HỘI CÁC TRƯỜNG THPT CHUYÊN KÌ THI HỌC SINH GIỎI

VÙNG DUYÊN HẢI & ĐỒNG BẰNG NĂM HỌC 2017- 2018
BẮC BỘ MÔN THI: TIẾNG ANH LỚP 11
TRƯỜNG THPT CHUYÊN Thời gian làm bài: 180 phút
LÊ THÁNH TÔNG – QUẢNG NAM (không kể thời gian giao đề)
ĐỀ THI ĐỀ XUẤT Đề thi gồm 23 trang

I. LISTENING ( 50 pts)
HƯỚNG DẪN PHẦN THI NGHE HIỂU
 Bài nghe gồm 4 phần, mỗi phần được nghe 2 lần, mỗi lần cách nhau 15 giây, mở đầu và kết thúc mỗi
phần nghe có tín hiệu.
 Mở đầu và kết thúc bài nghe có tín hiệu nhạc. Thí sinh có 3 phút để hoàn chỉnh bài trước tín hiệu
nhạc kết thúc bài nghe.
 Mọi hướng dẫn cho thí sinh (bằng tiếng Anh) đã có trong bài nghe.

Part 1: For questions 1-5, listen to the discussion on a radio talk show between a
professor, Max Mantle, a representative of students, Pauline O’Boyle, and their host
with regard to a recent increase in university fee. Choose the correct answer and write
A, B, C or D for each answer in the corresponding boxes provided.
1. How does Pauline O’Boyle feel about the official announcement on university fees?
A. She is relieved that they are finally growing up.
B. She is surprised that the announcement was not made months ago.
C. She is pleased that the news was not as bad as some had predicted.
D. It was pretty much along the lines of what she had expected.
2. What does Max Mantle think the public is not aware of?
A. the considerable amount of government funding universities receive
B. how much universities rely on students fee
C. the lack of grant aid offered to third- level students
D. the extent to which the U.K. education system is mocked in Europe
3. What does Pauline O’Boyle say about student grants?
Page 1 of 23 pages
 A. only grammar- and- private- school students may apply for them
B. applicants from grammar and private schools are given preference
C. very few state- school manage to qualify for them
D. they should be made grade- dependent so as to be fairer
4. Pauline believes that universities
A. should do more to look after the interests of their professors.
B. offer terms of employment that are counterproductive.
C. should ask the government for more hand- outs.
D. will only become more efficiently run if salaries and conditions improve.
5. What is the last point made by Max Mantle?
A. lecturers’ salaries and terms of employment have been reviewed
B. lecturers need to review their salaries and terms of employment carefully
C. reducing lecturers’ pay by one or two thousand pounds will help to solve the
problem
D. the existence of overpaid lecturers is not a significant part of the problem

Your answers
1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

Part 2: For questions 6- 10, listen to a report on the relationship between sleep and
weight and decide whether the statements are true (T) or false (F). Write your answers
in the corresponding numbered boxes provided.

6. People who are awake longer have more time to burn energy.

7. Loss of sleep may decrease hunger especially for high- calorie foods.

8. Researchers found that the best amount of sleep for weight control is 7.7
hours a night.

9. People who slept just four hours a night for two nights had an 80%
reduction in leptin.

Page 2 of 23 pages
 10. Researchers found that people who got less than four hours of sleep a
night were 73% more likely to be overweight.

Your answers
6. 7. 8. 9. 10.

Part 3: For questions 11- 15, listen to a talk about UFOs and answer the questions
below. Write NO MORE THAN FIVE WORDS for each answer in the corresponding
boxes provided.

11. In terms of UFOs, what do the believers believe exists?

_____________________________________________________
12. What is the colour of UFOs in the evening?
_____________________________________________________
13. Who have claimed to eyewitness UFOs?
_____________________________________________________
14. What do the non- believers regard UFOs as? ( mention 3 things)
_____________________________________________________
15. What does the speaker say about the evidence to the existence of UFOs?
_____________________________________________________

Your answers

11.

