Choose the best answer:
The knock-on effect of volunteering on the lives of individuals can be profound. Voluntary work helps foster independence and imparts the ability to deal with different situations, often simultaneously, thus teaching people how to work their way through different systems. It therefore brings people into touch with the real world; and, hence, equips them for the future.  Initially, young adults in their late teens might not seem to have the expertise or knowledge to impart to others that say a teacher or agriculturalist or nurse would have, but they do have many skills that can help  any skills that can help others. And in the absence of any particular talent, their energy and enthusiasm can be harnessed for the benefit of their fellow human beings, and ultimately themselves. From all this, the gain to any community no matter how many volunteers are involved is immeasurable.  Employers will generally look favourably on people who have shown an ability to work as part of a team. It demonstrates a willingness to learn and an independent spirit, which would be desirable qualities in any employee. So to satisfy employers' demands for experience when applying for work, volunteering can act as a means of gaining experience that might otherwise elude would-be workers and can ultimately lead to paid employment and the desired field.  The knock-on effect of volunteering on the lives of individuals can be profound. Voluntary work helps foster independence and imparts the ability to deal with different situations, often simultaneously, thus teaching people how to work their way through different systems. It therefore brings people into touch with the real world; and, hence, equips them for the future.  Initially, young adults in their late teens might not seem to have the expertise or knowledge to impart to others that say a teacher or agriculturalist or nurse would have, but they do have many skills that can help  any skills that can help others. And in the absence of any particular talent, their energy and enthusiasm can be harnessed for the benefit of their fellow human beings, and ultimately themselves. From all this, the gain to any community no matter how many volunteers are involved is immeasurable.  Employers will generally look favourably on people who have shown an ability to work as part of a team. It demonstrates a willingness to learn and an independent spirit, which would be desirable qualities in any employee. So to satisfy employers' demands for experience when applying for work, volunteering can act as a means of gaining experience that might otherwise elude would-be workers and can ultimately lead to paid employment and the desired field.  
4. According to paragraph 3, desirable qualities of an employee involve all of the following EXCEPT ____

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People of every culture tell each other fairy tales but the same story often takes a variety of forms in different parts of the world. In the story of Little Red Riding Hood that European children are familiar with, a young girl on the way to see her grandmother meets a wolf and tells him where she is going. The wolf runs on ahead and disposes of the grandmother, then gets into bed dressed in the grandmother’s clothes to wait for Little Red Riding Hood. You may think you know the story – but which version? The universal appeal of these tales is frequently attributed to the idea that they contain cautionary messages: in the case of Little Red Riding Hood, to listen to your mother, and avoid talking to strangers. ‘It might be what we find interesting about this story is that it’s got this survival-relevant information in it,’ says anthropologist Jamie Tehrani at Durham University in the UK. But his research suggests otherwise. ‘We have this huge gap in our knowledge about the history and prehistory of storytelling, despite the fact that we know this genre is an incredibly ancient one,’ he says. That hasn’t stopped anthropologists, folklorists and other academics devising theories to explain the importance of fairy tales in human society. Tehrani’s analysis focused on Little Red Riding Hood in its many forms, which include another Western fairy tale known as The Wolf and the Kids. Checking for variants of these two tales and similar stories from Africa, East Asia, and other regions, he ended up with 58 stories recorded from oral traditions. First, he tested some assumptions about which aspects of the story alter least as it evolves, indicating their importance. Folklorists believe that what happens in a story is more central to the story than the characters in it. However, Tehrani found no significant difference in the rate of evolution of incidents compared with that of characters. Neither did his analysis support the theory that the central section of a story is the most conserved part. But the really big surprise came when he looked at the cautionary elements of the story. ‘Studies on hunter-gatherer folk tales suggest that these narratives include really important information about the environment and the possible dangers that may be faced there – stuff that’s relevant to survival. Yet in his analysis such elements were just as flexible as seemingly trivial details. What, then, is important enough to be reproduced from generation to generation? The answer, it would appear, is fear – blood-thirsty and gruesome aspects of the story, such as the eating of the grandmother by the wolf, turned out to be the best preserved of all. Why are these details retained by generations of storytellers, when other features are not? Tehrani has an idea: ‘In an oral context, a story won’t survive because of one great teller. It also needs to be interesting when it’s told by someone who’s not necessarily a great storyteller.’ Maybe being swallowed whole by a wolf, then cut out of its stomach alive is so gripping that it helps the story remain popular, no matter how badly it’s told. Mathias Clasen at Aarhus University in Denmark isn’t surprised by Tehrani’s findings. ‘Habits and morals change, but the things that scare us, and the fact that we seek out entertainment that’s designed to scare us – those are constant,’ he says. Clasen believes that scary stories teach us what it feels like to be afraid without having to experience real danger, and so build up resistance to negative emotions
4. The word “conserved” in paragraph 4 mostly means ________

