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EST December 2020 | Literacy I | Passage 1 Explanation
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Passage 1:
1. A. NO CHANGE
B. which
C. whose
D. who’s
The correct answer is A. NO CHANGE. This means that the word “who” is the best choice for the marked part of the text. “who” is a relative pronoun that introduces a clause that modifies a noun. In this case, the noun is “laymen”, which means people who are not experts in a certain field. The clause “who were seated in the auditorium” gives more information about the laymen.“which” is also a relative pronoun, but it is used to introduce a clause that modifies a thing or an idea, not a person. For example, “the book which I borrowed from the library”. The laymen are not things or ideas, so “which” is wrong. “whose” is also a relative pronoun, but it is used to show possession or belonging. For example, “the man whose car was stolen”. The clause “whose were seated in the auditorium” does not make sense, because it implies that the laymen own something that was seated in the auditorium. This is not what the text means, so “whose” is wrong. “who’s” is a contraction of “who is” or “who has”. For example, “who’s going to the party?” or “who’s done their homework?”. The clause “who’s seated in the auditorium” does not fit with the rest of the sentence, because it changes the tense and the meaning. The text is talking about what happened several years ago, not what is happening now. Also, the text is describing a fact, not asking a question. So, “who’s” is wrong.
2. Which choice provides the most logical introduction to the sentence?
A. NO CHANGE
B. What was said in fact was
C. The president had said that
D. What the president said in effect was that
A. is the best choice because it introduces the sentence with a word that shows contrast. The word “surprisingly” indicates that what the president said was unexpected or shocking, which matches the reaction of the laymen who gasped. This also creates interest for the reader, who wants to know what the president said.
B. is a wrong choice because it introduces the sentence with a phrase that implies that there is some doubt or dispute about what the president said. However, the text does not suggest that anyone questioned or challenged the president’s statement. This phrase also weakens the impact of the president’s words, which were meant to be startling and bold. C. is a wrong choice because it introduces the sentence with a phrase that is too simple and bland. It does not capture the tone or significance of what the president said, which was a thought-provoking and controversial claim. This phrase also repeats the word “had” from the previous sentence, which creates redundancy and awkwardness. D. is a wrong choice because it introduces the sentence with a phrase that suggests that the president did not say exactly what he meant, or that his words had a different meaning than what they seemed. However, the text does not indicate that the president was vague or unclear in his statement. He said what he meant, and he meant what he said. This phrase also adds unnecessary words and complexity to the sentence, which reduces clarity and conciseness.
3. Which word best fits the meaning of the sentence?
A. NO CHANGE
B. innocent
C. unknown
D. guilty
The correct answer is B. innocent. This means that this word is the best choice for the sentence.The word “innocent” means not guilty of a crime or wrongdoing, or not responsible for something bad. In this case, the word “innocent” shows that the engineers did not intend to cause harm or trouble by their work of scientific investigation and development. The word “innocent” also matches with the word “however”, which shows a contrast or a difference between two ideas. The contrast is between the statement that engineers were responsible for the war and the idea that they did not mean to be responsible. A . is not a good choice because it does not fit with the meaning of the sentence. The word “unaffected” means not changed or influenced by something, or not showing any emotion or reaction. In this case, the word “unaffected” does not show that the engineers did not intend to cause harm or trouble by their work. It also does not match with the word “however”, which shows a contrast or a difference between two ideas. There is no contrast between the statement that engineers were responsible for the war and the idea that they were not changed or influenced by it.C . is not a good choice because it does not fit with the meaning of the sentence. The word “unknown” means not known or familiar, or not discovered or identified. In this case, the word “unknown” does not show that the engineers did not intend to cause harm or trouble by their work. It also does not match with the word “however”, which shows a contrast or a difference between two ideas. There is no contrast between the statement that engineers were responsible for the war and the idea that they were not known or familiar.D. is not a good choice because it does not fit with the meaning of the sentence. The word “guilty” means responsible for a crime or wrongdoing, or feeling bad or ashamed about something. In this case, the word “guilty” shows that the engineers did intend to cause harm or trouble by their work, which is the opposite of what the text means. It also does not match with the word “however”, which shows a contrast or a difference between two ideas. There is no contrast between the statement that engineers were responsible for the war and the idea that they were responsible for it.
