21 bài tập điền từ và đọc hiểu Tiếng Anh hay

Bài tập ĐỌC HIỂU và ĐIỀN TỪ
EXERCISE 1: Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to
indicate the correct word or phrase that best fits each of the numbered blanks from 1 to 5.
Ever since it was first possible to make a real robot, people have been hoping for the invention of a
machine that would do all the necessary jobs around the house. If boring and repetitive factory work
could be (1) _____ by robots, why not boring and repetitive household chores too? For a long time the
only people who really gave the problem their attention were amateur inventors. And they came up
against a major difficulty. That is housework is (2) _____ very complex. It has never been one job, it has
always been many. A factory robot carries (3) _____ one task endlessly until it is reprogrammed to do
something else. It doesn't run the whole factory. A housework robot, on the other hand, has to do
several different types of cleaning and carrying jobs and also has to cope with all the different shapes
and positions of rooms, furniture, ornaments, cats and dogs. (4) _____, there have been some
developments recently. Sensors are available to help the robot locate objects and avoid obstacles. We
have the technology to produce the hardware. All that is missing is the software - the programs (5)
_____ will operate the machine.
Question 1: A: managed

B: made

C: succeeded

D: given

Question 2: A: actually

B: likely

C: seriously

D: hardly

Question 3: A: away

B: out

C: over

D: off

Question 4: A: Moreover

B: However

C: Although

D: Besides

Question 5: A: who

B: what

C: that

D: where

EXERCISE 2: Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to
indicate the correct answer to each of the questions from 1 to 7.
When we moved to our new house near the sea, I was eight years old. Even before that I had spent every
summer messing about on boats. My dad had taught me to sail before I learnt to ride a bike so I knew
how I wanted to spend my time at the new house- I was going to get my own boat and sail it everyday.
The house was only a few metres from the water’s edge, and in rough weather the waves would come

crashing into the front garden. I used to sit with my nose pressed to the glass, fascinated by the power of
the ocean. I grew up watching the skies to see if it was going to rain; would I be going sailing that
afternoon or not?
Of course I sometimes wished I could live in the town like my friends. I used to get irritated with my
parents, who had taken early retirement because they seemed incapable of getting anywhere on time.
Dad drove me the eight miles to school everyday, but I was often late because he had been walking on
the cliffs earlier in the morning and had lost track of time. When I was taking my university entrance


exams, I used to stay over at a friend’s in town, just in case. All in all, I was lucky to grow up by the sea
and I still love to sail.
Question 1: At the age of eight, the writer’s house was ______.
A. in the town

B. by the sea

C. on boat

D. under the mountain

Question 2: The word “rough” is closest in meaning to_____ .
A. careful

B. forceful

C. easy

D. mild

Question 3: The writer’s father retired early because .

A. he walked on the cliffs every morning
B. he lost rack of time
C. he had to drive his kid to school everyday
D. he was unable to get anywhere on time
Question 4: The following are true EXCEPT _____.
A. the waves came crashing into the writer’s front garden in bad weather
B. the writer moved to a new house when he was 8
C. the writer didn’t know how to sail
D. the distance from the writer’s house to school was 8 miles
Question 5: Growing up by the sea, the writer felt .
A. unlucky B. irritated C. excited D. lucky
Question 6: The writer learnt to sail_________ .
A. before learning to ride a bike B. when his family moved to a new house
C. before going to school D. When he/ she was eight
Question 7: When taking the university entrance exams_____, .
A. the writer’s family moved to a new house by the sea
B. the writer had to live in a friend’s house
C. the weather was terrible
D. the writer’s father drove him/ her to university


EXERCISE 3: Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to
indicate the correct answer to each of the questions from 1 to 8
Not very long ago, when people needed to find a job, there were several possible steps. They might
begin with a look through the classified ads in the newspaper. They could go to the personne office at
various companies and fill out an application, or they could go to an employment agency. They could
even find out about a job opening through word-of-mouth - from another person who had heard about
it.
These days, job hunting is more complicated. The first step is to determine what kind of job you want
(which sounds easier than it is) and make sure that you have the right education for it. Rapid changes in

technology and science are creating many professions that never existed until recently. It is important to
learn about them because one might be the perfect profession for you. The fastestgrowing areas for new
jobs are in computer technology and health services. Jobs in these fields usually require specific skills,
but you need to find out exactly which skills and which degrees are necessary. For example, it may be
surprising to learn that in the sciences, an M.S is more marketable than a Ph.D! In other words, there are
more jobs available for people with a Master of Science degree than for people with a doctorate.
(However, people who want to do research still need a Ph.D.)
How do people learn about “hot” new professions? How do they discover their “dream job”? Many
people these days go to a career counselor. In some countries, job hopping has become so common that
career counseling is now “big business”. People sometimes send large amounts of money for this advice.
In Canada, and the United Nations, high school and college students often have access to free vocational
counseling service on campus. There is even a career organization, the Five O’Clock Club, which helps
members to set goals. Members focus on this question: what sort of person do you want to be years
from now? The members then plan their careers around that goal. All career counselors – private or
public – agree on one basic point: it is important for people to find a career that they love. Everyone
should be able to think, “I’m having such a good time. I can’t believe they’re paying me to do this.”
(Adapted from “Interactions 2 Reading”, Pamela Hartmann & Elaine Kirn, Mc Graw Hill)
Question 1: The phrase “through word-of-mouth” in the first paragraph probably means _______.
A. via phone

B. visually

C. in person

D. orally

Question 2: According to the second paragraph, why is it important for us to learn about various
professions?
A. since more jobs are available for people with a Master of Science degree
B. as technological advances have created new professions

