PRACTICE TEST 9 – ESC 20

A. LISTENING (50 points):

Section 1. You will hear a telephone conversation between a customer and the restaurant. For questions
1-5, complete the sentences. Write NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS and / or A NUMBER for each answer in
the corresponding numbered boxes.

RED DRAGON RESERVATIONS FORM

Day: E.g. Saturday
Date: 1. ___________________________
No. of people: 2. ___________________________
Time: 3. ___________________________
Name: 4. ___________________________
Phone: 5. ___________________________

Your answers:
1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
Section 2. You will hear a university teacher and a new student called Paul discussing Paul's work
experience and Latin American Studies course. For each of the following questions from 1 to 5, choose the
option which fits best to what you hear. You will listen to the recording twice.
LATIN AMERICAN STUDIES
1. Paul decided to get work experience in South America because he wanted
A. to teach English there B. to improve his Spanish
C. to learn about Latin American life D. to improve his English
2. What project work did Paul originally intend to get involved in?
A. construction B. agriculture C. tourism D. architecture
3. Why did Paul change from one project to another?
A. his first job was not well organized
B. he found doing the routine work very boring
C. the work was too physically demanding
D. his first job was boring
4. In the village community, he learnt how important it was to
A. respect family life B. develop trust
C. use money wisely D. spend time with neighbors
5. What does Paul say about his project manager?
A. he let Paul do most of the work B. his plans were too ambitious
C. he was very supportive of Paul D. he was too ambitious
Your answers:
1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
Section 3. You will hear part of a radio interview in which Tina White, a magazine editor, talks about her
life and work. Listen and decide if the following sentences are True (T) or False (F). Write your answers in the
corresponding numbered boxes.
1. In her first column, Tina chose to write about people who had interesting ideas.
2. She took up journalism because of her father's support.
3. She believes people are more likely to read an article if its content is challenging.
4. Tina says that she would be worried if she was criticized by the public.
5. In the future, she would like to write fiction.
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 Your answers:
1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

Section 4. You will hear part of a radio programme about bags for walkers. For questions 1-10, complete
the sentences. Write NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS for each answer in the corresponding numbered boxes.
BAGS FOR WALKERS
Rod’s shop sells bags and other (1)_____________________ equipment.
A backpack could spoil your holiday if it doesn't (2)_____________________
A 35-litre bag is good for (3)_____________________
An upright bag is recommended for people who are going to (4)_____________________
To protect breakable items choose a bag with a (5)_____________________
A bag with (6)_____________________ inside will allow you to separate your belongings.
External pockets can be used to carry tools that are (7)_____________________ or dirty.
It is important that shoulder straps are (8)_____________________
A horizontal bar will prevent shoulder straps from (9)_____________________
Padded parts of the bag should have plenty of (10)_____________________ so that sweat can escape.
Your answers:
1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
6. 7. 8. 9. 10.