4. A. NO CHANGE
B. it seems that engineers were responsible for the conflict
C. the statement disregards that the engineers were responsible for the problem
D. only engineers responsible for the conflict
The correct answer is A. NO CHANGE. This means that the phrase “the statement that engineers were responsible for the conflict” is the best choice for the sentence.The phrase “the statement that engineers were responsible for the conflict” shows that the sentence is referring to what the president said in his address. It also shows that the sentence is explaining why this statement was absolute truth, by giving examples of how engineers contributed to the war. The phrase “the statement that” introduces a clause that reports or summarizes someone’s words or opinion.B. is not a good choice because it changes the meaning of the sentence. It implies that the sentence is expressing a personal opinion or a possibility, not a fact or a truth. It also does not show that the sentence is referring to what the president said in his address. The phrase “it seems that” introduces a clause that shows a belief or a impression, not a report or a summary.C. is not a good choice because it changes the meaning of the sentence. It implies that the sentence is criticizing or disagreeing with what the president said in his address, not explaining why it was true. It also does not show that the sentence is talking about the conflict or the war, but about a different problem. The phrase “the statement disregards that” introduces a clause that shows a contradiction or a denial, not a report or a summary.D. is not a good choice because it changes the meaning of the sentence. It implies that the sentence is limiting or excluding other factors or people that contributed to the war, not explaining why engineers were responsible. It also does not show that the sentence is referring to what the president said in his address. The phrase “only engineers responsible for” does not introduce a clause at all, but an incomplete phrase.
5. A. NO CHANGE
B. engineering—which, by the way, is merely the adapting of discoveries in science and art to the uses of mankind—is
C. engineering, which, by the way, is merely the adapting of discoveries
in science and art to the uses of mankind, is
D. engineering, which—by the way, is merely the adapting of discoveries
in science and art to the uses of mankind—is
The correct answer is B. The phrase “engineering—which, by the way, is merely the adapting of discoveries in science and art to the uses of mankind—is” shows that the sentence is defining what engineering is, but also adding some extra information that is not essential or important to the main point. The phrase “which, by the way,” indicates that the information that follows is a side note or a comment that can be ignored or skipped. The dashes (—) are used to separate this information from the rest of the sentence and to show that it is not closely related to the main idea. A. is not a good choice because it does not use punctuation correctly. The phrase “which, by the way, is merely the adapting of discoveries in science and art to the uses of mankind” should be separated from the rest of the sentence by commas (,) or dashes (—), not parentheses (()). Parentheses are used to enclose information that is extra or additional, but also relevant or important to the main point. The information in this phrase is not relevant or important to the main point, so parentheses are not appropriate.C. is not a good choice because it does not use punctuation correctly. The commas (,) are used to separate information that is extra or additional, but also relevant or important to the main point. The information in this phrase is not relevant or important to the main point, so commas are not appropriate. The commas also make the sentence look too long and complicated, and they can confuse the reader about where the sentence ends.D . is not a good choice because it does not use punctuation correctly. The dashes (—) are used to separate information that is extra or additional, but not relevant or important to the main point. However, only one dash should be used before and after the information, not two. Using two dashes makes the sentence look messy and inconsistent, and it can confuse the reader about where the dashes belong.
6. A. NO CHANGE
B. But
C. Since
D. And
A. is the best choice because it uses a word that shows contrast between the previous sentence and this one. The word “much” indicates that the author is expressing a strong feeling of disappointment or regret, which is different from the previous sentence that stated a fact about the power of engineers. This also creates a transition that connects the two sentences and shows the author’s attitude.
