SỞ GD & ĐT BÌNH ĐỊNH ĐỀ ÔN HSG LỚP 11 NĂM 2020- 2021

TRƯỜNG THPT CHUYÊN MÔN: TIẾNG ANH - KHỐI 11

CHU VĂN AN Thời gian: 180 phút
Đề thi gồm: 18 trang

SECTION 1: LISTENING (50 points)

I. You will hear part of an interview with the astronaut Charles Duke, who is talking
about a trip to the moon. Listen and choose the correct answer. (10 points)
1. How did Charles feel about space travel as a boy?
A. He thought it was unlikely to happen.
B. He regarded it as more than science fiction.
C. He was fascinated by the idea of it.
D. He showed no particular interest in it.
2. What did Charles consider to be the hardest part of the training?
A. feeling trapped in the heavy spacesuit
B. endlessly practising the lunar surface landing
C. constantly being afraid of making a mistake
D. being unable to move his arms and hands
3. What was Charles’s reaction when he first found out he was going to the moon?
A. He realized he had to be cautious.
B. He felt proud to be given the opportunity.
C. He tried to control his excitement.
D. He reflected on his chances of survival.
4. How did the crew feel when they had landed on the moon?
A. They felt as if they were coming home.
B. They realized they had achieved something special.
C. They were afraid of what they might find on the surface.
D. They were worried about how they would take off again.
5. What does Charles feel was the most memorable part of his mission?
A. nearly falling into a crater
B. walking on the moon’s surface
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C. seeing things never seen before
D. holding a piece of the moon
II. 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.
III. You will hear a guide taking a group of visitors around a museum. Listen and
give short answers to the questions. Write NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS
AND/OR A NUMBER taken from the recording. (10 points)
1. When was the museum founded?
………………………………………………………………………
2. What can visitors find in the cellar storerooms?
………………………………………………………………………
3. What needs modernizing?
………………………………………………………………………
4. How long is the Rutland Dinosaur?
………………………………………………………………………
5. Which part of the Rutland Dinosaur was made of Polystyrene?
………………………………………………………………………
IV. Listen to a piece of BBC news about the World War One centenary and fill in the
missing information. Write NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS taken from the
recording for each answer in the spaces provided. (20 points)
People have criticised Germany's government for not doing enough to (1)
___________ the World War One centenary.

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 Germany hasn’t spent as much on events as some other (2) ________________
countries. And the events which have taken place have been seen as (3)
________________by critics.
Traditionally in Germany the First World War is (4)________________the Second
World War. History teaching in German schools tends to focus on (5)______________ of
the Nazis rather than what happened (6) ____________ earlier.
And since 1945 there's been a strong (7)_____________ in Germany to anything that
might be seen as (8) _______________ . So many people here are uncomfortable with any
anniversary of a war or a battle.
There's still (9)_________________ among historians about who was responsible for
World War One. But having spent the last 70 years atoning for Nazi guilt, many Germans
have (10)______________ to now take on the blame for the First World War, too.
SECTION 2: LEXICO - GRAMMAR (30 points)
I. Choose the word or phrase that best fits the gap in each sentence (10 points)
1. I was promised a good job from January this year, but it’s April now and I’m afraid that
they are just ____________ me along.
A. cheating B. swindling C. stringing D. bringing
2. Although we now believe this to be impossible, early scientists tried to produce ______
motion machines, that is, machines which would never stop.
A. perpetual B. everlasting C. undying D. forever
3. The company was so successful during the 1980s that it ________ 500 new employees
in a period of six months.
A. put on B. took on C. caught on D. laid on
4. Mr. Discontent wanted to complain to the waiter but was afraid of making a(n) ______.
A. act B. drama C. play D. scene
5. I could see the tip of his cigarette _________ in the darkness.
A. glowing B. sparkling C. gleaming D. glinting
6. Is an inexperienced civil servant __________ to the task of running the company?
A. capable B. skilled C. eligible D. suited

