SỞ GD&ĐT QUẢNG NAM KỲ THI CHỌN HỌC SINH GIỎI

TRƯỜNG THPT CHUYÊN KHU VỰC DUYÊN HẢI & ĐỒNG BẰNG BẮC BỘ

NGUYỄN BỈNH KHIÊM LẦN THỨ VII, NĂM 2014

ĐỀ THI ĐỀ NGHỊ MÔN: TIẾNG ANH 11

PART I. LISTENING (15 points)

HƯỚNG DẪN PHẦN THI NGHE HIỂU

 Bài nghe gồm 2 phần, mỗi phần được nghe 2 lần, mỗi lần cách nhau 15 giây,
mở đầu và kết thúc mỗi phần nghe đều có tín hiệu.
 Thí sinh có 2 phút để hoàn chỉnh bài nghe.
 Mọi hướng dẫn cho thí sinh (bằng tiếng Anh) đều có trong bài nghe.
Part 1: You will hear an interview with a robot scientist. For questions 1-5, choose the
best answer (A, B, C or D).

1. What does Keith say about his company's latest project?

A. He does not want to talk about it.
B. He is not allowed to talk about it.

C. He does not know much about it.

D. He does not understand it at all.

2. What does Keith say about robots in films?

A. They are not always shown in a positive light.

B. They often have a good sense of humour

C. They are not particularly well designed.

D. They always make jokes.

3. Keith expresses concern that robots might cause us __________

A. to do less physical exercise.

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 B. to make great efforts to think.

C. to think less for ourselves.

D. to become less intelligent.

4. Keith says that progress in the robotics industry ___________

A. has been as fast as that of computers.

B. has been slower than predicted.

C. has been constant over the last century.

D. has been so quicker than expected.

5. What does Keith say about humanoid robots?

A. They are unable to perform many tasks.

B. Many people consider them to be a toy.

C. People are getting used to seeing them.

D. They look like television sets.

Part 2: You will hear a man talking on the radio about Welsh speakers in Patagonia,
Argentina. For questions 6-15, which summarize what he says. Write NO MORE
THAN THREE WORDS in each space provided.

A popular place for tourists to visit in Patagonia is a Welsh (1)

____________________________. There are estimated to be (2)
___________________________ speakers of Welsh in Patagonia. The first settlers
wanted to establish a colony in an area which was (3) ____________________________.
There were very few (4) _____________________________ among the first Welsh
settlers. The settlers soon became friendly with the (5) ____________________________.
The name for the Andean region where the Welsh settled means (6)
“_________________________”. A Welsh (7) ___________________________ festival
is held each year in Patagonia. The National Assembly for Wales sends (8)
_____________________________ to Patagonia each year. The streets and houses of
Gaiman are decorated with (9) ______________________________. The speaker
decides to eat (10) _____________________________ with his tea.

PART 2: PHONETICS. (5 pts)

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Question 1. Choose the word whose stress pattern is different that of the others.(2.5 pts)
1. A. commentary B. intimacy C. amphibian D. preferable
2. A. impetuous B. pantomime C. orchestra D. corpulent
3. A. painstakingly B. condolence C. communism D. obstinacy
4. A. consensus B. lucrative C. proponent D. proposal
5. A. Arabic B. lunatic C. politics D. aerobics
Question 2. Pick out the word whose underlined part is differently pronounced from
that of the others. (2.5 pts)
1. A. confusedly B. wickedly C. allegedly D. supposedly
2. A. anxiety B. complexion C. anxious D. luxury
3. A. complain B. bargain C. ascertain D. campaign
4. A. external B. expunge C. extenuating D. expurgate
5. A. sprout B. dough C. scowl D. frown

PART 3: VOCABULARY AND STRUCTURES.(25 pts)