12.

13.

14.

15.

Page 3 of 23 pages
Part 4: For questions 16 – 25, listen to a piece of news from BBC about a new form of
payment and fill in the missing information. Write NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS
for each answer in the corresponding boxes provided.
Everyone in the coffee queue uses (16) __________ cards because it is quick and
they don’t enter a pin number. There are different kinds of money today, but for people
who are (17) _________, they keep digging around in pockets for change. These are
regular bankcards but with a built-in chip and (18) __________. The card reader sends
out a radio frequency and when people bring the card close to the reader, the antenna
picks up the signal to make the payment. Some are worried that personal data is flying
around in the (19) __________ for anyone to steal. In fact, at less than half a second is
spent per transaction, there is no time for anyone to steal our cash. After people have
used the card a few times in a row, they have to enter their pin. And if a thief does go
on a (20) __________ with the card, our bank covers us against fraud. And if getting
our bankcard out seems like too much trouble there is now a solution with (21)
_________ – that is clothing and accessories that include computer and electronic
technologies. According to technology experts, we can simply take any wireless card
and the chip from it that our bank might issue and we can put it into the coat and then
when we want to make a payment , just simply wave our arm in front of the (22)
_________ and leave with our latte. This is intended for people who are incredibly
lazy. People are going to be making more purchases more of the time – particularly for
(23) _________. The chip has to get very close to the card reader to make a payment so
that is not likely to happen. Now companies are creating new (24) _________ which
combines payment and security technology. For those times when not even carrying a
phone is convenient, the fingo -pay system reads the unique maps of veins under the
surface of your finger. The trick is remembering which finger you registered with.
Someday soon we won’t have to carry a wallet or a purse or anything. The veins in our
finger will (25) _________ payments – and prove the payments are ours.

Your answers

16. 17.

Page 4 of 23 pages
18. 19.

20. 21.

22. 23.

24. 25.

B. LEXICO AND GRAMMAR (30 pts)

Part 1: For questions 1-10, choose the word or phrase that best completes each of the
following sentences. Write your answers in the corresponding numbered boxes.
1. Over half of the population of this earthquake-stricken area are living ______.
A. on the house B. on the tenterhooks C. on the breadline D. on the cards
2. At the scene of the disaster the Prince said some comforting words to the _____
relatives.
A. lamenting B. wailing C. complaining D. grieving
3. Tania was _____ after the accident and had to spend several weeks in bed.
A. injured B. incapacitated C. convalescent D. hampered
4. He will be sued for ______ of contract if he does not do what he promised.
A. fracture B. crack C. rupture D. breach
5. I'd been in ______pain with toothache all weekend and was desperate to find a dentist.
A. agonizing B. shooting C. excruciating D. maddening
6. The project has progressed in ______ and starts due to a constant change in funding.
A. wits B. bits C. fits D. sits
7. The contract will be ______ and void until signed and dated by both parties.
A. null B. nullified C. nought D. nil
8. It's as if that silly argument we had has driven a _______ between us and we've lost all
our old closeness.
A. ledge B. beam C. plank D. wedge
9. I'm sure I was invited to join the committee as the _______ woman.
A. sample B. token C. representative D. coupon

Page 5 of 23 pages
10. The police asked him to give a _______ description of the accident that he had
witnessed.
A. blow by blow B. word for word C. up and down D. in and out
Your answers
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10.
Part 2: For these questions, underline 5 mistakes and write the corrections in the
corresponding space provided. There is an example ( Line 2).
1 It is hard for almost everyone, but especially the young, to imagine a world
2 with television. We have come to expect that all the important news of the day,
3 worldwide will be there at the touch of a button. In times going by, only the
4 literate knew what was going on in the world, and then only after a long delay.
5 But now it is possible for any of us to watch world event as they occur.
6 Nothing has shortened the distance that divides our private lives from the
7 outside world to such an extent as television.
8 Time and again, television transports us to the habitats of rare animals, and we
9 may identify among them. Concern for damage to the environment extends far
10 and away. We worry about the influence of technology not just in our cities
11 but on us as people. Increasingly, we see ourselves as part of the planet rather
12 than in isolation. There was once the prerogative of scholars is now accessible
13 to countless people through the medium of television. Although this form of
14 popular education can be regarded as superficial, it represents a broadening of
15 knowledge.

