SỞ GD&ĐT QUẢNG KỲ THI HỌC SINH GIỎI CÁC TRƯỜNG THPT CHUYÊN

NGÃI KHU VỰC DUYÊN HẢI VÀ ĐỒNG BẰNG BẮC BỘ

TRƯỜNG THPT LẦN THỨ XV, NĂM 2023
CHUYÊN
LÊ KHIẾT ĐỀ THI MÔN: TIẾNG ANH – KHỐI 11
Thời gian: 180 phút (Không kể thời gian giao đề)
ĐỀ ĐỀ XUẤT (Đề thi gồm 23 trang)

A. LISTENING (50 pts)

HƯỚNG DẪN PHẦN THI NGHE HIỂU
 Bài nghe gồm 4 phần, mỗi phần được nghe 2 lần, mỗi lần cách nhau 20 giây, mở đầu và kết thúc
mỗi phần nghe có tín hiệu.
 Mở đầu và kết thúc bài nghe có tín hiệu nhạc. Thí sinh có 3 phút để hoàn chỉnh bài trước tín hiệu
nhạc kết thúc bài nghe.
 Mọi hướng dẫn cho thí sinh (bằng tiếng Anh) đã có trong bài nghe.

Part 1. For question 1-5, listen to a recording about the history of hand gestures and decide
whether the following statements are true (T) or false (F). Write your answers in the
corresponding numbered boxes provided. (10 pts)
1. The salute gesture originated in the 19th century with the Grenadier Guards.
2. The thumbs-up gesture in Roman times was used to spare a fallen gladiator's life.
3. Historical references confirm that thumbs were shown going up or down in the Colosseum.
4. The high-five gesture has its origins in baseball and was invented by the Los Angeles Dodgers.
5. The handshake gesture originated in Ancient Greece
Your answers
1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
Part 2. For questions 6-10, you will listen to a recording about volunteering projects. Answer the
following questions with NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS taken from the recording. Write
your answers in the space provided. (10 pts)
6. What type of projects benefit the local community?

7. How many hours of work time does the company pay for volunteering?

8. What did staff members feel after participating in volunteering?

9. What was the focus of the successful Get Working Project?

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 10. Where will the Digital Inclusion Day be hosted this year?
Part 3. You will hear a programme in which two people, Janet Jennings and Hall Brentford,
are discussing corporate tax rates. For questions 6-10, choose the answer (A,B, C or D) which
fits best according to what you hear. (10 points)
11. Hal suggests that
A. records show businesses pay more tax than the media suggests.
B. low tax rates attract skilled workers to the country.
B businesses pay the government a lot of indirect taxes.
D. business brings benefits that warrant the low tax rates.
12. Janet implies attracting desirable foreign investment is
A. dependent more on workforce characteristics than corporate tax.
B. not critical to the long-term success of the economy.
C. more likely if taxes are slightly increased.
D. going to require workforce retraining and upskilling.
13. According to Hal, if business rates increased,
A. established companies like his might leave.
B. the country might not attract as much new foreign investment.
C. the skilled workforce might move elsewhere.
D. local business might struggle to compete.
14. Why does Jannet mention corruption levels, productivity and infrastructure.
A. to highlight areas for improvement
B. to highlight the negative effects of low corporate tax
C. to suggest other factors of competitiveness outweigh business business tax rates.
D. to suggest where increased tax revenues could be spent
15. Hal believes that raising the corporate tax rate could
A. have a devastating impact on the economy.
B. cause potential investors to lose confidence.
C. have an impact on levels of corruption in the country.
D. be more damaging in the short-than long-term.
Your answers
11. 12. 13. 14. 15.
Part 4. For questions 16-25, listen to a recording about how fasting kills cancer cells and
complete the summary using NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS for each gap. Write your
answers in the space provided. (20 pts)
Fasting has the potential to effectively combat cancer cells by activating cancer suppressor genes and
down-regulating cancer-expressing genes. In a study examining the effects of a 30-day fasting
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program, certain genes were found to be (16)……………. or (17) …………….. The results showed
that fasting significantly enhanced the activity of (18) ……………. and (19) ……………., which are
crucial in targeting viruses and cancer cells. Fasting also stimulates (20) ……………., a process that
recycles damaged proteins in the DNA and (21) ……………., thus reducing the risk of cancer.
Furthermore, fasting has the ability to increase resistance to (22) ……………., providing added
benefits for cancer treatment. However, it is important to ensure (23) ……………. while fasting to
avoid weakening the immune system. In an upcoming video, a remarkable success story will be
shared, featuring an individual who successfully reversed (24) ……………. through fasting. Lastly,
the text briefly mentions a (25) ……………. that is both immune system-friendly and easy to
prepare."
B. LEXICO AND GRAMMAR (30 pts)
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 pts)

