Đề thi học sinh giỏi môn Tiếng Anh Lớp 10 - Năm học 2015-2016

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ENGLISH PRACTICE TEST (1) 
Time allotted: 80 minutes 
 Họ và tên: ................................... 
 Lớp: ............................................. 
FOR QUESTION 1-20: Choose the answer (A, B, C, or D) that fits best in each of the following 
sentences. 
1. The brother and sister were ______ over who would get to inherit the beach house. 
 A. at large B. at odds C. at a standstill D. at a loose end 
2 After congratulating his team, the coach left, allowing the players to let their ______ 
down for a while. 
 A. hair B. heads C. hearts D. souls 
3. Grandma says there wasn't a ______ of truth in that story granddad told last night about 
being a war hero. 
 A. speck B. crumb C. dot D. grain 
4. After a six-year relationship, Martha and Billy have decided to ______. 
 A. break the bank B. turn the page C. tie the knot D. make the grade 
5. I'd like to make ______ for crashing your car. Let me pay for the repairs. 
 A. improvements B. corrections C. amends D. adjustments 
6. It's sad to say, but very few relationships nowadays stand the ______ of time. 
 A. trial B. judgement C. test D. check 
7. Thanks for lending me your umbrella; it really came in ______. 
 A. used B. handy C. handful D. needy 
8. Sara brought in a lot of business last month; she should ask for a pay rise while she’s still 
on a ______. 
 A. run B. roll C. rush D. roam 
9. James never shows his emotions; no matter what happens, he always keeps a stiff upper 
______. 
 A. mouth B. eye C. head D. lip 
10. The injury destroyed his hopes of being ______ world champion. 
 A. peaked B. crowned C. awarded D. topped 
11. Sales of the popular book began to ______ after the author admitted that most of her 
information was fictional. 
 A. teem B. accumulate C. dabble D. diminish 
12. The removal of ______ from the collapsed building took several weeks to complete. 
 A. speculations B. debris C. sediment D. quirks 
13. The water in the shallow pool quickly ______ after the sun came out. 
 A. evaporated B. attained C. defied D. metabolized 
14. The teacher ______ her young students in class by using songs, chants, and funny 
stories. 
 A. surveyed B. honed C. engaged D. accumulated 
15. According to the park’s rules and ______ campfires must not be left unattended. ' 
 A. equilibrium B. conservation C. ambitions D. regulations 
SCORE: <<../90 
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16. Investing in the successful fast food chain became a(n) ______ decision for the wealthy 
businessman. 
 A. extensive B. profitable C. preferred D. sophisticated 
17. After receiving treatment at the best hospital in the country, the patient quickly ______ 
from his illness. 
 A. recovered B. flourished C. reinstated D. perceived 
18. The damages to the bank’s security system resulted in the ______ of the employee 
responsible, 
 A. cue B. resurgence C. termination D. acquaintance 
19. The python is a snake that kills its victims by squeezing them, which cuts off the 
circulation of air. 
 A. constricting B. dwindling C. corroding D. inscribing 
20. The human body is not as delicate as some might think. 
 A. susceptible B. fragile C. inherent D. definitive 
FOR QUESTION 21-30: Give the correct form of the word given in capital. 
21. The King should have taken over the fort and lead the poor to arise. His ____________ 
rise to power; however, comes as mixed blessing. LATE 
22. Each one of the family had a specific job, be it ____________, shepherd or goose keeper.
 SWINE 
23. No memorial was raised over a ____________’s grave. POOR 
24. Just outside the church, a small building is being converted into a room of 
____________ dedicated to the memory of the war victims. REMEMBER 
25. The poem you're about to hear is ____________ on war memorials. SCRIPT 
26. Some individuals are not at all ____________ and really do look much better in real life 
than in pictures. PHOTO 
27. The route will take you over old wooden drawbridges, past beautiful Dutch merchant 
houses and Holland's most famous landmark, a restored ____________. WIND 
28. In both pubs and take-aways, the baked potato has become a ____________. FIX 
29. He though they were actually helping him cheat in the exam, but he should have 
known better they were just doing him a ____________. SERVE 
30. The captain spelled out the dangers without being too ____________, but it only served 
to make the young boy more determined to become a sailor. ALARM 
FOR QUESTION 31-40: Read the passage and choose the best answer for each of the questions 
below. 