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7. After the concert, everyone had to ________ home through the snow.
A. trace B. tread C. trudge D. trickle
8. The students paid _________ attention to the distinguished professor.
A. respectable B. respected C. respectful D. respective
9. ____________, the people who come to this club are in their twenties and thirties.
A. By and large B. Although C. To a degree D. Virtually
10. He is late for every conference without _________.
A. suspicion B. fail C. doubt D. delay
II. The passage below contains 5 errors. IDENTIFY and CORRECT them. Write
your answers in the space provided in the column on the right. (5 points)
Line
1 Jazz, from its early roots in slave spirituals and the marching bands of New
2 Orleans, had developed into the predominantly American musical style by the
3 1930s. In this era, jazz musicians played a lush, orchestrated style known as swing.
4 Played in large ensembles, also called big bands, swing filled the dance halls and
5 nightclubs. Jazz, once considered risqué, was made more accessible to masses with
6 the vibrant, swinging sounds of these big bands. Then came bebop. In the mid-
7 1940s, jazz musicians strayed from the swing style and developed a more
8 improvisational method of playing known as bebop. Jazz was transformed from
9 popular music to elite art form. The soloists in the big bands improvised from the
10 melody. The young musicians who ushered in bebop, notably trumpeter Dizzy
11 Gillespie and saxophonist Charlie Parker, expanded through the improvisational
12 elements of the big bands. They played with advanced harmonies, changed chord
13 structures, and got chord substitutions. These young musicians got their starts with
14 leading big bands of the day, but during World War II—as older musicians were
15 drafted and dance halls made cut-backs—they started to play together in smaller
16 groups.

Line Error Correction

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III. Fill in each blank with an appropriate preposition or particle. (5 points)
1. I like this photograph so much that I’m going to have it blown _________.
2. Hardly anyone would have thought that the boxing champion would give ________
after the first round.
3. His business has gone ________ and he has lost everything.
4. As she didn’t have a lot of cash she bought the bridge _________ credit.
5. Queen Victoria reigned ___________ Britain and Ireland for over sixty years.
IV. Supply the correct form of the verbs in block capitals in brackets to complete the
passage. (10 pts)

Mount Mulanje
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 ACCESS
a 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 BREATH
around. The 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 MOUNTAIN
geography lies 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
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foothills, along clearly defined paths, is not overly (7)
………………..but may take up to a week. As the climate cools CHALLENGE
gradually, almost (8)………………………., with every few metres PERCEPTIBLE
of altitude gained, so the full (9)…………….………of fauna and DIVERSE
flora is revealed in all its (10)…………….. SPLENDID

SECTION 3: READING (60 points)

I. Read the text below and decide which answer (A, B, C or D) best fits each gap. (10
points)
MOUNTAIN RESCUE
Last year over 200 climbers were rescued from the mountains of Scotland alone by
local rescue teams, who go out in all weathers to do whatever they can to help when
disaster (1)________. These people are volunteers, giving their time and energy freely
and, on occasion, putting themselves in danger. They will risk life and (2)______ in an
emergency when they are called on to rescue foolhardy or unlucky climbers.
A whole (3)________ of things can go wrong up in the mountains. A storm can
(4)_______ up without warning, reducing visibility to virtually zero. Then only the most
experienced mountaineer could find their way back down to safety. And it is easy to come
to (5)________, breaking a leg - or worse. Many climbers owe a huge (6)_______ of
gratitude to the rescue teams!
While rescue teams work for no pay, there are considerable costs (7)_______ in
maintaining an efficient service. Equipment such as ropes and stretchers is of (8)________
importance, as are vehicles and radio communications devices. Though some of the costs
are (9)________ by the government, the rescue teams couldn't operate without donations
from the public. Fortunately, fundraising for a good cause like this is not difficult; anyone
who has ever been up in the mountains will gladly (10)_______ a contribution.
1. A. hits B. rises C. strikes D. arrive
2. A. limb B. blood C. bone D. flesh
3. A. scope B. extent C. range D. scale
4. A. brew B. arise C. whip D. lash
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5. A. agony B. trouble C. problem D. grief
6. A. recognition B. liability C. debt D. obligation
7. A. implied B. involved C. featured D. connected
8. A. lively B. vibrant C. essential D. vital
9. A. borne B. held C. carried D. fulfilled
10.A. make B. take C. do D. hand
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
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. (10 points)
COMMUNICATING WITH THE FUTURE

