Đề thi thử chọn đội tuyển chính thức dự thi HSG QG THPT năm 2020 môn Tiếng Anh - Thi thử HSG lần 2

I. LISTENING: (50 pts)
Part 1: You will hear a discussion in which two marine biologists. Gina Kelso and Thomas Ludman, talk
about an award-winning television film they made about wildlife in Antarctica. Choose the answer (A, B,
C or D) which fits best according to what you hear. (10p.)
1. Gina’s interest in marine biology dates from ______.
A. her earliest recollections of life in Africa
B. one memorable experience in childhood
C. the years she spent studying in England
D. a postgraduate research project she led
2. The first wildlife TV series they both worked on ______.
A. made use of a previously untried format
B. was not filmed in a natural environment
C. was not intended to be taken too seriously
D. required them to do background research
3. How did Thomas feel when he was asked to produce the programs about Antarctica?
A. disappointed not to be presenting the series
B. surprised that people thought he was suitable
C. uncertain how well he would get on with the team
D. worried about having to spend the winter there
4. When they were in Antarctica, they would have appreciated ______.
A. a less demanding work schedule
B. more time to study certain animals
C. a close friend to share their feelings with
D. a chance to share their work with colleagues
5. What was most impressive about the whales they filmed?
A. The unusual sounds the whales made.
B. The number of whales feeding in a small bay.
C. How long the whales stayed feeding in one area.
D. how well the whales co-operated with each other. Your answers 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
Part2. Listen to the conversation. Write T for True or F for False for each statement. (10p.)
6. Buyers should talk to the painting’s previous owners.
7. The chemical composition of the paint may help determine if a painting is real or not.
8. Comparing fingerprints left in paint helps in detecting a forgery.
9. It’s always possible to identify a forged painting.
10. Some forgeries have become valuable themselves. Your answers 6. 7. 8. 9. 10.
Part 3. You are going to hear two students, Brett and Mica, on an environmental studies course talking to
their tutor about photography assignment. Now listen and answer questions 1-5. Write NO MORE THAN
FIVE WORDS for each answer. (10p.)
11. In bad weather, what should students think carefully about when it comes to photography?
12. What does Brett want to take advantage of when photographing near water?
13. What can they avoid when they use a piece of equipment called an “angle finder”?
14. According to the tutor and Brett, whose works or paintings should they use to generate ideas?
15. What issues should they think about when deciding on what to photograph? Your answers 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. Page 1 of 14
Part 4. Listen to the recording and fill in the missing information with NO MORE THAN THREE
WORDS AND/OR A NUMBER for each answer. (20p.) WHAT IS EDUCATION FOR?
Education is so important because it is supposed to help us get prepared for the challenges in our life. That’s
why in most of schools of all kinds (16) ______ with challenges in life is widely studied. However, things
such as talent, energy, goodwill, and (17) ______ seem to disappear. In order to improve education it is
claimed that what we need is not money but that we must pay more attention to the real purpose of
education, which is aimed to help us with: working and (18) ______. To address these needs two crucial
subjects must be included in the curriculum. The first one is (19) ______ since we don’t fully understand
how the economy works. To help to study this subject, Math is taught to help students how to deal with
money. It is hoped that students can get more understanding the global economy together with other terms
such as leadership, marketing and competition, cash flow, and (20) ______. Secondly students really need to
study themselves since we usually misunderstand ourselves. They should be taught a number of concepts
and helped towards their personality maps so that they can understand, among with other issues, what type
of people they are (21) ______ to go out with.
It is essential that they should also be taught (22) ______ so that they can understand which job they are fit
for. Regarding the study of relationships, there must be lessons on techniques such as (23) ______ and on
kindness and forgiveness as well.
Education must not be restricted to classrooms or schools. Other forms or fields such as media and arts are
also used to help students learn what they really need to. However, the real problem is that we fail to identify
the (24) ______ of the problems that we are now facing in education that is we have got the (25) ______. Your answers 16. 17. 18. 19. 20. 21. 22. 23. 24. 25. II. LEXICO GRAMMAR
Part 1: Choose the correct answers for the following sentences.
