Le Hong Phong High school Teacher-in-charge: Nguyen Thuy Lien

ELT Department

READING FOR MAIN IDEAS

Strategies
 The main idea is not always the first sentence in the paragraph or passage. It can also appear in the
middle or toward the end of a paragraph.
 When the main idea is not clear because each paragraph has a main point, combine all the main
points to get the main idea.
 Make sure the answer you select for the main idea question relates to the whole passage and
not just to one part of it. You can scan the passage to see whether the main idea you have
selected is discussed all through the passage.
 The wrong choices for main idea questions may be one of the following:
1. True statements that focus on one paragraph or a detail  TOO SPECIFIC
2. Statements that are too general and go beyond the passage  TOO GENERAL
3. Statements that are incorrect misinterpretations of the main idea  INCORRECT

Passage 1
The Hubble Space Telescope was named in honor of Edwin Hubble, a famous astronomer.
Hubble was born in 1889. His early life was quite ordinary. There is little hint of the remarkable work he
would eventually do. In fact, it appeared that Hubble was destined to be an athlete. He excelled in Math,
science and sports in high school. He won a scholarship to the University of Chicago, where he earned
another scholarship in physics. He graduated from the University of Chicago in 1910. He earned degrees in
both Math and astronomy. He then went to Oxford University in England to study law, not his real love,
astronomy, because of a promise he had made to his father. In 1913, he earned his degree in law and
returned to the U.S. to start his own law office. But after just one year, he returned to his true interest -
astronomy. He earned a doctorate in astronomy in 1917, then received an invitation to work at the Mt.
Wilson Observatory in California.
Hubble made four major contributions to astronomy. First, he found galaxies outside of ours. Second, he
developed a way of grouping galaxies. He could determine their age, shape, brightness, and distance. By
grouping galaxies, he made his third finding. He determined that galaxies are separate and take up unique
areas in space. His fourth finding was his most important. He found that universe was constantly expanding
or moving outward. This was a basis for the ‘Bing Bang Theory’.
Hubble received many honors and awards for his efforts; however, he never received the Nobel Prize
because there was no Nobel Prize given to the field of astronomy. He died in 1953.

What is the main idea of the passage?

A. The life and contributions of Hubble B. The history of astronomy
C. The development of the Hubble telescope D. Hubble’s school days

Passage 2
Louis Pasteur was born on December 27, 1822, in Dole, Jura, France, to a Catholic family of a poor
tanner. He was the third child of Jean-Joseph Pasteur and Jeanne-Etiennette Roqui. In 1827, the family
moved to Arbois, where he entered primary school in 1831. He was an average student in his early years,
and not particularly academic, as his interests were fishing and sketching. His pastels and portraits of his
parents and friends, made when he was 15, were later kept in the museum of the Pasteur Institute in Paris.
In 1838, he left for Paris to join the Institution Barbet, but became homesick and returned in November. In
1839, he entered the Collège Royal de Besançon and earned his BA degree in 1840. He was appointed
teaching assistant at the Besançon college while continuing a degree science course with special
mathematics. He failed his first examination in 1841. He managed to pass the general science degree in
1842 from Dijon but with a poor grade in chemistry. After one failed attempt for the entrance test for the
École Normale Supérieure in Paris in 1842, he succeeded in 1844. In 1845 he received the Bachelor of
Science degree. In 1846, he was appointed professor of physics at the Collège de Tournon, but he later
joined the scientist Balard and simultaneously started his research in crystallography and in 1847, he
submitted his two theses, one in chemistry and the other in physics. After serving briefly as professor of
physics at the Dijon Lycée in 1848, he became professor of chemistry at the University of Strasbourg, where
he met Marie Laurent, daughter of the university's principal in 1849. They were married on May 29, 1849,
and together had five children, only two of whom survived to adulthood; the other three died of typhoid.
These personal tragedies were his motivations for curing infectious diseases.

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Le Hong Phong High school Teacher-in-charge: Nguyen Thuy Lien
ELT Department

1. What is the passage about?

a. Louis Pasteur’s education b. Louis Pasteur’s biography
c. Louis Pasteur’s family d. What made up a famous Louis Pasteur
2. Why did Pasteur quit Institution Barbet?
a. He was homesick b. He preferred the Collège Royal de Besançon
c. He wanted to study for general science degree d. He was an average student
3. What were Pasteur’s interests in his schooldays?
a. Academic subjects b. Chemistry c. special Math d. fishing and
sketching
4. What job did he receive after graduating from Collège Royal de Besançon?
a. a teaching assistant b. a professor c. a researcher d. a painter
5. When did he enter the École Normale Supérieure?
a. In 1842 b. 1844 c. in 1845 d. in 1841
6. Which of the following statements is true?
a. He was an excellent student when he was small.
b. His wife was a university’s principal.
c. He worked as a professor of Physics in Dijon Lycée.
d. Two out of his five children died of a disease.
7. Which of the following statements is NOT true of Pasteur?
a. He was the third child of his family.
b. He never became a Professor of chemistry
c. What he portrayed was later kept in the museum of the Pasteur Institute in Paris
d. He came from France
8. What is considered his motivation for curing infectious diseases?
a. His children died of typhoid b. He met the scientist Balard
c. He followed a project in University of Strasbourg d. He had to submit his two theses
9. What does the word ‘briefly’ mean?
a. effectively b. mainly c. shortly d. steadily
10. Which of the following word or phrase is closest in meaning to the word ‘tragedies’?
a. financial problems b. worries c. failures d. sad events

