KỲ THI GIAO LƯU HỌC SINH GIỎI CÁC TRƯỜNG

THPT CHUYÊN NĂM HỌC 2021-2022

ĐỀ THI MÔN: TIẾNG ANH

LỚP 11
Thời gian: 180 phút (Không kể thời gian giao đề)
Ngày thi: 29/4/2022
(Đề thi gồm 22
( Thí sinh làm bài trực tiếp vào đề)
trang)

Điểm Giám
Giám khảo1 Số phách
Bằng số Bằng chữ khảo 2

HƯỚNG DẪN PHẦN THI NGHE HIỂU

● Bài nghe gồm 4 phần, mỗi phần được nghe 2 lần, mỗi lần cách nhau 30
giây, mở đầu và kết thúc mỗi phần nghe có tín hiệu.
● Mở đầu và kết thúc bài nghe có tín hiệu nhạc. Thí sinh có 3 phút để hoàn
chỉnh bài trước tín hiệu nhạc kết thúc bài nghe.
● Mọi hướng dẫn cho thí sinh (bằng tiếng Anh) đã có trong bài nghe.
A. LISTENING (50 pts)
Part 1: You will hear a radio interview,and decide whether the following sentences
are true (T), false (F) or not given (NG). (1.0 pts)
1. Nadine enjoyed trying some beer at their first stop at a diner.
2. Nadine’s experience at the motel was an authentic one, given the structure’s
historic past.
3. Nadine thinks listeners will be attracted by a stretch of road, most commonly
known as the Sidewalk Highway.
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4. Nadine was particularly impressed by a painter they met at a desert.
5. On arrival at the final destination, Nadine felt a sense of relief for managing to
overcome the adversity of one-month journey.
Your answers:
1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

Part 2: You will hear a short talk about the US’s most promising AI companies.
Write NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS AND/OR A NUMBER taken from the
recording. (1.0 pts)
1. Which factor of AI is the drive behind profound changes in multiple industries?

…………………………………………………………………………..

2. What technique is implemented by Sequoia to single out the top 100 best AI
manufacturers?

…………………………………………………………………………..

3. What is the prediction of optimum or correctness level mentioned to illustrate?

…………………………………………………………………………..

4. On which branch does the autonomous vehicle company Neuro zero in this year?

…………………………………………………………………………..

5. Which part in most interviewed companies’ HR can benefit from the development
scheme?

…………………………………………………………………………..

Your answers:
1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

Part 3: You will hear an interview with two experts on technology and learning.
For questions 1-5, choose the answer (A, B, C or D) which fits best according to
what you hear. (1.0 pts)
1. What does Michael say about online learning?
A It appeals to a greater variety of learning styles.
B It enables learning to suit the needs of the individual.
C It may one day replace the traditional school system.
D It allows us to choose the subjects we study.
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2. TED serves as an example of a site
A whose speakers provide amusing, factual talks.
B whose original focus has changed over time.
C which offers extended lectures in various subjects.
D which presents the same speakers every year.

3. Both Michael and Helen agree that schools

A are too rigid in the choice of subjects taught.
B are not tolerant of independent thinkers.
C educate children for the present, not the future.
D underestimate the importance of failure in learning.

4. What conclusions about gaming do Michael and Helen reach?

A It provides relief from difficult everyday issues.
B It can be a huge source of knowledge.
C It generates cooperation between participants.
D Its competitive aspect can become addictive.

