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ĐỀ THI THỬ NĂM HỌC 2021-2022

Môn thi: TIẾNG ANH
Thời gian thi: 180 phút (không kể thời gian giao đề) SỐ PHÁCH
Ngày thi / /2022
Đề thi có 12 trang

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

• Giám thị không giải thích gì thêm.

I. LISTENING (50 points)

HƯỚNG DẪN PHẦN THI NGHE HIỂU
• 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. Thí sinh có 02 phút để hoàn chỉnh bài trước nhạc hiệu kết thúc
bài nghe.
• Mọi hướng dẫn cho thí sinh đã có trong bài nghe.
Part 1. For questions 1-5, listen to a news report about the metaverse and and decide whether the
statements are True (T), False (F) or Not Given (NG). Write your answers in the corresponding numbered
boxes provided.
1. A metaverse is a digital manifestation of individuals and objects.
2. Thanks to the metaverse, the Internet can now be considered as a physical environment.
3. Via metaverse, workers can collaborate with their colleagues without being physically present.
4. One criticism of the metaverse is that it lacks the representation of its users’ humanity and agency.
5. In times of physical distancing, the metaverse helps connect people worldwide.
Your answers:
1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

Part 2. For questions 6-10, listen to a news report the regulation of social media contents and answer the
questions. Write NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS taken from the recording for each answer.
6. According to Francis Haugen, beside damaging children, what is Facebook believed to do?
___________________________________________________
7. Why did the bills concerning online hate and violation of privacy fall through?
___________________________________________________
8. What is Canada called by one interviewee for its untimely intervention on issues related to social media?
___________________________________________________
9. What do algorithms caused by users’ increased engagement do?
___________________________________________________
10. What should be enforced in the face of all the risks social media pose?
___________________________________________________

Page 1 of 12 pages
Part 3. For questions 11-15, listen to two art experts, Marion Mason and Kenny Skelton, talking about
changes in the selling and buying of artworks and choose the correct answers A, B, C or D which fits
best according to what you hear. Write your answers in the corresponding numbered boxes provided.
11. Before 1973, the buying and selling of artworks ______.
A. was restricted to professional art dealers B. attracted little attention from the press
C. involved small sums of money changing hands D. totally dependent on the state of economy
12. What did the 1973 auction and the 1997 auction have in common?
A. The circumstances in which they took place were unpleasant.
B. There was widespread criticism of how they were conducted.
C. The buyers were thought to have paid far too much.
D. Both collections belonged to people found guilty of a crime.
13. What was the outcome of the 1997 auction?
A. Every work of art was seen as a good investment.
B. Predictions were made about changes in the art world.
C. Contemporary art was held in higher regard.
D. Works by young artists began to fetch the highest prices
14. Why is contemporary art now considered a good investment?
A. Large organisations have expressed an interest in buying it.
B. Everyone who buys it makes a very large profit.
C. The market for it is more certain than other markets
D. It has become the most valuable art form.
15. In the contexts of the present-day world, what is NOT true, according to Marion?
A. Some people fail to capture the spirit of the art market.
B. Artists’ creativity is no longer a determinant of art quality.
C. People’s habit of jumping on the bandwagon changes the art market.
D. The globalisation of art is a factor that alters public perception of it.
Your answers:
11. 12. 13. 14. 15.

Part 4. For questions 16-25, listen to a news report on biodiversity and complete the following sentences.
Write NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS taken from the recording for each blank.
Elon Musk has recently given up Bitcoin for his concerns on the environment, which Prince Charles has been
(16)______________________________ for a long time.

Investors today have had faith in Prince Charles’ messages given the planet is regarded as a
(17)___________________________________; therefore, interfering with it means risking ourselves.

According to the (18)_________________________________________, 50% of global GDP relies on nature.

Due to the connection between the COVID-19 pandemic and environmental destruction, the former shows
humans are all (19)____________________________________________.

The world has lost 60% of animals over the last 40 years and will lose more by 2050s, all due to humans’
continual (20)___________________________ of species.

To prevent the above risks from realizing, business leaders should:

• become (21)______________________: lobbying or taking direct action.
• measure and manage the (22)______________________, which (23)_________________________
are making efforts to make easier and more objective.

In order to curb the loss of biodiversity, it is reckoned we need to annually spend

(24)_________________________. Such a huge amount of money requires (25)__________________________
and _____________________ to join hands.

