Điểm Họ tên, chữ ký giám khảo Số phách
Bằng số: ............................................ Giám khảo 1: …………………………….
Bằng chữ: .......................................... Giám khảo 2: ………………………
SECTION A. VOCABULARY– GRAMMAR (28 points)
Part 1. Choose the best answer to complete each of the following sentences. Write A, B, C or D in the
corresponding numbered boxes provided.
1. There were bad days, but it was a pleasant summer, __________ .
A. in particular B. by all means C. by and large D. by and by
2. ______ the flood has receded, people can move back into their homes.
A. Now that B. Due to C. Although D. So that
3. Eighty kilometers is the ______ fifty miles.
A. equivalent of B. equivalent from C. equal of D. equal to
4. I'd like to do something to change the world but whatever I do seems like a drop in the________.
A. bucket B. garbage C. rubbish D. river
5. My English is progressing in _______ .
A. odds and ends B. leaps and bounds C. bounds and leaps D. ends and odds
6. Although he is my friend, I find it hard to ________ his selfishness.
A. put up with B. catch up with
C. keep up with D. come down with
7. We always unite and work together whenever serious problems _________.
A. arise B. devise C. approach D. encounter
8. The storm ripped our tent to ________.
A. slices B. shreds C. strips D. specks
9. Mike, _______, will you switch off that television!
A. once and for all B. now and then C. over and above D. from time to time
10. There is no doubt about the outcome of the trial. The man is a _________ criminal.
A. self-conscious B. self-contained C. self-centered D. self-confessed
11. The situation was ___________ complicated by John‟s indecision.
A. more B. extra C. further D. altogether
12. He was lucky when he fell off the ladder. He __________ himself.
A. had hurt B. should have hurt C. must have hurt D. could have hurt
Choose the correct answer A, B, C, or D to indicate the words CLOSEST in meaning to the
underlined words in the following question.
13. Tourists today flock to see the two falls that actually constitute Niagara falls.
A. come without knowing what they will see C. come in large numbers
B. come out of boredom D. come by plane
Mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to indicate the word(s) OPPOSITE in meaning to the
underlined word(s) in each of the following questions.
14. They have not made any effort to integrate with the local community.
A. separate B. put together C. cooperate D. connect
15. Scientists are experimenting on ways to dispose of waste safely.
A. eliminate B. conserve C. deal with D. remove
Choose the correct answer A, B, C, or D to indicate the sentence that best completes the following
exchange.
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16. Two students, Joe and James are chatting about time.
- Joe: "The weekend goes so quickly." - James: "I know. _______________”
A. I love watching TV all Saturdays and Sundays. B. I can't believe that it's Monday tomorrow.
C. I have English lessons on Tuesdays and Fridays. D. How about going out for a meal this weekend?
Your answers:
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8.
9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16.
Part 2. Read the passage below, which contains 12 mistakes. Identify the mistakes and write the
corrections in the corresponding numbered boxes provided.
Line EDUCATION IN THE FUTURE
1 Education is another area of social life in which information technology is changing the way we
2 communicate. Today's college students may not simple sit in a lecture or a library to learn about
3 their field. Through his computers and the wonders of virtual reality they can participate in
4 lifelike simulated experiences. Considering the following scenario of the future of education
5 made possible through developments in information technology. For children over the age of 10,
6 daily attendance at schools are not compulsory. Some of the older children attend school only once
7 or twice a weekly to get tutorial support or instruction from a teacher. For the most part, pupils are
8 encouraged to work online from home. Students must complete a minimum numbers of study
9 hours per year; moreover, they may make up these hours on studying at home at times that suit
10 their family schedule. They can log on early or late in the day and even join lively classes in
11 other countries. In order to ensure that each student is learning adequately, computer software will
12 automatically monitor the number of hours a week each students studies on line as well as that
13 students‟ learning materials and assessment activities. Reports will be available for parents
14 and teachers. The software can then identify the best learning activities and conditions for
15 each individual student and generate similar activities. It can be also identify areas of
16 week achievement and produce special programs adjusting to the students' needs.
