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UBND TỈNH TIỀN GIANG CỘNG HÒA XÃ HỘI CHỦ NGHĨA VIỆT NAM
SỞ GIÁO DỤC & ĐÀO TẠO Độc lập - Tự do - Hạnh phúc

KỲ THI CHỌN HỌC SINH GIỎI LỚP 12 THPT CẤP TỈNH
Khóa ngày 25 tháng 11 năm 2008
Môn: ANH VĂN
Thời gian làm bài: 180 phút (không kể thời gian giao đề)
PART I: LISTENING COMPREHENSION (2 pts.)
Question 1: Listen to the passage in the tape two times then state whether the following sentences
are TRUE or FALSE:
1. In graduation ceremonies, graduates from high schools in the United States and Australia always wear
traditional black caps and gowns.
2. Most commonly, the main speakers at this ceremony are two youngest teachers of the school.
3. For many students, after the graduation, they are free to find their places in the world and have their
own lives.
4. Nowadays, there is a mix of ages with young adults to mature adults in graduating classes in
universities and other institutions of higher learning.
Question 2: Listen to the passage in the tape two times then pick out the information to complete
each sentence:
1. Halloween was introduced to America around the 1840s by the newly arrived __________.
2. With their hands tied behind their backs, people try to catch one of the apples in a large tub using
__________.
3. Dressed in costumes of ghosts, goblins, witches and other favourite characters, children go from door-
to-door trick-or-treating for __________.
4. In many towns, __________for children and scary movies for the brave of heart are shown on
television, adding to the Halloween atmosphere.
PART II: VOCABULARY AND GRAMMAR (8 pts.)
Question 3: Pick out ONE best option (A, B, C or D) to complete each blank:
1. The building has a smoke detector _______ any fires can be detected immediately.
A. as if B. such as C. so that D. even though

2. It was announced that neither the passengers nor the driver _______ in the crash.
A. was injured B. are injured C. have been injured D. were injured
3. I don’t know what you think about that design, but in my _______ it’s very good.
A. feeling B. idea C. thought D. opinion
4. The government _______ the earthquake victims with food, clothes and medicine.
A. gave B. provided C. carried D. offered
5. We spoke quietly _______ disturb anyone.
A. not in order to B. so that we would C. so as not to D. in order that we
6. The children can’t study in their classrooms now, they are still _______ after the storm last week.
A. being mended B. mended C. mending D. being mending
7. The police wanted _______ anything suspicious.
A. we reported B. us reporting C. that we report D. us to report
8. I _______ sport to keep fit, not because I like it.
A. practise B. do C. make D. train
Question 4: Pick out ONE option ( A,B,C or D ) which needs to be changed to make a correct
sentence:
1. Nam is very good at Mathematics when his brother is absolutely hopeless.
A B C D
2. The play was so bored that all the audience had gone home before it ended.
A B C D
3. Tien giang has long been well-known for it’s excellent durian fruit and fertile soil.
A B C D
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4. Hardly he had got downstairs when the phone stopped ringing.
A B C D
5. If one does not have respect for himself, you cannot expect others to respect him.
A B C D
6. The progress made in space travel for the early 1960s is remarkable.
A B C D
7. I do not know where could he have gone so early in the morning.

A B C D
8. There are only a little seats left for the concert on Saturday.
A B C D
Question 5: Complete these sentences, using the suitable form of the words in brackets:
1. After his wife’s death, the old man liked to sit __________ in the garden for hours. (LONELINESS)
2. There is a shortage of pure water in the city nowadays. We have to use it __________. (ECONOMY)
3. Sewage from these factories has __________ the river water seriously. No fish has been able to live
there for years. (CONTAMINATION)
4. The __________ in the remote areas has gradually decreased, thanks to volunteer movement.
(LITERATE)
5. That new manigficent building does not __________ with the landscape of this poor region.
(HARMONY)
6. Children with disability study slowlier than other children. __________ people can not teach them as
usual. (PATIENCE)
7. Everything should be __________ after the big ceremony with the attendance of hundreds of people.
(ARRANGE)
8. There was a big fire with a series of __________ at a gas station last night. (EXPLODED)
Question 6: Complete these sentences with proper prepositions or adverbs:
1. He climbed the tree and picked all the fruit _______ his reach.
2. The woman nearly lost her own life _______ attempting to save the child from drowning.
3. Oh! What an untidy room! Put these used newspapers and magazines _______.
4. A fight broke _______ between two groups of fans after the football match yesterday.
5. There is a problem with your answer. You multiplied nine _______ five instead of substracting it.
6. Thanks to the agreement with the management at the last minute, the strike was called _______.
7. We are so tired that we can’t take _______ what he’s saying.
8. Not enough people signed up _______ the boxing class, so it had to be canceled.
PART III: READING COMPREHENSION (6pts.)
Question 7: Match each of these short articles (1 – 8) with its related main idea (A – J):
THE 8 SHORT ARTICLES:
1. Alexander Graham Bell invented the telephone. This single invention has changed the world

