Read the passage and choose the best answers.
The 24th SEA Games was held from 6th to 15th December, 2007 in three provinces in Thailand, namely Nakhon Ratchsima, Bangkok, and Chon Buri. In fact, the 2007 SEA Games was to be hosted by Singapore, but Singapore gave up the chance, as its new national sports stadium is under construction and will not be completed in time for the next SEA Games. Thailand was then asked by The SEA Games Federation to host this regional sport event in place of Singapore.
The SEA Games takes place every two years, with 11 countries in Southeast Asia participating. Each member country, in alphabetical order, takes turn hosting this event. Let’s look at the number of sports and gold medals in The SEA Games in recent years. The 21st SEA Games, hosted by Malaysia in 2001, had 32 sports with 391 gold medals. There were 32 sports with 439 gold medals in The 22nd SEA Games, held in Vietnam in 2003. The 23rd SEA Games, in The Philippines in 2005, had 40 sports with 439 gold medals.
The 24th SEA Games in Thailand this year, featuring 43 sports and 485 gold medals, had the highest number of sports and gold medals in The Asian Games and The Olympic Games. So The SEA Games is regarded as the largest regional sporting event in the world in terms of number of sports and medals
How often does the SEA Games take place? Every ___________.
Hãy suy nghĩ và trả lời câu hỏi trước khi xem đáp án
Lời giải:
Báo saiGiải thích: The SEA Games takes place every two years
Dịch nghĩa: SEA Games diễn ra hai năm một lần
Câu hỏi liên quan
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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 ……
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Choose the word or phrase among A, B, C or D that best fits the blank space in the following passage:
"The 22nd Southeast Asian Games (22nd SEA Games) successfully closed in Ha Noi. Prominent among 40,000 spectators at the closing (1)…. at My Dinh National Stadium were Party Secretary General Nong Duc Manh, Vice President Truong My Hoa and leaders of the Asian Sport Federation.
A spectacular art (2)…… programme with the participation of 300 musicians and 500 artists was (3)……. to welcome the success of the Games. Singaporean swimmer Yeojoscelin who won six gold medals and Vietnamese marksman Nguyen Manh Tuong who owned five gold medals during the Games were awarded the most (4)…… athlete title.
Nguyen Danh Thai, Minister-Chairman of the State Committee for Physical Training and Sports, President of the 22nd SEA Games Council and Head of the 22nd SEA Games Organising Committee, (5)……. that the Games have successfully concluded after boisterous competition days. All activities took place(6)…… scheduled in an (7)….. of solidarity and friendship among Southeast Asian people.
With the Vietnamese Government and people's efforts and international support, the 22nd SEA Games have become a festival that impressed people (8)…. the spirit of “solidarity. cooperation for peace and development”.
The 22nd SEA Games are not only a song of honesty and nobility in competition and organising competition but (9)….. a sign of a bright future for the development of regional sports. After Vietnamese singer My Linh and a Philippine singer sang the song “For the World of Tomorrow”, Minister Nguven Danh Thai and Chairman of the Ha Noi People's Committee Hoang Van Nghiên handed over the SEA Games Flag to the Chairman of the Olympic Committee and the Head of the Philippine sport team, (10)…… the host country of the 23rd SEA Games - the Philippines 2005."7. scheduled in an (7)….. of solidarity and friendship among Southeast Asian people.
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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."5. The Games official song was .....
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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.
To quote CREST founder Dr. Martha Honey, we earnestly believe that ecotourism is “simply a better way to travel.” Here’s a look at how this transformational approach to travel benefits conservation, increases cross-cultural understanding, and ultimately turns travelers into environmental advocates:
To see how ecotourism benefits nature and wildlife, let’s look at endangered species such as African Elephants. Ivory from Elephant tusks is worth $1500 a pound on the black market, which has led to a dramatic increase in poaching. But Elephants are worth 76 times more alive than dead. When you consider the revenue from wildlife photography tours, luxury safari camps, and other ecotourism offerings, a single Elephant is worth $1.3 million over the course of its lifetime! Ecotourism offers a long-term alternative to exploitation, generating sustainable revenue and ensuring better overall health of the ecosystem.
Nature reserves and national parks help prevent deforestation and pollution, while also protecting the habitat of endemic species. The revenue that ecotourism provides can help replace profits from exploitative practices such as mining or slash ‘n’ burn agriculture. It can also help ensure the long-term financial viability of the area. Naturalist guides also help travelers understand the value of a pristine ecosystem, and teach them about the importance of conservation. This ultimately help to create a more mindful and conscious legion of travelers.
When managed properly, ecotourism can offer locals alternative revenue streams. In wildlife-rich countries such as Rwanda, former poachers are often employed as guides or trackers, capitalizing on their knowledge of the animals and their habitat. In Costa Rica, unemployment has fallen to less than 10% since the country started building its ecotourism infrastructure in the 1970s. Involving local communities in tourism management empowers them by ensuring that more revenue is reinvested locally. Ecotourism also offers indigenous peoples an opportunity to remain on ancestral land, conserve it, and preserve traditional culture.