Question 1. Choose the word or phrase (A, B , C or D) which best completes each
sentence. (5 pts)
1. I hope the computer course starts this term. We've all as keen as ................ to get going.
A. coffee B. cornflake C. mustard D. a gigolo
2. People living abroad are not ................................ to enter for this competition.
A. capable B. enable C. eligible D. permissible
3. The escaped prisoner fought ............................ before he was finally overpowered.
A. foot and mouth B. heart and soul C. head over heels D. tooth and nail
4. Although he was a hardened criminal, his one ............................... feature was his love
of children.
A. redeeming B. acquitting C. saving D. recovering
5. David is the captain of the school baseball team, ................................... his father
before him.
A. as well as B. similar to C. just like D. such as
6. Once the air warms up, the snow should start to ..................................
A. liquefy B. thaw C. defrost D. dissolve
7. After months of bitter arguing the couple had to accept that they were ...........................
A. incompatible B. disaffected C. incongruous D. dissident
8. Our hosts had prepared a .................................. meal with seven courses to celebrate
our arrival.
A. generous B. lavish C. spendthrift D. profuse
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 9. We might just as well have stayed at home ................................ the enjoyment we had.
A. for all B. on account of C. so far as D. concerning
10. They are happily married although, of course, they argue ...............................
A. on the occasion B. from day to day C. every now and then D. most times
11. The BBC has ............................ a young composer to write a piece of music for the
Corporation's centenary.
A. commissioned B. decided C. ordered D. consulted
12. He's applied for a(n) .......................... a lot of jobs but he's only been short-listed once.
A. awful B. wide C. enormous D. dreadful
13. I was proud to be ............................. out for special praise for my performance.
A. separated B. selected C. singled D. distinguished
14. His English was roughly ................................... with my Greek, so communication
was rather difficult.
A. in tune B. equal C. level D. on a par
15. He was so ............................... in answer to my questions that I knew he had
something to hide.
A. effusive B. allusive C. evasive D. elusive
16. If you don't stop smoking, you ............................... this risk of developing bronchitis.
A. make B. bear C. suffer D. run
17. When we got to the box office the question of who should pay ...........................
A. came B. arose C. appeared D. raised
18. Police have warned people to be ..................................... when strangers call at the
door and to ask to see proof of identity.
A. wary B. scary C. cagey D. choosy
19. I don't like down work, but I'll have to, I'm afraid. I've got far too
much ......................... at the moment.
A. on my mind B. in effect C. up my sleeve D. on my plate
20. The 10% rise in the cost of living is almost unbelievable until one looks at it in
the ............................. of world price rises.
A. relationship B. context C. significance D. situation
Your answer:
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20

Question 2. There are 10 mistakes in the passage below. Find out the mistakes and
write the correct forms. (O) has been done as an exampe. (5 pts)
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Line DISAPPEARING WORLD
0 The destruction of the rainforests is a pressed problem of our times but not one
1 that is regarded equally serious by everyone. The more affluent nations regard the
2 issue as one of preservation; deforestation must stop. When it comes to the poorer
3 countries, the issue is not so cut and dried. For these people, the rainforests
4 represent a source of economic prosperity, a point that obviously takes
5 precedence on ecological concerns. A solution must be found before the damage
6 caused by the deforestation that is destroying the rainforests becoming
7 irrevocable. Deforestation is carried out by those involving in the timber industry
8 and also by migrant farmers. The later occupy an area of land, strip it, farm it until
9 its natural mineral supply is used up and then move on. The land is left useless
10 and exposed and a process of erosion comes into effect, washing soil into rivers
11 thereby killing fish and blocking the water's natural course. The land is not the
12 only victim. Rainforests are a rich populated habitat. In the rainforests of
13 Madagascar there are at most 150,000 individual species of plants and animals
14 which are found anywhere else in the world and more are being discovered all the
15 time. Furthermore, approximately 50% of all endangered animal species live in
16 the world's rainforests. The destruction of the forests effectively represents a
17 complete removal of all these plants and animals. Deprived of their natural
18 environments, they will disappear altogether. Again, this process is reversible.
19 Man, no matter how powerful he considers himself, does not have the power to
20 establish the species he is so willfully destroying.
Your answer:
Line Mistake Correction Line Mistake Correction
0 Pressed Pressing

Question 3: Fill in each blank with the correct preposition(s)/ particle(s). (5 pts)
1. Several of us hang …………………….. entering the cave, as we were unsure what we
would find in there.
2. The radio DJ broke …………………….. the caller, in a desperate attempt to change
the subject.

