Hoang Thao – Bien Hoa Gifted High School

ADVANCED 179

Task 1. Choose the best answer

Hope and the human condition
Today, Vincent Van Gogh is widely regarded as one of the greatest painters of all time. During his
lifetime, however, he was a (1)………unknown. Indeed, in the commercial sense, he was a total failure and
managed to only ever sell one painting, tragically just months before his own (2)………for the paltry sum of
400 francs.
However, Van Gogh’s struggles were not solely financial. His was a life full of (3)………and for most of
It he was deeply unhappy and troubled. An aloof child, he was a disappointment to most of his relatives,
although he (4)………the support of his beloved brother, Theo, who financed his training and development
through most of his active years as an artist. Adulthood, however, would not prove a happy phase of life for
Van Gogh either; he was laid off from his first job as an art dealer, and, in his own (5)………, considered
himself inadequate in future roles as a teacher and bookseller, too, whether or not this was wholly true.
Desperate to find his (6)………in life, he later became a minister and missionary, but this only prompted
him to disavow religion and despair at the extent of poverty in the microcosm of the world in which he
operated. He loved passionately, too, but his advances were seldom welcomed by those he wooed. He became,
in time, more and more (7)………and experienced multiple breakdowns and depressive episodes. What is
remarkable however, is how, amidst all the misery and sadness, he was able to (8)…….... as an artist
creatively and produce some truly beautiful, inspiring and uplifting work. One can only therefore marvel at
the human condition, for which hope, it seems, burns long and intensely. Fittingly perhaps, then, although Van
Gogh's own candle burned out prematurely, his legacy candle remains alight today and burns as vigorously as
ever.
1. A. firm B constant C regular D virtual
2. A. termination B advance C fatality D passing
3. A. dimensions B turbulence C merit D provocation
4. A. detained B pertained C retained D sustained
5. A. estimation B impression C regard D valuation
6. A. calling B mission C function D aspiration
7. A. exclusive B reclusive C inclusive D conclusive
8. A. spring B enlarge C blossom D multiply

Task 2. Fill in each gap with ONE suitable word.

The greatest British Sportsperson of all time
It wasn’t very long ago that British tennis was totally in the doldrums, so the notion that a poll to identify
Britain’s greatest ever sportsperson would reveal a tennis player as the winner would have been summarily
discounted by most. Especially if you’d said none (1)……………. other than nearly-man Andy Murray. Surely
not...
Yet, here we are a few years later. The results are in, and unsurprisingly, for so much has changed in the
last few years, they have validated the'recent achievements and growing legacy of that very individual. Andy
in
Murray has finally been recognised for his feats (2)……………….. tennis at a time when his opponents were
unquestionably some of the greatest players to have ever swung a racket in anger. Indeed, the fact that Murray
has put several grand slams and Olympic gold medals to his (3)…………………..during-the
name era of players
like Nadal, Federer and Djokovic only makes his success ail the more impressive, especially when you
consider how many times he played catch-up with these other greats early in his career, regularly coming out
(4)…………………..best.
second
It is testament (5)…………………..his
of great mental strength and resilience that he has been able to
overcome his failures and put them (6)…………………..
behind him to become the master of his sport, for a short
time at least. So, while not such a long time ago eyebrows may have been (7)………………….. raised at the
pronouncement of Murray as Britain’s greatest, now the facts (8)…………………..for
speak them selves and there
can be few complaints. What a gritty fellow!