26. The girls learn exactly what is ______ in caring for a newborn baby. A. mattered B. entailed C. concerned D. complicated
27. My sweater ______ in the wash. A. crumpled B. contracted C. shrank D. dwindle
28. A. ______ person is one who likes other people a lot and always wants to help them. A. kind-hearted B. single-minded C. hot-blooded D. near-sighted
29. The man is really old. He must be ______ 80 now. A. getting on for B. putting up with C. coming in for D. look up to
30. He ______ the hope that one day they will meet again. A. grows B. relishes C. cherishes D. develops
31. The infection is highly ______, so don't let anyone else use your towel. A. contagious B. contiguous C. contingent D. congenial
32. Competitors must ______ the judge's decision. A. defy B. abide by C. stick to D. observe
33. I need a few days to ______ things over before I decide if I'm taking the job. A. mull B. take C. look D. get
34. Twenty years ago the country was an economic ______. A. lost cause B. false down C. basket case D. dark horse
35. Fresh evidence has recently ______ which suggests that he didn't in fact commit the murder. A. had his wits about him B. come to light C. painted the town red D. gone to his head Page 2 of 14
36. She has an ______ knowledge of Tuscany, where she has lived for twenty years. A. intimate B. limited C. rudimentary D. superficial
37. The negotiations have been put off ______. A. meanwhile B. heretofore C. whence D. indefinitely
38. He'd rather ______ he needed help. He certainly does not want to let me know that. A. died than let me think B. die than let me think C. had died than let me think D. to die than let me think
39. I'd love to come but I'm completely ______ at the moment. A. held off B. stirred up C. snowed under D. caught on
40. Perhaps Helena told him - I wouldn't ______ her. A. put it past B. rub it up C. think it through D. pass it over Your answers
26. 27. 28. 29. 30. 31. 32. 33.
34. 35. 36. 37. 38. 39. 40.
Part 2: Read the text below. Use the word given in capitals to form a word that fits in the gap.
A notorious Mexican drug baron’s audacious escape from prison in July doesn’t, at first, appear to have
much to teach corporate boards. But some in the business world suggest otherwise. Beyond the morally (41.
REPREDHENSIBLY) _________________ side of criminals' work, some business gurus say organised
crime syndicates, computer hackers, pirates and others operating outside the law could teach (42.
LEGITIMIZE) _________________ corporations a thing or two about how to hustle and respond to rapid change.
Far from encouraging illegality, these gurus argue that – in the same way big corporations sometimes
emulate start-ups – business leaders could learn from the underworld about flexibility, innovation and the
ability to pivot quickly. “There is a nimbleness to criminal organisations that legacy corporations (with
large, complex layers of management) don’t have,” said Marc Goodman, head of the Future Crimes Institute
and global cyber-crime advisor. While traditional businesses focus on rules they have to follow, criminals
look to (43. CIRCUMVENTATION ) _________________ them. “For criminals, the sky is the limit and
that creates the opportunity to think much, much bigger.”
Joaquin Guzman, the head of the Mexican Sinaloa drug cartel, for instance, slipped out of his prison cell
through a tiny hole in his shower that led to a mile-long tunnel fitted with lights and ventilation. Making a
break for it required creative thinking, long-term planning and perseverance – essential skills similar to those
needed to achieve success in big business.
While Devin Liddell, who heads brand strategy for (44. SEATTLE) _________________ design
consultancy, Teague, condemns the violence and other illegal activities he became curious as to how
criminal groups endure. Some cartels stay in business despite multiple efforts by law (45. FORCE)
_________________ on both sides of the US border and millions of dollars from international agencies to
shut them down. Liddell genuinely believes there’s a lesson in longevity here. One strategy he underlined
was how the bad guys respond to change. In order to bypass the border between Mexico and the US, for
example, the Sinaloa cartel went to great lengths. It built a vast underground tunnel, hired family members
as border agents and even used a catapult to circumvent a high-tech fence. Your answers 41. 42. 43. 44. 45. III. READING
Part 1: For questions 46-55 read the text below and think of the word which best fits each space. Use
only one word in each space.
Five horror film clichés
Since almost the beginning of cinema, we have had scary films. Of all the genres that exist, horror is
perhaps one of the most conventional. Many horror films rely on specific plot devices, also called tropes, to
make their audience frightened. When a trope is used too much, it can become a cliché. But when used well, Page 3 of 14
it can really make us jump out of our (46) ________________. Here are some of the most used, and perhaps
abused, clichés in horror films.
