Đề thi chọn đội tuyển học sinh giỏi quốc gia năm học 2020 – 2021 môn Tiếng Anh (vòng 2)

Đề thi chọn đội tuyển học sinh giỏi quốc gia năm học 2020 – 2021 môn Tiếng Anh (vòng 2) giúp các bạn học sinh sắp tham gia các kì thi Tiếng Anh tham khảo, học tập và ôn tập kiến thức, bài tập và đạt kết quả cao trong kỳ thi sắp tới. Mời bạn đọc đón xem!

SỞ GIÁO DỤC VÀ ĐÀO TẠO ĐỀ THI CHỌN ĐỘI TUYỂN HỌC SINH GIỎI QUỐC GIA
NĂM HỌC 2020 – 2021
MÔN: TIẾNG ANH (VÒNG 2)
Thời gian: 180 phút, (không kể thời gian phát đề)
(Đề thi gồm có 12 trang, thí sinh làm bài trực tiếp vào đề)
I. LISTENING (2.0 points)
Part 1. For questions 1-5, listen to a complaint from a woman called Julie Gold and decide whether
these statements are True (T) or False (F).
Questions True (T)
or False (F)
1. The canals were built despite the fact that there was no public finance and very little
technology.
2. From 1919 to 1929, there were many canals that were competing with each other but
were not uniform in size.
3. The new union of canals provided a continuous link between major industrial cities.
4. There are plenty of natural habitats for a variety of wildlife on and around the
canals.
5. Walkers can go to the nearest waterway office to get information on circular walks
so they can start and end at the same place.
1……T………
2……F………
3……T………
4……T……
5……T……
Part 2: You will hear a wildlife photographer called Leanna Marson talking about her work. Answer
the following questions using NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS OR A NUMBER for each answer.
6. Leanna describes the emotion she experiences when she takes a good wildlife photograph as
_magical________. She feels that photography is not simply about technical elements.
7. Leanna says her work involves predicting an animal's ____movements________________ .
8. She considers it a(n) _______privilege______________ to be able to take pictures of wildlife. She says
that she needed to be very trusting on one particular occasion.
9. On a recent trip, Leanna was away for _____7 months_____________ .
10. She feels that travelling has become ______second nature_______________ to her.
Part 3. You will hear a recorded talk giving introduction to the historical theme park Manham River
Port in England. Listen and answer the following questions.
11. Why did a port originally develop at Manham?
…………because it was convenient for river transport…………………………
12. What caused Manham's sudden expansion during the Industrial Revolution?
…………the increase in demand for metals…………………………………….
13. Why did rocks have to be sent away from Manham to be processed?
……………becauce of the shortage of fuel……………………………………
14. What happened when the port declined in the twentieth century?
…………the worker went away…………………………………………………
15. What did the Manham Trust hope to do?
…………to rebuild the port complex……………………………………………
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Part 4: You will hear a psychologist being interviewed about friendship, choose the answer A, B, C
or D which fits best according to what you hear .
16. From three to five years old, children ___________________
A. are happy to play alone. B. prefer to be with their family.
C. have rather selfish relationships. D. have little idea of ownership.
17. From age five to eight or ten, children ___________________
A. change their friends more often. B. decide who they want to be friends with.
C. admire people who don’t keep to rules. D. learn to be tolerant of their friends.
18. According to Sarah Browne, adolescent ___________________
A. may be closer to their friends than to their parents.
B. develop an interest in friends of the opposite sex.
C. choose friends with similar personalities to themselves.
D. want friends who are dependable.
19. Young married people ___________________
A. tend to focus on their children. B. often lose touch with their friends.
C. make close friends less easily. D. need fewer friends than single people.
20. In middle or old age people generally prefer ___________________
A. to say in touch with old friends. B. to see younger friends more often.
C. to have friends who live nearby. D. to spend more time with their friends.
II. LEXICO-GRAMMAR (1 point)
Part 1. For questions 21-28, choose the correct answer A, B, C, or D to each of the following questions.
21. ______, we missed our plane.
A. The train is late B. The train was late
C. To be late D. The train being late
22. I really cannot believe that anyone would ______ to such underhand tactics.
A. dabble B. stoop C. reach D. conceive
23. Dominant individuals may use ______ gestures to underline their power.
A. submissive B. expansive C. flirtatious D. nervous
24. Andrew’s ______ was to only tell his mother bad news when she was busy so that she would have less
chance to react.
A. tactics B. intent C. ploy D. threat
25. A sharp frost ______ the beginning of winter.
A. advertised B. predicted C. heralded D. showed
26. The old man led a ______ existence after she left and refused even to see his children.
A. reclusive B. deserted C. remote D. vacant
27. We may win, we may lose – it’s just the luck of the _______.
A. chance B. draw C. odds D. fate
28. They’re having serious problems. Their relationship is on the _______.
A. cliffs B. rocks C. stones D. grass
Part 2: Complete the text by writing the correct form of the word in capitals.
Most snap judgments about people are formed on the basis of their facial
features. The eyes, regarded as clues to one’s true character, are said
(29.POETRY) ___________ to be the windows of the soul: closely positioned,
they imply slyness set wide apart they suggest honesty and directness. Thin
mouths are equated with meanness and full mouths with (30. SENSUAL) _____.
Unconsciously, we make such instant judgments and they are made about us.
There is no hiding place for the face. Always exposed and vulnerable, it
29…poetically
30…sensuality
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(31.VOLUNTARY) ___________ expresses happiness, desire and joy, anger,
fear, shame and loathing. Precisely for that person, a masked face evokes fear
and horror; once someone’s distinguishing characteristics are hidden, we cannot
read or recognise the person and fear of the (32- KNOW) ___________
immediately arouses suspicions.
31…voluntarily……
32…unknown
Part 3: Choose the word(s) that is CLOSEST in meaning to the underlined word(s):
33. Though Anna and Tommy had never met before the party, they felt strong affinity to each other.
A. interest B. attraction C. enthusiasm D. move
34. The one thing you mustn't do is be late because the boss is very hot on punctuality.
A. worried about B. good about C. funny about D. strict about
35. At every faculty meeting, Ms. Young always manages to put foot in her mouth.
A. trip over her big feet B. move rapidly C. say the wrong thing D. fall asleep
36. We spent our honeymoon in a remote location with incredible views. We searched high and low for
genuine handicras to bring back as souvenirs.
A. somewhere B. whereby C. everywhere D. nowhere
Part 4: Choose the word(s) that is OPPOSITE in meaning to the underlined word(s):
37. We run a very tight ship here, and we expect all our employees to be at their desks by 8 o’clock and
take good care of their own business.
