SỞ GIÁO DỤC VÀ ĐÀO TẠO

TỈNH QUẢNG NINH KỲ THI HỌC SINH GIỎI CÁC TRƯỜNG THPT CHUYÊN
TRƯỜNG THPT CHUYÊN HẠ LONG KHU VỰC DUYÊN HẢI VÀ ĐỒNG BẰNG BẮC BỘ
LẦN THỨ XI, NĂM 2018

ĐỀ ĐỀ XUẤT ĐỀ THI MÔN: TIẾNG ANH

(Đề thi gồm 15 trang) LỚP 11

Thời gian: 180 phút (Không kể thời gian giao đề)
Ngày thi:
( Thí sinh làm bài trực tiếp vào đề)

Điểm
Giám khảo1 Giám khảo 2 Số phách
Bằng số Bằng chữ

HƯỚNG DẪN PHẦN THI NGHE HIỂU

 Bài nghe gồm 4 phần, mỗi phần được nghe 2 lần, mỗi lần cách nhau 30 giây, mở đầu và kết thúc mỗi
phần nghe có tín hiệu.
 Mở đầu và kết thúc bài nghe có tín hiệu nhạc. Thí sinh có 3 phút để hoàn chỉnh bài trước tín hiệu
nhạc kết thúc bài nghe.
 Mọi hướng dẫn cho thí sinh (bằng tiếng Anh) đã có trong bài nghe.
A. LISTENING (50 pts)
Part 1:You will hear a radio discussion about children who invent imaginary friends. For questions 1-
5, choose the correct answer (A, B, C or D) which fits best according to what you hear. (10pts)
1. In the incident that Liz describes,
A. her daughter asked her to stop the car.
B. she had to interrupt the journey twice.
C. she got angry with her daughter.
D. her daughter wanted to get out of the car.
2. What does the presenter say about the latest research into imaginary friends?
A. It contradicts other research on the subject.
B. It shows that the number of children who have them is increasing.
C. It indicates that negative attitudes towards them are wrong.
D. It focuses on the effect they have on parents.

Page 1 of 17
3. How did Liz feel when her daughter had an imaginary friend?
A. always confident that it was only a temporary situation.
B. occasionally worried about the friend’s importance to her daughter.
C. slightly confused as to how she should respond sometimes.
D. highly impressed by her daughter’s inventiveness.
4. Karen says that one reason why children have imaginary friends is that
A. they are having serious problems with their real friends.
B. they can tell imaginary friends what to do.
C. they want something that they cannot be given.
D. they want something that other children haven’t got.
5. According to Karen, how should parents react to imaginary friends?
A. They should pretend that they like the imaginary friend.
B. They shouldn’t get involved in the child’s relationship with the friend.
C. They should take action if the situation becomes annoying.
D. They shouldn’t discuss the imaginary friend with their child.
Your answers:
1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

Part 2: Listen to a lecture about population growth and decide whether these statements are TRUE
(T) or FALSE (F). (10pts)
1. Birth rate is the average number of children born in a year, per thousand people.
2. Fertility rate in UK was first reported to have been so high in 2008.
3. Fertility rate in the UK is higher than it was twenty years ago because a higher proportion of women
are having children.
4. 10% of of women in their mid-forties do not have children nowadays.
5. Fertility rates are low partly because parents do not have time to have children.
Your answers:
1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
Part 3: You will hear a talk given by a woman called Shona Ferguson about changes in a town called
Barford. Listen and give short answers to the questions. Write NO MORE THAN FIVE WORDS
AND/OR A NUMBER taken from the recording. (10 pts)
1. In Shona’s opinion, why do fewer people use buses in Barford these days?
……………………………………………………………………
2. What change in the road network is known to have benefited the town most?
………………………………………………………………………
3. What is the problem affecting shopping in the town centre?
……………………………………………………………
4. What does Shona say about medical facilities in Barford?

Page 2 of 17
………………………………………………………………………
5. Which field is the largest number of people employed in ?
………………………………………………………………………
Part 4: Listen to a piece of news about eating protein and complete the summary below. WRITE NO
MORE THAN THREE WORDS OR A NUMBER in the corresponding numbered boxes.
(20 pts)

People in poor countries might suffer from protein (1) ______________, but the rest of us, even those
who eat (2) ______________ food, are consuming more of it than the suggested daily consumption of (3)
______________ grams for women and (4) ______________ grams for men.
One (5) ______________ company, after researching for over (6) ______________ years, claims that
most (7) ______________ are simultaneously eating more protein and fewer (8)_________, taking (9)
______________ to the gym and carrying protein snacks in their cars, fearing they might (10)
__________.