Page 2 of 12 pages
II. LEXICO-GRAMMAR (20 points)
Part 1. For question 26-39, 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. Unanswered, the demands for nuclear deterrents have ______ fears of civil war.
A. flashed up B. prognosticated C. sidetracked D. stoke up
27. They have ______ a plane to take delegates to the conference.
A. chartered B. commissioned C. ordered D. summoned
28. Artists today are pushing the ______ of what is called acceptable family entertainment.
A. margin B. goalpost C. envelope D. stamp
29. Since you have just recovered from an illness, it’s unlikely you will be asked to do anything too physically
______.
A. pinning B. taxing C. pressing D. mandating
30. The kingdom had no intention of participating in a regional war and remained ______.
A. sovereign B. neutral C. independent D. benevolent
31. She decided to break up with his boyfriend after witnessing his ______.
A. ins and outs B. warts and all C. odds and ends D. cut and thrust
32. Julia felt unfairly ______ when she spoke out against a company proposal and the entire staff team
turned against her.
A. prosecuted B. persecuted C. oppressed D. suppressed
33. It is far too easy to lay the blame ______ on the shoulders of the management.
A. flatly B. willingly C. squarely D. totally
34. My boss is ever so sweet and nice when it suits her, but if you cross her she soon gets on her ______.
A. tall order B. dirty dog C. low ebb D. high horse
35. Harry’s attitudes at schools has grown ______ lately.
A. beyond the pale B. off the cuff C. over the top D. off the chart
36. Since he picked up a knee injury during the semi-final, he has become a(n) ______ to the whole team.
A. setback B. weakness C. vulnerability D. liability
37. Upon hearing the news on the recent arrest of his favourite celebrity, Josh was ______.
A. leveled B. floored C. hurled D. heaved
38. Exhausted after a grueling day of hard work, Sarah decided to ______ early.
A. recoup B. retire C. retreat D. revile
39. He needed some stout props to ______ up the old stone wall after the earthquake.
A. perk B. patch C. pep D. shore
40. Surrey have been building up a(n) ______ lead in this season's County Championship.
A. impenetrable B. impregnable C. indubitable D. impassable

Your answers:
26. 27. 28. 29. 30. 31. 32. 33.
34. 35. 36. 37. 38. 39. 40.

Part 2. For question 40-45, write the correct form of each bracketed word in the numbered space
provided in the column on the right.
Your answers:
41. The similarity between these two dissertations may not be simply (FORTUNE). 41. _______________

