Read the passage and choose the best answer for each question below.

It is estimated that over 99 percent of all species that ever existed have become extinct. What causes extinction? When a species is no longer adapted to a changed environment, it may perish. The exact causes of a species’ death vary from situation to situation. Rapid ecological change may render an environment hostile to a species. For example, temperatures may change and a species may not be able to adapt. Food Resources may be affected by environmental changes, which will then cause problems. For a species requiring these resources. Other species may become better adapted to an Environment, resulting in competition and, ultimately, in the death of a species.

The fossil record reveals that extinction has occurred throughout the history of Earth. Recent analyses have also revealed that on some occasions many species became extinct at the same time – a mass extinction. One of the best-known examples of mass extinction occurred 65 million years ago with the demise of dinosaurs and many other forms of life.

           Perhaps the largest mass extinction was the one that occurred 225 million years ago, When approximately 95 percent of all species died, Mass extinctions can be caused by a relatively rapid change in the environment and can be worsened by the close interrelationship of many species. If, for example, something were to happen to destroy much of the plankton in the oceans, then the oxygen content of Earth would drop, affection even organisms not living in the oceans. Such a change would probably lead to a mass extinction.

          One interesting, and controversial, finding is that extinctions during the past 250 Million years have tended to be more intense every 26 million years. This periodic extinction might be due to intersection of the Earth’s orbit with a cloud of comets, but this theory is purely speculative. Some researchers have also speculated tat extinction may often be random. That is, certain species may be eliminated and others may survive for no particular reason. A species’ survival may have nothing to do with its ability or inability to adapt. If so, some of evolutionary history may reflect a sequence of essentially random events.

Why is “ plankton” mentioned in line 15?

Choose the answer among A,B,C,D whose underlined part needs correcting to make sentences below complete:

Jim was upset (A) last night because (B) he had to do (C) too many homeworks. (D)

Read the passage and choose the best answer for each question below.

          By far the most important United States export product in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries was cotton, favored by the European textile industry over flax or wool because it was easy to process and soft to tile touch. Mechanization of spinning and weaving allowed significant centralization and expansion in the textile industry during

this period, and at the same time the demand for cotton increased dramatically. American producers were able to meet this demand largely because of tile invention of the cotton gin by Eli Whitney in 1793. Cotton could be grown throughout the South, but separating the fiber – or lint – from the seed was a laborious process. Sea island cotton was relatively easy to process by hand, because its fibers were long and seeds were concentrated at the base of the flower, but it demanded a long growing season, available only along the nation's eastern seacoast. Short-staple cotton required a much shorter growing season, but the shortness of the fibers and their mixture with seeds meant that a worker could

hand-process only about one pound per day. Whitney's gin was a hand-powered machine with revolving drums and metal teeth to pull cotton fibers away from seeds. Using the gin, a worker could produce up to 50 pounds of lint a day.   The later development of larger gins, powered by horses, water, or steam, multiplied productivity further.

          The interaction of improved processing and high demand led to the rapid spread of the cultivation of cotton and to a surge in production. It became the main American export, dwarfing all others. In 1802, cotton composed 14 percent of total American exports by value. Cotton had a 36 percent share by 1810 and over a 50 percent share

in 1830. In 1860, 61 percent of the value of American exports was represented by cotton. In contrast, wheat and wheat flour composed only 6 percent of the value of American exports in that year. Clearly, cotton was king in the trade of the young republic. The growing market for cotton and other American agricultural products led to an unprecedented expansion of agricultural settlement, mostly in the eastern half of the United States---west of the Appalachian Mountains and east of the Mississippi River.

The main point of the passage is that the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries were a time when       

Choose the answer among A,B,C,D whose underlined part needs correcting to make sentences below complete:

This table is not sturdy enough (A) to support (B) a television, and that one (C) probably isn't neither. (D)

Choose the answer among A,B,C,D whose underlined part needs correcting to make sentences below complete:

Lectures for (A) the week of March 22-26 will include (B) the following:(C) The Causes of the Civil War, The Economy of the South, Battle Strategies, and Assassinating Lincoln. (D)

Read the passage and choose the best answer for each question below.

