Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to indicate the correct word or phrase that best fits each of the numbered blanks.

Teenagers today live in a very competitive world. It is (23)……………important than ever to succeed at school if you hope to (24 )…….. a chance in the job market afterwards. It’s no wonder that many young people worry (25)………...letting down their parents, their peers and themselves. To try to please everyone, they take on too (26)…………….tasks until it becomes harder and harder to balance homework assignments, parties, sports activities and friends. The result is that young people (27)…………from stress.

Question 25:...................

Read the following passage and choose the best option from 46 to 51 to complete it.      

WEATHER

        Weather influences the lives of everyone. The climate of any country depends on its position on earth, its (46)………….from the sea, and how high it is. In countries which have sea all around them, like Britain and New- Zealand, winters are mild, and summers are cool. There is not a huge change from one season to (47)………….. Countries near the Equator have hot weather all year with some hard rain, except in deserts where it rains (48)………….little. Above the desert, there are no clouds in the sky so the light of the sun can easily warm the ground during the day but it gets very cold at night. People are not always (49)………….in unusual weather. Strong winds and rain can (50)…………. a lot of damage to buildings and in spite of modern tools of weather forecasting, they can (51)…………. surprise us.

49_________

Read the text below and decide which answer (A, B, C, or D) best fits each space. 

Many parents believe that they should begin to teach their (1) ______ to read when they are more than toddlers. This is fine if the child shows a real interest but (2) _____  a child could be counter-productive if she isn’t ready. Wise parents will have a relaxed attitude and take the (3) _____ from their child. What they should provide is a selection of (4) _____ toys, books, and other activities. Nowadays, there is plenty of good (5) _____ available for young children, and of course, seeing plenty of books in use about the house will also (6) _____ them to read.

Of course, books are no longer the only (7) ______ of stories and information. (8) _____  is also a huge range of videos, which can reinforce and extend the pleasure a child finds in a book and are (9) _______ valuable in helping to increase vocabulary and concentration. Television gets a bad (10) _______ as far as children are concerned, mainly because too many spend too much time watching programs not intended for their age group.

3_________

Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to indicate the correct word or phrase that best fits each of the numbered blanks

I’m fascinated (23) __________ traditional handicrafts. At weekends, I usually go to Bat Trang where I was born. It’s a (24) __________ village not far from Ha Noi center. My uncle and my aunt  still live in Bat Trang and they own a big workshop there. In fact, my grandparents (25) __________ that workshop and some years ago, my uncle and my aunt (26) __________ the business because my grandparents are very old. My grandfather is a well-known artisan in the village. Every time I go there, he teaches me how (27) __________ things from clay such as pots, vase and bowls.

Question 23: .....................

 Read the passage and decide which answer A, B, C or D best fits each space.
I live in a small village (1) ………… Henfield – there are about 500 people here. I love it because it is (2) ………….. and life is slow and easy. You never (3) …….. queue in shops or banks. The village is clean – people (4) ……………….. it and don’t throw their rubbish in the streets. The air is also (5) ………………………..because there’s not much heavy traffic. It’s much more (6) …………….. here than in a city. Everyone knows everyone and (7) ………………. someone has a problem, there are always people who can help. There are (8) ……………….. things I don’t like about Henfield. One thing is that there is not much (9) ……………………  in the evening – we haven’t got any cinemas or theaters. Another problem is that people always talk about (10) …………… and everyone knows what everyone else is doing. But I still prefer village life to life in a big city.

5.......................

Read and complete the  passage below

 New York – The “ Big Apple”. Our arrival in New York was spectacular. It’s skyscrapers and the Statue of Liberty make a (1)_______sight. New York has a (2) _______of over seven million and it is probably the world’s most famous city. The inhabitants of the “Big Apple” come from many (3) ______ countries. There are more nationalities in New York (4) _________in any other places on the earth. It is also has (5) _______ tourists than any other city except London, especially in the summer. (6) _______come from all (7) _________the world and have a wonderful time. There are so many (8) ________for them to get enthusiastic about – whether it’s some of the (9) _______museums in the world or the (10) _______little streets of Greenwich Village.

