ENGLISH TEST

Time allotted: 90 minutes

I. Phonetics: Choose the word whose underlined part is pronounced differently from that
of the others in the same line.
1. A. apologize B. absorb C. arrive D. absence
2. A. converse B. collect C. commerce D. correct
3. A. through B. enough C. rough D. tough
4. A. admiral B. adventure C. advertise D. adverb
5. A. club B. subtle C. comb D. doubt

Choose the word whose stress pattern is different to that of the rest in each group.
6. A. committee B. referee C. employee D. refugee
7. A. alcohol B. consequent C. chemical D. proceedings
8. A. appetite B. architect C. efficient D. arable
9. A. nevertheless B. eliminate C. appreciate D. deliberate
10. A. insight B. chemist C. depend D. substance

II. Choose the right option A, B, C, or D to complete each of the following sentences.
11. Our fingers will grow more …….. because they are used a lot in modern life.
A. sensible B. sensitive C. senseless D. senseful
12. A person who murders an important person is called an …….. .
A. assassin B. assassinate C. assassinater D. assassination
13. This is Uncle Tom’s coffee-…….. farm.
A. produce B. produced C. producing D. product
14. By appearing on the soap powder commercials, she became a ……. name.
A. housewife B. housekeeper C. house D. household
15. It’s hard to do …….. to such a masterpiece.
A. judgment B. justice C. fair play D. comment
16. At ……. time did I ever promise you a pay rise.
A. any B. no C. all D. some
17. If you have a(n) …….. control handset, you don’t need to get out of your chair to change TV
channels!
A. remote B. distant C. electronic D. far
18. I’m in a terrible ……. . I just don’t know what to do.
A. problem B. jam C. loss D. trouble
19. The accused denied …….. in the vicinity of the murder scene.
A. to have ever been B. have ever been
C. having been ever D. ever having been
20. I usually switch off the television when the .……. come on.
A. commercials B. posters C. slogans D. programmes

III. Choose A, B, C or D to complete the following passage.

How to tip in different countries
If you're travelling overseas on holiday this summer the preparations may already seem
overwhelming - so the last thing you're likely to (21) ……. about is tipping.
Tipping in Asian and Pacific countries is perhaps the most (22) ……. . Not only do customs vary
hugely, but there are often ethical and cultural factors to consider. In many countries such as
Japan, tipping is actually (23) ..…… as an insult. In other countries, such as Australia and New
Zealand, a tip is simply not expected. In Singapore tipping is not encouraged. But, while it's also
not (24) ……. in nearby Malaysia and Thailand, the practice is growing in resorts.
At the other (25) …….. of the spectrum are countries where tipping is a way of life. The
first (26) ……. many travellers to Egypt learn is baksheesh (tip), and anyone (27) ……. with or
helping tourists will expect a small tip. In the US, tipping is more straightforward: tip more people
and tip them more. Tips of between 15% and 20% are (28) .……. in restaurants, and a service
charge won't usually be added. Bar staff and taxi drivers will expect a (29) ..….. level of tip. If you
fail to tip, it's unlikely you'll be hassled for it - but if you're in a bar or a restaurant and plan to (30)
.……, don't expect the same level of service next time.

21. A. consider B. worry C. speak D. know

22. A. confusing B. funny C. interesting D. expensive
23. A. made B. said C. caused D. perceived
24. A. customary B. rule C. habit D. routine
25. A. beginning B. face C. end D. side
26. A. sentence B. word C. thing D. aspect
27. A. trying B. working C. talking D. dealing
28. A. bad B. standard C. good D. enough
29. A. less B. better C. same D. similar
30. A. arrive B. go C. return D. come

IV. Choose one verb in Column A and a preposition/ particle in Column B to complete each
of the following sentences in a suitable way. The correct forms of the verbs are required.

A B
send - bring - blow - fall - leave up - for - without - up - on
do - hold - hang - cut - carry for - off - up - out - up

31. They ...................…...... the doctor and he came immediately.

32. The terrorists .............…............ the bridge with dynamite recently.
33. She accidentally …......................... our talk when she pressed the wrong button.
34. After a short break, they .................…........ with their work.
35. She ...............….......... six children on her own when her husband served in the army.
36. We ...............….......... tea and drank coffee instead.
37. He .................…........ an important thing. He didn’t tell us where we would meet.
38. Some robbers .........…................ the National Bank at lunch time yesterday.
39. Lan ..........…............... Doanh because he was so amusing.
40. Mr. Binh ..............…........... in the middle of our talk. Maybe, I said something wrong.

