ĐỀ HSG SỐ 9 

SECTION B: LISTENING (15 pts)

I. You will hear a discussion in which two marine biologists, Gina Kelso and Thomas
Ludman, talk about an award-winning television film they made about wildlife in
Antarctica. Choose the answer (A, B, C or D) which fits best according to what you
hear. Write your answers in the box provided for Answers. (5 pts) 
1. Gina’s interest in marine biology dates from ______.
A. her earliest recollections of life in Africa
B. one memorable experience in childhood
C. the years she spent studying in England
D. a postgraduate research project she led
2. The first wildlife TV series they both worked on ______.
A. made use of a previously untried format
B. was not filmed in a natural environment
C. was not intended to be taken too seriously
D. required them to do background research
3. How did Thomas feel when he was asked to produce the programs about Antarctica?
A. disappointed not to be presenting the series
B. surprised that people thought he was suitable
C. uncertain how well he would get on with the team
D. worried about having to spend the winter there
4. When they were in Antarctica, they would have appreciated ______.
A. a less demanding work schedule
B. more time to study certain animals
C. a close friend to share their feelings with
D. a chance to share their work with colleagues
5. What was most impressive about the whales they filmed?
A. the unusual sounds the whales made
B. the number of whales feeding in a small bay
C. how long the whales stayed feeding in one area
D. how well the whales co-operated with each other

Answers
1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

II. You are going to hear a lecture on agriculture and the environment. Complete the
notes below with NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS for each answer. Write your answers
in the box provided for Answers. (10 pts)

AGRICULTURE AND ENVIRONMENT

⚫ (1) _______ production = biggest problem in today’s world
⚫  Agriculture is important for jobs, exports and foreign exchange
⚫  Agriculture’ means:
 growing crops
 raising animals
 (2) _______
 (3) _______
        
⚫  Agriculture must be sustainable: old methods, & new, chemical methods are all unsustainable
→ (4) _______ of biodiversity
⚫   Biotechnology → GM or GE → bio-prospecting (bio-piracy) i.e. large companies steal samples
of native plants to use the (5) _______ for their own crop improvement
⚫  (6) _______ is responsible for less food and higher prices
 ⚫  Farmers need to be educated but governments also need to pay attention to (7)
_______ in order to protect the environment and re-nourish the soil.
⚫  Experts from around the world could come together to form a (8) _______ to observe farm
systems aiming to prevent pollution and erosion and encourage safe procedures that are also
(9) _______.
 ⚫  Creating the project’s (10) _______ would be very expensive and more money would be
needed for the monitoring system but it could solve the problem of food shortages.

Answers
1.  2.  3.  4.  5. 
6.  7.  8.  9.  10. 

SECTION B: VOCABULARY AND STRUCTURE (60 pts)

I. Fill the gaps in the following sentences with the correct answer A, B, C or D. Write
your answers in the box provided for Answers. (20 pts)
1. There was no incident of any kind to ______ the journey until we ran into that ditch in
Rodgers Field
A. dismantle B. scrap C. mar D. fray
2. It won’t be long. I’ll be with you in a ______.
A. beat B. stroke C. tick D. chime
3. His opponent called him a traitor, which really ______ his patriotism.
A. cast aspersions on B. dumped asperity on C. drew integrity from D.
hurled insults in
4. The old lady was becoming increasingly affected by ______.
A. masculinity B. senility C. virginity D. audacity
5. It took me several seconds to grasp the meaning of her statement but finally the ______
dropped. 
A. penny B. axe C. hammer D. stone
6. The government is doing all it can to ______ war on dangerous driving. 
A. launch B. wage C. stage D. battle
7. The children's interest in playing the game soon ______.
A. flagged B. stumbled C. tottered D. thawed
8. There have been ups and downs, but on ______ we've had a very
successful first year of business.
A. whole B. top C. balance D. general
9. Different chemists prefer different ______ theories, and there is no shortage of theories.
A. fancied B. fond C. pet D. preferable
10. She's such a ______ of strength that everyone relies on her in a crisis. 
A. tower B. pillar C. post D. support
11. Josie can ______ her own in any argument
A. maintain B. hold C. keep D. support
12. He may look innocent, but I wouldn't trust him as far as I could ______ him.
A. throw B. see C. hear D. catch
13. Mary went to work for a bank, and Jane ______ suit. Now they are both head cashiers. 
A. matched B. wentC. came D. followed  
14. The city's ______ population has grown dramatically over recent years since having dogs as
a pet has grown in popularity.
A. feline B. canine  C. divine D. alpine
15. After his long illness, the old man appeared so thin and ______ that a gust of wind might
have blown him away.
A. flimsy B. faint C. withered D. frail
16. Even though he had done nothing illegal, the public’s ______ was that he
had acted dishonestly, and he was forced to resign.
     A. perception         B. observation          C. discernment       D. consciousness
17. People usually gave their mother gifts and flowers as a ______ of their gratitude and
appreciation.
    A. coupon                  B. token C. remembrance              D.
memento                 
18. Stephen really lost his________ when his dental appointment was cancelled yet again.
A. headB. voice C. calm D. rag
19. The whole situation is getting out of ________. Let’s do something before it turns into a
bitter row.
A. capacity B. charge C. handD. discipline
20. Mr. Smith ate his breakfast in great ________ so as not to miss the bus to Liverpool.
A. speed B. pace C. rush D. haste

