SPRINGBOARD ENGLISH

KỲ THI THỬ HỌC SINH GIỎI

TRUNG HỌC PHỔ THÔNG
ĐỀ THI CHÍNH THỨC
NĂM HỌC 2023-2024
Môn thi: TIẾNG ANH
Thời gian: 150 phút (không kể thời gian giao đề)
Ngày thi: 06/01/2024
Đề thi gồm có 16 trang
● Thí sinh KHÔNG được sử dụng tài liệu, kể cả từ điển.
● Giám thị KHÔNG giải thích gì thêm.

LISTENING (50 points)

Part 1. For questions 1-5, listen to a podcast and decide whether the following
statements are True (T), False (F) or Not Given (NG) according to what you hear. Write
your answers in the corresponding numbered boxes provided. (10pts)

1. You invariably know when you are conversing with a human being or a computer.
2. The answers outputted by ChatGPT are formulated to be as organic as possible.
3. ChatGPT has the ability to be sentient.
4. The AI is not capable of generating a thesis used in the study of a higher degree.
5. In the future, there may be new and different platforms emerging from ChatGPT.

1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

Part 2. For questions 6-10, listen to a radio interview with the gardening experts and
choose the answer (A, B, C or D) which fits best according to what you hear. (10pts)

6. How does Helena feel about the use of Jed’s name for their joint business?
A. occasionally frustrated that her contribution goes unnoticed
B. amused that they have a name people tend to remember
C. appreciative of the respect that the name has brought her
D. irritated by the fact that jed is more of a celebrity than she is
7. What is Jed’s attitude to his public profile?
A. He likes the fact that complete strangers often want to talk to him.
B. He’s unhappy that it prevents him from doing everyday activities.
 C. He enjoys it more now than he did when he was younger.
D. He’s proud of the way it reflects his achievements.
8. How did Helena feel about her work on The Travel Show?
A. She would have enjoyed it in different circumstances.
B. It was convenient for her to be away from the house then.
C. It was a welcome alternative to manual work.
D. She felt obliged to do it at that particular time.
9. What gave Jed the incentive to make a jewel garden?
A. He wanted to realize a long-held ambition.
B. He had led people to believe it already existed.
C. He wanted to show pictures of it at a gardening event.
D. He was inspired by the illustrations at a talk he attended.
10. What explanation does Helena give for the name of the garden?
A. It provided a useful framework for the project.
B. It was a response to the bright colors they wanted there.
C. It allowed them to experiment with a wide range of options.
D. It was meant to inspire them to embrace unconventional ideas.

6. 7. 8. 9. 10.

Part 3. For questions 10-15, listen to a news report and write down NO MORE THAN
FOUR WORDS AND/OR NUMBERS that best answer each question. (10pts)

11. What are some of the examples of the report made concerning the RSF?

12. How many people are at risk of extreme hunger in the first six months of this conflict?

13. Where is the capital of Khartoum?

14. Who should approach some of the benefactors of the two militaries, according to
the speaker?

15. When was a task force set up to address Red Sea security?
Part 4. For questions 16 to 25, you will hear a reporter describing a visit she made to
the Arctic Circle with a team of Canadian wildlife experts. Complete the sentences
with ONE WORD ONLY. (20pts)

As her plane was landing, (16) were the first animals Ruth saw. Soon after
arriving, the team of (17) was able to identify a (18) in the
distance. The term (19) is used to describe a small patch of ground where the
growth of (20) is possible. The largest part of the yellow Arctic poppy is its (21)
. The majority of birds returning to the area feed on (22) . The
team stayed in tents with small (23) at the entrance. Ruth was given advice on what
to do if approached by a (24) . It was difficult for Ruth to carry out her work
because the (25) are affected by freezing temperatures.

16. 17. 18. 19. 20.

21. 22. 23. 24. 25.