A. manage an inflexible system B. have a good voyage
C. run faster than others D. organize things inefficiently
38. Sorry, I can’t come to your party. I am snowed under with work at the moment.
A. busy with B. free from C. relaxed about D. interested in
39. Wendy is on the horns of a dilemma: she just wonders whether to go for a picnic with her friends or to
stay at home with her family.
A. unwilling to make a decision B. able to make a choice
C. eager to make a plan D. unready to make up her mind
40. Aren't you putting the cart before the horse by deciding what to wear for the wedding before you've
even been invited to it?
A. doing things in the wrong order B. do things in the right order
C. knowing the ropes D. upsetting the apple cart
III. READING (2,5 points)
Part 1: For questions 41–50, read the following passages and decide which answer (A, B, C or D)
best fits each gap.
PLANETARY ARTISTRY
For me, the highlight of this past week's science news was the images (41) ........ back from the
Curiosity rover, providing (42) ........ geologic evidence that water flowed on Mars. Of course, this wasn't
exactly a surprise; for decades, planetary scientists have suggested the channel networks visible in
spacecraft imagery couldn't have been (43) ........ by anything else. The evidence has been (44) ........ as
well, as various clay minerals and iron oxides have been identified through hyper spectral imagery.
Nonetheless, I suspect that the image of definitely water-lain (45) ........ made the heart of more than
one geologist (46) ........ a beat. Ground truth. You could argue that the scientific exploration of the extra-
terrestrial is, at least (47) ........ part, a search for meaning: to position us within a larger cosmology. But
our fascination with, and connection to, (48) ........ we see in the night sky comes not just through science,
but also through art. So it should come as no surprise that scientific images of planetary surfaces
have (49) ........ inspiration to a range of artists from Galileo - whose first sketches of the moon through a
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telescope are (50) ........ beautiful - to Barbara Hepworth - whose interpretations of the lunar surface are far
less literal.
41. A. thrown B. shot C. beamed D. fired
42. A. final B. conclusive C. proved D. guaranteed
43. A. made B. took C. invented D. discovered
44. A. swelling B. expanding C. increasing D. mounting
45. A. sediments B. dross C. grounds D. matter
46. A. slip B. lose C. skip D. jump
47. A. with B. in C. at D. for
48. A. things B. what C. that D. which
49. A. offered B. provided C. given D. made
50. A. totally B. doubtlessly C. surely D. truly
Part 2: For questions 51–60, fill each blank with ONE suitable word.
HYPERINFLATION
Inflation may be defined as either a rise in the general level of prices of goods and services in an
economy over a period of time, or a fall in the value of money over time. 'Hyperinflation' refers to
extremely rapid or (51) ……out……….. of control inflation. Perhaps the most famous example of
hyperinflation in recent history is that which took (52) ……place……….. in Germany after World War I.
Between 1922 and 1923, prices in Germany increased (53) ……by……….. a factor of 20 billion. Inflation
was so out of control that prices rose not just by the day, but by the hour and even minute. A loaf of bread
cost just 463 marks in Germany in March 1923, but by November that (54) ……same……….. year cost
over 200,000,000,000 marks.
The effect on society was devastating. Because wages received in the morning would (55)
be…….. worthless by the afternoon, people spent their money as quickly as possible, buying any physical
goods they could get their hands (56) ……on……….. (whether they needed it or not) in a desperate
attempt to get rid of currency units (57) ……before ……….. they lost value. This only had the effect of
stoking the fires of inflation further. Savings were wiped out overnight. People lived in constant fear.
Bartering and crime became the order (58) of………….. the day. Interestingly, hyperinflation is not a
rare event. Since Weimar Germany, there have been 29 additional hyperinflations around the world,
including those in Austria, Argentina, Greece and Brazil, to (59) ……name.……….. but a few. On
average, that's one every three years (60) ……or…….. so.
Part 3. The passage below consists of five paragraphs marked A, B, C, D and E. For questions 61-70,
read the passage and choose from the paragraph A-E. The paragraphs may be chosen more than
once
In which paragraphs are the following mentioned? Your answer
- the view that the global influence of a language is nothing new 61. ……B…………
- a return to the global use of not one but many languages 62. ……B…………
- explanations as to what motivates people to learn another language 63. ……C…………
- the view that a language is often spoken in places other than its country of origin 64. ……D…………
- an appreciation of a unique and controversial take on the role of the English
language
65. ……E…………
- a query about the extent to which people are attached to their own first language 66. ……E……
- an optimistic view about the long-term future of the English language 67. ……B…………
- the hostility felt by those forced to learn another language 68. ……C…………
- a derogatory comment about the English language 69. ……D…………
- a shared view about the ultimate demise of English in the future 70. ……E…………
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The Last Lingua Franca by Nicholas Ostler
Deborah Cameron predicts an uncertain future for English
A. The Emperor Charles V is supposed to have remarked in the 16th century that he spoke Latin with
God, Italian with musicians, Spanish with his troops, German with lackeys, French with ladies and English
with his horse. In most books about English, the joke would be turned on Charles, used to preface the
observation that the language he dismissed as uncultivated is now a colossus bestriding the world. Nicholas
Ostler, however, quotes it to make the point that no language's triumph is permanent and unassailable. Like
empires (and often with them), languages rise and fall, and English, Ostler contends, will be no exception.
B. English is the first truly global lingua franca, if by 'global' we mean 'used on every inhabited
continent’. But in the smaller and less densely interconnected world of the past, many other languages had
similar functions and enjoyed comparable prestige, is Modern lingua francas include French, German,
Latin, Portuguese, Russian and Spanish. Yet these once-mighty languages are now largely confined to
those territories where their modern forms are spoken natively. Though at the height of their power some
acquired - and have kept - large numbers of native speakers outside their original homelands (as with
Spanish and Portuguese in South America), few retain their old status.
C. To understand why the mighty fall, Ostler suggests we must look to the factors that enabled them to
rise: most commonly these are conquest, commerce and conversion. Conquered or subordinated peoples
learn (or are obliged to learn) the languages of their overlords; traders acquire the languages that give them
access to markets; converts adopt the languages of their new religion. But these ways of recruiting
speakers are not conducive to permanent attachment. The learned language is not valued for its own sake,
but only for the benefits that are seen to flow from it, and only for as long as those benefits outweigh the
costs. When new conquerors arrive, their subjects switch to new lingua francas. Old empires break up and
their lingua francas are abandoned, while the spread of a new religion may advance a language or
conversely weaken it. And always there is the resentment generated by dependence on a language which
has to be learned, and therefore favours elites over those without access to schooling. Prestigious lingua
francas are socially divisive, and therefore unstable.