Answers
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10.
11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18. 19. 20.

II. There are TEN mistakes in the passage below. FIND, UNDERLINE and CORRECT
them. Write the corrections on the corresponding lines in the box for answers. (10
pts)
          Answers
The world's strong storm this year, Typhoon Mangkhut, continued its path 0. strong 🡪 strongest
of destruction across Southeast Asia, reaching mainland China on Sunday __________ 🡪
afternoon after pummeling Hong Kong and killing dozens in the Philippines. __________
The storm has killed two people in southern China and at least 54 people in __________ 🡪
the Philippines. Many of the Philippines' death were caused by landslides, __________
with dozens more still believing to be buried beneath the deluge. __________ 🡪
  __________
More than 2.45 million people have evacuated in China's Guangdong __________ 🡪
province as Mangkhut makes landfall at 5 p.m. local time. As Mangkhut __________
marched toward the Chinese mainland, Hong Kong was also buffeted with __________ 🡪
fierce winds that tore off roofs, downed trees and caused cranes perched __________
top half-built skyscrapers to swing ominously.
  __________ 🡪
Hong Kong's weather observation issued its highest storm warning alert - a __________
signal T10 - and the normally bustling city was all and shut down as __________ 🡪
transport was suspended and torrential rain flooded roads and buildings. __________
  __________ 🡪
Winds of 173 kilometers per hour and gusts of up to 223 kph were __________
reported, stronger than Hurricane Florence that hit North Carolina across __________ 🡪
the weekend.  __________
  __________ 🡪
Mangkhut is now expected to move inland of western Guangdong. When __________
the storm has weakened, a T8 warning was still in place into Sunday
evening meaning that winds with speeds of about 63 kph were expected. __________ 🡪
__________
__________ 🡪
__________
__________ 🡪
__________

__________ 🡪
__________
 __________ 🡪
__________
__________ 🡪
__________

__________ 🡪
__________
__________ 🡪
__________
__________ 🡪
__________

III. Complete each sentence with ONE suitable word. Write your answers in the box
provided for Answers. (10 pts)
1. Lynn took several deep breaths to compose ____________ before hearing the news.
2. After all, stranger things have happened: legend ____________ it that the hooked burrs of
plants inspired the invention of Velcro.
3. It took quite a while but at ____________ last the website’s starting to take off.
4. Stock brokers are believed to grow ____________ on other people's money.
5. I think you’re on very weak ____________ with that argument.
6. Get it off your ____________ and tell me exactly what’s wrong. 
7. The Minister’s disappearance speaks ____________ about his involvement in the corruption
scandal. 
8. She wants to make a ____________ break and leave the publishing industry completely
9. Dave’s an ____________ hand when it comes to doing the carnival disco - he’s been doing it
for years.
10. Jean Paul is clearly a very talented designer. His Achilles’ ____________, however, may be
his lack of business sense.
Answers
1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
6. 7. 8. 9. 10.