Your answers:

1. 6.
2. 7.
3. 8.
4. 9.
5. 10.
B. LEXICO AND GRAMMAR (30 pts)
Part 1: Choose the word/ phrase that best completes each of the following sentences. Write your
answer in the corresponding numbered boxes. (10 pts)
1. The police have been ordered not to ________ if the students attack them.
A. combat B. rebuff C. retaliate D. challenge
2. To get his proposal accepted, the Finance Manager had to ________ heavy pressure from colleagues.
A. fend off B. laugh off C. send off D. push off
3. When attacked by his opponents, the general ________ with strong justification for his policy.
A. hit back B. struck up C. leapt up D. pushed forward
4. The reason why he gets into trouble so often is that he has a ________ temper.
A. fast B. rapid C. speedily D. quick
5. I could see the lantern ________ in the dark.
A. gleaming B. glowing C. glistening D. glimmering
6. We had to pay for our food but not for the drinks. They were on the ________.
A. house B. cafe C. compliment D. consumption
7. This emerald bracelet is ______; it is the only one of its kind in the world.
A. only B. original C. peerless D. genuine
8. That window needs a new _______of glass.
A. pane B. slice C. mirror D. portion
9. Local people are concerned about pollution from _______oil well.
A. maritime B. sea-going C. off-shore D. coastline
10. She applied for paid leave but her boss rejected her application ________.
Page 3 of 17
A. out of hand B. in hand C. at hand D. on hand
Your answers:

1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
6. 7. 8. 9. 10.

Part 2: The text below contains 5 mistakes. Underline the mistakes and write the corrections in the
space provided. (5 pts). There is an example at the beginning (0)
To Griffin, Your answers
I was laying in that easy state between sleep and wake when the (0)Line1:laying-> lying
image of a half drawn flower came into my head. Gradually it grew Line 2:__________
and changed, lines appeared and disappeared, it was so real and Line 3:__________
clear. I could see the picture and not the hand that created it. Line 4:__________
Eventually a noise from outside broke my concentration and the Line 5:__________
image evaporated. It was your drawing Griffin, the first hundred Line 6:__________
pictures I witnessed without knowing who making them. For 13 Line 7:__________
years I have waited for a clue, nothing that would help me to locate Line 8:__________
the artist. You seemed destined to be a mystery forever, until few Line 9:__________
months ago I came across an article in Grafica about a one man post Line 10:_________
card company. It said the art was all “Moss's own work,” and there Line 11:_________
was a photo of your fish card. It was the same piece I'd seen being Line 12:_________
drawn three years before. Finally I knew who you were. I Line 13:_________
counselled me to be cautious and find out what you were really like Line 14:_________
before revealing myself fully.  Line 15:_________
Sabine Line 16:_________

Part 3. Complete each of the following sentences with a suitable preposition or particle. Write your
answer in the corresponding numbered boxes. (5 pts)
1. Despite all our efforts, we are sorry to announce that the agreement has fallen ______________.
2. Living in so isolated a region, one needs a car to get easily ________________.
3. The statements that she gave were borne _________ by the other witnesses, so the suspect was found
guilty by the magistrate.
4. The terrified woman said the bus had been held __________ by a gang of masked terrorists who had
kidnapped the male passengers.
5. It’s unbelievable how the new lecturer can get his ideas _______________. Attending his classes is
sheer fun.