No matter what kind of house it is, the basement is a scary place in horror films. That’s usually (47)
________________ something is hiding or where the evil psychopath has hidden their tools. Basements are
always dark and often damp. You can only (48) ________________ them by a narrow staircase. And
basements are always creepy, even when there isn’t anything down there.
In older horror films, when protagonists were in desperation, it was difficult or impossible for them to
call for help or call the police. Mobile phones have made that situation a bit less believable now. What’s the
solution to (49) ________________ suspense? No phone coverage! If you’re a hero in a horror film, it’s
almost certain that at a key moment, just when you absolutely need to call for help, you will not have any
(50) ________________ at all. Or your phone battery will die just as you are making the call, or both.
Horror films love (51) ________________ places. This could be an abandoned hospital, a scary empty
house or a ghost town. There’s something about lonely, empty places. What was it like when people lived
there? Why did they leave? Maybe it’s also that they are so quiet, which can be very scary too. Of course,
(52) ________________ places are also handy for horror film directors in that it’s more believable that you
will have no phone coverage there either.
The hero has been driving for hours. It’s night-time and it’s beginning to rain. (53) ________________
he sees a person on the side of the road. Maybe the company will keep him awake? In horror films, giving
anybody a (54) ________________ is asking for trouble. The hero always does it, and it always ends badly.
This horror film cliché was especially popular with horror films of the late 20th century. It starts with a
group of teenagers all enjoying themselves, and it ends with everyone dead (55) ________________ one
girl. At the beginning the girl is usually innocent, shy and not particularly strong. By the end, she has
become the toughest and most resourceful person in the world. The last girl almost always wins in the end. Your answers 46. 47. 48. 49. 50. 51. 52. 53. 54. 55.
Part 2: Read the following passage and do the tasks that follow.
THE GENERATIONAL POWER BALANCE
Throughout history, the clash between the old and the young has been a defining feature of both reality
and literature. Parents have power over their children… but as those juveniles approach adolescence, they
begin to put pressure on their parents’ power. They test the rules; they rebel; they create their own rules. The
parents are puzzled, frustrated and resentful about the shift in the balance of power. They fight back; try to
exert their leadership in an attempt to maintain their power. But as they grow towards old age, they are
forced to relinquish it, while the world changes into a place they cease to recognize from their youth.
The friction between old and young is set to become a feature of the twenty first century, as we approach
a period where the balance of power reaches virgin territory. This is not to say that relationships between
the generations are expected to worsen; rather that the unprecedented demographic changes to come will
have knock-on effects that we cannot yet imagine.
How can we be so sure that trials lie ahead? Demographic trends are incredibly easy to predict. Decades
pass between the birth of children and their growth into adulthood, while rises in life expectancy due to
affluence and better medical care are gradual. Consequently, it is possible to predict accurately what
proportion of the population will be economically active, and what proportion will be dependent, for a
considerable time in the future. Hence, we know that rising as people are living longer and having fewer
children – and having them later in life - population structure will skew much more towards the aged.
Statistical prediction is one thing. Predicting the implications of such trends on society is another thing
entirely. In the 1900s, demographers could – or at least should – have predicted that trend toward city-living
as opposed to country-living was likely to continue, as indeed it did, becoming one of the most defining
features of the twentieth century. The political, economic, social and environmental implications of this shift
were much harder to predict, however.
Many economically developed countries already fear that by 2025, there will be too few young tax-
payers in the working population to support those in old age. This is the generation that requires pensions,
medical care, local services and other benefits. Governments are already putting in steps, such as Page 4 of 14
compulsory work pensions and increases in the retirement age in an attempt to mitigate the problem. How
effective these measures prove to be remains to be seen. Moreover, this isn’t just a predicament for richer
countries. All less economically developed countries outside the AIDS stricken regions of Sub-Saharan
African are experiencing the same demographic trends, and, unless their economies develop extremely
quickly, their populations will suffer much more.
