Đề số 18 luyện thi vào 10 môn Anh Chuyên tại TPHCM

In diplomatic negotiations, it is believed that _____ should either side use the public interest as a bargaining counter.

_____ you didn't come to our graduation ceremony last Sunday?

Schoolchildren are very gifted at _____ nicknames for their teachers.

Just give me _____ of the conversion plans for the house and tell me what it will cost.

Obama expressed regret as a U.S drone strike has _____ killed innocent hostages.

My neighbor is _____; he is always showing that he never cares about his bad behavior.

Employees who have a _____ are encouraged to discuss it with the management.

The needs of gifted children in schools have long been _____ neglected.

Six novels a year, you say? He's certainly a _____ writer.

Family relationships later _____ a great significance in his life.

Language is so _____ woven into human experience that it is scarcely possible to imagine life without it.

The government must _____ strong measures against crime.

_____, the diners settled the bill and left the restaurant.

In hot weather fresh milk quickly turns ______.

Her eyes _____ with sorrow to see her children return to the boarding school.

Elephants scratch themselves with sticks ______.

The board proposes that the majority of this year’s profits _____ in the new product development.

This drug's main ______ is that it can cause unbearable itching and flushing.

In one very long sentence, the introduction to the U.N. Charter expresses the ideals and the common aims of _____ whose governments joined together to form the U.N.

Would you rather I _____ my holiday in June next year instead of later?

A: How did Bob get into such a mess?

B: I don't know why he is in trouble. ______ the bare facts of the case.

Huong: That millions of people attended General Vo Nguyen Giap’s funeral made a special impression on almost every foreigner.

Lan: _____.

Little Deon: This herb smells horrible!

Mommy: _____, it will do you a power of good.

Fill each of the following blanks with ONE suitable word.

Much has been heard recently about possible health hazards, including memory loss and brain tumors, from the use of mobile phones. With the possible half a billion mobile phones in 33.1 throughout the world, Britain alone, one person in four owns one, 33.2 is worrying enough, even if, so far, no concrete evidence has come to 33.3. One study by Dr. Alan Preece and his team at Bristol University has shown, however, in a report in the International Journal of Radiation Biology, that tests on volunteers demonstrated no effect on their short-term memory or attention 33.4. Subjects were exposed to microwave radiation for 33.5 to thirty minutes, but the one noticeable effect was positive rather than negative; the subjects reacted more rapidly in one test 33.6 a visual choice. One explanation of this is that following the transmissions, a warming of the blood led to increased bloodflow. For the experiment, places were chosen where the signal was good and the microwave dose light, and then where the signal was poor and the dose 33.7 higher. The subjects were tested for recall and mental alertness 33.8 exposure to microwaves characteristic of analogue phones, digital phones, or no phones at all, without knowing 33.9 they were exposed to. It is, of course, early days yet and the sample may not be large enough to generalize 33.10. More research needs to be done.

Fill each of the following blanks with ONE suitable word.

Resembling real banknotes but not an officially 34.1 currency, the custom of burning Hell Money is also believed to distract evil spirits in that they chase the cash 34.2 of the departed soul of the dead.

Hell Money, also known as Ghost Money and Spirit Money has been discovered in archaeological excavations and its use can be 34.3 back to the first millennium BCE—however, money was not in 34.4 form then, but instead made of stone, bones and later metal. The design of Hell Money banknotes is intrinsically an art form. They are printed on joss paper in vivid colors and elaborate designs, with the King of Hell featuring on their front side. The size can 34.5 but in most cases, they all have huge denominations.

34.6 most banknotes display values - in the millions and billions, there are a few notes with values of tens or hundreds. The 100-dollar note is particularly interesting with the King of Hell 34.7 fourfold because the Chinese word for "four" is a homonym of the word "death".

On most bills, there are phrases like "Hell Bank Note", while some are designed in 34.8 a way that is similar to known, existing currencies, say, American dollars or British pounds. Some Hell Money banknotes contain signatures, serial numbers, and other elements that make them look 34.9 real money.

The Hungry Ghost Festival and Dongzhi Festival are two common occasions that see many Chinese commemorate their ancestors by offering 34.10, including the burning of Hell Money.