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3. Jarvis can no longer afford to heat the flat, and in any case, his electricity was cut
…………………….. last Friday.
4. He explained that shortly after they bought the house together, his wife Julia ran
…………………….. a Welsh mechanic.
5. Did you know that Samantha has taken …………………….. Martin again – they’re
spending lots of time together.
6. Molly got ……………….. going to visit her relatives by saying she felt violently sick.
7. The judge closed the club …………………….. the grounds there was too much noise
being made.
8. The paintings were given to the state by the millionaire ………………….. lieu of taxes.
9. The class were …………………….. edge the morning before they took the exam.
10. The local council believe the new development isn’t …………………….. keeping
with the rest of the town.
11. The journalist reported that the city was …………………….. the brink of a crisis.
12. The staff pay rise was …………………….. the region of 3%.
13. My brother has always been …………………….. the fringe of the Labour party,
never at the centre.
14. Three masked men tried to hold …………………….. the security van last week.
15. I wouldn't have any doubts about trusting him; I'm sure he's completely
…………………….. the level.
16. John has a tendency to bury his head …………………….. the sand.
17. Several flights were delayed and so the departure lounge was jam-packed
…………………….. angry travelers.
18. My husband’s always lazing …………………….. while I’m always busy .
19. I’ve been asked to key information …………………….. the computer immediately.
20. As he wanted to go to university, David decided to turn …………………….. a new
leaf and study harder.

Question 4. Put the verbs in the brackets into the correct Form/ Tense. (5 pts)
 If it (0) hadn't been (not/be) for Louis, Joan (1)................................... (never/survive)
her trip to Paris last month. She (2) ................... (not/meet) him before, but she (3)
......................... (be) certainly glad that she had by the end of her stay. The first thing
that (4) ......................... (happen) was that the hotel where she (5) ...........................
(plan) to stay (6) ................... (not/receive) her booking, so they had no room for her.
Then, as she (7) ..................... (try) to get a taxi to take her to another hotel, someone
on a motorbike (8) ........................ (snatch) her bag with all her tickets and credit cards
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 in it. As her French (9) ................. (be) quite rusty, she (10) ....................... (not/know)
how to explain what (11) ............................. (happen). It was then that Louis (12)
............................. (approach) her and (13) ................................ (introduce) himself.
 A student of mine (14) …………………. (talk/ forever) in class, many a time she (15)
……………… (expel) from class.
 Her mother (16) ……………….. ( go) abroad last month, so it (17) ………………. .
(not be) her you saw at the theatre last Sunday
 How about your job in the new city? – It’s alright, but I’d rather (18) ……………..for
the job in your company.
 The car broke down, but for that, we (19) ……………….. (be) on time.
 His (20) ……………………..( take) ill suddenly last night took me by surprise.
Your answer:
1 6 11 16
2 7 12 17
3 8 13 18
4 9 14 19
5 10 15 20

Question 5. Complete the text by writing a correct form of the word in CAPITALS . (0)
has been done as an example. (5 pts)
IS IT WORTH IT?
It is (0) …… ……… believed that a break from everyday COMMON
routine can only do you good. Every summer, you can spot
prospective (1) ………………….. at airports and waiting for car HOLDAY
ferries. They are (2) …………………… - you can tell them a mile MISTAKE
away by their sun hats and hopeful expressions.
For all their optimism, what often actually happens can be a rude
(3) ……………………. from the blissful holiday dreams of the rest WAKE
of the year. Sunburn, mosquitoes and (4) …………………….. FORESEE
expenses can make you think twice about how (5) ……………….. BENEFIT
getting away from it all really is.
The fact is, the (6) ………………… of something going wrong LIKELY
is maximized when you are abroad and, (7) ………………….., your FORTUNE
ability to deal with crisis and catastrophe is often minimized. This
could be because of language problems, (8) ………………….. with FAMILIAR

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the culture, or simply a different climate, all of which make everything
seem different and unreal.
So, what is the answer? (9) …………………., an annual DOUBT
escape from normal working life is a very positive thing. However, the
(10) …………………. of seeking an exotic location is questionable WISE
when you think of all the things that can go wrong.
Your answer:
0. ………… commonly …………..
1. ………………………………….… 6. ……………………………………..
2. ……………………………………. 7. ……………………………………..
3. …………………………………….. 8. ……………………………………..
4. …………………………………….. 9. ……………………………………..
5. …………………………………….. 10. ….………………………………..

