I.

Grammar
Complete the sentence with the correct passive form:
1. "The masterpiece ___ (admire) by millions of visitors every year."
a) is admired
b) admired
c) has admired
d) is admire

2. Fill in the blank with the correct option:

"The Mona Lisa ___ (paint) by Leonardo da Vinci."
a) was painted
b) painted
c) is painting
d) has painted

3. Choose the correct passive form:

"The sculptures ___ (display) in the museum last month."
a) are displayed
b) were displayed
c) displayed
d) are being displayed

4. Complete the sentence using the passive voice:

"Modern art ___ (criticize) by some traditionalists."
a) is criticized
b) criticized
c) was criticizing
d) criticizes

5. Fill in the blank with the correct form of the verb in the passive voice:
"A new gallery ___ (open) next week."
a) will be opened
b) is opened
c) was opening
d) has been opened
6. Fill in the blank with the correct phrase:
"She felt ___ not finishing her art project on time."
a) depressed about
b) apologize for
c) sick of
d) complain about

7.. Complete the sentence with the correct option:

"He had to ___ missing the opening ceremony of the gallery."
a) apologize for
b) depressed about
c) sick of
d) complain about

8. Choose the correct phrase to complete the sentence:

"Many visitors began to ___ waiting in long lines to enter the exhibition."
a) complain about
b) apologize for
c) sick of
d) depressed about

9. Select the best phrase to complete the sentence:

"I’m so ___ hearing about that same artist in every discussion!"
a) sick of
b) apologize for
c) depressed about
d) complain about

10. Fill in the blank with the correct option:

"The painter was ___ receiving harsh criticism from the public."
a) depressed about
b) apologize for
c) sick of
d) complain about
II. Reading

Nurturing a talent within a family

What do we mean by being ‘talented’ or ‘gifted’? The most obvious way is to look at
the work someone does and if they are capable of significant success, label them as
talented. The purely quantitative route - ‘percentage definition’ - looks not at
individuals, but at simple percentages, such as the top five per cent of the
population, and labels them - by definition - as gifted. This definition has fallen from
favour, eclipsed by the advent of IQ tests, favoured by luminaries such as Professor
Hans Eysenck, where a series of written or verbal tests of general intelligence leads
to a score of intelligence.

