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:
Most of the time, we avoid strangers. It is one of the first lessons we learn (1)__________  children. But according to Dr. Richard Wiseman, it is a habit we should change. Talking to strangers opens up new possibilities in life. It increases the chances of finding luck and friendship. Choosing which strangers to talk to obviously requires a bit of common (2)___________ and judgement, but Liz Barry and Bill Wetzel from New York were so inspired by the idea that they started the “Talk to Me” project. For three years, they sat at bus stops, on street corners and any other place they could find in New York holding a sign saying ‘Talk to me’. They encountered hostility and (3)__________ sometimes, but in general they were surprised by the kindness they encountered. Many philosophical and religious traditions tell us that happiness can be found by living in the present. Now there is some scientific support (4)___________ this belief. Recent research by Harvard University psychologists found that we spend 46.9 percent of our (5)____________ time daydreaming. And when we daydream, we are less happy, the research found.

Read the passage below carefully, and then choose the best answer:
Twitter: 140 Characters to Express Yourself
At the start of the social media revolution, Facebook quickly became the most popular site for sharing information with others. However, it is not the only service that people can use to express themselves. Those who believe in the old saying that “more is less” may want to check out Twitter. Part of Twitter’s appeal is that it limits users to 140 characters whenever they update their status. This forces people to quickly “get to the point” when they are communicating. Twitter is a microblogging service that was created by four American programmers in 2006. The founders chose the name Twitter because the word has two definitions: “a short burst of information” and “the sound that little birds make”, both of which fit the description of what their service provides. In fact, some people have even labeled Twitter the “SMS of the Internet”. Twitter is not just about words though. Users can also share videos and pictures. Another thing which truly sets Twitter apart from its competition is the hashtag. Hashtags are a special way of labeling and classifying information. They help people interested in a subject to find related posts and content. For example, some interested in sports could simply search for hashtag sports and they would find all messages tagged in this manner. Twitter has also allowed people to easily connect with others who they would have never had access to in the past. This has enabled fans to interact with their favourite celebrities by following their Twitter updates and sending them direct messages. Of course, there is no guarantee that the famous person will respond, as the celebrities may receive thousands of messages each day. However, there have been some pretty stunning interactions. In 2011, singer Justin Timberlake made headlines when he accepted an invitation from a female soldier to attend a Marine Corps ball. In return, many celebrities find it gratifying to know some of their supporters more closely. However, there is a dark side to Twitter conversations: Some people who don’t think before sending out tweets that can cause outrage by making inappropriate or insensitive remarks. In November 2013, Twitter went public on the New York Stock Exchange. The added investments should allow the company to do some incredible things in the near future
5. The word “_them_” in paragraph 3 refers to _________

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:
Students working for their first degree at university are called undergraduates. Then they take their degree we say they graduate, and then they are called graduates. If they continue studying at university after they have graduated, they are called post-graduates. Full-time university students spend all their free time studying. They have no other employment. Their course usually lasts for three or four years. Medical students have to follow a course lasting for six or seven years. Then they graduate as doctors. In Britain, full-time university students have three terms of about ten weeks in each year. During these terms they go to lectures or they study by themselves. Many students become members of academic societies and sports clubs and take part in their activities. Between the university terms they have vacations (or holiday periods). Their vacations are long, but of course they can use them to study at home.

he word “graduate” in line 2 is closest in meaning to     .

My sister and I share the housework. We take turns to_______ the dishes and clean the house.
(150)________

Choose the best answer:
Sam is ....... responsible than Tom.

Choose the best answer:
He is ............................ for his elderly parents.

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 :
Faster processors and advances in memory technology have made today’s smartphones much more powerful than a lot of computers from just a decade ago. With wireless technology, people can surf the internet, play online games, send e-mail, and do (1)_________ all the things they once could only do on a computer. (2)__________, they have the power to do things constantly at their fingertips. Many people (3)_________ that while smartphones are powerful tools, they are making people reliant on them. Why would a person need to learn to read a map when he can get directions to anywhere by simply asking his phone a question? Who needs to learn maths when you have immense calculating power in your pocket at all times? What (4)__________ is there to memorise facts about history, art, or geography when that information is readily available from a portable Internet interface? There are just some of the questions being asked and answered as smartphone usage continues to spread. Like any technology, smartphones have their advantages, but they do have disadvantages as well that we must (5)__________ an eye on.

Choose the best answer:
Tourists can do and see a lot in Ha Long Bay at a ________ price.

 When she got the news from her family, she could not do anything, _____ cry.

