1. SECTION II: GRAMMAR AND VOCABULARY (7 points)
PART 1: Choose the option (A,B,C or D) that best completes each of the following sentences. Write your answers
in the numbered table below.
1. Our country is rich ________ natural resources.
A. of B. with C. about D. in
2. The idea to ________ a visit to the local council residence was welcomed by all the visitors.
A. pay B. do C. go D. walk
3. In his anxiety to make himself________, he spoke too loudly and too slowly.
A. understand B. understanding C. understood D. to understand
4. ________ for the fact that he was working abroad, he would willingly have helped with the
project.
A. If it hadn’t been B. If it had been C. Had it been D. Hadn’t it been
5. Some animals are on the ________ of becoming extinct.
A. edge B. verge C. side D. tip
6. The play is very long but there are three ________
A. intervals B. breaks C. rests D. naps
7. The last lecture ________ completely over my head.
A. got B. went C. was D. left
8. Could I pick your ________ on the subject before the meeting?
A. brains B. head C. intellect D. mind
9. I was prepared to lend my brother some money but he turned ________ my offer.
A. back B. up C. out D. down
10. I ________ with the performances but I got flu the day before.
A. was to have helped B. helped C. was to help D. had helped
11. The dying man’s speech was so________ that no one was able to interpret his last request.
A. incoherent B. indiscreet C. nonchalant D. impotent
12. Very soon I found some other people to ________ and we began to write songs.
A. keep up with B. team up with C. talk through with D. get along with
13. ________ chair the meeting.
A. John was decided to B. It was decided that John should
C. There was decided that John should D. John had been decided to
14. I thought about the problem but I couldn’t ________ a solution.
A. come in for B. come across C. come up with D. come out
15. ________, they slept soundly.
A. Hot though was the night air B. Hot though the night air was
C. Hot as was the night air D. Hot although the night air was
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2. PART 2: Read the text below and think of the word that best fits each gap. Use only ONE word in each gap. There
is an example at the beginning (0). Write your answers in the numbered table below.
Is your school just as you wanted (0)_______ to be? Or are there things you and your classmates (1) ________
change, given the opportunity? This is your chance to express your ideas about (2) ________ the ideal school is like.
Our competition is open to (3) ________ student between the ages of twelve and eighteen. You can enter (4)
________ an individual or your whole class can work together on a team entry. Your entry can take any form – a
piece of writing, a picture, or even architectural plans. It is
completely (5) ________ to you. What we are looking for is evidence (6) ________ originality, imagination and,
above (7) ________, the genuine views of young people.
By (8) ________ part in this, you will help in a study being carried out at a leading university. All work entered (9)
________ the competition will be kept at the university and used in research. Entries cannot be returned (10)
________ of this. But it also means that, even (11) ________ you do not win, your views will still be heard and will
remain for future educationalists to study.
Entries must reach us no (12) ________ than Friday 30 April. Winners will receive valuable prizes of computer
equipment and software for their schools.
PART 3: Read the text below and look carefully at each line. Some of the lines are correct and some have a word
which should not be there. If a line is correct, put a tick (√). If the line has a word that should not be there, write
the word at the end of the line. There are two examples at the beginning.
0 Congratulations on winning of the tennis championship! You must be of
00 very pleased, especially since the prize is quite a lot of money. √
1 What are you going to spend it on? You could even buy a new car
2 with all that money! You should have be in great shape after all the
3 training you have been doing. It must be so very hard work, practising
4 all those hours for every day but it is worth it in the end, isn’t it?
5 Perhaps you are thinking of going on holiday so that you can have
6 a break from tennis and relax. Can you tell me exactly what is kind of
7 tennis racket you chose for the competition? If I would get the same,
8 it might help me to improve my game. Anyway, congratulations on
9 your great victory! I’m still studying English every single day and the
10 course has three months to go. I have moved house, as if you can see
11 from my new address. Make sure you reply back to the right address!
12 Your last letter went to my old address, but it wasn’t by your fault
13 because I hadn’t told anyone who I had moved then. Did you know
14 that I have had a job for the last three weeks? I work in a restaurant
15 four evenings a week. I like it, but I don’t arrive at home until one
o’clock in the morning, which is a bit inconvenient.
PART 4: Supply the correct tense or form of the verbs in brackets to complete the passage. Write your answers in
the numbered table below. (0) has been done as an example.
18,000 years ago, much of Europe (0) ____lay____(lie) (1)________(bury) beneath vast sheets of ice, hundreds of
metres thick. Ever since this astonishing fact (2)_______(discover) in the last century, scientists (3)
________(speculate) on the nature of the Ice Age climate, and the circumstances that brought it to an end.
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3. More recently, people (4) ________(wonder) if climatic changes could (5)________(take) place in our own time.
During the early 1970s there (6)_______(be) disastrous droughts in Africa, and frequent failures of Indian monsoon.
In 1976, Europe sweltered in the hottest summer for over a century, and (7)_______(experience) one of the worst
droughts since records began. Could such events as these be symptoms of a worldwide climatic shift?
Even small changes in climate that (8)________(occur) from time to time can have a highly damaging effect on
agriculture. With food reserves now (9)________ (stand) at only a few per cent of annual production, the world is
extremely vulnerable (10) ________(adverse) shifts in climate. It is therefore vitally important for us to understand
how climate changes take place.
PART 5: Think of ONE WORD only which can be used appropriately in all three sentences. Write your answers
in the numbered table below. (0) has been done as an example.
0. She screamed for _______ and luckily someone heard her.
Thanks for all your _______ through such a difficult time.
Practical ________ is offered through our accommodation service to new students.
1. I get off at the next _______.
The referee was forced to _______ the game because of heavy snow.
Work has temporarily come to a _______ while the funding in reviewed.
2. Keep your _______ on your work.
Do you have anyone in _______ for this job?
Don’t _______ her. She didn’t mean what she said.
3. There is a little gift _______ around the corner.
I do a weekly _______ at the supermarket.
He didn’t expect his own mother to _______ him to the police.
4. Everyone wished her the best of _______ at university and hoped she would enjoyed it.
Jenny won the competition at her first attempt – perhaps it was beginner’s _______!
There is no such thing as _______, we are capable of creating our own good fortune.
5. Politicians can abuse their position of _______ .
The _______ supply to our house was cut because of roadwork.
I’m afraid I do not have the _______ to authorize this change.
6. Few people could have predicted the huge impact of information _______ .
No matter how advanced _______ becomes, machine will never be able to think like humans.
It’s a waste of time for humans to do tasks that modern _______ can do.
7. She was struck by the sudden _______ that he might already have left.
He dived in after her without a second _______.
It was once _______ that the sun traveled around the earth.
8. Governments should give as much foreign _______ as possible to poorer countries.
In certain circumstances, emergency _______ in the form of money should be sent immediately.
The most successful long-term _______ programmes encourage self-help.
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4. Write your answers here:
0. help 1. 2.
3. 4. 5.
6. 7. 8.
PART 6: For questions from 1-10, read the text below. Use the word given in capitals at the end of some of the
lines to form a word that fits in the gap in the same line. Write your answers in the numbered table below. There is
an example at the beginning (0).
Before going to an interview, it is (0)_________ to go through a mock interview.
This will give you the opportunity to try out your technique and answers live. It is
also a chance to receive feedback that is (1)__________ in guiding you towards
improving your interview style and general (2) _________ Just one mock interview
will result in a (3)_________ improvement in your interview skill. Why? For the
same reason that a (4) _________ doesn’t exist while it is still on paper or floating
in your head. It only exists when you give it (5)_________ The first time you give it
in front of an audience, it will come out nothing like the one you prepared.
It is the same with being interviewed. It is not enough to look at a question and say,
‘Yeah, I know the answer to that one.’ You need to practise your answer live; this is
not the time to talk to yourself in front of a mirror. Seek out a (6) _________ and
have the session videotaped. Then you will have two opinions – the interview’s and
your own. You will find you get a completely different (7)________ when listening
to yourself than when you are watching yourself saying something. Just as your
voice always sounds different on tape, so do your (8) _______. You will be glad the
image is captured on tape and not in a potential employer’s mind. For maximum
effect, you should (9)________ your answers and go through a second mock
interview. This should help with any (10)________ and give you more confidence
for the real interview.
ADVISE
BENEFIT
PRESENT
NOTICE
SPEAK
ORAL
PROFESSION
IMPRESS
RESPOND
VISIT
EASE
SECTION III: READING (4 points)
PART 1: Read the article below and decide which answer (A,B,C or D) best fits each gap. Write your answers in
the numbered table below. There is an example at the beginning (0).
Students and jobseekers keen to get onto the course or into the workplace of their (0)________ hope that voluntary
work will help them (1)________ from the crowd. This chance to (2)________ experience – personally and
professionally – is (3)________ on the wish-list of young people.
A survey carried out last year revealed that young and old (4)________ said volunteering had improved their lives,
particularly those (5)________in conservation or heritage work.
Businesses recognise its importance and get to (6)________their profile in the community, while staff get a break
from their daily routine to develop ‘soft skill’, (7)________initiative and decision-making. One volunteering
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5. organisation is (8)________ another survey to find out if volunteering does make a difference in the workplace, or if it
is something businesses do simply to improve their (9)________ .
Not (10)________are business-sponsored placements becoming more common, the government is also investing
money and aiming to (11) ________volunteers. The push is clearly on to make volunteering as attractive as possible
to everyone.
And the more people who participate, the more the act fulfils its (12) ________of making the world a better place.
0. A. alternative B. choice C. option D. election
1. A. stand out B. lift out C. pick out D. point out
2. A. win B. achieve C. collect D. gain
3. A. extreme B. high C. sharp D. strong
4. A. similar B. the same C. alike D. too
5. A. committed B. associate C. connected D. involved
6. A. raise B. increase C. arouse D. motivate
7. A. such B. such as C. such like D. such and such
8. A. governing B. guiding C. conducting D. directing
9. A. representation B. look C. image D. figure
10. A. only B. just C. merely D. simply
11. A. claim B. recruit C. bring D. enter
12. A. aim B. direction C. mark D. design
PART 2: Look at the sentences below about a hotel. Read the text to decide if each sentence is correct or incorrect.
If it is correct, write C. If it is incorrect, write I.
Write your answers in the numbered table below.
1. During the 1980s, few tourists used to go to the Arctic in summer.
2. People came in large numbers to Jukkasjärvi to see the Arctic Hall.
3. The artist encouraged people to sleep in the Arctic Hall.
4. Each winter, guests come and sleep in the hotel before it is finished.
5. Progress when building the hotel is influenced by the weather.
6. The temperature inside the hotel changes according to the temperature outside.
7. Some clothes are provided by the hotel.
8. Guests should buy boots which fit as tightly as possible.
9. Items ordered through the ICEHOTEL shop will be delivered to your home.
10. It is possible to take a train from the airport to the IceHotel.
THE ICEHOTEL
For many years the Arctic was a popular destination in the summer season to see the land of the midnight sun but in
winter the few inhabitants had the snow and ice to themselves. By the end of the 1980s it was decided that the dark
and cold winter should be seen as an advantage. In the winter of 1990 the French artist Jannot Derit was invited to
have the opening of an exhibition in a specially built igloo (a building made of snow) in the little town of Jukkasjärvi
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6. on the frozen Torne River. The building, named Arctic Hall, attracted many interested visitors to the area. One night a
group of foreign guests decided it would be a good idea to sleep in the Arctic Hall. The following morning the brave
group were very pleased with their experience and the idea of an ice hotel was born. Today it is world famous.
As soon as winter begins, a team of snow builders, architects and artists from all over the world come to Jukkasjärvi
and they make the hotel for that year. As one part is completed, it opens to visitors and overnight guests, while the
other parts are still being built. The first part is completed in December and each week after that a new part opens,
until January 7th when the hotel is completed. As the ICEHOTEL is built under the open sky, using the natural
materials of the winter season, the finishing date depends on nature and therefore there are sometimes changes to the
plan. In the spring, as the weather gets warmer, the hotel melts.
Inside the hotel, the temperature is never colder than –5 °C to –8 °C, however cold it may be outside. Winter outer
clothes such as warm overalls, hats and gloves are included in the cost of guests’ stay at the hotel. In addition to this,
it is a good idea for guests to bring sweaters and a scarf as well as plenty of woolen socks and to choose footwear that
is larger than normal to allow space for thick socks.
If you are planning to come to the hotel, you can buy warm sweaters, woolen socks and much more on the ICEHOTEL
website. You can order these and the equipment you will need at the same time as you book your visit. The items will be
delivered to your room when you check in.
The hotel is in the village of Jukkasjärvi, 200 km above the Arctic Circle but only 15 km from Kiruna airport and 17
km from Kiruna train station. Transport by bus can be arranged from the airport or train station to the IceHotel.
PART 3: Read the following passage and do the tasks below. Write your answers in the numbered table.
The Atmosphere of Venus
Venus, also called the Morning Star and Evening Star, is the second-closest planet to the sun and the brightest
object in the night sky. The planet orbits the sun every two hundred and twenty four Earth-days and is sometimes
referred to as Earth’s sister planet because the two share both a similar size and bulk. What is not similar, however, is
Venus’s atmosphere in comparison to Earth’s atmosphere.
The atmosphere on Venus is much heavier and has a higher density than that of Earth. Venus’s atmosphere
also expands significantly higher than Earth’s atmosphere although a thick cloud cover makes the surface of Venus
nearly impossible to see unless observed through radar mapping.
While the pressure and temperature of Venus’s upper atmosphere are comparable to those of Earth, the heat
and pressure of the lower atmosphere are not unlike a furnace. Venus’s atmosphere is very thick due to a composition
consisting mainly of carbon dioxide, and a small amount of nitrogen. If man could survive the extreme heat of
Venus’s surface (400 degrees Celsius), then he would have to contend with a surface pressure that is more than
90 times that of Earth. Venus’s extremely high temperature is thanks to the greenhouse effect caused by such a large
amount of carbon dioxide. The greenhouse effect is a process by which the sun’s infrared radiation is more readily
absorbed by the atmosphere. Just like in a real greenhouse used to grow plants years round, the proliferation of carbon
dioxide traps radiation and warms Venus’s atmosphere. Due to this phenomenon, Venus boasts a higher atmospheric
temperature than Mercury, even though Venus is twice the distance from the sun.
6

