SỞ GIÁO DỤC VÀ ĐÀO TẠO KÌ THI HỌC SINH GIỎI THPT CẤP TỈNH

VĨNH LONG VÀ CHỌN ĐỘI TUYỂN THI HỌC SINH GIỎI CẤP QUỐC GIA
ĐỀ CHÍNH THỨC NĂM HỌC 2020 - 2021

MÔN THI : TIẾNG ANH

Thời gian : 180 phút (không kể thời gian giao đề)
(Đề thi gồm có 14 trang) Ngày thi : 11/10/2020

Chữ ký Chữ ký Tổng điểm Tổng điểm Số phách

Giám khảo 1 Giám khảo 2 (Bằng số) (Bằng chữ)

Số thứ tự

Điểm từng phần:

I. ………………. Hướng dẫn thi Nghe hiểu:

II. ………………  Thí sinh có 3 phút để nghiên cứu các câu hỏi.
 Bài nghe gồm 3 phần , mỗi phần được nghe 2 lần.
III. ………………
 Bắt đầu mỗi phần đều có thông báo (bằng tiếng Anh)
IV. ………………  Bắt đầu và kết thúc phần thi nghe là đoạn nhạc.

Cộng: ………….….....

I. LISTENING (5 points)
Part 1: Questions 1-10
You will hear five short extracts in which different people are talking about their listening skills.
You will hear the recording twice. While you listen, you must complete BOTH TASKS.
Task 1
For questions 1-5, choose from the list A-H how each speaker reacts while listening. Write your
answer (A-H) in the blanks (1-5).

A. gets bored listening to facts and figures

Speaker 1: ________ (1)
B. switches off if the content seems irrelevant
C. needs to be able to relate to the person talking Speaker 2: ________ (2)
D. is very quick on the intake when someone is speaking
Speaker 3: ________ (3)
E. is very sensitive to the tone people adopt
Speaker 4: ________ (4)
F. gets annoyed if their train of thought is interrupted
G. doesn’t maintain eye contact with people Speaker 5: ________ (5)
H. gets irritated when a speaker stops mid-sentence

Task 2
For questions 6-10, choose from the list A-H what strategy each speaker adopts to process what they
are hearing. Write your answer (A-H) in the blanks (6-10).

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A. needs to identify exactly what the speaker is trying to say
B. never interrupts when someone is talking to them Speaker 1: _________ (6)
C. likes to interact initially with the speaker
Speaker 2: _________ (7)
D. discards the details they hear and focuses on the main points
E. gives the impression they’re interested in listening Speaker 3: _________ (8)

F. connects what they’re hearing with their own circumstances Speaker 4: _________ (9)
G. makes a mental note of what the speaker has said
Speaker 5: _________ (10)
H. tries to visualize what the speaker is saying to them

Part 2: Questions 11-19

You will hear a talk about the different ways in which we think. For questions 11-19, complete the
sentences with a word or short phrase. You should not need more than two or three words for any
answer.
__________________________________________________________________________________

11. The fastest mental process involves a reaction which is ___________________ and which the
speaker calls our ‘wits’.

12. The second mode is the function of the brain like things tested in ___________________ .

13. We know least about the slowest level because it is _____________________, and may be
illogical or irrational.

14. The two girls in the science lesson wanted their teacher’s help because they _________________ .

15. The girl was using her _____________________ to manipulate the puzzle.

16. She was still making progress with the cube, although she appeared not to be
___________________________ .

17. When a speaker questioned her, the girl initially believed he was ________________________ for
playing with the cube.

18. When questioned, the girl was unaware of the __________________________ she had been using.

19. Adults who try to use their ____________________________ are unable to do the puzzle.
Part 3: Questions 20-25
You will hear a radio interview with Diana McLeod, a careers advisor at a university. For questions
20 to 25, choose the answer (A, B, C or D) which fits best according to what you hear. You will listen
to the recording twice.
20. What does Diana say the results of the survey show about teaching as a career?
A. Teachers find their work makes them happy.
B. People working in the media are a lot less happy than teachers.
C. Teaching doesn’t offer opportunities for creativity.
D. Teachers find their work stimulating.
21. According to Diana, which cause of unhappiness at work is raising?
A. fear of being sacked
B. not having many friends at work
C. having to move to an unfamiliar place
D. being obliged to do overtime