Your answers:
No Line Mistake Correction
1
2
3
4
5

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Part 3: For the questions, complete each of the following sentences with a suitable
preposition or particle. Write your answers in the corresponding numbered boxes.
1. The student wrestled _______ the difficult mathematics problem.
2. The schoolboy winced ______ the sight of the cane in the headmaster’s hand.
3. After six months in the countryside, Alan has a yen ______ the bright lights of the city.
4. Erica is an excellent worker. She goes _____ her job calmly and efficiently.
5. Jane is out in the garden mulling ______ a problem to do with work.
Your answers
1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
Part 4: For these questions, write the correct form of each bracketed word in the
corresponding numbered boxes.
THE ROLE OF EDUCATION IN THE DEVELOPING WORLD
Levels of illiteracy and (1. NUMBER ) ______ remain startlingly high in the developing
world, and continue to be so until the West provides or sponsors new education initiatives,
preferably also getting directly involved. A better education is a prerequisite should the (2.
POVERTY) ______masses of Africa ever wish to hold any genuine hope of gaining their
(3. EMANCIPATE )______ from the metaphorical shackles of poverty. Education
initiatives for young people as well as life-long learning programmes will also help to
breach the gulf that separates the working classes from their ruling elite, a (4.
PRIVILEGE ) ______ few who enjoy the ( 5. TRAP ) ______ of Western wealth and the
lifestyle that goes with it, while those in their midst are completely preoccupied with the
daily struggle for survival. Furthermore, we must promote a culture of (6.
TOLERATE)______ of corruption, and help to create a new generation for whom
education rather than a(n) (7. SCRUPLE) ______ nature will reap the true rewards.
Education will also help to bridge another gap; that of the cultural one which separates the
West from its brethren in the developing world. The slums and shanty towns are a hotbed
of religious and political ( 8. EXTREME ) ______, but hopefully education will serve to
create a better sense of understanding between all the peoples of the world, ( 9. RESPECT
) ______ of background. And this will especially be the case if the education programmes
themselves are administered by Western professionals, who, in much the same way as
they can teach a thing or two to their counterparts in the developing world, have also, no
Page 7 of 23 pages
doubt, much to learn from them in the process as well. Cooperation between people from
different cultures of the West and the developing world will also, hopefully, help to
reduce levels of prejudice, bigotry, xenophobia and racial tensions. And, last but not by
any means least, educating women will (10. POWER) ______ them to claim their
rightful place in the social hierarchy in up-to-now male-dominated cultures. Their
aspirations can shift realistically higher, and young female students can hope to go on to
become tomorrow’s politicians, diplomats and political leaders, or whatsoever they
choose.
Your answers
1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
6. 7. 8. 9. 10.

PART III: READING (60 pts.)

