SỞ GIÁO DỤC VÀ ĐÀO TẠO KỲ THI HỌC SINH GIỎI CẤP THÀNH PHỐ LỚP 12 – THPT

TP HỒ CHÍ MINH KHÓA NGÀY: 3/3/2011 – NĂM HỌC: 2010-2011

MÔN: TIẾNG ANH
Thời gian làm bài: 180 phút
ĐỀ CHÍNH THỨC
Đề này gồm 4 trang

PART ONE. Multiple choice (20 pts)

Choose the word or phrase (A, B, C, or D) that best completes the sentence.
1. The greater _______ increase in population is, the harder it is for people to find adequate housing.
A. that an B. for an C. the D. it is that
2. Frankly I'd rather _______ anything about it for the time being.
A. that you do B. you didn't do C. you don't D. not you did
3. We _______ all the way to school; the teacher wasn‟t there anyway.

H
A. didn‟t need to run B. shouldn‟t have run C. can‟t have run D. needn‟t have run
4. They don‟t allow _______ in the auditorium.
A. to smoke B. smoking C. people smoking D. people for smoking

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5. Come on! I wish they _______ that terrible noise on the upper floor.
A. all could stop B. had all stopped C. would all stop D. are all stopping
6. What mother cooks always seems to me the best _______.

A
A. I‟ve eaten dishes B. dishes ever I eat C. dishes I‟ve ever eaten D. dishes I‟ve been eating
7. He's not very sensible as far as money _______ are concerned.
A. matters B. objects C. things D. aspects

EN
8. Would all passengers please _______ from using any electronic equipment until the plane is airborne?
A. refrain B. exclude C. resist D. restrain
9. People living overseas are not _______ to enter for this competition.
A. right B. permissible C. capable D. eligible
10. He still suffers from a rare tropical disease which he _______ while in Africa.
A. infected B. complained C. gained D. contracted
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11. When we got to the box office the question of who should pay _______.
A. raised B. arose C. came D. appeared
12. The home team _______ two goals to the visitors in the first 10 minutes of the games.
A. conceded B. defeated C. won D. introduced
13. We‟re rather short of people to organize the trip, so do you think you could _______.
A. take on B. join up C. fix up D. help out
H

14. It is vital that we _______ a change in people's attitudes.

A. break away B. put out C. bring about D. look forward
15. We found a buyer for our house, but then the sale _______.
C

A. put up with B. fell through C. broke in D. came back

16. The athlete is now making his last attempt _______ the world 100-meter breaststroke record.
A. in B. at C. for D. on
17. He did all the things _______ his own initiative.
G

A. with B. from C. on D. in
18. It‟s so bad to have a boss who _______ all the time.
A. breathes down your neck B. follows your nose
C. keeps your temper D. draws your eyes
LO

19. _ A: “Those young boy and girl are getting married to each other.” _ B: “_______”
A. Well, they marry money. B. When did that happen?
C. Marry in haste, repent at leisure. D. I‟d like to congratulate you on that!
20. _ A: “_______” _ B: “Roger, I‟m coming in to land now.”
A. You are clear to land! B. Who are you talking to about landing?
B

C. Who does this piece of land belong to? D. Finally, you have asked Roger for landing.
PART TWO. Word Forms (30 pts)
A. Use the correct form of the word given to fill in each blank. (10 pts)
1. A major _______ in peace negotiations has been achieved. (break)
2. It is not harmful to take that drug because it is _______. (addict)
3. Girls tend to do better academically in single-sex schools than in _______ ones. (educate)
4. Having made that morally terrible mistake, they are now _______. (conscience)
5. _______ is the study of crime and criminals. (crime)
6. He is a little _______. He should have less fat intake. (weigh)
7. The number of _______ from junior high school is increasing in a worrying way. (drop)
8. He is said to be a _______ person who never stops work until very late. (work)
9. She was very sad because she was _______ of talking him into accepting the offer. (capability)
10. You can wear this watch when you swim; it is _______. (resist)
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B. Put the words given in the correct blanks. You have to use their correct forms to make a meaningful
passage. There are two extra words that you cannot use. (20pts)
violent young expense popular qualify visit
origin enjoy demand defend hate respect

