Reading Passage 1: Manatees

Manatees, also known as sea cows, are aquatic mammals that belong to a group of animals called
Sirenia. This group also contains dugongs. Dugongs and manatees look quite alike - they are similar in
size, colour and shape, and both have flexible flippers for forelimbs. However, the manatee has a
broad, rounded tail, whereas the dugong's is fluked, like that of a whale. There are three species of
manatees: the West Indian manatee (Trichechus manatus), the African manatee (Trichechus
senegalensis) and the Amazonian manatee (Trichechus inunguis).

Unlike most mammals, manatees have only six bones in their neck - most others, including humans
and giraffes, have seven. This short neck allows a manatee to move its head up and down, but not
side to side. To see something on its left or its right, a manatee must turn its entire body, steering with
its flippers. Manatees have pectoral flippers but no back limbs, only a tail for propulsion. They do have
pelvic bones, however a leftover from their evolution from a four-legged to a fully aquatic animal.
Manatees share some visual similarities to elephants. Like elephants, manatees have thick, wrinkled
skin. They also have some hairs covering their bodies which help them sense vibrations in the water
around them.
Seagrasses and other marine plants make up most of a manatee's diet. Manatees spend about eight
hours each day grazing and uprooting plants. They eat up to 15% of their weight in food each day.
African manatees are omnivorous - studies have shown that molluscs and fish make up a small part of
their diets. West Indian and Amazonian manatees are both herbivores. Manatees' teeth are all molars -
flat, rounded teeth for grinding food. Due to manatees' abrasive aquatic plant diet, these teeth get worn
down and they eventually fall out, so they continually grow new teeth that get pushed forward to
replace the ones they lose. Instead of having incisors to grasp their food, manatees have lips which
function like a pair of hands to help tear food away from the seafloor.

Manatees are fully aquatic, but as mammals, they need to come up to the surface to breathe. When
awake, they typically surface every two to four minutes, but they can hold their breath for much longer.
Adult manatees sleep underwater for 10-12 hours a day, but they come up for air every 15-20 minutes.
Active manatees need to breathe more frequently. It's thought that manatees use their muscular
diaphragm and breathing to adjust their buoyancy. They may use diaphragm contractions to compress
and store gas in folds in their large intestine to help them float.

The West Indian manatee reaches about 3.5 metres long and weighs on average around 500
kilogrammes. It moves between fresh water and salt water, taking advantage of coastal mangroves
and coral reefs, rivers, lakes and inland lagoons. There are two subspecies of West Indian manatee:
the Antillean manatee is found in waters from the Bahamas to Brazil, whereas the Florida manatee is
found in US waters, although some individuals have been recorded in the Bahamas. In winter, the
Florida manatee is typically restricted to Florida. When the ambient water temperature drops below
20∘C, it takes refuge in naturally and artificially warmed water, such as at the warm-water outfalls from
powerplants.

The African manatee is also about 3.5 metres long and found in the sea along the west coast of Africa,
from Mauritania down to Angola. The species also makes use of rivers, with the mammals seen in
landlocked countries such as Mali and Niger. The Amazonian manatee is the smallest species, though
it is still a big animal. It grows to about 2.5 metres long and 350 kilogrammes. Amazonian manatees
favour calm, shallow waters that are above
23∘C. This species is found in fresh water in the Amazon Basin in Brazil, as well as in Colombia,
Ecuador and Peru.
All three manatee species are endangered or at a heightened risk of extinction. The African manatee
and Amazonian manatee are both listed as Vulnerable by the International Union for Conservation of
Nature (IUCN). It is estimated that 140,000. Amazonian manatees were killed between 1935 and 1954
for their meat, fat and skin, with the latter used to make leather. In more recent years, African manatee
decline has been tied to incidental capture in fishing nets and hunting. Manatee hunting is now illegal
in every country the African species is found in.

The two subspecies of West Indian manatee are listed as Endangered by the IUCN. Both are also
expected to undergo a decline of 20% over the next 40 years. A review of almost 1,800 cases of
entanglement in fishing nets and of plastic consumption among marine mammals in US waters from
2009 to 2020 found that at least 700 cases involved manatees. The chief cause of death in Florida
manatees is boat strikes. However, laws in certain parts of Florida now limit boat speeds during winter,
allowing slow-moving manatees more time to respond.

Questions 1-6 Complete the notes below.

Choose ONE WORD AND/OR A NUMBER from the passage for each answer.