C. because jobs in computer technology and health services are popular


D. so as not to miss the profession that is perfect for us
Question 3: Why does the author mention the steps of job hunting in the past in the first paragraph?
A. To define the process of job hunting
B. To indicate that the process of job hunting stays the same over time
C. To emphasize that job hunting is becoming more complex at present
D. To explain the importance of a job opening
Question 4: According to the last paragraph, career counseling is now a “big business” due to ______.
A. the increasing popularity of job hunting
B. the large amount of money of job advice
C. the appearance of “hot” new professions
D. the discovery of “dream jobs”
Question 5: The word “marketable” as used in the second paragraph could be best replaced by ____.
A. wanted

B. well-paid

C. beneficial

D. profitable

Question 6: The word “them” in the second paragraph refers to ________.
A. degrees

B. skills

C. areas

D. professions

Question 7: According to the second paragraph, all of the following steps are mentioned in job
hunting today EXCEPT _________.
A. getting information about necessary skills or degrees
B. doing a Ph.D degree
C. deciding on a profession
D. learning about different professions
Question 8: It can be inferred from the passage that what determines one’s success in job hunting is
_______.
A. his or her degrees or skills
B. his or her choices of employment agencies


C. discovery of his or her own dream job
D. his or her career counselors
EXERCISE 4: Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to
indicate the correct word or phrase that best fits each of the numbered blanks from 1 to 5.

The Town of Aylesbury
Aylesbury is a bustling market town whose modern shopping facilities include the recently opened Friars
Square shopping centre. The market has been an (1) ____ part of Aylesbury life since they early 13th
century. Nowadays, regular markets are held on Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays.
The town has a (2) ____ and varied history, many clues to which can be seen in the conversation are to
the north of the market square. In this area (3) ____ the 15Ih century King's Head Public House which
over the years has played host to many famous names. These have included King Henry Will, who
regularly visited the Inn whilst courting Anne Boleyn and Oliver Cromwell, on his visit to Aylesbury in
1651.
Now a National Trust property, the King's Head is at present undergoing extensive refurbishments to (4)
____ the building to its former glory and is expected to re-open in the autumn. Other (5) ____ buildings

in the conversation area include the Saxon Church of St Mary and the Buckingharnshire County Museum.
Question 1. A. expensive

B. essential

C. expected

D. impossible

Question 2. A. poor

B. nearby

C. Perfect

D. rich

Question 3. A. lives

B. happens

C. stands

D. shows

Question 4. A. restore

B. refresh

C. Recall

D. remind

Question 5. A. reliable

B. annual

C. Excitable

D. notable

EXERCISE 5: Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to
indicate the correct answer to each of the questions from 1 to 8.
Birds that feet in flocks commonly retire together into roosts. The reasons for roosting communally are
not always obvious, but there are some likely benefits. In winter especially, it is important for birds to
keep warm at night and conserve precious food reserves. One way to do this is to find a sheltered, roost.
Solitary roosters shelter indense vegetation or enter a cavity - horned larks dig holes in the ground and
ptarmigan burrow into snow banks - but the effect of sheltering is magnified by several birds huddling
together in the roosts, as wrens, swifts, brown creepers, bluebirds, and anis do. Body contact reduces
the surface area exposed to the cold air, so the birds keep each other warm. Two kinglets huddling


together were found to reduce their heat losses by a quarter, and three together saved a third of their
heat.
The second possible benefit of communal roosts is that they act as "information centers”. During the day,
parties of birds will have spread out to feed over a very large area. When they return in the evening
some will have fed well, but others may have found little to eat. Some investigators have observed that
when the birds set out again next morning, those birds that did not feed well on the previous day appear
to follow those that did. The behavior of common and lesser kestrels may illustrate different feeding
behaviors of similar birds with different roosting habits. The common kestrel hunts vertebrate animals in

a small, familiar hunting ground, whereas the very similar lesser kestrel feeds on insects over a large
area. The common kestrel roosts and hunts alone, but the lesser kestrel roosts and hunts in flocks,
possibly so one bird can learn from others where to find insect swarms.
Finally, there is safety in numbers at communal roosts since there will always be a few birds awake at any
given moment to give the alarm. But this increased protection is partially counteracted by the fact that
mass roosts attract predators and are especially vulnerable if they are on the ground. Even those in trees
can be attacked by birds of prey. The birds on the edge are at greatest risk since predators find it easier
to catch small birds perching at the margins of the roost.

Question 1. What does the passage mainly discuss?
A. How birds find and store food
B. How birds maintain body heat in the winter
C. Why birds need to establish territory
D. Why some species of birds nest together
Question 2. The word "conserve" is closest in meaning to ____.
A. retain

B. watch

C. Locate

D. share

Question 3. Ptarmigan keep warm in the winter by
A. building nests in trees
B. huddling together on the ground with other birds
C. digging tunnels into the .snow
D. burrowing into dense patches of vegetatiotnir
Question 4. The word "magnified" in line 6 is closest in meaning to ____.
A. combined

B. caused

C. modified

D. intensified


Question 5. The author mentions kinglets in line 9 as an example of birds that ____.
A. nest together for warmth
B. usually feed and nest in pairs
C. protect themselves by nesting in holes
D. nest with other species of birds
Question 6. Which of the following statements about lesser and common kestrels is true?
A. The common kestrel nests in larger flocks than does the lesser kestrel.
B. The lesser kestrel and the common kestrel have similar diets.
C. The lesser kestrel feeds sociably but the common kestrel does not.
D. The common kestrel nests in trees; the lesser kestrel nests on the ground.
Question 7. Which of the following is a disadvantage of communal roosts that is mentioned in the
passage?
A. Diseases easily spread among the birds.
B. Food supplies are quickly depleted.
C. Some birds in the group will attack the others
D. Groups are more attractive to predators than individual birds are.
Question 8. The word "they" in the third paragraph refers to ____.
A. a few birds

