Đề thi vào lớp 10 môn Anh Chuyên - Sở GD&ĐT Tây Ninh năm 2026

BOOKS

As someone who loves reading, I believe that a good book can completely change the way we see the world. Whenever I start a truly 23.1 (PUT) novel, I often lose track of time because the story and characters seem so real. A great book can 23.2 (COMPANY) you during difficult moments and provide comfort in unexpected ways. Some classic novels may appear 23.3 (ACCESS) at first because of their complex language or historical background, but with a little patience and a few proper 23.4 (EXPLAIN), they become far more enjoyable. I am often 23.5 (MYSTERY) by clever plot twists in mystery stories, especially when the author hides important clues so well. In my opinion, skilled writers do not simply focus on creating a 23.6 (LONG) story to make it longer; instead, they craft 23.7 (HEART) scenes that readers can emotionally connect with. Reading also requires the 23.8 (MAINTAIN) of good habits, since regular reading helps improve concentration and vocabulary. Of course, it would be 23.9 (COURTESY) to spoil the ending of a book for someone else, and great 23.10 (LITERARY) invariably rewards readers who are patient enough to appreciate every detail.

THE WORLD OF CLIMBING

The growth of extreme sports in the 1990s brought climbing into the spotlight. It has also featured in many popular films, although Hollywood often fails to give a(n) 24.1accuratecorrectauthenticoriginal picture of the reality of climbing. Among different types of climbing, the most difficult and dangerous one is alpine climbing in which climbers spend days or weeks at a time up mountains, often in 24.2winterfrozenfreezingice conditions. This sort of climbing requires 24.3exactcertainprecisespecialized equipment and is usually done only by professional climbers with 24.4yearsenoughlothours of experience. However, climbing doesn't have to 24.5consistinvolveencounterpresent snow and ice and dangerous conditions; it can be a very enjoyable hobby and something you can do for just a few hours on a Saturday afternoon. At the other end of the climbing spectrum from alpine climbing is sport climbing. This can be done indoors or outdoors on climbing walls. These walls vary from those which are completely 24.6artificialfalsefakeuntrue to naturally occurring rock formations with equipment bolted in place. For beginners, the easiest type of climbing is top-roping where the rope is already in place. All you need is climbing shoes, a harness and an experienced climber or a(n) 24.7professorteacherinstructortutor to control the ropes. All this basic equipment can be 24.8lentborrowedrentedused from most sports centres.

For more than 149 million years, dinosaurs were the dominant land animals on Earth. Their extinction occurred approximately 60 million years before the emergence of human beings. The term "dinosaur" originates 25.1 the Greek words meaning "terrible lizard." These creatures belonged to a distinct group of prehistoric reptiles, and interestingly, their closest living relatives today are crocodiles. Dinosaurs reached sizes far exceeding 25.2 modern land animal; in fact, a single individual from one of the largest species would have 25.3 as much as more than 1,500 people combined. Nevertheless, 25.4 all dinosaurs were enormous. Some species grew no larger than a modernday chicken. They existed in an extraordinary diversity of shapes and sizes. While some plodded 25.5 all fours, others walked or ran on their 25.6 legs like ostriches. The group included both fearsome carnivores and peaceful herbivores. Their habitats 25.7 widely as well: some inhabited hilly regions, whereas others roamed across low plains and arid landscapes. However, the majority preferred the lush, dense forests that covered vast expanses of the Earth. It wasn't 25.8 the last century that humans came to realize that dinosaurs had once actually existed. Since then, thousands of dinosaur skeletons have been unearthed and collected from various locations around the globe.

DIFFERENCES THAT DON'T DIVIDE

Tristan and Hannah are as different as two people could be. Tristan loves football, but Hannah hates sports. Hannah loves technology. On the other hand, Tristan doesn't know the first thing about computers. He's from a large family with four brothers and sisters while she's an only child. Prior to meeting Tristan, Hannah was soft-spoken in groups. However, she's now far more outspoken than Tristan. The list of differences between them goes on and on. Yet, somehow, they've been married for fifteen years. With so little in common, how did they manage to make a connection and retain it for so long?

Unlikely relationships like theirs are kind and curious. Most people assume that successful couples have more similarities than differences. That is the conventional wisdom: having a lot in common with a partner should make life easier. After all, interactions will produce less conflict and unhappiness if the partners share a similar point of view.

However, research shows that this might not be the case. A Columbia University study found that some couples are just too much alike for their own good. Over three years, researchers studied 732 men and women and found that couples with the most similar personalities had some of the weakest relationships. In surveys about levels of closeness, commitment, and overall happiness, those couples scored low. Clearly, having a lot in common is no guarantee of a successful marriage.

