PAGE TÀI LIỆU TIẾNG ANH NÂNG CAO KỲ THI HỌC SINH GIỎI VÒNG TỈNH THPT

ĐỀ THI THỬ HSG TỈNH SỐ 01 NĂM 2020

Môn thi: TIẾNG ANH

Thời gian thi: 180 phút (không kể thời gian giao đề)
Ngày thi:
Đề thi có 16 trang

* Thí sinh không được sử dụng tài liệu, kể cả từ điển

* Giám thị không giải thích gì thêm.
I. LISTENING (50 POINTS)

Part 1. For questions 1-9, listen to a conversation in a tourist information office in Guernsey and
decide whether these statements are True (T) or False (F). Write your answers in the corresponding
numbered boxes provided.
1. There is a concert at the old castle on Saturday night.
2. St James concert hall is an ideal place to learn about the history of the island.
3. The woman says that Hauteville House was the home of a famous writer.
4. The guided walk in St Peter Port starts at 5.00 and lasts 1.5 hours.
5. To join the guided walk, visitors must buy a ticket from the information office.
6. The man plans to take part in the Autumn Walking Festival.
7. The name Tennerfest is related to the price offered.
8. Tennerfest will start in six weeks’ time.
9. The man is not interested in visiting the island of Jersey.

Your answers
1. T 2. T 3. T 4. F 5. F 6. F 7. T 8. F 9. T

Woman: Hello, can I help?

Man: Well, I’m just looking for things to do here in Guernsey.
Woman: Sure, well, I can show you a few things. Here’s a map of the capital, St. Peter Port. This is
Castle Cornet. It’s over 800 years old. Once, the sea went all around it, but now you can walk there.
In fact, there’s a concert at the castle on Saturday night. Do you like classical music?
Man: Yes, I do.
Woman: Well, a symphony orchestra is performing Beethoven’s 9th symphony. It’s a great place to hear
it. A great atmosphere.
Man: Sounds good. I’ll think about that. What else is there to see?
Woman: If you’re interested in history, go to the St James concert hall. You can see an interesting
tapestry which shows the history of the island.
Man: Sounds interesting.
Woman: It is. The Candie Gardens are here, and this is Hauteville House. The French writer Victor
Hugo lived here. Did you know that?
Man: No, I didn’t.
Woman: Of course, there are lots of shops, here, and there are lots of lovely cafes next to the harbour
where you can relax with a coffee.
Man: Where’s the best place to go walking?
Woman: Oh, there are super places to go walking. Cliff paths, country lanes… You can join a guided
walk if you like, or explore the island by yourself.
Man: A guided walk? That sounds like a good idea.

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Woman: Yes, we have guided walks on lots of different topics. The leaders are experts in subjects like
history or nature. Here’s a list of the guided walks available.
Man: What’s on today?
Woman: Let’s see. Well, there’s a guided walk around St Peter Port today. It’ll take you around the
major sites and the guide will give you a potted history lesson! It costs 5 pounds and lasts an hour and a
half.
Man: Sounds good. What time’s that?
Woman: Two o’clock.
Man: Can I buy tickets here?
Woman: No, but you’ll meet your guide right here, outside the door of the information centre. You
can pay then.
Man: Great. Are there any others?
Woman: Well, sadly it was our Autumn walking week last week. We had lots of different tours all
over the island, to the reservoir, the wine region, along the canal - but that’s all finished now.
Man: What a shame. I would have enjoyed that.
Woman: But you can buy our booklet of self-guided walks and visit these places by yourself.
Man: This one?
Woman: Yes, it costs £7.50. There you are. I’d really recommend this walk here - along the west coast.
The cliff path is really dramatic here.
Man: Okay. This looks good. I’ll buy it. Another thing, I keep seeing signs for Tennerfest - what’s that?
Woman: Tennerfest? Oh, that’s our food festival! It’s great. Lots of restaurants offer really good meals
for just ten pounds.
Man: Oh, is that why it’s called Tennerfest, because everything costs a tenner?
Woman: Yes, that’s it.
Man: Is it on now?
Woman: It starts on Saturday - in two days time.
Man: Sounds as if I’ve come just at the right time then. How long is it on?
Woman: It lasts a full six weeks. Here’s a list of the participating restaurants.
Man: Wonderful. Any recommendations?
Woman: Oo, well they’re all good, but last year I had crab at the Atlantic Hotel. It was excellent.
Man: Mmm!
Woman: The ten-pound menus aren’t available all day though, so make sure you check the leaflet.
Man: Oh yes, the menu at the Atlantic is only available from midday until two.
Woman: Yes. They’ll all be like that. But it’s really worth it. And ferry trips to Jersey are cheaper
during Tennerfest, so if you’re interested in visiting that island too, you’ve come at the right time.
Man: Well, I wasn’t planning it. I went there last year. It was a bit busy for my liking.
Woman: Okay, well, if you change your mind you can get times and prices from the Condor Ferries
office, on the quay. Is there anything else I can help you with?
Man: Er, no thanks. I think that’s everything thank you. Can I just pay for this book?

Part 2. For questions 10-15, listen to a radio interview with the comedian Brain Conley, who does a
considerable amount of work in panto, a type of family-friendly show which is popular at Christmas
and choose the correct answer A, B or C which fits best according to what you hear. Write your
answers in the corresponding numbered boxes provided.
10. Brian likes Birmingham because
A. it has provided him with a steady income.
B. it is where he grew up.
C. it was where he first became famous
11. When they discuss children’s participation in panto, Brian says that
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A. he prefers children not to come up on stage.
B. it’s important to get the parents’ permission if a child wants to participate.
C. he thinks that children’s participation adds a certain quality to the show.
12. According to Brian, the advantage of panto is that
A. all the actors can change their lines to reflect current events.
B. the qualities required in panto match his talents.
C. it gives him the chance to play a comedy character.
13. Brian became involved in comedy because
A. he had wanted to do it since he was a child.
B. his friends at school encouraged him to do it.
C. he found he could earn more by doing comedy.
14. What does Brian say about providing comedy for corporate events?
A. It is easy because the audience has had a lot to drink.
B. He has learnt how to respond to comments from the audience.
C. It’s the only way for many comedians to find work.
15. What does Brian feel with regards to nerves?
A. He agrees with a comment someone made early in his career
B. He no longer feels nervous because he is more experienced
C. The extent of his nerves has changed over the years.

