Dành cho thí sinh thi vào các trường: THPT Chuyên Vĩnh Phúc
ĐỀ THI CHUYÊN ANH TỈNH VĨNH PHÚC NĂM HỌC 2025-2026
TIẾNG ANH (CHUYÊN) — 150 phút — 8 trang
Thời gian làm bài: 150 phút
Kết quả
PART A. LISTENING — Section 1 (Questions 1–10)
Questions 1–7: Complete the notes. Write ONE WORD ONLY. Questions 8–10: Complete the table. Write ONE WORD AND/OR A NUMBER. Each recording will be played TWICE.
Listening Section 1
Transcript — Listening Section 1
Volunteering in Southoe: help collecting library books; keep records of books up to date; library in the West Room of the village hall. Lunch club: provide transport; help with art groups. Next week: take Mrs Carroll to hospital; weed Mr Selsbury’s garden. Quiz 19 Oct needs refreshments; dance on 18 November; New Year’s Eve party at the Mountfort Hotel.
Opportunities for voluntary work in Southoe village
Library • Help with (1) ________ books (times to be arranged) • Help needed to keep (2) ________ of books up to date. • Library is in the (3) ________ Room in the village hall.
Lunch club • Help by providing (4) ________ • Help with hobbies such as (5) ________
Help for individuals needed next week • Take Mrs. Carroll to (6) ________ • Work in the (7) ________ at Mr. Selsbury’s house.
Village social events Date | Event | Location | Help needed 19 Oct | quiz | Village hall | providing (8) ________ (9) ________ | dance | Village hall | checking tickets 31 Dec | New Year’s Eve party | (10) ________ Hotel | designing the poster
PART A. LISTENING — Section 2 (Questions 11–15)
Listen to the talk about planning a presentation on nanotechnology and choose the correct answer A, B or C. The recording will be played TWICE.
Listening Section 2
Transcript — Listening Section 2
Russ is unsure whether to give a general introduction or go deep into one aspect. He and the tutor agree to focus on nanotechnology’s impact on one field. The tutor suggests he might omit slides rather than spend too long finding them. They agree to start with an example of one use of nanotechnology. Next, Russ should ignore existing notes and write one short sentence that summarises the whole talk.
Russ says that his difficulty in planning the presentation is due to ________.
his lack of knowledge about the topic
his uncertainty about what he should try to achieve
the short time that he has for preparation
Russ and his tutor agree that his approach in the presentation will be ________.
to concentrate on how nanotechnology is used in one field
to follow the chronological development of nanotechnology
to show the range of applications of nanotechnology
In connection with slides, the tutor advises Russ to ________.
talk about things that he can find slides to illustrate
look for slides to illustrate the points he makes
consider omitting slides altogether
They both agree that the best way for Russ to start his presentation is ________.
to encourage the audience to talk
to explain what Russ intends to do
to provide an example
What does the tutor advise Russ to do next while preparing his presentation?
summarise the main point he wants to make
read the notes he has already made
list the topics he wants to cover
PART A. LISTENING — Section 3 (Questions 16–25)
You are going to hear a part of the lecture about a Fossil Park. Fill in the gap with NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS for each. The recording will be played TWICE.
Listening Section 3
Transcript — Listening Section 3
Preserved fossils are more common actual remains. Trace fossils are indirect evidence such as tracks and burrows. In petrifaction an animal is buried in mud; minerals replace the bones. Buy souvenirs from the shop or from the park’s exhibitions; most samples are affordable. Tape measure for dimensions/dimension; notebook for types of rocks; camera for images; compass to find sediments that locate fossils.
Study of fossil park
Types of fossils: • Transitional fossils: rare, show evidence of evolutionary change • (16) ________ fossils: more common, actual fossilised remains • (17) ________ fossils: indirect evidence of animal, such as footprints or tunnels
Fossilisation processes: • Organism trapped in volcanic ash • Petrification: An animal is (18) ________ in the mud after death. Mud dries and hardens. (19) ________ replace the bones leaving a stone shape.
