TRƯỜNG ĐH SƯ PHẠM TP.

HCM ĐỀ THI KẾT THÚC HỌC PHẦN

KHOA TIẾNG ANH Tên HP: ĐỌC-VIẾT 2

Mã HP: ENGL1407 Số tín chỉ: 3

Học kỳ: 2 Năm học: 2021-2022
(Đề thi gồm có 8 trang) Ngày thi: 25/06/2022
Thời gian làm bài: 90’

Instruction: ALL ANSWERS MUST BE WRITTEN ON THE ANSWER SHEET.

PAPER ONE READING (2 points/correct answer)

Part 1
Read Passage 1. Answer the questions that follow.

1. You know the old saying: You can’t teach an old dog new tricks. It’s no
surprise that we tend to believe that a person’s personality is stable. People might
disagree about whether someone is born with a certain personality or develops a
personality while growing up, but it’s commonly accepted that someone’s personality
will be much the same at age 50 as it was at age 20. Both in our personal lives and our
work lives, we’re told that we need to accept people the way they are and to learn to get
along with other people even when they’re difficult. Aſter all, they’re never going to
change.
2. New evidence, however, suggests that this isn’t true. Published in the journal
Psychology and Aging, a comprehensive study by four psychologists examined a group
of Scottish volunteers over a period of 63 years, making it the longest study of its type
ever done. And what they found was unexpected: namely, no correlation at all between
the participants’ scores on personality tests when they were 14 years old and the same
tests when they were 77 years old.
3. The test examined six areas: self-confidence, perseverance, stability of moods,
conscientiousness, originality, and desire to learn. The original study involved 1,208
children, and 174 of them were available for the follow-up study six decades later.
Because it’s not reliable to have people rate themselves, the participants were evaluated
in these categories by other people—by teachers when they were 14, and by friends or
relatives when they were 77. They were also tested for intelligence and general well-
being.
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4. The researchers were surprised to find that none of the ratings matched up with
each other over the years.
5. Earlier studies and tests produced somewhat different outcomes. Research
suggested a few character traits had a low correlation over time and others had a modest
correlation. The Scottish study, although smaller in scope because it involved fewer
participants, measured them over a much longer period of time. This led the researchers
to conclude that personality shiſts are more likely to occur over long periods of time.
6. Now, it’s not a perfect study, of course; such a thing is rare, if not impossible,
with human beings and personality. For instance, the people who did the ratings in
1950 were not the same people who did the ratings in 2012, and this could have caused
some difference. It’s difficult for a study on something as broad as identity and
personality to take all the variables into consideration. However, the results are still
significant, and they have interesting implications.
7. Let’s consider some of those implications for a moment. What does it all
mean? And is it only of academic interest, or can you yourself apply this knowledge to
your own life?
8. For one thing, it should give you a new way to think about other people. For
example, say you’re contacted on social media by someone you knew in school years
ago. If you didn’t like the person at that time, you might be tempted to refuse the
connection. If you didn’t like each other then, aſter all, why would you like each other
now? But if it’s true that personality can change, then there’s a reason to give that
person another chance. He or she might be very different now—and you might be too.
9. You might also have more reasonable expectations of old childhood friends
who reconnect aſter many years. If you know their personalities (and yours) could have
changed over the years, you’ll be less disappointed if your friendship isn’t as deep now
as it was before. Rather than feel frustrated with yourselves, the two of you can accept
that you have changed.
10. The study has implications for the workplace too. Personality forms a large part
of a worker’s suitability for a job, both in dealing with co-workers and in dealing with
clients. If a person has a personality trait that interferes with work—say he argues with
customers, or she misses deadlines—it’s important for managers to know that these

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traits can change. It’s usually cheaper to train a current employee than to let that person
go and hire a replacement. Even employees who aren’t experiencing problems can be
trained to be even better and more effective in terms of personality. This will help
ensure that people continue to get along with one another.
11. Finally, there are personal implications. If you’re the sort of person who says
things like “I have a quick temper” or “My problem is I can’t help procrastinating” or
“I’ve always been too sensitive, and I blame myself whenever something goes wrong,”
it should be good news to know that these personality traits are not ones you have to
keep. Although some therapists do good work helping patients accept themselves as
they are, to build self- esteem, wouldn’t it be more beneficial to eliminate negative
personality traits than to learn to accept them? Knowing that you can change is the first
stage in learning how to change. Then you can look forward to saying things like “I
used to be too sensitive, but I’m not anymore”; to look forward to a time when, as we
might start saying, you can learn some new tricks.

