ĐỀ mẫu VSTEP Reading Test ÔN THI B1 CHÂU ÂU SỐ 1

TÀI LIỆU HAY

READING PAPER 1
Time permitted: 60 minutes
Number of questions: 40
_________________________________________________________________________
Directions: In this section you will read FOUR different passages. Each one is followed by
10 questions about it. For questions 1-40, you are to choose the best answer A, B, C or D,
to each question. Then, on your answer sheet, find the number of the question and fill in the
space that corresponds to the letter of the answer you have chosen. Answer all questions
following a passage on the basis of what is stated or implied in that passage.
You have 60 minutes to answer all the questions, including the time to transfer your
answers to the answer sheet.

PASSAGE 1 – Questions 1-10
A new study, conducted by scientists from Oxford University, the Chinese Academy of
Medical Sciences and the Chinese Center for Disease Control, has warned that a third of all
men currently under the age of 20 in China will eventually die prematurely if they do not
give up smoking.
The research, published in The Lancet medical journal, says two-thirds of men in China
now start to smoke before 20.Around half of those men will die from the habit, it
concludes.
In 2010, around one million people in China died from tobacco usage. But researchers say
that if current trends continue, that will double to two million people - mostly men - dying
every year by 2030, making it a "growing epidemic of premature death".
But co-author Richard Peto said there was hope - if people can be persuaded to quit."The
key to avoid this huge wave of deaths is cessation, and if you are a young man, don't start,"
he said.
In many parts of China, meals often fit a comfortable pattern. After putting down their
chopsticks, men commonly push their chairs back from the table and light cigarettes. No
wonder China has struggled to impose a smoking ban in public places. Here, relationships

are often built amid clouds of smoke.
Expensive brands of cigarettes, often decorated with gold detailing on the cartons, are given
as gifts. And ordinary brands are affordable to all but the very poor, costing just 2.5 yuan
($0.4; £0.25) a pack.

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TÀI LIỆU HAY

In a country where smoking is so ingrained in daily life, few understand the harmful effects
of tobacco use. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), only 25% of Chinese
adults can list the specific health hazards of smoking, from lung cancer to heart disease.
Perhaps it should come as no surprise, then, that only 10% of Chinese smokers quit by
choice. Instead, most are forced to give up their cigarettes because they're too sick to
continue.
While smoking rates have fallen in developed countries - to less than one in five in the US they have risen in China, as cigarettes have become more available and consumers richer.
Authorities have shown concern over the rise, with Beijing even introducing a public
smoking ban. But efforts have been hampered by the habit's popularity, and its usefulness
as a source of tax - the government collects about 428 billion yuan (£44billion, $67billion)
in tobacco taxes each year.
Globally, tobacco kills up to half of its users, according to the World Health Organization.
1. How many Chinese men start to smoke before the age of 20?
A. one-third
B. two-thirds
C. half
D. all of them
2. What does the word “those men” in paragraph 2 refer to?
A. Men who smoke under the age of 20
B. Men who smoke above the age of 20

C. Men who give up smoking
D. Men who smoke in public
3. By 2030, how many men in China may die from smoking every year?
A. one million
B. two million
C. three million
D. four million
4. In many areas of China, when do men usually smoke?
A. Before a meal
B. After a meal
C. Before they go to sleep
D. When they get up
5. According to WHO, only_______ of Chinese adults can list bad effects of
smoking.
A. one-third
B. one-fourth
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TÀI LIỆU HAY

C. one-fifth
D. a half
6. “Beijing” refers to
A. China
B. The city of Beijing
C. The Chinese government
D. People who live in Beijing
7. What is Richard Peto’s attitude toward smoking in China?
A. He doesn’t believe that people will give up smoking

B. He is disappointed with the Chinese government.
C. He thinks that people possibly stop smoking if they see reasons.
D. He is sure about the rise of future deaths in China.
8. Which of the following words does the word “hamper” have closest meaning to?
A. basket
B. assist
C. prohibit
D. restrict
9. What is the writer’s purpose?
A. To argue over smoking policy in China
B. To support smoking in China
C. To warn and prevent smoking in China
D. To report the result of a research paper
10. What does the writer imply about Chinese government?
A. They do not want to stop people from smoking.
B. They have tried to stop people from smoking in public but with little
success.
C. They have tried to close tobacco companies.
D. They do not care about smoking.

