KEY.

VỀ ĐÍCH- TEST 4

PART I. LISTENING (32 points)

I. You will listen to part of an interview with the press officer of the National Fitness Association, in which he gives
advice on how to join the right gym. For questions 1 - 7, choose the answer (A, B or C) which fits best
according to what you hear. You will hear the recording twice. Write your answer in the box provided.
(14points)

Presenter: The modern answer to the office worker's sedentary lifestyle is to sign up at a gym. Such is the demand that
18% of us are members of a gym. With me tonight is Mark Stanwick, press officer of the National Fitness Association.
Mark, welcome to the programme.

Mark: Thank you, Kate.

Presenter: Now, you were saying before that if someone is considering joining a gym they should first do some serious
research rather than just choosing the one which is closest to their home. What is the reason for that?

Mark: Well, Kate, there are many different services gyms can offer. Do you want a posers paradise in which to show off
your muscles? Do you want a gym that hosts varied classes, such as aerobics and yoga? Are you looking for one that has
a vibrant social scene? Or do you want to keep your head down and just get on with losing some weight in peace?
Perhaps you want staff to provide you with motivation and encouragement? All of these questions must be answered by
your initial research. If you end up in the wrong kind of gym, you will lose motivation very quickly indeed and simply
stop going and all your money and effort will go down the drain.

Presenter: I see So what are the things I should be looking out for?

Mark: Well, before calling in on a gym, ring to see if you can book a good time for a walk-round with one of the
instructors. Gyms are normally busiest between 5pm and 7pm on weekdays. Although you do want to see the gym in
action at a time when you might be attending, you will want to first view all the facilities without sweaty people
constantly pushing past you. Also have a quick look at the car park to see how busy it is before stepping through the
doors. Notice the general atmosphere of the gym Do the instructors look extremely busy? Is there loud music playing?
Does it smell fresh or stale? In a nutshell, is it the kind of place you want to visit regularly?

Presenter: I see. So suppose I've found my kind of gym - now it's time to join?

Mark: Not just yet - there are a few things to talk about with them. You will probably already know what the monthly
cost of being a member is, but what does that include? Does it include everything, or are services such as yoga classes
and personal trainers going to cost more? Do you get a fresh towel each time you go or will that cost extra? Are lockers
in the changing rooms free or are you going to have to remember to bring loose change every time you exercise?
Presenter: Right. What if I have to sign a contract?

Mark: It is best to take home any contract that you may have to sign and go through it carefully, looking for what
happens if you leave or if the gym goes bust or moves. Be suspicious of a gym that is reluctant to let you take away a
contract to look over and distrust it even more if it is determined to secure your signature on your first visit. And avoid
"life memberships". You might move town at some point or, at least, want to change your gym. Presenter: Wow. All
these things to think about. I think most people are a bit uncertain about joining when they think it's simple. After today
they may decide not to bother at all.

Mark: {laughs} It's not that bad, really. You know, joining a gym is a lifestyle change. If you do it right it can make a
great difference —you'll be healthier and happier every day. So don't let small difficulties discourage you — it's really
worth it. Go for it, just make sure your gym is a place where you want to be, and not a place you'll never want to see
again after a few visits.
Answers:
1. B 2. A 3. C 4. B 5. B 6. A 7. C

