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. 
No matter how much you’ve trained, performance anxiety before or during a competition may occur, hindering the results of your match. 
While you can tell yourself to stay calm prior to a competition, managing performance anxiety may not be as simple as. Research has shown that strategies such as meditation and guided imagery are great places to start; both require your brain to rehearse what you will do during your competition. Your imagination holds much more power than you may expect, helping you focus on how to beat your opponent, instead of other factors that contribute to your anxiety. Adequate preparation also plays a large role.
To master the mental game, it takes time. Starting one month before your competition, consider sitting in solitude in a comfortable position for 15 minutes each day. Focus first on breathing in and out deeply. Then, begin to imagine competition situations and visualize yourself in a fight with your competitor. Be mindful of your anxiety and return your focus to breathing if you feel yourself tense up. Sometimes, you may find yourself thinking self-deprecating or negative thoughts, at which point you should consciously replace any negative self-talk with positive self-talk. During these visualizations, also be sure to think about your posture and form and create cues — mental and verbal — that will help you review and correct your technique.
Pre-competition jitters are completely normal and it’s important to acknowledge that. Accepting that this excitement and/or nervousness is normal will help your body also understand that what you are experiencing is not fear, but perhaps part of your adrenaline response to competition. With more experience, mindful visualization and mental/physical preparation can help you manage and overcome performance anxiety.

According to paragraph 2, what is NOT mentioned as a contributing factor for victory?

An idea came to me, and I turned off the lights in the studio. In the dark ness, I put the  cello's spike into a loose spot on the carpet, tightened the bow and drew it across the open strings.  I took off my shirt and tried it again; it was the first time in my life I'd felt the instrument against  my bare chest. I could fell the vibration of the strings travel through the body of the instrument to  my own body. I'd never thought about that; music scholars always talk about the resonating properties of various instruments, but surely the performer's own body must have some effect on the sound. As I dug into the notes I imagined that my own chest and lung were extensions of the sound box; I seemed to be able to alter the sound by the way I sat, and by varying the muscular tension in my upper body. 
After improvising for a while, I started playing the D minor Bach suite, still in the  darkness. Strangely freed of the task of finding the right phrasing, the right intonation, the right bowing, I heard the music through my skin. For the first time I didn't think about how it would sound to anyone else, and slowly, joyfully, gratefully, I started to hear again. The note sang out,  first like a trickle, then like a fountain of cool water bubbling up from a hole in the middle of the desert. After an hour or so I looked up, and in the darkness saw the outline of the cat sitting on the floor in front of me, cleaning her paws and purring loudly. I had an audience again, humble as it was. 
So that's what I do now with the cello. At least once a day I find time to tune it, close my eyes, and listen. It’s probably not going to lead to the kind of come back I'd fantasized about for so long – years of playing badly have left scars on my technique, and, practically speaking, classical  musicians returning from obscurity are almost impossible to promote – but might eventually try giving a recital if I feel up to it. Or better yet, I may pay for Dr. Polk if our date at the concert goes well. Occasionally I fell a stab of longing, and I wish I could give just one more concert on the  great stage before my lights blink off, but that longing passes more quickly now. I take solace on the fact that, unlike the way I felt before, I can enjoy playing for myself now. I fell relaxed and expansive when I play, as if I could stretch out my arms and reach from one end of the apartment to the other. A feeling of the completeness and dignity surrounds me and lifts me up.

What can be inferred from paragraph 3 about the cellist?

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.

   A rather surprising geographical feature of Antarctica is that a huge freshwater lake, one of the world’s largest and deepest, lies hidden there under four kilometers of ice. Now known as Lake Vostok, this huge body of water is located under the ice block that comprises Antarctica. The lake is able to exist in its unfrozen state beneath this block of ice because its waters are warmed by geothermal heat from the earth’s core. The thick glacier above Lake Vostok actually insulates it from the frigid temperatures on the surface.

   The lake was first discovered in the 1970s while a research team was conducting an aerial survey of the area. Radio waves from the survey equipment penetrated the ice and revealed a body of water of indeterminate size. It was not until much more recently that data collected by satellite made scientists aware of the tremendous size of the lake; the satellite-borne radar detected an extremely flat region where the ice remains level because it is floating on the water of the lake.