Your answers:
1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

Page 4 of 17
Part 4: Write the correct form of each bracketed word in corresponding numbered boxes. (10 pts)
RAIN MAKING
When it rains, it does not always pour. During a typical storm, a (16. COMPARE) small amount of the
locked up moisture in each cloud reaches the ground as rain. So the idea that human intervention—a rain
dance, perhaps— might encourage the sky to give up a little (17. ADD) water has been around since
prehistoric times. More recently, would-be rain makers have used a more direct (18. PROCEED)—that
of throwing various chemicals out of aeroplanes in an effort to wring more rain from the clouds, a
practice known as ‘cloud seeding’. Yet such techniques, which were first developed in the 1940s, are (19.
NOTORIETY) difficult to evaluate. It is hard to (20. CERTAIN), for example, how much rain would
have fallen anyway. So, despite much anecdotal evidence of the advantages of cloud seeding, which has
led to its adoption in more than 40 countries around the world, as far as scientists are concerned, results
are still (21.CONCLUSIVE). That could be about to change. For the past three years (22. RESEARCH)
have been carrying out the most extensive and (23. RIGOUR) evaluation to date of a revolutionary new
technique that will substantially boost the volume of (24. RAIN). The preliminary (25. FIND) of their
experiments indicate that solid evidence of the technique’s effectiveness is now within the scientists’
grasp.
Your answers:
1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
6. 7. 8. 9. 10.

C. READING (60pts)
Part 1: For questions 1–10, read the following passages and decide which answer (A, B, C or D) best
fits each gap. Write your answers (A, B, C, or D) in corresponding numbered boxes. (10pts)
MUDDINGFIELD FESTIVAL
Every year hordes of people in their teens and twenties travel from (1)__________the country and
descend on the tranquil village of Muddingfield for a three-day music festival, where they
(2)__________ away their time listening to their favourite rock musicians. Attracted by the spectacular
rural (3)__________ and an impressive line-up of performing artists, the number of pop fans attending
has exploded in recent years, leaving narrow country lanes (4)__________ with traffic and the local
police force contending with an ever-increasing (5)__________ of complaints and disturbances to deal
with.
Two years ago, however, things finally came to a head. Whereas in previous years, there had always
been (6)__________ space at the festival site, in 2006 an estimated crowd of ninety thousand were
crammed into three fields and there was a(n) (7)__________ lack of basic facilities such as toilets.
Fortunately, it was decided that (8)__________ the scale and evident popularity of the festival, it could
not simply be called off. Working together, the local council and the festival organisers (9)__________
up a scheme to move the festival to a new location in national parkland on the lower slopes of the Grey
Mountains, a mere stone’s throw away from Muddingfield Village. In this way, it was eventually
possible to (10) __________ overcrowding while maintaining the essential character of the event.

1. A. over and out B. over and under C. in and out D. up and down
2. A. draw B. pass C. while D. drive
Page 5 of 17
3. A. siting B. sighting C. setting D. settlement
4. A. heavy B. burdened C. saturated D. choked
5. A. litany B. diary C. testimony D. line
6. A. overflowing B. ample C. massive D. significant
7. A. necessary B. anxious C. worried D. serious
8. A. given B. seeing C. taking D. owing
9. A. raised B. brought C. drew D. came
10. A. alleviate B. calm down C. scale down D. renovate
Your answers:
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10.

Part 2: Read the text below and think of one word which best fits each space. Use only ONE WORD
for each space. Write your answers in the corresponding numbered boxes. (10 pts)
Until the nineteenth century, the ownership of land was the only certain basis of power in
England. It is true that both power and money (1) ________ be acquired by (2) ________ means: by
trade, by commerce, by fighting, by useful services to the government or by personal service to the king
and queen. But wealth unsupported by power was (3) ________ to be plundered, power based only on
personal abilities was at the mercy of time and future, and the power to be (4) ________ through trade or
commerce was limited. Before the nineteenth century (5) ________ wealth of England lay in the
countryside as opposed to the towns; landowners (6) ________ than merchants were the dominating (7)
________ and ran the country so that their own interests were the last to suffer. Even (8)________ the
economic balance began to change, they were so thoroughly in (9) ________of administration and
legislation, that their political and social supremacy continued. As a rule, from the Middle Ages until the
nineteenth century, anyone who had made money by whatever means, and was ambitious for
(10)________ and his family, automatically invested in a country estate.

Your answers:
1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
6. 7. 8. 9. 10.

