SỞ GIÁO DỤC VÀ ĐÀO TẠO KỲ THI THÀNH LẬP CÁC ĐỘI TUYỂN THAM DỰ

THÁI BÌNH KỲ THI CHỌN HỌC SINH GIỎI QUỐC GIA THPT

NĂM 2023-2024

Môn thi: TIẾNG ANH

Ngày thi: 22/9/2023

Thời gian làm bài: 180 phút

(Đề thi gồm có 17 trang)

- Thí sinh KHÔNG được sử dụng tài liệu, kể cả từ điển.

- Giám thị KHÔNG giải thích gì thêm.

I. LISTENING: (5.0 Points)

HƯỚNG DẪN LÀM BÀI THI NGHE HIỂU
- Bài nghe gồm 4 phần; mỗi phần được nghe 2 lần; Mở đầu và kết thúc phần nghe có tín
hiệu.
- Mở đầu và kết thúc bài nghe có nhạc hiệu. Thí sinh có 02 phút để hoàn thành phần nghe
trước nhạc hiệu kết thúc bài nghe.
- Mọi hướng dẫn cho thí sinh đã có trong phần nghe.
Part 1: For questions 1-5, listen to the recording and answer the following questions with NO MORE
THAN FOUR WORDS for each answer.
1. What kind of shows did the article say brown face used to be common in?
________________________________________
2. Who did Justin Trudeau dress up as?
________________________________________
3. What is Mr. Trudeau running for?
________________________________________
4. Who told reporters that he was extremely shocked?
________________________________________
5. Where is Mr. Trudeau different, according to Jagmeet Singh?
________________________________________
Part 2: For questions 6-12, listen to the following recording and fill in each blank with NO
MORE THAN THREE WORDS.
6. Susan Boyle has experienced a ______________________ to fame after auditioning for Britain’s
Got Talent.
7. It is suggested that Susan’s biggest attraction lies in her ____________________ .
1/17
8. Susan is probably the most unlikely star to be discovered recently with her
_____________________ to life.
9. Max Clifford, a ____________________ commented that the massive interest in her is partly due
to people having to challenge their own 10.___________________ and assumptions.
11. Susan is believed to be the _________________ to win in the next performance on Britain’s Got
Talent.
12. It is highly likely that there will be a Susan Boyle album in the charts with talk of contracts and
___________________.
Part 3: You will hear an interview with someone whose work is concerned with the design and
marketing of products. For questions 13 – 17, choose the answer A, B, C or D which fits best
according to what you hear.
13. David says that the session he has just conducted ___________.
A. was longer than most sessions he conducts.
B. illustrates his own beliefs about focus groups.
C. is an example of a new approach to visual planning.
D. concentrated as much on positive as negative attitudes to cleaning.
14. What did David know about cleaning products before the session?
A. Some people could not make up their minds which ones to buy.
B. Manufacturers were concerned about falling sales in them.
C. Some of them looked too dull to appeal to shoppers.
D. People felt that false claims were made about them.
15. One of the comments made during the session referred to ___________.
A. regarding the choice of a cleaning product as unimportant.
B. cleaning products all looking the same.
C. the deliberate misleading of shoppers.
D. buying a cleaning product because it is familiar.
16. David says that what the women produced when they were split into groups ___________.
A. did not focus on what cleaning products actually do.
B. presented contrasting images.
C. was not what they had expected to produce.
D. was similar to the presentation of other kinds of product.
17. David says that he has concluded from the session that ___________.
A. his firm's methods will need to change slightly.
B. he was right to question a certain assumption.
C. cleaning products do not fit into a general pattern.
D. what he had previously thought was not entirely correct.
Your answers:
13. 14. 15. 16. 17.

Part 4: For questions 18-25, listen to the following recording and fill in each blank with NO
MORE THAN THREE WORDS.
18. San Francisco is _____________________ and changing the way we think about trash.
19. Zero waste means sending next to nothing to _____________________ or landfills.
20. Up to now, San Francisco has _____________________ 80% of its waste from landfills.
2/17
21. Government representatives from all over the world visit the facilities to learn about how they
could _____________________ what is being done here.
22. Every day San Francisco collects 650 tons of food scraps, _____________________ and other
organic waste.
23. After the waste is ground up and screened for plastic and other bits of trash, the organic leftover
get watered and _____________________.
24. A piping system then _____________________ dangerous greenhouse gases produced by
microbes.
25. After the compost is complete, it is sold to local farmers and _____________________ .
II. LEXICO – GRAMMAR: (2.0 Points)
Part 1: For questions 26 – 40, choose the correct answer (A, B, C or D) to each of the following
questions. Write your answers in the corresponding numbered boxes.
26. Some version of this coronavirus is bound to _____ our vaccines.
A. backstab B. flummox C. commiserate D. bulwark

27. Large quantities of condensed milk, put up in _____ sealed tins, are sold for use in mining
camps.
A. hermetically B. eccentrically C. enigmatically D. esoterically

