Đề luyện thi học sinh giỏi 4

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

ĐỀ THI THỬ HSG TỈNH SỐ 04 NĂM 2020

Môn thi: TIẾNG ANH


Thời gian thi: 180 phút (không kể thời gian giao đề)
Ngày thi:
Đề thi có 16 trang

* Thí sinh không được sử dụng tài liệu, kể cả từ điển


* Giám thị không giải thích gì thêm.
I. LISTENING (50 POINTS)

Part 1. For questions 1-9, listen to a discussion between a teacher and Mrs Bromley, a student’s
mother about her son Billy and decide whether these statements are True (T) or False (F). Write your
answers in the corresponding numbered boxes provided.
1. The teacher asked to see Mrs Bromley to discuss why Billy performed poorly in his exams.
2. Billy has become more isolated from his parents since his brother left home.
3. Billy tells his parents that he does not want to follow his brother’s footstep to go to university.
4. He parted ways with his girlfriend and has made no contact with her since then.
5. The teacher says that children tend to act out scenes from the violent films they watch.
6. Billy’s parents do not want him to bring his friends home.
7. The teacher suggests that Billy should seek professional help.
8. Mrs Bromley is upset because she feels that she has let her son down.
9. The teacher feels optimistic about finding a solution.

Your answers
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9.

Part 2. For questions 10-15, listen to a radio discussion in which two writers, Tom Blake and Sally
Beauchamp, talk about their careers and choose the correct answer A, B, C or D which fits best
according to what you hear. Write your answers in the corresponding numbered boxes provided.
10. What does Tom say about wanting to be a writer?
A. He had no idea that he would become a writer.
B. It was something he’d made up his mind to be.
C. It was always a possibility as a career.
D. He had no idea how one became a writer.
11. How does Tom feel about his contemporaries’ career choices at school?
A. He was baffled by their certainty.
B. He thought they lacked experience.
C. They hadn’t made their own decisions.
D. They were all following in their fathers’ footsteps.
12. What did it take Tom a long time to understand about American writers?
A. the importance of romance in their daily lives
B. the fact that their lives mirrored his own so closely
C. the influence that other people had on their writing
D. The practical considerations of time and money
13. How did Sally begin writing?
A. She was urged to write by her parents.
B. She became a journalist like her parents.

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C. Early on she started to keep a journal.
D. Negative experiences created a need to express herself.
14. What does Sally say about journalism?
A. It provides her with story ideas.
B. It gives her less time for fiction.
C. It doesn’t bring in enough money.
D. It interferes with family life.
15. What aspect of the writing life do they both agree on?
A. It’s important for writers to have wide experience.
B. Writing fiction doesn’t provide a reliable income.
C. Writers tend to become self-absorbed and egocentric.
D. Journalism is the best way into becoming a writer.

Your answers
10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15.

Part 3. For questions 16-25, listen to a lecture about healthy cities and supply the blanks with the
missing information. Write NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS taken from the recording for each
answer in the space provided.
The World Health Organization says a healthy city must:

- have a 16 ______________ and _________________environment.


- meet the 17 ________________ of all its inhabitants.
- provide easily accessible health services.
- encourage ordinary people to take part in 18_______________

Place/ Project Aim Method Achievement


Sri Lanka To upgrade squatter The Better housing and
Community Contracts settlements 19_____________ infrastructure
System constructed Provided better
infrastructure, e.g. 20_____________
drains, paths opportunities
Mali To improve sanitation 21_______________ Greater environmental
Cooperative in city graduates organizing awareness
garbage collection Improved living
public education conditions
campaign via
22______________
and discussion groups
Egypt To support Women provided with Rise in the
(Mokattam) disadvantaged women the 25________________
23______________ 24________________ and quality of life of
and equipment for young women
sewing and weaving

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II. PHONETICS (10 POINTS)

Part 1. Choose the word whose underlined part is pronounced differently from the others.
26. A. wanted B. helped C. wicked D. naked
27. A. buses B. horses C. causes D. ties
28. A. comfort B. hobby C. knowledge D. popular
29. A. club B. subtle C. climb D. doubt
30. A. foul B. fowl C. howl D. bowl

Part 2. Choose the word which is stressed differently from the others.
31. A. future B. involve C. prospect D. guidance
32. A. elephant B. violent C. mineral D. agreement
33. A. significant B. convenient C. fashionable D. traditional
34. A. educational B. preferentially C. administrative D. abnormality
35. A. overemphasis B. overdo C. overlord D. overstaffed

Your answers
26. 27. 28. 29. 30. 31. 32. 33. 34. 35.