5. When discussing the potential of gaming, Helen reveals that she is

A excited about the endless possibilities.
B surprised at the abilities it develops in gamers.
C doubtful about our ability to see the bigger picture.
D concerned about the time gamers spend online
Your answers:
1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
Part 4: Listen to a piece of news about how to narrow down the gender pay gap.
WRITE NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS OR A NUMBER in the
corresponding numbered boxes. (2.0 pts)
The Hidden Fix ?
A solution to the gender pay gap that we’re still not talking about..
Many (1)____________ have already been made to ensure that the females receive
equal pay for equal work with their male counterparts. However, less remuneration
and promotion prospects can still be found among the former gender. The reason is
their role as the (2)____________, which forces them to sacrifice their working hours
to family obligations, including after-school childcare and (3)____________. That
parents are in a predicament finding childcare around school hours (4)____________
about assimilating work and school schedules. A discrepancy in those two schedules
leads to a million fewer women with (5)____________ children working, it is a real
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public issue. According to a CAP 2016 Report in the U.S, a staggering sum of $55
billion of work output was lost to (6)____________. All too often, we tend to focus
on these problems (7)____________. Furthermore, many people positively regard
aligning school and work schedules as (8)____________ that is beneficial to both
students and teachers. This can also (9)____________ with the genuine demand of
families, according to Chris Gabrieli- Chairman of the Massachusetts Board of
Higher Education. Changing the school calendar, nevertheless, is not the
hard-and-fast solution to gender pay gap; if fact, a (10)____________ addressing
various other issues is needed.

Your answers:
1. 6.
2. 7.
3. 8.
4. 9.
5. 10.
B. LEXICO AND GRAMMAR (3.0 pts)
Part 1: Choose the word/ phrase that best completes each of the following
sentences. Write your answer in the corresponding numbered boxes. (2.0 pts)

1. Jason has ___________ a fantastic job with one of our top newspapers.

A. earned B. launched C. won D. landed

2. The noise from the unruly fans celebrating their team’s victory didn’t _____ until
early in the morning.

A. shut off B. give away C. let up D. fall over

3. The studio ___________ to release the film in August but they postponed it
because of the political situation.

A. was about to plan B. used to plan C. had planned D. would plan

4. The accountant _____________ the company fund and ran away to another
country.

A. swallowed B. confiscated C. embezzled D. annulled

5. We will have to economize ___________ heating or we’ll won’t be able to pay the
bill.

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A. about B. in C. on D. over

6. Jack has been unable to find a job _______ with his ability as an accountant.

A. commensurate B. suitable C. requisite D. appropriate

7. Materialism traps us ______ in a world of possessions hag-ridden by irrational

fears of likely loss and lurking dangers.

A. impromptu ​        B. off the cuff ​          C. on a whim ​         D. unawares

8. All of the organization's directors were present for the last meeting of the ____.
A. board B. faction C. cabinet D. lobby

9. Copy someone's work, online or otherwise, and your ____ can and should be
exposed!
A. methodology B. plagiarism C. hypothesis D. discipline

10. I play golf ______, which makes about 25 or 26 times a year. It's hardly
excessive.

A. every other Sunday B. every other Sundays

C. every two Sundays D. each two Sundays

11. We are not known _____ at all, and as we grow, we feel a progressive lack of
individual personality.
A.gruellingly B.severally C.expensively D.brusquely

12. He has fled to the mountains of Galicia,______ he cannot possibly escape on

horseback over the border.
A.meanwhile B.heterofore C.whence D.indefinitely
13.While her mother sat at the window, striving to read, the child, who was in one of
her moods of _________gaiety, began playing a grand game.
A. obstreperous B.tentative C.creative D.precarious
14. The authority should not have made those cutting comments, no matter how
you____ it.
A.cut B.slice C.chop D.clip
15.’Have you tried to read the guarantee?’-‘There’s so much legal ___ that it’s
impossible to understand’.

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A.mumbo jumbo B.bongo bongo C.abracadabra D.okey-dokey
16.Documentation is required before the drug can get the seal of ____ from world
health authorities.
A.approval B.assent C.consent D.permission
17. Many Americans refused to fall in with the idea that religion is a(n)____
disputable anachronism.
A.academically B.cerebrally C.cognitively D.intellectually
18. Many people have written to the newspaper to show their____ of such behaviour.
A.antipathy B.abhorrence C.aversion D.animosity
19. The regular appearance of sex and violence on television undoubtedly has a ____
influence on teenagers.
A.precipitous B.parsimonious C.pernicious D.propitious
20. It’s disquieting that there has been an increased____of cancer near the nuclear
power station.
A.occurence B.accidence C.persistence D.incidence

Your answers:
1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
6. 7. 8. 9. 10.
11. 12. 13. 14. 15.
16. 17. 18. 19. 20.

