Full name: ……………………………………………….

Mark:
Class: …………………………………………………….
School: …………………………………………………
FIRST SEMESTER TEST 1
Duration: 60 minutes
I. LISTENING (2.5 points)

TASK 1 Listen to the conversation between a student and an interviewer. Circle the best
answer A, B, or C. You will listen TWICE.

1. When did Kim and Mr Lee meet for the first time?
A. Before they wrote to each other about environmental issues.
B. After communicating with each other via email.
C. In the previous important interview.
2. Why did Kim get chosen for the interview?
A. She had applied many times before.
B. She was one of the few candidates that applied.
C. She was passionate about environmental issues.
3. Why does Kim care about the environment?
A. Because she grew up in a polluted area.
B. Because she loves the beach.
C. Because she knows how to positively affect our environment.
4. What happens to Kim’s clean-up campaign?
A. She still joins on weekends.
B. She is still the organiser.
C. It’s still going strong without her.
5. What is Kim’s plan after joining our organisation?
A. She wants to tackle a different bigger issue.
B. She wants to continue her programme in Khanh Hoa.
C. She wants to organise a national clean-up programme.
TASK 2 Listen to some information about global warming and complete a student’s note.
Write NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS AND/ OR A NUMBER in each blank.

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 You will listen TWICE.

Student’s note
GLOBAL WARMING

● Global temperature has risen (1) ___________ Celsius every decade.

● Caused by human activities such as (2) __________________.

● About (3) ___________ per cent of people over 55 considered global warming the top
priority.

● Some elderly people think it’s unnecessary to change their environmentally unfriendly
(4) ___________.

● More and more (5) ____________________ have introduced policies to limit global
warming.

II. READING (2.5 points)

TASK 1 Read the passage. Circle the best answer A, B or C to each of the
questions.

Carbon footprint is one of the main contributors to global warming. As mentioned

in the media, members of the public are widely advised to reduce their carbon
footprint and the specific steps to cut it down can be followed easily.
First, carbon dioxide is largely emitted from fossil fuel combustion in
transportation, so people can shift away from petro used cars to eco-friendly
vehicles running on electricity or clean ethanol. Driving less is another way to
lessen a significant amount of exhaust fumes. It’s encouraged to ride electric bikes
to work for short distances and take a train or a bus for long journeys. Second,
lowering energy waste at home can make a big difference. Considering household
appliances like lights or TVs, when they are not in use, homeowners should switch
off them and better to remove their plugs from the sockets to save more energy.
According to a report, homeowners can save between $100 and $200 each year by
doing so. In addition, it’s wasteful to set your fridge and freezer temperatures lower
than necessary, staying between 35° and 38°F to keep fresh food and 0 degrees for
freezers. Last but not least, about 268 million tons of trash a year is produced by the
U.S. Reducing energy consumption by recycling, therefore, can help slash
greenhouse gas emissions substantially. Besides, shoppers should take reusable bags

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 or canvas to the stores and avoid single-use containers.
In short, through these simple tips and concerted efforts, this environmental issue is
no longer pressing.

1. What is the passage mainly about?

A. Easy ways to reduce the negative impacts of global warming.
B. Carbon emissions originating from the households.
C. Intelligent ways to consume environmentally friendly products.
D. Certain tips to lower people’s carbon footprint.
2. What does the word they in line 11 mean?
A. Sockets.
B. Homeowners.
C. Household appliances.
D. Sources of energy.
3. According to the passage, why should people choose to use more green vehicles?
A. To contribute to the reduction in exhaust fumes.
B. To help reduce traffic congestion in the rush hour.
C. To lower the cost of energy.
D. To ensure their safety when travelling for long distances.
4. Which of the following statements is NOT given in the passage?
A. The ideal temperatures to keep food fresh in the fridge.
B. The number of trash generated by Americans.
C. The prices of reusable bags or bottles.
D. The amount of money people can save when turning off household appliances.
5. Which of the following is TRUE about the passage?
A. The public isn’t responsible for reducing their environmental impact.
B. Driving less means getting rid of all the petrol cars.
C. Customers had better buy products made from plastic materials.
D. Unplugging the TV after watching programmes can help you put aside more
money.
TASK 2 Complete the reading passage. Write ONE suitable word in each blank.

