Read the following passage and choose the letter A, B, C, D to indicate the correct answer to each of the questions: 
The Americans are keen to win the race to send human beings to Mars. In 1992, the new boss of NASA, Dan Goldin, called on the American people to be the first to send explorers to another planet in the solar system. He reminded them of the symbolic gift carried to the moon and back by the Apollo 11 mission. It bears a message intended for the crew of the first spaceship to visit Mars. Goldin thinks it is time to begin the preparation for this historic journey. His speech echoed the words of the President, who promised that in 2019, 50 years after Neil Armstrong became the first man to set foot on the moon, the first astronaut would stand on Mars.
By the end of the twentieth century, various unmanned spaceships will have thoroughly investigated the surface of the planet. But, however clever a robot may be, it cannot match the type of information which can be gained from direct human experience. The first geologist on the moon, Harrison Schmitt, was capable of interpreting the story of the landscape on the spot. Until humans walk on the rod deserts of Mars, we will not be able to determine the history of this frozen world in any detail.

Who called on the Americans to be the first to send explorers to another planet in the solar system?

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

WORLD BBQ

To some people, there is nothing more appetizing than the smell of meat sizzling over an open fire. Throughout the world, people love to eat barbecue because it lets them together with friends and family to enjoy a meat that brings them back to their caveman roots. Cooking over coals or an open flame makes people feel more sociable.

Most countries have barbecue traditions, and they usually take place on national holidays. In the United States, it is a tradition to have a barbecue of hamburgers and hot dogs on July 4, which is Independence Day. In Taiwan, people get together to eat barbecue during the Moon Festival, and the smell of burning coals is in the air all day.

In South America, and Argentina in particular, barbecue is a way of life. All sorts of meats and sausages are put on a large grill together over hot coals. Barbecue is even considered the national dish in Argentina, and it is given the name of Asado in Portuguese. This means not only the dish but also the social event that surrounds an Argentina barbecue.

When a person speaks about Turkish and Middle Eastern barbecue, the kebab immediately comes to mind. The tradition of taking different meats, and sometimes vegetables as well, and spearing them with a sharp stick called a skewer has crossed cultural lines today. Practically, anywhere in the English-speaking world, the thought of shish-kebab will make barbecue lovers’ mouths water.

     Wherever you go in the world, you are almost certain to come across a local method of preparing barbecue. If you visit different places, be bold and try whatever the local specialties are.

What are the sharp sticks that are used to cook meat called?

Read the following passage carefully, and then select the best option A, B, C or D to complete it:

"FIRST STEP BEAMED TO A WAITING WORLD
About six and a half hours after Eagle landed, its hatch (1) _______ and the Apollo 11 commander backed slowly out to its little porch. On the (2) _______ he paused, pulled a lanyard, and thus deployed the MESA, or modularized equipment stowage assembly, just to the left of the ladder. As the MESA lowered into (3) _______ with its load of equipment for lunar prospecting, a seven-pound Westinghouse TV camera mounted atop the load began shooting black-and-white (4) _______. Fuzzy and scored with lines, the pictures nonetheless held earthlings spellbound.
No one who sat that July night welded to his TV screen will ever forget the (5) _______ of that ghostly foot groping slowly past the ladder to Eagle's footpad, and then stepping tentatively (6) _______ the virgin soil. Man had made his first footprint on the moon. Neil Armstrong (7) _______ into his microphone. And in less than two seconds the message that will live in the annals of exploration flew with the (8) _______ of radio to the huge telescope dish at Honeysuckle Creek, near Canberra, Australia, thence to the Comsat (9) _______ over the Pacific, then to the switching center at the Goddard Space Flight Center outside Washington, D.C., and finally to Houston and the (10) _______ of the world: “That's one small step for a man, one giant leap for mankind.”"