Your answers
10. A 11. C 12. B 13. C 14. B 15. A

Radio interviewer: I’m backstage at the Birmingham Hippodrome with the comedian Brian Conley. 
Hello Brian.  Nice to see you again.
Brian: Nice to see you too.
Radio interviewer: Birmingham’s done well for you over the years, hasn’t it?
Brian: It certainly has.  It’s paid my mortgage, definitely.  I mean, it’s not far from where I live, it’s
just up the motorway, and I love this theatre. I’ve got some great memories of here. Back in the 90s,
especially, when I was doing panto with Britt Eckland, that was a really good time. 
Radio interviewer: You mention panto, which has, of course an element of audience participation and
rowdiness. How do you cope with that? Is it something that’s difficult for you?
Brian: It is difficult, especially with the kids, you never know what they’re going to come up with. But
I’m up for that. Some theatres don’t like the kids to come up on stage any more, they just finish with a
musical number and that’s it, but I think that’s a shame, especially now I’ve got kids of my own. What a
lot of theatres do now is get the parents to come down and stand in the aisles, and if there’s a rowdy kid,
we bring the parent up, and that puts the onus on the parent to keep the kid in check. But I like all that
participation. It’s what gives it energy and makes it live.
Radio interviewer: You do a range of different shows though, don’t you?
Brian: Yes, I do musical theatre and corporate work as well as panto, but panto’s the best. It plays to
my strengths, you know. I like the fact that it’s got everything, singing, dancing, comedy, and if there’s
something in the papers that day, I can pick up on it and put it in the show. And that’s something that
only I can do, as the comedy character. The other characters in the show can’t diverge from the script so
much. But I can ad lib. It’s great. When I work in musical theatre, I can’t do that. I have to stick to the
script.
Radio Interviewer: So where did it all begin, this comedy career? When was your first time on stage?
Brian: The first time I was on stage was when I was two.  I was at this holiday camp and my mum and
dad lost me in the dance hall. Then they heard loads of people laughing and they saw me up on stage
making a fool of myself. That was it after that. I was hooked. But what has also driven me is the fact
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that I was dyslexic. I found it difficult to keep up at school because my writing was bad, so I naturally
became the class clown, the school joker. But I was always a good singer, and singing was always my
first love. Comedy came later. When I started doing clubs when I was 17, I found that you get paid
more for doing comedy than you do for singing.
Radio Interviewer: And you still do comedy now.
Brian: Yeah, I do. Most of the comedy I do now is actually corporate work. You know, these big work
events, where there’s free food and drink.  It’s very lucrative, but it’s a tough crowd. They’ve got a load
of free alcohol and they get boozed up. There’s a big demand for it these days, but a lot of famous
comedians can’t do it. I’ve learnt how to handle it over the years, and I’ve got an answer for every
situation now. I had to fall into it really, it pays the mortgage. 
Radio Interviewer: And you still get nerves?
Brian: A guy once said to me that it doesn’t get any easier. I dismissed that. I used to reckon that as I
got older and more experienced I’d be more relaxed and I wouldn’t get so nervous. But I realise that he
was right. I want to do well, and that affects how you feel before the performance.
Radio Interviewer: Brian Conley, thank you very much.

Part 3. For questions 16-25, listen to a talk about the history of the electric guitar and supply the
blanks with the missing information. Write NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS taken from the
recording for each answer in the space provided.

DATE MAKER NAME OF GUITAR FEATURES

1890s Orville Gibson no name similar in shape to a

16.________________
1925 Jogn Dopyera The National Guitar made of metal, good for playing
17.________________
1930s C.F. Martin Company The Dreadnought strings made of
18.________________
1931 George Beauchamp The 19.________________ used two
20.________________shaped like
horseshoes to increase sound
1935 Adolph Rickenbacker The Rickenbacker Electro made from 21.________________
Spanish
1941 Les Paul The Log the first to be completely
22.________________
1950 Leo Fender The Fender Broadcaster its simplicity made it ideal for
23.________________
1951 Leo Fender The 24.________________ easy to carry around

1952 Ted McCarty The Gibson Les Paul 25.________________in colour

1954 Leo Fender The Fender Stratocaster double cutaway design

16. violin
17. blues
18. steel/metal
19. Frying Pan / frying pan

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20. magnets
21. plastic
22. solid
23. mass production
24. Precision / precision
25. gold

Lecturer During today’s lecture in this series about the history of popular music. I’m going to look at the
different stages the electric guitar went through before we ended up with the instrument we know so
well today.

The driving force behind the invention of the electric guitar was simply the search for a louder sound. In
the late 1890s Orville Gibson, founder of the Gibson Mandolin-Guitar Manufacturing Company,
designed a guitar with an arched or curved lop, as is found on a violin. This made it both stronger and
louder than earlier designs but it was still hard to hear amongst other louder instruments.

During the 1920s with the beginnings of big–band music, commercial radio and the rise of the recording
industry, the need to increase the volume of the guitar became even more important. Around 1925 John
Dopyera came up with a solution. He designed a guitar, known as The National Guitar, with a metal
body which had metal resonating cones built into the top it produced a brash tone which became popular
with guitarists who play blues, but was unsuitable for many other types of music.

Another way of increasing the volume was thought of in the 1930s. The C. F. Martin Company became
known for its ‘Dreadnought‘, a large flat-top acoustic guitar that used steel strings instead of the
traditional gut ones. It was widely imitated by other makers.

These mechanical fixes helped, but only up to a point. So guitarists began to look at the possibilities
offered by the new field of electronic amplification. What guitar players needed was a way to separate
the guitar’s sound and boost it in isolation from the rest of a band or the surroundings.

Guitar makers and players began experimenting with electrical pickups which are the main means of
amplification used today. The first successful one was invented in 1931 by George Beauchamp. He
introduced to the market a guitar known as The Frying Pan’ because the playing area consisted of a
small round disk. The guitar was hollow and was made of aluminium and steel. He amplified the sound
by using a pair of horseshoe-shaped magnets. It was the first commercially successful electric guitar.

So by the mid-1930s, an entirely new kind of sound was born. Yet along with its benefits, the new
technology brought problems. The traditional hollow body of a guitar caused distortion and feedback
when combined with electromagnetic pickups. Musicians and manufacturers realised that a new kind of
guitar should be designed from scratch with amplification in mind.

In 1935 Adolph Rickenbacker produced a guitar which took his name – ‘The Rickenbacker Electro
Spanish’. It was the first guitar produced in plastic, which, because of its weight, vibrated less readily
than wood. It eliminated the problems of earlier versions which were plagued by acoustic feedback.
‘The Electro Spanish’ had its own problems, however, because it was very heavy, smaller than other
guitars of the period, and was quite awkward to play. Developments continued and in 1941 Les Paul
made a guitar which he called ‘The Log’, and true to its name, it was totally solid. All previous guitars
had been hollow or partly hollow. It looked slightly strange but the next step had been made towards the
modem electric guitar.