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22. Diana says job satisfaction is better in small and medium sized businesses because ________
A. employers are much stricter about bullying.
B. employers treat staff as individuals.
C. employers don’t demand as much from the staff.
D. employers run lots of staff training programmes.
23. Diana says people who are thinking of becoming self-employed should ___________
A. make sure they’ve got enough money first.
B. learn to take responsibility for their own decisions.
C. try to keep at least one day a week free.
D. be prepared to work longer hours.
24. Diana says bonus payments sometimes fail to give workers a sense of satisfaction because ______
A. they only provide for the bare essentials.
B. they are not always seen as a reward for good work.
C. there is no element of surprise.
D. employers use them to make people work harder.
25. Diana thinks the secret to success at work is ______________.
A. making sure that your work is noticed.
B. getting into a position of authority.
C. benefiting others through your work.
D. doing work that is creative.
II. LEXICO - GRAMMAR (4 points)
Part 1: Choose the best answer (A, B, C or D) to each of the following questions and write your
answers (A, B, C, D) in the corresponding numbered boxes:

1. She didn’t give _________ instructions, so she couldn’t be angry with you for doing it wrong.
A. implicit B. explicit C. pathetic D. apathetic
2. Washing your hands frequently is the best way to avoid catching ____________ illnesses.
A. obscene B. obscure C. contagious D. contiguous
3. Not only is little Johnny’s grammar incoherent and his spelling atrocious but also his punctuation
__________ .
A. slothful B. sluggish C. hazard D. haphazard
4. Mr. Deacon next door had a very serious operation. Apparently, it’s a miracle he _________ .
A. blacked out B. lashed out C. warded off D. pulled through
5. I followed your instructions _________ the letter but I still couldn’t get the printer to work properly.
A. over B. to C. of D. from
6. Eddie thought I was a football fan – he must have got completely the wrong end of the __________.
A. tale B. line C. road D. stick
7. She is now a senior _________, having worked her way up through the company.
A. consultant B. executive C. marketing D. headhunter
8. I’m so __________ under with work at the moment – it’s awful.
A. iced B. rained C. snowed D. fogged
9. The studio ___________ to release the film in August but they postponed it because of the political
situation.
A. was about to plan B. used to plan C. had planned D. would
plan
10. It is vital that ________ at this time.
A. should not be publicized these figures C. these figures not to be publicized
B. not to be publicized these figures D. these figures not be publicized
11. “I’ve been invited to meet the president.” – “In my opinion, that’s _________ honor there is.”
A. by far the greatest B. every bit as great C. far greater D. as great as an
12. Noise pollution __________ affects the health by damaging the hearing.
A. intensively B. merely C. virtually D. adversely
13. ________ urgently callers say they need to speak to me, I do not want any calls for the next hour.
A. Unless B. Though C. However D. No matter

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14. I thought I __________ that you had to submit your essays by Friday.
A. made as plain B. had made plainly C. made it plain D. did make plain
15. By labeling patients as “delayers”, there __________ an attribution of blame to the individual,
which is potentially stigmatizing.
A. feels to be B. is felt to be C. has been felt there is D. was felt being

Your answers
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7.
8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15.

Part 2: For questions 16-20, write the correct form of each bracketed word in the blanks.

16. Because of the excessive speed, the tires lost their _______________ . (adhere)

17. He is in his late 50’s and yet his energy seems __________________. (exhaust)

18. That is the ____________________ American scene that was shattered by a gunman's bullets.
(quintessence)

19. The politician gave a ________________ speech about the importance of family values, when we
all know about his sordid affairs. (hypocrisy)

20. While Mark Twain and William Dean Howells ________________ European manners at times,
Henry James was an admirer of ancient European civilization. (satire)