Task 3. Word form

Korean New Year
Whilst the western New Year is celebrated to some degree in Korea today, its significance is still
(1.weigh)…………………..by
outweighed that of the traditional Korean or Lunar New Year, which usually falls at some
point in early January or February. The exact dates of the three-day celebration are determined by the phases
 Hoang Thao – Bien Hoa Gifted High School
of the moon and (2.commence)…………………..of
commencement festivities nearly always coincides with the first day of
the second new moon after the winter solstice. It is a very family-centred (3. fair)………………….. which
normally sees Koreans return to their hometowns to visit their parents and other relatives, and to perform an
(4. ancestor)…………………..
ancestral ritual called charye.
The first day is (5. character)…………………..by
characterized a big feast and much emphasis is placed on
(6.memory)…………………..
commemorating one's ancestors. Family members regularly dress In colourful traditional attire
modernization
known as Hanbok, although (7. modern)…………………..has seen this aspect of the festivities observed less
and less as time moves on. The family-oriented theme continues throughout the festival, and a number of
other customs are observed during the three days, including the building and subsequent burning of what are
termed moon houses, miniature homes made of firewood and branches. The razing of the moon houses is a (8.
symbol)…………………..act
symbolic intended to ward off evil spirits for the new year.

Task 4. You are going to read an extract from an article about golfer Sergio Garcia. For questions 1-6,
choose the answer (A, B, C or D) which you think fits best according to the text.
Vanquishing the monkeys
As a plucky young professional, in 1999, Sergio Garcia stormed onto golf’s centre stage at the US PGA
Championship, his cavalier style of play winning him fans if not the victory he would have hoped for. His
promised to be a stellar career and, indeed, what he had gone on to achieve in the game would have been
considered so-had he not set the bar so supremely high from such a young age. However, despite all its merits,
Garcia would probably have been the first to admit that his major championship void was a gaping hole in one
of the most impressive CVs on tour. He had fulfilled his potential on all but the greatest stage in golf.
It would have been unthinkable back in those early days to posit that Garcia could be sans major some 18
years later, but a combination of fate, bad luck and poor decision-making had left him so. He had been on the
cusp of victory and immortality numerous times, but he had never managed to get across the line. Indeed, the
monkey on his back was plain for everyone to see and in 2012 he even spoke openly about it, raising the
white flag and resigning himself to the fact that he was not made for success on the ultimate stage. To a
stunned onlooklng media, he suggested that he had too much baggage to conceive of victory anymore and that
his battle going forward would always be for second best.
Psychologically, it must surely have been one of the lowest points of his career. Yet his frustration was not
hard to comprehend for not only had he an abundance of talent but also a work ethic, the envy of many a peer.
Together, these ingredients should have served up a very healthy plate of success. He had also had to endure
watching on from the side-lines as many, arguably less gifted, players went on to achieve what seemed
tantallsingly out of his own reach. Lest we forget, as well, he was shouldering a second monkey as his nation
had long marked him out as predestined to follow in the footsteps of its two legends of the sport, Ballesteros
and Olazabal. Added to his own expectations, it seemed, when he was quoted in 2012, that all these factors
had finally proved too much.
Yet, to his credit, Garcia continued to train diligently and professionally, though he had all but completely
given up. It could only have been his affection for the game that kept him motivated during those dark times;
