20.

Chuyên Anh Sóc Trăng (2022-2023)

SUMMER JOBS FOR STUDENTS
Employers are more and more interested in taking on students during their holiday periods.
Students can do easier tasks and free up time for their permanent employees to concentrate on the more
demanding ones. Although there is little financial reward for students, it is a great chance to explore
their interests and add to their CVs. However, few students know what jobs may be available.
Colleges sometimes advertise summer jobs on their notice boards and in newspapers, and there
are also well-known international organizations which can help. Students can also search the web, find
an interesting company and email the manager to ask what temporary jobs exist. This may sound time-
consuming, but students then get to work in the company of their choice, so it is what I recommend.
As a science student, two years ago I spent ten weeks in a laboratory in California, helping a
group of researchers with their work. To begin with, the job seemed uninteresting
because my responsibilities were not clear, but when I started working on a range of projects, such as
writing research papers and creating web pages, my attitude changed.
I was paid enough to cover all my daily needs, so I had no financial worries. One of my jobs
was to prepare educational material for schools. This was an entirely new challenge which I enjoyed so
much that I decided to train as a teacher rather than a researcher when I got back. My only regret was
that I’d been too busy to learn more about the USA, but then a good summer job seldom leaves you
much freetime and you should be prepared for that.
1. What is the writer’s main purpose in writing the text?
A. to warn students about low-paid summer jobs
B. to describe the best summer jobs for students
C. to encourage students to look for summer jobs
D. to offer students interesting summer jobs
2. The writer says the best way to find a good summer job is ________
A. to ask their own colleges for help
B. to read the job advertisements in the press
C. to join an organized student program
D. to contact possible employers directly
3. The writer found the California job disappointing at first because _______
A. he was not sure what he had to do
 B. he had to work on too many projects
C. he did not like research work
D. he lacked good computer skills
4. In what way did the California job benefit the writer?
A. It taught him what life was like in the USA
B. It gave him contacts he could use later
C. It made him change his career plans
D. It allowed him to save some money
5. Which of these could be the writer speaking?
A. A summer job is a good way of getting to see the world
B. Students should be better paid for doing summer jobs.
C. Employers are unwilling to offer summer jobs to students
D. Students are often unaware of summer job opportunities

21. Chuyên Anh Tây Ninh (2022-2023)

Too young to be famous?
The machine that is celebrity culture has given us the meteoric rise and fall of the child actor,
with plenty of cautionary tales to point to and ask if something should have been done to prevent them.
Recently, the Chinese government took the extreme and unprecedented measure of banning the
children of celebrities from appearing in any type of reality TV programming, in an effort to prevent
the manufacturing of child stars. It would appear that perhaps limiting the exposure a child has to fame
serves to protect and ensure a solid, stable upbringing.
The pressure of fame is undoubtedly onerous, even for adults, who, despite growing up out of
the spotlight, sometimes buckle under the stress of stardom they achieved later in life and exhibit all
manner of behavioural disorders after their stardom has waned. The same can be said of child actors,
but the effect is seemingly multiplied by the fact that, if achieving stardom as children, their view of
reality is possibly warped and they may never even have the chance to acquire the necessary coping
skills. But given that some child actors in fact, most - can make a go of their careers into adulthood,
are children really so incapable of handling such pressure or is there actually no problem at all?
Banning children from acting has an element of common sense to it, but imagine, if you will,
television programmes, films and so forth absent of children. As this sort of media is supposed to
reflect real life, it would seem surreal if there were no children in these stories, as if children had
ceased to exist altogether. While the Chinese government's move to limit the exposure of children may
seem well intentioned, at least on the surface, it is not entirely realistic to say that children are not
allowed to appear on the small or big screen. Of course, they are applying it to one particular media -
that of reality TV; nonetheless, is such a ban sensible for any type of media?
Upon closer examination of the phenomenon of the child star, we see examples both of success
and failure. How many of each do we have? Is there a disproportionately high amount of failure in the
lives of child actors if we look at the statistics and compare their problems with those of ordinary
people? We see a child star fail and we immediately blame fame, but what about the success stories of
other child actors such as Jodie Foster, Daniel Radcliffe and Leonardo DiCaprio, all of whom got their
start as very young children? Are we to credit fame for their success in the same way we blame it for
others' failures?
In the case of the latter, these are the stars we know about, as they went on to achieve long-
lasting fame, even top acting awards. Child stars are not always destined to eternally seek the
limelight, however, so there are many cases of success stories that people often don't know about. Peter
Ostrum, who played Charlie Bucket in Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory, went on to pursue a
doctorate in veterinary medicine. Shirley Temple, leading box-office star in the 1930s from the age of
seven, became a politician and the first female US ambassador. Polish child stars and identical twin
brothers Lech and Jarosław Kaczynski gave up acting and were respectively elected as president and
prime minister of Poland, positions they held at the same time.
Invariably, though, it's the catastrophic demise that we hear about, not just of child actors, of
course, but when it does happen to them, we feel a mixture of sorrow and disbelief. To date, there is
little statistical evidence to support the claim that fame and celebrity culture ruin the lives of child
actors; the only proof we have is what we perceive to be true. Protections are in place, to an extent, to
help ensure that children have as normal an upbringing as possible. California, for example, has
enacted laws which mandate that children must continue with their educational studies exactly as they
would if they weren't in films, even going so far as to require teachers on set if need be. In this vein,
ensuring support for child actors may need to go further than the broad restrictions exercised by China.
1. What can be said about the measure taken by the Chinese as regards child stars?
A. It is a view fully endorsed by the author.
B. It will prevent the phenomenon of child stars.
 C. It will prohibit children from acting in films.
D. It's something they've never done before.
2. In the second paragraph, the author implies that children ________.
A. are better equipped to handle fame than adults
B. never learn coping skills when they are famous young
C. may or may not suffer harmful effects of fame
D. are destined to be abnormal adults if they are famous young
3. How does the author view the government ban in the third paragraph?
A. He is not certain it was born of good intentions.
B. He agrees with the implementation of the ban.
C. He thinks it is useless in the case of reality TV.
D. He believes the intention is to control the media.
4. In the fourth paragraph, the author suggests that ________.
A. fame is to blame for the problems of child stars
B. fame is unlikely to have a role in the failure of a star
C. the fame of some stars shows it has no harmful effect
D. the failure of certain stars means that fame is harmful
5. The author presents the examples in the fifth paragraph to demonstrate that
A. child actors are capable of achieving anything they want
B. fame can repel some from a long acting career
C. a more exhaustive study of the subject is necessary to evaluate it
D. success can open the door to other positions in life
6. The author concludes by saying that
A. nothing can protect a child from the dangers of fame
B. taking measures to help children cope with fame is worth considering
C. our belief in the dangers of fame is greater than the reality
D. children should be educated in how to deal with fame

22. Chuyên Anh Thái Nguyên (2022-2023)

HOW I FOUND MY TRUE VOICE
 As an interpreter, Suzanne Glass could speak only for others - but the work provided terrific
material for her first novel.
"No, no, no! You've got to get away from this or you're going to lose it." The voice
reverberating in my head was my own. I was at an international conference. My throat was killing me
and my headphones were pinching. I had just been interpreting a speaker whose last words had been:
"We must take very seriously the standardization of the length of cucumbers and the size of tomatoes."
You can't afford to have your own thoughts when you're interpreting simultaneously, so, of course, I
missed the speaker's next sentence and lost his train of thought. Sitting in a darkened booth at the back
of a huge conference hall, I was thrown. Fortunately, my colleague grabbed my microphone and took
over.
This high-pressure, high-output work was not quite the dream profession I had hoped for.
Although I had fun with it in the beginning - occasionally being among the first to hear of medical and
political breakthroughs would be exciting for any 25-year-old - I realized that this was a job in which I
would never be able to find my own voice. I had always known that words would be my life in one
form or another. My mother thought she'd given birth to an alien when I began to talk at the age of
seven months. That momentous day, she had placed my playpen in the hallway and gone into the
bedroom. In imitation of the words she had repeated to me again and again, I apparently called out
towards the bedroom door: "I see you. I see you." I was already in training for a career as a
professional parrot.
But how mistaken I was to think that international interpreting would be glamorous. The
speaker rarely stops to think that there's someone at the back of the room, listening to his words,
absorbing their meaning, and converting them into another language at the same time. Often I was
confronted with a droner, a whisperer or a mumbler through my headphones. The mumblers were the
worst. Most of the time, an interpreter is thought of as a machine - a funnel, a conduit, which, I
suppose, is precisely what we are. Sometimes, when those we are translating for hear us cough or
sneeze, or turn round and look at us behind the smoky glass of the booth, I think they are surprised to
see that we are actually alive.
Ironically, part of the secret of interpreting is non-verbal communication. You have to sense
when your partner is tired, and offer to take over. At the same time, you have to be careful not to cut
him short or hog the microphone. Interpreters can be a bit like actors: they like to show off. You do
develop friendships when you are working in such close proximity, but there's a huge amount of
competitiveness among interpreters. They check on each other and sometimes even count each other's
mistranslations.
Translating other people's ideas prevented me from feeling involved and creative as an
interpreter. Actually, you can't be a creative interpreter. It's a contradiction in terms. Sometimes, when I
disagreed with a speaker, I wanted to rip off my headphones, jump up and run out of the booth,
shouting: "Rubbish. Rubbish. You're talking a lot of nonsense, and this is what I think about it."
Instead, I had to sit there and regurgitate opinions in violent contradiction with my own. Sometimes,
I'd get my revenge by playing games with the speaker's tone of voice. If he was being serious, I'd make
him sound jocular. If he was being light-hearted, I'd make him sound earnest.
Eventually, I wanted to find a career where my own words would matter and where my own
voice would be heard. So, to redress the balance, I decided to write a novel. While I was writing it, I
did go back and interpret at a few conferences to get inside the head of Dominique, my main character.
At first, I was a little rusty and a couple of the delegates turned round to glare at me, but after twenty
minutes, I was back into it, playing that old game of mental gymnastics. Interpreting is like learning to
turn somersaults: you never forget how to do it. But for me, sitting in the booth had a ghost-like quality
to it as though I had gone back into a past life - a life that belonged to the time before I found my own
voice.
1. In the first paragraph, the writer says she discovered that ___________.
A. her mind was wandering when she should have been doing her job
B. the standard of her work as an interpreter was getting worse
C. she would no longer understand subjects she had previously covered
D. there were some subjects she had no interest in dealing with
2. The word "simultaneously" in paragraph 1 is closest in meaning to ___________.
A. once and for all B. once too often
C. all at once D. all gain
3. What does the writer say about being an interpreter in the second paragraph?
A. It gave her access to important information before other people.
B. It was the kind of job her parents had always expected her to do.
C. It turned out to be more challenging than she had anticipated.
D. It was what she had wanted to be ever since she was a small child.
4. What does the writer say about speakers she interpreted for?
 A. They usually had the wrong idea about the function of interpreters.
B. Some of them had a tendency to get irritated with interpreters.
C. Some of them made little attempt to use their own language correctly.
D. She particularly disliked those she struggled to hear properly.
5. The writer says that when she returned to interpreting, ___________.
A. she did not start off very well
B. she briefly wished she had not given it up
C. she thought that two of the delegates recognized her
D. she changed her ideas about the main character in her novel
6. The word "to glare" in paragraph 6 is closest in meaning to ___________.
A. wonder B. to glower
C. to caress D. despise
7. What is the writer's main point in the article as a whole?
A. It is not always a good idea to go into a profession because it looks glamorous.
B. Most interpreters would actually like to do something more creative.
C. Most interpreters eventually become disillusioned with the work.
D. Being an interpreter did not allow her to satisfy her need to be creative.

23. Chuyên Anh Vĩnh Phúc (2022-2023)

If you could travel back in time five centuries, you'd encounter a thriving Aztec empire in
Central Mexico, a freshly painted "Mona Lisa" in Renaissance Europe and cooler temperatures across
the Northern Hemisphere. This was a world in the midst of the Little Ice Age (A.D. 1300 to 1850) and
a period of vast European exploration now known as the Age of Discovery. But what if we could look
500 years into the future and glimpse the Earth of the 26th century? Would the world seem as different
to us as the 21st century would have seemed to residents of the 16th century? For starters, what will
the weather be like?
Depending on whom you ask, the 26th century will either be a little chilly or infernally hot.
Some solar output models suggest that by the 2500s, Earth's climate will have cooled back down
to near Little Ice Age conditions. Other studies predict that ongoing climate change and fossil fuel use
will render much of the planet too hot for human life by 2300.
 Some experts date the beginning of human climate change back to the Industrial Revolution in
the 1800s, others to slash-and-burn agricultural practices in prehistoric times. Either way, tool-wielding
humans alter their environment -- and our 26th century tools might be quite impressive indeed.
Theoretical physicist and futurist Michio Kaku predicts that in a mere 100 years, humanity will
make the leap from a type zero civilization to a type I civilization on the Kardashev Scale. In other
words, we'll become a species that can harness the entire sum of a planet's energy. Wielding such
power, 26th-century humans will be masters of clean energy technologies such as fusion and solar
power. Furthermore, they will be able to manipulate planetary energy in order to control global
climate. Physicist Freeman Dyson, on the other hand, estimates the leap to a type I civilization would
occur within roughly 200 years.
Technology has improved exponentially since the 1500s, and this pace will likely continue in
the centuries to come. Physicist Stephen Hawking proposes that by the year 2600, this growth would
see 10 new theoretical physics papers published every 10 seconds. If Moore's Law holds true and both
computer speed and complexity double every 18 months, then some of these studies may be the work
sof highly intelligent machines.
What other technologies will shape the world of the 26th century? Futurist and author Adrian
Berry believes the average human life span will reach 140 years and that the digital storage of human
personalities will enable a kind of computerized immortality. Humans will farm the oceans, travel in
starships and reside in both lunar and Martian colonies while robots explore the outer cosmos.
1. Which of the following could be the main idea of the passage?
A. How would the world change in the next 500 years ?
B. What would we do in the next five centuries?
C. What problems would happen in the 26th century ?
D. How would technology improve the life in the far future ?
2. The word infernally in paragraph 2 is closest in meaning to __________.
A. differently B. extremely C. permanently D. contemporaneously
3. The word harness in paragraph 4 could best be replaced by _________.
A. renew B. adjust C. exploit D. discover
4. What does the word they in paragraph 4 refer to?
A. fusion and solar energy B. clean energy technologies
C. master D. 26th century humans
5. Which of the following is true about the future predictions ?
A. Michio Kaku believes that the progress from type 0 to type 1 civilization will take about two
centuries.
B. People in the 2500s are likely to control the energy of the Earth to limit the global climate.
C. The speed of technology improvement will remain changeable in the far future.
D. Solar energy will be the main power for the 20th century citizens.
6. According to Adrian Berry, the following are what future humans can do except ___________.
A. cultivating in the ocean B. traveling between the stars
C. exploring the universe by robots D. living as long as they want
7. According to the passage, what do experts predict about the weather in the future ?
A. The temperature will decline as much as possible because of the excessive fossil fuel use.
B. The Little Ice Age will return due to the influence of solar energy.
C. The Earth will have to face with extreme weather like frost or scorching period.
D. The climate change will happen more quickly because of deforestation.
8. It can be inferred from the passage that __________.
A. no one could be sure what the life would be like in the 2500s.
B. what we imagine about the life in the 26th century may be the same what the 16th century
people thought about the current life.
C. the predictions of different scientists may draw the same world in the next 500 years
D. technology will affect most of the fields in the future life

24. Chuyên Anh Hải Phòng (2022-2023)

Every day, millions of shoppers hit the stores in full force – both online and on foot – searching
excitedly for the perfect gifts. Last year, Americans spent over $30 billion at retail stores in the month
of December alone. Aside from purchasing holiday gifts, most people regularly buy presents for other
occasions throughout the year, including weddings, birthdays, anniversaries, graduations, and baby
showers. This frequent experience of gift-giving can engender ambivalent feelings in gift-givers.
Many relish the opportunity to buy presents because gift-giving offers a powerful means to build
stronger bonds with one’s closest peers. At the same time, many dread the thought of buying gifts;
they worry that their purchases will disappoint, rather than delight, the intended recipients.
 Anthropologists describe gift-giving as a positive social process, serving various political,
religious, and psychological functions. Economists, however, offer a less favourable view. According
to Waldfogel (1993), gift-giving represents an objective waste of resources. People buy gifts that
recipients would not choose to buy on their own, or at least not spend as much money to purchase (a
phenomenon referred to as “the deadweight loss of Christmas”). This “deadweight loss” suggests that
gift-givers are not very good at predicting what gifts others will appreciate. That in itself is not
surprising to social psychologists. Research has found that people often struggle to take account of
others’ perspectives, their insights are subject to egocentrism, social projection, and multiple
attribution errors. What is surprising is that gift-givers have considerable experience acting as both
gift-givers and gift-recipients, but nevertheless, tend to overspend each time they set out to purchase a
meaningful gift.
In the present research, we propose a unique psychological explanation for this overspending
problem, i.e. that gift-givers equate how much they spend with how much recipients will appreciate the
gift (the more expensive the gift, the stronger the gift-recipient’s feelings of appreciation). Although a
link between gift price and feelings of appreciation might seem intuitive to gift-givers, such an
assumption may be unfounded. Indeed, we suggest that gift-recipients will be less likely to base their
feelings of appreciation on the magnitude of a gift than givers assume.
Why do gift-givers assume that gift price is closely linked to gift-recipients’ feelings of
appreciation? Perhaps givers believe that bigger (that is, more expensive) gifts convey stronger signals
of thoughtfulness and consideration. According to Camerer (1988) and others, gift-giving represents a
symbolic ritual, whereby gift-givers attempt to signal their positive attitudes toward the intended
recipients and their willingness to invest resources in a future relationship. In this sense. gift-givers
may be motivated to spend more money on a gift in order to send a stronger signal to their intended
recipients. As for gift-recipients, they may not construe smaller or larger gifts as representing smaller
or larger signals of thoughtfulness and consideration.
1. What is the main idea discussed in the passage?
A. Gift-recipients are widely acknowledged as considerably experienced in gift-giving.
B. Gift-giving may have certain drawbacks alongside its positive qualities.
C. Gifts can serve as implicit signals of thoughtfulness and consideration.
D. Gift-giving, despite its uneconomical downsides, cultivates a positive social process.
2. In paragraph 4, the word “construe” most probably means
 A. understand B. state C. respond D. take
3. The word ‘many” in line 6 paragraph 1 refers to
A. gift-givers B. peers C. presents D. gift-recipients
4. The author most likely uses the examples of gift-giving occasions in paragraph 1 to highlight the
_____
A. regularity with which people shop for gifts
B. recent increase in the amount of money spent on gifts
C. anxiety gift-shopping causes for consumers
D. number of special occasions involving gift-giving
5. In paragraph 1, the word “ambivalent” most nearly means
A. unrealistic B. supportive C. apprehensive D. conflicted
6. In paragraph 3, the author indicates that the assumption made by gift-givers may be ____.
A. insincere B. fundamental C. justified D. incorrect
7. In paragraph 4, the author refers to the works by Camerer and others in order to ______
A. introduce an argument B. offer an alternative
C. support an explanation D. question a motive
8. The social psychologists mentioned in paragraph 2 would likely describe the “deadweight loss”
phenomenon as ________
A. questionable B. disturbing C. predictable D. unprecedented
9. The author indicates that people value gift-giving because they feel it __________.
A. functions as a form of self-expression
B. can serve to strengthen a relationship
C. is an inexpensive way to show appreciation
D. requires the gift-recipients to share the same opinion
10. Which of the following best characterizes the tone of the author?
A. informative B. pessimistic C. disapproving D. ironic

A survey is a study, generally in the form of an interview or a questionnaire, which provides

information concerning how people think and act. In the United States, the best-known surveys are the
Gallup poll and the Harris poll. As anyone who watches the news during presidential campaigns
knows, these polls have become an important part of political life in the United States.
 North Americans are familiar with the many “person on the street interviews on local television
news shows. While such interviews can be highly entertaining, they are not necessarily an accurate
indication of public opinion. First, they reflect the opinions of only the people who appear at a certain
location. Thus, such samples can be biased in favor of commuters, middle-class shoppers, or factory
workers, depending on which area the newspeople select. Second, television interviews tend to attract
outgoing people who are willing to appear on air, while they frighten away others who may feel
intimidated by a camera. A survey must be based on a precise, representative sampling if it is to
genuinely reflect a broad range of the population.
In preparing to conduct a survey, sociologists must exercise great care in the wording of
questions. An effective survey question must be simple and clear enough for people to understand. It
must also be specific enough so that there are no problems in interpreting the results. Even questions
that are less structured must be carefully phrased in order to elicit the type of information desired.
Surveys can be indispensable sources of information, but only if the sampling is done properly, and the
questions are worded accurately.
There are two main forms of surveys: the interview and the questionnaire. Each of these forms
of survey research has its advantages. An interviewer can obtain a high response rate because most
people find it more difficult to turn down a personal request for an interview than to throw away a
written questionnaire. In addition, an interviewer can go beyond written questions and probe for a
subject’s underlying feelings and reasons. However, questionnaires have the advantage of being
cheaper and more consistent.
1. What does the passage mainly discuss?
A. The history of surveys in North America
B. The importance of polls in American political life
C. Problems associated with interpreting surveys
D. The principles of conducting surveys
2. According to the passage, one advantage of live interviews over questionnaires is that live
interviews _____.
A. are easier to interpret B. can produce more information
C. cost less D. minimize the influence of the researcher
3. The word “they” in paragraph 2 refers to ______.
A. North Americans B. news shows C. opinions D. interviews
4. The word “elicit” in paragraph 3 is closest in meaning to _______.
A. take out B. rule out C. leave out D. bring out
5. According to paragraph 3, which of the following is most important for an effective survey?
A. A sociologist who is able to interpret the results
B. An interviewer’s ability to measure respondents’ feelings
C. Carefully worded questions
D. A high number of respondents

25. Chuyên Anh TP HCM (2022-2023)

Victorian style is a broad term that refers to the characteristics of design from the latter period
of Queen Victoria's rule, from 1837 until her death in 1901. At the time, the style was used as a signal
of affluence among the upper class of British society due to its ornate, showy interiors. Today, it is still
popular across the globe; particularly in Asia, where it is used to create opulent spaces that convey a
high position in society.
One of the principles of Victorian design is that unused space in a room is a sign of poor taste
and lower economic status. With that in mind, European designers sought to fill every space. Victorian
design has sometimes been viewed as indulging in a grand excess of omament. Every room was
decorated with objects that reflected the owner's influences and preferences. Extravagant decorations,
lace tablecloths, stained glass, vases, busts, framed paintings or prints, multi-layered window
treatments, richly pattemed fabrics, and accessories were used throughout the house. The Victorian
Hotel in Vancouver, British Columbia, exemplifies the classic Victorian Style. Chandeliers hang from
the ceiling, vases with fresh flowers dot every table, and the dining room features elaborately carved
furniture and decorative teapots made of china. It is elegantly appointed, true to the Victorian style.
This hotel often hosts the royal family when they visit Canada.
Emblematic of a Victorian home was the use of vibrant, brightly colored fabrics. Complex
patterns covered every surface. Oriental rugs and heavy draperies were thought of as the height of
good taste. Windows were rarely left uncovered; rather, on them hung thick, decorative drapes. The
lack of light that could enter rooms through these heavy draperies was compensated for with eye-
catching appointments of velvet, silk, and satin. Linen patterns ranged from flowers and animals to
geometric shapes, stripes, and woven Arabic symbols: squares and circles, typically repeated,
overlapped and interlaced to form intricate patterns. Victorians loved these patterns and used them
liberally.
The decoration of walls and ceilings was yet another element of Victorian design. Ceilings
were covered in embossed paper or painted a light color so as not to detract from the wall decorations.
Wallpaper became enormously popular and is an enduring feature of Victorian design. At first, this was
because of the development of mass production as well as the repeal of the 1712 Wallpaper Tax.
Wallpaper was decorated with beautiful flowers in primary colors of red, blue, and yellow, printed on
beige paper. This was followed by the latter half of the Victorian era when wallpaper was inspired by
Gothic art of earth tones and stylized leaf and floral patterns. William Morris was one of the most
renowned designers of wallpaper and fabrics during this period. He was influenced by medieval art,
which he saw as the noblest art form, and used Gothic tapestries from that era in his work.
1. The word "affluence" is closest in meaning to _________.
A. influence B. impact C. wealth D. interest
2. According to Paragraph 1, the Victorian style is used in Asia ________.
A. to conform to cultural norms B. to signal an elevated status
C. to attract visitors D. to create a comfortable and welcoming
atmosphere
3. According to Paragraph 2, why did Europeans fill up every space?
A. To show visitors their collections of objects
B. To demonstrate that they appreciated a grand excess of ornamentation
C. To showcase their personal interests by adoring any open spaces with pieces of art that were
aesthetically pleasing
D. To show that they had wealth and sophisticated taste
4. What can be inferred about the Victorian Hotel in British Columbia?
A. It was meticulously designed to meet the standards of the Victorian style.
B. It was one of the most expensive hotels to design in Vancouver.
C. It is more elegant than the home of an affluent family during the Victorian era.
D. It was designed to accommodate visits from the royal family.
5. The phrase "indulging in" is closest in meaning to ________.
A. living in B. deriving pleasure from
C. obsessing about D. showing an interest in
6. In Paragraph 2, why does the author mention the objects found in a Victorian style home?
A. To illustrate the objects that could be purchased only by the rich
B. To point out that Victorians indulged in many objects that did not serve a useful purpose
C. To give examples of the items that were popular in the Victorian era
D. To suggest that design has changed a I a great deal since Victorian times
7. What is the purpose of Paragraph 3?
A . To describe another feature of Victorian style
B. To account for the use of Arabic symbols during the Victorian era
C. To describe the patterns used in Victorian design
D. To explain how homeowners compensated for a lack of natural light in Victorian style
homes
8 . The word "intricate" is closest in meaning to _______.
A. interesting B. colorful
C. attractive D. complicated
9. All of the following are patterns that could probably be seen in Victorian linens EXCEPT
A. roses and tulips B. bows and arrows
C. squares and circles D. horses and sheep
10. According to Paragraph 4, why did wallpaper first become popular?
A. It became more widely available and more affordable.
B. It was a way to cover up plain walls and make them more interesting
C. It was a reflection of how popular the Gothic style had become.
D. It was not as heavily taxed by the government as paint.