III. READING (4 points)

Part 1: Questions 1-21 are based on the reading passage below
Does Globalization Help the Poor?
A In recent years, we have heard steady proclamations emanating from the advocates of
economic globalization and leaders of the world’s leading financial institutions – the World
Bank, the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the World Trade Organizations (WTO), etc. –
that the ultimate purpose in pushing economic globalization is to help the world’s poor. More
specifically, they contend that removing barriers to cooperate trade and financial investments is
the best path to growth, which they claim offers the best chance of rescuing the poor from
poverty. They also assert that the millions of people who oppose the economic globalization
model are harming the interests of the poor. They should back off and leave it to corporations,
bankers and global bureaucracies to do the planning and solve the world’s problems. Such
claims are routinely replayed in the media. One prominent national columnists writes,
“Protestors are choking the only route out of poverty for the world’s poor.” In other words, if
the protesting stopped, the financial institutions would save the day. Is this believable? Is it the
salvation of the poor that really drives global corporations or are their primary motives quite
different?
B Almost all the evidence from the most robust period of economic globalization – 1970 to the
end of the 20th century – shows that its outcome is the exact opposite of what its supporters
claim. Interestingly, this evidence now comes as much from the proponents of globalization as
from its opponents. Clearly, poverty and inequalities are rapidly accelerating everywhere on
Earth. A 1999 report by the United Nations Development Program found that inequalities
between rich and poor within and among countries are quickly expanding, and that the global
trading an finance system is a primary cause. Even the US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA)
confirms the United Nations’ (UN) conclusions, agreeing that globalization brings massive
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 inequalities. “The benefits of globalization do not reach the poor,” says the CIA, “and the
process inevitably results in increased unrest and protest.”
C The ideologies and rules of economic globalization – including free trade, deregulation and
privatization – have destroyed the livelihoods of millions of people, often leaving them
homeless, landless and hungry, while removing their access to the most basic public services
like health and medical care, education, fresh water and public transport. The records show that
economic globalization makes things worse for the poor, not better. Economic globalization
has actually succeeded in making global corporations. This is what the UN describes as the
“staggering concentration of wealth among the ultra-wealthy”.
D Contrary to claims, wealth generated by globalization does not trickled down. Rather, the
wealth is locked at the top, removing from governments and communities the very tools
necessary to redistribute it, and in doing so protect domestic industries, social services, the
environment and sustainable livelihoods. There may be isolated instances where temporary
improvement has been achieved in Third World countries, and, of course, the financial
institutions love to trumpet these. The truth, however, is that benefit has been very short-lived
and the majority of it has gone to the elites in these countries and to the chief executives of the
global corporations at the hub of the process.
E People may point to the ‘Asian Tigers’ economies like Taiwan, South Korea and Singapore as
examples of the success of the globalization, but the truth is that improvement has not been
achieved by assiduously adhering to the dictates of international financial advisors. These
economies initially resisted the prescribed economic model, and managed to stay free of the
volatility of export markets. When they did finally succumb to pressure from the IMF and the
World Bank, they found their glory days quickly disappearing into the infamous Asian
financial crisis of the late 90s.
F The majority of poor countries have not enjoyed much benefit from globalization, and a
growing number of people understand that the system is selling a false promise. The policies of
the financial institutions are not designed to benefit them, but to benefit rich industrial
countries and their global corporations. The question then is, do these globalizing institutions
know what they’re doing or do they just blindly follow a failed ideological models? Many
commentators fiercely opposed to globalization now firmly believe that the institutions do
indeed know exactly what they’re doing and that they always have. They have an assignment to
remove all obstacles to the free flow of capital as they seek to pry open the world’s last natural
resource pools, markets and cheap labour. To suggest, they do all this to help the poor is high
cynicism.
G Perhaps the most traumatic impact of globalization has resulted from local economies being
forced to shift from a small-scale diversified agricultural model towards the industrial export
model. Half the world’s population still lives directly on the land, growing food for their
communities. They grow staples and a mix of diverse crops, and they replant with indigenous
seed varieties developed over centuries. They have perfected their own fertilization and
pesticide management. Such systems have sustained hundreds of millions of people for
millennia.
Global corporations must resist local self-sufficiency. Profit is generated by increased
processing activity and global trading. We have seen companies spend millions of dollars on
publicity professing that small farmers are not productive enough to feed the hungry world.
This publicity runs in tandems with the investment and trade strategies of the same companies
– strategies that aim to replace local, diverse farming for self-reliance with monocultures. The
people who once grew their crops are driven off their land. People who once fed themselves
become landless, homeless, jobless and hungry. Dependency and starvation replace self-
sufficient livelihoods and self-reliant nations, while global corporations maintain their wealth
by shipping luxury items thousands of miles to already overfed markets. Clearly, these
corporations are not concerned about feeding the hungry. They are concerned about
themselves.