28. Local housing prices, thanks to the _____ of a picturesque beach, are out of the reach of many
buyers.
A. probity B. prolixity C. propinquity D. proclivity

29. This shoe repairer is so quick that he can sole and heel your shoes in a(n) _____.
A. moment B. hurry C. instant D. jiffy

30. _____political ambitions, corporate career and family to care for, Jane has no time for
socialising.
A. What with her B. It’s not only her C. There’s her D. That’s just her

31. It's reckoned that someone in the club was _____ the assassin. They could have collaborated for a
long time.
A. at odds over B. under the thumb of C. on the uppers by D.in cahoots with

32. For weeks, millions of people have been _____ in their apartments, going out only when
absolutely required.
A. locked down B. snowed under C. cooped up D. cordoned off

33. Yields of organic maize are nearly twenty percent ______ conventional maize in years under
drought in Pennsylvania, highlighting the role of organic matter in enhancing the soil’s water-
holding capacity.
A. higher than those B. higher than of C. as high as D. as high as those of
of

34. A law passed in 1991 gave the president _____ in the removal of top officers.
A. idee fixe B. carte blanche C. hoi polloi D. social milieu

3/17
35. They won't be able to give you even a(n) _____ without drawings, measurements and thoughts
on materials.
A. collision course B. ballpark figure C. bridal gown D. hefty shove

36. My sister _____ and then finally admitted she'd worn my shoes.
A. waxed and waned B. ranted and raved C. hemmed and D. racked and ruined
hawed

37. Many teachers have been trained to use e-learning tools, while others have faced a steep learning
_____.
A. curve B. circle C. lapse D. loop

38. _____ isolation of infected patients is used to reduce spread, but its benefit over other precautions
is unknown.
A. Detention B. Lockdown C. Quarantine D. Cohort

39. This exhibit put our small town on the _____, bringing in major collectors from all around the
world.
A. poster B. books C. map D. rocks

40. The designer refuses to gild the _____, preferring simple lines of his creations.
A. lily B. rose C. daisy D. daffodil
Your answers:
26. 27. 28. 29. 30.

31. 32. 33. 34. 35.

36. 37. 38. 39. 40.

Part 2: For questions 41 – 45, write the correct form of each bracketed word in each sentence in
the corresponding numbered spaces provided in the column on the right.
Your answers

41. Squamous _____ is strongly associated with smoking and alcohol and
41. _____________
predominantly affects the middle third of the esophagus. (CANCER)

42. The cost of living keeps rising, especially for _____ expenditure such as rent
42. _____________
and mortgage payments, healthcare and childcare. (DISCRETION)

43. The cooked pastry dough is _______ simple, but it takes total concentration
43. _____________
and hours of practice to achieve good results. (DECEIVE)

44. The judge dismissed his DUI charge but convicted him for improper lane
44. _____________
changing and refusing the_____ test. (BREATHE)

45. He's been seen out at nightclubs and restaurants with a series of _____ blondes.
45. _____________
(IDENTITY)

III. READING: (5.0 Points)

4/17
Part 1: Fill in each blank with ONE suitable word. Write your answers in the corresponding
numbered boxes provided.
The Sensual Shopper
How can retail stores encourage customers to 46.______ with their money? Here's how the good
stores do it. We were performing a study for RadioShack just 47.______ the chain had decided to try
to become America's favorite phone store. We watched countless shoppers approach the wall of
telephones on display, look them all 48.______, check out the prices and then, almost 49.______
exception, pick up a phone and hold it up to an ear. What were they hoping for? Nothing, probably -
it's just a reflex action, I think what else do you do with a phone? On what other basis do you
compare phones but 50.______ how they feel in your hand and 51.______ your ear.
Well, we reasoned, if the first principle 52.______ trial is to make it as lifelike as possible, you can
complete the experience by putting a voice in that phone. We advised RadioShack to connect the
phones to a recorded message that could be activated when a receiver was lifted. Once that
happened, the stores were alive 53.______ shoppers picking up display phones, listening 54.______
moment and then holding the receivers out for their companions to hear - 55.______ was a bonus,
because that would provide some basis for discussing the purchase, which greatly increases the
chances that something will be bought.
Your answers:
46. 47. 48. 49. 50.
51. 52. 53. 54. 55.

Part 2: Read the following passage and answer the questions.

