THCS &THPT LƯƠNG THẾ VINH TÀI LIỆU LƯU HÀNH NỘI BỘ

GRADE 8 UNIT 8 PRACTICE 2 READING

I. Fill each blank with a correct word to finish the passage.

Australia is the 6th biggest country in the world. Only Russia, China, Canada, USA and Brazil are
(1) bigger. It is the world’s largest island.
Even though the country is so big, it only has about 23 million inhabitants. 88% of all Australians
(2) live in the big cities or smaller towns which makes big areas of the country empty.
Australia lies in the (3) southern Hemisphere which means that the more south you go, the cooler
it gets. In the north parts of the country, it is always hot. The (4) rest of the country has really hot
summers and mild winters. Snow only falls in the Australian Alps and in Tasmania. When we have (5)
winter in Europe and Asia, the Australians have summer. So they celebrate Christmas in the (6)
middle of the summer!
Australia is famous for its wildlife. The most famous (7) animal is probably the kangaroo. The
kangaroo, or roo for short, has (8) become Australia’s national symbol. The word “kangaroo” was the
first Aboriginal (9) word in the English language. There are several spices of kangaroos. The red
kangaroos (10) are the biggest ones and they are found in the middle of the country.

II. Read the passage and do the tasks that follow.

The Sydney Opera House
The Sydney Opera House is built on Bennelong Point, in Sydney Harbour, close to the Sydney
Harbour Bridge. The first known concert on Bennelong Poins was held in March 1791. Public pressure
to build a suitable concert facility in Sydney became greater in the 1940s. In 1955, the New South
Wales government announced an international competition for the design of “an opera house”. Danish
architect Jorn Utzon’s entry was selected as the winning design. His design was for a complex with
two theatres side by side on a large podium. This was covered by interlocking concrete shells, which
acted as both wall and roof. A third smaller shell set apart from the others was to cover the restaurant.
The construction of the Opera House was sometimes difficult and controversial with Jorn Utzon
resigning from the project in 1966. However, the Opera House was officially opened by Queen
Elizabeth II on 20 October 1973. The Sydney Opera House became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in
2007.
Task 1: Match the underlined words in the text with their meanings, and write each answer in the
blank.
___C__ 1. entry (n) A. joined together, especially by one part fitting into another
_
___D__ 2. podium (n) B. causing public discussion and disagreement
_
___A__ 3. interlocking (adj) C. a thing that is entered for a competition
_
___B___ 4. controversial (adj) D. a platform
Task 2: Read the passage, and then decide whether the statements are true (T) or false (F)
T F
5. It is a short distance between the Sydney Opera House and the Sydney  
Harbour Bridge.
6. The site for the Sydney Opera House had never been used for concert  
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before the modern construction.

7. The New South Wales government had the plan to build the Sydney Opera  
House because of public pressure.
8. Architects from any countries in the world could send their entries to the  
competition.
9. Interlocking concrete shells have acted as the walls roofs of the two  
theaters.
10. The third shell was built for a restaurant.  
11. Jorn Utzon had no difficulty in directing the construction. F
12. The Sydney Opera House became a UNESCO World heritage Site when F
the Opera had been in operation for 20 years.

III. Choose the word or phrase among A, B, C or D that best fits the blank space in the following
passage.
Maple Tree
Trees have (1)________ a meaningful role in the (2)__________ development of Canada and continue
to be of commercial, environmental and aesthetic importance to all Canadians. Maples contribute
valuable wood products, keep the maple sugar (3)_______ alive and help to beautifu the landscape.
Since 1965 the maple leaf (4)_______ the most important feature of the National Flag of Canada and
the maple tree with the leaves has become the most well-known Canadian (5)________, nationally and
internationally. Maple leaf pins and badges are proudly (6)_______ by Canadians abroad, and are
recognized around the world. (7)______ the maple leaf is closely associated with Canada, the maple
tree was never officially recognized (8)_______ Canada’s emblem until 1996.
1. A. taken B. given C. done D. played
2. A. history B. historical C. historic D. historian
3. A. industry B. industries C. industrial D. industrially
4. A. was B. have been C. has been D. is
5. A. sign B. symbol C. tree D. leaf
6. A. wear B. wore C. worm D. to be worn
7. A. Because B. So C. But D. Although
8. A. of B. with C. as D. for

