Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C or D on your answer sheet to indicate the option that best fits each of the numbered blanks from 1 to 5.
Money has many ironies, and here is an important one: wealth is what you do not see. On spotting a Ferrari driving around, (1) . In reality, however, many drivers of expensive cars turn out to be only mediocre successes who spend a huge percentage of their paycheck on a vehicle. Someone driving a hundred-thousand-dollar car might indeed be wealthy. Yet the only firm data point you have about their wealth is that they have a hundred thousand dollars less than they did before they bought the car or a hundred thousand dollars more in debt. (2) .
We tend to judge wealth by what we see (3) . We cannot peer into people’s bank accounts or brokerage statements, so we rely on outward appearances to gauge financial success: cars, houses, photographs on social media. Modern capitalism has turned helping people fake it until they make it into a cherished industry. (4) . Wealth hides in the nice car not purchased, the diamonds left in the shop and the first-class upgrade declined. Wealth is the financial assets that have not yet been converted into the stuff you see.
Hence, we should be careful (5) . It is more than mere semantics; not knowing the difference is the source of countless poor money decisions.
you might be assumed to be the rich owner of the car
B.
(Đáp án đúng)
you might assume that the owner of the car must be rich
C.
the car might be assumed to be owned by a rich person
D.
people might assume you must be the rich owner of the car
Lời giải
Đáp án đúng: B.
Cụm On spotting a Ferrari driving around có chủ ngữ ngầm là người nhìn thấy (you), nên mệnh đề chính phải có chủ ngữ you. B (bạn có thể cho rằng chủ chiếc xe hẳn là người giàu) vừa đúng chủ ngữ vừa hợp nghĩa; D, C đổi chủ ngữ (people, the car), A sai nghĩa (chính bạn bị cho là chủ xe). Chọn B.
Câu trước nói điều chắc chắn duy nhất bạn biết về tài sản của họ là họ có ít hơn 100 nghìn đô hoặc nợ thêm 100 nghìn đô. Câu cần điền chốt lại: That is all you know about them (đó là tất cả những gì bạn biết về họ). C, A, B sai trật tự hoặc sai nghĩa. Chọn D.
because external clues are the only information we have to work with
B.
rather than by external clues as the only information we have to work with
C.
other than external clues as the information that we only have to work with
D.
unless we only have external clues as the information to work with
Lời giải
Đáp án đúng: A.
Câu sau giải thích ta không thể xem tài khoản ngân hàng của người khác, nên chỗ trống cần nêu lý do ta đánh giá sự giàu có qua những gì nhìn thấy: because external clues are the only information we have to work with (vì manh mối bên ngoài là thông tin duy nhất ta có). Other than, unless, rather than làm sai nghĩa. Chọn A.
Likewise, the truth is that the existence of authentic wealth remains a secret
B.
Authentic wealth, similarly, keeps its existence by secretly remaining truthful
C.
Authentic wealth, as a consequence, secretly exists by remaining truthful
D.
(Đáp án đúng)
However, the truth remains that authentic wealth keeps its existence a secret
Lời giải
Đáp án đúng: D.
Câu trước nói chủ nghĩa tư bản biến việc giúp người ta “giả vờ giàu” thành một ngành công nghiệp; câu sau nói sự giàu có ẩn trong chiếc xe không mua, viên kim cương để lại cửa hàng. Cần câu đối lập: However, the truth remains that authentic wealth keeps its existence a secret (tuy vậy, sự giàu có thật sự luôn giấu kín). B, A dùng từ nối chỉ sự tương đồng, C chỉ kết quả, đều sai quan hệ. Chọn D.
being wealthy is distinguishing itself from being rich
B.
for being wealthy to be distinguished from being rich
C.
(Đáp án đúng)
to distinguish between being wealthy and being rich
D.
being wealthy and being rich distinguish themselves
Lời giải
Đáp án đúng: C.
Be careful + to V: we should be careful to distinguish between being wealthy and being rich (cần cẩn thận phân biệt giàu có thực sự với có nhiều tiền); câu sau nhắc lại not knowing the difference. Các phương án khác sai cấu trúc sau careful. Chọn C.
Read the passage and mark the letter A, B, C or D on your answer sheet to indicate the best answer to each of the following questions from 6 to 13.