Part 3: Read the following passage and choose the best answer (A, B, C or D) according to the text.
Write your answers (A, B, C or D) in the corresponding numbered boxes (15pts).
THE DISAPPEARING MENHADEN
Most people have never heard of it, and they certainly have not eaten it in its original form, but the
Atlantic Ocean menhaden is the most important fish in the ocean. However, it is disappearing at an
alarming rate. The east coast of the United States once teemed with immense schools, some as many as a
mile across, but the devastation of the menhaden stocks over the last sixty years has led to severe
dislocations in the oceans’ ecosystems. The decline of the menhaden has had particularly disastrous
effects on fish species that feed on it, on bird species that use it as a food source, and on how clean the
oceans are.
Menhaden are a small fish belonging to the haddock family, and they are not very palatable to
humans, having a foul, oily taste and consisting of many small bones. Commercial fishing of menhaden
since the end of World War II has primarily been for the production of feed for livestock, with ground-
up fish used to make meal for chickens, pigs, and cows. Companies use spotter planes to find large
schools and direct fishing boats to the location. Catches have declined almost forty percent since the
1960s and show no sign of leveling off or increasing. Unlike other species that are protected by

Page 6 of 17
government quotas, menhaden are not, most likely because they are not a species consumed directly by
humans. This is unfortunate since the loss of the menhaden spells an eco-disaster of epic proportions.

Of principal importance are the many species of fish and other animals that feed on menhaden. They are
the main diet for bluefish and striped bass, and both species have shown a serious decline in numbers.
The striped bass was once the prized catch of the Chesapeake Bay area, but the specimens brought in by
rod and reel now are weak sisters compared to the past. Not only do they lack the bulk of their ancestors,
but they are also dying at alarming rates. Fish are not the only predators of menhaden, as birds also
depend on them as a source of nourishment. Large colonies of osprey all along the eastern seaboard have
disappeared in recent years, with the numbers of nests and birds reduced by fifty percent in some areas
over the last ten years. There are similar statistics for loons in Chesapeake Bay.

The greatest threat from the loss of the menhaden is that the oceans have lost one of their great
natural filterers. Menhaden swim in massive schools with their mouths open, allowing water to flow
through their gills, which serve to absorb oxygen and grab plankton and other detritus from the water.
They act like gigantic vacuum cleaners for the ocean. The cleaner water allows sunlight to penetrate to
greater depths, which stimulates plant life that harbors other fish and shellfish and produces oxygen for
the water. With the decline of the menhaden, this process is in serious jeopardy. Chemical run-off from
farms, lawns, and houses ends up in the oceans, increasing the nitrogen and phosphorus levels in the
water. Algae grow in great numbers in these conditions, block the sunlight, and deplete oxygen of the
water. In addition, the algae sink to the ocean floor and prevent shellfish and oxygen-producing plants
from growing. Entire coastal areas are lifeless, with the algae’s killing the fish. Menhaden reduce the
levels of these chemicals, but now that there are fewer menhaden, the algae have taken over.

The large companies that process menhaden disagree with the findings of environmental scientists.
Since there is no accurate way to count the amount of menhaden in the oceans, they claim that the fewer
menhaden are a result of a cyclical event and that the stocks will grow again in time. Yet, much of the
menhaden catch consists of smaller fish, often less than one year old. These fish have not had a chance
to mature long enough to become reproductive, and thus the commercial fishing companies are
destroying future menhaden stocks in order to make a profit at the moment. The largest companies have
had to lay off many employees, and many of their vessels sit idle at the wharf. In the long run, the
menhaden will probably rebound once their numbers have reached the point where catching them is no
longer profitable. Hopefully, laws will soon be in place to protect them from their greatest predator,
mankind.

Question 1: According to paragraph 1, the Atlantic Ocean menhaden is______.

