Choose the item (A, B, C or D) that best completes each of the following sentences.

                                                             SWIMMING

The warm rain tumbled from the gutter in one of those midsummer downpours as I hastened across the lawn behind my house and took shelter in the pool. Breaststroking up and down, I nosed along with eyes just at water level. Each raindrop exploded in a momentary, bouncing fountain that turned into a bubble and burst. The best moments were when the storm intensified, drowning birdsong, and a haze rose off the water as though the pool itself were rising to meet the lowering sky.

It was at the height of this drenching in the summer of 1996 that the notion of a long swim through Britain began to form itself. I wanted to follow the rain on its meanderings about our land to rejoin the sea, to break out of the frustration of a lifetime doing lengths, of endlessly turning back on myself like a tiger pacing its cage.

Most of us live in a world where more and more places and things are signposted, labeled, and officially 'interpreted'. There is something about all this that is turning the reality of things into virtual reality. It is the reason why walking, cycling, and swimming will always be subversive activities. They allow us to regain a sense of what is old and wild, by getting off the beaten track and breaking free of the official version of things. A swimming journey would give me access to that part of our world which, like darkness, misty woods, or high mountains, still retains most mystery.

1, The incident in 1996 illustrates that, to the writer, rain is a symbol of  ____________

A.    repetitive cycles.

B.    enviable freedom.

C.    destroyed illusions.

D.   threatening power.

→ Explanation: ………………………………………………………………………………………………….

2, Why does the writer regard swimming as a 'subversive activity'?

A.  It involves no equipment or technology.

B.  It replicates an ancient skill.

C.  It allows direct contact with nature.

D.  It requires no official permission.

→ Explanation: ………………………………………………………………………………………………….

→ Explaination: ………………………………………………………………………………………………….

2, Why does the writer regard swimming as a 'subversive activity'?

A.  It involves no equipment or technology.

B.  It replicates an ancient skill.

C.  It allows direct contact with nature.

D.  It requires no official permission.

→ Explaination: ………………………………………………………………………………………………….

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

Although 80% of Australians 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 centers. They also have recreational facilities. In large cities, like Sydney, the suburbs are often far from the center of town. Because many people commute to work, traffic is slow and there are many traffic jams.

Câu 41. Most of the Australians …………………

A. live in the cities                                   B. live downtown

C. live in the suburbs                               D. live on the farm

Câu 42. What does the word ‘their’ in line 3 refer to?

A. cities                          B. countries                   C. houses                       D. suburbs

Câu 43. Sydney is …………………..

A. large cities       B. a large city       C. a suburb                    D. the center of a town

Câu 44. Why are there many traffic jams?

A. Because the suburbs are often far from the center of town.

B. Because many people commute to work.

C. Because people live in houses - not in apartments.

D. Australians like to live downtown.

Câu 45. The cities in Australia …………………

A. are very beautiful

B. are not as large as cities in some other countries

C. are the biggest cities in the world

D. are noisy

Choose the item (A, B, C, or D) that best completes each of the following sentences.

During the first 80 years of the existence of the European settlement in Christchurch (1850-1930), four major earthquakes caused significant damage. The last of these happened in 1922 near Motuno, in the north of Canterbury.

Simulations carried out for New Zealand by the Earthquake Commission (EQC) in 1991 showed that earthquakes with a Mercalli intensity of VIII (significant property damage, life-threatening) and above can recur in Christchurch on average 55 years. The study also highlighted the danger of liquefaction of the alluvial sediments on which the city stands, as well as the high likelihood of damage to the water supply, sewerage, and electrical communications.

About 100 tectonic faults and fissures have been discovered within a radius of 20 km from the center of Christchurch. The nearest faults, capable of causing powerful earthquakes, were found in the Rangiora - Kast region, near Hororata and Darfield. However, the 2010 earthquake struck a previously unknown fault. Seismologists have hypothesized that the main earthquake in 2010 could have been two or three nearly simultaneous earthquakes.