or perhaps something very deep Inside him that dared to yet dream the seemingly impossible. At least his
approach was handsomely rewarded in one sense, as he carved out a hugely lucrative golfing career, claimed
some of the biggest second-tier prizes in the game and excelled in the team format that is the Ryder Cup. For
any other player, this might all have been enough, but a deep sense of discontentment seemed to haunt him.
Fast forward to 2017-and the stakes could not have been higher for, as a Spaniard, this was no ordinary
golfing year. It marked the 60th birthday of deceased golfing legend Seve Ballesteros, whom Garcia had
idolised as a child. Spain's other stalwart, Olazabal, sent Garcia words of encouragement the night before the
Masters began, suggesting this could be his year at last. The monkey on his back should have grown more
apelike In dimensions, yet a weight seemed to have been lifted. The feats of Olazabal and Ballesteros were no
longer playing on Garcia's mind; they were fuelling his conviction. Perhaps most crucially, though, he had
balance in his off-course life in the form of his fiancée. Garcia's media façade was no longer, then, necessary
because the pretence of contentment had been replaced by a more tangible feeling.
If proof were ever in the pudding, it came on the last day of the championship on the back nine. He seemed
to have handed the trophy to Justin Rose with a succession of wayward shots and poor decisions. History was
repeating itself. But he was not to be bested again. Garcia roared thunderously back into contention with play
from the very top drawer and outlasted his opponent in a victory made all the sweeter by the fact that it had
not been gifted to him. Instead, he had ripped it from the very clutches of defeat.
1. What does the writer say about Garcia in the first paragraph?
A though his career was relatively successful, his style of play did not win him much support
 Hoang Thao – Bien Hoa Gifted High School
B Garcia's story up to that point was one of failed potential
C he set his expectations too high making it difficult for him to succeed
D his career record would be very impressive were he a less talented player
2. What do we learn of Garcia’s mindset in 2012 in the second paragraph?
A he felt himself incapable of ever winning on the biggest stage
B he blamed external factors rather than himself for his failure to win a major
C he had considered quitting the game of golf altogether
D he was frank in hrs assessment of his career to date but remained positive about the future
3. What is one of the things the writer attributes Garcia's difficulties to in the third paragraph?
A jealousy of his peers and a sense of self-importance
B the sense of pressure he felt to achieve for external factors
C intense competition and rivalry with fellow Spanish golfers
D a failure to apply himself in order to fulfil his potential
4. What does the writer suggest must have motivated Garcia to continue trying despite so many failed
attempts in the fourth paragraph?
A his enjoyment of a different format in which golf is played
B his success in less important competitions and the financial benefits of that
C his devotion to the sport he loved and perhaps a fading sense of hope
D a sense of confidence and belief that he was still predestined for'success
5. The writer suggests that, in 2017,
A there ought to have been less pressure on Garcia to win a major.
B Garcia's desire to win a major was not as intense as it had been previously.
C Garcia drew inspiration from something that had in the past hindered him.
D Garcia was only pretending to be in a good place mentally in public.
6. What can be implied about the manner of Garcia's first major win on the last day of the Augusta championship?
A he faced and overcame significant difficulty
B his main rival had gifted him the chance to win
C he had to fight off a great comeback from his main opponent
D he did not repeat any of the mistakes typical of his past performances