42. Some men feel (MASCULINE) if they work for a woman. 42. _______________

43. Celebrities feel special when they are surrounded by a(n) (TOUR) of loyal
followers. 43. _______________

44. New schemes (FOOT) promises positive changes to the country’s education 44. _______________
system.

45. Many COVID-19 infections are (SYMPTOM), which makes the pandemic even 45. _______________
harder to control.

Page 3 of 12 pages
III. READING (50 points)
Part 1. For question 46-55, fill each of the following numbered blanks with ONE suitable word. Write your
answers in the corresponding numbered boxes provided.
CHIVALRY
In modern times, the world ‘chivalry’ is generally assumed to refer to men (46) ______ women with respect
and courtesy, opening doors for them, pulling out chairs for them, and giving up their (47) ______ on buses and in
crowded rooms. In medieval times, however, the term carries a much richer (48) ______ that underlay the
expectations placed on aristocratic men. The word comes from the French word chevalier, which means “horse-
man”. In general, it referred to any man who could (49) ______ to arm himself and ride his own horse into battle –
in other words, a knight. In those days very (50) ______ men were able to do so, hence the association between
chivalry and the aristocracy.
Over time, what (51) ______ as an idealization of knightly conduct during the Crusades of the 11th and 12th
centuries developed into a complex system of ethics governing a knight’s behavior toward God, his lord, both his
(52) ______ and his enemies, and women and children. The literature of the late middle ages, particularly the
Arthurian legends, (53) ______ the imaginations of thousands of peasants to love and believe in the (54) ______ of
the courtly knight. In Sir Gawain and the Green knight, written in the late 1300s, Sir Gawain displays an almost
obsessive desire to (55) ______ to the chivalric code. Other characters constantly reference his reputation as a
knight known for both his prowess in battle and his excellent manners.
Your answers:
46. 47. 48. 49. 50.
51. 52. 53. 54. 55.
Part 2: Read the following passage and do the tasks that follow.
THE GENERATION POWER BALANCE
Throughout history, the clash between the old and the young has been a defining feature of both reality
and literature. Parents have power over their children… but as those juveniles approach adolescence, they begin
to put pressure on their parents’ power. They test the rules; they rebel; they create their own rules. The parents are
puzzled, frustrated and resentful about the shift in the balance of power. They fight back; try to exert their
leadership in an attempt to maintain their power. But as they grow towards old age, they are forced to relinquish it,
while the world changes into a place they cease to recognize from their youth.
The friction between old and young is set to become a feature of the twenty first century, as we approach a
period where the balance of power reaches virgin territory. This is not to say that relationships between the
generations are expected to worsen; rather that the unprecedented demographic changes to come will have
knock-on effects that we cannot yet imagine.
How can we be so sure that trials lie ahead? Demographic trends are incredibly easy to predict. Decades
pass between the birth of children and their growth into adulthood, while rises in life expectancy due to affluence
and better medical care are gradual. Consequently, it is possible to predict accurately what proportion of the
population will be economically active, and what proportion will be dependant, for a considerable time in the
future. Hence, we know that rising as people are living longer and having fewer children – and having them later in
life - population structure will skew much more towards the aged.
Statistical prediction is one thing. Predicting the implications of such trends on society is another thing
entirely. In the 1900s, demographers could – or at least should – have predicted that trend toward city-living as
opposed to country-living was likely to continue, as indeed it did, becoming one of the most defining features of the
twentieth century. The political, economic, social and environmental implications of this shift were much harder to
predict, however.
Many economically developed countries already fear that by 2025, there will be too few young tax-payers
in the working population to support those in old age. This is the generation that requires pensions, medical care,
local services and other benefits. Governments are already putting in steps, such as compulsory work pensions
and increases in the retirement age in an attempt to mitigate the problem. How effective these measures prove to
be remains to be seen. Moreover, this isn’t just a predicament for richer countries. All less economically developed
countries outside the AIDS stricken regions of Sub-Saharan African are experiencing the same demographic
trends, and, unless their economies develop extremely quickly, their populations will suffer much more.
Economically, therefore, adults will be at the mercy of the elderly. Governments will be obliged to put
money and efforts into the provision for the elderly and working adults will have to forego their share. But perhaps
such a conclusion is too glib. The scenario could pan out in differently. After all, rising elderly populations also
bring opportunities for the young, such as in employment in products and services geared towards the older

Page 4 of 12 pages
generation. Moreover, the shift comes at a time when seniority is beginning to count for less in the workplace than
in the past. Youthful traits, such as innovation, creativity and familiarity with new technology are being recognized
more and more. Perhaps power will not shift towards the elderly as much as demographic data suggests.
Add another twist, and we realize that the older generation are not the old-fashioned bedridden fuddy-
duddies that they perhaps were perceived to be in the past. The over-seventies look younger and are fitter than
ever. Moreover, their tastes are less divergent from those of younger generations than they used to be. They listen
to rock music, study at university, embrace new hobbies, travel and socialize. The lines between youth and age,
culturally at least, have blurred.
This may mean that a standard retirement age may become a thing of the past, as vigorous people in their
seventies and eighties choose to carry on working. Such a trend would greatly ease the tax burden on the younger
generations, as well as giving the older generation more choice. However, it comes as a two-edged coin, as
young, inexperienced workers would be forced to compete for jobs with the seasoned workers; while those in
employment may never get the promotion they desire if the old guy at the top refuses to quit.
Of course, the predictions envisaged in this scenario will only come to pass if the world develops in a
relatively benign way. In the twentieth century population shifts were irrevocably altered by world war and
economic depression, and similar events could afflict coming generations too. Until we know for sure, we can rest
easy in the knowledge that the problems which arise now are the problems of success – problems that arise
through economic growth, better medication, reduced inequality and by maintaining peace.
For questions 56-61, decide whether the following statements are True (T), False (F) or Not Given (NG).
Write your answers in the corresponding numbered spaces provided.
56. Old generations always make efforts to exert their authority on younger ones.
57. The popular patterns predicted for the 21st century has never happened before.
58. In 1900, it was difficult to foresee mass migrations from rural to urban areas.
59. The consequences of an imbalance between the old and the young would be worse in developed countries
than in developing countries.
60. It is certain that in the future, governments’ attention to the welfare of the elderly means working adults have to
sacrifice.
61. Future generations can be seriously affected by the danger of coming world war and economic depression.
Your answers:
56. 57. 58. 59. 60. 61.
For questions 62-68, complete the following summary using no more than THREE words taken from the
passage for each blank. Write your answers in the corresponding numbered boxes provided.
There are different scenarios regarding the interrelation between the old and the young. One of them is that
less status is being given to people with (62) ______ in today’s workplace hierarchy as (63) ______ are more
appreciated. This contradicts the information offered by (64) ______.
Another scenario suggests the difference between these two generations is more (65) ______ than in the
past. As a result, (66) ______ may become obsolete and the elderly can now commit more to their work, thus
reducing the (67) ______ on young people. However, only when the world changes in a (68) ______ fashion will
such predictions be realized.
Your answers:
62. 63. 64.
65. 66. 67.
68.

