Đây là tài liệu tiếng Anh học thuật giúp mọi người trau dồi kỹ năng sử dụng ngoại ngữ cũng như phản xạ tiếng Anh ngoài đời thực. Tài liệu này hoàn toàn có thể tự học tại nhà, thêm vào đó là rất dễ hiểu có thể tiếp thu nhanh trong quá trình học, tài liệu đa phần là do những tác giả nổi tiếng biên soạn và có chỉnh sửa để phù hợp với sự thay đổi của mỗi năm.
Trang 1IELTS Practice Tests from www.IELTSPracticeTests.com GENERAL IELTS READING PRACTICE TEST 2
Reading (1 hour)
PART 1
Questions 1-2
Choose the appropriate letter A-D and write them in boxes 1-2 on your answer sheet
1 What do you learn about the brochure in the first and second paragraphs?
A the amount of holidays destinations the agency has got
B a special holiday package for ‘The New Seven Wonders’
C the reason for the popularity of those tourist attractions
D a brief description on the project ‘The New Seven Wonders’
2 From the list below, choose the most suitable title for the reading passage:
A Explore historical heritage built by mankind
B Visit monuments of cultural and artistic value
C Follow the paths of archaeological sites in five continents
D Have a break and enjoy the architectural beauty of old civilisations
Trang 2Questions 3-9
From the list of headings below, choose the most suitable heading for each paragraph A-G Write the appropriate numbers (i-x) in boxes 3-9 on your answer sheet
3 Paragraph A
4 Paragraph B
5 Paragraph C
6 Paragraph D
7 Paragraph E
8 Paragraph F
9 Paragraph G
List of headings
i Architectural majesty
ii Engineering expertise
iii Triumphant salutation and battle
iv Archaeological site
v Outstanding geometric building
vi A terrific sports court
vii The remains of a great civilisation
viii Gigantic safety
ix Impressive art in the Western world
x A monument to human compassion
Trang 3In this brochure, you can find out some information on our most popular tourist destinations! The following seven buildings now hold the title ‘The New Seven Wonders’
The New Seven Wonders was a huge project launched in July 2007 and it consisted of selecting the most extraordinary buildings erected during modern and contemporary times The voting system enabled people from all over the world to cast their vote The result of the global election was announced on 7 July 2007 and the winners – our holiday packages - were the following:
A Petra, Jordan – This was the astonishing capital of the Nabataean empire
ruled by King Aretas (9B.C to 40 A.D.) You will be impressed with the engineering work involved in the constructions of water tunnels for the water and sewerage Other places to visit are the Palace Tombs of Petra and its 42-metre high Hellenistic façade, and a magnificent theatre in Greek-Roman style
B Taj Mahal, India – Shal Jahan, a Muslim Mogul emperor, had this huge
mausoleum built in honour of his wife This building was made out of white marble and it represents a precious jewel to the Muslims as well as the artistic value of Indian monuments
C Chichen Itza, Mexico – Located in Yucatan Peninsula, this Mayan city was the
home for the Mayan civilisation It is an archaeological site which belongs to Pre-Columbian times You will be invited to see the great pyramid of Kukulkan and you will be amazed with the Hall of the Thousand Pillars and the Temple of Chac Mool
D Christ Redeemer, Brazil – This is a 38-metre tall statue of Jesus Christ that
opens his arms to protect the country and is ready to offer a warm hug to its visitors It was inaugurated on 12 October 1931 and it is placed on top of Corcovado Mountain, which is also known as the Sugar Loaf Mountain It is also a symbol of Brazilian friendliness
E Coliseum, Italy – At the centre of the Roman capital stands a huge
amphitheatre, a place used for celebrations during the Roman Legions A range
of sports would take place there, including chariot races Fights among gladiators would also be held there as well as fights between starving animals and prisoners This was the ‘bread and circus’ time, and it was precedent to the end of Roman Empire
F The Great Wall of China – This was a fortress to protect China from the
invasion of Mongol tribes In addition to that, it provided a connection among the fortifications so that there would be a united defensive system in the country This is undoubtedly the longest monument erected by male hands
G Machu Pichu, Peru – This Incan city hidden between the Amazon jungle and
Andes Plateau have impressed many cultures, and people all over the world have looked for adventures in the forest and climbed up the Andes mountains
so as to be astounded by the ruins of the Incan Empire It was considered a lost city after the Spanish invasion of the Incan state but, in 1911, Hiram Bingham was able to find it to the delight of our tourists!
Trang 4Questions 10-17
Match the restaurant specialities to the statements 10-17
Write the appropriate letters (A-H) in the boxes 10-17 on your answer sheet
NB Some of the restaurants may be chosen more than once
10 Natural drinks are available here
11 There is an option for eating a meal at home
12 You can have alcoholic drinks at lunchtime
13 You can have a get-together with lots of people
14 This place will remind you of an amazing European city
15 This restaurant is not open in the evenings
16 You can eat in a delicious Oriental meal
17 A lovely dessert is served in this restaurant
A French
B British
C Mexican
D Chinese
E Japanese
F Brazilian
G Italian
H Caribbean
Trang 5Eating out
Learning about other cultures can be a fascinating and juicy experience once you have tried out
international cuisines
A La Maison Rouge
Fine French cuisine at dinner time!