V. Use the correct form of the words given to complete the following passage.
How to Choose a Suitable Job Position
Unless you are (41. INDEPENDENT) ……………….... wealthy, you spend most of your time at
work, which is why you should find a job that suits you. These five tips can help you.
Step 1:
List things that you enjoy doing, like your hobbies. Next to that list, write down your goals. Your
goals should include (42. LIVE) …………..……… goals, as well as (43. SPECIFY)
…….………….….. goals that pertain to your job, like the amount of money you want to make.
Step 2:
Rate the lists, and choose the top three things from each list. Then brainstorm to find a job that
allows you to do the top three things from the lists. The more jobs you come up with, the (44.
EASY) ……………………… it is to find a job that matches your requirements.
Step 3:
Talk with a career (45. COUNSEL) ……………………. who provides you industry information, like
the average salary, future (46. EXPECT) ………..……..…. for the industry and the level of (47.
COMPETE) ……………..…….. to find a job in the industry.
Step 4:
Evaluate your education, skills and experience. Research the list of options, read the job (48.
DESCRIBE ) ………………..…. and the (49. REQUIRE) ……………..…….. for applying. If
possible, talk to someone in the field, and shadow them while they work.
Step 5:
Start looking for jobs and applying. Be realistic with your (50. QUALIFY ) ……………….……. -you
may need to start as a receptionist for a doctor while you train to be a nurse. If you can't get your
dream job now, look for jobs in the same field that leads to your dream job.

VI. Read the passage below and choose one correct answer A, B, C or D to each question.
Until recently, hunting for treasure from shipwrecks was mostly fantasy; with recent
technological advances, however, the search for sunken treasure has become more popular as
a legitimate endeavor. This has caused a debate between those wanting to salvage the wrecks
and those wanting to preserve them.
Treasure hunters are spurred on by the thought of finding caches of gold coins or other
valuable objects on a sunken ship. One team of salvagers, for instance, searched the wreck of
the RMS Republic, which sank outside the Boston harbor in 1900. The search party, using side-
scan sonar, a device that projects sound waves across the ocean bottom and produces a profile
of the sea floor, located the wreck in just two and a half days. Before the use of this new
technology, such searches could take months or years. The team of divers searched the wreck
for two months, finding silver tea services, crystal dinnerware, and thousands of bottles of wine,
but they did not find the five and a half tons of American Gold Eagle coins they were searching
for.
Preservationists focus on the historic value of a ship. They say that even if a shipwreck's
treasure does not have a high monetary value, it can be an invaluable source of historic artifacts
that are preserved in nearly mint condition. But once a salvage team has scoured a site, much
of the archaeological value is lost. Maritime archaeologists who are preservationists worry that
the success of salvagers will attract more treasure-hunting expeditions and thus threaten
remaining undiscovered wrecks. Preservationists are lobbying their state lawmakers to legally
restrict underwater searches and unregulated salvages. To counter their efforts, treasure hunters
argue that without the lure of gold and million-dollar treasures, the wrecks and their historical
artifacts would never be recovered at all.

51. What is the main idea of this passage?

A. Searching for wrecks is much easier with new technologies like side-scan sonar.
B. Maritime archaeologists are concerned about the unregulated searching of wrecks.
C. The search of the RMS Republic failed to produce the hoped-for coins.
D. The popularity of treasure seeking has spurred a debate between preservationists and
salvagers.
52. The word "sunken" in paragraph 1 is closest in meaning to which of the following words?
A. broken B. underwater C. ancient D. hollow

53. Which of the following is closest in meaning to the word "legitimate" in paragraph 1?
A. justified B. innocent C. prudent D. fundamental
54. Which of the following could best replace the phrase "a profile" as used in paragraph 2?
A. a projection B. an execution C. a highlight D. an outline
55. Which of the following statements is best supported by the author?
A. The value of a shipwreck depends on the quantity of its artifacts.
B. Preservationists are fighting the use of technological advances such as side-scan sonar.
C. Side-scan sonar has helped to legitimize salvaging.
D. The use of sound waves is crucial to locating shipwrecks.
56. The author uses the word "services" in paragraph 2 to refer to which of the following?
A. cups B. sets C. containers D. decorations
57. The author uses the phrase "mint condition" in the last paragraph to describe______.
A. something perfect B. something significant
C. something tolerant D. something magical
58. All of the following were found on the RMS Republic EXCEPT______.
A. wine bottles B. silver tea services
C. American Gold Eagle coins D. crystal dinnerware
59. The word "scoured" in the last paragraph is most similar to which of the following?
A. scraped away B. scratched over
C. scrambled around D. searched through
60. What is the closest meaning to the word "lure" in the last paragraph?
A. knowledge B. attraction C. luxury D. glare

