Choose the best answer:
Peter ........................ to go in for the exam.

 

Read the following passage and choose the best answer (A, B, C, D):
According to Vietnamese legend, (1) ____ giant turtle in Hanoi's Hoan Kiem Lake reclaimed a magic sword given to King Le Loi in the 15th century that he used to win independence (2) ____ China's Ming Dynasty. The lake was thereafter named 'Ho Hoan Kiem', or 'Lake of the Returned Sword', and Hanoi has been built up (3) ____ it. Margie Mason of Associated Press wrote: "(4) ____ once was a magic golden turtle that lived in Hanoi's most enchanted lake. The giant turtle was believed so powerful, it snatched a divine sword from a warrior king and returned it to the gods of the depths nearly six centuries (5) ____. That tale has long been a (6) ____ among young and old Vietnamese living in the capital city, but folklorists soon may have to rewrite the story to (7) ____ a very sad ending. In real life, the last giant soft-shell turtle (8) ____ in Hoan Kiem Lake probably will die alone, and at least one biologist says the species (9) ____ then be extinct. The elusive creature - with a shell as big as a desk - occasionally pokes its wrinkled head out of the murky waters of the downtown lake to (10) ____ a breath, but few Vietnamese are lucky enough to glimpse it. And certainly no one knows its age."

Read the passage below carefully, and then choose the best answer:
Hunting Down the Truth about Killer Whales
Hearing that killer whales are in the area is sure to strike fear in the heart of anyone at sea. The thought of coming across a creature with a menacing name like that is a surefire sign you are on a path to destruction. As it turns out, killer whales, orcas, are actually highly sophisticated creatures that are usually harmless to humans. The title “killer whale” may actually be a mistranslation of the Spanish term “ballena asesina”, which means assassin whale. Orcas were nicknamed this due to their well-coordinated attacks on marine life, not for the danger they pose to humans. At nearly five to seven metres in length and a weight of over six tons, orcas are one of the largest creatures on the Earth. There are about 50,000 orcas worldwide that are spread out in several oceans. Orcas are classified as an Apex predator, which means no other creature hunt them for food. Scientists believe that there are between three to five different types of orca and they are all quite distinctive. The most frequently seen of these are Residents. They live in close-knit family units called pods, which can contain over 50 members, and their diet consists mainly of fish. Transient whales, however, prefer to travel in smaller groups of two to six whales. Meanwhile, Offshore whales were only recently discovered in 1988. They prefer to swim farther away from land than the others and several pods may come together to form groups as large as 200 whales. Although these orca groups may seem similar to the naked eye, they are extremely different in many ways, and scientists believe they haven’t interbred in thousands of years. Researchers also acknowledge that their knowledge of orcas is limited, and even more groups may exist. Male orcas have an average lifespan of about 30 years, while the average age for females is 50. However, there have been cases of females living up to 90 years. Yet when kept in captivity at marine entertainment parks, their life expectancies drop dramatically. In fact, it seems that the biggest threat to orcas these days is humans. Between the practices of hunting orcas, polluting their environments, and capturing them for entertainment purposes, we are making it very difficult for them to survive. Perhaps the killer whales aren’t the real killer after all.
3. All of the following are true about orcas EXCEPT that ___________

Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to indicate the correct answer to each of the questions:
Fish that live on the sea bottom benefit by being flat and hugging the contours. There are two very differcent types of flatfish and they have evolved in very separate ways. The skates ad rays, relatives of the rharks, have become flat in what might be called the obivious way. Their bodies have grown out sideways to form grat “wings”. They look as though they have been flattened but have remained symmetrical and “the right way up”. Conversely, fish such sas plaice, sole, and halibut have become flat in a different way. There are bony fish which have a marked tendency to be flattened in a vertical direction; they are much “taller” than they are wide. They use their whole, vertically flattened bodies as swimming surfaces, which undulat through the water as they move. Therefore, when their ancestors migrate to the seabed, they lay on one side than on their bellies. However, this raises the problem that one eye was always looking down into the sand and was effectively useless – In evolution this problem was soleved by the lower eye “moving” around the other side. We see this process off moving around enacted in the development of every young bony flatfish. It starts life swimming near the surface, and is symmetrical and vertically flattened, but then the skull starts to grow in a strange asymmetrical twisted fashion,, so that one eye, for instance the left, moves over the top of the head upwards, an old Picasso – like vision. Incidentally, some species of 20 flatfish settle on the right side, others on left, and others on either side.

