National English Competition - English Linguistics | Học viện Ngoại giao Việt Nam

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National English Competition MOCK TEST 1 NEC MOCK TEST 1 LISTENING: _____/ 50
Subject: ENGLISH
LEXICO-GRAMMAR: _____/ 25
Time allotted: 180 minutes (excluding the time for paper distribution) READING: _____/ 65
There are 12 pages in this paper. WRITING: _____/ 60
___________________________
Full name: ______________________________ TOTAL SCORE: _____/200
Date: ______________________________
SECTION A. LISTENING (50 points)
Link audio: https://bom.so/qu3t4R
Part 1. For questions 1-5, listen to an interview with Julian Morris, a night club owner, and decide whether
the following statements are True (T) or False (F) according to what you hear. List of statements Your answers
1. The main reason why Julian decided to start his own business was because all his
friends persuaded him to do it.
2. A nightclub seemed the ideal environment for Julian to work in because his disability was less of a problem there.
3. When Julian told people about his idea, someone once reacted with a derisive comment.
4. The club owes its good reputation mainly to the décor of the building.
5. Julian's main reason for calling the club Whispers was that it paradoxically conveys the volume of noise inside.
Part 2. For questions 6-10, l isten to a talk about the best recent phone trends. What does the speaker say
about these trends? Choose five answers from the box and write the correct letter, A-K, in the
corresponding numbered boxes provided. A B 6. Foldables ____
A. have been consistently diverse in style since their first launch
B. are of higher quality than flagship phones
7. Notch Fight Phones _ ___
C. witness a shortcoming being rectified properly
D. are more fad than forever devices
8. Wireless Charging Phones _ ___
E. are a worthy successor to previous models in terms of camera quality 9. Low-light Phones _ ___
F. were initially monotonous in design
G. need improvements in both charging speed and compatibility with 10. Cheaper Phones _ ___ other devices
H. are supported by serious apps designed for average users I. i
nclude cameras attached to phones
J. should include sophisticated applications particularly suited for advanced uses
K. become more available with higher quality Page 1 of 12 pages about:blank 1/14 17:59 1/8/24
National English Competition MOCK TEST 1
Part 3. For questions 11-15, listen to part of a discussion on a current affairs program between Nick Barnes
and Alison Tempra about the performance of the company Facebook since it floated on the stock
exchange, hosted by Emily Dunne. and choose the answer (A, B, C or D) which fits best according to what you hear.
11. What does Alison think is 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
12. 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.
13. 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.
14. 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.
15. 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.
Part 4. For questions 16-2 .
5 listen to a talk on the difference between poison and venom a d n fill in the
missing information. Write NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS taken from the recording for each answer in the space provided.
If you are unfortunately bitten by a rattlesnake, the venom will be
ejected from the little sacks (16) _____________________, through
its hollow fangs and into your flesh throughout your body.
However, between (17) ____________________________ of
snake bites are dry bites since they want to waste their venom on
you but only sending a warning message. On the other hand, poison
from a poisonous dart frog is no warning shot. As you pick one up, the poison, which is already all over your hand,
(18) ____________________________ your skin and travels
through your blood. Not only does it interfere with your nerves, but it also prevents your (19)
____________________________ from contracting.
Since both of them are chemically toxins, it can be considered that a snake bite is venomous, a poison dart frog
is poisonous, (20) ____________________________ is venomous, and pufferfish are poisonous. Tetrodotoxin, a highly lethal chemical, can be found in puffer fish as poisons but venoms in the
(21) ____________________________ which is delivered by bite.
The Asian tiger snake, which is both poisonous and venomous, have venom in its fangs and, at the same time,
absorbs the toxin from the poisonous toads it eats to (22) ____________________________ the toxins from
(23) ____________________________ on its neck.
Out of 70,000 species of crustaceans, speleonectes tulumensis is the only venomous one. The remipede would
close in and dissolve away the exoskeleton of its prey for (24) ______________________ the juice. A great
number of medicines is made from toxins, such as the poison from (25) ___________________________ used
as a pain killer or poisonous plants for treating malaria and irregular heartbeats. Page 2 of 12 pages about:blank 2/14 17:59 1/8/24
National English Competition MOCK TEST 1 SECTION B. L
EXICO-GRAMMAR (25 points)
Part 1. For questions 26-4 ,
0 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. The employees are _____ a rally in the city centre to demand higher wages. A. making B. performing C. staging D. presenting
27. Although usually quite compassionate, the receptionist made a __ remark that took her colleagues by surprise. A. crooked B. cautious C. corrupt D. callous
28. Once Steven and Jill starting earning good salaries, they moved to a(n) _____ suburb. A. flourishing B. plush C. affluent D. emergent
29. I tried to get the singer's autograph, but I couldn't get past her massive _____. A. horde B. posse C. entourage D. cast
30. Pavlos, having lived in Greece all his life, decided to _____ to t he UK for a change. A. immigrate B. emigrate C. migrate D. evacuate
