HƯỚNG DẪN PHẦN THI NGHE HIỂU SỞ GIÁO DỤC VÀ ĐÀO TẠO QUẢNG NAM

● Bài nghe gồm 4 phần; mỗi phần được nghe 2 lần, mỗi lần cách nhau 05 giây; mở đầu và kết thúc mỗi phần nghe có tín hiệu. Thí sinh có 20 giây để đọc
THPT NGUYỄN BỈNH KHIÊM
mỗi phần câu hỏi.

● KỲ THI CHỌN HỌC SINH GIỎI CÁC TRƯỜNG THPT CHUYÊN

Mở đầu và kết thúc bài nghe có tín hiệu nhạc. Thí sinh có 03 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
KHU VỰC DUYÊN HẢI VÀ ĐỒNG BẰNG BẮC BỘ

Part 1. For questions 1-5, listen to a piece of news about quiet quitting – a recent trendLẦN
in the job market
THỨ and 2023
XIV, NĂM decide whether the following statements are true (T)
ĐỀ ĐỀ XUẤT
or false (F). (10 points)
Đề thi gồm 18 trang ĐỀ THI MÔN: TIẾNG ANH - LỚP 11

1. Quiet quitters tend to look at future promotional opportunities with an apathetic attitude.
Thời gian: 180 phút (Không kể thời gian giao đề)

2. China is cited as a place that emulates from the quiet quitting trend in Western countries.
Ngày thi: 14/7/2023

3. Quiet quitters feel no need to conform to the minimum requirements from their companies.
SECTION A: LISTENING (50 points)

4. The reason for Chinese young people’s frustration lies in the continuation of stringent measures against the coronavirus.

5. The saturation of high-skilled workforce among young people has been a fuel to the increasing incidence of extreme frustration and tiredness with life.

Part 2. For questions 6-10, listen to a lecture on laughter and answer the following questions with NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS. (10 points)

6. What field is not usually associated with laughter but actually closely related?

____________________________________________

7. What kind of situations in life do people feel the importance of assistance from experts?

____________________________________________

8. What kind of situations are laughter normally associated with?

____________________________________________

9. What role of laughter is usually neglected by normal people?

____________________________________________

10. What are the triggers of laughter in addition to humor?

____________________________________________

Part 3. For questions 11 – 15, listen to part of a program in which two racing drivers, Eddie Kiwitz and Jenny Pelaw, are discussing their profession and choose

the answer (A, B, C, or D) which fits best according to what you hear. (10 points)

11. What does Eddie say to Jenny about being the number one driver in the world?

A. She will have to adjust quickly to her new status.

B. She needs to recognise that nobody is unbeatable.

C. She must convince herself that she is worthy of the title.

D. She must keep reminding herself that she can still improve.

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12. What do we learn about a leading journalist’s criticism of Jenny?

A. It led Eddie to leap to Jenny’s defence.

B. It was widely seen as unnecessarily harsh.

C. It didn’t upset Jenny as much as people thought.

D. It provided Jenny with the motivation she needed.

13. When talking about differences between their respective eras, Eddie and Jenny agree that _____

A. there is now less comradeship among drivers.

B. drivers are now more prone to self-doubt.

C. racing has become substantially safer.

D. nowadays drivers tend to go faster.

14. What view do Eddie and Jenny share about simulators?

A. Their influence is likely to increase as time goes on.

B. They are useful for drivers working on technique.

C. They are no substitute for natural ability.

D. Their attempt to provide fitness is ill-conceived.

15. What effect has the experience had on Cindy?

A. rather regretting some of the things he did.

B. being rather indifferent to Jenny’s enthusiasm.

C. wanting to avoid the public eye wherever possible.

D. preferring the racing world from when he was a driver.

Part 4. For questions 16-25, listen to a piece of news about capitalism and fill in the missing information with NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS. (20 points)

16. Our _____________, ________________ and outlooks on life have witnessed significant alterations since the rise of capitalism.

17. However, some people think that a(n) ____________________________ has been gradually emerging for our world to transition into.

18. This new world is characterized by the ongoing transition into a new model called _________________________.

19. This new model will shift away from the concept of personal success and profits but towards _________________________________.

20. This shift represents the realization of the repercussions left by capitalism-driven policies which induce monetary hardships and ____________________________

for countries.

21. The previous nature of jobs is mostly ____________________________.

22. The increasingly ready availability of information has led to the evaporation of some occupations such as ________________________.