forever, making communication between individuals as simple as lifting the receiver, dialing the
telephone number and talking. The first words ever spoken on the telephone were to Bell’s assistant,
Thomas Watson. The famous words were: “Watson, come here, I want to see you.”
2. This is celebrated on April 21
st
which is the Queen’s “real” birthday. She also has an “official”
birthday that is celebrated later in the year on the Saturday closest to June 10
th
due to the better weather
for the Trooping the colour, the Queen’s birthday parade. All of the Queen’s regiments in their best
uniforms and their finest horses are on parade to honor their queen.
3. Sharks are useful because they eat sick fish and keep the oceans clean.Sharks do not have ears.
However, they can “hear” sounds and movements in the water. Any sound or movement makes the water
vibrate. Sharks can feel these vibrations, which help them find food. They also use their large eyes to find
food. Most sharks see best in dim light. They often hunt for food at dawn, in the evening, or in the middle
of the night.Scientists want to learn more about sharks for several reasons. For example, cancer is
common in many animals, especially in people. However, it is rare in sharks. Scientists want to find out
why sharks almost never get cancer. Maybe this information can help people prevent cancer too.
4. As the discussion about their safety continues, it appears that it’s best to use mobile phones less
often. Use your regular phone if you want to talk for a long time. Use your mobile phone only when you
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really need it. Mobile phones can be very useful and covenient, especially in emergencies. In the future,
mobile phones may have a warning label that says they are bad for your health. So for now, it’s wise not
to use your mobile phone too often.
5. For many people, travelling by plane is an exciting experience. Others, however, find the whole
idea quite terrifying, although flying is no more dangerous than any other forms of travel and some
experts say it is considerably safer. It is known, however, that most accidents occur during take-off and
landing when a pilot’s decisions are vitally important.
6. In the late nineteenth century a French doctor found a naked ten-year-old boy wandering in the
woods.He did not walk erectly, could not speak intelligibly, nor could he relate to people. He only

growled and stared at them.Finally, the doctor won the boy’s confidence and began to work with him.
After many long years of devoted and patient instruction the doctor was able to get the boy to clothe and
feed himself, recognize and utter a number of sounds well as write letters and form words.
7. Ever since humans have inhabited the earth, they have made use of various forms of
communication. Generally, this expression of thoughts and feeling has been in the form of oral speech.
When there is a language barrier, communication is accomplished through sign language in which
motions stand for letters, words, and ideas. Tourists, the deaf and the mute have had to resort to this form
of expression. Many of these symbols of whole words are very picturesque and exact and can be used
internationally.
8. What happens to dogs that are burdened with owners who treat them like people? They behave
like spoiled children. A dog whose owner feeds him on her lap refuses to eat from a bowl on the floor. A
dog belonging to a childless couple for several years developed paralysis in its hind legs when they
produced a real baby.
RELATED MAIN IDEAS:
A. Advice to people who want to raise some pets at home.
B. Is there any restriction in using a very popular instrument ?
C. Suitable age for children to start doing sports.
D. A simple invention that makes the world closer.
E. What happens to the boy who was brought up by beast ?
F. Public school - A special kind of school in Britain.
G. Most people find it the fast and safe means of transport except for some people.
H. Why does she have two different birthdays?
I. Sign language becomes useful when there is a language barrier.
J. The most terrible animal in the sea is also useful for human beings.
Question 8: Fill in each of the numbered blank with ONE suitable word to complete the meaning of
the passage:
The next generation of telephone users will probably laugh when we explain how we used to stand
next to a wall in the kitchen to (1) __________ a phone call. Mobile communications, already highly
advanced compared with a decade ago, will completely change communications in the next few years. (2)
__________ there are millions of people using mobile phones, most people know (3) __________ about