PART 4: READING (25 pts)

Question 1. Choose the word or phrase (A, B , C or D) that best fits each gap. (0) has
been done as an example. (7.5 pts)
SMILE POWER

The exprssion on your face can actually dramatically (0)………………. your

feelings and perceptions, and it has been proven that (1) …………………..smiling or
frowning can create corresponding emotional responses. The idea was first (2)
……………by a French physiologist, Israel Waynbaum, in 1906. He believed that
different facial (3) ………………. affected the flow of blood to the brain, and that this
could create positive or negative feelings. A happy smile or irrepressible (4)
……………….. increased the bood flow and contributed to joyful feelings. But sad, angry
expressions decreased the flow of oxygen-carrying blood, and created a vicious (5)
…………………. of gloom and depression by effectively (6) …………………. the brain
of essential fuel.

Psychologist Robert Zajonc rediscovered this early (7) ……………….., and (8)
……………… that the temperature of the brain could affect the production and synthesis
of neurotransmitters – which definitely influence our moods and energy levels. He agues
that an impaired blood flow could not (9) ………………………. deprive the brain of
oxygen, but create further chemical imbalance (10) …………………….. inhibiting these
vital hormon messages. Zajonc goes on to propose that our brains remember that smiling
is associated with being happy, and that by deliberately smiling through your tears you
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can (11) …………………. your brain to release uplifting neurotransmitters – replacing a
depressed condition (12) …………………. a happier one. People suffering from
psychosomatic (13) …………………., depression and anxiety states could (14)
………………….. from simply exercising their zygomatic (15) ………………….- which
pull the corners of the mouth up and back to form a smile – several times an hour.

0 A. Effect B. alter C. arrange D. reduce

1 A. desperately B. determinedly C. deliberately D. decidedly
2 A. put off B. put down C. put by D. put forward
3 A. aspects B. looks C. expressions D. appearances
4 A. laughter B. sadness C. humour D. depression
5 A. Cycle B. spiral C. circle D. vortex
6 A cutting B. starving C. removing D. eliminating
7 A. Result B. subject C. research D. experiment
8 A. advises B. wants C. demands D. suggests
9 A. Even B. Only C. ever D. always
10 A. By B. without C. when D. from
11 A. Make B. persuade C. allow D. decide
12 A. through B. By C. after D. with
13 A. disease B. illness C. infection D. ailment
14 A. recover B. improve C. benefit D. progress
15 A. muscles B. nerves C. veins D. bones
Your answer:

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15
B

Question 2. Fill in each blank with ONE suitable word. (0) has been done as an
example. (7.5 pts)

THAT’S ENTERTAINMENT

There has been a significant shift (0) …………in……………..entertainment trends

over the last twenty years or so. Entertainment used to be public; now it is becoming more
and (1) ……………………….. private. Formerly, people wanting to amuse themselves
did so in groups; these (2) ……………………….., people increasingly entertain
themselves on (3) ……………………….. own.
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 Long, long (4) ……………………….., there were storytellers. They used to travel
around the country and their arrival was awaited (5) ……………………….. eager
anticipation. In the more recent (6) ……………………….., people used to have musical
evening, they used to play games (7) ……………………….. or simply sit around the fire
and chat.

Nowadays, (8) ……………………….. of playing board gmes in a group, children

play video games alone or with one other person. People of all (9) ………………………..
spend their evenings alone watching television, videos and DVDs. And large numbers of
young (and not (10) ……………………….. young ) enthusiasts spend their free time
surfing the net, (11) ……………………….., by its very nature, tend to be a solitary
activity.
Forms of entertainment have always been changing, of course, but (12)
……………………….. could be said that these recent changes – all products (13)
………………………..technological development - mark a more fundamental shift. One
could further argue that this shift is symbolized by the earphones that (14)
……………………….. in evidence everywhere. Can this deliberate attempt to shut out
the rest of the world really be (15) ……………………….. entertainment?

