Fill in each numbered blank with one suitable word or phrase

Rowing is a sport in which athletes race against each other on river, lakes or on the ocean, (1) _____ on the type of race and the discipline. The boats are propelled by the reaction forces on the oar blades (2) _____ they are pushed against the water. The sport can be both recreational, focusing (3)____ learning the techniques required, and competitive where overall fitness plays a large role. It is also one of (4) _____ oldest Olympic sports. In the United States, Australia and Canada, high school and collegial rowing is sometimes referred to as crew.

(5) _____ rowing, the athlete sits in the boat facing backwards, towards the stern, and uses the oars which are held in (6) ____ by the oarlocks to propel the boat forward, towards the bow. It is a demanding sport requiring strong core balance as well as physical (7) _____ and cardiovascular endurance.

Since the action of rowing (8) _____ fairly popular throughout the world, there are many different types of (9) _____. These include endurance races, time trials, stake racing, bumps racing, and the side-by-side format used in the Olympic Games. The many different formats are a result of the long (10) _____ of the sport, its development in different regions of the world, and specific local requirements and restrictions.

(6) ________

Read the text below and decide which answer (A,B,C, or D) best fits each space.
Health and fitness are not just for young people. They are for anyone willing to accept the (1) _______ for a good diet and (2) _______ exercise. With age, there is a tendency to feel that  the body is no longer able to (3) _______. Aches and pains are (4) _______ normal. Instead of  pushing the body to do (5) _______, activities become limited. Yet examples after examples  have shown us that older people can – and should – be (6) 
_______. Men and women in their sixties have run in marathons, races of more than twenty six miles. Some professional athletes stay (7) _______ into their forties and fifties. For most  people, simple activities like walking and swimming are all that is needed to stay in (8)  _______. It’s important to include exercise in your daily routine. In the winter, (9) _______  push-ups, sit-ups, and other indoor exercises. Of course, such exercises will be of little use  (10) _______ you follow them with soda and chips. 

Câu 8................

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 from 36 to 42.
A study was set up to examine the old marriage advice about whether it's more important to be happy or to be right. Couples therapists sometimes suggest that in an attempt to avoid constant arguments, spouses weigh up whether pressing the point is worth the misery of marital discord. The researchers from the University of Auckland noticed that many of their patients were adding stress to their lives by insisting on being right, even when it worked against their well-being.
The researchers then found a couple who were willing to record their quality of life on a scale of 1 to 10. They told the man, who wanted to be happy more than right, about the purpose of the study and asked him to agree with every opinion and request his wife had without complaint, even when he profoundly didn't agree. The wife was not informed of the purpose of the study and just asked to record her quality of life.
Things went rapidly downhill for the couple. The man's quality-of-life scores fell, from 7 to 3, over the course of the experiment. The wife's scores rose modestly, from 8 to 8.5, before she became hostile to the idea of recording the scores. Rather than creating harmony, the husband's agreeableness led to the wife becoming increasingly critical of what he did and said (in the husband's opinion). After 12 days he broke down, and the study was called off because of severe adverse outcomes."
The researchers concluded, shockingly, that humans need to be right and acknowledged as right, at least some of the time, to be happy. They also noted this was further proof that if given too much power, humans tend to "assume the alpha position and, as with chimpanzees, they become very aggressive and dangerous." It is often said that there can be no peace without justice, and that's true of domestic sphere.
Obviously the results are to be taken with extreme caution, since this was just one couple with who-knows-what underlying issues beforehand. But the study's chief author, Dr. Bruce Arroll, maintains that the question of happiness vs. rightness, theoretically, could be settled by scientific inquiry with a wider sample. "This would include a randomized controlled trial,” he says. "However, we would be reluctant to do the definitive study because of the concern about divorce."

Which of the following is NOT true, according to the passage?