D. English in the global age is often portrayed as an exceptional case. Writers who take this view point
out that English differs from previous lingua francas in two important ways; first, it has no serious
competition, and second, although it was originally spread by conquest, commerce and missionaries, its
influence no longer depends on coercion. Because of this, the argument runs, it will not suffer the fate of
its predecessors. But Ostler thinks this argument underplays both the social costs of maintaining a lingua
franca (it is not true that English is universally loved) and the deep, enduring loyalty people have to their
native so tongues. For millennia we have been willing to compromise our linguistic loyalties in exchange
for various rewards; but if the rewards could be had without the compromise, we would gladly lay our
burden down. Ostler believes that we will soon be able to do that. English, he 65 suggests, will be the last
lingua franca. As Anglo-American hegemony withers, the influence of English will decline; but what
succeeds it will not be any other single language. Rather we will see a technologically-enabled return to a
state of Babel. Thanks to advances in computer translation, 'everyone will speak and write in whatever
language they choose, and the world will understand'.
E. Here it might be objected that Ostler's argument depends on an unrealistic techno-optimism, and
puts too much emphasis on the supposed primeval bond between speakers and their mother tongues, which
some would say is largely an invention of 19th-century European nationalism. But even if he is wrong to
predict the return of Babel, I do not think he is wrong to argue that English's position as the premier
medium of global exchange will not be maintained for ever. In the future, as in the past, linguistic
landscapes can be expected to change in line with so political and economic realities. The Last Lingua
Franca is not the easiest of reads: Ostler does not have the popularizer's gift for uncluttered storytelling,
and is apt to pile up details without much regard for what the non-specialist either needs to know or is
capable of retaining. What he does offer, however, is a much- 85 needed challenge to conventional
wisdom: informative, thought- provoking and refreshingly free from anglocentric cliches.
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Part 4. The following reading passage has six paragraphs, A-F. Choose the correct heading for each
paragraph from the list of headings below.
List of Headings
I The power within each studio
II The movie industry adapts to innovation
III Contrasts between cinema and other media of the time
IV The value of studying Hollywood's Golden Age
V Distinguishing themselves from the rest of the market
VI A double attack on film studios' power
VII Gaining control of the industry
VIII The top movies of Hollywood's Golden Age
71. Paragraph A ..........iv............ 72. Paragraph B ........ii..............
73. Paragraph C ..........vii............ 74. Paragraph D ........i..............
75. Paragraph E ..........v............
The Hollywood Film Industry
A This chapter examines the ‘Golden Age’ of the Hollywood film studio system and explores how a
particular kind of filmmaking developed during this period in US film history. It also focuses on the two
key elements which influenced the emergence of the classic Hollywood studio system: the advent of sound
and the business ideal of vertical integration. In addition to its historical interest, inspecting the growth of
the studio system may offer clues regarding the kinds of struggles that accompany the growth of any new
medium. It might, in fact, be intriguing to examine which changes occurred during the growth of the
Hollywood studio, and compare those changes to contemporary struggles in which production companies
are trying to define and control emerging industries, such as online film and interactive television.
B The shift of the industry away from ‘silent’ films began during the late 1920s. Warner Bros.’ 1927
film The Jazz Singer was the first to feature synchronized speech, and with it came a period of turmoil for
the industry. Studios now had proof that ‘talkie’ films would make them money, but the financial
investment this kind of filmmaking would require, from new camera equipment to new projection
facilities, made the studios hesitant to invest at first. In the end, the power of cinematic sound to both move
audiences and enhance the story persuaded studios that talkies were worth investing in. Overall, the use of
sound in film was well-received by audiences, but there were still many technical factors to consider.
Although full integration of sound into movies was complete by 1930, it would take somewhat longer for
them to regain their stylistic elegance and dexterity. The camera now had to be encased in a big, clumsy,
unmoveable soundproof box. In addition, actors struggled, having to direct their speech to awkwardly-
hidden microphones in huge plants, telephones or even costumes.
C Vertical integration is the other key component in the rise of the Hollywood studio system. The
major studios realized they could increase their profits by handling each stage of a film's life: production
(making the film), distribution (getting the film out to people) and exhibition (owning the theaters in major
cities where films were shown first). Five studios, 'The Big Five', worked to achieve vertical integration
through the late 1940s, owning vast real estate on which to construct elaborate sets. In addition, these
studios set the exact terms of films’ release dates and patterns. Warner Bros., Paramount, 20th Century
Fox, MGM and RKO formed this exclusive club. ‘The Little Three’ studios - Universal, Columbia and
United Artists - also made pictures, but each lacked one of the crucial elements of vertical integration.
Together these eight companies operated as a mature oligopoly, essentially running the entire market.
D During the Golden Age, the studios were remarkably consistent and stable enterprises, due in large
part to long-term management heads - the infamous ‘movie moguls’ who ruled their kingdoms with iron
fists. At MGM, Warner Bros. and Columbia, the same men ran their studios for decades. The rise of the
studio system also hinges on the treatment of stars, who were constructed and exploited to suit a studio’s
image and schedule. Actors were bound up in seven-year contracts to a single studio, and the studio boss
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generally held all the options. Stars could be loaned out to other production companies at any time. Studio
bosses could also force bad roles on actors, and manipulate every single detail of stars’ images with their
mammoth in-house publicity departments. Some have compared the Hollywood studio system to a factory,
and it is useful to remember that studios were out to make money first and art second.
E On the other hand, studios also had to cultivate flexibility, in addition to consistent factory output.
Studio heads realized that they couldn't make virtually the same film over and over again with the same
cast of stars and still expect to keep turning a profit. They also had to create product differentiation.
Examining how each production company tried to differentiate itself has led to loose characterizations of
individual studios' styles. MGM tended to put out a lot of all-star productions while Paramount excelled in
comedy and Warner Bros. developed a reputation for gritty social realism. 20th Century Fox forged the
musical and a great deal of prestige biographies, while Universal specialized in classic horror movies.
F In 1948, struggling independent movie producers and exhibitors finally triumphed in their battle
against the big studios’ monopolistic behavior. In the United States versus Paramount federal decree of that
year, the studios were ordered to give up their theaters in what is commonly referred to as ‘divestiture’ -
opening the market to smaller producers. This, coupled with the advent of television in the 1950s, seriously
compromised the studio system’s influence and profits. Hence, 1930 and 1948 are generally considered
bookends to Hollywood’s Golden Age.