Eight paragraphs have been removed from the passage. For questions 56 - 63, choose from
paragraphs A- H the one which fits each gap. There is ONE extra paragraph which you do not
need to use.
There were more than a few eyebrows raised when Martin Creed's installation, The Lights Going On
and Off, was unveiled at this year's Turner Prize show at Tate Britain. The museum's curator of
communications, Simon Williams, declared that the work signified "the movement towards the
dematerialisation of art since the 60s", but most of the general public seemed to reckon that an empty
room with a light flicking on and off was a pretentious conceit. Yet even those who loathed the piece
still tried to engage with it as a work of art.
56. ___________
There are still some who mutter darkly about the perils of dumbing down, but the upside is that many
more people are gaining the confidence to appreciate works they might previously have considered
dull or incomprehensible.
57. ___________
A recent survey published by Artworks, the National Children's Art Awards, revealed that average
yearly spending on art materials in English and Welsh schools had fallen from an already
dangerously low figure to a derisory one. Five- to seven-year olds were allocated a mere £1.18 per
head, while 11- to 18-year-olds fared little better with an average annual budget of £2.68.
58. ___________

5/17
If you went into a museum or gallery back in the 1970s, you would have found a dusty regime run by
an elite for an elite. A curator would have gathered a collection of artifacts or pictures into a gallery,
and unless the visitor was steeped in art history, he or she would have little idea of why any
particular group of objects had been grouped together in the same room, as there was no explanation
or interpretation on offer.
59. ___________
A case in point is the newly reopened British Galleries, housing a collection of objects from 1500-
1900, at the Victoria & Albert Museum in London. In many museums, the education team is brought
in as an afterthought to tidy up after the curator and the designer have decided on the exhibits and the
layout. But for the British Galleries, the education team was in on the act from the outset.
60. ___________
Museums outside London often have to fight harder for recognition and in many ways have an even
greater part to play in the cultural fabric of the community than their grander counterparts. The
National Museum of Photography Film & Television in Bradford is a case in point. Situated in the
second poorest ward in the country, it has become a focal point for the north-east. "We have
succeeded in one of the most challenging areas in Britain," says Amanda Nevill, the museum's head.
"We attract people from all sections of the community.
61. ___________
"In countries such as Italy and France, opera has always been a popular musical form," says Mark
Tinkler, EPO's artistic director. "It's only in the US and the UK that it has been branded elitist. We
believe it is something that should be available to everyone so, as well as providing workshops in
schools, we perform in places such as Hemel Hempstead and Thames Ditton where opera is seldom,
if ever, staged."
62. ___________
Alexander Booth is an advertising copywriter in his mid-30s. For the last 10 years or so he has
played footie, got drunk and generally hung out with a group of male friends. About a year ago, they
decided to form their own reading group. "We meet up once a month to discuss a particular book and
to choose the next one," he says. "We've read all sorts from modern-day middlebrow, such as Nick
Hornby, to 17th-century novelists. We're quite democratic about the process, but I'm not sure how
much anyone actually learns. We've all got strong opinions and there can be a fair bit of shouting.
But at the very least we've all read a book we might not have got round to."
63. ___________
At its best, art represents the highest form of human achievement; at its worst, it is tame,
unchallenging and hollow. To engage or not to engage? Now, more than ever, the choice is ours.

A. "We wanted to be clear about what the galleries were trying to say about the history of art and
design and to ensure we catered for our target audiences," says Christopher Wilk, chief curator of the
British Galleries. "Art galleries have tended to appeal to the analytical learner who likes to absorb
information from a plaque, but we have gone out of our way to arrange exhibits in a variety of ways
so that the galleries can be understood and absorbed by everyone."
B. Unsurprisingly, then, because art counts for nothing in the performance league tables, schools
have largely washed their hands of the subject and in the process a generation of schoolchildren have
6/17
had their access, both to practical artistic experience and to a wider appreciation of aesthetics,
severely compromised. But where the schools have failed, arts organisations, museums, galleries and
the media have tried to step in.
C. But for all the good news on offer, a note of caution is also required. Even in times of prosperity,
arts budgets are tight and in times of recession they are often slashed. Arts organisations are fighting
for every penny and many are struggling on a shoestring to continue to offer a first-rate programme;
no one can take their survival for granted.
D. Twenty-five years ago we tended to take a very different view. Art meant high art. If it wasn't a
Mozart opera, a Shakespeare play or a Rembrandt painting, then it wasn't art: it was popular culture.
Today the distinctions have become increasingly blurred. Circus skills, pop music, even TV soaps,
are now all recognised as legitimate art forms.
E. You might have thought that it was the education system that had inspired this latter-day cultural
revolution. But even though there has been a lot of talk coming out of government about creativity in
schools, since Tony Blair discovered that the creative economy was worth billions of pounds per
year to the British economy, little more than window dressing has emerged.
F. There is still a minority of curators and critics who believe that the art should stand alone and
speak for itself, but most now recognise that museums have a duty to inform, as our national
treasures belong to all of us.
G. While painting, film and theatre may have opened up to a wider public, there are still some art
forms, such as opera, that are still regarded in some quarters as inaccessible. But this too is changing.
The Royal Opera House has taken to providing a running English translation of its foreign language
works, but more importantly there are a number of small opera groups, such as English Pocket Opera
(EPO), which are dedicated to making the art form more accessible.
H. They want meaning on a plate, served up the way it has always been. They often seem to want
demonstration of familiar skills. Some people are afraid, both of the feelings art provokes and of
having their preconceptions of what art ought to be upset.
I. Arts organizations can't take all the credit for the growth of interest in the arts. A lot is also down
to the motivation of individuals who have gone out of their way to provide themselves with the
education they never got at school and to indulge their passions in ways that suit them.

