SỞ GD&ĐT VĨNH PHÚC
TRƯỜNG THPT XUÂN HÒA

CHUYÊN ĐỀ BỒI DƯỠNG ÔN THI ĐH
MÔN TIẾNG ANH
HƯỚNG DẪN HỌC SINH LÀM PHẦN ĐỌC HIỂU TRONG ĐỀ
THI TUYỂN SINH ĐẠI HỌC

GIÁO VIÊN: TRẦN THỊ HOA
MÔN: TIẾNG ANH
TRƯỜNG THPT XUÂN HÒA

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CHUYÊN ĐỀ BỒI DƯỠNG ÔN THI ĐẠI HỌC

HƯỚNG DẪN HỌC SINH LÀM PHẦN ĐỌC HIỂU TRONG ĐỀ
THI TUYỂN SINH ĐẠI HỌC
GIÁO VIÊN: TRẦN THỊ HOA
MÔN: TIẾNG ANH
TRƯỜNG THPT XUÂN HÒA
ĐỐI TƯỢNG BỒI DƯỠNG: HS ÔN THI ĐH KHỐI D,A1
SỐ TIẾT BD: 10
In the English test of the entrance university examination, reading section for general
or specific information ( except for cloze test) is very important. This part accounts for 25%
with 2 reading passages. So candidates who want to get good marks should study this part
carefully.
For the above reasons, I decided to choose this topic so that everybody can discuss and
exchange together.
First part of this topic, I’d like to post some tips which are applied for reading passages so

Answer A. mentions James Naismith but not basketball, so it is not the topic. Answer B. is
too general; it mentions sports but does not mention basketball. Answer C. is also too general;
it mentions physical education but does not mention basketball. The best answer is therefore
answer D.: the origin of basketball means that the way that basketball was invented is going
to be discussed.
If a passage consists of more than one paragraph, you should study the beginning of each
paragraph to determine the main idea. In a passage with more than one paragraph, you should
be sure to read the first sentence of each paragraph to determine the subject, topic, title, or
main idea.
The following chart outlines the key information that you should remember about main idea
questions.
MAIN IDEA QUESTIONS

HOW TO IDENTIFY
THE QUESTION

WHERE TO FIND THE
ANSWER

What is the topic of the passage?
What is the subject of the passage?
What is the main idea of the passage?
What is the author's main point in the passage?
With what is the author primarily concerned?
Which of the following would be the best title?
The answer to this type of question can generally
be determined by looking at the first sentence of
each paragraph.
1. Read the first line of each paragraph.
2. Look for a common theme or idea in the first

B. were made of metal
C. were made 200,000 years ago
D. had a complicated set of levers and pads
Since this question asks about the oldest flutes, you should see that this question is
answered in the second sentence. The passage states that the oldest known flutes were
bones with holes cut in them, so the best answer is answer A.. Answers B. and D. are true
about today's flutes but not about the oldest flutes, so they are incorrect. Answer C. is an
incorrect number; the oldest flutes are 20,000 years old, not 200,000 years old.
The following chart outlines the key information that you should remember about stated detail
questions:

STATED DETAIL QUESTIONS
According to the passage…
HOW TO
IDENTIFY THE
QUESTION

It is stated in the passage...
The passage indicates that…
Which of the following is true...?

WHERE TO
FIND THE
ANSWER
HOW TO
ANSWER THE
QUESTION

The answers to the questions are found in order in the passage.
1. Choose a key word in the question.

therefore answer D.. The passage does not mention whether or not the keys are all inhabited.
The following chart outlines the key information that you should remember about “unstated”
detail questions:
“UNSTATED” DETAIL QUESTIONS
Which of the following is not stated...?
HOW TO
Which of the following is not mentioned...?
DENTIFY THE
Which of the following is not discussed…?
QUESTION
Which of the following are true except....?
WHERE TO
The answers to these questions are found in order in the
FIND THE
passage.
ANSWER
HOW TO
1. Choose a key word in the question.
ANSWER THE 2. Scan the appropriate place in the passage for the key
QUESTION
word (or related idea).
3. Read the sentence that contains the key word or idea
carefully.
4. Look for answers that are definitely true according to the
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passage Eliminate those answers.
5. Choose the answer that is not true or not discussed in the
passage.