Part 5: Read the following passage and choose the best answer to each question
Learning to Run
An article published recently in the prestigious scientific journal Nature is shedding new light on an
important, but hitherto little appreciated, aspect of human evolution. In this article, Professors Dennis
Bramble and Daniel Lieberman suggest that the ability to run was a crucial factor in the development of
our species. According to the two scientists, humans possess a number of anatomical features that make
them surprisingly good runners. ‘We are very confident that strong selection for running (A) ____was
instrumental in the origin of the modern human body form,’ says Bramble, a biology professor at the
University of Utah. Traditional thinking up to now has been that the distinctive, upright body form of
modern humans has come about as a result of the ability to walk, and that running is simply a by-product
of walking.
Furthermore, humans have usually been regarded as poor runners compared to such animals as
dogs, horses or antelopes. However, this is only true if we consider fast running, or sprinting, over short
distances. Even an Olympic athlete can hardly run as fast as a horse can gallop, and can only keep up a top
speed for fifteen seconds or so. Horses, antelopes and greyhounds, on the other hand, can run at top speed
for several minutes, clearly outperforming us in this respect. But when it comes to long-distance running,
humans do astonishingly well (B)_____ They can maintain a steady pace for miles, and their overall speed
compares favourably with that of horses or dogs.
Bramble and Lieberman examined twenty-six anatomical features found in humans. One of the
most interesting of these is the nuchal ligament, a band of tissue that extends from a ridge on the base of
the skull to the spine. When we run, it is this ligament that prevents our head from pitching back and forth
or from side to side. Therefore, we are able to run with steady heads, held high. The nuchal ligament
(C)_____is not found in any other surviving primates, although the fossil record shows that Homo erectus,
an early human species that walked upright, much as we do, also had one. Then there are our Achilles
tendons at the backs of our legs, which connect our calf muscles to our heel bones - and which have
nothing to do with walking. When we run, these behave like springs, helping to propel us forward.
Furthermore, we have low, wide shoulders, virtually disconnected from our skulls, an anatomical
adaptation which allows us to run more efficiently. Add to this our light forearms, which swing out of
phase with the movement of our legs to assist balance, and one begins to appreciate the point that Bramble
and Lieberman are trying to make.
But what evolutionary advantage is gained from being good long-distance runners? One hypothesis
is that this ability may have permitted early humans to obtain food more effectively. ‘What these features
and fossil facts appear to be telling us is that running evolved in order for our direct ancestors to compete
with other carnivores for access to the protein needed to grow the big brains that we enjoy today,’ says
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Lieberman. Some scientists speculate that early humans may have pursued animals for miles in order to
exhaust them before killing them. Running would also have conferred an advantage before weapons were
invented: early humans might have been scavengers, eating the meat and marrow left over from a kill by
lions or other large predators. They may have been alerted to the existence of a freshly-killed carcass by
vultures (D)____, and the faster they got to the scene of the kill, the better.
‘Research on the history of human locomotion has traditionally been contentious,’ says Lieberman.
’At the very least, I hope this theory will make many people have second thoughts about how humans
learned to run and walk and why we are built the way we are.’
76. According to the text, the human ability to run...
A. was only recently described in a scientific journal.
B. is now regarded as more important than the ability to climb trees.
C. played an important part in human evolution.
D. is surprising when we consider evolutionary trends.
77. According to the text, scientists used to believe……….
A. that the human body owes its form to the ability to walk.
B. the human ability to walk adversely affected the ability to run.
C. that only modern humans could walk upright.
D. that humans can run because they stand upright.
78. According to the text, humans……………
A. are better runners than most other animals. B. are not good at running short distances.
C. cannot run at top speed for long distances. D. compare unfavourably with horses and dogs.
79. It appears that the nuchal ligament………
A. is found only in modern primates. B. is associated with the ability to run.
C. prevents the head from moving D. is a unique anatomical feature.
80. The text implies that……………
A. we do not need calf muscles in order to walk. B. without shoulders we could not run very fast.
C. the movement of our forearms is out of phase. D. our Achilles tendons are an adaptation for running.
81. The pronoun “these” in the third paragraph refers to……………
A. legs B. tendons C. muscles D. bones
82. According to the text, early humans…………
A. killed animals by exhausting them. B. may have evolved big brains for running.
C. competed with other animals for food. D. could probably run before they could walk.
83. Professor Lieberman hopes to…………….
A. dispel any remaining doubts about the nature of the human body.
B. prove conclusively that humans did not always walk in an upright position.
C. make people reconsider previously-held ideas about human anatomy.
D. inform people of the real reason why humans are able to run and walk.
84. Which of the following spaces can the relative clause “- which came at the expense of the historical
ability to live in trees -” fit?
A. (A) B. (B) C. (C) D. (D)
85. The word “conferred” in the fourth paragraph can be best replaced by
A. give out B. bring about C. refer to D. make out
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IV. WRITING (2.5 points)
Part 1. Read the following extract and use your own words to summarise it. Your summary should be
between 100 and 120 words long.
Buying things today is so simple. Just enter a shop, say a book store, choose the desired book and
pay for it. Long ago, before the invention of money, how did people trade?
The most primitive way of exchange should be the barter trade. In this form of transaction, people
used goods to exchange for the things that they had in mind. For instance, if person A wanted a book and
he had a spare goat, he must look for someone who had the exact opposite, that is, that someone, say
person B, must have a spare book of person A's choice and is also in need of a goat. Having found such a
person, the problem does not end here. A big goat may worth not only one book, hence person B may have
to offer person A something else, say five chickens. However, he runs the risk of person A rejecting the
offer as he may not need the chickens. The above example clearly illustrates the inefficiency
of barter trading.
Many years later, the cumbersome barter trade finally gave way to the monetary form of exchange
when the idea of money was invented. In the early days, almost anything could qualify as money: beads,
shells and even fishing hooks. Then in a region near Turkey, gold coins were used as money. In the
beginning, each coin had a different denomination. It was only later, in about 700 BC, that Gyges, the king
of Lydia, standardized the value of each coin and even printed his name on the coins.
Monetary means of transaction at first beat the traditional barter trade. However, as time went by,
the thought of carrying a ponderous pouch of coins for shopping appeared not only troublesome but thieves
attracting. Hence, the Greek and Roman traders who bought goods from people faraway cities, invented
checks to solve the problem. Not only are paper checks easy to carry around, they discouraged robbery as
these checks can only be used by the person whose name is printed on the notes. Following this idea, banks
later issued notes in exchange for gold deposited with them. These bank notes can then be used as cash.
Finally, governments of today adopted the idea and began to print paper money, backed by gold for the
country's use.
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………...
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………...
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Part 2: The table below shows the results of surveys in 2005, 2010 and 2015 about McGill University.
Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where
relevant. Write about 150 words.
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Part 3. Essay writing
It is said that “The industrial revolution 4.0 opened up many great opportunities but also brought
many challenges for the young generation”.
