ÔN TẬP ĐỌC

PASSAGE 1: QUESTIONS 1-10

The Forbidden City is the former imperial palace in the center of Beijing, China.
Construction began in 1406, and the emperor’s court officially moved in by 1420. The
Forbidden City got its name because most people were barred from entering the 72-hectare site,
surrounded by walls. Even government officials and the imperial family were permitted only
limited access. Only the emperor could enter any section at will.
The architecture of the Forbidden City conforms rigidly to traditional Chinese
principles. All buildings within the walls follow a north-south line, and the most important ones
face south to honor the sun. The designers arranged the other buildings, and the ceremonial
spaces between them, to impress all visitors with the great power of the Emperor, while
reinforcing the insignificance of the individual. This architectural concept was carried out to
the smallest detail. For example, the importance of a building was determined not only by its
height or width but also by the style of its roof and the quantity of statuettes placed on the
roof’s ridges.
In recognition of the importance of its unparalleled architecture, UNESCO added the
palace to its World Heritage List in 1987. Today, visitors from all over the world do not wait
for an imperial invitation to walk about this palace, now a museum of imperial art.
One of the most impressive landmarks of the Forbidden City is the Meridian Gate, the
formal entrance to the southern side of the Forbidden City. The gate, with its auxiliary wings
on either side of the entryway, is 38 meters high at its roof ridge. When you stand in front of
this majestic structure, you understand how awed people felt when they stood there listening to
imperial proclamations.
As you walk through the gate, you come into a large courtyard, 140 meters long and 210
meters wide. Running through the courtyard is the Golden River, which is crossed by five
parallel white marble bridges. These bridges lead to the Gate of Supreme Harmony, which, in
turn, leads to the heart of the Forbidden City. Its three main halls stand atop a three-tiered
marble terrace overlooking an immense plaza. The plaza has enough space to hold tens of
thousands of subjects paying homage to the emperor.
At the northernmost end of the Forbidden City is the Imperial Garden, which is totally
different from the rest of the compound. Instead of rigid formality, you see a seemingly
spontaneous arrangement of trees, fishponds, flowerbeds, and sculpture. Here is the place of
relaxation for the emperor.
1. Which sentence in paragraph 1 explains who could go anywhere in the Forbidden City at any
time?
A. Sentence 2 B. Sentence 3 C Sentence 4 D. Sentence 5
2. How long did it take to build the Forbidden City?
 A. About five years B. About seven years
C. About ten years D. About fourteen years
3. From the passage, it can be inferred that
A. Chinese architects borrowed ideas from many different countries
B. the design of the Forbidden City is dull and colorless
C. the architecture of the Forbidden City exemplifies traditional Chinese values
D. the garden of the Forbidden City was laid out in a strict, rectangular pattern
4. Which phrase is closest in meaning to the word “unparalleled” as used in paragraph 3?
A. At an angle from the main line B. A high quality found nowhere else
C. Careless of small details in design D. Partially designed in a foreign country
5. Which word(s) does the word “its” refer to in paragraph 3?
A. UNESCO B. Architecture C. Palace D. World Heritage List
6. From the passage, it is implied that the main entrance area to the Forbidden City is
A. surrounded by three tall walls B. painted gold and green
C. decorated with statuettes D. not very impressive
7. Which phrase is closest in meaning to the word “proclamations” as used in paragraph 4?
A. Music composed for public ceremonies
B. Speeches encouraging soldiers to fight
C. Official public announcements
D. Poetry written for the emperor
8. All of the following are found in the Imperial Garden EXCEPT:
A. fishponds B. sculpture C. white marble bridges D. flowerbeds
9. According to the passage, what do the bridges over the Golden River lead to?
A. The Meridian gate B. The center of Beijing
C. The Gate of Supreme Harmony D. The Imperial Gardens
10. Which phrase is closest in meaning to the word “spontaneous” as used in the last
paragraph?
A. Without meaning B. Without thinking
C. Without planning D. Without drawing
PASSAGE 2: QUESTIONS 11-20
Accustomed though we are to speaking of the films made before 1927 as "silent", the
film has never been, in the full sense of the word, silent. From the very beginning, music was
regarded as an indispensable accompaniment; when the Lumiere films were shown at the first
public film exhibition in the United States in February 1896, they were accompanied by piano
improvisations on popular tunes. At first, the music played bore no special relationship to the
films; an accompaniment of any kind was sufficient. Within a very short time, however, the
incongruity of playing lively music to a solemn film became apparent, and film pianists began
to take some care in matching their pieces to the mood of the film.
