Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C or D on your answer sheet to indicate the correct answer to each of the questions from 35 to 42.
A mansion is a very large home. McDonald's is the name of a fast food hamburger chain. What do you get when you put the two together? You get McMansion, the recently created name for a type of large suburban, two storied home that originated in the United States. Many people love McMansions for their low price, abundant space and impressive styling, but the news is not all gooD. In fact, McMansions may now be a threatened species.
McMansion became very popular in the United States during the 1990s, and this popularity continued for almost 20 years. During those years the economy was relatively strong, and banks were willing to lend large sums of money to people who wanted to buy a home. The result was an increase in the average home size. In 1988, the average new American home was 170 square meters, but by 2008 this had risen to 244 square meters, a 44% increase.
To offset the greater costs of these large homes, land developers built many homes that all used a similar basic design and identical construction methods. Framing and interior fittings were constructed in
factories, instead of on site, and the materials used were often of a lower quality. Finally, the sections of land used for each house were much smaller than before.
The result was suburban developments full of huge homes, often over 280 square meters in floor area, that all looked similar to each other. Their standardization and lowest possible-cost construction reminded people of McDonald's hamburgers, hence the term McMansion. For many people a McMansion was their dream home, but that dream is now rapidly turning sour.
There are two main problems with McMansions. One problem is that their huge size means that they cost a lot to heat or cool. Energy is becoming more expensive, so owners are faced with huge bills if they try to heat or cool their home. The other problem is that McMansion owners are often in a lot of debt. They borrowed a lot of money to pay for their impressive home, but during the 2000s, with struggling economy and high unemployment, they couldn't afford to repay their loan.
McMansion are still popular in some area, but no one is sure how long it will last. Will energy become even more expensive and force owners to downsize? Will the economy grow and banks become more willing to end again? Will the drop-in house prices allow larger, less affluent families to afford a McMansion? These questions are weighing heavily on the future of one of the most popular housing styles of the late 20th century.
(Source: Reading planet)
According to the passage, which of the following is a major problem with McMansions?
A. Their impressive designs make them dream homes for many people.
B. The large size of McMansions asks their owners for huge energy bilis.
C. The identical look of the McMansions everywhere makes them no longer popular.
D. The identical look of the McMansions reminds people of McDonald's hamburgers.
Kiến thức: Đọc hiểu
Giải thích:
Theo đoạn văn, điều nào sau đây là một vấn đề lớn với McMansion?
A. Thiết kế ấn tượng của chúng khiến chúng trở thành ngôi nhà mơ ước của nhiều người.
B. Kích thước lớn của McMansion yêu cầu chủ sở hữu thanh toán các hóa đơn năng lượng khổng lồ.
C. Vẻ ngoài giống hệt của McMansion ở khắp mọi nơi khiến chúng không còn phổ biến.
D. Vẻ ngoài giống hệt của McMansion khiến người ta liên tưởng đến hamburger của McDonald.
Thông tin: One problem is that their huge size means that they cost a lot to heat or cool. Energy is becoming more expensive, so owners are faced with huge bills if they try to heat or cool their home.
Tạm dịch: Một vấn đề là kích thước khổng lồ của chúng có nghĩa là chúng tốn rất nhiều chi phí để sưởi ấm hoặc làm mát. Năng lượng đang trở nên đắt đỏ hơn, vì vậy chủ sở hữu phải đối mặt với các hóa đơn khổng lồ nếu họ cố gắng sưởi ấm hoặc làm mát ngôi nhà của họ.
Chọn B
Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to indicate the correct word or phrase that best fits each of the numbered blanks from 25 to 29. Fill in the appropriate word in question 29
It is true that digital manufacturing does cut out the middle-man. More and more routine, repetitive assembly tasks will be taken (25)______ by machines. But as certain jobs disappear, new ones open up in other parts of the factory. Germany in many ways exemplifies this trend. Today, German manufacturers (26)______ three times more robots than U.S. companies, but they also still employ more humans. Relative to the size of our economies, German's manufacturing workforce is twice the size of America's.
From its very beginning, the fourth Industrial revolution has never presented manufacturers with an
either-or choice - robots or humans. It has always been about combining the talents of (27)______ . (28) ______, it is the convergence of artificial and human intelligence that will enable manufacturers to achieve a new era of speed, flexibility, efficiency and connectivity in the 21st century. Machines have the ability to assemble things faster than any human ever could, but humans possess the analytics, domain expertise and valuable knowledge (29)______ to solve problems and optimize factory floor production.