II. You will hear part of a radio talk about how to choose houseplants. For questions 8-1, complete the
sentences that summarize what the speaker says with NO MORE THAN THREE words. You will hear the
recording twice. Write your answer in the box provided. (16 points)
Announcer: … And now David Lynch, of the Royal Agricultural College, gives us some advice on what to look
out for when buying houseplants.
David: Er ... well, before buying a plant you have to ask yourself where you're going to put the thing. Deciding on
the location is influenced by such things as light and shade. So, first of all, does the place get sufficient sunlight?
And secondly, do I want a fast or a slow growing plant? After you've answered these questions, you're now ready
to buy a plant of your choice. You have to be extremely choosy when selecting your plant. Look for a garden
centre that has sufficient stock you can choose from. Be absolutely sure that the plants have received proper care at
the garden centre you are buying your plants from It's not only the plant that you're buying that should be healthy,
but all the plants at the centre should be in good condition. And if they're not, then it's a good indication that they
are not very trustworthy. Obviously plants can suffer from a number of different diseases and pests. And for this
reason it's important to select a plant that has healthy green leaves and stems. The edges of the leaves shouldn't be
brown and the plant should be the size that you want. If you buy a smaller plant, remember that plants don't grow
overnight — you could end up being disappointed; the plant may not grow at the rate you expect it to. It could take
months or even years, depending upon the type of plant, for the plant to reach the height of your liking. In addition
to this, a well-established mature plant can adjust to a new environment better than a young plant so it might pay
you to buy a larger plant even though it might be more expensive. Select a plant that has established itself well in
the pot. Don't get one that's recently been put in a pot because there's a danger that the plant may not do well when
you take it home Some garden centres sell plants in plastic bags. This is done to cut down on costs. But I would
advise people against buying plants in plastic bags unless you want to plant them in the ground. It's better to buy
the plants that are already planted in pots. And do remember to choose a plant that's been grown in the shade. It'll
adapt to being kept indoors faster than a plant that's been grown outside. And last but not least, do remember to
inspect the plant very carefully, especially under the leaves and leaf joints, for any unwanted insects or diseases.
Answers:
8. location 9. sunlight 10. very trustworthy 11. leaves and stems
12. more expensive 13. in pots 14. plastic bags 15.insects or diseases

III. Listen to the conversation and decide if each statement is True (T) or False (F). (10 points)
I: Interviewer M: Marilena J: Jill
Marilena talks about her sister in England and her nephews and nieces.
I: OK. Um, your mum and dad, are they still alive?
M: Yes, they are, thank God. (laughs)
J: Mmm.
I: And er, are the rest of them, they’re all in Romania?
M: I have a sister with me in England er…
I: Oh, you do?
M: Yeah. Living with her…
I: Oh, that’s nice.
M: It’s nice, but we fight! (laughs)
J: They, they, they live together.
I: Oh, you do?
M: We don’t fight every day either.
I: No. But when you say ‘fight’, you mean ‘argue’, you…
M: Yeah, no, no, no (sound of fist hitting hand). (laughs)
I: Not physical?
M: No.
I: Right. That would be terrible.
M: Mmm, no.
I: Yeah. OK. Um, did you and your sister come over from Romania together?
M: No, I came in my own.
I: Mmm, hmm.
M: And she came five months later.
I: Right. Because you wanted her to…
M: No, no, no. It was her option. And she came in other side. She came in Kent…
I: Mmm, hmm.
M: …around of London.
I: I see. South-east London.
M: Mmm, hmm.
I: Right. Is she also a nurse?
M: No, she’s not. She’s a… She’s trained as a engineer agriculture? Agriculture engineer.
I: Oh, OK, right. Mmm, hmm. What about um, grandparents? Are any of your grandparents alive?
M: No, they’re not. Unfortunately no.
I: OK.
M: They’re not. Um, grandparents from my father died when I was many years young – I don’t remember
them.
I: Mmm, hmm.
M: And er, grandparents from my mother died five years ago?
I: Oh, right, yeah. Oh, that’s quite sad.
M: Yeah, it is sad. It’s life.
Answers:
1. T 2. F 3. F 4. F 5. T

Marilena talks about her sister’s life in Romania.

I: You said your sister gets 200 a month. That’s, that’s nothing!
M: Yeah, but her… She has… She, she bought her house in mortgage, as I bought it, and er, she paying her
mortgage every month 100…
I: Mmm.
M: …which is…
I: So she has 25 a week to live on for food and…
M: Yes. And the food… The prices of food are er, no like her…
I: Mmm.
M: …but no…
I: Not cheap, cheap.
J: Not cheap.
M: Not cheap.
I: No. So how, how does she manage? Do… does she do another job?
M: With her husband, yeah. No, she hasn’t.
I: No. And her husband, does he earn good money, or…
M: She does… He, the same – 200. (laughs)
I: It’s awful, Jill, isn’t it?
M: It is.
J: Mmm. You don’t think about it, do you, really?
I: No.
J: We are lucky here, you know.
M: We are lucky because when I’m going there I can’t think to go for one, for two weeks with less than one
thousand pounds. I can’t go.
J: Mmm.
M: And in two weeks I can’t say with one thousand pounds I have everything, just…
I: Mmm.
J: Yes.
I: Go, going out, having a cup of coffee, things like that. Not…
M: Yeah. And I think ‘Oh, how… How she can manage? How she…’
I: Mmm.
M: But they do manage.
J: Mmm. So would you if you went back. I mean because you can…
M: I did, I did manage as well, but now because I’m going to other level, I come back, come back… I can’t go
back.
I: Mmm. No, you would find it too difficult, yeah. Hav... Having got used to this standard of living…
M: Yeah.