Your answers:
Line Mistake Correction Line Mistake Correction
1 7
2 8
3 9
4 10
5 11
6 12
SECTION B. READING (52 points)
Part 1. (10 points). Read the passage and choose the best answer. Write your answers A, B, C or D in
the corresponding numbered boxes provided.
Face to face conversation is a two –way process: You speak to me, I reply to you and so on. Two-way
(1) _____ depends on having a coding system that is understood by both (2) _____ and receiver, and agreed
convention about (3) _____ the beginning and end of the (4) _____. In speech, the coding system is the
language like English for Spanish; the convention that one person speaks at a time may seem too obvious to
(5) _____ . In fact, the (6) _____ that people use in conversations and meetings are often non-verbal. For
example, lowering the pitch of the voice may mean the end of a sentence; a sharp intake of breath may
signal the desire to (7) _____, catching the chairman‟s (8) _____ may indicate the desire to speak in a
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formal setting like a (9) _____, a clenched fist may indicate anger. When these (10) _____ signals are not
possible, more formal signals may be needed.
1. A. interchange B. exchange C. correspondence D. communication
2. A. announcer B. transmitter C. messenger D. sender
3. A. singing B. symbolizing C. signaling D. showing
4. A. message B. topic C. idea D. theme
5. A. judge B. mention C. recognize D. notice
6. A. signals B. symptoms C. symbols D. signs
7. A. interchange B. interfere C. interrupt D. intercept
8. A. elbow B. eye C. shoulder D. hand
9. A. chat B. debate C. broadcast D. lecture
10. A. visual B. auditory C. verbal D. sensory
Your answers:
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Part 2. (10 points). Read the text below and fill in each gap with ONE suitable word. Write the
answers in the corresponding numbered boxes provided.
Plans for high-rise buildings in London and Liverpool are being contested as opposition grows (1)
_____ the tall, the ostentatious, and the „iconic‟. The people opposing the new towers are (2) __________
necessarily traditional conservatives and architectural purists, but young activists and many people usually
associated (3) _______ the avant-garde. In (4) _______ sense, these buildings are seen as out of time, (5)
_______ been conceived in the last economic (6) _______ but built during a recession - and in another, as
out of place, particularly in four-storey streetscapes. Part of the wider problem is that (7) _____ in the past
tower blocks were built with the poor (8) _____ mind, these buildings are mostly for the luxury market,
aiming to attract investment money from overseas, (9) _______ is why opponents view them as socially
divisive. Estate agent Nigel Abbot disagrees: “Taller buildings maximize available space in congested cities.
It‟s (10) _____ wonder that there are plans to build into the sky.”
Your answers:
1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
6. 7. 8. 9. 10.
Part 3. (14 points) Read the following passage and choose the correct answer to each of the questions.
Write your answers A, B, C or D in the corresponding numbered boxes provided.
Keeping Time: Clockmaking in Britain, Switzerland, and America
A. Timepieces of various sorts have been in circular since ancient times, but the history of the clock industry
in the modern sense begins in the 18th century. Prior to then, clocks and watches were largely confined to
the realms of wealthy hobbyists, and were only used to tell time in a crude way, but changes in
transportation brought on by the industrial Revolution made timekeeping a necessity and helped cement
time consciousness in the minds of the masses.
B. In design, production, and trade, Britain was frontrunner in the modern clock industry. The British
penchant for producing clocks known for their accuracy and portability was perfectly suited for the needs of
a growing, mobile population, and the early development of the railroad in Britain provided a catalyst for its
market hegemony in the first half of the 19th century. Because the safe and predictable operation of railways
was highly dependent upon keeping track of time, clocks were posted at intervals throughout the railway
system to allow engineers to synchronize their chronometers, and telegraph services would periodically wire
times to stations throughout the railway system so that clocks could be continually adjusted for accuracy.
C. While this helped prevent accidents and allowed railway companies to keep tighter schedules, it also
helped travellers to anticipated arrivals, departures, and connections with greater precision. These
developments underpinned a burgeoning awareness of the importance of time throughout society, prompting
those with sufficient means to purchase pocket watches. Thus, train travel increased the demand for
timepieces and bolstered the overall clock industry in the United Kingdom.