Judo is a sport that has achieved great (1)_______ in many parts of the world. It was (2)_______ developed in
th
Japan in the late 19 century based on ancient methods of (3)_______. There are two fighters. Although they use
physical (4)________ against each other, they are (5)_______ to their opponent and bow to each other before and after
each contest.
Judo is an (6)_______ sport to take up because the only equipment you need is the special loose-fitting suit. It
is very suitable for (7)_______ if they join a club where the instructors are properly (8)_______ and pay enough
attention to safety, Although Judo is a physically (9)_______ sport which requires a lot of strength, practice and skill,
there are many people who find it (10)_______ as a means of relaxation in their spare time.

PART THREE. CLOZE TESTS (90 pts)

H
Read the passage and choose the best option (A, B, C or D) for each blank space.
PASSAGE A
According to research (1)_______ by the US scientists, global warming could (2)_______ the growth of toxic

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algae and bacteria in the world‟s seas and lakes, with a(n) (3)_______ that may be felt in ten years‟ time. Studies have
shown that shifts (4)_______ by climate change make ocean and freshwater environments more (5)_______ to toxic

A
algae blooms and allow harmful microbes and bacteria to (6)_______. In one study, scientists modeled future ocean
and weather (7)_______ to predict the effects on blooms of Alexandrium catenella, or the toxic „red tide‟, which can
(8)_______ in shellfish and cause severe symptoms, (9)_______ paralysis, in humans who eat the contaminated

EN
seafood. In another study, scientists found that desert dust, which contains iron, (10)_______ into the ocean from the
atmosphere could (11)_______ to increases of harmful bacteria in the seawater. Also, adding desert dust to seawater
significantly (12)_______ the growth of Vibrios, a group of ocean bacteria that can cause gastroenteritis and
(13)_______ diseases in human beings. Global warming has also been (14)_______ for rising ocean temperatures, and
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a warming ocean, which we know is happening, increases the (15)_______ of disease that affects both wildlife and
humans.
1. A. made B. launched C. conducted D. released
2. A. indulge B. spur C. nurture D. deaden
3. A. impact B. improvement C. target D. affection
4. A. broken down B. come round C. given in D. brought about
H

5. A. weakened B. susceptible C. influential D. incessant

6. A. reduce B. build C. prosper D. proliferate
7. A. plans B. frames C. patterns D. forecasts
8. A. accumulate B. shatter C. decline D. hold
C

9. A. consisting B. comprising C. composing D. including

10. A. blown B. deposited C. carried D. fallen
11. A. bring B. cause C. lead D. get
12. A. motivated B. advocated C. stimulated D. aroused
G

13. A. genetic B. curable C. innate D. infectious

14. A. blamed B. enforced C. mistaken D. faulted
15. A. opportunity B. likelihood C. feasibility D. commonness
LO

Fill in each of the blanks in the following passage with ONE suitable word.
PASSAGE B
The ownership of pets brings a (1)_______ of benefit that the uninitiated would never believe. For every tale of
shredded cushions, flattened plants and chewed slippers, there is (2)_______ testimonial of intelligence, sympathy and
undying devotion. Now the growing body of (3)_______ into the medical and social advantages of pet ownership has
confirmed (4)_______ pet owners have always intuitively known that pets are not just loving companions but actually
B

(5)_______ us good. Researchers have established the value of pets in soothing and reassuring humans, particularly
(6)_______ ill, lonely or in distress. Perhaps the unquestioning love and approval pets give us is something we don‟t
always get from our human (7)_______ and dearest.
Our makeshift understanding of psychology leads many of us to view very close relationships with pets with
suspicion. Childless (8)_______ in particular give rise to speculation, but a consultant in animal behavior says, “There is
no evidence that a pet is a direct substitute for a child. “ And (9)_______ many adults feel foolish if caught talking to
their pets, they have no need to. The experts say that you cannot have a close relationship with a pet (10)_______
treating it as a person and (11)_______ talking to a pet is not unhealthy – simply a way of establishing rapport.
The wobbling helplessness of a young puppy or a fluffy kitten stirs protective instincts (12)_______ within us
and prompts many parents to buy pets for their children in the (13)_______ of instilling a sense of responsibility and
caring and acceptance of the facts of life and (14)_______. But animals don‟t have to be soft and cuddly to (15)_______

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out the best in us. A social worker encouraged aggressive boys to handle ferrets – “If handled correctly they respond
with friendship; if incorrectly they bite.”

