SỞ GIÁO DỤC VÀ ĐÀO TẠO ĐỀ THI CHỌN HSG LỚP 12 THPT LẦN 1

TỈNH NINH BÌNH NĂM HỌC 2011 - 2012

ĐỀ THI CHÍNH THỨC Môn: Tiếng Anh - Vòng 1
Thời gian làm bài: 180 phút (không kể thời gian phát đề)

Đề thi gồm 4 phần, 7 trang

Số phách
Điểm bài thi Họ và tên, chữ ký của giám khảo (Do Chủ tịch
Hội đồng chấm
thi ghi)

Bằng Giám khảo

số: ............................ 1: ...............................................

Bằng Giám khảo

chữ: .......................... 2: ...............................................

PART A: PHONETICS
I/ Choose one word whose underlined part is pronounced differently from that of the
other words.
1. A. order B. horse C. sword D. worse
2. A. together B. gesture C. marriage D. village
3. A. wicked B. hatred C. sacred D. looked
4. A. carriage B. voyage C. massage D. dosage
5. A. laugh B. enough C. plough D. cough
Your answers:
1. …………… 2. …………… 3. …………… 4. …………… 5. ……………
II/ Choose one word whose stress pattern is different from the rest of the same group.
1. A. vacancy B. discussion C. argument D. maximum
2. A. accompany B. comfortable C. interview D. penalty
3. A. effective B. satisfaction C. accountant D. appropriate
4. A. presentation B. characteristic C. technological D. possibility
5. A. enterprise B. prevention C. fertilize D. implement
6. A. committee B. referee C. employee D. refugee
7. A. alcohol B. comment C. chemical D. proceed
8. A. appetite B. architect C. appreciate D. arable
9. A. deliberate B. subsequent C. frequently D. consequent
10. A. insight B. chemist C. dependent D. substance
Your answers:

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1. ………… 2. ………… 3. ………… 4. ………… 5. …………
6. ………… 7. ………… 8. ………… 9. ………… 10. ………..
PART B: GRAMMAR AND VOCABULARY
I/ Choose the best answer from the four options to complete each of the sentences.
1. She’s so……in doing her research that she never has time to relax.
A. involved B. included C. complicated D. approved
2. Don’t tell me you’ve read War and Peace…….!
A. yet B. still C. already D. just
3. The ministry refused to …….the figures to the press.
A. release B. leak C. show D. add
4. Steve…….his chances of passing by spending too much time on the first question.
A. threw on B. threw off C. threw away D. threw in
5. James had, ……., saved the manuscript of his first novel from the burning house.
A. lastly B. at last C. lately D. at least
6. In the early years of the twentieth century, several rebellions ……. in the northern parts of
the country.
A. rose up B. turned out C. came off D. broke out
7. ……. what he says, observe what he does.
A. although B. In contrast C. Contrary D. Never mind
8. He ……. his life to the skill of the surgeon.
A. owes B. keeps C. perseveres D. maintains
9. I don’t think that this fashion will …….
A. catch on B. catch up C. catch out D. catch over
10. If you don’t repay the money, we will, as a last …….., take you to court.
A. measure B. attempt C. act D. resort
Your answers:
1. ………… 2. ………… 3. ………… 4. ………… 5. …………
6. ………… 7. ………… 8. ………… 9. ………… 10. ………..
II/ Put the verbs in brackets into their appropriate tense or form.
Last week I (1) ……….. (walk) home after playing tennis when it (2) ……….. (start)
raining heavily. “Oh, no, I (3)…………..(get) soaked before I (4)………..(reach) home,” I
thought, “I wish I (5)…………(remember) to bring my raincoat.” But unfortunately I (6)
………(leave) it at home. “How stupid of me!” I always (7) ………..(get) to bring it with me.
“Luckily just then a friend of mine passed in her car and offered me a lift. “(8)…………(go)
you home?” She asked me, “or (9)……….(want) you to go for a drink?” “I think I’d rather you
(10)………(take) me home”, I said.
Your answers:
1. ……………….…… 2. ……………….…… 3. ……………….…… 4. ……………….
…
5. ……………….…… 6. ……………….…… 7. ……………….…… 8. ……………….
…
9. ……………….…… 10. ……………….…..
III/ Fill in each of the blanks a suitable preposition.

