People have five senses. We have a sense of sight, hearing, smell, touch, and taste. Believe (1) _____, your sense of smell is very important. Our nose tells us about our environment. When your nose smells something, it sends information to the brain. Smells tell us if there is danger nearby, or if there is something to eat. Of course, these tools were more useful in the past, but they still come (2) _____ today.

The things you smell can affect your (3) _____. If you smell something nice, you are more likely to be happy. On the other hand, if you smell something unpleasant, you are more likely to be unhappy. That is (4) _____ there are so many businesses that work to create nice scents. Businesses also work on the best ways to deliver scents to people's noses. Candles (5) _____ a whole room smell better. Oils and soaps also have health benefits.

Câu 1: A. your luck B. anyway C. it or not D. a word of it
Câu 2: A. in use B. in hand C. true D. in handy
Câu 3: A. impression B. character C. moodD. style
Câu 4: A. whatB. when C. why D. how
Câu 5: A. convert B. make C. force D. transform

BÀI 2: The Rise of E-Books

Over the past decade, e-books have revolutionized the way people consume written information. It will probably come as no surprise that the total global sales number continues to rise each year. There are several reasons why readers are buying more e-books. For starters, reading a lengthy e-book in front of your computer isn't the most comfortable thing to do. But since tablet sales have exploded, readers can now relax and read their favourite e-books in bed or on the beach. Many e-books are often sold at lower prices than traditional books. Since there is almost zero cost for producing e-books, some authors are offering their novels at lower prices.

Another factor is convenience. In the past, keeping a large book collection meant setting aside a lot of extra space in one's home. With e-books, it is now possible for readers to carry a portable library, which contains thousands of books. To really understand the e-book market, it is important to keep up with national trends. Recent data suggests that the e-book markets in the US and the UK have matured.

In both of these countries, e-book sales account for roughly 20 percent of overall book sales. Although that percentage continues to increase, it is going up at a slower rate than in the past. The popularity of e-books has exploded in Russia. In one poll, 70 percent of Russians claim to have read at least one e-book. However, publishers are not too pleased with this news because approximately 92 percent of e-books in Russia are acquired illegally. In France, consumers don't appear to be too keen on e-books at this time. Although in 2012, e-book sales comprised about 3 percent of the market, it is predicted that this number will increase at a very slow pace. Some French people believe that reading e-books on small screens is uncomfortable. Others say that the French are a cultural exception, as they like the feeling of holding a dusty old physical book. This demonstrates that no matter how popular e-books get, it is unlikely that traditional books will disappear any time soon.

Câu 1: This year e-book sales in the US and the UK will probably _____.

A. increase drastically

B. keep going up

C. stay the same

D. start to decline

Câu 2: Which of the following is NOT a reason why e-books became popular worldwide?

A. People can now store more books easily.

B. Reading e-books recently became more comfortable.

C. Most popular novels are only offered as e-books.

D. A new type of reading device was invented.

Câu 3: The phrase "account for" in paragraph 2 is closest in meaning to _____.

A. know what has happened B. are the explanation for

C. form the total of D. are a particular part of

Câu 4: Why are publishers unhappy about the popularity of e-books in Russia?

A. The quality of e-books is poor. B. Customers are not paying for them.

C. More people are returning to traditional books. D. Only a small percentage of people read e-books.

Câu 5: The word "they" in paragraph 5 refers to _____.

A. total sales B. e-books C. French people D. traditional books

Câu 6: All of the following are the reasons why the French are not fond of e-books very much EXCEPT that _____.

A. the French may want to keep their traditional reading habit

B. the French are an exception, not using any mobile devices

C. it is considered that reading e-books on small screens is not comfortable

D. the French have a trend of reading traditional books

Câu 7: What is the meaning of the last sentence of the passage?

