CLOSE TEST& READING COMPREHENSION
1,
In early civilization, citizens were educated informally, usually within the family unit.
Education meant simply learning to live. As civilization became more complex, however,
education became more formal, structured, and comprehensive. Initial efforts of the ancient
Chinese and Greek societies concentrated solely on the education of males. The postBabylonian Jews and Plato were exceptions to this pattern. Plato was apparently the first
significant advocate of the equality of the sexes. Women, in his ideal state, would have the
same rights and duties and the same educational opportunities as men. This aspect of Platonic
philosophy, however, had little or no effect on education for many centuries, and the concept
of a liberal education for men only, which had been espoused by Aristotle, prevailed.
In ancient Rome, the availability of an education was radually extended to women, but
they were taught separately from men. The early Christians and medieval Europeans
continued this trend, and single-sex schools for the privileged through classes prevailed
through the Reformation period. Gradually, however, education for women, in a separate but
equal basis to that provided for men, was becoming a clear responsibility of society. Martin
Luther appealed for civil support of schools for all children. Al the Council of Trent in the 16 th
century, the Roman Catholic Church encouraged the establishment of free primary schools for
children of all classes. The concept of universal primary education, regardless of sex, had
been born, but it was still in the realm of the single-sex school.
In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, co-education became a more widely applied
principle of educational philosophy. In Britain, Germany, and the Soviet Union the education
of boys and girls in the same classes became an accepted practice. Since World War II, Japan
and the Scandinavian countries have also adopted relatively universal co-educational systems.
The greatest negative reaction to co-education has been felt in the teaching systems of the
Latin countries, where the sexes have usually been separated at both primary and secondary
levels, according to local conditions.
A number of studies have indicated that girls seem to perform better overall and in
science in particular. In single-sex classes, during the adolescent years, pressure to conform to
stereotypical female gender roles may disadvantage girls in traditionally male subjects,
making them reluctant to volunteer for experimental work while taking part in lessons. In
Britain, academic league tables point to high standards achieved in girls’ schools. Some

__________.
A. in a department

B. in classrooms

C. ability

D. outside the school

Câu 41: When education first reached women, they were __________.
A. separated from men

B. locked up in a place with men

C. deprived of opportunities

D. isolated from a normal life

Câu 42: When the concept of universal primary education was introduced, education
__________.
A. was intended for all the sexes

B. was intended for all the sexes

C. was given free to all

D. focused on imparting skills

Câu 43: Co-education was negatively responded to in __________.
A. conservative countries


B. why
B. in
B. pleasant

C. where
C. on
C. disappointed

D. that
D. for
D. excited


Câu 49:
Câu 50:

A. attendances
A. avoid

B. attentions
B. suggest

C. impressions
C. enjoy

D. pressures
D. mind

3,

C. over
C. So far
C. promote

D. must
D. method
D. in
D. As long as
D. depend

4,
Telecommuting is some form of computer communication between employees’ homes and
offices. For employees whose job involve sitting at a terminal or word processor entering data
or typing reports, the location of the computer is of no consequence. If the machine can
communicate over telephone lines, when the work is completed, employees can dial the office
computer and transmit the material to their employers. A recent survey in USA Today
estimates that there are approximately 8,7 million telecommuters. But although the numbers
are rising annually, the trend does not appear to be as significant as predicted when Business
Week published “The Portable Executive” as its cover story a few years ago. Why hasn’t
telecommuting become more popular?
Clearly, change simply takes time. But in addition, there has been active resistance on the part
of many managers. These executives claim that supervising the telecommuters in a large work
force scattered across the country would be too difficult, or, at least, systems for managing
them are not yet developed, thereby complicating the manager’s responsibilities.
It is also true that employees who are given the option of telecommuting are reluctant to
accept the opportunity. Most people feel that they need regular interaction with a group, and


many are concerned that they will not have the same consideration for advancement if they
are not more visible in the office setting. Some people feel that even when a space in their

D. are ignorant of telecommuting.
7. The word “reluctant” in the third paragraph can best be replaced by
A. opposite
B. willing
C. hesitant
D. typical
5,
The three phases of human memory are the sensory memory, the short-term memory, and the
long- term memory. This devision of the memory into phases is based on the length of time
of the memory.
Sensory memory is instantaneous memory. It is an image or memory that enters your mind
only for a short period of time; it comes and goes in under a second. The memory will not last
longer than that unless the information enters the short-term memory.
Information can be held in the short-term memory for about twenty seconds or as long as you
are actively using it. If you repeat a fact to yourself, that fact will stay in your short-term
memory as long as you keeprepeating it. Once you stop repeating it, either it is forgotten or it
moves into long term memory.
Long-term memory is the huge memory tank that can hold ideas and images for years and
years. Information can be added to your long-term memory when you actively try to put it
there through memorization or when an idea or image enters your mind on its own.
1. The best title for this pasage would be……………………
A. The difference between sensory and short-term memory.
B. How long it takes to memorize.


