and cultural identity.

A.  a-d-b-c-e
B.  c-a-b-d-e
C.  b-c-d-a-e
D.  d-c-a-b-e

Question 17:

A.         If we focus only on the Instagram-worthy moments, we miss the point, because genuine sustainability is about consistent daily actions rather than picture-perfect presentations that attract likes and followers.

B.         While social media influencers showcase perfectly organized pantries, real zero-waste living involves difficult choices, and it demands significant time for research and preparation.

C.         Many people share beautiful photos of mason jars and reusable bags on Instagram, but the zero-waste lifestyle requires much more than just aesthetic appeal.

D.         Although buying package-free products looks simple online, most people struggle to find local stores that offer bulk options, so they must travel far or compromise their goals.

e.        The true zero-waste journey includes uncomfortable conversations with vendors, learning to make household products from scratch, and accepting that perfection is impossible, yet every small effort still matters.

A.  c-e-a-d-b
B.  c-d-e-a-b
C.  c-b-d-e-a
D.  c-d-e-b-a

Read the following passage about The EU's Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism and mark the letter A, B, C or D on your answer sheet to indicate the option that best fits each of the numbered blanks from 18 to 22.

The European Union's Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism represents a watershed moment in environmental regulation. (18)_________, forcing manufacturers worldwide to recalibrate their production strategies. The mechanism, which commenced operation on January 1, 2026, targets carbon-intensive sectors including iron, steel, aluminium, cement, hydrogen, electricity, and fertilisers. Exporters must purchase certificates matching the EU's domestic carbon pricing; failure to comply triggers substantial penalties.

(19)_________. Britain's inability to negotiate an exemption creates particular complications for UK exporters despite existing carbon pricing frameworks. The displacement of high-carbon goods could flood British markets with underpriced steel; (20)_________. Domestic manufacturers advocate for protective measures, yet economists caution about transitional costs as complementary carbon allowances phase out. Analysts project modest initial price impacts; nevertheless, long-term ramifications depend on global adoption rates.

(21)_________, encompassing downstream products manufactured using regulated materials—machinery, appliances, and automotive components among them. This expansion aims to eliminate circumvention loopholes while incentivizing decarbonization throughout supply chains. The policy fundamentally challenges the traditional trade paradigm (22)_________, potentially catalyzing a global race toward sustainable manufacturing practices rather than perpetuating the historical race to the bottom.

https://www.theguardian.com/z

Question 18:

A.  It is the embedded emissions in exported products that will determine market access

B.  It is the embedded emissions in exported products that now determine market access

C.  It is the embedded emissions in exported products that now determine market prices

D.  It is the embedded emissions in imported materials that now determine market access

Question 19:

A.  What remains unclear to industry stakeholders, however, is why the UK has not aligned its framework with the EU’s

B.  What remains unclear to industry stakeholders, therefore, is how enforcement will unfold in practice

C.  What remains unclear to industry stakeholders, however, is whether an exemption can still be negotiated

D.  What remains unclear to industry stakeholders, however, is how enforcement will unfold in practice

Question 20:

A.  consequently, the UK plans to implement its own border adjustment mechanism in 2027

B.  Consequently, the UK planned to implement its own border adjustment mechanism in 2027

C.  Consequently, the UK plans to implement its own border adjustment mechanism by 2027

D.  Coincidentally, the UK plans to implement its own border adjustment mechanism in 2027

Question 21:

A.  Brussels intends to narrow the mechanism's scope from 2028

B.  Brussels intends to broaden the mechanism's scope from 2028

C.  London intends to broaden the mechanism's scope from 2028

D.  Brussels intends to broaden the mechanism's scope until 2028

Question 22:

A.  which environmental standards varied dramatically across jurisdictions

B.  where environmental standards will vary dramatically across jurisdictions

C.  where environmental standards varied dramatically across jurisdictions

D.  where environmental standards have varied dramatically across jurisdictions

Read the following passage about the The Enshittification of Digital Platforms and mark the letter A, B, C or D on your answer sheet to indicate the best answer to each of the following questions from 31 to 40.

In October 2025, writer and technology activist Cory Doctorow articulated a compelling theory about digital platform deterioration during a Democracy Now! interview. He coined the term "enshittification" to describe how online services progressively become a pain in the butt for everyone involved. Initially, these corporations treat their users exceptionally well, offering attractive features and genuine value. However, once sufficient users become dependent on the service, the company shifts its priorities toward advertisers and commercial clients. [I] Eventually, executives and shareholders extract maximum profit while the experience becomes utterly miserable for ordinary people.