Read the text below and decide which answer (A,B,C, or D) best fits each space.
The well-being of America's rural people and places depends upon many things - the availability of good-paying jobs; (1) to critical services such as education, health care, and communication; strong communities; and a healthy natural environment. And, (2) urban America is equally dependent upon these things, the challenges to well-being look very  different in rural areas than in urban areas. Small-scale, low-density settlement (3) make it  more costly for communities and businesses to provide critical services. Declining jobs and  income in the natural resource-based industries that many rural areas depend on (4) workers  in those industries to find new ways to make a living. Low-skill, low-wage rural  manufacturing industries must find new ways to challenge the increasing number of (5)  competitors. Distance and remoteness impede many rural areas from being connected to the  urban centers of economic activity. Finally, changes in the availability and use of natural  resources located in rural areas (6) the people who earn a living from those resources and  those who (7) recreational and other benefits from them. Some rural areas have met these challenges successfully, achieved some level of prosperity, and are ready (8) the challenges of the future. Others have neither met the current challenges nor positioned themselves for the future. Thus, concern for rural America is real.  And, while ruralAmerica is a producer of critical goods and services, the (9) goes beyond economics. Rural America is also home to a fifth of the Nation'speople, keeper of natural  amenities and national treasures, and safeguard of a/an (10) part of American culture,  tradition, and history. 

Câu 3........................

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.

   Millions of people are using cellphones today. In many places, it is actually considered unusual not to use one. In many countries, cellphones are very popular with young people. They find that the phones are more than a means of communication – having a mobile phone shows that they are cool and connected.

   The explosion in mobile phone use around the world has made some health professionals worried. Some doctors are concerned that in the future many people may suffer health problems from the use of mobile phones. In England, there has been a serious debate about this issue. Mobile phone companies are worried about the negative publicity of such ideas. They say that there is no proof that mobile phones are bad for your health.

   On the other hand, medical studies have shown changes in the brain cells of some people who use mobile phones. Signs of change in the tissues of the brain and head can be detected with modern scanning equipment. In one case, a traveling salesman had to retire at young age because of serious memory loss. He couldn’t remember even simple tasks. He would often forget the name of his own son. This man used to talk on his mobile phone for about six hours a day, every day of his working week, for a couple of years. His family doctor blamed his mobile phone use, but his employer’s doctor didn’t agree.

   What is it that makes mobile phones potentially harmful? The answer is radiation. High-tech machines can detect very small amounts of radiation from mobile phones. Mobile phone companies agree that there is some radiation, but they say the amount is too small to worry about.

   As the discussion about their safety continues, it appears that it’s best to use mobile phones less often. Use your regular phone if you want to talk for a long time. Use your mobile phone only when you really need it. Mobile phones can be very useful and convenient, especially in emergencies. In the future, mobile phones may have a warning label that says they are bad for your health. So for now, it’s wise not to use your mobile phone too often.

The man mentioned in the passage, who used his cellphone too often, ______.

For more than six million American children, coming home after school means coming  back to an empty house. Some deal with the situation by watching TV. Some may hide. But all of  them have something in common. They spend part of each day alone. They are called “latchkey children”. They are children who look after themselves while their parents work. And their bad  condition has become a subject of concern. 
Lynette Long was once the principal of an elementary school. She said, “We had a school rule against wearing jewelry. A lot of kids had chains around their necks with keys attached. I was  constantly telling them to put the keys inside shirts. There were so many keys; it never came to  my mind what they meant.” Slowly, she learned that they were house keys. She and her husband began talking to the children who had keys. They learned of the effect working couples and single parents were having on their children. Fear was the biggest problem faced by children at home alone. One in three latchkey children the Longs talked to reported being  frightened. Many had nightmares and were worried about their own safety. The most common way latchkey children deal with their fears is by hiding. They may hide  in a shower stall, under a bed or in a closet. The second is TV. They often turn the volume up. It’s  hard to get statistics on latchkey children, the Longs have learned. Most parents are slow to admit  that they leave their children alone

What is the most common way for latchkey children to deal with fears? 