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 The passage has seven sections labeled, A-G. For questions 1-6, choose the correct heading for
each section from the list of headings in the box. You do not need to use all the headings.

i. Initial gains – ultimate disaster

ii. A stark contrast between the poor and the super-rich
iii. The obliteration of traditional practices
iv. The poor must take some responsibility
v. Boast about small victories are misplaced
vi. We know best – don’t try to stop us
vii. Markets yet to be exploited
viii. Incompetence or a well-planned strategy?
ix. Parties on both sides can’t see the shortcomings
x. Asia leads the way
Write your answers here
0. Section A: ___vi____ 1. Section B: _______ 2. Section C: _______
3. Section D: _______ 4. Section E: _______ 5. Section F: _______
6. Section G: _______
For questions 7-11, complete the notes. Use NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS for each answer.
Globalization – two sides of the coin
Advocates say:
Growth realized only by (7) ______________________ to business
Hope of salvation thwarted by (8) __________________________.
Opponents say:
(9) ______________________ of the system equally skeptical
Millions destitute without essential (10) ______________________
(11) ________________________ now wealthier than some countries
For questions 12-16, decide if the following statements reflect the opinion of the writer in the
reading passage? Write:
(Y) YES if the statement reflects the claims of the writer.
(N) NO if the statement contradicts the claims of the writer.
(NG) NOT GIVEN if it is impossible to say what the writer thinks about this.
00. Authorities in poorer countries are often unable to act even when they wish to.
12. Globalization enthusiasts are typically modest about any success stories.
13. A tiny minority of people have benefited from any growth in poorer countries.
14. The ‘Asian Tigers’ economies became rich by following the advices of western financiers.
15. Big financial institutions were solely to blame for the collapse of the ‘Asian Tiger’ economies.
16.The poor are becoming more aware that globalization will end in disillusion.
Write your answers here:
00 12 13 14 15 16
Y

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For questions 17-21, complete the sentences. Use NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS for each
answer.
17. The writer believes that poor farmers have been badly affected by having to change their
business __________________.
18. Traditional farmers use _________________ native to their own countries to grow crops.
19. The writer suggests that global corporations pay for ____________________ that undermines
the role of small farmers.
20. _____________________ take the place of sustainable systems that benefit the local
community.
21. The writer feels that people who already have enough are encouraged to buy
________________ that are unnecessarily transported across the world.

Part 2 : For questions 22-27. Read the following passage and , for each question, choose one best
answers (A, B, C or D) based on what stated in the passage or on what can be inferred from the
passage. Write your answers (A, B, C, D) in the corresponding numbered boxes.

Lucy gets a new job on a newspaper

It was a precarious period for her where her own fortunes were concerned. She had to rely on freelance
work for six months after the quality weekly magazine folded. The regular salary cheque had always
seemed derisively small, but now it was like lost riches. Doggedly, she wrote letters and telephoned
and peppered editors with unsolicited articles and suggestions. Sometimes she struck lucky and got a
commission. She wrote a profile of a woman politician who appreciated her fair minded approach and
tipped her off about a local government row in a complacent cathedral town. Lucy went there,
investigated, talked to people and wrote a piece exposing a rich cauldron of corruption which was
snapped up by a national daily newspaper. This in turn led to a commission to investigate the
controversial siting of a theme park in the north of England. Her article was noticed by the features
editor in search of something sharp and bracing on the heritage industry in general. She was getting a
name for abrasive comment, for spotting an issue and homing in upon it. Anxiously, she scoured the
press for hints of impending issues. In this trade, she saw, you needed not so much to be abreast of
things as ahead of them, lying in wait for circumstance, ready to pounce.

But an article sold every week or two did not pay the bills. She began to contemplate, bleakly, a return
to the treadmill of proofreading and copy-editing. And then one day she walked into the offices of the
national daily which had taken her cauldron of corruption piece and whose features editor had since
looked kindly upon her. Having handed over a speculative piece on the latest educational theories
she’d written, she fell into conversation with an acquaintance and learned that one of the paper’s
regular columnists had fallen foul of the editor and departed in a cloud of dust. The column,
traditionally addressed to matters of the moment and written so as to provoke attention and
controversy, was untethered, so to speak. Lucy made the necessary phone call before her nerve went.

