TRƯỜNG THPT CHUYÊN TỈNH LÀO CAI KỲ THI CHỌN HSG KHU VỰC DH VÀ ĐBBB

ĐỀ THI ĐỀ XUẤT NĂM HỌC 2021-2022

(Đề thi gồm 14 trang) Bài thi: NGOẠI NGỮ, Môn thi: Tiếng Anh
Thời gian làm bài: 180 phút
(không kể thời gian giao đề)
• Thí sinh KHÔNG được sử dụng tài liệu, kể cả từ điển.
• Giám thị KHÔNG giải thích gì thêm.

I. LISTENING (50 POINTS)

You will listen to the recording TWICE

Part 1: For questions 1-5, listen to a podcast in which the former president of the United States,
Barack Obama, pays tribute to the Platinum Queen and decide whether the following statements are
TRUE (T) or FALSE (F). (10 points)
1. Obama and his wife felt nervous on their first trip to Buckingham palace.
2. Obama was put at ease when meeting the Queen as she resembled his grandmother.
3. Obama highly appreciates his chance of getting to know the Queen.
4. Obama says that the Queen’s character has changed much during her seven-decade reign.
5. The Queen has played a vital role in making the world safer and more prosperous.
Your answers:
1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
Part 2: You are going to listen to a conversation between two students and a tutor. They are talking
about essays. Listen and write NO MORE THAN FOUR WORDS or A NUMBER for each answer.
Write your answer in the numbered boxes. (10 points)
6. How many essays do the students have to write?
…..........…………………………………………………………………………………………………………
7. What percentage does the written exam account for?
…..........…………………………………………………………………………………………………………
8. How many marks did Carl get for his latest essay?
…..........…………………………………………………………………………………………………………
9. How many marks did Pamela get for her latest essay?
…..........…………………………………………………………………………………………………………
10. When was the marking system explained before?
…..........…………………………………………………………………………………………………………
Your answers:
6. 9.
7. 10.
8.
Part 3: You will hear a travel journalist called Lucy Marske and a conservationist called Brian Eckers
discussing the issue of ethical travel. For questions 11-15, choose the answer (A, B, C or D) which fits
best according to what you hear. (10 points)
11. Lucy and Brian agree that the term ‘ethical travel’ is most appropriate when_________.
A. the profits of tourism are re-invested in the local economy.
B. the travel companies source products from within the local area.
C. the interests of local people are consistently given a high priority.
D. the natural environment of travel destinations remains unaffected.
12. What do Lucy and Brian suggest about the ‘green’ labels used by tour companies?
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A. Most of these do not stand up to close examination.
B. Travellers should seek proof of claims before booking.
C. Rules regarding their misuse are not enforced effectively.
D. The regulations governing these need to be more clearly defined.
13. Brian identifies the key aim of the ‘slow travel movement’ as_________.
A. related to the various means of transport used.
B. promoting self-catering holidays over other types.
C. reducing the distance people cover whilst on holiday.
D. addressing people's wider need to relax and enjoy life.
14. Brian explains that on Stradbroke Island, emphasis is placed on preserving _________.
A. the lifestyle of a small community. B. a safe environment for visitors.
C. the viability of local businesses. D. the integrity of local produce.
15. What reservation does Lucy express regarding Stradbroke Island?
A. She's concerned that tourists may find some aspects off-putting.
B. She doubts whether all visitors will want so much attention.
C. She thinks it might become a victim of its own success.
D. She fears that it may attract some negative publicity.
Your answers:
11. 12. 13. 14. 15.
Part 4: For questions 16-25, listen to a podcast on why it is difficult to predict earthquakes and
complete the sentences with NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS taken from the recording for each
answer in the space provided. (20 points)
Why are earthquakes so hard to predict?
• Theories behind earthquakes
The Earth’s crust is made of tectonic plates which are huge 16.__________ of rock. Tectonic plates
float on a hot 17.__________ of Earth’s mantle, causing them to spread very slowly. Such tiny movements,
however, are powerful enough to cause deep cracks in the 18.__________, which in unstable zones can
trigger earthquakes.
• Factors turning shifts into seismic events
Fault lines juxtapose different rocks, whose reaction to friction and temperatures varies. Some
melting rocks can release 19.__________ made of superheated minerals while some are left dry, leading to
dangerous build-ups of pressure.
• Earthquakes’ prediction
Because of many variables, long-term forecasting method can only predict very 20.__________. To
track and map miniscule movements, geologists have long employed 21.__________.
Recently, with the development of global network of smartphones, scientists could 22.__________a