The first guitar successfully produced in large numbers was made in 1950 by Leo Fender. His Spanish-
style electric guitar, known as a ‘Fender Broadcaster’, had a bolt-on neck, and was initially criticised by
competitors as being very simple and lacking in craftsmanship. Yet it was immediately successful and
was particularly suited to mass production, spurring other guitar companies to follow Fender’s lead.

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In 1951 Leo Fender revolutionised the music world yet again when he produced an electric bass guitar.
This was the first commercially successful bass model to be played like a guitar. It was easier for
players to hit an exact note: that’s why it was called “The Precision”. Although there had already been
electric standup basses, this was much more portable. It is now standard in the line-up of any rock band
and some historians suggest that entire genres of music, such as reggae and funk, could not exist without
it.

In 1952 the Gibson company became Fender’s first major competitor when Ted McCarty created The
Gibson Les Paul’ guitar. It was distinctive because it was coloured gold. The reason for this was to
disguise the fact that it was made from two different kinds of wood. In 1954 Leo Fender responded to
this successful instrument by introducing The Fender Stratocaster’. It is easily identified by its double
cutaway design and three pickups. This model may be the most influential electric guitar ever produced.
The modern guitar as we know it was here to stay.

II. PHONETICS (10 POINTS)

Part 1. Choose the word whose underlined part is pronounced differently from the others.
26. A. failed B. reached C. absorbed D. solved
27. A. loses B. houses C. rises D. shoes
28. A. says B. pays C. stays D. bays
29. A. scheme B. parachute C. architect D. psychology
30. A. mahout B. foul C. poultry D. drought

Part 2. Choose the word which is stressed differently from the others.
31. A. remote B. receive C. prevent D. recent
32. A. preferential B. congratulate C. development D. preservative
33. A. abnormal B. initial C. innocent D. impatient
34. A. interchange B. infamous C. overeat D. undercurrent
35. A. aphorism B. extremism C. barbarism D. feminism

Your answers
26. B 27. D 28. A 29. B 30. C 31. D 32. A 33. C 34. C 35. B

III. LEXICO-GRAMMAR (40 POINTS)

Part 1. For questions 36-55, choose the correct answer A, B, C or D to each of the following
questions and write your answers in the corresponding numbered boxes provided.
36. Standing on the tip of the cape, ________________.
A. people have seen a lighthouse far away B. lies a lighthouse in the middle of the sea
C. a lighthouse can be seen from the distance D. we can see the lighthouse in the distance
37. John: “Do you think we should use public transport to protect our environment?”
Laura: “________________”
A. Of course not. You bet! B. Well. that’s very surprising.
C. There’s no doubt about it. D. Yes, it’s an absurd idea.
38. ________________ visit the British Museum while you are in London, you mustn't forget to look at
the famous Rosetta Stone.
A. In case you B. If you should
C. For fear that you D. When you might
If + S + should dùng để diễn tả điều kiện mà khả năng xảy ra không cao
39. Paul: “ I was late because I got caught in traffic.”
Kevin: “________________, lateness will not be tolerated in this office.”
A. Be that as it may B. If need be
C. Then so be it D. Whatever it may be
Be that as it may = although

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40. The hostage was released unharmed by the kidnappers, but they were never caught and charged with
________________.
A. fraud B. forgery C. abduction D. trafficking
abduction: bắt cóc
41. On his first day in the Milanese office, the German executive experienced ________________ on
the part of the employees in the office, who saw him as a threat.
A. inadequacy B. hostility C. equality D. degradation
42. The only room available was, to say the least________________. There was no carpet, no curtains,
and the only furniture was a bed and a small bedside table.
A. snug B. dreary C. stark D. cushy
stark: đơn sơ, mộc mạc
43. Regional parliaments allow ________________ for remote parts of the country or islands far from
the capital.
A. self-government B. self-sufficiency C. self-regulation D. self-support
self-government: tự trị
44. Zoe’s plan to study at university ________________ when she didn’t get the required grades in her
school leaving exams.
A. fell through B. wrote off C. got back D. put in
45. It’s not advisable to buy goods from street vendors – there’s a good chance you’ll be ____________.
A. ripped off B. forked out C. paid off D. scraped by
46. We all agreed to cover some of the cost – so come on, ________________!
A. dip in B. put aside C. bail out D. cough up
cough up = quyên góp tiền
47. I ate some tinned sardines that had expired and ended up feeling so sick that I ________________
all the food I had eaten.
A. brought up B. passed out C. packed up D. went off
bring up = nôn mửa
48. He was too sure of himself to pay ________________ to the warnings against the danger.
A. notice B. attention C. respect D. recognition
49. All nations should ________________ hands to work out a plan to solve the problem of global
warming.
A. join B. hold C. shake D. lend
50. At the age of 11, Taylor Swift was already trying to ________________ a record deal in Nashville.
A. land B. create C. steal D. grab\
land = đạt được
51. Please ________________ these figures to memory, so that you will be able to answer the investors’
questions easily and confidently.
A. memorise B. recall C. retain D. commit
commith sth to memory = ghi nhớ
52. He’s sometimes bad-tempered but he’s a good fellow ________________.
A. at heart B. with heart C. by heart D. in heart
at heart: thật tâm
53. When it comes to the ________________, Alice always support her friends.
A. point B. crunch C. mark D. crisis
when it comes to the crunch = /when a situation becomes extremely serious and a decision must be
made
54. Although he came to work the day before his retirement, everyone knew he was just
________________.
A. going with the flow B. going through the motions
C. going against the grain D. going along with them
go through the motions = do something in a perfunctory way, without any enthusiasm or commitment
55. I had a ________________this morning when a tractor trailer unexpectedly swerved into my lane.
A. deep end B. dead beat C. close shave D. tight corner
close shave = thoát hiểm trong gang tấc

Your answers
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36. 37. 38. 39. 40. 41. 42.
43. 44. 45. 46. 47. 48. 49.
50. 51. 52. 53. 54. 55.

