READING COMPREHENSION
Millions of people are using cellphones today. In many places, it is actually considered unusual not to use
one. In many countries, cellphones are very popular with young people. They find that the phones are more
than a means of communication - having a mobile phone shows that they are cool and connected.
The explosion in mobile phone use around the world has made some health professional worried. Some
doctors are concerned that in the future many people may suffer health problems from the use of mobile
phones. In England, there has been a serious debate about this issue. Mobile phone companies are worried
about the negative publicity of such ideas. They say that there is no proof that mobile phones are bad for
your health.
On the other hand, medical studies have shown changes in the brain cells of some people who use mobile
phones. Signs of change in the tissues of the brain and head can be detected with modern scanning
equipment. In one case, a traveling salesman had to retire at young age because of serious memory loss. He
couldn't remember even simple tasks. He would often forget the name of his own son. This man used to talk
on his mobile phone for about six hours a day, every day of his working week, for a couple of years. His
family doctor blamed his mobile phone use, but his employer's doctor didn't agree.
What is it that makes mobile phones potentially harmful? The answer is radiation. High-tech machines can
detect very small amounts of radiation from mobile phones. Mobile phone companies agree that there is
some radiation, but they say the amount is too small to worry about. As the discussion about their safety
continues, it appears that it's best to use mobile phones less often.
106. The most suitable title for the passage could be ____.
A. Technological Innovations and Their Price
B. The Importance of Mobile Phones
C. Mobile Phones: A Must of Our Time
D. The reasons why Mobile Phones are popular
107. According to the passage, cellphones are especially popular with the youth because ____.
A. they keep the users in alert all the time
B. they are integral in daily communication
C. they are the only effective means of communication
D. they make them look more stylish
108. According to the passage, the changes possibly caused by the cellphones are mainly concerned with ____.
A. the smallest units of the brain

B. the central unit of the brain
C. the structure of the brain
D. the long-term memory
109. The words negative publicity in paragraph 2 most likely means ____.
A. information on the lethal effects of cellphones
B. the negative public use of cellphones
C. widespread opinion about bad effects of cellphones
D. constructive ideas about the effects of cellphones
110. The word their in the last paragraph refers to ____.
A. mobile phone companies
B. mobile phones
C. high-tech machines
D. radiations
Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C or D to indicate the correct answer to each of the
questions.
Modern life is characterized not only by the conveniences made possible by technological advances but
also by greater mobility in search of still greater opportunities. These major life changes, however, expose
individuals to many novelties in a new culture, which are the causes of culture shock. Culture shock is a
process through which most people who enter a new culture pass through before they adjust to life in their
new environment.
Culture shock begins with the honeymoon stage”. This is the period of time when we first arrive in which
everything about the new culture is strange and exciting. Unfortunately, the second stage "rejection stage"
can be quite dangerous because the visitor may develop unhealthy habits (smoking and drinking). This can
lead to the person getting sick or developing skin infections or rashes, which then makes the person feel
even more scared and confused and helpless. This stage is considered a crisis in the process of cultural
adjustment and many people choose to go back to their homeland or spend all their time with people from


their own culture speaking their native language. The third stage of culture shock is called the "adjustment
stage”. This is when you begin to realize that things are not so bad in the host culture. You are becoming

