15000 bài tập tách từ đề thi thử môn Tiếng Anh có đáp án (Phần 36)

INFLUENCES OF TELEVISION

Television has changed the lifestyle of people in every industrialized country in the world. In the United States, where sociologists have studied the effects, some interesting observations have been made.

Television, although not essential, has become a(n) (76) _____ part of most people’s lives. It has become a baby-sitter, an initiator of conversations, a major transmitter of culture, and a keeper of traditions. Yet when what can be seen on TV in one day is critically analyzed, it becomes evident that television is not a teacher but a sustainer. The poor quality of programs does not elevate people into greater (77) ______.

The primary reason for the lack of quality in American television is related to both the history of TV development and the economics of TV. Television in America began with the radio. Radio companies and their sponsors first experimented with television. Therefore, the close relationship, which the advertisers had with radio programs, became the system for American TV. Sponsors not only paid money for time within programs, but many actually produced the programs. Thus, coming from the capitalistic, profit-oriented sector of American society, television is primarily (78) _______ with reflecting and attracting society rather than innovating and experimenting with new ideas. Advertisers want to attract the largest viewing audience possible; to do so requires that the programs be entertaining rather than challenging.

Television in America today remains, to a large (79) _______, with the same organization and standards as it had thirty years ago. The hope for some evolution and true achievement toward improving society will require a change in the (80) _______ system.

In 1830, there were under 100 miles of public railway in Britain. Yet within 20 years, this figure had grown to more than 5000 miles. By the end of the century, almost enough rail track to encircle the world covered this small island, (81) __________ the nature of travel forever and contributing to the industrial revolution that changed the course of history in many parts of the world.

Wherever railways were introduced, economic and social progress quickly (82) __________ In a single day, rail passengers could travel hundreds of miles, cutting previous journey times by huge margins and bringing rapid travel within the (83) __________ of ordinary people. Previously, many people had never ventured beyond the outskirts of their town and villages. The railway brought them greater freedom and enlightenment.

In the 19^th century, the railway in Britain represented something more than just the business of carrying goods and passengers. Trains were associated with romance, adventure and, frequently, (84) __________ luxury. But the railways did more than revolutionize travel; they also left a distinctive and permanent mark on the British landscape. Whole towns and industrial centers (85) __________ up around major rail junctions, monumental bridges and viaducts crossed rivers and valleys and the railway stations themselves became desirable places to spend time between journeys.

Over the next 20 to 50 years, it will become harder to tell the (86) _____ between the human and the machine. All, body parts will be replaceable. Computers will function like the human brain         with the ability to recognize feelings and respond in a feeling way. They will then produce fake people. We will then be able to create a machine duplicate of ourselves so we will appear to be alive long after we are dead. Maybe a few decades later, a way will be found to transfer our spirit, including our (87) _____ and thoughts, to the new body. Then we can choose to live for as long as we want. It might be expensive. When it becomes possible to do a spirit transfer, they will figure out (88) _____ to do them automatically. So we will be able to reside within whichever duplicate we want, whenever we want.

Miniature robots will be built to travel through your blood stream and repair damage. Also, larger robots will be used when you are sick. When you have an upset stomach, you will (89) _____ a very small cherry tasting robot which will travel through your stomach taking video of the mess. It will be set up like a video game, so you can control the exploring and the selection of images. Then you can replay the video to help a doctor (90) _____ your illness, or to prove to your employer that you really, were sick.

Rowing is a sport in which athletes race against each other on rivers, lakes or on the ocean, (91) _____ on the type of race and the discipline. The boats are propelled by the reaction forces on the oar blades as they are pushed against the water. The sport can be both recreational, focusing (92) _____ learning the techniques required, and competitive where overall fitness plays a large role. It is also one of the oldest Olympic sports. In the United States, Australia and Canada, high school and collegial rowing is sometimes referred to as crew.

(93) _____ rowing, the athlete sits in the boat facing backwards, towards the stern, and uses the oars which are held in place by the oarlocks to propel the boat forward, towards the bow. It is a demanding sport requiring strong core balance as well as physical (94) _____ and cardiovascular endurance.

Since the action of rowing has become fairly popular throughout the world, there are many different types of (95) _____. These include endurance races, time trials, stake racing, bumps racing, and the side-by-side format used in the Olympic Games. The many different formats are a result of the long history of the sport, its development in. different regions of the world, and specific local requirements and restrictions.