A. French people will change their minds about e-books.

B. It is just a matter of time before e-books disappear.

C. Some people will continue to read traditional books.

D. E-books won't get popular in France until screens get bigger.

BÀI 3: GIRLS' EDUCATION

Improving girls' educational levels has been demonstrated to have clear impacts on the health and economic future of young women, which in turn improves the prospect of their entire community. The infant mortality rate of babies whose mothers have received primary education is half that of children whose mothers are illiterate.

In the poorest countries of the world, 50% of girls do not attend secondary school. Yet, research shows that every extra year of school for girls increases their lifetime income by 15 %. Improving female education, and thus the earning potential of women improves the standard of living for their own children, as women invest more of their income in their families than men do. Yet, many barriers to education for girls remain. In some African countries, such as Burkina Faso, girls are unlikely to attend school for such basic reasons as a lack of private toilet facilities for girls. Higher attendance rates of high schools and university education among women, particularly in developing countries, have helped them make inroads into professional careers with better-paying salaries and wages. Education increases a woman's (and her partner's and the family's) level of health and health awareness.

Furthering women's levels of education and advanced training also tends to lead to later ages of initiation of sexual activity, later age at first marriage, and later ages at first childbirth, as well as an increased likelihood to remain single, have no children, or have no formal marriage and alternatively, have increasing levels of long-term partnerships. It can lead to higher rates of barrier and chemical contraceptive use (and a lower level of sexually transmitted infections among women and their partners and children), and can increase the level of resources available to women who divorce or are in a situation of domestic violence. It has been shown, in addition, to increase women's communication with their partners and their employers, and to improve rates of civic participation such as voting or the holding of office.

Câu 1: What can be the best title for the reading passage?

A. Education and Violence Against Women

B. Women's Rights to Lifelong Education

C. Education and Women's Empowerment

D. Female Education and its Social Benefits

Câu 2: It is stated in the first paragraph that ______.

A. women who have little schooling often have no idea of raising their children

B. it is the children's schooling that helps their mothers increase their lifetime income

C. women's educational levels have an influence on the prospect of their community

D. earning their own living, women take the responsibility of running the household

Câu 3: Which of the following statements is TRUE according to the first paragraph ?

A. It is their husbands who help women improve their educational level.

B. Children whose mothers are illiterate are unable to grow healthily.

C. Many children in Asia have died because of their mothers’ ignorance.

D. The higher their educational level is, the more money women earn.

Câu 4: According to the passage, furthering women’s levels of education and advanced training

does not result in ______.

A. higher rates of barrier and chemical contraceptive use

B. an increased likelihood to remain single among women

C. improved rates of civic participation among women

D. an increased level of health awareness for the husbands

Câu 5: The word “it” in the passage refers to ______.

A. higher attendance rates of high schools and university education

B. furthering women’s levels of education and advanced training

C. a woman’s level of health and health awareness

D. increasing levels of long-term partnerships

Câu 6: The word “barriers” in the passage is closest in meaning to ______.

A. obstacles

B. challenges

C. stresses

D. strains

Câu 7: The phrase “make inroads in” in the passage can be best replaced by ______.

A. celebrate achievement in

B. succeed in taking

C. make progress in

D. take the chance in

Câu 8: It is implied in the first paragraph that ______.

A. there are numerous reasons for women not to come to class worldwide

B. the husband in a family takes little responsibility in rearing the children

C. the children’s standard of living largely depends on their mother’s income

D. the mother in a family makes every effort to raise the children effectively

BÀI 4: (Adapted from Navigate – Coursebook, OUP 2015)

When you first arrive in a foreign culture, often your first reaction is completely positive. Everything seems exciting, different and fascinating. It’s an (1) ______. If you are just on a short holiday, you will probably never leave this phase. (2) ______, if you stay longer, your attitude can start to change.

As you start to realize (3) ______ little you really understand the new culture, life can get frustrating.

People misunderstand what you are trying to say, or they may laugh at you when you say something incorrectly. Even simple things, like posting a letter, can seem very difficult to you. Thus, you are likely to get angry or upset when things go wrong. With time, though, you start to (4) ______ to become more comfortable with the differences and better able to handle frustrating situations. Your (5) ______ of humor reappears. Finally, you may feel enthusiastic about the culture once again, enjoy living in it, and even prefer certain aspects of the culture to your own.

