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ĐỀ LUYỆN THI THPT QG – CÔ HOÀNG XUÂN – ĐỀ 2 Exercise 5: Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to indicate the correct answer to each of the qu

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"It seems like every time I study an illness and trace a path to the first cause, I find my way back to sugar," says scientist Richard Johnson One- third of adults worldwide have high blood pressure, and up

to 347 million have diabetes Why? "Sugar, we believe, is one of the culprits, if not the major culprit,"

says Johnson

Our bodies are designed to survive on very little sugar Early humans often had very little food, so our bodies learned to be very efficient in storing sugar as fat In this way, we had energy stored for when

there was no food But today, most people have more than enough So the very thing that once saved us

may now be killing us

So what is the solution? It's obvious that we need to eat less sugar The trouble is, in today's world, it's extremely difficult to avoid From breakfast cereals to after-dinner desserts, our foods are increasingly filled with it Some manufacturers even use sugar to replace taste in foods that are advertised as low in fat

But there are those who are fighting back against sugar Many schools are replacing sugary desserts with healthier options like fruit Other schools are growing their own food in gardens, or building facilities like walking tracks so students and others in the community can exercise The battle has not yet been lost

Question 1: What is this passage mainly about?

A Our addiction to sugar B Illnesses caused by sugar

C Good sugar versus bad sugar D Ways to avoid sugar

Question 2: The word "culprit" in paragraph 2 is closest in meaning to .

A disease B unknown thing C sweet food D cause of the problem Question 3: What does the phrase "the very thing" in paragraph 3 refer to?

A the amount of sugar in our food B having enough food to survive

C our ability to store sugar as fat D early humans' lack of food

Question 4: According to the passage, why is it so hard to avoid sugar?

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A We like candy too much B It gives us needed energy

C It's in so many foods and drinks D We get used to eating it at school

Question 5: Which of the following statements about sugar is NOT true?

A Sugar makes us feel good B Our bodies store sugar as fat

C We need very little to survive D Only adults need to stop eating sugar

Exercise 2:Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to

indicate the correct answer to each of the questions

Clara Barton became known as "The Angel of the Battlefield" during the American Civil War Born

in Oxford, Massachusetts in 1821, Clara Barton's interest in helping soldiers on the battlefield began when she was told army stories from her father Another event that influenced her decision to help soldiers was an accident her brother had His injuries were cared for by Barton for 2 years At the time, she was only Il years old Barton began teaching school at the age of 15 She taught for 18 years before she moved to Washington, D.C in 1854

The civil war broke out 6 years later Immediately, Barton started war service by helping the

soldiers with their needs At the battle of Bull Run, Clara Barton received permission from the

government to take care of the sick and hurt Barton did this with great empathy and kindness She acknowledged each soldier as a person Her endurance and courage on the battlefield were admired by

many When the war ended in 1865, she used 4 years of her life to assist the government in searching for soldiers who were missing during the war

The search for missing soldiers and years of hard work made her feeble physically In 1869, her doctors recommended a trip to Europe for a rest While she was on vacation, she became involved with the International Red Cross, an organization set up by the Geneva Convention in 1864 Clara Barton realized that the Red Cross would be a big help to the United States After she returned to the United States, she worked very hard to create an American Red Cross She talked to government leaders and let American people know about the Red Cross In 1881, the National Society of the Red Cross was finally established with its headquarters in Washington, D.C Clara Barton managed its activities for 23 years Barton never let her age stop her from helping people At the age of 79, she helped flood victims in Galveston, Texas Barton finally resigned from the Red Cross in 1904 She was 92 years old and had truly earned her title "The Angel of the Battlefield"

Question 6: What is the main idea of the passage?

A Clara Barton helped wounded soldiers and she was the founder of the Red Cross.

B Clara Barton was a kind and strong woman who helped people in need

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C Clara Barton became a nurse during the American Civil War

D Clara Barton worked for disaster victims until she was old

Question 7: According to paragraph 1, which of the following is true of the young Clara Barton?

A She helped her father when he was a soldier

B She suffered from an accident when she was 11

C She helped her brother who was hurt in an accident

D She made a decision to live with her brother for 2 years

Question 8: The word “this” in paragraph 2 refers to _

A recognized each soldier as a person B cooked for soldiers

C took care of the sick and hurt D received permission

Question 9: The word “broke out” in paragraph 2 could best be replaced by

Question 10: The word “acknowledged” in paragraph 2 could best be replaced by

Question 11: What can be inferred about the government?

A It did not always agree with Clara Barton

B It did not have the money to help Clara Barton

C It showed Clara Barton great empathy and kindness

D It had respect for Clara Barton

Question 12: Which of the sentences best expresses the essential information in the highlighted sentence?

Incorrect answer choices change the meaning in important ways or leave out essential information

A She asked the government to help her look for soldiers who participated in the war

B She spent 4 years helping the government look for missing soldiers

C Many soldiers were missing when the government's war ended in 1865

D The war did not end until the government helped Clara Barton find some soldiers who were missing Question 13: What does the author mention about the American Red Cross?

A It was disapproved again and again by the Geneva Convention

B Barton tried to have it set up in America

C The American people were not interested in the Red Cross

D It was first established in the United States

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(ĐỀ LUYỆN THI THPT QG – CÔ HOÀNG XUÂN – ĐỀ 1)

Exercise 3: Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to indicate the correct answer to each of the questions

Neil Armstrong started flying at an early age He became interested in airplanes at the age of 2 At 15, he

took flying lessons He got a license to fly at 16 He learned how to fly before he learned how to drive a car At university, he studied aeronautical engineering This is the study of designing and making aircraft

After Armstrong became an astronaut in 1962, he was trained for 4 years for the Apollo program The Apollo mission was to put a man on the moon in ten years On July 16, 1969, the Apollo 11 landed on the moon Because Armstrong was the leader, he became the first man to step on the moon He said, "This is one small step for a man, one giant leap for mankind." He and his fellow astronaut, Buzz Aldrin, walked

on the moon for two and a half hours They collected rocks and did some experiments

Question 14: What is the main idea of the passage?

A The Apollo mission to the moon B Why Neil Armstrong became an astronaut

C Neil Armstrong, the first man on the moon D The aeronautic education of Neil Armstrong Question 15: The word “license” in paragraph 1 is closest in meaning to

Question 16: The word “This” in paragraph 1 refers to

Question 17: According to paragraph 2, which of the following is true about Armstrong's training as an

astronaut?

A Its purpose was to have him step on the moon.

B Its aim was to make Neil Armstrong a leader

C It helped Neil Armstrong design the Apollo spacecraft

D It made Neil Armstrong an astronaut in 1962

Question 18: The author's main purpose in paragraph 2 is _

A to explain the objectives of the Apollo 11 mission

B to compare Apollo 11 and late flights to the moon

C to tell about Armstrong and the success of Apollo 11 's mission

D to reveal what Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin did on the moon

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Aging is the process of growing old It occurs eventually in every living thing provided, of course, that an

illness or accident does not kill it prematurely The most familiar outward signs of aging may be seen in

old people, such as the graying of the hair and the wrinkling of the skin Signs of aging in a pet dog or cat include loss of playfulness and energy, a decline in hearing and eyesight, or even a slight graying of the coat Plants age too, but the signs are much harder to detect

Most body parts grow bigger and stronger, and function more efficiently during childhood They reach their peak at the time of maturity, or early adulthood After that, they begin to decline Bones, for

example, gradually become lighter and more brittle In the aged, the joints between the bones also

become rigid and more inflexible This can make moving very painful

All the major organs of the body show signs of aging The brain, for example, works less efficiently, and even gets smaller in size Thinking processes of all sorts are slowed down Old people often have trouble

in remembering recent events

One of the most serious changes of old age occurs in the arteries, the blood vessels that lead from the heart They become thickened and constricted, allowing less blood to flow to the rest of body This condition accounts, directly or indirectly, for many of the diseases of the aged It may, for example, result

in heart attack

Aging is not a uniform process Different parts of the body wear out at different rates There are great differences among people in their rate of aging Even the cells of the body differ in the way they age The majority of cells are capable of reproducing themselves many times during the course of a lifetime Nerve cells and muscle fibers can never be replaced once they wear out

Gerontologists - scientists who study the process of aging-believe this wearing out of the body is controlled by a built-in biological time-clock They are trying to discover how this clock works so that they can slow down the process This could give man a longer life and a great number of productive years

Question 19: What is the main idea of the first paragraph?

