Kì thi chọn đội tuyển chính thức dự thi HSG quốc gia lớp 12 THPT tỉnh Yên Bái năm học 2020-2021 môn thi Tiếng Anh ngày 1

SỞ GIÁO DỤC VÀ ĐÀO TẠO
KỲ THI LẬP ĐỘI TUYỂN DỰ THI TỈNH YÊN BÁI
CHỌN HỌC SINH GIỎI QUỐC GIA THPT NĂM 2020 Môn thi: Tiếng Anh ĐỀ CHÍNH THỨC
Thời gian: 180 phút (không kể giao đề)
(Đề thi gồm 13 trang) Ngày thi : 25/9/2019 Điểm của bài thi
Họ, tên và chữ kí của giám khảo Số phách Bằng số: Giám khảo 1: Bằng chữ: Giám khảo 2:
PART I: LISTENING (5 points)
• There is a piece of music at the beginning and at the end of the listening part
• There are three parts, each will be played twice
• Before each part, students have 30 seconds to look at the questions
Question 1: You will hear part of a lecture about conserving energy. Listen and complete the
notes below. Write NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS for each answer.
Conserving Energy at Home
• Carbon footprint is the 1.__________________ of green house gas emitted into the atmosphere
by an individual as a result of his day-to-day activities.
• More than 2.__________________ of all homes are not insulated.
Reasons to better insulate your home:
• Fitting adequate insulation in the 3.__________________ and outer walls of your home can
reduce heating costs by as much as 25%.
• The government offers 4.__________________ to people who want to insulate their homes.
• You will recoup your investment over a short period of time.
- Painting 5.__________________ walls in the dark color is a bad idea because dark colors
6.__________________ heat.
- Replacing a normal light bulb with an energy-saving one could save you 7.__________________ over the lifetime of the bulb.
- If you have large windows in your homes, you should close the 8.__________________
- Erect 9.__________________ to heat your water supply.
- People should continue recycling and composting their 10.__________________ to help protect the environment. Your answers: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10.
Question 2: You will hear part of a discussion on a current affairs programme between Nick
Barnes and Alison Tempra about the performance of the company Facebook since it floated on
the stock exchange. Choose the answer (A, B, C or D) which fits best according to what you hear. 1
1. What does Alison think is the cause for optimism?
A. the company kept its costs low.
B. the loss generated was less than expected.
C. there appears to be good revenue potential.
D. the company hasn't started to advertise yet.
2. According to Nick, the increasing popularity of smaller devices ______.
A. represents untapped potential for FACEBOOK.
B. is a significant challenge to FACEBOOK increasing its revenue.
C. puts FACEBOOK at a competitive advantage.
D. gives the company an opportunity to advertise more.
3. In what situation does Alison believe FACEBOOK users might abandon the company?
A. if they are given the option of watching adverts on the certain apps and sites.
B. if a free social network becomes available on the net.
C. if the company pushes advertisements onto users too forcefully.
D. if sites and apps start to appear, which put users of using FACEBOOK.
4. What do we learn about the company's performance?
A. the share price has now dropped by over one-third.
B. there has been a 6% improvement in the share price overnight.
C. $38 has been wiped off the share price.
D. it has become the biggest flop in history.
5. Nick believes that Google _______.
A. will inevitably prevail over FACEBOOK in time.
B. was short-sighted to invest everything it had into one project.
C. technology will be made redundant by what FACEBOOK offers users.
D. will become profit-making in a matter of time. Your answers: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
Question 3: You are going to listen to a piece of news on South China Sea. Listen and fill in each
blank with NO MORE THAN FOUR WORDS from the recording.
A man-made island, Fiery Cross didn’t exist two years ago, yet there’s now 10,000 foot air strip,
an 1.________________________, a missile defense system, and about 200 troops there. Six others have also been built.
Since 2014, huge Chinese ships collected around remote reefs in the Spratly Islands, rapidly
2._______________________ up onto the reef. They were building islands. This body of water is not
only rich in natural resources, but 30% of the 3._________________________also flows through here
to the booming population centers and economic markets of Southeast Asia as well.
Now 5 countries have laid their claims on this water, most basing their claim on the UN Law of
Seas, which says a country’s territorial waters extend 200 miles off their shore, an area called the
4._________________________ or EEZ. Countries have exclusive rights to all the resources and trade
in their EEZ. It’s their 5._________________________. Any area that isn’t in an EEZ is regarded as
international waters meaning every country shares it.