Question 3: Read the following passage and choose the correct answers to the questions
that follow. Write your answers (A, B, C or D) in the space provided below: (5 pts)

COMMUNICATING WITH THE FUTURE

In the 1980s the United States Department of Energy was looking for suitable sites
to bury radioactive waste material generated by its nuclear energy programs. The
government was considering burying the dangerous wastes in deep underground chambers
in remote desert areas. The problem, however, was that nuclear waste remains highly
radioactive for thousands of years. The commission entrusted with tackling the problem of
waste disposal was aware that the dangers posed by radioactive emissions must be
communicated to our descendants of at least 10,000 years hence. So the task became one
of finding a way to tell future societies about the risk posed by these deadly deposits.

Of course, human society in the distant future may be well aware of the hazards of
radiation. Technological advances may one day provide the solutions to this dilemma. But
the belief in constant technological advancement is based on our perceptions of advances
made throughout history and prehistory. We cannot be sure that society won’t have
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slipped backward into an age of barbarism due to any of several catastrophic events,
whether the result of nature such as the onset of a new ice age or perhaps mankind’s
failure to solve the scourges of war and pollution. In the event of global catastrophe, it is
quite possible that humans of the distant future will be on the far side of a broken link of
communication and technological understanding.

The problem then becomes how to inform our descendants that they must avoid
areas of potential radioactive seepage given that they may not understand any currently
existing language and may have no historical or cultural memory. So, any message
indicated to future reception and decipherment must be as universally understandable as
possible.

It was soon realized by the specialists assigned the task of devising the
communication system that material in which the message was written might not
physically endure the great lengths of time demanded. The second law of thermodynamics
shows that all material disintegrates over time. Even computers that might carry the
message cannot be expected to endure long enough. Besides, electricity supplies might not
be available in 300 generations. Other media storage methods were considered and
rejected for similar reasons.

The task force under the linguist Thomas Sebeok finally agreed that no foolproof
way would be found to send a message across so many generations and have it survive
physically and be decipherable by a people with few cultural similarities to us. Given this
restriction, Sebeok suggested the only possible solution was the formation of a committee
of guardians of knowledge. Its task would be to dedicate itself to maintaining and passing
the knowledge of the whereabouts and dangers of the nuclear waste deposits. This so-
called atomic priesthood would be entrusted with keeping knowledge of this tradition
alive through millennia and developing the tradition into a kind of mythical taboo
forbidding people to tamper in a way with the nuclear waste sites. Only the initiated
atomic priesthood of experts would have the scientific knowledge to fully understand the
danger. Those outside the priesthood would be kept away by a combination of rituals and
legends designed to warn off intruders.

This proposal has been criticized because of the possibility of a break in continuity
of the original message. Furthermore, there is no guarantee that any warning or sanction
passed on for millennia would be obeyed, nor that it could survive with its original
meaning intact. To counterbalance this possibility, Sebeok’s group proposed a “relay
system” in which information is passed on over relatively short periods of time, just three
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generations ahead. The message then to be renewed and redesigned if necessary for the
following three generations and so on over the required time span. In this way information
could be relayed into the future and avoid the possibility of physical degradation.

A second defect is more difficult to dismiss, however. This is the problem of social
exclusiveness brought about through possession of vital knowledge. Critics point out that
the atomic priesthood could use its secret knowledge to control those who are
scientifically ignorant. The establishment of such an association of insiders holding
powerful knowledge not available except in mythic form to nonmembers would be a
dangerous precedent for future social developments.