B. LEXICO-GRAMMAR (50 points)

Part 1. Choose the best option A, B, C, or D to complete the following sentences and write your answers
in the corresponding numbered boxes.
1. -A: "Do you think I should ask Andy?" - "I'm sure he'll be only __________ willing to help you with the
project."
A. so B. that C. too D. just
2. You will be putting your life on the __________ if you take up skydiving.
A. ground B. line C. way D. lane
3. As far as her future goes, Olivia is _________. She hasn't got a clue what career to follow.
A. on the level B. all at sea C. behind the scenes D. in the know
4. His friend and family left him in the __________ when he went bankrupt.
A. lurch B. street C. end D. church
Leave sb in the lurch = leave someone at a time when they need you to stay and help
5. We are pleased to announce that Keith Denish __________ replace Susan William as Operations
Manager from 24th September.
A. is to B. is due C. does D. is about
Be + to V = sẽ (nói về sự vc đã lên kế hoạch trong TL)
6. I fancy playing poker. Have you got a __________ of cards anywhere?
A. bunch B. pair C. set D. pack
7. I __________ at the exam paper lying on Mr. Gregson's desk, but I don't want to risk it.
A. can look B. can have looked C. could have looked D. could look
8. Didn't you ___________ that Martha wasn't with Ashley?
A. think it strange B. think strange C. think it strangely D. think strangely
9. Thousands of refugees are camping at the __________ between the two countries, hoping to find
asylum.
A. border B. rim C. boundary D. brim
- border (n) biên giới (đường phân chia ranh giới giữa các quốc gia)
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 - boundary (n) ranh giới (dung cho các vùng trong 1 quốc gia)
10. Although James and Julia are very different types of people, they get on like __________.
A. a fireball B. a house on fire C. a wildfire D. a fire
- get on like a house on fire = to like each other very much and become friends very quickly
11. People who are involved in international business tend to __________.
A. live out of a suitcase. B. stand in their way.
C. be in the same boat. D. smell a rat
- live out of a suitcase = thường di chuyển nhiều nơi, ít khi phải chuẩn bị hành lý hoặc có ít hành lý (chỉ có
quần áo và vật dụng cá nhân)
12. The optician says you have to wear glasses, like it or __________ it.
A. loathe B. lump C. jump D. dislike
- like it or lump it = to mean that a person must accept a situation they do not like, because it cannot be
changed
13. Small cottage industries are finding it difficult to survive in a market dominated by multi-national
companies, which have the __________ hand.
A. first B. big C. free D. upper
- free hand = the right or authority to do anything you consider necessary
14. Although I really liked the dress I found for my sister's wedding, I decided to __________ for a better
bargain.
A. shop around B. shell out C. ring up D. sell out
- shop around = to compare the price and quality of the same or a similar object in different shops before you
decide which one to buy
15. Even though I’ve known Sven for so many years, I only found out yesterday that his mother is from
Moscow, so he’s __________ Russian.
A. part = một phần B. slightly C. a bit D. somewhat
E.g: She's part Japanese , part Chinese (Cô ta nửa là Nhật, nửa là Trung Hoa)
16. I waited eagerly to jot down the Freefone number that is given at the bottom of the screen during the
broadcasting of the __________ but it never appeared.
A. slogan B. spam C. mailshot D. infomercial
17. The hybrid that runs on hydrogen and emits nothing but water as a byproduct __________ the show at
this year Fully Networked Car exhibition in Geneva.
A. froze B. drove C. stole D. ran
18. Mark has been __________ in antique and vintage jewellery for the last five years, and I must admit that
he’s done pretty well for himself.
A. dealing B. importing C. exporting D. trading
- trade (v) buôn bán, kinh doanh => trade with sb => trade in st
E.G: India began trading with Europe in the 15th and 16th centuries.
The company trades in silk, tea, and other items.
19. Before becoming a junior executive, I attended a course which provided crucial instruction on how best to
__________ conflict situations.
A. handle B. manipulate C. operate D. cope
20. Mohandas Gandhi strongly __________ the use of violence and brute force in one’s quest for liberty,
instead he advocated nonviolent resistance.
A. doomed B. convicted C. sentenced D. condemned
- condemn (v) lên án, chỉ trích => condemn sb/st for (doing) st => condemn sb as st
E.g: She knew that society would condemn her for leaving her children.
The law has been condemned as an attack on personal liberty.

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 Your answers:
1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
6. 7. 8. 9. 10.
11. 12. 13. 14. 15.
16. 17. 18. 19. 20.

Part 2. Read the passage below which contains 10 mistakes. Identify the mist akes and write the corrections
in the corresponding numbered boxes.
LINE TEXT
1 Large animals inhabit the desert have evolved adaptations for
2 reducing the effects of extreme hot heat. One adaptation is to be light in
3 color, and to reflect the Sun's rays. Desert mammals also depart from the
4 normal mammalian practice of maintaining a constantly constant body
5 temperature. Instead of try trying to keep down the body temperature
6 inside the body, what which would involve the expenditure of water and
7 energy, desert mammals allow their temperatures rise to rise to what
8 would normally be fever height, and temperatures as high as 46 degree
9 Celsius have been measured in Grant's gazelles. The overheated body
10 cools down during the cold desert night, and indeed the temperature may
11 fall unusual unusually low by dawn, as low as 34 degrees Celsius in the
12 camel. This is a an advantage since the heat of the first few hours of
daylight absorb is absorbed in warming up the body.