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D. However, there were drawbacks to the British system that would be exploited by competitors. Namely,
the British market was solely devoted to handmade clocks, and avaricious craftsmen who profited from their
esoteric skills viewed mechanization as a threat and actively lobbied against the use of machinery to craft
„fake clocks‟. As a result, British timepieces remained extremely costly to produce. But while the British
were antagonistic toward mechanization, this was not the case in Switzerland, where companies began to
experiment with the automated manufactured of individual components, such as plates and wheels. By using
machines to fashion some parts, Swiss timepieces could be fabricated more quickly and cheaply than British
timepieces.
E. But the Swiss did not submit to the allure of fully mechanized production. Instead, they adopted a flexible
system whereby machines were used in the first stage of production to create semi-finished products, and
highly skilled artisans were responsible for the final touches. This approach afforded the best of both worlds,
as Swiss timepieces could be produced efficiently without sacrificing the diversity and quality of hand
craftsmanship. State-of-the-art machinery and an expert and adaptable workforce allowed Swiss companies
to respond quickly to fluctuations in market demand and consumer preferences, and Swiss timepieces,
especially watches, gradually became synonymous with „top quality‟ in the minds of buyers. Watches under
the moniker „Swiss made‟ fetched handsome prices in jewelers and other high-end shops both at home and
abroad, and ultimately the Swiss overtook the British as the recognized industry leader and held that position
for many years. Many Swiss - made timepieces ended up in US market, where American clockmakers
focused on quantity at the expense of quality.
F. Although the United States lacked the sheer numbers of skilled craftsmen of their European counterparts,
American artisans paved the way for inexpensive timepieces through perfecting the art of mass production.
By 1815, Eli Terry, an engineer in Connecticut, was using water-powered mills to fabricate completely
uniform and interchangeable parts that were ready to be assembled without any manipulation or fine tuning
by skilled laborers. Consequently, his clocks could be produced quickly by apprentices without the need for
journeymen. Understanding the commercial value of his undertakings, Terry attempted to safeguard his
methods with patents, but his legal actions did not hold back the tide of competitors for long. Other
companies followed suit and by the late 1800s, American were producing timepieces quickly and cheaply on
a massive scale. In 1899, the Ingersoll Watch Company‟s „Yankee‟ pocket watch sold for one dollar, and
these dollar watches were coming off the assembly line on the order of eight thousand per day.
G. The fact that the Americans could produce timepieces virtually anyone could afford had its advantages.
American clocks and watches flooded the world market, eventually overtaking Swiss brands not only in
sales but also in revenue. Between 1945 and 1970, the Swiss share of the global watch market plummeted
from 80 to 42 per cent, and by 1970, two US watch companies, Timex and Bulova, ranked first in
worldwide sales and total revenues, respectively.
The Reading has seven paragraphs, A-G. Which paragraph contains the following information?
NB: You may use nay letter more than once.
1. contrasts between British and Swiss attitudes toward mechanization.
2. a reference to watches being restricted to one segment of society.
3. mention of how an individual tried to legally protect his production process.
4. examples of benefits that timekeeping provided for a rail travellers.
5. a description of changes in global market shares among watch companies.
6. reasons why certain watches were recognized for their craftsmanship
7. a statement of how American mass production laid the foundation for cheaper timepieces.
8. how timekeeping was maintained on early railway networks.
Your answers:
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8.
Complete the note below. Choose NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS from the passage for each answer.
A Tale of Three Countries: The Clock Industry in England, Switzerland, and The United States.
- British clocks were renowned for their (9) ___________________________ as well as their accuracy.
- British craftsmen saw (10) _____________________________________ as a danger to their industry.
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- Swiss watches were partly machine built but (11) ______________________ supplied the final touches.
- Swiss watches were costly and could be found in high-end shops and (12) ______________________ .
- In America, (13) ______________________ were used to make regular parts that were interchangeable.
- Eli Terry did not require journeymen, as his clocks were rapidly put together by (14) ______________.
Part 4.(10 points). Read the following passage and answer the questions that follow.
A Giant Step for Artificial Enzymes
1. Chemists in Britain have come a step nearer to building an “artificial enzyme”- a molecule which could
speed up some reactions that are useful to industry.
