* Read the following passage and answer the questions.
Although 80% of Australian live near cities, the cities are not as large as those in some other countries. Most people live in houses in suburbs – not in apartments. The suburbs usually have their own churches, schools and shopping centre. They also have recreational facilities. In large cities, like Sydney, the suburbs are often far from the town. Because many people commute to work, the traffic is slow and there are many traffic jams.

1. Where do most of Australian live?
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
2. How are the cities in Australia?
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
3. Do most people live in houses in suburbs or in apartments?
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
4. Is Sydney a large city?
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
5. Why are there many traffic jams?
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

I.       Read the following passage and choose the item (a, b, c, or d) that best answers each of the questions about it.

Of all the natural wonders of the world, few are as spectacular as Niagara Falls. Located on the Niagara River along the border between the United States and Canada, Niagara Falls actually consists of two falls, the American Falls and the Horseshoe Falls. The former is on the US side of the border, in the state of New York, while the latter is on the Canadian side. About 85% of the water in Niagara River flows over the Horseshoe Falls, which is the more impressive of the two falls.

About 10 million people visit the falls each year, most during the summer tourist season. Sightseers can ride steamers up close to the boiling water of the falls, or view them from parks on both sides of the river. Niagara Falls has long been a popular honeymoon destination for newlyweds.

26. Which of the following is entirely on the US side of the border with Canada?

            a. Niagara River           b. American Falls            c. Niagara Falls                d. Horseshoe Falls

27. It can be inferred from the passage that Horseshoe Falls _____.

      a. is the larger of the two falls

      b. is the less impressive fall

      c. has 15% of the Niagara River flowing over its edge

      d. is in the state of New York

28. According to the passage, people prefer to visit Niagara Falls in the _____.

      a. spring                        b. summer                        c. fall                                d. winter

29. Which of the following is not true?

      a. According to the passage, Niagara Falls is the most spectacular wonder of the world.

      b. Niagara Falls is located on the Niagara River.

      c. The American Falls and the Horseshoe Falls compose the Niagara Falls.

      d. American Falls is the less impressive of the two falls.

30. In the author judgement, _____.

      a. Niagara Falls is most beautiful during the summer tourist season.

      b. Niagara Falls is a very popular tourist attraction, especially with honeymooners.

      c. American Falls is more beautiful than Horseshoe Falls.

      d. The waters of the two falls is very hot.

I.     Read the following passage and choose the item (A, B, C, or D) that best answers each of the questions about it.

My neighborhood is very convenient - it‟s near the shopping center and the bus station. It is also safe. But those are the only good things about living downtown. It is very noisy - the streets are always full of people! The traffic is terrible, and parking is a big problem! I can never park on my own street. I‟d like to live in the suburbs.

1.   What does the word „convenient‟ in line 1 mean?

A.   close to something                                     B. beautiful

C. far from other places                                  D. noisy

2.   What does the word „it‟ in line 2 refer to?

A.   the author‟s neighborhood                         B. shopping center

C. bus station                                                  D. downtown

3.   It‟s easy to             .

A.   find a place to park      B. live in the suburbs

C. move to another place D. go to the bus station

4.   The author             .

A.   likes to live in the suburbs

B.   thinks that his/ her neighborhood is too quiet

C.   thinks that living in the suburbs is very convenient

D.   feels that his/her neighborhood is not safe

5.   Which of the following is true?

A.   The author‟s neighborhood is inconvenient.

B.   The author doesn‟t want to move to anywhere.

C.   It‟s too difficult for the author to find a place to park his/her car.

D.   Living downtown is better than living in the suburbs.

I.       Read the following passage and choose the item (a, b, c, or d) that best answers each of the questions about it.

Las Vegas, Nevada, is the most famous city for gambling in the United States. It started in 1905 as a small train stop. There were only a few buildings in the desert. In 1946, a famous gangster named Bugsy Siegel built the first casino. He was murdered in 1947. This made him and Las Vegas more famous! In the early 1950s, tourists went to Las Vegas not only to gamble. They went to watch atomic bomb tests in the desert outside the city. In those days, people didn't know it was dangerous. They thought it was exciting.

Las Vegas is also famous for its many wedding chapels. Like all of Las Vegas, they are open twenty-four hours a day. Getting married is easy. A couple just pays a few dollars for a license, and they can get married immediately. They don't have to wait. Many famous movie stars were married in Las Vegas.

26. Nevada _____.

      a. is a famous city for gambling                            b. is another name of Las Vegas

      c. is a state in the United States of America         d. is the capital of Las Vegas

27. The word “this” in the first paragraph refers to _____.

            a. the fact that Bugsy Siegel was murdered         b. Siegel’s first casino

            c. the fact that Siegel built the first casino            d. a famous gangster

28. People used to think that watching atomic bomb tests _____.

      a. was dangerous                                                   b. was thrilling                

      c. might be a quiz show                                        d. should be prohibited

29. In the context of the passage, the word “chapel” in the last paragraph means _____.

      a. room                          b. hotel                             c. big pagoda                   d. small church

30. Which of the following is not true?

      a. Las Vegas is a place for gambling.

      b. In 1905, there were only a few buildings at the place now called Las Vegas.

      c. Bugsy Siegel was a famous gangster.

      d. The only things that make Las Vegas famous are wedding chapels.