(344)_______

Read the following passage and choose the best answer (A, B, C, D):
From the seeds themselves to the machinery, fertilizers and pesticides - The Green Revolution regimen depend heavily on technology. One (1) ________, however, depends much more on technology - organic farming. Many organic farmers use machinery, but (2) _______ chemical fertilizers or pesticides. (3) ________ chemical soil enrichers, they use animal manure and plant parts not used as food - natural, organic fertilizers that are clearly a renewable (4) _______. Organic farmers also use alternatives for pesticides; for example, they may rely (5) _______ natural predators of certain insect pests. Then, the need arises, they can buy the eggs and larvae of these natural predators and introduce them into their crop fields

Read the following passage and choose the best answer (A, B, C, D):
Any change in one part of an ecosystem can cause changes in other parts. Droughts, storms and fires can change ecosystems. Some changes (1) _______ ecosystems. If there is too (2)_____ rainfall, plants will not have enough water to live. If a kind of plant dies off, the animals that feed on it may also die or move away. Some changes are good for ecosystems. Some pine forests need fires for he pine trees to reproduce. The seeds are sealed inside pinecones. Heat from a forest fire melts the seal and lets the seeds (3) _______. Polluting the air, soil, and water can harm ecosystems. Building (4) _______ on rivers for electric power and irrigation can harm ecosystems around the rivers. Bulldozing wetlands and cutting down forests destroy ecosystems. Ecologists are working with companies and governments to find better ways of (5) _______ fish, cutting down trees, and building dams. They are looking for ways to get food, lumber, and other products for people without causing harm to ecosystems

Choose the best answer:
In 1778, he ……………… to London to study with Benjamin West for four years.

Choose the best answer:
Students live and study in a/an …….. school. They only go home at weekends.

Congratulations on your remarkable ---135--- in the Netherlands, Belgium, and Luxembourg. Your region has improved its on-time delivery performance for each of the past seven quarters. ---136---. I am pleased to offer you a promotion to Director of European Operations. The position ---137--- in Hamburg, Germany. I realize that relocating may be difficult for you. ---138---, I certainly hope that you will take time to consider this opportunity. Please call me at your earliest convenience so that we can discuss any concerns you may have.

136....................

Read the following passage and choose the best answer (A, B, C, D):
For many American university students, the weeklong spring break holiday means an endless party on a sunny beach in Florida or Mexico. In Panama City Beach, Florida, a city with a permanent population of around 36,000, more than half a million university students arrive during the month of March to play and party, making it the number one spring break destination in the United States. A weeklong drinking binge is not for anyone, however, and a growing number of American university students have found a way to make spring break matter. For them, joining or leading a group of volunteers to travel locally or internationally and work to show problems such as poverty, homelessness, or environmental damage makes spring break a unique learning experience that university students can feel good about. Students who participate in alternative spring break projects find them very rewarding. While most university students have to get their degrees before they can start helping people, student volunteers are able to help people now. On the other hand, the accommodations are far from glamorous. Students often sleep on the floor of a school or spend the week camping in tents. But students only pay around $250 for meals and transportation, which is much less than some of their peers spend to travel to more traditional spring break hotspots. Alternative spring break trips appear to be growing in popularity at universities across the United States. Students cite a number of reason for participating. Some appreciate the opportunity to socialize and meet new friends. Others want to exercise their beliefs about people’s obligation to serve humanity and make the world a better place. Whatever their reason, these students have discovered something that gives them rich rewards along with a break from school work.
3. The word “binge” in the second paragraph probably means______

Minor ____ occur when a player impedes or otherwise prevents the free movement of an opponent including swimming on the opponent's shoulders, back or legs.

(413)_____

She told the boys _____ on the grass.

(226)______

Read the passage below and choose one correct answer for each question.

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

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

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

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

Which of the following is NOT the hobby of the writer’s father? 