rich, detailed warning system to alert people, but phones couldn’t provide necessary advance notice to enact
23.__________.
NASA’s Quakesim software can take advantage of such detailed readings to identify regions at risk.
In 2011, unexpectedly high concentrations of the 24.__________: radon and thoron had been
recorded by nearby reseachers before an earthquake occurred in the east coast of Japan. Before an
earthquake, 25.__________ causes radon and thoron to escape to the surface, so scientists think that if a
huge network of radon-thoron detectors in earthquake-prone areas were built, it could serve as a promising
warning system.
Your answers:
16. 21.
17. 22.
18. 23.
19. 24.
20. 25.
II. LEXICO AND GRAMMAR (30 POINTS)
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Part 1: Choose the answer A, B, C, or D that best completes each of the following sentences. Write
your answers in the corresponding numbered boxes. (20 points)
26. The announcement was met by an ________ of support from the country music community.
A. outbursting B. outplaying C. outpouring D. outpointing
27. Rose is still on holiday, so you ________ her working at her office.
A. wouldn’t have seen B. needn’t have seen C. can’t have seen D. shouldn’t have seen
28. I was finally able to________a passing motorist to help with our stalled car.
A. flag down B. bear down C. carry down D. run down
29. I'm very tired, ________ travelling all day yesterday and having a disturbed night.
A. what if B. whatnot C. whatevs D. what with
30. Profits this year are $2.5 million ________ $4 million last year.
A. as follows B. as regards C. as against D. as seen
31. Why not________the meeting for Monday morning?
A. schedule B. to schedule C. scheduling D. scheduled
32. They sold 1 million cards in the first year of business – ________feat, given the problems many
businesses are facing.
A. no dice B. no mean C. no end D. no biggie
33. ________the rest of the family, she now saw where he got his temper from.
A. To have been met B. Having met C. To have met D. Having been met
34. It is a transitory work which lays the________for themes and styles found in the theater sixty years later.
A. initiative B. ideology C. groundwork D. breakthrough
35. Many of the company’s workers went on strike yesterday, leaving thousands of customers ________.
A. in the rough B. in the bag C. in the dock D. in the lurch
36. There________to have been thousands of new companies founded last year.
A. are reported B. have reported C. is reported D. has reported
37. There are already plans to make the £26,000 ________ into a hit single and show the ad in cinemas.
A. jingle B. twister C. jargon D. cliché
38. He wrote volumes of poetry which he illustrated himself under a(n)________name.
A. presumed B. subsumed C. assumed D. consumed
39. These days, radical change often comes ________ of the judiciary.
A. through the motions B. through the agency C. through the courts D. through the floor
40. Three auditors were accused of__________the men charged with fraud.
A. coming and going B. cutting and running C. huffing and buffingD. aiding and abetting
41. In ________, the top 30 listed companies tend to get more money back from the government than they
pay in tax.
A. faceplate B. associate C. aggregate D. copperplate
42. Even in normal traffic, 20 minutes to get to the airport is________.
A. cutting it fine B. cutting to the chase C. cutting your losses D. cutting no ice
43. Sometimes she would give him money________ and he would help her with chores.
A. on the bias B. on the sly C. on the cusp D. on the cheap
44. The famous movie star has to have several people________ the whole time.
A. dancing attendance on her B. leading her a merry old dance
C. darkening her door D. landing on her feet
45. I really need a job and I was hoping you might ________for me with your boss.
A. put on the long finger B. put in a good word C. put out feelers D. put out to pasture
Your answers:
26. 27. 28. 29. 30. 31. 32. 33. 34. 35.
36. 37. 38. 39. 40. 41. 42. 43. 44. 45.
Part 2: Give the correct form of each given word to complete the following sentences. Write your
answers in the numbered boxes. (10 points)
46. It is difficult to draft a law that makes sense today and ensure that it is not __________by technology
tomorrow. DISTANCE
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47. Spirit points are added after the conclusion of the winter season and points are deducted for ejections and
other__________conducts. SPORTS
48. It is easy enough to say that the papers are vastly__________, that people have to be dropped or there
has to be voluntary retirement. MAN
49. His mother rehearsed his lines with him and by the time the play opened he was __________. WORD
50. The emergency government brought in a special law to prevent hoarding and __________. PROFIT
51. Even if sections of the public would look __________, we must be able to guide the social habits of the
country. ASK