31. Susan’s kids _____ their great displeasure whenever I came round to see her, which made me feel ill at ease.
A. had forever shown
B. forever showed
C. were forever showing
D. had forever been showing
32. Julie felt unfairly ____ when she spoke out against a company proposal and the entire staff team turned against her. A. prosecuted B. persecuted C. oppressed D. suppressed
33. It would be considered a massive _____ on d
emocracy if we couldn't vote for a president. A. raid B. assault C. strike D. battery
34. Lisa made a _____ over government plans to build on a national park. A. break B. mess C. fuss D. noise
35. Having lost her home, Lucy got _____ a gang of people who hang around causing trouble. A. in with B. up to C. on with D. by on
36. I've been trying Ralph all day, but his phone must be off because I can't get _____ of him. A. catch B. grasp C. grip D. hold
37. The _____ ruler was mourned by the whole country on his passing. A. benevolent B. draconian C. malicious D. cutthroat
38. Good luck! - I'm ______ for you! A. seating B. basing C. stemming D. rooting
39. Icebreakers will be used to ______ a path to the remote terminal during the winter. A. etch B. carve C. incise D. lacerate
40. His success depended on a(n) _______ combination of circumstances. A. eventful B. incidental C. fortuitous D. opportune
Part 2. For questions 41-50, write the correct form of each word in capital in the space provided. DI D C I KE K N E S N S AND N D H I H S I S W ORL O D RL a
t was with the circulation of Pickwick Papers in 1836 that young Dickens
began to enjoy a truly (41) _____________ ascent into the favour of the PRECEDENT
British reading public. He magnificently (42) ______________ a theory PROVE
that his fame would disappear just as quickly as it had come. He remained
until his death 34 years later (43) ______________ the most popular DENY
ovelist the English-speaking world had ever known.
The public displayed a(n) (44) ______________ appetite for his works, and there was also a SATISFY
great diffusion of them through (45) _______________ dramatic adaptations (nearly all NUMBER
completely (46) ______________, the copyright laws being much weaker in those days). AUTHORITY
His immense popularity was based on the widespread perception of him as a great champion POSSESS
of the poor and the (47) ______________ against all forms of (48) ______________ and abuse JUST
of power. In his personal life, however, he was (49) ______________ of achieving the level of CAPACITY
fulfilment he enjoyed with the public, and all his close emotional relationships with women
(50) ______________ ended in failure. Yet, he created an extraordinary range and variety of VARY
female characters who live on in our minds and culture unlike any others created by Victorian novelists. Page 3 of 12 pages about:blank 3/14 17:59 1/8/24
National English Competition MOCK TEST 1
SECTION C. READING (65 points)
Part 1. For questions 51-75, read the texts below and do the tasks that follow. For questions 51-6 ,
0 decide which answer (A, B, C or D) best fits each gap. ENV EN I V RO I N RO M N E M N E TA T L A L I S I S S U S ES U ES I N I N T H T E H E D E D V E O V L O O L P O I P N I G N G W O W R O L R D L
The issues for (51) _______ economies are little more straightforward. The desire to
build on undeveloped land is not (52) _______ out of desperation or necessity, but is
a result of the relentless march of the progress. Cheap labour and a relatively highly-
skilled workforce make these countries highly competitive and there is a flood of
inward investment, particularly from (53) _______ looking to take advantage of the
low wages before the cost and standard of living begin to rise. It is factors such as
these that are making many Asian economies extremely attractive when viewed as investment opportunities at
the moment. Similarly, in Africa, the relative (54) _______ of precious metals and natural resources tends to attract a lot of (55
) _______ companies and a whole sub-industry develops around and is completely dependent on this
foreign-direct investment. It is understandable that countries that are the focus of this sort of attention can lose
sight of the environmental implications of large-scale industrial development, and this can have devastating
consequences for the natural world. And it is a (56
) _______ cycle because the more industrially active a nation
becomes, the greater the demand for and harvesting of natural resources. For some, the environment issues,
though they can hardly be ignored, are viewed as a (57
) _______ concern. Indeed, having an environmental
conscience or taking environmental matters into consideration when it comes to decisions on whether or not to build rubber-tree (58
) _______ or grow biofuel crops would be quite (59) _______ indeed. For those involved in
such schemes it is a pretty black-an -
d white issue. And, for vast (60) _______ of land in Latin America, for example,
it is clear that the welfare of the rainforests matters little to local government when vast sums of money can be
made from cultivating the land. 51 A. emerging B. emergent C. convergent D. resurgent 52 A. grown B. born C. bred D. arisen 53 A. multinationals B. migrants C. continentals D. intercontinentals 54 A. premonition B. abundance C. amplitude D. accumulation 55 A. exploitation B. exploration C. surveyance D. research 56 A. vacuous B. viscous C. vexatious D. viciou s 57 A. parallel B. extrinsic C. peripheral D. exponential 58 A. plantations B. homesteads C. ranches D. holdings 59 A. proscriptive B. prohibitive C. prospective D. imperative 60 A. regions B. plots C. tracts D. sectors
For questions 61-7 ,
5 fill each of the following numbered blanks with ONE suitable word. Write your
answers in the corresponding numbered space provided. Urban Sparrows
During the last 25 years, Britain's urban sparrow population has declined
(61) _________________ as much as two-thirds, and the bird has almost disappeared
from many of its former haunts. The decline has been (62) _________________ on
everything from cats to garden pesticides. Moreover, modern buildings have far
(63) ________________ few nooks and crannies where th e birds can nest. Factors
(64) _______________ these may well be involved, but alone they
(65) ______________ to explain the severity of the decline, or the
(66) _________________ that other urban birds have been less affected.
