ĐỀ ÔN LUYỆN HSG QUỐC GIA 20- date: 1/8/2021

TEST 17
Part 1: Choose the best answer.
1. To make the sauce, ……………. a small bar of chocolate and melt it over a pan of water.
A. splash B. hack C. grate D. cut
2. The desk was so …………….. with papers that it was hard to find anything.
A. burdened B. cluttered(bừa bộn) C. overrun D. muddled
3. I’m afraid we haven’t got a spare bed. Can you …………. with a mattress on the floor?
A. make do(xoay xở với điêu kiện ít ỏi) B. make by C. make over D. make up
4. What ………… the smoke and the noise, the party made me feel quite ill.
A. if B. with C. through D. of
5. Speed limits on the road …………….. to protect pedestrians as well as motorists.
A. serve B. prove C. succeed D. intend
6. Tax ………….. deprives the state of several million pounds a year.
A. retention B. desertion C. escapism D. evasion
7. When all the students …………….., the professor began his lecture.
A. sat B. were sitting C. seated D. were seated
8. What are you going to do when all you money ……………
A. runs down B. runs deep C. runs dry D. runs short
9. Fred says that his present job does not provide him with enough ……………… for his organising ability.
A. scope B. space C. capacity D. range
10. A few political extremists ………… the crowd to attack the police.
A. animated B. agitated C. incited D. stirred
11. Although the new library service has been very successful, its future is______________certain.
A. at any rate B. by no meansC. by all means D. by any chance
12. Some people can_______________out of their shyness as soon as they are 20.
A. move B. change C. grow D. turn
13. Please don’t talk about the day – I want to______________it all behind me.
A. block B. stir C. summon D. put
14. Advertisers often aim their campaigns at young people as they have considerable spending_____________?
A. power B. strength C. force D. ability
15. The strike was________________owing to a last-minute arrangement with the management
A. called off B. broken up C. set back D. put down
16. The weather is usually mild, although we sometimes get a cold________at he beginning of the year.
A. spell B. term C. interval D. wave
17. Hehad a ___________ escape since the bullet came within inches of his head.
A. slender B. close C. near D. narrow
18. I can’t tell you the exact amount, but I can give you a ______ estimate.
A. smooth B. tidy C. rough D. similar
19. ______benefits include a new car and free health insurance.
A.Well B.Fringe C.Edge D.Verge
20. You haven’t heard all the facts so don’t________to conclusion.
A. walk B. go C.fly D.jump
Part 2: Write the correct form of each bracketed word.
Slave Narratives
In the wake of the bloody Nat Turner  (1. rebel) rebellion in Southampton County, Virginia, in 1831, an
increasingly fervent (2. slave) anti-slavery movement in the United States sponsored (3. hand) firsthand
autobiographical accounts of slavery by fugitives from the South in order to make (4. abolish) abolishtionists of a
largely (5. difference) indifferent white Northern readership. From 1830 to the end of the slavery era, the
fugitive slave narrative dominated the (6. literature) literary(hoa my) landscape of antebellum black America. The
Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave, Written by Himself (1845) gained the most
attention, (7. establishment)  establishing Frederick Douglass as the leading African American man of letters of his
time. By predicating his struggle for freedom on his (8. sole) solitary pursuit of literacy, education, and (9. depend)

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independence, Douglass portrayed himself as a (10. make) man, which appealed strongly to middle-class white
Americans.
Part 3: Fill in each blank with suitable particle(s).
1. "I will check ……in on……. you tomorrow morning to see if you are ready to be discharged," said the friendly
doctor to Cyndia.
2."That rude receptionist hung ……up on…… me while I was in mid-sentence," said an agitated Mrs. Stephen
3."It all boils ……down to……. you. Are you willing to give the relationship another shot?" asked Todd.
4. The woman passed ……out……… when she heard that her husband had been killed in the war.
5. The man was done ………over……. by gangsters and had to be admitted to the ICU.
6. “You set me ……up……..!" said the mobster to the double agent as the police took him away.
7. My husband brought me some flowers today. He must be …after…… something!
8. The survivors of the Titanic were ……at… sea for several days before being rescued.
9. If trains always leave ……on…. schedule, Why do so many of them arrive late at the other end?
10. Most people would jump …at…. The chance to spend a year in America.
Part 4: ERROR RECOGNITION
Most but not all of the following lines contain one incorrect word. Underline the word that is incorrect and correct
it. If a line is correct, tick it.