          By far the most important United States export product in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries was cotton, favored by the European textile industry over flax or wool because it was easy to process and soft to tile touch. Mechanization of spinning and weaving allowed significant centralization and expansion in the textile industry during

this period, and at the same time the demand for cotton increased dramatically. American producers were able to meet this demand largely because of tile invention of the cotton gin by Eli Whitney in 1793. Cotton could be grown throughout the South, but separating the fiber – or lint – from the seed was a laborious process. Sea island cotton was relatively easy to process by hand, because its fibers were long and seeds were concentrated at the base of the flower, but it demanded a long growing season, available only along the nation's eastern seacoast. Short-staple cotton required a much shorter growing season, but the shortness of the fibers and their mixture with seeds meant that a worker could

hand-process only about one pound per day. Whitney's gin was a hand-powered machine with revolving drums and metal teeth to pull cotton fibers away from seeds. Using the gin, a worker could produce up to 50 pounds of lint a day.   The later development of larger gins, powered by horses, water, or steam, multiplied productivity further.

          The interaction of improved processing and high demand led to the rapid spread of the cultivation of cotton and to a surge in production. It became the main American export, dwarfing all others. In 1802, cotton composed 14 percent of total American exports by value. Cotton had a 36 percent share by 1810 and over a 50 percent share

in 1830. In 1860, 61 percent of the value of American exports was represented by cotton. In contrast, wheat and wheat flour composed only 6 percent of the value of American exports in that year. Clearly, cotton was king in the trade of the young republic. The growing market for cotton and other American agricultural products led to an unprecedented expansion of agricultural settlement, mostly in the eastern half of the United States---west of the Appalachian Mountains and east of the Mississippi River.

According to the passage, the Mississippi River was

Read the passage and choose the best answer among A,B,C,D for each gap to complete it. Fill in the appropriate word in question 35                       

      Most people feel that when they dream, they are (35)________ off to another world. On the (36)________, dreams are often  connected to our daily lives. When our whole (37)_________ is filled with something, when we are either very  upset (38)________ when we are in good spirit, a dream will represent this reality in symbols. It is often (39)_______ that we benefit from dreams because they help the spirit to heal itself when things (40)__________ wrong. Dreams are therefore a kind of escape, almost a holiday from (41)__________ life, with its fears and responsibilities. It is, however, a strange kind of holiday because whether we have a wonderful time or whether it turns (42)_________ to be a nightmare, we quickly forget it. Most dreams disappear forever, (43)_________ you are one of those people disciplined enough to write them down as soon as you (44)_________.

Choose the answer among A,B,C,D whose underlined part needs correcting to make sentences below complete:

In 1975, according to (A) the National Center for Health Statistics, the average life expectancy for people born (B) during (C) that year is (D) 72.4 years.

Read the passage and choose the best answer for each question below.

          By far the most important United States export product in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries was cotton, favored by the European textile industry over flax or wool because it was easy to process and soft to tile touch. Mechanization of spinning and weaving allowed significant centralization and expansion in the textile industry during

this period, and at the same time the demand for cotton increased dramatically. American producers were able to meet this demand largely because of tile invention of the cotton gin by Eli Whitney in 1793. Cotton could be grown throughout the South, but separating the fiber – or lint – from the seed was a laborious process. Sea island cotton was relatively easy to process by hand, because its fibers were long and seeds were concentrated at the base of the flower, but it demanded a long growing season, available only along the nation's eastern seacoast. Short-staple cotton required a much shorter growing season, but the shortness of the fibers and their mixture with seeds meant that a worker could

hand-process only about one pound per day. Whitney's gin was a hand-powered machine with revolving drums and metal teeth to pull cotton fibers away from seeds. Using the gin, a worker could produce up to 50 pounds of lint a day.   The later development of larger gins, powered by horses, water, or steam, multiplied productivity further.

