50 CÂU HỎI
Quite different from storm surges are the giant sea waves called tsunamis, which derive their name from the Japanese expression for “high water in a harbor.” These waves are also referred to by the general public as tidal waves, although they have relatively little to do with tides. Scientists often referred to them as seismic sea waves, far more appropriate in that they do result from undersea seismic activity. Tsunamis are caused when the sea bottom suddenly moves, during an underwater earthquake or volcano for example, and the water above the moving earth is suddenly displaced. This sudden shift of water sets off a series of waves. These waves can travel great distances at speeds close to 700 kilometers per hour. In the open ocean, tsunamis have little noticeable amplitude, often no more than one or two meters. It is when they hit the shallow waters near the coast that they increase in height, possibly up to 40 meters. Tsunamis often occur in the Pacific because the Pacific is an area of heavy seismic activity. Two areas of the Pacific well accustomed to the threat of tsunamis are Japan and Hawaii. Because the seismic activity that causes tsunamis in Japan often occurs on the ocean bottom quite close to the islands, the tsunamis that hit Japan often come with little warning and can, therefore, prove disastrous. Most of the tsunamis that hit the Hawaiian Islands, however, originate thousands of miles away near the coast of Alaska, so these tsunamis have a much greater distance to travel and the inhabitants of Hawaii generally have time for warning of their imminent arrival. Tsunamis are certainly not limited to Japan and Hawaii. In 1755, Europe experienced a calamitous tsunami, when movement along the fault lines near the Azores caused a massive tsunami to sweep onto the Portuguese coast and flood the heavily populated area around Lisbon. The greatest tsunami on record occurred on the other side of the world in 1883 when the Krakatoa volcano underwent a massive explosion, sending waves more than 30 meters high onto nearby Indonesian islands; the tsunami from this volcano actually traveled around the world and was witnessed as far away as the English Channel. A main difference between tsunamis in Japan and in Hawaii is that tsunamis in Japan are more likely to _________ .
A. come from greater distances
B. originate in Alaska
C. arrive without warning
D. be less of a problem
A “calamitous” tsunami, in line 17, is one that is _________
A. disastrous
B. expected
C. extremely calm
D. at fault
From the expression “on record” in line 19, it can be inferred that the tsunami that accompanied the Krakatoa volcano ___________ .
A. was filmed as it was happening
B. occurred before efficient records were kept
C. was not as strong as the tsunami in Lisbon
D. might not be the greatest tsunami ever
The passage suggests that the tsunami resulting from the Krakatoa volcano .....
A. was unobserved outside of the Indonesian islands
B. resulted in little damage
C. was far more destructive close to the source than far away
D. caused volcanic explosions in the English Channel
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 A lot of advice is available for college leavers heading for their first job . In this article we consider the move to a second job . We are not concerned with those looking for a second temporary position while hunting for a permanent job . Nor are we concerned with those leaving an unsatisfactory job within the first few weeks . Instead , we will be dealing with those of you taking a real step on the career ladder , choosing a job to fit in with your ambitions now that you have learnt your way around , acquired some skills and have some idea of where you want to go . What sort of job should you look for ? Much depends on your long - term aim . You need to ask yourself whether you want to specialize in a particular field , work your way up to higher levels of responsibility or out of your current employment into a broader field . Whatever you decide, you should choose your second job very carefully. You should be aiming to stay in it for two or three years. This job will be studied very carefully when you send your letter of application for your next job. It should show evidence of serious career planning. Most important, it should extend you, develop you and give you increasing responsibility. Incidentally, if you are interested in traveling, now is the time to pack up and go. You can do temporary work for a while when you return, pick up where you left off and get the second job then. Future potential employers will be relieved to see that you have got it out of your system, and are not likely to go off again. Juliette Davidson spend her first year after leaving St. Aldate’s College working for three lawyers. It was the perfect first job in that “ OK ... they were very supportive people. I was gently introduced to the work, learnt my way around an office and improve my word processing skills. However, there was no scope for advancement. One day, I gave my notice, bought an air ticket and traveled for a year. Juliette now works as a Personal Assistant to Brenda Cleverdon, the Chief Executive of business in the Community. “In two and a half years I have become more able and my job has really grown, “ she says. “ Right from the beginning my boss was very keen to develop me. My job title is the same as it was when I started but the duties have changed. From mainly typing and telephone work, I have progressed to doing most of the correspondence and budgets. I also have to deal with a variety of queries, coming from chairmen of large companies to people wanting to know how to start their own business. Brenda involves me in all her work but also gives me specific projects to do and events to organize.” Who is intended to benefit from the advice given in the article?
