TEST QUỐC GIA

I. LISTENING (50 POINTS)

• Bài nghe gồm 4 phần; mỗi phần được nghe 2 lần, mỗi lần cách nhau 10 giây; mở đầu và kết
thúc mỗi phần nghe có tín hiệu.
• Mở đầu và kết thúc bài nghe có nhạc hiệu.
• Mọi hướng dẫn cho thí sinh (bằng tiếng Anh) đã có trong bài nghe.

Part 1. For questions 1-5, choose from the list (A-H) what unexpected aspect each speaker
encountered while watching the film.
A. the versatility of the cast
B. the seamlessness of the images Speaker 1 1 __________
C. the authenticity of the scenes Speaker 2 2 __________
D. the film’s sense of humor Speaker 3 3 __________
E. the feeling elicited Speaker 4 4 __________
F. the scarcity of roles Speaker 5 5 __________
G. the impact of the soundtrack
H. the intensity of the special effects

Part 2. Listen to a talk about memory and answer the questions with NO MORE THAN
THREE WORDS for each answer. Write your answers in the space provided.
6. How was Dr. Federik Sullivan’s memory at first?
………………………………………………………………………………………..
7. Besides a computer, what can help you improve your memory?
………………………………………………………………………………………..
8. Besides prolonging life, what has a full and active memory been proved to be able to do?
………………………………………………………………………………………..
9. According to Sullivan, how is the human brain?
………………………………………………………………………………………..
10.What is the function of long-term memory?
………………………………………………………………………………………..

Part 3. For questions 11-15, listen to part of a discussion programme, in which a teacher called
Simon and a business journalist called Trina are talking about the issue of change, and choose
the answer (A, B, C or D) which fits best according to what you hear. Write your answers in the
corresponding numbered boxes provided.
11. What does Simon say about change when discussing linguistic expressions?
A. It is an inevitable part of life.
B. It is generally perceived as unwelcome.
C. Its significance has altered over time.

12. What do they agree about change in the business community?

A. It is regarded as synonymous with progress.
B. It is seen as unfortunate but necessary.

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 C. It never seems to be questioned.
D. It can lead to undesirable results.
13. What does Trina dislike about feedback forms?
A. the scale of the reaction they can provoke
B. the disharmony they can create within organizations
C. the extent of their use in the world of education
D. the justification they give to managers who want to introduce changes
14. When discussing day-to-day routines, Simon and Trina agree that people ______________
A. make too much fuss about small-scale changes.
B. find that changes in the workplace mirror those in daily life.
C. only like change that clearly benefits them personally.
D. experience an ongoing cycle of resisting and accepting change.
15. In Simon's view, people will really enjoy an activity if _____________
A. they do it on a regular basis.
B. they keep on changing it slightly.
C. it represents a change for them.
D. it coincides with their expectations.

11. 12. 13. 14. 15.

Part 4. For questions 16-25, listen to a talk about hacking and supply the blanks with the missing
information. Write NO MORE THAN FOUR WORDS taken from the recording for each answer
in the space provided.
THE SECRET LIVES OF THE HACKER
16. In broad terms, hacking can be conceived as ingenious __________________________ since this
activity aims to exploit the properties of things in an unanticipated manner.
17. The way that Galileo used crooked glass to _________________ can be seen as a hacking activity.
18. NASA engineers used a hack to save Apollo 13, with a book, a plastic bag and a
________________________.
19. In order to establish a call, phone providers utilized ____________________________________.
20. Many hackers are propelled by the desire to understand the operation of a system, to
__________________________ and hidden secrets.
21. Steve Wozniak found source of inspiration from his early explorations to embark on
____________________________.
22. There is an analogy between some types of hackers and security forces working to protect their
_________________________________.
23. Greed, fame, nonconformity and the yearnings to hurt others for ________________________ are
what propel hackers.
24. Another type of hackers is ___________________________________ who aim to deceive people.
25. While hackers themselves value their actions; other people deem what they do as
___________________________________.