26. Chuyên Anh Hoà Bình (2022-2023)

Diffusion, the process of introducing cultural elements from one society into another, occurs in
three basic patterns: direct contact, intermediate contact, and stimulus diffusion.
In direct contact, elements of a society's culture may be adopted first by neighboring societies
and then gradually spread farther a field. The spread of the manufacture of paper is an example of
extensive diffusion by direct contact. The invention of paper is attributed to the Chinese Ts'ai Lun in
A.D. 105. Within fifty years, paper was being made in many places in central China. By 264 it was
found in Chinese Turkmenistan, and from then on the successive places of manufacture were
Samarkand (751), Baghdad (793), Egypt (about 900), Morocco (about 1100), and France (1189). In
general, the pattern of accepting the borrowed invention was the same everywhere. Paper was first
imported into each area as a luxury, then in ever-expanding quantities as a staple product. Finally,
usually within one to three centuries, local manufacture started.
Diffusion by intermediate contact occurs through the agency of third parties. Frequently,
traders carry a cultural trait from the society that originated it to another group. As an example of
diffusion through intermediaries, Phoenician traders spread the alphabet which may have been
invented by another Semitic group to Greece. At times, soldiers serve as intermediaries in spreading a
culture trait. During the Middle Ages, European soldiers acted as intermediaries in two ways: they
carried European culture to Arab societies of North Africa and brought Arab culture back to Europe. In
the nineteenth century Western missionaries brought Western-style clothing to such places as Africa
and the Pacific Islands.
In stimulus diffusion, knowledge of a trait belonging to another culture stimulates the invention
or development of a local equivalent. A classic example of stimulus diffusion is the creation of the
Cherokee syllabic writing system by a Native American named Sequoya. Sequoya got the idea from
his contact with the English; yet he did not adopt the writing system nor did he even learn to write
English. He utilized some English alphabetic symbols, altered others, and invented new ones.
(Adapted from https://toefl libtee.com)
1. According to the passage, a change that occurred in Africa and the Pacific Islands as a result
of the arrival of missionaries was __________________.
A. an increase in the presence of soldiers.
B. variation in local style of dressing
C. the manufacture of paper
D. the introduction of new alphabetical systems
2. According to the passage, what did Sequoya do?
A. He adopted the English writing system for use in Cherokee.
B. He studied English intensively in order to learn to write it.
C. He taught English to Cherokee Native Americans.
D. He created a Cherokee writing system based on elements of the English alphabet.
3. The origins of the Greek and Cherokee writing systems were discussed in the passage because
both systems _________________.
 A. underwent identical patterns of development in different parts of the world
B. influenced the development of alphabets of other languages
C. represented distinct ways in which elements could be introduced into a culture
D. were introduced by religious missionaries
4. Which of the following statements about direct contact, intermediate contact, and stimulus
diffusion is NOT true?
A. They all cause changes in cultures.
B. They all occur in more than one culture.
C. They all involve the interaction of cultures.
D. They all require the trading of manufactured products.
5. The author organized the discussion in the passage by _______________.
A. establishing a historical chronology from the past through the present
B. illustrating specific categories with examples
C. identifying important geographic regions
D. ranking categories from most to least significant

The walnut tree produces wood that is used for countless purposes, and is considered the finest
wood in the world. The wood is easy to work with, yet it is very hard and durable and when it is
polished, it produces a rich, dark luster. It also shrinks and swells less than any other wood, which
makes it especially desirable for fine furniture, flooring, and even gun stocks.
In fact, just about every part of the walnut is unusually hard and strong. The nut of the tree is
encased inside a very hard shell, which itself is enclosed in a leathery outer covering called a husk. It
requires real effort to break through those layers to get at the tasty meat inside.
Yet every part of the walnut is useful to people. The outer husk produces a dark reddish stain
that is hard to remove from the hands of the person, who opens the nut, and this pigment is widely
used in dyes and wood stains. The inner shell is used as an abrasive to clean jet engines. And the meat
of the nut is extensively used in cooking, ice cream, flavorings and just eaten raw.
Walnut trees exude a chemical into the soil near their roots which can be poisonous to some
trees and shrubs. Fruit trees, for example, will not survive if planted too close to a walnut. Many other
plants, such as maple trees or ivy, are not affected by the walnut's presence, and are well-suited to grow
in its vicinity.
1. The underlined word "It" in the first paragraph refers to ___________.
A. walnut tree B. walnut wood C. furniture D. flooring
2. The walnut tree is believed to produce ___________.
A. the best wood in the world B. the most delicious meat for cooking
C. poisonous roots for people D. some plants such as maple trees or ivy
3. As used in the passage, the underlined word "pigment" most nearly means __________.
A. colour B. meat C. fruit D. fragrance
4. The author of the passage probably believes that __________.
A. walnut trees are endangered.
B. people should recycle more.
C. people should grow walnut trees if possible.
D. maple trees are not good for furniture making.
5. What is the main idea of the passage?
A. Trees are used for many things. B. Maple trees grow well with walnuts.
C. Walnuts can kill other trees. D. Walnut trees are valuable when planted
correctly.

27. Chuyên Anh Bến Tre (2022-2023)

Sleep is a natural process, and although a lot have been written about the subject, it is still
surrounded by mystery. It is used by some as an escape from the world, and regarded by others as an
irritating waste of time: some people get by on very little, others claim they can not exist without at
least ten hours, but nobody can do without sleep completely.
Our night's sleep does not just consist of a steady phrase of gradually deepening sleep. It
alternates between two stages: Non-dreaming or ordinary sleep, and REM (rapid eye movement) or
dreaming sleep. As soon as we fall asleep, we go straight into non-dreaming sleep for an hour or so,
then into REM sleep for about 15 minutes, then back into non-dreaming sleep. It alternates in this way
for the rest of the night, with non-dreaming sleep tending to last longer at the beginning of the night.
Non-dreaming sleep occupies three quarters of our night's sleep, about a quarter of it deep and the rest
fairly light.
It is widely believed that sleep repairs the body and makes good the damage caused by being
awake. However, its main function is to refresh the brain. Experts believe that probably only about
two-thirds of our sleep is necessary for repairing and refreshing the brain, with the most valuable sleep
coming in the first few hours of the non-dreaming period, the last few hours of sleep are not so
essential. The brain can manage quite well with reduced sleep as long as it is uninterrupted sleep.
The quality of sleep is important. A study conducted in the USA looked at short sleepers, who
slept for 5.5 hours on average, and long sleepers, who had 8.5 hours or more. It is discovered after a
variety of tests that the long sleepers were poor sleepers, had twice as much REM sleep as the short
sleepers, appeared to sleep longer to make up for the poor sleep, and did not wake up in the morning
refreshed. Similarly, people who sleep deeply are not necessarily getting a better quality of sleep than
shallow sleepers. Deep sleepers can feel tired the following day, so six hours of good sleep is worth
more than eight hours of troubled sleep.
1. It can be concluded from the first passage that _______.
A. people need equal time of sleep
B. sleep is among the processes of the nature
C. sleep remains a puzzle
D. everything about sleep has been brought to light
2. All the following are true, EXCEPT for _______.
A. we spend only 25 percents of our night's sleeping time to dream
B. our night's sleep occurs in a straight line of only two phases
C. all sleeps are similar in the alternatives of the two stages during the night
D. we often have no dreams after we fall asleep
3. Unlike the common belief, sleep helps _______.
A. not to be awake
B. us to repair our body
C. our brain to rest and recover
D. us to fix the damage happening by day
4. It can be inferred from the experts' ideas that ______.
A. Nearly 70% of our sleep is invaluable
B. REM makes good our brain
C. Dream enables our body to refresh
D. if we can sleep uninterruptedly, it is not necessary to sleep the whole night
5. The study in the USA suggested that _______.
 A. the fewer hours we sleep, the more we dream
B. the type of sleep is more important than its length
C. Deep sleep means better sleep
D. Six hours of sleep is better than eight hours
6. Which of the following is NOT discussed in the passage?
A. The problem with sleepless people B. The circle of sleep
C. The role of the sleep D. Types of sleep
7. The word "occupies" in paragraph 2 could be best replaced by ______.
A. accounts for B. takes care of C. works out D. goes up
8. The word "irritating" in paragraph I most likely means _______.
A. comforting B. annoying C. calming D. soothing
9. The word "it" in paragraph 2 refers to ________.
A. the REM B. our night's sleep C. the ordinary sleep D. the night
10. This passage is most likely taken from ________.
A. a health magazine B. a doctor's description
C. a fashion magazine D. an advertisement

28. Chuyên Anh Ninh Bình (2022-2023)

Water scarcity is fast becoming one of the major limiting factors in world crop production. In
many areas, poor agricultural practices have led to increasing desertification and the loss of formerly
arable lands. Consequently, those plant species that are well adapted to survival in dry climates are
being looked at for an answer in developing more efficient crops to grow on marginally arable lands.
Plants use several mechanisms to ensure their survival in desert environments. Some involve
purely mechanical and physical adaptations, such as the shape of the plant's surface, smaller leaf size,
and extensive root systems. Some of the adaptations are related to chemical mechanisms. Many plants,
such as cacti, have internal gums and mucilage which give them water-retaining properties. Another
chemical mechanism is that of the epicuticular wax layer. This wax layer acts as an impervious cover
to protect the plant. It prevents excessive loss of internal moisture. It also protects the plant from
external aggression, which can come from inorganic agents such as gases, or organic agents which
include bacteria and plant pests.
 Researchers have proposed that synthetic waxes with similar protective abilities could be
prepared based on knowledge of desert plants. If successfully developed, such a compound could be
used to greatly increase a plant's ability to maintain health in such adverse situations as inadequate
water supply, limited fertilizer availability, attack by pests, and poor storage after harvesting
1. This passage deals mainly with ______.
A. desertification B. decreasing water supply
C. factors limiting crop production D. developing efficient plants
2. The word "arable" in the 1" paragraph is closest in meaning to ________.
A. fertile B. parched C. barren D. marsh
3. Which of the followings is a mechanical or physical mechanism that desert plants use?
A. the plant's shape B. the small root system
C. the vast leaf size D. the high water system
4. The word "extensive" in the 2nd paragraph is closest in meaning to ________.
A. spongy B. shallow C. widespread D. comprehensive
5. Which is one of the ways in which the epicuticular wax protects the plant?
A. It helps the plant to avoid excessive moisture intake
B. It helps the plant to attack aggressors
C. It releases gases against plant pests.
D. It guards against bacteria.
6. The word "It" in the 2nd paragraph refers to ________.
A. another chemical mechanism B. the epicuticular wax layer
C. an impervious plant like cover D. the loss of internal moisture
7. The word "aggression" in the 2nd paragraph is closest in meaning to _________.
A. attack B. agitation C. conditions D. surroundings
8. What is an example of an inorganic agent that may attack plants?
A. bacteria B. insects C. gas D. pests
9. It can be inferred that synthetic stimulate waxes _________.
A. have not been developed yet
B. have not succeeded
C. have been determined to be impervious to organic and inorganic agents
D. have the quality of causing bacteria
10. All of the followings are examples of an adverse situation for crops EXCEPT _________.
A. inadequate water B. insufficient fertilize
C. pest aggression D. proper storage

29. Chuyên Anh Nghệ An (2022-2023)

MUSIC AT SCHOOL
With popular music as with classical music, the only way to come to understand it thoroughly,
it is said, is by performing it. The problem with many pop bands is that their members are self-taught
and, consequently, if ever they reach the level of public performance, they often only succeed in
perpetuating the musical conventions to which they have been exposed. The days when a group of raw,
talented musicians could get together and work their way through to a distinctive sound, constantly
improving their technique in the process, seem to be gone.
There may still be talents around of the order of a Jimi Hendrix or Eric Clapton, able to acquire
prodigious technique mainly by themselves, but the motivation -the sense that there is still something
urgent to say within the medium- has largely evaporated. So much so that most aspiring young
musicians are increasingly content to play their own versions of other people's tunes.
So what role, if any, does music teaching in school have to play? The current fashion in musical
education in Britain dictates that young children must be creative and active, whilst the playing of
recorded music to children has been made to seem like an easy option for lazy teachers. With many
years of experience behind me as a musician and teacher, however, I feel strongly that listening to
music is actually a crucial component in any musical education.
The arguments put forward by music educators are usually a reaction to what they see as a
habit of uncritical listening induced by pop music. But in response to this, I fear, rather simplistic view,
a couple of points need making. The first is that classical music is also listened to uncritically. I well
remember a head teacher (who incidentally was always complaining that her students' homework
suffered as a result of their being distracted by popular music) sharing with me her delight over the
new home hi-fi system she had acquired. Mozart, she said, eased the burden of writing hundreds of
student reports enormously. Within a few weeks of our conversation, however, she had banned herself
from using the system whilst working, so inaccurate had her report writing become.
The second is that the aural awareness of the average listener to classical music - and I am
afraid that includes a lot of music teachers - is also severely under-developed. Really discriminating
listeners cannot tolerate music as a background to any activity that requires their concentration.
Because they are mentally processing every note, they cannot shut the music out in order to perform
any other tasks.
What's more, if musical performance, recorded or live, is to have an impact on the young, it is
not going to be because it has been suitably prepared for creative exploration. More likely, it will be
because a particular piece of music is able to move those pupils who are susceptible to such motivation
by its irrational, primeval power. That is why it is so important that children should encounter the real
world of music - preferably live as well as recorded - on as much variety as possible. Live music also
provides an opportunity for educational visits which, rather like holidays, provide not only a useful
psychological break from school routine, but also serve to broaden young people's horizons.
Moreover if children need plenty of exposure to a variety of musical forms, it follows that we
should not make, or allow children to make, any value judgements about which form is 'superior'. The
fact is, popular and classical music represent different ways of life, in the sense of different views of
culture and the values associated with it - and this despite the efforts of so many trained musicians to
bridge the gap. It is there important that education should recognize the existence of this gap and
subject it to some scrutiny, rather than pretend that it does not exist, or plump solely for one side or the
other. Given the customary classical training of music teachers, and the general pop-orientated musical
preferences of children, there is usually an intrinsic wariness between class and teacher: an unstated
need for a kind of negotiated settlement. As with any negotiation, the start should be with areas of
agreement rather than disagreement.
1. According to the writer, what do contemporary pop bands lack?
A. genuine musical talent B. inspirational role models.
C. an innovative spirit D. musical conventions to follow
2. In the writer's view, music classes in school ______.
A. are too passive in nature B. over-emphasize the role of music-making
C. are over-reliant on recorded music D. fail to exploit the experience of teachers
3. What point does the example of the head teacher illustrate?
A. Popular music doesn't require concentration.
B. Good music demands our full attention.
C. Any kind of music can be distracting.
D. Classical music helps us to concentrate.
4. What point is made about music teachers in the fifth paragraph?
A. They are inclined to misinterpret classical music.
B. They sometimes misuse recorded music in their classes.
C. Some of them focus too narrowly on music in their training.
D. Many of them have not learnt to listen to music effectively.
5. In the writer's opinion, what aspect of a musical performance is most like to attract young people?
A. its emotional impact B. its creative energy
C. its unpredictable nature D. its educational value
6. The pronoun "it" in the last paragraph refers to _____.
A. form
B. life
C. exposure to a variety of musical forms
D. popular and classical music
7. According to the writer, in dealing with pop and classical music in the classroom, teachers should
______.
A. analyse how one has influenced the other
B. attempt to find common ground between them
C. present them as equally correct and valuable
D. get their students to decide which is better

30. Chuyên Anh Bà Rịa Vũng Tàu (2022-2023)

WHAT CHILDREN REMEMBER
Whether it's holidays, great days out or lazy days at home, you hope your children will retain
happy memories of their childhoods. But often their treasured recollections don't match parental
expectations.
Take my exasperated friend Sarah. Back on the train after a day at both the Natural History and
the Science museums with three children under 10, she asked: "So what did you all learn?" "That if I
bang my head on something hard, it's going to hurt," came the reply from her six-year- old daughter.
Roaring dinosaurs and an expensive lunch had little impact, but the bump on a banister was destined to
become family legend. After I'd helped out on a school trip to Tate Modern art gallery, the teacher told
me that three of my five-year-old charges drew the escalators as their most memorable bit of the day.
"On a zoo trip, Luca liked the caterpillar best," says my friend Barbara. "Forget lions, giraffes and
gorillas. What made the most impression (and what he still talks about five years later) is the time he
found a caterpillar at the zoo."
Food features large in other children's memories. "Did you like going on the plane?" a friend
asked her three-year-old daughter after her first flight. "I liked the crisps," came the reply. Four years
on, another friend's daughter still remembers Menorca for the tomato-flavored crisps and
Pembrokeshire for the dragon ice cream (ice cream in a dragon-shaped pot). Last summer, Janet and
her husband took their three children on a three-week train trip around Europe. "We wanted to open
their minds to the joys of travel and experience different cultures," she says. "But the high point for
them was the Mickey Mouse-shaped ice cream. That was in Rome. I wonder whether the Coliseum
made any sort of impression."
But parenting expert Suzie Hayman is reassuring. "I think food figures high in everybody's
memories," she says. "I just have to think of hot chocolate and I'm transported back to Paris. Adults
tend to be less direct or simply try hard to come up to other people's expectations. The important thing
is that you give your children lots of stimulation. If you visit a museum, you can convey your
appreciation for something. Just don't expect them to share it. It's all about laying out the buffet and
letting children pick. What children want most is you - your attention, your approval, your time. They
may prefer the box to the present, but you're still giving them variety for their memory pool. It's also
important that they don't grow up expecting that happy times only equate with spending money on
expensive days out."
My nine-year-old has a memory theory: the more uncomfortable the bed, the better the holiday.
So sleeping on bathroom floors and bending Z-beds make for a fantastic time and fluffy pillows and
soft mattresses (more expensive) equal boring. This is one unexpected memory I plan to nurture for
years to come.
(Adapted from FCE Test Builder)
1. The writer's purpose in the article is to point out _______________.
A. how difficult it is for children to remember the kind of things that adults remember
B. how annoying children's memories of past events can be for adults
C. how happy children's own memories of past events make them feel
D. how different children's memories are from what adults want them to remember
2. What do all of the memories mentioned in paragraph 2 have in common?
 A. They concerned something unexpected that happened during a trip.
B. They were not connected with the main purpose of the trip.
C. They concerned trips that adults particularly enjoyed.
D. They were not things that the children remembered for long.
3. The food examples in paragraph 3 illustrate the fact that _________________.
A. food is often what children remember about journeys
B. children's memories of past events frequently involve food
C. children like talking about unusual food they have had
D. children keep their memories of unusual food for a long time
4. What does Suzie Hayman say about parents?
A. They should not expect their children to enjoy the same things that they enjoy.
B. They should not take their children on expensive days out.
C. They should not pay attention to what their children can remember the most.
D. They should not take their children to places that will not interest them.
5. It can be inferred from paragraph 5 that the writer thinks her child's memory theory
A. is different from that of other children
B. has an advantage for the writer
C. makes logical sense to the writer
D. is something that she shares with her child

Reading 2:
INTERNET JOBS
Contrary to popular belief, one does not have to be a trained programmer to work online. Of
course, there are plenty of jobs available for people with high-tech computer skills, but the growth of
new media has opened up a wide range of Internet career opportunities requiring only a minimal level
of technical expertise. Probably one of the most well-known online job opportunities is the job of
webmaster. However, it is hard to define one basic job description for this position. The qualifications
and responsibilities depend on what tasks a particular organization needs a webmaster to perform.
To specify the job description of a webmaster, one needs to identify the hardware and software
the website the webmaster will manage is running on. Different types of hardware and software require
different skill sets to manage them. Another key factor is whether the website will be running
internally or externally (renting shared space on the company servers). Finally, the responsibilities of a
webmaster also depend on whether he or she will be working Independently, or whether the firm will
provide people to help. All of these factors need to be considered before one can create an accurate
webmaster job description.
Webmaster is one type of Internet career requiring in-depth knowledge of the latest computer
applications. However, there are also online jobs available for which traditional skills remain in high
demand. Content jobs require excellent writing skills and a good sense of the web as a "new media'.
The term "new media" is difficult to define because it encompasses a constantly growing set of
new technologies and skills. Specifically, it includes websites, email, internet technology, CD- ROM,
DVD, streaming audio and video, Interactive multimedia presentations, e-books, digital music,
computer illustration, video games, virtual reality, and computer artistry.
Additionally, many of today's Internet careers are becoming paid-by-the-job professions. With
many companies having to downsize in tough economic items, the outsourcing and contracting of
freelance workers online has become common business practice. The Internet provides an Infinite pool
of buyers from around the world with whom freelancers can contract their services. An added benefit
to such online jobs is that freelancers are able to work on projects with companies outside their own
country.
How much can a person make in these kinds of careers? As with many questions related to
today's evolving technology, there is no simple answer. There are many companies willing to pay
people with Internet skills salaries well over $70,000 a year. Generally, webmasters start at about
$30,000 per year, but salaries can vary greatly. Freelance writers working online have been known to
make between $40,000 to $70,000 a year.
1. What is the purpose of the passage?
A. To inform people about the tasks and the roles of a webmaster
B. To inform people about employment related to the Internet
C. To inform people about the computer industry
D. To explain why webmasters make a lot of money
2. The word "identify" in paragraph 2 is closest in meaning to ________________.
A. name B. corrupt C. encounter D. interface
3. According to the passage, which of the following is TRUE of webmasters?
A. They never work independently.
 B. The duties they perform depend on the organization they employ.
C. They are required a minimal level of technical expertise.
D. They do not support software products.
4. What can be inferred from the passage about freelance writers?
A. They may work with others in the company.
B. They manage hardware and software.
C. Their job is considered a content job.
D. Their job requires in-depth knowledge of latest applications
5. According to the passage, all of the followings are TRUE except ______________.
A. Webmasters must have knowledge of the latest computer applications.
B. Online workers cannot free themselves from the office.
C. The term "new media" is not easy to define.
D. There are online jobs available for workers with minimal computer skills.

31. Chuyên Anh Bắc Ninh (2022-2023)

About 200 million years ago, as the Triassic Period came to a close, many species of animals
disappeared from the face of the Earth. Scientists previously believed that the series of extinctions
happened over a period of 15 to 20 million years. Recent discoveries in Nova Scotia suggest, however,
that the extinctions may have happened over a much shorter period of time, perhaps less than 850,000
years.
Evidence for a rapid extinction of species at the end of the Triassic Period is found in the
McCoy Brook Formation along the Bay of Fundy in Nova Scotia. Fossils found in this formation
indicate a rapid disappearance of species rather than a slow and gradual change over time. One
explanation for a relatively sudden extinction at the end of the Triassic may be that a large
meteorite struck the earth at the time and is responsible for a 70- kilometer hole nearby. If geologists
and other researchers can find evidence, such as shocked quartz in the rock formations, that a
meteorite did strike the earth, it would give more credence to the theory of rapid Triassic extinctions.
It is possible, however, that even if a rapid extinction happened in and around Nova Scotia, it did not
necessarily occur in the rest of the world.
1. What is the main topic of this passage?
A. the disappearance of animal species at the end of the Triassic Period
 B. evidence of a relatively sudden extinction of species
C. the possibility of an extinction happening simultaneously throughout the world
D. a meteorite hole in the Bay of Fundy in Nova Scotia
2. The author uses the phrase “the face of the Earth” in paragraph 1 in order to ______.
A. emphasize the disappearance
B. focus on one part of the Earth
C. focus on one period of time
D. point out the reference to land, not water
3. All of the following were mentioned in the passage EXCEPT __________
A. the extinction of late Triassic animals
B. the duration of time for the extinction
C. a large meteorite hitting the Earth 10 million years ago
D. the use of types of rock in scientific research
4. Where in the passage does the author give evidence for the argument?
A. Lines 1-2 B. Lines 6-10
C. Lines 11-12 D. Lines 13-14
5. According to the passage, what would give evidence that a meteorite struck the earth?
A. a gradual change in species over time
B. a change in the quartz
C. deposits in the veins of rocks
D. a change in the waters of the Bay of Fundy
6. Which of the following could best replace the word “struck” as used in the passage?
A. affected B. discovered
C. devastated D. hit
7. Which of the following is most probably the meaning of “shocked quartz” in the passage?
A. narrow chasms B. tiny lines
C. hardened ores D. cracked minerals
8. The word “it” in paragraph 2 refers to _________
A. evidence B. an extinction
C. the Earth D. a meteorite
9. The word “credence” in the passage could be best replaced by ________
A. demonstration B. elevation
C. suitability D. credibility
10. Which of the following best describes the author’s tone?
A. aggressive B. explanatory
C. apologetic D. cynical

32. Chuyên Anh Quảng Ninh (2022-2023)

Centuries ago, man discovered that removing moisture from food helped to preserve it, and that
the easiest way to do this was to expose the food to sun and wind. In this way the North American
Indians produced pemmican (dried meat ground into powder and made into cakes), the Scandinavians
made stockfish and the Arabs dried dates and apricots.
All foods contain water - cabbage and other leaf vegetables contain as much as 93% water,
potatoes and other root vegetables 80%, lean meat 75% and fish anything from 80% to 60% depending
on how fatty it is. If this water is removed, the activity of the bacteria which cause food to go bad is
checked.
Fruit is sun-dried in Asia Minor, Greece, Spain and other Mediterranean countries, and also in
California, South Africa and Australia. The methods used vary, but in general the fruit is spread out on
trays in drying yards in the hot sun. In order to prevent darkening, pears, peaches and apricots are
exposed to the fumes of burning sulphur before drying. Plums for making prunes, and certain varieties
of grapes for making raisins and currants, are dipped in an alkaline solution in order to crack the skins
of the fruit slightly and remove their wax coating, so increasing the rate of drying.
Nowadays most foods are dried mechanically; the conventional method of such dehydration is
to put food in chambers through which hot air is blown at temperatures of about 110°C at entry to
about 45°C at exit. This is the usual method for drying such things as vegetables, minced meat, and
fish.
Liquids such as milk, coffee, tea, soups and eggs may be dried by pouring them over a heated
horizontal steel cylinder or by spraying them into a chamber through which a current of hot air passes.
In the first case, the dried material is scraped off the roller as a thin film which is then broken up into
small, though still relatively coarse flakes. In the second process it falls to the bottom of the chamber
as a fine powder. Where recognizable pieces of meat and vegetables are required, as in soup, the
ingredients are dried separately and then mixed.
Dried foods take up less room and weigh less than the same food packed in cans or frozen, and
they do not need to be stored in special conditions. For these reasons they are invaluable to climbers,
explorers and soldiers in battle, who have little storage space. They are also popular with housewives
because it takes so little time to cook them.
From Practical Faster Reading by Gerald Mosback and Vivien Mosback, CUP
1. What is the main idea of the passage?
A. Advantages of dried foods. B. Water: the main component of food.
C. Different methods of drying foods. D. Mechanization of drying foods.
2. The phrase “do this” in the first paragraph mostly means ______.
A. moisten foods B. remove moisture from foods
C. produce pemmican D. expose foods to sun and wind
3. The word “checked” in the second paragraph is closest in meaning to ______.
A. motivated to develop B. reduced considerably
C. examined carefully D. put a tick
4. In the process of drying certain kinds of fruits, sulphur fumes help ______.
A. crack their skin B. remove their wax coating
C. maintain their color D. kill off bacteria
5. Nowadays the common method for drying vegetables and minced meat is ______.
A. spreading them out on trays in drying yards
B. pouring them over a heated horizontal steel cylinder
C. dipping them in an alkaline solution
D. putting them in chambers and blowing hot air through
6. What does the word “which” in the fourth paragraph refer to?
A. Chambers B. Foods
C. Things D. Vegetables
7. The final product of the process of drying liquids that uses the first method will be ______.
A. fine powder B. dried soup
C. recognizable pieces D. small flakes
8. Which of the following is NOT mentioned in the passage?
 A. Liquids are not dried in the same way as fruits and vegetables.
B. Fruit is usually dried by being laid out on trays in the sun.
C. People in India began to use drying methods centuries ago.
D. Dried foods have several advantages over canned or frozen foods.
9. According to the passage, dried foods are most useful for ______.
A. explorers who are underweight B. soldiers who are not in battle
C. people who are on the move D. housewives who have little storage
space
10. This passage is mainly ______.
A. analytical B. informative
C. fictional D. argumentative

33. Chuyên Anh Bắc Ninh (2021-2022)

We find that bright children are rarely held back by mixed ability teaching. On the contrary,
both their knowledge and experience are enriched. We feel that there are many disadvantages in
streaming pupils. It does not take into account the fact that children develop at different rates. It can
have a bad effect on both the bright and the not so bright child. After all, it can be quite discouraging to
be at the bottom of the top grade!
Besides, it is rather unreal to grade people just according to their intellectual ability. This is
only one aspect of their total personality. We are concerned to develop the abilities of all our pupils to
the full, not just their academic ability. We also value personal qualities and social skills, and we find
that mixed ability teaching contributes to all these aspects of learning. In our classrooms, we work in
various ways. The pupils often work in groups: this gives them the opportunity to learn to cooperate, to
share, and to develop leadership skills. They also learn how to cope with personal problems as well as
learning how to think, to make decisions, to analyze and evaluate, and to communicate effectively. The
pupils learn from each other as well as from the teachers.
Sometimes the pupils work in pairs; sometimes they work on individual tasks and assignments,
and they can do this at their own speed. They also have some formal class teaching when this is
appropriate. We encourage our pupils to use the library, and we teach them the skills they need in order
to do this effectively. An advanced pupil can do advanced work; it does not matter what age the child
is. We expect our pupils to do their best, not their least, and we give them every encouragement to
attain this goal.
1. The phrase “held back” in the first paragraph means “___________”
A. made to lag behind in study
B. forced to study in lower classes
C. prevented from advancing
D. made to remain in the same classes
2. The author argues that a teacher’s chief concern should be the development of the pupils’
_________.
A. total personality
B. learning ability and communicative skills
C. intellectual abilities
D. personal and social skills
3. Which of the following is NOT mentioned in the passage?
A. Group work provides the pupils with the opportunity to learn to be capable organizers.
B. Pupils also learn to develop their reasoning ability.
C. Group work gives pupils the opportunity to learn to work together with others.
D. Pupils also learn how to participate in teaching activities.
4. The author’s purpose of writing this passage is to _________.
A. recommend pair work and group work classroom activities
B. argue for teaching bright and not so bright pupils in the same class
C. emphasize the importance of appropriate formal classroom teaching
D. offer advice on the proper use of the school library
5. According to the passage, which of the following statements is an advantage of mixed ability
teaching?
A. Pupils can be hindered from an all round development.
B. Formal class teaching is the important way to give the pupils essential skills such asthose to
be used in the library.
C. A pupil can be at the bottom of a class.
D. Pupils as individuals always have the opportunities to work on their own.
34. Chuyên Anh Bắc Ninh (2020-2021)
PANDEMIC
Diseases are a natural part of life on Earth. If there were no diseases, the population would
grow too quickly, and there would not be enough food or other resources. So in a way, diseases are
nature’s way of keeping the Earth in balance. But sometimes they spread very quickly and kill large
numbers of people. For example, in 1918, an outbreak of the flu spread across the world, killing over
25 million people in only six months. Such terrible outbreaks of a disease are called pandemics.
Pandemics happen when a disease changes in a way that our bodies are not prepared to fight. In
1918, a new type of flu virus appeared. Our bodies had no way to fight this new flu virus, and
so it spread very quickly and killed large numbers of people. While there have been many different
pandemic diseases throughout history, all of them have a few things in common.
First, all pandemic diseases spread from one person to another very easily. Second, while they
may kill many people, they generally do not kill people very quickly. A good example of this would be
the Marburg virus. The Marburg virus is an extremely infectious disease. In addition, it is deadly.
About 70-80% of all the people who get the Marburg virus die from the disease. However, the
Marburg virus has not become a pandemic because most people die within three days of getting the
disease. This means that the virus does not have enough time to spread to a large number of people.
The flu virus of 1918, on the other hand, generally took about a week to ten days to kill its victims, so
it had more time to spread.
While we may never be able to completely stop pandemics, we can make them less common.
Doctors carefully monitor new diseases that they fear could become pandemics. For example, in 2002
and 2003, doctors carefully watched SARS. Their health warnings may have prevented SARS from
becoming a pandemic.
1. This passage is mainly about _______.
A. how to prevent pandemic diseases.
B. pandemic diseases.
C. pandemic diseases throughout history.
D. why pandemics happen.
2. According to paragraph 1, how are diseases a natural part of life on Earth?
A. They prevent pandemics.
B. They help control the population.
 C. They help the world grow quickly.
D. They kill too many people.
3. Based on the information in the passage the term pandemics can best be explained as _______.
A. diseases with no cure
B. a deadly kind of flu
C. diseases that spread quickly and kill large numbers of people
D. new diseases like SARS or the Marburg virus
4. According to the passage, all of the following are true of the 1918 flu pandemic EXCEPT
that ________.
A. it involved a new kind of flu virus
B. it killed over 25 million people
C. it was the last pandemic in history
D. it took a little over a week to kill its victims
5. The word “it” in the passage refers to ________.
A. disease B. flu virus C. pandemics D. bodies
6. According to paragraph 3, why hasn’t Marburg virus become a pandemic?
A. It is not a deadly disease.
B. It does not spread from person to person easily.
C. Doctors have prevented it from becoming a pandemic.
D. It kills people too quickly.
7. The word “monitor’’ in the passage is closest in meaning to _________.
A. prevent B. fight C. watch D. avoid
8. The author mentions SARS in order to _________.
A. give an example of a highly dangerous disease.
B. suggest that SARS will never become a pandemic.
C. give an example of the successful prevention of a pandemic.
D. suggest that there may be a new pandemic soon.