The main quake occurred as a result of shear in the crust of the Pacific Plate near the eastern foothills of the Southern Alps on the western edge of the Canterbury Plain. The epicenter of the earthquake was located approximately 80–90 km southeast of the convergent boundary of the Australian and Pacific plates, passing along the island (Alpine and Hope Fault). Despite the distance from the boundary, the earthquake reflects right lateral movement in one of the many local faults formed as a result of the general relative movement of lithospheric plates and is associated with the spread of the Marlborough fault system to the south during recent geological time.

ANSWER THE QUESTION:

1, The effects of the great earthquake in 1991 ________.

A. damage to property and physical

B. affecting human life interfere.

C. property damage significant, life-threatening, may recur 55-year average.

D. affect the individual rights of the people.

2, What theories do seismologists have about the upcoming earthquake?

A. Make predictions about the earthquake in 2010.

B. Hypothesized that major earthquakes in 2010 maybe two or three earthquakes occur almost simultaneously.

C. It will occur due to a rupture in the crust of the Pacific Plate.

D. Occurs at least 2 or 3 times in 2010.

3, How many earthquakes have occurred in Christchurch?

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………

4, Which of the following is NOT mentioned in the above paragraph?

A. The earthquake can cause damage to the water supply system, sewerage, and electrical communications.

B. Fissures in the Rangiora - Karst region can cause strong earthquakes.

C. Earthquake motion to be reflected by one of the many local faultings.

D. The cause of the earthquake was the destruction of nature.

5, Which sentence is NOT true according to the last paragraph?

A. The main earthquake occurred due to the rupture of the crust of the Pacific plate.

B. The epicenter was located about 80-90 km south-east of the confluence of the Australian and Pacific plates.

C. Earthquake reflects the move right from one of the many local faults.

D. The earthquake is not related to the Marlborough fault system.

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. Choose the word or phrase that best completes each of the following sentences or do as directed. (3ms)

1. Choose the word whose underlined part is pronounced differently from the others.

        A. process                 B. claim                   C. carve                      D. scout

2. Choose the word whose stress doesn’t belong to the group.

A. convenient         B. selection             C. separate                D. deposit

3. Choose the incorrect part indicated by A, B, C or D

             I would like to taking a bicycle ride around the lake

                       A             B                               C             D

4. The boy ___________video games when his mom came into the room.

A. plays                   B. play                     C. was playing          D. is playing

5. Nam asked Hoa when ___________ to use a computer.

A. did she begin     B. she begins          C. has she begun       D. she had begun

6. Two team members ____ part in the contest are running to the river for water.

A. take                   B. taking                    C. taken                     D. took

7. “Could you close the window, please?”-

A. “OK”                     B. “Yes, I’d love to” C.” No, thank you” D. “Yes, please”

8. “Cover the wound so as to _______ the bleeding,” the doctor said to the nurse.

A. stopped              B. stopping               C. stop                        D. stops

9. Would you mind if I _______ on the television?

A. turned               B. turn                        C. turning                  D. turns

10. Mr. Brown told the men how _______ the environment.

A. to protect          B. protect                   C. protecting D. to protecting

11. It is not easy ________all the English words in this passage.

A. remember         B. to remember         C remembering         D. remembrance

12. The woman can’t walk so she uses ___________ to move around.

A. an eye chart     B. a stretcher C. a wheelchair         D. scales

13. Science and technology also have enormous effects _______ economic development.

A. with                      B. on                              C. to                                               D. of

14. Thanks _______ scientific progress, our world will be transformed greatly.

A. to                           B. for                                        C. of                                    D. about

15. Hung isn’t in his room. He ______ be in the garden.

A. should                   B. will                        C. may                                                D. could

16. Using ______ is an effective way of communication as long as you understand.

A. cultural differences   B. body language     C. multimedia                 D. message

17. The planets in the solar system are named ______the Roman Gods.

A. after                      B. with                       C. by                                       D. of

18.  She dislikes _______ through messages boards or online meetings.

A. communicating    B. to communicate     C. communicate             D. to communicating

From the four words or phrases (A, B, C or D) choose the one that best completes the sentence

Solar energy is considered as one kind of ______ fuel

A. various 

B. alternative 

C. replacing 

D. changing

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.

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.

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.