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ENGLISH GAP-FILL EXERCISE

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^3 NHÀ XUÂT BAN DAI HOC sir PHAM
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TRẦN MẠNH TƯỊNG

BÀI TẬP
ĐIỂN TỪ

TIÍNG ANH
-Dùng cho giáo viên, sinh viên
học sinh THPT ôn thi tú tài và ĐH

- Luyện thi chứng chỉ quốc gia A, B,

NHÀ XUẤT BẢN ĐẠI HỌC SƯPHẠM



BAI TAP DIEN TLf
■

PART I: GAP - FILLING
T E ST l
bend
strong
slides

problem
rows
fastens

on
to
long

off
holds
flexible

wonderful
I
apart

embarrassing j

The zipper is a (1) _______ invention. How did people
ever live without zippers? They are very common, so we forget
that they are wonderful. They are very (2)_________ , but they
open and close very easily. They come in many colors and sizes.
In the 1890s, people in the United States wore high shoes
with a (3)_________ row of buttons. Women’s clothes often
had (4)_________ of buttons too. People wanted an easier way
to put (5)_________ and take (6)__________ clothes.
Whitcomb L. Judson invented the zipper in 1893. He was
an engineer in Chicago. He called the zipper a slide fastener.
However, it didn’t stay closed very well. This was (7)_______
and people didn’t buy many of them. Then Dr. Gideon
Sundback from Sweden solved this problem.
A zipper has three parts. 1. There are dozens of metal or
plastic hooks (called teeth) in two rows. 2. These are fastened
(8 )_______ two strips of cloth. The cloth strips are
(9)_______ . They (10)________■ easily. 3. A fastener slides
__ the hooks together. When it
along and (11)


(12)

the other way, it takes the hooks (13)________.
Dr. Sundback put the hooks on the strips of cloth. The cloth
(14)_________ all the hooks in place. They don’t come apart
very easily. This solved the (15)_________ of the first zippers.


TEST 2
world
useful
behind

against
life
only

carry
object
rainy

ordinary
off

important
old

use
fold up

The umbrella is a very ordinary (1)_________ . It keeps
the rain and the sun (2)_________ people. Most umbrellas
(3)_________ so it is easy to carry them.
However, the umbrella did not begin (4)_________ as an
(5)_________ object. It was a sign of royalty or importance.
Some Afiican tribes still (6)_________ umbrellas in this way
today. Someone carries an umbrella and walks (7)_________
the kings or (8)_________ person.

Umbrella are very (9)_________ . The Chinese had them
in the eleventh century B.C. From there they traveled to India.
Persia, and Egypt. In Greece and Rome, men wouldn’t use them.
They believed umbrellas were (10)_________ for women.
When the Spanish explorers went to Mexico, they saw the
Aztec kings using umbrellas.
English explorers saw Native American princes carrying
umbrellas on the east coast of North America. It seems that


people in different parts of the (11)_________ invented
umbrellas at different times.
England was probably the first country in Europe where
ordinary people used umbrellas (12)_________ the rain.
England has a (13)_________ climate, and umbrellas are very
(14)__________ there.
Everybody uses umbrellas today. The next time you
(15) _______ one, remember that for centuries only great
men and women used them. Perhaps you are really a king or
queen, a princess or prince.
TEST 3
active
breathe

moist
called

colourful
classified


divided
protected

surrounded
fertilized

Snails belong to a large group of animals (1)
molluscs. Snails have soft bodies that are (2)_________ by
hard shells. Snails may be (3)_________ into two types: land
snails and water snails.
It is very important for the snail to keep its body
(4)_________ . otherwise, the snail will die. Land snails can
therefore be found in damp and shady places. These snails are
thus most (5)_________ on rainy days or at night as the
weather is much cooler then. Most land snails feed on the leaves
and buds of plants. Some snails feed on decaying plant material.
Land snails are not (6)_________ into two separate sexes.
Their bodies produce both eggs and sperm. Such animals are


said to be hermaphrodites. However, a land snail cannot
reproduce by itself. The egg of a snail must be (7)_________
by the sperm of another snail to produce an offspring.
Water snails do not have a problem keeping their bodies
moist because they are always (8)_________ by water. Most
water snails (9)_________ through lungs and thus have to
come to the surface of the water to breathe. Like land snails,
most water snails feed on plants. Some water snails are
freshwater species, while others live in the sea. The shells of
snails which live in the sea are often very (10)_________ .

