VIETNAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY – HOCHIMINH CITY Student’s Full Name: _______________________________

UNIVERSITY OF SOCIAL SCIENCES AND HUMANITIES

Student ID: ______________________________________
FACULTY OF ENGLISH LINGUISTICS AND LITERATURE

DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH LANGUAGE SKILLS Class Code: ______________________________________

Second-Degree Program
Instructor: _______________________________________

FINAL EXAMINATION
Course: Advanced Reading C1
Time Allotted: 75 minutes Exam Date: __________

Approved by Proctors
Examiner(s) Score
(CBCT)

1. 1. In figures:

2. 2. In words:

Notes: Materials and dictionaries of all kinds are NOT allowed.

Students write their answers on the answer sheet.
ANSWER SHEET

1. 14. 27. 40.

2. 15. 28. 41.
3. 16. 29. 42.
4. 17. 30. 43.
5. 18. 31. 44.
6. 19. 32. 45.
7. 20. 33. 46.
8. 21. 34. 47.
9. 22. 35. 48.
10. 23. 36. 49.
11. 24. 37. 50.
12. 25. 38. 51.
13. 26. 39. 52.

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Student’s Full Name: _____________________________________ Student ID: ________________
TEST PAPER
ADVANCED READING C1 – [date]
Notes: Materials and dictionaries of all kinds are NOT allowed.
Students write their answers on the answer sheet.
SECTION 1 VOCABULARY (2 points)
Choose the lettered word or phrase that best completes each of the following sentences. (1 point)
1. Both the candidates have openly __________ in the print that they are confident of winning.
A. demanded B. declared C. quoted D. denounced
2. Three different experts were invited to be part of the __________.
A. panel B. channel C. thesis D. analogy
3. In addition, she __________ an apology for any injustice occasioned to her.
A. achieved B. obtained C. received D. acquired
4. Employees must __________ to random tests that detect if someone has smoked
A. experience B. submit C. surrender D. expect
5. I think someone should __________ you to the hospital.
A. generate B. select C. retain D. accompany
6. He __________ that he had received death threats.
A. told B. discovered C. revealed D. unveiled
7. People who are color blind can’t always __________ between red and green.
A. underlie B. suspend C. invoke D. discriminate
8. As suburbs expand, they sometimes combine with the suburbs of __________ metropolitan areas to
form a megalopolis.
A. near B. adjacent C. addition D. beside
9. Males that are __________ to females' signals are more likely to mate with several females
A. sensible B. sensitive C. senseless D. sensation
10. Parents should try to __________ children’s energy into fun and positive activities.
A. distort B. trace C. suspend D. channel
Choose the lettered word or phrase that is closest in meaning to the underlined part in each of the
following sentences. (1 point)
11. Few people ask by what authority the writers of dictionaries and grammars say what they say
A. unusual ability B. power C. idea D. opinion
12. It raises obvious questions about the diversity of the human family.
A. strangeness B. variety C. similarity D. familiarity
13. A new manager was given the task of developing the club's talent.
A. job B. idea C. organization D. duty
14. In many cultures, water is not just a necessity of life, it has a deep spiritual significance, too.
A. difficulty B. importance C. secret D. myth
15. The situation, according to international experts, is the result of a combination of factors.
A. effects B. causes C. people D. results
16. In the most populated areas of California, the cost of living far exceeds the national average.
A. moves up B. goes beyond C. uses up D. adds to
17. This often put considerable strain on the tolerance of other religions and lifestyles.
A. minimal B. moderate C. small D. great

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 18. Working for the space program motivated computer engineers, pushing them toward the development
of today's personal computer.
A. produced B. encouraged C. disappointed D. promoted
19. Stella undergoes a traumatic experience and must deal with the aftermath.
A. overcomes B. experiences C. sees D. attempts
20. During the next stage, victims continue to lack awareness of what is going on around them
A. excuses B. understanding C. expectation D. education

SECTION 2 READING COMPREHENSION (8 points)