Denis Summers-Smith is the world's leading expert on sparrows, so when he (67) ______________ up with a
theory to explain their decline, it has to be (68) _________________ listening to. He suggests that the culprit is a
chemical added to unleaded petrol. It would be deeply ironic if a policy that was (69) _________________ to
improve the nation's health (70) ______________ to prove responsible for the decline of (71) ______________ of its favourite species.
(72) _____________ to Summers-Smith, social species such as the sparrow require a minimum population in a
specific area to breed successfully. If, (73) _____________ whatever reason, number drop (74) ____________
this threshold, the stimulus to breed disappears. The most dramatic example is the passenger pigeon, which in
the late nineteenth century went from (75) ____________ the world's most common bird to total extinction within 50 years. Page 4 of 12 pages about:blank 4/14 17:59 1/8/24
National English Competition MOCK TEST 1
Part 2. For questions 76-88, read the following passage and do the tasks that follow.
The First Antigravity Machine?
It was one of the biggest science stories of the 1990s. Even now, the facts behind it
remain hotly disputed. And small wonder, for if the claims made for the small disc, the
focus of the controversy, are true, it may be possible to break through one of the great
barriers in the scientific world and control the most potent of cosmic forces: gravity.
Huge innovations in flight and space travel could arise from that.
The first gravity-blocking system to be taken seriously by scientists appeared in a
laboratory in Tampere University of Technology, Finland. A Russian scientist named
Dr. Evgeny Podkletnov created a disc 275mm across, made from a substance which
combined copper, barium and the ‘rare Earth metal’ called yttrium, which is known to
be a high-temperature superconductor (a substance that conducts electricity without resistance). When chilled
with liquid nitrogen at -196° C (a high temperature compared with other superconductors), this material loses all
its electrical resistance and can levitate (lift) in a magnetic field. That may seem amazing for a ceramic-like material
– and it won a Nobel Prize for the scientists Karl Muller and Johannes Bednorz, who first demonstrated it in the
1980s. But according to Podkletnov, the disc had another far more astounding property.
In 1992, while experimenting with rotating superconductors, Podkletnov noticed that pipe-smoke from a nearby
researcher was drifting into a vertical column above the spinning disc. Intrigued by this phenomenon, he decided
to devise an experiment to investigate further. A superconductive disc, surrounded by liquid nitrogen was
magnetically levitated and rotated at high speed – up to 5,000 revolutions per minute (rpm) in a magnetic field. An
object was suspended from a sensitive balance above the disc. It was enclosed in a glass tube to shield it from
any effects of air currents. During the course of a series of tests, Podkletnov was able to observe that the object
lost a variable amount of weight from less than 0.5 percent to 2 percent of its total weight. The effect was noted
with a range of materials from ceramics to wood. The effect was slight, yet the implications were revolutionary: the
disc appeared to be partly shielding the object from the gravitational pull of the earth.
This was just the start, claimed Podkletnov. While far short of the 100 percent reduction in weight needed to
send astronauts into space, for example, it was infinitely greater than the amount predicted by the best theory of
gravity currently in existence. Einstein’s theory of general relativity (GR), published in 1905. According to Einstien,
gravity is not some kind of ‘force field’ like magnetism, which can – in principle at least – be screened out. Instead,
GR views gravity as a distortion in the very fabric of space and time that perm eates the whole cosmos. As such,
any claim to have shielded objects from gravity is to defy Einstein himself.
Podkletnov’s claims were subjected to intense scrutiny when he submitted them for publication. The UK Institute
of Physics had Podkletnov’s paper checked by three independent referees, but none could find a fatal flaw. His
research was set to appear in the respected Journal of Physics D when events took an unexpected turn. The
claims were leaked to the media, sparking worldwide coverage of his apparent breakthrough. Then Podkletnov
suddenly withdrew the paper from publication and refused to talk to the press.
Rumors began to circulate of unknown backers, demanding silence until the device had been fully patented. But
for many scientists, the strange events were all too familiar. Podkletnov was just the latest in a long line of people
to have made claims about defying gravity. Most of these have come from madcap inventors, with bizarre devices,
often with some kind of spinning disc. But occasionally respectable academics have made such claims as well.
One instance of this occurred in the late 198Os when scientists at Tohoku University, Japan, made headlines
with research suggesting that apparatus known as the gyroscope, lost 0.01 percent of its weight when spinning at
up to 13,000 rpm. Oddly the effect only appeared if the gyroscope was spinning anticlockwise – raising suspicions
that some mechanical peculiarity was to blame. Attempts by scientists at the University of Colorado to replicate the effect failed.
Then Professor Giovanni Modanese, an Italian theoretical physicist, became interested. He had read an earlier
paper by Podkletnov, hinting at a connection between superconductivity and gravity shielding. Modenese
wondered if the magnetic field surrounding the superconductive disc might somehow assimilate part of the
gravitational field under it. He published some calculations based on his idea in 1995 – and soon discovered that
taking ‘antigravity’ seriously was a career-limiting move.
The revelations about Podkletnov’s antigravity research led to reports of major corporations setting up their own
studies. In 2000, the UK defense contractor BAE systems were said to have launched “Project Greenglow” to
investigate Podkletnov’s gravity shield effect. Then it emerged that the US aircraft builder Boeing was also
investigating, suggesting it too had an interest in the effect. Groups in other countries were also rumored to be
carrying out studies. Yet not one of the teams had reported confirmation of the original findings. Some projects
have been wound up without producing results either way. So for the time being, it seems that the dream of
controlling gravity will remain precisely that. Page 5 of 12 pages about:blank 5/14 17:59 1/8/24
National English Competition MOCK TEST 1
For questions 76-79, label the diagram below using NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS AND/OR A NUMBER.