TEST 4
exercise
pedals
direction

popular
hurt
space

become
fi’ont
invented

difficult
pick up
comfortable

seat
better
brought

Bicycles are (1) _______ around the world. People ride
their bicycles for
(2)___ ^
andenjoyment.In some
places, people use a bicycle to get to work. But whoinvented
the first bicycle?
In 1971, aFrenchman namedComte de Sivrac
(3)__________ and owned the first bicycle. Mr. Sivrac rode the
bicycle in Paris.

The handles for the hands and the
(4)_________ looked like a horse and were wooden. This
bicycle was very (5)_________ to move. A rider had to
(6)_________ the (7)__________ wheel to change direction.
(A bicycle moves on two wheels, a car on four). Finally, it had


no brakes to stop it or (8)
for the feet.
In 1817, a German named Baron von Drais de Sauerbrun
made the first bicycle (9)_________ . The seat was more
(10)_________ . The wheel could change (11)_________ .
His ride in the forest took only one hour instead of three hours
on foot!
Sauerbrun (12)_________ this kind of bicycle from
Germany to France. Then, Denis Johnson, an Englishman, made
a bicycle for women. It had (13)_________ for their dresses to
hang down. But these bicycles still had no blakes or pedals, and
people often got (14)_________ . These bicycles and the
people who rode them were not very popular. It took another
forty-five yeais for the bicycle to (15) __________ popular
again. Over 100 years later, bicycle riding is even more popular
than ever. There are bicycles in India and China. In fact, there
are more bicycles than cars in the United States today!

TESTS
future
than
Are


balance
about
about

for
more
about

bad
lot
eat

now
People
better

How are we going to eat in the future? Because we now
know (1)_________ the importance of nutrition, we will
probably continue to eat more fish and vegetables and less meat.
We will buy convenience foods in supermarkets because fi-ozen


foods will be more nutritious and cannel foods will have less
salt and sugar. In the (2)_________ , our diet will probably be
even (3)_________ interesting and healthful (4)__________ it
is (5)_________ .
In many countries, food is a very common topic of
conversation. (6)_________ are always discussing new dishes,
restaurants, diet plans, and ideas (7)_________ nutrition. The
arguments (8)_________ the best diets and foods will

continue: (9)_________ vegetarians really healthy? Is a highfiber diet with a (10)___________of raw fruits and vegetables
(11)_________ than a diet of cooked foods? Is a little alcohol
good (12)_________ relaxation, or is all alcohol harmful? Is
some caffeine good for energy, or is caffeine always
(13)_________ ? can yellow vegetables really prevent cancer?
Will eating garlic help avoid heart attacks? One thing we do
know for sure: The key to good nutrition is balance. How do we
achieve that (14)_________ ? We can choose foods from a
variety of sources, and control the quantities that we
(15)_________ .
TEST 6
whether
out

where
full

how
from

ask
answer

Dentists always (1)_________ questions when it is
impossible you to answer.
My dentist had just pulled out of my teeth and had told me


to rest for a while. I tried to say something, but my mouth was
(2)_________ of cotton-wool. He knew I collected bird’s eggs

and asked me whether my collection was growing. He then
asked me (3 )__________my brother was and (4)__________ I
liked my new job in London.
In (5)__________ to these questions I either nodded or
made strange noises. Meanwhile, my tongue was busy searching
out the hole (6)__________the tooth had been. I suddenly felt
very worried, but could not say anything.
When the dentist at last removed the cotton-wool
(7)_________ my mouth, I was able to tell him that he had
pulled (8)_________ the wrong tooth.
TEST?
guilty
at
with