Purchasing fossils: • Site: shop outside the park or from the park’s (20) ________ • Prices: generally (21) ________
Tools — Function: • A tape measure: Record the (22) ________ of each fossil • A notebook: Record the types of (23) ________ • A camera: Record the (24) ________ of each fossil • A compass: Detect (25) ________ to locate the fossils
PART B. LEXICO – GRAMMAR — Section 1 (Questions 26–45)
Choose the correct option A, B, C or D to complete the following sentences. (Official paper: questions 1–20)
It is imperative that products ________ carefully before they are sold to the public.
are tested
be tested
have to be tested
were tested
The new school complex cost ________ the city council had budgeted for.
almost twice as much as
twice more by far than
just twice as much as
twice much more than
Beneath the streets of a modern city ________ of walls, columns, cables, pines, and tunnels required to satisfy the needs of its inhabitants.
where exists
the existing network
the network’s existence
exists the network
________ the low rainfall this year, the residents living in this area were warned not to be extravagant with water.
With a view to
In view of
In lieu of
Irrespective of
Widely considered a literary masterpiece, ________.
Gabriel García Márquez wrote One Hundred Years of Solitude
the themes of solitude and fate are explored in One Hundred Years of Solitude
One Hundred Years of Solitude explores themes of solitude and fate
it is One Hundred Years of Solitude that explores themes of solitude and fate
She looked quite anxious. She seemed ________ there for hours.
to wait
to be waiting
to have waited
to have been waiting
That book is by a famous anthropologist. It’s about the people in Samoa ________ for two years.
that she lived
that she lived among them
among whom she lived
where she lived among them
We took CDs with us to our gatherings. Actually, we ________ that, for there was no CD player to play them on.
mustn’t have done
didn’t have to do
needn’t have done
couldn’t have done
________ as taste is really a composite sense made up of both taste and smell.
That we refer to
What we refer to
To which we refer
What do we refer to
I’m in a bit of a ________ as to what to wear to the wedding.
loss
quandary
problem
bewilderment
This great song has always ________ memories of Daisy’s schooldays.
tracked down
conjured up
brought in
coupled with
The other teams were so good that we obviously didn’t ________ any chance of winning the match.
blow
miss
give
stand
As the two competitions are taking place ________, I will have to decide which one to attend.
continually
concurrently
continuously
currently
Thieves got away with a ________ of jewelry worth thousands of pounds.
catch
loot
haul
snatch
People in this village have an ________ appetite for news.
inevitable
inexorable
insatiable
inedible
Mr. Wellbred went to a school which ________ good manners and self-discipline.
blossomed
planted
harvested
cultivated
Dr. Johnson managed to ensure that the scientists in his research team were the ________ of the crop.
top
catch
cream
blend
The return on your investment will come in ________ at first, but you’ll see a more steady flow of income later.
bits and bobs
dribs and drabs
fingers and thumbs
bibs and tuckers
Peter: “That speech was quite compelling.” Helen: “________. It struck all the right chords with the audience.”
Couldn’t agree more
I’m afraid not
You can say that again
That’s not always the case
Lan: “Do you think that the teacher would let us leave early to watch the football match?” Minh: “________.”
Fat chance
Not at all
You’ll never guess
Not on your life
PART B. LEXICO – GRAMMAR — Section 2 (Questions 46–55)
Supply the correct form of the word in brackets. (Official paper: questions 21–30)
The ________ of the education system in Finland is famous all over Europe. (EFFICIENT)
Bullying among school children can cause ________ of school, which can impact their academic development. (HATE)
Her contribution to the overall success of the project was ________ important. (MEASURE)
He won the discus event at the Olympic Games but was later ________ when a medical check proved that he had been taking drugs. (QUALIFY)
The teacher was careful not to show ________ to any one student because this may cause discontentment among students. (FAVOR)
The account of his trips is rather repetitive and uninspired, ________ only by his humorous dealing with locals who could not speak English. (LIVE)
Improved safety measures in cars can be ________ as they encourage people to drive faster. (PRODUCE)
The manager was ________ to the employees’ concerns about long working hours, insisting that deadlines came first. (SYMPATHY)
Her documentary highlighted the deep-rooted ________ that still affect women in rural areas. (EQUAL)
The professor was praised for her ________ approach, encouraging students to challenge conventional theories. (INNOVATE)
PART B. LEXICO – GRAMMAR — Section 3 (Questions 56–65)
Choose the underlined part A, B, C or D that needs correction, then correct it. Write the letter and the correction. (Official paper: questions 31–40)
A considerable amount of time and effort have gone into this exhibition. A. considerable B. time C. effort D. have Identify the mistake and correct it.