Economically, therefore, adults will be at the mercy of the elderly. Governments will be obliged to put
money and efforts into the provision for the elderly and working adults will have to forego their share. But
perhaps such a conclusion is too glib. The scenario could pan out in differently. After all, rising elderly
populations also bring opportunities for the young, such as in employment in products and services geared
towards the older generation. Moreover, the shift comes at a time when seniority is beginning to count for
less in the workplace than in the past. Youthful traits, such as innovation, creativity and familiarity with new
technology are being recognized more and more. Perhaps power will not shift towards the elderly as much as demographic data suggests.
Add another twist, and we realize that the older generation are not the old-fashioned bedridden fuddy-
duddies that they perhaps were perceived to be in the past. The over-seventies look younger and are fitter
than ever. Moreover, their tastes are less divergent from those of younger generations than they used to be.
They listen to rock music, study at university, embrace new hobbies, travel and socialize. The lines between
youth and age, culturally at least, have blurred.
This may mean that a standard retirement age may become a thing of the past, as vigorous people in their
seventies and eighties choose to carry on working. Such a trend would greatly ease the tax burden on the
younger generations, as well as giving the older generation more choice. However, it comes as a two edged
coin, as young, inexperienced workers would be forced to compete for jobs with the seasoned workers,
while those in employment may never get the promotion they desire if the old guy at the top refuses to quit.
Of course, the predictions envisaged in this scenario will only come to pass if the world develops in a
relatively benign way. In the twentieth century population shifts were irrevocably altered by world war and
economic depression, and similar events could afflict coming generations too. Until we know for sure, we
can rest easy in the knowledge that the problems which arise now are the problems of success – problems
that arise through economic growth, better medication, reduced inequality and by maintaining peace.
Do the following statements agree with the information given in reading passage? Write: T
if the statement agrees with the information F
if the statement contradicts the information NG
if there is no information on this
56. The population patterns predicted for the 21st century have never happened before.
57. Predictions about the size of the human population can be made quite successfully.
58. In 1900 it was difficult to see that many people would move to urban areas.
59. Many rich countries are concerned about a significant imbalance in old and young people by 2025.
60. The consequences of an imbalance between the old and the young would be worse in developed
countries than in developing countries.
61. In most developed countries today the elderly are respected less than in the past. Your answers 56. 57. 58. 59. 60. 61.
Write ONE WORD for each answer.
62. In future, working age adults will probably have to ________________ their allocation of government
funds, as they are used to provide for the elderly.
63. Nowadays, in the workplace hierarchy, less status is given to people with ________________.
64. The difference between the definition of an old person and a young one is more ________________ than in the past. Your answers 62. 63. 64. Page 5 of 14
Complete the summary with ONE or TWO words from the text.
In future, governments may abolish the fixed (65)____________________ meaning that fitter elderly could
help to contribute towards relieving the (66)____________________ on the working population. However,
there are negative implications of this, as experienced workers may be considered more employable, and
there would be fewer opportunities for (67)____________________ among younger workers. However, it is
worth remembering that all these difficulties come as a result of (68)____________________. Your answers 65. 66. 67. 68.
Part 3: You are going to read an extract from an article. Seven paragraphs have been removed from the
extract. Choose from the paragraphs A - H the one which fits each gap (69 - 75). There is one extra
paragraph which you do not need to use. Mark your answers on the separate answer sheet. THE POWER OF VACCINES
For the world's population, access to an injection-programme and general good health shouldn't be a
matter of the luck of the draw. Scientific advances have concentrated on diseases more prevalent in richer
countries and appear to have neglected the plight of the poor – especially in third world countries – suffering
from diseases that are routinely classified as easily preventable.
69 The good news is that we can save these lives. Measles, polio, whooping cough, yellow fever – diseases
that debilitate, disfigure and kill millions of children can be prevented with existing vaccines. Parents in
developing countries often walk miles, or pay high prices to get the precious shots. They know that their
children need some vaccines that parents in developed countries take for granted.
70 When we first turned our attention to philanthropy, it seemed natural to extend technology to classrooms
and libraries. Technology clearly can transform and empower its users. But our thinking crystallised as
we learned of an even greater need - impoverished children stricken with preventable diseases. One man
has already made a great difference in the world.
