SỞ GIÁO DỤC VÀ ĐÀO TẠO ĐỀ THI CHỌN HỌC SINH GIỎI THPT CẤP TỈNH

TỈNH NINH BÌNH Năm học 2020–2021

MÔN: TIẾNG ANH
Ngày thi 07/10/2020
ĐỀ THI CHÍNH THỨC (Thời gian 180 phút, không kể thời gian phát đề)
Đề thi gồm 4 phần, trong 11 trang

SỐ PHÁCH
HỌ VÀ TÊN, CHỮ KÍ CỦA
ĐIỂM BÀI THI (Do Hội đồng
GIÁM KHẢO
chấm thi ghi)

Bằng số:..................../18 điểm Giám khảo 1:..........................................

Bằng chữ:................................ Giám khảo 2:..........................................

(Thí sinh làm bài trực tiếp vào các tờ đề thi)

PART A: LISTENING (4.0 points)

- Phần thi nghe hiểu gồm 03 bài, thí sinh được nghe 02 lần cho mỗi bài. Tổng thời gian
cho phần thi nghe hiểu là 23 phút 02 giây.
- Hướng dẫn làm bài chi tiết cho thí sinh bằng tiếng Anh đã có trong từng phần nghe.
- Mở đầu và kết thúc bài nghe có tín hiệu nhạc.

I. Listen and fill in each blank with ONE word/number. Write your answers in the
corresponding numbered boxes. (1.0 point)
One of the main reasons why an increasing number of teachers in Western countries
leave their job is the (1) _______ focus on standardized testing.
Pisa is an international assessment of reading, mathematics and science literacy.
This year’s ranking saw East Asian countries surpass (2) _______ to dominate the list.
In these countries, succeeding in school is culturally stressed as a (3) _______. Singapore
is exemplified as one of the countries offering (4) _______ and competitive salaries to
teachers.
At the other end of the scale, Ghana had the lowest PISA scores. It is believed that
uneducated population equates to lost economic output. Some point to an emphasis on (5)
_______ rote learning rather than actual education.

Your answers:
1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

II. Listen and complete the notes below by writing NO MORE THAN THREE
WORDS in each blank. Write your answers in the corresponding numbered boxes.
(2.0 points)
Higher quality care, with higher life expectancy and lower rates of disease are often (1)
_______ by citizens in the rest of the world.
Spain was one of the top (2) _______ in the world with $2600 (3) _______ on each
person. In its (4) _______ system, most citizens see no out-of-pocket expenses when they
visit public hospitals.

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Unlike Spain, only 1.6% of (5) _______ goes towards healthcare costs. In addition, there
is Medisave system – a (6) _______, where 9% of employee salaries are required to be
(7) _______ for personal or family care.
Both private and public care are used in the autonomous (8) _______ of Hong Kong.
However, private hospitals are reportedly speedy but very expensive.
While these three countries get the most bang for (9) _______, applying worldwide is
difficult.
By comparison, that the United States is enormous, with a population of over 320 million
makes centralized healthcare harder to (10) _______ without serious complications.

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

III. You will hear a radio discussion about shoppers’ attitudes towards different
makes or brands of goods. Choose the answer (A, B, C, or D) which fits best each
question according to what you hear. Write your answers in the corresponding
numbered boxes. (1.0 point)

1. Why, according to Bill Pearson, are consumers so keen on brand names?

A. Companies encourage loyalty in customer groups.
B. Brands provide a sense of identity which society no longer can.
C. Fashion is becoming increasingly important to young people.
D. Social life depends on having the right brands.
2. According to Bill Pearson, when people buy a particular item, they are_______.
A. unconsciously deceiving themselves.
B. stating membership of their social class.
C. demonstrating their future ambitions.
D. choosing a symbol for their lives.
3. What, according to Bill Pearson, are some global companies having to do?
A. recognize national distinctiveness.
B. change their image worldwide.
C. display the flag of the host nation.
D. move out of certain countries.
4. What, according to Bill Pearson, is one of the reasons why customers stop supporting a
brand?
A. The company’s ethics are questionable.
B. The company’s board are corrupt.
C. The products’ quality is substandard.
D. The cost of the goods is excessive.
5. The presenter concludes by asking whether_______.
A. branding deserves to be such a burning issue.
B. a brand’s success depends on young people’s desires.
C. parents give in too easily to children’s demands.
D. well-known brands are a waste of money.