Manatees Appearance

look similar to dugongs, but with a differently shaped 1___________

Movement
have fewer neck bones than most mammals

need to use their 2___________ to help to turn their bodies around in order to look sideways

sense vibrations in the water by means of 3___________ on their skin

Feeding

eat mainly aquatic vegetation, such as 4___________

grasp and pull up plants with their 5___________

Breathing
come to the surface for air every 2-4 minutes when awake and every 15-20 while sleeping may
regulate the 6___________ of their bodies by using muscles of diaphragm to store air internally

Questions 7-13 Do the following statements agree with the information given in Reading
Passage 1?
TRUE if the statement agrees with the information
FALSE if the statement contradicts the information
NOT GIVEN if there is no information on this

1. West Indian manatees can be found in a variety of different aquatic habitats.

2. The Florida manatee lives in warmer waters than the Antillean manatee.
 3. The African manatee's range is limited to coastal waters between the West African countries of
Mauritania and Angola.

4. The extent of the loss of Amazonian manatees in the mid-twentieth century was only revealed
many years later.

5. It is predicted that West Indian manatee populations will fall in the coming decades.

6. The risk to manatees from entanglement and plastic consumption increased significantly in the
period 2009-2020.

7. There is some legislation in place which aims to reduce the likelihood of boat strikes on
manatees in Florida.

Reading Passage 2: Procrastination

A psychologist explains why we put off important tasks and how we can break this habit.

A Procrastination is the habit of delaying a necessary task, usually by focusing on less urgent, more
enjoyable, and easier activities instead. We all do it from time to time. We might be composing a
message to a friend who we have to let down, or putting together an important report for college or
work; we're doing our best to avoid doing the job at hand, but deep down we know that we should just
be getting on with it. Unfortunately, berating ourselves won't stop us procrastinating again. In fact, it's
one of the worst things we can do. This matters because, as my research shows, procrastination
doesn't just waste time, but is actually linked to other problems, too.

B Contrary to popular belief, procrastination is not due to laziness or poor time management.
Scientific studies suggest procrastination is, in fact, caused by poor mood management. This makes
sense if we consider that people are more likely to put off starting or completing tasks that they are
really not keen to do. If just thinking about the task threatens our sense of self-worth or makes us
anxious, we will be more likely to put it off. Research involving brain imaging has found that areas of
the brain linked to detection of threats and emotion regulation are actually different in people who
chronically procrastinate compared to those who don't procrastinate frequently.

C Tasks that are emotionally loaded or difficult, such as preparing for exams, are prime candidates for
procrastination. People with low self-esteem are more likely to procrastinate. Another group of people
who tend to procrastinate are perfectionists, who worry their work will be judged harshly by others. We
know that if we don't finish that report or complete those home repairs, then what we did can't be
evaluated. When we avoid such tasks, we also avoid the negative emotions associated with them. This
is rewarding, and it conditions us to use procrastination to repair our mood. If we engage in more
enjoyable tasks instead, we get another mood boost. In the long run, however, procrastination isn't an
effective way of managing emotions. The 'mood repair we experience is temporary. Afterwards, people
tend to be left with a sense of guilt that not only increases their negative mood, but also reinforces their
tendency to procrastinate.

D So why is this such a problem? When most people think of the costs of procrastination, they think of
the toll on productivity. For example, studies have shown that procrastination negatively impacts on
student performance. But putting off reading textbooks and writing essays may affect other areas of
students' lives. In one study of over 3,000 German students over a six-month period, those who
reported procrastinating over their university work were also more likely to engage in study-related
misconduct, such as cheating and plagiarism. But the behaviour that procrastination was most closely
linked with was using fraudulent excuses to get deadline extensions. Other research shows that
employees on average spend almost a quarter of their workday procrastinating, and again this is linked
with negative outcomes. In fact, in one US survey of over 22,000 employees, participants who said
they regularly procrastinated had less annual income and less employment stability. For every one-
point increase on a measure of chronic procrastination, annual income decreased by US$15,000.

E Procrastination also correlates with serious health and well-being problems. A tendency to
procrastinate is linked to poor mental health, including higher levels of depression and anxiety. Across
numerous studies, I've found people who regularly procrastinate report a greater number of health
issues, such as headaches, flu and colds, and digestive issues. They also experience higher levels of
stress and poor sleep quality. They are less likely to practise healthy behaviours, such as eating a
healthy diet and regularly exercising, and use destructive coping strategies to manage their stress. In
one study of over 700 people, I found people prone to procrastination had a 63% greater risk of poor
heart health after accounting for other personality traits and demographics.

