I. LISTENING (4 pts.) Part 1. Questions 1 – 10 Listen to a piece of news from BBC talking about Saudi women’s movement and supply the blanks with the missing information. Write no more than four words. A new campaign has been launched on Twitter, which shows how (1)_________ online social networks have become in Saudi Arabia. Eman al Nafjan, who is an (2)____________, announced that Saudi women will express their feelings about (3)____________ on October the 26th. According to Eman al Nafjan, the campaign is considered a (4)__________ open to all Saudis. Hundreds of (5)____________ which support the campaign have been posted. Being allowed to drive is important for women in Saudi Arabia to obtain other rights, including the freedom from (6)______________ male guardianship. According to these women, there’s an (7)_________ in the ban on driving because this means that they have to count to male drivers. However, the campaign would be regarded as a (8)________________ in such a conservative country. Some critics argue that women driving would violate the (9)_______________________. Some years ago, women could be arrested or fired for (10)___________________ as part of similar campaigns. Part 2. Questions 11 – 20 You will hear an interview with a scientist about home composting. First you have some time to look at questions 11 to 15. Questions 11 – 15 Choose the correct letter, A, B or C. HOME COMPOSTING 11. What is the main reason for the current interest in home composting? A. a lack of landfill space. B. to reduce greenhouse emissions. C. it improves the soil. 12. Dr. Rotenberg says that landfill sites lead to A. confusion about composting. B. increased transportation costs. C. more emissions from vehicles. 13. Home composting reduces greenhouse gases because A. there is enough oxygen. B. there are enough bacteria. C. there is enough heat. 14. Dr. Rotenberg describes organic material as A. mainly carbon. B. living. C. greens and browns.
Trang 1HANOI NATIONAL UNIVERSITY OF EDUCATION
HIGH SCHOOL FOR GIFTED STUDENTS
Name:
Class:
(The test paper consists of 12 pages)
SELECTION TEST No 2
FOR NATIONAL ENGLISH COMPETITION
Date: November 22 nd , 2013 Time: 180 minutes
I LISTENING (4 pts.)
Part 1 Questions 1 – 10
Listen to a piece of news from BBC talking about Saudi women’s movement and supply the blanks with the missing information Write no more than four words.
A new campaign has been launched on Twitter, which shows how (1) _ online social
networks have become in Saudi Arabia
Eman al Nafjan, who is an (2) , announced that Saudi women will express their feelings about (3) on October the 26th
According to Eman al Nafjan, the campaign is considered a (4) open to all Saudis Hundreds of (5) which support the campaign have been posted
Being allowed to drive is important for women in Saudi Arabia to obtain other rights, including
the freedom from (6) male guardianship
According to these women, there’s an (7) _ in the ban on driving because this means that they have to count to male drivers However, the campaign would be regarded as a (8) in such a conservative country
Some critics argue that women driving would violate the (9) _ Some years ago, women could be arrested or fired for (10) _ as part of similar campaigns
Part 2 Questions 11 – 20
You will hear an interview with a scientist about home composting First you have some time to look at questions 11 to 15.
Questions 11 – 15
Choose the correct letter, A, B or C.
HOME COMPOSTING
11 What is the main reason for the current interest in home composting?
A a lack of landfill space
B to reduce greenhouse emissions
C it improves the soil
12 Dr Rotenberg says that landfill sites lead to
A confusion about composting
B increased transportation costs
C more emissions from vehicles
13 Home composting reduces greenhouse gases because
A there is enough oxygen
B there are enough bacteria
C there is enough heat
14 Dr Rotenberg describes organic material as
A mainly carbon
B living
C greens and browns
Trang 215 Composting usually requires brown materials to be
A mixed together with green materials
B placed on top of green materials
C kept separate from green materials
Questions 16 – 20
Before you hear the rest of the interview, you have some time to look at questions 16 to 20.
Complete the diagram below.
Write ONE WORD/NUMBER ONLY for each answer.
Home composter
Composter made from (16) _ or recyclable plastic
Holds compost for up to (17) _ months
Container with a (18) _ for kitchen scraps
Enclosure in the garden to hold (19) _
Shredded card or screwed up (20) _ improve the airflow
Part 3 Questions 21 – 30
You will hear five short extracts in which people talk about fitness and health While you listen you must complete both tasks
Task 1:
For questions 21-25, choose from the list A-H what each speaker says about his or her reasons for attending a gym regularly.