B. mass roosts'

C. predators

D. trees

EXERCISE 6: Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to
indicate the correct answer to each of the questions from 1 to 7.
In the American colonies there was little money. England did not supply the colonies with coins and it did
not allow the colonies to make their own coins, except for the Massachusetts Bay Colony, which received
permission for a short period in 1652 to make several kinds of silver coins. England wanted to keep
money out of America as a means of controlling trade: America was forced to trade only with England if
it did not have the money to buy products from other countries. The result during this pre-revolutionary
period was that the colonists used various goods in place of money: beaver pelts, Indian wampum, and
tobacco leaves were all commonly used substitutes for money. The colonists also made use of any


foreign coins they could obtain. Dutch, Spanish, French, and English coins were all in use in the American
colonies.
During the Revolutionary War, funds were needed to finance the world, so each of the individual states
and the Continental Congress issued paper money. So much of this paper money was printed that by the
end of the war, almost no one would accept it. As a result, trade in goods and the use of foreign coins
still flourished during this period.
By the time the Revolutionary War had been won by the American colonists, the monetary system was in
a state of total disarray. To remedy this situation, the new Constitution of the United States, approved in
1789, allowed Congress to issue money. The individual states could no longer have their own money
supply. A few years later, the Coinage Act of 1792 made the dollar the official currency of the United
States and put the country on a bimetallic standard. In this bimetallic system, both gold and silver were
legal money, and the rate of exchange of silver to gold was fixed by the government at sixteen to one.
Question 1. The passage mainly discusses ____.
A. the effect of the Revolution on American money.
B. American money from past to present
C. the American money system of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries.

D. the English monetary policies in colonial America.
Question 2. The passage indicates that during the colonial period, money was ____.
A. used extensively for trade

B. scarce

C. supplied by England

D. coined by colonists

Question 3. The word "it" in paragraph 2 refers to which of the following?
A. The Continental Congress

B. Trade in goods

C. The War

D. Paper money

Question 4. The word "remedy" in paragraph 3 is closest in meaning to ____.
A. resolve B. medicate C. renew D. understand
Question 5. How was the monetary system arranged in the Constitution?
A. The US officially went on a bimetallic monetary system.
B. The dollar was made official currency of the US.
C. Only the US Congress could issue money.


D. Various state governments, including Massachusetts, could issue money.
Question 6. According to the passage, which of the following is NOT true about the bimetallic monetary
system?

A. Either gold or silver could be used as official money.
B. It was established in 1792.
C. Gold could be exchanged for silver at the rate of sixteen to one.
D. The monetary system was based on two matters.
Question 7. The word "fixed" in the third paragraph is closest in meaning to _____.
A. discovered

B. repaired

C. valued

D. Set

EXERCISE 7: Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to
indicate the correct word or phrase that best fits each of the numbered blanks from 1 to 5.
Television has changed the lifestyle of people in every industrialized country in the world. In the United
States, where sociologists have studied the effects, some interesting observations have been made. TV,
although not essential, has become a(n) (1) ______ part of most people’s lives. It has become a
babysitter, an initiator of conversations, a major transmitter of culture, and a keeper of traditions. Yet
when what can be seen on TV in one day is critically analyzed, it becomes evident that TV is not a
teacher but a sustainer. The poor quality of programs does not elevate people into greater (2) ______,
but rather maintains and encourages the status quo.
The (3) ______ reason for the lack of quality in American TV is related to both the history of TV
development and the economics of TV. TV in American began with the radio. Radio companies and their
sponsors first experimented with TV. Therefore, the close relationship, which the advertisers had with
radio programs, but many actually produced the programs. Thus, (4) ______ from the capitalistic, profitoriented sector of American society, TV is primarily concerned with reflecting and attracting society (5)
______ than innovating and experimenting with new ideas. Advertisers want to attract the largest
viewing audience possible; TV in America today remains, to a large extent, with the same organization
and standards as it had thirty years ago. The hope for some evolution and true achievement toward
improving society will require a change in the entire system.

Question 1: A. integral
Question 2: A. preconception

B. mixed

C. fractional

D. superior

B. knowledge

C. Understanding

D. feeling

Question 3: A. adequate

B. unknown

C. inexplicable

D. primary

Question 4: A. going

B. leaving

C. coming

D. getting

Question 5: A. more

B. rather

C. less

D. Better


EXERCISE 8: Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to
indicate the correct answer to each of the questions from 1 to 8.
In the very distant geological past, all animals were aquatic. The very first vertebrates or animals with
backbones, of which we have any fossil record, lived in water. These vertebrates, the fish, were adapted
to underwater living. Their streamlined bodies were covered with scales to reduce surface friction: they
had muscular tails so that they could swim swiftly in such a dense medium as water; and they were
endowed with gills for breathing underwater.
Descendants of fish-type ancestors crossed the seashore barrier and accommodated themselves to life
on land. As amphibians, they possessed limbs instead of fins and lungs instead of gills. But they never
became completely free of the bonds that tied them to the water; even today many amphibians return
to the water to lay their eggs.
Millions of years after the first clumsy amphibians crawled over the land, newer types of land dwellers
appeared, these animals give rise to the present-day reptiles and mammals. They were completely
converted for land dwelling, with bodies and biological activities far different from those of fish. With
these special adaptations, mammals have been able to colonize the woods and meadows, the deserts
and high mountains, often far removed from the sea.
Question 1: Of the animals with backbones, the first to appear were......
A. fish

B. amphibians

C. birds

D. mammals

Question 2: Fish are suited to underwater life because of their........
A. Gills

B. All of the answers

C. Streamlines shapes

D. Scales

Question 3: The passage suggests that the first amphibians used their limbs to.....
A. jump

B. run

C. swim

D. crawl

Question 4: The word “descendants” is closest in meaning to
A. Grandchildren

B. Ancestors

C. Descenders

D. Off spring

Question 5: An example of an amphibian’s incomplete adaptation to land life is.....
A. need to keep its skin wet

B. return to water to lay eggs

C. inability to breathe air.

D. Scales-covered skin

Question 6: Animals found desert living possible only.....
A. when they were fully adapted to land.

