Choose the best answer:
Last month, cycling safety groups are planning to lobby for better facilities for cyclists

Choose the best answer:
In 1960, Americans spent 10% of their healthcare dollar on medicines. Most of the money came from their own pockets, and was spent on drugs that largely treated infections heart disease, arthritis and depression. Beyond that, there was little that science could offer. Today, the range of diseases for which medical research has some partial treatment is vast. Despite this, and the double digit increase in drug spending - 75%-90% of which is paid for by insurance companies - prescription drugs now account for 9% of total health expenditures.  Similarly, claims by insurers and corporations - that drug costs are driving insurance costs up in general - are overstated. According to health analyst J.D. Kleinke, since pharmacy costs represent only 9% of all spending, even increases of 20% could not be responsible for insurance premium increases of 10%-15% over the last two years: Premiums have been increasing far out of proportion to increasing total medical costs over the past three years.  The fact is we should spend more on newer, more expensive medicines because they are worth the investment. Medical innovation creates what Harvard economist David Cutler calls health capital — the ability of people to stay well early and consistently throughout their lives, and remain that way at an increasingly older age. In fact, under the most conservative assumption, the U.S would have needed only about 30% of the improvement in medical progress over the period in time. In the case of congestive heart failure, Mr. Cutler found that increased consumption of new and more expensive drugs and other innovative technologies generated longer life, more productivity and lower health costs that offset the cost of their development and consumption.  
4. The cost of congestive heart failure illustrates that ____

Choose the best answer:
A recent issue of a language learning magazine has consulted a number of experts in the (16)_______ of second language acquisition. Their advice may prove invaluable for those (17)_______ a language course. One suggestion is that you (18)_______ whether you are likely to be successful at learning a language. Did you enjoy studying languages at school, for example? Do you have enough time to learn a language? The major (19)_______ will be your own time and effort. If proof of your level of proficiency is important you must make sure that the course on offer leads to a (20)_______ qualification. Also, be realistic in your (21)_______ . If you don't set achievable aims you are more likely to give up. Do not be deceived (22)_______ thinking that the most expensive courses are the best. (23)_______ around to get the best possible value for money. You should also bear in mind that the quicker you learn a language the more quickly you forget it. Sandra Miller, a French teacher, tried to teach herself German by enrolling on a (24)_______ course. Already fluent in four languages and with a sound knowledge of teaching methodology her chances of making progress were high. Three years on she remembers very little. She feels her biggest mistake was not to follow (25)_______ her first experience. "I should have consolidated what I'd learn by continuing to study, even if it were by myself."

Choose the best answer:
The word ‘grandparents’ is descriptive of the unique dual parenting role that this generation assumes. It emphasises the vital part they play in family life. With a (26) _______ of old world experience behind them, and with the unique ability to metamorphose from advisers or mediators into listeners or friends, they can offer support and stability in an ever-changing world. The underlying sense of responsibility (27) _______ goes with this is tremendous. Grandparents perform a balancing act between the needs of their adult children and those of their grandchildren. This role is varied. It is imperial at times, muted at (28) _______. It goes underground whenever required, but it is solid and absolutely dependable. Grandparents often (29) _______ the gap between parents and children. Rebellious, independent children who are trying to find their feet are almost always at loggerheads with their parents. The role of grandparents can be very important provided that they act as impartial judges and are able to convey this feeling to both parties. One important thing, which seems to be missing in the lives of children today, is a sense of family, values, beliefs and principles. This is where the grandparents step in. (30) _______, instilling beliefs and values is not as easy as it was fifty or sixty years ago

Choose the best answer:
Some people think of 'traditional ' gender roles as being like a 1950s TV sitcom: Dad puts (8) _____ his suit and goes to the office, while Mum, in her apron, stays at home and (9) ____ the housework. But for most of human history, it has taken the efforts of both men and women, whether working in an office (10) _____ in the fields, to look after the family. And that's the situation to which we now seem to be returning. By 2050, women will make up 47% of the workforce in the United States, up from 30% in 1950. But some experts are predicting that, at (11) _____ in the short term, the number of women in the workforce may actually overtake the number of men. What's the reason? During the economic recession that began in 2008, many jobs disappeared from industries traditionally dominated by male workers, such as manufacturing. Unless many more manual manufacturing jobs (12) _____, it may be that women, who traditionally work in healthcare, education and other service industries, will take the lead in the labour market

