Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to indicate the correct answer to each of the questions. Gender inequality starts early and keeps women at a disadvantage throughout their lives. In some countries, infant girls are less likely to survive than infant boys because their parents favour the boys and neglect the girls - even though biologically, infant girls should survive in greater numbers. Girls are more likely to drop out of school and to receive less education than boys because of discrimination, education expenses, and household duties. In 1995, governments around the world signed the Beijing Platform For Action, promising to take specific action to prevent discrimination against women. Yet today, more than 40 countries have laws which discriminate against women and treat them as second-class citizens. In many countries, women are subjected to violence, which the government does nothing to stop because their laws approve practices like 'honour' killings, (where a woman is killed by a family member if she does something which is thought to bring shame on the family), marital rape and wife beating. In several countries laws make it more difficult for a woman to be independent because they restrict women's property, employment and citizenship rights. Out of 1.3 billion people in the world living in absolute poverty, over 70 per cent are women. At the present rate of progress, it will take 450 years before women reach equality with men as senior managers. Women hold less than 5 per cent of the top positions in international organisations like the United Nations and the European Union. Of the 150 million children in the world aged 6-11 who do not attend school, over 90 million are girls. Of 876 million illiterate people over 15 years in the world, two-thirds are women. Worldwide, women's wages are 30-40 per cent lower than those of men doing comparable work. Average hourly earnings for women working full-time are 18% lower than for men working full-time in the UK, and for women working part-time, hourly earnings are 40% lower. In 2005 there were 42,832 MPs in the world. 15.7 per cent are women. Only around 6 per cent of government ministers worldwide are women. 500,000 women die each year from causes related to pregnancy and childbirth. In the 15-40 age range, 75 per cent more women die than men. Some 201 million women, most of them in developing countries, still have no access to contraceptive services. Unplanned births, and 1.4 million infant deaths. From: Amnesty International Women's Rights Workbook. (adapted) 1. It is stated in the passage that women ________ . A. are treated as the first class citizens B. are favoured over men C. are well- protected by laws D. are the target of violence 2. According to the passage, boys ________ . A. should survive in greater numbers biologically B. are likely to survive than girls C. are more likely to drop out of school D. receive less education than girls. 3. What is NOT mentioned as a fact about women according to the passage? A. over 70 per cent women are living in poverty B. 500,000 women die each year from causes related to pregnancy and childbirth. C. At the present rate of progress, it will take 450 years before women reach equality with men as senior managers. D. Women's wages are 30-40 per cent higher than those of men doing comparable work. 4. The word favour in the passage is closest in meaning to ________ . A. prefer B. discriminate C. support D. take care of 5. Which is the best title for the passage? A. What Womens Conversational Topics Are. B. Global Gender Inequality and its consequences. C. Global Gender Equality and its effects. D. Facts about Women Around The World