Bài tập Reading luyện thi THPT Quốc gia môn Tiếng Anh

THE HISTORY OF WRITING
The development of writing (56) ___ a huge difference to the world and might see it as the beginning of the (57) ____. Pieces of pottery with marks on that are probably numbers have been discovered in China that date from around 4000 BC. Hieroglyphics and other forms of "picture writing" developed in the (58)_____ around Mesopotamia (modern-day Iraq), where the ancient Sumerian civilization was based, from around 3300 BC onwards. However, the first (59) _____ alphabet was used by the Phoenicians around 1050 BC. Their alphabet had 22 letters and it is estimated that it lasted for 1000 years. The first two signs were called "aleph" and "beth", which in Greek became "alpha" and "beta", which gave us the (60)____ word "alphabet"
The modern European alphabet is based on the Greek and (61) ____ to other European countries under the Romans. A number of changes took place as time passed. The Romans added the letter G, and the letter J and V were (62) ____ to people in Shakespeare's time.
If we (63)____ the history of punctuation, we also find some interesting facts. The Romans used to write quaesto at the end of a sentence in (64) _____ to show that it was a question. they started to write Qo in (65) ____ of the whole word, and then put the Q above the o. In the end, that became the question mark "?"
Question 56. A. did 	B. had 	C. made 	D. took 
Question 57. A. media	B. bulletin 	C. programme 	D. journalism
Question 58. A. distance 	B. area 	C. length 	D. earth
Question 59. A. true 	B. accurate 	C. exact 	D. precise
Question 60. A. new 	B. trendy 	C. modern 	D. fashionable
Question 61. A. spread 	B. appeared 	C. was 	D. occurred
Question 62. A. infamous	B. unpopular	C. unknown	D. hidden
Question 63. A. look into 	B. bring on 	C. make off 	D. hold up
Question 64. A. turn 	B. fact 	C. order 	D. intention
Question 65. A. position 	B. space 	C. spot 	D. place
Read the passage and choose the best option to fill in each gap
	If you're an environmentalist, plastic is a word you tend to say with a sneer or a snarl. It has become a symbol of our wasteful, throw- away society. But there seems little doubt it is here to stay, and the truth is, of course, that plastic has brought enormous ( 41)_____even environmental evil- it's the way society chooses to uses and ( 42)______them.
	Almost all the 50 or so different kinds of modern plastic are made from oil, gas or coal- non-renewable natural (43)_____. We (44)_____well over three million tones of the stuff in Britain each year and, sooner or later, most of it is thrown away. A high ( 45)_____ of our annual consumption is in the form of packaging, and this (46)____about seven per cent by weight of our domestic refuse. Almost all of it could be recycled, but very little of it is, though the plastic recycling (47)____is growing fast.
	The plastics themselves are extremely energy-rich- they have a higher calorific (48)_____than coal and one (49)___of "recovery" strongly favoured by the plastic manufacturers is the ( 50)___ of waste plastic into a fuel.
Question 41. A. savings	B. pleasures	C. benefits	D. profits
Question 42. A. abuse	B. endanger	C. store	D. dispose
Question 43. A. processes	B. resources	C. products	D. fuels
Question 44. A. import	B. consign	C. remove	D. consume
Question 45. A. amount	B. proportion	C. portion	D. rate
Question 46. A. makes	B. carries	C. takes	D. constitutes
Question 47. A. industry	B. manufacture	C. plant	D. factory
Question 48. A. demand	B. effect	C. value	D. degree
Question 49. A. medium	B. method	C. measure	D. mechanism
Question 50. A. melting	B. conversion	C. change	D. replacement	
TRAFFIC LIGHTS
The first traffic signal was invented by a railway signaling engineer. It was installed (41) ___ the Houses of Parliament in 1868. It (42)_____ like any railway signal of the time, and was operated by gas. (43) ____, it exploded and killed a policeman, and the accident discouraged further development until cars became common.
(44) ____ traffic lights are an American invention. Red – green systems were installed in Cleveland in 1914. Three - color signals, operated (45) _____ hand from a tower in the (46) _____ of the street, were installed in New York in 1918. The first lights of this type to (47) ____ in Britain were in London, on the junction between St. James’s Street and Piccadilly, in 1925. Automatic signals were installed (48) ____ year later.
In the past, traffic lights were special. In New York, some lights had a statue on top. In Los Angeles the lights did not just change silently, but would ring bells to (49) _____ the sleeping motorists of the 1930s. These are gone and have been (50) ____ by standard models which are universally adopted.