IV. Read the text below. Use the word given in CAPITALS to form a word that fits in
the space of the passage. Write your answers in the box provided for Answers. (10
pts)
Our council members, a hopeless group who demonstrated remarkable (1. COMPETENCE)
_incompetitive_____ in the design process of Hillside Road, are now busily working on plans for
the rest of Bayview, again behind     (2. CLOSE) ___closed_________ doors. Only when these
people finish will the public be 'invited' to submit comments, by which point none of these will
make a difference. The council will simply go ahead despite our concerns. Where is the (3.
TRANSPARENT) ____transparency________ in this process? When has anyone from the
council ever taken responsibility for the vast sums of money wasted when their schemes fail?
And now we have to prepare for further (4. WASTE) ___wasted_________ as the council use
taxpayers' money to 'develop' Bayview in ways that no local desires. The reason for this tirade is
that, in my view, the problems we are faced with – the escalation of (5. RISE) _high-rise__
housing in single-storey areas, the road design, the connection to our city. These issues have to
be addressed before our beautiful environment is damaged beyond repair. 

The council has announced its intention to spend a figure approaching $20 million over the next
few years improving facilities and transport in Bayview. Furthermore, they have (6. APPEAR)
____________ set aside further funds to improve traffic flow on Hillside Road, and to finance the
design and building of an exhibition centre and renovation of the library. People who live and
work here will have to face the inconvenience of noise, dust and (7. BLOCK) ____________
pavements as roads are widened and car parks are extended in downtown Bayview. 

As a suburb that draws more tourists than any other in the city, Bayview deserves the
considerable investment that the council has proposed. However, it is not for the council to force
upon us developments that people here object to, and which we recognize are fundamentally
detrimental to the community. Many of us have asked the council for details concerning the
anticipated population figures, should their high-density housing projected be (8. ACT)
____________, but they appear reluctant to (9. CLOSE) ____________ them. We have thus
been forced to work it out for ourselves. It has been estimated that by building apartment blocks
of four to five storeys, the council will facilitate an (10. EXPONENT) ____________ and
undesirable growth in population: 400 homes are likely to rise to 1200 in the North Bayview area
and 700 cars could turn into 2100.

Answers
1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
6. 7. 8. 9. 10.

SECTION C: READING COMPREHENSION (45 pts)

I. Choose the word that best fits each space to complete the text. Write your
answers in the box provided for Answers. (10 pts)
THE RETURN OF EL NINO
Aside from the seasons, El Nino and its twin, La Nina, are the two largest single (1) ______ of
variability in  the  world's climate from year to year.  Both are dictated by (2) ______ in water
temperature in the tropical Pacific basin between Australia and South America. (3) ______ after
the  Spanish  words for "Christ child" and "the girl" because of their (4) ______ to Christmas,  
they  lead  to dramatic  shifts  in  the  entire system of  oceanic and  atmospheric  factors  from 
air  pressure to  currents.

A significant rise in sea temperature leads to an El Nino event whereas a fall in temperature
leads to La Nina. The cause of the phenomenon is not fully understood but in an El Nino "event"
the pool of warm surface water is forced eastwards by the loss of the westerly trade winds. The
sea water evaporates, (5) ______ in drenching rains over South America, as well as western
parts of the United States, such as California. The effects can (6) ______ for anything from a
few weeks to eight months, causing extreme weather as far         (7) ______ as India and East
Africa. The correlation with global warming is as (8) ______ unclear. Archaeological evidence
shows El Ninos and La Ninas have been (9) ______ for 15,000 years.  But scientists are
investigating whether climate change is leading to an increase in their intensity or duration.

The weather pattern is already having early and intense effects and El Nino could bring extreme
rainfall to parts of east Africa, which were last year (10) ______ by a cycle of drought and
floods. It's difficult to          predict what will happen to the weather in the British Isles, but it
will probably add to the likelihood of record-breaking temperatures in the UK.

1. A. methods  B. theories  C. causes  D. consequences

2. A.  shifts B. drops C. alternatives D. downfall
3. A.  Elected B. Called C. Nominated D. Named
4. A.  proximityB. neighborhood C. attachment D. bond
5. A.  producing B. resulting C. stemming D. refreshing
6. A.  persist B. keep C. conserve D. assert
7. A.  ahead B. afield C. along D. alongside
8. A.  still B. yet C. present D. now
9. A.  dawning B. obtaining C. occurring D. securing
 10. A.  hit B. shoved C. punctured D. punched

Answers:
1 2. 3. 4 5. 6. 7 8. 9. 10.
. . .

