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TRƯỜNG THPT CHUYÊN ĐỒNG BẰNG BẮC BỘ
HÙNG VƯƠNG NĂM HỌC 2022-2023
ĐỀ ĐỀ XUẤT MÔN: TIẾNG ANH – KHỐI 11
(Đề thi gồm 15 trang) Thời gian làm bài: 180 phút
(không kể thời gian giao đề)
HƯỚNG DẪN PHẦN THI NGHE HIỂU
 Bài nghe gồm 4 phần, mỗi phần được nghe 2 lần, mỗi lần cách nhau 30 giây, mở đầu và kết thúc mỗi phần
nghe có tín hiệu.
 Mở đầu và kết thúc bài nghe có tín hiệu nhạc. Thí sinh có 3 phút để hoàn chỉnh bài trước tín hiệu nhạc
kết thúc bài nghe.
 Mọi hướng dẫn cho thí sinh (bằng tiếng Anh) đã có trong bài nghe.
I. LISTENING (5 points)
Part 1: You will hear a discussion in which two people, Sam Williamson and Kathleen Smithson,
talk about strategies to help the poor in resource-rich developing countries. For questions 1 - 5,
choose the answer (A, B, C or D) which fits best according to what you hear.
1. According to Sam, the 'paradox of plenty' results in
A. a vastly unequal distribution of wealth.
B. the discovery of resources in developing countries.
C. a reduction in the variety of products reaching the market.
D. communities losing interest in government activities.
2. The company Sam worked for in Ghana
A. caused severe problems for local companies.
B. was criticised for not being trustworthy.
C. adopted an approach that was innovative to the region.
D. did not receive full cooperation from the authorities.
3. What does Kathleen think about contracts between governments and companies being made public?
A. It is not something business leaders want to do.
B. It is only part of the process of reducing poverty.
C. It is ineffective because of the public indifference.
D. It will never lead-to any great changes.
4. What problem does Kathleen highlight about original government documents?
A. They are incomprehensible to ordinary citizens.
B. They are sometimes altered to hide the truth.
C. It can take years for them to be released.
D. They cost a great deal to distribute.
5. The agreement made in Australia that Sam mentions
A. focused solely on how to spread wealth.
B. involved talks between a company and the public.
C. resulted in compensation for pollution being accepted.
D. was made after citizens became ill.
Your answers
1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
Part 2: Listen and decide whether the following sentences are true (T) or false (F)
1. The twin spent a fortnight test on how food processing impacts their health.
2. They are given different calories nutrients, fat, sugar and fiber.
3. Ultra processed foods have a large amount of fiber in them.
4. A glucose drip occurs two to four hours after consuming highly processed refined carbohydrates.
5. Ultra processed food is swiftly proved to be harmful for us.
Your answers
1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
Part 3: Listen and complete the summary by writing NO MORE THAN THREE words and/or a
number in each gap.
Could ‘intelligent’ forklifts be the future of industry?
1. Over a century, the Humble forklift has been the ______ of global industry.
2. Beyond being just ______ it can unload and receive packages completely autonomously.
3. To help the pallet detector, it has both a depth camera as well as a ______.
4. It is important to figure out how to meet the ______.
5. This is a ______ programmable logic controller.
6. It is slightly ______ when they first work.
7. To be ______ with all the required standards is a real challenge.
8. It’s not easy to find labor for ______.
9. You can get more done by ______ the people that work in these warehouses with autonomous
forklifts.
10. Innovation and Industry face some ______ ahead.
Your answers:
1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
6. 7. 8. 9. 10.

Part 4: Listen and write NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS AND/OR A NUMBER taken from
the recording.
1. Students can choose from how many essay titles for their first assignment?
__________________________________________________________
2. Where did John travel during the summer?
__________________________________________________________
3. What is the word limit for the essays?
__________________________________________________________
4. When must the first essay be handed in by?
__________________________________________________________
5. Where will John and Jane meet up later that day?
__________________________________________________________
II. LEXICO - GRAMMAR (3 points)
Part 1. Choose the best option to complete each of the following sentences.
1. ______ the alarrm sounding, visitors should leave the zoo by the nearest exit.