Write your answers in the corresponding space provided. a 7 . 6 79. 7 . 8 7 . 7
For questions 80-83, match each statement with one of the people listed (A, B or C). Write your answers
in the corresponding space provided. List of People Your answers
80. The experiment only works if the equipment moves in a particular A. direction. ____ Podkletnov
81. Gravity could be absorbed by a magnetic field ____ B. Tohoku University 82. C.
Superconductive material seems to scan an object from gravity ____ Modenese
83. Weight loss occurs when the equipment rotates at speeds reaching 13,000 rpm ____
For questions 84-88, decide whether the following statements are True (T), False (F), or Not Given (NG).
Write your answers in the numbered boxes provided. List of statements Your answers
Podkletnov won a prize for his initial work on superconductive substances 8 4
A chance observation led Podkletnov to experiment with gravity blocking 8 5
Einstein challenged earlier experiments on antigravity 8 6
Modenese suffered professionally after following up Podkletnov’s findings 8 7
An aircraft company announced that it had replicated Podkletnov’s results. 8 8 Page 6 of 12 pages about:blank 6/14 17:59 1/8/24
National English Competition MOCK TEST 1
Part 3. In the passage below, seven paragraphs have been removed. For questions 89-95, read the
passage and choose from the paragraphs A-H the one which fits each gap. There is ONE extra paragraph
which you do not need to use. Write your answers in the corresponding numbered boxes provided. COACH CARTER: Having the Courage to Make a Stand
"Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate, our
deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.
It is our light not our darkness that most frightens us." (Marianne Williamson)
This powerful message from author Marianne What's more, despite the initial hostility, Carter found
Williamson rings true in an incredible story about a himself flooded by notes and letters of support, from
group of young men and their struggle against all over the country for his courageous act,
adversity. It is a story so astonishing that it seems like congratulating him for his youth mentoring advocacy
it should come straight from a Hollywood film. In this and social work. News networks also rushed to
case, however, it was a series of remarkable real life Richmond High. Requests came for interviews from
events that provided the story for the Hollywood magazines and newspapers such as Sports blockbuster Coach Carter.
Illustrated, People magazine, the Los Angeles Times
89…………………………………………………………… and USA Today. And most incredibly, permission
was sought to turn the team's story into a major
The reason, while unorthodox, was simple enough. motion picture starring actor Samuel L Jackson.
Although the team were having huge success on the
court, they weren't having the same level of success off 93…………………………………………………………
the court academically. In a bold move at the start of the People took to heart that success in life depends on
season, Ken Carter had taken the unusual decision to academic and social success and not just sporting
make his players sign a contract, one which set them skill alone. This was especially true for students at
clear targets for improvement in their studies, for their Richmond High, whose success was solid proof of
behaviour in and out of class, and for meeting their Carter's methods. During his time as coach from
obligations as role models to other students.
1997 to 2002. every single one of his athletes
90…………………………………………………………… graduated, with many going on to college.
To Coach Carter there was more to life than trophies or 94…………………………………………………………
medals. Being a graduate of Richmond High School This approach to mentoring unquestionably helped
himself, and coming from a poor family of nine, he knew change his students' lives, and his methods and
first-hand the difficulties and social inequalities faced by charisma are perfectly portrayed by Jackson, who
young people in the area: crime, delinquency, low plays his part on the silver screen to perfection.
income and a troubling lack of opportunities for higher Ultimately however, it is Ken Carter the real person
education. Ken Carter understood that he had a duty to who makes the story so powerful and moving.
help these young men break through those socio-
95…………………………………………………………
economic barriers, and so he set an ambitious goal for
his players to play sports at college.
Coach Carter's inspirational character traits are an
example to us all. His story is a reminder to never
91…………………………………………………………… give up in the face of overwhelming odds, to always
It was against this backdrop of opposition and fear, a stand by our convictions, and to never lose faith in
fear of taking a stand and saying no, a fear of reaching the goodness of people and their ability to break free
out and seizing one's inner potential and realizing one's from the restrictions that circumstance places on
power, that Coach Carter fought for the sake of his them.
students. Never giving up, never writing them off, and
never ceasing to believe in them and their ability to
better themselves, despite the objections and outcry.
92…………………………………………………………… Page 7 of 12 pages about:blank 7/14 17:59 1/8/24
National English Competition MOCK TEST 1
The missing paragraphs:
A. Carter never anticipated so much publicity from his E. His clarity of purpose, tenacity and compassion
stance, and was quick to point out that things were
made him a true hero. One who ceaselessly
about his students and not himself. The power of his
campaigned for more and refused to write
message, that young people have to take responsibility
anyone off. Few other people could have been
for their actions and shape their own place in society,
as good a custodian for these troubled young
struck a chord across the nation, however. men as Ken Carter was.