Part 2: Write the correct form of each bracketed word in corresponding numbered
boxes. (1.0 pts)
The trend is the same across the living world: we’re witnessing a sixth mass
extinction. Given that current 1. _____________(CONSERVE) efforts aren’t working
fast enough, many feel it is time for some 2._____________(BOX) thinking. It
doesn’t come much further out than giving other species their own money, but that
proposal is now on the table. The first to benefit might be our intelligent, red-haired
cousins. “3._____________(SPECIES) money” is the 4. _____________(CHILD) of
British futurist Jonathan Ledgard, who has built a reputation for throwing out
imaginative, 5. _____________(FIELD) solutions to the planet’s existential threats.
He started with a few key observations. First, 6. _____________(DIVERSE) tends to
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be high where people are poor. Second, technological advances such as drones,
smartphones, 7._____________(GENE) and data storage have made it easier and
cheaper to track 8. _____________(LIFE). And third, new software tools including
9._____________(CURRENCY), blockchain and artificial intelligence make it
possible to create digital avatars with agency – including spending power – in the real
world. If we can do that for humans, he thought, why can’t we do it for
10._____________(HUMAN), allowing them to trade with us for the things that
matter to each?

Your answers:
1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
6. 7. 8. 9. 10.

C. READING (6.0pts)
Part 1: Read the text below and think of one word which best fits each space. Use
only ONE WORD for each space. Write your answers in the corresponding
numbered boxes. (1.0 pts)
Commuting – that is, to 1._______________ travelling from one region to another to
work before travelling back to where you live on a regular basis – has been possible
since the advent of the railway. However, in recent times it has become the
2._______________ as opposed to the exception, as people increasingly move out of
the cities and into more suburban settings. Let’s 3._______________ London as an
example. Most people who work in what is considered to be the central part of the
city must commute due to the excessive cost of living in 4._______________ a place.
A journey of at least one hour on public transport is by no 5._______________
uncommon, as the use of private cars has been reduced greatly by anti-pollution and
congestion legislation. On the more extreme 6._______________ of things are
stories of business people traveling up to three hours 7._______________ way every
day rather than living in the capital city. You might expect that these journeys would
be made by train, but recently the lower cost of air travel has made it widely possible
for people with relatively normal incomes to travel from the 8._______________ of
Barcelona to London or Zurich, for example, thus taking 9._______________ of the
higher standard of living and better weather of their home city 10._______________
earning a higher salary obtainable in one of those financial hubs.
Your answers:
1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
6. 7. 8. 9. 10.