III. LEXICO-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. Anne: “Thanks for the nice gift!” John: “____________ ”
A. In fact, I myself don’t like it. B. But do you know how much it costs?
C. You’re welcomed. D. I’m glad you like it.
37. In the past, why ____________ that memorising things was an effective learning method?
A. were teachers used to believing B. were teachers believing
C. did teachers use to believe D. would have teachers believe
38. ___________, I could attend the conference now.
A. Were the flight to have taken off on time B. Were it not for the abrupt delay
C. Were the flight not have been postponed at last minutes D. Were it to be a punctual flight
39. _________, the party began.
A. The music turning on B. The music having been turned on
C. Turning on the music D. Having turned the music on
40. Although not everyone is a fan of Justin Bieber, most people agree he is worthy of his ___________
success.
A. influential B. aspiring C. phenomenal D. resourceful
41. The careers fair is an excellent opportunity for students to meet ___________ employers and find
out what they are looking for in interviewees.
A. compulsory B. prospective C. conspicuous D. productive
42. The extra payments are a ___________ for most single mothers.
A. lifeline B. lifeguard C. lifeboat D. lifebelt
43. After the earthquake, the entrance hall was turned into a ___________ casualty ward.
A. mainstay B. makeshift C. piecework D. wayside
44. Megan was ___________ disappointed by her failure to pass the exam.
A. highly B. tragically C. badly D. bitterly
45. Her ___________ salary is $30,000 per annum, but that’s before taxes and deductions.
A. gross B. net C. fringe D. overtime
46. It was Alice’s year: a new home, a better job - everything just clicked into ___________.
A. spot B. position C. place D. spaceholes
47. The professor’s ___________theory is that singing preceded speech.
A. fancied B. fond C. pet D. prefer
48. I took what I meant to be a quick ___________ and didn’t wake up till it was all over.
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A. rat race B. top dog C. cat nap D. lame duck
49. I asked him, in vain, if we could rest for an hour but he had set his ___________ on reaching Danby
by nightfall.
A. heart B. eye C. head D. hand
50. It took me several seconds to grasp the meaning of her statement but finally the ___________
dropped.
A. penny B. axe C. hammer D. stone
51. Stephen really lost his ___________ when his dental appointment was cancelled yet again.
A. head B. voice C. calm D. rag
52. My train ___________ at 3.15, so could you ve there to collect me?
A. drops off B. pulls up C. gets in D. heads for
53. I’m ___________ for Jeff at tomorrow’s meeting as he has to go to a conference in Manchester.
A. copying in B. filling in C. measuring up D. picking up
54. Could you lend me some money to ___________ me over to the end of the month?
A. hand B. tide C. get D. make
55. I’m not sure if I’m doing it right, but I’ll try to ___________ahead with it anyway.
A. drive B. bang C. touch D. press

Your answers
36. 37. 38. 39. 40. 41. 42.
43. 44. 45. 46. 47. 48. 49.
50. 51. 52. 53. 54. 55.

Part 2. For questions 56-60, write the correct form of each bracketed word in the numbered space
provided.
We often think of consumerism as a new phenomenon brought about by (56-industry)
_______________. We bemoan the good old days when people were happy with their lot and didn’t
always crave new things, fashionable clothes and new furnishings for their house. But conspicuous
consumption is much older than we might imagine. The Chinese poet Lin Sumen wrote in 1808
about the super-rich flaunting their wealth, about women (57-yearn) _______________ for the latest
fashion, hoping to achieve (58-sophiticated) _______________ at last, despite the fact that with sleeves
almost half a metre wide, they (59-sure) _______________ must look quite (60-ridicule) ___________.
He bemoaned the fact that people spent fortunes doing up their houses to impress others or they
insisted on keeping the latest exotic pet; in this case, a rat! He could have been writing about any
developed country today.