B. Ken Carter was just an ordinary basketball coach trying F. In order to do so however, they would have to
to help students in his local high school, Richmond
become student athletes and earn the grades
High, when one single action turned his life upside
needed for a sports scholarship. Here, the
down and made him and his players the focus of
brave sports coach faced unexpected
national media attention. That act was his decision to
opposition when his actions prompted
pull chains across the doors of the school gym and lock
resistance not only from reluctant students, but
out his team of young sports stars. The lockout came
also from a faculty that had seemingly given up
as a total shock to the boys, who were undefeated. Why
would their coach cancel training on the cusp of such
and a body of parents who didn't believe their great success?
kids could go professional and were furious
C. And they were significant. Not only did he face verbal
with his decision to take high school sport away
abuse and threats, he also risked losing his job as from their boys.
coach when parents rallied against him and demanded
G. When asked about the secret to his success
he be replaced. On top of this, his decision cost the
Carter explained his belief in three crucial
team two forfeits and the chance for an unbeaten
elements that are required to change person
season. Yet, Coach Carter's athletes stood by him,
for the better. He motivated students by putting
fueled by the desire to break social stereotypes and get
a contract in their hand, providing knowledge
away from their inner-city lives. Together the boys
to expand their mind and connecting with them
made the decision to take responsibility for themselves
emotionally. These simple things he believes
and devote the time that they needed to their studies so
can change peoples' way of thinking and alter
that they could have a brighter future.
their vision of the world forever.
D. The catalyst for Carter denying access to the gym H. Following the lockout college scouts attended
was discovering that 15 of his 45 athletes were not
the state championship to watch Richmond
honouring these contracts, which they had signed in
High. Many stated that while the Richmond
good faith. Carter knew full well that his rules were
story was remarkable, the really amazing thing
strict and was under no illusions. fact many of the
was the respect and affection that the players
school's best athletes refused to play for him as a held for their coach.
result. However, that didn't faze Ken Carter, or make
him back down from his principles one bit.
Part 4. For questions 96-105, r
ead the following passage and choose the answer A, B, C or D which you
think fits best according to the text. A SYMBOL OF MEDICINE, A TRIUMPH OF SIMPLICITY
“I rolled a quire of paper into a sort of cylinder and applied one end of it to the region of the heart and the other
to my ear, and was surprised and pleased to find that I could thereby perceive the action of the heart in a
manner much more clear and distinct than I had ever been able to do by the immediate application of the ear..."
RENÉ-THEOPHILE-HYACINTHE LAËNNEC (1781-1826)
Despite the trend toward the use of hi-tech diagnostic equipment, the simple
stethoscope remains the tool most closely identified with medical care. Even those
doctors in specialties other an internal medicine who do not routinely examine
patients’ hearts and lungs tend to keep a stethoscope close at hand. More than just
a helpful device, it has become a fully-fledged symbol of medicine.
The 18th-century doctor attempting to diagnose diseases of the heart and lungs had to rely almost completely
on the patient’s verbal inscription of symptoms – the ‘history’. Although the then novel practice of anatomical
dissection was leading to revelations about the physical basis of many diseases, doctors had few means of
gathering objective data that might point to a specific condition such as a leaky heart valve) before the patient reached the autopsy table.
In trying to hear the sounds coming from the thoracic organs, the doctor would press an ear directly against the
patient’s chest – a manoeuvre known as "direct auscultation", from the Latin auscultare, to listen carefully. Apart Page 8 of 12 pages about:blank 8/14 17:59 1/8/24
National English Competition MOCK TEST 1
from being unrewarding from a diagnostic standpoint, this technique was considered undignified and sometimes
imprudent. Since it required close physical contact between doctor and patient, it inevitably increased the
incidence of contagious diseases spreading. Such transmission may have contributed to the death of one
proponent of this approach, the French doctor Robert Bayle, who died of tuberculosis.
Laënnec solved the problem by recalling an acoustic phenomenon he had experimented with as a child in
Brittany. By scratching one end of a wooden plank, he could send coded messages to his friends at the other end.
When he applied this principle to the problem at hand, Laënnec literally transformed the practice of medicine.
Tightly rolling up the pages of his notebook, he placed one end of the makeshift cylinder on his patient’s chest
and put the other to his ear: the heart sounds could be heard more distinctly.
Laënnec later replaced the rolled-up paper tube with a slim wooden one resembling a child’s horn. [A] With this
simple instrument he was able to hear and describe the sounds associated with diseases that were the scourges
of his time. [B] Continuing to study patients from hospital ward to autopsy table, the dedicated doctor tried to
match the sounds he had heard in the clinic to the physical signs of disease found after death. [C] For example,
the large cavities noted in lungs ravaged by tuberculosis produced one type of sound, while the solidified lung
tissues of pneumonia yielded another. [D]
The stethoscope did not remain a stiff unwieldy tube for long. To make it more compact, Laënnec divided the
cylinder into sections that could be carried more easily in an inside pocket. Other European doctors later
developed flexible versions, and in 1855 an American doctor named George Cammann devisee a binaural
stethoscope that had two ivory-tipped earpieces connected to an ebony chest plate by cloth-covered, spiral-wire
tubes. This version, which cost about £2, allowed doctors to listen to a patient's chest with both ears.
Since then, the stethoscope has changed only modestly. Today it is a precision-engineered instrument (often
costing £80 or more), with two plastic earpieces attached by rubber tubes to a chest piece with interchangeable
‘heads’: a flat diaphragm, used to hear distinct, high-frequency sounds such as the clicks characteristic of mitral
valve prolapse, and a domelike bell, which allows the listener to detect soft, low-frequency noises such as the
rumbling murmur of blood flowing through a narrowed mitral valve. To hear these various heart sounds, doctors
will often use the diaphragm to listen to several areas of the chest and then apply the bell to the same areas.
