SỞ GIÁO DỤC VÀ ĐÀO TẠO HÀ NỘI TRƯỜ
KÌ THI CHỌN ĐỘI TUYỂN HỌC SINH GIỎI
NG THPT CHUYÊN NGUYỄN HUỆ
LỚP 10 + 11 THPT NĂM HỌC 2020-2021 Môn thi: TIẾNG ANH ĐỀ CHÍNH THỨC Ngày thi: 06/03/2021
Thời gian làm bài: 180 phút
(Đề thi gồm 14 trang) Điểm Cán bộ chấm thi Phách Bằng số Bằng chữ Họ và tên Chữ ký 1. 2.
- Thí sinh làm bài trực tiếp vào đề thi và không được sử dụng bất kỳ loại tài liệu nào, kể cả từ điển.
- Cán bộ coi thi không giải thích gì thêm. I. PHONETICS (1.0 pt.)
Part 1: Choose the word whose underlined part is pronounced differently from that of the others. Write your
answers in the corresponding numbered boxes provided. 1. A. dogged B. dragged C. begged D. plugged 2. A. sough B. lounge C. cougar D. bough 3. A. hombre B. hauteur C. heirloom D. haulage 4. A. dispose B. baseball C. expertise D. envisage 5. A. bristle B. jostle C. mistletoe D. mantle
Part 2: Choose the word whose main stressed syllable is placed differently from that of the others. Write your
answers in the corresponding numbered boxes provided. 6. A. manatee B. apogee C. bumblebee D. harambee 7. A. promenade B. bruschetta C. trigonometry D. spontaneity 8. A. interchange B. infamous C. contributory D. undercurrent 9. A. polymorphous B. hemipterous C. hemispherical D. interlocutory 10. A. magnificent B. hallucinate C. contingency D. downtrodden Your answers: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10.
II. LEXICO-GRAMMAR (8.0 points)
Part 1: Choose the best answer A, B, C, or D. Write your answers in the corresponding numbered boxes provided. (1.5 pts.)
1. I must say, it was a _______ of genius getting the kids all those puzzles – they’ve been playing quietly for hours! A. blow B. stroke C. blast D. stamp
2. My uncle is a bit long in the _______ to be looking for a girlfriend. A. tooth B. face C. mouth D. nose
3. Things can’t carry on like this; you’ll have to _______ your foot down. A. lay B. set C. bring D. put
4. After the presentation, the questions from the audience started coming _______. A. hard and fast B. long and furious C. plash and fast D. thick and fast
5. These diets are now _______ on by many medical experts because of their low fibre content. A. frowned B. criticized C. regarded D. objected
6. The average family in Britain spends £100 a week on food, which makes _______ in the household budget. A. a big dent B. a large foot C. a brave face D. great damper
7. Employees were paid late due to _______ in the accounting department. A. a hindrance B. an oversight C. a negligence D. a transgression 2
8. After years of being looked after by his mother, he didn’t take _______ to being told to cook for himself. A. pleasantly B. cheerfully C. agreeably D. kindly
9. When she was questioned by the police, the little girl’s lips began to tremble as tears _______ in her eyes. A. welled B. raised C. filled D. mounted
10. Sailing is not _______ an art. A. more science than B. so much a science as C. as scientific as D. worth science for
11. _______ to criticize, but shouldn’t their parents take a share of the blame? A. It is far from clear B. Far from it for me C. Far and wide for me D. Far be it from me
12. The facts can be _______ from an examination of the data. A. converted B. grasped C. reckoned D. deduced
13. It's very important that we _______ as soon as there's any change in the patient's condition. A. be notified B. being notified C. are notified D. were notified
14. Although he came to work the day before his retirement, everyone knew he was just _______. A. going with the flow B. going through the motions C. going against the grain D. going along with them
15. An application to join this scheme places you under no obligation _______. A. indeed B. eventually C. apart D. whatsoever Your answers: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15.
Part 2: Complete these sentences, using the suitable form of the words in capitals. Write your answers
in the corresponding numbered boxes provided. (2.0 pts.)
1. The new law will give _______ landlords an easy way of getting rid of people. (SCRUPLE)
2. She had no right to use such a power for the propaganda of _______ theories. (BRAIN)
3. He was _______ accurate with his boot, kicking 19 points. (ERR)
4. Portraits of monarchs, warriors and saints, as well as representations of famous battles, have suddenly become _______. (PRESENT)
5. Not everyone is so willing to _______ the colonial powers. (CULPRIT)
6. From babyhood, he had suffered from a grievous _______ which rounded his little shoulders and bowed the frail form. (FORM)
7. With few exceptions, most of the _______ glasses contain 1% lead oxide. (LUCID)
8. The game was cancelled because of a _______ pitch. (WATER)
9. You can say that she is a _______because she works very hard and finds it difficult to stop working and do other things. (WORK)
10. The Prime Minister will be meeting local _______ and visiting places of work. (DIGNIFY) Your answers: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10.
