40 bài tập đọc HIỂU (270 câu) từ đề các sở GIÁO dục đào tạo image marked image marked

relate it to what they have known Question 28: The underlined pronoun “They” in the last sentence refers to________ ĐỀ THI THỬ SỞ GD&ĐT NAM ĐỊNH - LẦN 1 EXERCISE 5: Read the following pa

culture The basic function of a signal is to impinge upon the environment in such a way that it attracts

attention, as, for example, the dots and dashes of 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 They usually do not allow ideas to be shared without the sender being directly adjacent to the receiver Without an exchange of ideas, interaction come to a halt As a result, means of communication intended

to be used for long distances and extended periods must be based upon speech To radio, television and the telephone, one must add fax, paging systems, electronic mail, and the Internet, and no doubts but that there are more means of communication on the horizon

Question 1 Which of the following would be the best title for the passage?

A Signs and signals B Gestures C Communication D Speech

Question 2 What does the author say about speech?

A It is necessary for communication to occur.

B It is the most advanced form of communication.

C It is dependent upon the advances made by inventors.

D It is the only true form of communication.

Question 3 The phrase “impinge upon” in paragraph 1 is closest in meaning to _.

Question 4 The word “it” in paragraph refers to _.

Question 5 Applauding was cited as an example of _.

Question 6 Why were the telephone, radio, and television invented?

A Because people wanted to communicate across long distances.

B Because people wanted new forms of communication.

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

D Because people believed that signs, signals, and symbols were obsolete.

Question 7 It may be concluded from this passage that _.

A symbols are very easy to define and interrupt

B only some cultures have signs, signals, and symbols

C waving and handshaking are not related to culture

D signs, signals, symbols, and gestures are forms of communication.

(ĐỀ THI THỬ SỞ GD&ĐT BẠC LIÊU LẦN 1)

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.

An air pollutant is defined as a compound added directly or indirectly by humans to the atmosphere

in such quantities as to affect humans, animals, vegetation, or materials adversely Air pollution requires

a very flexible definition that permits continuous changes When the first air pollution laws were established in England in the fourteenth century, air pollutants were limited to compounds that could be seen or smelled - a far cry from the extensive list of harmful substances known today As technology has developed and knowledge of the health aspects of various chemicals has increased, the list of air

pollutants has lengthened In the future, even water vapor might be considered an air pollutant under

certain conditions

Many of more important air pollutants, such as sulfur oxides, carbon monoxides and nitrogen oxides are found in nature As the Earth developed, the concentration of these pollutants was altered by

various chemical reactions; they became components in biogeochemical cycles These serve as an air

purification scheme by allowing the compounds to move from the air to the water or soil On a global basis, nature's output of these compounds dwarfs that resulting from human activities

However, human production usually occurs in a localized area, such as a city In such a region,

human output may be dominant and may temporarily overload the natural purification scheme of the cycles The result is an concentration of noxious chemicals in the air The concentrations at which the adverse effects appear will be greater than the concentrations that the pollutants would have in the absence of human activities The actual concentration need not be large for a substance to be a pollutant;

in fact, the numerical value tells us little until we know how much of an increase this represents over the concentration that would occur naturally in the area For example, sulfur dioxide has detectable health effects at 0 08 parts per million (ppm), which is about 400 times its natural level Carbon monoxide, however has a natural level of 0 1 ppm and is not usually a pollutant until its level reaches about 15 ppm

Question 8 What does the passage mainly dicuss?

A What constitutes an air pollutant B How much harm air pollutants can cause.

C The economic impact of air pollution D The effects of compounds added to the

atmosphere

Question 9 The word “adversely” in the first paragraph is closest in meaning to .

Question 10 It can be inferred from the first paragraph that .

A the definition of air pollution will continue to change.

B Most air pollutants today can be seen or smelled.

C a substance becomes an air pollutant only in cities.

D water vapor is an air pollutant in localized areas.

Question 11 The word “these” in the second paragraph is closest in meaning to _.

A the compounds moved to the water or soil B the pollutants from the developing Earth

C the various chemical reactions D the components in biogeochemical cycles

Question 12 For which of the following reasons can natural pollutants play an important role in

controlling air pollution?

A They're less harmful to living beings than other pollutants.

B They function as part of a purification process.

C.They occur in greater quantities than other pollutants.

D They have existed since the Earth developed.

Question 13 According to the passage, human- generated air pollution in localized regions .

A will react harmfully with natural pollutants.

B can overwhelm the natural system removing pollutants.

C will damage area outside of the localized regions.

D can be dwarfed by nature's output of pollutants.

Question 14 The word “localized” in the third paragraph is closest in meaning to

Question 15 According to the passage, the numerical value of the concentration level of a substance is

only useful if

A it can be calculated quickly B it is in a localized area

C the natural level is also known D the other substances in the area are known

(ĐỀ THI THỬ SỞ GD&ĐT BẠC LIÊU LẦN 1)

EXERCISE 3: Reading 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.

You can usually tell when your friends are happy or angry by the looks on their faces or by their actions This is useful because reading their emotional expressions helps you to know how to respond to important situations and to convey our intentions to others But does raising the eyebrows and rounding the mouth say the same thing in Minneapolis as it does in Madagascar ? Much research on emotional expressions has centered on such questions

According to Paul Ekman, the leading researcher in this area, people speak and understand substantially the same “facial language” Studies by Ekman’s group have demonstrated that humans share a set of universal emotional expressions that testify to the common biological heritage of the human species Smiles, for example, signal happiness and frowns indicate sadness on the faces of people in such far-flung places as Argentina, Japan, Spain, Hungary, Poland, Sumatra, the United States, Vietnam, the jungles of New Guinea, and the Eskimo villages north of Artic Circle Ekman and his colleagues claim that people everywhere can recognize at least seven basic emotions : sadness, fear, anger, disgust, contempt, happiness, and surprise

There are, however, huge differences across cultures in both the context and intensity of emotional

displays – the so-called display responses – expecially negative ones – while many American children are

encouraged to express their feelings more openly Regardless of culture, however, emotions usually show

themselves, to some degree, in people’s behavior From their first days in life, babies produce facial expressions that communicate their feelings

The ability to read facial expressions develops early, too Very young children pay close attention to facial expressions, and by age five, they nearly equal adults in their skill at reading emotions on people’s

faces This evidence all points to a biological underpinning for our abilities to express and interpret a

basic set of human emotions Moreover, as Chales Dawin pointed out over a century ago, some emotional expressions seem to appear across species boundaries Cross-cultural psychologists tell us that certain emotional responses carry different meanings in diferrent cultures For example, what emotion do you suppose might be conveyed while sticking out your tounge ? For American, this might indicate disgust, while in China it can signify surprise Likewise, a grin on an American face may indicate joy, while on a Japanese face it may just as easily mean embarrassment Clearly, culture influences emotional expressions

(Adapted from https://www.booksource.com)

Question 16: The best title for the passage is _

A human habit of displaying emotions B a review of research on emotional expressions

C ways to control emotional expressions D cultural universals in emotional expressions Question 17: The word “evolved” in paragraph 2 is closest in meaning to _

Question 18: Many studies on emotional expressions try to answer the question whether _

A raising the eyebrows has similar meaning to rounding the mouth

B raising the eyebrows has similar meaning to rounding the mouth

C different cultures have similar emotional expressions

D eyebrow raising means the same in Minneapolis and Madagascar

Question 19: Paul Ekman is mentioned in the passage as an example of

A investigators on universal emotional expressions

B researchers who can speak and understand many languages

C researchers on universal language

D lacked many main ingredients

Question 20: Smiles and frowns

A have different meaning in different cultures.

B are universal expressions across cultures.

C do not convey the same emotions in various cultures.

D are not popular everywhere.

Question 21: Unlike American children, Asian children are encouraged to .

A display their emotions openly B change their behaviour.

C control their emotions D conceal their positive emotions.

