PAGE TÀI LIỆU TIẾNG ANH NÂNG CAO KỲ THI HỌC SINH GIỎI VÒNG TỈNH THPT

ĐỀ THI THỬ HSG TỈNH SỐ 06 NĂM 2020

II. PHONETICS (10 POINTS)

Part 1. Choose the word whose underlined part is pronounced differently from the others.
26. A. considered B. rescued C. pulled D. roughed
27. A. types B. sites C. changes D. cokes
28. A. uncertain B. unbeatable C. unanimous D. undone
29. A. shield B. cement C. executive D. spill
30. A. archaic B. chaperon C. choreograph D. chasm

Part 2. Choose the word which is stressed differently from the others.
31. A. survive B. enlarge C. struggle D. occur
32. A. specify B. illustrate C. interact D. fertilize
33. A. preservative B. conventional C. reliable D. intellectual
34. A. homemade B. farmhand C. bookshop D. tradesman
35. A. testimony B. prerequisite C. aristocrat D. commentary
GRAMMAR (40 POINTS)

Part 1. For questions 36-55, choose the correct answer A, B, C or D to each of the following questions and write
your answers in the corresponding numbered boxes provided.
36. Mrs Smith and her students are visiting the zoo.
Mike: "Can I feed the gorilla, Mrs Smith?"
Mrs Smith: "____________. The sign says 'No feeding the animals'."
A. Of course you can B. I don't think it works
C. I'm sure about that D. I'm afraid not
37. “____________ any character in Game of Thrones. Who would you choose?
“Definitely Jon Snow!”
A. Supposing you had been B. Imagine that you be
C. Say you could be D. What if you would be
38. On the battlefield ____________.
A. the tanks lay B. did the tanks lie
C. lay the tanks D. lied the tanks
39. Nuclear waste disposal is a growing problem ____________.
A. considering that no state permits radioactive material transported on its roads or to bury it inside its borders
B. considering that no state permits neither radioactive material transported on its roads or buried inside its borders
C. because no state permits radioactive material transported on its roads or buried inside its borders
D. because no state will permit radioactive material not only to be carried on its roads but in addition also buried
inside its borders
40. The police have expressed ____________ concern about the missing child's safety.
A. critical B. essential C. significant D. grave
41. The design is ____________ from Japanese porcelains of the fourteenth century.
A.imitated B. copied C. emulated D. faked
42. She did not tolerate press ____________ into her private life.
A. invasion B. intrusion C. infringement D. interference
43. Queen Elizabeth II’s ____________ took place in 1953 at Westminster Abbey in London.
A. empire B. colony C. throne D. coronation
44. Her punky hairstyle showed she was not one for following the ____________.
A. flock B. herd C. swarm D. group
45. Harry was offered a scholarship to study in Japan and he ____________ the opportunity with both hands.
A. grasped B. grabbed C. held D. passed
46. It was an extremely hostile article which cast _____________ on the conduct of the entire cabinet.
A. criticism B. aspersions C. disapproval D. abuse
47. The most important parts of your job may seem difficult now but they will become second _____________ to you
within a couple of weeks.
A. instinct B. thought C. nature D. mind
48. I know you have a good voice and have ambitions to be an opera singer but do not give up your day
_____________ yet.
A. situation B. work C. job D. place