PASSAGE 2 – Questions 11-20
The evidence that humans are causing global warming is strong, but the question of what to
do about it remains controversial. Economics, sociology, and politics are all important
factors in planning for the future.
Even if we stopped emitting greenhouse gases (GHGs) today, the Earth would still warm by
another degree Fahrenheit or so. But what we do from today forward makes a big
difference. Depending on our choices, scientists predict that the Earth could eventually
warm by as little as 2.5 degrees or as much as 10 degrees Fahrenheit.
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TÀI LIỆU HAY

A commonly cited goal is to stabilize GHG concentrations around 450-550 parts per million
(ppm), or about twice pre-industrial levels. This is the point at which many believe the most
damaging impacts of climate change can be avoided. Current concentrations are about 380
ppm, which means there isn't much time to lose. According to the IPCC, we'd have to
reduce GHG emissions by 50% to 80% of what they're on track to be in the next century to
reach this level.
Is this possible?
Many people and governments are already working hard to cut greenhouse gases, and
everyone can help.
Researchers Stephen Pacala and Robert Socolow at Princeton University have suggested
one approach that they call "stabilization wedges." This means reducing GHG emissions
from a variety of sources with technologies available in the next few decades, rather than
relying on an enormous change in a single area. They suggest 7 wedges that could each
reduce emissions, and all of them together could hold emissions at approximately current
levels for the next 50 years, putting us on a potential path to stabilize around 500 ppm.
There are many possible wedges, including improvements to energy efficiency and vehicle
fuel economy (so less energy has to be produced), and increases in wind and solar power,
hydrogen produced from renewable sources, biofuels (produced from crops), natural gas,
and nuclear power. There is also the potential to capture the carbon dioxide emitted from
fossil fuels and store it underground—a process called "carbon sequestration."
In addition to reducing the gases we emit to the atmosphere, we can also increase the
amount of gases we take out of the atmosphere. Plants and trees absorb CO2 as they grow,
"sequestering" carbon naturally. Increasing forestlands and making changes to the way we
farm could increase the amount of carbon we're storing.
Some of these technologies have drawbacks, and different communities will make different
decisions about how to power their lives, but the good news is that there are a variety of
options to put us on a path toward a stable climate.

11. The word “we” in paragraph 2refers to
A. humans
B. economists, sociologists, and politicians
C. animals
D. scientists
12. According to paragraph 2, how many degrees could the Earth warm up?
A. 2.5
B. 2.5 or 10
C. 10
D. from 2.5 to 10
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TÀI LIỆU HAY

13. According to paragraph 3, why should we stabilize GHG concentrations around
450-550 parts per million?
A. to avoid the most serious effects of climate change
B. to avoid all damaging impacts of climate change
C. to mend the most damaging impacts of climate change
D. to stop climate change
14.What does “which” in paragraph 3 refer to?
A. current concentrations
B. that current concentrations are about 380 ppm
C. 380 ppm
D. ppm
15.Why does the author mention Stephen Pacala and Robert Socolow?
A. To introduce two researchers in the field
B. To proves that researchers are working to reduce GHG emission
C. To introduce one way to reduce GHG emission

D. To introduce Princeton University
16. What stabilization wedges are NOT mentioned in the passage?
A. create environment-friendly materials
B. capture and store carbon dioxide underground
C. increase the use of renewable energy
D. grow more trees
17. What does “them” refer to?
A. researchers
B. humans
C. renewable resources
D. wedges
18.What is the best title for this passage?
A. Arguments over Global Warming
B. Global Warming and its Causes
C. Global Warming Solutions
D. Global Warming’s Effect on Earth
19.“Sequestering” has closest meaning to
A. absorb
B. isolate
C. release
D. emit
20.Why does the writer mention “drawbacks” in the last paragraph?
A. To introduce the disadvantages of solutions in the following
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paragraph
B. To emphasize the disadvantages of the solutions in the previous paragraph