   The discovery of such a huge freshwater lake trapped under Antarctica is of interest to the scientific community because of the potential that the lake contains ancient microbes that have survived for thousands of years, unaffected by factors such as nuclear fallout and elevated ultraviolet light that have affected organisms in more exposed areas. The downside of the discovery, however, lies in the difficulty of conducting research on the lake in such a harsh climate and in the problems associated with obtaining uncontaminated samples from the lake without actually exposing the lake to contamination. Scientists are looking for possible ways to accomplish this.

It can be inferred from the passage that the ice would not be flat if______.

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

Yesterday, Eleanor Preston won an international swimming competition for girls (26) _________ under sixteen. She swam faster (27) _________ girls from ten other countries. This (28) ______even better when you learn that Elenor is only thirteen. She had to have special (29) _________to enter, because normally competitors are fourteen or older. Eleanor has been (30) ______on swimming for a long time – (31) ______she was three in fact. I wonder whether she found it hard to (32) _______several hours a day training. She (33) _________. me that sometimes she has problems finding time for homework, but that’s all. “My parents have given up so (34) _______time driving me to local competitions, I think it’s been harder for them, actually.” Her aim is to swim at the Olympic Games. After yesterday’s performance, I think she may (35)_________. there.

(30) _________

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.

   The mineral particles found in soil range in size from microscopic clay particles to large boulders. The most abundant particles - sand, silt, and clay - are the focus of examination in studies of soil texture. Texture is the term used to describe the line composite sizes of particles in a soil sample, typically several representative handfuls . To measure soil texture, the sand, silt, and clay particles are sorted out by size and weight. The weights of each size are then expressed as a percentage of the sample weight.

   In the field, soil texture can be estimated by extracting a handful of sod and squeezing the damp soil into three basic shapes; (1) cast, a lump formed by squeezing a sample in a clenched fist; (2) thread, a pencil shape formed by rolling soil between the palms; and (3) ribbon, a flatfish shape formed by squeezing a small sample between the thumb and index finger. The behavioral characteristics of the soil when molded into each of these shapes, if they can be formed at all, provides the basis for a general textural classification. The behavior of the soil in the hand test is determined by the amount of clay in the sample. Clay particles are highly cohesive, and when dampened , behave as a plastic. Therefore the higher the clay content in a sample, the more refined and durable the shapes into which it can be molded.

   Another method of determining soil texture involves the use of devices called sediment sieves, screens built with a specified mesh size. When the soil is filtered through a group of sieves, each with a different mesh size, the particles become grouped in corresponding size categories. Each category can be weighed to make a textural determination. Although sieves work well for silt, sand, and larger particles, they are not appropriate for clay particles. Clay is far too small to sieve accurately; therefore, in soils with a high proportion of clay, the fine particles are measured on the basis of their settling velocity when suspended in water. Since clays settle so slowly, they are easily segregated from sand and silt. The water can be drawn off and evaporated, leaving a residue of clay, which can be weighed.

The author mentions "several representative handfuls" in the passage in order to show ______.

Almost as soon as World War II ended, the debate began over who had actually done the  most on the Allied side to ensure the defeat of the Axis powers. The Russians only needed to point to their twenty million plus war dead to justify their rights in Eastern Europe and their new  position as a great power on the world stage. Yet, Americans could also claim that they had done as much, if not more, as the Russians to defeat the Axis enemy. In hindsight, it is obvious that  despite its greater number of dead, the Russian effort ranks second place to the American. In  particular, the American effort seems greater in light of three crucial points: it was fighting at  extreme distances from its home territory; it simultaneously fought three different enemies on a multitude of complex fronts with air, naval, land forces; and finally, it supplied many other fighting  forces, including the Russians, with massive amounts ofmaterial. 

The main fronts of World War II were in North Africa, Italy, Western and Eastern Europe, the Pacific Ocean, China, and India. The United States military forces fought on or supported  every front, all of which were at extreme distances from the continental United States. A great logistical effort required to support both its own forces and those of many other nations. Above all,  supply ships were essential because without the supply ships, all would have been in vain.  Keeping the world's sea lanes free was one of the great accomplishments of the United States  Navy and her allies, especially the British and Canadians. This allowed ships to traverse great  distances and bring American and other Allied fighting forces to face the Axis powers. The Russians, on the other hand, were  fighting in their own country for much of the war and were close to their supply lines. They fought on one continuous font and did not have to travel far to meet the enemy. 