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23. It is predicted that a(n) ____________________________ will ensue following the invention of innovative technology.

24. _____________________________ can come into union with ideal visions dint of shared communication on the Internet.

25. Ultimately, a new and more simple life will follow as a result of ________________________.

SECTION B: LEXICO- GRAMMAR (30 points)

Part 1. Questions 26-45, choose the best option A, B, C, or D to complete the following sentences and write your answers in the corresponding numbered boxes

provided on the answer sheet. (20 points)

26. The chairman was _______ convinced by the facts given in the articles issued three months after the incident.

A. wholly B. totally C. extensively D. deeply

27. _____, pretending to be soldiers.

A. Around the park were the children marching

B. The children marching around the park

C. Marching around the park were the children

D. Around the park marching were the children.

28. The innocent clerk was extremely excited about his first trip to a faraway land and keen on buying _______ souvenirs for everyone in the office.

A. tacky B. repulsive C. lekker D. ghastly

29. The horror story provokes fear and anxiety with senseless description of ________ of deaths.

A. advent B. entrance C. embarkation D. imminence

30. The minister ________ certain schools for their falling standards in education.

A. denigrated B. castigated C. aspersed D. defamed

31. The abolition of red tape has helped eliminate _______ in the import and export process, facilitating foreign trade.

A. stumbling rocks B. real lemons C. dead ends D. bottlenecks

32. We were very glad to receive a ________ description of all the cases related to Covid-19 reported for the last 6 months in the hospital.

A. compendious B. compact C. compatible D. complacent

33. Most of the answers to the questions raised in the survey are not to the point, ______ to reveal the subjects’ personal viewpoints.

A. neither are they B. they neither are

C. nor are they D. and they, too, are not

34. Harold’s problems began when he fell _______ the wrong type of person and he ended up becoming a criminal himself.

A. out with B. in with C. for D. back on

35. Mother arrived home eventually at 6pm, laden ______ grocery bags, having been out shopping for nearly three hours.

A. for B. of C. down D. with

36. ______ his sunglasses, his old friend – the bank clerk – would have recognized him.

A. Were the robber to have taken off B. If the robber has taken off

C. Should the robber take off D. Should the robber be taken off

37. The manager _____ any suggestion that his team was facing bankruptcy.

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 A. renounced B. reminisced C. responded D. repudiated

38. ____ that she received prolonged applause from the audience.

A. So polishing was her vocal B. Such was her polished vocal

C. Such was the polish of her vocal D. Such a polished vocal of hers

39. After _______, one naturally wants to turn in early.

A. a hard day’s work B. the hard work of a day

C. a hard-working day D. a day’s hard working

40. He was found to have provided the court with ______ evidence.

A. doctored B. tampered C. feigned D. shammed

41. The news report on the African famine was so touching with the images of starving children with ________ belies.

A. disemboweled B. distempered C. distended D. distilled

42. It’s a ______ that new mothers have to go back to work after six weeks.

A. crying shame B. going concern C. laughing matter D. running joke

43. My sister is still _____ at missing my birthday’s party last week.

A. repentant B. reciprocal C. laudatory D. disgruntled

44. Although Jerry has already had an expensive car, he still can't help casting ________ looks at his neighbour's new Porsche.

A. covetous B. fastidious C. dismal D. abysmal

45. The new professor, who is the author of a(n) ___________ book on Scottish history, will come to our university today

A. belligerent B. benevolent C. frenetic D. erudite

Part 2. For questions 46-55, give the correct form of each given word to complete the following sentences and write your answers in the corresponding numbered

boxes on the answer sheet. (10 points)

th
46. As a(n) ___________, she takes great pleasure in studying books printed in the 18 century. (ANTIQUE)

47. The notion of ___________ was employed as we explored how fiction could have been inspired by psychoanalysis. (TEXT)

48. The domestic turkey was re-introduced into North America from Britain, taken there ___________ by the colonists of New England and Virginia. (CIRCLE)

49. Some of the comedies are skilfully based on the stories around ___________ people who humorously involve themselves in weird incidents. (WIT)

50. The businessman’s ___________ investment turned out to be one of his best decisions of the year; he earned much more than before. (MEDITATE)

51. It is essential that the government exercise ___________ in the hope of healthy development of its economy. (INTERVENE)

52. The local festival and the football match ____________ took place, turning a quiet town into a noisy congested tourist attraction. (CONTEMPORARY)

