Đề thi lập đội tuyển học sinh giỏi của tỉnh dự thi chọn học sinh giỏi quốc gia THPT năm 2020 môn thi Tiếng Anh Quảng Ninh

SỞ GIÁO DỤC VÀ ĐÀO TẠO
KỲ THI LẬP ĐỘI TUYỂN HỌC SINH GIỎI CỦA TỈNH TỈNH QUẢNG NINH
DỰ THI CHỌN HỌC SINH GIỎI QUỐC GIA THPT NĂM 2020 MÔN THI : TIẾNG ANH Ngày thi : 02/10/2020 ĐỀ THI CHÍNH THỨC
Thời gian thi:180 phút, không kể thời gian giao đề
(Đề thi có 14 trang)
Cán bộ coi thi 1 Họ và tên thí sinh: SỐ BÁO DANH (Họ tên, chữ ký) Ngày sinh: Nơi sinh: Học sinh trường:
Cán bộ coi thi 2 Hội đồng coi thi: SỐ PHÁCH (Họ tên, chữ ký) Điểm bài thi
Họ tên, chữ ký của cán bộ chấm thi Số phách
Bằng số: ……………………………… 1: ………………………………………………
Bằng chữ:…………………………………
2: ……………………………………………… Ghi chú:
- Thí sinh trả lời ngay vào bài thi này. Nếu viết sai phải gạch bỏ rồi viết lại.
- Thí sinh không được sử dụng tài liệu, kể cả từ điển.
- Cán bộ coi thi không giải thích gì thêm. I. LISTENING (50 POINTS)
HƯỚNG DẪN PHẦN THI NGHE HIỂU
 Bài nghe gồm 4 phần; mỗi phần được nghe 2 lần, mỗi lần cách nhau 10 giây; mở đầu và kết thúc
mỗi phần nghe có tín hiệu.
 Mở đầu và kết thúc bài nghe có nhạc hiệu.
 Mọi hướng dẫn cho thí sinh (bằng tiếng Anh) đã có trong bài nghe.
Part 1: You will hear five short extracts in which different people are talking about the means of escape
they use to cope with the demands of their working lives. Match the extracts with what each speaker
finds demanding about their work, listed A – H. A. emotional involvement Speaker 1 1. B. an excess of information Speaker 2 2. C. clashes of personality Speaker 3 3. D. everyday problems Speaker 4 4. E. arguments about procedures Speaker 5 5. F. extended working hours G. being in the public eye H. lack of physical space
Part 2: You will hear the beginning of a radio programme about the use of fingerprints in crimimal
investigations. For questions 6 -14, complete the sentences with a word or short phrase.
In England, fingerprinting techniques were widely used from the year (6)___________________
onwards. In the Deptford murders, a fingerprint left on a (7) _____________________ in a shop led to a
conviction. Today, fingerprints are particularly useful in solving cases of (8) ________________________
and crimes involving cars. New technology means that fingerprints can now even be taken from difficult
places like (9) _______________________ or polished surfaces. The police officers’fingerprinting
equipment at the scene of a crime includes a (10) _____________________ powders and gels. NAFIS is
the name of the (11) ___________________ in the computer system which handles fingerprints.
Matching fingerprints is likened to the game known by the name (12) ____________________________
The pattern on most fingerprints is either arched or comes in (13) _________________________ or loops.
Everyone has unique fingerprints, even people such as (14) _____________________________. Page | 1
Part 3. For questions 15-19, listen to an interview with someone who review hotels and choose the
correct answer A, B, C, or D which fits best according to what your hear. Write your answers in the
corresponding numbered boxes provided.
15. What does Paddy say about some readers of her column?
A. They suspect that she enjoys criticising hotels.
B. Her attitude to hotels has changed because of their response.
C. Her comments match their experiences of hotels.
D. They prefer reading about hotels they would not want to visit.
16. What does Paddy say about some hotel-keepers?
A. They sometimes have to force themselves to have a sense of humour.
B. They would be more suited to a different profession.
C. They expect to receive negative comments about their hotels.
D. They are surprised that they become friends of hers.
17. Paddy says that some hotel-keepers she has contacted about the book have
A. realised that she does not really have an assistant called Emily.
B. corrected inaccuracies that were in her review of their hotels.
C. responded favourably despite criticism she had made.
D. made her wonder whether her reviews of their hotels were unfair.
18. Paddy says that one hotel-keeper she spoke to told her that
A. other people are unlikely to be treated in the same way in hotels as she is.
B. he was unwilling to discuss some of the comments in her review.
C. her reviews did not have much influence as she believed.
D. he no longer wanted his hotel to appear in the book.
19. The same owner also told her that
A. he had passed information about her to other hotels.
B. he resented her description of him in her review.
C. he did not understand why she wanted to put his hotel in her book.
D. there was nothing distinctive about her physical appearance. Your answers 15. 16. 17. 18. 19.
Part 4. For questions 20-25, listen to part of a news report on 5G communication and complete the
following sentences. Write NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS taken from the recording to complete each blank.