Read the text below and decide which answer (A,B,C, or D) best fits each space.
In a world where 2 billion people live in homes that don't have light bulbs, technology holds  the key (1)_______ banishing poverty. Even the simplest technologies can transform lives and  save money. Vaccines, crops, computers and sources of solar energy can all reduce poverty in  developing countries. For example, cheap oral-rehydration therapy developed in Bangladesh  has dramatically cut the death (2) _______ from childhood diarrhoea. 
But even when such technologies exist, the depressing fact is that we can’t make them (3)  _______ for those who most need them. Solar panels, batteries and light bulbs are still beyond  the purse of many, but where they have been installed they change lives. A decent light in the evening gives children more time for homework and extends the productive day for adults.  Kenya has a thriving solar industry and six years ago Kenyan pioneers also (4) _______  connecting schools to the Internet via radio links. These people were fortunate (5) _______  being able to afford solar panels, radios and old computers. How much bigger would the  impact be if these things (6) _______ and priced specifically for poor people? Multinationals must become part of the solution, because (7)_______ they own around 60 per  cent of the world's technology, they seldom make products for poor customers. Of 1,223 new  drugs marketed worldwide from 1975 to 1996, for example, just 13 were for tropical diseases. People think those enterprises should do more to provide vital products such as medicines (8) _______ different prices around the world to suit (9) _______ people can afford.  Alternatively, they could pay a percentage of their profit towards research and development  for (10) _______. 

Question 10: ...................

Read the passage carefully, then choose the correct answer: 
Underwater hockey is a non-contact sport in which two teams compete to maneuver a puck across the bottom of a swimming pool into goals. 
Players wear a diving mask, fins, speedos and a snorkel for play_ Safety gear includes a water polo style cap, a mouthguard, and a glove for the playing hand (to protect against pool-bottom abrasion and, in some designs, knuckle protection against puck impact). Because current rules permit a player to switch the stick between hands mid-play, players may choose to wear a protective glove on both hands. The stick is quite short (not more than 350 mm in length, including the handle) and is colored white or black to indicate the player's team.
Two teams of up to ten players compete, with six players on each team in play at once. Substitution happens continually from a substitution area, which may be on deck or in the water outside the playing area, depending on tourna went rules. Before the start of play the puck is placed in the middle of the pool, and the players wait in the water, touching the wall above the goals they are defending. At the start-of-play signal, in- play members of both teams are free to swim anywhere in the play area and try to score by sending the puck into the opponents' goal. Play continues until either a goal is scored, and players return to their wall to start a new point, or a break in play is signaled by a referee. 
There are a number of penalties described in the official underwater hockey rules, ranging from use of the stick against something (or someone) other than the puck or the playing surface, playing or stopping the puck with something other than the stick, and "screening". If the penalty is minor, referees award an advantage puck - the team that committed the foul is pushed back 3 meters from the puck, while the other team gets a free possession. For major penalties, such as a dangerous pass or intentional or repeated fouls, the referees may eject. players for a specified period of time or the remainder of the game. A defender committing a serious foul sufficiently close to his own goal may be penalized by the award of a point to the fouled player's team.
Games consist of two halves, typically ten to fifteen minutes in length (depending on tournament rules; 15 minutes at world championship tournaments) and a short half time interval. At half time the two teams switch ends.

What happens to the player who commits an intentional foul?

Choose the letter A, B, C or D to answer these following questions: Most of us tend to think of production when we think of mass media industries. After all, it is the output of this production – the papers we read, the cable TV shows we watch – that grab our attention, make us happy or angry, interested or bored. Moreover, most public discussion about communication tends to be about production. The latest gossip about that actor will be in what film, the angry comments a mayor makes about the violence on local TV news, the newest CDs by an up-and-coming group – these are the kinds of topics that focus our attention on the making of content, not its distribution or exhibition.
Media executives know, however, that production is only one step in the arduous and risky process of getting a mass media idea to an audience. Distribution is the delivery of the produced material to the point where it will be shown to its intended audience. The activity takes place out of public view. We have already mentioned the NBC acts as a distributor when it disseminates television programming via satellite to TV stations. When Philadelphia Newspapers Inc. delivers its Philadelphia Inquirer to city newsstands, when Twentieth – Century – Fox moves its Musicland stores, they are involved in distribution to exhibitions. 

In this passage, “arduous” means.....................

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.