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Part 2: Read the following passage and choose the best answer (A, B, C or D)
according to the text. Write your answers (A, B, C or D) in the corresponding
numbered boxes (1.0pts).
1) There has, in recent years, been an outpouring of information about the impact of
buildings on the natural environment; Information which explains and promotes
green and sustainable construction design, strives to convince others of its efficacy
and warns of the dangers of ignoring the issue. Seldom do these documents offer any
advice to practitioners, such as those designing mechanical and electrical systems for
a building, on how to utilise this knowledge on a practical level. 
2) While the terms green and sustainable are often considered synonymous, in that
they both symbolise nature, green does not encompass all that is meant by
sustainability, which can be defined as minimizing the negative impacts of human
activities on the natural environment, in particular those which have long-term and
irreversible effects. Some elements of green design may be sustainable too, for
example those which reduce energy usage and pollution, while others, such as
ensuring internal air quality, may be considered green despite having no influence on
the ecological balance.  
3) Although there are a good many advocates of ‘green’ construction in the
architectural industry, able to cite ample reasons why buildings should be designed in
a sustainable way, not to mention a plethora of architectural firms with experience in
green design, this is not enough to make green construction come into being.  The
driving force behind whether a building is constructed with minimal environmental
impact lies with the owner of the building; that is, the person financing the project. If
the owner considers green design unimportant, or of secondary importance, then
more than likely, it will not be factored into the design.
4) The commissioning process plays a key role in ensuring the owner gets the
building he wants, in terms of design, costs and risk. At the predesign stage, the
owner’s objectives, criteria and the type of design envisaged are discussed and
documented. This gives a design team a solid foundation on which they can build
their ideas, and also provides a specific benchmark against which individual
elements, such as costs, design and environmental impact can be judged.
5) Owners who skip the commissioning process, or fail to take ‘green’ issues into
account when doing so, often come a cropper once their building is up and running.
Materials and equipment are installed as planned, and, at first glance, appear to fulfil
their purpose adequately.  However, in time, the owner realises that operational and
maintenance costs are higher than necessary, and that the occupants are dissatisfied
with the results. These factors in turn lead to higher ownership costs as well as
increased environmental impact.
6) In some cases, an owner may be aware of the latest trends in sustainable building
design. He may have done research into it himself, or he may have been informed of
the merits of green design through early discussion with professionals. However,
firms should not take it as read that someone commissioning a building already has a
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preconceived idea of how green he intends the structure to be. Indeed, this initial
interaction between owner and firm is the ideal time for a designer to outline and
promote the ways that green design can meet the client’s objectives, thus turning a
project originally not destined for green design into a potential candidate.
7) Typically, when considering whether or not to adopt a green approach, an owner
will ask about additional costs, return for investment and to what extent green design
should be the limiting factor governing decisions in the design process. (1) Many of
these costs are incurred by the increased cooperation between the various
stakeholders, such as the owner, the design professionals, contractors and end-users.
(2) However, in green design, they must be involved from the outset, since green
design demands interaction between these disciplines. (3) This increased coordination
clearly requires additional expenditure. (4) A client may initially balk at these added
fees, and may require further convincing of the benefits if he is to proceed. It is up to
the project team to gauge the extent to which a client wants to get involved in a green
design project and provide a commensurate service.
8) Of course, there may be financial advantage for the client in choosing a greener
design. Case studies cite examples of green / sustainable designs which have
demonstrated lower costs for long-term operation, ownership and even construction.
Tax credits and rebates are usually available on a regional basis for projects with
sustainable design or low emissions, among others.

1. The writer’s main purpose is to…

A. explain to professionals how they can influence clients to choose greener designs.
B. explain the importance of green building design in reducing long-term damage to
the environment.
C. explain to owners commissioning a building why ignoring green issues is costly
and dangerous.
D. explain to professionals why it is important to follow the correct procedures when
a building is commissioned.

2. What does the word ‘others’ refer to in paragraph 2?

A. other elements of green design
B. other types of pollution
C. other influence on the ecological balance
D. other irreversible effects

3. The examples of green and sustainable designs given in paragraph 2 show that
A. designs must be sustainable in order for them to be described as green.
B. for the purposes of this paper, the terms green and sustainable have the same
meaning.
C. some sustainable designs are green, while others are not.
D. some designs are termed green, even though they are not sustainable.

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4. According to paragraph 3, the reason for the lack of green buildings being designed
is that…
A. few firms have any experience in design and constructing buildings to a green
design.
B. construction companies are unaware of the benefits of green and sustainable
designs.
C. firms do not get to decide whether a building is to be constructed sustainably.
D. firms tend to convince clients that other factors are more important than
sustainability.

5. Which of the following is NOT true about the commissioning process?

A. It is conducted before the building is designed.
B. It is a stage that all clients go through when constructing a building.
C. It is a step in the design procedure in which the client’s goals are identified.
D. It provides the firm with a measure of how well they did their job.

6. In paragraph 5, what does the phrase ‘come a cropper’ mean?

A. experience misfortune
B. change one’s mind
C. notice the benefits
D. make a selection

7. In paragraph 6, the writer implies that…

A. most clients enter the commissioning process with a clear idea of whether or not
they want a green building.
B. designers are usually less concerned about green design than the clients are.
C. the commissioning process offers a perfect opportunity to bring up the subject of
green design.
D. firms should avoid working with clients who reject green designs in their
buildings.

8. Where in paragraph 7 does this sentence belong?

In a typical project, landscape architects and mechanical, electrical and plumbing
engineers do not become involved until a much later stage.
A. 1
B. 2
C. 3
D. 4

9. In paragraph 7, what does ‘balk at’ mean?

A. display shock towards
B. agree to pay
C. question the reason for
D. understand the need for

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10. Green buildings are most likely to incur more expense than conventional
buildings due to…
A. higher taxes incurred on sustainable buildings.
B. higher long-term operational costs.
C. the higher cost of green construction materials.
D. increased coordination between construction teams.