Your answers:
56. 57. 58. 59. 60.
61. 62. 63.
Part 3: Read the following passage and answer the questions.
Answer the questions 64 - 74 by referring to the article below. Choose from the list of woods (A-
D) for each question. Some of the choices may be required more than once.
Which wood... (A-D):
64. contains something that prevents it being attacked?
65. is not spoken of as being used in military equipment?
66. doesn't have the reputation of being pretty to look at?
67. can be permanently submerged with little ill effect?
68. can make a food or drink more valuable?
7/17
 69. are you most likely to find on stage at a rock concert?
70. became associated with luxurious buildings?
71. is the most flexible and is therefore used where this is required?
72. burns very well?
73. was used as an agricultural aid?
74. can alter its colour?

Four Woods
Here is the list of woods. Write only the letter (A-D) for each question.
A. Oak
Oak wood has a density of about 0.75 g/cm3, great strength and hardness, and is very resistant to
insect and fungal attack because of its high tannin content. It also has very appealing grain markings,
particularly when quarter sawn. Oak planking was common on high status Viking long ships in the
9th and 10th centuries. The wood was hewn from green logs, by axe and wedge, to produce radial
planks, similar to quarter-sawn timber. Wide, quarter-sawn boards of oak have been prized since the
Middle Ages for use in interior paneling of prestigious buildings such as the debating chamber of the
House of Commons in London, and in the construction of fine furniture. Oak wood, from Quercus
robur and Quercus petraea, was used in Europe for the construction of ships, especially naval men of
war, until the 19th century, and was the principal timber used in the construction of European timber-
framed buildings.
Today oak wood is still commonly used for furniture making and flooring, timber frame buildings,
and for veneer production. Barrels in which wines, sherry, and spirits such as brandy, Scotch whisky
and Bourbon whiskey are aged are made from European and American oak. The use of oak in wine
can add many different dimensions to wine based on the type and style of the oak. Oak barrels,
which may be charred before use, contribute to the colour, taste, and aroma of the contents,
imparting a desirable oaky vanillin flavour to these drinks. The great dilemma for wine producers is
to choose between French and American oak woods. French oaks give the wine greater refinement
and are chosen for the best wines since they increase the price compared to those aged in American
oak wood. American oak contributes greater texture and resistance to ageing, but produces more
violent wine bouquets. Oak wood chips are used for smoking fish, meat, cheeses and other foods.
B. Elm
Elm wood was valued for its interlocking grain, and consequent resistance to splitting, with
significant uses in wagon wheel hubs, chair seats and coffins. The elm's wood bends well and
distorts easily making it quite pliant. The often long, straight, trunks were favoured as a source of
timber for keels in ship construction. Elm is also prized by bowyers; of the ancient bows found in
Europe, a large portion of them are elm. During the Middle Ages elm was also used to make
longbows if yew was unavailable.
The first written references to elm occur in the Linear B lists of military equipment at Knossos in the
Mycenaean Period. Several of the chariots are of elm, and the lists twice mention wheels of
elmwood. Hesiod says that ploughs in Ancient Greece were also made partly of elm.
The density of elm wood varies between species, but averages around 560 kg per cubic metre.
Elm wood is also resistant to decay when permanently wet, and hollowed trunks were widely used as
water pipes during the medieval period in Europe. Elm was also used as piers in the construction of

