The NBT AQL Test: Exemplar questions
A: Academic Literacy
Read the following passage on advertising and answer the multiple-choice questions that follow:
The Influence of Advertising
1. Advertising was initially meant to make from a very early age, forming our view of the
people aware of the goods available in the world as we grow into adults.
market. It was as simple as announcing what
3. The notion that the media are primarily in
you have in your store or the services you
place to give us news is not very true. If the
offer in your premises. Over the years,
truth may be told, the media are there to
advertising has evolved into a major industry
gather a large enough audience, package
that goes beyond informing, to persuading
them into a pricey commodity and sell it to
and influencing. It is a form of brainwashing
the advertisers. The advertisers, on the other
consumers.
hand, are always on the lookout for a target
2. Advertising has become a type of culture audience to persuade them that this product
with ardent followers. In the process, it or service is better than that of the
attracts enviable attention from competitor.
manufacturers and service providers who
4. In a nutshell, advertising does influence
fancy an edge over their competitors.
people. Most of the advertisements are filled
Unfortunately, in keeping with the ever-
with images that equate emotional well-being
increasing demands of the manufacturers, the
with material acquisition and associate
advertisers have resorted to creating
independence and leisure with consumption
unnecessary wants and excess consumption in
of alcohol. Advertising also makes people
most of us. This is a craving for harmful
lavish their affect on products rather than real
products that we are better off without. It
people, thereby destroying human
preys on our minds, rendering us completely
relationships. We have become trapped in the
irrational. The billboards (hoardings),
web of advertising where products like brands
television and radio advertisements target us
1
, of beer and cigarettes take over our minds,
doing away with our core family values.
[Adapted from
http://www.englishdaily626.com/comprehen
sion.php?340. Accessed online on 20 March
2015]
2
A: Academic Literacy
Read the following passage on advertising and answer the multiple-choice questions that follow:
The Influence of Advertising
1. Advertising was initially meant to make from a very early age, forming our view of the
people aware of the goods available in the world as we grow into adults.
market. It was as simple as announcing what
3. The notion that the media are primarily in
you have in your store or the services you
place to give us news is not very true. If the
offer in your premises. Over the years,
truth may be told, the media are there to
advertising has evolved into a major industry
gather a large enough audience, package
that goes beyond informing, to persuading
them into a pricey commodity and sell it to
and influencing. It is a form of brainwashing
the advertisers. The advertisers, on the other
consumers.
hand, are always on the lookout for a target
2. Advertising has become a type of culture audience to persuade them that this product
with ardent followers. In the process, it or service is better than that of the
attracts enviable attention from competitor.
manufacturers and service providers who
4. In a nutshell, advertising does influence
fancy an edge over their competitors.
people. Most of the advertisements are filled
Unfortunately, in keeping with the ever-
with images that equate emotional well-being
increasing demands of the manufacturers, the
with material acquisition and associate
advertisers have resorted to creating
independence and leisure with consumption
unnecessary wants and excess consumption in
of alcohol. Advertising also makes people
most of us. This is a craving for harmful
lavish their affect on products rather than real
products that we are better off without. It
people, thereby destroying human
preys on our minds, rendering us completely
relationships. We have become trapped in the
irrational. The billboards (hoardings),
web of advertising where products like brands
television and radio advertisements target us
1
, of beer and cigarettes take over our minds,
doing away with our core family values.
[Adapted from
http://www.englishdaily626.com/comprehen
sion.php?340. Accessed online on 20 March
2015]
2
