AUTOMOBILES

HOT RIDES FROM LONDON

Americans love their cars. And they tend to swoon over anything British. So perhaps it’s no surprise that some Americans are considering ditching their Humvees
for cabs – London black cabs, that is. At the end of this month, Boston-based London Taxi Co. will start peddling the cavernous taxis in the United States at $45,000 a pop, and more than 120 have already been presold. The target audience for the tall, boxy vehicles are livery-cab companies (several firms in Boston and Chicago already plan to use them).
But private owners shouldn’t be put off by the fact that the front seat only has room for one. That’s enough room for gubernatorial hopeful Arnold Schwarzenegger, who recently signed up for his very own black cab.

(Barney Gimbel, Newsweek)
93. According to the text,
a) Americans prefer driving small British cars to driving large American cars.
b) American chauffeurs deny driving cavernous British cars.
c) American drivers are considering selling their tiny automobiles and hiring British chauffeurs.
d) London Taxi Co. has already sold more than a hundred of its large cars in the United States.
e) Boston-based London Co. is intent on selling its small cabs in the United States.

94. The text states that
a) London black cabs will substitute for American cabs in two main states in America.
b) private owners are the main target for the boxy vehicles.
c) two persons can sit on the front seat comfortably.
d) Arnold Schwarzenegger’s chauffeur will soon be driving a British cab.
e) the spacious London cabs will be sold by a Boston-based company at $ 45,000 each.

95. In “But private owners shouldn’t be put off by the fact that…”, the underlined phrasal verb is smilar in meaning to
a) discouraged
b) offered
c) invited
d) considered
e) accepted

COLLEGE DRINKING

Researchers for the Harvard School of Public Health visited 830 bars, restaurants and nightclubs, as well as 1,684 liquor stores and other retailers that sell alcohol near 118 college campuses to see if there was any correlation between drinking habits and advertising or promotions.
What they found was high rates of binge-drinking on campuses with large numbers of outlets selling beer in volume packages, such as 30-can cases, kegs and “party balls,” or bars and restaurants offering frequent price promotions.
Long identified as a chronic problem affecting up to 40 percent of college students, binge-drinking has been blamed for a range of ills from poor grades, vandalism and sexual violence to full-scale campus riots. Nearly half of campus binge drinkers are underage.
“ You’re not going to make great headway with college binge-drinking unless you address the issue of the alcohol environment that envelopes most colleges,” said Henry Wechsler, lead researcher and director of Harvard’s college alcohol studies program.

FIVE-CENT BEER

“ It’s not just the advertising dollars. It’s the five-cent and 25-cent beers, it’s the extra pitcher of beer for a penny, it’s the $5 refillable cup. It’s not simply that these things make people drink, but that they make people drink much more,” said Wechsler.
Wechsler defines binge-drinking as the consumption of five or more drinks in one sitting by a man, or four by a woman.
The Harvard study came on the heels of a report from the National Academy of Sciences, which recommended government officials combat underage drinking with higher alcohol taxes and curbs on television and magazine advertising.
But both studies came under fire as “neo-Prohibitionist” from the American Beverage Institute, a Washington-based lobby group representing chain restaurants. It blamed campus alcohol problems on “ abusers” and said the Harvard study had shown no causal link between promotions and binge-drinking.
“ What they’re really looking for is a reduction of drinking among all Americans, including responsible adults,” said American Beverage Institute Executive Director John Doyle.
Up to now, colleges, fraternities and civil authorities have responded to binge drinking with a barrage of initiatives geared at curbing student behavior.
Researchers have even suggested genetic origins for excessive student drinking.
But researchers at Harvard, who have been studying the phenomenon for more than a decade, said so-called “ social norm” programs have proved largely ineffective and suggested authorities now consider regulating market practices that can lead to heavy drinking on campus.
(Reuters)

96. According to the text,
a) from now on, it’ll be totally forbidden to sell alcoholic beverages near American campuses.
b) more than half of American college students have problems related to alcohol consumption.
c) the report from the National Academy of Sciences recommends a higher control on the marketing of alcoholic beverages.
d) men drink much more than women in American colleges.
e) the majority of alcohol addicts in American colleges are minors.

97. The text states that
a) the American Beverage Institute believes there’s a link between promotions and alcohol consumption.
b) American students are drinking less since the government started controlling the marketing of beer and other alcoholic beverages near campuses.
c) researchers at Harvard believe the availability of cheap booze may lead to heavy drinking in American campuses.
d) the Harvard study and the report from the National Academy of Sciences came to different conclusions.
e) the American Beverage Institute is in favor of a higher curb on TV and magazine ads.

98. In “You’re not going to make great headway with college binge-drinking…; the underlined word has approximately the same meaning as
a) failure
b) curb
c) increase
d) progress
e) recession

99. “The Harvard study came on the heels of a report…” means that
a) the Harvard study happened very soon after a report…
b) the Harvard study preceded a report…
c) the Harvard study contradicted a report…
d) the Harvard study evaluated a report…
e) the Harvard study underestimated a report…

100.Rewrite the following sentence in the passive voice. “ Researchers have studied the phenomenon for a long time”.
a) The phenomenon have studied by researchers for a long time.
b) The phenomenon was studied by researchers for a long time.
c) The phenomenon is being studied by researchers for a long time.
d) The phenomenon had being studied by researchers for a long time.
e) The phenomenon has been studied by researchers for a long time.