R Practice Test 6

Read the following passage.

1. As crude oil becomes scarcer and high gasoline prices threaten the world economy, it is clear that alternative energy sources must be found soon. The best alternatives to petroleum would be renewable forms of energy that are sustainable and cause less pollution. One such alternative is biodiesel fuel made from plant and animal material. This idea is not a new one: In 1893, a German engineer, Rudolph Diesel, invented an engine that ran on peanut oil and other plant oils, but by the 1920s the abundance of inexpensive petroleum meant that gasoline soon became the main source of energy for cars and trucks.
   
   B.Today, biodiesel fuel can be made from a wide variety of easily renewable plants such as soybeans and canola. It can even be made from waste vegetable oil and animal fats. Biodiesel engines produce much less pollution than gasoline engines, and, fortunately, engines designed for gas consumption need only minor modifications to run on biodiesel fuel. This feature of biodiesel is important when weighing its merits against other options such as hydrogen fuel cells. These other options, though less polluting than biodiesel, are nonetheless based on technology that is still some years away from general use.
   
   C. Despite their benefits, biodiesel fuels can be expensive to produce and can still negatively impact the environment. To be economically viable, biodiesel fuels have to produce more energy than is required to make them, but energy—petroleum-based energy, in fact—is needed to grow the crops these fuels are made from and to produce the fuel itself. Moreover, petroleum-based fertilizers and pesticides are still used in producing these plants. Another drawback is the shortage of land available in the world to grow food, let alone crops for fuel. This last problem, however, may be solved by making biofuel from algea. This green plant produces more energy than other plants and can be grown in areas unsuitable for food production.
   
   D. Currently, low consumer demand for biodiesel fuel makes it both more expensive to produce and less available than gasoline. However, as the growing scarcity of crude oil drives gasoline prices higher, the demand for biodiesel fuel will likely increase. The price of gasoline could rise even higher if the costs of its impact on the environment and public health are taken into account. Biodiesel has yet to become the fuel of choice, but it may be in the near future.
   
   E. Not given in any of the above paragraphs.

Decide which paragraph, A to D, has the information given in each statement below. Select E if the information is not given in any of the paragraphs.

Read the following article from a website.

Live-in Caregiver Amy Mercado is concerned that current policy reforms in the Canadian Temporary Foreign Worker Program are simply band-aid solutions to bigger issues. The program allows Canadian families to hire foreign workers to live temporarily in their homes and care for elderly, young, or disabled citizens. The program is one of three ways that immigrants can acquire permanent Canadian residency. Originally trained as a nurse, Mercado came to Canada from the Philippines 13 years ago to work as a live-in caregiver. She is now a Canadian citizen. Suffering verbal harassment in the first few years of her employment, she’s only too aware of how often live-in caregivers face unsafe working standards. “Although foreign live-in caregivers are technically under the same labour laws as Canadian workers, they work and live in someone else’s private home,” Mercado explains. “They can suffer a lot of unseen damage.”

Ministry Official Mark Swanson says that while the program is nowhere near perfect, they’re trying their best to reform it. “Recent protections, such as the implementation of a standardized employment contract between caregivers and families and a phone help line for caregivers, have made a big difference,” Swanson says. One of the major changes was allowing caregivers to apply for open work permits while waiting for residency. However, the program is currently backlogged with about 80,000 applicants, and wait times can be up to 38 months.

Mercado says policy changes are helpful, but are not enough. One of the greatest challenges that caregivers face is having to leave their own children and families behind in their home country. The wait time for residency means they are separated for several years. “It’s sad and ironic, I took care of other people’s children for 3 years while I was separated from my own,” Mercado says. “Family reunification needs to be made the top priority for policy reform.”

Although the Live-in Caregiver Program needs to be reformed, it appears what’s subsequently needed is federal investment in childcare and old-age programs. Foreign supply of labour is a mere band-aid solution to Canada’s lack of funding for such programs.

Using the drop-down menu (  ), choose the best option according to the information given on the website.

After reading today’s article, I was shocked to learn that 6. ____________ This has been reported for many years. Why is it still happening? Caregivers should be able to 7. ____________ just like anyone else. Caregivers should receive fair pay and be protected by 8. ____________ How can help lines work? If a caregiver is being harassed, a chat on the helpline 9. ____________ How are the open work permits going to help? By the time caregivers are allowed to change jobs, perhaps 10. ____________Considering everything, I think caregivers must be admired for their hard-work and dedication.