Taste our delicious caviar and savour
every mouthful of our splendid wide
range of cheese and wine served in our
exquisite buffet! A romantic atmosphere
that takes you back to Parisian lifestyle!
B The Lord’s Inn
Shall we appreciate some British
lifestyle? Here you are welcome to
indulge yourself with the most
traditional English fish ‘n’ chips in
town! If you come for a pint on Sunday
lunchtime, then you will not resist our
wonderful British roast dinner which is
accompanied by our unique Yorkshire
pudding!
C Caliente!
Feel like spicing up your meal times?
Here we offer the best Mexican food
available in town Open 7 days a week,
we offer chilly meals at lunchtime Also,
a shot of tequila and a plate of tacos are
a perfect combination for a hot evening!
D China town
The perfect place for a Chinese
takeaway – the fastest and most reliable
choice for a meal at lunch or dinner
time! Authentic Chinese menu that
range from spring rolls and prawn
crackers as starters to juicy sweet ’n’
sour chicken and special fried rice as
main course! Irresistible!
E Tokyo
How about having a relaxing meal in a restaurant that has just been furnished in the greatest Japanese style? Our friendly staff is here to serve you and you can have stupendous Japanese food, including our great selection of sushi and sashimi!
F Sunny Rio
Come and make yourself comfortable in our restaurant and taste the best Brazilian barbecue of your life! An impressive variety of over 20 kinds of grilled beef, chicken and fish served by our experience staff! And our freshly-squeezed fruit juice will make you feel like you are having a tropical time out!
G La Donna
Traditional Italian pizza topped with melting mozzarella! Yes, our dough is a genuine Italian recipe and our fillings are carefully chosen so as to give you the tastiest pizza you have ever had! A variety
of sauce and pasta is also available in this authentic Italian house! Family gatherings are welcome to have a lively meal!
H Paradise
Who told you there is not a place specialised in Caribbean vegetarian recipes? Yes, there is and we are ready to offer you a splendid buffet with the most superb natural food you have ever tried! Open on weekdays only, you can have a much healthier lunch option as you can select a range of fantastic green salads and vegetarian hot dishes Vegans are certainly welcome!
Trang 6
PART 2
ESS – Environmental Social Sciences
Week 4
Seminar –
A Debate on Social Divide
When you wander round the high street, you will be bombarded with the merchandising of several window shops which are ready to fulfil your dreams – whether you want to become a famous goalkeeper or a top model for a design label, the consumer industry promptly offers you a range of choices which promises to suit all tastes And this is the pure reality of the youth in recent times
In postmodern society, we surrender to this spectacle, which lures careless teenagers
to have success and happiness by the means of their possessions, while we, their parents, should certainly be able to afford that However, on the other side of the world, we see millions of youngsters in a survival struggle
Nowadays, the social stratification has divided the young people even further – either
they have or have not Have a quick look at your teenagers’ behaviour: how often do
they ask you to provide them with the latest Playstation game? How often are they in need for brand new clothes? Have they ever complained about wearing the pair of jeans you bought them the previous month? Do they expect you to purchase a new mobile phone every four months? If you answered ‘yes’ to any of these questions, you are welcome to the ‘world of an easy life’ for a minority These teenagers do not have to struggle for or, at least, reflect on their own earnings versus expenditure There is no barrier between them and the consumer culture Their psychological behaviour is at the mercy of their parents’ purchase power, hence their delayed maturity and spoiled personality
On the other hand, there are millions of teenagers who wake up at 4 am so as to start their working day on collecting cardboard boxes, cans and rubbish for recycling companies Alternatively, they might work on farms or hazardous coal mines Their luxury goods are food, water and housing Their income and their lives, as well as their parents’ and younger brothers’, heavily rely on such jobs This is the other side
of the coin – the hard work developed by the majority, and the ones who are obstinate to possess ostensive goods will acquire them through theft or other illegal means
An obvious solution is that the basic needs are to be supplied either by the state or through a more sensible family income (which, again, can be provided by a more reasonable economic and political strategy of social equality) Therefore, they will be able to grow up in a supportive environment and, any further needs (e.g expensive products or holidays) are to be conditioned to their own effort and personal growth
No wonder why Manic Street Preachers, a British independent label band, mentioned the following statement on their lyrics ‘if you tolerate this, then your children will be next’ This is certainly an invitation for an insightful reflection on social divide
Trang 7Questions 18-25
Look at a group presentation on the previous page and at the statements (18-25) below
In boxes 18-25 on your answer sheet write
TRUE if the statement is true
FALSE if the statement is false
NOT GIVEN if the information is not given in the passage
18 Merchandising aims at consumer desire
19 Footballers and top models are great consumers
20 Careful teenagers are not tempted to own a range of new products
21 Young people are not at the mercy of social stratification
22 Questions are made so as to detect adolescent consumerism
23 These teenagers tend to become immature people in their adulthood
24 Millions of youngsters are the only income of their houses
25 The acquisition of certain products should depend on the adolescent’s hard work and
maturity
Trang 8Questions 26-30
Complete the table below
Choose NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS from the passage for each answer
Write your answers in boxes 26-30 on your answer sheet
Questions 31-32
Using NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS, complete the following statement
Write your answer in boxes 31-32 on your answer sheet
The state is to be responsible for a provision of an economic strategy so as to contribute to a
better 31 ……
As a consequence, a fair political and economic strategy will enable 32 ……
Demand the newest
technological
devices, e.g 26
……
Unconscious of their
own 27 ……, they have 28 …… and
spoilt personality
Work on the collection of materials for recycling companies, farms
and 29 ……
Can only afford expensive goods
through 30 ……
Trang 9PART 3
Questions 33-36
Look at the reading passage on page 11
Complete the flow chart below using NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS for each answer
Write your answers in boxes 33-36
↓
↓
↓
33 The first place we set off is the ‘royal mining’ in Diamantina and we are able
to learn about the ……… there
34 Then, we follow a ……… that was built by the slaves
35 Later on, we are leave the railway station and visit the ………
during the colonial time
36 Finally, we reach a wealthy city and we are fascinating by the
……… in the façade of historical buildings
Trang 10Questions 37-39
Choose THREE letters A-G and write them in boxes 37-39 on your answer sheet
Which THREE of the following does the writer highlight when describing the places and
historical buildings s/he visited?