52. __________ is the power of mind over matter - if you convince yourself that you are cured, you will be.
SUGGEST
53. This was not only__________security, it was a chance to play with the big numbers and see what
happened. COPPER
54. I never negotiated a corporate prenuptial agreement and never received a golden__________. HAND
55. At the start of every new collection my imagination goes into__________. DRIVE
Your answers:
46. 51.
47. 52.
48. 53.
49. 54.
50. 55.
III. READING (60 POINTS)
Part 1: Read the text below and think of the word which best fits each space. Use only ONE word in
each space. Write your answers in the space provided. (15 points)
The real value of pets
Now the growing body of research into the medical and social advantages of pet owneship has
confirmed what pet owners have always instituitively known: that pets are not just loving companions but
actually 56._________us good. Researchers have established the value of pets in soothing and reassuring
humans, particularly when ill, lonely or in distress. Perhaps the unquestioning love and approval pets give us
is 57._________that we don’t always get from our human nearest and dearest.
Our makeshift understanding of psychology 58._________many of us to view very close
repationships with pets with suspicion. Children couples in particular give 59._________to speculation, but
a consultant in animal behavior says, “There is no evidence that a pet is a direct substitute 60._________ a
child.” And while many adults feel foolish if 61._________ talking to their pets, they have no need to. The
expert say you cannot have a close relationship with a pet without 62._________ it as a person and that
talking to a pet is not unhealthy simply a way of establishing rapport.
The wobbling helplessness of a young puppy or a fluffy kitten stirs protective instincts deep within
us and prompts many parents to buy pets for their children in the 63._________of instilling a sense of
responsibility and caring and acceptance of the facts of life and 64._________. But animals don’t have to be
soft and cuddly to 65._________out the best in us. A social worker encouraged aggressive boys to handle
ferrets – “If handled correctly, they respond with friendship; if incorrectly, they bite.
Your answers:
56. 57. 58. 59. 60.
61. 62. 63. 64. 65.
Part 2: Read the article below and choose the answer (A, B, C or D) which you think fits best
according to the text. (10 points)
Four stages of planetary development
The planet Earth has passed through four-stages of planetary development. All terrestrial planets
pass through these same stages to some degree, but some planets evolved further or were affected in
different ways.
The Four Stages
The first stage of planetary evolution is differentiation, the separation of material according to
density. Earth now has a dense core and a lower-density crust, and that structure must have originated very
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early in its history. Differentiation would have occurred easily if Earth were molten when it was young. Two
sources of energy could have heated Earth. First, heat of formation was released by in-falling material. A
meteorite hitting Earth at high velocity converts most of its energy of motion into heat, and the impacts of a
large number of meteorites would have released tremendous heat. If Earth formed rapidly, this heat
would have accumulated much more rapidly than it could leak away, and Earth was probably molten
when it formed. A second source of heat requires more time to develop. The decay of radioactive elements
trapped in the Earth releases heat gradually; but, as soon as Earth formed, that heat began to accumulate and
helped melt Earth. That would have helped the planet differentiate.
While Earth was still in a molten state, meteorites could leave no trace, but in the second stage in
planetary evolution, cratering, the young Earth was battered by meteorites that pulverized the newly
forming crust. The largest meteorites blasted out crater basins hundreds of kilometers in diameter. As the
solar nebula cleared, the amount of debris decreased, and after the late heavy bombardment, the level of
cratering fell to its present low level. Although meteorites still occasionally strike Earth and dig craters,
cratering is no longer the dominant influence on Earth's geology. As you compare other worlds with Earth,
you will discover traces of this intense period of cratering, on every old surface in the solar system.
The third stage, flooding, no doubt began while cratering was still intense. The fracturing of the crust
and the heating produced by radioactive decay allowed molten rock just below the crust to well up through
fissures and flood the deeper basins. You will find such flooded basins with solidified lava flows on other
worlds, such as the moon, but all traces of this early lava flooding have been destroyed by later geological
activity in Earth's crust. On Earth, flooding continued as the atmosphere cooled and water fell as rain, filling
