PAGE TÀI LIỆU TIẾNG ANH NÂNG CAO KỲ THI HỌC SINH GIỎI VÒNG TỈNH THPT

ĐỀ THI THỬ HSG TỈNH SỐ 02 NĂM 2020

Môn thi: TIẾNG ANH

Thời gian thi: 180 phút (không kể thời gian giao đề)
Ngày thi:
Đề thi có 15 trang

* Thí sinh không được sử dụng tài liệu, kể cả từ điển

* Giám thị không giải thích gì thêm.
I. LISTENING (50 POINTS)

Part 1. For questions 1-9, listen to a radio interview with a ghost hunter called Carlene Belfort and
decide whether these statements are True (T) or False (F). Write your answers in the corresponding
numbered boxes provided.
1. Carlene’s parents encouraged her to become a professional ghost hunter.
2. She believes a ghost hunter needs to possess a special power.
3. She mostly works for people who want reassurance.
4. Whenever ghosts are present, she feels them touching her hair.
5. There was one time when evils made her camera stop working.
6. She is most afraid when things move on their own accord.
7. She doesn’t understand why some scientists do not believe her.
8. She wants sceptics to experience a ghost hunt for themselves.
9. She feels she is providing a real service.

Your answers
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9.

Part 2. For questions 10-15, listen to a listen to a recording about someone giving advice on how to
ask their boss for a pay rise and choose the correct answer A, B or C which fits best according to
what you hear. Write your answers in the corresponding numbered boxes provided.
10. The key factor when asking for a pay rise is
A. voicing your demands in a convincing way.
B. making it clear you feel undervalued.
C. proving you are an asset in the business.
D. comparing yourself to the rest of the staff.
11. If you have any failings, you should
A. check that no one knows about them.
B. put them right gradually so that it is not too obvious.
C. accentuate your strengths, such as punctuality.
D. make sure your boss likes you as a person.
12. When preparing what to say in your salary negotiation
A. put yourself in your superior's shoes.
B. do not forget that you really need that extra money.
C. make a list of all the points in your favor.
D. focus on what you can do for the company in the future.
13. What should you do if your boss raises objections to your pay rise?
A. pre-empt them by raising them yourself and giving a counter argument
B. make sure you can quote company rules to him or her
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C. appreciate that your boss is only doing his or her job
D. accept any offer as it is better than nothing
14. During salary negotiations, it is important to
A. mention that the company is very successful.
B. ensure your boss is aware that you are taking these negotiations seriously.
C. arrange to see your boss early in the day when he or she is fresh.
D. try not to put your boss in an awkward position.
15. What should you do if you do not get a pay rise or as much as you wanted?
A. be prepared for a long drawn-out conflict
B. know that you might have to resign as a matter of principle
C. either have an alternative or ask for constructive criticism
D. either get a colleague to back you up or talk to your boss again soon

Your answers
10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15.

Part 3. For questions 16-25, listen to a lecture about dust storms and supply the blanks with the
missing information. Write NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS taken from the recording for each
answer in the space provided.
Main focus of lecture: the impact of 16_________ on the occurrence of dust storms.
• Two main types of impact:
A) break up ground surface, e.g. off-road vehicle use
B) remove protective plants, e.g. 17________ and__________

Name of area Details

USA ‘dust bowl Caused by mismanagement of farmland
Decade renamed the 18_____________
West Africa Steady rise in dust storms over 20-year period

Arizona Worst dust clouds arise from 19_______________

Dust deposits are hazardous to 20_______________
Sahara Increased wind erosion has occurred along with long-
term 21___________

Drying-up of Aral Sea

Intensive 22_____________ in Central Asian Republics
Drop in water in major tributaries
Total volume of water in lake reduced by 23________________
Increase in wind-blown material
Lake has become more 24_______________
Serious effects on 25______________nearby