A a trap hidden in a governmental building
B a punitive place for the slaves
C the remains of a martyr’s body
D a symbolic ‘alliance’ between the coloniser and its colony
E a monument in honour of a hero
F natural landscapes round the ‘royal way’
G statues completely made out of gold
Question 40
Choose the appropriate letter A-D and write it in box 40 on your answer sheet
40 In the end of the narrative, the writer:
A suggests that people should find out the gold hidden there
B points out an alternative to enrich poor individuals
C outlines the steps for a more stable finance
D states that old treasure can be the wealth of people today
Trang 11Amazing & Exotic Expeditions
Chapter 7
The Royal Way
Here we are This is the beginning of a 1,600km journey throughout the mountains of Minas Gerais in Brazil The mission? Get in a van and learn about the intrinsic history of diamonds, gold and precious stones and their mines dug out during the 17th and 18th centuries You would expect us to reveal the secrets of the rainforests or the beauty of the Brazilian beaches and sand dunes, but what you are about to find out is a distinct and far-fetched way of having a tropical holiday
We start in Diamantina, located in the north of the state of Minas Gerais The city is named after ‘diamantes’ or diamonds, and its historical centres reflect its wealth The first place we head for is known as the ‘royal mining’ since miners who worked on the extraction
of diamonds and gold were expected to take the amount found to be weighted in the building where is now the city hall Once weighted, a percentage of the minerals were separated for the Portuguese crown and they would be given the remaining stones However, many of them never came back alive after stepping on the mayor’s room The reason for that is a dungeon full of sharp-pointed wooden sticks, which had been built, covered and rested under the chair where the miner would sit While he was waiting for his ‘fortune’ to be evaluated, the mayor would open the door located under the miner’s seat, and he would face death His family would then be told that he had run away to Portugal with the precious stones
We now move to the ‘slaves’ pathway’ – a long way of rocks built in the middle of the forest by the slaves This pathway is part of the ‘royal way’, i.e over 1,600km of a rocky pathway so as to drain the wealth from the colony to the metropole, from the colonised to the coloniser We stop by the waterfalls and have a swim before moving on
As we follow the ‘royal way’ (the landmarks stuck on the ground every 500m is our GPS in this expedition), we reach the city of Tiradentes This is the nickname of a Brazilian martyr who had attempted to break up the ‘alliance’ with the coloniser The rebellion plan was denounced to the Portuguese authorities and Tiradentes was arrested and condemned to death sentence He was hung, drawn and quartered, and the parts of his body were placed on lampposts in each city along the ‘royal way’
A trip by train through the mountains leads us to Mariana – the governmental centre of the time As soon as we face the city hall, we can see the symbol of justice erected in the square – on the left side there is the scale, on the right, the sword; now, between both of them at the height of a human being, there is a pair of curfews, where slaves would be punished for bad behaviour
It is now time to set off to the most exuberant city in the ‘royal way’ – the magnificent Ouro Preto Originally known as ‘Vila Rica’ (rich village), this city carries the splendid result of extractions of gold in the 18th century At the time when around 500g of gold were dug out everyday, this city became incredibly rich and ostensible The complexity of exaggerating details typical of the Baroque architecture is present in every single façade of its historical buildings Fine paintings and statues glitter gold so as to demonstrate the wealthy era Whenever we reach one of the mountains which surround Ouro Preto, we can see several holes which are about 1.55m high as they were dug out by slaves who had to work on such gold mines
There was not much to do with the wealth owned – either men left a great portion to the Portuguese crown or ran away through the woods - out of the ‘royal way’ meant that they were to be caught by thieves hidden in the forest Therefore, a lot of rich men hid their gold inside the walls in their house or antique furniture Nowadays, you may hear the story of a