PASSAGE 1 (3 points)
ARTISANS AND INDUSTRIALIZATION
Before 1815 manufacturing in the United States had been done in homes or shops by skilled artisans. (1) As
master craftworkers, they imparted the knowledge of their trades to apprentices and journeymen. (2) In
addition, women often worked in their homes part-time, making finished articles from raw material supplied
by merchant capitalists. (3) After 1815 this older form of manufacturing began to give way to factories with
machinery tended by unskilled or semiskilled laborers. (4) Cheap transportation networks, the rise of cities,
and the availability of capital and credit all stimulated the shift to factory production.
The creation of a labor force that was accustomed to working in factories did not occur easily. Before the rise
of the factory, artisans had worked within the home. Apprentices were considered part of the family, and
masters were responsible not only for teaching their apprentices a trade but also for providing them some
education and for supervising their moral behavior. Journeymen knew that if they perfected their skill, they
could become respected master artisans with their own shops. Also, skilled artisans did not work by the clock,
at a steady pace, but rather in bursts of intense labor alternating with more leisurely time.
The factory changed that. Goods produced by factories were not as finished or elegant as those done by hand,
and pride in craftsmanship gave way to the pressure to increase rates of productivity. The new methods of
doing business involved a new and stricter sense of time. Factory life necessitated a more regimented schedule,
where work began at the sound of a bell and workers kept machines going at a constant pace. At the same
time, workers were required to discard old habits, for industrialism demanded a worker who was alert,
dependable, and self-disciplined. Absenteeism and lateness hurt productivity and, since work was specialized,
disrupted the regular factory routine. Industrialization not only produced a fundamental change in the way
work was organized; it transformed the very nature of work.
The first generation to experience these changes did not adopt the new attitudes easily. The factory clock
became the symbol of the new work rules. One mill worker who finally quit complained revealingly about
“obedience to the ding-dong of the bell—just as though we are so many living machines.” With the loss of
personal freedom also came the loss of standing in the community. Unlike artisan workshops in which
apprentices worked closely with the masters supervising them, factories sharply separated workers from
management. Few workers rose through the ranks to supervisory positions, and even fewer could achieve the
artisan’s dream of setting up one’s own business. Even well-paid workers sensed their decline in status.
In this newly emerging economic order, workers sometimes organized to protect their rights and traditional
ways of life. Craftworkers such as carpenters, printers, and tailors formed unions, and in 1834 individual
unions came together in the National Trades’ Union. The labor movement gathered some momentum in the
decade before the Panic of 1837, but in the depression that followed, labor’s strength collapsed. During hard
times, few workers were willing to strike or engage in collective action. And skilled craftworkers, who
spearheaded the union movement, did not feel a particularly strong bond with semiskilled factory workers and
unskilled laborers. More than a decade of agitation did finally bring a workday shortened to 10 hours to most
industries by the 1850s, and the courts also recognized workers’ right to strike, but these gains had little
immediate impact.
Workers were united in resenting the industrial system and their loss of status, but they were divided by ethnic
and racial antagonisms, gender, conflicting religious perspectives, occupational differences, political party
loyalties, and disagreements over tactics. For them, the factory and industrialism were not agents of
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opportunity but reminders of their loss of independence and a measure of control over their lives. As United
States society became more specialized and differentiated, greater extremes of wealth began to appear. And
as the new markets created fortunes for the few, the factory system lowered the wages of workers by dividing
labor into smaller, less skilled tasks.
21. Which of the following can be inferred from paragraph 1 about articles manufactured before 1815?
A. They were primarily produced by women.
B. They were generally produced in shops rather than in homes.
C. They were produced with more concern for quality than for speed of production.
D. They were produced mostly in large cities with extensive transportation networks.
22. Which of the sentences below best expresses the essential information in the highlighted sentence in
paragraph 2? Incorrect answer choices change the meaning in important ways or leave out essential
information.
A. Masters demanded moral behavior from apprentices but often treated them irresponsibly.
B. The responsibilities of the master to the apprentice went beyond the teaching of a trade.
C. Masters preferred to maintain the trade within the family by supervising and educating the younger
family members.
D. Masters who trained members of their own family as apprentices demanded excellence from them.
23. The word “disrupted” in paragraph 3 is closest in meaning to
A. prolonged
B. established
C. followed
D. upset
24. In paragraph 4, the author includes the quotation from a mill worker in order to
A. support the idea that it was difficult for workers to adjust to working in factories
B. show that workers sometimes quit because of the loud noise made by factory machinery
C. argue that clocks did not have a useful function in factories
D. emphasize that factories were most successful when workers revealed their complaints
25. All of the following are mentioned in paragraph 4 as consequences of the new system for workers
EXCEPT a loss of
A. freedom
B. status in the community
C. opportunities for advancement
D. contact among workers who were not managers
26. The phrase “gathered some momentum” in paragraph 5 is closest in meaning to
A. made progress
B. became active
C. caused changes
D. combined forces
27. The word “spearheaded” in paragraph 5 is closest in meaning to
A. led
B. accepted
C. changed
D. resisted
28. Which of the following statements about the labor movement of the 1800s is supported by paragraph 5?
A. It was successful during times of economic crisis.
B. Its primary purpose was to benefit unskilled laborers
C. It was slow to improve conditions for workers.
D. It helped workers of all skill levels form a strong bond with each other.
29. The author identifies “political party loyalties” and “disagreements over tactics” in paragraph 6 as two
of several factors that