7. However, scientists postulate that Venus’s atmosphere was not always so hot. [A] Studies show that large
bodies of water were once on Venus’s surface but that eventually evaporation of all the water caused the runaway
greenhouse effect which regulates the planet today. [B] Thus Venus has become a critical study for today’s scientists,
as human being are only beginning to struggle with the early stages of the greenhouse effect. [C] Our problems do not
stem from evaporated water supplies but from a propagation of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases due to
industrial and automobile emissions. [D]
Another interesting characteristic to note regarding Venus’s atmosphere is that its daytime temperatures and
nighttime temperatures are not that far removed from each other. This is due to the thermal inertia, the ability of a
substance to store heat despite changing temperatures and the transfer of heat by Venus’s strong winds. Although
winds on the surface of Venus move slowly in comparison with Earth’s winds, Venus’s air is so dense that a slow-
moving there can move large obstructions and even skip stones along the planet’s surface.
In 1966, humankind made its first attempt at sending a recording instrument into Venus’s atmosphere. The
Venera 3 probe did collide with Venus surface; however, the abrupt impact caused its communication system to fail,
and it was unable to send and feedback. In 1967, Venera 4 successfully enter Venus’s atmosphere and was able to
take many readings, one of which recorded that Venus’s atmosphere was between ninety and ninety-five percent
carbon dioxide. Subsequent Venera probes were sent into Venus’s atmosphere, but most of them succumbed to the
crushing air pressure.
Questions 1-7: Choose the answer (A, B, C or D) which you think fits best according to the passage.
1. According to paragraph 1, Venus is named the Morning Star and Evening Star because
A. it is very bright
B. it is close to the sun
C. it can be seen from evening till morning
D. it is used to find the direction by sailors
2. The word that in paragraph 2 refers to
A. size B. bulk C. atmosphere D. density
3. Which of the following best expresses the essential information in the bold sentence in paragraph 3? Incorrect
answer choices change the meaning in important ways or leave out essential information.
A. Earth experiences greater surface pressure than Venus.
B. If a man could survive its surface pressure.
C. The surface pressure and heat of Venus are much greater than those on Earth.
D. Venus’s surface temperature and pressure make it uninhabitable by humans.
4. According to paragraph 3, the greenhouse effect on Venus is owed to
A. the small amounts of nitrogen
B. the rapid increasing amounts of carbon dioxide
C. growing plants
D. the high atmospheric temperatures
5. In paragraph 4, the author of the passage implies that Earth
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8. A. might suffer the same greenhouse effect as Venus
B. once had an atmosphere similar to Venus’s
C. has bodies of water similar to those on Venus today
D. is experiencing a reduction of carbon dioxide emissions
6. Look at the four blanks […] in paragraph 4 that indicate where the following sentence could be added to the
passage.
Although the causes are different, the ramifications are the same.
Where would the sentence best fit?
7. The word propagation in paragraph 4 is closest in meaning to
A. generation B. elimination C. evaporation D. desecration
Question 8: Complete the brief summary of the passage by selecting the THREE answer choices that express
important ideas in the passage. The introductory sentence for the summary is provided bellowed.
Scientists look at Venus to predict Earth’s future.
●…………………………………………………
●…………………………………………………
●…………………………………………………
Answer Choices
A. Venus once had large bodies of water that elaborated and cause a rapid increase in carbon dioxide.
B. Earth’s wind has a greater velocity than Venus’s because the air movement on Venus is denser and can even
more large obstructions.
C. Spaceships landing on Venus, though often crushed by Venus’s atmosphere, have revealed much about its
carbon dioxide filled atmosphere.
D. If man could survive the hot temperature of Venus, then he would have to contend with the great surface
pressure.
E. The first space probe of Venus was made in 1966.
F. Scientists are concerned that conditions on Earth that propagate significant quantities of carbon dioxide will
produce a greenhouse effects similar to Venus’s.
Write your answers here:
1. 2. 3. 4.
5. 6. 7. 8.
PART 4: You are going to read a magazine article about learning how to fly a plane. Eight paragraphs have been
removed from the article. Choose from paragraphs A-I the one that fits each gap (1-8). There is one extra
paragraph that you do not need to use. Write your answers in the numbered table below.
Learning to Fly
I had been testing cars and motorcycles for over twenty years. I couldn’t take any more. It wasn’t terribly exciting
and, in any case, new cars were beginning to look identical and drive similarly. What I needed was a new challenge.
1
8