USE OF ENGLISH (30 points)

Part 1. For questions 26-45, choose the correct answer A, B, C or D to each of the
following questions. Write your answers in the corresponding numbered boxes
provided. (20pts)

26. The town council decided to down the building because it was unsafe.
A. run B. tear C. break D. shoot
27. The rock band shot to after signing a deal with the largest label at the time.
A. stardom B. mass appeal C. publicity D. fame
28. The two politicians had a heated about capital punishment in front of
the studio audience.
A. quandary B. discussion C. debate D. situation
29. You’ll need to take your to the pharmacy to receive the medicines.
A. recipe B. prescription C. hospital check D. diagnosis
30. The message of the long-awaited movie didn’t across very nicely.
A. run B. reach C. pull D. come
31. Despite visiting a country that speaks English, the American man couldn’t
understand the natives because of their local .
A. voice B. dialect C. language D. annotation
32. Carelessness was not tolerable by any means, as a simple mistake could
the whole project.
 A. consecrate B. desensitize C. jeopardize D. unroot
33. After the unfortunate accident, the team still on with the
dangerous research.
A. carried B. pulled C. went D. came
34. We may have to cancel the picnic tomorrow because the weather says
it’s going to rain.
A. prediction B. report C. rundown D. forecast
35. Barry isn’t a man, as he doesn’t follow any readings or attend churches.
A. superstitious B. sceptical C. religious D. gullible
36. You probably get that wound checkup, in case of a viral infection.
A. should B. have to C. need D. might
37. Linda arrived at the airport did she realized that she forgot her luggage
at home.
A. Soon after B. Only upon C. Only when D. As soon as
38. By this time next month, all the students with their finals.
A. will struggle B. struggled C. will be struggling D. are struggling
39. Pete told me the other day that he working in the company for 3 decades.
A. had been B. has been C. would be D.have been
40. had the secretary arrived home than the boss called her in for an
extra shift.
A. Hardly B. No sooner C. Just as D. No later
41. You shouldn’t have sent him the letter. It scared him .
A. up B. off C. through D. down
42. The spokesman stayed quiet during the bombardment of questions as not to stir
any fuzz in the media.
A. off B. into C. around D. up
43. Of course you can bring Jerry , he’s a good friend.
A. along B. with C. together D. around
44. “It was irresponsible of you to let the children stay up so late” – “ ”
A. “That’s not my doing” B. “Oops!”
C. “I apologize” D. “It’s fine”
45. “I have been feeling really sick lately” - “I told you to stop pulling ”.
A. the midnight oil B. dusk-till-dawn
C. money growing on trees D. an all-nighter

26. 27. 28. 29. 30. 31. 32. 33. 34. 35.
 36. 37. 38. 39. 40. 41. 42. 43. 44. 45.

Part 2. For question 46-50, write the correct form of each bracketed word in each
sentence in the numbered space provided in the column in the right. (10pts)

The International Surfing Association (ISA) opposes the construction of a new judges' tower
for the 2024 Olympics in Tahiti, citing (46) (POTENT) harm to the coral reef.
Olympic organizers proceeded with an aluminium tower due to safety concerns, despite the
ISA suggesting eco-friendly (47) (ALTER). The smaller design, lacking flushing
toilets or an underground water network, aims to reduce environmental impact. However,
(48) (CRITIQUE) persists as the plan involves drilling 133 holes in the reef.
Over 200,000 people, including prominent surfers like Kelly Slater, have signed a petition
against the tower. French Polynesian officials argue its (49) (NECESSITATE)
for safety during the Olympics, (50) (EMPHASIS) the limited time for alternative
solutions.

46. 47. 48. 49. 50.

READING (60 points)

Part 1. For questions 51-60, read the passage and fill each of the following numbered
blanks with ONE suitable word. Write your answers in the corresponding numbered
boxes provided. (20pts)

If you want to understand how desperately Israelis and Palestinians need peace, consider
what would become of them in a state of perpetual war. Against a vastly superior Israeli
, the Palestinians’ most powerful weapon would remain the death and suffering
of their own people. Israel’s fate would be woeful, , if it wants to be a
flourishing, modern democracy. If Israel permanently relies its army to subjugate the
Palestinians, it would become an apartheid-enforcing pariah. Israelis carrying out daily acts
of punctuated by rounds of killing would themselves be corrupted. For two
peoples locked in a embrace, peace is the only deliverance.

But how to get there? Israelis are still reeling the rape and murder of October
7th; Palestinians are watching the mangled of women and children pile up in
Gaza. Amid carnage, outsiders’ urging of peace seems naive. Besides, jaded
Palestinians and Israelis see endless as a mechanism for delaying peace, not
forging it. Negotiators in the past have thrashed out almost every imaginable permutation of
land swaps and security . All failed.

