READING COMPREHENSION

Read the passage, and choose the correct answer A, B, C or D for each question.

Mr. and Mrs. Nelson have two children, Lara 10 and Peter is 16. Mrs. Nelson first discovered that Peter was getting into trouble when school rang her to say that he hadn’t turned up that day, or the day before. She realized right away that he had been truanting.

Peter's behavior was causing conflict in the house and Mr. and Mrs. Nelson were both concerned. They had different views of how they should deal with Peter's behavior and this led to rows that upset the whole family. They decided to prevent Peter from going out with his friends, but this just made him more stubborn and he would continue to miss school and stay outside his curfew.

 Over the coming weeks, family life became more and more difficult. Mr. and Mrs. felt that they could no longer do this on their own and asked the school to help. They arranged for Peter to talk to someone he trusted, and they made an agreement for him gradually attending school again. He was also given some time to catch up with the work he had missed.

As he started to talk it through, Peter realized that he had been unhappy at school for a while. He admitted that he had felt lonely since his best friend moved away and another group had persuaded him to skip school. As he missed more and more school, it became harder to go back.

Peter was encouraged to tell his parents how much he missed his friend and that he to spend time with his dad playing football or fishing. Mr. Nelson thought he had grown out of that a long time ago but was pleased to spend time with Peter again.

Mr. and Mrs. Nelson tried to notice every day when Peter achieved his goal of attending being on time and remembering to do his homework. It took a little longer for Peter's friendship to return to normal and Peter has had to learn to prove himself trustworthy to his parents, but gradually Mr. and Mrs. Nelson are learning to trust Peter again.

When Mr. and Mrs. Nelson applied severe punishment to Peter, ________________ .

Read the text carefully, then choose the correct answers.

A YEAR WITH OVERSEAS VOLUNTEERS

I was with Overseas Volunteers (OV) for a year after leaving university, and I was sent to an isolated village in Chad, about 500 km from the capital N'Djamena. Coming from' a rich country, I got quite a shock as conditions were much harder than I had expected. But after a few days I soon got used to living there. The people were always very friendly and helpful, and soon I began to appreciate how beautiful the countryside was.

One of my jobs was to supply the village with water. The well was a long walk away. And the women used to spend a long time every day carrying heavy pots backwards and forwards. So I contacted organization and arranged to have some pipes delivered. We built a simple pipeline and a pump, and it worked first time. It wasn't perfect - there were a few leaks, but it made a great difference to the villagers, who had never had running water before. And not only did we have running water, but in the evenings it was hot, because the pipe had been lying in the sun all day. All in all, I think my time with OV was a good experience. Although it was not well-paid, it was well worth doing, and I would recommend it to anyone who was considering working for a charity.

How did the author feel when he arrived in the village?

Read and choose the correct answer to complete the letter.

"Dear Diana,

My parents and I are (1)…… to know that you passed the end-of-term examination. Congratulations! I think that with your excellence, your (2)……… to become a good doctor will come true.

My younger sister was really (3)………. to receive a hair curling machine from you on her birthday and she asked me to say “thank you” to you. However, she doesn't know the (4)…….. to use that machine. It seems (5)……. for her to use it.

I was relieved that your mother had recovered after a serious surgery. It was (6)………. to believe that she had to suffer from a severe disease for a long period of time. Please give her my love.

I am excited that you're going to visit my beautiful city. I want to show you my (7)……… to take you to famous places.

We're looking forward to seeing you. It will be (8)………. for me to welcome you to my house.

Write me soon and confirm your arrival date and time.

Love,

Sarah"

2. Congratulations! I think that with your excellence, your (2)……… to become a good doctor will come true.

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.

Nowadays people are more aware that wildlife all over the world is in (1)________. Many species of animals are threatened, and could easily become (2)________ if we do not make an effort to protect them. In some cases, animals are hunted for their fur or for other valuable parts of their bodies. Some birds, such as parrots, are caught (3)________and sold as pets. For many animals and birds the problem is that their habitat - the place where they live - is disappearing. More land is used for farms, for houses or industry, and there are fewer open spaces than there once were. Farmers use powerful chemicals to help them to grow better crops, but these chemicals pollute the environment and (4)________ wildlife. The most successful animals on earth - human beings - will soon be the only ones (5)________, unless we can solve this problem.