B. after they could walk on two feet.

C. when they became amphibious

D. if they migrated to sea periodically


Question 7: The seashore was a barrier for descendants of fish-type because......
A. crossing it required bodily changes.
B. every attempt to cross it ended in death.
C. the land once rose much higher above the sea.
D. once they crossed, there was no return.
Question 8: The adaptation process described in the article was completed......
A. By the receding of the sea
B. Through biological changes
C. Over millions of years and through biological changes

D. Over millions of years
EXERCISE 9: Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to
indicate the correct answer to each of the questions from 1 to 7.
Some animal behaviorists argue that certain animals can remember past events, anticipate future ones,
make plans and choices, and coordinate activities within a group. These scientists, however, are cautious
about the extent to which animals can be credited with conscious processing.
Explanations of animal behavior that leave out any sort of consciousness at all and ascribe actions
entirely to instinct leave many questions unanswered. One example of such unexplained behavior:
Honeybees communicate the sources of nectar to one another by doing a dance in a figure-eight
pattern. The orientation of the dance conveys the position of the food relative to the sun's position in
the sky, and the speed of the dance tells how far the food source is from the hive. Most researchers
assume that the ability to perform and encode the dance is innate and shows no special intelligence. But
in one study, when experimenters kept changing the site of the food source, each time moving the food
25 percent farther from the previous site, foraging honeybees began to anticipate where the food source
would appear next. When the researchers arrived at the new location, they would find the bees circling
the spot, waiting for their food. No one has yet explained how bees, whose brains weigh four tenthousandths of an ounce, could have inferred the location of the new site.
Other behaviors that may indicate some cognition include tool use. Many animals, like the otter who
uses a stone to crack mussel shells, are capable of using objects in the natural environment as
rudimentary tools. One researcher has found that mother chimpanzees occasionally show their young
how to use tools to open hard nuts. In one study, chimpanzees compared two pairs of food wells
containing chocolate chips. One pair might contain, say, five chips and three chips, the other our chips
and three chips. Allowed to choose which pair they wanted, the chimpanzees almost always chose the


one with the higher total, showing some sort of summing ability. Other chimpanzees have learned to use
numerals to label quantities of items and do simple sums.
Question 1: What does the passage mainly discuss?
A. Observations that suggest consciousness in animal behavior.
B. The use of food in studies of animal behavior.
C. The role of instinct in animal behavior.

D. Differences between the behavior of animals in their natural environments and in laboratory
experiments.
Question 2: Which of the following is NOT discussed as an ability animals are thought to have?
A. Communicating emotions

B. Remembering past experiences

C. Selecting among choices

D. Anticipating events to come

Question 3: What did researchers discover in the study of honeybees discussed in paragraph 2?
A. Bees are able to travel at greater speeds than scientists thought.
B. The bees were able to determine in advance where scientists would place their food.
C. Changing the location of food caused bees to decrease their dance activity.
D. The bees could travel 25% farther than scientists expected.
Question 4: It can be inferred from the passage that brain size is assumed to ___________.
A. be an indicator of cognitive ability
B. be related to food consumption
C. correspond to levels of activity
D. vary among individuals within a species
Question 5: Why are otters and mussel shells included in the discussion in paragraph 3?
A. To provide that certain species demonstrate greater ability in tool use than other species.
B. To provide an example of tool use among animals.
C. To show that animals are very good at using objects in their habitat.
D. To provide an example of the use of weapons among animals.


Question 6: The word “rudimentary” is closest in meaning to ___________.
A. technical B. basic C. superior D. original

Question 7: Scientists concluded from the experiment with chimpanzees and chocolate chips that
chimpanzees __________.
A. prefer to work in pairs or groups
B. have difficulty selecting when given choices
C. lack abilities that other primates have
D. exhibit behavior that indicates certain mathematical abilities
EXERCISE 10: Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to
indicate the correct word or phrase that best fits each of the numbered blanks from 1 to 5. American folk
music originated with (1)_____ people at a time when the rural population was isolated and music was
not (2)______spread by radio, records, or music video. It was (3)_____by oral traditional and is noted for
its energy, humor, and emotional impact. The major source of early American folk songs was music from
the British Isles, but songs from Africa as songs of the American Indians have significant part in its
heritage. Later settler from other countries also contributed songs. In the nineteenth century, composer
Steven Foster wrote some of the most enduringly popular of all American songs, (4)______soon became
part of the folk tradition. Beginning in the 1930s, Woody Guthrie gained great popularity by adapting
melodies and lyrics and supplying new ones as well. In the 1950s and 1960s, singer –composers such as
Peter Seeger, Bob Dylan, Joan Baez continued this tradition by ‘urban’ folk music. Many of these songs
deal (5)_____important social issues, such as racial integration and the war in Vietnam.
Question 1: A. typical

B. ordinary

C. common

Question 2: A. yet

B. still

C. Until

Question 3: A. Transferred

B. transited

C. transmitted

D. popular
D. even
D. transformed

Question 4: A. who

B. which

C. that

D. this

Question 5: A. with

B. in

C. by

D. At

EXERCISE 11: Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to
indicate the correct answer to each of the questions from 1 to 7..
At first glance, there is little in Horton to attract people. The other nearby towns have much more to
offer: Bradfield has its river and historic buildings, while Newtown has shops and entertainment. The

buildings of Horton look dirty and unloved. For shops, there is a small supermarket, a few bargain shops,
a bakery which, strangely, does not sell bread and a florist which has one stand of sad-looking flowers.
Even so, Horton has several advantages over its neighbouring towns.