Every country in the South China Sea region uses this 200-miles EEZ threshold to determine its
claims, except China which argued they have a historical claim to the South China Sea dating back to
6._______________________ in the 15th century. Following World War II, China claimed the South
China Sea by drawing this imprecise line on the map that 7._______________________ of the South
China Sea, which it named the nine-dash-line. 2
The Spratly Islands is a 8._________________________ cluster of islands currently claimed by
China, Vietnam, the Philippines, and Malaysia. It’s hard to 9._________________________ on an
uninhabited pile of sand, so countries have built buildings and even stuck several people there. China
believes all the Spratly Island belongs to them. 10.________________________ on these new artificial
islands shows China’s great ambition to rule the region. Your answers: 1. 6. 2. 7. 3. 8. 4. 9. 5. 10.
PART II: LEXICO– GRAMMAR (2 POINTS)
Question 1: Choose the word or phrase that best completes each sentence.
1. I knew my mother would _________ a face the minute she saw my new hair cut. A. drag B. lift C. pull D. race
2. The police took him into custody _________ he disembarked from the plane. A. as long as B. while C. the moment when D. the instant
3. I think we ought to see the rest of the exhibition as quickly as we can, _________ that it closes in half an hour. A. granted B. assuming C. given D. knowing
4. After a fall in profits, the company decided _________ the hotel business. A. to pull out of B. to back off from C. to take out of D. to keep away from
5. In spite of working their fingers to the _________, all the staff were made redundant. A. nail B. edge C. flesh D. bone
6. Oil spills will _________ even the healthiest of marine ecosystem. A. play havoc on B. break ground with C. pay the consequences for D. take their toll on
7. The doctor thought he had got over the worst, but his condition suddenly _________. A. deteriorated B. dismantled C. dissolved D. disintegrated
8. _________ a small creature that defends itself with lobster-like claws and a poisonous sting. A. Scorpions are B. Many a scorpion is C. A scorpion, which is D. The scorpion is
9. The library is _________ people who lose their books. A. cracking down on B. stepping up C. going down with D. coming up against
10. They turned down the proposal _________ that it didn’t fulfill their requirement. A. by reason B. on the grounds C. as a cause D. allowing
11. Going down white-water rapids in a canoe must be extremely _________! Does your heart start beating really fast? A. trivial B. mundane C. sedentary D. exhilarating
12. If _________ by hunger, you might consider eating a frog.
A. they are driven to desperation B. driving to desperate
C. you are driving to desperation D. driven to desperation
13. As his whole family was doctor, it was in his _________ to take up that profession. A. soul B. spirit C. blood D. heart 3
14. She demanded to be promoted to a post of responsibility, otherwise she would _________ about her
affair with the Prime Minister. A. reveal the cake B. spill the beans C. let loose the pussycat D. spit out the bit
15. His English was roughly _________ with my Greek, so communication was rather difficult. A. level B. on a par C. equal D. in tune Your answers: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15.
Question 2: Write the correct form of the word given in the brackets.
The standard of television programming _______ (1.PRODUCT) in this country is in terminal
decline. The _______ (2.SHED) has become a meaningless term confined in its applicability to
_______ (3.GO) days when adult content felt the full force of ________ (4.CENSOR) and was not
allowed to appear on the box until after 9:00 p.m. Nowadays, however, it seems anything goes any time.
And, truth told, whatever anything is, it seldom 'goes' for much longer than a half hour or so at any rate
before it is interrupted by a ______ (5.COMMERCE) break. Your answers: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
PART III: READING (5 POINTS)
Question 1: Fill in each numbered blank with ONE appropriate word
Throughout our lives, right from the moment when as infants we cry to express our hunger, we are
engaged in social interaction of one form or another. Each and (1) ______ time we encounter fellow
human beings, some kind of social interaction will take place, (2)_______ it’s getting on a bus and
paying the fare for the journey, or socializing with friends. It goes without (3) ______, therefore, that we
need the ability to communicate. Without some method of (4)_______ intentions, we would be at a(n)
(5)_______ loss when it came to interacting socially.
Communication (6)_______ the exchange of information which can be anything from a gesture to
a friend signalling boredom to the presentation of a university thesis which may only ever be read by a
(7)_______ of others, or it could be something in (8)_______ the two. Our highly developed languages
set us (9)_______ from animals. But for these languages, we could not communicate sophisticated or
abstract ideas. Nor could we talk or write about people or objects not immediately present. (10)_______
we restricted to discussing objects already present, we would be able to make abstract generalizations about the world. Your answers 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10.