F Finding better ways of managing our emotions is one route out of the vicious cycle of
procrastination. An important first step is to manage our environment and how we view the task. There
are a number of evidence-based strategies that can help us fend off distractions that can occupy our
minds when we should be focusing on the thing we should be getting on with. For example, reminding
ourselves about why the task is important and valuable can increase positive feelings towards it.
Forgiving ourselves and feeling compassion when we procrastinate can help break the procrastination
cycle. We should admit that we feel bad, but not be overly critical of ourselves. We should remind
ourselves that we're not the first person to procrastinate, nor the last. Doing this can take the edge off
the negative feelings we have about ourselves when we procrastinate. This can all make it easier to
get back on track.

Questions 14-16 Reading Passage 2 has six paragraphs, A-F.

Which paragraph contains the following information?

NB You may use any letter more than once.

14. mention of false assumptions about why people procrastinate

15. reference to the realisation that others also procrastinate

16. neurological evidence of a link between procrastination and emotion

Questions 17-22 Complete the summary below.

Choose ONE WORD ONLY from the passage for each answer.

What makes us procrastinate?

Many people think that procrastination is the result of 17___________. Others believe it to be the
result of an inability to organise time efficiently.

But scientific studies suggest that procrastination is actually due to poor mood management. The tasks
we are most likely to put off are those that could damage our self-esteem or cause us to feel
18___________ when we think about them. Research comparing chronic procrastinators with other
people even found differences in the brain regions associated with regulating emotions and identifying
19___________.

Emotionally loaded and difficult tasks often cause us to procrastinate. Getting ready to take
20___________ might be a typical example of one such task. People who are likely to procrastinate
tend to be either 21___________ or those with low self-esteem.

Procrastination is only a short-term measure for managing emotions. It's often followed by a feeling of
22___________, which worsens our mood and leads to more procrastination.

Questions 23 and 24: Choose TWO letters, A-E.

Which TWO comparisons between employees who often procrastinate and those who do not
are mentioned in the text?

A. Their salaries are lower.

B. The quality of their work is inferior.

C. They don't keep their jobs for as long.

D. They don't enjoy their working lives as much.

E. They have poorer relationships with colleagues.

Questions 25 and 26 Choose TWO letters, A-E.

Which TWO recommendations for getting out of a cycle of procrastination does the writer give?

A. not judging ourselves harshly

B. setting ourselves manageable aims

C. rewarding ourselves for tasks achieved

D. prioritising tasks according to their importance

E. avoiding things that stop us concentrating on our tasks

Test 2 - Reading Passage 3: Invasion of the Robot Umpires
A few years ago, Fred DeJesus from Brooklyn, New York became the first umpire in a minor league
baseball game to use something called the Automated Ball-Strike System (ABS), often referred to as
the 'robo-umpire'. Instead of making any judgments himself about a strike*, DeJesus had decisions fed
to him through an earpiece, connected to a modified missile-tracking system. The contraption looked
like a large black pizza box with one glowing green eye; it was mounted above the press stand.
Major League Baseball (MLB), who had commissioned the system, wanted human umpires to
announce the calls, just as they would have done in the past. When the first pitch came in, a recorded
voice told DeJesus it was a strike. Previously, calling a strike was a judgment call on the part of the
umpire. Even if the batter does not hit the ball, a pitch that passes through the 'strike zone' (an
imaginary zone about seventeen inches wide, stretching from the batter's knees to the middle of his
chest) is considered a strike. During that first game, when DeJesus announced calls, there was no
heckling and no shouted disagreement. Nobody said a word.

For a hundred and fifty years or so, the strike zone has been the game's animating force-countless
arguments between a team's manager and the umpire have taken place over its boundaries and
whether a ball had crossed through it. The rules of play have evolved in various stages. Today,
everyone knows that you may scream your disagreement in an umpire's face, but you must never
shout personal abuse at them or touch them. That's a no-no. When the robo-umpires came, however,
the arguments stopped.

During the first robo-umpire season, players complained about some strange calls. In response, MLB
decided to tweak the dimensions of the zone, and the following year the consensus was that ABS is
profoundly consistent. MLB says the device is near-perfect, precise to within fractions of an inch. "It'll
reduce controversy in the game, and be good for the game," says Rob Manfred, who is Commissioner
for MLB. But the question is whether controversy is worth reducing, or whether it is the sign of a
human hand. A human, at least, yells back.

When I spoke with Frank Viola, a coach for a North Carolina team, he said that ABS works as
designed, but that it was also unforgiving and pedantic, almost legalistic. "Manfred is a lawyer," Viola
noted. Some pitchers have complained that, compared with a human's, the robot's strike zone seems
too precise. Viola was once a major-league player himself. When he was pitching, he explained,
umpires rewarded skill. "Throw it where you aimed, and it would be a strike, even if it was an inch or
two outside. There was a dialogue between pitcher and umpire".