Question 1. A. adventure B. adventurous C. adventurerD. adventurously
Question 2. A. Therefore B. Or C. HoweverD. Nor
Question 3. A. whether B. howC. if D. what
Question 4. A. replace B. maintain C. adjust D. keep
Question 5. A. taste B. sense C. touch D. sound

BÀI 5: (Adapted from http://www.thereadingplanet.com)

A ghostly animal creeps silently through a Florida swamp. It’s a rare type of big cat known as a Florida panther, one of only 80 to 100 such panthers left in the world. Scientists must work to save these remaining panthers from extinction, but their secretive nature is making it difficult. They are attaching a special transmitter to each Florida panther so they can follow their movements, range, and habits. The technology these transmitters use is called satellite tracking.

The scientists are dedicated professionals, but they are not pioneers. Their colleagues before them have attached tiny transmitters to many different kinds of wild animals, including birds, fish, and big cats. So the Florida scientists are using their methods. Firstly, they must trap and tranquillize the panther.

Then, the transmitter is attached to a harness and strapped to the panther’s body. Each harness is custom designed and manually adjusted for panthers so it fits comfortably. Scientists don’t want the transmitter to interfere with the panther’s natural habits. The point of tracking them is to find out as much as they can about their natural habits. Once the tracking transmitter is in place, the information it records is sent to an orbiting satellite. The satellite can see the transmitter that is attached to the panther, even when it is out of sight of a biologist on the ground. The satellite collects information from the transmitter about the panther’s exact location. Once the information is received, it is transmitted back to Earth so it can be recorded by the scientists. Scientists can use the information in many different ways. They can follow the panthers on the ground and observe their behavior. Alternatively, they can use the information to determine the panthers’ ranges and to understand their social patterns. They can also track how environmental changes like weather conditions affect their movements and health. All this information can be used to provide ideal conditions for the endangered panthers. It can also be used to protect the panthers from danger.

In the end, the panther silently slips away through the trees. Around its shoulders a transmitter is sending signals via satellite to a dedicated biologist. The biologist is using the information the transmitter provides to save the Florida panthers from extinction. With the help of satellite tracking these beautiful cats have a better chance of survival in the modern world.

Question 1. What is the passage mainly about?

A. Scientists dedicated to saving Florida panthers.

B. Different methods of tracking Florida panthers.

C. The use of a tracking device to protect Florida panthers.

D. Florida panthers' secretive nature and habits.

Question 2. According to the passage, what information does the satellite collect from the transmitter?

A. The chance of panthers’ survival.

B. The panther’s exact location.

C. The biologists on the ground.

D. The total number of panthers.

Question 3. Florida panthers are characterized as the animals that ______.

A. tend to remain hidden from people

B. are abundant in number

C. live with the spirit of ghosts

D. can be easily followed

Question 4. According to the passage, which of the following about the tracking transmitter

is NOT true?

A. Scientists use the information the transmitter provides to save the panther.

B. The transmitter helps scientists learn about the panther’s habits.

C. The transmitter is fastened to the panther’s body for tracking purposes.

D. The Florida panther is the first animal to be attached with the transmitter.

Question 5. The phrase "tranquillize the panther" in paragraph 2 could be best replaced by______.

A. feed the panther properly

B. make the panther calm

C. put the panther in a cage

D. handle the panther carefully

Question 6. The phrase "custom designed" in paragraph 2 probably means ______.

A. specially made for panthers

B. functioned according to a custom

C. skilfully created by hands

D. created by famous designers

Question 7. The word "their" in paragraph 4 refers to ______.

A. the panthers’ ranges

B. the transmitters

C. the panthers

D. the scientists

Question 8. Which of the following could best describe the author’s attitude in the passage?

A. Objective

B. Negative

C. Sarcastic

D. Sympathetic