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Your answers:
1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

PART B: LEXICO – GRAMMAR (3.0 points)

I. Choose the correct answer (A, B, C or D) to complete each of the sentences. Write
your answers in the corresponding numbered boxes. (1.0 point)
1. I must take this watch to be repaired; it _______ over 20 minutes a day.
A. increases B. gains C. accelerates D. progresses
2. This man is so arrogant that he is completely _______ to all criticism.
A. impervious B. unaware C. regardless D. unconscious
3. The needs of gifted children in schools have long been _______ neglected.
A. dolefully B. woefully C. idly D. pathetically
4. The storm ripped our tent to _______.
A. slices B. shreds C. strips D. specks
5. She’s joining a health club so as to get herself into _______.
A. shape B. form C. figure D. posture
6. In the _______ of security, personnel must always wear their identity badges.
A. requirement B. interests C. demands D. assistance
7. The main cause of the strike was the management’s refusal to give further
consideration to the question of paying _______.
A. differentials B. disparities C. subsidies D. opportunities
8. My uncle pulled a few _______ and got me a job in the company where he works.
A. ropes B. chords C. threads D. strings
9. Mr. Henry was given a medal in _______ of his service to his country.
A. gratitude B. knowledge C. recognition D. response
10. _______ calculations have shown that the earth’s resources may run out before the
end of the next century.
A. Raw B. Rude C. Crude D. Blunt

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

II. Give the correct form of the words in brackets. Write your answers in the
corresponding numbered boxes. (1.0 point)
The woman twists and contorts her body, wheeling and spinning (1-
SPECTACULAR) _______ across the room, her voice rising in ecstatic whoops and
yells then dropping to (2- MOURN) _______ moans and grunts before she collapses in a
heap on the floor. And then it's my turn. I came here seeking a brief escape from the
stresses and strains of everyday modern life. But right now my (3- INSTINCT) _______
stress flight response is in full throttle and urging me to sprint for the door, run like hell,
anything rather than stand up and perform (4- SPONTANEOUSLY) _______ singing
and dancing in front of a rather forbidding assortment of complete strangers. But there is
no graceful way out. And something about the trance-like beat of the African drums, the
(5- EARTH) _______ hum of the harmonium, combined with the soothing candle-lit
glow of the room and - perhaps most of all - the serene (6- REASSURE) _______ of our
teacher compels me to stay put.

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This is natural voice (7- THERAPEUTIC) _______. The workshops are meant to
release hidden emotions and anxieties, and promote relaxation and mental healing
through singing. Using a mixture of mantra, Sanskrit chanting, Indian scales and pure (8-
IMPROVISE) _______, coupled with movement and balance drawn from various
cultures, the aim is to 'free the inner voice'. Of course, singing is already natural to most
of us. We all know the uplifting boost of singing in (9- HARMONIOUS) _______ with
others, while hearing the blues can evoke grief in anyone. But is there more to singing
than this (10- TRANSIT) _______ change of mood.

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

III. The passage below contains 5 mistakes. Identify the mistakes and write corrections
in the corresponding numbered boxes. (0.5 point)
Line
Traditionally, mental tests have been divided into two types. Achievement 1
tests are designed to measure acquiring skills and knowledge, particularly those 2
that have been explicitness taught. The proficiency exams required by few states 3
for high school graduation are achievement tests. Aptitude tests are designed to 4
measure a person’s ability to acquire new skills and knowledge. For example, 5
vocation aptitude tests can help you decide whether you would do better as a 6
mechanic or musician. However, all mental tests are in some sense achievement 7
tests because they assume some sort of past learning or experience with certain 8
objects, words, or situations. The difference between achievement and aptitude 9
tests is the degree and intention use. 10

Your answers:
Line Mistakes Correction
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

IV. Complete each of the following sentences with ONE correct preposition. Write
your answers in the corresponding numbered boxes. (0.5 point)
1. William is an authority _______ medieval tapestries.
2. We all have to follow the rules, none of us are _______ the law.
3. He gained ascendancy _______ all his main rivals.
4. My boss is biased _______ me, which explains why I’ll never get promoted if I
stay with this company.
5. Few doubt that, by the end of the decade, living standards in Singapore will be
_______ a par with those of the developed world.