71 The power of vaccines – the most cost-effective medical intervention ever invented – lies in their ability
to prevent rather than treat disease. It's often the case that it is not until we become parents that we fully
appreciate the virtues of having a form of medical intervention that protects before limbs go limp or
hearts stop beating. Today vaccines save the lives of some 3 million children each year – children who
are fortunate enough to have been born in countries with effective health systems, adequate vaccination
supplies and trained health personnel.
72 Access to safe, effective vaccines to such diseases should not be dictated by circumstance. That is why a
commitment was made by the Global Fund for Children's Vaccines a year ago. The goal of the Global
Fund, and the partners of the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunisation, is to ensure that every
child has access to lifesaving vaccines. An estimated 6 billion pounds' over the next five years will cover
the cost of fully immunizing children in developing countries.
73 In the 1970s only 5% of the world's children could expect to be fully immunised. Today, thanks to these
"rich" nations, alongside the work of countless dedicated health professionals worldwide, we can
envision a time when 70, 80, and finally 100 percent of children are protected. And at a cost of 10 to 15
pounds per child, vaccines are a small investment for a very big return.
74 The dedication of resources to speed the discovery of new vaccines must also be a priority. Scientists
and organisations like the International AIDs Vaccination Initiative are currently working to develop
vaccines for the top three killer diseases – AIDs, Malaria, and tuberculosis. If they find them, perhaps
the more daunting challenge will be to distribute them to those who need them most.
75 Gandhi once said that for him the Golden Rule meant that he could not enjoy things denied to other
people. We should strive to ensure that health and freedom from these terrible diseases is something that no parent is denied. Page 6 of 14
A But even the greatest of parental effort can't help if the vaccines aren't available. In the past it has taken
up to 15 years for newly developed vaccines – including the relatively recent hepatitis B vaccine – to
become available in poor countries. Those delays are measured in childhood fatalities. Our challenge is
to provide every child, regardless of where they live or their family's economic status with access to lifesaving vaccines.
B There has also been a concerted effort by governments and other organisations to raise sufficient funds
to save children's lives through immunisation. Some governments should be applauded for their active
support and substantial donations to the cause.
C The new philanthropy blends 1960s social consciousness with the present financial model. So far
donations have topped eight and a half million pounds to help inoculate children in India against the
three major killer childhood disease.
D Dr. Jonas Salk changed the world when he announced the discovery of the polio vaccine. His work
started a vaccine revolution, and, as a result, millions of children have escaped the disease's crippling
and often fatal effects. The last reported case of wild polio in the Western Hemisphere was in 1991. Who
would have dreamt back in 1953 that within a generation – our generation – we would see polio almost
eradicated from the face of the earth?
E Vaccines cannot work their magic without a global effort. Parents, world leaders, and foundations can
and should work together because we all want the same thing for our children, and this is something that
great humanitarian leaders have been aware of for a very long time.
F Whether they live in Bangladesh, Botswana or Seattle, all parents want the best for their children.
Providing a healthy start in life and through childhood is a priority for every family. Yet for all the
amazing advances we have made so far in medicine, there are still far too many children who don't have
access to even the most basic health care. More than 2 million die each year from vaccine preventable
diseases. This is a staggering statistic – a tragic reality we have ignored for too long. It is global news
when an airline crashes, but rarely newsworthy that 228 children die from preventable illnesses every
hour of every day. It's time to move this issue of immunisation to the top of our global agenda.
G But there is more to do. First we need to redouble our efforts to introduce newer vaccines more quickly.
It is heart-wrenching and unacceptable that children in the developing world may have to wait a decade
or more to receive vaccines that are already saving lives in richer countries.
H Yet tens of millions of people do not share in these benefits because of what they can afford or where
they live. World-wide, more than 1 billion people live on less than 50p a day. Lack of safe water, poor
sanitation and meagre food supplies are part of the grim reality of their daily lives. Their children
weakened by malnutrition, and parasitic infections, are susceptible to childhood killers – whopping
cough, measles and meningitis. Your answers
69. 70. 71. 72. 73. 74. 75.
Part 4: Read the passage and choose the answer which you think fits best according to the text. FORGETFUL BRAINS
Humans have always had trouble remembering certain details. One person has the unique experience of
recalling in almost exact detail a memory from his childhood, but he cannot remember what he ate for lunch
yesterday. Another cannot recall names of people she met five minutes ago, but she remembers the names of
people she met from an hour before. Psychologists have searched for answers to the memory phenomenon to
better understand how the brain functions and what triggers memory or causes forgetfulness. After
extensive research over the past century, they have come up with some basic theories to help explain memory loss.