PASSAGE C
The status of women in colonial North America has been well studied and described and can be (16)_______
summarized. Throughout the colonial period there was a marked shortage of women, (17)_______ varied with the
regions and was always greatest in the frontier areas. This favorable ratio enhanced women‟s status and position and
allowed (18)_______ to pursue different careers. The Puritans, the religious sect that dominated the early British
colonies in North America, regarded idleness (19)_______ a sin, and believed that life in an undeveloped country
(20)_______ it absolutely necessary that each member of the community (21)_______ an economic function. Thus
work for women, (22)_______ or single, was not only approved, it was considered a (23)_______ duty. Puritan town
councils expected widows and unattached women to be self-supporting and for a long time (24)_______ needy spinster
with parcels of land. There was no social sanction against married women working; on the (25)_______, wives were
expected to help their husbands in their trade and won social approval for doing extra work (26)_______ or out of the
home. Needy children, girls as well as boys, were indentured or apprenticed and were expected to work for their keep.

H
The vast (27)_______ of women worked within their homes, where their labor produced most articles needed
for the family. The entire colonial production of cloth and clothing and partially (28)_______ of shoes was in the hands
of women. In addition to these occupations, women were found in many different kinds of (29)_______. They were

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butchers, silversmiths, gunsmiths, and upholsters. They (30)_______ mills, plantations, shipyards, and every kind of
shop, tavern, and boarding house. They were gatekeepers, jail; keepers, sextons, journalists, printers, apothecaries,
nurses, and teachers.

A
PART FOUR. Reading Comprehension (40 pts)
Choose the item (A, B, C or D) that best completes the unfinished statement about the passage.
PASSAGE A

EN
The modem comic strip started out as ammunition in a newspaper war between giants of the American press in
the late nineteenth century. The first full-color comic strip appeared in January 1894 in the New York World, owned by
Joseph Pulitzer. The first regular weekly full-color comic supplement, similar to today's Sunday funnies, appeared two
years later, in William Randolph Hearst's rival New York paper, the Morning Journal.
Both were immensely popular, and publishers realized that supplementing the news with comic relief boosted
the sale of papers. The Morning Journal started another feature in 1896, the "Yellow Kid," the first continuous comic
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character in the United States, whose creator, Richard Outcault, had been lured away from the World by the
ambitious Hearst. The "Yellow Kid" was in many ways a pioneer. Its comic dialogue was the strictly urban farce that
came to characterize later strips, and it introduced the speech balloon inside the strip, usually placed above the
characters' heads.
The first strip to incorporate all the elements of later comics was Rudolph Dirks's "Katzenjammer Kids," based
on Wilhelm Busch's Max and Moritz, a European satire of the nineteenth century. The "Kids" strip, first published in
H

1897, served as the prototype for future American strips. It contained not only speech balloons, but a continuous cast
of characters, and was divided into small regular panels that did away with the larger panoramic scenes of most earlier
comics.
C

Newspaper syndication played a major role in spreading the popularity of comic strips throughout the country.
Though weekly colored comics came first, daily black-and-white strips were not far behind. They first appeared in the
Chicago American in 1904. It was followed by many imitators, and by 1915 black-and-white comic strips had become a
staple of daily newspapers around the country.
G

1. What does the passage mainly discuss?

(A) A comparison of two popular comic strips (B) The differences between early and modern comic strips
(C) The effects of newspapers on comic strip stories (D) Features of early comic strips in the United States
LO

2. Why does the author mention Joseph Pulitzer and William Randolph Hearst?
(A) They established New York's first newspaper. (B) They published comic strips about the newspaper war.
(C) Their comic strips are still published today. (D) They owned major competitive newspapers.
3. The passage suggests that comic strips were popular for which of the following reasons?
(A) They provided a break from serious news stories. (B) Readers enjoyed the unusual drawings.
(C) Readers could identify with the characters. (D) They were about real-life situations.
B