5. No one who sat that July night welded to his TV screen will ever forget the (5) _______ of that ghostly foot groping slowly past the ladder to Eagle's footpad, 

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

The Cu Chi Tunnels are part of a massive war museum in Ho Chi Minh. They offer visitors a sneak-peek at the underground life of Vietnamese soldiers back ___________ (6) 1948. The site has over 120km of underground tunnels, with trapdoors, living areas, kitchens, storage facilities, armoury, hospitals, and command centres. After the war against the French, Vietnamese soldiers expanded ___________ (7) tunnels and included effective air filtration systems, which helped them survive the Cu Chi carpet-bombings. It is now one of Ho Chi Minh’s ___________ (8) iconic attractions. You can enjoy plenty of activities during your visit. A popular option ___________ (9) following the narrow routes of the underground tunnel. Before entering the underground tunnels, visitors watch a short film of Cu Chi Tunnels so that they can understand how the tunnel system works. There are emergency exit points every 10 metres for safety. The Cu Chi Tunnels are an hour's drive from Ho Chi Minh City. There are tour operators ___________ (10) can arrange for a half-day tour for VND 825,000 upwards.

Question 6: 

Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C or D to indicate the correct word or phrase that best fits each of the numbered blanks.

Since the world has become industrialized, there has been an increase in the number of animal ___(23)___ that have become extinct or nearly extinct. Bengal tigers,__(24)__ were once found in large numbers in jungles, now are thought to be only 2,300 in number. By the year 2025, their__(25)__ in the world is estimated to be down to zero. “The dangerous thing is that people don’t hunt them for money but mainly___(26)___ they enjoy hunting them. Animals like the Bengal tiger, as well as other endangered species are very important to the world’s ecosystem. International laws protecting these animals must be passed to save them. Countries around the world have begun to solve the problem in many ways. Reserves and national parks have been established. The money provided by world organizations has been spent on maintaining the parks. The use of products made them from___(27)__ species has been stopped.

27______________

Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C or D to indicate the correct word or phrase that best fits each of the numbered blanks.

Did you know that reading can…. (23)….  your mind active and engaged well into old age? Several years ago when I was working as a newspaper reporter, I interviewed a woman who was a resident at a local nursing home.  She was 100 years old.  She read …. (24)….  one book per week.  She was bright, intelligent and fun to talk with.  “I love to read.  It helps me keep up with what is going …. (25)…… in the world,” she said.  “A friend of …. (26)….  brings me a new book every week.  I look forward to her visits and I look forward to the books.  We talk about the books we have read. ” Reading has other benefits, as well.  For one thing, reading a good story can help you forget some of the problems in your own life.  For the other thing, reading also sets a good …. (27)…… for younger generations.

26____________

I know what you’re thinking, ____________ (10) this is actually meant as an expression of joy and deep love.

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

The Cu Chi Tunnels are part of a massive war museum in Ho Chi Minh. They offer visitors a sneak-peek at the underground life of Vietnamese soldiers back ___________ (1) 1948. The site has over 120km of underground tunnels, with trapdoors, living areas, kitchens, storage facilities, armoury, hospitals, and command centres. After the war against the French, Vietnamese soldiers expanded ___________ (2) tunnels and included effective air filtration systems, which helped them survive the Cu Chi carpet-bombings. It is now one of Ho Chi Minh’s ___________ (3) iconic attractions. You can enjoy plenty of activities during your visit. A popular option ___________ (4) following the narrow routes of the underground tunnel. Before entering the underground tunnels, visitors watch a short film of Cu Chi Tunnels so that they can understand how the tunnel system works. There are emergency exit points every 10 metres for safety. The Cu Chi Tunnels are an hour's drive from Ho Chi Minh City. There are tour operators ___________ (5) can arrange for a half-day tour for VND 825,000 upwards.

Choose the correct answer A, B, C or D to complete the sentences: 

“On Saturday and Sunday there is no class. So I likely (1) _______ to the concert with my friends tomorrow evening and I (2) _______ back at about 11 p.m.” – “(3) _______ too late, dear.”

3. “(3) _______ too late, dear.”

