FCE READING Answer all the questions and check your answers at the end Social networks Business applications Social networks connect people at low cost; this can be beneficial for entrepreneurs and small businesses looking to expand their contact base These networks often act as a customer relationship management tool for companies selling products and services Companies can also use social networks for advertising in the form of banners and text ads Since businesses operat.
Trang 1FCE -READING – ÔN THI CHUYÊN ANH
I Answer all the questions and check your answers at the end.
Social networks
Business applications
Social networks connect people at low cost; this can be beneficial for entrepreneurs and small businesses looking to expand their contact base These networks often act as a customer relationship management tool for companies selling products and services Companies can also use social networks for advertising in the form of banners and text ads Since businesses operate globally, social networks can make it easier to keep in touch with contacts around the world
Medical applications
Social networks are beginning to be adopted by healthcare professionals as a means to manage institutional knowledge, disseminate peer to peer knowledge and to highlight individual physicians and institutions The advantage of using a dedicated medical social networking site is that all the members are screened against the state licensing board list of practitioners The role of social networks is especially of interest to pharmaceutical companies who spend approximately
"32 percent of their marketing dollars" attempting to influence the opinion leaders of social networks
Languages, nationalities and academia
Various social networking sites have sprung up catering to different languages and countries The popular site Facebook
has been cloned for various countries and languages and some specializing in connecting students and faculty
Social networks for social good
Several websites are beginning to tap into the power of the social networking model for social good Such models may be highly successful for connecting otherwise fragmented industries and small organizations without the resources to reach
a broader audience with interested and passionate users Users benefit by interacting with a like-minded community and finding a channel for their energy and giving
Business model
Few social networks currently charge money for membership In part, this may be because social networking is a
relatively new service, and the value of using them has not been firmly established in customers' minds Companies such
as MySpace and Facebook sell online advertising on their site Hence, they are seeking large memberships, and charging
for membership would be counter productive Some believe that the deeper information that the sites have on each user
will allow much better targeted advertising than any other site can currently provide Sites are also seeking other ways to make money, such as by creating an online marketplace or by selling professional information and social connections to businesses
Privacy issues
On large social networking services, there have been growing concerns about users giving out too much personal information and the threat of sexual predators Users of these services need to be aware of data theft or viruses However, large services, such as MySpace, often work with law enforcement to try to prevent such incidents In addition, there is a perceived privacy threat in relation to placing too much personal information in the hands of large corporations
or governmental bodies, allowing a profile to be produced on an individual's behavior on which decisions, detrimental to
an individual, may be taken
Investigations
Trang 2Social network services are increasingly being used in legal and criminal investigations Information posted on sites such
as MySpace and Facebook, has been used by police, probation, and university officials to prosecute users of said sites In some situations, content posted on MySpace has been used in court
1 According to the text, social networks
A advertise on business web sites B are being used by businesses for marketing
C are about friendships D can damage business reputations
2 Why do advertisers like social nework sites?
A They are cost-effective to advertise on B Most users have high disposable income
C Detailed information on each user allows targeted ads D They can influence consumer behaviour
3 What does the expression 'sprung up' in paragraph 3 mean?
A there has been rapid development of social networking sites
B the development of social networking is unplanned
C everybody is trying to copy Facebook
D social networking works in all languages
4 What does the word 'Few' at the beginning of paragraph 5 mean?
5 What should users not do on social networks?
A be too free with their personal information B download viruses
C contact predators D upload copyrighted music
6 What does the word 'deeper' in paragraph 5 mean?
A more spiritual B more detailed C more profound D more emphatic
7 Personal information on social network sites
A can be used in court B gives a good description of the user's personality
C is sold to the government D is translated into many languages
8 Social networking is great for
A academic organisations B people who write too much information about themselves
C the law enforcement agencies D groups of people separated over wide areas
II You are going to read an article about the making of an unusual television commercial Seven sentences have been removed from the article Choose from the sentences A-H the one which fits each gap There is one extra sentence which you do not need to use.
