HO CHI MINH CITY UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY VERSION A

OFFICE FOR INTERNATIONAL STUDY PROGRAMS

Test date: October 8, 2021

PRELIMINARY TEST READING
Allotted time: 40 MINS
Full name: ………………………………………… Student ID number: ……………………....
English class: ……………………………………… Test room: …………………………

READING PASSAGE 1 QUESTIONS 1 – 13

Questions 1 – 7
The reading passage has SEVEN paragraphs, A – G
Choose the correct headings for each paragraph A – G from the list of headings i – x below.

List of headings
i. Making kefir
ii. A fortunate accident
iii. Kefir gets an image makeover
iv. Ways to improve taste
v. Variations in alcohol content
vi. Old methods of transportation
vii. Culinary applications
viii. A unique sensory experience
ix. Getting back to basics
x. The gift that keeps on giving
xi.

1. Paragraph A
2. Paragraph B
3. Paragraph C
4. Paragraph D
5. Paragraph E
6. Paragraph F
7. Paragraph G

Questions 8 – 11
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 HO CHI MINH CITY UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY VERSION A
OFFICE FOR INTERNATIONAL STUDY PROGRAMS

Answer the questions below.

Choose NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS from the passage for each answer.
8. What do kefir grains look like?
9. What needs to happen to kefir while it is ripening?
10. What will the yeast cultures have consumed before kefir is ready to drink?
11. The texture of kefir in the mouth is similar to what?
Questions 12 – 13
Choose TWO letters, A – E
Which TWO products are NOT mentioned as things which kefir can replace?
A. Sour cream
B. Starter yeast
C. Yoghurt
D. Ordinary cow’s milk
E. Buttermilk

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 HO CHI MINH CITY UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY VERSION A
OFFICE FOR INTERNATIONAL STUDY PROGRAMS

READING PASSAGE 2 QUESTIONS 14 – 26

Questions 14 – 18
Reading Passage 2 has six paragraphs A – F. 
Which paragraph contains the following information?
NB  You may use any letter more than once.
14. support for geoengineering being due to a lack of confidence in governments
15. more success in fighting climate change in some parts of the world than others
16. the existence of geoengineering projects distracting from the real task of changing the way we live
17. circumstances in which geoengineering has demonstrated success
18. maintenance problems associated with geoengineering projects
Questions 19 – 23
Complete the summary below. 
Choose  NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS  from the passage for each answer.
Geoengineering projects
A range of geoengineering ideas has been put forward, which aim either to prevent the melting of the ice
caps or to stop the general rise in global temperatures. One scheme to discourage the melting of ice and
snow involves introducing 19_____________ to the Arctic because of their colour. The build-up of ice
could be encouraged by dispersing ice along the coasts using special ships and changing the direction of
some 20______________ but this scheme is dependent on certain weather conditions. Another way of
increasing the amount of ice involves using 21_______________ to bring water to the surface. A scheme to
stop ice moving would use 22________________ but this method is more likely to be successful in
preventing the ice from travelling in one direction rather than stopping it altogether. A suggestion for
23_________________ and it involves creating clouds of gas.
Questions 24 – 26
Look at the following people and the list of opinions below. 
Match each person with the correct opinion A – E
24. Phil Rasch
25. Dan Lunt
26. Martin Sommerkorn
List of opinions
A. Geoengineering only offers a short-term solution.
B. A positive outcome of geoengineering may have a negative consequence elsewhere.
C. Most geoengineering projects aren’t clear in what they are aiming at.
D. The problems of geoengineering shouldn’t mean that ideas are not seriously considered.
E. Some geoengineering projects are more likely to succeed than others.

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 HO CHI MINH CITY UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY VERSION A
OFFICE FOR INTERNATIONAL STUDY PROGRAMS

READING PASSAGE 3 QUESTIONS 27 – 40

Questions 27 – 31
Choose the correct letter,  A, B, C or D.
27. When referring to laughter in the first paragraphs, the writer emphasizes
A. its value to scientific research.
B. its universality in animal societies.
C. its impact on language.
D. its function in human culture.
28. What does the writer suggest about Charley Douglass?
A. He wanted his shows to appeal to audiences across the social spectrum.
B. He preferred shows where audiences were present in the recording studio.
C. He understood the importance of enjoying humour in a group setting.
D. He believed that TV viewers at home needed to be told when to laugh.
29. What makes the Santa Cruz study particularly significant?
A. the number of different academic disciplines involved
B. the many kinds of people whose laughter was recorded
C. the various different types of laughter that were studied
D. the similar results produced by a wide range of cultures
30. Which of the following happened in the San Diego study?
A. Participants who had not met before became friends
B. Some participants were unable to laugh
C. Some participants became very upset
D. Participants exchanged roles
31. In the fifth paragraph, what did the results of the San Diego study suggest?
A. The submissive laughs of low- and high-status individuals are surprisingly similar
B. High-status individuals can always be identified by their way of laughing
C. It is clear whether a dominant laugh is produced by a high- or low-status person
D. Low-status individuals in a position of power will still produce submissive laughs

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 HO CHI MINH CITY UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY VERSION A
OFFICE FOR INTERNATIONAL STUDY PROGRAMS

Questions 32 – 36
Complete the summary using the list of words, A-H, below.
The benefits of humour
In one study at Australian National University, randomly chosen groups of participants were shown one of
three videos, each designed to generate a different kind of 32__________ . When all participants were then
given a deliberately frustrating task to do, it was found that those who had watched the 33____________
video persisted with the task for longer and tried harder to accomplish the task than either of the other two
groups.
A second study in which participants were asked to perform a particularly 34_______________task
produced similar results. According to researchers David Cheng and Lu Wang, these findings suggest that
humour not only reduces 35______________ and helps build social connections but it may also have
a 36____________ effect on the body and mind.

A laughter                D relaxing                 G boring

B anxiety                  E stimulating            H emotion
C enjoyment            F amusing

Questions 37 – 40
Do the following statements agree with the claims of the writer in Reading Passage 3?
Yes if the statement agrees with the claims of the writer
No if the statement contradicts the claims of the writer
Not given if it is impossible to say what the writer thinks about this
 
37. Participants in the Santa Cruz study were more accurate at identifying the laughs of friends than those of
strangers.
38. The researchers in the San Diego study were correct in their predictions regarding the behaviour of the
high-status individuals.
39. The participants in the Australian National University study were given a fixed amount of time to
complete the task focusing on employee profiles.
40. Cheng and Wang’s conclusions were in line with established notions regarding task performance.

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