TOPIC: INVENTIONS

I. Choose the word / phrase CLOSEST in meaning to the underlined part.

1. I want to buy a printer but I'm afraid it's bulky.

A. small B. inconvenient C. expensive D. big and heavy

2. It's more economical to buy this car than that jet ski.

A. cost-effective B. expensive C. insensitive D. wasteful

3. You should store your data on Dropbox in case your computer collapses.

A. breaks down B. destroys C. runs out of power D. contains viruses

4. This technology has some drawbacks that need improving.

A. benefits B. disadvantages C. strong points D. qualities

5. The Ig Nobel prize is awarded to good-for-nothing inventions.

A. useless B. helpful C. practical D. applicable

6. This device imitates the movements of the mockingbirds.

A. inspires B. steals C. mimics D. contrasts

II. Complete the sentences using the given words.

correction pen e-book reader handheld

digital camera economical earbuds

1. If you have an _______________________, you don't have to bring all those heavy books in
your bag.

2. Can I use a ____________________________ to cover errors in my writing?

3. A normal printer is more ___________________________ than a 3-D printer.

4. You should use this pair of __________________________________, others won't be able

to hear it.

5. A ____________________________ allows us to view and edit photos easily.

6. Don't worry. This is a _______________________, so it's quite small and light.

III. Complete the sentences using the given words.

inventions patent inspired portable

social networking site vacuum cleaner solar charger versatile

1. A ________________________________ takes its energy from the sun.

2. A ______________________________ helps save a lot of energy doing housework.

3. Egg is a ______________________________ food. You can boil, fry or make egg soup.

4. Japanese high-speed trains' design was ________________________________ by the nose

of the kingfisher.

5. This food processor is easily _________________________. You can hold it with just one
hand.

6 Vaccination has been considered among the most important

_____________________________ in medicine.

7. The young inventor obtained a ____________________________________ on his latest

invention last week.

8. Twitter is a popular _______________________________ in Western countries.

IV. Choose the best answer to fill in the blank.

Several famous people are left-handed, (1) ____ Julius Caesar, Napoleon, and Albert
Einstein. Queen Victoria of England was also left-handed, (2) ____ Prince Charles. Paul Mc
Cartney of the Beatles plays (3) ____ guitar the opposite way from other guitarists because he
is left-handed. Marilyn Monroe, the famous American star was also a leftie. Are you a leftie (4)
____ you write with your right hand? To understand (5) ____ it is necessary to look at the brain.
The brain is (6) ____ into two hemispheres. The left hemisphere of the brain (7) ____ the right
side of the body, and the right hemisphere controls the left side. Both of the sides of the body
receive the same information (8) ____ the brain because the two hemispheres are connected.
(9) ____, in the right handed people, the left hemisphere is stronger. In the left-handed people, it
is the right hemisphere (10) ____ is stronger.

1. A. such as B. so as C. so that D. such that

2. A. is so and B. and C. and so is D. and is so

3. A. a B. an C. the D. no article

4. A. as B. because C. even D. even though

5. A. leftie B. left handedness C. left-handed D. lefthander

6. A divided B. cut C. subtracted D. separated

7. A. conquers B. controls C. contrasts D. consists

8. A. on B. to C. from D. for

9. A. In order that B. Therefore C. Never D. However

10. A. who B. whom C. that D. where

Exercise 3. Mark the letter A, B, C, or D to indicate the correct answer to each of the
following questions.

11. Smartphones can be a great learning ____ but you need to think of how to use it effectively.

A. benefit B. choice C. invention D. tool

12. It is convenient for you to read ____ when you travel.

A. e-books B. laptops C. online game D. smartphones

13. Many young people carry a pair of earbuds as they are small, light, and ____.

A. chargeable B. economical C. portable D. transferable

14. Washing machine or vacuum cleaner can help you to ____ time while doing housework.

A. kill B. save C. spend D. waste

15. Velcro has gradually become a familiar ____ for shoes, jackets, and even spacesuits.

A. button B. fastener C. locker D. zipper

16. Most smartphones now ____ flash player as well as voice and video calls.

A. display B. offer C. provide D. support

17. Many students prefer ____ assignments on their laptops to writing traditionally.

A. reading B. searching C. sending D. typing

18. Mobile devices such as laptops or digital cameras can be charged by ____.
 A. solar charges B. solar-charges C. solar chargers D. solar-chargers