51 52. 53. 54. 55.

56. 57. 58. 59. 60.

Part 2. For questions 61-70, read the passage and choose the best answer A, B, C or
D. Write your answers A, B, C or D in the corresponding numbered boxes. (10pts)

Seasonal affective disorder, or SAD, is a type of depression that follows the seasons, with
most SAD sufferers experiencing the symptoms during winter months. These symptoms
include disturbed sleep and difficulty staying awake during the day. For many people, SAD is
a (1) condition which causes (2) discomfort, but no severe suffering. This form
of SAD is sometimes referred to as “winter blues”. For others, however, it is a serious illness
which might (3) them living a normal life.

SAD is clearly a response to the (4) of daylight hours and the lack of sunlight in
winter. It is mainly found (5) people living in high latitudes. However, it is rare in those living
within 30 degrees of the Equator, where daylight hours are long and constant. The
relationship between (6) daylight and SAD is not clearly understood. It is thought that
it affects the brain’s production of the hormones serotonin and melatonin, but precisely (7)
depression is triggered by a fall (8) the production of these hormones is an
area for further research.

The most common treatment (9) SAD is light therapy in which sufferers are exposed
to a very bright light, of at least ten times the intensity of ordinary domestic lighting, for up to
four hours per day. This is (1) in around 85% of cases. How can we ask for more?
61. A. mild B. medium C. lenient D. slight
62. A. the B. some C. a D. no
63. A. limit B. prevent C. obstruct D. prohibit
64. A. inadequacy B. shortage C. scarcity D. shortening
65. A. by B. on C. among D. between
66. A. weakened B. contracted C. reduced D. lowered
67. A. if B. why C. whether D. that
68. A. from B. to C. in D. of
69. A. with B. for C. of D. by
70. A. efficient B. active C. effective D. productive
 61. 62. 63. 64. 65. 66. 67. 68. 69. 70.

Part 3. For questions 71-80, read the passage on and choose the answer A, B, C or
which fits best according to the text. Write your answers in the corresponding
numbered boxes provided. (10pts)

After 45 years of the queen's rule, James I succeeded Elizabeth I to the English throne in
1603, at which point the English economy was struggling. The population of England was
swelling, food production was insufficient, and prices were high. Despite its instability, a few
industries brought reliable income to the English economy. In particular, many merchants
relied on the export of cloth to continental Europe. For the first decade of James I's reign, the
cloth trade prospered and was an important source of revenue for the English. However, the
king was to make a serious mistake that would eventually lead to the fall of the English cloth
trade.

In 1614, William Cockayne, an English merchant and politician, proposed that James I make
a dramatic change to the way the English exported cloth. At the time, the English produced
primarily unfinished cloth. This meant that they sold cloth that had not been dyed, bleached,
or otherwise processed. Most often, companies in the Netherlands bought the plain cloth
from England and finished it themselves. The Dutch were experts in the complex procedures
and technologies required to finish cloth, and these processes added significant value to the
unfinished cloth they had purchased from England. As a result, Dutch cloth companies could
sell their goods at much higher prices than the English could. Hoping to transfer these profits
to English companies, Cockayne proposed that the English finish the cloth themselves to
increase the value of their cloth exports. He also asked James I to establish a company,
which was to function under Cockayne's leadership, that would control and monopolize the
export of finished cloth to continental Europe. The king was in need of money, and the
prospect of increased revenue appealed to him. Thus, he agreed to Cockaynes plan and, per
Cockaynes request, founded the King's Merchant Adventurers, a company with a primary
purpose of exporting finished cloth.

However, Cockayne's plan disrupted the previously steady English cloth trade and was
ultimately ineffective for a number of reasons. First, James I's support of Cockayne's
company created a rift between the king and many powerful English merchants, particularly
the members of the unfinished cloth company called the Merchant Adventurers, which had
been cast aside in favor of Cockayne's group. Furthermore, the Dutch, who had previously
been Europe's main supplier of finished cloth, responded to English competition by refusing
to purchase any English cloth products, and many other European nations did the same. In
addition, merchants in other countries refused to ship English cloth or charged English
businesspeople inflated fees for shipping. The resistance from abroad was particularly
damaging to the King's Merchant Adventurers because it could not afford the ships that were
necessary to transport its goods to European markets.