II. Read the text below and think of the word which best fits each space. Write your
answers in the box provided for Answers. (10 pts)
In most art museums, the paintings on the wall just look flat, but sometimes visitors come
across an image that appears to be three-dimensional. The artist has cleverly used colors, lines,
and shading to give the painting some depth, making it more (1) __________. The artistic
technique of creating three-dimensional images of something on a flat surface is called trompe
l'oeil, a French phrase (2) __________ trick the eye. Today, some artists are adapting the idea
of tricking the eye to make things become invisible. A new (3) __________ for this is camouflage
art. In nature, there are major benefits to using camouflage to blend        (4) __________ with
the surroundings. Becoming invisible, or at (5) __________ being harder to see on the ground
or in a tree, allows insects and animals to hide from things that might eat them. It also allows
them to get close (6) __________ to surprise other insects or smaller animals that they want to
catch and eat. Artists are not hiding or preparing to attack. (7) __________, they are using the
idea of camouflage to make urban spaces look nicer or to make statements with their art.
Sometimes they just do it for fun. Artists can make these things more interesting and in some
cases make them (8) __________ visible. In many urban areas, large buildings have been
painted with amazing murals that trick our eyes. Thus, ordinary brick walls are transformed into
interesting (9) __________ of art. Temporary walls put up to keep people out of a           (10)
__________ site can be painted like the finished building to camouflage the site.

Answers:
1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
6. 7. 8. 9. 10.

III. The following reading passage has five paragraphs, A-E. Choose the correct
heading for each paragraph from the list of headings below. Write the correct
number, i-viii, in the box for answers. (10 pts)  
THE FINAL FRONTIER FOR TOURISM
A For some reason humankind has always looks towards the stars and dreamt of one day making
the voyage into the unknown and exploring outer space. Perhaps it is our innate curiosity,
perhaps the challenge presented by the seemingly impossible; whatever the lure, the quest to
venture into space has become an obsession for many.

B On a memorable July day in 1969 one man made a giant leap for his kind. Neil Armstrong
touched down on the moon as the world watched with bated breath. Was this a beginning or the
culmination of years of endeavor that pushed science to its very limits? Well, it has been a long
time indeed since the last moon landing, more than 40 years, but science has not stood still in
the interim, nor have our dreams become any less ambitious. According to NASA, plans are afoot
for a manned mission to Mars at some point after 2020. A return to the moon has been
scheduled sooner - perhaps 2018 if NASA’s new Crew Exploration Vehicle (CEV) is rolled out on
time. It may not be Hollywood razzle-dazzle-style progress; it may even be painstakingly slow,
but rest assured that plans are afoot for something very ambitious and special indeed, and NASA
may be back in the headlines making waves and history again, just as it did on that faithful day
in 1969, in the not-too-distant future. 
C  That said, it is the prospect of space tourism for the masses that has captured the headlines
recently, and this may not be such a distant dream as people would expect. In 2001, an
American multimillionaire, Denis Tito, became the first space tourist, spending ten days on the
International Space Station along with his crew of Russian cosmonauts, and fulfilling a lifelong
ambition in the process. He described the experience rather paradoxically as ‘indescribable’;
everything that he thought it would be and more. A year later, South African millionaire Mark
Shuttleworth followed in his footsteps. On his return to Earth he said, ‘every second will be with
me for the rest of my life’. Clearly these men had a once-in-a-lifetime experience, but this came
at a hefty price, both paying $20 million for the pleasure of their space adventures.

D At present, space tourism is undoubtedly reserved for an elite and wealthy few, but what of the
future? If Eric Anderson, president of Space Adventures, the company that organized Tito and
Shuttleworth’s trips, is to be believed, it will be the next big thing. ‘Everyone’s looking for a new
experience’, he says. Indeed, Space adventures is planning to offer rocket trips to the public for
$100,000 within the next few years, so perhaps space tourism is closer than we think. Another
company, The Space Island Group, is planning to build a space hotel inspired by the spaceship in
the film 2001: A Space Odyssey. Gene Meyers, the company’s president, predicts that in 2020 a
five-day holiday at the hotel will cost less than $25,000. Imagine, he says, a five-star hotel with
all the usual luxuries, except that each morning you will be greeted by mind-blowing views of
outer space. This is certainly food for thought for adventure-seeking holiday planners. That said,
unless there is a serious spike in inflation between now and 2020, $25,000 will still remain a
considerable sum of money to have to part with for a recreational activity, once-in-a-lifetime or
not. But that is perhaps missing the point - the prospect of affordable space travel is getting
closer and it is only a matter of time before it becomes a reality.