          The interaction of improved processing and high demand led to the rapid spread of the cultivation of cotton and to a surge in production. It became the main American export, dwarfing all others. In 1802, cotton composed 14 percent of total American exports by value. Cotton had a 36 percent share by 1810 and over a 50 percent share

in 1830. In 1860, 61 percent of the value of American exports was represented by cotton. In contrast, wheat and wheat flour composed only 6 percent of the value of American exports in that year. Clearly, cotton was king in the trade of the young republic. The growing market for cotton and other American agricultural products led to an unprecedented expansion of agricultural settlement, mostly in the eastern half of the United States---west of the Appalachian Mountains and east of the Mississippi River.

According to the passage, one advantage of sea island cotton was its

Choose the answer among A,B,C,D to complete each of the sentences below:

His change of job has___________ him with a new challenge in life.

Read the passage and choose the best answer among A,B,C,D for each gap to complete it. Fill in the appropriate word in question 40

      Most people feel that when they dream, they are (35)________ off to another world. On the (36)________, dreams are often  connected to our daily lives. When our whole (37)_________ is filled with something, when we are either very  upset (38)________ when we are in good spirit, a dream will represent this reality in symbols. It is often (39)_______ that we benefit from dreams because they help the spirit to heal itself when things (40)__________ wrong. Dreams are therefore a kind of escape, almost a holiday from (41)__________ life, with its fears and responsibilities. It is, however, a strange kind of holiday because whether we have a wonderful time or whether it turns (42)_________ to be a nightmare, we quickly forget it. Most dreams disappear forever, (43)_________ you are one of those people disciplined enough to write them down as soon as you (44)_________.

Read the passage and choose the best answer for each question below.

          By far the most important United States export product in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries was cotton, favored by the European textile industry over flax or wool because it was easy to process and soft to tile touch. Mechanization of spinning and weaving allowed significant centralization and expansion in the textile industry during

this period, and at the same time the demand for cotton increased dramatically. American producers were able to meet this demand largely because of tile invention of the cotton gin by Eli Whitney in 1793. Cotton could be grown throughout the South, but separating the fiber – or lint – from the seed was a laborious process. Sea island cotton was relatively easy to process by hand, because its fibers were long and seeds were concentrated at the base of the flower, but it demanded a long growing season, available only along the nation's eastern seacoast. Short-staple cotton required a much shorter growing season, but the shortness of the fibers and their mixture with seeds meant that a worker could

hand-process only about one pound per day. Whitney's gin was a hand-powered machine with revolving drums and metal teeth to pull cotton fibers away from seeds. Using the gin, a worker could produce up to 50 pounds of lint a day.   The later development of larger gins, powered by horses, water, or steam, multiplied productivity further.

          The interaction of improved processing and high demand led to the rapid spread of the cultivation of cotton and to a surge in production. It became the main American export, dwarfing all others. In 1802, cotton composed 14 percent of total American exports by value. Cotton had a 36 percent share by 1810 and over a 50 percent share

in 1830. In 1860, 61 percent of the value of American exports was represented by cotton. In contrast, wheat and wheat flour composed only 6 percent of the value of American exports in that year. Clearly, cotton was king in the trade of the young republic. The growing market for cotton and other American agricultural products led to an unprecedented expansion of agricultural settlement, mostly in the eastern half of the United States---west of the Appalachian Mountains and east of the Mississippi River.

Which of the following can be inferred from the passage about cotton production in the United States after the introduction of Whitney's cotton gin?

Choose the answer among A,B,C,D to complete each of the sentences below:

We put his rude manner___________ignorance of the local customs . 

Choose the answer among A,B,C,D whose underlined part is pronunciated differently from the others.

Choose the answer among A,B,C,D to complete each of the sentences below:

My sister has just bought a___________at that shop, which is situated at the corner of Tran Phu Street.

Choose the best answer among A,B,C,D whose meaning is OPPOSITE to the underlined part in each sentence below:

The smell of the fish put me off the meal.