4. To say that Richard Outcault had been "lured away from the World” by Hearst (line 7) means which of the
following?
(A) Hearst convinced Outcault to leave the World. (B) Hearst fired Outcault from the World.
(C) Hearst warned Outcault to leave the World. (D) Hearst wanted Outcault to work for the World.
5. The word “it” in line 9 refers to _______.
(A) The “Yellow Kid” (B) dialogue (C) farce (D) balloon
6. According to the passage, the “Yellow Kid” was the first comic strip to do all of the following EXCEPT ______.
(A) feature the same character in each episode (B) include dialogue inside a balloon
(C) appear in a Chicago newspaper (D) characterize city life in a humorous way
7. The word "incorporate" in line 11 is closest in meaning to _______.
(A) affect (B) create (C) combine (D) mention
8. The word "prototype" in line 13 is closest in meaning to _______.
(A) story (B) humor (C) drawing (D) model
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 9. The word "staple" in line 19 is closest in meaning to _______.
(A) regular feature (B) popular edition (C) new version (D) huge success
10. In what order does the author discuss various comic strips in the passage?
(A) In alphabetical order by title (B) In the order in which they were created
(C) According to the newspaper in which they appeared (D) From most popular to least popular
PASSAGE B
Orchids are unique in having the most highly developed of all blossoms, in which the usual male and female
reproductive organs are fused in a single structure called the column. The column is designed so that a single
pollination will fertilize hundreds of thousands, and in some cases millions, of seeds, so microscopic and light they are
easily carried by the breeze. Surrounding the column are three sepals and three petals, sometimes easily recognizable
as such, often distorted into gorgeous, weird, but always functional shapes. The most noticeable of the petals is called
the labellum, or lip. It is often dramatically marked as an unmistakable landing strip to attract the specific insect the
orchid has chosen as its pollinator.
To lure their pollinators from afar, orchids use appropriately intriguing shapes, colors, and scents. At least 50
different aromatic compounds have been analyzed in the orchid family, each blended to attract one, or at most a few,

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species of insects or birds. Some orchids even change their scents to interest different insects at different times.
Once the right insect has been attracted, some orchids present all sorts of one-way obstacle courses to make sure it
does not leave until pollen has been accurately placed or removed. By such ingenious adaptations to specific pollinators,

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orchids have avoided the hazards of rampant crossbreeding in the wild, assuring the survival of species as discrete
identities. At the same time they have made themselves irresistible to collectors.
11. What does the passage mainly discuss?
(A) Birds (B) Insects (C) Flowers (D) Perfume

A
12. The orchid is unique because of _______.
(A) the habitat in which it lives (B) the structure of its blossom
(C) the variety of products that can be made from it (D) the length of its life

EN
13. The word "fused" in line 2 is closest in meaning to _______.
(A) combined (B) hidden (C) fertilized (D) produced
14. How many orchid seeds are typically pollinated at one time?
(A) 200 (B) 2,000 (C) 20,000 (D) 200,000
15. Which of the following is a kind of petal?
(A) The column (B) The sepal (C) The stem (D) The labellum
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16. The labellum (line 6) is most comparable to _______.
(A) a microscope (B) an obstacle course (C) an airport runway (D) a racetrack
17. Which of the following is NOT mentioned as a means by which an orchid attracts insects?
(A) Size (B) Shape (C) Color (D) Perfume
18. The word "their" in line 10 refers to _______.
(A) orchids (B) birds (C) insects (D) species
H

19. Which of the following statements about orchids scents does the passage support?
(A) They are effective only when an insect is near the blossom. (B) Harmful insects are repelled by them.
(C) They are difficult to tell apart. (D) They may change at different times.
C

20. The word "discrete" in line 13 is closest in meaning to _______.

(A) complicated (B) separate (C) inoffensive (D) functional

PART FIVE: SENTENCE TRANSFORMATION (20 points)

G

Rewrite each sentence in such away that it means almost the same as the one printed before it. Use the word in
brackets.
1. It is not certain that Mary will participate in the contest. (speculation)
 It is ______________________________________________
LO