Example: 0 being => Ø
EDUCATION IN BRITAIN
0. Parents in Britain are being required by law to see that their children receive full-time
01. education between age of 5 and 16. At the present, there are about nine million
02. school-children at about 40,000 schools. The number is increasing, mainly because of some
03. increase in the birth rate, and such primary school numbers are very high.
04. Although the birth-rate has now stabilize, each year more children stay
05. on at school from the minimum leaving age. There is, therefore, a
06. continuing need for more teachers and more school buildings. In England, Wales and
07. Northern Ireland, it is usual for boys and girls to be taught to gather in primary schools: that
08. is, up to the age of 11, but about half the secondary schools are for boys and girls only.
9. Although mixed schools are more common in Wales and Scotland, where all but a few city
10. schools make both boys and girls.
III. READING COMPREHENSION
Part 1: For questions 1 – 10, read the text below and decide which answer (A, B, C or D) best fits each gap.
There is an example at the beginning (0).
What we know about music and the brain
Work on the human brain has (0) …….. how different parts are centres of activity for different skills, feelings,
perceptions and so on. It has also been shown that the left and right halves, or hemispheres, of the brain are (1)
…….. for different functions. While language is processed in the left, or analytical hemisphere, music is processed
in the right, or emotional hemisphere. (2) …….. of music like tone, pitch and melody are all probably processed in
different parts of the brain. Some features of musical experience are processed not just in the (3) ………….. parts of
the brain, but in the visual ones. We don’t yet fully understand the (4) …….. of this.
The tempo of music seems to be (5) …….. related to its emotional impact, with fast music often (6) …….. as
happier and slower music as sadder. It is the same with the major biological rhythm of the body: our heart (7) ……..
quickens when we’re happy, but slows when we’re sad. Military music may have (8) …….. from attempts to get us
ready for (9)…….. by using fast drumming to (10) …….. our hearts into beating faster.
1 A amenable B dependable C responsible D reliable
2 A Views B Aspects C Factors D Pieces
3 A auditory B visual C imaginary D sensual
4 A expectations B implications C assumptions D propositions
5 A surely B plainly C evidently D directly
6 A felt B endured C encountered D touched
7 A pulse B speed C pace D rate
8 A evolved B extended C advanced D elevated
9 A battle B fight C quarrel D struggle
10 A activate B motivate C stimulate D animate

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Part 2: Read the text below and think of the word which best fits each space.
Food for a Future
John Wynne-Tyson was an original thinker (0)…WHOSE… best-known book ‘Food for a Future’ was published in
1975. In this classic work, a case was (1)………put……… forward for (2)..………what…….. can only be
described as a more responsible and humane attitude towards the world’s food resources. It had gradually (3)
……….become………… clear to Wynne-Tyson that the economics and ecology of meat production did not (4)…..
………make…….. sense. What justification was (5)………there…………., he argued, for using seven tonnes of
cereal to produce one tonne of meat?
Even today, the book’s succinct style makes it compulsively readable. (6)………Although……… his approach is
basically an emotional one. Wynne-Tyson goes to great lengths to back (7)……..his…………. every statement with
considerable supporting evidence and statistical data. Thus, even (8)…………those………… of us who are widely
read (9)…………in…………. this subject of vegetarianism will gain fresh insights from this book. It is generally
agreed that his most skillful achievement is the slow revelation of his main thesis (10)………as……… the
arguments unfold.
Part 4: Read the passage and choose the best answer:
Although only a small percentage of the electromagnetic radiation that is emitted by the Sun is ultraviolet (UV)
radiation, the amount that is emitted would be enough to cause severe damage to most forms of life on Earth were it
all to reach the surface of the earth. Fortunately, all of the Sun’s ultraviolet radiation does not reach the earth
because of a layer of oxygen, called the ozone layer, encircling 
the earth in the stratosphere at an altitude of about 15 miles above the earth. The ozone layer  absorbs much of the
Sun’s ultraviolet radiation and prevents it from reaching the earth.