go
it
v^dth

the
said
from

said
arm
the

if
don’t
few


A man was brought before the judge. The witness
that the day before the prisoner had stolen some
( 1)____
____ a basket, outside a grocer’s. The solicitor
pears (2)
_______
to the judge, “It is true that the prisoner took a
(3)___
!
_______ pears (5)__________ his right arm: his right arm
(4 )___
is (6)_________ , but not he himself: you cannot punish the
whole body because one of its limbs is guilty.” - “You are quite
right”, answered the judge, “so, I sentence the prisoner’s right
(7)_________ to six days. Now the prisoner (8)__________ to

J


prison (9)_________ his arm (10)_________ he likes.”
Everybody (11)_________ court began to laugh; but people
laughed still more when they saw (12)_________ prisoner
unscrew his right arm (it was a wooden arm). He then gave
(13)_________ to (14)__________ judge, saying, “Here is my
guilty arm. Sir, I (15)_________ wish to go to prison with it."
TESTS
may
In
have


occur
at
same

same
have
away

example
each
population

Seem
to
there

Although twins (1)_________ always been source of
curiosity, they are not so uncommon statistically, since they
(2)_________ once in every 86 births.
About one-third of all twins are identical, or single-egg
twins. Identical twins (3)_________ the same genes and hence,
the (4)_________ sex, hair, eyes, blood type, and bone and
tooth structure. Some identical twins are mirror mages of each
other. For (5)_________ , one (6)__________ be left-handed,
the other right-handed. As young children some identical twins
may develop their own private language.
Identical twins have an especially keen intuition, and they
often (7)_________ to think and dress alike even when
(8)_________ from each other. In fact, even when they are

separated at birth and raised apart, identical twins develop
startling similarities. They may pursue the same careers, have


the (9)_________ interests, or die within days of
(10)_________ other.
(11)
contrast (12)_________ identical twins,
fraternal twins inherit a separate assortment of genes and are not
necessarily of the same sex. In some families (13)_________ is
a hereditary tendency to produce fraternal twins, but identical
twins occur (14)_________ random in the (15)__________ .
TEST 9
of
to

tooth
decay

food
sugar

toothache
looked

increased
out

Many people nowadays have to wear false teeth when they
are middle-aged. Since the begirming of this century,

(1)_________ decay has greatly increased. The amount
(2)_________ sugar in our food has also (3)__________ .
Doctors and dentists now know that (4)__________ is the chief
cause of tooth decay. Eskimo’s teeth, for example, started to
(5)_________ when they began to eat sweeter (6)__________ .
Long ago doctors did not like (7)_________ treat people’s
teeth. Barbers and blacksmiths (8)_________ after people’s
teeth anc pulled them (9)_________ when they decayed. Some
people thought (10)_________ was a punishment from the
gods.


speech
taxi-driver

recognize
end

wanted
heard

driver
was

During the Second World War, Winston Churchill
(1)
the British Prime Minister. One day he had to go
to the British Broadcasting Corporation (the BBC) to make an
important speech to the nation.
An hour before the time of this speech, he stopped a taxi in

the street and asked the (2)_________ to take him to the BBC;
but the (3)_________ who did not (4)__________ him, said he
could not take him anywhere just then, because he
(5)_________ to go back to his home at the other
(6)_________ of London to hear Churchill make a speech on
the radió.
Churchill was so pleased when he (7)_________ this
answer that he gave the man a pound, which was worth quite a
lot in those days.
“All right, get in,” said the driver happily, opening the door
of the taxi. “I’ll take you, and to hell with Churchill and his
( 8 )__________ !”


