PHẦN 3: ĐỀ ÔN LUYỆN THI PRACTICE TEST 4

Give the correct form of the words in brackets to complete the following passage. Unwanted Visitors

Loss of habitat poses the single greatest threat, endangering indigenous. The second largest threat to native flora and fauna would have to be the (36. INTRODUCE)………..of alien species into an environment other than their own. Alien species are able to cause such cataclysmic damage because they are usually more (37. SUCCESS)………..in competing for food. They introduce diseases to which the local inhabitants do not possess (38. IMMUNE)………... Interbreeding has caused the destruction of entire species because the first hybrid generation will eventually (39. PLACE)………..the parent stock. Hybrid individuals tend to possess greater vigour and will therefore compete more (40. EFFECT)………..with the remaining pure stock. Their offspring may also be infertile, resulting in the (41. POPULATE)………..of an entire species because of a reduction in the number of breeding animals. The (42. FORM)………..of guidelines has been called on to exclude non-native wildlife, contain it where it has a foothold, and eliminate it if possible. The principles call for border controls, (43. CAUTION)………..in international trade and technical and financial (44. ASSIST)………..help poor countries detect and combat (45. INVADE)………...

(CPE Use of English 1 for the Revised Cambridge Proficiency Examination Student's Book)

PART C. READING (30 POINTS)

Read the following passage and choose the best answer to each of the following questions.

The Grand Tour

Travel is so much the norm these days that it’s hard to imagine a time when the world's great historical sites, beaches and beauty spots weren't crowded with camera­carrying tourists. But two centuries ago, (51)……….. before cheap rail tickets greatly reduced the cost of crossing Europe, tourism was (52)………..for those with time and money. In Britain, The Grand Tour was seen as an essential part of any wealthy young man's education. It was a trip of up to five years, taking in a (53)………..range of Europe’s artistic and architectural highlights.

Italy was the focus of The Grand Tour, (54)………..it was highly regarded for both its

antique and modern culture. (55)………..it was to Venice, Florence, Rome and Naples that

the young aristocrats flocked. The hardships of the long and sometimes hazardous journey across the Alps were all part of the experience and they were amply rewarded by the celebrated countryside, the antique ruins and the works of the great Italian painters, not to (56)………..the parties, pageants and carnivals. Tourists were (57)………..to Italy from many countries, as they still are, but it was from Britain that the majority of visitors came.

Although mass tourism was still in its infancy, all the (58)………..of the modern

tourist were already there, as the young aristocrats went round Italy in (59)………..of

paintings, drawings and a (60)………..of other souvenirs to carry back home. English

houses were soon filled with them. The tourists brought the craze for all things Italian and antique back to Britain, and buildings, furniture, even clothes were all influenced by this revolution in taste.

(First Certificate Skills: Use of English)

Read the following passage and fill in each blank with ONE suitable word.

Plastic and the Environment

Plastic is a material we use every day. The first plastics were made more than 100 years ago from parts of plants. Plastics are now made from oil, coal and natural gas. We are (61)…………..up these things so fast (62)…………..the Earth’s supplies may run out. Because of this, scientists are investigating new ideas for making plastics from plants such as sweet potato, bamboo and flax.

Things made from plastic can be useful for people (63)…………..bad for the planet. Some plastics can last for a long time (64)…………..wearing out, and can be difficult to get rid of when they are not needed. They can remain in rubbish dumps called landfill sites for hundreds of years. Landfills can be smelly, ugly and harmful (65) …………..our planet.

Recycling is a good way to get rid of unwanted plastics. Recycled waste materials can be used (66)…………..to make new products. This can be difficult as different types of plastic need to be recycled in different ways. Some kinds of plastics can be (67)…………..down and used to make new things such as bags and bottles. Others can be made into fibres for clothing.

Another way to protect the environment is to use canvas bags for shopping rather than plastic ones. A lot of plastic objects can also be reused. Plastic bottles can be refilled many (68)………….., rather than throwing them away (69)…………..they are empty. Unwanted plastics goods such as CDs and toys can be sold or (70)…………..away to charity shops.

(adapted from www.esolcourses.com)

Brexit: What next?

Four experts give their opinions on the pros and cons for the UK of leaving the EU.

A.      Chris Holmes

In my view, Brexit will have a devastating effect on the UK economy. Granted, membership of the EU wasn't cheap, but access to the single market, which exempts member states from paying tariffs on imports and exports within the EU, more than made up for the expense. Now, a whole new set of agreements will have to be drawn up. A free-trade deal with Europe is unlikely, as the EU will want to deter other member states from breaking away. Having left the union, the UK will also have lost much of its bargaining power to establish agreements with other world powers.

