ĐỀ CHÍNH THỨC
Dành cho thí sinh thi vào các trường: THPT Chuyên Lương Văn Tụy
ĐỀ THI CHUYÊN ANH TỈNH NINH BÌNH NĂM HỌC 2025-2026
TIẾNG ANH (CHUYÊN) — 150 phút — 10 trang — 04/6/2025
Thời gian làm bài: 150 phút
Kết quả
PART 1 LISTENING — Interview (1–5)
Listen and choose A, B or C.
Listening Part 1 (file gộp)
Transcript — Listening Part 1 (file gộp)
Interviewer: Good morning Matthew and welcome to the show.
Matthew: Thank you. It's good to be here.
Interviewer: So Matthew, how did you become a fitness instructor?
Matthew: Well, I haven't always been into fitness. In fact, no one in my family is very sporty. I didn't work out in the gym or do much sport when I was young, but over the years I realized how important regular exercise is. Being a fitness instructor isn't a great way to get rich, but I can help myself and help other people to get fit too.
Interviewer: For our listeners, I should just add at this point that Matthew's foot is in a plaster cast. Can you tell us what happened?
Matthew: I know. I shouldn't be talking about keeping fit when I can hardly walk. I sprained my ankle last week while I was in the gym. It could have been worse, but still it's very annoying. I had to cancel all my classes for the next couple of weeks, but hopefully I'll be back to normal next month.
Interviewer: But it's not only important to keep our bodies fit, of course. We all know the saying, healthy body, healthy mind. Do you feel happier when you exercise?
Matthew: Yes, I do. It's important to keep your body and your mind in good shape. A healthy diet and half an hour's exercise each day is the best fitness program. You don't have to know exactly how your body works, but you certainly know when you feel healthy and when you don't. And when your body is healthy, your mind is too.
Interviewer: And what about your friends? Do they all agree with your way of life?
Matthew: They think I'm very focused on exercise, too focused maybe. They're also surprised that I don't always eat well. It's true that I care about what I eat, but I won't say no to a tasty burger or some chocolate from time to time. But actually, I don't usually eat much meat unless I'm training for something special.
Interviewer: So one final piece of advice to all our listeners out there?
Matthew: Well, I think the best thing is to do what makes you feel good. It's good to exercise every day. I do, but you shouldn't copy me. My exercise program wouldn't necessarily suit everyone. Just try to do as much as you feel comfortable with. Don't overdo it and always have fun.
Interviewer: Thank you, Matthew.
Matthew: Thank you. It's good to be here.
Interviewer: So Matthew, how did you become a fitness instructor?
Matthew: Well, I haven't always been into fitness. In fact, no one in my family is very sporty. I didn't work out in the gym or do much sport when I was young, but over the years I realized how important regular exercise is. Being a fitness instructor isn't a great way to get rich, but I can help myself and help other people to get fit too.
Interviewer: For our listeners, I should just add at this point that Matthew's foot is in a plaster cast. Can you tell us what happened?
Matthew: I know. I shouldn't be talking about keeping fit when I can hardly walk. I sprained my ankle last week while I was in the gym. It could have been worse, but still it's very annoying. I had to cancel all my classes for the next couple of weeks, but hopefully I'll be back to normal next month.
Interviewer: But it's not only important to keep our bodies fit, of course. We all know the saying, healthy body, healthy mind. Do you feel happier when you exercise?
Matthew: Yes, I do. It's important to keep your body and your mind in good shape. A healthy diet and half an hour's exercise each day is the best fitness program. You don't have to know exactly how your body works, but you certainly know when you feel healthy and when you don't. And when your body is healthy, your mind is too.
Interviewer: And what about your friends? Do they all agree with your way of life?
Matthew: They think I'm very focused on exercise, too focused maybe. They're also surprised that I don't always eat well. It's true that I care about what I eat, but I won't say no to a tasty burger or some chocolate from time to time. But actually, I don't usually eat much meat unless I'm training for something special.
Interviewer: So one final piece of advice to all our listeners out there?
Matthew: Well, I think the best thing is to do what makes you feel good. It's good to exercise every day. I do, but you shouldn't copy me. My exercise program wouldn't necessarily suit everyone. Just try to do as much as you feel comfortable with. Don't overdo it and always have fun.
Interviewer: Thank you, Matthew.
Why did Matthew decide to become a fitness instructor?
- He realized the importance of regular exercise.
- He supposed he could earn a lot of money.
- He wanted to improve his fitness.
Matthew isn't doing any exercise at the moment because______.
- his ankle is extremely hurt
- he's recovering from an injury
- he has too many classes
According to Matthew, what is the best fitness program?
- Taking regular exercise and eat good food.
- Knowing well about their body.
- Training their mind and their body.
What do Matthew's friends think about his way of life?
- He focuses too much on healthy body and mind.
- He concentrates on how to keep fit too much.
- He cares about what to eat.
Matthew advises listeners ______.
