PHẦN 2: ĐỌC HIỂU - VSTEP

Thời gian: 60 phút

Số câu hỏi: 40

Link điền form: https://forms.gle/GQbrKj9kaVVb15dE9

Directions: In this section of the test, you will read FOUR different passages, each followed
by 10 questions about it. For questions 1-40, you are to choose the best answer A, B, C, or
D for each question. Then, on your answer sheet, find the number of the question and fill in
the space that corresponds to the letter of the answer you have chosen. Answer all
questions following a passage on the basis of what is stated or implied in that passage.

You have 60 minutes to answer all the questions, including the time to transfer your answers
to the answer sheet.

PASSAGE 1 - Questions 1-10

The influx of Americans into Oregon in the 1840s ignited a dispute between Britain and the
United States that, in its more intemperate phases, was accompanied by shrill demands in
both countries for war. The argument originated in the fact that the boundaries of Oregon
had never been clearly fixed.

The name vaguely embraced the territory west of the Rockies between the northern
boundary of Mexican-held California and the southern edge of Russian-held Alaska, which at
the time extended south to parallel 54° 40', In 1818, when America proposed a boundary at
the 49th parallel an extension of the border with Canada that already existed east of the
Rockies and the British suggested a line farther south, statesmen of both nations avoided
the resulting impasse by agreeing to accept temporary "joint occupancy”.

But by the early 1840s, the issue could no longer be avoided: Oregon fever and Manifest
Destiny had become potent political forces. Though many eastem Americans considered
Oregon country too remote to become excited about, demands for its occupation were
shouted with almost religious fervor. Senator Thomas Hart Benton, for one, urged Congress
to muster "thirty or forty thousand American rifles beyond the Rocky Mountains that will be
our effective negotiators”.

The Democratic Party made "54°40’ or fight", an issue of the 1844 Presidential election and
just managed to install James K. Polk, an ardent expansionist, in the White House. But
despite their seeming intransigence, neither Polk nor the British government wanted to fight.
And just about the time that Polk learned that the land lying north of the 49 parallel was
useless for agriculture, the British decided the American market for goods was worth far
more than Oregon's fast- dying fur trade. So they quietly settled for the 49" parallel, the
boundary that the United States had proposed in the first place.

1, What is the main idea of this passage?

A. The disagreement over the boundaries of Oregon was peacefully solved.
B, The United States wanted more land than it needed.
C. Politicians in 1840 favored war with Britain.
D. The United States ended up by sharing Oregon with Canada.
2. The word "intemperate" in the passage is closest in meaning to, .
A. untimely
B. initial
C. immoderate
D. uninformed
3. As used in the passage, the word "fixed" is closest in meaning to :
A. repaired
B. adjusted
C. built
D. established
4. The word "remote" in the passage is closest in meaning to__.
A. far away
B. dangerous
C. large
D. uninteresting
5. The confrontation with Britain over Oregon boundaries came to a head in the early
1840s for all the following reasons EXCEPT. :
A. more people were living in Oregon at that time
B. the expansionists made the situation a political issue
C. all people were united in favoring the expansion and settlement of Oregon
D. Manifest Destiny was a major political force at this time
6. The word "ardent" in the passage is closest in meaning to__.
A. superficial
B. enthusiastic
C. old
D. moderate
7. The word "they" in the passage refers to__.
A. the Americans
B. the British and the Americans
C. the British
D. the Democratic Party
8. It can be inferred from the passage that Senator Thomas Hart Benton.
A. was a temperate man
B. supported the occupation of Oregon by force
C. felt negotiation was the best policy
D. proposed and approved the final boundary decision
9. The 49th parallel was accepted by both parties in the border dispute for all of the
following reasons EXCEPT__.
A. the dying fur trade in Oregon
B, the attraction of the American market for goods
C. the condition of the land north of 49°
D. the desire for a good fight
10. It can be inferred from the passage that in the final boundary, settlement the
United States__.
A. got the land that it had originally demanded
B, got less land than it had originally demanded
C. got more land than it had originally demanded
D, had no interest in the land involved in the dispute
PASSAGE 2 - Questions 11-20
For all their great diversity of shapes and sizes, glaciers can be divided into two essential
types: valley glaciers, which flow downhill from mountains and are shaped by the
constraints of topography, and ice sheets, which flow outward in all directions from
domelike centers of accumulated ice to cover vast expanses of terrain. Whatever their type,
most glaciers are remnants of great shrouds of ice that covered the earth eons ago. In a few
of these glaciers the oldest ice is very ancient indeed; the age of parts of the Antarctic sheet
may exceed 500,000 years.