Firstly, it has a country park. Four thousand years ago, this was an important fort. There are no historic
remains here now, but there are wonderful views over the countryside. On sunny weekends you can
often see kids out with their parents, kicking balls or flying kites.
There aren’t many job opportunities in Horton, and the roads to nearby cities aren’t really fast, but there
are excellent rail links. You can be in London in an hour and a half, and other cities are less than an hour
away. That means that parents can earn a good salary and still get home in time to spend the evenings
with their families. Houses in Horton aren’t pretty, but they are functional and cheap. The streets are
quiet and safe, and there are plenty of parks and playgrounds. It has a library, three primary schools and
a secondary school, St. Mark’s. It’s not as academically brilliant as other schools in the area, but it is
friendly and offers a wide range of subjects and activities to children of all abilities and backgrounds. The
town also has a swimming and a sports centre, and the community halls hold regular clubs and events
for people of all ages.
Question 1: What is the writer’s main purpose?
A. To explain what tourists can do in Horton
B. To explain why Horton is a good place to live
C. To explain why Horton is not as pleasant as other towns
D. To describe the history of Horton
Question 2: The word “neighbouring” in the passage can be best replaced by______.
A. crowded

B. hostile

C. nearby

D. unchanged

Question 3: What part of Horton does the writer find disappointing?
A. the shops

B. the country park

C. transport links

Question 4: What type of people is Horton most suitable for?
A. wealthy professionals
C. elderly people

B. low income families

D. sport and history students

Question 5: What advantages does Horton bring to workers?
A. There are plenty of jobs available in the town.
B. You can drive to nearby cities in a short time.
C. You can get to several cities quickly by train.
D. Working conditions are better here than in other towns.

D. the schools


Question 6: The word “they” in the passage refers to______.
A. families

B. Shops

C. cities

D. houses

Question 7: Which of the following is the best description of Horton?
A. A quiet, country town which has a number of good leisure facilities.
B. A friendly, historic town which is a great place to live, work and take a holiday.
C. A busy, industrial town which has good links to neighbouring cities.
D. A dirty, unpopular town which has little to offer visitors or residents.
EXERCISE 12: Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to
indicate the correct answer to each of the questions from 1 to 8.
During the 19th century, it was common to hear people in Europe and America say that the resources of
the sea were unlimited. For example, a noted biologist writing in mid-19th century commented that
none of the great sea fisheries is to be exhausted. Today though, there is evident that the resources of
the sea are as seriously endangered as those of the land and the air, and that the endangered species
include Herring and Crap as well as the African Eagle. Furthermore, the threats to fish are more alarming
in some ways than the threats to animals and birds. This is because fishes are a much needed food
resources and people throughout the world depend on fish as an important part of their dish, and the
decline in the fish supply could have extensive effects on hunger and population. Fisher men in the North
Atlantic alone annually harvest 20 billion pounds of fish to satisfy food demands, but it is important to
recognize that these practices can not continue without depleting fish shortage within the next few
years. Sea resources are rapidly declining in many parts of the world, and the problem can not be
ignored. We can predict that food supplies in the sea can not last forever.
Question 1: According to the passage what did people in Europe and America in the 19th century think
about the resources of sea?
A. They were declined.

B. They were depleted.

C. They were endangered.

D. They were unlimited.

Question 2: What is the range of the decline in fish supply?
A. Europe and Asia

B. the whole world

C. Asia and America

Question 3: What purpose does the author mention the endangered species for?
A. environment protection
C. the protection of Indian Tigers

B. the protection of African Elephant
D. None of the above

Question 4: What does the author believe about sea resources?

D. America


A. Sea resources can last forever.
B. None of the great sea fisheries is to be exhausted.
C. Fish supply has no effects on people.
D. Sea resources are important to people.
Question 5: The word “This” in the passage refers to______.
A. the threat to fish

B. the threat to animals and birds

C. the American Eagle

D. the Indian tiger

Question 6: The word “depleting” in the passage can be replaced by______.
A. exhausting

B. refreshing

C. abusing

D. recycling

Question 7: Why is fish thought to be in more danger than any other species?
A. Because fish is being limited.
B. Because fish is likely to be most exploited for main source of food.
C. Because fish is declined in great number.
D. Because fish can not adapt to the new environment.
Question 8: Which of the following title best describes the purpose of the lecture?
A. Unlimited sea resources
C. Threat to animals and birds

B. Threat to wild Crap
D. Protection of fish

EXERCISE 13: Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to
indicate the correct word or phrase that best fits each of the numbered blanks from 1 to 5.
The Indonesian capital, with a population of over 10 million, has been named the most packed city on
the planet. Its greater metropolitan area, (1)___________ as Jabodetabek, is the second largest in the

world.From 21 to 25 November, the Guardian Cities team will be in Jakarta for a live week of
(2)___________ reporting and special events all about the issues shaping the city. As a key part of this
week, we’d love to hear from local residents about local life and how it’s changing – for better
(3)___________ worse – as well as aspirations for Jakarta’s future.From huge street protests earlier this
month against Jakarta’s Christian governor Ahok’s alleged blasphemy in his comments about the Qur’an,
to the president’s spokesperson saying there is “no room” for LGBT people in Indonesia and plans to ban
gay networking apps like Grindr, have you witnessed social division in the city, or experienced
discrimination yourself?Is the city’s rapid development – including the proliferation of shopping malls
and a huge land reclamation project to help (4)___________ a growing population – a positive or


negative thing in your view?If you live or work in Jakarta, we’d love to hear from you. From traffic and
urban development to community and culture, what are the best and worst things about life in the city?
What would make Jakarta better, and what changes are most (5)___________ needed?
Question 1: A. admitted