Beyond providing insights into heart and lung diseases, Laënnec’s invention encouraged doctors to pursue
objective data investigating these and other conditions, instead of relying solely on a patient’s often misleading
account of his or her complaints. Doctors not only attended more carefully to sounds emitted by the chest, but –
in the interest of correlating their findings on physical examination with what they had learned at autopsy – they
also began what has been referred to as "laying on of hands": probing more deeply, palpating the abdomen and
other areas of the body, and using the sense of touch to detect abnormalities such as tumours.
Laënnec’s discovery reflected the impact of the French Revolution on the field of medicine. As the Old Regime
was driven out, new ideas could be explored that emphasized observation rather than reason alone. These
philosophical shifts helped make Paris the centre of medical science in the early 1800s. Whether Laënnec started
a revolution or simply rode on the wave of change, the trend toward collecting information by more objective
means and correlating physical findings with laboratory data continues today with the widespread use of x-rays,
echocardiography, and other diagnostic tests. With his invention, medicine moved closer to becoming a science.
96. In the first paragraph, the writer mentions "hi-tech diagnostic equipment" in order to
A. emphasise the simplicity of the stethoscope.
B. stress the usefulness of the stethoscope.
C. show the symbolic role of the stethoscope.
D. explain why doctors use the stethoscope.
97. In the past, lack of adequate diagnostic equipment meant that
A. many patients died unnecessarily from heart disease. B. cause of illness was often discovered only after death.
C. diagnosis was based solely on subjective hypothesis. D. many contagious diseases were never detected.
98. The advent of the stethoscope meant doctors
A. were less likely to catch something from patients.
B. could distance themselves from those under their care.
C. were facilitated in detecting contagious illnesses.
D. could now hear a patient's heart beating.
99. What exactly does the phrase “such transmission” describe?
A. the brainwaves from the brain
B. the passing of an infectious disease from patient to doctor
C. the pumping of blood in the body
D. the evolution of a widespread disease
100. The word “makeshift” in the paragraph 4 is closest in meaning to
A. interchangeable. B. stereotypical. C. cryptic. D. provisional.
101. Which of the square brackets [A], [B], [C], or [D] best indicates where in the paragraph 5 the sentence
“The names he applied to these distinctive sounds – rales, bruits, and egophony – are still used.” can be inserted? A. [A] B. [B] C. [C] D. [D] Page 9 of 12 pages about:blank 9/14 17:59 1/8/24
National English Competition MOCK TEST 1
102. How many versions of the stethoscope did Laennec devise? A. one B. two
C. more than two
D. more than three
103. The modern stethoscope
A. is meticulously crafted.
B. closely resembles the original.
C. consists of two moveable parts.
D. was developed by an American.
104. Although simple in design, Laennec's invention
A. forced doctors to use reason with their patients.
B. brought about great change in medical procedure.
C. caused a revolution in philosophical thought.
D. has yet to be bettered as a diagnostic tool.
105. The last sentence of the article implies that
A. medicine would not have been a science if the stethoscope hadn't been invented.
B. Laennec was one of the few 18th-century doctors who practiced medicine scientifically.
C. without Laennec, medicine might have progressed at a much slower pace.
D. the invention of the stethoscope helped medical practice become more systematic.
Part 5. The passage below consists of six paragraphs marked A-F. F
or questions 106-11 , 5 read the
passage and do the task that follows. Write your answers in the corresponding numbered boxes provided. A
A cultural history of chocolate
A. Chocolate – that delicious, dark brown, mood-altering delight – for more than 3 000 years was consumed
primarily as a drink. While our modern conception of chocolate as a solid bar differs from its earliest mode of
culinary delivery, the cultural significance has stayed relatively constant across the centuries; it is a currency of
pleasure, luxury and ritual. Cacao and its seeds, or cocoa beans, have historical significance with the Olmec,
Maya, and Aztec peoples – significance that depends upon the context each culture provides. An Olmec site has
yielded at least one ceramic container that evidences the preparation of cacao as a beverage dating to roughly 1
900 BC. The Olmec were the first major civilisation in Mesoamerica. Unfortunately, they did not use written
language, so we know very little besides what their abandoned sites can tell us, but it is generally agreed that they
were the first to domesticate the cacao tree, that the beverages they made from cacao were used for medicinal
and ceremonial purposes, and that their cultural lineage extended through the Maya and Aztec Empires.
B. The Maya, in contrast, left behind a rich record of data regarding their fondness for cacao drinks, which they
associated with the gods. Incidentally, Carl Linnaeus, founder of taxonomy, clearly has this legend in mind when
he named the plant Theobroma cacao, in the eighteenth century – Theobroma from the Greek for ‘food of the
gods’ and ‘cacao’ being a European derivative of the indigenous Mayan kakau. The Maya also had a hieroglyph
representing cacao in their art, and left behind depictions of rudimentary recipes for production. For the Maya, the
cacao beverage was a treasured drink of the ruling class, and a treat for families who cultivated cacao in their
home gardens. For the drink, the beans were fermented, dried and roasted, much like today, then ground and
mixed with a variety of spices to form a paste that was heated and poured from vessel to vessel to produce a frothy foam.