A The gym has a social function for me
B I want to be fit for a specific event
C My company pays for me to attend a gym
D I must keep fit because of my medical condition
E Being fit gives me a sense of achievement
F Attending a gym is an absolute necessity for me
G I come here with the members of my cycling club
H I started exercising regularly after an injury
Task 2:
For questions 26-30, choose from the list A-H what opinion each speaker expresses about fitness and health generally
A My lifestyle is unhealthy in the long run
B Keeping fit is a habit
C I find it hard to commit myself to exercising
D City life doesn’t encourage walking for exercise
E Exercise machines are extremely boring
F You can’t separate health and lifestyle
G It’s easier to get fit if you think of it as a commitment
H I’m sure your genetic make-up has a lot to do with
fitness
Trang 3You will hear a lecture talking about Charles Darwin and Galapagos Islands First you have some time to look at questions 31 to 40.
Complete the notes below.
Write NO MORE THAN ONE WORD OR ONE NUMBER for each answer.
Darwin
Charles Darwin was born in 1809 in (31) _
As a child, Darwin showed an interest in (32) _, particularly insects Darwin attended medical school in 1825 but left in (33) _
In 1831 Darwin left Plymouth, England, travelling by (34) _
In 1835, he made important discoveries in the Galapagos Islands
Darwin made sketches and (35) _ during the five-year voyage
The results of the Beagle expedition were first published in (36)
In 1859, Darwin’s famous book caused a great deal of (37) _
Galapagos Islands
Spanish sailors have used Galapagos Island turtles for (38)
Darwin found fossils of creatures that had been unable to (39)
In Darwin’s theory, nature selects which (40) _ will die out
II LEXICO – GRAMMAR (5 pts.)
Part 1 Question 41 – 50: Choose the word or phrase that best completes each sentence
41 Please accept our congratulations!
A finest B warmest C dearest D deepest
42 I’d sooner they deliver the new furniture tomorrow
A shouldn’t B didn’t C wouldn’t D mustn’t
43 This film _ several scenes which are very funny
A features B pictures C depicts D illustrates
44 Sales of margarine rose last year those of butter
A comparing B at a loss of C at the expense of D with regard to
45 The tennis player couldn’t the possibility of withdrawing from the championship
because of injury
A come off B pass over C rule out D do without
46 We all feel that his jokes about immigrants were in very poor _
A form B view C feeling D taste
47 As the President was absent, I was asked to the meeting
A officiate B govern C chair D regulate
48 He became a millionaire by of hard work and a considerable amount of luck
A process B effect C dint D cause
49 The trouble with Stan is that he makes such a fuss about even the most _ injury
A slight B trivial C basic D elementary
50 They turned down the proposal _ that it didn’t fulfill their requirements
A by reason B on the grounds C as a cause D allowing
Trang 4Part 2 Question 51 – 60: Read the text below Use the word given in capitals at the end of some of the lines to form a word that fits in the gap in the same line There is an example at the beginning (0).