What should young people prepare themselves to adapt with the changes in the industrial
revolution 4.0 era?
Write an essay of about 350 words to express your opinion with relevant details to support your
viewpoint.
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Preview text:

SỞ GIÁO DỤC VÀ ĐÀO TẠO
ĐỀ THI CHỌN ĐỘI TUYỂN HỌC SINH GIỎI QUỐC GIA
NĂM HỌC 2020 – 2021
MÔN: TIẾNG ANH (VÒNG 2)
Thời gian: 180 phút, (không kể thời gian phát đề)
(Đề thi gồm có 12 trang, thí sinh làm bài trực tiếp vào đề) I. LISTENING (2.0 points)
Part 1.
For questions 1-5, listen to a complaint from a woman called Julie Gold and decide whether
these statements are True (T) or False (F).
Questions True (T) or False (F)
1. The canals were built despite the fact that there was no public finance and very little technology. 1……T………
2. From 1919 to 1929, there were many canals that were competing with each other but were not uniform in size. 2……F………
3. The new union of canals provided a continuous link between major industrial cities. 3……T………
4. There are plenty of natural habitats for a variety of wildlife on and around the 4……T…… canals.
5. Walkers can go to the nearest waterway office to get information on circular walks 5……T……
so they can start and end at the same place.
Part 2: You will hear a wildlife photographer called Leanna Marson talking about her work. Answer
the following questions using NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS OR A NUMBER for each answer.
6.
Leanna describes the emotion she experiences when she takes a good wildlife photograph as
_magical________. She feels that photography is not simply about technical elements.
7. Leanna says her work involves predicting an animal's ____movements________________ .
8. She considers it a(n) _______privilege______________ to be able to take pictures of wildlife. She says
that she needed to be very trusting on one particular occasion.
9. On a recent trip, Leanna was away for _____7 months_____________ .
10. She feels that travelling has become ______second nature_______________ to her.
Part 3. You will hear a recorded talk giving introduction to the historical theme park – Manham River
Port in England. Listen and answer the following questions.

11. Why did a port originally develop at Manham?
…………because it was convenient for river transport…………………………
12. What caused Manham's sudden expansion during the Industrial Revolution?
…………the increase in demand for metals…………………………………….
13. Why did rocks have to be sent away from Manham to be processed?
……………becauce of the shortage of fuel……………………………………
14. What happened when the port declined in the twentieth century?
…………the worker went away…………………………………………………
15. What did the Manham Trust hope to do?
…………to rebuild the port complex…………………………………………… Trang 1/12
Part 4: You will hear a psychologist being interviewed about friendship, choose the answer A, B, C
or D which fits best according to what you hear .
16.
From three to five years old, children ___________________ A. are happy to play alone.
B. prefer to be with their family.
C. have rather selfish relationships.
D. have little idea of ownership.
17. From age five to eight or ten, children ___________________
A. change their friends more often.
B. decide who they want to be friends with.
C. admire people who don’t keep to rules. D. learn to be tolerant of their friends.
18. According to Sarah Browne, adolescent ___________________
A. may be closer to their friends than to their parents.
B. develop an interest in friends of the opposite sex.
C. choose friends with similar personalities to themselves.
D. want friends who are dependable.
19. Young married people ___________________
A. tend to focus on their children.
B. often lose touch with their friends.
C. make close friends less easily.
D. need fewer friends than single people.
20. In middle or old age people generally prefer ___________________
A. to say in touch with old friends.
B. to see younger friends more often.
C. to have friends who live nearby.
D. to spend more time with their friends.
II. LEXICO-GRAMMAR (1 point)
Part 1. For questions 21-28, choose the correct answer A, B, C, or D to each of the following questions.
21. ______, we missed our plane. A. The train is late B. The train was late C. To be late D. The train being late
22. I really cannot believe that anyone would ______ to such underhand tactics. A. dabble B. stoop C. reach D. conceive
23. Dominant individuals may use ______ gestures to underline their power. A. submissive B. expansive C. flirtatious D. nervous
24. Andrew’s ______ was to only tell his mother bad news when she was busy so that she would have less chance to react. A. tactics B. intent C. ploy D. threat
25. A sharp frost ______ the beginning of winter. A. advertised B. predicted C. heralded D. showed
26. The old man led a ______ existence after she left and refused even to see his children. A. reclusive B. deserted C. remote D. vacant
27. We may win, we may lose – it’s just the luck of the _______. A. chance B. draw C. odds D. fate
28. They’re having serious problems. Their relationship is on the _______. A. cliffs B. rocks C. stones D. grass
Part 2: Complete the text by writing the correct form of the word in capitals.
Most snap judgments about people are formed on the basis of their facial
features. The eyes, regarded as clues to one’s true character, are said 29…poetically…
(29.POETRY) ___________ to be the windows of the soul: closely positioned,
they imply slyness set wide apart they suggest honesty and directness. Thin
mouths are equated with meanness and full mouths with (30. SENSUAL) _____. 30…sensuality…
Unconsciously, we make such instant judgments and they are made about us.
There is no hiding place for the face. Always exposed and vulnerable, it Trang 2/12
(31.VOLUNTARY) ___________ expresses happiness, desire and joy, anger, 31…voluntarily……
fear, shame and loathing. Precisely for that person, a masked face evokes fear
and horror; once someone’s distinguishing characteristics are hidden, we cannot
read or recognise the person and fear of the (32- KNOW) ___________ 32…unknown…
immediately arouses suspicions.
Part 3: Choose the word(s) that is CLOSEST in meaning to the underlined word(s):
33. Though Anna and Tommy had never met before the party, they felt strong affinity to each other. A. interest B. attraction C. enthusiasm D. move
34. The one thing you mustn't do is be late because the boss is very hot on punctuality. A. worried about B. good about C. funny about D. strict about
35. At every faculty meeting, Ms. Young always manages to put foot in her mouth.
A. trip over her big feet B. move rapidly C. say the wrong thing D. fall asleep
36. We spent our honeymoon in a remote location with incredible views. We searched high and low for
genuine handicrafts to bring back as souvenirs. A. somewhere B. whereby C. everywhere D. nowhere
Part 4: Choose the word(s) that is OPPOSITE in meaning to the underlined word(s):
37. We run a very tight ship here, and we expect all our employees to be at their desks by 8 o’clock and
take good care of their own business.
A. manage an inflexible system B. have a good voyage C. run faster than others
D. organize things inefficiently
38. Sorry, I can’t come to your party. I am snowed under with work at the moment. A. busy with B. free from C. relaxed about D. interested in
39. Wendy is on the horns of a dilemma: she just wonders whether to go for a picnic with her friends or to stay at home with her family.