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It can be inferred from the passage that..….
It is most likely that……
What probably happened.....?
The answers to these questions are generally found in order in the passage.
1. Choose a key word in the question.
2. Scan the passage for the key word (or a related idea).
3. Carefully read the sentence that contains the key word.
4. Look for an answer that could be true, according to that sentence.
Skill 5: VOCABULARY IN CONTEXT QUESTIONS
You may be asked to determine the meaning of a difficult word or expression that you do not
know. In this case, the passage often gives you a clear indication of what the word or
expression means.
Example
The passage:
.......... ..........Professor Richmond's hobby is philately. The professor has been quite interested
in collecting stamps for a number of years .......... ..........
The question:
The word "philately" in line 1 could best be replaced by
A. a philanthropic attitude
B. a common profession
C. stamp collecting
D. teaching classes
In this question, you are asked to choose an expression to replace philately. You are not
expected to know the meaning of the word philately. Instead, you should understand from the
context that if the professor is interested in collecting stamps, then philately is most
likelystamp collecting. Answer C. is therefore the best answer to this question.
The following chart outlines the key information that you should remember about vocabulary

Look for context clues to help you understand the meaning.
Choose the answer that the context indicates.

Skill 6: "WHERE" QUESTIONS
There will be a multiple-choice question that asks where certain information is found. The
answer choices will list possible locations for that information.
Example
The passage:
The words "capital" and "capitol" are confused in spelling and in meaning by a lot of people
who try to use them. Both their spellings and their meanings are quite closely related. A
"capital" is the location of the center of government, while a "capitol" is the actual building
where the government officials meet. Thus, in the United States, for example, the Capitol
building is located in Washington, D.C., which is the capital city of the United States.
The question:
Where in the passage does the author define the word "capital"?
A. Lines 1-2
B. Lines 3-4
C. Line 5
D. Line 6
To answer this question, you should skim for the word capital and then look for its meaning
A capital is the location of the center of government, and this definition is given in the third
line. Answer B. is therefore the best answer to this question.
The following chart outlines the key information that you should remember when you are
trying to determine where in the passage something is found:

QUESTION ABOUT WHERE IN THE PASSAGE
HOW TO
Where in the passage…….?
IDENTIFY THE
QUESTION

crows, who are among the wariest and most untrappable of birds.
Technical difficulties aside, crow research is daunting because the ways of these birds
are so complex and various. As preeminent generalists, members of this spieces ingenious
exploit a great range of habitats and recources, and they can quickly adjust to changes in their
circumstances. Being so educable, individual birds have markedly different interested and
inclinations, strategies and scams. For the example, one pet crow learned how to let a dog out
of its kennel by pulling the pin on the door. When the dog escaped, the bird went into the
kennel and ate its food.
1.What is main topic of the passage?
A. the ways in which crow differ from other common birds.
B. the myths and legends about crows.
C.the characteristics that make crows difficult to study.
D. the existing methods for investigating cros behavior.
2. According to the first passage, what evidence is there that crows have interested people for
a long time?
A. The large number of stories about crows.
B. the frequency with which crows are sighted.
C. the amount of research that has been conducted on crows.
D. the ease with which crows are indentified
3. In line 6, the author mentions the endanged CAlifonia condor as an example of a spieces
that is
A. smaller than the crow
C. easily indentified
B. featured in legends
D. very rare
4.According to the second paragraph, crows are poor subjects for the field research for all of
the following reasons EXCEPT
A. They can successfully avoid observers
B.They are hard to distinguish from one other
C. They can be quite aggressive

atomic power plant used to make electricity. The reactor leaked, which caused many deaths
through radiation. Now scientists are examining new ways of creating electricity without
harmful effects to the environment. They may harness the tides as they flow in and out of
bays. Most importantly, they hope to trap sunlight more efficiently. We do use solar heaters
for swimming pools but as yet improvement in the capacity of the solar cells to create more
current is necessary. When this happens, electric cars will be viable and the world will rid
itself of the toxic gases given off by trucks and cars that burn fossil fuels.
Question 1: The author mentions the sources of energy such as wind, steam, petrol in the first
paragraph to ______. A. suggest that electricity should be alternated with safer sources of
energy
B. emphasize the usefulness and adaptability of electricity
C. imply that electricity is not the only useful source of energy
D. discuss which source of energy can be a suitable alternative to electricity
Question 2: Before electricity, what was sometimes passed through pipes to heat rooms?
A. Gas.
B. Petrol.
C. Steam.
D. Hot wind.
Question 3: What does the author mean by saying that electricity is flexible?
A. It is cheap and easy to use.
B. It is used to drive motor engines.
C. It can be adapted to various uses. D. It can be made with ease.
Question 4: What do we call machines that make electricity?
A. Voltages. B. Electric magnets. C. Generators or turbines.
D.
Pipes
and
radiators.
Question 5: The main forms of power used to generate electricity in Australia are ______.
A. atomic power and water