E Other companies have even more ambitious plans. Bigelow Aerospace is spending close to $500
million on a project to build a 700-metre spaceship to fly tourists to the moon. The spaceship will
be able to hold 100 guests, each with a private room offering truly unique views of the earth’s
sunset. Even the Hilton Hotel Group wants to get in on the act with talk of plans to build a Hilton
on the moon. For the present, only millionaires can enjoy the privilege of a space journey, but in
the words of one Bob Dylan, ‘The times they are a changing.’ And sooner than you’d think.

Choose the right heading for each paragraph A-E from the list of the headings below.

List of Headings
i. Not worth the cost
ii. Space travel; past, present and future
iii. Russian innovations
iv. A profitable investment
v. The future of tourism
vi. Insatiable desire for adventure
vii. The first space tourism
viii. Moon hotels

1. Paragraph A:  ________

2. Paragraph B:  ________
3. Paragraph C:  ________
4. Paragraph D:  ________
5. Paragraph E:  ________

Do the following statements agree with the information given in the passage? Write
TRUE                if the statement agrees with the information
FALSE              if the statement contradicts the information
NOT GIVEN   if there is no information on this
 Write your answers in the box provided for answers
6. Bigelow Aerospace’s spaceship will offer unique views of the Moon’s sunset. ________
7. The Hilton Hotel Group has ambitious plans to organize cheap space journey. ________
8. Gene Meyers believes space tourism will be popular in the near future. ________
9. NASA plans to launch a mission to Mars, but first it is hoping to return to the moon.
________
10. At the moment, space tourism is too expensive for ordinary people, only the very rich can travel
to space. ________

Answers
1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
6. 7. 8. 9. 10.

IV. You are going to read an extract from an article about jewellery designers.
Choose from the sections (A-D). The sections may be chosen more than once. (10
pts)

In which section are the following mentioned? Answers

found that she was launching her jewellery at exactly the tight time? 1. 
is keen for others to focus on what her jewellery represents?  2. 
mentions acting on comments made by others?  3. 
mentions being regarded as an important person?  4. 
does not profit from everything she makes?  5. 
regards her jewellery as having long-term appeal?  6. 
produces pieces that give information on the source of the material used?  7. 
suggests that her jewellery may be too unusual for some people?  8. 
sometimes varies from her usual theme in her jewellery?  9. 
has rejected a certain business method?  10. 

SHINING LIGHTS: INDEPENDENT JEWELLERY DESIGNERS

Highly individual jewellery pieces are in demand, and independent designers are putting
heart and soul into making them

A. EMMA FRANKLIN
It has always been about animals,' Emma Franklin says. 'My friend's grandmother had an
amazing stag brooch with huge antlers and that's where it started. Everyone has a relationship
with an animal in my collection. When people ask me about an animal I haven't done, I then
introduce it to the collection.' Her favourite? 'The ram. It's so strong.' Franklin hand-makes each
necklace, bangle, ring, cufflink and pin, featuring any of 14 animal heads, from a pig to a
triceratops. All her pieces are made in solid silver, plated in 22ct yellow gold or black rhodium,
with black diamonds and freshwater pearls. Bespoke commissions, predominantly engagement
rings, not all animal-related, are becoming more frequent. Her clients are all ages, women and
men with a bold sense of style. Franklin's robust designs are instantly recognisable, as she has
discovered. 'I see a surprising number of people wearing my designs in the street, mainly in east
London,' she says. 'Recently in a pub this girl was wearing one of my rings at the bar so I
introduced myself. She was completely star-struck and fetched over her dad, who had bought it
for her. I had to explain that it was really me who was excited.'

B. ALEXANDRA JEFFORD
'My design style constantly evolves,' Alexandra Jefford says. 'It started out as a throwback to the
1940s, but even though I try new things I can't kick my art background. I'm really inspired by
art, architecture, design, furniture design.' Jefford graduated with a degree in fine art, began
designing jewellery and sold her first piece, a gold ring, on its first outing, at dinner with a
friend. Her designs, produced on a project-by-project basis rather than as collections, include her
signature Alphabet series for which she designed a slim font. Her recent O project interprets that
letter in various typefaces. Jefford also makes one-off high-end pieces that are more sculptural.
Fans range from her daughter's friends to her mother's friends, although she doesn't always
want to sell. 'I become emotionally involved with all my pieces so I find it really hard to let go.
There are some pieces that I hide "for the family museum". My husband says that I work as a
shopper rather than a seller.'

