IV. Read the passage, and choose the correct answer A, B, C or D for each question.

  Insects on the Menu

     Humans have a long history of eating insects, and it turns out that they can be a very nutritious part of a person's regular diet. Insects have a lot of protein, and they are often easier to catch than prey animals. Therefore, it is no wonder that when our ancient ancestors saw some tasty worms or grubs wiggling on the ground, they made a quick snack of them.

    In Thailand, insects are a regular part of the street food that can be found. The different insects that people snack on are crickets, grasshoppers, giant water bugs, and assorted worms. They are often deep-fried and salted, so they have a crunchy texture that makes them a perfect snack food. If you can get past the fact that you are eating a cricket, it will crunch in your mouth just like a corn chip! For a lot of people, however, it is difficult to get over the fear of eating insects. People tend to see insects as invaders, especially when they are crawling on the food that we are about to eat. Therefore, being able to eat insects without feeling disgusted is cultural. Some people cannot eat French cheese or stinky tofu because they weren't brought up doing so. To many of us, insects fall right into that category, making it difficult to even try them.

    If given the chance, though, be courageous. Insects can be nutritious and tasty, so long as you can get over the "yuck” factor.

1. Which is the reason given for gathering and eating insects?

A. They are very easy to find close to the home.      

B. They are more nutritious than most vegetables.

C. They come in all shapes and sizes.

D. They are easier to catch than other prey animals.

2. Why are deep-fried insects considered a perfect snack food?

A. Because they taste exactly like corn chips.

B. Because they don't fill you up.

C. Because they have a crunchy texture.

D. Because they are not expensive.

3. Which insects are not mentioned in the passage?

A. Water bugs.            B. Grasshoppers.                     C. Beetles.                   D. Crickets.

4. According to the passage, where are insects a regular part of the street food?

A. France.                   B. Thailand.                            C. Britain.                   D. China.

5. What advice is given in the passage?

A. Be courageous.                                                       B. Eat very cautiously.                       

C. Try eating worms first.                                           D. Always cook your insects.

Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to indicate the correct answer to each of the questions.

Insects' lives are very short and they have many enemies, but they must survive long enough to breed and perpetuate their kind. The less insect-like they look, the better their chance of survival. To look "inedible" by imitating plants is a way frequently used by insects to survive. Mammals rarely imitate plants, but many fish and invertebrates do.

 The stick caterpillar is well named. It is hardly distinguishable from a brown or green twig. This caterpillar is quite common and can be found almost anywhere in North America. It is also called "measuring worm" or "inchworm." It walks by arching its body, then stretching out and grasping the branch with its front feet then looping its body again to bring the hind feet forward. When danger threatens, the stick caterpillar stretches its body away from the branch at an angle and remains rigid and still, like a twig, until the danger has passed.

 Walking sticks, or stick insects, do not have to assume a rigid, twig-like pose to find protection; they look like inedible twigs in any position. There are many kinds of walking sticks, ranging in size from the few inches of the North American variety to some tropical species that may be over a foot long. When at rest their front legs are stretched out, heightening their camouflage. Some of the tropical species are adorned with spines or ridges, imitating the thorny bushes or trees in which they live.

            Leaves also seem to be a favorite object for insects to imitate. Many butterflies can suddenly disappear from view by folding their wings and sitting quietly among the plants that they resemble.

What is the main idea of the passage?

A. The feeding habits of insects

B. Insects that are threatened with extinction

C. How some insects imitate plants to survive?

D. Caterpillars that live in trees

Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to indicate the correct answer to each of the questions.

Insects' lives are very short and they have many enemies, but they must survive long enough to breed and perpetuate their kind. The less insect-like they look, the better their chance of survival. To look "inedible" by imitating plants is a way frequently used by insects to survive. Mammals rarely imitate plants, but many fish and invertebrates do.

 The stick caterpillar is well named. It is hardly distinguishable from a brown or green twig. This caterpillar is quite common and can be found almost anywhere in North America. It is also called "measuring worm" or "inchworm." It walks by arching its body, then stretching out and grasping the branch with its front feet then looping its body again to bring the hind feet forward. When danger threatens, the stick caterpillar stretches its body away from the branch at an angle and remains rigid and still, like a twig, until the danger has passed.

 Walking sticks, or stick insects, do not have to assume a rigid, twig-like pose to find protection; they look like inedible twigs in any position. There are many kinds of walking sticks, ranging in size from the few inches of the North American variety to some tropical species that may be over a foot long. When at rest their front legs are stretched out, heightening their camouflage. Some of the tropical species are adorned with spines or ridges, imitating the thorny bushes or trees in which they live.