Part 3: Complete the sentences with the correct form of a verb in A, and a preposition/ particle in B.
There is one extra preposition that you do not need to use. Write your answers in the corresponding
numbered boxes provided. (2.0 pts.) A B
brush chuck die set back
up down aside around apart
emerge change drift harp seal
from over out on in off 3
1. The two women, who had been roommates in college, _______ after they got married.
2. If drowsiness _______, stop taking the medication immediately.
3. Make sure that when you buy a new car it’s _______ by a full warranty.
4. I wish you would quit _______ Jeff all the time. He couldn’t be all that bad.
5. Two more bombs have been discovered since the police _______ the area.
6. He won’t listen to reason; he simply _______ all objections.
7. We are gradually _______ from the imperial system to the metric one.
8. He was _______ of office for talking bribes.
9. Sue _______ the attic covered in cobwebs.
10. When all this fuss has _______, they will return to work. Your answers: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10.
Part 4: For each set, think of one word which can be used appropriately in all three sentences. Write
your answers in the corresponding numbered boxes provided. (0.5 pt.) 1. _______
- We’re getting rather _______ on petrol; I think I’d better stop at the next service station and put some in.
- My boss said that my work was of a _______ standard and that I would have to improve or I might lose my job.
- Marianne’s life hasn’t been going too well lately and so she’s been feeling rather _______. 2. _______
- We drove through the countryside looking for a nice _______ for a picnic.
- When the accident happened, reporters were on the _______ within minutes.
- You can’t wear that jumper; there is a _______ of paint on the front of it. 3. _______
- Everyone wished her the best of _______ at university and hoped she would enjoy it.
- Jenny won the competition at her first attempt – perhaps it was beginner’s _______!
- There is no such thing as _______, we are capable of creating our own good fortune. 4. _______
- If you don’t have enough money to phone home, you can always _______ the charges.
- After hearing an appeal from local residents, the housing committee decided to _______ their decision to
construct a motorway next to the town.
- Be careful as you _______ your car out of the garage – it’s a tight squeeze! 5. _______
- Rick does a lot of dangerous sports, but fortunately he has come to no _______ so far.
- I don’t suppose I’ll win this competition, but there’s no _______ trying.
- I know you’re fairly, but a bit more exercise wouldn’t do you any _______. Your answers: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
Part 5: Complete the following passage by filling each blank with ONE suitable word. Write your
answers in the corresponding numbered boxes provided. (2.0 pts)
IS THE RECESSION MAKING US FAT?
As the average disposable income continues to shrink, Britons are being forced to (1) _______ back on
spending, including such things as going out for a proper meal and opting (2) _______ the pricier meat and
vegetables at the supermarket. For many families, changing to fast food, take-away or ready meals and mega
packs of cheap cuts, crisps and biscuits appears to be (3) _______ people now prefer.
The shocking truth is that all of the above come (4) _______ near constituting and a healthy diet.
Laden (5) _______ sugar and fat, over-processed and packed with E numbers, they (6) _______ essential 4
fibre and vitamins. It is not unusual for family members of any age to (7) _______ more than the total sum
of an adult’s 2,000-a-day calories in one go while watching TV, as the habit sadly is for many households.
A return to traditional home cooking, however, could prove to be a viable solution (8) _______ both
counts. For example, batch-cooking and freezing portions make quality ingredients (9) _______ further.
Buying seasonal vegetables is smart because plentiful supply (10) _______ to lower prices. But most of all,
it means that there is no need to sacrifice our health for the sake of economy. Your answers: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. III. READING (5.0 points)
Part 1: Read the passage below and choose the best answer (A, B, C or D) to complete the passage.
Write your answers in the corresponding numbered boxes provided. (1.0 pt.)
A solution to (1) _______ desires and expectations perhaps lies in the recognition that wealth does not
involve having many things. It involves having what we long for. Wealth is not an absolute. It is relative to
desire. Every time we seek something we cannot afford, we grow poorer, whatever our resources. And every
time we feel satisfied with what we have, we can be (2) _______ as rich, however little we may actually
own. There are two ways to make people richer: to give them more money or to (3) _______ their desires.