5G is really the future communication standard that's being designed now. 5G is going to enable
not only an even better smartphone, it's also able to deliver higher data rates, is able to deliver lower
latency, it’s able to deliver more (20) _____________________________and availability - these sorts of
improvements are something that is going to bring in a new range of applications. I get excited about the
possibility for virtual reality, (21) _______________________________ games where it may not be too
surprising that 10 years from now keeps going to be gathering with their friends in a park and they're all
bringing their (22) ____________________________and there's communication between those devices,
there’s communication from the networks to those devices, entirely new mixtures of physical and virtual
reality games are being played. If we look at the (23) _____________________________and the ability
for these factories themselves to have critical communication within the factory, low-latency information
exchange between the larger number of industrial equipment within the factories and then you can also
look at the sort of communication technologies that are going to be embedded into the vehicles themselves,
so this both from a (24) _____________________________, in terms of communication between vehicles,
but then also in terms of the amount of data that's being created within a vehicle. Let's take the example of
an EMT in terms of (25) _____________________________ that they capture upon recognizing the
patient and the symptoms, but then there's also the aspect of what sort of data is immediately available to
the EMT. It’s the ability to have that kind of information availability be more instantaneous, more relevant
and more structured specific to that situation. Qualcomm is driving 5G in many different directions and
really pushing the boundaries of what's capable for a wireless network. Page | 2
II. LEXICO-GRAMMAR (20 points)
Part 1. For questions 26-40, choose the correct answer A, B, C or D to each of the following questions.
Write your answers in the corresponding numbered boxes provided.
26. Looking after a house, four children, a lazy husband and two dogs is real ________. A. labour B. drudgery C. toil D. grind
27. I've searched ________ for that old photo album, but I can't find it anywhere. A. high and low B. long and short
C. straight and narrow D. thick and thin
28. I don’t like the way that Jack is always trying to ________ trouble between us. A. dish out B. rub up C. stir up D. spark out
29. Our teacher tends to ______ certain subjects which she finds difficult to talk about. A. boil down B. string along C. skate over D. track down
30. As I said before, the report will be released in the ________ of time. I can't estimate when that will be. A. rightness B. fullness C. greatness D. correctness
31. I hope the fact that Louise isn't coming won't ________ your enjoyment of the evening. A. scrap B. mar C. oust D. flout
32. It would be nice if we could ________, but he has a bad habit of stretching the truth.
A. take him down a peg or two B. take him up on it
C. take him at his word D. take him for granted
33. The children looked forward to their upcoming vacation with great ________. A. valour B. conduct C. virtue D. ardour
34. Peter was too ________ to dare to stand up and speak in front of all those people. A. self-aware B. self-righteous C. self-indulgent D. self-conscious
35. Many diseases that used to be considered ________ of mankind are now easily treatable with antibiotics. A. scourges B. tortures C. blights D. thorns
36. He found the fact that Susan had been saving money secretly quite ________. A. discordant B. discontenting C. disconcerting D. discouraging
37. Although I had made my arrangements well in advance, my plans ________ forced to come up with an alternative solution. A. backfired B. backtracked C. backlashed D. backwashed
38. With a self-confidence bordering on arrogance, Francelli got out of his car and ________ over to the crowd of journalists. A. skulked B. crept C. swaggered D. shuffled
39. Understanding the world economic conditions, the recent graduates spoke ________ about job prospects for the future. A. warily B. luxuriously C. measurably D. narrowly
40. Mr. Simkins is the big _______ in the company as he has just been promoted to the position of Managing Director. A. bread B. cheese C. apple D. meat Your answers: 26. 27. 28. 29. 30. 31. 32. 33. 34. 35. 36. 37. 38. 39. 40.
Part 2. For questions 41-45, write the correct form of each bracketed word in the numbered space
provided in the column on the right.