There are times when an individual loses all recollection of an event. X This is referred to as the decay
theory, which states that if memories are not recalled from time to time, they fade and then gradually drop
from a person's memory. Decay is proven to occur with sensory memories, or short-term memories, if they
are not recalled or rehearsed. Decay of long-term memory is harder to explain because these memories last
through the passage of time. Y In fact, some knowledge can be accessed many years after it is first learned. Page 7 of 14
Z Research on students who took Spanish courses in high school revealed that they still remembered a great
deal of Spanish fifty years later, even though they had hardly used the language. While some memories tend
to decay, others remain burned into the recesses of the brain, causing psychologists to further ponder the workings of memory. [
Another explanation made by researchers concerning memory loss is known as interference. Under this
theory, an individual forgets a memory when similar information enters the mind and interferes with the
original memory in either the storage or retrieval area of the brain. The information is somewhere in the
person's memory, but it gets confused with other details. This occurs in both short-term and long-term
memory and is most common when a person tries to recall isolated facts. For instance, a woman goes to a
party and meets a man named Joe at the front door. Half an hour later, she is introduced to Jason. When she
sees Joe again, she accidentally calls him Jason. This is retroactive interference. The newest information
input replaces the old information, causing the woman to mistakenly call the first man by the wrong name.
Additionally, people may suffer from proactive interference. A new student meets his first professor, Dr.
Mack, in his English class. When he has History, he meets Dr. Miller. However, he frequently calls both
teachers Dr. Mack, since that is the first name he had learned. Remembering the first set of information and
not remembering the next is proactive interference. The old information interfered with the student’s ability
to recall the newer information.
When a person needs to remember something, he frequently relies on cues, or reminders, to help him
retrieve a specific memory. When he lacks the cue to recall the memory, the person suffers from cue-
dependent forgetting. This may be the most common type of forgetfulness. Psychologist Willem Wagenaar
did a year-long study during which he recorded events from his life daily. After a year’s time, he could not
remember twenty percent of the critical details, and after five years, he had forgotten sixty percent.
However, he compiled cues from ten witnesses to some events in his past that he believed he had forgotten,
and he was able to recall pieces of information about all ten. Thus, when he had cues to help him retrieve his
memories, he could remember his experiences, illustrating that he was somewhat cue-dependent. Cognitive
psychologists believe that these specific cues help direct a person to the area of the brain where the memory
is stored or they match up with information linked to the actual memory the person is seeking.
Whether forgetfulness is from years of decay, replacement of old memories, or lack of cues, researchers
continue working to locate the source of people’s forgetfulness. The answers are becoming clearer with each
additional study. As brain research advances, psychologists are sure to connect many different factors that
link people back to their memories.
76. The word “triggers” in paragraph 1 is closest in meaning to ________. A. Closes B. Clues C. Reviews D. Erases
77. The word “ponder” in paragraph 2 is closest in meaning to ________. A. Consider B. Explain C. Forget D. Understand
78. According to paragraph 2, decay of short-term memories can be avoided by? A.
Remembering associations B.
Removing immediate distractions C.
Recollecting information often D. Taking time to acquire input
79. What can be inferred about the decay theory from paragraph 2? A.
Memories from big events always remain in the mind. B.
Memory decay arises from specific circumstances. C.
Recalling old memories prevent their decay. D.
Most people suffer from some degree of memory decay.
80. Look at the four numbered circles in paragraph 2 that indicate where the following sentence could be added to the passage.
However, the age of the memory does not enable psychologists to predict which memories will
disappear and which will remain.
Where would the sentence best fit? Choose the numbered circles where the sentence should be added to the passage. A. 1st circle B. 2nd circle C. 3rd circle D. 4th circle
81. The word “it” in paragraph 3 refers to ________. A. Retrieval area B. Information C. Storage area D. Memory
82. The word “isolated” in paragraph 3 is closest in meaning to ________. A. Complex B. Angry C. Remote D. Ignored Page 8 of 14
83. All of the following are mentioned in paragraph 3 as interference EXCEPT ________. A.
Confusing newly learned facts with other details B.