2. The IQ test has been eclipsed in turn. Most people studying intelligence and
creativity in the new millennium now prefer a broader definition, using a
multifaceted approach where talents in many areas are recognised rather than
purely concentrating on academic achievement. If we are therefore assuming that
talented, creative or gifted individuals may need to be assessed across a range of
abilities, does this mean intelligence can run in families as a genetic or inherited
tendency? Mental dysfunction - such as schizophrenia - can, so is an efficient mental
capacity passed on from parent to child?
3. Animal experiments throw some light on this question, and on the whole area of
whether it is genetics, the environment or a combination of the two that allows for
intelligence and creative ability. Different strains of rats show great differences in
intelligence or ‘rat reasoning’. If these are brought up in normal conditions and then
mn through a maze to reach a food goal, the ‘bright’ strain make far fewer wrong
turns that the ‘dull’ ones. But if the environment is made dull and boring the
number of errors becomes equal. Return the rats to an exciting maze and the
discrepancy returns as before - but is much smaller. In other words, a dull rat in a
stimulating environment will almost do as well as a bright rat who is bored in a
normal one. This principle applies to humans too - someone may be born with
innate intelligence, but their environment probably has the final say over whether
they become creative or even a genius.
4. Evidence now exists that most young children, if given enough opportunities and
encouragement, are able to achieve significant and sustainable levels of academic
or sporting prowess. Bright or creative children are often physically very active at
the same time, and so may receive more parental attention as a result - almost by
default - in order to ensure their safety. They may also talk earlier, and this, in turn,
breeds parental interest. This can sometimes cause problems with other siblingswho
may feel jealous even though they themselves may be bright. Their creative talents
may be undervalued and so never come to fruition. Two themes seem to run
through famously creative families as a result. The first is that the parents were able
to identify the talents of each child, and nurture and encourage these accordingly
but in an even-handed manner. Individual differences were encouraged, and friendly
sibling rivalry was not seen as a particular problem. If the father is, say, a famous
actor, there is no undue pressure for his children to follow him onto the boards, but
instead their chosen interests are encouraged. There need not even by any obvious
talent in such a family since there always needs to be someone who sets the family
career in motion, as in the case of the Sheen acting dynasty.
5. Martin Sheen was the seventh of ten children born to a Spanish immigrant father
and an Irish mother. Despite intense parental disapproval he turned his back on
entrance exams to university and borrowed cash from a local priest to start a
fledgling acting career. His acting successes in films such as Badlands and
Apocalypse Now made him one of the most highly-regarded actors of the 1970s.
Three sons - Emilio Estevez, Ramon Estevez and Charlie Sheen - have followed him
into the profession as a consequence of being inspired by his motivation and
enthusiasm.
6. A stream seems to run through creative families. Such children are not
necessarily smothered with love by their parents. They feel loved and wanted, and
are secure in their home, but are often more surrounded by an atmosphere of work
and where following a calling appears to be important. They may see from their
parents that it takes time and dedication to be master of a craft, and so are in less
of a hurry to achieve for themselves once they start to work.
7. The generation of creativity is complex: it is a mixture of genetics, the
environment, parental teaching and luck that determines how successful or
talented family members are. This last point - luck - is often not mentioned where
talent is concerned but plays an undoubted part. Mozart, considered by many to be
the finest composer of all time, was lucky to be living in an age that encouraged the
writing of music. He was brought up surrounded by it, his father was a musician who
encouraged him to the point of giving up his job to promote his child genius, and he
learnt musical composition with frightening speed - the speed of a genius. Mozart
himself simply wanted to create the finest music ever written but did not
necessarily view himself as a genius - he could write sublime music at will, and so
often preferred to lead a hedonistic lifestyle that he found more exciting than
writing music to order.
8. Albert Einstein and Bill Gates are two more examples of people whose talents
have blossomed by virtue of the times they were living in. Einstein was a solitary,
somewhat slow child who had affection at home but whose phenomenal intelligence
emerged without any obvious parental input. This may have been partly due to the
fact that at the start of the 20th Century a lot of the Newtonian laws of physics were
being questioned, leaving a fertile ground for ideas such as his to be developed. Bill
Gates may have had the creative vision to develop Microsoft, but without the new
computer age dawning at the same time he may never have achieved the position
on the world stage he now occupies.
Questions
Choose the appropriate letters A—D and write them in boxes 6-7 on your answer
sheet.
1. The rat experiment was conducted to show that
A certain species of rat are more intelligent than others.
B intelligent rats are more motivated than ‘dull’ rats.
C a rat’s surroundings can influence its behaviour.
D a boring environment has little impact on a ‘bright’ rat.
2. The writer cites the story of Martin Sheen to show that
A he was the first in a creative line.
B his parents did not have his creative flair.
C he became an actor without proper training.
D his sons were able to benefit from his talents.

Do the following statements agree with the claims of the writer in Reading Passage
3?
In boxes 8-12 on your answer sheet write
YES if the statement agrees with the writer s claims
NO if the statement contradicts the writers claims
NOT GIVEN if it is impossible to say what the writer thinks about this
3. Intelligence tests have now been proved to be unreliable. NG

4. The brother or sister of a gifted older child may fail to fulfil their own potential. Y

5. The importance of luck in the genius equation tends to be ignored. Y

6. Mozart was acutely aware of his own remarkable talent. N

7. Einstein and Gates would have achieved success in any era. N

III. Writing Topic: Art should be a compulsory subject in school

curriculums because it fosters creativity. Do you agree or disagree?"
(120-150 words)

In my opinion, if art should be compulsory, I disagree about this. Because not

all students have an interest in our talent for art. Forcing them to take art
classes might cause unnecessary stress and detract from their ability to focus
on subjects, they are passionate about. Second, schools often face limited
budgets and resources. Making art compulsory could divert resources from
core subjects like math, science, and language, which are crucial for
students’ academic and professional futures. Creativity isn’t limited to art.
Subjects like science, engineering, and even sports can nurture creative
thinking through problem-solving and innovation. Students should have the
freedom to develop creativity with their interests. Instead, providing students
with choices ensures they can pursue their interests and strengths effectively.