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 In the 1980s the United States Department of Energy was looking for suitable sites to
bury radioactive waste material generated by its nuclear energy programs. The government
was considering burying the dangerous wastes in deep underground chambers in remote
desert areas. The problem, however, was that nuclear waste remains highly radioactive for
thousands of years. The commission entrusted with tackling the problem of waste disposal
was aware that the dangers posed by radioactive emissions must be communicated to our
descendants of at least 10,000 years hence. So the task became one of finding a way to tell
future societies about the risk posed by these deadly deposits.
Of course, human society in the distant future may be well aware of the hazards of
radiation. Technological advances may one day provide the solutions to this dilemma. But
the belief in constant technological advancement is based on our perceptions of advances
made throughout history and prehistory. We cannot be sure that society won’t have slipped
backward into an age of barbarism due to any of several catastrophic events, whether the
result of nature such as the onset of a new ice age or perhaps mankind’s failure to solve the
scourges of war and pollution. In the event of global catastrophe, it is quite possible that
humans of the distant future will be on the far side of a broken link of communication and
technological understanding.
The problem then becomes how to inform our descendants that they must avoid areas
of potential radioactive seepage given that they may not understand any currently existing
language and may have no historical or cultural memory. So, any message indicated to
future reception and decipherment must be as universally understandable as possible.
It was soon realized by the specialists assigned the task of devising the communication
system that material in which the message was written might not physically endure the great
lengths of time demanded. The second law of thermodynamics shows that all material
disintegrates over time. Even computers that might carry the message cannot be expected to
endure long enough. Besides, electricity supplies might not be available in 300 generations.
Other media storage methods were considered and rejected for similar reasons.
The task force under the linguist Thomas Sebeok finally agreed that no foolproof way
would be found to send a message across so many generations and have it survive

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physically and be decipherable by a people with few cultural similarities to us. Given this
restriction, Sebeok suggested the only possible solution was the formation of a committee
of guardians of knowledge. Its task would be to dedicate itself to maintaining and passing
the knowledge of the whereabouts and dangers of the nuclear waste deposits. This so-
called atomic priesthood would be entrusted with keeping knowledge of this tradition alive
through millennia and developing the tradition into a kind of mythical taboo forbidding
people to tamper in a way with the nuclear waste sites. Only the initiated atomic
priesthood of experts would have the scientific knowledge to fully understand the danger.
Those outside the priesthood would be kept away by a combination of rituals and legends
designed to warn off intruders.
This proposal has been criticized because of the possibility of a break in continuity of
the original message. Furthermore, there is no guarantee that any warning or sanction
passed on for millennia would be obeyed, nor that it could survive with its original
meaning intact. To counterbalance this possibility, Sebeok’s group proposed a “relay
system” in which information is passed on over relatively short periods of time, just three
generations ahead. The message then to be renewed and redesigned if necessary for the
following three generations and so on over the required time span. In this way information
could be relayed into the future and avoid the possibility of physical degradation.
A second defect is more difficult to dismiss, however. This is the problem of social
exclusiveness brought about through possession of vital knowledge. Critics point out that
the atomic priesthood could use its secret knowledge to control those who are scientifically
ignorant. The establishment of such an association of insiders holding powerful knowledge
not available except in mythic form to nonmembers would be a dangerous precedent for
future social developments.
1. The word "chambers" in the passage is closest in meaning to
A. partitions B. openings C. cavities D. fissures
2. What problem faced the commission assigned to deal with the burial of nuclear waste?
A. How to reduce the radioactive life of nuclear waste materials
B. How to form a committee that could adequately express various nuclear risks