Answers:
6. T 7. F 8. T 9. F 10. F

PART II: GRAMMAR AND VOCABULARY (60 points)

I. Select the best option for each sentence. Write your answers in the box provided (20 pts)
1. A 2. B 3. D 4. A 5. B 6. A 7. B 8. B 9. C 10. A
11. B 12. B 13. C 14. D 15. A 16. C 17. A 18. D 19. C 20. A
1. Lack of sleep over the last few months is finally ________ Jane.
A. catching up with B. getting on with C. coming over D. putting on
(to) catch up with somebody: gây rắc rối, làm ảnh hưởng tiêu cực đến ai đó (sự việc xấu)
Dịch nghĩa: Thiếu ngủ suốt nhiều tháng, cuối cùng Jane đã gặp rắc rối.
2. Sally has an ________ command of the Chinese language.
A. extreme B. outstanding C. utter D. intensive
Outstanding = vượt trội extreme = cực độ
Utter = hoàn toàn intensive =mạnh
Cấu trúc have a good command of sth = have an oustanding command of sth = hiểu biết rõ điều gì, có kiến thức tốt
về cái gì
3. I’ve had this car for 12 years, but now I’m having more and more problems with it. Clearly it’s ________.
A. on its hind legs B. got its back up C. got its heart set D. on its last leg
"On its/one's last leg" có nghĩa là (vật) gần hỏng, mất chức năng hoặc (người) sắp chết.
4. All things ________, she is the best student to represent our school.
A. considered B. involved C. taken D. dealt with
All things considered" = mọi thứ đã được cân nhắc -> mọi thứ đã được cân nhắc, tính toán kỹ lưỡng để cho một
kết quả tốt nhất có thể, ngay cả là trong điều kiện chưa hoàn hảo.
5. To succeed in this job, you have to be utterly ________.
A. hot-blooded B. single-minded C. kind-hearted D. near-sighted
Single- minded= Chuyên tâm; chỉ có một mục đích, chỉ theo đuổi một mục đích duy nhất
Hot-blooded = showing strong feelings very easily and quickly, especially anger or love
kind-hearted -> A kind-hearted person is one who likes other people a lot and always wants to help them
near-sighted = cận thị
6. The Prime Minister gave a press conference to deny the charges ________ at him.
A. leveled B. accused C. targeted D. blamed
Level at sb = chỉ trích công khai nhắm vào ai đó
Accuse sb of = buộc tội ai điều gì
Target = nahwms vào blame = đổ lỗi, chê trách
7. When the morning came, the scene of where the bomb had fallen was one of ________ devastation.
A. great B. utter C. entire D. extreme
Utter = hoàn toàn, cực kỳ entire = toàn bộ
Extreme = rất great = to lớn
8. There is still a ________ of hope that the rescuers will find survivors.
A. spray B. ray C. light D. spot
Ray of hope = tia hy vọng
9. ________, modelling is actually hard work.
A. Even it may seem glamorous B. Yet it may seem glamorous
C. However glamorous it may seem D. Glamorous as though it is
Cấu trúc However + adv/adj + S+ V, clause = Tuy …
10. The city zoo is building a new section to ________ their larger mammals.
A. house B. store C. shade D. capture
House ( v) = to give a person or animal a place to live, or to provide space for something
II. There are TEN mistakes in the passage below. Read the passage carefully, underline the mistakes and write
your corrections on the corresponding lines in the box for Answers. (20 pts)
Answers
Each week Hilary Mullock, also known as Doctor Doppit, visiting London’s ____visits___
General Hospital. Carrying balloons and magic tricks better than a stethoscope, ____rather___
 she administers her own special kind of medicine. Employed by the Theodora ____________
Children’s Trust, Hilary brings fun and laughter for the patients in the children’s ____________
wards, making a hospital staying a less difficult experience for these young _____to_____
patients. ____stay_____
Having studied drama at university, Hilary later became interested in ____________
children’s theatre. Seeing an advert with a clown doctor, she knew she had ____for______
founded the ideal job. Before taking up the position, Hilary had to complete four ___found____
weeks of training, being instructed in balloon modeling and magic tricks. ____________
According to a spokesperson for the Theodora Children’s Trust, ____________
hospitalized children, having been excluding from their normal day-to-day routine ____________
and the family environment, are likely to be frightening and homesick. Clown __excluded___
doctors like Hilary has a valuable part to play in helping them forget their __frightened__
problems for a while. Humour, it has been seen, has a positively impact on health. ____have____
In fact, certain chemicals produced in the body by laughter have even been shown ____________
to act as natural painkillers. Laughter really is the best medicine, it seems. ___positive___
____________
____________