C. “How to Produce Electricity”
D. “Why Electricity Is So Remarkable”

Passage 3
If parents bring up a child with the sole aim of turning the child into a genius (thiên
tài), they will cause a disaster. According to several leading educational psychologists, this is
one of the biggest mistakes which ambitious parents make. Generally, the child will be only
too aware of what his parents expect, and will fail. Unrealistic parental expectations can cause
great damage to children.
However, if parents are not too unrealistic about what they expect their children to do,
but are ambitious in a sensible way, the child may succeed in doing very well – especially if
the parents are very supportive of their child. Michael Collins is very lucky. He is crazy
about music, and his parents help him a lot by taking him to concerts and arranging private
piano and violin lessons for him. They even drive him 50 kilometers twice a week for violin
lessons. Michael’s mother knows very little about music, but his father plays the trumpet in a
large orchestra. However, he never makes Michael enter music competitions if he is
unwilling. Winston Smith, Michael’s friend, however, is not so lucky. Both his parents are
successful musicians, and they set too high a standard for Winston. They want their son to be
as successful as they are and so they enter him for every piano competition held. They are
very unhappy when he does not win. Winston is always afraid that he will disappoint his
parents and now he always seems quiet and unhappy.
Question 1: One of the serious mistakes parents can make is to ______.
A. push their child into trying too much
B. help their child to become a genius
C. make their child become a musician
D. neglect their child’s education
Question 2: Parents’ ambition for their children is not wrong if they ______.
A. force their children into achieving success
B. themselves have been very successful
C. understand and help their children sensibly

D. Michael’s mother
Question 9: The word "unwilling" in the passage mostly means ______.
A. "getting ready to do something"
B. "eager to do something"
C. "not objecting to doing anything"
D. "not wanting to do something"
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Question 10: The two examples given in the passage illustrate the principle that ______.
A. successful parents always have intelligent children
B. successful parents often have unsuccessful children
C. parents should let the child develop in the way he wants
D. parents should spend more money on the child’s education

Passage 4
Americas foods began to affect the rest of the world. American emphasis on convenient and
rapid consumption is best represented in fast foods such as hamburgers, French fries, and
soft drinks. By the 1960s and 1970s fast foods became one of Americas strongest exports
as franchises for Mc Donalds and Burger King spread through Europe and other parts of
the world, including Russia and China. Traditional meals cooked at home and consumed
at a leisurely pace _ gave way to quick lunches and dinners eaten on the run as other
countries imitated American cultural patterns.
By the late 20th century Americans had become more conscious of their diets, eating more
poultry, fish and vegetables, and fewer eggs and less beef. Cooks began to rediscover
many world cuisines in forms closer to their original. In California, chefs combined fresh
fruits and vegetables available with ingredients and spices borrowed from immigrant
kitchens to create an innovative cooking style that was lighter than traditional French, but
more interesting and varied than typical American cuisine. Along with the states wines,
California cuisine took its place among the acknowledged forms of fine dining.

