Read the following texts and mark the letter A, B, C or D to indicate the correct word or phrase that best fits each of the numbered blanks.
[26] Living in Vietnam today (1) ______ greatly from the lifestyle of 100 years ago. People in the past mainly worked in agriculture (2) ______ today there are significantly fewer people working in this sector of the economy. These days, by comparison, people are more likely to be employed in manufacturing and tourism than in the rice fields. Moreover, Vietnam, (3) ______ was traditionally agrarian, is transforming into an entirely different country. While agriculture is still an important component of the Vietnamese economy, other enterprises are making up for an increasing amount of economic activity.
However, along with the differences, similarities also exist. The people of Vietnam have retained many of the characteristics of their forefathers. (4) ______ Vietnamese are as friendly today as they were in the past. This is best exemplified in the way they welcome foreigners (5) ______ their unique country. Moreover, the resilience and determination of the people of Vietnam has not changed. The Vietnamese work collectively and happily towards the development of their country.
| 1. A. compares | B. differs | C. becomes | D. offers |
| 2. A. however | B. therefore | C. whereas | D. when |
| 3. A. which | B. that | C. what | D. where |
| 4. A. A | B. An | C. The | D. X (no article) |
| 5. A. on | B. at | C. to | D. for |
[27] Nowadays more and more people are moving to live in the cities because of the facilities that they find there. Many people prefer living in cities (1) ______ the opportunities of jobs, market places, big houses and buildings including schools and hospitals. But as the population in the city increases, the (2) ______ of cars, raw materials and others increases too. All this contributes to the pollution of the city and increases the size of the (3) ______ faced by individuals. Our problems in the city contribute to the destruction of the city and the spread of corruption. Also, these problems are (4) ______ an atmosphere of discomfort and the inability of the individual to adapt and live in peace in his home town. However, there are many solutions (5) ______ can be used and applied to contribute to reducing the number of problems, such as increasing the number of police members, providing employment opportunities and spreading awareness among members of the society.
| 1. A. because of | B. because | C. in spite of | D. with |
| 2. A. selling | B. buying | C. consumption | D. conservation |
| 3. A. harms | B. problems | C. troubles | D. damages |
| 4. A. making | B. producing | C. generating | D. creating |
| 5. A. that | B. what | C. this | D. whether |
[28] Family Helpline
Do you feel depressed? Do you and your brothers or sisters seem to argue all the time and you don’t understand why? Does your brother or sister (1) ______ you or is everything around you is not what it should be?
Statistics show that there are times in every family when things just get (2) ______ control. It’s nobody’s fault, but it’s everybody’s responsibility. At times like that, Family Helpline can help.
We care about families and we want to help you (3) ______ your family work again. Our counsellors deal with people just like you all the time. We are not always successful, (4) ______ we do help many families to live together again in peace.
Our assistants help you to stop accusing each other of causing the problem. You all want to find a (5) ______ and sometimes talking to someone outside the family can make a difference. So if you need us, call 222-3489. We are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
| 1. A. excite | B. annoy | C. quarrel | D. struggle |
| 2. A. out of | B. under | C. far from | D. into |
| 3. A. create | B. build | C. make | D. operate |
| 4. A. and | B. or | C. though | D. but |
| 5. A. solution | B. method | C. way | D. result |
[29] There can’t be many people who are unaware of e-mail, even if they have never actually sent one. (1) ______ there are some similarities between e-mail and letters, there are also many differences. The first is that e-mail is delivered instantly, so it can be a very effective means of (2) ______ when speed is important. This speed means that e-mail is more practical for communicating over large distances.
Another difference is that e-mail tends to be relatively informal. People are much more (3) ______ to use language which they would consider unsuitable for a formal letter. Words spelled incorrectly in an e-mail are less likely to be checked than in a letter. One explanation for this is that (4) ______ e-mail seems to be less permanent than something written on paper. We can be sure that the future development of e-mail will have all kinds of (5) ______ effects on the way we communicate.
| 1. A. Besides | B. Since | C. Although | D. Even |
| 2. A. communication | B. transport | C. travelling | D. entertainment |
| 3. A. possible | B. probable | C. capable | D. likely |
| 4. A. a | B. an | C. the | D. Ø |
| 5. A. expected | B. unexpected | C. expecting | D. unexpectedly |
[30] Most people enjoy listening to music but few realise the important and largely positive effects it can have on us. We know that certain (1) ______ of music are used to influence our emotions and our behaviour. For example, airlines use soothing music before a flight to (2) ______ passengers, especially those who may feel nervous about flying.
You may have noticed how shops often play fast, rousing music (if you haven’t noticed, you probably shop at the more old-fashioned type of store) – this tends to make us feel (3) ______ and more likely to spend money!
Music is also being used now as a psychiatric therapy. It seems to be particularly (4) ______ for eating disorders and addictions, but also for sufferers of post-traumatic stress syndrome. People attending group therapy sessions are invited to bring along their favourite tracks. Not everyone does, but those (5) ______ do so play them for the group. This creates a sense of belonging, as well as a more relaxed atmosphere for the therapy session.
| 1. A. forms | B. types | C. brands | D. manners |
| 2. A. relax | B. speed up | C. cheer up | D. irritate |
| 3. A. more confident | B. less negative | C. happier | D. funnier |
| 4. A. practical | B. convenient | C. caring | D. useful |
| 5. A. who | B. whom | C. which | D. what |