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 In many metropolitan areas, city planners are drawing up construction plans to turn
their residence (1) ___________ smart liveable cities. Besides applying the latest
technological advances, adopting a green lifestyle is regarded as an important factor
of their designing projects. For instance, Bristol in England now has a lot of cycle
lanes separated from the traffic, and the city council have been (2) ___________
possible measures to improve safety and facilities with the aim of becoming a cycle-
friendly city in the future. Korean Songdo District is another example. (3)
___________ of using rubbish trucks, it has a modern central rubbish collecting
system that sucks waste out of each home. In this central depository, waste (4)
___________ automatically treated, sorted and recycled efficiently. This contributes
to creating a sustainable and eco-friendly community. In Singapore, growing
vegetables in rooftop gardens is an option that can solve the problem of lack of (5)
___________. This intelligent form of urban agriculture can meet citizens’ need of
eating clean food and help prettify tall buildings there.

III. WRITING (2.5 points)

TASK 1 For each question, complete the second sentence so that it means the same
as the first. Use the word in brackets and do not change it. Write NO
MORE THAN FIVE WORDS.
Example:
0. I started taking a fitness course two months ago.
I _______________ a fitness course for two months. (TAKEN)
Answer: 0. have taken

1. Mary last fiercely argued with her parents when she was in high school. (HAS)
Mary ____________________ argument with her parents since she was in high school.
2. Sam isn’t interested in preparing for the ASEAN competition. (MAKING)
____________________ the ASEAN competition doesn’t interest Sam.
3. Many students were concerned about climate change, so they decided to take part in this
environmental campaign. (CONCERNED)
____________________, many students decided to take part in this environmental
campaign.
4. Due to their reduction in the use of plastic items, the family was honoured in their own
community. (REDUCING)
____________________ items, the family was honoured in their own community.
5. Could you put away those documents over there? (MIND)

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 Would ____________________ those documents over there?
TASK 2 Write a proposal (120-150 words) for a new recycling programme at your
school.
You can use the following questions as cues.
- How is the recycling system at your school?
- What are the benefits of recycling at schools?
- What does the school do?
- What do students do?

IV. LANGUAGE FOCUS (2.5 points)

TASK 1 Choose the word with a different way of pronunciation in the underlined part.
Circle A, B, C or D.

1. A. composer B. compliment C. community D. condition

2. A. digital B. liveable C. interactive D. recipe
Choose the word which has a different stress pattern from that of the others.
Circle A, B, C or D.
3. A. ingredient B. argument C. family D. energy
4. A. bacteria B. pedestrian C. temperature D. diameter
TASK 2 Choose the best option to complete each sentence. Circle A, B, C or D.

1. Wanting to strengthen the relation between countries, all the representatives support the new
____________.
A. order B. responsibility C. contribution D. proposal
2. ____________ differences exist between children and their parents, children and their
grandparents, and between students and their teachers.
A. Generation B. Gender C. Gap D. Bridge
3. ____________ natives are seen as people born after the Internet was developed in the early
’80s.
A. Electronic B. Old C. Digital D. Young
4. City dwellers are able to lead an increasingly active lifestyle thanks to more ____________
services for everyday life.
A. room B. poor C. exciting D. convenient

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5. The city power grid operates ____________ every day thanks to many technicians.
A. efficient B. efficiently C. efficiency D. efficiencies
6. The doctor advised us to ____________ salt and sugar. We should also do exercise and eat
more green vegetables.
A. cut away B. cut off C. cut down on D. cut out
TASK 3 Fill each blank with the correct form of the verb in brackets.

1. Tom is upset because he ____________ (have to) finish all the homework before playing
football with his friends.
2. Joe apologised for ____________ (not submit) his assignment on time.

3. ____________ (support) by his family, Daniel takes part in the student exchange
programme.
4. ____________ (celebrate) one’s culture is the intention of this week’s event.