53. Two Chinese girls ____________ talked to each other in Mandarin in a crowded bus. (CONSCIOUS)

54. He was _____________ removed from the list of potential candidates due to his inept speeches. (CEREMONY)

55. The rocks appear to be stationary but in the high winds that whip across this desert landscape, they are in reality moving _____________. (PERCEIVE)

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SECTION C: READING (60 points)

Part 1. For questions 56-65, fill each of the following numbered blanks with ONE suitable word and write your answers in the corresponding numbered boxes on

the answer sheet. (15 points)

The notion that reading is one of the most important (56) __________ to educational success is agreed by all: newspaper critics, devoted teachers and par-

ents. But what is happening to standards? (57) __________ are critical: “It is a great surprise and disappointment to us to find that our young employees are so (58)

__________ deficient in their command of English”. Many may long for the golden days, but that quotation was from those days – 1921! The complains of today are

remarkably like (59) __________ of the past.

The latest panic was prompted by a very limited study by a group of educational psychologists using dubious test. No wonder, it was castigated for intel -

lectual sloppiness. Yet there are many detailed research studies that illuminate reading problems. Recently, it was shown that the more lead, aluminium or zinc in a

child’s body as tested by hair or saliva tests, the (60) __________ the reading scores. Did that get (61) __________ reported?

The same fears are repeated often: “But are they being taught to read? “ The worries appear to be misdirected. Yes, there are serious doubts about whether

the present curriculum is helping effective reading, but it is not the early stages that are weak. (62) __________ is it, contrary to much printed panic, because of too

little teaching of phonics. It is because we stop developing reading skills except in the teaching of literature. We are extraordinarily good at teaching (63) __________.

Reading for learning is something different (64) __________ equally important. This is how we grapple (65) __________ ideas, arguments and discourse of Higher

Education.

Part 2. For questions 66-75, read the passage below and choose the answer A, B, C, or D that fit best according to the text. Write your answers in the correspond -

ing numbered boxes provided on the answer sheet. (10 points)

An understanding of any national literature depends very much on an awareness of the larger cultural context. Without some knowledge of language, of

history, of inflection, of the position of the storyteller within the group, without a hint of the social roles played by males and females in the culture, without a sense of

the society’s humor or priorities—without such knowledge, how can we, as reader or listener, penetrate to the core of meaning in an expression of art?

The difficulty of gaining access to the literature of a different culture may be illustrated by an exemplary folktale (in translation) from the Tanaina (Ath -

abaskan) culture of south-central Alaska. It would typically be told to a general audience within the society, including the full range of ages from young children to

grandparents; it would be recounted with gesticulation and exaggeration by a performance specialist. It would be expected to have different meanings to the various

categories of listeners— instructive, entertaining, reinforcing, or all three. Here is a brief version of the story:

“Once upon a time there was a porcupine woman who decided to do some hunting on the far side of the river. She went to the bank, where she met a

beaver.

‘Hello,’ she said to him. ‘I need to do some hunting over there. Will you ride me across on your back?’

‘I’d be glad to,’ replied the beaver. ‘Hop on.’

So the porcupine woman climbed on his back, and he started swimming for the other side. When he had almost made it, the porcupine woman said,

‘Oh my! I’ve forgotten to bring my sack. I’ll need to go back to the other bank and get it.’

‘All right,’ said the beaver, and swam back. He was panting while the porcupine woman went to get her sack.

‘Okay,’ she said. ‘Let’s go.’ So they started across again. The beaver was swimming much more slowly. When they had practically reached the other side,

she said, ‘Oh my! I’ve forgotten to bring my needle. We’ll have to go back and get it.’

This time the beaver didn’t say anything—he didn’t have enough breath! But he turned around and pulled them back to the shore and nearly passed out

while she got her needle.

‘Hurry up, now,’ the porcupine woman said as she climbed back on his back. He could hardly keep his nose above water, but he had almost made it to the

far bank again when she said, ‘Oh my! I’ve forgotten my staff. We’ll have to . . . .’

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 Before she had finished her sentence the beaver had flipped over in the water and dragged himself onto the bank, where he lay half dead. The porcupine

woman managed to make the shore too, and climbed up onto a bear path. When she had caught her breath, she turned on the beaver and quilled him to death.”