1. The word "chambers" in the passage is closest in meaning to

A. partitions B. openings C. cavities D. fissures
2. What problem faced the commission assigned to deal with the burial of nuclear waste?
A. How to reduce the radioactive life of nuclear waste materials
B. How to form a committee that could adequately express various nuclear risks
C. How to notify future generations of the risks of nuclear contamination
D. How to choose burial sites so as to minimize dangers to people.
3. In paragraph 2, the author explains the possible circumstances of future societies
A. to warn about the possible natural catastrophe
B. to question the value of advances
C. to highlight humankind's inability to resolve problems
D. to demonstrate the reason nuclear hazards must be communicated
4. The word "scourges" in the passage is closest in meaning to
A. pressures B. afflictions C. worries D. annoyances
5. In paragraph 4, the author mentions the second law of thermodynamics
A. to support the view that nuclear waste will disperse with time
B. to show that knowledge can be sustained over millennia
C. to give the basic scientific reason behind the breakdown of material objects
D. to contrast the potential life span of knowledge with that of material objects
6. The word "Its" in the passage refers to
A. knowledge B. committee C. solution D. guardians
7. In paragraph 5, why is the proposed committee of guardians referred to as the "atomic
priesthood"?
A. Because they would be an exclusive group with knowledge about nuclear waste
sites.
B. Because they would use rituals and legends to maintain their exclusiveness
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 C. Because they would be an exclusive religious order
D. Because they would develop mythical taboos surrounding their traditions
8. According to the author, why did the task force under Sebeok propose a relay system
for passing on information?
A. To show that Sebeok 's ideas created more problems than they solved
B. To support the belief that breaks in communication are inevitable over time
C. To contrast Sebeok's ideas with those proposed by his main critics
D. To compensate for the fact that meaning will not stable over long periods of time
9. According to paragraph 7, the second defect of the atomic priesthood proposal is that it
could lead to
A. the nonmembers turning knowledge into dangerous mythical forms
B. the possible misuse of exclusive knowledge
C. the establishment of a scientifically ignorant society
D. the priesthood's criticism of points concerning vital knowledge
10. All of the following are mentioned in the passage as difficulties in devising a
communication system with the future EXCEPT
A. the failure to maintain communication link
B. the loss of knowledge about today's civilization
C. the inability of materials to endure over time
D. the exclusiveness of priesthood
Your answer:

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Question 4. Read the passage carefully and do the exercise below. (5 pts)
THE CALL OF NATURE

One of the most popular characters in Dr. Who, a British television science-fiction
series, was a robotic dog called K9. On June 1 st science fiction became fact when Sony
launched its latest product, Ambo. Described as “a one-of-a-kind artificially intelligent
pal”, Aibo is a dog that never needs to be walked, fed or washed. Nor does it make a mess
or get into fights with other dogs. It has stereo microphones for ears, can recognize
colours and shapes, and emits a variety of bleeps and chirps. A sensor in its head can
distinguish between an amiable pat and a reproachful slap. And the pause button on his
chest means it can be switched off and left in a cupboard when you go on holiday.