1. We took such a great ……………. to the place that we decided to go and live there.
A. affection B. fondness C. liking D. attraction
2. She claims to be in favor of training, but so far she's only paid ……………. service to the idea.
A. lip B. mouth C. tongue D. tooth
3. What is particularly interesting about hypnosis is that it is capable of activating the …………….
psychologist Carl Jung called the “creative imagination”.
A. grandiose B. notorious C. eminent D. prestigious
4. In its pure state, antimony has no important uses, but ……………. with other substances, it is
extremely useful metal.
A. combined physically or mentally B. when combined physically or mentally
C. physically or mentally combined D. the physical and chemical combination
5. I don't think Paul will ever get married - he's the stereotypical ……………. bachelor.
A. settled B. confirmed C. fixed D. determined
6. I’m opting out of the …………. race and going to live on a small farm in the countryside.
A. horse B. dog C. rat D. cat and mouse
7. We’re going to have to …………. a lot of money next year to have the house repaired.
A. stock up B. knock off C. fork out D. put back
8. We all decreed that ……………..
A. there be an end to their quarrel B. their quarrel should put an end to
C. they ended their quarrel then D. their quarrel be coming to an end
9. She ……………. fainted when she heard that her son had died.
A. rather than B. nothing but C. near D. all but

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10. ……………., only people who agree with her are real Jews.
A. We can infer how she is concerned
B. B. Inferred from what she is concerned
C. We can infer that as far as she is concerned
D. We can infer what she is concerned
11. Having lost her home, Lucy got …………….. a gang of people who hang around causing trouble.
A. in with B. up to C. on with D. by on
12. Having sacked three employees, the boss was obliged to provide each with ……………. pay.
A. retirement B. unemployment C. dismissal D. severance
13. Patrick is too …….………. a gambler to resist placing a bet on the final game.
A. instant B. spontaneous C. continuous D. compulsive
14.The argument drove a …….……… between party members.
A. wedge B. linchpin C. needle D. sword
15. I didn’t really want to go to the party, but I thought I’d better put …….… an appearance.
A. away B. in C. off D. on
16. This curtain material …….………. easily.
A. hangs itself B. makes itself C. creases D. bend
17. I knew my mother would …….… a face the minute she saw my new haircut.
A. drag B. lift C. pull D. raise
18. I was at …….……… to make it clear that I wasn’t blaming either of them.
A. efforts B. pains C. trouble D. endeavors
19. Neither side is prepared to …….… an inch in the negotiations.
A. stir B. budge C. push D. bend
20. In such a scenario, there is nothing we could do …….………. than wait.
A. other B. except C. rather D. but
Part 2. Give the correct form of each bracketed word in each sentence. Write your answers in
the space provided. (10 pts)
1. The ………….. efforts of scientists have led to groundbreaking discoveries and advancements in
various fields (FATIGUE)
2. The ………….. of a philosophical question often lies in its ability to challenge our fundamental
beliefs and perspectives. (PROFOUND)
3. The………….. in income and wealth distribution contribute to social inequality. (DISPARATE)
4. The ………….. nature of the debate reflects contrasting viewpoints and conflicting interests.
(DICHOTOMY)
5. The ………….. of fame highlights the fleeting nature of public attention and admiration.
(EPHEMERAL)