The Tanaina live in an environment that could euphemistically be described as “difficult.” Survival, especially in the wild, is always precarious. Further,

they were, in the precontact period, a nonliterate people. Oral communication was therefore the method of cultural transmission, legal understanding, and meaningful

communication. It is also necessary to know that a “staff,” as mentioned in the story, functions as both a walking stick and a weapon, and that in the Tanaina symbol

system, porcupines were supposed to be rather 9 ponderous, dull-witted creatures, and beavers were thought to be energetic and industrious but overly spontaneous and

erratic.

For the reader armed with these data, the story becomes more accessible as a lesson in contract law, with several additional minor themes. A culturally at -

tuned listener would notice, for instance, that when the porcupine woman proposed passage to the beaver, he agreed without any stipulations or clarifications of the

terms. He gave a basically open-ended agreement—made a contract—and hence the porcupine woman was perfectly within her rights both in demanding that he return

three times and in quilling him to death when he reneged.

The story is not, however, without its moral for the porcupine women of this world. Her stated aim is to go hunting, and yet she sets out without the

three essentials of that endeavor: a sack in which to carry home her game, a needle with which to sew up the intestines, and, most important, an implement with which

to hunt and defend herself. True, she had an open-ended contract, but where does she wind up at the conclusion of the story? Sitting, exhausted, quills used up,

weaponless, and not only on the wrong side of the river from her home but on a bear path! The hunter is about to become the hunted, and all because of her own im -

providence.

66. In the opening paragraph, the author assumes that the “meaning” is

A. culturally determined B. essentially moralistic

C. permanently inscrutable D. uniquely artistic

67. The author discusses Tanaina culture from the perspective of.

A. a bewildered visitor B. a performance artist

C. an informed outsider D. an indignant reader

68. In relation to the passage, the statements in the last but two paragraph serve a function most similar to which of the following items?

A. A menu in a restaurant B. The key or legend to a map

C. A department store directory D. The outline of a term paper

69. The author’s analysis of the folktale offers which insight into Tanaina beliefs?

A. A fanciful story is most suitable for an audience of children.

B. A verbal exchange can establish a binding contract.

C. A person who behaves impulsively is most often sincere.

D. A shared task should be divided fairly between two people.

70. The “porcupine women of this world” in the last paragraph are best described as people who

A. plan inadequately for their own needs

B. postpone necessary work in favor of leisure

C. depend heavily upon help from their close friends

D. return repeatedly to their favorite places

71. The final paragraph suggests that the bear path previously mentioned is significant because it

A. suggests an alarming alternative to crossing the river

B. marks the boundary of the beaver’s natural surroundings

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 C. explains the porcupine woman’s fear of unfamiliar territory

D. poses a new peril for the porcupine woman

72. In the context of the passage, which “expression of art” would be the most difficult to interpret?

A. A contemporary play written by a prolific playwright

B. A fable from a nonliterate society with which anthropologists are very familiar

C. A single myth from an ancient culture with a well-documented mythological structure

D. A single text produced by a previously unknown society

73. As a commentary on legal relations, this folktale is best described as

A. an example of traditional practices B. an outline for social behavior

C. a warning about ill-conceived assent D. a criticism of obsolete customs

74. The author’s attitude toward the Tanaina folktale is best described as

A. excitement at an unexpected discovery

B. admiration of the storyteller’s performance

C. appreciation of the folktale as a means of communicating values

D. enthusiasm for the Tanaina culture’s concept of legality

75. Which statement is most consistent with the author’s argument?

A. Translating a literary text requires formal linguistic training.

B. Tales transmitted by a non-literate society elude transcription in later eras.

C. Simple enjoyment of a tale is incompatible with scholarly analysis.

D. To read a text is not necessarily to understand it.

Part 3. For questions 76 - 88, read the following passage and do the tasks that follow. (13 points)

WHAT DOES THE FUTURE HOLD?

The prospects for humanity and for the world as a whole are somewhere between glorious and dire. It is hard to be much more precise. By ‘glorious’, I

mean that our descendants – all who are born on to this Earth – could live very comfortably and securely, and could continue to do so for as long as the Earth can sup -

port life, which should be for a very long time indeed. We should at least be thinking in terms of the next million years. Furthermore, our descendants could continue

to enjoy the company of other species – establishing a much better relationship with them than we have now. Other animals need not live in constant fear of us. Many

of those fellow species now seem bound to become extinct, but a significant proportion could and should continue to live alongside us. Such a future may seem ideal,

and so it is. Yet I do not believe it is fanciful. There is nothing in the physical fabric of the Earth or in our own biology to suggest that this is not possible.

