1. Approximately 1 in 14 men over the age of 50 has prostate cancer. The level of 'prostate specific antigen' (PSA) is used as a preliminary screening test for prostate cancer. 7% of men with prostate cancer do not have a high level of PSA. These results are known as 'false negatives'. 75% of those men with a high level of PSA do not have cancer. These results are known as 'false positives'. If a man over 50 has a normal level of PSA, what are the chances that he has prostate cancer?
2. Three friends, Adam, David and Sue are sharing out a bag of marbles. To do this more quickly, they take 10 marbles each time and repeat until the bag is empty. There are not enough marbles for Sue to take 10 on the last turn. Adam and David then give her two marbles each and they all have the same. How many marbles did Sue take on the last turn?
3. I wish to repaint the walls of my garage. It is 3 metres high, 4 metres wide and 9 metres deep. I shall not need to paint the electronic door which covers one 3 x 4 metre end, nor the window, which is 2 metres wide and 1 metre high, nor the rear door which is 1 metre wide and 2 metres high. 1 litre of paint covers 3 square metres. How many 1 litre tins will be needed to complete the painting?
4. Tom shared out some money between his three children in the ratio 5:3:2. He later had an extra €6 which he gave to the child who received the least originally. This meant that the money had been shared into one large and two equal smaller shares. How much money in total did Tom give to the three children?
5. Three months ago, Jane had 5 times as many DVDs as Duncan. Since then they have both bought 12 more DVDs. Jane now has twice as many as Duncan. How many DVDs does Jane have now?
6. If all of the above are correct, which one of the following statements is definitely true?
There are four rivers in Bolandia, each claiming to be the longest. Tourist board brochures in the regions containing the rivers, make the following statements:
The Dile is shorter than the Cubba The Bongo is shorter than the Esun The Esun is longer than the Cubba Non rispondere 7. The table below shows the number of people who voted for each candidate in the recent school election. When drawing a pie chart of the results one of the numbers above was not read correctly (the other four were correct). The angles were calculated as 113.4 degrees, 90 degrees, 75.6 degrees, 56.7 degrees, and 24.3 degrees. Whose score was copied incorrectly when the pie chart was constructed?
8. In a children's story there are three types of monster, Bongles, Crannies and Dervies. Some, but not all, Bongles are Crannies and all Crannies are Dervies. Which one of the following is definitely NOT true?
9. What is the maximum percentage of water the tin could contain?
The ingredients list on a tin of baked beans reads as follows (in order of descending weight):
Navy beans (51%) Water Sugar Tomato puree (4.5%) Modified maize starch Salt Natural flavourings Onion powder Paprika Non rispondere 10. A regular train service operates between Jayford and Kayton, a 16 km journey which takes 19 minutes. The trains travel at a constant speed of 60 km per hour in both directions except through a tunnel, where they are limited to 20 km per hour. Trains travelling towards Kayton enter the tunnel 4 km after setting off from Jayford. How long is the tunnel?
11. In preparation for my holiday in Bolandia last June, I changed €300 into Bolandian dollars every pay day from January to May (I am paid monthly). The exchange rates were as follows. How many more Bolandian dollars would I have received altogether if, instead, I had changed the whole €1500 in May?
12. After a long period of dry weather, the water container in my garden contained only 28% of its capacity of water. Last week's rain, however, increased the amount of water in the container by 25%, and according to the weather forecast, a similar amount of rain is expected to fall this coming week. If, as expected, the container gets the same amount of rainwater this coming week as it did last week, what percentage of its capacity will it then contain?
13. A student gives his friends small, short-term loans for periods of 1, 2 or 3 weeks after which time they must be repaid in full. He always lends on a Friday afternoon. He starts with €120 and loans out the following amounts each week. What is the smallest amount of money he has by the end of the 4th Friday?
14. The following information appears on a 200g packet of biscuits. How many biscuits are there in a full packet?
15. The 100W light bulb (cost €0.60) is not going to be used anymore and is being replaced with the 20W (cost €3) low energy light bulb. If electricity is charged at €0.15 per kWh, for how many hours must the low energy bulb be used in order for the lower cost of running it to exactly compensate for its higher initial cost?