41. When the lab findings and the research results were _________________________, an amazing
discovery came to light. (RELATE)
42. All this talk of changes in the company is rather ____________________________. (SETTLE)
43. Mark’s __________________________to customers led to his finally being dismissed. (CIVIL)
44. “Is there any ____________________________in your abdomen?” asked the doctor. (TENDER)
45. There was a ______________________smell coming from inside the old disused well. (REPEL) Page | 3
III. READING (50 points)
Part 1.For questions 46-55, fill each of the following numbered blanks with ONE suitable word. Write
your answers in the corresponding numbered boxes provided. The Hoody
The hooded top, or “hoody”, has become something of a symbol of youth crime in Britain. It seems
to get a mention whenever the newspapers get (46) ________ the subject. Those wearing them are often
classed (47) ________ yobs or hooligans, even when they have done nothing (48) ________ the law. The
problem is that hoodies can easily hide their identity from CCTV cameras. Those (49) ________ authority
in some places such as shopping centres have even gone so far as to ban people wearing hoodies. They
claim that the threat of crime (50) ________ them the right to do it, but there is a danger that young people
will actually be provoked (51) ________ behaving in antisocial ways through rules like this. They may feel
that those (52) ____________ power are discriminating against them, and that they refuse to listen when
they deny (53) _____________ done anything wrong. It seems to be a classic example (54) ____________
older people feeling threatened by the fashions of the young. At the end of the day, what the members of
their peer (55) ________ think will always be more important to the young than what people running
shopping centres think they should or shouldn’t wear. Your answers: 46. 47. 48. 49. 50. 51. 52. 53. 54. 55.
Part 2. Read the fol owing passage and do the tasks that fol ow. Time Travel
Time travel took a small step away from science fiction and toward science recently when physicists
discovered that sub-atomic particles known as neutrinos – progeny of the sun’s radioactive debris – can
exceed the speed of light. The unassuming particle – it is electrically neutral, small but with a “non-zero
mass” and able to penetrate the human form undetected – is on its way to becoming a rock star of the scientific world.
Researchers from the European Organisation for Nuclear Research (CERN) in Geneva sent the
neutrinos hurtling through an underground corridor toward their colleagues at the Oscillation Project with
Emulsion-Tracing Apparatus (OPERA) team 730 kilometres away in Gran Sasso, Italy. The neutrinos
arrived promptly – so promptly, in fact, that they triggered what scientists are calling the unthinkable – that
everything they have learnt, known or taught stemming from the last one hundred years of the physics
discipline may need to be reconsidered.
The issue at stake is a tiny segment of time – precisely sixty nanoseconds (which is sixty billionths of a
second). This is how much faster than the speed of light the neutrinos managed to go in their underground
travels and at a consistent rate (15,000 neutrinos were sent over three years). Even allowing for a margin of
error of ten billionths of a second, this stands as proof that it is possible to race against light and win. The
duration of the experiment also accounted for and ruled out any possible lunar effects or tidal bulges in the earth’s crust.
Nevertheless, there’s plenty of reason to remain sceptical. According to Harvard University science
historian Peter Galison, Einstein’s relativity theory has been “pushed harder than any theory in the history
of the physical sciences”. Yet each prior challenge has come to no avail, and relativity has so far refused to buckle.
So is time travel just around the corner? The prospect has certainly been wrenched much closer to the
realm of possibility now that a major physical hurdle –the speed of light – has been cleared. If particles can
travel faster than light, in theory travelling back in time is possible. How anyone harnesses that to some
kind of helpful end is far beyond the scope of any modern technologies, however, and will be left to future generations to explore.
Certainly, any prospective time travellers may have to overcome more physical and logical hurdles
than merely overtaking the speed of light. One such problem, posited by René Barjavel in his 1943 text Le
Voyageur Imprudent is the so-called grandfather paradox. Barjavel theorised that, if it were possible to go
back in time, a time traveller could potentially kill his own grandfather. If this were to happen, however, Page | 4
the time traveller himself would not be born, which is already known to be true. In other words, there is a
paradox in circumventing an already known future; time travel is able to facilitate past actions that mean
time travel itself cannot occur.
Other possible routes have been offered, though. For Igor Novikov, astrophysicist behind the 1980s’
theorem known as the self-consistency principle, time travel is possible within certain boundaries. Novikov
argued that any event causing a paradox would have zero probability. It would be possible, however, to
“affect” rather than “change” historical outcomes if travellers avoided all inconsistencies. Averting the
sinking of the Titanic, for example, would revoke any future imperative to stop it from sinking – it would
be impossible. Saving selected passengers from the water and replacing them with realistic corpses would
not be impossible, however, as the historical record would not be altered in any way.
A further possibility is that of parallel universes. Popularised by Bryce Seligman DeWitt in the 1960s
(from the seminal formulation of Hugh Everett), the many-worlds interpretation holds that an alternative
pathway for every conceivable occurrence actually exists. If we were to send someone back in time, we
might therefore expect never to see him again – any alterations would divert that person down a new historical trajectory.
A final hypothesis, one of unidentified provenance, reroutes itself quite efficiently around the
grandfather paradox. Non-existence theory suggests exactly that – a person would quite simply never exist
if they altered their ancestry in ways that obstructed their own birth. They would still exist in person upon
returning to the present, but any chain reactions associated with their actions would not be registered. Their
“historical identity” would be gone.