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II. PHONETICS (10 POINTS)
26. The spacecraft _________ into space and then spent three days getting to the Moon.
a. hurled b. threw c. blasted d. orbited
27. Did you ever realise you have an uncanny _________ of coming down to the kitchen
just as I am about to serve dinner? Very strange!
a. habit b. knack c. trick d. routine
28. __________ on by my husband, I applied for the job I had always dreamt of having.
a. begged b. obliged c. urged d. pleaded
29. __________ by both financial and emotional problems, the father decided he had had
enough and slipped away from the house quietly at dawn.
a. pressured b. beset c. filled d. drowned
30. I felt let down by a very unsupportive boardroom, ___________ by the very
chairman himself, Wilson Gray. I had no choice but to resign.
a. at most b. not least c. not with standing d. henceforth
31. Out upon the cloud covered hills, we only caught the occasional glimpse of the town
lights ___________ far below in the valley.
a. sparkling b. glimmering c. flashing d. beaming
32. After a month, I will ___________ the ropes and won't keep bothering you for help.
a. show b. learn c. get d. finish
33. The young rookie scored over 20 goals in his first year, taking the whole league by
__________.
a. force b. example c. storm d. assault
34. Hubert ___________ remembered locking the door and couldn't understand how it
was now standing wide open.
a. distinctly b. sharply c. totally d. utterly
35. If you are looking for Sheila, she is over in the corner of the library with her head
___________ in her books.
a. covered b. entombed c. buried d. drowned

Your answers
26. 27. 28. 29. 30. 31. 32. 33. 34. 35.

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III. LEXICO-GRAMMAR (40 POINTS)

Part 1. For questions 36-55, choose the correct answer A, B, C or D to each of the following
questions and write your answers in the corresponding numbered boxes provided.
36. It has been suggested that Mary ______________ a computer course in preparation for a steady job.
A. takes B. took
C. take D. will take
37. Mr Black: “I‘d like to try on these shoes, please.”
Salesgirl: “________________.”
A. By all means. sir. B. That’s right, sir.
C. Why not? D. I’d love to.
38. This project is ________________ for an introductory-level class.
A. too much really hard B. much too really hard
C. really much too hard D. really hard too much
39. The problem is not with the new design________________, but rather the way it is marketed.
A. with or without itself B. in and of itself
C. just by itself D. all by itself
40. Nowadays, with the help of the computer, teachers have developed a ________________ approach
to teaching.
A. multilateral B. multilingual C. multiple-choice D. multimedia
41. There has been growing public concern about the use of chemicals in food _____________ recently.
A. preservation B. protection C. reservation D. conservation
42. My sunburnt nose made me feel rather ________________for the first few days of the holiday.
A. self-effacing B. self-centred C. self-conscious D. self-evident
43. The extensive winds that have been ________________ Florida will move away as the weekend
draws to a close.
A. battering B. punching C. cracking D. thumping
44. The company management decided to ___________ more workers to meet the production schedule.
A. take on B. make out C. take over D. make up
45. At first the children enjoyed the game but quite soon the novelty ________________.
A. went off B. died out C. wore off D. died down
46. To get his proposal accepted, the Finance Manager had to _______ heavy pressure from colleagues.
A. fend off B. laugh off C. send off D. push off
47. The football club decided to ________________ the team with a couple of world class players.
A. beef up B. butter up C. dredge up D. drum up
48. When I asked her where her brother was, she just _______________ her shoulders and looked away.
A. shrugged B. clenched C. rolled D. nodded
49. Unfortunately, as he had no qualifications, all he could find was a ________________ job.
A. minor B. petty C. slight D. menial
50. Richard is ________________ confident, and this has helped him climb the corporate ladder.
A. acutely B. blissfully C. supremely D. immensely
51. I'm sorry I didn't call you back sooner; it totally ________________ my mind.
A. boggled B. slipped C. crossed D. faded
52. I wish I hadn’t said it. If only I could ________________.
A. turn the clock round B. turn the clock down
C. turn the clock back D. turn the clock forward
53. I can't stand his behaviour. It is very easy for him to ________________ off the handle.
A. rush B. jump C. move D. fly
54. Unions accept free accommodation and travel, yet they would scream ________________ murder if
the same was received by politicians.
A. red B. blue C. yellow D. black
55. I grew up in California, so when I moved to Minnesota, I felt like I stuck out ________________.
A. a kilometre B. an inch C. a yard D. a mile

Your answers
36. 37. 38. 39. 40. 41. 42.
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43. 44. 45. 46. 47. 48. 49.
50. 51. 52. 53. 54. 55.