the mobile telecommunications industry and its technology.
There are three types of mobile phone. These are hand portables, pocket-sized hand portable and
transportable. The smallest and most popular are the pocket-sized hand portables. These work on
rechargeable batteries, which allow an (4) __________ of up to 80 minutes’ conversation. Mobiles that
are fitted permanently in a vehicle do not (5) __________ on separate batteries. They require an external
aerial on the vehicle. This can mean a stronger signal with clearer (6) __________. Transportables have a
high power capability and can be used (7) __________ anywhere. They come with powerful battery
packs for longer, continuous use and may also be put (8) __________ a vehicle, using its electrics. They
tend to be bulkier than hand portable.
Question 9: These paragraphs of the passage below (A – H) are in disorder and illogical. Rearrange
them into a good logical passage (1 – 8):
A. The United States is in parnership with 15 other countries: Canada, Belgium, Denmark, France,
Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, Japan,
Russia and Brazil. In November 2000, an international of three, made up of one American and two
Russian astronauts, lived aboard the International Space Station for three months.
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B. In addition to all the manned space flights, NASA is also continually exploring the universe
with scientific probes such as the Pioneer and Voyager Spacecrafts. These explored the Moon, the planets
and other areas of our solar system. Mars and Viking Pathfinders surveyed Mars, and the Hubble Space
Telescope and other space science spacecraft have made a number of significant astronomical discoveries
about our universe.
C. Space exploration is an eye to the future. It represents new solutions to problems with weather;
medical inroads being made to prevent or combat diseases; and perhaps developing a new environment in
which to live, should the Earth become uninhabitable due to global warming or the coming of the new Ice
Age.
D. As the United States began making progress in scientific and technological achievements in
areas such as manned space flight and aeronautics, the NASA projects became increasingly sophisticated.
E. Manned space flight resumed in 1981 through the Space Shuttle Program that continues today.
The Space Shuttle Program is building the International Space Station and keeping it permanently
manned.

F. The American space program is run by the government agency called The National Aeronautics
and Space Administration (NASA). It was founded in 1958 after the beginning of the space race with the
Russians. Their satellite Sputnik, went into orbit before the American version, called Telstar. This
touched off a race for space exploration prominence by the two powers.
G. NASA is involved in other explorations such as Earth Science Missions which observe the
Earth’s atmospheric changes and weather patterns. It also explores terrestrial and marine ecosystems,
monitoring conditions on land and sea to learn the impact of climate on these environments.
H. NASA’s first program, Project Mercury, tested humans’ survival in space. But the tiny
spacecraft could only accommodate one astronaut. The next project, the Gemini series, used an expanded
version of the Mercury space capsule and were two-manned flights. The Apollo series, culminating with
Apollo II in 1969, landed the first men on the Moon. Skylab and the Apollo - Soyuz Test Projects (joint
venture with Russia) came in the early and mid-1970s.
PART IV: WRITING (4 pts.)
Question 10: Rewrite these sentences, beginning with the words given in such a way that they
remain the same meaning as the old ones:
1. The hostess showed us her collection of paintings. Half of them had been bought from Europe.
The hostess
2. Nobody told me that Susan had been in the hospital.
I
3. The old lady said, “ We had to lived on the roof of our houses for several days.”
The old lady told us
4. John asked Mary if she had ever gone to Cairo.
John asked , “ ”
5. The children could not return schools unless it stopped raining.
If
6. The whole city had to live in water because of the heavy rain for many days.
Because
7. The rain in Ha Noi last October was the biggest one since 1984.
No rain
8. Hundreds of soldiers tried their best but they could not prevent the strong tide of water.

Despite
Question 11: One of your pen-pals is living in Ha Noi. Through TV and newspapers you knew that your
friend and his / her family had to endure a flood for days after a big rain. Write a letter to ask him / her
about what they had to experience and show your feelings. (in about 80 words. Don’t use your real name
and address.)
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UBND TỈNH TIỀN GIANG CỘNG HÒA XÃ HỘI CHỦ NGHĨA VIỆT NAM
SỞ GIÁO DỤC & ĐÀO TẠO Độc lập - Tự do - Hạnh phúc