So, will humans one day step across the same boundary that the neutrinos have? World-renowned
astrophysicist Stephen Hawking believes that once spaceships can exceed the speed of light, humans could
feasibly travel millions of years into the future in order to repopulate earth in the event of a forthcoming
apocalypse. This is because, as the spaceships accelerate into the future, time would slow down around
them (Hawking concedes that bygone eras are off limits – this would violate the fundamental rule that cause comes before effect).
Hawking is therefore reserved yet optimistic. “Time travel was once considered scientific heresy, and I
used to avoid talking about it for fear of being labelled a crank. These days I’m not so cautious.”
Do the following statements agree with the information given in the reading Passage? Write TRUE
if the statement agrees with the information FALSE
if the statement contradicts the information
NOT GIVEN if there is no information on this
56. It is unclear where neutrinos come from.
57. Neutrinos can pass through a person’s body without causing harm.
58. It took scientists between 50-70 nanoseconds to send the neutrinos from Geneva to Italy.
59. Researchers accounted for effects the moon might have had on the experiment.
60. The theory of relativity has often been called into question unsuccessfully.
61. This experiment could soon lead to some practical uses for time travel. Your answer: 56. 57. 58. 59. 60. 61.
Complete the table below.
Choose NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS from the passage for each answer. Original Theorist Theory Principle René Barjavel Grandfather
Time travel would allow for 62. ____________________ paradox
that would actually make time travel impossible. Igor Novikov Self-consistency
It is only possible to alter history in ways that result in no principle
63. __________________________. Page | 5
Each possible event has an 65. _____________________, 64.____________ Many-worlds interpretation
so a time traveller changing the past would simply end up
in a different branch of history than the one he left.
If a time traveller changed the past to prevent his future Unknown
66._____________ life, he would not have a 67. ______________________ as the person never existed.
Choose the correct letter, A, B, C or D.
68. Stephen Hawking has stated that
A. Human time travel is theoretically possible, but is unlikely to ever actually occur.
B. Human time travel might be possible, but only moving backward in time.
C. Human time travel might be possible, but only moving forward in time.
D. All time travel is impossible.
Part 3. For questions 69 – 75, read the article about the Hollywood film industry. Seven paragraphs
have been removed from the article. Choose from the paragraphs A-H below the one which fits each gap
(69-75). There is one extra paragraph which you do not need to use. Hollywood
In the years after the Second World War, the Hollywood film Even before the war, Hollywood studios had
been up in arms industry underwent a major transformation. Increased competition about attempts to break
up their vertically integrated systems of from foreign films, falling numbers of cinema audiences, and
production, distribution and exhibition. They appealed the case all attacks on the studio structure by
government agencies led to a loss of revenue which crippled the American industry, and forced it into rapid and profound change. 69.
This phenomenon cannot simply be blamed on the rise of television, as it began five years before
television existed as a viable alternative to movie-going. After the Second World War, there was a
demographic and cultural shift in urban America that profoundly altered the leisure patterns of US society. 70.
The Hollywood studios were not oblivious to these population shifts. They saw the need to provide new
theatres, and, once the necessary building materials became available, they began the process of
constructing 4,000 drive-ins throughout the USA. The drive-in theatre offered a pleasant, open space
where movie fans in parked cars could watch double features on a massive screen. By June 1956, at the
very height of the drift away from the urban environment to green belt areas, and of the baby-boom, more
people in the USA went to the drive-ins than to the traditional 'hard-top' theatres. 71.
Meanwhile, the shift of movie houses to where the audience was now located created another problem for
the shaking foundations of the Hollywood studios. The disappearance of the division between 'first-run'
houses in town centres showing prestige pictures, and local neighbourhood cinemas, changed the pattern of
film demand, necessitating a major change in the organization of film production. 72.
Even before the war, Hollywood studios had been up in arms about attempts to break up their vertically
integrated systems of production, distribution and exhibition. They appealed the case all the way to the
Supreme Court; but 1948 proved to be the end of the road, and, in what became known as the 'Paramount
decision', the court ruled for the divorce of production and exhibition, and the elimination of unfair booking practices. 73.
However, the studios still retained a significant measure of direct control through international distribution.
The 'Paramount decision' wounded Hollywood, but did not break it. Although the major companies would Page | 6
have adjusted far better to the new conditions had they retained their theatres, they still held sway as long
as they produced what exhibitors and audiences wanted . 74.
In 1939, Technicolor had lit up the screen in Gone with the Wind, but throughout its early years had only
been employed for a select group of features, principally historical epics and lavish musicals. Just over a
decade later, Technicolor lost its market monopoly as a result of antitrust laws, and the giant Eastman
Kodak soon surged into the market, introducing Eastman Color, which required only one, not three,
separate negatives. The studios brought out Eastman Color under a variety of names, and by the early
1960s virtually all Hollywood movies were being made in colour. 75.
