TRƯỜNG THPT HÀM RỒNG KỲ THI CHỌN HỌC SINH GIỎI CẤP TRƯỜNG

Năm học 2023-2024

ĐỀ CHÍNH THỨC
Môn thi: Tiếng Anh Lớp 11
Ngày thi: tháng 12 năm 2023
(Đề thi có 02 phần, gồm 08 trang) Thời gian: 150 phút

PART A- MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTIONS

SECTION A- LISTENING (10 points)
For questions 1-5, listen to a woman talking about boys and girls in American schools and
choose the best answer according to what you hear.
1. What happened in American schools before 1972?
A. Girls didn’t go to school.
B. Every classroom was a mix of boys and girls.
C. Boys could learn what they wanted.
D. They didn’t teach girls some subjects.
2. What is the reason that most American schools have mixed classes?
A. Scientists said that it was the best thing.
B. Teachers did not want to teach single-gender classes.
C. A law gave girls an equal chance to learn.
D. Boys and girls behave better in such classes.
3. Why might girls not get a chance to talk much in a class with boys?
A. Because the teacher doesn’t ask them questions
B. Because boys are louder and often talk first
C. Because boys know the correct answers
D. Because girls are often shy.
4. What is NOT the reason that some schools are reconsidering separating classes?
A. They prefer the old teaching styles. B. Boys learn differently than girls.
C. Boys and girls can bother each other. D. Boys and girls like different things.
5. Which is one class that is not mentioned as being separated?
A. Math B. Social Studies C. Science D. Physical Education

For questions 6-10, you will hear a manager form a company talking to employees about
volunteering for charity work and choose the best answer according to what you hear.
6. In feedback almost all employees said that volunteering improved their_________.
A. chances of promotion B. job satisfaction
C. relationships with colleagues D. life skills
7. Last year some staff helped unemployed people with their _________.
A. literacy skills B job applications
C. time management skills D. communication skills
8. This year the company will start a new volunteering project with a local_________.
A. park B. school C. hospital D. charity

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9 Where will the Digital Inclusion Day be held?
A at the company’s training facility B. at a high school
C. in a community centre D. at a college
10 What should staff do if they want to take part in the Digital Inclusion Day?
A. fill in a form B. attend a training workshop
C. get permission from their manager D. donate some money

SECTION B- PHONETICS (5 points)

Choose the word whose underlined part is pronounced differently from that of the others in the
same line and write A, B, C or D on your answer sheet.
11. A. placed B. crooked C. dogged D. hatred
12. A. contribute B. tobacco C. buffalo D. microphone
13. A. handbag B. landing C. declare D. sandwich
Choose the word whose stress pattern is different from that of the others in the same line and
write A, B, C or D on your answer sheet.
14. A. infamous B. marigold C. newspaper D. inertia
15. A. ornamental B. geothermal C. intellectual D. nevertheless

SECTION C- VOCABULARY AND GRAMMAR (30 points)