C. To recommend readers not to use the solutions
D. To emphasize the advantages of the solutions in different contexts
PASSAGE 3 – Questions 21-30
Art communicates to us primarily through our eyes. We look at art, and we try to find some
meaning in the experience. If we are to begin to think about art more seriously, we might do
well to become more aware of the process of seeing itself.
Science tells us that seeing is a mode of perception, or the recognition and interpretation of
sensory data-in other words, how information comes in our senses, and what we make of it.
In visual perception our eyes take in information in the form of light patterns; the brain
processes these patterns to give them meaning. The mechanics of perception work much the
same way for everyone, yet in a given situation we do not all see the same things.
We can take great pleasure in merely looking at art, just as we take pleasure in the view of a
distant mountain range or watching the sun set over the ocean. But art, unlike nature, is a
human creation. It is one of the many ways we express ourselves and attempt to
communicate. A work of art is the product of human intelligence, and we can meet it with
our own intelligence on equal footing. This is where study comes in.
The understanding of process - the how - often contributes quite a lot to our appreciation of
art. If you understand why painting in watercolor may be different from painting in oil, why
clay responds differently to the artist's hands than does wood or glass - you will have a
richer appreciation of the artist's expression.
Knowing the place of a work of art in history - what went before and came after - can also
deepen your understanding. Artists learn to make art by studying the achievements of the
past and observing the efforts of their contemporaries. They adapt ideas to serve their own
needs and then bequeath those ideas to future generations of artists. For example, Matisse
assumed that his audience would know that Venus was the ancient Roman goddess of love.
But he also hoped that they would be familiar with one Venus in particular, a famous Greek
statue known as the Venus de Milo.
An artist may create a specific work for any of a thousand reasons. An awareness of the why
may give some insight as well. Looking at Van Gogh's The Starry Night, it might help you
know that Van Gogh was intrigued by the belief that people journeyed to a star after their

death, and that there they continued their lives. "Just as we take the train to get to Tarascon
or Rouen," he wrote in a letter, "we take death to reach a star." This knowledge might help
you understand why Van Gogh felt so strongly about the night sky, and what his painting
might have meant to him.

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TÀI LIỆU HAY

But no matter how much you study, Van Gogh's painting will never mean for you exactly
what it meant for him, nor should it.Great works of arthold many meanings.The greatest of
them seem to speak anew toeach generation and to each attentive observer. The most
important thing is that they mean something for you, that your own experiences, thoughts,
and emotions find a place in them.
21. According to paragraph 2, the process ofvisual perception
A.is not the same for all people
B. begins with patterns of light
C. is not very scientific
D. requires other senses to function
22. What did Matisse reinterpret?
A. A goddess from mythology
B. A painting by another artist
C. An ancient sculpture
D.A man in history
23. The word “them” in the last paragraph refers to
A.each attentive observer
B. thoughts and emotions
C. a lifetime ofexperiences
D. great works of art

24. The word “bequeath” in the passage isclosest in meaning to
A.make out
B. pass on
C. look over
D. take in
25. The author mentions all of the followingways to enhance the appreciation of art
EXCEPT
A.understanding the artistic process
B. becoming familiar with the history
C. experiencing the art by copying
D. knowing about the life of the artist
26. What is the main topic of this passage?
A. Visual perception of sensory material
B. The historical context for artistic expression
C. Studying Van Gogh's The Starry Night
D. The appreciation of works of art
27. Which of the sentences below best expresses the information in the highlighted
statement in the passage?
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TÀI LIỆU HAY

A.We see images differently because ofthe mode of perception.
B. Although we see images differently, the mode of perception is similar.
C. Since the mode of perception is similar, we see images in the sameway.
D. When the mode of perception is the same, we see the same images
28. Why might Van Gogh have painted The Starry Night?
A. To symbolize the journey of life afterdeath
B. To create a dramatic contrast with thesky

C. To place a strong image in theforeground
D. To include nature from his earlyexperience
29. The word “intrigued” in the passage isclosest in meaning to
A.very pleased
B. very confused
C. very interested
D. very surprised
30. What can be inferred from the last paragraph?
A. Greatest artworks are impossible to understand.
B. The author shows negative feelings toward contemporary art.
C. People need knowledge to understand art.
D.What we see in art is determined by our emotions, experiences, and
thoughts.

