KÌ THI TUYỂN SINH LỚP 10 THPT CHUYÊN  

NĂM HỌC 2019-2020 

MÔN: TIẾNG ANH (CHUYÊN) 
ĐỀ CHÍNH THỨC 
Ngày thi: 4/6/2019 
Thời gian làm bài 120 phút 
 
PART I. LISTENING (2.0 pt) 
You will hear each section TWICE 
 
 
 
Section I (1.0 pt) 
You will listen to a lecturer talking to a group of engineering students. 
Write ONE WORD ONLY for each answer 

Engineering for sustainable development 
The Greenhouse Project (Himalayan mountain region) 
 
Problem 
- Short growing season because of high altitude and low (1)………………… 
- Fresh vegetables imported by lorry or by (2) …………………, so are expensive 
- Need to use sunlight to prevent local plants from (3) ………………… 
- Previous programmes to provide greenhouses were (4) ………………… 
 
New greenhouse 
Meet criteria for sustainability 
- Simple and (5) ………………… to build 
- Made mainly from local meterials (mud or stone for the walls, wood and (6)
………………… for the roof) 
- Building and maintainence done by local craftsmen 
- Runs solely on (7) ………………… energy 
- Only families who have a suitable (8) ………………… can own one 
 
Design 
- Long side faces south 
- Strong polythene cover 
- Inner (9) ………………… are painted black or white 
 
Social benefits 
- Owners’ status is improved 
- Rural (10) ………………… have greater opportunities 
- More children are educated 

Section II (1.0 pt)
You will hear five short extracts in which people are talking about memorableeve
nts. While you listen, you must complete BOTH tasks.
Task One Task Two
For questions 1-5, choose from  For questions 6-10, choose from
the list (A-H) what the the list (A-H) why the speaker found the
event was  event memorable 
A. a sporting event  1. ….   A. It changed their opinion of someone  6. ….  
B.a special birthday  Speaker 1  B. It was very beautiful  Speaker 1 
C. a train journey  2. ….  C. Their companion react unexpectedly  7. …. 
D. a theatre visit  Speaker 2  D. It had an impact on their career  Speaker 2 
E. a musical event  3. ….  E. It helped them make a decision  8. …. 
F. the anniversary of Speaker 3  F. They found something there  Speaker 3 
a historic event  4. ….  G. They bought somethig special there  9. …. 
G. Speaker 4  H. They met someone special there  Speaker 4 
a political speech  5. ….  10. …. 
H. the opening of a Speaker 5  Speaker 5 
public building 
 
PART II. PHONETICS (0.5 pt) 
I. Circle the letter A, B, C or D to indicate the word whose underlined part differs
from the other three in pronunciation in each of the following questions (0.3 pt) 
1. A. digest            B. manage              C.category             D. legend 
2. A. exist              B. exhaustion         C. explorer            D. exhibit 
3. A. transfer         B. career                 C. variety                D. afraid 
 
II. Circle the letter A, B, C or D to indicate the word whose underlined part
differs from the other three in position of primary stress in each of the following
questions (0.2 pt) 
1.A. certificate      B. apartment         C. individual          D. biology 
2. A. admirable      B. advantageous   C. conscientious     D. analytic 
 
PART III. VOCABULARY AND GRAMMAR (2.5 PT)  
I. Circle the best answer (1.0 pt) 
1. One of … days, I’m going to give him a piece of my mind 
A. our                  B. those                   C. these                 D. the 
2. Many more students tend to ……… in vocational schools than in senior
secondary schools. 
A. endow             B. ensure                 C. enlist                  D. enrol 
3. I have helped my wife with the cleaning, though ……… not for some time. 
A. in contrast       B. especially            C. alternatively       D. admittedly 
4. ……… to the unaided eyes, ultraviolet light can be detected in a number of
ways. 
A. Although is invisible                        B. Even though it invisible 
C. Despite invisible                             D. Although invisible 
5. They are like 2 peas in a pod. It’s amazing how their parents can …… them
apart. 
A. tell                   B. mean                   C. distinguish         D. see 
6. The incoming administration …… to clean up corruption in the city. 
A. pledged         B. contemplated        C. suggested        D. resumed 
7. Those ……… boys often play tricks on their friends. 
A. mischievous  B. obedient                C. honest              D. well-behaved 
8. The students had to …… before they became successful physicists. 
A. make a bundle                                B. work flexitime 
C. burn the midnight oil                       D. burn the candles 
9. In the future, teachers will be …… rather than knowledge providers. 
A. facilitators     B. attendants             C. candidates        D. workers 
10. He spoke a …… of French that we found hard to understand. 
A. slang             B. jargon                   C. dialect                D. language 
 