A. In the event of B. Regardless of C. In addition to D. Notwithstanding
2. ______ Naples being such a busy city, I was surprised to find a hotel room so easily.
A. What if B. In accord with C. What with D. In contrast to
3. She argued that ______ should children from poorer backgrounds be made to pay for music lessons.
A. at all times B. in some ways C. by all accounts D. under no circumstances
4. They inflicted a humiliating defeat ______ the home team.
A. on B. for C. of D. over
5. The government is to end the system ______ farmers make more money from leaving land unplanted
than from growing wheat.
A. where B. whereby C. when D. why
6. It’s not a pleasant feeling to discover you’ve been taken for a ______ by a close friend.
A. cheat B. trick C. ride D. lift
7. My best friend is playing a minor role in a theater play. I told her to break a ______!
A. finger B. hand C. neck D. leg
8. Her new detective series will be her debut on the ______ screen.
A. green B. small C. large D. red
9. I slept badly last night and am feeling particularly ______ this morning.
A. slow-witted B. far-reaching C. off-hand D. top-heavy
10. She had made a firm decision and wasn’t ______ by anything I said against it.
A. detracted B. prevailed C. induced D. swayed
11. The teacher doled ______ the chocolates to his students for having done well in the examinations.
A. off B. onC. out D. away
12. She’s so ______; you really have to watch you say or she’ll walk out of the room.
A. high and dry B. prim and proper C. rough and ready D. sick and tired
13. They had a four-day holiday, then began work ______.
A. on end B. out of bounds C. in proportions D. in earnest
14. There are several habits that man takes from his childhood and continues to use even after he reaches
and ______ maturity.
A. accomplishes B. attains C. obtains D. comes
15. I dropped a ______ when talking with my best friend, and now he doesn’t want to talk to me.
A. rock B. stone C. brick D. sand
16. In the last month I was ______ my affairs in England and saying goodbye to all my friends.
A. switching off B. hanging up C. winding up D. fading away
17. It had been a trying afternoon, ______ at about six o’clock in the television breaking down.
A. culminating B. leading C. arriving D. finalizing
18. “Don’t look so worried! You should take the leader’s comment with ______.”
A. a teaspoon of salt B. a cup of salt C. a dose of salt D. a pinch of salt
19. The flights are full at the moment, so you’ll have to ______.
A. run a stroke of luck B. get a better luck
C. be down on your luck D. take pot luck
20. He was arrested for trying to pass ______ notes at the bank.
A. counterfeit B. fake C. camouflaged D. fraudulent
Your answers:
1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
6. 7. 8. 9. 10.
11. 12. 13. 14. 15.
16. 17. 18. 19. 20.

Part 2: Write the correct form of word in each blank.

1. Writers in lockdown are, like everyone else, feeling pale and ______. (operate)
2. Green’s previous films were documentaries, often centred on women, often __stylistically____
adventurous. (style)
3. The idea of ______ has given way today to looking at DNA to identify ancestry. (blood)
4. The film proceeds ______, with each scene adding a wrinkle to the characters’ motives. (dialect)
5. Most of the Trump references in American fiction thus far read like ______ tweets. (tendency)
6. It can take three months after exposure for the bloodstream to accumulate enough antibodies to test
positive for human ______ virus, or H.I.V. (deficit)
7. Many shop names, written in English, are the ___literacies___ of Somali and Arabic names.
(literate)
8. Charles Mingus was stubborn, ______ and open to just about anything. (right)
9. The ______’s job is to keep records and specify the mutual obligations of the living and the dead.
(note)
10. Paine remembered that the king had been the friend of America, and to him ______ seemed the
worst of crimes. (ingrate)
Your answers:
1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
6. 7. 8. 9. 10.
III. READING (6 points)
Part 1. Fill in each blank with ONE word (15 POINTS)
Dreams
Dreams (0) ..have.... always fascinated human beings. The idea that dreams provide us with useful
information about our lives goes (1)……for…. thousands of years. For the greater part of human history,
(2)……it….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,
(3)……there…….. was a widespread reaction against this way of thinking and dreams were widely
dismissed as being very little more than jumbles of fantasy (4) ……brought…… about by memories of
the previous day.