III. Use the word given in capitals at the end of some of the lines to form a word that fits in the space in the
same line. Write your answers in the box provided (10 pts)
1. unrelated = không liên quan, không có quan hệ với
2. historians = nhà sử học
3. philosophical = thuộc về triết học
4. undertaken = thực hiện
5. revolutionary= cuộc cách mạng
6. replacement -> as a replacement for = như là sự thay thế cho
7. innovator(s)= người cải cách, nhà đổi mới
8. fruitful= có kết quả
9. strengthened = củng cố, làm cho vững chắc
10. Reliance => mutual reliance= sự phụ thuộc lẫn nhau
PART III: READING (42 points)
I. Choose the words that best complete the sentences in the text. Write your answers in the box provided (15 pts)

Despite the continued 1.________ of those early town perks, it wasn't until the Depression that modern Hershey
started to take shape. Perhaps the only town in the country actually to 2_________ during the 1930s, it thrived
because Hershey vowed his Utopia would never see a breadline. lnstead he 3_________ a massive building boom
that gave rise to the most visited buildings in today's Hershey and delivered wages to more than 600 workers. He
admitted that his 4____________ were partly selfish: "lf I don't provide work for them, I'll have to feed them. And
since building materials are now at their lowest cost levels, I'm going to build and give them jobs."

He seems to have 5__________ no expense; most of the new buildings were strikingly 6________. The first to be
finished was the three-million-dollar limestone Community Center, home to the 1,904-seat Venetian-style Hershey
Community Theater, which has played 7______ since 1933 to touring Broadway shows and to music, dance, and
opera performances. lt offers just as much to look at when the lights are on and the curtains closed. The floors in
the 8_________ named Grand Lobby are polished ltalian lava rock, surrounded by marble walls and capped with a
bas-relief ceiling showing sheaves of wheat, beehives, swans, and scenes from Roman mythology. With the
9________ inner foyer, Hershey thumbed his nose even harder at the ravages of the Depression: The arched
ceiling is tiled in gold, the fire curtain bears a painting of Venice, and the ceiling is 10_______with 88 tiny
lightbulbs to re-create a star-lit night.

1. A. flexibility B. rigidity C. elasticity D. resilience

D - resilience: khả năng hồi phục (sau khi trải qua tổn thương)

- flexibility: sự linh hoạt/ dẻo dai

- rigidity >< flexibility: cứng ngắc, khó thay đổi - elasticity: độ đàn hồi

2. A. prosper B. decline C. get on D. flower

A - prosper: phát triển (đặc biệt về mặt tài chính)

- decline: suy tàn - get on: tiếp tục - flower: phát triển một cách hoàn thiện

=> Loại B, C do không phù hợp nghĩa. Loại D do flower thường được dùng với tài năng và ở

đây không có dấu hiệu nào cho thấy thị trấn đã phát triển một cách hoàn thiện. Prosper sẽ

là đáp án phù hợp hơn cả vì ở đây đang nói đến sự phát triển kinh tế/ tài chính của thị trấn