Task 5. You are going to read extracts from a travel writer's journal. For questions 1-10, choose from
the sections , (A-E). The extracts may be chosen more than once.
According to the reviewer, which book...
1. ... represents the writer's first offering in a change of genre? B
2. ... is written by a first-time author? A
3. ... hints at the writer's future potential? A
4. ... lacks passion and feeling despite being well-written? B
5. ... is likely to be the writer's last offering? C
6. ... ought to prompt a change of direction for the author to a more familiar style of writing? C
7. ... will not be a commercial success? C
8. ... received near universal praise? D
9. ... was authored by a victim of unjust criticism? D
10. ... rewards a patient reader?

A. I Jonas by Amanda Budding

The story begins at a slothful pace, with character development verging on the tediously meticulous -1
think f know more about the main character, Jonas, than I do my own brother! - and, yet, all this effort
doesn't promote engagement; I never felt invested in Jonas’ story, so it was all somewhat in vain. How-
ever, note the caveat, for all is not lost and this becomes a quite engrossing read if you can tolerate it long
enough; and it moves so tangentially midway that it is barely recognisable as the story from the opening
pages. Jonas, despite the author’s best efforts to the contrary, becomes a figure of almost peripheral
interest, it Is his love interest, Stella, who tugs at the heartstrings and whose enigmatic character piques the
reader’s interest, despite being wholly underdeveloped. You sense there is something of the author herself
here In Stella, and perhaps this authenticity, so lacking in our supposed protagonist, is what makes all the
difference. Jonas just feels too contrived. That said, once It enters the realms of the semiautobiographlcal,
I Jonas becomes a surprisingly worthwhile read, and herein lies the evidence to suggest that writer,
 Hoang Thao – Bien Hoa Gifted High School
Amanda Budding, though she most certainly will not win rookie of the year for this outing, may, in her 3
future offerings, develop into quite a virtuoso of the crime genre. Time will tell.
B. Adelaide Highs by Lee Kim
Lee Kim has always been one to throw a curveball, ever since his days as a plucky young novice wowing
critics with the outstanding and daring crime series Agenda, so we had come to expect the unexpected 1
from this author. Even so, no one thought a move into the romance genre was on the radar, given the
incredibly graphic and at times gag-inducing nature of his past work. Decried in the main by critics and
fans alike as career suicide pure and simple, although I, too, was sceptical of this new direction, I wanted
to reserve judgement. However, if the proof is in the pudding, then Adelaide Highs could have done with
several more hours in the oven, for everything about it, from the plot to the characters, is undercooked.
Don’t get me wrong, it is not woeful, just rather unremarkable. As a work of fiction, structurally, it is 4
sound, but it is gfso incredibly wooden. Luckily for Kim, news of the release caused such a stir that the
commercial success of this first offering is assured. However, readers are unlikely to give him the benefit
of the doubt if he goes down this route again, so I think he would be very ill-advised to take comfort from
the buoyant sales figures, despite the near universal critical panning the book received. If he is wise, his
next offering will have an entirely different Agenda - pardon the pun!
C. Oracle Saturn by Hillary Evans
Hillary Evans will not be forgiven for her latest crime against the sci-fi genre, Oracle Saturn. It is hard to
fathom how such a promising career could have, well, careered quite so chaotically off course. After all, 6
this once prodigious talent has never strayed from the type of literature that heralded her initial success.
The signs were ominous after Neptune Rising, but then her subsequent and second-to-last offering, Mars 5
Base, gave some cause for optimism. Alas, Oracle Saturn will prove the straw that breaks the camel’s - or
more specifically, the reader's - back. Tellingly, pre-orders were non-existent as critics went on the 7
warpath and tore this shoddy offering completely to shreds. Readers are normally disinclined to pay much
heed to criticism of their favourite authors; however, there's no escaping the veracity of the claims here
and the critical wrr h unleashed upon Evans is, sadly, more than justified, which her fanbase has
grudgingly acknowledged at last. They, like this and the overwhelming majority of reviewers have,
finally, given up the ghost. The road to redemption shuts with this flop.'
D. Keyhole Surgery by James Beckforci
James Beckford’s peers, oddly, were swifter even than the critics in dismissing his literary success on a 7
commercial level. Hell hath no wrath like the green-eyed monster, after all. His name had opened doors
that would otherwise not even have shifted ajar, it was claimed. Beckford, however, is nothing if not
resolute, and his unswerving faith in his ability, allied to his desire to silence the naysayers once and for
ail, led him down an unusual path. Keyhole Surgery was written under the pseudonym Eileen Gloss. It is,
in this reviewer’s opinion, the perfect riposte to those accusations of favouritism he has long suffered, for 9
critics and writers alike have been unanimous in their praise of this ‘first-time’ author’s work, with many 2
going so far as to declare it a modern literary masterpiece of the romance genre. Ironically, it looks set to
be his least successful outing in bookshops, however, even post the big reveal surrounding the authorship
of the work. Doubtless, though, James will lose little sleep over its modest commercial performance on
account of having finally got a far bigger monkey off his back. Keyhole Surgery is, deservedly, my read of
the week. Well done, James Beckford! Consistently delivering in this genre since day one.

Task 6. You will hear arboriculturist Marcella Im discussing her job on a radio programme. For
questions 1-9, complete the sentences with a word or short phrase.
1. Im likens her job to that of a ……………………, a term which people generally are more familiar with.
2. Im says her role mainly involves the growing and maintenance of ………………………
3. In built-up areas, I nr says a big task is ensuring that trees exist ………………………with the concrete
jungle around them and its inhabitants.
4. ……………are what determine whether Im will use modern or traditional equipment on any given job.
5. Safety issues and convenience are why Im would rather not use ………………………if she can help it.
6. Im's work frequently involves ………………………, whereby leaves and branches are removed from
mature trees.
7. An arboriculturist would be more inclined to be in a ………………………or supervisory position, rather
than actually doing the hands-on work itself like an arborist.
8. The reason Im wanted to establish her own consultancy was ………………………
9. Although learning to communicate well with people from different backgrounds was a challenge for Im,
operating as ………………………was what she found most difficult upon setting up her consultancy.