studied
grew
on

most
was
in

said
and
engineering

city
engine
of


famous
textile
in

Glasgow is the third largest city (1)_________ Great
Britain. It lies (2)_________ the river Clyde in Scotland.
Glasgow is a very old (3)_______ . The university (4)_______
Glasgow was founded (5)_________ 1459. The famous
English writer Daniel Defoe (6)_________ that Glasgow was
leanest and (7)_________ beautiful city of Great Britain.
James Watt (8)_________ at Glasgow University. He became
a (9)_________ engineer. (10)__________ constructed a steam
(11)
. Scotland (12)_________ rich in coal and
iron, so Glasgow (13)_________ into a large city. There are
big (14)_______ plants and (15)________ factories in the city.
TEST 12
longer
weather

there
one

listen
living

of
life

Our century has seen great changes in the life and

(1)_________ conditions of people.
Less than a hundred years ago, many of the things we do
now seemed impossible. No (2)_________ could imagine that
people could fly, or that we could (3)_________ to music


thousands of miles away. Today, radio and television serve
many purposes besides pleasure. They help us find fish in the
sea and land airplanes in bad (4)_________ or at night.
They control the work of large numbers (5)_________
machines in industry. Never before in history have
(6 )_________ been such rapid changes in our way of life as at
the present moment. Scientists have been using what is called “a
scientific method’ to make new discoveries. Among the most
important scientific discoveries are new medicines. Many
illnesses that people died from 50 years ago are no
(7)__________ dangerous.
The study of science helps us widen our outlook and opens
a whole new world for us.
The progress of science is leading to a better (8)_________
for man.
TEST 13
which
line
then

first
usual
who


late
when
who

was
had
red

o’clock
had
instead

At the entrance to a big office in London there
(1)_________ a book (2)__________all employees had to sign
(3 )_________ they arrived each morning. At nine
(4)_________ the manager’s secretary, (5)__________ lived
on a small flat above the office, (6)_________ to draw a red
(7)_________ under the last name in the book, and anyone


(8)__________came after that (9)__________ to explain why
he was late.
Whenever there was a thick fog in the city, the
(10)__________person to arrive late usually wrote “Delayed by
fog” under the (11)_________ line in the book, and
(12 )_________ everybody else who came after that just put
“ditto” underneath.
But one foggy morning, the first man to arrive
(13 )_________ wrote “My wife had a baby early this morning”
(14 )_________ of “Delayed by fog” under the red line in the

book. Twenty or thirty people who came after him put “ditto”
underneath this as (15)_________ .
TEST 14
inhabitants
mammals

branches
beneath

contrary
hoofed

wallow
aquatic

weight
marshy

Pigs are large mammals belonging to the order known as
artiodactyla. They are (1)_________ animals with four toes on
each foot. The two middle toes are the largest and carry all the
(2)
of the pig. The outer toes are used only when the
pig walks over (3)_________ ground or very uneven surfaces.
Unlike most hoofed mammals, pigs have short legs. They are
therefore able to run beneath (4)_________ of trees. Their
heavy bodies enable them to crash through thick undergrowth in
the forest. These two factors are extremely important to pigs as
they are (5)_________ of forests.



Pigs have an unusual way of keeping warm. Almost all land
(6)_________ were kept warm by their hair but pigs are kept
warm by a layer of fat (7)_________ the skin. This method of
keeping warm is more common than (8)_________ mammals
such as seals. Apart from pigs human beings are the only other
land mammals that keep warm by having a layer of fat beneath
the skin.
Wild pigs often (9)_________ in the mud to keep their skin
in good condition. (10)_________ to popular belief, wdld pigs
have clean habits and do not display extreme greediness.
TEST 15
more
need
talk

the
times
under

talk
seem
best

with
still
want

being
age

about

During (1)_________ teenage years, many young people
can at (2)_________ be difficult to talk to. They often
(3)_________ to dislike (4)__________ questioned. They may
seem unwilling to (5)_________ about their work in school.
This is a normal development at this (6)_________ . Though it
can be very hard for parents to (7)_________ , it is part of
becoming independent of teenagers trying to be adult while they
are (8)_________ growing up. Young people are usually
(9)_________ willing to talk if they believe that questions are
asked out of real interest and not because people are trying to
check up on them.