These mental exercises are designed to break linear thinking habits and encourage the creativity needing for innovation. A. mental B. are C. encourage D. needing
Everyone would go into the hall for a meeting and afterwards we’d go to our respectful classes. A. go into B. a meeting C. afterwards D. respectful
Her suite of rooms was cool and restless and there was a small balcony beyond the bedroom window. A. suite B. restless C. was D. beyond
When a child becomes a teenager, he encounters many experiences which are new for him to handle independently and on his own. Children of this age are often highly suggested. A. becomes B. encounters C. handle D. suggested
Because there are less members present tonight than there were last night, we will wait until the next meeting to vote. A. Because B. less C. there were D. to vote
Trademarks enable a company to distinguish its products from this of another company. A. enable B. distinguish C. this D. another
Had Lam read unit 7 before his class, he wouldn’t have felt unruffled when being asked questions by his English teacher now. A. Had Lam read B. wouldn’t have felt C. being asked D. by
The privacy issue has been raised most insistently with respect to the creation and maintenance of data files that resemble information about persons from a multitude of sources. A. privacy B. raised C. resemble D. multitude
By rejecting sociable norms and focusing on self-care and healing, new moms can better manage their mental health and overall well-being. A. sociable B. healing C. manage D. well-being
PART C. READING — Section 1 (Questions 66–75)
Read the passage and decide which option A, B, C or D best fits each gap. (Official paper: questions 1–10)
It is not easy to have a rational discussion with people about the nature of their language. They feel that the language belongs to them, and they are therefore entitled to hold (1) ________ and dried opinions about it. And when opinions differ, emotions can run high. Arguments can as easily stem from minor points of usage (2) ________ from major educational policies. In English, the origin of many popular misconceptions (3) ________ in the work of the linguists of the eighteenth century who first attempted to codify the English grammar. Unfortunately, they worked on the (4) ________ that English grammar is derived from Latin grammar and that the rules of the latter necessarily (5) ________ the former. It was this fundamental misunderstanding that resulted in the absurd but time-honored “never-end-a-sentence-with-a-preposition” type of rules that many people still (6) ________ to. These days, many people complain that the Internet is the source of much unforgivable distortion of English, and (7) ________ the ease and speed of email communication engenders a lazy approach to writing. This is possibly a short-sighted view. Perhaps we should be more broad-minded and view such changes as potential enrichment (8) ________ corruption of the language. Perhaps those who argue it is only the latter are guilty of stick-in-the-mud mentality which is often not (9) ________ to their own language. The American linguist Leonard Bloomfield tells the story of a doctor who was quite firm in his view that the American language Chippewa had only a few hundred words. When Bloomfield attempted to dispute the point, the doctor had no thoughts of backing (10) ________. He simply turned away and refused to listen.
high
cut
hung
blow
(2) Arguments can as easily stem from minor points of usage ________ from major educational policies.
as
so
such
like
(3) The origin of many popular misconceptions ________ in the work of the linguists of the eighteenth century.
stays
stands
sits
lies
(4) They worked on the ________ that English grammar is derived from Latin grammar.
premise
basis
stipulation
law
ascertain
discover
verify
determine
cling
clinging
clung
to cling
(7) … and ________ the ease and speed of email communication engenders a lazy approach to writing.
whether
when
that
which
(8) view such changes as potential enrichment ________ corruption of the language
rather than
other than
but for
as for
(9) a stick-in-the-mud mentality which is often not ________ to their own language
related
accustomed
supposed
confined
up
down
away
in
PART C. READING — Section 2 (Questions 76–85)
Read the passage and fill in each gap with ONE most suitable word. (Official paper: questions 11–20)
The global bottled water industry is estimated to be (11) ________ between 75 and 100 million dollars annually. In a recent survey, people who drank bottled water were twice as likely as (12) ________ who didn’t to cite health reasons for their choice. (13) ________ to genius marketing over the last three decades, it’s a common misconception that bottled water is healthier, safer and purer than tap water.
However, nothing could be further from the truth. Studies have shown that plastic bottles release small amounts of harmful chemicals over time, especially when (14) ________ to sunlight. Among these chemicals is antimony, a toxin similar to lead, which causes nausea, dizziness and depression in small doses. In large doses, it can (15) ________ be fatal.
