HỘI CÁC TRƯỜNG CHUYÊN VÙNG ĐỀ THI CHỌN HỌC SINH GIỎI LẦN THỨ XII

DUYÊN HẢI VÀ ĐỒNG BẰNG BẮC BỘ MÔN: TIẾNG ANH - KHỐI 10

TRƯỜNG THPT CHUYÊN NGUYỄN TRÃI Thời gian: 180 phút
TỈNH HẢI DƯƠNG Đề thi gồm: 15 trang

ĐỀ ĐỀ XUẤT

SECTION 1: LISTENING (50 points)

I. Complete the following information about the cars available for rental, using NO
MORE THAN ONE WORD OR NUMBER for each gap. (10 points)
Name Size Miles per gallon Price*
IOTA Small 20 £23
COMBI Medium 18 (3). __________
ROADSTER (1). __________ 2. _____________ (4). __________
*Prices include tax and (5). ________________
II. Listen to a conversation on a university campus and choose the correct option.
(10 points)
1. What is the woman’s status at the university?
A. She is a senior. B. She is a junior.
C. She’s a transfer student. D. She’s a graduate student.
2. What is the man’s status at the university?
A. He is a senior. B. He is a tutor.
C. He’s a transfer student. D. He’s a graduate student.
3. What does the man want to learn from the woman?
A. How to transfer to a junior college.
B. How to find his way around campus.
C. The course requirements for a literature major.
D. Who won the campus election.
4. How many total courses must a student take for a literature major?
A. Three B. Five C. Eight D. Ten
5. The man will probably take his elective courses in which area?
A. American literature B. World literature
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C. Literary analysis D. Surveying
III. You will hear an explorer called Richard Livingstone talking about a trip he
made in the rainforest of South America. Listen and indicate true (T) or false (F)
statements. (10 points)
Statements T F
1. They went all the way by boat.
2. Richard say that during the walk, they were always both cold and wet.
3. In a deserted camp, they found some soup made from unusual meat
and vegetables.
4. After the meal, they began to feel worried about what they have done.
5. Before leaving the camp, they left the sum of 50 dollars to thank the
host.
IV. You will hear a man called Alec Gardiner talking about the things he collects.
Listen and complete the sentences. Write NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS taken
from the recording for each answer in the spaces provided. (20 points)
Alec isn’t exactly (1) ______________ why he collects things. He started collecting
when he was (2) _______________. As a child Alec kept the things he collected in (3)
______________.
Alec says it’s a wonderful feeling when he completes a (4) __________ of
something. Alec likes collecting cartoon figures because they look (5) ____________ and
they amuse him. It’s possible to collect so many Mickey Mouse figures because Mickey is
the (6) ___________ cartoon character. He keeps most of his cartoon figures in the living
room on small (7) ___________. Alec used to buy things at collectors’ (8)
______________ and antique shops.
Alec doesn’t like to leave the house for too long because he’s afraid of (9)
_______________. In order to complete a set of something, Alec sometimes has to pay out
(10) _______________ hundred pounds.
SECTION 2: LEXICO - GRAMMAR (50 points)
I. Choose the word or phrase that best fits the gap in each sentence (20 points)
1. Nathalie seems very tough at work. She’s a different person at home, _________.
A. though B. although C. as though D. even though

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2. I kept out of the conversation because it _________ me.
A. wasn’t concerned B. wasn’t concerning C. didn’t concern D. didn’t concern to
3. The entire city was _________ electricity last night- it was chaotic.
A. no B. almost no C. hardly any D. without
4. Henry was overweight, so he went on a strict diet and _________ twenty kilos.
A. missed B. lost C. failed D. fell
5. He was arrested because he answered to the description of the _________ man.
A. searched B. pursued C. wanted D. hunted
6. Humanity has done great damage to the environment in its search for _________
materials.
A. live B. raw C. crude D. rude
7. _________, the balcony chairs will be ruined in this weather.
A. Leaving uncovered B. Having left uncovered
C. Left uncovered D. Been left uncovered
8. One way to let off _________ after a stressful day is to take some vigorous exercise.
A. cloud B. tension C. steam D. sweat
9. Their research into the causes of cancer promises to break the new _________ in the
field and possibly lead to a cure.
A. earth B. ground C. soil D. land
10.After three days in the desert, his mind began to play _________ on him.
A. games B. jokes C. tricks D. fun
11.The match will be screened on ITV with _________ commentary by Any Gray.
A. lively B. live C. alive D. living
12.I know you didn’t want to upset me but I’ sooner you _________ me the whole truth
yesterday.
A. could have told B. told C. have told D. had told
13.As the drug took _________, the patient became quieter.
A. effect B. force C. influence D. action