(The Depression - thời kỳ khủng hoảng kinh tế trầm trọng; a breadline - hàng người chờ

nhận đồ ăn phát miễn phí)

3. A. trusted B. funded C. accounted D. stocked

B - fund: tài trợ=> fund a massive building boom: tài trợ tiền để xây dựng một loạt các tòa nhà mới

- trust: tin - account => be accounted: được coi là - stock: tích trữ

4. A. pretensions B. objections C. preoccupation D. intentions

D - intention: ý định => were -> cần một danh từ số nhiều loại C. A, B không hợp nghĩa

pretension: tự phụ - objection: sự phản đối - preoccupation: mối bận tâm

5. A. spared B. spent C. allowed D. justified

A - spare no expense: dùng rất nhiều tiền để làm gì (phrase)

- justify: chứng minh

6. A. impoverished B. unattractive C. poor D. opulent

D - opulent: sang trọng => dấu hiệu: strikingly (một cách nổi bật) và dựa theo nghĩa câu: để ý phía sau nói đến sự
đầu tư lớn vào quy mô (vd: three-million-dollar) và sự sang chảnh của các tòa nhà đó (vd: tiled in gold, re-create a
star-lit night)

- impoverished: rất nghèo - unattractive: không thu hút - poor: nghèo

7. A. hosting B. housing C. host D. homogeneously

C - play host to sth: đăng cai tổ chức - homogeneously: một cách đồng nhất

8. A. aptly B. inappropriately C. seemingly D. frightfully

A - be aptly named (collocation) được đặt tên một cách hợp lí => Dấu hiệu dựa trên nghĩa: từ chỗ opulent đoạn đã
bắt đầu miêu tả sự xa hoa, sang trọng của tòa nhà; thêm Grand Lobby (sảnh lớn)

- inappropriately >< aptly - frightfully: một cách tồi tệ - seemingly: có vẻ

9. A. dizzying B. gaudy C. dazzling D. bland

C - dizzying: (cảm giác) hoa mắt

- gaudy: lòe loẹt, hoa mỹ - dazzling: lấp lánh - bland: nhạt nhẽo

=> Loại A và D vì không hợp nghĩa. Loại B vì gaudy mang nghĩa tiêu cực. C là lựa chọn hợp lí

nhất vì ở phần sau có nhắc đến gold (vàng)

10. A. holed B. studded C. supported D. magnified

B - studded: được đính, gắn

- holed: bị đục lỗ - magnified: được phóng đại

=> Dấu hiệu: with 88 tiny lightbulbs (bóng đèn)

II. Read the following passage and choose the correct answer to each of the following questions. Write your
answers in the box provided (10 pts)
1. B 2. A 3. C 4. A 5. B
6. B 7. D 8. D 9. A 10. D