19. We can surf the ____ to search for news, watch films, or download music.

A. e-book B. internet C. laptop D. smartphone

20. In many classrooms, teachers use chalk to write on the ____.

A. blackboards B. black boards C. whiteboards D. white boards

21. You can send and receive e-mails from a ____.

A. charger B. printer C. smartphone D. USB

22. The ____,which can travel underwater, is very useful for scientists to learn about the
undersea world.

A. aeroplane B. electronic car C. spaceship D. submarine

23. Like Vietnamese, Thai people also depend ____ water for their crops.

A. against B. for C. in D. on

24. In 1999, the king’s Chaipattana Aerator obtained Thai ____ for his rain-making techniques.

A. certificates B. charters C. licenses D. patents

25. Paddle-wheel machine helps to clean the wastewater before ____ it for farming.

A. rearranging B. recycling C. reducing D. reusing

26. You can get access ____ the Interne, via a range of devices such as desktop or laptop
computers, mobile phones, and tablets.

A. for B. in C. of D. to

27. Thomas Edison, Benjamin Franklin, James Watt are among of the greatest ____ of all time.

A. inventions B. inventiveness C. inventors D. invents

28. _____ noodles are a precooked and usually dried block invented by Japanese.

A. Instantaneous B. Instance C. Instant D. Instantly

29. It is definitely true that nature has inspired ____ inventions and technologies.

A. numbers B. numeral C. numerical D. numerous

30. Smartphones are used not only for communication but also for information and ____.

A. entertain B. entertainer C. entertaining D. entertainment

31. People often use the natural world as inspiration to design and invent new ____.

A. producers B. produces C. productions D. products

32. Internet and social networks help us easily interact ____ people all over the world.

A. in B. of C. on D. with

33. Users can look ____ locations as well as directions to different places on Google Maps.

A. down B. for C. in D. up

34. The two fabrics of Velcro stick together thanks ____ the hooks on the surface and the loops
on the other.

A. by B. for C. of D. to

35. If you get a laptop as a reward, what w ill you use it ____?

A. by B. for C. to D. with

36. Scientists have invented artificially intelligent computer systems ____ of answering
questions posed in natural language.

A. able B. aware C. capable D. fond

Exercise 4. Mark the letter A, B, C, or D to indicate the word(s) CLOSEST in meaning to

the underlined word(s) in each of the following questions.

37. A digital camera is more economical than a film camera since you don’t have to buy rolls of
films.

A. better B. cheaper C. safer D. stronger

38. You can use earbuds to listen to music or your listening everywhere, even in public place, as
nobody is disturbed.

A. annoyed B. connected C. imitated D. interacted

39. You can use a USB stick to transport files from one computer to another.

A. delete B. display C. transfer D. store

40. Smartphones are very versatile, as they can do many things like making phone calls, taking
pictures, or listening to music.

A. capable B. flexible C. helpful D. interesting

41. Apple iPad has remained the single most popular tablet PC ever since 2010.

A. became B. continued C. existed D. stopped

42. A 3-D printer can produce solid objects similar to the originals.

A. images B. models C. papers D. pictures

43. There are many traffic jams during rush hour.

A. congestion B. riders C. road signs D. transportation

44. When collapsing the wings, a flying car is just a little bit bigger than a normal car.

A. dropping B. fixing C. folding D. opening

Exercise 5. Mark the letter A. B, C, or D to indicate the word(s) OPPOSITE in meaning to

the underlined word(s) in each of the following questions.

45. Nutritious snacks provide an important contribution towards your child’s daily nutritional
needs.

A. Inexpensive B. Uncooked C. Unhealthy D. Unpacked

46. A smartphone is too costly for him to even have a normal one.

A. economical B. expensive C. priceless D. valuable

47. Many people are afraid that computers with superhuman intelligence will destroy humanity.

A. awareness B. perception C. stupidity D. wisdom

48. Speakers are too bulky. You cannot put them in your bag or your pocket.

A. giant B. heavy C. large D. tiny

49. A digital camera is convenient as it is quick to view and delete as well as easy to transfer
photos to a computer.

A. harmful B. inexpensive C. uninteresting D. useless

50. Even the best invention may have drawbacks. A laptop, for example, is expensive so many
people cannot afford it.
A. advantages B. disadvantages C. shortcomings D. weaknesses