A. unwilling to make a decision B. able to make a choice C. eager to make a plan
D. unready to make up her mind
40. Aren't you putting the cart before the horse by deciding what to wear for the wedding before you've even been invited to it?
A. doing things in the wrong order
B. do things in the right order C. knowing the ropes D. upsetting the apple cart III. READING (2,5 points)
Part 1: For questions 41–50, read the following passages and decide which answer (A, B, C or D) best fits each gap.
PLANETARY ARTISTRY
For me, the highlight of this past week's science news was the images (41) ........ back from the
Curiosity rover, providing (42) ........ geologic evidence that water flowed on Mars. Of course, this wasn't
exactly a surprise; for decades, planetary scientists have suggested the channel networks visible in
spacecraft imagery couldn't have been (43) ........ by anything else. The evidence has been (44) ........ as
well, as various clay minerals and iron oxides have been identified through hyper spectral imagery.
Nonetheless, I suspect that the image of definitely water-lain (45) ........ made the heart of more than
one geologist (46) ........ a beat. Ground truth. You could argue that the scientific exploration of the extra-
terrestrial is, at least (47) ........ part, a search for meaning: to position us within a larger cosmology. But
our fascination with, and connection to, (48) ........ we see in the night sky comes not just through science,
but also through art. So it should come as no surprise that scientific images of planetary surfaces
have (49) ........ inspiration to a range of artists from Galileo - whose first sketches of the moon through a Trang 3/12
telescope are (50) ........ beautiful - to Barbara Hepworth - whose interpretations of the lunar surface are far less literal. 41. A. thrown B. shot C. beamed D. fired 42. A. final B. conclusive C. proved D. guaranteed 43. A. made B. took C. invented D. discovered 44. A. swelling B. expanding C. increasing D. mounting 45. A. sediments B. dross C. grounds D. matter 46. A. slip B. lose C. skip D. jump 47. A. with B. in C. at D. for 48. A. things B. what C. that D. which 49. A. offered B. provided C. given D. made 50. A. totally B. doubtlessly C. surely D. truly
Part 2: For questions 51–60, fill each blank with ONE suitable word. HYPERINFLATION
Inflation may be defined as either a rise in the general level of prices of goods and services in an
economy over a period of time, or a fall in the value of money over time. 'Hyperinflation' refers to
extremely rapid or (51) ……out……….. of control inflation. Perhaps the most famous example of
hyperinflation in recent history is that which took (52) ……place……….. in Germany after World War I.
Between 1922 and 1923, prices in Germany increased (53) ……by……….. a factor of 20 billion. Inflation
was so out of control that prices rose not just by the day, but by the hour and even minute. A loaf of bread
cost just 463 marks in Germany in March 1923, but by November that (54) ……same……….. year cost over 200,000,000,000 marks.
The effect on society was devastating. Because wages received in the morning would (55) …
be…….. worthless by the afternoon, people spent their money as quickly as possible, buying any physical
goods they could get their hands (56) ……on……….. (whether they needed it or not) in a desperate
attempt to get rid of currency units (57) ……before ……….. they lost value. This only had the effect of
stoking the fires of inflation further. Savings were wiped out overnight. People lived in constant fear.
Bartering and crime became the order (58) …of………….. the day. Interestingly, hyperinflation is not a
rare event. Since Weimar Germany, there have been 29 additional hyperinflations around the world,
including those in Austria, Argentina, Greece and Brazil, to (59) ……name.……….. but a few. On
average, that's one every three years (60) ……or…….. so.
Part 3. The passage below consists of five paragraphs marked A, B, C, D and E. For questions 61-70,
read the passage and choose from the paragraph A-E. The paragraphs may be chosen more than once

In which paragraphs are the following mentioned? Your answer
- the view that the global influence of a language is nothing new 61. ……B…………
- a return to the global use of not one but many languages 62. ……B…………
- explanations as to what motivates people to learn another language 63. ……C…………
- the view that a language is often spoken in places other than its country of origin 64. ……D…………
- an appreciation of a unique and controversial take on the role of the English 65. ……E………… language
- a query about the extent to which people are attached to their own first language 66. ……E……
- an optimistic view about the long-term future of the English language 67. ……B…………
- the hostility felt by those forced to learn another language 68. ……C…………
- a derogatory comment about the English language 69. ……D…………
- a shared view about the ultimate demise of English in the future 70. ……E………… Trang 4/12
The Last Lingua Franca by Nicholas Ostler
Deborah Cameron predicts an uncertain future for English A.
The Emperor Charles V is supposed to have remarked in the 16th century that he spoke Latin with
God, Italian with musicians, Spanish with his troops, German with lackeys, French with ladies and English
with his horse. In most books about English, the joke would be turned on Charles, used to preface the
observation that the language he dismissed as uncultivated is now a colossus bestriding the world. Nicholas
Ostler, however, quotes it to make the point that no language's triumph is permanent and unassailable. Like
empires (and often with them), languages rise and fall, and English, Ostler contends, will be no exception. B.
English is the first truly global lingua franca, if by 'global' we mean 'used on every inhabited
continent’. But in the smaller and less densely interconnected world of the past, many other languages had
similar functions and enjoyed comparable prestige, is Modern lingua francas include French, German,
Latin, Portuguese, Russian and Spanish. Yet these once-mighty languages are now largely confined to
those territories where their modern forms are spoken natively. Though at the height of their power some
acquired - and have kept - large numbers of native speakers outside their original homelands (as with
Spanish and Portuguese in South America), few retain their old status. C.
To understand why the mighty fall, Ostler suggests we must look to the factors that enabled them to
rise: most commonly these are conquest, commerce and conversion. Conquered or subordinated peoples
learn (or are obliged to learn) the languages of their overlords; traders acquire the languages that give them
access to markets; converts adopt the languages of their new religion. But these ways of recruiting
speakers are not conducive to permanent attachment. The learned language is not valued for its own sake,
but only for the benefits that are seen to flow from it, and only for as long as those benefits outweigh the
costs. When new conquerors arrive, their subjects switch to new lingua francas. Old empires break up and
their lingua francas are abandoned, while the spread of a new religion may advance a language or
conversely weaken it. And always there is the resentment generated by dependence on a language which
has to be learned, and therefore favours elites over those without access to schooling. Prestigious lingua
francas are socially divisive, and therefore unstable. D.