Passage 3
Public holidays in the United Kingdom, commonly referred to as bank holidays, are days where most
businesses and non - essential services are closed although an increasing number of retail businesses
(especially the larger ones) do open on some of the public holidays. There are restrictions on trading on
Sundays and Christmas Day. Four public holidays are common to all countries of the United Kingdom. These
are: New Year's Day, the first Monday in May, Christmas Day, and Boxing Day. Some banks open on some
bank holidays. In Scotland, while New Year's Day and Christmas Day are national holidays, other bank
holidays are not necessarily public holidays, since the Scots instead observe traditional local customs and
practice for their public holidays. In Northern Ireland, once again, bank holidays other than New Year's Day
and Christmas Day are not necessarily public holidays. Good Friday and Christmas Day are common law
holidays, except in Scotland, where they are bank holidays. In Scotland the holiday on 1 January (or 2
January if 1 January is Sunday) is statutory, and 25 December is also a statutory holiday (or 26 December
if Christmas Day falls on a Sunday). Boxing Day is a holiday traditionally celebrated the day following
Christmas Day, when servants and tradesmen would receive gifts, known as a "Christmas box", from their
bosses or employers. Today, Boxing Day is the bank holiday that generally takes place on 26 December.
And 28 December only is given if Boxing Day is Saturday. Effectively what happens is that if a holiday falls at
the weekend, a substitute day is given in place.
Like Denmark, the United Kingdom has no national day holiday marked or celebrated for its formal founding
date. Increasingly, there are calls for public holidays on the patron saints'
days in England, Scotland and Wales. An online petition sent to the Prime Minister received 11,000
signatures for a public holiday in Wales on St. David's Day; the Scottish Parliament has passed a bill creating
a public holiday on St. Andrew's Day although it must be taken in place of another public
holiday; campaigners in England are calling for a bank holiday on St. George's Day; and in Cornwall, there
are calls for a public holiday on St. Piran's Day.

1. What is the main idea of the passage?

a. Boxing Holiday in the U.K. b. Public holidays in the U.K.
c. Weekend holiday d. Similar holidays in Europe
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Le Hong Phong High school Teacher-in-charge: Nguyen Thuy Lien
ELT Department

2. Which of the following is NOT regarded as a common public holiday in the U.K.?
a. New Year's Day b. Boxing Day c. the 1st of May d. Christmas Day
3. Bank holidays besides New Year's Day and Christmas Day are not public holidays in Scotland because
_______.
a. the Scots observe traditional local customs b. Scotland does not belong to the U.K.
c. they are common law holidays d. the Scots celebrate Good Friday
4. What does the word “statutory” mean?
a. unnecessary b. frequent c. happening once d. compulsory
5. How did the Boxing Day get its name?
a. People love watching boxing on that day .
b. Everything is boxed on that day.
c. People receive gifts called "Christmas box" from bosses.
d. "Christmas box" is sent to everybody’s home.
6. The British people will get 28 December off if ___________.
a. Boxing Day is Saturday b. there are not enough holidays
c. Xmas Day is Sunday d. New Year's Day is Saturday
7. What did the U.K. share in common with Denmark?
a. It does not celebrate Boxing Day. b. It was founded on the same day.
c. It has no national day holiday. d. It sends online petition.
8. Which of the following statements is wrong about the U.K.?
a. All businesses close on public holidays. b. There are 4 common public holidays.
c. Xmas Day is a bank holiday in Scotland. d. 26th December is Boxing Day.
9. Which place has made a patron saint’s day a holiday?
a. Wales b. England c. Cornwall d. Scotland
10. Which patron saint’s day do the English people campaign for as a bank holiday?
a. St. David's Day b. St. Piran's Day c. St. George's Day d. St. Andrew's Day

Passage 4
Man is a land animal, but he is also closely tied to the sea. Throughout history, the sea has served the needs
of man. The sea has provided man with food and convenient way to travel to many parts of the world.
Today, nearly two thirds of the world’s population lives within 80 kilometers of the sea coast.
In the modern technological world, the sea offers many resources to help man survive. Resources on land
are beginning to be used up. The sea, however, still can be hoped to supply many man’s needs. The list of
riches of the sea yet to be developed by man’s technology is impressive. Oil and gas explorations have been
carried out for nearly 30 years. Valuable amounts of minerals exist on the ocean floor are ready to be mined.
Fish farming promises to be a good way to produce large quantities of food. The culture of fish and shellfish
is an ancient skill practiced in the past mainly by Oriental people.
Besides oil and gas, the sea may offer new sources of energy. Experts believe that the warm temperature of
the ocean can be used in a way similar to the steam in a steamship. Ocean currents and waves offer
possible use as a source of energy.
Technology is enabling man to explore ever more deeply under the sea. The development of strong, new
materials has made this possible. The technology to harvest the sea continues to improve. Experts believe
that the problems that prevent us from exploiting fully the food, minerals, and energy source of the sea will
largely be solved.