Read the following passage and choose the best answer (A, B, C, D):
The custom of paying a bride price before marriage is still a well-established part of many African cultures. In paying a bride price, the family of the groom must provide payment to the family of the bride before the marriage is allowed. The bride price can vary greatly from culture to culture in Africa. In the Zulu and Swazi tribes of southern Africa, the bride price often takes the form of cattle. In Western African, kola nuts, shells, and other goods are often used for the payment of the bride price. The actual payment of money sometimes takes place, but the payment of goods is more frequent. The amount of paid in a bride price can also vary. In modern times, the bride price is occasionally quite small and its value is mainly symbolic. However, the bride price can still be quite high, especially among prominent or highly traditional families.There are a number of justifications used to explain the payment of bride price. The first is that the bride price represents an acknowledgement of the expense the bride's family has gone in order to raise her and bring her up as a suitable bride for the groom. It also represents payment for the loss of a family member, since the bride will officially become a member of her husband's family and will leave her own. On a deeper level the bride price represents payment for the fact that the bride will bring children into the family of the groom, thereby increasing the wealth of the family. This concept is reinforced by the fact that the bride price must often be returned if the bride fails to bear children.The payment of the bride price has quite a number of effects on African society. First, the payment of bride price acts to increase the stability of African family structures. Sons are dependent on their fathers and older relatives to help them pay the bride price of their wives, and this generally leads to greater levels of obedience and respect. The negotiations between the two families concerning the bride price allow the parents and other family members to meet and get to know one another before the marriage. Finally, since the bride price must often be repaid in case of divorce, the bride's family often works to make sure that any marital problems are solved quickly. Bride prices also work as a system of wealth distribution in African cultures. Wealthier families can afford to support the marriage of their son, and thus their wealth is transferred to other families.Not all of the effects of bride price are so positive, however. One major disadvantage to the system of bride price is that women are often married to men much older than themselves. In many African cultures, the typical age for marriage amongst women is still quite young, lower than in many cases. Yet few men at this age would have the ability to raise the bride price to marry. Thus there is sometimes a significant age gap between husbands and wives. This cuts short the education of many young women. In addition, the husband, being far older, may die whilst the wife is still relatively young, leaving her with the burden of raising the children alone.
1. According to paragraph 1, all of the following are true of the bride price EXCEPT ______

Read the passage below carefully, and then choose the best answer:
Learning to Dig Jazz Music
It has been said that jazz is America’s greatest contribution to music. It mixes the powerful rhythm of African traditions with elements of European classical music. The beginnings of jazz music are a bit unclear, but many people believe it originated in New Orleans during the late 1800s. New Orleans was a melting pot where local tribes mixed with immigrants who came from Africa and Europe to form a new, unique culture. Jazz has several elements which set it apart from other styles of music. Compared to rock music, jazz is more complex and versatile. Whereas rock bands typically consists of a drummer, some guitarists, and a singer, jazz bands can be big or small and they are made up from a wide variety of instruments. Another thing which sets jazz apart from other forms of music is improvisation. Musicians start with a basic structure, perhaps a few chords, and then they decide what to play in the moment. Therefore, even if the same songs are repeated, you can be certain that no two jazz concerts are the same. Over the years, many sub-genres of jazz came about. Ragtime is one of the first styles that came about, and it consists mainly of upbeat piano compositions. Dixieland Jazz started in the 1920s and it incorporated blue music and brass bands. Next came the Big Band era, which showcased groups with 10 or more musicians playing different instruments. In the Bebop era of the 1940s, jazz musicians returned to smaller groups of four to six musicians, but they started playing far more complex melodies.  If you are just becoming interested in jazz, you should start by listening to the works of some of its masters. Louis Armstrong is considered one of the grandfathers of jazz, as he helped to spread jazz to the masses in the 1920s. Armstrong is perhaps best-known today for singing the classic song “What a Wonderful World”, but in his prime, he was a talented bandleader and an incredible trumpet player. Charlie Parker was all the rage during the bebop age, as every saxophone player was trying to imitate him. Miles Davis is another pioneering jazzman who everyone should check out, as he was always changing his style. During his long career, Davis won nine Grammy awards. Although jazz music is an acquired taste, once you begin to appreciate it, it is like a fine wine that gets better with age.
5. The word “they” in paragraph 2 refers to ___________

Fill in each numbered blank with one suitable word or phrase.

On December 10, 2006, I was going through some hard time. The landlady did not want to release the house any more so I had to (1) _____ and only had one month to find a place. Because Christmas was coming and it was difficult for me to (2) _____ a suitable accommodation. I had only some money (3) _____. I could not buy a Christmas tree and some presents for my three boys, (4) _____ I had to use the money to find a place to live. To me, it broke my heart as I could not prepare the Christmas for my three boys. I have been their only parent since my husband (5) _____ away two years ago. I was so sad and everything was getting on my nerves. Although I managed to solve the problem myself I could not help (6) _____ my sons about the things. When I suddenly woke up at midnight, I found my eldest son was sitting (7) _____me. He kissed me and said, "Don't worry, Mum. We love you very much and always stand by you (8) ____ happens." At the moment I started weeping, grabbed him and kissed him. His words and love made me (9) _____ all about what I was stressing about.

In fact ever since that moment, I have realized that I can overcome any problems thanks to my sons' love. The most important thing of my life is that my boys are safe and healthy, and they bring me joy all the time. The memory (10) _____ me that nothing really matters, when I have the love of my children.

(4) _____