Glaciers are born in rocky wombs above the snow line, where there is sufficient winter
snowfall and summer cold for snow to survive the annual melting. The long gestation period
of a glacier begins with the accumulation and gradual transformation of snowflakes. Soon
after they reach the ground, complex snowflakes are reduced to compact, roughly spherical
ice crystals, the basic components of a glacier. As new layers of snow and ice, snow that
survives the melting of the previous summer, accumulate, they squeeze out most of the air
bubbles trapped within and between the crystals below. This process of recrystallization
continues throughout the life of the glacier.

The length of time required for the creation of glacier ice depends mainly upon the
temperature and the rate of snowfall. In Iceland, where snowfall is heavy and summer
temperatures are high enough to produce plenty of meltwater, glacier ice may come into
being in a relatively short time say, ten years. In parts of Antarctica, where snowfall is scant
and the ice remains well below its melting temperature year-round, the process may require
hundreds of years. The ice does not become a glacier until it moves under its own weight,
and it cannot move significantly until it reaches a critical thickness the point at which the
weight of the piled-up layers overcomes the internal strength of the ice and the friction
between the ice and the ground. This critical thickness is about 60 feet. The fastest moving
glaciers have been gauged at not much more than two and a half miles per year, and some
cover less than 1/100 inch in that same amount of time, But no matter how infinitesimal the
flow, movement is what distinguishes a glacier from a mere mass of ice.

11. This passage mainly discusses__

A. the size and shape of glaciers
B. the formation of glaciers
C. why glaciers move
D. two types of glaciers
12. The word "constraints" in the passage is closest in meaning to. :
A. restrictions
B. height
C. beauty
D. speed
13. Why does the author mention the Antarctic ice sheet in the first paragraph?
A. It is a slow-moving glacier.
B, One would expect glaciers in this part of the world.
C. It contains some of the oldest ice in existence.
D. It is an example of a well-formed ice sheet.
14, In order to describe the development of glaciers, the author uses the analogy of__.
A. birth
B, snowflakes
C. crystals
D. Iceland
15. The phrase "this process" in the passage refers to___.
A. air bubbles being trapped below
B, snow and ice compressing the ice crystals
C. formation of ice from snow that is about to melt
D. melting of summer snow
16. The word "trapped" in the passage is closest in meaning
A. enclosed
B. hunted
C. formed
D. stranded
17. According to the passage, what is one of the differences between valley glaciers
and ice sheets?
A. Ice sheets move faster than valley glaciers.
B. While valley glaciers flow downhill, ice sheets flow in all directions.
C. Valley glaciers are thicker than ice sheets because of the restricting land formations
D. Valley glaciers are not as old as ice sheets.
18, What does "it" in the passage refer to
A. glacier
B. weight
C. ice
D. critical thickness
19. The word "significantly" in the passage is closest in meaning to, .
A. quickly
B, naturally
C. thoroughly
D. notably
20. According to the passage, the characteristic that identifies a giacieris___.
A. the critical thickness of the ice
B, the amount of ice accumulated
C. the movement of the ice
D, the weight of the ice

PASSAGE 3 - Questions 21-30

Pottery refers to dishes, plates, cups and cooking pots made out of clay. Chinese pottery
was invented during the Neolithic period (5,000-2,200 BC) and it was molded by hand.
Before this time, people had been nomadic, making it difficult to carry heavy, breakable
pieces of pottery. At first, pottery was made by pushing a hole into a ball of clay or by taking
a piece of clay and coiling it up into a pot shape. Many early pots were simple lumps of clay.
However, people later discovered that clay, when placed in an open fire, hardened. This
technique, known as firing, soon became common practice in pottery production.