Modern societies have succeeded spectacularly at the first option but, by continuously inflaming appetites,
they have at the same time helped to negate a share of their most impressive achievements.
The most effective way to feel wealthy may not be to try to make more money. It can be to (4) _______
ourselves - practically and emotionally - from anyone we both consider to be our equal and who has become
richer than us. Rather than trying to become bigger fish, we should concentrate our energies on ((5) _______
around us smaller companions next to whom our own size will not (6) _______ us. In so far as advanced
societies provide us with historically elevated incomes, they appear to make us richer. But, in truth, the net
effect of these societies may be to (7) _______ us because, by fostering unlimited expectations, they keep
open a permanent gap between what we want and what we can afford, who we are and who we might be.
The (8) _______ we have paid for expecting to be so much more than our ancestors is the permanent feeling
that we are far from being all we might be. We should be careful what we read in the papers and what
programmes we watch. No matter what the media (9) _______ at us, we must remain realistic in our goals
and expectations and not allow ourselves to be (10) _______ into a life of materialism. 1. A. coiling B. curving C. spiralling D. revolving 2. A. counted B. added C. thought D. accounted 3. A. refer B. reassure C. recline D. restrain 4. A. dispute B. vary C. single D. distance 5. A. gathering B. heaping C. loading D. distributing 6. A. brood B. fret C. trouble D. console 7. A. redeem B. impoverish C. enrich D. augment 8. A. fee B. price C. fund D. charge 9. A. sends B. delivers C. exploits D. throws 10. A. liberated B. quarantined C. brainwashed D. investigated Your answers: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10.
Part 2: Read the following passage and do the tasks that follow. (1.3 pts.)
Saving bugs to find new drugs
Zoologist Ross Piper looks at the potential of insects in pharmaceutical research
A More drugs than you might think are derived from, or inspired by, compounds found in living things.
Looking to nature for the soothing and curing of our ailments is nothing new – we have been doing it for
tens of thousands of years. You only have to look at other primates – such as the capuchin monkeys who
rub themselves with toxin-oozing millipedes to deter mosquitoes, or the chimpanzees who use noxious 5
forest plants to rid themselves of intestinal parasites – to realise that our ancient ancestors too probably
had a basic grasp of medicine.
B Pharmaceutical science and chemistry built on these ancient foundations and perfected the extraction,
characterization, modification and testing of these natural products. Then, for a while, modern
pharmaceutical science moved its focus away from nature and into the laboratory, designing chemical
compounds from scratch. The main cause of this shift is that although there are plenty of promising
chemical compounds in nature, finding them is far from easy. Securing sufficient numbers of the
organism in question, isolating and characterizing the compounds of interest, and producing large
quantities of these compounds are all significant hurdles.
C Laboratory-based drug discovery has achieved varying levels of success, something which has now
prompted the development of new approaches focusing once again on natural products. With the ability
to mine genomes for useful compounds, it is now evident that we have barely scratched the surface of
nature’s molecular diversity. This realization, together with several looming health crises, such as
antibiotic resistance, has put bioprospecting – the search for useful compounds in nature – firmly back on the map.
D Insects are the undisputed masters of the terrestrial domain, where they occupy every possible niche.
Consequently, they have a bewildering array of interactions with other organisms, something which has
driven the evolution of an enormous range of very interesting compounds for defensive and offensive
purposes. Their remarkable diversity exceeds that of every other group of animals on the planet
combined. Yet even though insects are far and away the most diverse animals in existence, their
potential as sources of therapeutic compounds is yet to be realised.
E From the tiny proportion of insects that have been investigated, several promising compounds have been
identified. For example, alloferon, an antimicrobial compound produced by blow fly larvae, is used as
an antiviral and antitumor agent in South Korea and Russia. The larvae of a few other insect species are
being investigated for the potent antimicrobial compounds they produce. Meanwhile, a compound from
the venom of the wasp Polybia paulista has potential in cancer treatment.
F Why is it that insects have received relatively little attention in bioprospecting? Firstly, there are so
many insects that, without some manner of targeted approach, investigating this huge variety of species
is a daunting task. Secondly, insects are generally very small, and the glands inside them that secrete
potentially useful compounds are smaller still. This can make it difficult to obtain sufficient quantities of
the compound for subsequent testing. Thirdly, although we consider insects to be everywhere, the reality
of this ubiquity is vast numbers of a few extremely common species. Many insect species are
infrequently encountered and very difficult to rear in captivity, which, again, can leave us with
insufficient material to work with.