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 C. How to notify future generations of the risks of nuclear contamination
D. How to choose burial sites so as to minimize dangers to people.
3. In paragraph 2, the author explains the possible circumstances of future societies
A. to warn about the possible natural catastrophe
B. to question the value of advances
C. to highlight humankind's inability to resolve problems
D. to demonstrate the reason nuclear hazards must be communicated
4. The word "scourges" in the passage is closest in meaning to
A. pressures B. afflictions C. worries D. annoyances
5. In paragraph 4, the author mentions the second law of thermodynamics
A. to support the view that nuclear waste will disperse with time
B. to show that knowledge can be sustained over millennia
C. to give the basic scientific reason behind the breakdown of material objects
D. to contrast the potential life span of knowledge with that of material objects
6. The word "Its" in the passage refers to
A. knowledge B. committee C. solution D. guardians
7. In paragraph 5, why is the proposed committee of guardians referred to as the "atomic
priesthood"?
A. Because they would be an exclusive group with knowledge about nuclear waste
sites.
B. Because they would use rituals and legends to maintain their exclusiveness
C. Because they would be an exclusive religious order
D. Because they would develop mythical taboos surrounding their traditions
8. According to the author, why did the task force under Sebeok propose a relay system for
passing on information?
A. To show that Sebeok 's ideas created more problems than they solved
B. To support the belief that breaks in communication are inevitable over time
C. To contrast Sebeok's ideas with those proposed by his main critics
D. To compensate for the fact that meaning will not stable over long periods of time

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9. According to paragraph 7, the second defect of the atomic priesthood proposal is that it
could lead to
A. the nonmembers turning knowledge into dangerous mythical forms
B. the possible misuse of exclusive knowledge
C. the establishment of a scientifically ignorant society
D. the priesthood's criticism of points concerning vital knowledge
10. All of the following are mentioned in the passage as difficulties in devising a
communication system with the future EXCEPT
A. the failure to maintain communication link
B. the loss of knowledge about today's civilization
C. the inability of materials to endure over time
D. the exclusiveness of priesthood
IV. Read the passage and do the tasks that follow. (10 points)
TEA TIMES
A .................. The chances are that you have already drunk a cup or a glass of tea today.
Perhaps you are sipping one as you read this. Tea, now an everyday beverage in many
parts of the world, has over the centuries been an important part of rituals of hospitality
both in the home and in wider society.
B ................... Tea originated in China, and in Eastern Asia tea making and drinking
ceremonies have been popular for centuries. Tea was first shipped to North Western
Europe by English and Dutch maritime traders in the sixteenth century. At about the same
time, a land route from the Far East, via Moscow, to Europe was opened up. Tea also
figured in America's bid for independence from British rule - the Boston Tea Party.
C ................... As, over the last four hundred years, tea - leaves became available
throughout much of Asia and Europe, the ways in which tea was drunk changed. The
Chinese considered the quality of the leaves and the ways in which they were cured all
important. People in other cultures added new ingredients besides tea - leaves and hot
water. They drank tea with milk, sugar, spices like cinnamon and cardamom, and herbs
such as mint or sage. The variations are endless. For example, in Western Sudan on the

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edge of the Sahara Desert, sesame oil is added to milky tea on cold mornings. In England
tea, unlike coffee, acquired a reputation as a therapeutic drink that promoted health.
Indeed, in European and Arab countries as well as in Persia and Russia, tea was praised for
its restorative and health giving properties. One Dutch physician, Cornelius Blankaart,
advised that to maintain health a minimum of eight to ten cups a day should be drunk, and
that up to 50 to 100 daily cups could be consumed with safety.
D ................... While European coffee houses were frequented by men discussing politics
and closing business deals, respectable middle-class women stayed at home and held tea
parties. When the price of tea fell in the nineteenth century poor people took up the drink
with enthusiasm. Different grades and blends of tea were sold to suit every pocket.
E ................... Throughout the world today, few religious groups object to tea drinking. In
Islamic cultures, where drinking of alcohol is forbidden, tea and coffee consumption is an
important part of social life. However, Seventh - Day Adventists, recognising the beverage
as a drug containing the stimulant caffeine, from upon the drinking of tea.
F .................... Nomadic Bedouin are well known for traditions of hospitality in the desert.
According to Middle Eastern tradition, guests are served both tea and coffee from pots
kept ready on the fires of guest tents where men of the family and male visitors gather.
Cups of "bitter" cardamom coffee and glasses of sugared tea should be constantly refilled
by the host.
G.................... For over a thousand years, Arab traders have been bringing Islamic culture,
including tea drinking, to northern and western Africa. Techniques of tea preparation and
the ceremonial involved have been adapted. In West African countries, such as Senegal
and The Gambia, it is fashionable for young men to gather in small groups to brew
Chinese " gunpowder" tea. The tea is boiled with large amounts of sugar for a long time.
A.Choose the most suitable heading for each paragraph from the List of headings that
follows the passage.
List of headings
1. Diverse drinking methods. 8. Tea on the move.
2. Limited objections to drinking tea. 9. African tea.
3. Today's continuing tradition - in Britain 10. The fall in the cost of tea.
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 and China
4. Tea - a beverage of hospitality 11. The value of tea
5. An important tradition - tea with milk. 12. Tea - drinking in Africa
6. Tea and alcohol 13. Hospitality among the Bedouin
7. The everyday beverage in all parts of the
world.