A. eaten only by other fish and not at all by humans
B. not in any immediate danger of disappearing from the ocean
C. eaten by birds and other fish as a part of their diets
D. quite well-known to most people in the United States
Question 2: The word palatable in the passage is closest In meaning to________.
A. stable B. partial C. disgusting
D. edible
Question 3: According to paragraph 2, all of the following are reasons for the decline of the
menhaden stocks EXCEPT ____.
A. People desire directly to consume them as a food fish.
B. Improved fishing technology has helped catch more fish.
C. Farmers have a strong dependence on fish-fed livestock.
D. There is a lack of laws providing government protection.
Page 7 of 17
 Question 4: It can be inferred from paragraph 2 that humans consume menhaden _______.
A. for the healthy benefits from eating its oily flesh
B. directly from the oceans in their original form
C. only in the eastern coastal areas of the United States
D. as a result of eating livestock raised on menhaden meal
Question 5: Which of the sentences below best expresses the essential information in the
underlined sentence in the passage?
A. In the past the Chesapeake Bay striped bass fishery was more valuable than it is nowadays.
B. The Chesapeake Bay area is prized for the striped bass that can be caught by fishermen there.
C. There are prizes given for the best striped bass caught by sport fishermen in Chesapeake Bay.
D. The striped bass caught by sport fishermen in Chesapeake Bay are not as large as those caught in
the past.
Question 6: The word predators in the passage is closest in meaning to_______.
A. hunters B. stalkers C. watchers D. chasers
Question 7: According to paragraph 4, the main influence on the oceans as a result of declining
menhaden numbers is_______.
A. an overabundance of plankton near the coast
B. increased human dumping of chemicals in the ocean
C. the decline of fish stocks that feed on menhaden
D. an increase in the number of lifeless areas
Question 8: The word their in the last paragraph refers to______________________
A. menhaden stocks B. many employees
C.largest companies D. commercial fishing
companies
Question 9: According to paragraph 5, large commercial fishing companies argue that the shrinking
menhaden stocks are the result of _______. .
A. a lack of oxygen in the ocean as a result of too much algae
B. environmental factors that are totally beyond their control
C. fishing technology that has developed in recent years
D. a normal cycle that will end some time in the near future
Question 10: In paragraph 5, why does the author mention the fact that commercial fishing companies
are catching smaller and younger fish?
A. To prove that the declining menhaden stocks are not an illusion
B. To explain why they have had to lay off employees and leave boats idle
C. To counter their disagreements with the environmental scientists
D. To show that menhaden stocks are not safe for the future

Your answers:
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10.

Part 4 : Read the following passage and do the tasks that follows. Write your answer in the space
provided. (10 pts)
THE EVOLUTION OF LANGUAGE
A. Language everywhere changes over time; it has to. A central reason that necessitates modification is to
allow for developments in our world to be expressed. For example, the technological revolution alone has
been responsible for the addition of a plethora of words to our vocabulary: hard drive, software, modem

Page 8 of 17
to name just a few. The Japanese writing script katakana, which was originally introduced in the 9th
century as a means by which Buddhist monks could correctly interpret Chinese pronunciations, is now
most commonly used to embrace foreign words for which there is no original Japanese character; pizza or
hamburger for example. Likewise the western world’s exposure to and familiarity with foreign cultures
now means that words such as sushi, nam bread and kebab, for example, are used by diners on a regular
basis.
B. However, expansion of our vocabulary is just one element involved in how and why language evolves.
Given the variation of dialects or regional accents present in most language systems, it is clear that an
individual’s interpretation of what is actually correct and commonly used will vary quite dramatically,
since this perception is based upon a combination of factors including the age, educational level and
region of the country a person is from. As we go about our daily lives and interact with others from
different backgrounds and experiences, the language we hear is often taken on board and incorporated
into the way in which we communicate ourselves. Many phrases with American origins are now
commonplace in British English for example, due to the frequency with which they are heard on
television and in the movies.
C. Changes in language are often driven by the young and many such changes are commonly considered
by older people to be a disintegration of standards rather than an evolution and an improvement. Let’s
consider an Americanism commonly used by youngsters in all pans of the English speaking world. Used 
as an alternative to “Tom said…” it is now commonplace to hear “Tom goes, the pay rise was
unacceptable.” or, “Tom was all, the pay rise was unacceptable.”; much to the horror of many
traditionalists. However, this modification could also be considered to be adding to and not detracting
from our ability to communicate effectively. To illustrate, let’s consider the original phrase “Tom said”;
it is used solely to show’ the listener that we are reporting the words of Tom, while the modern variation,
“Tom goes” has literally the same meaning. However, if the speaker chooses instead to use the latter
phrase, “Tom was all”, they are also able to convey the message that Tom had an emotional reaction to
the situation they are reporting, therefore a much more effective method of communicating information
has been created, some may say. However, should the now’ commonly used texting abbreviations such as
‘gr8t’ (great) and ‘l8r’ (later) become permanent replacements of the original words, it is likely that even
the most liberal amongst us would be horrified.
D. Variations on language are usually more readily accepted into informal language prior to them being
absorbed for use in formal writing. Examples of words that we now commonly use, but were once
considered incorrect, are ‘pea’ and ‘hopefully’. Let’s take pea; it derived from the word ‘pease’, which
being an uncountable noun has the same form regardless of whether one or more pease were being
spoken about. However, this was commonly overlooked and misunderstood, and through error the
singular form of the vegetable became ‘pea’. More recently ‘hopefully’ was considered by many to be an
inappropriate alternative to ‘I hope’; at best only accepted in informal use. The word hopefully is now’
fully acceptable in both informal speech and formal writing.
E. Some people believe that traditional usages of language are always more superior and refined than
modern variations even when the reasons behind the rule were dubious in the first place. For example, it
was once seriously frowned upon to split an infinitive in a sentence and even today it is considered
grammatically incorrect to do so. To demonstrate, let’s consider the following sentence: ‘The examiner
asked me to quietly leave the room’; this was considered incorrect as the word ‘quietly’ splits the
infinitive of the verb ‘to leave’. The origins of this rule hail back to the 17th century when scholars
believed that the English language should be adapted to follow the rules of Latin; then considered the
perfect language. Since splitting infinitives in Latin is impossible, it was decided that splitting infinitives
in English, even though possible, was not acceptable, Given that initial motivations behind the rule were
questionable and the clarity of meaning of the sentence is not compromised in the ‘incorrect’ form, it
could be argued that this grammar rule is a prime example of an unnecessary sanction which is likely to
be abandoned in the future.
F. As language evolves, changes in grammar structures which would result in confusion of the actual
meaning of the sentences are unlikely; however, the meanings of words are often modified or altered
beyond recognition by different generations and can be easily misinterpreted by other social groups.
Take, for example, the modern version of the word ‘bad’ meaning ‘great’ when used in contemporary
slang. Many slang words remain dated in the era in which they are developed, for example words like ‘to