Question 2: Read the following passage and choose the correct answer
There is a natural balance to all things: life and death, good and bad, happiness and sadness,
pleasure and pain. The very idea that you should focus on positives and ignore negatives, likewise with
strengths versus weakness, is not only delusional; it’s a recipe for disaster. 4
Let me tell you a couple of stories to show you how dealing with reality as openly and genuinely
as possible is the path to success and happiness, while focusing only on the positives and strengths can
destroy your career and your company.
It’s no secret that Steve Jobs was forced out of Apple in 1984 because his management style had
become toxic to the company. Much later, Jobs would come to realize that getting fired from the
company he cofounded “was the best thing that could have happened” to him. He called it “awful-
tasting medicine” that “the patient needed.” He also likened it to life hitting him in the head with a brick.
That forced Jobs to look in the mirror and see the truth that he wasn’t as capable or as strong a
leader as he could be. And as he addressed the issues that stood in his way, the result was the founding
of NeXT and Pixar, his eventual return to Apple, and the greatest turnaround in corporate history that
built the most valuable company on earth.
It’s easy to miss the obvious connection staring us right in the face, that it wasn’t just Apple that
had it a wall, fallen on hard times, and found itself in need of a turnaround. The same was true of Jobs.
And there was an undeniable connection between the two.
It’s also easy to miss the insightfulness of Jobs’ realization that none of his later achievements
would have occurred if he hadn’t faced reality. That sort of introspection only comes from someone
who’s had some sort of intervention and gone through gut-wrenching change as a result.
Not to compare myself with Jobs, but the truth is I’ve gotten a couple of those bricks to the head
myself. I’ve been fired more than once and lost my wife early in our marriage. But in every case I
looked in the mirror, faced what I saw, made some changes, and bounced back stronger than ever.
If I’d just tried to stay positive, focused on my strengths, and searched for the silver lining in the
clouds, I never would have figured out what was wrong and become a better person, a better husband,
and a better leader. I never would have achieved so much in my career or won my wife back.
While life is full of ups and downs, one thing is certain: if you attempt to filter your
consciousness and disallow negative thoughts or make believe the weaknesses holding you back don’t
exist, you’ll never get past those hurdles and get to the next stage in your personal and professional
development. And neither will your business.
1. What could be the best title for the passage?
A. Being Successful: Ignore the negatives
B. To Be Successful? Quit Being So Positive
C. Being Successful: Facing with Disasters
D. To Be Successful? Stop Being So Negative
2. The writer uses the phrase “recipe for disaster” in paragraph 1 to stress that ________.
A. focusing on positives can make the worse become the worst
B. ignoring the negative can be the key to dealing with any problem
C. focusing on positives and ignoring negatives destroy the reality
D. ignoring negatives goes against the natural balance to all things
3. The word “likened” in paragraph 3 is closest in meaning to ________. A. linked B. associated C. compared D. related
4. The writer uses the phrase “the two” in paragraph 5 to refer to ________. A. strengths and weaknesses B. life and death C. hard times and turnarounds D. happiness and sadness
5. The writer uses the “bricks” (as Steve Jobs did) in paragraph 6 to describe ________.
A. weaknesses he had at the times of being fired
B. hardships he faced with during his professional life
C. changes he led in order to make turnabouts 5
D. interventions he made in his own introspection
6. Which of the following statements is NOT true about Steve Jobs according to the passage?
A. He got fired from Apple because of his poor management style.
B. He founded NeXT and Pixar to be able to return to Apple.
C. He made Apple the most valuable company in the world.
D. He considered being fired from Apple the best lesson learnt.
7. What is true about the story teller when facing failures according to the passage?
A. He tried to stay positive to bounce back stronger.
B. He focused on his strengths as the motivation for turnarounds.
C. He looked into the way Steve Jobs did to find his own solution.
D. He examined the situation, making necessary changes to be better.
8. It can be inferred from the passage that ________.
A. Only when you admit the negative as part of your life, you can proceed.
B. Positives and negatives can never go along with each other in reality.
C. It’s our weaknesses that save us in hardships and calamities.
D. To earn happiness, one has to experience the feeling of sadness.
9. The phrase “filter your consciousness” in the last paragraph mostly means ________.
A. release negative feelings from one’s heart
B. clear one’s mind from worries
C. push negative thoughts out of one’s mind
D. stay away from possible dangers
10. The tone of the passage is ________. A. informative B. preventive C. persuasive D. argumentative Your answers: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10.