Question 22: The word “negative” in the second paragraph is closest in meaning to

Question 23: The phrase “This evidence” in paragraph 3 refers to

A the fact that children can control their feelings

B human facial expressions

C a biological underpinning for humans to express emotions

D the fact that children are good at recognizing others’ emotions

(ĐỀ THI THỬ SỞ GD&ĐT NAM ĐỊNH - LẦN 1)

EXERCISE 4: Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C or D on your answer sheet to indicate the best answer for each question

Successful students often do the followings while studying First they have an overview before reading Next, they look for important information and pay greater attention to it (which often needs jumping forward or backward to process information) They also relate important points to one another

Also, they activate and use their prior knowledge When they realize that their understanding is not good,

they do not wait to change strategies Last, they can monitor understanding and take action to correct or “ fix-up” mistakes in comprehension

Conversely, students with low academic achievement often demonstrate ineffective study skills They tend to assume a passive role in learning and rely on others(e.g, teachers, parents) to monitor their studying For example, low-achieving students often do not monitor their understanding of content, they may not be aware of the purpose of studying, and their show little evidence of looking back, or employing

“fix-up” strategies to fix understanding problems Students who struggle with learning new information seem to be unaware that they must extent beyond simply reading the content to understand and remember

it Children with learning disabilities do not plan and judge the quality off their studying Their studying may be disorganized Students with learning problems face challenges with personal organization as well They often have difficulty keeping track of materials and assignments, following directions, and completing work on time Unlike good student who employ a variety of study skills in a flexible yet

purposeful manner, low-achieving students use a restricted range of skills They can not explain why

good study strategies are important for learning, and they tend to use the same, often ineffective, study approach for all learning tasks, ignoring task content, structure of difficulty

(Adapter from Study Skills: Managing Your Learning – NUI Galway)

Question 24: What is the topic of the passage?

A Successful and low-academic achieving students.

B Successful learners and their learning strategies.

C Study skills for high school students.

D Effective and ineffective ways of learning.

Question 25: The word “prior” in the first paragraph is closest meaning to _-?

Question26: According to the passage, what can be learnt about passive students?

A They depend on other people to organize their learning.

B They are slow in their studying.

C They monitor their understanding.

D The know the purpose of studying.

Question 27: According to the passage, to learn new ìnormaton, low-achieving students do

NOT

A just understand it B relate it to what they have known

Question 28: The underlined pronoun “They” in the last sentence refers to

(ĐỀ THI THỬ SỞ GD&ĐT NAM ĐỊNH - LẦN 1)

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 questions

Sylvia Earle, a marine botanist and one of the foremost deep-sea explorers, has spent over 6,000 hours, more than seven months, underwater From her earliest years, Earle had an affinity for marine life, and she took her first plunge into the open sea as a teenager In the years since then she has taken part in a number of landmark underwater projects, from exploratory expeditions around the world to her celebrated

“Jim dive” in 1978, which was the deepest solo dive ever made without cable connecting the diver to a support vessel at the surface of the sea

Clothed in a Jim suit, a futuristic suit of plastic and metal armor, which was secured to a manned submarine, Sylvia Earle plunged vertically into the Pacific Ocean, at times at the speed of 100 feet per minute On reaching the ocean floor, she was released from the submarine and from that point her only connection to the sub was an 18-foot tether For the next 2½ hours, Earle roamed the seabed taking notes, collecting 15 specimens, and planting a U.S flag Consumed by a desire to descend deeper still, in 1981 she became involved in the design and manufacture of 20 deep-sea submersibles, one of which took her

to a depth of 3,000 feet This did not end Sylvia Earle’s accomplishments

Question 29: When did Sylvia Earle discover her love of the sea?

A In her childhood

B During her 6,000 hours underwater

C After she made her deepest solo dive

D In her adulthood

Question 30: It can be inferred from the passage that Sylvia Earle _

A is not interested in the scientific aspects of marine research

B is uncomfortable in tight spaces

C does not have technical expertise

D has devoted her life to ocean exploration

Question 31: The author’s opinion of Sylvia Earle is _

Question 32: What will the paragraph following this passage probably be about?

A Sylvia Earle’s childhood

B More information on the Jim suit

C Earle’s achievements after 1981

D How deep-sea submersibles are manufactured

Question 33: The main purpose of this passage is _

A to explore the botany of ocean floor

B to present a short biography of Sylvia Earle

C to provide an introduction to oceanography

D to show the historical importance of the Jim dive

Question 34: Which of the following is not true about the Jim dive?

A It took place in 1981

B Sylvia Earle took notes while on the ocean floor

C It was performed in the Pacific Ocean.

D The submarine that Sylvia Earle was connected to was manned

(ĐỀ THI THỬ SỞ GD&ĐT BẠC LIÊU - LẦN 2)

EXERCISE 6 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

Long before they can actually speak, babies pay special attention to the speech they hear around them Within the first month of their lives, babies' responses to the sound of the human voice will be different from their responses to other sorts of auditory stimuli They will stop crying when they hear a person talking, but not if they hear a bell or the sound of a rattle At first, the sounds that an infant notices might be only those words that receive the heaviest emphasis and that often occur at the ends of

utterances By the time they are six or seven weeks old, babies can detect the difference between syllables pronounced with rising and falling inflections Very soon, these differences in adult stress and intonation can influence babies' emotional states and behavior Long before they develop actual language comprehension, babies can sense when an adult is playful or angry, attempting to initiate or terminate new behavior, and so on, merely on the basis of cues such as the rate, volume, and melody of adult speech

Adults make it as easy as they can for babies to pick up a language by exaggerating such cues One

researcher observed babies and their mothers in six diverse cultures and found that, in all six languages,

the mothers used simplified syntax, short utterances and nonsense sounds, and transformed certain sounds into baby talk Other investigators have noted that when mothers talk to babies who are only a few

months old, they exaggerate the pitch, loudness, and intensity of their words They also exaggerate their

facial expressions, hold vowels longer, and emphasize certain words

More significant for language development than their response to general intonation is observation that tiny babies can make relatively fine distinctions between speech sounds In other words, babies enter the world with the ability to make precisely those perceptual discriminations that are necessary if they are

to acquire aural language

Babies obviously derive pleasure from sound input, too: even as young as nine months they will listen to songs or stories, although the words themselves are beyond their understanding For babies, language is a sensory-motor delight rather than the route to prosaic meaning that it often is for adults

Question 35: What does the passage mainly discuss?

A How babies differentiate between the sound of the human voice and other sounds

B The differences between a baby's and an adult's ability to comprehend language

C How babies perceive and respond to the human voice in their earliest stages of language

development

D The response of babies to sounds other than the human voice

Question 36: Why does the author mention a bell and rattle in paragraph 1?

A To contrast the reactions of babies to human and nonhuman sounds

B To give examples of sounds that will cause a baby to cry

C To explain how babies distinguish between different nonhuman sounds.

D To give examples of typical toys that babies do not like

Question 37: The word “diverse” in paragraph 2 is closest in meaning to _

Question 38: The word “They” in paragraph 2 refers to _

Question 39: The passage mentions of the following as ways adults modify their speech when talking to

their babies EXCEPT _

A giving all words equal emphasis B speaking with shorter sentences

C speaking more loudly than normal D using meaningless sounds

Question 40: What point does the author make to illustrate that babies are born with the ability to acquire

language?

A Babies begin to understand words in songs

B Babies exaggerate their own sounds and expressions

C Babies are more sensitive to sounds than are adults

D Babies notice even minor differences between speech sounds

Question 41: According to the author, why do babies listen to songs and stories, even though they cannot

understand them?