Page 9 of 17
beef, meaning to complain (introduced in the 1920’s) are not only dated but may not even be understood
in a modern context, while others such as ‘guy’ become absorbed into mainstream language. Who knows
what future generations will add to the ever changing environment of communication?

Questions 1 – 5: Reading Passage 1 has six paragraphs A-F.

Choose the correct heading for paragraphs B, C, E and F  from the list of headings below.

List of Headings

i. Historical acceptance of change

ii. The Generation Gap
iii. Influences on speech
iv. Ancient writing in Asia
v. Cultural evolution and its impact on language
vi. Slang expected in the future
vii. Questioning logic
viii. Lifespan of vocabulary
Example: Paragraph A: Answer: v

1. Paragraph B
2. Paragraph C
3. Paragraph D
4. Paragraph E
5. Paragraph F
Your answers:
1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
Questions 6 – 10
Do the following statements reflect the claims of the writer in Reading Passage 1?

Write:
YES                                     if the statement reflects the claims of the writer
NO                                      if the statement contradicts the claims of the writer
NOT GIVEN                if it is impossible to say what the writer thinks about this
 Write the correct answer YES, NO or NOT GIVEN in boxes 5-10 on your answer sheet.

6. If language were static, it would negatively affect our ability to incorporate other cultures into our
own way of life.
7. The language we grow up knowing and that we adopt through new experiences have equal effects
on the way we speak.
8. Some older variations of language are more expressive than more modern forms.
9. All modern adaptations of language are suitable for mainstream use.
10. All word usage has changed over time due to misunderstandings of meaning.

Your answers:
6. 7. 8. 9. 10.

Part 5:

Page 10 of 17
You are going to read an article containing reviews of recently-published books. For questions 1-
10, choose from reviews (A-F). The reviews may be chosen more than once.

Book Corner
A round-up of the latest fiction and non-fiction from Beth Young.

A  Reading a new novelist is a bit like asking a stranger out on a date. You never quite know if this is
the start of a beautiful relationship. You check the blurbs, the publicity photograph, and flick through the
book to look for the two essentials: entertainment and substance. Beginner’s Greek by James Collins is
certainly big on the latter, weighing in at 400-plus pages. And the quotes on the back cover have the
effect of a bunch of friends saying to you, ‘Go on, you’ll get on brilliantly’. Early indications are that this
blind date could lead to a deeper relationship. Beginner’s Greek is described by The New York Times as
a “great big sunny lemon chiffon pie of a novel” about romantic love amongst the American middle
classes. It is indeed delicious.