Part 2. For questions 56-60, write the correct form of each bracketed word in the numbered space
provided.
Historically called radium F, the element polonium-210 (Po-210) is a naturally-occurring radioactive
element that emits highly hazardous alpha particles. Po-210 was discovered in 1898 by Marie and Pierre
Curie. It is (56-EXCEED) ____exceedingly____________ rare in nature (tiny amounts exist in the soil
and in the atmosphere) and it does not (57-CUSTOM) __customably_----- customarily_____________
present a risk to humans. Today, Po-210 is studied in nuclear research laboratories where its high
radioactivity requires special handling techniques and (58-CAUTIOUS)___cautionary_-----
precautions____________. Po-210 is fantastically toxic but it does not represent a risk to human health,
as long as it remains outside the body. Internal exposure is the concern. In order to get into the human
body, Po-210 must be ingested or inhaled as It cannot pass through the skin.
It has been known since the 1960s that Po-210 is present in tobacco smoke as a contaminant. Tobacco
plants which are fertilised with phosphate fertilisers absorb Po-210 through their roots. Even though
direct root (59-TAKE) ___takings_------ uptake____________ of Po-210 by tobacco plants is small, Po-
210 is still estimated to cause some 11,700 lung cancer deaths annually worldwide. (60-DEPOSIT)
_____Deposition___________ of Po-10 from the atmosphere on tobacco leaves also results in elevated
concentrations of Po-210 in tobacco smoke.

Part 3. For questions 61-65, write the correct form of each bracketed word in the numbered space
provided.
61. The success of the company in such a (COMPETE) __competitive______________ market is
remarkable.
62. His was a (SPEND) _misspent______________ youth, devoted only to pleasurable pastimes and
pursuits.
63. It’s a terribly (FUNCTION) __dysfunctional__________ relationship; I don’t know why they’re still
together.
64. He was a modest and (ASSUME) ___unassuming_____________ man who never gave the
impression that he knew all the answers.
65. The one thing that can be said in favour is that it sends vegans and animal rights activists
(CANDLE) _incandescent_______________ with rage.

Part 4. For questions 66-75, find and correct 10 mistakes in the passage. Write them in the numbered
boxes provided.
In today busy world of sports competition the inborn talent for running fast or jumping high isn't enough
to get to the top. The extraordinary relationship between training techniques and technological
advancement has prompted revolutionary changes in the field of athletics as well as in other variety of
sports disciplines. The close cooperation between science and sportsmen themselves have provided a
fresh inspiration aimed at helping the athletes to advance their performance. The complicated
mechanisms of the human body are scrutinized in laboratories where competitors are welcomed to act
like useful consultants whose skill cannot be imitated by even the most sophisticated computer
programs. The remarkable development in sports achievements has been initiated and led to the sports
equipment designers - the shoe manufacturers in particular. This fresh scientific approach and the
impressive collaboration between technology and competitors have stimulated a dramatic progress in
attaining record results. Whereas the average weight of a sports shoe two decades ago amounted at 320
grammes, today its equivalence is about fifty per cent lighter. In consequence, sportsmen like marathon
runners can cover long distances much faster than they did a hundred years before. But it's not only the
professional competitors that have benefited from the astounding breakthrough in the sports equipment
technologies. Amateur joggers and keep-fit enthusiasts can also take tremendous advantages of the
enormous changes in the science of sport. The expectations and tastes of casual sportsmen are also

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running highly for the footgear and other accessories to guarantee maximum comfort and a betterment
in performance.

Your answers
66. 67. 68. 69. 70.

71. 72. 73. 74. 75.