Your answers:
Line Mistakes Corrections
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
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Part 3. Complete each of the following sentences with (a) suitable preposition(s) or particle(s). Write your
answer in the box provided.
1. His business has gone under, and he has lost everything.
2. I can’t concentrate on my work with the prospect of the court case handing_over_ me.
3. He has an inspirational politician, who put_across_ his ideas with clarity.
4. His ball control skills really set him_apart__ from the rest of the players.
5. Can you check_off__ these figures against last year’s figures? I’d like to know which year was more
successful.
6. We only managed to get halfway down the mountain before the mist closed_in_.
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- close in = if the night, bad weather etc closes in, it becomes darker or gets worse
7. How did you come___by__ these tickets? I’ve been trying to get some for ages.
8. I know it’s every stressful, but try not to let it get_over_ you.
9. Jean didn’t expect to come_through_ such difficulties.
10. He’s sometimes bad tempered but he’s a good fellow__by___ heart.
Your answers:
1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
6. 7. 8. 9. 10.

Part 4. Write the correct form of the words given in the brackets. Write your answers in the spaces
provided below.
BLACK WIDOW SPIDER
The black widow spider’s notoriety is not without foundation. However, an element of exaggeration has
led to certain misconceptions (1. CONCEPT) regarding its evil nature.
Firstly, this spider is not as dangerous as is often thought. While it is indeed one of the most venomous
(2. VENOM) species of spider, its venom being fifteen times stronger than that of the prairie rattlesnake, its
bite injects such as amount of venom by comparison (3. COMPARE) that it is unlikely to kill humans. In fact,
fatalities_ (4. FATAL) are rare.
Black widows bite only if they are touched or their web is threatened. Furthermore, only the adult
female is poisonous. Those most at risk from the female are the spider’s natural pray-insects-and male black
widow spiders. The latter are vulnerable as the female is solitary_ (5. SOLITUDE) by nature, and has been
known to kill and eat the male after mating. Such occurrences_ (6. OCCUR) are rare, but they explain how the
spider got its name – and its reputation.
Nevertheless, the unpleasant_ (7. PLEASE) effects of this spider’s bite should not be underestimated_
(8. ESTIMATE), and if you live in a temperate climate and have a fireplace in your home, it is advisable to
take _precautions (9. CAUTION). Black widow spiders often inhabit wood piles, so you should wear gloves
when handling firewood. Furthermore, since black widow spiders are resistant (10. RESIST) to many
insecticides, you should regularly clean out likely hiding places.
Your answers:
1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

6. 7. 8. 9. 10.

C. READING (60 points)

Part 1. Read the following passage and decide which answer (A, B, C, or D) best fits each gap. Write
your answers in corresponding numbered boxes.
The reality of an interview is never as bad as your fears. For some (1) ______, people imagine the
interviewer is going to jump on every tiny mistake they make. In truth the interviewer is as keen for the meeting
to go well as you are. It is what (2) ______ his or her job enjoyable.
The secret of a good interview is preparing for it. What you wear is always important as it creates the
first impression. So (3) ______ neatly, but comfortable. Make sure that you can deal with anything you are (4)
______. Prepare for questions that are certain to come up, for example: Why do you want to become a nurse?
What is the most important (5) _______ a good nurse should have? Apart from nursing, what other careers have
you (6)_______? What are your interests and hobbies?
Answer the questions fully and precisely. (7) ______, if one of your interests is reading, be prepared to
talk about the sort of books you like. (8) ______, do not learn all your answer off (9) ______ heart. The

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interviewer wants to meet a human being, not a robot. Remember the interviewer is genuinely interested in you,
so the more you relax and are yourself, the more (10) ______ you are to succeed.
1. A. explanations B. excuses C. reasons D. ideas
2. A. happens B. makes C. does D. causes
3. A. put on B. have on C. dress= ăn mặc D. wear
4. A. enquired B. asked C. requested D. questioned
5. A. nature B. point C. character D. quality
6. A. considered B. wondered C. thought D. regarded
7. A. Such as B. Let’s say C. For instance D. That is
8. A. Despite B. Therefore C. However D. Although
9. A. on B. by C. at D. in
10. A. likely B. probable C. easy D. possible
Your answer:
1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

6. 7. 8. 9. 10.