Your answers:
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10.
Part 3. For questions 1-13, read the following passage and do the tasks that follow.
(1.3 pts)
Some Facts and Theories about Flu
The flu, more properly known as influenza, takes its name from the fact that it is so
easily transmitted from person to person (influenza is the Italian word for
’influence’). Usually, contamination occurs through direct contact with secretions
from an infected person. Its spread is also possible from contaminated airborne
particles, such as those that occur when someone coughs or sneezes. However, it
should be made clear that the risk is not great from simply being in the same room as
an infected person, since the flu virus, unlike other respiratory viruses, does not
dissolve in the air. Within 4-6 hours of someone catching the flu, the virus multiplies
in infected cells and the cells burst, spreading the virus to other cells nearby.
The spread continues for up to 72 hours, the exact length of time depending on the
body’s immune system response and the strength of the particular strain of flu. The
range of human responses to the flu virus has been of interest to scientists for many
years. This is because the effect can vary from no infection to a rapid and deadly
spread of the virus to many people. One area of study that has received particular
attention is the immune system response of the individual. Where a person’s immune
system is healthy, the virus is attacked as it enters the body, usually in the respiratory
tract. This lessens the severity of the illness. In contrast, people with compromised
immune systems (typical in the young, where it is not fully developed, or in the old
and the sick, where it is not working efficiently), often suffer the worst effects.
One of the body’s responses to flu is the creation of antibodies which recognise and
destroy that particular strain of flu virus. What fascinates most researchers in the field
is that the human body seems capable of storing these antibodies over a whole
lifetime in case of future attack from the same or similar strains of flu. It was while
researching these antibodies that scientists turned their attention back to what was
possibly the worst ever flu pandemic in the world. The actual number of deaths is
disputed, but the outbreak in 1918 killed between 20 and 50 million people. It is also
estimated that one fifth of the population of the world may have been infected.
Through tests done on some of the survivors of the 1918 outbreak, it was discovered
that, 90 years later, they still possessed the antibodies to that strain of flu, and some of
them were actually still producing the antibodies. Work is now focused on why these
Page 11 of 22
people survived in the first place, with one theory being that they had actually been
exposed to an earlier, similar strain, therefore developing immunity to the 1918 strain.
It is hoped that, in the near future, we might be able to isolate the antibodies and use
them to vaccinate people against further outbreaks.
Yet vaccination against the flu is an imprecise measure. At best, the vaccine protects
us from the variations of flu that doctors expect that year. If their predictions are
wrong in any particular year, being vaccinated will not prevent us from becoming
infected. This is further complicated by the fact that there are two main types of flu,
known as influenza A and influenza B. Influenza B causes less concern as its effects
are usually less serious. Influenza A, however, has the power to change its genetic
make-up. Although these genetic changes are rare, they create entirely new strains of
flu against which we have no protection. It has been suggested that this is what had
happened immediately prior to the 1918 outbreak, with research indicating that a
genetic shift had taken place in China.
In 2005, another genetic shift in an influenza A virus was recorded, giving rise to the
H5N1 strain, otherwise known as avian flu, or bird flu. Typical of such new strains,
we have no way of fighting it and many people who are infected with it die. Perhaps
more worrying is that it is a strain only previously found in birds but which changed
its genetic make-up in a way that allowed it to be transmitted to humans. Most of the
fear surrounding this virus is that it will change again, developing the ability to pass
from human to human. If that change does happen, scientists and doctors can
reasonably expect a death rate comparable to that which occurred in 1918 and, given
that we can now travel more quickly and more easily between countries, infecting
many more people than was previously possible, it could be several times worse.

