Tài liệu STAT SPECIAL TERTIARY ADMISSIONS TEST CANDIDATE INFORMATION BOOKLET 2013-2014 ppt

Candidate information booklet
2013–2014
Australian Council for Educational Research
19 Prospect Hill Road, Camberwell VIC 3124
Copyright © 2013 Australian Council for Educational Research
Please read through this booklet carefully
before sitting the test.
Further information
Further information about how to register for STAT is available from the following institutions:
New South Wales and the
Australian Capital Territory
STAT Officer
Universities Admissions Centre (NSW & ACT)
Locked Bag 112
SILVERWATER NSW 2128
Tel: (02) 9752 0200
www.uac.edu.au
Queensland
STAT Officer
Queensland Tertiary Admissions Centre
PO Box 1331
MILTON QLD 4064
Tel: (07) 3858 1222
www.qtac.edu.au
South Australia and
Northern Territory
STAT Officer
South Australian Tertiary Admissions Centre
PO Box 2
RUNDLE MALL SA 5000
Tel: (08) 8224 4000

www.satac.edu.au
Victoria
STAT Officer
Victorian Tertiary Admissions Centre
40 Park Street
SOUTH MELBOURNE VIC 3205
Tel: 1300 364 133
www.vtac.edu.au
Western Australia
STAT Officer
Tertiary Institutions Service Centre Inc.
100 Royal Street
EAST PERTH WA 6004
Tel: (08) 9318 8000
www.tisc.edu.au
Overseas
STAT Project Officer
Australian Council for Educational Research
Private Bag 55
CAMBERWELL VIC 3124
Tel: (03) 9277 5586
Fax: (03) 9277 5756
Email:
www.acer.edu.au/tests/stat/special-overseas-sitting-of-stat
The Australian Council for Educational Research sells copies of the
STAT Sample Collection of Questions: hardcopy (posted) – $A30.00 /
e-publication (immediate download) – $A24.00.
Special Tertiary Admissions Test
Contents
i

Special Tertiary Admissions Test 1
What is STAT? 1
Skills tested by STAT 2
Test development 3
STAT research 3
Preparing for STAT 4
General 4
Preparing for the multiple-choice versions of STAT 4
Preparing for STAT Written English 5
Test centre procedures 6
STAT results 8
Sample questions 10
Sample prompts: STAT Written English
Prompts 1 to 8 40
Correct answers 41
Sample answer sheet 42
STAT Sample Collection of Questions order form 45
STAT is produced by the Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER). Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of information
provided in this booklet. However, ACER reserves the right to alter or amend test details and/or test administration details outlined in this booklet.
Candidates should read this entire information booklet carefully.
ii
1
Special Tertiary Admissions Test
What is STAT?
The Special Tertiary Admissions Test (STAT) is used
by many tertiary institutions in Australia as part of
their admissions procedure for special categories
of applicants to tertiary study. Institutions use
candidates’ STAT scores, together with other
information available to them at the time of

selection, to make decisions about offers of
places in tertiary courses.
Administration of test sittings
This booklet provides information about the test
itself, not administrative details. Information on
• registrationprocedures
• testingdates
• STATtestingvenues
• agelimits
• resittingrequirements
can be obtained directly from the institutions and
admissions centres whose addresses are listed on
the back of this booklet.
Allenquiriesshouldbedirectedtoanadmissions
centre, not ACER.
STAT is designed to assess a range of competencies considered important for success
in tertiary study. The purpose of STAT is to assess your ability to understand and
analyse material you will be given, and to think critically about issues. It is not a test of
your knowledge of specific academic subjects. The Written English test assesses your
ability to organise and express your thoughts in a logical and effective way.
Test Reading
time
Time Questions Usage
*
STAT
Multiple
Choice
10 minutes 2 hours 70multiple-choicequestions,
half Verbal Reasoning,
half Quantitative Reasoning

Sat by the majority of candidates
registering through the Tertiary
Admissions Centres
STAT
Written
English
5 minutes 1 hour 2 written essays,
one Argumentative and
one Personal
Used by some, but not all, institutions.
If you sit for STAT Written English, you
mayormaynotberequiredtoalsosit
for STAT Multiple Choice
STAT T
&
STAT F
10 minutes 2 hours 70multiple-choicequestions,
half Verbal Reasoning,
half Quantitative Reasoning
Used by a small number of candidates
applying directly to individual institutions
*
It is your responsibility to ascertain which version(s) of STAT is required by the institution you are applying to.
2
Skills tested by STAT
STAT F, STAT T and STAT Multiple Choice each
consist of 70 items, which are placed into Units.
Units comprise either Verbal or Quantitative
questions.QuantitativeandVerbalunitsare
interspersed throughout the test paper.