For decades, students have been convinced that academic success is largely dependent upon meticulous notetaking. What has changed in recent years is not the importance of the practice but the tools used to perform it. The keyboard has subtly supplanted the pen, and with it, the nature of how information is recorded during a lecture has shifted unbeknownst to students.
Researchers in cognitive psychology have begun to examine what this change has cost learners. In a series of comparative studies, students taking notes by hand consistently outperformed those using laptops on questions that demanded conceptual understanding, even when both groups had access to the same material. The reason, according to the researchers, lies less in the technology itself than in what each method asks of the brain. Typing rewards speed; handwriting forces selection.
The act of writing by hand is slower, and that slowness appears to be its hidden virtue. Unable to capture every word, students are obliged to listen, decide what matters and condense ideas into their own phrasing. This continuous filtering, referred to as encoding by psychologists, turns out to be instrumental in aiding long-term recall. One lecturer summarised the striking contrast after reviewing her students’ work: the laptops, she said, had produced transcripts, while the notebooks had produced understanding.
It would be misleading, of course, to claim that handwriting is inherently superior or that all keyboards undermine learning. Hard-working typists can summarise, while indolent writers can drift. What the research highlights is not a conclusion on devices but a question about effort: which tool, in a given context, asks more of the learner. As a ban on students’ use of laptops in classrooms remains a bone of contention among tertiary institutions, the deeper challenge may be helping students recognise that what feels easier in the moment is not always what serves them best afterwards.
Which of the following statements would the writer NOT agree with?
A.
Handwritten and typed notes led to varied degrees of conceptual understanding.
B.
Students are unaware of the change in notetaking methods in class.
C.
(Đáp án đúng)
Universities generally approve of prohibiting laptop use in classrooms.
D.
The slow speed of writing by hand turns out to be an advantage over typing.
Lời giải
Đáp án đúng: C.
Bài viết nói việc cấm laptop remains a bone of contention (vẫn còn gây tranh cãi) giữa các trường đại học, nên không thể nói các trường nhìn chung tán thành lệnh cấm. Chọn C.
In which paragraph does the writer warn against an overgeneralisation?
A.
(Đáp án đúng)
Paragraph 4
B.
Paragraph 1
C.
Paragraph 2
D.
Paragraph 3
Lời giải
Đáp án đúng: A.
Đoạn 4 cảnh báo không nên khái quát rằng viết tay luôn tốt hơn hay mọi bàn phím đều cản trở việc học (It would be misleading…). Chọn A.
Read the passage and mark the letter A, B, C or D on your answer sheet to indicate the best answer to each of the following questions from 14 to 23.
Environmental services, even when they arise without any human labour, are by no means cost-free. Every cost should be understood in terms of opportunity cost. For environmental services, the opportunity cost amounts to the net gain relinquished because the resources are no longer available for their second-best application. Whenever a resource has alternative uses, it cannot legitimately be deemed free.
For instance, a section of river might serve as a site used for either white-water canoeing or hydroelectric generation. Constructing a dam to produce electricity would flood the rapids, so this makes white-water canoeing here out of the question. The opportunity cost of preserving the river for canoeing equals the net benefit of the electricity that would otherwise have been produced, once the expenses of generation and distribution have been subtracted. By the same token, the opportunity cost of erecting the dam involves everything the river in its natural state would have provided – leisure activities, wildlife, scenic beauty, and whatever worth future generations might attach to experiencing the rapids.
This understanding carries considerable weight for planning development. [I] Numerous decisions initially appearing to be cost-free moves in favour of growth prove, when examined carefully, to be against something else. [II] Clearing a forest to make way for crops is hardly without cost; it is paid for through losses in carbon storage, biological diversity, and all the functions the forest once performed unnoticed. [III] Channelling a river for irrigation has its price – namely, whatever the river was doing before its course was altered. [IV] Even leaving a swathe of land alone exacts a cost, since the earnings that intensive exploitation might have produced are equally sacrificed.
From this perspective, economic development can never be reduced to whether a project delivers a positive return. Rather, what must be asked is whether that return outweighs the value of sacrifices. Policies considering this – by pricing scarce environmental services, or obliging those in charge to consider both sides – are not against development. What they demand is that development should be worth its true cost. The danger lies not in counting too much, but in counting too little.
According to paragraph 1, the costs of environmental services are ______.