A Signs of aging are easier to detect in animals than in plants

B Aging occurs in every living thing after it has reached maturity

C Not all signs of aging are visible

D The outward signs of aging may be seen in old people

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Question 20: What does the word “it” in paragraph 1 refer to?

Question 21: When does the human body begin to lose vigor and the ability to function efficiently?

A Soon after reaching adulthood B During childhood

Question 22: What happens to memorization when the brain begins to age?

Question 23: The word “brittle” in paragraph 2 means _

C hard but easily broken D rigid and inflexible

Question 24: According to the passage, what condition is responsible for many of the diseases of the old?

A The arteries have become thickened and constricted

B The blood vessels lead from the heart

C The brain gets smaller in size

D Bones become lighter and brittle

Question 25: According to the passage, which of the following is NOT true?

A All living things grow old

B Aging is unavoidable in any living things

C Plants show less signs of aging than any other living things

D Most body parts wear out during the course of a lifetime

Question 26: What is the main idea of the last paragraph?

A Gerontologists have controlled the process of aging

B Gerontologists are working hard to help people live longer and more healthily

C Gerontologists are trying to give people an eternal life

D Gerontologists are now able to slow down the process of aging.

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Some people think that a spider is an insect, but it is an arachnid Arachnids have two main body parts and eight walking legs while insects have three main body parts and six legs Many insects can fly, but spiders cannot fly

There are many different kinds of spiders around the world They come in different colors, such as black, brown, white, yellow, and orange Spiders usually live for one year but a spider called the

Tarantula lives as long as 20 years Some spiders are very small but some are so large they can fit a dinner plate

The most unusual thing is that a spider can spin a web Spiders have silk in their stomach and they use the silk to make a web The web is the spider's home But the spider does not stick to its own web

because its legs have oil them It is very strong and sticky The web is used to catch insects When an insect is trapped on a spider's web, the spider wraps the insect in silk It eats the insect at a later time

However, the spider does not really eat it Since it has no teeth, it puts venom in the insect to make it a liquid

Question 27: What is the main topic of the passage?

A Facts about spiders B The parts of a spider's body

C How a spider makes its home D The eating habits of spiders

Question 28: Why does the author mention a dinner plate in paragraph 2?

A To suggest that spiders can be eaten B To show a way to measure spider size

C To give an example how big some spiders are D To point out that the larger spiders are safe Question 29: The word “it” in paragraph 3 refers to _

Question 30: The word “wraps” in paragraph 3 is closest in meaning to _

Question 31: All of the following are true EXCEPT that _

A spiders have a different body structure from that of insects

B spiders have various colors and mostly live for a year

C special spiders can spin a web and catch insects by it

D spiders use poisons to make their food into a liquid

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Plants and animals will find it difficult to escape from or adjust to the effects of global warming Scientists have already observed shifts in the lifecycles of many plants and animals, such as flowers blooming earlier and birds hatching earlier in the spring Many species have begun shifting where they live or their annual migration patterns due to warmer temperatures

With further warming, animals will tend to migrate toward the poles and up mountainsides toward higher elevations Plants will also attempt to shift their ranges, seeking new areas as old habitats grow too warm In many places, however, human development will prevent these shifts Species that find cities or farmland blocking their way north or south may become extinct Species living in unique ecosystems,

such as those found in polar and mountaintop regions, are especially at risk because migration to new

habitats is not possible For example, polar bears and marine mammals in the Arctic are already threatened by dwindling sea ice but have nowhere farther north to go

Projecting species extinction due to global warming is extremely difficult Some scientists have estimated that 20 to 50 percent of species could be committed to extinction with 2 to 3 Celsius degrees of further warming The rate of warming, not just the magnitude, is extremely important for plants and animals Some species and even entire ecosystems, such as certain types of forest, may not be able to adjust quickly enough and may disappear

Ocean ecosystems, especially fragile ones like coral reefs, will also be affected by global warming

Warmer ocean temperatures can cause coral to “bleach”, a state which if prolonged will lead to the death

of the coral Scientists estimate that even 1 Celsius degree of additional warming could lead to widespread bleaching and death of coral reefs around the world Also, increasing carbon dioxide in the atmosphere enters the ocean and increases the acidity of ocean waters This acidification further stresses ocean ecosystems

Question 32: Scientists have observed that warmer temperatures in the spring cause flowers to .

A die instantly B bloom earlier C become lighter D lose color

Question 33: According to paragraph 2, when their habitats grow warmer, animals tend to move

A south-eastwards and down mountainsides toward lower elevations

B north-westwards and up mountainsides toward higher elevations

C toward the North Pole and down mountainsides toward lower elevations

D toward the poles and up mountainsides toward higher elevations

Question 34: The pronoun “those” in paragraph 2 refers to

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Question 35: It is mentioned in the passage that if the global temperature rose by 2 or 3 Celsius degrees,

A half of the earth’s surface would be flooded B the sea level would rise by 20 centimeters

C water supply would decrease by 50 percent D 20 to 50 percent of species could become extinct Question 36: According to the passage, if some species are not able to adjust quickly to warmer

temperatures,

A they may be endangered B they can begin to develop

C they will certainly need water D they move to tropical forests

Question 37: The word “fragile” in paragraph 4 most probably means

A very large B easily damaged C rather strong D pretty hard

Question 38: The bleaching of coral reefs as mentioned in paragraph 4 indicates

A the water absorption of coral reefs B the quick growth of marine mammals

C the blooming phase of sea weeds D the slow death of coral reefs

Question 39: What does the passage mainly discuss?

A Influence of climate changes on human lifestyles

B Effects of global warming on animals and plants

C Global warming and possible solutions

D Global warming and species migration

It's often said that we learn things at the wrong time University students frequently do the minimum of work because they're crazy about a good social life instead Children often scream before their piano practice because it's so boring They have to be given gold stars and medals to be persuaded to swim, or have to be bribed to take exams But the story is different when you're older

Over the years, I've done my share of adult learning At 30, I went to a college and did courses in History and English It was an amazing experience For starters, I was paying, so there was no reason to

be late — I was the one frowning and drumming my fingers if the tutor was late, not the other way round Indeed, if I could persuade him to linger for an extra five minutes, it was a bonus, not a nuisance I wasn't

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frightened to ask questions, and homework was a pleasure not a pain When I passed an exam, I had passed it for me and me alone, not for my parents or my teachers The satisfaction I got was entirely personal

Some people fear going back to school because they worry that their brains have got rusty But the joy is that, although some parts have rusted up, your brain has learnt all kinds of other things since you

were young It has learnt to think independently and flexibly and is much better at relating one thing to

another What you lose in the rust department, you gain in the maturity department

In some ways, age is a positive plus For instance, when you're older, you get less frustrated Experience has told you that, if you're calm and simply do something carefully again and again, eventually you'll get the hang of it The confidence you have in other areas — from being able to drive a car, perhaps — means that if you can't, say, build a chair instantly, you don't, like a child, want to destroy

your first pathetic attempts Maturity tells you that you will, with application, eventually get there

I hated piano lessons at school, but I was good at music And coming back to it, with a teacher who could explain why certain exercises were useful and with musical concepts that, at the age of ten, I could never grasp, was magical Initially, I did feel a bit strange, thumping out a piece that I'd played for my school exams, with just as little comprehension of what the composer intended as I'd had all those years before But soon, complex emotions that I never knew poured out from my fingers, and suddenly I could understand why practice makes perfect

Question 40 It is implied in paragraph 1 that _

A parents should encourage young learners to study more

B young learners are usually lazy in their class

C young learners often lack a good motivation for learning

D teachers should give young learners less homework

Question 41: While doing some adult learning courses at a college, the writer was surprised _

A to get on better with the tutor B to feel learning more enjoyable

C to have more time to learn D to be able to learn more quickly

Question 42: The phrase "get there" in paragraph 4 is closest in meaning to _

A arrive at an intended place with difficulty B achieve your aim with hard work

C have the things you have long desired D receive a school or college degree

Question 43: The word "It" in paragraph 3 refers to

Question 44: What is the writer's main purpose in the passage?

