Đề thi HSG Tiếng Anh cấp thành phố lớp 9. Bộ GDĐT TP HCM

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Sample past papers

SỞ GIÁO DỤC VÀ ĐÀO TẠO KỲ THI HỌC SINH GIỎI CẤP THÀNH PHỐ LỚP 9 – THCS
TP HỒ CHÍ MINH KHÓA NGÀY: 27/3/2012 – NĂM HỌC: 2011-2012
Môn thi: TIẾNG ANH
ĐỀ CHÍNH THỨC Thời gian làm bài: 150 phút, không kể thời gian phát đề
Đề thi gồm 6 trang
PART ONE. LISTENING
Recording One: Listen to the recording carefully, then write down the missing word(s) in each blank in your
Answer Sheet.
The Hindenburg was the last in a series of (1) __________ which had been developed over 40 years in
both Europe and the United States. They were designed to carry passengers and (2) __________ over
long distances. The Hindenburg could carry 50 passengers (3) __________ in 25 luxury cabins with all the
amenities of a first class hotel. All the cabins had hot and cold water and electric (4) __________. There
was a dining-room, a bar and a (5) __________ with a dance floor and a baby grand piano. The
Hindenburg had been built to compete with the great luxury trans-Atlantic liners. It was (6) __________
meters long with a diameter of 41 meters. It could (7) __________ at a speed of 125 km/h, and was able to
cross the (8) __________ in less than half the time of a liner. By 1937 it had carried 1,000 passengers
safely and had even (9) __________ circus animals and cars. Its sister ship, the Graf Zeppelin, had (10)
__________ one and a half million kilometers and it had carried 13,100 passengers without incident.
Recording Two: Listen to the recording carefully, then decide whether each of the statements is True or
False. Write TRUE or FALSE in your Answer Sheet.
11. Deborah was twenty in 1947.
12. Joseph taught art at New York University.
13. They first met each other at supper one Saturday.
14. Deborah agreed to share the table because she had nearly finished eating.
15. Joseph seemed to have read the book.
Recording Three: Listen to the recording carefully, then, on your Answer Sheet, write a short answer to
each question about the passage.
16. Why does Jenny want some days off work?

17. What time did Mr. Watkins call?
18. When will Mr. Watkins call back?
19. On which day this week does Godfrey want to be off work?
20. Where does he have to go then?
PART TWO. USE OF ENGLISH
Choose the word or phrase (A, B, C, or D) that best completes the sentences.
1. The number of participants is _____ higher than that of the last conference.
A. more B. further C. way D. a number
2. I’d rather you _____ more attention when you are in the classroom.
A. are paying B. had paid C. paid D. have paid
3. They couldn’t help _____ pity for the welfare of those disadvantaged children.
A. feel B. to feel C. feeling D. to have felt
4. They _____ had there been more support from the manager.
A. may have succeeded B. had succeeded C. must have succeeded D. could have succeeded
5. They have put forth two suggested plans, _____ seem to be feasible.
A. neither of which B. none of which C. nothing of them D. either of them
6. They suggested _____ in the contest.
A. I would participate B. me to participate C. my participating D. that I must participate
7. We _____ this movie. There’s no time to move to another cinema.
A. should have watched B. are likely to watch C. might as well watch D. are watching
8. _____ that we had to stay in all day long.
A. Such rain was it B. Such a heavy rain C. So heavily it rained D. So hard did it rain
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9. She _____ a cold after walking in the rain for some time.
A. came into B. went down with C. took over D. brought up
10. After my leave I have to _____ a lot of work in my office.
A. get away with B. put up with C. cut down on D. catch up on
11. What was his reaction _____ the question you asked him?
A. to B. about C. with D. on
12. Your complaints will be answered _____ due course.

A. under B. with C. for D. in
13. He finally _____ a confession that he had done it.
A. took B. put C. made D. did
14. The players were _____ a big welcome when back from the most impressive win of the team’s history.
A. made B. put C. had D. given
15. People are making great efforts to _____ drug abuse among the young.
A. block B. stamp out C. obliterate D. decline
16. This is _____ hot soup and it smells fantastic.
A. sweltering B. scorching C. piping D. unbearably
17. The place mentioned is quite _____.
A. off the beaten track B. on file C. under the weather D. to the boil
18. The rhino is _____ of extinction.
A. on the verge B. on the whole C. in need D. in summary
19. – “He failed the last test.”
– “_____”
A. No sooner! B. No doubt! C. No wonder!
20. – “_____”
– “Veal is the specialty of the house!”
A. Where have you been? B. What do you think?
C. What do you recommend?
WORD FORMATION
Use the correct form of the words given to fill in each blank.
1. We need greater __________ in how we deal with the problem of traffic congestion. (FLEX)
2. The principal has placed a great number of __________ on picnicking activities. (CONSTRAIN)
3. Delays at the International Airport are far from __________. (NEGLECT)
4. Several __________ have been used, which is environmentally damaging. (REFRIGERATION)
5. I feel that he is __________ helping us this time; he doesn’t seem wholehearted. (RELUCTANCE)
6. The __________ of bird flu can bring about disastrous effects. (BREAK)
7. The woman stated that she had not __________ those street children. (TREAT)
8. There is every __________ that school will be innovated. (LIKE)