A They understand the rhythm

B They enjoy the sound

C They can remember them easily

D They focus on the meaning of their parents’ words

(ĐỀ THI THỬ SỞ GD&ĐT BẠC LIÊU - LẦN 2)

EXERCISE 7: Read the following passage and mart the letter A, B, C or D on your answer sheet to indicate the correct answer to each of the questions

Fish that live on the sea bottom benefit by being flat and hugging the contours There are two very different types of flatfish and they have evolved in very separate ways The skates and rays, relatives of the sharks have become flat in what might be called the obvious way Their bodies have grown out sideways to form great “wings” They look as though they have been flattened but have remained

symmetrical and “the right way up” Conversely fish such as plaice, sole, and halibut have become flat in

a different way There are bony fish which have a marked tendency to be flattened in a vertical direction; they are much “taller” than they are wide They use their whole vertically flattened bodies as swimming surfaces, which undulate through the water as they move Therefore when their ancestors migrated to the

seabed, they lay on one side than on their bellies However, this raises the problem that one eye was

always looking down into the sand and was effectively useless - In evolution this problem was solved by the lower eye “moving” around the other side We see this process of moving around enacted in the development of every young bony flatfish It starts life swimming near the surface, and is symmetrical and vertically flattened, but then the skull starts to grow in a strange asymmetrical twisted fashion, so that one eye for instance the left, moves over the top of the head upwards, an old Picasso - like vision Incidentally, some species of 20 flatfish settle on the right side, others on the left, and others on either side

Question 42: The word “conversely” is closest in meaning to _

A similarly B alternatively C inversely D contrarily

Question 43: The passage is mainly concerned with _

C symmetrical flatfish D different types of flatfish

Question 44: The author mentions skates and rays as examples of fish that _

A have spread horizontally B become asymmetrical

C resemble sharks D appear to fly

Question 45: The word “this” refer to _

A the migration of the ancestors

B the difficulty of the only one eye being useful

C the problem of the one eye looking downwards

D the practice of lying on one side

Question 46: According to the passage, the ability of a bony flatfish to move its eyes around is _

(ĐỀ THI THỬ SỞ GD&ĐT NINH BÌNH - LẦN 1)

EXERCISE 8:Read the following passage and mart the letter A, B, C or D on your answer sheet to indicate the correct answer to each of the questions

If you enjoy water sports, Hawaii is the place for you You can go swimming all year round in the warm water You can go sport fishing from the shore or from a boat If you like boats, you can go sailing, canoeing, or windsurfing Or, you can also try some other water sports that are especially popular in Hawaii: surfing, snorkeling and scuba diving

Surfing is a sport which started in Hawaii many years ago The Hawaiians called it “he’e nalu”, which means “to slide on a wave” If you want to try surfing, you need, first of all, to be a good swimmer You also have to have an excellent sense of balance You must swim out from the beach with your surfboard under your arm When you get to where the waves begin to break, you wait for a calm moment Then you try to stand up on the board The wave will begin to rise under you You must try to steer the board with your feet so you stay on top of the wave The important thing is to keep your balance and not

fall down If you can manage this, you will have an exciting ride all the way in to the shore

Scuba diving and snorkeling are two ways to get a close look at the beauty lying below the surface

of the ocean The waters off the Hawaiian Islands are clean, clear and warm They contain hundreds of kinds of colorful fish The undersea world is made even more colorful by the coral reefs of red, gold, white and light purple Among these reefs there may be larger fish or sea turtles

Scuba diving allows you to see the most interesting undersea sights “Scuba” means “Self-contained Underwater Breathing Apparatus”, that is, equipment for breathing and swimming around far under water In Hawaii, you can take special courses to learn how to scuba dive After the courses, you can get a

certificate that will allow you to dive alone Since it can be dangerous, proper instruction and great care

are always necessary when you are scuba diving

If you are adventurous, you might try snorkeling instead of scuba diving Less equipment is needed, just a face mask, a breathing tube (snorkel) and flippers for your feet It only takes a few minutes to learn how to snorkel Although you cannot dive deep into the water, you can swim with your face below the surface Breathing through the tube, you float on the surface, and keep yourself moving with your flippers Even from the surface like this, there will be plenty of color and beauty to see

Question 47: Which statement is supported by the information in the passage?

A Snorkeling requires much more equipment and training than scuba diving

B When you are snorkeling you can go deep under water

C Snorkeling involves breathing through the tube, floating on the surface and moving with flippers

D Snorkeling is a sport started in ancient times

Question 48: Which of the following is NOT true about surfing?

A It requires swimmers to have an excellent sense of balance

B It requires expensive equipment

C It was invented by the native Hawaiians

D Anyone who wants to try surfing need to be a good swimmer

Question 49: The water around the Hawaiian Islands is

A often quite cold B full of colorful things to see

C usually very dark D full of dangerous fish

Question 50: According to the passage, scuba diving

A is an ancient Hawaiian water sport B requires good balance

C is the only way to see the fish underwater D requires special equipment and training

Question 51: It can be inferred from the passage that _

A water sports are all expensive

B you need to take serious courses for all water sports

C everyone can find a way to enjoy sports in the water

D swimming in Hawaii can be dangerous

Question 52: The passage is mainly about _

A water sports in Hawaii B water sports around the world

C tourist activities in Hawaii D an adventure under water

Question 53: The word “proper” in paragraph 4 is closest in meaning to _

A informative B appropriate C short and clear D enthusiastic

Question 54: The word “this” in the second paragraph refers to _

A standing on the board B keeping balanced and not falling down

C The wave beginning to rise D staying on top of the wave

(ĐỀ THI THỬ SỞ GD&ĐT NINH BÌNH - LẦN 1)

EXERCISE 9: 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 following questions

People appear to be born to compute The numerical skills of children develop so early and so inexorably that it is easy to imagine an internal clock of mathematical maturity guiding their growth Not long after learning to walk and talk, they can set the table with impressive accuracy – one plate, one knife, one spoon, one fork, for each

of the five chairs Soon they are capable of noting that they have placed five knives, spoons, and forks on the table and, a bit later, that this amounts to fifteen pieces of silverware Having thus mastered addition, they move on to subtraction It seems almost reasonable to expect that if a child were secluded on a desert island at birth and retrieved seven years later, he or she could enter a second-grade mathematics class without any serious problems of intellectual adjustment

Of course, the truth is not so simple This century, the work of cognitive psychologists has illuminated the

subtle forms of daily learning on which intellectual progress depends Children were observed as they slowly grasped or, as the case might be, bumped into concepts that adults that for granted, as they refused, for instance, to concede that quantity is unchanged as water pours from a short stout glass into a tall thin one Psychologists have since demonstrated that young children, asked to count the pencils in a pile, readily report the number of blue or red pencils, but must be coaxed into finding the total

Such studies have suggested that the rudiments of mathematics are mastered gradually, and with effort They have also suggested that the very concept of abstract numbers – the idea of a oneness, a twoness, a threeness that applies to any class of objects - is a prerequisite for doing anything more mathematically demanding than setting a table – is itself far from innate

Question 55 What does the passage mainly discuss?

A Trends in teaching mathematics to children

B The fundamental concepts of mathematics that children must learn

C The development of mathematical ability in children

D The use of mathematics in child psychology

Question 56 It can be inferred from the passage that children normally learn simple counting _.

A when they begin to be mathematically mature

B after they reach second grade in school

C by looking at the clock

D soon after they learn to talk

Question 57 The word “illuminated” is closest in meaning to _

A clarified B accepted C illustrated D lighted

Question 58 According to the passage, when small children were asked to count a pile of red and blue pencils,

they _

A counted the number of pencils of each color

B guessed at the total number of pencils

C counted only the pencils of their favorite color

D subtracted the number of red pencils from the number of blue pencils

Question 59 Which of the following statement would the author LEAST agree with?

A Most people follow the same pattern of mathematical development

B Children learn to add before they learn to subtract

C Children naturally and easily learn mathematics

D Mathematical development is subtle and gradual

(ĐỀ THI THỬ SỞ GD&ĐT HÀ NỘI - LẦN 1)

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 following questions

In the history of technology, computers and calculators were innovative developments They are

essentially different from all other machines because they have a memory This memory stores instructions and information In a calculator, the instructions are the various functions of arithmetic, which are permanently remembered by the machine and cannot be altered or added to The information consists of the numbers which are keyed in

An electronic pocket calculator can perform almost instant arithmetic A calculator requires an input unit to feed in numbers, a processing unit to make the calculation, a memory unit, and an output unit to display the result The calculator is powered by a small battery or by a panel of solar cells Inside is a microchip that contains the memory and processing units and also controls the input unit, which is the keyboard, and the output unit, which is the display

The input unit has keys for numbers and operations Beneath the key is a printed circuit board containing a

set of contacts for each key Pressing a key closes the contacts and sends a signal along a pair of lines in the circuit

board to the processing unit, in which the binary code for that key is stored in the memory The processing unit also sends the code to the display Each key is connected by a different pair of lines to the processing unit, which repeatedly checks the lines to find out when a pair is linked by a key.