B. known

C. revealed

D. published

Question 2: A. in-depth

B. deep

C. depth

D. in-deep

B. to

C. then

D. or

Question 3: A. and
Question 4: A. house

B. protect

C. store

D. contain

Question 5: A. urgent

B. urgency

C. urgently

D. in urgent

EXERCISE 14: Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to
indicate the correct answer to each of the questions from 1 to 7..
Certain birds are, more often than not, considered bad luck, or even a sign of impending death. For
example, all over the world, both crows and ravens have some connection to war, and death. In early
times, crows and ravens were thought to accompany the gods of war, or be signs of the gods’
approaching arrival. This idea later changed. Crows in particular were thought to be harbingers of ill
fortune or, in some cases, guides to the afterlife. Woe be it to the person who saw a single crow or raven

flying overhead, for this was most certainly a portent of death in the near future. Interestingly, though
potentially bad luck for people individually, the raven is considered to be good luck for the crown of
England. So much so, in fact, that a “raven master” is, even today, an actual government position in
London. He takes care of the ravens there and also clips their wings, ensuring that these birds can never
fly far from the seat of the British government. This way, the kingdom will never fall to ill fortune.
Another bird that is thought to play a part in forecasting the fortunes of people is the swallow.
Depending on how and when it is seen, the swallow can be a harbinger of either good or ill fortune.
Perhaps inspired by the swallow’s red-brown breast, Christian people initially related the swallow to the
death of Jesus Christ. Thus, people who saw a swallow fly through their house considered it a portent of
death. Later, however, farmers began to consider swallows signs of good fortune. Any barn that has
swallows living in it is sure to be blessed in the following year. Farmers also have to beware of killing a
swallow; that would be certain to end any good luck they might have had.
Though many people think these superstitions are old wives’ tales, there is actually some evidence to
support them. For example, crows and ravens, being scavengers, appear at the aftermath of battles.
Thus, large numbers of crows and ravens could be good indications of war in an area. As well, swallows
feed on insects that can cause infections in cattle. Thus, a farmer who has many swallows in his barn may
actually have healthier animals on his farm. Therefore, the next time you feel inclined to laugh at an old
wives’ tale, maybe you had better find out if there is any truth to it first!.


Question 1: What is the main idea of this reading?
A. Birds bring bad luck.
B. Don’t look a crow in the eye.
C. There are many superstitions surrounding birds.
D. Birds are important to English people.
Question 2: Which birds are considered harbingers of bad luck?
A. Crows

B. Swallows

C. Ravens

D. All of the above

Question 3: The word "portent" in the first paragraph is closest in meaning to ___________.
A. sign

B. coming

C. symbol

D. destruction

Question 4: Which is NOT true, according to the reading?
A. Some superstitions are based on reality.
B. Seeing a swallow is a sign of war and death in the future.
C. Ravens bring good luck for the country of England.
D. Crows eat dead animals.
Question 5: The word "old wives’ tales" in paragraph 4 is closest in meaning to ___________.
A. stories told by housewives in the past
B. old beliefs which have been proved to be scientifically true
C. folk beliefs passed down from generation to generation without any reason of science
D. folk tales about wives that were passed on to people in a spoken form
Question 6: How might a farmer attempt to prevent bad luck?
A. Catch a raven

B. Keep his windows open

C. Follow a crow

D. Avoid harming a swallow

Question 7: Swallows help keep cattle in barns healthier by ___________.
A. eating infected skin

B. consuming insects

C. singing

D. making cows happier


EXERCISE 15: Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to
indicate the correct answer to each of the questions from 1 to 8.
A newborn baby can see, hear and feel. By the age of five, a child can talk, ride a bike and invent
imaginary friends. How does this development happen? We don’t understand the way language,
thinking and planning develop very well. Now scientists are using new technology to ‘see’ into children’s
brains. And they are discovering new information about the way a baby’s brain develops.
A study in 2010 showed that the experiences a child has in their first few years affect the development of
the brain. It showed that children who received more attention often had higher IQs. The brain of a
newborn baby has nearly a hundred billion neurons. This is the same number as an adult’s brain. As they
grow, a baby receives information through the senses of sight, hearing, smell, taste and touch. This
information creates connections between different parts of the brain. At the age of three, there are a
hundred trillion connections.
One experiment looked at images of babies’ brains while they were listening to different sounds. The
sounds were in different sequences. For example, one sequence was mu-ba-ba. This is the pattern ‘A-BB’. Another sequence was mu-ba-ge. This is the pattern ‘A-B-C’. The images showed that the part of the
brain responsible for speech was more active during ‘A-B-B’ patterns. This shows that babies can tell the
difference between different patterns. This experiment is interesting because sequences of words are
important to grammar and meaning. Compare two sentences with the same words in a different order:
‘John killed the bear’ is very different from ‘The bear killed John.’ So babies are starting to learn

grammatical rules from the beginning of life.
Researchers also know that babies need to hear a lot of language in order to understand grammar rules.
But there is a big difference between listening to television, audio books or the internet, and interacting
with people. One study compared two groups of nine-month-old American babies. One group watched
videos of Mandarin Chinese sounds. In the other group, people spoke the same sounds to the babies.
The test results showed that the second group could recognise different sounds, however the first group
learned nothing.The scientist, Patricia Kuhl, said this result was very surprising. It suggests that social
experience is essential to successful brain development in babies.
Question 1: The purpose of the article is to ____________.
A. explain new studies into the development of babies’ brains.
B. describe how a new-born baby’s brain works.
C. compare the brains of adults and children.
D. prove that nowadays babies are more intelligent than in the past.
Question 2: According to the first paragraph ____________.
A. most aspects of child development are understood quite well.