Questions 1-7
Do the following statements agree with the information given in Reading Passage 2?
TRUE                                 if the statement agrees with the information
FALSE                                if the statement contradicts the information
NOT GIVEN                      if there is no information on this
1. The only way to catch flu is if someone coughs or sneezes near you.
2. You become aware of the symptoms of flu within 4-6 hours of infection.
3. The effect of a flu infection can depend on how strong the strain is.
4.   Those who are more likely to suffer badly with the flu include very young or very
old people
5.   Although antibodies last a lifetime, scientists have found they get weaker with
age.
6. Vaccination is largely ineffective against flu.

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7.   Another change in the genetic make-up of the H5N1 strain could kill more people
than the 1918 epidemic.
Questions 8-11
Classify the following statements as characterising
A something known by scientists to be true B something believed by scientists to be
true C something known by scientists to be false. Write the correct letter, A, B or C.
8.  Sharing a room with a flu sufferer presents a very high risk to your health.
9. One fifth of the people in the world caught the flu in 1918.
10.  Influenza A viruses do not change their genetic make-up frequently.
11.   The H5N1 strain evolved in or before 2005.
Questions 12-13
Answer the questions below. Write NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS for each
answer.
12.   In which part of the body do antibodies normally attack the flu virus?
13.   What kind of transmission of the H5N1 strain are people afraid might become
reality?
Your answers
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7.
8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13.

Part 4: You are going to read an article about views on life. Seven parts have been
removed from the extract. Choose from the paragraphs A-H the one which fits
each gap (1-7). There is one extra paragraph which you do not need to use. (0.7
pts)

LIVE FOR TODAY

When an Australian nurse, called Bronnie Ware, most of whose career has been
dedicated to caring for elderly people on their deathbeds, decided to start keeping a
record of her patients' dying thoughts, little could she have known the level of interest
her blog, Inspiration and Chai, would generate. However, it has proven remarkably
popular with readers and has developed quite the following. Pointedly, it was this that
prompted her to do the once unthinkable and consider writing a book to share her, or
her patients' to be more precise, wisdom with the wider world, which she did by
penning the aptly named The Top Five Regrets of the Dying. So what would people
do differently if they could live their lives over again? Well, apparently, the most

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common lamentation is when people feel that they haven't stayed true to themselves
and followed their dreams. Nearly all Ware's patients wished that they had paid less
heed in life to the expectations and perceptions of others and, instead, had had the
courage to live exactly how they themselves had wished.

1.

Another common regret amongst males in particular was the extent of time and effort
they had expended on work and work-related issues throughout their lives. Although
women also echoed this sentiment to an extent, the likely reason why fewer did is
simply down to the fact that in past generations women were less inclined to be
breadwinners. In other words, they were employed at home doing the household
duties rather than at the coalface, as it were.

2.

What they missed most was not playing a bigger part in their children's lives.
However, they also lamented the fact they had somewhat neglected their partners,
too, and not afforded them nearly enough attention.

3.

The next most common regret is hardly a revelation either. However, it is certainly
one I think we can all readily relate to: not expressing your true feelings often
enough. As the saying goes, say it before its too late. This is certainly sage advice can
vouch for, as I personally regretted not telling my parents how much I loved and
appreciated them before the chance was gone.

4.

Though it was not only positive feelings the patients wished they had been more
expressive of. Basically, they just wished they had told the truth more often. It seems
that this secrecy and lack of honesty causes more relationship trouble than its worth
in the long run, even if it placates people and makes life easier from a very short-term
point of view.

5.

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Another regret related to close loved ones was the failure to properly keep in touch
with them. Patients deeply regretted letting their old friends fall out of the loop and
not making a greater effort to stay in contact. Friendships, after all, need constant
attention and if you don't devote the appropriate time and effort to grooming them,
you inevitably lose touch.

6.

That, perhaps, explains the next regret Ware highlights, which is that people hadn't
allowed themselves to be happier in life. We are, it seems, ruled by fear; fear of
change from the familiar and routines, and much else besides, and this handicaps our
capacity to be happy and grasp our chances when they arrive. We end up stressing too
much and not enjoying life or allowing ourselves to partake in the excitement of
living. Unsurprisingly, therefore, patients thought they ought to have allowed
themselves to let their hair down and enjoy life more often: to simply laugh and be
silly and make light of their and the world's problems.