‘Dire’ means that we human beings could be in deep trouble within the next few centuries, living but also dying in large numbers in political terror and

from starvation, while huge numbers of our fellow creatures would simply disappear, leaving only the ones that we find convenient – chickens, cattle – or that we can’t

shake off, like flies and mice. I’m taking it to be self-evident that glory is preferable.

Our future is not entirely in our own hands because the Earth has its own rules, is part of the solar system and is neither stable nor innately safe. Other

planets in the solar system are quite beyond habitation, because their temperature is far too high or too low to be endured, and ours, too, in principle could tip either

way. Even relatively unspectacular changes in the atmosphere could do the trick. The core of the Earth is hot, which in many ways is good for living creatures, but

every now and again, the molten rock bursts through volcanoes on the surface. Among the biggest volcanic eruptions in recent memory was Mount St Helens, in the

USA, which threw out a cubic kilometre of ash – fortunately in an area where very few people live. In 1815, Tambora (in present-day Indonesia) expelled so much ash

into the upper atmosphere that climatic effects seriously harmed food production around the world for season after season. Entire civilisations have been destroyed by

volcanoes.

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 Yet nothing we have so far experienced shows what volcanoes can really do. Yellowstone National Park in the USA occupies the caldera (the crater

formed when a volcano collapses) of an exceedingly ancient volcano of extraordinary magnitude. Modern surveys show that its centre is now rising. Sometime in the

next 200 million years, Yellowstone could erupt again, and when it does, the whole world will be transformed. Yellowstone could erupt tomorrow. But there’s a very

good chance that it will give us another million years, and that surely is enough to be going on with. It seems sensible to assume that this will be the ease.

The universe at large is dangerous, too: in particular, we share the sky with vast numbers of asteroids, and every now and again, they come into our

planet’s atmosphere. An asteroid the size of a small island, hitting the Earth at 15,000 kilometres an hour (a relatively modest speed by the standards of heavenly 6

bodies), would strike the ocean bed like a rock in a puddle, send a tidal wave around the world as high as a small mountain and as fast as a jumbo jet, and propel us

into an ice age that could last for centuries. There are plans to head off such disasters (including rockets to push approaching asteroids into new trajectories), but in

truth it’s down to luck. On the other hand, the archaeological and the fossil evidence shows that no truly devastating asteroid has struck since the one that seems to

have accounted for the extinction of the dinosaurs 65 million years ago. So again, there seems no immediate reason for despair. The Earth is indeed an uncertain place,

in an uncertain universe, but with average luck, it should do us well enough. If the world does become inhospitable in the next few thousand or million years, then it

will probably be our own fault. In short, despite the underlying uncertainly, our own future and that of our fellow creatures is very much in our own hands.

Given average luck on the geological and the cosmic scale, the difference between glory and disaster will be made, and is being made, by politics. Certain

kinds of political systems and strategies would predispose us to long-term survival (and indeed to comfort and security and the pleasure of being alive), while others

would take us more and more frenetically towards collapse. The broad point is, though, that we need to look at ourselves – humanity – and at the world in general in a

quite new light. Our material problems are fundamentally those of biology. We need to think, and we need our politicians to think, biologically. Do that, and take the

ideas seriously, and we are in with a chance. Ignore biology and we and our fellow creatures haven’t a hope.

For questions 76-81, decide whether the following statements are True (T), False (F) or Not Given (NG). Write your answers in the corresponding numbered

boxes provided on the answer sheet.

76. It seems inevitable that some species will disappear.

77. The nature of the Earth and human biology make it impossible for human beings to survive another million years.

78. An eruption by Yellowstone is likely to be more destructive than previous volcanic eruptions.

79. There is a greater chance of the Earth being bit by small asteroids than by large ones.

80. If the world becomes uninhabitable, it is likely to be as a result of a natural disaster.

81. Politicians currently in power seem unlikely to change their way of thinking.

For questions 82-88, write NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS taken front the passage to complete the following paragraph. Write your answers in the corres -

ponding numbered boxes provided on the answer sheet.

The Earth could become uninhabitable, like other planets, through a major change in the (82) ______________. Volcanic eruptions of (83) ______________ can lead

to shortages of (84) ______________ in a wide area. An asteroid hitting the Earth could create a (85) ______________. that would result in a new (86)

______________. Plans are being made to use (87) ______________ to deflect asteroids heading for the Earth.

88. Choose the correct letter, A, B, C or D.

What is the writer’s purpose in the reading passage?