9. Unfortunately, I wore glasses. The Royal Air Force wouldn’t consider anyone for pilot training unless they had
perfect eyesight. Halfway through an aptitude test, they realised that my eyes were far from perfect. I didn’t stand a
chance.
2
It was an obvious choice. It’s just twenty minutes’ drive from my home. It’s very quiet, too, so the £90 per hour for
the training is spent flying in the air, not waiting on the ground for other planes to take off.
3
It took me a whole year to get my private pilot’s license. It started well, with my first solo flight coming after just
seven hours. Then came all the studying, the exams, the hard work. I never thought I’d get to the end of it.
4
Then came last winter and the end of the course was in sight. For weeks, the weather was so terrible that for most of
the time it was impossible to fly. Strong winds, heavy rain and even snow and ice made flying conditions extremely
hazardous.
5
But finally the first of three practical exams arrived – the navigation test. The examiner sets you a course that you
have to plan according to the weather, and then fly with him sitting beside you.
6
I passed this test, but I don’t know how. The second test involves flying cross-country to two other airports, which
you can choose, and landing at both. The important thing is to give the right messages to the air-traffic control people
and understand their replies.
7
After this alarming episode, the exercises in the flight-handling test were simple. As we complete the sixth exercise,
the examiner suddenly turned to me and said, ‘Congratulations – you’ve passed!’
8
I wasn’t sure why, because we usually land as slowly as possible. Then I turned round and realised straight away: we
were being followed by a British Airways jumbo jet!
A. A week which we had set aside for finishing the course came and went with no possibility of getting in the air at
all. And besides the problems with the weather, my second son was born, and that made it even more difficult to find
the time for lessons and studying.
B. But the real reason I chose this club was that a friend of mine, Andrew Wilkins, is the chief instructor there. He
impressed me by taking me out for a free flight just so that I could see what it was like.
C. Unfortunately, I got myself lost this time and flew too far east. I completely missed the first airport. However, I
flew over a car factory I recognised and managed to get back on course.
D. Along the way, he’ll take the controls and fly off course, just to get you lost. Then he’ll hand back the control to
you and expect you to find your way home.
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10. E. One day I was asked by an air-traffic controller if I could see another aircraft ahead. I said yes, and immediately it
disappeared into a cloud. I just didn’t know what to do.
F. At the time, taking private lessons to learn how to fly was financially beyond me. So I had to delay my plans to
become a pilot for quite a while. It was twenty years, in fact, before I finally enrolled at a flying club in Hertfordshire.
G. Since getting my pilot’s license, I’ve been out flying a few times. The highlight so far was flying up to
Birmingham International Airport for a motor show with Andrew beside me. As we approached the way, the air-
traffic controller came on the radio asking for as much speed as our little plane could manage.
H. For months, my head was always in a book and my head hurt from all the facts, figures and flying instructions.
I. This feeling of needing a change coincided with my 40th
birthday, which started me thinking about what I’d been
doing all those years. When I left school all I had really wanted to do was fly.
SECTION 4: WRITING (6 points)
PART 1: Finish each of the following sentences in such a way that it means exactly the same as the sentences
printed before it.
1. Return the product to the shop if you have any complaints about it.
 Should ___________________________________________________________________
2. It’s almost nine months since I stopped subscribing to that magazine.
 I cancelled ________________________________________________________________
3. Her success went beyond her expectation.
 Never ____________________________________________________________________
4. His fondness for the game increased with his proficiency.
 The more _________________________________________________________________
5. They will not announce the findings until next week.
 No announcement __________________________________________________________
6. Both of the lifts were out of order.
 Neither ___________________________________________________________________
7. Simon hadn’t expected that he would feel so weak after the operation.
 The operation left __________________________________________________________
PART 2: Finish each of the following sentences so that it has a similar meaning to the sentences printed before it,
using the word given. DON’T CHANGE THE WORD GIVEN. You must use between three and five words,
including the word given. There is an example at the beginning (0).
0. You must do exactly what the manager tells you. (CARRY)
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11.  You must carry out the manager’s instructions exactly.
1. I would like to be able to speak French. (HAD)
I wish ________________________________________________________ speak French.
2. It was raining cats and dogs. (TORRENTS)
 The rain was ______________________________________________________________
3. The two theories appear to be completely different. (COMMON)
The two theories____________________________________________________________
4. It was wrong of you to borrow my book without asking. (HAVE)
 You ____________________________________________before you borrowed my book.
5. When I was younger, this record was one of my favourites. (FAVOURITE)
 This record used ______________________________________ mine when I was younger.
6. My sister finds commuting every day annoying. (PUT)
 It’s difficult for my sister ___________________________________________ every day.
7. The police arrived as the thieves were committing the crime. (RED-HANDED)
The police ________________________________________________________________
8. The Mediterranean is warm, whereas the North Sea is much colder. (NOTHING)
 The North Sea is ____________________________________________ the Mediterranean.
PART 3: In class, you have been discussing the statement ‘Old people should be looked after by members of their
family or it is better for them to live in nursing-home’. Your teacher has asked you to write an essay expressing
your own opinion.
Write your essay in 250-300 words.
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
SỞ GD&ĐT VĨNH PHÚC KỲ THI CHỌN HSG LỚP 10 THPT NĂM HỌC 2011-2012
Thời gian thi: 180 phút, không kể thời gian giao đề
PART II. GRAMMAR AND VOCABULARY
I. Complete the following sentences by choosing the correct answer among four options (A, B, C or D).
11

12. 1. He's really shy _______ girl.
A. by B. at C. for D. with
2. The teacher _______ her to improve her drawing.
A. insisted B. encouraged C. made D. persisted
3. I couldn't quite ______ what they were doing because they were so far away.
A. bear out B. make out C. think out D. try out
4. The meal Mary cooked tastes_______.
A. well B. nice C. good D. worse
5. ______ at the party, we saw Ruth standing alone.
A. Arriving B. We arrived C. Arrived D. We were arriving
6. The people who______ the survey said that they had examined over 1,000 accidents.
A. gave B. proceed C. set D. conducted
7. The judge found him ______ of stealing and sent him to prison.
A. evil B. innocent C. guilty D. wicked
8. The house we have rented is______. So we will have to buy some beds, chairs, tables, etc.
A. unrestored B. unrepaired C. unfurnished D. undecorated
9. He was turned down for the job because he is ________.
A. qualified B. qualifying C. unqualified D. qualification
10. The trouble started only______ the other man came into the room.
A. when B. until C. and then D. too soon
11. _______, the disaster would not have happened.
A. Had you have obeyed the orders B. You had obeyed the orders
C. You obeyed the orders D. Had you obeyed the orders
12. _______ had booked in advance were allowed in.
A. Only who B. Only those who
C. Only who were those D. Only were those who
13. Traveling alone to a jungle is adventurous, ________.
A. if not impossible B. if it not impossible
C. when not impossible D. when it not impossible
14. I ______ the hot weather in the south.
A. use to B. used to C. am use to D. am used to
15. The meat looked very _______ to the dog.
A. invited B. invite C. inviting D. invitingly
II. Use the correct form of each word on the right to complete the numbered spaces provided in the passage.
Write your answers on your answer sheet.
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13. The mysteries of the skies
Three hundred and fifty years before the first men looked down on the amazingly
beautiful surface of the moon from close quarters, Galileo’s newly built telescope (1)
_____________ him to look at the edge of the hitherto mysterious sphere. He saw that the
apparently (2) _____________ surface was not divinely smooth and round, but bumpy and
imperfect. He realized that although the moon might appear (3) _____________,
resembling a still life painted by the hand of a cosmic (4) ____________, it was a real
world, perhaps not very different from our own. This amounted to a great (5)
_____________ hardly to be expected in his day and age, although nowadays his (6)
_____________ may appear to some to be trivial and (7) _____________.
Not long after Galileo lunar’s observations, the skies which had previously been so (8)
_____________ revealed more of their extraordinary mysteries. Casting around for further
wonders, Galileo focused his lens on the (9) _____________ planet of Jupiter. Nestling
next to it, he saw four little points of light circling the distant planet. Our moon it appeared,
perhaps (10) ____________ in the eyes of those fearful of what the discovery might mean,
was not alone!
1. ABLE
2. LIVE
3. ACT
4. ART
5. ACHIEVE
6. CONCLUDE
7. SIGNIFY
8. ELUDE
9. STRIKE
10. FORTUNE
III. In the following passage, some numbered lines contain a word that shouldn’t be there. Tick (√) the
sentences that are correct and write the words that shouldn’t be there in the numbered space.
KEEPING YOUR DISTANCE
Personal space is a term that refers to the distance we like to keep between
ourselves and other people. When someone we do not know well gets too close that
we usually begin to feel uncomfortable. If such a business colleague comes closer
than 1.2 meters, the most common response is to move away. Some interesting
studies have been done in libraries. If strangers will come too close, many people get
up and leave the building, others use to different methods such as turning their back
on the intruder. Living in cities has made people to develop new skills for dealing
with situations where they are very close to strangers. Most people on so crowded
trains try not to look at strangers; they avoid skin contract, and apologize if hands
touch by a mistake. People use newspapers as a barrier between themselves and
other people, and if they do not have one, they stare into the distance, making sure
they are not looking into anyone’s eyes.
0 ___√___
00 someone
1________
2 ________
3 ________
4 ________
5 ________
6 ________
7 ________
8 ________
9 ________
10 _______
PART III. READING
I. Complete the following passage by choosing A, B, C or D to fill in each blank.
13

14. In recent years, there has been a remarkable increase into happiness. The researchers have come up a number
of factors which contribute to a definition of happiness.
First of all, there is, in some people, a moderate genetic predisposition to be happy, in other words, happiness
(1)_______ in families. And happiness seems to correlate quite strongly with the main dimensions of personalities:
extroverts are generally happier, neurotics are less so.
Second, people often report good social relations as a reason for their happiness. In particular, friends are a
great (2) ______ of joy, partly because of the agreeable things they do together, partly because of the way friends use
positive non-verbal (3) ______ such as caressing and touching, to affirm their friendship. Marriage and similar (4)
______ relationships can also form the basis of lasting happiness.
Third, job satisfaction undoubtedly (5) ______ overall satisfaction, and vice versa - perhaps this is why some
people are happy in boring jobs: it (6) ______ both ways. Job satisfaction is caused not only by the essential nature of
the work, but (7)_____ by social interactions with co-workers. Unemployment, on the contrary, can be a serious cause
of unhappiness.
Fourth, leisure is important because it is more under individual (8) ______ than most other causes of
happiness. Activities (9) _____ sport and music, and participation in voluntary work and social clubs of various kinds,
can give great joy. This is partly because of the (10) ______themselves, but also because of the social support of other
group members – it is very strong in the case of religious groups.
1. A. runs B. arrives C. goes D. descends
2. A. source B. origin C. base D. meaning
3. A. movements B. signals C. slogans D. motions
4. A. near B. tight C. close D. heavy
5. A. consists of B. applies to C. counts on D. contributes to
6. A. works B. effects C. makes D. turns
7. A. too B. as well C. also D. plus
8. A. check B. power C. choice D. control
9. A. so B. such C. like D. thus
10. A. facilities B. activities C. exercises D. amenities
II. Read the passage carefully, then choose the correct option (marked A, B, C or D) to answer the questions.
Scientists have established that influenza viruses taken from man can cause disease in animals. In addition,
man can catch the disease from animals. In fact, a greater numbers of wild birds seem to carry the virus without
showing any evidences of illness. Some scientists conclude that a large family of influenza virus may have evolved in
the bird kingdom, a group that has been on earth 100 million years and is able to carry the virus without contracting
the disease. There is even convincing evidence to show that virus strain are transmitted from place to place and from
continent to continent by migrating birds.
It is known that two influenza viruses can recombine when both are present in an animal at the same time.
The result of such recombination is a great variety of strains containing different H and N spikes. This raises the
possibility that a human influenza virus can recombine with an influenza virus from a lower animal to produce an
entirely new spike. Research is underway to determine if that is the way major new strains come into being. Another
14