However, theatres which contracted for the new process were required to employ three full-time
projectionists and invest thousands of dollars in new equipment, and this financial outlay proved too much for most. The missing paragraphs
A. A further blow to the stability of the studio system was delivered by the government. The years
immediately after the war saw the culmination of federal antitrust action against the Hollywood studios: a
campaign that had started in the 1930s, but had been temporarily halted by the war.
B. So Hollywood looked to innovation and new technology to tempt patrons back to the theatres. Films
were designed on a spectacular scale, clearly superior to the black and white video images broadcast into
the home. The first of the 'new' film technologies, colour, had long been available to the movie industry.
C. People were cashing in the savings bonds accumulated during the war and buying houses in the
suburbs, accelerating a trend which had begun at the turn of the century. This took away the heart of the
film-going audience. Suburbanization also raised the cost of going out to the movies; upon relocation it
became inconvenient and expensive to travel to the centre of town simply to see a film.
D. A more permanent solution arrived with the shopping centre theatre. As new malls opened in record
numbers, the locus of movie attendance permanently shifted. With acres of free parking and ideal access
for the car, shopping centres generally included a multiplex with five or more screens.
E. In 1952, the Hollywood studios went one step further, and made their movies bigger. Cinemas offered
spectacular widescreen effects by melding images from three synchronized projectors on a vast curved
screen. To add to the sense of overwhelming reality, it also included multi-track stereo sound.
F. What the Hollywood studios needed was a widescreen process without the added complications of 3-D,
or the prohibitive investment of Cinerama. Fox's CinemaScope seemed to be the answer: a widescreen
process which used an anamorphic lens to expand the size of the image.
G. Perhaps the most important watershed in the Hollywood system began in the middle of the last century.
Certainly, by the early 1960s, attendances at US movie houses were half what they had been during the
glory days, and thousands of flourishing theatres had closed forever.
H. During Hollywood's 'golden age', the major studios had directly controlled their own destinies by
owning the most important theatres. Now they were legally obliged to sell these off, and split their
companies in two; the 'golden age' was over and a new age loomed. Your answers: 69. 70. 71. 72. 73. 74. 75. Page | 7
Part 4. For questions 76-85, read an article on Ancient Angkor choose the answer A, B, C, or D which you
think fits best according to the text. Write your answers in the corresponding numbered boxes provided. Ancient Angkor
In the regions of Southeast Asia dwell the remains of an era that far exceeded its time in
developments and industrialization. This ancient city, which was mysteriously deserted in the 15th century,
is known as Angkor. Located in Cambodia, Angkor was established in 802 CE as the seat of the Khmer
Empire. Khmer was the largest continuous empire in Southeast Asia. Its main city of Angkor grew and
developed until it was abandoned in the year 1431. Many historians theorize as to why it was abandoned, but the mystery remains.
Angkor was a city of power, industry, architecture, and cultural unity, which is why speculation
surrounds its decline. The ancient Khmer city stretched over an area of nearly 120 square miles,
comparable to present-day Los Angeles. Each successive ruler to the throne brought significant additions
that diversified the territory. One ruler is known for constructing a baray, a massive water reservoir.
Another built the imposing Angkor Wat, a temple of great proportions that survived the city’s demise and
exists today as a Buddhist temple. Along with over seventy other temples in the region, Angkor was home
to an expansive waterworks of marked ingenuity when nothing of its kind existed in the world. The
civilization was structured around the Mekong River. Intricate and sophisticated irrigation systems were
fashioned to transport water to people and fields in all parts of the city, including those removed from the
central water source. For this, the city became known as the “Hydraulic City.” The people of Angkor were
led by an extensive court system, made up of religious and secular nobles as well as artisans, fishermen,
rice farmers, soldiers, and elephant keepers. The civilization was guarded by an army transported by
elephants and ruled by shrewd and powerful kings. Yet after 600 years of existence, an abandoned shell was all that remained.
The land, buildings, and architecture were reclaimed by the surrounding forest regions until the
19th century, when French archaeologists discovered the remains and began restoring sites in the great
city of Angkor. Since then, theories have evolved over time relating to the death of Angkor’s civilization.
The first theory states that the city fell because of war. The last two centuries of Angkor’s existence
showed a decline in the Khmer Empire’s population and power. Ongoing wars with neighboring Thailand
had devastated the nation. In 1431, attackers from Thai nations invaded and looted Angkor, leaving it
desolate and vacant. Continuous war with Thailand culminating in a final attack on the city could have
weakened the empire and led to the city’s demise.
Another theory states that a change in religion led to the country’s downfall. The Khmer Empire
had predominately been a Hindu nation, and the people were unified in their religion. Jayavarman VII,
acclaimed as the greatest of Angkor’s kings, took the throne in 1181 CE. He instituted a change in religion
from Hinduism to Mahayana Buddhism. This action subsequently could have destroyed the unity of the
people and the overall foundation of the empire.