16. Alice works until 5pm each day from Monday to Friday. On Friday she is planning to go to the cinema with friends. There is a local bus service which passes her workplace, home and cinema. Part of the bus timetable is shown in the table below. Alice plans to take the bus home, where she will get ready to go to the cinema and then she will catch the bus to get to the cinema. It will take Alice 45 minutes to get ready and she will also need 10 minutes when she reaches the cinema to buy her ticket before a film starts. Films start every 15 minutes starting from 6pm. What is the earliest time that she can watch a film?
17. In a street, a survey showed that out of a hundred households 60 had a cat, 40 had a dog, and 20 had neither a cat nor a dog. How many households had a cat but no dog?
18. As John walks along the High Street, the numbers to his left increase while the numbers to his right decrease, as in the diagram below. The street where he lives is numbered in the same way. He lives at number 8 Princess Road and the house directly opposite his house is number 11. How many houses are there on Princess Road?
19. The volume of water The volume of water expands by 9% when it freezes. If you want a block of ice 40 cm³, how much water would you need to put into a freezer?expands by 9% when it freezes. If you want a block of ice 40 cm³, how much water would you need to put into a freezer?
20. One radioactive substance, P, is gradually changed by radioactive decay into another, Q. Q itself decays into a third substance, R, which does not decay. The graphs below show how the quantities of P, Q and R varied with time during an experiment.
21. Modern technology has given us the power to use renewable natural resources faster than they can be replaced. The decline of fish numbers provides one example of the way in which modern technology can rapidly use up a natural resource. Modern fishing ships equipped with fish detecting systems and huge nets can gather up vast quantities of fish quicker than the sea can renew them. Because high technology gives us such harmful powers, we must learn to use the renewable resources of the earth carefully, rather than waste them. Which one of the following best expresses the main conclusion of the above passage?
22. Shower gel is now used much more than soap when people take a shower. This is unfortunate. Shower gel requires much more packaging which means more rubbish. There is also a tendency for people to use more of it when washing in comparison with soap. Therefore more natural resources are consumed in the manufacturing process than would be if people used only soap. So, the trend towards shower gel is bad for the environment. This is because it creates more problems of waste disposal and uses up more resources than soap. We should make people more aware of the environmental impact of such simple decisions. Which one of the following is an expression of the main conclusion of the above argument?
23. The Chief Executive of the Royal Opera House has recently offered 100 seats on any Monday night for £10. Normally these seats can cost up to £175 therefore it represents a considerable saving. However the hopes of the Chief Executive that this will attract a broader audience are likely to be disappointed. It is not the financial costs that put people off opera - it is simply that they do not like it. Many young people spend considerable sums of money going to premier football matches or 'clubbing'. This suggests, therefore, that the problem of attracting a more diverse audience to opera is more a question of culture than economics. Which one of the following is an expression of the main conclusion of the above argument?
24. Health services should find better ways to take blood pressure readings for patients thought to be suffering from high blood pressure (hypertension). One third of patients thought to have high blood pressure may actually have 'white coat' hypertension, according to a new study. 'White coat' hypertension means that a patient's blood pressure is high at the doctor's surgery, probably due to anxiety, but normal in everyday life. In the study, patients said to have hypertension had their blood pressure measured in a normal environment; more than one third of these patients' blood pressures were in the normal range when they were at home or participating in their usual activities. It is worrying that patients are being treated with drugs with some negative side effects to reduce high blood pressure which they do not actually have. Which one of the following best expresses the conclusion of the argument above?
25. Ten years ago in many European cities, offices typically had spaces for six bicycles, half of which were never used and spaces for 50 cars which were always full. Today, there are fewer car spaces and many more spaces for bicycles which are always full. This change to cycling may seem strange to some as cycling is more effort. Possible causes are rising fuel prices, the introduction of higher parking charges for drivers in major cities, increasing awareness of environmental issues, expensive public transport and traffic jams. Which one of the following can be drawn as a conclusion from the above passage?