A. students who have just finished their studies
B. people who are unhappy with their current job
C. those who are interested in establishing a career
D. people who change jobs regularly
According to the writer, why is the choice of your second job important?
A. It will affect your future job prospects.
B. It will last longer than your first job.
C. It will be difficult to change if you don’t like it.
D. It should give you the opportunity to study.
"It” in the passage refers to_______.
A. first job
B. second job
C. application
D. career
If you have a desire to travel, when does the writer suggest that you do it?
A. straight after you have left college
B. when you are unable to find a permanent job
C. after you have done some temporary work
D. between the first and second job
What does the phrase “you have got it out of your system” in passage mean?
A. You have planned your career sensibly.
B. You are an experienced traveler.
C. You have satisfied your wish to travel.
D. You have learned to look after yourself.
How did Juliette Davidson benefit from the experience of her first job?
A. It was good introduction to working in an office.
B. She met a variety of interesting people.
C. It enabled her to earn enough money to travel.
D. She learnt how to use a word processor.
In what way is Juliette’s current job better her first job?
A. She has more impressive job title.
B. She now know how to start her own business .
C. She has been able to extend her skills.
D. She is more involve in the community.
Facial expressions __________.
A. cannot convey emotions
B. cannot reinforce spoken words
C. can only express negative attitudes
D. can be either visible or fleeting
Gestures __________.
A. can do nothing with a conversation
B. can clarify the meaning of verbal messages an
C. may interrupt the flow of a conversation usual
D. can end a conversation more quickly than
According to the writer, “A picture is worth a thousand words” means __________
A. a picture of a face is more valuable than a thousand words
B. a picture is more important than a thousand words
C. facial gestures can convey a lot of meanings
D. he has just bought a picture with a thousand words on it
How many categories of facial expressions are mentioned?
A. 2
B. 3
C. 4
D. 5
A nod of the head from the teacher will likely ask his student to__________ what he is saying.
A. go on
B. give up
C. put off
D. throwaway
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 “Where is the university?” is a question many visitors to Cambridge ask, but no one can give them a clear answer, for there is no wall to be found around the university. The university is the city. You can find the classroom buildings, libraries, museums and offices of the university all over the city. And most of its members are the students and teachers or professors of the thirty-one colleges. Cambridge is already a developing town long before the first students and teachers arrived 800 years ago. It grew up by the river Granta, as the Cam was once called. A bridge was built over the river as early as 875. In the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries, more and more land was used for college buildings. The town grew faster in the nineteenth century after the opening of the railway in 1845. Cambridge became a city in 1951 and now it has the population of over 100000. Many young students want to study at Cambridge. Thousands of people from all over the world come to visit the university town. It has become a famous place all around the world. Why did people name Cambridge the “city of Cambridge”?
A. Because the river was very well-known.
B. Because there is a bridge over the Cam.
C. Because it was a developing town.
D. Because there is a river named Granta.
From what we read we know that now Cambridge is _______.
A. visited by international tourists
B. a city without wall
C. a city of growing population
D. a city that may have a wall around
Around what time did the university begin to appear?
A. In the 8th century
B. In the 13th century
C. In the 9th century
D. In the 15th century
Why do most visitors come to Cambridge?
