Large cities often have problems that small towns and rural areas do not have. Two of the biggest problems are heavy traffic and the pollution that cars create. Of course. Traffic problems and pollution are not only found in big cities. However, the higher populations and larger number of cars on the roads in cities can make the problems happen more often and with more noticeable effects.

One of the most common traffic problems the large cities have is congestion. As the population of a city increases, so does the number of cars on the road. Cities cannot always improve the number

and size of their roads and highways to keep up with the number of cars. The result is traffic congestion, or trafficjams.

When traffic jams happen, cars that are stuck in the congestion continue to run their engines. This creates pollution and is a big problems. Pollution causes health problems for the people in citiesand also hurts the environment.

c. Careless drivers​d. Less traffic signs on the streets

c. environmental pollution​d. the population

a. full​b. aware​c. incapable​d. uncertain

Read the passage and mark the letter A, B, C or D on your answer sheet to indicate the correct word or phrase that best fits each of the numbered blank.

Living in a city has a number of drawbacks. Firstly, (23) ………. is the problem of traffic jams and traffic accidents. The increase in population and the increasing number of vehicles (24) ………..  many accidents to happen every day. Secondly, air pollution negatively affects (25) ………., and it also has bad influence on the environment. (26) ………. city dwellers suffer from coughing or breathing problems. Thirdly, the city is noisy, even at night. Noise pollution comes from the traffic and from construction sites. Building are always knocked (27) ………. and rebuilt. These factors contribute to making city life more difficult for its residents.

Question 23: A. the              B. it                                         C. here                       D. there

Question 24: A. caused       B. have caused                      C. will cause     D. would cause

Question 25: A. people health                                            B. people of health  

C. people’s health                                        D. health people

Question 26: A. More and less                                           B. More and fewer              

C. Fewer and fewer                                      D. More and more

Question 27: A. down          B. up                                       C. off                          D. out

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

All of the following are true EXCEPT that

A. brocade weaving has become the most important craft in Sa Pa and nearby districts

B. local people can sell brocade handicrafts, products to tourists

C. other districts should start preserving their crafts like Sa Pa

D. preservation of traditional crafts can be associated with tourism

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

The purpose of preservation of traditional craft villages is bringing about …

A. the clear models of traditional villages

B. weaving 30,000 metresof fabric

C. the start of tourism

D. economic and social development

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

      With a (1)                          of about 2.6 million people, Vancouver is the largest City in Western Canada. Vancouver is in the Southwest of Canada, and it is only a few hours of driving away from the American (2)                        .

      Vancouver is popular because it (3)                     so many things. It is a huge, modern City. On the other hand, it is also one of North America’s most beautiful areas. The natural beauty (4)                                   Vancouver is famous all around the world.

      Vancouver is right next to the Rocky Mountains, so it is a wonderful place for skiing and snowboarding. Those aren’t the only winter sports you can do there. If you can (5)             a winter sport, then you probably do that sport in Vancouver. After all, the 2010 Winter Olympics were there. Vancouver is also great for hiking, jogging, and skateboarding. It even has beaches. The beaches aren’t the (6)                        in the world, but they arc clean and pretty.

      (7)              place that you have to visit in Vancouver is Stanley Park. This is a public park that is a stone’s throw from (8)             . However, the park is completely surrounded by the Pacific Ocean. The nature in Stanley Park is beautiful. It is close to downtown, but it feels like it is 100 kilometres away. The park also has playgrounds, gardens, beaches, tennis courts, and even an (9)                      .

      Vancouver is something for everybody. It is no (10)                   that people think it is one of the world’s best cities.

