SỞ GIÁO DỤC VÀ ĐÀO TẠO KỲ THI HỌC SINH GIỎI CẤP THÀNH PHỐ LỚP 12 – THPT

TP HỒ CHÍ MINH KHÓA NGÀY: 14-3-2013 – NĂM HỌC: 2012-2013

MÔN: TIẾNG ANH
Thời gian làm bài: 150 phút
ĐỀ CHÍNH THỨC
Đề này gồm 5 trang

PART ONE. MULTIPLE-CHOICE QUESTIONS (20 pts)

Choose the word or phrase (A, B, C or D) that best completes the sentence.

1. What a nuisance! I’d rather they __________ outside to smoke.

A. have gone B. going C. went D. to go
2. Has he finished the work __________? How fast!
A. still B. already C. yet D. soon
3. It __________ Peter who stole the watch. He’s a decent boy.
A. might have been B. can’t have been C. was supposed to be D. needn’t have been
4. It’s no use __________ him for money; he’s quite tight-fished.
A. to ask B. for you asking C. that you ask D. asking
5. We must have plenty of food and drinks ready __________ there are more participants.
A. in case B. provided that C. unless D. if
6. The witness described how __________ in the fight.
A. had the victim been killed B. the victim had been died C. the victim was dead D. the victim had been killed
7. The more tourists are attracted, __________.
A. the area will become richer C. the more the area will become rich
B. the better off the area will become D. the more well off the area will become
8. The coach, not the players, __________ for the loss of the last match.
A. are responsible B. has blamed C. are to blame D. has to take responsibility
9. No-one was absent from the meeting, __________?
A. wasn’t he B. was no-one C. were they D. weren’t they
10. On no account __________ give this information to the reporters.
A. of you to B. can you C. you should D. shouldn’t you
11. Complaints about faulty goods should be made to the seller, not to the __________.
A. author B. inventor C. supplier D. creator
12. The opening page of a book often has a(n) __________.
A. dedication B. appendix C. index D. content
13. The language the writer uses can be interpreted literally or __________.
A. descriptively B. illustratively C. figuratively D. fictionally
14. Most teenagers follow the __________ trends in fashion.
A. lately B. upward C. nearest D. current
15. People __________ that school as a prestigious one.
A. look upon B. regard with C. take to D. go in for
16. She always has her teaching experience to __________.
A. count it out B. fall back on C. come up with D. put herself down
17. They made a real __________ of that display.
A. dog’s breakfast B. Trojan horse C. frog in their throat D. cat among the pigeons
18. Investors are still __________ despite recent stock market falls.
A. in mint condition B. off their heads C. in the red D. in good heart
19. “Thanks for all your help.” ~ “__________”
A. There’s no doubt about it. B. Oh, thinking nothing of it. C. Not much to say! D. Mind your own business!
20. “I’ll do the washing-up, shall I?” ~ “__________”
A. Kid’s stuff! C. Not at all!
B. I couldn’t agree with you less. D. Ah, music to my ears!

PART TWO. WORD FORMATION (30 pts)

A. Use the correct form of the word given to fill in each blank. (10 pts)

1. Among the world famous tennis players is Pete Sampras, who had a(n) __________ career. (ILLUSTRATE)
2. Katherine Hepburn won four Oscar __________ in the category of Best Actress in a Leading Role. (STATUE)
3. The reform project requires an initial __________ of $30 million. (LAY)
4. There are great __________ in health care across the country. People in rural areas still suffer more. (EQUAL)
5. The curriculum is __________ developed; therefore, students benefit a great deal. (SYSTEM)
6. That eligible student always demonstrates high __________. (COMPETE)
7. Do you really think you have enough __________ to be in the school’s soccer team? (ATHLETE)
8. __________ should be severely punished. (HUNT)
9. The bottled water is carefully checked to remove any __________. (PURE)
10. A performance of synchronized swimming is often very __________. (EYE)

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B. Put the words given in the correct blanks. You have to use their correct forms to make a meaningful passage.
There are two extra words that you cannot use. (20pts)

found member danger preserve art profit

warm hurt support talent harm politics

Scientists have been warning us about the problems of global (1) __________ and other environmental issues for
years. However, the environment still hasn’t become the top priority of many (2) __________ around the world. As a
result, another group of people have decided to show their concern in quite a different way.