G My colleagues and I at Aberystwyth University in the UK have developed an approach in which we use
our knowledge of ecology as a guide to target our efforts. The creatures that particularly interest us are
the many insects that secrete powerful poison for subduing prey and keeping it fresh for future
consumption. There are even more insects that are masters of exploiting filthy habitats, such as faece
and carcasses, where they are regularly challenged by thousands of micro-organisms. These insects have
many antimicrobial compounds for dealing with pathogenic bacteria and fungi, suggesting that there is
certainly potential to find many compounds that can serve as or inspire new antibiotics.
H Although natural history knowledge points us in the right direction, it doesn’t solve the problems
associated with obtaining useful compounds from insects. Fortunately, it is now possible to snip out the
stretches of the insect’s DNA that carry the codes for the interesting compounds and insert them into
cell lines that allow larger quantities to be produced. And although the road from isolating and
characterizing compounds with desirable qualities to developing a commercial product is very long and
full of pitfalls, the variety of successful animal-derived pharmaceuticals on the market demonstrates
there is a precedent here that is worth exploring. 6 I
With every bit of wilderness that disappears, we deprive ourselves of potential medicines. As much as
I’d love to help develop a groundbreaking insect-derived medicine, my main motivation for looking at
insects in this way is conservation. I sincerely believe that all species, however small and seemingly
insignificant, have a right to exist for their own sake. If we can shine a light on the darker recesses of
nature’s medicine cabinet, exploring the useful chemistry of the most diverse animals on the planet, I
believe we can make people think differently about the value of nature.
Questions 1-7: The reading passage has nine paragraphs, A-I
Which paragraph contains the following information?
Write the correct letter, A-I, in boxes 1-7 on your answer sheet.
1. mention of factors driving a renewed interest in natural medicinal compounds
2. how recent technological advances have made insect research easier
3. examples of animals which use medicinal substances from nature
4. reasons why it is challenging to use insects in drug research
5. reference to how interest in drug research may benefit wildlife
6. a reason why nature-based medicines fell out of favour for a period
7. an example of an insect-derived medicine in use at the moment
Questions 8-9: Choose TWO letters, A-E
Write the correct letters in boxes 8 and 9 on your answer sheet.
Which TWO of the following make insects interesting for drug research?
A. the huge number of individual insects in the world
B. the variety of substances insects have developed to protect themselves
C. the potential to extract and make use of insects’ genetic codes
D. the similarities between different species of insect
E. the manageable size of most insects
Questions 10-13: Complete the summary below.
Choose ONE WORD ONLY from the passage for each answer.
Write your answers in boxes 10-13 on your answer sheet.
Research at Aberystwyth University
Ross Piper and fellow zoologists at Aberystwyth University are using their expertise in (10) __________
when undertaking bioprospecting with insects. They are especially interested in the compounds that insects
produce to overpower and preserve their (11) __________.They are also interested in compounds which
insects use to protect themselves from pathogenic bacteria and fungi found in their (12) __________. Piper
hopes that these substances will be useful in the development of drugs such as (13) __________. Your answers: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13.
Part 3: Read the following passage and choose the best answer A, B, C, or D to each of the questions.
Write your answers in the corresponding numbered boxes provided. (1.0 pt.) Fire Tornadoes
Fire tornadoes - also known as fire whirls, firenados, or fire twisters - look like tornadoes but are made
up of fire. Therefore, they aren’t really tornadoes at all. Tornadoes are formed when just the right weather
elements combine: moist, warm air lying close to the ground; an unstable atmosphere; and air fronts that
collide and propel moist air vertically into the sky.
A fire tornado has two parts: the core, which is actually on fire, and an invisible, rotating air pocket. It
can reach temperatures of nearly 2,000°F, which is hot enough to even reignite ashes that have been sucked 7
into the vortex from the ground. While real tornadoes occur as a result of atmospheric conditions high
above, fire tornadoes result from hot, dry air rising quickly away from the ground. When hot, strong winds
come into contact with an already-burning brushfire, updrafts of hot air catch the fire and surrounding winds
and send it whirling into the air. This whirling air forms columns; as more and more hot air is pulled into a
column, the column begins to swirl, very much like a real tornado.
A fire twister’s spinning column creates a vortex thanks to angular momentum. The law of angular
momentum states that when an object is inside a spinning column it will move faster and faster the closer it
gets to the center of rotation. The fire tornado picks up flaming embers, combustible gases, burning debris,
and ash. When sucked up by the firenado, unburned gases travel up the core until they reach an area where
there is enough oxygen to ignite them. This ultimately creates a spinning fire tower that can be hundreds of feet tall.