A.
minimal because these services are nearly labour-free
B.
determined by financial investment in natural resources
C.
(Đáp án đúng)
existent even in the absence of human involvement
D.
included in the market value of natural resources
Lời giải
Đáp án đúng: C.
Đoạn 1: Environmental services, even when they arise without any human labour, are by no means cost-free – dịch vụ môi trường vẫn có chi phí kể cả khi không cần sức lao động của con người. Chọn C.
Which of the following is NOT implied in paragraph 2?
A.
(Đáp án đúng)
The strains on the ecosystem of the river imposed by recreational activities and power generation are similar.
B.
The intrinsic value of the river is not confined to generating hydroelectricity only.
C.
It is impossible to exploit one stretch of river for both hydroelectric generation and white-water canoeing.
D.
Intangible benefits also constitute the opportunity cost of the dam construction.
Lời giải
Đáp án đúng: A.
Đoạn 2 không hề so sánh mức độ tác động lên hệ sinh thái của hoạt động giải trí và việc phát điện. B (giá trị của dòng sông không chỉ ở thủy điện), D (lợi ích vô hình như cảnh quan, động vật hoang dã cũng là chi phí cơ hội của việc xây đập), C (đập sẽ làm ngập ghềnh nên không thể dùng cho cả hai mục đích) đều được hàm ý. Chọn A.
Where in paragraph 3 does the following sentence best fit?
Such hidden costs only come to light when one stops to think about the roles nature itself is quietly playing.
A.
[I]
B.
[III]
C.
[IV]
D.
(Đáp án đúng)
[II]
Lời giải
Đáp án đúng: D.
Câu cần chèn (Such hidden costs…) nói các chi phí ẩn chỉ lộ ra khi ta nghĩ đến vai trò thầm lặng của tự nhiên. Nó đứng ngay sau câu nêu nhiều quyết định tưởng như không tốn kém thực ra là lựa chọn chống lại điều khác, và trước các ví dụ phá rừng, chuyển dòng sông. Đó là vị trí [II]. Chọn D.
Which of the following best summarises paragraph 3?
A.
Ecological preservation exerts negligible influence on economic development.
B.
Untouched and cultivated lands both produce benefits in the long term.
C.
Economic benefits should never take precedence over forest and river preservation.
D.
(Đáp án đúng)
Apparently harmless developments actually come at an underlying price.
Lời giải
Đáp án đúng: D.
Đoạn 3 cho thấy nhiều quyết định phát triển tưởng như không tốn kém (phá rừng, chuyển dòng sông, thậm chí để đất nguyên trạng) đều phải trả giá. Ý chính: những dự án phát triển tưởng như vô hại thực ra có cái giá ngầm. Chọn D.
Due consideration for opportunity costs is crucial for the genuine success of development.
B.
Both excessive caution and complete ignorance regarding environmental costs cause permanent damage.
C.
Putting a price on environmental services is aimed at slowing down economic projects.
D.
Initiatives are required by law to deduct the hidden costs before claiming to have a positive return.
Lời giải
Đáp án đúng: A.
Đoạn 4: phát triển không chỉ xét lợi nhuận mà phải xét lợi nhuận có lớn hơn giá trị bị hi sinh hay không; phát triển phải xứng với chi phí thật. Vậy việc cân nhắc thỏa đáng chi phí cơ hội là điều cốt yếu cho thành công thật sự của phát triển. C trái với are not against development; B, D không được nói đến. Chọn A.
Which of the following is true according to the passage?
A.
Assigning a specific price tag to a resource is a prerequisite for calculating opportunity costs.
B.
(Đáp án đúng)
The positive return of every economic development must be worth what is sacrificed.
C.
Keeping land intact is free of opportunity cost as there is no resource consumption.
D.
Cost-free resources can be put to alternative uses as long as this is legally permitted.
Lời giải
Đáp án đúng: B.
Đoạn 4: what must be asked is whether that return outweighs the value of sacrifices – lợi nhuận của dự án phải xứng với những gì bị hi sinh. D không có trong bài, C trái với đoạn 3 (để đất nguyên trạng cũng có chi phí), A không được nêu. Chọn B.
Which of the following can be inferred from the passage?
A.
Projects are mandated to make up for the economic losses in return for environmental preservation.
B.
The value of preserved environmental services far outweighs the benefits of industrial development.
C.