the deepest basins to produce the first oceans. [A] Notice that on Earth flooding involves both lava and
water, a circumstance that we will not find on most worlds. [B]
The fourth stage, slow surface evolution, has continued for the last 3.5 billion years or more. [C]
Earth’s surface is constantly changing as sections of crust slide over each other, push up mountains, and
shift continents. [D] Almost all traces of the first billion years of Earth’s geology have been destroyed by the
active crust and erosion.
Earth as a Planet
All terrestrial planets pass through these four stages, but some have emphasized one stage over
another, and some planets have failed to progress fully through the four stages. Earth is a good standard for
comparative planetology because every major process on any rocky world in our solar system is represented
in some form on Earth.
Nevertheless, Earth is peculiar in two ways. First, it has large amounts of liquid water on its surface.
Fully 75 percent of its surface is covered by this liquid; no other planet in our solar system is known to have
such extensive liquid water on its surface. Water not only fills the oceans but also evaporates into the
atmosphere, forms clouds, and then falls as rain. Water falling on the continents flows downhill to form
rivers that flow back to the sea, and in so doing, the water produces intense erosion. You will not see such
intense erosion on most worlds. Liquid water is, in fact, a rare material on most planets. Your home planet is
special in a second way. Some of the matter on the surface of this world is alive, and a small part of that
living matter is aware. No one is sure how the presence of living matter has affected the evolution of Earth,
but this process seems to be totally missing from other worlds in our solar system. Furthermore, the thinking
part of life on Earth, humankind, is actively altering our planet.
66. Why does the author mention the ‘Earth’ in paragraph 1?
A. To explain the stages in planetary development for the Earth in detail
B. To contrast the evolution of the Earth with that of other planets
C. To demonstrate that the Earth passed through similar stages to those of most planets
D. To give an example of exploration of the terrestrial planets
67. Which of the sentences below best expresses the information in the highlighted statement in the passage?
A. The Earth may have been liquid because the heat collected faster than it dissipated if the formation took
place quickly.
B. Because of-the rapid formation of the Earth, the crust took a long time to cool before it became a solid.
C. The liquid core of the Earth was created when the planet first formed because the heat was so high and
there was little cooling.
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D. The cooling caused the Earth to form much more quickly as it met with the intense heat of the new
planet.
68. The word ‘pulverized’ in the passage is closest in meaning to ________.
A. melted into liquid B. broken into small parts C. frozen very hard D. washed very clean
69. What can be inferred about radioactive matter?
A. It floods the planet’s crust. B. It generates intense heat.
C. It is an important stage. D. It is revealed by later activity.
70. According to paragraph 4, how were the oceans formed?
A. Ice gouged out depressions in the Earth. B. Rain filled the craters made by meteorites.
C. Earthquakes shifted the continents. D. Molten rock and lava flooded the basins.
71. According to the passage, which stage occurs after cratering?
A. Flooding B. Slow surface evolution C. Differentiation D. Erosion
72. What is the author’s opinion of life on other planets?
A. She does not know whether life is present on other planets.
B. She does not express an opinion about life on other planets.
C. She is certain that no life exists on any planet except Earth.
D. She thinks that there is probably life on other planets.
73. Look at the four squares that show where the following sentence could be inserted in the passage. ‘At
the same time, moving air and water erode the surface and wear away geological features.’
A. [A] B. [B] C. [C] D. [D]
74. The word ‘process’ in the passage is closest in meaning to________.
A. regulation B. improvement C. procedure D. definition
75. All of the following are reasons why the Earth is a good model of planetary development for purposes of
comparison with other planets EXCEPT_________.
A. The Earth has gone through all four stages of planetary evolution.
B. Life on Earth has affected the evolution in a number of important ways.
C. All of the fundamental processes on terrestrial planets have occurred on Earth.
D. There is evidence of extensive cratering both on Earth and on all other planets
Your answers:
66. 67. 68. 69. 70. 71. 72. 73. 74. 75.
Part 3: Read the passage and do the tasks that follow. (13 points)
The reading passage has seven paragraphs A-G. Choose the correct heading for each paragraph from
the list of headings below.