In addition to the difficulties caused by its widespread unpopularity, Cockayne's company

was unable to produce quality goods. For one, Cockayne did not have the funds to acquire
the machines needed to finish cloth. [a] • Moreover, English cloth makers were not experts in
the finishing process and could not match the high-quality finished cloth produced by their
competitors in the Netherlands. [b] • By 1617, just three years after the company was
established, James I had dissolved the King's Merchant Adventurers. [c] •

The failure of the King's Merchant Adventurers did more than bankrupt those who had
supported its efforts. [d] • The damage Cockaynes plan inflicted on the cloth trade had
disastrous economic effects on other industries as well. Under the King's Merchant
Adventurers, more than 500 families had begun producing finished cloth. However, because
they could not sell it, their ventures failed. This caused unemployment to rise and even
resulted in riots in London and elsewhere. Furthermore, formerly beneficial trade
relationships had been destroyed, and sellers of unfinished cloth had to attempt to
reestablish contacts with European buyers who were willing to purchase their goods. Though
James I had returned power to the members of the Merchant Adventurers, the group
resented the damage that had been done to its business. Business relations were strained
both internationally and domestically as the English cloth trade made a slow recovery from
Cockaynes experiment.

71. The word succeeded in paragraph 1 is closest in meaning to

A. did away with
B. came after
C. turned aside
D. kept back
72. The word its in paragraph 1 refers to
A. population
B. food production
C. income
D. the English economy
73. In paragraph 1, the author describes insufficient food production as an indication of the
A. need for the expansion of the English cloth trade
B. consequences of heavily emphasizing the cloth trade
C. poor state of the English economy in 1603
 D. king’s mismanagement of the country
74. Based on the information in paragraphs 1 and 2, what can be inferred about the
English cloth trade prior to the establishment of the King’s Merchant Adventures?
A. It was neglected in favour of the shipping and agricultural industries.
B. It was the only profitable sector of the English economy.
C. It was responsible for driving up prices for necessary items in England.
D. It consisted of multiple companies working with international partners.
75. According to paragraph 2, William Cockayne proposed all of the following changes to
the English cloth trade EXCEPT
A. The establishment of a company that would exclusively handle the cloth trade.
B. A focus on increasing the value of cloth created in England.
C. The interruption of cloth supply to merchants in the Netherlands.
D. A shift in the primary activities of the English cloth industry.
76. Which of the following best expresses the essential information in the highlighted
sentence in paragraph 2? Incorrect answer options change the meaning in important
ways or leave out essential information.
A. The procedures and technologies used to create finished cloth, which were
often very complex, were primarily used by Dutch workers.
B. Unfinished cloth from England was typically finished by the Dutch, who
were experts in the complicated procedures that resulted in more valuable
cloth.
C. Finished cloth from England was often more valuable than Dutch cloth due to
the complicated processes used to treat the cloth.
D. Unfinished cloth from England lost its value because the Dutch were able to
create finished cloth by using expert techniques.
77. Based on the information in paragraph 2, why did the king agree to Cockayne’s
proposals?
A. He was desperate to improve the English economy quickly.
B. He believed that the changes would allow England to expand the cloth industry.
C. He worried about England’s overreliance on trade partnerships with
the Netherlands.
D. He wanted to encourage technological advancement in English industries.
78. According to paragraph 3, what is true about the Merchant Adventurers?
A. It continued to sell cloth to the Dutch after the execution of Cockayne’s plan.
B. Its members objected to the changes proposed by Cockayne.
C. It was forced to focus primarily on shipping instead of the cloth trade.
D. It became the top English trader due to the unpopularity of Cockayne’s plan.
79. According to paragraph 5, people in London rioted in response to
 A. the restoration of the Merchant Adventurers.
B. the high rate of joblessness.
C. the unavailability of jobs in the cloth industry.
D. the bankruptcy of the King’s Merchant Adventurers.
80. Look at the four circles (•) in paragraph 4 and 5 that indicates where the following
sentence could be added to the passage.
He also reinstated the previous cloth export company, the Merchant Adventurers.
Where would the sentence best fit?
A. a
B. b
C. c
D. d

71. 72. 73. 74. 75. 76. 77. 78. 79. 80.