The memory unit stores the arithmetic instructions for the processing unit and holds the temporary results that occur during calculation Storage cells in the memory unit hold the binary codes for the keys that have been pressed The number codes, together with the operation code for the plus key, are held in temporary cells until the processing unit requires them

When the equals key is pressed, it sends a signal to the processing unit This takes the operation code - for

example, addition - and the two numbers being held in the memory unit and performs the operation on the two numbers After the addition is done, the result goes to the decoder in the calculator's microchip This code is then sent to the liquid crystal display unit, which shows the result, or output, of the calculation

Question 60 What is the main purpose of the passage?

A To summarize the history of technology

B To explain how a calculator works

C To discuss innovative developments in technology

D To compare computers and calculators with other machines

Question 61 What can be inferred about machines that are not calculators or computers?

A They are older than computers B They are less expensive than computers

C They cannot store information in a memory D They have simple memory and processing units Question 62 The word “innovative” in paragraph 1 could best replaced by _

A revolutionary B complicated C important D recent

Question 63 In what part of the calculator are the processing and memory units?

A The output unit B The solar cells C The battery D The microchip

Question 64 According to the passage, one function of the memory unit is _

A to control the keyboard B to send codes to the display unit

C to alter basic arithmetic instructions D to store temporary results during calculation

Question 65 The word “This” in paragraph 5 refers to _

A the equal key B the plus key C the memory unit D the processing unit Question 66 The word “contacts” in paragraph 3 is closest in meaning to _

Question 67 Which of the following statement is NOT TRUE about calculators?

A Sending codes takes place only in the memory unit of a calculator

B Calculator and computers have a memory

C Calculators require a lot of instructions to operate quickly.

D Pressing a key activates a calculator

(ĐỀ THI THỬ SỞ GD&ĐT HÀ NỘI - LẦN 1)

EXERCISE 11: 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

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 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 68 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 69 The word their in paragraph 3 refers to _

Question 70 What do mentors at Vocation Vacations do?

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

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

Question 71 The word glamorous in paragraph 4 is closest in meaning to _

Question 72 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

(ĐỀ THI THỬ SỞ GD&ĐT HẢI PHÒNG - LẦN 1)

EXERCISE 12: 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

Scientists have identified two ways in which species disappear The first is through ordinary or

“background” extinctions, where species that fail to adapt are slowly replaced by more adaptable life forms The second is when large numbers of species go to the wall in relatively short periods of biological time There have been five such extinctions, each provoked by cataclysmic evolutionary events caused by some geological eruption, climate shift, or space junk slamming into the Earth Scientists now believe that another mass extinction of species is currently under way – and this time human fingerprints are on the trigger

How are we are doing it? Simply by demanding more and more space for ourselves In our assault on the

ecosystems around us we have used a number of tools, from spear and gun to bulldozer and chainsaw Certain especially rich ecosystems have proved the most vulnerable In Hawaii more than half of the native birds are now gone – some 50 species Such carnage has taken place all across the island communities of the Pacific and Indian oceans While many species were hunted to extinction, others

simply succumbed to the „introduced predators’ that humans brought with them: the cat, the dog, the pig,

and the rat

Today the tempo of extinction is picking up speed Hunting is no longer the major culprit, although rare

birds and animals continue to be butchered for their skin, feathers, tusks, and internal organs, or taken as

savage pets Today the main threat comes from the destruction of the habitat of wild plants, animals, and insects need to survive The draining and damming of wetland and river courses threatens the aquatic food chain and our own seafood industry Overfishing and the destruction of fragile coral reefs destroy ocean biodiversity Deforestation is taking a staggering toll, particularly in the tropics where the most global biodiversity is at risk The shinking rainforest cover of the Congo and Amazon river basins and such place as Borneo and Madagascar have a wealth of species per hectare existing nowhere else As those precious hectares are drowned or turned into arid pasture and cropland, such species disappear forever

Source: Final Countdown Practice Tests by D.F Piniaris, Heinle Cengage Learning, 2010

Question 73 What does the passage mainly discuss?

A Human activity and its impact on a mass extinction of species

B The two ways in which species disappear

C The tempo of extinction of species today

D Deforestation as a major cause of mass extinctions of species

Question 74 The word assault in paragraph 2 is closest in meaning to _

Question 75 All of the following are mentioned as a form of habitat destruction EXCEPT

A destroying coral reefs B cutting down forests

C damming wetlands and rivers D hunting rare birds and animals

Question 76 What was the main threat to biodiversity in Hawaii and other islands in the Pacific and

Indian oceans until recently?

A tools used by human beings B human assault on ecosystems

C vulnerable rich ecosystems D hunters and introduced predators

Question 77 The word them in paragraph 2 refers to _

Question 78 Which is no longer considered a major cause of the mass extinction under way currently?

A the building of dams across rivers B the destruction of habitats of species

C the shrinking of rainforests in the tropics D the killing of animals for their body parts

Question 79 The word butchered in paragraph 3 is closest in meaning to _

Question 80 It can be inferred from the passage that _

A the current mass extinction is different from the other five in that it is caused by humans

B hunting is the major contributing factor that speeds up the extinction of species

C habitat destruction makes a minor contribution to the current mass extinction of species

D it’s impossible for scientists to identify the causes of mass extinctions of species

(ĐỀ THI THỬ SỞ GD&ĐT HẢI PHÒNG - LẦN 1)

EXERCISE 13: 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

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'tfrightened 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 81: 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 82: 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 83: 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 84: The word "It" in paragraph 3 refers to

Question 85: What is the writer's main purpose in the passage?

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

(ĐỀ THI THỬ DỰ BỊ SỞ 01)

EXERCISE 14: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

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 86: 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 87: The word "Marring" in paragraph 1 is closest in meaning to _

A spoiling B planting C dividing D replacing

Question 88: Which of the following terms does the author define in the first paragraph?

A weeds B nutrients C wildlife habitats D grazing area

Question 89: 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 90: 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 91: The word "innate" in paragraph 3 is closest in meaning to

Question 92: According to the passage, biological agents mainly consist of

Question 93: 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

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 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 94: 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 95: 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 96: The word “struggles” in line 5 could best be replaced by _

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

Question 97: 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 98: 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

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

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 99: 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 100: The word “Others” used in the first paragraph refers to _

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

Question 101: When scientists studied intelligence and ability in twins, they found that _

A ability depends mainly on intelligence and achievement

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 102: 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 103: 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 104: 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 105: 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 106: 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

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

A Gestures B Signs and signals C Speech D Communication Question 108: The word “it” in paragraph 1 refers to

Question 109: The word “intricate” in paragraph 2 could best be replaced by _

A inefficient B complicated C historical D uncertain

Question 110: 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

Question 111: 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

(ĐỀ THI THỬ DỰ BỊ SỞ 03)

EXERCISE 18: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

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 112: Which of the following is the best title for the passage?

A The eradication of smallpox B The World Health Organization

Question 113: The word “contagious” is closest in meaning to _

Question 114: The global community considered the smallpox _.

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

Question 115: The word “its” in paragraph 2 refers to _

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

Question 116: According to the passage, what way was used to eliminate the spread of smallpox?

A Vaccination of entire villages B Treatment of individual victims

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

Question 117: 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 118: 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 119: 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 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

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

Question 120: What does the passage mainly discuss?

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 121: 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 122: 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 123: The word "undergo" in paragraph 3 is closest in meaning to

A commence B experience C participate in D explore

Question 124: 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 THI THỬ DỰ BỊ SỞ 04)

EXERCISE 20: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

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

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 125: 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 126: 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 127: 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

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 128: 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 129: What is the author's attitude in paragraph 3?

Question 130: 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 131: The word "conquered" in the last paragraph is closest in meaning to

Question 132: 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

(ĐỀ THI THỬ DỰ BỊ SỞ 04)

EXERCISE 21: Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C or D to indicate the correct answer to each of the questions.