trousers are worn throughout the world on a variety of occasions. Also called levis or
denims, jeans have an interesting story.
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The word jeans is derived from the name of the place where a similar style of pants
developed. In the 16th century, sailors from Genoa, Italy, wore a unique tyle of cotton
trousers. In French, the word for the city of Genoa and for the people from that city is
Genes, this name became attached to the trousers and developed into the word jeans.
Similar to the word jeans, the word denim is also derived from a place name. In the 17th
century, French sailors began making trousers out of a specialized type of cloth that was
developed in the city of Nimes, France and was known serge de Nimes. This name
eventually developed into denim, the material which jeans are made and an alternative
name for these popular pants.
The word levis came from a person. In the 19 th century, Levis Strauss tried to sell heavy
canvas to miners taking part in the hunt for gold in northern California. He intended for
this canvas to be used by miners to make heavy-duty tents. This first attemp was a failure
but he later found success when he used the canvas to make indestructible pants for the
miners. He changed the fabric from brown canvas to blue denim, creating a style of pants
that long outlived him and is now referred to by his name.
1. All of the following are mentioned in the passage about Genoa except that it ………..
A. was the source of the word jeans
B. is in Italy
C. has a different name in French
D. is a landlocked city
2. The word denim was most probably derived from …….
A. 2 French words
B. 2 Italian words
C. 1 French word and 1 Italian word
D. 3 French words

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latchkey children deal with their fears is by hiding. They may hide in a shower stall, under a
bed or in a closet. The second is TV. They often turn the volume up. It’s hard to get statistics
on latchkey children, the Longs have learned. Most parents are slow to admit that they leave
their children alone.
Question 1: The phrase “an empty house” in the passage mostly means ______.
A. a house with no people inside
B. a house with no furniture
C. a house with nothing inside
D. a house with too much space
Question 2: One thing that the children in the passage share is that ______.
A. they all watch TV
B. they spend part of each day alone
C. they are from single-parent families
D. they all wear jewelry
Question 3: The phrase “latchkey children” in the passage means children who ______.
A. close doors with keys and watch TV by themselves
B. like to carry latches and keys with them everywhere
C. are locked inside houses with latches and keys
D. look after themselves while their parents are not at home
Question 4: The main problem of latchkey children is that they ______.
A. are also found in middle-class families
B. watch too much television during the day
C. suffer a lot from being left alone
D. are growing in numbers
Question 5: What is the main idea of the first paragraph?
A. How kids spend free time.
B. Why kids hate going home.

The difference between schooling and education implied by this remark is important.
Education is much more open-ended and all-inclusive than schooling. Education knows no
limits. It can take place anywhere, whether in the shower or on the job, whether in the kitchen
or on a tractor. It includes both the formal learning that takes place in school and the whole
universe of informal learning. The agent (doer) of education can vary from respected
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grandparents to the people arguing about politics on the radio, from a child to a famous
scientist. Whereas schooling has a certain predictability, education quite often produces
surprises. A chance conversation with a stranger may lead a person to discover how little is
known of other religions. People receive education from infancy on. Education, then, is a very
broad, inclusive term; it is a lifelong process, a process that starts long before the start of
school, and one that should be a necessary part of one’s entire life. Schooling, on the other
hand, is a specific, formalized process, whose general pattern varies little from one setting to
the next. Throughout a country, children arrive at school at about the same time, take the
assigned seats, are taught by an adult, use similar textbooks, do homework, take exams, and
so on. The pieces of reality that are to be learned, whether they are the alphabet or an
understanding of the workings of governments, have been limited by the subjects being
taught. For example, high school students know that they are not likely to find out in their
classes the truth about political problems in their society or what the newest filmmakers are
experimenting with. There are clear and undoubted conditions surrounding the formalized
process of schooling.
Question 1: This passage is mainly aimed at ______.
A. giving examples of different schools
B. telling the difference between the meaning of two related words
C. listing and discussing several educational problems
D. telling a story about excellent teachers
Question 2: In the passage, the expression “children interrupt their education to go to
school” mostly implies that ______.

C. newest filmmakers
D. high school students
Question 8: Because the general pattern of schooling varies little from one setting to the next,
school children throughout the country ______.
A. do similar things
B. have the same abilities
C. are taught by the same teachers
D. have similar study conditions
Question 9: From the passage, we can infer that a high school teacher ______.
A. is free to choose anything to teach
B. is not allowed to teach political issues
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C. has to teach social issues to all classes
D. is bound to teach programmed
subjects
Question 10: Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?
A. The more years students go to school, the better their education is.
B. The best schools teach a variety of subjects.
C. Education and schooling are quite different experience.
D. Students benefit from schools, which require long hours and homework.
Passage 8
The ocean bottom- a region nearly 2.5 times greater than total land area of the Earthis a vast frontier that even today is largely unexplored and uncharted. Until about a
century ago, the deep-ocean floor was completely inaccessible, hidden beneath waters
averaging over 3,6000 meters deep. Totally without light and subjected to intense
pressures hundreds of times greater than at the Earth's surface, deep-ocean bottom is a
hostile environment to humans, in some ways as forbidding and remote as the void of
outer space.
Although researchers have taken samples of deep-ocean rocks and sediments for over