II. LEXICO-GRAMMAR (20 points)

Part 1. For questions 26-40, choose the correct answer A, B, C or D to each of the following
questions. Write your answers in the corresponding numbered boxes provided.
26. You can try reformatting your computer, but once you open that ________, you'll probably be
working on it for days.
A. apple of discord B. can of worms C. load of cobblers D. spot of bother
27. The film still __________with younger audiences, even after all these years.
A. beats the drum B. rings a bell C. strikes a chord D. hits the right note
28. The question of peace settlement is likely to figure ___________ in the talks.
A. prominently B. prolifically C. proportionately D. properly

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29. I thought I had made it __________ that I didn’t want to discuss this matter anymore.
A. frank B. distinct C. plain D. straight
30. I went to see the boss about a pay rise and he __________ with a weak excuse about a business
dinner and left me standing there.
A. brushed me aside B. brushed me up C. brushed me off D. brushed me down
31. She was very fortunate to __________ an excellent private tutor to help her with her study.
A. think through B. seek out C. pick up D. light upon
32. We had to _______ in the back of the car for an hour to find the missing keys.
A. bed out B. rack up C. root around D. turn down
33. They spend so much time arguing that, when it comes to the _______, decisions are often deferred.
A. crunch B. outcry C. snag D. uproar
34. James never really broke the rules but he did _________ them a little bit when it suited him.
A. twist B. curve C. move D. bend
35. Take care that your love for him doesn't __________ your judgement.
A. cloud B. darken C. topple D. shadow
36. Don’t get yourself ________ up over such a trivial matter.
A. done B. worried C. whipped D. worked
37. Maria and Jean had a __________ romance, they met and married within two months.
A. hurricane B. cyclone C. whirlwind D. typhoon
38. After the football match the crowds ________ out of the stadium into the nearest bars and cafes.
A. leaked B. poured C. trickled D. dripped
39. I'm afraid we got our _________ crossed, I thought my husband would be picking up the children
and he thought I was doing it.
A. minds B. purposes C. wires D. fingers
40. Every year many small companies get __________ up by large multinationals.
A. swallowed B. digested C. drowned D. burnt
Your answers:
26. 27. 28. 29. 30.
31. 32. 33. 34. 35.
36. 37. 38. 39. 40.

Part 2. For questions 41-45, write the correct form of each bracketed word in the numbered space
provided in the column on the right.
41. She is totally (SUFFICE)_________ and doesn’t need help from anyone. 41.____________

42. The school is acknowledged as providing equal access and (TITLE) 42.____________
___________ to a rich and varied curriculum.
43. I cast my eyes (HEAVEN)_________ and saw the geese flying in V-line. 43.____________

44. It was sheer (SANE)___________ to try to drive through the mountains in 44.____________
that thunderstorm.
45. He was a modest and (ASSUME)__________ man who never gave the 45.____________
impression that he knew all the answers.

III. READING (50 points)

Part 1. For questions 46-57, read the text below and think of the word which best fits each gap.
Use only one word in each gap.
APATHY OR IGNORANCE?
Kande Beach is located on the western shore of Lake Malawi, (46) ___________ of Africa’s Great
Lakes. It is an idyllic location with guaranteed sunshine for much of the year (47) _________than the

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rainy season, so it is hardly surprising that the resort there is much in (48) _____________ with
tourists.
Many go to enjoy the multitude of activities on (49) ____________, such as scuba diving and horse
riding. Yet more simply want to lounge about relaxing on the shore, taking the odd dip to cool down
(50) _____________ and then.
Yet few tourists seem to appreciate the fact that on the (51) __________ doorstep of their little
parasite- at the edge of their bubble, if you will- lies the evidence in microcosm of a desperately
impoverished country.
Kapeti Village, for example, is but a stone’s (52) ______________from the resort. Here, according to
local leaders, the prevalence of one particular very serious incurable illness is alarmingly at more than
33%. In other (53) ________, fewer than two in three people are free of the disease. (54) __________,
that incurable disease is far from the only problem, with malaria, cholera and other serious illnesses
also wreaking havoc.
But is the general apathy amongst tourists a sign that they care less? Well, it would seem not. Whilst it
may be a tall order to burst their bubble and remove the illusion of paradise found. Efforts to do so are
not entirely in (55) _____________. According to locals running village tours, it isn’t (56) _________
they see the extent of deprivation for themselves that tourists begin to appreciate the problem. Then
and only then do they begin to open their eyes, but at (57) ___________ it’s a start.