The scale of economic development inevitably suffers from strict regulations on environmental services.
D.
(Đáp án đúng)
Decisions that overlook environmental opportunity costs risk overestimating the net gains they produce.
Lời giải
Đáp án đúng: D.
Bài kết luận The danger lies not in counting too much, but in counting too little: bỏ qua chi phí cơ hội của môi trường là tính thiếu chi phí, tức là đánh giá lợi ích ròng cao hơn thực tế. B, A, C không có căn cứ trong bài. Chọn D.
Which of the following would be the best title for the passage?
A.
Sustainable Development: A Pipe Dream
B.
(Đáp án đúng)
Development: Factoring in Sacrifices
C.
Environment: A Tower of Strength
D.
Natural Preservation: Ushering in a New Era
Lời giải
Đáp án đúng: B.
Toàn bài nói phát triển phải tính đến những gì bị hi sinh, tức chi phí cơ hội của các dịch vụ môi trường: Development: Factoring in Sacrifices (Phát triển: tính cả những hi sinh). Chọn B.
Read the following advertisement and mark the letter A, B, C or D on your answer sheet to indicate the option that best fits each of the numbered blanks from 24 to 29.
SUMMER PART-TIME JOBS FOR UNDERGRADUATES
Techworld Magazine is delighted to announce two IT assistant vacancies up for (24) this summer. The better understanding of STEM you have, (25) likely you are to be selected! Successful applicants will get plenty of hands-on experience, good pay, and access to the local STEM community.
(26) , we offer flexible working hours and remote options for those living far away. On top of that, (27) position requires previous experience as new recruits are provided with in-service training sessions.
Applications (28) be submitted to us at [email protected] by 30 June.
Never before has there been such a(n) (29) opportunity to kick-start your career in STEM. Don’t let this chance slip through your fingers – apply today!
Người mới được đào tạo tại chỗ, nên không vị trí nào yêu cầu kinh nghiệm: neither position requires (động từ số ít, phù hợp với hai vị trí đã nêu). Chọn A.
Cụm a golden opportunity nghĩa là cơ hội vàng. Chọn D.
Read the following leaflet and mark the letter A, B, C or D on your answer sheet to indicate the option that best fits each of the numbered blanks from 30 to 35.
GREEN HANDS CAMPAIGN
The School Youth Union is officially launching the “Green Hands” eco-friendly campaign. We invite every student to participate in this vital project. If everyone (30) together, we will make a difference at our school.
The primary goal is to expand students’ (31) of plastic pollution. To achieve this, the school will have colour-coded bins (32) in the schoolyard. Also, waste-disposal workshops will be held to teach students to (33) out plastics properly. These sessions ensure resources are reused effectively.
We aim to (34) sustainable habits through consistent daily activities. We firmly believe that small individual efforts will turn into long-lasting changes.
Volunteers will help remove plastics from every corner of the schoolyard. Please sign up online. Your (35) is essential for success. Don’t miss out – join hands with us today!
Mark the letter A, B, C or D on your answer sheet to indicate the best arrangement of utterances or sentences to make a cohesive and coherent exchange or text in each of the following questions from 36 to 40.
a. Diner: Excuse me, I’ve been waiting so long for my order.
b. Diner: Thanks for your help.
c. Waiter: I’m sorry! I’ll check with the kitchen and get back to you immediately.
A.
a – b – c
B.
(Đáp án đúng)
a – c – b
C.
b – c – a
D.
c – b – a
Lời giải
Đáp án đúng: B.
Thực khách phàn nàn đã chờ lâu (a) → phục vụ xin lỗi và đi kiểm tra với bếp (c) → thực khách cảm ơn (b). Thứ tự a – c – b. Chọn B.
Mark the letter A, B, C or D on your answer sheet to indicate the best arrangement of utterances or sentences to make a cohesive and coherent exchange or text in each of the following questions from 36 to 40.
a. Customer: What if I don’t keep the original packaging?
b. Customer: Great. I’ll bring the item and receipt tomorrow.
c. Customer: I’d like to exchange the electric fan I bought yesterday.
d. Manager: Sold items can be exchanged within five days, but we don’t give refunds.
e. Manager: No problem, only your receipt is needed.
A.
c – e – a – d – b
B.
a – e – c – d – b
C.
a – d – c – e – b
D.