A. rock formations in outer space are similar to those found on the ocean floor
B. the Earth's climate millions of years ago was similar to condition in outer space
C. techniques used by scientists to explore outer space were similar to those used in
ocean exploration
D. it is similar to the ocean floor in being alien to the human environment
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3. The Deep Sea Drilling Project was significant because it was ____.
A. composed of geologists from all over the world
B. funded entirely by the gas and oil industry
C. attempt to find new sources of oil and gas
D. the first extensive exploration of the ocean bottom
4. The DSDP can be said to be ____in terms of geological exploration.
A. a waste of time and effort
B. of crucial importance
C. a great success
D. a total flop
5. The word "inaccessible" underlined in the first paragraph is closest in meaning to ___ .
A. unusable
B. unrecognizable
C. unreachable
D. unsafe
6. The word "strength" underlined in the third paragraph is closest in meaning to ____.
A. discovery
B. basis
C. endurance
D. purpose
7. Which of the following is TRUE of the Glomar Challenger ?
A. It is a type of submarine.

Never leave a spare key in a convenient hiding place. The first place a burglar will look is
under the doormat or in a flower pot and even somewhere more 'imaginative' could soon be
uncovered by the intruder. It is much safer to leave a key with a neighbour you can trust. But
if your house is in a quiet, desolate area be aware that this will be a burglar's dream, so deter
any potential criminal from approaching your house by fitting security lights to the outside of
your house.
But what could happen if, in spite of the aforementioned precautions, a burglar or
intruder has decided to target your home. Windows are usually the first point of entry for
many intruders. Downstairs windows provide easy access while upstairs windows can be
reached with a ladder or by climbing up the drainpipe. Before going to bed you should
double-check that all windows and shutters are locked. No matter how small your windows
may be, it is surprising what a narrow gap a determined burglar can manage to get through.
For extra security, fit window locks to the inside of the window.
What about entry via doors? Your back door and patio doors, which are easily forced
open, should have top quality security locks fitted. Even though this is expensive it will be
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money well spent. Install a burglar alarm if you can afford it as another line of defence against
intruders.
A sobering fact is that not all intruders have to break and enter into a property. Why go to
the trouble of breaking in if you can just knock and be invited in? Beware of bogus officials
or workmen and, particularly if you are elderly, fit a chain and an eye hole so you can
scrutinise callers at your leisure. When you do have callers never let anybody into your home
unless you are absolutely sure they are genuine. Ask to see an identity card, for example.
If you are in the frightening position of waking in the middle of the night and think you
can hear an intruder, then on no account should you approach the intruder. It is far better to
telephone the police and wait for help.
1. A well-protected house __________
A. is very unlikely to be burgled.

B. are luxury items.
C. cost a lot of money but are worth it.
D. are good value for money.
8. The writer argues that fitting a chain and an eye hole__________
A. gives you time to check if the visitor is genuine.
B. will prevent your home being burgled.
C. avoids you having to invite people into your home.
D. is only necessary for elderly people.
9. What word best replaces "scrutinise" underlined in paragraph 7?
A. gaze
B. search
C. examine
D. glance
10. The best title for the text is __________
A. What to do if a burglar breaks into your home.
B. Protecting your home from intruders.
C. Burglary statistics
D. Increasing household crime.
Passage 10
The response of most animals when suddenly faced with a predator is to flee. Natural
selection has acted in a variety of ways in different species to enhance the efficacy of the
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behaviours, known as "flight behaviours" or escape behaviours that are used by prey in
fleeing predators. Perhaps the most direct adaptation is enhanced light speed and agility.
Adaptations for speed, however, are likely to require sacrifices biter attributes, so we might
expect only some species to adopt a simple fast flight strategy.
Another way of enhancing the effectiveness of flight is to move in an erratic and
unpredictable way. Many species, like ptarmigans, snipes, and various antelopes and