PASSAGE 4 – Questions 31-40
Antibiotics block the life cycle of bacteria that invade the human body. The first of these
antibiotics, penicillin, works by blocking the molecules that construct the cell walls of
particular bacteria. The bacteria, with incomplete cell walls, are not able to reproduce.
When penicillin was introduced during World War II, it was truly a "miracle drug." Until
that time, anyone who was cut or wounded stood a great risk of infection. Once penicillin
became available, the situation changed. Wounded soldiers, children with ear infections, and
many others began to benefit from the ability to block the growth of bacteria.
While humanity may have won that particular battle against bacteria, the war is far from
over. The reason is that in any bacterial population, there are bound to be a few bacteria
that, for one reason or another, are not affected by a particular antibiotic. For example, they
may have a slightly differently shaped enzyme that builds cell walls, so that penicillin will
not fit onto that particular shape of the enzyme. These bacteria will not be affected by that
particular drug.

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TÀI LIỆU HAY

For that small group, the antibiotic is a real godsend. It doesn't affect them, but it does wipe
out all of their competition. They are thus free to multiply, and, over time, all of the bacteria
will have whatever properties that made those individuals resistant.
Traditionally, medical scientists have dealt with this phenomenon by developing a large
number of antibiotics, each of which intervenes in the bacterial life cycle in a slightly
different way. Consequently, if you happen to have a bacterium that is resistant to one
antibiotic, probably it will succumb to the action of another. You may, in fact, have had the
experience of going to a doctor with an infection, being given an antibiotic, and then finding
that it didn't work. In all likelihood, all your doctor had to do then was prescribe a different
antibiotic and everything was fine.
The problem is that as time has passed, more and more bacteria have become resistant to
antibiotics. In fact, currently, there is one strain of bacteria- Staphylococcus-that is resistant
to every commercially available antibiotic except one, and in 1996, a bacterium with
lowered resistance to that last antibiotic appeared in Japan.
The appearance of drug-resistant bacteria is not particularly surprising; in fact, it probably
should have been anticipated. Nevertheless, in the late 1980s, there was a general sense of
complacency among scientists on the antibiotic question. Little profit was to be made by
developing the one-hundred-and-first antibiotic. Drug companies concentrated their efforts
on other areas. Therefore, a gap developed between the production of new antibiotics and
the development of resistance among bacteria.
By the early 1990s, this gap was recognized and highlighted in several national news
magazines. More companies returned to develop new kinds of antibiotics, and currently, a
number are undergoing clinical trials. By early in the twenty-first century, some of these
new drugs will start to come on the market, and the problem will be "solved," at least for the
moment.
Additional research will focus on the processes by which cells repair the constant damage to

DNA, but the computer design of new drugs, the development of new antibiotics, and
techniques to combat bacteria should remain a top priority.
31. How do antibiotics treat infections?
A. They interfere with the reproductive cycle of bacteria.
B. They construct cell walls to resist bacteria.
C. They inject enzymes that explode in affected cells.
D. They increase the mitosis of healthy cells
32.The word “them” in paragraph 4 refers to
A.whatever properties
B. resistant bacteria
C. their competition
D. those individuals
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TÀI LIỆU HAY

33. The word “anticipated” in the passage isclosest in meaning to
A.predicted
B. concealed
C. investigated
D. disregarded
34. Which of the following best expresses themain idea of this passage?
A. The "miracle drug" penicillin
B. Drug-resistant bacteria
C.Staphylococcus infections
D. Gene therapy treatments
35. According to paragraph 4, why do somebacteria benefit from antibiotics?
A. The antibiotic eliminates competingbacteria, allowing resistant bacteria
toreproduce.

B. The resistant bacteria compete with theantibiotic, and the bacteria
becomestronger.
C. The competition helps the resistantbacteria to multiply by reproducingwith
the resistant type.
D. The properties of the antibiotic areacquired by the bacteria, making
itresistant to the competition.
36. The word “complacency” in the passage isclosest in meaning to
A.consensus of agreement
B. fear of consequences
C. lack ofconcern
D. awareness of potential
37. Which of the sentences below bestexpresses the information in thehighlighted
statement in the passage?
A. Some antibiotics affect a population ofbacteria more efficiently than others.
B. There are several reasons why some bacteria do not respond to most
antibiotics.
C. The effect ofantibiotics on bacteria is tobind them together into one
population.
D. A small number of bacteria in anysample will probably be resistant to
aspecific antibiotic.
38. The author mentions all of the followingreasons for drug resistant bacteria to
appear EXCEPT
A.there was not enough profit incentivefor companies to continue
developingnew antibiotics
B.statistically, some drug-resistantbacteria will occur naturally in anylarge
population ofbacteria
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TÀI LIỆU HAY