1. The major things that the sea offers man are __________.
a. fish and oil b. minerals and oil
c. food, energy sources, and minerals d. ocean currents and waves
2. The sea serves the needs of man providing all of the following except _______.
a. food b. oil c. valuable sources d. modern technology
3. We can conclude from the passage that _______.
a. The sea resources have largely been used up
b. The sea, in a broad sense, has not yet been developed.
c. The problems that prevent us from fully exploiting the sea has already been solved
d. Technology is not good enough to exploit the sea resources.
4. The words ‘Oriental people’ means ________.
a. People in Asia b. people in Africa c. European people d. American people

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Le Hong Phong High school Teacher-in-charge: Nguyen Thuy Lien
ELT Department

5. The best title for this paragraph is _________.

a. Seafood b. Technology for Exploiting the Sea
c. Sea Harvest d. Man and the Sea
6. The word ‘currents’ is closest in meaning to ______.
a. water movements b. rains c. minerals d. tides
7. The word “harvest” can be replaced with ________.
a. explore b. manage c. collect d. exploit
8. Which of the following has been made use of for nearly 30 years?
a. seafood b. wave energy c. temperature d. oil and gas
9. Humans can use ocean currents and waves as _______.
a. energy b. technology c. culture of fish d. steam
10. Which of the following statements is true?
a. Exactly two thirds of the world’s population lives within 80 kilometers of the sea coast.
b. Sea resources are beginning to be used up.
c. The culture of fish and shellfish is an ancient skill.
d. Humans are looking for strong, new materials in the sea.
Passage 5
Taylor Swift is that rarest of pop phenomena: a superstar who managed to completely cross over from
country to the mainstream. Other singers performed similar moves -- notably, Dolly Parton and Willie Nelson
both became enduring mainstream icons based on their '70s work -- but Swift shed her country roots like
they were a second skin; She was perhaps the sharpest, savviest, populist singer/songwriter of her
generation.
Confidence had been apparent in Taylor Swift since the beginning. The daughter of two bankers -- her
father, Scott Kingsley Swift, works at Merrill Lynch; her mother Andrea spent time as a mutual fund
marketing executive -- Swift was born in Reading, Pennsylvania and raised in its suburb Wyomissing. She
began to show interest in music at the age of nine and Shania Twain was her biggest formative influence.
Swift started to work regularly at local talent contests, eventually winning a chance to open for Charlie
Daniels. Soon, she learned how to play guitar and began writing songs, signing a music management deal
with Dan Dymtrow; her family relocated to Nashville with the intent of furthering her music career. She was
just 14 years old but on the radar of the music industry, signing a development deal with RCA Records in
2004. Swift sharpened her skills with a variety of professional songwriters, forming the strongest connections
with Liz Rose. Taylor's original songs earned her a deal with Sony/ATV publishing but not long after that
2004 deal, she parted ways with Dymtrow and RCA, all with the intent of launching her recording career
now, not later.
1. Who is Taylor Swift compared to with her change from country music to the mainstream?
A. Dan Dymtrow B. Willie Nelson C. Liz Rose D. Shania Twain
2. Why did Taylor Swift’s family relocate in Nashville?
A. to further her music career B. to give her a chance to meet Liz Rose
C. to make a deal with Sony D. to sign a contract with RCA Records
3. Which statement is not true about Taylor Swift?
A. She grew up in Wyomissing
B. She wrote songs for the local talent contests
C. Her parents were bankers
D. Shania Twain influenced her
4. What is the main idea of the passage?
A. Taylor Swift’s albums B. Taylor Swift’s working period with RCA Records
C. Taylor Swift’s early career D. Taylor Swift’s transference from country music
5. What does the word ‘launching’ mean?
A. preparing B. controlling C. slowing D. developing
6. Which of the following is closest in meaning to ‘apparent’?
A. strong B. unpredictable C. obvious D. not enough

Passage 6
Tides are the waves caused due to the gravitational pull of the moon and also sun (though its pull is very
low). The rise is called high tide and fall is called low tide. This building up and receding of waves happens
twice a day and causes enormous movement of water. It is so powerful that it has caused many mishaps
and resulted in sinking of ships. Thus tidal energy forms a large source of energy and can be used in some
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Le Hong Phong High school Teacher-in-charge: Nguyen Thuy Lien
ELT Department