- to enjoy themselves when they exercise
- to follow his exercise routine
- to do exercise as much as possible every day
PART 1 LISTENING — Form completion (6–13)
NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS AND/OR A NUMBER.
Listening Part 2 (file gộp)
Transcript — Listening Part 2 (file gộp)
Cathy: Hello, Hilary Lodge retirement home, Cathy speaking.
John: Hello, my name's John Shepherd. Could I ask if you're the manager of the home?
Cathy: That's right.
John: Oh, good. Hello, Cathy. A friend of mine is a volunteer at Hilary Lodge, and I'd like to help out, too, if you need more people. I work part-time, so I have quite a lot of free time.
Cathy: We're always glad of more help, John.
Cathy: Now obviously we'd need to get to know you before you become one of our volunteers.
John: Of course.
Cathy: Could you come in for an informal interview – later this week, maybe?
John: I'm busy the next couple of days, but would Saturday be possible?
Cathy: Certainly. Just drop in any time during the day I won't be working then, so you'll see my assistant, Mairead.
John: Sorry, how do you spell that?
Cathy: It's M-A-I-R-E-A-D, Mairead.
John: OK, got that. It's not a name I'm familiar with.
Cathy: It's an Irish name. She comes from Dublin.
John: Right. And the road that Hilary Lodge is in is called Bridge Road, isn't it?
Cathy: That's right. Number 73.
John: Fine.
Cathy: Oh, one other thing you might be interested in – we're holding a couple of 'open house' days, and still need a few volunteers, if you're available.
John: What are the dates?
Cathy: There's one on April 9th, and another on 14th May. They're both Saturdays, and all-day events.
John: I can certainly manage May 14th. I've got another commitment on April 9th, though.
Cathy: That would be a great help. We're having several guest entertainers – singers, a brass band, and so on- and we're expecting a lot of visitors. So one possibility is to help look after the entertainers, or you could spend an hour or so organising people as they arrive, and then just be part of the team making sure everything's going smoothly.
John: Well, shall I show people where they can park?
Cathy: Lovely. Thank you. One reason for holding the open house days is to get publicity for Hilary Lodge locally. So you may find you have someone from a newspaper wanting to interview you. They'll want to find out from two or three people why they volunteer to help at the home. We're trying to get a TV station to come, too, but they don't seem very interested.
John: I don't mind being interviewed.
Cathy: Good. Well, if you come in for a chat, as we arranged, we'll take it from there. Thank you very much for calling.
John: My pleasure. Goodbye.
Cathy: Bye.
John: Hello, my name's John Shepherd. Could I ask if you're the manager of the home?
Cathy: That's right.
John: Oh, good. Hello, Cathy. A friend of mine is a volunteer at Hilary Lodge, and I'd like to help out, too, if you need more people. I work part-time, so I have quite a lot of free time.
Cathy: We're always glad of more help, John.
Cathy: Now obviously we'd need to get to know you before you become one of our volunteers.
John: Of course.
Cathy: Could you come in for an informal interview – later this week, maybe?
John: I'm busy the next couple of days, but would Saturday be possible?
Cathy: Certainly. Just drop in any time during the day I won't be working then, so you'll see my assistant, Mairead.
John: Sorry, how do you spell that?
Cathy: It's M-A-I-R-E-A-D, Mairead.
John: OK, got that. It's not a name I'm familiar with.
Cathy: It's an Irish name. She comes from Dublin.
John: Right. And the road that Hilary Lodge is in is called Bridge Road, isn't it?
Cathy: That's right. Number 73.
John: Fine.
Cathy: Oh, one other thing you might be interested in – we're holding a couple of 'open house' days, and still need a few volunteers, if you're available.
John: What are the dates?
Cathy: There's one on April 9th, and another on 14th May. They're both Saturdays, and all-day events.
John: I can certainly manage May 14th. I've got another commitment on April 9th, though.
Cathy: That would be a great help. We're having several guest entertainers – singers, a brass band, and so on- and we're expecting a lot of visitors. So one possibility is to help look after the entertainers, or you could spend an hour or so organising people as they arrive, and then just be part of the team making sure everything's going smoothly.
John: Well, shall I show people where they can park?
Cathy: Lovely. Thank you. One reason for holding the open house days is to get publicity for Hilary Lodge locally. So you may find you have someone from a newspaper wanting to interview you. They'll want to find out from two or three people why they volunteer to help at the home. We're trying to get a TV station to come, too, but they don't seem very interested.
John: I don't mind being interviewed.
Cathy: Good. Well, if you come in for a chat, as we arranged, we'll take it from there. Thank you very much for calling.
John: My pleasure. Goodbye.
Cathy: Bye.
HILARY LODGE RETIREMENT HOME
Interview:
- Time: On (6) __________.
- Interviewer's name: (7) __________.
Address: (8) __________, Bridge Road.
Event: “Open House” Days
- Time: Agreed to hold on (9) __________.
- Reason: To have local (10) __________ for Hilary Lodge.