1
49. Substantial members of the _____________ members ignored the union advice.
A. all and sundry B. flesh and blood
C. head and shoulders. D. rank and file
50. Searching for one man in this city is like looking for a ______________.
A. salt of the earth B. sand in the desert
C. needle in a haystack D. drop in the ocean
51. Don’t worry about Grandad getting tired on the walk – he’s as tough as old _____________.!
A. boots B. nails C. rocks D. horses
52. I adore walking around the old city of Venice – just _____________ the atmosphere!
A. heading for B. soaking up C. getting in D. pulling up
53. Our tenants have _____________ with the rent again. How can we persuade them to pay us the money they owe?
A. fallen behind B. put up C. poured through D. slid down
54. Sorry, Sir. I wanted to let you know that I’ve _____________ the contract, so all we need now is the client’s
signature.
A. keyed into B. noted down C. drawn up D. measured up
55. I ‘ve been working a lot of overtime during the last month because we’ve been _____________ under with orders.
A. piled B. flooded C. rained D. snowed
Part 4. For questions 66-75, find and correct 10 mistakes in the passage. Write them in the numbered boxes
provided.
The impact of malnutrition on children's learning is not simply that they are tired and unable to concentrate in class
although they have not eaten enough on a given day. Malnutrition in the first 1000 days - from the start of a woman's
pregnancy until her child's second birthday - has a devastating impact on children's future potential. It restricts their
cognitive development, meaning they are more likely to be sick and miss out of school, and reduces their ability to
learn. This 1000-day window is a critical time for structural brain development. Good maternal nutrition is essential:
pregnant or breastfeeding mothers who can't access to the right nutrients are more likely to have children with
compromised brain development and who suffer from poor cognitive performance. And once the child is born,
nutrition continues to play a key role in ensuring the brain development properly. But the effects of malnutrition on a
child's cognitive development and education go beyond the biology of the brain. A child's nutritional status can impact
on the experiences and stimulation that children receive. Parents sometimes treat a malnourished boy or girl different
because they are small, and this child is also more likely to miss school and key learning opportunities due to illness.
The impact is not just on academic achievement. Malnutrition is associated with children having lower self-esteem,
self-confidence and career aspirations. Malnourished children not only face with direct damage to their bodies and
minds, but are less confident to learn and aspire to change the situation they were born into. In the longer term,
malnutrition can have a big impact on earnings when children reach adult. The effects of malnutrition on physical
stature, the ability to do physical work, and on cognitive development, can lock children into poverty and entrench
inequalities. Children who are malnourished go on to earn 20% less as adults as the children who are well-nourished.
But there is some evidence that the difference could be even larger - one study has estimated this earning deficit for
malnourished children to 66%.
III. READING (50 POINTS)
Part 1. For questions 76-85, fill each of the following numbered blanks with ONE suitable word and write your
answers in the corresponding numbered boxes provided.
Today, more people than ever are choosing to 76.____________ under the knife in order to enhance their appearance.
From cheek implants to liposuction, men and women of all ages are flocking to surgeons who promise they can
forestall the ravages of 77.____________ or make them look more beautiful.
78.____________ subjects are as controversial as the escalating use of cosmetic surgery to reshape perfectly
functioning body parts towards some subjective aesthetic ideal. Many vehemently oppose the whole idea, denouncing
it 79.____________ an expression of society's worst impulses. Others embrace it, citing its ability to change lives. No
80.____________ what one's stance, it cannot be denied that cosmetic surgery (not to be confused with plastic
surgery, the surgical speciality dedicated to repairing body defects 81.____________ to birth disorders, trauma, burns
and disease) is a story of continual expansion. increased consumer demand, and growing social acceptability. What
was once the province of celebrities and the rich has trickled down the social scale and is now within the grasp of
anyone with the time and inclination. What was once kept 82.____________ wraps is now discussed openly, if not
braggingly.
The thing about beauty that makes it the perfect marketing concept is its elusiveness. 83.____________ when you
have it, you're constantly at risk of losing it, or at least being jostled aside by someone with more of it. Cosmetic
surgery success is built on the powerful emotions of denial and envy, not just vanity. It thrives on our refusal to accept
the body we were 84.____________ with, and our collective denial of aging. It feeds our envy of those who embody
nature's most powerful 85.____________ fleeting charms: youth, strength and beauty.

2
Part 2. For questions 86-95, read the text below and decide which answer A, B, C or D best fits each gap. Write
your answers in the corresponding numbered boxes provided.
You may think that’s easy to answer: surely a good school is one which (86) _____________ good exam results. After
all, it is these results which will (87) _____________ students to get into good universities. However, schools are
about much more than exams. They are about education for all, from the most academic to the least. A good school
has three (88) _____________ ingredients: good leadership from the head, dedicated teachers with high (89)
_____________ for all students, and students who want to be there and are willing to (90) _____________ rules and
respect one another. It isn’t easy to (91) _____________ around a failing school, but research has shown that a strong
and (92) _____________ leader is often the key to success. A good head or principal of a school will (93)
_____________ teachers and students alike, will not tolerate bullying or bad behaviour and will (94) _____________
the respect of all. He or she will make sure teachers are encouraged and assisted in their work, and that they receive
the training they need to do their job efectively; once this is in place, teachers are happier and more fulfilled and
students (95) _____________ the benefits. Some will go on to get brilliant academic results, others may not do so well
in their exams, but provided they have reached their potential and they have passed with acceptable grades, the school
will not have failed them.
86 A conveys B delivers C brings D gives
87 A allow B accept C admit D enable
88 A critical B acute C crucial D burning
89 A expectations B ideals C opportunities D potentials
90 A accept B understand C grasp D follow
91 A go B turn C direct D transform
92 A inspirational B moving C promising D uplifting
93 A drive B provoke C motivate D arouse
94 A control B order C command D direct
95 A earn B obtain C realise D reap