While fire whirls move pretty slowly, they can cause significant damage. Anything - or anyone! -
unfortunate enough to be in a fire whirl’s path will likely either be set ablaze or flung vigorously from its
location. But it’s not just the fire that’s dangerous - the winds it generates can create wind speeds of more
than 100 mph, which is strong enough to knock down trees. Fire whirls also typically don’t last very long,
but when they do they can wreak havoc and leave disaster in their wakes.
There have been numerous major firenados in the last 150 years, many of which have proved lethal. In
1871, the great Peshtigo Fire in Northeastern Wisconsin and Upper Michigan resulted from inauspicious
conditions: dry weather during the summer, slash-and-burn farming practices, and a vigorous cold front that
brought strong winds. Together, these three contributing factors created firenados that turned a few small
prairie fires into a furious conflagration. The town of Peshtigo, with hundreds of wooden structures and
lumberyards, sat in the middle of a forest of pine and hardwood. When the fire reached the town, it found
abundant fuel. In just minutes, 100-mph winds and ambient temperatures of more than 700°F caused what is
still recognized as the worst fire disaster in the history of the United States. As best as anyone could tell,
nearly 2,000 people lost their lives.
More recently, a fire twister was recorded in January 2003 on Mount Taylor in Canberra, Australia. It
had a diameter of almost 1,600 feet and winds of more than 160 mph. In April 2016, a fire tornado nearly
claimed the life of a firefighter in Alberta, Canada. His team was fighting a blaze that started as an out-of-
control campfire. The firefighter’s teammate yelled at him to watch out. Without thinking, he jumped in the
nearby river, saving his own life.
Unfortunately, we still don’t know much about fire twisters. Because they can arise in any part of a
fire, there is no way to predict where one might appear. And because they don’t usually last very long, it’s
reasonable to consider that even firefighters can’t identify where a fire twister has touched ground. Even
with that information, we would still be left with the question of whether the fire caused the vortex or
whether the vortex was helped by the fire. Perhaps someday we’ll find out!
1. It can be inferred from paragraph 1 of the passage that fire tornadoes _______. A. are truly tornadoes B. form easily C. look like tornadoes
D. result only from an unstable atmosphere
2. The word “it” in the passage refers to _______. A. the fire B. the air pocket C. the fire tornado D. the ashes
3. The word “reignite” in the passage is closest in meaning to _______. A. remove B. char C. quench D. light again
4. Which of the following is NOT mentioned as a characteristic of a fire tornado? A. Column B. Core C. Air pocket D. Angular momentum
5. Which of the following is an example of angular momentum?
A. A runner running faster the further she runs
B. A tennis player hitting harder earlier in the game
C. An ice skater spinning faster as she pulls her arms in to her body
D. A swimmer swimming faster at a higher altitude
6. The phrase “flung vigorously” in the passage is closest in meaning to _______. A. burned quickly B. moved slowly C. thrown forcefully D. tossed gently
7. The author implies that _______.
A. fire whirls don’t move quickly
B. fire whirls don’t cause damage
C. fire whirls can’t knock down trees
D. fire whirls can last for days 8
8. The phrase “wreak havoc” in the passage is closest in meaning to _______. A. start sizeable fires B. last forever C. move quickly D. cause significant damage
9. According to paragraph 5 of the passage, firenados _______.
A. have happened more than once B. have never been documented
C. first occurred in Peshtigo D. are always lethal
10. The word “inauspicious” in the passage is closest in meaning to _______. A. lucky B. fortunate C. unlucky D. dangerous Your answers: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10.
Part 4: You are going to read an extract from a magazine article. Seven paragraphs have been
removed from the extract. Choose from the paragraphs A – H the one which fits each gap (1 – 7).
There is one extra paragraph which you do not need to use. (0.7pt)
HOW THE INTERNET BECAME A BIG BOY
In the summer of 1968, experts at the RAND Corporation, America's foremost Cold War think tank, were
considering a strange strategic problem. How could the US authorities successfully communicate after a
nuclear war? No matter how thoroughly a network was armoured or protected, its switches and wiring
would always be vulnerable to bombs. An attack could reduce any conceivable network to tatters. 1. _______
The principles were simple. All the nodes in the network would be equal in status, each with its own
authority to originate, pass and receive messages. The messages themselves would be divided into packets.
Each packet would begin at some specified source node, and end at some other specified destination node. It
would wind its way through the network on an individual basis. 2. _______
This excited and intrigued many, because it did sound like a theory for an indestructible network. In the
autumn of 1969, the first node was installed in UCLA. By December 1969, there were four nodes on the
infant network, which was named ARPANET, after its Pentagon sponsor (the Advanced Research Projects
Agency). An added bonus was that scientists and researchers could share one another's computer facilities
from a great distance away. This was a very handy service, for computer time was precious in the early 70s.