(6) _______come from all

Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to indicate the correct answer to each of the questions.

MY HOME TOWN

I was born in Newcastle, a city in the North East of England. Newcastle is on the bank of the River Tyne. It is a quite big city of about 200,000 inhabit­ants. There is a cathedral and a university. There are five bridges over the River Tyne, which link Newcastle to the next town, Gateshead, where there is one of the biggest shopping centres in the world, the Metro Centre.

A few years ago, the main industries were shipbuilding and coal mining, but now the chemical and soap industries are important.

I moved from Newcastle ten years ago but I often return. I miss the people, who are so warm and friendly, and I miss the wild, beautiful countryside near the city, where there are so many hills and streams.

Newcastle is ………………………………………………

Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to indicate the correct answer to each of the questions.

    It is often considered that the schoolyard is where bullies go to make other kids a miserable school life, but a new study suggests that classrooms are another popular place.

    The study, presented recently at the American Public Health Association’s yearly meeting in Philadelphia, is based on the results of the research from more than 10,000 middle school students who answered questions online.

    Of those researched, 43% said they’d been physically bullied within the last month. A bit more than half said they had been laughed at in an unfriendly way, and half reported being called hurtful names. About one third said groups had excluded them to hurt their feelings. 28% said their belongings had been taken or broken; 21% said someone had threatened to hurt them. According to the results, two-thirds of the students said they had been bullied in more than one way over the previous month.

 The study authors mentioned that 8% of the students who answered said they had missed school at least once during the school year because of fear of being bullied, 25% said they had taken other actions, such as missing recess, not going to the bathroom or lunch, missing classes, or staying away from some area of the school to escape from experiencing a bully. Bullies did too much to the school life.

The  underlined phrase “laughed at” in the passage is closest in meaning to_________.

Everybody is looking ......................... to a better life. In the new year's eve, children are smartly dressed

Read the following passage and decide which options A, B, C, D best fits each space.  
Jack London (1876 – 1916) is an American writer whose work combined powerful realism and humanitarian sentiment. He was (0) ........ in San Francisco. After finishing grammar (1) ..........., Jack London worked at various jobs and in 1897 and 1898 he participated (2)........... the Alaska Gold Rush. Upon his return to the San Francisco area, he began to (19) ............ about his experiences. A collection of his short stories, The Son of the Golf, was (3) ............ in 1900. Jack’s colourful life, during which he wrote more than 50 books and which included enormous popular successes as an (4) .........., ended in his suicide at the (5) ........... of 40. Many of his stories including his masterpiece The Call of the Wild deal with the reversion of a civilized creature to the primitive state. Jack London’s style – brutal, vivid and exciting – (5) ........... him enormously popular outside the United States; His (7) ........ were translated into many languages. Jack’s important works include People of the Abyss about the poor in London; the Sea Wolf, a novel based on the author’s experiences on a seal hunting ship; John Barleycorn , an autobiographical novel about Jack’s struggle (8)............. alcoholism

Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to indicate the correct answer to each of the questions.

MY HOME TOWN

I was born in Newcastle, a city in the North East of England. Newcastle is on the bank of the River Tyne. It is a quite big city of about 200,000 inhabit­ants. There is a cathedral and a university. There are five bridges over the River Tyne, which link Newcastle to the next town, Gateshead, where there is one of the biggest shopping centres in the world, the Metro Centre.

A few years ago, the main industries were shipbuilding and coal mining, but now the chemical and soap industries are important.

I moved from Newcastle ten years ago but I often return. I miss the people, who are so warm and friendly, and I miss the wild, beautiful countryside near the city, where there are so many hills and streams.

