Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C or D on your answer sheet to indicate the best answer to each of the following questi...

Read the following passage 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.

        A generation of teenagers who primarily communicate via the Internet and text messaging may be putting their future employment prospects at risk, experts have warned. Although recent surveys indicate that young people are familiar with an average of 40,000 words, they tend to rely heavily on a limited form of “teenspeak” commonly used in text messages, social networking platforms, and online chat rooms. Communication expert Jean Gross argues that this restricted range of language could significantly hinder their chances of securing employment. Consequently, she is planning a nationwide campaign aimed at encouraging children to fully develop and utilize their linguistic potential. [I]

        Gross is determined to ensure that teenagers do not fail in the classroom and later, in the workplace, because they are inarticulate. “Teenagers are spending more time communicating through electronic media and text messaging, which is short and brief”, she explains. “We need to help them understand the difference between their textspeak and the formal language they need to succeed in life - 800 words will not get you a job.” [II] As part of her initiative, she intends to equip students with video cameras and send them into workplaces to observe the range of vocabulary used by professionals, after which they will present their findings to their peers. [III] In addition, she advocates for parents to reduce the amount of television their children watch and instead encourage more direct, meaningful conversation. [IV]

        Her concerns are supported by research conducted by Tony McEnery, a professor of linguistics, who analyzed 10 million words of transcribed speech alongside 100,000 words taken from teenagers’ blogs. His findings revealed that adolescents tend to rely heavily on a small core vocabulary, with their 20 most frequently used words accounting for approximately one-third of their speech. The study also identified expressions that are often unfamiliar to adults, such as “chenzed” (meaning tired), “spong” (silly), and “lol”, the abbreviated form of “laugh out loud”.

        John Bald, a language teaching consultant, suggests that this limited use of language may, in part, be a deliberate form of rebellion. “There is undoubtedly a culture among teenagers of deliberately stripping away language”, he notes. “When kids are in social situations, the instinct is to simplify”. It's part of a wider anti-school culture that exists among some children which parents and schools need to address. However, David Crystal, honorary professor of linguistics at Bangor University, offers a contrasting perspective, emphasizing that critics often underestimate the complexity of teenage language. “The real issue here is that people object to kids having a good vocabulary for hip - hop and not for politics”, he states. “They have an articulate vocabulary for the kind of things they want to talk about. Academics don't get anywhere near measuring that vocabulary!”

(Adapted from Gateway)

Question 31. According to paragraph 1, experts have warned that teenagers ____________.

A. are addicted to communicating by using text messages

B. find it challenging to memorise words learned at school

C. can’t get a job easily because of their lack of vocabulary

D. become withdrawn and lack motivation to talk to others

Question 32. Where in the passage does the following sentence best fit?

It will target schoolchildren and she is asking celebrities to support her campaign.

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

Question 33. The word “inarticulate” in paragraph 2 can be best replaced by ____________.

        A. too slow to react                                        B. bad at calculating

        C. unable to express thoughts clearly                        D. easy to be influenced by others

Question 34. The word “they” in paragraph 2 refers to ____________.

        A. teenagers                B. cameras                        C. words                        D. celebrities

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

A. Tony McEnery’s study found that teenagers prefer using slang words, all of which are not able to be understood by the older generation.

B. Research by Tony McEnery showed that teenagers use a very limited set of words and invent slang terms unfamiliar to adults.

C. Tony McEnery’s research found that teenagers use a small number of common words in their speech and create exciting expressions.

D. According to Tony McEnery, teenagers' speech shows a strong reliance on common words, with few slang expressions.

Question 36. Which of the following best paraphrases the underlined sentence in paragraph 4?

It's part of a wider anti-school culture that exists among some children which parents and schools need to address.

A. Though it belongs to a larger anti-school culture found in some children, parents and schools must work together to tackle it successfully.

B. Unless parents and schools take action, this will remain a component of the broader anti-school culture present among certain children.

C. This issue is a component of a wider anti-school culture observed in some children, and it requires action from both parents and schools.

D. Only if parents and schools act immediately will they prevent an anti-school culture from forming among some children.

Question 37. The phrase “stripping away” in paragraph 4 is OPPOSITE in meaning to ____________.

        A. rejecting                B. detecting                        C. removing                        D. enriching

Question 38. Which of the following is NOT mentioned in the passage?

A. Tony McEnery was taken aback to discover some unusual slang words invented by teenagers.

B. According to Miss Gross, a multifaceted approach will help teenagers to use language effectively.

C. The campaign launched by Miss Gross aims at helping young people who struggle to use formal language.

D. David Crystal is at loggerheads with others on the understanding and assessment of teenagers' language abilities.

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

A. The long-term impact of text messages on teen language has yet to be comprehended.

B. The anti-school culture is seen as a normal aspect of teenagers' development.

C. Society tend to undervalue linguistic skills outside conventional or formal standards.

D. Teens should be exposed to formal language daily so that they can talk properly.

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

A. Experts caution that teenagers' prevalent use of a limited “teenspeak” in digital communication, despite a larger vocabulary, risks unemployment, prompting Jean Gross to advocate for broader language use in education and at home.

B. Experts warn that teenagers' heavy use of textspeak and a narrow daily vocabulary could harm their future jobs, prompting Jean Gross to plan a campaign, though this concern is disputed by David Crystal, who sees their language as contextually rich.

C. Research highlights a discrepancy between teenagers' extensive vocabulary and their limited usage in digital communication, raising concerns about employability and prompting Jean Gross's nationwide campaign for richer language use in schools and homes.

D. Driven by fears that teenagers' “teenspeak” will impede their success, Jean Gross cited Tony McEnery’s research as part of her concern, but David Crystal, who highlights the complexity and context-specific nature of their vocabulary, challenged it.