The United States fought all three great Axis powers during the war: Germany, Japan, and  Italy. While it cannot be denied that the Russian did the lion's share of the fighting against  Germany and the lesser Axis powers of Finland, Hungary, Romania, and Bulgaria for a longer  time, it was not until the last days of the war that Russia attacked Japan. As for the Italians, the  Russians only met the reluctant few whom Hitler managed to coerce for his Russian campaign. Another area to take into consideration is the strategic bombing campaign that the Americans and  British waged against German industry, something that the Russians did not take part in at all.  Finally, with the exception of the Baltic Sea, the Russian navy played a very minor role in the war  compared to American's navy. Despite significant aid from the British, Australians, and New Zealanders, the Americans bore the brute of the Pacific fighting. 

The Chinese tied down a massive number of Japanese troops on the Asian mainland, but  they were supplied almost exclusively by the United States. American arms, support equipment,  food, and clothing went to the four corners of the world during the war even before American officially entered it in 1941. Indeed, the Russian Red Army rode into Eastern Europe on the wheels  of over 300,000 American trucks, fed itself on a diet of American canned ham, and wore 

American boots. Coupled with all this were billion-dollar loans with generous terms of interest, which America gave to its allies. American was the only Allied nation that did not need to borrow  any money during the war. 

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

"The 22nd SEA Games were launched by an impressive opening ceremony at Hanoi’s My Dinh National Stadium, in front of over 40,000 awed spectators. Divided into two parts, rites and festivals, the ceremony (1)…. At 19:00 with the song, “Vietnam - Our Fatherland”. The (2)….. appearance of parachutists, carrying the 11 national flags of the competing Southeast Asian countries, was greeted (3) …. thunderous applause from the audience.
 All the stadium’s lights suddenly came on, (4)…. the start of the procession of Vietnam’s flag and the 22nd SEA Games' Symbol. The 11 sporting delegations then marched past the reviewing stand to excite applause from officials and spectators.
 The sacred torch, which symbolises the (5)….. of the Games and (6)… to compete with burning intensity, was taken from the Ho Chi Minh Museum and passed by Truong Quoc Thang (cyclist), Bui Thi Nhung (runner), Vu Kim Anh (karate artist) and athletes from 10 regional countries to Nguyen Thuy Hien (wushu artist) (7)….. gave it to the Prime Minister, who in tum passed it to an athlete dressed like national hero Giong.
 From this athlete’s hand, the official flame was lit at My Dinh National Stadium and will bum (8) …… the course of the Games. (9)……  at the opening ceremony, Minister-Chairman of the Physical Training and Sports Committee Nguyen Danh Thai, who is also the head of the 22nd SEA Games Organising Board, warmly welcomed Party and State leaders, delegates, domestic and international guests, and 11 sports delegations from Southeast Asian countries to the 22nd SEA Games.
 (10)…….  behalf of the host country, Prime Minister Phan Van Khai declared the 22nd SEA Games open."

7. athletes from 10 regional countries to Nguyen Thuy Hien (wushu artist) (7)….. gave it to the Prime Minister, 

Psychologists have debated a long time about whether a child's upbringing can give it the ability to do outstandingly well. Some think that it is impossible to develop genius and say that it is simply something a person is born with. Others, however, argue that the potential for great achievement can be developed. The truth lies somewhere between these two extremes.
It seems very obvious that being born with the right qualities from gifted parents will increase a child's ability to do well. However, this ability will be fully realized only with the right upbringing and opportunities. As one psychologist says, "To have a fast car, you need both a good engine and fuel.” Scientists have recently assessed intelligence, achievement, and ability in 50 sets of identical twins that were separated shortly after birth and brought up by different pa rents. They found that achievement was based on intelligence, and later influenced by the child's environment
One case involving very intelligent twins was quoted. One of the twins received a normal upbringing, and performed well. The other twin, however, was brought up by extremely supportive parents and given every possible opportunity to develop its abilities. That twin, though starting out with the same degree of intelligence as the other, performed even better.
This case reflects the general principle of intelligence and ability. The more favorable the environment, the more a child's intelligence and ability are developed. However, there is no link between intelligence and the socioeconomic level of a child's family.  In other words, it does not matter how poor or how rich a family is, as this does not affect intelligence.
Gifted people cannot be created by supportive parents, but they can be developed by them.
One professor of music said that outstanding musicians usually started two or three years earlier than ordinary performers, often because their parents had recognized their ability. These musicians then needed at least ten years' hard work and training in order to reach the level they were capable of attaining.
People who want to have very gifted children are given the following advice:
- Marry an intelligent person.
- Permit children to chase their own interests rather than the interests of the parents.
- Start a child's education early but avoid pushing the child too hard.
- Encourage children to play; for example, playing with musical instruments is essential for a child who wants to become an outstanding musician.