Your answers:
1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

PART C: READING COMPREHENSION (6.0 points)

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I. Read the following passage and fill in each of the blank with ONE suitable word.
Write your answers in the corresponding numbered boxes. (2.0 points)
Any discussion of criminal behaviour requires understanding of the difference in
meaning of rules, laws, and norms. Rules may be unwritten, or formal and written. The
rules of dress or how we eat are unwritten guides. In (1) _______, the rules of a factory,
for example safety (2) _______, are usually written down and serve as strict regulators of
behaviour.
Laws are perhaps, the best example of written, formal rules and are decided upon
by powerful and influential groups in society. In order to ensure that everyone adheres (3)
_______ the laws, there are specific penalties, including fines or imprisonment, for those
(4) _______ guilty of breaking them. (5) _______ other rules, such as rules of dress or of
grammar, laws can always be (6) _______ by agencies like the police and the courts.
A norm is very much a general term; it is an expected mode of behaviour shared
by member of a social group. Norms can be thought of as unwritten rules. Examples of
these are (7) _______ parents should play with their children, or that you should (8)
_______ in the appropriate way to a “good morning” greeting. Norms are part of the
culture of a (9) _______ and are (10) _______ down on from one generation to the next
over time.

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

II. Read the following passage and choose the most suitable given sentences on the list
for the gaps 1-5. (1.0 point)

A. Then the falling dominoes head out of the room into the streets, causing
progressively larger objects to tumble.
B. These were all chosen to suit the town and fit in with the people’s way of life.
C. Getting there involved driving along 48 kilometers of dirt roads and crossing
twelve rivers.
D.  Added to this was the total of one hundred and thirty 'actors' who were recruited
from a five neighboring towns.
E.  Not so with the famous Irish drink company Guinness.
F. Then the falling dominoes come to a halt.
G. And the famous Irish drink company Guinness is no exception.
Many of the most expensive commercials ever made are those in which an A-list
celebrity flashes a beautiful smile at the cameras. (1) _______. Their recent television
advertisement, the most expensive in British history, costs ten million pounds, and it
features, not the rich and famous, but villagers from the mountains of Argentina. 
The advertisement features a game of dominoes. It begins in a darkened room
where several thousand ordinary dominoes are set up on a specially-designed table. (2)
_______. Dominoes knock over books, which in turn knock bigger household objects
such as suitcases, tyres, pots of paint, oil drums and even cars. The final piece in the
chain reaction is a huge tower of books. These flutters open to reveal a structure in the
shape of a pint of Guinness. 
The location chosen for the commercial was Iruya, a village high up in the
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mountains of north-west Argentina. (3) ______. The journey there could take up to ten
hours. Asked why this remote destination was chosen for the shoot, the director said that
even though it was the most difficult location they could have picked, it was perfect. 
For one month, the village, population thousand, increased in size by almost thirty
percent. One hundred and forty crew members descended on the village. These included
the world record holders in domino toppling, Weijers Domino productions from the
Netherlands. (4)_______.
Creating this film was not an easy task. Preparations for filming took well over a
month. Twenty six truckloads of objects were brought in. (5) _______. They included
10,000 books, 400 tyres, 75 mirrors, 50 fridges, 45 wardrobes and 6 cars. Setting the
objects up took skill and patience. They needed to be arranged so they would fall over
easily, and this involved balancing them on stones. Some of the sequences had to be
reshot 15 times and 24 hours of footage was captured. However, the sequence in which
six cars fell over was successfully shot in just one take.