26. Child actors tend to become addicted to drink and drugs in later life, usually when they become adults but are not as successful as they were previously. The actors frequently blame their parents, who often manage their children's career and so have a reason to work them hard when they are young and enjoy the wealth their children generate for them. The child actors who avoid this are often the ones who were encouraged to keep up their schooling and explore other career options. Which one of the following can be drawn as a conclusion from the above passage?
27. Nicotine chewing gum is already available in chemists. Nicotine is an addictive drug, but by itself it causes little, if any, harm. Unlike other addictive substances it does not reduce the brain's performance, make people lazy, anti-social, or have more accidents. But until recently nicotine has been taken only in the form of tobacco, which also contains cancer-causing chemicals and deadly gases that kill one third of the people who smoke it. The chewing gum does not contain these chemicals, and is not dangerous in any other way. Which one of the following is a conclusion which can be drawn from the above passage?
28. Roughly 60 percent of today's world population is bilingual or multilingual and it is argued that this is a new phenomenon. Today Spanish and Arabic are widely spoken whilst English is the world's most commonly spoken and written language. However, 500 years ago it was Latin which was the main language of education, religion, commerce and government in the Western World despite this not being most people's first language. In the 17th century, French and Italian gained in importance as languages of international trade. Which one of the following can be drawn as a conclusion of the above passage?
29. In 2010 there were over 110,000 incidents of arson (deliberately setting fire to buildings) in the UK in which over 100 people were killed, usually in attacks on people's homes. Only a small percentage of homes have smoke alarms. If more homes had smoke alarms, the number of domestic fires would be significantly reduced. There should be a campaign to persuade people to install smoke alarms in their home as this would reduce the number of deaths. Which one of the following identifies the flaw in the above argument?
30. Television programmes that show young people in a school environment continue to feature highly in viewing schedules. Few of the programmes, however, give any emphasis on the time spent studying and the work required for academic success. Many of the actors used are far older than the characters they portray, suggesting attitudes, behaviour and appearances that are inaccurate and sometimes inappropriate. Broadcasters and producers should try to correct this. Which one of the following must be assumed in the above argument?
31. It has been argued that since there has to be some limit on the funding of university education by governments, it would be best to target such funding, giving a lower priority to subjects which provide little benefit to society. Some subjects, such as Medicine, Engineering and Computing should be well funded, because they are clearly of great worth to the community. Subjects such as Classics, Literature and Art should be funded at a much lower level. These subjects are primarily of interest to the individual, and a wealthy society should give some subsidy to hobby subjects. However, it must be recognised that the future of society lies in the training and development of those people who will contribute the most. Which one of the following must be assumed in the above argument?
32. Global warming is threatening the survival of California's redwoods. These trees benefit from coastal fog which is captured by the trees, causing water to drip onto the soil and therefore watering them. Since fog is now 30 percent less frequent than it was 50 years ago the trees will not have this source of water and are therefore likely to begin to die out. Which one of the following must be assumed in the above argument?
33. After Northern Europe experienced the coldest weather for several years last winter, people are claiming that the theories of global warming are incorrect. This is not a conclusion that can be drawn from the information as it is only based on a single year's data. Global warming is based on long term changes in average temperature. It therefore does not mean that the temperature will increase every year. The extreme weather last winter was caused by cold air from the Arctic which is normally kept there by strong winds around the pole. Last winter those winds were not asstrong. Which one of the following, if true, would most strengthen the above argument?
34. According to the Food Standards Agency, film goers should be told how many calories there are in the popcorn, ice cream and fizzy drinks that they buy in cinemas and smaller portions of popcorn and drinks should also be available. As two thirds of adults and a third of children are already obese or overweight, with serious risk of heart disease, diabetes and cancer, the need for proper labelling to warn people about the calorie content of these items is urgent. Which one of the following, if true, most strengthens the argument in the passage above?
35. Rating figures for music are now much more difficult to calculate compared to a decade ago. The introduction of new formats for selling music means that figures have to be calculated based on more methods such as downloads, in addition to the sales of CDs in shops. Additionally, the availability of more formats means that there is more potential for copies of works to be shared with other fans, who do not pay for them. These fans do not show up in the ratings, so the official ratings do not reflect the relative popularity of a work. Which one of the following, if true, would most strengthen the above argument?