C. For the Aztecs, cacao beans were both a valuable commodity and a major form of currency and tribute
payment in their empire. The neighboring towns of Tenochtitlán and Tlatelolco each had large, well-organised
markets that were visited by all the surrounding townspeople. Watched over by special government officials who
ensured the weights, measures and prices matched the quality of goods, the Aztec market included both vendors
of prepared chocolate and dealers of raw beans. The honest cacao seller would divide the beans into separate
piles according to their origin. Dishonest dealers, meanwhile, used various ruses to sell counterfeit beans,
artificially colouring inferior lots of cacao, or even disguising worthless, avocado seeds with cacao hulls to fool
customers. The Aztecs also used cacao ritually, both to be drunk during ceremonies and even symbolically in acts
of human sacrifice. In this context, the cacao pod would symbolize the human heart .
D. There are competing theories on the etymology of the word ‘chocolate’, but most have at least some
connection to the Aztec language of Nahuatl. Some attribute the word to the Nahuatl word xocolatl meaning ‘bitter Page 1 0 of 12 pages about:blank 10/14 17:59 1/8/24
National English Competition MOCK TEST 1
water’ – and it was indeed bitter, being sweetened with honey for those who preferred it that way. Another theory
suggests the word is a hybrid of a Mayan word chokol, which means ‘hot’ and the Nahuatl word atl meaning water;
thus ‘hot water’. It could also be a combination of kakau and atl, simply ‘cacao water’. Any way you look at it, the
word ‘chocolate’ itself represents a combination of Maya and Aztec cultures; an appropriate blend considering the
historical transmission of knowledge through the cacao trade. When enthusiasm for chocolate spread across
Europe, European colonies in Africa and Malaysia began to raise ‘cocoa’, as the cacao bean came to be called in Europe.
E. It was not until 1828 that chocolate changed from a sacred drink to the solid bar we know today, through the
addition of cocoa butter. Not only did Coenraad Johannes van Houten of the Netherlands create the process of
manufacturing cocoa butter, but he also discovered how to treat chocolate with alkalisto to remove the bitter taste
that had until that point been characteristic of chocolate. While the addition of chilli had long since been dropped
from the recipes by Europeans, vanilla was often retained, along with milk and sugar, the latter being unavailable
to the Aztecs. Thus, chocolate as we know it came into existence after several thousand years of being consumed
in liquid form with a pungent, bitter taste. These days, producers of chocolate are experimenting even further, by
adding not just sugar and milk, but chilli, lavender mint and other flavours, giving us new forms, new uses and new
tastes, all continually inspired by its divine origins.
In which section are the following mentioned?
Your answers
the modern classification system of all living things 106
the commercial applications available for the cacao crop 107
the derivation of the word chocolate in different cultures 108
a process that made chocolate more palatable to other cultures 109
the ability of chocolate to influence human feelings and emotions 110
the cultivation of the beans outside of their native environment 111
the ingredient that had initially been rejected by European chocolate makers 112
archaeological evidence in support of the consumption of liquid chocolate 113
instances of fraudulent commercial practices in the cacao trade 114
the steps required to prepare the raw beans for use as chocolate 115
SECTION D. WRITING (60 points)
Part 1. Read the following extract and use your own words to summarize it. Your summary should be 100 to 120 words.
Very few people in the modern world obtain their food supply by hunting and gathering in the natural environment
surrounding their homes. This method of harvesting from nature’s provision, however, is not only the oldest known
subsistence strategy but also the one that has been practiced continuously in some parts of the world for at least
the last two million years. It was, indeed, the only way to obtain food until rudimentary farming and very crude
methods for the domestication of animals were introduced about 10,000 years ago.
Because hunter-gatherers have fared poorly in comparison with their agricultural cousins, their numbers have
dwindled, and they have been forced to live in the marginal wastelands. In higher latitudes, the shorter growing
season has restricted the availability of plant life. Such conditions have caused a greater dependence on hunting
and, along the coasts and waterways, on fishing. The abundance of vegetation in the lower latitudes of the tropics,
on the other hand, has provided a greater opportunity for gathering a variety of plants. In short, the environmental
differences have restricted the diet and have limited possibilities for the development of subsistence societies.
Contemporary hunter-gatherers may help us understand our prehistoric ancestors. We know from observation
of modern hunter-gatherers in both Africa and Alaska that a society based on hunting and gathering must be very Page 1 1 of 12 pages about:blank 11/14 17:59 1/8/24
National English Competition MOCK TEST 1
mobile. Following the food supply can be a way of life. If a particular kind of wild herding animal is the basis of the
food for a group of people, those people must move to stay within reach of those animals. For many of the native
people of the great central plains of North America, following the buffalo, who were in turn following the growth of
grazing foods, determined their way of life.
For gathering societies, seasonal changes mean a great deal. While the entire community camps in a central
location, a smaller party harvests the food within a reasonable distance from the camp. When the food in the area
is exhausted, the community moves on to exploit another site. We also notice a seasonal migration pattern
evolving for most hunter-gatherers, along with a strict division of labor between the sexes. These patterns of
behavior may be similar to those practiced by humankind during the Paleolithic Period. Part 2.
The charts below give information about the way in which water was used in different countries in 2000.
Summarize the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant. Write at least 150 words.
Part 3. Write an essay of 350 words on the following topic:
Some people think that the teenage years are the happiest times of most people’s lives. Others think
that adult life brings more happiness, in spite of greater responsibilities.