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A To encourage adult learning B To describe adult learning methods

C To show how fast adult learning is D To explain reasons for learning

Humans have struggled against weeds since the beginnings of agriculture Marring our gardens is

one of the milder effects of weeds - any plants that thrive where they are unwanted They clog waterways, destroy wildlife habitats, and impede farming Their spread eliminates grazing areas and accounts for one-third of all crop loss They compete for sunlight, nutrients, and water with useful plants

The global need for weed control had been answered mainly by the chemical industry Its herbicides are effective and sometimes necessary, but some pose serious problems, particularly if misused Toxic compounds threaten animal and public health when they accumulate in food plants, groundwater, and drinking water They also harm workers who apply them

In recent years, the chemical industry has introduced several herbicides that are more ecologically sound Yet new chemicals alone cannot solve the world's weed problems Hence, scientists are exploring

the innate weed-killing powers of living organisms, primarily insects and microorganisms

The biological agents now in use are environmentally benign and are harmless to humans They can

be chosen for their ability to attack selected targets and leave crops and other plants untouched In contrast, some of the most effective chemicals kill virtually all the plants they come in contact with, sparing only those that are naturally resistant or have been genetically modified for resistance Furthermore, a number of biological agents can be administered only once, after which no added applications are needed Chemicals typically must be used several times per growing season

Question 45: With what topic does this passage primarily deal?

A The importance of the chemical industry

B The dangers of toxic chemicals

C A proposal to ban the use of all herbicides

D Advantages of biological agents over chemical ones

Question 46: The word "Marring" in paragraph 1 is closest in meaning to _

Question 47: Which of the following terms does the author define in the first paragraph?

A weeds B nutrients C wildlife habitats D grazing area

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Question 48: Which of the following statements about the use of chemical agents as herbicides would the

author most likely agree?

A It is safe but inefficient B It is occasionally required.

C It should be increased D It has become more dangerous recently

Question 49: Which of the following is NOT given as an advantage of using biological agents over

chemical herbicides?

A They are safer for workers B They are less likely to destroy desirable plants

C They are more easily available D They do not have to be used as often

Question 50: The word "innate" in paragraph 3 is closest in meaning to

Question 51: According to the passage, biological agents mainly consist of

Question 52: Which of the following best describes the organization of the passage?

A A general idea is introduced and several specific examples are given

B Two possible causes of a phenomenon are compared

C A problem is described and possible solutions are discussed

D A recommendation is analyzed and rejected

Perhaps it was his own lack of adequate schooling that inspired Horace Mann to work so hard for the important reforms in education that he accomplished While he was still a boy, his father and older brother died, and he became responsible for supporting his family Like most of the children in his town,

he attended school only two or three months a year Later, with the help of several teachers, he was able

to study law and became a member of the Massachusetts bar, but he never forgot those early struggles

While serving in Massachusetts legislature, he signed a historic education bill that set up a state board of education Without regret, he gave up his successful legal practice and political career to become the first secretary of the board There he exercised an enormous influence during the critical period of reconstruction that brought into existence the American graded elementary school as substitute for the

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older distinct school system Under his leadership, the curriculum was restructured, the school year was increased to a minimum of six months, and mandatory schooling was extended to age sixteen Other important reforms included the establishment of state normal schools for teacher training, institutes for in-service teacher education, and lyceums for adult education He was also instrument in improving salaries for teachers and creating school libraries.

Mann’s ideas about school reform were developed and distributed in twelve annual reports to the state of Massachusetts that he wrote during his tenure as secretary of education Considered quite radical at the time, the Massachusetts reforms later served as a model for the nation Mann was recognized as the farther of public education

Question 53: Which of the following titles would best express the main topic of the passage?

A The Father of American Public Education B Philosophy of Education

C The Massachusetts State Board of Education D Politics of Educational Institutions

Question 54: Which of the following describes Horace Mann’s early life?

A He attended school six months a year B He had to study alone, without help

C He supported his family after his father died D He was an only child

Question 55: The word “struggles” in line 5 could best be replaced by _

A valuable experiences B happy situations C influential people D difficult times

Question 56: What did Horace Mann advocate?

A The state board school system B The district school system

C The substitute school system D The graded school system

Question 57: How were Mann’s educational reforms distributed?

A In twelve annual reports to the state of Massachusetts

B In reports that he wrote for national distribution.

C In speeches that he made throughout the country D In books that could be

found in school libraries

Exercise 10:Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to indicate the correct answer to each of the questions

Psychologists have debated a long time about whether a child’s upbringing can give it the ability to do outstandingly well Some think that it is impossible to develop genius and say that it is simply something

a person is born with Others, however, argue that the potential for great achievement can be develop

The truth lies somewhere between these two extremes

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It seems very obvious that being born with the right qualities from gifted parents will increase a child’s ability to do well However, this ability will be fully realized only with the right upbringing and

opportunities As one psychologist says, “To have a fast car, you need both a good engine and fuel”

Scientists have recently assessed intelligence, achievement, and ability in 50 sets of identical twins that were separated shortly birth and brought up by different parents They found that achievement was based

on intelligence, and later influenced by the child’s environment

One case involving very intelligent twins was quoted One of the twins received a normal upbringing, and performed well The other twin, however, was brought up by extremely supportive parents and given every

possible opportunity to develop its abilities That twin, thought starting out with the same degree of intelligence as the other, performed even better

This case reflects the general principle of intelligence and ability The more favorable the environment, the more a child’s intelligence and ability are developed However, there is no link between intelligence and socioeconomic level of a child’s family In other words, it does not matter how poor or how rich a family is, as this does not affect the intelligence

Gifted people cannot be created by supportive parents, but they can be developed by them One professor

of music said that outstanding musicians usually started two or three years earlier than ordinary performers, often because their parents had recognized their ability These musicians then needed at least ten years’ hard work and training in order to reach the level they were capable of attaining

People who want to have very gifted children are given the following advice:

 Marry an intelligent person

 Allow children to follow their own interests rather than the interests of the parents

 Start a child’s education early but avoid pushing the child too hard

 Encourage children to play; for example, playing with musical instrument is essential for a child who wants to become an outstanding musician

Question 58: The upbringing of highly intelligent children requires

A an expensive education B good musical instruments

C parental support and encouragement D wealthy and loving parents

Question 59: The word “Others” used in the first paragraph refers to _

A other people B other scientists C other children D other geniuses

Question 60: When scientists studied intelligence and ability in twins, they found that _

A ability depends mainly on intelligence and achievement

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B intelligence and development are irrelevant to ability

C ability depends both on intelligence and environment

D different twins generally have different levels of ability

Question 61: Scientists chose twins for their study because _

A each twin has the same environment as his/her twin

B they are born into the same family, hence the same upbringing

C they have the same economic background and hence the same opportunities

D they have the same genetic background, usually with similar intelligence

Question 62: How were great musicians different from ordinary musicians in their development?

A Their ability was realized at an early stage and then nurtured

B They practice playing their instruments for many years

C They concentrated on music to the exclusion of the other areas.

D They were exceptionally intelligent and artistic

Question 63: The writer advises that gifted children should be allowed to follow

A Their own interests B Their parents’ interests

C Only their interests in musical instruments D Only their interests in computer games

Question 64: When encourage their gifted children, parents should avoid

A Pushing their children too hard B Letting them play their own way

C Permitting them to follow their own interests D Starting their education at an early age

Question 65: The remark: “to have a fast car, you need both a good engine and fuel’’ in the passage

means that in order to become a genius,

A You need to have good health and good nourishment

B You need intelligence and you need to develop it

C You should try to move quickly and efficiently

D You must nourish your brain and train your muscles hard

Although speech is the most advanced form of communication, there are many ways of communicating without using speech Signals, signs, symbols, and gestures may be found in every known culture The

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basic function of signal is to impinge upon the environment in such a way that it attracts attention, as, for

example, the dots and dashes of a telegraph circuit Coded to refer to speech, the potential for communication is very great Less adaptable to the codification of words, signs also contain meaning in and of themselves A stop sign or a barber pole conveys meaning quickly and conveniently

Symbols are more difficult to describe than either signals or signs because of their intricate relationship

with the receiver’s cultural perceptions In some cultures, applauding in a theater provides performers with an auditory symbol of approval Gestures such as waving and handshaking also communicate certain cultural messages

Although signals, signs, symbols, and gestures are very useful, they do have a major disadvantage in communication They usually do not allow ideas to be shared without the sender being directly adjacent

to the receiver Without an exchange of ideas, interaction comes to a halt As a result, means of communication intended to be used for long distances and extended periods must be based upon speech Radio, television and the telephone are only a few

Question 66: Which of the following would be the best title for the passage?