2. Jeremy Sanders and his colleagues at the University of Cambridge have designed and synthesized a large
cyclic “receptor” molecule, which makes one such reaction proceed almost 60,000 times as fast as usual.
The receptor is similar to another built last year by the same team (New Scientist, Science, 1 February
1992). It consists of a ring of three porphyrin molecules linked by bridging chemical groups. Each porphyrin
molecule contains a zincion at its centre. The central cavity of the new receptor is slightly smaller than
before, and the researchers have also anchored pyridine groups to two of the zincions to act as bonding sites.
3. Sanders and his colleagues have used their receptor to speed up and control the products of the so-called
Diels-Alder reaction, a mainstay of chemical synthesis. The reaction occurs between two molecules – a
“diene”, which has two carbon-carbon bonds separated by a single bond, and a diene- seeking molecule, or
“dienophile”. In the right conditions, these two molecules transfer the electrons involved in their double
bonds from atom to atom to form new bonds that complete a ring of six carbon atoms with a single double
bond. The creation of such six-membered rings is the the crucial first step in making many pharmaceuticals
and agrochemical.
4. Some Diels-Alder reactions are too slow to be useful industrially. The researchers, therefore, designed
their receptor so that it would hold the diene and dienophile, via the pyridine (Py) groups, in the right
positions to react quickly. According to Sanders, the receptor acts like a “molecular reaction vessel in which
the effective concentration of reactants can be increased dramatically, so allowing a fast reaction”.
5. Normally, Diels-Alder reactions produce a mixture of two products. But because in the receptor the
reactants are forced into a specific orientation relative to each other, only one of the two possible products
can form.
6. Sanders hopes to modify the receptor to bring together in the cavity two molecules that do not normally
react. This could lead to be the synthesis of compounds which everyday synthetic chemistry cannot make.
7. The receptor differs from an enzyme or other catalyst in one important respect. Only a tiny amount of an
enzyme is needed to make a reaction thousands of times faster, but large quantities of the receptor are
needed to make a significant difference to the speed of a reaction. However, Sanders is confident that in the
future his team will be able to increase the turnover or able to increase the turnover of reactants by designing
new features into the receptor. This would reduce the amount of receptor needed to speed up a reaction by a
given amount. The researchers report further details of their results in the latest issue of Journal of the
Chemical Society, Chemical Communications.
Match the following headings with appropriate paragraphs. Note there are more headings than paragraph.
A. British chemists‟ achievement B. The creation of six-membered rings
C. Products produced by Diels-Alder reactions D. The large receptor molecule designed by British chemists
E. The drawback of the receptor F. The Diels-Alder reaction
G. Fast reactions due to the receptor H. Further efforts to be made on the receptor
Your answers:
Paragraph 1: Paragraph 2: Paragraph 3: Paragraph 4:
Paragraph 5: Paragraph 6: Paragraph 7:
* Answer the following questions. You must use NO MORE THAN FIVE WORDS for each answer.
8. How fast can the receptor molecule make reactions proceed? ____________________as fast as usual
9. What is the mainstay of chemical synthesis? ____________________________________________
10. What is crucial to making many pharmaceuticals and agrochemicals? The ___________________
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Part 5. (8 points). Read the following passage and choose the correct answer (A, B, C or D) to each of
the questions. A better way to learn
It is easy to forget that public education is a relatively new phenomenon. Even in The US, which has a
relatively developed education system, public schools only started flourishing in the early 19th century.
Before that, most education of children took place within the family and the community.
The law regarding homeschooling can be complex and vary widely from country to country. In some
countries, such as France, England, Indonesia, and the United States, homeschooling is permitted by law. In
other countries like Japan or Spain, laws are not so clear; homeschooling goes on but isn‟t formally
permitted by existing laws. Other countries, including Germany and Brazil, ban homeschooling altogether.
At one time, there was a stigma associated with homeschooling because it was traditionally for students who
had behavioral or learning difficulties and could not keep up with the rest of the class. Today, there are
many compelling arguments for educating one‟s children at home. Some of it stems from dissatisfaction
with the mainstream education system. Teacher shortages and lack of funding mean that children are often
deprived of the attention they need. Bullying and increasing classroom violence have also motivated some
parents to remove their children from school. Parents may also choose to homeschool for religious or
political reasons.
