Professional Documents
Culture Documents
ĐỀ MẪU VSTEP
ĐỀ MẪU VSTEP
PART 1: There are eight questions in this part. For each question there are four options and a short
recording. For each question, choose the correct answer A, B, C or D. You now have 48 seconds to look
through the questions and the options in each question.
PART 2: You will hear three different conversations. In each conversation there are four questions. For
each question, choose the correct answer A, B, C or D. You will hear the conversations only once.
Questions 9 to 12: You will hear a conversation between a boy, Jim, and his mother.
9. What does Jim say needs to be mended?
A. his bicycle B. his laptop C. his smart phone D. his watch
10. What does Jim want to buy?
A. a TV B. a mountain bike C. house D. a car
11. What does his mother encourage him to do?
A. buy a new bicycle B. sell his present bicycle
C. save his money D. walk to school
12. What does his mother give him in the end?
A. a book B. a bill C. a new bicycle D. money
Question 13 to 16: Listen to an interview with someone who trains whales for public performances.
13. How many whale trainers are there in the world?
A. two hundred B. three hundred C. four hundred D. five hundred
14. How did Laura feel when she first swam with a whale?
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A. excited B. Scared C. shocked D. happy
15. Laura says that being in water with whales is a “miracle” because
A. each whale has different personalities.
B. whales behave in the same way as other animals.
C. all whales are very friendly.
D. some whales are hard to be trained.
16. What does Laura say about training whales?
A. It is a job that is entertaining and interesting. B. It is a job that is dangerous.
C. It is a job that helps her earn much money. D. It is a job she spends her life with.
Question 17 to 20: Listen to a conversation between two friends who are making plans.
17. What is the woman planning to do on Saturday?
A. attend a football game alone B. go to a sporting event
C. eat in the cafeteria and study D. see a play
18. Why does the man want to go to the football game?
A. It’s the final game of the season. B. It’s better than the drama department’s play.
C. It’s a very important game. D. It’s close to the cafeteria.
19. What is at the same time as the music department’s concert?
A. a play B. a game C. a study group meeting D. dinner in the cafeteria
20. When does the man plan to study?
A. Saturday night B. after dinner in the cafeteria C. Sunday afternoon D. maybe next weekend
PART 3: You will hear three different talks or lectures. In each talk or lecture there are five questions. For
each question, choose the correct answer A, B, C or D. You will hear the talks or lectures only once.
Question 21 to 25: You will hear an introduction about features of undergraduate study in the UK.
21. You do not have to provide…..
A. a letter of recommendation. B. school records. C. exam results. D. health certificate.
22. Your required English level depends on…. .
A. your age. B. your chosen course. C. your grades. D. your nationality.
23. Some science courses require you to….
A. take an exam. B. complete a foundation year.
C. do extra personal study. D. have a higher level of English.
24. Application for undergraduate courses is….
A. always via UCAS. B. direct with universities.
C. either via UCAS or direct with universities. D. via a placement agency.
25. British universities….
A. are the best in the world. B. rank among the top universities in the world.
C. are all well respected. D. are generally well respected.
Question 26 to 30: Listen to a talk given on a tour of a factory where clothing materials are made.
26. What is the main topic of this talk?
A. The twenty types of manmade fibers. B. Rayon. C. How nylon is made. D. Clothing care.
27. For how long have manmade fibers been used for clothing?
A. since 1939. B. for a little over a century.
C. for approximately twenty years. D. since nylon was first invented.
28. According to the speaker, why does this factory continue to produce rayon?
A. It is inexpensive to produce. B. It is more durable than other manmade fibers.
C. It remains a very popular clothing fiber. D. It is easy to produce in great quantities.
29. According to the speaker, what is the biggest problem with rayon?
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A. It does not wash well. B. It is manmade.
C. It loses its color in sunlight. D. It is not very comfortable to wear.
30. What is the speaker probably going to do next?
A. Talk about the production of nylon. B. Leave the factory.
C. Take a break. D. Go into the rayon production room.
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READING (40 questions, 60’)
PASSAGE 1 – Questions 1-10
A tour under Paris
The great avenues are quiet, the shops are closed. There’s the smell of fresh bread from a bakery somewhere. It
would be hard to say which time of the day in Paris I prefer but this is probably it. Soon the streets will be full of
people and traffic. As with most other cities, you see the real Paris when the city wakes up.
There is, however, another part of Paris which is silent and free from people 24 hours a day. Under the city are
hundreds of kilometres of tunnels. There are sewers and old subways but there are also spaces of all kinds: canals
and catacombs, wine cellars which have been made into nightclubs and galleries. During the 19th century, the
Parisians needed more stone for buildings above the ground so they dug tunnels beneath the city. After that,
many farmers grew mushrooms in them. During World War II, the French Resistance fighters also used them.