Question 67: The word “it” in paragraph 1 refers to

Question 68: The word “intricate” in paragraph 2 could best be replaced by _

A inefficient B complicated C historical D uncertain

Question 69: Why were the telephone, radio, and television invented?

A Because people were unable to understand signs, signals, and symbols.

B Because people believed that signs, signals, and symbols were obsolete

C Because people wanted to communicate across long distances

D Because people wanted new forms of communication

Question70: What does the author say about speech?

A It is only true for communication

B It is dependent upon the advances made by inventors

C It is the most advances form of communication

D It is necessary to occur

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Smallpox was the first widespread disease to be eliminated by human intervention Known as a

highly contagious viral disease, it broke out in Europe, causing the deaths of millions of people until the

vaccination was invented by Edward Jenner around 1800 In many nations, it was a terror, a fatal disease

until very recently Its victims suffer high fever, vomiting and painful, itchy, pustules that left scars In

villages and cities all over the world, people were worried about suffering smallpox

In May, 1966, the World Health Organization (WHO), an agency of the United Nations was authorized to initiate a global campaign to eradicate smallpox The goal was to eliminate the disease in one decade At the time, the disease posed a serious threat to people in more than thirty nations Because similar projects for malaria and yellow fever had failed, few believed that smallpox could actually be eradicated but eleven years after the initial organization of the campaign, no cases were reported in the field

The strategy was not only to provide mass vaccinations but also to isolate patients with active smallpox in order to contain the spread of the disease and to break the chain of human transmission Rewards for reporting smallpox assisted in motivating the public to aid health workers One by one, each small-pox victim was sought out, removed from contact with others and treated At the same time, the entire village where the victim had lived was vaccinated

By April of 1978 WHO officials announced that they had isolated the last known case of the disease but health workers continued to search for new cases for additional years to be completely sure In May,

1980, a formal statement was made to the global community Today smallpox is no longer a threat to humanity Routine vaccinations have been stopped worldwide

Question 71: Which of the following is the best title for the passage?

A The eradication of smallpox B The World Health Organization

Question 72: The word “contagious” is closest in meaning to _

Question 73: The global community considered the smallpox _.

A a minor illness B a deadly illness C a mental illness D a rare illness

Question 74: The word “its” in paragraph 2 refers to _

A the disease B the terror C the vaccination D the death

Question 75: According to the passage, what way was used to eliminate the spread of smallpox?

A Vaccination of entire villages B Treatment of individual victims

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C Isolation of victims and mass vaccinations D Extensive reporting of outbreaks

Question 76: How was the public motivated to help the health workers?

A By educating them B By rewarding them for reporting smallpox cases

C By isolating them from others D By giving them vaccinations

Question 77: Which one of the statements doesn’t refer to smallpox?

A Previous project had failed

B People are no longer vaccinated for it

C The WHO set up a worldwide campaign to eradicate the disease

D It was a fatal threat

Question 78: It can be inferred from the passage that _

A yellow fever have been reported this year

B no new cases of smallpox have been reported this year

C smallpox victims no longer die when they contact the disease

D smallpox is not transmitted from one person to another

In Africa, people celebrate with joy the birth of a new baby The Pygmies would sing a birth-song to the child In Kenya, the mother takes the baby strapped to her back into the thorn enclosure where the cattle are kept There, her husband and the village elders wait to give the child his or her name

In West Africa, after the baby is eight days old, the mother takes the baby for its first walk in the big, wide world, and friends and family are invited to meet the new baby In various African nations, they hold initiation ceremonies for groups of children instead of birthdays When children reach a certain designated age, they learn the laws, beliefs, customs, songs and dances of their tribes Some African tribes consider that children from nine to twelve are ready to be initiated into the grown up world They may have to carry out several tests

Maasai boys around thirteen years old to seventeen undergo a two-stage initiation The first stage lasts

about three months The boys leave their parents' homes, paint their bodies white, and are taught how to become young warriors At the end of this stage, they have their heads shaved and they are also circumcised At the second stage, the young warriors grow their hair long and live in a camp called a

“manyatta” where they practice hunting the wild animals that might attack the Maasai herds This stage

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may last a few years When they are ready, they will marry and become owners of large cattle herds like

their fathers The girls are initiated when they are fourteen or fifteen They are taught by the older women about the duties of marriage and how to care for babies Soon after that they are married and lead a life similar to that of their mothers

A Celebrations in Africa

B Birthday ceremonies for children in Africa

C Traditions of Maasai people when having a new baby

D Activities in a birth celebration

Question 80: Where do people in Kenya give the name to the child?

A at the village church B on the cattle farm C at their house D near the thorn fence Question 81: Which of the following is NOT mentioned in paragraph 2?

A An eight-day-old child will be taken for the first walk by his or her mother.

B Children have to learn their tribes' cultures and traditions when they are old enough

C Children are initiated for a mature life in the presence of their friends and family

D Children have to overcome a few trials to enter the grown-up world

Question 82: The word "undergo" in paragraph 3 is closest in meaning to

A commence B experience C participate in D explore

Question 83: What does the word "they" in paragraph 3 refer to?

A the Maasai herds B the wild animals C the young warriors D the cattle owners (ĐỀ LUYỆN THI THPT QG – CÔ HOÀNG XUÂN – ĐỀ 7)

What picture do you have of the future? Will life in the future be better, worse or the same as now? What

do you hope about the future?

Futurologists predict that life will probably be very different in 2050 in all the fields, from entertainment

to technology First of all, it seems that TV channels will have disappeared Instead, people will choose a program from a 'menu' and a computer will send the program directly to the television Today, we can use the World Wide Web to read newspaper stories and see pictures on a computer thousands of kilometers away By 2050, music, films, programs, newspapers and books will come to us by computer

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In what concerns the environment, water will have become one of our most serious problems In many

places, agriculture is changing and farmers are growing fruit and vegetables to export This uses a lot of

water Demand for water will increase ten times between now and 2050 and there could be serious shortages Some futurologists predict that water could be the cause of war if we don't act now

In transport, cars running on new, clean fuels will have computers to control the speed and there won't be any accidents Today, many cars have computers that tell drivers exactly where they are By 2050, the computer will control the car and drive it to your destination On the other hand, space planes will take people halfway around the world in two hours Nowadays, the United States Shuttle can go into space and land on Earth again By 2050, space planes will fly all over the world and people will fly from Los Angeles to Tokyo in just two hours

In the domain of technology, robots will have replaced people in factories Many factories already use

robots Big companies prefer robots - they do not ask for pay rises or go on strike, and they work 24

hours a day By 2050, we will see robots everywhere - in factories, schools, offices, hospitals, shops and homes

Last but not least, medicine technology will have conquered many diseases Today, there are electronic

devices that connect directly to the brain to help people hear By 2050, we will be able to help blind and deaf people see and hear again Scientists have discovered how to control genes They have already

produced clones of animals By 2050, scientists will be able to produce clones of people and decide how they look, how they behave and how much intelligence they have

Question 84: The passage mainly discusses

A The effect of the futurologists' prediction on our lives

B The effect of telecommunication on our future life

C The changes in our future life compared with our life today

D The importance of cloning in the future

Question 85: What can be inferred about the life in 2050 according to the passage?

A Life in 2050 will be much better than that of today

B TV will be an indispensable means of communication and business

C People will not suffer from the shortage of water due to the polar melting

D The deaf will not have to depend any longer on the electronic hearing devices

Question 86: We can conclude from the passage that in 2050

A People will be able to travel around the world in two hours

B Fewer cars will be used to keep the environment green and clean

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C No one will be injured or die because of accidents

D Space planes will take the place of cars as a means of transport

Question 87: The word "This" in paragraph 3 refers to

A the possible war B the cash crop planting C the serious shortage D the demand for water Question 88: What is the author's attitude in paragraph 3?

Question 89: Why does the author use "prefer robots" in paragraph 5?

A To show the importance of robots in production.

B To encourage the workers to resign from work

C To compare the robots with the workers

D To emphasize the scientist's role in inventing robots

Question 90: The word "conquered" in the last paragraph is closest in meaning to

Question 91: What may NOT be true about life in 2050?