English in the global age is often portrayed as an exceptional case. Writers who take this view point
out that English differs from previous lingua francas in two important ways; first, it has no serious
competition, and second, although it was originally spread by conquest, commerce and missionaries, its
influence no longer depends on coercion. Because of this, the argument runs, it will not suffer the fate of
its predecessors. But Ostler thinks this argument underplays both the social costs of maintaining a lingua
franca (it is not true that English is universally loved) and the deep, enduring loyalty people have to their
native so tongues. For millennia we have been willing to compromise our linguistic loyalties in exchange
for various rewards; but if the rewards could be had without the compromise, we would gladly lay our
burden down. Ostler believes that we will soon be able to do that. English, he 65 suggests, will be the last
lingua franca. As Anglo-American hegemony withers, the influence of English will decline; but what
succeeds it will not be any other single language. Rather we will see a technologically-enabled return to a
state of Babel. Thanks to advances in computer translation, 'everyone will speak and write in whatever
language they choose, and the world will understand'. E.
Here it might be objected that Ostler's argument depends on an unrealistic techno-optimism, and
puts too much emphasis on the supposed primeval bond between speakers and their mother tongues, which
some would say is largely an invention of 19th-century European nationalism. But even if he is wrong to
predict the return of Babel, I do not think he is wrong to argue that English's position as the premier
medium of global exchange will not be maintained for ever. In the future, as in the past, linguistic
landscapes can be expected to change in line with so political and economic realities. The Last Lingua
Franca is not the easiest of reads: Ostler does not have the popularizer's gift for uncluttered storytelling,
and is apt to pile up details without much regard for what the non-specialist either needs to know or is
capable of retaining. What he does offer, however, is a much- 85 needed challenge to conventional
wisdom: informative, thought- provoking and refreshingly free from anglocentric cliches. Trang 5/12
Part 4. The following reading passage has six paragraphs, A-F. Choose the correct heading for each
paragraph from the list of headings below.
List of Headings I The power within each studio II
The movie industry adapts to innovation III
Contrasts between cinema and other media of the time IV
The value of studying Hollywood's Golden Age V
Distinguishing themselves from the rest of the market VI
A double attack on film studios' power
VII Gaining control of the industry
VIII The top movies of Hollywood's Golden Age 71. Paragraph A ..........iv............ 72. Paragraph B ........ii.............. 73. Paragraph C ..........vii............ 74. Paragraph D ........i.............. 75. Paragraph E ..........v............
The Hollywood Film Industry A
This chapter examines the ‘Golden Age’ of the Hollywood film studio system and explores how a
particular kind of filmmaking developed during this period in US film history. It also focuses on the two
key elements which influenced the emergence of the classic Hollywood studio system: the advent of sound
and the business ideal of vertical integration. In addition to its historical interest, inspecting the growth of
the studio system may offer clues regarding the kinds of struggles that accompany the growth of any new
medium. It might, in fact, be intriguing to examine which changes occurred during the growth of the
Hollywood studio, and compare those changes to contemporary struggles in which production companies
are trying to define and control emerging industries, such as online film and interactive television. B
The shift of the industry away from ‘silent’ films began during the late 1920s. Warner Bros.’ 1927
film The Jazz Singer was the first to feature synchronized speech, and with it came a period of turmoil for
the industry. Studios now had proof that ‘talkie’ films would make them money, but the financial
investment this kind of filmmaking would require, from new camera equipment to new projection
facilities, made the studios hesitant to invest at first. In the end, the power of cinematic sound to both move
audiences and enhance the story persuaded studios that talkies were worth investing in. Overall, the use of
sound in film was well-received by audiences, but there were still many technical factors to consider.
Although full integration of sound into movies was complete by 1930, it would take somewhat longer for
them to regain their stylistic elegance and dexterity. The camera now had to be encased in a big, clumsy,
unmoveable soundproof box. In addition, actors struggled, having to direct their speech to awkwardly-
hidden microphones in huge plants, telephones or even costumes. C
Vertical integration is the other key component in the rise of the Hollywood studio system. The
major studios realized they could increase their profits by handling each stage of a film's life: production
(making the film), distribution (getting the film out to people) and exhibition (owning the theaters in major
cities where films were shown first). Five studios, 'The Big Five', worked to achieve vertical integration
through the late 1940s, owning vast real estate on which to construct elaborate sets. In addition, these
studios set the exact terms of films’ release dates and patterns. Warner Bros., Paramount, 20th Century
Fox, MGM and RKO formed this exclusive club. ‘The Little Three’ studios - Universal, Columbia and
United Artists - also made pictures, but each lacked one of the crucial elements of vertical integration.
Together these eight companies operated as a mature oligopoly, essentially running the entire market. D
During the Golden Age, the studios were remarkably consistent and stable enterprises, due in large
part to long-term management heads - the infamous ‘movie moguls’ who ruled their kingdoms with iron
fists. At MGM, Warner Bros. and Columbia, the same men ran their studios for decades. The rise of the
studio system also hinges on the treatment of stars, who were constructed and exploited to suit a studio’s
image and schedule. Actors were bound up in seven-year contracts to a single studio, and the studio boss Trang 6/12
generally held all the options. Stars could be loaned out to other production companies at any time. Studio
bosses could also force bad roles on actors, and manipulate every single detail of stars’ images with their
mammoth in-house publicity departments. Some have compared the Hollywood studio system to a factory,
and it is useful to remember that studios were out to make money first and art second. E
On the other hand, studios also had to cultivate flexibility, in addition to consistent factory output.
Studio heads realized that they couldn't make virtually the same film over and over again with the same
cast of stars and still expect to keep turning a profit. They also had to create product differentiation.
Examining how each production company tried to differentiate itself has led to loose characterizations of
individual studios' styles. MGM tended to put out a lot of all-star productions while Paramount excelled in
comedy and Warner Bros. developed a reputation for gritty social realism. 20th Century Fox forged the
musical and a great deal of prestige biographies, while Universal specialized in classic horror movies. F
In 1948, struggling independent movie producers and exhibitors finally triumphed in their battle
against the big studios’ monopolistic behavior. In the United States versus Paramount federal decree of that
year, the studios were ordered to give up their theaters in what is commonly referred to as ‘divestiture’ -
opening the market to smaller producers. This, coupled with the advent of television in the 1950s, seriously
compromised the studio system’s influence and profits. Hence, 1930 and 1948 are generally considered
bookends to Hollywood’s Golden Age.
Part 5: Read the following passage and choose the best answer to each question Learning to Run
An article published recently in the prestigious scientific journal Nature is shedding new light on an
important, but hitherto little appreciated, aspect of human evolution. In this article, Professors Dennis
Bramble and Daniel Lieberman suggest that the ability to run was a crucial factor in the development of
our species. According to the two scientists, humans possess a number of anatomical features that make
them surprisingly good runners. ‘We are very confident that strong selection for running (A) ____was
instrumental in the origin of the modern human body form,’ says Bramble, a biology professor at the
University of Utah. Traditional thinking up to now has been that the distinctive, upright body form of
modern humans has come about as a result of the ability to walk, and that running is simply a by-product of walking.
