Đề thi HSG (05-06, vòng 2)

Sở Giáo Dục – Đào Tạo Kì Thi Chọn Đội Tuyển HSG Lớp 12 – THPT
TP Hồ Chí Minh Năm học: 2005-2006 Khóa ngày: 15/12/2005
Môn: Tiếng Anh
Thời gian: 180 phút (không kể thời gian phát đề)
ĐỀ CHÍNH THỨC
PART ONE: LISTENING
Task one
Listen to the conversation and answer the questions that follow.
1.
(A) On a tennis court (B) In a gymnasium
(C) At a sporting goods store (D) At an equipment rental shop
2.
(A) Instructor and player (B) Sales clerk and customer
(C) Delivery person and buyer (D) Repair person and client
3.
(A) Courteous (B) Irritated
(C) Concerned (D) Disinterested
4.
(A) If there weren’t so many styles to choose from, he’d buy a racket right
(B) He doesn’t want to buy a high-priced racket because he doesn’t know how
long he’ll use it.
(C) He doesn’t like buying a beginner’s racket but thinks the others
are too expensive.
(C) If he played tennis more often he would know which racket to buy.
5.
(A) Take up another sport so he’ll buy another equipment.
(B) Buy a more expensive racket than he really needs,
(C) Get an instructor to teach him how to play tennis.
(D) Return to the store to purchase another racket.
Task two
Listen to three people describing the people they admire. Fill in each blank with no more

than three words.
1. Wilma Ruldolph was admired as a _________________
2. At a very young age, she lost her ability to walk because of ____________________
3. It was difficult for her to become an athlete because she had to wear ________ on her
legs.
4. However, her __________________ helped her to work and won three gold medals in
the Olympics.
5. Nancy Drew was a _________________________ who could solve any crime.
6. She always managed to get out of all kinds of _____________
7. ____________ the woman dreamed about being Nancy Drew is her sports car.
8. We have great __________ for volunteer coastguards.
9. They rescue people who are _________ in the water.
10. Volunteer coastguards are willing to go out to save people’s lives in all kinds
____________
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PART TWO: GRAMMAR & STRUCTURES
Choose the word or phrase (A, B, C or D) that best fits each blank.
1. If ________ prices go on increasing as they have done for the past few months, then the
Government will have to step in and impose some sort of price freeze.
A. actual B. current C. ready D. monetary
2. Have you written off to the College for a copy of their _________ yet?
A. programme B. catalogue C. pamphlet D. prospectus
3. These jeans are terrible. Look how much they’ve ________ since I washed them. They’ve
much too small to wear now.
A. narrowed B. lessened C. shrunk D. shortened
4. In the past, captains would plot their ship’s ________ by the moon and the stars.
A. course B. direction C. movement D. way
5. The company is ________ its operations all over the Asia region.
A. planting B. growing C. expanding D. setting
6. ________ storms have destroyed most of the farmers’ crops.

A. Tough B. Serious C. Strict D. Severe
7. Many ________ arrive from overseas hoping to start a new life in this country.
A. travellers B. immigrants C. tourists D. emigrants
8. ________ disliked the play because the story was weak and the acting terrible.
A. Critiques B. Critics C. Criticism D. Criticize
9. He says things in such a ________ way that it’s often hard to understand what he means.
A. soft B. brittle C. small D. subtle
10. Even when he was in ________, his fans still recognized him.
A. masking B. cover C. disguise D. dislike
12. I ________ him to a game of badminton.
A. won B. played C. offered D. challenged
13. Why did you have to spend so much time on the test? It was ________.
A. a bone of contention B. a breeze
C. a matter of life and death D. a closed book
14. Everyone is jealous of Sue because she ________.
A. was born with a silver spoon in her mouth B. often goes bananas
C. beats about the bush D. buries the hatches
15. The closure of many companies _______ the increase in the high rate of unemployment.
A. put down to B. set places for C. gave rise to D. got down to
16. They had a ________ conversation to solve some misunderstandings.
A. mouth-to-mouth B. face-to-face C. check-to-check D. heart-to-heart
17. We all want to ________ discrimination.
A. put a finish at D. put an end to C. put a stop to D. put a deadline to
18. Their performance will be _______ a little extra practice.
A. all the better for B. no better than C. better off D. for the better of
19. It was a role that really _______ as a serious actress.
A. drew her a map B. caught her C. put her on the map D. put her forward
20. She usually calls her mother when she is feeling ________.
A. yellow B. red C. green D. blue
21. Have you ever seen ______ Acropolis in _______ Athens?