STATquestionsarebasedonstimulusmaterial
drawn from a variety of common sources. All
theinformationrequiredtoanswerquestions
is contained in the Unit. So, for example, if the
stimulus material is an historical document, the
candidate’s knowledge of history is NOT being
assessed.
Verbal
The Verbal items in STAT focus on interpretation
and understanding of ideas in language.
Some items will ask candidates to identify the
main idea in a passage, whilst others will focus
on interpreting specific words and phrases.
Some items will ask for a paraphrase of what is
statedandotherquestionswillaskforinferred
suggestions and deduced meanings.
Some Units test the comprehension of demanding
and complex language with emphasis on analysing
and understanding the stimulus material. Other
Units test the understanding and processing of
ideas presented in more elementary language with
emphasis on manipulating information and solving
problems.
The Verbal Units can also be classified on
the extent to which they deal with objective
or subjective material, or conceptual or
argumentative issues. The aim of the test will be
to give a balanced representation of a wide range
of material and kinds of thinking.
Quantitative

The Quantitative items in STAT aim to test your
comprehension and application of information
presented in scientific and mathematical contexts.
Items may present information in numeric,
symbolic, spatial or graphical form.
Itemsdonotrequireanin-depthknowledgeof
mathematical formulae or principles. Rather,
they focus on your ability to interpret and apply
information. Your ability to use this information
for decision making and solving problems will
be assessed.
Written English
The purpose of STAT Written English is to assess
your ability to communicate effectively in writing.
Your responses to the essay prompts are written
directly on the test paper. Working space is
provided for you to plan your essays. You should
write your essays neatly in pen. No extra paper
is to be used. Only one test booklet is permitted
per candidate.
Criteria for the assessment of
STAT Written English
Thought and content
(thequalityofwhatissaid
in the piece of writing)
• whatismadeofanddeveloped
from the task
• thekindsofthoughtandfeelingsofferedin
response to the task
Structure and organisation

(thequalityofthestructureandorganisation
developed to say something)
• theshapeandformofthepiece
• thesequenceandcohesionofthepiece
Expression, style and mechanics
(thequalityofthelanguageused
to organise and present what is said)
• theeffectivenessandappropriatenessofthe
language
• theexpressivenessandfluencyof
the language
• thecontrolofthemechanicsofEnglish
Each piece of writing will be assessed by two
independent markers.
3
Test development
The items included in STAT are developed by
teamsoftestwritersatACER.Alltestquestions
must pass detailed scrutiny by panels of test
writers, trial testing, analysis and final review.
The content, style and duration of the test are
determined to ensure that the test is relevant,
fair, valid and reliable. The test may contain a
smallnumberoftrialquestionswhichwillnotbe
scored.
STAT test data are subjected to statistical analysis
tocheckthateachquestionhasperformedas
required.Testquestionsindevelopmentare
carefully scrutinised in an ongoing attempt to
minimise gender, ethnic or religious bias, and to

ensure that the test is culturally fair.
STAT research
Each year thousands of prospective tertiary
students sit one of the STAT tests used by
tertiary institutions throughout Australia, for
selection into various courses. The STAT team
occasionally follows up a sample of these students
to see how they progressed in their higher
education studies and may contact candidates
through the university of enrolment.
Additional information which we would find
useful for both research and test construction
includes candidates’ country of birth, if other than
Australia, and number of years in Australia if born
overseas. Space is provided on the STAT answer
sheetforyourresponsetothesequestions.
Provision of this information is voluntary, but
candidates are given an assurance that any use
of their test records will be treated with utmost
confidentiality. Candidate names will be separated
from data in all cases.
Information regarding the way in which personal
information (that is, names and attached data) is
stored at ACER can be located at www.acer.edu.
au/about/acer-privacy-policy
4
Preparing for STAT
General
A good starting point in preparing for STAT is
to familiarise yourself with the contents of this