The author mentions skates and rays as examples of fish that     .

Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to indicate the correct answer to each of the questions.

   My family consists of four people. There's my father whose name is Jan, my mother whose name is Marie, my brother, Peter and of course, me. I have quite a large extended family as well but, only the four of us live together in our apartment in a block of flats. My father is fifty-two years old. He works as an accountant in an insurance company. He is tall and slim, has got short brown and gray hair and blue eyes. My father likes gardening very much as well as listening to music and reading books about political science. His special hobbies are bird watching and travelling.

   Now I’ll describe my mother and my brother. My mother is forty-seven and she works as a nurse in a hospital. She is small, and slim, has short brown hair and green eyes. She likes bird watching and travelling too, so whenever my parents are able to they go someplace interesting for nature watching. Since we have a cottage with a garden they both spend a lot of time there. My brother is sixteen. He is slim and has short brown hair and blue eyes. He also attends high school. He is interested in computers and sports like football and hockey. He also spends a lot of time with his friends.

   I have only one grandmother left still living. She is in pretty good health even at the age of seventyeight so she still lives in her own flat. I enjoy spending time with her when I can. Both my grandfathers died from cancer because they were smokers, which was really a great tragedy because I didn't get chance to know them. My other grandmother died just a few years ago. I also have a lot of aunts, uncles, and cousins. The cousin I’m closest to is my uncle’s daughter Pauline. We have a lot in common because we are both eighteen and so we are good friends.

   My parents have assigned me certain duties around the house. I don't mind helping out because everyone in a family should contribute in some way. I help with the washing up, the vacuuming and the shopping. Of course I also have to help keep my room tidy as well. My brother is responsible for the dusting and mopping. He also has to clean his own room. Even though my brother and I sometimes fight about who has to do what job, we are still very close. I am also very close to my parents and I can rely on them to help me. My parents work together to keep our home well maintained and it seem they always have a project or another that they are working on. They respect each other's opinions and even if they disagree they can always come to a compromise. I hope in the future that 1 have a family like ours.

The word "assigned" in the fourth paragraph mostly means...........

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Who ________ the boss tell him that?

Read the following passage and choose the best answer (A, B, C, D):
Television has transformed politics in the United States by changing the way in which information is disseminated, by altering political campaigns, and by changing citizen's patterns of response to politics. By giving citizens independent access to the candidates, television diminished the role of the political party in the selection of the major party candidates. By centering politics on the person of the candidates, television accelerated the citizen's focus on character rather than issues. Television has altered the forms of political communication as well. The messages on which most of US reply are briefer than they once were. The stump speech, a political speech given by travelling politicians and lasting 1/2 to 2 hours, which characterized nineteenth-century political discourse, has given way to the 30-second advertisement and the 10 second "sound bite" in broadcast news. Increasingly the audience for speeches is not that standing in front of the politician but rather the viewing audience tvho will hear and see a snippet of the speech on the news. In these abbreviated forms, much of what constituted the traditional political discourse of earlier ages has been lost. In 15 or 30 seconds, a peaker cannot establish the historical context that shaped the issue in question, cannot detail the probable causes of the problem, and cannot examine alternative proposals to argue that one is preferable to others. In snippets, politicians assert but do not argue. Because television is an intimate medium, speaking through it require a changed political style that was more conversational, personal, and visual than that of the old-style stump speech. Reliance on television means that increasingly our political world contains memorable pictures rather than memorable words. Schools teach US to analyze words and print. However, in a word in which politics is increasingly visual, informed citizenship requires a new set of skills. Recognizing the power of television's pictures, politicians craft televisual, staged events, called pseudo-event, designed to attract media coverage. Much of the political activity we see on television news has been crafted by politicians, their speechwriters, and their public relations advisers for televised consumption. Sound bites in news and answers to questions in debates increasingly sound like advertisements.
8. According to the passage, as compared with televised speeches, traditional political discourse was more successful at: 

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The Complex of Hue Monuments, which lies along the Perfume River in Hue City, is a good example of a well-designed capital city.