The executive tasked with running the experiment for MLB is Morgan Sword, who's in charge of
baseball operations. According to Sword, ABS was part of a larger project to make baseball more
exciting since executives are terrified of losing younger fans, as has been the case with horse racing
and boxing. He explains how they began the process by asking fans what version of baseball they
found most exciting. The results showed that everyone wanted more action: more hits, more defense,
more baserunning. This type of baseball essentially hasn't existed since the 1960s, when the hundred-
mile-an-hour fastball, which is difficult to hit and control, entered the game. It flattened the game into
strikeouts, walks, and home runs a type of play lacking much action.

Sword's team brainstormed potential fixes. Any rule that existed, they talked about changing-from
changing the bats to changing the geometry of the field. But while all of these were ruled out as
potential fixes, ABS was seen as a perfect vehicle for change. According to Sword, once you get the
technology right, you can load any strike zone you want into the system. "It might be a triangle, or a
blob, or something shaped like Texas. Over time, as baseball evolves, ABS can allow the zone to
change with it".

"In the past twenty years, sports have moved away from judgment calls. Soccer has Video Assistant
Referees (for offside decisions, for example). Tennis has Hawk-Eye (for line calls, for example). For
almost a decade, baseball has used instant replay on the base paths. This is widely liked, even if the
precision can sometimes cause problems. But these applications deal with something physical: bases,
lines, goals. The boundaries of action are precise, delineated like the keys of a piano. This is not the
case with ABS and the strike zone. Historically, a certain discretion has been appreciated".

I decided to email Alva Noë, a professor at Berkeley University and a baseball fan, for his opinion.
"Hardly a day goes by that I don't wake up and run through the reasons that this [robo-umpires] is such
a terrible idea," he replied. He later told me, "This is part of a movement to use algorithms to take the
hard choices of living out of life". Perhaps he's right. We watch baseball to kill time, not to maximize it.
Some players I have met take a dissenting stance toward the robots too, believing that accuracy is not
the answer. According to Joe Russo, who plays for a New Jersey team, "With technology, people just
want everything to be perfect. That's not reality. I think perfect would be weird. Your teams are always
winning, work is always just great, there's always money in your pocket, your car never breaks down.
What is there to talk about?"
*strike: a strike is when the batter swings at a ball and misses or when the batter does not swing at a ball that
passes through the strike zone.

Questions 27-32 Do the following statements agree with the claims of the writer in Reading Passage

YES if the statement agrees with the claims of the writer

NO if the statement contradicts the claims of the writer
NOT GIVEN if it is impossible to say what the writer thinks about this

27. When DeJesus first used ABS, he shared decision-making about strikes with it.
28. MLB considered it necessary to amend the size of the strike zone when criticisms were received
from players.

29. MLB is keen to justify the money spent on improving the accuracy of ABS's calculations.
30. The hundred-mile-an-hour fastball led to a more exciting style of play.

31. The differing proposals for alterations to the baseball bat led to fierce debate on Sword's team.

32. ABS makes changes to the shape of the strike zone feasible.

Questions 33-37 Complete the summary using the list of phrases, A-H, below.

Calls by the umpire Even after ABS was developed, MLB still wanted human umpires to shout out
decisions as they had in their 33___________. The umpire's job had, at one time, required a
34___________ about whether a ball was a strike. A ball is considered a strike when the batter does
not hit it and it crosses through a 35___________ extending approximately from the batter's knee to
his chest. In the past, 36___________ over strike calls were not uncommon, but today everyone
accepts the complete ban on pushing or shoving the umpire. One difference, however, is that during
the first game DeJesus used ABS, strike calls were met with 37___________.
 A. pitch boundary B. numerous disputes C. team tactics D. subjective assessment

E. widespread approval F. former roles G. total silence H. perceived area

Questions 38-40 Choose the correct letter, A, B, C or D.