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1. “Who destroyed the Temple in Jerusalem?”
“I don’t know, sir, but I expect that they will blame it ………me.”
2. When the offer of a free trip to Holland was made, John was very quick……..the mark, and
managed to get the first ticket.
3. Most people would jump……….the chance to spend a year in America, all expenses paid.
4. When Robin told me about his quarrel with Batman, I asked him not to involve me ……..
his personal affairs.
5. Was the Clifton Suspension Bridge named…………a man called Clifton Suspension?
6. If trains always leave ………schedule, why do so many of them arrive late at the other end?
7. The survivors of the Titanic were ………sea for several days before being rescued.
8. My husband brought me some flowers today. He must be……….something!
9. We were all very excited ………..the prospect of a free trip to Paris.
10. Does it matter what a national politician does ………private as long as he performs well in
his job?
Your answers:
1. ………… 2. ………… 3. ………… 4. ………… 5. …………
6. ………… 7. ………… 8. ………… 9. ………… 10. ………..
IV/ Read the passage and fill in each blank with the correct form of the word provided.
Modern advertisements contain hidden messages. (1) ………… (IMPLY) in the
advertisements showing the pretty girl in the new car or the smiling children round the packet of
washing powder is the message that if we buy the (2) ………… (PRODUCE), we also achieve
success and happiness. It is a subtle approach since it seeks to exploit our secret teams, and it is
(3) ………… (ESCAPE) since advertising is ubiquitous, giant street hoardings and (4)
………… (CATCH) jingles on TV bombard us form all sides. They brainwash us into
believing that we can realize our ambition quickly and (5) ………… (EASE). On the other
hand, defenders of advertising say that it is (6) ………… (BENEFIT). Advertising is (7)
………… (INFORM). Advertisements tell us about useful new products. They (8) …………
(BRIGHT) our lives with color and music. They increase demand, stimulate industry and so
keep prices down. Whether for or against advertising, most people would agree that some kind
of watch-dog body, (9) ………… (APPOINTMENT) by government or by the advertising
industry itself, necessary to maintain standards or honesty and to discourage the more blatant
types of (10) ………… (LEAD) advertisements.
Your answers:
1. ……………….…… 2. ……………….…… 3. ……………….…… 4. ……………….
…
5. ……………….…… 6. ……………….…… 7. ……………….…… 8. ……………….
…
9. ……………….…… 10. ……………….…..
PART C: READING
I/ Read the passage and choose the word or phrase that best fits each numbered space.
TIPS FOR FLYING
The number and length of flights has increased sharply in the past few years and the

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number of passengers on long distance flights is also higher. As the human body was not
designed for flying, people can (1) ........... if they are on an aeroplane for a long time. Therefore,
it is important to (2) ............ certain measures to increase your comfort. In the air, your body is
more (3) ........... to the effects of alcohol, coffee, tea and rich or fatty foods, so it is best to
(4) .......... these the day before you leave as well as during the flight. A long-distance journey
often (5) ........... travellers feeling stiff, because they have been sitting in one (6) ........... for
several hours. In order to reduce the (7) .......... of this happening to you, there are some
exercises you can do while you are flying. (8) ......... this, a hot shower (9) ......... after the flight
can be an effective way of minimising stiffness. If you wear loose clothing made from natural
materials, such as cotton, you will feel more comfortable as your skin will be able to breathe
more easily. Your skin suffers in other ways too, becoming drier once you have left the
(10) .......... . This can be avoided, however, if you take some skin cream with you.
1. A. realize B. endure C. suffer D. tolerate
2. A. have B. take C. make D. do
3. A. fragile B. sensitive C. delicate D. weak
4. A. ignore B. delete C. prevent D. avoid
5. A. results B. makes C. causes D. leaves
6. A. position B. point C. space D. situation
7. A. accidents B. chances C. opportunities D. fortunes
8. A. Apart B. Besides C. Except D. Despite
9. A. taken B. taking C. to take D. takes
10. A. soil B. land C. ground D. earth
Your answers:
1. ………… 2. ………… 3. ………… 4. ………… 5. …………
6. ………… 7. ………… 8. ………… 9. ………… 10. ………..
II/ Read the passage and fill in each blank with ONE suitable word.
DREAMS
Dreams have always fascinated human beings. The ideas that dreams provide us with
useful information about our lives goes (1)……….thousands of years. For the greater (2)
……….of human history, (3)……….was taken for granted that the sleeping mind was in touch
with the supernatural world and dreams were to be interpreted as messages with prophetic or
healing functions. In the nineteenth century, (4)……….was a widespread reaction (5)
………..this way of thinking and dreams were widely dismissed as being very little more than
jumbles of fantasy (6)………..about by memories of the previous day.
It was not until the end of the nineteenth century that an Australian neurologist, Sigmund
Freud, pointed (7)……….. that people who have similar experiences during the day, and who
are then subjected (8)………...the same stimuli when they are asleep, produce different dreams.
Freud (9)………on to develop a theory of the dream process which would enable him to
interpret dream as clues to the conflicts taking place within the personality. It is by no (10)
……….an exaggeration to say that (11)……… any other theories have had (12)………..great
an influence on subsequent thought.