7.

So perhaps it was a little premature of me earlier to imply that little in Ware's book
came as a revelation, though this was not, in any case, intended as criticism. It
certainly gave me food for thought, and the sense I came away with most is how
important the urgency of living in the now is, with sincerity and an appetite for fun,
for tomorrow it just might be too late. And, then, what was the point of it all anyway?

A What I find most curious about this, of course, is that, as children, this is precisely
what we do. We have fun and we don't take things too seriously. Somewhere along
the way, as adults, we, therefore, must forget how to do this. Then, ironically, we go
full circle again in old age and realise just how important it is, though not before it's,
sadly, too late to act on this compulsion.

B This, though, begs the question: should we not be asking ourselves is all the effort
worth it or for nought? After all, these traditional breadwinners and sloggers that
were the men she interviewed, people who toiled day-in-day-out throughout their
working lives, although having done so with the best of intentions — wanting to
support their families — recognised that what they sacrificed was simply
unwarranted; the end did not justify the means.
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C Pointedly, perhaps, this lack of communicative openness and freedom not only
resulted in deep regrets, but, in many cases, Ware notes, also contributed to more
serious health-related problems. People literally made themselves sick from bitterness
and pent-up frustration; from bottling everything up rather than venting their
concerns and vexations.

D At this point, I should add that what struck me most about reading the revelations
in Ware's book was how little of the content came as any sort of revelation
whatsoever. After all, isn't it oh so obvious that we ought to be devoting more time to
our personal lives and our personal satisfaction rather than simply spending hour
upon hour grinding out a living every day? Perhaps putting in the overtime will move
us slightly ahead and enable us to extract a little more success from our careers; this
is not really up for debate. But at what cost?

E Indeed, to me, this is the most important thing to take away from the book; that
sense of urgency; the necessity of telling people you care about exactly how you feel.
I would almost suggest that you cease reading on and do so immediately if you have
left such sentiments for someone you know unspoken for too long.

F What I found particularly interesting, though, and contrary to my expectations was

that rather than look back on life through rose-tinted glasses, the elderly seem to
reflect very honestly on things, focusing on missed opportunities and what they
should have done differently.

G However, it is hard to ignore such problems and one often feels the weight of the
world on one's shoulders. The bigger question, therefore, is how to lift that weight
and find true happiness.

H Sadly, it seems, the realisation that life should be guided by personal motives rather
than exterior influences comes upon us far too late, though, by which time we lack
the health and freedom to realise our neglected personal ambitions. Father Time has
already caught up with us then.

Your answers:
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7.

Part 5: The passage below consists of five sections marked A-E. For questions
1-10, read the passage and do the task that follows. Write your answers (A-E) in the
corresponding numbered boxes provided. (2.0pts)

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 Starting out on your career
Are you a graduate trying to plan out the best career path for yourself? We've asked
five careers consultants to give some tips on how to go about it.

ConsultantA
A university degree is no guarantee of a job, and job hunting in itself requires a whole
set of skills. If you find you are not getting past the first interview, ask yourself what
is happening. Is it a failure to communicate or are there some skills you lack? Once
you see patterns emerging it will help you decide whether the gaps you have
identified can be filled relatively easily. If you cannot work out what the mismatch is,
get back to the selection panel with more probing questions, and find out what you
need to do to bring yourself up to the level of qualification that would make you more
attractive to them: but be careful to make this sound like a genuine request rather than
a challenge or complaint.

ConsultantB
Do not be too dispirited if you are turned down for a job, but think about the reasons
the employers give. They often say it is because others are 'better qualified', but they
use the term loosely. Those who made the second interview might have been studying
the same subject as you and be of similar ability level, but they had something which
made them a closer match to the selector's ideal. That could be experience gained
through projects or vacation work, or it might be that they were better at
communicating what they could offer. Do not take the comments at face value: think
back to the interviews that generated them and make a list of where you think the
shortfall in your performance lies. With this sort of analytical approach you will
eventually get your foot in the door.