Part 3. For questions 61-65, write the correct form of each bracketed word in the numbered space
provided.

61. Children are generally so ___________ (inquire) that travelling with them can be a joy – or a
nightmare.
62. The ___________ (mind) may be surprised by the mix of cultures in Jerusalem.
63. We and those of our class act 'rationally' in our fertility regulating behaviour, they act irrationally,
irresponsibly, without ___________ (thought) or knowledge.
64. Hospitals are on ___________ (stand) ready to deal with casualties being flown in from the crash
site.
65. The investigator said the killings were the result of poor procedure by trigger-happy police rather
than ___________ (meditate) murder.

Part 4. For questions 66-75, find and correct 10 mistakes in the passage. Write them in the numbered
boxes provided.
Never in the course of human interaction have so many shared so much about themselves to so many
others — and with so little apparent concern for their privacy. Was it just really a generation ago that
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people kept all but their most basic information under virtual lock and key? Today, we happily share our
date and place of birth, name of our first pet, mother's maiden name, favourite movie or book, favourite
colour, first school teacher — and myriad other snippets of information required by online services as a
part of their security procedures.
The basic premise behind this information-sharing is nothing new. Consumers have long been handed
over a little personal information in exchange for services such as banking and finance, utilities and
healthcare. The big difference is now that the information is digitized and accessible online — and we're
handing it out to virtually anyone who asks, regardless of how briefly the business has been in existence.
Of even greater concern to many is the amount and variety of information being gathered about us
without our explicit permission. Whereas retailers and others used to tweeze out information gleaning
through loyalty cards, prize draws and catalogue mailing lists, now these old standbies have been
massively augmented by customers researching and purchasing online, leaving in their wake a digital
trail of cookie crumbs detailing their needs, tastes and desires.
And then there's social media. If this isn't the Holy Grail for marketers, it's difficult to imagine what
would be. In this thoroughly 21st century communications channel, old notions of privacy simply do not
apply; sharing personal information, experiences and opinions are the whole point of the service. And,
wonders of wonders, consumers don't only provide it willingly — they provide it for free! Sure, some
people take the precaution of limiting access to their Facebook or Google+ pages, but even these people
typically are eager to share their thoughts via comment sections on news sites, reviews on retail sites
and on branded clubs and forums.

Your answers
66. 67. 68. 69. 70.

71. 72. 73. 74. 75.

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.
Although it may come as a 76.____________ to many people. postal services have existed in various
parts of the world for thousands of years. There is ample 77.____________ to suggest that both the
Assyrians and Babylonians had postal services. In China, a regular postal service was established in the
seventh century BC, which attained such a high level of efficiency over the centuries 78.____________,
some 2,000 years after its institution, it was winning the admiration of European explorers like Marco
Polo. Efficient postal services were also established in the Persian and Roman 79.____________,
although these services were mainly confined to members of the state; private citizens had to make
80.____________ with slaves and merchants to deliver their correspondence. In medieval Europe,
official postal services were organised by emperors and the papacy. 81.____________ as in ancient
times, though. private citizens continued to entrust their correspondence 82.____________ various
travellers. It wasn't 83.____________ the fourteenth century AD that merchants - those private citizens
with the greatest need for a speedy and regular exchange of correspondence - began to
84.____________ up regular courier services. The needs of business led to the development of the
postal service 85.____________ we know it today.

Your answers
76. 77. 78. 79. 80.

81. 82. 83. 84. 85.