- Task required: Organizing people, caring for (11) __________, taking part in the team.
- Possibility: A (12) __________ reporter may ask about the motive to (13) __________ to work at the home.
Interview:
- Time: On (6) __________.
- Interviewer's name: (7) __________.
Address: (8) __________, Bridge Road.
Event: “Open House” Days
- Time: Agreed to hold on (9) __________.
- Reason: To have local (10) __________ for Hilary Lodge.
- Task required: Organizing people, caring for (11) __________, taking part in the team.
- Possibility: A (12) __________ reporter may ask about the motive to (13) __________ to work at the home.
A (12) __________ reporter may interview you.
PART 1 LISTENING — Antarctica (14–20)
Choose A, B, C or D.
Listening Part 3 (file gộp)
Transcript — Listening Part 3 (file gộp)
Tonight I'm going to talk to you about that remarkable continent Antarctica - remote, hostile and at present uninhabited on a permanent basis. For early explorers, it was the ultimate survival contest; for researchers like me, it remains a place of great intellectual challenge; while for the modern tourist, it's simply a wilderness of great beauty.
First, some facts and figures. Antarctica is a place of extremes - the highest, coldest and windiest continent and over fifty-eight times the size of the UK. The ice-cap contains almost 70% of the world's fresh water and 90% of its ice, but with very low snowfall, most of the continent technically falls unbelievably into the category of desert! Huge icebergs break off the continent each year, while in winter half the surrounding ocean freezes over, which means its size almost doubles.
Research and exploration has been going on in Antarctica for more than two hundred years, and has involved scientists from many different countries, who work together on research stations. Here science and technical support have been integrated in a very cost-effective way - our Antarctic research programme has several summers-only stations and two all-year-round ones; I was based on one of the all-year-round ones.
The research stations are really self-contained communities of about twenty people. There's living and working space, a kitchen with a huge food store, a small hospital and a well-equipped gym to ensure everyone keeps fit in their spare time. The station generates its own electricity and communicates with the outside world using a satellite link.
Our station - Zero One - had some special features. It wasn't built on land but on an ice-shelf, hundreds of metres thick. Supplies were brought to us on large sledges from a ship fifteen kilometres away at the ice edge.
There are an increasing number of opportunities for young people to work for a period in Antarctica - not only as research assistants in projects like mine, but also in a wide range of junior administrative and technical positions including vacancies for map-makers. I hope that the insights I've provided will encourage you to take up these opportunities in this fascinating continent.
First, some facts and figures. Antarctica is a place of extremes - the highest, coldest and windiest continent and over fifty-eight times the size of the UK. The ice-cap contains almost 70% of the world's fresh water and 90% of its ice, but with very low snowfall, most of the continent technically falls unbelievably into the category of desert! Huge icebergs break off the continent each year, while in winter half the surrounding ocean freezes over, which means its size almost doubles.
Research and exploration has been going on in Antarctica for more than two hundred years, and has involved scientists from many different countries, who work together on research stations. Here science and technical support have been integrated in a very cost-effective way - our Antarctic research programme has several summers-only stations and two all-year-round ones; I was based on one of the all-year-round ones.
The research stations are really self-contained communities of about twenty people. There's living and working space, a kitchen with a huge food store, a small hospital and a well-equipped gym to ensure everyone keeps fit in their spare time. The station generates its own electricity and communicates with the outside world using a satellite link.
Our station - Zero One - had some special features. It wasn't built on land but on an ice-shelf, hundreds of metres thick. Supplies were brought to us on large sledges from a ship fifteen kilometres away at the ice edge.
There are an increasing number of opportunities for young people to work for a period in Antarctica - not only as research assistants in projects like mine, but also in a wide range of junior administrative and technical positions including vacancies for map-makers. I hope that the insights I've provided will encourage you to take up these opportunities in this fascinating continent.
Antarctica is, nowadays, described as a place of ______ for many visitors.
- remote, hostile and uninhabited continent
- great intellectual challenge
- ultimate survival contest
- wild and wonderful beauty
Approximately, ______ of the world's ice is contained in the ice-cap in Antarctica.
- 90%
- 70%
- 58%
- 50%
In fact, that half of the nearby ocean gets frozen ______ the size of Antarctica in winter.
- doubles
- increases
- breaks off
- decreases
Some ______ stations are included in research programme supporting science and technique in Antarctica.
- all-year-round
- half-year-round
- summer-only
- winter-only
According to the recording, people in Antarctica research stations can do the following things EXCEPT ______.
- cooking foods
- having medical treatment and care
- forecasting the weather by using a satellite
- doing physical exercises
How was the station named Zero One built?
- It was built on huge sledges.
- It was built on an ice-shelf.
- It was built on land, hundreds of meters thick.
- It was built on a large ship.
The speaker is working as a ______ for in Antarctica.
- map-maker
- junior administrator
- junior technician
- research assistant
PART 2 LEXICO — MCQ (21–30)
Choose A, B, C or D.