B  In Manil Suri’s second outing The Age of Shiva we have a broad-sweeping, epic novel with an
unforgettable heroine so wilful yet flawed that it calls to mind that other famous leading lady, Scarlett
O’Hara in Gone With the Wind. The story begins at a firework party in Delhi where Meera falls
disastrously in love. We follow her journey to Bombay, marriage and obsessive motherhood, with
occasional flashbacks to a childhood that was marred by political turmoil. Mathematics professor, Suri,
captures the fluidity of the role of women with a beautiful kind of precision.

C  Devotees of playwright David Mamet, whose screen work includes Wag The Dog and the award-
winning Glengarry Glen Ross may be less than enamoured of Ira Nadel’s new biography, David Mamet:
A Life in the Theatre. It may seem churlish to question the minutia of incidents that abound in this
comprehensive tome, but whilst Nadel is clearly striving for accuracy one feels there ought to have been
more sifting, more mining for the gold amongst the biographical trivia. In addition, Nadel’s tone is
somewhat dry and academic and seems at odds with the brilliance of David Mamet’s own writing. That
said, the book offers a sound introduction to the life and career of the man hailed as one of America’s
most outstanding writers.

D  Can any Mother help me? is the true story of a desperately lonely mother who, in 1935, appealed
to other women through the letters page of a women’s magazine. Writing under a pseudonym, the woman
known as Ubique (meaning ‘everywhere’) little realised that she would be the trigger for the launch of a
new and private magazine that would last for the next fifty years. The Cooperative Correspondence Club
was formed to offer comfort and support to wives, often well-educated women, who craved stimulation
beyond the drudgery of family life. Jenna Bailey has done a superb job of organising and editing this
compendium, adding her own insightful commentary.

E  Subtitled, The Life and Times of Henry Howard, Earl of Surrey, Jessie Child’s debut historical
biography, Henry VIII's Last Victim, was the worthy winner of last year’s Elizabeth Longford Prize.
Henry Howard’s victim status is owing to the fact that he was the final person to be executed by King
Henry VIII, a mere nine days before the king himself expired. Although killed ostensibly for treason, the
Earl of Surrey’s only real crime it seems was leading an unsuccessful army campaign in France. Only 29,
he was also a distinguished poet with a fine literary voice, a persona which refutes his reputation as the
spoilt son of the Duke of Norfolk.

F  This is the 25th outing for T. Keneally but he’s lost none of his writing powers. The Widow and
Her Hero takes real life events during the Second World War as its inspiration and builds a tale of love
and intrigue. Grace looks back on her life to recall her courtship with the hero of the title, the handsome

Page 11 of 17
Captain Leo Waterhouse. Leo is tragically killed whilst on a secret mission but it is many years before
Grace discovers the facts about his death. Keneally made fans galore when Schindler’s Ark was
published and later made into the award-winning Steven Spielberg film, Schindler’s List. The Widow
and Her Hero will bring him even more fans.

In which review are the following mentioned?

Your answers:
1) A story in which someone is unaware of the impact of their action. 1.______
2) A description of the opening scene. 2.______
3) An author who exemplifies source material with their own analysis. 3.______
4) A humorous comparison with a real-life situation. 4.______
5) A character who finds out the truth about a situation. 5.______
6) A hint that the author’s future writing career will be positive. 6.______
7) A book that would be appreciated by people without much previous 7.______
knowledge of the subject.
8) A book which has already won critical acclaim. 8.______
9) A book which includes too much factual detail. 9.______
10) A mention of the profession of the author. 10.______