Exquisite patterns and surface ornamentation were an integral part of the aesthetics of the late Victorian era. In
America, these developments were incorporated into the themes of national expositions and artistic movements, as
cottage industries grew and productivity in the decorative arts flourished. The last three decades of the 19 th century
saw a change in sensibility that resulted in new stylistic approaches in American decorative arts, a departure from
the previous era of Rococo and Renaissance Revival excess. Shapes became more angular, smoother and less
flamboyant. The popular carvings and deep modeling of earlier years disappeared as ornamentation became more
linear and lighter in appearance. Decoration focused on the surface with rich and elegant patterns adorning
furniture, objects of every sort, and architectural and interior decorations. This artistic reawakening was prompted
by the effects of the Industrial Revolution on contemporary design.
This new attitude, with its focus on ornament and decorative, was later referred to as the Aesthetic Movement,
but it also encompassed the early Arts and Crafts Movement as well. The purpose was to bring a refined sensibility
and components of “good taste” to the domestic interior. Art and good taste not only denoted good character, but
also could be used to induce proper moral conduct and actions, thereby contributing to the betterment of society.
This placed a heavy burden on designers/decorators as well as on women as keepers of the home. Americans drew
inspiration from the writing and work of English artists. This was a period of great eclecticism. Tastes ranged from
the Modern Gothic through the Persian, Greek and Islamic, to the Japanese, and with more than a nod to Mother
Nature. Yet, regardless of the influence, surface pattern reigned supreme. English reformers dictated that ornament
should be derived from nature, and pattern should be flat and stylized. Forms were accentuated by colored
outlines, or often with touches of gold. The emphasis was on art and on development of a refined sensibility. It
was all a matter of taste.
1. What is the main topic of the passage?
A. Defining the “Aesthetic Movement”
B. Decorative arts in late 19th century America
C. English influences on American decorative arts in the late 19th century
D.The change in tastes from “Rocco and Renaissance Revival” to the “Aesthetic Movement” in the late 19 th
century America
Clue: The last three decades of the 19th century saw a change in sensibility that resulted in new stylistic
approaches in American decorative arts, a departure from the previous era of Rococo and Renaissance Revival
excess.. =Ba thập kỷ cuối của thế kỷ 19 chứng kiến sự thay đổi về tính nhạy cảm dẫn đến các cách tiếp cận phong
cách mới trong nghệ thuật trang trí của Mỹ, một sự khác biệt so với kỷ nguyên Rococo và Phục hưng Phục hưng
trước đó….
2. The word “integral” in line 1 is closest in meaning to
A. essential B. additional C. important D. beautifying
Intergral = essential = thiết yếu
3. According to the passage, during the Aesthetic Movement popular carvings and deep modeling of earlier years
________.
A. were popular B. again became popular
C. disappeared D. defined good taste
Clue: The popular carvings and deep modeling of earlier years disappeared as ornamentation became more linear
and lighter in appearance.
4. The word “elegant” is closes in meaning to ________.
A. beautiful B. ornamental C. colorful D. refined
Elegant = tao nhã, thanh lịch = beautiful
5. According to the passage, the purpose of the Aesthetic Movement was to ________.
A. induce proper moral conducts and actions
B. define what was meant by good taste in the domestic interior
C. encompass Arts and Crafts as well as ornament and decoration
D. define good character and contribute to the betterment of society
Clue: The purpose was to bring a refined sensibility and components of “good taste” to the domestic interior.=
Mục đích là để mang lại cảm giác tinh tế và các thành phần của “hương vị tốt” cho nội thất trong nước
6. The phrase “new attitude” refers to ________.
A. including the early Arts and Craft Movement as well
B. artistic reawakening
C. the Industrial Revolution
D. Rococo and Renaissance Revival
Clue: This artistic reawakening was prompted by the effects of the Industrial Revolution on contemporary desig.
This new attitude, with its focus on ornament and decorative, was later referred to as the Aesthetic Movement, but
it also encompassed the early Arts and Crafts Movement as well
7. The word “denoted” is closest in meaning to ________.
A. promoted B. facilitated C. developed D. signified
Denoted = biểu lộ, biểu thị = signified
8. Which of the following can be inferred from the passage?
A. designers and decorators were mainly responsible for starting the new attitude
B. the movement led to a higher standard of morality in late 19th century America
C. the Americans considered the English to be the arbiters of good taste
D. women, as keepers of the home, faced a heavy burden
Clue: Art and good taste not only denoted good character, but also could be used to induce proper moral conduct
and actions, thereby contributing to the betterment of society. This placed a heavy burden on designers/decorators
as well as on women as keepers of the home. =Nghệ thuật và gu thẩm mỹ tốt không chỉ biểu thị tính cách tốt mà
còn có thể được sử dụng để thúc đẩy các hành vi và hành vi đạo đức đúng đắn, từ đó góp phần cải thiện xã hội.
Điều này đặt một gánh nặng lớn lên các nhà thiết kế/trang trí cũng như phụ nữ với tư cách là người giữ nhà.
9. According to the passage, which of the following remained most important, regardless of influences from other
countries?
A. surface pattern B. English opinions
C. good taste D. Proper moral conduct and actions
Clue: Yet, regardless of the influence, surface pattern reigned supreme = Tuy nhiên, bất kể ảnh hưởng như thế nào,
mô hình bề mặt vẫn ngự trị tối cao
10. Which of the following is NOT mentioned as feature of the Aesthetic Movement?
A. shapes became less flamboyant B. ornamentation became lighter in appearance
C. forms were accentuated by colored lines D. decorations focused mainly on furniture
Clue: Shapes became more angular, smoother and less flamboyant=> A
ornamentation became more linear and lighter in appearance=> B
Forms were accentuated by colored outlines, or often with touches of gold.=> C
IV. There are seven paragraphs A – G. Choose the correct heading for each paragraph from the list of
headings below. Write your answers in the box provided. (7 pts)
1. VI 2. X 3. III 4. VIII 5. I 6. IV 7. IX