Choose the best answer:
It was _____ a boring speech that I felt asleep.

Doctors are supposed to _____ responsibility for human life.

(192)____

Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to indicate the correct answer to each of the questions:
Scientists have developed a new bionic computer chip that can be mated with human cells to combat disease. The tiny device, smaller and thinner than a strand of hair, combines a healthy human cell with an electronic circuitry chip. Doctors can control the activity of the cell by controlling the chip with a computer.
It has long been established that cell members become permeable when exposed to electrical impulses. Researchers have conducted genetic research for years with a trial-and-error process of bombarding cells with electricity in an attempt to introduce foreign substances such as new drug treatments or genetic material. They were unable to apply a particular level of voltage for a particular purpose. With the new invention, the computer sends electrical impulses to the chip, which triggers the physicians to open a cell‘s pores with control.
Researchers hope that eventually they will be able to develop more advanced chips whereby they can choose a particular voltage to activate particular tissues, whether they be muscle, bone, brain, or others. They believe that they will be able to implant multiple chips into a person to deal with one problem or more than one problem.

The word they in the first sentences of the third paragraph refers to     .

The replacement of shops such as groceries’ and chemist’s by cafes _______ the housewives with insufficient facilities for shopping.

(96)______

Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to indicate the correct word or phrase that best fits each of the numbered blanks.
                                          Culture Clash
In Africa a famous food company tried to sell its baby food by advertising it with the picture of a baby on the label. They did not know that this particular country used labels only to (1)............. a picture of the food inside. When Pepsico used the slogan "Come alive with Pepsi' in Taiwan, they had no idea that it would be translated into Chinese as 'Pepsi (2)............. your ancestors back from the dead’.
Misunderstandings such as these about language or about culture are sometimes comical but can also cause genuine hurt or anger. Business styles (3).............. widely in different countries and what is normal in one culture can be completely unacceptable in another.
Socialising in different countries can be tricky. In Arabic countries, for example, people do not discuss business (4)...............meals. Giving gifts is another potential problem: in the UK most people take presents to a dinner party, but in many countries this is not polite because it (5)............ you think the host is poor.

(2).......................................................

Read the passage below carefully, and then choose the best answer:
The Great Energy Debate
Modern civilization is heavily dependent on energy. Without reliable power sources, we couldn’t operate machines, use transportation, communicate via Internet, or do many other things. Although everyone recognizes the importance of energy, deciding what kind of energy the world should use in the future is not a simple task. The two leading candidates for this role are green energy and nuclear energy. Currently, most of the energy we use is derived from fossil fuels. Although this energy source has got us this far, there are several problems with it. For starters, it is a finite resource which is quickly running out. Some analysts have even estimated that the Earth could run out of coal and oil within the next 50 years. Burning fossil fuels also creates large amount of pollution, which is harmful to the environment. Although fossil fuels still provide the majority of our power, governments are seeking better energy sources to use going forward. Green energy is one option that is becoming increasingly attractive. It includes technologies such as solar, wind, and hydro power. These are seen as clean sources of energy because they cause very little pollution. In addition, they are completely renewable, so there is no danger that it will run out. The major disadvantage with green energy sources is that they are not cheap. The other alternative is nuclear power. Like green energy, it is also a renewable source of power that will not run out, and it also doesn’t produce air pollution. In addition, nuclear power is more reliable than green energy, as it doesn’t depend on sunshine, rain, or wind to operate. The major issues with nuclear power are safety concerns and nuclear waste. Nuclear power plants create a considerable amount of nuclear waste which is extremely hazardous to people’s health. If they happen to have a meltdown, this could destroy the surrounding area for years to come. The recent nuclear disaster in Fukushima, Japan brought this reality into the spotlight once again. In response, Germany announced it would close down eight of its nuclear plants immediately, and close the rest by 2022. Meanwhile, other nations refuse to give up on nuclear power, stating that these disasters are rare. The debate of whether to use green or nuclear power will likely continue for some time. In the end, it is quite possible that both energy sources will be used to fuel our planet.
4. The word “_these_” in paragraph 3 refers to _________.

