SỞ GD&ĐT HÀ TĨNH ĐỀ THI CHỌN HỌC SINH GIỎI TỈNH

TRƯỜNG THPT HÀM NGHI NĂM HỌC 2021 - 2022

Môn: Tiếng Anh – Lớp 11
(Đề thi đề xuất) (Thời gian: 180 phút – không kể thời gian giao đề)

A. LISTENING (50 points)

Part 1. Complete the notes below. For question 1-5, write NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS
AND/OR A NUMBER  for each answer. (10 points)
Notes on Island Hotel
Type of room required: double room
Time
 The length of stay: approx 2 weeks
 Starting date: 25th April
Temperature
 Daytime: up to 1. ___________ C
 Erratic weather
Transport
 Free 2.___________
 Normally transferring to the airport takes about 3.___________en-suite facilities and a
4.___________
 gym and spa facilities
 a large outdoor swimming pool
 three standard 5.___________

Your answers:
1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
Part 2. You will hear part of a radio interview with Martin Middleton, who makes wildlife
programmes for television. For questions 1-5, choose the best answer (A, B or C). (10 points)
1. When he visited Borneo, Martin
A. made a programme about life on the river.
B. had no fixed expectations.
C. became more interested in filming old buildings.
2. Since the early 1960s, wildlife filming has become
A. more organised.
B. more relaxed.
C. more creative.
3. When he takes a holiday, Martin prefers to
A. relax by the sea.
B. travel for a particular reason.
C. stay in comfortable surroundings.
4. Martin thought that the holiday-makers he saw in the Dominican Republic were
A. risking their health.
B. wasting opportunities.
C. lacking entertainment.
5. What is Martin's opinion of tourism?
A. It should be discouraged.
B. It is well managed.

Page 1
C. It can be a good thing.
Your answers:
1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

Part 3. You will hear part of a radio interview in which a graphic designer called Sandra
talking about her work as a children's book illustrator. For questions 1-5, decide whether the
statement is TRUE (T) or FALSE (F). (10 points)
1. As a freelance illustrator, Sandra finds it challenging when she has to work to a tight
schedule.
2. Sandra is allowed to work on illustrations before receiving the story if she works with editors
she knows well.
3. For Sandra, keeping the figures realistic rather than cartoonish requires most effort when it
comes to drawing people.
4. Sandra's work made her children good readers at an early stage.
5. Sandra suggests young people who hope to be illustrators showing their specialization in
particular subjects.
Your answers:
1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

Part 4. You will hear part of a scientific television programme for young people in which the
speaker explains what meteors' are For questions 1-10, complete the notes below which
summarise what the speaker says. Write NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS for each
answer. (20 points)
'Meteors' is another name for 1.___________
To help explain meteors, planet Earth is compared to a 2.___________
You can think of meteors as a group of 3.___________
In reality, meteors are very small chunks of 4.___________
The circular path the Earth travels around the Sun is called its 5. ___________
When Earth comes close to a meteor, the meteor is pulled downwards by 6.___________
A meteor travels very fast - a hundred times faster than 7.___________, which is described as
similar to striking one end of a 8.___________
Due to the speed it travels through the air, the meteor becomes hotter and hotter.
Because of the heat, the meteor becomes less hard, 9.___________. and then burns
We are lucky that most meteors burn up and never 10.___________
Your answers:
1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
6. 7. 8. 9. 10.