It is commonly believed in the United States that school is where people go to get an education

Nevertheless, it has been said that today children interrupt their education to go to school The distinction

between schooling and education implied by this remark is important

Education is much more open-ended and all-inclusive than schooling Education knows no bounds It can take place anywhere, whether in the shower or on the job, whether in a kitchen or on a tractor It includes both the formal learning that takes place in schools and the whole universe of informal learning The agents of

education can range from a revered grandparent to the people debating politics on the radio, from a child to a distinguished scientist Whereas schooling has a certain predictability, education quite often produces

surprises A chance conversation with a stranger may lead a person to discover how little is known of other

religions People are engaged in education from infancy on Education, then, is a very broad, inclusive term It

is a lifelong process, a process that starts long before the start of school and one that should be an integral part

of one's entire life

Schooling, on the other hand, is a specific, formalized process, whose general pattern varies little from one setting to the next Throughout a country, children arrive at school at approximately the same time, take assigned seats, are taught by an adult, use similar textbooks, do homework, take exams, and so on The

slices of reality that are to be learned, whether they are the alphabet or an understanding of the workings of

government, have usually been limited by the boundaries of the subject being taught For example, high school students know that they are not likely to find out in their classes the truth about political problems in their communities or what the newest filmmakers are experimenting with There are definite conditions surrounding the formalized process of schooling

Question 133: What does the author probably mean by using the expression "children interrupt their education to go to school"?

A Going to several different schools is educationally beneficial

B School vacations interrupt the continuity of the school year

C Summer school makes the school year too long

D All of life is an education

Question 134: The word "chance" is closest in meaning to _.

Question 135: The word "an integral" is closest in meaning to _.

A an equitable B a profitable C a pleasant D an essential

Question 136: The word "they" refers to .

A slices of reality B similar textbooks

Question 137: From the passage, we can infer that a high school teacher

A is free to choose anything to teach B is bound to teach programmed subjects

C is not allowed to teach political issues D has to teach social issues to all classes

Question 138: The passage is organized by .

A listing and discussing several educational problemsB contrasting the meanings of two related words

C narrating a story about excellent teacher D giving examples of different kinds of schools

Question 139: The passage supports which of the following conclusions?

A Without formal education, people would remain ignorant

B Education systems need to be radically reformed

C Going to school is only part of how people become educated

D Education involves many years of professional training

Cartoons in the West have been associated with political and social matters for many years In wartime, for example, they proved to be an excellent way of spreading propaganda Nowadays cartoons are often used to make short, sharp comments on politics and governments as well as on a variety of social matters In this way, the modern cartoon has become a very powerful force in influencing people in Europe and the United States Unlike most American and European cartoons, however, many Chinese cartoon drawings in the past have also attempted to educate people, especially those who could not read and write Such cartoons about

the lives and sayings of great men in China have proved extremely useful in bringing education to illiterate and semi-literate people throughout China Confucius, Mencius and Laozi have all appeared in very interesting stories presented in the form of cartoons The cartoons themselves have thus served to illustrate the teachings of the Chinese sages in a very attractive way.

In this sense, many Chinese cartoons are different from Western cartoons in so far as they do not depend

chiefly on telling jokes Often, there is nothing to laugh at when you see Chinese cartoons This is not their

primary aim In addition to commenting on serious political and social matters, Chinese cartoons have aimed

at spreading the traditional Chinese thoughts and culture as widely as possible among the people

Today, however, Chinese cartoons have an added part to play in spreading knowledge They offer a very attractive and useful way of reaching people throughout the world, regardless of the particular country in which they live Thus, through cartoons, the thoughts and teachings of the old Chinese philosophers and sages can now reach people who live in such countries as Britain, France, America, Japan, Malaysia or Australia and who are unfamiliar with the Chinese culture

Until recently, the transfer of knowledge and culture has been overwhelmingly from the West to the East and not vice versa By means of cartoons, however, publishing companies in Taiwan, Hong Kong and Singapore are now having success in correcting this imbalance between the East and the West

Cartoons can overcome language barriers in all foreign countries The vast increase in the popularity of these cartoons serves to illustrate the truth of Confucius's famous saying "One picture is worth a thousand words."

Question 140: Which of the following clearly characterizes Western cartoons?

A Seriousness, propaganda, and attractiveness B Enjoyment, liveliness, and carefulness

C Humor, unexpectedness, and criticism D Originality, freshness, and astonishment

Question 141: Chinese cartoons have been useful as an important means of .

A amusing people all the time B educating ordinary people

C spreading Western ideas D political propaganda in wartime

Question 142: The major differences between Chinese cartoons and Western cartoons come from their

_

A purposes B values C nationalities D styles

Question 143: The pronoun "this" in paragraph 4 mostly refers to _.

A a propaganda campaign B a funny element C a piece of art D an educational purpose

Question 144: The passage is intended to present .

A a description of cartoons of all kinds the world over

B an opinion about how cartoons entertain people

C an outline of Western cartoons and Chinese cartoons

D a contrast between Western cartoons and Chinese cartoons

Question 145: Which of the following could be the best title for the passage?

A An Excellent Way of Spreading Propaganda

B A Very Powerful Force in Influencing People

C Cartoons as a Way of Educating People

D Chinese Cartoons and Western Cartoons

Question 146: Which of the following is most likely the traditional subject of Chinese cartoons?

A The stories and features of the lives of great men the world over

B The illiterate and semi-literate people throughout China

C The philosophies and sayings of ancient Chinese thinkers

D Jokes and other kinds of humor in political and social matters

Question 147: According to the passage, which of the following is true?

A Language barriers restricted cartoons

B Cartoons will replace other forms of writing

C Western cartoons always have a serious purpose

D Cartoons can serve various purposes

(ĐỀ THI THỬ DỰ BỊ SỞ 05)

EXERCISE 23: Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C or D to indicate the correct answer to each of the questions.

Life expectancy is the period of time that a person can expect to live Life expectancy varies greatly between genders and cultures It used to be that women had a lower life expectancy than men (1 in

every 4 women died in childbirth), but now they live an average of four to five years longer than men

Life expectancy has been increasing rapidly over the last centuries With the advent of such modern miracles as sewers, medicine and a greater understanding of how diseases are spread, our life expectancy has increased by 25-30 years

In developing countries like Swaziland, where there is a high HIV/ AIDS rate, life expectancy is

as low as 32.6 years In developed countries like Australia, life expectancy rates are as high as 81 years There are an increasing number of factors which can cancel out the disadvantages you have The one that

we are looking at now is how your career can affect your life expectancy Choosing the wrong career can result in a shorter life!

If you want your career to positively influence your life expectancy, you have to be made of money That's right Rich people in wealthy areas of England and France live 10 years longer than the people in poorer areas Having a successful career has its drawbacks, too if the result of hard work is stress

Stress can lead to a number of psychological disorders such as depression, anxiety, fatigue, tension and aggression These conditions may result in a lack of concentration and an increase in serious injuries at work They can also lead to high blood pressure and heart attacks which seriously affect life expectancy

If you are worried that your job might decrease your life expectancy, you probably need to avoid careers on "dangerous jobs" list such as timber cutters, pilots, construction workers, roofer, truck drivers

So if you don't want to kick the bucket at an early age, choose a career in something other than

timber cutting, but above all, remember to relax

From Pre-Essence Reading by Rachel Lee, Longman

Question 148: According to the passage, which of following is true if you have a successful career?

A Your life expectancy increases by a decade

B.You can afford to exercise and eat well

C You can buy an expensive car

D You can spend most of your day in an office

Question 149: The passage mainly discusses _

A the definition of life expectancy

B the comparison of life expectancy between women and men

C the importance of a successful career

D the effects of a career on one's life expectancy

Question 150: According to the passage, all of the following are true EXCEPT

A our life expectancy has increased by 25-30 years because there are fewer wars nowadays

B in the past, women's life expectancy was lower than that of men

C life expectancy varies greatly depending on genders and cultures

D there has been a dramatic increase in average life expectancy over the last centuries

Question 151: Why does an increase in stress lead to an increase in workplace accidents?

A workers are too busy to observe safety regulations

B workers don't care as much about their jobs

C it leads to a decrease in concentration and depression

D workers like to take sick leave and stay home

Question 152: The word "They" in bold in paragraph 1 refers to _.

Question 153: The phrase "kick the bucket" in the passage is closest in meaning to “ ”.

Question 154: What is the main idea of the 1st paragraph?