Since the 1970s, many groups of young people spend days and nights below the city in these tunnels. It’s a place
for parties, theatre performances, art galleries – anything goes here!
Everywhere you go under Paris, there is history and legend. Historians and novelists often refer to them in their
books. For example, Victor Hugo mentions the tunnels in his famous novel Les Miserables and in the story and
musical The Phantom of the Opera there is a pond beneath the old opera house. Most people think this is myth
but in fact there is an underground pond here with fish. A ‘normal’ tourist can visit parts of Paris beneath the
ground. For example, there are the catacombs beneath the Montparnasse district. Here you can see the bones and
skeletons of about six millions Parisians. The bodies came from cemeteries above the ground two centuries ago
when the city needed more space.
However, it’s illegal to enter other parts of the tunnels and police often search the area. It’s also very dangerous
because some of the tunnels might collapse. Nevertheless, there are people who will take you to visit them. I have
found two ‘unofficial’ tour guides – Dominique and Yopie (not their real names). They take me through many
tunnels and after a couple of hours we arrive at a room which isn’t on any map. Yopie and some of his friends
built it. The room is comfortable and clean with a table and chairs and a bed. Yopie tells me there are many other
places like this. ‘Many people come down here to party, some people to paint … We do what we want here.’
1. In paragraph 1, what time of the day does the author describe?
A. Early in the morning B. Mid-day C. In the evening D. Late at night
2. According to the passage, what are under Paris?
A. Tunnels B. Sewers and old subways
C. Canals, catacombs, and wine cellars D. Night clubs and galleries
5. According to the passage, when did young people start to use the tunnels?
A. Since the 19th century B. Since the World War II
C. Since the French Resistance D. Since the 1970s
6. Why does the author mention Victor Hugo?
A. To prove that the tunnels often appear in books B. To give examples of best French novels
C. To prove that he wrote about the tunnels D. To prove that the tunnels are under Paris
7. The word “myth” in paragraph 2 is closest in meaning to….
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A. truth. B. legend C. fact. D. example.
8. Are tourist allowed to go underground?
A. Yes, they can go everywhere. B. Yes, they can visit part of the tunnels.
C. No, never. D. Yes, but it is illegal.
9. Why does the writer say it’s dangerous in the tunnels?
A. There are criminals down there. B. The tunnels might fall down on you.
C. You might get lost. D. The police may arrest you.
10. Why is Dominique and Yopie’s room difficult to find?
A. It is not on the map. B. It takes two hours to walk there.
C. They never show people where it is D. There are many other places like it.
The World Bank stopped financing hydroelectric dam projects in developing countries twenty years ago because
of criticism that such projects were harming local communities and the environment. But Nam Theun 2 – a 39-
metre high dam on the Mekong River that generates over 1,000 megawatts of electricity – is the showpiece for
the bank’s new policy of supporting sustainable hydropower projects. For Laos it is part of a longer-term strategy
to revitalise the economy and become the battery of South-East Asia.
In 2010 the dam brought $5.6 million in sales of electricity and it is estimated that during the next 25 years Nam
Theun 2 will generate around $2 billion in revenue to Laos, one of Asia’s poorest countries, since most of the
electricity will be exported to its power-hungry neighbour, Thailand. The government has promised that this
money will be spent on reducing poverty and both renewing and improving the country’s infrastructure.
Seventeen villages in the flooded area have now been rebuilt and the 6,200 people – mostly farmers – who lived
in them have been retrained to make a living from the reservoir. The power company has promised to double their
living standards within five years. According to the World Bank, 87 per cent of those resettled believe life is much
better than before as they now have electricity, sanitation, clean water, new roads and greater access to schools
and health care.
But the old criticisms have not gone away. Environmental and human rights groups warn that the dam will have
a negative impact on water quality and fish and that the local people who were relocated after the area was flooded
may not be able to support themselves economically in future.
As well as the 6,200 villagers already re-housed, activists also point out that there are over 110,000 people in
riverside villages downstream from the dam whose lives will have to change because of the new river ecosystem.
They claim that these people will have to deal with issues like flooding, decline of the fish population and poor
water quality. How quickly they will pick up new skills is uncertain.
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But the World Bank says it is responsive to these problems. A 4,100-square kilometre protected area has been
established around the dam to safeguard flora and fauna. It admits though that rebuilding the lives of the villagers
is not a short-term process and everyone is trying to learn and readjust as they go along.