CROSSING ICELAND BY ROAD
Iceland, the second largest island in Europe, emerged from the bed of the
Atlantic Ocean as a result of (0)_ volcanic activity which is still going on
today The island has a (51) small population, most of which
lives around the deeply intented coastline, while the uninhabited interior
represents an impenetrable barrier between the north and the south for most of the
year
Regularly blocked by the first winter snowfalls each year, routes through
the interior traditionally served only as summer short cuts for intrepid travellers
And it wasn’t just the (52) of the terrain that put people off
Outlaws – wild men who (53) attacked and robbed poor
(54) travellers – were rumoured to roam the area
Nowadays, adventurous tourists, looking for a challenge, find these interior
routes irresistibly attractive Camping is the only accommodation option, and
there are no rescue services, so most choose a four-wheel drive vehicle for the
trip Nonetheless, it can be a (55) undertaking The roads
themselves are mostly (56) and, even in summer, bad weather
is a fact of life in this (57) area
The greatest threats, however, are posed by unbridged rivers Fed by
(58) _ glaciers, these have a
(59) to change course without warning Yesterday’s
shallow crossing point may easily have turned into today’s
(60) torrent
VOLCANO Relate
HARSH ALLEGE SUSPECT
HAZARD SURFACE HOSPITALITY CAPRICE TEND RAGE
Part 3 Question 61 – 70: Put the verbs in the brackets in the correct tenses or forms
When Roger Bannister first ran the mile in less than four minutes on May 6, 1954, he (61 break) _ a barrier which (62 now, cross) hundreds of times Similarly, in other athletic events the limits of the possible continue (63 push) _ back as record after record is broken
In a less spectacular way, everyday skills such as riding bicycles seem (64 become) _ easier to pick up, with many children (65 learn) _ younger and faster than their grandparents did And recent studies have shown that average performance in intelligence tests (66 also, improve) _ Since the war, the average IQ score of American children (67 rise) by about 1 point every three years, and even faster increases have occurred in Japan
There are many possible reasons for these effects, such as better nutrition, (68 improve) teaching methods, greater availability of facilities and so on But there may be
an important underlying factor which (69 so far, ignore) _, namely an inherent tendency for past experience to influence present performance through a kind of collective memory to which everyone (70 have) potential access
Trang 5Part 4 Question 71 – 80: Fill each gap in the following sentences with one of the prepositions or particles in the box Use each word only ONCE.
71 The film was well researched, but it glossed the important issues
72 Jane intends to wind _ her business soon
73 The goods will be delivered _ your convenience
74 It’s possible to pass the virus to others through physical contacts
75 At parties he always makes a beeline _ the prettiest woman in the room
76 The runner dropped _ halfway through the marathon
77 I’ve no idea how to set _ changing a tyre on a car
78 There was nobody else involved, we just grew
79 It’s time he stood and let a more qualified person do the job
80 Just back and let us do this on our own, will you?
Part 5 Question 81 – 90: The passage below contains 10 mistakes Identify the mistakes in most lines and write their correct forms (0) has been done as an example.
Lin
e
1 The market for tourism in remote areas is booming as ever before Countries all
2 across the world are active promoting their ‘wilderness’ regions – such as mountains,
3 Arctic lands, deserts, small islands and wetlands – to highly-spending tourists The
4 attraction of these areas is obvious: by defining, wilderness tourism requires little or
5 no initial investment But that does not mean that there is no cost Like the 1992 UN
6 Conference on Environment and Development recognized, these regions are fragile
7 (i.e highly vulnerable of abnormal pressures) not just in terms of the culture of their
8 inhabitation The three most significant types of fragile environment in these respects
9 are deserts, mountains and Arctic areas An important character is their marked
10 seasonality Consequently, most human acts, including tourism, are limited to clearly
11 defined parts of the year.
12 Tourists are drawn to these regions by their natural beauty and the unique culture
13 of its people And poor governments in these areas have welcomed the ‘adventure
14 tourist’, grateful for the currency they bring For several years, tourism is the prime
15 source of foreign exchange in Nepal and Bhutan Tourism is also a key element in the
16 economics of Arctic zones such as Lapland and Alaska and in desert areas such as
17 Ayres Rocks in Australia and Arizona’s Monument Valley.
Example:
0 ever (line 1) never
III READING (5 pts.)
Part 1 Question 91 – 100: Read the following passage and decide which answer (A, B, C, or D) best fits each gap.
