Questions 27-30
Choose the correct letter, A, B, C or D.
Write your answers in boxes 27-30
on your answer sheet.
27. In the first paragraph, the writer introduces the topic of the text by
28. What point does the writer make about firefighters in the second paragraph?
29. What is the writer doing in the fourth paragraph?
30. In the seventh paragraph, the writer describes a mechanism in the brain which
(A) is incorrect. Choice A says "defining some commonly used words.", but the passage evidence for the correct answer is "Whether the issue is medical, financial or professional, people often have to assess evidence in stressful situations.". Because Choice A does not express that same idea, it should not be chosen.
(B) is incorrect. Choice B says "challenging a widely held assumption.", but the passage evidence for the correct answer is "Whether the issue is medical, financial or professional, people often have to assess evidence in stressful situations.". Because Choice B does not express that same idea, it should not be chosen.
(C) is correct. Choice C matches the question because "mentioning a difficulty faced by everyone." is the idea supported by the passage evidence: "Whether the issue is medical, financial or professional, people often have to assess evidence in stressful situations.". The wording may be paraphrased, but it points to the same meaning.
(D) is incorrect. Choice D says "identifying a situation which makes us most anxious.", but the passage evidence for the correct answer is "Whether the issue is medical, financial or professional, people often have to assess evidence in stressful situations.". Because Choice D does not express that same idea, it should not be chosen.
Associated Text:
Whether the issue is medical, financial or professional, people often have to assess evidence in stressful situations.
(A) is correct. Choice A matches the question because "The regular shifts in stress levels in their working lives make them ideal study subjects." is the idea supported by the passage evidence: "That regular movement between calm and intense pressure made firefighters particularly suitable for studying how people use information when they feel stressed.". The wording may be paraphrased, but it points to the same meaning.
(B) is incorrect. Choice B says "The methods they use to handle stress are of particular interest to researchers.", but the passage evidence for the correct answer is "That regular movement between calm and intense pressure made firefighters particularly suitable for studying how people use information when they feel stressed.". Because Choice B does not express that same idea, it should not be chosen.
(C) is incorrect. Choice C says "The stressful nature of their job is typical of many public service occupations.", but the passage evidence for the correct answer is "That regular movement between calm and intense pressure made firefighters particularly suitable for studying how people use information when they feel stressed.". Because Choice C does not express that same idea, it should not be chosen.
(D) is incorrect. Choice D says "Their personalities make them particularly well-suited to working under stress.", but the passage evidence for the correct answer is "That regular movement between calm and intense pressure made firefighters particularly suitable for studying how people use information when they feel stressed.". Because Choice D does not express that same idea, it should not be chosen.
Associated Text:
That regular movement between calm and intense pressure made firefighters particularly suitable for studying how people use information when they feel stressed.
(A) is incorrect. Choice A says "explaining their results", but the passage evidence for the correct answer is "We then supplied either good news, meaning the risk was lower than they had estimated, or bad news, meaning it was higher, and asked them to revise their estimates.". Because Choice A does not express that same idea, it should not be chosen.
(B) is incorrect. Choice B says "defending their approach", but the passage evidence for the correct answer is "We then supplied either good news, meaning the risk was lower than they had estimated, or bad news, meaning it was higher, and asked them to revise their estimates.". Because Choice B does not express that same idea, it should not be chosen.
(C) is incorrect. Choice C says "outlining their objectives", but the passage evidence for the correct answer is "We then supplied either good news, meaning the risk was lower than they had estimated, or bad news, meaning it was higher, and asked them to revise their estimates.". Because Choice C does not express that same idea, it should not be chosen.
(D) is correct. Choice D matches the question because "describing their methods" is the idea supported by the passage evidence: "We then supplied either good news, meaning the risk was lower than they had estimated, or bad news, meaning it was higher, and asked them to revise their estimates.". The wording may be paraphrased, but it points to the same meaning.
Associated Text:
We then supplied either good news, meaning the risk was lower than they had estimated, or bad news, meaning it was higher, and asked them to revise their estimates.
(A) is incorrect. Choice A says "allows people to respond more quickly to stressful situations.", but the passage evidence for the correct answer is "Their cortisol levels rose, their heart rates increased and they suddenly became better at taking in unrelated but alarming information about disease and violence.". Because Choice A does not express that same idea, it should not be chosen.
(B) is incorrect. Choice B says "leads to increased ability to control our levels of anxiety.", but the passage evidence for the correct answer is "Their cortisol levels rose, their heart rates increased and they suddenly became better at taking in unrelated but alarming information about disease and violence.". Because Choice B does not express that same idea, it should not be chosen.
(C) is correct. Choice C matches the question because "creates heightened sensitivity to signs of external threats." is the idea supported by the passage evidence: "Their cortisol levels rose, their heart rates increased and they suddenly became better at taking in unrelated but alarming information about disease and violence.". The wording may be paraphrased, but it points to the same meaning.