It was not until the end of the nineteenth century (5)……that….. an Austrian neurologist, Sigmund
Freud, pointed out that people who have similar experiences during the day, and who are then subjected
(6) ……to…….the same stimuli when they are asleep, produce different dreams.
Freud (7) ......went......... on to develop a theory of the dream process which would enable him to
interpret dreams as clues to the conflicts taking place within the personality. It is by no (8)………
means…… an exaggeration to say that (9)…no…….. any other theories have had (10) ……so…… great
an influence on subsequent thought.
Your answers:
1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
6. 7. 8. 9. 10.

Part 2: You are going to read an article about an opportune meeting. For questions 1-10, choose
the answer (A, B, C or D) which you think fits best according to the text. (10 POINTS)
LIVING ON AN ISLAND
Living on an island, the song goes, is like 'living in a dream' and certainly some events had dream-like
qualities. The cosmopolitan nature of the people who lived there made every day a fascinating
experience; different responses to the same stimuli, because of the variety of backgrounds, captured a
writer's imagination. The scenery was spectacular, sparkling blue sea contrasting with the dazzlingly
white houses.
There was an atmosphere of bohemianism, perhaps even decadence, influenced no doubt by the history
of Bacchanalian revelry which the island boasted, with wild beach parties on the night of the full moon,
an upside- down day with no one surfacing until 2 pm and then converging on the harbour for a late
breakfast or lunch.
It was here that I met Jean-Marie, a professional astrologer who claimed to read the stars for the rich
and famous, his clients including the then President of the USA. He was unpretentious but good at his
job. He saw my future and offered me an escape route. I could go and live with him in a European
capital, I wouldn't have to work, he would take care of me. By this time was in my late twenties and too
young to appreciate what might have been escaping.
He probably saved my life one night but who can be sure? He looked up at the stars and boldly stated
that I would not be going out the following night and, to that end, he would stay with me for the next 48
hours. So we arranged to go to a beach, and that was where the prob- lems started. had imagined that we
were going to the usual beac!.. involving a bus and boat trip, but no, he headed for the taxi rank in the
square and shoved me into a cab. We negotiated a price with the driver and asked him to pick us up
again in the evening, but he refused, as there would be cruise ship in the harbour and taxis would be at a
premium. The locals had no chance of a ride.
We thought we'd find someone on the beach who would give us a lift back to town, but the beach was
deserted all day. I fell asleep and woke up a lovely shade of lobster, and at that point we headed for the
restaurant, where we were the only customers. We were treated royally and later decided to walk to the
main road and so on to town, about 7 kilometres. I panicked when Jean-Marie picked up at rather hefty
stone as protection against the deadly black snakes, but just then the restaurant owners trundled their
'motor vehicle' and offered us a lift almost into we accepted gratefully, even though it involved sitting in
back with an assortment of chickens.
We headed off to change and eat an early dinner, as Marie was still adamant that I would be in danger if
i go out during the night. We headed back to my apartme and stayed up late into the night, talking,
eating, play Yahtzee until I finally fell asleep on the sofa. I awoke occasionally during the night to find
my devoted friend was awake, the poor soul, watching over me sleepily but vigilantly, making sure
didn't stray from the shelter of concerned presence.
The next day, we headed out for breakfast and heard the news; one of my friends had been attacked by a
tourist with a knife and had been airlifted to hospital, where h was fighting for his life. Had I been there
I would probably have stood between them, and it could have been me that condition,i had a lot to thank
Jean-Marie for.
He left the island shortly after that and promised to return in September. Unfortunately, this didn't
happen, so my friends and I took off for another country for a holiday. by the time we got back, having
been delayed by bad weather and boat timetables, Jean-Marie had already returned are left again,
omitting to leave his address. Fate had taken hand and had to accept mine, whatever it brought. The was
doubtless for the best, as I would probably not have accepted his offer, since I was not as nature as I
migh have been for my years.