D. WRITING (60 pts)

Part 1:Summarize the following article in not more than 120 words.
Vitamin A is found only in yellow animal fats, in egg-yolk, milk and cheese. It is particularly plentiful
in fish-liver oils, hence fish-liver oils are used for preventing and curing illness caused by lack of
vitamin A. In a well-fed, healthy human being, the liver can store up sufficient vitamin A to meet the
body's requirements for six months.
Although vitamin A itself is not present in plants, many plants produce a substance called carotene,
formed from leaf-green which our bodies can convert into vitamin A. Carotene is the yellowish-red
coloring matter in carrots. The greener a leaf is, the more carotene it usually contains. Hence the
importance of green, leafy vegetables in the diet as a source of carotene. Tomatoes, papayas, mangoes
and bananas contain more carotene than most other fruits. Red palm oil contains so much carotene that it
is used instead of cod-liver oil. Thus, it is very valuable, both as a food-fat and for deep-frying.
Vitamin A and carotene are insoluble in water and they are not destroyed by heat unless oxygen is
present. Boiling in water, therefore, does not destroy much vitamin A or carotene.
Vitamin A encourages healthy growth and physical fitness. Young animals soon stop growing and die if
vitamin A is not present in their diet. This vitamin keeps the moist surfaces lining the digestive canal,
the lungs and air passages healthy. It also helps keep the ducts of the various glands, the tissue that lines
the eyelids and covers the front of the eyeball functional. As vitamin A helps these tissues build up
resistance to infection, it is often called the anti-infective vitamin.
Some of the most common disorders in people are caused by a shortage of vitamin A, when the moist
tissues become dry and rough. This often causes serious eye disease, followed by infection of the air-
passages. The skin may also become flaky and rough. Another defect caused by shortage of vitamin A is
'night-blindness', when the affected person has distinct vision only in bright light.

Page 12 of 17
As the body cannot produce vitamin A, it has to come from external sources. Thus a well-balanced diet
is required and is usually sufficient to provide the necessary amount. There is therefore no need to
supplement the need in the form of pills. 
___________________________________________________________________________________
_
___________________________________________________________________________________
_
___________________________________________________________________________________
_
___________________________________________________________________________________
_
___________________________________________________________________________________
_
___________________________________________________________________________________
_
___________________________________________________________________________________
_
___________________________________________________________________________________
_
___________________________________________________________________________________
_
___________________________________________________________________________________
_
___________________________________________________________________________________
_
___________________________________________________________________________________
_
___________________________________________________________________________________
_
___________________________________________________________________________________
_

Part 2: The line graph shows three different crimes in England and Wales in 1970-2005.
Summarize the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons
where relevant.

Page 13 of 17
___________________________________________________________________________________
_
___________________________________________________________________________________
_
___________________________________________________________________________________
_
___________________________________________________________________________________
_
___________________________________________________________________________________
_
___________________________________________________________________________________
_
___________________________________________________________________________________
_
___________________________________________________________________________________
_
___________________________________________________________________________________
_
___________________________________________________________________________________
_
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
_
___________________________________________________________________________________
_
___________________________________________________________________________________
Page 14 of 17
_
___________________________________________________________________________________
_
___________________________________________________________________________________
_
___________________________________________________________________________________
_
___________________________________________________________________________________
_
___________________________________________________________________________________
_

Part 3: ESSAY:
It is necessary for parents to attend parenting training course to bring their children up. Do you
agree or disagree?
Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or
experience. 

Write about 300-350 words.

___________________________________________________________________________________
_
___________________________________________________________________________________
_
___________________________________________________________________________________
_
___________________________________________________________________________________
_
___________________________________________________________________________________
_
___________________________________________________________________________________
_
___________________________________________________________________________________
_
___________________________________________________________________________________
_
___________________________________________________________________________________
_
___________________________________________________________________________________
_

Page 15 of 17
___________________________________________________________________________________
_
___________________________________________________________________________________
_
___________________________________________________________________________________
_
___________________________________________________________________________________
_
___________________________________________________________________________________
_
___________________________________________________________________________________
_
___________________________________________________________________________________
_
___________________________________________________________________________________
_
___________________________________________________________________________________
_
___________________________________________________________________________________
_
___________________________________________________________________________________
_
___________________________________________________________________________________
_
___________________________________________________________________________________
_
___________________________________________________________________________________
_
___________________________________________________________________________________
_
___________________________________________________________________________________
_
___________________________________________________________________________________
_
___________________________________________________________________________________
_

Page 16 of 17
___________________________________________________________________________________
_
___________________________________________________________________________________
_
___________________________________________________________________________________
_
___________________________________________________________________________________
_
___________________________________________________________________________________
_
___________________________________________________________________________________
_
___________________________________________________________________________________
_
___________________________________________________________________________________
_
___________________________________________________________________________________
_
___________________________________________________________________________________
_
___________________________________________________________________________________
_
___________________________________________________________________________________
_
___________________________________________________________________________________
_
___________________________________________________________________________________
_
___________________________________________________________________________________
_
___________________________________________________________________________________
_
___________________________________________________________________________________
_
-The end-

Page 17 of 17