Jenny: "Oh no! I can't find my passport!" — John: "______."
- Oh dear. Thanks for letting me know
- Don't worry. It will be back very soon
- Chill out. You should be careful about it
- Stay calm. Try to remember when you last put it
We just took it ______ that all the volunteers would be readily available for the Ninh Binh-Green Campaign.
- for granted
- easy
- into account
- into consideration
After taking some online tutorials, my English speaking skill is progressing in ______.
- leaps and bounds
- bounds and leaps
- odds and ends
- ends and odds
It is mandatory that producing and selling fake goods ______.
- is prohibited
- must be prohibited
- prohibit
- be prohibited
I know his name is "Jim", but it was just a ______ of the tongue when I called him "Tim".
- slide
- skid
- skim
- slip
More people in my hometown ______ a green lifestyle because it is good for the environment.
- adopt
- conclude
- compose
- create
If you leave your baggage ______ at the airport, it will be taken away.
- inattentive
- careless
- unattended
- neglectful
To decorate my condo, I bought a ______ sofa and put it in the middle of the living room.
- nice brown big leather
- nice big brown leather
- brown nice leather big
- brown leather nice big
Young people are ambitious by nature, so they tend to ______ their sights on whatever they do.
- set
- view
- catch
- see
I ______ Pickleball by accident, but once I have started, I loved it.
- got by
- got over
- got through
- got into
PART 2 Word formation (31–35)
Give the correct form of the bold words.
The response of most animals when suddenly faced with predator is to flee. Natural selection has acted in a variety of ways in different species to enhance the (31. EFFICACIOUS) ______ of the behaviors… Perhaps the most direct adaptation is enhanced flight speed and (32. AGILE) ______. … move in an erratic and (33. PREDICT) ______ way. … Rapid (34. EXPECT) ______ changes in flight direction… more effective in the (35. PRESENT) ______ of predators…
is to flee. Natural selection has acted in a variety of ways in different species to enhance the (31. EFFICACIOUS) ______ of the behaviors… Perhaps the most direct adaptation is enhanced flight speed and (32. AGILE
FICACIOUS) ______ of the behaviors… Perhaps the most direct adaptation is enhanced flight speed and (32. AGILE) ______. … move in an erratic and (33. PREDICT) ______ way. … Rapid (34. EXPECT) ______ changes in f
most direct adaptation is enhanced flight speed and (32. AGILE) ______. … move in an erratic and (33. PREDICT) ______ way. … Rapid (34. EXPECT) ______ changes in flight direction… more effective in the (35. PRE
flight speed and (32. AGILE) ______. … move in an erratic and (33. PREDICT) ______ way. … Rapid (34. EXPECT) ______ changes in flight direction… more effective in the (35. PRESENT) ______ of predators…
PREDICT) ______ way. … Rapid (34. EXPECT) ______ changes in flight direction… more effective in the (35. PRESENT) ______ of predators…
PART 2 Error correction (36–40)
Find and correct 5 mistakes (line → wrong → right). Example: the → a.
While TikTok can be fun and entertaining, there are the number of dangers that come with using TikTok. Nevertheless, it's so important for parents to set up parental controls on the app. By doing so, you can help to keep your children safe while they use TikTok. One of the risks of TikTok is that it can be highly addictive. If left checking, kids can easily spend hours on the app, which can interfere with their everyday lives. Parental controls can help parents limit their children's screen time on TikTok to a healthy amount. This can help kids balance their use of technology with other outdoor activities such as playing sports or socializing with family and friends. Another reason to set up parental controls on TikTok is to block appropriate content. The app's algorithm can expose users to mature content that is not suitable for children or teenagers. Parental controls can help parents block this type of content from being displayed in their children's feed. This can help to protect kids with seeing videos that are too violent, sexual or age-unsuitable.
Line 2: Nevertheless → ?
Line 4: checking → ?
Line 7: socializing → ?
Line 9: appropriate → ?
Line 11: with → ?
PART 3 READING — Cloze (41–45)
Choose the answer that best fits each blank.
Instead of just reading about different cultures in books, festivals let young people experience them firsthand. … This opens their eyes to new things, challenges their ideas about the world, and (41) ______. In today's busy world, sometimes kids can feel lonely. But festivals bring people together… (42) ______, they can share traditions… connect with their own heritage (43) ______. … Seeing people from different cultures helps them be more open-minded… (44) ______. When kids do voluntary work during a harvest festival… The spirit of giving back is often part of these celebrations, (45) ______ for their communities.
- like global citizens makes them think
- makes global citizens think like them
- makes them think like global citizens
- makes them like global citizens think
- Meeting others from different backgrounds
- To meet others from different backgrounds
- Having met others from different backgrounds
- Met others from different backgrounds
- or learn about new cultures
- but learn about new cultures
- because of learning about new cultures
- by learning about new cultures
- It is very important in today's connected world
- Being very important in today's connected world
- This is very important in today's connected world
- Which is very important in today's connected world
- which teaches about responsibility and caring by kids
- to teach kids about responsibility and caring
- teaching kids about responsibility and caring
- by teaching kids about responsibility and caring
PART 3 READING — Meteorite (46–55)
Choose the best answer for each question.