Question 41. 	A. outside	B. out	C.out of	D. outdoors
Question 42. 	A. resembled	B. looked	C. showed	D. seemed
Question 43. 	A. However	B. Therefore	C. Although	D. Despite
Question 44. 	A. New	B. Recent	C. Modern	D. Late
Question 45. 	A. by	B. with	C. through	D. in
Question 46. 	A. middle	B. heart	C. focus	D. halfway
Question 47. 	A. show	B. appear	C. happen	D. become
Question 48. 	A. a	B. in the	C. in a	D. the
Question 49. 	A. rise	B. raise	C. wake	D. get up
Question 50. 	A. reproduced	B. replaced	C. removed	D. remained
How men first learnt to (51)____ words is unknown; in other words, the origin of language is a (52)___. All we really know is that men, unlike animals, (53)___ invented certain sounds to express thoughts and feelings, actions and things so that they could communicate with each other; and that later they agreed (54)____ certain signs, called letters, which could be combined to represent those sounds, and which could be written down. These sounds, (55)___ spoken or written in letters, are called words. Great writers are those who not only have great thoughts but also express these thoughts in words that (56)____ powerfully to our minds and emotions. This charming and telling use of words is what we call literary (57)____. Above all, the real poet is a master of words. He can (58)____ his meaning in words which sing like music, and which by their position and association can (59)_____ men to tears. We should, therefore, learn to choose our words carefully, (60)______ they will make our speech silly and vulgar.
 Câu 51: A. invent 	B. create 	C. make 	D. discover
Câu 52: A. story 	B. secret 	C. mystery 	D. legend
Câu 53: A. whatever 	B. however 	C. somewhat 	D. somehow
Câu 54: A. at 	B. upon 	C. with 	D. to
Câu 55: A. if 	B. however 	C. whether 	D. though
Câu 56: A. interest 	B. appeal 	C. attract 	D. lure
Câu 57: A. prose 	B. work 	C. form 	D. style
Câu 58: A. carry 	B. convey 	C. transfer 	D. transmit
Câu 59: A. take 	B. send 	C. break 	D. move
Câu 60: A. or 	B. so 	C. although 	D. because
Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to indicate the correct word for each of the blanks from 56 to 65.
There are many superstitions in Britain, but one of the most (56)____ held is that it is unlucky to walk under a ladder even if it means (57)___the pavement into a busy street! If you must pass under a ladder, you can avoid bad luck by crossing your fingers and keeping them crossed until you have seen a dog. (58)____, you may lick your finger and make a cross on the toe of your shoe, and not look again at the shoe until the mark has dried.
 	Another common superstition is that it is unlucky to open an umbrella in the house - it will either bring (59)____ to the person who opened it or to the whole (60)___. Anyone opening an umbrella in the fine weather is unpopular, as it inevitably brings rain!
 	The number 13 is said to be unlucky for some, and when the 13th day of the month (61)____ on a Friday, anyone wishing to avoid a bad event had better stay indoors. The worst misfortune that can happen to a person is caused by breaking a mirror, as it brings seven years of bad luck! The superstition is supposed to (62)____ in ancient times, when mirrors were considered to be tools of the gods.
 	Black cats are generally considered lucky in Britain, even though they are (63)____witchcraft. It is (64)____ lucky if a black cat crosses your path – although in America the exact opposite belief prevails.
 	Finally, a commonly held superstition is that of touching wood (65)____luck. This measure is most often taken if you think you have said something that is tempting fate, such as “My car has never broken down, touch wood?”
Question 56: A. broadly	B. widely	C. quickly	D. speedily
Question 57: A. jumping off	B. keeping from	C. stepping off	D. running from
Question 58: A. Consequently	B. However	C. Comparatively	D. Alternatively
Question 59: A. difficulty	B. tragedy	C. loss	D. misfortune
Question 60: A. house	B. household	C. home	D. member
Question 61: A. happens	B. arrives	C. falls	D. drops
Question 62: A. be originated	B. be originating	C. have originated	D. originate
Question 63: A. concerned about B. related with	C. associated with	D. connected on
Question 64: A. specially	B. rarely	C. frequently	D. especially
Question 65: A. as	B. in	C. for	D. of
Human beings have a strong need to (1) _____ their experiences and problems into words. That is why everyone appreciate a ‘friendly ear’ - someone who is (2) ________ to listen to their troubles and joys. But few people realize what a complex skill listening is. (3) _______ a good listener requires great power of concentration, which can only be gained (4) _______ practice.
	There are two reasons why listening is often such hard (5)___. The first is simply that people much prefer to speak. How often have you missed what someone has said because you were thinking about (6) ___ you were going to say in reply? The second reason is that people speak too slowly. The average speed is about 125 words (7) ___ minute, which is not fast enough for the human brain. It allows too much time for the concentration to fail, as the brain tries to (8) ____ itself busy with others, irrelevant thoughts.