5. One of the consequences of overusing fossil fuels is _________ (increase) the global
temperature.
6. I got a Singapore scholarship last semester. Since then, I ___________ (try) to maintain
my good academic records to retain it.
7. Handing out leaflets, the environmentalists encouraged people ___________ (use) public
transportation.
8. My mom __________ (look) tired. She has been doing housework for 2 hours.

9. Finn _________ (suffer) from a sprained ankle after doing star jumps last night.

10. The cycle path _________ (become) unusable since the rain started yesterday.

KEY
I. LISTENING
TASK 1
1. B 2. C 3. A 4. C 5. C
Script:
Mr Lee: Hello, Kim. Sorry for being late. Have you been waiting long?
Kim: It’s alright, Mr Lee. I’ve just arrived.
Mr Lee: It’s great to finally meet you in person after communicating via email for so
long.
Kim: It’s an honour to be interviewed by you. My dream has always been volunteering
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 for an international organisation.
Mr Lee: As you know, our programme is very popular. You stand out among other
candidates thanks to your passion for environmental issues. Can you tell me
where that’s coming from?
Kim: Growing up in the coastal town of Khanh Hoa, I saw the negative impact of
human activities on our environment. The beach near my house looked and smelt
awful and the shore was covered with waste. Then I realised that I had to do
something to save the beach landscape.
Mr Lee: You organised some clean-up activities in your community, right?
Kim: We used to pick up trash along the beach at weekends. Although I’m no longer
the organiser, the campaign is still going strong.
Mr Lee: Amazing. You really made a big impact. What will you do if you join our
organisation?
Kim: I want to continue to do what I’ve been doing but on a bigger scale. My goal is
to start a national clean-up programme.
Mr Lee: Let’s talk more about …

TASK 2
1. 0.18 degrees
2. burning fossil fuels
3. 50
4. habits
5. countries and governments

Script:
Per decade since 1981, Earth's temperature has risen 0.18 degrees Celsius. This number may seem
small to some people, but scientists know how disastrous this increase has been for our
environment. This is called global warming and it is primarily caused by human activities,
especially burning fossil fuels. Across the globe, we see the consequences such as natural disasters,
ice melting and rising sea levels…
Although its importance can’t be understated, there seems to be a generational difference
regarding this issue. According to a survey, more than 70 per cent of young people considered
global warming the top priority while only about 50 per cent of people over 55 agreed with this
statement. One of the main reasons is that some older people tend not to believe in the negative
results of global warming and consider it a problem for the far future, so they don’t think it’s
necessary to change their environmentally unfriendly habits.
However, the good news is that people’s opinion on this issue is changing. With more scientific
evidence and growing public support, global warming has become a top issue for many countries
and governments. We’re adopting more policies that help protect the environment and cut down on
greenhouse gasses.

II. READING
TASK 1
1. D 2. C 3. A 4. C 5. D
TASK 2
1. into
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2. taking
3. Instead
4. is
5. space

III. WRITING
TASK 1
1. has not had a fierce
2. Making preparations for
3. Concerned about climate change
4. Reducing the use of plastic
5. you mind putting away
TASK 2
Sample writing
Title: RECYCLING PROGRAMME
To: Principal Anderson
Prepared by: Green Club

Recycling reduces our carbon footprint and helps protect our natural resources. However, the
recycling system at our school is outdated and trash collected at our school usually ends up in
landfills.
Representing the Green Club, I propose a plan for a new recycling programme. A large percentage
of school waste is recyclable so we can make a huge impact on the environment with this
programme. At the same time, promoting the importance of recycling also encourages students to
do it at home.
As part of this programme, recycling bins will be placed in classrooms and the number of trash
bins around the campus should also increase. Once a month, Green Club will organise a recycling
event where students can help separate recyclable materials.
I hope to receive your approval on this and start the programme as soon as possible.
IV. LANGUAGE FOCUS
TASK 1
1. B 2. D 3. A 4. C
TASK 2
1. D 2. A 3. C 4. D 5. B 6. C
TASK 3
1. has to
2. not submitting
3. Supported
4. Celebrating
5. increasing
6. have tried
7. to use
8. looks
9. suffered
10. has become