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

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 American type of football was developed in the 19th century from soccer and rugby football. Played by professionals, amateurs, college and high school students, or young children, football in American is one of the most popular sports besides basketball and baseball. It attracts millions of fans each fall and people are very supportive of their favourite teams. The football playing field of today is rectangular in shape and measures 100 yards long and 53.5 yards wide. White lines are painted on the playing field to mark off the distances to the end zone. The games is divided into four quarters, each fifteen minutes long. The first two quarters are known as the first half. There is a rest period between two halves which usually last about fifteen minutes. Each team has eleven players. Each team has offensive players who play when the team has possession of the ball and defensive players who play when the other team has the possession of the ball. Because of the body contact players have during the game, helmets are worn to protect their head and face area, whereas pads are worn to protect the shoulders, arms, and legs. Also, there are officials carrying whistles and flags to make certain that the rules of the game are followed during the game. The football is made of leather and is brown in colour. It is shaped much like an oval and has white rings near each end of the football. These rings help the players see the ball when it is thrown or someone is running with it. The eight stitches on the top of the football help the players to grip the ball when throwing or passing. The most famous game of the year is Super Bowl that is played in January or February. It is televised around the world and is watched by millions of people each year.

Which is the most popular sport in the US?

Read the following text and circle the best answer:
Welcome to Arolis Chemicals! Thank you for ---139--- the full-time, permanent position of laboratory assistant. We look forward to your arrival on 1 August in the Harris Building. Please report to the front desk and ask for Jack McNolan. He ---140--- you to the Human Resources office. There, you will obtain your employee badge
---141--- all documents necessary to start work. Note that because of its large size, the Leicester campus of Arolis can be difficult to navigate. Studying a campus map will help orient you to the location of the different buildings.----142---. Should you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me.

140...................

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

In American, although most men still do less housework than their wives, that gap has been halved since the 1960s. Today, 41 per cent of couples say they share childcare equally, compared with 25 percent in 1985. Men's greater involvement at home is good for their relationships with their spouses, and also good for their children. Hands-on fathers make better parents than men who let their wives do all the nurturing and childcare. They raise sons who are more expressive and daughters who are more likely to do well in school - especially in math and science.

In 1900, life expectancy in the United States was 47 years, and only four per cent of the population was 65 or older. Today, life expectancy is 76 years, and by 2025, it is estimated about 20 per cent of the U.S. population will be 65 or older. For the first time, a generation of adults must plan for the needs of both their parents and their children. Most Americans are responding with remarkable grace. One in four households gives the equivalent of a full day a week or more in unpaid care to an aging relative, and more than half say they expect to do so in the next 10 years. Older people are less likely to be impoverished or incapacitated by illness than in the past, and have more opportunity to develop a relationship with their grandchildren.

Even some of the choices that worry people the most are turning out to be manageable. Divorce rates are likely to remain high, and in many cases marital breakdown causes serious problems for both adults and kids. Yet when parents minimize conflict, family bonds can be maintained. And many families are doing this. More non-custodial parents are staying in touch with their children. Child-support receipts are rising. A lower proportion of children from divorced families are exhibiting problems than in earlier decades. And stepfamilies are learning to maximize children's access to supportive adults rather than cutting them off from one side of the family.

Which of the following is NOT true about divorce rates in the USA?

Sleep is a natural process, and although a lot have been written about the subject, it is still surrounded by mystery. It is used by some as an escape from the world, and regarded by others as an irritating waste of time: some people get by on very little, others claim they cannot exist without at least ten hours, but nobody can do without sleep completely.

Our night’s sleep does not just consist of a steady phase of gradually deepening sleep. It alternates between two stages: Non-dreaming or ordinary sleep, and REM (rapid eye movement) or dreaming sleep. As soon as we fall asleep, we go straight into non-dreaming sleep for an hour or so, then into REM sleep for about 15 minutes, then back into non-dreaming sleep. It alternates in this way for the rest of the night, with non-dreaming sleep tending to last longer at the beginning of the night. Non-dreaming sleep occupies three-quarters of our night’s sleep, about a quarter of it deep and the rest fairly light. 

It is widely believed that sleep repairs the body and makes good the damage caused by being awake. However, its main function is to refresh the brain. Experts believe that probably only about two-thirds of our sleep is necessary for repairing and refreshing the brain, with the most valuable sleep coming in the first few hours of the non-dreaming period, the last few hours of sleep are not so essential. The brain can manage quite well with reduced sleep as long as it is uninterrupted sleep. 