All of the following statements are true EXCEPT.......................

Read the passage carefully and choose the correct answer.

The 22nd SEA Games, hosted this year by Vietnam, has joined the international movement to rid sports of tobacco. For the first time, the regional sporting event will be tobacco-free under a landmark cooperative agreement signed in April 2003 between the World Health Organization (WHO), the 22nd SEA Games Organizing Committee and the Vietnamese Ministry of Health. Hanoi Health Department has organized a press seminar to celebrate and raise awareness about the tobacco-free SEA Games.

The 22nd SEA Games is the first games hosted by Vietnam and 10 countries from the Southeast Asian region with nearly 8,000 athletes and coaches will participate. It will be the first tobacco-free international sporting event in Vietnam, joining other international tobacco-free sporting events such as the FIFA World Cup 2002, and the Winter Olympic Games 2002.

The 22nd SEA Games will ban all sales, advertising and other promotion of tobacco products, and restricts smoking in all Games venues. The aim is to protect spectators, athletes, event staff, media and other visitors from the serious health hazards of second-hand tobacco smoke, as well as to change public attitudes about the social acceptability of smoking. Madame Pascale Brudon, WHO Representative in Vietnam, stated, "Vietnam has established 3 years ago a comprehensive, ambitious national tobacco control policy and a national tobacco control program. The tobacco-free 22nd SEA Games will be yet another area where Vietnam is leading the way for other countries in the region and the world in protecting its citizens from the debilitating and disastrous consequences of tobacco use."

WHO has provided funding and technical assistance to the SEA Games Organizing Committee and Vietnamese Ministry of Health to train of over 4,000 SEA Games organizers and volunteers on the implementation of the tobacco-free policy. An international team of trainers from the Ministry of Health, International Organization for Good Temper (lOGT), WHO and International Development Enterprises (IDE) began a series of national training workshops for volunteers in April, 2003. The tobacco-free SEA Games are an inspiration and a model for other sport events, big and small, not only in Vietnam but also in the Southeast Asian and Western Pacific Region.

According to the text, The tobacco _______

Read the passage carefully, then choose the correct answer. 
The 23rd Southeast Asian Games (also known as the 2005 SEAG) were held in the Philippines from November 27th to December 5th in 2005. The games were participated by the eleven nations of Southeast Asia. This was the first time that the opening and closing ceremonies were held in a large open field, despite the fact that Manila has many stadiums and arenas. The organization decided to hold the games at an open space to accommodate the large number), of participants and spectators. As a result, the 2005 SEAG ranks as having largest audience having reached 200,000 people during the opening and, closing ceremonies. These games were also noted for having the most number delegates in the history of the SEA Games. In the end, all participating Countries received medals. The event was meant to tighten ties among Southeast Asian countries as a region and as a preparation as well for the upcoming Asian Games and Olympic Games.
The first gold medal of the games was awarded to Singapore on November 25th when their water polo team came out undefeated during the round-robin tournament round. The Philippine team took the silver medal in that event, and Malaysia brought home the bronze. 
East Timor received its first ever medal as a sovereign nation in the Philippines indigenous sport of Arnis.
The Games were also considered a valuable opportunity for athletes to gain competition experience and preparation for upcoming Asian Games and Olympic Games. It was purposely created strengthen friendship, solidarity and understanding among neighboring countries in the region. 
This was the third SEA Games to hosted by the Philippines. The last two times the Philippines hosted the games were in 1981, and again in 1991. Although the majority of events took place in Manila, logistical hurdles required the unusual step of spreading-out the events across the country; to ten other cities. This arrangement, was not seen favorably by the participating countries who anticipated travel and accommodation issues to arise; a worry which was confirmed soon their arrival.

Which of the following is NOT true?