Question 3: Read the following passage and do the tasks that follow BIRD MIGRATION
A Birds have many unique design features that enable them to perform such amazing feats of
endurance. They are equipped with lightweight, hollow bones, intricately designed feathers
providing both lift and thrust for rapid flight, navigation systems superior to any that man has
developed, and an ingenious heat conserving design that, among other things, concentrates all
blood circulation beneath layers of warm, waterproof plumage, leaving them fit to face life in the
harshest of climates. Their respiratory systems have to perform efficiently during sustained flights
at attitude, so they have a system of extracting oxygen from their lungs that far exceeds that of any
other animal. During the later stages of the summer breeding season, when good is plentiful, their
bodies are able to accumulate considerable layers of fat, in order to provide sufficient energy for their long migratory flights.
B The fundamental reason that birds migrate is to find adequate food during the winter months when
it is in short supply. This particularly applies to birds that breed in the temperate and Arctic regions
of the Northern Hemisphere, where food is abundant during the short growing season. Many
species can tolerate cold temperatures if food is plentiful, but when food is not available they must
migrate. However, intriguing questions remain.
C One puzzling fact is that many birds journey much further than would be necessary just to find
food and good weather. Nobody knows, for instance, why British swallows, which could 6
presumably survive equally well if they spent the winter in equatorial Africa, instead fly several
thousands of miles further to their preferred winter home in South Africa’s Cape Province. Another
mystery involves the huge migrations performed by arctic terns and mudflat-feeding shorebirds that
breed close to Polar Regions. In general, the further north a migrant species breeds, the further
south it spends the winter. For arctic terns this necessitates an annual round trip of 25,000 miles.
Yet, en route to their final destination in far-flung southern latitudes, all these individuals overfly
other areas of seemingly suitable habitat spanning two hemispheres. While we may not fully
understand birds’ reasons for going to particular places, we can marvel at their feats.
D One of the greatest mysteries is how young birds know how to find the traditional wintering areas
without parental guidance. Very few adults migrate with juveniles in tow, and youngsters may even
have little or no inkling of their parents’ appearance. A familiar example is that of the cuckoo,
which lays its eggs in another species’ nest and never encounters its young again. It is mind
boggling to consider that, once raised by its host species, the young cuckoo makes it own way to
ancestral wintering grounds in the tropics before returning single-handedly to northern Europe the
next season to seek out a mate among its own kind. The obvious implication is that it inherits from
its parents an inbuilt route map and direction-finding capability, as well as a mental image of what
another cuckoo looks like. Yet nobody has the slightest idea as to how this is possible.
E Mounting evidence has confirmed that birds use the positions of the sun and stars to obtain
compass directions. They seem also to be able to detect the earth’s magnetic field, probably due to
having minute crystals of magnetite in the region of their brains. However, true navigation also
requires an awareness of position and time, especially when lost. Experiments have shown that
after being taken thousands of miles over an unfamiliar landmass, birds are still capable of
returning rapidly to nest sites. Such phenomenal powers are the product of computing a number of
sophisticated cues, including an inborn map of the night sky and the pull of the earth’s magnetic
field. How the birds use their ‘instruments’ remains unknown, but one thing is clear: they see the
world with a superior sensory perception to ours. Most small birds migrate at night and take their
direction from the position of the setting sun. However, as well as seeing the sun go down, they
also seem to see the plane of polarized light caused by it, which calibrates their compass. Traveling
at night provides other benefits. Daytime predators are avoided and the danger of dehydration due
to flying for long periods in warm, sunlit skies is reduced. Furthermore, at night the air is generally
cool and less turbulent and so conducive to sustained, stable flight.
F Nevertheless, all journeys involve considerable risk, and part of the skill in arriving safely is setting
off at the right time. This means accurate weather forecasting, and utilizing favorable winds. Birds
are adept at both, and, in laboratory tests, some have been shown to detect the minute difference in
barometric pressure between the floor and ceiling of a room. Often birds react to weather changes
before there is any visible sign of them. Lapwings, which feed on grassland, flee west from the
Netherlands to the British Isles, France and Spain at the onset of a cold snap. When the ground
surface freezes the birds could starve. Yet they return to Holland ahead of a thaw, their arrival
linked to a pressure change presaging an improvement in the weather.