Television and Sport

When the medium becomes the stadium
A. The relationship between television and sports is not widely thought of as problematic. For many
people, television is a simple medium through which sports can be played, replayed, slowed down, and of
course conveniently transmitted live to homes across the planet. What is often overlooked, however, is how
television networks have reshaped the very foundations of an industry that they claim only to document.
Major television stations immediately seized the revenue-generating prospects of televising sports and this
has changed everything, from how they are played to who has a chance to watch them.
B. Before television, for example, live matches could only be viewed in person. For the majority of
fans, who were unable to afford tickets to the top-flight matches, or to travel the long distances required to
see them, the only option was to attend a local game instead, where the stakes were much lower. As a result,
thriving social networks and sporting communities formed around the efforts of teams in the third and fourth
divisions and below. With the advent of live TV, however, premier matches suddenly became affordable and
accessible to hundreds of millions of new viewers. This shift in viewing patterns vacuumed out the support
base of local clubs, many of which ultimately folded.
C. For those on the more prosperous side of this shift in viewing behaviour, however, the financial
rewards are substantial. Television assisted in derailing long-held concerns in many sports about whether
athletes should remain amateurs or ‘go pro’, and replaced this system with a new paradigm where nearly all
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athletes are free to pursue stardom and to make money from their sporting prowess. For the last few decades,
top-level sports men and women have signed lucrative endorsement deals and sponsorship contracts, turning
many into multi-millionaires and also allowing them to focus full-time on what really drives them. That they
can do all this without harming their prospects at the Olympic Games and other major competitions is a
significant benefit for these athletes.
D. The effects of television extend further, however, and in many instances have led to changes in
sporting codes themselves. Prior to televised coverage of the Winter Olympics, for example, figure skating
involved a component in which skaters drew ‘figures’ in the ice, which were later evaluated for the precision
of their shapes. This component translated poorly to the small screen, as viewers found the whole procedure,
including the judging of minute scratches on ice, to be monotonous and dull. Ultimately, figures were
scrapped in favour of a short programme featuring more telegenic twists and jumps. Other sports are awash
with similar regulatory shifts – passing the ball back to the goalkeeper was banned in football after
gameplay at the 1990 World Cup was deemed overly defensive by television viewers.
E. In addition to insinuating changes into sporting regulation, television also tends to favour some
individual sports over others. Some events, such as the Tour de France, appear to benefit: on television it can
be viewed in its entirety, whereas on-site enthusiasts will only witness a tiny part of the spectacle. Wrestling,
perhaps due to an image problem that repelled younger (and highly prized) television viewers, was
scheduled for removal from the 2020 Olympic Games despite being a founding sport and a fixture of the
Olympics since 708 BC. Only after a fervent outcry from supporters was that decision overturned.
G. Another change in the sporting landscape that television has triggered is the framing of sports not
merely in terms of the level of skill and athleticism involved, but as personal narratives of triumph, shame
and redemption on the part of individual competitors. This is made easier and more convincing through the
power of close-up camera shots, profiles and commentary shown during extended build-ups to live events. It
also attracts television audiences – particularly women – who may be less interested in the intricacies of the
sport than they are in broader ‘human interest’ stories. As a result, many viewers are now more familiar with
the private agonies of famous athletes than with their record scores or matchday tactics.
H. Does all this suggest the influence of television on sports has been overwhelmingly negative? The
answer will almost certainly depend on who among the various stakeholders is asked. For all those who have
lost out – lower-league teams, athletes whose sports lack a certain visual appeal – there are numerous others
who have benefitted enormously from the partnership between television and sports, and whose livelihoods
now depend on it.

List of Headings

i. Gender bias in televised sport

ii. More money-making opportunities
iii. Mixed views on TV’s role in sports
iv. Tickets to top matches too expensive
v. A common misperception
vi. Personal stories become the focus
vii. Sports people become stars
viii. Rules changed to please viewers
ix. Lower-level teams lose out
x. Skill levels improve
xi. TV appeal influences sports’ success

76. Paragraph B : ____

77. Paragraph C : ____
78. Paragraph D : ____
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79. Paragraph E : ____
80. Paragraph F : ____
81. Paragraph G :____
82. Paragraph H :____

For questions 83-86 from : Do the following statements agree with the claims of the writer in Reading
Passage? Write:

YES if the statement agrees with the claims of the writer

NO if the statement contradicts the claims of the writer
NOT GIVEN if it is impossible to say what the writer thinks about this

83. Television networks were slow to recognise opportunities to make money from televised sport.
84. The average sports fan travelled a long way to watch matches before live television broadcasts.
85. Television has reduced the significance of an athlete’s amateur status.
86. The best athletes are now more interested in financial success rather than sporting achievement.