KỲ THI CHỌN HỌC SINH GIỎI LỚP 12 THPT CẤP TỈNH
Khóa ngày 25 tháng 11 năm 2008
Môn: ANH VĂN
ĐÁP ÁN VÀ HƯỚNG DẪN CHẤM
PHẦN I : NGHE HIỂU : 2.0 điểm
Câu hỏi 1 : Nghe, chọn câu TRUE/ FALSE : 1.0 điểm, mỗi câu chọn đúng : 0.25 đ
1. False 2. False 3. True 4. True
Câu hỏi 2 : Nghe, tìm thông tin để hoàn chỉnh câu : 1.0 điểm, mỗi câu đúng : 0.25 đ
1. Irish immigrants 2. only their teeth 3. candy or money 4. Halloween cartoons
PHẦN II : TỪ VỰNG VÀ NGỮ PHÁP : 8.0 điểm
Câu hỏi 3 : Chọn thông tin, hoàn chỉnh câu : 2.0 điểm, mỗi câu chọn đúng : 0.25 đ
1. C 2. A 3. D 4. B 5. C 6. A 7. D 8. B
Câu hỏi 4 : Tìm thành phần viết sai của câu: 2.0 điểm, mỗi câu tìm đúng: 0.25 đ
1. B 2. A 3. C 4. A 5. C 6. C 7. B 8. B
Câu hỏi 5 : Tìm dạng thích hợp của từ, điền hoàn chỉnh câu:2.0 điểm, mỗi câu làm đúng: 0.25 đ
1. lonelily / alone 2. economically 3. contaminated 4. illiteracy
5. harmonize 6. impatient 7. rearranged 8. explosions
Câu hỏi 6 : Điền hoàn chỉnh câu bằng giới từ hoặc trạng từ thích hợp: 2.0 điểm, mỗi từ điền đúng : 0.25 đ
1. within 2. in 3. away 4. out 5. by 6. off 7. in 8. for
PHẦN III : ĐỌC HIỂU : 6.0 điểm
Câu hỏi 7: Ghép đôi đoạn văn với ý liên quan: 2.0 điểm, mỗi cặp ghép đúng: 0.25 đ

1. D 2. H 3. J 4. B 5. G 6. E 7. I 8. A
Câu hỏi 8: Điền khuyết, hoàn chỉnh bài văn bằng từ thích hợp: 2.0 điểm, mỗi từ điền đúng: 0.25 đ
1. make 2. Although 3. little 4. average 5. rely 6. speech 7. almost 8. into
Câu hỏi 9: Xếp các đoạn văn theo thứ tự hợp lý: 2.0 điểm, mỗi doạn xếp đúng: 0.25 đ
1. C 2. F 3. D 4. H 5. E 6. A 7. G 8. B
PHẦN IV: VIẾT : 4.0 điểm
Câu hỏi 10: Viết chuyển đổi câu: 2.0 điểm, mỗi câu viết đúng: 0.25 đ
1. The hostess showed us her collection of paintings half of which had been bought from Europe.
2. I was not told that Susan had been in the hospital.
3. The old lady told us that they had to live on the roof of their houses for several days.
4. John asked, “Have you ever gone to Cairo, Mary?”.
5. If it did not stop raining, the children could not return school.
6. Because the rain was heavy for many days, the whole city had to live in water.
7. No rain in Ha Noi since 1984 was as big as the one in last October.
8. Despite their trial, hundreds of soldiers could not prevent the strong tide of water.
Câu hỏi 11: Viết thư gửi bạn, hỏi thăm tình trạng gia đình của bạn sau trận mưa to, lụt lội và bày tỏ sự
thông cảm của mình đối với sự khó khăn của bạn.: 2.0 điểm.
 Ý tưởng: 1.0 điểm : Nêu lên lý do viết thư, thăm hỏi về tình trạng mưa to, lụt lội ở địa phương của
bạn, đặc biệt là những khó khăn, thiệt hại xãy ra cho gia đình của bạn. Tình hình khắc phục những khó
khăn của gia đình bạn và địa phương. Bày tỏ những lo lắng và suy nghĩ của mình đối với tình trạng của
bạn
 Kỹ thuật viết: 1.0 điểm.
Phải trình bày dưới hình thức viết thư cá nhân, có phân rõ bố cục của lá thư, dài khoảng 80 từ. Câu văn
viết mạch lạc, tự nhiên, mang tính giao tiếp, đúng ngữ pháp, dùng từ phong phú, chính xác.