B. is a wrong choice because it uses a word that shows contrast, but not in the right way. The word “but” suggests that there is an exception or a contradiction to the previous sentence, which there is not. The author is not saying that engineers are powerful but they are unknown, but rather that engineers are powerful and they are unknown, which is a problem. C. is a wrong choice because it uses a word that shows cause and effect, but not in the right way. The word “since” suggests that there is a reason or an explanation for the previous sentence, which there is not. The author is not saying that engineers are powerful because they are unknown, but rather that engineers are powerful and they are unknown, which is a problem. D. is a wrong choice because it uses a word that shows addition, but not in the right way. The word “and” suggests that there is more information or detail about the previous sentence, which there is not. The author is not saying that engineers are powerful and something else, but rather that engineers are powerful and they are unknown, which is a problem.
7. A. NO CHANGE
B. man’s
C. mens’
D. man
D is the best choice because it uses a singular noun that matches the singular article “the” and the singular verb “runs”. The word “man” refers to one person who runs a locomotive, which is correct and clear. A. is a wrong choice because it uses a singular possessive noun that does not make sense in this context. The word “men” with an apostrophe after the “n” shows that something belongs to one man, but there is nothing that belongs to him in this sentence. This also creates confusion with the word “designs”, which is not possessive. B. is a wrong choice because it uses a singular possessive noun that does not make sense in this context. The word “man” with an apostrophe after the “s” shows that something belongs to one man, but there is nothing that belongs to him in this sentence. This also creates confusion with the word “designs”, which is not possessive. C. is a wrong choice because it uses a plural possessive noun that does not match the singular article “the” and the singular verb “runs”. The word “men” with an apostrophe after the “s” shows that something belongs to more than one man, but there is only one person who runs a locomotive in this sentence. This also creates confusion with the word “designs”, which is not possessive.
8. What should be done with the underlined phrase?
A. Keep it, because it emphasizes the previous information.
B. Keep it, because it provides a break from the formal structure of the
passage.
C. Delete it, because it does not add to the sentence.
D. Delete it, because it is irrelevant.
A is the best choice because it keeps the phrase that shows how big the difference is between the two types of engineers. The phrase “a difference as between day and night” is a common expression that means a very large or obvious difference. This helps the author make his point that laymen do not understand what engineers do and how they are different from each other. B. is a wrong choice because it keeps the phrase for the wrong reason. The phrase does not provide a break from the formal structure of the passage, but rather supports it. The phrase is not informal or casual, but rather a figurative way of expressing a comparison. The author uses formal language and structure throughout the passage, so there is no need for a break. C. is a wrong choice because it deletes the phrase that does add to the sentence. The phrase does not repeat or contradict the previous information, but rather expands on it. The phrase gives an example of how different the two types of engineers are, which makes the sentence more clear and convincing. D. is a wrong choice because it deletes the phrase that is relevant to the sentence. The phrase is not unrelated or off-topic, but rather connected to the main idea of the sentence. The phrase shows how ignorant laymen are about engineering, which is what the author wants to demonstrate in this paragraph.
9. A. NO CHANGE
B. thems
C. her
D. it
D is the best choice because it uses a singular pronoun that matches the singular noun “war” that it refers to. The word “it” replaces the word “war” to avoid repetition and confusion. The author is talking about one war, the World War, so he needs to use a singular pronoun.A. is a wrong choice because it uses a plural pronoun that does not match the singular noun “war” that it refers to. The word “them” replaces the word “war” but it implies that there are more than one war, which is not true. The author is talking about one war, the World War, so he needs to use a singular pronoun.B. is a wrong choice because it uses a word that is not a real word or a pronoun. The word “thems” does not exist in English or have any meaning. It also does not match the singular noun “war” that it is supposed to refer to. The author needs to use a real word and a singular pronoun. C. is a wrong choice because it uses a singular pronoun that does not match the gender of the noun “war” that it refers to. The word “her” replaces the word “war” but it suggests that the war is female, which is not true. The war does not have a gender, so the author needs to use a neutral pronoun.