METEORITE IMPACT AND DINOSAUR EXTINCTION
There is increasing evidence that the impacts of meteorites have had
important effects on Earth, particularly in the field of biological
evolution. Such impacts continue to pose a natural hazard to life on
Earth. Twice in the twentieth century, large meteorite objects are known
to have collided with Earth.
If an impact is large enough, it can disturb the environment of the
entire Earth and cause an ecological catastrophe. The best-documented
such impact took place 65 million years ago at the end of the Cretaceous
period of geological history. This break in Earth’s history is marked
by a mass extinction, when as many as half the species on the planet
became extinct. While there are a dozen or more mass extinctions in the
geological record, the Cretaceous mass extinction has always intrigued
paleontologists because it marks the end of the age of the dinosaurs.
For tens of millions of years, those great creatures had flourished.
Then, suddenly, they disappeared.
The body that impacted Earth at the end of the Cretaceous period was a
meteorite with a mass of more than a trillion tons and a diameter of at
least 10 kilometers. Scientists first identified this impact in 1980
from the worldwide layer of sediment deposited from the dust cloud that
enveloped the planet after the impact. This sediment layer is enriched
in the rare metal iridium and other elements that are relatively
abundant in a meteorite but very rare in the crust of Earth. Even
diluted by the terrestrial material excavated from the crater, this
component of meteorites is easily identified. By 1990 geologists had
located the impact site itself in the Yucatán region of Mexico. The
crater, now deeply buried in sediment, was originally about 200
kilometers in diameter.
This impact released an enormous amount of energy, excavating a crater
about twice as large as the lunar crater Tycho. The explosion lifted
about 100 trillion tons of dust into the atmosphere, and can be
determined by measuring the thickness of the sediment layer formed when
this dust settled to the surface. Such a quantity of material would have
blocked the sunlight completely from reaching the surface, plunging
Earth into a period of cold and darkness that lasted at least several
months. The explosion is also calculated to have produced vast
quantities of nitric acid and melted rock that sprayed out over much of
Earth, starting widespread fires that must have consumed most
terrestrial forests and grassland. Presumably, those environmental
disasters could have been responsible for the mass extinction, including
the death of the dinosaurs.
Several other mass extinctions in the geological record have been
tentatively identified with large impacts, but none is so dramatic as
the Cretaceous event. But even without such specific documentation, it
is clear that impacts of this size do occur and that their results can
be catastrophic. What is a catastrophe for one group of living things,
however, may create opportunities for another group. Following each mass
extinction, there is a sudden evolutionary burst as new species develop
to fill the ecological niches opened by the event.
Impacts by meteorites represent one mechanism that could cause global
catastrophes and seriously influence the evolution of life all over the
planet. According to some estimates, the majority of all extinctions of
species may be due to such impacts. Such a perspective fundamentally
changes our view of biological evolution. The standard criterion for the
survival of a species is its success in competing with other species and
adapting to slowly changing environments. Yet an equally important
criterion is the ability of a species to survive random global
ecological catastrophes due to impacts.
Earth is a target in a cosmic shooting gallery, subject to random
violent events that were unsuspected a few decades ago. In 1991 the
United States Congress asked NASA to investigate the hazard posed today
by large impacts on Earth. The group conducting the study concluded from
a detailed analysis that impacts from meteorites can indeed be
hazardous. Although there is always some risk that a large impact could
occur, careful study shows that this risk is quite small.
There is increasing evidence that the impacts of meteorites have had
important effects on Earth, particularly in the field of biological
evolution. Such impacts continue to pose a natural hazard to life on
Earth. Twice in the twentieth century, large meteorite objects are known
to have collided with Earth.
If an impact is large enough, it can disturb the environment of the
entire Earth and cause an ecological catastrophe. The best-documented
such impact took place 65 million years ago at the end of the Cretaceous
period of geological history. This break in Earth’s history is marked
by a mass extinction, when as many as half the species on the planet
became extinct. While there are a dozen or more mass extinctions in the
geological record, the Cretaceous mass extinction has always intrigued
paleontologists because it marks the end of the age of the dinosaurs.
For tens of millions of years, those great creatures had flourished.
Then, suddenly, they disappeared.
The body that impacted Earth at the end of the Cretaceous period was a
meteorite with a mass of more than a trillion tons and a diameter of at
least 10 kilometers. Scientists first identified this impact in 1980
from the worldwide layer of sediment deposited from the dust cloud that
enveloped the planet after the impact. This sediment layer is enriched
in the rare metal iridium and other elements that are relatively
abundant in a meteorite but very rare in the crust of Earth. Even
diluted by the terrestrial material excavated from the crater, this
component of meteorites is easily identified. By 1990 geologists had
located the impact site itself in the Yucatán region of Mexico. The
crater, now deeply buried in sediment, was originally about 200
kilometers in diameter.