B. some five-year-olds have imaginary friends.
C. children use technology more these days.
D. technology has been used in children’s brain surgery.
Question 3: Which statement is supported by the second paragraph?
A. Adult brains have more neurons than new-born babies’ brains.
B. Babies and three-year-olds have the same number of neurons.
C. Early experiences have an effect on brain development.
D. The connections between parts of the brain stay the same as a child grows up.
Question 4: According to the second paragraph, which of the following can affect IQ?
A. being with adults a lot
B. connecting with other babies
C. paying attention to a baby
D. having access to information as early as possible

Question 5: It can be inferred from the passage that ______________.
A. A pattern like ‘A-B-C’ is easier to understand.
B. Babies’ brains cannot recognise different sound patterns.
C. It’s not known which area of a baby’s brain processes speech.
D. Children can actually learn grammatical rules in their very early age.
Question 6: According to the article, which statement is true?
A. Experiments focusing on language have given researchers new information.
B. Children who hear different languages develop differently.
C. The development of language is the easiest thing to study in babies.
D. Babies are able to understand grammar rules of a language only in specific period.
Question 7: What did the study described in the last paragraph do?
A. compare the effects of different languages


B. divide babies into two groups with different treatment
C. investigate if babies can learn Chinese
D. teach babies foreign languages through listening to videos.
Question 8: What is the main conclusion from the study described in the last paragraph?
A. Babies can understand television at the age of nine months.
B. Social interaction has a big influence on the brain.
C. Watching videos is a good way to develop a child’s brain.
D. Mandarin Chinese is not too hard to be learned for American babies.
EXERCISE 16: Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to
indicate the correct word or phrase that best fits each of the numbered blanks from 1 to 5. Many people
today would like the traditional two-parent family back, that is to say, they want a man and a woman to
(1)______ for life; they also think the man should support the family and the woman should stay home
with the children. However, few families now (2)______ into this category. In fact, if more women decide
to have children on their own, the single-parent household may become more typical than the
traditional family in many countries. Also, unmarried couples may decide to have more children – or they
might take in foster children or (3)______. And because people are staying single and living longer (often

as widows), there may be more oneperson households. (4)______ the other hand, some people believe
similar events happen again and again in history: if this is true, people may go back to the traditional
(5)_____ or nuclear family of the past. Others think the only certainty in history is change: in other
words, the structure of the future family could begin to change faster and faster and in more and more
ways.
Question 1: A. marry

B. wed

C. engage

D. gather

Question 2: A. belong

B. crowd

C. group

D. fall

Question 3: A. bring up

B. feel

C. adapt

D. adopt

Question 4: A. In

B. At

C. On

D. For

Question 5: A. extended B. extensive C. enlarged D. big

EXERCISE 17: Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to
indicate the correct answer to each of the questions from 1 to 5..
The Nobel prizes, awarded annually for distinguished work in chemistry, physic, physiology or medicine,
literature, and international peace, were made available by a fund bequeathed for that purpose by


Swedish philanthropist, Alfred Bernard Nobel. The prizes, awarded since 1901, are administered by the
Nobel Foundation in Stockholm. In 1969, a prize for economics endowed by the Central Bank of Sweden
was added. Candidates for the prizes must be nominated in writing by a qualified authority in the field of
competition. Candidates are judged by Swedish and Norwegian academies and institutes on the basis of
their contribution to mankind. The awards are usually presented in Stockholm ion December 10, with
the King of Sweden officiating, an appropriate tribute to Alfred Nobel on the anniversary of his death.
Each prize includes a gold medal, a diploma, and a cash award of about one million dollars.
Question 1.Why are the awards presented on December 10?
A. Because that date was established Nobel’s will.
B. Because Alfred Nobel died on that day.
C. Because it is a tribute to the King of Sweden.
D. Because Central Bank of Sweden administers the trust.
Question 2.Why were the prizes named for Alfred Nobel?
A. He left money in his will to establish a fund for the prizes.
B. He is now living in Sweden.

C. He serves as chairman of committee to choose the recipients of the prizes.
D. He won the first Nobel prize for his work in philanthropy.
Question 3.What does this passage mainly discussed?
A. Alfred Bernard Nobel.

B. Great contributions to mankind.

C. Swedish philanthropy.

D. The Nobel prizes.

Question 4. How often are the Nobel prizes awarded?
A. Once a year

B. Twice a year

C. Five times a year

D. Once every two year

Question 5.A Nobel prize would NOT be given to _______.
A. a doctor who discovered a vaccine
C. an author who wrote a novel