A. to propose a new theory about the causes of natural disasters

B. to prove that generally held beliefs about the future are mistaken

C. to present a range of opinions currently held by scientists

D. to argue the need for a general change in behaviour

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Part 4: In the passage below, seven paragraphs have been removed. For questions 89 – 95, 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 on the answer sheet. (7

points)

Freddy's Flight

It was a Sunday afternoon in June of 1936, the day after her graduation from high school, and Freddy was off alone on a cross-country flight, the longest she had ever

made, from Dry Springs to San Luis Obispo and back. The most direct route lay north, over Big Pine Mountain In the San Rafael Range, across the valley to the east of

Santa Maria, past the Twitchell Reservoir, and over the Arroyo Grande, directly Into the airport at San Luis.

89

Pinpoint accuracy and precision in this department was, once you could fly, the next essential key to becoming a true pilot it wasn't as mysterious, Freddy thought, as

she'd first expected it would be. Basically, it meant flying with a knowledge of where she was at all times, knowledge gained by constantly reading the earth and its

landmarks, instantly comparing that knowledge with the chart on her knee and resolutely staying on the magnetic compass headings she decided on before she set out.

90

As she passed over the little town of Ojal, which was exactly where It should be, Freddy allowed her mind to tum to the future. Starting tomorrow, she would begin her

summer job, working six days a week at the Van de Kamp bakery at Beverly and Western. The chain of bakeries owned a hundred windmill-shaped shops all over Los

Angeles. Her job began at six In the morning, when the bakery opened, and ended at two in the afternoon, when the next shift took over.

91

Freddy groaned. Her destiny was obviously bound to selling cookies and cakes, which she loathed but these sweet things were one of the few businesses that seemed to

be doing well in these hard times. Still, daily suffocation in the smell of warm sugar became a minor matter when it meant money for her summer flying time and

enough left over to begin, only to begin, worse luck, to save for a down-payment on a plane.

92

She was determined to own her own plane. Even the cheapest of the leading low-priced planes, the Taylor, the Porterfield Zephyr, and the Aeronanca Highwing, each

cost a fortune. Her sister, Delphine, had received a new car for her eighteenth birthday, and all her friends had said how lucky she was. In car terms wanting to buy an

inexpensive aeroplane was like wanting to own a Packard, the most expensive car in the country. Obviously, she had to find a second-hand machine that she could put

into shape, on terms that would let her pay for it over a long time.

93

She knew that she didn't stand a chance in any of the speed dashes that covered a short distance, with the planes going full out. Only planes of far greater horsepower

than one she could dream of owning stood a chance in the various speed competitions, and then, only when they were flown by pilots with greater experience. During

the past few years, Interest in speed flying had grown so rapidly that some records only stood for a few days before another pilot managed to surpass them.

94

Now that was more like real flying. Freddy brooded. Sometimes she felt that she'd been born too late, and everything worthwhile in flying terms had already been

done. Amy Johnson had flown a smaller and far less powerful plane than this Ryan more than halfway round the world eight years earlier, and where was she, Freddy,

but right on course over the Twitchell Reservoir, a lousy man-made body of water, not an ocean or a sea or even a big river? At this rate she'd never get out of Califor -

nia!

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 95

She couldn't help the way she felt about flying, but all this made it such an expensive passion. Wasn't there someone somewhere who would like to advance the cause

of American aviation by paying her bills? No, there was not, Freddy answered herself, the great days of the pioneers were past. Well, she might be too late for fame,

but there had to be something left to do, and she was going to find it!

A. Her father had given her a string of real pearls for graduation, but her mother, bless her, had come through with hard cash. The pearls were the first valuable jew -

ellery Freddy had ever owned. Maybe, she speculated, she could pawn them."

B. Freddy cautiously put the plane into a dive, and as soon as she'd reached a proper speed, she began to pull the hose of the plane upward. Gradually, she pushed the

throttle until it was fully advanced. What bills, after hours of meticulous navigation, to make this final rushing, heart-pounding leap into the sky.

C. A far easier Idea would have been to simply follow the coast north and tum east at Pismo Beach. But that wouldn't have given her any practice in navigation, and

during the months she'd been working with Mac toward her private pilot's license, which she obtained just over a month ago, Freddy had been studying navigation as

hard as she could.