No one can predict the future exactly. Things may happen ____

(309)______

At last they divorced after ten years of _____ marriage.

(166)_____

Choose the best answer:
Do you find Long … ?

Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C or D on your answer sheet to indicate the correct word for each of the blanks.
Owning a car has several advantages. .......................(1), you can go wherever you want, whenever you want. You  don’t  have  to  depend  on  public  transport,  and ................ (2), you will feel more independent.
 ..................(3), you are able to give lifts to friends, or carry heavy loads of shopping. ....................(4), there can be certain financial problems, especially if you live in a city. Running a car can be costly, since you have to spend quite an amount on items................... (5) petrol, servicing the car, and repairs. You might also have problem with parking, as every where is more and more crowded with cars. ............ (6) most people feel that the advantages of owning a car outweigh the disadvantages.

(3)................. 

Read the passage below carefully, and then choose the best answer:
It’s in Your Genes
Every human being has about 25,000 genes. Your genes are part of your DNA. They give your body instructions on how to develop. For example, if your genes tell your body to build long, thin fingers, then you will have long, thin fingers. Your genes come from your parents, and they decide everything about you. They decide your hair colour, your eye colour, your height, and so on. Genes are still a bit of a mystery to scientists, but they are learning new things about them all the time. One issue that people often debate is this: Do our genes influence our personalities? These days, most people agree that the answer to this question is yes. Recent studies have shown that genes especially influence our self-control and our sense of purpose. Your sense of purpose is your desire to have goals in your life. If a person really wants to accomplish something and do well in life, he or she has a sense of purpose. A person who does not care about goals has no sense of purpose. Although scientists agree that our genes influence our personalities, there is another question. How much do they influence us? Can we control ourselves, or do our genes control us? People everywhere are still debating this issue. So far, we don’t really have an answer. Genes also affect your health. If a gene has a problem, it is called a mutated gene. Some mutated genes can cause diseases. That is why if a person has a certain health problem, his or her child is more likely to have that same problem. The child also has the mutated gene. As scientists and doctors learn more about genes, they are also developing a new kind of medicine: gene therapy. Therapy is help for a mental or a physical problem. Gene therapy means fixing or replacing mutated genes. Scientists are still experimenting on gene therapy. It is possible that in the future, gene therapy will help doctors prevent and cure diseases that are caused by mutated genes.
2. Which of the following is NOT influenced by genes?

Sometimes forest fires have caused serious damage to both private and public property. They destroy many houses and cause deaths, particularly when they have reached villages which are close to the forests. It is more dangerous if a destructive fire burns away plants and trees that prevent erosion. If heavy rains occur after such a fire, landslides, ash flows, and flash floods can occur. This can result in property damage in the immediate fire area, and can affect the water quality of streams, rivers and lakes. Wind sometimes makes contributions to forest fires. In southern California, under the influence of Santa Ana winds, fires could move at tremendous speeds, up to 40 miles (60 km) in a single day, consuming up to 1,000 acres (4 km2) per hour.

Which sentence is not true? 

Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to indicate the correct answer to each of the questions :
Do you quickly pull up any piece of information you need by looking (1)___________ on the Internet? If you do, you might be unfortunately making yourself less intelligent. Instead of having to understand basic bits of information, you have come to (2)___________ on the Internet for all of the things that you want to know. While this may be an easy solution and great convenience to some problems in everyday life, it can never be a solution when a person finds himself or herself in a situation where there is no (3)__________ to the Internet. In the past, one thing that was considered a very important part of (4)__________ either in a car or on foot was the ability to read a map. Today, people instead pull up maps on their smartphones and, using the GPS technology that the phones offer, instantly know where they are on the map. Then, they can simply (5)__________ where they want to go, and they will be instructed how to get there. They can do this in a city, and they can also often do this when they go off onto trails in forests.