A Many forms of entertainment will come to us thanks to computer

B Blind and deaf people will be helped by scientists to see and hear again

C Scientists will be able to produce clones of people and decide how intelligent they are

D Our sources of water for agriculture will increase ten times

Body language is a vital form of communication In fact, it is believed that the various forms of body language contribute about 70 percent to our comprehension It is important to note, however, that body language varies in different cultures Take for example, eye movement In the USA a child is expected to look directly at a parent or teacher who is scolding him/her In other cultures the opposite is true Looking directly at a teacher or parent in such a situation is considered a sign of disrespect

Another form of body language that is used differently, depending on the culture, is distance In North America people don't generally stand as close to each other as in South America Two North Americans who don't know each other well will keep a distance of four feet between them, whereas South Americans

in the same situation will stand two to three feet apart North Americans will stand closer than two feet

apart only if they are having a confidential conversation or if there is intimacy between them

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Gestures are often used to communicate We point a finger, raise an eyebrow, wave an arm – or move any other part of the body – to show what we want to say However, this does not mean that people all over the world use the same gestures to express the same meanings Very often we find that the same gestures can communicate different meanings, depending on the country An example of a gesture that could be misinterpreted is sticking out the tongue In many cultures it is a sign of making a mistake, but in some

places it communicates ridicule

The dangers of misunderstanding one another are great Obviously, it is not enough to learn the language

of another culture You must also learn its non-verbal signals if you want to communicate successfully

Question 92: What is the passage mainly about?

A The significance of non-verbal signals in America

B Misunderstandings in communication

C Interpretations of gestures in different cultures

D Non-verbal communication across cultures

Question 93: The word "intimacy" in paragraph 2 is closest in meaning to

Question 94: The word "it" in paragraph 3 refers to

Question 95: As stated in the passage, in order to communicate successfully with people from another

culture, it is advisable for a person

A to learn only non-verbal signals of that culture

B to travel to as many countries as possible

C to use the body language of the people from that culture

D to learn both the language and non-verbal signals of that culture

Question 96: Which form of body language is NOT mentioned in the passage?

In this modern world where closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras are everywhere and smartphones in every pocket, the routine filming of everyday life is becoming pervasive A number of countries are rolling out body cams for police officers; other public-facing agencies such as schools, councils and hospitals are also experimenting with cameras for their employees Private citizens are

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getting in on the act too: cyclists increasingly wear headcams as a deterrent to aggressive drivers As

camera technology gets smaller and cheaper, it isn't hard to envisage a future where we're all filming

everything all the time, in every direction

Would that be a good thing? There are some obvious potential upsides If people know they are on camera, especially when at work or using public services, they are surely less likely to misbehave The available evidence suggests that it discourages behaviours such as vandalism Another upside is that it would be harder to get away with crimes or to evade blame for accidents

But a world on camera could have subtle negative effects The deluge of data we pour into the

hands of Google, Facebook and others has already proved a mixed blessing Those companies would no

doubt be willing to upload and curate our body-cam data for free, but at what cost to privacy and freedom

of choice?

Body-cam data could also create a legal minefield Disputes over the veracity and interpretation of police footage have already surfaced Eventually, events not caught on camera could be treated as if they didn't happen Alternatively, footage could be faked or doctored to dodge blame or incriminate others

Of course, there's always the argument that if you're not doing anything wrong, you have nothing to fear But most people have done something embarrassing, or even illegal, that they regret and would prefer they hadn't been caught on film People already censor their social media feeds – or avoid doing anything incriminating in public – for fear of damaging their reputation Would ubiquitous body cams have a further chilling effect on our freedom?

The always-on-camera world could even threaten some of the attributes that make us human We are natural gossips and backbiters, and while those might not be desirable behaviours, they oil the wheels

of our social interactions Once people assume they are being filmed, they are likely to clam up

The argument in relation to body-cam ownership is a bit like that for guns: once you go past a critical threshold, almost everyone will feel they need one as an insurance policy We are nowhere near that point yet – but we should think hard about whether we really want to say "lights, body cam, action."

A The current public obsession with modern technology

B The ubiquity of cameras and ensuing problems

C Legal disputes fuelled by body-cam data

D Data overload experienced by social network users

Question 98: The word "envisage" in paragraph 1 is closest in meaning to

Question 99: As mentioned in paragraph 2, misbehaviour can be discouraged if potential offenders

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A are aware of being filmed at the time

B know that they may be subjected to criticism

C realise that they may be publicly punished

D are employed in the public sector

Question 100: The phrase "a mixed blessing" in paragraph 3 probably means

A something that is neither good nor bad

B something that produces unexpected results

C something that has both advantages and disadvantages

D something either negative or positive in nature

Question 101: What does the author imply in paragraph 3?

A Body-cam ownership could eventually give rise to information overload, which, in turn, raises public

concern

B Social networks provide their users with greater freedom of choice while depriving them of their

privacy and anonymity

C Companies like Facebook may have their own intentions behind their willingness to take care of

their users' body-cam data

D Google and similar enterprises tend to refrain from harvesting their customers' data for illicit

purposes

Question 102: It is stated in paragraph 4 that unrecorded events

A may go unnoticed or be ignored completely

B could be manipulated to charge innocent people

C should be kept open to interpretation

D could provoke legal disputes among media companies

Question 103: According to paragraph 5, why do social media users already act more carefully online?

A Because they regret doing something illegal

B Because they disapprove of uncensored social media feeds

C Because they want to avoid being recognised in public

D Because they wish to protect their image

Question 104: The word "they" in paragraph 6 refers to

A wheels B social interactions C desirable behaviours D people

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In Britain, greetings cards are sold in chain stores and supermarkets, in newsagents’ shops, corner shops and, increasingly, in shops that specialize in the sale of cards and paper for wrapping presents in

The most common cards are birthday and Christmas cards Many Christmas cards are sold in aid of charity and special „charity card shops’ are often set up in temporary premises in the weeks before

Christmas A wide variety of birthday cards is available to cater for different ages and tastes Some,

especially ones for young children or for people celebrating a particular birthday, have the person’s age

on the front Many have comic, often risqué, messages printed on them, and cartoon–style illustrations Others are more sober, with reproductions of famous paintings or attractive original designs The usual greeting on a birthday card is ‘Happy Birthday’, ‘Many Happy Returns’ or ‘Best Wishes for a Happy Birthday’

Some people also send special cards for Easter and New Year Easter cards either portray images of spring, such as chicks, eggs, lambs, spring flowers, etc, or have a religious theme

Cards are produced for every ‘milestone’ in a person’s life There are special cards for an engagement, a

marriage, a new home, a birth, success in an examination, retirement, a death in the family, etc Some are

‘good luck’ or „congratulations’ cards Others, for example ‘get well’ cards for people who are ill, express sympathy

A Greetings Cards B Birthday Cards C Christmas Cards D Easter Cards

Question 106: The word ‘some’ in paragraph 2 refers to

A young children B ages and tastes C card shops D birthday cards

Question 107: Which of the following is NOT the usual greeting on a birthday card?

A „Best Wishes for a Happy Birthday’ B „Happy Birthday’

Question 108: The word ‘milestone’ in paragraph 4 is closest in meaning to

Question 109: It can be inferred from the passage that

A greetings cards are used on many different occasions

B there are few choices of birthday cards

C greetings cards are not very popular in Britain

D greetings cards are for children only

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Though called by sweet–sounding names like Firinga or Katrina, tropical cyclones are huge rotating storms 200 to 2,000 kilometers wide with winds that blow at speeds of more than 100 kilometers per hour

(kph) Weather professionals know them as tropical cyclones, but they are called hurricanes in the

Caribbean Sea, typhoons in the Pacific Ocean, and cyclones in the Indian Ocean They occur in both the northern and southern hemispheres Large ones have destroyed cities and killed hundreds of thousands of people

Tropical cyclones begin over water that is warmer than 27 degrees Celsius (80 degrees Fahrenheit) slightly north or south of the earth’s equator Warm, humid air full of water vapor moves upward The earth’s rotation causes the growing storm to start to rotate around its center (called the eye) At a certain height, the water vapor condenses, changing to liquid and releasing heat The heat draws more air and water vapor upward, creating a cycle as air and water vapor rise and liquid water falls If the cycle speeds

up until winds reach 118 kilometers per hour, the storm qualifies as a tropical cyclone

Most deaths in tropical cyclones are caused by storm surge This is a rise in sea level, sometimes seven meters or more, caused by the storm pushing against the ocean’s surface Storm surge was to blame for the flooding of New Orleans in 2005 The storm surge of Cyclone Nargis in 2008 in Myanmar pushed seawater nearly four meters deep some 40 kilometers inland, resulting in many deaths

It has never been easy to forecast a tropical cyclone accurately The goal is to know when and where the next tropical cyclone will form “And we can’t really do that yet,” says David Nolan, a weather researcher

from the University of Miami The direction and strength of tropical cyclones are also difficult to predict, even with computer assistance In fact, long–term forecasts are poor; small differences in the combination of weather factors lead to very different storms More accurate forecasting could help people

decide to evacuate when a storm is on the way

Question 110: As stated in paragraph 1, tropical cyclones are storms with winds blowing at speeds of

A more than 100 kph B at least 200 kph C less than 100 kph D no less than 200 kph Question 111: The word “they” in paragraph 1 refers to

Question 112: Which of the following comes first in the process of storm formation?