A. To see the university
B. To study in the colleges in Cambridge
C. To find the classroom buildings
D. To use the libraries of the university
After which year did the town really begin developing?
A. 800
B. 875
C. 1845
D. 1951
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 When John Mills was going to fly in an aeroplane for the first time, he was frightened. He did not like the idea of being thousands of feet up in the air. “ I also didn‟t like the fact that I wouldn‟t be in control,” says John. “I‟m a terrible passenger in the car. When somebody else is driving, I tell them what to so. It drives everybody crazy.” However John couldn‟t avoid flying any longer. It was the only way he could visit his grandchildren in Canada. “I had made up my mind that I was going to do it, I couldn‟t let my son, his wife and their three children travel all the way here to visit me. It would be so expensive for them and I know Tom‟s business isn‟t doing so well at the moment – it would also be tiring for the children – it‟s a nine-hour flight!” he says. To get ready for the flight John did lots of reading about aeroplanes. When he booked his seat, he was told that he would be flying on a Boeing 747, which is better known as a jumbo jet. “I needed to know as much as possible before getting in that plane. I suppose it was a way of making myself feel better. The Boeing 747 is the largest passenger aircraft in the world at the moment. The first one flew on February 9th 1969 in the USA. It can carry up to 524 passengers and 3.400 pieces of luggage. The fuel for aeroplanes is kept in the wings and the 747’s wings are so big that they can carry enough fuel for an average car to be able to travel 16,000 kilometres a year for 70 years. Isn‟t that unbelievable? Even though I had discovered all this very interesting information about the jumbo, when I saw it for the first time, just before I was going to travel to Canada, I still couldn‟t believe that something so enormous was going to get up in the air and fly. I was even more impressed when I saw how big it was inside with hundreds of people!” The biggest surprise of all for John was the flight itself. “The take-off itself was much smoother than I expected although I was still quite scared until we were in the air. In the end, I managed to relax, enjoy the food and watch one of the movies and the view from the window was spectacular. I even managed to sleep for a while! Of course,” continues John, “the best reward of all was when I arrived in Canada and saw my son and his family, particularly my beautiful grandchildren. Suddenly, I felt so silly about all the years when I couldn‟t even think of getting on a plane. I had let my fear of living stop me from seeing the people I love most in the world. I can visit my son and family as often as I like now!” Why did John Mills fly in an aeroplane?
A. He wanted to go on holiday
B. He wanted to try it.
C. He wanted to see his family
D. He had to travel on business
Why did John read about aeroplane?
A. He wanted to know how they work.
B. It was his hobby.
C. It made him feel safer.
D. He had found a book on them.
What happened when he saw the jumbo jet for the first time?
A. He felt much safer.
B. He liked the shape of it.
C. He couldn‟t believe how big it was.
D. He thought the wings were very small.
How did John feel when the aeroplane was taking off?
A. excited
B. happy
C. sad
D. frightened
What surprised John most about the flight?
A. that he liked the food
B. that he was able to sleep
C. that there was a movie being shown
D. that the view was good
How did John feel about his fears in the end?