(Adapted from: http://time.com/4940374/joe-kaeser-siemens-robots-jobs/)
Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to indicate the correct answer to each of the questions from 30 to 34.
Bitcoins are a form of virtual currency. In other words, they are a type of money that does not exist in the actual world. However, they can be used to purchase actual products and services from real companies.
The bitcoin system was created in 2009 by an enigmatic person named Satoshi Nakamoto. In fact, no one is sure if Satoshi Nakamoto is an actual person or a group of people. Bitcoins are designed to serve as an alternative to national currencies, such as dollars and euros, They can be used to pay for things instead of cash or credit cards. When bitcoins are transferred from a buyer to a seller, the transaction is recorded in a public database.
Governments are concerned that bitcoins can easily be stolen by hackers. It has dawned on them that they might be used for illegal purposes. For example, stolen goods could be purchased without the government's knowledge. Although more and more companies are beginning to accept bitcoins, the percentage of purchases made using bitcoins is minuscule compared to other online payment methods, such as credit cards. Instead, many bitcoin owners simply keep them as an investment since more valuable in the future.
This may or may not be a wise approach. Currently, the value of bitcoins is fluctuating wildly, especially when compared to highly stable national currencies, Bitcoin Investors are gambling on the hope that as this high-tech money becomes more widely accepted, its value will soar.
(Adapted from: https://www.digitalcommerce360.com/)
Which of the following is defined in the passage?
Mark the letter A, B, C or D on your answer sheet to indicate the word(s) OPPOSITE in meaning to the underlined word(s) in each of the following questions.
If you say bad things about the person who give a job you bite the hand that feeds you.
Mark the letter A, B, C or D on your answer sheet to indicate the correct answer to each of the following questions.
These _____ suggest that there is not direct link between unemployment and crime.
Mark the letter A, B, C or D on your answer sheet to indicate the correct answer to each of the following questions.
The process of _____ Jackson from a talented teenager into a franchise player began in training camp.
Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to indicate the correct word or phrase that best fits each of the numbered blanks from 25 to 29. Fill in the appropriate word in question 25
It is true that digital manufacturing does cut out the middle-man. More and more routine, repetitive assembly tasks will be taken (25)______ by machines. But as certain jobs disappear, new ones open up in other parts of the factory. Germany in many ways exemplifies this trend. Today, German manufacturers (26)______ three times more robots than U.S. companies, but they also still employ more humans. Relative to the size of our economies, German's manufacturing workforce is twice the size of America's.
From its very beginning, the fourth Industrial revolution has never presented manufacturers with an
either-or choice - robots or humans. It has always been about combining the talents of (27)______ . (28) ______, it is the convergence of artificial and human intelligence that will enable manufacturers to achieve a new era of speed, flexibility, efficiency and connectivity in the 21st century. Machines have the ability to assemble things faster than any human ever could, but humans possess the analytics, domain expertise and valuable knowledge (29)______ to solve problems and optimize factory floor production.
(Adapted from: http://time.com/4940374/joe-kaeser-siemens-robots-jobs/)
Mark the letter A, B, C or D on your answer sheet to indicate the correct answer to each of the following questions.
When someone is down on their _____, friends are not easy to find.
Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to indicate the correct answer to each of the questions from 30 to 34.
Bitcoins are a form of virtual currency. In other words, they are a type of money that does not exist in the actual world. However, they can be used to purchase actual products and services from real companies.
The bitcoin system was created in 2009 by an enigmatic person named Satoshi Nakamoto. In fact, no one is sure if Satoshi Nakamoto is an actual person or a group of people. Bitcoins are designed to serve as an alternative to national currencies, such as dollars and euros, They can be used to pay for things instead of cash or credit cards. When bitcoins are transferred from a buyer to a seller, the transaction is recorded in a public database.
Governments are concerned that bitcoins can easily be stolen by hackers. It has dawned on them that they might be used for illegal purposes. For example, stolen goods could be purchased without the government's knowledge. Although more and more companies are beginning to accept bitcoins, the percentage of purchases made using bitcoins is minuscule compared to other online payment methods, such as credit cards. Instead, many bitcoin owners simply keep them as an investment since more valuable in the future.
This may or may not be a wise approach. Currently, the value of bitcoins is fluctuating wildly, especially when compared to highly stable national currencies, Bitcoin Investors are gambling on the hope that as this high-tech money becomes more widely accepted, its value will soar.
(Adapted from: https://www.digitalcommerce360.com/)
The word “they” in paragraph 1 refers to
Mark the letter A, B, C or D on your answer sheet to indicate the correct answer to each of the following questions.
It was the first time I had visitors _____ I had moved to London.