Answer these questions.

1. What is the common assumption about human personality? a person’s personality is stable.

2. What does the word “other” in paragraph 1 refer to? people in our personal lives and our work
lives.
3. Who conducted the research? a group of Scottish volunteers
4. Who assessed the participants during the experiment? teachers when they were 14, and by
friends or relatives when they were 77.
5. How long did the research last? over a period of 63 years
6. When did the second experiment take place? 2012

7. How many people took part in the second experiment? 174

8. What are the findings of the research? none of the ratings matched up with
each other over the years.
9. What factor(s) triggered the unreliability of this research? human beings and personality shifts.
a new way to think about other people
10. What are the implications of this research? reasonable expectations of old childhood friends
workplace
personal implications
Read Passage 2. Decide if statements that follow are TRUE or FALSE.

A. The Rust Belt is a region of the U.S. that stretches from the Great Lakes
to the upper Midwest States. Although once known for its booming industry, over the
past three decades the area has come to be characterized by economic decline,

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population loss, and urban decay. Regeneration of this region has become a staple
policy of presidential candidates; oſten dictating the implementation of country, state,
and city-wide initiatives. This paper will evaluate the benefits and challenges of three
such initiatives: increased tourism, economic restructuring, and smart decline.

B. In the first half of the 20th century, the Rust Belt was the industrial
heartland of the country, and business was booming. Transportation links to the
eastern states made this area attractive to automobile companies, steel and coal mining
companies, and manufacturers of materials for heavy industry. These in turn attracted
employees, including many migrant workers from Eastern Europe. By the middle of
the 20th century the industrial landscape was changing. Companies began to move
manufacturing bases southwest, drawn by the promise of cheaper labor and less
unionization. Automation forced thousands out of work and free trade agreements
curtailed demand as the subsequent globalization and foreign monetary policies meant
that coal and steel were cheaper to import than to produce domestically. Lee Ohanian
(2014) also believes that, as domestic companies had faced little to no competition,
they had had no incentive to expand productivity and were simply unable to compete
with their international counterparts. The fallout of these changes reached far and
wide in Rust Belt communities as manufacturing was such an integral part of their
economies. The area now had a much smaller share of manufacturing jobs in the
country. This resulted in a decline in both population and the economy which, in turn,
produced a heavy reliance on social security and a deficit in government spending.
C. “Tourism constitutes a major portion of most urban economies today,
and the industry is a top priority of elected officials” (Cowan, 2016), however, tourist
attractions must be managed carefully to ensure they are of benefit. Rogerson (2002,
as cited in Eyles, 2008) believes that if tourist attractions are not managed in the
long- term, they will not be sustainable or contribute to a positive image; an
attraction in decline could actually be detrimental to an area. He suggests that, in
order to create a successful tourist industry, planners must, in consultation with local
citizens, develop “a total tourism portfolio” highlighting natural features such as
waterfronts and urban parks, buildings of interest, and promotion of local culture.

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The portfolio must enhance the lives of inhabitants as well as visitors, and create a
positive image of the area to both build a brand and instil a sense of pride in local
people.
D. Another consideration when using tourism as a means to local economic
growth is wages. While a well-designed tourist portfolio can attract wealth to the
area, employment in the tourism industry tends to be low, especially compared to
traditional manufacturing jobs and especially in urban areas (Lacher & Oh, 2011).
This impacts on both the economy and on people’s standard of living.
E. Some experts suggest that greater stability can be achieved through the
production of “new knowledge, innovations, and cutting-edge technologies or [being]
a light, flexible manufacturer” (Siddiqui, 2013), implying that diversification is vital
for the continued importance of industry in the region.
F. However, diversification requires investment, and while tax reductions,
incentive payments, and no-interest loans may tempt businesses back to the area, they
can also be costly to local taxpayers. One company moved its operations to
Cleveland aſter being promised $93.5 million in state incentives over 15 years. This
worked out as $53,429 for each of its 1,750 jobs (Beyerlein, 2012). Such jobs are
oſten in the service industry, meaning they are low-paid with few benefits and may
not enhance the local economy significantly.
G. Most Rust Belt cities, such as Detroit and St. Louis, continue to pursue
growth policies, yet there is a school of thought that reducing the size of the city
would be more effective. Known as “smart decline,” this approach “focuses on
strategies that improve the lives of existing residents rather than exhaust city
resources through hopeless efforts to increase population” (Heins, 2012). Indeed, Lee
and Newman (2017) cited a U.S. government survey that found cities with declining
populations allocated the majority of their property funding to the care of vacant
buildings.
H. By disposing of unwanted buildings and unused facilities, the funding
could be used elsewhere. However, smart decline has not been implemented in
sufficient breadth to conclusively prove its efficacy in regenerating a region.
Hackworth (2016) examined 269 neighborhoods in 49 cities where buildings had