Psychologists have debated a long time about whether a child's upbringing can give it the ability to do outstandingly well. Some think that it is impossible to develop genius and say that it is simply something a person is born with. Others, however, argue that the potential for great achievement can be developed. The truth lies somewhere between these two extremes.
It seems very obvious that being born with the right qualities from gifted parents will increase a child's ability to do well. However, this ability will be fully realized only with the right upbringing and opportunities. As one psychologist says, "To have a fast car, you need both a good engine and fuel.” Scientists have recently assessed intelligence, achievement, and ability in 50 sets of identical twins that were separated shortly after birth and brought up by different pa rents. They found that achievement was based on intelligence, and later influenced by the child's environment
One case involving very intelligent twins was quoted. One of the twins received a normal upbringing, and performed well. The other twin, however, was brought up by extremely supportive parents and given every possible opportunity to develop its abilities. That twin, though starting out with the same degree of intelligence as the other, performed even better.
This case reflects the general principle of intelligence and ability. The more favorable the environment, the more a child's intelligence and ability are developed. However, there is no link between intelligence and the socioeconomic level of a child's family.  In other words, it does not matter how poor or how rich a family is, as this does not affect intelligence.
Gifted people cannot be created by supportive parents, but they can be developed by them.
One professor of music said that outstanding musicians usually started two or three years earlier than ordinary performers, often because their parents had recognized their ability. These musicians then needed at least ten years' hard work and training in order to reach the level they were capable of attaining.
People who want to have very gifted children are given the following advice:
- Marry an intelligent person.
- Permit children to chase their own interests rather than the interests of the parents.
- Start a child's education early but avoid pushing the child too hard.
- Encourage children to play; for example, playing with musical instruments is essential for a child who wants to become an outstanding musician.

The word "Others" used in the first paragraph refers to ....................

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

HÀ NỘI — The Government has approved the Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism’s proposal to hold the 31st Southeast Asian Games (SEA Games 31) and the 11th ASEAN Para Games (Para Games 11) in Việt Nam in 2021.

At a meeting in the capital on Tuesday, the Cabinet assigned Hà Nội __________ (6) the host city, after successfully holding the SEA Games 22 in 2003, the Asian Indoor Games in 2009 and several other international sporting __________ (7). The ministry’s proposal was made after the SEA Games Federation (SEAGF) informed Việt Nam it would have the right to host the SEA Games 31. The federation said Cambodia, scheduled to host SEA Games 31, proposed __________ (8) hosting until the next Games in 2023 as it is not ready.

Concluding the meeting, Prime Minister Nguyễn Xuân Phúc lauded the determination of the culture, sports and tourism sector, as well as of Hà Nội and relevant ministries and agencies. Hosting the events is both the responsibility __________ (9) honour of Việt Nam as a constructive member of ASEAN, he said, adding it is also a chance to promote the Vietnamese land and people. The leader asked Hà Nội __________ (10) infrastructure, set forth a detailed plan on the organisation of the events and mobilise the participation of different economic sectors in these efforts. The sports sector should make preparations to reach the highest results at the tournament, he said.

Hosting the events is both the responsibility __________ (9) honour of Việt Nam as a constructive member of ASEAN, he said, adding it is also a chance to promote the Vietnamese land and people. 

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. 
Coral reefs are some of the most diverse ecosystems in the world, housing tens of thousands of marine species. With their hardened surfaces, corals are sometimes mistaken as being rocks. And, because they are attached, “taking root” to the seafloor, they are often mistaken for plants. However, unlike rocks, corals are alive. And unlike plants, corals do not make their own food. Corals are in fact animals. Appearing as solitary forms in the fossil record more than 400 million years ago, corals are extremely ancient animals that evolved into modern reef-building forms over the last 25 million years.
Coral reefs are the largest structures on earth of biological origin. Coral reefs are unique and complex systems. Rivaling old growth forests in longevity of their ecological communities, well-developed reefs reflect thousands of years of history.
Corals are ancient animals related to jellyfish and anemones. The branch or mound that we often call “a coral” is actually made up of thousands of tiny animals called polyps. A coral polyp is an invertebrate that can be no bigger than a pinhead to up to 30 centimeters (1 foot) in diameter. The polyps extend their tentacles at night to sting and ingest tiny organisms called plankton and other small creatures. Each polyp has a saclike body and a mouth that is encircled by stinging tentacles. The polyp uses calcium carbonate (limestone) from seawater to build a hard, cup-shaped skeleton. This skeleton protects the soft, delicate body of the polyp.
Reefs only occur in shallow areas that are reachable by sunlight because of the relationship between coral and algae. Various types of microscopic algae, known as Symbiodinium, live inside of the coral, providing them with food and helping them to grow faster.
There are over 2,500 kinds (species) of corals. About 1,000 are the hard corals that build coral reefs. Other corals are soft corals. Soft corals have skeletons that are flexible and can bend with the water. The three main types of coral reefs are fringing reefs, barrier reefs, and coral atolls. The most common type of reef is the fringing reef. This type of reef grows seaward directly from the shore. They form borders along the shoreline and surrounding islands. When a fringing reef continues to grow upward from a volcanic island that has sunk entirely below sea level, an atoll is formed. Atolls are usually circular or oval in shape, with an open lagoon in the center. Any reef that is called a barrier reef gets its name because its presence protects the shallow waters along the shore from the open sea. That protection promotes the survival of many types of sea plant and animal life.