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 A. encouraged workers to demand higher wages
B. created divisions among workers
C. caused work to become more specialized
D. increased workers’ resentment of the industrial system
30. The word “them” in paragraph 6 refers to
A. workers
B. political party loyalties
C. disagreements over tactics
D. agents of opportunity
31. Look at the four numbers that indicate where the following sentence can be added to the passage
(paragraph 1).
This new form of manufacturing depended on the movement of goods to distant locations and a
centralized source of laborers.
Where would the sentence best fit?
A. (1)
B. (2)
C. (3)
D. (4)
32. Which of the followings describe characteristics of the period before 1815?
A. Workers took pride in their workmanship.
B. The income gap between the rich and the poor increased greatly.
C. Emphasis was placed on following schedules.
D. Transportation networks began to decline.
PASSAGE 2 (3 points)
Questions 33 – 38
The text on the following pages has six paragraphs, A-F.
Choose the correct heading for each paragraph from the list of headings (i-ix) below.
Write the correct number, i-ix, in boxes 33-38 on your answer sheet.

List of Headings
i. Tackling the issue using a different
approach
ii. A significant improvement on last time
iii. How robots can save human lives
iv. Examples of robots at work
v. Not what it seemed to be
vi. Why timescales are impossible to predict
vii. The reason why robots rarely move
viii. Following the pattern of an earlier
development
ix. The ethical issues of robotics
33. Paragraph A
34. Paragraph B
35. Paragraph C
36. Paragraph O
37. Paragraph E
38. Paragraph F
DAWN OF THE ROBOTS