Sure, being a responsible traveler takes a greater level of commitment to being conscious and mindful of the impact we have on the destinations we visit. But ecotourism also offers us incredible, transformative experiences, allowing us to develop closer personal relationships to the nature, wildlife, and local people we encounter during our adventures. Learning about ecotourism can permanently change your understanding of mankind’s role in our planetary ecosystem. And once you’ve had that sort of travel experience, you’ll never want to travel the traditional way again.According to paragraph 5, why did the author claim that people will prefer ecotourism over normal one?
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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 3, what step is NOT included in the mindful visualization technique?
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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.The word “hindering” in paragraph 1 is closest in meaning to ______.
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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 Nguyên 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."4. All the stadium’s lights suddenly came on, (4)…. the start of the procession of Vietnam’s flag and the 22nd SEA Games' Symbol.
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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.
(31) _________
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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.With the help of myriad species of tiny algae, reefs _____________.
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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.
It can be inferred from the passage that the sediment sieve has an advantage over the hand test in determining soil texture because ______.
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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.
New research shows that long-term changes in diseases in ocean species coincides with decades of widespread environmental change. The paper, "Increases and decreases in marine disease reports in an era of global change," was published Oct. 9 in Proceedings of the Royal Society B.
Understanding oceanic trends is important for evaluating today's threats to marine systems, and disease is an important sentinel of change, according to senior author Drew Harvell, professor of marine biology at Cornell University. "Disease increases and decreases can both be bad news," said lead author Allison Tracy, who studied with Harvell. "The long-term changes in disease that we see here may result from anthropogenic pressure on plants and animals in the ocean." The researchers examined marine infectious disease reports from 1970 to 2013, which transcend short-term fluctuations and regional variation. They examined records of corals, urchins, mammals, decapods, fish, mollusks, sharks, rays, seagrass and turtles.
For corals and urchins, reports of infectious disease increased over the 44-year period. In the Caribbean, increasing coral disease reports correlated with warming events. It is widely known that coral bleaching increases with warming, but Harvell said they have established a long-term connection between warming and coral disease. "We've finally linked a coral killer like infectious disease to repeated warming bouts over four decades of change," she said. "Our study shows that infectious disease reports are associated with warm temperature anomalies in corals on a multi-decadal scale." These results improve understanding of how changing environments alter species interactions, and they provide a solid baseline for health of marine life in the period studied.The word “They” in paragraph 2 refers to _______.
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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.
Russia's combat dead were approximately eight million. American's number of combat deal was nowhere near the equal of the Russia's comprising less than five percent of the number of Russian combat deaths. This is not only a reflection of the intensity of the fighting in Eastern Euro
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Choose the word or phrase among A, B, C or D that best fits the blank space in the following passage:
"The 22nd Southeast Asian Games (22nd SEA Games) successfully closed in Ha Noi. Prominent among 40,000 spectators at the closing (1)…. at My Dinh National Stadium were Party Secretary General Nong Duc Manh, Vice President Truong My Hoa and leaders of the Asian Sport Federation.
A spectacular art (2)…… programme with the participation of 300 musicians and 500 artists was (3)……. to welcome the success of the Games. Singaporean swimmer Yeojoscelin who won six gold medals and Vietnamese marksman Nguyen Manh Tuong who owned five gold medals during the Games were awarded the most (4)…… athlete title.
Nguyen Danh Thai, Minister-Chairman of the State Committee for Physical Training and Sports, President of the 22nd SEA Games Council and Head of the 22nd SEA Games Organising Committee, (5)……. that the Games have successfully concluded after boisterous competition days. All activities took place(6)…… scheduled in an (7)….. of solidarity and friendship among Southeast Asian people.
With the Vietnamese Government and people's efforts and international support, the 22nd SEA Games have become a festival that impressed people (8)…. the spirit of “solidarity. cooperation for peace and development”.
The 22nd SEA Games are not only a song of honesty and nobility in competition and organising competition but (9)….. a sign of a bright future for the development of regional sports. After Vietnamese singer My Linh and a Philippine singer sang the song “For the World of Tomorrow”, Minister Nguven Danh Thai and Chairman of the Ha Noi People's Committee Hoang Van Nghiên handed over the SEA Games Flag to the Chairman of the Olympic Committee and the Head of the Philippine sport team, (10)…… the host country of the 23rd SEA Games - the Philippines 2005."All activities took place(6)…… scheduled
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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.
In the United States, Thanksgiving is ______
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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.The purpose of the 23rd SEA Games was to ________
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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.
The purpose of the passage is to ________.
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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.
To quote CREST founder Dr. Martha Honey, we earnestly believe that ecotourism is “simply a better way to travel.” Here’s a look at how this transformational approach to travel benefits conservation, increases cross-cultural understanding, and ultimately turns travelers into environmental advocates:
To see how ecotourism benefits nature and wildlife, let’s look at endangered species such as African Elephants. Ivory from Elephant tusks is worth $1500 a pound on the black market, which has led to a dramatic increase in poaching. But Elephants are worth 76 times more alive than dead. When you consider the revenue from wildlife photography tours, luxury safari camps, and other ecotourism offerings, a single Elephant is worth $1.3 million over the course of its lifetime! Ecotourism offers a long-term alternative to exploitation, generating sustainable revenue and ensuring better overall health of the ecosystem.