C. The stages of human memory.
D. Human phases.
2. The three phases of memory discussed in the pasage are differentiated according
to……………
A. The location in the brain

he expression “on its own” in the last sentence can be best replaced by

“……………………..”
A. by itself
B. in it own time
C. with its possessions D. in only one way
8. It can be inferred from the passage that if a person remembers a piece of information for
two days, this is probably…………………
A. three phases of memeory
B. the sensory memory
C. the short-term memory
D. the long-term memory
6,
Because writing has become so important in our culture, we sometimes think of it as more real
than speech. A little thought, however, will show w hy speech is primary and writing secondary to
language. Human beings have been writing (as far as we can tell from surviving evidence) for at least
5000 years; but they have been talking for much longer, doubtless ever since there have been human
beings.
When writing did develop, it was derived from and represented speech, although imperfectly.
Even today there are spoken languages that have no written form. Furthermore, we all learn to talk
well before we learn to write; any human child who is not severely handicapped physically or
mentally will learn to talk: a normal human being cannot be prevented from doing so. On the other
hand, it takes a special effort to learn to write. In the past many intelligent and useful members of
society did not acquire the skill, and even today many who speak languages with writing


systems never learn to read or write, while some who learn the rudiments of those skills do
so only imperfectly.
To affirm the primacy of speech over writing is not, however, to disparage the latter. One
advantage writing has over speech is that it is more permanent and makes possible the records that

B. too difficult

C. not easy

D. very easy

Câu 48: In order to show that learning to write requires effort, the author gives the example
of
______.
A. people who learn the rudiments of speech B. severely handicapped children
C. intelligent people who couldn’t write

D. people who speak many languages

Câu 49: In the author’s judgment, ______.
A. writing has more advantages than speech
B. writing is more real than speech
C. speech conveys ideas less accurately than writing does
D. speech is essential but writing has important benefits
Câu 50: The word “advantage” in the last paragraph most closely means ______.
A. “rudiments”

7,

B. “skill”

C. “domination”

FAMILY LIFE IN THE UNITED STATES


wives may also find changes in their marriage. They, too, may have a better understanding of each
other.
Câu 36: Sixty years ago, most women ____________
A. went out to work

B. had no children

C. did not do much housework

D. were housewives

Câu 37: Nowadays, there are __________.
A. more women going out to work than before
B. more and more women staying with the children all day
C. more work outside the home than before
D. more housewives than before
Câu 38: The word “laundry” in paragraph 2 is closest in meaning to ___________
A. tidying up

B. cooking and washing up

C. washing and ironing

D. shopping

Câu 39: It can be inferred from paragraph 4 that__________.


A. couples with low-paid jobs can’t afford the cost of a babysitter or a day-care center
B. grandparents can help care the children in a regular way

should focus (34) _______ facts and technical information and the quality of your company's
products. You should also prepare well, as they may ask a lot of questions. Colleagues
normally use the family names, and title - for example 'Doctor' or 'Professor', so you shouldn't
use first names (35) _______ a person asks you to.
Question 31:

A. while

B. as if

C. such as

D. as

Question 32:

A. sudden

B. suddenly

C. abruptly

D.