A Liquid water falls B Warm, humid air moves upward

C Water vapor condenses D Wind speed reaches 118 kph

Question 113: According to the passage, a storm surge is

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C a tropical cyclone D inland flooding

Question 114: What is true about the storm surge of Cyclone Nargis?

A It took a very high death toll B It caused flooding in New Orleans in 2005

C It occurred in Myanmar in 2005 D It pushed seawater 4 kilometers inland

Question 115: The word “evacuate” in paragraph 4 mostly means

A move to safer places B make accurate predictions

C take preventive measures D call for relief supplies

Question 116: Which of the following statements is NOT true according to the passage?

A The center of a growing storm is known as its eye

B The direction and strength of tropical cyclones are difficult to forecast

C Tropical cyclones are often given beautiful names

D Tropical cyclone predictions depend entirely on computer assistance

Question 117: Which of the following would serve as the best title for the passage?

For more than six million American children, coming home after school means coming back to an empty house Some deal with the situation by watching TV Some may hide But all of them have something in

common They spend part of each day alone They are called “latchkey children” They are children who

look after themselves while their parents work And their bad condition has become a subject of concern Lynette Long was once the principal of an elementary school She said, “we had a school rule against wearing jewelry A lot of kids had chains around their necks with keys attached I was constantly telling them to put the keys inside shirts There were so many keys; it never came to my mind what they meant.” Slowly, she learned that they were house keys

She and her husband began talking to the children who had keys They learned of the effect working couples and single parents were having on their children Fear was the biggest problem faced by children

at home alone One in three latchkey children the Longs talked to reported being frightened Many had nightmares and were worried about their own safety

The most common way latchkey children deal with their fears is by hiding They may hide in a shower stall, under a bed or in a closet The second is TV They often turn the volume up It’s hard to get

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statistics on latchkey children, the Longs have learned Most parents are slow to admit that they leave their children alone

Question118: One thing that the children in the passage share is that

A they all wear jewelry B they spend part of each day alone

C they all watch TV D they are from single-parent families

Question 119: The phrase “latchkey children” in the passage means children who

A look after themselves while their parents are not at home

B close doors with keys and watch TV by themselves

C like to carry latches and keys with them everywhere

D are locked inside houses with latches and keys

Question 120: What is the main idea of the first paragraph?

A Why kids hate going home B Children’s activities at home

C Bad condition of latchkey children D How kids spend free time

Question 121: What do latchkey children suffer most from when they are at home alone?

Question 122: It’s difficult to find out the number of latchkey children because

A there are too many of them in the whole country

B most parents are reluctant to admit that they leave their children alone

C they hide themselves in shower stalls or under beds

D they do not give information about themselves for safety reasons

No sooner had the first intrepid male aviators safely returned to Earth than it seemed that women too, had been smitten by an urge to fly From mere spectators, they became willing passengers and finally pilots in their own right, plotting their skills and daring line against the hazards of the air and the

skepticism of their male counterparts In doing so they enlarged the traditional bounds of a women's

world, won for their sex a new sense of competence and achievement, and contributed handsomely to the progress of aviation

But recognition of their abilities did not come easily "Men do not believe us capable." the famed aviator Amelia Earhart once remarked to a friend "Because we are women, seldom are we trusted to do

an efficient job." Indeed old attitudes died hard: when Charles Lindbergh visited the Soviet Union in i938 with his wife, Anne-herself a pilot and gifted proponent of aviation - he was astonished to discover both men and women flying in the Soviet Air Force

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Such conventional wisdom made it difficult for women to raise money for the up-to-date equipment they needed to compete on an equal basis with men Yet they did compete, and often they triumphed finally despite the odds

Ruth Law, whose 590 - mile flight from Chicago to Hornell, New York, set a new nonstop distance record in 1916, exemplified the resourcefulness and grit demanded of any woman who wanted to fly And

when she addressed the Aero Club of America after completing her historic journey, her plain spoken

words

testified to a universal human motivation that was unaffected by gender: "My flight was done with

no expectation of reward," she declared, "just purely for the love of accomplishment."

Question 123: Which of the following is the best tittle for this passage?

Question 124: According to the passage, women pilots were successful in all of the following EXCEPT

A challenging the conventional role of women

B contributing to the science of aviation

C winning universal recognition from men

D building the confidence of women

Question 125: What can be inferred from the passage about the United States Air Force in 1938?

A It had no women pilots B It gave pilots handsome salaries

C It had old planes that were in need of repair D It could not be trusted to do an efficient job Question 126: In their efforts to compete with men, early women pilots had difficulty in

A addressing clubs B flying nonstop C setting records D raising money

Question 127: According to the passage, who said that flying was done with no expectation of reward?

A Amelia Earhart B Charles Lindbergh C Anne Lindgergh D Ruth Law

Question 128: The word “skepticism” is closest in meaning to

Question 129: The word “addressed” can be best replaced by

Question 130: The word “counterparts” refers to _

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Vitamins, taken in tiny doses, are a major group of organic compounds that regulate the mechanisms by which the body converts food into energy They should not be confused with minerals, which are inorganic in their makeup Although in general the naming of vitamins followed the

alphabetical order of their identification, the nomenclature of individual substances may appear to be

somewhat random and disorganized Among the 13 vitamins known today, five are produced in the body

Because the body produces sufficient quantities of some but not all vitamins, they must be supplemented

in the daily diet Although each vitamin has its specific designation and cannot be replaced by another

compound, a lack of one vitamin can interfere with the processing of another When a lack of even one vitamin in a diet is continual, a vitamin deficiency may result

The best way for an individual to ensure a necessary supply of vitamins is to maintain a balanced diet that includes a variety of foods and provides adequate quantities of all the compounds Some people take vitamin supplements, predominantly in the form of tablets The vitamins in such supplements are equivalent to those in food, but an adult who maintains a balanced diet does not need a daily supplement The ingestion of supplements is recommended only to correct an existing deficiency due to unbalanced diet, to provide vitamins known to be lacking in a restricted diet, or to act as a therapeutic measure in medical treatment Specifically, caution must be exercised with fat-soluble substances, such as vitamins A and D, because, taken in gigantic doses, they may present a serious health hazard over a period of time

Question131: According to the passage, vitamins are _

C miscellaneous substances D major food groups

Question 132: The word "nomenclature" in the passage is closest in meaning to

A conservation B concentration C classification D clarification

Question 133: The phrase "daily diet" is closest in meaning to _

A weight loss or gain B sufficient quantities

Question 134: It can be inferred from the passage that vitamin supplements can be advisable

A in special medical cases B in most restricted diets

C after correcting a dietary deficiency D before beginning a therapeutic treatment

A Adopting vitamins to control weight

B The individual's diet for optimum health

C Vitamin categorization and medical application

D The place of vitamins in nutrition

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The modern comic strip started out as ammunition in a newspaper war between giants of the American press in the late nineteenth century The first full-color comic strip appeared January 1894 in

the New York World, owned by Joseph Pulitzer The first regular weekly full-color comic supplement,

similar to today's Sunday funnies, appeared two years later, in William Randolph Hearst's rival New York

paper, the Morning Journal

Both were immensely popular, and publishers realized that supplementing the news with comic

relief boosted the sale of papers The Morning Journal started another feature in 1896, the "Yellow Kid,"

the first continuous comic character in the United States, whose creator, Richard Outcault, had been lured

away from the World by the ambitious Hearst The "Yellow Kid" was in many ways a pioneer Its comic

dialogue was the strictly urban farce that came to characterize later strips, and it introduced the speech

ballon inside the strip, usually placed above the characters' heads

The first strip to incorporate all the elements of later comics was Rudolph Dirks's "Katzenjammer

Kids," based on Wilhelm Busch's Max and Moritz, a European satire of the nineteenth century The

"Kids" strip, first published in 1897, served as the prototype for future American strips It contained not

only speech balloons, but a continuous cast of characters, and was divided into small regular panels that did away with the larger panoramic scenes of earlier comics

Newspaper syndication played a major role in spreading the popularity of comic strips throughout

the country Though weekly colored comics came first, daily black-and-white strips were not far behind

The first appeared in the Chicago American in 1904 It was followed by many imitators, and by 1915

black-and-white comic strip had become a staple of daily newspapers around the country

A A comparison of two popular comic strips

B The differences between early and modern comic strips

C The effects of newspapers on comic strip stories

D Features of early comic strips in the United States

Question 137: Why does the author mention Joseph Pulitzer and William Randolph Heart?