IV. Read the following passage and answer the questions.

New Zealand is a small country in the southern Pacific Ocean. There are two main island, the
North Island and the South Island, as well as many smaller island. New Zealand is 268,000 square
kilometres, about the same size as the United Kingdom.
Maori people arrived from the Pacific in the 10 th century, and by the 12th century there were many
Maori settlements along the coasts of New Zealand. The Maori name for New Zealand is Aotearoa,
which means “The land of the long white cloud”. Seven hundred years later, large numbers of
Europeans started to settle in New Zealand. According to Government figures, the population of New
Zealand in 2015 was over four million, and of these, about 75 percent lived in the North Island.
There are four main cities. Auckland, in the north, is the largest city with a population of over one
million people. Auckland’s population includes many different nationalities. For example, there are
large groups of European, Maori, Pacific Island, Chinese and Indian people. Together with other
smaller groups, they make Auckland an interesting and exciting place to live.
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Although Wellington is the capital, the centre of government, it is smaller and quieter than
Auckland with a population of 350,000. The main cities in the South Island are Christchurch, known
as the Garden City, and Dunedin, which is often compared to a small Scottish city.
1. Where is New Zealand located?
New Zealand is a small country in the southern Pacific Ocean.
2. When did maori people first come to New Zealand?
Maori people arrived from the Pacific in the 10th century.
3. What does “Aotearoa” mean?
It means “The land of the long white cloud”.
4. Where do most New Zealanders live?
They live in the North Island.
5. Why is Auckland an interesting city?
Because Auckland’s population includes many different nationalities.
V. Read the text carefully, and then do the tasks that follow.
Multicultural Britain
1. Britain has always been a mixed society. In the distant past, Celts, Romans, Vikings and
Normans all settled in Britain. During the past 150 years, people form Ireland, the former
British colonies and the European Union have also come to Britain.
2. In the 1840s, there was a terrible famine in Ireland. A million people died and a million more
left Ireland, and never returned. Most went to the USA, but many came to Britain.
3. In the 1950s and 1960s, the British government invited people from Britain’s former colonies
to live and work in Britain. The majority was from the West Indies, Pakistan, India and Hong
Kong.
4. People from countries in the European Union are free to travel, live, and work in any other
EU country. Recently, a lot of people have arrived from Central and Eastern Europe.
5. There are thousands of Indian and Chinese restaurants in the UK. Immigrants from the West
Indies started the Notting Hill Carnival in 1965. It is now the biggest street festival in Europe.
There are lot of Irish pubs in Britain and Irish folk music is popular.

Task 1: Match the headings (A-E) with the paragraphs (1-5) of the text.
 A. The European Union 4
 B. Ireland 2
 C. Introduction 1
 D. The former colonies 3
 E. How have immigrants influenced British life? 5
Task 2: Match the highlighted words in the text with their meanings.
___C___ 6. settled A. countries which another country controls
___A___ 7. colonies B. most
___E___ 8. famine C. came and lived
____B__ 9. majority D. not long ago
___D___ 10. recently E. a time when there is very little food
___F___ 11. immigrants F. people who come and live in another country

Task 3: Are the sentences true or false?

THCS &THPT LƯƠNG THẾ VINH TÀI LIỆU LƯU HÀNH NỘI BỘ

T F
12. Immigration into Britain started in the 19 century.
th
 
13. People left Ireland in the 1840s because there wasn’t enough food to eat.  
14. Many Irish people left Ireland and returned later.  
15. The West Indies, India, and Pakistan are former British colonies.  
16. In the 1950s and 1960s, the British government tried to stop immigration.  
17. In the last few years, a lot of people have arrived from southern Europe.  

VI. Read the passage carefully, and then answer the questions below.
Easy English?
English is an important global language, but that doesn’t mean it is easy to learn. Many experts have
tried to make English easier to learn, but the weren’t always successful.
In 1930, Professor CK Ogden of Cambridge University invented Basic English. It had only 850 words
(and just eighteen verbs) and Ogden said most people could learn it in just thirty hours. The problem
was that people who learned Basic English could write and say simple messages, but they couldn’t
understand the answers in ‘real’ English! It was also impossible to explain a word if it wasn’t in the
Basic English word list.
RE Zachrisson, a university professor in Sweden, decided that the biggest problem for learners of
English was spelling, so he invented a language called Anglic. Anglic was similar to English, but with
much simpler spelling. ‘Father’ became ‘faadher’, ‘new’ became ‘nue’ and ‘years’ became ‘yeerz’.
Unfortunately, for some students of English, Anglic never became popular.
Even easier is the language which ships’ captains use: it is called ‘Seaspeak’. Seaspeak uses a few
simple phrases for every possible situation. In Seaspeak, for example, you don’t say, ‘I didn’t
understand, can you repeat that?’ it is just, “Say a gain”. No more grammar!
In the age of international communication through the Internet, a new form of English might appear. A
large number of the world’s e-mails are in English and include examples of ‘NetLingo’ like OIC (Oh, I
see) and TTYL (Talk to you later).
1. What is the role of English?
English is an important global language.
2. When did Professor Ogden invent Basic English? How many words did it have?
In 1930, Professor CK Ogden of Cambridge University invented Basic English. It had
only 850 words (and just eighteen verbs).
3. Why did Professor Zachrisson invent Anglic? What happened to it?
RE Zachrisson, a university professor in Sweden, decided that the biggest problem for
learners of English was spelling, so he invented a language called Anglic.
Unfortunately, for some students of English, Anglic never became popular.
4. What is the feature of Seaspeak?
Seaspeak uses a few simple phrases for every possible situation.
5. What has appeared in the age of international communication through the Internet?
In the age of international communication through the Internet, a new form of English
might appear.