Choose the best answer: 
Can you imagine traveling in a tiny pod, inside a tube that can quickly shoot people to (1)...............they want to go? It sounds like something out of a silly cartoon or a movie about the future. But this futuristic tube may soon become (2)............... And it could be a faster, easier, and cheaper way to travel than anything we know now. Elon Musk is a very wealthy South African-American (3)...................... In the past, he has worked on private space flight and electric cars. Recently, Musk has been planning this futuristic traveling tube, called the Hyperloop. Musk said that he (4).................up with the idea for the Hyperloop whAe thinking about the train that takes people between Eos Angeles and San Francisco. That train is known for being one of the slowest trains in the country. But the Hyperloop would be (5) .............faster. In fact, it could go about twice as fast as an airplane and three or four times as fast as the fastest train in the world. People using the Hyperloop would shoot (6) ............. in pods, which are each just over six-and-a-half feet across. The pods would travel through tubes that are (7)............... above ground or under water. The Hyperloop could even run all day and night, and it could let people travel on their own schedule. People could (8) ................at the Hyperloop station.
7. 

Read the following passage, then choose the correct answer to questions 31 - 35. 
Devastating floods along the coast have left many people homeless. People are asked to help by donating food, clothes, furniture, and other supplies to the Assistance Fund. Donations of bottled water are especially needed, since, the floods have disrupted the local water supply. In addition, volunteers are needed to travel to the hooded area to help distribute the donations.

In addition to supplies, what is needed?

Read the passage and choose the best option A, B, C or D to answer the question. Write your answers on the answer sheet.
Along with jogging and swimming, cycling is one of the best all-round forms of exercise. It can help to increase your strength and energy, giving you more efficient muscles and a stronger heart. But increasing your strength is not the only advantage of cycling. Because you’re not carrying the weight of your body on your feet, it’s a good form of exercise for people with painful feet or backs. However, with all forms of exercise it’s important to start slowly and build up gently. Doing too much too quickly can damage muscles that aren’t used to working. If you have any doubts about taking up cycling for health reasons, talk to your doctor and ask for his/her advice.
Ideally you should be cycling at least two or three times a week. For the exercise to be doing you good, you should get a little out of breath. Don’t worry that if you begin to lose your breath, it could be dangerous and there must be something wrong with your heart. This is simply not true; shortness of breath shows that the exercise is having the right effect. However, if you find you are in pain then you should stop and take a rest.

You should not worry about the shortness of breath because __________.

Your immune __________ (9) normally adjusts to your environment.

One study, for example, showed that a medical school class with iPads scored 23% ________ (7) on exams than classes without this device.

Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C or D to indicate the correct word or phrase that best fits each of the numbered blanks.

Did you know that reading can…. (23)….  your mind active and engaged well into old age? Several years ago when I was working as a newspaper reporter, I interviewed a woman who was a resident at a local nursing home.  She was 100 years old.  She read …. (24)….  one book per week.  She was bright, intelligent and fun to talk with.  “I love to read.  It helps me keep up with what is going …. (25)…… in the world,” she said.  “A friend of …. (26)….  brings me a new book every week.  I look forward to her visits and I look forward to the books.  We talk about the books we have read. ” Reading has other benefits, as well.  For one thing, reading a good story can help you forget some of the problems in your own life.  For the other thing, reading also sets a good …. (27)…… for younger generations.

23___________

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

When people think of domestic abuse, they often focus __________ (1) domestic violence. But domestic abuse includes any attempt by one person in __________ (2) intimate relationship or marriage to dominate and control the other. Domestic violence and abuse are used for one purpose and one purpose only: __________ (3) and maintain total control over you. An abuser doesn’t “play fair.” Abusers use fear, guilt, shame, and intimidation to wear you down and keep you under __________ (4) thumb

_________ (5) violence and abuse can happen to anyone; it does not discriminate. Abuse happens within heterosexual relationships and in same-sex partnerships. It __________ (6) within all age ranges, ethnic backgrounds, and economic levels. And __________ (7) women are more often victimized, men also experience abuse—especially verbal and emotional. The bottom line is that abusive behavior is never __________ (8), whether from a man, woman, teenager, or an older adult. You deserve to feel valued, respected, and safe.

Domestic abuse often escalates __________ (9) threats and verbal assault to violence. And while physical injury may pose the most obvious danger, the emotional and psychological consequences of domestic abuse are also severe. Emotionally abusive relationships can destroy your self-worth, __________ (10) to anxiety and depression, and make you feel helpless and alone. No one should have to endure this kind of pain—and your first step to breaking free is recognizing that your relationship is abusive.

