PAGE TÀI LIỆU TIẾNG ANH NÂNG CAO KỲ THI HỌC SINH GIỎI VÒNG TỈNH THPT

ĐỀ THI THỬ HSG TỈNH SỐ 09 NĂM 2020

Môn thi: TIẾNG ANH

Thời gian thi: 180 phút (không kể thời gian giao đề)
Ngày thi:
Đáp án có 19 trang

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

* Giám thị không giải thích gì thêm.
I. LISTENING (50 POINTS)

Part 1. For questions 1-9, listen to an interview with the author of a new book on leisure time and
activities and decide whether these statements are True (T) or False (F). Write your answers in the
corresponding numbered boxes provided.
1. The author thought no one should be bored when so many leisure opportunities were on offer.
2. Her children's enthusiasm for school holidays was short-lived.
3. Her friend used to enjoy expensive leisure activities.
4. Her uncle enjoyed the freedom of retirement.
5. The main reason people get bored is that they cannot afford to pay for home entertainment
technology.
6. Both sections of the book contain similar types of information.
7. The author thinks there is a link between your upbringing and your ability to keep yourself
entertained.
8. The interviewer suggests the author is old-fashioned.
9. The book is more successful than the author had anticipated.

Your answers
1. T 2. T 3. T 4. F 5. F 6. F 7. T 8. T 9. T

Interviewer: My guest this evening on the book programme is Mary Greenaway, author of the best-
selling handbook 'Free Time, Free Fun'. Mary, what prompted you to write the book?
Mary G: Well, personally, I've never suffered from boredom, but I began to notice that there were
a lot of people around with time on their hands who didn't know how to fill it. At the same time
the press was full of advertisements for new home entertainment technology, holiday packages to
suit all tastes, superb sports and fitness centres and so on, and I started to wonder what was going
wrong.
Interviewer: You mentioned the people around you started you thinking. Can you give me some
examples?
Mary G: Well, my kids for a start - every time the summer holidays came around they'd be in
seventh heaven for two weeks, then spend the rest of the time whining about being bored. Then a
friend of mine was made redundant and panicked about money. She immediately gave up all the
glamorous things she used to do like dining out, going to fancy health clubs, taking holidays in the
Seychelles. Then, apart from going out job-hunting, she fell into a cycle of doing nothing but watching
television all day. Not long after that my uncle died within a year of retiring - he'd been a man who lived
for his work, and he just couldn't stand the strain of all those unstructured hours in front of him
when he woke up every day. And I realised all these people lacked resources - either the financial
resources to get access to the fantastic leisure opportunities that are available nowadays, or the
personal resources to amuse themselves.
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Interviewer: And, in fact, that's the two-part structure you've built the book on, isn't it?
Mary G: That's right. Part one is basically a listings section of leisure activities that you can do free,
or almost free, and there is still a host of those available, from museums to public lectures, open
air concerts in parks, and so on. The second, and to my mind, far more interesting part, concerns
personal resources - motivating yourself, creating your own entertainment, setting up leisure
projects and so on, all of course with the criterion of costing nothing, or next to nothing.
Interviewer: Where do you think you yourself got your resources from?
Mary G: Ah, that's a good question. Maybe because I was an only child and that certainly forces you
to learn to amuse yourself. Then, unusually for the period, my parents were anti-television, so I grew
up without one, and that also encouraged me to create my own entertainment.
Interviewer: Wouldn't you say that some of the ideas and values expressed in the book are rather
old-fashioned?
Mary G: Oh, absolutely. I mean lots of people would turn their noses up at the idea of using a public
library nowadays. And things like creating your own board games and party games go right back to the
Victorian era. That's why no-one was more surprised than me when the book turned out to be such
a success. I hadn't expected it to go down quite so well in a world full of off-the-peg entertainment.
Part 2. For questions 10-15, listen to an interview with an IT consultant called Paul about how he
started his own business and choose the correct answer A, B, C or D which fits best according to what
you hear. Write your answers in the corresponding numbered boxes provided.
10. That does Paul say about the first years of his working life?
A. He got a teaching post in the university where he had studied.
B. His first job began to feel rather monotonous as time went by.
C. The kind of tasks he was instructed to do gradually changed.
D. The work became less enjoyable when some colleagues moved away.
11. What does Paul say made him decide to start his own consultancy business?
A. He was persuaded to do so by some friends.
B. He read a book which inspired him to take action.
C. He thought he could take advantage of a growing trend.
D. He realized he had the skills to make a success of his own company.
12. What does Paul suggest is his favorite type of client?
A. people he knew when he was a student
B. people recommended by agents
C. people he has met at conferences
D. people he has worked with previously
13. What does Paul find the most difficult aspect of running his business?
A. gaining a quick understanding of an unfamiliar situation
B. setting fees that match the effort involved
C. making a good impression on a new team of people
D. getting reliable advice from financial experts
14. What does Paul say about the way he uses a business mentor?
A. He uses his mentor differently from the way others use theirs.
B. He finds his mentor often comes up with fresh ideas for his business.
C. He gets information about the latest business theories from his mentor.
D. He likes to gets his mentor's reactions to plans that he is considering.
15. Paul explains that in the coming year he is going to
A. employ some new consultants.
B. have more variety in his work.
C. move to a more convenient office.
D. learn some additional skills.
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Your answers
10. B 11. C 12. D 13. A 14. D 15. B

Interviewer: So, Paul, you run your own IT consultancy business now. How did your career start?

Paul: Well, after graduating in computer science, I got a job in the technical support team of the
university where I'd studied. I really enjoyed both the company of my colleagues and the technically
challenging and interesting tasks I had to deal with, but after a few years, I began to see the same
issues coming up again and again. Several members of the team left, as it was all getting much less
stimulating.

Interviewer: So what made you actually decide to set up your own consultancy?

Paul: Well, it seemed to me that there was going to be a trend among many organizations towards
taking on short - term external consultants for IT rather than employing a permanent in-house
team. And I thought that would be an interesting way for me to go. I'm friends with a couple of guys
who have a small start-up and they'd been operating for a few years. I wasn't sure I could do it, but they
helped me get started. They gave me much more sensible advice than I've ever seen in any book or
article for would-be entrepreneurs.

Interviewer: How do you get new clients?