A Stress negatively affects life expectancy

B Stress results in lower life expectancy

C Making a bad career choice will make your life shorter

D Life expectancy has increased greatly over the last few centuries

(ĐỀ THI THỬ DỰ BỊ SỞ 06)

EXERCISE 24:Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C or D to indicate the

correct answer to each of the questions.

It can be shown in facts and figures that cycling is the cheapest, most convenient, and most

environmentally desirable term of transport in towns, but such cold calculations do not mean much

on a frosty winter morning The real appeal of cycling is that it is so enjoyable It has none of the difficulties and tensions of other ways of traveling so you are more cheerful after a ride, even though the rush hour

The first thing a non-cyclist says to you is: "But isn't it terribly dangerous?" It would be foolish to deny the danger of sharing the road with motor vehicles and it must be admitted that there are an alarming number of accidents involving cyclists However, although police records indicate that the car driver is often to blame, the answer lies with the cyclist It is possible to ride in such a way as to reduce risks to a minimum

If you decide to join the thousands in Britain who are now returning to cycling as a cheap, satisfying form of transport your first problem will be trying to decide what bike to buy Here are three simple rules for buying a bike:

1 Always buy the best you can afford Of course there has to be a meeting point between

what you would really like and economic reality, but aim as high as you can and you will get the benefit not only when you ride but also if you want to sell Well-made bikes keep the value very well And don't forget to include in your calculations the fact that you'll begin saving money on

fares and petrol the minute you leave the shop

2 Get the best frame, the main structure of the bicycle, for your money as you can Cheap brakes, wheels or gears can easily be replaced by more expensive ones, but the frame sets the

upper limit on any transformation You should allow for the possibility our cycling ambitions will

grow with practice When you begin, the four miles to work may the most you ever dream of, but after a few months a Sunday ride into the country begins to look more and more desirable The best thing is to buy a bike just a little bit better than you think you'll need, and then grow into it Otherwise, try to get a model that can be improved

3.The fit is vital Handlebars and seat height can be adjusted but you must get the right sized frame On the whole it is best to get the largest size you can manage Frame sizes are measured in inches and the usual adult range is from 21 inches to 25 inches, though extreme sizes outside those measurements can be found Some people say if you take four inches off from your inside leg measurement you will end up with the right size of bike The basic principle though is that you should

be able to stand with legs either side of the crossbar (the bar that goes from the handlebars to the seat) with both feet comfortably flat on the ground

Question 155: Which of the following is NOT mentioned in the passage as the advantages of

cycling?

A it's not costly

B it's convenient and psychologically comfortable

C it's good for environment

D it's good for exercise

Question 156: The phrase "coliel callziantions" inparagraph 2 canbest be replacedby .

C unconvincing explanations D cruel suggestions

Question 157: As regards road safety, the author thinks that .

A people who say cycling is dangerous are foolish

B driving is as dangerous as cycling

C cyclists can often avoid accidents by riding with caution

D cyclists are usually responsible for causing accidents

Question 158: The phrase "to be a meeting point" in paragraph 4 is closest in meaning to

Question 159: People who are buying their first bicycle are advised to .

A buy a cheap model to begin with

B get a bicycle which suits their current needs

C buy as big a bicycle as they can afford

D spend as much money on a bicycle as they can

Question 160: After you have been cycling for a few months the author suggests that you will

_

A want to ride only at weekends B want to ride further than you first imagined

C find riding to work every day boring D find cycling in towns less dangerous

Question 161: The word "transformation" in paragraph 5 is closest in meaning to .

Question 162: The author thinks that the main attraction of cycling is .

A the pleasure it gives people B the benefits to people's health

No one knows exactly how far back the Olympic Games go, but some official records date from 776 B.C

The Games took place in August on the plain by Mount Olympus Many thousands of spectators gathered from all parts of Greece, but no married woman was admitted even as a spectator Slaves, women and

dishonoured people were not allowed to compete Records show that the evening of the third day was

devoted to sacrificial offerings to the heroes of the day, and the fourth day, that of the full moon, was set aside as a holy day On the sixth and last day all the victors were crowned with holy garlands of wild olive from a sacred wood So great was the honour that the winner of the foot race gave his name to the year of his victory How their results compared with modern standards, we unfortunately had no means of telling

After an uninterrupted history of almost 1,200 years, the Games were abolished in A D 394

because of their pagan origin It was a great many years before there was another such international athletic

gathering The Greek institution was brought back into existence in 1896 and the first small meeting took place in Athens After the 1908 London Olympics, success was re-established and nations sent their best representatives

Today, the Games are held in different countries in turn The host country provides vast facilities, including a stadium, swimming pools and living accommodation, but competing countries pay their own athletes' expenses Athletic contests are still the main feature, but now many more sports are represented, women compete, the ancient pentathlon, for example, has been modified into a more comprehensive test, and the marathonraces, initiated in 1896, are now a celebrated event

The Olympics start with the arrival in the stadium of a torch, lighted on Mount Olympus by the

sun's rays It is carried by a succession of runners to the stadium The torch symbolizes the continuation of the

ancient Greek athletic ideals, and it burns throughout the Games until the closing ceremony

Question 163: The first Olympic Games took place .

A in the 17th century A.D B certainly before 700 B.0

C over three thousand years D a thousand years ago

Question 164: At the ancient Olympic Games, any competitor had to be _.

Question 165: During the Games, on the evening before the moon was full, .

A sheep and cattle were sacrificed to Zeus

B all the victors were crowned with garlands

C olive branches were gathered from a sacred wood

D the heroes were honoured with sacrificed offerings

Question 166: The word "pagan" (3rd paragraph) is closest in meaning to _.

Question 167: The continuity of the Olympic Games _.

A was broken in the year A.D 1200

B was broken in 1896

C was interrupted for over 1,500 years

D was interrupted for almost 1,200 years

Question 168: The word "continuation" (the last paragraph) is closest in meaning to .

A keep going B a progress C process D marching

Question 169: The modern Olympics compared with the ancient ones are .

A inspired by the same ideas

B more restricted in the variety of events

C different in every respect

D too much concerned with international rivalry

(ĐỀ THI THỬ DỰ BỊ SỞ 07)

EXERCISE 26: Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C or D to indicate the correct answer to each of the questions.

The technology of the North American colonies did not differ strikingly from that of Europe, but in

one respect, the colonists enjoyed a great advantage Especially by comparison with Britain, Americans had a wonderfully plentiful supply of wood

The first colonists did not, as many people imagine, find an entire continent covered by a climax forest Even along the Atlantic seaboard, the forest was broken at many points Nevertheless, all sorts of fine trees abounded, and through the early colonial period, those who pushed westward encountered new forests By the end of the colonial era, the price of wood had risen slightly in eastern cities, but wood was still extremely

abundant.

The availability of wood brought advantages that have seldom been appreciated Wood was a foundation of the economy Houses and all manner of buildings were made of wood to a degree unknown in Britain Secondly, wood was used as fuel for heating and cooking Thirdly, it was used as the source of important industrial compounds, such as potash, an industrial alkali; charcoal, a component of gunpowder; and tannic acid, used for tanning leather

The supply of wood conferred advantages but had some negative aspects as well Iron at that time was produced by heating iron ore with charcoal Because Britain was so stripped of trees, she was unable to exploit her rich iron mines But the American colonies had both iron ore and wood; iron production was encouraged and became successful However, when Britain developed coke smelting, the Colonies did not follow suit because they had plenty of wood and besides, charcoal iron was stronger than coke iron Coke smelting led to technologic innovations and was linked to the emergence of the Industrial Revolution In the early nineteenth century, the former colonies lagged behind Britain in industrial development because their supply of wood led them to cling to charcoal iron

Question 170: What does the passage mainly discuss?

A The advantages of using wood in the colonies

B The effects of an abundance of wood on the colonies

C The roots of the Industrial Revolution

D The difference between charcoal iron and coke iron

Question 171: The word strikingly in the first paragraph is closest in meaning to _.

Question 172: Which of the following is a common assumption about the forests of North America during

the colonial period?

A They contained only a few types of trees

B They existed only along the Atlantic seaboard

C They had little or no economic value

D They covered the entire continent

Question 173: The word "abundant" in paragraph 3 is closest meaning to _-.