Discuss both view and give your own opinion.
Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience.
Present argumentation to highlight your opinion on this matter. Give reasons and specific examples to support your opinion(s). -THE END- Page 1 2 of 12 pages about:blank 12/14 17:59 1/8/24
National English Competition MOCK TEST 1 ANSWER KEY
SECTION A. LISTENING (50 points) Part 1 1. FALSE 2. TRUE 3. TRUE 4. FALSE 5. TRUE Part 2 6. J 7. F 8. C 9. E 10. K Part 3 11. C 12. B 13. C 14. A 15. A Part 4
16. behind its eyes 17. 20 and 80% 18. seeps into 19. muscles
20. brown recluse spider
21. (deadly) blue-ringed octopus 22. secrete
23. special glands 24. sucking out 25. cone snails
SECTION B. LEXICO-GRAMMAR (25 points) Part 1 26. C 27. D 28. C 29. C 30. B 31. C 32. B 33. B 34. C 35. A 36. D 37. A 38. D 39. B 40. C Part 2 41. unprecedented 42. disproved 43. undeniably 44. insatiable 45. innumerable
46. unauthorized
47. dispossessed 48. injustice 49. incapable 50. invariably
SECTION C. READING (65 points) Part 1 51. A 52. B 53. A 54. B 55. B 56. D 57. C 58. A 59. B 60. C Part 2 61. by 62. blamed 63. too 64. like 65. fail 66. fact 67. comes 68. worth 69. intended 70. was 71. one 72. According 73. for 74. below 75. being Part 3
76. (sensitive) balance
78. 5,000 revolutions per minute/rpm
79. liquid nitrogen 80. glass tube 80. B 81. C 82. A 83. B 84. FALSE 85. TRUE 86. NOT GIVEN 87. TRUE 88. FALSE Part 4 89. B 90. D 91. F 92. C 93. A 94. G 95. E Part 5 96. A 97. B 98. A 99. B 100. D 101. D 102. C 103. A 104. B 105. D Part 6 106. B 107. C 108. D 109. E 110. A 111. D 112. E 113. A 114. C 115. B about:blank 13/14 17:59 1/8/24
National English Competition MOCK TEST 1
SECTION D: WRITING (60 p oints) Part 1 Sample summary
Although few people are now dependent upon hunting and gathering, it is the most ancient lifestyle,
and perhaps the only way to subsist before agricultural communities arose during the past 10,000 years.
Competition with agricultural societies has crowded hunter-gatherers into harsh terrains. In a hunter-
gatherer society, the surrounding vegetation limits the dietary options. In addition, the length of the
growing season restricts the amount of gathering that can be done and requires more hunting and
fishing for groups to survive. By studying hunter-gatherers in today’s world, we can better understand
the people from prehistoric times. We note that groups must follow the herds and travel to new sites
where edible plants are in season. Furthermore, men and women have specialized tasks. (121 words) Part 2 Sample report
The two diagrams give figures for water use in different parts of the world in 2000. The first indicates
that almost three-quarters of world consumption (70%) was for agriculture, while 22% was used for
industry and a mere 8% for domestic purposes.
This pattern is almost identical to that for China in 2000, whereas India used even more water (92%)
for agriculture and only 8% for industrial and domestic sectors. In contrast, New Zealand used almost
equal proportions for agriculture and household use, 44% and 46% respectively, and a slightly higher 10% was consumed by industry.
The pattern in Canada is almost the reverse of the world average, with a mere 8% of water consumed
by agriculture and a massive 80% by industry Only 12% was used by the domestic sector, which was
almost a quarter of the NZ industrial consumption.
Overall, the data show that water use in the two developing countries is closer to the world patterns of consumption. (161 words) Part 3 Sample essay
Each stage of life has its ups and downs. Some feel that people are generally happiest as teenagers,
while others believe adulthood is a happier time, even though it brings greater responsibilities.
Personally, I agree with the latter point of view.
Life from the teenage perspective can seem very happy. Teenagers live with their parents, who meet
all of their needs, and spend most of their day at school, surrounded by friends. They also enjoy long
holidays and have plenty of opportunities to relax. In fact, groups of teens enjoying themselves are a
common sight in many places. However, one of the reasons they are seen hanging around is that they
often have little money and few places to go. Furthermore, at this age, our bodies and minds are still
developing, so a lack of maturity can easily get them into trouble. There is also a great deal of pressure
academically, with important exams to pass. Therefore, this time of life looks a lot happier on the outside than it is in reality.
For adults, everyday life is a lot less carefree. Living independently means we have to be able to afford
accommodation and other expenses. There are also responsibilities associated with work, which often
increase with our salary and workload. Working life also offers only a few short holidays each year.
Thus, opportunities to relax are brief, so it is not surprising that adults might reminisce about their
childhood years. Nevertheless, adulthood is a much longer stage of life, and with maturity comes the
ability to deal with any challenges. This is also a period when most adults build their own family, home,
and career. All of which brings a sense of personal satisfaction and happiness that is very different to
anything experienced in our younger years.
In conclusion, happiness, like all emotions, is a temporary state. Although it is tempting to associate
it with being young and carefree, in my view, it is a much more complex and deeper emotion that is
closer to the contentment more often achieved in adulthood. (343 words) about:blank 14/14