 
Ozone is a form of oxygen in which each molecule consists of three atoms (O3) instead of the two atoms (O2)
usually found in an oxygen molecule. Ozone forms in the stratosphere in a process that is initiated by ultraviolet
radiation from the Sun. UV radiation from the Sun splits oxygen molecules with two atoms into
 free oxygen atoms, and each of these unattached oxygen atoms then joins up with an oxygen molecule to form
ozone. UV radiation is also capable of splitting up ozone molecules; thus ,ozone is constantly forming, splitting, and
reforming in the stratosphere. When UV radiation is absorbed during the process of ozone formation and
reformation, it is unable to reach Earth and cause damage there.
 
Recently, however, the ozone layer over parts of the earth has been diminishing. chief among the culprits in the case
of the disappearing ozone, those that are really responsible, are the chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs). CFCs meander up
from Earth into the stratosphere, where they break down and release chlorine. The released chlorine reacts with
ozone in the stratosphere to form chlorine monoxide (ClO) and oxygen (O2). The chlorine then becomes free to go
through the cycle over and over again. One chlorine atom can, in fact, destroy hundreds of thousands of ozone
molecules in this repetitious cycle, and the effects of this destructive process are now becoming evident.
 
1. According to the passage, ultraviolet radiation from the Sun
A. is causing serve damage to the earth’s ozone layer 
 B. is only a fraction of the Sun’s electromagnetic radiation
C. creates electromagnetic radiation
D. always reaches the earth
2. The word ‘encircling’ in paragraph 1 is closest in meaning to
A. rotating
B. attacking
C. raising
D. surrounding
3.  It is stated in the passage that the ozone layer
A. enables ultraviolet radiation to reach the earth
B. reflects ultraviolet radiation
C. shields the earth from a lot of ultraviolet radiation
D. reaches down to the earth
4. According to the passage, an ozone molecule
A. consists of three oxygen molecules
B. contains more oxygen atoms than the usual oxygen molecule does
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C. consists of two oxygen atoms
D. contains the same number of atoms as the usual oxygen molecule
5. The word free could be best replaced by
A. liberal
B. gratuitous
C. unconnected
D. emancipated
6. Ultraviolet radiation causes oxygen molecules to
A. rise to the stratosphere
B. burn up ozone molecules
C. split up and reform as ozone
D. reduce the number of chlorofluorocarbons
7. The pronoun it refers to
A. radiation
B. process
C. formation
D. damage
8. The word culprits is closest in meaning to
A. Guilty parties
B. Detectives
C. Group members
D. Leaders
9. According to the passage, what happens after a chlorine molecule reacts with an ozone molecule?
A. The ozone beaks down into three oxygen atoms
B. Two different molecules are created
C. The two molecules combine into one molecule
D. Three distinct molecules result
10. The paragraph following the passage most likely discusses
A. The negative results of the cycle of ozone destruction
B. where chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) come from
C. the causes of the destruction of ozone molecules
D. how electromagnetic radiation is created

TEST 18
Task 1: Choose the most suitable word or phrase to complete each of the following sentences.
1. Poor management brought the company to the ___ of collapse.
A. brink B. rim C. fringe D. brim
2. The accused man was able to prove his innocence at the trial and was ___.
A. absolved B. forgiven C. acquitted D. abandoned
3. Luckily my wallet was handed in to the police with all its contents ___.
A. preserved B. unscathed C. contained D. intact
4. According to a Government spokesman, further ___ in the public sector are to be expected.
A. cutbacks B. breakdowns C. outtakes D. layouts
5. Don’t get yourself ___ up over such a trivial matter.
A. done B. worried C. whipped D. worked
6. My sunburnt nose made me feel rather ___ for the first few days of the holiday.
A. self-effacing B. self-centered C. self-conscious D. self-evident
7. There was a lot of ___ as throngs of people tried to see the famous actor walking through the mall.
A. stamina B. discipline C. counsel D. commotion
8. When the ship docked at Hamburg, they found a(n) ___ in the hold.
A. gate-crasher B. stowaway C. interloper D. trespasser
9. He wants to pay the bill himself, but I won’t hear ___ it.
A. from B. about C. of D. for
10. When his parents are away, his eldest brother ___.
A. kocks it off B. calls the shots C. draws the line D. is in the same boat
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Task 2: There are 6 mistakes in the passage. Find out and correct them. The first one has been done as an
example.
Line A LIBRARY AT YOUR FINGERTIPS
1 A few years ago, in the height of the dotcom boom, it was widely assumed that publishing revolution, in
which the printed word would be supplanted by the computer screen, was just around the corner. It wasn’t: for
many, there is still few(little) to match the joy of cracking the spine of a book and settle(settling) down for an
5 hour or two of reading. A recent flurry of activity by big technology companies – including Google, Amazon,
Microsoft and Yahoo! – suggests that the dream of bringing books online is still very much alive.
