PRACTICE TEST 8
SECTION I: LISTENING (3.0 POINTS) (You will hear twice for each part)
Part 1: You will hear a talk about the song ‘Happy Birthday’. For question 1 - 10, complete the
sentences.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY
The song was first called 'Good Morning 1. ______________________'.
It was originally intended that 2. ______________________ would sing the song every morning.
The song then became known as 'Good Moring 3. ______________________'.
Children began to sing the song with 'Happy Birthday' words when they were 4. ___________________.
The song was sung with ‘Happy Birthday’ words in a 5. ______________________ in 1931 and then in
another one in 1934.
The legal situation concerning the song remains valid 6. ______________________.
The song is among the 7. ______________________ songs most frequently sung in English.
Money has to be paid for using the song in any 8. ______________________ e.g. a TV show, a toy, etc.
The Hill sisters set up 9. ______________________ that receives for use of the song.
The song consists of just four 10. ______________________ but it is one of the most famous songs in the
world.
Part 2: You are going to hear a talk about bats. Listen carefully and fill the missing words
in the blanks. (trích Listening Strategies4Ielts unit 5 N0 3)
James Austin is a ( n ) 1 1 . _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ researcher. His talk is about
bats. Bats are black creatures which hang 12. _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ and fly in the
dark. Now they become more 13. _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ because they can eat mosquitoes up to
14. _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ in an hour. So many people want them 15. _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ .
Indicate whether the following statements are true or not by writing
T
for a statement which is true;
F
for a statement which is false;
? if there is insufficient information.
16. People build bat houses on their roof in summer.

17. People don't t really know what bats look like.
18. Bat houses should be dark and hot.
19. Bat houses should be 12 to 15 feet off the ground.
20. People prefer to use chemicals to get rid of mosquitoes.
SECTION II: LEXICO-GRAMMAR (5.0 POINTS)

Choose the best option (A, B, C, or D) that best completes each unfinished sentence.
21. I’d like to taste your cake in order to _________it with mine.
A. review
B. differ
C. decide
D. compare
22. Let’s wait here for her; I’m sure she’ll _________ before long.
A. turn down
B. turn off
C. turn up
D. turn over


23. April

is the month when many European trees _________into leaf.
A. burst
B. spring
C. turn
D. jump
24. I realised it would be far too _______ to walk alone through those ill-lit streets after dark.
A. bold
B. risky
C. daring

D. courageous
25. The law proved so unpopular that it was _______by the Government a year later.
A. repelled
B. repulsed
C. taken back
D. repealed
26. The choir stood in four rows according to their _________ heights.
A. respectable
B. respectful
C. respective
D. respected
27. There is often so much traffic on the main thoroughfares that motorists may be able to
travel faster on _______ roads.
A. subordinate
B. local
C. district
D. minor
28. A cool drink ______ him after his long hot journey.
A. relaxed
B. relieved
C. refreshed
D. recovered
29. He has to arrange for the _______of his furniture before he goes abroad.
A. sale
B. sole
C. seal
D. sail
30. Every day thousands of _________ fly the Atlantic for negotiations with American firms.
A. merchants
B. dealers

C. tradesmen
D. businessmen
31. It is dangerous for any town to _________ the interests of its young people.
A. lack
B. neglect
C. express
D. impress
32. Many strands were _________ together to make the rope really strong.
A. twisted
B. woven
C. revolved
D. rolled
33. Your grandfather is rather tired so do not _________ your visit.
A. prolong
B. lengthen
C. delay
D. shorten
34. No one is so _________as the person who has no wish to learn.
A. unwise
B. ignorant
C. useless
D. intelligent
35. I remember Alison as a spotty young girl but she's turned _________a beautiful woman.
A. to
B. into
C. out
D. on
36. Can you tell me who is responsible _________ passports?
A. to check
B. checking

C. about checking D. for checking
37. I got very nervous during the exam. When the examiner asked my name, my mind went
completely _________.
A. empty
B. blank
C. white
D. void
38. This school has the highest _______standards in the area.
A. learning
B. intelligence
C. academic
D. study
39. The general was always _______ about his past campaigns.
A. praising
B. congratulating
C. complimenting D. boasting
40. In Britain the _______ on a letter is now twelve pence.
A. postage
B. posting
C. post
D. postal
41. After the _______of the climbers, the police were thanked for their work.
A. rescue
B. freedom
C. help
D. safety
42. The Minister listened to arguments for and _______the planned airport.
A. from
B. away from
C. down

D. against


43. In

some countries more and more young people now need _______ teeth.
A. false
B. spare
C. untrue
D. unnatural
44. In the _______ of proof, the police could not take action against the man.
A. lack
B. shortage
C. want
D. absence
45. In order to _______ with his studies he worked through the summer.
A. take on
B. catch on
C. catch up
D. take up
46. My uncle took _______ golf when he retired from work.
A. on
B. up
C. over
D. after
47. The school arranges a _______ to Brighton every year.
A. route
B. trip
C. passage
D. travel