A. Ø / Ø B. an / the C. Ø / an D. the / Ø
22. I bought my sister ________ bottle of perfume for her birthday but I don’t think she liked
_______ perfume.
A. a / the B. Ø / the C. Ø / Ø D. the / Ø
23. A child in the first grade tends to ________ all of the other children in his class.
A. the same old to B. as old like C. the same age than D. the same age as
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24. The universe ________ we know it might have begun with a great explosion.
A. as B. that C. and which D. and
25. An earthquake is a shaking of the ground ________ when masses of rock beneath the
surface of the earth change position.
A. which occurring B. it occurs C. that occurs D. and therefore occurring
26. Those boys ________ so noisily; the exam is in progress.
A. shouldn’t have talked B. can’t be talking C. needn’t have talked D. shouldn’t be talking
27. __________ he was, he couldn’t lift that heavy table.
A. So strong B. Although strong C. Strong as D. Stronger than
28. _________ of fire, dial 114.
A. The case was B. In case C. In the case D. In spite
29. The goalkeeper couldn’t _________ at the ball floating into the goal.
A. but look B. than looking C. but looking D. than look
30. Thanks to his help, I ________ it without any mistakes.
A. could do B. would do C. could have done D. will have done
31. His suspision was _________ he could not say a word.
A. very much B. so very much C. such that D. such one that
32. I had to go early ________ I could have a good seat.
A. otherwise B. if not C. but D. so that
33. _______ what he may, it is unlikely that he will succeed.
A. To do B. Doing C. Do D. In doing
34. He is always speaking as though he _______ everything.
A. know B. knows C. knew D. had known

35. He drinks very little ________ the police catch him as he drives home.
A. in the event B. despite C. otherwise D. in case
36. Every man and woman ______ responsible for what he or she does.
A. is B. are C. be D. have been
37. They caught him _______ things in the shop.
A. steal B. to steal C. stolen D. stealing
38. All students in the school are free to join any club they wish or ______.
A. none B. not C. no D. without
39. Under the table _______.
A. a cat sat B. was seated a cat C. seated a cat D. a cat sitting
40. She clearly remembers ________ her servant ________ her a bar of soap.
A. to tell / to buy B. telling / buying C. telling / to buy D to tell / buying
PART THREE: PREPOSITIONS & PARTICLES
Fill in each blank with an appropriate particle or preposition.
1. They will bring ______ in the end. Success is a matter of course.
2. The new fashion of-hair is really catching ______.
3. Perhaps, we’d better cross ______ his name because of his too frequent absence from
class.
4. Look ______ ______ sharp stones when you walk on the beach.
5. It is said that his new book will be brought ______ on the occasion of the Liberation
Day.
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6. I was going to the football match when I was suddenly held ______.
7. I think a sip of wine can bring him ______.
8. His comment only adds ______ her resentment toward him.
9. His aunt told ______Hugh for making so much noise.
10. We’re worried about violence when the army generals handed ______ power to the
new government.
11. The film will be ______ general release next week.
12. BP is ______ the move.

13. ______ reflection, I decided to change my plan.
14. His remarks are always ______ the point.
15. The bandits are ______ the run, pursued by loyal troops.
16. His fame is now ______ the wane.
17. The lorry, ______ ______ control, ran down the hill and crashed into a wall.
18. Go and lie down if you’re feeling ______ ______ sorts
19. It’s really ______ your advantage to accept a favourable offer.
20. I agree with you ______ a great extent, but not completely.
PART FOUR: WORD FORMS
Use the correct form of the word given to fill in each blank.
1. The inquiry decided that the police were also __________ (blame).
2. How do you like my latest __________ (acquire) for my stamp collection?
3. The minister gave __________ (evade) answers to the interviewer’s questions.
4. Professor Jackson has joined the company in an __________ (advice) capacity.
5. The accused stated that the allegations against him were __________ (found).
6. Have you read the latest ________ (reveal) about Madonna’s private life?
7. There was a(n) __________ (precedent) rise in the cost of living this year.
8. The reason for Bruce Lee’s death was sleeping pill __________ (dosage).
9. The firm is surely __________ (staff). We have to take on more workers.
10. “Beautiful” is a __________ (syllable) word.
Use the correct forms of the words in the box to fill in the blanks to make a meaningful
passage.