C.the newer antibiotics were not asstrong and effective as the original
penicillin-based drugs
D.competing bacteria are destroyed by antibiotics, allowing resistant bacteria
to prosper.
39. It can be inferred from the passage that
A. research to develop new antibiotics will not be necessary in the future
B. the scientific community was not surprised by the resistant strains of
bacteria
C. antibiotics are not very expensive when they are made available
commercially
D. it takes years for a new drug to be made available commercially for
consumers
40. Which of the following statements is NOT a main idea of the passage?
A. Many strains of bacteria have become resistant to the antibiotics currently
available.
B.Funding for the production of new antibiotics has been allocated to drug
companies.
C. The first antibiotics were very effective in blocking the reproduction of
bacteria.
D. New antibiotics are being developed to combat bacteria that resist the older
antibiotics.

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TÀI LIỆU HAY

ĐÁP ÁN
1. B

11. A

21. A

31. A

2. A

12. D

22. C

32. B

3. B

13. A

23. D

33. A

4. B

14. B

24. B

34. B

5. B

15. C

25. C

35. A

6.B

16. A

26. D

36. C

7.C

17. D

27. B

37. D

8.D

18. C

28. A

38. C

9.C

19. A

29. C

39. D

10. B

20. D

30. D

40. B

1. (3)

11. (3)

21. (3)

31. (3)

2. (3)

12. (3)

22. (3)

32. (3)

3. (3)

13. (3)

23. (3)

33. (4)

4. (3)

14. (3)

24. (4)

34. (4)

5. (3)

15. (4)

25. (4)

35. (4)

6. (3)

16. (4)

26. (4)

36. (5)

7. (4)

17. (4)

27. (4)

37. (5)

8. (4)

18. (4)

28. (5)

38. (5)

9. (4)

19. (5)

29. (5)

39. (5)

10. (4)

20. (5)

30. (5)

40. (5)

ĐỘ KHÓ

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TÀI LIỆU HAY

READING PAPER 2
Time permitted: 60 minutes
Number of questions: 40
PASSAGE 1: QUESTIONS 1-10
Maya Lin was born in Athens, Ohio, on October 5, 1959. In 1949, her parents fled
Communism in China and came to the United States. In 1958 they moved to Athens, home of Ohio
University, where they were professors. Her mother wrote poetry and taught literature; her father
was a ceramic artist and became Dean of the College of Fine Arts.
As a child, Maya Lin liked to hike, read, watch birds, work in her father's ceramics studio,
and build miniature towns. She loved to think and solve problems. In high school, she was an
excellent math student who took college level courses and worked at McDonalds. She thought she
was kind of nerdy because she never dated or wore make-up.
Maya went to Yale University to study architecture. While she was 21 and still a student,
she entered a blind contest to submit a design for the new Vietnam War Memorial in Washington

D.C. According to contest rules, the memorial had to fit in with the Lincoln Memorial and
Washington Monument, include the names of all the dead and missing from the war, and refrain
from making political statements. Maya’s simple but elegant design featured a pair of two hundred
foot long, polished black granite walls. The monument was V-shaped, with one side pointing to the
Lincoln Memorial and the other to the Washington Monument. The wall had the carved names of
58,195 men and women who were killed or missing in the war listed according to the dates they
were reported killed or missing, instead of in alphabetical order. Her design was chosen over 1,441
others. Maya believed her design would not have been chosen if the judges had known she was
Chinese-American. Some people harassed her after her family background and age became known.
Today, Maya Lin continues to work on sculpture and architecture. Some of her other
projects include the Civil Rights Memorial in Montgomery, Alabama; Wave Field at the University
of Michigan; and the Confluence Project along the Columbia and Snake rivers in Washington and
Oregon. She has also written several books and is interested in sustainable energy use. In 2009, she
was awarded the National Medal of Arts by President Barack Obama.
1. Which of the following best describes Maya Lin in high school?
A. glamorous

B. average

C. bored

D. hard-working

C. problem solving

D. fine arts

2. Maya went to Yale University to study ......
A. math

B. architecture

3. Maya Lin was born in ......
A. Washington D.C.

B. The passage doesn't say
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TÀI LIỆU HAY

C. Ohio

D. China

4. Which of the following is NOT true about Maya Lin.
A. She wanted to be a ceramics artist

C. Her parents were professors

B. She liked to watch birds

D. She was good at math

5. Maya Lin believed ......
A. that the names of the dead or missing should be listed alphabetically
B. her design was defiintely the best
C. that both sides of the monument should be pointed toward the Lincoln Memorial
D. that her design may not have been chosen if the judges knew her background
6. Which of the following is not answered in the third paragraph?