36. Hundreds of miles of motorways are lit by unnecessary street lights. There is a need to save energy usage in all public services and it is time that the government considered turning off street lighting. Modern cars have powerful headlights which provide a clear view of the road ahead even without overhead lighting. There is also evidence to suggest that when drivers move from an area with lighting to an area without they are more likely to have an accident than those drivers who have driven exclusively on roads without lighting. Which one of the following, if true, would most strengthen the above argument?
37. A restaurant owner who has put grey squirrel on the menu has called it the 'ultimate ethical food'. The grey squirrel, a small, tree-dwelling rodent introduced to Britain over a century ago, is breeding so rapidly that the native red squirrel is disappearing. Encouraging the consumption of the grey species as food may help protect the red one, in her view. The owner added that squirrel meat was free range, low fat and low on air miles. However, we can challenge this, as it is all just a cheap publicity stunt to increase business in the restaurant. Squirrels should not be on the menu! Which one of the following is the best statement of the flaw in the above argument?
38. One of the fastest-growing beauty treatments in Britain, fish pedicures - where tiny toothless fish called garra rufa smooth feet by eating dead skin - has come under scrutiny from animal rights campaigners. One campaigner said, 'Fish are covered by the Animal Welfare Act. They need a stable environment and clean water, uncontaminated by perfume or lotions.' A spa in London's West End was closed recently by the local council when many of the fish in its pedicure pool died. There should be a complete ban on this type of pedicure, or else there will soon be no garra rufa. Which one of the following is the best statement of the flaw in the above argument?
39. The National Farmer's Union (NFU) approves of controlled killing of badgers to reduce their numbers, saying that it is needed to help farming. Badgers are animals believed to be responsible for the spread of bovine tuberculosis which results in large numbers of cows having to be destroyed every year. Animal rights supporters have criticised the proposal, but it is clear that the lives of more cattle can be saved by destroying a smaller number of badgers. This controlled killing should be allowed to go ahead. Which one of the following is the best statement of the flaw in the above argument?
40. Many people argue that the many government programmes intended to increase road safety have caused a steady decline in the number of accidents on our roads. However, some observers report that the real number of accidents may be much higher than is shown in the official records as many accidents are not reported by drivers. They also say that during the time when accident figures have decreased, the number of people going to hospitals because of road accidents has stayed constant. Which one of the following can be drawn as a conclusion from the above passage?
1 di 4 41. Which sequence is correct for this process?
The following organelles are involved in processing amino acids into glycoprotein:
Golgi apparatus Ribsomes RER Non rispondere 42. Which of the following is/are true about hydrogen bonds between water molecules?
They are weak bonds. They are strong bonds. They are temporary bonds. They require hydrolysis to break. Non rispondere 43. Which of the following transport mechanisms require the use of protein molecules found in membranes and ATP?
44. The diagram below represents the fluid mosaic model of the cell (surface) membrane. Only two of the labelled molecules have both hydrophobic and hydrophilic areas. Which two molecules are they?
45. If a glucose molecule became incorporated as a non-terminal component of starch, which two regions, labelled i to v, would be involved in forming glycosidic bonds?
46. Which one of the following molecules will contain the greatest number of different elements?
47. Which one of the following is NOT correct about human chromosomes?
48. Which one of the following labels, i to v, represents a nucleotide?
49. Which one of the following would be different in a pair of non-identical twins?
50. In a set of genetic crosses the offspring produced showed the same phenotype ratio of 9:3:3:1. Which of the following statements could be true?
Two genes each with two alleles were studied All parents were heterozygous Some offspring had a phenotype different to the parents Some offspring had a phenotype the same as the parents Non rispondere 51. Which of the following crosses is most likely to produce offspring of genotype GgNn?
52. Gene expression can be regulated by:
53. Which row of the table correctly identifies a blood vessel that has a low concentration of carbon dioxide and a vessel that has a low concentration of urea?