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 They' re already here - driving cars, vacuuming carpets and feeding hospital patients. They may not
be walking, talking, human-like sentient beings, but they are clever ... and a little creepy.
A. At first sight it looked like a typical suburban road accident. A Land Rover approached a Chevy Tahoe
estate car that had stopped at a kerb; the Land Rover pulled out and tried to pass the Tahoe just as it
started off again. There was a crack of fenders and the sound of paintwork being scraped, the kind of
minor mishap that occurs on roads thousands of times every day. Normally drivers get out, gesticulate,
exchange insurance details and then drive off. But not on this occasion. No one got out of the cars for
the simple reason that they had no humans inside them; the Tahoe and Land Rover were being
controlled by computers competing in November's DARPA (the U.S. Defence Advanced Research
Projects Agency) Urban Challenge.
B. The idea that machines could perform to such standards is startling. Driving is a complex task that
takes humans a long time to perfect. Yet here, each car had its on-board computer loaded with a digital
map and route plans, and was instructed to negotiate busy roads; differentiate between pedestrians and
stationary objects; determine whether other vehicles were parked or moving off; and handle various
parking manoeuvres, which robots turn out to be unexpectedly adept at. Even more striking was the
fact that the collision between the robot Land Rover, built by researchers at the Massachusetts Institute
of Technology, and the Tahoe, fitted out by Cornell University Artificial Intelligence (AI) experts, was
the only scrape in the entire competition. Yet only three years earlier, at DARPA's previous driverless
car race, every robot competitor- directed to navigate across a stretch of open desert- either crashed or
seized up before getting near the finishing line.
C. It is a remarkable transition that has clear implications for the car of the future. More importantly, it
demonstrates how robotics sciences and Artificial intelligence have progressed in the past few years-
a point stressed by Bill Gates, the Microsoft boss who is a convert to these causes. 'The robotics
industry is developing in much the same way the computer business did 30 years ago,' he argues. As
he points out, electronics companies make toys that mimic pets and children with increasing
sophistication. 'l can envision a future in which robotic devices will become a nearly ubiquitous part
of our day-to-day lives,' says Gates. ‘We may be on the verge of a new era, when the PC will get up
off the desktop and allow us to see, hear, touch and manipulate objects in places where we are not
physically present.'
D. What is the potential for robots and computers in the near future? 'The fact is we still have a way to go
before real robots catch up with their science fiction counterparts.' Gates says. So what are the
stumbling blocks? One key difficulty is getting robots to know their place. This has nothing to do with
class or etiquette, but concerns the simple issue of positioning. Humans orient themselves with other
objects in a room very easily. Robots find the task almost impossible. 'Even something as simple as
telling the difference between an open door and a window can be tricky for a robot,' says Cates. This
has, until recently, reduced robots to fairly static and cumbersome roles.
E. For a long time, researchers tried to get round the problem by attempting to re-create the visual
processing that goes on in the human cortex. However, that challenge has proved to be singularly
exacting and complex. So scientists have turned to simpler alternatives: 'We have become far more
pragmatic in our work,' says Nello Cristianini, Professor of Artificial Intelligence at the University of
Bristol in England and associate editor of the Journal of Artificial Intelligence Research. 'We are no
longer trying to re-create human functions. Instead, we are looking for simpler solutions with basic
electronic sensors, for example.' This approach is exemplified by vacuuming robots such as the
Electrolux Trilobite. The Trilobite scuttles around homes emitting ultrasound signals to create maps
of rooms, which are remembered for future cleaning. Technology like this is now changing the face of
robotics, says philosopher Ron Chrisley, director of the Centre for Research in Cognitive Science at
the University of Sussex in England.
F. Last year, a new Hong Kong restaurant, Robot Kitchen, opened with a couple of sensor-laden
humanoid machines directing customers to their seats. Each possesses a touch-screen on which orders
can be keyed in. The robot then returns with the correct dishes. ln Japan, University of Tokyo
researchers recently unveiled a kitchen 'android' that could wash dishes, pour tea and make a few
limited meals. The ultimate aim is to provide robot home helpers for the sick and the elderly, a key
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 concern in a country like Japan where 22 per cent of the population is 65 or older. Over US$1 billion
a year is spent on research into robots that will be able to care for the elderly. 'Robots first learn basic
competence - how to move around a house without bumping into things. Then we can think about
teaching them how to interact with humans,' Chrisley said. Machines such as these take researchers
into the field of socialised robotics: how to make robots act in a way that does not scare or offend
individuals. 'We need to study how robots should approach people, how they should appear. That is
going to be a key area for future research,' adds Chrisley.