The Artists for Conservation Foundation (ACF) has been (3) __________ environment issues such as wildlife and
habitat conservation since its (4) __________. The group, which started more than ten years ago, is a (5) __________
international organization based in Vancouver, Canada. Over the years, it has attracted a (6) __________ of about 500 of
the world’s most (7) __________ nature artists from about thirty different countries.

Hundreds of pieces of (8) __________ have been sold through its website and the artists have contributed over $13
million to over 100 conservation organizations around the world. The pictures not only show the beauty of nature, but they
also show the problems of climate change and the threat to (9) __________ species. Through their art, they are helping
to communicate what scientists have been saying for decades that we must stop (10) __________ nature if we want to
keep our planet.

PART THREE. CLOZE TESTS (90 pts)

Read the passage and choose the best option (A, B, C or D) for each blank space.

PASSAGE A

The amount of energy consumed – and wasted – in commercial buildings in New Zealand is increasing all the time.
The growth in numbers of items of electronic office equipment threatens to reach its maximum in New Zealand’s main
business centres in the next ten years. Office staff leave equipment (1) __________ on unnecessarily for a number of
reasons. These include fear of (2) __________ the machine, (3) __________ of knowledge of the actual cost of running
the machine, and just plain laziness.

(4) __________ to control the energy usage of office equipment is wasteful, and can (5) __________ to costs far
higher than most managers, (6) __________. The Energy Efficiency & (7) __________ Authority (EECA) is introducing
twofold programme aimed at (8) __________ the $50m which is wasted every year in New Zealand’s offices. Office
machines in New Zealand consume 370 GW of energy per year, or about 1% of the country’s (9) __________ electricity
consumption.

Further, the EECA now (10) __________ that the number of office machines will double before the end of the
decade. By this time, office machinery energy consumption is (11) __________ to be about 800 GW per year.

A recent EECA survey of offices in the capital city’s central business (12) __________ revealed that 40% of office
equipment was left (13) __________ overnight and through the weekend, as well as in working hours. It also found that
about half the energy consumed during office hours is wasted, because machines remain on when in (14) __________.
In particular, most PCs, printers and photocopiers are fully (15) __________ for only about 40% of a working day.

1. A. driven B. switched C. remained D. stayed

2. A. hurting B. offending C. damaging D. spoiling
3. A. lack B. loss C. shortage D. gap
4. A. Neglect B. Prevention C. Loss D. Failure
5. A. come B. head C. keep D. lead
6. A. decide B. realise C. explain D. detect
7. A. Conservation B. Contract C. Convert D. Conference
8. A. sparing B. controlling C. saving D. removing
9. A. same B. whole C. total D. all
10. A. estimates B. proposes C. foretells D. guesses
11. A. told B. expected C. awaited D. argued
12. A. environment B. distinct C. region D. section
13. A. circulating B. going C. playing D. running
14. A. place B. work C. use D. time
15. A. exercised B. operated C. handled D. utilised

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Fill in each of the blanks in the following passage with ONE suitable word.

PASSAGE B

On 15 April 1912, the Titanic – at that time the world’s largest and most luxurious (1) __________ liner – disappeared
into the icy (2) __________ of the North Atlantic. Some 1,500 people died – more casualties than in any other marine (3)
__________ in peacetime history. After striking a huge iceberg, the 46,500-ton vessel (4) __________ in less than three
hours. Lloyd’s of London, the firm (5) __________ had insured the Titanic, had reasoned that the (6) __________ of such
an event was one in a million. At 11:40 p.m. on the evening of the disaster, the (7) __________ on the Titanic’s bridge
saw an ominous (8) __________ ahead. “Ice! Dead ahead!” he shouted. The helm was (9) __________ hard over and
the engines were (10) __________, but it was too late. A 300-foot gash was ripped along the (11) __________ of the
Titanic's hull as though it were made of tin. If the lookout had not (12) __________ the iceberg and the helmsman not
turned the wheel, the Titanic would probably have struck the iceberg (13) __________. It is then likely that only the bow
sections of the ship would have been (14) __________ and, though seriously crippled, she would have (15) __________
afloat.