Most scientists agree that if pollution and other environmental deterrents continue at
their present rates, the result will be (11) __________ damage to the ecological cycles and
balances in nature upon which all life depends. Scientists warn that fundamental, and
perhaps drastic, changes in human (12) __________ will be required to avert an (13)
_________ crisis.
To safeguard the healthful environment that is essential to life, humans must learn
that Earth does not have (14) __________ resources. Earth’s limited resources must be

conserved and, where possible, (15) __________ . Furthermore, humans must devise new
strategies that mesh environmental progress with economic growth. The future growth of
developing nations depends upon the development of (16) __________ conservation
methods that protect the environment while also meeting the basic needs of citizens.
Many nations have acted to control or reduce environmental problems. For example,
Great Britain has (17) _________ succeeded in cleaning up the waters of the Thames and
other rivers, and London no longer suffers the heavy smog caused by industrial (18)
_________. Japan has some of the world’s (19) __________ standards for the control of
water and air pollution. In Canada, the Department of Commerce has developed (20)
_________ programs covering environmental contaminants.
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behave comprehend ecology finite large
pollute reverse strict sustain use
PART FIVE: CLOZE PASSAGES
A/ Choose the word (A, B, C or D) that best fits each blank.
Structural employment (1) _____ from an imbalance between the kinds of
workers wanted by employers and the kinds of workers looking for jobs. The imbalances
may be caused by (2) _____ in skills, location, or personal characteristics. Technological
developments, for example, necessitate new skills in many industries, leaving those workers
who have (3) _____ skills without a job. A plant in a declining industry may (4) _____ or
move to another area, throwing out of (5) _____ those employees who are unable or
unwilling to move. Workers with inadequate education or training and young workers with (6)
_____ or no experience may be unable to get jobs because employers believe that these
employees would not produce enough to be (7) _____ paying the legal minimum wage or
the rate agreed (8) _____ with the union. On the other hand, even highly trained workers
can be unemployed; this happened in the U.S in the early 1970s, for example, when the
large numbers of new (9) _____ with doctoral degrees in physics and mathematics (10)
_____ the number of jobs available in those fields. If employers practice illegal job (11)
_____ against any group because of sex, race, religion, age, or national origin, a high
unemployment rate for these workers could result even when jobs are (12) ______ .

Structural unemployment shows up most (13) _____ in some cities, in some occupations or
industries, for those with below-average educational (14) _____, and for some other groups
in the labour force. In June 1992, for example, when the U.S (15) _____ unemployment rate
was 7.8 percent, the rate in the state of New York was 9.2 percent, for teenagers 16 to 19,
23.6 percent, for black workers, 14.9 percent, and for retail workers, 9.2 percent.
1. A. rises B. raises C. increases D. arises
2. A. impropriety B. inadequacy C. ineffectiveness D. inaccuracy
3. A. ancient B. antiquated C. antique D. outdated
4. A. close down B. close up C. close off D. close in
5. A. employment B. work C. job D. profession
6. A. few B. a few C. little D. a little
7. A. worthy B. worth C. praiseworthy D. worthless
8. A. with B. to C. about D. on
9. A. school-leavers B. graduates C. enthusiasts D. drop-outs
10. A. exceeded B. passed C. overcame D. increased
11. A. difference B. bias C. displacement D. discrimination
12. A. plenty B. enough C. crowded D. plentiful
13. A. eminently B. persistently C. evidently D. prominently
14. A. retainments B. accomplishments C. attainments D. requirements
15. A. civic B. civil C. civilian D. civilized
B/ Fill in each blank with ONE suitable word to make a meaningful passage.
Children use all their senses to help them understand the world. If one of these
senses is (1) ________ or weakened, then a child’s development will be seriously
affected. The case of Helen Keller, then, is very remarkable as she was missing not one, (2)
____________ two of these vital senses.
Helen was born in 1880 in America, a happy, normal (3) _____________. However,
when she was a year old, a serious illness made her deaf and blind. She grew up in a dark,
silent (4) ___________, unable to communicate. Unsurprisingly, by the time she was seven
years old she was a wild, uncontrollable child.
Helen’s parents were determined to help her. They (5) ____________ her a teacher,

Anne Sullivan. Miss Sullivan communicated with Helen (6) ________________ her sense of
touch. Gradually, Helen learnt (7) __________ to communicate through a kind of touching
sign language. Later, she even learnt to speak by (8) ______________ her fingers to her
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