	Next time you are in a listening (9) _____, try to predict what the speaker is going to say. Ask yourself questions about what is being said, and see (10) _____ the speaker answers them. Finally, make quick summaries in your head of the main point that have been made. All of these things will help you to concentrate and make you a better listener.
 1. A. lay	B. put	C. place	D. set 
 2. A. agreed	B. accept	C. capable 	D. willing
 3. A. Be	B. Being	C. To be 	D. To being
 4. A. with	B. at	C. through	D. in
 5. A. job	B. work	C. task	D. action
 6. A. which	B. what	C. when	D. that
 7. A. each	B. every	C. per	D. one
 8. A. keep	B. stop	C. maintain	D. hold
 9. A. condition	B. case	C. atmosphere	D. situation
 10. A. as if	B. whether	C. if only	D. if not
	 If you want to prepare yourself for great achievement and have more to (31) ______ to your education or your work, try reading more books. (32) ______ up some of the interestingly informative books and search for well-researched materials that can help you grow.
	We should (33) ______ our children to read more books and (34) ______ less time watching TV. Some people have commented that this is inconsistent. "Why is the written word a superior way to get information than television?" That is (35) ______ interesting point of view worth further (36) ______. Reading is a skill that is in much greater demand than the demand for watching TV. There are no jobs that (37) ______ a person to be able to watch TV but reading is an integral part of many jobs. The written word is an incredibly flexible and efficient way of communication. You can write something down and, in no time, it can be (38) ______ to many different people. Not only that, we can (39) ______ vast amounts of information through reading in a very short time. A good reader can acquire more information in reading for two hours than someone watching TV can acquire in a full day. You are able to gain a lot of information quickly because you are a fast reader with good (40) ______ skills. It will save you massive amounts of time and you will be able to assimilate vast quantities of information.
31. 	A. contribute 	B. gather 	C. collect 	D. gain
32. 	A. Make 	B. Set 	C. Take 	D. Pick
33. 	A. discuss 	B. encourage 	C. suggest 	D. define
34. 	A. spend 	B. apply 	C. train 	D. waste
35. 	A. a 	B. an 	C. the 	D. X
36. 	A. explore 	B. explorer 	C. exploration 	D. explorative
37. 	A. inquire 	B. tell 	C. require 	D. ask
38. 	A. submitted 	B. handed 	C. sent 	D. communicated
39. 	A. inhale 	B. breathe 	C. eat 	D. digest
40. 	A. apprehension 	B. enjoyment 	C. comprehension 	D. entertainment
Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to indicate the correct word(s) for each of the blanks. 
 From the seeds themselves to the machinery, fertilizers and pesticides - The Green Revolution regimen depend heavily on technology. One (71) ___ , however, depends much (72) ___ on technology - organic farming. Many organic farmers use machinery, but (73) ___ chemical fertilizers or pesticides. (74) ___ chemical soil enrichers, they use animal manure and plant parts not used as food -,natural,organic fertilizers that are clearly a renewable (75) ___. Organic farmers also use alternatives for pesticides; for example they may rely (76) ___ natural predators of certain insect pests. (77) ___ the need arises, they can buy the eggs and larvae of these natural predators and introduce them into their crop fields. They use (78) ___ techniques to control pests as well, like planting certain crops together because one crop repels the other's pests. Organic farmers do not need a lot of land; (79) ___ organic farming is perfectly (80) ___ to small farms and is relatively inexpensive. Finally, many organic farmers' average yields compare favorably with other farmers' yields.
71. A. alternative 	B. alternate 	C. alteration 	D. alternation
72. A. more 	B. less 	C. better 	D. worse
73. A. also 	B. for 	C. not 	D. all
74. A. In spite of 	B. On account of 	C. In favour of 	D. Instead of
75. A. resource 	B. source 	C. matter 	D. substance
76. A. of 	B. to 	C. on	D. in
77. A. Then 	B. If 	C. Because 	D. Though
78. A. others 	B. another 	C. the others 	D. other
79. A. instead 	B. in one way 	C. on one hand 	D. in fact
80. A. suitable 	B. open 	C. likely 	D. suited
Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to choose the word or phrase that best fits each of the numbered blanks from 17 to 26.
 In “Cerealizing America”, Scott Bruce and Bill Crawford remark that the cereal industry uses 816 million pounds of sugar per year. Americans buy 2.7 billion packages of breakfast cereal each year. If (17)___ end to end, the empty cereal boxes from one year’s consumption would (18) ___ to the moon and back. One point three (1.3) million advertisements for cereal are broadcast on American television every year at a(n) (19) ___ of $762 million for airtime. Only automobile manufacturers spend more money on television advertising than the makers of breakfast cereal.