G In one instance, a Welsh Manx shearwater carried to America and released was back in its burrow on
Skokholm Island, off the Pembrokeshire coast, one day before a letter announcing its release!
Conversely, each autumn a small number of North American birds are blown across the Atlantic by
fast-moving westerly tail winds. Not only do they arrive safely in Europe, but, based on ringing
evidence, some make it back to North America the following spring, after probably spending the
winter with European migrants in sunny African climes. 7
The reading passage has seven paragraphs, A-G. Choose the most suitable heading for paragraphs
A-G from the list of headings below. Write the appropriate numbers (i -x) in corresponding numbered
boxes in boxes 1-6. (0) has been done for you.
List of headings i
The best moment to migrate ii
The unexplained rejection of closer feeding ground iii
The influence of weather on the migration route iv
Physical characteristics that allow birds to migrate v
The main reason why birds migrate vi
The best wintering grounds for birds vii
Research findings on how birds migrate
viii Successful migration despite trouble of wind ix
Contrast between long-distance migration and short-distance migration x
Mysterious migration despite lack of teaching
0. Paragraph A ____ iv __ _ 1. Paragraph B __________ 2. Paragraph C __________ 3. Paragraph D __________ 4. Paragraph E __________ 5. Paragraph F __________ 6. Paragraph G __________
Complete the sentences below using NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS OR NUMBER
7. It is a great mystery that young birds like cuckoos can find their wintering grounds without ______________
8. Evidence shows birds can tell directions like a ______________ by observing the sun and the stars.
9. One advantage for birds flying at night is that they can avoid contact with ______________.
10. Laboratory tests show that birds can detect weather without ______________signs. Your answers: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10.
Question 4: You are going to read a newspaper article in which people talk about starting up
their own business late in life. For questions 1 - 10, match the information with a suitable
paragraph (A-E). When more than one answer is required, these may be given in any order.
the unexpected demands of the business. 1.
an established network of business contacts 2.
a prejudicial assessment of a person's value 3. 4.
the cost of setting up a business 5.
the confidence that comes with maturity 6. plans to branch out 7.
a product that aims to help people fill in official forms 8.
the fact that few companies cater for a certain group of people 9.
the advantage of employing older people 10. 8 STARTING OVER
More and more people over fifty are starting up in business for themselves.
What are their reasons - and why are so many of them successful?
A When I was fifty-three, I was made redundant almost literally overnight when the company I worked
for was taken over by a multinational. The managing director called me into his office the following
Monday and told me I was no longer on the payroll. It was a shock and I felt really depressed. I was
also anxious about the future because we still had a mortgage to pay off on our house, and my
husband’s income couldn’t cover our hefty monthly expenses. At the same time, I didn’t feel I was
ready for retirement, and to be honest, I was infuriated by the arrogance of the company, which
appeared to believe I was too old to be useful any longer. So I gave some serious thought to starting
up a business of my own. I’m an accountant, and for years I’d been advising friends about finances
and helping them sort out their books, so I knew there were plenty of small businesses out there who
would welcome the sort of services I could offer. The initial outlay for office equipment was pretty
low, all things considered. So I set up as a consultant to people who want to branch out on their own,
like me, and I find it extremely rewarding.
B About seven years ago, after being more or less forced to take early retirement, I looked around for an
occupation to fill up my days and eventually decided I’d set up a company specialising in all-
inclusive trips for retired people to domestic UK resorts. There seemed to be a dearth of companies
catering for the over sixties, which is ironic because they’re the ones who often have the leisure and
the income to take advantage of opportunities for travel. I'd say someone like me has certain
advantages when it comes to setting up in business. I spent years running a travel agency and I know
a lot of people in the industry. They have been great, offering advice as well as concrete help. At
first, there was a lot of work involved and I had to travel around the country a great deal making new
contacts, but now I don’t have to be away from home very often at all. I enjoy what I do, especially
because I’ve always worked with people, and without the daily contact I’d go mad!