15. possibility is that two animal influenza strains may recombine in a pig, for example, to produce a new strain which is
transmitted to man.
1. According to the passage, scientists have discovered that influenza viruses ______.
A. cause ill health in wild animals B. do not always cause symptoms in birds
C. are rarely present in wild birds D. change when transmitted from animals to man
2. What is known about the influenza virus?
A. It was first found in a group of very old birds.B. All the different strains can be found in wild birds.
C. It existed over 100 million years ago. D. It can survive in many different places.
3. According to the passage, a great variety of influenza strains can appear when______.
A. H and N spikes are produced B. animal and bird viruses are combined
C. dissimilar types of viruses recombine D. two viruses of the same type are contracted
4. New strains of viruses are transmitted to man by_______.
A. a type of wild pig B. diseased lower animals
C. a group of migrating birds D. a variety of means
5. It can be inferred from the passage that all of the following are ways of producing new strains of influenza
EXCEPT_______.
A. two influenza viruses in the same animal recombining
B. animal viruses recombining with human viruses
C. two animal viruses recombining
D. two animal viruses recombining in a human
III. Read the passage and choose the best answer from the four options marked A, B, C or D in the following
questions. Identify your answer by writing the corresponding letter A, B, C or D on your answer sheet.
Several hundred million years ago, plants similar to modern ferns covered vast stretches of the land. Some
were as large as trees, with giant fronds bunched at the top of trunks as straight as pillars. Others were the size of
bushes and formed thickets of undergrowth. Still others lived in the shade of giant club mosses and horsetails along
the edges of swampy lagoons where giant amphibians swam.
A great number of these plants were true ferns, reproducing themselves without fruits or seeds. Others had
only the appearance of ferns. Their leaves had organs of sexual reproduction and produced seeds. Although their
“flowers” did not have corollas, these false ferns (today completely extinct) ushered in the era of flowering plants.
Traces of these floras of the earliest times have been preserved in the form of fossils. Such traces are most commonly
found in shale and sandstone rocks wedged between coal beds.
Today only tropical forests bear living proof of the ancient greatness of ferns. The species that grow there are
no longer those of the Carboniferous period, but their variety and vast numbers, and the great size of some, remind us
of the time when ferns ruled the plant kingdom.
1. What does the passage mainly discuss?
A. Plant reproduction B. How to locate fossils
C. An ancient form of plant life D. Tropical plant life
15

16. 2. The word “Others” refers to _________.
A. plants B. pillars C. trees D. fronds
3. Which of the following is NOT mentioned as a characteristic of the plants described in the passage?
A. They once spread over large areas of land.
B. They varied greatly in size.
C. They coexisted with amphibians, mosses, and horsetails.
D. They clung to tree trunks and bushes for support.
4. The word “true” is closest in meaning to which of the following?
A. accurate B. genuine C. straight D. dependable
5. The author states that fossils of early plant life are usually found in rocks located between deposits of _______.
A. coal B. shale C. sandstone D. corollas
IV. Read the passage carefully then fill in the blank a suitable word.
As swimming became a popular recreation in England during the 1860s and 1870s, several (1) ______ sports
developed, roughly patterned after land sports. (2) ______ them were water football (or soccer), water rugby, water
handball, and water polo, in which players rode on floating barrels, painted to look (3) ______ horses, and struck the
ball with a stick.
Water rugby became most popular of these sports, but somehow the water polo name became attached to it,
and it's been attached (4) ______ since.
As played in England, the object of the sport was for a player to touch the ball, with both (5) ______, at the
goal end of the pool. The goaltender stood on the pool deck, ready to dive on any opponent who was about to score.
Water polo quickly became a very rough sport, filled (6) ______ underwater fights away from the ball, and it
wasn't unusual for players to pass out for lack of air.
In 1877, the sport was tamed in Scotland by the addiction of goalposts. The Scots also replaced (7) ______
original small, hard rubber ball with a soccer ball and adopted (8) ______ that prohibited taking the ball under the
surface or, "tackling" a player unless he had the ball.
The Scottish game, which emphasized swimming speed, passing, and (9) ______ work, spread to England
during the early 1880s, to Hungary in 1889, to Austria and Germany in 1894, to France in 1895, and (10) ______
Belgium in 1900.
Water polo was the first team sport added to the Olympic program, in 1900.
PART IV: WRITING
I. Write the new sentences using the given word. Do not change the word given in any way.
1. They have discovered some interesting new information. (LIGHT)
2. They suspended Jack for the next two matches. (BANNED)
3. I really want to see her again. (DYING)
4. She was so beautiful that I couldn't stop looking at her. (EYES)
5. We are looking forward to watching the program. (WAIT)
II. Rewrite each of the following sentences so that it has a similar meaning to the original one.
16

17. 1. If you changed your mind, you would be welcomed to join our class.
→ Were you______________________________________________________
2. I'd rather not go out this afternoon.
→ I do not feel____________________________________________________
3. Adeles tries hard, but she doesn't get anywhere.
→ However______________________________________________________
4. It is thought that the boss is considering raising wages.
→ The boss______________________________________________________
5. His disabilities did not prevent him from sailing around the world.
→ Despite the fact_________________________________________________
6. I didn't arrive in time to see her.
→ I wasn't_______________________________________________________
7. I'd prefer you not to smoke.
→ I'd rather______________________________________________________
8. The mother smiled happily. She took the baby in her arms.
→ Smiling________________________________________________________
9. The noise next door did not stop until after midnight.
→ It was not ______________________________________________________
10. You can ring this number whenever there is any difficulty.
→ Should _________________________________________________________
SỞ GIÁO DỤC VÀ ĐÀO TẠO KỲ THI CHỌN HỌC SINH GIỎI LỚP 12 - VÒNG 1
LONG AN Ngày thi: 06/10/2011
Thời gian: 180 phút (Phần A & B)
A. READING & WRITING: (80 marks)
I. Read the passage and answer the questions that follow. (15 marks)
Steve grew up in a children’s home in Scotland. Every week, the staff took a proportion of the children’s pocket
money to pay for holidays. Little Steve developed a daring strategy to hang on to what little money he had. He
laughs about it now. “I used to swallow all my coins. That got them really furious, so they’d put me in a room on
my own as a punishment. After a few minutes in there, I’d hit myself on the chest and cough the money back up.”
Since then, Steve has turned into Steve Starr, a professional regurgitator who does up to four shows a day, and
can demand fees of $500-$2,000 a show.
Everything Steve swallows comes back dry, except for the goldfish. They swim about in his stomach in the
water that he swallows for them first. After ten minutes they resume their normal lives in a goldfish bowl. “They
never die”, says Steve.
17
Đề chính thức Bảng A

18. Medical experts might have a few worries about Steve. The sight and sound of him swallowing and bringing
back a snooker ball sometimes causes even normally calm people to panic. He also smokes a cigarette, retains the
smoke in his stomach, then swallows some butane gas and mixes the two. Next he swallows some washing-up
liquid, blows a huge bubble, brings up the smoke and gas inside the bubble, cuts the bubble off, gets someone to
set light to it, and bang!
Physically, Steve doesn’t believe he is any different from the rest of the human race, who use their stomachs
simply to digest food. “It’s all done by muscle control”, he says. “I imagine a little pair of hands in there doing
everything, controlled by my brain. I’m sure I could teach anyone to do what I do”.
1. Why was Steve punished in the children’s home?
2. What does the sentence “Steve grew up in a children’s home” tell you about Steve’s early childhood?
3. What does the sentence “They’d put me in a room on my own as a punishment” tell you about the children’s
home?
4. Why does the bubble go bang when someone sets light to it?
5. What, according to Steve, is the secret of his skill?
II. Read the following passage and then choose the best answer (A, B, C or D) to complete each of the numbered
blanks. (15 marks)
THE LANGUAGE OF TEARS
The ability to weep is a uniquely human form of emotional response. Some scientists have suggested that
human tears are evidence of an aquatic past – but this does not seem very likely. We cry from the moment we
enter this (1) _________ for a number of reasons. Helpless babies cry to (2) _________ their parents that they are
ill, hungry or uncomfortable. As they (3) _________ they will also cry just to attract parental attention and will
often stop when they get it.
The idea that (4) _________ a good cry can do you (5) _________ is a very old one and now it has scientific
(6) _________ since recent research into tears has shown that they (7) _________ a natural painkiller called
enkaphalin. By (8) _________ sorrow and pain this chemical helps you to feel better. Weeping can increase the
quantities of enkaphalin you (9) _________.
Unfortunately, in our society we impose restrictions upon this naturally (10) _________ activity. Because
some people still regard it as a (11) _________ of weakness in men, boys in particular are admonished when they
cry. This kind of repression can only increase stress, both emotionally and physically.
Tears of emotion also help the body (12) _________ itself of toxic chemical (13) _________, for there is
more protein in them than in tears resulting from cold winds or other irritants. Crying comforts, calms and can be
very enjoyable – (14) _________ the popularity of the highly emotional films which are commonly (15)
_________ “weepies”. It seems that people enjoy crying together almost as much as laughing together.
1. A. world B. place C. earth D. space
2. A. communicate B. persuade C. inform D. demonstrate
3. A. evolve B. change C. develop D. alter
18