A. He thought he had wasted time being afraid.
B. He realized it was okay to be afraid.
C. He hoped his grandchildren weren‟t afraid of flying.
D. He realized that being afraid kept him safe.
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 Although noise, commonly defined as unwanted sound, is a widely recognized form of pollution, it is very difficult to measure because the discomfort experienced by different individuals is highly subjective and, therefore, variable. Exposure to lower levels of noise may be slightly irritating, whereas exposure to higher levels may actually cause hearing loss. Particularly in congested urban areas, the noise produced as a byproduct of our advancing technology causes physical and psychological harm, and detracts from the quality of life for those who are exposed to it. Unlike the eyes, which can be covered by the eyelids against strong light, the ear has no lid, and is, therefore, always open and vulnerable; noise penetrates without protection. Noise causes effects that the hearer cannot control and to which the body never becomes accustomed. Loud noises instinctively signal danger to any organism with a hearing mechanism, including human beings. In response, heartbeat and respiration accelerate, blood vessels constrict, the skin pales, and muscles tense. In fact, there is a general increase in functioning brought about by the flow of adrenaline released in response to fear, and some of these responses persist even longer than the noise, occasionally as long as thirty minutes after the sound has ceased. Because noise is unavoidable in a complex, industrial society, we are constantly responding in the same way that we would respond to danger. Recently, researchers have concluded that noise and our response may be much more than an annoyance. It may be a serious threat to physical and psychological health and well-being, causing damage not only to the ear and brain but also to the heart and stomach. We have long known that hearing loss is America‟s number one nonfatal health problem, but now we are learning that some of us with heart disease and ulcers may be victims of noise as well. Fetuses exposed to noise tend to be overactive, they cry easily, and they are more sensitive to gastrointestinal problems after birth. In addition, the psychic effect of noise is very important. Nervousness, irritability, tension, and anxiety increase affecting the quality of rest during sleep, and the efficiency of activities during waking hours, as well as the way that we interact with each other. Which of the following is the author‟s main point?
A. Hearing loss is America‟s number one nonfatal health problem.
B. Loud noises signal danger.
C. Noise may pose a serious threat to our physical and psychological health.
D. The ear is not like the eye.
According to the passage, what is noise?
A. A byproduct of technology.
B. Physical and psychological harm.
C. Congestion.
D. Unwanted sound
Why is noise difficult to measure?
A. All people do not respond to it in the same way
B. It causes hearing loss.
C. It is unwanted.
D. People become accustomed to it.
The word ‘congested’ in paragraph 1 could best be replaced by ___.
A. hazardous
B. crowded
C. polluted
D. rushed
The word it in the first paragraph refers to ___.
A. the quality of life
B. advancing technology
C. the noise
D. physical and psychological harm
According to the passage, people respond to loud noises in the same way that they respond to ___.
A. annoyance
B. danger
C. damage
D. disease
Look at the verb accelerate in paragraph 3. Which of the following is the closest in meaning to _____.
A. decrease
B. alter
C. increase
D. release
The phrase ‘as well as’ in paragraph 4 is closest in meaning to ___.
A. after all
B. instead
C. also
D. regardless
It can be inferred from the passage that the eye ___.
A. responds to fear
B. enjoys greater protection than the ear
C. increases functions
D. is damaged by noise
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 Herman Melville, an American author best known today for his novel Moby Dick, was actually more popular during his lifetime for some of his other works. He traveled extensively and used the knowledge gained during his travels as the basis for his early novels. In 1837, at the age of eighteen, Melville signed as a cabin boy on a merchant ship that was to sail from his Massachusetts home to Liverpool, England. His experiences on this trip served as a basis for the novel Redburn (1849). In 1841 Melville set out on a whaling ship headed for the South Seas. After jumping ship in Tahiti, he wandered around the islands of Tahiti and Moorea. This South Sea island sojourn was a backdrop to the novel Omoo (1847). After three years away from home, Melville joined up with a U.S. naval frigate that was returning to the eastern United States around Cape Horn. The novel White-Jacket (1850) describes this lengthy voyage as a navy seaman. With the publication of these early adventure novels, Melville developed a strong and loyal following among readers eager for his tales of exotic places and situations. However, in 1851, with the publication of Moby Dick, Melville's popularity started to diminish. Moby Dick, on one level the saga of the hunt for the great white whale, was also a heavily symbolic allegory of the heroic struggle of man against the universe. The public was not ready for Melville's literary metamorphosis from romantic adventure to philosophical symbolism. It is ironic that the novel that served to diminish Melville's popularity during his lifetime is the one for which he is best known today. The main subject of the passage is_________.