For questions from 87-88: Complete the notes below. Choose NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS from
the passage for each answer.
Effect of television on individual sports
• Ice skating – viewers find ‘figures’ boring so they are replaced with a 87 __________.
• Back-passing banned in football.
• Tour de France great for TV, but wrestling initially dropped from Olympic Games due to
88 __________.
Your answers:
76. 77. 78. 79. 80.
81. 82. 83. 84. 85.
86. 87. 88.
Part 4: Read the text. Seven paragraphs have been removed. Choose from the paragraphs A- H the
one which fits each gap (89-95). There is one extra paragraph which you do not need to use. (0.7 pt)
The Waterphone
Brooks Hubbert clutches the neck of a prickly, circular instrument that somewhat resembles an
upside-down jellyfish, its tendrils represented by stiff bronze rods of various lengths.
89.______
This is a waterphone, and its distinctive music is felt as much as heard - in the hair at the back of the
neck and in the gut. It's the sound of a lurching elevator or a renegade fairground ride about to spin off its
axis.
90.______
Invented and patented in 1969, the waterphone has captivated, confused, and generally creeped out
audiences via film scores, orchestral works, and more than one experimental San Francisco concert over the
past 45 years.
91.______
Hubbert is now carrying on Waters’ legacy, building waterphones in his backyard workshop using
the same painstaking process Waters devised. Each waterphone starts with a stainless steel pan, shaped like
two pie tins welded at the brim, which acts as a resonator. Out of this base juts a series of bronze tonal rods
and a long, thick neck with an opening at the top, where the water is poured in. Fill the pan with water, and
the rods vibrate and trill with woozy harmonies when tapped with a mallet or stroked with a bow.
92.______
Just don't turn it upside down, or the water will fall out. It fits into so many different applications
because it has such a wide range of tones. There are all kinds of playing techniques that have yet to even be
discovered.
93.______
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 Waters’ path to invention began in grad school in the mid-1960s at Oakland's California College of
Arts and Crafts, where he first played an instrument he described as a Tibetan water drum - a round bronze
tub, filled with water, that rocked when struck. Later, dabbling in the local hippie scene, he heard the music
of a kalimba in a Haight-Ashbury parade.
94.______
Waters and Charlton, both drawn to experimental music, formed the Gravity Adjusters Expansion
Band in 1969 and began showcasing Waters' sonic inventions around the Bay Area. Other percussionists
took notice. When drummer Shelly Manne flew up from Los Angeles and asked to buy a waterphone,
Charlton knew his bandmate was onto something big. Waters soon drove a vanload of his instruments to
L.A., and sold them all in one week.
95.______
Think of those skin-bristling scenes where a protagonist wanders into a dark house alone - the audio
accompaniment is often a waterphone, which Hubbert discovered while browsing music news on the Web in
the late 1990s.
(Adapted from National Graphic)
The Paragraphs
A. Waters began welding his own homemade instruments out of tin cans, salad bowls, and hubcaps.
He eventually showed one to his friend, jazz drummer Lee Charlton. At Charlton's studio, the pair poured
some water into the base, and the first waterphone was born.
B. Even as synthesizers rose to ubiquity and electronic samples could be coaxed from computers
with a few deft keystrokes, Waters' acoustic invention never lost its appeal. In times of peak demand,
customers lined up for a spot on a yearlong waiting list, eager to shell out up to $1,700 for one of his
handmade creations.
C. The instrument’s melody is often compared to that of the humpback whale - so much so that
conservation groups have used the apparatus to summon cetaceans. The waterphone is classified as a
percussion instrument, but it has a greater range than any of its comrades in that category. There is no part of
the gadget that doesn't make music - one can strike the rods, hit or rub the underside of the base, or finger-
drum on the neck.
D. A few years later, Hubbert was playing a gig at a local yacht club, and Waters, not recognizing
him, came up to praise the show. Hubbert took off his sunglasses and reintroduced himself; they had a fond
reunion. Waters started attending Hubbert’s gigs, and Hubbert would stop by Waters’ home studio to chat
about the waterphone craft.
E. That idea might have pleased Waters, a trained painter, kinetic sculptor, bamboo enthusiast, and
lifelong creator who would often walk into a room and begin drumming on any interesting wood or brass
objects he saw, according to his daughter, Rayme Waters.
F. It might call to mind the soundtracks of 1980s-era horror and ghost movies, and with good reason.
The instrument's low, haunting moans and eerie, high-pitched squeals - like screeching brakes - have
become known as the sound of suspense in films like Poltergeist, The Matrix, Star Trek - The Motion
Picture, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, and Let the Right One In.
G. Shortly after that, Hollywood came knocking. An acquaintance of Waters' who worked as a
sound-effects artist told him the waterphone had potential, and before long, composers began incorporating
the instrument into film and TV scores. Thrillers were a natural fit.
H. He drags a bow across a few of them, producing a piercing, metallic shriek. Satisfied with this, he
tilts the instrument to one side, and this is where the sound goes wonky as tones bend upward, dip down, and
shift sideways because the six ounces of water in the device’s base echo and resonate.
Your answers:
89. 90. 91. 92. 93. 94. 95.