19. 4. A. doing B. making C. getting D. having
5. A. better B. fine C. good D. well
6. A. validity B. truth C. reality D. reason
7. A. contain B. retain C. hold D. keep
8. A. struggling B. fighting C. opposing D. striking
9. A. construct B. achieve C. provide D. produce
10. A. curing B. treating C. healing D. improving
11. A. hint B. symbol C. feature D. sign
12. A. release B. rid C. loosen D. expel
13. A. rubbish B. waste C. leftovers D. remains
14. A. consider B. remark C. distinguish D. regard
15. A. named B. entitled C. subtitled D. called
III. Read the following text and then choose the best phrase or sentence, given below, to fill each of the gaps. Write
one letter (A-P) in each of the numbered gaps. Each phrase is only used once. Some of the suggested answers do
not fit at all. (15 marks)
Archaeologists in Iraq have discovered the world’s oldest “statue” – a stone, standing four feet high, covered
with plaster (1) __________ of a human being.
This “stone man” dating from 11,000 years ago, (2) __________ who were emerging from the pre-agricultural
Stone Age into the Neolithic world of early farming.
The statue, probably of religious significance, was located inside a prehistoric house – one of the earliest
sophisticated buildings (3) __________. Investigations have shown that the house had (4) __________ with clay-
coated, lime-plastered walls and floor.
So far excavation have unearthed three buildings containing seven standing stones, (5) __________ retain traces
of lime plaster which once covered them.
However, (6) __________ shows evidence of having been shaped into the likeness of a human being. It is 30
centuries older (7) __________ previously known oldest statue. (8) __________that each building appears to have
had at least one standing stone inside it, and that one house actually had three.
The plaster-covered human shaped obelisk (9) __________ shoulders and the stumps of arms and part of a
neck. The “head”, however, (10) __________.
A. ever discovered by archaeologists
B. molded into the shape
C. to have been built
D. strangely carved
E. was fashioned by people
F. excavations have revealed
G. only one of these
H. neither of them
19

20. I. beautifully finished
J. than the remaining
K. has what appear to be
L. seems to have broken off
M. four of which
N. has been missing
O. it has been decided
P. than the world’s
IV. Read the text below and think of the word which best fits each space. Use only one word in each space. (20
marks)
The worry about salt is that it may (1)__________ high blood pressure. Chemically, salt (2) __________of
sodium and chloride ions, both of (3)__________are common in the human (4)__________and are important for
many physiological and biochemical (5) __________. We not only need salt, we eat salt, but too (6) __________
may still be bad for us. Although the idea of a (7)__________between salt and high blood pressure (8)
__________back to 2000 BC, there is still no scientific (9)__________as to whether this so or not. One reason for
this (10) __________to agree is that individual salt intake (11) __________enormously from day to day, and so
reliable measures of intake are hard to come (12) __________.
Those who believe that salt does (13)__________to high blood pressure (14)__________to the high incidence of
high blood pressure in countries that eat a very (15) __________diet. In Japan, for instance, where salted fish is
an important part of the diet, high blood pressure and (16)__________ complications are common, (17)
__________ among some Amazonian and African tribes, which have a low intake of salt, they are almost (18)
__________.
But (19)__________there is this neat relation between salt intake and the incidence of high blood pressure
between countries, it doesn’t seem to apply (20) __________those countries themselves. Studies, for instance, of
couples who have a similar salt intake don’t show any consistency in how often they develop high blood pressure.
V. There are ten mistakes in the following passage. Find and correct them. Follow the example.
(15 marks) Example: Line 1: 0. which  when
FAMILY HISTORY
In an age which technology is developed faster than ever before, many people are being attracted by the idea
of looking back into the past. One way they can make this is by investigating their own family history. They can
try to find out more about what their families came from and what they did. This is now a fast-growing hobby,
especially in countries with a fairly short history, alike Australia and the United States.
It is one thing to spend some time going through a book on family history and to take the decision to
investigate your own family’s past. It is quite another to carry out the research work successfully. It is easy to set
about it in a disorganizing way and cause yourself many problems that could have avoided with a little forward
planning.
20

21. If your own family stories say you that you are connected with a famous character, whether hero or criminal,
not to let this idea take over your research. Just treat it as an interesting possibility. A simple system for collecting
and storing your information will be adequate to start with; a more complex one may only get in your way. The
most important thing, though, is to get starting. Who knows what you might find?
SỞ GIÁO DỤC VÀ ĐÀO TẠO KỲ THI CẤP TỈNH CHỌN HỌC SINH GIỎI LỚP 12 – VÒNG 1
LONG AN Ngày thi : 06/10/2011
MÔN THI : TIẾNG ANH BẢNG B
ĐỀ CHÍNH THỨC Thời gian làm bài : 180 phút cho cả hai phần A và B
B/. READING AND WRITING (80 points)
I/. Read the passage carefully and answer the questions. Write your answers on your paper.
(20 points)
One day more than 200 years ago a man complained to his doctor that he had a ball in his throat. “It goes up
and down when I breathe”, he said. The doctor laughed at him and said, “There is nothing in your throat”.
Soon after the man died and the doctor discovered that there was a steel ball in his throat. This unfortunate
man worked in needles factory and in the process of grinding steel to make the needles, he had breathed in particles of
it which soon accumulated and formed a lump in his throat. Ever since that time workers in factories producing
needles have had to wear masks to protect themselves.
Needles were first used by the Stone Age man about 50.000 years ago to stitch together pieces of pelt to make
clothes. At the time primitive men used the bones of animals and fish, and even thorns, to make ‘needles’- rough
stone tools with a hole in one end. Later the Romans and the British used iron and bronze for making needles.
Today’s needles are made from steel wire. When you examine a needle it looks quite a simple object but there
are fifteen different stages a steel wire has to go through before it becomes a needle. Let us look at some of them.
First the worker cuts a steel wire into the length of two needles. Then he straightens out the wire and sharpens
it at both ends. At the center he pierces two eyes: this forms two needles joined end to end. Usually machines are used
to break up the needles; only very good quality needles are broken by hand.
The needles are by no means ready yet. They must go into a special machine which removes the rough edges
from around the eye of each needle. After this the worker puts all of them into a small furnace called a ‘muffle’, and
when the needles are red hot he plunges them into a container of cold oil. This process is repeated many times to
harden the needles and give them elasticity. Washing, rolling and polishing follow, after which needles are put into
packets for sale.
You can see needles everywhere today, in your home and in the hospital where they are used as surgical
instruments. Compasses and record-players too require different types of needles. The Stone Age man would indeed
be amazed if he could see how many uses we have made of his simple invention.
1.Why did the doctor laugh at the man who went to him with a complaint?
2.Was the doctor right in laughing at the man? Why?
3.How had the steel ball formed inside the man’s throat?
21

22. 4.Why do workers in needles factories wear masks?
5.Why are the needles heated and then cooled many times?
II/.Use the words below to fill in the blanks. Each correct word is only used once. Write the words in the
corresponding numbered places on your paper. (30 points)
Passage 1 (10 points)
well – which – works – also – after – grew – order – from – where – as
Leonardo da Vinci is perhaps most famous for his (1) . . . . . . . . of art. Among his more well-known paintings
are the “Mona Lisa” and “The Last Supper” Leonardo was an accomplished painter but he was (2) . . . . . . . . . .an
architect, a sculptor, an engineer, a scientist and a musician. He was one of the most talented men of all time.
Leonardo was named (3) . . . . . . . . . .the town of Vinci (4) . . . . . . . . he was born. Leonardo da Vinci actually
means “Leonardo of Vinci”. He (5) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . up in the busy city of Florence which was then a center of
education and of the arts. Leonardo did not receive much formal education. He became an apprentice to a painter and
sculptor. Verocchio, (6) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . whom he learned his craft. He conversed with the scholars and noblemen
who came to order works of art and learned much from them.
Leonardo was a very curious and creative person. He believed that (7) . . . . . . . . . an artist, he had to acquire
an understanding of objects in (8) . . . . . . . . . . to paint them well. Before he embarked on a new painting, he would
find out all the information he could gather about the subjects he was painting. He would also draw sketches of these
subjects in a notebook.
When he was alive, he was accepted as a very learned man. The breath of his knowledge can be seen in more
than thirty of his notebooks (9) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .are still intact today. The notes and drawings in the notebooks
included plans for a tank, a helicopter as (10) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . as a detailed study of the human anatomy.
Passage 2 (20 points)
ENGLISH UNIVERSITIES AND COLLEGES
consists – just – others – some – proportion – lasts – both – departments – practical – number – changes-spends
All English universities except Oxford and Cambridge are fairy new. London University is the biggest of the
modern English Universities and (1) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . of a great variety of colleges and other institutions including
medical schools.
A university usually has (2) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . faculties and departments. The most common faculties are
medicine, law, arts, science, and theology. The (3) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . include engineering, economics, commerce,
agriculture, music and technology. After taking examinations a university graduate is awarded with the Degree of
Bachelor of Arts or Science, or Engineering, or Medicine, etc. depending on their field of study.
Each faculty is headed by one or more professors who are helped by a staff of teachers called lecturers. Professors
and lecturers spend (4) . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . of their time giving lectures to a large (5) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . of
students or studying with smaller groups and here the students have a chance to argue and discuss.
22
Page 3/4