Part 3: In the passage below, seven paragraphs have been removed. For question 69-75, read the passage
and choose from paragraphs A-H the one which fits each gap. There is ONE extra paragraph which you do
not need to use. Write your answers in the corresponding numbered boxes provided.
THE ONLINE TASTEMAKERS
How bloggers changed the face of fashion marketing?
How you quantify real online influence remains a subject of much debate in the fashion industry. For many,
however, the defining moment came back in 2011. The story began when a major US fashion chain store, known
for colourful, funky pieces, sent a dress with navy and red stripes to a few celebrity friends. Coincidentally, and in
the space of four weeks, all wore the dress in public. Before you could say, 'What a cute outfit', various blog sites

Page 5 of 12 pages
had written about this sartorial mind meld. Within a week, the store had nearly sold out of the $49.90 item, which
means that, according to the estimates of one industry expert, they had moved in excess of ten thousand dresses.
69
In the past, the correct interpretation would probably have been the former; it is received wisdom in the fashion
industry that celebrities sell clothes. Yet some people are in no doubt that this was the moment when things
changed. For these commentators, it was the bloggers who were behind that striped dress becoming so covetable.
70
These were not, however, necessarily the same bloggers who had first gained the fashion industry's attention a few
years previously. Those were primarily fashion fans with laptops, embraced for their idiosyncratic take on fashion
and invited to sit in the front row at catwalk events, the seats traditionally reserved for the powerful editors of glossy
magazines.
71
The newer breed of bloggers was different. Focusing on red-carpet events and celebrities, they played into several
contemporary trends: a fascination with famous people, especially reality TV stars; our desire to cut through large
amounts of information quickly; and the ability of online sites to drive sales. For the most part, these blogs are
distinguishable from the earlier wave because they've been conceived from the outset as commercial enterprises,
albeit presented in the format of a blog.
72
The kind of business such referrals started to generate caused a shift in thinking at some fashion brands about the
best way to reach consumers. When they blogged about people wearing things, they were adding another level of
endorsement. Brands soon realised that rather than spend a huge amount on advertising and marketing, they'd be
better off targeting the bloggers.
73
But with all this going on, how was an independent blogger to work more closely with a brand whilst simultaneously
retaining what, for many, made them worth reading in the first place? That sense that bloggers are just like me,
only more obsessive; that we respond to them as readers because we assume a purity in their approach; they are,
we imagine, doing it for fun, not leveraging for profit?
74
Looking back, it is possible to see a familiar pattern emerging. It had happened with those who rejected fashion's
rules (hippies, punks), just as it happened with those who wanted to be ironic and distant from fashion (Tom Ford's
early Gucci) and it had already happened with the first wave of bloggers. At the end of the day, the fashion industry
absorbed the trends and made them mainstream. For independent bloggers, the process started with that striped
dress.
75
And this makes sense and it is something that blog followers, who are not so easily manipulated as might be
supposed, can appreciate - in the same way that they can see when something is branded. At the end of the day,
they could ask themselves the questions, 'Do you really want that dress because a particular blogger showed it to
you and you liked the blog?' and 'Did the blogger show you that dress because the brand asked them to?'
Missing paragraphs:
A. Paradoxically, therefore, it became quite possible that their very success could ultimately be their undoing. In
this, they were simply the latest iteration of a recurring theme: fashion's ability to identify, and co-opt, an
influential minority.
B. Some retailers, many of them also etailers, started doing exactly that, zooming in on blogs in an attempt to
facilitate sales at the point of inspiration. Potential customers were online every single moment of the day, and
wherever they were, they were also shopping. Brands were trying to close the gap between seeing an item and
buying it.
C. And it didn't stop at incentives either. One high-end retailer reportedly even started holding workshops to give
its key bloggers tips on how to make their blogs more shoppable, thereby ensuring that potential clients need
look no further.