III. READING (50 POINTS)

Part 1. For questions 76-85, fill each of the following numbered blanks with ONE suitable word and
write your answers in the corresponding numbered boxes provided.
The game of solving difficult puzzles has always filled people with the feeling of a profound
excitement. No 76.__doubt------ wonder_______, then, that the fascination of treasure hunting has
invariably been associated with the possibility of 77._achieving -------- realizing_________ the most
improbable dreams. According to what the psychologists claim, there is a little boy in every treasure
hunter. Yet, the chase of hidden valuables has recently become a serious venture with amateur and
professional seekers 78._equipped_________ with highly sophisticated devices like metal detectors,
radars, sonars or underwater cameras. What raises the adrenaline 79.__interest ------- level________ in
these treasure-obsessed fanatics are legends, myths, old maps and other variety of clues promising
immeasurable fortunes 80._stored_-------- buried________ beneath the earth's surface or drowned in the
ancient galleys. For many treasure hunters the struggle of hint searching is even more stimulating
81.__than________ digging out a treasure trove composed of golden or silver objects, jewellery and
other priceless artefacts. The job is, 82.___however_______, extremely strenuous as even the most
puzzling clues must be thoroughly analysed. Failures and misinterpretations occur quite frequently, too.
Yet, even the most unlikely clue or the smallest find is 83.__enough________ to reinforce the hunter's
self-confidence and passion. Indeed, the delight in treasure finding doesn't 84.__always________
depend on acquiring tremendous amounts of valuables. Whatever is detected, 85.____be______ it a
rusty sundial or a marble statue, brings joy and reward after a long and exhausting search.
Your answers
76. 77. 78. 79. 80.

81. 82. 83. 84. 85.

Part 2. For questions 86-95, read the text below and decide which answer A, B, C or D best fits each
gap. Write your answers in the corresponding numbered boxes provided.
Dogs can 86.__________ a range of impressive skills in their portfolio, from leading the blind to
carrying out mountain rescues to 87.__________ those with contraband goods at border control posts.
Unquestionably, they have extremely 88.__________ senses compared to humans and recently,
scientists have been investigating the precise 89.__________ of their talents in relation specifically to
their sense of smell. In short, they wanted to find out if man’s best friend could 90.__________ out
cancer.
Indeed, this notion has been around for a while, 91.__________ on the internet for the most part, where
anecdotal evidence abounds in the form of countless stories of family dogs persistently smelling certain
areas of their owner’s body, areas later shown to be cancerous. However, whilst the canine sense of
smell is unquestionably 92.__________, thus far at least, there appears to be little scientific
93.__________ for a canine cancer screening program.
The problem is that whilst studies have shown that dogs are right about cancer more often than could be
explained by pure chance, their 94.__________ rates are not high enough to make them reliable for
screening purposes.

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Therefore, sadly, whilst man’s best friend undoubtedly has some very impressive tricks in his repertoire,
he will not be turning up in cancer units any time soon other than to comfort his loved ones in their time
of 95.__________.
86 A. boast B. praise C. brag D. applaud
87 A. recommending B. condescending C. comprehending D. apprehending
88 A. broadened B. lengthened C. aggravated D. heightened
89 A. length B. extent C. coverage D. dimension
90 A. sense B. smell C. sniff D. scent
91 A. perpetuated B. commemorated C. conserved D. reserved
92. A. astounding B. resounding C. compounding D. abounding
93. A. motive B. basis C. footing D. concept
94. A. identification B. recognition C. detection D. diagnosis
95. A. distress B. appeasement C. harassment D. agitation

Your answers
86. 87. 88. 89. 90.

91. 92. 93. 94. 95.

Part 3. For questions 96-108, read the following passage and do the tasks that follow.

READING THE SCREEN

Are the electronic media exacerbating illiteracy and making our children stupid? On the contrary, says
Colin McCabe, they have the potential to make us truly literate.

The debate surrounding literacy is one of the most charged in education. On the one hand there is an
army of people convinced that traditional skills of reading and writing are declining. On the other, a host
of progressives protest that literacy is much more complicated than a simple technical mastery of
reading and writing. This second position is supported by most of the relevant academic work over the
past 20 years. These studies argue that literacy can only be understood in its social and technical
context. In Renaissance England, for example, many more people could read than could write, and
within reading there was a distinction between those who could read print and those who could manage
the more difficult task of reading manuscript. An understanding of these earlier periods helps us
understand today's `crisis in literacy' debate. There does seem to be evidence that there has been an
overall decline in some aspects of reading and writing — you only need to compare the tabloid
newspapers of today with those of 50 years ago to see a clear decrease in vocabulary and simplification
of syntax. But the picture is not uniform and doesn't readily demonstrate the simple distinction between
literate and illiterate which had been considered adequate since the middle of the 19th century.

While reading a certain amount of writing is as crucial as it has ever been in industrial societies, it is
doubtful whether a fully extended grasp of either is as necessary as it was 30 or 40 years ago. While
print retains much of its authority as a source of topical information, television has increasingly usurped
this role. The ability to write fluent letters has been undermined by the telephone and research suggests
that for many people the only use for writing, outside formal education, is the compilation of shopping
lists.