Furthermore, humans have usually been regarded as poor runners compared to such animals as
dogs, horses or antelopes. However, this is only true if we consider fast running, or sprinting, over short
distances. Even an Olympic athlete can hardly run as fast as a horse can gallop, and can only keep up a top
speed for fifteen seconds or so. Horses, antelopes and greyhounds, on the other hand, can run at top speed
for several minutes, clearly outperforming us in this respect. But when it comes to long-distance running,
humans do astonishingly well (B)_____ They can maintain a steady pace for miles, and their overall speed
compares favourably with that of horses or dogs.
Bramble and Lieberman examined twenty-six anatomical features found in humans. One of the
most interesting of these is the nuchal ligament, a band of tissue that extends from a ridge on the base of
the skull to the spine. When we run, it is this ligament that prevents our head from pitching back and forth
or from side to side. Therefore, we are able to run with steady heads, held high. The nuchal ligament
(C)_____is not found in any other surviving primates, although the fossil record shows that Homo erectus,
an early human species that walked upright, much as we do, also had one. Then there are our Achilles
tendons at the backs of our legs, which connect our calf muscles to our heel bones - and which have
nothing to do with walking. When we run, these behave like springs, helping to propel us forward.
Furthermore, we have low, wide shoulders, virtually disconnected from our skulls, an anatomical
adaptation which allows us to run more efficiently. Add to this our light forearms, which swing out of
phase with the movement of our legs to assist balance, and one begins to appreciate the point that Bramble
and Lieberman are trying to make.
But what evolutionary advantage is gained from being good long-distance runners? One hypothesis
is that this ability may have permitted early humans to obtain food more effectively. ‘What these features
and fossil facts appear to be telling us is that running evolved in order for our direct ancestors to compete
with other carnivores for access to the protein needed to grow the big brains that we enjoy today,’ says Trang 7/12
Lieberman. Some scientists speculate that early humans may have pursued animals for miles in order to
exhaust them before killing them. Running would also have conferred an advantage before weapons were
invented: early humans might have been scavengers, eating the meat and marrow left over from a kill by
lions or other large predators. They may have been alerted to the existence of a freshly-killed carcass by
vultures (D)____, and the faster they got to the scene of the kill, the better.
‘Research on the history of human locomotion has traditionally been contentious,’ says Lieberman.
’At the very least, I hope this theory will make many people have second thoughts about how humans
learned to run and walk and why we are built the way we are.’
76. According to the text, the human ability to run...
A. was only recently described in a scientific journal.
B. is now regarded as more important than the ability to climb trees.
C. played an important part in human evolution.
D. is surprising when we consider evolutionary trends.
77. According to the text, scientists used to believe……….
A. that the human body owes its form to the ability to walk.
B. the human ability to walk adversely affected the ability to run.
C. that only modern humans could walk upright.
D. that humans can run because they stand upright.
78. According to the text, humans……………
A. are better runners than most other animals.
B. are not good at running short distances.
C. cannot run at top speed for long distances.
D. compare unfavourably with horses and dogs.
79. It appears that the nuchal ligament………
A. is found only in modern primates.
B. is associated with the ability to run.
C. prevents the head from moving
D. is a unique anatomical feature.
80. The text implies that……………
A. we do not need calf muscles in order to walk.
B. without shoulders we could not run very fast.
C. the movement of our forearms is out of phase.
D. our Achilles tendons are an adaptation for running.
81. The pronoun “these” in the third paragraph refers to…………… A. legs B. tendons C. muscles D. bones
82. According to the text, early humans…………
A. killed animals by exhausting them.
B. may have evolved big brains for running.
C. competed with other animals for food.
D. could probably run before they could walk.
83. Professor Lieberman hopes to…………….
A. dispel any remaining doubts about the nature of the human body.
B. prove conclusively that humans did not always walk in an upright position.
C. make people reconsider previously-held ideas about human anatomy.
D. inform people of the real reason why humans are able to run and walk.
84. Which of the following spaces can the relative clause “- which came at the expense of the historical
ability to live in trees -
” fit? A. (A) B. (B) C. (C) D. (D)
85. The word “conferred” in the fourth paragraph can be best replaced by A. give out B. bring about C. refer to D. make out Trang 8/12 IV. WRITING (2.5 points)
Part 1. Read the following extract and use your own words to summarise it. Your summary should be
between 100 and 120 words long.

Buying things today is so simple. Just enter a shop, say a book store, choose the desired book and
pay for it. Long ago, before the invention of money, how did people trade?
The most primitive way of exchange should be the barter trade. In this form of transaction, people
used goods to exchange for the things that they had in mind. For instance, if person A wanted a book and
he had a spare goat, he must look for someone who had the exact opposite, that is, that someone, say
person B, must have a spare book of person A's choice and is also in need of a goat. Having found such a
person, the problem does not end here. A big goat may worth not only one book, hence person B may have
to offer person A something else, say five chickens. However, he runs the risk of person A rejecting the
offer as he may not need the chickens. The above example clearly illustrates the inefficiency of barter trading.
Many years later, the cumbersome barter trade finally gave way to the monetary form of exchange
when the idea of money was invented. In the early days, almost anything could qualify as money: beads,
shells and even fishing hooks. Then in a region near Turkey, gold coins were used as money. In the
beginning, each coin had a different denomination. It was only later, in about 700 BC, that Gyges, the king
of Lydia, standardized the value of each coin and even printed his name on the coins.
Monetary means of transaction at first beat the traditional barter trade. However, as time went by,
the thought of carrying a ponderous pouch of coins for shopping appeared not only troublesome but thieves
attracting. Hence, the Greek and Roman traders who bought goods from people faraway cities, invented
checks to solve the problem. Not only are paper checks easy to carry around, they discouraged robbery as
these checks can only be used by the person whose name is printed on the notes. Following this idea, banks
later issued notes in exchange for gold deposited with them. These bank notes can then be used as cash.
Finally, governments of today adopted the idea and began to print paper money, backed by gold for the country's use.
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Part 2: The table below shows the results of surveys in 2005, 2010 and 2015 about McGill University.
Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where
relevant.
Write about 150 words.
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It is said that “The industrial revolution 4.0 opened up many great opportunities but also brought
many challenges for the young generation”.
What should young people prepare themselves to adapt with the changes in the industrial revolution 4.0 era?
Write an essay of about 350 words to express your opinion with relevant details to support your viewpoint.
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Document Outline

  • Part 1. For questions 21-28, choose the correct answer A, B, C, or D to each of the following questions.
    • PLANETARY ARTISTRY