B. Complete the sentences below. Use NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS from the
passage to complete each blank space.
1. For centuries, both at home and in society, tea has had an important role
in ..................................
2. Falling tea prices in the nineteenth century meant that people could choose the .............
of tea they could afford.
3. Because it .......................... Seventh - Day Adventists do not approve of the drinking of
tea.

V. You are going to read an article about women who do unusual jobs. For questions
1–10, choose from the people (A-D). The women may be chosen more than once. (15
points)
Which woman …
1. felt relieved to find she was not expected to do hard physical work alone?
2. was surprised that some people had low expectations of her initially?
3. remembers being concerned about combining the work with other
commitments?
4. is grateful to those who were supportive of her early in her career?
5. feels that the majority of people are no longer surprised to see a woman in her
job?
6. mentions how quickly things are changing foe women in her occupation?
7. admits that she finds her work too physically demanding on occasion?
8. remembers being the first woman employee in her company?
9. finds that some beliefs about people in her line of work remain unaltered?
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10. mentions how her training was financed?

JOBS FOR THE GIRLS

We talk to four women who have built successful careers in typically male jobs
A. TRACEY: Long-distance lorry driver
Loads of women tell me they’d love my job. They’ve just never thought of it and lets face
it, it’s not the sort of thing you just fall into, is it? But I’m a bit of a petrolhead – always
mad about cars ad bikes – so I saved up, did a two-week course and got my license. Now I
can drive an articulated lorry pulling 44 tonnes. The only thing that put me off at first was
the thought that it might mean I never got to see the kids, but to a large extent it’s never
interfered – you can opt for more local runs or early starts which mean you’re all done
before school’s out. Delivering cargo can be heavy work, especially if there’s nobody no
hand to help load it up, and it sometimes defeats me. But I fust love the freedom of being
out on the road. I usually drive for a total of nine hours a day. People ask me if I don’t get
fed up with my own company, but to be honest I’ve got my talking books, so time passes
quickly enough. I might get the odd comment about a woman driving a truck, and if things
go wrong, people are quick to criticize, but I do get a lot of respect too.
B. EMILIA: IT consultant
When I started out, a lot of people were wary of new technology. It made them feel stupid.
Strangely it was other women who seemed to have more of a problem with me working in
IT than men. I remember one female client saying to me that it must be good being a
woman in IT because when you turn up, no one thinks you will be up to solving the
problem. I was astonished and it made me wonder whether other people shared her
attitude. And I’ve had people ask to speak to men who are my junior because they
reckoned I wouldn’t be capable of getting to the bottom of whatever their problem was. So
my professional pride means that I’ve got to prove them wrong. But the industry has
changed a lot since I’ve been working in it. The spread of broadband and computers at
school means that there’s now a much higher level of general understanding these days.
It’s taken time, but we’re getting there. Nonetheless, people frequently tell me I don’t look
geeky enough to work on IT. Some things never changed!
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C. KAREN: Footballer
“Women should be in the kitchen not on a football pitch,” is one of my comments I’ve had
to put up with in the past. But they’ve tended to come from older guys who see football as
a man’s game. And people’s perceptions are changing. I started playing football aged 11
and I was lucky growing up because my school had a team I could join. I know that not all
girls have that. People did think I was a bit of a tomboy but my parents were great, always
sticking up for me, telling me to take no notice of what people said, so it didn’t get me
down. Football’s quite a physical game, and in that respect male players have the edge
over us, but on a tactical and technical level we’re more than a match for them. Boys grow
up living and breathing football, so it seems natural for them to get involved, but now it’s
becoming much easier for girls, too. Suddenly, there are lots more teams because women’s
football’s really taking off in a big way, and so it’s now more acceptable for girls to play.
D. BARBARA: Plumber
I was in my late twenties when I decided to change from a career in retailing and go into
plumbing. I enrolled for a two-year course. Then I was taken on for an apprenticeship.
There are five women where I work out of a hundred, but at the time I joined I was the
pioneer – a pretty daunting prospect. There was nothing to stop women doing it – they just
didn’t. But, on the whole, my experiences have been really positive. Anything heavy is
supposed to be a two-person job, so a lot of guys can’t lift things by themselves either,
which came as a pleasant surprise. Customer feedback is encouraging, particularly from
other women; some of whom prefer us because it makes them feel more comfortable in
their homes and they trust us. There are always going to be people who are skeptical and
believe that, as a woman, you are not up to the job but I think it’s a generational thing.
Attitudes are changing in the industry and, more often than not, nobody bats an eyelid
when a woman turns up to mend a leak or whatever.
SECTION 4: WRITING (60 points)
I. Read the following extract and use your own words to summarize it. Your summary
should be about 140 words long. (15 points)
WORKING FROM HOME