Read the following passage, then choose the correct answer to questions 26 – 30.
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 weed 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.
(27)....................

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

Vietnam is a densely populated, developing country that in the last 30 years has had to recover from the ravages of war.  Substantial progress was achieved from1986 to 1997 in moving forward from an extremely low level of development and significantly reducing poverty.  Since 2001, Vietnamese authorities have reaffirmed their commitment to economic liberalization and international integration.  They have moved to implement the structural reforms needed to modernize the economy and to produce more competitive export-driven industries.

Vietnam’s membership in the ASEAN Free Trade Area (AFTA) and entry into force of the US-Vietnam Bilateral Trade Agreement in December 2001. have led to even more rapid changes in Vietnam’s trade and economic regime.  Vietnam’s exports to the US doubled in 2002 and again in 2003.

Vietnam joined the WTO (World Trade Organization) in January 2007, following over a decade long negotiation process.  This should provide an important boost to the economy and should help to ensure the continuation of liberalizing reforms.

Vietnam is working to create jobs to meet the challenge of a labour force that is growing by more than one million people every year.  Vietnamese authorities have tightened monetary and fiscal policies to stem high inflation.  Hanoi is targeting an economic growth rate of 7. 5-8% during the next five years.

According to the text, Vietnam _______.

Read the passage and choose the best anwer: 
We are all slowly destroying the earth. The seas and rivers are too dirty to swim in. There is so much smoke in the air that it is unhealthy to live in many of the world's cities. In one well-known city, for example, poisonous gases from cars pollute the air so much that traffic policemen have to wear oxygen masks.
We have cut down so many trees that there are now vast areas of wasteland all over the world. As a result, farmers in parts of Africa cannot grow enough to eat. In certain countries in Asia there is too little rice. Moreover, we do not take enough care of the countryside. Wild animals are quickly disappearing. For instant, tigers are rare in India now because we have killed too many for them to survive. However, it isn't enough simply to talk about the problem. We must act now before it is too late to do anything about it. Join us now. Save the Earth. This is too important to ignore.

What's the best title for the passage ?

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

It is a common saying that we do not fully value a thing until we lose it. We often value the love and worth of a friend when he has been taken from us by death more than when he was with us in the flesh; it is only when we have left school or college that we understand the greatness of our opportunity of education, which has gone forever; and it is the sick and the ailing who realize the value of good health. When we are young and strong, we cannot imagine what it is like to be weak and ill. We are so used to vigorous health that we take it for granted. The organs of our bodywork so smoothly that we scaredly know we have lungs and liver, heart and stomach. But when any of these gets upset and gives us pain and sickness, we learn by bitter experience what an unspeakable blessing it is to be well.

Loss of health makes us miserable, and a burden to ourselves and our friends. It cripples our efforts so that we cannot accomplish many of the good and great things we might have done. It spoils our life. What must we do to keep our health?

We must be moderate in eating and drinking and wise in the choice of plain,  wholesome simple food. Gluttony has killed thousands and strong drink tens of thousands. We must, when young, get plenty of sleep, which is “nature’s sweet restorer”, and not try to burn the candle at both ends. We must live as much as possible in the open air and keep our rooms well ventilated. We must get sufficient and regular physical exercise, and keep our bodies clean. And we must avoid bad habits and secret sins as we avoid the devil, and keep our thoughts clean and our bodies pure. Our ideal must be the sound mind in the sound body.

Poor health makes us ______________.

Read the passage and choose the best anwer: 
We are all slowly destroying the earth. The seas and rivers are too dirty to swim in. There is so much smoke in the air that it is unhealthy to live in many of the world's cities. In one well-known city, for example, poisonous gases from cars pollute the air so much that traffic policemen have to wear oxygen masks.
We have cut down so many trees that there are now vast areas of wasteland all over the world. As a result, farmers in parts of Africa cannot grow enough to eat. In certain countries in Asia there is too little rice. Moreover, we do not take enough care of the countryside. Wild animals are quickly disappearing. For instant, tigers are rare in India now because we have killed too many for them to survive. However, it isn't enough simply to talk about the problem. We must act now before it is too late to do anything about it. Join us now. Save the Earth. This is too important to ignore.

How are the seas and rivers nowadays ?