Mark the letter A, B, C or D to indicate the best arrangement of utterances or sentences to make a meaningful...

Read the following advertisement and mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to indicate the correct option that best fits each of the numbered blanks from 1 to 6.        

Accelerated English Programme

Location: Riverdale Academy, Kingswood School, Elmbridge College

Dates: 15th July - 10th September 2024

Ages: 8 - 17 years old

Overview:

Elevate your English skills with our Accelerated English Programme, (1) ____________ to help students improve quickly through 10 additional hours of weekly (2) ____________. Small class sizes ensure personalised attention and focused learning, (3) ____________ this an ideal choice for those looking to advance their English in a short time.

Programme Highlights:

• On-campus accommodation for a (4) ____________

• 10 hours of intensive English instruction (5) ____________ small, tailored groups

• Engaging indoor and outdoor activities to reinforce learning

• Exciting weekly field trips and cultural excursions

Don't miss this opportunity  (6) ____________ your English proficiency in a fun and supportive environment. Sign up today!

Question 1.
A. which designed
B. designing        

C. was designed
D. designed

Question 2.
A. instructive
B. instruct
C. instruction
D. instructively

Question 3.
A. putting
B. doing
C. making
D. taking

Question 4.
A. fully immersive experience
B. experience immersive fully

C. immersive fully experience
D. fully experience immersive

Question 5.
A. on
B. about
C. in
D. up

Question 6.
A. to boost
B. boosted
C. boosting
D. boost

Read the following leaflet and mark the letter A, B, C or D on your answer sheet to indicate the correct option that best fits each of the numbered blanks from 7 to 12.        

Vietnam to recruit 22,000 teachers to make English a second language in schools

The draft proposal, unveiled at a consultation (7) ____________ on Sept. 22, outlines a long-term roadmap through 2045 that aims to embed English across (8) ____________ levels of education. By that time, officials envision English being widely used in 50,000 schools, serving nearly 30 million students and one million teachers and lecturers.

The plan will be (9) ____________ in three phases: five years from 2025 to 2030, 10 years from 2030 to 2040, and a final five-year stretch to 2045. Its key priorities include overhauling teacher training programs, (10) ____________ exams and assessments, developing new curricula and learning materials and deploying digital technology and artificial intelligence in classrooms.

To (11) ____________ immediate needs, the ministry says 12,000 new English teachers must be recruited for preschools and 10,000 for primary schools,  (12) ____________ at least 200,000 existing teachers will be retrained to teach in English by 2030. Vietnam currently has more than 1.05 million preschool and general education teachers, of whom only around 30,000 specialize in English.

Question 7.
A. occasion
B. session
C. discussion
D. term

Question 8.
A. all
B. every
C. most
D. almost

Question 9.
A. given out
B. carried out
C. taken on
D. gone on

Question 10.
A. building
B. changing
C. reforming
D. making

Question 11.
A. have
B. take
C. get
D. meet

Question 12.
A. meanwhile
B. apart from
C. instead of
D. in addition to

Read the following passage about nanotechnology and mark the letter A, B, C or D to indicate the best answer to each of the following questions from 13 to 22.

The zero-waste lifestyle, which promotes eliminating all personal waste, has become a symbol of environmental responsibility in recent years. From reusable containers to bulk shopping and composting,  the movement encourages individuals to radically change their consumption habits. While the intention behind it is commendable, the practicality of achieving a truly zero-waste lifestyle remains questionable for most people.

Waste is part and parcel of today's consumer society. Supermarkets package goods in layers of plastic; online shopping generates cardboard, tape, and protective fillers; even medical care often involves single-use items for hygiene. Expecting individuals to entirely avoid these realities requires a level of privilege, time, and access that many do not have. For example, not every city offers bulk stores or composting services, and not everyone can afford the often higher costs of sustainable products.

Moreover, the pressure to be “zero-waste” can lead to guilt rather than change. When a person who tries their best still ends up discarding a food wrapper or a broken appliance, they may feel that their efforts are meaningless. This absolute mindset can be counterproductive, discouraging broader participation in sustainable practices.

[I] Rather than total elimination, choosing to reuse whenever possible, refusing unnecessary packaging, and supporting circular economy initiatives can collectively shift demand away from disposability. [II] Even small, consistent efforts across a population can significantly reduce environmental harm. [III] Rather than viewing zero-waste as an endpoint, it may be more useful to treat it as an aspiration, a guiding principle rather than a strict rule. [IV] Progress lies not in perfection, but in the widespread willingness to reduce where we can and when we can.