23. All universities admit men and women, but the (6) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . of men is rather more than 75%. Most of
the universities provide hostel accommodation for their students. At a university the course of studies (7) . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . six years and the curriculum is wide.
There are many special types of colleges in Great Britain too. They give a specialized training. They are medical,
teachers’, technical colleges and many (8) . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . One can see colleges within universities. The course of
studies at a college is (9) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . three years. At medical colleges the students study various subjects, learn
to treat patients and have (10) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . work at hospitals. After graduating from the college they are given
a certificate.
III/. Each of the following sentences has 4 underlined parts, marked A,B,C and D. Choose the underlined part
of the sentence that needs corrections and then give the correct word. Write on your paper (30 points)
Ex :
0. They have (A)been (B) living here (C) since six years (D) now.
Answer : 0 : (C), for
1. Each of the (A) students (B) in the accounting class (C) has to type (D) their own research paper this
semester.
2. (A) Plants and animals (B) live in the see sank (C) to the sea bed (D) when they died.
3. How (A) much times (B) did Rich and Jennifer have to do the experiment before they
(C) obtained the results they had (D) been expecting.
4. Mrs. Stevens, along (A) with, (B) her cousins from New Mexico, (C) are planning (D) to attend the
festivities.
5. (A) Joel giving up (B) smoking has (C) caused him to gain weight and (D) become irritable with his
acquaintances.
6. I (A) will send this book (B) to you (C) before I (D) will finish it.
7. (A) Establishing in 1984 (B) for students who wanted to study art and music subjects, LaGuardia (C) was the
first public school of (D) its kind.
8. Alloys of gold and copper (A) have been (B) widely (C) using in (D) various types of coins.
9. We should put (A) people first and (B) save people’s (C) lives is still the top priority of our (D) relief work.
10.Scientists and economists (A) believe that human beings (B) can never (C) use away all the (D) mineral
resources on Earth.
SỞ GD&ĐT KỲ THI CHỌN HỌC SINH GIỎI CẤP TỈNH LỚP 11 THPT
QUẢNG BÌNH Thời gian làm bài: 180 phút (không kể thời gian giao đề)
III. LEXICO-GRAMMAR
Part 1. Choose the word or phrase (A, B, C or D) that best completes each sentence. (10 pts)
21. Does anyone know ............. that jacket might be?
A. who B. whom C. whose D. which
23

24. 22. The cheetah runs 70 miles ............. hour. It’s the fastest animal in the world.
A. each B. per C. a D. one
23. Joe seemed to be in a good mood, ......... he snapped at me angrily when I asked him to join us.
A. yet B. so C. for D. and
24. There are several means of mass communication. The newspaper is one. Television is .............
A. the another B. the other C. other D. another
25. I read in one paper that they are ............. married.
A. getting B. got C. being D. having
26. There was hardly ............. food left in the fridge.
A. more B. any C. no D. some
27. We spent the ............. days on the beach.
A. few last sunny B. last sunny few C. last few sunny D. few sunny last
28. ............. not fallen over, the athlete would have won the gold medal.
A. If he B. If not C. Unless he had D. Had he
29. Rarely............. to work on his own.
A. he is seen B. does he seen C. is he seen D. does he
30. “We’re going to the seaside”. - “Can............. ?”
A. I come as well B. also I come C. I too come D. I as well come
Part 2. Complete each sentence with a suitable form of one of the phrasal verbs in the box. Use each one once
only. (5 pts)
31. Why do prices keep ............. ............. ?
32. This new game is really............. ............. . Everyone is playing it.
33. It’s time your brother ............. ............. and started a family.
34. When she retired, she ............. ............. gardening so she wouldn’t get bored.
35. I’m sorry to ............. you ............. but I can’t take you to the airport after all.
Part 3. Complete the following sentences with appropriate form of the word in block capitals. (5 pts)
36. ACT Thereisasaying inEnglish:“ ............. speaklouderthanwords.”
37. QUALIFY He won the discus event at the Olympic Games but was later ............. when a medical
check proved that he had been taking drugs.
38. NATION Do you have a ............. costume in your country?
39. LAND The plane had to make a crash ............. in a field.
40. TROULE Traveling in big cities is becoming more ............. everyday.
Part 4. Put the verbs given in the brackets into the appropriate tenses or forms. (10 pts)
41. “You were late for your dental appointment.”
“I know. I (not/ stay) .................. so long at the library.”
42. It is necessary that everyone (be) .................. calm in times of danger.
24
catch on go up let down take up settle down

25. 43. If you want to see us, come to Tom’s on Sunday. We (wait) .................. for you there at
midday.
44. It was a fine day and the roads were crowded because a lot of people (rush) ..................
to the seaside.
45. Those were the highest words of praise they ever (hear) .................. from the old man.
46. Our little children enjoy (take) .................. to the water park every Sunday.
47. I don’t feel good. I (stay) .................. home from work tomorrow.
48. It won’t be safe to use these stairs until they (repair) .................. .
49. The city is now crowded with the people who (seek) .................. employment.
50. The old man is said (leave) .................... all his money to an old people’s home when he
died.
Part 5. In each of the following sentences, the 4 words or phrases are marked A, B, C or D. Identify the one
underlined expression that is not correct and correct it. (5 pts)
51. Almost American Indian cultures have been agricultural societies since 2000 BC.
A B C D
52. Would you like to contribute for our earthquake fund?
A B C D
53. The violence is a very great problem in the world.
A B C D
54. Now that the stress of examinations are over, we can go somewhere for our holiday.
A B C D
55. Passengers are advised not to leave their luggage attended.
A B C D
IV. READING COMPREHENSION
Part 1. Read the passage and choose the best answer (A, B, C or D) which best fits each space. (10 pts)
In the past people suffered (56) .................... a disease called scurvy. Their gums bled, their skin became
rough, their wounds did not (57) .................. and their muscles wasted away. The (58) ................... of these
symptoms was a lack of vitamin C; people ate preserved meats and foods and could not get fresh vegetables and
fruits.
The best (59) ................... of vitamin C are oranges, lemons, grapefruit, cantaloupes, strawberries, and
fresh vegetables. These fruits must be fresh because vitamin C is destroyed by heat, storage, or exposure (60)
.................. air.
Although today more people (61) ................... vitamin C pills than any other supplement, some people still
have scurvy, (62) .................. some of the elderly, alcoholics, and the chronically ill.
Research shows that vitamin C reduces the (63) ................... of colds and can help prevent cancer. There
is also evidence that vitamin C prevents heart disease, (64) ................... wound healing, helps prevent gum
disease, and helps protect us from pollutants such as cigarette smoke. Some recent research also shows that
vitamin C has a positive effect on some mental (65) ................... and increases life span.
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26. 56. A. from B. with C. by D. at
57. A. close B. recover C. heal D. get well
58. A. reason B. cause C. origin D. signs
59. A. store B. resources C. provider D. sources
60. A. to B. towards C. in D. by
61. A. consume B. drink C. take D. have
62. A. containing B. including C. consisting D. like
63. A. severity B. seriousness C. gravity D. importance
64. A. hastens B. hurries up C. quickens D. speeds
65. A. chaos B. confusions C. disorders D. disturbances
Part 2. Read the text below and think of the word which best fits each space. Use only ONE word in each
space. (10 pts)
At sixteen Henry Vincent was separated from his family as a result of the war. He wandered aimlessly from
(66) ................ country to another (67) ................ finally setting down in Australia, where he trained (68) ................ an
electronics engineer. He established his own business but it called for so much work that marriage was out of the
(69) ................ .
His retirement suddenly (70) ................ him realize (71) ................ lonely he was and he decided to
(72) ................ up a hobby. With his interest in electronics, amateur radio seemed a natural choice. He installed his
own equipment and obtained a licence and his call sign, which is the set of letters and numbers used to announce
oneself when making radio contact with other radio amateurs all over the world.
Soon Henry had a great many contacts in far-off places. One in particular was a man in California with whom
he had much in common. One night the man in California (73) ................ to mention the village in Europe he had
come from. Suddenly, Henry realised that this man was in fact his younger brother, Peter. At first, the two brothers
were at a (74) ................ for words but then little by little they filled in the details of their past lives and not
(75) ................ afterwards Henry Vincent flew to California to be reunited with his brother.
Part 3. Read the following passage and choose the correct answers (A, B, C, or D). (5 pts)
May 7, 1840, was the birthday of one of the most famous Russian composers of the nineteenth century:
Peter Illich Tchaikovsky. The son of a mining inspector, Tchaikovsky studied music as a child and later studied
composition at the St. Petersburg Conservatory. His greatest period of productivity occurred between 1876 and
1890, during which time he enjoyed the patronage of Madame von Meck, a woman he never met, who
gave him a living stipend of about $1,000 a year. Madame von Meck later terminated her friendship with
Tchaikovsky, as well as his living allowance, when she herself was facing financial difficulties. It was during the
time of Madame von Meck's patronage, however, that Tchaikovsky created the music for which he is most
famous, including the music for the ballets of “Swan Lake” and “The Sleeping Beauty”. Tchaikovsky's
music, well known for its rich melody and sometimes melancholy passages, was one of the first that brought
serious dramatic music to dance. Before this, little attention had been given to the music behind the dance.
Tchaikovsky died on November 6, 1893, ostensibly of cholera, although there are now some scholars who argue
that he committed suicide.
26

27. 76. With what topic is the passage primarily concerned?
A. The life and music of Tchaikovsky.
B. Development of Tchaikovsky's music for ballets.
C. Tchaikovsky's relationship with Madame von Meck.
D. The cause of Tchaikovsky's death.
77. Where is the best place in the passage to add the following sentence?
She had commissioned some works from him and had so admired his music that
she agreed to support him.
A. In line 2 after the word “Tchaikovsky” B. In line 6 after the word “year”
C. In line 7 after the word “difficulties” D. In line 12 after the word “dance”
78. In lines 5, the phrase “enjoyed the patronage of” probably means:
A. liked the company of B. was mentally attached to
C. solicited the advice of D. was financially dependent upon
79. According to the passage, all of the following describe Madame von Meck EXCEPT:
A. She had economic troubles.
B. She was generous.
C. She was never introduced to Tchaikovsky.
D. She enjoyed Tchaikovsky's music.
80. According to the passage, “Swan Lake” and “The Sleeping Beauty” are:
A. dances B. songs C. operas D. plays
V. WRITING
Part 1. Finish each of the following sentences in such a way that it is as similar as possible in meaning to the
sentence printed before it. (5 pts)
81. I am only interested in why he did it.
→ The only thing.............................................................................
82. House prices have risen dramatically this year.
→ There has been ...........................................................................
83. I can’t understand how this new computer works.
→ This new computer works ..........................................................
84. She didn’t inherit anything under her uncle’s will.
→ Her uncle didn’t .........................................................................
85. I only recognized him when he came into light.
→ Not until .....................................................................................
Part 2. Complete the second sentence so that it has a similar meaning to the first sentence, using the word
given. Do not change the word given. You must use between two and five words, including the word given.
86. People claim that he was the best tennis player of his times. said
→ He................................. the best tennis player of his times.
87. They left early because they didn’t want to get caught in the traffic. avoid
27