48. The Chairman was so angry with the committee that he decided to ______ from it.
A. cancel
B. postpone
C. resign
D. prevent
49. The wind blew so hard and so strongly that the windows ______ in their frames.
A. rattled
B. slapped
C. flapped
D. shocked
50. Drug taking has become a major ______in sport.
A. argument
B. view
C. issue
D. case
SECTION III: READING (6.0 POINTS)
Part 1. Questions 51 – 60 (2 points - 0.2/ each)

LOOK ON THE BRIGHT SIDE
Do you ever wish you were more optimistic, someone who always (51) _______ to be
successful? Having someone around who always (52) _______ the worst isn’t really a lot of (53)
_______ We all know someone who sees a single cloud on a sunny day and says, “It looks (54)
_______ rain.” But if you catch yourself thinking such things, it’s important to do something
(55) _______ it.
You can change your view of life, (56) _______ to psychologists, it only takes a little
effort, and you’ll find life more rewarding as a (57) _______. Optimism, they say, is partly about
self-respect and confidence, but it’s also a more positive way of looking at life and all it has to
(58) _______. Optimists are more (59) _______to start new projects and generally more
prepared to take risks.
Upbringing is obviously very important in forming your (60) _______ to the world. Some

people are brought up to (61) _______ too much on others and grow up forever blaming other
people when any-thing (62) _______wrong. Most optimists, on the (63) _______hand, have
been brought up not to (64) _______ failure as the end of the world-they just (65) _______ with
their lives.
51. A.

counted
52. A. worries
53. A. amusement
54. A. so
55. A. with

B. expected
B. cares
B. play
B.to
B. against

C. felt
C. fears
C. enjoyment
C. for
C. about

D. waited
D. doubts
D. fun
D. like
D. over



56. A.

judging
57. A. result
58. A. supply
59. A. possible
60. A. opinion
61. A. trust
62. A. goes
63. A. opposite
64. A. regard
65. A. get up

B. according
B. reason
B. suggest
B. likely
B. attitude
B. believe
B. falls
B. next
B. respect
B. get on

C. concerning
C. purpose
C. offer
C. hopeful
C. view

C. depend
C. comes
C. other
C. suppose
C. get out

D. following
D. product
D. propose
D. welcome
D. position
D. hope
D. turns
D. far
D. think
D. get over

Part 2. Questions 66 – 70 (2.5 points - 0.25/ each)
Diffusion, the process of introducing cultural elements from one society into another, occurs in
three basic patterns: direct contact, intermediate contact, and stimulus diffusion. In direct
contact, elements of a society’s culture may be adopted first by neighboring societies and then
gradually spread farther afield. The spread of the manufacture of paper is an example of
extensive diffusion by direct contact. The invention of paper is attributed to the Chinese Ts’ai
Lun in A.D. 105. Within fifty years, paper was being made in many places in central China. By
264 it was found in Chinese Turkmenistan, and from then on the successive places of
manufacture were Samarkand (751), Baghdad (793), Egypt (about 900), Morocco (about 1100),
and France (1189). In general, the pattern of accepting the borrowed invention was the same
everywhere. Paper was first imported into each area as a luxury, then in ever-expanding
quantities as a staple product. Finally, usually within one to three centuries, local manufacture
started. Diffusion by intermediated contact occurs through the agency of third parties.

Frequently, traders carry a cultural trait from the society that originated it to another group. As
an example of diffusion through intermediaries, Phoenician traders spread the alphabet, which
may have been invented by another Semitic group, to Greece. At times, soldiers serve as
intermediaries in spreading a culture trait. During the Middle Ages, European soldiers acted as
intermediaries in two ways: they carried European culture to Arab societies of North Africa and
brought Arab culture back to Europe. In the nineteenth century Western missionaries brought
Western-style clothing to such places as Africa and the Pacific islands. In stimulus diffusion,
knowledge of a trait belonging to another culture stimulates the invention or development of a
local equivalent. A classic example of stimulus diffusion is the creation of the Cherokee syllabic
writing system by a Native American named Sequoya. Sequoya got the idea from his contact
with the English; yet he did not adopt the writing system nor did he even learn to write English.
He utilized some English alphabetic symbols, altered others, and invented new ones. All the
symbols he used represented Cherokee syllables and had a distinctly Cherokee form.
66. The passage mainly discusses how ___________.
A. cultures retain their unique characteristics
B. cultural elements transfer from one culture to another
C. paper came into general use
D. economies grew through trade and manufacturing


67. The

word “attributed” in line 5 is closest in meaning to ___________.
A. credited
B. presented
C. promised
D. limited
68. The word “successive” in line 7 is closest in meaning to ___________.
A. specialized
B. principal