2. Henry worked too hard at the office, which led to his illness. (taking)
 Henry‟s illness ______________________________________
3. Everyone started laughing the moment the announcement was made. (burst)
 No sooner _________________________________________
4. In the next few years, we‟ll certainly hear a lot more about pollution. (deal)
 In all _______________________________________________
B

5. He puts all his money in a safe so that nobody can ever steal it. (stolen)
 For _________________________________________________
6. His last letter to me was written 3 months ago. (heard)
 It has _______________________________________________
7. Be proud of what you have achieved so far. (achievements)
 Pride ________________________________________________
8. He never uses corporal punishment even though his son behaves badly. (resorts)
 However ______________________________________________
9. Don‟t be taken in by his sugary words. (fall)
 You __________________________________________________
10. Roger was defeated once again by Novak in the Dubai tournament. (more)
 Roger lost ______________________________________________

THE END OF THE TEST

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 ANSWER KEY
PART ONE. (20 pts, 1pt each)

1. A B █ D 11. A █ C D
2. A █ C D 12. █ B C D
3. A B C █ 13. A █ C D
4. A █ C D 14. A B █ D
5. A B █ D 15. A █ C D

H
6. A B █ D 16. A B C █
7. █ B C D 17. A B █ D

N
8. █ B C D 18. █ B C D
9. A B C █ 19. A B █ D

A
10. A B C █ 20. █ B C D

EN
PART TWO. (30 pts)
A/ (10 pts, 1pt each)

1. breakthrough 2. non-addictive 3. co-educational 4. conscience- 5. criminology

stricken
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6. overweight 7. dropouts 8. workaholic 9. incapable 10. water-
resistant

B/ (20 pts, 2pts each)

H

1. popularity 2. originally 3. self-defense 4. violence 5. respectful

(self-defence)
6. inexpensive 7. youngsters 8. qualified 9. demanding 10. enjoyable
C
G
LO
B

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PART THREE. (90 pts, 2pts each)
PASSAGE A
1. A B █ D 6. A B C █ 11. A B █ D
2. A █ C D 7. A B █ D 12. A B █ D
3. █ B C D 8. █ B C D 13. A B C █
4. A B C █ 9. A B C █ 14. █ B C D
5. A █ C D 10. A █ C D 15. A █ C D

H
PASSAGE B PASSAGE C

N
1. variety / range 16. briefly
2. another 17. which

A
3. research 18. them
4. what 19. as
5.
6.
7.
do
when
nearest
20.
21.
22.
EN found
performed / had / served
married
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8. couples 23. civic
9. (mean)while / whereas 24. provided / supplied
10. without 25. contrary
11. that 26. in
H

12. deep 27. majority

13. hope 28. that
C

14. death 29. employment / work

15. bring 30. ran / managed
G
LO
B

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PART FOUR. (40 pts, 2pts each))

PASSAGE A PASSAGE B
1. A B C █ 11. A B █ D
2. A B C █ 12. A █ C D
3. █ B C D 13. █ B C D
4. █ B C D 14. A B C █

H
5. █ B C D 15. A B C █
6. A B █ D 16. A B █ D

N
7. A B █ D 17. █ B C D
8. A B C █ 18. █ B C D

A
9. █ B C D 19. A B C █
10. A █ C D 20. A █ C D

PART FIVE. (20 pts, 2pts each) EN

1. It is open to speculation (as to) whether Mary will participate in the contest.
UY
2. Henry’s illness resulted from his taking on too much work at the office.

3. No sooner had/was the announcement been made/made than everyone burst out
laughing/into laughter.
H

4. In all likelihood/probability, we’ll hear a great deal more about pollution in the next few
C

years.

5. For fear of his money being stolen/that his money should be stolen, he put it all in a safe.
G

6. It has been three months since I (last) heard from him.

7. Pride yourself/yourselves on the achievements you have made so far.

LO

8. However badly his son behaves, he never resorts to corporal punishment.

9. You shouldn’t fall for his sugary words.

B

10. Roger lost to Novak once more/one more time in the Dubai tournament.

THE END