A Then the falling dominoes head out of the room into the streets, causing progressively larger objects to tumble
B These were all chosen to suit the town and fit in with the people’s way of life
C Getting there involved driving along 48 kilometres of dirt roads and crossing twelve rivers
Trang 3D Iruya is situated 3000 metres above sea level and the film crew was not used to working in such conditions.
E The prop department did construct a small version on site, but most of the work was done in a studio in London
F Added to this was the total of one hundred and thirty 'actors' who were recruited from a five neighbouring towns
G Setting up the dominoes on the table took a team of experts three days, but took just 14 seconds to topple
H Not so with the famous Irish drink company Guinness
The Making of 'Tipping Point'
Many of the most expensive commercials ever made are those in which an A-list celebrity flashes a beautiful smile at the cameras (1) Their recent television advertisement, the most expensive in British history, cost ten million pounds, and it features, not the rich and famous, but villagers from the mountains of Argentina
The advertisement features a game of dominoes It begins in a darkened room where several thousand ordinary dominoes are set up on a specially-designed table (2) Dominoes knock over books, which in turn knock bigger household objects such as suitcases, tyres, pots of paint, oil drums and even cars The final piece in the chain reaction is a huge tower of books These flutter open to reveal a structure in the shape of a pint of Guinness
The location chosen for the commercial was Iruya, a village high up in the mountains of north-west Argentina (3) The journey there could take up to ten hours Asked why this remote destination was chosen for the shoot, the director said that even though it was the most difficult location they could have picked, it was perfect
For one month, the village, population thousand, increased in size by almost thirty percent One hundred and forty crew members descended on the village These included the world record holders in domino toppling, Weijers Domino productions from the Netherlands (4)
Creating this film was no easy task Preparations for filming took well over a month Twenty six truckloads of objects were brought in (5) They included 10,000 books, 400 tyres, 75 mirrors, 50 fridges, 45 wardrobes and 6 cars Setting the objects up took skill and patience They needed to be arranged so they would fall over easily, and this involved balancing them on stones Some of the sequences had to be reshot 15 times and 24 hours of footage was captured However, the sequence in which six cars fell over was successfully shot in just one take
Filming in this location was not without its difficulties Firstly, being so isolated, it was hard to obtain resources at short notice The second problem was the high altitude (6) It was also hard working with the villagers who had
no experience of film-making Finally, setting and resetting the props caused a good deal of frustration
These days when CGI is all the rage, it was surprising that so little of the work was done using computer effects The only sequence that used computer graphics was the one in which the tower of books fluttered open to reveal a pint
of Guinness (7) Even so, this was no simple matter They had to ensure that all the books in the tower had a different appearance
Director Nicolai Fuglsig said about the project: ‘Despite all the challenges, the cast was fantastic and it was a really amazing experience.’ Whether or not the effort put into the advert pays off is another matter entirely
IV You are going to read an article in which four people comment on a book they have read recently For questions
1-15, choose from the people A-D The people may be chosen more than once.
A Sundance by Teresa Wilson - Kerry:
I really don't know why this book is so popular I mean, I suppose it is going to appeal to young girls who want danger and romance, but I found this book really tedious For a start, the characters were really unconvincing The author went out of her way to add lots of details about the characters, but I found these details really pointless I thought that some of the facts she presented about the main characters would become significant in some way later in the novel, but
Trang 4they didn't They were just worthless bits of information I also was disappointed that, although this book is meant to be about kids at high school, the writer seems to have no recollection at all about what it's like to be 17 The main character thought and acted like a 32-year old It just wasn't believable I'm not saying Teresa Wilson is a bad writer She can obviously string words together and come up with a story that is appealing to a large number of people, but she lacks anything original There is no flair It just uses the same sort of language as you can see in many other mediocre novels