Archaeological records-paintings, drawings, and carvings of humans engaged in 
activities involving the use of hands-indicate that humans have been predominantly right-
handed for more than 5,000 years. In ancient Egyptian artwork, for example, the right 
hand is depicted as the dominant one in about 90 percent of the examples. Fracture or wear 
patterns on tools also indicate that a majority of ancient people were right-handed. 
Cro-Magnon cave paintings some 27,000 years old commonly show outlines of 
human hands made by placing one hand against the cave wall and applying paint with the 
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other. Children today make similar outlines of their hands with crayons on paper. With 
few exceptions, left hands of Cro-Magnons are displayed on cave walls, indicating that the 
paintings were usually done by right-handers. Anthropological evidence pushes the 
record of handedness in early human ancestors back to at least 1.4 million years ago. One 
important line of evidence comes from flaking patterns of stone cores used in tool making: 
implements flaked with a clockwise motion (indicating a right-handed toolmaker) can be 
distinguished from those flaked with a counter-clockwise rotation (indicating a left-
handed toolmaker). 
Even scratches found on fossil human teeth offer clues. Ancient humans are thought 
to have cut meat into strips by holding it between their teeth and slicing it with stone 
knives, as do the present-day Inuit. Occasionally the knives slip and leave scratches on the 
users' teeth. Scratches made with a left—to—right stroke direction (by right-handers) are 
more common than scratches in the opposite direction (made by the left-handers) 
Still other evidence comes from cranial morphology: scientists think that physical 
differences between the right and left sides of the interior of the skull indicate subtle 
physical differences between the two sides of the brain. The variation between the 
hemispheres corresponds to which side of the body is used to perform specific activities. 
Such studies, as well as studies of tool use, indicate that right- or left-sided dominance is 
not exclusive to modern Homo Sapiens. Populations of Neanderthals, such as Homo 
credits and Homo habilis, seem to have been predominantly right-handed, as we are. 
31. What is the main idea of the passage? 
A. Human ancestors became predominantly right-handed when they began to use 
tools. 
B. It is difficult to interpret the significance of anthropological evidence concerning tool 
use. 
C. Humans and their ancestors have been predominantly right-handed for over a 
million years. 
D. Human ancestors were more skilled at using both hands than modem humans. 
32. What does the author say about Cro-Magnon paintings of hands? 
A. Some are not very old. B. It is unusual to see such paintings, 
C. Many were made by children. D. The artists were mostly right-handed. 
33. The word "depicted" in the first paragraph is closest in meaning to ______. 
A. written B. portrayed C. referred D. mentioned 
34. When compared with “implements flaked with a counter-clockwise rotation" 
(paragraph 2), it can be inferred that “implements flaked with a clockwise motion" are: 
A. more common B. larger C. more sophisticated D. older 
35. The word "cranial morphology” in the last paragraph is closest in meaning to: 
A. the form of crane B. the form of body 
C. the study of physical bodies D. the study of skulls 
36. The fact that the Inuit cut meat by holding it between their teeth is significant because 
A. the relationship between handedness and scratches on fossil human teeth can be 
verified 
B. it emphasizes the differences between contemporary humans and their ancestors 
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C. the scratch patterns produced by stone knives vary significantly from patterns 
produced by modern knives 
D. it demonstrates that ancient humans were not skilled at using tools 
37. The word "hemispheres" is closest in meaning to: 
A. differences B. sides C. activities D. studies 
38. Why does the author mention Homo erectus and Homo habilis in the last paragraph? 
A. TO contrast them with modern humans. 
B. To explain when human ancestors began to make tools. 
C. To show that early humans were also predominantly right-handed. 
D. To prove that the population of Neanderthals was very large. 
39. All of the following are mentioned as types of evidence concerning handedness 
EXCEPT. 
A. ancient artwork B. asymmetrical skulls 
C. studies of tool use D. fossilized hand bones 
40. Which of the following conclusions is suggested by the evidence from cranial 
morphology? 
A. Differences in the hemispheres of the brain probably came about relatively recently. 
B. There may be a link between handedness and differences in the brain's hemispheres. 
C. Left-handedness was somewhat more common among Neanderthals. 
D. Variation between the brain's hemispheres was not evident in the skulls of Homo 
creclus and Homohabilis. 
FOR QUESTION 41-55: Read the following passage and decide whether A, B, C, or D fits best in 
each gap. 