Part 2. Read the following text and fill in the blank with ONE suitable word. Write your answers in
corresponding numbered boxes.
A healthful lifestyle leads to a longer, happier, healthier life. Staying healthy means eating a well-
balanced diet, getting regular exercise, and avoiding things that are bad for the (1) body_ and mind.
Nutrition plays a key role (2) in__ maintaining good health and preventing many diseases. In spite of all
the information available about diet, scientists still believe that good nutrition can (3) be_ simple. There are
several basic rules to follow. Keep fat intake low. Eat lots of foods high in carbon hydrates, (4) these_ are the
starches in grains, legumes (beans and peas), vegetables and some fruits. (5)reduce_ too much sugar. Limit salt.
Eat lots of fruits and vegetables, which are high in (6) fibre_.
A healthy lifestyle is an active lifestyle. (7)lots_ of proper physical exercise can cause tiredness,
irritability, and poor general health. Physical fitness requires both aerobic exercise, such as running, bicycle
riding, and swimming, (8) and_ muscle-strengthening exercise, such as weight-lifting.
Finally, good health is acquired by (9)_saying_ no to bad habits such as smoking, drinking, and
overeating and by avoiding situations that are constantly stressful. People can take their lives and happiness into
their own (10) account_. Maintaining a healthy lifestyle is the first step.
Your answers:
1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
6. 7. 8. 9. 10.

Part 3. Read the following passage and choose the best answer to each of the following questions. Write
your answers in corresponding numbered boxes.
Human Nutrition is the study of how food affects the health and survival of the human body. Human
beings require food to grow, reproduce, and maintain good health. Without food, our bodies could not stay
warm, build or repair tissue, or maintain the heartbeat. Eating the right foods can help us avoid certain diseases
or recover faster when illness occurs. These and other important functions are fueled by chemical substances in
our food called nutrients. Nutrients are classified as carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vitamins, minerals, and water.
When we eat a meal, nutrients are released from food through digestion. Digestion begins in the mouth by
the action of chewing and the chemical activity of saliva, a watery fluid that contains enzymes, certain proteins
that help break down food. Further digestion occurs as food travels through the stomach and the small intestine,

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where digestive enzymes and acids liquefy food and muscle contractions push it along the digestive tract.
Nutrients are absorbed from the inside of the small intestine into the bloodstream and carried to the sites in the
body where they are needed. At these sites, several chemical reactions occur, which ensures the growth and
function of body tissues. The parts of foods that are not absorbed continue to move down the intestinal tract and
are eliminated from the body as feces.
Once digested, carbohydrates, proteins, and fats provide the body with the energy it needs to maintain its
many functions. Scientists measure this energy in kilocalories, the amount of energy needed to raise one
kilogram of water one degree Celsius. In nutrition discussions, scientists use the term calorie instead of
kilocalorie as the standard unit of measure in nutrition.
Nutrients are classified as essential or nonessential. Nonessential nutrients are manufactured in the body
and do not need to be obtained from food. Examples include cholesterol, a fatlike substance present in all
animal cells. Essential nutrients must be obtained from food sources, because the body either does not produce
them or produces them in amounts too small to maintain growth and health. Essential nutrients include water,
carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vitamins, and minerals.
An individual needs varying amounts of each essential nutrient, depending upon such factors as gender and
age. Specific health conditions, such as pregnancy, breast-feeding, illness, or drug use, make unusual demands
on the body and increase its need for nutrients. Dietary guidelines, which take many of these factors into
account, provide general guidance in meeting daily nutritional needs.
From “Human Nutrition” by Worthington-Roberts, Bonnie, Microsoft ® Student 2009.
Question 1: The first paragraph mainly discusses ______.
A. chemical substances in our food
B. a variety of essential nutrients to human beings
C. the importance of food to human beings
D. the study of human nutrition
Question 2: The word “released” in the second paragraph mostly means “ ”
A. refused B. produced C. expressed D. renewed
Question 3: Which of the following is NOT true about the process of digestion?
A. The small intestine covers the whole digestive system.
B. The small intestine helps the body absorb nutrients.
C. Nutrients are carried to different sites in the body
D. Saliva plays an important role in the first stage of digestion
Question 4: The word “maintain” in the paragraph is closest meaning to “ ”
A. obtain B. provide C. keep performing D. carry on making
Question 5: According to the passage, nutrients are absorbed ______.
A. over the whole body B. in the mouth
C. in the stomach D. in the small intestine
Question 6: According to the passage, which of the following provides energy for the body?
A. Proteins, fats, and minerals B. Carbohydrates, proteins, and fats
C. Carbohydrates, minerals, and water D. Proteins, vitamins, and carbohydrates
Question 7: In nutrition discussions, the standard unit used to measure nutrients is _______.
A. kilocalorie B. kilogram C. calorie D. gram
Question 8: The word “which” in the last paragraph refers to______.
A. general guidance B. unusual demands
C. dietary guidelines D. nutritional needs
Question 9: Which of the following is NOT mentioned in the passage?
A. Classification of nutrients B. The body’s need of nutrients
C. The effects of food on the body D. Food sources from animals
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 Question 10: Through the passage, the author provides the readers with _______.
A. instructions B. some information C. some proposal D. orders
Your answers:
1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
6. 7. 8. 9. 10.