stronger by learning to take care of yourself in the new place. The fourth stage can be called “at ease at
last”. Now you feel quite comfortable in your new surroundings. You can cope with most problems that
occur. You may still have problems with the language, but you know you are strong enough to deal with
them. The last stage of culture shock, which many people don't know about, is called "reverse culture
shock”. Surprisingly, this occurs when you go back to your native culture and find that you have changed
and that things there have changed while you have been away. Now you feel a little uncomfortable back
home. Life is a struggle!
118. Which sentence best explains the main idea of paragraph 1?
A. Culture shock, experienced by people living in a new culture, consists of five basic stages.
B. People immigrate to other countries in search of better opportunities.
C. Modern life is characterized by many technological advances and greater mobility.
D. These major life changes are the causes of culture shock.
119. It is stated that the "honeymoon stage” ____.
A. is involved in developing healthy habits
B. is exciting with the new sights, sounds, language and foods
C. is the initial period of culture shock
D. got its name because everything is new and exciting for the newcomer
120. In paragraph 1, the word novelties probably means ____.
A. things which are new or unusual
B. things which are difficult to deal with
C. things which have to do with novels
D. things which are very young or recent in age
121. In paragraph 2, the word host probably means ____.
A. the dominant country
B. the largest country
C. the newcomer's native country
D. the receiving country
122. Which of the following is NOT true according the passage?
A. At forth stage, newcomers have overcome all problems in the new culture.
B. Immigrants may suffer from "reverse culture shock” when going back to native culture.

C. New arrivals in the second stage, "reject” the new culture by returning to their country or binding even
more with other people from their culture.
D. The "rejection stage” is the most difficult stage in the process of cultural adjustment.
Lee Kuan Yew - the founding father of modern Singapore
Lee Kuan Yew was appointed as the first prime minister of Singapore in 1959 when the nation became a selfgoverning state. At that time, Singapore per capita income was only about USD400. When Lee stepped down in
1990, the figure was USD11,000 and in 2014 it went up to over 56,000, even higher than that of its former
colonizer, Great Britain. In his memoirs published in 2000, he wrote 'They laughed at us, but I was confident that
we would have the last laugh.'
Born into a middle-class Chinese family in Singapore, Lee was influenced by the language and institutions of the
British rulers. He was destined to go to the UK to study law, but the Second World War broke out and he had to go
to the local Raffles 10 College where he learnt some economics. It was not until 1946 when he talked his way to
Cambridge and graduated three years later with a starred first. It was during this time that he nurtured ambitions
beyond starting a legal career back home.
As a prime minister, he has always been described as an efficient and inventive person. He was one of the greatest
statesmen who proved to the whole world that 15 human ingenuity, not natural resources, is the essential element
of prosperity. Lee is also believed to be very forward-looking. When Singapore gained independence in 1965, he
decided to keep English as the main language to increase economic benefits. Although many of his policies are still
considered controversial, they helped Singapore to overcome many obstacles and become one of the most admired
international business and financial centres around the world.
1. Lee Kuan Yew was Singapore's prime minister for______.
A. 31 years
B. 55 years
C. 41 years
D. 61 years
2. The word 'destined' in line 8 is closest in meaning to _________
A. ordered
B. scheduled
C. refused
D. made
3. He did not go to Cambridge to study law until 1946 because ______



A. he had already been influenced by the British system
B. he had to study economics at Raffles College
C. Britain was at war
D. he did not want to pursue a legal career
4. The word 'forward-looking' in line 16 is closest in meaning to
A. progressive
B. conservative
C. developing
D. distinguished
5. According to the writer, Lee Kuan Yew's policies_________ .
A. were never subject to disagreement
B. promoted people's solidarity
C. transformed Singapore into a prosperous city
D. related to business and finance
Advertising and the mass media
Having the power to deliver information to large audiences at the same time, the mass media have naturally
become ideal tools for advertising. This huge industry has reached and dominated almost all types of the mass
media. Advertisements are everywhere, from broadcast media (the radio, television and films), Internet media
(email, websites and blogs), print media (newspapers, magazines, books and comics), outdoor media (billboards,
signs and placards) to digital media, which include Internet and mobile devices.
Advertising is beneficial to the mass media too. Companies and businesses are willing to spend millions, even
billions of dollars, to influence customers' attitudes towards their ideas, services and products. Their advanced
advertising methods and techniques are successful in persuading customers of all ages and genders, and turning
luxuries into necessities. Because of the easy access to all forms of the media, information can reach every corner
of the world instantly and cost-effectively. In addition, all media channels receive huge sums of money from
advertisers, which allows them to make better and more interesting programmes and services for a large number of
people worldwide.
1. Why have the mass media naturally become ideal tools for advertising?