A redundant B sufficient C insufficient D plentiful

Question 174: According to the passage, by the end of the colonial period, the price of wood in Eastern cities

A rose quickly because wood was becoming so scarce

B was much higher than it was in Britain

C was slightly higher than in previous years

D decreased rapidly because of lower demand for wood

Question 175:What can be inferred about houses in Britain during the period written about in the

passage?

A They were more expensive than American houses

B They were generally built with imported materials

C They were typically smaller than homes in North America

D They were usually built from materials other than wood

Question 176: Which of the following is NOT mentioned as a source of industrial compounds?

Question 177: According to the passage, why was the use of coke smelting advantageous?

A It led to advances in technology

B It was less expensive than wood smelting

C It produced a stronger type of iron than wood smelting

D It stimulated the demand for wood

to the land was perhaps as much of an evolutionary challenge as was the genesis of life.

What forms of life were able to make such a drastic change in lifestyle? The traditional view of the

first terrestrial organisms is based on megafossils - relatively large specimens of essential whole plants and animals Vascular plants, related to modern seed plants and ferns, left the first comprehensive megafossil record Because of this, it has been commonly assumed that the sequence of terrestrialization reflected the evolution of

10 modern terrestrial ecosystems In this view, primitive vascular plants first colonized the margins of continental waters, followed by animals that fed on the plants, and lastly by the animals that preyed on the plant-eaters Moreover, the megafossils suggest that terrestrial life appeared and diversified explosively near the boundary between the Silurian and the Devonian periods, a little more than 400 million years ago.

Recently, however, paleontologists have been taking a closer look at sediments below this Silurian-

Devonian geological boundary It turns out that some fossils can be extracted from these sediments by putting

the rock in an acid bath The technique has uncovered new evidence from sediments that were deposited near the shores of the ancient oceans - plant microfossils and

microscopic pieces of small animals In many instances, the specimens are less than one-tenth of a millimeter in diameter Although they were entombed in the rocks for hundreds of millions of years, many of the fossils consist

of the organic remains of the organism.

These discovered fossils have not only revealed the existence ofpreviously unknown organisms, but have also pushed back these dates for the invasion of land by multicellular organisms Our view about the nature of the early plants and animal communities are now being revised And with those revisions come new speculations about the first terrestrial life-forms.

Question 178: The word "drastic" is closest in meaning to .

A widespread B radical C progressive D risky

Question 179: According to the theory that the author calls "the traditional view", what was the first form of life to

appear on land?

C Plant-eating animals D Vascular plants

Question 180: According to the passage, what happened about 400 million years ago?

A Many terrestrial life-forms died out.

B.New life-forms on land developed at a rapid rate

C.The megafossils were destroyed by floods.

D Life began to develop in the ancient seas.

Question 181: The word "extracted" is closest in meaning to _.

A located B preserved C removed D studied

Question 182: The word "they" refers to .

Question 183: Which of the following resulted from the discovery of microscopic fossils?

A The time estimate for the first appearance of the terrestrial life forms was revised.

B Old techniques for analyzing fossils were found to have new uses.

C The origins of primitive sea life were explained.

D Assumptions about the locations of ancient seas were changed.

Question 184: With which of the following conclusions would the author probably agree?

A The evolution of terrestrial life was as complicated as the origin of life itself.

B The discovery of microfossils supports the traditional view of how terrestrial life evolved.

C.New species have appeared at the same rate over the cause of the last 400 million years.

D The technology used by paleontologists is too primitive to make accurate determinations about ages of fossils.

of the body as opposed to treatment with drugs.

In the early years of the 20th century there was little specialization in surgery A good surgeon was capable of performing almost every operation that had been advised up to that time Today the situation is different Operations are now being carried out that were not even dreamed of fifty years ago The heart can be

safely opened and its valves repaired Clogged blood vessels can be cleaned out, and broken ones mended or

replaced A lung, the whole stomach, or even part of the brain can be removed and still permit the patient to live comfortable and satisfactory life However, not every surgeon wants to, or is qualified to carry out every type of modern operation.

The scope of surgery has increased remarkably in the past decades Its safety has increased too Deaths from most operations are about 20% of what they were in 1910 and surgery has been extended in many directions, for example to certain types of birth defects in new born babies, and, at the other end of the scale,

to life saving operations for the octogenarian The hospital stay after surgery has been shortened to as little as

a week for most major operations Most patients are out of bed on the day after an operation and may be back

at work in two or three weeks.

Many developments in modern surgery are almost incredible They include replacement of damaged blood vessels with simulated ones made of plastic: the replacement of heart valves with plastic substitutes; the transplanting of tissues such as lens of the eye; the invention of the artificial kidney to clean the blood of

poisons at regular intervals and the development of heart and lung machines to keep patients alive during very

long operations All these things open a hopeful vista for the future of surgery.

One of the most revolutionary areas of modem surgery is that of organ transplants Until a few decades ago, no person, except an identical twin, was able to accept into his body the tissues of another person without reacting against them and eventually killing them Recently, however, it has been discovered that with the use of X-rays and special drugs, it is possible to graft tissues from one person to another which will survive for periods of a year or more Kidneys have been successfully transplanted between non-identical twins Heart and lung transplants have also been reasonably successful.

"Spare parts" surgery, the simple routine replacement of all worn-out organs by new ones, is

still a dream of the future but surgery is ready for such miracles In the meantime, you can be happy if your doctors say to you, "Yes, I think it is possible to operate on you for this condition."

Question 185: Most people are afraid of being operated on .

A in spite of improvements in modem surgery

B because they think modem drugs are dangerous

C because they do not believe they need anaesthetics

D unless it is an emergency operation

Question 186: Surgeons in the early 20th century, compared with modem ones _.

A had less to learn about surgery

B needed more knowledge

C could perform every operation known today

D were more trusted by their patients

Question 187: A patient can still live a comfortable life even after the removal of _.

A his brain

B his lungs

C.a major organ such as the stomach or one lung

D part of the stomach or the whole liver

Question 188: The word "clogged" in the second paragraph is most likely to correspond to .

Question 189: Today, compared with 1910 .

A 20% fewer of all operation patients die

B 20% of all operation patients recover

C operation deaths have increased by 20%

D five times fewer patients die after being operated on

Question 190: Some of the more astonishing innovations in modern surgery include _.

A ear, nose and throat transplants B valve less plastic hearts

C plastic heart valves D leg transplants

Question 191: Which of the following has the same meaning as "vista" in the fourth paragraph?'

A support B prospect C history D visit

Question 192: You can be happy if your surgeon can operate because it means .

A he thinks your condition may be incurable

B he is a good doctor

C he thinks you will survive

D you are getting better already

(ĐỀ THI THỬ DỰ BỊ SỞ 08)

EXERCISE 29: 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 following questions

Bitcoins are a form of virtual currency In other words, they are a type of money that does not exist

in the actual world However, they can be used to purchase actual products and services from real companies

The bitcoin system was created in 2009 by an enigmatic person named Satoshi Nakamoto In fact,

no one is sure if Satoshi Nakamoto is an actual person or a group of people Bitcoins are designed to serve

as an alternative to national currencies, such as dollars and euros They can be used to pay for things

online instead of cash or credit cards When bitcoins are transferred from a buyer to a seller, the transaction is recorded in a public database

Governments are concerned that bitcoins can easily be stolen by hackers It has dawned on them

that they might be used for illegal purposes For example, stolen goods could be purchased without the

government’s knowledge Although more and more companies are beginning to accept bitcoins, the percentage of purchases made using bitcoins is minuscule compared to other online payment methods, such as credit cards Instead, many bitcoin owners simply keep them as an investment since they believe their bitcoins will be more valuable in the future

This may or may not be a wise approach Currently, the value of bitcoins is fluctuating wildly, especially when compared to highly stable national currencies Bitcoin investors are gambling on the

hope that as this high-tech money becomes more widely accepted, its value will soar

(Source: https://www.digitaltrends.com)

Question 193: The word “soar” in paragraph 4 is closest in meaning to

A take effects B rocket C become prevalent D succeed

Question 194: Why are bitcoins of great concern to governments?