Parents should do their (10)_________ to talk to their son
and daughter (11)_________ school, work and future plans but
should not push them to (12)_________ if they don’t
(13)_________ to. Parents should also watch for danger signs:
Some young people in trying to be adults may experiment with
sex, drugs, alcohol or smoking. Parents (14)_________ to
watch for any signs of unusual behaviour which may be
connected (15)_________ these and help if necessary.
TEST 16
ring
could
without

wasn’t
get

where

w'hat
stay
travelling
border
try
for
Meanwhile finally which

told

I was once (1)_________ from Spain to Switzerland, but I
missed my train at the French (2)_________ . I didn’t know
(3 )_________ I should do or who I should ask for advice. I
(4 )_________ sure whether I should wait 12 hours for another
direct train or (5)_________ to find out how to get it. I could
(6)_________ to Geneva by a different route. Eventually a man
at the station (7)_________ me which train I ought to catch
and (8)_________ I had to go to catch it. (9)__________ my
friend in Geneva didn’t know what he should do, either, when
my original train arrived (10)_________ me. He wasn’t sure
whether he ought to (11)_________ at the station or not. He
didn’t know how he (12)_________ get in touch with me. He
(13)_________ decided to leave a message (14)_________


me, telling me whether I had to go to contact him and which
telephone number I could (15)_________ .
TEST 17

with
people
there

on
off
middle

be
on
washes

cover
on
their

of
used
are

If you ever go into a house in Japan, you must remember to
take (1)_________ your shoes. These would damage the fine
straw mats which (2)_________ the floors.
The rooms in most Japanese houses (3)_________ usually
large. In the (4)_________ of the room there may
(5)_________ a low table (6)__________ small flat cushions
around it. Many houses have no other ñimiture in their rooms.
Perhaps you will see a bowl of flowers or a long silk painting
(7)_________ one of the walls. Visitors are given a small cup
(8)_________ green tea.

You may be surprised to see that (9)_______ are no
bedrooms. The Japanese unroll their beds and put them
(10)______ the floor when they feel tired. Japanese
(11)______ take a bath before their evening meals. Most houses
have one large bath for the whole family. However, no one
(12 )______ in the bath! They wash themselves before they go
into the big bath. They water is very hot. But the Japanese are
(13 )_____ to having hot baths. After the bath, they put
(14)_____ a loose robe and eat (15)__________ evening meals.

|


daydreaming mangrove branches whitewashed blankly
dejection drooping covered
stretch
enjoying
The seaside was only a narrow (1)
of land. The
beach was covered with little rocks. A few (2)________ trees
grew along the seaside. Every evening after work, Rahim would
sit on one of the (3)_________ of a tree and look out to sea.
The young man would stare (4)_________ at the island
some distance away. On the shore of the island was a long beach
that was (5)__________by fine white sand. There were big
houses with (6)_________ walls and coconut trees there,
(7)______________ a cool drink.
Time would pass as Rahim sat on the branch of the tree
(8)_. by then, night would have set in. the yourfg
man would walk home with his head (9)_________ in

. But in his mind, he was thinking of ways in
( 10).
which he could travel across the sea to the island.
TEST 19
j Others
their
leam
1-----------------------

themselves
world
question

for
or
one

Every year many people in the (1)
Some of them are young children. (2)

read
school
in

all
for
on
leam English,
are teenagers.



Many are adults. Some learn at school, others leam in evening
classes. A few leam English by (3)_________ or just, by
hearing the language (4)_________ television (5)__________
among (6)_________ friends. Most people must work hard to
leam English.
Why do (7)___________these people want to leam English?
It is difficult to answer that (8)_________ . Young children
leam English at (9)_________ because it is (10)__________of
their subjects. Many adults (11)_________ English because it
is useful (12)__________ their work. Teenagers often leam
English (13)__________ their higher studies, because some of
their books are (14)_________ English at college or university.
Other people leam English because they want to
(15)_________ newspapers or magazines in English.
TEST 20
should
will
was