SECTION B. LEXICO- GRAMMAR (50 points)

Part 1. Choose the best option A, B, C, or D to complete the following sentences and write
your answers in the corresponding numbered boxes. (20 points)
1. Without additional funds from the government, the principal cannot ___________ the issue of
overcrowding in his school.
A. rectify B. banish C. sanction D. maltreat
2. Salt intake may lead to raised blood pressure in ___________ adults.
A. susceptible B. dangerous C. futile D. feasible

Page 2
3. No one appreciated his work during his lifetime, but ___________ it is clear that he is a great
artist.
A. in the aftermath B. by the time C. in retrospect D. in this eventuality
4. In recent years, many hills have been ___________ to give way to buildings.
A. demolished B. levelled C. flattened D. felled
5. The ___________ of thirst is based on the concentration of salt in the blood.
A. sensation B. sentiment C. response D. impression
6. The brother and sister were ___________ over who would get to inherit the beach house.
A. at large B. at odds C. at a standstill D. at a loose end
7. Don’t trust what you hear on the grapevine. It’s best to hear it straight from the ___________
mouth so you know it’s true.
A. dog’s B. horse’s C. camel’s D. cat’s
8. Charles Babbage’s “difference engine” is widely regarded as the ___________ of modern
computers.
A. precedent B. precursor C. ancestor D. antecedent
9. Because so much wheat has been sold to other countries, local supplies are ___________.
A. expanded B. depleted C. apprehended D. preoccupied
10. Parents know that a caring attitude can not only save you a small fortune, but also even
make you feel good about being ___________ and offering more care than presents.
A. tight-fisted B. pigheaded C. highly strung D. easy-going
11. Ann’s encouraging words gave me ___________ to undertake the demanding task once
again.
A. a point B. an incentive C. a resolution D. a target
12. The international conference of the Cardiological Association has been ___________ in
Cairo to discuss the revolutionary discovery of doctor Gonzales from Mexico.
A. deployed B. collected C. mobilized D. summoned
13. We did our best to fix the broken computer but our efforts bore no ___________
A. success B. fruit C. luck D. end
14. It was decide that the cost of the project would be ______ so it was abandoned.
A. repressive B. prohibitive C. restrictive D. exclusive
15. Many children who get into trouble in their early teens go on to become ______ offenders.
A. persistent B. insistent C. inverted D. innate
16. Advertisers often claim their campaigns at young people as they have considerable spending
_______.
A. power B. force C. energy D. ability
17. Before their restoration, parts of the medieval building were in a state of _______.
A. debris B. dilapidation C. devastation D. destruction
18. As you are the strongest in the group, you can take the ______ .
A. lead B. head C. part D. way
19. His new play is not only interesting but also unique. It is really off the beaten _____ .
A. track B. road C. path D. route
20. Even the best medicines are not ______ .
A. infallible B. unfailing C. fail-proof D. falsified
Your answers:
1. 5. 9. 13. 17.
2. 6. 10. 14. 18.
3. 7. 11. 15. 19.
4. 8. 12. 16. 20.

Page 3
Part 2. Read the passage below which contains 10 mistakes. Identify the mistakes and write
the corrections in the corresponding numbered boxes. (10 points)
Earth is the only place we know of in the universe that can support human life. Yet human
activities are making the planet less fit to live by. As the western world carries on consuming
two-third of the world's resources while half of the world's population do so just to stay alive,
we are rapidly destroying the only resource we have by what all people can survive and prosper.
Everywhere fertile soil is neither built on or washed into the sea. Renewable resources are
exploited so much that they will never be able to recover completely. We discharge pollutant
into the atmosphere without any thought of the consequences. As a result the planet's ability to
support people is reducing at the very time when rising human numbers and consumption are
making increasing heavy demands on it.
Earth's natural resources are there for us to use. We need food, water, air, energy, medicines,
warmth, shelter and minerals to keep us feed, comfortable, healthy and active. If we are
sensitive in how we use the resources they will last indefinitely. But if we use them wastefully
and excessively they will soon run out and everyone will suffer.
Your answers:
1. 6.
2. 7.
3. 8.
4. 9.
5. 10.