   In the 1960s, The Beatles were probably the most famous pop group in the whole world. Since then, there have been a great many groups that have achieved enormous fame, so it is perhaps difficult now to imagine how sensational The Beatles were at that time. They were four boys from the north of England and none of them had any training in music. They started by performing and recording songs by black Americans and they had some success with these songs. Then they started writing their own songs and that was when they became really popular. The Beatles changed pop music. They were the first pop group to achieve great success from songs they had written themselves. After that it became common for groups and singers to write their own songs. The Beatles did not have a long career. Their first hit record was in 1963 and they split up in 1970. They stopped doing live performances in 1966 because it had become too dangerous for them - their fans were so excited that they surrounded them and tried to take their clothes as souvenirs! However, today some of their songs remain as famous as they were when they first came out. Throughout the world, many people can sing part of a Beatles song if you ask them.

The Beatles stopped their live performances because __________

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 from 31 to 35.
Marcel Bich, a French manufacturer of traditional ink pens, was the man turning the ballpoint pen into an item that today almost anyone can afford. Bich was shocked at the poor quality of the ballpoint pens that were available, and also at their high cost. However, he recognised that the ballpoint was a firmly established invention, and he decided to design a cheap pen that worked well and would be commercially successful.
Bich went to the Biro brothers and asked them if he could use the design of their original invention in one of his own pens. In return, he offered to pay them every time he sold a pen. Then, for two years, Bich studied the detailed construction of every ballpoint pen that was being sold, often working with a microscope.
By 1950, he was ready to introduce his new wonder: a plastic pen with a clear barrel that wrote smoothly, did not leak and only cost a few cents. He called it the 'Bic Cristal'. The ballpoint pen had finally become a practical writing instrument. The public liked it immediately, and today it is as common as the pencil. In Britain, they are still called Biros, and many Bic models also say 'Biro' on the side of the pen, to remind people of their original inventors.
Bich became extremely wealthy thanks to his invention, which had worldwide appeal. Over the next 60 years his company, Société Bic, opened factories all over the world and expanded its range of inexpensive products. Today, Bic is as famous for its lighters and razors as it is for its pens, and you can even buy a Bic mobile phone.

What could be the best title for the passage?

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 from 31 to 35.
Marcel Bich, a French manufacturer of traditional ink pens, was the man turning the ballpoint pen into an item that today almost anyone can afford. Bich was shocked at the poor quality of the ballpoint pens that were available, and also at their high cost. However, he recognised that the ballpoint was a firmly established invention, and he decided to design a cheap pen that worked well and would be commercially successful.
Bich went to the Biro brothers and asked them if he could use the design of their original invention in one of his own pens. In return, he offered to pay them every time he sold a pen. Then, for two years, Bich studied the detailed construction of every ballpoint pen that was being sold, often working with a microscope.
By 1950, he was ready to introduce his new wonder: a plastic pen with a clear barrel that wrote smoothly, did not leak and only cost a few cents. He called it the 'Bic Cristal'. The ballpoint pen had finally become a practical writing instrument. The public liked it immediately, and today it is as common as the pencil. In Britain, they are still called Biros, and many Bic models also say 'Biro' on the side of the pen, to remind people of their original inventors.
Bich became extremely wealthy thanks to his invention, which had worldwide appeal. Over the next 60 years his company, Société Bic, opened factories all over the world and expanded its range of inexpensive products. Today, Bic is as famous for its lighters and razors as it is for its pens, and you can even buy a Bic mobile phone.

The word "practical" in paragraph 3 is closest in meaning to ______.

Read the text below and decide which answer (A,B,C, or D) best fits each space.
The heart has long been considered to be (1) feelings of love dwell. In love songs throughout  the ages, love almost always goes together (2) the heart. The heart has continuously been  viewed (3) the place where love begins and develops. Even the Bible gives (4) to love and the  heart. 
The role of the heart in love must come from what happens to it when a person feels strongly (5) to someone. The strong feelings (6) the other person, especially in the early stages of a relationship, have the results that the heart starts beating faster and  breathing starts speeding (7) . 
According to psychologists, a love relationship is a situation that involves a lot of stress and the body reacts to this by getting ready to face the unknown. This has been called the  "fight or flight" (9) accelerates and (10) , meeting danger by fighting it or running away. So  with love, the heart becomes quick. 

Câu 9. ........................