The digitising of thousands of volumes of print is not without controversy. On Thursday, November 3,
10 Google, the world’s most popular search engine, posted a first instalment of books on Google Print, an
initiative first moot(mooted) a year ago. This collaborative effort between Google and several of the world’s
leading research libraries aims to make many thousands of books available to be searched and read online free
of charge. Because(although) the books included so far are not covered by copyright, the plan has attracted
the ire of publishers.
Example: Line 1: in -> at
Task 3: Fill in each gap with one suitable preposition.
1. I’m sorry to butt __in___, but did you happen to mention the name “Fiona”?
2. The entire staff was thrown __off___ balance when the news of the takeover was announced.
3. The trekkers were bent __on(determine)___ reaching the village by the afternoon.
4. We had to dispense ___out__ pages of legal jargon before we could sign the contract.
5. The girl only went __over___ the room with a duster.
Task 4: Complete the passage with appropriate forms from the words given in the box.
laugh appear rehearse night speak think back energy create national
It’s 8.30 at the headquarters of the BOOGY WOOGERS dance group, a (1)__rehearsal_ studio in Geneva. Dancers
of all shapes and sizes begin to tumble (2)__energetically_ though the doors. Some begin limbering up, others
splinter off into groups to try out new moves. One woman, lost in her own (3)_thoughts__ sits with her headphones
on, preparing for the punishing routines to follow. A long-haired man with a goatee beard outs a tape in the hi-fi,
and rap music blares out of the (4)_speaker__. Soon the room is alive with whirling, spinning bodies and
(5)_laughter__ fills the air.
The BOOGY WOOGERS are the brainchild of TOMAS SEELER, who handpicked many of his troupe from local
street dancers. Seeler’s own (6)_background__ was in gymnastics, but others come from the worlds of martial arts,
bodybuilding and ballet. Many different (7)_nationalities__ are represented in the group, including Chilean, Fijian
and Senegalese dancers. The group has been performing all over Europe, most notably in Paris, where they became
(8)_overnight__ celebrities. Famous for their (9)_creativity__ and novel interpretations, the Boogy Woogers have
made several (10)__appearances_ on TV, and look set to remain the “in” thing for many years to come.
PART 3: READING COMPREHENSION (60 POINTS)
Task 1: Read the text and decide which answer best fits each gap.
THE INVENTION OF TELEVISION
Few inventions have (1)___ more scorn and praise (2)___ them at the same time than television. And few have
done so much to unite the world into one vast audience for news, sport, information and entertainment. Television
must be (3)___ alongside printing as one of the most significant inventions of all time in the (4)___ of
communications. In just a few decades it has reached (5)___ every home in the developed world and an ever-
increasing (6)___ of homes in developing countries. It took over half a century from the first suggestion that
television might be possible before the first (7)___ pictures were produced in laboratories in Britain and America.
In 1926 John Logie Baird’s genius for publicity brought television to the (8)___ of a British audience. It has since
(9)___ such heights of success and taken on such a pivotal function that it is difficult to imagine a world (10)___ of
this groundbreaking invention.
1. A. had B. even C. been D. done
2. A. taken over B. heaped upon C. picked on D. given over
3. A. awarded B. rated C. graduated D. assembled
4. A. location B. site C. post D. field
5. A. simultaneously B. actually C. virtually D. substantially
6. A. proportion B. rate C. portion D. part
7. A. flaring B. glimmering C. sparkling D. flickering
8. A. attention B. concentration C. initiation D. surveillance
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 9. A. found B. left C. gained D. reached
10. A. without B. shallow C. bereft D. lacking
Task 2: Read the text and fill in each gap with one word which best fits.
EARLY CALENDARS
Dennis the Small, a 6th (1)_century__ expert on canon law, has had an enduring, if unsung, (2)__influence_ on the
affairs of the modern world. It was (3)__thanks_ to his calculations that the precise timing of the 2000 th anniversary
of Christ’s birth was recently confirmed beyond (4)___. Dionysus Exiguus, as he was then (5)_known__, was
charged in 525 by Pope John I was setting dates in the Christian calendar. Though he was a good mathematician,
the accuracy of Dennis’ calculations was limited by the information (6)_available__ at the time.
