READING PASSAGE 32 You should spend about 20 minutes on Questions 1-12 which are based on Reading Passage 1 below. SPOKEN CORPUS COMES TO LIFE A The compiling of dictionaries has been historically the provenance of studious professorial types - usually bespectacled - who love to pore over weighty tomes and make pronouncements on the finer nuances of meaning. They were probably good at crosswords and definitely knew a lot of words, but the image was always rather dry and dusty. The latest technology, and simple technology at that, is revolutionising the content of dictionaries and the way they are put together. B For the first time, dictionary publishers are incorporating real, spoken English into their data. It gives Lexicographers (people who write dictionaries) access to a more vibrant, up-to-date vernacular language which has never really been studied before. In one project, 150 volunteers each agreed to discreetly tie a Walkman recorder to their waist and lea...
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READING PASSAGE 30 You are advised to spend about 15 minutes on Questions 1-15 which refer to WRAP UP YOUR VISIT WITH THE PERFECT GIFT Section 1A ‘It is better to give than to receive’; Never look a gift horse in the mouth’; Beware of Greeks (ancient, of course) bearing gifts’. Gifts are a fundamental element of culture and our lives as social creatures. They are also an important part of our business relationships. There are occasions when giving a gift surpasses spoken communication, since the message it offers can cut through barriers of language and cultural diversity. Present a simple gift to your host in a foreign country and the chances are he or she will understand you perfectly, though you may not understand a single word of each other’s languages. It can convey a wealth of meaning about your appreciation of their hospitality and the importance you place upon the relationship. Combine the act of giving with some knowledge of and sensitivity to the cultur...
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