Read the text and decide which answer best fits each gap.

Fantasy Island

Santorini is one of the world's magical tourist destinations. Its dark volcanic sand beaches are circled by rough cliffs and a unique Cycladic architecture of flat roofs, cubic shapes, 35.1retainingaggravatingdazzlingadjoining whitewashed walls and blue-domed churches.

The crescent-shaped Santorini and its neighboring 35.2chapelsisletsalleysdelis are what remain from an enormous volcanic eruption some 3,600 years ago that destroyed the earliest settlements on a 35.3initiallyelderlylatelyformerly single island and created the caldera, or crater, that forms Santorini's cliffs.

A harmony between built forms and natural environment gives Santorini a unique charm. One outstanding characteristic is Santorini's utilization of hypóskapha: extensions of houses dug sideways or downwards into the surrounding volcanic rock. The resulting rooms are highly 35.4prowled around byfurnished withvacated byinsulated by the air-filled pumice, staying cool in the summer and warm in the winter.

Many houses are 35.5clutteredassociatedcrammedadorned with windows, domes and balconies in cobalt blue. Structures come in a variety of idiosyncratic shapes, lining the tops of rugged cliffs and spilling down the terraced sides.

Firá is the picturesque capital of the island; 35.6that perchthat perchedbe perchingperched high up on the edge of the caldera, it looks like a marvelous painting. Firá, together with Oia, Imerovígli and Firostefáni located high on a cliff, make up the so-called "Caldera's eyebrow", the balcony of Santorini which offers an amazing panoramic view over volcanic islands and the Aegean Sea. This is considered one of the most romantic sunset locations in the world and makes a popular location for marriage proposals. Santorini has a growing reputation as a wedding destination and honeymoon location for couples not only from Greece 35.7orbutnorand from all over the world.

Perhaps the top activity in Santorini is simply wandering around and 35.8taking inmaking upputting offcoming into the spectacular sights. But other adventures can be had, including winery tours, cruises and even a boat visit to the still-active Santorini volcano (it last erupted in 1950). Whatever your taste, Santorini is a dream destination.

Adapted from https://heritagevietnamairlines.com/en/fantasy-island/

Read the text and choose the best answer to fill in the blanks.

Greenhouse gases are being released into the atmosphere 30 times faster than the time when the Earth experienced a 36.1premierprearrangedfundamentalprevious episode of global warming. A study comparing the rate at which carbon dioxide and methane are being 36.2exhaledincorporatedemitteddiggested now, compared to 55 million years ago when global warming also occurred, has found dramatic differences in the speed of release.

James Zachos, professor of earth sciences at the University of, California, Santa Cruz, said the speed of the present buildup of greenhouse gases is far greater than during the global warming after the 36.3dementiademisedetachmentdemolition of the dinosaurs. "The emissions that caused this past episode of global warning probably lasted 10.000 years." Professor Zachos told the American Association for the Advancement of Science at a meeting In St. Louis. "By burning fossil fuels, we are likely to emit the same amount over the next three centuries." He warned that studies of global warming events in the geological past indicate the Earth's climate passes a 36.4thresholdvergebarricadeperimeter beyond which climate change accelerates with the help of positive feedbacks - 36.5notoriousviciousprecariousmelodious circles of warming. professor Zachos is a leading authority on the episode of global warming known as the paleocene-eocene thermal maximum when average global temperatures increased by up to 50C due to a massive release of carbon dioxide and methane.

His research into the deep ocean 36.6sedimentdirtdustpowder suggests at this time that about 4.5 billion tons of carbon entered the atmosphere over 10.000 years. "This will be the same amount of carbon released into the atmosphere from cars and industrial emissions over the next 300 years if present trends continue", he said. Although carbon can be released suddenly and naturally into the atmosphere from volcanic activity, it takes many thousands of years for it 36.7to be removedto removebeing removedremoved permanently by natural processes. The ocean is capable of removing carbon, and quickly, but this natural capacity can be easily overwhelmed which is probably what happened 55 million years ago. "It will take tens of thousands of years before atmospheric carbon dioxide 36.8pins downfalls downbrings downcomes down to preindustrial levels," the professor said. Even after humans stop burning fossil fuels, the effects will be long-lasting.