As movie theaters grew in number and importance, a violinist, and perhaps a cellist,
would be added to the pianist in certain cases, and in the larger movie theaters small orchestras
were formed. For a number of years the selection of music for each film program rested
entirely in the hands of the conductor or leader of the orchestra, and very often the principal
qualification for holding such a position was not skill or taste so much as the ownership of a
large personal library of musical pieces. Since the conductor seldom saw the films until the
night before they were to be shown (if, indeed, the conductor was lucky enough to see them),
the musical arrangement was normally improvised in the greatest hurry.
To help meet this difficulty, film distributing companies started the practice of publishing
suggestions for musical accompaniments. In 1909, for example, the Edison Company began
issuing with their films such indications of mood as "pleasant', "sad", "lively". The suggestions
became more explicit, and so emerged the musical cue sheet containing indications of mood,
the titles of suitable pieces of music, and precise directions to show where one piece led into
the next. Certain films had music especially composed for them. The most famous of these
early special scores was that composed and arranged for D. W. Griffith's film Birth of a
Nation, which was released in 1915.
11. The passage mainly discusses music that was
A. performed before the showing of a film.
B. played during silent films.
C. specifically composed for certain movie theaters.
D. recorded during film exhibitions.
12. What can be inferred that the passage about the majority of films made after 1927?
A. They were truly "silent".
B. They were accompanied by symphonic orchestras.
C. They incorporated the sound of the actors' voices.
D. They corresponded to specific musical compositions.
13. The word "solemn" in bold in paragraph 1 is closest in meaning to
A. simple B. serious C. short D. silent
14. It can be inferred that orchestra conductors who worked in movie theaters needed to
A. be able to play many instruments
B. have pleasant voices
C. be familiar with a wide variety of music
D. be able to compose original music
15. The word "them" in bold in paragraph 2 refers to
A. years B. hands C. pieces D. films
16. According to the passage, what kind of business was the Edison Company?
A. It produced electricity.
B. It distributed films.
C. It published musical arrangements.
D. It made musical instruments.
17. It may be inferred from the passage that the first musical cue sheets appeared around
A. 1896 B. 1909 C. 1915 D. 1927
18. Which of the following notations is most likely to have been included on a musical cue
sheet of the early 1900's?
A. "Calm, peaceful"
B. "Piano, violin"
C. "Key of C major"
D. "Directed by D. W. Griffith"
19. The word "composed" in bold in the last paragraph is closest in meaning to
A. selected B. combined C. played D. created
20. The word "scores" in bold in the last paragraph is closest in meaning to
A. totals
B. successes
C. musical compositions
D. groups of musicians
PASSAGE 3: QUESTIONS 21-30
Rainforests are disappearing in tropical areas around the world. They are being cut
down, burned, and damaged through a process called "deforestation." This is a serious problem
in developing countries within tropical regions. The impact of deforestation, though, also has
vast global implications. It is, therefore, very important to find solutions to these problems.
Unfortunately, progress in this area has been very slow.
According to World Bank statistics, many developing countries, such as Brazil.
Ecuador, and Indonesia had lost almost half of their rainforests by 1991. Worldwide, in 1800
there were 7.1 billion acres of tropical forests, while today there are only 3.5 billion acres.
Recent statistics suggest that an area of tropical forest larger than North Korea is deforested
every year.
Most importantly, though, the rainforests play an important role in the health of our
environment. Trees and other plants act as filters that dean pollutants out of the air and produce
clean air. With air pollution increasing as forests decline, the world is facing a potential arsis
with regard to air quality.
Poverty is one of the mam forces behind deforestation m tropical countries, where many
rely on farming as a way of life. The most practical method is "slash and burn" agriculture, in
which a small area of trees is cut down and then burned to fertilize the soil, for a period of time,
the soil can produce good crops, but ran gradually washes away the nutrients, reducing fertility
and causing crops to grow at a lower rate. Eventually, the soil can no longer support crops, and
farmers are often forced to abandon the land.
Government policies also contribute to the destruction of rainforests. In countries like
Brazil, much of the rainforest is owned by the state. However, the state does not have enough
resources to control access to the forests. Therefore, the government allows people to claim
areas of land within the forest. To do this, the people must clear the land that they want to
claim. Small farmers, then, often clear plots and then sell them. They then move to a new area,
clear it, and sell it again. While this Is good for the farmers, it is highly destructive to the forest.