People used pottery as a way of forming their social identity or showing who they were and
how they were different from other people. Many of the designs that were used on pottery
were usually borrowed from those already found on clothing and garments. The decoration
of pottery began with simple incisions, which were later painted on. Gradually, plants,
animals, and human figures were included on the vases. Mythological scenes were common
as were dancers, musicians, and images from everyday life.

[A] Pottery also has roots in ancient China where, for centuries, people produced black,
carved, and painted pieces from rough clay. It was in the Sui dynasty, however, that the
aesthetics of pottery took a major leap forward. [B] Potters began experimenting with
porcelain and the effect was a stunning, shiny new look and feel for Chinese ceramics. [C]
This gleaming pottery became popular not only in China, but in West Asia as well. [D]
Inevitably, this led to a new market for cheap imitations.

After 1,200 AD, Chinese potters began using different colored glazes to create designs on
their pots. Chinese pottery was sill the best and most expensive. After thousands of years of
advancements in technique and materials, painted porcelain such as blue and white, tri-
color, and under-glazed became successfully produced.

The Chinese often used pottery as part of the burial ritual; bronze vessels were decorated
with elaborate designs of plants and animals. In Chinese culture, jade symbolizes nobility,
perfection, and immortality. Jade utensils were laid over the deceased and some were
placed In the mouth or enclosed In the hand. Liquids were placed In the vessels to help the
dead in their afterlife and also to aid In funerary ceremonies in which the living
communicated with deceased ancestors and gods in an altered state of consciousness after
drinking fermented beverages.

Such vessels containing liquids have been excavated at centers near the Yellow River,
especially from burials of elite, eminent individuals, Many pottery fragments and figurines
have also been discovered in the Chang Jiang drainage area.

Pottery can be divided into three groups: those designed for storage, those for preserving or
holding liquids, and those for special uses. The Greeks made pottery for many purposes.
The custom of burning their dead involved using vases to collect the ashes. Some pottery
served as decorative pieces, while others were used for ceremonies or during religious
festivals. Amphoras were larger vessels used to store liquids such as water or wine.
Amphoras have occasionally been found in ancient shipwrecks; some held wine and others
were shipped empty after selling their contents off to other countries. The Alabastron had
special uses such as holding perfume or oil. The Skyphes, a flat-bottomed bowl, was used
as a drinking cup.

Grecian soil had many deposits of clay near rivers. This abundance of raw material was
not available to others, giving the Greeks a strategic advantage in manufacturing
material. They made full use of clay. After its discovery, vessels were made in a wide range
of sizes and shapes. Jugs, vases, fruit bowls, and feeding bottles were widely used in
homes. Although some larger vessels were made of stone, glass, or metal, clay was by far
the most prominent.

The ancient Egyptians used pottery and ceramic art for burial purpose. Four vases were
sometimes deposited with the mummified body, A large number of vases which have been
recovered had been buried with the dead in tombs. Some vases are found hanging or
standing upright in the tomb. They appear to have been valued by the deceased, hence
leaving them for burial in the tomb.