This impact released an enormous amount of energy, excavating a crater
about twice as large as the lunar crater Tycho. The explosion lifted
about 100 trillion tons of dust into the atmosphere, and can be
determined by measuring the thickness of the sediment layer formed when
this dust settled to the surface. Such a quantity of material would have
blocked the sunlight completely from reaching the surface, plunging
Earth into a period of cold and darkness that lasted at least several
months. The explosion is also calculated to have produced vast
quantities of nitric acid and melted rock that sprayed out over much of
Earth, starting widespread fires that must have consumed most
terrestrial forests and grassland. Presumably, those environmental
disasters could have been responsible for the mass extinction, including
the death of the dinosaurs.
Several other mass extinctions in the geological record have been
tentatively identified with large impacts, but none is so dramatic as
the Cretaceous event. But even without such specific documentation, it
is clear that impacts of this size do occur and that their results can
be catastrophic. What is a catastrophe for one group of living things,
however, may create opportunities for another group. Following each mass
extinction, there is a sudden evolutionary burst as new species develop
to fill the ecological niches opened by the event.
Impacts by meteorites represent one mechanism that could cause global
catastrophes and seriously influence the evolution of life all over the
planet. According to some estimates, the majority of all extinctions of
species may be due to such impacts. Such a perspective fundamentally
changes our view of biological evolution. The standard criterion for the
survival of a species is its success in competing with other species and
adapting to slowly changing environments. Yet an equally important
criterion is the ability of a species to survive random global
ecological catastrophes due to impacts.
Earth is a target in a cosmic shooting gallery, subject to random
violent events that were unsuspected a few decades ago. In 1991 the
United States Congress asked NASA to investigate the hazard posed today
by large impacts on Earth. The group conducting the study concluded from
a detailed analysis that impacts from meteorites can indeed be
hazardous. Although there is always some risk that a large impact could
occur, careful study shows that this risk is quite small.
In paragraph 2, why does the author include the information that dinosaurs had flourished for tens of millions of years and then suddenly disappeared?
- To support the claim that the mass extinction… is the best-documented…
- To explain why as many as half of the species… became extinct…
- To explain why paleontologists have always been intrigued by the mass extinction…
- To provide evidence that an impact can be large enough…
Which of the following can be inferred from paragraph 3 about the location of the meteorite impact in Mexico?
- The location… was kept secret… from 1980 to 1990.
- It was a well-known fact that the impact had occurred in the Yucatán region.
- Geologists knew that there had been an impact before they knew where it had occurred.
- The Yucatán region was chosen… because of its climate.
According to paragraph 3, how did scientists determine that a large meteorite had impacted Earth?
- They discovered a large crater in the Yucatán region of Mexico.
- They found a unique layer of sediment worldwide.
- They were alerted by archaeologists…
- They located a meteorite with a mass of over a trillion tons.
The word "intrigued" in paragraph 2 is CLOSEST in meaning to ______.
- inspired
- conveyed
- approached
- prevented
Which sentence best expresses: "Earth is a target in a cosmic shooting gallery…"?
- Until recently, nobody realized that Earth is exposed to unpredictable violent impacts from space.
- In the last few decades, the risk of a random violent impact from space has increased.
- Since most violent events on Earth occur randomly, nobody can predict when or where they will happen.
- A few decades ago, Earth became the target of random violent events originating in outer space.
According to the passage, which of the following is NOT TRUE about the meteorite at the end of the Cretaceous period?
- Its size and weight were enormous.
- It was rich in rare metal iridium and other elements.
- Its component was simply discovered.
- It could be identified by the density of the sediment layer.
The phrase "plunging…into" in paragraph 4 is CLOSEST in meaning to ______.
- dropping…into
- pushing…into
- inserting…into
- crashing… into
Paragraph 6 supports which statement about factors essential for survival of a species?
- The most important factor… is… compete and adapt to gradual changes…
- The ability… to compete and adapt… is not the only ability that is essential for survival.
- Since most extinctions… due to major meteorite impacts, the ability to survive such impacts is the most important…
- The factors… vary significantly from one species to another.
The word "catastrophe" in paragraph 5 is CLOSEST in meaning to ______.
- disappearance
- survival
- disaster
- evolution
In view of the standard criterion for survival, success in competing… is as critical as the ability to ______.
- exist in unpredictable worldwide ecological catastrophes
- overcome in a period of cold and darkness
- evolve without being affected by ecological catastrophes at all
- escape from unpredictable meteorites' shootings outside the Earth
PART 3 READING — The Big Sleep headings (56–61)
Match headings i–viii to paragraphs B–G. Example: A → vii.
THE BIG SLEEP
The nature of sleep and the role it plays in our lives has long
fascinated science and been the focus of many studies and a great deal
of research.