Establishing the exact (7)_date__ of Christ’s crucifixion – and therefore that of Easter – (8)_presented__ an
especially difficult challenge. Theologians had decreed that Easter should be marked on the Sunday after the first
full (9)___ moon after the vernal equinox, but without accurate solar and (10)_lunar__ calendars how could the
church fathers predict the dates in the future?
Task 3: Read the passage and choose the answer A, B, C, or D which you think fits best according to the text.
What happens psychologically when one is lost at sea? Why does one person survive while another perishes? Is
there a personality type that makes one person better at handling the elements, fear and loneliness? Until recently,
science has been completely in the dark about what makes a survivor. Now experts are intensifying their search to
demystify the psychology of survival, analysing personality traits among people who triumph over life-threatening
crises – and those who succumb.
In a life-threatening situation the brain immediately triggers a state of shock, sending alarms through the body. Your
emergency response system shifts into gear. Blood pressure rises, muscles tense, adrenalin pumps. If you survive
initially, you then shift mental gears to longer-term planning – whatever you have to do to survive. Next you go into
the resistance phase; a chronic coping state, in which the body tries to maintain balance in the face of threat, danger
and deprivation.
Later, one of two things happens: you enter an exhaustion phase, in which the coping mechanisms are
overwhelmed, you lose strength, and die – as often happens – or you persevere long enough and get rescued or
escape the situation. Who survives, it turns out, isn’t determined by age, physical stamina, or experience. Although
one would expect people who are fitter to be the best candidates to make it back alive, the mind, that great trickster,
isn’t ruled by logic.
Last summer, for example, a sailboat sank. It was being steered by Nicholas Abbott, who often transported pleasure
boats from the Caribbean to New York. With him was his friend, Janet Culver, a reserved woman, not a risk-taker,
making her first long-distance cruise. If you worked for an insurance agency, you’d bet Abbott would be the one
to return alive. Yet he’s the one who died. After 10 days adrift in a tiny dinghy, battling 16-foot waves and
thundershowers, Abbott – hungry, thirsty, and delirious – said he was going to swim home, jumped overboard and
drowned. Culver, covered with sun blisters and too weak to sit, would not give up. “Each day I stayed alive was
another chance to be rescued,” she told me. “Something deep inside told me to hang on one more day.” While
Abbott let his depression get the better of him, Culver evaluated his situation in small, manageable increments. She
kept her mind open. It is important to remain mentally active, dwelling on positive things. “Don’t give up”, say the
experts. “Drive your thoughts to things that make you happy. Have fantasies. In other words, play games with your
mind. Don’t let it play tricks on you, which experts say it does.
The mind goes from hope for rescue, to isolation, to depression. These feelings come, go and vary in order. You
have a better chance of survival with other people there. Just being able to say “I’m not going to do what he’s
doing” helps handle negative thinking. Highly destructive is the “last chance” phenomenon: rescue is visible, but
they don’t see you. You start thinking “That was my only chance; they won’t be back again!” Then you feel
doomed. In the end, long-term exposure causes delirium. You start drinking salt water, which causes more
delusions. In the cold, people sometimes start shedding garments and a trail of clothes is found. Paradoxically, these
people interpret their coldness as warmth.
Researchers studying people who triumph over life-threatening crises are finding survivors share common
personality traits: high self-esteem and optimism. Often the difference in mental, rather than physical toughness
determines who will endure. Survivors often have a strong belief system outside themselves, in family and religion.
Once you give into the sense of abandonment, you give up. Survivors tend to be tenacious in a self-preserving way.
They do the right things under pressure. Even though Culver was technically less skilled at sea, she didn’t lose her
head. Abbott panicked, left the safest position, and exposed himself to death. The experts attribute this fighting
spirit to an immeasurable factor. They can measure weight, age, sex, swimming ability, flotation, quality of clothing

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– finite things. But they can’t measure the will to live. The only true measure of it is who stares into the abyss and
doesn’t blink.