C. HATTIE RICKARDS
Hattie Rickards' first collection of 12 rings, entitled Revealed, was an instant success. Her
second, Geo, a collection of 15 tactile, geometric necklaces, bracelets, rings, earrings and a
brooch, came out to even greater acclaim. 'The ethos behind Geo is connection and
relationships, bringing tessellating or geometrical shapes together making one, for example the
Kindred ring where two puzzle pieces fit neatly together.' Rickards graduated in jewellery design,
then worked for Solange Azagury-Partridge, helping to launch her Madison Avenue store in New
York, before setting up on her own. 'I wanted to create a high-end, luxury jewellery brand with
an ethical backbone, which coincided with a gap in the market.' All Hattie Rickards Jewellery is
made using Fair trade precious stones from Thailand and India and 18ct Fair trade, fair-mined
gold from Colombia. HRJ is one of the first 20 companies to become a certified user of this type
of gold, many of its pieces having the premium 'ecological' label, which ensures no cyanide is
used during extraction, which is harmful to the environment. There are no plans for e-
commerce, as Rickards believes this detracts from the meaning behind the piece. 'I am
passionate that people understand the symbolism behind my work. I don't want it to just be a
ring on a website. The story is so important.'

D. MAWI KEIVOM
Mawi Keivom is known for her architectural statement jewellery: chunky box chains with
coloured pearls, spiked gold rings and brightly coloured gems. Born in the north-east of India, 40
miles from the Burmese border, into the Mahr tribe, Keivom draws her influences from a
peripatetic childhood with her diplomat parents that took them to Africa, the Middle East, south-
east Asia and Europe. 'I come from a tribal background and having that heritage has influenced
me greatly; the colours, the chunky jewels, the sparkle.' Keivom designs two collections a year.
'My style of jewellery is very individual and not for the faint-hearted. I have a very strong vision
that translates into an industrial, graphic aesthetic offset with crystals and pearls that are a little
bit feminine. I don't try to do something that is for the moment. My pieces are classics in their
own right, not trend-specific.'

V. You are going to read an article about cyclist Lance Armstrong. Choose the answer
(A, B, C or D) which you think fits best according to the text. 
LIVESTRONG — BUT WILL THE LEGACY?
In the early- to mid-1990s, Lance Armstrong was on the up-and-up. Success seemed to be
written in his stars; he notched up a stage win at the ’93 Tour de France, then another in ’95.
This cyclist was clearly coming of age in the sport, and he was, at 24 on registering his second
tour win, still a relative baby in cycling terms - most of his career lay ahead of him. Then, just
when it looked like he would conquer all before him, his ’96 tour was cut disappointingly short
due to illness. And, as it would soon emerge, this was no ordinary illness; Armstrong had
testicular cancer. Fans were aghast and there was an outpouring of sympathy for him.

But Armstrong would need more than goodwill to get through this. The cancer had metastasized
to the lungs and the brain. The prognosis was not at all good. Months of spirit- and body-
breaking chemotherapy followed and a delicate surgical procedure to remove the malignancies
on his brain was performed. Cycling mourned the surely permanent loss to the sport of one of its
most promising young disciples. But Armstrong wasn’t finished yet.
In 1998, he made a remarkable, defiant and inspirational return to cycling and competed in the
Tour de France again the following year. But surely his would now only be a cameo role; after
all, what could one expect from a cancer survivor with a compromised liver and the other
familiar scars of cancer therapy? Except Armstrong had other ideas.

Four stage wins later, the legend of Armstrong was born; he had claimed the Tour and defied
the odds in the most emphatic of manners. His victory represented not just his announcement as
a force in cycling, but as a force for hope for millions of cancer sufferers the world over. Indeed,
Armstrong threw himself into campaigning for his newly-established cancer foundation,
Livestrong - so much so that he metamorphosed into a sort of human-embodiment of the cause
- he became the cause, and his annual battle with the French Alps came to represent the
struggle against the deadly disease. So long as Lance could succeed, there was hope.

And succeed he did, beyond the wildest expectations of even the most optimistic of his
supporters, amassing a further six titles - so seven in consecution - before he retired in 2005. His
achievements were simply remarkable; his story absorbing; his book a must-read for all cancer
sufferers - their ray of hope; proof that hopefulness should never fade and that sanguinity can
and does make light of the odds - the tunnel, though long and at times excruciating to pass
through, has an end, and it is a happy one - the light is in sight.