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6. The …………..brought about by artificial intelligence is reshaping various industries.
(PARADIGM)
7. The ………….. approach to problem-solving fosters innovative solutions. (DISCIPLINE)
8. The philosopher's discourse delved into the ………….. of metaphysics and existentialism.
(INTRICATE)
9. The professor's lecture was characterized by a high degree of ………….. and intellectual rigor.
(ERUDITE)
10. The economist's analysis provided a ………….. understanding of the complex interplay between
supply and demand dynamics. (NUANCE)

III. READING (60 pts)

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.
Rarely, if ever, (1)… so much concern been expressed about our daily environment (2)…at the
present time. And oddly (3)… apart from those problems of heavy traffic, racial integration,
overcrowding, and increasing crime and violence generally (4)… with urban life, the concerns
expressed in both town and country are very similar. True, many country villages (5)… suffer from an
increase in through-traffic, and crime is (6)… the increase in rural areas, though probably at a slower
rate than in towns and cities. But it is problems such as pollution, unemployment, human rights,
energy and conservation which concern us (7)…, not just those who live in urban areas.

Even in Britain, where the majority of immigrants still live in cities, the challenge of the
Multicultural Society will eventually reach rural areas in which village communities have remained
virtually unchanged for hundreds of years. Such communities have already been touched (or tainted?)
by pollution, unemployment and so on: they are (8) … to face up to what to do with their young
people, now that farming has become totally mechanized, and to fight to conserve the countryside (9)
… the face of increasing industrialization. What will be the consequences, one (10)… when this rural
population becomes multiracial?
Part 2. Read the following passage and choose the best answer. Write your answers in the
corresponding numbered boxes.
No student of a foreign language needs to be told that grammar is complex. By changing word
sequences and by adding a range of auxiliary verbs and suffixes, we are able to communicate tiny
variations in meaning. We can turn a statement into a question, state whether an action has taken place
or is soon to take place, and perform many other word tricks to convey subtle differences in meaning.
Nor is this complexity inherent to the English language. All languages, even those of so-called
'primitive' tribes have clever grammatical components. The Cherokee pronoun system, for example,
can distinguish between 'you and I', 'several other people and I' and 'you, another person and I'. In
English, all these meanings are summed up in the one, crude pronoun 'we'. Grammar is universal

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and plays a part in every language, no matter how widespread it is. So the question which has
baffled many linguists is - who created grammar?

At first, it would appear that this question is impossible to answer. To find out how grammar is
created, someone needs to be present at the time of a language's creation, documenting its emergence.
Many historical linguists are able to trace modern complex languages back to earlier languages, but in
order to answer the question of how complex languages are actually formed, the researcher needs to
observe how languages are started from scratch. Amazingly, however, this is possible.

Some of the most recent languages evolved due to the Atlantic slave trade. At that time, slaves from
a number of different ethnicities were forced to work together under colonizer's rule. Since they had
no opportunity to learn each other's languages, they developed a make-shift language called a pidgin.
Pidgins are strings of words copied from the language of the landowner. They have little in the way of
grammar, and in many cases it is difficult for a listener to deduce when an event happened, and who
did what to whom. [A] Speakers need to use circumlocution in order to make their meaning
understood. [B] Interestingly, however, all it takes for a pidgin to become a complex language is for a
group of children to be exposed to it at the time when they learn their mother tongue. [C] Slave
children did not simply copy the strings of words uttered by their elders, they adapted their words to
create a new, expressive language. [D] Complex grammar systems which emerge from pidgins are
termed creoles, and they are invented by children.

Further evidence of this can be seen in studying sign languages for the deaf. Sign languages are not
simply a series of gestures; they utilise the same grammatical machinery that is found in spoken
languages. Moreover, there are many different languages used worldwide. The creation of one such
language was documented quite recently in Nicaragua. Previously, all deaf people were isolated from
each other, but in 1979 a new government introduced schools for the deaf. Although children were
taught speech and lip reading in the classroom, in the playgrounds they began to invent their own sign
system, using the gestures that they used at home. It was basically a pidgin. Each child used the signs
differently, and there was no consistent grammar. However, children who joined the school later,
when this inventive sign system was already around, developed a quite different sign language.
Although it was based on the signs of the older children, the younger children's language was more
fluid and compact, and it utilised a large range of grammatical devices to clarify meaning. What is
more, all the children used the signs in the same way. A new creole was born.