21. According to paragraph 1, which of the following statements is true of early

pottery?
A. The first pots were made of hardened clay.
B. The nomadic nature of man before the Neolithic period prevented the widespread use of
pottery.
C. Pottery was invented as a way of storing fresh fish and meats.
D, It was not possible to fashion clay into shapes for pottery.
22. The word "incisions" in the passage is closest in meaning to.
A figures
B. squares
C. paintings
D.cuts
23. Which of the following can be inferred from paragraph 2 about pottery designs?
A. Designs helped the pot to stay together and not break.
B. The designs on pottery reflected the culture of those who made them.
C. Three basic techniques to produce pottery vessels have been used around the world.
D. Pot design was imaginative and unique in every example.
24. The word "gleaming" in the passage is closest in meaning to,
A. shiny
B. dull
C. delicate
D. soft
25. According to the passage, whose pottery was regarded as the most valuable?
A. Japanese
B. Egyptian
C. Chinese
D. Greek
26. The author mentions "jade" in the passage in order to__.
A. demonstrate how stone could be carved into pottery
B. give an example of the use of expensive material in burials
C. show how different cultures value different materials
D. explain the difficulties in mining a stone for pottery
27. The word "deceased" in the passage is closest in meaning to. :
A sick
B. dying
C. dead
D. diseased
28. Which of the following best expresses the essential information in the highlighted
sentence? Incorrect answer choices change the meaning in important ways or leave
out essential information.
A. The use of substantial amounts of clay in Greece resulted in a culture rich in pottery.
B, The ancient Greeks had a more advanced way to construct pottery.
C. Pottery making was harder for the ancient Greeks, but pottery was important to them for
storage.
D. Pottery was very convenient and useful because the raw material, clay, was abundant
and simple to shape and fire In Greek.
29. According to the passage, which of the following was NOT a use of pottery?
A. storing wine
B. ceremonial offerings
C. holding ashes
D. cooking
30. Look at the four squares {_} that indicate where the following sentence can be
added to the passage.

However, it was very expensive there because it had to be carried from China on camels
and donkeys.

Where would the sentence best fit?

A.[A]
B.[B]
C.[C]
D.[D]

PASSAGE 4 — Questions 31-40

Louis Pasteur was arguably the greatest biologist of the 19th century. His immense
contributions were among the most varied and beneficial in the field of science and industry.
Pasteur’s methods of conducting experiments illustrated brilliance, which started when he
studied the crystal structure. He observed that tartrate, when created in a laboratory, was
optically inactive. This is different from the tartrate from grapes because the artificial tartrate
is composed of two optically asymmetric crystals, Pasteur succeeded in unraveling the
asymmetric crystals from each other and showed that each regained optical activity.

He then theorized that living organisms only produce molecules that are of one specific
objective and that these molecules are active at all times. This experiment contradicted
*Mitscherlich’ who had observed only a single type of crystal. Later in his career, Pasteur
was approached by the parent of one of his students, regarding a contamination problem in
alcoholic fermentation. At the time, fermentation leading to the making of wine, or beer was
thought to be a simple breakdown of sugar to the favored molecules. Yeast cells were
believed to be either a useful ingredient in maintaining or simply a product of fermentation.

The manufacturers of alcohol were having economic problems related to fermentation. Wine
would suddenly turn sour or into vinegar, or the quality and taste of beer would suddenly
change. Therefore, the producers would have to start anew. Pasteur proved that yeast was
an organism which did not necessitate oxygen for fermentation to occur. This proved to
Justin Von Liebig, who had upheld that fermentation was purely chemical, that he was
incorrect.

Pasteur was able to prove that the yeast was responsible for forming alcohol from sugar and
that contaminating microorganisms turned the fermentations. Over the years, he segregated
the organisms that were responsible for normal fermentations when producing wine or beer.
He demonstrated that if he heated them to mild temperatures, this would kill the
microorganisms and prevent souring. This was a major discovery and Pasteur showed
brewers how to refine the right organisms for good beer. He proposed that heating milk to a
high temperature before bottling it would prevent souring. This is now known as
pasteurization.