Part 2. Read the following passage and do the tasks that follow
AMERICA’S OLDEST ART?
Set within treacherously steep cliffs, and hidden away in the secluded valleys of northeast
Brazil, is some of South America’s most significant and spectacular rock-art. Most of the art so far
discovered from the ongoing excavations comes from the archaeologically-important National Park of
the Serra da Capivara in the state of Piaui, and it is causing quite a controversy. The reason for the
uproar? The art is being dated to around 25,000 or perhaps, according to some archaeologists, even
36,000 years ago. If correct, this is set to challenge the widely held view that the Americas were first
colonized from the north, via the Bering Straits from eastern Siberia at around 10,000 BC, only
moving down into Central and South America in the millennia thereafter.
Prior to the designation of 130,000 hectares as a National Park, the rock-art sites were difficult
to get to, and often dangerous to enter. In ancient times, this inaccessibility must have heightened the
importance of the sites, and indeed of the people who painted on the rocks. Wild animals and human
figures dominate the art, and are incorporated into often-complex scenes involving hunting,
supernatural beings, fighting and dancing. The artists depicted the animals that roamed the local
ancient brushwood forest. The large mammals are usually painted in groups and tend to be shown in a
running stance, as though trying to escape from hunting parties. Processions - lines of human and
animal figures - also appear of great importance to these ancient artists. Might such lines represent
family units or groups of warriors? On a number of panels, rows of stylized figures, some numbering
up to 30 individual figures, were painted using the natural undulating contours of the rock surface, so
evoking the contours of the surrounding landscape. Other interesting, but very rare, occurrences are
scenes that show small human figures holding on to and dancing around a tree, possibly involved in
some form of a ritual dance.
Due to the favorable climatic conditions, the imagery on many panels is in a remarkable state
of preservation. Despite this, however, there are serious conservation issues that affect their long-term
survival. The chemical and mineral qualities of the rock on which the imagery is painted is fragile and
on several panels it is unstable. As well as the secretion of sodium carbonate on the rock surface,
complete panel sections have, over the ancient and recent past, broken away from the main rock
surface. These have then become buried and sealed into sometimes-ancient floor deposits. Perversely,
this form of natural erosion and subsequent deposition has assisted archaeologists in dating several
major rock-art sites. Of course, dating the art is extremely difficult given the non-existence of plant
and animal remains that might be scientifically dated. However, there are a small number of sites in
the Serra da Capivara that are giving up their secrets through good systematic excavation. Thus, at
Toca do Boqueirao da Pedra Furada, rock-art researcher Niede Guidon managed to obtain a number of
dates. At different levels of excavation, she located fallen painted rock fragments, which she was able
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to date to at least 36,000 years ago. Along with the painted fragments, crude stone tools were found.
Also discovered were a series of scientifically datable sites of fireplaces, or hearths, the earliest dated
to 46,000 BC, arguably the oldest dates for human habitation in the Americas.
However, these conclusions are not without controversy. Critics, mainly from North America,
have suggested that the hearths may in fact be a natural phenomenon, the result of seasonal brushwood
fires. Several North American researchers have gone further and suggested that the rock-art from this
site dates from no earlier than about 3,730 years ago, based on the results of limited radiocarbon
dating. Adding further fuel to the general debate is the fact that the artists in the area of the National
Park tended not to draw over old motifs (as often occurs with rock-art), which makes it hard to work
out the relative chronology of the images or styles. However, the diversity of imagery and the narrative
the paintings create from each of the many sites within the National Park suggests different artists were
probably making their art at different times, and potentially using each site over many thousands of
years.
With fierce debates thus raging over the dating, where these artists originate from is also still
very much open to speculation. The traditional view ignores all the early dating evidence from the
South American rock-art sites. In a revised scenario, some palaeo-anthropologists are now suggesting
that modern humans may have migrated from Africa using the strong currents of the Atlantic Ocean
some 60,000 years or more ago, while others suggest a more improbable colonization coming from the
Pacific Ocean. Yet, while either hypothesis is plausible, there is still no supporting archaeological
evidence between the South American coastline and the interior. Rather, it seems possible that there
were a number of waves of human colonization of the Americas occurring possibly over a 60,000-
100,000 year period, probably using the Bering Straits as a land-bridge to cross into the Americas.
Despite the compelling evidence from South America, it stands alone: the earliest secure
human evidence yet found in the state of Oregon in North America only dates to 12,300 years BC. So
this is a fierce debate that is likely to go on for many more years. However, the splendid rock-art and
its allied archaeology of northeast Brazil, described here, is playing a huge and significant role in the
discussion.