A. How many names are carved on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial?
B. How are the names of the missing or dead arranged on the Vietna Veterans Memorial?
C. What was Maya's design for the Vietnam Veterans Memorial contest?
D. Who were the judges who chose Maya Lin's design over 1,441 other designs?
7. Which question is answered in the second paragraph?
A. What math courses did Maya take in high school?
B. Why did Maya decide to enter the contest to build the Vietnam Veterans Memorial?
C. What did Maya major in in college?
D. Why did Maya believe she was nerdy?
8. If the entire passage only included the final paragraph, what would be an appropriate title?
A. Construction of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial
B. Maya Lin: Projects after the Vietnam Veterans Memorial
C. Chinese-Americans in Architecture
D. How Maya Lin Became Famous
9. Maya Lin's design for the Vietnam Veterans Memorial was...
A. elaborate

B. very complicated C. simple

D. controversial

10. Based on your understanding of the passage, what is a "blind" contest?
A. One in which only architects invited to submit their design can enter.
B. One in which the personal identity of a design's author is not known to the judges
C. One in which the judges decide exactly what the design of the memorial must look like
D. One in which only blind people can enter
PASSAGE 2: QUESTIONS 11-20
THE SENATE
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TÀI LIỆU HAY

The U.S. Senate is the upper house of Congress. Unlike the House of Representatives, the
Senate consists of two senators for each state, regardless of that state's population. This ensures
equal representation for each state. Hence, there are 100 Senators.
Senators serve six year terms, however, senate elections are held every two years to ensure
that no state ever holds an election in which both Senate seats are in contention. Elections are held
on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November in even-numbered years. Senators must be
thirty years of age, a citizen of the United States for the prior nine years, and must live in the state
they seek to represent. Much of the work done in the Senate is performed in committees. 16
standing committees, each with a specific jurisdiction (such as foreign relations, judicial review, or
finance) edit, amend, and consider bills related to those jurisdictions.
Powers exclusive to the Senate include the approval of treaties as a condition to their
ratification, and the approval of federal judges and cabinet members as a condition of their
appointment. The Senate also tries impeachments.
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
The U.S. House of Representatives is one of the two houses of Congress. Unlike the Senate,
a state’s number of representatives is based on its population. States with large populations have
more representatives than states with small populations. The state of California, America ’s most
populous state, currently has 55 representatives. There are 435 total representatives and each serves
a two-year term. Like the Senate, the House of Representatives performs much of its legislative
work in committees. The House of Representatives has 20 standing committees. Much like the
Senate committees, these committees meet to review, amend, edit, and consider bills specific to a
certain jurisdictions such as agriculture, revenue, or foreign relations.
The top officer of the House of Representatives is referred to as the Speaker of the House.
He or she is elected by other members of the House and has substantial powers including choosing
the order in which other representatives speak, choosing members of conference committees, and
choosing which committees reviews specific bills. Representatives must be 25 years old, a U.S.
citizen for seven years, and a resident of the state they wish to represent.

Much like the Senate, the House of Representatives has exclusive powers including the right
to impeach (an impeachment is a legal statement of charges against an official. The Senate only has
the power to try impeachment), to initiate revenue bills (those involving money), and to elect the
president in the case of an electoral tie.
11. There are ………… senators for every state.
A. 2

B. 3

C. 4

D. 1

C. 4

D. 2

12. Each senator serves a term of ………… years
A. 7

B. 6

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TÀI LIỆU HAY

13. Which of the following is NOT true about a U.S. Senator?
A. They must be a citizen of the United States for at least 9 years prior to appointment.
B. Only men can be senators.