All this had given Pasteur an iconic status throughout the world. After his research on
fermentation, he refuted the principle of spontaneous generation. The theory that maggots,
beetles and microbes could arise spontaneously from matter had always been a matter of
speculation. Pasteur carried out ingenious experiments wiping out every argument in favor
of spontaneous generation. In his famous experiment using the ‘swan neck flask’,
fermented juice was put in a flask and after sterilization, the neck was heated, (this rescaled
the neck of swan), The end of the net Was then Sees If the flask was opened by pinching off
the end of air would enter but dust would get trapped on the inside of the neck which was
wet. The fluid, however, would still be germ free. If the flask was tipped over allowing the
juice to touch the inside of the neck, microorganisms would grow instantly.

Pasteur’s work with silkworm parasites and germs led to the proposal of the germ theory of
disease. After visiting the hospital wards, he became more aware of the infections
being spread by physicians from sick patients to the healthy patients. He compelled
doctors to disinfect their instruments by boiling and steaming them. Surgeons were told to
wash their hands and use disinfectant. At the time, countries were suffering from anthrax,
which is a disease that affects cattle. He believed it was possible that If the animals were
intentionally infected with a very mild case of the disease, this may be enough to prevent
them from getting the disease later on. To prove this, he needed to test his theory on live
animals.

[A] They recovered and, when placed with cattle that did have the disease, they remained
immune. [B] Pasteur's last major research success was the development of a vaccine
against rabies. [C] Institutes were built and people were treated for the disease in them.
Pasteur was a national hero in France. [D] He died in 1895 and was given a state
funeral.

31. The word “inactive” in the passage is closest in meaning to

A. motionless
B. occupied
C. dangerous
D. reactive
32. According to paragraph 2, what evidence contradicted the previous beliefs of
‘Mitscherlich’?
A. Proof of the process of fermentation
B, Molecules being active at all times
C. Observed only a single type of crystal
D. Molecules produce all living organisms
33. According to Pasteur’s experiments, what did he prove to be true?
A. The wine would change to vinegar because of fermentation.
B, Microorganisms were present in all alcoholic drinks.
C. Yeast was an organism that did not need oxygen to work.
D. The fermentation was a purely chemical process.
34. The word "necessitate" in the passage is closest in meaning to .
A. facilitate
B, require
C. produce
D. consume
35. According to paragraph 5, what did Pasteur publicly refute?
A. That fermentation contributed to spontaneous generation
B. That bottle-neck glasses can keep things germ-free
C. That maggots can form suddenly from matter without warning
D. That flies were created from the maggots on dead meat
36. Why does the author describe Pasteur's ‘swan neck flask’ experiment in the
passage?
A. To explain the method of scientific experimentation
B. To demonstrate the correct way to do a scientific experiment
C. To show how microbes contribute to spontaneous generation
D. To illustrate exactly how Pasteur determined his findings
37. The word "ingenious" in the passage is closest in meaning to :
A. original
B. tremendous
C. controlled
D. significant
38. Which of the following best expresses the essential information in the highlighted
sentence? Incorrect answer choices change the meaning in important ways or leave
out essential information.
A. Most patients became sick from being infected by doctors in the emergency room.
B. Hospital wards had become dirty and dangerous places due to the lack of proper training
and space.
C. Pasteur learned that infections could be transmitted to healthy patients from dirty, non-
sterile instruments doctors had used: on previous patients.
D. Healthy patients could become infected by sick people, simply by the shake of a hand or
sharing a drink.
39. According to the passage, which method was NOT used in Pasteur's experiments?
A. Sealed bottles under observation
B. Disinfection of materials and instruments
C. Heating to mild temperatures
D. Going into animal experimentation known to be scientifically unsound
40. Look at the four squares [_] that indicate where the following sentence can be
added to the passage.

Pasteur was successful in producing a safe version of anthrax bacteria which he then
injected into a population of cows.

Where would the sentence best fit?

A.[A]
B.[B]
C.[C]
D.[D]
 THIS IS THE END OF THE READING PAPER.
NOW PLEASE SUBMIT
YOUR TEST PAPER AND YOUR ANSWER SHEET.