Fill in each numbered blank with one suitable word or phrase

Rowing is a sport in which athletes race against each other on river, lakes or on the ocean, (1) _____ on the type of race and the discipline. The boats are propelled by the reaction forces on the oar blades (2) _____ they are pushed against the water. The sport can be both recreational, focusing (3)____ learning the techniques required, and competitive where overall fitness plays a large role. It is also one of (4) _____ oldest Olympic sports. In the United States, Australia and Canada, high school and collegial rowing is sometimes referred to as crew.

(5) _____ rowing, the athlete sits in the boat facing backwards, towards the stern, and uses the oars which are held in (6) ____ by the oarlocks to propel the boat forward, towards the bow. It is a demanding sport requiring strong core balance as well as physical (7) _____ and cardiovascular endurance.

Since the action of rowing (8) _____ fairly popular throughout the world, there are many different types of (9) _____. These include endurance races, time trials, stake racing, bumps racing, and the side-by-side format used in the Olympic Games. The many different formats are a result of the long (10) _____ of the sport, its development in different regions of the world, and specific local requirements and restrictions.

(9) ________

 Choose the word or phrase among A, B, C or D that best fits the blank space in the following passage:

"Many outdoor (1)….. enjoy canoeing or kayaking (2) ….. recreation on ponds, lakes, and rivers. Some people use canoes and kayaks to travel across bodies of water to remote camping locations. They (3)…. Their supplies, such as tents, sleeping bags, and food, in their boats. The Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness and Voyageurs National Park, both (4)…..  along the border between Minnesota and Ontario, Canada, are two of the most popular canoeing areas in North America.
 Whitewater canoeing and kayaking on fast-flowing rivers is another popular activity. The (5)….. whitewater refers (6)........ the burbling foam created when fast-moving water spills over and around rocks or other (7)….. Whitewater enthusiasts maneuver their boats around rocks, logjams and other natural obstacles. If the current and obstacles (8)…… a passage (9)…. difficult to navigate, a canoeist might make a portage, or carry the canoe (10)…..  land for a short distance, thereby avoiding the danger."

10. or carry the canoe (10)…..  land for a short distance, thereby avoiding the danger.

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

Football, also called association football or soccer, game …(1)…which two teams of 11 players, using any part of their bodies …(2)…their hands and arms, try to maneuver the ball into the opposing team’s goal. Only the goalkeeper is permitted to handle the ball and may do so only within the penalty area surrounding the goal. The team that scores more goals wins.

Football is the world’s most popular ball game in numbers of participants and …(3)…. Simple in its principal rules and essential equipment, the sport can be played almost anywhere, …(4)…official football playing fields (pitches) to gymnasiums, streets, school playgrounds, parks, or beaches. Football’s governing body, the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA), estimated that at the turn of the 21st century there were …(5)… 250 million football players and over 1.3 billion people “interested” in football; in 2010 a combined television audience of more than 26 billion watched football’s premier tournament, the quadrennial month-long World Cup finals.

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

Read the text below and decide which answer (A,B,C, or D) best fits each space.
The heart has long been considered to be (1) feelings of love dwell. In love songs throughout  the ages, love almost always goes together (2) the heart. The heart has continuously been  viewed (3) the place where love begins and develops. Even the Bible gives (4) to love and the  heart. 
The role of the heart in love must come from what happens to it when a person feels strongly (5) to someone. The strong feelings (6) the other person, especially in the early stages of a relationship, have the results that the heart starts beating faster and  breathing starts speeding (7) . 
According to psychologists, a love relationship is a situation that (8) a lot of stress and the body reacts to this by getting ready to face the unknown. This has been called the  "fight or flight" (9) accelerates and (10) , meeting danger by fighting it or running away. So  with love, the heart becomes quick. 

Câu 1.......................

Read the following passage and choose the best answer for each blank.

As well as being a necessary life-saving skill, swimming also (26)________us with a source of great pleasure and relaxation. Swimming, as well as other water sports like diving, surfing or just floating on your back, are some of the best ways to have (27)________and keep fit at the same time. Water sports are enjoyable for people of (28)________ages and even babies can learn to swim.