Confusing old memories with current situations C.
Remembering the first information but forgetting the second set D.
Recalling the last information acquired but losing the first
84. In paragraph 3, the author discusses remembering and forgetting names in order to ________. A.
Demonstrate memory interference B.
Refute proactive and retroactive interference C.
Advocate acquiring new memories D.
Reveal the workings of forgetfulness
85. Which of the following sentences best expresses the essential information in the underlined sentence in
paragraph 4? Incorrect choices change the meaning in important ways or leave out essential information. A.
Cues about an event lead a person back to the part of the brain storing the memory. B.
Psychologists are able to link cues to areas of a person's brain when he or she is forgetful. C.
Information stored within the brain cannot be linked to specific memories after time. D.
A person can find specific memories by using context cues about an experience. Your answers
76. 77. 78. 79. 80. 81. 82. 83. 84. 85.
Part 5: You are going to read an extract from a book on the railway in India. For questions 86-95,
choose from the sections (A-E). The sections may be chosen more than once. Mark your answers on the separate answer sheet.
In which section is the following mentioned?
an important Indian figure using the railway station for a meeting about the nation 86. ____ the cutting up of land 87. ____
two countries doing the same thing with their railway networks at the same time 88. ____
a characteristic of a nation's rail system that is likened to a similar trait of the nation itself 89. ____
the using of Indian workers to build railways in other countries 90. ____
a totally new nation of the time 91. ____
the railway playing a part in violence 92. ____
the railway as a place on which to write messages 93. ____
a physical feature of the currency of India 94. ____
the railway wasn't built to be used as a tool for creating a nation 95. ____
NATIONING INDIA THROUGH THE RAILWAY
A Within Raja Rao's Kanthapura, the railway is present in its supporting interactions between the village
and the city, and the Congress Party and their village supporters, in delivering newspapers and directions
of actions to take in the anti-imperial and nationalist movement. Notions of the railway delivering
messages of anti-colonial sentiment can be found in it presenting a surface which is translatable as a
canvas in nationalistic graffiti. As Kurt Iveson suggests, in relation to the railway in Australia, 'if the
train' that carries graffiti 'runs' with the tag [or message] still on it, this gives the writer [or a movement]
more recognition. So, the railway can be seen to open the possibility of literally carrying intentions
towards nationhood on its very surface. The railway, of course, was not built by the British with
intentions towards independence, but can be seen to introduce a particular framework that comes to be
appropriated in the movements towards nationhood.
B Not only can the railway be seen as a mobiliser of nationhood, but conterminously as a mobiliser of
capitalism. As Ian Kerr suggests in Building the Railways of the Raj, the building of the railway in India
introduced the framework of contractual employment – of the labor market – and, the knowledge of the
salability of that labor, arguably, lays the foundations for unions, The Congress Party and ultimately
independence. Independence and the conceiving of the nation internationally can be further perceived in
the participation of Indian construction workers in the building of railways throughout Africa. The
knowledge of the saleability of labour internationally anticipates the falling of borders through
globalisation before their construction. As Barrack Obama arrives at the old Nairobi train station in the
post aspect of colonialism, he writes upon a railway line that had taken 'the lives of several hundred
imported Indian workers' for the ‘line of track that helped usher in Kenya's colonial history’, inferring an Page 9 of 14
interconnectivity within the Empire, and an interconnectivity within the constructing of railways and,
furthermore, how that 'colonial history' replied upon the introduction of the railway.
C In Deepa Mehta's film, Water Chuyia is a child-widow, in an institution for women whose husbands
have died. After living in this institution and witnessing the curtailing of happiness and freedom, she is
taken to the railway station. Gandhi is reported to have been released from prison and is rumoured to be
holding one of his 'prayer meetings' in the station. A Chuyia is carried to the station, the procession of
people heading towards Gandhi has a slowness and a reverence similar to pilgrims entering a temple in
anticipation of witnessing a god. Indeed, in post-colonial India, Gandhi's face is printed on the national
currency of India, and he is referred to as the 'father of the nation.' The holding of a politico-religious
meeting in the railway station further supports the proposition that the railway played a key role in
nation building and independence. The final shot of the train proceeding into the future carrying the
child-widow, Narayan the Gandhiist, and Gandhi himself invokes a positivist sense of 'inevitability' of 'progression' and nationhood.