B Wild Ways by Margery Emerson - Liz:
I have to say that I won't forget this book for a long time I was hooked from the very first chapter The devastating story affected me so much that I don't know if I'll ever feel the same again I was close to tears on several occasions I've got images in my brain now that I don't think will ever leave me It's incredibly well-researched and, although it is fiction, is based on shocking real-life events I learned an awful lot about things that went on that I never knew before Margaret Emerson has a brilliant way with words and I really felt real empathy towards the characters, although I was sometimes irritated by the choices they made However, the parallel story, the part that is set in the present, is not quite so good I found myself just flicking through that part so that I could get back to 1940s Paris
C Orchid by Henry Rathbone - Imogen:
This is a delightful novel full of wonderful imagery, a paints a remarkable picture of life in a distant time and a far-away place If you're looking to learn about Eastern culture in great detail, then this is probably not the book for you, as the writer skims over most of the more complicated aspects of the country's etiquette The historical aspects are also not covered in much depth However, I wonder whether this was the writer's intention By doing this, he symbolise the superficiality of the girl's life She, like the book, is beautiful and eager to please, but remains too distant from us, the readers, to teach us much Although I loved the book and read it in one sitting, the ending was a bit of a disappointment
A story which involves so much turmoil, in a place where the future is uncertain, should not have a happy-ever-after fairy-tale ending
D High Hills by Mary Holland - Hannah:
I read this book for a literature class I know it's a classic, and I did try to like it, but I just didn't get into it I kept persevering, hoping that I'd start to enjoy it, but no such luck The famous scene out on the moors was definitely the best bit of the book, but even that I found ridiculous when it is clearly supposed to be passionate As I approached the end of the book, I figured there must be some kind of moral to the story, something that I would learn from the experience of trudging through seven hundred long pages, but there was nothing worthwhile I don't know why the literary world sees this book as such a masterpiece The characters are portrayed as being intelligent, but they do such stupid things! And as for it being a love story - marrying someone you don't love and then being abused by them - that doesn't spell love to me
Which person read a book which
1 was set in an Oriental country
2 finished in an unrealistic way
3 had characters that the reader could sympathise with
4 is well-known and was written a long time ago
5 contained two stories
6 was not set in the past
7 was historically accurate
8 made the reader cry
Trang 59 contained insignificant details
10 has a well-known scene
11 is written for teenagers
12 had unbelievable characters
13 is classed as romantic fiction
14 contains nothing new in the way of writing
15 has an attractive but shallow heroine
SENTENCE TRANSFORMATION
Re-write the sentence, using the word given so that the second sentence has exactly the same meaning You cannot change the word in bold in ANY way You must use a minimum of THREE and a maximum of EIGHT words for each space
1 Electricity is getting very expensive these days (cost)
→ The higher and higher these days
2 Unemployment has risen considerably over the last eighteen months and the government is under pressure to find a solution (increase)
→ The government is under pressure due to over the last eighteen months
3 The minister's resignation from the government was caused by the discovery of his role in the financial scandal (led)
→ The discovery of the minister's role in the financial scandal the government
4 Oh, there you are! I didn't even know you had gone out! (unaware)
→ I _fact that you had gone out
5 Don't get involved in this John, it has nothing to do with you (keep)
→ This has nothing to do with you so
6 I really can't understand why he can't finish the project on time (baffled)
→ I am really _ to finish the project on time
7 Mr Edwards was sacked partly because of his arriving late to work (contributed)
→ Mr Edwards' constant lateness _ from the company
8 You can't just suddenly decide to go on a safari You need to plan things very carefully (spur)
→ Going on safari isn't a decision you can make _moment You need to plan things very carefully
9 She wants nothing less than to get that job It would be a dream come true (set)
→She has getting that job
10 If they ever discover your role in the incident, you will go to prison (light)
→ If your role in the incident _, you'll go to prison
11 Harry plays tennis much better than I do (nearly)
Trang 6→ I am not _ tennis player as Harry is.