 A) Natural disaster in another feasible possibility for the scattering of people from the Angkor
region. B) Historians say earthquakes, floods, and drastic climate changes would have been capable of
stripping Angkor of its people. C) One researcher hypothesized that the city suffered from a lack of water
due to the transition from the medieval warm period to the little ice age. Others dismiss this idea. D)
However, a recently developed theory built on the work of French archaeologist Bernard-Philippe
Groslier may have shed the most light on Angkor’s demise. The theory suggests that the Angkorian
civilization was “defined, sustained, and ultimately overwhelmed by over-exploitation and the
environmental impacts of a complex water-management network.” Its vast waterworks proved too great for
the city to manage. Also, supplying such a massive empire with water had adverse effects on the
environment. Ecological problems included deforestation, topsoil degradation, and erosion due in part to
clearing vegetation for cropland. Thus, the city inadvertently brought about its own environmental collapse.
With the use of aerial photography and high-resolution, ground-sensing radar, researchers were able to
support Groslier’s theory with images that complete existing topographical maps. The radar detected
surface structures as well as subtle variances in surface vegetation and soil moisture. This proved that
environmental erosion had occurred. The combined images and ground-based investigations further
revealed that Angkor was a victim of its own industrial ingenuity, a city ahead of its time and vulnerable to its own power. Page | 8
76. The author mentions the Khmer Empire in paragraph 1 in order to ________.
A. establish the size and importance of the civilization
B. explain the downfall of the main city in the empire
C. compare the nation’s size to a present-day location
D. demonstrate why people were not loyal to the city
77. The word “speculation” in the passage is closest meaning to________. A. evidence B. mystery C. question D. growth
78. According to paragraph 2, which of the following is true about the waterworks built within Angkor?
A. They transported drinking water to Angkor Wat.
B. They were a money-making venture for the city.
C. They were built to extend the water supply.
D. They irrigated fields along the sides of the river.
79. All of the following are true about the city of Angkor EXCEPT_______.
A. It was built around a water source.
C. It surpassed other cities of its time.
B. It had an advanced road system.
D. It is home to a Buddhist shrine.
80. The word “its” in the passage refers to_______. A. Angkor’s B. baray’s C. waterworks’ D. home’s
81. Which of the sentences below best expresses the essential information in the highlighted sentence?
Incorrect choices may change the meaning in important ways or leave out essential information.
A. Archaeologists built a replica of what Angkor looked like.
B. Archaeologists uncovered the overgrown city and rebuilt its sites.
C. Finding the city, workers cleared the forest and studied the architecture.
D. The city’s architecture was inspired by the forest regions nearby.
82. What can be inferred from paragraph 4 about the people who inhabited Angkor?
A. They worshipped ruler Jayavarman VII.
B. Hinduism was central to their way of life.
C. Religion led to more violence among them.
D. They were unified regardless of national religion.
83. Look at the four squares [] that indicate where the following sentence could be added to the passage
“These natural catastrophes would have likely resulted in destroyed buildings, ruined cops, and a
decreased water supply that would have forced citizens to leave.”
Where would the sentence best fit? A. first square B. second square C. third square D. fourth square.
84. The word “inadvertently” in the passage is closest in meaning to ________. A. purposely B. freely C. sadly D. accidentally
85. According to paragraph 7, which of the following did researchers prove about Groslier’s theory with
the use of aerial photography and advanced radar?
A. The surface soil showed evidence of dirt washing away.
B. The waterworks were filled with topsoil.
C. Vegetation was thriving where soil was deeper.
D. Soil damage was stable throughout the changes. Your answers: 76. 77. 78. 79. 80. 81. 82. 83. 84. 85.
Part 5. You are going to read an article about electronic books and reading. For questions 86 - 95,
choose from the sections (A - D). The sections may be chosen more than once. Write your answers in
the corresponding boxes provided below the passage
THE BOOK IS DEAD - LONG LIVE THE BOOK
Electronic books are blurring the line between print and digital
A. A lot of ink has been spilled on the supposed demise of the printed word. Ebooks are outselling paper
books. Newspapers are dying. To quote one expert: 'The days of the codex as the primary carrier of
information are almost over.' This has inspired a lot of hand-wringing from publishers, librarians, Page | 9
archivists - and me, a writer and lifelong bibliophile who grew up surrounded by paper books. I've been
blogging since high school, I'm addicted to my smartphone and, in theory, I should be on board with the
digital revolution – but when people mourn the loss of paper books, I sympathise. Are printed books really
going the way of the dodo? And what would we lose if they did? Some commentators think the rumours of
the printed word's imminent demise have been rather overstated. Printed books will live on as art objects
and collector's items, they argue, rather in the way of vinyl records. People may start buying all their beach
novels and periodicals in ebook formats and curating their physical bookshelves more carefully. It is not
about the medium, they say, it is about people. As long as there are those who care about books and don't
know why, there will be books. It's that simple.