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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.
It is fewer than 100 years since women were finally and fully (86) _____ in the United Kingdom.
Women over the age of 30 were allowed to vote in 1918, provided they met minimum (87) _____
qualifications. In other words, if they didn’t own or part-own a house or flat, for example, they would
not be (88) _____ the vote. In the same year, all men aged 21 and over were given the vote regardless of
property qualifications, but it was not until 1928 that women were given the same (89) _____ as men,
being allowed to vote from the age of 21. The (90) _____ age was then reduced for both men and
women in the UK in 1969, which was around the time when many women had begun fighting for the
same rights as men in the home and in the workplace. The Women’s (91) _____ Movement began in the
1960s and was concerned with issues such as the Married Women’s Property Act, equal opportunities,
equal pay and domestic violence. Traditionally, it had been almost impossible for women to be (92)
_____, especially if they were married and had children. They were usually financially (93) _____ on
their husbands. Things had only begun to change for women towards the end of the nineteenth century
when they were allowed to keep any money they earned with the introduction of the first Married
Women’s Property Act in 1870. Before this act, everything a married woman owned or earned (94)
_____ to her husband. Women gained a little more (95) _____ in 1964 when this act was revised and
women were allowed to keep half of any savings they might have made from money their husbands
gave them for housekeeping.

86. A liberated B enfranchised C emancipated D freed


87. A rights B proper C property D material
88. A granted B approved C enfranchised D accepted
89. A rights B honours C justice D autonomy
90. A property B independent C self-sufficient D voting
91. A Enfranchising B Sovereign C Liberation D Neutral
92. A emancipated B entitled C self-sufficient D obligated
93. A entitled B dependent C obligated D indebted
94. A belonged B entitled C tendered D assigned
95. A sovereignty B obligation C independence D maturity

Your answers
86. 87. 88. 89. 90.

91. 92. 93. 94. 95.

Part 3. For questions 96-108, read the following passage and do the tasks that follow.
What do we mean by being 'talented' or `gifted'? The most obvious way is to look at the work someone
does and if they are capable of significant success, label them as talented. The purely quantitative route
—`percentage definition' — looks not at individuals, but at simple percentages, such as the top five per
cent of the population, and labels them — by definition — as gifted. This definition has fallen from
favor, eclipsed by the advent of IQ tests, favored by luminaries such as Professor Hans Eysenck, where
a series of written or verbal tests of general intelligence leads to a score of intelligence.

The IQ test has been eclipsed in turn. Most people studying intelligence and creativity in the new
millennium now prefer a broader definition, using a multifaceted approach where talents in many areas
are recognised rather than purely concentrating on academic achievement. If we are therefore assuming
that talented, creative or gifted individuals may need to be assessed across a range of abilities, does this

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mean intelligence can run in families as a genetic or inherited tendency? Mental dysfunction — such as
schizophrenia — can, so is an efficient mental capacity passed on from parent to child?

Animal experiments throw some light on this question, and on the whole area of whether it is genetics,
the environment or a combination of the two that allows for intelligence and creative ability. Different
strains of rats show great differences in intelligence or 'rat reasoning'. If these are brought up in normal
conditions and then run through a maze to reach a food goal, the 'bright' strain make far fewer wrong
turns that the 'dull' ones. But if the environment is made dull and boring the number of errors becomes
equal. Return the rats to an exciting maze and the discrepancy returns as before — but is much smaller.
In other words, a dull rat in 'a stimulating environment will almost do as well as a bright rat who is
bored in a normal one. This principle applies to humans too — someone may be born with innate
intelligence, but their environment probably has the final say over whether they become creative or even
a genius.

Evidence now exists that most young children, if given enough opportunities and encouragement, are
able to achieve significant and sustainable levels of academic or sporting prowess. Bright or creative
children are often physically very active at the same time, and so may receive more parental attention as
a result — almost by default — in order to ensure their safety. They may also talk earlier, and this, in
turn, breeds parental interest. This can sometimes cause problems with other siblings who may feel
jealous even though they themselves may be bright. Their creative talents may be undervalued and so
never come to fruition. Two themes seem to run through famously creative families as a result. The first
is that the parents were able to identify the talents of each child, and nurture and encourage these
accordingly but in an even-handed manner. Individual differences were encouraged, and friendly sibling
rivalry was not seen as a particular problem. If the father is, say, a famous actor, there is no undue
pressure for his children to follow him onto the boards, but instead their chosen interests are
encouraged. There need not even by any obvious talent in such a family since there always needs to be
someone who sets the family career in motion, as in the case of the Sheen acting dynasty.