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 14.The dawn redwood appears ____ some 100 million years ago in northern forests
around the world.
A. was flourished B. having to flourish C. to have flourished D.
have flourished
15.His comments _________ little or no relation to the facts and the figures of the case.
A. reflect B. bear C. give D. possess
16.All _____ is a continuous supply of the basic necessities of life.
A. what is needed B. for our needs C. the thing needed D. that is needed
17.It is urgent that this letter _____ immediately.
A. was posted B. posted C. be posted D. be post
18.John: This grammar test is the hardest one we’ve ever had this semester!
Mary: _____ but I think it’s quite easy.
A. I couldn’t agree more B. I understand what you’re saying
C. You’re wrong D. I don’t see in that way
19.It is only recently that ballets have been based on the themes _____ American life.
A. reflecting B. reflects C. is reflecting D. reflected
20.I wish you’d do the accounts. I don’t have ________ for numbers.
A. a head B. a mind C. the heart D. the nerve
II. The passage below contains 10 errors. IDENTIFY and CORRECT them. Write
your answers in the space provided in the column on the right. (10 points)
Britain has a general mild temperate climate. The weather, however, tends to be changed
(though not necessarily unpredictable) as a result of the constant influence of different air
mass. The prevailing winds are south-westerly, which bring warm air in from across the
Atlantic. There are a few extremes in temperature, which rarely goes above 32 0C or below
-100C. In summer, southern Britain is warmer than northern Britain because of its latitude,
but in winter the North Atlantic Drift – a warm sea current - keeps the west mild than the
east. Consequently, Wales and the south-west Peninsula has the most moderate climate
and eastern England the most extremely. These differences, are not great however, and
local variations arise from factors such as altitude and pollution are often greater. Annual

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rainfall is fairly evenly distribute, but ranges from more than 1,600 mm in the mountainous
areas of the west and north far less than 800 mm over central and eastern parts. This is
because depression from the Atlantic bring frontal rainfall first to the west and because
western Britain is higher and so gets more relief rain.
Your answer:
Mistakes Corrections Mistakes Corrections
1. 6.
2. 7.
3. 8.
4. 9.
5. 10.

III. Complete the following sentences with a suitable particle/preposition. (10 points)
1. My wife backed me ______ over my decision to quit my job.
2. My mum and dad always find a way to work well together and are not critical ________
each other.
3. At first, residents opposed plans for a new city skate park, but the skaters eventually
won them _______.
4. Traditionally, Amish weddings are held on Tuesdays and Thursdays, so there is time in
________ to get ready for and clean up after each.
5. According to a government study, Korean elderly women are much more vulnerable
________ social isolation and illnesses compared to their male counterparts.
6. Let’s make ________ that island and wait for the storm to pass.
7. Could you please refrain ________ smoking - this is a hospital!
8. The company pulled ________ despite the economic crisis.
9. We were very sorry to hear that your grandfather passed ________ last week.
10. When Mr. Spendthrift ran out of money, he fell ________ on his mother for help.
IV. Supply the correct form of the verbs in block capitals in brackets to complete the
passage. (10 pts)

Mount Mulanje

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 Mount Mulanje in Malawi is the highest mountain in central
Africa, part of a range which comprises no fewer than twenty peaks
over 2,500 metres. The range is readily (1)________ by road and a ACCESS
day’s drive allows a (2)_________ circumnavigation. More LEISURE
energetic visitors, particularly walkers and climbers, are rewarded
with an experience that is (3)__________. FORGET
Mulanje is a (4)________ sight, visible for miles around. The BREATH
giant slab of rock appears to protrude almost vertically from the
plain. This impression is borne out by the existence of the longest
sheer rockface in Africa, demanding for even the most skilled
(5)___________ . The explanation for this dramatic geography lies MOUNTAIN
in the rock: a hard granite, very resistant to (6)_________ , which
contrasts with the softer rocks of the plains. ERODE
Most visitors remain on the lower, gentler slopes, making use
of forest huts for overnight accommodation. The trek up the
foothills, along clearly defined paths, is not overly (7) ________ but
may take up to a week. As the climate cools gradually, almost CHALLENGE
(8)___________ , with every few metres of altitude gained, so the PERCEPTIBLE
full (9)___________ of fauna and flora is revealed in all its DIVERSE
(10)_____________. SPLENDID