(D) is incorrect. Choice D says "is triggered when there is a need to communicate a sense of danger.", but the passage evidence for the correct answer is "Their cortisol levels rose, their heart rates increased and they suddenly became better at taking in unrelated but alarming information about disease and violence.". Because Choice D does not express that same idea, it should not be chosen.
Associated Text:
Their cortisol levels rose, their heart rates increased and they suddenly became better at taking in unrelated but alarming information about disease and violence.
Questions 31-35
Complete each sentence with the correct ending
A-G from the box below.
Write the correct letter
A-G in boxes 31-35 on your answer sheet.
NB You may use any letter more than once.
- made them feel optimistic.
- took relatively little notice of bad news.
- responded to negative and positive information in the same way.
- were feeling under stress.
- put them in a stressful situation.
- behaved in a similar manner, regardless of the circumstances.
- thought it more likely that they would experience something bad.
Choose B because it completes the sentence with the meaning given in the passage. The supporting evidence is: "That was the pattern when the firefighters were relaxed.". The ending fits both the grammar of the question and the idea expressed in the passage.
Associated Text:
That was the pattern when the firefighters were relaxed.
Choose G because it completes the sentence with the meaning given in the passage. The supporting evidence is: "They became highly alert to bad news, even when it was unrelated to their work, such as a higher-than-expected chance of card fraud, and they changed their beliefs accordingly.". The ending fits both the grammar of the question and the idea expressed in the passage.
Associated Text:
They became highly alert to bad news, even when it was unrelated to their work, such as a higher-than-expected chance of card fraud, and they changed their beliefs accordingly.
Choose F because it completes the sentence with the meaning given in the passage. The supporting evidence is: "Stress did not alter their response to good news, such as learning that the chance of card fraud was lower than expected.". The ending fits both the grammar of the question and the idea expressed in the passage.
Associated Text:
Stress did not alter their response to good news, such as learning that the chance of card fraud was lower than expected.
Choose E because it completes the sentence with the meaning given in the passage. The supporting evidence is: "Their cortisol levels rose, their heart rates increased and they suddenly became better at taking in unrelated but alarming information about disease and violence.". The ending fits both the grammar of the question and the idea expressed in the passage.
Associated Text:
Their cortisol levels rose, their heart rates increased and they suddenly became better at taking in unrelated but alarming information about disease and violence.
Choose D because it completes the sentence with the meaning given in the passage. The supporting evidence is: "Their cortisol levels rose, their heart rates increased and they suddenly became better at taking in unrelated but alarming information about disease and violence.". The ending fits both the grammar of the question and the idea expressed in the passage.
Associated Text:
Their cortisol levels rose, their heart rates increased and they suddenly became better at taking in unrelated but alarming information about disease and violence.
Questions 36-40
Do the following statements agree with the information given in the reading passage? In boxes 36-40 on your answer sheet, write
YES if the statement reflects the claims of the writer
NO if the statement contradicts the claims of the writer
NOT GIVEN if it is impossible to say what the writer thinks about this
The answer is YES because the statement agrees with the passage. The key evidence is: "Seeing negative posts, such as complaints about a long queue at a coffee shop, encourages us to create more negative posts in turn.". This evidence says the same thing as the question statement, so the statement is supported.
Associated Text:
Seeing negative posts, such as complaints about a long queue at a coffee shop, encourages us to create more negative posts in turn.
The answer is NOT GIVEN because the passage does not give enough information to confirm the statement. The closest relevant evidence is: "A survey by the American Psychological Association links repeated phone checking with stress.". This may discuss a related idea, but it does not prove the statement in the question.
Associated Text:
A survey by the American Psychological Association links repeated phone checking with stress.
The answer is NO because the statement contradicts the passage. The key evidence is: "After a stressful public event, such as a natural disaster or a major financial crash, traditional and social media often carry a surge of alarming information, which people become very aware of.". This evidence gives a different meaning from the question statement, so the statement is not correct.
Associated Text:
After a stressful public event, such as a natural disaster or a major financial crash, traditional and social media often carry a surge of alarming information, which people become very aware of.
The answer is YES because the statement agrees with the passage. The key evidence is: "Consequently, trips are cancelled even when the disaster happened on the other side of the world, and stocks are sold even when keeping them would be wiser.". This evidence says the same thing as the question statement, so the statement is supported.
Associated Text:
Consequently, trips are cancelled even when the disaster happened on the other side of the world, and stocks are sold even when keeping them would be wiser.
The answer is YES because the statement agrees with the passage. The key evidence is: "Consequently, trips are cancelled even when the disaster happened on the other side of the world, and stocks are sold even when keeping them would be wiser.". This evidence says the same thing as the question statement, so the statement is supported.
Associated Text:
Consequently, trips are cancelled even when the disaster happened on the other side of the world, and stocks are sold even when keeping them would be wiser.