28. → They left early in order ................................. in the traffic.
88. Why didn’t they tell me about these changes earlier? should
→ I ................................. about these changes earlier.
89. He had a very traditional upbringing, didn’t he? traditionally
→ He ................................., wasn’t he?
90. I would like to express my thanks for everything you have done for me. thankful
→ I’d like to say................................. am for everything you have done for me.
Part 3. Composition (10 pts)
The world is experiencing a dramatic increase in population. This is causing problems not only for poor,
developing countries, but also for industrialized and developed nations. Describe some of the problems that
overpopulation causes and suggest at least one possible solution. You should write at least 200 words.
..................................................................................................................................................................
..............................................................................................................................................................................
---------- THE END ----------
PART TWO. LEXICO – GRAMMAR (30p.)
Question 1. Choose the word or phrase which best completes each sentence. Write your answers (A, B, C, or D) in
the space provided under this part. (10p.)
1. The ______ of two houses prove such a financial burden that they were forced to sell one
A. upshot B. upkeep C. uproar D. upsurge
2. In his student days, he was as poor as a church ______
A. beggar B. miser C. mouse D. pauper
3. Harry doesn’t ______ to great fame and fortune, he just wants to make a decent living.
A. crave B. hanker C. yearn D. aspire
4. I wrote to them a fortnight ago but ______ I haven’t had a reply
A. as yet B. these days C. so long D. just now
5. I couldn’t stop myself from ______ with boredom during the lecture.
A. sighing B. gasping C. panting D. blowing
6. She didn’t show even a ______ of emotion when the court found her guilty.
A. gleam B. wink C. flicker D. flash
7. It’s not surprising that he became a writer because he always longed to see his name______.
A. in type B. in print C. in letters D. in edition
8. The police are looking into new ways of ______ major crime.
A. contending B. wrestling C. combating D. striving
9. The technological and economic changes of the 19th
century had a marked ______ on workers.
A. cause B. effect C. impact D. consequence
10. The first sign of vitamin A disorder is night ______.
A. loss of sight B. lack of vision C. invisibility D. blindness
28

29. 11. The ______ are against her winning a fourth consecutive gold medal.
A. chances B. bets C. prospects D. odds
12. References can have a considerable ______ on employment prospects.
A. cause B. decision C. weight D. bearing
13. The prospects of picking up any survivors are now ______.
A. thin B. narrow C. slim D. restricted
14. From time to time he ______ himself to a weekend in a five-star hotel.
A. craves B. indulges C. treats D. benefits
15. Men still expect their jobs to take ______.
A. superiority B. imposition C. priority D. seniority
16. The police have been ordered not to ______ if the students attack them.
A. combat B. rebuff C. retaliate D. challenge
17. Meg had a ______ escape when she was hang-gliding yesterday.
A. slender B. close C. near D. narrow
18. I can’t tell you the exact amount, but I can give you a ______ estimate.
A. smooth B. tidy C. rough D. similar
19. Marge walked away from the discussion. Otherwise, she ______ something she would regret later.
A. will say B. said
C. might say D. might have said
20. You are not supposed to park on the hard ______ except in an emergency.
A. lane B. shoulder C. leg D. area
Question 2. There are TEN mistakes in this paragraph. Write them down & give the correction. Write your
answers in the space provided. (5p.)
Line 1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
Skiing is one of the most popular sports in the world. According to recent estimation, about one
hundred million of people ski regularly or occasionally.
Sliding across the snow on skis is also one of the most ancient methods of transport known to the
man. It has demonstrated that men were already traveling across the snow by means of primitive skis
before the invention of the wheel. In the Asiatic region of Altai and in Scandinavia, for example, the
remains of skis have been found which dated back to 4,000 BC. Further evidence is supplied by ancient
cave paintings which depict people skiing, and a Norwegian saga which tells the story of an invasion of
its territory 8,000 years ago by a tribe of skiers who came from the north.
Nowadays, skiing, apart from a sport, has become a big industry and a notable feature of leisure
culture. Ski resorts and all the activity that they generate is the main source of wealth in many mountain
regions, which were previously remote and inaccessible. And far from its once elitist image, skiing is
now enjoyed by an increasingly broader spectra of society.
Your answers
29

30. Line Mistake Correction
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10
Question 3. Complete each of the following sentences with the correct form of one verb from the box and a
suitable particle. Write your answers in the space provided (5p.)
Lag jump lie fall bring
Work bring jot get tick
1. My purse has just _______ behind the sofa even though I thought I’d lost it for good.
2. It was Tony who would always _______ the rest of the party. He would stop at every window and gaze for hours.
3. He’s a nature enthusiast and he will certainly _______ the opportunity of visiting the wildlife reserve in Ohio.
4. “Keep talking while I _______ my notes.” she said.
5. Unless your wife stops leading her extravagant lifestyle, you won’t _______ on the poor salary you obtain.
6. The exact cost of the whole venture isn’t known yet, but our best accounts have been trying to _______(it).
7. I don’t quite like the new apprentice’s approach. He seems to _______ the job.
8. Those naughty boys went on making terrible noise in the park even though they had been _______ by the annoyed
constable.
9. His heart attack was _______ by too much stress at work.
10. I am not friends with Peter anymore. We’ve_______.
Question 4. Use the correct form of each bracketed word in the numbered space. Write your answers in the space
provided. (5 p.)
The spiral and the helix
They are everywhere, (1-GRACE), curving shapes whose incredible (2- REGULAR) contrasts so sharply
with the random world around them. We call them spirals and helices but that hardly does (3-JUST) to their diversity
or their significance. Over the centuries, mathematicians have identified many different types, but the most intriguing
are those that (4-REPEAT) occur in the natural world.
The need to (5-RAVEL) the mysteries of the existence of spirals and helices has exercised some of the best
scientific brains in the world and opened the way to a number of (6-BREAK) in fields as widely varied as genetics
and meteorology.
The most (7-SPETACLE) spirals on earth are also the most unwelcome hurricanes. Their (8-AWE) power
comes from the sun’s heat, but they owe their shape to the force caused by the rotation of the earth. After (9-
NUMBER) years of study, however, Nature’s spirals and helices have yet to (10-CLOSE) all their secrets. For
example, why, astronomers wonder, are so many galaxies spiral-shaped?
30

31. Your answers
1. 6.
2. 7.
3. 8.
4. 9.
5. 10.
Question 5. Read the text below and decide which answer (A, B, C or D) best fits each gap. Write your answers in
the space provided. (10p.)
Although the earth was formed about 4,500 million years ago, human beings have inhabited it for less than half a
million years. Within this time, population has increased hugely and people have had a vast (1)...... upon the earth.
They have long been able to (2)...... the forces of nature to use. Now, with modern technology, they have the power to
alter the balance of life on earth.
Reports back from the first astronauts helped dispel the dangerous (3)...... that the world had no boundaries and had
limitless resources. Moreover, ecologists have shown that all forms of life on earth are interconnected, so it (4)......
that all human activity has an effect on the natural environment.
In recent years, people have been putting the environment under stress. As a result, certain (5)...... materials such as
timber, water and minerals are beginning to (6)...... short. Pollution and the (7)...... of waste are already critical issues,
and the (8)...... of the environment is fast becoming the most pressing problem (9)...... us all. The way we respond to
the challenge will have a profound effect on the earth and its life support (10)...... .
1. A. imprint B. indication C. impression D. impact
2. A. put B. make C. place D. stand
3. A. judgment B. notion C. reflection D. concept
4. A. results B. follows C. complies D. develops
5. A. raw B. coarse C. crude D. rough
6. A. turn B. come C. go D. run
7. A. disposal B. displacement C. dismissal D. disposition
8. A. state B. situation C. case D. circumstance
9. A. encountering B. opposing C. meeting D. confronting
10. A. projects B. systems C. methods D. routines
PART THREE: READING (30p.)
Question 1. Read the following passage and choose the best answer A, B, C or D for each question. Write your
answers in the space provided. (10p.)
We are descendents of the ice age. Periods of glaciation have spanned the whole of human existence for the
past 2 million years. The rapid melting of the continental glaciers at the end of the last ice age spurred one of the most
dramatic climate changes in the history of the planet. During this interglacial time, people were caught up in a
cataclysm of human accomplishment, including the development of agriculture and animal husbandry. Over the past
few thousand years, the Earth’s climate has been extraordinarily beneficial, and humans have prospered exceedingly
well under a benign atmosphere.
Ice ages have dramatically affected life on Earth almost from the very beginning. It is even possible that life
itself significantly changed the climate. All living organisms pull carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere and eventually
31

32. store it in sedimentary rocks within the Earth’s crust. If too much carbon dioxide is lost, too much heat escapes out
into the atmosphere. This can cause the Earth to cool enough for glacial ice to spread across the land.
In general the reduction of the level of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere has been equalized by the input of
carbon dioxide from such events as volcanic eruptions. Man, however, is upsetting the equation by burning fossil
fuels and destroying tropical rain forests, both of which release stored carbon dioxide. This energizes the greenhouse
effect and causes the Earth to warm. If the warming is significant enough, the polar ice caps eventually melt.
The polar ice caps drive the atmospheric and oceanic circulation systems. Should the ice caps melt, warm
tropical waters could circle the globe and make this a very warm, inhospitable planet.
Over the past century, the global sea level has apparently risen upwards of 6 inches, mainly because of the
melting of glacial ice. If present warming trends continue, the seas could rise as much as 6 feet by the next century.
This could flood coastal cities and fertile river deltas, where half the human population lives. Delicate wetlands,
where many marine species breed, also would be reclaimed by the sea. In addition, more frequent and severe storms
would batter coastal areas, adding to the disaster of the higher seas.
The continued melting of the great ice sheets in polar regions could cause massive amounts of ice to crash
into the ocean. This would further raise the sea level and release more ice, which could more than double the area of
sea ice and increase correspondingly the amount of sunlight reflected back into space. The cycle would then be
complete as this could cause global temperatures to drop enough to initiate another ice age.
1. According to the passage, carbon dioxide is stored in each of the following EXCEPT
A. polar ice caps. B. sedimentary rocks. C. rain forests. D. fossil fuel.
2. What does the final paragraph of the passage mainly discuss?
A. The relationship between the ocean and the sun
B. The amount of sunlight reflected into space
C. A rise in global temperatures
D. The conditions that could lead to an ice age
3. Which of the following does the author NOT mention as a consequence of a large rise in global sea level?
A. The destruction of wetlands B. The flooding of cities
C. A more diverse marine population D. Severe storms
4. According to the passage, what is the relationship between carbon dioxide and the Earth’s climate?
A. Carbon dioxide, which is trapped in glacial ice, is released when warm temperatures cause the ice melt.
B. The greenhouse effect, which leads to the warming of the climate, is result of too much carbon stored in the
Earth’s crust.
C. Rain causes carbon dioxide to be washed out of the atmosphere and into the ocean.
D. An increase in atmospheric carbon dioxide results in the warming of the climate.
5. The word beneficial in the first paragraph is closest in meaning to
A. calm B. inviting C. thoughtful D. favorable
6. The word massive can be replaced to
A. wide B. huge C. dense D. thick
7. It can be inferred from the passage that the development of agriculture
32