Some linguists believe that many of the world's most established languages were creoles at first.
The English past tense –ed ending may have evolved from the verb 'do'. 'It ended' may once have been
'It end-did'. Therefore it would appear that even the most widespread languages were partly created by
children. Children appear to have innate grammatical machinery in their brains, which springs to life
when they are first trying to make sense of the world around them. Their minds can serve to create
logical, complex structures, even when there is no grammar present for them to copy.

1. In paragraph 1, why does the writer include information about the Cherokee language?
A. To show how simple, traditional cultures can have complicated grammar structures
B. To show how English grammar differs from Cherokee grammar
C. To prove that complex grammar structures were invented by the Cherokees.
D. To demonstrate how difficult it is to learn the Cherokee language
2. What can be inferred about the slaves' pidgin language?
A. It contained complex grammar.
B. It was based on many different languages.
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 C. It was difficult to understand, even among slaves.
D. It was created by the land-owners.
3. All the following sentences about Nicaraguan sign language are true EXCEPT

A. The language has been created since 1979.

B. The language is based on speech and lip reading.

C. The language incorporates signs which children used at home.

D. The language was perfected by younger children.

4. In paragraph 3, where can the following sentence be placed?

It included standardised word orders and grammatical markers that existed in neither the pidgin
language, nor the language of the colonizers.

A. [A] B. [B] C. [C] D. [D]

5. 'From scratch' in paragraph 2 is closest in meaning to:

A. from the very beginning B. in simple cultures

C. by copying something else D. by using written information

6. 'Make-shift' in paragraph 3 is closest in meaning to:

A. complicated and expressive B. simple and temporary

C. extensive and diverse D. private and personal

7. Which sentence is closest in meaning to the bold sentence?

Grammar is universal and plays a part in every language, no matter how widespread it is.

A. All languages, whether they are spoken by a few people or a lot of people, contain grammar.

B. Some languages include a lot of grammar, whereas other languages contain a little.

C. Languages which contain a lot of grammar are more common that languages that contain a
little.

D. The grammar of all languages is the same, no matter where the languages evolved.

8. All of the following are features of the new Nicaraguan sign language EXCEPT:
A. All children used the same gestures to show meaning.

B. The meaning was clearer than the previous sign language.

C. The hand movements were smoother and smaller.

D. New gestures were created for everyday objects and activities.

9. Which idea is presented in the final paragraph?

A. English was probably once a creole.

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 B. The English past tense system is inaccurate.

C. Linguists have proven that English was created by children.

D. Children say English past tenses differently from adults.

10. Look at the word 'consistent' in paragraph 4. This word could best be replaced by which of the
following?

A. natural B. predictable C. imaginable D. uniform

Your answers
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10.

Part 3. Read the passage and do the tasks that follow.