38. What does the writer suggest about ABS in the fifth paragraph?

A. It is bound to make key decisions that are wrong.

B. It may reduce some of the appeal of the game.

C. It will lead to the disappearance of human umpires.

D. It may increase calls for the rules of baseball to be changed.

39. Morgan Sword says that the introduction of ABS

A. was regarded as an experiment without a guaranteed outcome.

B. was intended to keep up with developments in other sports.

C. was a response to changing attitudes about the role of sport.

D. was an attempt to ensure baseball retained a young audience.

40. Why does the writer include the views of Noë and Russo?

A. to show that attitudes to technology vary widely

B. to argue that people have unrealistic expectations of sport

C. to indicate that accuracy is not the same thing as enjoyment

D. to suggest that the number of baseball fans needs to increase

 ANSWER KEY
Test 2 - Reading Passage 1: Manatees

Questions 1-6

1. tail

o Giải thích: "However, the manatee has a broad, rounded tail, whereas the dugong's is fluked, like
that of a whale" (Tuy nhiên, hải tượng có một cái đuôi rộng, tròn, trong khi đuôi của cá nược có hình
vây cá, giống như của cá voi).

2. flippers

o Giải thích: "To see something on its left or its right, a manatee must turn its entire body, steering with
its flippers" (Để nhìn thấy thứ gì đó bên trái hoặc bên phải, hải tượng phải xoay toàn bộ cơ thể, điều
khiển bằng chân chèo của nó).

3. hairs

o Giải thích: "They also have some hairs covering their bodies which help them sense vibrations in
the water around them" (Chúng cũng có một số lông bao phủ cơ thể giúp chúng cảm nhận rung động
trong nước xung quanh).
4. seagrasses

o Giải thích: "Seagrasses and other marine plants make up most of a manatee's diet" (Cỏ biển và
các loài thực vật biển khác chiếm phần lớn chế độ ăn của hải tượng).

5. lips

o Giải thích: "Instead of having incisors to grasp their food, manatees have lips which function like a
pair of hands to help tear food away from the seafloor" (Thay vì có răng cửa để giữ thức ăn, hải tượng
có môi hoạt động như một đôi tay để giúp xé thức ăn khỏi đáy biển).

6. buoyancy

o Giải thích: "It's thought that manatees use their muscular diaphragm and breathing to adjust their
buoyancy" (Người ta cho rằng hải tượng sử dụng cơ hoành cơ bắp và hơi thở của mình để điều
chỉnh sức nổi của chúng).

Questions 7-13

7. TRUE

o Giải thích: "It moves between fresh water and salt water, taking advantage of coastal mangroves
and coral reefs, rivers, lakes and inland lagoons" (Nó di chuyển giữa nước ngọt và nước mặn, tận
dụng các rừng ngập mặn ven biển và rạn san hô, sông, hồ và đầm phá nội địa). Điều này cho thấy
chúng sống trong nhiều môi trường sống dưới nước khác nhau.

8. NOT GIVEN
o Giải thích: Bài đọc nói về nơi sống của Florida manatee và nhiệt độ nước mà chúng thích. Tuy
nhiên, không có thông tin so sánh nhiệt độ nước ưa thích giữa Florida manatee và Antillean manatee.

9. FALSE

o Giải thích: "The African manatee is also about 3.5 metres long and found in the sea along the west
coast of Africa, from Mauritania down to Angola. The species also makes use of rivers, with the
mammals seen in landlocked countries such as Mali and Niger" (Hải tượng châu Phi cũng dài khoảng
3,5 mét và được tìm thấy ở biển dọc theo bờ biển phía tây châu Phi, từ Mauritania đến Angola. Loài
này cũng sử dụng các con sông, với các loài động vật có vú được nhìn thấy ở các quốc gia không
giáp biển như Mali và Niger). Điều này mâu thuẫn với nhận định phạm vi của chúng chỉ giới hạn ở
vùng nước ven biển.

10. NOT GIVEN

o Giải thích: Bài đọc chỉ nêu "It is estimated that 140,000. Amazonian manatees were killed between
1935 and 1954 for their meat, fat and skin" (Ước tính có khoảng 140.000 hải tượng Amazon bị giết từ
năm 1935 đến 1954 để lấy thịt, mỡ và da của chúng). Không có thông tin về việc khi nào mức độ mất
mát này được tiết lộ.

11. TRUE

o Giải thích: "Both are also expected to undergo a decline of 20% over the next 40 years" (Cả hai
cũng được dự kiến sẽ suy giảm 20% trong 40 năm tới). "Both" ở đây chỉ hai phân loài của West Indian
manatee, vì vậy nhận định này là đúng.

12. NOT GIVEN

o Giải thích: Bài đọc nêu rõ: "A review of almost 1,800 cases of entanglement in fishing nets and of
plastic consumption among marine mammals in US waters from 2009 to 2020 found that at least 700
cases involved manatees" (Một đánh giá gần 1.800 trường hợp vướng vào lưới đánh cá và tiêu thụ
nhựa ở các loài động vật có vú biển ở vùng biển Hoa Kỳ từ năm 2009 đến 2020 cho thấy ít nhất 700
trường hợp liên quan đến hải tượng). Tuy nhiên, không có thông tin về việc rủi ro này tăng lên đáng kể
hay không trong giai đoạn đó.