10.A. NO CHANGE
B. diplomats, lawyers and divinities not excepted.
C. diplomats, lawyers, and divinities not excepted.
D. diplomat, lawyer, and divinities not excepted.
C is the best choice because it uses a comma after each item in a list of three or more items. This is a rule of punctuation that helps the reader separate and identify each item clearly. The comma after “lawyers” is called the Oxford comma or the serial comma, A. is a wrong choice because it does not use a comma after each item in a list of three or more items. This breaks the rule of punctuation that helps the reader separate and identify each item clearly. The lack of comma after “lawyers” creates ambiguity and confusion, as it could imply that lawyers and divinities are one group or category. B. is a wrong choice because it does not use a comma after each item in a list of three or more items. This breaks the rule of punctuation that helps the reader separate and identify each item clearly. The lack of comma after “lawyers” creates ambiguity and confusion, as it could imply that lawyers and divinities are one group or category. D. is a wrong choice because it does not use plural nouns to match the plural verb “are” that follows them. The words “diplomat” and “lawyer” are singular nouns that refer to one person each, but the author is talking about more than one person in each profession. The author needs to use plural nouns to agree with the verb and the meaning of the sentence.
11. To make the last two paragraphs logical, sentence [4] should be placed
A. where it is now.
B. before sentence 1.
C. before sentence 2.
D. after sentence 2
C is the best choice because it places sentence 4 in a logical position that connects the two paragraphs and supports the main idea of the passage. Sentence 4 states that engineering is a force with great possibilities, which is the main idea that the author wants to convey. By placing it before sentence 2, the author can use it as a transition that links the previous paragraph, which talks about how engineers stopped the war, and the next paragraph, which talks about how engineers use their genius for good. This also creates a clear structure that follows the order of introduction, body, and conclusion. A. is a wrong choice because it places sentence 4 in an illogical position that disrupts the flow and coherence of the passage. Sentence 4 states that engineering is a force with great possibilities, which is the main idea that the author wants to convey. By placing it at the end of the passage, the author makes it seem like an afterthought or a new idea that is not developed or explained. This also creates a weak structure that does not follow the order of introduction, body, and conclusion. B. is a wrong choice because it places sentence 4 in an illogical position that confuses the reader and contradicts the evidence of the passage. Sentence 4 states that engineering is a force with great possibilities, which is the main idea that the author wants to convey. By placing it before sentence 1, the author makes it seem like a general statement that is not supported by any facts or examples. This also creates a misleading structure that does not match the tone or purpose of the passage, which is to persuade and inform. D. is a wrong choice because it places sentence 4 in an illogical position that weakens the argument and relevance of the passage. Sentence 4 states that engineering is a force with great possibilities, which is the main idea that the author wants to convey. By placing it after sentence 2, the author makes it seem like a minor point that is not related to the rest of the paragraph or the passage. This also creates a disjointed structure that does not show how each paragraph supports and builds on each other.
Check out our EST October 2020 Writing Resources:
EST October 2020 Passage 1 Explanation HERE
EST October 2020 Passage 2 Explanation HERE
EST October 2020 Passage 3 Explanation Click HERE
EST October Literacy I Mock Test and Report Click HERE
EST Writing and Grammar Skills Click HERE
EST Writing Drills Click HERE
June 2022 Resources:
Writing, Literacy I:
Take the Full Mock Test for June 2022 + Report HERE
Passage 1 Explanation HERE
Passage 2 Explanation HERE
Passage 3 Explanation HERE
Passage 4 Explanation HERE
Reading, Literacy II:
Passage 1 Explanation HERE
Passage 2 Explanation HERE
Passage 3 Explanation HERE
Passage 4 Explanation HERE
Passage 5 Explanation HERE
More Resources to Boost your Skills:
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- Practice EST Reading Skills HERE
- Practice Real EST Reading Passages with Explanations HERE
- Improve your EST Reading Skills with Passages from Level 1 HERE