Relationships between very different people have other advantages as well. In his study of couples, Robert Levenson of the University of California showed that different personalities could balance against each other and give couples different ways to see issues and cope with life's difficulties. For instance, someone with an outgoing nature can make up for a partner's shyness. In turn, the outgoing partner can learn to enjoy more time alone.

The causes of attraction between very different people may go even deeper. A study at Rutgers University revealed a physiological reason for attraction between some opposites. In the study, Dr. Helen Fisher reviewed research on the subject of attraction and learned that levels of certain hormones are linked with specific personality characteristics. Individuals with high levels of testosterone tend to be competitive and analytical. They are often attracted to and attract their opposites, who are introspective and nurturing individuals with high levels of the hormone estrogen. On the other hand, people with more curious or flexible personality types tend to be attracted to people like themselves. In addition, people who are less anxious and more social are attracted to others of the same personality type. These two groups tend to have average levels of testosterone and estrogen. Ultimately, it seems that opposites do attract among certain personality types, but not all.

Genetics may also explain why opposites sometimes attract. A University of New Mexico study suggests that our genes strongly influence our choice of partners. The study found that a woman's unhappiness in a relationship is linked to her partner's genes being too closely matched to her own. This preference may have developed to avoid the dangers that come with inbreeding, which can cause harmful mutations and decreased overall health. In addition, researchers at the Université Paris Diderot compile evidence that people use smell to sense whether a partner is a match. The study suggests that people can sense differences in MHC (a part of our DNA that plays an essential role in protecting the body from disease) and are more attracted to those whose MHC composition differs from their own. Differing MHC compositions give partners a genetic advantage when having children since their offspring will benefit from a diversified gene pool that can protect them from various diseases.

As with everything in life, there's no approach to finding love. Like Tristan and Hannah, people with very different upbringings, personalities, and interests can have long-lasting relationships. Their characters, not to mention their hormones and diversified gene pool, may even benefit them in the long run. But in the end, all of this research doesn't really offer much advice for people looking for a perfect match. So don't search exclusively for partners whom you perceive as similar to or different from yourself. Leave your options open and allow yourself to be surprised by what you find.

PART-TIME JOBS

A. FINN

Well, unlike a lot of people of my age, I like my part-time job. I work in a gym, but the only thing I'm not really keen on is doing the 6am shifts. It's so hard to get out of bed then, especially when it's cold and wet outside. We have a rota, so we don't get the early shift all the time. The best thing is I get on with the other guys there. We've become pretty close over the past year and hang out when we're not there. However, I must admit, it's not exactly the kind of thing I'd want to be doing when I leave school. I want to get into something more corporate such as going into business like my parents.

B. GIOVANNI

I'm a dog walker. I gave up my last job at a restaurant because it was so stressful and tiring. We weren't even allowed to take a break at busy times. My new working place is just around the corner, so I don't even have to take the bus. I can just walk in. Then there's the fact that I don't have the boss constantly telling me what to do. Obviously as long as a good walk is offered, I can choose the route and time, which is a fascinating thing. Even when I have a lot of schoolwork, it's just fine to take an hour off and get outside. Mum and Dad have their own business and are away a lot. I keep asking them to get a dog of our own. They reckon their lives are too busy right now, but I think they don't want to get up early before work to take it out.

C. LAUREN

My job is acceptable. To be honest, I didn't go out looking for one. I'm perfectly happy to rely on the bank of Mum and Dad! I'm not exactly in a rush to work a nine-to-five job. My parents have their own company, and they need a hand with the gardening jobs because it is expanding, so I agree to it for a short time. The stuff I do is outside the city mainly, so a lot of the time is spent going to and from places with Dad, which can be time-consuming. Mum mainly does the accounts and bookings in an office at the end of our garden. It's challenging because I don't want my schoolwork to suffer. It hasn't yet, but it's always at the back of my mind. And actually, my parents have such a good work ethic. They've always paid their way, even as teens, so I guess I ought to take their example.

D. TARA

Having a part-time job has been a big wake-up call for me. Before I worked at weekends, I would lie in until midday surfing the internet or just sleeping. Looking back, I realize it was such a waste of time. Now, I'm working at the bakery. It's a bit monotonous and the wages really could be better. On the other hand, the cakes and bread that they give away at the end of the day are so worth it. My parents would rather I focused on schoolwork but that's probably because my grandparents didn't let them have a job until they finished university. I'm not planning on that and being in the kitchen every weekend is just a great way to learn things for when I go to catering college. The other people there are mainly full-time. They're nice, but I wouldn't say they're people I'd make plans with in my free time.