booklet. Read the preliminary information before
attemptingthesamplequestions.
Thesamplequestionsincludedinthisbookletand
in the Sample Collection of Questions are indicative
of the kinds of material which will be included in
the test.
Some institutions offer STAT workshops, to
assist candidates with their preparation for the
STAT. Specific coaching for tests such as STAT is
not particularly effective in improving candidates’
scores. This is partly because the tests are
designed to assess reasoning and comprehension
skills which develop over extended periods of
time through a variety of experiences. Whilst
ACER does not endorse preparation workshops,
it recognises that some candidates may find them
useful as a means of allaying anxiety about the
test through providing an opportunity to talk with
other candidates about STAT.
ACER does not provide past papers to any of
the STAT workshops and candidates should
be advised that the only sources of past STAT
questionsaretheSample Collection of Questions
and this Candidate Information Booklet, published
by ACER.
The Sample Collection of Questions is available for
purchase from ACER (order form in the back of
this booklet or on-line purchase facility at www.
acer.edu.au/tests/stat). It is also available from
some tertiary admission centres.

There are several books on the market which
provide general advice on tests and test-taking. If
you have not taken a test before (or if it is some
time since you last took a test) you may find
some of the information contained in books of
this kind helpful in preparing for STAT.
Preparing for the multiple-choice
versions of STAT
Answerstomultiple-choicequestionsare
recorded on a special STAT Answer Sheet
(see end of this booklet), which is later optically
scanned and scored by machine. On the Answer
Sheetyouwillfindalistofquestionnumbers
(Questions1to70)andalongsideeachquestion
the letters A B C D with a small oval around
each letter. Mark your answer by completely
filling in the oval containing your answer. If you
choose option A as the answer to Question 14,
for example, record your answer like this:
14
A B C D
It is important that you record your answers
carefully. If you decide to change an answer,
erase your mark completely and fill in the oval
containing your new answer.
WhenansweringSTATquestionsonthe
Answer Sheet:
• useonlyaB,2BorHBpencil
• donotuseinkorballpointpen
• useagoodqualityeraser

• markyouranswerclearly
• becarefulnottofoldortearyour
answer sheet
• donotmakemarksoutsidethe
designated areas.
YoumayfindtheSTATquestionsquitedifficult,
but remember that they are designed to measure
a wide range of intellectual ability.
5
Points to note
• Answersshouldbemarkeddirectlyontothe
answer sheet, not on the test booklet.
• Youmaydoroughworkinthemarginsofyour
test book. Scrap paper is not allowed.
• Allquestionshavethesamevalue,therefore
byattemptingasmanyquestionsaspossible
you stand the best chance of maximising
your score.
• Nomarkswillbedeductedforawrong
answer (i.e. there is no negative scoring).
• Ifyoumarkmorethanoneanswertoa
questionitwillbeconsideredwrong.
Usethesamplequestionsinthisbookletto
practiseyourexamtechnique.Makesomequiet
time when you are unlikely to be distracted. The
answer sheet at the back of this booklet can be
used to practise recording your answers. Try
toattemptallquestionsbeforecheckingyour
answers. Other good preparation is to read
widely and think critically about what you read.

Test taking strategy
• Itisnotadvisabletospendtoomuchtimeon
anyonequestion.
• Readthestimulusmaterialforaunitseveral
timesbeforestartingthequestions.
• Readthroughallthealternativeanswersto
aquestion,evenifyouthinkthefirstone
is correct, before marking your chosen
response.
• Seeifthereareanyoptionsyoucandiscard
immediately because they are obviously
wrong.
• Ifyouthinkyouknowtheanswertoa
question,markit,evenifyouarenotcertain.
Goontothenextquestionandcomeback
later if you have time. This will prevent you
fromgettingyouranswersoutofsequence
withtheactualquestions,andwillgiveyou
some chance if you run out of time.
Preparing for
STAT Written English
Your responses to the essay prompts are written
directly on the test paper. Working space
is provided for you to plan your essays. It is
preferable to write or print your essays neatly
in ink or with a ball point pen. Pencils are
not acceptable.
Good preparation for the STAT Written English
test is to attempt the essay prompts in this
booklet. Set yourself the task of choosing