(Đáp án đúng)
c – d – a – e – b
Lời giải
Đáp án đúng: D.
Khách nêu yêu cầu đổi quạt (c) → quản lý nêu quy định đổi hàng trong năm ngày (d) → khách hỏi nếu không còn bao bì (a) → quản lý trả lời chỉ cần hóa đơn (e) → khách hẹn mang đến (b). Thứ tự c – d – a – e – b. Chọn D.
Mark the letter A, B, C or D on your answer sheet to indicate the best arrangement of utterances or sentences to make a cohesive and coherent exchange or text in each of the following questions from 36 to 40.
a. Inhabitants of coastal regions housing large-scale facilities have reported that the low hum of the constant rotation impairs their sleep quality.
b. Nevertheless, the argument for transitioning is not entirely convincing when the implications for residents in the immediate vicinity are taken into account.
c. With the infrastructure in place, operational expenditures of wind mills are substantially lower than those of coal or gas facilities.
d. Wind power has been promoted as a notably clean and economically viable substitute for fossil fuels.
e. Progress on a country’s renewable targets necessitates balancing each proposed initiative against the burdens imposed upon local populations.
A.
(Đáp án đúng)
d – c – b – a – e
B.
e – b – a – c – d
C.
c – e – d – b – a
D.
a – d – c – e – b
Lời giải
Đáp án đúng: A.
d giới thiệu điện gió là nguồn thay thế sạch và kinh tế → c (chi phí vận hành thấp hơn than, khí) → b (Nevertheless, lập luận chưa thuyết phục khi xét tác động tới cư dân gần đó) → a (cư dân ven biển phàn nàn tiếng ồn làm giảm chất lượng giấc ngủ) → e (cần cân bằng mục tiêu năng lượng tái tạo với gánh nặng cho người dân địa phương). Thứ tự d – c – b – a – e. Chọn A.
Mark the letter A, B, C or D on your answer sheet to indicate the best arrangement of utterances or sentences to make a cohesive and coherent exchange or text in each of the following questions from 36 to 40.
Dear Ms Hoang,
a. A payment of $5,000 will be released in the beginning, and the remaining balance after the submission of your mid-term report.
b. Failure to respond by the stated date will result in the offer being granted to the next qualified candidate.
c. We are delighted to inform you that you have been awarded the Young Researcher Grant.
d. To confirm your acceptance, please sign the attached form and submit it by 31 August.
e. The funding is intended to support your fieldwork and must not be used for equipment purchases without prior approval.
Yours sincerely,
A.
c – b – e – d – a
B.
(Đáp án đúng)
c – e – a – d – b
C.
c – a – b – d – e
D.
c – a – b – e – d
Lời giải
Đáp án đúng: B.
Thư mở đầu bằng thông báo được nhận tài trợ (c) → mục đích và giới hạn sử dụng khoản tài trợ (e) → cách giải ngân (a) → hướng dẫn xác nhận nhận tài trợ (d) → hậu quả nếu không phản hồi đúng hạn (b). Thứ tự c – e – a – d – b. Chọn B.
Mark the letter A, B, C or D on your answer sheet to indicate the best arrangement of utterances or sentences to make a cohesive and coherent exchange or text in each of the following questions from 36 to 40.
a. Initial results were impressive, as villagers reported broadband speeds comparable to city standards with significantly improved reliability.
b. For years, the isolated villages of central Marsh County struggled with unreliable copper cables that could not handle increasing bandwidth demands.
c. Consequently, the local council, partnering with two providers, committed to laying fibre optic cables to every household within a year.
d. To minimise disruption, cables were placed along existing verges, while community halls served as temporary installation hubs.
e. Encouraged by the villagers’ satisfaction, neighbouring counties have requested guidance on adopting the model for their remote villages.
A.
e – b – a – c – d
B.
d – a – e – c – b
C.
(Đáp án đúng)
b – c – d – a – e
D.
a – e – d – b – c
Lời giải
Đáp án đúng: C.
b nêu vấn đề (cáp đồng không đáp ứng nhu cầu) → c (Consequently, hội đồng cam kết lắp cáp quang) → d (cách triển khai để giảm xáo trộn) → a (kết quả ban đầu ấn tượng) → e (các hạt lân cận muốn học theo mô hình). Thứ tự b – c – d – a – e. Chọn C.