Question 13. Which of the following can be inferred from the passage?

        A. Partial efforts to reduce waste are more achievable than total waste elimination.

        B. Achieving zero waste is a realistic and necessary goal for everyone, regardless of income.

        C. Waste reduction requires individuals to sacrifice convenience without gaining any benefits.

        D. People who fail to live a completely zero-waste lifestyle stop protecting the environment.

Question 14. Which of the following best summarises the passage?

A. People who cannot achieve a complete zero-waste lifestyle should abandon their efforts and accept unsustainable living habits.

B. Achieving zero waste is now a widespread practice, so governments and organisations no longer need to promote sustainable consumption.

C. Living a perfect zero-waste life is affordable, convenient, and easily achievable for individuals in all regions of the world.

D. Achieving zero waste is difficult for most, but focusing on reducing waste whenever possible can lead  to meaningful progress.

Question 15. Which of the following best summarises paragraph 2?

A. Completely avoiding waste is unrealistic for most people due to societal systems and access limitations.

B. Single-use products are being phased out rapidly, so zero-waste living is now easily accessible to everyone.

C. Sustainable products are affordable for the majority, and bulk stores are widely available in all cities.

D. Most people can achieve a perfect zero-waste lifestyle if they plan their shopping carefully enough.

Question 16. Where in paragraph 4 does the following sentence best fit?

What proves to be more realistic, and potentially more impactful, is a focus on waste reduction.

A. [I]
B. [II]
C. [III]
D. [IV]

Question 17. Which of the following is NOT mentioned in paragraph 2 as one of the examples of waste sources?

A. Supermarkets
B. Composting services

C. Online shopping
D. Medical care

Question 18. The word “collectively” in paragraph 4 mostly means ____________.

A. temporarily
B. separately
C. jointly
D. individually

Question 19. The word “it” in paragraph 1 refers to ____________.

A. consumption
B. composting
C. the movement
D. the intention

Question 20. Which of the following best paraphrases the underlined sentence in paragraph 3?

This absolute mindset can be counterproductive, discouraging broader participation in sustainable practices.

A. Believing completely in sustainable ideas will automatically lead to greater participation by everyone.

B. The stricter one is with sustainability, the easier it is for communities to adopt eco-friendly habits.

C. Thinking in absolute terms can backfire by discouraging more people from embracing sustainable actions.

D. Having high standards about sustainability usually makes individuals more eager to join environmental movements.

Question 21. According to the passage, the pressure to live a completely zero-waste lifestyle is mentioned as ____________.

        A. a sign that society is becoming more environmentally responsible

        B. a factor that may lead to guilt and discourage participation

        C. a reason why sustainable products have become cheaper

        D. a positive force that guarantees people will change their habits

Question 22. Which of the following is NOT stated as an example of actions encouraged by the zero-waste movement in the passage?

A. Purchasing more single-use products
B. Shopping in bulk

C. Composting food waste
D. Using reusable containers

Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to indicate the correct option that best fits each of the numbered blanks from 28 to 32.

Culture shock is the loss of emotional balance, disorientation, or confusion that a person feels when moving from a familiar environment to an unfamiliar one. (28) ____________. Individual personality, previous cross-cultural experience, and language proficiency all affect a person's ability to interact socially in the new culture. The basic cause of culture shock is the abrupt loss of all that is familiar, (29) ____________.

When an individual enters a strange culture, all or most of those familiar signs and hints are removed. He or she is like a fish out of water. No matter how broad-minded or good-willed he may be, a series of properties have been knocked from under him. (30) ____________. People react to the frustration in much the same way. First, they reject the environment that causes the discomfort: "The ways of the host country are bad because they make us feel bad."

Another aspect of culture shock is regression. (31) ____________, and everything becomes irrationally glorified. All difficulties and problems are forgotten, and only the good things back home are remembered. It usually takes a trip home to bring one back to reality.

Common symptoms of culture shock include the following extremes. These are excessive concerns, over delays and other minor frustrations: fear of being cheated, robbed or injured; (32) ____________; and a great longing to go home. Underlying all these is the uncomfortable feeling of not really belonging, of being an outsider.

Question 28. 

