Passage 1

“I Have a Dream” is a public speech delivered by American civil rights activist Martin Luther King Jr. during the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom on August 28, 1963. In his speech, he called for an end to racism in the United States and called for civil and economic rights. Delivered to over 250,000 civil rights supporters, the speech was a defining moment of the civil rights movement. Beginning with a reference to the Emancipation Proclamation, which freed millions of slaves in 1863, King remarked that “one hundred years later, the Negro still is not free”. Toward the end of the speech, Mahalia Jackson shouted to the king from the crowd: “Tell them about the dream!” King departed from his prepared text for a partly improvised address on the theme “I have a dream”. In this part of the speech, which most excited the listeners and has now become its most famous, King described his dreams of freedom and equality arising from a land of slavery and hatred. Jon Meacham writes that with this single sentence, Martin Luther King joined others in the ranks of great orators. The speech was ranked the top American speech of the 20th century.

1. In paragraph 2, line 7, “its” refers to ……………… .

2. In paragraph 2, line 9, “orators” is closest in meaning to ………..……….. .

3. According to the passage, which sentence about Mahalia Jackson is correct?

4. The most important part of Martin Luther King’s speech was about …..….. .

5. Who was King’s audience?

6. According to the passage, King talked about ……….. .

7. What pushed King to speak “I have a dream”?

8. In paragraph 1, line 1, “delivered” is closest in meaning to ……………… .

9. In paragraph 1, line 5, “defining” is closest in meaning to …………… .

10. In paragraph 2, line 5, “improvised” is the OPPOSITE of …………. .

Passage 2

The human brain remembers negative experiences more easily than positive ones. Our brains have developed this way because threats, like dangerous animals, has a more immediate effect on our ancestors” survival compared to positive things, like food or shelter. As a result, you likely know what makes you unhappy, but do you know what makes you happy?      Research suggests that our level of happiness depends partly on factors we cannot control- our genes and our life circumstances, but our level of happiness is also shaped by the choices we make. I you’ve been chasing wealth, fame, material things, and power, you may be looking for happiness in all the wrong places. Psychologists suggest that the following habits make people happier.      People who form close relationships tend to be happier than those who do not. The number of friends we have is not important. What matters is the quality of our relationships. Relationships that bring happiness usually involve the sharing of feelings, mutual respect, acceptance, trust, fun, and empathy.      People who make a habit of caring for the wellbeing of others tend to be happier. This might involve volunteering for an organization or reaching out to support friends and family on a regular basis.      People who exercise regularly improve both their physical and mental wellbeing. Some research has shown that exercise can be as effective as medication in treating depression.      When we are so interested in an enjoyable activity that we lose track of time, we are in a state of flow. The activity could be making art, reading a book, swimming, or playing a game. People who are completely involved in their work or hobby tend to be happier.      People who include spirituality in their daily lives tend to be happier. Practicing spirituality is a way of recognizing and trying to understand the wonder and beauty of existence. Many people do this by going to a place of worship. Some people practice yoga or meditation. Some people go for long walks in nature.      People are more likely to be happy if they know what their strengths are and use them regularly. People who set goals and use their strength to achieve them tend to be happier. People are especially happy when they can use their strength to serve the greater good.      People who think positively by being grateful, mindful, and optimistic are more likely to be happy. Being grateful means being thankful. Being mindful means being open to, focusing on, and enjoying the experiences of the present moment. Being optimistic means being hopeful about the future.

1. In paragraph 4, line 1, “wellbeing” is the opposite of …………. .

2. In paragraph 6, line 1, “lose track of time” is closest in meaning to …….. .

3. We understand from the passage that ………… is not a way of caring for the wellbeing of others.

4. It was pointed out in the passage that our brain does not remember positive experiences as much as negative ones because ……………… .

5. …………. is not mentioned in the passage as a way people can include spirituality in their daily lives.

6. The passage implies that …………. is part of a quality relationship.

7. ………………………. is part of thinking positively.

8. According to the passage, …….. can help those who experience depression.

9. In paragraph 3, line 1, “close” is closest in meaning to ……………. .

10. In paragraph 3, line 4, “mutual” is closest in meaning to ……………. .