Page 6 of 12 pages
D. Some from this earlier generation subsequently parlayed their fame into paid consultancies or jobs with brands.
Unsurprisingly, given their many thousand followers, the brands loved them, and were keen to bring them into
the fold.
E. Celebrity weeklies were increasingly taking their cues from hot blogger stories and this one was picked up
everywhere. What's more, it was not only blogs about celebrities that were having an impact. People writing
about everything from watches to their own lives were becoming more influential.
F. In other words, the garment had gone viral. But the question remained: Did this occur because A-listers were
shown wearing the item and consumers wanted to be just like them, or was it because key fashion bloggers
picked, from the thousands of images they sift through each day, those particular pictures to feature?
G. What's more, one prominent blogger believes commercial tie-ups are an inevitable result of blogging becoming,
for some, a business. She says, 'As more and more of the most influential bloggers moved from blogging part-
time to making it the main focus of their professional activity, they are necessarily looking for ways to monetise
their influence in order to make a living.
H. The emergence of such pseudo-blogs underlines a shift that was happening across the blogosphere at that
time. There were still people doing it solo, but there were now many other blogs, owned by media companies
and set up as digital platforms. In the world of celebrity fashion blogs, these included collective blogs reviewing
celebrity style and directing viewers to retailer sites.
Your answers:
69. 70. 71. 72. 73. 74. 75.

Part 4: For questions 76-85, read an article on the transportation system and choose the answer A, B, C or
D which you think fits best according to the text. Write your answers in the corresponding numbered
boxes provided.
Many people who are willing to concede that the railroad must be brought back to life are chiefly thinking of
bringing this about on the very terms that have robbed us of a balanced transportation network that is, by treating
speed as the only important factor, forgetting reliability, comfort and safety, and seeking some mechanical dodge
for increasing the speed and automation of surface vehicles.
My desk is littered with such technocratic fantasies, hopefully offered as 'solutions'. They range from old-
fashioned monorails and jet-propelled hovercraft (now extinct) to a more scientific mode of propulsion at 2,000
miles an hour, from completely automated highway travel in private cars, to automated vehicles a government
department is now toying with for 'facilitating' urban traffic. What is the function of transportation? What place does
locomotion occupy in the whole spectrum of human needs? Perhaps, the first step in developing an adequate
transportation policy would be to clear our minds of technocratic cant. Those who believe that transportation is the
chief end of life should be put in orbit at a safe lunar distance from the earth.
The prime purpose of passenger transportation is not to increase the amount of physical movement but to
increase the possibilities for human association, cooperation, personal intercourse, and choice.
A balanced transportation system, accordingly, calls for a balance of resources and facilities and
opportunities in every other part of the economy. Neither speed nor mass demand offers a criterion of social
efficiency. Hence, such limited technocratic proposals as that for high-speed trains between already overcrowded
and overextended urban centers would only add to the present lack of functional balance and purposeful
organization viewed in terms of human need. Variety of choices, facilities and destinations, not speed alone, is the
mark of an organic transportation system. And, incidentally, this is an important factor of safety when any part of
the system breaks down. Even confirmed air travellers appreciate the railroad in foul weather.
If we took human needs seriously in recasting the whole transportation system, we should begin with the
human body and make the fullest use of pedestrian movement, not only for health but for efficiency in moving large
crowds over short distances. The current introduction of malls, free from wheeled traffic, is both a far simpler and
far better technical solution than the many costly proposals for introducing moving sidewalks or other rigidly
automated modes of locomotion. At every stage we should provide for the right type of locomotion, at the right
speed, within the right radius, to meet human needs. Neither maximum speed nor maximum traffic nor maximum
distance has by itself any human significance.
With the over-exploitation of the motor car comes an increased demand for engineering equipment, to roll
ever wider carpets of concrete over the bulldozed landscape and to endow the petroleum magnates of Texas,
Venezuela and Arabia with fabulous capacities for personal luxury and political corruption. Finally, the push of this
system, abetted by similar concentration on planes and rockets, is to keep an increasing volume of motorists and
tourists in motion, at the highest possible speed, in a sufficiently comatose state not to mind the fact that their
distant destination has become the exact counterpart of the very place they have kit. The end product everywhere
is environmental desolation.