13. TRUE

o Giải thích: "However, laws in certain parts of Florida now limit boat speeds during winter, allowing
slow-moving manatees more time to respond" (Tuy nhiên, luật pháp ở một số vùng của Florida hiện
nay giới hạn tốc độ thuyền vào mùa đông, cho phép hải tượng di chuyển chậm có thêm thời gian để
phản ứng). Điều này xác nhận có luật pháp nhằm giảm thiểu va chạm thuyền.
Test 2 - Reading Passage 2: Procrastination

Questions 14-16

14. B

o Giải thích: Đoạn B bắt đầu bằng cách bác bỏ các giả định sai lầm: "Contrary to popular belief,
procrastination is not due to laziness or poor time management. Scientific studies suggest
procrastination is, in fact, caused by poor mood management" (Trái với quan niệm phổ biến, sự trì
hoãn không phải do lười biếng hay quản lý thời gian kém. Các nghiên cứu khoa học cho thấy sự trì
hoãn, trên thực tế, là do quản lý tâm trạng kém).

15. F

o Giải thích: Đoạn F đưa ra lời khuyên: "We should remind ourselves that we're not the first person to
procrastinate, nor the last" (Chúng ta nên tự nhắc nhở bản thân rằng chúng ta không phải là người
đầu tiên trì hoãn, cũng không phải là người cuối cùng).

16. B

o Giải thích: Đoạn B nói: "Research involving brain imaging has found that areas of the brain linked to
detection of threats and emotion regulation are actually different in people who chronically
procrastinate compared to those who don't procrastinate frequently" (Nghiên cứu liên quan đến hình
ảnh não đã phát hiện ra rằng các vùng não liên quan đến việc phát hiện các mối đe dọa và điều hòa
cảm xúc thực sự khác nhau ở những người trì hoãn mãn tính so với những người không trì hoãn
thường xuyên). Điều này cung cấp bằng chứng thần kinh về mối liên hệ giữa trì hoãn và cảm xúc.

Questions 17-22

17. laziness

o Giải thích: "Many people think that procrastination is the result of laziness" (Nhiều người nghĩ rằng
sự trì hoãn là kết quả của sự lười biếng).

18. anxious

o Giải thích: "If just thinking about the task threatens our sense of self-worth or makes us anxious, we
will be more likely to put it off" (Nếu chỉ nghĩ về nhiệm vụ đó đe dọa cảm giác tự trọng của chúng ta
hoặc khiến chúng ta lo lắng, chúng ta sẽ có nhiều khả năng trì hoãn nó hơn).

19. threats

o Giải thích: "Research involving brain imaging has found that areas of the brain linked to detection of
threats and emotion regulation are actually different in people who chronically procrastinate" (Nghiên
cứu liên quan đến hình ảnh não đã phát hiện ra rằng các vùng não liên quan đến việc phát hiện các
mối đe dọa và điều hòa cảm xúc thực sự khác nhau ở những người trì hoãn mãn tính).

20. exams

o Giải thích: "Tasks that are emotionally loaded or difficult, such as preparing for exams, are prime
candidates for procrastination" (Các nhiệm vụ nặng về cảm xúc hoặc khó khăn, chẳng hạn như chuẩn
bị cho các kỳ thi, là những ứng cử viên hàng đầu cho sự trì hoãn).

21. perfectionists

o Giải thích: "Another group of people who tend to procrastinate are perfectionists, who worry their
work will be judged harshly by others" (Một nhóm người khác có xu hướng trì hoãn là những người **
cầu toàn**, những người lo lắng công việc của họ sẽ bị đánh giá khắc nghiệt bởi người khác).

22. guilt
o Giải thích: "Afterwards, people tend to be left with a sense of guilt that not only increases their
negative mood, but also reinforces their tendency to procrastinate" (Sau đó, mọi người thường cảm
thấy tội lỗi không chỉ làm tăng tâm trạng tiêu cực mà còn củng cố xu hướng trì hoãn của họ).

Questions 23 and 24

23. A, C

o Giải thích: Đoạn D nói: "In fact, in one US survey of over 22,000 employees, participants who said
they regularly procrastinated had less annual income and less employment stability. For every one-
point increase on a measure of chronic procrastination, annual income decreased by US$15,000"
(Trên thực tế, trong một cuộc khảo sát ở Hoa Kỳ với hơn 22.000 nhân viên, những người tham gia
cho biết họ thường xuyên trì hoãn có thu nhập hàng năm thấp hơn và ít ổn định việc làm hơn. Cứ mỗi
một điểm tăng trong thang đo trì hoãn mãn tính, thu nhập hàng năm giảm 15.000 USD). Điều này cho
thấy lương thấp hơn (A) và ít giữ được việc làm lâu hơn (C).