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Hi! I’m Susan and I’ve decided to start this blog to document my Life in Lockdown. We’ve been in Lockdown now for a week in the UK. That means we have to stay at home almost all the time. We’re allowed out once a day to exercise and we can go to the supermarket to buy essentials. You have to try and stay two meters away from other people when you go out. I’m starting to get used to the situation now but it still feels like a dream sometimes. It’s pretty surreal when I look outside and there’s no one around. My mum is a nurse, so she is classed as a key worker and is still going to work every day. The company where my dad works has had to close its stores and furlough all of their employees - that means my dad is still employed but he is not allowed to go to work until his company say he can return. I went to school before and I was studying for exams, so my life has changed quite a lot. I found the situation a bit overwhelming at first. The hardest part has been social distancing. I really miss seeing my friends in person but we chat every day online. I also have to study a lot by myself now and I find that really challenging. My little brother sometimes distracts me when I’m trying to study because he always wants to play. However, one of the positives of the lockdown has been spending more time with my family. I try to stick to a routine each day that also includes time for exercise, some online socializing and something fun or creative like playing a board game with my family. This is helping me make the best of it! I’d love to know what you are doing to stay positive during the lockdown. Let me know in the comments!
5. The word “surreal” in the paragraph 1 is closest in meaning to _______.

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.

(1),....................................

Read the reading below carefully, and then complete it with the best option A, B, C or D given below:
From: Daniel Doyle
To: Lois Henares
Subject: Our appointment
Date: Wed, 20 Sept 2008
Lois,
I’m sending my apologies for having to (1)___ our 10:00 appointment for this morning. I was on my way to your office but was suddenly called away to deal with an (2)------- problem at the factory. I have asked Ms. Blanchard to reschedule our meeting on Friday at 11:00 A.M. Our agenda, as agreed upon, will be the implementation of a new inventory system. I would appreciate it if you could send other members scheduled to attend the meeting a summary of the points that (3)------- in your presentation on the new system. This should facilitate decision-making during our meeting. I hope you were not inconvenienced by the cancelation of our meeting this morning.
All the best,
Daniel

Choose the letter A, B, C or D to complete the passage below

Anh’s family has a ….(1)….trip to the beach on summer vacation . 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.

1. Anh’s family has a ….(1)….trip to the beach on summer vacation.

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As more and more people concentrate in cities, planners are looking for ways to (31) _________ cities into better living spaces. This can be (32) _________ by improving existing infrastructure while also creating more public spaces that are both beautiful and green. This can be hard to accomplish, especially in cities with a haphazard fashion. Some cities have been created with the idea of a green city as the goal. One such city, Masdar City in the United Arab Emirates, aims to become a (33) _________ for other cities to follow. It is being known as a truly green city that relies strictly on renewable sources such as solar energy to provide all of its energy needs. In addition, it will be a zero waste city in which (34) _________ that is used can be recycled. (35) _________ it will truly accomplish its goal remains to be seen, but it will also act as an experiment for environmentally-friendly areas to be tested

Ba is a student. He’s 12 years old. He studies at Yen Hoa 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.

Why does he walk go to school on foot?

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,

An usually listens to his grandma’s stories in the .......................................

Choose the best answer:
Have you ever had the feeling that people older than you are hard to understand? Or, have you felt like people from younger generations just don't get it? Maybe you find (23) ____ easier to connect with people who are closer to your age than those who are older or younger than you. You can probably thank the generation gap (24) ____ these feelings.  There are currently six generations (25) ____ in the United States: the Greatest Generation, Silent Generation, Baby Boomers, Generation X, Millennials, and Generation Z. Each generation has its own unique set of characteristics and norms. For example, the Greatest Generation (born 1901-1924) is known for its patriotism, hard workers, and loyalty to institutions. The Millennials (born 1980-2000) are (26) ____ by their dependence on technology, detachment from traditional institutions, optimism, and open-mindedness. It is no wonder that many people from different generations have a hard time understanding each other.  Generation gap refers to differences in actions, (27) ____, interests, and opinions that exist between individuals from different generations. So, what causes these differences?