Part 4. In the passage below, seven paragraphs have been removed. For questions
81-87, 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. (7pts)

"If this isn't lonely enough for you," a grizzled Tasmanian sheep farmer told me, pointing out
towards some desolate and windswept alpine scrub, "try the Twisted Lakes. You can have as
much solitude as you want round there," he chortled.

81.

A few days later, when I made it to Cradle Mountain, could see what the farmer meant.
Tasmania was at its most benign - brilliantly sunny, which apparently occurs here only one
day in every 10. I'd left the main walking trail just a few hundred yards behind, and there I
was, the only living soul in a pristine moorland, gazing into a startling emptiness.

82.

I stooped at a rivulet to take a drink - safe as Evian - then stripped off my clothes and threw
myself naked into a chilly lake. Nobody was going to disturb me here in my own private
valley
... not today, not tomorrow, maybe not even for another month. There are few places on
earth where you can keep your own company so easily as Tasmania - although when I first
arrived in Cradle Mountain, I didn't actually feel that alone. I'd spent the night before at a
chalet-style
lodge with a gaggle of raucous Aussies on summer holidays, while Eagles songs played over
and over on a perpetual loop.

83.

A park ranger, identifiable by a badge with a pink Tasmanian devil on it, pointed out the route
to the Twisted Lakes: "Just chuck a left at Hanson's Peak, mate. Not a soul up there."
"Chucking a left' took me over a mountain ridge and into the void. Up above, bare granite
peaks protruded like decaying teeth. Clusters of tiny scarlet flowers swayed in the bush. At
one turn, I nearly tripped over a wombat. This shy, muscular, almost spherical creature
scratched itself awake and lumbered off like a miniature tank, smashing branches as it went.
As the sun climbed, bathing the landscape in a dreamy warmth, the trail wound upwards
onto a highland plateau. That's when I found the Twisted Lakes - a trio of moss-fringed tarns
looking as deliberately arranged as a Japanese garden. As I took my skinny dip, I realised
why Tasmania is considered a hiker's paradise by Australians. In the rest of the country you
often have to travel for days to notice a change in landscape.

84.

It was early afternoon when the trail emerged on the flanks of Little Horn, the lower peak of
Cradle Mountain. I had the choice of turning back or continuing in a wide loop around Dove
Lake, which sparkled like black opal far below. Well, I thought cockily, how hard could it get?

85.

Finally, I recognised the path - heading down, down, straight down a blunt outerop of stone
called Bald Rock. I vaguely remembered the park ranger warning me about this. ("She's a
tricky one," he'd smirked. "Take her slow.") From up above, the rock looked like a giant,
slippery slide.

86.

"We did this exact same hike last year," the boyfriend confided merrily. "Started out perfect,
just like today. By noon it was snowing." At this, the pair of them bounded down the rock face
like mountain goats. "Don't worry, you dingos," the girlfriend shouted back, "it's not as bad as
it looks." Of course, they were right. If you took it slowly, Bald Rock was a piece of cake. And
at the bottom lay my reward, a lake of Olympic-pool proportions just begging for the ultimate
mountain swim.

87.
"Survive that lot, cobber?" he asked cheerily. "No worries, mate," I said, getting into the
Tassie rhythm. "If that's not lonely enough for you," he said, "try the southwestern forests ..."
I cut him off as fast as I could: "No, no, that was plenty lonely enough" - and roared back to
the busy alpine lodge for a little raucous banter by the fireside and a few Eagles songs.