VII. Rewrite the following sentences so that they have similar meaning to the original ones.
61. Although he seems friendly, he’s not to be trusted.
Friendly ……………………………………………………………………….…….…..
62. Not until the body was found did the police believe her.
It was only when ……………………………………………………………….…..…..
63. “Whatever you do, don’t give up hope”, they said.
They urged ………………………………………………………………………….…...
64. Far more people live to retirement age in Britain than in the Philippines.
Not as …………………………………………………………………………….….…...
65. We have no seats left for the concert on December 12th.
All the seats ……………………………………………………….…….………..….…..
66. My boss works better when he’s pressed for time.
The less ……………………………………………………………………………….…..
67. It is expected that the company can get more profit this year.
The company …………………………………………………………………..……..…..
68. I was astonished by her confidence.
What ………………………………………..…………………………...………………….
69. Someone told me my flight was cancelled when I got to the airport.
Arriving …………………………………………………………………………..….……..
70. The students’ riotous behaviour should have been severely punished.
The students deserved …………………………………………………………………...

VIII. Complete the second sentence so that it has the similar meaning to the first one,
using the word given. Do not change the word given.

71. Whose name should I write on the cheque? (MAKE)

Who ………………………………………………………………………………………?
72. I’m not going to retire unless I myself want to. (FEEL)
I’m not ……………………………………………………………………………..……...
73. After two hours the bride had still not arrived. (SIGN)
After ………………………………………………………………………………………..
74. Hong found the heat quite intolerable. (BEAR)
Hong ……………………………………………………………………………..………..
75. He can hardly read at all. (VIRTUALLY)
He is ………………………………………………………………………………..……..
76. He can speak French well enough to go to the conference. (FLUENT)
His French ……………………………………………………………………….………..
77. His arrival was completely unexpected. (TOOK)
His arrival …………………………………………………………………………………..
78. The first sign of the disease is a feeling of faintness. (ONSET)
The …………………………………………………………………………………………..
79. He began by giving us a summary of his progress so far. (OUTSET)
At …………………………………………………………………………………………….
80. Be careful not to waste water. (ECONOMICAL)
Be ………………………………………………………………………………….…………

IX. Essay writing (81 – 100)

Write a paragraph of about 150 words about the important qualities of a good son or daughter.
Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.
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Answer key – TEST
I.
1. D. 2. C 3. A 4. B 5. A
6. A 7. D 8. C 9. A 10. C

II.
11. B 12. A 13. C 14. D 15. A
16. B 17. A 18. C 19. D 20. A

III.

21. B 22. A 23. D 24. A 25. C

26. B 27. D 28. B 29. D 30. C

IV.
31. sent for 32. have blown up 33. cut off 34. carried on 35. brought up
36. did without 37. left out 38. held up 39. fell for 40. hung up
V.
41. independently 42. life 43. specific 44. easier 45. counselor
46. expectations 47. competition 48. description 49. requirements 50. qualification

VI.
51. D 52. B 53. A 54. D 55. C
56. B 57. A 58. C 59. D 60. B

VII.
61. Friendly as he may seem, he’s not to be trusted.
62. It was only when the body was found that the police believed her.
63. They urged me not to give up hope.
64. Not as many people live to retirement age in the Philippines as in Britain.
65. All the seats for the concert on December 12th have been booked.
66. The less hurried the boss is, the worse he works.
67. The company is expected to get more profit this year.
68. What astonished me was her confidence.
69. Arriving at the airport, someone told me my flight was cancelled.
70. The students deserved severe punishment for their riotous behaviour.
VIII.
71. Who should I make the cheque out to?
72. I’m not going to retire unless I feel like it.
73. After two hours there was still no sign of the bride.
74. Hong couldn’t bear the heat.
75. He is virtually unable to read.
76. His French is fluent enough for him to go to the conference.
77. His arrival took us completely by surprise.
78. The onset of the disease is shown by a feeling of faintness.
79. At/ From the outset, he gave us a summary of his progress so far.
80. Be economical on water.

Paragraph: 2 points