The decision of some car manufacturers to issue their instructions to mechanics as a video pack rather
than as a handbook might be taken to spell the end of any automatic link between industrialization and
literacy. On the other hand, it is also the case that ever-increasing numbers of people make their living
out of writing, which is better rewarded than ever before. Schools are generally seen as institutions
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where the book rules — film, television and recorded sound have almost no place; but it is not clear that
this opposition is appropriate. While you may not need to read and write to watch television, you
certainly need to be able to read and write in order to make programmes.

Those who work in the new media are anything but illiterate. The traditional oppositions between old
and new media are inadequate for understanding the world which a young child now encounters. The
computer has re-established a central place for the written word on the screen, which used to be entirely
devoted to the image. There is even anecdotal evidence that children are mastering reading and writing
in order to get on to the Internet. There is no reason why the new and old media cannot be integrated in
schools to provide the skills to become economically productive and politically enfranchised.

Nevertheless, there is a crisis in literacy and it would be foolish to ignore it. To understand that literacy
may be declining because it is less central to some aspects of everyday life is not the same as
acquiescing in this state of affairs. The production of school work with the new technologies could be a
significant stimulus to literacy. How should these new technologies be introduced into the schools? It
isn't enough to call for computers, camcorders and edit suites in every classroom; unless they are
properly integrated into the educational culture, they will stand unused. Evidence suggests that this is
the fate of most information technology used in the classroom. Similarly, although media studies are
now part of the national curriculum, and more and more students are now clamouring to take these
course, teachers remain uncertain about both methods and aims in this area.

This is not the fault of the teachers. The entertainment and information industries must be drawn into a
debate with the educational institutions to determine how best to blend these new technologies into the
classroom.

Many people in our era are drawn to the pessimistic view that the new media are destroying old skills
and eroding critical judgment. It may be true that past generations were more literate but — taking the
pre-19th century meaning of the term — this was true of only a small section of the population. The
word literacy is a 19th-century coinage to describe the divorce of reading and writing from a full
knowledge of literature. The education reforms of the 19th century produced reading and writing as
skills separable from full participation in the cultural heritage.

The new media now point not only to a futuristic cyber-economy, they also make our cultural past
available to the whole nation. Most children's access to these treasures is initially through television. It
is doubtful whether our literary heritage has ever been available to or sought out by more than about
5 per cent of the population; it has certainly not been available to more than 10 per cent. But the new
media joined to the old, through the public service tradition of British broadcasting, now makes our
literary tradition available to all.

Questions 96 – 99: Choose the appropriate letters A-D. Write your answers in the corresponding
numbered box provided.
96. When discussing the debate on literacy in education, the writer notes that
A. children cannot read and write as well as they used to.
B. academic work has improved over the last 20 years.
C. there is evidence that literacy is related to external factors.
D. there are opposing arguments that are equally convincing.
97. In the 4th paragraph, the writer's main point is that
A. the printed word is both gaining and losing power.
B. all inventions bring disadvantages as well as benefits.
C. those who work in manual jobs no longer need to read.
D. the media offers the best careers for those who like writing.

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98. According to the writer, the main problem that schools face today is
A. how best to teach the skills of reading and writing.
B. how best to incorporate technology into classroom teaching.
C. finding the means to purchase technological equipment.
D. managing the widely differing levels of literacy amongst pupils.
99. At the end of the article, the writer is suggesting that
A. literature and culture cannot be divorced.
B. the term 'literacy' has not been very useful.
C. 10 per cent of the population never read literature.
D. our exposure to cultural information is likely to increase.

Your answers
96. 97. 98. 99.

Questions 100 – 105: Do the following statements agree with the views of the writer in the passage?
Write your answers in the corresponding numbered box provided.
YES if the statement agrees with the writer
NO if the statement contradicts the writer
NOT GIVEN if it is impossible to say what the writer thinks about this
100. It is not as easy to analyse literacy levels as it used to be. NG
101. Our literacy skills need to be as highly developed as they were in the past. NG
102. Illiteracy is on the increase. T
103. Professional writers earn relatively more than they used to. F
104. A good literacy level is important for those who work in television. T
105. Computers are having a negative impact on literacy in schools. NG
Your answers
100. 101. 102. 103. 104. 105.