ConsultantC
Deciding how long you should stay in your first job is a tough call. Stay too long and
future employers may question your drive and ambition. Of course, it depends where
you are aiming. There can be advantages in moving sideways rather than up, if you
want to gain real depth of knowledge. If you are a graduate, spending five or six years
in the same job is not too long provided that you take full advantage of the
experience. However, do not use this as an excuse for apathy. Graduates sometimes
fail to take ownership of their careers and take the initiative. It is up to you to make
the most of what's available within a company, and to monitor your progress in case
you need to move on. This applies particularly if you are still not sure where your
career path lies.

ConsultantD
It is helpful to think through what kind of experience you need to get your dream job
and it is not a problem to move around to a certain extent. But in the early stages of
your career you need a definite strategy for reaching your goal, so think about that
carefully before deciding to move on from your first job. You must cultivate patience
to master any role. There is no guarantee that you will get adequate training, and
research has shown that if you do not receive proper help in a new role, it can take 18
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months to master it.

ConsultantE
A prospective employer does not want to see that you have changed jobs every six
months with no thread running between them. You need to be able to demonstrate the
quality of your experience to a future employer, and too many moves too quickly can
be a bad thing. In any company it takes three to six months for a new employee to get
up to speed with the structure and the culture of the company. From the company's
perspective, they will not receive any return on the investment in your salary until
you have been there for 18 months. This is when they begin to get most value from
you - you are still fired up and enthusiastic. If you leave after six months it has not
been a good investment - and may make other employers wary.

In which section is each of these views expressed?

1. Keep your final objective in mind when you are planning to change jobs.
2. It takes time to become familiar with the characteristics of a company you have
joined.
3.  You should demonstrate determination to improve your job prospects.
4. Make sure your approach for information is positive in tone.
5. It is not certain that you will be given very much support in your job initially.
6. Stay optimistic in spite of setbacks.
7. Promotion isn't the only way to increase your expertise.
8. Ask for information about your shortcomings.
9. Some information you are given may not give a complete picture.
10.  It will be some time before you start giving your employers their money's worth.
Your answers:
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10.

D. WRITING (60 pts)

Part 1. Summary (1.5 pts)
Read the following text and use your own words to summarize it. Your summary
should be about 120-140 words long. You MUST NOT copy the original.
Working from home is a relatively new phenomenon, but is becoming an increasingly
popular option with both businesses and employees. The technology available to us
means that we no longer need to be in the same office building as our colleagues to
communicate effectively with each other. Companies may choose to employ a
proportion of their staff as home-based workers, as, of course, a workforce set up in
such a way requires far less office space and fewer parking facilities. The fixed costs
of a business can be dramatically reduced. Employees can enjoy the added benefits of
freedom to schedule the day as they choose and freedom to spend more time at home
with their families. We can even go so far as to say that the working-from-home
phenomenon could be one of the answers to the pollution problems which the modern

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world has inflicted upon itself. Fewer people travelling to work every day equals
fewer cars. Fewer cars, of course, equates to lower CO2 levels in the atmosphere.
But what are the drawbacks to working at home? For many of us, work is a means of
escaping our nearest and dearest and making our own mark on the world. The
relationships we have with our colleagues are a significant part of our life - after all,
full-time workers spend a third of their day in their workplace. Some people who
work from home feel that they are actually much more productive and can get tasks
done in a much shorter time than in an office environment. Others, however, may be
demotivated by the isolation and find it difficult to get down to tasks which have a
more intangible deadline.
As with most aspects of life, a balance is probably the best solution for the majority
of workers – a job based at home which requires regular contact with colleagues at
regular meetings. Management surveys show that successful business is easier if we
operate as a team: brainstorming and sharing ideas and offering support and
motivation to each other. After all, we are only human and we need others to
complain to if we have a bad day at work!

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Part 2. Chart description.(1.5pts)

The chart below shows how frequently people in the USA ate in fast food
restaurants between 2003 and 2013.

Summarize the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make
comparisons where relevant. Write at least 150 words.

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Part 3: Write an essay of about 300-350 words to express your opinion on the
following issue (3.0 pts)
Some people view conflict between teenagers and parents as a necessary part of
growing up, while others view it as something negative which should be avoided.
Discuss both views and give your own opinion.
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