After his seventh victory, he retired and the sporting world entered congratulatory mode, writing
his eulogies. But Armstrong had one more surprise for us; he wasn’t finished yet. There were
whispers of a comeback, confirmed in 2009, and so it was that the legend would ride again.

But the renewed focus on him wasn’t all good; there were whispers of another kind, too;
sources, some credible, were claiming he had had an illicit ally all through his exploits; he was,
they claimed, in bed with the syringe. Our champion laughed off and dismissed these claims but
the rumours persisted and a cloud began to form over his legacy. Surely Armstrong could not
have earned his victories clean, some said.

We may never know for sure. Fast-forward to 2012 and despite an abandoned federal case,
those sharpening their knives for Armstrong seem to have finally nabbed him; ASADA, the U.S.
body tasked with cracking down on drug offenders charged Armstrong with doping and the
trafficking of drugs - and some say his failure to contest is indicative of his guilt. At any rate,
because he pleaded no-contest, he will now be stripped of all his titles; his legacy has been
pulled from under him.

And yet he has not, and now may never be tried, so we have not seen the evidence against him.
We do not know if he is guilty or innocent, and it still remains fact that he never failed an official
drugs test. Did he cheat? Does it matter? Does anyone care? Time may tell, but for now, though
his legacy is tainted, his legend, in the eyes of many of his loyal supporters, lives on.

1.  What does the writer mean when he says in the first paragraph that Lance Armstrong was
'coming of age in the sport'?
A. he was of the right age to be a competitive cyclist
B. he was nearly at the age at which it is expected that a cyclist should win
C. he was of a mature age for a cyclist and had few years left in the sport
D. he was beginning to figure as a real contender in his sport
2.  Which of the following statements is true about the cancer Armstrong had?
A. he recovered remarkably quickly from it, suffering little.
B. it started in the lungs and spread to the brain.
C. doctors were optimistic about his chances of survival.
D. the generally held view was that it would prevent him from cycling professionally ever
again.
3. Why does the writer say, 'Except Armstrong had other ideas', at the end of the third
paragraph?
A. Armstrong was determined to play some role in the Tour de France again.
B. Armstrong's idea of victory had changed since he'd had cancer.
C. Armstrong was determined to defy the odds and become a real contender in the Tour
de France.
D. Armstrong didn't want to race for victory, he just wanted to represent cancer victims.
4.  What is one of the ways in which his story became about more than just cycling?
A. his published biography became a source of inspiration for cancer sufferers
B. cycling through a tunnel was like fighting cancer
C. he gave people hope that they could one day be professional athletes, too
D. he gave people the belief to fight the disease that is drug-taking in sport
5.  What can be inferred about the rumours of Armstrong's drug-taking?
A. they were disproved in a state court case
B. they have not caused Armstrong's reputation and record any harm
C. they were eventually proved true beyond doubt
D. he had, but passed up, an opportunity to disprove them

Answers
1.  2.  3.  4.  5.  6.

SECTION D: WRITING (30 pts)

I. Complete each of the following sentences in such a way that it is closest in
meaning to the one printed before it. Use the word given. (10 pts)
1. These books just aren’t on the same level. LEAGUE
These books just ____________________________________________.
2. It was really embarrassing when your asked what her age was! FOOT
You really ____________________________________________ when your asked what
her age was!
3. His efforts to set up a local youth centre were finally successful. BORE
His efforts to set up a local youth centre
____________________________________________.
4. With this voucher you can get a free drink with every doughnut you buy. ENTITLES
This voucher ____________________________________________ when you purchase
a doughnut.
5. He is quite a celebrity in this part of the country. SOMETHING
He ____________________________________________ in this part of the country.
6. The parents of that girl are furious about her expulsion. ARMS
That’s the girl ____________________________________________ about her
expulsion.
7. Most people seem to think that I will be next to be promoted. LINE
Most people seem to think that ____________________________________________ a
promotion.
8. He had no money left after his company went bankrupt. RUB
They ____________________________________________ after his company went
bankrupt.
9. He maintained his position against his adversary. GROUND
He ____________________________________________ his adversary. BREADLINE
10. Josh grew up in a very poor family and lived in public housing
Josh grew up in a family that _____________________________________ and lived in
public housing.