B. a composer who wrote a symphony
D. a diplomat who negotiated a peace settlement

EXERCISE 18: Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to
indicate the correct answer to each of the questions from 1 to 10.
The goal of Internet-based encyclopedia Wikipedia (www.wikipedia.org) is to give everyone on the

planet access to information. Like other encyclopedias, Wikipedia contains lots of information: more


than 2.5 million articles in 200 different languages covering just about every subject. Unlike other
encyclopedias, however, Wikepedia is not written by experts, but by ordinary people. These writers are
not paid and their names are not published. They contribute to Wikipedia simply because they want to
share their knowledge.
Encyclopedias began in ancient times as collections of writings about all aspects of human knowledge.
The word itself comes from ancient Greek, and means “a complete general education”. Real popularity
for encyclopedias came in the nineteenth century in Europe and the United States, with the publication
of encyclopedias written for ordinary readers. With the invention of the CDROM, the same amount of
information could be put on a few computer discs. Then with the Internet, it became possible to create
an online encyclopedia that could be constantly updated, like Microsoft’s Encarta. However, even
Internet-based encyclopedias like Encarta were written by paid experts. At first, Wikipedia, the brainchild
of Jimmy Wales, a businessman in Chicago, was not so different from these. In 2001, he had the idea for
an Internet-based encyclopedia that would provide information quickly and easily to everyone.
Furthermore, that information would be available free, unlike other Internet encyclopedias at that time.
But Wales, like everyone else, believed that people with special knowledge were needed to write the
articles, and so he began by hiring experts. He soon changed his approach, however, as it took them a
long time to finish their work. He decided to open up the encyclopedia in a radical new way, so that
everyone would have access not only to the information, but also to the process of putting this
information online. To do this, he used what is known as “Wiki” software (from the Hawaiian word for
“fast”), which allows users to create or alter content on web page. The system is very simple: When you
open the web site, you can simply search for information or you can log on to become a writer or editor
of articles. If you find an article that interests you – about your hometown, for example – you can correct
it or expand it. This process goes on until no one is interested in making any more changes.
Question 1: Wikipedia is written by_________.
A. paid written

B. Millionaires

C. normal people

D. world experts

Question 2: The phrase “these writers” in the first paragraph refers to____.
A. ordinary readers

B. ordinary people

C. encyclopedia experts

D. every subject

Question 3: The phrase “the word” in the second paragraph refers to_________.
A. knowledge

B. encyclopedia

C. writing

D. collection

Question 4: Microsoft’s Encarta is cited in the passage as an example of_________.
A. CD-ROM dictionary
C. online encyclopedia

B. printed encyclopedia
D. updateable online encyclopedia

Question 5: The word “brainchild” in the second paragraph of the passage can be best replaced
by________.


A. born B. child C. product D. father
Question 6: The word “approach” in the third paragraph of the passage means_________.
A. idea B. time C. method D. writing
Question 7: The user of Wikipedia can do all of the following EXCEPT_________.
A. have access to information B. determinate the website
C. modify information

D. edit information

Question 8: We can say that Jimmy Wales_________.
A. became very famous after the formation of Wikipedia
B. is the father of Wikipedia
C. made a great profit from Wikipedia
D. decides who can use Wikipedia
Question 9: Wiki software enables_________.
A. exchanging articles

B. a purchase of information

C. limited access

D. editing

Question 10: Wikipedia is a(n)_________.
A. book

B. journal

C. article

D. Dictionary

EXERCISE 19: Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to
indicate the correct word or phrase that best fits each of the numbered blanks from 1 to 5.
Tim Samaras is a storm chaser. His job is to find tornadoes and follow them. When he gets close to a
tornado, he puts a special tool (1) ______ a turtle probe on the ground. This tool measures things like a
twister’s temperature. Humidity, and wind speed. With this information, Samaras can learn what causes
tornadoes to develop. If meteorilogists understand this, they can warn people (2) _____ twisters sooner
and save lives.
How does Samaras hunt tornadoes? It’s not easy. First, he has to find one. Tornadoes are too small to see
using weather satellites. So Samaras can’t rely on these tools to find a twister. (3) ______, he waits for
tornadoes to develop.
Once Samaras sees a tornado, the chase begins. But a tornado is hard to follow. Some tornadoes change
(4)_____ several times – for example, moving east and then west and then east again. When Samaras


finally gets near a tornado, he puts the turtle probe on the ground. Being this close to a twister is (5)
______. He must get away quickly.
(Source: Reading Explorer)
Question 1. A. called

B. known

C. made

D. meant

Question 2. A. with

B. about

C. at

D. for

Question 3. A. Rather

B. Still

C. Instead

D. Yet

Question 4. A. progression

B. movement

C. dimension

D. direction

Question 5. A. terrify

B. terrifying

C. terrified

D. terrifies

EXERCISE 20: Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to
indicate the correct answer to each of the questions from 1 to 7.
Animals have an intuitive awareness of quantities. They know without analysis the difference between a
number of objects and a smaller number. In his book “The natural History of Selboure” (1786 ), the
naturalist Gilbert White tells how he surreptitiously removed one egg a day from a plover’s nest, and
how the mother laid another egg each day to make up for the missing one. He noted that other species
of birds ignore the absence of a single egg but abandon their nests if more than one egg has been
removed. It has also been noted by naturalists that a certain type of wasp always provides five – never
four, never six - caterpillars for each of their eggs so that their young have something to eat when the
eggs hatch. Research has also shown that both mice and pigeons can be taught to distinguish between
odd and even numbers of food pieces.
These and similar accounts have led some people to infer that creatures other than humans can actually
count. They also point to dogs that have been taught to respond to numerical questions with the correct
number of barks, or to horses that seem to solve arithmetic problems by stomping their hooves the
proper number of times.
Animals respond to quantities only when they are connected to survival as a species – as in the case of
the eggs – or survival as individuals - as in the case of food. There is no transfer to other situations or
from concrete reality to the abstract notion of numbers. Animals can “count” only when the objects are
present and only when the numbers involved are small – not more than seven or eight. In lab
experiments, animals trained to “count” one kind of object were unable to count any other type. The
objects, not the numbers, are what interest them. Animals admittedly remarkable achievements simply
do not amount to evidence of counting, nor do they reveal more than innate instincts, refined by the
genes of successive generations, or the results of clever, careful conditioning by trainers.
Question 1. What is the main idea of this passage?
A. Although animals may be aware of quantities, they cannot actually count.