Martin Sheen was the seventh of ten children born to a Spanish immigrant father and an Irish mother.
Despite intense parental disapproval he turned his back on entrance exams to university and borrowed
cash from a local priest to start a fledgling acting career. His acting successes in films such as Badlands
and Apocalypse Now made him one of the most highly-regarded actors of the 1970s. Three sons —
Emilio Estevez, Ramon Estevez and Charlie Sheen — have followed him into the profession as a
consequence of being inspired by his motivation and enthusiasm.

A stream seems to run through creative families. Such children are not necessarily smothered with love
by their parents. They feel loved and wanted, and are secure in their home, but are often more
surrounded by an atmosphere of work and where following a calling appears to be important. They may
see from their parents that it takes time and dedication to be master of a craft, and so are in less of a
hurry to achieve for themselves once they start to work.

The generation of creativity is complex: it is a mixture of genetics, the environment, parental teaching
and luck that determines how successful or talented family members are. This last point —luck — is
often not mentioned where talent is concerned but plays an undoubted part. Mozart, considered by many
to be the finest composer of all time, was lucky to be living in an age that encouraged the writing of
music. He was brought up surrounded by it, his father was a musician who encouraged him to the point
of giving up his job to promote his child genius, and he learnt musical composition with frightening
speed — the speed of a genius. Mozart himself simply wanted to create the finest music ever written but
did not necessarily view himself as a genius — he could write sublime music at will, and so often
preferred to lead a hedonistic lifestyle that he found more exciting than writing music to order.

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Albert Einstein and Bill Gates are two more examples of people whose talents have blossomed by virtue
of the times they were living in. Einstein was a solitary, somewhat slow child who had affection at home
but whose phenomenal intelligence emerged without any obvious parental input. This may have been
partly due to the fact that at the start of the 20th Century a lot of the Newtonian laws of physics were
being questioned, leaving a fertile ground for ideas such as his to be developed. Bill Gates may have had
the creative vision to develop Microsoft, but without the new computer age dawning at the same time he
may never have achieved the position on the world stage he now occupies.

Questions 96-97: Complete the notes, which show how the approaches to defining 'talent' have
changed. Choose ONE or TWO WORDS from the passage for each answer. Write your answers in
the corresponding numbered box provided.

‘percentage definition’

96_________________

97__________________

Your answers
96. 97.

Questions 98-100: Which THREE of the following does the writer regard as a feature of creative
families? Write your answers in the corresponding numbered box provided.
A. a higher than average level of parental affection

B. competition between brothers and sisters

C. parents who demonstrate vocational commitment

D. strong motivation to take exams and attend university

E. a patient approach to achieving success

F. the identification of the most talented child in the family

Your answers
98. 99. 100.

Questions 101-102: Choose the appropriate letters A—D and write your answers in the corresponding
numbered box provided.
101. The rat experiment was conducted to show that

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A. certain species of rat are more intelligent than others.

B. intelligent rats are more motivated than 'dull' rats.

C. a rat's surroundings can influence its behavior.

D. a boring environment has little impact on a 'bright' rat.

102. The writer cites the story of Martin Sheen to show that

A. he was the first in a creative line.

B. his parents did not have his creative flair.

C. he became an actor without proper training.

D. his sons were able to benefit from his talents.

Your answers
101. 102.

Questions 103-107: Do the following statements agree with the claims of the writer in the passage?
Write your answers in the corresponding numbered box provided.
YES if the statement agrees with the writer's claims

NO if the statement contradicts the writer's claims

NOT GIVEN if it is impossible to say what the writer thinks about this

103. Intelligence tests have now been proved to be unreliable.

104. The brother or sister of a gifted older child may fail to fulfil their own potential.

105. The importance of luck in the genius equation tends to be ignored.

106. Mozart was acutely aware of his own remarkable talent.

107. Einstein and Gates would have achieved success in any era.

Question 108: From the list below choose the most suitable title for the whole of the passage. Write
your answers in the corresponding numbered box provided.

A. Geniuses in their time

B. Education for the gifted

C. Revising the definition of intelligence

D. Nurturing talent within the family

Your answers
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.