Missing paragraphs

A. Two hours later, having crossed a temperate rainforest whose giant ferns looked like
something from Journey to the Centre of the Earth, I stumbled back to my car. It was
nearly dark, and most visitors had left. But lounging beside his Land Cruiser was my
old mate the park ranger, just making sure that the stragglers returned safely from the
wilderness.
B. To my relief, a team of four Aussie bushwalkers suddenly appeared on the trail and
joined me in contemplation of the view. It was easy to identify the couple from
Tasmania - they were the ones who, even on this hot and cloudless summer's day,
carried full rain gear and thermal underwear in their packs.
C. When I woke up the next morning, the countryside was swathed in a chilly, pea-soup
mist. But by the time I'd finished breakfast, the sky had transformed into a dome of
cloudless blue - an invitation to explore.
D. But then the landscape changed again. The soil became drier, the sun brighter, the
heat blistering. My water was running low. The trek was starting to feel like an out-take
from Beau Geste. And was I even going the right way?
E. It's far from virgin, however. Walkers on the trail past Hanson's Peak have engraved a
relatively clean path on the bushy terrain. I was tempted to use it myself, but only for a
moment. The temptation of attempting to reach the Peak itself was too powerful. It
would take some serious climbing, but the sun was still high, and the potential reward
for bothering to unpack my climbing gear far too great to ignore.
F. I could taste the isolation in the air. The Tasmanian wind, having drifted thousands of
miles across the Indian Ocean, is the purest on the planet. Alpine lakes glittered like
dark pearls in the sun. Mountain ridges continued into the horizon, row after row, ad
infinitum.
G. I wasn't sure if this was a recommendation or a warning. In Australia's enormous island
state, solitary bushwalkers still occasionally disappear never to be seen again. The
farmer was talking about Cradle Mountain-Lake, St Clair National Park, more than
1,200 square km of mountain wilderness on the rim of Tasmania's savage central
highlands. I resolved to go.
H. But there, wild mountain vistas are broken at every turn by delicate natural set pieces.
All around me the gnarled bushes were like bonsai; the granite around them glistened
almost white, as if sandblasted clean. And not a soul in sight.

81. 82. 83. 84. 85. 86. 87.

Part 5. Read the following passages and do the tasks that follow. (13pts)

AN IDEAL CITY

Leonardo da Vinci’s ideal city was centuries ahead of its time

The word 'genius' is universally associated with the name of Leonardo da Vinci. A true
Renaissance man, he embodied scientific spirit, artistic talent and humanist sensibilities. Five
hundred years have passed since Leonardo died in his home at Château du Clos Lucé,
outside Tours, France. Yet far from fading into insignificance, his thinking has carried down
the centuries and still surprises today.

The Renaissance marked the transition from the 15th century to modernity and took place
after the spread of the plague in the 14th century, which caused a global crisis resulting in
some 200 million deaths across Europe and Asia. Today, the world is on the cusp of a
climate crisis, which is predicted to cause widespread displacement, extinctions and death, if
left unaddressed. Then, as now, radical solutions were called for to revolutionise the way
people lived and safeguard humanity against catastrophe.

Around 1486 - after a pestilence that killed half the population in Milan, Italy - Leonardo
turned his thoughts to urban planning problems. Following a typical Renaissance trend, he
began to work on an 'ideal city' project, which - due to its excessive costs - would remain
unfulfilled. Yet given that unsustainable urban models are a key cause of global climate
change today, it's only natural to wonder how Leonardo might have changed the shape of
modern cities.

Although the Renaissance is renowned as an era of incredible progress in art and

architecture, it is rarely noted that the 15th century also marked the birth of urbanism as a
true academic discipline. The rigour and method behind the conscious conception of a city
had been largely missing in Western thought until the moment when prominent Renaissance
men pushed forward large-scale urban projects in Italy, such as the reconfiguration of the
town of Pienza and the expansion of the city of Ferrara. These works surely inspired
Leonardo's decision to rethink the design of medieval cities; with their winding and
overcrowded streets and with houses piled against one another.

It is not easy to identify a coordinated vision of Leonardo's ideal city because of his
disordered way of working with notes and sketches. But from the largest collection of
Leonardo's papers ever assembled, a series of innovative thoughts can be reconstructed
regarding the foundation of a new city along the Ticino River, which runs from Switzerland
into Italy and is 248 kilometres long. He designed the city for the easy transport of goods and
clean urban spaces, and he wanted a comfortable and spacious city, with well-ordered
streets and architecture. He recommended ‘high, strong walls', with 'towers and battlements
of all necessary and pleasant beauty'.

His plans for a modern and 'rational' city were consistent with Renaissance ideals. But, in
keeping with his personality, Leonardo included several innovations in his urban design.
Leonardo wanted the city to be built on several levels, linked with vertical outdoor staircases.

This design can be seen in some of today's high-rise buildings but was unconventional at the
time. Indeed, this idea of taking full advantage of the interior spaces wasn't implemented until
the 1920s and 1930s, with the birth of the Modernist movement.