35. Chuyên Anh Bắc Ninh (2019-2020)

KOREAN AMERICANS AT GBS HIGH SCHOOL
 Glenbrook South (GBS) High School is in a suburb of Chicago, Illinois, in the United States. It
is an award- winning school with a highly competent teaching staff. It has over 400 Asian Pacific
American students- over 17 percent of the students in the school. Of these, the majority are Korean
American. This is very unusual in a state where Korean Americans are less than 1 percent of the
population. The interactions of the Korean American students at GBS were the subject of an article in
Asian Week magazine.
Different Korean American students react differently to being in a high school where most
students are white. Professor Pyong Gap Min, an expert on Korean life in America, believes that
Korean Americans in this situation can sometimes feel inhibited or ashamed of their Korean identity.
Asian Week interviewed a number of GBS students, and each had a different attitude.
Eighteen-year-old Alice said that she used to spend time only with Korean American friends. Although
she felt secure with those friends, she found herself motivated to form closer relationships with non-
Koreans, too. She said that she felt she was missing out on new experiences and challenges.
Seventeen-year-old John moved in the opposite direction. In junior high school, most of John’s friends
were white. After coming to GBS, his sense of his Korean American identity was restored, and he
decided to have mainly Korean American friends. He feels that he and his Korean American friends
understand each other better. For example, they understand about severe parental pressures to succeed
at school; John felt his white friends couldn’t really understand.
Sixteen-year-old Paul has some Korean American friends, but he says he spends most of his
time with his white friends. He is often the only Asian American in the group, but he doesn’t mind.
What Paul likes about the white culture is that he can be more radical- he can be as loud and funny as
he wants to be. He says he doesn’t see as much of that among the Asian students.
Without belittling the importance of what these students had to say, it’s important to remember
that their opinions at this phase of their lives are bound to change as they grow into adulthood. But
these honest opinions can help us better understand issues of cultural relations, and their honesty might
help Americans from different cultural groups to get along better in the future.
1. What does the passage mainly discuss?
A. How Korean American students interact among themselves and with others
B. Why Illinois is a very special state
C. How an Illinois high school welcomes Korean American students
D. Different opinions of the friends of Korean American students
2. According to the first paragraph, what makes GBS an unusual high school?
A. It is in the state of Illinois, which is very far from Korea.
B. All its Korean American students prefer to have white friends.
C. It is in the suburbs where the Korean American population is low.
D. It has a high percentage of Korean American students compared to the percentage in the
state.
3. According to paragraph 2, who can sometimes feel inhibited or ashamed?
A. Students who react differently to being Korean American
B. Korean American students when they are interviewed
C. Korean American students in a mostly white school
D. GBS students who have different attitudes
4. Which statement best summarizes Alice’s attitude?
A. She feels that her white friends don’t really understand her.
B. She likes her Korean American friends but wants to have non-Korean friends, too.
C. She feels she is missing out on experiences with her Korean American friends.
D. She doesn’t feel secure in her relationships with non-Koreans.
5. Who interviewed the three Korean American students?
A. Asian Week B. Professor Pyong Gap Min
C. The GBS teaching staff D. Other GBS students
6. Which phrase could best be substituted for “radical” in paragraph 5?
A. angry and dangerous B. very expressive
C. polite and considerate D. selfish and greedy
7. What DOESN’T the author think about the opinions of the three students?
A. They could change. B. They are unimportant.
C. They are honest. D. They could help people in the future.
8. Which of the following is closest in meaning to the word “interactions” in paragraph 1?
A. socializations B. contacts C. collaborations D. relations
9. What does the word “phase” in the last paragraph mean?
A. step B. grade C. stage D. interval
10. What can be inferred from paragraph 5?
A. Americans are not very radical.
 B. White American people are more active than others.
C. Americans are always sociable.
D. American students are more radical than the Asian ones.

36. Chuyên Anh Hải Phòng (2020-2021)

Federal Express is a company that specializes in rapid overnight delivery of high-priority
packages. The first company of its type, Federal Express was founded by the youthful Fred Smith in
1971, when he was only 28 years old. Smith had actually developed the idea for the rapid delivery
service in a term paper for an economics class when he was a student at Yale University. The term
paper reputedly received a less-than-stellar grade because of the infeasibility of the project that Smith
had outlined. The model that Smith proposed had never been tried, it was a model that was efficient to
operate but at the same time was very difficult to institute.
Smith achieved efficiency in his model by designing a system that was separate from the
passenger system and could, therefore, focus on how to deliver packages most efficiently. His strategy
was to own his own planes so that he could create his own schedules and to ship all packages through
the hub city of Memphis, a set-up which resembles the spokes on the wheel of a bicycle. With this
combination of his own planes and hub set-up, he could get packages anywhere in the United States
overnight.
What made Smith's idea difficult to institute was the fact that the entire system had to be
created before the company could begin operations. He needed a fleet of aircraft to collect packages
from airports every night and deliver them to Memphis, where they were immediately sorted and
flown out to their new destinations; he needed a fleet of trucks to deliver packages to and from the
various airports; he needed facilities and trained staff all in place to handle the operation. Smith had a
$4-million inheritance from his father, and he managed to raise an additional $91 million dollars from
venture capitalists to get the company operating.
When Federal Express began service in 1973 in 25 cities, the company was not an immediate
success, but success did come within a relatively short period of time. The company lost $29 million in
the first 26 months of operations. However, the tide was to tum relatively quickly. By late 1976,
Federal Express was carrying an average of 19,000 packages per night and had made a profit of $3.6
million.
1. The most appropriate title for this passage is, ________.
 A. The Capitalization of Federal Express
B. The Importance of Business Studies
C. The Implementation of a Successful Business
D. The Problem and Frustrations of a Business Student
2. What is stated in the passage about Smith's term paper?
A. Its grade was of only average standard.
B. It was written by a student of Smith's.
C. Smith submitted it through a delivery service.
D. The professor thought it had great potential.
3. What was a key idea of Smith's?
A. That he should focus on passenger service.
B. That passenger service had to be efficient.
C. That packages could be delivered on other companies' planes.
D. That package delivery should be separate from passenger service.
4 . A "hub city" in paragraph 2 is CLOSEST in meaning to _______.
A. a large city with small cities as destinations
B. a city that is the final destination for many routes
C. a city where many bicycle routes begin
D. a centralized city with destinations emanating from it
5. It can be inferred from the passage that Smith selected Memphis as his hub city because it ______.
A. had a large number of passenger aircraft
B. was near the middle of the country
C. already had a large package delivery service
D. was a favourite passenger airport
6. The pronoun "they" in paragraph 3 refers to _______.
A. aircrafts B. airports C. packages D. destinations
7. It is NOT mentioned in the passage that, in order to set up his company, Smith needed _______.
A. faculty B. personnel C. trucks D. airplanes
8. How long did it take Federal Express to become profitable?
A. One year B. Two years C. Three years D. Six years
9. Which paragraph explains what made Smith's model effective?
 A. Paragraph 1 B. Paragraph 2 C. Paragraph 3 D. Last paragraph
10. The tone of the passage in describing Smith's accomplishments is _______.
A unflattering B. unconvincing C. ironic D. sincere

Harvard University, today recognized as part of the top echelon of the world's universities,
came from very inauspicious and humble beginnings.
This oldest of American universities was founded in 1636, just sixteen years after the Pilgrims
landed at Plymouth. Included in the Puritan emigrants to the Massachusetts colony during this period
were more than 100 graduates of England's prestigious Oxford and Cambridge universities, and these
university graduates in the New World were determined that their sons would have the same
educational opportunities that they themselves had had. Because of this support in the colony for an
institution of higher leaming, the General Court of Massachusetts appropriated 400 pounds for a
college in October of 1636 and early the following year decided on a parcel of land for the school; this
land was in an area called Newtowne, which was later renamed Cambridge after its English cousin and
is the site of the present-day university.
When a young minister named John Harvard, who came from the neighbouring town of
Charlestown, died from tuberculosis in 1638, he willed half of his estate of 1,700 pounds to the
fledgling college. In spite of the fact that only half of the bequest was actually paid, the General Court
named the college after the minister in appreciation for what he had done. The amount of the bequest
may not have been large, particularly by today's standards, but it was more than the General Court had
found it necessary to appropriate in order to open the college.
Henry Dunster was appointed the first president of Harvard in 1640, and it should be noted that
in addition to serving as president, he was also the entire faculty, with an entering freshman class of
four students. Although the staff did expand somewhat, for the first century of its existence, the entire
teaching staff consisted of the president and three or four tutors.
1. The main idea of this passage is that ______.
A. Harvard is one of the world's most prestigious universities
B. what is today a great university started out small
C. John Harvard was key to the development of a great university
D. Harvard University developed under the auspices of the General Court of Massachusetts
2. The passage indicates that Harvard is _______.
 A. the oldest universities in the world
B. one of the oldest universities in the world
C. one of the oldest universities in America
D. the oldest university in America
3. It can be inferred from the passage that the Puritans who travelled to the Massachusetts colony were
_______.
A. rather rich B. rather undemocratic
C. rather well-educated D. rather supportive of the English govemment
4. Which of the following is NOT mentioned about John Harvard?
A. What he died of B. Where he was buried
C. Where he came from D. How much he bequeathed to Harvard
5. The passage implies that _______.
A. Henry Dunster was an ineffective president
B. someone else really served as president of Harvard before Henry Dunster
C. Henry Dunster spent much of his time as president managing the Havard University
D. the position of president of Havard was not merely an administrative position in the early
years.

37. Chuyên Anh Quảng Nam (2021-2022)

Nature has always provided a stimulus for inventive minds. Early flying machines clearly were
an attempt to emulate the freedom of birds. Architects and engineers have often consciously modeled
buildings on forms found in nature. A more recent example of the inspiration given by nature is the
invention of Velcro. The inventor of this now common fastening device noticed that small burrs
attached to his dog’s coat grasped the hairs by means of tiny hooks. This led him to invent a synthetic
fabric whose surfaces mimic the clasping properties of this natural seedpod.
Animals and plants have evolved solutions to the kinds of problems that often interest
engineers and designers. Much current research in material science is concerned with actively
examining the natural world, especially at the molecular level, for inspiration to develop materials with
novel properties. This relatively new field of study is sometimes known as biomimetic, since it
consciously attempts to mimic nature.
Researchers have investigated several interesting areas. For example, they have studied how the
molecular structure of antler bone contributes to its amazing toughness, how the skin structure of a
worm contributes to its ability to crawl, how the sea cucumber softens its skeleton and changes shape
so that it can squeeze through tiny gaps in rocks, or what gives wood its high resistance to impact.
These investigations have led to several breakthroughs in the development of composite materials with
remarkable properties.
Predictions for future inventions that may be developed from these lines of research include so-
called smart structures that design and repair themselves in a similar way to a variety of processes in
the natural world. For example, engineers have envisaged bridges that would detect areas heavily
stressed by vehicle movement or wind. The bridge structure would then automatically add or move
material to the weak areas until the stress is reduced. The same principle might be used to repair
damaged buildings. Other new materials that have been imagined are substances that would copy
photosynthesis in green plants in order to create new energy sources. The potential impact of
biomimetic research is so great that the twenty-first century may come to be known as the “Age of
Materials.”
1. The passage is primarily concerned with _________.
A. future research into the uses of Velcro
B. the effect of the Age of Materials on nature
C. the development of products based on nature
D. problems that preoccupy designers and engineers
2. The word “emulate” in paragraph 1 is closest in meaning to _________.
A. stimulate B. captivate C. imitate D. activate
3. Which of the following is true about Velcro?
A. It was first used to remove dog hair from the owner’s coat.
B. It exemplifies how a natural structure inspired a useful invention.
C. The inventor of Velcro was very famous before his invention.
D. It has set a trend for tiny hooks like structures in synthetic fabric.
4. Which of the following does the word “it” in paragraph 3 refer to?
A. sea cucumber B. skeleton
C. shape D. worm
5. According to the passage, which of the following would NOT be a useful biomimetic product?
A. Tomatoes mimicking the structures that give sea cucumbers the ability to squeeze through
cracks.
B. Bulletproof jackets mimicking the structures that give wood its resistance to impact.
C. Glass in windshields mimicking the structures that give antler bone its toughness.
D. Cables mimicking the structures that give spider webs their flexibility and tensile strength.

38. Chuyên Anh Thái Bình (2019-2020)

In this area of increasing and diminishing fossil fuel supplies, we must begin to put a greater
priority on harnessing alternative energy sources. Fortunately, there are many readily available,
renewable resources that are both cost-effective and earth-friendly. Two such resources are solar and
geothermal power.
Solar energy, which reaches the earth through sunlight, is so abundant that it could meet the
needs of worldwide energy consumption 6,000 times over. And solar energy is easily harnessed
through the use of photovoltaic cells converting sunlight to electricity. In the US alone, more than
100,000 homes are equipped with solar electric systems in the form of solar panels or solar roof tiles.
And in other parts of the world, the use of solar system is growing steadily.
Another alternative energy source is geothermal power which creates energy trapping heat from
below the surface of the earth. Hot water and steam that are trapped in underground pools are pumped
to the surface and used to nun a generator, which produces electricity. Geothermal energy is 5,000
times more abundant than the entire known supply of fossil fuel sources and as with solar power, the
technology needed to utilize geothermal energy is fairly simple. A prime example of effective
geothermal use is Iceland, a region of high geothermal activity where there are over 80 percent of
private homes heated by geothermal power.
Solar and geothermal energy sources are just two of the promising renewable alternatives to
conventional energy sources. The time is long overdue to invest in the development and use of
alternative energy on global scale.
1. What is the main topic of this passage?
A. The benefits of solar and wind power over conventional energy sources.
B. Two types of alternative energy sources that should be further utilized.
C. How energy resources are trapped from nature.
 D. Examples of the use of energy sources worldwide.
2. What best describes the author’s purpose in writing the passage?
A. To warn people about the hazard of fossil fuel use.
B. To inform people of the benefits of developing alternative energy sources.
C. To describe the advantages and disadvantages of alternative energy use.
D. To outline the problems and solutions connected with global warming.
3. According to the passage, how is solar energy production similar to geothermal energy production?
A. They both require the use of generator.
B. They both use heat from the earth’s surface.
C. They both require fairly simple technology.
D. They are both conventional and costly.
4. According to the passage, which of the following statements is TRUE about solar power?
A. There is very little of it available in Iceland.
B. It is being used in 100,000 private homes worldwide.
C. It is 6,000 times more powerful than the energy needs of the world.
D. There is enough of it to far exceed the energy needs of the world.
5. What does the word “which” in paragraph 3 refer to?
A. An alternative energy resource
B. A machine for generating electricity
C. Geothermal power
D. The use of photovoltaic cells
6. What can be inferred from the use of geothermal energy in Iceland?
A. It is a widely used form of energy for heating homes.
B. Twenty percent of the geothermal energy generated is used to heat the earth.
C. It is not effective for use in private homes.
D. It is 80 times more effective than traditional forms of fuel use.
7. The word “conventional” in paragraph 4 can be replaced by _________
A. optimistic B. traditional C. effective D. abundant
8. It is stated in the passage that ___________
A. An increased number of countries are using solar energy.
B. Heat coming from inside the earth can be utilized almost everywhere on earth.
 C. Only solar energy is environmentally friendly.
D. Geothermal heat can provide 80% of power needs in Iceland.

39. Chuyên Anh Hải Phòng (2023-2024)

The late 1990s was a volatile time for the Internet entrepreneur. There were a large number of
new high-tech and Internet-based businesses being started up, some based on little more than dreams.
And, nearly any entrepreneur with a high-tech or Internet-based business plan could receive a large
amount of money from investors to develop the business. These businesses were called "dot-coms"
after the last part of their Internet addresses, and that time in business history has become known as
the dot-com era. Most dot-com ventures failed as the inconsistencies between high-tech dreams and
realities clarified, but a handful of entrepreneurs from that time remain successful today.
Many people look back at the dot-com era with a certain amount of cynicism. Some charge that
there were entrepreneurs who deliberately mislead investors about the potential of their business plans;
that they had the ulterior motive of getting their hands on large amounts of cash before anything else -
a ploy that some say was common in the dot-com era. By 2001, most of the dot-coms had disappeared
and were sarcastically referred to as "dot-bombs." By the time the hype died down, incredible amounts
of money had been lost. This is an unfortunate legacy of the dotcom era.
Why did companies like Microsoft, Apple, and Google find success, whilst so many others
disappeared? There is no concise answer, but one interesting coincidence is that many of them were
started by two or more entrepreneurs working in conjunction with each other. At Microsoft, Bill Gates
and Paul Allen complemented each other, Apple had Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak; and we owe
Google to the rapport between founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin.
Besides collaborating with others, today's entrepreneurs need to be able to think on their feet
because the business situation changes so quickly. Entrepreneurs need to do constant research to keep
track of changing trends. Today's entrepreneurs need to be hardworking and tenacious in a rapidly
changing and highly competitive marketplace - the easy money of the dot-com era is history.
It seems that the mistakes of the dot-com era have shown the world what the high-tech
economy truly is - and what it isn't. It isn't a place where anyone with a dream can get rich. It is,
however, a powerful and flexible business environment where people with sound business ideas and
effective business models can work together to produce successful business innovations - sometimes
very successful ones indeed. But, as has always been true in the business world, there is no substitute
for thorough planning and hard work.
1. What is the author's main purpose in writing this passage?
A. to expose the negative side of the dot-com era
B. to show how being an entrepreneur is easier today than ever before
C. to explain the history and qualities of a type of entrepreneur
D. to convince the reader to become an entrepreneur
2. What does the word "their" in paragraph 1 refer to?
A. entrepreneurs B. business C. ventures D. investors
3. The word "rapport' in paragraph 3 closely means ________.
A. bondage B. sympathy
C. intimate relationship D. mutual understanding
4. Which quality of today's entrepreneurs is NOT mentioned in the passage?
A. They need to work in more than one company at a time.
B. They need to be hardworking and tenacious.
C. They need to do constant research.
D. They need to collaborate with others.
5. According to the passage, some people referred to dot-coms as "dot bombs" by 2001 probably
because _______.
A. most dot-com companies were short-lived failures
B. some dot-coms became extremely successful
C. dot-com companies started up extremely quickly
D. many people wished to eliminate dot-com businesses
6. According to the passage, many people look back on the dot-com era with criticism because
_______.
A. there were no true entrepreneurs in that era
B. they are jealous of the success of dot-coms
C. many companies misled their investors
D. the level of technology was so much lower then
7. The word "inconsistencies" in paragraph 1 is closest in meaning to ________.
A. inconstancy B. contradictions
 C. incompatibilities D. changeability
8. What do Microsoft, Apple, and Google all have in common?
A. They all produced high-quality computers.
B. They are all skeptical about dot-coms.
C. They all have a good rapport with each other.
D. They were all developed by more than one person.
9. According to the passage, what have we learned from the dot-com era?
A. That sound business ideas and effective plans are needed for success
B. That most high-tech and Internet-based businesses will succeed
C. That anyone with a dream can get rich in today's environment
D. That investors should give money freely to new companies
10. According to the passage, it was easy to get money from investors in the dot-com era because
_______.
A. investors didn't expect to get their money back in those days
B. investors were mainly Internet entrepreneurs
C. investors knew that any idea would succeed
D. investors were confused about the potential of high-tech business ideas

Ancient texts refer to the wondrous works of architecture created by the great civilisations of
old. One of these were the Hanging Gardens of Babylon, a structure of terraced gardens with trees,
shrubbery, herbs and flowers, located in the midst of a desert city. Writers described with amazement
the advanced equipment required to water them - a complex system of pumps and wheels that brought
water up from the nearby river to the top of the Gardens in order to keep the plants alive in the dry
climate.
Unfortunately, we know very little about the Gardens - including whether they really existed or
were indeed in the ancient city of Babylon. It seems they might have been destroyed by earthquakes in
the second century BCE; what little information we have about them today comes from sources written
centuries afterwards. The location of the city of Babylon was identified in the 1800s. Since then,
archaeologists have spent years searching for any sign of the Hanging Gardens,with little success.
For a while, it looked as though the Gardens were no more than a myth. Now, however, some
researchers are showing a renewed interest. Based on evidence from stone inscriptions, a new theory
suggests that the gardens existed not in Babylon, but in a different city altogether. Nineveh.
Furthermore, excavations around Nineveh have revealed evidence of a system of water channels that
would have brought water from the nearby mountains-enough to water an extensive garden.
Why then did so many ancient writers place the gardens in Babylon? It would not be the first
time that people from later periods confused the early histories of these cities, which had become
entwined with myth by that point. There are, for example, geographical errors in many ancient
accounts. To further confuse things, after 689 BCE, when both cities came under the same Assyrian
king, Sennacherib, Nineveh was often referred to as the "New Babylon".
1. The word "entwined" in paragraph 4 is closest in meaning to _______.
A. touched B. recorded C. provided D. mixed
2. What does the author suggest was particularly remarkable about the Gardens?
A. the size of the terraced structures
B. their fame throughout the history
C. the wide variety of plants and flowers they contained
D. the engineering they featured
3. What is the main purpose of this passage?
A. to examine new evidence found in Nineveh
B. to argue in favour of a new theory on the existence of Babylon
C. to present a different possibility for the location of the Hanging Gardens
D. to provide general information about the design of the Hanging Gardens
4. The author mentions the water channels at Nineveh ______.
A. to point out where the stone inscriptions were found
B. to add further support to the Nineveh theory
C. to illustrate why Nineveh was a better environment for the Gardens than Babylon
D. to explain where the Nineveh theory came from
5. What evidence is there for the Gardens' existence?
A. Archaeological evidence has been found.
B. They are mentioned in texts from later years.
C. Writers described them in detail at the time they existed.
D. Their location was discovered in the 1800s.
40. Chuyên Anh Bắc Ninh (2023-2024)
We live in a world of tired, sleep deprived people. In his book Counting Sheep, Paul Martin - a
behavioural biologist - describes a society which is just too busy to sleep and which does not give
sleeping the importance it deserves.
Modern society has invented reasons not to sleep. We are now a 24/7 society where shops and
services must be available all hours. We spend longer hours at work than we used to, and more time
getting to work. Mobile phones and email allow us to stay in touch round the clock and late-night TV
and the Internet tempt us away from our beds. When we need more time for work or pleasure, the easy
solution is to sleep less. The average adult sleeps only 6.2 hours a night during the week, whereas
research shows that most people need eight or even eight and a half hours' sleep to feel at their best.
Nowadays, many people have got used to sleeping less than they need and they live in an almost
permanent state of 'sleep debt'.
Until the invention of the electric light in 1879 our daily cycle of sleep used to depend on the
hours of daylight. People would get up with the sun and go to bed at nightfall, But nowadays our hours
of sleep are mainly determined by our working hours (or our social life) and most people are woken up
artificially by an alarm clock. During the day caffeine, the world's most popular drug, helps to keep us
awake. 75% of the world's population habitually consume caffeine, which up to a point masks the
symptoms of sleep deprivation.
What does a chronic lack of sleep do to us? As well as making us irritable and unhappy as
humans, it also reduces our motivation and ability to work. This has serious implications for society in
general. Doctors, for example, are often chronically sleep deprived, especially when they are on 'night
call', and may get less than three hours' sleep. Lack of sleep can seriously impair their mood, judgment,
and ability to take decisions. Tired engineers, in the early hours of the morning, made a series of
mistakes with catastrophic results. On our roads and motorways lack of sleep kills thousands of
people every year. Tests show that a tired driver can be just as dangerous as a drunken driver. However,
driving when drunk is against the law but driving when exhausted isn't. As Paul Martin says, it is very
ironic that we admire people who function on very little sleep instead of criticizing them for being
irresponsible. Our world would be a much safer, happier place if everyone, whatever their job, slept
eight hours a night.
1. Which of the following could best serve as the title of the passage?
A. Accident Prevention: Urgent! B.Sleep Deprivation: Causes and Effects
 C. A Society of Sleepless People D. A 24/7 Society and "Sleep Debt"
2. The phrase "round the clock" in the second paragraph is similar in meaning to _______.
A. all day and night B. surrounded with clocks
C. during the daytime D. having a round clock
3. The writer mentions the Internet in the passage as ______.
A. a temptation that prevents us from sleeping
B. an easy solution to sleep deprivation
C. an ineffective means of communication
D. a factor that is not related to sleep deprivation
4. According to the third paragraph, which of the following statements is NOT TRUE?
A. Our social life has no influence on our hours of sleep.
B. The sun obviously determined our daily routines.
C. The electric light was invented in the 19th century.
D. The electric light has changed our daily cycle of sleep."
5. The word "which" in the third paragraph refers to ______.
A. reaching a point B. masking the symptoms
C. the world's population D. caffeine consumption
6. Which of the following is TRUE, according to the last paragraph?
A. Doctors 'on night call' do not need more than three hours of sleep a day.
B. Our motivation decreases with the bigger number of hours we sleep.
C. Sleep deprivation has negative effects on both individuals and society.
D. Thousands of people are killed every day by drunken drivers.
7. The word "catastrophic” in the last paragraph probably means
A. bound to bring satisfaction B. becoming more noticeable
C. causing serious damage or loss D. likely to become worthless
8. Which of the following can be inferred from the passage?
A. Driving when exhausted is against the law.
B. Both drunken drivers and sleep-deprived people should be criticized.
C. There is no point in criticizing irresponsible people in our society.
D. We certainly can function well even when we hardly sleep.
9. All of the following are mentioned as those whose performance is affected by "sleep debt" EXCEPT
 A. doctors B. drivers C. biologists D. engineers
10. According to the passage, which of the following statements is TRUE about Paul Martin?
A. He shows his concern for sleep deprivation in modern society.
B. He gives an interesting account of a sleepless society.
C. He is a scientist who is chronically deprived of sleep.
D. He describes the modern world as a place without insomnia.
41. Chuyên Anh Nghệ An (2023-2024)
SHOULD CHILDREN BE TAKEN TO ART GALLERIES?
The debate about taking young children to art galleries has a long history. On one side are
traditionalists - conservators and keen gallery-goers - who disapprove of the noise and disruption
caused by children and worry about the damage to fragile paintings and sculptures. In opposition are
the progressives - educationalists and parents - who contend that viewing art enriches the lives of
children. This dispute has resurfaced in the media recently following a claim by the visual artist Jake
Chapman that dragging children round galleries is "a total waste of time". Parents are "arrogant", he
says, for thinking children could understand the work of such complex artists as Jackson Pollock and
Mark Rothko.
Currently thinking, of course, sides with the progressives. Early exposure to art widens
children's horizons, develops their curiosity about the world, and boosts their creativity. Further, it
significantly increases the chances that they will have a life-long interest. With this in mind, many
galleries have adopted a more child-friendly approach, encouraging parents to bring their children by
arranging special events and handing out quizzes and worksheets to children as they arrive. From this
perspective, expecting children to conform to adult behaviour in galleries is a form of punishment,
which should be subverted at every turn.
But maybe Chapman does have a point. Developmental psychology suggests that before the
age of 8 or 9 children view art only for what it represents in the real world. It is only in their early
teens that children begin to go beyond representation and understand that art is created to express
certain meanings and values beyond the literal. Art education is necessary before the adolescent can
appreciate stylistic elements and develop a critical facility, making their own judgements about the
merits of a piece. Faced with abstract expressionism such as Pollock's drips and looping swirls or
Rothko's rectangles of colours, it's no wonder that young children quickly lose interest. We shouldn't
be surprised if most prefer the joys of running up and down the polished gallery floors as they search
the paintings for answers to worksheet questions, or even, heaven forbid, run their sticky fingers over
priceless masterpieces. Should children be allowed to ruin other visitors' experience by causing a din
among the Pre-Raphaelites? Of course not.
Against this, I think back to my own experience of viewing art as a young child. I was taken to
art galleries regularly - but for short visits to see just a handful of paintings each time. My parents
would talk about each of the paintings and always ask me what I liked most about it. I wouldn't say
that I understood everything they said, but through this exposure, over time I came to learn something
about the subject matter of art, artistic techniques and, above all, the experience of viewing: what's
most important is how a piece of art makes you feel. I was lucky enough, though, to have
knowledgeable and sensitive parents, and local galleries available that we could visit again and again.
Access to art has undoubtedly improved my quality of life, and I only have to watch a child engaging
with a painting to realize it is the same for many others.
Jake Chapman was right to reignite the debate, but his conclusion is wrong. We shouldn't be
excluding children from art galleries. Instead, we should be educating parents, helping them to
improve the experience of their children's gallery visits - good both for their children and other
visitors. First, parents should know some simple ground rules of gallery bahaviour and make sure they
and their children stick to them: don't touch paintings and sculptures (it can cause damage); don't have
loud phone conversation (it's annoying for everyone else); and don't take photos of the artworks
(paintings are meant to be looked at, not posed next to - buy a guidebook afterwards if you want a
record of what you've seen). More importantly, though, they need advice on how to encourage their
children to look at and talk about artwork. The worksheets given to children could be replaced with
ones for parents, including relevant information and suggested discussion topics to share with their
children. Through interaction of this kind, children will grow up believing that art is for all, not just for
adults or for some exclusive group of art appreciators' to which they do not belong. And by being
involved, interest and enthusiasm will replace boredom.
1. What view does the artist Jake Chapman put forward about art galleries?
A. Parents think they are too difficult for children to understand.
B. Parents overestimate their value.
C. Children learn little about art by visiting them.
D. Children tend not enjoy visiting them.
2. According to the writer, 'progressives' believe that galleries _______.
 A. should be organized with children in mind.
B. should prioritize children over adults.
C. should encourage children to paint more themselves.
D. should not restrict how children behave.
3. In the third paragraph, the writer says that very young children ______.
A. can be taught to judge the quality of a painting.
B. are not ready to appreciate abstract art.
C. are reluctant to criticize paintings.
D. are attracted not only to paintings showing scenes of real life.
4. During the writer's visits to art galleries as a young child _______.
A. her parents told her which paintings were noteworthy.
B. she accumulated knowledge of a large number of paintings.
C. she was surprised at her parents' knowledge of art.
D. she was encouraged to evaluate art.
5. What point does the writer make in the fifth paragraph?
A. Parents need to learn more about art appreciation.
B. Gallery rules need to be enforced more strictly.
C. Not all parents can appreciate art.
D. Adults should be more tolerant of children's behaviours in galleries.
6. An idea recurring in the text is that ______.
A. both adults and children behave badly in galleries.
B. children know as much about art as their parents.
C. it takes time for children to learn to appreciate art.
D. galleries are not doing enough to help children understand art.

