· For questions 1 - 6, read the three texts below and decide which answer (A, B, C, or D) best fits each gap.

Supermarket Opening

The opening of a new supermarket used to be a bit of an event in Britain. You could always rely on a soap star, a disc jockey, or a minor member of the royal family to come down and cut the ribbon. Now it seems that new branches are (1) .... up every day in many areas and so the poor old celebrity has become (2) .... . Why pay a famous person when any Tom, Dick or Harry will open it for nothing? Last week, waiting pensioners didn't care who opened the new branch of Superbuy, (3) .... they were at the front. According to one prospective customer who knew someone who worked there, the first five men over the (4) .... would be getting a bottle of aftershave, and the first five women, a bunch of flowers. This (5) .... of information quickly swept (6) .... the crowd, instilling feelings of smug superiority among those at the front, and envy from the latecomers.

1)  A. popping      B. leaping      C. jumping     D. nipping

2)  A. superfluous      B. excessive      C. surplus      D. residual

3)  A. despite      B. so long as      C. in case       D. regardless

4)  A. entrance     B. doorway     C. threshold      D. barrier

5)  A. clipping      B. strand      C. string      D. snippet

6)  A. among      B. through      C. across      D. around

• For questions 1 - 7, read the three texts below and decide which answer (A, B, c, or D) best fits each gap.

This book began when I (1) ............. a suggestion to try my hand as a political journalist nine years ago. What makes this (2) .............  so wonderfully bearable is that unfashionable as it now is to say so, I'm rather fond of British Members of Parliament. They can be dreadfully silly, of course, and there are days when they irritate (3) ............. measure. Occasionally, even, comes a moment when an MP's speech or behavior (4) .............  genuine anger, goading me into an attempt at lofty (5) ............. But I always regret it. It rarely reads well the next day. There are other journalists to ride high horses and my mission, I think, is to remind readers that their MPs are often more (6) .............  than they are wicked and that, through the laughter, we may discern the outlines of arguments, ambitions, even principles. MPs are mostly human, rarely scaling the heights nor often touching the depths to (7) .............   the famous figures of history fly. Only a handful among them are of unusual intelligence but many are effective and most are hard-working.

1, A. agreeable B. approved       C. accepted     D. agreed

2, A. slavery       B. servitude     C. maid      D. charwoman

3, A. far off      B. yonder     C. further on    D. beyond

4, A. arouses       B. awake     C. set off        D. enkindle

5, A. condemnation   B. condemn     C. self-condemnation    D. admonition

6, A. ludicrous   B. ridiculous     C. laughable     D. outrageous

7, A. whichever   B. whose     C. whomsoever     D. which

Read the passage below and choose the best answer for each question.

            If you were to stop people in the street and ask them to name a ship that had been sunk, it is likely that nearly all of them would say the Titanic. For the sinking of the Titanic was, if not the most tragic, certainly the most famous sea disaster in the history of ocean travel.

            The Titanic was built as a luxury liner, intended to be the fastest in the world, and a great deal of publicity had surrounded it. The last point probably explains why so many important people from all walks of life were on the boat when it went down.

            The Titanic was on its maiden voyage to America in 1912 when it struck an iceberg and sank. Of its 2,300 passengers, more than two-thirds were drowned. Because the Titanic was thought to be virtually unsinkable, no one was prepared for the tragedy. There was total panic as very few of the passengers had bothered to learn the necessary drill in the event of trouble. There was severe shortage of lifeboats and those that were launched were still half-empty. The one point of calm was to be found in the ballroom where the band carried on playing right to the very end.

What makes the sinking of the Titanic even more tragic is the fact that warnings of icebergs had been sent, yet the liner was still continuing at full speed. In addition, one ship was only ten miles away but did not receive the distress signal.

            One good thing did, however, result from the disaster. The whole question of safety at sea was looked into, resulting in much better safety measures, including stricter lifeboat regulations and the establishment of an iceberg patrol.

1. The sinking of the Titanic was______.

A. the most tragic sea disaster.                                   B. the most historic sea disaster.

C. the most famous sea disaster                                  D. the first great sea disaster.

2. What can the word “maiden” be best replaced with?

A. first                         B. historical                             C. important                D. last

3. The life boats were______.

A. too short                 B. launched too soon              C. half finished           D. poorly equipped

4. The word “ those” refers to______.

A. passengers              B. icebergs                              C. people                     D. lifeboats

5. The positive result of the disaster was that______.

A. a full inquiry was made.                             B. sea travel was made safer

C. lifeboats were made larger.                        D. a program of iceberg destruction was started.      

VI. Read the text below and decide which answer (A, B, C or D) best fits each question;

Brazil, the largest country in South America and the fifth largest country in the world, is located in the eastern half of South America. The people of Brazil are famous for their outgoing, friendly, and fun-loving nature. Brazilian women are considered to be among the best dressed in the world. Brazil is a federal republic with 23 states. The capital city is Brasilia. Portuguese is the official language and it is spoken with a distinct Brazilian accent. Brazil has population of over 138 million, which is made of people of many different races and ethnic groups. A number of industrial products are produced in Brazil, including cars, chemicals, ships, machines, and military weapons. Mining is also an important industry. Agriculture is another important industry. Many crops are exported including coffee (Brazil is the largest coffee grower in the world), cotton, soybeans, sugar, cocoa, rice, corn and fruit.