            Leaves also seem to be a favorite object for insects to imitate. Many butterflies can suddenly disappear from view by folding their wings and sitting quietly among the plants that they resemble.

Which of the following is true of stick insects?

A. They make themselves look like other insects.

B. They change color to make themselves invisible.

C. They are camouflaged only when walking.

D. They resemble their surroundings all the time.

Read the following passage and choose A, B, C or D to indicate the correct answer to each of the questions.

Staying safe on foot and bike

Look out for yourself and your friends when out on foot and bike. Choose the safest routes you can like quieter, slower roads, with pavements if you’re walking or (17) ________ if you’re going by bike.

It’s easy to get distracted by your phone or by friends, but you need to be alert to traffic. Put your phone away and take your earphones (18)________ when crossing the road. Don’t trust that drivers will spot you and be able to stop in time – many drivers go too fast and don’t (19) ________ enough attention, (20)________ anything you can do to protect yourself is a good thing.

17. a. zebra crossings         b. cycle paths           c. footpaths               d. bumpy roads

18. a. off                                 b. over                        c. out                          d. down

19. a. pay                               b. make                      c. turn                        d. take

20. a. but                               b. so                            c. though                   d. because

Read the following passage and choose A, B, C or D to indicate the correct answer to each of the questions.

For hundreds of years, one remote hill in the middle of England has hosted one of the weirdest festivals in the world. It’s the Cooper’s Hill Cheese Rolling Festival. The event is held every year at the end of May, with over 15,000 participants and spectators from all over the world joining each year.

The rules are simple. A large wheel of cheese is rolled down the hill, and participants chase after it. The first runner to make it to the bottom of the hill is the winner. The winner of the race is allowed to keep the cheese as a prize.

Cooper’s Hill is only 200 meters long, but it is very steep. As a result, racers do not run down the hill; instead, they usually fall down the hill head over heels. This has led to a lot of accidents. For this reason, the event was officially canceled in 2010. Outraged fans have continued the event unofficially since then.

21. What is the passage mainly about?

            a. Different food festivals around the world

b. An unusual and dangerous festival in England

c. Tips for winning the race in the Cheese Rolling Festival

d. The history of the Cheese Rolling Festival

22. The word ‘outraged’ in the last sentence is closest in meaning to _______.

a. upset                      b. pleasant                 c. keen                        d. big

23. According to the passage, which of the following is true?

a. All the runners in the race are from England.

b. The race is dangerous because the hill is very long.

c. Most participants cannot stay on their feet while they run down the hill.

d. The winner is the first person to catch the cheese.

Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C or D on your answer sheet to indicate the correct answer to each of the questions from 44 to 50.   

      Insects’ lives are very short and they have many enemies, but they must survive long enough to breed and perpetuate their kind. The less insect-like they look, the better their chance of survival. To look "inedible" by resembling or imitating plants is a deception widely practiced by insects. Mammals rarely use this type of camouflage, but many fish and invertebrates do.

     The stick caterpillar is well named. It is hardly distinguishable from a brown or green twig. This caterpillar is quite common and can be found almost anywhere in North America. It is also called "measuring worm" or "inchworm." It walks by arching its body, then stretching out and grasping the branch with its front feet then looping its body again to bring the hind feet forward. When danger threatens, the stick caterpillar stretches its body away from the branch at an angle and remains rigid and still, like a twig, until the danger has passed.

Walking sticks, or stick insects, do not have to assume a rigid, twig-like pose to find protection; they look like inedible twigs in any position. There are many kinds of walking sticks, ranging in size from the few inches of the North American variety to some tropical species that may be over a foot long. When at rest their front legs are stretched out, heightening their camouflage. Some of the tropical species are adorned with spines or ridges, imitating the thorny bushes or trees in which they live.

     Leaves also seem to be a favorite object for insects to imitate. Many butterflies can suddenly disappear from view by folding their wings and sitting quietly among the foliage that they resemble.

Which of the following are NOT mentioned in the passage as objects that are imitated as a means of protection?

A. Thorns

B. Flowers

C. Leaves

D. Sticks

Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C or D on your answer sheet to indicate the correct answer to each of the questions from 44 to 50.   

      Insects’ lives are very short and they have many enemies, but they must survive long enough to breed and perpetuate their kind. The less insect-like they look, the better their chance of survival. To look "inedible" by resembling or imitating plants is a deception widely practiced by insects. Mammals rarely use this type of camouflage, but many fish and invertebrates do.