1. Until recently, scientists in extreme situations
A. had no knowledge of why some people are less vulnerable.
B. had been experimenting with people in extreme situations.
C. believed that the personality of a survivor was defined by fear.
D. had not been interested in what makes a survivor.
2. According to the writer,
A. the exhaustion phase is preceded by a failure of coping mechanisms.
B. survival depends on how healthy you are.
C. you need to be intelligent to survive a dangerous situation.
D. there are a number of phases in the survival process.
3. Why is it surprising that Janet Culver survived?
A. She had little or no relevant sailing experience.
B. She didn’t take Abbott’s advice.
C. She didn’t appear to have a very strong character.
D. She was nervous of being at sea.
4. What is one reason why the presence of other people with you in a survival situation can sometimes help you to
survive?
A. They tell you not to give up. B. You can play games with them to keep awake.
C. They remind you of how not to behave. D. They can help you look out for rescue vehicles.
5. Why is near-rescue destructive?
A. It makes the person lose hope. B. The person knows they will not get another chance.
C. It causes delirium. D. People usually try to swim to the rescue vessel.
6. Why can’t scientists measure the will to live?
A. Because it is different in every person. B. Because it is an abstract quality.
C. Because it changes throughout a person’s life. D. Because people are reluctant to be analysed in such
a way.
7. What do you think is the best title of the passage?
A. Survival at sea B. Nicholas Abbott C. Janet Culver D. Death at sea
8. Which best replaces the phrase “in the face of”?
A. due to B. including C. notwithstanding D. de facto
9. Why does the writer mention an insurance agency?
A. To explain the reasonability of Abbott’s death. B. To tell what people generally predict.
C. To reveal a bad habit of an insurance agent. D. To emphasize a terrible mistake of insurance
companies.
10. Which has the closest meaning to “tenacious”?
A. cohesive B. resolute C. bound D. strong
Task 4: Read the passage and do as required.
BRITAIN’S CANALS – THE SOLUTIONS TO OVERCROWDED ROADS?
A. It is hard to imagine that only a decade or so ago many of the nation’s canals were little more than the last resting
place for abandoned shopping trolleys. There is still work to be done, but their transformation has been remarkable.
Projects such as Castlefield in Manchester and Brindleyplace in Birmingham have transformed city-center canals
from stagnant reminders of a fading industrial past to the epitome of urban cool. However, 21 st century priorities
dictate that the rehabilitation of this 18 th century motorway system cannot stop there. Canals and navigable rivers
form a major transport network, in need of only piecemeal investment, and with the spare capacity to take away the
need for hundreds of thousands of lorry journeys. In the second half of the 18 th century, canals drove the industrial
revolution. Today, authorities want them to drive congestion off the roads. Last month, for example, the European
Commission proposed a seven-year plan to shift large amounts of freight from roads to inland waterways.
B. Europe’s enthusiasm comes as no surprise. Freight traffic is expected to grow by a third in the next decade. The
cost of population and congestion is set to swallow one per cent of Europe’s entire GDP by 2010. “With a fleet of
11,000 vessels and a capacity equaling 10,000 trains or 440,000 trucks, inland waterways can make transport in
Europe more efficient, reliable, and environmentally friendly,” says Jacques Barrot, vice-president of the European
Commission in charge of transport. “Europe cannot afford to leave that potential untapped.”

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C. Mainland Europe has never, in fairness, left it completely untapped. The canals of the low countries and the
rivers of central and eastern Europe buzzed with the sound of freight barges long after British industry had thrown
in its lot with railways and roads. Attempts to revive freight on British canals have been hampered by the fact that
their heyday lasted barely 60 years, and they were first considered obsolete 150 years ago. For much of the
intervening period, many have simply been left to rot. “Our network was in decline for a long time compared to
much of Europe,” says Eugene Baston of British Waterways. “Whereas other countries developed road and rail
transport but carried on using their waterways as well, our canals were neglected. In fact, many European countries
actually enlarged their canals 100 years ago.”
D. That decline in Britain has been reversed, first by leisure seekers and more recently by industry. Boaters, anglers,
walkers, and cyclists now benefit from around 4,000 miles of navigable waterways and the paths and trails that run
alongside them. Waterside living is fashionable, and city-center canals have been a focus for urban renewal. And,
despite our obsession with road transport, environmental considerations are forcing government and business to turn
the clock back 200 years and – at least in a minor way – get our waterways working again.