Choose the word/ phrase that best fits the gap in each of the following sentences and write A, B,
C or D on your answer sheet.
16. I’d like to say on behalf of ______ whole group that we wish you well in your new job.
A. a B. an C. the D. zero
17. _________ I would give a party.
A. Were she to come B. She were to C. If she comes next D. Should she come
next month come next month month next month
18. The baby can't even sit up yet, _______ stand and walk!
A. but for B. let alone C. all but D. rather than
19. I don’t suppose there is anyone there, _________?
A. is there B. isn’t there C. do I D. don’t I
20. When his alarm went off, he shut it off and slept for_________15 minutes.
A. the other B. other C. others D. another
21. They sacked the head of marketing because he was ________ inefficient.
A. comparatively B. deadly C. hopelessly D. moderately
22. Poor management brought the company to the ________ of collapse.
A. edge B. foot C. brink D. ring
23. The building collapsed mainly because of a huge __________ of ants digging underneath.
A. shoal B. nest C. herd D. flock
24. You must be careful when you wash this _________silk blouse.
A. dedicate B. weak C. feeble D. sensitive
25. The new office block _________well with its surroundings.
A. blends in B. stands out C. shapes up D. sets off
26. With all of these medical bills, I just don't have any more money to _________.
A. drop in on B. fall back on C. come up against D. catch up with
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 27. The thieves busted the ATM and made _____________ the cash inside.
A. up of B. up for C. away with D. off with
28. Searching for one man in this city is like looking for a _____.
A. salt of the earth C. drop in the ocean
B. sand in the desert D. needle in a haystack
29. The surgeon seemed to have _____ when he succeeded in separating the twins.
A. given the green light C. got a move on
B. worked a miracle D. cried over spilt milk
30. Sugar is the _________of healthy teeth.
A. destruction B. destructor C. destroyer D. destructive
31. The criminal act of numerous factories dumping waste into the area's rivers has led to
dangerously high levels of ____________.
A. toxic B. toxicity C. toxical D. toxicant
32. He took out the bacon from the skillet and placed it on three sheets of ____________paper
towel.
A. absorbent B. absorbed C. absorbency D. absorbing
33. The aim of the survey was to _____ the attitude of parents towards their teenagers.
A. value B. valuable C. invaluable D. evaluate
34. We _______ at the back of the room like naughty schoolchildren.
A. giggled B. grinned C. chuckled D. smiled
35. Helen and Mike are talking about the project:
- Helen: “Were you listening to my explanation or just _________?”
- Mike: “Sorry, just a lapse in concentration”
A. lost on me B. lost in thought C. lost in mind D. lost your way
36. John is talking to Mary:
- John: “I love listening to rock n’ roll. How about you?”
- Mary: “_________”
A. I can’t help it B. I can’t do it C. I can’t stand it D. I can’t wait for it
37. In fact, the criminals _________into because the front door was wide open and so they just
walked in.
A. needn’t have broken C. didn’t need break
B. didn’t need to break D. needn’t to have broken
38. The writer asked that his collection of recordings and written documents _____ in secret.
A. were kept B. would keep C. be kept D. had kept

Mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to indicate the word(s) CLOSEST in meaning
to the underlined word(s) in each of the following questions.

39. The thing I like best about her is the way she takes care of the mediocre students in the class.
A. average B. disadvantaged C. disobedient D. diligent
40. I thought being excellent at computers runs in your family.
A. is a common feature of a family
B. is what your family imposes on you
C. helps members in your family have good relationships
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 D. is available to use in your family
Mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to indicate the word(s) OPPOSITE in
meaning to the underlined word(s) in each of the following questions.
41. A thrifty buyer purchases fruits and vegetables in season.
A. healthy B. frugal C. generous D. professional
42. If you want to attend this evening’s event, you should look the part. There are a lot of
celebrities there.
A. wear formal clothes B. dress in an unsuitable way
C. remember the scripts D. forget what to say
Mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to indicate the underlined part that needs
correction in each of the following questions.
43. Everyone was respectable towards him, listening carefully to his long explanations.
A. respectable B. carefully C. long D. explanations
44. Because of their color and shape, seahorses blend so well with the seaweed in which they live
that it is almost impossible to see themselves.
A. Because of B. so well C. in which D. themselves
45. The witness reported that standing in the doorway a man with a gun was.
A. The B. reported C. standing D. a man with a gun was

SECTION C- READING (25 points)

Read the following passage and then choose the most suitable word or phrase for each space.
Write A, B, C or D on your answer sheet
“Let them be free” is the golden rule for child-rearing in the Netherlands. No wonder Dutch kids have been
(46)______ Europe's most fortunate by a recent UNICEF survey. From a tender age, their opinions are (47)
______, their wishes respected, and there is no homework until their last year in preparatory school. Some
would argue that the tendency of Dutch society to encourage infants to experience whatever they please has
(48) _______a whole generation into spoilt, undisciplined brats. Others say family members are remarkably
open with one another, feeling free to say anything, and that the way parents (49)_______ with their
children's anxieties means that the children are well-adjusted, which is (50) _______ up by the results of the
survey.
Dr. Gerrit Breeusma, head of development psychology at the university of Groningen says the survey's
results came as no (51) _______. Children have always played a very important role in Holland but there
were (52) _______ within families during the Sixties, usually over matters of discipline and conformity. As
a result, the generation growing up at that time have made sure they (53) _______ on better with their kids,
he added.
However, in several Dutch police precincts, such liberalism is not viewed positively. In an attempt to (54)
_______ underage heavy drinking, police have taken to bringing home teenagers and threatening parents
with obligatory attendance at course on (55) _______alcohol problems or hefty fines unless they keep their
children under control .
46. A. compared B. put C. rated D. assessed
47. A. regarded B. valued C. recognized D. measured
48. A. resulted B. created C. brought D. turned
49. A. empathize B. understand C. analyze D. handle
50. A. shown B. held C. made D. backed
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51. A. doubt B. difference C. consequence D. surprise
52. A. contradictions B. conflicts C. decisions D. beliefs
53. A. follow B. carry C. get D. continue
54. A. tackle B. supervise C. extinguish D. dispose
55. A. excessive B. eccentric C. restrictive D. inaccessible