Part 3. For questions 96-108, read the following passage and do the tasks that follow.
Keep taking the tablets
The history of aspirin is a product of a rollercoaster ride through time, of accidental discoveries, intuitive reasoning,
and intense corporate rivalry
In the opening pages of Aspirin: The Remarkable Story of a Wonder Drug, Diarmuid Jeffreys describes this little
white pill as `one of the most amazing creations in medical drug so astonishingly versatile that it can release headache,
ease your aching limbs, lower temperature and treat some of the deadliest human diseases’.
Its properties have been known for thousands of years. Ancient Egyptian physicians used extracts from the willow tree
as an analgesic, or pain killer. Centuries later the Greek physician Hippocrates recommended the bark of the willow
tree as a remedy for the pains of childbirth and as a fever reducer. But it wasn't until the eighteenth and nineteenth
centuries that salicylates found in the willow tree - became serious scientific investigation. The race was on to identify
the active ingredient and to replicate it synthetically. At the end of the nineteenth century a German company,
Friedrich Bayer & Co, succeeded in creating a relatively safe and very effective chemical compound, acetylsalicylic
acid, which was renamed aspirin.
The late nineteenth century was a fertile period for experimentation, partly because of the hunger among scientists to
answer some of the great scientific questions, but also because those questions were within their means to answer. One
scientist in a laboratory with some chemicals and a test tube could make significant breakthroughs - whereas today, in
order to map the human genome, for instance, one needs an army of researchers, a bank of computers and millions and
millions of dollars’.
But an understanding of the nature of science and scientific inquiry is not enough on its own to explain how society
innovates. In the nineteenth century, scientific advance was closely linked to the industrial revolution. This was a
period when people frequently had the means, motive, and determination to take an idea and turn it into reality. In the
case of aspirin that happened piecemeal - a series of minor, often unrelated advances, fertilized by the century's
broader economic, medical and scientific developments, that led to one big final breakthrough.
The link between big money and pharmaceutical innovation is also a significant one. Aspirin's continued shelf life was
ensured because, for the first 70 years of its life, huge amounts of money were put into promoting it as an ordinary
everyday analgesic. In the 1970s, other analgesics, such as ibuprofen and pharmaceutical, were entering the market,
and the pharmaceutical companies then focused on publicizing these new drugs. But just at the same time, discoveries
were made regarding the beneficial role of aspirin in preventing heart attacks, strokes, and other afflictions. Had it not
been for these findings, this pharmaceutical marvel may well have disappeared.
So the relationship between big money and drugs is an odd one. Commercial markets are necessary for developing
new products and ensuring that they remain around long enough for scientists to carry out research on them. But the
commercial markets, are just as likely to kill of certain products when something more attractive comes along. In the
case of aspirin, a potential ‘wonder drug' was around for over 70 years without anybody investigating the way in

3
which it achieved its effects, because they were making more than enough money out of it as it was. If ibuprofen or
paracetamol had entered the market just a decade earlier, aspirin might then not be here today. It would be just another
forgotten drug that people hadn't bothered to explore.
None of the recent discoveries of aspirin's benefits were made by the big pharmaceutical companies; they were made
by scientists working in the public sector. ‘The reason for that is very simple and straightforward,' Jeffreys says in his
book. 'Drug companies will only pursue research that is going to deliver financial benefits. There's no profit in aspirin
anymore. It is incredibly inexpensive with tiny profit margins and it has no patent any more, so anyone can produce
it.’ In fact, there's almost a disincentive for drug companies to further boost the drug, he argues, as it could possibly
put them out of business by stopping them from selling their more expensive brands’.
So what is the solution to a lack of commercial interest in further exploring the therapeutic benefits of aspirin? More
public money going into clinical trials, says Jeffreys. 'If I were the Department of Health, I would say this is a very
inexpensive drug. There may be a lot of other things we could do with it." We should put a lot more money into trying
to find out.”
Jeffreys' book - which not only tells the tale of a 'wonder drug' but also explores the nature of innovation and the role
of big business, public money and regulation - reminds us why such research is so important.
Questions 96-101: Complete each sentence with the correct ending A—H from the box below. Write your answers
in the corresponding numbered box provided.
96. Ancient Egyptian and Greek doctors were aware of
97. Frederick Bayer & Co were able to reproduce
98. The development of aspirin was partly due to the effects of
99. The creation of a market for aspirin as a painkiller was achieved through
100. Aspirin might have become unavailable without
101. The way in which aspirin actually worked was not investigated by
A. the discovery of new medical applications.
B. the negative effects of publicity.
C. the large pharmaceutical companies.
D. the industrial revolution.
E. the medical uses of a particular tree.
F. the limited availability of new drugs.
G. the chemical found in the willow tree.
H. commercial advertising campaigns.
Your answers
96. 97. 98. 99. 100. 101.