II. Think of 1 word which can be used appropriately in 3 sentences (0.3 pt) 
1.…… 
- The pensioner owned a small vegetable …… where he spent most of his days
looking after his carrots and tomatoes. 
- As the …… unfolds, the film gathers pace and the actors can show their full
potential. 
- You can …… all these numbers on 1 diagram for comparison. 
2. …… 
- There’s nothing better than an early morning swim to …… your spirits and set
you up for the day. 
- Pressure from local shop keepers has led the council to …… the ban on parking
in the High Street. 
- Sam was told not to …… the lid of the saucepan while the meat was cooking. 
3. …… 
- Her car skidded on a slippery road and was about to …… into a roadside tree
when she managed to regain control. 
- Nobody denies that he had a checkered …… in business, but now he’s shining as
1 of the stars in our department. 
- Being at a crossroads after leaving college, he sought some professional advice
from a …… counsellor. 
 
III. Form the collocations using the verbs and prepositions from the
boxes. Complete each sentence using a collocation in the appropriate form. Each
verb and each preposition must be used ONCE only. (0.7 pt) 

  go bring live abide set split get in back to up for off by over

1. I’d been looking forward to the course, but it ………………... my expectations. 

2. Last year, the bad weather ………………... the building programme by several
weeks. 
3. Local residents were angry at ………………...on the housing proposal they
were concerned about. 
4. We have to ………………... the decision of the committee; we have no choice. 
5. Lots of fruit and vegetables will help you ………………... your cold. 
6. A branch ………………... from the tree trunk by the previous storm. 
7. They have a high level of unemployment – but the same ………………... many
other countries. 
 
IV. Give the correct form of the words to complete the passage (0.5 pt) 
It seems our personality is affected by many things, including the position we sleep
in! This is because our sleeping position partly determines how we feel when we
wake up. To (1.clear) ……………………., people who sleep on their backs with
their arms stretched out typically awake feeling (2.vital) ……………………. and
eager for the day ahead. Conversely, those who sleep face down with arms
outstretched awake feeling fatigued, as this position seems to generate a sense of
losing control. Apparently, those who sleep lying straight tend to show signs of
stubbornness, although whether this is simply because they feel stiff in the morning
is (3.debate) ……………………. . Most of people appear to sleep on their side
with their knees drawn up, often described as “the foetal position”. Actually, this
is unsuprising because although the positon is often said to denote stress, people
who sleep like this aware feeling (4.fresh) ……………………., having somehow
 worked through their problems. It’s unclear what it means if you are
a (5.rest) ……………………. sleeper and change your position frequently! 
 
PART IV. READING (3.0 PT) 
 
I. Circle the best option A, B, C or D that best fits each of the blanks

I suppose it’s human (1)…. to try to judge someone by their appearance. The
downside is that it’s then hard to alter our original judgement which was based on
that first impression they (2) …. on us. At any initial encounter, we take note of the
person’s clothes, how they talk and what their body (3)…. indicates.

But can this information be trusted? Does it actually reveal the truthh? A talkative
person may appear friendly and warm (4) …. they actually self-centered while an
introvert may (5) …. as arrogant when they are the sweetest person in the world
once you see beneath their quiet exterior. Why do we assume we understand
someone simply on what we suppose is absolute (6) …. derived from a short
acquaintance or that their appearance accurately reflects their personality? If we (7)
…. on our initial judgements too heavily or are too ready to (8) …. to conclusions,
we may be making a big mistake

1 A. nature B. feeling C. disposition D. temperament

2 A. got B. disposition C. gave D. made
3 A. manner B. movements C. language D. signs
4 A. alternatively B. in spite of C. even if D. as well as
5 A. come through B. come down C. come out D. come across
6 A. data B. proof C. demonstration D. justification
7 A. lean B. trust C. hang D. ride
8 A.arrive B. spring C. reach D. jump

II. Fill each of the following numbered blanks with ONE suitable word (0.7 pt) 
   You got your blue eyes from your mother and your ears from your father.
But where did you get your adventurous personality or your talent (1) … singing?
Did you learn these from your parents or was it predetermined by your genes?
While it's clear that physical characteristics are hereditary, things are a little (2) …
clear when it (3) … to an individual's behavior, intelligence, and personality.
Ultimately, the old argument of nature versus nurture has never really been
won. We do not yet know exactly how much of (4) … we are is determined by our
DNA and how much by our life experience. But we do know that both (5) … a
part. 
   Some scientists think that people behave (6) … they do according to genetic
predispositions or even "animal instincts”. This is known as the "nature" theory of
human behavior. Other scientists believe people think and act in certain ways
because they are taught to do so. This is the "nurture" theory. 
   Our growing understanding of the human genome has recently made it clear that
both sides are partly right. Nature endows us (7) … inborn abilities and traits;
nurture takes these genetic tendencies and molds them as we learn and mature.  
 