33. A. preceded the development of animal husbandry.
B. withstood vast changes in the Earth’s climate.
C. did not take place during an ice age.
D. was unaffected by the greenhouse effect.
8. The word “this” in the third paragraph refers to
A. man’s upsetting the equation B. the reduction of the level of carbon dioxide.
C. a volcanic eruption D. the melting of the polar ice caps
9. The word “inhospitable” is closest in meaning to
A. imperfect. B. uninhabitable. C. unlikable D. cruel.
10. What is the main topic of the passage?
A. The possibility that the popular ice caps will melt
B. The coming of another ice age
C. Man’s effect on the carbon dioxide level in the atmosphere
D. The climate of the Earth over the years
Question 2. There are five extracts which have been removed from the following passage. Put an extract from A-G
in the correct gap 1-5 to complete the passage. There is two extracts you're not going to need. Write your answers
in the space provided. (5p.)
Children between the ages of 4 and 12 are the most common sufferers of sleepwalking, however, (1)……….,
somnambulism, as it is observed in adults, increases in severity and frequency with age. It is reported that more boys
sleepwalk than girls and it is between the ages of 11 and 12 that the most number of cases is reported. Also, many
children tend to grow out of it and because of this, it is surmised (2)………….that may relate to the physiology of the
younger body and mind that does not relate to adulthood.
Sleepwalking also seems to occur with more intensity or frequency in a person (3)………. not remember the incident
at all. It is also a common misconception that it is dangerous to wake a sleepwalker. It is, in fact, more dangerous to
not wake a sleepwalker. This is due to the actions that can be done by a sleepwalker. A person might drive a car, walk
out into traffic, try cooking, etc. All of these actions are highly dangerous to a person (4)…………what they are
doing.
This disorder can be just a mild annoyance to some but can also be a life-altering disorder to others. Sleepwalking is
more serious than aggressive so the danger lies more with self-injury than injuries to others. Sleepwalkers are not
allowed in the Armed Services at least partly due to the damage they can cause themselves and also partly to the fact
(5)……………… Treatments can range from relaxation techniques to anti-depressant medications.
A. that there are other sources for sleepwalking
B. who is sleep-deprived and a sleepwalker often will
C. that advise women to exercise for a good night’s sleeps
D. while pre-adolescents make up the larger number
E. who want to have an early night sleep
F. that they are around dangerous equipment
33

34. G. who is asleep and unaware of
Question 3. Match each of the following headings with its suitable paragraph. The first one (0: H) as an example
has been done for you. There are two extra headings which you do not need to use. Write your answers in the
space provided. (5p.)
A. Research holds the key to success B. New and improved techniques
C. A new kind of athlete D. New equipment has made a difference
E. Athletes are what they eat F. Personalized programs will help
G. The influence of drugs H. Is there a limit to record-breaking?
[0: ___H __]
A world record is every athlete’s dream, but the hard-won records of a few years ago are mostly just today’s
qualifying times. Roger Bannister’s famous four-minute mile of 1956 has been beaten by nearly 15 seconds, while
almost an hour and twenty minutes has been taken off the women’s marathon since 1953. ‘Faster, higher, stronger’ is
the Olympic motto, and today’s competitors continue to push back the boundaries of what the body can achieve. But
one wonders if this can continue.
[1: ______ ]
The last forty years have seen many important technological advances. For example, since the introduction of strong,
flexible fiberglass poles, over a meter has been added to the pole vault record. There have also been important
developments in the design the running shoe. And while a shoe won’t actually make someone run faster, modern
shoes do mean many more miles of comfortable, injury-free training.
[2: ______ ]
Pushing back the limits now depends more on science, technology and medicine than anything else. Athletic
technique, training programs and diets are all being studied to find ways of taking a few more seconds off or adding a
few more cm to that elusive world record. It seems that natural ability and hard work are no longer enough.
[3: ______ ]
The search to find more efficient ways of moving goes on. Analysis of an athlete’s style is particularly useful for
events like jumping and throwing. Studies show that long jumpers need to concentrate not on the speed of approach,
as once thought, but on the angle their bodies make with the ground as they take off. However, the rules governing
each sport limit advances achieved by new styles. For instance only one-footed takeoffs are allowed in the high jump.
[4: ______ ]
In the future, it should be possible to develop a more individual approach to training programs. Athletes will keep
detailed diaries and collect data to help predict the point when training becomes overtraining, the cause of many
injuries. If athletes fee all the information into a database, it may then be possible to predict patterns and to advise
them individually when they should cut down.
[5: ______ ]
Combining the right diet with a training program is vital. Athletes are continually searching for that special ‘go-faster’
ingredient, but apparently it’s still a battle to get them to drink sufficient liquid and to follow a balanced healthy diet
throughout all phases of training, competition and recovery. Diet in the period after an event is particularly important
34

35. and often neglected. An athlete who doesn’t replace all the liquid lost immediately after a hard run won’t be able to
repeat the performance at the same level 24 hours later.
Question 4. Fill each of the numbered blanks in the following passage with one suitable word. Write your answers
in the space provided. (10p.)
For over two hundred years, scholars have shown an interest in the way children learn to speak and understand their
language. Several small-scale studies were carried out, especially towards the end of the nineteenth century,
(1)_______ data recorded in parental diaries. But detailed, systematic investigation did not begin until the middle
decades of the twentieth century, when the tape recorder (2) _______ into routine use. This made it possible to keep a
permanent record of samples of child speech, so that analysts could listen repeatedly to obscure (3) _______, and thus
produce a detailed and accurate description. The problems that have (4) _______ when investigating child speech are
quite different from (5) _______ encountered when working with adults. It is not possible to carry out certain kinds of
experiments, because aspects of children’s cognitive development, such as their ability to (6) _______ attention or to
remember instructions, may not be sufficiently advanced. (7) _______ is it easy to get children to (8) _______
systematic judgments about language – a task that is virtually impossible below the age of three. Moreover, anyone
who has tried to make a tape recording of a representative sample of a child’s speech knows how frustrating this can
be. Some children, it seems, are innately programmed to (9) _______ off as soon as they notice a tape recorder (10)
_______ switched on.
PART IV: WRITING (20p.)
Question 1: Finish each of the following sentences in such a way that it is as similar as possible in meaning to the
sentence printed before it. (5p.)
Example: We expect he will arrive by nine o’clock
He is____________________________
Answer: He is expected to arrive by nine o’clock
1. The journalists only heard about the changes to the wedding plans when they arrived at the venue.
It was only ______________________________________________________
2. We only came to this restaurant because you insisted that we did so.
It was at _________________________________________________________
3. Arguing with her won’t get you anywhere.
It won’t do _______________________________________________________
4. The thief must have come in through the window.
The thief almost ___________________________________________________
5. What put me off the idea was simply how expensive it was going to be.
The sheer _________________________________________________________
Question 2. For each of the sentence below, write a new sentence as similar as possible in meaning to the original
sentence but using the word given. This word must not be altered in any way. (5p.)
Example: We couldn't find the cat anywhere. (NOWHERE )
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36. Answer: The cat was nowhere to be found.
1. She is determined to become a doctor. (HEART)
_________________________________________________________________
2. She just pretended to welcome him, then quickly left the waiting room. (MOTIONS)
_________________________________________________________________
3. The success of the venture cannot be guaranteed. (SUCCEED)
_________________________________________________________________
4. We simply must pay them the whole amount before the end of the month. (ALTERNATIVE)
_________________________________________________________________
5. Ours is the only company allowed to import these chemicals. (MONOPOLY)
_________________________________________________________________
Question 3. Essay writing (10p.)
Do you agree or disagree with the following statement?
Face-to-face communication is better than other types of communication such as letters, e-mail,
or telephone calls.
Use specific reasons and details to support your answer. You should write about 250 words.
SỞ GIÁO DỤC – ĐÀO TẠO
HẢI DƯƠNG
KỲ THI CHỌN HỌC SINH GIỎI TỈNH
LỚP 12 THPT NĂM HỌC 2012- 2013
Thời gian làm bài: 180 phút
B. PHONETICS: (5 points)
Choose the word that has a different stress pattern from the others in the group:
16. A. responsibility B. originality C. accommodation D. mischievousness
17. A. appliance B. conscientious C. independent D. confidential
18. A. psychology B. environmental C. impossible D. photography
19. A. stimulate B. maximize C. interrupt D. register
20. A. appointment B. punishment C. publicity D. efficient
C. GRAMMAR – VOCABULARY – LANGUAGE FUNCTIONS:
I. Choose the word, phrase or expression which best completes each sentence: (15 points)
21. Tom: “I thought your performance last Sunday was wonderful.”
Laura: “………………………..”
A. Don’t tell a lie. I thought it was terrible.
B. You must be kidding. It was not as good as I had expected.
C. I completely agree with you. It was terrific.
D. No doubt!
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ĐỀ CHÍNH THỨC