42. Chuyên Anh Hưng Yên (2023-2024)

The year 1850 may be considered the beginning of a new epoch in America art, with respect to the
development of watercolor painting. In December of that year, a group of thirty artists gathered in the
studio of John Falconer in New York City and drafted both a constitution and bylaws, establishing The
Society for the Promotion of Painting in Water Color. In addition to securing an exhibition space in the
Library Society building in lower Manhattan, the society founded a small school for the instruction of
watercolor painting. Periodic exhibitions of the members' paintings also included works by noted
English artists of the day, borrowed from embryonic private collections in the city. The society's
activities also included organized sketching excursions along the Hudson River. Its major public
exposure came in 1853, when the society presented works by its members in the "Industry of All
Nations" section of the Crystal Palace Exposition in New York.
The society did not prosper, however, and by the time of its annual meeting in 1854 membership had
fallen to twenty-one. The group gave up its quarters in the Library Society building and returned to
Falconer's studio, where it broke up amid dissension. No further attempt to formally organize the
growing numbers of watercolor painters in New York City was made for more than a decade. During
that decade, though, Henry Warren's Painting in Water Color was published in New York City in 1856,
the book was a considerable improvement over the only other manual of instruction existing at the
time, Elements of Graphic Art, by Archibald Roberson, published in 1802 and by the 1850's long out
of print. In 1866 the National Academy of Design was host to an exhibition of watercolor painting in
its elaborate neo-Venetian Gothic building on Twenty-Third Street in New York City. The exhibit was
sponsored by an independent group called The Artists Fund Society. Within a few months of this event,
forty-two prominent artists living in and near New York City founded The American Society of
Painters in Water Colors.
1. This passage is mainly about _______.
A. the most influential watercolor painters in the mid-1800's
B. efforts to organize watercolor painters in New York City during the mid-1800's
C. a famous exhibition of watercolor paintings in New York City in the mid-1800's
D. styles of watercolor painting in New York City during the mid-1800's
2. The year 1850 was significant in the history of watercolor painting mainly because _______.
A. John Falconer established his studio for watercolor painters
B. watercolor painting was first introduced to New York City
C. a group of artists established a watercolor-painting society
D. The first book on watercolor painting was published
3. The word "securing" in line 4 is closest in meaning to _______.
A. locking B. acquiring C. constructing D. creating
4. All of the following can be inferred about the Society for the promotion of Painting in Water Color
EXCEPT
 A. The society exhibited paintings in lower Manhattan
B. The society exhibited only the paintings of its members
C. Instruction in watercolor painting was offered by members of the society
D. Scenes of the Hudson River appeared often in the work of society members
5. The word "it" refers to _______.
A. group B. time C. building D. studio
6. Which of the following is true of watercolor painters in New York City in the late 1850's?
A. They formed a new society because they were not allowed to join groups run by other kinds
of artists.
B. They were unable to exhibit their paintings because of the lack of exhibition space.
C. The Artists Fund Society helped them to form The American Society of Painters in Water
Colors.
D. They increased in number despite a lack of formal organization.
7. Henry Warren's Painting in Water Color was important to artists because it _______.
A. received an important reward
B. was the only textbook published that taught painting
C. was much better than an earlier published
D. attracted the interest of art collectors
8. The word "considerable" is closest in meaning to ________.
A. sensitive B. planned C. thoughtful D. great
9. The year 1866 was significant for watercolor painting for which of the following reasons?
A. The National Academy of Design held an exhibition of watercolor paintings.
B. Private collections of watercolors were first publicly exhibited.
C. The neo-Venetian Gothic building on Twenty-Third Street in New York City was built.
D. Elements of Graphic Art was republished.
10. The word "prominent" is closest in meaning to ________.
A. wealthy B. local C. famous D. organized

43. Chuyên Anh Đồng Tháp (2023-2024)

HELPING TO SAVE THE ELEPHANTS
 Once there were millions of elephants roaming our continents. Unfortunately, their numbers
have been reduced so much that they are now in danger of extinction. The two species of elephants left
on earth today are the African and the Asian elephants. The African elephant is threatened and the
Asian elephant is in serious danger.
Although some progress has been made over the past few years to protect the elephant, a lot
more needs to be done. A large number of male Asian elephants are being killed for their ivory tusks,
but the biggest threat to the survival of the elephant is the loss of their habitat.
One fifth of the earth's human population live in Asia and their activities are squeezing
elephants out. Today, there are probably fewer than 35,000 elephants living in the wild in Asia. That
may sound like a big number but in fact the reality is that their future is not guaranteed. One of the
reasons is that they are split into small, vulnerable groups, another is that, as there are not enough
males, reproduction rates are falling. In fact, Asian elephants are in so much danger that some experts
estimate that they could disappear in fewer than twenty years.
So what can be done to reverse this trend? Protecting the elephant will take a lot of work and
determination from a lot of different sources and, fortunately, certain players have taken steps in this
direction. In May 1989, due to pressure from conservationists and animal protectionists, the United
States, Canada, Australia, the European Community and a few other countries banned the commercial
import of ivory. From 1990 onwards ivory, body parts and live elephants (excluding zoo animals)
cannot be imported or exported from or to these countries.
In another attempt to save the elephant, protectionists have started breeding elephants in
captivity. Since 1990 for example, Ringling Bros. Circus has bred 16 elephants and a total of 42
elephants have been bred in captivity in North America. Circus elephants live longer than elephants in
the wild; in captivity, they can live up to 60 or 70 years while in the wild a female elephant lives to 50
years and a male elephant only to 30 years.
It is hoped that if more people see elephants in zoos and circuses, they will be more likely to
protect them.
1. There are _______ today.
A. lots of elephants alive B. millions of elephants alive
C. fewer elephants around D. more than two species of elephants on earth
2. The biggest threat to elephants is _______.
A. the loss of their tusks
 B. the destruction of their natural environment
C. the loss of their ivory
D. that male elephants are killing others
3. 35,000 elephants is not a lot because _______.
A. they live in the wild
B. they are not all found together
C. hard to hurt physically
D. they are very vulnerable animals
4. The word vulnerable in paragraph 3 is closest in meaning to ______.
A. physically strong B. weak and easily hurt physically
C. hard to hurt physically D. physically powerful
5. Reproduction is ________ of male elephants.
A. declining because of a lack B. difficult in big numbers
C. difficult in vulnerable group D. guaranteed by the abundance
6. There ________ elephants in twenty years.
A. may be fewer B. may be more danger to
C. may no longer be any Asian D. may be more Asian
7. According to the text, only ________ can be exported or imported.
A. elephant tusks B. wild elephants
C. dead elephants D. zoo elephants
8. Since 1990 ________ in North America.
A. elephant life expectancy has increased
B. a number of elephants have been born
C. male elephants have lived longer than females
D. elephants have not lived in captivity
9. The word they in paragraph 5 refers to _______.
A. protectionists B. captivities
C. wild elephants D. circus elephants
10. By breeding elephants in North America protectionists hope ________.
A. that people will see more of them.
B. awareness of the elephant's situation will improve.
 C. there will be more zoos and circuses.
D. elephants will live longer.

44. Chuyên Anh Hà Tĩnh (2023-2024)

Endangered species are a pressing concern in today's world, representing the fragile balance of
our ecosystems and the need for conservation efforts. These species face a high risk of extinction due
to various factors, primarily human activities and environmental changes. The consequences of losing
these species would extend far beyond their individual existence, impacting the intricate web of life on
our planet.
Human activities, such as habitat destruction, poaching, and pollution, are among the primary
causes of species endangerment. [A]. Rapid urbanization and expanding agricultural practices often
result in the destruction and fragmentation of natural habitats, leaving species without sufficient space,
food, or resources to survive. The relentless pursuit of resources, such as timber, minerals, and oil,
further exacerbates the destruction of critical ecosystems that support a diverse array of species.
Poaching remains a significant threat to many endangered species, driven by illegal wildlife trade a20.
Chuyên Anh Sóc Trăng (2022-2023)
SUMMER JOBS FOR STUDENTS
Employers are more and more interested in taking on students during their holiday periods.
Students can do easier tasks and free up time for their permanent employees to concentrate on the more
demanding ones. Although there is little financial reward for students, it is a great chance to explore
their interests and add to their CVs. However, few students know what jobs may be available.
Colleges sometimes advertise summer jobs on their notice boards and in newspapers, and there
are also well-known international organizations which can help. Students can also search the web, find
an interesting company and email the manager to ask what temporary jobs exist. This may sound time-
consuming, but students then get to work in the company of their choice, so it is what I recommend.
As a science student, two years ago I spent ten weeks in a laboratory in California, helping a
group of researchers with their work. To begin with, the job seemed uninteresting
because my responsibilities were not clear, but when I started working on a range of projects, such as
writing research papers and creating web pages, my attitude changed.
I was paid enough to cover all my daily needs, so I had no financial worries. One of my jobs
was to prepare educational material for schools. This was an entirely new challenge which I enjoyed so
much that I decided to train as a teacher rather than a researcher when I got back. My only regret was
that I’d been too busy to learn more about the USA, but then a good summer job seldom leaves you
much freetime and you should be prepared for that.
1. What is the writer’s main purpose in writing the text?
A. to warn students about low-paid summer jobs
B. to describe the best summer jobs for students
C. to encourage students to look for summer jobs
D. to offer students interesting summer jobs
2. The writer says the best way to find a good summer job is ________
A. to ask their own colleges for help
B. to read the job advertisements in the press
C. to join an organized student program
D. to contact possible employers directly
3. The writer found the California job disappointing at first because _______
A. he was not sure what he had to do
B. he had to work on too many projects
C. he did not like research work
D. he lacked good computer skills
4. In what way did the California job benefit the writer?
A. It taught him what life was like in the USA
B. It gave him contacts he could use later
C. It made him change his career plans
D. It allowed him to save some money
5. Which of these could be the writer speaking?
A. A summer job is a good way of getting to see the world
B. Students should be better paid for doing summer jobs.
C. Employers are unwilling to offer summer jobs to students
D. Students are often unaware of summer job opportunities

21. Chuyên Anh Tây Ninh (2022-2023)

Too young to be famous?
 The machine that is celebrity culture has given us the meteoric rise and fall of the child actor,
with plenty of cautionary tales to point to and ask if something should have been done to prevent them.
Recently, the Chinese government took the extreme and unprecedented measure of banning the
children of celebrities from appearing in any type of reality TV programming, in an effort to prevent
the manufacturing of child stars. It would appear that perhaps limiting the exposure a child has to fame
serves to protect and ensure a solid, stable upbringing.
The pressure of fame is undoubtedly onerous, even for adults, who, despite growing up out of
the spotlight, sometimes buckle under the stress of stardom they achieved later in life and exhibit all
manner of behavioural disorders after their stardom has waned. The same can be said of child actors,
but the effect is seemingly multiplied by the fact that, if achieving stardom as children, their view of
reality is possibly warped and they may never even have the chance to acquire the necessary coping
skills. But given that some child actors in fact, most - can make a go of their careers into adulthood,
are children really so incapable of handling such pressure or is there actually no problem at all?
Banning children from acting has an element of common sense to it, but imagine, if you will,
television programmes, films and so forth absent of children. As this sort of media is supposed to
reflect real life, it would seem surreal if there were no children in these stories, as if children had
ceased to exist altogether. While the Chinese government's move to limit the exposure of children may
seem well intentioned, at least on the surface, it is not entirely realistic to say that children are not
allowed to appear on the small or big screen. Of course, they are applying it to one particular media -
that of reality TV; nonetheless, is such a ban sensible for any type of media?
Upon closer examination of the phenomenon of the child star, we see examples both of success
and failure. How many of each do we have? Is there a disproportionately high amount of failure in the
lives of child actors if we look at the statistics and compare their problems with those of ordinary
people? We see a child star fail and we immediately blame fame, but what about the success stories of
other child actors such as Jodie Foster, Daniel Radcliffe and Leonardo DiCaprio, all of whom got their
start as very young children? Are we to credit fame for their success in the same way we blame it for
others' failures?
In the case of the latter, these are the stars we know about, as they went on to achieve long-
lasting fame, even top acting awards. Child stars are not always destined to eternally seek the
limelight, however, so there are many cases of success stories that people often don't know about. Peter
Ostrum, who played Charlie Bucket in Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory, went on to pursue a
doctorate in veterinary medicine. Shirley Temple, leading box-office star in the 1930s from the age of
seven, became a politician and the first female US ambassador. Polish child stars and identical twin
brothers Lech and Jarosław Kaczynski gave up acting and were respectively elected as president and
prime minister of Poland, positions they held at the same time.
Invariably, though, it's the catastrophic demise that we hear about, not just of child actors, of
course, but when it does happen to them, we feel a mixture of sorrow and disbelief. To date, there is
little statistical evidence to support the claim that fame and celebrity culture ruin the lives of child
actors; the only proof we have is what we perceive to be true. Protections are in place, to an extent, to
help ensure that children have as normal an upbringing as possible. California, for example, has
enacted laws which mandate that children must continue with their educational studies exactly as they
would if they weren't in films, even going so far as to require teachers on set if need be. In this vein,
ensuring support for child actors may need to go further than the broad restrictions exercised by China.
1. What can be said about the measure taken by the Chinese as regards child stars?
A. It is a view fully endorsed by the author.
B. It will prevent the phenomenon of child stars.
C. It will prohibit children from acting in films.
D. It's something they've never done before.
2. In the second paragraph, the author implies that children ________.
A. are better equipped to handle fame than adults
B. never learn coping skills when they are famous young
C. may or may not suffer harmful effects of fame
D. are destined to be abnormal adults if they are famous young
3. How does the author view the government ban in the third paragraph?
A. He is not certain it was born of good intentions.
B. He agrees with the implementation of the ban.
C. He thinks it is useless in the case of reality TV.
D. He believes the intention is to control the media.
4. In the fourth paragraph, the author suggests that ________.
A. fame is to blame for the problems of child stars
B. fame is unlikely to have a role in the failure of a star
C. the fame of some stars shows it has no harmful effect
 D. the failure of certain stars means that fame is harmful
5. The author presents the examples in the fifth paragraph to demonstrate that
A. child actors are capable of achieving anything they want
B. fame can repel some from a long acting career
C. a more exhaustive study of the subject is necessary to evaluate it
D. success can open the door to other positions in life
6. The author concludes by saying that
A. nothing can protect a child from the dangers of fame
B. taking measures to help children cope with fame is worth considering
C. our belief in the dangers of fame is greater than the reality
D. children should be educated in how to deal with fame

22. Chuyên Anh Thái Nguyên (2022-2023)

HOW I FOUND MY TRUE VOICE
As an interpreter, Suzanne Glass could speak only for others - but the work provided terrific
material for her first novel.
"No, no, no! You've got to get away from this or you're going to lose it." The voice
reverberating in my head was my own. I was at an international conference. My throat was killing me
and my headphones were pinching. I had just been interpreting a speaker whose last words had been:
"We must take very seriously the standardization of the length of cucumbers and the size of tomatoes."
You can't afford to have your own thoughts when you're interpreting simultaneously, so, of course, I
missed the speaker's next sentence and lost his train of thought. Sitting in a darkened booth at the back
of a huge conference hall, I was thrown. Fortunately, my colleague grabbed my microphone and took
over.
This high-pressure, high-output work was not quite the dream profession I had hoped for.
Although I had fun with it in the beginning - occasionally being among the first to hear of medical and
political breakthroughs would be exciting for any 25-year-old - I realized that this was a job in which I
would never be able to find my own voice. I had always known that words would be my life in one
form or another. My mother thought she'd given birth to an alien when I began to talk at the age of
seven months. That momentous day, she had placed my playpen in the hallway and gone into the
bedroom. In imitation of the words she had repeated to me again and again, I apparently called out
towards the bedroom door: "I see you. I see you." I was already in training for a career as a
professional parrot.
But how mistaken I was to think that international interpreting would be glamorous. The
speaker rarely stops to think that there's someone at the back of the room, listening to his words,
absorbing their meaning, and converting them into another language at the same time. Often I was
confronted with a droner, a whisperer or a mumbler through my headphones. The mumblers were the
worst. Most of the time, an interpreter is thought of as a machine - a funnel, a conduit, which, I
suppose, is precisely what we are. Sometimes, when those we are translating for hear us cough or
sneeze, or turn round and look at us behind the smoky glass of the booth, I think they are surprised to
see that we are actually alive.
Ironically, part of the secret of interpreting is non-verbal communication. You have to sense
when your partner is tired, and offer to take over. At the same time, you have to be careful not to cut
him short or hog the microphone. Interpreters can be a bit like actors: they like to show off. You do
develop friendships when you are working in such close proximity, but there's a huge amount of
competitiveness among interpreters. They check on each other and sometimes even count each other's
mistranslations.
Translating other people's ideas prevented me from feeling involved and creative as an
interpreter. Actually, you can't be a creative interpreter. It's a contradiction in terms. Sometimes, when I
disagreed with a speaker, I wanted to rip off my headphones, jump up and run out of the booth,
shouting: "Rubbish. Rubbish. You're talking a lot of nonsense, and this is what I think about it."
Instead, I had to sit there and regurgitate opinions in violent contradiction with my own. Sometimes,
I'd get my revenge by playing games with the speaker's tone of voice. If he was being serious, I'd make
him sound jocular. If he was being light-hearted, I'd make him sound earnest.
Eventually, I wanted to find a career where my own words would matter and where my own
voice would be heard. So, to redress the balance, I decided to write a novel. While I was writing it, I
did go back and interpret at a few conferences to get inside the head of Dominique, my main character.
At first, I was a little rusty and a couple of the delegates turned round to glare at me, but after twenty
minutes, I was back into it, playing that old game of mental gymnastics. Interpreting is like learning to
turn somersaults: you never forget how to do it. But for me, sitting in the booth had a ghost-like quality
to it as though I had gone back into a past life - a life that belonged to the time before I found my own
voice.
1. In the first paragraph, the writer says she discovered that ___________.
A. her mind was wandering when she should have been doing her job
B. the standard of her work as an interpreter was getting worse
C. she would no longer understand subjects she had previously covered
D. there were some subjects she had no interest in dealing with
2. The word "simultaneously" in paragraph 1 is closest in meaning to ___________.
A. once and for all B. once too often
C. all at once D. all gain
3. What does the writer say about being an interpreter in the second paragraph?
A. It gave her access to important information before other people.
B. It was the kind of job her parents had always expected her to do.
C. It turned out to be more challenging than she had anticipated.
D. It was what she had wanted to be ever since she was a small child.
4. What does the writer say about speakers she interpreted for?
A. They usually had the wrong idea about the function of interpreters.
B. Some of them had a tendency to get irritated with interpreters.
C. Some of them made little attempt to use their own language correctly.
D. She particularly disliked those she struggled to hear properly.
5. The writer says that when she returned to interpreting, ___________.
A. she did not start off very well
B. she briefly wished she had not given it up
C. she thought that two of the delegates recognized her
D. she changed her ideas about the main character in her novel
6. The word "to glare" in paragraph 6 is closest in meaning to ___________.
A. wonder B. to glower
C. to caress D. despise
7. What is the writer's main point in the article as a whole?
A. It is not always a good idea to go into a profession because it looks glamorous.
B. Most interpreters would actually like to do something more creative.
C. Most interpreters eventually become disillusioned with the work.
D. Being an interpreter did not allow her to satisfy her need to be creative.
23. Chuyên Anh Vĩnh Phúc (2022-2023)
If you could travel back in time five centuries, you'd encounter a thriving Aztec empire in
Central Mexico, a freshly painted "Mona Lisa" in Renaissance Europe and cooler temperatures across
the Northern Hemisphere. This was a world in the midst of the Little Ice Age (A.D. 1300 to 1850) and
a period of vast European exploration now known as the Age of Discovery. But what if we could look
500 years into the future and glimpse the Earth of the 26th century? Would the world seem as different
to us as the 21st century would have seemed to residents of the 16th century? For starters, what will
the weather be like?
Depending on whom you ask, the 26th century will either be a little chilly or infernally hot.
Some solar output models suggest that by the 2500s, Earth's climate will have cooled back down
to near Little Ice Age conditions. Other studies predict that ongoing climate change and fossil fuel use
will render much of the planet too hot for human life by 2300.
Some experts date the beginning of human climate change back to the Industrial Revolution in
the 1800s, others to slash-and-burn agricultural practices in prehistoric times. Either way, tool-wielding
humans alter their environment -- and our 26th century tools might be quite impressive indeed.
Theoretical physicist and futurist Michio Kaku predicts that in a mere 100 years, humanity will
make the leap from a type zero civilization to a type I civilization on the Kardashev Scale. In other
words, we'll become a species that can harness the entire sum of a planet's energy. Wielding such
power, 26th-century humans will be masters of clean energy technologies such as fusion and solar
power. Furthermore, they will be able to manipulate planetary energy in order to control global
climate. Physicist Freeman Dyson, on the other hand, estimates the leap to a type I civilization would
occur within roughly 200 years.
Technology has improved exponentially since the 1500s, and this pace will likely continue in
the centuries to come. Physicist Stephen Hawking proposes that by the year 2600, this growth would
see 10 new theoretical physics papers published every 10 seconds. If Moore's Law holds true and both
computer speed and complexity double every 18 months, then some of these studies may be the work
of highly intelligent machines.
What other technologies will shape the world of the 26th century? Futurist and author Adrian
Berry believes the average human life span will reach 140 years and that the digital storage of human
personalities will enable a kind of computerized immortality. Humans will farm the oceans, travel in
starships and reside in both lunar and Martian colonies while robots explore the outer cosmos.
1. Which of the following could be the main idea of the passage?
A. How would the world change in the next 500 years ?
B. What would we do in the next five centuries?
C. What problems would happen in the 26th century ?
D. How would technology improve the life in the far future ?
2. The word infernally in paragraph 2 is closest in meaning to __________.
A. differently B. extremely C. permanently D. contemporaneously
3. The word harness in paragraph 4 could best be replaced by _________.
A. renew B. adjust C. exploit D. discover
4. What does the word they in paragraph 4 refer to?
A. fusion and solar energy B. clean energy technologies
C. master D. 26th century humans
5. Which of the following is true about the future predictions ?
A. Michio Kaku believes that the progress from type 0 to type 1 civilization will take about two
centuries.
B. People in the 2500s are likely to control the energy of the Earth to limit the global climate.
C. The speed of technology improvement will remain changeable in the far future.
D. Solar energy will be the main power for the 20th century citizens.
6. According to Adrian Berry, the following are what future humans can do except ___________.
A. cultivating in the ocean B. traveling between the stars
C. exploring the universe by robots D. living as long as they want
7. According to the passage, what do experts predict about the weather in the future ?
A. The temperature will decline as much as possible because of the excessive fossil fuel use.
B. The Little Ice Age will return due to the influence of solar energy.
C. The Earth will have to face with extreme weather like frost or scorching period.
D. The climate change will happen more quickly because of deforestation.
8. It can be inferred from the passage that __________.
A. no one could be sure what the life would be like in the 2500s.
 B. what we imagine about the life in the 26th century may be the same what the 16th century
people thought about the current life.
C. the predictions of different scientists may draw the same world in the next 500 years
D. technology will affect most of the fields in the future life