with
said
been

be
by
of

has
would

to

in
serve
would

In 1858, a French engineer, Aimeii Thomeu de Gamond,
arrived in England (1)_________ a plan for a twenty-one mile
tunnel across the English Channel. He (2)_________ that it
would (3)_________ possible to build a platform in the centre
of the Chaimel. This platform would (4)__________ as a port
and a railway station. The tunnel (5)_________ be wellventilated if tall chimneys were built above sea-level. In 1860, a


better plan (6)_________ put forward (7)_________ an
Englishman, William Low. He suggested that a double railway
tunnel (8)_________ be built. This would solve the problem
(9)__________ ventilation, for if a train entered this tunnel, it
(10)_______ draw in fresh air behind it. Forty-two years
later a tunnel was actually begun. If, at the time, the British had
not feared invasion, it would have (11)_________ completed.
Recently, there f 12)_________ again been great interest in the
idea of a Channel Tunnel. If it is built, it (13)_________
connect Britaih (14)_________ Europe for the first time
(15)__________ history.
TEST 21
I forelegs
grinding

surprising

dangerous

severely
height

bones
defend

moving
mainly

The giraffe is the tallest mammal in the world. A fully grown
giraffe can reach a (1)_________________ of almost six metres.
The giraffe feeds exclusively on plants. It has large back
teeth that are adapted for (2)_________ the plant material. The
giraffe’s long neck enables it to feed on the leaves of trees. It is
(3 )_________to note that the neck of a giraffe contains the
same number of bones as that of a human being. However, the
(4 )_________ of the giraffe are much bigger. Giraffes have
very long legs with the (5)_________ being longer than the
hindlegs.
Each leg of the giraffe ends in two hoofed toes. The giraffe
21


uses its hindlegs to (6)_________ itself. A kick from the
hindleg of a giraffe is very powerful and can even kill a lion.
The giraffe lives in open country. It avoids the forest because
it has great difficulty (7)_________ through densely forested
areas.

Man is the most (8)_________ enemy of the giraffe. In
early times, giraffes were hxmted for food as well as for their
hides. This (9)__________reduced the number of giraffes in the
world. Today, giraffes are found (10)_________ in East Africa
where they are a protected species.
TEST 22
control
plays
scarce

usually
lead
plentiful

time
scientific
devote

necessary
produce
providing

solution
more
been

Food (1)__________ an important part in the development of
nations. In countries where food is (2)_________ , people have
to spend most of their (3)_________ getting enough to eat.
This (4)_________ slows down progress, because men have

little time to (5)__________ to science, industry, government,
and art. In nations where food is (6)__________ and easy to get,
men have (7)_________ time to spend n activities that
(8)_________ to progress, human bettermert, and enjoyment
of leisure. The problem of (9)_________ good food for
everybody has not yet (10)_________ solved Many wars have
been fought for the (11)
_____ of rici food-producing


land. But it is no longer (12)_________ to go to war for food.
Countries are beginning to put (13)_________ knowledge to
work for a (14)_________ of their food problems. They work
together in the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United
Nations (FAO) to help hungry nations (15)_______ more food.
TEST 23
average
when
the

until
was
to

United
instead
More

after
takes

through

opened
the
and

In 1920, (1). _______ some thirty-nine years of problems
with disease, high costs, and politics, the Panama Canal
(2)_________ officially (3)_________ , finally linking
(4)
Atlantic (5)_________ Pacific Oceans by
following ships to pass through the fifty-mile canal Zone
(6)_________ of traveling some seven thousand miles aroimd
Cape Hom. It (7)_________ a ship approximately eight hours
(8)_________ complete (9)__________ trip through the canal
_______ of fifteen thousand dollars, oneand costs an (10)________
tenth of what it would cost an average ship to round the Hom.
(11)_________
thanfifteen thousand
ships pass
(12)_________ its locks each year.
The French initiated the project but sold their rights to the
(13)_________
States. The latter will
control it
(14)_________
the end of the twentieth
century
(15)_________ Panama takes over its duties.