The changing earth
Trang 6Although the earth was formed about 4,500 million years ago, human beings have inhabited it for less than half a million years Within this time, population has increased hugely and people have had a vast (91) upon the earth They have long been able to (92) _ the forces of nature to use Now, with modern technology, they have the power to alter the balance of life on earth
Reports back from the first astronauts helped dispel the dangerous (93) _ that the world had no boundaries and had limitless resources (94) , ecologists have shown that all forms of life on earth are interconnected, so it (95) that all human activity has an effect on the natural environment
In recent years, people have been putting the environment under stress As a result, certain raw materials such as timber, water and minerals are beginning to (96) _ short Pollution and the disposal of waste are already critical issues, and the (97) of the environment is fast becoming the most pressing problem (98) us all The way we respond to the challenge will have a profound effect on the earth and its life support (99)
However, despite all these threats there are (100) signs Over the past few decades, the growth in population has been more than matched by food production, indicating that we should be able
to feed ourselves for some time yet
91 A imprint B indication C impression D impact
92 A put B make C place D stand
93 A judgment B notion C reflection D concept
94 A However B Likewise C Moreover D Otherwise
95 A results B follows C complies D develops
97 A state B situation C case D circumstance
98 A encountering B opposing C meeting D confronting
99 A projects B systems C methods D routines
100 A stimulating B welcoming C satisfying D reassuring
Part 2 Question 101 – 115: Read the below passage and answer the questions that follow
IT’S ECO-LOGICAL
Planning an eco-friendly holiday can be a minefield for the well-meaning traveler, says Steve Watkins But help is now at hand.
If there were awards for tourism phrases that have been hijacked, diluted and misused then ‘ecotourism’ would earn top prize The term first surfaced in the early 1980s reflecting a surge in environmental awareness and a realization by tour operators that many travelers wanted to believe their presence abroad would not have a negative impact It rapidly became the hottest marketing tag a holiday could carry
These days the ecotourism label is used to cover anything from a two-week tour living with remote Indonesian tribes, to a one-hour motorboat trip through an Australian gorge In fact, any tour that involves cultural interaction, natural beauty spots, wildlife or a dash of soft adventure is likely to be included in the overflowing ecotourism folder There is no doubt the original motives behind the movement were honorable attempts to provide a way for those who cared to make informed choices, but the lack of regulations and a standard industry definition left many travelers lost in an ecotourism jungle
It is easier to understand why the ecotourism market has become so overcrowded when we look at its wider role in the world economy According to World Tourism Organisation figures, ecotourism is worth
US $ 20 billion a year and makes up one-fifth of all international tourism Add to this an annual growth rate of around five per cent and the pressure for many operators, both in developed and developing countries, to jump on the accelerating bandwagon is compelling Without any widely recognized
Trang 7accreditation system, the consumer has been left to investigate the credentials of an operator themselves This is a time-consuming process and many travellers usually take an operator’s claims at face value, only adding to the proliferation of fake ecotours
However, there are several simple questions that will provide qualifying evidence of a company’s commitment to minimize its impact on the environment and maximize the benefits to the tourism area’s local community For example, does the company use recycled or sustainable, locally harvested materials
to build its tourist properties? Do they pay fair wages to all employees? Do they offer training to employees? It is common for city entrepreneurs to own tour companies in country areas, which can mean the money you pay ends up in the city rather than in the community being visited By taking a little extra time to investigate the ecotourism options, it is not only possible to guide your custom to worthy operators but you will often find that the experience they offer is far more rewarding
The ecotourism business is still very much in need of a shake-up and a standardized approach There are
a few organizations that have sprung up in the last ten years or so that endeavour to educate travellers and operators about the benefits of responsible ecotourism Founded in 1990, the Ecotourism Society (TES) is
a non-profit organization of travel industry, conservation and ecological professionals, which aims to make ecotourism a genuine tool for conservation and sustainable development Helping to create inherent economic value in wilderness environments and threatened cultures has undoubtedly been one of the ecotourism movement’s most notable achievements TES organizes an annual initiative to further aid development of the ecotourism industry This year it is launching ‘Your Travel Choice Makes a Difference’, an educational campaign aimed at helping consumers understand the potential positive and negative impacts of their travel decisions TES also offer guidance on the choice of ecotour and has established a register of approved ecotourism operators around the world
A leading ecotourism operator in the United Kingdom is Tribes, which won the 1999 Tourism Concern and Independent Traveller’s World ‘Award for Most Responsible Tour Operator’ Amanda Marks, owner and director of Tribes, believes that the ecotourism industry still has some way to go to get its house in order Until now, no ecotourism accreditation scheme has really worked, principally because there has been no systematic way of checking that accredited companies actually comply with the code of practice Amanda believes that the most promising system is the recently re-launched Green Globe 21 scheme The Green Globe 21 award is based on the sustainable development standards contained in Agenda 21 from the 1992 Earth Summit and was originally coordinated by the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) The scheme is now an independent concern, though the WTTC still supports it Until recently, tour companies became affiliates and could use the Green Globe logo merely on payment of an annual fee, hardly a suitable qualifying standard However, in November 1999 Green Globe 21 introduced an annual, independent check on operators wishing to use the logo
Miriam Cain, from the Green Globe 21 marketing development, explains that current and new affiliates will now have one year to ensure that their operations comply with Agenda 21 standards If they fail the first inspection, they can only reapply once The inspection process is not a cheap option, especially for large companies, but the benefits of having Green Globe status and the potential operational cost savings that complying with the standards can bring should be significant ‘We have joint ventures with organizations around the world, including Australia and the Caribbean, that will allow us to effectively check all affiliate operators,’ says Miriam The scheme also allows destination communities to become Green Globe 21 approved
For a relatively new industry it is not surprising that ecotourism has undergone teething pains However, there are signs that things are changing for the better With a committed and unified approach by the travel industry, local communites, travellers and environmental experts could make ecotourism a tag to
be proud of and trusted
Trang 8Questions 101 - 106
Do the following statements agree with the views of the writer in the reading passage?