VII. Read the passage, and then decide whether the statements are true (T) or false (F)
The Kiwi
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The kiwi lives only in New Zealand. It is a very strange bird because it cannot fly. The kiwi is the
same size as a chicken. It has no wings or tail. It does not have any feathers like other birds.
A kiwi likes a lot of trees around it. it sleeps during the day because the sunlight hurts its eyes. It can
smell things with its nose. It is the only bird in the world that can smell things. The kiwi’s eggs are
very big.
There are only a few kiwis in New Zealand now. New Zealanders want their kiwis to live. There is a
picture of a kiwi on New Zealand money. People from New Zealand are sometimes called kiwis.
T F
1. Kiwis live in Australia and New Zealand.  
2. A kiwi has a tail but no wings.  
3. It sleeps during the day because light hurts its eyes.  
4. People in New Zealand do not want all the kiwis to die.  
5. The kiwi is a strange New Zealand bird.  

VIII. Read the passage and do the tasks that follow.

The Maori of New Zealand
The Maori arrived in New Zealand from other Polynesian islands over a thousand years ago. They
were the first people to live there. They made beautiful wooden buildings with pictures cut into the
wood. There are about 280,000 Maori today. Maori have brown skin, dark brown eyes, and wavy
black hair.
In 1840, they agreed to become a British colony, and they learned European ways quickly. Today there
are Maori in all kinds of jobs. They attend schools and universities and become lawyers and scientists.
There are Maori in the government. Most of them live like the white New Zealanders.
However, the Maori do not forget their traditions. Children learn the language, music, and old stories.
They have yearly competitions in speaking, dancing, and singing. The Maori live a comfortable,
modern life, but they keep their traditions by passing them to their children.
Task 1: Read the passage, and then decide whether the statements are true (T) or false (F).
T F
1. The Maori are Polynesians.  
2. New Zealand is an island country.  
3. The Maori look like the Chinese.  
4. The Maori live only by hunting and fishing.  
5. The Maori like music.  

IX. Choose the word or phrase among A, B, C or D that best fits the blank in the following
passage.
Gherkin
The Gherkin is one of several modern buildings that have been built over the years in a historic area of
London. The (1)______ skyscraper was built in 2004, and its unique, and energy-efficient design has
won the Gherkin many (2)______.
The cigar-shaped structure has a steel frame (3)______ circular floor planes and a glass façade with
diamond-shaped panels. The building’s energy-saving (4)________ allows the air to flow up through
spiraling wells. The top of the tower, (5)______ visitors find an open hall covered by a glass conical
dome, is even more spectacular. From here you have great (6)_______ over the city.
1. A. 41 stories B. 41-stories C. 41-story D. story-41
THCS &THPT LƯƠNG THẾ VINH TÀI LIỆU LƯU HÀNH NỘI BỘ

2. A. awards B. rewards C. stories D. achievements

3. A. of B. with C. at D. in
4. A. machine B. machines C. system D. systems
5. A. where B. at where C. from where D. there
6. A. sights B. scenes C. signs D. views

X. Choose the item among A, B, C or D that best answers the question about the passage.
The Hopi of Arizona
The Hopi live in the northwestern part of Arizona in the United States. With modern things all around
them, the Hopi keep their traditions.
There are about ten thousand Hopi and they live in twelve villages in the desert. The weather is very
hot in summer, but in winter it freezes. The wind blows hard. Farming is difficult. Corn is the Hopi’s
main food, but they plant vegetables, too. They raise sheep, goats, and cattle. They also eat
hamburgers, ice cream and drink soft drinks. They live in traditional stone houses, but many of them
have telephones, radios, and television. They have horses, but they have trucks too.
Kachinas are an important part of the Hopi religion. Kachinas are spirits of dead people, of rocks,
plants, and animals, and of the stars. Men dress as kachinas and do religious dances. People also make
wooden kachinas. No two wooden kachinas are ever alike.
The children attend school, and they also learn the Hopi language, dances, and stories. The Hopi want
a comfortable, modern life, but they don’t want to lose their traditions.
1. The Hopi___________.
A. want modern things instead of traditional ones
B. want traditional things instead of modern ones
C. don’t want to remember their traditions
D. want both modern and traditional things
2. Winters in this part of Arizona are _________.
A. hot B. warm C. cool D. cold
3. The main Hopi food is_______.
A. corn B. hamburgers C. beef D. vegetables
4 Kachinas are_________.
A. men B. something to eat C. animals D. spirits
5. The Hopi don’t want to ______ their traditions.
A. lose B. hit C. remember D. learn
6. The main idea of the passage is ____________.
A. the Hopi raise crops and animals in the Arizona desert
B. kachinas are spirits of the things around the Hopi
C. the Hopi keep their traditions even with modern life all around them
D. the Hopi want a comfortable, modern life