 (20) ___ of the boxed cereals found in supermarkets contain large amounts of sugar and some contain more than 50% sugar. Cereal manufacturers are very clever in their marketing, making many cereals appear much healthier than they really are by “fortifying” them with vitamins and minerals. Oh, (21) ___ - you now have vitamin-fortified sugar!
 Before you eat any cereal, read the ingredient list and see how (22) ___ sugar appears on the ingredient list. Then check the “Nutrition facts” panel.
 There are actually only a small handful of national commercially-branded cereals that are made (23) ___ whole grains and are sugar-free. If you shop at a health food store instead of your local supermarket, you (24) ___ to find a healthy, whole grain, sugar-free (or very low sugar) cereal. But (25) ___! Some of the health food store boxed cereals are sweetened with fruit juice or fructose. Although this may be an improvement (26) ______ refined white sugar, this can really skyrocket the calories. From “Foods That Burn Fat, Foods That Turn to Fat” by Tom Ventulo
Question 17:	A. to lay	B. laying	C. lay	D. laid
Question 18: 	A. reach	B. prolong	C. stretch	D. contact
Question 19: A. charge	B. everage	C. cost	D. expense
Question 20: A. Most	B. Mostly	C. Almost	D. Furthermost
Question 21: A. charming	 B. lovely	 	 C. gorgeous 	 D. beautiful
Question 22: A. tall	 	B. large	C. high	 D. many
Question 23: A. by	 B. from	C. at	D. in
Question 24: A. are more likelier	B. are much more likely	C. would be able	D. could more or less
Question 25: A. see through	B. keep alert	C. watch out	D. look up
Question 26: A. at	B. from	C. with	D. on
Nowadays people are more aware that wildlife all over the world is in (26)___ many species of animals are threatened, and could easily become (27)___ if we do not make an effort to (28)___ them. There are many reasons for this. In some cases, animals are (29)___ for their fur or for other valuable parts of their bodies. Some birds, such as parrots, are caught (30)___, and sold as pets. For many animals and birds, the problem is that their habitat- the place where they live- is (31)___. More (32)___ is used for farms, for houses and industry , and there are fewer open spaces than there once were. Farmers use powerful chemicals to help them grow better (33)___, but these chemicals pollute the environment and (34)___ wildlife. The most successful animals on earth- human beings- will soon be the only ones (35)___, unless we can solve this problem.
26. A. problem	B. vanishing	C. threat	D. danger
27. A. empty	B. disappeared	C. extinct	D. vanished
28. A. serve	B. protect	C. defend	D. harm
29. A. game	B. extinct	C. chased	D. hunted
30. A. alive	B. for living	C. lively	D. for life
31. A. departing	B. exhausting	C. disappearing	D. escaping
32. A. land	B. area	C. soil	D. earth
33. A. products	B. fields	C. crops	D. herbs
34. A. wound	B. wrong	C. harm	D. spoil
35. A. staying	B. survived	C. over	D. left
Circle a letter A, B, C or D that best fits each numbered gap:
 Oxford is a city with such a ____(66) reputation that many who come here find themselves intimidated by the place and can’t wait to leave. While others, taking to it like a ____(67)to water. Find themselves return again and again, the college lawns provide a gorgeous ____(68) to serious study, and in the light night, on a sunny winter’s morning says, one feels as if one is ____(69) on air, such is the sense of unreality. Oxford may like to ____(70) that it is at the intellectual ____(71) of things but in many ways , it is no more than a sleepy ____(72) where to mix metaphors, transitory students, the ____(73) their generation, wait in the ____(74) allowing their talents to ____(75) before moving off into the industrial or political ____(76). Much of this is a myth, of course. Hardship and hard work are very much part and ____(77) of student life .The ____(78) get through the three years’ hard ____(79) by simply putting their shoulders to the ____(80) before going on to fairly average jobs. Only for the tiny minority is Oxford the first step on the ladder to fame and future.
66. A. mind- blowing 	B. clearheaded 	C. backhanded 	D. broken- hearted
67. A. fish 	B. duck 	C. boat 	D. swimmer
68. A. backdrop 	B. curtain 	C. scene 	D. screen
69. A. flying 	B. gliding 	C. floating 	D. swimming
70. A. pretend 	B. act 	C. resemble 	D. produce
71. A. wheel 	B. engine 	C. spoke 	D. hub
72. A. backwater 	B. stream 	C. tributary 	D. watershed
73. A. from 	B. cream 	C. fat 	D. caviar
74. A. pavilion 	B. dressing- room 	C. wings 	D. foyer
75. A. flourish 	B. open 	C. spread 	D. float
76. A. beak 	B. abattoir 	C. dead-end 	D. fast-lane
77. A. package 	B. section 	C. province 	D. parcel
78. A. level- headed 	B. hot- headed 	C. hot- blooded 	D. kind-hearted
Read the following passage and ma