of the coastal areas of the world. Tidal dams are built near shores for this purpose. During high tide, the
water flows into the dam and during low tide, water flows out which result in turning the turbine.
Here are some of the advantages and disadvantages of tidal energy . Tidal energy is an inexhaustible source
of energy. It is friendly energy and doesn't produce greenhouse gases. Efficiency of tidal power is far greater
as compared to coal, solar or wind energy. Its efficiency is around 80%. Although cost of construction of
tidal power is high but maintenance costs are relatively low. Tidal Energy doesn’t require any kind of fuel to
run.
The life of tidal energy power plant is very long. However, the cost of construction of tidal power plant is
high. There are very few ideal locations for construction of plant and they too are localized to coastal regions
only. Intensity of sea waves is unpredictable and there can be damage to power generation units. Frozen
sea, low or weak tides, straight shorelines, low tidal rise or fall are some of the obstructions. This technology
is still not effective and more technological advancements are required to make it commercially viable.
Usually the places where tidal energy is produced are far away from the places where it is consumed. This
transmission is expensive and difficult.
1. What is the main idea of the passage?
A. The advantages and disadvantages of tidal energy B. The uses of tidal energy
C. What tidal energy is D. The limitations of tidal energy
2. Which of the following is not true as an advantage of tidal energy?
A. Its efficiency is as good as that of coal
B. There is no need for fuel to run it.
C. It is renewable energy
D. It does not cost much to maintain tidal power system
3. What is considered one of the limitations of tidal power?
A. enormous movement of water B. transmission knowledge
C. greenhouse effect D. frozen sea
4. What does the word ‘mishaps’ mean?
A. accidents B. messes C. storms D. phenomena
5. What will probably damage the generation units?
A. low tidal rise B. short life of tidal power plant
C. lack of technological advancements D. unexpected intensity of waves
6. Why is energy transmission expensive?
A. The technological equipment is costly
B. The construction cost of tidal power plants is high
C. The place of consumption is far from tidal power plants
D. The transmission is localized to coastal areas only
7. The word ‘viable’ is closest in meaning to
A. comfortable B. attractive C. cheap D. successful
Passage 7
Carbohydrates, which are sugars, are an essential part of a healthy diet. They provide the main source of
energy for the body, and they also function to flavor and sweeten foods. Carbohydrates range from simple
sugars like glucose to complex sugars such as amylose and amylopectin. Nutritionists estimate that
carbohydrates should make up about one-fourth to one-fifth of a person's diet. This translates to about 75-
100 grams of carbohydrates per day.
A diet that is deficient in carbohydrates can have an adverse effect on a person's health. When the body
lacks a sufficient amount of carbohydrates it must then use its protein supplies for energy, a process called
gluconeogenesis. This, however, results in a lack of necessary protein, and further health difficulties may
occur. A lack of carbohydrates can also lead to ketosis, a build-up of ketones in the body that causes fatigue,
lethargy, and bad breath.
1. What is the main idea of this passage?
A. Carbohydrates are needed for good health. B. Carbohydrates prevent a build-up of proteins.
C. Carbohydrates can lead to ketosis. D. Carbohydrates are an expendable part of a good diet.
2. The word "function" refers to which of the following?
A. neglect B. serve C. dissolve D. progress
3. The word "range" is closest in meaning to which of the following?
A. probe B. proceed C. hail D. extend
4. The word "estimate" could best be replaced by
A. disbelieve B. declare C. calculate D. wonder
5. According to the passage, what do most nutritionists suggest?
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Le Hong Phong High school Teacher-in-charge: Nguyen Thuy Lien
ELT Department

A. Sufficient carbohydrates will prevent gluconeogenesis.

B. Carbohydrates are simple sugars called glucose.
C. Carbohydrates should make up about a quarter of a person's daily diet.
D. Carbohydrates should be eaten in very small quantities.
6. Which of the following do carbohydrates NOT do?
A. prevent ketosis B. cause gluconeogenesis
C. provide energy for the body D. flavor and sweeten food
7. Which of the following words could best replace the word "deficient”?
A. outstanding B. abundant C. insufficient D. unequal
8. What does the word "this" refer to?
A. using protein supplies for energy B. converting carbohydrates to energy
C. having a deficiency in carbohydrates D. having an insufficient amount of protein
9. According to the passage, which of the following does NOT describe carbohydrates?
A. a protein supply B. a necessity C. a range of sugars D. an energy source
10. The word "lack" is most similar to which of the following?
A. plethora B. shortage C. derivation D. commission
Passage 8 (CD 2012)
One of the factors contributing to the intense nature of twenty-first-century stress is our continual
exposure to media – particularly to an overabundance of news. If you feel stressed out by the news, you are
far from alone. Yet somehow many of us seem unable to prevent ourselves from tuning in to an extreme
degree.
The further back we go in human history, the longer news took to travel from place to place, and the less
news we had of distant people and lands altogether. The printing press obviously changed all that, as did
every subsequent development in transportation and telecommunication.
When television came along, it proliferated like a population of rabbits. In 1950, there were 100,000
television sets in North American homes; one year later there were more than a million. Today, it’s not
unusual for a home to have three or more television sets, each with cable access to perhaps over a hundred
channels. News is the subject of many of those channels, and on several of them it runs 24 hours a day.
What’s more, after the traumatic events of September 11, 2001, live newscasts were paired with perennial
text crawls across the bottom of the screen – so that viewers could stay abreast of every story all the time.
Needless to say, the news that is reported to us is not good news, but rather disturbing images and sound
bytes alluding to disaster (natural and man-made), upheaval, crime, scandal, war, and the like.
Compounding the problem is that when actual breaking news is scarce, most broadcasts fill in with scare
stories about things that possibly might threaten our health, safety, finances, relationships, waistline,
hairline, or very existence in the future. This variety of story tends to treat with equal alarm a potentially
lethal flu outbreak and the bogus claims of a wrinkle cream that overpromises smooth skin.
Are humans meant to be able to process so much trauma – not to mention so much overblown anticipation
of potential trauma – at once? The human brain, remember, is programmed to slip into alarm mode when
danger looms. Danger looms for someone, somewhere at every moment. Exposing ourselves to such input
without respite and without perspective cannot be anything other than a source of chronic stress.
(Extracted from The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Beating Stress by Arlene Matthews Uhl -
Penguin Group 2006)
Question 1: According to the passage, which of the following has contributed to the intense nature of
twenty-first-century stress?
A. The degree to which stress affects our life B. Our inability to control ourselves
C. An overabundance of special news D. Our continual exposure to the media
Question 2: In the past, we had less news of distant people and lands because ______.
A. printing, transportation, and telecommunications were not developed
B. means of communication and transportation were not yet invented
C. most people lived in distant towns and villages
D. the printing press changed the situation too slowly
Question 3: The pronoun “them” in paragraph 3 refers to ______.
A. TV channels B. TV news C. television sets D. cable access
Question 4: The word “traumatic” in paragraph 4 is closest in meaning to ______.
A. fascinating B. upsetting C. exciting D. boring