B.      Sylvia Chalmers

Weighing up the pros and cons, I am inclined to come down on the side of Brexit. In my opinion, concerns about trade agreements are unfounded because of the large deficit the UK has with the EU. The fact that the UK imports more than it exports means that it is in Europe’s interest to maintain tariff-free trade if the UK leaves the single market. A more pressing issue for me is border security and the question of who and what should be allowed to enter the country. Leaving the EU will allow the UK to regain control of its borders and determine who and what can and can't come in.

C. George Phillips

As far as I can see, the UK will be much better off without the EU. Not only did it cost a fortune to be a part of Europe - some estimates put the figure at around £200 billion - but being a member state also had other drawbacks. For over four decades, the UK had to go along with wasteful and expensive EU regulations, such as those of the Common Agricultural Policy. I believe Brexit will bring some clear-cut advantages to the UK, such as favourable trade agreements with influential countries like China, India and the US and renewed control over fishing rights around its coast.

D. Amanda Shaw

The most disastrous effect of Brexit for me is the threat it poses to freedom of movement. Until now, EU residents have been able to live and work freely anywhere else in the bloc, not only increasing their job opportunities but also broadening their horizons. While security at customs is obviously an issue to be taken seriously, immigration to the UK appears to have created a more diverse national culture and a better-qualified workforce. Since Brexit, however, both the EU citizens currently working in the UK and the Brits settled in other EU member states are fearful about their future.

(Solutions Advanced Workbook 3^rd Edition)

Read the following passage and choose the best answer to each question.

Finding The Real You

Psychometric testing for recruitment - assessing personality traits as an indicator of performance in a certain role - has mushroomed as studies show their results to be three times more accurate in predicting your job performance than all your previous work experience combined. These tests are now included in virtually all graduate recruitment and are used in the selection of more than 50% of managers. Similar tests may be given to university applicants in future, dating agencies swear by them, and they are used to match pets to owners. Online personality tests are immensely popular, too. So does your personality meet the grade?

I decided to try a test. At one particular site I was informed of my career personality and the job that best matches it. This is the appeal of online tests: the premise that there is a perfect job, a perfect mate and a perfect you. These tests are also the ideal self­discovery vehicle for our alienated hi-tech age: intimate but anonymous. It is incredibly compulsive; when you get hooked on a test you’re there for hours. And there is no aspect of life too frivolous to test for. After recording my reaction to a series of ink blots (Is the mood of this picture nostalgic, violent or neutral? Can you find the chicken in this picture? Can you find your wife’s/ husband's mother?], I discovered I am mainly motivated by peace. (Somewhat unconvincing as I’d just had a row with my partner!)

The most popular of these personality tests is the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI). It is based on the theory that we are born with a predisposition to one personality type which stays more or less fixed throughout life. You answer 88 questions and are then given our "type”: Introvert or Extrovert, Thinking or Feeling, Sensing or Intuitive, and Judging or Perceiving. If you're Introverted, Intuitive, Feeling and Perceptive, you'll probably find it harder to do work where you’re required to entertain, or persuade lots of people, such as a job in sales or public relations.

Critics of personality testing mutter darkly about "social engineering”. Psychologist Dr. Colin Gill agrees that too many organizations want people with the same traits. But, he warns, these “popular” personality traits have their downside. "An extreme extrovert tends to be a selfish "get on" type, who may walk over others. Overly conscientious people are prone to burn out and people who are extremely open to new experiences can be butterflies, going from one big idea to the next without mastering any of them." Nevertheless, the psychometric test is here to stay - which may be why a whole sub­industry on cheating personality tests has sprung up. “It's possible to cheat,” admits expert David Bartram, “but why try to pretend you're an ambitious extrovert if you're a more thoughtful introvert? Having to fake the person you are at work will be exhausting and miserable and probably short-lived.”

So can we change our personality? “Your basic personality is fixed by the time you’re 21,” says Gill, “but it can be affected by motivation and intelligence. If you didn’t have the personality type to be a brain surgeon but desperately wanted to be one and were intelligent enough to master the skills, you could still go ahead. You can overcome certain aspects, but trying to go too much against type for too long requires a huge amount of psychic energy and is actually too draining to be sustained for long. 1 think it's why we’re seeing this trend for downshifting - too many people trying to fit into a type or role that they aren't really suited for.”

Our obsession with personality now invades every aspect of our lives. If you ask an expert for advice on just about anything, you'll probably be quizzed about your personality. But if personality tests have any value to us (rather than employers), perhaps it is to disabuse us of the illusion that all of us are full potential, and remind us of what we are. As they say in one test when they ask for your age: pick the one you are, not the one you wish you were.

(Cambridge English Advanced Result Student’s Book)