Part 4. Read the following text and do the tasks that follow.
A. One misguided legacy over a hundred years of writing on bilingualism is that children's intelligence
will suffer if they are bilingual. Some of the earliest research into bilingualism examined whether bilingual
children were ahead of monolingual children on IQ tests. From the 1920s to the 1960s, the tendency was to find
monolingual children ahead of bilinguals on IQ tests. The conclusion was that bilingual children were mentally
confused. Having two languages in the brain, it was said, disrupted effective thinking. It was argued that having
one well-developed language was superior to having two half-developed languages.
B. The idea that the bilinguals may have a lower IQ still exists among many people, particularly
monolinguals. However, we now know that this early research was misconceived and incorrect. First, such
research often gave bilinguals an IQ test in their weaker language – usually English. Had bilinguals tested in
Welsh or Spanish or Hebrew, a different result may have been found. The testing of bilinguals was thus unfair.
Second, like was not compared with like. Bilinguals tend to come from, for example, impoverished New York
or rural Welsh backgrounds. The monolinguals tend to come from more middle class, urban families. Working
class bilinguals were often compared with middle class monolinguals. So the results were more likely to be due
to social class differences than language differences. The comparison of monolinguals and bilinguals was
unfair.
C. The most recent research from Canada, the United States and Wales suggests that bilinguals are, at
least, equal to monolinguals on IQ tests. When bilinguals have two well-developed languages (in the research
literature called balanced bilinguals), bilinguals tend to show a slight superiority in IQ tests compared with
monolinguals. This is the received psychological wisdom of the moment and is good news for raising bilingual
children. Take, for example, a child who can operate in either language in the curriculum in the school. That
child is likely to be ahead on IQ tests compared with similar monolinguals (same gender, social class, and age).
Far from making people mentally confused, bilingualism is now associated with a mild degree of intellectual
superiority.
D. One note of caution needs to be sounded. IQ tests probably do not measure intelligence. IQ tests
measure a small sample of the broadest concept of intelligence. IQ tests are simply paper and pencil tests where
only "right and wrong" answers are allowed. Is all intelligence included in such right and wrong, pencil and
paper tests? Isn't there a wider variety of intelligences that are important in everyday functioning and everyday
life.
E. Many questions need answering. Do we only define an intelligent person as somebody who obtains a
high score on an IQ tests. Are the only intelligent people those who belong to high IQ organizations such as
MENSA? Is there social intelligence, musical intelligence, military intelligence, marketing intelligence,
motoring intelligence, political intelligence? Are all, or indeed any, of these forms of intelligence measured by
a simple pencil and paper IQ test which demands a single, acceptable, correct solution to each question?
Defining what constitutes intelligent behavior requires a personal value judgment as to what type of behavior,
and what kind of person is of more worth.
F. The current state of psychological wisdom about bilingual children is that, where two languages are
relatively well developed, bilinguals have thinking advantages over monolinguals. Take an example. A child is
asked a simple question: How many uses can you think of for a brick? Some children give two or three answers
only. They can think of building walls, building a house or perhaps that is all. Another child scribbles away,