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Le Hong Phong High school Teacher-in-charge: Nguyen Thuy Lien
ELT Department

Question 5: According to the passage, when there is not enough actual breaking news, broadcasts ______.
A. are full of dangerous diseases such as flu
B. send out live newscasts paired with text across the screen
C. are forced to publicise an alarming increase in crime
D. send out frightening stories about potential dangers
Question 6: As stated in the passage, a flu outbreak and the bogus claims of a wrinkle cream tend to
______.
A. be scarce breaking news B. involve natural and man-made disasters
C. be treated with equal alarm D. be warmly welcomed by the public
Question 7: Which of the following is NOT true, according to the passage?
A. The only source of stress in our modern life is the media.
B. Many TV channels supply the public with breaking news.
C. Many people are under stress caused by the media.
D. The news that is reported to us is not good news.
Question 8: The word “slip” in paragraph 6 is closest in meaning to ______.
A. fail B. bring C. release D. fall
Question 9: According to the passage, our continual exposure to bad news without perspective is obviously
______.
A. the result of an overabundance of good news
B. the result of human brain’s switch to alarm mode
C. a source of defects in human brain
D. a source of chronic stress
Question 10: What is probably the best title for this passage?
A. Developments in Telecommunications B. The Media – A Major Cause of Stress
C. More Modern Life – More Stress D. Effective Ways to Beat Stress

Passage 8 (UEE 2013 _ D1)

New surveys suggest that the technological tools we use to make our lives easier are killing our leisure
time. We are working longer hours, taking fewer and shorter vacations (and when we do go away, we take
our cell phones, PDAs, and laptops along). And, we are more stressed than ever as increased use of e-mail,
voice mail, cell phones, and the Internet is destroying any idea of privacy and leisure.
Since the Industrial Revolution, people have assumed that new labor-saving devices would free them
from the burdens of the workplace and give them more time to grow intellectually, creatively, and socially -
exploring the arts, keeping up with current events, spending more time with friends and family, and even
just ‘goofing off’.
But here we are at the start of the 21st century, enjoying one of the greatest technological boom times
in human history, and nothing could be further from the truth. The very tools that were supposed to liberate
us have bound us to our work and study in ways that were inconceivable just a few years ago. It would
seem that technology almost never does what we expect.
In ‘the old days’, the lines between work and leisure time were markedly clearer. People left their
offices at a predictable time, were often completely disconnected from and out of touch with their jobs as
they traveled to and from work, and were off-duty once they were home. That is no longer true. In today's
highly competitive job market, employers demand increased productivity, expecting workers to put in longer
hours and to keep in touch almost constantly via fax, cell phones, e-mail, or other communications devices.
As a result, employees feel the need to check in on what is going on at the office, even on days off. They
feel pressured to work after hours just to catch up on everything they have to do. Workers work harder and
longer, change their work tasks more frequently, and have more and more reasons to worry about job
security.
Bosses, colleagues, family members, lovers, and friends expect instant responses to voice mail and e-
mail messages. Even college students have become bound to their desks by an environment in which faculty,
friends, and other members of the college community increasingly do their work online. Studies of time
spent
on instant messaging services would probably show staggering use.
This is not what technology was supposed to be doing for us. New technologies, from genetic research
to the Internet, offer all sorts of benefits and opportunities. But, when new tools make life more difficult and
stressful rather than easier and more meaningful - and we are, as a society, barely conscious of it - then
something has gone seriously awry, both with our expectations for technology and our understanding of how
it should benefit us.
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Le Hong Phong High school Teacher-in-charge: Nguyen Thuy Lien
ELT Department