1. Who are considered to be among the best dressed in the world?

A. Brazilian men                     B. Brazilians                C. Americans              D. Brazilian women

2. How are the people of Brazil?

A. Outgoing, famous, and natural.                 B. Outgoing, friendly, and natural.

C. Outgoing, friendly, and fun-loving.           D. Famous, friendly, and fun-loving.

3. The word “rice” in line 11 is closest in meaning to            .

A. a kind of vegetables           B. a kind of grains      C. a kind of meat          D. a kind of drinks

4. What is the most significant agricultural product in Brazil?

A. cocoa                                  B. coffee                     C. corn                        D. cotton

VII. Choose one suitable word which best fits each gap of the passage.(3 points)

            Music is an art that puts sounds together in a way that people like or find (1) …….. Most music includes people (2) …….. their voice or (3) …… musical instruments, such as a piano, a guitar, or drums. People can enjoy music by (4) ……. to it. They can go to the (5) …….to hear musicians perform. Classical music is usually (6) ………in concert halls, but sometimes huge ( 7) ……… are organized in which it is performed outside, in a field or a stadium, like pop festivals. People can listen to music on CDs, computers, Ipods, televisions, radios, cassettes/recordplayers and even (8) …… People can learn to play a musical instrument such as the piano, the guitar, the bass, the trumpet, the drums, or the flute. Anyone can make up his or her own (9) ….. of music. It is not difficult to (10) …… simple  songs  or melodies, but it is easier for those who can play an instrument themselves.

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

2.      A. saying                   B. thinking                  C. singing                    D. telling

3.      A. playing                  B. singing                    C. doing                      D. making

4.      A. writing                  B. typing                     C. listening                  D. chatting

5.      A. concerts                B. plays                       C. dramas                    D. movies

6.      A. done                      B. performed               C. read                                    D. made

7.      A. songs                     B. meetings                 C. festivals                  D. classes

8.      A. books                    B. mobiles                   C. songs                      D. poems

9.      A. piece                     B. unit                         C. part                         D. lesson

10.  A. do                                     B. compose                 C. say                          D. make          

VIII. Fill in each numbered blank with ONE suitable word. (3 points)

                                                CHRISTMAS IN ENGLAND

            In England, children get their presents (1) ............ Christmas Eve, the 24^th of December. Father Christmas comes at (2) ........when everyone is asleep. His (3) ........... can fly and takeshim from house to house to ( 4) ........all the gifts. They land on the roofs of the houses and then Father Christmas (5) .......down the chimney to leave the presents (6) .........the Christmas tree. In the morning of Christmas Day, the 25^th of December, children usually get up very early to unwrap their (7) .......... Then they have plenty of time to play with their new toys. Christmas dinner is served (8) ......... the early afternoon. Most people eat turkey, sprouts and loads of other vegetables, not forgetting Christmas(9) .......... The 26^th of December is called Boxing Day. It has not always been a holiday. People used to go back to work on that day where their bosses gave them little Christmas presents in small boxes. That is (10) .......... the day is called Boxing Day.

Write your answers here:

Question 1: (10 points) Read the following passage and decide which answer (from A, B, C or D) best fits each gap. Write your answer in the space provided.

                                                                POSTCADS

Today, people like to send postcards (1)   _ their friends and family. These postcards often have pictures  of  beaches,  mountains  or  castles  on  them  and  you  (2)                  write  a  message  on  the

 and the  pictures  on  them  are  often  (5)   than  people‟s  own  photos.  Somebody  sent  the  first

their newspapers then.

Your anwers:

Read the passage and decide which answer A, B, C or D best fits each space
Spring is a time when there are many festivals in our country. Among them, Hoa Ban
Festival is the most beautiful and interesting and it takes place in Lai Chau. It is typical of
the (1)_______ life of the Thai people. In the second lunar month of the year, when it
(2)_______ warmer and Hoa ban - a kind of beautiful flower in the northwest mountainous
area - blossoms, Hoa Ban Festival is (3) ________. This is a great time for everyone,
(4)_______ for boys and girls. The boy picks the most beautiful flower and gives it to his
girlfriend. This is not only a time for love but also for the Thai people to (5)_______ for
good crops, for happiness, and express their special thanks to the Gods and ancestors. The
festival is always full of songs and prayers.
1. A. cultural B. festival C. minor D. custom
2. A. gets B. goes C. runs D. comes
3. A. observed B. seen C. celebrated D. arranged
4. A. largely B. especially C. typically D. generally
5. A. look B. ask C. call D. pray
 

IX. Read the following passage and decide which option A, B, C or D best fits each space. Write your answers in the box below.