Page 7 of 12 pages
 If this is the best our technological civilization can do to satisfy genuine human needs and nurture man's
further development, it's plainly time to close up shop. If indeed we go farther and faster along this route, there is
plenty of evidence to show that the shop will close up without our help. Behind our power blackouts, our polluted
environments, our transportation breakdowns, our nuclear threats, is a failure of mind. Technocratic anesthesia has
put us to sleep. Results that were predictable – and predicted half a century ago without awakening any response
still find us unready to cope with them – or even to admit their existence.
76. It may be inferred from the passage that the author is a(n) ____.
A. lawyer B. railroad industry spokesman
C. historian D. highway engineer
77. According to the article, all of the following are the purposes of transportation EXCEPT ____.
A. to increase social contact B. to open up opportunities
C. to move from place to place efficiently D. to facilitate human collaboration
78. It can be inferred that the author would oppose ____.
A. an expansion of the interstate highway system
B. less emphasis on technological solutions
C. excessive investments on a balanced transportation system
D. sacrificing speed for comfort
79. The author believes the nation has placed too great an emphasis on all of the following EXCEPT ____.
A. traffic flow B. technological needs C. maximizing distance D. diversity
80. It is stated in the article that safety in transportation is aided by the existence of ____.
A. a combination of surface and sub-surface systems
B. technological sophistication
C. a variety of transport modes
D. fail-safe system in foul weather
81. The author criticizes most railroad advocates because ____.
A. they support bypassing mechanical procedures to increase automation
B. what they support is either obsolete or has disappeared altogether
C. they believe railroads make the current balanced transportation network
D. they allow the prioritization of speed at the expense of other factors
82. The author predicts if we continue our present transportation policy, ____.
A. our society may die
B. we will succumb to a technocratic dictatorship
C. human needs will be surrendered
D. planes and rockets will predominate
83. Excessive reliance on the automobile, according to the author, is associated with ____.
A. a policy of comfort and convenience at all costs
B. the enrichment of the oil industry
C. inefficiency in transportation
D. monopoly power
84. According to the article, the fulfilment of human needs will require ____.
A. more resources devoted to transportation B. an automated travel
C. a better legislative policy D. far greater use of walking
85. According to the article, which of the following is NOT true?
A. Technocracy has led to our inaction against the harms of our obsession with automobile.
B. Pedestrian malls present an effective way to transport masses of people over short distances.
C. The balance in the transportation network is prerequisite to the balance in economic sectors.
D. The transportation system should stay away from technocratic rhetoric.
Your answers:
76. 77. 78. 79. 80.
81. 82. 83. 84. 85.
Part 5: The passage below consists of five sections marked A, B, C, D and E. For questions 86-95, read
the passage and do the task that follows. Write your answers in the corresponding numbered boxes
provided.