She was asked to submit a piece as a trial run which they published. ‘Great,’ they said. ‘We’ll let you
know,’ they said. ‘Soon,’ they assured her, ‘really very soon.’ She chewed her nails for a fortnight; a
seasoned hack was given a trial run after her; she read his contribution which, she saw with absolute
clarity, was succinct, incisive and original. Or just possibly anodyne, banal and plodding.

And then, the phone call came. She’d have a weekly column with her own by-line and her photograph,
postage-stamp size, next to it. There’d be a salary cheque, and perhaps fame and success to follow that.
Thinking more pragmatically, she realised that the job presented her with not only a wonderful
opportunity but also the inevitable pressure of keeping up with the twists and turns of events to which
she must supply a perceptive commentary.

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‘A start,’ she said to her mother, Maureen, and Bruce, her step-father. ‘It’s a start anyway, but they
could fire me at any moment.’

‘Just let them try,’ said Maureen belligerently. ‘I think you’re better with your hair a bit shorter. Or
maybe that’s not a very flattering picture. I think you’re very clever. You did some lovely essays at
school. I wonder if I’ve still got any of them somewhere.’

Later, when she was alone, Lucy thought that her appointment had probably been a piece of good
fortune. She refused to allow the word luck. She was young yet, and this was something of a plum. She
must have got the job on her merits, she told herself, along with whatever assistance there may have
been from the inadequacies of others considered for the appointment, or the failure of further rivals to
apply. What she was never to know was that in fact the editor had been on the verge of offering the
column to the seasoned hack – had been about to pick up the phone – when the colleague he most
disliked had walked into his office and spoken with satisfaction of the prospect of closer association
with this old crony of his. The editor listened with some indignation, first at the assumption that this
would be his decision, and then at the notion of these two ganging up under his nose. As soon as the
colleague was out of the room he reached for the phone. And rang Lucy.

And so it began, that time during which she was so feverishly hitched to the affairs of public life that
in retrospect it was to seem as though she hurtled from day to day with the onward rush of the news,
denied any of the lethargy of individual existence.
22. After losing her job, how did Lucy feel about the salary she used to earn?
A She had been foolish to give it up.
B It had given her a sense of security.
C She should have appreciated it more.
D It represented a fair return for her work.
23. Lucy thinks the secret of success as a freelance journalist is to
A keep yourself informed about current affairs.
B adopt a controversial style of writing.
C identify future newsworthy situations.
D make as many contacts as possible.
24. What made Lucy decide to apply for a job on the national daily?
A She had a friend who worked there.
B She had impressed the features editor.
C She had gained a reputation for effective reporting.
D She had discovered some information about a vacancy
25. It is suggested that Lucy’s mother Maureen
A is forgetful and absent-minded.
B understands little about Lucy’s job.
C has good critical judgement about writing.
D expects Lucy will have trouble with the editor.
26. On reflection, how did Lucy account for the fact that she got the job?
A She hoped it was because she deserved it.
B She was unable to understand how it happened.
C She thought her age had given her an advantage.
D She knew she was better than the many applicants.
27. The impression given of the editor is that he is
A anxious to please his colleagues.
B unable to make up his mind.
C prone to act on impulse.
D quick to take offence.

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 Write your answers here
22 23 24 25 26 27

Part 3: You are going to read an article. Seven paragraphs have been removed from the story. Choose
from the paragraphs A-H the one which fits each gap (28-34). There is one extra paragraph which
you do not need to use. Write your answers in the given spaces.
_________________________________________________________________________________

Heavens on Earth

The white and silver buildings of the VLT or Very Large Telescope at the ESO (European
Organization for Astronomical research in the Southern Hemisphere) stand tall and imposing on top of
a mountain shining brightly under the desert sun. At night they come alive, the outer walls open up and
silently slide through 306 degrees, allowing an uninterrupted view of the Southern Hemisphere sky.
Inside, a giant eye looks deep into the stars and beyond, looking for life, mysteries and sense out of the
darkness.