A They established New York's first newspaper

B They published comic strips about the newspaper war

C Their comic strips are still published today

D They owned major competitive newspapers

Question 138: The passage suggests that comic strips were popular for which of the following reasons?

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A They provided a break from serious news stories

B Readers enjoyed the unusual drawings

C Readers could identify with the characters

D They were about real-life situations

Question 139: The word “it” refers to _

Question 140: According to the passage, the “Yellow Kid” was the first comic strip to do all of the

following EXCEPT

A feature the same character in each episode B include dialogue inside a balloon

C appear in a Chicago newspaper D characterize city life in a humorous way

Question 141: The word “incorporate” in the third paragraph is closest in meaning to

Question 142: The word “prototype” in the third paragraph is closest in meaning to

Question 143: In what order does the author discuss various comic strips in the passage?

A In alphabetical order by title

B In the order in which they were created

C According to the newspaper in which they appeared

D From most popular to least popular

A number of factors related to the voice reveal the personality of the speaker The first is the broad area of communication, which includes imparting information by use of language, communicating with a group

or an individual and specialized communication through performance A person conveys thoughts and ideas through choice of words, by a tone of voice that is pleasant or unpleasant, gentle or harsh, by the rhythm that is inherent within the language itself, and by speech rhythms that are flowing and regular or uneven and hesitant, and finally, by the pitch and melody of the utterance When speaking before a group,

a person's tone may indicate uncertainty or fright, confidence or calm At interpersonal levels, the tone may reflect ideas and feelings over and above the words chosen, or may belie them Here, the

participant„s tone can consciously or unconsciously reflect intuitive sympathy or antipathy, lack of concern or interest, fatigue, anxiety, enthusiasm or excitement, all of which are usually discernible by the acute listener Public performance is a manner of communication that is highly specialized with its own techniques for obtaining effects by voice and /or gesture The motivation derived from the text, and in the

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case of singing, the music, in combination with the performer's skills, personality, and ability to create

empathy will determine the success of artistic, political, or pedagogic communication.

Second, the voice gives psychological clues to a person's self-image, perception of others, and emotional health Self-image can be indicated by a tone of voice that is confident, pretentious, shy, aggressive, outgoing, or exuberant, to name only a few personality traits Also the sound may give a clue to the facade or mask of that person, for example, a shy person hiding behind an overconfident front How a speaker perceives the listener's receptiveness, interest, or sympathy in any given conversation can

drastically alter the tone of presentation, by encouraging or discouraging the speaker Emotional health is evidenced in the voice by free and melodic sounds of the happy, by constricted and harsh sound of the

angry, and by dull and lethargic qualities of the depressed

A The function of the voice in performance

B Communication styles

C The connection between voice and personality

D The production of speech

Question 145: What does the author mean by staring that, "At interpersonal levels, tone may reflect ideas

and feelings over and above the words chosen"?

A Feelings are expressed with different words than ideas are

B The tone of voice can carry information beyond the meaning of words

C A high tone of voice reflects an emotional communication

D Feelings are more difficult to express than ideas

Question 146: The word "Here" in the passage refers to

A interpersonal interactions B the tone

Question 147: The word "derived" in line 13 is closest in meaning to

Question 148: According to the passage, an overconfident front may hide _

By the mid-nineteenth century, the term "icebox" had entered the American language, but ice was still only beginning to affect the diet of ordinary citizens in the United States The ice trade grew with the

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growth of cities Ice was used in hotels, taverns, and hospitals, and by some forward-looking city dealers

in fresh meat, fresh fish, and butter After the Civil War (1861-1865), as ice was used to refrigerate freight cars, it also came into household use Even before 1880, half the ice sold in New York,

Philadelphia, and Baltimore, and one-third of that sold in Boston and Chicago, went to families for their own use This had become possible because a new household convenience, the icebox, a precursor of the modern refrigerator, had been invented

Making an efficient ice box was not as easy as we might now suppose In the early nineteenth century, the knowledge of the physics of heat, which was essential to a science of refrigeration, was

rudimentary The commonsense notion that the best icebox was one that prevented the ice from melting

was of course mistaken, for it was the melting of the ice that performed the cooling Nevertheless, early efforts to economize ice included wrapping the ice in blankets, which kept the ice from doing its job Not until near the end of the nineteenth century did inventors achieve the delicate balance of insulation and circulation needed for an efficient icebox

But as early as 1803, an ingenious Maryland farmer, Thomas Moore, had been on the right track

He owned a farm about twenty miles outside the city of Washington, for which the village of Georgetown was the market center When he used an icebox of his own design to transport his butter to market, he found that customers would pass up the rapidly melting stuff in the tubs of his competitors to pay a premium price for his butter, still fresh and hard in neat, one-pound bricks One advantage of his icebox, Moore explained, was that farmers would no longer have to travel to market at night in order to keep their produce cool

A The influence of ice on the diet B The development of refrigeration

C The transportation of goods to market D Sources of ice in the nineteenth century

Question 150: According to the passage, when did the word "icebox" become part of the language of the

United States?

C During the Civil War D Near the end of the nineteenth century

Question 151: The phrase "forward-looking" in line 4 is closest in meaning to

Question 152: The author mentions “fish” because _

A many fish dealers also sold ice

B fish was shipped in refrigerated freight cars

C fish dealers were among the early commercial users of ice

D fish was not part of the ordinary person's diet before the invention of the icebox

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Question 153: The word "it" in the first paragraph refers to

Question 154: According to the passage, which of the following was an obstacle to the development of

the icebox?

A Competition among the owners of refrigerated freight cars

B The lack of a network for the distribution of ice

C The use of insufficient insulation

D Inadequate understanding of physics

Question 155: The word "rudimentary" in the second paragraph is closest in meaning to

Question 156: The author describes Thomas Moore as having been "on the right track" in the third

paragraph to indicate that

A the road to the market passed close to Moore's farm

B Moore was an honest merchant

C Moore was a prosperous farmer

D Moore's design was fairly successful

A Working Vacation

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to get your dream job? It can take years to get the education and develop the skills you need for the perfect job However, there is a way to experience your dream job without having to get the required training or degree Since 2004, Brian Kurth’s company, Vocation Vacations, has been connecting people with mentors who have the jobs of their dreams

Kurth had been working for a phone company before starting his own company He didn’t like his job, and he had a long time to think about it on his drive to and from work He also thought about his dream job while driving He was interested in becoming a dog trainer, but he didn’t want to take any chances and switch to a field he didn’t have experience in He really wanted to know what the job was like and if

it was realistic for him to work towards his goal So, he found a mentor – a dog trainer that could tell him about the job and everything it involved After that, he helped his friends find mentors to explore jobs they were interested in They thought it was helpful to talk to people who had their dream jobs before spending lots of time and money getting the training they needed for those jobs

Kurth saw how much this helped his friends, so he decided to turn it into his business He started Vocation Vacations in 2004, and by 2005, the company was offering experience with over 200 dream

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jobs Today, about 300 mentors work with the company to share their knowledge about their jobs

Customers pay to experience the job of their dreams and work with these mentors to see what a job is

really like A “job vacation” costs between $350 and $3,000 and can be for one to three days Many people use Vocation Vacations to see if their dream job is a career path they want to continue Others do

it just to experience the job of their dreams one time

Vocation Vacations jobs are in the fields of fashion, food, entertainment, sports and animals Many

people want to try glamorous jobs For example, they want to try working as actors, music producers,

photographers and fashion designers According to Kurth, some other popular dream jobs are working as bakers, hotel managers and wedding planners

Source: Summit 2 by Pearson Education, 2017

Question 157 What is the passage mainly about?

