Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C or D on your answer sheet to indicate the correct answer to each of the questions from 19 to 25.
Foot racing is a popular activity in the US. It is seen not only as a competitive sport but also as a way to exercise, to enjoy the camaraderie of like-minded people, and to donate money to a good cause. Though serious runners may spend months training to compete, other runners and walkers might not train at all. Those not competing to win might run in an effort to beat their own time or simply to enjoy the fun and exercise. People of all ages, from those of less than one year (who may be pushed in astrollers) to those in their eighties, enter into this sport. The races are held on city streets, on college campuses, through parks, and in suburban areas, and they are commonly 5 to 10 kilometers in length.
The largest footrace in the world is the 12-kilometer Bay to Breakers race that is held in San Francisco every spring. This race begins on the east side of the city near San Francisco Bay and ends on the west side at the Pacific Ocean. There may be 80.000 or more people running in this race through the streets and hills of San Francisco. In the front are the serious runners who compete to win and who might finish in as little as 35 minutes. Behind them are the thousands who take several hours to finish. In the back of the race are those who dress in costumes and come just for fun. One year there was a group of men who dressed like Elvis Presley, and another group consisted of firefighters who were tied together in a long line and who were carrying a fire hose. There was even a bridal party, in which the bride was dressed in a long white gown and the groom wore a tuxedo. The bride and groom threw flowers to bystanders, and they were actually married at some point along the route.
The word “beat” as used in paragraph 1 could be best replaced by which of the following?
A. incline
B. overturn
C. outdo
D. undermine
Đáp án C.
Key word: Beat, paragraph 1, replaced by.
Clue: “Those not competing to win might run in an effort to beat their own time or simply to enjoy the fun and exercise”: Những ai không thi đấu để chiến thắng có thể chạy với nỗ lực chiến thắng thành tích cũ hoặc có thể chỉ đơn giản là để tận hưởng cuộc vui và luyện tập.
A. incline (v): có xu hướng, cúi đầu (đồng ỷ)
Ex: His obvious sincerity inclined me to trust him: Sự chân thành hiển nhiên của ông đã làm tôi tin tưởng ông.
He inclined his head in acknowledgement: Anh ấy cúi đầu trong sự thừa nhận.
B. overturn (v): lật đổ, đảo lộn tình thế, chính thức quyết định cái gì đó không còn hiệu lực
Ex: He stood up quickly, overturning his chair.
His sentence was overturned by the appeal court: Án của ông đã được xóa bởi tòa án phúc thẩm.
C. outdo (v): vượt qua (làm tốt hơn ai đó) = beat
Ex: Sometimes small firms can outdo big business when it comes to customer care: Đôi khi các công ty nhỏ có thể vượt qua các công ty kinh doanh lớn bởi chúng chú trọng đến việc chăm sóc khách hàng.
Not to be outdone (= not wanting to let somebody else do better), she tried again: Không muốn để người ta hơn mình, cô ấy cố gắng lần nữa
D. undermine: làm yếu đi, đục khoét, phá hoại
Ex: This crisis has undermined his position: Cuộc khủng hoảng này đã làm suy yếu vị trí của ông.
Mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to indicate the word whose underlined part differs from the other three in pronunciation in each of the following questions
Mark the letter A, B, C or D on your answer sheet to indicate the underlined part that needs correction in each of the following questions.
They received such a good advice from their teachers that they all studied very well.
At 4 o’clock Mr. Hutchinson still had some ____________ to do in the garden.
Mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to indicate the word(s) CLOSEST in meaning to the underlined word(s) in each of the following questions.
His physical conditions were no impediment to his career as a violinist.
John contributed fifty dollars, but he wishes he could contribute ___________.
Mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to indicate the word whose underlined part differs from the other three in pronunciation in each of the following questions
Mark the letter A, B, C or D on your answer sheet to indicate the underlined part that needs correction in each of the following questions.
Peacocks are among the most exotic birds in nature: its long tail feathers fan out to reveal a profusion of vivid colors.
Mark the letter A, B, C or D on your answer sheet to indicate the word that differs from the other three in the position ofprimary stress in each of the following questions
Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C or D on your answer sheet to indicate the correct word or phrase that best fits each of the numbered blanks from 26 to 30.
School lunch
Research has shown that over half the children in Britain who take their own lunches to school do not eat (26) __________ in the middle of the day. In Britain, schools have to (27) ________ meals at lunchtime. Children can choose to bring their own food or have lunch at the school canteen.
One shocking finding of the research is that school meals are much healthier than lunches prepared by
parents. There are strict (28) _____________ for the preparation of school meals, which have to include one (29) ___________ of fruit and one of vegetables, as well as meat, a dairy item and starchy food like break or pasta. Lunchboxes examined by researchers contained sweet drinks, crisps and chocolate bars. Children consume twice as much sugar as they should at lunchtime.
The research will provide a better understanding (30) _____________ why the percentage of overweight in Britain has increased in the last decade. Unfortunately, the government can’t criticize parents, but it can remind them of the nutritional value of milk, fruit and vegetables. Small changes in their children’s diet can affect their future health. Children can easily develop bad eating habits at this age, and parents are the only ones who can prevent it.
Điền vào ô số 26
I didn’t know you were asleep. Otherwise, I ____________ so much noise when I came in.
Mark the letter A, By c, or D on your answer sheet to indicate the sentence that best combines each pair of sentences in the following questions.
The coffee was not strong. It didn’t keep US awake.
Mark the letter A, B, C or D on your answer sheet to indicate the word that differs from the other three in the position ofprimary stress in each of the following questions