Part 2. For questions 56-60, write the correct form of each bracketed word in the numbered space
provided.
Whilst 56.________________(urban) was characteristic of an earlier era, many young people are
choosing to do exactly the opposite of their forebears. As a result of financial
57.________________(stable) in the city and worries about inadequate public services, numerous
educated, young individuals, either alone or with their families are willingly moving back to smaller
towns and villages in search of a better and more 58.________________(afford) way of life.
When families are 59.________________(root) from their homes, there are a lot of negative
repercussions; educated graduates may face competition from skilled workers, who, while having no
formal qualifications, have been working the land for years, and city children may find themselves
60.________________(margin) at school.
56. urbanization
57. instability
58. affordable
59. uprooted
uproot: to leave a place where you have lived for a long time; to make somebody do this
60. marginalized
marginalize sb: to make somebody feel as if they are not important and cannot influence decisions or
events; to put somebody in a position in which they have no power
Part 3. For questions 61-65, write the correct form of each bracketed word in the numbered space
provided.
61. The discussions reached a new level of ________________(intense) and by lunchtime the
exchanges were becoming very heated.
62. Alvin met the genial master poet Langston Hughes, who became a lifelong friend and
________________ (confide).
63. There is an ________________ (speak) recognition of a certain disposition or habitus among the
social classes.
64. It has to be said it was rather ________________ (genus) of him to ask a complete stranger to look
after his luggage.
65. Sometimes a sympathetic friend can be a constant source of discouragement, all ________________
(know).
61. intensity
62. confidant: tri kỷ, bạn tâm giao
63. unspoken: not said in words but understood or agreed between people
64. ingenuous: honest, innocent and willing to trust people
cần tránh nhầm lẫn với ingenious: very suitable for a particular purpose and resulting from clever new
ideas
65. unknowingly: in a way that is not conscious of a particular situation or problem
Part 4. For questions 66-75, find and correct 10 mistakes in the passage. Write them in the numbered
boxes provided.
The huge mountain of Kilimanjaro is one of the most distinct entities within the severe land of the
African wilderness. Rivers carry life to the forests and jungles below flow from beneath the eminence,
whereas in the endless plains of this continent an astonishing diversity of animal species have evolved to
take advantage of the immense African habitat. They have adapted and survived in their different shapes
and sizes. Some of them are big, some small, some eat plans and some live by meat. There are those
which wander alone, unlike the others which gather in herd. The multiplying millions of herbivores are
balanced by the frightened meat eaters - carnivores whose body build has been shaped for speed and for

8
the strength indispensable to outmanoeuvre their prey. These superior predators which have conducted
their daily struggle for survival in the harsh African environment all live in unfavourable surroundings
where the punishment for weakness is often dead. The reality of Africa best pictures the exciting cruelty
of nature towards the weakness of individual animals as only the existence of the whole species is
essential. However, big predators like lions or tigers don't usually tolerate with company and might,
then, be exposed to mortal danger, were it not for their perfect attributes and an uncomparable skill at
killing. They should never be judged by human standards. It is obvious they don't kill out of hatred, but
for the simple reason of remaining lively during their lone struggle in this hostile habitat.

Your answers
66. 67. 68. 69. 70.
distinct→distinctive carry→carrying by→on herd→herds frightened→fr
ightening
71. 72. 73. 74. 75.
outmanoeuvre→out dead→deadly tolerate with uncomparable lively → alive
manoeuvring →tolerate →incomparable

III. READING (50 POINTS)

Part 1. For questions 76-85, fill each of the following numbered blanks with ONE suitable word and
write your answers in the corresponding numbered boxes provided.
A number of scientists around the world are investigating a phenomenon called synaesthesia that may
affect as 76.__________ as one in 2,000 people. The name 77.__________ from the Greek words for
together and perception and means that some people’s senses work in combination. For example, some
people see colour when they hear particular 78.__________. Similarly, a smell or taste may be
perceived as a 79.__________ to information received from the eyes. However, the most common form
of synaesthesia occurs 80.__________ people who associate certain letter of words with colours.
Scientists at Cambridge University conducted experiments to determine whether this is actually a
product of mental activity or if some individuals are just highly 81.__________. They discovered that
synaesthetes, people 82.__________ experience synaesthesia, consistently associate the same letters or
words with the same colours. Brain scans revealed unusual activity in the brain when subjects were
listening to words, suggesting that it is a 83.__________ condition. The 84.__________ plausible
explanation is that synaesthetes have slightly different connections between the areas of the brain which
control their senses. Synaesthesia is not a medical problem, however, and synaesthetes often
85.__________ from an unusually good memory, probably because they have extra information to help
them recall things like names and numbers.

Your answers
76. many 77. derives 78. sounds 79. reaction 80. among

81. imaginative 82. who 83. physical 84. most 85. benefit

Part 2. For questions 86-95, read the text below and decide which answer A, B, C or D best fits each
gap. Write your answers in the corresponding numbered boxes provided.
When LL Zamenhof constructed the auxiliary language of Esperanto in the late 1880s, he did so with
certain key goals in mind: to 86.__________ the study of language easier and more learner-friendly; and
to develop a universal language as a means of international communication and as a 87._________ for
promoting concord and understanding in a 88.__________ world. His goals were influenced very much
by his own experiences of growing up in Bialystok, which is part of modern-day Poland. A multitude of

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different ethnic groups lived there at the time and were constantly 89.__________ with each one
another. It was this at which Zamenhof despaired, and he reasoned that the 90.__________ cause of
dispute was the barriers to communication present on account of the lack of a common language.
Therefore, he set out to create one: Esperanto.
His goals were incredibly ambitious, but was the new language a success? Well, in so far as it is the
most widely spoken artificial one in existence today, with an estimated two-plus-million people
worldwide fluent to some 91.__________, you would have to say yes. However, the fact remains that
Esperanto has not 92.__________ English as the lingua franca of international communication, nor has
it been nearly so widely 93.__________ as Zamenhof himself would have hoped.
Therefore, judged against Zamenhof’s own 94.__________ ambitions for the language, the conclusion
could not be in the affirmative. That said, his intentions in building an entirely new language were
incredibly noteworthy and that the language has 95.__________ even to the extent that it has done, with
millions of active speakers, is, in and of itself quite remarkable.
86. A. render B. prove C. adjust D. portray
render somebody/something + adj: to cause somebody/something to be in a particular state or condition
87. A. mechanism B. utensil C. device D. scheme
mechanism: a method or a system for achieving something
88. A. discordant B. analogous C. congruent D. comparable
discordant: not in agreement
analogous = congruent = comparable = the same
89. A. quarrelling B. disputing C. debating D. conflicting
quarrel with sb, những từ còn lại không đi với with +sb
90. A. outlying B. underlying C. outstanding D. underlining
underlying cause/assumption: important in a situation but not always easily noticed or stated clearly
91. A. scope B. breadth C. matter D. degree
92. A. promoted B. usurped C. overturned D. reversed
usurp somebody/something (formal) to take somebody’s position and/or power
93. A. endured B. embraced C. embodied D. enhanced
embrace something: to accept an idea, a proposal, a set of beliefs, etc., especially when it is done with
enthusiasm
94. A. reckless B. modest C. lofty D. pushy
lofty ambitions/ideals/principles: deserving praise because of its high moral quality
95. A. enriched B. cultivated C. stretched D. prospered
prosper: to develop in a successful way
cultivate sth: to develop an attitude, a way of talking or behaving
enrich sth: to improve the quality of something, often by adding something to it

Your answers
86. 87. 88. 89. 90.