Part 1: For questions 1-10, read the passage and decide which answer A, B, C or D best
fits each gap. Write your answers in the corresponding numbered boxes.
SPORT AND FITNESS
The British are very fond of sport, but many people prefer to watch (1) _____ take part.
Many go to watch football, cricket, etc. at the ground, but many more sit at home and
watch sport on television. Most people today take relatively (2) _____ . Over the last 30 or
40 years lifestyles have changed considerably and many people now travel even the
shortest distances by car or bus. (3) _____ exercise combined with eating too many (4)
_____ and sugary foods has meant that many people are becoming too fat. In recent years,
however, there has been a (5) _____ interest in fitness among young adults and many
belong to a sports club or gym. In Britain most towns have an/a (6) _____ football and
cricket team, and people also have opportunities to play sports such as tennis and golf.
Older people may play bowls. Some people go regularly to a sports center or leisure
center. Some sports centers 7() _____ classes in aerobics, step and keep-fit. Some people
(8) _____ regularly at a local gym and do weight training and circuit training. Others go
running or jogging in their local area. For enthusiastic runners there are opportunities to
take part in (9) _____ runs, such as the London marathon. Other people keep themselves
fit by walking or cycling. Many people go abroad on a skiing holiday each year.
Membership of a sports club or gym can be expensive and not everyone can afford the
subscription. Local sports centers are generally cheaper. Some companies now provide
sports facilities (10) _____ their employees or contribute to the cost of joining a gym.
1. A. to B. except for C. than D. rather than
2. A. little general exercise B. a few general exercises
C. a little general exercise D. few general exercises
3. A. The lack of B. Lack C. The lack D. Lack of

Page 8 of 23 pages
 4. A. fat B. rich C. fatty D. richly
5. A. planting B. developing C. becoming D. growing
6. A. professional B. well-known C. competent D. amateur
7. A. grow B. propose C. pass D. arrange
8. A. work out B. full in C. cough up D. find out
9. A. distance away B. long-distance C. short-distance D. full distance
10. A. to B. for C. with D. about
Your answers
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10.
Part 2: For questions 11- 20, read the text below and think of the word which best fits
each space. Use only one word in each space. Write your answer in the corresponding
numbered boxes.
It is not difficult to (11) _____ an unknown animal. Spend a day in the tropical
forests of South America, turning over logs, looking beneath bark, sitting through the
moist litter of leaves, followed by an evening shining a mercury lamp on a white screen,
and one way and another you will (12) _____ hundreds of different kinds of small
creatures. Moths, caterpillars, spiders, long-nosed bugs, luminous beetles, harmless
butterflies (13) _____ as wasps, wasps shaped like ants, sticks that walk, leaves that open
wings and fly – the variety will be (14) _____ and one of these creatures will almost
certainly be undescribed by science. The difficulty will be to find (15) _____ who know
enough about the groups concerned to be able to single out the new one.
No one can say (16) _____ how many species of animals there are in these
greenhouse-humid dimly lit jungles. They contain the (17) _____ and the most varied
assemblage of animal and plant life to be found anywhere on earth. Not only are there
many categories of creatures – monkeys, rodents, spiders, hummingbirds, butterflies, but
most of those types (18) _____ in many different (19) _____ There are over forty
different species of parrot, over seventy different monkeys, three hundred hummingbirds
and tens of thousands of butterflies. If you are not careful, you can even be (20) _____
by a hundred different kinds of mosquito.
Your answers
11. 12. 13. 14. 15.
16. 17. 18. 19. 20.

Page 9 of 23 pages
Part 3: For questions 21- 30, read the passage and choose the best answer A, B, C or D
for each question. Write your answers in the corresponding numbered boxes.
Researchers in the field of psychology have found that one of the best ways
to make in important decision, such as choosing a university to attend or a
business to invest in, involves the utilization of a decision worksheet.
Psychologists who study optimization compare the actual decisions made
Line 5 people to theoretical ideal decisions to see how similar they are.
Proponents of the worksheet procedure believe that it will yield optimal,
that is, the best decisions. Although there are several variations on the exact
format that worksheets can take, they are all similar in their essential
aspects.
Line Worksheets require defining the problem in a clear and concise way and
10 then listing all possible solutions to the problem. Next, the pertinent
considerations that will be affected by each decision are listed, and the
relative importance of each consideration or consequence is determined.
Each consideration is assigned a numerical value to reflect its relative
importance. A decision is mathematically calculated by adding these values
Line together. The alternative with the highest number of points emerges as the
15 best decision.
Since the most important problems are multifaceted, there are several
alternatives to choose from, each with unique advantages and
disadvantages. One of the benefits of a pencil and paper decision-making
procedure is that it permits people to deal with more variables than their
Line minds can generally comprehend and remember. On the average, people
20 can keep about seven ideas in their minds at once. A worksheet can be
especially useful when the decision involves a large number of variables
with complex relationships. A realistic example for many college students
is the question "What will I do after graduation?" A graduate might seek a
position that offers specialized training, pursue an advanced degree, or
Line travel abroad for a year.
25 A decision-making worksheet begins with a succinct statement of the
Page 10 of 23 pages
 problem that will also help to narrow it. It is important to be clear about the
distinction between long-range and immediate goals because long-range
goals often involve a different decision from short-range ones. Focusing on
Line long-range goals, a graduating student might revise the question above to
30 "What will I do after graduation that will lead to a successful career?"