Your answers:
1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

III. Read the paragraphs and choose the most suitable sentences on the list for the
gaps as the headlines (The headings outnumber the paragraphs, so you will not
use all of them). (1.0 point)

A. A disadvantage of fast communication

B. High speed of communication and its benefits
C. Our shrinking world
D. Communication devices
E. A brief history of communication development
F. Modern communication and a change in thinking pattern
G. The changing world resulting from fast communication
H. Modern communication and expected responsibility

1. __________
The speed of communication demands a new responsibility from all people of the
world. People in different countries must try harder to understand each other. An example
is that people with different religions must try to understand each other's beliefs and
values, even if they do not accept them. Sometimes their cultures are quite different.
What one group considers a normal part of life is strange to another culture. In some
cases, a normal part of one culture might be bad or impolite to people of another culture.
That kind of difference is a possible basis for misunderstanding. People must learn not to
judge others, but to accept them as they are. As the world grows smaller, people must
learn to talk to each other more effectively as well as communicate more rapidly.
2. __________
In this modern age, communication is so fast that it is almost instant. People's lives
have been changed because of the immediate spread of news. Sometimes the speed is so
great that it does not allow people time to think. For example, leaders of countries have
only minutes, or, at most, hours to consider all the parts of a problem. They are expected
to answer immediately. Once they had days and weeks to think before making decisions.
3. __________

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 An important part of the history of the world is the history of communication. In
prehistoric times, people had limited knowledge of the world. They had little information
about geography, the study of the Earth. People knew very little beyond their small
groups except what was happening near their homes. Later, people were organized into
villages, and verbal communication between small towns was possible. Still, the people's
knowledge was limited because they had no outside information. Kingdoms and small
countries then developed, with a king directing the people. Cities developed, too, but still
communication was limited to the small geographical area of the country. Much later in
history, after the invention of the printing press, many more people learned to read, and
communication was improved.
4. __________
Telephone, television, radio, and the telegraph all help people communicate with
each other. Because of these devices, ideas and news of events spread quickly all over the
world. For example, within seconds, people can know the results of an election in Japan
or Argentina. An international soccer match comes into the home of everyone with a
television set. News of a disaster such as an earthquake or a flood can bring help from
distant countries. Within hours, help is on the way.
5. __________
How has speed of communication changed the world? To many people, the world
has become smaller. Of course, this does not mean that the world is physically smaller.
Two hundred years ago, communication between the continents took a long time. All
news was carried on ships that took weeks or even months to cross the oceans. In the
seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, it took six weeks for news from Europe to reach
America. This time difference influenced people's actions. For example, one battle in the
war of 1812 between the English and the United States armies could have been avoided if
the warring sides had known that a peace agreement had already been signed. Peace was
made in England, but the news of peace took six weeks to reach America. During those
six weeks, the large and serious Battle of New Orleans was fought and many lives were
lost.