Part 3. Complete each sentence with one suitable particle or preposition. Write your answers
in the box provided. (10 points)
1. You shouldn't pick ________ him just because he's different.
2. Table salt is composed _________ two elements, sodium and chlorine.
3. _________ the whole, I enjoyed the movie.
4. The boss was really hot _____ the collar when you told him you lost the contract.
5. I have to study day and night to keep _____ top.
6. He showed great ingenuity _____ solving the problem.
7. We had to take _____ the deliveries to make sure every piece was in good condition.
8. What chemical is this? It’s giving ________ a horrible smell.
9. The guide rounded _________ the party of tourists and led them to the cathedral.
10. Owing to circumstances ________ our control, the flight to Rome has been cancelled.
Your answers:
1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
6. 7. 8. 9. 10.

Part 4. Write the correct form of the words given in the brackets. Write your answers in the
spaces provided below. (10 points)
It is commonly believed that a break from everyday routine can only do you good. Every
summer, you can spot (1) __________ PROSPECT holidaymakers at airports and waiting for
car ferries. They are (2) __________ MISTAKE - you can tell them a mile away by their sun
hats and hopeful expressions.
For all their optimism, what often actually happens can be a rude awakening from the blissful
holiday dreams of the rest of the year. Sunburn, mosquitoes and (3) ___________ FORESEE

Page 4
expenses can make you think twice about how (4) ____________ BENEFIT getting away from
it all really is.
The fact is, the (5) __________ LIKELY of something going wrong is maximised when you
are abroad and, (6) __________ FORTUNE your ability to deal with crisis and catastrophe is
often minimised. This could be because of language problems, (7) _________ FAMILIAR with
the culture, or simply a different climate, all of which make everything seem different and
unreal.
So, what is the answer? (8) ___________ DOUBT an annual escape from normal working
life is a very positive thing. However, the (9) ___________ WISE of seeking an exotic
location is (10) ___________ QUESTION when you think of all the things that can go wrong.
Your answers:
1. 6.
2. 7.
3. 8.
4. 9.
5. 10.

C. READING (50 points)

Part 1. Read the following passage and decide which answer (A, B, C, or D) best fits each
gap. Write your answers in corresponding numbered boxes. (10 points)
Very few of us would admit putting much trust in horoscopes and the fact that the
movements of astronomical bodies (1) _________ to earthly occurrences affecting peoples’
everyday lives.
We all know about the zodiac signs which reflect the position of the sun, the moon and
the planets at the moment of a man’s birth and about the peculiar characteristics (2) _________
to them by astrologers. We say we will take these phenomena with a (3) _________ of salt
while we keep running our eyes over them in every tabloid we (4) _________ our hands on.
Most frequently, we expect horoscopes to predict the future, to restore our optimistic mood with
a piece of comforting information or to (5) _________ our ego by confirming the superlative
features that we tend to attribute to our zodiacs.
However, there’s no scientific evidence to (6) _________ the assumption that human
existence is so closely (7) _________ with the parameters of the celestial bodies. Our curiosity
in horoscopes may, then, (8) _________ our sheer fascination with the unexplained or the
unpredictable as well as in the enticing insight into the future that the horoscopes offer, thus
establishing the sense of our (9) _________ an extreme power over our own lives. An addition
explanation is that humans tend to have a soft (10) _________ for any form of flattery, which is
the fact to which astrologers and the horoscope writers seem to attach the greatest deal of
weight.
1. A. rely B. correspond C. match D. compare
2. A. identified B. associated C. incorporated D. ascribed
3. A. speck B. pinch C. grain D. scrap
4. A. settle B. draw C. grab D. lay
5. A. boost B. escalate C. revitalize D. improve
6. A. conclude B. concede C. corroborate D. Confound
7. A. fused B. adhered C. coalesced D. intertwined
8. A. stem B. crop C. rear D. dawn
9. A. disposing B. wielding C. effecting D. committing
10. A. pin B. dot C. spot D. nick
Page 5
Your answers:
1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
6. 7. 8. 9. 10.