B. Meanwhile artists are blending print with technology. Between Page and Screen by Amaranth Borsuk
and Brad Bouse is a paper book that can be read only on a computer. Instead of words, every page has a
geometric pattern. If you hold so a printed page up to a webcam, while visiting the book's related website,
your screen displays the text of the story streaming, spinning and leaping off the page. Printed books may
need to become more multi-faceted. incorporating video, music and interactivity. A group at the MIT
Media Lab already builds electronic pop-up books with glowing LEDs that brighten and dim as you pull
paper tabs. and authors have been pushing the boundaries with 'augmented reality' books for years. The
lines between print and digital books are blurring, and interesting things are happening at the interface.
C. Beyond the page, ebooks may someday transform how we read. We are used to being alone with our
thoughts inside a book but what if we could invite friends or favourite authors to join in? A web tool called
Social Book offers a way to make the experience of reading more collaborative. Readers highlight and
comment on text, and can see and respond to comments that others have left in the same book. 'When you
put text into a dynamic network, a book becomes a place where readers and sometimes authors can
congregate in the margin,' said Bob Stein, founder of the Institute for the Future of the Book. a think tank
in New York. Stein showed how a high-school class is using Social Book to read and discuss Don Quixote,
how an author could use it to connect with readers. and how he and his collaborators have started using it
instead of email. Readers can open their books to anyone they want, from close friends to intellectual
heroes. 'For us, social is not a pizza topping. It's not an add-on,' Stein says. 'It's the foundational
cornerstone of reading and writing going forth into the future.'
D. The tools might be new, but the goal of SocialBook is hardly radical. Books have found ways to be
nodes of human connection ever since their inception. That's why reading a dog-eared volume,
painstakingly annotated with thoughts and impressions is unfailingly delightful – akin to making a new
like-minded acquaintance. The MIT Rare Books collection has kept a copy of John Stuart Mill's 1848 book
Principles of Political Economy, not for its content but for the lines and lines of tiny comments a
passionate but unknown user scrawled in the margins. Maybe ebooks are taking us where print was trying to go all along.
In which section does the writer mention _______
In which paragraph is each of the following mentioned? Your answers:
an example of superseded technology that still has a certain appeal? 86. ___________
an analogy used to emphasise how seriously an idea is taken? 87. ___________
an anxiety she shares with other like-minded people? 88. ___________
a development that questions our assumptions about what reading actually entails? 89. ___________
the willingness of writers to experiment with new ideas? 90. ___________
the idea that books have always been part of an ongoing interactive process? 91. ___________
a seeming contradiction in her own attitudes? 92. ___________ Page | 10
a belief that the fundamental nature of reading will change? 93. ___________
finding pleasure in another readers' reactions to a book? 94. ___________
a view that a prediction is somewhat exaggerated? 95. ___________ IV. WRITING (60 POINTS)
Part 1. Read the fol owing extract and use your own words to summarize it. Your summary should be
between 100 and 120 words long.
As what geographers have estimated, about twenty percent of the earth's surface is occupied by
deserts. A majority of us view deserts as one unique kind of landscape - areas with little or no rainfalls.
In actual fact, there are differences between the deserts, though in varying degrees. While it is
common for laymen like us to see deserts as rocky or covered with gravel or pebbles, there are some where
large sand dunes inhabit. Despite the fact that rainfall is minimal, temperatures do change in deserts,
ranging from seasonal ones to daily changes where extreme hotness and coldness are experienced in the day and night.
Unfavorable conditions in the deserts, especially the lack of water, have discouraged many living
things from inhabiting these landscapes. Nevertheless, there are exceptionally surviving ones which
through their superb tactics, have managed to live through and are still going strong. One such kind is the
specialist annual plants which overcome seasonal temperature changes with their extremely short, active
life cycles. In events of sudden rain, the plant seeds pullulate and grow very quickly to make full use of the
rain water. Their flowers bloom and set seeds that ripen quickly in the hot sun too. Once the water runs
dry, the mother plant dies, leaving behind the drought-resistant seeds, waiting patiently for the next rainy season to arrive.
The Cacti, a native in American deserts, adapts to the dry surroundings by having unique body
structures. The plant has swollen stems to help store water that carries it through months. By having sharp
pines instead of leaves, water loss through respiration is minimized. Besides, these pointed pines also help
the plant ward off grazing animals, thus enhancing its survival period.