28

Getting to the place is a journey of discovery in itself. After leaving the Pacific Ocean, you head south
and hook up with the Panamericana Highway and into the desert, the driest on Earth. It’s a two-hour
drive to the observatory, but it feels longer as the harsh light, the rocky, dusty desert, the complete
absence of any form of life, except for the giant trucks playing their trade along the highway, is
unsettling.

29

The reason, we are told, is simple. Astronomers need a clear view of the sky at night. Optimal
conditions are to be found in deserts: there are fewer of the negative factors like light pollution that can
make the four telescopes which form VLT work less effectively. Here no lights are allowed after dark,
all windows are screened, and even the main residence where 108 people sleep, leaks no more than
40W when the lights are turned on.

30

These monsters and their smaller auxiliaries bring to mind the set of Star Wars. But at sunset, they take
on another look. This could be Stonehenge, another magic circle where our forefathers tried to make
sense of the stars. Soon after arriving, we are taken to see the inside of one of the telescopes. They
have been named in the indigenous Mapuche language following a competition among Chilean school-
children.

31

Once these have been completed, the telescope is handed over to the team who will operate one or
more of the telescopes from a control room. All night long these giants will be moving and pointing to
the sky helping the scientists unravel new problems. Fourteen countries contribute around 160 million
Euros to their joint astronomical cause, and Paranal is allocated 20% of that figure. Standing in the
shadow of the VLT, one wonders what all this taxpayers’ money buys.

32
They all answered with the usual ‘finding out where we came from, where we are going, are we alone
in the universe…?’ And, as the ESO has no commercial use and is a not-for-profit organization, it’s
easy to imagine these scientists indulging in their research and being cut off from reality.

33
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One of Paranal’s great achievements was the discovery of a planet outside our solar system. It is huge,
five times bigger than Jupiter, and the work being done now is aimed at understanding the physical and
chemical composition of this, and other, giant Earth-like planets. Truly a quest for life in outer space.

34

‘We need even sharper images to settle the issue of whether any other configuration is possible and we
counted on the ESO VLT to provide those’ says Reinhard Genzel, director at the Max-Planck Institute
for Extraterrestrial Physics. ‘Now the era of observational physics has truly begun.’

Choose from paragraphs A-H the one which fits each gap (28-34) in the main text. There is one
extra paragraph which you do not need.

Missing paragraphs

A But taking further revealed a simple truth: that having pretty much discovered all there is to know
about our world on the Earth, astronomy looks at the vast Terra Incognita which surrounds us.
These scientists are themselves very much as a mixture of Renaissance men and women: all
questing for further knowledge.

B Every evening an engineer is assigned to one of these telescopes and his or her job is to get it ready
so that it can then be taken over at night by a three-person team. The engineer runs through a series
of tests in preparation for the work which will be done late that night.

C The central unit inside weighs 450 tons and houses the main 8.5 m mirror. A second, smaller mirror
is made from berylium, a rare metal. The external walls can all slide open to allow the telescopes to
point in any direction as it rotates soundlessly on its base.

D As we drive further into the desert, the road starts to rise gradually, with hills and steep valleys all
around us. The environment is harsh in the extreme and it’s hard to imagine that a community of
European scientists have chosen this place to establish a world-leading laboratory.

E It is a question that many in Paranal find a little difficult to answer. Maybe because scientists, due to
the nature of their research and also, maybe, their mindsets, tend to focus on very specific areas of
competence and therefore are not required to have a broader ‘strategic’ view.

F The other big consideration in the desert is the absence of cloud cover and, higher up, the lack of
atmospheric dust and all the other interference caused by humans or nature which contributes to
partially hiding the secrets of the universe. ‘Twinkle, twinkle little star’ is just what astronomers do
not want to hear, as this means there is debris between the eye, the telescopes and the stars.

G We are in Paranal, in Chile’s Atacama Desert, where at 2,600 m above sea level, Europe has its
most advanced astronomical observatory. It’s a leading site, a joint undertaking by fourteen
European countries focused on developing the most advanced scientific tools for observing the
universe and enhancing the knowledge base for industry, education and culture.

H Astronomers have also used the data from VLT for another purpose – to attempt to find out how old
the universe is. It seems that the oldest star is 13.2 billion years old, which means the universe must
be even older. They also use VLT to look into galaxies beyond ours, and where they continue to
find evidence of super-massive black holes, where all kinds of violent activity occurs.