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THE RECYCLED ORCHESTRA

There is a village called Cateura in poverty-stricken Latin America that has to be seen to be believed: it
is a slum built on a landfill. People here live on garbage and from garbage. Tons of rotting debris are
dumped here daily, and the villagers swarm around the garbage trucks, picking over the pieces that
provide them with their livelihood. They are definitely the poorest of the region, yet they are a
passionate people with strong family bonds and friendships. Cateura is the setting of one of the most
amazing examples of how love and creativity can triumph over poverty.

It all started a few years ago, when one of the garbage pickers, known as “Cola”, joined forces with a
local musician, Favio, to start making instruments for the children of the slum. Cola grew up close to
Cateura and started working as a builder at the age of 7, when his father died. [A] After 3 decades of
hard labour in construction, he considered himself fortunate to become a trash collector, due to the
steady daily income it provides. As he puts it, “There will always be garbage, which means I will always
have a job.” Cola proved to be an untutored genius, creating violins and cellos from oil cans, flutes
from water pipes, and guitars from packing crates. The children and their parents were thrilled and
eventually one of the most unusual orchestras was formed. [B] Called the “Recycled Orchestra”, the
musicians use instruments that are made entirely out of trash.

Favio’s initial aim was simply to offer music lessons in order to keep the children out of the landfill and
away from drugs or illegal activities. Never in his wildest dreams could he have imagined the dedication
and support his endeavours would receive. Parents were thrilled that their children were being kept out
of trouble and soon there were more and more children wanting to take his music lessons. The problem
was the lack of instruments; in Cateura, a violin can cost more than a house. This is where Cola came
into the picture. Having experimented for months with instrument building, he ultimately fashioned
instruments that sounded superior to the “real instruments” that the state had donated to his cause.

For many years, the Recycled Orchestra was unheard of, until producer Alejandra Nash reached out to
filmmaker Juliana Penaranda-Loftus to work on a documentary about the underserved children of
Paraguay. Together they started an extensive research process during which they travelled to Paraguay
to interview different leads, among them the Minister of Education of Paraguay, community leaders,
school principals, and children from low-income families. Through their research, Alejandra and Juliana
discovered the Recycled Orchestra. A year later, the two of them returned to Paraguay to begin filming a
documentary about the musicians. With this preliminary footage, they launched a successful social
media campaign that, in just over seven months, brought over 160,000 Facebook friends to the project,
and had over 3 million views when their promotional video was released. This campaign also brought
the attention of media and sponsors from all over the world. Without the latter, Alejandra and Juliana’s
project would never have been completed. [C]

For the founders and members of this amazing troupe, this publicity is a golden opportunity to bring
attention to the issues of poverty, pollution and the hopeless predicament of so many children. [D] As
Favio says, “People realize we shouldn’t throw away trash so carelessly. Well, we shouldn’t throw away
people either.”

109: What is the author trying to express with the sentence 'People here live on garbage and from
garbage' in paragraph 1?
A. that the amount of garbage in the landfill is steadily increasing
B. that it is impossible for the villagers to leave the landfill
C. that garbage is an indispensable part of the villagers’ lives
D. that the villagers are becoming fed up with the garbage
110: How does the first paragraph describe Cateura?
A. as a village with the potential to become wealthy B. as a village with many contradictions
C. as a village whose residents have lost hope D. as a typical Latin American village
111: What does Cola appreciate about his job as a trash collector?
A. collaborating with others while collecting trash
B. the potential of attaining a higher position
C. the flexibility it offers him
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D. the stability it provides
112: What does the author mean by the phrase 'untutored genius' in paragraph 2?
A. that Cola’s skills are underestimated B. that Cola is being taken advantage of
C. that Cola’s musical abilities are unique D. that Cola’s talent is innate
113: Why did Favio start giving music lessons to the children from the village?
A. He wanted to find better uses for garbage.
B. He hoped to draw the media's attention to their situation.
C. He was concerned about their welfare.
D. He thought this could improve his skills in music.
114: What is said about Cola 's instruments?
A. The children’s parents helped construct them.
B. They are the result of trial and error.
C. They were unaffordable.
D. The government is giving them out to children in other areas.
115: What was the original purpose of the filmmakers who came to Paraguay?
A. to try to convince politicians to take action
B. to highlight the difficulties that local children face
C. to draw publicity to the Recycled Orchestra
D. to occupy the country 's youth in a creative way
116: What has the most important accomplishment of the filmmakers been so far?
A. getting social media sites to promote their cause
B. finding financial resources to fund their project
C. making an award-winning documentary
D. encouraging young people to play an instrument
117: Where would the following sentence best fit into the passage?
“Since then, they have formed strong bonds with the orchestra and continue to follow their progress.”
A. [A] B. [B] C. [C] D. [D]
“They” refer to Alejandra and Juliana.
118: What feeling is the author trying to evoke in this article?
A. a desire to visit poverty-stricken villages in Latin America
B. awe of the hidden musical talent that many people have
C. admiration for the undefeatable spirit of some children
D. pity for the plight of children living in slums