9. This is a famous school for pupils with hearing __________. (PAIR)
10. She is cooking the meal under the __________ eye of her mother. (WATCH)
PART THREE. CLOZE TESTS
Reading the passage and choose the best option (A, B, C, or D) for each blank space.
PASSAGE A
(1) _____ every town in Britain has a public library, funded by the local authority, where local people
may borrow books (2) _____ of charge.
Most libraries divide their books (3) _____ two main sections, lending and reference. The lending
section normally offers a good (4) _____ of fiction and non-fiction, while the reference section contains
encyclopedia, dictionaries, atlases, etc. Books from the lending section can be borrowed, usually for a
period of two or three weeks, while books in the reference section may normally be (5) _____ only in the
library. Libraries are usually open daily from Monday to Friday, including some evenings, as well as on
Saturday mornings.
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Other (6) _____ besides books usually include: a selection of newspapers and magazines, desks for
privates reading and study, a children’s book section, access (7) _____ current catalogues and many other
(8) _____ of information by means of a computer terminal; a coin-(9) _____ photocopier, music scores,
records, audio-cassettes and videos that may be borrowed. Most libraries also (10) _____ exhibitions of
local interest, for example paintings by local artists or displays about local history. Many libraries also
contain a local tourist information desk.
Borrowers are normally allowed to have up to ten or even more books at any one time. A system of (11)
_____ operates when books are not returned by the end of the borrowing (12) _____. People living in the
rural areas can use a ‘mobile library’, a van that (13) _____ these areas regularly with a selection of books
from the local library.
(14) _____ public libraries, there are several important private libraries in Britain. Many of them are in
London, such as the London Library. (15) _____ belong to famous universities.
1. A. Most B. Almost C. Mostly D. Utmost
2. A. exempt B. except C. independent D. free
3. A. into B. for C. as D. to
4. A. variation B. difference C. range D. scale

5. A. consulted B. referred C. concluded D. inferred
6. A. equipment B. tools C. facilities D. conditions
7. A. for B. in C. on D. to
8. A. resources B. sources C. pieces D. suppliers
9. A. run B. functioned C. operated D. led
10. A. put on B. take up C. get by D. make for
11. A. fees B. fares C. punishments D. fines
12. A. period B. duration C. span D. limit
13. A. roams B. wanders C. tours D. surrounds
14. A. Beside B. Despite C. Instead D. Apart from
15. A. Another B. Other C. Others D. The others
Fill in each of the blanks in the following passages with ONE suitable word.
PASSAGE B
L’AQUILA, Italy – A powerful earthquake (1) __________ central Italy early Monday, killing at least 20
people, collapsing buildings and leaving thousands of people homeless, officials and news reports said.
Officials said the death (2) __________ was likely to rise as rescue crews made their way through the
(3) __________. Firefighters aided by dogs were trying to rescue people from crumbled homes, (4)
__________ a student dormitory in the city of L'Aquila (5) __________ half a dozen university students
were believed trapped. Outside the half-collapsed dorm, tearful students huddled together (6) __________
in blankets, some still in their slippers. "We (7) __________ to come down with other students but we had
to (8) __________ through a hole in the stairs as the whole floor came down," said student Luigi Alfonsi,
22. "I was in bed – it was like it (9) __________ never end as I heard pieces of the building collapse around
me."
The U.S. Geological Survey said the (10) __________ of the quake was 6.3, though Italy's National
Institute of Geophysics (11) __________ it at 5.8. The quake happened about 70 miles (110 kilometers)
northeast of Rome at 3:32 a.m. (12) __________ time (0132 GMT), officials said. The Civil Protection
Department said the epicenter was near L'Aquila, in the mountainous Abruzzo region.
By early morning, the (13) __________ of people who died stood at 20, including five children, with
some 30 people unaccounted for, paramilitary police said. In addition to L'Aquila, the town of Castelnuovo
appeared (14) __________ hit, with five of the dead there. "It's the (15) __________ tragedy since the start