D. Because of the inconvenient hours, she would be well-paid-twenty-five dollars a week, as much as a trained secretary could hope to make. To Freddy, It meant that

she would be able to fly several afternoons a week as well as on weekends.

E. At the small airport, Freddy ate the sandwich lunch she'd brought along, and had the plane refilled, anxiously noting the price of aviation fuel. Her mother paid for

the insurance, without which she wouldn't have been able to continue to fly, but Freddy had to pay for fuel herself.

F. However, there were cross-country races held around the Los Angeles area, in which planes flew from one refuelling stop to another, toward a goal that might be

hundreds of kilometres away. Each plane carried a handicap, based on its own best possible performance, so that the winner was the pilot who flew the smartest race,

the most precise plot, the most resourceful pilot-and sometimes the luckiest.

G. This was crucial as winds aloft could push a plane off course in a few minutes of inattention, so Freddy watched with vigilance for checkpoints on the ground that

should be coming up on the right, to the left or directly underneath her wings. If there was the slightest deviation, she immediately made a correction for the wind.

H. If she didn't own a plane of her own, Freddy asked herself, spying the peak of Big Pine Mountain right on course, and beginning to gain altitude, what future was

there for her in flying? Or, more precisely, in racing.

Part 5: For questions 96 - 105, you are going to read an article about an art exhibition that focuses on the subject of whether paintings are authentic or fake. An -

swer the questions by choosing from the sections of the article (A - F). The sections may be chosen more than once. (15 points)

Far-flung Adventures

Isla Perkins speaks to five travel writers to discover their most memorable travel experience.

A. Ethan Simmons

I've been on a fair few trips, not all of them easy, but when I think back to one trip that really stands out for me, it has to be my overnight adventure in the

depths of the jungle. It was probably a memorable experience for numerous reasons, not least because it tested my courage! Fortunately, and crucially, a guide was at

our disposal to deal with any eventualities that might occur or, at least, keep us alive! I felt completely at his mercy and, undoubtedly, we'd have been toast if it hadn't

been for him. Of those memorable 36 hours, the highlights included being bitten by fire ants and chased by a monkey, and to top it off, we slept amongst it all, albeit

with one eye open! My overwhelming recollection, though, is what a feast for my senses the jungle was - at night it is like an orchestra of the natural world.

B. Ruth Gonzalez

My most memorable experience occurred when I was a fearless teen on a long-distance bus, travelling solo with a little cash in my bag and my bank card

in my sock for safekeeping. However, during the journey I had the paralysing realization that my sock felt suspiciously light, and a panicked fumble through my be -

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longings confirmed what I'd dreaded - my card was nowhere to be seen. The fear spread through me, and before I knew it I'd burst into tears, making quite a scene that

all the passengers witnessed! It was at this point I became aware of a suspicious-looking woman, stealing hidden glances at me and whispering to someone on her mo -

bile in a language I didn't understand. The horror continued when I alighted, and she grabbed my wrist and started dragging me towards a strange man! However, con -

trary to my rather dark suspicions, the man told me his mother was worried about me but spoke no English, and they proceeded to go out of their way to make sure I

was safe and calm, even taking me to the Embassy! Perhaps I should be more trusting in the future.

C. Shelly Cooper

I’ve been at the mercy of a whole host of airline hassles when travelling, but none was more memorable than the flight complications I had over my 21"

birthday. I was returning from Australia to the UK, but blizzards had caused havoc in the UK leading to a standstill for most flights bound that way, I truly felt I'd won

the lottery when they announced that we could take off, but little did I know we'd be stuck on the tarmac at our refuelling point in Bangkok, the city that indirectly

played host to my birthday. I passed the time with four strangers on the plane, all of whom were travelling solo like me, and it was one of the most rewarding moments

of my life as we came together from four different corners of the world to communicate in the little shared English that we had, and to form friendships that are still

lasting to this day. And the most priceless part of all? I married one of them!

D. Taisa Vasilyev

I used to treat people who took two weeks to go and lay on a beach with contempt, considering them to be unadventurous and uncultured, but my recent

trek across the Grand Canyon, world-famous for its jaw dropping landscape, has made me think twice. I'd decided to go it alone, and while on a deserted path, teetering

on a rock trying to get some shots of an eagle circling in the sky, I slipped and ended up with my foot jammed between two rocks. After some wriggling around I real -

ised that it was stuck fast. Of course, as a seasoned adventurer I was prepared for such eventualities and so grabbed my mobile to call for help, only to see I had no re -

ception. That will teach me for going off the beaten track! I had no choice but to spend the night out there on the rocks, waiting for help and imagining the worst, until

a couple came past early next morning. In the future, I think I'll stick to an all-inclusive hotel!