Paul: Well, work is certainly erratic. For months, I might only have recurring clients, and then suddenly
could get four new ones in the same week. There's no one reliable source of work, so I diversify. I get a
fair amount of work from recruitment agents, but some of the jobs they provide are not terribly
challenging. And I get some work from people I was at uni with. I suppose about half of my work is
repeat business from people I've helped before, and I like that. You start out from a position of
knowing and trusting each other. Also, I go to conferences to meet people and to promote myself and
my business. I've been told that there's at least a two- to three-year lag between presenting at
conferences and getting work from them, so I'm not yet sure how much business is going to come to me
that way.

Interviewer: What is the hardest part of running your business?

Paul: At first, I found it extremely difficult to know what to charge clients. I ended up drastically
undercharging on a number of occasions before I realized I needed to get some financial advice from an
expert. That helped me enormously. It's often said that the first week in business is the hardest. In my
case, as I'm always moving on to provide support in a different company nearly every week is in
the sense the first week. I often have just that week to make a difference to that team, and that's a
challenge but, fortunately, I like challenges!

Interviewer: Would you say you have a business mentor?

Paul: Sure. My business mentor is an old friend of mine. He recently finished a Master's in Business
Administration and we talk every week about how I might develop my company. I wouldn't say I
have a clear idea about how other people use a business mentor - and it's quite possible they do things
very differently - but I have found our conversations very useful. It's great to have someone
experienced to sound ideas off. I have great faith in his instincts.

Interviewer: What are your plans for this year?

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Paul: Well, we've just moved to a great new office in the center of town, so we'll enjoy being based
there. I'm considering taking on a couple of new staff to keep things ticking over there while I deal with
clients. I've got some very different new projects lined up over the next 12 months, so I am looking
forward to getting my teeth into those. I'm looking forward to having the chance to use some
technical skills that I haven’t had to call on for a while, in fact, so that will be good.

Interviewer: Well, I wish you all the very best with that.

Part 3. For questions 16-25, listen to a talk about the birds in New Zealand and supply the blanks
with the missing information. Write NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS taken from the recording for
each answer in the space provided.
Birds in New Zealand
Facts
– The birds often build their nests along the coastline or next to the 16____________
– In 1984. researchers found that there were 17____________ of this kind of bird left.
– It is difficult to 18____________ the number of birds accurately.
Influencing factors
– Human activities, such as 19____________ and building homes threaten the bird population.
– The birds are influenced by many species which can eat their 20____________
– Natural disasters like 21____________ can also reduce the population of the birds.
Ways of protection
– The zoo should hire a 22____________ to keep the birds from being poached
– The organizer could build 23____________ to prevent the public from getting closer.
– People should make more of an effort to protect 24____________ birds.
– Through the 25____________, people will learn more about bird protection.

16. river
17. 3 pairs
18. estimate
19. farming
20. eggs
21. storms
22. guard
23. fence
24. wild
25. media

Ladies and Gentlemen, good afternoon. In this session, we're going to talk about birds indigenous to
New Zealand, delving into the facts and analysing methods of protecting these species from extinction.

It may be a surprise to you to know that there are millions of bird species that are endemic to New
Zealand; in other words, they are rarely found anywhere else throughout the world. Because quite a
large number of these birds lead a living on a diet of freshly-caught fish, they often nest alongside
the coastline or, follow the neighbouring river, if necessary to track freshwater fish. Once they
have mated, the female will collect twigs and pieces of debris to build nests where she can hatch her
eggs under safe circumstances, like out the reach of predators.

When first immigrants landed on New Zealand roughly 7 centuries ago, rats were carried on the ships
with them. The rats flourished in the warm climate and gradually became a threat to the native bird
populations, particularly to the flightless species. In 1984, researchers discovered that just 3 pairs of
flightless bird species remained in existence, and that even these faced severe pressure. Now, New
Zealand is a global pioneer in facilitating the recovery of severely endangered species from the brink of
extinction.
Every year, researchers conduct certain surveys aimed at monitoring the fluctuation in the levels of bird
numbers and species living in New Zealand. Owing to migration patterns of a few bird species, it is
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far from easy to accurately estimate the bird numbers since many may have flown to other
regions in search of mates and warmer climates, and thus not be included in the investigation.

Probably, there is a sensitive link between bird numbers and environmental influences, especially those
closely linked to human activities. Routine activities, such as farming or building houses, can have a
massive impact on the local populations. Forests that play a role of a habitat for thousands of birds can
be entirely eradicated to produce fields for cropping or to provide wood for construction, which is such
a catastrophic impact.

It is not only the activities of humans that threaten the living conditions of bird species, but the
population of many predatory animal species has dramatically risen in New Zealand. One of these
predators is the Mantane snake, which was introduced from Australia and has decimated the population
of Killdeer birds. These birds nest on the ground, and often return to find their eggs have been
devoured by the egg-eating snakes.

One cannot dismiss; of course, it is the disadvantage of that nature itself that imposes on the survival of
many bird species. Natural disasters such as storms can be devastating, tearing apart forests and
leaving thousands of destroyed nests in their wake. Monsoons flood the rivers and often drown many
of the flightless bird species that are unable to escape.

Unfortunately, illegal hunting, which is the greatest threat to bird species in New Zealand, is nearly
impossible to prohibit. Several bird species, which are going to be extinct, now appear on display at the
national zoo, and there is such a crucial need that urgent policies are adopted to protect them. The zoo
recently employed an expert in bird protection, who strongly suggested that a guard should be
employed to protect their birds from poachers.

The expert also lays much stress on the fact that the birds can be haunted by quite a stressed
situation where the public can approach them too closely, suggesting that the administration
install a fence network to keep the public a safe distance away, from the birds. In spite of this threat
to birds in captivity, it is the freely roaming birds that are most at risk. Many efforts are being made to
educate the public in terms of how they can contribute towards protecting birds that are living in
the wild.

Finally, research has indicated that one of the most feasible measures of keeping the public
noticed about the significance of protecting the bird populations is through the media. I advise
you all to read the related articles in specialist journals, and also do some research on the Internet.
Everyone can make your own contribution if you put your mind upon it!