In 1971 there were fifteen nodes in ARPANET; by 1972, thirty-seven nodes. And it was good. 3. _______
The invention of the mailing list followed naturally. This was an ARPANET broadcasting technique in
which an identical message could be sent automatically to large numbers of network subscribers.
Interestingly, one of the first really big mailing lists was "SF-LOVERS," for science fiction fans. Discussing
science fiction on the network was not work-related and was frowned upon by many ARPANET computer
administrators, but this didn't stop it from happening. 4. _______
As early as 1977, TCP/IP was being used by other networks to link to ARPANET. ARPANET itself
remained fairly tightly controlled, at least until 1983, when its military segment broke off and became
MTLNET. But TCP/IP linked everyone to everyone else. And ARPANET itself, though it was growing,
became a smaller and smaller neighbourhood amid the vastly growing constellation of other linked machines. 5. _______
In 1984 the National Science Foundation got into the act. The new NSFNET set a blistering pace for
technical advancement, linking newer, faster, shinier supercomputers, through thicker, faster links, upgraded
and expanded, again and again, in 1986, 1988 and 1990. And other government agencies leapt in: NASA,
the National Institutes of Health, the Department of Energy, each of them maintaining their own digital 9
kingdom in the Internet confederation. A mere twenty years had passed since the invention of the
ARPANET, but few people remembered it now. 6. _______
The Internet's pace of growth in the early 1990s was spectacularly ferocious, at some point achieving a
monthly growth of 20%. The number of 'host' machines with direct connection to TCP/IP doubled every
year from 1988 to 1997. The Internet moved out of its original base in military and research institutions, into
elementary and high schools, as well as into public libraries and the commercial sector and, of course, into millions of homes. 7. _______
And so the story goes. The real Internet of the future may bear very little resemblance to today's, or even
today's predictions. Predictions have never seemed to have much to do with the seething, fungal
development of the Internet. After all, today's Internet bears little resemblance to those original grim plans
for RAND's post-holocaust command grid. It's a fine and happy irony.
A By the second year of operation, however, an odd fact became clear. ARPANET'S users had warped the
computer-sharing network into a dedicated, high-speed, federally subsidised electronic postal service.
The main traffic was not long-distance computing, but news and personal messages.
B All these sources of conflict remain in a stumbling balance today, and the Internet, so far, remains in a
thrivingly anarchical condition. Once upon a time, the NSFNET’s high-speed, high-capacity lines were
known as the “Internet Backbone”, and their owners could rather lord it over the rest of the Internet;
but today there are “backbones” in Canada, Japan, and Europe.
C As the '70s and '80s advanced, other entire networks fell into the digital embrace of this ever-growing
web of computers. Since TCP/IP was public domain, and the basic technology was decentralised and
rather anarchic by its very nature, it was difficult to stop people from barging in and linking up. In fact,
nobody really wanted to stop them from joining this branching complex of networks, which came to be known as “the Internet”.
D And how would the network itself be commanded and controlled? Any central authority would be an
obvious and immediate target for an enemy missile. RAND mulled over this grim puzzle in deep military
secrecy, and arrived at a daring solution. In the first place, they would design a network with no central
authority. Furthermore, they would design it to operate while in tatters.
E The ARPA's original software for communication was known as NCP, 'Network Control Protocol', but
as time passed and the technique advanced, NCP was superseded by a higher-level, more sophisticated
standard known as TCP/IP. This software converted messages into streams of packets at the source,
then reassembled them back into messages at the destination.
F Why did so many people want to be on the Internet? One of the main reasons was simply freedom. The
Internet is a rare example of the truly, modern, functional anarchy. There is no 'Internet Inc.' There are
no official censors, no bosses, no board of directors, no stockholders. This virtual freedom, many hold,
was the major reason why this form of communication attracted so many users so quickly.
G For it had become a happy victim of its own overwhelming success. Its users scarcely noticed, for
ARPANET'S functions not only continued but steadily improved. The use of TCP/IP standards for
computer networking is now global. In 1971, there were only a handful of nodes in the ARPANET
network. Today there are hundreds of thousands of nodes, scattered over virtually every country in the
world. Five hundred million people use this gigantic mother of all computer networks.
H The route that the packet took would be unimportant. Only reaching its final destination would count.