From “Summit 1” by Joan Saslow & Allen Ascher

Question 1: According to the first three paragraphs, technological tools that were designed to make our
lives easier ______.
A. have not interfered with our privacy B. have turned out to do us more harm than good
C. have brought us complete happiness D. have fully met our expectations
Question 2: Which of the following is NOT true about technological tools, according to new surveys?
A. They are being increasingly used. B. They are used even during vacations.
C. They make our life more stressful. D. They bring more leisure to our life.
Question 3: Which of the following is TRUE, according to the passage?
A. Students used to have to study more about technological advances.
B. People have more opportunities to get access to technological applications.
C. Employees were supposed to make technology do what they expected.
D. People now enjoy greater freedom thanks to the technological boom.
Question 4: The word “inconceivable” in the passage is closest in meaning to “______”.
A. unimaginable B. predictable C. foreseeable D. unforgettable
Question 5: With the phrase “at a predictable time”, the author implies that ______.
A. people were unable to foresee their working hours
B. people had to predict the time they were allowed to leave offices
C. people wanted to be completely disconnected from their work
D. people used to have more time and privacy after work
Question 6: The word “They” in the fourth paragraph refers to ______.
A. employers B. workers C. employees D. tasks
Question 7: Which of the following could be the main idea of the fifth paragraph?
A. New technological advances have added more stress to daily life.
B. New technological applications are wise entertainment choices of our modern time.
C. New technological advances have reduced work performance.
D. The coming of new technological advances has spoiled family and social relationships.
Question 8: Which of the following could best serve as the title of the passage?
A. Changes at the Workplace B. Research on the Roles of Computers
C. Benefits of Technology D. Expectations and Plain Reality

Passage 9
Watching for wildlife in the forest, we rarely see past the surface of things. Standing on the ground floor, we
scan the leafy rafters, entirely overlooking the living world in the soil beneath our feet.
The forests basement is a secret world. As different from our own world as water is from air, the soil seems
quiet, even dead. But life bustles down below: a cubic inch of topsoil may contain billions of creatures.
Predators and prey roam beneath as well as above the forest floor. Furthermore, those upstairs and
downstairs forest denizens live closely linked lives. Soil-dwelling bacteria and fungi break down dead
organic matter into molecules that above ground plants use for food. Those plants, as well as animals,
mature and die, leaving more organic matter to fuel the folks downstairs.
Like a well-insulated house, the soil protects its tenants from extreme temperatures, and from rain and
snow. It also provides a bulwark against predators that roam the surface world. But the dense, protecting
soil also limits mobility. Soil creatures must be specially equipped in order to travel easily through their dark,
constricting realm.
Earthworms and ants are the champion earth-movers, creating channels that allow air and water to enter
the soil. While ants travel relatively far from their nests, earthworms work small areas, reprocessing vast
amounts of soil into fertile "waste." In a single year, as much as 36 tons of soil may pass through the
alimentary tracts of all the earthworms living in an acre of soil.

1. The main topic of this passage is

(A) life in the forest soil (B) the life cycle of ants and worms
(C) a description of a forest scene (D) the habits of the forest animals
2. The word "bustles" is closest in meaning to
(A) continues (B) is very active (C) threatens (D) waits
3. It can be inferred from the passage that the forest soil is
(A) densely inhabited (B) sparsely inhabited
(C) devoid of life (D) unknown to man
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Le Hong Phong High school Teacher-in-charge: Nguyen Thuy Lien
ELT Department

4. According to the passage, what is the main function of bacteria and fungi?
(A) To help aerate the soil (B) To provide food for plant life
(C) To kill mature plants (D) To build walls in the soil
5. The word "bulwark" is closest in meaning to
(A) barrier (B) gateway (C) radar (D) tomb
6. According to the passage, the soil offers creatures who live underground protection from all of the
following EXCEPT
(A) enemies (B) bad weather (C) bacteria and fungi (D) extreme heat and cold
7. The word "constricting" is closest in meaning to
(A) damp (B) heavy (C) deep (D) limiting
8. According to the passage, it could be expected that ants
(A) move more earth than earthworms (B) are more mobile than earthworms
(C) live only above ground (D) perform similar functions to fungi
9. The word "reprocessing" is closest in meaning to
(A) transporting (B) arranging (C) converting (D) eliminating
10. The author uses which analogy to discuss the soil of the forest?
(A) A laboratory (B) A tunnel (C) A vehicle (D) A building

Passage 10 (UEE 2014/D1)