Read the following passage and answer the questions.

Islands remote areas are showing the world how sustainable it can be to use renewables for energy needs.

A There are many reasons why countries around the world are trying to switch to renewable sources of power such as wind, wave and solar power. First and foremost is the amount of environmental damage caused by fossil fuel use. CO2 emissions from oil and coal-powered electricity plants along with oil used in industry, and for transport, are all contributing to climate change, a threat that could have enormous consequences for the majority of populations on the planet. Another issue for remote areas in the world is the cost of transporting fossil fuels in order for them to be able to generate power. Transporting oil to remote areas and islands is costly and potentially dangerous. For these reasons, renewable sources of energy are very attractive to areas, such as small remote islands, where shipping in fossil fuels is prohibitively expensive and can be affected by the difficulties of getting supplies in by ship because of storms at sea.

B A number of islands around the world have switched to using renewables to meet the majority of their electricity needs and have also committed to becoming 100% self-sufficient in renewable energy in the near future. Islands make good test grounds for the use of renewable sources because they tend to be small, so it is relatively easy to produce enough energy to power an area of that size. Geography also contributes to making these experiments more productive as islands are more likely to be exposed to high winds, have access to waves as well as more days of sunshine. Islands can therefore pioneer the use of a variety of renewables together and give a picture, in microcosm, on how bigger states can follow their lead. The lessons that these smaller areas learn from use of renewables can be passed on to help to make transition to greater use of renewable sources smoother in larger areas, such as urban conurbations.

C One problem with renewables is whether they can be depended on to give unlimited energy. If there's no wind or the sun is behind a cloud then power can't be generated and energy storage technology is still in its infancy. This means that renewables can't always be depended on. And that isn't the only problem with renewable energy sustainability. Power companies need to make money in order to operate and provide energy to populations and businesses. One way renewables have affected power company viability is because governments have given households subsidies for installing solar panels. The subsidies are repaid by selling back excess energy to the power companies, which means that, in effect, those with solar power make no financial contribution to using the electricity grid's infrastructure and this leaves the other customers to pick up the slack with higher prices. But power companies are looking to reduce the price they pay for excess solar power from households so that other customers pay a fairer price and the power company remains competitive as a business.

D One island showing that renewable energy can be viable is the Spanish Canary Island of El Hierro. It is the smallest and most isolated of the Canary Islands and because of the geography of the local seabed, electricity cannot be supplied by underwater cables and shipping in fuel isn't always possible either when Atlantic storm systems are en route. So, to combat the problems caused by depending on one renewable for electricity, A1 Heirro has developed a mixed renewable energy system using both wind and hydro to produce most of the island's energy. The system consists of five wind turbines and two water reservoirs. One of the reservoirs is situated at 700 meters above sea level and the second is down on the coast. The reservoirs are connected by two 3 km long pipes that contain hydraulic turbines that also produce energy. Due to the island having a lot of wind, the wind turbines normally produce plenty of electricity to supply the grid and the excess electricity is used to pump water from the lower reservoir to the upper one. When the wind drops, the water from the upper reservoir can be released through the piping so the hydraulic turbines can create energy on windless days. This use of mixed renewables combats the problem caused when one source becomes inoperable because of unfavourable weather.

E Many other islands are developing renewable systems that can be regarded as test runs for similar projects in larger areas. Samso, in Demark is showing how switching to renewables not only means more environmentally friendly, cleaner energy, it can also help with economic regeneration by creating jobs related to the energy industry. Kodiak Island in Alaska is another place using a mixed renewable system. It has a back-up battery storage system that cuts in when the grid switches from wind to hydro and this prevents sudden power losses that cause flickering lights or cut-offs. The island of Tilos in Greece is not only working towards one hundred percent self-sufficiency with renewables but looking at using that energy to power motorbikes and vehicles on the islands as well. In short, small islands are showing the path the rest of the world can take to a sustainable energy future. 

Label the diagram below.

Choose ONE WORD ONLY from the text for each answer. 

63. Surplus 37.1 is created on windy days. 

64. Water from the lower 37.2 is pumped 700 metres uphill.

65. During 37.3 periods, water is allowed to flow back downhill.

66. 37.4 turbines produce power in times of need.