Read the passage and choose the best answers to questions below. Write A, B, C or D on your
answer sheet.
We all know that significant changes occur in our bodies during adolescence, but have you ever
stopped to wonder what's actually going on inside our brains during this time?
To paint a clearer picture, we should first familiarize ourselves with the different parts of the brain.
Did you know, for instance, that our brains are made up of around 100 billion nerve cells called
neurons? And stemming from these neurons are several branch-like structures for sending and
receiving electrical signals? Every time we do or think anything, a signal is transmitted. The signal
travels down a long structure called the axon and, at the end, it passes across tiny gaps called
synapses to the dendrites of another neuron, which receive the signal. In this way, messages are sent
across our neural network. Our brain structure changes dramatically as we grow up. Newborn babies
have almost all their neurons but few connections between them, which is why they can't do very
much. After a few months however, the number of connections explodes, which in turn helps tiny
tots master a whole range of new skills such as walking and talking. Despite earlier myths that most
brain development is completed in the first few years, we now know that our brains continue to
develop throughout our lives and perhaps the most dramatic time of change and development is
during puberty.
During this period of reorganisation, the brain witnesses a sudden increase in neurons not dissimilar
to a plant growing uncontrollably in spring. Just as we prune a plant to make it stronger and
healthier, we prune our brains. The connections that are used become stronger, whereas those
which aren't used wither and die. So, the more frequently an action or thought is activated, the
stronger the connections become between the neurons, which in turn strengthens the part of the
brain being used. This explains why the more you do something, the better you become at it,
reinforcing the old adage 'practice makes perfect'. In fact, it would seem that the teenage brain
provides optimum conditions for perfecting skills such as playing a musical instrument, speaking
another language or learning a complex computer game. It could therefore be argued that teenagers
determine the development of their own grey matter through the activities and experiences they
engage in.
It may also be unsurprising to many to learn that the last part of the adolescent brain to develop is
the frontal cortex, responsible for self- control, problem solving and decision making.
Consequently, long before teens become adept at rational, abstract thinking and logical decision
making, they rely on the emotional centre of the brain to make choices and think. So perhaps
unpredictable, volatile, risk-taking teenage behaviour, often put down to hormones, may actually
have more to do with what's going on inside our brain.
(Adapted from Bristish Council LearnEnglish teen )
56. Which best serves as the title for the passage?
A. The structure of the brain
B. The connection between neurons and decision making
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C. How the brain develops and works during teenage years
D. The brain development in newborn babies
57. What does the second paragraph tell us?
A. Brain development is an ongoing process.
B. Babies are born with the capacity to do anything.
C. A reduction in connections between neurons helps babies learn how to speak.
D. It is no longer believed that most changes in the brain occur before adulthood.
58. Overall, the writer thinks teenagers_____________
A. are misunderstood.
B. want to learn more about the changes in their brains.
C. are more intelligent than they used to be.
D. can benefit from understanding the changes that happen in their brains.
59. The word “it” in paragraph 2 refers to ________
A. structure B. axon C. brain D. signal
60. The word “prune” in paragraph 3 is closest in meaning to ________
A. elevate B. clip C. grow D. demote
61. What do we learn about the structure of the brain?
A. All neurons are activated when we think.
B. The structure of a brain cell is compared to a tree.
C. The structure of a brain cell changes when a message is sent.
D. Neurons come into contact with one another to allow a message to travel around the brain.
62. What does the writer imply in paragraph three?
A. All teens should play a musical instrument.
B. It is just as difficult to speak another language as it is to play computer games.
C. If we don't practise an activity in our teenage years, we won't be able to do it as an adult.
D. Teens can influence their own brain development.