Questions 106 – 108: Complete the sentences below with words taken, from the passage. Use NO
MORE THAN THREE WORDS for each answer. Write your answers in the corresponding
numbered box provided.
In Renaissance England, the best readers were those able to read 106_____manuscript____________.
The writer uses the example of 107__tabloid and newspapers______________to illustrate the general
fall in certain areas of literacy.
It has been shown that after leaving school, the only things that a lot of people write are
108___shopping lists__________________.

Your answers
106. 107. 108.

Part 4. For questions 109-118, read the following passage and choose the answer A, B, C or D that
fits best according to the text. Write your answers in the corresponding numbered boxes provided.
In an effort to rekindle the dying embers of a once strong communal spirit, selected high schools are
piloting a community service scheme. This service directive requires students to complete a
predetermined number of field hours, sometimes as many as 60, to graduate. Those advocating it
perceive it as a unique opportunity to help young adults look beyond their personal needs, and concern
themselves with the needs of other less fortunate members of their community. Active involvement,
albeit compulsory, in community affairs is considered by them to be a good way to create awareness of
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social issues and promote communal values and ideals. Rather than existing as isolated individuals, we
need to form a dynamic group and pool our valuable resources to create a community that is proactive
and highly responsive to its needs. To do this we need to, once again, foster an interest in the general
well-being of our communities.
Our children need to be taught the significance of civic responsibility within a real-world context. It is
not enough to teach children about social issues prevalent in our societies today. This information is as
good as lost when taught in a static classroom. A practical, hands-on approach, on the other hand, where
children come into contact with real events and circumstances, will go a long way in broadening their
understanding of how people, regardless of background, are affected by them. This insight has the
potential to spawn feelings of altruism and empathy, which are the foundations of a strong social fabric
and important indicators of a collective conscience.
This incentive has been piloted by different districts with varying degrees of success. While nobody
doubts the value of community service, there are those who question the legitimacy of making it
compulsory. They are of the opinion that where it has failed it has done so because people,
notwithstanding age, cannot be forced to contribute. The crucial factor is interest which needs to be
generated so that involvement is voluntary, not forced.
109. Which best serves as the title for the passage?
A. The Value of Community Service B. A Community Affair
C. A More Proactive Community D. Interest: The Crucial Factor
110. What do we find out about the service directive in paragraph 1?
A. It involves only students who want to participate. B. It requires no less than 60 field hours.
C. It is experimental. D. Participants must be graduates.
111. What do schools hope to achieve by making community service compulsory?
A. to get all members of society interested in community affairs
B. to sensitise young individuals to the needs of other community members
C. to get students to resolve long-standing social problems
D. to help young individuals utilise social resources for their own benefit
112. The word “pool” in paragraph 1 is closest in meaning to __________
A. boost B. share C. manage D. reduce
113. What does the writer mean by 'responsive'?
A. capable of reacting quickly and favourably to problems that arise
B. capable of thinking carefully about issues
C. capable of foreseeing problems before they occur
D. capable of planning a particular course of action
114. Why is a real-world context essential in the teaching of civic responsibility?
A. It helps children comprehend the dynamics behind social occurrences and their impact.
B. It inevitably leads to altruistic sentiments.
C. It encourages interaction between like-minded individuals.
D. It is static by nature and therefore conducive to learning.
115. The word “them” in paragraph 2 refers to __________
A. communities B. social issues C. children D. feelings
116. What do we learn in paragraph 3 about the service directive?
A. It has met with unanimous approval.
B. It is widely regarded as the best way to bring about active involvement.
C. Its success depends on a crucial factor.
D. It is only feasible when young people are involved.
117. What does the writer mean by 'legitimacy' in paragraph 3?
A. the quality of being reasonable
B. the quality of being revolutionary
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C. the quality of being authentic
D. the quality of being possible
118. Which of the following can be inferred from the passage?
A. The scheme no longer makes community service a compulsory part.
B. The scheme is characterised by partly extended teaching outside of the classroom.
C. All participants in the scheme are altruistic and empathetic.
D. The majority of districts which implement the scheme enjoy great success.

Your answers
109. 110. 111. 112. 113.

114. 115. 116. 117. 118.