II. PHONETICS (10 POINTS)

Part 1. Choose the word whose underlined part is pronounced differently from the others.
26. A. called B. ended C. sacred D. supposedly
27. A. books B. days C. songs D. erasers
28. A. but B. bury C. nut D. young
29. A. chorus B. cherish C. chaos D. character
30. A. mayor B. quay C. prayer D. layer

Part 2. Choose the word which is stressed differently from the others.
31. A. tenant B. common C. rubbish D. machine
32. A. sovereignty B. advantage C. enrichment D. edition
33. A. democracy B. infrastructure C. underpass D. creditable
34. A. xenophobia B. salmonberry C. palindrome D. moderator
35. A. zucchini B. simulcast C. hyphenate D. pageantry

Your answers
26. A 27. A 28. B 29. B 30. B 31. D 32. A 33. A 34. A 35. A
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III. LEXICO-GRAMMAR (40 POINTS)

Part 1. For questions 36-55, choose the correct answer A, B, C or D to each of the following
questions and write your answers in the corresponding numbered boxes provided.
36. Phuong Thao is a student in Ms Lan’s writing class. She is asking for Ms Lan’s comments
on her last essay. Select the most suitable response to fill in the blank.
Phuong Thao: “You must have found reading my essay very tiring.”
Ms Lan: “_____________. I enjoyed it.”
A. Not in the least B. Just in case C. At all costs D. You are welcome
Not in the least: hoàn toàn không
37. There weren’t many vegetarian dishes _____________, although there were several different kinds
of cheese.
A. like that B. as such C. such that D. such like
as such: đúng nghĩa là
38. ________ hundreds of people dead during the evacuation from the war-torn area in the Middle East.
A. It is estimated to be B. There is estimated to be
C. There are estimated to be D. It is estimated that
Phương án D sai vì sau it is estimated that phải là mệnh đề.
39. _____________, the diners settled the bill and left the restaurant.
A. Having hunger satisfied B. Their hunger satisfied
C. Hunger been satisfied D. Satisfying their hunger
Mệnh đề đầy đủ là having their hunger been satisfied hoặc having satisfied their hunger, mục tiêu là tìm
dạng rút gọn chính xác của 1 trong 2 trường hợp trên trong 4 phương án A-D → B đúng.
40. Children’s _____________ skills, that is the brain-based skills required to carry out tasks, develop
rapidly in the first few years of their lives.
A. characteristic B. conscious C. emotional D. cognitive
cognitive skills: khả năng tư duy
41. If you break the law while visiting a foreign country, you will most likely be _____________.
A. deported B. reintegrated C. uprooted D. degraded
deport: trục xuất
42. After the hurricane, all that was left of our house was a pile of _____________.
A. rabble B. rubble C. ramble D. rumble
pile of rubble: đống đổ nát
43. If there happened to be both rich and poor people, as there happen to be both black and white ones,
then the advantages of the _____________ might well spread in time to the hard-up.
A. well-heeled B. big-hearted C. open-handed D.
tight-fisted
the well-heeled: người giàu có
44. The floral bouquets we entered into the competition were a _____________ of colour, but
unfortunately, we did not win first prize.
A. wham B. riot C. drop D. buzz
a riot of colour: tập hợp đa màu sắc
45. I don't think Paul will ever get married — he's the stereotypical _____________ bachelor.
A. settled B. confirmed C. fixed D. determined
confirmed bachelor: người thích độc thân
46. Harry was a _____________ of nerves the whole time his wife was in the hospital.
A. batch B. bunch C. bundle D. bale
be a bundle of nerves: hồi hộp, lo lắng
47. It had been with a heavy _____________ that I watched her leave, and I had sunk into a dark and
despairing mood.
A. head B. mood C. mind D. heart
heavy heart: nỗi buồn miên man
48. Uncle Tom’s a _____________ who prefer his own company to anyone else’s.
A. drowned rat B. lone wolf C. lame duck D. top dog
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lone wolf: an animal or person that acts independently or generally lives or spends time alone instead of
with a group
drowned rat: thoroughly wet
lame duck: sb in trouble and needing help
top dog: most important person
49. After months of trying to find a cheap flat in the centre of town, he’s finally _______ in the sponge.
A. thrown B. swept C. cleared D. polished
throw in the sponge: bỏ cuộc
50. When I started talking about Miranda, Steven _____________ and left.
A. cut corners B. cut it fine C. cut short D. cut me dead
cut corners: do sth quickly but not thoroughly
cut it fine: achieve sth just in time
cut sb/sth short: interrupt sb/sth
cut sb dead: ignore sb’s presence
51. Despite the economists’ forecast of _____________, the economy is well on the way to recovery.
A. gloom and doom B. high and dry
C. ups and downs D. hue and cry
gloom and doom: bi quan
52. I’ve never actually studied Greek, but I live in Athens for six months and managed to
_____________ a few words and phrases here and there.
A. make do with B. drop out of C. look over D. pick up
pick up: to learn a new skill or language by practising it rather than being taught it
53. We were just _____________ in the sitting area and somehow the window got broken.
A. beetling about B. haring off C. horsing around D. wolfing down
horse around: fool around
beetle about: hurry
hare off: rush off
wolf down: eat quickly
54. Colin is only just ______________; he gets unemployment benefit, but it isn’t much.
A. scraping by B. putting aside C. bailing out D. tiding over
scrape by: vừa đủ sống
55. Insurance companies had to _____________ ￡10 million in storm damage claims.
A. dip in B. rip off C. bail out D. cough up
cough up: buộc phải trả tiền

Your answers
36. 37. 38. 39. 40. 41. 42.
43. 44. 45. 46. 47. 48. 49.
50. 51. 52. 53. 54. 55.

Part 2. For questions 56-60, write the correct form of each bracketed word in the numbered space
provided.
Historically called radium F, the element polonium-210 (Po-210) is a naturally-occurring radioactive
element that emits highly hazardous alpha particles. Po-210 was discovered in 1898 by Marie and Pierre
Curie. It is (56-exceed) __________ rare in nature (tiny amounts exist in the soil and in the atmosphere)
and it does not (57-custom) __________ present a risk to humans. Today, Po-210 is studied in nuclear
research laboratories where its high radioactivity requires special handling techniques and (58-cautious)
__________. Po-210 is fantastically toxic but it does not represent a risk to human health, as long as it
remains outside the body. Internal exposure is the concern. In order to get into the human body, Po-210
must be ingested or inhaled as It cannot pass through the skin.
It has been known since the 1960s that Po-210 is present in tobacco smoke as a contaminant. Tobacco
plants which are fertilised with phosphate fertilisers absorb Po-210 through their roots. Even though
direct root (59-take) __________ of Po-210 by tobacco plants is small, Po-210 is still estimated to cause

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some 11,700 lung cancer deaths annually worldwide. (60-deposit) __________ of Po-10 from the
atmosphere on tobacco leaves also results in elevated concentrations of Po-210 in tobacco smoke.
56. exceedingly: extremely
57. customarily: according to what is usual in a particular place or situation
58. precautions: biện pháp phòng ngừa
59. uptake: the process by which something is taken into a body or system; the rate at which this
happens
60. Deposition: the natural process of leaving a layer of a substance on rocks or soil; a substance left in
this way