The quality of sleep is important. A study conducted in the USA looked at short sleepers, who slept for 5.5 hours on average, and long sleepers, who had 8.5 hours or more. It is discovered after a variety of tests that the long sleepers were poor sleepers, had twice as much REM sleep as the short sleepers, appeared to sleep longer to make up for poor sleep, and did not wake up in the morning refreshed. Similarly, people who sleep deeply do not necessarily get a better quality of sleep than shallow sleepers. Deep sleepers can feel tired the following day, so six hours of good sleep is worth more than eight hours of troubled sleep.

It can be concluded from the first paragraph that ________.

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

Generation gap refers to the difference in the ways of thinking and perception in the people of two different generations which results in behavioral differences, and sometimes, (26)_______between them. In other words, it is the difference in the thinking of the people of older and younger generations that creates the (27)_______of understanding between them. The most common example of generation gap is seen in the family between parents and their children. It is not only because of the gap in age but also because of the way parents (28)_________to a particular situation.

Advancement technology has led to the generation gap in this modern world. Children tend to spend most of their time with their digital devices and busy with social media that they do not discuss their problems with their parents. The Internet (29)________solutions to most of the problems that children needn't ask their own parents for help, (30)_________the communication and leading to a generation gap.

Generation gap occurs not only between parents and children but also between teachers and students. Students are likely to enjoy the classes of an open-minded teacher, who shows mutual (31)________to the students. The teachers, who tend to keep their students under unnecessary strict disciplines and practise hard ways to make them obey the orders, are usually disliked by the students. This narrows minded thinking, especially (32)________in the teachers of the older generation, eventually creates a gap between the students and teachers.

Another difference is the use of technology. Young teachers tend to use more digital devices is class for their lessons that has a good (33)_________on the students. Students take more interest and participate actively in the class discussion. An old teacher has (34)_______ frequent use of electronic devices that makes lessons boring, which is not enjoyed by the students and it creates a gap between them.

To (35)________the generation gap, parents or teachers must be close to their children. They should show interest and give time to the children, have open communication, and allow the child to feel free in all the situations.

Question 30............................

Tulips are Old World, rather than New World, plants, with the origins of the species lying in Central Asia. They became an integral part of the gardens of the Ottoman Empire from the sixteenth century onward, and, soon after, part of European life as well. Holland, in particular, became famous for its cultivation of the flower.

A tenuous line marked the advance of the tulip to the New World, where it was unknown in the wild. The first Dutch colonies in North America had been established in New Netherlands by the Dutch West India Company in 1624, and one individual who settled in New Amsterdam (today's Manhattan section of New York City) in 1642 described the flowers that bravely colonized the settlers' gardens. They were the same flowers seen in Dutch still-life paintings of the time: crown imperials, roses, carnations, and of course tulips. They flourished in Pennsylvania too, where in 1698 William Penn received a report of John Tateham's "Great and Stately Palace”, its garden full of tulips.

By 1760, Boston newspapers were advertising 50 different kinds of mixed tulip "roots”. But the length of the journey between Europe and North America created many difficulties. Thomas Hancock, an English settler, wrote thanking his plant supplier for a gift of some tulip bulbs from England, but his letter the following year grumbled that they were all dead.

Tulips arrived in Holland, Michigan, with a later wave of early nineteenth-century Dutch immigrants who quickly colonized the plains of Michigan. Together with many other Dutch settlements, such as the one at Pella, Iowa, they established a regular demand for European plants. The demand was bravely met by a new kind of tulip entrepreneur, the traveling salesperson. One Dutchman, Hendrick Van De Schoot, spent six months in 1849 traveling through the United States taking orders for tulip bulbs. While tulip bulbs were traveling from Europe to the United States to satisfy the nostalgic longings of homesick English and Dutch settlers, North American plants were traveling in the opposite direction. In England, the enthusiasm for American plants was one reason why tulips dropped out of fashion in the gardens of the rich and famous.

Which of the following questions does the passage mainly answer?

Read the passage, and choose the correct answer A, B, C or D for each question.

Approximately one in two thousand people in Viet Nam has a significant hearing loss. Students who have been deafened in early childhood can be very different to students who have lost hearing later in life in terms of educational disadvantage. For example, their range of vocabulary may be limited, which in turn may affect their level of English literacy.

Deaf and hard of hearing students can sometimes prefer visual learning strategies. This can be a challenge in an environment where much essential information is delivered exclusively by word of mouth.

Students with a hearing loss may need to use assistive technology to participate in class. This assistive technology can be the laptop where software such as Skype can be used to deliver interpreters or captioning. For some it will be in the form of listening devices. For others, it will be a combination of technology that includes both listening devices and computer based software.

