III. Reading

A. Read the following passage and choose the correct word for each gap.  

Children love playing computer games. Some people say that they are addicted to games. If you become addicted, all you think about is computer games and you can’t (1)_______ a day without playing. Of course, playing games (2 ___________ the computer is a great way to spend time and have fun. But there are also bad sides to it as well.

First of all, you don’t get enough exercise because you don’t have to move your body much when playing games. Second, your eyesight becomes badly (3) __________ your eyes are fixed on the screen for too long. This is why it isn’t hard to find children wearing glasses around these days. Third, you don’t get to spend much time with your (4) _______ because you are spending all of your time in front of the computer. Playing computer games is not such a bad thing, but too much playing can cause problems. (5)___________ hours a day do you spend in front of the computer? Why not take this opportunity to cut down on computer games?

1. A. spends                B. to spend                 C. spending                 D. spend

2. A. in                        B. on                          C. at                            D. of

3. A. for                      B. so                           C. and                         D. but

  4. A. friends                B. sister                       C. family                     D. brother

  5. A. How often          B. How much             C. How long                D. How many

B. Read the following passage and choose the correct word for each gap.   

Nowadays, leisure activities are totally different from the past. Many people no longer enjoy (1) ______ in outdoor activities after school. Instead, they (2) ______ playing computer games or surfing the web in their free time. Some people rely too much on computer and the Internet. For example, they prefer sending (3) ______ to having a face-to-face conversation with friends. Even when people hang (4) ________ with their friends, they rarely talk but they use their phones to surf web; _______, many people dislike the Internet and the virtual world. They hate to waste time on the computer and enjoy other activities such as reading, shopping or sporting.

1. A. participate          B. to participate           C. participating           D. participates

2. A. fancy                  B. detest                      C. dislike                     D. hate

3. A. forums                B. messages                 C. websites                  D. pictures

4. A. to                        B. in                            C. on                           D. out

5. A. However            B. Therefore                C. And                        D. Or

C. Read the following passage and choose the best answers.

Many people enjoy living in a big city because they think life is more exciting there. However, I come from a small village and in my view, there are lots of benefits. The main reason I prefer village life is because it’s very quiet, so I always feel calm when I’m here. Another reason is that the air is so fresh and clean. We have more green spaces and bigger gardens, too. In addition, I think the people here are friendlier. Personally, I’m interested in wildlife photography, so the countryside is perfect for me.

The only downside is transport. I have an early start for a long journey to school in Faro and the school bus is always stopping to pick up more people. Also, it’s boring sometimes, but I enjoy chatting to my friends. Fortunately, I’m learning to ride a moped. On balance, I disagree that city life is better, as I think my village lifestyle is healthier and more relaxing. In spite of that, some of my friends couldn’t cope with life in the country, so it comes down to personal opinion.

1. Where does the writer come from?

A. a big city                 B. a small village        C. a countryside          D. a small town

2. One reason why he prefers village life is that ______________.

A. it’s very noisy                                             B. the air is so fresh and clean

C. life is more exciting there                           D. village lifestyle is healthier

3. What does he think about the people in his village?

A. friendlier                B. boring                     C. exciting                   D. kind

4. According to the writer, what is the disadvantage of living in the village?

A. weather                   B. food                        C. transport                  D. service

5. How does he go to school?

A. bicycle                    B. train                                    C. moped                     D. school bus

D. Read the following passage and choose the correct word for each gap.   

There are many reasons why it (1) _______ important to have a hobby. It will give you a pleasure (2) _______ help you relax. Many old people enjoy gardening. They (3) ____ a lot of trees and vegetables, so they can sell them for some money. In addition, a hobby can help you connect with other people. If you like (4) ____ stamps, you can join a stamp club to share your albums with other collectors. If your hobby is carving eggshells, you can give your products to your friends (5) ____ gifts.

1. A. have                    B. do                           C. are                           D. is

2. A. and                      B. but                          C. or                            D. so

3. A. grows                  B. grow                       C. growing                  D. to grow

4. A. gardening           B. playing                    C. selling                     D. collecting

5. A. at                         B. for                           C. as                            D. with

E. Read the following passage and choose the best answers.

One of the most obvious negative aspects of social networking is losing face- to-face contact with other people. Teens are sitting around with their phone in their hands all day long, tapping messages onto screens instead of communicating with real people. Many teenagers feel more comfortable with virtual friends than with real ones. The majority think that it is easier to chat on the Internet because they lack communication skills.

It is also true that parents often have no knowledge about what their kids do with their phones or computer. Crosby says that, "While kids are plugged in to social media, only about 40% of parents are involved themselves." And because parents don't know the full picture, they also don't know how to deal with a teenager's potential overuse of social media and might not even be aware that a problem exists. Therefore, social networking can be much more immediately engaging with the teenager's life than parents are, and this fact makes virtual communication feels more "real" than face-to-face communication.

1. What is the main idea of the passage?

A. Parents should use social networks more to understand their children.

B. Students are using social networks too much.

C. Social networking brings negative effects to student’s face-to-face communication.

D. Virtual life is easier than real life.

2. What do most teenagers think about chatting on the Internet?

A. Chatting on the Internet is easier than talking with real people.

B. Chatting on the Internet is more difficult than talking with real people.

C. Chatting on the Internet is funnier than talking with real people.

D. Chatting on the Internet is more boring than talking with real people.

3. The percentage of 40% refers to

A. The number of parents who let their children use social media.

B. The number of parents who do not want their children to use media.

C. The number of parents who use social media.

D. The number of parents who do not use social media.

4. Which sentence is NOT TRUE according to the passage?

A. The majority of teenagers find it easier to communicate with virtual friend

B. The majority of teenagers lacks communication skill.

C. The majority of parents know how to use social media with their children

D. The majority of parents do not know how to deal with their children overuse of social media.

5. Which of the following best explains the word “overuse” in the passage?

A. using something overnight                                           B. using something too much

C. using something without thinking                                D. using something with carelessness