Read the passage and choose the best answers to questions below. Write A, B, C or D on your
answer sheet .
Birds that feed in flocks commonly retire together into roosts. The reasons for
roosting communally are not always obvious, but there are some likely benefits. In winter
especially, it is important for birds to keep warm at night and conserve precious food reserves. One
way to do this is to find a sheltered roost. Solitary roosters shelter in dense vegetation or enter a
cavity - horned larks dig holes in the ground and ptarmigan burrow into snow banks - but the effect
of sheltering is magnified by several birds huddling together in the roosts, as wrens, swifts,
brown creepers, bluebirds, and anis do. Body contact reduces the surface area exposed to the cold
air, so the birds keep each other warm. Two kinglets huddling together were found to reduce their
heat losses by a quarter and three together saved a third of their heat.
The second possible benefit of communal roosts is that they act as “information centers.”
During the day, parties of birds will have spread out to forage over a very large area. When they
return in the evening some will have fed well, but others may have found little to eat. Some
investigators have observed that when the birds set out again next morning, those birds that did not
feed well on the previous day appear to follow those that did. The behavior of common and lesser
kestrels may illustrate different feeding behaviors of similar birds with different roosting habits. The
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common kestrel hunts vertebrate animals in a small, familiar hunting ground, whereas the very
similar lesser kestrel feeds on insects over a large area. The common kestrel roosts and hunts alone,
but the lesser kestrel roosts and hunts in flocks, possibly so one bird can learn from others where to
find insect swarms.
Finally, there is safety in numbers at communal roosts since there will always be a few birds
awake at any given moment to give the alarm. But this increased protection is partially counteracted
by the fact that mass roosts attract predators and are especially vulnerable if they are on the ground.
Even those in trees can be attacked by birds of prey. The birds on the edge are at greatest risk since
predators find it easier to catch small birds perching at the margins of the roost.

63. What does the passage mainly discuss?

A. How birds find and store food.
B. How birds maintain body heat in the winter
C. Why birds need to establish territory
D. Why some species of birds nest together
64. Ptarmigan keep warm in the winter by_________.
A. huddling together on the ground with other birds B. building nests in trees
C. burrowing into dense patches of vegetation D. digging tunnels into the snow
65. The author mentions kinglets as an example of birds that _________.
A. protect themselves by nesting in holes B. nest with other species of birds
C. nest together for warmth D. usually feed and nest in pairs
66. The word “forage” is closest in meaning to _________.
A. fly B. assemble C. feed D. rest
67. Which of the following statements about lesser and common kestrels is TRUE?
A. The lesser kestrel and the common kestrel have similar diets.
B. The lesser kestrel feeds sociably but the common kestrel does not.
C. The common kestrel nests in larger flocks than does the lesser kestrel.
D. The common kestrel nests in trees; the lesser kestrel nests on the ground.
68. The word “they” refers to _________.
A. a few birds B. mass roosts C. predators D. trees
69. Which of the following is NOT mentioned in the passage as an advantage derived by birds that
huddle together while sleeping?
A. Some members of the flock warn others of impending dangers.
B. Staying together provides a greater amount of heat for the whole flock
C. Some birds in the flock function as information centers for others who are looking for food.
D. Several members of the flock care for the young.
70. Which of the following is a disadvantage of communal roosts that is mentioned in the passage?
A. Diseases easliy spread among the birds.
B. Group are more attractive to predators than individual birds.
C. Food supplies are quickly depleted.
D. Some birds in the group will attack the others.

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 PART B- WRITTEN QUESTIONS

SECTION E- WRITING (30 points)

Rewrite each sentence, beginning as shown, so that the meaning stays the same.
71. His fondness for the game increased with his proficiency.
 The more ______________________________________________________________.
72. You must remember to lock the drawer whatever you do.
 On____________________________________________________________________.
73. What put me off the idea was simply how expensive it was going to be.
 The sheer ______________________________________________________________.
74. My friend persuaded me not to spend over $40 on a silk shirt like that.
 My friend talked ________________________________________________________.
75. He seems to find the way Mimi behaves more a source of amusement than embarrassment.
 Far from_______________________________________________________________.

Make any changes and addition to build sentences using the cues given. Write the answers on
your answer sheet.

76. Thomas didn’t feel like going to the party. (MOOD)

 Thomas was ______________________________________________________________.
77. Probably Henry Ford, a pioneer in automobile production, had the most effect on the daily lives
of most people in the United States. (MORE)
 Probably no man____________________________________________________________.
78. The impression most people have of him is that he is an honest person. (COMES)
 _________________________________________________________________________.
79. He's on cloud nine after winning the championship. (AIR)
__________________________________________________________________________.
80. We have more important things to do at the moment. (FISH)
 __________________________________________________________________________.

ESSAY WRITING. (20 pts)

Write an essay of 250 to 300 words about the following topic:
In many countries, traditional foods are being replaced by international fast foods. This is having
a negative effect on both families and societies.
To what extent do you agree or disagree?

THE END

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