C. prosperous
D. subsequent
69. The word “it” in line 13 refers to __________.
A. diffusion
B. contact
C. trait
D. society
70. According to the passage, a change that occurred in Africa and the Pacific islands as a
result of the arrival of missionaries was ___________.
A. an increase in the presence of soldiers
B. variation in local style of dressing
C. the manufacture of paper
D. the introduction of new alphabetical systems
71. In stating that the Cherokee writing system is a classic example, the author means that this
example is especially __________.
A. representative
B. understandable
C. difficult
D. old
72. What did Sequoya do?
A. Adopt the English writing system for use in Cherokee
B. Study English intensively in order to learn to write it
C. Teach English to Cherokee Native Americans
D. Create a Cherokee writing system based on elements of the English alphabet
73. The origins of the Greek and Cherokee writing systems were discussed in the passage
because both systems _____________.
A. underwent identical patterns of development in different parts of the world
B. influenced the development of alphabets of other languages
C. represented distinct ways in which elements could be introduced into a culture
D. were introduced by religious missionaries

74. Which of the following statements about direct contact, intermediate contact, and stimulus
diffusion is NOT true?
A. They all cause changes in culture.
B. They all occur in more than one culture.
C. They all involve the interaction of cultures.
D. They all require the trading of manufactured products.
75. The author organized the discussion in the passage by __________.
A. establishing a historical chronology from the past through the present
B. illustrating specific categories with examples
C. identifying important geographic regions
D. ranking categories from most to least significant
Part 3: You are going to read an article about tea. Choose from the list A-H the sentence
which best summarizes each part (1—6) of the article. There is one extra sentence which
you do not need to use. There is an example at the beginning (0).
A. 'Tea' can be more than just a drink.
B. There are reasons for its taste and appearance


C.
D.
E.
F.
G.
H.

There is a confusing range to choose from.
It is considered by many to be a luxury.
Methods of making tea vary.
There are some 'do's' and 'don'ts' to tea drinking.
It is not easy to find a high quality cup of tea.

Tea drinking has interesting origins.

TEA
0

H

Tea was first drunk many centuries ago by the Chinese. The story goes that some leaves from a
tea bush fell by chance into the boiling water in a philosopher’s pot.
In the past, tea was affordable only by the rich, because of the high cost of importing it. Wealthy
households would lock it securely away in sturdy tea chests to prevent theft.
76

It is estimated that on average, Britons drink per capita five cups of tea per day. Some would
complain, though, that it is becoming increasingly hard to get a decent cup. Many cafes and
restaurants serve up a lukewarm and tasteless liquid, and many British homes have adopted the
more convenient tea bag, in preference to brewing loose tea leaves in a pot
77

There are many ways of making and drinking tea, depending where you come from, and each
person will tell you that their way is the only correct one. In the north of England, the tea goes
into the cup, followed by the milk. In the south, it is the other way round. On the Continent you
are likely to be served lemon, rather than milk with your tea, and in the East you may find a
touch of a spice such as cardamom added.
78

There is an almost bewildering variety of teas available nowadays, both in loose leaf and bag
form. Teas from India tend to be strong and dark, while those from China are more delicate and
lighter, Earl Grey is pale with a gentle perfume and considered by many to be the most
sophisticated cup.

79

There are some well-known conventions to tea drinking. For example, clipping a biscuit into
your cup is considered common, as is drinking from the saucer, or blowing on hot tea to cool it.
And particular situations require a cup of tea - when someone is feeling tired or unwell, has
received some bad news or a nasty surprise, it is often the first comfort offered.
80

The bitterness and colour comes from the tannin (also found in red wine), and oils are added to
give subtle flavours. Tea is good news for weight watchers; a cup without milk or sugar added
81


has only four calories. Perhaps surprisingly though, tea has twice the caffeine content of coffee,
which accounts for its stimulating effect.

This doesn't mean that n cup of tea can't be the perfect accompaniment to something far more indulgent. Just over 150 years ago, the tradition of taking afternoon tea began. Sandwiches and
cakes are served with a pot of tea, an occasion to bring out the best china and silver spoons.
High tea is a meal in itself, with bread and butter, cold meats and a generous helping of cakes.
The famous cream tea, from the west of England, comes with warm scones, jam and the local
thick clotted cream.
SECTION IV. WRITING (6.0 POINTS)
Part 1. Questions from 82 to 80 (1.5 points – 0.3/ each)
Rewrite each of the sentences using the given word(s) so that the new one has a similar
meaning as the given one. You must not change the given word(s).
82. They say he is able to swim across this river. (swimming)
 He __________________________________________________________________.
83. They may be there at the meeting, or they may not. (out)
 It is __________________________________________________________________.
84. “Don’t forget to hand in the paper by the deadline,” said the teacher. (reminder)

 The teacher ____________________________________________________________
85. Learning English is becoming more and more popular in our city. (increasingly)
 It has __________________________________________________________________.
86. Right after disembarkation from the plane, he was taken into custody. (got)
 As __________________________________________________________________
Part 2: Graph Description (2.0 points)

You should write at least 120


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Part 3: Essay Writing (2.5 points)
“Should teachers give students much homework?”
Write a composition to express your idea on this. (You should write within 200 - 220 words

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