and writing on two of the sample prompts.
(Note: you don’t have to agree with prompt.)
Make some time when you will not be interrupted
and give yourself an hour to write your essays
under ‘test conditions’. It is often helpful to
ask someone else to read your essay and to
suggest improvements or alternative approaches
to your selected prompt. Alternatively, it can
be useful to put your essay aside for several days
before re-reading it to look for ways to make
improvements.
Candidates are often concerned about the
expected length of the STAT Written English
essays.Withinreason,thequalityofthe
writing is much more important than the length.
Remember, you only have 30 minutes to plan and
write each essay, and the examiners do not have
unrealistic expectations of what you can produce
in that time.
Thefollowingquestionswillbeconsideredin
assessing the writing of candidates.
• Whatkindsofideashasthecandidate
developed in response to the prompt?
• Towhatextentandhowwellhasthe
candidate explored the ideas and issues in
the prompt?
• Hasthecandidatedevelopedastructuredand
organised piece of writing?
• Hasthecandidatewrittenclearlyandfluently?
• Isthelanguageusedbythecandidateprecise

and appropriate?
6
Test centre procedures
Admission
You will receive notification of your STAT testing
session from the centre with which you have
registered. You must present that notification when
you arrive at the test centre. It has your STAT
candidate number on it.
Identification
Onthedayofthetestyouwillberequiredto
show photo-bearing identification, such as a:
• currentpassport
• currentAustraliandriver’slicence
• currentphotographicproofofagecard
• currentKeypasscard
Your identification document MUST contain:
1. your name
2. your date of birth
3. a recent photograph (embedded in the card
i.e. not laminated)
4. your signature.
A student or workplace identification card is only
acceptable if it meets all four criteria listed above.
If you do not possess any of the above forms of
photo-bearing identification, you must obtain a
statutory declaration, accompanied by a photo
which has been signed on the back by the
witness to the statutory declaration. This witness
should be independent of the person making the

declaration.
Candidates who do not present an
identification document as specified
above will not be admitted.
The identification must contain a photograph
that is a recognisable likeness of the candidate at
the time of sitting the test – a group photograph
or childhood photograph in a passport is not
acceptable.
The name on your identification document must
match the name used on your registration; for
example, candidates of Asian origin who use
anglicized given names, or candidates who change
their name when marrying.
Required items
• twopencils(B,2BorHB)
• eraser
• pencilsharpener
• blueorblackpens(ifsittingtheSTAT
Written English)
Prohibited items
The following items are prohibited:
• bags,briefcases,crashhelmets
• audiodevices,withorwithoutearphones
• books,papers
• mobilephones,pagers
• pencilcases
• calculators
• dictionariesofanytype
• rulers

• hand-heldelectronicgames
• pets
There is usually limited space for storage of
candidates’ property in test centres. Please keep
your belongings to a minimum.
Water bottles are permitted, but there is
to be no eating or smoking during the test
sessions, or in the test room.
Checklist for the Test Day
Check (3) that you have these items to take to the test:
❏
Notification letter
❏
Photo-bearing identification
❏
Stationery
7
Test Day
If you are unwell or if conditions in the test
room impact on your ability to perform in the
test, please bring this to the attention of the
supervisor as soon as possible.
Unethical behaviour and penalties
STAT is a high stakes test; that is, the results of
the test have the potential to make a major impact
on the future study plans of the candidate. For this
reason, security procedures have been established
and will be strictly enforced at all times.
It is the responsibility of candidates to ensure they
understand that the following are considered to be

breaches of test rules:
• thegivingoffalseormisleadinginformation
during the registration process
• attemptingtogainaccesstotestquestions
prior to the test
• attemptingtositthetestonbehalfofanother
person
• allowinganotherpersontoattempttositthe
test on your behalf
• attemptingtoremoveatestbookorpart
thereof, an answer sheet, or any notes, from
the testing room
• failuretofollowtestsupervisor’sinstructions
at all times
• givingorreceivingassistanceduringthetest
• creatingadisturbanceinsideoroutsidethe
test room
• usingprohibitedaids(notes,notepaper,
dictionary, calculator, mobile phone, tape
recorder, etc.)
The penalty for any of the above breaches will be
the cancellation of the candidate’s test and a ban
from sitting STAT in the current STAT year.
The test Supervisor will report breaches of
the test rules to the Admissions Centre STAT
Coordinator. Candidates have the right of appeal
against the imposed penalty within 10 calendar
days of the despatch of the penalty notification.
8
STAT results