III. Read the passage and choose the best answer to each of the questions (0.9
pt) 
   A smart irrigation sensor that gives plants only as much to drink as they need can
increase tomato yields by more than 40 per cent. The sensor has been developed by
Yehoshua Sharon and Ben-ami Bravdo at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem’s
faculty of agriculture in Rehovot, Israel. The researchers say that their system not
only increases the yield of crops, but it also dramatically reduces water usage — by
up to 60 per cent for some crops.  
   At the heart of the system is an electronic sensor that dips onto a plant leaf and
measures its thickness to an accuracy of 1 micrometre. ‘A leaf’s thickness is
dependent on the amount of water in a plant,’ says Sharon. ‘A healthy leaf is 60 per
cent water.’ A thin leaf is a sure sign that the plant is suffering stress because it is
thirsty, and stress is bad for yields. 
   The sensor consists of two plates, one fixed and the other spring-loaded, which
together grip the leaf. The moving plate is connected to a small computer that
regulates the voltage in an electrical circuit. As the leaf’s thickness changes, the
plate moves, causing a change in the voltage. This signal is fed to a processor that
adjusts the plant’s water supply.  
   Unlike conventional irrigation systems, which water crops periodically, the
Israeli system waters the plants continuously, but adjusts the flow to the plant’s
needs. ‘The idea is to give the plant the proper amount of water at the correct
time, according to what the plant requires,’ says Sharon.  
   Field studies show the system increases the yields of several crops while
reducing consumption of water. Yields of grapefruit increased by 15 per cent while
needing 40 per cent less water. For peppers, the yield rose by 5 per cent while
water usage fell by 60 per cent. Tomato plants yielded 40 per cent more fruit while
consuming 35 per cent less water. 
   ‘It is an interesting idea,’ says John Sadler, a soil scientist at the US
government’s Agricultural Research Service in Florence, South Carolina. ‘Other
researchers have measured stress by measuring a plant’s temperature or stem
thickness. But I haven’t heard of anyone doing irrigation at such a refined level,’
he says. But Sadler is a little surprised by the figures for water savings. ‘They
would depend on the technique you’re comparing these results with,’ he says.
Sharon says the savings are based on comparisons with the Israeli government’s
recommendations for irrigating crops. 
   He admits that the system has to be very reliable if it is to be effective. ‘Because
the plants are watered continuously they are more susceptible to sudden changes in
water supply,’ he says. ‘This means our system has to operate very reliably.’ 
   The researchers have founded a company called Leafsen to sell the new irrigation
system, and they hope to start marketing it within the next few months. 

1. Which of the following is true, according to the passage? 

A. The irrigation sensor can reduce the need for water in some plants.  
B. A leaf’s thickness is dependent on the amount of water in a plant. 
C. The conventional irrigation systems water the plant continuously.   
D. Leafsen is the company that sells the new irrigation system. 
2. According to the passage, the sensor is operated by ____. 
A. a computer B. a plate             C. a spring            D. a voltage 
3. The phrase “the heart” in the second paragraph means ____. 
A. the most complex                B. the smallest part  
C. the most important part       D.the most accurate part 
4. The word “fixed” is similar in meaning to ……… 
A. having a leaf       B. stuck by glue    C. not empty   D. not moving 
5. Which of the following in NOT mentioned in the passage? 
A. The new system helps reduce the water amount plants require.  
B. The new system is welcome by US scientists. 
C. The new system needs more time to become usable.  
D. In order for the system to be effective, it has to be very reliable. 
6. The phrase ‘at the correct time’ in paragraph 4 mostly means ____. 
A. at the time being                       B. when the plants require 
C. when the time is accurate D. when the yields are increased 
7.When a plant is thirsty, ____. 
A. its yield is raised                       B. it is suffering stress 
C. it has healthy leaves            D. it can reduce its water usage 
8. Which of the following is NOT mentioned as benefited from the new system? 
A. tomatoes           B. peppers              C. grapefruits             D. eggplants 
9. How is John Sadler’s attitude to the new system? 
A. Critical           B. Doubtful             C. Ironical             D. Appreciative 
 
IV. Read the article and choose your answers from the sections A-D. You may
choose any of the sections more than once (0.6 pt) 

In which section does the writer: 

praise the quality of some more serious films?                                     
1. ……
mention a film character who learns from his experiences?                
2. …… 
explain how a director uses a film as a vehicle for his own opinion?   
3. …… 
mention a special technique used to create a feel-good reaction?       
4. ……
insist that lighter films can also be clever?                                           
5. …… 
refer to films where ordinary people triumph over authority?
6.……    
 