Questions 58-60. Choose the correct letter, A, B, C or D. Write your answers in the
corresponding numbered boxes provided.
58. According to the first paragraph, the rock-art in Serra da Capivara may revolutionize
accepted ideas about_______________.
A. the way primitive people lived in North America.
B. the date when the earliest people arrived in South America.
C. the origin of the people who crossed the Bering Straits.
D. the variety of cultures which developed in South America.
59. How did the ancient artists use the form of the rock where they painted?
A. to mimic the shape of the countryside nearby
B. to emphasize the shape of different animals
C. to give added light and shade to their paintings
D. to give the impression of distance in complex works
60. In the fourth paragraph, what does the writer say is unusual about the rock-artists of Serra da Capivara?
A. They had a very wide range of subject-matter.
B. Their work often appears to be illustrating a story.
C. They tended to use a variety of styles in one painting.
D. They rarely made new paintings on top of old ones.
Your answers:
58. 59. 60.

Questions 61-67: In the boxes below, write:

YES if the statement agrees with the claims of the writer
NO if the statement contradicts the claims of the writer
NOT GIVEN if it is impossible to say what the writer thinks about this

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61. The location of the rock-art suggests that the artists had a significant role in their society.
62. The paintings of animals show they were regarded as sacred by the ancient humans.
63. Some damage to paintings is most likely due to changes in the weather of the region.
64. The fact that some paintings were buried is useful to archaeologists.
65. The tools found near some paintings were probably used for hunting animals.
66. The North American researchers have confirmed Niede Guidon’s dating of the paintings.
67. Archeologists have completed their survey on the rock art in Piaui.

61. 62. 63. 64. 65. 66. 67.

Questions 68-71. Complete each sentence with the correct ending, A-F, below. Write the
correct letter, A-F, on the boxes.
68. Materials derived from plants or animals
69.The discussions about the ancient hearths
70. Theories about where the first South Americans originated from
71. The finds of archaeologists in Oregon

A. are giving rise to a great deal of debate among palaeo-anthropologists.

B. do not support the earliest dates suggested for the arrival of people in America.
C. are absent from rock-art sites in the Serra da Capivara.
D. have not been accepted by academics outside America.
E. center on whether or not they are actually man-made.
F. reflect the advances in scientific dating methods.
Your answers:
68. 69. 70. 71.

Part 3. You are going to read an article about the social history of coffee houses. Seven
paragraphs have been removed from the extract. Choose from the paragraphs A-H the one which
fits each gap (72-78). There is one extra paragraph which you do not need to use.

THE INTERNET IN A CUP

The Internet café is not such a new idea- something similar existed back in the seven century

Where do you go when you want to know the latest news, keep up with celebrity gossip, find out what
others think of a new book, or stay abreast of the latest scientific and technological developments?
Today, the answer is obvious: you log on to the internet. Three centuries ago, the answer was just as
easy: you went to your favorite coffee house.

72
What's more, rumors, news and gossip were often carried between them by their patrons and runners
would flit from one to another to report major events. Each establishment was, therefore, an integral
part of quite a complex web of contacts. But of even greater importance was their role as centers of
scientific education, literary and philosophical speculation, commercial innovation and, sometimes,
political fermentation.