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 Can you feel your anxiety and stress levels increasing every time you get caught in a
traffic jam? Do you find it difficult to control your tongue when your boss points out your
shortcomings yet again? Do you yearn for state-of-the-art technology in your home that
you haven’t had to pay for? If you are shouting an enthusiastic “Yes!” in answer to these
questions, then it could be time to make a career and life change that may not even require
you to quit your job.
Working from home is a relatively new phenomenon, but is becoming an increasingly
popular option with both businesses and employees. The technology available to us means
that we no longer need to be in the same office building as our colleagues to communicate
effectively with each other. Companies may choose to employ a proportion of their staff as
home-based workers, as, of course, a workforce set up in such a way requires far less
office space and fewer parking facilities. The fixed costs of a business can be dramatically
reduced. Employees can enjoy the added benefits of freedom to schedule the day as they
choose and freedom to spend more time at home with their families. We can even go so far
as to say that the working-from-home phenomenon could be one of the answers to the
pollution problems which the modern world has inflicted upon itself. Fewer people
travelling to work every day equals fewer cars. Fewer cars, of course, equates to lower
CO2 levels in the atmosphere.
But what are the drawbacks to working at home? For many of us, work is a means of
escaping our nearest and dearest and making our own mark on the world. The relationships
we have with our colleagues are a significant part of our life - after all, full-time workers
spend a third of their day in their workplace. Some people who work from home feel that
they are actually much more productive and can get tasks done in a much shorter time than
in an office environment. Others, however, may be demotivated by the isolation and find it
difficult to get down to tasks which have a more intangible deadline.
As with most aspects of life, a balance is probably the best solution for the majority of
workers – a job based at home which requires regular contact with colleagues at regular
meetings. Management surveys show that successful business is easier if we operate as a
team: brainstorming and sharing ideas and offering support and motivation to each other.

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After all, we are only human and we need others to complain to if we have a bad day at
work!

II. Writing task 1: (15 points)

The graph below shows population figures for India and China since the year 2000 and
predicted population growth up until 2050.

Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make
comparisons where relevant.

Write at least 150 words.

IV. Writing an essay: (30 points)

Write an essay of about 350 words to express your opinion on the following topic:
“Some people think that it is good for a country’s culture to import foreign
movies and TV programmes. Others think that it is better to produce these locally.
Discuss both views and give your opinion.”

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