I still think about him and wish we could at least have stayed in touch. I'd really like to go back to the
island a try to establish his whereabouts, or at least to find out if he is dead or alive, but i know the
reality would be a disappointment, as i lived an idyllic existence there, but that was in another country,
and besides, the wench is dead.
1. In the first paragraph, the author reveals that
A. her time on the island was ethereal and surreal. B. the island develops the Imagination.
C. she found the experience stimulating. D. her experience improved her creative
abilities.
2. When describing the atmosphere on the island in paragraph 2, the author shows her
A. disdain for its visitors. B. admiration for its idiosyncrasies
C. awareness of its reputation. D. appreciation of its lifestyle.
3. What does the author state about Jean-Marie in paragraph 3?
A. He was a renowned astrologer. B. He was a modest person.
C. He liked taking care of his friends. D. He was respected by his clients.
4. When describing the day at the beach, the author indicates
A. she was surprised by Jean-Marie's confidence. B. she was amused by the unforeseen
difficulties.
C. she had expected things to run more smoothly. D. she was thankful for her good fortune.
return
5. The author's tone when describing her friend's all-night vigil is
A. worried. B. ambivalent. C. amused. D. appreciative.
6. The word “vigilantly” in paragraph 6 is closest in meaning to
A. alert B. watchfully C. steadily D. steathily
7. Upon hearing about the attack, the author have and if he
A. was saddened by the news. B. was impressed by the astrologer's
accuracy.
C. felt lucky that she hadn't been there. D. thanked Jean-Marie.
8. The overall impression given by the text is that the author
A. regrets not having taken Jean-Marie up on his offer. B. wishes she knew where he was.
C. is nostalgic for that time and place. D. is grateful to her friend for saving her
life.
9. The word “omitting” in paragraph 8 is closest in meaning to
A. promising B. radiating C. admitting D. excluding
10. The word “adamant” in paragraph 6 is closest in meaning to
A. stubborn B. believing C. facturing D. theorise
Your answers:
1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
6. 7. 8. 9. 10.

Part 3: For questions 1-13, read the following passage and do the tasks that follow. (13 POINTS)
READING PASSAGE
Nutmeg - a valuable spice
The nutmeg tree, Myristica fragmns, is a large evergreen tree native to Southeast Asia. Until the late
18th century, it only grew in one place in the world: a small group of islands in the Banda Sea, part of
the Moluccas - or Spice Islands - in northeastern Indonesia. The tree is thickly branched with dense
foliage of tough, dark green oval leaves, and produces small, yellow, bell-shaped flowers and pale
yellow pear-shaped fruits. The fruit is encased in a fleshy husk. When the fruit is ripe, this husk splits
into two halves along a ridge running the length of the fruit. Inside is a purple-brown shiny seed, 2-3 cm
long by about 2 cm across, surrounded by a lacy red or crimson covering called an ‘aril’. These are the
sources of the two spices nutmeg and mace, the former being produced from the dried seed and the latter
from the aril.
Nutmeg was a highly prized and costly ingredient in European cuisine in the Middle Ages, and was used
as a flavouring, medicinal, and preservative agent. Throughout this period, the Arabs were the exclusive
importers of the spice to Europe. They sold nutmeg for high prices to merchants based in Venice, but
they never revealed the exact location of the source of this extremely valuable commodity. The Arab-
Venetian dominance of the trade finally ended in 1512, when the Portuguese reached the Banda Islands
and began exploiting its precious resources.
Always in danger of competition from neighbouring Spain, the Portuguese began subcontracting their
spice distribution to Dutch traders. Profits began to flow into the Netherlands, and the Dutch commercial
fleet swiftly grew into one of the largest in the world. The Dutch quietly gained control of most of the
shipping and trading of spices in Northern Europe. Then, in 1580, Portugal fell under Spanish rule, and
by the end of the 16th century the Dutch found themselves locked out of the market. As prices for
pepper, nutmeg, and other spices soared across Europe, they decided to fight back.