Basically, the packet would be tossed like a hot potato from node to node to node, until it ended up in
the proper place. If big pieces of the network had been blown away, that simply wouldn't matter. 10 Your answers: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7.
Part 5: You are going to read an article about archaeology. For questions 1-10, choose from the
sections of the article (A - D). The sections may be chosen more than once. Write your answers in the
corresponding numbered boxes provided. (1.0 pt.)
THE TREASURE OF PRIAM AND THE MASK OF AGAMEMNION
A There is a long tradition of amateurs in the field of archaeology who are often as fanatical as the
professional: breaking into the tombs of the pharaohs, letting light into a darkness over 4,000 years old;
trekking through jungle and swamp for weeks on end to follow up rumours of cities lost and reclaimed
by nature; deciphering the hieroglyphic intricacies of forgotten languages belonging to citizens and
civilizations long-buried. Heinrich Schliemann was one of these and, like many of them, was driven by
an obsession that was to rule his life. Schliemann had read and reread the stories of Homer, The Iliad
and The Odyssey, while he was working in his business in Germany. The story of the ten-year Trojan
War, fought over the divine beauty of Helen (“the face that launched a thousand ships”) and the
homesick wanderings and adventures of Odysseus and his men, who had to use all their wits and
courage to stay alive, filled his head with a magical vision. He began to form an idea, one that experts scoffed at as pure fantasy.
B Schliemann asserted that the places, events and people described in the epic tales were more than just
myths and legends. He was sure that they had some original basis in fact, no matter how much
elaboration and distortion had been laid on top afterwards. His dream was to unearth the legendary city
of Troy, home to King Priam and his son, Paris, abductor of the incomparable Helen. The success of his
business allowed Schliemann to retire early and pursue his dream, and the year 1870 found him in
Hisarlik, Asia Minor (present-day Turkey), excavating a “tell”. This was a huge mound, much like a hill,
created over millennia by the successive building and razing of mud brick houses, and reaching up to
100 feet in height. He began to strike different layers denoting separate cities, going back hundreds of
years each time. In 1873, he hit the ninth layer, which contained a considerable hoard of treasure. This
he claimed to have belonged to Priam, and he was sure he had reached his goal; he was certain he was
looking at the remains of Troy.
C Schliemann excavated several other sites related to this time in Greek history, the most famous being a
shaft grave at Mycenae, on the Argos plain in Greece. This was the site of the citadel which supposedly
belonged to Agamemnon, King of Argos and commander of the Greek force during the Trojan War. In
1876, Schliemann entered a grave containing a number of bodies, jewellery, drinking vessels and
weapons. Five of the corpses wore death masks made of beaten gold; removing one (resembling a
bearded man) Schliemann glimpsed the face for a second before it crumbled to dust. In an excited
conversation, Schliemann uttered his famous words, “I have gazed upon the face of Agamemnon!” Later
investigations into his two significant finds told a rather different story. In all probability, the treasure
found at Troy was not Priam’s (it is now believed that Priam’s Troy formed the seventh layer
Schliemann went through), and the gold death mask was dated some hundreds of years before the reign of Agamemnon.
D Schliemann was attacked by critics, who said that this style of excavation was more like a child’s at the
seaside than that of a serious scholar. In his overenthusiasm and haste he had done irreparable damage,
tearing his way down through layers of his history to satisfy his thirst for glory of a big discovery. It
cannot be denied that Schliemann’s methods left a lot to be desired and were more akin to the grave
robbing of the Egyptian pyramids than the painstaking brush-and-trowel work of modern archaeology. It
should be noted, however, that the critics that condemned his methods had also ridiculed his theory in
the first place, leaving him with little choice but to try things his own way. His establishing the
connection between myth and reality has proved extremely important in the fields of archaeology and
social anthropology, among others. He also achieved something that perhaps few people do in their
lifetime; he fulfilled his dream, and found the site of the famed Troy, ancient city of legend and history. 11
In which section are the following mentioned?
1. the conviction that despite embellishment, a legend was based on factual events
2. Schliemann’s uncovering an object causing irreparable damage
3. embarking on an expedition to find a lost civilization, based on hearsay
4. contemporaries condemning Schliemann’s methodology
5. ancient works inspiring a theory
6. demonstrating conclusively a link between history and legend
7. financial security enabling an amateur to fulfil his dreams
8. Schliemann’s assertions subsequently being proved incorrect
9. non-professionals engaging in archaeology
10. the rejection of Schliemann’s theories resulting in unorthodox techniques. Your answers: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. IV. WRITING (6.0 pts.)
Part 1: Complete the second sentence so that it has a similar meaning to the first sentence, using the
word given. Do not change the word given. (1.0 pt.)