Read the reading below carefully, and then complete it with the best option A, B, C or D given below:
I live in a house near the sea. It is ................. (1) old house, about 100 years old and ................. (2) very small. There are two bedrooms upstairs ................. (3) no bathroom. The bathroom is down stairs ................. (4) the kitchen. There is a living room where there is a lovely old fire place. There is a garden ................. (5) the house. The garden ................. (6) down to the beach and in Spring and Summer ................. (7) flowers everywhere. I like sitting alone ................. (8) my dog, Rack, but we have a lot of visitors. My city friends often stay with ................. (9) I love my house for ................. (10)reasons: the garden, the flowers in Summer, the fire in winter, but the best thing is the view from my bedroom window

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We're all faced with difficult problems on a regular basis. In fact, sometimes you might feel like you'll be crushed by the weight of your problems. But how many of us use special creative problem-solving techniques to tackle these problems? "I didn't know there were special techniques," you say. Believe it or not, many experts have given a lot of thought to the problem of problem solving. The obvious first step to solving a problem is to churn out possible solutions, right? Well, some experts say that the first thing you should do is define the problem in detail, even if it seems obvious. Write the problem down on a piece of paper and start asking yourself questions about it: Why is this a problem for me? What is the source of the problem? What will happen if I don't solve the problem? What do I really want to accomplish? Keep asking questions until the well has run dry. Once you've asked these questions and answered them, potential solutions may start popping up like popcorn. Or they may not. If you're still stuck, some experts recommend going for a walk. That's right- you should literally walk away from the problem. A change of scenery can inspire new ideas, and not focusing on the problem can actually open your mind to new possibilities. If you still come up empty-handed at this point, you might try an unusual technique that some experts recommend. Open a dictionary, or any book or magazine, and pick out the first word you see. Write down anything that word makes you think of. Then look at your problem again. Something that you've written down may change your perspective and help you see the problem in a different light.
4. The word “they” in paragraph 4 refers to _______

Read the reading below carefully, and then complete it with the best option A, B, C or D given below:
Princess Eugenie (1)______a member of the British Royal Family. She’s (2)_____ youngest daughter of Princess Andrew and Sara Ferguson. Her parents (3)_______ married any more. They are divorced. Her older siser’s name is Beatrice. Beatrice and Eugenie are Prince William and Harry’s cousins. Her grandmother is the Queen and her uncle is Prince Charles. Her full name is Princess Eugenie Victoria Helena of York, so she (4)_______three first names but no surname. She studies Art, English, and Politics at university in Newcastle. (5)_______ the holidays she sometimes  stays with her mother and sometimes with her father. She often travels abroad with her parents. Although she’s a member of the royal family, she is a normal 20-year-old. She likes going out with her friends, she goes to lots of weddings and parties, and enjoys dancing. She’s also really (6)______ fashion. But because she’s a princess, she never has to (7)______the housework or cook dinner. She hardly ever has to do any official royal duties but she always (8)_____ for the charities her mother supports.

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We are truly at a(n) (1)__________ between imagination and reality, especially when it comes to film. No longer are we able to tell what is real and what isn’t. In the past, it was easy to tell if a scene in a film was created artificially, as the special effects were never very good. To a person who grew up with the special effects that Hollywood can create today, the effects in films from 50 years ago are laughable. The scenes from these films come (2)__________ as so obviously fake that they are almost painful to watch. Today, however, a line has been crossed. Computer-generated animation has made it nearly impossible to (3)_________ between what was actually filmed and what was created by lines of computer code by a programmer. Not only is scenery created by computers, but also many actors known as extras. In the past, a film director would have to hire dozens and possibly hundreds of extras in order to show a crowd scene. This is no longer the (4)____________, and the one film that proved thus was achievable was Titanic, directed by James Cameron. However, years later, computer animation was taken to yet another (5)__________ by the same director with the movie Avatar

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Throughout the nineteenth century and into the twentieth, citizens of the United States maintained a bias against big cities. Most lived on farms and in small towns and believed cities to be centers of corruption, crime, poverty, and moral degradation. Their distrust was caused, in part, by a notional ideology that proclaimed farming the greatest Occupation and rural living superior to urban living. This attitude prevailed even as the number of urban dwellers increased and cities became an essential feature of the notional landscape. Gradually, economic reality overcame ideology. Thousands abandoned the precarious life on the farm for more secure and better paying jobs in the city. But when these people migrated from the countryside, they carried their fears and suspicions with them. These new urban population, already convinced that cities were overwhelmed with great problems, eagerly embraced the progressive reforms that promised to bring order out of the chaos of the city.  One of many reforms came in the area of public utilities. Water and sewerage systems were usually operated by municipal governments, but the gas and electric networks were privately owned. Reformers feared that the privately owned utility companies would charge exorbitant rates for these essential services and deliver them only to people who would afford them, some city and state governments responded by regulating the utility companies, but a number of cities began to supply these services themselves. Proponents of these reforms argued that public ownership and regulation would insure widespread access to these utilities and guarantee a fair price.  While some reforms focused on government and public behavior, others looked at the cities as a whole. Civic leaders, convinced that physical environment influenced human behavior, argued that cities should develop master plans to guide their future growth and development. City planning was nothing new, but the rapid industrialization and urban growth of the late nineteenth century took place without any consideration for order. Urban renewal in the twentieth century followed several courses. Some cities introduced plans to completely rebuild the city core. Most other cities contented themselves with zoning plans for regulating future growth. Certain parts of town were restricted to residential use, while others were set aside for industrial or commercial development. 
5. The word "embraced" in the passage is closest in meaning to ____