8/17
the original London Bridge. However this resistance to decay in water does not extend to ground
contact.
The Romans, and more recently the Italians, used to plant elms in vineyards as supports for vines.
Lopped at three metres, the elms' quick growth, twiggy lateral branches, light shade and root-
suckering made them ideal trees for this purpose. The lopped branches were used for fodder and
firewood. Ovid in his Amores characterizes the elm as "loving the vine", and the ancients spoke of
the "marriage" between elm and vine.
C. Mahogany
Mahogany has a straight, fine and even grain, and is relatively free of voids and pockets. Its reddish-
brown color darkens over time, and displays a reddish sheen when polished. It has excellent
workability, and is very durable. Historically, the tree's girth allowed for wide boards from
traditional mahogany species. These properties make it a favorable wood for crafting cabinets and
furniture.
Much of the first-quality furniture made in the American colonies from the mid-18th century was
made of mahogany, when the wood first became available to American craftsmen. Mahogany is still
widely used for fine furniture; however, the rarity of Cuban mahogany and over harvesting of
Honduras and Brazilian mahogany has diminished their use. Mahogany also resists wood rot, making
it attractive in boat construction. It is also often used for musical instruments, particularly the backs,
sides and necks of acoustic guitars and drum shells because of its ability to produce a very deep,
warm tone compared to other commonly used woods such as maple or birch. Guitars often feature
mahogany in their construction. Mahogany is now being used for the bodies of high-end stereo
phonographic record cartridges and for stereo headphones, where it is noted for “warm” or “musical”
sound.
D. Beech
Beech wood is an excellent firewood, easily split and burning for many hours with bright but calm
flames. Chips of beech wood are used in the brewing of Budweiser beer as a fining agent. Beech logs
are burned to dry the malts used in some German smoked beers, giving the beers their typical
flavour. Beech is also used to smoke Westphalian ham, various sausages, and some cheeses.
The European species Fagus sylvatica yields a utility timber that is tough but dimensionally unstable.
It weighs about 720 kg per cubic metre and is widely used for furniture framing and carcass
construction, flooring and engineering purposes, in plywood and in household items like plates, but
rarely as a decorative wood. The timber can be used to build chalets, houses and log cabins.
Beech wood is used for the stocks of military rifles when traditionally preferred woods such as
walnut are scarce or unavailable or as a lower-cost alternative.
The fruit of the beech tree is known as beechnuts or mast and is found in small burrs that drop from
the tree in autumn. It is small, roughly triangular and edible, with a bitter, astringent taste. They have
a high enough fat content that they can be pressed for edible oil. Fresh from the tree, beech leaves are
a fine salad vegetable, as sweet as a mild cabbage though much softer in texture. The young leaves
can be steeped in gin for several weeks, the liquor strained off and sweetened to give a light
green/yellow liqueur called beech leaf noyau.
Your answers:
64. 65. 66. 67. 68.
69. 70. 71. 72. 73.
74.
9/17
Part 4: Read the following passage and answer the questions.
An Unlikely Muse
A new wave of music and arts projects has emerged, focusing on someone who may seem for some a
dubious source of inspiration. Imelda Marcos, former first lady of the Philippines, is currently
becoming the subject of musicals, song cycles and shows on a worldwide arena.
When the Marcos regime collapsed in 1986, and Imelda and her husband Ferdinand were exiled in
Hawaii, they carried with them allegations of embezzlement, corruption and human rights abuses.
Imelda had spent the last twenty years living off a seemingly endless supply of funds, living an
exotic and glamorous lifestyle and rubbing shoulders with powerful figures worldwide. In 1972,
when the superstar couple’s popularity was fading and they were at risk of losing their power,
Ferdinand Marcos instated martial, leading to an era of chaos and plunder, and what is described by
some as the second most corrupt regime of the twentieth century. Ferdinand and Imelda fled in 1986
to escape the People’s Power Revolution, Imelda leaving behind some 2000 pairs of shoes.
After her husband died in Hawaii due to ill health, Imelda stood trial in the United States on behalf of
her husband. Following that, she returned to the Philippines to face seventy more counts of
corruption and tax evasion. She has now returned to congress in the Philippines, her make-up and
gowns as flawless as ever.
So what makes Imelda Marcos such an appealing muse? Undoubtedly, Imelda Marcos’s resolute
character which has withstood exile, legal battles and the wrath of her enemies makes her an
appealing heroine, but film-maker Fenton Bailey attributes her iconicity to her sense of glamour and
style, and her role as a cultural trend-setter. And like so many women who let nothing come between
them and their goals, she has gained a certain iconic status, particularly among homosexuals, not
unlike that of Judy Garland and Lady Gaga.
And now the story of Imelda Marcos can be seen in the format of a musical, an artistic genre which
is quite befitting for this flamboyant, entertaining figure of beauty and glamour. ‘Imelda – A new
musical’ has played in Los Angeles and New York. The artistic director of the musical, Tim Dang,
realises that the musical glosses over the darker aspects of the Marcos regime, but wanted to portray
Imelda as a person with all her faults on display, leaving the audience to come to a verdict.
However, despite the glitz of the show, reviews were mixed, stating the ‘the serio-comic spoof... had
a vacuum at its centre’.
The story of Imelda Marcos has also been immortalised as a song cycle, ‘Here Lies Love’ written by
David Byrne and Norman Cook, in which Imelda comes across as both a hero and villain. Their
reasoning was to try to understand the story of how people can attain positions of such power and
greed. They were also inspired by Imelda’s love of dancing and clubbing, and how her own style of
music could be incorporated into their own. Byrne adds that their story is not black and white – the
couple were very popular at first, and Imelda headed a lot of public works in the Philippines and
added much to the nation’s sense of culture and identity.
At the Cultural Centre of the Philippines, a tour named ‘La Vida Imelda’ led by Carlos Sedran
describes the life of Imelda Marcos, the cold war and martial law, while also portraying the glamour
of the Imelda lifestyle. He describes it as an eternal story, in which her extravagance can be seen as
either distasteful or in some ways estimable.