C. They must live in the state they hope to represent.
D. They must be 30 years old.
14. Select all of the following that are TRUE.
A. Representatives must not be the residents of the state they wish to represent.
B. The Senate elects the president of the United States in the event of an electoral tie.
C. Senators can introduce revenue bills.
D. Impeachments are tried in the Senate.
15. The top official in the U.S. House of Representatives is known as the ………… of the
House.
A. Master

B. Speaker

C. Leader

D. President

16. The number of representatives per state in the House of Representative is determined by
the ………… of that state.
A. population

B. income level

C. total area

D. power

C. Alaska

D. New York

17. ………… has the most representatives.
A. California

B. Texas

18. A state representative must be ………… years old.
A. 30

B. 20

C. 35

D. 25

19. Which of the following is NOT true?
A. The right to impeach an elected official can be invoked in the Senate.
B. A Senator can be 31 years old.
C. Senators serve longer terms that representatives.
D. Revenue bills can be initiated in the House of Representatives.
20. In the following passage,
“The House of Representatives has 20 standing committees. Much like the Senate committees,
these committees meet to review, amend, edit, and consider bills specific to a certain
jurisdictions such as agriculture, revenue, or foreign relations.”
What does amend mean?
A. determine

B. trade

C. change

D. withdraw

PASSAGE 3 – Questions 21-30
No one can calculate the quantity of solid waste that has been dumped in the world’s oceans,
but the total certainly exceeds many millions of tons. For example, from 1880 to 1895, 75 percent
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of the solid waste from New York City was dumped untreated into the Atlantic Ocean. Although it
is now prohibited by law, the dumping of solid waste, including wastewater sludge, industrial
waste, and high - level radioactive waste were common in the United States until 1970. Cruise ships
and huge floating fishing factories still regularly dispose of their solid waste products directly into
the ocean.
The earth naturally recycles water and refreshes the land in what is called the hydrological
cycle. The hydrological cycle not only renews the supply of water, but cleans it as well. The process
begins as heat from the sun causes sea water, 97 percent of the earth’s total water reserve, to
evaporate and form clouds. Because water evaporates at lower temperatures than most pollutants,
the water vapor that rises from the seas is relatively pure and free of the contaminants, which are
left behind. Next, water returns to us as rain, which drains into streams and rivers and rushes toward
the sea.
Chemicals, petroleum products, and other dangerous substances such as radioactive
materials remain in the ocean, polluting it permanently. The polluted ocean water kills fish or
makes them dangerous to eat, posing health problems for those who consume them. It kills the tiny
sea creatures that are the source of food for larger fish, sharks, and whales. It also spoils a source of
great beauty and pleasure when some solid waste is thrown onto beaches during storms. Discharged
petroleum products are frequently found on beaches and they not only ruin the beach, the petroleum
residue kills hundreds of shore birds. Nonpoint pollutants are dumped into lakes, rivers, and streams

that may be far away from any ocean. However, these pollutants flow, eventually, into the oceans.
They can come from a variety of sources, from road salt to agricultural pesticides. One source of
nonpoint pollution is runoff from farming, including fertilizers, manure, and pesticides. Another
source is industrial runoff, including heavy metals, phosphorous, and many other chemicals. Urban
runoff (oils, salts, various chemicals) and atmospheric fallout of airborne pollution are other sources
of nonpoint pollutants that reach the oceans. This includes water and waste from sinks, toilets,
washing machines and bathtubs. The problem with this type of waste is that it provides massive
amounts of nutrients for water plants such as algae, so that they grow rapidly. This sudden growth
causes concentration or algae blooms, which use up the oxygen in the water. As the oxygen level of
the water declines, many organisms suffer and die, and the ocean ecosystem is radically altered.
This can be prevented by the installation of waste treatment plants that prevent waste from entering
the sea, but such facilities do not exist in many poorer countries.
21. What can be inferred about the waste dumped into the world’s oceans?
A. It’s mainly household waste
B. Much of it was not treated
C. It is billions of tons
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D. It is primary industrial waste
22. As can be inferred from the passage, which of the following was NOT disposed into the
ocean?
A. waste from dead plants
B. waste from cruise ships
C. wastewater sludge
D. radioactive waste
23. Which of the following is NOT referred to as use of hydrological cycle?
A. refreshing the land