Part 2. Read the following text and fill in the blank with ONE suitable word. Write your
answers in corresponding numbered boxes. (15 points)
The trouble with school
In the first few years at school all appears to (1) ____ very well. There is much
concern, (2) ____the part of the teachers, with high educational standards, and the children, even
those who are (3) ____ from being socially privileged in other ways, seem eager and happy.
However, by the time the children reach adolescence, the promise of the early years frequently
remains unfulfilled. Many leave school (4) ____ having mastered those basic skills which
society demands, let (5) ____ having developed the ability to exercise any sort of creative
intelligence.
There is no denying that, in spite of the enlightened concern of our primary schools with
happiness, schooling (6) ____ or other turns into a distinctly unhappy experience for many of
our children. Large (7) ____ of them emerge from it well aware that they are ill-equipped for
life in our society. So then they either regard (8) ____ as stupid for failing or else, quite
understandably, they regard the activities at (9) ____ they have failed as stupid. In any event
they want no (10) ____ of them. How can we justify a long period of compulsory education
which ends like that?
Your answers:
1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
6. 7. 8. 9. 10.

Part 3. Read the following passage and circle the best answer to each of the following
questions. Write your answers in corresponding numbered boxes. (10 points)
The response of most animals when suddenly faced with a predator is to flee. Natural
selection has acted in a variety of ways in different species to enhance the efficacy of the
behaviours, known as "flight behaviours" or escape behaviours that are used by prey in fleeing
predators. Perhaps the most direct adaptation is enhanced light speed and agility. 
Adaptations for speed, however, are likely to require sacrifices biter attributes, so we might
expect only some species to adopt a simple fast flight strategy. 
Another way of enhancing the effectiveness of flight is to move in an erratic and
unpredictable way. Many species, like ptarmigans, snipes, and various antelopes and gazelles,
flee from predators in a characteristic zigzag fashion. Rapid unexpected changes in flight
direction make it difficult for a predator to track prey. 
In some species, like the European hare, erratic zigzagflight might be more effective in the
presence of predators that are faster than they are and straight light more effective against
predators that are slower. One observation that supports this suggestion is the recorded tendency
for slow-flying black-beaded gulls, which are normally able to escape predators by means of
direct flight, to show frequent changes in flight direction when they spot a peregrine falcon
(peregrinesare adept at capturing flying birds). 
A quite different way of enhancing escape by flight is to use so-called "flash" behaviour.
Here, the alarmed prey flees for a short distance and then "freezes." Some predators are
unexcited by immobile prey, and a startling flash of activity followed by immobility may
confuse them. "Flash" behaviour is used in particular by frogs and orthopteraninsects, which
make conspicuous jumps and then sit immobile. In some species, "flash" behaviour is enhanced
Page 6
by the display of bright body markings. Good examples of insects with colourful markings are
the red and yellow underwing moths. At rest, both species are a cryptic brown color. When they
fly, however, brightly coloured hind wings are exposed, which render the moths highly
conspicuous. Similarly, some frogs and lizards have brightly coloured patches or frills that may
serve a 'flash" function when they move quickly. Some species even appear to possess "flash"
sounds. The loud buzzing and clicking noises made by some grasshoppers when they jump may
serve to emphasize the movement. 