Choose the best answer:
The traffic light signal was invented by a railway signaling engineer. It was installed (26)_________The House of Parliament in 1868. It (27)_________like any railway signal of the time, and was operated by gas. (28)_________, it exploded and killed a policeman, and the accident (29)_________further development until cars became common.             (30)_________traffic lights are an American invention. Red-green (31)_________were installed in Cleveland in 1914. Three-color signals, (32)_________by hand from a tower in the (33)_________of the street, were installed in New York in 1918. The (34)________lights of this type to (35)________in Britain were in London, on the junction between St James’s street and Piccadilly in 1925.

HOUSES

There are many houses all over the world. Some houses are large. Some are small. Some are made of wood. Some are made of rock. People usually build their houses with something that is easy to find. For example, there are many trees in forest. So people who live there might build a house made of logs. Some houses have one room. Some houses have many rooms. There is usually a bedroom for sleeping, a kitchen for cooking, a living room for sitting and talking. There is usually a bathroom. Some houses have attics. The attic is above the main part of the house. Most houses have a door so people can enter and exit the house. Most houses have windows so people can look outside. Houses look very different in different parts of the world. But, people who live in a house probably all agree that there is no place like home!

According to your opinion, where do you think there are rock houses?

Choose the best answer:
It has been said that the wars of the future will not be fought over land. Instead, they will be fought over the water supply. As the climate changes due to global warming, weather (31) _________ all over the world are becoming disrupted. In some regions, there will be too much water, causing extreme flooding. On the other hand, the (32) _________ will be true in other areas, where drought and famine will take place instead. Climate change is not the only reason why there will be serious problems (33) _________ water. Already, man-made projects such as the damming of rivers have caused (34) _________ to rise between nations. Since rivers can only flow in one direction, if you live in a country that relies heavily on river water for its water supply but live downstream from another country, that other country, (35) _________, controls the water supply

Choose the best answer:
According to some sources, the first online dating service appeared in the mid-nineties. Different from international matching services that were already up and running, these sites were created to help the average busy person find someone to date and, perhaps eventually, someone to many. For this week’s column, I asked a few people what they thought of online dating. Many who have tried online dating it’s the greatest invention since sliced bread. Although he was hesitant to try it at first, Mitchell Waverton, a 25-year-old who’s looking for love, gives online dating thumbs-up. Waverton explains, “I don’t have a lot of time to meet women. Some of my friends told me I should try online dating. I wasn't sure about it because it just seems weird- meeting someone online. But then I tried it, and it was a lot of fun”. However, not everyone has the same opinion. Peter Wong explains, “A few of my friends tried to get me join an online dating site. I only agree to do it to prove to them that it wasn’t going to work for me”. After I went on five miserable dates, my friends were finally convinced that online dating wasn't for me.” I do believe that online daters are sometimes successful in their search of love, but I think success stories are the exception rather than the rule. Although online dating seems like it’s here to stay, I’ve heard enough horror stories to keep me away from it
4. The word “that” in paragraph 1 refers to ________.

Choose the best answer:
Laughing is good for the body and the mind. When we laugh, we breathe more oxygen into our body, (46) _______ helps to keep us healthy. Endorphins, or happy chemicals, are released in the body, and you feel more relaxed and happier. Laughter also brings people together to (47) _______ some fun. Companies who have (48) _______ laughter yoga workshops find that they have advantages for both employers and employees. People who are happy at work are more hard-working and make more money for the company. Also, people who can laugh together communicate more successfully. (49) _______, people do better at work when they feel happy and relaxed. A Danish company who used Laughter Yoga for (50) _______ year reported an increase in sales of 40 percent over the previous year. Following Laughter Yoga session, a Hawaiian timeshare company reported the highest sales of the year - double their target figures.