What does the word “they” in the last paragraph refer to?

 Choose the item among A, B, C or D that best answers the question about the passage:

"The 22nd SEA Games were launched by an impressive opening ceremony at Hanoi’s My Dinh National Stadium on December 5th 2003, in front of over 40,000 awed spectators. On behalf of the host country, Prime Minister Phan Van Khai declared the 22nd SEA Games open.
 Deputy Prime Minister Pham Gia Khiem, Chairman of the National Steering Board for the 22nd SEA Games, Minister-Chairman Nguyen Danh Thai, and Hanoi Mayor Hoang Van Nghien presented flowers and banners to the 11 participating sports delegations.
 On behalf of the referees and athletes, referee Hoang Quoc Vinh and shooter Nguyen Manh Tuong swore to an oath of “Solidarity, Honesty and Fair Play”.After the “ritual” part of the ceremony, a laser light show kicked off the “festival” segment. More than one thousand artists, dressed in green and sea blue representing the forest and the sea, then presented the first chapter of the performance, named “The Land of the Dragon and Fairy”.
 The scene depicted the legend of Vietnam’s origins, featuring the father-Dragon and mother-Fairy, and ended with young men and women lining up in an S-shaped pattern, a Symbol of Vietnam as a country.
 The second part of the programme, named “Cooperation for Peace” featured children holding five pointed-stars and entering from the stadium's four gates, representing Hanoi, the Capital City with one thousand years of history.
 Dancing men and women in traditional costumes of ASEAN members and East Timor concluded the third segment, named “United ASEAN Looks To The Future”, which comprised four performances: “Lands by the Pacific Ocean,” “Essential Convergence,” “New Tune,” and “ASEAN Towards The Future.”
 The Games mascot, the Golden Buffalo, and 22 singers (standing for the 22nd Games) then took centre stage, singing the Games official song “For a World of Tomorrow”. The whole show ended as thousands of flying balls were released and fireworks were fired from four places in Hanoi."

2. The athletes participated in the 22nd SEA Games in the spirit of ……

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. 
      An A level is an Advanced level GCE qualification. This exam is (1) ____ taken after two years of A level study, following the O level/IGCSE exams. Students can take any number of A level exams; in the UK, most college students take three or four A level exams for their final two years of study. The (2) ____ of A levels to be taken will often depend on the qualifications that the university chosen requires. A level results can open doors to undergraduate studies at some of the best higher educational institutions in the world, and to a wide range of professional and vocational courses (3) _______ can help build skills for an exciting and rewarding career. In many countries round the world, some schools follow the GCE syllabus to prepare their pupils for taking A level exams. Students at these schools should enquire at their school about how they can register and sit (4) ____ the exams. Students who do not attend a school that follows the GCE syllabus can still take A level exams and can register as a private individual with the British Council. 
      In order to register for an A level exam one will need to complete an entry form which will become available at the British Council offices. Forms usually become (5) ____ for January examinations in early August of the preceding year. For May/June examinations, they are available in early December of the preceding year.

Forms usually become (5) ____ for January examinations in early August of the preceding year. For May/June examinations, they are available in early December of the preceding year. 