Large companies contribute their own problems. Logging companies can do a great deal
of damage on their own, but they also cause secondary damage through their effects on small
farmers. Often, road construction companies hired by the government claim land that they dear
during their projects, thus pushing small farmers further into the forest. In addition, the
government might sot low tax rates for agricultural production. Corporations and wealthy
investors buy up land, and the small farmers are again forced to find plots in unclaimed areas of
the forest.
The problem of deforestation is strongly affected by poverty in developing countries.
Clearly, any long-term solution to deforestation must focus first on how poverty can be
reduced. Any other solution can only be a temporary measure.
21. The world “implications” in bold in paragraph 1 is closest in meaning to
A. Suggestion
B. Policies
C. Long-term solutions
D. Possible results
22. The author mentions North Korea
A. to demonstrate the impact of deforestation in North Korea
B. to demonstrate that North Korean policy is favourable to that of Brazil
C. to demonstrate how much forest is being destroyed each year
D. to demonstrate that deforestation is not as serious as we thought
23. The phrase “way of life” in bold in paragraph 4 is closest in meaning to
A. daily living
B. hobby
C. interest
D. future survival
24. According to the passage, why is slash and burn agriculture harmful?
A. It leaves areas of land infertile
B. It pollutes the water supply
C. It keeps farmers in poverty
D. It can cause forest fires
25. According to the passage, why does the Brazilian government allow farmers to make
claims on rainforest land?
A. They want to improve the living conditions of farmers.
B. If the farmers don’t claim them, large companies will.
C. They don’t have the resources to prevent it.
D. The economy is based on agriculture.
26. The word “this” in bold in paragraph 5 refers to
A. Claiming land
B. Burning the forest
C. Allowing farmers to claim land
D. Making policies
27. From the passage, it can be inferred that
A. Deforestation is the main cause of poverty in tropical countries.
B. Deforestation must be addressed if developing countries are to succeed.
C. Deforestation is a serious problem for small farmers.
D. Deforestation is driven by economics.
28. What is the main purpose of paragraph 6?
A. To explain the primary damage caused by logging companies
B. To explain how large companies affect small farmers
C. To explain agricultural taxes
D. To show how corporations purchase land
29. According to the passage, which of the following would best address the problem of
deforestation?
A. Changing government policy
B. Increasing agricultural taxes
C. Reducing poverty
D. Studying plant life for medicinal benefits
30. All of the following are mentioned in the passage except
A. The extent of rainforest destruction
B. The fast food industry clearing rainforests for grazing land
C. The practice of slash and burn agriculture in Brazil
D. Logging companies and their effects on farmers
PASSAGE 4: QUESTIONS 31-40
Aggressive behavior is any behavior that is intended to cause injury, pain, suffering,
damage, or destruction. While aggressive behavior is often thought of as purely physical,
verbal attacks such as creaming and shouting or belittling and humiliating comments aimed
at causing harm and suffering can also be a type of aggression. What is key to the definition of
aggression is that whenever harm is inflicted, be it physical or verbal, it is intentional.
 Questions about the cause of aggression have long been of concern to both social and
biological scientists. Theories about the causes of aggression cover a broad spectrum, ranging
from those with biological or instinctive emphases to those that portray aggression as a learned
behavior.
Numerous theories are based on the idea that aggression is an inherent and natural
human instinct. Aggression has been explained as an instinct that is directed externally toward
others in a process called displacement, and it has been noted that aggressive impulses that are
not channeled toward a specific person or group may be expressed indirectly through socially
acceptable activities such as sports and competition in a process called catharsis. Biological,
or instinctive, theories of aggression have also been put forth by ethologists, who study the
behavior of animals in their natural environments. A number of ethologists have, based upon
their observations of animals, supported the view that aggression is an innate instinct common
to humans.
Two different schools of thought exist among those who view aggression as instinct.
One group holds the view that aggression can build up spontaneously, with or without outside
provocation, and violent behavior will thus result, perhaps as a result of little or no provocation.
Another suggests that aggression is indeed an instinctive response but that, rather than
occurring spontaneously and without provocation, it is a direct response to provocation from
outside source.