The impact of hearing loss can cause delays in receiving learning material. Students who need information transcribed from tape must sometimes wait for a significant period of time for this to happen. This needs to be considered in terms of developing suitable timelines for the completion of work for each student.

Students with hearing loss may appear isolated in the learning environment. The possibility for social contact and interaction with other students is often limited, and this isolation or separateness may have an impact on learning. Participation and interaction in tutorials may be limited. Students who cannot hear the flow and nuances of rapid verbal exchange will be at a disadvantage.

Students who have been deafened in early childhood can be very different to students have lost hearing later in life because________.

Read the text carefully, then choose the correct answers.

A YEAR WITH OVERSEAS VOLUNTEERS

I was with Overseas Volunteers (OV) for a year after leaving university, and I was sent to an isolated village in Chad, about 500 km from the capital N'Djamena. Coming from' a rich country, I got quite a shock as conditions were much harder than I had expected. But after a few days I soon got used to living there. The people were always very friendly and helpful, and soon I began to appreciate how beautiful the countryside was.

One of my jobs was to supply the village with water. The well was a long walk away. And the women used to spend a long time every day carrying heavy pots backwards and forwards. So I contacted organization and arranged to have some pipes delivered. We built a simple pipeline and a pump, and it worked first time. It wasn't perfect - there were a few leaks, but it made a great difference to the villagers, who had never had running water before. And not only did we have running water, but in the evenings it was hot, because the pipe had been lying in the sun all day. All in all, I think my time with OV was a good experience. Although it was not well-paid, it was well worth doing, and I would recommend it to anyone who was considering working for a charity.

 The author ______.

Fill in each numbered blank with one suitable word or phrase

The Global Volunteer Network currently has opportunities to aim at (1) ____  primary and secondary (2) ____ to needy children, and community outreach and counseling with their partner organization in Uganda. This provides (3) _____ opportunity to experience Ugandan life first-hand (4) _____ working to improve your host community. The programs provide counseling, (5) ____ , and education for (6) ____ people, orphans and underprivileged children in small villages. The main activities will (7) ___ working with local children and youth teaching nursery, primary, and vocational education. Volunteers (8) ____ work in the areas of sport, art, games and academics. For volunteers with a medical (9) ____ and education, placements can involve work in (10) ____ clinics with small health-based community organizations.

(3) ________

Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to choose the word or phrase that best fits each of the numbered blanks.

Mai is my neighbor. She turned sixteen recently and her parents (46) _______ a birthday party for her. I was one of those invited. The party began at about three (47) ­­_______ the afternoon. There were about twenty of us gathering in Mai’s house. She didn’t like having the party at a restaurant (48) ­­_______ it is noisy and expensive.

We gave presents to Mai and she (49) ­­_______ opened them. It must really be exciting to receive all those presents. After that Mai’s mother served us soft drinks and biscuits. We then listened to music and played cards. The winners were given prizes. At about four-thirty, Mai’s mother brought out the birthday cake. It was beautifully decorated with pink and white icing. (50) ­­_______ colorful candles sat in the middle of the cake. We all clapped our hands eagerly and sang “Happy Birthday” as she blew out the candles and cut the cake. We helped ourselves to slices of the delicious cake and sang all the songs that we knew.

Finally, at about six in the evening, the party came to an end. We were all tired but happy. The parents of other children came to collect them by motorbikes. I helped Mai and her mother clean up the mess we had made. After that, I walked home, which was only three doors away.

Câu 49:........................

Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to choose the word or phrase that best fits each of the numbered blanks.

Mai is my neighbor. She turned sixteen recently and her parents (46) _______ a birthday party for her. I was one of those invited. The party began at about three (47) ­­_______ the afternoon. There were about twenty of us gathering in Mai’s house. She didn’t like having the party at a restaurant (48) ­­_______ it is noisy and expensive.

We gave presents to Mai and she (49) ­­_______ opened them. It must really be exciting to receive all those presents. After that Mai’s mother served us soft drinks and biscuits. We then listened to music and played cards. The winners were given prizes. At about four-thirty, Mai’s mother brought out the birthday cake. It was beautifully decorated with pink and white icing. (50) ­­_______ colorful candles sat in the middle of the cake. We all clapped our hands eagerly and sang “Happy Birthday” as she blew out the candles and cut the cake. We helped ourselves to slices of the delicious cake and sang all the songs that we knew.

Finally, at about six in the evening, the party came to an end. We were all tired but happy. The parents of other children came to collect them by motorbikes. I helped Mai and her mother clean up the mess we had made. After that, I walked home, which was only three doors away.