While in the upper layers of the city, people could walk undisturbed between elegant palaces
and streets, the lower layer was the place for services, trade, transport and industry. But the
true originality of Leonardo's vision was its fusion of architecture and engineering. Leonardo
designed extensive hydraulic plants to create artificial canals throughout the city. The canals,
regulated by clocks and basins, were supposed to make it easier for boats to navigate
inland. Leonardo also thought that the width of the streets ought to match the average height
of the adjacent houses: a rule still followed in many contemporary cities across Italy, to allow
access to sun and reduce the risk of damage from earthquakes.

Although some of these features existed in Roman cities, before Leonardo's drawings there
had never been a multi-level, compact modern city which was thoroughly technically
conceived. Indeed, it wasn't until the 19th century that some of his ideas were applied. For
example, the subdivision of the city by function - with services and infrastructures located in
the lower levels and wide and well-ventilated boulevards and walkways above for residents -
is an idea that can be found in Georges-Eugène Haussmann's renovation of Paris under
Emperor Napoleon III between 1853 and 1870.

Today, Leonardo's ideas are not simply valid, they actually suggest a way forward for urban
planning. Many scholars think that the compact city, built upwards instead of outwards,
integrated with nature (especially water systems), with efficient transport infrastructure, could
help modern cities become more efficient and sustainable. This is yet another reason why
Leonardo was aligned so closely with modern urban planning and centuries ahead of his
time.
For questions 88-93, decide whether the following statements are True (T), False (F),
or Not Given (NG). Write your answers in the corresponding numbered boxes
provided. (6pts)

88. People first referred to Leonardo da Vinci as a genius 500 years ago.
89. The current climate crisis is predicted to cause more deaths than the plague.
90. Some of the challenges we face today can be compared to those of earlier times.
91. Leonardo da Vinci’s ‘ideal city’ was constructed in the 15th century.
92. Poor town planning is a major contributor to climate change.
93. In Renaissance times, local people fought against the changes to Pienza and Ferrara.

88. 89. 90. 91. 92. 93.

For questions 94-100, complete the summary below, using ONE WORD ONLY from the
passage for each answer. (7pts)

Leonardo da Vinci's ideal city

A collection of Leonardo da Vinci's paperwork reveals his design of a new city beside the
Ticino River. This was to provide better (94) for trade and a less polluted
environment. Although Leonardo da Vinci's city shared many of the ideals of his time, some
of his innovations were considered unconventional in their design. They included features
that can be seen in some tower blocks today, such as (95) on the exterior of a
building.

Leonardo da Vinci wasn't only an architect. His expertise in (96) was evident in
his plans for artificial canals within his ideal city. He also believed that the height of houses
should relate to the width of streets in case earthquakes occurred. The design of many cities
in Italy today follows this (97) .

While some cities from (98) times have aspects that can also be found in
Leonardo's designs, his ideas weren't put into practice until long after his death (99)
is one example of a city that was redesigned in the 19th century in the way that
Leonardo had envisaged. His ideas are also relevant to today's world, where building (100)
no longer seems to be the best approach.

94. 95. 96. 97.

98. 99. 100.

 WRITING (60 points)
Part 1: Complete the second sentence so that it means the same as the sentence
given, beginning as shown. (10pts)

101. If anyone succeeds in solving the problem, it will probably be him.

➔ He is the most
102. Mr. Foster asked me to write this letter to you.
➔ It is at
103. Regarding payment, most major credit cards are acceptable.
➔ As far as
104. My parents think that I should go to university rather than start a job immediately.
➔ My parents would prefer
105. The soldiers entered the castle while it was dark.
➔ Under

Part 2: Rewrite the sentence in such a way that it has the same meaning to the original
sentence. Do NOT change the word given. You must use between three and eight
words, including the word given. (10pts)

106. He owed his life to that surgeon. INDEBTED

➔ He life.
107. There wasn’t a single ticket left for the concert so we couldn’t go. SELL-OUT
➔ The couldn’t go.
108. You have the ability to do really well in your career if you make an effort. MIND
➔ You could do really well to it.
109. The news of the merger really surprised the staff. TAKEN
➔ The staff by the merger.
110. I expected the film to be good, but it wasn’t at all. LIVE
➔ The film at all.

Part 4. Write an essay of 250 words on the following topic. (40pts)

In many countries, traditional foods are being replaced by international fastfood. This is
having a negative effect on both families and societies.

To what extent do you agree or disagree?

THE END