List of Headings
I. Optimistic beliefs held by the writers of childrens’s literature 1. Paragraph A
II. The attitude of certain adults towards children’s literature 2. Paragraph B
III. The attraction of children’s literature 3. Paragraph C
IV. A contrast that categorises books as children’s literature 4. Paragraph D
V. A false assumption made about children’s literature 5. Paragraph E
VI. The conventional view of children’s literature 6. Paragraph F
 VII. Some good and bad features of children’s literature 7. Paragraph G
VIII. Classifying a book as children’s literature
IX. The treatment of various themes in children’s literature
X. Another way of looking at children’s literature

A I am sometimes asked why anyone who is not a teacher or a librarian or the parent of little kids should concern
herself with children’s books and folklore. I know the standard answers: that many famous writers have written for
children, and that the great children’s books are also great literature; that these books and tales are an important
source of archetype and symbol, and that they can help us to understand the structure and functions of the novel.=
Tôi biết những câu trả lời tiêu chuẩn: rằng nhiều nhà văn nổi tiếng đã viết cho trẻ em, và những cuốn sách hay
dành cho trẻ em cũng là tác phẩm văn học tuyệt vời; rằng những cuốn sách và câu chuyện này là một nguồn
nguyên mẫu và biểu tượng quan trọng, đồng thời chúng có thể giúp chúng ta hiểu cấu trúc và chức năng của tiểu
thuyết.
=> VI. The conventional view of children’s literature(The paragraph is mainly about 'the standard answers'
people give when asked why children's literature is important)
B All this is true. But I think we should also take children’s literature seriously because it is sometimes subversive:
because its values are not always those of the conventional adult world. Of course, in a sense much great literature
is subversive, since its very existence implies that what matters is art, imagination and truth. In what we call the
real world, what usually counts is money, power and public success.
=> X. Another way of looking at children’s literature(The paragraph is mainly about a further reason why
children's literature is important, in addition to the reasons given in paragraph A - that it is 'subversive' (opposed to
the normal rules of society).)
C The great subversive works of children’s literature suggest that there are other views of human life besides those
of the shopping mall and the corporation. They mock current assumptions and express the imaginative,
unconventional, noncommercial view of the world in its simplest and purest form. They appeal to the imaginative,
questioning, rebellious child within all of us, renew our instinctive energy, and act as a force for change = Chúng
thu hút đứa trẻ giàu trí tưởng tượng, hay thắc mắc, nổi loạn trong tất cả chúng ta, tái tạo năng lượng bản năng của
chúng ta và hoạt động như một động lực để thay đổi.. That is why such literature is worthy of our attention and
will endure long after more conventional tales have been forgotten.