91. 92. 93. 94. 95.

Part 3. For questions 96-108, read the following passage and do the tasks that follow.
The Mystery of Sleep
Sleep takes up precious time and leaves us vulnerable, so why do we do it?
A. The question of why we sleep has been on people’s minds at least since the time of Aristotle, who
believed that the warming and cooling of the body as a result of digestion caused sleep. Though we
know this is incorrect today, other early theories have held up better. The possibility of a ‘sleep toxin’ –
a substance that built up during the day, causing drowsiness, and was subsequently relieved by sleep –
was put forward by Henri Pieron in the early 1900s, and this concept is not unlike some contemporary
ideas about sleep that researchers are pursuing today. It was not until 1953 that Nathaniel Kleitman and
his colleagues identified two different kinds of sleep; REM and non-REM sleep. Many say that this
10
breakthrough paved the way for modern sleep research. But since then, despite the great deal of effort
that has been made to better understand sleep, it is still largely a mysterious phenomenon.

B. Among living things, sleep is practically universal. Even jellyfish, which have no brains, experience
something called sleep pressure – the need to rest longer after being kept awake. Tiny worms, with only
a few neurons, spend time in a sleep-like state and die more quickly when exposed to stress if this state
is prevented. Sharks and dolphins, which must keep moving at all times in order to breathe, have the
ability to sleep with one hemisphere of the brain at a time. Yet, when an animal sleeps, it cannot protect
itself from danger, it cannot eat or reproduce. Sleep is high-risk and costly, so why is it such a universal
phenomenon? Clearly, it must be important.

C. One theory about the reason for sleep is that it arose simply as a way to save energy. If there were
times when it was difficult or hazardous for an animal to move around, then it might make sense for
them to simply enter a sleep state when all of their physical systems slow down. That way, they would
require less food, and could hide away from danger. The observation that animals with few natural
predators, lions, for example, sleep up to 15 hours a day, while small prey animals seldom sleep more
than 5 hours a day, seems to contradict this, however. In addition, the objection has been raised that
sleep only lowers the metabolism by 10-15 per cent, so not much energy is, in fact, saved. According to
Serge Daan, a researcher who studied arctic ground squirrels, something else must be taking place. He
found that the ground squirrels would periodically come out of their suspended-animation-like state of
hibernation in order to sleep. For these animals, sleep was actually energetically expensive, so it must
serve some other essential purpose.

D. It is well established that the act of sleeping is important for essential brain functions such as
memory and learning. A rapidly increasing body of cognitive research suggests that sleep allows us to
consolidate and process information that has been acquired during the day. Sleep scientist Matthew
Walker used MRI scans to visualise activity in the brains of people who were learning a series of finger
movements. One group was allowed to sleep and the other was not. He found differences in the areas of
the brain that were activated when they recalled the movements; the group that had slept showed less
activity in the brain, and better recollection of the task. In other words, the way the memory was stored
had become more efficient. Walker believes that this could explain why toddlers, who are constantly
learning new motor skills, require so much more sleep than adults. Furthermore, Ted Abel, while
assistant professor at the University of Pennsylvania, found that mice deprived of sleep for the first five
hours after learning did not remember their physical surroundings, while their memory of facts and
events was not affected. This result allowed him to specify that sleep regulates memory in a specific part
of the brain, the hippocampus, which is responsible for memories related to spatial and contextual
information. But despite numerous studies, there are still more questions than answers on the role of
sleep in memory and learning.

E. Another theory about the role of sleep is that it is essential for cleanup and repair in the brain and
body. Support for this theory is provided by research that shows periods of REM sleep increase
following periods of sleep deprivation and strenuous physical activity. During sleep, the body also
increases its rate of cell division and protein synthesis, further suggesting that repair and restoration
occurs during sleeping periods. Recently, new evidence supporting the repair and restoration theory has
been uncovered. Research has shown that the cellular structure of the brain is altered during sleep, and
more space forms between cells. This allows fluid to move between the cells and flush out toxic waste
products. It is believed that these toxins increase in the central nervous system during waking times, and
the restorative function of sleep is a consequence of their removal.

11
F. It may seem that all of this new evidence is not making the question of why we sleep any clearer;
indeed, the evidence seems to point to different explanations. In this context, it seems important to
remember that there may not be one correct answer, but instead it could be a combination. While the
idea that sleep is a method of energy conservation seems to be falling out of favour, it seems more and
more likely that benefits for memory and learning, the cleanup of the brain and the repair of the body
can all be attributed to a good night’s sleep

Questions 96-101: There are six paragraphs marked A-F in the passage. In which paragraph is the
following mentioned? Write your answers in the corresponding numbered box provided.
96. how researchers can see what is happening inside the brain
97. how many reasons for sleep there might realistically be
98. an example of lack of sleep being deadly
99. a particular discovery that was essential for how we view sleep today
100. how sleep might have arisen from threatening conditions
101. how the brain physically changes during sleep

Your answers
96. 97. 98. 99. 100. 101.

96. D
Sleep scientist Matthew Walker used MRI scans to visualise activity in the brains of people who were
learning a series of finger movements.
97. F
it seems more and more likely that benefits for memory and learning, the cleanup of the brain and the
repair of the body can all be attributed to a good night’s sleep
98. B
Tiny worms, with only a few neurons, spend time in a sleep-like state and die more quickly when
exposed to stress if this state is prevented.
99. A
It was not until 1953 that Nathaniel Kleitman and his colleagues identified two different kinds of sleep;
REM and non-REM sleep. Many say that this breakthrough paved the way for modern sleep research.
100. C
If there were times when it was difficult or hazardous for an animal to move around, then it might make
sense for them to simply enter a sleep state when all of their physical systems slow down. That way,
they would require less food, and could hide away from danger
101. E
Research has shown that the cellular structure of the brain is altered during sleep, and more space forms
between cells. This allows fluid to move between the cells and flush out toxic waste products.

Questions 102-104: Look at the following statement and the list of researchers below. Match each
statement with the correct researcher, A-E. Write your answers in the corresponding numbered box
provided.
A Henri Pieron
B Nathaniel Kleitman
C Serge Daan
D Matthew Walker
E Ted Abel
102. Sleep is essential for the recollection only of certain types of memory.
103. The fact that sleep requirements vary with age alludes to its role.
104. A chemical that promotes sleep accumulates throughout the day.
Your answers
102. 103. 104.