Part 5. In the passage below, seven paragraphs have been removed. For questions 119-125, read the
passage and choose from the paragraphs A-H the one which fits each gap. There is ONE extra
paragraph which you do not need to use. Write your answers in the corresponding numbered box
provided.
HELP GUIDE US THROUGH THE UNIVERSE
Sir Martin Rees, Astronomer Royal, launches this year's Young Science Writer competition

If you ask scientists what they're doing, the answer won't be 'Finding the origin of the universe', 'Seeking the
cure for cancer' or suchlike. It will involve something very specialised, a small piece of the jigsaw that builds up
the big picture.

119.

So, unless they are cranks or geniuses, scientists don't shoot directly for a grand goal - they focus on bite-sized
problems that seem timely and tractable. But this strategy (though prudent) carries an occupational risk: they
may forget they're wearing blinkers and fail to see their own work in its proper perspective.

120.

I would personally derive far less satisfaction from my research if it interested only a few other academics. But
presenting one's work to non-specialists isn't easy. We scientists often do it badly, although the experience
helps us to see our work in a broader context. Journalists can do it better, and their efforts can put a key
discovery in perspective, converting an arcane paper published in an obscure journal into a tale that can inspire
others.

121.

On such occasions, people often raise general concerns about the way science is going and the impact it may
have; they wonder whether taxpayers get value for money from the research they support. More intellectual
audiences wonder about the basic nature of science: how objective can we be? And how creative? Is science
genuinely a progressive enterprise? What are its limits and are we anywhere near them? It is hard to explain, in
simple language, even a scientific concept that you understand well. My own (not always effective) attempts

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have deepened my respect for science reporters, who have to assimilate quickly, with a looming deadline, a
topic they may be quite unfamiliar with.

122.

It's unusual for science to earn newspaper headlines. Coverage that has to be restricted to crisp newsworthy
breakthroughs in any case distorts the way science develops. Scientific advances are usually gradual and
cumulative, and better suited to feature articles, or documentaries - or even books, • for which the latent
demand is surprisingly strong. For example, millions bought A Brief History of Time, which caught the public
imagination.

123.

Nevertheless, serious hooks do find a ready market. That's the good news for anyone who wants to enter this
competition. But books on pyramidology, visitations by aliens, and suchlike do even better: a symptom of a
fascination with the paranormal and 'New Age' concepts. It is depressing that these are often featured
uncritically in the media, distracting attention from more genuine advances.

124.

Most scientists are quite ordinary, and their lives unremarkable. But occasionally they exemplify the link
between genius and madness; these 'eccentrics' are more enticing biographees.

125.

There seems, gratifyingly, to be no single 'formula' for science writing - many themes are still under-
exploited. Turning out even 700 words seems a daunting task if you're faced with a clean sheet of paper
or a blank screen, but less so if you have done enough reading and interviewing on a subject to become
inspired. For research students who enter the competition, science (and how you do it) is probably more
interesting than personal autobiography. But if, in later life, you become both brilliant and crazy, you
can hope that someone else writes a best-seller about you.

A. However, over-sensational claims are a hazard for them. Some researchers themselves 'hype up' new
discoveries to attract press interest. Maybe it matters little what people believe about Darwinism or
cosmology. But we should be more concerned that misleading or over-confident claims on any topic of
practical import don't gain wide currency. Hopes of miracle cures can be raised; risks can be either
exaggerated, or else glossed over for commercial pressures. Science popularisers perhaps even those
who enter this competition - have to be as sceptical of some scientific claims as journalists routinely are
of politicians.

B. Despite this there's a tendency in recent science waiting to be chatty, laced with gossip and
biographical detail. But are scientists as interesting as their science? The lives of Albert Einstein and
Richard Feyman are of interest, but is that true of the routine practitioner?

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C. Two mathematicians have been treated as such in recent books: Paul Erdos, the obsessive itinerant
Hungarian (who described himself as 'a machine for turning coffee into theorems') and John Nash, a
pioneer of game theory, who resurfaced in his sixties, after 30 years of insanity, to receive a Nobel
prize.

D. For example, the American physicist Robert Wilson spent months carrying out meticulous
measurements with a microwave antenna which eventually revealed the 'afterglow of creation' - the
'echo' of the Big Bang with which our universe began. Wilson was one of the rare scientists with the
luck and talent to make a really great discovery, but afterwards he acknowledged that its importance
didn't sink in until he read a 'popular' description of it in the New York Times.