But many people who purchase bottled water claim they (16) ________ so purely for reasons of taste. But it’s all in their mind. Taste tests have revealed that people just can’t (17) ________ the difference between bottled and tap water. What’s (18) ________, bottled water is often not that much better than tap water. Up to 40% of all bottled water comes from urban water supplies, (19) ________ the “springs”, “glaciers” or “pristine wildernesses” depicted on their labels. So, while there indeed are times and places for drinking bottled water – in developing countries for example where water supplies are risky – you’re much better (20) ________ drinking tap water.
(11) estimated to be ________ between 75 and 100 million dollars annually
PART C. READING — Section 3 (Questions 86–95)
Read the passage and choose A, B, C or D. (Official paper: questions 21–30)
Anthropology distinguishes itself from the other social sciences by its greater emphasis on fieldwork as the source of new knowledge. The aim of such studies is to develop as intimate an understanding as possible of the phenomena investigated. Although the length of field studies varies from a few weeks to years, it is generally agreed that anthropologists should stay in the field long enough for their presence to be considered ‘natural’ by the permanent residents.
Realistically, however, anthropologists may never reach this status. Their foreign mannerisms make them appear clownish, and so they are treated with curiosity and amusement. If they speak the local language at all, they do so with a strange accent and flawed grammar. They ask tactless questions and inadvertently break rules regarding how things are usually done. Arguably this could be an interesting starting point for research, though it is rarely exploited. Otherwise, anthropologists take on the role of the “superior expert”, in which case they are treated with deference and respect, only coming into contact with the most high-ranking members of the society. Anthropologists with this role may never witness the gamut of practices which take place in all levels of the society.
No matter which role one takes on, anthropologists generally find fieldwork extremely demanding. Anthropological texts may read like an exciting journey of exploration, but rarely is this so. Long periods of time spent in the field are generally characterised by boredom, illness and frustration. Anthropologists in the field encounter unfamiliar climates, strange food and low standards of hygiene. It is often particularly trying for researchers with middle-class, European backgrounds to adapt to societies where being alone is considered pitiful. It takes a dedicated individual to conduct research which is not in some way influenced by these personal discomforts.
Nonetheless, fieldwork requires the researcher to spend as much time as possible in local life. A range of research methodologies can be utilised to extract information. These can be classified as emic or etic. A native’s point of view of his own lifestyle is emic, while the analytical perspective of the outsider is etic. While emic descriptions are considered more desirable nowadays, they are difficult to attain, even if the researcher does his utmost to reproduce the facts from the natives’ point of view. More often than not, aspects of the researcher’s own culture, perspective and literary style seep into the narrative. Moreover, research generally involves translations from one language to another and from speech into writing. In doing this, the meaning of utterances is changed. The only truly emic descriptions can be those given by the natives themselves in their own vernacular.
The least invasive type of research methodology is observation. Here, the researcher studies the group and records findings without intruding too much on their privacy. This is not to say, however, that the presence of the researcher will have minimal impact on the findings. An example was Richard Borshay Lee, who, in studying local groups in the Kalahari refused to provide the people with food so as not to taint his research, leading to an inevitable hostility towards the researcher which would not otherwise have been present.
A variant on the observation technique, participant observation requires that the anthropologist not only observes the culture, but participates in it too. It allows for deeper immersion into the culture studied, hence a deeper understanding of it. By developing a deeper rapport with the people of the culture, it is hoped they will open up and divulge more about their culture and way of life than can simply be observed. Participant observation is still an imperfect methodology, however, since populations may adjust their behavior around the researcher, knowing that they are the subject of research.
The participatory approach was conceived in an attempt to produce as emic a perspective as possible. The process involves not just the gathering of information from local people, but involves them in the interpretation of the findings. That is, rather than the researcher getting actively involved in the processes within the local community, the process is turned on its head. The local community is actively involved in the research process.
The main premise of the text is ________.
the steps to be followed when undertaking anthropological fieldwork
a history of anthropological fieldwork methodology
the effects that an anthropological fieldwork has on local communities
the problems with conducting anthropological fieldwork
The main reason for anthropological researchers remaining in a community for an extended period of time is that ________.
they can gather as much information as possible
they can try out a range of different research methodologies
they want local people to behave naturally around them
they need time to become accustomed to the conditions
What does the passage say about researchers who are considered a “clown” by locals?