A Because bitcoins may be used in illegal transactions

B Because bitcoins will eventually replace national currencies

C Because the value of bitcoins is fluctuating wildly

D Because most of bitcoin owners are hackers

Question 195: The word “they” in paragraph 3 refers to

Question 196: What is the passage mainly about?

A The future of bitcoins in the real world

B An alternative to bitcoins created by Nakamoto

C A new kind of currency in the virtual world

D A way of doing business in the virtual world

Question 197: Which of the following is defined in the passage?

A Credit cards B Bitcoins C Transactions D Public Databases (ĐỀ THI THỬ SỞ GD&ĐT BẮC NINH - LẦN 1)

EXERCISE 30: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 following questions

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 recruitmentsignals Equally important is the fact that the execution of multiple-step tasks is accomplished in a series-parallelsequence 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 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 198: 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 199: The word "rotting" in paragraph 1 is closest in meaning to _

Question 200: All of the following terms are defined in the passage EXCEPT

Question 201: The word "unique" in paragraph 1 is closest in meaning to

Question 202: 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 203: 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 204: 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 205: The word "they" in bold in the last paragraph refers to

(ĐỀ THI THỬ SỞ GD&ĐT BẮC NINH - LẦN 1)

EXERCISE 31: 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

Question 206: What is the passage mainly about?

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 207: The word "them" in paragraph 2 refers to

Question 208: The word "blend" in paragraph 3 mostly means

Question 209: 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 210: 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

(ĐỀ THI THỬ SỞ GD&ĐT HẢI PHÒNG - LẦN 2)

EXERCISE 32: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

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, 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

Question 211: What is the passage mainly about?

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

Question 212: 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 213: The word “their” in paragraph 1 refers to

Question 214: What does the word “statutory” in paragraph 1 mean?

Question 215: 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 216: The word “calls” in paragraph 2 is closest in meaning to

Question 217: Which place has made a patron saint’s day a holiday?

Question 218: 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

(ĐỀ THI THỬ SỞ GD&ĐT HẢI PHÒNG - LẦN 2)

EXERCISE 33: 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

In seventeenth-century colonial North America, all day-to-day cooking was done in the fireplace

By and large, fireplaces were planned for cooking as well as for warmth Those in the Northeast were usually four or five feet high, and in the South, they were often high enough for a person to walk into A heavy timber called the mantel tree was used as a lintel to support the stonework above the fireplace

opening This timber might be scorched occasionally, but it was far enough in front of the rising column

of heat to be safe from catching fire

Two ledges were built across from each other on the inside of the chimney On these rested the ends

of a "lug pole" from which pots were suspended when cooking Wood from a freshly cut tree was used for the lug pole, so it would resist heat, but it had to be replaced frequently because it dried out and charred, and was thus weakened Sometimes the pole broke and the dinner fell into the fire When iron

became easier to obtain, it was used instead of wood for lug poles, and later fireplaces had pivoting metal

rods to hang pots from

Beside the fireplace and built as part of it was the oven It was made like a small, secondary fireplace with a flue leading into the main chimney to draw out smoke Sometimes the door of the oven faced the room, but most ovens were built with the opening facing into the fireplace On baking days (usually once or twice a week) a roaring fire of "oven wood," consisting of brown maple sticks, was maintained in the oven until its walls were extremely hot The embers were later removed, bread dough was put into the oven, and the oven was sealed shut until the bread was fully baked

Not all baking was done in a big oven, however Also used was an iron "bake kettle," which looked like a stewpot on legs and which had an iron lid This is said to have worked well when it was placed in the fireplace, surrounded by glowing wood embers, with more embers piled on its lid

Question 219 Which of the following aspects of domestic life in colonial North America does the

passage mainly discuss?

A the use of iron kettles in a typical kitchen B methods of baking bread

C fireplace cooking D the types of wood used in preparing meals

Question 220 The word "scorched" in the first paragraph is closest in meaning to

Question 221 The word "it" in the first paragraph refers to

C the rising column of heat D the stonework

Question 222 According to the passage, how was food usually cooked in a pot in the seventeenth

century?

A By filling the pot with hot water B By placing the pot directly into the fire

C By putting the pot in the oven D By hanging the pot on a pole over the fire

Question 223 The word "obtain" in paragraph 2 is closest in meaning to _

Question 224 Which of the following is mentioned in paragraph 2 as a disadvantage of using a wooden

lug pole?

A It was made of wood not readily available B It was difficult to move or rotate

C It occasionally broke D It became too hot to touch

Question 225 It can be inferred from paragraph 3 that, compared to other firewood, "oven wood"

produced _

A fewer embers B more heat C lower flames D less smoke

Question 226 According to paragraph 3, all of the following were true of a colonial oven EXCEPT

A It was used to heat the kitchen every day

B The smoke it generated went out through the main chimney

C It was built as part of the main fireplace

D It was heated with maple sticks

(ĐỀ THI THỬ SỞ GD&ĐT NINH BÌNH - LẦN 2)

EXERCISE 34: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

It’s a sound you will probably never hear, a sickened tree sending out a distress signal But a group

of scientists has heard the cries, and they think some insects also hear the trees and are drawn to them like

vulture to a dying animal Researchers with the US Department of Agriculture’s Forest Service fastened sensors to the bark of drought-stricken trees clearly heard distress calls According to one of the scientists,

most parched trees transmit their plight in the 50-hertz to 50-kilohertz range (The unaided human ear

can detect no more than 20 kilohertz) Red oak, maple, white pine, and birch all make slightly different sounds in the form of vibrations at the surface of the wood

The scientists think that the vibrations are created when the water columns inside tubes that run along the length of the tree break, a result of too little water following through them These fractured columns send out distinctive vibration pattems Because some insects communicate at ultrasonic frequencies, they may pick up the trees' vibration and attack the weakened trees Researchers are now running tests with potted trees that have been deprived of water to see if the sound is what attracts the insects “Water-stressed trees also smell differently from other trees, and they experience thermal changes, so insects could be responding to something other than sound”, one scientist said

Question 227 Which of the following is the main topic of the passage?

A The sound made by trees B The vibrations produced by insects

C The effect of insects on trees D The mission of the U.S Forest Service

Question 228 The word “them” in the first paragraph refers to

Question 229 The word “parched” in paragraph 1 is closest in meaning to

Question 230 All the following are mentioned as possible factors in drawing insects to weakened trees

EXCEPT

A sounds B changes in colours C smells D thermal changes Question 231 Which of the following could be considered a cause of the trees’ distress signals?

(ĐỀ THI THỬ SỞ GD&ĐT NINH BÌNH - LẦN 2)

EXERCISE 35: 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

For many American university students, the weeklong spring break holiday means an endless party

on a sunny beach in Florida or Mexico In Panama City Beach, Florida, a city with a permanent population of around 36,000, more than half a million university students arrive during the month of March to play and party, making it the number one spring break destination in the United States A weeklong drinking binge is not for anyone, however, and a growing number of American university students have found a way to make spring break matter For them, joining or leading a group of volunteers to travel locally or internationally and work to show problems such as poverty, homelessness,

or environmental damage makes spring break a unique learning experience that university students can

feel good about Students who participate in alternative spring break projects find them very rewarding

While most university students have to get their degrees before they can start helping people, student volunteers are able to help people now On the other hand, the accommodations are far from glamorous Students often sleep on the floor of a school or spend the week camping in tents But students only pay around $250 for meals and transportation, which is much less than some of their peers spend to travel to more traditional spring break hotspots

Alternative spring break trips appear to be growing in popularity at universities across the United

States Students cite a number of reason for participating Some appreciate the opportunity to socialize

and meet new friends Others want to exercise their beliefs about people’s obligation to serve humanity and make the world a better place Whatever their reason, these students have discovered something that gives them rich rewards along with a break from school work

Question 232 What is the passage mainly about?

A Students’ travelling preferences B A traditional approach to spring breaks

C American students’ social life D Students’ alternative spring breaks

Question 233 How many university students travel to Panama Beach City every March for spring break?

A Around 10,000 B Around 36,000 C Around 500,000 D Around 50,000

Question 234 The word “cite” in paragraph 2 probably means

Question 235 The word “them” in paragraph 1 refers to _

Question 236 Which of the following is NOT mentioned as a problem that alternative spring break trips

try to help solve?