PASSAGE 16

Aging is the process of growing old. It occurs eventually in every living thing provided, of course, that an
illness or accident does not kill it prematurely. The most familiar outward signs of aging may be seen in
old people, such as the graying of the hair and the wrinkling of the skin. Signs of aging in a pet dog or cat
include loss of playfulness and energy, a decline in hearing and eyesight, or even a slight graying of the
coat. Plants age too, but the signs are much harder to detect.
Most body parts grow bigger and stronger, and function more efficiently during childhood. They reach
their peak at the time of maturity, or early adulthood. After that, they begin to decline. Bones, for
example, gradually become lighter and more brittle. In the aged, the joints between the bones also
become rigid and more inflexible. This can make moving very painful.
All the major organs of the body show signs of aging. The brain, for example, works less efficiently, and
even gets smaller in size. Thinking processes of all sorts are slowed down. Old people often have trouble
in remembering recent events.
One of the most serious changes of old age occurs in the arteries, the blood vessels that lead from the
heart. They become thickened and constricted, allowing less blood to flow to the rest of body. This
condition accounts, directly or indirectly, for many of the diseases of the aged. It may, for example, result
in heart attack.
Aging is not a uniform process. Different parts of the body wear out at different rates. There are great
differences among people in their rate of aging. Even the cells of the body differ in the way they age. The
majority of cells are capable of reproducing themselves many times during the course of a lifetime. Nerve
cells and muscle fibers can never be replaced once they wear out.
Gerontologists - scientists who study the process of aging-believe this wearing out of the body is
controlled by a built-in biological time-clock. They are trying to discover how this clock works so that
they can slow down the process. This could give man a longer life and a great number of productive
years.
Question 1. What is the main idea of the first paragraph?
A. Signs of aging are easier to detect in animals than in plants.
B. Aging occurs in every living thing after it has reached maturity.
C. Not all signs of aging are visible.
D. The outward signs of aging may be seen in old people
Question 2. What does the word "it" in line 2 refer to ?
A. aging B. a living thing C. an illness D. an accident
Question 3. All of the followings may be the outward signs of aging EXCEPT .
A. the graying of the hair B. the wrinkling of the skin
C. the decline in hearing and eyesight D. the loss of appetite
Question 4. When does the human body begin to lose vigor and the ability to function efficiently?
A. Soon after reaching adulthood B. During childhood
C. Early adulthood D. Past middle age
Question 5. What happens to memorization when the brain begins to age?
A. It works less. B. It becomes forgetful. C. It declines. D. It slows down.

Page 1
Question 6. What does "aging is not a uniform process" mean?
A. Not all living things age. B. Not all people age at the same age
C. Not all people have signs of aging D. Aging doesn't occur in all people
Question 7. The word "brittle" as used in the second paragraph means .
A. soft and easily bent B. hard and endurable
C. hard but easily broken D. rigid and inflexible
Question 8. According to the passage, what condition is responsible for many of the diseases of the old?
A. the arteries have become thickened and constricted.
B. the blood vessels lead from the heart.
C. the brain gets smaller in size.
D. bones become lighter and brittle
Question 9. What is the main idea of the last paragraph?
A. Gerontologists have controlled the process of aging.
B. Gerontologists are working hard to help people live longer and more healthily.
C. Gerontologists are trying to give people an eternal life.
D. Gerontologists are now able to slow down the process of aging.
Question 10. According to the passage, which of the following is NOT true?
A. All living things grow old.
B. Aging is unavoidable in any living things.
C. Plants show less signs of aging than any other living things
D. Most body parts wear out during the course of a lifetime.
ĐÁP ÁN
1-B 2-B 3-D 4-A 5-C
6-B 7-C 8-A 9-B 10-C

LỜI GIẢI CHI TIẾT

Question 1:
Thông tin trong câu: . It occurs eventually in every living thing provided, of course, that an illness or
accident does not kill it prematurely
Question 2:
Từ “it” thay thế cho từ nào trong đoạn văn?
-> Thay lần lượt 4 lựa chọn vào vị trí “it” và xem xét nghĩa của câu.
-> “Aging is the process of growing old. It occurs eventually in every living thing provided, of course,
that an illness or accident does not kill it prematurely.” = Lão hóa là một quá trình già hóa đi. Lão hóa (it)
xảy ra dần dần ở mọi cơ thể sống và dĩ nhiên trong điều kiện các cơ thể sống ấy (IT) không bị bệnh tật
hay tai nạn làm chết sớm.
Question 3:

Page 2
Những trường hợp khác có thể thấy ở trong câu: The most familiar outward signs of aging may be seen in
old people, such as the graying of the hair and the wrinkling of the skin. Signs of aging in a pet dog or cat
include loss of playfulness and energy, a decline in hearing and eyesight,
Question 4:
Thông tin trong câu: . They reach their peak at the time of maturity, or early adulthood. After that, they
begin to decline.
Question 5:
Thông tin trong câu: Old people often have trouble in remembering recent events.
Question 6:
“Lão hóa không phải là một quá trình diễn ra một cách đồng bộ” nghĩa là gì?
“Different parts of the body wear out at different rates. There are great differences among people in their
rate of aging” => Lão hóa ở các phần khác nhau của cơ thể diễn ra với tốc độ khác nhau. Và cũng có sự
khác nhau giữa tốc độ lão hóa giữa những người khác nhau. => Không phải mọi người đều lão hóa ở
cùng 1 tuổi.
Question 7:
Từ “ brittle” có nghĩa là gì?
Brittle có nghĩa là giòn - tức là cứng nhưng dễ vỡ vụn
Question 8:
Thông tin ở cả đoạn: One of the most serious changes of old age occurs in the arteries, the blood vessels
that lead from the heart. They become thickened and constricted, allowing less blood to flow to the rest of
body. This condition accounts, directly or indirectly, for many of the diseases of the aged. It may, for
example, result in heart attack.
Question 9:
Thông tin trong câu: They are trying to discover how this clock works so that they can slow down the
process. This could give man a longer life and a great number of productive years.
Question 10:
” Plants age too, but the signs are much harder to detect.”
Signs của plants chỉ harder to detect chứ không phải là plants show ít hơn các vật thể khác.

Page 3