Question 33:

A. other

B. others


provide a place for people to relax and play sports, as well as a refuge from the often
harsh

environment of

a city. What people often overlook is that parks also provide

considerable environmental benefits.
One benefit of parks is that plants absorb carbon dioxide—a key pollutant—and emit oxygen,
which humans need to breathe. According to one study, an acre of trees can absorb the
same amount of carbon dioxide that a typical car emits in 11,000 miles of driving. Parks also
make cities cooler. Scientists have long noted what is called the Urban Heat Island Effect:
building materials such as metal, concrete, and asphalt absorb much more of the sun’s heat
and release it much more quickly than organic surfaces like trees and grass. Because city
landscapes contain so much of these building materials, cities are usually warmer than
surrounding rural areas. Parks and other green spaces help to mitigate the Urban Heat Island
Effect.
Unfortunately, many cities cannot easily create more parks because most land is already being
used for buildings, roads, parking lots, and other essential parts of the urban environment.
However, cities could benefit from many of the positive effects of parks by encouraging
citizens to create another type of green space: rooftop gardens. While most people would not
think of starting a garden on their roof, human beings have been planting gardens on rooftops
for thousands of years. Some rooftop gardens are very complex and require complicated
engineering, but others are simple container gardens that anyone can create with the
investment of a few hundred dollars and a few hours of work.
Rooftop gardens provide many of the same benefits as other urban park and garden
spaces, but without taking up the much-needed land. Like parks, rooftop gardens help to
replace carbon dioxide in the air with nourishing oxygen. They also help to lessen the Urban
Heat Island Effect, which can save people money. In the summer, rooftop gardens prevent
buildings from absorbing heat from the sun, which can significantly reduce cooling bills.

except _______.
A. increased space for private relaxation

B. savings on heating and cooling costs

C. better food for city dwellers

D. improved air quality

Question 40: According to the author, one advantage that rooftop gardens have over parks is
that they
_______.
A. decrease the Urban Heat Island Effect

B. replenish the air with nourishing

oxygen
C. do not require the use of valuable urban land

D. are less expensive than traditional

park spaces
Question 41: The author’s tone in the passage is best described as _______
A. descriptive

B. passionate

C. informative

D. argumentative

Established before humans populated the Earth, Middle Earth was inhabited by good and
evil creatures such as hobbits, elves, monsters, wizards, and some humans. The characters
and the setting of Middle Earth were modeled after mythological stories from
Greece and Northern Europe.
Although readers have scrutinized the texts for inner meaning and have tried to
connect the trilogy with Tolkien's real life experiences in England during World War II, he
denied the connection. He claims that the story began in his years as an undergraduate student
and grew out of his desire to create mythology and legends about elves and their
language.Tolkien was a masterful fantasy novelist who used his extensive knowledge of
folklore to create a body of work that is still read and enjoyed throughout the world today.
Question 43: What can we assume is NOT true about Middle Earth?
A. Middle Earth was based on European folktales

B. Middle Earth was a fictional

world
C. The good and evil kingdom fought for the power
Earth

D. People

dominated Middle


Question 44: The word "scrutinized" in the fourth paragraph could be replaced by_______.
A. examined

B. denied

C. enjoyed

D. During World War II

Question 48: What does the word "trilogy" in the first paragraph mean?
A. A specific type of fantasy novel

B. A long novel

C. A group of three literary books

D. An unrelated group of books

Question 49: What is the setting of Tolkien's trilogy?
A. Modern - day Greece

B. England in the 1800's

C. Oxford University

D. Middle Earth

Question 50: The word "fascinating" in the second paragraph could be replaced by _______.
A. thrilling

B. extremely interesting

C. boring

D. terrifying

11,

B. exam

C. course

D. lesson

Question 34: A. form

B. class

C. grade

D. course

Question 35: A. variety

B. amount

C. number

D. lot

12,
Over the past 600 years, English has grown from a language of few speakers to
become the dominant language of international communication. English as we know it
today emerged around 1350, after having incorporated many elements of French that were
introduced following the Norman invasion off 1066. Until the 1600s, English was, for the
most part, spoken only in England and had not expanded even as far as Wales, Scotland, or
Ireland. However, during the course of the next two century, English began to spread around
the globe as a result of exploration, trade (including slave trade), colonization, and missionary

D. customs


Question 39: Approximately when did English begin to be used beyond England?
____________ .
A. In 1066

B. around 1350

C. before 1600D. after 1600

Question 40: According to the passage, all of the following contributed to the spread of
English around the world except ____________ .
A. the slave trade

B. the Norman invasion

C. missionaries

D. colonization

Question 41: In the second paragraph, the word "stored" is closest in meaning
to____________ .
A. bought

B. saved

C. spent

D. valued



(Source: TOEFL Reading)

Question 43: The passage mainly discusses Rachel Carson’s work ______________.
A. as a researcher

B. at college

C. at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

D. as a writer

Question 44: According to the passage, what did Carson primarily study at Johns Hopkins
University?
A. oceanography B. zoology

C. literature

D. history

Question 45: When she published her first book, Carson was closest to the age of
A. 26

B. 29

C. 34

D. 45


A. faulty

B. deceptive

C. logical

D. offensive

Question 50: Why does the author of the passage mention the report of the President’s Science
Advisory Committee (lines 14-15) ?
A. To provide an example of government propaganda.
B. To support Carson’s ideas.
C. To indicate a growing government concern with the environment.
D. To validate the chemical industry’s claims.