Paragraph A
The benefit of receiving enough sleep is essential to our inner
well-being. Not enough sleep, however, means that we lack the
opportunity to restore ourselves physiologically, emotionally and
cognitively. It affects our mood and can result in behavior and
performance problems. When we sleep, our bodies rest but our brains are
active. Sleep lays the groundwork for a productive day ahead. Although
most people benefit the most from eight hours of sleep each night, this
is not always what they manage to achieve. Men get slightly less sleep
than women during the week (6.7 hours/night vs. 7.0 hours/night), but
have fewer sleep problems, according to recent Sleep in America polls
conducted annually by the National Sleep Foundation (NSF).
Paragraph B
According to current scientific thought, the human body is
pre-programmed for sleep. At nightfall, cells in the retina (a light
sensitive membrane connected to the eye by the optic nerve) send a sleep
signal to a cluster of nerve cells in the brain. These nerve cells are
concentrated together in the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) and are
located in a part of the brain called the hypothalamus which helps
regulate body temperature. The SCN is also known as the circadian clock.
This biological ‘clock’ relays the message to other parts of the
brain which then signals the body that it is time to sleep. For
instance, the pineal gland, also located in the hypothalamus, produces a
substance called melatonin, which lowers body temperature, and causes
drowsiness.
Paragraph C
A great deal of the information we now know about sleep and the
physiological changes it causes in the brain can be traced back to the
invention of the electroencephalogram in the 1950s. This machine allowed
scientists to record the feeble electric currents generated on the brain
without opening the skull and to depict them graphically onto a strip of
paper. Brain-wave function could be examined and scientists could
thereby observe sleep from moment to moment. In the 1970s it became
possible for scientists to make assumptions about the role that correct
breathing plays during sleep with the development of the technology to
measure respiration. It was here that science really began to understand
the nature of sleep and the role it plays in people's lives.
Paragraph D
As well as uncovering the physiological changes occurring during sleep.
The New England Journal of Medicine reported that sleep concerns were a
public health threat as serious as smoking and in the years since,
medical researchers have linked sleep disorders with many
life-threatening diseases. Even though more than 70 million Americans
have a sleeping problem, most cases go undiagnosed and untreated, so the
true economic and sociological damage caused by these disorders is
unknown although, the economic cost is conservatively estimated to be
billions of dollars a year in health care costs and lost productivity.
Breathing problems during sleep represent by far the greatest proportion
of sleep disorders and cause the most concern, with studies showing that
between 50% and 80% of stroke and heart failure patients have breathing
problems during sleep.
Paragraph E
Scientific studies have found that children who are identified as
snorers or those who have poor sleeping patterns at around the age of
four or five, scored lower than average in Intelligence Quotient (IQ)
tests, not only during the sleep deprivation period but subsequent to
that. There are also suggestions that ongoing sleep deprivation in
adults can cause permanent damage.
Paragraph F
Teenagers can have peculiar sleep requirements. It has always been known
that adolescents spend more time sleeping than adults, but science has
only recently isolated the reasons for this. Research now shows that
growth hormones are secreted during slow-wave sleep and teenagers do
indeed, need more of this kind of sleep than at any other stage in their
lives. Chronic lack of sleep among teenagers means that as a group they
are more likely to use stimulants and experience negative mood swings.
Statistics also indicate that young drivers are responsible for more
than one-half of fall-asleep crashes.
Paragraph G
However, it is not just young people who pay the price for lack of
proper sleep. Workers are robbing themselves of sleep in order to
increase productivity in both their social and working lives. In recent
years, however, the identification of driver fatigue as the possible
cause of 1/3 of all accidents provides some indication of the price we
are paying for such a trade-off. Extensive scientific research indicates
that chronic tiredness has been the cause of environmental disasters,
nuclear mishaps and several well- documented near misses in the air.
Scientists are beginning to argue that the lengthening of the working
day is harming workers, their families and society. In the long run,
productivity will suffer.
List of headings
i. Tragic consequences derived from chronic sleep deprivation
ii. The scientific evidence of sleep to early development
iii. Remarkable contribution of technological advances to sleep research
iv. Huge influence and consequences caused by sleep issues
v. The effect of lack of the right kind of sleep on behavior
vi. Process of creating sleep relating to physiological changes
vii. Vital function of sleep in our daily lives (Example: Paragraph A)
viii. Sleep research revolutionized by modern electronic devices and AI
The nature of sleep and the role it plays in our lives has long
fascinated science and been the focus of many studies and a great deal
of research.
Paragraph A
The benefit of receiving enough sleep is essential to our inner
well-being. Not enough sleep, however, means that we lack the
opportunity to restore ourselves physiologically, emotionally and
cognitively. It affects our mood and can result in behavior and
performance problems. When we sleep, our bodies rest but our brains are
active. Sleep lays the groundwork for a productive day ahead. Although
most people benefit the most from eight hours of sleep each night, this
is not always what they manage to achieve. Men get slightly less sleep
than women during the week (6.7 hours/night vs. 7.0 hours/night), but
have fewer sleep problems, according to recent Sleep in America polls
conducted annually by the National Sleep Foundation (NSF).