Choose the best answer:
Plants supply man with food clothing, and shelter- his most important needs. Many of our most useful medicines are also made (26)___ plants. In addition, plants add beauty and pleasure to our lives. Most people enjoy the smell of flowers, the sight field of waving grain, and the quiet of a forest. Not (27)_______plants are helpful to man. Some species grow in fields and gardens  as weeds that choke off useful plants. Tiny hits of pollen from (28)_______plants cause such (29)_________as asthma and hay fever. Other plants destroy millions of dollars (30)_______of crops yearly

Read the reading below carefully, and then complete it with the best option A, B, C or D given below:
Easter is an important Christian festival and holiday. It is (1)______to celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Easter is not a fixed holiday. Its (2)____varies between 22nd March and 25th April. People celebrate Easter (3)____ the world.  In the UK, Easter is a public holiday. People (4)_ Easter chocolate eggs to their friends and family. There are also egg hunts for kids. In the US, Easter is a (5)______ holiday. People can go to church and have a special family meal. They also (6)____ egg-hunts and give gifts of coloured eggs. In Russia, Easter is one of the (7)___important holidays. People celebrate it (8)___ an Easter breakfast or meal. They also create very beautiful Easter eggs

Choose the best answer:
Biologists sometimes define longevity as the average life span expected under ideal conditions. It's hard to say what's ideal. Plenty of medical research is ongoing (1) ____ the "right" amount and type of exercise to get the best diet to eat to maximize longevity, and (2) ____ certain pharmaceuticals or supplements can help improve your longevity.  Lifespans have increased pretty dramatically over the last century or so, in large part due to (3) ____ in medicine that have nearly eliminated certain deadly infectious diseases.  The average baby born in 1900 lived about a half-century. Nowadays, the life expectancy of people in the United States is nearly 79 years on (4) ____ -81 years for women and 76 years for men, and in some countries, life expectancy is even longer.  It's very (5) ____ that humanity's true longevity might be much higher. Humans might live longer if they can create the ideal conditions of a healthy diet and exercise.

Read the email, choose the best answer A, B, c or D and write.

From: an@fastmail.com
To: nick@fastmail.com
Subject: My best friend
Hi Nick,

It’s great to hear from you. I want to tell you about my best friend.

My grandma is my best friend. She’s 68 years old. She lives with our family. She was a Maths teacher at a secondary school. She likes getting up early and watering the flowers in our garden, she usually helps me with my homework. In the evening, she tells me interesting stories. She also listens to me when I’m sad, which makes me love her the most.

I love my grandma very much. What about you? Who’s your best friend?

Please write to me soon.

Bye bye,

.......................................... is his grandma’s hobby.

Choose the best answer:
Viet is a student and he (23) ______ in a bed-sit in a suburb of Ha Noi. It is a part of an old house. He has one room and a kitchen and (24) ______ a bathroom with three other people. In his room, there is a bed on the left hand side. There is (25) _______ armchair beside the bed. The desk is opposite the bed and there is a closet (26) ______ the right side of the room. Above the desk, there is a bookshelf and above the bed there is a clock. He has a TV and a cassette player. The room is rather (27) ______, but it’s OK. Viet likes this room very much

Choose the best answer:
There is (42) _______ debate between archeologists about when and where the first civilizations developed. That is because the answer to that question depends on what one defines as a civilization. If a civilization is simply a small group of people having a similar culture and beliefs, then civilizations have existed in many parts of the world for thousands of years. If a civilization is defined as a larger, more complex society (43) _______ a government and the construction of cities, then the first civilization was probably the Sumerian civilization in what is now Iraq. The Sumerians were (44) _______ from the Ubaid culture, which was made up of small villages of farmers who lived slightly farther north. Sometime around 4,000 B.C. these farmers moved down into the valley along the Tigris River. This land received little rain, and was unsuitable for farming. Therefore, it was empty and the Sumerians had plenty of (45) _______ and little competition from other peoples. What allowed the Sumerians to successfully farm in this dry land was their knowledge of irrigation, the practice of taking water from a river or lake and moving it to fields through the use of man-made canals. This allowed the Sumerians to farm here successfully (46) _______ the lack of rain. We know that the Sumerians had a great understanding of irrigation because their language is filled with words related to it.