Mark the letter A, B, C or D on your answer sheet to indicate the correct answer to each of the following questions.
While I _____ at the bus stop, three buses went by in the opposite direction.
Mark the letter A, B, C or D on your answer sheet to indicate the correct answer to each of the following questions.
Janet admitted _____ the car without insurance.
Mark the letter A, B, C or D on your answer sheet to indicate the word(s) OPPOSITE in meaning to the underlined word(s) in each of the following questions.
Telomeres are the tiny caps on the ends of chromosomes that protect our DNA from damage during cell division.
Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to indicate the correct answer to each of the questions from 30 to 34.
Bitcoins are a form of virtual currency. In other words, they are a type of money that does not exist in the actual world. However, they can be used to purchase actual products and services from real companies.
The bitcoin system was created in 2009 by an enigmatic person named Satoshi Nakamoto. In fact, no one is sure if Satoshi Nakamoto is an actual person or a group of people. Bitcoins are designed to serve as an alternative to national currencies, such as dollars and euros, They can be used to pay for things instead of cash or credit cards. When bitcoins are transferred from a buyer to a seller, the transaction is recorded in a public database.
Governments are concerned that bitcoins can easily be stolen by hackers. It has dawned on them that they might be used for illegal purposes. For example, stolen goods could be purchased without the government's knowledge. Although more and more companies are beginning to accept bitcoins, the percentage of purchases made using bitcoins is minuscule compared to other online payment methods, such as credit cards. Instead, many bitcoin owners simply keep them as an investment since more valuable in the future.
This may or may not be a wise approach. Currently, the value of bitcoins is fluctuating wildly, especially when compared to highly stable national currencies, Bitcoin Investors are gambling on the hope that as this high-tech money becomes more widely accepted, its value will soar.
(Adapted from: https://www.digitalcommerce360.com/)
The word “minuscule” is closest in meaning to
Mark the letter A, B, C or D on your answer sheet to indicate the word(s) CLOSEST in meaning to the underlined word(s) in each of the following questions.
Congo's presidential election is hoped to enable the country's first peaceful, democratic transfer of power since independence from Belgium in 1960.
Mark the letter A, B, C or D on your answer sheet to indicate the correct answer to each of the following questions.
Over the past 30 years, the average robot price _____ by half in real terms, and even further relative to labor costs.
Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to indicate the correct answer to each of the questions from 31 to 35.
Just as you designate and separate your physical workspace, you should be clear about when you’re working and when you’re not. You’ll get your best work done and be most ready to transition back to the office if you stick with your regular hours. Plus, if your role is collaborative, being on the same schedule as your coworkers makes everything much easier.
“The biggest difference between working from home and working in the office is that you are in charge of your environment and have to treat yourself like an employee,” Yurovsky says. This means holding yourself accountable, but also recognizing when enough is enough, just as a good manager might. “If you feel yourself extending your work hours because you are not doing anything in the evening...tell yourself it’s time to put work away, recharge, and start tomorrow with a fresh mind. The work will be there in the morning.”
If you live with other people, this separation is even more critical. Communicate with the people whom you live with to establish boundaries so you can cut down on distractions during the workday—and then disconnect and give the people you care about your full attention. Having a separate time and space to work will allow you to be more present in your home life.
(Adapted from https://www.themuse.com/)
The word “whom” in paragraph 1 refers to ______.
Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to indicate the correct answer to each of the questions from 31 to 35.
Just as you designate and separate your physical workspace, you should be clear about when you’re working and when you’re not. You’ll get your best work done and be most ready to transition back to the office if you stick with your regular hours. Plus, if your role is collaborative, being on the same schedule as your coworkers makes everything much easier.
“The biggest difference between working from home and working in the office is that you are in charge of your environment and have to treat yourself like an employee,” Yurovsky says. This means holding yourself accountable, but also recognizing when enough is enough, just as a good manager might. “If you feel yourself extending your work hours because you are not doing anything in the evening...tell yourself it’s time to put work away, recharge, and start tomorrow with a fresh mind. The work will be there in the morning.”
If you live with other people, this separation is even more critical. Communicate with the people whom you live with to establish boundaries so you can cut down on distractions during the workday—and then disconnect and give the people you care about your full attention. Having a separate time and space to work will allow you to be more present in your home life.
(Adapted from https://www.themuse.com/)
What is the useful advice for those who work from home at night?
Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to indicate the correct answer to each of the questions from 31 to 35.
Just as you designate and separate your physical workspace, you should be clear about when you’re working and when you’re not. You’ll get your best work done and be most ready to transition back to the office if you stick with your regular hours. Plus, if your role is collaborative, being on the same schedule as your coworkers makes everything much easier.