PASSAGE C

About ten (1) __________ of the world's deserts are (2) __________ of sand dunes, which are driven across the
desert by the wind. Sand grains march across the desert floor under the (3) __________ of strong winds by a process (4)
__________ as saltation. The grains of sand become airborne for a moment, and upon (5) __________ they dislodge
additional sand grains, which repeat the (6) __________. In this manner, sand dunes engulf (7) __________ in their path,
including structures made by people, and pose a major problem in the construction and maintenance of highways and
railroads that (8) __________ sandy areas of desert. Sand-dune migration near desert oases poses another serious
problem, (9) __________ when encroaching on villages. Methods to mitigate (10) __________ to structures from sand
dunes include building windbreaks and funneling (11) __________ out of the way. (12) __________ such measures,
disruption of roads, airports, agricultural settlements, and towns could become a major problem in desert regions.

The direction, strength, and variability of the wind, the moisture (13) __________ of the soil, the vegetation cover, the
underlying topography, and the amount of movable soil (14) __________ to the wind determine the size and form of sand
dunes. Sand dunes generally have four basic shapes, determined by the topography of the land and (15) __________ of
wind flow.

PART FOUR. READING COMPREHENSION (40 pts)

Choose the item (A, B, C or D) that best completes the unfinished statement about the passage.

PASSAGE A

A social group can be defined as a set of two or more people who interact regularly and in a manner that is defined by
some common purpose, a set of norms (shared standards of behaviour), and a structure of statuses and roles within the
group. By this definition, the members of a college class, of a family, and of a workplace all qualify as social groups. In
contrast, people standing on a corner waiting at a traffic light do not qualify, even if they do interact. There is no
regularity to these people's interaction, nor any division of roles and statuses. They share a common purpose only to the
extent that they all want to cross the street, but once across, they will all go their separate ways. Sociologists refer to such
a cluster of people as an aggregate.

A particular kind of social group that is of great importance in modern society is the formal organization, which is
defined as a relatively large-scale group having a name, some official purpose or goals, a structure of statuses and roles,
and a set of rules designed to promote these goals. What distinguishes formal organizations from other kinds of groups is
the official – and usually written – nature of the goals, rules, and status structure. The structure of a formal organization is
sufficiently clear so that it can be put on paper in the form of an organizational chart.

Formal organizations can be grouped into three broad types. Some organizations are voluntary organizations –
people choose to join them because they are interested in the group's purpose or activities. Examples of voluntary
organizations are political groups and professional organizations. Another type, overlapping somewhat with voluntary
organizations, is the utilitarian organization – an organization designed to accomplish some task. Businesses and
neighbourhood improvement associations are examples of this type, as are large-scale organizations such as
governments and corporations. Finally, there are coercive organizations – organizations that people are compelled to
participate in, such as the military in some countries. Children frequently participate in, a wider range of coercive
organizations, most notably schools.

1. What does the passage mainly discuss?

A. How people interact in clusters
B. The structure of coercive organizations
C. Types and purposes of social groups and organizations
D. Some types of leadership groups that are found in a society
2. The word “common” in line 2 is closest in meaning to __________.
A. new B. shared C. real D. related

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3. What does the author mean by stating “people standing on a corner waiting at a traffic light do not qualify” in
line 4 in paragraph one?
A. They do not fit the definition of a social group. C. They often get impatient and do not wait.
B. Sometimes they do not talk to one another. D. Their roles and statuses are not the same.
4. In paragraph one, the author explains the difference between a social group and __________.
A. a college class B. an aggregate C. a family D. an organization
5. According to the passage, a formal organization is distinct from other groups mainly because __________.
A. the official structure is written down C. its members interact regularly
B. only a few people belong to it D. its leadership roles change frequently
6. According to the passage, why do people join a voluntary organization?
A. They prefer an informal structure to a formal one.
B. They do so as part of their job training.
C. They are not interested in becoming leaders.
D. They want to associate with people who have similar interests.
7. The word “overlapping” in line 15 is closest in meaning to __________.
A. cooperating with other groups C. confused
B. sharing characteristics D. viewed
8. Which of the following best identifies a group of neighbours who work together to create a park for their children?
A. A coercive organization C. A utilitarian organization
B. A government organization D. A professional organization
9. The word “compelled” in line 18 is closest in meaning to __________.
A. trained B. persuaded C. anxious D. forced
10. Which of the following statement is best supported by the passage?
A. There are more people in voluntary organisations than in political groups.
B. Children participate in a greater number of coercive organisations than do adults.
C. Adults are trying to get children more involved in utilitarian organisations.
D. More people are interested in political organisations than in professional groups.