14,
The warming of the Pacific Ocean has created weather pattern (31)_______ strongly affect
the world. When the water is warm, the amount of rainfall in Indonesia and the surrounding
regions decreases. Australia could (32)_______ experience a drought in many parts. On the
other hand, Chile (which borders the Pacific Ocean) is preparing for severe rainstorms. In
Pakistan and northwestern India, the weather pattern makes the rainy season weaker and
makes the area much drier.
This happening is called El Nino and is used (33)_______ weather forecasters to make longrange weather predictions. They also know that El Nino will bring unusually rain to the
southwestern part of the United States and make the central part of the country drier at the
same time.
According to research, weather forecasters (34)_______ know about the coming weather with
certainty. Now everything has become completely different.
El Nino itself used to be predictable. It would occur every two to seven years. But now this
weather pattern is becoming more frequent. We cannot say when and how often tornadoes or

D. at

Question 34:

A. used to

Question 35:

A. change

B. get used to
B. transfer

C. are used to

D. used to be

C. transformation

D. shift

15,

5

Horace Pippin, as an African-American soldier during World War I, was wounded
in his right arm. He discovered, however, that by keeping his right wrist steady with his


left hand, he could paint and draw. Pippin was not trained, but his artistic sensitivity


D. line 11


A. had a simple a simple upbringing

B. was obsessed with the subject of

abolition
C. was destroyed by his war experiences

D. wanted nothing to do with his past

Question 40: The word “arrangement” in line 5 could best be replaced by which of the
following?
A. purpose

B. feature

C. mixture

D. production

Question 41: With which of the following statements would the author agree?
A. Horace Pippin was a poorly trained ordinary artist
B. Primitive art is an excuse for lack of training and latent
C. Horace Pippin made an important contribution to American art
D. Horace Pippin placed too much emphasis on social issues in his work.
Question 42: The passage would most likely be required reading in which course?
A. Biology

castles, but we forget that they must have been gloomy and murky places at night.
Question 43: What does “they” refer to?
A. people

B. ages

C. sticks

D. trees

Question 44: According to the passage the first fire used by people was probably obtained ______.
A. from the sun’s heat through glass B. by rubbing wood together
C. from heat or fire caused by nature D. by striking iron against flint
Question 45: It is stated in the passage that torches for lighting were made from ______.
A. the wood of gum trees

B. iron bars dipped in melted resins

C. wooden poles dipped in oil

D. tree branches dipped in melted resins

Question 46: It is mentioned in the passage that before the electric lamp was invented
A. oil lamps and then candles were used
B. candles and oil lamps appeared about the same time
C. candles and then oil lamps were used
D. people did not use any form of lighting in their houses
Question 47: The word “splendors” in the passage could be best replaced by which of the following?
A. expensive objects


17,
In a small village in North Yorkshire, there is a big old farmhouse ______(31) three families
live together. Alice and George and their three children, Joe and Pam and their two children,
and Sue and her baby daughter. The adults divide up the work between them. George does the
cooking, Joe and Sue do almost the housework. Pam looks after the shopping and ______(32)
the repairs, and Alice takes care of the garden.
Alice, George and Sue go out to work. Joe works at home ______(33) computer
systems, and Pam, who is a painter, looks after the baby during the day. Two of the children
go to school in the village, but the three oldest ones go by bus to the secondary school in the
nearest town, ten miles away.
The three families get ______(34) well, and enjoy their way of life. There are a few
difficulties, of course. Their biggest worry at the moment is money- one of the cars needs
replacing, and the roof needs some expensive repairs. But this isn't too serious- the bank has
agreed to a loan, which they expect to be able to pay back in three years. And they all say they


would much rather go on living in their old farmhouse ______(35) move to a luxury flat in a
big city.
Question 31: A. that