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

114. 115. 116. 117. 118.

Part 5. In the passage below, seven paragraphs have been removed. For questions 119-125, read the
passage and choose from the paragraphs A-H the one which fits each gap. There is ONE extra
paragraph which you do not need to use. Write your answers in the corresponding numbered box
provided.
The Rise of Silicon Valley
On January 11, 1971, an article was published in the trade newspaper Electronic News about the companies
involved in the semiconductor and computer industries in Santa Clara Valley at the southern end of San
Francisco Bay Area in California, USA. The article was entitled 'Silicon Valley USA', a reference to the fact that
silicon is the most important substance used in commercial semiconductors and their applications. The name
stuck, and in light of the commercial success of the companies there, 'Silicon Valley' is now used as a metonym
for the high-tech sector.

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119.

One such new business was the one founded by two graduates of the nearby Stanford University called Bill
Hewlett and David Packard. In 1938 the pair had $538, and along with Dave's wife Lucile, decided to rent a
property at 367 Addison Avenue, Palo Alto. For $45 a month they got a ground floor apartment for Dave and
Lucile, a garden shed where Bill slept, and a garage from which to run the business, a garage which has more
recently been dubbed 'The birthplace of Silicon Valley'.

120.

As time passed, the 200A was improved and developed, resulting in the 200B. Eight of these improved
oscillators were bought by The Walt Disney Company, for use in testing and certifying the Fantasound surround-
sound systems installed in cinemas for the 1940 movie Fantasia. Success was beginning to come.

121.

Although they are often considered to be the symbolic founders of Silicon Valley, they did not deal in
semiconductor devices until the 1960s. From then onwards, the semiconductor devices they made were mostly
intended for internal use, for such products as measuring instruments and calculators. Today, however, Hewlett-
Packard is the largest manufacturer of personal computers in the world.

122.

Terman also had a more direct influence through his role at Stanford University. The University had been
established in 1891 in the north-western part of the Santa Clara Valley, and from the start, its leaders aimed to
support the local region. The result was that the University played an important part in establishing and
developing local businesses, and indeed its alumni went on to found some major companies, not just Hewlett-
Packard, but such household names as Yahoo! and Google.

123.

Terman's proposal was taken up by Stanford University, and in 1951 Stanford Industrial Park was created. The
first tenant in the Park was Varian Associates, founded by Stanford alumni in the 1930s to make components for
military radars. Hewlett-Packard moved in two years later. The Park still flourishes to this day, although it is now
known as Stanford Research Park. Current tenants include Eastman Kodak, General Electric and Lockheed
Corporation.

124.

The 1950s were also a time of great development in electronics technology. Most importantly, the development
of the transistor continued. Research scientist William Shockley moved to the Santa Clara Valley region in 1956,
when he formed Shockley Semiconductor Laboratory. There his research team started constructing

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semiconductors from silicon, rather than germanium, as did most other researchers. The silicon transistors
proved to perform much better, and started to be used in radios and the early computers.

125.

Since the 1970s, however, the most important developments pioneered in Silicon Valley have been in
software and Internet services rather than hardware. So even though Hewlett-Packard remains the
largest producers of computers in the world, the future of Silicon Valley might well lie elsewhere.