of the millennium," said Guido Bertolaso, the head of the Civil Protection Department.
PASSAGE C
Why do some artists (16) __________ it? Why do others fail? Is it possible that successful artists share
certain character (17) __________? They probably do. Although they may have (18) __________ styles
and interests, they have a lot in (19) __________, too. You can call it what you will: passion, drive,
persistence. The (20) __________ rarely has it. The professional artist generally (21) __________. It may
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emerge as a fierce ambition or infinite patience. The true artist shows a willingness to work hard, no matter
what. Time barely (22) __________; only the creative result is important.
For example, when the artist Ralph Fasanella read about a millworker’s (23) __________ that
happened in Lawrence Massachusetts in 1912, he decided he had to go there (24) __________ to see the
town. After arriving, he (25) __________ into a cheap hotel, spent evenings in a local library, visited the
museums, and examined the old mill machinery to understand the (26) __________. Eventually, he began
to draw quick (27) __________. Before long, Fasanella was (28) __________ 12 to 14 hours a day to his
paintings, (29) __________ depicted the strike and the lives of the millworkers. Ultimately, he spent three
years in the community, talking to people, drawing, and doing a series of paintings. He simply had to paint.
Fasanella had never studied art, but his work (30) __________ out for its energy and detail.
PART FOUR. READING COMPREHENSION
Choose the item (A, B, C, or D) that best completes the unfinished statements about the passage.
PASSAGE A
Recent technological advances in manned and unmanned vehicles, along with breakthroughs in
satellite technology and computer equipment, have overcome some of the limitations of divers and diving
equipment for scientists doing research on the great oceans of the world. Without a vehicle, divers often
became sluggish, and their mental concentration was severely limited. Because undersea pressure affects
their speech organs, communication among divers has always been difficult or impossible. But today, most
oceanographers avoid the use of vulnerable human divers, preferring to reduce the risk to human life and
make direct observations by means of instruments that are lowered into the ocean, from samples taken
from the water, or from photographs made by orbiting satellites. Direct observations of the ocean floor can
be made not only by divers but also by deep-diving submarines in the water and even by the technology of
sophisticated aerial photography from vantage points above the surface of more than seven miles and

cruise at depths of fifteen thousand feet. In addition, radio-equipped buoys can be operated by remote
control in order to transmit information back to land-based laboratories via satellite. Particularly important
for ocean study are data about water temperature, currents, and weather. Satellite photographs can show
the distribution of sea ice, oil slicks, and cloud formations over the ocean. Maps created from satellite
pictures can represent the temperature and the color of the ocean's surface, enabling researchers to study
the ocean currents from laboratories on dry land. Furthermore, computers help oceanographers to collect,
organize, and analyze data from submarines and satellites. By creating a model of the ocean's movement
and characteristics, scientists can predict the patterns and possible effects of the ocean on the
environment.
Recently, many oceanographers have been relying more on satellites and computers than on research
ships or even submarine vehicles because they can supply a greater range of information more quickly and
more effectively. Some of humankind's most serious problems, especially those concerning energy and
food, may be solved with the help of observations made possible by this new technology.
1. With what topic is the passage primarily concerned?
A. Communication among drivers B. Direct observation of the ocean floor
C. Undersea vehicles D. Technological advances in oceanography
2. The word "sluggish" is closest in meaning to “_____”.
A. very weak B. nervous C. confused D. slow moving
3. This passage suggests that the successful exploration of the ocean depends upon _____.
A. vehicles as well as divers B. controlling currents and the weather
C. radios that divers use to communicate D. the limitations of diving equipment
4. Drives have had problems in communicating underwater because _____.
A. they did not pronounce clearly B. the water destroyed their speech organs
C. the pressure affected their speech organs D. the vehicles they used have not been perfected
5. The word "cruise" could best be replaced by “_____”.
A. travel at a constant speed B. function without problems
C. stay in communication D. remain still
6. Undersea vehicles _____.
A. have the same limitations that divers have B. are too small for a man to fit inside
C. make direct observations of the ocean floor D. are very slow to respond