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Part 4: For questions 35-40, read the text below and decide which answer (A, B, C or D) best fits each
gap. Write your answers in the numbered boxes.
ADVENTURE TRAVEL
Wilfred Thesinger, the legendary explorer once said, “We live our lives second-hand”. Sadly, his
words are true for far too many of us, as we (35) _________ in front of the television, (36)
__________ in ‘reality’ television, living our adventures through the words and pictures of others. But
it does not have to be that way – there are more opportunities than ever for taking a break from our
increasingly sanitized lives and exploring not only some exotic (37) ________ of the globe, but also
our own abilities and ambitions. The kind of first-hand experience whose loss Thesinger laments is
still available for anyone willing to forsake the beaten (38) ___________ , and put their mind to (39)
_________ into the less explored regions of this diverse planet.
The trend in travel in recent years has been towards what is known as adventure travel. But adventure
doesn’t have to involve physical exertion; be it haggling over a souvenir in Peru, or getting lost in the
labyrinthine passages of a Moroccan souk, it all (40) ____________.
35. A. droop B. slump C. sag D. plunge
36. A. captivated B. gripped C. engrossed D. riveted
37. A. corner B. edge C. angle D. pocket
38. A. path B. road C. track D. course
39. A. turning out B. taking off C. making out D. dropping off
40. A. fits B. belongs C. counts D. holds
Write your answers here:
35 36 37 38 39 40

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IV. WRITING (5 points)
Part 1: Read the following extract on how camouflaging and mimicry help insects and use your own
words to summarize it. Your summary should be no more than 120 words long. (1.0. p.)
Have you ever wondered why soldiers are always clad in green? This is to enable them to camouflage
themselves during wartime. Hiding in the jungles, their green attire blend into the surrounding trees
and shrubs, making it difficult for the enemies to spot them.
Long before man make use of camouflaging, insects have already adopted the tactic of disguise to
escape from the clutches of their predators. By having body colors close to those of the rocks and dried
leaves, they catch less attention from the predators and hence escape from being pursued. However,
this kind of disguise works only if the insects remain still in the presence of their predators.
Butterflies and moths have developed a variety of camouflage strategies since they are quite
defenseless and their predators - birds are abundant in supply. Many moth caterpillars resemble dead
twigs while the young of certain species of butterflies appear like bird droppings. Adult butterflies and
moths camouflage themselves too, in attempts to escape from their hunters - birds who are superior
gliders. Possessing wings which resemble dried leaves help certain butterflies and moths to hide
among heaps of dried leaves when predators are around.
Fortunately, not all insects choose the art of disguise to escape from their predators; otherwise, the
world would be so dull and colorless. There are insects which assimilate the bright body colors of bees
and wasps to escape from being pursued by their predators. The concept of mimicry was derived,
owing to the bees and wasps. Long ago, birds have already learnt to avoid brilliantly colored wasps
and bees in fear of their painful stings. Hence, over millions of years, many harmless insects have
assimilated the bees and wasps by imitating their bright body colors and shapes. In this way, they
appear dangerous to their predators and hence ward them off.
Mimics of the wasps and bees are most commonly found in the gardens. The furry, plump bee-fly not
only appears like the bumble bee in terms of body colors, even its hums sound similar too. The only
difference is that the bee-fly does not have a sting and is hence harmless. The hoverfly is another
insect which imitates the body colors of the wasps. Their bodies are striped yellow and black. The only
deviations are that hoverflies do not have stings and they have only one pair of wings each while
wasps have two pairs each. These variations are hardly noticed by the predators and hence help them
to escape.
Write your summary here:
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Part 2: The chart below shows information about the problems people have when they go to live in
other countries.
Summarize the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where
relevant. You should write about 150 words.
Integration problems for people living abroad (%)

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Part 3: Write an essay about 250 words on the following topic. (2.0. p.)

Students in secondary schools in Vietnam will be allowed to use their mobile phones in class for
educational purposes (according to a new charter). However, the new rule has also raised public
concern in Vietnam over its supposed “detrimental” effects on students.

Discuss the aspects of this debate, and give your own conclusion to this discussion.
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