According to the passage, the writer………………………

Read the passage, and choose the correct answer A, B, C or D for each question.
Although you may think you are too young to worry about your future career, it is important that you start thinking about your life after high school right now so that you can take the steps necessary to any career you may choose. Some of these steps include choosing the right high school, enrolling in the necessary courses, earning good grades, getting work experience and building a resume. It can seem overwhelming trying to choose a career before you complete high school, but always keep in mind that it is never too late to change your career path and no one says you have to decide now. There are lots of different factors that go into choosing a career path. To determine the occupation you want to enter, you need to consider your interests, how long you want to be in school, how much money you want to make, the type of work you want to do, the potential for job growth and job trends in the industry - sounds like a lot, but that is just the tip of the iceberg. Each day you make many decisions - what to wear, who to hang out with, how to spend your time after school. Some of the decisions you make today can affect you for the rest of your life. Once you have figured out the things you like to do and the things you do well, you can begin exploring careers that include your interests and skills. Make a plan from the beginning, and once you have a plan, work the plan. Do the steps along the way each year to keep on track toward graduation and higher education.
2. At high school, you can do all of the following things to prepare for your future career EXCEPT _____________

Read and complete the  passage below

 New York – The “ Big Apple”. Our arrival in New York was spectacular. It’s skyscrapers and the Statue of Liberty make a (1)_______sight. New York has a (2) _______of over seven million and it is probably the world’s most famous city. The inhabitants of the “Big Apple” come from many (3) ______ countries. There are more nationalities in New York (4) _________in any other places on the earth. It is also has (5) _______ tourists than any other city except London, especially in the summer. (6) _______come from all (7) _________the world and have a wonderful time. There are so many (8) ________for them to get enthusiastic about – whether it’s some of the (9) _______museums in the world or the (10) _______little streets of Greenwich Village.

It is also has (5) _______ tourists than any other city except London, 

Read the following passage and choose the best answers.

New York – The “ Big Apple”

Our arrival in New York was spectacular. It’s skyscrapers and the Statue of Liberty make a (1)_______sight. New York has a (2) _______of over seven million and it is probably the world’s most famous city. The inhabitants of the “Big Apple” come from many (3) ______ countries. There are more nationalities in New York (4) _________in any other places on the earth. It is also has (5) _______ tourists than any other city except London, especially in the summer. (6) _______come from all (7) _________the world and have a wonderful time. There are so many (8) ________for them to get enthusiastic about – whether it’s some of the (9) _______museums in the world or the (10) _______little streets of Greenwich Village.

Question: or the (10) _______little streets of Greenwich Village.

 Read the passage and decide which answer A, B, C or D best fits each space.
I live in a small village (1) ………… Henfield – there are about 500 people here. I love it because it is (2) ………….. and life is slow and easy. You never (3) …….. queue in shops or banks. The village is clean – people (4) ……………….. it and don’t throw their rubbish in the streets. The air is also (5) ………………………..because there’s not much heavy traffic. It’s much more (6) …………….. here than in a city. Everyone knows everyone and (7) ………………. someone has a problem, there are always people who can help. There are (8) ……………….. things I don’t like about Henfield. One thing is that there is not much (9) ……………………  in the evening – we haven’t got any cinemas or theaters. Another problem is that people always talk about (10) …………… and everyone knows what everyone else is doing. But I still prefer village life to life in a big city.

6.......................

Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to indicate the correct word or phrase that best fits each of the numbered blanks.

Teenagers today live in a very competitive world. It is (23)……………important than ever to succeed at school if you hope to (24 )…….. a chance in the job market afterwards. It’s no wonder that many young people worry (25)………...letting down their parents, their peers and themselves. To try to please everyone, they take on too (26)…………….tasks until it becomes harder and harder to balance homework assignments, parties, sports activities and friends. The result is that young people (27)…………from stress.

Question 27: ..................

Decide whether the following statements are True (T) or False (F).

Thailand, located in the Southeast of Asia, has a total area of 513,115 sq km. It is bordered by the countries Laos in the Northeast, Cambodia in the Southeast and Malaysia in the South. The total population is about 65.5 million in 2010. Bangkok, the most populous city, is the capital of Thailand. The country’s unit of currency is the Baht, which consists of 100 Satang.

The country enjoys a tropical monsoon climate, and there are differences between the weather in the North and the South. The Northern Thai have three seasons in a year, hot from March to May, rainy from June to October, and cool from November to February. The Southern Thai have only two seasons, rainy from April to November and hot from December to March.