For elderly people or (29)________with physical handicaps, swimming provides gentle, yet effective exercise. Swimming for fitness and recreation has been popular (30) ________the earliest times, for instance in ancient Egypt, Greece and Roma. Swimming competitions developed in the nineteenth century and swimming races were (31)_______ in the first of the modern Olympic Games in 1896. Now water sports are (32)________ all over the world and most towns have at least one swimming pool.

Most water sports - swimming, surfing and water-skiing, etc, take (33)________on the surface of the water, but scuba divers explore deep below the waves.

There they can find fascinating sea creatures and strange rockformations. Some archaeologists are divers. (34)________search the seabed for wrecks of ships sunk hundreds of years ago which (35)________ objects that show how people lived in ancient times.

(29)________

Walt Disney was born in 1901 in Chicago, but soon moved to a small farm near Marceline, Missouri. From this rural and rather humble beginning he later became one of the most famous and beloved motion-picture producers in history. Although he died in 1966, his name and artistic legacy continue to influence the lives of millions of people throughout the world.
After several years of barely making ends meet as a cartoon artist operating from his Los Angeles garage, Disney had his first success in 1928, with his release of a Mickey Mouse cartoon. Throughout the next decade, he continued to produce a number of cartoons, and develop more of his highly profitable and enduring creations, such as Donald Duck and Pluto. In the late 1930s, he issued full-length cartoon film. Snow White became an instant commercial and critical success. This was only the first of many films, both animated and not, produced by Disney and his studio.
But as renowned as Disney name is for cartoon and monies, it is probably best known for a string of spectacular amusement and theme parks. Starting with California's Disneyland in 1955 and culminating with the fantastically successful Disney World and EPCOT Center in Florida, Disney became a household name. In recent years, the theme park concept became international, with openings in Toyo and Paris. With the continuing success of Disney, the creation of future theme park are under discussion.

It can be inferred from the passage that _______.

Read the text below and decide which answer (A,B,C, or D) best fits each space.
Health and fitness are not just for young people. They are for anyone willing to accept the (1) _______ for a good diet and (2) _______ exercise. With age, there is a tendency to feel that  the body is no longer able to (3) _______. Aches and pains are (4) _______ normal. Instead of  pushing the body to do (5) _______, activities become limited. Yet examples after examples  have shown us that older people can – and should – be (6) 
_______. Men and women in their sixties have run in marathons, races of more than twenty six miles. Some professional athletes stay (7) _______ into their forties and fifties. For most  people, simple activities like walking and swimming are all that is needed to stay in (8)  _______. It’s important to include exercise in your daily routine. In the winter, (9) _______  push-ups, sit-ups, and other indoor exercises. Of course, such exercises will be of little use  (10) _______ you follow them with soda and chips. 

Câu 10....................

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.

   Millions of people are using cellphones today. In many places, it is actually considered unusual not to use one. In many countries, cellphones are very popular with young people. They find that the phones are more than a means of communication – having a mobile phone shows that they are cool and connected.

   The explosion in mobile phone use around the world has made some health professionals worried. Some doctors are concerned that in the future many people may suffer health problems from the use of mobile phones. In England, there has been a serious debate about this issue. Mobile phone companies are worried about the negative publicity of such ideas. They say that there is no proof that mobile phones are bad for your health.

   On the other hand, medical studies have shown changes in the brain cells of some people who use mobile phones. Signs of change in the tissues of the brain and head can be detected with modern scanning equipment. In one case, a traveling salesman had to retire at young age because of serious memory loss. He couldn’t remember even simple tasks. He would often forget the name of his own son. This man used to talk on his mobile phone for about six hours a day, every day of his working week, for a couple of years. His family doctor blamed his mobile phone use, but his employer’s doctor didn’t agree.

   What is it that makes mobile phones potentially harmful? The answer is radiation. High-tech machines can detect very small amounts of radiation from mobile phones. Mobile phone companies agree that there is some radiation, but they say the amount is too small to worry about.

   As the discussion about their safety continues, it appears that it’s best to use mobile phones less often. Use your regular phone if you want to talk for a long time. Use your mobile phone only when you really need it. Mobile phones can be very useful and convenient, especially in emergencies. In the future, mobile phones may have a warning label that says they are bad for your health. So for now, it’s wise not to use your mobile phone too often.

The word “means” in the passage most closely means ______.