Page 8 of 12 pages
 THE NEW SCIENCE AWARDS REDEFINING SUCCESS
A challenge to tradition, but not with their problems
A. For a little over a century, in a somewhat staid and dull ceremony in Stockholm in January, the Nobel prizes
have been awarded to worthy scientists by the King of Sweden. But, as in all walks of life, times change and
science awards are no different. The new awards or ‘new Nobels’, as they have been dubbed, are no longer
the preserve of prestigious institutions like the Swedish Academy. Instead, they are paid for by celebrity
CEOs such as Mark Zuckerberg and other tech millionaires, with multimillion-dollar prizes and ceremonies
that are glamorous affairs reminiscent of the Oscars. And this is something that scientists generally tend not
to view in a particularly positive light. British astronomer Martin Rees says that many scientists are undecided
about the new awards. He believes that these more recent awards are steered towards showcasing the
wealthy donors as much as the scientists themselves. He is not the only award cynic and others have joined
him in voicing concerns, including American physicist Frank Wilczek who wonders about the virtues of
awarding large prizes in the advancement of science.
B. There are indeed some serious concerns about all this. The most worrying of which centres around the world
view and associated power of the funders, be they individuals like Zuckerberg or large global corporations.
The problem is that these elite minorities are predominantly Western with a specific shared world view of the
value of knowledge, as well as the aspects of science that are deserving of investment, be that time-based or
financial. Many people are anxious that younger researchers trying to cut their teeth in a world where funding
is increasingly competitive could easily adapt their research to the visions held by the funders of these new
awards, visions which may or may not have the interests of humanity as a whole at their heart. Oversight is a
key aspect of research in a way that it is not seen in business, especially the tech giants who prize innovation
over all other things. This shift in the motivations of those who arc the guardians of science awards should
raise alarm bells for us all.
C. The Breakthrough Prize in Life Sciences is an excellent example of this. The list of donors reads like a who's-
who of celebrity tech CEOs and the price tag attached to each prize is $3 million. Most winners are highly
regarded scientists with glittering careers and enviable publishing records. These huge prizes tend to go to
scientists who are already extremely well-funded, and it could easily be argued that they are the least in need
of such exorbitant sums. Furthermore, if these new awards and their glamourous ceremonies arc designed to
bring a new breed of celebrity science to public attention, they may be wasting their time. A quick YouTube
search will show that the world has plenty of celebrity scientists boasting millions of followers worldwide. such
as Brian Cox to Michio Kaku. Funding that aims to bring science to the general public should probably be
diverted to the people who have proven track records in engaging people in science.
D. Despite the scepticism surrounding these new science awards, benefits do exist. In order to present a fair
and balanced analysis of the positive impacts of such awards, these benefits should be highlighted. In recent
times a key criticism of the original Nobel prizes has been the fact that they do not fully represent the way in
which science is carried out in modem times. Nowadays most scientific inventions and discoveries are
collaborative. This means that they rely on the cooperation and shared knowledge and expertise of dozens of
scientists working in cross-cultural teams across several academic communities around the globe, rather than
individuals working in isolation. Since the Nobel prizes can only be awarded to three people each year, many
hard-working scientists go unnoticed, receiving little or no recognition for their contributions to research and
discoveries that simply could not have happened without them. Contrary to this system, the Breakthrough
Prize and others have been designed to reward entire teams and are therefore much wider in their scope and
inclusivity.
E. However, there is a danger that these prizes could be seen as paying lip service to the principles of inclusivity
and diversity. Although there are some non-Westem prizes such as the Tang Prize, awarded to those working
in Asian institutions, most winning teams are located in Western nations, and global inclusivity remains a
challenge. Scientists such as Bob O'Hara, who works at a research centre in Frankfurt, warn of the widening
gap between the rich and poor among the scientific community. Instead of talking about awards and large
financial prizes, he cites as a concern the funding allocated to the search for treatments and cures for the
diseases of the rich, rather than those that are widespread amongst developing nations. Many scientists
strongly believe that the West must not just be allowed to dominate and marginalise other nations that have
much to offer in terms of knowledge and research potential. These glamorous new science awards are a
prime example of how scientists in developing nations might be able to benefit from the prize money far more
than their western counterparts might.

Page 9 of 12 pages
 In which section are the following mentioned? Your answers:
• newer science awards being rooted in cooperation rather than individuality 86. __________
• some scientists’ suspicion on the principles underlying the new science awards 87. __________
• the impact of generous financial incentives on the direction of future research 88. __________
• the fact that the new science awards are backed by a different type of elite 89. __________
• the failure of awarding systems in keeping pace with changing scientific practices 90. __________
• scientists’ discontentment over the unequal distribution of investment in science 91. __________
• the low likelihood of prize-winning scientists needing substantial financial funding 92. __________
• that funding popular science communicators rather than prizes may be more 93. __________
worthwhile for society
• change in the type of enterprise that funds new science awards 94. __________
• that new awards could have a greater impact if given to more financially needy 95. __________
scientists
IV. WRITING (60 points)
Part 1. Read the following extract and use your own words to summarize it. Your summary should be
between 100 and 120 words long.
Archaeology is a source of history, not just a humble auxiliary discipline. Archaeological data are historical
documents in their own right, not mere illustrations to written texts. Just as much as any other historian, an
archaeologist studies and tries to reconstitute the process that has created the human world in which we live –
and us ourselves in so far as we are each creatures of our age and social environment. Archaeological data are
all changes in the material world resulting from human action or, more succinctly, the fossilized results of human
behavior. The sum total of these constitute what may be called the archaeological record. This record exhibits
certain peculiarities and deficiencies, the consequences of which produce a rather superficial contrast between
archaeological history and the more familiar kind based upon written records.
Not all human behavior fossilizes. The words I utter and you hear as vibrations in the air are certainly human
changes in the material world and may be of great historical significance. Yet they leave no sort of trace in the
archaeological records unless they are captured by a Dictaphone or written down by a clerk. The movement of
troops on the battlefield may "change the course of history", but this is equally ephemeral from the archaeologist's
standpoint. What is perhaps worse, most organic materials are perishable. Everything made of wood, hide wool,
linen, grass hair, and similar materials will decay and vanish in dust in a few years or centuries, save under very
exceptional conditions. In a relatively brief period the archaeological record is reduced to mere scraps of stone.
bone, glass. metal, and earthenware. Still modern archaeology, by applying appropriate techniques and
comparative methods, aided by a few lucky finds from peat bogs, deserts, and frozen soils, is able to fill up a
good deal of the gap.
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Page 10 of 12 pages
Part 2. The bar chart below shows the proportions of spending on different types of goods of different
income groups in the country of Fantasy by 2030. The table shows the percentages of spending on
different necessity goods of the working class and the upper class by the same year.
Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where
relevant. You should write about 150 words.