Part 3. For questions 61-65, write the correct form of each bracketed word in the numbered space
provided.
61. They have little __________ of people who do not observe the local traditions. (TOLERATE)
tolerance: sự khoan dung
62. Some of their customs come from a ___________fear of the dark. (ROOT)
deep-rooted: very fixed and strong; difficult to change or to destroy
63. The school is acknowledged as providing equal access and ___________ to a rich and varied
curriculum. (TITLE)
entitlement: quyền được hưởng
64. In China, the persistence of a(n) ___________currency has over the years effectively subsidised
exports. (VALUE)
undervalued currency: chính sách làm giảm giá trị đồng nội tệ (phá giá tiền tệ)
65. Before the war the __________ output was produced in mass for a prospective demand. (PONDER)
preponderant: larger in number or more important than other people or things in a group

Part 4. For questions 66-75, find and correct 10 mistakes in the passage. Write them in the numbered
boxes provided.
Light reveals the world to us. It sets our biology clocks. It triggers in our brains the sensations of colour.
Light feeds us, supplies the energy for plants to grow. It inspires us with special effects like rainbows
and sunsets. Light gives us life-changing tools, from incandescent bulbs to lasers and fibre optics. There
has been light from the beginning. There will be light, feebly, at the end. In all of its forms, visible and
invisible, it saturates universe. Light is more than a little bit inscrutable. Modern physics has sliced the
stuff of nature into ever smaller and more exotic constituents, but light won't reduce. Light is light —
pure, but not simple. No one is quite sure how to describe it. A wave? A particle? Yes, the scientists say.
Both. It is a measure of light's importance in our daily lives that we hardly pay no attention to it. Light is
almost like air. It's a given. A human would not more linger over the concept of light than a fish would
ponder the notion of water. There are exceptions, certain moments of sudden appreciation when a
particular manifestation of light, a transitory glory, appearing: a rainbow, a sunset, a flash of lightning
in a dark sky, the shimmering surface of the sea at twilight, the dappled light in a forest, the little red dot
from a professor's laser pointer. The flicker of a candle, flooding a room with romance. The torch
searching for the circuit breakers after a power cut. Usually, though, we don't see light, we merely see
with it. You can't appreciate the beauty of a rose because you ponder that the colour red is just the
brain's interpretation of a specific wavelength of light with crests that are roughly 700 nanometres apart.
A theatrically lighting director told me that she's doing her job best when no one notices the lights at
all. Her goal is to create an atmosphere, a mood - not to show up the fancy new filters that create
colours of startling intensity.
66. biology → biological
67. supplies → supplying
68. all of → all
69. universe → the universe
70. no → any
71. not → no

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72. appearing → appears
73. because → if
74. theatrically → theatrical
75. up → off

III. READING

Part 1. For questions 76-85, fill each of the following numbered blanks with ONE suitable word and
write your answers in the corresponding numbered boxes provided.
Both women and men, it seems, have always had a fascination for changing their 76.____________
with the aid of paints, powders, dyes and other artificial devices. The use of cosmetics,
77.____________ from being a product of civilisation, originates from an inherent human desire for
self-decoration. As far 78.____________ as 100,000 years ago, man is believed to have painted his
body, and at a later period the people of the Stone Age probably decorated 79.____________ in a
similar fashion. However, the original motivation for prehistoric man’s use of paint was
80.____________ from that which inspired civilised cultures to adopt cosmetics 81.____________ a
way of enhancing or creating beauty.
Prehistoric man must have been conscious that he was a weak animal struggling 82.____________ a
hostile environment. He had to develop his own tools for hunting because Nature had not provided him
with sharp teeth or claws or the overwhelming 83.____________ strength of the wild beasts which
roamed the ancient world. He decorated his skin with the markings of the most powerful animals
because he believed that by representing their physical characteristics on his own body he acquired
some of their power. But his fear of wild beasts 84.____________ as a constantly disturbing and
inexplicable phenomenon, and inspired in primitive man the belief that mysterious 85.____________
which he was able neither to understand nor control were at work around him.
76. appearance
77. far
78. back
79. themselves
80. different
81. as
82. against
83. physical
84. remained
10. forces

Part 2. For questions 86-95, read the text below and decide which answer A, B, C or D best fits each
gap. Write your answers in the corresponding numbered boxes provided.
Oxford is a city with such a mind-blowing reputation that many who come here find themselves
intimidated by the place and can’t wait to leave, while others, taking to it like a duck to water, find
themselves returning again and again. The college lawns provide a gorgeous (86)______ to serious
study, and in the right light, on a sunny winter’s morning say, one feels as if one is (87)______ on air,
such is the sense of unreality. Oxford may like to (88)______ that it is at the intellectual hub of things,
but in many ways it is no more than a sleepy (89)______where, to mix metaphors, transitory students,
the (90)______of their generation, wait in the (91)______, allowing their talents to (92)______ before
moving off into the industrial or political fast-lane. Much of this is a myth, of course. Hardship and hard
work are very much part and (93)______ of student life. The (94)______ get through the three years’
hard grind by simply putting their shoulders to the wheel before going on to fairly average jobs. Only
for the tiny minority is Oxford the first (95)______ on the ladder to fame and fortune.
86. A. backdrop B. curtain C. scene D. screen
backdrop: the general conditions in which an event takes place
scene: the place where something happens, especially something unpleasant
87. A flying B. gliding C. floating D. swimming
float: to move slowly on water or in the air
glide: to fly using air currents, without the birds moving their wings or the aircraft using the engine
88. A. pretend B. act C. dissemble D. produce
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to claim to be, do or have something, especially when this is not true
89. A. backwater B. stream C. tributary D. watershed
backwater: ) a place that is away from the places where most things happen, and is therefore not affected
by events, progress, new ideas, etc.
90. A. froth B. cream C. fat D. caviar
the cream of something: the best people or things in a particular group
91. A. pavilion B. dressing room C. wings D. foyer
in the wings: ready to take over a particular job or be used in a particular situation when needed
92. A. flourish B. open C. spread D. float
93. A. package B. section C. province D. parcel
94. A. level-headed B. hot-headed C. hot-blooded D. kind-hearted
level-headed: calm and sensible.
95. A. step B. position C. elevation D. ascent