Light pollution
A
After hours of driving south in the pitch-black darkness of the Nevada desert, a dome of hazy gold
suddenly appears on the horizon. Soon, a road sign confirms the obvious: Las Vegas 30 miles.
Looking skyward, you notice that the Big Dipper is harder to find than it was an hour ago.
B
Light pollution – the artificial light that illuminates more than its intended target area – has become a
problem of increasing concern across the country over the past 15 years. In the suburbs, where over-lit
shopping mall parking lots are the norm, only 200 of the Milky Way’s 2,500 stars are visible on a
clear night. Even fewer can be seen from large cities. In almost every town, big and small, street lights
beam just as much light up and out as they do down, illuminating much more than just the street.
Almost 50 per cent of the light emanating from street lamps misses its intended target, and billboards,
shopping centers, private homes and skyscrapers are similarly over-illuminated.
C
America has become so bright that in a satellite image of the United States at night, the outline of the
country is visible from its lights alone. The major cities are all there, in bright clusters: New York,
Boston, Miami, Houston, Los Angeles, Seattle, Chicago – and, of course, Las Vegas. Mark Adams,
superintendent of the McDonald Observatory in west Texas, says that the very fact that city lights are
visible from on high is proof of their wastefulness. “When you’re up in an airplane, all that light you
see on the ground from the city is wasted. It’s going up into the night sky. That’s why you can see it.”
D
But don’t we need all those lights to ensure our safety? The answer from light engineers, light
pollution control advocates and astronomers is an emphasis “no”. Elizabeth Alvarez of the
International Dark Sky Association says that overly bright security lights can actually force neighbors
to close the shutters, which means that if any criminal activity does occur on the street, no one will see
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it. And the old assumption that bright lights deter crime appears to have been a false one: a new
Department of Justice report concludes that there is no relationship between the level of lighting and
the level of crime in an area. And contrary to popular belief, more crimes occur in broad daylight than
at night.
E
For drivers, light can actually create safety hazard. Glaring lights can temporarily blind drivers,
increasing the likelihood of an accident. To help prevent such accidents, some cities and states prohibit
the use of lights that impair night-time vision. For instance, New Hampshire law forbids the use of
“any light along a highway so positioned as to blind or dazzle the vision of travellers on the adjacent
highway”.
F
Badly designed lighting can pose a threat to wildlife as well as people. Newly hatched turtles in
Florida move toward beach lights instead of the more muted silver shimmer of the ocean. Migrating
birds, confused by lights on skyscrapers, broadcast towers and lighthouses, are injured, sometimes
fatally, after colliding with high, lighted structures. And light pollution harms air quality as well:
Because most of the country’s power plants are still powered by fossil fuels, more light means more
air pollution.
G
So what can be done? Tucson, Arizona is taking back the night. The city has one of the best lighting
regulations in the country, and, not coincidentally, the highest concentration of observatories in the
world. Kitt Peak National Optical Astronomy Observatory has telescopes aimed skyward around the
city’s perimeter, and its cadre of astronomers needs a dark sky to work with.
H
For a while, that darkness was threatened. “We were totally losing the night sky,” Jim Singleton of
Tucson’s Lighting Committee told Tulsa, Oklahoma’s KOTV last March. Now after replacing
inefficient mercury lighting with low-sodium lights that block light from “trespassing” into unwanted
areas like bedroom windows, and by doing away with some unnecessary light altogether, the city is
softly glowing rather than brightly beaming. The same thing is happening in a handful of other states,
including Texas, which just passed a light pollution bill last summer. “Astronomers can get what they
need at the same time that citizens get what they need: safety, security, and good visibility at night,”
says McDonald Observatory’s Mark Adams, who provided testimony at the hearings for the bill.
I
And in the long run, everyone benefits from reduced energy costs. Wasted energy from inefficient
lighting costs us between $1 and $2 billion a year, according to IDA. The city of San Diego, which
installed new, high-efficiency street lights after passing a light pollution law in 1985, now saves about
$3 million a year in energy costs.

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J
Legislation isn’t the only answer to light pollution problems. Brian Greer, Central Ohio representative
for the Ohio Light Pollution Advisory Council, says that education is just as important, if not more so.
“There are some special situations where regulation is the only fix,” he says. “But the vast majority of
bad lighting is simply the result of not knowing any better.” Simple actions like replacing old bulbs
and fixtures with more efficient and better-designed ones can make a big difference in preserving the
night sky.

For questions 1-5, choose the correct headings for paragraphs A-F. Paragraph A has been done as
an example. There are extra headings that you do not need to use. Write your answers in the
corresponding space provided.

List of headings Your answers:

I Why lights are needed 0. Paragraph A ix
Ii Lighting discourages law breakers 1. Paragraph B ___________
iii The environmental dangers 2. Paragraph C ___________
Iv People at risk from bright lights 3. Paragraph D ___________
V Illuminating space 4. Paragraph E ___________
vi A problem lights do not solve 5. Paragraph F ___________
vii Seen from above
viii More light than is necessary
Ix Approaching the city
For questions 6-9, complete the following statements with NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS taken
from the passage. Write your answers in the corresponding numbered boxes provided.
6. According to a recent survey, well-lit streets do not _______ or make neighborhoods safer to live in.
7. Inefficient lighting increases _______ because most electricity is produced from coal, gas or oil.
8. Efficient lights _______ from going into areas where it is not needed.
9. In dealing with light pollution, _______is at least as important as passing new laws.
Your answers:
6. 7. 8. 9.