Choose NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS from the text for each answer. 

Carbon dioxide are 38.1 a major factor in the creation of climate change.

Because of their small size, islands are ideal 38.2 for the use of renewable sources.

Households with solar power may not make a 38.3 to power companies although they still use existing structures.

Samso has shown how renewable energy can aid 38.4 as well as help the environment.

Read the following passage and do the tasks that follow.

A. For many hundreds of thousands of people worldwide, online networking has become enmeshed in our daily lives. However, it is a decades-old insight from a study of traditional social networks that best illuminates one of the most important aspects of today's online networking. In 1973 sociologist Mark Granovetter showed how the loose acquaintances, or 'weak ties', in our social network exert a disproportionate influence over our behaviour and choices. Granovetter's research showed that a significant percentage of people get their jobs as a result of recommendations or advice provided by a weak tie. Today our number of weak-tie contacts has exploded via online social networking. "You couldn't maintain all of those weak ties on your own," says Jennifer Golbeck of the University of Maryland. "Online sites, such as Facebook, give you a way of cataloging them." The result? It's now significantly easier for the schoolfriend you haven't seen in years to pass you a tip that alters your behaviour, from recommendation of a low-cholesterol breakfast cereal to a party invite where you meet your future wife or husband.

B. The explosion of weak ties could have profound consequences for our social structures to, according to Judith Donath of the Berkman Center for Internet and Society at Harvard University. "We're already seeing changes," she says. For example, many people now turn to their online social networks ahead of sources such as newspapers and television for trusted and relevant news or information. What they hear could well be inaccurate, but the change is happening nonetheless. If these huge 'supernets' - some of them numbering up to 5,000 people - continue to thrive and grow, they could fundamentally change the way we share information and transform our notions of relationships.

C. But are these vast networks really that relevant to us on a personal level? Robin Dunbar, an evolutionary anthropologist at the University of Oxford, believes that our primate brains place a cap on the number of genuine social relationships we can actually cope with: roughly 150. According to Dunbar, online social networking appears to be very good for 'servicing' relationships, but not for establishing them. He argues that our evolutionary roots mean we still depend heavily on physical and face-to-face contact to be able to create ties.

D. Nonetheless, there is evidence that online networking can transform our daily interactions. In an experiment at Cornell University, psychologist Jeff Hancock asked participants to try to encourage other participants to like them via instant messaging conversation. Beforehand, some members of the trial were allowed to view the Facebook profile of the person they were trying to win over. He found that those with Facebook access asked questions to which they already knew the answers or raised things they had in common, and as result were much more successful in their social relationships. Hancock concluded that people who use these sites to keep updated on the activities of their acquaintances are more likely to be liked in subsequent social interactions.

E. Online social networking may also have tangible effects on our well-being. Nicole Ellison of Michigan State University found that the frequency of networking site use correlates with greater self-esteem. Support and affirmation from the weak ties could be the explanation, says Ellison. "Asking your close friends for help or advice is nothing new, but we are seeing a lowering of barriers among acquaintances," she says. People are readily sharing personal feelings and experiences to a wider circle than they might once have done. Sandy Pentland at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology agrees. "The ability to broadcast to our social group means we need never feel alone," he says. "The things that befall us are often due to a lack of social support. There's more of a safety net now."

F. Henry Holman, also at MIT, who studies the interface between online social networking and the real world, points out that increased visibility also means our various social spheres - family, work, friends - are merging, and so we will have to prepare for new societal norms. "We'll have to leam how to live a more transparent life," he says. "We may have to give up some ability to show very limited glimpses of ourselves to others."

G. Another way that online networking appears to be changing our social structures is through dominance. In one repeated experiment, Michael Kearns of the University of Pennsylvania asked 30 volunteers to quickly reach consensus in an online game over a choice between two colours. Each person was offered a cash reward if they succeeded in persuading the group to pick one or other colour. All participants could see the colour chosen by some of the other people, but certain participants had an extra advantage: the ability to see more of the participants' chosen colours than others. Every time Kearns found that those who could see the choices of more participants (in other words, were better connected) persuaded the group to pick their colour, even when they had to persuade the vast majority to give up their financial incentive. While Kearns warns that the setting was artificial, he says it's possible that greater persuasive power could lie with well-connected individuals in the everyday online world too.