12
102. E
This result allowed him to specify that sleep regulates memory in a specific part of the brain, the
hippocampus, which is responsible for memories related to spatial and contextual information.
103. D
Sleep scientist Matthew Walker used MRI scans to visualise activity in the brains of people who were
learning a series of finger movements. One group was allowed to sleep and the other was not. He found
differences in the areas of the brain that were activated when they recalled the movements; the group
that had slept showed less activity in the brain, and better recollection of the task. In other words, the
way the memory was stored had become more efficient. Walker believes that this could explain why
toddlers, who are constantly learning new motor skills, require so much more sleep than adults.
104. A
The possibility of a ‘sleep toxin’ – a substance that built up during the day, causing drowsiness, and was
subsequently relieved by sleep – was put forward by Henri Pieron in the early 1900s

Questions 105-106: Choose TWO letters, A-E. Which TWO theories does the writer question the
validity of? Write your answers in the corresponding numbered box provided.
A Sleep pressure is proof of the necessity of sleep.
B Animals’ sleeping habits are related to their place on the food chain.
C Sleep is related to changes in body temperature.
D Sleep prevents the unnecessary burning of calories.
E There are different types of sleep with different functions. 

Questions 107-108: Choose TWO letters, A-E. Which TWO points does the writer mention in support
of the importance of sleep for memory? Write your answers in the corresponding numbered box
provided.
A During sleep, unimportant memories are removed.
B Sleep makes recollection more effortless.
C Sleep results in more activity throughout the brain.
D The function of a specific brain region is affected by sleep.
E Sleep duration modifies learning

Your answers
105. 106. 107. 108.

105-106. C/D
The question of why we sleep has been on people’s minds at least since the time of Aristotle, who
believed that the warming and cooling of the body as a result of digestion caused sleep. Though we
know this is incorrect today, other early theories have held up better.
The observation that animals with few natural predators, lions, for example, sleep up to 15 hours a day,
while small prey animals seldom sleep more than 5 hours a day, seems to contradict this, however. In
addition, the objection has been raised that sleep only lowers the metabolism by 10-15 per cent, so not
much energy is, in fact, saved.
107-108: B/D
Walker used MRI scans to visualise activity in the brains of people who were learning a series of finger
movements. One group was allowed to sleep and the other was not. He found differences in the areas of
the brain that were activated when they recalled the movements; the group that had slept showed less
activity in the brain, and better recollection of the task. In other words, the way the memory was stored
had become more efficient.
This result allowed him to specify that sleep regulates memory in a specific part of the brain, the
hippocampus, which is responsible for memories related to spatial and contextual information.

Part 4. For questions 109-118, read the following passage and choose the answer A, B, C or D that
fits best according to the text. Write your answers in the corresponding numbered boxes provided.

13
Forget global terrorism - for most of the world's population, ticking time bombs like earthquakes,
supervolcanoes and hurricanes pose a far greater threat. Natural disaster expert Bill McGuire reveals a
few of the top catastrophes waiting to happen.
With NASA's eminent climate scientist, Jim Hansen, concerned that collapsing polar ice sheets could
result in sea levels rising 1-2m this century and several more in the next, prospects for the Earth's coastal
zones are bleak. A 1m rise would threaten one-third of the world's agricultural land, while a 4m rise
would maroon Miami 60km offshore. Rising sea levels is not the only threat to coastal regions. The
Cumbre Vieja volcano on the Canary Island of La Palma is slowly creeping seawards. During a future
eruption, this gigantic landslide will plunge into the ocean, pushing up a bulge of water close to a
kilometre high, spawning a mega-tsunami capable of devastating all the coastal areas surrounding the
North Atlantic.
Coastal regions also face the menace of desertification. By 2030, over half a billion people living
around the shores of the Mediterranean will be viewing the encroaching desert with increasing panic.
An area bigger than the UK, and home to 16 million people, is threatened - by the end of the century -
with transformation from a green and pleasant land to a baking wilderness of sand and rock.
However, these disasters seem pale in comparison to the mega-catastrophes waiting to happen like
supervolcanoes, for instance. Every 50 millennia or so, a colossal volcanic blast expels sufficient ash
and gas to cover a continent and block the Sun's rays for years on end, heralding a bitter volcanic winter.
At Yellowstone in Wyoming, US, two such super-eruptions have shattered the crust in the last 2.1
million years and the volcano there remains restless. An asteroid attack is another threat which would
have devastating consequences. A total of 713 asteroids with diameters of 1km or more, and the
potential to clobber the Earth at some future date, have been identified. A 2km asteroid would load the
atmosphere with dust and trigger a sustained global freeze. Harvests would fail and billions would die.
Fortunately, such collisions only happen every couple of million years.

109. Which best serves as the title for the passage?

A. Disasters in Waiting B. Threats to the Earth’s Coastal Zones
C. The Mega-catastrophes That Could End the World D. Surprising Facts about Supervolcanoes
110. According to the passage, what poses an imminent threat to us?
A. the increase of global terrorism
B. the rise in the world's population
C. the consequences of climate change and natural disasters
D. time bombs waiting to go off
111. The word “bleak” in paragraph 2 is closest in meaning to __________
A. auspicious B. promising C. commanding D. gloomy
bleak = gloomy = ảm đạm
112. Which aspect of the Cumbre Vieja eruption will have the worst effects?
A. the eruption itself B. the subsequent mega-tsunami
C. the plunge into the ocean D. the resulting landslide
During a future eruption, this gigantic landslide will plunge into the ocean, pushing up a bulge of water
close to a kilometre high, spawning a mega-tsunami capable of devastating all the coastal areas
surrounding the North Atlantic.
113. The word “maroon” in paragraph 2 is closest in meaning to __________
A. push B. leave C. surge D. pull
maroon = leave = khiến cho
114. The process of desertification threatening the shores of the Mediterranean will occur __________
A. gradually B. at the end of this century
C. to an area not quite as big as the UK D. all of a sudden
By 2030, over half a billion people living around the shores of the Mediterranean will be viewing the
encroaching desert with increasing panic. encroach = begin to slowly cover
115. The word “menace” in paragraph 3 is closest in meaning to __________
A. acceleration B. spread C. threat D. process
116. How often does a supervolcano take place?
A. once every century B. once every 50 thousand years
C. once every couple of million years D. once every 50 million years

14
Every 50 millennia or so, a colossal volcanic blast expels sufficient ash and gas to cover a continent
and block the Sun's rays for years on end, heralding a bitter volcanic winter.
117. The word “there” in paragraph 4 refers to __________
A. the continent B. Yellowstone C. The US D. the crust
118. Which of the following can be inferred from the passage?
A. Terrorism is the most challenging issue facing the world.
B. Rising sea levels wreak greater havoc on coastal regions than volcanoes do.
C. The UK is one of the countries most heavily affected by desertification.
D. Both supervolcanoes and asteroid attacks lead to extremely cold weather conditions.
Every 50 millennia or so, a colossal volcanic blast expels sufficient ash and gas to cover a continent and
block the Sun's rays for years on end, heralding a bitter volcanic winter.
A 2km asteroid would load the atmosphere with dust and trigger a sustained global freeze.