Following the test, an official Statement of Results
will be posted to candidates by the admissions
centre through which the candidate sat STAT.
ACER does not issue STAT results directly to
candidates.
STAT scores
STAT results are reported as scaled scores with
a mean score of 150. Scores generally range from
100 – 200; but some cases may exceed this range.
Scaled scores, rather than percentages, are used
because there is no pass or fail mark on STAT.
Reporting the score as a percentage might lead
some individuals to assume that a result of 49%
or less indicates a fail. This is not true. The STAT
score scale reflects the differing abilities of the
candidates and the different degrees of difficulty of
the test items.
STATmultiple-choicetestformsareequatedso
that scores are directly comparable across forms
and years. For example, a score of 160 in the
verbal component of a STAT paper in 2013 will
represent the same level of performance as a
score of 160 in the verbal component of the 2012
test paper.
In 2010, the calculation methodology of the STAT
scores changed from previous years. The four
different STAT scales (Verbal, Quantitative, Total
and Written English) each have a mean score of
150 and a standard deviation of 15. Thus, from
2010, STAT scores have different meanings

from previous years. If a candidate has pre-2010
results, and institutions accept these results,
Tertiary Admissions Centres and institutions
will use comparison tables to transfer old STAT
scores to the new scales.
The STAT score is comparable across years, so
there is no formal limit on the length of time for
which it remains valid. Some institutions, however,
may impose their own limits on the length of time
for which they consider a STAT score valid. Check
with the institution or tertiary admissions centre to
which you are applying.
STAT Written English results are also reported as
scaled scores with a mean score of 150, generally
within the range of 100 – 200.
Although STAT scores are an objective measure
of a candidate’s academic capacity, other factors
play a key role in the final determination of
academic success. Such factors include the
candidate’s motivation, application, determination
and perseverance.
Percentile rankings
To help give meaning to the scaled scores,
percentile ranks are provided. The percentile
rank is the percentage of candidates receiving
scores below a certain STAT score. For example,
a candidate with a Total STAT score of 160
will have a percentile rank of 75.3. Therefore,
this candidate will have achieved a higher score
than 75.3% of the test-taking population in the

reference year.
Appeals
ACER will not enter into appeals against STAT
results once they have been released. Candidates
are advised that STAT results are released only
after careful calculation and extensive checking.
Errors in scoring are highly unlikely.
Requestsforre-markingwillnotbeconsidered.
Nor is it possible to give special consideration
for impaired performance on the day of the test
caused by illness or other unexpected personal
situations. (Applicants are encouraged to contact
the relevant tertiary admissions centre prior to
the test to arrange an alternative sitting time.)
Please note that candidates will not be provided
with any additional information regarding scores
or the scoring process. All information remains
the property of ACER and the candidate has
no right of inspection. Candidates sign their
agreement to these conditions on the front cover
of the test booklet and on the answer sheet.
9
The following pages contain sample questions for the
multiple-choice versions of STAT and for
STAT Written English
10
Sample questions
UNIT 1
Questions 1 – 5
This unit is based on the diagram on the opposite page.

1 The El Niño phenomenon is first indicated by variations in
A water currents.
B storm clouds.
C jet streams.
D winds.
2 The cross-section diagrams to the right of the main map draw attention to the effects of
A cold water in creating rough seas and rain-bearing storm clouds.
B unnatural increases in water volume on overall sea levels.
C global warming on the average temperature of the ocean.
D warm water fluctuations on weather and the food chain.
3 In an El Niño year, absence of warm water is likely to cause Indonesia to experience
A storms.
B reduced rainfall.
C cold wind blasts.
D stronger jet streams.
4 One effect of El Niño in 1982 was to destroy the anchovy fishing industry in Peru. According to the
information given in the diagrams and text, the most likely reason for this was that
A stronger trade winds off the coast of Peru made fishing hazardous.
B the fish were driven away by cold water welling up from below.
C jet streams redirected to the south caused havoc.
D the fish were deprived of food.
5 In an El Niño year floods are caused in desert regions of South America because
A the southerly jet stream from Indonesia has caused more wetness and cold.
B deep cold water has risen abnormally to flood proportions.
C large areas of warm water have settled along the coast.
D overall sea levels have dropped due to trade winds.
11
UNITED STATES
CANADA
ALASKA