Questions 102-106:
Do the following statements agree with the views of the writer in the passage?
Write your answers in the corresponding numbered box provided.
YES if the statement agrees with the views of the writer
NO if the statement contradicts the views of the writer
NOT GIVEN if it is impossible to say what the writer thinks about this
102. For nineteenth-century scientists, small-scale research was enough to make important discoveries.
103. The nineteenth-century industrial revolution caused a change in the focus of scientific research.
104. The development of aspirin in the nineteenth century followed a structured pattern of development.
105. In the 1970s, sales of new analgesic drugs overtook sales of aspirin.
106. Commercial companies may have both good and bad effects on the availability of pharmaceutical products.
Questions 107-108: Complete the summary below using the list of words below. Write your answers in the
corresponding numbered box provided.
Research into aspirin
Jeffreys argues that the reason why 107______________ did not find out about new uses of aspirin is that aspirin is no
longer a 108_______________ drug. He, therefore, suggests that there should be state support for further research into
the possible applications of the drug.
A. useful
B. cheap
C. state
D. international
E. major drug companies
F. profitable
G. commercial
H. public sector scientists

4
 I. health officials
Your answers
102. 103. 104. 105. 106. 107. 108.

Part 4. For questions 109-118, read the following passage and choose the answer A, B, C or D that fits best
according to the text. Write your answers in the corresponding numbered boxes provided.
Ancient Angkor
In the regions of Southeast Asia dwell the remains of an era that far exceeded its time in developments and
industrialization. This ancient city, which was mysteriously deserted in the 15 th century, is known as Angkor. Located
in Cambodia, Angkor was established in 802 CE as the seat of the Khmer Empire. Khmer was the largest continuous
empire in Southeast Asia. Its main city of Angkor grew and developed until it was abandoned in the year 1431. Many
historians theorize as to why it was abandoned, but the mystery remains.
Angkor was a city of power, industry, architecture, and cultural unity, which is why speculation surrounds its decline.
The ancient Khmer city stretched over an area of nearly 120 square miles, comparable to present-day Los Angeles.
Each successive ruler to the throne brought significant additions that diversified the territory. One ruler is known for
constructing a baray, a massive water reservoir. Another built the imposing Angkor Wat, a temple of great proportions
that survived the city’s demise and exists today as a Buddhist temple. Along with over seventy other temples in the
region, Angkor was home to an expansive waterworks of marked ingenuity when nothing of its kind existed in the
world. The civilization was structured around the Mekong River. Intricate and sophisticated irrigation systems were
fashioned to transport water to people and fields in all parts of the city, including those removed from the central
water source. For this, the city became known as the “Hydraulic City.” The people of Angkor were led by an
extensive court system, made up of religious and secular nobles as well as artisans, fishermen, rice farmers, soldiers,
and elephant keepers. The civilization was guarded by an army transported by elephants and ruled by shrewd and
powerful kings. Yet after 600 years of existence, an abandoned shell was all that remained.
The land, buildings, and architecture were reclaimed by the surrounding forest regions until the 19 th century,
when French archaeologists discovered the remains and began restoring sites in the great city of Angkor. Since
then, theories have evolved over time relating to the death of Angkor’s civilization. The first theory states that the city
fell because of war. The last two centuries of Angkor’s existence showed a decline in the Khmer Empire’s population
and power. Ongoing wars with neighboring Thailand had devastated the nation. In 1431, attackers from Thai nations
invaded and looted Angkor, leaving it desolate and vacant. Continuous war with Thailand culminating in a final attack
on the city could have weakened the empire and led to the city’s demise.
Another theory states that a change in religion led to the country’s downfall. The Khmer Empire had predominately
been a Hindu nation, and the people were unified in their religion. Jayavarman VII, acclaimed as the greatest of
Angkor’s kings, took the throne in 1181 CE. He instituted a change in religion from Hinduism to Mahayana
Buddhism. This action subsequently could have destroyed the unity of the people and the overall foundation of the
empire.
 A) Natural disaster is another feasible possibility for the scattering of people from the Angkor region. B)
Historians say earthquakes, floods, and drastic climate changes would have been capable of stripping Angkor of its
people. C) One researcher hypothesized that the city suffered from a lack of water due to the transition from the
medieval warm period to the little ice age. Others dismiss this idea. D)
However, a recently developed theory built on the work of French archaeologist Bernard-Philippe Groslier may have
shed the most light on Angkor’s demise. The theory suggests that the Angkorian civilization was “defined, sustained,
and ultimately overwhelmed by over-exploitation and the environmental impacts of a complex water-management
network.” Its vast waterworks proved too great for the city to manage. Also, supplying such a massive empire with
water had adverse effects on the environment. Ecological problems included deforestation, topsoil degradation, and
erosion due in part to clearing vegetation for cropland. Thus, the city inadvertently brought about its own
environmental collapse.
With the use of aerial photography and high-resolution, ground-sensing radar, researchers were able to support
Groslier’s theory with images that complete existing topographical maps. The radar detected surface structures as well
as subtle variances in surface vegetation and soil moisture. This proved that environmental erosion had occurred. The
combined images and ground-based investigations further revealed that Angkor was a victim of its own industrial
ingenuity, a city ahead of its time and vulnerable to its own power.
109. The author mentions the Khmer Empire in paragraph 1 in order to ________.
A. establish the size and importance of the civilization
B. explain the downfall of the main city in the empire
C. compare the nation’s size to a present-day location
D. demonstrate why people were not loyal to the city
110. The word speculation in the passage is closest meaning to________.
A. evidence B. mystery C. question D. growth