21. What does the passage mainly discuss?

A. A tool to assist in making complex decisions.
B. A comparison of actual decisions and ideal decisions.
C. Research on how people make decisions.
D. Differences between long-range and short-range decision making.
22. The word "essential" in line 8 is closest in meaning to ______.
A. introductory B. changeable C. beneficial D. fundamental
23. Of the following steps, which occurs before the others in making a decision
worksheet?
A. Listing the consequences of each solution.
B. Calculating a numerical summary of each solution.
C. Deciding which consequences are most important.
D. Writing down all possible solutions.
24. According to decision-worksheet theory, an optimal decision is defined as one that
A. has the fewest variables to consider. B. uses the most decision worksheets.
C. has the most points assigned to it. D. is agreed to by the greatest number of
people.
25. The author organizes paragraph 2 by _____.
A. describing a process B. classifying types of worksheet
C. providing historical background D. explaining a theory
26. The author states that "On the average, people can keep about seven ideas in their
minds at once" (paragraph 3) to explain that _____.
A. most decisions involve seven steps
B. human mental capacity has limitations
C. some people have difficulty making minor as well as major decisions
Page 11 of 23 pages
 D. people can learn to keep more than seven ideas in their minds with practice
27. The word "succinct" in line 26 is closest in meaning to _____.
A. creative B. satisfactory C. personal D. concise
28. Which of the following terms is defined in the passage?
A. Proponents (para.1) B. Optimal (para.1)
C. Variables (para.3) D. Long-range goals (para.4)
29. The word "it" in line 27 refers to _____.
A. worksheet B. problem C. distinction D. decision
30. The word "revise" in line 30 is closest in meaning to _____.
A. ask B. explain C. change D. predict
Your answers
21. 22. 23. 24. 25.
26. 27. 28. 29. 30.
Part 4: For questions 31- 36, choose the correct heading for each paragraph from the
list of headings below. Write the correct number, i-ix, in boxes 31- 36 in the
corresponding numbered space.
List of Headings

i . The difficulties of talking about smells

ii . The role of smell in personal relationships
iii . Future studies into smell
iv . The relationship between the brain and the nose
v . The interpretation of smells as a factor in defining
groups
vi . Why our sense of smell is not appreciate
vii . Smell is our superior sense
viii . The relationship between smell and feelings

31. Paragraph A ______ 32. Paragraph D ______

33. Paragraph B ______ 34. Paragraph E ______
35. Paragraph C ______ 36. Paragraph F ______
Page 12 of 23 pages
 THE MEANING AND POWER OF SMELL
The sense of smell, or olfaction, is powerful. Odours affect us on a physical,
psychological and social level. For the most part, however, we breathe in the aromas
which surround us without being consciously aware of their importance to us. It is only
when the faculty of smell is impaired for some reason that we begin to realise the essential
role the sense of smell plays in our sense of well-being.
A. A survey conducted by Anthony Synott at Montreal’s Concordia University asked
participants to comment on how important smell was to them in their lives. It became
apparent that smell can evoke strong emotional response. A scent associated with a good
experience can bring a rush of joy, while a foul odour or one associated with a bad
memory may make us grimace with disgust. Respondents to the survey noted that many of
their olfactory likes and dislikes were based on emotional associations. Such associations
can be powerful enough so that odours that we would generally label unpleasant become
agreeable for particular individuals. The perception of smell, therefore, consist not only of
the odours themselves, but of the experiences and emotions associated with them.