Part 3. For questions 96-108, read the following passage and do the tasks that follow.
READING WARS
A. In many developed countries literacy skirts are under siege. This is true even in societies where
access to primary education is universal and governments invest heavily in education. New Zealand, for
example, was leading the world in literacy rates in 1970, but tumbled to thirteenth place in 2001 and
then again to twenty-fourth just a few years later. Test scores in the USA also slumped ten percent
during the 1990s despite the country riding an economic boom for much of the decade. In some cases
these statistics reverse trends that were in motion for over a century and a half. The steady, gradual
expansion of literacy across social groups and classes was one of the greatest successes of the period of
industrialization that began in the mid-1850s.
B. This reversal of fortunes has led to widespread contention over the pedagogy of teaching literacy.
What was once a dry and technical affair—the esoteric business of linguists and policy analysts—
rapidly escalated into a series of skirmishes that were played out in high-visibility forums: Newspapers
ran special features, columns and letters-to-the-editor on the literacy crisis; politicians successfully ran
their national campaigns on improving reading test scores; and parents had their say by joining Parent
Teacher Associations (PTAs) and lobby groups.
C. The arguments around reading pooled into two different classroom methodologies: constructivism
and behaviorism. The constructivist methodology grew from a holistic conception of knowledge
creation that understood reading and writing to be innate, humanistic and interpretative practices that
suffered when they were spliced and formalized within rigid doctrines, strict rules and universal skill-
sets. Constructivists associate words with meanings; each word might be thought of as a Chinese
ideogram. Students are encouraged to learn individual words and skip over and guess words they do not
understand, or learn to interpret those words by situating them within the lexical infrastructure of the
sentence and the story's wider narrative. These practices materialize as learning processes centered on
guided group reading and independent reading of high-quantity, culturally diverse literature or textual
composition that emphasises pupils conveying their own thoughts and feelings for real purposes such as
letters to pen pals or journal entries.
D. Behaviorism sees the pedagogical process in a less dialectical fashion—words are initially taught
not lexically, as vehicles to convey meaning, but rather sub-lexically, as a combination of features that
can be separated and learnt in a schematic process. The behaviorist approach does not focus on words at
all in the early stages of learning. Rather, it is centered on a universally applicable method of teaching
students to isolate graphemes and phonemes with the intention that students will eventually learn to
synthesize these individual parts and make sense of spoken words textually. In this way, individual
components are not equated with the strokes of a brush on a Chinese ideogram, but rather as the focal
pieces of interpretation—as in, for example, learning to read musical notations or Morse Code. Because
of its emphasis on universal rules, behaviorism is much more conducive to formal examination and the
consolidation of results across regions and countries. The ability to master language is considered to rest
in the acquisition of a set of skills that exist independently of individuals. Classroom learning is
therefore based upon the transmission of knowledge from tutor to student, rather than seen as an
internalized process that erupts within the students themselves.
10
E. So who comes out on top? It is not easy to say. Champions of behaviorism have claimed victory
because constructivist learning took over in the late 1980s, just before test scores on literacy began
sinking across the West. Constructivists, however, can make the valid claim that the behaviorist
approach has a heavy methodological bias towards testing and examination, and that test results do not
represent the ability of individuals to use and interpret language freely and creatively. Furthermore,
different socio-economic groups respond in different ways to each method. Those from wealthier
families tend to do well regardless of the method, but thrive on the constructivist approach implemented
in the 1990s. Children from poorer families, however, are better served by behaviorism. These outcomes
have ramped up levels of socio-economic based educational disparities in educational systems that have
pushed the constructivist method.
F. It is unlikely that either constructivism or behaviorism will be permanently sidelined from curricula
in the near future. Most teachers find it easier to incorporate aspects of each approach. Constructivism
may ultimately hold the trump card because of its proven success with pupils who come from families
where they are introduced to reading and writing in various forms from a young age—this process of
'living and learning' and immersing oneself in language is a sound principle. In a world rife with social
inequities, households with illiterate parents and a scarcity of funding for education, however, the
behaviorist approach may have the upper hand in teaching children to access the basic skills of literacy
quickly and efficiently, even if some linguistic creativity is crushed in the process.

Questions 96-102: There are six paragraphs marked A-F in the passage. In which paragraph is the
following mentioned? Write your answers in the corresponding numbered box provided.
96. A reason why constructivism might increase inequalities in society
97. Ways in which people debated the merits of different ways of teaching reading
98. A comparison between forms of communication that build meaning from isolated parts
99. Reasons why a method that is theoretically superior might not always work effectively in practice
100. An explanation of why measuring the success of different reading methods is difficult
101. An example of an activity that teachers might use to develop writing skills
102. Evidence of a national decline in reading standards

Your answers
56. 57. 58. 59. 60. 61. 62.

96. E
These outcomes have ramped up levels of socio-economic based educational disparities in
educational systems that have pushed the constructivist method.
97. B
This reversal of fortunes has led to widespread contention over the pedagogy of teaching literacy.
98. D
In this way, individual components are not equated with the strokes of a brush on a Chinese ideogram,
but rather as the focal pieces of interpretation—as in, for example, learning to read musical notations
or Morse Code.
99. F
Constructivism may ultimately hold the trump card because of its proven success with pupils who
come from families where they are introduced to reading and writing in various forms from a young age
—this process of 'living and learning' and immersing oneself in language is a sound principle. In a
world rife with social inequities, households with illiterate parents and a scarcity of funding for
education, however, the behaviorist approach may have the upper hand in teaching children to
access the basic skills of literacy quickly and efficiently, even if some linguistic creativity is crushed in
the process.
100. E
So who comes out on top? It is not easy to say... Furthermore, different socio-economic groups respond
in different ways to each method.
101. C

11
Students are encouraged to learn individual words and skip over and guess words they do not
understand, or learn to interpret those words by situating them within the lexical infrastructure of
the sentence and the story's wider narrative. These practices materialize as learning processes
centered on guided group reading and independent reading of high-quantity, culturally diverse literature
or textual composition that emphasises pupils conveying their own thoughts and feelings for real
purposes such as letters to pen pals or journal entries.
102. A
In many developed countries literacy skirts are under siege. This is true even in societies where access
to primary education is universal and governments invest heavily in education. New Zealand, for
example, was leading the world in literacy rates in 1970, but tumbled to thirteenth place in 2001
and then again to twenty-fourth just a few years later. Test scores in the USA also slumped ten
percent during the 1990s despite the country riding an economic boom for much of the decade.

