_____ the sky was grey and cloudy, we went to the beach.

Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C, or D to indicate the correct answer to each of the question.

Some doctors think that you should drink a glass of water each morning. You should drink this water first thing, before doing anything else. The temperature of the water should be similar to body temperature; neither too hot nor too cold.

Why should you drink this water? Water helps your body in many ways. It helps clean out your kidneys. It prepares your stomach for digestion. Water can also help your intestines work better. After drinking water, the intestines can more easily take out nutrients from our food. Water also helps us go to the bathroom more easily.

Scientists suggest that people take in 1,600 milliliters of water each day. But don’t drink all of that water in one sitting. If you do, your kidneys will have to work much harder to eliminate it. It’s better to drink some in the morning and some in the afternoon. Some people think it’s better to drink between meals and not during meals. They think water dilutes the juices produced in our stomachs. This can interfere with normal digestion.

Are you drinking enough water every day? Check the color of your urine. If it is light yellow, you are probably drinking enough. If your urine is very dark yellow, you probably need to drink more water. A little more water each day could make you much healthier.

(Adapted from Reading Challenge 1 by Casey Malarcher and Andrea Janzen)

What is the main idea of the passage?

Mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to indicate the sentence that is closest in meaning to each of the following questions

It is a long time since we last met each other.

Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C, or D to indicate the correct answer to each of the question.

Grandparents are becoming the forgotten generation, with youngsters now too busy to listen to their stories from the olden days.

A study of 1,000 five to 18 year-olds reveals just 21 per cent will visit their older relatives to hear about how their lives were different in the past; such as where they worked, how it was living in the war, and how they met the love of their life. More than half of youths have no idea what job their grandparent did before retirement – admitting they’d never thought to ask. Sadly, one in 10 admitted they are simply not interested in their grandmother’s or grandad’s previous job or talents and interests, and a quarter only turn up to see them for pocket money. But 23 per cent claim the reason they don’t know anything about their older relatives is because they don’t really get the chance to talk properly.

Geoff Bates, spokesman for McCarthy & Stone’s Inspirational Generation campaign, said: “We know this generation have lived full lives with heroic tales to tell and so much to offer, but how many of us have actually thought to ask these questions of our older family members? We want to shout about the amazing feats retirees have achieved in their lifetime and put the spotlight on the wonderfully colorful lives of today’s older people. We are calling on parents and children to talk to their grandparents, to find out what they have done in their lives – and continue to do, and tell us all about it so we can give them the credit they deserve.”

Researchers found that although 65 per cent of youngsters do see their grandparents every single week, 37 per cent claim this is only because their parents want them to. And while 39 per cent talk to their grandparents on the phone, Facebook or Skype at least once a week – 16 per cent once a day – conversation is rarely focused on what they are doing or have done in the past. Four in 10 kids have no idea what their grandparents proudest achievements are, while 30 per cent don’t know if they have any special skills or talents. And 42 per cent don’t spend any time talking about their grandparent’s history – and are therefore clueless about what their grandmother or grandad was like when they were younger. Perhaps due to this lack of communication and respect, just six per cent of children say they look up to their grandparents as a role model and inspiration. However, grandchildren are agreed their grandparents are both loving and friendly, while 43 per cent think they’re funny – with 23 per cent admitting they often have more fun with their elderly relatives than their parents.

(Source: https://www.independent.co.uk)

Which of the following could be the main idea of the passage?

Mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to indicate the sentence that best combines each pair of sentences in the following questions

You are not tactful; that is why you are always offending other people.