=> III. The attraction of children’s literature (The paragraph is mainly about why children's literature appeals to
people. It presents an alternative view of life, it makes fun of conventional views of life, it appeals to the
imaginative aspects of people, etc.)
D An interesting question is what – besides intention – makes a particular story a ‘children’s book’? With the
exception of picture books for toddlers, these works are not necessarily shorter or simpler than so-called adult
fiction, and they are surely not less well written. The heroes and heroines of these tales, it is true, are often
children: but then so are the protagonists of Henry Jame’s What Maisie Knew and Toni Morrison’s The Bluest
Eye. Yet the barrier between children’s books and adult fiction remains; editors, critics and readers seem to have
little trouble in assigning a given work to one category or the other.= Tuy nhiên, rào cản giữa sách dành cho trẻ em
và tiểu thuyết dành cho người lớn vẫn còn; các biên tập viên, nhà phê bình và độc giả dường như gặp chút khó
khăn trong việc xếp một tác phẩm nhất định vào thể loại này hay thể loại khác.
=> VIII. Classifying a book as children’s literature(he main topic of the paragraph is the definition of a children's
book and deciding whether a book belongs to that category or not; the writer says that children's books have many
things in common with adult fiction, but that people find it easy to decide whether a book can be described as
children's literature or not)
E In classic children’s fiction a pastoral convention is maintained. It is assumed that the world of childhood is
simpler and more natural than that of adults, and that children, though they may have faults, are essentially good or
at least capable of becoming so.= Người ta cho rằng thế giới của trẻ thơ đơn giản và tự nhiên hơn thế giới của
người lớn, và rằng trẻ em, mặc dù chúng có thể có lỗi lầm, nhưng về cơ bản là tốt hoặc ít nhất là có khả năng trở
thành như vậy. The transformation of selfish, whiny, disagreeable Mary and hysterical, demanding Colin in
Frances Hodgson Burnett’s The Secret Garden is a paradigm. Of course, there are often unpleasant minor juvenile
characters who give the protagonist a lot of trouble and are defeated or evaded rather than reeducated. But on
occasion even the angry bully and the lying sneak can be reformed and forgiven. Richard Hughes’s A High Wind
in Jamaica, though most of its characters are children, never appears on lists of recommended juvenile fiction; not
so much because of the elaborations of its diction (which is no more complex than that of, say, Treasure Island),
but because in it children are irretrievably damaged and corrupted.
=> I. Optimistic beliefs held by the writers of childrens’s literature(The main point of the paragraph is that
writers of children's literature base their books on the idea that children are good people or that they can become
good people. The paragraph then contains examples of this and of a book that cannot be considered a children's
book because the children in it do not follow this pattern)
F Adults in most children’s books, on the other hand, are usually stuck with their characters and incapable of
alteration or growth.=Mặt khác, người lớn trong hầu hết các cuốn sách dành cho trẻ em thường bị mắc kẹt với các
nhân vật của họ và không có khả năng thay đổi hoặc phát triển. If they are really unpleasant, the only thing that
can rescue them is the natural goodness of a child. Here again, Mrs. Burnett provides the classic example, in Little
Lord Fauntleroy. (Scrooge’s somewhat similar change of heart in Dicken’s A Christmas Carol, however, is due
mainly to regret for his past and terror of the future. This is one of the things that makes the book a family rather
than a juvenile romance; another is the helpless passivity of the principal child character, Tiny Tim.).
=> IV. A contrast that categorises books as children’s literature(The paragraph is mainly about the difference
between the adults and the children in children's books. The writer says that this difference is something that
means a book can be classified as children's literature, and then gives an example of a book that does not have this
characteristic and therefore cannot be called children's literature.)
G Of the three principal preoccupations of adult fiction – sex, money and death – the first is absent from classic
children’s literature and the other two either absent or much muted= Trong ba mối bận tâm chính của tiểu thuyết
dành cho người lớn – tình dục, tiền bạc và cái chết – mối bận tâm đầu tiên không có trong văn học thiếu nhi cổ
điển và hai mối bận tâm còn lại hoặc vắng bóng hoặc bị tắt tiếng nhiều. Money is a motive in children’s literature,
in the sense that many stories deal with a search for treasure of some sort. These quests, unlike real-life ones, are
almost always successful, though occasionally what is found in the end is some form of family happiness, which is
declared by the author and the characters to be a ‘real treasure’. Simple economic survival, however, is almost
never the problem; what is sought, rather, is a magical (sometimes literally magical) surplus of wealth. Death,
which was a common theme in nineteenth-century fiction for children, was almost banished during the first half of
the twentieth century. Since then it has begun to reappear; the breakthrough book was E. B. White’s Charlotte’s
Web. Today not only animals but people die, notably in the sort of books that get awards and are recommended by
librarians and psychologists for children who have lost a relative. But even today the characters who die tend to be
of another generation; the protagonist and his or her friends survive. Though there are some interesting exceptions,
even the most subversive of contemporary children’s books usually follow these conventions. They portray an
ideal world of perfectible beings, free of the necessity for survival.
=> IX. The treatment of various themes in children’s literature (The paragraph is mainly about how the subjects
of sex, money and death are presented in children's books.)