Choose the item among A, B, C or D that best answers the question about the passage:

"The 22nd Southeast Asian Games were held in Hanoi, Vietnam from 5 December to 13 December, 2003. The Games were opened by Vietnamese Prime Minister Phan Van Khai in the newly constructed My Dinh National Stadium in Hanoi. The Games torch was lit by Nguyen Thuy Hien of Wushu. It was the First time in the SEA Games history that the Games venues were assigned into two cities namely Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City.
 The 22nd SEA Games logo designed by painter Nguyen Chi Long is based on a legendary bird named “Chim Lac”. The bird decorated the Ngoe Lu bronze drum, a typical antiquity of the ancient Dong Son Vietnamese culture. The Emblem is composed of harmonious and vigorous curves, creating a feeling of movement and strength which conforms to the Olympic Spirit: “Faster. Higher and Stronger The colorful whirls represent the tough competitiveness in sports.
 The Games’ hymn was “For the World of Tomorrow” composed by Nguyen Quang Vinh. Painter Nguyen Thai Hung chose “Trau Vang”, the golden water buffalo as the mascot for the 22nd SEA Games. With a gentle and harmonious nature, the clever Buffalo has become synonymous with the water and rice civilization that is so important in Vietnam as well as in other Southeast Asian countries. To Vietnamese people, the Golden Buffalo symbolizes a golden harvest, prosperity, happiness, power and the Vietnamese martial spirit."

5. To Vietnamese people, what does the Golden Buffalo symbolize?

Today we take electricity for granted and perhaps we do not realize just how useful this discovery has been. Steam was the first invention that replaced wind power. It was used to drive engines and was passed through pipes and radiators to warm rooms. Petrol mixed with air was the next invention that provided power. Exploded in a cylinder, it drove a motor engine, Beyond these simple and direct uses, those forms have not much adaptability.
On the other hand, we make use of electricity in thousands of ways. From the powerful voltages that drive our electric trains to the tiny current needed to work a simple calculator,   and from the huge electric magnet in steel works that can lift 10 tons to the tiny electric magnet in a doorbell, all are powered by electricity. An electric current can be made with equal ease to heat a huge mass of molten metal in a furnace, or to boil a jug for a  cup of coffee. Other than atomic energy, which has not as yet been harnessed to the full, electricity is the greatest power in the world. It is flexible, and so adaptable for any task for which it is wanted. It travels so easily and with incredible speed along wires or conductors that it can be supplied instantly over vast distances.
To generate electricity, huge turbines or generators must be turned. In  Australia they use coal or water to drive this machinery. When dams are built, falling water is used to drive the turbines without polluting the atmosphere with smoke from coal. Atomic power is used in several countries but there is always the fear of an accident. A tragedy once occurred at Chernobyl, in Ukraine, at an atomic power plant used to make electricity. The reactor leaked, which caused many deaths through radiation.
Now scientists are examining new ways of creating electricity without harmful effects to the environment. They may harness the tides as they flow in and out of bays. Most importantly, they hope to trap sunlight more efficiently. We do use solar heaters for swimming pools but as yet improvement in the capacity of the solar cells to create more current is necessary. When this happens, electric cars will be viable and the world will rid itself of the toxic gases given off by trucks and cars that burn fossil fuels.

 The advantage of harnessing the power of the tides and of sunlight to generate electricity is that they  ,................

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

HÀ NỘI — The Government has approved the Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism’s proposal to hold the 31st Southeast Asian Games (SEA Games 31) and the 11th ASEAN Para Games (Para Games 11) in Việt Nam in 2021.

At a meeting in the capital on Tuesday, the Cabinet assigned Hà Nội __________ (6) the host city, after successfully holding the SEA Games 22 in 2003, the Asian Indoor Games in 2009 and several other international sporting __________ (7). The ministry’s proposal was made after the SEA Games Federation (SEAGF) informed Việt Nam it would have the right to host the SEA Games 31. The federation said Cambodia, scheduled to host SEA Games 31, proposed __________ (8) hosting until the next Games in 2023 as it is not ready.

Concluding the meeting, Prime Minister Nguyễn Xuân Phúc lauded the determination of the culture, sports and tourism sector, as well as of Hà Nội and relevant ministries and agencies. Hosting the events is both the responsibility __________ (9) honour of Việt Nam as a constructive member of ASEAN, he said, adding it is also a chance to promote the Vietnamese land and people. The leader asked Hà Nội __________ (10) infrastructure, set forth a detailed plan on the organisation of the events and mobilise the participation of different economic sectors in these efforts. The sports sector should make preparations to reach the highest results at the tournament, he said.