73
This reputation accompanied its spread into Europe during the seventeenth century, at first as a
medicine, and then as a social beverage in the eastern tradition. It was reflected in the decor of the
dedicated coffee houses that began to appear in European cities, London in particular, where they were
often adorned with bookshelves, mirrors, gilt-framed pictures and good furniture.

74

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There was a new rationalism abroad in the spheres of both philosophy and commerce, and this ethos
struck exactly the right note, whilst coffee was the ideal accompaniment. The popularity of the
beverage owed much to the growing middle class of information workers - clerks, merchants and
businessmen - who did mental work in offices rather than performing physical labor in the open, and
found that it sharpened their mental faculties.

75
As with modern websites, the coffee houses an individual or group frequented reflected their interests,
for each coffee house attracted a particular clientele, usually by virtue of its location. Though coffee
houses were also popular in Paris, Venice and Amsterdam, this characteristic was particularly notable
in London, where eighty-two coffee houses had been set up by 1663, and more than five hundred by
1700. For many, coffee houses had become almost an extension of the home.

76
That said, most people frequented several houses for the purpose of furthering their commercial, social
or political interests. A merchant, for example, would generally oscillate between a financial house and
one specializing in shipping or trade with a particular region. The wide-ranging interests of Robert
Hooke, a scientist and polymath, were reflected in his visits to around sixty houses during the 1670s.
Not to visit one at all was to invite social exclusion.

77
This is exactly the kind of threat that worries some people today about the power of social-networking
sites. Interestingly, a proclamation of 1675 that sought to outlaw the coffee houses of London was met
by a public outcry, for they had become central to commercial as well as political life. When it became
clear that the proclamation would be ignored, it was toned down and then quietly dropped.

78
But history also provides a cautionary tale for those operators who would charge for access Coffee
houses used to charge for coffee, but gave away access to reading materials. Many coffee shops are
now following the same model, which could undermine the prospects for fee-based hotspots.
Information, both in the seventeenth century and today, wants to be free - and coffee drinking
customers, it seems, expect it to be.

A. According to local custom, social differences were left at the door when you entered such a
scholarly space, each of those details contributing to an ambience that fostered sober, respectful
behaviour. Indeed, anyone who started a quarrel had to atone for it by buying a coffee for all present.
In short, these were calm, well-ordered establishments that promoted polite conversation and
discussion.

B. But that was a risk some were willing to take, for coffee houses did have their detractors. Coffee
itself was held by some to be a harmful substance, although this was never taken particularly seriously.
The real opposition came from those who were alarmed at the houses’ potential for facilitating
political discussion and activity.

C. Coffee, the drink that fueled this vibrant network, originated in the highlands of Ethiopia, where its
beans were originally chewed rather than infused for their invigorating effects. Coffee spread into the
Islamic world during the fifteenth century, where it came to be regarded as stimulating mental activity
and heightening perception.

D. In the days before formal addresses or regular postal services were introduced, for example, it
became a common practice to use one as a mailing address. Regulars could pop in once or twice a day,
hear the latest news, and check to see if any post awaited them.

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E. Lavish entertainment at home was beyond the means of this social stratum but a few pence a day on
coffee could be afforded. What’s more, coffee houses provided a forum for education, debate and self-
improvement, and were nicknamed 'penny universities' in a contemporary English verse.

F. Such kinship was soon underlined by the establishment of so-called 'hotspots’. What’s more, from
the outset these often provided access in establishments where coffee was also on offer - this can’t
have been a coincidence.

G. The parallels are certainly striking. Originally the province of scientists, the Net also soon grew to
become a nexus of commercial, journalistic and political interchange. In discussion groups, gossip
passes freely - a little too freely, according to some regulators and governments, which have generally
failed in their attempts to rein them in.

H. The quality of the coffee wasn't the only factor governing which one this would be, however, for
these lively and often unreliable sources of information typically specialized in a particular topic or
political viewpoint. They also doubled as outlets for a stream of newsletters and pamphlets that
reflected the interests of their particular clientele.