SECTION 3: READING (50 points)

I. Read the text below and decide which answer (A, B, C or D) best fits each gap. (10
points)
AS OLD AS YOU FEEL
It might after all be true that you are only as old as you feel. A British clinic is carrying out
new high-tech tests to calculate the “real” biological age of patients (1)_____ (on the rate
of physical deterioration. Information on every (2)_____ of a patient’s health, fitness,
lifestyle and family medical history is (3)_____ in to a computer to work out whether they
are older or younger than their calendar age suggests.
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The availability and increasing accuracy of the tests has (4)_____ one  leading British
gerontologist to call for biological age to be used to determine when workers should retire.
He (5)_____ that if an employee’s biological or “real” age is shown, for example, to be 55
when he reaches his 65th birthday, he should be (6)_____ to work for another decade.
Apparently most employers only take into (7)_____ a person’s calendar years, and the two
may differ considerably. Some of those prepared to pay a substantial sum of money for the
examinations will be able to smugly walk away with medical (8)_____ showing that they
really are as young as they feel, giving them the confidence to act and dress as if they were
younger. Dr Lynette Yong, resident doctor at the clinic where the tests are offered claims
that the purpose of these tests will be to motivate people to (9)_____ their health.
The concept of “real” age is set to become big (10)_____ in the USA with books and
websites helping people work out whether their body is older or younger than their years.
Others firmly believe that looks will always be the best indicator of age.
1. A. prospect           B. arranged          C. based            D. established
2. A. attitude            B. position           C. decided          D.  aspect
3. A. planned           B. provided           C. supplied       D. fed
4. A. prodded          B. prompted          C. projected        D. provoked
5. A.  argues            B. discusses         C. enquires          D. debates
6. A.  incited            B. encouraged       C. supported        D. promoted
7. A. detail              B. account             C. interest           D. importance
8. A. evidence          B. grounds            C. signs              D. demonstration
9. A. increase           B. gain                 C.  improve         D. progress
10. A. pursuit            B.  concern           C. trade              D. business
II. Fill each gap in the passage below with ONE appropriate word in the space provided.
(15 points)
INTRODUCTION TO A NOVEL
Some years ago, I received a letter from a stranger, Joanna King. It seemed at first to
be one of those pleasant fan letters that authors are occasionally cheered (1)________, but
which then turn out to be something else. Joanna had an aunt, aged ninety-eight, who had

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kept a diary from the age of thirteen until she was ninety-four. (2)_______ Joanna nor her
husband had ever been allowed to read any of these diaries, but because their relative was
a woman (3)_______ strong opinions, they thought they would be interesting.
The point of writing to me was to ask my advice. Joanna had read a memoir I’d
written about my own mother and grandmother, two ordinary women with (4)______
claim to fame, and it had made her wonder if there was some value in the diaries
(5)_______ a social document. Could I suggest (6)________ might be done with them?
I suggested that a university might be interested and enclosed various names and
addresses. I said the thought of someone keeping a diary over such (7)______ length of
time, so neatly covering most of a century, was (8)________ itself extraordinary, and I
would love to read them myself. Joanna replied saying that this was what she had hoped.
(9)________ is, that I myself might be intrigued enough to want to (10)_______
something of them. I hadn’t, in fact, mean that, but once it had been suggested I began to
toy with the prospect.
III. Read the following passage and choose the best answer to each question. (10 points)
Madison Square Garden, a world-famous sporting venue in New York City, has
actually been a series of buildings in varied locations rather than a single building in one
spot. In 1873. P. T. Barnum built Barnum's Monster Classical and Geological Hippodrome
at the corner of Madison Avenue and 26th Street, across from Madison Square Park. Two
years later bandleader Patrick Gilmore bought the property, added statues and fountains
and renamed it Gilmore's Gardens. When Cornelius Vanderbilt bought the property in
1879, it was renamed Madison Square Garden.
A second very lavish Madison Square Garden was built at the same location in
1890, with a ballroom. a restaurant, a theater, a rooftop garden, and a main arena with
seating for 15,000. However, this elaborate Madison Square Garden lasted only until 1924,
when it was torn down to make way for a forty-story skyscraper.
When the second Madison Square Garden had been replaced in its location
across from Madison Square Park. boxing promoter Tex Rickard raised six million dollars
to build a new Madison Square Garden. This new Madison Square Garden was constructed