                                                SEASONAL ADVICE

If you are about to graduate from school or college this summer and feel in need of a little advice about what’s important in life, you could do a lot worse than consider the words of  ___(1)____that were read out on my last day at school. Do not expect to understand the value of your youth until it has ____(2)_____. But you can be sure that thirty years from now you’ll _____(3)_____ back on life and  _____(4)_____ just how good things were.

Try not to worry about the future – or at least be aware that worrying never really helps to solve anything. Real troubles will always sneak up and _____(5)_____ you by surprise. But remember it doesn’t do any harm to do something that scares you every so often.

Do not lie and cheat – especially in love – and do not _____(6)_____ up with people who deceive you. Do not let opportunities pass you by, as the time to do things simply runs ____(7)______. Today is almost certainly more important than tomorrow.

It helps to be kind ______(8)___ your neighbors and colleagues – it’s nice and they’ll  miss  you when you’re not ____(9)_____. Friends come and go but there are a precious few that you should try and  _____(10)_____ on to. Without quality friends, quality time is harder to come by.

1. A. knowledge                     B. learning                               C. opinion                               D. wisdom

2. A. gone                               B. been                                    C. lasted                                  D. spent

3. A. come                               B. look                                                C. think                                   D. go

4. A. remind                            B. rethink                                C. recall                                   D. reappear

5. A. get                                  B. happen                                C. appear                                 D. take

6. A. look                                B. come                                   C. put                                      D. bring

7. A. out                                  B. down                                  C. off                                      D. over

8. A. about                              B. to                                        C. with                                                D. for

9. A. in                                    B. around                                C. with                                                D. over

10. A. take                              B. hold                                                C. stay                                     D. stick

I. Multiple choice question: Read the text and decide which answer (A, B, C or D) best fits each space. There is an example at the beginning (0). (2pts/10 sentences)

Kate has three (1) …………..a day: breakfast, lunch and dinner. She usually (2) ………….. breakfast at home. She has bread, eggs and milk (3) ………….. breakfast. (4) ………….. school, Lan and her friends always (5) ………….. lunch at one o’clock. They often have fish or meat, vegetables for lunch. Kate has dinner (6) ………….. her parents at home at 7 o’clock. They often have meat or fish, bread, chicken (7) ………….. vegetables for dinner. After dinner, they eat (8) ………….. fruits or cakes. Kate (9) ………….. dinner because it is a big and happy meal of the day. Her family goes out for dinner (10) ………….. a month.

1.      A. breakfast         B. lunch             C. meals               D. cooking

2.      A. have                B. has                C. do                     D. does

3.      A. on                   B. in                   C. to                      D. for

4.      A. At                    B. In                  C. On                     D. For

5.      A. has                  B. have              C. having               D. to have

6.      A. to                    B. for                 C. with                   D. and

7.      A. and                 B. or                   C. to                      D. in

8.      A. a                     B. an                   C. any                    D. some

9.      A. like                 B. likes                C. to like                D. not like

10.   A. one                B. one time          C. once                  D. once time

Part C: Read the text below and decide which answer (A, B, C or D) best fits each spacce (10 points)

Many parents believe that they should begin to teach their ......(1)..... to read when they are more than todders. This is fine if the child shows a real interest bujt ......(2)..... a child could be counter- productive if she isn`t ready. Wise parents will have a relaxed attitude and take the ....(3)...... from their child . What they should provide is a selection of ......(4)...... toys, books, and other activities. Nowadays, there is a plenty good .....(5)..... available for young children, and of course, seeing plenty of books in use about the house will also .....(6)...... them to learn.

Of course, books are no longer the only .....(7).... of stories and information. .....(8)....... is also a huge range of videos , which can reinforce and extend the pleasure a child finds in a book and are .....(9)...... valuable in helping to in crease vocabulary and concentration . Television gets a bad .....(10).... as far as children are concerned, mainly because too many spend too much time watching programs not intended for their are group.

1. A. children                                B. adults                           C. off- springs                    D. babies

2. A. insisting                                B. forcing                         C. making                          D. starting

3. A. guide                        B. way                              C. lead                               D. part

4. A. bright                      B. thrilling                        C. energetic                        D. stimulating

5. A. material                                B. sense                            C. produce                         D. amusement

6. A. provoke                                B. encourage                    C. support                          D. attract

7. A. source                       B. site                               C. style                               D. basis

8. A. it                               B. that                              C. there                              D. this

9. A. properly                    B. worthily                       C. perfectly                        D. equally

10. A. review                                B. press                            C. criticism                         D. result