Your answers:
1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

IV. Read the following passage and answer the questions from 1 to 10. (2.0 points)

THE HISTORY OF THE GUITAR

The word 'guitar' was brought into English as an adaptation of the Spanish word
'guitarra’, which was, in turn, derived from the Greek 'kithara'. Tracing the roots of the
word further back into linguistic history, it seems to have been a combination of the Indo-
European stem 'guit-’, meaning music, and the root '-tar’, meaning chord or string. The
root '-tar' is actually common to a number of languages, and can also be found in the
word 'sitar’, also a stringed musical instrument. Although the spelling and pronunciation
differ between languages, these key elements have been present in most words for 'guitar'
throughout history.
While the guitar may have gained most of its popularity as a musical instrument
during the modern era, guitar-like instruments have been in existence in numerous
cultures throughout the world for more than 5,000 years. The earliest instruments that the
modern eye and ear would recognise as a 'normal' acoustic guitar date from about 500
years ago. Prior to this time, stringed instruments were in use throughout the world, but
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these early instruments are known primarily from visual depictions, not from the
continued existence of music written for them. The majority of these depictions show
simple stringed instruments, often lacking some of the parts that define a modern guitar.
A number of these instruments have more in common with the lute than the guitar.
There is some uncertainty about the exact date of the earliest six-string guitar. The
oldest one still in existence, which was made by Gaetano Vinaccia, is dated 1779.
However, the authenticity of six-string guitars alleged to have been made prior to 1790 is
often suspect, as many fakes have been discovered dating to this era. The early nineteenth
century is generally accepted as the time period during which six-string guitars began
taking on their modern shape and dimensions. Thus for nearly two hundred years,
luthiers, or guitar makers, have been producing versions of the modern acoustic guitar.
The first electric guitar was not developed until the early twentieth century.
George Beauchamp received the first patent for an electric guitar in 1936, and
Beauchamp went on to co-found Rickenbacker, originally known as the Electro String
Instrument Company. Although Rickenbacker began producing electric guitars in the late
1930s, this brand received most of its fame in the 1960s, when John Lennon used a
Rickenbacker guitar for the Beatles' debut performance on the Ed Sullivan show in 1964.
George Harrison later bought a Rickenbacker guitar of his own, and the company later
gave him one of their earliest 12-string electric guitars. Paul McCartney also used a
Rickenbacker bass guitar for recording. The Beatles continued to use Rickenbacker
guitars throughout their career, and made the instruments highly popular among other
musicians of the era.
The Fender Musical Instruments Company and the Gibson Guitar Corporation
were two other early electric guitar pioneers, both developing models in the early 1950s.
Fender began with the Telecaster in 1950 and 1951, and the Fender Stratocaster debuted
in 1954. Gibson began selling the Gibson Les Paul, based partially on assistance from
jazz musician and guitar innovator Les Paul, in 1952. The majority of present day solid-
body electric guitars are still based largely on these three early electric guitar designs.
Throughout the history of the guitar, an enormous number of individuals have
made their mark on the way in which the instrument was built, played and perceived.
Though some of these individuals are particularly well known, like the Beatles or Les
Paul, the majority of these people are virtually invisible to most modern guitar fans. By
looking at the entire history of the guitar, rather than just recent developments, largely
confined to electric guitars, it is possible to see more of the contributions of earlier
generations.

Questions 1-5: Complete the sentences, choose NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS
from the passage for each answer. Write your answers in the corresponding numbered
boxes.
1. Despite differences in _______, “guit” and “-tar” appear in the word for “guitar” in
many languages.
2. Instruments that we would call acoustic guitars have been made and played for
approximately _______.
3. The _______ of acoustic guitars have not changed much in 200 years.
4. Les Paul, the well-known _______ guitarist, was involved in the development of the
electric guitar.
5. Most _______ of the guitar know little about its rich history.

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Questions 6-10: Complete the summary, choose NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS
from the passage for each answer. Write your answers in the corresponding numbered
boxes.
Instruments similar to the guitar have been played by musicians for over (6)
_______ years. What we know about many of these instruments comes from (7) _______
rather than actual physical examples or music played on them. In some ways, these early
stringed instruments were closer to the lute than the guitar as we know it today. We do
have examples of Six-string guitars that are 200 years old. However, the (8) _______ of
six-string guitars made by guitar makers who are also known as (9) _______ before the
final decade of the eighteenth century is open to question. Although the electric guitar
was invented in the 1930s, it took several decades for electric guitars to develop, with the
company Rickenbacker playing a major part in this development. Most (10) _______
electric guitar in use today are similar in design to guitars produced by the Fender
Musical Instruments Company and the Gibson Guitar Corporation in the 1950s.

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

PART D: WRITING (5.0 points)

I. The chart below shows estimated world illiteracy rates (%) by region and by gender
for the year 2000. Write a report for a university lecturer describing the information
below. (2.0 points)
You should write a report of at least 150 words.

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II. In about 300-350 words, write an essay on the following topic. (3.0 points)
Some people view conflict between teenagers and parents as a necessary part of growing
up, while others view it as something negative that should be avoided.
Discuss both views and give your own opinion.
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THE END.

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