In 1602, Dutch merchants founded the VOC, a trading corporation better known as the Dutch East India
Company. By 1617, the VOC was the richest commercial operation in the world. The company had
50,000 employees worldwide, with a private army of 30,000 men and a fleet of200 ships. At the same
time, thousands of people across Europe were dying of the plague, a highly contagious and deadly
disease. Doctors were desperate for a way to stop the spread of this disease, and they decided nutmeg
held the cure. Everybody wanted nutmeg, and many were willing to spare no expense to have it. Nutmeg
bought for a few pennies in Indonesia could be sold for 68,000 times its original cost on the streets of
London. The only problem was the short supply. And that’s where the Dutch found their opportunity.
The Banda Islands were ruled by local sultans who insisted on maintaining a neutral trading policy
towards foreign powers. This allowed them to avoid the presence of Portuguese or Spanish troops on
their soil, but it also left them unprotected from other invaders. In 1621, the Dutch arrived and took over.
Once securely in control of the Bandas, the Dutch went to work protecting their new investment. They
concentrated all nutmeg production into a few easily guarded areas, uprooting and destroying any trees
outside the plantation zones. Anyone caught growing a nutmeg seedling or carrying seeds without the
proper authority was severely punished. In addition, all exported nutmeg was covered with lime to make
sure there was no chance a fertile seed which could be grown elsewhere would leave the islands. There
was only one obstacle to Dutch domination. One of the Banda Islands, a sliver of land called Run, only 3
km long by less than 1 km wide, was under the control of the British. After decades of fighting for
control of this tiny island, the Dutch and British arrived at a compromise settlement, the Treaty of Breda,
in 1667. Intent on securing their hold over every nutmeg-producing island, the Dutch offered a trade: if
the British would give them the island of Run, they would in turn give Britain a distant and much less
valuable island in North America. The British agreed. That other island was Manhattan, which is how
New Amsterdam became New York. The Dutch now had a monopoly over the nutmeg trade which
would last for another century.
Then, in 1770, a Frenchman named Pierre Poivre successfully smuggled nutmeg plants to safety in
Mauritius, an island off the coast of Africa. Some of these were later exported to the Caribbean where
they thrived, especially on the island of Grenada. Next, in 1778, a volcanic eruption in the Banda region
caused a tsunami that wiped out half the nutmeg groves. Finally, in 1809, the British returned to
Indonesia and seized the Banda Islands by force. They returned the islands to the Dutch in 1817, but not
before transplanting hundreds of nutmeg seedlings to plantations in several locations across southern
Asia. The Dutch nutmeg monopoly was over.
Today, nutmeg is grown in Indonesia, the Caribbean, India, Malaysia, Papua New Guinea and Sri Lanka,
and world nutmeg production is estimated to average between 10,000 and 12,000 tonnes per year.
Questions 1-4
Complete the notes below.
Choose ONE WORD ONLY from the passage for each answer.
Write your answers in boxes 1-4 on your answer sheet.
The nutmeg tree and fruit
- the leaves of the tree are (1) ……………………. in shape
- the (2) ………………….. surrounds the fruit and breaks open when the fruit is ripe
- the (3) ………………… is used to produce the spice nutmeg
- the covering known as the aril is used to produce (4)……………………
- the tree has yellow flowers and fruit
Questions 5-7
Do the following statements agree with the information given in Reading Passage ?
In boxes 5-7 on your answer sheet, write
TRUE if the statement agrees with the information
FALSE if the statement contradicts the information
NOT GIVEN if there is no information on this
5. In the Middle Ages, most Europeans knew where nutmeg was grown.
6. The VOC was the world’s first major trading company.
7. Following the Treaty of Breda, the Dutch had control of all the islands where nutmeg grew.
Questions 8-13
Complete the table below.
Choose ONE WORD ONLY from the passage for each answer.
Write your answers in boxes 8-13 on your answer sheet.
Middle Ages Nutmeg was brought to Europe by the (8)..................................

16th century European nations took control of the nutmeg trade

17th century Demand for nutmeg grew, as it was believed to be effective against the
disease known as the (9)……………….
The Dutch
- took control of the Banda Islands
- restricted nutmeg production to a few areas
- put (10)…………….. onnutmeg to avoid it being cultivated
outside the islands
- finally obtained the island of (11) ……………. from the British
Late 18th century
1770 - nutmeg plants were secretly taken to (12)………………
1778 - half the Banda Islands' nutmeg plantations were destroyed by a
(13) ……………..