In contrast to instinct theories, social learning theories view aggression as a learned
behavior. This approach focuses on the effect that role models and reinforcement of behavior
have on the acquisition of aggressive behavior. Research has shown that aggressive behavior
can be learned through a combination of modeling and positive reinforcement of the aggressive
behavior and that children are influenced by the combined forces of observing aggressive
behavior in parents, peers, or fictional role models and of nothing either positive reinforcement
for the aggressive behavior or, minimally, a lack of negative reinforcement for the behavior.
While research has provided evidence that the behavior evidence that the behavior of a live
model is more influential than that of a fictional model, fictional models of aggressive behavior
such as those seen in movies and on television, do still have an impact on behavior. On-screen
deaths or acts of violent behavior in certain television programs or movies can be counted in
the tens, or hundreds, or even thousands, while some have argued that this sort of fictional
violence does not in and of itself cause violence and may even have a beneficial cathartic
effect, studies have shown correlations between viewing of violence and incidences of
aggressive behavior in both childhood and adolescence. Studies have also shown that it is not
just the modeling of aggressive behavior in either its real – life or fictional form that correlates
with increased acts of violence in youths; a critical factor in increasing aggressive behaviors is
the reinforcement of the behavior. If the aggressive role model is rewarded rather than punished
for violent behavior, that behavior is more likely to be seen as positive and is thus more likely
to be imitated.
31. Which of the following is NOT defined as aggressive behavior?
A. Inflicting pain accidentally
B. Making insulting remarks
C. Destroying properly
D. Trying unsuccessfully to injure someone
32. The author mentions belittling and humiliating comments in paragraph 1 in order to
A. demonstrate how serious the problem of aggression is
B. clarify the difference between intentional and unintentional aggression
C. provide examples of verbal aggression
D. Illustrate the nature of physical aggression
33. The word “intentional” in paragraph 1 is closest in meaning to
A. deliberate
B. estimated
C. forbidden
D. intermittent
34. According to paragraph 3, “displacement” is
A. internally directed aggression
B. modeled type of aggression
C. aggression that is unintentional
D. aggression that is directed outward
35. It can be referred from paragraph 3 that “catharsis”
A. is a positive process.
B. involves channeling aggression internally.
C. is studied by ethologists.
D. should be negatively reinforced.
36. An ethologist would be most likely to study
A. learned catharsis in a certain species of monkey
B. the evolution of a certain type of fish
C. the bone structure of a certain type of dinosaur
D. the manner in which a certain male lion fights other male lions
37. The phrase “schools of thought” in paragraph 4 is closest in meaning to
A. institutions of higher learning
 B. lessons to improve behavior
C. methods of instruction
D. sets of shared beliefs
38. The word “it” in paragraph 4 refers to
A. aggression
B. an instinctive response
C. provocation
D. a direct response
39. The word “that” in paragraph 5 refers to
A. research
B. evidence
C. the behavior
D. a live model
40. The word “critical” in paragraph 5 could best replaced by
A. negative
B. considerate
C. crucial
D. studied
PASSAGE 5: QUESTIONS 41-50
In the United States in the early 1800's, individual state governments had more effect on
the economy than did the federal government. States chartered manufacturing, banking,
mining, and transportation firms and participated in the construction of various internal
improvements such as canals, turnpikes, and railroads. The states encouraged internal
improvements in two distinct ways; first, by actually establishing state companies to build such
improvements; second, by providing part of the capital for mixed public-private companies
setting out to make a profit.
In the early nineteenth century, state governments also engaged in a surprisingly large
amount of direct regulatory activity, including extensive licensing and inspection programs.
Licensing targets reflected both similarities in and differences between the economy of the
nineteenth century and that of today. In the nineteenth century, state regulation through
licensing fell especially on peddlers, innkeepers, and retail merchants of various kinds. The
perishable commodities of trade generally came under state inspection, and such important
frontier staples as lumber and gunpowder were also subject to state control. Finally, state
governments experimented with direct labor and business regulation designed to help the
individual laborer or consumer, including setting maximum limits on hours of work and
restrictions on price-fixing by businesses.
 Although the states dominated economic activity during this period, the federal government
was not inactive. Its goals were the facilitation of western settlement and the development of
native industries. Toward these ends the federal government pursued several courses of action.
It established a national bank to stabilize banking activities in the country and, in part, to
provide a supply of relatively easy money to the frontier, where it was greatly needed for
settlement. It permitted access to public western lands on increasingly easy terms, culminating
in the Homestead Act of 1862, by which title to land could be claimed on the basis of residence
alone. Finally, it set up a system of tariffs that was basically protectionist in effect, although
maneuvering for position by various regional interests produced frequent changes in tariff
rates throughout the nineteenth century.