Choose the best answer:
Any change in one part of an ecosystem can cause changes in other parts. Droughts, storms and fires can change ecosystems. Some changes (1)______ ecosystems. If there is too (2) ______ rainfall, plants will not have enough water to live. If a kind of plant dies off, the animals that (3) ______ it may also die or move away. Some changes are good for ecosystems. Some pine forests need (4) ______ for the pine trees to reproduce. The seeds are sealed inside pinecones. Heat from a forest fire melts the seal and lets the seeds (5)______. Polluting the air, soil, and water can harm ecosystems. Building (6) ______ on rivers for electric power and irrigation can harm ecosystems (7) ______ the rivers. Bulldozing wetlands and cutting down (8) ______ destroy ecosystems. Ecologists are working with companies and governments to find better ways of (9) ______ fish, cutting down trees, and building dams. They are looking for ways to get food, lumber, and other products for people (10)______ causing harm to ecosystems

On summer vacation, Lam’s family has a ….(1)….trip to the beach. They always go to Vung Tau in the south …(2)…. Vietnam. They usually stay in a hotel but sometimes they stay in a small house near the sea. Every morning, they go to the beach. Lam likes going swimming …..(3)……his sister never swims. She plays volleyball on the beach. Volleyball is her …..(4)…… sport. They usually have sandwiches…(5)…..lunch or sometimes they go to a small restaurant. In the afternoon, they walk. In the evenings, they often go to the cinema or the theater.

(4),....................................

Choose the best answer:
According to a leading business consultancy, 3–14% of the global workforce will need to switch to a different occupation within the next 10-15 years, and all workers will need to adapt as their occupations (26) _______ alongside increasingly capable machines. Dr Stella Pachidi from Cambridge Judge Business School believes that some of the most fundamental changes are happening as a result of the 'algorithmication' of jobs (27) _______ are dependent on data rather than on production - the so-called knowledge economy. Algorithms are capable of learning from data to (28) _______ tasks that previously needed human judgement, such as reading legal contracts, analysing medical scans and gathering market intelligence. 'In (29) _______ cases, they can outperform humans,' says Pachidi. '(30) _______ these enhancements are not without consequences,' says Pachidi. 'If routine cognitive tasks are taken over by AI, how do professions develop their future experts?' she asks. 'One way of learning about a job is “legitimate peripheral participation” - a novice stands next to experts and learns by observation. If this isn't happening, then you need to find new ways to learn.'

Choose the best answer:
British people have a reputation for being rather quiet and reserved. However, a new study has (1) ____ that Britons are actually quite sociable and the (2) ____ person claims to have 14 close friends. Although a minority of those questioned (3) ____ that they had no best friend, a quarter said that they had more than 18 close friends. Experts said that this is (4) ____ to changes in the way people (5) ____ their free time. They are now more (6) ____ to invite friends to their homes or go out socialising than previous generations. The increasing use of mobile phones and emails has also made it easier to (7) ____ a greater number of friendships.  Men's relationships are not (8) ____ though they tend to have more friends. Women, (9) ____ prefer to have a small number of friends they can trust (10) ____, and with whom they can feel completely at (11) ____. The idea that people in the north of England are more neighbourly than those in the south seems to be backed (12) ____ by the survey. However, despite having friends, it seems that family still (13) ____ an important part in most people's lives. When asked who they would (14) ____ to for help if they were ill or had a problem, the majority said that they would (15) ____ upon a relative first rather than a friend

Choose the best answer A, B, C or D to answer the following question

Binh is a student. He’s 12 years old. He studies at Tran Hung Dao primary school. He usually leave home for school at 6.30 a.m. He lives quite near the school, so he usually walks to school with some of his friends. But today his father is driving him to school. He loves Literature and English. Today he has Physics, Chemistry and English. At school, he often plays volleyball with his best friends.

Which subjects does he like?