24. Chuyên Anh Hải Phòng (2022-2023)

Every day, millions of shoppers hit the stores in full force – both online and on foot – searching
excitedly for the perfect gifts. Last year, Americans spent over $30 billion at retail stores in the month
of December alone. Aside from purchasing holiday gifts, most people regularly buy presents for other
occasions throughout the year, including weddings, birthdays, anniversaries, graduations, and baby
showers. This frequent experience of gift-giving can engender ambivalent feelings in gift-givers.
Many relish the opportunity to buy presents because gift-giving offers a powerful means to build
stronger bonds with one’s closest peers. At the same time, many dread the thought of buying gifts;
they worry that their purchases will disappoint, rather than delight, the intended recipients.
Anthropologists describe gift-giving as a positive social process, serving various political,
religious, and psychological functions. Economists, however, offer a less favourable view. According
to Waldfogel (1993), gift-giving represents an objective waste of resources. People buy gifts that
recipients would not choose to buy on their own, or at least not spend as much money to purchase (a
phenomenon referred to as “the deadweight loss of Christmas”). This “deadweight loss” suggests that
gift-givers are not very good at predicting what gifts others will appreciate. That in itself is not
surprising to social psychologists. Research has found that people often struggle to take account of
others’ perspectives, their insights are subject to egocentrism, social projection, and multiple
attribution errors. What is surprising is that gift-givers have considerable experience acting as both
gift-givers and gift-recipients, but nevertheless, tend to overspend each time they set out to purchase a
meaningful gift.
In the present research, we propose a unique psychological explanation for this overspending
problem, i.e. that gift-givers equate how much they spend with how much recipients will appreciate the
gift (the more expensive the gift, the stronger the gift-recipient’s feelings of appreciation). Although a
link between gift price and feelings of appreciation might seem intuitive to gift-givers, such an
assumption may be unfounded. Indeed, we suggest that gift-recipients will be less likely to base their
feelings of appreciation on the magnitude of a gift than givers assume.
 Why do gift-givers assume that gift price is closely linked to gift-recipients’ feelings of
appreciation? Perhaps givers believe that bigger (that is, more expensive) gifts convey stronger signals
of thoughtfulness and consideration. According to Camerer (1988) and others, gift-giving represents a
symbolic ritual, whereby gift-givers attempt to signal their positive attitudes toward the intended
recipients and their willingness to invest resources in a future relationship. In this sense. gift-givers
may be motivated to spend more money on a gift in order to send a stronger signal to their intended
recipients. As for gift-recipients, they may not construe smaller or larger gifts as representing smaller
or larger signals of thoughtfulness and consideration.
1. What is the main idea discussed in the passage?
A. Gift-recipients are widely acknowledged as considerably experienced in gift-giving.
B. Gift-giving may have certain drawbacks alongside its positive qualities.
C. Gifts can serve as implicit signals of thoughtfulness and consideration.
D. Gift-giving, despite its uneconomical downsides, cultivates a positive social process.
2. In paragraph 4, the word “construe” most probably means
A. understand B. state C. respond D. take
3. The word ‘many” in line 6 paragraph 1 refers to
A. gift-givers B. peers C. presents D. gift-recipients
4. The author most likely uses the examples of gift-giving occasions in paragraph 1 to highlight the
_____
A. regularity with which people shop for gifts
B. recent increase in the amount of money spent on gifts
C. anxiety gift-shopping causes for consumers
D. number of special occasions involving gift-giving
5. In paragraph 1, the word “ambivalent” most nearly means
A. unrealistic B. supportive C. apprehensive D. conflicted
6. In paragraph 3, the author indicates that the assumption made by gift-givers may be ____.
A. insincere B. fundamental C. justified D. incorrect
7. In paragraph 4, the author refers to the works by Camerer and others in order to ______
A. introduce an argument B. offer an alternative
C. support an explanation D. question a motive
8. The social psychologists mentioned in paragraph 2 would likely describe the “deadweight loss”
phenomenon as ________
A. questionable B. disturbing C. predictable D. unprecedented
9. The author indicates that people value gift-giving because they feel it __________.
A. functions as a form of self-expression
B. can serve to strengthen a relationship
C. is an inexpensive way to show appreciation
D. requires the gift-recipients to share the same opinion
10. Which of the following best characterizes the tone of the author?
A. informative B. pessimistic C. disapproving D. ironic

A survey is a study, generally in the form of an interview or a questionnaire, which provides

information concerning how people think and act. In the United States, the best-known surveys are the
Gallup poll and the Harris poll. As anyone who watches the news during presidential campaigns
knows, these polls have become an important part of political life in the United States.
North Americans are familiar with the many “person on the street interviews on local television
news shows. While such interviews can be highly entertaining, they are not necessarily an accurate
indication of public opinion. First, they reflect the opinions of only the people who appear at a certain
location. Thus, such samples can be biased in favor of commuters, middle-class shoppers, or factory
workers, depending on which area the newspeople select. Second, television interviews tend to attract
outgoing people who are willing to appear on air, while they frighten away others who may feel
intimidated by a camera. A survey must be based on a precise, representative sampling if it is to
genuinely reflect a broad range of the population.
In preparing to conduct a survey, sociologists must exercise great care in the wording of
questions. An effective survey question must be simple and clear enough for people to understand. It
must also be specific enough so that there are no problems in interpreting the results. Even questions
that are less structured must be carefully phrased in order to elicit the type of information desired.
Surveys can be indispensable sources of information, but only if the sampling is done properly, and the
questions are worded accurately.
There are two main forms of surveys: the interview and the questionnaire. Each of these forms
of survey research has its advantages. An interviewer can obtain a high response rate because most
people find it more difficult to turn down a personal request for an interview than to throw away a
written questionnaire. In addition, an interviewer can go beyond written questions and probe for a
subject’s underlying feelings and reasons. However, questionnaires have the advantage of being
cheaper and more consistent.
1. What does the passage mainly discuss?
A. The history of surveys in North America
B. The importance of polls in American political life
C. Problems associated with interpreting surveys
D. The principles of conducting surveys
2. According to the passage, one advantage of live interviews over questionnaires is that live
interviews _____.
A. are easier to interpret B. can produce more information
C. cost less D. minimize the influence of the researcher
3. The word “they” in paragraph 2 refers to ______.
A. North Americans B. news shows C. opinions D. interviews
4. The word “elicit” in paragraph 3 is closest in meaning to _______.
A. take out B. rule out C. leave out D. bring out
5. According to paragraph 3, which of the following is most important for an effective survey?
A. A sociologist who is able to interpret the results
B. An interviewer’s ability to measure respondents’ feelings
C. Carefully worded questions
D. A high number of respondents

25. Chuyên Anh TP HCM (2022-2023)

Victorian style is a broad term that refers to the characteristics of design from the latter period
of Queen Victoria's rule, from 1837 until her death in 1901. At the time, the style was used as a signal
of affluence among the upper class of British society due to its ornate, showy interiors. Today, it is still
popular across the globe; particularly in Asia, where it is used to create opulent spaces that convey a
high position in society.
One of the principles of Victorian design is that unused space in a room is a sign of poor taste
and lower economic status. With that in mind, European designers sought to fill every space. Victorian
design has sometimes been viewed as indulging in a grand excess of omament. Every room was
decorated with objects that reflected the owner's influences and preferences. Extravagant decorations,
lace tablecloths, stained glass, vases, busts, framed paintings or prints, multi-layered window
treatments, richly pattemed fabrics, and accessories were used throughout the house. The Victorian
Hotel in Vancouver, British Columbia, exemplifies the classic Victorian Style. Chandeliers hang from
the ceiling, vases with fresh flowers dot every table, and the dining room features elaborately carved
furniture and decorative teapots made of china. It is elegantly appointed, true to the Victorian style.
This hotel often hosts the royal family when they visit Canada.
Emblematic of a Victorian home was the use of vibrant, brightly colored fabrics. Complex
patterns covered every surface. Oriental rugs and heavy draperies were thought of as the height of
good taste. Windows were rarely left uncovered; rather, on them hung thick, decorative drapes. The
lack of light that could enter rooms through these heavy draperies was compensated for with eye-
catching appointments of velvet, silk, and satin. Linen patterns ranged from flowers and animals to
geometric shapes, stripes, and woven Arabic symbols: squares and circles, typically repeated,
overlapped and interlaced to form intricate patterns. Victorians loved these patterns and used them
liberally.
The decoration of walls and ceilings was yet another element of Victorian design. Ceilings
were covered in embossed paper or painted a light color so as not to detract from the wall decorations.
Wallpaper became enormously popular and is an enduring feature of Victorian design. At first, this was
because of the development of mass production as well as the repeal of the 1712 Wallpaper Tax.
Wallpaper was decorated with beautiful flowers in primary colors of red, blue, and yellow, printed on
beige paper. This was followed by the latter half of the Victorian era when wallpaper was inspired by
Gothic art of earth tones and stylized leaf and floral patterns. William Morris was one of the most
renowned designers of wallpaper and fabrics during this period. He was influenced by medieval art,
which he saw as the noblest art form, and used Gothic tapestries from that era in his work.
1. The word "affluence" is closest in meaning to _________.
A. influence B. impact C. wealth D. interest
2. According to Paragraph 1, the Victorian style is used in Asia ________.
A. to conform to cultural norms B. to signal an elevated status
C. to attract visitors D. to create a comfortable and welcoming
atmosphere
3. According to Paragraph 2, why did Europeans fill up every space?
A. To show visitors their collections of objects
B. To demonstrate that they appreciated a grand excess of ornamentation
C. To showcase their personal interests by adoring any open spaces with pieces of art that were
aesthetically pleasing
D. To show that they had wealth and sophisticated taste
4. What can be inferred about the Victorian Hotel in British Columbia?
A. It was meticulously designed to meet the standards of the Victorian style.
B. It was one of the most expensive hotels to design in Vancouver.
C. It is more elegant than the home of an affluent family during the Victorian era.
D. It was designed to accommodate visits from the royal family.
5. The phrase "indulging in" is closest in meaning to ________.
A. living in B. deriving pleasure from
C. obsessing about D. showing an interest in
6. In Paragraph 2, why does the author mention the objects found in a Victorian style home?
A. To illustrate the objects that could be purchased only by the rich
B. To point out that Victorians indulged in many objects that did not serve a useful purpose
C. To give examples of the items that were popular in the Victorian era
D. To suggest that design has changed a I a great deal since Victorian times
7. What is the purpose of Paragraph 3?
A . To describe another feature of Victorian style
B. To account for the use of Arabic symbols during the Victorian era
C. To describe the patterns used in Victorian design
D. To explain how homeowners compensated for a lack of natural light in Victorian style
homes
8 . The word "intricate" is closest in meaning to _______.
A. interesting B. colorful
C. attractive D. complicated
9. All of the following are patterns that could probably be seen in Victorian linens EXCEPT
A. roses and tulips B. bows and arrows
C. squares and circles D. horses and sheep
10. According to Paragraph 4, why did wallpaper first become popular?
A. It became more widely available and more affordable.
B. It was a way to cover up plain walls and make them more interesting
C. It was a reflection of how popular the Gothic style had become.
D. It was not as heavily taxed by the government as paint.

26. Chuyên Anh Hoà Bình (2022-2023)

Diffusion, the process of introducing cultural elements from one society into another, occurs in
three basic patterns: direct contact, intermediate contact, and stimulus diffusion.
In direct contact, elements of a society's culture may be adopted first by neighboring societies
and then gradually spread farther a field. The spread of the manufacture of paper is an example of
extensive diffusion by direct contact. The invention of paper is attributed to the Chinese Ts'ai Lun in
A.D. 105. Within fifty years, paper was being made in many places in central China. By 264 it was
found in Chinese Turkmenistan, and from then on the successive places of manufacture were
Samarkand (751), Baghdad (793), Egypt (about 900), Morocco (about 1100), and France (1189). In
general, the pattern of accepting the borrowed invention was the same everywhere. Paper was first
imported into each area as a luxury, then in ever-expanding quantities as a staple product. Finally,
usually within one to three centuries, local manufacture started.
Diffusion by intermediate contact occurs through the agency of third parties. Frequently,
traders carry a cultural trait from the society that originated it to another group. As an example of
diffusion through intermediaries, Phoenician traders spread the alphabet which may have been
invented by another Semitic group to Greece. At times, soldiers serve as intermediaries in spreading a
culture trait. During the Middle Ages, European soldiers acted as intermediaries in two ways: they
carried European culture to Arab societies of North Africa and brought Arab culture back to Europe. In
the nineteenth century Western missionaries brought Western-style clothing to such places as Africa
and the Pacific Islands.
In stimulus diffusion, knowledge of a trait belonging to another culture stimulates the invention
or development of a local equivalent. A classic example of stimulus diffusion is the creation of the
Cherokee syllabic writing system by a Native American named Sequoya. Sequoya got the idea from
his contact with the English; yet he did not adopt the writing system nor did he even learn to write
English. He utilized some English alphabetic symbols, altered others, and invented new ones.
 (Adapted from https://toefl libtee.com)
1. According to the passage, a change that occurred in Africa and the Pacific Islands as a result
of the arrival of missionaries was __________________.
A. an increase in the presence of soldiers.
B. variation in local style of dressing
C. the manufacture of paper
D. the introduction of new alphabetical systems
2. According to the passage, what did Sequoya do?
A. He adopted the English writing system for use in Cherokee.
B. He studied English intensively in order to learn to write it.
C. He taught English to Cherokee Native Americans.
D. He created a Cherokee writing system based on elements of the English alphabet.
3. The origins of the Greek and Cherokee writing systems were discussed in the passage because
both systems _________________.
A. underwent identical patterns of development in different parts of the world
B. influenced the development of alphabets of other languages
C. represented distinct ways in which elements could be introduced into a culture
D. were introduced by religious missionaries
4. Which of the following statements about direct contact, intermediate contact, and stimulus
diffusion is NOT true?
A. They all cause changes in cultures.
B. They all occur in more than one culture.
C. They all involve the interaction of cultures.
D. They all require the trading of manufactured products.
5. The author organized the discussion in the passage by _______________.
A. establishing a historical chronology from the past through the present
B. illustrating specific categories with examples
C. identifying important geographic regions
D. ranking categories from most to least significant
 The walnut tree produces wood that is used for countless purposes, and is considered the finest
wood in the world. The wood is easy to work with, yet it is very hard and durable and when it is
polished, it produces a rich, dark luster. It also shrinks and swells less than any other wood, which
makes it especially desirable for fine furniture, flooring, and even gun stocks.
In fact, just about every part of the walnut is unusually hard and strong. The nut of the tree is
encased inside a very hard shell, which itself is enclosed in a leathery outer covering called a husk. It
requires real effort to break through those layers to get at the tasty meat inside.
Yet every part of the walnut is useful to people. The outer husk produces a dark reddish stain
that is hard to remove from the hands of the person, who opens the nut, and this pigment is widely
used in dyes and wood stains. The inner shell is used as an abrasive to clean jet engines. And the meat
of the nut is extensively used in cooking, ice cream, flavorings and just eaten raw.
Walnut trees exude a chemical into the soil near their roots which can be poisonous to some
trees and shrubs. Fruit trees, for example, will not survive if planted too close to a walnut. Many other
plants, such as maple trees or ivy, are not affected by the walnut's presence, and are well-suited to grow
in its vicinity.
1. The underlined word "It" in the first paragraph refers to ___________.
A. walnut tree B. walnut wood C. furniture D. flooring
2. The walnut tree is believed to produce ___________.
A. the best wood in the world B. the most delicious meat for cooking
C. poisonous roots for people D. some plants such as maple trees or ivy
3. As used in the passage, the underlined word "pigment" most nearly means __________.
A. colour B. meat C. fruit D. fragrance
4. The author of the passage probably believes that __________.
A. walnut trees are endangered.
B. people should recycle more.
C. people should grow walnut trees if possible.
D. maple trees are not good for furniture making.
5. What is the main idea of the passage?
A. Trees are used for many things. B. Maple trees grow well with walnuts.
C. Walnuts can kill other trees. D. Walnut trees are valuable when planted
correctly.
27. Chuyên Anh Bến Tre (2022-2023)
Sleep is a natural process, and although a lot have been written about the subject, it is still
surrounded by mystery. It is used by some as an escape from the world, and regarded by others as an
irritating waste of time: some people get by on very little, others claim they can not exist without at
least ten hours, but nobody can do without sleep completely.
Our night's sleep does not just consist of a steady phrase of gradually deepening sleep. It
alternates between two stages: Non-dreaming or ordinary sleep, and REM (rapid eye movement) or
dreaming sleep. As soon as we fall asleep, we go straight into non-dreaming sleep for an hour or so,
then into REM sleep for about 15 minutes, then back into non-dreaming sleep. It alternates in this way
for the rest of the night, with non-dreaming sleep tending to last longer at the beginning of the night.
Non-dreaming sleep occupies three quarters of our night's sleep, about a quarter of it deep and the rest
fairly light.
It is widely believed that sleep repairs the body and makes good the damage caused by being
awake. However, its main function is to refresh the brain. Experts believe that probably only about
two-thirds of our sleep is necessary for repairing and refreshing the brain, with the most valuable sleep
coming in the first few hours of the non-dreaming period, the last few hours of sleep are not so
essential. The brain can manage quite well with reduced sleep as long as it is uninterrupted sleep.
The quality of sleep is important. A study conducted in the USA looked at short sleepers, who
slept for 5.5 hours on average, and long sleepers, who had 8.5 hours or more. It is discovered after a
variety of tests that the long sleepers were poor sleepers, had twice as much REM sleep as the short
sleepers, appeared to sleep longer to make up for the poor sleep, and did not wake up in the morning
refreshed. Similarly, people who sleep deeply are not necessarily getting a better quality of sleep than
shallow sleepers. Deep sleepers can feel tired the following day, so six hours of good sleep is worth
more than eight hours of troubled sleep.
1. It can be concluded from the first passage that _______.
A. people need equal time of sleep
B. sleep is among the processes of the nature
C. sleep remains a puzzle
D. everything about sleep has been brought to light
2. All the following are true, EXCEPT for _______.
 A. we spend only 25 percents of our night's sleeping time to dream
B. our night's sleep occurs in a straight line of only two phases
C. all sleeps are similar in the alternatives of the two stages during the night
D. we often have no dreams after we fall asleep
3. Unlike the common belief, sleep helps _______.
A. not to be awake
B. us to repair our body
C. our brain to rest and recover
D. us to fix the damage happening by day
4. It can be inferred from the experts' ideas that ______.
A. Nearly 70% of our sleep is invaluable
B. REM makes good our brain
C. Dream enables our body to refresh
D. if we can sleep uninterruptedly, it is not necessary to sleep the whole night
5. The study in the USA suggested that _______.
A. the fewer hours we sleep, the more we dream
B. the type of sleep is more important than its length
C. Deep sleep means better sleep
D. Six hours of sleep is better than eight hours
6. Which of the following is NOT discussed in the passage?
A. The problem with sleepless people B. The circle of sleep
C. The role of the sleep D. Types of sleep
7. The word "occupies" in paragraph 2 could be best replaced by ______.
A. accounts for B. takes care of C. works out D. goes up
8. The word "irritating" in paragraph I most likely means _______.
A. comforting B. annoying C. calming D. soothing
9. The word "it" in paragraph 2 refers to ________.
A. the REM B. our night's sleep C. the ordinary sleep D. the night
10. This passage is most likely taken from ________.
A. a health magazine B. a doctor's description
C. a fashion magazine D. an advertisement
28. Chuyên Anh Ninh Bình (2022-2023)
Water scarcity is fast becoming one of the major limiting factors in world crop production. In
many areas, poor agricultural practices have led to increasing desertification and the loss of formerly
arable lands. Consequently, those plant species that are well adapted to survival in dry climates are
being looked at for an answer in developing more efficient crops to grow on marginally arable lands.
Plants use several mechanisms to ensure their survival in desert environments. Some involve
purely mechanical and physical adaptations, such as the shape of the plant's surface, smaller leaf size,
and extensive root systems. Some of the adaptations are related to chemical mechanisms. Many plants,
such as cacti, have internal gums and mucilage which give them water-retaining properties. Another
chemical mechanism is that of the epicuticular wax layer. This wax layer acts as an impervious cover
to protect the plant. It prevents excessive loss of internal moisture. It also protects the plant from
external aggression, which can come from inorganic agents such as gases, or organic agents which
include bacteria and plant pests.
Researchers have proposed that synthetic waxes with similar protective abilities could be
prepared based on knowledge of desert plants. If successfully developed, such a compound could be
used to greatly increase a plant's ability to maintain health in such adverse situations as inadequate
water supply, limited fertilizer availability, attack by pests, and poor storage after harvesting
1. This passage deals mainly with ______.
A. desertification B. decreasing water supply
C. factors limiting crop production D. developing efficient plants
2. The word "arable" in the 1" paragraph is closest in meaning to ________.
A. fertile B. parched C. barren D. marsh
3. Which of the followings is a mechanical or physical mechanism that desert plants use?
A. the plant's shape B. the small root system
C. the vast leaf size D. the high water system
4. The word "extensive" in the 2nd paragraph is closest in meaning to ________.
A. spongy B. shallow C. widespread D. comprehensive
5. Which is one of the ways in which the epicuticular wax protects the plant?
A. It helps the plant to avoid excessive moisture intake
B. It helps the plant to attack aggressors
 C. It releases gases against plant pests.
D. It guards against bacteria.
6. The word "It" in the 2nd paragraph refers to ________.
A. another chemical mechanism B. the epicuticular wax layer
C. an impervious plant like cover D. the loss of internal moisture
7. The word "aggression" in the 2nd paragraph is closest in meaning to _________.
A. attack B. agitation C. conditions D. surroundings
8. What is an example of an inorganic agent that may attack plants?
A. bacteria B. insects C. gas D. pests
9. It can be inferred that synthetic stimulate waxes _________.
A. have not been developed yet
B. have not succeeded
C. have been determined to be impervious to organic and inorganic agents
D. have the quality of causing bacteria
10. All of the followings are examples of an adverse situation for crops EXCEPT _________.
A. inadequate water B. insufficient fertilize
C. pest aggression D. proper storage

29. Chuyên Anh Nghệ An (2022-2023)

MUSIC AT SCHOOL
With popular music as with classical music, the only way to come to understand it thoroughly,
it is said, is by performing it. The problem with many pop bands is that their members are self-taught
and, consequently, if ever they reach the level of public performance, they often only succeed in
perpetuating the musical conventions to which they have been exposed. The days when a group of raw,
talented musicians could get together and work their way through to a distinctive sound, constantly
improving their technique in the process, seem to be gone.
There may still be talents around of the order of a Jimi Hendrix or Eric Clapton, able to acquire
prodigious technique mainly by themselves, but the motivation -the sense that there is still something
urgent to say within the medium- has largely evaporated. So much so that most aspiring young
musicians are increasingly content to play their own versions of other people's tunes.
 So what role, if any, does music teaching in school have to play? The current fashion in musical
education in Britain dictates that young children must be creative and active, whilst the playing of
recorded music to children has been made to seem like an easy option for lazy teachers. With many
years of experience behind me as a musician and teacher, however, I feel strongly that listening to
music is actually a crucial component in any musical education.
The arguments put forward by music educators are usually a reaction to what they see as a
habit of uncritical listening induced by pop music. But in response to this, I fear, rather simplistic view,
a couple of points need making. The first is that classical music is also listened to uncritically. I well
remember a head teacher (who incidentally was always complaining that her students' homework
suffered as a result of their being distracted by popular music) sharing with me her delight over the
new home hi-fi system she had acquired. Mozart, she said, eased the burden of writing hundreds of
student reports enormously. Within a few weeks of our conversation, however, she had banned herself
from using the system whilst working, so inaccurate had her report writing become.
The second is that the aural awareness of the average listener to classical music - and I am
afraid that includes a lot of music teachers - is also severely under-developed. Really discriminating
listeners cannot tolerate music as a background to any activity that requires their concentration.
Because they are mentally processing every note, they cannot shut the music out in order to perform
any other tasks.
What's more, if musical performance, recorded or live, is to have an impact on the young, it is
not going to be because it has been suitably prepared for creative exploration. More likely, it will be
because a particular piece of music is able to move those pupils who are susceptible to such motivation
by its irrational, primeval power. That is why it is so important that children should encounter the real
world of music - preferably live as well as recorded - on as much variety as possible. Live music also
provides an opportunity for educational visits which, rather like holidays, provide not only a useful
psychological break from school routine, but also serve to broaden young people's horizons.
Moreover if children need plenty of exposure to a variety of musical forms, it follows that we
should not make, or allow children to make, any value judgements about which form is 'superior'. The
fact is, popular and classical music represent different ways of life, in the sense of different views of
culture and the values associated with it - and this despite the efforts of so many trained musicians to
bridge the gap. It is there important that education should recognize the existence of this gap and
subject it to some scrutiny, rather than pretend that it does not exist, or plump solely for one side or the
other. Given the customary classical training of music teachers, and the general pop-orientated musical
preferences of children, there is usually an intrinsic wariness between class and teacher: an unstated
need for a kind of negotiated settlement. As with any negotiation, the start should be with areas of
agreement rather than disagreement.
1. According to the writer, what do contemporary pop bands lack?
A. genuine musical talent B. inspirational role models.
C. an innovative spirit D. musical conventions to follow
2. In the writer's view, music classes in school ______.
A. are too passive in nature B. over-emphasize the role of music-making
C. are over-reliant on recorded music D. fail to exploit the experience of teachers
3. What point does the example of the head teacher illustrate?
A. Popular music doesn't require concentration.
B. Good music demands our full attention.
C. Any kind of music can be distracting.
D. Classical music helps us to concentrate.
4. What point is made about music teachers in the fifth paragraph?
A. They are inclined to misinterpret classical music.
B. They sometimes misuse recorded music in their classes.
C. Some of them focus too narrowly on music in their training.
D. Many of them have not learnt to listen to music effectively.
5. In the writer's opinion, what aspect of a musical performance is most like to attract young people?
A. its emotional impact B. its creative energy
C. its unpredictable nature D. its educational value
6. The pronoun "it" in the last paragraph refers to _____.
A. form
B. life
C. exposure to a variety of musical forms
D. popular and classical music
7. According to the writer, in dealing with pop and classical music in the classroom, teachers should
______.
A. analyse how one has influenced the other
 B. attempt to find common ground between them
C. present them as equally correct and valuable
D. get their students to decide which is better

30. Chuyên Anh Bà Rịa Vũng Tàu (2022-2023)

WHAT CHILDREN REMEMBER
Whether it's holidays, great days out or lazy days at home, you hope your children will retain
happy memories of their childhoods. But often their treasured recollections don't match parental
expectations.
Take my exasperated friend Sarah. Back on the train after a day at both the Natural History and
the Science museums with three children under 10, she asked: "So what did you all learn?" "That if I
bang my head on something hard, it's going to hurt," came the reply from her six-year- old daughter.
Roaring dinosaurs and an expensive lunch had little impact, but the bump on a banister was destined to
become family legend. After I'd helped out on a school trip to Tate Modern art gallery, the teacher told
me that three of my five-year-old charges drew the escalators as their most memorable bit of the day.
"On a zoo trip, Luca liked the caterpillar best," says my friend Barbara. "Forget lions, giraffes and
gorillas. What made the most impression (and what he still talks about five years later) is the time he
found a caterpillar at the zoo."
Food features large in other children's memories. "Did you like going on the plane?" a friend
asked her three-year-old daughter after her first flight. "I liked the crisps," came the reply. Four years
on, another friend's daughter still remembers Menorca for the tomato-flavored crisps and
Pembrokeshire for the dragon ice cream (ice cream in a dragon-shaped pot). Last summer, Janet and
her husband took their three children on a three-week train trip around Europe. "We wanted to open
their minds to the joys of travel and experience different cultures," she says. "But the high point for
them was the Mickey Mouse-shaped ice cream. That was in Rome. I wonder whether the Coliseum
made any sort of impression."
But parenting expert Suzie Hayman is reassuring. "I think food figures high in everybody's
memories," she says. "I just have to think of hot chocolate and I'm transported back to Paris. Adults
tend to be less direct or simply try hard to come up to other people's expectations. The important thing
is that you give your children lots of stimulation. If you visit a museum, you can convey your
appreciation for something. Just don't expect them to share it. It's all about laying out the buffet and
letting children pick. What children want most is you - your attention, your approval, your time. They
may prefer the box to the present, but you're still giving them variety for their memory pool. It's also
important that they don't grow up expecting that happy times only equate with spending money on
expensive days out."
My nine-year-old has a memory theory: the more uncomfortable the bed, the better the holiday.
So sleeping on bathroom floors and bending Z-beds make for a fantastic time and fluffy pillows and
soft mattresses (more expensive) equal boring. This is one unexpected memory I plan to nurture for
years to come.
(Adapted from FCE Test Builder)
1. The writer's purpose in the article is to point out _______________.
A. how difficult it is for children to remember the kind of things that adults remember
B. how annoying children's memories of past events can be for adults
C. how happy children's own memories of past events make them feel
D. how different children's memories are from what adults want them to remember
2. What do all of the memories mentioned in paragraph 2 have in common?
A. They concerned something unexpected that happened during a trip.
B. They were not connected with the main purpose of the trip.
C. They concerned trips that adults particularly enjoyed.
D. They were not things that the children remembered for long.
3. The food examples in paragraph 3 illustrate the fact that _________________.
A. food is often what children remember about journeys
B. children's memories of past events frequently involve food
C. children like talking about unusual food they have had
D. children keep their memories of unusual food for a long time
4. What does Suzie Hayman say about parents?
A. They should not expect their children to enjoy the same things that they enjoy.
B. They should not take their children on expensive days out.
C. They should not pay attention to what their children can remember the most.
D. They should not take their children to places that will not interest them.
5. It can be inferred from paragraph 5 that the writer thinks her child's memory theory
A. is different from that of other children
 B. has an advantage for the writer
C. makes logical sense to the writer
D. is something that she shares with her child

Reading 2:
INTERNET JOBS
Contrary to popular belief, one does not have to be a trained programmer to work online. Of
course, there are plenty of jobs available for people with high-tech computer skills, but the growth of
new media has opened up a wide range of Internet career opportunities requiring only a minimal level
of technical expertise. Probably one of the most well-known online job opportunities is the job of
webmaster. However, it is hard to define one basic job description for this position. The qualifications
and responsibilities depend on what tasks a particular organization needs a webmaster to perform.
To specify the job description of a webmaster, one needs to identify the hardware and software
the website the webmaster will manage is running on. Different types of hardware and software require
different skill sets to manage them. Another key factor is whether the website will be running
internally or externally (renting shared space on the company servers). Finally, the responsibilities of a
webmaster also depend on whether he or she will be working Independently, or whether the firm will
provide people to help. All of these factors need to be considered before one can create an accurate
webmaster job description.
Webmaster is one type of Internet career requiring in-depth knowledge of the latest computer
applications. However, there are also online jobs available for which traditional skills remain in high
demand. Content jobs require excellent writing skills and a good sense of the web as a "new media'.
The term "new media" is difficult to define because it encompasses a constantly growing set of
new technologies and skills. Specifically, it includes websites, email, internet technology, CD- ROM,
DVD, streaming audio and video, Interactive multimedia presentations, e-books, digital music,
computer illustration, video games, virtual reality, and computer artistry.
Additionally, many of today's Internet careers are becoming paid-by-the-job professions. With
many companies having to downsize in tough economic items, the outsourcing and contracting of
freelance workers online has become common business practice. The Internet provides an Infinite pool
of buyers from around the world with whom freelancers can contract their services. An added benefit
to such online jobs is that freelancers are able to work on projects with companies outside their own
country.
How much can a person make in these kinds of careers? As with many questions related to
today's evolving technology, there is no simple answer. There are many companies willing to pay
people with Internet skills salaries well over $70,000 a year. Generally, webmasters start at about
$30,000 per year, but salaries can vary greatly. Freelance writers working online have been known to
make between $40,000 to $70,000 a year.
1. What is the purpose of the passage?
A. To inform people about the tasks and the roles of a webmaster
B. To inform people about employment related to the Internet
C. To inform people about the computer industry
D. To explain why webmasters make a lot of money
2. The word "identify" in paragraph 2 is closest in meaning to ________________.
A. name B. corrupt C. encounter D. interface
3. According to the passage, which of the following is TRUE of webmasters?
A. They never work independently.
B. The duties they perform depend on the organization they employ.
C. They are required a minimal level of technical expertise.
D. They do not support software products.
4. What can be inferred from the passage about freelance writers?
A. They may work with others in the company.
B. They manage hardware and software.
C. Their job is considered a content job.
D. Their job requires in-depth knowledge of latest applications
5. According to the passage, all of the followings are TRUE except ______________.
A. Webmasters must have knowledge of the latest computer applications.
B. Online workers cannot free themselves from the office.
C. The term "new media" is not easy to define.
D. There are online jobs available for workers with minimal computer skills.