Films that make you feel good 
 
A 
Feel-good films stretch back right into the early days of cinema. The Brits were
pioneers of the form. Producer Cecil Hepworth’s Rescued By Rover (1905), a
winsome yarn about a dog retrieving a kidnapped baby, was an early example of
feel-good film-making. What distinguished it was the tempo. The film-makers used
cross-cutting to crank up the tension, which is only finally released when the baby
is found. The film “marks a key stage in the medium’s development from an
amusing novelty to the ‘seventh art,’ able to hold its own alongside literature,
theatre, painting, music and other more traditional forms,” claims the British Film
Institute’s Screen online website. Film historians today continue to study
Hepworth’s storytelling abilities but that wasn’t what interested the 1905 audiences
who flocked to see it. They went because it was a feel-good film. 
 
В 
There has long been a tendency to sneer at feel-good films. Serious, self-conscious
auteurs are often too busy trying to express their innermost feelings about art and
politics to worry about keeping audiences happy. However, as Preston Sturges
famously showed in his comedy Sullivan’s Travels(1941), if you’re stuck on a
prison chain gang, you don’t necessarily want to watch Battleship Potemkin.
Sullivan’s Travels is about John L Sullivan, a glib and successful young
Hollywood director of comedies, who yearns to be taken seriously. Sullivan
dresses up as a hobo and sets off across America to learn more about the plight of
the common man. He ends up sentenced to six years in prison. One of the
prisoners’ few escapes from drudgery is watching cartoons. As he sits among his
fellow cons and sees their faces convulsed with laughter at a piece of what he
regards as throwaway Disney animation, he rapidly revises his own priorities.
“After I saw a couple of pictures put out by my fellow comedy directors, which
seemed to have abandoned the fun in favour of the message, I wrote Sullivan’s
Travels to satisfy an urge to tell them to leave the preaching to the preachers,”
Sturges recalled. 
 
C 
A few years ago there were a lot of ‘deep-dish’ movies. We had films about guilt,
(Atonement) about the all-American dream coming apart at the seams
(Revolutionary Road) and even a very long account of a very long life
backwards(the deeply morbid The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button). Deep-dish,
feel-bad films have plenty to recommend them. If you’re not teenager and you
don’t just want to see the next summer tent-pole blockbuster, you’ll welcome
movies that pay attention to characterisation and dialogue and don’t just rely on
CGI or the posturing of comic book heroes. However, as film-makers from Preston
Sturges to Danny Boyle have discovered, there is no reason that a feel-good movie
needs to be dumb. You can touch on social deprivation and political injustice: the
trick is to do so lithely and, if possible, with a little leavening humour. 
 
D 
Historically, the best feel-good movies have often been made at the darkest times.
The war years and their immediate aftermath saw the British turning out some
invigorating, entertaining fare alongside all the propaganda. The Age of Austerity
was also the age of the classic Ealing comedies, perfect examples of feel-good
film-making. In the best of these films like Passport To Pimlico or Whisky Galore,
a community of eccentric and mildly anarchic characters would invariably come
together to thwart the big, bad, interfering bureaucrats. Stories about hiding away a
hoard of whisky or setting up a nation state in central London were lapped up by
the audiences. To really work, feel-good movies must have energy and spontaneity
– a reckless quality that no amount of script tinkering from studio development
executives can guarantee. The best take you by surprise. What makes the perfect
feel-good movie? That remains as hard to quantify as ever – you only know one
when you see one. 
 
PART V. WRITING (2.0 PT) 

I. Rewrite each of the following sentences beginning with the word(s) given in
such a way that it means the same as the original one.
1. Although she seems to be very courteous, she can also be very impolite.
→ Courteous

2. When we came back home, we realized our house had been broken into.
→ On
3. It is known that Ha Long Bay was recognised as a World Heritage Site by
UNESCO in 1994.
→ Ha Long Bay
4. The class watched a film yesterday. The film was about the Apollo 13 space
mission.
→ The film
5. It was the goalkeeper that saved the match for us.
→ Had

II. Rewrite each of the following sentences using the word given so that it has
the same meaning as the original one.
1. I remained neutral during their disagreement because I like both of them.
(sides)
→
2. A great many people will congratulate her if she wins.
(showered)
→
3. I don’t think she was informed about the burglary.
(can’t)
→
4. Barney was not the only person who felt disappointed with the food in the
restaurant.
(alone)
→
5. One of the directors pointed out to the board a number of inconsistencies in the
report.
(attention)
→
 
III. Write an essay on the following topic (1.0 pt) 

Global warming is one of the most serious issues that the world is facing today.
What are the causes of global warming and what measures can governments and
individuals take to tackle the issue? 
Use specific reasons and examples to support your view in about 200 – 250 words.