E. More surprising was the commercial success of Sir Roger Penrose's The Emperor's New Mind. This
is a fascinating romp through Penrose's eclectic enthusiasms - enjoyable and enlightening. But it was a
surprising best seller, as much of it is heavy going. The sates pitch 'great scientist says mind is more
than a mere machine' was plainly alluring. Many who bought it must have got a nasty surprise when
they opened it.

F. But if they have judged right, it won't be a trivial problem - indeed it will be the most difficult that
they are likely to make progress on. The great zoologist Sir Peter Medawar famously described
scientific work as 'the art of the soluble'. 'Scientists,' he wrote, 'get no credit for failing to solve a
problem beyond their capacities. They earn at best the kindly contempt reserved for utopian politicians.'

G. This may be because, for non-specialists, it is tricky to demarcate well-based ideas from flaky
speculation. But its crucially important not to blur this distinction when writing articles for a general
readership. Otherwise credulous readers may take too much on trust, whereas hard-nosed skeptics may
reject all scientific claims, without appreciating that some have firm empirical support.

H. Such a possibility is one reason why this competition to encourage young people to take up science
writing is so important and why I am helping to launch it today. Another is that popular science writing
can address wider issues. When I give talks about astronomy and cosmology, the questions that interest
people most are the truly `fundamental' ones that I can't answer: 'Is there life in space?', Is the universe
infinite?' or 'Why didn't the Big Bang happen sooner?'

Your answers
119. 120. 121. 122. 123. 124. 125.

IV. WRITING (50 points)

Part 1. Write a summary of the passage within 140 words.
Super-recognisers
1
Hundreds of angry people took to the streets in London and at least ten other English cities in 2011. Petrol
bombs were thrown, buildings and vehicles destroyed and shops looted. Many of the rioters were caught on
CCTV cameras, but most of the images were poor and the perpetrators had covered their faces.
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Gary Collins, an off-duty policeman, was watching the London riots on TV. He immediately recognised several
people and cut his holiday short to help with identification. He ended up spending six months going through the
CCTV film and managed to identify 190 people, many from their eyes alone. His help was of decisive importance
in the investigation. Even with 200,000 hours of footage, facial recognition software managed to identify just
one person.
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3
Collins is no ordinary police officer. Soon after joining the police force, he realised he had a special gift: after
seeing a face briefly, he could remember it in detail years later. He is what is known as a super-recogniser. This
term was first used in 2009 when a study estimated that 1–2 per cent of the population have severe problems
recognising faces – called prosopagnosia or ‘face-blindness’ – and another 1–2 per cent are exceptionally good
at it. They can recall up to 95 per cent of faces they see, whereas an average person remembers about 20 per
cent.
4
London’s Metropolitan Police set up a unit of super-recognisers in 2015 after Collins’ success proved it could be
useful. It is the first of its kind in the world. Detective Chief Inspector Mick Neville of Scotland Yard, one of its
founders, had realised that there was a problem with CCTV back in 2008. CCTV film was not used efficiently in
the courts and did not seem to work as an effective deterrent. If criminals were captured on film, they knew
they were unlikely to be recognised.
5
Neville’s unit has changed all that. Since it started, the tiny team of six officers has made nearly a quarter of all
identifications in London, mainly by spending hours scanning film and photos. This is impressive, considering
that there are 32,000 police officers in the city. The team’s success relies on the ubiquity of CCTV; there are
thought to be more than four million cameras throughout Britain.
6
This winning combination of human skill and technology has helped convict criminals from shoplifters and
pickpockets to sex offenders and murderers. Offenders are very seldom convicted solely on the evidence of a
super-recogniser, but it is used to direct investigations. Many defendants plead guilty when they realise they
have been caught red-handed. Super-recognisers could be useful in many jobs such as security and passport
control. 

Part 2. The chart below shows figures for attendances at hospital emergency care departments in
Northern Ireland by age group in December 2016 and December 2017.

Attendances at emergency care departments per 1000-population

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Part 3. Write an essay of 300 words on the following topic:

Some people claim that tourism can help to bridge cultural gaps between peoples of different
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