31. Chuyên Anh Bắc Ninh (2022-2023)

 About 200 million years ago, as the Triassic Period came to a close, many species of animals
disappeared from the face of the Earth. Scientists previously believed that the series of extinctions
happened over a period of 15 to 20 million years. Recent discoveries in Nova Scotia suggest, however,
that the extinctions may have happened over a much shorter period of time, perhaps less than 850,000
years.
Evidence for a rapid extinction of species at the end of the Triassic Period is found in the
McCoy Brook Formation along the Bay of Fundy in Nova Scotia. Fossils found in this formation
indicate a rapid disappearance of species rather than a slow and gradual change over time. One
explanation for a relatively sudden extinction at the end of the Triassic may be that a large
meteorite struck the earth at the time and is responsible for a 70- kilometer hole nearby. If geologists
and other researchers can find evidence, such as shocked quartz in the rock formations, that a
meteorite did strike the earth, it would give more credence to the theory of rapid Triassic extinctions.
It is possible, however, that even if a rapid extinction happened in and around Nova Scotia, it did not
necessarily occur in the rest of the world.
1. What is the main topic of this passage?
A. the disappearance of animal species at the end of the Triassic Period
B. evidence of a relatively sudden extinction of species
C. the possibility of an extinction happening simultaneously throughout the world
D. a meteorite hole in the Bay of Fundy in Nova Scotia
2. The author uses the phrase “the face of the Earth” in paragraph 1 in order to ______.
A. emphasize the disappearance
B. focus on one part of the Earth
C. focus on one period of time
D. point out the reference to land, not water
3. All of the following were mentioned in the passage EXCEPT __________
A. the extinction of late Triassic animals
B. the duration of time for the extinction
C. a large meteorite hitting the Earth 10 million years ago
D. the use of types of rock in scientific research
4. Where in the passage does the author give evidence for the argument?
A. Lines 1-2 B. Lines 6-10
C. Lines 11-12 D. Lines 13-14
5. According to the passage, what would give evidence that a meteorite struck the earth?
A. a gradual change in species over time
B. a change in the quartz
C. deposits in the veins of rocks
D. a change in the waters of the Bay of Fundy
6. Which of the following could best replace the word “struck” as used in the passage?
A. affected B. discovered
C. devastated D. hit
7. Which of the following is most probably the meaning of “shocked quartz” in the passage?
A. narrow chasms B. tiny lines
C. hardened ores D. cracked minerals
8. The word “it” in paragraph 2 refers to _________
A. evidence B. an extinction
C. the Earth D. a meteorite
9. The word “credence” in the passage could be best replaced by ________
A. demonstration B. elevation
C. suitability D. credibility
10. Which of the following best describes the author’s tone?
A. aggressive B. explanatory
C. apologetic D. cynical

32. Chuyên Anh Quảng Ninh (2022-2023)

Centuries ago, man discovered that removing moisture from food helped to preserve it, and that
the easiest way to do this was to expose the food to sun and wind. In this way the North American
Indians produced pemmican (dried meat ground into powder and made into cakes), the Scandinavians
made stockfish and the Arabs dried dates and apricots.
All foods contain water - cabbage and other leaf vegetables contain as much as 93% water,
potatoes and other root vegetables 80%, lean meat 75% and fish anything from 80% to 60% depending
on how fatty it is. If this water is removed, the activity of the bacteria which cause food to go bad is
checked.
Fruit is sun-dried in Asia Minor, Greece, Spain and other Mediterranean countries, and also in
California, South Africa and Australia. The methods used vary, but in general the fruit is spread out on
trays in drying yards in the hot sun. In order to prevent darkening, pears, peaches and apricots are
exposed to the fumes of burning sulphur before drying. Plums for making prunes, and certain varieties
of grapes for making raisins and currants, are dipped in an alkaline solution in order to crack the skins
of the fruit slightly and remove their wax coating, so increasing the rate of drying.
Nowadays most foods are dried mechanically; the conventional method of such dehydration is
to put food in chambers through which hot air is blown at temperatures of about 110°C at entry to
about 45°C at exit. This is the usual method for drying such things as vegetables, minced meat, and
fish.
Liquids such as milk, coffee, tea, soups and eggs may be dried by pouring them over a heated
horizontal steel cylinder or by spraying them into a chamber through which a current of hot air passes.
In the first case, the dried material is scraped off the roller as a thin film which is then broken up into
small, though still relatively coarse flakes. In the second process it falls to the bottom of the chamber
as a fine powder. Where recognizable pieces of meat and vegetables are required, as in soup, the
ingredients are dried separately and then mixed.
Dried foods take up less room and weigh less than the same food packed in cans or frozen, and
they do not need to be stored in special conditions. For these reasons they are invaluable to climbers,
explorers and soldiers in battle, who have little storage space. They are also popular with housewives
because it takes so little time to cook them.
From Practical Faster Reading by Gerald Mosback and Vivien Mosback, CUP
1. What is the main idea of the passage?
A. Advantages of dried foods. B. Water: the main component of food.
C. Different methods of drying foods. D. Mechanization of drying foods.
2. The phrase “do this” in the first paragraph mostly means ______.
A. moisten foods B. remove moisture from foods
C. produce pemmican D. expose foods to sun and wind
3. The word “checked” in the second paragraph is closest in meaning to ______.
A. motivated to develop B. reduced considerably
 C. examined carefully D. put a tick
4. In the process of drying certain kinds of fruits, sulphur fumes help ______.
A. crack their skin B. remove their wax coating
C. maintain their color D. kill off bacteria
5. Nowadays the common method for drying vegetables and minced meat is ______.
A. spreading them out on trays in drying yards
B. pouring them over a heated horizontal steel cylinder
C. dipping them in an alkaline solution
D. putting them in chambers and blowing hot air through
6. What does the word “which” in the fourth paragraph refer to?
A. Chambers B. Foods
C. Things D. Vegetables
7. The final product of the process of drying liquids that uses the first method will be ______.
A. fine powder B. dried soup
C. recognizable pieces D. small flakes
8. Which of the following is NOT mentioned in the passage?
A. Liquids are not dried in the same way as fruits and vegetables.
B. Fruit is usually dried by being laid out on trays in the sun.
C. People in India began to use drying methods centuries ago.
D. Dried foods have several advantages over canned or frozen foods.
9. According to the passage, dried foods are most useful for ______.
A. explorers who are underweight B. soldiers who are not in battle
C. people who are on the move D. housewives who have little storage
space
10. This passage is mainly ______.
A. analytical B. informative
C. fictional D. argumentative

33. Chuyên Anh Bắc Ninh (2021-2022)

We find that bright children are rarely held back by mixed ability teaching. On the contrary,
both their knowledge and experience are enriched. We feel that there are many disadvantages in
streaming pupils. It does not take into account the fact that children develop at different rates. It can
have a bad effect on both the bright and the not so bright child. After all, it can be quite discouraging to
be at the bottom of the top grade!
Besides, it is rather unreal to grade people just according to their intellectual ability. This is
only one aspect of their total personality. We are concerned to develop the abilities of all our pupils to
the full, not just their academic ability. We also value personal qualities and social skills, and we find
that mixed ability teaching contributes to all these aspects of learning. In our classrooms, we work in
various ways. The pupils often work in groups: this gives them the opportunity to learn to cooperate, to
share, and to develop leadership skills. They also learn how to cope with personal problems as well as
learning how to think, to make decisions, to analyze and evaluate, and to communicate effectively. The
pupils learn from each other as well as from the teachers.
Sometimes the pupils work in pairs; sometimes they work on individual tasks and assignments,
and they can do this at their own speed. They also have some formal class teaching when this is
appropriate. We encourage our pupils to use the library, and we teach them the skills they need in order
to do this effectively. An advanced pupil can do advanced work; it does not matter what age the child
is. We expect our pupils to do their best, not their least, and we give them every encouragement to
attain this goal.
1. The phrase “held back” in the first paragraph means “___________”
A. made to lag behind in study
B. forced to study in lower classes
C. prevented from advancing
D. made to remain in the same classes
2. The author argues that a teacher’s chief concern should be the development of the pupils’
_________.
A. total personality
B. learning ability and communicative skills
C. intellectual abilities
D. personal and social skills
3. Which of the following is NOT mentioned in the passage?
A. Group work provides the pupils with the opportunity to learn to be capable organizers.
B. Pupils also learn to develop their reasoning ability.
 C. Group work gives pupils the opportunity to learn to work together with others.
D. Pupils also learn how to participate in teaching activities.
4. The author’s purpose of writing this passage is to _________.
A. recommend pair work and group work classroom activities
B. argue for teaching bright and not so bright pupils in the same class
C. emphasize the importance of appropriate formal classroom teaching
D. offer advice on the proper use of the school library
5. According to the passage, which of the following statements is an advantage of mixed ability
teaching?
A. Pupils can be hindered from an all round development.
B. Formal class teaching is the important way to give the pupils essential skills such asthose to
be used in the library.
C. A pupil can be at the bottom of a class.
D. Pupils as individuals always have the opportunities to work on their own.

34. Chuyên Anh Bắc Ninh (2020-2021)

PANDEMIC
Diseases are a natural part of life on Earth. If there were no diseases, the population would
grow too quickly, and there would not be enough food or other resources. So in a way, diseases are
nature’s way of keeping the Earth in balance. But sometimes they spread very quickly and kill large
numbers of people. For example, in 1918, an outbreak of the flu spread across the world, killing over
25 million people in only six months. Such terrible outbreaks of a disease are called pandemics.
Pandemics happen when a disease changes in a way that our bodies are not prepared to fight. In
1918, a new type of flu virus appeared. Our bodies had no way to fight this new flu virus, and
so it spread very quickly and killed large numbers of people. While there have been many different
pandemic diseases throughout history, all of them have a few things in common.
First, all pandemic diseases spread from one person to another very easily. Second, while they
may kill many people, they generally do not kill people very quickly. A good example of this would be
the Marburg virus. The Marburg virus is an extremely infectious disease. In addition, it is deadly.
About 70-80% of all the people who get the Marburg virus die from the disease. However, the
Marburg virus has not become a pandemic because most people die within three days of getting the
disease. This means that the virus does not have enough time to spread to a large number of people.
The flu virus of 1918, on the other hand, generally took about a week to ten days to kill its victims, so
it had more time to spread.
While we may never be able to completely stop pandemics, we can make them less common.
Doctors carefully monitor new diseases that they fear could become pandemics. For example, in 2002
and 2003, doctors carefully watched SARS. Their health warnings may have prevented SARS from
becoming a pandemic.
1. This passage is mainly about _______.
A. how to prevent pandemic diseases.
B. pandemic diseases.
C. pandemic diseases throughout history.
D. why pandemics happen.
2. According to paragraph 1, how are diseases a natural part of life on Earth?
A. They prevent pandemics.
B. They help control the population.
C. They help the world grow quickly.
D. They kill too many people.
3. Based on the information in the passage the term pandemics can best be explained as _______.
A. diseases with no cure
B. a deadly kind of flu
C. diseases that spread quickly and kill large numbers of people
D. new diseases like SARS or the Marburg virus
4. According to the passage, all of the following are true of the 1918 flu pandemic EXCEPT
that ________.
A. it involved a new kind of flu virus
B. it killed over 25 million people
C. it was the last pandemic in history
D. it took a little over a week to kill its victims
5. The word “it” in the passage refers to ________.
A. disease B. flu virus C. pandemics D. bodies
6. According to paragraph 3, why hasn’t Marburg virus become a pandemic?
 A. It is not a deadly disease.
B. It does not spread from person to person easily.
C. Doctors have prevented it from becoming a pandemic.
D. It kills people too quickly.
7. The word “monitor’’ in the passage is closest in meaning to _________.
A. prevent B. fight C. watch D. avoid
8. The author mentions SARS in order to _________.
A. give an example of a highly dangerous disease.
B. suggest that SARS will never become a pandemic.
C. give an example of the successful prevention of a pandemic.
D. suggest that there may be a new pandemic soon.

35. Chuyên Anh Bắc Ninh (2019-2020)

KOREAN AMERICANS AT GBS HIGH SCHOOL
Glenbrook South (GBS) High School is in a suburb of Chicago, Illinois, in the United States. It
is an award- winning school with a highly competent teaching staff. It has over 400 Asian Pacific
American students- over 17 percent of the students in the school. Of these, the majority are Korean
American. This is very unusual in a state where Korean Americans are less than 1 percent of the
population. The interactions of the Korean American students at GBS were the subject of an article in
Asian Week magazine.
Different Korean American students react differently to being in a high school where most
students are white. Professor Pyong Gap Min, an expert on Korean life in America, believes that
Korean Americans in this situation can sometimes feel inhibited or ashamed of their Korean identity.
Asian Week interviewed a number of GBS students, and each had a different attitude.
Eighteen-year-old Alice said that she used to spend time only with Korean American friends. Although
she felt secure with those friends, she found herself motivated to form closer relationships with non-
Koreans, too. She said that she felt she was missing out on new experiences and challenges.
Seventeen-year-old John moved in the opposite direction. In junior high school, most of John’s friends
were white. After coming to GBS, his sense of his Korean American identity was restored, and he
decided to have mainly Korean American friends. He feels that he and his Korean American friends
understand each other better. For example, they understand about severe parental pressures to succeed
at school; John felt his white friends couldn’t really understand.
Sixteen-year-old Paul has some Korean American friends, but he says he spends most of his
time with his white friends. He is often the only Asian American in the group, but he doesn’t mind.
What Paul likes about the white culture is that he can be more radical- he can be as loud and funny as
he wants to be. He says he doesn’t see as much of that among the Asian students.
Without belittling the importance of what these students had to say, it’s important to remember
that their opinions at this phase of their lives are bound to change as they grow into adulthood. But
these honest opinions can help us better understand issues of cultural relations, and their honesty might
help Americans from different cultural groups to get along better in the future.
1. What does the passage mainly discuss?
A. How Korean American students interact among themselves and with others
B. Why Illinois is a very special state
C. How an Illinois high school welcomes Korean American students
D. Different opinions of the friends of Korean American students
2. According to the first paragraph, what makes GBS an unusual high school?
A. It is in the state of Illinois, which is very far from Korea.
B. All its Korean American students prefer to have white friends.
C. It is in the suburbs where the Korean American population is low.
D. It has a high percentage of Korean American students compared to the percentage in the
state.
3. According to paragraph 2, who can sometimes feel inhibited or ashamed?
A. Students who react differently to being Korean American
B. Korean American students when they are interviewed
C. Korean American students in a mostly white school
D. GBS students who have different attitudes
4. Which statement best summarizes Alice’s attitude?
A. She feels that her white friends don’t really understand her.
B. She likes her Korean American friends but wants to have non-Korean friends, too.
C. She feels she is missing out on experiences with her Korean American friends.
D. She doesn’t feel secure in her relationships with non-Koreans.
5. Who interviewed the three Korean American students?
A. Asian Week B. Professor Pyong Gap Min
C. The GBS teaching staff D. Other GBS students
6. Which phrase could best be substituted for “radical” in paragraph 5?
A. angry and dangerous B. very expressive
C. polite and considerate D. selfish and greedy
7. What DOESN’T the author think about the opinions of the three students?
A. They could change. B. They are unimportant.
C. They are honest. D. They could help people in the future.
8. Which of the following is closest in meaning to the word “interactions” in paragraph 1?
A. socializations B. contacts C. collaborations D. relations
9. What does the word “phase” in the last paragraph mean?
A. step B. grade C. stage D. interval
10. What can be inferred from paragraph 5?
A. Americans are not very radical.
B. White American people are more active than others.
C. Americans are always sociable.
D. American students are more radical than the Asian ones.

36. Chuyên Anh Hải Phòng (2020-2021)

Federal Express is a company that specializes in rapid overnight delivery of high-priority
packages. The first company of its type, Federal Express was founded by the youthful Fred Smith in
1971, when he was only 28 years old. Smith had actually developed the idea for the rapid delivery
service in a term paper for an economics class when he was a student at Yale University. The term
paper reputedly received a less-than-stellar grade because of the infeasibility of the project that Smith
had outlined. The model that Smith proposed had never been tried, it was a model that was efficient to
operate but at the same time was very difficult to institute.
Smith achieved efficiency in his model by designing a system that was separate from the
passenger system and could, therefore, focus on how to deliver packages most efficiently. His strategy
was to own his own planes so that he could create his own schedules and to ship all packages through
the hub city of Memphis, a set-up which resembles the spokes on the wheel of a bicycle. With this
combination of his own planes and hub set-up, he could get packages anywhere in the United States
overnight.
What made Smith's idea difficult to institute was the fact that the entire system had to be
created before the company could begin operations. He needed a fleet of aircraft to collect packages
from airports every night and deliver them to Memphis, where they were immediately sorted and
flown out to their new destinations; he needed a fleet of trucks to deliver packages to and from the
various airports; he needed facilities and trained staff all in place to handle the operation. Smith had a
$4-million inheritance from his father, and he managed to raise an additional $91 million dollars from
venture capitalists to get the company operating.
When Federal Express began service in 1973 in 25 cities, the company was not an immediate
success, but success did come within a relatively short period of time. The company lost $29 million in
the first 26 months of operations. However, the tide was to tum relatively quickly. By late 1976,
Federal Express was carrying an average of 19,000 packages per night and had made a profit of $3.6
million.
1. The most appropriate title for this passage is, ________.
A. The Capitalization of Federal Express
B. The Importance of Business Studies
C. The Implementation of a Successful Business
D. The Problem and Frustrations of a Business Student
2. What is stated in the passage about Smith's term paper?
A. Its grade was of only average standard.
B. It was written by a student of Smith's.
C. Smith submitted it through a delivery service.
D. The professor thought it had great potential.
3. What was a key idea of Smith's?
A. That he should focus on passenger service.
B. That passenger service had to be efficient.
C. That packages could be delivered on other companies' planes.
D. That package delivery should be separate from passenger service.
4 . A "hub city" in paragraph 2 is CLOSEST in meaning to _______.
A. a large city with small cities as destinations
 B. a city that is the final destination for many routes
C. a city where many bicycle routes begin
D. a centralized city with destinations emanating from it
5. It can be inferred from the passage that Smith selected Memphis as his hub city because it ______.
A. had a large number of passenger aircraft
B. was near the middle of the country
C. already had a large package delivery service
D. was a favourite passenger airport
6. The pronoun "they" in paragraph 3 refers to _______.
A. aircrafts B. airports C. packages D. destinations
7. It is NOT mentioned in the passage that, in order to set up his company, Smith needed _______.
A. faculty B. personnel C. trucks D. airplanes
8. How long did it take Federal Express to become profitable?
A. One year B. Two years C. Three years D. Six years
9. Which paragraph explains what made Smith's model effective?
A. Paragraph 1 B. Paragraph 2 C. Paragraph 3 D. Last paragraph
10. The tone of the passage in describing Smith's accomplishments is _______.
A unflattering B. unconvincing C. ironic D. sincere

Harvard University, today recognized as part of the top echelon of the world's universities,
came from very inauspicious and humble beginnings.
This oldest of American universities was founded in 1636, just sixteen years after the Pilgrims
landed at Plymouth. Included in the Puritan emigrants to the Massachusetts colony during this period
were more than 100 graduates of England's prestigious Oxford and Cambridge universities, and these
university graduates in the New World were determined that their sons would have the same
educational opportunities that they themselves had had. Because of this support in the colony for an
institution of higher leaming, the General Court of Massachusetts appropriated 400 pounds for a
college in October of 1636 and early the following year decided on a parcel of land for the school; this
land was in an area called Newtowne, which was later renamed Cambridge after its English cousin and
is the site of the present-day university.
 When a young minister named John Harvard, who came from the neighbouring town of
Charlestown, died from tuberculosis in 1638, he willed half of his estate of 1,700 pounds to the
fledgling college. In spite of the fact that only half of the bequest was actually paid, the General Court
named the college after the minister in appreciation for what he had done. The amount of the bequest
may not have been large, particularly by today's standards, but it was more than the General Court had
found it necessary to appropriate in order to open the college.
Henry Dunster was appointed the first president of Harvard in 1640, and it should be noted that
in addition to serving as president, he was also the entire faculty, with an entering freshman class of
four students. Although the staff did expand somewhat, for the first century of its existence, the entire
teaching staff consisted of the president and three or four tutors.
1. The main idea of this passage is that ______.
A. Harvard is one of the world's most prestigious universities
B. what is today a great university started out small
C. John Harvard was key to the development of a great university
D. Harvard University developed under the auspices of the General Court of Massachusetts
2. The passage indicates that Harvard is _______.
A. the oldest universities in the world
B. one of the oldest universities in the world
C. one of the oldest universities in America
D. the oldest university in America
3. It can be inferred from the passage that the Puritans who travelled to the Massachusetts colony were
_______.
A. rather rich B. rather undemocratic
C. rather well-educated D. rather supportive of the English govemment
4. Which of the following is NOT mentioned about John Harvard?
A. What he died of B. Where he was buried
C. Where he came from D. How much he bequeathed to Harvard
5. The passage implies that _______.
A. Henry Dunster was an ineffective president
B. someone else really served as president of Harvard before Henry Dunster
C. Henry Dunster spent much of his time as president managing the Havard University
 D. the position of president of Havard was not merely an administrative position in the early
years.

37. Chuyên Anh Quảng Nam (2021-2022)

Nature has always provided a stimulus for inventive minds. Early flying machines clearly were
an attempt to emulate the freedom of birds. Architects and engineers have often consciously modeled
buildings on forms found in nature. A more recent example of the inspiration given by nature is the
invention of Velcro. The inventor of this now common fastening device noticed that small burrs
attached to his dog’s coat grasped the hairs by means of tiny hooks. This led him to invent a synthetic
fabric whose surfaces mimic the clasping properties of this natural seedpod.
Animals and plants have evolved solutions to the kinds of problems that often interest
engineers and designers. Much current research in material science is concerned with actively
examining the natural world, especially at the molecular level, for inspiration to develop materials with
novel properties. This relatively new field of study is sometimes known as biomimetic, since it
consciously attempts to mimic nature.
Researchers have investigated several interesting areas. For example, they have studied how the
molecular structure of antler bone contributes to its amazing toughness, how the skin structure of a
worm contributes to its ability to crawl, how the sea cucumber softens its skeleton and changes shape
so that it can squeeze through tiny gaps in rocks, or what gives wood its high resistance to impact.
These investigations have led to several breakthroughs in the development of composite materials with
remarkable properties.
Predictions for future inventions that may be developed from these lines of research include so-
called smart structures that design and repair themselves in a similar way to a variety of processes in
the natural world. For example, engineers have envisaged bridges that would detect areas heavily
stressed by vehicle movement or wind. The bridge structure would then automatically add or move
material to the weak areas until the stress is reduced. The same principle might be used to repair
damaged buildings. Other new materials that have been imagined are substances that would copy
photosynthesis in green plants in order to create new energy sources. The potential impact of
biomimetic research is so great that the twenty-first century may come to be known as the “Age of
Materials.”
1. The passage is primarily concerned with _________.
A. future research into the uses of Velcro
B. the effect of the Age of Materials on nature
C. the development of products based on nature
D. problems that preoccupy designers and engineers
2. The word “emulate” in paragraph 1 is closest in meaning to _________.
A. stimulate B. captivate C. imitate D. activate
3. Which of the following is true about Velcro?
A. It was first used to remove dog hair from the owner’s coat.
B. It exemplifies how a natural structure inspired a useful invention.
C. The inventor of Velcro was very famous before his invention.
D. It has set a trend for tiny hooks like structures in synthetic fabric.
4. Which of the following does the word “it” in paragraph 3 refer to?
A. sea cucumber B. skeleton
C. shape D. worm
5. According to the passage, which of the following would NOT be a useful biomimetic product?
A. Tomatoes mimicking the structures that give sea cucumbers the ability to squeeze through
cracks.
B. Bulletproof jackets mimicking the structures that give wood its resistance to impact.
C. Glass in windshields mimicking the structures that give antler bone its toughness.
D. Cables mimicking the structures that give spider webs their flexibility and tensile strength.