Part 4. For questions 79 - 85, read the passage and choose the best answer to each of the questions
that follow. Write your answer in the corresponding numbered boxes.

THE FINNISH EDUCATION SYSTEM

Finland’s education system is head and shoulders above most of the world’s, but why? On one level, it
is simple, teachers there are held in the highest esteem and entrusted to make decisions in the best
interests of pupils, which they appear invariably to do. They also go the extra mile and tailor- make
lessons. The respect they are afforded in return, perhaps, stems from an awareness of the stiff
qualification standards teachers are set, they come from the top 10% of graduates, educated to
Master’s level. Finland, then attracts some of its best human capital into teaching, but whether its
success can all simply be attributed to the calibre of staff is open to debate. There is more to this
formula than meets the eyes.
The size of schools is no minor factor in the education system’s success either, for many are very
small, and this allows teachers to devote more attention to pupils. Even the best teachers, after all, are
not magicians, and they cannot wave a magic wand and ensure that all pupils fulfil their potential. It
takes effort and devotion on a micro scale, and this can only be achieved in a conductive environment.
In a world of rising pupil-teachers ratios, that Finland bucks this trend must surely play a pivotal role
in its education system’s success. However, demographics and the country’s unique geography, with
many small areas of habitation dotted across the landscape, predetermine to some extent, class sizes, so
for this the government cannot monopolize credit, it is as much down to circumstance. Nonetheless,
the figures make for impressive reading, with nearly thirty percent of Finnish children receiving some
form of special attention in their educational development before the age of nine.
The reinvention of education on a more macro scale, though, was very deliberate indeed, and it began
in Finland over four decades ago as a key part of the country’s economic recovery plan. Success was
not by any means instantaneous, though, and educators deserve much credit for sticking to their
principles in the early years of the transformation despite this, when, so often, programmes conceived
with the best of intentions are abandoned prematurely. Really, it was not until 2000 that confirmation
and validation would arrive, but they did so in eye- raising fashion. This marked the first year of
results being issued from the Programme for International Students Assessment, a standardized test
delivered to 15-year-olds in 40 different countries. Finland’s youths came way out on top in terms of
literacy.

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Within three years, it also, led the maths tables and pupils were excelling in science, too, and Finland
has consistently occupied a high position in all three areas ever since, without any blips, so it was
patently clear for all to see that this was not the endeavor of fluke. Counterintuitively, Finland’s pupils
excel in these standardized tests despite not being mandated to sit any on a regular basis in their own
educational system until the very end of their second-level schooling, nothing official exists prior and
other such testing is only carried out should individual schools undertake to do so of their own
volition.
More intriguingly, competition does not form any part of the education philosophy. Neither are the
decision-makers political, although Finnish schools are publicly funded and it is a state-driven
education system, politicians and business people are precluded from interfering. Nor are schools
vying for the best teacher candidates, irrespective of location, they have an equal shot of getting top
graduates, with all drawing from the same pool of resources in this respect. Furthermore, in the
absence of competitive, only national goals count, so there is no elite list of schools parents dream of
sending their children to, every child, whether schooled in a rural or urban environment, is afforded the
same standard of education. It is, therefore, arguably, one of the most equitable systems in the world.
This assertion is supported by the fact that refugees in this relatively homogenous country are not
greatly disadvantaged educationally and tend to catch up to their native peers before long. Indeed,
there is evidence on a broader level, too, of this equitability, since Finland has the lowest gap in the
OECD between its weakest and strongest pupils in performance terms. The stats make for very
impressive reading, yet, remarkably, Finland’s expenditure on education as a proportion of its overall
budget is much less then places like the United, which cannot boast nearly as impressive results.
79. What does the writer imply when she says “There is more to this formula than meets the
eye”? A. that it is not as easy as it sounds to produce top-quality teachers
B. that the success of Finland’s education system is down to various reasons
C. that the quality of teacher in the Finnish education system is not what it seems
D. that the Finnish education system is more impressive than it looks
80. What does the writer say about Finland’s small class sizes?
A. Finland has set a trend the rest of the world is trying to copy.
B. the country’s record is more impressive in relation to young learners.
C. the country’s character lends itself to smaller class sizes.
D. a government initiative is directly responsible for them
81. In the third paragraph, we learn that Finland’s education
system___________. A. was revised during a period of economic strain
B. was first revised after the year 2000
C. enjoyed rapid success after changes were implemented
D. took over forty years to convert into the success it is today
82. What does the word “blips” in the fourth passage mean?
A. glitches B. drawbacks C. plethoras D. hindrances
83. What is the Finnish education system’s approach to standardized testing?
A. it regularly takes place in the area of Science, Literacy and Maths only.
B. standardized tests are not compulsory but schools are encouraged to use them.
C. it plays a key role at all levels of schooling.
D. this evaluation methods is only officially used as students exit secondary school.
84. The Finnish education system______________.
A. sets no goal or targets for schools to achieve
B. generally operates independent of state and commercial interference
C. is highly competitive in terms of schools’ efforts to attract the best teachers and students
D. encourages graduates to take up rural teaching roles with incentives.
85. Why does the writer mention refugees?
A. to exemplify how fair the Finnish education system is