54. Which of the examples of homeostasis do NOT require the brain to be involved in the control process?
Temperature regulation Osmoregulation (regulation of the water content of blood) Blood glucose concentration regulation Non rispondere 55. Which one of the following is NOT true of human hormones?
56. In a reflex arc that comprises a pain receptor cell in the skin, three neurones and a muscle (effector), the number of synapses found in the central nervous system (CNS) is:
57. Antibiotics are becoming less effective due to:
58. Which of the following are increased when the level of adrenaline rises in a human?
Heart rate Breathing rate Impulse rate in a sensory neurone Non rispondere 2 di 4 59. Which one of the following could NOT be the formula of an aldehyde?
60. The positions of some elements in the Periodic Table are shown below. Which one of the following pairs of elements is most likely to form a covalent bond?
61. Which one of the following is NOT the correct formula for a lithium compound?
62. The Avogadro constant is 6.0 x 10²³mol⁻¹. How many hydrogen atoms are there in 0.420 g of cyclohexane? [Ar: H = 1; C = 12]
63. Which one of the following is correct about the first and second electron affinities of oxygen?
64. In the following reactions, which substances are acting as oxidising agents?
C(s) + O₂(g) → CO₂(g) 2Fe³⁺(aq) + 2I⁻(aq) → Fe²⁺(aq) + I₂(aq) Mg(s) + 2H⁺(aq) → Mg²⁺(aq) + H₂(g)Non rispondere
C(s), Fe³⁺(aq), Mg(s)
O₂(g), I⁻(aq), H⁺(aq)
O₂(g), I⁻(aq), Mg(s)
C(s), Fe³⁺(aq), H⁺(aq)
O₂(g), Fe³⁺(aq), H⁺(aq)
None 65. Which of the following statements are correct about the solvent properties of water?
All ionic substances dissolve in water All covalent substances are insoluble in water The solubility of solids usually increases with a rise in temperature Non rispondere 66. What is the total number of electrons in the ions of sodium chloride?
67. Which rows of the table correctly describe the reactions of the aqueous acids with amines and amides?
68. Which one of the following types of reaction is NOT included in this list?
C₂H₅Br + OH⁻→ C₂H₅OH + Br⁻ Ba²⁺(aq) + SO₄²⁻(aq) → BaSO₄(s) Mg(s) + Cu²⁺(aq) → Mg²⁺(aq) + Cu(s)Non rispondere
69. Which one of the following is NOT correct about Fe, Cu and Zn, which are in the first row of the transition metals?
3 di 4 70. In a group of students, exactly 2/5 are male and exactly 1/3 study mathematics. The probability that a male student chosen at random from the group studies mathematics is p. Which of the following is the range of possible values of p?
71. ABCDE is a regular pentagon. The transformation R is a rotation about the origin and maps A to B, B to C, C to D, etc. The transformation S is a reflection in the y-axis. Which of the following sequences of transformations (performed in the order that they are listed) would NOT leave vertex D in the same position?
72. The line L has equation y = 2x - 1. Four of the following five points are the same distance from the line L. Which one is at a different distance?
73. Which of the following is equivalent to ln(x²y)-2 ln(xy)+3 lny?
74. What is the set of values of x for which x²< 9 and 2x + 3 ≥ 5?
75. A block of iron at 100 oC is transferred to a plastic cup containing water at 20 oC. Which one of the following is NOT necessary in order to find the specific heat capacity of iron?
76. Three identical capacitors are connected as follows. Which of the following shows the order of increasing capacitance (smallest first)?
2, 1, 3
1, 2, 3
1, 3, 2
3, 2, 1
2, 3, 1
None 77. Which one of the following is NOT a vector?
78. A man of mass 75 kg lies on a bed of 10 000 nails. The tip of each nail has an area of 1.0 square millimetre. What pressure does the man experience?
79. When cooled below 4.2 K, mercury becomes a superconductor, which means it has no electrical resistance. When a current is passed through mercury under these conditions, which of the following effects will be present?
80. At the melting point, which of the following are correct about paraffin wax?
The substance becomes more disordered The wax takes in heat but its temperature stays the same Bonds between the carbon and hydrogen atoms are broken Non rispondere 4 di 4