12 Both candidates for the job are strong They are both equally good (hardly)
→ There is _ the two job candidates
13 That child is twice as tall as he was two years ago (doubled)
→ That child's in the last two years
14 As soon as I arrived at the pub, a fight started (sooner)
→ No _a fight broke out in the pub
15 There were very few people who understood what the professor said in the meeting (virtually)
→ There _ who understood what the professor said in the meeting
16 The bank robbers had disappeared completely by the time the police arrived (sign)
→ There _ robbers when the police arrived
17 Give me a call only if you have to buy gas for the car (run)
→ Unless gas, don't call me
18 Watch the new secretary carefully this week to make sure she doesn't make any big mistakes (eye)
→ Keep secretary this week to make sure she doesn't make any big mistakes
19 You shouldn't be surprised at Kevin winning that tournament (come)
→ It that Kevin won that tournament
20 There is no doubt at all that the government will win the election (conclusion)
→ It is _that the government will win the election
21 This is certainly not the last time you will be needed here on a Sunday
means
→ It is _that you won't be needed again on a Sunday
22 Whatever happens, don't let anyone into the building without proper identity (circumstances)
→ should you let anyone into the building without proper identity
23 If it wasn't for your arrogance, you would have gotten your promotion a long time ago (but)
→ _ arrogance, you would have gotten your promotion a long time ago
24 I presume you are coming to the party Miriam (read)
→ Can I that you are coming to the party Miriam?
25 You are not a bad lawyer Martin, but I don't think it is a very suitable job for you (cut)
→ I just don't think you _ a lawyer
Trang 726 I don't have the foggiest idea whether he will be coming or not (whatsoever)
→ I have _ whether he will be coming or not
27 He failed the exam as he didn't work as fast as the rest of the class (pace)
→ His failure was blamed on his inability _rest of the class
28 Everyone is criticising the government for its poor unemployment record (come)
→ The government over its unemployment record
29 He was always going to leave that house after the divorce was finalised (bound)
→ He _the house after the divorce
30 I don't find it at all surprising that nobody came to the party (wonder)
→ It's _ nobody came to the party
31 Please don't tell anyone else what I told you about Elizabeth (keep)
→ _ yourself what I told you about Elizabeth
32 Our boss is absolutely determined not to give us that pay rise (intent)
→ Our boss the pay rise
Trang 8KEY FCE -READING – ÔN THI CHUYÊN ANH
I Answer all the questions and check your answers at the end.
Social networks
Business applications
Social networks connect people at low cost; this can be beneficial for entrepreneurs and small businesses looking to expand their contact base These networks often act as a customer relationship management tool for companies selling products and services Companies can also use social networks for advertising in the form of banners and text ads Since businesses operate globally, social networks can make it easier to keep in touch with contacts around the world
Medical applications
Social networks are beginning to be adopted by healthcare professionals as a means to manage institutional knowledge, disseminate peer to peer knowledge and to highlight individual physicians and institutions The advantage of using a dedicated medical social networking site is that all the members are screened against the state licensing board list of practitioners The role of social networks is especially of interest to pharmaceutical companies who spend approximately
"32 percent of their marketing dollars" attempting to influence the opinion leaders of social networks
Languages, nationalities and academia
Various social networking sites have sprung up catering to different languages and countries The popular site Facebook
has been cloned for various countries and languages and some specializing in connecting students and faculty
Social networks for social good
Several websites are beginning to tap into the power of the social networking model for social good Such models may be highly successful for connecting otherwise fragmented industries and small organizations without the resources to reach
a broader audience with interested and passionate users Users benefit by interacting with a like-minded community and finding a channel for their energy and giving
Business model
Few social networks currently charge money for membership In part, this may be because social networking is a
relatively new service, and the value of using them has not been firmly established in customers' minds Companies such
as MySpace and Facebook sell online advertising on their site Hence, they are seeking large memberships, and charging
for membership would be counter productive Some believe that the deeper information that the sites have on each user
will allow much better targeted advertising than any other site can currently provide Sites are also seeking other ways to make money, such as by creating an online marketplace or by selling professional information and social connections to businesses
Privacy issues
On large social networking services, there have been growing concerns about users giving out too much personal information and the threat of sexual predators Users of these services need to be aware of data theft or viruses However, large services, such as MySpace, often work with law enforcement to try to prevent such incidents In addition, there is a perceived privacy threat in relation to placing too much personal information in the hands of large corporations
or governmental bodies, allowing a profile to be produced on an individual's behavior on which decisions, detrimental to
an individual, may be taken
Investigations
Trang 9Social network services are increasingly being used in legal and criminal investigations Information posted on sites such
as MySpace and Facebook, has been used by police, probation, and university officials to prosecute users of said sites In some situations, content posted on MySpace has been used in court
1 According to the text, social networks
A advertise on business web sites B are being used by businesses for marketing
C are about friendships D can damage business reputations
→ Par 1 this can be beneficial for entrepreneurs and small businesses looking to expand their contact base These networks often act as a customer relationship management tool for companies selling products and services Companies can also use social networks for advertising in the form of banners and text ads Since businesses operate globally, social networks can make it easier to keep in touch with contacts around the world.