The national language is Thai. English is also spoken and understood by many citizens, especially in Bangkok and other tourism areas. Although Thailand has no official religion, up to 96.4% people (2002) believe in Buddhism. Additionally, there are followers of some other religions such as Muslims, Hinduism and Christianity.

 Buddihsm is the official religion in Thailand.

Read the following passage and choose the correct answer A, B, C, or D. 
It is often said that books are always a good friend and reading is an active mental process. Unlike TV, books make you use your brain. By reading, you think more and become smarter. Reading improves concentration and focus. Reading books takes brainpower. It requires you to focus on what you are reading for long periods. Unlike magazines, Internet posts or e-emails might contain small pieces of information. Books tell the whole story. Since you must concentrate in order to read, you will get better at concentration. Many studies show if you do not use your memory, you lose it. Reading helps you stretch your memory muscles. Reading requires remembering details, facts, and figures and in literature, plot lines, themes, and characters.

Reading is a good way to improve your vocabulary. Do you remember that when you were in elementary school you learned how to infer the meaning of one word by reading the context of the other words in the sentence? While reading books, especially challenging ones, you will find yourself exposed to many new words.

Reading is a fundamental skill builder. Every good course has a matching book to go with it. Why? Because books help clarify difficult subjects. Books provide information that goes deeper than just classroom discussions. By reading more books, you become better informed and more of an expert on the topics you read about. This expertise translates into a higher self-esteem. Since you are so well-read, people look to you for answers. Your feelings about yourself can only get better.

Books give you knowledge of other cultures and places. The more information you have got, the richer your knowledge is. Books can expand your horizons by letting you see what other cities and countries have to offer before you visit them.

Books have great influence on ________.\

Read the following passage and decide which options A, B, C, D best fits each space.  
Over the past 600 years, English has grown from a language of few speakers to become the dominant language of international communication. English as we know it today emerged around 1350, after having incorporated many elements of French that were introduced following the Norman invasion of 1066. Until the 1600s, English was, for the most part, spoken only in England and had not extended even as far as Wales, Scotland, or Ireland. However, during the course of the next two centuries, English began to spread around the globe as a result of exploration, trade (including slave trade), colonization, and missionary work. Thus, small enclaves of English speakers became established and grew in various parts of the world. As these communities proliferated, English gradually became the primary language of international business, banking, and diplomacy.
Currently, about 80 percent of the information stored on computer systems worldwide is in English. Two-thirds of the world’s science writing is in English, and English is the main language of technology, advertising, media, international airports, and air traffic controllers. Today there are more than 700 million English users in the world, and over half of these are nonnative speakers, constituting the largest number of nonnative users than any other language in the world. 
In the first paragraph, the word “elements” is closest in meaning to:

Read the following passage and choose the best answer: 

       The locations of stars in the sky relative to one another do not appear to the naked eye to change, and as a result, stars are often considered to be fixed in position. Many unaware stargazers falsely assume that each star has its own permanent home in the nighttime sky.

        In reality, though, stars are always moving, but because of their tremendous distances between stars themselves and from stars to Earth, the changes are barely perceptible here. An example of a rather fast-moving star demonstrates why this misconception prevails; it takes approximately two hundred years for a rapid star-like Bernard’s star to move a distance in the sky equal to the diameter of the Earth’s moon. When apparently negligible movement of the stars is contrasted with the movement of the planets, the stars are seemingly unmoving.

The passage following this passage most probably discusses “…………….”

Read the following passage then choose the best option.

 Computerization has changed high school education in many ways. In the early 1980s, only 20% of high school teachers in the US used computers. However, since then high schools in the US have computerized rapidly. In 1987, schools acquired about 1.5 million computers with 95% of the schools having at least one computer. At school, teachers can use a computer to bring texts, sound, and pictures into a classroom. With a computer, they can readily attract and retain students’ attention. Computers can also speed up the teaching process and make difficult-to-explain ideas straightforward. This means that teachers can spend more time answering students’ questions and catering to other needs. Computer software can shorten the learning process by illustrating real-world applications of abstract theories.

What is the main idea of the text?