Proportions of spending by Incomes

Necessity goods Normal goods Luxury goods Others

60%
50%
40%
PERCENTAGES

30%
20%
10%
0%
Working Class Lower Middle Class Upper Middle Class Upper Class
INCOME GROUPS

Proportions of spending on necessity goods

Food & Water Healthcare Travel Accommodation Others
Working Class 43% 23% 10% 12% 12%
Upper Class 30% 15% 17% 10% 28%

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Page 11 of 12 pages
Part 3. Write an essay of 350 words on the following topic.
Celebrities’ personal lives and ethics should be separated from their professions.
To what extent do you agree with the statement?
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(You may write overleaf if you need more space.)

---- THE END ----

Page 12 of 12 pages
FACEBOOK MỆT NHỌC KỲ THI THỬ CHỌN HỌC SINH GIỎI QUỐC GIA THPT
ĐỀ THI NÓI NĂM HỌC 2021-2022

Question 1. Some people believe that we should always push our limits to reach new heights. Others think
otherwise, claiming that perfecting what we already have is the key to success. Discuss both views and give
your opinion.
You have 5 minutes to prepare for your talk. Good luck!

Question 2. Some people believe that we should focus on quantity when considering an outcome. Others think
otherwise, claiming that it is quality that matters more. Discuss both views and give your opinion.
You have 5 minutes to prepare for your talk. Good luck!

Question 3. Some people believe that using dating apps is a great way for people to find love in today’s world.
Others think otherwise, claiming that dating apps go against the nature of love and do imminent harms to those
involved. Discuss both views and give your opinion.
You have 5 minutes to prepare for your talk. Good luck!

Question 4. Some people believe that everyone should have a public persona when interacting with others.
Others think otherwise, claiming that showing our true personalities at all times is key towards a happy and
fulfilling life. Discuss both views and give your opinion.
You have 5 minutes to prepare for your talk. Good luck!

Question 5. “How you love yourself is how you teach others to love you” (Rupi Kaul). Discuss the quote and
give your opinion.
You have 5 minutes to prepare for your talk. Good luck!

Question 6. “If you look at what you have in life, you’ll always have more” (Oprah Winfrey). Discuss the quote
and give your opinion.
You have 5 minutes to prepare for your talk. Good luck!

Question 7. Some people believe that changes in admission requirements to universities in Vietnam means
greater opportunities for high-schoolers. Others think otherwise, claiming that this situation has caused more
problems than it has solved.
You have 5 minutes to prepare for your talk. Good luck!

Question 8. Some people believe that if having the choice, we should choose the job that we are passionate
about. Others think otherwise, claiming that it is better for us to choose high-paid jobs, even if they are the ones
we dislike. Discuss both views and give your opinion.
You have 5 minutes to prepare for your talk. Good luck!

Question 9. Some people believe that censorship stunts the development of the entertainment industry. Others
think otherwise, claiming that censorship has opened many new doors for it to prosper. Discuss both views and
give your opinion.
You have 5 minutes to prepare for your talk. Good luck!

Question 10. Some people believe that students after high-school graduation should be required to work in
their country of origin for a number of years. Others think otherwise, claiming that these students should have
the freedom to go wherever they want after finishing high school. Discuss both views and give your opinion.
You have 5 minutes to prepare for your talk. Good luck!

Page 13 of 12 pages