1.   A. number                   B. exist                        C. control                    D. population

2.   A. area                         B. border                     C. region                     D. place

3.   A. includes                  B. insists                      C. combines                D. consists

4.   A. around                    B. over                        C. on                           D. upon

5.   A. repeat                     B. tell                          C. name                       D. separate

6.   A. good                       B. best                         C. better                      D. well

7.   A. Another                  B. Others                     C. Other                      D. Anothers

8.   A. mountain                B. hill                          C. village                     D. downtown

9.   A. quarter                    B. effort                      C. aquarium                 D. notice

10. A. wonder                   B. cause                       C. true                         D. fact

Read about traffic problems in two cities. Match the city with its problem.

In Ho Chi Minh City, it is not strange to see the sight of a street that is crowded with vehicles. People cannot move and their health is affected by polluted air from exhausted fumes. What are the reasons? The citizens in the city use many personal vehicles to go from one place to another. They aren't used to transporting by public transports. May be because the bus drivers are careless, impolite to them or the taxi fare is too high for some people.

Bangkok is world renowned for its terrible traffic problems, so getting around on the roads is a bit of a nightmare. In my opinion, there are 3 main causes of Bangkok traffic jams. First, the quality of public transportation is low. Bus is of low quality and causes congestion. Second, the BTS and MRT are not enough for users. Finally, the most important cause of traffic jam is car accidents. Bad bus drivers cause accidents frequently and make the road stuck for hours.

PROBLEMS
1. It has low quality public transport.
2. It costs a lot to go by taxi.
3. There are not enough MRTs for its inhabitants.
4. Its citizens use a lot of personal vehicles.
5. There is a high frequency of accidents.

Help me ~ ~

Ex 1: Read the text and choose the correct answer A, B, C or D for the question

Visit the Edinburgh Festival

Every year, thousands of people come to Edinburgh, the capital city of Scotland, to be part of the Edinburgh Festival. For three weeks, every August and September the city is filled with actors and artists from all over the world. They come to Edinburgh for the biggest arts festival in Britain. During this time, the streets of the city are alive with music and dance from early in the morning untill late at night. You can even see artists painting pictures on the streets.

Tens of thousands of tourists come to the festival to see new films and plays and to hear music played by famous musicians. This year, you can see over five hundred performances with actors from more than forty countries.

The tickets for these performances are quite cheap, and it is usually easier to see your favourite star in Edinburgh than it is in London. So come to Edinburgh next summer!

1. How many people come to attend the Edinburgh Festival every year?

A. Thousand people       B. Thousands of people  C. Some people    D. Few people

2. How long does the Edinburgh Festival last?

A. Two months              B. Three months 

C. Three weeks              D. For 3 weeks every August and September

3. What can you even see artists doing on the streets?

A. Playing the guitar on the streets               B. Singing songs on the streets 

C. Painting pictures on the streets                D. Dancing on the streets

4. How many performances can people see this year?

A. Tens of thousands               B. Thousands 

C. Some people                       D. Over five hundred

5. How much are the tickets for these performances?

A. Very cheap       B. Very expensive                    C. Not cheap        D. Not quite expens

Ex 2: Choose the best answer to complete the sentences


1. __________ he spent much money on the film, it wasn't a big success.

A. Even                B. But                   C. Although                             D. Despite

2. I enjoyed the film on TV yesterday evening ________ nobody in my family liked it.

A. although           B. yet                    C. in spite of                  D. so

3. We didn't find it funny __________ it was a comedy.

A. in spite of         B. despite              C. although                    D. but

4. I went to the cinema with my friends yesterday __________ feeling very tired.

A. although           B. in spite of         C. but                                      D. so

5. __________ careful preparation, we have a lot of difficulties in making a new film.