We live in a world of tired, sleep deprived people. In his book Counting Sheep, Paul Martin - a
behavioural biologist - describes a society which is just too busy to sleep and which does not give sleeping
the importance it deserves.
Modern society has invented reasons not to sleep. We are now a 24/7 society where shops and
services must be available all hours. We spend longer hours at work than we used to, and more time getting
to work. Mobile phones and email allow us to stay in touch round the clock and late-night TV and the
Internet tempt us away from our beds. When we need more time for work or pleasure, the easy solution is
to sleep less. The average adult sleeps only 6.2 hours a night during the week, whereas research shows that
most people need eight or even eight and a half hours' sleep to feel at their best. Nowadays, many people
have got used to sleeping less than they need and they live in an almost permanent state of 'sleep debt'.
Until the invention of the electric light in 1879 our daily cycle of sleep used to depend on the hours of
daylight. People would get up with the sun and go to bed at nightfall. But nowadays our hours of sleep are
mainly determined by our working hours (or our social life) and most people are woken up artificially by an
alarm clock. During the day caffeine, the world's most popular drug, helps to keep us awake. 75% of the
world's population habitually consume caffeine, which up to a point masks the symptoms of sleep
deprivation.
What does a chronic lack of sleep do to us? As well as making us irritable and unhappy as humans, it also
reduces our motivation and ability to work. This has serious implications for society in general. Doctors, for
example, are often chronically sleep deprived, especially when they are on 'night call', and may get less than
three hours' sleep. Lack of sleep can seriously impair their mood, judgment, and ability to take decisions.
Tired engineers, in the early hours of the morning, made a series of mistakes with catastrophic results. On
our roads and motorways lack of sleep kills thousands of people every year. Tests show that a tired driver
can be just as dangerous as a drunken driver. However, driving when drunk is against the law but driving
when exhausted isn't. As Paul Martin says, it is very ironic that we admire people who function on very little
sleep instead of criticizing them for being irresponsible. Our world would be a much safer, happier place if
everyone, whatever their job, slept eight hours a night.
New English File Upper-intermediate by Clive Oxenden and Christina Latham-Koenig, OUP
1. According to the passage, which of the following statements is TRUE about Paul Martin?
A. He shows his concern for sleep deprivation in modern society.
B. He describes the modern world as a place without insomnia.
C. He is a scientist who is chronically deprived of sleep.
D. He gives an interesting account of a sleepless society.
2. The phrase “round the clock” in the second paragraph is similar in meaning to ______.
A. surrounded with clocks B. having a round clock
C. during the daytime D. all day and night
3. The writer mentions the Internet in the passage as ______.
A. an easy solution to sleep deprivation B. a temptation that prevents us from sleeping
C. a factor that is not related to sleep deprivation D. an ineffective means of communication

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Le Hong Phong High school Teacher-in-charge: Nguyen Thuy Lien
ELT Department

4. According to the third paragraph, which of the following statements is NOT TRUE?
A. The electric light was invented in the 19th century.
B. The sun obviously determined our daily routines.
C. The electric light has changed our daily cycle of sleep.
D. Our social life has no influence on our hours of sleep.
5. The word “which” in the third paragraph refers to ______.
A. the world's population B. caffeine consumption
C. reaching a point D. masking the symptoms
6. Which of the following is TRUE, according to the last paragraph?
A. Sleep deprivation has negative effects on both individuals and society.
B. Doctors ‘on night call’ do not need more than three hours of sleep a day.
C. Thousands of people are killed every day by drunken drivers.
D. Our motivation decreases with the bigger number of hours we sleep.
7. The word “catastrophic” in the last paragraph probably means ______.
A. likely to become worthless B. becoming more noticeable
C. bound to bring satisfaction D. causing serious damage or loss
8. Which of the following would the writer of the passage approve of?
A. Both drunken drivers and sleep-deprived people should be criticized.
B. There is no point in criticizing irresponsible people in our society.
C. We certainly can function well even when we hardly sleep.
D. Our world would be a much safer place without drinkers.
9. All of the following are mentioned as those whose performance is affected by ‘sleep debt’ EXCEPT ______.
A. drivers B. doctors C. engineers D. biologists
10. Which of the following could best serve as the title of the passage?
A. A Well-known Biologist B. Sleep Deprivation: Causes and Effects
C. Accident Prevention: Urgent! D. A Society of Sleepless People

Passage 11 (UEE 2014/D1)

Centuries ago, man discovered that removing moisture from food helped to preserve it, and that the
easiest way to do this was to expose the food to sun and wind. In this way the North American Indians
produced pemmican (dried meat ground into powder and made into cakes), the Scandinavians made
stockfish and the Arabs dried dates and apricots.
All foods contain water - cabbage and other leaf vegetables contain as much as 93% water, potatoes
and other root vegetables 80%, lean meat 75% and fish anything from 80% to 60% depending on how fatty
it is. If this water is removed, the activity of the bacteria which cause food to go bad is checked.
Fruit is sun-dried in Asia Minor, Greece, Spain and other Mediterranean countries, and also in
California, South Africa and Australia. The methods used vary, but in general the fruit is spread out on trays
in drying yards in the hot sun. In order to prevent darkening, pears, peaches and apricots are exposed to the
fumes of burning sulphur before drying. Plums for making prunes, and certain varieties of grapes for making
raisins and currants, are dipped in an alkaline solution in order to crack the skins of the fruit slightly and
remove their wax coating, so increasing the rate of drying.
Nowadays most foods are dried mechanically; the conventional method of such dehydration is to put
food in chambers through which hot air is blown at temperatures of about 110°C at entry to about 45°C at
exit. This is the usual method for drying such things as vegetables, minced meat, and fish.
Liquids such as milk, coffee, tea, soups and eggs may be dried by pouring them over a heated
horizontal steel cylinder or by spraying them into a chamber through which a current of hot air passes. In
the first case, the dried material is scraped off the roller as a thin film which is then broken up into small,
though still relatively coarse flakes. In the second process it falls to the bottom of the chamber as a fine
powder. Where recognizable pieces of meat and vegetables are required, as in soup, the ingredients are
dried separately and then mixed.
Dried foods take up less room and weigh less than the same food packed in cans or frozen, and they
do not need to be stored in special conditions. For these reasons they are invaluable to climbers, explorers
and soldiers in battle, who have little storage space. They are also popular with housewives because it takes
so little time to cook them.
From Practical Faster Reading by Gerald Mosback and Vivien Mosback. CUP
1. What is the main idea of the passage?
A. Advantages of dried foods. B. Water: the main component of food.
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Le Hong Phong High school Teacher-in-charge: Nguyen Thuy Lien
ELT Department