8. According to the World Bank, how will people’s life change after the dam?
A. It will be better. B. They will farm in the flooded area.
C. They can work for the power company. D. They will have new roads.
9. According to environmental and human rights group, what may happen to local people?
A. They may have better access to school. B. They may not make a living.
C. They may not fish in the reservoir. D. They may not want to leave their village.
10. What is the attitude of environmental and human rights group towards the project?
A. They strongly support the project. B. They criticize the project.
C. They disagree with part of the project. D. They are happy with the project.
11. What does the phrase “these problems” in the last paragraph refer to?
A. Flooding, decrease of fish, and poor water quality B. Poverty of villagers
C. Pollution caused by the dam D. Lack of new houses for villagers
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Contrary to popular belief, one does not have to be a trained programmer to work online. Of course, there are
plenty of jobs available for people with high-tech computer skills, but the growth of new media has opened up a
wide range of Internet opportunities requiring only a minimal level of technical expertise. Probably one of the
most well-known online jobs is the job of webmaster. However, it is hard to define one basic job description for
this position. The qualifications and responsibilities depend on what tasks a particular organization needs a
webmaster to perform.
To specify the job description of a webmaster, one needs to identify the hardware and software that the website
webmaster will manage is running on. Different types of hardware and software require different skill sets to
manage them. Another key factor is whether the website will be running internally (at a firm itself) or externally
(renting shared space on the company servers). Finally, the responsibilities of a webmaster also depend on whether
he or she will be working independently, or whether the firm will provide people to help. All of these factors need
to be considered before one can create an accurate webmaster job description.
Webmaster is one type of internet career inquiring in-depth knowledge of the latest computer applications.
However, there are also online jobs available for which traditional skills remain in high demand. Content jobs
require excellent writing skills and a good sense of web as a “new media.”
The term “new media” is difficult to define because it encompasses a constantly growing set of new technologies
and skills. Specifically, it includes websites, emails, internet telephone, CD-ROM, DVD, streaming audio and
video, interactive multimedia presentations, e-books, digital music, computer illustration, video games, virtual
reality, and computer artistry.
Additionally, many of today’s Internet careers are becoming pair-by-the-job professions. With many companies
having to decrease their number of employees in tough economic times, the outsourcing and contracting of
freelance workers online has become common business practice. The Internet provides an infinite pool of buyers
from around the world with whom freelancers can contract their services. An added benefit to such online jobs is
that freelancers are able to work on projects with companies outside their own country or residence.
How much can a person make in these kinds of careers? As with many questions related to today’s evolving
technology, there is no simple answer. There are many companies willing to pay people with technical Internet
skills salaries well above $70,000 a year. Generally, webmasters start at about $30,000 a year, but salaries can
vary greatly. Freelance writers working online have been known to make between $40,000 and $70,000 per year.
13. Which of the following means most nearly the same as “contrary” in the first paragraph?
A. Opposite B. Agreeing C. Equal D. Embarrassing
14. The word “identify” in paragraph 2 is closest in meaning to….
A. name. B. estimate. C. discount. D. encounter.
15. The word “them” in paragraph 2 refer to……….
A. companies. B. new job opportunities. C. hardware and software. D. webmasters.
16. According to the reading passage, which of the following is true about webmasters?
A. They never work independently. B. They require a minimal level of expertise.
C. The duties they perform depend on the organization they work for. D. They do not support
software products.
17. Which of the sentences below best expresses the essential information in the highlighted sentence in the
passage?
A. The term “new media” is hard to state because it covers so much skill and technology.
B. The ever-expanding set of new technology and the knowledge based on that technology make the exact
meaning of “new media” difficult to specify.
C. Because it is constantly growing, the skills for “new media” difficult to specify.
D. Because new technology and the skills for that technology are always encompassing more fields, the
expression “new media” is impossible to specify.
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18. What does “it” in paragraph 4 refer to?
A. Modern technology B. New media C. A webmaster’s career D. The
Internet
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belt, higher temperature and more frequent drought during the growing season might require farmers to switch
from corn to wheat and to use more water for irrigation.
[A] Global warming may also cause a rise in sea level by melting polar ice caps. A rise in sea level would
accelerate coastal erosion and inundate islands and low–lying coastal plains, some of which are densely
populated. [B] Millions of acres of coastal farmlands would be covered by water. [C] Furthermore, the warming
of seawater will cause the water to expand, thus adding to the potential danger. [D]
Global warming has already left its fingerprint on the natural world. Two research teams recently reviewed
hundreds of published papers that tracked changes in the range and behavior of plant and animal species, and
they found ample evidence of plants blooming and birds nesting earlier in the spring. Both teams concluded that
rising global temperatures are shifting the ranges of hundreds of species – thus climatic zones – northward. These
studies are hard evidence that the natural world is already responding dramatically to climate change, even though
the change has just begun.
31. According to the passage, how do carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases affect the earth-atmosphere
system?