Question 39 – 42
Look at the following statements (Questions 20-23) and the list of people below.
Match each statement with the correct person, A, B or C.
Write the correct letter in boxes 39 – 42 on your answer sheet.
NB You may use any letter more than once.
A. Bill Gates
B. Nella Cristianini
C. Ron Chrisley
39. An important concern for scientists is to ensure that robots do not seem frightening.
40. We have stopped trying to enable robots to perceive objects as humans do.
41. It will take considerable time for modern robots to match the ones we have created in films and books.
42. We need to enable robots to move freely before we think about trying to communicate with them.
PASSAGE 3 (2 points)
You are going to read four extracts from an article about customer service. For questions 43-52, choose from
the extracts (A-D). The extracts may be chosen more than once.
In which section does the writer
43. suggest that customers' comments may be more honest if not made to staff?
44. mention the effect on sales if customers believe staff are not interested in them?
45. say that presenting alternative courses of action can lead to a win-win situation?
46. point out that if assistants do more than the minimum, customers are likely to return?
47. advise staff how to respond if a customer is dissatisfied?
48. state that poor service stays in customers' minds?
49. refer to contact with customers through a range of channels?
50. give an example of customers responding to employees in the same way they are treated?
51. point out that customers' behaviour may not be explained by what has happened to them in the store?
52. mention the value of customers recommending a business to other people?
THE IMPORTANCE OF GOOD CUSTOMER SERVICE
A
"The customer is always right" is a famous business slogan. The underlying truth behind this statement is
recognising that customers are the life blood for any business. Understanding the importance of good customer
service is essential for a healthy business in creating new customers, keeping loyal customers, and developing
an effective referral system for future customers. Excellent customer service begins at the initial greeting,
whether that's in person, on the phone, or via email. In all of these situations, using good people skills will
increase the chances of creating a positive impression. For example, saying helio with a smile to a customer
who has just walked in the door will invite that person in and make them feel welcome. On the other hand,
when an employee doesn't acknowledge the client, or implies they are an inconvenience, that customer
immediately feels slighted, and that negative feeling doesn't get the customer in a buying mood.
B
If the employee gives good customer service on the phone, the initial greeting will be courteous. This makes
the client feel comfortable. In turn, the customer will appreciate the pleasant greeting and usually be more
agreeable on the other end of the phone. This is a much better situation for the client than leaving messages
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on answering machines, never getting any returned phone calls, or trying to extract some product information
from an uncaring employee. Of course, good customer service goes beyond the initial contact. Answering
customers' questions and helping them choose the right product or service that best fits their needs is a great
example of going the extra mile. This kind of service establishes goodwill, and will eventually lead to loyal
customers. Even if that person doesn't purchase anything at that time, the good shopping experience encourage
repeat business.
C
Think about how you've been treated whenever you've been the customer. If you've ever had a bad experience
with a company, you know that it's not easy to forget the encounter. Perhaps a shop assistant was too busy
stocking shelves to help you pay for your items. Maybe there wasn't anyone around to answer your questions
or help you with some additional information. You might have had to deal with an employee who won't help
you because of some company rule. In any of these instances, the managers or the owner of the store usually
aren't made aware of the poor customer service. Instead, the people that do hear about it are many of the
customer's family and friends. Word travels very fast when it comes to communicating negative experiences
to the world. Especially with any internet business transactions, product reviews are quite common. Whether
it's positive or negative feedback about a product or service, people write without inhibition about their
shopping experiences.
D
When dealing with clients, sometimes there are situations that need to be resolved. If the customer is upset
about a product or service they've received from the company, the first thing an employee should do is to
listen. By taking the time to hear the entire complaint through, the customer feels that you care. Occasionally,
the issue is actually not related to your company at a/f, but the initial problem is merely a catalyst for that
person's frustration about other things. Either way, attentive listening will break down that barrier and begin
to build a bridge to fix the situation. Usually, discussing different options will bring about a positive outcome
for both sides. The retail business is extremely competitive, and there are no guarantees of a company's
survival. Of course, other factors playa part, such as value for money, convenient opening hours, and so on,
but 'in the long run, treating people fairly and with respect is the best recipe for success in retailing.

------- END OF TEST -------

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