10/17
There is a danger that these new art forms airbrush out the atrocities which accompanied the
ostentation and glamour. It was a time when democracy was suppressed, political enemies
disappeared, and billions of dollars which could have helped the poverty-stricken country were spent
on the Marcos’s extravagant lifestyle. However, the artists involved are keen to make clear that the
regime also resulted in great leaps forward in the country’s culture, architecture and infrastructure.
The Marcos legacy remains in the form of hospitals, Heart and Lung Centres, Folk Art theatres and
homes for children and the elderly, notwithstanding that the Marcos couple set their war-ravaged,
poverty-stricken land onto the world stage.
75. Why are Imelda’s shoes mentioned in the second paragraph?
A. To illustrate how little she cared for her personal possessions
B. To illustrate her love of fashion and beauty
C. To indicate how quickly she had to flee the country
D. To illustrate the extravagance of her lifestyle
76. What aspect of Imelda’s character is emphasised in paragraph 3?
A. her flamboyance B. her kindness C. her resolution D. her beauty
77. Why is Imelda compared with Judy Garland and Lady Gaga?
A. Due to her status as a gay icon
B. Due to her ambition and drive
C. Because she has created new fashions
D. Because she has triumphed over legal battles
78. Why was the musical of Imelda’s life criticised?
A. Because it did not portray Imelda’s faults
B. Because the show was too shallow
C. Because it was too glamorous and showy
D. Because it was both serious and comedic
79. What was it about Imelda’s story that interested David Byrne and Norman Cooke?
A. The ongoing themes of power, greed and music
B. The fact that the story had both a clear hero and villain
C. The reasoning why people such as Imelda become who they are
D. The fact that her musical taste was similar to theirs
80. According to Carlos Sedran, how do people respond to Imelda’s expensive lifestyle?
A. Most people are shocked by it.
B. It evokes both positive and negative feelings
C. People want to be like her
D. People realise why she did it
81. Which of the following is NOT mentioned in the text as something Imelda Marcos did for the
Philippines?
A. She made health services available to the people
B. She gave the country a cultural identity
C. She reduced the levels of poverty for Filipino people
D. She drew the world’s attention to the country.
Your answers:
75. 76. 77. 78. 79. 80. 81.

11/17
Part 5: Read the following passage and answer the questions.
What is a dinosaur?
A. Although the name dinosaur is derived from the Greek for "terrible lizard", dinosaurs were not, in
fact, lizards at all. Like lizards, dinosaurs are included in the class Reptilia, or reptiles, one of the five
main classes of Vertebrata, animals with backbones. However, at the next level of classification,
within reptiles, significant differences in the skeletal anatomy of lizards and dinosaurs have led
scientists to place these groups of animals into two different superorders: Lepidosauria, or
lepidosaurs, and Archosauria, or archosaurs.
B. Classified as lepidosaurs are lizards and snakes and their prehistoric ancestors. Included among
the archosaurs, or "ruling reptiles", are prehistoric and modern crocodiles, and the now extinct
thecodonts, pterosaurs and dinosaurs. Palaeontologists believe that both dinosaurs and crocodiles
evolved, in the later years of the Triassic Period (c. 248-208 million years ago), from creatures called
pseudosuchian thecodonts. Lizards, snakes and different types of thecodont are believed to have
evolved earlier in the Triassic Period from reptiles known as eosuchians.
C. The most important skeletal differences between dinosaurs and other archosaurs are in the bones
of the skull, pelvis and limbs. Dinosaur skulls are found in a great range of shapes and sizes,
reflecting the different eating habits and lifestyles of a large and varied group of animals that
dominated life on Earth for an extraordinary 165 million years. However, unlike the skulls of any
other known animals, the skulls of dinosaurs had two long bones known as vomers. These bones
extended on either side of the head, from the front of the snout to the level of the holes on the skull
known as the antorbital fenestra, situated in front of the dinosaur's orbits or eyesockets.
D. All dinosaurs, whether large or small, quadrupedal or bipedal, fleet-footed or slow-moving,
shared a common body plan. Identification of this plan makes it possible to differentiate dinosaurs
from any other types of animal, even other archosaurs. Most significantly, in dinosaurs, the pelvis
and femur had evolved so that the hind limbs were held vertically beneath the body, rather than
sprawling out to the sides like the limbs of a lizard. The femur of a dinosaur had a sharply in-turned
neck and a ball-shaped head, which slotted into a fully open acetabulum or hip socket. A supra-
acetabular crest helped prevent dislocation of the femur. The position of the knee joint, aligned
below the acetabulum, made it possible for the whole hind limb to swing backwards and forwards.
This unique combination of features gave dinosaurs what is known as a "fully improved gait".
Evolution of this highly efficient method of walking also developed in mammals, but among reptiles
it occurred only in dinosaurs.
E. For the purpose of further classification, dinosaurs are divided into two orders: Saurischia, or
saurischian dinosaurs, and Ornithischia, or ornithischian dinosaurs. This division is made on the
basis of their pelvic anatomy. All dinosaurs had a pelvic girdle with each side comprised of three
bones: the pubis, ilium and ischium. However, the orientation of these bones follows one of two
patterns. In saurischian dinosaurs, also known as lizard-hipped dinosaurs, the pubis points forwards,
as is usual in most types of reptile. By contrast, in ornithischian, or bird-hipped, dinosaurs, the pubis
points backwards towards the rear of the animal, which is also true of birds.
F. Of the two orders of dinosaurs, the Saurischia was the larger and the first to evolve. It is divided
into two suborders: Therapoda, or therapods, and Sauropodomorpha, or sauropodomorphs. The
therapods, or "beast feet", were bipedal, predatory carnivores. They ranged in size from the mighty
Tyrannosaurus rex, 12m long, 5.6m tall and weighing an estimated 6.4 tonnes, to the smallest known
12/17
dinosaur, Compsognathus, a mere 1.4m long and estimated 3kg in weight when fully grown. The
sauropodomorphs, or "lizard feet forms", included both bipedal and quadrupedal dinosaurs. Some
sauropodomorphs were carnivorous or omnivorous but later species were typically herbivorous.
They included some of the largest and best-known of all dinosaurs, such as Diplodocus, a huge
quadruped with an elephant-like body, a long, thin tail and neck that gave it a total length of 27m,
and a tiny head.
G. Ornithischian dinosaurs were bipedal or quadrupedal herbivores. They are now usually divided
into three suborders: Ornithipoda, Thyreophora and Marginocephalia. The ornithopods, or "bird
feet", both large and small, could walk or run on their long hind legs, balancing their body by
holding their tails stiffly off the ground behind them. An example is Iguanodon, up to 9m long, 5m
tall and weighing 4.5 tonnes. The thyreophorans, or "shield bearers", also known as armoured
dinosaurs, were quadrupeds with rows of protective bony spikes, studs, or plates along their backs
and tails. They included Stegosaurus, 9m long and weighing 2 tonnes.
H. The marginocephalians, or "margined heads", were bipedal or quadrupedal ornithschians with a
deep bony frill or narrow shelf at the back of the skull. An example is Triceratops, a rhinoceros-like
dinosaur, 9m long, weighing 5.4 tonnes and bearing a prominent neck frill and three large horns.
Questions 82 - 88
Choose the most suitable heading for each paragraph from the List of headings below.
Write the appropriate numbers (i - xiii) in Boxes 82 - 88 on your answer sheet.
One of the headings has been done for you as an example.
NB. There are more headings than paragraphs, so you will not use all of them.