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in a different location on 8th Avenue and 50th Street and quite some distance from
Madison Square Park and Madison Avenue. Rickard's Madison Square Garden served
primarily as an arena for boxing prizefights and circus events until it outgrew its
usefulness by the late 1950s.
A new location was found for a fourth Madison Square Garden. atop
Pennsylvania Railroad Station, and plans were announced for its construction in 1960.
This current edifice, which includes a huge sports arena. a bowling center. a 5,000-seat
amphitheater, and a twenty-nine-story office building, does retain the traditional name
Madison Square Garden. However, the name is actually quite a misnomer. The building is
not located near Madison Square, nor does it have the flowery gardens that contributed to
the original name

1. The main point of this passage is that Madison Square Garden

(A) has had a varied history in various locations (B) was P. T. Barnum's
major accomplishment
(C) is home to many different sporting events (D). was named after an adjacent park
2. Which paragraph discusses the third incarnation of Madison Square Garden?
(A) The first paragraph (B) The second paragraph
(C) The third paragraph (D). The last paragraph
3. What is a "venue"?
(A) A place where people come together (B) An event in a competition
(C) An exhibit of various products (D). An invitation to a
program
4. According to the passage, Patrick Gilmore did all of the following EXCEPT that he
(A) purchased the property at the corner' of Madison Avenue and 26th Street
(B) made improvements to the property that he bought
(C) named the property that he bought Madison Square Garden
(D) sold the property to Cornelius Vanderbilt
5. The word "lavish" is closest in meaning to

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(A) simple (B) modern (C) elaborate (D)
outlandish
6. How long did the second Madison Square Garden last?
(A) 11 years (B) 34 years (C) 45 years (D) 60years
7. The word “it” in the third paragraph refers to
(A). circus events (B). arena (C). Square Garden (D). Square Park
8. Which of the following would most likely have taken place at Rickard's Madison Square
Garden?
(A) A ballroom dance (B) A theater production
(C) A basketball game (D) A tiger show
9. The word "edifice" is most likely
(A) an address (B) an association
(C) a component (D) a building
10. What can be inferred about the current Madison Square Garden?
(A) It is on Madison Avenue. (B) It is across from
Madison Square Park.
(C) It has incredible gardens (D) It is above a transportation center.
IV. Read the following passage then do the tasks that follow. (15 pts)
HOW DOES THE BIOLOGICAL CLOCK TICK?
A Our life span is restricted. Everyone accepts this as 'biologically' obvious. ‘Nothing
lives for ever!’ However, in this statement we think of artificially produced, technical
objects, products which are subjected to natural wear and tear during use. This leads to the
result that at some time or other the object stops working and is unusable ('death' in the
biological sense). But are the wear and tear and loss of function of technical objects and
the death of living organisms really similar or comparable?
B Our ‘dead’ products are ‘static’, closed systems. It is always the basic material
which constitutes the object and which, in the natural course of things, is worn down and
becomes 'older’. Ageing in this case must occur according to the laws of physical
chemistry and of thermodynamics. Although the same law holds for a living organism, the

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result of this law is not inexorable in the same way. At least as long as a biological system
has the ability to renew itself it could actually become older without ageing; an organism
is an open, dynamic system through which new material continuously flows. Destruction
of old material and formation of new material are thus in permanent dynamic equilibrium.
The material of which the organism is formed changes continuously. Thus our bodies
continuously exchange old substance for new, just like a spring which more or less
maintains its form and movement, but in which the water molecules are always different.
C Thus ageing and death should not be seen as inevitable, particularly as the organism
possesses many mechanisms for repair. It is not, in principle, necessary for a biological
system to age and die. Nevertheless, a restricted life span, ageing, and then death are basic
characteristics of life. The reason for this is easy to recognise: in nature, the existent
organisms either adapt or are regularly replaced by new types. Because of changes in the
genetic material (mutations) these have new characteristics and in the course of their
individual lives they are tested for optimal or better adaptation to the environmental
conditions. Immortality would disturb this system - it needs room for new and better life.
This is the basic problem of evolution
D Every organism has a life span which is highly characteristic. There are striking
differences in life span between different species, but within one species the parameter is
relatively constant. For example, the average duration of human life has hardly changed in
thousands of years. Although more and more people attain an advanced age as a result of
developments in medical care and better nutrition, the characteristic upper limit for most
remains 80 years. A further argument against the simple wear and tear theory is the
observation that the time within which organisms age lies between a few days (even a few
hours for unicellular organisms) and several thousand years, as with mammoth trees.
E If a lifespan is a genetically determined biological characteristic, it is logically
necessary to propose the existence of an internal clock, which in some way measures and
controls the aging process and which finally determines death as the last step in a fixed
programme. Like the fife span, the metabolic rate has for different organisms a fixed
mathematical relationship to the body mass. In comparison to the life span this relationship