Questions 103-105: Which THREE of the following are features of constructivism? Choose THREE
letters, A-G. Write your answers in the corresponding numbered box provided.
A．Students learn best by working on their own.
B．People are naturally inclined to develop language abilities.
C．It is vital that a disciplined and regulated approach is used.
D．It is important that students understand every word they encounter.
E．Language is best learnt as a single, organic process.
F．Everyone learns to read and write in a similar manner.
G．Context can provide helpful cues to understanding words.

Your answers
103. 104. 105.

103 – 105: B,E,G (IN ANY ORDER)

The constructivist methodology grew from a holistic conception of knowledge creation that
understood reading and writing to be innate, humanistic and interpretative practices that suffered
when they were spliced and formalized within rigid doctrines, strict rules and universal skill-sets.

Students are encouraged to learn individual words and skip over and guess words they do not
understand, or learn to interpret those words by situating them within the lexical infrastructure of
the sentence and the story's wider narrative.

Questions 106-108: Which THREE of the following are features of behaviorism? Choose THREE
letters, A-G. Write your answers in the corresponding numbered box provided.
A．The whole of a word is less important than its parts.
B．There is not a common set of conventions.
C．Students learn best by working on their own.
D．Meaning is created by connecting word fragments.
E．Linguistic capacities are built into people.
F．Students learn by receiving information from teachers.
G．It is difficult to judge how well students are doing collectively.

Your answers
106. 107. 108.

106-108: A, D, F (IN ANY ORDER)

Behaviorism sees the pedagogical process in a less dialectical fashion—words are initially taught not
lexically, as vehicles to convey meaning, but rather sub-lexically, as a combination of features that
can be separated and learnt in a schematic process. The behaviorist approach does not focus on
words at all in the early stages of learning. Rather, it is centered on a universally applicable method of

12
teaching students to isolate graphemes and phonemes with the intention that students will eventually
learn to synthesize these individual parts and make sense of spoken words textually.
Classroom learning is therefore based upon the transmission of knowledge from tutor to student,
rather than seen as an internalized process that erupts within the students themselves.

Part 4. For questions 109-118, read the following passage and choose the answer A, B, C or D that
fits best according to the text. Write your answers in the corresponding numbered boxes provided.
AROUND THE WORLD IN 94 DAYS
In February 2001, at the age of 24, Ellen Mac Arthur became the youngest and fastest ever woman to
sail round the world. After 94 days alone on board her yacht Kingfisher, she finished second to Michel
Desjoyaux of France in the single-handed Vende Globe event.
In sport, like life, the winner is usually feted, and runners-up quickly forgotten. This time the roles were
reversed and it was Ellen, weighing just 50 kilos and barely 1m60 tall, that really captured people's
imaginations and emotions. One newspaper in France, where she was and is a real heroine, summed up
the national mood there with the headline 'Well done, Michel, brave Ellen'.
As with many spectacular achievers, the signs were there from an early age, even in the unpromising
nautical terrain of landlocked Derbyshire. Her great-grandparents were sailing people and a great-uncle
was a merchant seaman, but any real link with the sea is tenuous. There was, however, an Auntie Thea
who lived on the east coast of England and had a 26-foot sailing boat called Cabaret. It took just one trip
on the open sea with her aunt to spark off Ellen's lifelong passion. She was eight years old. After that
she began saving her pocket money and spent all her spare time reading sailing books in the library,
absorbing information like a sponge. With her savings and the help of her grandmother she bought an 8-
£00t fibreglass dinghy, and from that moment on there was no keeping her away from the water.
Sailing round Britain single-handed at the age of 18 was just the start; Ellen had long since set her
sights on the Vende. But finding the money to undertake round-the-world voyages is no easy feat. She
wrote 2,000 letters requesting sponsorship and received just two replies, from the Kingfisher company
who were looking to expand into France. And in terms of race preparation, if thoroughness was the key
to success, Ellen could certainly be considered one of the favourites. In the eight months leading up to
the start of the race, she sailed no fewer than 60,000 miles at the helm of her 60-£001 Kingfisher, far
more than the rest of the fleet put together in the same period.
During her three months at sea MacArthur negotiated deadly icebergs, gigantic waves and gale-force
winds. She endured the freezing cold of the Antarctic and suffered the blistering heat of the windless
doldrums. Racing conditions meant sleeping in 10-minute bursts, a survival suit that stayed on for weeks
at a time and hands and wrists covered in sores and cuts. Food was dried or frozen. Water came from a
desalinator, which passes seawater through a membrane. 'You don't really wash in the icy waters of the
southern ocean,' she laughs. 'Anyway, there's no one to tell you that you smell.'
As Kingfisher crossed the finishing line Ellen was surrounded by hundreds of spectator boats and a
cheering crowd of 200,000 lined the shore. Stepping off her yacht she looked remarkably composed and
seemed to take the change from solitude to public adulation very much in her stride. Her thoughts, she
later confessed, were on the realization that she had fulfilled the ambition that had dominated her life for
the previous four or five years. 'Throughout that time my sole focus had been crossing the finishing line,
and in the fastest possible time.' Now she could savour that moment.
But despite MacArthur's belief that everyone who finishes the Vende is a winner, she still feels a sense
of disappointment that, having taken the lead from the eventual winner Michel Desjoyaux 10 days from
the finish, she did not quite have the energy or good fortune to turn her advantage into victory. 'You
have to believe you can win from the start,' she asserts. 'Deep down you're a competitor, you don't climb
the mast and come back black and blue just for a cruise. You do it because it's a race.'
The public will now be hoping to see a suitable encore, some new feat of endurance to justify her
celebrity status. For Ellen can no longer claim, as she did in her post-race press conference, to be the
simple Derbyshire girl with 'no mobile, no credit cards, no money, no nothing'; she is a heroine and an
inspiration to others of her generation. As if to reinforce this, and despite her reluctance to take on this
role, she later commented: 'If there's one thing I've learned in this past year, it's that deep down in your
heart, if you have a dream, then you can and must it happen.'