A A company where people can experience their dream jobs

B A company where people get the training for their dream jobs

C Brian Kurth’s dream job as a dog trainer

D Brian Kurth’s company as a dream job provider

Question 158 The word “their” in paragraph 3 refers to _

Question 159 What do mentors at Vocation Vacations do?

A explore jobs that people are interested in B train people for their dream jobs

C give people advice on how to choose a job D show people what their jobs are like

Question 160 The word glamorous in paragraph 4 is closest in meaning to _

Question 161 All of the following are true about Vocation Vacations EXCEPT

A it belongs to Brian Kurth B the company was started in 2004

C the company hires about 300 mentors D it provides jobs in many different fields

Public holidays in the United Kingdom, commonly referred to as bank holidays, are days where most businesses and non – essential services are closed although an increasing number of retail businesses (especially the larger ones) do open on some of the public holidays There are restrictions on trading on Sundays and Christmas Day Four public holidays are common to all countries of the United Kingdom These are: New Year's Day, the first Monday in May, Christmas Day, and Boxing Day Some banks open

on some bank holidays In Scotland, while New Year's Day and Christmas Day are national holidays,

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other bank holidays are not necessarily public holidays, since the Scots instead observe traditional local

customs and practice for their public holidays In Northern Ireland, once again, bank holidays other than

New Year's

Day and Christmas Day are not necessarily public holidays Good Friday and Christmas Day are common law holidays, except in Scotland, where they are bank holidays In Scotland the holiday on 1

January (or 2 January if 1 January is Sunday) is statutory, and 25 December is also a statutory holiday

(or 26 December if Christmas Day falls on a Sunday) Boxing Day is a holiday traditionally celebrated the day following Christmas Day, when servants and tradesmen would receive gifts, known as a

"Christmas box", from their bosses or employers Today, Boxing Day is the bank holiday that generally takes place on 26 December And 28 December only is given if Boxing Day is Saturday

Like Denmark, the United Kingdom has no national day holiday marked or celebrated for its formal

founding date Increasingly, there are calls for public holidays on the patron saints' days in England,

Scotland and Wales An online petition sent to the Prime Minister received 11,000 signatures for a public holiday in Wales on St David's Day; the Scottish Parliament has passed a bill creating a public holiday

on St Andrew's Day although it must be taken in place of another public holiday; campaigners in England are calling for a bank holiday on St George's Day; and in Cornwall, there are calls for a public holiday on St Piran's Day

A Boxing Holiday in the U.K B Public holidays in the U.K

Question 163: Bank holidays besides New Year's Day and Christmas Day are not public holidays in

Scotland because _

A the Scots observe traditional local customs B Scotland does not belong to the U.K

C they are common law holidays D the Scots celebrate Good Friday

Question 164: The word “their” in paragraph 1 refers to

Question 165: What does the word “statutory” in paragraph 1 mean?

Question166: Which of the following statements is wrong about the U.K.?

A All businesses close on public holidays B There are 4 common public holidays

C Xmas Day is a bank holiday in Scotland D 26th December is Boxing Day

Question 167: The word “calls” in paragraph 2 is closest in meaning to

Question 168: Which place has made a patron saint’s day a holiday?

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A Wales B England C Cornwall D Scotland

Question 169: Which of the following can be inferred from the passage?

A If a holiday falls at the weekend, a substitute day is given in place

B The British people will get 28 December off if Xmas Day is Sunday

C The U.K was founded on the same day with Denmark

D Online petitions for more holidays are more effective than traditional campaigns.

Exercise27: Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to indicate the correct answer to each of the questions

Genetic modification of foods is not a new practice It has been practiced for thousands of years under the name of "selective breeding" Animals and plants were chosen because they had traits that humans found useful Some animals were larger and stronger than others, or they yielded more food, or they had some other trait that humans valued Therefore, they were bred because of those traits Individuals with those traits were brought together and allowed to breed in the hope that their offspring would have the same traits in greater measure

Much the same thing was done with plants To produce bigger or sweeter fruit, or grow more grain per unit of land, strains of plants were combined and recombined to produce hybrids, or crossbreeds that had the desired traits in the right combinations All the while, however, biologists wondered: is there a more direct and versatile way to change the traits of plants and animals? Could we rewrite, so to speak,

the heredity of organisms to make them serve our needs better?

In the 20th century, genetic modification made such changes possible at last Now, it was possible

to alter the genetic code without using the slow and uncertain process of selective breeding It even

became possible to blend plants and animals genetically: to insert animal genes into plants, for example,

in order to give the plants a certain trait they ordinarily would lack, such as resistance to freezing The result was a tremendous potential to change the very nature of biology

A The arguments against genetic modification

B The benefits brought about by genetic modification

C The reasons behind selective breeding of plants

D The development of genetic modification

Question 171: The word "them" in paragraph 2 refers to

Question 172: The word "blend" in paragraph 3 mostly means

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Question 173: According to the passage, selective breeding

A is slower and uncertain than genetic modification

B works much better on plants than on animals

C helps change the traits of plants rather than animals

D has a huge potential to change the nature of biology

Question 174: Which of the following IS NOT achieved by genetic modification?

A Giving plants necessary traits taken from animals’ genes

B Producing hybrids or crossbreeds from many animals and plants

C Encouraging people to give up selective breeding completely

D Making big changes to the very nature of biology

What unusual or unique biological train led to the remarkable diversification and unchallenged

success of the ants for over 50 million years? The answer appears to be that they were the first group of

predatory eusocial insects that both lived and foraged primarily in the soil and in rotting vegetation on

the ground Eusocial refers to a form of insect society characterized by specialization of tasks and cooperative care of the young; it is rare among insects Richly organized colonies of the land made possible by eusociality enjoy several key advantages over solitary individuals

Under most circumstances groups of workers are better able to forage for food and defend the nest, because they can switch from individual to group response and back again swiftly and according to need When a food object or nest intruder is too large for one individual to handle, nestmates can be quickly assembled by alarm or recruitment signals Equally important is the fact that the execution of multiple-step tasks is accomplished in a series-parallel sequence That is, individual ants can specialize in particular steps, moving from one object (such as a larva to be fed) to another (a second larva to be fed) They do not need to carry each task to completion from start to finish - for example, to check the larva first, then collect the food, then feed the larva Hence, if each link in the chain has many workers in attendance, a sense directed at any particular object is less likely to fail Moreover, ants specializing in particular labor categories typically constitute a caste specialized by age or body form or both There has been some documentation of the superiority in performance and net energetic yield of various castes for their modal tasks, although careful experimental studies are still relatively few

What makes ants unusual in the company of eusocial insects is the fact that they are the only

eusocial predators (predators are animals that capture and feed on other animals) occupying the soil and

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ground litter The eusocial termites live in the same places as ants and also have wingless workers, but they feed almost exclusively on dead vegetation

(Source: TOEFL Reading)

Question 175: Which of the following questions does the passage primarily answer?

A Why have ants been able to thrive for such a long time?

B What are the differences between social and solitary insects?

C How do individual ants adapt to specialized tasks?

D Why are ants predators?

Question 176: The word "rotting" in paragraph 1 is closest in meaning to _

Question 177: All of the following terms are defined in the passage EXCEPT

Question 178: The word "unique" in paragraph 1 is closest in meaning to

Question 179: According to the passage, one thing eusocial insects can do is rapidly switch from

A a defensive to an offensive stance B a solitary task to a group task

C one environment to another D one type of food consumption to another

Question 180: It can be inferred from the passage that one main difference between termites and ants is

that termites

A protect their nests B eat almost no animal substances

Question 181: The task of feeding larvae is mentioned in the passage to demonstrate

A the advantages of specialization

B the type of food that larvae are fed

C the different stages of ant development

D the ways ant colonies train their young for adult tasks

Question 182: The word "they" in bold in the last paragraph refers to

Satoru Iwata is not a household name, but he should be Most people, however, would recognize his brain children, the Nintendo DS and the Wii These two game systems completely changed the world of

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