Sugar was for a long time a luxury and in the opinion of the medical profession it still should be. During the nineteenth century, however, manufactures discovered (96) ______ of producing it in vast quantities and it has since become one of the staple articles of diet, particularly for the lower social classes. It has the advantages of being comparatively cheap, easily digested, rich in energy and useful for flavoring. Its major drawbacks are that it lacks every nourishing quality except that of giving energy, and because of its attractive flavor it (97)______ to displace other much more valuable foods from the diet. Most serious of all is its adverse (98) _____ on health, since excessive consumption can cause heart trouble, obesity and dental decay. The latter is widespread among the inhabitants of western countries. From the very young to the very old, (99) ______ anyone escapes. Yet if parents would drastically reduce the (100) ______ of confectionery they allow their children to eat, the extend of dental decay would soon be made

When you read something in a foreign language, you frequently come across words you do not fully understand. Sometimes you (1) ______ the meaning in a dictionary and sometimes you guess. The strategy you adopt depends very much upon the degree of accuracy you require and the time at your disposal.
          If you are the sort of person who tends to turn to the dictionary frequently, it is (2) ______ remembering that every dictionary has its limitations. Each definition is only an approximation and one builds up an accurate picture of the meaning of a word only after meeting it in a (3) ______ of contexts. It is also important to recognize the special dangers of dictionaries that translate from English into your native language and vice versa. If you must use a dictionary, it is usually far safer to consult an English-English dictionary.
          In most exams you are not permitted to use a dictionary. (4) ______ you are allowed to use one, it is very time-consuming to look up words, and time in exams is usually limited. You are, therefore, forced to guess the meaning of unfamiliar words. When you come across unknown words in an exam text, it is very easy to panic. However, if you develop efficient techniques for guessing the meaning, you will overcome a number of possible problems and help yourself to understand far more of the text than you at first thought likely.
          Two strategies which may help you guess the meaning of a word are: using contextual clues, both within the sentence and outside, and making use of clues (5) ______ from the formation of the word

Perry had a rough childhood. He was physically and sexually abused growing up, got kicked out of high school, and tried to commit suicide ___(1)___ once as a preteen and again at 22. At 23 he move to Atlanta and took ___(2)___ odd jobs as he started working on his stage career.

In 1992 he wrote, produced, and starred in his first theater ___(3)___, I Know I’ve Been Changed, somewhat informed by his difficult upbringing. Perry put all his savings into the show and it failed miserably; the run lasted just one weekend and only 30 people came to watch. He kept up with the production, working more odd jobs and often slept in his car to get by. Six years later, Perry finally ___(4)___ through when, on its seventh run, the show became a success. He‘s since gone on to have an extremely successful career ___(5)___ a director, writer, and actor. In fact, Perry was named Forbes’ highest paid man in the field.

Nowadays people are more aware that wildlife all over the world is in danger. Many species of animals will become (1)_____ if we do not make an effort to protect them. There are many reasons for this. In some cases, animals are (2) _____for their fur or for other valuable parts of their bodies. Some birds, such as parrots, are caught alive and sold as pets. For many animals and birds the problem is that their habitat - the place where they live - is (3) _____ . More land is used for farms, for houses or industry, and there are fewer open spaces than there once were. Farmers use powerful chemicals to help them grow better crops, but these chemicals pollute the environment and (4) _____ wildlife. The most successful animals on earth - human beings - will soon be the only ones (5) _____ , unless we can solve this problem.

I had never been to Denmark before, so when I set out to catch the ferry in early May, I little suspected that by the end of the trip I'd have made such lasting friendships. Esjberg is a (1)_____ port for acyclist's arrival, where tourist information can be obtained and money changed. A cycle track leads out of town an down to Ribe, where I spent my first night. The only appointment I had to (2)_____ was a meeting with a friend who was flying out in June. I wanted to use my time well, so I had planned a route which would include several small islands and various parts of the countryside.
          In my (3)_____, a person travelling alone sometimes meets with unexpected hospitality, and this trip was no exception. On only my second day, I got into conversation with a cheerful man who turned (4)_____ to be the local baker. He insisted that I should join his family for lunch, and, while we were eating, he contacted his daughter in Odense. Within minutes, he had arranged for me to visit her and her family. Then I was sent on my way with a fresh loaf of bread to keep me (5)_____, and the feeling that this would turn out to be a wonderful holiday

The application (1)_________ for volunteers for the 15th Asian Games Doha 2006 is now closed. Organizers have been flooded with interest and have now filled all available roles. Any further (2)__________will have their details stored on file and will only be contacted in the event of any vacancies unexpectedly arising.

Over 30,000 men and women, not only from Qatar, but also from the Gulf (3)__________and even further afield, have volunteered to help out at Doha 2006 after more than two years of meetings and interviews. First of all, a big “thank you” to everyone for your enthusiasm and commitment in volunteering to give up some of your precious free time to become part of the Games of your Life. The (4)______ has been quite overwhelming and has far exceeded expectations.
“It shows that the Qatar public has embraced the (5)_________of the Games”, says Khaled Helaly, manager of the Doha 2006 Volunteers Programme