E. Teresa Small

I was inter-railing around Europe, and it was great, if nothing out of the ordinary, at least until I got to Greece. From the moment I alighted from the train

in Athens I noticed a different air around me. I wondered if it was paranoia, but I got the sense that people were giving me furtive glances, and I noticed hushed whis -

pers that I suspected were made in my direction. I couldn't put my finger on it exactly, but I had a hunch that something wasn't right, and that I was at the centre of it. I

spent a good half day feeling like that until I got on a boat to Naxos and someone asked me for an autograph. They say everyone has a double and it turns out mine is a

famous Greek soap opera star! Once I realised this, I revelled in the attention, causing a stir wherever I went and even signing the odd autograph, even though I wasn't

the real deal! After all, who doesn't want to feel special once in a while?

Which travel writer

96. had their luck initially changed for the worse?

97. eventually put aside their prejudices?

98. learned not to jump to conclusions?

99. was filled with apprehension about a fellow passenger?

100. felt like they were the odd one out?

101. was in awe of their surroundings?

102. made the most of their resemblance to a celebrity?

103. successfully overcame the language barrier?

104. was attacked by insects?

105. thought they were ready for anything?

D. WRITING (60 points)

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Part 1. Read the following passage and summarize in 100-120 words. (15 points)

As more and more countries around the globe move towards industrialization in an attempt to compete in the global market, an environmental crisis over deforestation

– the cutting down, burning and general damaging of forests – is looming for mankind. Over the last several decades, environmental specialists have proposed various

strategies aimed at slowing down this process of deforestation in developing countries. Many of these proposals are indeed valuable ideas in that they are realistic at-

tempts to address some of the causes of deforestation, such as farming, cattle ranching, and commercial logging. All of them rely on government involvement of some

kind.

There are three broad categories of solutions: state economic policies, internal agreements, and international programs. Economic policies generally attempt to limit the

activity of small farmers through government actions. Government actions can include the clear and proper definition and enforcement of property rights, meaning that

squatting, or illegally settling on land, would be more difficult. Subsidies can be used to encourage conservation. That is, money may be paid to supplement the in-

come of those farmers who make an effort to reduce the usual amount of damage to the forest that their farms cause. In addition, taxes can act as a deterrent to unde-

sirable land use. For example, certain kinds of agriculture, like the slash-and-burn method, as well as cattle ranching, may be taxed to discourage these activities.

An internal agreement may be made between governments and indigenous or native people living in the moist rainforests and open woodlands of the tropics, where the

vast majority of this deforestation is occurring. Such an agreement would allow people to carry on traditional activities adapted for some economic benefit. One ex-

ample is the rubber-tappers in Brazil. These native people draw sap from rubber trees in the rainforest, without damaging or killing the trees. The sap, in turn, is sold

to rubber companies, thereby providing the native people with economic benefits.

Finally, international agreements usually involve the exchange of monetary aid in return for government action to protect its forests. One such plan seeks to help play

a nation’s debt in exchange for restrictions on certain kinds of activities in rainforests. This is appealing for a poor country such as Brazil, which has an international

debt of $160 billion. Instead of selling logging concessions to play down that obligation, the government receives money for banning or restricting logging in its

forests. There is also the proposal of a global fund created in order to grant money to countries that choose to protect their environments.

While all of these ideas could possibly work, it remains to be seen whether there will be any real progress in rainforest conservation.

Part 2. (15 points)

The graph and chart below give information on the average daily maximum and minimum temperatures in degrees Celsius and the average number of days with

rainfall each month for two Australian cities.

Summarize the information by selecting and reporting the main features and make comparisons where relevant. (15 points)

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Part 3. (30 points)

Technology development has enriched and facilitated our everyday life with hundreds of applications (apps), thus offering plenty of job opportunities to

menial workers.

“From superficial look, such jobs substantially satisfy social demands, but they, in fact, retard both economic and cultural development”

Are you in support of or in opposition to this idea?

Give reasons and relevant examples to support your answer. You should write at least 350 words.

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