38. Chuyên Anh Thái Bình (2019-2020)

In this area of increasing and diminishing fossil fuel supplies, we must begin to put a greater
priority on harnessing alternative energy sources. Fortunately, there are many readily available,
renewable resources that are both cost-effective and earth-friendly. Two such resources are solar and
geothermal power.
Solar energy, which reaches the earth through sunlight, is so abundant that it could meet the
needs of worldwide energy consumption 6,000 times over. And solar energy is easily harnessed
through the use of photovoltaic cells converting sunlight to electricity. In the US alone, more than
100,000 homes are equipped with solar electric systems in the form of solar panels or solar roof tiles.
And in other parts of the world, the use of solar system is growing steadily.
Another alternative energy source is geothermal power which creates energy trapping heat from
below the surface of the earth. Hot water and steam that are trapped in underground pools are pumped
to the surface and used to nun a generator, which produces electricity. Geothermal energy is 5,000
times more abundant than the entire known supply of fossil fuel sources and as with solar power, the
technology needed to utilize geothermal energy is fairly simple. A prime example of effective
geothermal use is Iceland, a region of high geothermal activity where there are over 80 percent of
private homes heated by geothermal power.
Solar and geothermal energy sources are just two of the promising renewable alternatives to
conventional energy sources. The time is long overdue to invest in the development and use of
alternative energy on global scale.
1. What is the main topic of this passage?
A. The benefits of solar and wind power over conventional energy sources.
B. Two types of alternative energy sources that should be further utilized.
C. How energy resources are trapped from nature.
D. Examples of the use of energy sources worldwide.
2. What best describes the author’s purpose in writing the passage?
A. To warn people about the hazard of fossil fuel use.
B. To inform people of the benefits of developing alternative energy sources.
C. To describe the advantages and disadvantages of alternative energy use.
D. To outline the problems and solutions connected with global warming.
3. According to the passage, how is solar energy production similar to geothermal energy production?
A. They both require the use of generator.
B. They both use heat from the earth’s surface.
C. They both require fairly simple technology.
D. They are both conventional and costly.
4. According to the passage, which of the following statements is TRUE about solar power?
A. There is very little of it available in Iceland.
B. It is being used in 100,000 private homes worldwide.
C. It is 6,000 times more powerful than the energy needs of the world.
 D. There is enough of it to far exceed the energy needs of the world.
5. What does the word “which” in paragraph 3 refer to?
A. An alternative energy resource
B. A machine for generating electricity
C. Geothermal power
D. The use of photovoltaic cells
6. What can be inferred from the use of geothermal energy in Iceland?
A. It is a widely used form of energy for heating homes.
B. Twenty percent of the geothermal energy generated is used to heat the earth.
C. It is not effective for use in private homes.
D. It is 80 times more effective than traditional forms of fuel use.
7. The word “conventional” in paragraph 4 can be replaced by _________
A. optimistic B. traditional C. effective D. abundant
8. It is stated in the passage that ___________
A. An increased number of countries are using solar energy.
B. Heat coming from inside the earth can be utilized almost everywhere on earth.
C. Only solar energy is environmentally friendly.
D. Geothermal heat can provide 80% of power needs in Iceland.

39. Chuyên Anh Hải Phòng (2023-2024)

The late 1990s was a volatile time for the Internet entrepreneur. There were a large number of
new high-tech and Internet-based businesses being started up, some based on little more than dreams.
And, nearly any entrepreneur with a high-tech or Internet-based business plan could receive a large
amount of money from investors to develop the business. These businesses were called "dot-coms"
after the last part of their Internet addresses, and that time in business history has become known as
the dot-com era. Most dot-com ventures failed as the inconsistencies between high-tech dreams and
realities clarified, but a handful of entrepreneurs from that time remain successful today.
Many people look back at the dot-com era with a certain amount of cynicism. Some charge that
there were entrepreneurs who deliberately mislead investors about the potential of their business plans;
that they had the ulterior motive of getting their hands on large amounts of cash before anything else -
a ploy that some say was common in the dot-com era. By 2001, most of the dot-coms had disappeared
and were sarcastically referred to as "dot-bombs." By the time the hype died down, incredible amounts
of money had been lost. This is an unfortunate legacy of the dotcom era.
Why did companies like Microsoft, Apple, and Google find success, whilst so many others
disappeared? There is no concise answer, but one interesting coincidence is that many of them were
started by two or more entrepreneurs working in conjunction with each other. At Microsoft, Bill Gates
and Paul Allen complemented each other, Apple had Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak; and we owe
Google to the rapport between founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin.
Besides collaborating with others, today's entrepreneurs need to be able to think on their feet
because the business situation changes so quickly. Entrepreneurs need to do constant research to keep
track of changing trends. Today's entrepreneurs need to be hardworking and tenacious in a rapidly
changing and highly competitive marketplace - the easy money of the dot-com era is history.
It seems that the mistakes of the dot-com era have shown the world what the high-tech
economy truly is - and what it isn't. It isn't a place where anyone with a dream can get rich. It is,
however, a powerful and flexible business environment where people with sound business ideas and
effective business models can work together to produce successful business innovations - sometimes
very successful ones indeed. But, as has always been true in the business world, there is no substitute
for thorough planning and hard work.
1. What is the author's main purpose in writing this passage?
A. to expose the negative side of the dot-com era
B. to show how being an entrepreneur is easier today than ever before
C. to explain the history and qualities of a type of entrepreneur
D. to convince the reader to become an entrepreneur
2. What does the word "their" in paragraph 1 refer to?
A. entrepreneurs B. business C. ventures D. investors
3. The word "rapport' in paragraph 3 closely means ________.
A. bondage B. sympathy
C. intimate relationship D. mutual understanding
4. Which quality of today's entrepreneurs is NOT mentioned in the passage?
A. They need to work in more than one company at a time.
B. They need to be hardworking and tenacious.
C. They need to do constant research.
 D. They need to collaborate with others.
5. According to the passage, some people referred to dot-coms as "dot bombs" by 2001 probably
because _______.
A. most dot-com companies were short-lived failures
B. some dot-coms became extremely successful
C. dot-com companies started up extremely quickly
D. many people wished to eliminate dot-com businesses
6. According to the passage, many people look back on the dot-com era with criticism because
_______.
A. there were no true entrepreneurs in that era
B. they are jealous of the success of dot-coms
C. many companies misled their investors
D. the level of technology was so much lower then
7. The word "inconsistencies" in paragraph 1 is closest in meaning to ________.
A. inconstancy B. contradictions
C. incompatibilities D. changeability
8. What do Microsoft, Apple, and Google all have in common?
A. They all produced high-quality computers.
B. They are all skeptical about dot-coms.
C. They all have a good rapport with each other.
D. They were all developed by more than one person.
9. According to the passage, what have we learned from the dot-com era?
A. That sound business ideas and effective plans are needed for success
B. That most high-tech and Internet-based businesses will succeed
C. That anyone with a dream can get rich in today's environment
D. That investors should give money freely to new companies
10. According to the passage, it was easy to get money from investors in the dot-com era because
_______.
A. investors didn't expect to get their money back in those days
B. investors were mainly Internet entrepreneurs
C. investors knew that any idea would succeed
 D. investors were confused about the potential of high-tech business ideas

Ancient texts refer to the wondrous works of architecture created by the great civilisations of
old. One of these were the Hanging Gardens of Babylon, a structure of terraced gardens with trees,
shrubbery, herbs and flowers, located in the midst of a desert city. Writers described with amazement
the advanced equipment required to water them - a complex system of pumps and wheels that brought
water up from the nearby river to the top of the Gardens in order to keep the plants alive in the dry
climate.
Unfortunately, we know very little about the Gardens - including whether they really existed or
were indeed in the ancient city of Babylon. It seems they might have been destroyed by earthquakes in
the second century BCE; what little information we have about them today comes from sources written
centuries afterwards. The location of the city of Babylon was identified in the 1800s. Since then,
archaeologists have spent years searching for any sign of the Hanging Gardens,with little success.
For a while, it looked as though the Gardens were no more than a myth. Now, however, some
researchers are showing a renewed interest. Based on evidence from stone inscriptions, a new theory
suggests that the gardens existed not in Babylon, but in a different city altogether. Nineveh.
Furthermore, excavations around Nineveh have revealed evidence of a system of water channels that
would have brought water from the nearby mountains-enough to water an extensive garden.
Why then did so many ancient writers place the gardens in Babylon? It would not be the first
time that people from later periods confused the early histories of these cities, which had become
entwined with myth by that point. There are, for example, geographical errors in many ancient
accounts. To further confuse things, after 689 BCE, when both cities came under the same Assyrian
king, Sennacherib, Nineveh was often referred to as the "New Babylon".
1. The word "entwined" in paragraph 4 is closest in meaning to _______.
A. touched B. recorded C. provided D. mixed
2. What does the author suggest was particularly remarkable about the Gardens?
A. the size of the terraced structures
B. their fame throughout the history
C. the wide variety of plants and flowers they contained
D. the engineering they featured
3. What is the main purpose of this passage?
 A. to examine new evidence found in Nineveh
B. to argue in favour of a new theory on the existence of Babylon
C. to present a different possibility for the location of the Hanging Gardens
D. to provide general information about the design of the Hanging Gardens
4. The author mentions the water channels at Nineveh ______.
A. to point out where the stone inscriptions were found
B. to add further support to the Nineveh theory
C. to illustrate why Nineveh was a better environment for the Gardens than Babylon
D. to explain where the Nineveh theory came from
5. What evidence is there for the Gardens' existence?
A. Archaeological evidence has been found.
B. They are mentioned in texts from later years.
C. Writers described them in detail at the time they existed.
D. Their location was discovered in the 1800s.

40. Chuyên Anh Bắc Ninh (2023-2024)

We live in a world of tired, sleep deprived people. In his book Counting Sheep, Paul Martin - a
behavioural biologist - describes a society which is just too busy to sleep and which does not give
sleeping the importance it deserves.
Modern society has invented reasons not to sleep. We are now a 24/7 society where shops and
services must be available all hours. We spend longer hours at work than we used to, and more time
getting to work. Mobile phones and email allow us to stay in touch round the clock and late-night TV
and the Internet tempt us away from our beds. When we need more time for work or pleasure, the easy
solution is to sleep less. The average adult sleeps only 6.2 hours a night during the week, whereas
research shows that most people need eight or even eight and a half hours' sleep to feel at their best.
Nowadays, many people have got used to sleeping less than they need and they live in an almost
permanent state of 'sleep debt'.
Until the invention of the electric light in 1879 our daily cycle of sleep used to depend on the
hours of daylight. People would get up with the sun and go to bed at nightfall, But nowadays our hours
of sleep are mainly determined by our working hours (or our social life) and most people are woken up
artificially by an alarm clock. During the day caffeine, the world's most popular drug, helps to keep us
awake. 75% of the world's population habitually consume caffeine, which up to a point masks the
symptoms of sleep deprivation.
What does a chronic lack of sleep do to us? As well as making us irritable and unhappy as
humans, it also reduces our motivation and ability to work. This has serious implications for society in
general. Doctors, for example, are often chronically sleep deprived, especially when they are on 'night
call', and may get less than three hours' sleep. Lack of sleep can seriously impair their mood, judgment,
and ability to take decisions. Tired engineers, in the early hours of the morning, made a series of
mistakes with catastrophic results. On our roads and motorways lack of sleep kills thousands of
people every year. Tests show that a tired driver can be just as dangerous as a drunken driver. However,
driving when drunk is against the law but driving when exhausted isn't. As Paul Martin says, it is very
ironic that we admire people who function on very little sleep instead of criticizing them for being
irresponsible. Our world would be a much safer, happier place if everyone, whatever their job, slept
eight hours a night.
1. Which of the following could best serve as the title of the passage?
A. Accident Prevention: Urgent! B.Sleep Deprivation: Causes and Effects
C. A Society of Sleepless People D. A 24/7 Society and "Sleep Debt"
2. The phrase "round the clock" in the second paragraph is similar in meaning to _______.
A. all day and night B. surrounded with clocks
C. during the daytime D. having a round clock
3. The writer mentions the Internet in the passage as ______.
A. a temptation that prevents us from sleeping
B. an easy solution to sleep deprivation
C. an ineffective means of communication
D. a factor that is not related to sleep deprivation
4. According to the third paragraph, which of the following statements is NOT TRUE?
A. Our social life has no influence on our hours of sleep.
B. The sun obviously determined our daily routines.
C. The electric light was invented in the 19th century.
D. The electric light has changed our daily cycle of sleep."
5. The word "which" in the third paragraph refers to ______.
A. reaching a point B. masking the symptoms
 C. the world's population D. caffeine consumption
6. Which of the following is TRUE, according to the last paragraph?
A. Doctors 'on night call' do not need more than three hours of sleep a day.
B. Our motivation decreases with the bigger number of hours we sleep.
C. Sleep deprivation has negative effects on both individuals and society.
D. Thousands of people are killed every day by drunken drivers.
7. The word "catastrophic” in the last paragraph probably means
A. bound to bring satisfaction B. becoming more noticeable
C. causing serious damage or loss D. likely to become worthless
8. Which of the following can be inferred from the passage?
A. Driving when exhausted is against the law.
B. Both drunken drivers and sleep-deprived people should be criticized.
C. There is no point in criticizing irresponsible people in our society.
D. We certainly can function well even when we hardly sleep.
9. All of the following are mentioned as those whose performance is affected by "sleep debt" EXCEPT
A. doctors B. drivers C. biologists D. engineers
10. According to the passage, which of the following statements is TRUE about Paul Martin?
A. He shows his concern for sleep deprivation in modern society.
B. He gives an interesting account of a sleepless society.
C. He is a scientist who is chronically deprived of sleep.
D. He describes the modern world as a place without insomnia.
41. Chuyên Anh Nghệ An (2023-2024)
SHOULD CHILDREN BE TAKEN TO ART GALLERIES?
The debate about taking young children to art galleries has a long history. On one side are
traditionalists - conservators and keen gallery-goers - who disapprove of the noise and disruption
caused by children and worry about the damage to fragile paintings and sculptures. In opposition are
the progressives - educationalists and parents - who contend that viewing art enriches the lives of
children. This dispute has resurfaced in the media recently following a claim by the visual artist Jake
Chapman that dragging children round galleries is "a total waste of time". Parents are "arrogant", he
says, for thinking children could understand the work of such complex artists as Jackson Pollock and
Mark Rothko.
 Currently thinking, of course, sides with the progressives. Early exposure to art widens
children's horizons, develops their curiosity about the world, and boosts their creativity. Further, it
significantly increases the chances that they will have a life-long interest. With this in mind, many
galleries have adopted a more child-friendly approach, encouraging parents to bring their children by
arranging special events and handing out quizzes and worksheets to children as they arrive. From this
perspective, expecting children to conform to adult behaviour in galleries is a form of punishment,
which should be subverted at every turn.
But maybe Chapman does have a point. Developmental psychology suggests that before the
age of 8 or 9 children view art only for what it represents in the real world. It is only in their early
teens that children begin to go beyond representation and understand that art is created to express
certain meanings and values beyond the literal. Art education is necessary before the adolescent can
appreciate stylistic elements and develop a critical facility, making their own judgements about the
merits of a piece. Faced with abstract expressionism such as Pollock's drips and looping swirls or
Rothko's rectangles of colours, it's no wonder that young children quickly lose interest. We shouldn't
be surprised if most prefer the joys of running up and down the polished gallery floors as they search
the paintings for answers to worksheet questions, or even, heaven forbid, run their sticky fingers over
priceless masterpieces. Should children be allowed to ruin other visitors' experience by causing a din
among the Pre-Raphaelites? Of course not.
Against this, I think back to my own experience of viewing art as a young child. I was taken to
art galleries regularly - but for short visits to see just a handful of paintings each time. My parents
would talk about each of the paintings and always ask me what I liked most about it. I wouldn't say
that I understood everything they said, but through this exposure, over time I came to learn something
about the subject matter of art, artistic techniques and, above all, the experience of viewing: what's
most important is how a piece of art makes you feel. I was lucky enough, though, to have
knowledgeable and sensitive parents, and local galleries available that we could visit again and again.
Access to art has undoubtedly improved my quality of life, and I only have to watch a child engaging
with a painting to realize it is the same for many others.
Jake Chapman was right to reignite the debate, but his conclusion is wrong. We shouldn't be
excluding children from art galleries. Instead, we should be educating parents, helping them to
improve the experience of their children's gallery visits - good both for their children and other
visitors. First, parents should know some simple ground rules of gallery bahaviour and make sure they
and their children stick to them: don't touch paintings and sculptures (it can cause damage); don't have
loud phone conversation (it's annoying for everyone else); and don't take photos of the artworks
(paintings are meant to be looked at, not posed next to - buy a guidebook afterwards if you want a
record of what you've seen). More importantly, though, they need advice on how to encourage their
children to look at and talk about artwork. The worksheets given to children could be replaced with
ones for parents, including relevant information and suggested discussion topics to share with their
children. Through interaction of this kind, children will grow up believing that art is for all, not just for
adults or for some exclusive group of art appreciators' to which they do not belong. And by being
involved, interest and enthusiasm will replace boredom.
1. What view does the artist Jake Chapman put forward about art galleries?
A. Parents think they are too difficult for children to understand.
B. Parents overestimate their value.
C. Children learn little about art by visiting them.
D. Children tend not enjoy visiting them.
2. According to the writer, 'progressives' believe that galleries _______.
A. should be organized with children in mind.
B. should prioritize children over adults.
C. should encourage children to paint more themselves.
D. should not restrict how children behave.
3. In the third paragraph, the writer says that very young children ______.
A. can be taught to judge the quality of a painting.
B. are not ready to appreciate abstract art.
C. are reluctant to criticize paintings.
D. are attracted not only to paintings showing scenes of real life.
4. During the writer's visits to art galleries as a young child _______.
A. her parents told her which paintings were noteworthy.
B. she accumulated knowledge of a large number of paintings.
C. she was surprised at her parents' knowledge of art.
D. she was encouraged to evaluate art.
5. What point does the writer make in the fifth paragraph?
A. Parents need to learn more about art appreciation.
 B. Gallery rules need to be enforced more strictly.
C. Not all parents can appreciate art.
D. Adults should be more tolerant of children's behaviours in galleries.
6. An idea recurring in the text is that ______.
A. both adults and children behave badly in galleries.
B. children know as much about art as their parents.
C. it takes time for children to learn to appreciate art.
D. galleries are not doing enough to help children understand art.

42. Chuyên Anh Hưng Yên (2023-2024)

The year 1850 may be considered the beginning of a new epoch in America art, with respect to the
development of watercolor painting. In December of that year, a group of thirty artists gathered in the
studio of John Falconer in New York City and drafted both a constitution and bylaws, establishing The
Society for the Promotion of Painting in Water Color. In addition to securing an exhibition space in the
Library Society building in lower Manhattan, the society founded a small school for the instruction of
watercolor painting. Periodic exhibitions of the members' paintings also included works by noted
English artists of the day, borrowed from embryonic private collections in the city. The society's
activities also included organized sketching excursions along the Hudson River. Its major public
exposure came in 1853, when the society presented works by its members in the "Industry of All
Nations" section of the Crystal Palace Exposition in New York.
The society did not prosper, however, and by the time of its annual meeting in 1854 membership had
fallen to twenty-one. The group gave up its quarters in the Library Society building and returned to
Falconer's studio, where it broke up amid dissension. No further attempt to formally organize the
growing numbers of watercolor painters in New York City was made for more than a decade. During
that decade, though, Henry Warren's Painting in Water Color was published in New York City in 1856,
the book was a considerable improvement over the only other manual of instruction existing at the
time, Elements of Graphic Art, by Archibald Roberson, published in 1802 and by the 1850's long out
of print. In 1866 the National Academy of Design was host to an exhibition of watercolor painting in
its elaborate neo-Venetian Gothic building on Twenty-Third Street in New York City. The exhibit was
sponsored by an independent group called The Artists Fund Society. Within a few months of this event,
forty-two prominent artists living in and near New York City founded The American Society of
Painters in Water Colors.
1. This passage is mainly about _______.
A. the most influential watercolor painters in the mid-1800's
B. efforts to organize watercolor painters in New York City during the mid-1800's
C. a famous exhibition of watercolor paintings in New York City in the mid-1800's
D. styles of watercolor painting in New York City during the mid-1800's
2. The year 1850 was significant in the history of watercolor painting mainly because _______.
A. John Falconer established his studio for watercolor painters
B. watercolor painting was first introduced to New York City
C. a group of artists established a watercolor-painting society
D. The first book on watercolor painting was published
3. The word "securing" in line 4 is closest in meaning to _______.
A. locking B. acquiring C. constructing D. creating
4. All of the following can be inferred about the Society for the promotion of Painting in Water Color
EXCEPT
A. The society exhibited paintings in lower Manhattan
B. The society exhibited only the paintings of its members
C. Instruction in watercolor painting was offered by members of the society
D. Scenes of the Hudson River appeared often in the work of society members
5. The word "it" refers to _______.
A. group B. time C. building D. studio
6. Which of the following is true of watercolor painters in New York City in the late 1850's?
A. They formed a new society because they were not allowed to join groups run by other kinds
of artists.
B. They were unable to exhibit their paintings because of the lack of exhibition space.
C. The Artists Fund Society helped them to form The American Society of Painters in Water
Colors.
D. They increased in number despite a lack of formal organization.
7. Henry Warren's Painting in Water Color was important to artists because it _______.
A. received an important reward
 B. was the only textbook published that taught painting
C. was much better than an earlier published
D. attracted the interest of art collectors
8. The word "considerable" is closest in meaning to ________.
A. sensitive B. planned C. thoughtful D. great
9. The year 1866 was significant for watercolor painting for which of the following reasons?
A. The National Academy of Design held an exhibition of watercolor paintings.
B. Private collections of watercolors were first publicly exhibited.
C. The neo-Venetian Gothic building on Twenty-Third Street in New York City was built.
D. Elements of Graphic Art was republished.
10. The word "prominent" is closest in meaning to ________.
A. wealthy B. local C. famous D. organized

43. Chuyên Anh Đồng Tháp (2023-2024)

HELPING TO SAVE THE ELEPHANTS
Once there were millions of elephants roaming our continents. Unfortunately, their numbers
have been reduced so much that they are now in danger of extinction. The two species of elephants left
on earth today are the African and the Asian elephants. The African elephant is threatened and the
Asian elephant is in serious danger.
Although some progress has been made over the past few years to protect the elephant, a lot
more needs to be done. A large number of male Asian elephants are being killed for their ivory tusks,
but the biggest threat to the survival of the elephant is the loss of their habitat.
One fifth of the earth's human population live in Asia and their activities are squeezing
elephants out. Today, there are probably fewer than 35,000 elephants living in the wild in Asia. That
may sound like a big number but in fact the reality is that their future is not guaranteed. One of the
reasons is that they are split into small, vulnerable groups, another is that, as there are not enough
males, reproduction rates are falling. In fact, Asian elephants are in so much danger that some experts
estimate that they could disappear in fewer than twenty years.
So what can be done to reverse this trend? Protecting the elephant will take a lot of work and
determination from a lot of different sources and, fortunately, certain players have taken steps in this
direction. In May 1989, due to pressure from conservationists and animal protectionists, the United
States, Canada, Australia, the European Community and a few other countries banned the commercial
import of ivory. From 1990 onwards ivory, body parts and live elephants (excluding zoo animals)
cannot be imported or exported from or to these countries.
In another attempt to save the elephant, protectionists have started breeding elephants in
captivity. Since 1990 for example, Ringling Bros. Circus has bred 16 elephants and a total of 42
elephants have been bred in captivity in North America. Circus elephants live longer than elephants in
the wild; in captivity, they can live up to 60 or 70 years while in the wild a female elephant lives to 50
years and a male elephant only to 30 years.
It is hoped that if more people see elephants in zoos and circuses, they will be more likely to
protect them.
1. There are _______ today.
A. lots of elephants alive B. millions of elephants alive
C. fewer elephants around D. more than two species of elephants on earth
2. The biggest threat to elephants is _______.
A. the loss of their tusks
B. the destruction of their natural environment
C. the loss of their ivory
D. that male elephants are killing others
3. 35,000 elephants is not a lot because _______.
A. they live in the wild
B. they are not all found together
C. hard to hurt physically
D. they are very vulnerable animals
4. The word vulnerable in paragraph 3 is closest in meaning to ______.
A. physically strong B. weak and easily hurt physically
C. hard to hurt physically D. physically powerful
5. Reproduction is ________ of male elephants.
A. declining because of a lack B. difficult in big numbers
C. difficult in vulnerable group D. guaranteed by the abundance
6. There ________ elephants in twenty years.
A. may be fewer B. may be more danger to
 C. may no longer be any Asian D. may be more Asian
7. According to the text, only ________ can be exported or imported.
A. elephant tusks B. wild elephants
C. dead elephants D. zoo elephants
8. Since 1990 ________ in North America.
A. elephant life expectancy has increased
B. a number of elephants have been born
C. male elephants have lived longer than females
D. elephants have not lived in captivity
9. The word they in paragraph 5 refers to _______.
A. protectionists B. captivities
C. wild elephants D. circus elephants
10. By breeding elephants in North America protectionists hope ________.
A. that people will see more of them.
B. awareness of the elephant's situation will improve.
C. there will be more zoos and circuses.
D. elephants will live longer.
44. Chuyên Anh Hà Tĩnh (2023-2024)
Endangered species are a pressing concern in today's world, representing the fragile balance of
our ecosystems and the need for conservation efforts. These species face a high risk of extinction due
to various factors, primarily human activities and environmental changes. The consequences of losing
these species would extend far beyond their individual existence, impacting the intricate web of life on
our planet.
Human activities, such as habitat destruction, poaching, and pollution, are among the primary
causes of species endangerment. [A]. Rapid urbanization and expanding agricultural practices often
result in the destruction and fragmentation of natural habitats, leaving species without sufficient space,
food, or resources to survive. The relentless pursuit of resources, such as timber, minerals, and oil,
further exacerbates the destruction of critical ecosystems that support a diverse array of species.
Poaching remains a significant threat to many endangered species, driven by illegal wildlife
trade and the demand for products like ivory, fur, and exotic pets. [B]. Moreover, pollution from
industrial activities, chemicals, and pesticides contaminates habitats, affecting the health and
reproductive capacities of various species.
Environmental changes, including climate change and habitat degradation, pose additional
challenges to endangered species. Rising global temperatures, altered precipitation patterns, and
extreme weather events disrupt ecosystems, making it difficult for species to adapt and survive.
Changes in temperature and precipitation can affect breeding patterns, alter migration routes, and
disturb the delicate balance between predator and prey. [C]. These environmental shifts contribute to
the decline of already vulnerable populations, further pushing them towards extinction.
The consequences of losing endangered species extend beyond their intrinsic value. Each
species plays a unique role in its ecosystem, contributing to its stability and functioning. Removal of a
single species can trigger a domino effect, impacting the entire ecosystem. For example, the decline of
pollinators like bees and butterflies affects the reproduction of plants and can lead to reduced
agricultural productivity. Predatory species maintain the balance by controlling populations of prey
species, preventing overpopulation and ecosystem imbalances.
Legislative measures, public awareness campaigns, and on-ground conservation practices are
crucial ones to address the plight of endangered species and protect their habitats. These conservation
efforts need actions taken by both the publics and the authorities. Governments and international
organizations establish protected areas and implement laws to regulate hunting, trade, and habitat
destruction. [D]. Additionally, raising public awareness about the importance of biodiversity and the
impacts of human activities helps foster a sense of responsibility towards species conservation.
Conservation organizations and researchers work tirelessly to study and monitor endangered
species, gather data on population trends, and develop strategies for their protection. They engage in
habitat restoration projects, captive breeding programs, and reintroduction efforts to bolster
populations and restore balance to ecosystems. Such initiatives often involve collaboration with local
communities, engaging them in sustainable practices and promoting their involvement in species
conservation.
Public participation is key to ensuring the success of conservation efforts. Individuals can
contribute by supporting conservation organizations, volunteering for wildlife surveys and monitoring
programs, and making informed choices as consumers. Responsible tourism can also play a significant
role in promoting sustainable practices that protect the habitats and well-being of endangered species.
 Generally, endangered species are a crucial component of our planet's biodiversity, representing
the delicate interplay of life on Earth. Human activities and environmental changes pose significant
threats to these species, pushing them towards extinction. Protecting endangered species and their
habitats requires concerted efforts from governments, organizations, researchers, and the public. By
recognizing the value of these species and taking proactive measures to conserve them, we can strive
towards a more sustainable future that safeguards the diversity and resilience of our planet's
ecosystems.
1. Which of the following could be the best title for the passage?
A. The Urgent Call for Conservation and Protection
B. The Vital Measures to Diversify Endangered Species
C. The Main Grounds of Extinction and Imbalance
D. The Repercussions of Biodiversity Loss
2. According to paragraph 2, which of the following is NOT mentioned as the human activities that
badly affect endangered species?
A. Destroying natural habitat B. Enlarging farming land
C. Pursuing natural resources D. Leaving sufficient space
3. According to the passage, hazardous substances from industry have an effect on _________ of some
species.
A. hunting B. breeding C. route migrating D. food finding
4. The word intrinsic in paragraph 5 is closest in meaning to _________.
A. contrasting B. typical C. important D. comparative
5. The word ones in paragraph 6 refers to _________.
A. measures B. campaigns C. practices D. efforts
6. In which space (marked [A], [B], [C] and [D] in the passage) will the following sentence fit?
The indiscriminate foraging for these animals disrupts their populations and can push them to
the brink of extinction
A. [A] B. [B] C. [C] D. [D]
7. The word bolster in paragraph 7 is closest in meaning to ________.
A. reinforce B. reduce C. spread D. expand
8. According to the passage, individuals can help in species conservation by ________.
A. being responsible in suspending tourism for local communities
 B. developing strategies for endangered species protection
C. getting enough information before making choices as consumers
D. initiating habitat restoration projects
9. Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?
A. One of the reasons makes species difficult to adapt is the change of rain cycle.
B. Ecosystems are being disrupted merely by rising in global temperatures
C. Predatory species become the main reason for the extinction of prey species.
D. A domino effect can only be triggered by the removal of certain unique species
10. Which of the following can be inferred from the passage?
A. Responsible consumption of local communities is the key for scientific research.
B. Individuals can actively engage in data collection and contribute to scientific research.
C. Individuals can provide financial assistance and help fund responsible tourism.
D. Separate contribution from researchers and local communities is the success of conservation
efforts.