For questions 10-13, decide whether the following statements are True (T), False (F) or Not Given
(NG). Write your answers in the corresponding numbered boxes provided.

10. One group of scientists find their observations are made more difficult by bright lights.

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11. It is expensive to reduce light pollution.
12. Many countries are now making light pollution illegal.
13. Old types of light often cause more pollution than more modern ones.
Your answers:
10. 11. 12. 13.

Part 4. In the passage below, seven paragraphs have been removed. Read the passage and
choose from 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 boxes provided.
IRIDOLOGY
Iridologists claim that there is a ‘map’ of the whole body in the iris of each eye and that it provides a
guide to various disorders and their treatments. The eye has long been regarded as the ‘mirror of the
soul’. From earliest antiquity, it has been believed that it is one of the best indicators of spiritual
condition, personality, temperament and romantic feelings.

1.

For this reason, its condition is significant in assessing the general health of a patient. However, long
before examination of the retina was recognised as important, iridology existed. That is, the science of
diagnosing bodily conditions through study of the iris, the coloured part of the eye. The history and
origins of iridology have often been disputed. It is difficult to substantiate its roots in ancient Asia and
Africa since almost the entire population is brown-eyed. It stands, however, as a European
phenomenon, dating back to the mid-nineteenth century.

2.
Iridology was born in von Peczely's garden in Budapest when he was just eleven. During a fight with a
wild owl, the bird's leg was broken. While glaring at its captor, the bird developed a black line in its
iris. The boy was able to notice developments in the bird's eye as its leg healed. Slowly, the black line
shrank, and when the leg had completely healed, there was the merest trace of a mark left in the eye.

3.

As a medical student in Vienna, he was imprisoned, but found an outlet at this time by studying the
eyes. of fellow prisoners. Time and again, he noticed a correlation between markings of the iris and
known medical problems. He then firmly decided to devote himself to serious study of the eye, once
free.

4.

Meanwhile, a Lutheran minister, Pastor Nils Liljequist, was also examining irises in Sweden. While
suffering from a fever, he was treated with quinine, which led to a change in the colour of his iris from

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blue to yellowish-green. It was this that led to his study of the relationship between eye colour and the
use of medical drugs, particularly the heavy metals which were so widely used then.

5.

It is the first decades of the twentieth century that are particularly interesting. American Henry
Lindlahr, working before iris photography was perfected, used his own eyes as a basis for his
drawings. He experimented with diet, fasting and various medicines. He used the iris as a means of
diagnosis before anyone else, cataloguing inflammations and organic dysfunctions both in himself and
in his patients.

6.

Iridological research has emphasized the fact that the human being is a whole interrelated organism,
which must be viewed as such when undergoing treatment. The iridologist has the entire medical state
and a great deal of the patient's medical history in front of him when looking at the patient's iris, so he
cannot view the patient in terms of a single condition.

7.