1. The word "enhance" in line 2 is closest in meaning to........... 

A. encourage B. resist  C. increase  D. reveal 
2. The description of the prey's movement as "zigzag" suggests that the movement is....... 
A. reliable B. fast C. constant  D. unpredictable 
3. It can be inferred from the passage that the European hare......... 
A. is faster than most of its predators 
B. is capable of two kinds of flight 
C. is more likely to escape using straight flight
D. is preyed upon by gulls and falcons 
4. The behaviour of black-beaded gulls is most comparable to that of....... 
A. gazelles  B. European hares  C. peregrine falcons D. frogs 
5. It can be inferred that black-beaded gulls change direction when they spot a peregrine falcon
for which of the following reasons? 
A. The falcons are faster than the gulls. 
B. The gulls want to capture the falcons. 
C. The falcons are unpredictable. 
D. The gulls depend on the falcons for protection. 
6. The word "alarmed" in line 18 is closest in meaning to.......... 
A. moving B. selected  C. frightened  D. exhausted 
7. All of the followings are mentioned as characteristics of "flash" behaviour EXCEPT........... 
A. brief conspicuous activity B. immobility 
C. bright body markings  D. aggressive fighting 
8. The phrase "in particular" in line 20 is closest in meaning to........... 
A. especially  B. with difficulty C. expertly D. frequently 
9. The hind wings of red and yellow underwing moths function in a way that is most similar
to........... 
A. the hind wings of peregrine falcons
B. the zigzag flight of European hares 
C. the colored patches on frogs 
D. the clicking of grasshoppers 
10. Why does the author mention "grasshopper" in the last line? 
A. To contrast animals that "flash" with animals that "freeze". 
B. As an example of an animal whose "flash" behaviour is a sound. 
C. To compare the jumping behaviour of insects and reptiles. 
D. As an example of a predator that moths escape by using "flash" behavior. 
Your answers:
1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
6. 7. 8. 9. 10.

Page 7
Part 4. Read the following extract and answer questions 1-10. (15 points)
For questions 1-10, choose correct heading for paragraphs B-G from the list of headings.
Write your answers in the corresponding numbered boxes. There is an example at the
beginning.
List of Headings
i. The biological clock
ii. Why dying is beneficial
iii. The ageing process of men and women
iv. Prolonging your life
v. Limitations of life span
vi. Models of development of different species
vii. A stable life span despite improvements
viii. Energy consumption
ix. Fundamental differences in ageing of objects and organisms
x. Repair of genetic material

HOW DOES THE BIOLOGICAL CLOCK TICK?

A. Our life span is restricted. Everyone accepts this as ‘biologically’ obvious. ‘Nothing lives
forever!’ However, in this statement we think of artificially produced, technical objects,
products which are subjected to natural wear and tear during use. This leads to the result that at
some time or other the object stops working and is unusable (‘death’ in the biological sense).
But are the wear and tear and loss of function of technical objects and the death of living
organisms really similar or comparable?
B. Our ‘dead’ products are ‘static’, closed systems. It is always the basic material which
constitutes the object and which, in the natural course of things, is worn down and becomes
‘older’. Ageing in this case must occur according to the laws of physical chemistry and of
thermodynamics. Although the same law holds for a living organism, the result of this law is not
inexorable in the same way. At least as long as a biological system has the ability to renew itself
it could actually become older without ageing; an organism is an open, dynamic system through
which new material continuously flows. Destruction of old material and information of new
material are thus in permanent dynamic equilibrium. The material of which the organism is
formed changed continuously. Thus our bodies continuously exchange old substance for new,
just like a spring which more or less maintains its form and movement, but in which the water
molecules are always different.
C. Thus ageing and death should not be seen as inevitable, particularly as the organism
possesses many mechanisms for repair. It is not, in principle, necessary for a biological system
to age and die. Nevertheless, a restricted life span, ageing, and then death are basic
characteristics of life. The reason for this is easy to recognize: in nature, the existent organisms
either adapt or are regularly replaced by new types. Because of changes in the genetic material
(mutations) these have new characteristics and in the course of their individual lives they are
tested for optimal or better adaptation to the environmental conditions. Immortality would
disturb this system- it needs room for new and better life. This is the basic problem of evolution.
D. Every organism has a life span which is highly characteristic. There are striking differences
in life span between different species, but within one species the parameter is relatively
constant. For example, the average duration of human life has hardly changed in thousands of
years. Although more and more people attain an advanced age as a result of developments in
medical care and better nutrition, the characteristic upper limit for most remains 80 years. A
further argument against the simple wear and tear theory is the observation that the time within