Paragraph B
According to current scientific thought, the human body is
pre-programmed for sleep. At nightfall, cells in the retina (a light
sensitive membrane connected to the eye by the optic nerve) send a sleep
signal to a cluster of nerve cells in the brain. These nerve cells are
concentrated together in the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) and are
located in a part of the brain called the hypothalamus which helps
regulate body temperature. The SCN is also known as the circadian clock.
This biological ‘clock’ relays the message to other parts of the
brain which then signals the body that it is time to sleep. For
instance, the pineal gland, also located in the hypothalamus, produces a
substance called melatonin, which lowers body temperature, and causes
drowsiness.
Paragraph C
A great deal of the information we now know about sleep and the
physiological changes it causes in the brain can be traced back to the
invention of the electroencephalogram in the 1950s. This machine allowed
scientists to record the feeble electric currents generated on the brain
without opening the skull and to depict them graphically onto a strip of
paper. Brain-wave function could be examined and scientists could
thereby observe sleep from moment to moment. In the 1970s it became
possible for scientists to make assumptions about the role that correct
breathing plays during sleep with the development of the technology to
measure respiration. It was here that science really began to understand
the nature of sleep and the role it plays in people's lives.
Paragraph D
As well as uncovering the physiological changes occurring during sleep.
The New England Journal of Medicine reported that sleep concerns were a
public health threat as serious as smoking and in the years since,
medical researchers have linked sleep disorders with many
life-threatening diseases. Even though more than 70 million Americans
have a sleeping problem, most cases go undiagnosed and untreated, so the
true economic and sociological damage caused by these disorders is
unknown although, the economic cost is conservatively estimated to be
billions of dollars a year in health care costs and lost productivity.
Breathing problems during sleep represent by far the greatest proportion
of sleep disorders and cause the most concern, with studies showing that
between 50% and 80% of stroke and heart failure patients have breathing
problems during sleep.
Paragraph E
Scientific studies have found that children who are identified as
snorers or those who have poor sleeping patterns at around the age of
four or five, scored lower than average in Intelligence Quotient (IQ)
tests, not only during the sleep deprivation period but subsequent to
that. There are also suggestions that ongoing sleep deprivation in
adults can cause permanent damage.
Paragraph F
Teenagers can have peculiar sleep requirements. It has always been known
that adolescents spend more time sleeping than adults, but science has
only recently isolated the reasons for this. Research now shows that
growth hormones are secreted during slow-wave sleep and teenagers do
indeed, need more of this kind of sleep than at any other stage in their
lives. Chronic lack of sleep among teenagers means that as a group they
are more likely to use stimulants and experience negative mood swings.
Statistics also indicate that young drivers are responsible for more
than one-half of fall-asleep crashes.
Paragraph G
However, it is not just young people who pay the price for lack of
proper sleep. Workers are robbing themselves of sleep in order to
increase productivity in both their social and working lives. In recent
years, however, the identification of driver fatigue as the possible
cause of 1/3 of all accidents provides some indication of the price we
are paying for such a trade-off. Extensive scientific research indicates
that chronic tiredness has been the cause of environmental disasters,
nuclear mishaps and several well- documented near misses in the air.
Scientists are beginning to argue that the lengthening of the working
day is harming workers, their families and society. In the long run,
productivity will suffer.
List of headings
i. Tragic consequences derived from chronic sleep deprivation
ii. The scientific evidence of sleep to early development
iii. Remarkable contribution of technological advances to sleep research
iv. Huge influence and consequences caused by sleep issues
v. The effect of lack of the right kind of sleep on behavior
vi. Process of creating sleep relating to physiological changes
vii. Vital function of sleep in our daily lives (Example: Paragraph A)
viii. Sleep research revolutionized by modern electronic devices and AI
The Big Sleep headings — Paragraph B →
The Big Sleep headings — Paragraph C →
The Big Sleep headings — Paragraph D →
The Big Sleep headings — Paragraph E →
The Big Sleep headings — Paragraph F →
The Big Sleep headings — Paragraph G →
PART 3 READING — Summary (62–65)
NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS from the passage.
The article discusses the importance of sleep, emphasizing that insufficient sleep affects mood, (62) _______, and performance. … The human body has a (63) _______, influenced by light signals… Research has pointed out the connection between (64) _______ and serious health risks… while in adults, (65) _______ fatigue contributes to workplace accidents and reduced productivity.
PART 4 WRITING — Email (66)
120–150 words. Begin Dear Mr. Son Nguyen, / end Yours sincerely, Hoa. Do not write your own name/address.
As an English club leader, write an email to the Vietnamese Minister of Education and Training proposing a plan for gradually using English as the second language in schools. Mention benefits and challenges, and suggested solutions.
PART 4 WRITING — Essay (67)
About 180–200 words with reasons and examples.
Many teenagers think that in today's world it is quite difficult for them to maintain a healthy lifestyle. To what extent do you agree or disagree?