Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C, D on your answer sheet to indicate the best
answer to each of the following questions from 23 to 30.

In Viet Nam festivals often take place during the three months in spring and in autumn when people have a lot of leisure time. In addition, the climate in spring and autumn is especially suitable for holding festivals and for festivals goers to enjoy.

Traditional festivals constitute a form of cultural activities, a spiritual product which the people have created and developed during the course of history. From generation to generation, the Vietnamese people preserve the fine tradition of “remembering the source while drinking water.” Festivals are events which represent this tradition of the community as well as honor the holy figures named as “gods” - the real persons in national history or legendary persons. The images of gods converge the noble characteristics of mankind. They are national heroes who fought against foreign invaders, reclaimed new lands, treated people, fought against natural calamities, or those legendary characters who affect the earthly life.

Accordingly, first and foremost, festivals are events when people pay tribute to divinities that rendered merits to the community and the nation. These are occasions when people come back to either their natural or national roots, which form a sacred part in their mind. Furthermore, festivals represent the strength of the commune or village, the local region or even the whole nation. Worshipping the same god, the people unite in solidarity to overcome difficulties, striving for a happy and wealthy life.

Moreover, festivals display the demand for creativity and enjoyment of spiritual and material cultural values of all social strata. Festivals become a form of education under which fine traditional moral values can be handed from one generation to the next in a unique way of combining spiritual characters with competition and entertainment games.

Festivals are also the time people can express their sadness and worries in a wish that gods might bestow favor on them to help them strive for a better life.

(Adapted from: Overview of Traditional Festival - Vietnam, Country and People)

Question 23: What affects the time to hold festivals in Vietnam?

A. Weather conditions and people’s working pattern.
B. The abundance of fruits and flowers and people’s health.
C. Festival holders’ timetable and festival goers’ preference.
D. People’s preference of leisure time and climate.

Question 24: Which of the followings best replaces the word “course” in the second paragraph?

A. creation                  B. lesson                     C. road                        D. development

Question 25: What does the author mean by saying “remembering the source while drinking water”?

A. Forgetting the outlet as the source is more important
B. Comparing the number of gods to the amount of water
C. Only drinking water of clear production sources
D. Appreciating the contribution of national heroes

Question 26: What does the word “they” in the second paragraph refer to?

A. characteristics        B. gods                        C. images                    D. invaders

Question 27: Which of the following is NOT mentioned as a value of festivals?

A. Educating young generations                    B. Showing community’s union

C. Remembering national heroes                   D. Questioning personal bad lucks

Question 28: In which paragraph does the writer mention the way to maintain traditional values?

A. Paragraph 1            B. Paragraph 3            C. Paragraph 2             D. Paragraph 4

Question 29: What is the best title of the passages?

A. Similarities, differences and changes in Vietnamese festivals
B. Social, educational and historical values of Vietnamese festivals
C. When, how and why festivals in Vietnam keep their traditions
D. Time, formation and meaning of traditional Vietnamese festivals

Question 30: The word unite in paragraph 3 is OPPOSITE in meaning to ____.