YES if the statement agrees with the writer’s views
NO if the statement contradicts the writer’s views
NOT GIVEN if it is impossible to say what the writer thinks about this
101 The term ‘ecotourism’ has become an advertising gimmick
102 The intentions of those who coined the term ‘ecotourism’ were sincere
103 Ecotourism is growing at a faster rate than any other type of travel
104 It is surprising that so many tour orgnisations decided to become involved in ecotourism
105 Tourists have learnt to make investigations about tour operators before using them
106 Tourists have had bad experiences on ecotour holidays
Questions 107-109
According to the information given in the reading passage, which THREE of the following are true of the Ecotourism Society (TES)?
Write the appropriate letters A-F in boxes 107 - 109 on your answer sheet.
A It has monitored the growth in ecotourism
B It involves a range of specialists in the field
C It has received public recognition for the role it performs
D It sets up regular ecotour promotions
E It offers information on ecotours at an international level
F It consults with people working in tourist destinations
Questions 110 - 111
According to the information given in the reading passage, which TWO of the following are true of the Green Globe 21 award?
Write the appropriate letters A-D in boxes 110 – 111 on your answer sheet.
A The scheme is self-regulating
B Amanda Marks was recruited to develop the award
C Prior to 1999 companies were not required to pay for membership
D Both tour operators and tour sites can apply for affiliation
E It intends to reduce the number of ecotour operators
Questions 112 – 114
Using NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS, answer the following questions.
Write your answers in boxes 112-114 on your answer sheet.
112 Which body provides information on global tourist numbers?
113 Who often gains financially from tourism in rural environments?
Trang 9Part 3 Question 115 – 120: Read the following article from a journal and then answer questions that follow
WHALES
“The whale has no voice”, wrote Melville in Moby Dick ‘but then again what has the whale to say? Seldom have I known any profound being that had anything to say to this world, unless to stammer out something by way of getting a living.’ Not so Whales may not sing for their suppers, but some of them certainly do sing Melville failed to hear them because they sing underwater Others have heard them without realising it If whales sing near a wooden-bottomed boat, sailors in their bunks or hammocks may hear an eerie melodious wail from they know not where Hence, perhaps, the many sea-tales of lullabies sung by drowned colleagues
Why do they sing? First, spot the singers There are two sorts of whales: the toothed whales – such as sperm, killer and pilot whales – who are close relatives of the porpoise and the dolphin; and the toothless ‘baleen’ whales – such as the humpback, right and minke The toothed whales usually live in stable and organised groups: a gang of killer whales may stay together for years on end Such creatures make sounds, but have not been known to sing Many dolphins produce ‘signature’ whistles – each one has a different call-sign from his neighbours These seem to function as names: a dolphin will often produce his neighbour’s whistle when nearby Similarly, each sperm whale produces a distinctive series
of clicks – known as his coda – and will sometimes mimic a nearby whale’s coda Killer whales have identifiable dialects that are specific to each family It is the baleen whales, especially the humpbacks, who break into song At any one time, all the singing whales in a population sing the same song It gradually changes over time and each whale learns and copies the new variations This is a formidable feat because the songs, which can last up to thirty minutes, are highly complex It is only the males who sing, and they do so chiefly during the breeding season The songs seem – like many bird songs – to be a sort of display that males use in competing with each other for females
Singing humpbacks have a wide vocal range: the notes can swoop down from a high-pitched factory whistle to a reverberating fog-horn Play back a recorded humpback song at fourteen times the correct speed and it sounds like a nightingale But birdsong is shorter – and more significantly – not so structured as whale song Whale song can be broken down into regularly repeating phrases, which in turn are organised into themes that always occur in the same sequence Unlike birds, whales appear to have studied some of the rules of classical composition