A. They collect solar radiation that warms the earth’s surface.
B. They create the conditions for new forms of life to emerge.
C. They cause heat to flow from the atmosphere into space.
D. They decrease the amount of oxygen in the atmosphere.
32. Which sentence below best expresses the essential information in the bold sentence in paragraph 2?
Incorrect choices change the meaning in important ways or leave out the essential information.
The man-made greenhouse effect is the exhalation of industrial civilization.
A. The greenhouse effect causes breathing problems in industrial workers.
B. The growth of industry was made possible by the greenhouse effect.
C. Scientists are seeking better ways to manufacture greenhouse gases.
D. Industrial activities result in emissions that cause the greenhouse effect.
33. All of the following are contributing factors to global warming EXCEPT ….
A. the burning of coal and petroleum. B. the loss of forest lands.
C. the conversion of carbon dioxide to oxygen. D. the buildup of water vapor in the atmosphere.
34. What can be inferred from paragraph 3 about global climate change?
A. Climate change will have both positive and negative effects on human society
B. It is difficult to predict the effects of climate change over the next century.
C. International organizations have been studying climate change only since 1990
D. Climate change is likely to continue as long as heat-trapping gases accumulate.
35. According to paragraph 4, what is one effect that climate change could have on agriculture in North
America?
A. Return to more traditional methods of farming B. Movement of farms to the northernmost regions
C. Changes in the crops that farmers can grow D. Less water available for irrigating crops
36. The word “inundate” in paragraph 5 is closest in meaning to………..
A. cover B. reduce. C. move. D. create.
39. What evidence does the author give that climatic zones have shifted northward?
A. Solar radiation escapes from the atmosphere back into space.
B. The water in the ocean expands as it gets warmer.
C. Plants bloom and birds build nests earlier in the spring.
D. Birds no longer pollinate plants or control insect populations.
40. Look at [A], [B], [C], and [D] that indicate where the following sentence could be added to the passage.
The combination of melting ice caps with the expansion of water could raise the sea level several
centimeters by the year 2100.
Where would the sentence best fit? Choose the letter that shows where the sentence should be added.
A. [A] B. [B] C. [C] D. [D
I’ve just got an email from your friend, An. She said she’s going to take a course in London this
summer. She asked if she could stay with my family until she could find an apartment. Can you tell
me a bit about her (things like her personality, hobbies and interests, and her current work or study
if possible)? I want to see if she will fit in with my family.
You should write at least 120 words. You do not need to include your name or addresses. Your response will be
evaluated in terms of Task Fulfillment, Organization, Vocabulary and Grammar.
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
TASK 2
You should spend about 40 minutes on this task
Read the following text from a book about tourism.
Tourism has become one of the fastest growing industries in the world. Millions of people today
are travelling farther and farther throughout the year. Some people argue that the development
of tourism has had negative effects on local communities; others think that its influences are
positive.
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Write an essay to an educated reader to discuss the effects of tourism on local communities. Include
reasons and any relevant examples to support your answer.
You should write at least 250 words. Your response will be evaluated in terms of Task Fulfillment, Organization,
Vocabulary and Grammar.
………………………………………………………………………………………………………
ĐỀ 2
TASK 1
You should spend about 20 minutes on this task.
You received an email from your English pen friend, Paul. He asked you about your TV in your country.
Read part of his email below.
One of my hobbies is watching TV. There are many fantastic programs for me to watch.
Sometimes I can spend my whole day watching TV. Could you tell me about TV in
your country? Are the programs interesting to you? What is your best favourite TV
program? What is that program about? How much TV do you watch every day? Do
people in your country watch too much TV these days?
I’m looking forward to hearing from you soon.
Write an email responding to Paul. You should write at least 120 words. You do not need to include your
name or addresses.
TASK 2
Read the following text from an article about smoking.
Medical studies have shown that smoking not only leads to health problems for the
smoker, but also for people close by. For this reason, smoking should not be allowed in
public places. Opponents argue that the forbiddance of smoking would possibly affect
the freedom of choice or lead to the closure of many bars and pubs. However, supporters
of this ban place people’s health problems at the top of the scale.
Now, write an essay to an educated reader to discuss your opinions about whether public smoking should
be banned or not. Include reasons and any relevant examples to support your answer. You should write at
least 250 words.
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SPEAKING ( Đề nói thi trên giấy của ĐH HÀ Nội)
(3 parts, 12 minutes)
Test 2:
Part 1: Social Interaction (6 câu hỏi, 2 topic, giám thị hỏi, thí sinh nghe và trả lời)
Let’s talk about your job
Can you tell me about your job?
Do you have a part-time job?
What are the benefits of part-time job?
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