Nature reserves and national parks help prevent deforestation and pollution, while also protecting the habitat of endemic species. The revenue that ecotourism provides can help replace profits from exploitative practices such as mining or slash ‘n’ burn agriculture. It can also help ensure the long-term financial viability of the area. Naturalist guides also help travelers understand the value of a pristine ecosystem, and teach them about the importance of conservation. This ultimately help to create a more mindful and conscious legion of travelers.
When managed properly, ecotourism can offer locals alternative revenue streams. In wildlife-rich countries such as Rwanda, former poachers are often employed as guides or trackers, capitalizing on their knowledge of the animals and their habitat. In Costa Rica, unemployment has fallen to less than 10% since the country started building its ecotourism infrastructure in the 1970s. Involving local communities in tourism management empowers them by ensuring that more revenue is reinvested locally. Ecotourism also offers indigenous peoples an opportunity to remain on ancestral land, conserve it, and preserve traditional culture.
Sure, being a responsible traveler takes a greater level of commitment to being conscious and mindful of the impact we have on the destinations we visit. But ecotourism also offers us incredible, transformative experiences, allowing us to develop closer personal relationships to the nature, wildlife, and local people we encounter during our adventures. Learning about ecotourism can permanently change your understanding of mankind’s role in our planetary ecosystem. And once you’ve had that sort of travel experience, you’ll never want to travel the traditional way again.The word “revenue” in paragraph 2 most likely means _______.
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The Japan of the mid-nineteenth century was a shadow of the modern economic juggernaut that is now one of the world's leading traders. For hundreds of years, Japan had been secluded from the outside world by the strict policies of the rulers of Japan, the Tokugawa shoguns. With the exception of one Dutch ship per year at the port of the Nagasaki, the Japanese refused to deal with foreign ships or nations. Sailors shipwrecked on the Japanese islands were treated harshly and often imprisoned. Passing vessels were refused food, water, and other provisions. With a goal to right these wrongs and to open Japan to trade, in 1853, the United States sent its most capable man, Admiral Matthew Perry, and four warships to open Japan to the rest of the world. The consequences of those actions are still being felt today.
In the seventeenth century, the Japanese had opened their doors briefly to the Dutch and allowed a trading station and Christian enclave in Nagasaki. Guns were imported as part of this trade, and they were one of the reasons for a great upheaval that engulfed Japan for many decades, as a civil war raged between powerful shoguns, or warlords. Finally, Tokugawa emerged as the victor and claimed the lordship of Japan. During these upheavals, the emperor and his family had stood by wielding no power and existed merely as a figurehead. Soon after the civil war, the abandoned the use of guns and the art of the gun making. When Admiral Perry and his fleet arrived in 1853, they were defenseless against his awesome firepower.
Perry had three main purposes when he arrived in Japan: open the country to American trade, get an agreement to use Japan as a coaling and provisioning station for American vessels, and provide guarantees that Japan would aid shipwrecked American sailors. He wished to deal only with the highest officials and rebuffed Japanese attempts to foster lower-level emissaries on him. He sailed away to examine further the coast of Taiwan as a possible coaling station but returned to Japan the following spring in March 1854. This time, under threat of naval bombardment, the Japanese relented and finally signed the Treaty of Kanagawa on March 31, 1854. In addition to the three main items, the Japanese agreed to allow an American consulate to be established. At first, only Nagasaki was open to American trade, but the treaty stipulated that, after five years, other ports would be opened.
The consequences of these events were far reaching for Japan and the world. Within a few years, foreign currency began to flow to Japan, which upset its economy and caused rising inflation. This was a precursor to the fall of the Tokugawa shoguns and the return of the emperor as the leader of Japanese affairs in 1868. The Emperor Meiji then set a clear path for his nation, not wanting Japan to be under the heel of the foreigners who now clamored at the heel of the foreigners of his land. Meiji sent sailors to England to learn how to build ships and fight a modern naval war, invited German army officers to train his soldiers, and made deals with many companies to modernize Japan's industry, transportation, and communications. In fact, the efforts were so successful that, by the 1980s, the world began to view Japan as one of the great powers, more so after it defeated both China and Russia on land and at sea in two local wars. The Russian defeat was even more astonishing since the Europeans were unused to losing to those they considered their inferiors.
Japan's rapid industrialized and militarization had dreadful consequences for Asia, as Meiji's grandson Hirohito led the nation down the path to world war, which ultimately saw the destruction of much of Japan. The shock of this defeat still echoes through Japanese history, as does the arriv -
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 ....................
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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.
Russia's combat dead were approximately eight million. American's number of combat deal was nowhere near the equal of the Russia's comprising less than five percent of the number of Russian combat deaths. This is not only a reflection of the intensity of the fighting in Eastern Euro