1. I managed to persuade Bob to lend me his car. (TALK)
I managed ________________________________________ me his car.
2. Though it looks bad now, it’ll be OK in the end. (RUN)
It’ll all work out ________________________________________, though it looks bad now.
3. He was about to give away my secret, but I caught his attention just in time. (BLURTED)
Had I not caught his eye just in time, ________________________________________ my secret.
4. At the start of the meeting, Ashley summarized what had been discussed last time. (KICKED)
Ashley ________________________________________ a summary of what had been discussed last time.
5. He has made no effort to conceal his dislike for me ever since I was promoted over him. (GRUDGE)
He has had ________________________________________ ever since I was promoted over him.
Part 2: Read the following extract and use your own words to summarise it in the space provided.
Your summary should be about 130 words long. (1.5 pts.)
Solar energy is produced by the sun. It is often referred to as a renewable energy source and a dependable
source of power. The world today relies on fossil fuel, generating harmful by-products such as carbon
dioxide and other greenhouse gases which have contributed to global warming. This has resulted in extreme
weather conditions such as floods, droughts as well as food shortages in many parts of the world. The rapid
depletion of fossil fuel resources means that we have no choice but to come up with alternative energy
sources. Besides, energy costs are increasing and people are now turning to alternate energy sources.
Nuclear energy has often been suggested as an alternative energy source. However, while nuclear energy has
the potential to deliver tremendous power, it has many drawbacks. Maintenance, radioactive waste problems
and water usage are some of the challenges that have to be dealt with. One long-term solution to all these
problems is to increase the use of solar power. We use the sun's rays every day in many different ways.
When we hang out our laundry to dry in the sun, we are using the sun's heat to dry our clothes. Plants use
sunlight to make food. The rays of the sun can also produce light and radiation that can be captured by solar
panels to produce electricity.
Generating electricity from solar energy means less consumption of fossil fuel and this will in turn reduce
pollution and emission of greenhouse gases. Solar technology applications do not pollute. They do not
release carbon dioxide or any of the other poisonous gases. The most important benefit of using solar energy
is environmental. Steps must be taken to reduce global warming and our dependence on fossil fuels. By
switching to solar power, we will be doing our part to combat global warming. Solar energy is a renewable
resource. Unlike other energy resources like oil which is limited in supply and which becomes more and
more scarce with the passage of time, the sun is always present. As long as we have the sun, we will have solar energy. 12
Although the sun's rays are free, it costs a lot of money to utilize solar power. Setting up solar cells and other
equipment can cost thousands of dollars. However, although solar energy systems require large initial
investments, they generally pay for themselves in a few years. In addition, solar energy systems require little
or no maintenance after installation. Solar systems have life spans ranging from 30 to 40 years. Tax
incentives can further reduce the cost. Market demand too, can lower the price.
Like all energy sources, there are disadvantages of solar energy. Although solar power is a vast and
inexhaustible resource, it is also an intermittent energy source, which means that it is not available all the
time. The amount of sunlight that reaches the earth's surface varies from place to place. It also depends on
weather conditions. Since the sun does not deliver large amounts of energy to any one place at any one time,
a large surface area is required to collect the energy. Moreover, solar panels require a large area for
installation to achieve a high level of efficiency.
The changing position of the sun throughout the day can affect the performance of solar panels. Obstruction
from buildings and trees can further aggravate the problem. This means that in order for solar panels to
function effectively, the solar panels have to be adjusted. The level of pollution in an area can affect solar energy production.
Proponents of solar energy claim that this resource represents a clean alternative to fossil fuels that currently
pollute our land and water and threatens our health. At the same time, it contributes to global warming.
Given the abundance of solar energy and its relatively cheap cost, this resource will, no doubt, play a
prominent role in future. As conventional fuel supplies dwindle, solar energy may be the answer to the
future of our energy needs. The use of solar energy is not yet widespread. However, with education and tax
incentives from the government, solar power can become the main energy source in years to come.
Your summary must not be longer than 130 words, including the 10 words given below.
Solar energy is a renewable source of energy produced by ... Your summary:
Solar energy is a renewable source of energy produced by...........................................................................
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Part 3: The diagrams below show changes in Felixstone in the UK between 1967 and 2001. Summarize
the information by selecting and reporting the main features and make comparisons where relevant. (1.5 pts.) 13
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Part 4: Write an essay of 350 words on the following topic (2.0 pts.)
Some people think governments should care more about the elderly while others think they should focus
on investing in education for younger people.
Discuss both views and give your own opinion.
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