I.       Read the following passage and choose the item (a, b, c, or d) that best answers each of the questions about it.

You wouldn’t believe what happened yesterday. As I look out my hotel window this morning, I’m not sure I believe it myself.

First, I went to see the parade of the Krewe of Zulu. It was great! The people in the parade were in African clothes. They threw beads to the crowd and handed out painted coconuts. I almost got a coconut, but a woman pushed me aside and grabbed it. I did get some beads though!

To get away from the crowds, I ducked into Pat O’Brien’s, a bar next to Preservation hall where I heard some great jazz a few nights ago. Guess what? Everybody was in Pat O’Brien’s, too! I had a hurricane, a drink the bar is famous for. It’s a combination of rum and passion fruit juice. I soon found out that although it tastes like juice, it works like rum!

To clear my head, I went to the Café du Monde and had café au lait and some warm beignets. The café overlooks the Mississippi River, and its beignets are delicious!

Then, as in Cinderella, at midnight it was all over and the crowds went home. Today it seems like Mardi Gras was just a strange but beautiful dream.

- Mardi Gras: Một lễ hội được tổ chức hàng năm ở một số thành phố

26. What can be the best title of the passage?

      a. The Day After Mardi Gras                                b. A Strange but Beautiful Dream

      c. The Parade of the Krewe of Zulu                     d. New Orleans During Mardi Gras

27. The word ‘its’ in line 11 refers to _____.

      a. the Café du Monde                                           b. café au lait

      c. the Mississippi River                                        d. my head

28. In the context of the passage, what does the word “works” mean?

      a. to make somebody work                                   b. to operate

      c. to succeed                                                         d. to have a particular effect

29. From reading the passage, it seems that the writer is _____.

      a. a native of New Orleans                                    b. a tourist

      c. a hotelier                                                            d. a musician

30. Which of the following is true?

      a. The writer did get a painted coconut.

      b. Everybody didn’t like Mardi Gras so they ducked into Pat O’Brien’s.

      c. There was a hurricane in New Orleans during Mardi Gras.

      d. The drink that Pat O’Brien’s is famous for is a combination of rum and passion fruit juice.

I.       Read the following passage and choose the item (a, b, c, or d) that best answers each of the questions about it.

Maine’s woods are perfect for a hiking and camping vacation. You might try Baxter State Park in the north. This 200,000-acre park is named after Percival Baxter, a governor of Maine who bought the land little by little and then gave it to the state. The park has many trails and campsites; some you can reach only by boat. (By the way, if you need any supplies, you can find them in Freeport, Maine at L.L. Bean, the outdoor clothing and equipment store. L.L. Bean is open 24 hours a day, every day of the year!)

Maine has hundreds of lakes and rivers for boating. Maine is also popular among hunters, because of its many deer, bears, squirrels, and rabbits.

In September, people drive through Maine to see the leaves turn all shades of red, yellow, and orange.

When the snows arrive - and they usually arrive early - skiers rush off to Maine’s many mountains.

Depending on the kind of vacation you want, you can visit Maine at just about any time of year. The one time not to visit is May, when the fierce black flies make their yearly visit!

26. Which of the following Maine vacations can you take in Maine?

      a. a seaside vacation                                             b. a camping and hiking vacation

      c. a skiing vacation                                               d. any kind of vacation you want

27. In the context of the first paragraph, the word ‘try’ means _____.

      a. to attempt to do something

      b. use or do something to find out if you like it

      c. to go to a particular place hoping to find someone or something

      d. to judge a case in a court of law

28. From reading the passage, it seems that _____.

      a. the fierce black flies appear in Maine every day of the year

      b. people drive to Maine just to see the autumn leaves

      c. some people come to Maine to hunt

      d. you can reach Baxter State Park only by boat

29. According to the passage, when can we visit Maine?

      a. We can visit Maine every day of the year.

      b. We can visit Maine in the fall.

      c. We can visit Maine in the winter - when the snows arrive.

      d. We can visit Maine whenever we like except in May.

30. Which of the following statements is false?

      a. Maine has many lakes and rivers.

      b. Baxter is the name of a governor of Maine.

      c. Maine has a lot of mountains.

      d. You can get free supplies in Freeport, Maine at L.L. Bean.

I.         Read the following passage and choose the item (a, b, c, or d) that best answers each of the questions about it.