Nevertheless, iris diagnosis remains a scientifically based tool despite the indifference shown by
orthodox practitioners. Through increased funding into research or even greater public awareness, it
could well be used as an inexpensive, yet accurate form of diagnosis that could save time, money and
perhaps lives.
MISSING PARAGRAPHS
A. Upon release, von Peczely quickly became convinced that he would be able to demonstrate a
relationship between the organs and limbs of the body and several parts of the iris. The iris chart used
by iridologists today is essentially the same as the one on which he painstakingly mapped his findings.
B. One man at this time was outstanding in his work in this field. Hungarian physician, Dr Ignatz von
Peczely. deserves credit as the father of iridology. He was a man with remarkable powers of
observation, original thought and bravery. Throughout his life, he faced opposition, dying in
comparative obscurity. It is only now that he is beginning to be appreciated.
C. This led him to the realization that the iris could reveal the internal workings of the body and so
there would be no need for painful, dangerous exploratory operations. In his conclusions, he noted that
beneficial changes in the body were brought about by homeopathic preparations which were not
trapped in the body's tissues. Unlike conventional drugs, colour traces were not left in the iris after use.
D. The youth later took up the controversial study of homeopathy and was so successful at treating
neighbours that there was great hostility from the medical profession. He was forbidden to continue
practicing and only did so under the guise of orthodox medicine after he had qualified as a doctor.
E. Iridology was practically forgotten at this time until revived by homeopaths and naturopaths, who
managed to re-establish the science. The cold shoulder that von Peczely was given when he first
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started practicing homeopathy was no less demeaning than the one it received from orthodox medicine
in the twentieth century.
F. He published and circulated a book on his findings. Most of Europe ignored this and iridology in
general. This may well have been because of its background and von Peczely's interest in homeopathy.
However, this was not the case everywhere and towards the end of the century naturopathic workers in
Germany and the USA incorporated the findings of von Peczely with Liljequist's observations.
G. There has been scientific study of the eye as a guide to physical well-being quite apart from this
interest in a as an indicator of spiritual state. The ophthalmologist examines the back of the eye, the
retina, through the pupil, the black hole at the front of the eye. The only place where nerve endings
and blood vessels can be viewed directly is through the retina.
H. It is for this reason that iridology is growing in popularity, and practitioners of alternative therapies
find this holistic attitude particularly encouraging. However, it could be that this emphasis is the
reason why iris diagnosis has yet to be taken more seriously by the orthodox doctor.
Part 5: You are going to read some extracts taken from an article on artificial intelligence.
Choose from the sections (A-E) the correct answer to each of the question . The sections may be
chosen more than once. Write your answers on the answer sheet (10 points).
THE MACHINE AGE
A. As the pace of technological development advances at ever greater speeds, society has had to come
to terms with some exceedingly rapid changes. This has led to some deep collective soul searching
about the effects of technology on ordinary lives. The question is whether the sudden adoption of the
virtual world of cyber space is having a profound effect on human isolation. Do people talk anymore?
Or is communication now mainly through the various electronic media that so many people use?
Many lament the rise of these media within society and wonder how far this virtual life will go. Will
we reach the stage where we can actually transpose our brains into an avatar and lives our lives
vicariously in cyberspace? This could finally be the route to immortality that has long been a subtle
human desire, the ability to cheat death and for all.
B. But just how real the fears about the role of technology in our lives are is a complex question to
answer. And there is some evidence that we are simply worrying about the wrong thing. Research does
not support the idea that the increased connectivity afforded people by the interest has led to greater
social isolation. In fact, it appears to have had the opposite effect, in that the people who are the most
connected on social networks tend to have greater social interaction and are more engaged in public
life than those who do not use them. The ease of use and convenience of new technologies have
induced people to adapt to them and to do so at great speed. It is this speed of change that has alarmed
some people. It’s a phenomenon that could simply be described as “The Shock of the New” and it’s
one that has greeted all major societal changes throughout history and it could, reasonably, be
regarded as nothing more alarming than a process by which change comes to be accepted.