PERU
NORMAL FLOW
OF UPWELLED
WATER
(see diagrams at right)
PERUINDONESIA
PERUINDONESIA
WARM WATER
WARM WATER
WARM WATER
COLD WATER
COLD WATER
JET STREAM
JET STREAM
CHILE
South Pacific Ocean
Equator
North
Pacific Ocean
North
Atlantic
T
R
A
D
E

W
I
N

D
S
El Niño year
El Niño
Normal
Thermocline
Thermocline
Normal year: The trade
winds blow from east to
west, pulling warm water
behind.
El Niño year: The trade
winds slacken, for largely
mysterious reasons.
Normal year: Cold,
nutrient-rich water wells
up from below, supporting
the Pacific food chain.
El Niño year: Stationary
warm water prevents
upwelling. Fish stocks fall.
Normal year: A pool of
warm water sits off
Indonesia, bringing rains
to the region.
El Niño year: The warm
water sloshes east, taking
the storm clouds with it.
Normal year: The jet
streams deliver rain to

southern Mexico and the
Pacific Northwest.
El Niño year: The jet
streams shift north, and so
do the rains.
1 2 3 4
12
UNIT 2
Questions 6 – 8
The rate at which freshwater animals absorb dissolved oxygen (O
2
) from the surrounding water is affected by
the water current.
Data on the effect of the speed of the current on the rate of oxygen absorption of some groups of freshwater
animals at a temperature of 18 °C are shown in the figure. The data for individuals of each group of animals
have been averaged and plotted in the figure as points which have been linked together. Different groups of
the same species are numbered (e.g. Baetis 1, Baetis 2, and Baetis 3).
16
14
12
10
8
6
4
2
0
01234567
speed of current
(centimetres per second)
Rhithrogena

Rhyacophila 1
Baetis 1
Rhyacophila 2
Baetis 2
Baetis 3
Ephemerella 1
Ecdyonurus
Ephemerella 2
Hydropsyche
rate of
oxygen (O )
absorption
(milligrams per
gram of body
mass per hour)
2
Anabolia 1
Anabolia 2
13
6 At a current speed of between 2 and 3 centimetres per second, the group of animals with the highest
rate of oxygen consumption was
A Hydropsyche. C Rhyacophila 1.
B Baetis 1. D Rhithrogena.
7 Which one of the following groups of animals had a rate of oxygen consumption which was least
affected by increasing the speed of the current?
A Ephemerella 1 C Anabolia 1
B Hydropsyche D Anabolia 2
8 According to the figure, groups of animals of the same species showed differences in their rates
of oxygen consumption with increasing current speed.
The differences were most marked in

A Baetis. C Anabolia.
B Ephemerella. D Hydropsyche.
UNIT 3
Question 9
9 Which two of statements (i) – (iv) below are most similar to each other in the attitude to equality
presented?
(i) Although men possess unequal powers, they nonetheless deserve equal rights.
(ii) Men are made by nature unequal. It is vain, therefore, to treat them as if they were equal.
(iii) Kneeling ne’er spoil’d silk stocking; quit thy state;
All equal are within the church’s gate.
(iv) The wealth of a nation consists more than anything else in the number of superior men it
harbours.
A statements (i) and (iii) C statements (i) and (iv)
B statements (ii) and (iii) D statements (iii) and (iv)
14
UNIT 4
Quest
ions 10 and 11
K
nitting needles of different thicknesses (diameters) are used to produce materials of different types.
The table
gives the sizes of knitting needles and their diameters (in millimetres).

size 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
diameter 8.0 mm 7.5 mm 7.0 mm 6.5 mm 6.0 mm 5.5 mm 5.0 mm 4.5 mm
size 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15
diameter 4.0 mm 3.75 mm 3.25 mm 3.0 mm 2.75 mm 2.25 mm 2.0 mm 1.75 mm