41. The word “effect” in paragraph 1 is closest in meaning to
A. value B. argument C. influence D. restraint
42. What does the passage mainly discuss?
A. States's rights versus federal rights
B. The participation of state governments in railroad, canal, and turnpike construction
C. The roles of state and federal governments in the economy of the nineteenth
century
D. Regulatory activity by state governments
43. It can be inferred from the first paragraph that in the nineteenth century canals and railroads
were
A. built with money that came from the federal government
B. much more expensive to build than they had been previously
C. built predominantly in the western part of the country
D. sometimes built in part by state companies
44. The word “distinct” in paragraph 1 is closest in meaning to
A. separate B. innovative C. alarming D. provocative
45. The word “setting” in paragraph 2 is closest in meaning to
A. discussing B. analyzing C. establishing D. avoiding
46. All of the following are mentioned in the passage as areas that involved state governments
in the nineteenth century EXCEPT
A. mining B. banking C. manufacturing D. higher education
47. The regulatory active ties of state governments included all of the following EXCEPT
A. licensing of retail merchants
B. inspecting materials used in turnpike maintenance
C. imposing limits on price-fixing
 D. control of lumber
48. The word “ends” in paragraph 3 is closest in meaning to
A. benefits B. decisions C. services D. goals
49. Which of the following activities was the responsibility of the federal government in the
nineteenth century?
A. Control of the manufacture of gunpowder
B. Determining the conditions under which individuals worked
C. Regulation of the supply of money
D. Inspection of new homes built on western lands
50. According to the passage, which of the following is true of the Homestead Act of 1862?
A. It made it increasingly possible for settlers to obtain land in the West.
B. It was a law first passed by state governments in the West.
C. It increased the money supply in the West.
D. It established tariffs in a number of regions.
Passage 6: Questions 51-60
A useful definition of an air pollutant is 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
change. 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 the more important air pollutants, such as sulfur oxides, carbon monoxide,
and nitrogen oxides, are found in nature. As the Earth developed, the concentrations of these
pollutants were altered by various chemical reactions; they became components in
biogeochemical cycle. 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 form human activities. However, human production usually occurs in a
localized area, such as a city.
In this localized regions, human output may be dominant and may temporarily overload
the natural purification scheme of the cycle. The result is an increased 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, as a natural level of 0.1 ppm and is not usually a pollutant until its level reaches about
15 ppm.
51. What does the passage mainly discuss?
A. The economic impact of air pollution
B. What constitutes an air pollutant
C. How much harm air pollutants can cause
D. The effects of compounds added to the atmosphere
52. The word "adversely" in paragraph 1 is closest in meaning to _______
A. negatively B. quickly C. admittedly D. considerably
53. It can be inferred from the first paragraph that ________
A. water vapor is an air pollutant in localized areas
B. most air pollutants today can be seen or smelled
C. the definition of air pollution will continue to change
D. a substance becomes an air pollutant only in cities
54. The word "altered" in paragraph 1 is closest in meaning to ________
A. eliminated B. caused C. slowed D. changed
55. Natural pollutants can play an important role in controlling air pollution for which of the
following reasons?
A. They function as part of a purification process.
B. They occur in greater quantities than other pollutants.
C. They are less harmful to living beings than are other pollutants.
D. They have existed since the Earth developed.
56. According to the passage, which of the following is true about human-generated air
pollution in localized regions?
A. It can be dwarfed by nature's output of pollutants in the localized region.
B. It can overwhelm the natural system that removes pollutants.
C. It will damage areas outside of the localized regions.
D. It will react harmfully with naturally occurring pollutants.
57. The word "noxious' in paragraph 2 is closest in meaning to ________
A. harmful B. noticeable C. extensive D. weak
58. According to the passage, the numerical valued of the concentration level of a substance is
only useful if ________
A. the other substances in the area are known
B. it is in a localized area
C. the naturally occurring level is also known
D. it can be calculated quickly
59. The word "detectable" in paragraph 2 is closest in meaning to ________
A. beneficial B. special C. measurable D. separable
60. Which of the following is best supported by the passage?
A. To effectively control pollution local government should regularly review their air pollution
laws.
B. One of the most important steps in preserving natural lands is to better enforce air pollution
laws.
C. Scientists should be consulted in order to establish uniform limits for all air pollutants.
D. Human activities have been effective in reducing air pollution.