According to the census of 1800, the United States of America contained 5,308,483 persons. In the same year the British Islands contained upwards of fifteen million; the French Republic, more than twenty-seven million. Nearly one-fifth of American people were black slaves; the true political population consisted of four and a half million free whites, or less than one million able-bodied males, on whose shoulders fell the burden of a continent. Even after two centuries of struggle the land still untamed; forests covered every portion, except here and there a strip of cultivated soil; the minerals lay undisturbed in their rocky beds, and more than two-thirds of the people clung to the seaboard within fifty miles of tidewater, where alone the wants of civilized life could be supplied.

26. In the United States of America in 1800 _____.

      a. one out of every twenty-five Americans was a black slave

      b. one out of every four Americans was a black slave

      c. two out of every three Americans were black slaves

      d. one out of every five Americans was a black slave

27. What is the true political population in America in 1800?

      a. About four-fifths of the population.                  b. About one-fifth of the population.

      c. 5,308,483.                                                         d. Less than one million

28. Which of the following is not true?

      a. About one-fifth of American people were black slaves in 1800.

      b. Two-thirds of the American people live on the seaboard.

      c. In 1800, the land was still untamed.

      d. In 1800, strips of cultivated land were everywhere.

29. In the context of the paragraph, the word “untamed” means _____.

      a. calm                          b. dangerous                    c. uncultivable                 d. bad

30. How long had the struggle to tame the American continent been going on in 1800?

      a. About two hundred years.                                 b. A little more than a century.

      c. About fifty years.                                              d. Since 1750.

I.       Read the following passage and choose the item (a, b, c, or d) that best answers each of the questions about it.

Levi Strauss, a young immigrant from Germany, arrived in San Francisco in 1850. California was in the middle of the Gold Rush. Thousands of men were coming to California to dig for gold. And Strauss came to sell canvas to these gold miners. Canvas is a heavy fabric. So Strauss thought the miners could use the canvas for tents.

One day Strauss heard a miner complain that he couldn't find clothes strong enough for the work he was doing. Strauss got an idea. He quickly took some of his canvas and made it into pants. These pants were what the miners needed. In one day Strauss sold all the pants he had made.

Strauss wanted to improve his pants. He wanted to make them even better. He bought a fabric that was softer than canvas but just as strong. This fabric came from Nimes, a city in France, and was called serge de Nimes. The miners liked this fabric. They called it "denim" (from de Nimes) and bought even more pants from Strauss.

However, denim had no color. Because of this the denim pants did not look very interesting, and they got dirty easily. To solve these problems, Strauss dyed the denim blue.

Strauss continued to improve his jeans. Today, the company he started is known around the world. And jeans are considered not just practical but very fashionable as well.

26. What could be the best title of the passage?  

      a. A Young Immigrant From Germany                  b. The History of Blue Jeans

      c. Serge de Nimes                                                   d. The Gold Rush

27. According to the writer, why did Levi Strauss come to California?

      a. He came to California to dig for gold.               b. He came to California to sell pants.

      c. He came to California to buy denim.                 d. He came to California to sell canvas.

28. Blue jeans _____.

      a. did not look very interesting                               b. are considered not practical

      c. got dirty easily                                                    d. are considered good for many uses

29. What is the meaning of the word “immigrant” in the first paragraph?

      a. person who is good in business                          b. person who buys and sells things

      c. person who moves to another country               d. person who works in a mine

30. Which of the following is not true?

      a. Levi Strauss was the first person to make blue jeans.

      b. Strauss made his first jeans from a fabric called serge de Nimes.

      c. The first jeans were very strong.

      d. Nimes is a city in France.

I.       Read the following passage and choose the item (a, b, c, or d) that best answers each of the questions about it.

After the Revolutionary War people in America were able to get news of European fashions. Fashion plates (= pictures) and dolls showing the latest fashions were sent to the US, and American women began wearing large hoop skirts. Some people thought that heavy hoops and corsets were bad for the health, and encouraged women to wear looser clothes. Amelia Bloomer designed light frilled trousers, called bloomers, but many people laughed at them. Though bloomers were not popular, there was a fashion for smaller, lighter skirts. American men also followed fashion and began wearing long trousers (or pants) instead of breeches.

26. When did American women begin to wear large hoop skirts?

      a. After the Revolutionary War

      b. After fashions plates and dolls showing the latest fashion

      c. After buying fashion plates and dolls

      d. After some people encouraged women to wear looser clothes

27. What can be the best title of the passage?

      a. The American Clothing After Revolution War

      b. The American Cloths After Revolution War

      c. The Influence of the European Fashions

      d. The History of Bloomers

28. In the context of the passage, the word “encouraged” means _____.

      a. suggested that someone did something

      b. helped someone do something

      c. gave someone hope

      d. helped so that someone continue doing something

29. The word “them” in sentence 5 refers to _____.

      a. hoops and corsets                                                b. bloomers                       

      c. some American people                                       d. American women

30. Which of the following is not true?

      a. Some people persuaded women not to wear heavy hoops and corsets.

      b. Amelia Bloomer was the one who designed frilled trousers.

      c. Americans liked wearing large hoop skirts.

      d. American men used to wear breeches.