2. What are some kinds of advertisements?
3. Why are companies and businesses willing to spend money on advertising?
4. How do advertisers persuade customers?
5. What does the easy access to the media offer advertising?
6. How beneficial is advertising to the mass media?
READING COMPREHENSION 1
READING 1
Higher education, also called tertiary, third stage or post secondary education, is the non-compulsory
educational level following the completion of a school providing a secondary education, such as a high school,
secondary school. Tertiary education is normally taken to include undergraduate and postgraduate education, as
well as vocational education and training. Colleges and universities are the main institutions that provide tertiary
institutions. Tertiary education generally results in the receipt of certificates, diplomas, or academic degrees.
Higher education includes teaching, research and social services activities of universities, and within the
realm of teaching, it includes both the undergraduate level and the graduate level. Higher education in that country
generally involves work towards a degree-level or foundation degree qualification. It is therefore very important to
national economies, both as a significant industry in its own right, and as a source of trained and educated
personnel for the rest of the economy.
1. What is ‘tertiary education’?
A. Primary education
B. higher education
C. Secondary education D. children education
2. Where can we find tertiary education?
A. Colleges and high schools
B. universities and institutes
C. Colleges and universities
D. high schools and universities.
3. The word ‘degree’ in paragraph 1 refers to __________.


A. a unit for measuring angles

C. the qualification
4. How many kinds does higher education have?
A. One
B. two
5. _________is important to national economies.
A. Qualification
B. Foundation

B. a unit for measuring temperature
D. a level in a scale of how serious something is.
C. three

D. four

C. Schooling

D. Higher education

READING 2
University Entrance Examination is very important to Vietnamese students. High school graduates have to
take it and get high results to be admitted to universities. The pressure on the candidates remains very high despite
the measures that have been taken to reduce the heat around these exams, since securing a place in a state
university is considered a major step towards a successful career for young people, especially those from rural
areas or disadvantaged families. In the year 2004, it was estimated that nearly 1 million Vietnamese students took
the University Entrance Examination, but on average only 1 out of 5 candidates succeeded. Normally, candidates
take 3 exam subjects, and each lasts 180 minutes for the fixed group of subjects they choose. There are 4 fixed
groups of subjects: Group A:
Mathematics, Physics, and Chemistry; Group B: Mathematics, Chemistry and Biology; Group C:
Literature, History, and Geography; Group D: Literature, Foreign Language, and Mathematics.
In addition to universities, there are professional secondary schools, and vocational month to 2-year

courses. Community colleges, art and technology institutes, schools which offer degrees or certificates from a-fewAccording to Vietnam’s Ministry of Education and Training, there are currently 23 non-public universities,
accounting for 11% of the total number of universities. These non-public universities are currently training 119,464
students or 11.7% of the total number of students. The government is planning to increase the number of nonpublic universities to 30% by 2007.
1. University Entrance Examination in Vietnam is very _________.
A. interesting
B. stressful
C. free
D. easy
2. The word those refers to _________.
A. exam subjects
B. young people
C. universities
D. examinations
3.
3. In 2004, the proportion of the students who got success in University Entrance Examination was
about _________ percent.
A. 5
B. 10
C. 20
D. 50
4. Which sentence refers to the University Entrance Examination in Vietnam?
A. Students find it easy to get success in the University Entrance Examination.
B. Maths is compulsory in the University Entrance Examination.
C. Students are not allowed to choose their exam subjects.
D. There are four fixed groups of exam subjects for students to choose.
5.
According to the passage, _________.
A. the Vietnamese government will close all non-public universities by next year
B. the Vietnamese government does not appreciate non-public universities
C. the Vietnamese government encourages the establishment of non-public universities

D. Vietnamese students have no alternative to continue their higher study besides universities