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 been demolished. He found that, in fact, the demolition resulted in increased housing
loss without “market rebound or a decrease in social marginality.”
I. None of the three approaches examined in this paper have been fully
able to revitalize the Rust Belt. Both tourism and diversified manufacturing have
resulted in lower-paid work and a heavy burden on city finances, although some
towns and cities have survived as a result. Smart decline is untested in practice, but it
should not be disregarded due to its potential benefits in theory. Towns and cities in
the Rust Belt may well benefit from a two- pronged approach, using tourism and
commerce to improve the local economy in order to increase the standard of living
for the existing population without trying to return to population sizes of the past.
11. The problems of three initiatives and possible solutions to them will be _____
FALSE

discussed in this paper.

12. Urbanization, economic recession and population decrease are the three _____
FALSE

characteristics of the Rust Belt.

13. Presidential candidates have drawn up regeneration plans for the Rust Belt. _____
TRUE

14. Companies chose to settle in the factory belt region because of its transport _____
FALSE

links.
15. Factories moved southwest because of no labor unions and cheaper labor. _____
TRUE

16. The application of machines to tasks once performed by human beings _____
FALSE

made them unemployed.

17. In the mid-1900s, free trade deals with other countries made it cost-effective _____
FALSE

to manufacture some goods at home.

18. Domestic companies had not expanded their productivity because they had _____
TRUE

faced less or no rivalry.

19. The substantially smaller percentage of manufacturing jobs of the region led _____
true

to the economic decline.

20. The budget deficit was produced by a heavy reliance on social security. _____
true

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Read Passage 3. Complete the summary with the suitable word(s) taken from the
passage. Write NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS for each blank.

The role of the modern zoo

Initially seen purely as centres of entertainment, zoos were often heavily
criticised in society for keeping animals captive. Nowadays, however, zoos have a lot
more to offer than perhaps some people realise. Good zoos have changed their focus
and are now responding to environmental problems, such as the decline in wildlife and
loss of habitat. Indeed, scientists believe that a third of all animal and plant species on
Earth risk extinction within this century. The modern zoo, therefore, has developed
dramatically as a major force in conserving biodiversity worldwide. Zoos linked with
the Association of Zoos and Aquariums Participate in Species Survival Plan
Programmes, which involve captive breeding, reintroduction programmes and public
education to ensure the survival of many of the planet's threatened and endangered
species. Captive breeding is the process of breeding animals outside their natural
environment in restricted conditions such as farms, zoos or other closed areas.
It is a method used to increase the populations of endangered species, in order
to prevent extinction. One of the main challenges facing captive breeding
programmes, however, is maintaining genetic diversity. Zoo staff are fully trained in
this area, and manage the programmes carefully to ensure genetic variation. Another
way in which zoos protect endangered species is through reintroduction programmes.
These programmes release animals that have been in the zoo back into their natural
habitats.

Finally, and perhaps most significantly, many zoos now concentrate on

educating the public, particularly the younger generation. These zoos educate millions
of visitors each year about endangered species and related conservation issues.
Visiting the zoo not only raises money for conservation projects, but also reminds
individuals about environmental issues.

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 SUMMARY

In the past, zoos focused mainly on 21. _________________.

entertainment This is certainly
not the case anymore. Today, the role of good zoos is to take an active part in
conservation projects. Several methods are used to achieve this. One way to avoid the
extinction
22. ________________ of certain species is to ensure that animals within zoos breed.
This is handled carefully, however, to ensure 23. ____________________.
genetic variation Another
method is to release the animals back into their natural habitat. Perhaps the most
significant role of the zoo, however, is its capacity to educate the general 24.
____________________
public about conservation and, more specifically, to inform the 25.
__________________.
younger generation

PAPER TWO WRITING (50 points)

Choose any of the following topics and write a paragraph. Write about 200-250 words.
At the head of your paragraph put the number of the topic you have chosen.

1. Describe a student cafeteria.

2. Explain steps for doing well in a certain class.
3. Recommend what present to buy for a 60-year-old woman.
4. Do you think that computer games are good entertainment for teenagers?

– THE END –

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