C. Mechanization of drying foods. D. Different methods of drying foods.

2. The phrase “do this” in the first paragraph mostly means ______.
A. expose foods to sun and wind B. remove moisture from foods
C. produce pemmican D. moisten foods
3. The word “checked” in the second paragraph is closest in meaning to ______.
A. reduced considerably B. put a tick C. examined carefully D. motivated to develop
4. In the process of drying certain kinds of fruits, sulphur fumes help ______.
A. remove their wax coating B. kill off bacteria
C. maintain their color D. crack their skin
5. Nowadays the common method for drying vegetables and minced meat is ______.
A. spreading them out on trays in drying yards
B. dipping them in an alkaline solution
C. putting them in chambers and blowing hot air through
D. pouring them over a heated horizontal steel cylinder
6. What does the word “which” in the fourth paragraph refer to?
A. Vegetables B. Foods C. Things D. Chambers
7. The final product of the process of drying liquids that uses the first method will be ______.
A. small flakes B. fine powder C. dried soup D. recognizable pieces
8. Which of the following is NOT mentioned in the passage?
A. Liquids are not dried in the same way as fruits and vegetables.
B. Dried foods have several advantages over canned or frozen foods.
C. Fruit is usually dried by being laid out on trays in the sun.
D. People in India began to use drying methods centuries ago.
9. According to the passage, dried foods are most useful for ______.
A. explorers who are underweight B. soldiers who are not in battle
C. people who are on the move D. housewives who have little storage space
10. This passage is mainly ______.
A. argumentative B. analytical C. informative D. Fictional

Passage 12 (THPTQG 2019)

The first impressions are rather menacing. Visitors must sign in and show identification before being
allowed into the building. Such tight security gives one the feeling of entering a prison or some other
dangerous place. But what a deceptive first impression! Manhattan Comprehensive Night High School may
be the friendliest, most caring institution in all of New York City. A school of last resort for many of its
students, it is their best chance to turn their lives around, and make friends in the process. Manhattan
Comp, as it is called, is the first full-time night high school in America.
High school is compulsory until the age of sixteen in America, but many students drop out, either
before or after they reach sixteen, and before receiving their high school diplomas. Until now, night
education programmes for dropouts only provided the basics and then awarded an equivalency certificate.
But now, Manhattan Comp offers the total high school experience, complete with a ‘lunch’ break, physical
education and clubs. The students receive an academic diploma, which they say is more helpful in getting
a job than an equivalency certificate. More than sixty percent of Manhattan Comp’s students go on to
college.
Most of the school’s 450 students have either been expelled from or dropped out of other high
schools. Some have been in two or three schools before this one. What seems to make this school work
for these hard-to-place students is the staff and, most importantly, the principal. All students call him
Howard. As he walks through the building, he greets students by name, asks about their families or jobs
and jokes with them about the lack of variety in the school cafeteria.

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Le Hong Phong High school Teacher-in-charge: Nguyen Thuy Lien
ELT Department

Most students at Manhattan Comp are between eighteen and twenty-two years old. You must be at
least seventeen to enroll. The classes run from 5 to 11 p.m., Mondays through Thursdays, with all-day
enrichment programmes on Sundays which explore topics like playwriting, art and video production.
School terms are ten weeks long, which gives students the opportunity to take time off for family matters
or jobs. Most students already have some academic credits from previous schools, so instead of the
normal four years in high school, they spend between six months and two years at Manhattan Comp.

Question 1: Which best serves as the title for the passage?

A. Night Schools: A Passing Fad
B. Manhattan Comp: One of a Kind
C. The Success Story of a Typical American School
D. A Day in the Life of a Manhattan Comp Student
Question 2: What do Manhattan Comp students say about their academic diploma?
A. It demonstrates their superior academic competence.
A. It ensures their admission to well-known colleges.
B. It improves their chances of getting employed.
C. It reflects a more thorough schooling experience.
Question 3: How long does it generally take students to complete the education at Manhattan Comp?
A. Two years and a half B. From six months to two years
C. Four Years D. Ten weeks
Question 4: Which statement in NOT true, according to the passage?
A. Visitors to Manhattan Comp are required to go through certain security procedures.
B. Many students from Manhattan Comp have never had any formal schooling before.
C. The schooling experience at Manhattan Comp is likely to change the students’ lives for the better.
D. All of the students at Manhattan Comp are seventeen or above.

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