2 Why do advertisers like social network sites?
A They are cost-effective to advertise on B Most users have high disposable income
C Detailed information on each user allows targeted ads D They can influence consumer behaviour
→ cost-effective /ˌkɔːst ɪˈfektɪv/ = cost-efficient: giving the best possible profit or benefits in comparison with the money that is spent
E.g a cost-effective way to fight crime
→ Par 2 The advantage of using a dedicated medical social networking site is that all the members are screened against the state licensing board list of practitioners.
→ dedicated (adj): designed to do only one particular type of work
→ screen somebody: (of a company, an organization, etc.) to find out information about people who work or who want
to work for you in order to make sure that they can be trusted
E.g Government employees may be screened by the security services / All foster parents are carefully screened.
3 What does the expression 'sprung up' in paragraph 3 mean?
A there has been rapid development of social networking sites
B the development of social networking is unplanned
C everybody is trying to copy Facebook
D social networking works in all languages
→ Par 3 Various social networking sites have sprung up catering to different languages and countries The popular site
Facebook has been cloned for various countries and languages and some specializing in connecting students and faculty
→ cater to somebody/something: to provide the things that a particular type of person wants, especially things that you
do not approve of
E.g They only publish novels which cater to the mass market.
→ clone something /kləʊn/ (v): to illegally make an electronic copy of stored information from a person’s credit card or mobile phone so that you can make payments or phone calls but the owner of the card or phone receives the bill
4 What does the word 'Few' at the beginning of paragraph 5 mean?
Trang 10→ Par 5 Few social networks currently charge money for membership In part, this may be because social networking is
a relatively new service, and the value of using them has not been firmly established in customers' minds.
5 What should users not do on social networks?
A be too free with their personal information B download viruses
C contact predators D upload copyrighted music
→ Par 6 In addition, there is a perceived privacy threat in relation to placing too much personal information in the hands
of large corporations or governmental bodies, allowing a profile to be produced on an individual's behavior on which decisions, detrimental to an individual, may be taken.
→ detrimental (to somebody/something) (adj): harmful = damaging
E.g the sun’s detrimental effect on skin / This move could be seriously detrimental to the economy
6 What does the word 'deeper' in paragraph 5 mean?
A more spiritual B more detailed C more profound D more emphatic
→ Par 5 Some believe that the deeper information that the sites have on each user will allow much better targeted
advertising than any other site can currently provide Sites are also seeking other ways to make money, such as by creating an online marketplace or by selling professional information and social connections to businesses.
7 Personal information on social network sites
A can be used in court B gives a good description of the user's personality
C is sold to the government D is translated into many languages
→ Par 7 Information posted on sites such as MySpace and Facebook, has been used by police, probation, and university officials to prosecute users of said sites In some situations, content posted on MySpace has been used in court.
→ probation (n): a system that allows a person who has committed a crime not to go to prison if they behave well and if they see an official (called a probation officer) regularly for a fixed period of time
E.g He was given two years' probation
- on probation: The prisoner was put on probation.
8 Social networking is great for
A academic organisations B people who write too much information about themselves
C the law enforcement agencies D groups of people separated over wide areas
→ Par 4 Several websites are beginning to tap into the power of the social networking model for social good Such models may be highly successful for connecting otherwise fragmented industries and small organizations without the resources to reach a broader audience with interested and passionate users Users benefit by interacting with a like-minded community and finding a channel for their energy and giving.
→ tap into = tap something in: to put information, numbers, letters, etc into a machine by pressing buttons
E.g Tap in your PIN number.
→ fragmented /ˈfræɡmentɪd/ (adj): broken into small pieces or parts, in a way that may have a negative effect
E.g a fragmented society