7. The word “information” is closest in meaning to “_____”.
A. samples B. photographs C. data D. articles
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8. How is a radio-equipped buoy operated?
A. By operators outside the vehicle on a diving platform
B. By operators outside the vehicle in a laboratory on shore
C. By operators inside the vehicle in the part underwater
D. By operators outside the vehicle on a ship
9. Which of the following are NOT shown in satellite photographs?
A. The location of sea ice B. Cloud formations over the ocean
C. The temperature of the ocean's surface D. A model of the ocean's movements
10. The words “those” refers to “_____”.
A. vehicles B. problems C. ships D. computers
PASSAGE B
Coincident with concerns about the accelerating loss of species and habitats has been a growing
appreciation of the importance of biological diversity, the number of species in a particular ecosystem, to
the health of the Earth and human well-being.
Much has been written about the diversity of terrestrial organisms, particularly the exceptionally rich life
associated with tropical rain-forest habitats. Relatively little has been said, however, about diversity of life in
the sea even though coral reef systems are comparable to rain forests in terms of richness of life.
An alien exploring Earth would probably give priority to the planet's dominants, most-distinctive feature-
the ocean. Humans have a bias toward land that sometimes gets in the way of truly examining global
issues. Seen from far away, it is easy to realize that landmasses occupy only one-third of the Earth's
surface. Given that two-thirds of the Earth's surface is water and that marine life lives at all levels of the
ocean, the total three-dimensional living space of the ocean is perhaps 100 times greater than that of land
and contains more than 90 percent of all life on Earth even though the ocean has fewer distinct species.
The fact that half of the known species are thought to inhabit the world's rain forests does not seem
surprising, considering the huge numbers of insects that comprise the bulk of the species. One scientist
found many different species of ants in just one tree from a rain forest. While every species is different from
every other species, their genetic makeup constrains them to be insects and to share similar characteristics

with 750,000 species of insects. If basic, broad categories such as phyla and classes are given more
emphasis than differentiating between species, then the greatest diversity of life is unquestionably the
sea. Nearly every major type of plant and animal has some representation there.
To appreciate fully the diversity and abundance of life in the sea, it helps to think small. Every spoonful
of ocean water contains life, on the order of 100 to 100,000 bacterial cells plus assorted microscopic plants
and animals, including larvae of organisms ranging from sponges and corals to starfish and clams and
much more.
11. What is the main point of the passage?
A. Humans are destroying thousands of species.
B. There are thousands of insect species.
C. The sea is even richer in life than the rain forests.
D. Coral reefs are similar to rain forests.
12. The word “appreciation” is closest in meaning to “_____”.
A. ignorance B. recognition C. tolerance D. forgiveness
13. Why does the author compare rain forests and coral reefs?
A. They are approximately the same size. B. They share many similar species.
C. Most of their inhabitants require water. D. Both have many different forms of life.
14. The word “bias” is closest in meaning to “_____”.
A. concern B. disadvantage C. attitude D. prejudice
15. The passage suggests that most rain forest species are _____.
A. insects B. bacteria C. mammals D. birds
16. The word “there” refers to “_____”.
A. the sea B. the rain forests C. a tree D. the Earth's surface
17. The author argues that there is more diversity of life in the sea than in the rain forests because _____.
A. more phyla and classes of life are represented in the sea
B. there are too many insects to make meaningful distinctions
C. many insect species are too small to divide into categories
D. marine life-forms reproduce at a faster rate
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18. Which of the following is NOT mentioned as an example of microscopic sea life?

A. Sponges B. Coral C. Starfish D. Shrimp
19. Which of the following conclusions is supported by the passage?
A. Ocean life is highly adaptive.
B. More attention needs to be paid to preserving ocean species and habitats.
C. Ocean life is primarily composed of plants.
D. The sea is highly resistant to the damage done by pollutants.
20. The word “unquestionably” is closet in meaning to “_____”.
A. inexplicably B. doubtlessly C. seemingly D. ambiguously
PART FIVE. SENTENCE TRANSFORMATION
Rewrite each sentence in such a way that it means almost the same as the one printed before it.
Use the word given.
1. Ann is proud of her ability to speak five languages fluently. PRIDES
Being _____________________________________________________________________________
2. Please come as early as possible. BETTER
You should _________________________________________________________________________
3. “You have done an excellent job, Lucie,” said the teacher. CONGRATULATED
The teacher ________________________________________________________________________
4. They say that the computer is playing important part in modern life. ROLE
The computer _______________________________________________________________________
5. Shortly before my eighteenth birthday, I will go to university. STUDENT
By the _____________________________________________________________________________
6. You can get the best discounts at our shop. OFFERED
It is _______________________________________________________________________________
7. People who haven’t seen his performances are in no position to be critical. PERFORM
Nobody ___________________________________________________________________________
8. She didn’t try very hard to get to know other people in the course. EFFORT
Little ______________________________________________________________________________
9. Staying on late at work is becoming less of a problem for me. USED
I _________________________________________________________________________________
10. These two brands of ketchup are almost the same. HARDLY

There’s ____________________________________________________________________________

THE END OF THE TEST