Your answers
109. 110. 111. 112. 113.

114. 115. 116. 117. 118.

Part 5. In the passage below, seven paragraphs have been removed. For questions 119-125, read the
passage and choose from the paragraphs A-H the one which fits each gap. There is ONE extra
paragraph which you do not need to use. Write your answers in the corresponding numbered box
provided.

Living in a Dream World

Daydreaming can help solve problems, trigger creativity, and inspire great works of art and science.
By Josie Glazier.
Most people spend between 30 and 47 per cent of their waking hours spacing out, drifting off, lost in
thought, wool-gathering or building castles in the air. Yale University emeritus psychology professor
Jerome L. Singer defines daydreaming as shifting attention “away from some primary physical or
mental task toward an unfolding sequence of private responses” or, more simply, “watching your own
mental videos.” He also divides daydreaming styles into two main categories: “positive-constructive,”
which includes upbeat and imaginative thoughts, and “dysphoric,” which encompasses visions of failure
or punishment. 

119.

Such humdrum concerns figured prominently in one study that rigorously measured how much time we
spend mind wandering in daily life. In a 2009 study, Kane and his colleague Jennifer McVay asked 72
students to carry Palm Pilots that beeped at random intervals eight times a day for a week. The subjects
then recorded their thoughts at that moment on a questionnaire. The study found that about 30 per cent
of the beeps coincided with thoughts unrelated to the task at hand and that mind wandering increased
with stress, boredom or sleepiness or in chaotic environments and decreased with enjoyable tasks. That
may be because enjoyable activities tend to grab our attention.

120.

We may not even be aware that we are daydreaming. We have all had the experience of “reading” a
book yet absorbing nothing—moving our eyes over the words on a page as our attention wanders and
the text turns into gibberish. “When this happens, people lack what I call ‘meta-awareness,’
15
consciousness of what is currently going on in their mind,” he says. But aimless rambling can be
productive as they can allow us to stumble on ideas and associations that we may never find if we
intentionally seek them.

121.

So, why should daydreaming aid creativity? It may be in part because when the brain is floating in
unfocused mental space it serves a specific purpose. It allows us to engage in one task and at the same
time trigger reminders of other, concurrent goals so that we do not lose sight of them. There is also the
belief that we can boost the creative process by increasing the amount of daydreaming we do or
replaying variants of the millions of events we store in our brains.

122.

The mind's freedom to wander during a deliberate tuning out could also explain the flash of insight that
may coincide with taking a break from an unsolved problem. A study conducted at the University of
Lancaster in England into this possibility found that if we allow our minds to ramble during a
moderately challenging task, we can access ideas that are not easily available to our conscious minds.
Our ability to do so is now known to depend on the normal functioning of a dedicated daydreaming
network deep in our brain.

123.

It was not until 2007, however, that cognitive psychologist Malia Fox Mason, discovered that the
default network — which lights up when people switch from an attention-demanding activity to drifting
reveries with no specific goals, becomes more active when mind wandering is more likely. She also
discovered that people who daydream more in everyday life show greater activity in the default network
while performing monotonous tasks.

124.

The conclusion reached in this ground-breaking study was that the more complex the mind wandering
episode is, the more of the mind it is going to consume. This inevitably leads to the problem of
determining the point at which creative daydreaming crosses the boundary into the realms of
compulsive fantasising. Although there is often a fine dividing line between the two, one question that
can help resolve the dilemma relates to whether the benefits gained from daydreaming outweigh the cost
to the daydreamer’s reputation and performance.

125.

On the other hand, there are psychologists who feel that the boundary is not so easily defined. They
argue that mind wandering is not inherently good or bad as it depends to a great extent on context.
When, for example, daydreaming occurs during an activity that requires little concentration, it is
unlikely to be costly. If, however, it causes someone to suffer severe injury or worse by say, walking
into traffic, then the line has been crossed.
16
A Although these two findings were significant, mind wandering itself was not measured during the
scans. As a result, it could not be determined exactly when the participants in her study were “on task”
and when they were daydreaming. In 2009 Smallwood, Schooler and Kalina Christoff of the University
of British Columbia published the first study to directly link mind wandering with increased activity in
the default network. Scans on the participants in their study revealed activity in the default network was
strongest when subjects were unaware they had lost focus.
B However, intense focus on our problems may not always lead to immediate solutions. Instead
allowing the mind to float freely can enable us to access unconscious ideas hovering underneath the
surface — a process that can lead to creative insight, according to psychologist Jonathan W. Schooler of
the University of California, Santa Barbara
C Yet to enhance creativity, it is important to pay attention to daydreams. Schooler calls this “tuning
out” or deliberate “off-task thinking.”, terms that refer to the ability of an individual to have more than
just the mind-wandering process. Those who are most creative also need to have meta-awareness to
realise when a creative idea has popped into their mind.
D On the other hand, those who ruminate obsessively—rehashing past events, repetitively analyzing
their causes and consequences, or worrying about all the ways things could go wrong in the future - are
well aware that their thoughts are their own, but they have intense difficulty turning them off. The late
Yale psychologist Susan Nolen-Hoeksema does not believe that rumination is a form of daydreaming,
but she has found that in obsessive ruminators, the same default network as the one that is activated
during daydreaming switches on.
E Other scientists distinguish between mundane musings and extravagant fantasies. Michael Kane, a
cognitive psychologist at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, considers “mind wandering”
to be “any thoughts that are unrelated to one's task at hand.” In his view, mind wandering is a broad
category that may include everything from pondering ingredients for a dinner recipe to saving the planet
from alien invasion. Most of the time when people fall into mind wandering, they are thinking about
everyday concerns, such as recent encounters and items on their to-do list. 
F According to Schooler, there are two steps you need to take to make the distinction. First, notice
whether you are deriving any useful insights from your fantasies. Second, it is important to take stock of
the content of your daydreams. To distinguish between beneficial and pathological imaginings, he adds,
“Ask yourself if this is something useful, helpful, valuable, pleasant, or am I just rehashing the same old
perseverative thoughts over and over again?” And if daydreaming feels out of control, then even if it is
pleasant it is probably not useful or valuable.
G Artists and scientists are well acquainted with such playful fantasizing. Filmmaker Tim Burton
daydreamed his way to Hollywood success, spending his childhood holed up in his bedroom, creating
posters for an imaginary horror film series. Orhan Pamuk, the Turkish novelist who won the Nobel Prize
in Literature in 2006, imagined “another world,” to which he retreated as a child, Albert Einstein
pictured himself running along a light wave—a reverie that led to his theory of special relativity.
H Like Facebook for the brain, the default network is a bustling web of memories and streaming
movies, starring ourselves. “When we daydream, we're at the center of the universe,” says neurologist
Marcus Raichle of Washington University in St. Louis, who first described the network in 2001. It
consists of three main regions that help us imagine ourselves and the thoughts and feelings of others,
draw personal memories from the brain and access episodic memories.