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 B. to highlight the lack of diversity in Finland
C. to show that the gap between topmost and lowest performing students is very
low D. to suggest what can be achieved if more money is invested in education

Your answers:
79. 80. 81. 82. 83. 84. 85.

Part 5. You are going to read an article about architecture. For questions 86-95, choose the
best answer from sections (A-D). The sections may be chosen more than once.

LOCKED IN TIME
What are the issues surrounding the preservation of good architecture?

A. Emerging from the Lincoln tunnel into midtown Manhattan in New York, a yellow cab from JFK
Airport takes you past an architectural masterpiece. Number 510 Fifth Avenue was originally the
Manufacturers Hanover Trust Bank and was designed in 1954 as a new kind of banking house,
something other than a thick-walled fortress. It was a glass temple of finance, inviting passers-by to
step through its cool transparency and be converted to its gleaming vision of the future.
Mid-twentieth-century banks were usually mundane but at 510 Fifth Avenue, the vault was displayed
behind the glazed faqade and the escalators became central to the composition, falling and rising
diagonally across the gridded lines like an updated game of snakes and ladders. The upper floor
featured a gilded screen by the artist Harry Bertoia.

B. But things are changing at 510 Fifth Avenue. As a very carefully-designed and much-admired
building, it now finds itself at the frontier between developers and preservationists and it’s turning into
quite a fight. For if there’s one thing in architecture that causes friction, it’s that our needs change, and
so buildings must evolve and adapt in order to stay useful. Within reason. Vornado Realty Trust, the
site’s owners and one of New York’s largest developers, has made the not unreasonable assumption
that this commercial building on the world’s primary shopping street should be adapted to suit its new
tenant, a retailer of lumberjack-style shirts. For this purpose, the gilded screen has been dismantled, the
entrance is to be moved, the escalator reversed and the vault moved. On the basis that the facades
remain intact, the Landmarks Preservation Commission approved these changes in April. But in July, a
judge halted work after a legal challenge by the Citizens’ Emergency Committee to Preserve
Preservation, which argues that, given the transparency of the facade, Landmark status must extend to
those interior features that contribute to the streetscape. Too late. It is now gutted, the interior features
broken from their positions of more than half a century.

C. Architects are often feted for designing buildings whose form follows function. And that’s
reasonable - intelligent design brings intellectual and physical beauty to the world. But architects are
no better at predicting the future than the rest of us. Hence, the flip side to architectural masterpieces:
the closer a building’s form follows its function, the bigger the upheaval when the original purpose no
longer needs to be served. Preservation groups are aware that conservation is an expensive business.
Arguments to preserve for preservation’s sake are weakened when loans are in short supply and the
economic buoyancy that might offer a long-term business case for the sensitive commercial usage of
old buildings starts to sink. The stronger argument is to update historic places so they can fund
themselves. In any repurposing of a historic building, something has to give. And it usually gives in
the direction of apartments, shops, restaurants or art galleries. It's a global picture.