By analysing these themes and phrases, two scientists have reached conclusions about whale culture that would have struck Melville dumb Whales seem to use a structure like rhyme in poetry And, like people, they may put in the rhymes to help them remember their songs The two scientists, Miss Linda Guinee of the Long Term Research Institute in Lincoln, Massachusetts, and Mrs Katherine Payne
of Cornell University in Ithaca, New York, analysed 460 whale songs from the North Pacific and 88 from the North Atlantic From their recordings they produced audio spectograms, converting sounds into string
of squiggles which can be classified by shape Having a catalogue of whale songs helps marine biologists
to track whale populations on their odysseys by showing where each singer comes from It also lets them study the songs as they evolve Since whales learn their songs, such songs are an example of culture; and the way they change is an example of cultural evolution
It turns out that whales make much use of phrases with the same endings – i.e rhymes Miss Guinee and Mrs Payne found that songs with many differing themes were much more likely to contain plenty of rhymes They found that rhymes were correlated not with the length of a song but with the amount of different material to be remembered Simple songs did not contain any rhyming passages The rhyming pattern then, could be a way to help the whale remember what comes next in a complicated song A rhyming pattern helps people to learn and remember poetry by limiting the number of possible
Trang 10words in a given position If you know that every third and fourth line of a stanza in a given poem rhyme, and that the third line of a stanza ends with ‘love’, you know that the next line might end with ‘dove’ but cannot end with ‘sparrow’ Advertising jingles often use rhyme in the justified hope that people will remember the names of products You do not have to know the meaning of a word or sign in order for rhyme to help you recall it (think of children’s nonsense rhymes) Poets use rhyme for all sorts of reasons: because they are attractive, musical, create a pleasing rhythm, or are merely ingenious or funny
Miss Guinee and Mrs Payne realise that their evidence is inconclusive, because they cannot ask the whales what they are up to Some will doubt their conclusion because it makes whales seem implausibly human Maybe they have not made whales ‘human’ enough Perhaps the rhyming sirens of the deep are simple trying to please themselves and their audience
115 What did Melville believe about whales?
A They didn’t produce vocal sounds B They had nothing to say
C They couldn’t imitate the human voice D They couldn’t sing
116 Which of the following seem to use personal identification signals?
A Killer whales B Porpoises
C Sperm whales D Baleen whales
117 What is known about the song of a humpback whale?
A It is identical to that of a nightingale
B It could be taken for birdsong if it was slower
C It mimics sounds produced by musical instruments
D It is rather more complex than that of birds
118 Why does the writer say ‘Whales appear to have studied some of the rules of classical composition’?
A He believes whales are more intelligent than most people think
B He doesn’t take the research seriously
C He thinks there is evidence that whales have learnt through contact with humans
D He is trying to amuse his readers
119 What did the two scientists discover?
A There were four hundred and sixty types of whale song
B Whale song varied according to how fast the whales were travelling
C Whales responded when music was played to them
D The songs demonstrated where the whales originated from
120 What is the conclusion of the writer of the article?
A That the scientists want to make whales appear too much like humans
B That the scientific work on whales is too inconclusive to be taken seriously
C That scientists may be missing a simple and obvious explanation for whale song
D That scientists may have found a way of communicating with whales
Part 4 Question 121 – 130: Fill each blank with ONE suitable word
History and storytelling
Over the last few years there has been more interest in the subject of history, perhaps because historical documentaries on television have attracted large viewing audiences Historians who often complain about (121) of interest in their subject should be delighted at this development, shouldn’t they?
According to a survey, (122) people are applying for places at university, and the