Part 5: You are going to read a set of science book reviews. For questions 96–105, choose from the
reviews (A-D). The reviews may be chosen more than once. Write your answer in the numbered
boxes. (15 points)

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 This month’s new science books
A. Maggie McDonald: Small Wonder by Barbara Kingsolver
White letters chalked on a blackboard in Sri Lanka are the first things I remember reading. The pleasure of
deciphering that first word (C-A-T, of course) remains with me to this day. By age 11, I read a book a day,
and at 14 I was being tested by an irritated teacher and school librarian who demanded proof that I was
actually reading my library books. But there are only so many authors even the most avid of readers can
digest, and some evaded me. Barbara Kingsolver was one. I had her filed in a ‘sentimental nature-lover:
must avoid ‘category. Friends kept recommending her and a few years ago, I read my first Kingsolver and
ditched my ill-founded prejudice. She’s a biologist by training and a wonderful writer. Possessed of an
analytical mind, she’s capable of putting it all down with real passion: a rare find. If you haven’t tried her
yet, do! Small Wonder is Kingsolver the essayist, elegant and insightful, and a great place to set out from
before you tackle her backlist. Here you’ll find the San Pedro river on the edge of survival, the energy bill
behind the production of a five-calorie strawberry, and scientist Charles Darwin in all his complexity
summed up in a mere four clear paragraphs.
B. Sue Bowler: Earthshaking Science by Susan Elizabeth Hough
Anyone who has ever driven an elderly, ailing car knows the feeling: it’s going to break down, but who
knows when, where and what part of the system will fail? Predicting earthquakes is much the same. Tidy
forecasts of what, when, where and how much it will cost are as rare for quakes as for car repairs, and about
as reliable. Have earthquakes seismologists failed, then? Susan Elizabeth Hough says not, and Earthshaking
Science sets out her case. This book gives us an excellent outline of how, why and where earthquakes
happen together with a clear-eyed look at the subject’s inherent uncertainties. This is not a book that
proposes simplistic answers. It presents a real picture of a lively research field in all its gritty glory, written
with a sharp eye for the absurdities of scientific life.
The focus on uncertainty has the paradoxical effect of highlighting the areas in which seismologists are
confident, which makes it easier to deal with the ambiguities. Hough includes a careful and informative
discussion of the earthquake risk across the US. Although her findings do not make easy reading, given the
unexpected changes of intraplate quakes, it is an excellent analysis of what to worry about and where.
Overall, this is an intelligent look at a broad field of science that affects many lives. Anyone heading for an
earthquake area should buy a copy.
C. Adrian Barnett: Zoo by Eric Baratay
What’s the attraction of gazing at captive animals? It’s a good question and others have often sketched out
an answer. But in Zoo, Eric Baratay gives us an unprecedented, in-depth answer. He explains why zoos
lodge in the human psyche, their place in society, and how they developed over time. Placing them in their
social and cultural context, Zoo traces the development of animal collections from medieval bear fights
through the menagerie of the French king Louis XIV to modern captive breeding centers. Combining
architectural analysis and political history, the author shows that the desire to display our domination over
nature has long been a hidden feature of zoos.
The text has been translated from the French and in places, not very successfully. A trained biologist on the
translation team might have weeded out appalling zoological errors such as describing the gannet as a ‘rare
and much sought after’ bird, which it is definitely not. But these are forgivable oversights in a wonderful
book that is acute at tracing themes of modern animal husbandry. While the book neither apologizes for nor
criticizes the modern zoo, the extensive appendices tell a grim story. They contain a wealth of statistics on
the death rate in collections, and the success rate of captive breeding. An absolute must for those interested
in zoo history –or anyone fascinated by homosapiens’ changing relationship with our fellow creatures.
D. Ben Longstaff: Journey from the Center of the Sun by Jack B. Zirker
Up, down, in or out. If that’s about as much attention as you pay the Sun, you’re ignoring something
incredible. Did you know that it loses a million tonnes every second in the form of light alone? That’s just
for starters. In Journey from the Center of the Sun, Jack Zirker goes on a breakneck trip from its hellish core
out into the realm of the planets, explaining as much as possible about our star on the way. His story-meets-
textbook approach mainly avoids confusing scientific equations, but enables him to delve into lots of physics
from massive sound waves to exploding pieces of sun the size of Asia.