THE EARLY RAILWAY IN BRITAIN 
 In 1830, there were under 100 miles of public railway in Britain. Yet within 20 
years, this (0) ____________ had grown to more than 5,000 miles. By the end of the century, 
almost enough rail track to (41) the world covered this small island, (42) ____________ the 
nature of travel forever and contributing to the industrial revolution that changed the (43) 
____________ of history in many parts of the world. 
Wherever railways were introduced, economic and social progress quickly (44) 
____________. In a single day, rail passengers could travel hundreds of miles, (45) 
____________ previous journey times by huge margins and bringing rapid travel within 
the (46) ____________ of ordinary people. Previously, many people had never ventured 
(47) ____________ the outskirts of their towns and villages. The railway brought them (48) 
____________ freedom and enlightenment. 
In the 19th century, the railway in Britain (49) ____________ something more than just 
the business of carrying goods and passengers. Trains were associated with romance, 
adventure and, frequently, (50) ____________ luxury. The great steam locomotives that 
thundered across the land were the jet airliners of their (51) ____________, carrying 
passengers in comfort over vast distances in unimaginably short times. But the railways 
(52) ____________ more than revolutionise travel; they also (53) ____________. a distinctive 
and permanent mark on the British landscape. Whole towns and industrial centres (54) 
____________ up around major rail junctions, monumental bridges and viaducts crossed 
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____________ rivers and valleys and the railway stations themselves became (55) 
____________ places to spend time between journeys. 
41. A. amount B. figure C. sum D. quantity 
42. A. revolve B. enclose C. encircle D. orbit 
43. A. altering B. amending C. adapting D. adjusting 
44. A. route B. way C. line D. course 
45. A. pursued B. followed C. succeeded D. chased 
46. A. cancelling B. subtracting C. cutting D. abolishing 
47. A. reach B. capacity C. facility D. hold 
48. A. further B. higher C. bigger D. greater 
49. A. served B. functioned C. represented D. performed 
50. A. considerable B. generous C. plentiful D. sizeable 
51. A. date B. stage C. day D. phase 
52. A. caused B. did C. produced D. turned 
53. A. laid B. set C. settled D. left 
54. A. jumped B. stood C. burst D. sprang 
55. A. preferable B. liked C. desirable D. wanted 
FOR QUESTION 56-65: Find and correct 10 mistakes (tense, verb form, logic, grammar, spelling) 
in the following passage. 
Saturn’s largest moon, Titan, has recently become a source of interest to atmosphere 
scientists. Atmospheric scientists focus on the way moisture and weather patterns within 
an atmosphere interacts. Eager to find new environments to observe, scientists have begun 
looking at Titan. It is the only one of Saturn's moons large enough to support an 
atmosphere. Given its distance from the sun, Titan is significantly colder than Earth. 
Moreover, its atmospheric conditions are nearly identical to Earth's under many regards. 
On Earth, liquid water evaporates and rises into the atmosphere, where various forces 
move the air. These atmospheric air currents dictate the formation of clouds, wind 
direction, and the places where precipitation occurs. Scientists observing Titan have found 
that its atmospheric currents are similar to those on Earth and are responsible to similar 
events. 
Unlike Earth, however, the vapor in Titan’s atmosphere is not evaporated water. As 
Titan is much colder than Earth, water can only exist as a solid. Methane on Titan, on the 
other hand, behaves in a manner similar to water on Earth. We are acustomed to seeing 
methane as a gas, as that is how it commonly occurs on Earth. Titan's lower temperatures, 
however, allow methane to coalesce into a liquid and become vapor. Given Titan's 
atmosphere, the evaporated and liquified vapor acts in a manner similar to the way water 
behaves on Earth. It puddles on Titan’s surface, evaporates, and forms into clouds. As a 
result, the atmospheric conditions on Titan mimick those observed on Earth. 
56. 57. 58. 59. 60. 
61. 62. 63. 64. 65. 
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FOR QUESTION 66-80: Read 2 passages below and fill in each gap with ONE suitable word. 
Passage 1: 
A mainstay of American newspapers since the early nineteenth century, political 
cartoons use graphic art to comment ____________ current events in a way that will 
inform, amuse, provoke, poke, and persuade readers. Cartoons take on the principal issues 
and leaders of the day, skewering hypocritical or corrupt politicians and depicting the 
ridiculous, the ironic, or the serious nature of a major event in a single, deftly drawn 
____________. Cartoons use few words, ____________ any, to convey their message. Some 
use caricature, a technique in which a cartoonist exaggerates the features of well-known 
people to make ____________ of them. (Think of renderings of Bill Clinton with a nose 
redder than Rudolph’s and swollen out of ____________, or cartoons of George W. Bush’s 
exaggerated pointy visage sporting a ten-gallon cowboy hat.) 