They do culturally unacceptable things without realizing it.
They do not gain respect among high-ranking members of the community.
They cannot conduct any research of value.
They do not study the language and culture of the region before their arrival.
What does the word gamut in paragraph 2 mean?
idea or impression
prohibition or taboo
range or extent
secret or mystery
The writer believes that the most difficult aspect of fieldwork for educated westerners is ________.
the lack of companionship
poor sanitary conditions
failure to meet expectations
never being left alone
In paragraph 3, it is implied that ________.
the fieldworker’s emotions and mood prejudice the research
the longer a researcher spends in the field, the more depressed he gets
middle-class Europeans find field research more difficult than researchers from other backgrounds
anthropological texts tend to exaggerate the difficult conditions that researchers experience
What does the word this in paragraph 4 refer to?
language translation
emic description
meaning transference
perspective seepage
Why is the example of Richard Borshay Lee given in paragraph 5?
To demonstrate that observation is an ineffective method of gathering data.
To highlight why it is important that researchers minimize their impact on a community.
To show the dangers of researchers trying to lessen their impact on a community.
To show how a researcher’s choice of methodology can influence the validity of his findings.
How does participant observation differ from straightforward observation?
It takes longer to perform this type of research effectively.
It allows the subjects of the research a greater degree of privacy.
It eradicates the problem of research subjects altering their behaviour towards researchers.
It requires the researcher to become actively involved in the daily lives of those being studied.
Which of the following is NOT true of the participatory approach?
It attempts to reduce etic accounts of a culture to a minimum.
It does not require a researcher to be present.
It aims to involve the subjects in both information gathering and analysis.
It is the reverse of the participant observation technique.
PART C. READING — Section 4a Matching headings (Questions 96–100)
The passage has six sections, A–F. Choose the correct heading for sections B–F from the list of headings. Example: Section A — ix. (Official paper: questions 31–35)
HOW SHOULD READING BE TAUGHT? By Keith Rayner & Barbara R. Foorman
A. Learning to speak is automatic for almost all children, but learning to read requires elaborate instruction and conscious effort. Well aware of the difficulties, educators have given a great deal of thought to how they can best help children learn to read. No single method has triumphed. Indeed, heated arguments about the most appropriate form of reading instruction continue to polarize the teaching community.
B. Three general approaches have been tried. In one, called whole-word instruction, children learn by rote how to recognize at a glance a vocabulary of 50 to 100 words. Then they gradually acquire other words, often through seeing them used over and over again in the context of a story. Speakers of most languages learn the relationship between letters and the sounds associated with them (phonemes). That is, children are taught how to use their knowledge of the alphabet to sound out words. This procedure constitutes a second approach to teaching reading – phonics. Many schools have adopted a different approach: the whole-language method. The strategy here relies on the child’s experience with the language. For example, students are offered engaging books and are encouraged to guess the words that they do not know by considering the context of the sentence or by looking for clues in the storyline and illustrations, rather than trying to sound them out. Many teachers adopted the whole-language approach because of its intuitive appeal. Making reading fun promises to keep children motivated, and learning to read depends more on what the student does than on what the teacher does. The presumed benefits of whole-language instruction – and the contrast to the perceived dullness of phonics – led to its growing acceptance across America during the 1990s and a movement away from phonics.
C. However, many linguists and psychologists objected strongly to the abandonment of phonics in American schools. Why was this so? In short, because research had clearly demonstrated that understanding how letters related to the component sounds in words is critically important in reading. This conclusion rests, in part, on knowledge of how experienced readers make sense of words on a page. Advocates of whole-language instruction have argued forcefully that people often derive meanings directly from print without ever determining the sound of the word. Some psychologists today accept this view, but most believe that reading is typically a process of rapidly sounding out words mentally. Compelling evidence for this comes from experiments which show that subjects often confuse homophones (words that sound the same, such as rose and ‘rows’). This supports the idea that readers convert strings of letters to sounds.