5
 111. According to paragraph 2, which of the following is true about the waterworks built within Angkor?
A. They transported drinking water to Angkor Wat.
B. They were a money-making venture for the city.
C. They were built to extend the water supply.
D. They irrigated fields along the sides of the river.
112. All of the following are true about the city of Angkor EXCEPT_______.
A. It was built around a water source.
B. It had an advanced road system.
C. It surpassed other cities of its time.
D. It is home to a Buddhist shrine.
113. The word its in paragraph 2 refers to_______.
A. Angkor’s B. baray’s C. waterworks’ D. home’s
114. Which of the sentences below best expresses the essential information in the bolded sentence? Incorrect choices
may change the meaning in important ways or leave out essential information.
A. Archaeologists built a replica of what Angkor looked like.
B. Archaeologists uncovered the overgrown city and rebuilt its sites.
C. Finding the city, workers cleared the forest and studied the architecture.
D. The city’s architecture was inspired by the forest regions nearby.
115. What can be inferred from paragraph 4 about the people who inhabited Angkor?
A. They worshipped ruler Jayavarman VII.
B. Hinduism was central to their way of life.
C. Religion led to more violence among them.
D. They were unified regardless of national religion.
116. Look at the four squares [] that indicate where the following sentence could be added to the passage
These natural catastrophes would have likely resulted in destroyed buildings, ruined cops, and a decreased
water supply that would have forced citizens to leave.
Where would the sentence best fit?
A. first square B. second square C. third square D. fourth square.
117. The word inadvertently in the passage is closest in meaning to ________.
A. purposely B. freely C. sadly D. accidentally
118. According to paragraph 7, which of the following did researchers prove about Groslier’s theory with the use
of aerial photography and advanced radar?
A. The surface soil showed evidence of dirt washing away.
B. The waterworks were filled with topsoil.
C. Vegetation was thriving where soil was deeper.
D. Soil damage was stable throughout the changes

Your answers
109. 110. 111. 112. 113.

114. 115. 116. 117. 118.

IV. WRITING (50 points)

Part 1. Rewrite the following sentences using the words given.
126. John was quite frank about his criminal record. (SECRET)
- John made___________________________________________________________________
127. There have been a lot of redundancies in that area. (LOST)
- A lot of_____________________________________________________________________
128. Sue is always ready to help you out. (TURN)
- Sue ________________________________________________________________________
129. When he made friends in the new place, Ron became less shy and reserved. (SHELL)
- When_______________________________________________________________________
130. When you lose someone you love, everything else seems pointless. (PALES)
-When________________________________________________________________________