C Three years ago I decided I’d had enough of being a teacher, so I retired and started a pottery
business. Now we’ve got a fair-sized factory, and we’re about to expand into glassware as well. Most
of the people who work for me are more or less my generation. I find they tend to be more loyal; they
don’t rush off if they think they can see a better prospect elsewhere. It’s also good for the economy
when some of these older workers return to employment. It seems to me that people who start up
businesses at my age are realistic: they don’t aim to be millionaires, and they are less inclined to take
unnecessary risks. So I’d guess that fewer businesses started by older people go bust in the first few
years. As for me, I must admit I miss teaching at times, but we now have a few apprentices, and
working with them is rather like being a teacher in some ways. Of course, running a business is a
responsibility, especially since I know the people who work for me rely on the income from their
jobs, but it’s also a very stimulating, challenging experience.
D When I left the company I’d been with for twenty- five years, they gave me a rather good retirement
package, which meant I had a reasonable amount of cash to invest in my own company. It was
something I’d longed to do for years. I’ve always been a keen gardener, you see, so I started a
landscape gardening company. All the physical work involved means I'm fitter than I have been for
years! One thing that did surprise me at the start was how much official paperwork I have to deal
with. It’s exhausting filling in all those forms, but apart from that, I find the work itself rewarding. As
for the future, who knows? Obviously, I wouldn’t want to be travelling around the country and
working outdoors as much when I’m over seventy, although on the other hand, I firmly believe that
working has kept me active and alert, so why should I give it up until I really have to? 9
E My career was in accounting, and I knew that there was shortly going to be a change in the way self-
employed people fill in tax returns. So when I was made redundant, I thought it would be a good idea
to produce software showing people exactly how to go about it, and that was the first item my
company put on the market. With my experience it was relatively easy to come up with the material -
I wrote it all myself - and then I got together with a software producer to make the CD-ROMs. My
wife’s first reaction was that I should try something completely different from what I’d been doing
all my working life, but I figured I’d be better off sticking to what I know. Things are going well,
although I’ve deliberately not tried to expand the business - it can be stressful for a boss when a
company expands fast, and I prefer to take things easy and enjoy what I do. Of course, there have
been some tricky moments, but I can honestly say I’ve never regretted starting my own firm. I’m sure
I wouldn’t have had the nerve to do it when I was younger, but I’m very glad I did.
Your answers: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10.
PART IV: WRITING (6 POINTS) Question 1: Summary
Read the following text and use your own words to summarise it in about 120 words. You must not
copy the original words.
Buying things today is so simple. Just enter a shop, say a book store, choose the desired book
and pay for it. Long ago, before the invention of money, how did people trade? The most primitive
way of exchange should be the barter trade. In this form of transaction, people used goods to
exchange for the things that they had in mind. For instance, if person A wanted a book and he had a
spare goat, he must look for someone who had the exact opposite, that is, that someone, say person B,
must have a spare book of person A's choice and is also in need of a goat. Having found such a
person, the problem does not end here. A big goat may worth not only one book, hence person B may
have to offer person A something else, say five chickens. However, he runs the risk of person A
rejecting the offer as he may not need the chickens. The above example clearly illustrates the
inefficiency of barter trading.
Many years later, the cumbersome barter trade finally gave way to the monetary form of
exchange when the idea of money was invented. In the early days, almost anything could qualify as
money: beads, shells and even fishing hooks. Then in a region near Turkey, gold coins were used as
money. In the beginning, each coin had a different denomination. It was only later, in about 700 BC,
that Gyges, the king of Lydia, standardized the value of each coin and even printed his name on the
coins. Monetary means of transaction at first beat the traditional barter trade.
However, as time went by, the thought of carrying a ponderous pouch of coins for shopping
appeared not only troublesome but thieves attracting. Hence, the Greek and Roman traders who
bought goods from people faraway cities, invented checks to solve the problem. Not only are paper
checks easy to carry around, they discouraged robbery as these checks can only be used by the person
whose name is printed on the notes. Following this idea, banks later issued notes in exchange for gold
deposited with them. These bank notes can then be used as cash. Finally, governments of today
adopted the idea and began to print paper money, backed by gold for the country's use. 10
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Question 2: Graph description
The graph below gives information about the consumption of energy in the USA from 1980 to 2015.
Summarize the information by selecting the main features and make comparisons where relevant.
U.S. Energy Consumption by Fuel, 1980-2015 6 Petrol and Oil 5 ts 4 i n u n Coal oil 3 lir Natural Gas ad 2 Qu Solar/Wind 1 Nuclear Hydropower 0 1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010 2015
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................................................................................................................................................................. 12 Question 3: Essay
School curriculum should be selected by the teachers, parents and students rather than the central
education authority. To what extent do you agree? In about 300 - 350 words, write an essay to express your opinion.
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