109. The word feted in the second paragraph means

A. to make somebody pleasant. B. to praise somebody.
13
C. to make somebody happy. D. to give somebody a reward.
110. At the time of her achievement we learn that Ellen
A. enjoyed only short-lived success.
B. was more famous in France than anywhere else.
C. attracted more attention than Michel Desjoyaux.
D. became popular because of her size.
111. The word landlocked in the third paragraph means
A. having no seaport. B. having no fresh water.
C. having no land. D. having no sea coast.
112. Where did Ellen's initial interest in sailing come from?
A. She came from a family of sailing enthusiasts.
B. She went to see one of her relatives.
C. She read widely on the subject.
D. She lived near the sea.
113. The word single-handed in the fourth paragraph means
A. without any help from anyone else.
B. using only one of one's hands to row.
C. on a boat with only one paddle.
D. on a boat with only one sail.
114. What do we learn about Ellen at the start of the race?
A. People thought she had a very good chance of winning.
B. She was a more experienced sailor than the other racers.
C. She had been waiting for this moment since she was 18.
D. She had gone to great lengths to achieve her ambition.
115. The writer suggests that one cause of discomfort for Ellen at sea was
A. the shortage of water. B. her failure to sleep.
C. extremes of temperature. D. a lack of cooking facilities.
116. According to the writer, when Ellen finished the race, she was
A. overwhelmed by her new-found fame.
B. surprised by the number of people who came to greet her.
C. able to reflect on her achievement.
D. delighted to be amongst people again.
117. According to the writer, Ellen
A. thinks she deserved to win the race.
B. has mixed feelings about the outcome of the race.
C. knew she would win the race.
D. thinks Michel Desjoyaux was lucky to beat her.
118. Which of the following views does the writer express in the last paragraph?
A. She has the power to motivate. B. She has no right to fame yet.
C. Her comments lack depth. D. She needs to change her lifestyle.

Part 5. In the passage below, seven paragraphs have been removed. For questions 119-125, read the
passage and choose from the 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 box
provided.

Disposable Buildings?
Look at a building, any building. What can it tell you? Few would dispute that architecture reflects the
taste and style of the period that gave rise to it.

119.

14
Today’s architectural landmarks tend to be secular rather than religious. For the present purpose,
however, it is less important to acknowledge a building’s patronage than it is to carefully scrutinize its
form. So, observe a contemporary building. What stands out? Discord? A hodgepodge of odd shapes
and garish colours that jar? What about the next? The same? Seeing one modern building does little to
prepare the viewer for the next one; uniformity is negligible.

120.

In the larger scheme of things, these differences are minor and it is safe to say that uniformity of
appearance is a major factor that differentiates between the buildings of the past and those of the
present. Another important distinction and one so obvious that it may seem to go without saying, is that
modern buildings do not look like old buildings, (unless they are built in imitation, like neoclassical
architecture, for example).

121.

This is more than a comment on the quality of the respective building materials. The pyramids were
built to last; the Millennium Dome most assuredly was not. This is not to say that the intention for
modern structures is that they should last a certain amount of time and then fall down – as a kind of
disposable building. Nevertheless, they are undeniably designed and built with only the most immediate
future in mind.

122.

The people of the past, on the other hand, looked ahead. It is clear that they intended a building to be
there for future generations. This is corroborated by the fact that, in countries where the climate allows
it, they planted trees. Consider this: planting a tree, especially one that will someday grow to be very
big, is the ultimate in altruistic behaviour. When a man plants an oak sapling, he knows very well that
he will not see the tree that it will become.

123.

There is a third element particularly relevant to contemporary architecture – the aesthetic element.
Aesthetics pose a challenge because they are inherently subjective. Beauty is, indeed, in the eye of the
beholder; we all have likes and dislikes, and they are not the same. Even allowing for this, however,
most would probably agree that ‘beautiful’ is not the most apt way to describe the majority of modern
buildings.

124.

With most modern buildings, we certainly are. Without interventions, these words inevitably take on a negative
connotation, yet it can be constructive to be confronted with something completely different, something a bit
shocking. A reaction is provoked. We think. All art evolves with time, and architecture, in all its varied
manifestations, is, after all, a form of art.

15
125.

As a result, we have been left with much material for study from past eras. What will we leave behind
us, in turn? If our culture still places a value on the past and its lessons or a belief that we carry our
history with us, in continuity, to the future, then this view has not been reflected in our architecture. The
generations of the future may not be able to benefit from us as we have benefited from the generations
of the past.
 
A The fact remains, though, that until the present day, art forms have been made to last. Countless
paintings and sculptures, as well as buildings, bear witness to this. The artists and architects of the past
strove to impart their creations with attributes that would stand the test of time. It was part and parcel of
the successful execution. It was an expression of pride; a boast. It was the drive to send something of
themselves to live on into the future, for reasons selfless and selfish both.
 B For architecture, patronage has always been important. While this method of financing a work of art
is as old as the idea of art itself, it gathered huge momentum during the Renaissance. During this period,
wealthy and powerful families vied with each other in a competition for the creation of the
breathtakingly beautiful and the surprisingly different. It was a way of buying into their own
immortality, and that of the artist or the architect to boot.
 C Indeed, it is rare to see a modern building that has worn well, that is free from leaks or rising damp,
that is without bits of its outer structure falling off. It is hard to call to mind an edifice built in the last
fifty years which is not like this or will not soon be. These days, we are not interested in posterity: if a
building serves our purpose and that of our children, that seems to be enough.
 D However, neither of these distinctions reveal much about the builders, apart from their aesthetic and
their fondness for visual conformity. Now, take a look at some old buildings. The fact that you can see
them at all, that they are intact and relevant, is what opens up the chasm between the present and the
past. We do not know how long today’s architectural heritage will last, but the chances are that it will
not stand the test of time.
E Why is this? Do we not require our buildings to be beautiful any longer? Perhaps beauty has become
architecturally superfluous, or just plain old-fashioned. It could be that the idea of beauty is too
sentimental and sugary for the contemporary taste. Maybe the modern psyche demands something more
stimulating and less easy than beauty. Perhaps we yearn to be challenged.
 F Historic buildings from a common era, on the other hand, resemble each other. Take the example of
the Gothic cathedral. To the non-specialist, one Gothic cathedral looks much like the next; if you’ve
seen one, you’ve seen them all. This view, while extreme, is correct in the sense that there is a
uniformity of style in every Gothic cathedral ever built. Anyone can see it. It takes an enthusiast,
however, to spot and appreciate the myriad subtleties and differences.
 G In contrast, any tree-planting that takes place today is largely commercial, motivated by the quest for
immediate gain. Trees are planted that will grow quickly and can be cut down in a relatively short space
of time. The analogy between tree planting and the construction of buildings is a good one; both
activities today show thinking that is essentially short-term and goal driven; we want an instantaneous
result and, on top of that, we want it to be profitable.
H Buildings, however, can reveal considerably more than that. They give us a unique insight into the
collective mind and culture of those responsible for their construction. Every building was conceived
with an objective in mind, to serve some purpose or assuage some deficiency, and someone was
responsible for commissioning them. Throughout the course of history, buildings have generally been
constructed at the instigation of the rich and powerful – products of politics, religion or both. This is
what makes them so revealing.