     The stick caterpillar is well named. It is hardly distinguishable from a brown or green twig. This caterpillar is quite common and can be found almost anywhere in North America. It is also called "measuring worm" or "inchworm." It walks by arching its body, then stretching out and grasping the branch with its front feet then looping its body again to bring the hind feet forward. When danger threatens, the stick caterpillar stretches its body away from the branch at an angle and remains rigid and still, like a twig, until the danger has passed.

Walking sticks, or stick insects, do not have to assume a rigid, twig-like pose to find protection; they look like inedible twigs in any position. There are many kinds of walking sticks, ranging in size from the few inches of the North American variety to some tropical species that may be over a foot long. When at rest their front legs are stretched out, heightening their camouflage. Some of the tropical species are adorned with spines or ridges, imitating the thorny bushes or trees in which they live.

     Leaves also seem to be a favorite object for insects to imitate. Many butterflies can suddenly disappear from view by folding their wings and sitting quietly among the foliage that they resemble.

When in the passage does the author describe the habitat of tropical stick insects?

A. Line 7

B. Lines 10-11

C. Lines 13-14

D. Lines 16-17

Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to indicate the correct answer to each of the questions.

Insects' lives are very short and they have many enemies, but they must survive long enough to breed and perpetuate their kind. The less insect-like they look, the better their chance of survival. To look "inedible" by imitating plants is a way frequently used by insects to survive. Mammals rarely imitate plants, but many fish and invertebrates do.

 The stick caterpillar is well named. It is hardly distinguishable from a brown or green twig. This caterpillar is quite common and can be found almost anywhere in North America. It is also called "measuring worm" or "inchworm." It walks by arching its body, then stretching out and grasping the branch with its front feet then looping its body again to bring the hind feet forward. When danger threatens, the stick caterpillar stretches its body away from the branch at an angle and remains rigid and still, like a twig, until the danger has passed.

 Walking sticks, or stick insects, do not have to assume a rigid, twig-like pose to find protection; they look like inedible twigs in any position. There are many kinds of walking sticks, ranging in size from the few inches of the North American variety to some tropical species that may be over a foot long. When at rest their front legs are stretched out, heightening their camouflage. Some of the tropical species are adorned with spines or ridges, imitating the thorny bushes or trees in which they live.

            Leaves also seem to be a favorite object for insects to imitate. Many butterflies can suddenly disappear from view by folding their wings and sitting quietly among the plants that they resemble.

Which of the following are NOT mentioned in the passage as objects that are imitated as a means of protection?

A. leaves

B. flowers

C. thorns

D. sticks

Read the passage, and choose the correct answer A, B, C or D for each question.

All of the following can be inferred about the artisan - Mr. Sam – EXCEPT that ………..

A. he is popular in the village

B. he could paint when he was three

C. he keeps a collection of Dong Ho paintings in his house

D. the local authorities tried to revive the traditional genre

Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C or D on your answer sheet to indicate the correct answer to each of the questions from 44 to 50.   

      Insects’ lives are very short and they have many enemies, but they must survive long enough to breed and perpetuate their kind. The less insect-like they look, the better their chance of survival. To look "inedible" by resembling or imitating plants is a deception widely practiced by insects. Mammals rarely use this type of camouflage, but many fish and invertebrates do.

     The stick caterpillar is well named. It is hardly distinguishable from a brown or green twig. This caterpillar is quite common and can be found almost anywhere in North America. It is also called "measuring worm" or "inchworm." It walks by arching its body, then stretching out and grasping the branch with its front feet then looping its body again to bring the hind feet forward. When danger threatens, the stick caterpillar stretches its body away from the branch at an angle and remains rigid and still, like a twig, until the danger has passed.

Walking sticks, or stick insects, do not have to assume a rigid, twig-like pose to find protection; they look like inedible twigs in any position. There are many kinds of walking sticks, ranging in size from the few inches of the North American variety to some tropical species that may be over a foot long. When at rest their front legs are stretched out, heightening their camouflage. Some of the tropical species are adorned with spines or ridges, imitating the thorny bushes or trees in which they live.

     Leaves also seem to be a favorite object for insects to imitate. Many butterflies can suddenly disappear from view by folding their wings and sitting quietly among the foliage that they resemble.

What is the main subject of the passage?

A. Caterpillars that live in trees

B. The feeding habits of insects

C. How some insects camouflage themselves

D. Insects that are threatened with extinction