B. where

C. in where

D. which

Question 32: A. does

B. makes


therefore
18,
The Hindu cultural celebrates marriage as a pure and pristine rite enabling two
individuals start their journey of life together. It puts emphasis on the values of happiness,
harmony and growth and could be traced back from the Vedic times.
Months before the wedding ceremony, an engagement is held which is called
"mangni". The couple is blessed here with gifts, jewelry and clothes. Another important ritual
is the "mehendi" which is a paste made from the leaves of henna plant. It is the traditional art
of adorning the hands and the feet of the bride with mehendi and the name of the groom is
also hidden in the design.
On the day of marriage, the couple exchanges garlands as a gesture of acceptance of
one another and a pledge to respect one another as partners which is known as "jaimala". This
is followed by "kanyadaan", where the father of the bride places her hand in the groom's hand
requesting him to accept her as an equal partner.
Another ritual is the "havan" in which the couple invokes Agni, the god of Fire, to
witness their commitment to each other. Crushed sandalwood, herbs, sugar rice and oil are
offered to the ceremonial fire. The "gath bandhan" takes place where scarves of the bride and
groom are tied together symbolizing their eternal bonThis signifies their pledge before God to
love each other and remain loyal. The couple then takes four "mangal pheras" or walk around


the ceremonial fire, representing four goals in life: "Dharma", religious and moral duties;
"Artha", prosperity; "Kama" earthly pleasures; "Moksha", spiritual salvation.
The couple also takes seven steps together to begin their journey, called the
"saptapardi". Then the ritual of "sindoor" takes place where the groom applies a small dot of
vermilion, a red powder to the bride's forehead and welcomes her as his partner for life. This
signifies the completion of the marriage. The parents of the bride and the groom then give
their blessings, "ashirwad" to the newlywed couple as they touch the feet of their parents.
Question 36: What might be the most suitable title for this reading passage?
A. The Hindu culture


B. says

C. prays

D. talks

Question 41: Why does the couple exchange garlands?
A. to do a ritual
B. to show both their acceptance of and the swear to respect the partner.
C. to express their acceptance of one another and a wish of happiness.
D. to express their vow to respect each other for the whole life.
Question 42: When is the wedding ceremony completed?
A. When the parents of the bride and the groom give their blessings to the couple.
B. When the couple touches their parents' feet.
C. When the couple makes seven steps together.
D. When the groom applies a small dot of vermillion of the bride's forehead.

19,
A Japanese construction company plans to create a huge independent city-state, akin
to the legendary Atlantis, in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. The city, dubbed “Marinnation”,
would have about one million inhabitants, two airports, and possibly even a space port.
Marinnation, if built, would be a separate country but could serve as a home for international
organisations such as the United Nations and the World Bank.
Aside from the many political and social problems that would have to be solved, the
engineering task envisaged is monumental. The initial stage requires the building of a circular
dam eighteen miles in diameter attached to the sea bed in a relatively shallow place in
international waters. Then, several hundred powerful pumps, operating for more than a year,
would suck out the sea water from within the dam. When empty and dry, the area would have
a city constructed on it. The actual land would be about 300 feet below the sea level.

C. engineering

D. financial

Question 46: Which of the following is NOT true according to the text?
A. Marinnation would have about one million inhabitants.
B. Marinnation will be built in a deep place in the Pacific Ocean.
C. Marinnation will be located in the middle of the Pacific Ocean.
D. Marinnation could be served as home for international organisations.
Question 47: The word ‘monumental’ in Paragraph 2 means __________.
A. important and difficult

B. like a large monument

C. important and historic

D. serving as a monument

Question 48: The phrase ‘suck out’ in paragraph 2 is closest in meaning to which of the
following?
A. draw out

B. dry up

C. take out

D. pull out

Question 49: According to the text, people could come to live in the future city in the year
__________.

cured meats, many Oriental and prepared foods (read the labels!). Some people have been
successful in treating their migraines with supplements of B-vitamins, particularly B6 and
niacin. Children who are hyperactive may benefit from eliminating food additives, especially
colorings, and foods high in salicylates from their diets.
Question 36: The topic of this passage is______________.
A. reactions to foods B. food and nutrition

C. infants and allergies

D. a good

diet
Question 37: According to the passage, the difficulty in diagnosing allergies to foods is due to
______________.
A. the vast number of different foods we eat
B. lack of a proper treatment plan
C. the similarity of symptoms of the allergy to other problems