“The biggest difference between working from home and working in the office is that you are in charge of your environment and have to treat yourself like an employee,” Yurovsky says. This means holding yourself accountable, but also recognizing when enough is enough, just as a good manager might. “If you feel yourself extending your work hours because you are not doing anything in the evening...tell yourself it’s time to put work away, recharge, and start tomorrow with a fresh mind. The work will be there in the morning.”
If you live with other people, this separation is even more critical. Communicate with the people whom you live with to establish boundaries so you can cut down on distractions during the workday—and then disconnect and give the people you care about your full attention. Having a separate time and space to work will allow you to be more present in your home life.
(Adapted from https://www.themuse.com/)
According to paragraph 1, if you work on the same schedule as your co-workers, your work may be ______.
Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to indicate the correct answer to each of the questions from 31 to 35.
Just as you designate and separate your physical workspace, you should be clear about when you’re working and when you’re not. You’ll get your best work done and be most ready to transition back to the office if you stick with your regular hours. Plus, if your role is collaborative, being on the same schedule as your coworkers makes everything much easier.
“The biggest difference between working from home and working in the office is that you are in charge of your environment and have to treat yourself like an employee,” Yurovsky says. This means holding yourself accountable, but also recognizing when enough is enough, just as a good manager might. “If you feel yourself extending your work hours because you are not doing anything in the evening...tell yourself it’s time to put work away, recharge, and start tomorrow with a fresh mind. The work will be there in the morning.”
If you live with other people, this separation is even more critical. Communicate with the people whom you live with to establish boundaries so you can cut down on distractions during the workday—and then disconnect and give the people you care about your full attention. Having a separate time and space to work will allow you to be more present in your home life.
(Adapted from https://www.themuse.com/)
The word “accountable” in paragraph 2 is closest in meaning to ______.
Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to indicate the correct answer to each of the questions from 31 to 35.
Just as you designate and separate your physical workspace, you should be clear about when you’re working and when you’re not. You’ll get your best work done and be most ready to transition back to the office if you stick with your regular hours. Plus, if your role is collaborative, being on the same schedule as your coworkers makes everything much easier.
“The biggest difference between working from home and working in the office is that you are in charge of your environment and have to treat yourself like an employee,” Yurovsky says. This means holding yourself accountable, but also recognizing when enough is enough, just as a good manager might. “If you feel yourself extending your work hours because you are not doing anything in the evening...tell yourself it’s time to put work away, recharge, and start tomorrow with a fresh mind. The work will be there in the morning.”
If you live with other people, this separation is even more critical. Communicate with the people whom you live with to establish boundaries so you can cut down on distractions during the workday—and then disconnect and give the people you care about your full attention. Having a separate time and space to work will allow you to be more present in your home life.
(Adapted from https://www.themuse.com/)
Which best serves as the title for the passage?
Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C, or D to indicate the correct word or phrase that best fits each of the numbered blanks.
Sir Isaac Newton, the English scientist and mathematician, was one of the most important figures of the 17th century scientific revolution. One of his greatest achievement was the discovery of the three laws of motion, (26) ______ are still used today. But he also had a very unusual personality. Some people would say he was actually insane.
His father died before he was born, and his mother soon remarried. The young Isaac hated his stepfather so much that he once (27) _____ to burn his house down - when his stepfather and mother were still inside! Fortunately he did not, and he went on to graduate from Cambridge without being thrown into prison.
Isaac's first published work was a theory of light and color. When another scientist wrote a paper criticizing this theory, Isaac flew into an uncontrollable rage. The scientist (28) ______ for the criticism was a man called Robert Hooke. He was head of the Royal Society, and one of the most respected scientists in the country. (29)_______, this made no difference to Isaac, who refused to speak to him for over a year.
The simple fact was that Isaac found it impossible to have a calm discussion with anyone. As soon as someone said something that he disagreed with, he would lose his temper. For this reason he lived a large part of his life isolated from (30) ______ scientists. It is unlikely that many of them complained.
(Source: https://www.biography.com/scientist/isaac-newton)
Điền vào ô số 30
Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C, or D to indicate the correct word or phrase that best fits each of the numbered blanks.
Sir Isaac Newton, the English scientist and mathematician, was one of the most important figures of the 17th century scientific revolution. One of his greatest achievement was the discovery of the three laws of motion, (26) ______ are still used today. But he also had a very unusual personality. Some people would say he was actually insane.