Because they have the ability to evoke an emotional response in readers, political 
cartoons can ____________ as a vehicle for swaying public opinion and can ____________ 
to reform. Thomas Nast (1840-1902), the preeminent political cartoonist of the second half 
of the nineteenth century, demonstrated the power of his medium when he used his art to 
end the corrupt Boss Tweed Ring in New York City. His images, first drawn for Harper's 
Weekly, are still ____________ currency today: Nast created the tiger as the symbol of 
Tammany Hall, the elephant for the Republican Party, and the donkey for the Democratic 
Party. Created under tight deadlines for ephemeral, commercial formats like newspapers 
and magazines, cartoons still manage to ____________ lasting influence. Although they 
tackle the principal issues and leaders of their day, they often provide a vivid historical 
picture for generations ____________ come. 
Passage 2: 
 Almost from the beginning of his administration, Lincoln was pressured by 
abolitionists and radical Republicans to issue an Emancipation Proclamation. 
____________ principle, Lincoln approved, but he postponed action ____________ slavery 
until he believed he had wider support from the American public. The passage of the 
Second Confiscation Act by Congress on July 17, 1862, which freed the slaves of everyone 
in rebellion against the government, provided the desired signal. Not only had Congress 
relieved the Administration ____________ considerable strain with its limited initiative on 
emancipation, it demonstrated an increasing public abhorrence ____________ slavery. 
Lincoln had already drafted what he termed his “Preliminary Proclamation.” He read his 
initial draft of the Emancipation Proclamation to Secretaries William H. Seward and 
Gideon Welles on July 13, 1862. For a moment, both secretaries were speechless. Quickly 
____________ his thoughts, Seward said something about anarchy in the South and 
possible foreign intervention, but with Welles apparently too confused to respond, Lincoln 
let the matter drop. 
FOR QUESTION 81-90: Rewrite the following sentences so that the transformed sentences are 
almost the same as the ones given. 
81. My friend persuaded me to go to the party in fancy dress. 
→ My friend talked ____________________________________________________________ 
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82. We get on very well with our next-door neighbors. 
→ We are on __________________________________________________________________ 
83. The thief ran right past you so I’m sure you saw his face. 
→ You' _______________________________________________________________________ 
84. They suspended Jackson for the next two matches. 
→ Jackson was banned _________________________________________________________ 
85. I regret not paying much attention to the lecture. 
→ I wish _____________________________________________________________________ 
86. There's no way we can agree to this solution. (CONCERNED) 
→ This _______________________________________________________________________ 
87. When I grow up. I’m going to be really important. (CAT) 
→ I’m ________________________________________________________________________ 
88. I’m never going to speak to Annie again. She made me look foolish in front of all my 
friends. (MONKEY) 
→ I’m never ___________________________________________________________________ 
89. You'll have to work harder if you want to pass your exams. (SOCKS) 
→ You’ll ______________________________________________________________________ 
90. It will be necessary to pay the full amount when you book. (PAID) 
→ The full _____________________________________________________________________ ____________________________ 
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KEY 1 
I. 
1. B 2. A 3. D 4. C 5. C 
6. C 7. B 8. B 9. D 10. B 
11. D 12. B 13. A 14. C 15. D 
16. B 17. A 18. C 19. A 20. B 
II. 
21. BELATED 22. SWINEHERD 23. PAUPER 24. REMEMBRANCE 25. INSCRIBED 
26. PHOTOGENIC 27. WINDMILL 28. FIXTURE 29. DISSERVICE 30. ALARMIST 
III. 
31. C 32. D 33. B 34. A 35. D 
36. A 37. B 38. C 39. D 40. A 
IV. 
41. C 42. A 43. D 44. B 45. C 
46. A 47. C 48. D 49. C 50. A 
51. C 52. B 53. D 54. D 55. C 
V. 
56. Atmosphere 
→ 
atmospheric 
57. Interacts → 
interact 
58. Moreover → 
However 
59. Under → in 60. Currents → 
current 
61. To → for 62. accustomed 
→ 
accustomed 
63. O → a 
(vapor) 
64. liquified → 
liquefied 
65. mimick → 
mimic 
VI. 
66. ON 67. IMAGE 68. IF 69. FUN 70. PROPORTION 
71. SERVE 72. CONTRIBUTE 73. IN 74. HAVE 75. TO 
76. IN 77. AGAINST 78. OF 79. TOWARD 80. COLLECTING 
VII. 
81. My friend talked