        A. While it is a common experience, the degree to which it occurs will vary from one person to another

        B. It is the degree which varies from one person to another that is a common experience

        C. What varies from one person to another is the degree to which it occurs as a common experience

        D. It is such a common experience that the degree to which it occurs varies from one person to another

Question 29. 

        A. the result is that the new environment is isolated and disconnected

        B. leading to a sense of isolation and disconnection from the new environment

        C. a sense of isolation may lead to disconnection from the new environment

        D. feeling isolated and disconnected from the new environment

Question 30. 

        A. This may be followed by a feeling of frustration and anxiety

        B. These, however, may follow the individual’s frustration and anxiety

        C. Also, a sense of frustration and anxiety may arise

        D. That feeling may subsequently result from frustration and anxiety

Question 31. 

        A. At that time, when home suddenly becomes a very important environment

        B. As they assume that the home environment is of tremendous importance at that time

        C. At that time, the home environment suddenly assumes tremendous importance

        D. It is suddenly assumed that the home environment is extremely important at that time

Question 32. 

        A. sleeplessness or a desire to sleep more due to stress and emotional exhaustion

        B. sleeplessness caused by stress and emotional exhaustion leads to a desire to sleep more

        C. the fact of being sleepless or a desire to sleep more is caused by stress and emotional exhaustion

        D. stress and emotional exhaustion cause sleeplessness or a desire to sleep more

Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C, or D to indicate the correct answer to each of the questions from 33 to 40.

A letter of application is a sales letter in which you are both salesperson and product, for the purpose of an application is to attract an employer’s attention and persuade him or her to grant you an interview. To do this, the letter presents what you can offer the employer, rather than what you want from the job.

Like a résumé, the letter of application is a sample of your work and an opportunity to demonstrate your skills and personality. If it is written with flair and understanding and prepared with professional care, it is likely to be very effective. While the résumé must be factual, objective, and brief, the letter is your chance to interpret and expand. It should state explicitly how your background relates to the specific job, and it should emphasise your strongest and most relevant characteristics. The letter should demonstrate that you know both yourself and the company.

The letter of application must communicate your ambition and enthusiasm. Yet it must be modest. It should be neither aggressive nor compliant: neither pat yourself on the back nor ask for sympathy. It should never express dissatisfaction with the present or former job or employer. And you should avoid discussing your reasons for leaving your last job.

Finally, it is best that you do not broach the subject on salary. Indeed, even if a job advertisement requires that you mention your salary requirements, it is advisable simply to call them “negotiable”. However, when you go on an interview, you should be prepared to mention a salary range. For this reason, you should investigate both your field and, if possible, the particular company. You don't want to ask for less than you deserve or more than is reasonable.

Question 33. The word “broach” in paragraph 4 could be best replaced by ____________.

A. investigate
B. avoid
C. understand
D. introduce

Question 34. Which of the following best paraphrases the underlined sentence in paragraph 3?

        A. It is advisable to express your feelings about former employers in a critical way.

        B. One should consider before sharing experiences in past or current positions.

        C. You should refrain from voicing negative opinions about your previous and current jobs or bosses.

        D. It is important to address any grievances you may have about your current job or employer.

Question 35. In which paragraph does the writer mention the importance of presenting what you can offer an employer?

A. Paragraph 3
B. Paragraph 4
C. Paragraph 1
D. Paragraph 2

Question 36. The word “explicitly” in paragraph 2 is OPPOSITE in meaning to ____________.

A. directly
B. obviously
C. ambiguously
D. quickly

Question 37. The word “it” in paragraph 2 refers to ____________.

A. the résumé
B. the letter of application

C. an opportunity
D. your work

Question 38. In which paragraph does the writer advise against discussing salary requirements?

A. Paragraph 2
B. Paragraph 4
C. Paragraph 1
D. Paragraph 3

Question 39. According to the passage, all of the following are characteristics of a letter of application EXCEPT ____________.

A. It should be brief and factual
B. It should connect your background to the job

C. It should highlight relevant traits
D. It should reflect your skills and personality

Question 40. Which of the following is TRUE about a letter of application according to the passage?

        A. It should express the applicant's dissatisfaction with his/her former employer.

        B. It should expand upon the information contained in the applicant's résumé.

        C. It should be written very briefly, but in a formal style.

        D. It should refer to the applicant's reasons for leaving his/her previous job.