A. With                B. However,                   C. Such                          D. Despite

6. Let's go to the Victor Cinema. I'm sure you'll find the film __________.

A. excites              B. excite               C. excited                       D. exciting

7. I have never felt as __________ as I did when I watched that horror film.

A. terrify               B. terrified            C. terrifying                    D. terrible

8. We like the film very much. The __________ are unforgettable and the plot is gripping.

A. characters         B. acting               C. style                           D. action

9. The film was so __________. However, my father saw it from beginning to end.

A. interesting        B. exciting            C. boring                        D. fascinating

10. I was __________ to learn that the director of that gripping film has won the first prize.

A. interest             B. interests            C. interesting                  D. interested

Ex 3: Find the word which has a different sound in the part underlined

1. A. played          B. travelled           C. planned                     D. watched

2. A. buffalo                   B. unhappy           C. pollution                    D. structure

3. A. collection     B. comic               C. concert                       D. volunteer

4. A. bread            B. really                C. head                          D. death

5. A. walked                   B. crowded           C. needed                       D. excited

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

Passage 1:

New Orleans, in Louisiana, is known as the most unique city in the United States with distinctive architecture, cross-cultural heritage and annual music festivals.

However, due to its location along the Mississippi River with lakes on the other side, and nearly half of the city below sea level, the city faces the danger of flooding. So, a levee system and drainage canals were built to protect the city.

Early in the morning of August 29, 2005, Hurricane Katrina, the most destructive natural disaster in the history of New Orleans, struck the city. The storm brought strong winds and heavy rains for several days. As a result, water from the river and lakes rose, breaking the levees and poured directly into the city. Soon 80 percent of the city was under the water. People scrambled to rooftops for safety, desperate for food and drinking water. The winds were so strong that even beds in Hyatt Hotel were seen flying out of the hotel windows. The loss was tremendous. Most of the major roads and bridges were destroyed, and houses collapsed. Nearly 2,000 people were killed. After the storm, several natural grounds for the breeding and migrating of different species of animals and birds were permanently lost.

Question 1: New Orleans is famous for ___________.

A.  its modern architecture                     C. its Mississippi River

B. its cross-cultural heritage                    D. its location

Question 2: Which statement is NOT correct about New Orleans?

A. It lies between the Mississippi River and lakes.

B. One of its attractions is its annual music festivals

C. The city is surrounded by water.

D. Most of the city is below sea level.

Question 3: Which one is NOT mentioned as being damaged by Hurricane Katrina?

A. Distinctive architecture         B. The levee system      C. Major roads        D. Houses

Question 4: The word ‘tremendous' means ___________.

A.puzzling                       B. huge                 C. unique                   D. legendary

Question 5: The word ‘permanently' is similar to ___________.

A.  temporarily            B.  partially                  C.  forever         D.  rarely

Passage 2:

        How can scientists predict earthquakes? Earthquakes are not scattered anywhere but happen in certain areas. They happen in places where pieces of the earth’s surface meet. For example, earthquakes often occur on the west-coast of North and South America, around the Mediterranean Sea, and along the Pacific coast of Asia.

Another way to predict earthquakes is to look for changes in the earth’s surface, like a sudden drop of water level in the ground. Some people say animals can predict earthquakes. Before earthquakes people have seen chickens sitting in trees, fish jumping out of the water, snake leaving their holes and other animals acting strangely.

After an earthquake happens, people can die from lack of food, water and medical supplies. The amount of destruction caused by an earthquake depend on types of building, soil conditions and population. Of the 6000 earthquakes on the earth each year, only about fifteen cause great damage and many deaths.

Question 1:  Earthquakes happen in certain areas where _______________.

A. the population is large             B. pieces of the earth’s surface meet

C. the soil conditions are stable      D. many buildings are built

Question 2: Earthquakes often happen along ________________.

A. the east-coast of North America          B. the east-coast of South America

C. the Pacific coast of Asia             D. the coast of Australia

Question 3: Looking for ____________ can help predict earthquakes.

A. changes in the earth’s surface        B. water beneath the earth’s surface

C. drops of water                     D. water currents

Question 4: After an earthquake, as a result of _________ people may die.

A. lack of food                              B. lack of friendship

C. lack of information              D. lack of knowledge

Question 5: The passage mainly discusses ______________.

A. the damage caused by earthquakes B. how strong earthquakes are

C. strange animal behaviors                         D. how to predict earthquakes