A. Melville’s travels
B. Moby Dick
C. Melville’s personal background
D. the popularity of Melville’s novels.
The word “basis” in paragraph 1 is closest in meaning to_________.
A. background
B. message
C. bottom
D. dissertation
According to the passage, Melville’s early novels were__________.
A. published while he was traveling
B. completely fictional
C. all about his work on whaling ships
D. based on his travel experience
The passage implies that Melville stayed in Tahiti because____________.
A. he had unofficially left his ship
B. he was on leave while his ship was in port
C. he had finished his term of duty
D. he had received permission to take a vacation in Tahiti
How did the publication of Moby Dick affect Melville’s popularity?
A. His popularity remained as strong as ever.
B. It caused his popularity to decrease.
C. His popularity increased immediately.
D. It had no effect on his popularity.
According to the passage, Moby Dick is__________.
A. symbolic of humanity fighting the universe
B. a single-faceted work
C. a short story about a whale
D. a 47 adventure
In what year did Melville’s book about his experiences as a cabin boy appear?
A. 1849
B. 1837
C. 1847
D. 1841
The word “metamorphosis” in paragraph 2 is closest in meaning to_________.
A. descent
B. circle
C. mysticism
D. change
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 The handling and delivery of mail has always been a serious business, underpinned by the trust of the public in requiring timeliness, safety, and confidentiality. After early beginnings using horseback and stagecoach, and although cars and trucks later replaced stagecoaches and wagons, the Railway Mail Service still stands as one of America’s most resourceful and exciting postal innovations. This service began in 1832, but grew slowly until the Civil War. Then from 1862, by sorting the mail on board moving trains, the Post Office Department was able to decentralize its operations as railroads began to crisscross the nation on a regular basis, and speed up mail delivery. This service lasted until 1974. During peak decades of service, railway mail clerks handled 93% of all non-local mail and by 1905 the service had over 12,000 employees. Railway Post Office trains used a system of mail cranes to exchange mail at stations without stopping. As a train approached the crane, a clerk prepared the catcher arm which would then snatch the incoming mailbag in the blink of an eye. The clerk then booted out the outgoing mailbag. Experienced clerks were considered the elite of the Postal Service’s employees, and spoke with pride of making the switch at night with nothing but the curves and feel of the track to warn them of an upcoming catch. They also worked under the greatest pressure and their jobs were considered to be exhausting and dangerous. In addition to regular demands of their jobs they could find themselves the victims of train wrecks and robberies. As successful as it was, “mail-on-the-fly” still had its share of glitches. If they hoisted the train’s catcher arm too soon, they risked hitting switch targets, telegraph poles or semaphores, which would rip the catcher arm off the train. Too late, and they would miss an exchange. Which of the following can be inferred from the first paragraph?
A. There was a high turnover of railway mail clerks.
B. The development of the mail roads during the second half of the 19th century enabled Post Office Department to focus on timeliness.
C. The Post Office Department was more concerned about speeding up mail delivery than the safety of its clerks.
D. Mail was often lost or damaged as it was exchanged on the mail crane.
The word “elite” in the second paragraph is closest in meaning to___________.
A. majority
B. superior
C. more capable
D. leader
What does the passage mainly discuss?
A. How the mail cranes exchanged the mail.
B. Improvements in mail handling and delivery.
C. How Post Office Trains handled the mail without stopping.
D. The skills of experienced clerks.
According to the passage, the Railway Mail Service commenced in_________.
A. 1874
B. 1842
C. 1832
D. 1905
The word “glitches” in the third paragraph can be replaced by________.
A. accidents
B. blames
C. advantages
D. problems
Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?
A. The clerk booted out the outgoing mailbag before snatching the incoming bag.
B. Clerks couldn’t often see what they were doing.
C. The Railway Mail clerk’s job was considered elite because it was safe and exciting.
D. Despite their success, railway mail clerks only handled a small proportion of all non-local mail.