D. In order to evaluate different approaches to teaching reading, a number of experiments have been carried out, firstly with college students, then with school pupils. Investigators trained English-speaking college students to read using unfamiliar symbols such as Arabic letters (the phonics approach), while another group learned entire words associated with certain strings of Arabic letters (whole-word). Then both groups were required to read a new set of words constructed from the original characters. In general, readers who were taught the rules of phonics could read many more new words than those trained with a whole-word procedure. Classroom studies comparing phonics with either whole-word or whole-language instruction are also quite illuminating. One particularly persuasive study compared two programs used in 20 first-grade classrooms. Half the students were offered traditional reading instruction, which included the use of phonics drills and applications. The other half were taught using an individualized method that drew from their experiences with languages; these children produced their own booklets of stories and developed sets of words to be recognized (common components of the whole-language approach). This study found that the first group scored higher at year’s end on tests of reading and comprehension.
E. If researchers are so convinced about the need for phonics instruction, why does the debate continue? Because the controversy is enmeshed in the philosophical differences between traditional and progressive (or new) approaches, differences that have divided educators for years. The progressives challenge the results of laboratory tests and classroom studies on the basis of a broad philosophical skepticism about the values of such research. They champion student-centered learning and teacher empowerment. Sadly, they fail to realize that these very admirable educational values are equally consistent with the teaching of phonics.
F. If schools of education insisted that would-be reading teachers learned something about the vast research in linguistics and psychology that bears on reading, their graduates would be more eager to use phonics and would be prepared to do so effectively. They could allow their pupils to apply the principles of phonics while reading for pleasure. Using whole-language activities to supplement phonics instruction certainly helps to make reading fun and meaningful for children, so no one would want to see such tools discarded. Indeed, recent work has indicated that the combination of literature-based instruction and phonics is more powerful than either method used alone. Teachers need to strike a balance. But in doing so, we urge them to remember that reading must be grounded in a firm understanding of the connections between letters and sounds. Educators who deny this reality are neglecting decades of research. They are also neglecting the needs of their students.
List of Headings i. Disagreement about the reading process ii. The roots of the debate iii. A combined approach iv. Methods of teaching reading v. A controversial approach vi. Inconclusive research vii. Research with learners viii. Allowing teachers more control ix. A debate amongst educators
Example: Section A — ix
Section 4a Matchi — 31. Section B ________
Section 4a Matchi — 32. Section C ________
Section 4a Matchi — 33. Section D ________
Section 4a Matchi — 34. Section E ________
Section 4a Matchi — 35. Section F ________
PART C. READING — Section 4b TRUE / FALSE / NOT GIVEN (Questions 101–105)
Do the following statements agree with the information given in the passage? Write TRUE if the statement agrees, FALSE if it contradicts, NOT GIVEN if there is no information. (Official paper: questions 36–40)
36. The whole-language approach relates letters to sounds.
37. Many educators believe the whole-language approach to be the most interesting way to teach children to read.
38. Research supports the theory that we read without linking words to sounds.
39. Research has shown that the whole-word approach is less effective than the whole-language approach.
40. Research has shown that phonics is more successful than both the whole-word and whole-language approaches.
PART D. WRITING — Section 1 (Questions 106–115)
Rewrite the sentences with the given word(s) or beginning so that their meanings remain unchanged. (Official paper: questions 1–10)
There is nothing strange about this. (OUT) → There is nothing ________________________________ about this.
I said nothing because I was afraid of offending her. (FEAR) → I remained silent ________________________________ offence.
If we take everything into account, the street party was a great success in the end. (CONSIDERED) → All ________________________________ out to be a great success in the end.
Noise is something that is not possible for me to tolerate. (PUT) → I find ________________________________.
Carol has trouble communicating her ideas to others. (ACROSS) → It is ________________________________.
Success in the academic field depends on your ability to amass qualifications. → The more qualifications ________________________________.
When he arrived at the airport, his family welcomed him warmly. → On ________________________________ his family.
Martin may not be very well but she still manages to enjoy life. → Martin’s ________________________________.
I’m very much looking forward to seeing my great grandson for the first time. → What ________________________________.
Her success went beyond her expectation. → Never had ________________________________.
PART D. WRITING — Section 2 Essay (Question 116)
Write an essay of at least 250 words. Use reasons and examples to support your opinion.
In certain nations, parents have high academic expectations for their children, resulting in limited leisure time. What could be the potential benefits and drawbacks of this for the children and the society they are part of?