B. Odours are also essential cues in social bonding. One respondent to the survey believed
that there is no true emotional bonding without touching and smelling a loved one. In fact,
infants recognise the odours of their mothers soon after birth and adults con often
indentify their children or spouses by scent. In one well-known test, women and men were
able to distinguish by smell alone clothing worn by their marriage partners from similar
clothing worn by other people. Most of the subjects would probably never have given
much thought to odour as a cue for indentifying family members before being involved in
the test, but as the experiment revealed, even when not consciously considered, smells
register.

C. In spite of its importance to our emotional and sensory lives, smell is probably the most
undervalued sense in many cultures. The reason often given for the low regard in which
smell is held is that, in comparison with its importance among animals, the human sense
of smell is feeble and undeveloped. While it is true that the olfactory powers of humans
Page 13 of 23 pages
are nothing like as fine as those possessed by certain animals, they are still remarkably
acute. Our noses are able to recognise thousands of smells, and to perceive odours which
are present only in extremely small quantities.

D. Smell, however, is a highly elusive phenomenon. Odours, unlike colours, for instance,
cannot be named in many languages because the specific vocabulary simply doesn’t exist.
‘It smells like …,’ we have to say when describing an odour, struggling to express our
olfactory experience. Nor can odours be recorded: there is no effective way to either
capture or store them over time. In the realm of olfaction, we must make do with
descriptions and recollections. This has implications for olfactory research.

E. Most of the research on smell undertaken to date has been of a physical scientific
nature. Significant advances have been made in the understanding of the biological and
chemical nature of olfaction, but many fundamental questions have yet to be answered.
Researchers have still to decide whether smell is one sense or two – one responding to
odours, and how smells can be measured objectively given the non- physical components.
Questions like these mean that interest in the psychology of smell is inevitably set to play
an increasingly important role for researchers.

F. However, smell is not simply a biological and psychology phenomenon. Smell is

cultural, hence it is a social and historical phenomenon. Odours are invested with cultural
values: smells that are considered to be offensive in some cultures may be perfectly
acceptable in others. Therefore, our sense of smells is a means of, and model for,
interacting with the world. Different smells can provide us with intimate and emotionally
charged experience and the value that we attach to these experiences is interiorized by the
members of society in a deeply personal way. Importantly, our commonly held feelings
about smells can help distinguish us from other cultures. The study of the cultural history
of smell is, therefore, in a very real sense, an investigation into the essence of human
culture.

Page 14 of 23 pages
 For questions 37- 39, choose the correct letter, A, B, C or D. Write your answers in the
corresponding numbered boxes. .
37. According to the introduction, we become aware of the importance of smell when
A. We discover a new smell
B. we experience a powerful smell
C. our ability to smell is damaged.
D. we are surrounded by odours.
38.  The experiment described in paragraph B 
A. shows how we make use of smell without realizing it.
B. demonstrates that family member have is learnt
C. proves that a sense of smell is learnt
D. compares the sense of smell in males and females. 
39. What does the writer suggest about the study of smell in the atmosphere in paragraph
E?  A. The measurement of smell is becoming more accurate.
B. Researchers believe smell is a purely physical reaction
C. Most smells are inoffensive.
D. Smell is yet to be defined.
Your answers
37. 38. 39.
For questions 40- 43, complete the sentence below. Choose ONE WORD ONLY FROM
the passage for the each answer. Write your answers in the corresponding numbered
boxes.
40. Tests have shown that odours can help people recognize the _____ belong to their
husbands and wives.
41. Certain linguistic groups may have difficulty have difficulty describing smell because
they lack the appropriate _____.
42. The sense of smell may involve response to _____ which do not smell, in addition to
obvious odours.
43. Odours regarded as unpleasant in certain _____ are not regarded as unpleasant in others.