PASSAGE B

Are organically grown foods the best food choices? The advantages claimed for such foods over conventionally
grown and marketed food products are now being debated. Advocates of organic foods – a term whose meaning varies
greatly – frequently proclaim that such products are safer and more nutritious than others.

The growing interest of consumers in the safety and nutritional quality of the typical North American diet is a
welcome development. However, much of this interest has been sparked by sweeping claims that the food supply is
unsafe or inadequate in meeting nutritional needs. Although most of these claims are not supported by scientific
evidence, the preponderance of written material advancing such claims makes it difficult for the general public to separate
fact from fiction. As a result, claims that eating a diet consisting entirely of organically grown foods prevents or cures
disease or provides other benefits to health have become widely publicized and form the basis for folklore.

Almost daily the public is besieged by claims for "no-aging" diets, new vitamins, and other wonder foods. There are
numerous unsubstantiated reports that natural vitamins are superior to synthetic ones, that fertilized eggs are
nutritionally superior to unfertilized eggs, that untreated grains are better than fumigated grains, and the like.

One thing that most organically grown food products seem to have in common is that they cost more than
conventionally grown foods. But in many cases consumers are misled if they believe organic foods can maintain health
and provide better nutritional quality than conventionally grown foods. So there is real cause for concern if consumers,
particularly those with limited incomes, distrust the regular food supply and buy only expensive organic foods instead.

1. The word "Advocates" in line 2 is closest in meaning to __________.

A. Proponents B. Merchants C. Inspectors D. Consumers
2. In line 3, the word "others" refers to __________.
A. advantages B. advocates C. organic foods D. products
3. The "welcome development" mentioned in line 5 is an increase in __________.
A. interest in food safety and nutrition among North Americans
B. the nutritional quality of the typical North American diet
C. the amount of healthy food grown in North America
D. the number of consumers in North America
4. According to the first paragraph, which of the following is true about the term "organic foods"?
A. It is accepted by most nutritionists. C. It has no fixed meaning.
B. It has been used only in recent years. D. It is seldom used by consumers.
5. The word "unsubstantiated" in line 11 is closest in meaning to __________.
A. unbelievable B. uncontested C. unpopular D. unverified
6. The word "maintain" in line 20 is closest in meaning to __________.
A. improve B. monitor C. preserve D. restore

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7. The author implies that there is cause for concern if consumers with limited incomes buy organic foods instead of
conventionally grown foods because __________.
A. organic foods can he more expensive but are often no better than conventionally grown foods
B. many organic foods are actually less nutritious than similar conventionally grown foods
C. conventionally grown foods are more readily available than organic foods
D. too many farmers will stop using conventional methods to grow food crops
8. According to the last paragraph, consumers who believe that organic foods are better than conventionally grown
foods are often __________.
A. careless B. mistaken C. thrifty D. wealthy
9. What is the author's attitude toward the claims made by advocates of health foods?
A. Very enthusiastic B. Somewhat favourable C. Neutral D. Sceptical
10. The best title for the passage could be __________.
A. The necessity to consume organic foods
B. A comparison between organic and conventionally grown foods
C. Nutrition facts for organic foods
D. Controversies over the use of originally grown foods

PART FIVE. SENTENCE TRANSFORMATION (20 points)

Rewrite each sentence in such a way that it means almost the same as the one printed before it. Use the word in
brackets without making any change to it.

1. You can’t say anything that would persuade me to live overseas. (INTO)
Nothing .......................................................................................................................................................................
2. A lot of people have been killed and injured in a typhoon in Japan. (BROUGHT)
Heavy .........................................................................................................................................................................
3. They managed to work out a practical solution to the problem of thefts in the school. (COMING)
They ...........................................................................................................................................................................
4. I’d do anything to be able to travel to Italy. (CHANCE)
There’s .......................................................................................................................................................................
5. There should be a good explanation for all the recent absenteeism. (SOMEONE)
I insist .........................................................................................................................................................................
6. The economic climate could deteriorate in the next few years. (DOWN)
It is .............................................................................................................................................................................
7. Will you please stay with me for a little while? (COMPANY)
Why ............................................................................................................................................................................
8. It will be best if they agree on the point soon. (REACHED)
The sooner .................................................................................................................................................................
9. If they had had enough time to think, they might have done it differently. (MANNER)
Given .........................................................................................................................................................................
10. The government has been criticized for its recent policy regarding taxation. (INTRODUCED)
The government has come .........................................................................................................................................

THE END OF THE TEST

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