Your answers:
1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
6. 7. 8. 9. 10.
11. 12. 13.

Part 4: You are going to read an extract from a novel. Seven paragraphs have been removed from
the extract. Choose from the paragraphs A-H the one which fits each gap (1-7). There is one extra
paragraph which you do not need to use. (7 POINTS)
The two sisters kept Lily’s driving a secret from Chen for some time. She would drive around the
allotments and the railway line and gasworks, shooting the tiny hump-backed bridge with all four wheels
in the air and a tremendous bump (Lily’s only misjudgement), before completing the journey by the
gasworks in an odour of sulphur and brimstone. Chen, however, was actually amused by what his wife
had been doing behind his back. ‘So you can really drive it then, Lily? Well done!’
1. ___________
They fixed on a Monday at the beginning of next month. This was the slackest day of the week; they
decided to leave early in the morning and return by midday. That way they need lose no customers. In
the meantime Lily would practise around the allotments.
2. ___________
Within an hour of stepping over the newspapers and out of the front door, they were looking at the
English Channel. Lily had driven impeccably. Even Mui, sitting in the back ready to give directions, one
hand on the cross-braces of Man Kee’s rompers as he pressed his nose against the window, had to grant
this. On the road Lily had actually overtaken a couple of laggard vehicles with immense verve and such
timing that Mui had pressed her lips closely together against her own protest. Chen went as far as
applauding.
3. ___________
She was unclear about the meanings of the various roadmarkings and preferred to pay a fee rather than
risk being towed away. Or even being served with a summons. Might this evidence of basic prudence set
Mui’s mind at rest? On the way down Lily had several times observed her elder sister’s taut face in the
driving mirror, which she used with great frequency. Perhaps it would be best not to put worries in Mui’s
mind which would not have occurred to her in the first place. Lily personally locked all the van doors
and meticulously tested each in turn.
4. ___________
Taken aback, Chen took Man Kee ahead of the two sisters to look at the grey barbarian sea. He perched
Son on the top railing and put his arms around his stomach. Man Kee was a soft, warm, and what was
more, these days an increasingly responsive bundle. He reacted by putting his hand, a tiny replica of the
shape of Chen’s, with its broad palm and stubby fingers, on his father’s sleeve.
5. ___________
There was a trail of smoke just before the horizon met the sea in a thin line and then, suddenly
shimmering in the glitter of the rising morning sun on the metal waves, a hull; and in a small curve of
the railings was a grey telescope. The sparkle of the water instantly altered Chen’s mood.
6. ___________
Chen lifted Man Kee to the eyepiece. ‘Do you see the ship, Son?’ he asked softly. ‘It is a special little
ship for people like us, Son. It is very little and very old but that is only what strangers see. We know
better, don’t we, Son, because it is the ship that will take us all back home when we are finished here. It
will take you to your homeland, Son, which you have never seen.’
7. ___________
Man Kee would not be parted from the telescope and when he had been persuaded to relinquish his grip
the whirring inside the mounting had stopped and all Lily could see was a quivering opaque circle of
white light with a scratched surface. By the time Chen had found a second coin the ship was over the
horizon and Lily was left with a view of seagulls scavenging gash in the wake.

A. He put a coin in the slot and trained the glass on the ship. He was unable to find it at first, although he
had aimed off carefully with the gun-sight on top of the barrel. Chen swung the tube in wide circles.
There it was! Gone again. Chen swivelled the instrument more carefully. Now he had it in the centre of
the circle, surprisingly large, red, and very rusty with a small bow wave: tramp steamer
B. They went along the promenade. There was an amusement arcade, built into the cliff. They stared at
the rows of fruit machines, the gauntlet of pin-ball tables. Chen was fumbling in his pocket when Lily
gave him a coin
C. Men were strange creatures, Mui thought. Brother-in-law should have been upset about this. Yet he
was soon enthusiastically making plans with Lily for a jaunt and obviously revelling in her mastery of
this new skill.