10
When the knitting needles shown in the table differ in size by one, their diameters

A always differ by 0.5 mm.
B sometimes differ by 0.5 mm and sometimes by 0.25 mm.
C sometimes differ by 0.75 mm and sometimes by 0.5 mm.
D sometimes differ by 0.75 mm and sometimes by 0.25 mm.
11
Which of the following best represents the relationship between the diameter and the size of knitting
needles for sizes 0 to 8
?
A size = diameter – 8
B size = 8 – diameter
C size = (½ × diameter) – 4
D size = 16 –
(2 ×
diameter)
15
UNIT 5
Questions 12 – 14
The following passage is adapted from a book on the nature of play.
The player who trespasses against the rules or ignores them is a ‘spoil-sport’. The spoil-
sport is not the same as the false player, the cheat; for the latter pretends to be playing
the game and, on the face of it, still acknowledges the magic circle. It is curious to note
how much more lenient society is to the cheat than to the spoil-sport. This is because the
spoil-sport shatters the play-world itself. By withdrawing from the game he reveals the
relativity and fragility of the play-world in which he had temporarily shut himself with
others. He robs play of its illusion – a pregnant word which in Latin means literally ‘in-
play’. Therefore he must be cast out, for he threatens the existence of the play-
community.
In the world of high seriousness, too, the cheat and the hypocrite have always had an
easier time of it than the spoil-sports, here called apostates,1 heretics, innovators,
prophets, conscientious objectors, etc. It sometimes happens, however, that the spoil-

sports in their turn make a new community with rules of its own. The outlaw, the
revolutionary, the member of a secret society, indeed heretics of all kinds, are of a
highly associative if not sociable disposition, and a certain element of play is prominent
in all their doings.
5
10
15
1
An apostate is someone who abandons his/her religion, vows, principles, cause, etc.
12 The phrase ‘magic circle’ (line 3) most likely refers to
A the real world.
B a particular kind of game.
C the special status of the play-world.
D the privileged few who determine the rules of a game.
13 According to the passage, the ‘play-world’
A cannot coexist with the real world.
B cannot be distinguished from the real world.
C is impervious to the will or behaviour of the participants.
D is completely dependent on the compliance of the participants.
14 The writer suggests that, in the world of high seriousness, spoil-sports
A aim to avoid all contact with society.
B are usually better off than in the play-world.
C do not appreciate or understand the nature of play.
D will engage with others but only on their own terms.
16
UNIT 6
Questions 15 – 18
The Burger Index (BI) uses the cost of a burger in different countries as a way of determining whether official
exchange rates are appropriate (with respect to the US$).
•

BI =
Cost of a burger in a particular country in the local currency
Cost of a burger in the USA in US$
Comparing actual exchange rates with the BI indicates whether a currency is undervalued or overvalued.
•
% over/undervaluation against US$ =
(BI – Exchange Rate)
Exchange Rate
× 100
For example, if a burger costs €2.50 (2.50 Euros) in Europe and $2.50 in the USA, then the BI is
2.50
2.50
, or 1.00 .
The % the Euro is over/undervalued =
1.00 – 0.80
0.80
× 100 = 25% .
Thus, according to the BI, the Euro is overvalued against the US$ by 25%.
The table shows the typical cost of a standard burger in a number of countries
in the local currency of the country and typical exchange rates of those countries

against the US$ in a particular time period.
Country
Cost of burger in local
currency
Exchange rate
1 US$ =
USA US$2.50
Australia A$3.00 A$1.30
UK £2.00 £0.50

European Union €2.50 €0.80
Mexico 20 Peso 10 Peso
New Zealand NZ$4.00 NZ$1.40
Russia 40 Rouble 30 Rouble
South Korea 3000 Won 1000 Won
•
Answer the questions for the typical costs and exchange rates given for the time period.
•
Assume there is no charge in converting money from one currency to another.
15 How many Mexican Pesos would be required to buy a burger in South Korea?
E 3 Pesos
F 30 Pesos
G 3000 Pesos
H 30 000 Pesos
17
16 According to the BI, a currency is generally correctly valued with respect to the US$ when the BI
equals
A 0 .
B 1.0 .
C the Exchange Rate.
D
1
Exchange Rate
.
17 According to the BI, how does the UK£ compare to the US$?
A The £ is 60% overvalued.
B The £ is 60% undervalued.
C The £ is correctly valued.
D There is insufficient information to determine if the value is appropriate.
18 According to the BI, the currency of which of the following countries is most undervalued against the

US$?
A South Korea
B Mexico
C Russia
D New Zealand
18
UNIT 7
In some areas of the world, marine birds such as kelp gulls feed on mussels which have been

Questions 19 – 23
deposited on the beaches. To break open the shells, the birds carry the mussels to heights and drop them

onto hard surfaces, such as rocks or wet beach sand.
Experimental evidence indicates that the minimum drop height required to fracture a mussel shell depends
on its size, and also on the nature of the surface onto which it is dropped. Moreover, the speed on impact
with the ground can be related to the mussel’s drop height and its shell length.
The graphs in Figures 1 to 4 show the relationships between the size, impact speed, and drop height
of mussels. The figures are based on the results of extensive mussel dropping experiments tha
t
attempted to simulate real conditions.
Assume that all mussels referred to in the following questions are described by these relationships.