45. Chuyên Anh Vĩnh Phúc (2023-2024)

Preschools – educational programs for children under the age of five – differ significantly from
one country to another according to the views that different societies hold regarding the purpose of
early childhood education. For instance, in a cross-country comparison of preschools in China, Japan,
and the United States, researchers found that parents in the three countries view the purpose of
preschools very differently. Whereas parents in China tend to see preschools primarily as a way of
giving children a good start academically, Japanese parents view them primarily as a way of giving
children the opportunity to be members of a group. In the United States, in comparison, parents regard
the primary purpose of preschools as making children more independent and self-reliant, although
obtaining a good academic start and having group experience are also important.
While many programs designed for preschoolers focus primarily on social and emotional
factors, some are geared mainly toward promoting cognitive gains and preparing preschoolers for the
formal instruction they will experience when they start kindergarten. In the United States, the best-
known program designed to promote future academic success is Head Start. Established in the 1960s
when the United States declared the War on Poverty, the program has served over 13 million children
and their families. The program, which stresses parental involvement, was designed to serve the
“whole child”, including children's physical health, self-confidence, social responsibility, and social
and emotional development.
Whether Head Start is seen as successful or not depends on the lens through which one is
looking. If, for instance, the program is expected to provide long-term increases in IQ (intelligence
quotient) scores, it is a disappointment. Although graduates of Head Start programs tend to show
immediate IQ gains, these increases do not last. On the other hand, it is clear that Head Start is meeting
its goal of getting preschoolers ready for school. Preschoolers who participate in Head Start are better
prepared for future schooling than those who do not. Furthermore, graduates of Head Start programs
have better future school grade. Finally, some research suggests that ultimately Head Start graduates
show higher academic performance at the end of high school, although the gains are modest.
In addition, results from other types of preschool readiness programs indicate that those
who participate and graduate are less likely to repeat grades, and they are more likely to complete
school than readiness program, for every dollar spent on the program, taxpayers saved seven dollars by
the time the graduates reached the age of 27.
The most recent comprehensive evaluation of early intervention programs suggests that, taken
as a group, preschool programs can provide significant benefits, and that government funds invested
early in life may ultimately lead to a reduction in future costs. For instance, compared with children
who did not participate in early intervention programs, participants in various programs showed gains
in emotional or cognitive development, better educational outcomes, increased economic self-
sufficiency, reduced levels of criminal activity, and improved health-related behaviors. Of course, not
every program produced all these benefits, and not every child benefited to the same extent.
Furthermore, some researchers argue that less-expensive programs are just as good as relatively
expensive ones, such as Head Start. Still, the results of the evaluation were promising, suggesting that
the potential benefits of early intervention can be substantial.
Not everyone agrees that programs that seek to enhance academic skills during the preschool
years are a good thing. In fact, according to developmental psychologist David Elkind, United States
society tends to push children so rapidly that they begin to feel stress and pressure at a young age.
Elkind argues that academic success is largely dependent upon factors out of parents' control, such as
inherited abilities and a child's rate of maturation. Consequently, children of a particular age cannot be
expected to master educational material without taking into account their current level of cognitive
development. In short, children require development appropriate educational practice, which is
education that is based on both typical development and the unique characteristics of a given child.
1. According to paragraph 1, parents in Japan tend to think of preschool primarily as a place where
children can _____________.
A. get a good academic start B. expand their emotional development
C. become more independent D. experience being part of a group
2. It can be inferred from paragraph 2 that the Head Start program was designed to serve children who
___________.
A. come from families that do not have a lot of money
B. are not doing very well in kindergarten
C. were born in the 1950s
D. need programs that focus primarily on social and emotional factors
3. According to paragraph 3, the Head Start program had NOT been successful at which of the
following?
A. Helping children adjust to school.
B. Providing long-term increase in IQ scores.
C. Improving school performance throughout high school.
D. Preventing children from being placed in special-education classes.
4. In paragraph 4, the author mentions the “results from other types of readiness programs” to
_________.
A. provide support for the idea that preschool readiness programs have been somewhat
successful
B. question the idea that Head Start is more effective than other preschool readiness programs
C. indicate school completion is usually the most reliable indicator of success in most readiness
programs
D. emphasize that participating in readiness programs can be increased if costs are reduced
5. According to paragraph 4, a cost-benefit analysis of one preschool readiness program revealed that
________.
A. only one dollar's worth of benefit was gained for every seven dollars spent on the program
B. the benefits of the program lasted only until the participants reached age 27
C. taxpayers saved seven dollars for every dollar spent on the program
 D. to be successful, the program would need to receive about seven times as much money as it
currently receives
6. The word “comprehensive” in the passage is CLOSEST in meaning to ____________.
A. easily understood B. thorough C. respectable D. objective
7. Paragraph 5 mentions that participants in early intervention programs have been shown to do all of
the following better than nonparticipants EXCEPT________.
A. take care of their health
B. support themselves financially
C. take care of their own children
D. have increased emotional development
8. According to paragraph 5, which of the following is TRUE about the benefits of early intervention
programs?
A. These programs produce good short-term benefits but few long-term benefits.
B. Only the most expensive programs provide substantial benefits.
C. The Head Start program provides a range of benefits that no other program can provide.
D. Some children benefit more than others do from these programs.

46. Chuyên Anh Cà Mau (2023-2024)

Telecommuting is some form of computer communication between employees' homes and
offices. For employees whose job involve sitting at a terminal or word processor entering data or
typing reports, the location of the computer is of no consequence. If the machine can communicate
over telephone lines, when the work is completed, employees can dial the office computer and transmit
the material to their employers. A recent survey in USA Today estimates that there are approximately
8,7 million telecommuters. But although the numbers are rising annually, the trend does not appear to
be as significant as predicted when Business Week published "The Portable Executive" as its cover
story a few years ago. Why hasn't telecommuting become more popular?
Clearly, change simply takes time. But in addition, there has been active resistance on the part
of many managers. These executives claim that supervising the telecommuters in a large work force
scattered across the country would be too difficult, or, at least, systems for managing them are not yet
developed, thereby complicating the manager's responsibilities.
 It is also true that employees who are given the option of telecommuting are reluctant to
accept the opportunity. Most people feel that they need regular interaction with a group, and many are
concerned that they will not have the same consideration for advancement if they are not more visible
in the office setting. Some people feel that even when a space in their homes is set aside as a work
area, they never really get away from the office.
(Source: Adapted from https://www.vietnamonline.com/az/vietnam-world-heritage-sites.html)
1. With which of the following topics is the passage primarily concerned?
A. An overview of telecommuting B. The failure of telecommuting
C. The advantages of telecommuting D. A definition of telecommuting
2. How many Americans are involved in telecommuting?
A. More than predicted in Business Week B. More than 8 million
C. Fewer than last year D. Fewer than estimated in USA Today
3. The phrase "of no consequence" means _______.
A. of no use B. irrelevant C. of no good D. unimportant
4. The author mentions all of the following as concerns of telecommuting EXCEPT ______.
A. the opportunities for advancement B. the different system of supervision
C. the lack of interaction with a group D. the work place is in the home
5. The word "them" in the second paragraph refers to _______.
A. telecommuters B. systems C. executives D. responsibilities
6. The reason why telecommuting has not become popular is that the employees ______.
A. need regular interaction with their families.
B. are worried about the promotion if they aren't seen at the office.
C. feel that a work area in their home is far away from the office.
D. are ignorant of telecommuting.
7. The word "reluctant" in line 14 can best be replaced by _______.
A. opposite B. willing C. hesitant D. typical
8. When Business Week published "The Portable Executive", it implied that ______.
A. systems for managing telecommuters were not really effective
B. there was resistance on the part of many managers about telecommuting
C. the trend for telecommuting was extremely optimistic
D. most telecommuters were strongly happy and satisfied with their work
47. Chuyên Anh Sơn La (2023-2024)
Do you feel like your teenager is spending most of the day glued to a phone screen? You're
not too far off. A new survey from the Pew Research Center reveals the surprising ways that
technology intersects with teen friendships – and the results show that 57 percent of teens have made at
least one new friend online. Even more surprisingly, only 20 percent of those digital friends ever meet
in person.
While teens do connect with their friends face-to-face outside of school, they spend 55 percent of
their day texting with friends, and only a quarter of them are spending actual time with their friends on
a daily basis (outside of school hallways). These new forms of communication are key in maintaining
friendships day-to-day (27 percent of teens instant message their friends every day, 23 percent connect
through social media every day, and 7 percent even video chat daily). Text messaging remains the
main form of communication - almost half of survey respondents say it's their chosen method of
communication with their closest friend.
While girls are more likely to text with their close friends, boys are meeting new friends (and
maintaining friendships) in the gaming world – 89 percent play with friends they know, and 54 percent
play with online-only friends. Whether they're close with their teammates or not, online gamers say
that playing makes them feel "more connected" to friends they know, or gamers they've never met.
When making new friends, social media has also become a major part of the teenage identity –
62 percent of teens are quick to share their social media usernames when connecting with a new friend
(although 80 percent still consider their phone number the best method of contact). Despite the
negative consequences-21 percent of teenage users feel worse about their lives because of posts they
see on social media – teens also have found support and connection through various platforms. In fact,
68 percent of teens received support during a challenging time in their lives via social media platforms.
Just as technology has become a gateway for new friendships, or a channel to stay connected
with current friends, it can also make a friendship breakup more public. The study reveals that girls are
more likely to block or unfriend former allies, and 68 percent of all teenage users report experiencing
"drama among their friends on social media."
(Source: https://www.realsimple.com)
1. The word "digital" in the paragraph 1 is closest in meaning to _____.
A. analogue B. penpal C. numerous D. online
2. The word "their" in paragraph 4 refers to _____.
A. friends’ B. users’ C. teens’ D. usernames’
3. According to the passage, what percentage of teens spend actual time with their friends?
A. 23%. B. 25%. C. 27%. D. 55%.
4. The following sentences are true, EXCEPT _____.
A. most teenagers use video chat to maintain relationship with friends
B. new forms of communication play an important role in keeping friendships
C. more than half of teens have ever made new friends online based on the survey
D. teens only meet face-to-face one fifth of online friends they have made
5. What can be inferred from the passage?
A. All teenage users agree that social media has badly affected their lives.
B. 80% of teens are supported online when having life difficulties.
C. Boys are more likely to meet new friends in the virtual gaming world.
D. Most teens are not easy to give others their usernames on social media.
6. What is the synonym of the word "allies” in the last paragraph?
A. gamers B. teenagers C. respondents D. friends
7. What is the main idea of the passage?
A. Social media has greatly changed people’s lives.
B. Social media creates new forms of relationship.
C. Social media affects teenagers’ friendship negatively.
D. Teenagers make and keep friends in a surprising way.
48. Chuyên Anh Đắk Lắk (2023-2024)
Although noise, commonly defined as unwanted sound, is a widely recognized form of
pollution, it is very difficult to measure because the discomfort experienced by different individuals is
highly subjective and, therefore, variable. Exposure to lower levels of noise may be slightly irritating,
whereas exposure to higher levels may actually cause hearing loss. Particularly in congested urban
areas, the noise produced as a by-product of our advancing technology causes physical and
psychological harm, and distracts from the quality of life for those who are exposed to it.
Unlike the eyes, which can be covered by eyelids against strong light, the ear has no lid, and is,
therefore, always open and vulnerable; noise penetrates without protection.
 Noise causes effects that the hearer cannot control and to which the body never becomes
accustomed. Loud noises instinctively signal danger to any organism with a hearing mechanism,
including human beings. In response, heartbeat and respiration accelerate, blood vessels constrict, the
skin pales, and muscles tense. In fact, there is a general increase in functioning brought about by the
flow of adrenaline released in response to fear, and some of these responses persist even longer than
the noise, occasionally as long as thirty minutes after the sound has ceased.
Because noise is unavoidable in a complex, industrial society, we are constantly responding in
a same way that we would respond to danger. Recently, researchers have concluded that noise and our
response may be much more than an annoyance. It may be a serious threat to physical and
psychological health and well-being, causing damage not only to the ear and brain but also to the heart
and stomach. We have long known that hearing loss is America's number one nonfatal health problem,
but now we are learning that some of us with heart disease and ulcers may be victims of health as well.
Fetuses exposed to noise tend to be overactive, they cry easily, and they are more sensitive to
gastrointestinal problems after birth. In addition, the psychic effect of noise is very important.
Nervousness, irritability, tension, and anxiety increase, affecting the quality of rest during sleep, and
the efficiency of activities during walking hours, as well as the way that we interact with each other.
1. Which of the following is the author's main point?
A. Noise may pose a serious threat to our physical and psychological health.
B. Loud noises signal danger.
C. Hearing loss is America's number one nonfatal health problem.
D. The ear is not like the eye.
2. According to the passage, what is noise?
A. Unwanted sound B. A by-product of technology
C. Physical and psychological harm D. Congestion
3. Why is noise difficult to measure?
A. It causes hearing loss.
B. All people do not respond to it in the same way.
C. It is unwanted.
D. People become accustomed to it.
4. The word congested in paragraph 1 could best be replaced by __________.
A. hazardous B. polluted C. crowded D. rushed
5. The word "by-product" as used in the passage is closest in meaning to _________.
A. a necessary product
B. a product that is always by your side
C. an unexpected result
D. something that is produced by environmental pollution
6. It can be inferred from the passage that the eye _________.
A. responds to fear
B. enjoys greater protection than the ear
C. increases functions
D. is damaged by noise
7. According to the passage, people respond to loud noise in the same way that they respond to
_______.
A. annoyance B. disease C. damage D. danger
8. The word accelerate in paragraph 3 is closest in meaning to ________.
A. decrease B. alter C. increase D. release
9. The word it in the first paragraph refers to ________.
A. the noise B. the quality of life
C. advancing technology D. a by-product
10. With which of the following statements would the author most probably agree?
A. Noise is sometimes annoying.
B. Noise is America's number one problem.
C. Noise is an unavoidable problem in an industrial society
D. Noise is a complex problem.

49. Chuyên Anh Đắk Nông (2023-2024)

Did you know that the first New Year's celebration was recorded over 4,000 years ago in
ancient Babylon? Although the date of the New Year has changed over the centuries, nowadays most
cultures restart their calendar on January 1st. This means that people like to party on December 31st to
celebrate their past successes and say goodbye to any hardships.
In earlier human history, the New Year was tied to farming and religion. When life was most
prosperous in spring, that's when many cultures felt like they had a fresh start. During their festivities,
they would feast and exchange simple gifts with their neighbors to ensure the rest of their year could
be merry. In the modern world, our New Year parties have become even more fun. People all around
the world send out New Year's Eve invitations for awesome parties, stock up on champagne and
snacks, and dance the night away with their loved ones. No matter where you go in the world, you're
guaranteed to witness a countdown and firework show when the clock strikes midnight.
In many countries, like America, one tradition is to kiss someone at midnight. In London, Big
Ben awakens to ring in the New Year. If you visit Thailand, don't be surprised if you see people
climbing in and out of coffins. In their culture, this is a way to ward off bad luck, pay their respects to
the dead, and renew themselves.
1. Which of the following could best serve as the main idea for the passage?
A. The brief history of the New Year
B. Ways of celebrating New Year in the world
C. Universal successes during the New Year Festival
D. Different meanings of New Year Day
2. The phrase "stock up on" in paragraph 2 most probably means _______.
A. buy a lot B. drink so much C. make together D. save money
3. According to paragraph 2, which of the following can be seen everywhere in the world on New
Year's Eve?
A. exchange of gifts B. a firework show
C. restarting calendar D. giving kisses
4. The phrase "their culture" in paragraph 3 refers to the culture of ______.
A. America B. England C. Thailand D. many countries
5. According to the passage, which of the following is TRUE?
A. The New Year is related to agriculture and religion in all times.
B. The modern New Year is less joyful than the past one.
C. Going in and out a coffin in the New Year brings bad luck to all people in the world.
D. Kissing someone at midnight of New Year's Eve is not only popular in America

50. Chuyên Anh Quảng Bình (2023-2024)

Today we take electricity for granted and perhaps we do not realize just how useful this
discovery has been. Steam was the first invention that replaced wind power. It was used to drive
engines and was passed through pipes and radiators to warm rooms. Petrol mixed with air was the next
invention that provided power. Exploded in a cylinder, it drove a motor engine. Beyond these simple
and direct uses, those forms have not much adaptability.
On the other hand, we make use of electricity in thousands of ways. From the powerful
voltages that drive our electric trains to the tiny current needed to work a simple calculator, and from
the huge electric magnet in steel works that can lift 10 tons to the tiny electric magnet in a doorbell, all
are powered by electricity. An electric current can be made with equal ease to heat a huge mass of
molten metal in a furnace, or to boil a jug for a cup of coffee. Other than atomic energy, which has not
as yet been harnessed to the full, electricity is the greatest power in the world. It is flexible, and so
adaptable for any task for which it is wanted. It travels so easily and with incredible speed along wires
or conductors that it can be supplied instantly over vast distances. To generate electricity, huge turbines
or generators must be turned. In Australia they use coal or water to drive this machinery. When dams
are built, falling water is used to drive the turbines without polluting the atmosphere with smoke from
coal. Atomic power is used in several countries but there is always the fear of an accident. A tragedy
once occurred at Chernobyl, in Ukraine, at an atomic power plant used to make electricity. The reactor
leaked, which caused many deaths through radiation.
Now scientists are examining new ways of creating electricity without harmful effects to the
environment. They may harness the tides as they flow in and out of bays. Most importantly, they hope
to trap sunlight more efficiently. We do use solar heaters for swimming pools but as yet improvement
in the capacity of the solar cells to create more current is necessary. When this happens, electric cars
will be viable and the world will rid itself of the toxic gases given off by trucks and cars that burn
fossil fuels.
1. The author mentions the sources of energy such as wind, steam, petrol in the first paragraph to
______.
A. suggest that electricity should be alternated with safer sources of energy
B. show the usefulness and adaptability of electricity
C. imply that electricity is not the only useful source of energy
D. discuss which source of energy can be a suitable alternative to electricity
2. What does the author mean by saying that electricity is flexible?
A. It is cheap and easy to use.
B. It is used to drive motor engines.
 C. It can be adapted to various uses.
D. It can be made with ease.
3. What do we call machines that make electricity?
A. Voltages B. Electric magnets
C. Generators or turbines D. Pipes and radiators
4. The word "they" in the last paragraph refers to _______.
A. harmful effects B. scientists C. the tides. D. new ways
5. The best title for this passage could be _______.
A. "Types of Power Plants" B. "Electricity: Harmful Effects on Our Life"
C. "How to Produce Electricity" D. "Why Electricity Is So Remarkable"

51. Chuyên Anh Bình Thuận (2023-2024)

REMEMBERING MEMORIES
Most people wish they had better memories. They also worry about forgetting things as they
get older. But did you know that we have different kinds of memory? When one or more of these kinds
of memories start to fail, there are a few simple things that everyone can do to improve their memories.
What most people think of as memory is, in fact, five different categories of memory. Our
capability to remember things from the past, that is, years or days ago, depends on two categories of
memory. They are remote memory and recent memory, respectively. Think back to last year's birthday.
What did you do? If you can't remember that, you are having a problem with your remote memory. On
the other hand, if you can't remember what you ate for lunch yesterday, that is a problem with your
recent memory.
Remembering past events is only one way to use memories. When taking a test, we need to
draw on our semantic memories. That is the sum of our acquired knowledge. Or maybe we want to
remember to do or use something in the future, either minutes or days from now. These cases use our
immediate and prospective memories, respectively. Have you ever thought to yourself, 'I need to
remember to turn off the light', but then promptly forgot it? That would be a faulty immediate memory.
On the other hand, maybe you can easily remember to meet your friend for lunch next week. That
means that at least your prospective memory is in good working order.
Many people think that developing a bad memory is unavoidable as we get older, but this is
actually not the case. Of our five kinds of memory, immediate, remote, and prospective (if aided with
cues like memos) do not degrade with age. But how can we prevent a diminishing of our semantic and
unaided prospective memories? The secret seems to be activity. Studies have shown that a little mental
activity, like learning new things or even doing crossword puzzles, goes a long way in positively
affecting our memories. Regular physical activity appears to be able to make our memories better as
well. This is possibly due to having a better blood supply to the brain. The one thing to avoid at all
costs, though, is stress. When we are stressed, our bodies release a hormone called cortisol, which is
harmful to our brain cells and thus our memories. Reducing stress through meditation, exercise, or
other activities can help to preserve our mental abilities.
(Adapted from Reading Challenge 3 by Casey Malarcher and Andrea Janzen)
1. What is the main topic of the passage?
A. How to control people's different kinds of memory.
B. Different activities to maintain people's brain cells.
C. Different kinds of memory and the measures to preserve them.
D. How to have better memories when people are getting older.
2. What does the phrase "These cases" in paragraph 3 refer to?
A. What we should do in some minutes or some days from now.
B. What we did in the past and what we will remember in the future.
C. What we wanted to do and what we want to use in the future.
D. What we need to draw on, summarize or acquire in some minutes.
3. The word "promptly" in paragraph 3 is closest in meaning to ______.
A. gradually B immediately C. slowly D. punctually
4. According to the passage, which kind of memory is used if we want to remember some
arrangements in the next some days?
A. Remote memory B. Semantic memory
C. Immediate memory D. Prospective memory
5. The word "degrade" in paragraph 4 mostly means _______.
A. worsen B. improve C. expand D. recover
6. According to the last paragraph, which of the following is NOT true?
A. Stress is the major reason of memory degradation.
B. Some kinds of memory will get bad when people are older.
C. Mental activities have some positive effects on physical health.
 D. Playing some intellectual games may help people maintain their memory.
7. It can be inferred from the last paragraph that _______.
A. all people have a good memory if their jobs relate to intellectual activities
B. the knowledge we acquired in the past may affect our memories when we are older
C. the secret of having good memories is preserving semantic and unaided prospective
memories
D. the elderly's memory may be in good working order if they have healthy mental and
physical activities

52. Chuyên Anh Quảng Trị (2023-2024)

People appear to be born to compute. The numerical skills of children develop so early and so
inexorably that it is easy to imagine an internal clock of mathematical maturity guiding their growth.
Not long after learning to walk and talk, they can set the table with impressive accuracy - one plate,
one spoon, one knife, one fork, for each of the five chairs. Soon they are capable of noting that they
have placed five knives, spoons, and forks on the table and, a bit later, that this amounts to fifteen
pieces of silverware. Having thus mastered addition, they move on to subtraction. It seems almost
reasonable to expect that if a child were secluded on a desert island at birth and retrieved seven years
later, he or she could enter a second-grade mathematics class without any serious problems of
intellectual adjustment.
Of course, the truth is not so simple. In the twentieth century, the work of cognitive
psychologists illuminated the subtle forms of daily learning on which intellectual progress depends.
Children were observed as they slowly grasped - or, as the case might be, bumped into concepts that
adults take for granted, as they refused, for instance, to concede that quantity is unchanged as water
pours from a short stout glass into a tall thin one. Psychologists have since demonstrated that young
children, asked to count the pencils in a pile, readily report the number of blue or red pencils but must
be coaxed into finding the total. Such studies have suggested that the rudiments of mathematics are
mastered gradually and with effort. They have also suggested that the very concept of abstract numbers
- the idea of a oneness, a twoness, a threeness that applies to any class of objects and is a prerequisite
for doing anything more mathematically demanding than setting a table - is itself far from innate.
1. What does the passage mainly discuss?
A. Trends in teaching mathematics to children
 B. The use of mathematics in child psychology
C. The development of mathematical ability in children
D. The fundamental concepts of mathematics that children must learn
2. It can be inferred from the passage that children normally learn simple counting ______.
A. soon after they learn to talk
B. by looking at the clock
C. when they begin to be mathematically mature
D. after they reach second grade in school
3. The word "illuminated" is closest in meaning to _______.
A. illustrated B. accepted C. clarified D. lighted
4. The author implies that the most small children believe that the quantity of water changes when it is
transferred to a container of a different _______.
A. color B. quality C. weight D. shape
5. According to the passage, when small children were asked to count a pile of red and blue pencils,
they _______.
A. counted the number of pencils of each color
B. guessed at the total number of pencils
C. counted only the pencils of their favorite color
D. subtracted the number of red pencils from the number of blue pencils
6. The word "prerequisite" is closest in meaning to ______.
A. reason B. theory C. requirement D. technique
7. The word "itself" refers to ________.
A. the total B. the concept of abstract numbers
C. any class of objects D. setting a table
8. With which of the following statements would the author be LEAST likely to agree?
A. Children naturally and easily learn mathematics.
B. Children learn to add before they learn to subtract.
C. Most people follow the same pattern of mathematical development.
D. Mathematical development is subtle and gradual.

53. Chuyên Anh Sóc Trăng (2023-2024)

 Technology is a hot topic these days in education. Some people are very supportive of
integrating technology in classrooms, while others point out the negative effects that it may have on
students. Parents and teachers may worry about the extra screen time, the lack of face-to-face
interaction, and the distractions that the use of technology implies. Others embrace technology because
they see the enthusiasm, motivation, personalized educational experiences, and collaborative
opportunities that technology can provide.
Technology provides lots of useful resources for students, parents, and teachers. For example, if
a student needs help with math homework, a website such as Khan Academy provides sample
problems and tutorials that can be helpful. YouTube also has many educational channels and videos
that help bring learning to life. Google provides several virtual reality field trips for students and
teachers through Expeditions. There are various websites such as Quizlet that allow students to review
material. Students can even get personalized learning adventures on sites like Classcraft. With modern
classroom technology, there's almost always a resource to help students with their coursework, whether
at home or at school.
Technology makes learning more efficient. Nowadays, attendance, grades, and behavior
referrals are often made online and instantly shared between students and their teachers and parents.
Parent-teacher communication is also much easier with email. If a student misses class, assignments
are often already posted to a class website or on Google Classroom. By leveraging technology to
automate day-to-day tasks, teachers free up more time to work on creating course materials and giving
students personalized instruction.
We are living in a world that's driven by technology in nearly every way imaginable. If students
are to succeed beyond school, digital literacy and tech and systems fluency can give them a big boost.
Practicing technology skills in school isn't limited to creating digital presentations, drafting emails, and
editing videos. The valuable soft skills students gain, such as complex communication, collaboration,
problem solving and adaptability will prepare them for life in college. And since these skills are in high
demand by employers, they will pay off well as students start their careers.
(Adapted from https://www.classcraft.com)
1. What is the main idea expressed in the passage?
A. Technology, a useful tool in the modern world
B. The need of technology in daily life
C. Benefits of technology in education
 D. Teacher and parent interactions through technology
2. Which of the following is closest in meaning to the word collaborative in paragraph 1?
A. working together B. expressing ideas
C. engaging in learning D. using imagination
3. According to the passage, which of the following is NOT TRUE?
A. A variety of helpful learning resources are offered online.
B. Teachers and parents can interact with each other with the help of email.
C. Teachers use available online materials, instead of creating their own ones.
D. Adaptability is one of the skills that students can gain thanks to using technology.
4. What does the word them in paragraph 4 refer to?
A. systems B. students C. teachers D. skills
5. What can be inferred from paragraph 4?
A. Technology helps provide students with good preparations for life in the real world.
B. Technology can be used either in education or in daily life communication.
C. Parents have acknowledged the advantages of technology in their children's learning.
D. Soft skills are important, but not always required in students' future careers.