Example : Paragraph H Answer: x

List of headings

i 165 million years

ii The body plan of archosaurs

iii Dinosaurs - terrible lizards

iv Classification according to pelvic anatomy

v The suborders of Saurischia

vi Lizards and dinosaurs - two distinct superorders

vii Unique body plan helps identify dinosaurs from other animals

viii Herbivore dinosaurs

ix Lepidosaurs

13/17
x Frills and shelves

xi The origins of dinosaurs and lizards

xii Bird-hipped dinosaurs

xiii Skull bones distinguish dinosaurs from other archosaurs

82. Paragraph A
83. Paragraph B
84. Paragraph C
85. Paragraph D
86. Paragraph E
87. Paragraph F
88. Paragraph G

Your answers:
82. 83. 84. 85. 86. 87. 88.

Complete then sentences below.

Use NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS from the passage for each blank space.
Write your answers in boxes 89 - 91 on your answer sheet.
Lizards and dinosaurs are classified into two different superorders because of the difference in
their (89) __________.
In the Triassic Period, (90) __________ evolved into thecodonts, for example, lizards and snakes.
Dinosaur skulls differed from those of any other known animals because of the presence of vomers:
(91) ________ .
Your answers:
89. 90. 91.

Questions 92 - 95
Choose one phrase (A-H) from the List of features to match with the Dinosaurs listed below.
Write the appropriate letters (A-H) in boxes 92 - 95 on your answer sheet.
The information in the completed sentences should be an accurate summary of the points made by
the writer.
NB. There are more phrases (A-H) than sentences, so you will not need to use them all.
You may use each phrase once only.

Dinosaurs
92. Dinosaurs differed from lizards, because
93. Saurischian and ornithischian dinosaurs
94. Unlike therapods, sauropodomorphs
14/17
95. Some dinosaurs used their tails to balance and could walk

List of features

A are both divided into two orders.

B the former had a "fully improved gait".

C were not usually very heavy.

D could walk or run on their back legs.

E their hind limbs sprawled out to the side.

F walked or ran on four legs, rather than two.

G both had a pelvic girdle comprising six bones.

H did not always eat meat.

Your answers:
92. 93. 94. 95.