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According to a new survey, people living in Britain's rural areas are more (34) _______ about the future and happier about their quality of life than people in cities and towns. The Countryside Living Index carried out (35) _______ how people feel about their lives, found that the satisfaction ratings of people living in the countryside leapt by 10.7 per cent (36) _______ the first and second quarters of 2013, with their views about the cost of living, education and crime all improving. People in both rural and urban areas said that they felt more optimistic about health, education, and the environment, but the positive change was much more pronounced among countrydwellers than city inhabitants. People from urban areas also said that they were increasingly more worried about crime than those in the countryside and overall, the rise in perceived quality of life was three times higher in the countryside than in the cities. Tim Price, who carried out the study, said: "The recession made life in the countryside very tough for many people, (37) _______ it's great news to see concerns about the cost of living easing." However, for young people the lack of rural jobs paying a living (38) _______, and housing costs continue to make hard for them to live in the countryside

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Fossil fuels are used to generate the majority of the world’s energy, and they come in different forms. For example, coal may be burned in a power (31) _________ to generate electricity, but gasoline is burned in a car’s engine to make it run. Neither of these two sources is considered green energy because they produce a lot of pollution when they are burned. In addition, they come from a source that is inevitably going to (32) _________. Green energy can be defined as any energy source that is to some degree nonpolluting. When it is called (33) _________, this means that a person can replace the same amount of energy that was consumed by that person (34) _________ that person's lifetime. Since it took millions and millions of years to create the fossil fuels that we now burn, we know that they cannot be replaced by us. Wind power and solar power, (35) _________ harnessed properly, are two excellent sources of green energy. Once the necessary parts such as wind turbines to generate wind power and solar panels to create solar power have been produced, only the pollution from the production is left

Fill in the gap with the most suitable provided words

There are (1)................. seasons in North of Vietnam. I like the spring and (2) ............ most. In the spring, it is warm and there are many kinds of (3) .............. blowing. I live in the countryside so the air is very fresh in the spring. The view looks like a beautiful picture. In the summer, it is very (4)............. I and my friends usually go (5)............... and (6) ................. our kites. Sometimes we (7) ............... fishing. I don't like the (8) .................. because the (9).................... is very cold and there is a lot of cold wind. I like living in the (10)......................

(10).....................

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Most of us own modern gadgets such as mobile phones, or digital cameras. We may carry them round in our pockets, or attach them to our bodies. But not for much longer! So far designers have succeeded in (4) _____ tiny bits of technology di–rectly into our clothing. In actual fact “cyberfashion” is the latest trend! One example, the Musical Jacket, is already in the shops and stores. This jacket is silk. It is (5) _____ by a keyboard, also manufactured from fabric, which is connected to a tiny device (6) _____ plays music. At present, you have to touch a shoulder pad to hear the music. But in the future, you will be able to operate the device just by turning your wrist or walking! For many athletes, scientists have invented a smart shirt which measures your heart rate, body temperature and respiration rate! (7) _____, the most romantic piece of cyberfashion must be the Heartthrob Brooch. This item of jewellery, made from diamonds and rubies, has two miniature transmitters. They make the brooch glow in time to the beating of its wearer’s heart. If you meet someone (8) _____, your heart will beat faster – and your brooch will let everyone know how you feel!

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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 ____

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How is global warning affecting you? Many people in the world would not know how to answer this question as they do not see any sort of change in climate. The people who do not notice it tend to live in cities where the climates are already (31) _________; in essence, they mostly live indoors. If it is raining, they stay inside. If it is too cold or too hot, they turn on the heat or their air conditioning (32) _________. For farmers and others who live closer to the land; however, global warming is not something they are (33) _________ from. Although they cannot prove on any given day that the weather, extreme or mild, has anything to do with climate change, they can say over time that things are beginning to seem different. They notice that flowers and other plants are blooming earlier in northern regions of the world’s continents. This causes them to change planting (34) _________ for crops in some cases. (35) _________, farmers are facing more floods and droughts in our country and elsewhere