Page 15 of 23 pages
Your answers
40. 41.
42. 43.
Part 5: For questions 44-53, you will read an article about various birds in Britain and
choose from the birds (A-D). The birds may be chosen more than once. Write your
answers in the corresponding numbered boxes. .

Of which birds are the following stated?

On a number of occasions, fears concerning it have been expressed. 44
Its population growth is a reflection of how tough it is 45
It is known for following a routine 46
Its situation was improved by an initiative that has been referred to as 47
unique
There is statistical evidence to support the view that it is a very popular 48
bird
It can easily identified by its outline 49
A common perception of its has proved inaccurate 50
Growth in its number has been much more gradual than desired 51
There is reason to believe that its progress in a particular region will be 52
maintained
Measures taken in the running of a certain type of countryside have 53
assisted in the growth of it population

WINGED WINNERS AND LOSERS

Birds in Britain come under scrutiny in a massive new study, Birds Britannica. A record
of the avian community in the 21st century, it reveals a continually evolving pattern. Mark
Cocker, the principal author of the tome, selects some cases.

A. Red Kite

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The red kite's recent rise from a mere handful to several thousands is among the great
stories of modern conservation. Testimony to its flagship status is a recent Royal Society
for the Protection of Birds poll which ranked it with the golden eagle and song thrush in
the nation's list of favourite birds.
The dramatic spread has hinged on a reintroduction scheme at six sites in England and
Scotland using kites originally taken from Spain and Sweden. The English releases began
in the Chilterns in 1989 and when these had achieved a healthy population, subsequent
introductions were made in Northamptonshire and Yorkshire using mainly English birds.
The Scottish releases in the 1980s and 1990s have resulted in populations totalling more
than 50 pairs. Altogether there are now about 3,000 kites in Britain.
The formation of a "Kite committee" by members of the British Ornithologists Club in
1903 was central to the bird's recovery. It endured for 90 years and has been described as
being "without parallel in the annals of bird protection anywhere in the world".

B. Dartford Warbler
This highly-attractive bird is confined to just five Western European countries as well as
the north African littoral, and has the smallest world range of any of our breeding birds. It
is also a highly sedentary bird and a major cause of decline is its great susceptibility to the
cold. The worst case occurred in the two successive hard winters of 1961 and 1962 when
the numbers fell from 450 pairs to just 10.
Memories of this calamitous decrease, coupled with the bird's own tiny size and seeming
delicacy, have cemented our sense of an overarching vulnerability. It is one of the best
British examples where a species' local rarity has been assumed to equal almost
constitutional weakness. Typical of our pessimism was a 1960s prediction that its
breeding range would be virtually restricted to the New Forest "in the foreseeable future".
There was a similar anxiety in the proposal to trap large numbers ahead of severe winter
weather so that they could be safely released the following spring.
All the caution is perfectly understandable as an expression of our protective instincts
towards a much-loved bird. Yet it sits oddly with the warbler's continuing rise and
expansion to a population of 1,925 pairs by the year 2000. It has undoubtedly been helped
by mild winters as well as the intensive management and protection of England's lowland
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heath. Yet the Dartford Warbler's recent history illustrates how easy it is to underestimate
the resilience of a small rare bird.

C. White-tailed Eagle
It is difficult to judge which is the more exciting conservation achievement - the
reintroduction of this magnificent bird or of red kites. By wingspan and weight, this the
largest eagle in Europe and one of the biggest of all birds in Britain. However, if the
species itself is on a grand scale, the size of the reintroduced population is tiny and the
pace of increase agonizingly slow. Almost 30 years after the species was first released,
there are just 23 pairs holding territory, and from 17 occupied eyries in 2001, no more
than 11 young fledged.
The project involved a remarkable team effort by various UK environmental groups, as
well as the Norwegian conservationists who organized the capture of the donated birds.
Between 1975 and 1985, they released 82 eagles (39 males and 43 females) from a special
holding area on the Inner Herbridean island of Rhum. Eight were later recovered dead, but
in 1983 came the first breeding attempt.
Two years later, a pair of white-tailed eagles produced the first British-born chick in 69
years and every subsequent breeding season has seen a small incremental improvement.
There is now an established breeding nucleus spread between the islands of Skye and
Mull as well as the adjacent mainland, and their recent history suggests that the white-
tailed eagle's increase will continue throughout north-west Scotland.