Facebook serves as Doctorow's primary illustration of this phenomenon. The social media giant originally promised transparency, claiming it would neither surveil members nor manipulate their feeds. These assurances gradually evaporated as the corporation implemented pervasive surveillance advertising systems. [II] Advertisement quality plummeted dramatically, fraudulent content proliferated, and publishers faced mounting pressure to comply with algorithmic demands. When the ecosystem grew fragile, Facebook desperately pivoted toward different strategies, yet the fundamental exploitation remained unchanged throughout its transformation.

Doctorow emphasizes that this degradation stems not from malevolent individuals or poor consumer decisions but from systematic policy failures. [III] Regulatory bodies became captured or ineffective, allowing monopolistic behavior to flourish unchecked. Competition diminished substantially as dominant platforms acquired potential rivals before they could threaten established hierarchies. Simultaneously, massive layoffs weakened worker leverage, eliminating internal resistance to exploitative practices. This erosion of institutional discipline created conditions where corporations could behave without meaningful consequences or accountability.

The activist proposes concrete remedies for reversing this troubling trajectory. Interoperability and data portability would empower individuals to abandon platforms without sacrificing their communities and connections. Furthermore, legislation should permit defensive tools enabling users to modify algorithms or restrict data collection. Doctorow criticizes regulations like DMCA Section 1201, which criminalize reverse-engineering applications. [IV] Restoring genuine consumer authority requires dismantling legal barriers that currently protect corporate dominance while punishing those seeking technological autonomy and digital self-determination.

https://www.democracynow.org/z

Question 31: The phrase “a pain in the butt” in paragraph 1 has the closest meaning to __________.

A.  breeze through
B.  look forward to
C.  get along with
D.  put up with

Question 32: Where in the paragraph does the following sentence best fit?

Subsequently, these business customers also become trapped within the system.

A. [I]
B. [II]
C. [III]
D. [IV]

Question 33: According to the passage, all of the following contributed to platform degradation EXCEPT?

A.  Regulatory agencies becoming ineffective or captured by corporate interests

B.  Dominant platforms purchasing competitors before they became threatening

C.  Insufficient investment in technological infrastructure development

D.  Massive workforce reductions diminishing employee bargaining power

Question 34: The word “their” in paragraph 2 refers to _________.

A.  executives                                B. advertisers                        C. platforms                                        D. members

Question 35: Which of the following best summarises paragraph 3?

A.  Structural policy breakdowns enabled corporate misconduct by weakening regulatory oversight and competitive market forces.

B.  Individual executive greed motivated deliberate exploitation through calculated manipulation of vulnerable consumer populations.

C.  Technological complexity prevented ordinary citizens from understanding sophisticated corporate data extraction methods effectively.

D.  International coordination failures allowed multinational corporations to circumvent domestic consumer protection legislation entirely.

Question 36: The word “malevolent” in paragraph 3 is OPPOSITE in meaning to _________.

A.  vindictive                                        B. altruistic                                C. nefarious                                        D. pernicious

Question 37: Which of the following best paraphrases the underlined sentence in paragraph 4?

A.  Technical compatibility standards would enable corporations to retain users by offering enhanced community networking features.

B.  Platform integration systems would encourage individuals to maintain multiple accounts across various competing social networks.

C.  Data migration capabilities would require platforms to automatically transfer user content when services become less profitable.

D.  Cross-platform functionality would allow users to leave services while preserving their established social networks intact.

Question 38: Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?

A.  Facebook has always upheld its original promises regarding user privacy and feed transparency.

B.  Doctorow blames platform decline mainly on malicious leaders and poor consumer choices.

C.  Major platforms purchased potential competitors before they became serious market threats.

D.  Existing laws actively support users who attempt to reverse-engineer digital applications.

Question 39: Which of the following can be inferred from the passage?

A.  Digital platforms would improve significantly if executives became more ethical and moral.

B.  Stronger antitrust enforcement could help prevent monopolistic platform behavior patterns.

C.  Users willingly accept platform exploitation in exchange for convenient digital services.

D.  Technology companies inevitably decline regardless of regulatory or policy interventions.

Question 40: Which of the following best summarises the passage?

A.  Doctorow explains how platforms exploit users through systemic failures and proposes policy reforms.

B.  Doctorow reveals how Facebook deliberately deceived users and demands corporate accountability now.

C.  Doctorow argues that technology executives intentionally designed platforms to maximize user harm.

D.  Doctorow describes how consumers unknowingly contribute to platform decline through poor decisions.