E. In fact, industrial goods such as coal, steel, aggregates, and petroleum have never completely disappeared from
large rivers and designated commercial waterways. Barges on the river Severn have recently started carrying the
equivalent of 34,000 lorry loads on aggregates each year, the first freight traffic on the river for a decade. British
Waterways, which owns about half of the country’s navigable inland waterways, carried the equivalent of 64,000
25-ton lorry loads of freight in 2004. The organization says these figures are certain to increase as new schemes
start, and environmentalists hope they will. Carrying freight by water uses about a quarter of the energy of an
equivalent road journey. In comparison to lorries, barges produce low emissions, low noise, and very visually
unobtrusive. “We think that anything that can take freight off the roads needs to be fully explored,” says Tony
Bosworth, transport campaigner for Friends of the Earth. “Canals can do that. They can help cut the pollution that
causes climate changes.”
F. There is a limit to what canals can carry. The slow pace of water travel does not fit well with the limited shelf life
of fresh produce. If supermarkets won’t trust their cherry tomatoes to water, they might trust the waste paper and
plastic that protects them. Many of the proposals to utilize Britain’s waterways are based around waste management
and recycling schemes. For example, a pilot scheme in Hackney, east London, has seen municipal waste collected
by truck and transferred to barge for transportation to a reprocessing plant. In the future, the scheme could remove
300,000 dustcart miles from the borough’s streets every year. Current arrangements cold be just the tip of the
iceberg.
G. Planning permission has been given for a Powerday recycling plant at Willesden Junction, a site that sits on the
intersection of road, rail, and canal networks. “The plant will have the capacity to handle a million and a half tons of
waste every year, but the amount carried by road will be capped at 500,000 tons,” says Ed Fox of British
Waterways London. “If they want to grow the business, they will have to work with us.” Fox says getting freight
back on the canals has been “a nice idea” for 50 years, but until recently little more than an idea. “The Powerday
project, on the other hand, is proof of what really can be done.”
H. Though details have yet to be decided, British Waterways believes the most appropriate way to transport some
of the building materials destined for London’s giant Olympic construction project is by the network of waterways
that links the Thames and east London. The Olympic Delivery Authority says: “It’s being looked at and the final
solution could well involve some transportation by water. What exactly we do will be based on a range of factors,
but one of those will be sustainability.” Their gentle pace will always make canals a niche player in a busy world,
but after 200 years of neglect, the tide is starting to turn.
Questions 1 – 4
The text has 8 paragraphs (A – H). Which paragraph does each of the following heading best fits?
1. Olympic transport H 3. Modern leisure uses D
2. The decline of British canals C 4. Energy efficient E
Questions 5 – 10
Fill in each gap with one suitable word from the text.
The transformation of British canals has been (5)___ compared to more than a decade ago. During the period from
1750 to 1800, these canals used to play a revolutionary role in the development of (6)___. Nowadays, British
government makes use of them to deal with the problem of (7)___. Besides, (8)___ living has become fashionable
and central canals have turned into a new focus of urban life. In fact, (9)___ waterways have never been ceased to
operate. Based on recent data, British Waterways believe that transport on canals is certain to (10)___.
Environmentalists also feel optimistic about this transformation.

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Task 5: Read the passage and choose the destination from A – E. Each destination may be chosen more than
once.
EXPLORING THE CANADIAN OUTDOORS
A. Churchill
Churchill, Manitoba, has much to offer in the way of sightseeing, and its natural surrounds are truly spectacular, but
its beauty is nothing but a side-show; the polar bears are the main event in these parts, Churchill being the unofficial
polar bear capital of the world. Every year, from October to early December, these giant carnivores gather at the
mount of the Churchill River in Hudson Bay and wait patiently until the sea freezes over to enable them to resume
seal-hunting again. The town of Churchill has a mere 900 permanent residents, but, during peak bear-spotting
season, the population swells to more than 10,000, as visitors from near and far come to see the estimated 1,200 of
these cuddly-looking but decidedly lethal beasts that gather around the town each year. Sadly though, most of the
visitors, once they have seen their share of bears and taken the obligatory been-there-done-it photo, head home
without even pausing to scan the horizon for the other spectacular creature that can be seen in relative abundance
here, the Beluga, whose sleek profile is frequently spotted breaking the surface of the water in the bay, offering up a
perfect opportunity for whale-watching that only those who have really done their homework will ever get to take
advantage of.