Match each finding with the correct researcher, A-F. Write the correct letter in the space given at the end of each question.

63. People who network widely may be more able to exert pressure on others. 39.1

64. We have become more willing to confide in an extensive number of people. 39.2

65. There is a limit to how many meaningful relationships we can maintain. 39.3

66. There is a sociaI advantage in knowing about the lives of our online contacts. 39.4

Which TWO of these advantages of online social networking are mentioned in the reading passage?

Which TWO of these disadvantages of online social networking are mentioned in the reading passage?

Complete the sentence by changing the form of the word in capitals.

There’s a risk factor with all medication, but honestly the risk with this particular drug is . (NEGLECT)

Complete the sentence by changing the form of the word in capitals.

You are forbidden to use a calculator in this examination. (EXPRESS)

Complete the sentence by changing the form of the word in capitals.

Paul is a good employee and is very . (CONSCIENCE)

Complete the sentence by changing the form of the word in capitals.

Under her fine , circulation has increased by 100,000. (EDIT)

Complete the sentence by changing the form of the word in capitals.

The board of directors pours scorn on the dereliction of duties, causing the company to suffer catastrophic quarterly losses. (SEE)

Complete the sentence by changing the form of the word in capitals.

Shana's picture won first prize, so we had a little to celebrate. (GET)

Complete the sentence by changing the form of the word in capitals.

The politician tried to the controversial question about tax increases. (STEP)

Complete the sentence by changing the form of the word in capitals.

He gave a shrug. He is always making his own achievements seem unimportant. (DEPRECATE) 

Complete the sentence by changing the form of the word in capitals.

It's a article which is fair to both sides of the dispute. (ROUND)

Complete the sentence by changing the form of the word in capitals.

All the roads in the Old Quarter were as a result of two-hour torrential rain. (PASS)

Complete the second sentence so that it has a similar meaning to the first one, using the word in brackets. You must use between three and eight words, including the word given. Do NOT change the word given.

Persuading Adrian to lie for you was a bad thing to do. (TALKED)

=> You should for you.

Complete the second sentence so that it has a similar meaning to the first one, using the word in brackets. You must use between three and eight words, including the word given. Do NOT change the word given.

I told Jeanne, thinking that she’d be supportive - how wrong I was! (BELIEF)

=> I told Jeanne that she’d be supportive - how wrong I was!

Complete the second sentence so that it has a similar meaning to the first one, using the word in brackets. You must use between three and eight words, including the word given. Do NOT change the word given.

I have got such a lot of work at the moment that I can't afford to take the day off. (SNOWED)

=> I at the moment, so I can't afford to take the day off.

Complete the second sentence so that it has a similar meaning to the first one, using the word in brackets. You must use between three and eight words, including the word given. Do NOT change the word given.

Anna had decided Tom was not telling the truth about what happened. (TEETH)

=> Anna was sure Tom about what happened. 

Complete the second sentence so that it has a similar meaning to the first one, using the word in brackets. You must use between three and eight words, including the word given. Do NOT change the word given.

Your scheme is brilliant, but it won't succeed. (DOOMED)

=> Brilliant though failure.

Complete the second sentence so that it has a similar meaning to the first one, using the word in brackets. You must use between three and eight words, including the word given. Do NOT change the word given.

The headmaster was determined to stop all bullying at the school. (END)

=> The headmaster was determined to to all bullying at the school.

Complete the second sentence so that it has a similar meaning to the first one, using the word in brackets. You must use between three and eight words, including the word given. Do NOT change the word given.

It is said that lawyers always spend too much time and energy on the simplest little thing. (MEAL)

=> Lawyers always the simplest little thing.

Complete the second sentence so that it has a similar meaning to the first one, using the word in brackets. You must use between three and eight words, including the word given. Do NOT change the word given.

It's a shame we can't get more people to support our campaign. (DRUM)

=> I wish support for our campaign. 

Complete the second sentence so that it has a similar meaning to the first one, using the word in brackets. You must use between three and eight words, including the word given. Do NOT change the word given.

The man over there lost his temper in the public meeting. (HANDLE)

=> That's in the public meeting.