B. separating water from used liquid
C. cleaning water
D. renewing the water supply
24. Which of the following has similar meaning to the word “contaminants” in the second
paragraph?
A. pollutants
B. rushes
C. sea water
D. vapor
25. What does the word “which” in the second paragraph refer to?
A. rain water
B. the earth
C. sea water
D. water vaporizer
26. Why are chemicals, petroleum products and radioactive materials mentioned in the
passage?
A. as untreated waste
B. as industrial substances
C. as raw sewage
D. as dangerous pollutants
27. Which of the following is NOT referred to as a result of polluted ocean water?
A. killing fish
B. harming people who eat sea food
C. spoiling beach beauty
D. killing shore birds
28. Which of the following is NOT an example of farming runoff?
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A. manure
B. pesticide
C. road salt
D. fertilizer
29. Which of the following can be inferred from the passage?
A. It is expensive to build waste treatment plants
B. developing countries do not need waste treatment plant yet
C. the environment of develop countries is more polluted than that of poor countries
D. the environment of industrial countries is more polluted than that of agricultural countries
30. Where is the passage most probably found?
A. in a geography book
B. in a bibliography
C. in a tourism book
D. in a social science report
PASSAGE 4 – Questions 31-40
WILD WEATHER
British people are famous for always talking about the weather, but there’s a good reason why we
do. The British Isles are located in a place where two huge weather systems meet and, it often
seems, do battle. Even so, strange things have been happening in recent years, as they have been in
many other places around the world. There can’t be many people that haven’t been affected by
weather that was hotter, wetter, drier or wilder than the weather they are used to. This article,
based on an article by Peter Miller from the September 2013 issue of National Geographic
Magazine, looks at what is happening to our weather.
What is happening to our weather?
One weekend in May 2010, Nashville in the USA was expecting a few centimeters of rain.
Two days later, 33 centimeters had fallen and eleven people had died in the resulting floods.
There’s been a change in the weather. Extreme events like the Nashville flood – described
by officials as a once-in-a-millennium occurrence – are more frequent than before. Also in 2010, 28
centimeters of rain fell on Rio de Janeiro in 24 hours, causing mud slides that buried hundreds of

people. And record rains in Pakistan led to flooding that affected more than 20 million people. The
following year, floods in Thailand left factories near Bangkok under water, creating a worldwide
shortage of computer hard drives. Meanwhile, severe droughts have affected Australia, Russia and
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East Africa. Deadly heat waves have hit Europe, leaving 35,000 people dead in 2003. Financial
losses from such events jumped 25 percent to an estimated $150 billion worldwide in 2011.
What’s going on? Are these extreme events signals of a dangerous, human-made change in
the Earth’s climate? Or are we just going through a natural run of bad luck? The short answer is:
probably both. On the one hand, the most important influences on weather events are natural cycles
in the climate. Two of the most famous weather cycles, El Niño and La Niña, originate in the
Pacific Ocean and can affect weather patterns worldwide. But something else is happening too: the
Earth is steadily getting warmer, with significantly more moisture in the atmosphere. The long-term
accumulation of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere is trapping heat and warming up the land,
oceans and atmosphere. As the oceans warm up, they produce more water vapour and this, in turn,
feeds big storms, such as hurricanes and typhoons.
And yet, there are ways of dealing with the effects of such extreme events. After 2003,
French cities set up air-conditioned shelters for use in heat waves. In the 2006 heat wave, the death
rate was two-thirds lower.
‘We know that warming of the Earth’s surface is putting more moisture into the atmosphere.
We’ve measured it. The satellites see it,’ says climatologist Jay Gulledge. Another scientist,
Michael Oppenheimer, agrees. We need to face up to that reality, he says, and do the things we
know can save lives and money.
31. The article says that extreme weather events ...
A. have an influence on the climate.
B. kill more people than before.
C. cause mud slides in Bangkok.

D. are part of a long-term change.
32. According to the article, ...
A. scientists don’t know what causes extreme weather.
B. there’s more than one factor influencing our weather.
C. it’s not possible for humans to influence the weather.
D. big storms, such as hurricanes and typhoons, come from the oceans.
33. Why was the rain in Nashville considered to be an extreme event?
A. There was very high rainfall over many days.
B. The amount of rain was forecast in advance.
C. There was very high rainfall in a very short time.
D. The amount of rain was unmeasurable.
34. The rainfall in Nashville in May 2010 ...
A. caused very rare flooding.
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