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C. So, are there any valid fears with regard to this sudden rise in technological breakthroughs? One
possibly legitimate fear is that the machines may, in the not so distant future, attain greater intelligence
than humans. As technology becomes more sophisticated, we come closer to the reality of artificial
intelligence that exceeds our own. The danger of this is that with so much of our future lives likely to
be very deeply interconnected with machines, they will, in a real sense, control our behavior even if it
is only in very subtle, unobtrusive ways. There is also something to be said for the idea that even now
machines have extensive control in the developed world. Were they to be suddenly switched off, entire
sectors of our society would simply collapse. There would be no access to banking, shopping,
transport or communication.
D. In the end, we need to ask ourselves, as a society, whether this interconnectedness with technology
is something we should embrace or resist. And the truth of the matter is that it is almost impossible to
envisage an ideology that would seek to reverse the march of technology. Technology is now an
inherent part of our society and culture and so interwoven into every aspect of our lives that to remove
it would essentially mean the collapse of our civilization as it currently exists. No one would have
thought it credible that suddenly, in the 19 th century, the brakes should have been put on the industrial
revolution and Europe and North America should have returned to a rural farming existence. The same
argument stands for the technology of today.
E. So, in essence, we have no real choice but to embrace technology and its inexorable rise within
society. To try to do otherwise is counterproductive to our own good as a species as well as an
exercise in futility. That the machines will gain in intelligence in the near future is inevitable, but there
are ways to safeguard our systems from nefarious control, as long as we remember that all systems
need to have built-in checks and balances, whether the systems are within or external to the machines
in our lives. Humanity is, without doubt, now set firmly on a path which is dominated by the integral
coexistence of man and machine.
In which section are the following mentioned? Your answers:
A refutation of a popular assumption about the way people socialize nowadays 1.
The possibility of living forever in the form of an avatar 2.
An explanation of anxiety about the advancing intelligence of machines 3.
The idea that face-to-face contact is diminishing rapidly 4.
Why concern about intelligent machines may be justified 5.
The possibility of human existence becoming an entirely virtual experience 6.
The need to ensure that all structures within society have measures to prevent 7.
them from becoming corrupt
The inevitability of the development of the intellectual capability of machines 8.
An example from the past used to illustrate the ridiculousness of a current idea 9.
The parts of society already entirely dependent on machine input 10.
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D. WRITING (60 pts)
Part 1. Read the following extract and use your own words to summarize it. Your summary
should be about 120 words long. (15 pts)
The response of most animals when suddenly faced with a predator is to flee. Natural selection has
acted in a variety of ways in different species to enhance the efficacy of the behaviours, known as
"flight behaviours" or escape behaviours that are used by prey in fleeing predators. Perhaps the most
direct adaptation is enhanced light speed and agility.
Adaptations for speed, however, are likely to require sacrifices biter attributes, so we might expect
only some species to adopt a simple fast flight strategy.
Another way of enhancing the effectiveness of flight is to move in an erratic and unpredictable
way. Many species, like ptarmigans, snipes, and various antelopes and gazelles, flee from predators in
a characteristic zigzag fashion. Rapid unexpected changes in flight direction make it difficult for a
predator to track prey.
In some species, like the European hare, erratic zigzagflight might be more effective in the
presence of predators that are faster than they are and straight light more effective against predators
that are slower. One observation that supports this suggestion is the recorded tendency for slow-flying
black-beaded gulls, which are normally able to escape predators by means of direct flight, to show
frequent changes in flight direction when they spot a peregrine falcon (peregrinesare adept at capturing
flying birds).
A quite different way of enhancing escape by flight is to use so-called "flash" behaviour. Here,
the alarmed prey flees for a short distance and then "freezes." Some predators are unexcited by
immobile prey, and a startling flash of activity followed by immobility may confuse them. "Flash"
behaviour is used in particular by frogs and orthopteraninsects, which make conspicuous jumps and
then sit immobile. In some species, "flash" behaviour is enhanced by the display of bright body
markings. Good examples of insects with colourful markings are the red and yellow underwing moths.
At rest, both species are a cryptic brown color. When they fly, however, brightly coloured hind wings
are exposed, which render the moths highly conspicuous. Similarly, some frogs and lizards have
brightly coloured patches or frills that may serve a 'flash" function when they move quickly. Some
species even appear to possess "flash" sounds. The loud buzzing and clicking noises made by some
grasshoppers when they jump may serve to emphasize the movement.
When faced with a predator, animals often exhibit flight behaviors to escape. These behaviors can
be enhanced in various ways through natural selection. One adaptation is to prioritize speed and
agility, although this may come at the expense of other traits. Another strategy is to move erratically,
making it difficult for predators to track prey. Some species employ zigzag flight patterns, which may
be more effective against faster predators, while straight flight is preferred against slower ones.
Additionally, certain prey species use "flash" behavior, where they flee briefly and then freeze,

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confusing predators. This behavior can be accompanied by bright body markings or sounds to further
startle predators. Examples include brightly colored wings in moths and colorful patches or frills in
frogs and lizards.
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Part 2. The chart shows components of GDP in the UK from 1992 to 2000.

Summarize the information by selecting and reporting the main features and make comparisons
where relevant.

Write at least 150 words.

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Part 3: Essay writing (30 pts)
Write an essay of about 300- 350 words to answer the following question. (20 points)

How can the utilization of modern technology contribute to the preservation of our cultural traditions?
Present arguments and provide illustrative examples to substantiate your viewpoint.
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