Besides plants, there are also animals with distinct surviving tactics in deserts too. For instance,
Skinks (desert lizards) metabolize stored fats in their bulbous tails, producing water to supplement their
needs, just like what camels do with the stored food in their humps during long journeys through deserts.
Antelopes like the addax, have very low water needs and hence are able to tolerate the conditions in
deserts, extracting moisture from the food they eat.
Finally, there are the sandgrouses (desert birds) which do not have special features to overcome the
drought-like nature in deserts. Hence, to survive in these hot, dry deserts, they need to spend a large part of
their time flying in search of waterholes.
............................................................................................................................................................................
............................................................................................................................................................................
............................................................................................................................................................................
............................................................................................................................................................................
............................................................................................................................................................................
............................................................................................................................................................................
............................................................................................................................................................................
............................................................................................................................................................................
............................................................................................................................................................................
............................................................................................................................................................................
............................................................................................................................................................................
............................................................................................................................................................................
............................................................................................................................................................................
............................................................................................................................................................................
............................................................................................................................................................................ Page | 11 Task 2:
The chart below shows the value of one country’s exports in various categories during 2015 and 2016.
The table shows the percentage change in each category of exports in 2016 compared with 2015.
Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant. Write about 150 words.
Percentage change in values (2015 - 2016) Petroleum products 3% Engineered goods 8.5% Gems and jewellery 5.18% Agriculatural products 0.81% Textiles 15.24%
............................................................................................................................................................................
............................................................................................................................................................................
............................................................................................................................................................................
............................................................................................................................................................................
............................................................................................................................................................................
............................................................................................................................................................................
............................................................................................................................................................................
............................................................................................................................................................................
............................................................................................................................................................................
............................................................................................................................................................................
............................................................................................................................................................................
............................................................................................................................................................................
............................................................................................................................................................................ Page | 12
............................................................................................................................................................................
............................................................................................................................................................................
............................................................................................................................................................................
............................................................................................................................................................................
............................................................................................................................................................................
............................................................................................................................................................................
............................................................................................................................................................................
............................................................................................................................................................................
............................................................................................................................................................................
............................................................................................................................................................................
............................................................................................................................................................................
............................................................................................................................................................................
............................................................................................................................................................................ Task 3:
Write about the following topic:
A person’s worth nowadays seems to be judged according to social status and material
possessions. Old-fashioned values, such as honour, kindness and trust, no longer seem important.
To what extent do you agree or disagree with this opinion?
Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience.
............................................................................................................................................................................
............................................................................................................................................................................
............................................................................................................................................................................
............................................................................................................................................................................
............................................................................................................................................................................
............................................................................................................................................................................
............................................................................................................................................................................
............................................................................................................................................................................
............................................................................................................................................................................
............................................................................................................................................................................
............................................................................................................................................................................
............................................................................................................................................................................
............................................................................................................................................................................
............................................................................................................................................................................
............................................................................................................................................................................
............................................................................................................................................................................
............................................................................................................................................................................
............................................................................................................................................................................
............................................................................................................................................................................
............................................................................................................................................................................
............................................................................................................................................................................
............................................................................................................................................................................
............................................................................................................................................................................
............................................................................................................................................................................
............................................................................................................................................................................
............................................................................................................................................................................
............................................................................................................................................................................
............................................................................................................................................................................
............................................................................................................................................................................ Page | 13
............................................................................................................................................................................
............................................................................................................................................................................
............................................................................................................................................................................
............................................................................................................................................................................
............................................................................................................................................................................
............................................................................................................................................................................
............................................................................................................................................................................
............................................................................................................................................................................
............................................................................................................................................................................
............................................................................................................................................................................
............................................................................................................................................................................
............................................................................................................................................................................
............................................................................................................................................................................
............................................................................................................................................................................
............................................................................................................................................................................
............................................................................................................................................................................
............................................................................................................................................................................
............................................................................................................................................................................
............................................................................................................................................................................
............................................................................................................................................................................
............................................................................................................................................................................
............................................................................................................................................................................
............................................................................................................................................................................
............................................................................................................................................................................
............................................................................................................................................................................
............................................................................................................................................................................
............................................................................................................................................................................
............................................................................................................................................................................
............................................................................................................................................................................
............................................................................................................................................................................
............................................................................................................................................................................
............................................................................................................................................................................
............................................................................................................................................................................
............................................................................................................................................................................
............................................................................................................................................................................
............................................................................................................................................................................
............................................................................................................................................................................
............................................................................................................................................................................
............................................................................................................................................................................
............................................................................................................................................................................
............................................................................................................................................................................
............................................................................................................................................................................
............................................................................................................................................................................
............................................................................................................................................................................
............................................................................................................................................................................
............................................................................................................................................................................
............................................................................................................................................................................
............................................................................................................................................................................ -THE END- Page | 14