Câu 50: ............................

Read and choose the correct answer to complete the letter.

"Dear Diana,

My parents and I are (1)…… to know that you passed the end-of-term examination. Congratulations! I think that with your excellence, your (2)……… to become a good doctor will come true.

My younger sister was really (3)………. to receive a hair curling machine from you on her birthday and she asked me to say “thank you” to you. However, she doesn't know the (4)…….. to use that machine. It seems (5)……. for her to use it.

I was relieved that your mother had recovered after a serious surgery. It was (6)………. to believe that she had to suffer from a severe disease for a long period of time. Please give her my love.

I am excited that you're going to visit my beautiful city. I want to show you my (7)……… to take you to famous places.

We're looking forward to seeing you. It will be (8)………. for me to welcome you to my house.

Write me soon and confirm your arrival date and time.

Love,

Sarah"

4.  However, she doesn't know the (4)…….. to use that machine.

Fill in each numbered blank with one suitable word or phrase

The Global Volunteer Network currently has opportunities to aim at (1) ____  primary and secondary (2) ____ to needy children, and community outreach and counseling with their partner organization in Uganda. This provides (3) _____ opportunity to experience Ugandan life first-hand (4) _____ working to improve your host community. The programs provide counseling, (5) ____ , and education for (6) ____ people, orphans and underprivileged children in small villages. The main activities will (7) ___ working with local children and youth teaching nursery, primary, and vocational education. Volunteers (8) ____ work in the areas of sport, art, games and academics. For volunteers with a medical (9) ____ and education, placements can involve work in (10) ____ clinics with small health-based community organizations.

(8) ________

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.

Nowadays people are more aware that wildlife all over the world is in (1)________. Many species of animals are threatened, and could easily become (2)________ if we do not make an effort to protect them. In some cases, animals are hunted for their fur or for other valuable parts of their bodies. Some birds, such as parrots, are caught (3)________and sold as pets. For many animals and birds the problem is that their habitat - the place where they live - is disappearing. More land is used for farms, for houses or industry, and there are fewer open spaces than there once were. Farmers use powerful chemicals to help them to grow better crops, but these chemicals pollute the environment and (4)________ wildlife. The most successful animals on earth - human beings - will soon be the only ones (5)________, unless we can solve this problem.

(1)................

There is usually one important subject missing from most school timetables. Very few students are .....(1)........ how to organize their learning, and how to make the best use of their time. Let’s take some simple examples. Do you know how to .....(2)... up words in a dictionary, and do you understand all the information the dictionary contains? Can you ...(3)... notes quickly, and can you understand them afterwards? For some reason, many schools give learners no help with these matters. Teachers ask students to ...(4)... pages from books, or tell them to write ten pages, but don't explain how to do it Learning by heart can be useful, but it is important to have a genuine understanding of a subject. You can ...(5)... a lot of time memorizing books, without understanding anything about the subject.

(1)..............................

Read the following text and circle the best answer:
With Global Strength Gym's 30-day trial period, you get the opportunity to try out our classes, equipment, and facilities.----131---. It's completely risk-free! To sign up, we require your contact information and payment details, but you will only be charged if you are a member for---132--- 30 days. If you decide within this time that you no longer want to be a member of  Global Strength, ---133--- visit our Web site at www.gsgym.com. On the Membership page, elect to ---134--- your membership and enter the necessary information. It's that easy!

134...................

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

In a healthy relationship, both partners respect, trust and embrace (1) ____ differences. Both partners are able to communicate (2) ____ their needs and listen to their partner, and work to resolve conflict in a rational and (3) ____ way. But maintaining a healthy relationship (4) ____ for skills many young people are never taught. A lack of these skills, and (5) ____ up in a society that sometimes celebrates violence or in a community that experiences a high (6) ____ of violence, can lead to unhealthy and even violent relationships among youth.

Dating violence (7) ____ psychological or emotional violence, such as controlling behaviours or jealousy; physical violence, such as hitting or punching. More than 20 per cent of all adolescents report having experienced (8) ____ psychological or physical violence from an intimate partner - and underreporting remains a concern.

Adolescents, (9) ____ older adolescents, often have romantic relationships, which are long-term, serious, and intimate. Society has a responsibility to provide young people with the resources, skills, and space (10) ____ to safeguard their physical and emotional well being in these relationships. Youth-serving professionals, educators, and parents can help young people in need access services to (11) ____ dating abuse victimisation. Research also has shown that programmes intended to prevent dating violence can be (12) ____.

(11)....................