D. And it was in that moment that Chen resolved to bring Son up his way. He would have an education
in figures (Chen’s own weak point) and grow up to own many restaurants, gaining experience in all
aspects of the trade on the way. The sombre sea put Chen in a pleasing melancholy as he planned Man
Kee’s career.
E. Now, after coming through the gasworks of this seaside town (reassuring, familiar sight), past the
lagoon and its miniature motor boats, they were moving smoothly along the empty promenade. Lily
parked in a small street off the sea front which was full of empty bays.
F. Chen kissed the top of Man Kee’s head. Behind him now were Lily and Mui. Lily put her arm round
Husband’s shoulders. ‘The little old ship,’ said Chen. ‘Let your mother see, Son.’
G. ‘Don’t worry,’ Chen joked. ‘No one will want that heap of tin.’ The girls bristled. Lily accused her
husband of ingratitude. Mui rebuked him for being proud and too readily deceived by appearances.
H. Resolved to go along with the majority despite her personal misgivings, Mui had been to buy a road-
map. She had been able to get a ten percent discount, which impressed Chen, though Lily felt a bit
insulted by Mui’s lack of faith in her navigating abilities
Your answers:
1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
6. 7.

Part 5: You are going to read an article about offices. choose from the offices (A-D). The offices
may be chosen more than once. (10 POINTS)
Of which office is the following stated?
1. Some of the staff like it and some don’t.
2. Advice from an expert has had a good effect.
3. Staff there benefit from the range of work involved.
4. Some members of staff prefer unsuitable furniture.
5. A particular rule has been beneficial.
6. The air quality is better than might be expected.
7. It is often either very hot or very cold.
8. Staff can work in privacy if they want to.
9. There is not enough room for every member of staff to work.
10. It would be better if the furniture were arranged differently.
IS YOUR OFFICE WORKING OK?
Fresh air and the right chairs are the key to a happy, healthy workforce, according to a new
survey. We went to four contrasting offices, to find out how healthy and happy they were as working
environments. On our expert panel were a building health consultant; an ergonomist, who studies
peoples working conditions; and an occupational psychologist. Here are their verdicts.
OFFICE A ADVERTISING AGENCY
Building Health Consultant: This office is about as simple as it could possibly be; no central heating,
no mechanical ventilation, windows opening straight onto the street. It is difficult to see why this space
works but the occupants, who are part of a small, dynamic team, appear to have few complaints. They
adapt to the changing seasons by opening doors and roof panels or switching on electric radiators -
pretty much, perhaps, as they do in their own homes. This may be the key: a team of seven people have
created a happy, homely working environment and do not have to put up with any externally imposed
bureaucracy.
Ergonomist: The furniture here has evolved; no two pieces match. Much of it actually creates bad
working postures. Chairs arc old, most aren’t adjustable and many are broken. Although in that way this
environment is poor, the personnel have a varied work schedule, which they control - office work, out
meeting clients, making presentations, and so on. This variety reduces the risk of fatigue, boredom or
muscular problems.
Occupational Psychologist: Staff are delighted with the variety of work and the versatility of the office
space. They said their office was ‘just the right size’ — small enough to know what colleagues were
doing, large enough to be able to be on your own and focus on personal work. I found the office
attractive and fun, simultaneously conveying images of efficiency and creativity.
OFFICE B NEWS SERVICE
Building Health Consultant: While the office may not be very exciting, it appears comfortable and is
not disliked by the staff. The aữ quality and general maintenance standards appear to be good. A
‘Recycle Waste Paper’ policy has been received favourably by staff and has led to a greater interest in
recycling in general.
Ergonomist: I was not surprised to learn that the company had already employed the services of an
ergonomist. Chairs are excellent, lighting and computer equipment are good. Space provision is good,
although the layout could be improved. But the environment is impersonal and unstimulating, with grey,
bare walls.
Occupational Psychologist: Walls are bare apart from year planners and a poster describing maternity
rights. Most staff have been there for at least five years and relationships are
satisfactory. The office could be improved if desks were positioned to make the sharing of information
easier. Proof of success or information on forthcoming projects could be displayed on the walls.