D The scene set in the railway station in Deepa Mehta's Earth focuses upon Ice Candy Man crouching on a
platform at Lahore railway station amongst others waiting for the train to arrive from the recently split
Punjab, and the newly partitioned India. In breaking away from the British, the land and the railway is
being reclaimed and rewritten upon; the process of cracking is entered into, revealing gaps and lapses in
time and memory. As the train arrives twelve hours late, an uncanny silence draws up next to it; a silence
that is echoed with the arrival of the 'ghost train' of Khushwant Singh's Train to Pakistan. In Earth, those
waiting for the arrival of the train expect to meet family members and the one-day-old citizens of the
newly formed nation of Pakistan; instead, the unnervingly silent carriages divulge death and
dismemberment. The communicative aspect of the railway network becomes traumatically fulfilled; the
railway carries the conflicting messages of renewal and relief, and bloodshed and war. The men are
described as having been butchered and the women as having been dismembered with the 'members'
filling gunny sacks. The witnessing of divided bodies echoes the land that has itself had incisions made upon it.
E Arriving in India in 1947, the train indeed shows its availability to both the colony and the nation. With
its origins lying beyond the border of independence, and with its route having taken a course through the
violent bordering in partition, the railway can be seen to have participated in narratives that have also
been plastered on its tracks. In this, the railway network, once again, comes to inhabit a position of
ambivalence; it balances precariously upon colonial narratives, partition narratives and post-colonial
narratives without retaining a secure position in any. It is in this ambivalence that one can read the
railway as analogous to the nation. If the railway network can be seen as contributing to movements
towards nationhood, and, perhaps, even directly supporting nationhood, then the nationalising of the
railway after the Second World War in both India and Britain demonstrates how important the railway
was regarded in relation to the nation and, indeed, to power at that time. Your answers
86. 87. 88. 89. 90. 91. 92. 93. 94. 95. IV. WRITING
Part 1 (15 points): Read the following extract and use your own words to summarise it. Your summary
should be between 100 and 120 words long.
Women's position in society has changed dramatically in recent years. Gone are the days when a woman
was only expected to get married, have children and keep the family home running smoothly, catering for
everyone's needs. Nowadays women are able to go to university, pursue a career and delay marriage and
motherhood indefinitely if they choose. However, should those women who do have a family give up their
career in order to stay at home and take care of their children?
Numerous arguments have been put forward as to why women should stay at home and care for their
children. For example, it is known that children need stability in their lives. Some people believe that this
can only come from the mother and that outside help is detrimental to the children. However, who is to say
that outside help cannot provide children with the stability they need? There is good quality childcare
available, although it is often expensive. More importantly, forcing a woman who would rather be out in the Page 10 of 14
workplace to stay at home to look after her children may create problems of its own. She may become bo
ored, frustrated and even resentful of her children if her own needs are not met. Furthermore, it is not every
woman's dream to stay at home with her children. Women who have worked hard to build themselves a
career are understandably reluctant to abandon it.
Factors other than what a woman wants also play a role in deciding whether or not a woman goes out to
work. The cost of living is high, and people now expect a comfortable home with all convenient equipment,
foreign holidays each year, fashionable clothes and so on, all of which cost money. Very often, one salary is
insufficient to meet the needs of a family's members. As a result, the woman is obliged to work in order to
contribute financially to the family.
In conclusion, the decision about whether a woman stays at home to raise her children or goes out to
work is one that should be made by each family individually. Everyone's situation is different and such a
wide variety of factors must be considered that it is impossible to apply one rule for all.
Part 2 (15 points): The graph and table below give information about water use worldwide and water
consumption in two different countries. country population irrigated land water consumption per person
Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where
relevant. You should write about 150 words.
Part 3 (30 points): Write an essay of 350 words on the following topic:
Some people argue that the subjects taught at school are not relevant to real life, and young people are ill-
prepared for survival in today's competitive world of work. Others contend that it is the duty of the older
generation to provide the younger one with a general education of academic value and liberal arts, regardless
of the skills needed to survive in the job market. To what extend do you agree or disagree?
Use specific reasons and examples to support your argumentation. Page 11 of 14
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