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pouring out ideas one after the other: blocking up a rabbit hole, breaking a window, using as a bird bath, as a
plumb line, as an abstract sculpture in an art exhibition.
G. Research across different continents of the world shows that bilinguals tend to be more fluent,
flexible, original and elaborate in their answers to this type of open-ended question. The person who can think
of a few answers tend to be termed a convergent thinker. They converge onto a few acceptable conventional
answers. People who think of lots of different uses for unusual items (e.g. a brick, tin can, cardboard box) are
call divergers. Divergers like a variety of answers to a question and are imaginative and fluent in their thinking.
H. There are other dimensions in thinking where approximately balanced bilinguals may have
temporary and occasionally permanent advantages over monolinguals: increased sensitivity to communication.
A slightly speedier movement through the stages of cognitive development, and being less fixed in the sounds
of words and more centered on the meaning of words. Such ability to move away from the sound of words and
fix on the meaning of words tends to be a (temporary) advantage for bilinguals around the ages four to six. This
advantage may mean an initial head start in learning to read and learning to think about language.

Task 1. The Reading Passage above has eight paragraphs A-H. From the list of headings below, choose
the most suitable heading for each paragraph. Write the appropriate numbers (i -ix) in boxes 1-6. Paragraph A
has been done for you.
i No single definition of intelligence
ii Faulty setting, wrong conclusion
iii Welsh research supports IQ testing
iv Beware: inadequate of testing intelligence
v International research support bilingualism
vi Current thought on the advantage bilinguals have
vii Early beliefs regarding bilingualism
viii Monolinguals ahead of their bilingual peers
ix Exemplifying the bilingual advantage
Example paragraph A ____vii____
1 paragraph B ___ii____
2 paragraph C ___vi___
3 paragraph D ___iv__
4 paragraph E ___i____
5 paragraph F ___ix___
6 paragraph G ___v____
7 paragraph H _________

Task 2: Choose NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS from the passage to complete the sentences.
7. For more than ___a hundred years___, books and articles were wrong about the intelligence of bilingual
children.
8. For approximately 40 years, there was a mistaken belief that children who spoke two languages were
___mentally confused___.
9. It was commonly thought that people with a single __ well-developed language ___ were more effective
thinkers.
10. It was unfair to compare bilinguals and monolinguals by using ___IQ tests___ in English.
Your answers:
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.
7. 8. 9. 10.

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 D. WRITING (40 points)
Part 1. Rewrite each sentence using the word in brackets so that the meaning stays the same. You must
use between THREE and EIGHT words, including the word given.
1. I sincerely promise you that I’m telling you the truth. BOTTOM
 I promise you ……………………………………….. that I’m telling you the truth.
2. “I’m going to enjoy myself now the exams are over,” said Heidi. HAIR
 Heidi said she……………………………………….. now the exams are over.
3. A reliable source told me that the local newspaper is going to shut down. AUTHORITY
 I ……………………………………….. that the local newspaper is going to shut down.
4. The parents of that girl are furious about her expulsion. ARMS
 That’s the girl ……………………………………….. about her expulsion.
5. Honestly, it was impossible not to laugh when Mrs. Harrison slipped in the corridor.
FACE
 Honestly, ……………………………………….. was impossible when Mrs. Harrison slipped in the
corridor.

Part 2. Finish each of the following sentences in such a way that it means exactly the same as the
sentence printed before it.
1. Passengers can only board the plane when all bags have been checked.
 Only ………………………………………………………………………………
2. He was arrested when they caught him driving a stolen vehicle.
 Being caught in …………………………………………………………..…..…..
3. Some people accept that life is full of problems.
 Some people are ………………………………………………………..………..….
4. How much I earn is a personal matter!
 It’s none ………………………………………………………..………..……….....
5. John often forgets to lock the front door before he goes out.
 John has …………………………………………………………………….……….

Part 2. Writing a paragraph

“Children’s achievement is highly influenced by parents’ education and income.”
Do you agree with this statement? Write a paragraph of about 180 words to state your viewpoint.

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