12
10
8
6
4
2
0
2 4 6 8

impact
speed
(metres per
second)
drop height (metres)
120 millimetres
100 millimetres
80 millimetres
60 millimetres

Figure 1
140
120
100
80
60
40
20
0
40 60 80 100 120 140
mussel mass (grams)
shell length (millimetres)

70
60
50
40
30
20
10

0
40 60 80 100 120 140
shell area (square centimetres)
shell length (millimetres)

Figure 2 Figure 3
19
3.0
2.8
2.6
2.4
2.2
2.0
1.8
70 80 90 100
drop height (metres)
shell length (millimetres)
wet beach
sand
rock
Figure 4
19 An 80 gram mussel has a shell area closest to
A 20 square centimetres. C 40 square centimetres.
B 24 square centimetres. D 45 square centimetres.
20 Which one of the following is the smallest drop height required to fracture three mussels with
lengths 75 millimetres, 85 millimetres, and 100 millimetres, when all three are dropped onto wet
beach sand?
A 1.90 metres C 2.67 metres
B 2.35 metres D 3.00 metres
21 Two mussels are dropped from a height of 2.5 metres onto wet beach sand. Mussel

X has a mass
of 30 grams and mussel Y has a mass of 60 grams.
According to the available evidence,
A only mussel X will fracture.
B only mussel Y will fracture.
C both mussels will fracture.
D neither mussel will fracture.
20
22 For a group of mussels, all of which have a shell length of 80 millimetres, the difference between
the drop heights required to fracture the mussels when they drop onto rock and wet beach sand
is closest to
A 0.6 metres. C 1.9 metres.
B 1.0 metres. D 2.5 metres.
23 Which of the following is closest to the lowest impact speed required to fracture a 30 gram mussel
by impact with wet beach sand?
A 5.5 metres per second C 8.4 metres per second
B 6.8 metres per second D 10 metres per second
21
UNIT 8
Quest
ions 24 and 25







2
4 The cartoon is a comment on

A corporate loyalty.
B the value of teamwork.
C the social implications of a casualised workforce.
D the social implications of a decentralised workforce.
25 The cartoon suggests that current work practices are
A quaint.
B congenial.
C unsatisfying.
D unproductive.
22
UNIT 9
Questions 26 – 28
A pedometer is a device that records the number of steps a person takes. This information, together with the
length of the person’s step, can be used to determine the distance they walk or run. Furthermore, it can give
an estimate of the energy expenditure (in kilojoules, kJ) due to the activity.
A number of people took part in a competition in which they walked or ran for a number of days. The table
gives information for six of the participants at the end of Day 2 of the competition.
Assume that:
• walkinguses15kJofenergyperkilogramofbodymassperhour;and
• runninguses30kJofenergyperkilogramofbodymassperhour.
Number of
steps recorded
by pedometer
Average step
length (m)
Distance
covered (km)
Body mass
(kg)
Total energy

used (kJ)
Adele 5000 0.40 50
Beau 3000 0.70
Celine 0.60 5
Dale 0.75 4 60
Ellen 0.40 4 70
Greg 1.20 15
26 By the end of Day 2, compared to Adele, the distance that Beau walked was
A 5% less.
B 5% greater.
C 10% less.
D 10% greater.
27 For the first two days of the competition Greg ran at an average speed of 15 km/h.
What further information (i.e. information not given in the table and not able to be calculated from
the information provided) is needed to determine Greg’s energy expenditure due to running?
A his mass only
B his mass and the number of steps he took only
C his mass and the duration of his run each day only
D his mass, the number of steps he took and the duration of his run each day
28 Another participant, Fran, ran for one hour on Day 1. On Day 2, she walked the same distance. Her
running speed was twice her walking speed and her mass did not change during this time.
How did Fran’s energy expenditure on Day 1 compare to that on Day 2?
A It was higher on Day 1.
B It was higher on Day 2.
C It was the same on both days.
D There is insufficient information to determine this.