Questions 25 and 26
25. A, E

o Giải thích: Đoạn F đưa ra các khuyến nghị: "An important first step is to manage our environment
and how we view the task. There are a number of evidencebased strategies that can help us fend off
distractions that can occupy our minds when we should be focusing on the thing we should be getting
on with" (Một bước quan trọng đầu tiên là quản lý môi trường của chúng ta và cách chúng ta nhìn
nhận nhiệm vụ. Có một số chiến lược dựa trên bằng chứng có thể giúp chúng ta chống lại những xao
nhãng có thể chiếm lấy tâm trí chúng ta khi chúng ta nên tập trung vào việc chúng ta nên làm) (tức là
tránh những thứ khiến chúng ta mất tập trung vào nhiệm vụ của mình - E). "Forgiving ourselves and
feeling compassion when we procrastinate can help break the procrastination cycle. We should admit
that we feel bad, but not be overly critical of ourselves" (Tha thứ cho bản thân và cảm thấy thông cảm
khi chúng ta trì hoãn có thể giúp phá vỡ chu kỳ trì hoãn. Chúng ta nên thừa nhận rằng chúng ta cảm
thấy tồi tệ, nhưng không nên quá chỉ trích bản thân) (tức là không phán xét bản thân quá khắc nghiệt -
A).

Test 2 - Reading Passage 3: Invasion of the Robot Umpires

Questions 27-32

27. NO

o Giải thích: Bài đọc nói "Instead of making any judgments himself about a strike*, DeJesus had
decisions fed to him through an earpiece, connected to a modified missile-tracking system" (Thay vì tự
mình đưa ra bất kỳ phán đoán nào về một cú đánh bóng*, DeJesus nhận được các quyết định thông
qua một tai nghe, được kết nối với một hệ thống theo dõi tên lửa đã được sửa đổi). Điều này có nghĩa
là anh ấy không chia sẻ việc ra quyết định mà chỉ thực hiện theo quyết định của hệ thống.
28. YES

o Giải thích: "During the first robo-umpire season, players complained about some strange calls. In
response, MLB decided to tweak the dimensions of the zone" (Trong mùa giải trọng tài robot đầu tiên,
các cầu thủ đã phàn nàn về một số quyết định lạ. Đáp lại, MLB quyết định điều chỉnh kích thước khu
vực). Điều này xác nhận rằng MLB đã điều chỉnh kích thước khu vực strike khi nhận được lời chỉ trích.

29. NOT GIVEN

o Giải thích: MLB nói rằng thiết bị gần như hoàn hảo, nhưng không có thông tin nào cho thấy họ cố
gắng biện minh cho số tiền chi tiêu để cải thiện độ chính xác.
30. NO

o Giải thích: Bài đọc nói "This type of baseball essentially hasn't existed since the 1960s, when the
hundred-mile-an-hour fastball, which is difficult to hit and control, entered the game. It flattened the
game into strikeouts, walks, and home runs a type of play lacking much action" (Loại bóng chày này
về cơ bản đã không tồn tại kể từ những năm 1960, khi cú giao bóng nhanh tốc độ một trăm dặm một
giờ, khó đánh và kiểm soát, xuất hiện trong trò chơi. Nó làm cho trò chơi trở nên nhàm chán với
những cú đánh hỏng, đi bộ và chạy về nhà – một loại trận đấu thiếu hành động). Điều này mâu thuẫn
với nhận định nó dẫn đến một lối chơi thú vị hơn.

31. NOT GIVEN

o Giải thích: Sword's team đã "brainstormed potential fixes. Any rule that existed, they talked about
changing-from changing the bats to changing the geometry of the field" (động não các giải pháp tiềm
năng. Bất kỳ quy tắc nào tồn tại, họ đều nói về việc thay đổi - từ việc thay đổi gậy đến thay đổi hình
học của sân). Tuy nhiên, không có thông tin nào cho thấy những đề xuất này dẫn đến một cuộc tranh
luận gay gắt.