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 A good joke, and a profitable one (the first batch of 3,000 machines, priced at just over
$2,000 each, sold out within 20 minutes). But behind the marketing spiel about Aibo’s
autonomous behavior patterns, simulated emotions and instincts, “lovable shape” and
“four highly expensive legs”, lurks a serious point. Aibo is merely the latest example of a
robot inspired by biology.
This makes sense. Millions of years of evolution have already solved difficult design
problems in locomotion, manipulation, sensing and navigation in almost every
environment in which a robot might conceivably need to operate. Accordingly, a
menagerie of “biomorphic” robots can now be found scuttling, squirming and swimming
in laboratories all round the world.
For instance, several separate efforts are now under way to build robotic fish that
could be used to locate mines or take environmental readings. Understanding how fish
manage to swim so quickly but expend so little energy could also lead to new propulsion
systems for ships and submarines. This may explain why Mitsubitshi Heavy Industries, a
Japanese company whose activities include shipbuilding, has spent four years and $1m
building an incredibly lifelike robotic sea bream. (The company now plans to move on to
recreating extinct fish for display in museums.). Similarly inspired robotic pike and tuna
have been built at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
But a robot does not have to look like an animal to borrow useful ideas from the
animal kingdom. Mark Tilden and his colleagues at Los Alamos National Laboratory in
New Mexico, who have been building animal-like robots for years, have now applied their
knowledge to create a system that will operate in one of the environments that natural
selection has not yet managed to penetrate – outer space. Their latest robot is designed to
keep satellites on station.
Dr. Tilden is concerned not so much with what animals look like as with how their
nervous systems work. As every schoolboy discovers, pulling some of the legs off a spider
does not stop it walking. Its nervous circuitry can adjust to such injuries. That is because,
unlike most modern computers (including those that control Aibo), much of that circuitry
is analogue rather than digital.
In a digital computer, information is sent around as discrete bits and bytes. If a critical
bit goes missing, and the programme has not been prepared in advance for the possibility
of such a loss, it breaks down. With analogue circuitry, however, there is no such thing as
an independent, critical piece of data – everything is coupled together as one continuous
flow of current. If some information goes missing ( for example, because a schoolboy has
amputated a leg), the output will change – but it could still be meaningful. Dr. Tilden’s
robots use cheap and basic electronic components such as transistors, resistors, capacitors,
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rather than fancy microelectronic silicon chips. Yet their behavior is so lifelike that they
can sometimes “spook” those afraid of real spiders.
These robots, like Aibo, are toys. But a satellite-navigation system is a serious,
practical application. Dr. Tilden’s design for such a system is being tested in an
experimental Swedish satellite called Hugin. Its task is to keep Hugin’s electricity-
generating solar panels pointed at the sun. It has a dozen light-sensors, each connected to a
circuit whose natural oscillation is modulated by the strength of the incoming
illumination. Those circuits, in turn, control the satellite’s attitude jets. If the satellite
moves off station, the amount of light falling on the sensors will change, and its analogue
circuitry will tell the jets how much to fire to bring it round to face the correct way. It may
not be as photogenic as a robot dog, but it is certainly a lot more useful.
Complete the summary below. Choose NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS from
the reading passage .
The Japanese company Sony has launched its latest product, a robotic dog, on the
market. The robotic dog is advertised to have (1)……………….. behaviour patterns and
(2)………………. feelings. In fact, the robotic dog was designed under the inspiration of
(3)……………… rather than technology. For example, finding why fish moves so quickly
with so little energy consumed will help produce (4)………………… for submarines.
That is why Mitsubitshi Heavy Industries has been building a robotic sea bream and MIT
has already produced robotic pike. Knowledge of (5)……………………has also been
used in creating a system operating in (6)………………………. In designing such a
system, what scientists are most (7)…………. is not what animals look like, but how (8)
……………. work, because if computers have analogue circuitry rather than digital one,
computers will not (9)…………………. if a critical piece of information goes missing A
satellite-navigation system is now (10)…………………….. in a Swedish satellite. It may
not be as pleasant-looking but it will be more useful than a robotic dog.
Your answer:
1. 4. 7.
2. 5. 8.
3. 6. 9.
10.

PART 5: WRITING (30 pts)

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Question 1: Complete the second sentence so that it has a similar meaning to the first
sentence using the words given. Do not change the word given. You must use between
three and eight words, including the word given. (5 pts)

1. She vividly described the expedition and that made it seem exciting. LIFE
 The thing .................................................................... was her vivid description.
2. Please don't tell anyone about this for the time being. SOONER
 I .................................................................... let anyone know about this for the time
being.
3. Elaine is very bright so she won't have been taken in, whatever they said. UPTAKE
 Elaine is very .................................................................... so she won't have been taken
in, whatever they said.
4. My new job is much more satisfying than any job I've ever had. AWAY
 My new job is .................................................................... one I've ever had.
5. I couldn't stop thinking about the exam despite playing backgammon with Paul. MIND
 playing backgammon with Paul .................................................................... the exam.
6. Bill changed his ways when he came out of prison. LEAF
 Bill .................................................................... since he came out of prison.
7. We honestly all found it almost impossible not to laugh when we saw Josh's new
haircut. FACE
 Honestly, .................................................................... almost impossible when we saw
Josh's new haircut.
8. Don't let her give in however hard they try to persuade her. GUNS
 Make sure she .................................................................... however hard they try to
persuade her.
9. It was a bad idea to turn up unexpectedly without calling first. BLUE
 You should .................................................................... without calling first.
10. The phone bill was so expensive that Dave was furious. ARMS
 Dave was .................................................................... an expensive phone bill.
\Question 2: Graph description. (10 pts)

The bar graph below shows the amount of carbon emissions in different countries during
three different years. Summarize the information by selecting and reporting the main
features, and make comparisons where relevant.(150 – 200 words)

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Question 3: Essay writing. (15 pts)

Some people believe that it is better to have children when couples are young and
are physically equipped to raise them, while others believe that parenting requires
maturity and the solid financial foundation that often comes later in life.

Write an essay (250 – 300 words) to express your opinion on the topic.

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