Page 8
which organisms age lies between a few days (even a few hours for unicellular organisms) and
several thousands years, as with mammoth trees.
E. If a life span is genetically determined biological characteristic, it is logically necessary to
propose the existence of an internal clock, which in some way measures and controls the ageing
process and which finally determines death as the last step in a fixed programme. Like the life
span, the metabolic rate has for different organisms a fixed mathematical relationship to the
body mass. In comparison to the life span this relationship is “inverted”: the larger the organism
the lower its metabolic rate. Again this relationship is valid not only for birds, but also, similarly
on average within the systematic unit, for all other organisms (plants, animals, unicellular
organisms).
F. Animals which behave “frugally” with energy become particularly old, for example,
crocodiles and tortoises. Parrots and birds of prey are often held chained up. Thus they are not
able to “experience life” and so they attain a high life span in captivity. Animals which save
energy by hibernation or lethargy (e.g. bats or hedgehogs) live much longer than those which are
always active. The metabolic rate of mice can be reduced by a very low consumption of food
(hunger diet). They then may live twice as long as their well fed comrades. Women become
distinctly (about 10 per cent) older than man. If you examine the metabolic rates of the two
sexes you establish that the higher male metabolic rate roughly accounts for the lower male life
span. That means that they live life “energetically”- more intensively, but not for as long.
G. It follows from the above that sparing use of energy reserves should tend to extend life.
Extreme high performance sports may lead to optimal cardiovascular performance, but they
quite certainly do not prolong life. Relaxation lowers metabolic rate, as does adequate sleep and
in general an equable and balanced personality. Each of us can develop his or her own “energy
saving programme” with a little self-observation, critical self-control and, above all, logical
consistency. Experience will show that to live in this way not only increase the life span but is
also very healthy. This final aspect should not be forgotten.
0. Paragraph A 1. Paragraph B 2. Paragraph C 3. Paragraph D.
4. Paragraph E 5. Paragraph F 6. Paragraph G

For questions 7 -10, write in the corresponding numbered boxes:

Y if the statement agrees with the information given in the passage
N if the statement contradicts the information given in the passage
NG if there is no information about this in the passage
7. The wear and tear theory applies to both artificial objects and biological systems.
8. Through mutations, organisms can adapt better to the environment.
9. In principle, it is possible for a biological system to become older without ageing.
10. Within seven years, about 90 percent of a human body is replaced as new.
Your answers:
0. v 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.
7. 8. 9. 10.

D. WRITING (50 points)

Part 1. Rewrite each sentence using the word in brackets so that the meaning stays the same.
You must use between THREE and EIGHT words, including the word given. (10 points)
1. The new theatre is extremely ugly and spoils the view of the village. (blot)

Page 9
=> The new theatre is _____________________________________ and spoils the view of the
village.
2. Your attitude to life would be greatly improved by regular exercise. (wonders)
=> Regular exercise_______________________________________ you look at life.
3. It is as yet unclear whether a new sports centre is being planned or not. (seen)
=> It _______________________________________ are any plans for a new sports centre or
not.
4. Mary is far superior to me in terms of technical knowledge. (match)
=> When it comes ________________________________________________ for Mary.
5. Anthony wasn’t at all discouraged by this bad experience. (put)
=> This bad experience _______________________________________________ least.

Part 2. Finish each of the following sentences in such a way that it means exactly the same as
the sentence printed before it. (10 points)
1. If nothing unfortunate happens, I’ll see you next week.
=> All _________________________________________________________________.
2. Redundancy has caused a lot of domestic problems.
=> Many a _______________________________________________________________
3. The film didn’t come up to my expectations.
=> The film fell ___________________________________________________________
4. Since she couldn’t get through to the police, she ran next door for help.
=> Not ___________________________________________________.
5 The value of sterling has fallen considerably in the past week.
=> There has _____________________________________________________.
Part 3: “Cooperation rather than competition should be encouraged among high-school
students.” In about 200- 250 words, write an essay to express your opinion on the proposal.
Use reasons and examples to support your position. (30 points)
……………………………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………………………………

Page 10
……………………………………………………………………………………………
----------- HẾT -------------

Page 11