B. Banff
Banff was designated Canada’s first national park way back in 1885 in recognition of the fact that it is an area of
truly outstanding natural beauty. Its jagged peaks set against the never-ending light-blue skyline exemplify what the
wild and rugged, and remarkably vast range that is the Canadian Rockies is all about. Every year, the park attracts
around four million visitors, lured there by the promise of postcard views and abundant wildlife. Banff is home to
some 54 mammalian species, from the impressive but harmless moose and elk, to the more lethal cougar, black bear
and grizzly bear. The park is also home to a thriving adventure sports industry, and offers first-rate hiking trails with
sufficient variety of terrain so as to ensure that both the novice and experienced trekker are kept satisfied.
C. Niagara Falls
A raging torrent whose fame is such that little if any introduction is necessary, there is a very good reason why
Niagara Falls, or, to be more precise, Canadian Falls, the horseshoe-shaped section of the gorge this side of the
border, is visited by such large numbers of tourists every year, and that is the simple truth that the scene which
greets you on arrival is one of the few genuinely awe-inspiring spectacles you are ever likely to have the privilege
to behold. The falls have proved an irresistible temptation for many a daredevil over the years, too, with tightrope
walker Nik Wallenda being the most recent case in point – his successful crossing in June 2012 was reported widely
in the international media. But for those of us who aren’t inclined towards acts of such reckless insanity, there is an
alternative to the perilous rope-walk which offers an equally noteworthy view; the river-boat ride, which takes you
just close enough beneath the gushing torrent to be momentarily deafened by its roar – and you get a free shower
into the bargain! A honey-mooner’s as well as nature-lover’s paradise, Niagara should form part of every visitor’s
itinerary.
D. The Laurentians
Just north of Montreal, the distinctly Gallic feel of Mont-Tremblant, a European-style resort in the heart of the
Laurentian Mountains, is typical of the villages of the region. The range itself is an all-season paradise which is at
its best perhaps during late autumn when the forests explode into a symphony of colour. The area attracts nature-
and adventure-lovers alike because, as well as the resplendence of its natural canvass, it can also boast some of the
best ski terrain in north America (with slopes to cater for every level of enthusiast) and excellent golf – the main
attraction of which is playing against this stunning backdrop no doubt, though the courses are not too shabby either
– in the summer season.
E. The Great Lakes
Known for their diversity ad beauty, and for their disproportionately large contribution to the Earth’s ecology, the
five great lakes combined comprise the largest body of freshwater on the planet. Their volume is distributed more or
less equally between the States and Canada, with the exception of Lake Michigan which is completely contained
within the former country. Their combined surface area is larger than that of England, Scotland and Wales put
together. All five lakes are interconnected with their primary outlet being the Saint Lawrence River, which flows
through Quebec and eventually empties out into the North Atlantic. Bearing in mind the sheer size of these bodies
of water, few visitors can afford themselves the time required to see all five, but a stop at any of the various national
parks dotted along their shores is very worthwhile, and an excellent excuse to take in some water-based activities,
too, with yatching, canoeing, scuba diving and much more to choose from.
To which destination does each statement relate?
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1. Although this area is rich in natural beauty, the majority of tourists only come to visit during three specific
months of the year for an unrelated reason.
2. In this area, visitors only have the opportunity to play a particular sport during one season each year.
3. A spectacle which takes place in this region is only known to the few people who thoroughly research the area.
4. This area sees a huge influx of people at a particular time each year.
5. This area affords visitors an excellent opportunity to partake in a variety of water sports and activities.
6. This place is known to attract visitors who are on a romantic vacation.
7&8. This destination, or a large part thereof, straddles two separate countries.
9&10. This area offers a variety of terrain such that it is suitable for people of different levels of ability.
PART 4: WRITING (60 POINTS)
Task 1: For each question from 1 – 5, complete the second sentence so that it has a similar meaning to first
one, using the word given. Do not change the word given. You must use between five to seven words
including the word given.
1. The crash victim was beyond help when emergency services reach her. (WHATSOEVER)
-> There ______was nothing whatsoever emergency services could____ do on reaching the crash victim.
2. Jane didn’t get the job because she wasn’t experienced enough. (DOWN)
-> Jane’s _____application was turned down due to_____ lack of experience.
3. His fake arrogance only hid his genuine insecurity. (LAY)
-> Behind _____his arrgogance lay his genuine_____ insecurity.
4. The time that must be invested in development is the only drawback of this software. (ASIDE)
-> This software has no drawbacks aside from its lengthy development time.
5. I suspected him when he started being so helpful. (RAT)
-> I ______smelt a rat when he started being ____ so much.

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