IV. WRITING: (6.0 points)

Part 1: Read the following extract and use your own words to summarise it. Your summary should
be between 100 - 120 words long. You MUST NOT copy the original.
Obesity is a huge problem in many Western countries and one which now attracts considerable
medical interest as researchers take up the challenge to find a 'cure' for the common condition of
being seriously overweight. However, rather than take responsibility for their weight, obese people
have often sought solace in the excuse that they have a slow metabolism, a genetic hiccup which
sentences more than half the Australian population (63% of men and 47% of women) to a life of
battling with their weight. The argument goes like this: it doesn't matter how little they eat, they gain
weight because their bodies break down food and turn it into energy more slowly than those with a
so-called normal metabolic rate.
'This is nonsense,' says Dr. Susan Jebb from the Dunn Nutrition Unit at Cambridge in England.
Despite the persistence of this metabolism myth, science has known for several years that the exact
opposite is in fact true. Fat people have faster metabolisms than thin people. 'What is very clear,' says
Dr. Jebb, 'is that overweight people actually burn off more energy. They have more cells, bigger
hearts, bigger lungs and they all need more energy just to keep going.'
It took only one night, spent in a sealed room at the Dunn Unit to disabuse one of their patients of the
beliefs of a lifetime: her metabolism was fast, not slow. By sealing the room and measuring the exact
amount of oxygen she used, researchers were able to show her that her metabolism was not the
culprit. It wasn't the answer she expected and probably not the one she wanted but she took the news
philosophically.
15/17
 Although the metabolism myth has been completely disproved, science has far from discounted our
genes as responsible for making us whatever weight we are, fat or thin. One of the world's leading
obesity researchers, geneticist Professor Stephen O'Rahilly, goes so far as to say we are on the
threshold of a complete change in the way we view not only morbid obesity, but also everyday
overweight. Prof. O'Rahilly's groundbreaking work in Cambridge has proven that obesity can be
caused by our genes. 'These people are not weak-willed, slothful or lazy,' says Prof. O'Rahilly, 'They
have a medical condition due to a genetic defect and that causes them to be obese.'

...............................................................................................................................................................
...............................................................................................................................................................
...............................................................................................................................................................
...............................................................................................................................................................
...............................................................................................................................................................
...............................................................................................................................................................
...............................................................................................................................................................
...............................................................................................................................................................
...............................................................................................................................................................
...............................................................................................................................................................
...............................................................................................................................................................
...............................................................................................................................................................
...............................................................................................................................................................
...............................................................................................................................................................
...............................................................................................................................................................
...............................................................................................................................................................
...............................................................................................................................................................
...............................................................................................................................................................
...............................................................................................................................................................
...............................................................................................................................................................
...............................................................................................................................................................
...............................................................................................................................................................
...............................................................................................................................................................
...............................................................................................................................................................

Part 2: The graph shows the value in US dollars (in millions of dollars) of investment in funds of
four categories from 1988 to 2014.
Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons
where relevant. You should write about 150 words.

16/17
...............................................................................................................................................................
...............................................................................................................................................................
...............................................................................................................................................................
...............................................................................................................................................................
...............................................................................................................................................................
...............................................................................................................................................................
...............................................................................................................................................................
...............................................................................................................................................................
...............................................................................................................................................................
...............................................................................................................................................................
...............................................................................................................................................................
...............................................................................................................................................................
...............................................................................................................................................................
...............................................................................................................................................................
...............................................................................................................................................................
...............................................................................................................................................................
...............................................................................................................................................................
...............................................................................................................................................................
...............................................................................................................................................................
...............................................................................................................................................................
...............................................................................................................................................................
...............................................................................................................................................................
...............................................................................................................................................................
...............................................................................................................................................................
...............................................................................................................................................................
17/17
...............................................................................................................................................................
...............................................................................................................................................................
...............................................................................................................................................................
...............................................................................................................................................................
...............................................................................................................................................................
...............................................................................................................................................................

Part 3: Write an essay of about 350 words on the following topic.

The best curriculum is not one based on a static body of knowledge, but one which teaches students
to cope with change.
To what extent do you agree or disagree?

...............................................................................................................................................................
...............................................................................................................................................................
...............................................................................................................................................................
...............................................................................................................................................................
...............................................................................................................................................................
...............................................................................................................................................................
...............................................................................................................................................................
...............................................................................................................................................................
...............................................................................................................................................................
...............................................................................................................................................................
...............................................................................................................................................................
...............................................................................................................................................................
...............................................................................................................................................................
...............................................................................................................................................................
...............................................................................................................................................................
...............................................................................................................................................................
...............................................................................................................................................................
...............................................................................................................................................................
...............................................................................................................................................................
...............................................................................................................................................................
...............................................................................................................................................................
...............................................................................................................................................................
...............................................................................................................................................................
...............................................................................................................................................................
...............................................................................................................................................................
18/17
...............................................................................................................................................................
...............................................................................................................................................................
...............................................................................................................................................................
...............................................................................................................................................................
...............................................................................................................................................................
...............................................................................................................................................................
...............................................................................................................................................................
...............................................................................................................................................................
...............................................................................................................................................................
...............................................................................................................................................................
...............................................................................................................................................................
...............................................................................................................................................................
...............................................................................................................................................................
...............................................................................................................................................................
...............................................................................................................................................................
...............................................................................................................................................................
...............................................................................................................................................................
...............................................................................................................................................................
...............................................................................................................................................................
...............................................................................................................................................................
...............................................................................................................................................................
...............................................................................................................................................................
...............................................................................................................................................................
...............................................................................................................................................................
...............................................................................................................................................................
...............................................................................................................................................................
...............................................................................................................................................................
...............................................................................................................................................................
(You may write overleaf if you need more space)
- The end -

19/17