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Your answers:
1. ………… 2. ………… 3. ………… 4. ………… 5. ………… 6. …………
7. ………… 8. ………… 9. ………… 10. ………… 11. ………… 12. …………
III/ Read the following passage and choose the correct answer.
I left school at fifteen. I was an academically bright lad who was urged by some of his
teachers not to leave, but I wanted out, to see life, and I didn’t want to reach beyond the
expectation of the friends who left school with me. I worked for a year in a laundry, as a van-
boy delivering dry cleaning.
On turning sixteen I applied to be, and eventually began working as, a trainee heating
engineer with a medium-sized company in East Belfast. The first months were boring. The
work was not demanding but I found the environment of the factory annoying. I remember my
first week .I left the factory to meet up with a friend and I realized that I had forgotten to collect
my wages. My friend thought I was an idiot. After many months working in the factory, I was
sent off to college to study for my Certificate in Heating Engineering. I found the classroom
routine unpleasant and I remember feeling a sense of limitation. Five years of this- to end up as
a heating engineer and continue with that for the foreseeable future was not an exciting thought.
Although I had left school against the advice of my teachers I had, without telling
anyone, tried to continue my studies in literature at evening classes. It was a boring walk from
one end of the city to another and to sit amongst adults was confusing. I was the youngest in the
class, so the companionship I knew at school was absent. I put up with it for a short period. It
was too long a walk on cold winter’s nights and it was hard to concentrate on Shakespeare with
wet shoes and soaking trousers. So I carried on reading books and started writing poetry at
home.
By chance, I won some prizes and literary awards in national competitions. A young
woman from a TV company came to the college one day. She told me in the quiet of the
corridor that I had won a national poetry award. I stared at her in astonishment and disbelief.
She wanted to make a short film about me, to which I said: ‘ No, I couldn’t do that.’ Not that I
had any real excuse. I was just frightened. She eventually persuaded me that I should do it the
following day.
Off I went to Shaws Bridge, on the outskirts of Belfast. They made a short film of me
reading one of my poems and I was forever after occupied with a fascination for words. I
wondered what I should do after this, and decided some weeks later that I could not stand the
idea of spending the rest of my days dealing with pipes. So one evening, I hesitatingly told my
parents that I wanted to return to school. They were shocked and, I think, a little afraid but they
did not try to persuade me not to. They wanted to know if I was sure, if I knew what it meant
and whether I was aware that if I gave up my training it would be very difficult to get a good
job. But nothing could put me off, and they pursued the matter no further.
1. One reason why the writer left school at the age of fifteen was that he ………..
A. thought he would get a good job.
B. had no other choice.
C. didn’t get on well with his teachers.
D. didn’t want to be different from his friends.
2. What did the writer feel while he was training to be a heating engineer?
A. He didn’t receive enough money.
B. He preferred the college to the factory.

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 C. He was capable of doing something better.
D. He might fail to qualify as a heating engineer.
3. What did the writer find when he attended the evening classes?
A. The behaviour of the other students annoyed him.
B. He learned more when he studied at home.
C. He was out of place among the other students.
D. The studies were less interesting than he expected.
4. What does “it” in “I put up with it for a short period” refer to?
A. companionship B. the walk C. literature D. the evening class
5. Why at first did the writer refuse to appear in the film?
A. He felt he didn’t deserve it.
B. He was taken by surprise.
C. He thought someone else should be in it.
D. He wanted more time to think about it.
6. Why didn’t he go on with his poetry writing at home?
A. He was too busy with his studying at college.
B. He couldn’t earn enough for his life.
C. He didn’t want to spend all his life sitting at one place thinking and writing.
D. His parents wanted him to return to the college.
7. How did the writer’s parents react to his decision to return to school?
A. They argued with him.
B. They pointed out how it would affect his future.
C. They told him he was making a mistake.
D. They hid their real thoughts from him.
8. What would be the most suitable title for this extract?
A. A change of direction B. Great expectations
C. An unlucky beginning D. Pressures of fame
Your answers:
1. ……………….…… 2. ……………….…… 3. ……………….…… 4. ……………….
…
5. ……………….…… 6. ……………….…… 7. ……………….…… 8. ……………….
…
PART D: WRITING
I/ Finish each of the following sentences in such a way that it means exactly the same as
the sentence printed before it.
1. He tried his best but he couldn’t succeed.
Try…………………………………………………………………………………….
2. After seeing the film for himself, my father stopped criticising it.
Since ………………………………………………………………………………….

3. It was more of an argument than a discussion.

It was not so…………………………………………………………………………..
4. I never intended to go to the meeting.
I never had……………………………………………………………………………

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5. One runner was too exhausted to complete the last lap of the race.
So …………………………………………………………………………………….
6. My brother works better when he’s pressed for time.
The less time …………………………………………………………………………
7. My parents think I should go to university rather than start a job immediately.
My parents would prefer……………………………………………………………..
8. You brought the umbrella but it didn’t rain.
You needn’t ………………………………………………………………………….
9. She became interested in wildlife conservation, so she joined Greenpeace.
But for ……………………………………………………………………………….
10. The government have been reviewing their immigration policy for sometime.
The government’s …………………………………………………………………...
II/ For each of the sentences below, write a new sentence as similar as possible in meaning
to the original one, but using the word given. This word must not be altered in any way.
Example: There was no conclusion at the end of the workshop. CONCLUDE
………………………...…………………………….
 They did not conclude anything at the end of the workshop.
1. Our environment is polluted seriously. POLLUTION
…………………………………………………………………
2. They speak English in a high proficiency. PROFICIENTLY
…………………………………………………………………
3. If the factory is opened, everyone will have a job. UNEMPLOYED
…………………………………………………………………
4. Jane is likely to be promoted STANDS
…………………………………………………………………
5. I’m sure he bought them a lovely present for their wedding. BOUND
…………………………………………………………………
III/ Write an essay of at least 200 words about the advantages and disadvantages of
private tutoring.
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THE END