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is ‘inverted’: the larger the organism the lower its metabolic rate. Again this relationship is
valid not only for birds, but also, similarly on average within the systematic unit, for all
other organisms (plants, animals, unicellular organisms).
F Animals which behave ‘frugally’ with energy become particularly old for example,
crocodiles and tortoises. Parrots and birds of prey are often held chained up. Thus they are
not able to ‘experience life’ and so they attain a high life span in captivity. Animals which
save energy by hibernation or lethargy (e.g. bats or hedgehogs) live much longer than
those which are always active, The metabolic rate of mice can be reduced by a very low
consumption of food (hunger diet) They then may live twice as long as their well fed
comrades. Women become distinctly (about 10 per cent) older than men. If you examine
the metabolic rates of the two sexes you establish that the higher male metabolic rate
roughly accounts for the lower male life span. That means that they live life ‘energetically’
- more intensively, but not for as long.
G It follows from the above that sparing use of energy reserves should tend to extend
life. Extreme high performance sports may lead to optimal cardiovascular performance,
but they quite certainly do not prolong life. Relaxation lowers metabolic rate, as does
adequate sleep and in general an equable and balanced personality. Each of us can develop
his or her own ‘energy saving programme’ with a little self observation, critical self-
control and, above all, logical consistency. Experience will show that to live in this way
not only increases the life span but is also very healthy. This final aspect should not be
forgotten.
The Reading Passage has seven paragraphs, A-G,
For question 1-6, choose the correct heading for paragraphs A-G from the list of
headings below.
Write the correct number, i-x, in the corresponding numbered boxes.

LIST OF HEADINGS

i The biological clock

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 ii Why dying is beneficial
iii The ageing process of men and women
iv Prolonging your life
v Limitations of life span
vi Modes of development of different species
vii A stable life span despite improvements
viii Energy consumption
ix Fundamental differences in ageing of objects and
x organisms
Repair of genetic material

Example answer: Paragraph A: v

Your answers
1. Paragraph B 2. Paragraph C 3. Paragraph D
…............. …............. ….............
4. Paragraph E 5. Paragraph F 6. Paragraph G
…............. …............. ….............
Questions 7-10, complete the notes below
Choose NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS from the passage for each answer. Write your
answers in boxes 7-10
 Objects age in accordance with principles of (7) __________ and of (8) _________
 Through mutations, organisms can (9) __________ better to the environment
 (10) __________ would pose a serious problem for the theory of evolution

SECTION 4: WRITING (60 points)

I. Write the new sentences using the words in brackets. Do not alter the given words in
any way. (10 points)
1. “I think the whole idea is ridiculous.”, he said. (being)
He dismissed ____________________________________________________

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2. The disagreement was a lot of a fuss about nothing. (teacup)
The disagreement ________________________________________________
3. Sorry, you can’t do whatever you want. (pick)
Sorry, you are not in _______________________________________________
4. You should not open the door for any reason. (no)
Under ___________________________________________________________
5. Her lateness made the boss angry. (bananas)
It was because of _________________________________________________
II. Rewrite the following sentences, keeping their meaning unchanged, beginning
with the words given. (10 points)
1. You must never mention this to him
Under …………………………………………………………………………….
2. His condition improved so rapidly that he went home four days after the operation.
There ……………………………………………………………………………...
3. Children learn a lot about how to behave in a situation like this.
Only ....................................................................................................……
4. It wasn’t my fault that she lost the money.
Through ................................................…………………………………………….
5. The chances are that the whole thing will have been forgotten by next term.
In all ……………………………………………………………………………...
IV. Essay writing: (30 points)
Write an essay of about 250 words to express your opinion on the following topic:
With the development of online communication, people will never be alone and
will always be able to make new friends. To what extent do you agree?

Người ra đề: Phạm Thị Diệu Thu

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 Chữ kí: …………………………
SĐT: 0985 791 820

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