OFFICE C BANK
Building Health Consultant: An office that produces mixed reactions from those working in it. The
feeling inside is akin to being in a glass case, viewed by, and viewing, coundess similar exhibits. Despite
relatively small space, the air did not appear to be stale due to effective air-conditioning.
Ergonomist: The office area is, sadly, very standard and totally uninspfring. The desks are adequate, but
only just. Not all the chairs being used for computer operation conform to requirements but this is user
choice. Computer screens are often on small desk units with lowered keyboard shelves; this is no longer
considered appropriate for modern equipment.
Occupational Psychologist: Staff are mutually supportive and well served by technology. Numerous
communications awards are on display, 'rhe wood coloured panelling and brown carpet give a slightly
sombre effect. The office is a buzz of activity.
OFFICE D NEWSPAPER
Building Health Consultant: It is difficult to say anything good about this building. The air-
conditioning control is very crude, resulting in large variations in temperature. The space is cluttered and
most people have inadequate desk space. The office is very dusty - there are plenty of places for dust to
lodge. The shed-type roof also collects dust, which, if disturbed, showers those sitting below.
Ergonomist: The furniture would be more at home in a carpentry workshop than in a high-tech industry.
Most of the chairs are of little value to keyboard users, particularly those who are shorter than about 1.75
m. Many chairs are old, lack suitable adjustment and have armrests that prevent the user from getting
sufficiently close to the desk.
Occupational Psychologist: Old brown chairs, soiled carpets, dust and dirt everywhere. A lot of scope
for improvement - the place needs a good tidy-up, individual success could be more recognised and the
air conditioning needs to be improved immediately. Few conversations were going on when we visited;
everybody seemed stressed and driven by deadlines. The company needs to adopt a policy of team-
working.
Your answers:
1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
6. 7. 8. 9. 10.

IV. WRITING (60 points)

Part 1. Read the following extract and use your own words to summarize it. Your summary should be
about 140 words. You MUST NOT copy the original. (15 points)
Short-Term Memory
Short-term memory is a temporary storage system that processes incoming sensory memory; sometimes
it is called working memory. Short-term memory takes information from sensory memory and
sometimes connects that memory to something already in long-term memory. Short-term memory
storage lasts about 20 seconds. Think of short-term memory as the information you have displayed on
your computer screen—a document, a spreadsheet, or a web page. Information in short-term memory
either goes to long-term memory (when you save it to your hard drive) or it is discarded (when you
delete a document or close a web browser).
You may find yourself asking, “How much information can our memory handle at once?” George Miller
(1956), in his research on the capacity of memory, found that most people can retain about 7 items in
short-term memory. Some remember 5, some 9, so he called the capacity of short-term memory the
range of 7 items plus or minus 2. To explore the capacity and duration of your short-term memory, have
a partner read the strings of random numbers below out loud to you, beginning each string by saying,
“Ready?” and ending each by saying, “Recall,” at which point you should try to write down the string of
numbers from memory.
Long-term Memory
Long-term memory is the continuous storage of information. Unlike short-term memory, the storage
capacity of long-term memory has no limits. It encompasses all the things you can remember that
happened more than just a few minutes ago to all of the things that you can remember that happened
days, weeks, and years ago. In keeping with the computer analogy, the information in your long-term
memory would be like the information you have saved on the hard drive. It isn’t there on your desktop
(your short-term memory), but you can pull up this information when you want it, at least most of the
time. Not all long-term memories are strong memories. Some memories can only be recalled through
prompts. For example, you might easily recall a fact – “What is the capital of the United States?” – or a
procedure – “How do you ride a bike?” – but you might struggle to recall the name of the restaurant you
had dinner when you were on vacation in France last summer. A prompt, such as that the restaurant was
named after its owner, who spoke to you about your shared interest in soccer, may help you recall the
name of the restaurant.
Part 2. The graph below gives information about the price of bananas in four countries between 1994
and 2004.
Summarize the information by selecting and reporting the main features and make comparisons
where relevant. (15 points)

Part 3. Essay writing (30 points)

Even though globalization has positive effects on different aspects of the world, its negative impacts
should not be ignored. To what extent do you agree or disagree?
Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or
experience. You should write about 350 words.