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Zirker’s explanations are clear and sharp, although don’t expect him to lead you by the hand. You do need to
find the patience for a few serious pages of physics and daunting diagrams, but that’s just great news if you
want plenty of fascinating details as well as the grand overview. His informal style keeps things moving
along swiftly, while balancing the lastest findings with background on the pioneers of the field. He shows
how solar research has progressed from inspired speculation into a flourishing science.
In which review are the following mentioned?
96. ______The warning that the author does not always simplify the subject matter for the reader
97. ______An admission of past ignorance on the reviewer’s part
98. ______The subject matter being dealt with in an impressive amount of detail
99. ______The book having both a narrative and simple academic approach
100. ______The depressing revelations the book makes about certain areas of its subject matter
101. ______The book’s combination of established fact and doubt about the subject
102. ______The reviewer’s sense of satisfaction concerning a personal achievement
103. ______A comparison between two very different causes of anxiety
104. ______Praise for the author’s clarity of thinking and enthusiasm for the subject
105. ______A mild criticism about some mistakes which occur in the book
Your answers:
96. 97. 98. 99. 100. 101. 102. 103. 104. 105.
IV. WRITING (60 POINTS)
Part 1: Read the following extract and use your own words to summarize it. Your summary should be
about 100-120 words long. (15 pts)
Artificial Intelligence (AI) takes many different forms, and permeates all aspects of our lives today.
We now have a variety of technologies where intelligent machines, powered by revolutionary advances in
micro-technology and superfast connectivity, are firmly changing the way we live and work.
Artificial Intelligence would soon destroy millions of human jobs. Innovations in robotics,
automation and AI will lead to mass unemployment in the future due to machines being able to do work
traditionally carried out by humans. Within five years most companies will have armies of very cheap, very
powerful, versatile machines, connected to a smart cloud, and they will be able to accomplish many routine
processes. Some 25 years from now robots, through cognitive computing and using vast amounts of data
from humans, will do all that kind of work.
Machine learning meant that robots weren’t only taking on roles that traditionally relied on muscle
power and were beginning to make decisions and solve problems autonomously. While this was unthinkable
a few years ago, many people have had to change their perceptions and that academics and governments are
alarmed. Machines are going to encroach on the basic capability of a lot of average people and chew up the
fabric of society, meaning that we will get to the point when there simply are not enough jobs to go around,
and other tasks could be deskilled so they become low-wage. We could get a downward spiral where
businesses can’t find enough customers, cut prices, cut even more workers, and the next thing you know,
without adequate consumer demand, you risk deflation.

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Part 2: Graph description (15 points)

The chart below gives some information about the growth of the urban population in certain
parts of the world (including the prediction of the future). Summarize the information by selecting
and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant. You should write at least 150
words.

Population of towns and cities - percentage in total

90
80
70
60
50 1950
40
2000
30
2030
20
10
0
Whole world Africa Asia Latin America/
Caribbian

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Part 3: Essay writing (30 points)

Some claim that scientific innovation is absolutely essential to the development of humanity while
some argue that scientific progress can be detrimental.
Discuss both views and give your opinion. Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.
You should write at least 350 words.
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_THE END_
(Good luck!)

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