16
Your answers
119. 120. 121. 122. 123. 124. 125.

119. H
“Few would dispute that architecture reflects the taste and style of the period that gave rise to it.”
connects with “Buildings, however, can reveal considerably more than that. They give us a unique
insight into the collective mind and culture of those responsible for their construction.”

“Throughout the course of history, buildings have generally been constructed at the instigation of the
rich and powerful – products of politics, religion or both.” connects with “Today’s architectural
landmarks tend to be secular rather than religious. For the present purpose, however, it is less
important to acknowledge a building’s patronage than it is to carefully scrutinize its form.”

120. F
“Seeing one modern building does little to prepare the viewer for the next one; uniformity is
negligible.” connects with “Historic buildings from a common era, on the other hand, resemble each
other.”
“It takes an enthusiast, however, to spot and appreciate the myriad subtleties and differences.”
connects with “In the larger scheme of things, these differences are minor and it is safe to say that
uniformity of appearance is a major factor that differentiates between the buildings of the past and those
of the present.”

121. D
“Another important distinction and one so obvious that it may seem to go without saying, is that
modern buildings do not look like old buildings, (unless they are built in imitation, like neoclassical
architecture, for example).” connects with “However, neither of these distinctions reveal much about
the builders, apart from their aesthetic and their fondness for visual conformity.”
“We do not know how long today’s architectural heritage will last, but the chances are that it will not
stand the test of time.” connects with “This is more than a comment on the quality of the respective
building materials.”

122. C
“Nevertheless, they are undeniably designed and built with only the most immediate future in
mind.” connects with “ Indeed, it is rare to see a modern building that has worn well, that is free
from leaks or rising damp, that is without bits of its outer structure falling off.”
“These days, we are not interested in posterity: if a building serves our purpose and that of our
children, that seems to be enough.” connects with “The people of the past, on the other hand, looked
ahead.”

123. G
“Consider this: planting a tree, especially one that will someday grow to be very big, is the ultimate in
altruistic behaviour.” connects with “In contrast, any tree-planting that takes place today is largely
commercial, motivated by the quest for immediate gain.”

124. E
“Even allowing for this, however, most would probably agree that ‘beautiful’ is not the most apt way to
describe the majority of modern buildings.” connects with “Why is this? Do we not require our
buildings to be beautiful any longer? Perhaps beauty has become architecturally superfluous, or just
plain old-fashioned. It could be that the idea of beauty is too sentimental and sugary for the
contemporary taste.”

125. A
“The artists and architects of the past strove to impart their creations with attributes that would stand the
test of time.” connects with “As a result, we have been left with much material for study from past
eras.”
17
IV. WRITING (50 points)

Part 1. Rewrite the following sentences using the words given.

126. “I’ll fill in the form for you”, said Claire. (offered)
Claire offered to fill in the form for me.
127. Not many people wants typewriters nowadays. (demand)
Typewriters aren’t much in demand nowadays.
128. I had a disagreement with Alice about the party. (difference)
Alice and I had a difference of opinion about the party.
129. Don’t worry you will be well taken care of at the hospital. (hands)
Don’t worry you will be in good hands at the hospital.
130. I don’t care if he meant it or not. The fact is, he said it. (immaterial)
Whether he meant it or not is immaterial. The fact is, he said it.

Part 2. The chart below shows the total number of Olympic medals won by twelve different countries.
Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons
where relevant. Write at least 150 words.

The bar chart compares twelve countries in terms of the overall number of medals that they have won at
the Olympic Games.
It is clear that the USA is by far the most successful Olympic medal winning nation. It is also noticeable
that the figures for gold, silver and bronze medals won by any particular country tend to be fairly
similar.
The USA has won a total of around 2,300 Olympic medals, including approximately 900 gold medals,
750 silver and 650 bronze. In second place on the all-time medals chart is the Soviet Union, with just
over 1,000 medals. Again, the number of gold medals won by this country is slightly higher than the
number of silver or bronze medals.
Only four other countries - the UK, France, Germany and Italy - have won more than 500 Olympic
medals, all with similar proportions of each medal colour. Apart from the USA and the Soviet Union,
China is the only other country with a noticeably higher proportion of gold medals (about 200)
compared to silver and bronze (about 100 each).

Part 3. Write an essay of 300 words on the following topic:

It is generally believed that education is of vital importance to individual development and the well-
being of societies. What should education consist of to fulfil both these functions?

Education is one of the largest items of government spending. It is regarded as the pathway to economic
prosperity, an instrument for combating unemployment and the driving force behind scientific and
technological advance. Given the importance of education for individuals and society, its scope,
constituents and configuration have long been the subject of research, studies and discussion.

Theoretically, a student is expected to acquire knowledge of a specific subject or profession at school,

but throughout the learning process, education should focus on the development of their skills. A
18
successful school leaver should show exceptional abilities to acquire, organise, interpret, evaluate and
communicate information when graduate. Similarly, a proficient learner should meanwhile be a resource
coordinator and user, proficient in identifying useful resources (such as information and capital) with
speed and utilising them to the full advantage. A qualified student should also possess some other skills,
such as problem solving and critical thinking, which are essential not only for their further education but
also for their careers later in life.

When students become knowledgeable and resourceful, they should be equipped with competence that
would enhance the transition from school to work. An excellent learner is admittedly important to
society, but more important is his or her productivity. Education should absorb new substances and
embrace new concepts in order for students to keep in touch with community and have full knowledge
of the needs of community. Besides, a school should facilitate the progress of students in every practical
field and give them opportunities to try new tasks and take on new roles. By enhancing then hands-on
skills and job-related skills, schools can foster students' and society's future development and prosperity.

When enhancing learners' academic excellence and professionalism, education cannot overlook learners'
physical and psychological well-being. In this fast-changing and competitive society, many people are
not in good form in coping with stress and health problems. Encouraging students to reduce stress and
develop good health habits is therefore important. Sports, for example, function effectively as a health
facilitator and as a good stress reducer. These extracurricular activities can be combined with academic
activities to boost students' mental health and learning outcomes.

To conclude, today's students are expected to be versatile, productive and healthy individuals when they
finish schooling. With society becoming more specialised and economies demanding more skills,
students should focus on both theoretical and practical aspects of education. They should lay a stress on
physical activities as well.

19