Your answers
119. 120. 121. 122. 123. 124. 125.

17
119 E
“Yale University emeritus psychology professor Jerome L. Singer defines daydreaming as” connects
with “Other scientists distinguish between mundane musings and extravagant fantasies”
“Most of the time when people fall into mind wandering, they are thinking about everyday concerns,
such as recent encounters and items on their to-do list” connects with “Such humdrum concerns”
120 B
“That may be because enjoyable activities tend to grab our attention.” connects with “However,
intense focus on our problems may not always lead to immediate solutions.”
“The study found that about 30 per cent of the beeps coincided with thoughts unrelated to the task at
hand and that mind wandering increased with stress, boredom or sleepiness or in chaotic
environments” connects with “Instead allowing the mind to float freely can enable us to access
unconscious ideas hovering underneath the surface — a process that can lead to creative insight”
121 G
“But aimless rambling can be productive as they can allow us to stumble on ideas and associations
that we may never find if we intentionally seek them.” connects with “Artists and scientists are well
acquainted with such playful fantasizing. Filmmaker Tim Burton daydreamed his way to Hollywood
success, spending his childhood holed up in his bedroom, creating posters for an imaginary horror film
series. Orhan Pamuk, the Turkish novelist who won the Nobel Prize in Literature in 2006, imagined
“another world,” to which he retreated as a child, Albert Einstein pictured himself running along a
light wave—a reverie that led to his theory of special relativity.”
122 C
“So, why should daydreaming aid creativity?” connects with “Yet to enhance creativity, it is
important to pay attention to daydreams.” and “The mind's freedom to wander during a
deliberate tuning out could also explain the flash of insight that may coincide with taking a break
from an unsolved problem.”
123 H
“Our ability to do so is now known to depend on the normal functioning of a dedicated daydreaming
network deep in our brain.” connects with “Like Facebook for the brain, the default network is a
bustling web of memories and streaming movies” and “It consists of three main regions that help us
imagine ourselves and the thoughts and feelings of others, draw personal memories from the brain and
access episodic memories.”
124 A
“Marcus Raichle of Washington University in St. Louis, who first described the network in 2001” and
“It was not until 2007, however, that cognitive psychologist Malia Fox Mason, discovered that” connect
with “Although these two findings were significant, mind wandering itself was not measured during the
scans.”
125 F
“This inevitably leads to the problem of determining the point at which creative daydreaming crosses
the boundary into the realms of compulsive fantasising. Although there is often a fine dividing line
between the two, one question that can help resolve the dilemma relates to whether the benefits gained
from daydreaming outweigh the cost to the daydreamer’s reputation and performance.” connects with “
“To distinguish between beneficial and pathological imaginings” and “On the other hand, there are
psychologists who feel that the boundary is not so easily defined. They argue that mind wandering is
not inherently good or bad”

IV. WRITING (50 points)

Part 1. Rewrite the following sentences using the words given.

126. The reason they did not give him the job was because he could not use a computer. (inability)
Had it not been for his inability to use a computer, they would have given him the job.
127. If there is a fire, people should not use the lift. (event)
In the event of a fire, people should not use the lift.
128. Harry knows about the new regulations so let’s ask him. (brains)
Let’s pick Harry’s brains about the new regulations
18
129. I managed to persuade John not to resign. (talk)
I managed to talk John out of resigning.
130. Why did you have to cause so much trouble over something so unimportant? (dance)
Why did you have to make such a song and dance about something so unimportant?
Part 2. The bar chart below shows the percentage of Australian men and women in different age
groups who did regular physical activity in 2010. Summarise the information by selecting and
reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant. Write at least 150 words.

Sample:
The chart compares the proportions of Australian males and females in six age categories who were
physically active on a regular basis in the year 2010.

Roughly speaking, close to half of Australian adults did some kind of routine physical activity in 2010.
Middle-aged females were the most physically active, proportionally, while males aged 35 to 44 did the
least physical activity.

19
In the youngest age category (15 to 24), almost 53% of Australian men but only 47.7% of women did
regular physical activity in 2010. However, between the ages of 25 and 44, men were much less active
on average than women. In fact, in the 35 to 44 age group, a mere 39.5% of males did some form of
regular exercise, compared to 52.5% of females.

Between the ages of 45 and 64, the figure for male physical activity rose to around 45%, while the
proportion of active females remained around 8% higher, at 53%. Finally, the percentages of Australian
women and men aged 65 and over who exercised regularly were almost identical, at approximately
47%.

Part 3. Write an essay of 300 words on the following topic:

Nowadays there is a growing shift towards the use of cashless transactions. While some people argue
in support of a cashless society, claiming that it is beneficial to citizens, others raise concerns about
security. Which side of this argument do you, personally, agree with, and why?

When purchasing a product, people face a dilemma over whether withdrawing the cash and carrying it
to the shop or paying electronically with a card. Despite the increasing use of cashless transactions,
people will still give different answers. Although there are some security concerns with cashless
transactions, I believe that the benefits far outweigh them.

Perhaps the main benefit of cashless transactions is the security and convenience they offer. Anxiety
about pickpockets is becoming a thing of the past as there is no longer a need to carry large amounts of
cash. And moreover, people do not have to spend time locating banks to withdraw money or worry
about being caught short in a restaurant when the bill comes.
Another benefit of cashless transactions is the lower transaction costs. For example, there are fewer
banking fees and, as a result, customers save money. It is also easier to get better rates when
exchanging currency, since it happens automatically when payment is made by card and we are no
longer dependent on agents.
On the other hand, cashless transactions are not without some risks. This is because the transactions are
recorded by third parties. For example, governments track all transactions and some people
fear invasions of privacy. In addition, these records make people vulnerable to identity theft if the wrong
person finds the information. Nevertheless, the same records can be useful in the fight against crime,
too. They can limit activity in the parallel economy, and prevent money laundering and tax evasion. And
finally, cybercriminals can be caught and prosecuted.
All in all, it seems that cashless transactions are making our lives much easier, and security risks are
minimal. It will surely not be long before the only places we will see money are in a museum or in a
history book.

20