A. Throughout their early years, Hewlett and Packard were mentored by one of their university
professors, Frederick Terman. Terman was Stanford University's dean of engineering and provost
during the 1940s and 1950s, and had a positive influence on many of the successful companies in
Silicon Valley. Indeed, his influence was such that he has been dubbed 'the father of Silicon Valley'.
Terman encouraged his students to form their own companies and personally invested in many of them,
and in this way nurtured many highly successful companies, including not just Hewlett-Packard, but
others such as Varian Associates and Litton Industries.

B. Hewlett-Packard was arguably the first company to offer a mass-produced personal computer,
namely the 9100A. For marketing reasons, however, the 9100A was sold as a 'desktop calculator'. It
simply did not resemble what was then considered a 'computer', namely the large machines being sold
by IBM. The 9100A fitted comfortably on a desk, and possessed a small screen and a keyboard. In fact,
it was more like an oversized and over-expensive precursor of a pocket calculator than a modern PC,
since its keyboard lacked letter keys.

C. Following the end of the Second World War in 1945, universities in the United States were
experiencing enormous enrolment demands from the returning military personnel. Terman proposed
launching a scheme which would kill two birds with one stone. The idea was to lease out land owned by
Stanford University to high-technology companies for their offices. This scheme would firstly finance
the University's growth requirements and thereby facilitate a larger student intake, and secondly provide
local employment opportunities for graduating students.

D. The beginnings of Silicon Valley can be traced back to the early twentieth century. At that time,
Santa Clara Valley was known for its orchards which flourished in California's balmy climate. There
were nevertheless a number of experimenters and innovators in such fields as radio, television and
military electronics, and several people were trying to take advantage of any business opportunities that
might arise.

E. It was also in Silicon Valley that other revolutionary electronic components were developed. The
silicon-based integrated circuit, the microprocessor and the microcomputer were all invented by
companies there, as well as such electronic devices as the mouse and the ink-jet printer. Indeed, Silicon
Valley has been the world's most important site of electronic innovation over the past 50 years.

F. In those early years, Hewlett-Packard was a company without a focused direction. They made a
whole range of electronic products, with diverse customers in industry and agriculture. In the 1940s,
their principal products were test equipment, including such devices as voltmeters, oscilloscopes and
thermometers. They aimed to provide better quality products than their competitors, and made a big
effort to make their products more sensitive and accurate than their rivals.

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G. Another bond between the University and the local high-technology businesses was established in
1954, with the creation of the Honors Cooperative Program. This programme allowed employees of the
businesses to pursue part-time graduate degrees at the University whilst continuing to work full-time in
their jobs. In this way, key workers in the electronics industry were able to hone their skills and
knowledge, creating the foundation for the development of Silicon Valley.

H. Of the many products Hewlett and Packard worked on, the first financially successful one was a
precision audio oscillator, a device for testing sound equipment. This product, the 200A, featured the
innovative use of a small light bulb as a temperature-dependent resistor in a critical section of the
circuit, which allowed them to sell it for $54.40, only a quarter of the price of their competitors' audio
oscillators.

Your answers
119. 120. 121. 122. 123. 124. 125.

IV. WRITING (50 points)

Part 1. Rewrite the following sentences using the words given.


126. David should concentrate more on his studies. (APPLY)
David____________________________________________________________________
127. That the socialists won the election was totally unexpected. (SURPRISE)
The socialist’s______________________________________________________________
128. I have to write everything out in triplicate and I’m completely fed up with it. (DEATH)
I’m_______________________________________________________________________
129. I’m sick of that program because I’ve watched it too often. (OFF)
I’ve_______________________________________________________________________
130. Tom teased Alice about her new hairstyle. (POKED)
Tom_________________________________________________

Part 2. The chart below shows numbers of incidents and injuries per 100 million passenger miles
travelled (PMT) by transportation type in 2002. Summarise the information by selecting and
reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant. Write at least 150 words.

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SHAPE \* MERGEFORMAT

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Part 3. Write an essay of 300 words on the following topic:


“No field of study can advance significantly unless outsiders bring their knowledge and experience to
that field of study.”
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To what extent do you agree or disagree with this statement?
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