D. Spotted Flycatcher
Even the greatest fans of this lovely bird, with its mouse-grey upper parts and whitish
breast and belly, would have to admit that it is rather drab. They have no more than a thin,
squeaky, small song. However, spotted flys compensate with enormous character.
The birds are instantly recognizable because of their large-headed, top-heavy shape that is
distinctive even in silhouette, and by the habit of returning to the same perch after their
agile, twisting, aerial sallies for insects.
They are adept at catching large species such as day-flying moths, butterflies, bees and
wasps, whose stings they remove by thrashing the victim against the perch. Their
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specialized diet means that they are among the latest spring migrants to return and are
now in serious decline because of half a century of pesticide use. In the past 25 years, their
numbers have declined by almost 80 per cent, but they are still sufficiently numerous
(155,000 pairs) to be familiar and are often birds of large gardens, churchyards or around
farm buildings.
Your answers
44. 45. 46. 47. 48. 49. 50. 51. 52. 53.

D. WRITING (60 pts)

Part 1: Read the following passage and use your own words to summarise it. Your
summary should be between 100-120 words long.
Communication is part of our everyday life. We greet one another, smile or frown,
depending on our moods. Animals too, communicate, much to our surprise. Just like us,
interaction among animals can be both verbal or non-verbal.
Singing is one way in which animals can interact with one another. Male blackbirds often
use their melodious songs to catch the attention of the females. These songs are usually
rich in notes variation, encoding various kinds of messages. Songs are also used to warn
and keep off other blackbirds from their territory, usually a place where they dwell and
reproduce.
Large mammals in the oceans sing too, according to adventurous sailors. Enormous
whales groan and grunt while smaller dolphins and porpoises produce pings, whistles and
clicks. These sounds are surprisingly received by other mates as far as several hundred
kilometers away.
Besides singing, body language also forms a large part of animals' communication tactics.
Dominant hyenas exhibit their power by raising the fur hackles on their necks and
shoulders, while the submissive ones normally "surrender" to the powerful parties by
crouching their heads low and curling their lips a little, revealing their teeth in friendly
smiles.
Colors, which are most conspicuously found on animals are also important means of
interaction among animals. Male birds of paradise, which have the most gaudy colored

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feathers often hang themselves upside down from branches, among fluffing plumes,
displaying proudly their feathers, attracting the opposite sex.
The alternating black and white striped coats of zebras have their roles to play too. Each
zebra is born with a unique set of stripes which enables its mates to recognize them. When
grazing safely, their stripes are all lined up neatly so that none of them loses track of their
friends. However, when danger such as a hungry lion approaches, the zebras would dart
out in various directions, making it difficult for the lion to choose his target.
Insects such as the wasps, armed with poisonous bites or stings, normally have brightly
painted bodies to remind other predators of their power. Hoverflies and other harmless
insects also make use of this fact and colored their bodies brightly in attempts to fool their
predators into thinking that they are as dangerous and harmful as the wasps too.
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Part 2: The table below shows the number of medals won by the top ten countries in the
London 2012 Olympic Games.
Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make
comparisons where relevant.

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Part 3: Write an essay of about 350 words to express your opinion on the following
issue.

Some people think that human history has been a journey from ignorance to
knowledge. Others argue that this underestimates the achievements of ancient
cultures, and overvalues our achievements. What is your opinion?

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Give reasons for your answer, and include any relevant examples from your knowledge or
experience.
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---------- THE END ----------

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