His father died before he was born, and his mother soon remarried. The young Isaac hated his stepfather so much that he once (27) _____ to burn his house down - when his stepfather and mother were still inside! Fortunately he did not, and he went on to graduate from Cambridge without being thrown into prison.
Isaac's first published work was a theory of light and color. When another scientist wrote a paper criticizing this theory, Isaac flew into an uncontrollable rage. The scientist (28) ______ for the criticism was a man called Robert Hooke. He was head of the Royal Society, and one of the most respected scientists in the country. (29)_______, this made no difference to Isaac, who refused to speak to him for over a year.
The simple fact was that Isaac found it impossible to have a calm discussion with anyone. As soon as someone said something that he disagreed with, he would lose his temper. For this reason he lived a large part of his life isolated from (30) ______ scientists. It is unlikely that many of them complained.
(Source: https://www.biography.com/scientist/isaac-newton)
Điền vào ô số 29
Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C, or D to indicate the correct word or phrase that best fits each of the numbered blanks.
Sir Isaac Newton, the English scientist and mathematician, was one of the most important figures of the 17th century scientific revolution. One of his greatest achievement was the discovery of the three laws of motion, (26) ______ are still used today. But he also had a very unusual personality. Some people would say he was actually insane.
His father died before he was born, and his mother soon remarried. The young Isaac hated his stepfather so much that he once (27) _____ to burn his house down - when his stepfather and mother were still inside! Fortunately he did not, and he went on to graduate from Cambridge without being thrown into prison.
Isaac's first published work was a theory of light and color. When another scientist wrote a paper criticizing this theory, Isaac flew into an uncontrollable rage. The scientist (28) ______ for the criticism was a man called Robert Hooke. He was head of the Royal Society, and one of the most respected scientists in the country. (29)_______, this made no difference to Isaac, who refused to speak to him for over a year.
The simple fact was that Isaac found it impossible to have a calm discussion with anyone. As soon as someone said something that he disagreed with, he would lose his temper. For this reason he lived a large part of his life isolated from (30) ______ scientists. It is unlikely that many of them complained.
(Source: https://www.biography.com/scientist/isaac-newton)
Điền vào ô số 28
Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C, or D to indicate the correct word or phrase that best fits each of the numbered blanks.
Sir Isaac Newton, the English scientist and mathematician, was one of the most important figures of the 17th century scientific revolution. One of his greatest achievement was the discovery of the three laws of motion, (26) ______ are still used today. But he also had a very unusual personality. Some people would say he was actually insane.
His father died before he was born, and his mother soon remarried. The young Isaac hated his stepfather so much that he once (27) _____ to burn his house down - when his stepfather and mother were still inside! Fortunately he did not, and he went on to graduate from Cambridge without being thrown into prison.
Isaac's first published work was a theory of light and color. When another scientist wrote a paper criticizing this theory, Isaac flew into an uncontrollable rage. The scientist (28) ______ for the criticism was a man called Robert Hooke. He was head of the Royal Society, and one of the most respected scientists in the country. (29)_______, this made no difference to Isaac, who refused to speak to him for over a year.
The simple fact was that Isaac found it impossible to have a calm discussion with anyone. As soon as someone said something that he disagreed with, he would lose his temper. For this reason he lived a large part of his life isolated from (30) ______ scientists. It is unlikely that many of them complained.
(Source: https://www.biography.com/scientist/isaac-newton)
Điền vào ô số 27
Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C, or D to indicate the correct word or phrase that best fits each of the numbered blanks.
Sir Isaac Newton, the English scientist and mathematician, was one of the most important figures of the 17th century scientific revolution. One of his greatest achievement was the discovery of the three laws of motion, (26) ______ are still used today. But he also had a very unusual personality. Some people would say he was actually insane.
His father died before he was born, and his mother soon remarried. The young Isaac hated his stepfather so much that he once (27) _____ to burn his house down - when his stepfather and mother were still inside! Fortunately he did not, and he went on to graduate from Cambridge without being thrown into prison.
Isaac's first published work was a theory of light and color. When another scientist wrote a paper criticizing this theory, Isaac flew into an uncontrollable rage. The scientist (28) ______ for the criticism was a man called Robert Hooke. He was head of the Royal Society, and one of the most respected scientists in the country. (29)_______, this made no difference to Isaac, who refused to speak to him for over a year.
The simple fact was that Isaac found it impossible to have a calm discussion with anyone. As soon as someone said something that he disagreed with, he would lose his temper. For this reason he lived a large part of his life isolated from (30) ______ scientists. It is unlikely that many of them complained.
(Source: https://www.biography.com/scientist/isaac-newton)
Điền vào ô số 26