32. YES

o Giải thích: "According to Sword, once you get the technology right, you can load any strike zone you
want into the system. 'It might be a triangle, or a blob, or something shaped like Texas. Over time, as
baseball evolves, ABS can allow the zone to change with it'" (Theo Sword, một khi bạn làm đúng công
nghệ, bạn có thể tải bất kỳ khu vực đánh bóng nào bạn muốn vào hệ thống. 'Nó có thể là một hình
tam giác, hoặc một khối, hoặc thứ gì đó có hình Texas. Theo thời gian, khi bóng chày phát triển, ABS
có thể cho phép khu vực thay đổi theo nó'). Điều này xác nhận rằng ABS cho phép thay đổi hình dạng
của khu vực strike.

Questions 33-37

33. F

o Giải thích: "Major League Baseball (MLB), who had commissioned the system, wanted human
umpires to announce the calls, just as they would have done in the past" (Liên đoàn bóng chày Major
League (MLB), đơn vị đã ủy quyền hệ thống, muốn các trọng tài con người công bố các quyết định,
giống như họ đã làm trong quá khứ). "In the past" tương ứng với "former roles".

34. D

o Giải thích: "Previously, calling a strike was a judgment call on the part of the umpire" (Trước đây,
việc gọi một cú đánh bóng là một phán đoán của trọng tài). "Judgment call" tương ứng với "subjective
assessment".

35. H
o Giải thích: "a pitch that passes through the 'strike zone' (an imaginary zone about seventeen inches
wide, stretching from the batter's knees to the middle of his chest) is considered a strike" (một cú giao
bóng đi qua 'khu vực đánh bóng' (một khu vực tưởng tượng rộng khoảng mười bảy inch, kéo dài từ
đầu gối của người đánh bóng đến giữa ngực anh ta) được coi là một cú đánh bóng). "Imaginary zone"
tương ứng với "perceived area".

36. B

o Giải thích: "countless arguments between a team's manager and the umpire have taken place over
its boundaries and whether a ball had crossed through it" (vô số cuộc tranh cãi giữa người quản lý đội
và trọng tài đã diễn ra về ranh giới của nó và liệu một quả bóng có đi qua nó hay không). "Countless
arguments" tương ứng với "numerous disputes".

37. G

o Giải thích: "During that first game, when DeJesus announced calls, there was no heckling and no
shouted disagreement. Nobody said a word" (Trong trận đấu đầu tiên đó, khi DeJesus công bố các
quyết định, không có tiếng la ó hay sự bất đồng lớn tiếng nào. Không ai nói một lời). "Nobody said a
word" tương ứng với "total silence".

Questions 38-40

38. B

o Giải thích: Rob Manfred nói "It'll reduce controversy in the game, and be good for the game" (Nó sẽ
giảm tranh cãi trong trò chơi, và tốt cho trò chơi). Tuy nhiên, tác giả sau đó đặt câu hỏi: "But the
question is whether controversy is worth reducing, or whether it is the sign of a human hand" (Nhưng
câu hỏi là liệu tranh cãi có đáng để giảm bớt hay không, hay liệu nó có phải là dấu hiệu của bàn tay
con người). Điều này ngụ ý rằng việc giảm tranh cãi có thể làm giảm sức hấp dẫn của trò chơi.

39. D

o Giải thích: "According to Sword, ABS was part of a larger project to make baseball more exciting
since executives are terrified of losing younger fans... He explains how they began the process by
asking fans what version of baseball they found most exciting" (Theo Sword, ABS là một phần của một
dự án lớn hơn nhằm làm cho bóng chày thú vị hơn vì các giám đốc điều hành sợ mất đi những người
hâm mộ trẻ tuổi... Ông giải thích cách họ bắt đầu quá trình bằng cách hỏi người hâm mộ phiên bản
bóng chày nào họ thấy thú vị nhất).

40. C

o Giải thích: Alva Noë nói rằng việc sử dụng thuật toán để "take the hard choices of living out of life"
(loại bỏ những lựa chọn khó khăn trong cuộc sống) là một ý tưởng tồi. Joe Russo nói: "With
technology, people just want everything to be perfect. That's not reality. I think perfect would be weird.
Your teams are always winning, work is always just great, there's always money in your pocket, your
car never breaks down. What is there to talk about?" (Với công nghệ, mọi người chỉ muốn mọi thứ
hoàn hảo. Đó không phải là thực tế. Tôi nghĩ hoàn hảo sẽ kỳ lạ. Các đội của bạn luôn thắng, công việc
luôn tuyệt vời, luôn có tiền trong túi, xe của bạn không bao giờ hỏng hóc. Có gì để nói?). Cả hai đều
cho rằng sự hoàn hảo do công nghệ mang lại không đồng nghĩa với sự thú vị hay niềm vui, tức là độ
chính xác không giống với sự tận hưởng.