D. The most exciting new place in New York is the High Line, built as an elevated railway through the
Meatpacking District and unused since the I 980s. It was scheduled to be torn down, but local residents
started a grass-roots movement in 1999. Three years on, they gained the authorities’ support for a
radical redevelopment as a city garden, a string of improbable greenery threading through an
overlooked quarter that has since spread economic fertilizer in its wake with hotels, boutiques and bars
abounding. Back in Fifth Avenue, there’s much hand-wringing over the stripped modern icon. Is it too
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late to hope the perfect tenant will turn up and want to strike a deal? If it’s not to change further, who
will put it back together, take care of it and run it as ... what - an icon?

In which section does the writer mention _____________

the idea that a preservation project can regenerate the surrounding area? 86.__________
why a particular structure stood out amongst its contemporaries? 87.__________
the inescapable need to make compromises when structures find a new use? 88.__________
a successful attempt to halt the total destruction of an obsolete structure? 89.__________
a paradox regarding the work of highly renowned architects? 90.__________
an approach to saving the architectural heritage that cannot always be financed? 91.__________
how an architect made a feature of something which is usually obscured? 92.__________
a disagreement about how a principle should be applied in practice? 93.__________
a structure that embodied the optimism of its time? 94.__________
a feeling that alterations to a structure were justifiable? 95.__________

IV. WRITING (60 POINTS)

Part 1. Read the following extract and use your own words to summarize it. Your summary
should be between 120 and 140 words long.
The way in which information is taught can vary greatly across cultures and time periods.
Entering a British primary school classroom from the early 1900s, for example, one gains a sense of
austerity, discipline, and a rigid way of teaching. Desks are typically seated apart from one another,
with straight-backed wooden chairs that face directly to the teacher and the chalkboard. In the present
day, British classrooms look very different. Desks are often grouped together so that students face each
other rather than the teacher, and a large floor area is typically set aside for the class to come together
for group discussion and learning.
Traditionally, it was felt that teachers should be in firm control of the learning process, and that
the teacher’s task was to prepare and present material for students to understand. Within this approach,
the relationship students have with their teachers is not considered important, nor is the relationship
students have with each other in the classroom. A student’s participation in class is likely to be
minimal, aside from asking questions directed at the teacher, or responding to questions that the
teacher has directed at the student. This style encourages students to develop respect for positions of
power as a source of control and discipline. It is frequently described as the “formal authority” model
of teaching.
A less rigid form of teacher-centered education is the “demonstrator” model. This maintains the
formal authority model’s notion of the teacher as a “flashlight” who illuminates the material for his or
her class to learn, but emphasizes a more individualized approach to form. The demonstrator acts as
both a role model and a guide, demonstrating skills and processes and then helping students develop
and apply these independently. Instructors who are drawn to the demonstrator style are generally
confident that their own way of performing a task represents a good base model, but they are sensitive
to differing learning styles and expect to provide students with help on an individual basis.
Many education researchers argue for student-centered learning instead, and suggest that the
learning process is more successful when students are in control. Within the student-centered
paradigm, the “delegator” style is popular. The delegator teacher maintains general authority, but they
delegate much of the responsibility for learning to the class as a way for students to become
independent thinkers who take pride in their own work. Students are often encouraged to work on their
own or in groups, and if the delegator style is implemented successfully, they will build not only a
working knowledge of course specific topics, but also self-discipline and the ability to co-ordinate
group work and interpersonal roles.
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Task 2: The charts below show the changes in ownership of electrical appliances and amount of
time spent doing housework in households in one country between 1920 and 2019. Summarize the
information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant.
You should write at least 150 words.

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Task 3: Write an essay of about 350 words on the following topic:
Some people prefer to spend their lives doing the same things and avoiding change.
Others, however, think that change is always a good thing.
Discuss both these views and give your own opinion.
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