The federation said Cambodia, scheduled to host SEA Games 31, proposed __________ (8) hosting until the next Games in 2023 as it is not ready.

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.

   Thanksgiving is celebrated in the US on the fourth Thursday in November. For many Americans it is the most important holiday apart from Christmas. Schools, offices and most businesses close for Thanksgiving, and many people make the whole weekend a vacation.

   Thanksgiving is associated with the time when Europeans first came to North America. In 1620 the ship the Mayflowers arrived, bringing about 150 people who today are usually called Pilgrims. They arrived at the beginning of a very hard winter and could not find enough to eat, so many of them died. But in the following summer Native Americans showed them what foods were safe to eat, so that they could save food for the next winter. They held a big celebration to thank God and the Native Americans for the fact that they had survived.

   Today people celebrate Thanksgiving to remember these early days. The most important part of the celebration is a traditional dinner with foods that come from North America. The meal includes turkey, sweet potatoes (also called yams) and cranberries, which are made into a kind of sauce or jelly. The turkey is filled with stuffing or dressing, and many families have their own special recipe. Dessert is pumpkin made into a pie.

   On Thanksgiving there are special television programs and sports events. In New York there is the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, when a long line of people wearing fancy costumes march through the streets with large balloons in the shape of imaginary characters. Thanksgiving is considered the beginning of the Christmas period, and the next day many people go out to shop for Christmas presents.

According to the passage, Pilgrims are ______.

Almost as soon as World War II ended, the debate began over who had actually done the  most on the Allied side to ensure the defeat of the Axis powers. The Russians only needed to point to their twenty million plus war dead to justify their rights in Eastern Europe and their new  position as a great power on the world stage. Yet, Americans could also claim that they had done as much, if not more, as the Russians to defeat the Axis enemy. In hindsight, it is obvious that  despite its greater number of dead, the Russian effort ranks second place to the American. In  particular, the American effort seems greater in light of three crucial points: it was fighting at  extreme distances from its home territory; it simultaneously fought three different enemies on a multitude of complex fronts with air, naval, land forces; and finally, it supplied many other fighting  forces, including the Russians, with massive amounts ofmaterial. 

The main fronts of World War II were in North Africa, Italy, Western and Eastern Europe, the Pacific Ocean, China, and India. The United States military forces fought on or supported  every front, all of which were at extreme distances from the continental United States. A great logistical effort required to support both its own forces and those of many other nations. Above all,  supply ships were essential because without the supply ships, all would have been in vain.  Keeping the world's sea lanes free was one of the great accomplishments of the United States  Navy and her allies, especially the British and Canadians. This allowed ships to traverse great  distances and bring American and other Allied fighting forces to face the Axis powers. The Russians, on the other hand, were  fighting in their own country for much of the war and were close to their supply lines. They fought on one continuous font and did not have to travel far to meet the enemy. 

The United States fought all three great Axis powers during the war: Germany, Japan, and  Italy. While it cannot be denied that the Russian did the lion's share of the fighting against  Germany and the lesser Axis powers of Finland, Hungary, Romania, and Bulgaria for a longer  time, it was not until the last days of the war that Russia attacked Japan. As for the Italians, the  Russians only met the reluctant few whom Hitler managed to coerce for his Russian campaign. Another area to take into consideration is the strategic bombing campaign that the Americans and  British waged against German industry, something that the Russians did not take part in at all.  Finally, with the exception of the Baltic Sea, the Russian navy played a very minor role in the war  compared to American's navy. Despite significant aid from the British, Australians, and New Zealanders, the Americans bore the brute of the Pacific fighting. 

The Chinese tied down a massive number of Japanese troops on the Asian mainland, but  they were supplied almost exclusively by the United States. American arms, support equipment,  food, and clothing went to the four corners of the world during the war even before American officially entered it in 1941. Indeed, the Russian Red Army rode into Eastern Europe on the wheels  of over 300,000 American trucks, fed itself on a diet of American canned ham, and wore 

American boots. Coupled with all this were billion-dollar loans with generous terms of interest, which America gave to its allies. American was the only Allied nation that did not need to borrow  any money during the war.