Many psychologists see the home as the most natural learning environment, since it is supportive and has no
distraction. Parents can monitor their children‟s education more closely. Children can also choose what and
when to study, thus enabling them to learn at their own pace. Advocates of homeschooling point out that
homeschooled students do just as well or better than those who are classroom-taught, and a striking number
gain admission to prestigious universities.
In contrast, critics of homeschooling say that children miss out on learning important social skills because
they have little interaction with their peers. Critics have also raised concerns about whether parents are
capable of educating the child properly. Many of these parents lack teacher training and may not be
competent or up-to-date on all the subjects taught in schools.
In the US, some American high schools have opened their doors to homeschoolers on a part – time basis,
allowing these children to attend classes once or twice a week, or to take part in activities such as playing
football or doing ballet. This enables homeschooled children to enjoy the extra benefits of peer interaction
and involvement in sports or clubs.
Whatever the arguments for or against, homeschooling is a growing trend. There are now websites and
support groups that help parents to assert their rights and enable them to learn more about educating their
children. Once the last resort for troubled children, homeschooling is now embraced as an accepted
alternative to the public educational system.
1. The author wrote the passage in order to ________ .
A. expose homeschooling as a threat to public education
B. show that homeschooling is superior to a public school education
C. discuss the growing trend of homeschooling
D. help parents cope with homeschooling their child
2. Up until about 200 years ago, there was no ____________ .
A. education B. homeschooling C. community learning D. public school system
3. In which country will parents find the most for homeschooling?
A. England B. Brazil C. Spain D. Germany
4. Which is NOT a problem mentioned in the passage regarding the public school system?
A. lack of teachers B. lack of school activities
C. increased bullying D. concern about their child‟s safety
5. Which is the most likely to be true about homeschooled children?
A. They have more opportunities for social interaction.
B. They are better prepared for life outside the home.
C. They tend to get more attention from their teacher(s).
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D. They don‟t do as well as school-educated children
6. All of the following are advantages of homeschooling EXCEPT that _____________ .
A. parents can monitor their children‟s study better
B. children are taught with the most current curriculum
C. children can follow their own way and pace
D. homeschooled children seem to have better academic levels
7. What is the main idea of paragraph 6?
A. School in the US are trying to adapt to this growing trend of homeschooling.
B. Homeschooled children are still required to attend classes in school.
C. The US government is trying to stop homeschooling.
D. Homeschooled children should get involved in sports and clubs.?
8. What does the author mean when he says homeschooling was “once the last resort” in the last
paragraph?
A. It used to be mainly for children with learning difficulties.
B. It was finally accepted by various countries around the world.
C. It wasn‟t a priority for governments and schools
D. It was the least attractive education option for many people.
Your answers:
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8.
SECTION C. WRITING (60 points)
Part 1. (10 points). Complete the second sentence so that it has the same meaning as the first one. Use
the word given in capital letters and the word mustn’t be altered in any way.
1. Walk carefully on the ice - it‟s very slippery. (MIND)
==> _____________________________________________ on the ice - it‟s very slippery.
2. He wants students to call him “„professor”. (ADDRESSED)
==> He ___________________________________________________________ .
3. Richard is knowledgeable on the subject of finance. (THING)
==> Richard __________________________________________________________________
4. There are lots and lots of places to eat in our city. (END)
==> There ______________________________________________________ to eat in our city.
5. Everyone had to accept the decision and work longer hours for the same pay. (LINE)
==> Everyone had to _________________________________ and work longer hours for the same pay.
Part 2. (20 points). Your pen friend in Britain asks you in his or her latest letter: “…I’d like to try
preparing a traditional dish from your country. Can you tell me how to do it?......”
Write a letter of between 90-100 words to describe a typical dish in your country and give
instructions on how to prepare and serve it. Do not use your real name and address. (20 points)
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Part 3.(30 points). Your English teacher has asked you to write a story (100-120 words) for your
school story writing competition. Your story MUST begin with the following sentence:
As I flipped through the photo album, I couldn‟t stop the memories from flooding back and the tears
from filling my eyes.
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______ THE END ______
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